Better Than Speed

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the bus, Not a creature was speeding, not even us; The explosives were hung by the gas tank with care, In hopes that Keanu soon would be there;

Dennis Hopper was nestled all snug in his bed, While dreams of retirement danced in his head And Sandra in her 'kerchief, and Ortiz in his cap, Had narrowly avoided a longshoreman's nap,

When out on the freeway there arose such a clatter, Jack sprang from his coffee to see to the matter. Away to the payphone he flew like a flash, "Pop quiz hotshot, now give me some cash."

He sprang to his cruiser, blew Jeff Daniels a whistle, And away they all flew like the heat of a missile. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, MERRY SPEEDMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!

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PS. Check out Dave's CSI bomb squad photo, and don't forget to watch Orson Welle's F FOR FAKE on FilmStruck for our next episode coming in early January!

Where there were eyes there's only space, as a mad doctor attempts to heal his daughter's broken face. Special guest Alex Gootter hops aboard the Speed bus to dissect Georges Franju's eerie horror gem EYES WITHOUT A FACE.

You can watch all three Franju films we discuss on this episode, including JUDEX, EYES WITHOUT A FACE, and BLOOD OF THE BEAST on FilmStruck, who are offering a 14-day free trial of their Criterion Collection and art film streaming service. Next episode's selection, the Orson Welles "documentary" F FOR FAKE can also be found on FilmStruck.

Unfortunately, FACE/OFF and the collected stylings of Andrew Dice Clay must be obtained elsewhere.

Shoutout to the talented musician Matt Daniels for his lovely ukulele rendition of Eyes Without A Face featured in this episode.

Finally, a sincere thank you and our deepest gratitude to everyone who continues to leave reviews of our podcast and spread the word to friends. We're grateful you take the time to listen!

Czech it out! Get ready for a deep dive into the feminist Czech New Wave classic DAISIES (aka Fucking With Dudes and Putting Them on Trains). Documentary filmmaker Jessica Schilling joins us to debate its merits against the bus that couldn't slow down.

Plus, Daniel mounts a spirited yet unsuccessful defense of the disastrous Tom Hanks vanity project FORREST GUMP.

You can watch a whole host of Czech New Wave classics we discuss on this episode, including Věra Chytilová's DAISIES, Jaromil Jireš' VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS, Ester Krumbachová's A REPORT ON THE PARTY AND ITS GUESTS, František Vláčil's MARKETA LAZAROVÁ, as well as the omnibus PEARLS OF THE DEEP, by signing up for a 14-day free trial of FilmStruck.

If you're interested in watching Miloš Forman's masterpiece of comic absurdity FIREMEN'S BALL, Criterion Collection has an out-of-print DVD, but you may be able to unearth a copy with a quick trip to your local library. Luckily, Jiří Menzel's CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS can still be purchased on Criterion's web site if you're in the mood for a hefty dose of anti-fascist fatalism.

FilmStruck also has a copy of the film we'll be watching for our next episode, Georges Franju's French surrealist gem EYES WITHOUT A FACE.

Never cross the Yakuza. The cherubic cheeked Joe Shishido stands his ground against a Japanese crime syndicate with a thirst for revenge in this action-packed and surprise-filled episode. From Tokashi Nomura to Seijun Suzuki and beyond, we yak it up about the Nikkatsu Noir crime genre and finally answer your burning question: Is A COLT IS MY PASSPORT better than shooting up a speed ball?

You can watch both A COLT IS MY PASSPORT and next episode's Czech New Wave selection DAISIES on FilmStruck, where they offer a 14-day free trial of their movie streaming service.

Plus, check out these scintillating scans of the real life Yakuza trade magazine Jitsuwa Jidai we reference in our conversation.

Write in and let us know how you're celebrating #Noirvember by contacting us at [email protected] or on Twitter @betterthanspeed.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! The BTS crew dissects Brian De Palma's slasher sendup Blow Out, with the help of special guest Morgan Hanner-Morfesis. It's a battle between two Jacks, Travolta vs Keanu. No matter who wins, we all lose. *Spoiler Warning and Violent Content Advisory* We talk about EVERYTHING.

You can watch Blow Out through Amazon Prime's Starz streaming service.

Plus, Pauline Kael's excellent essay on Blow Out can be found here.

If you'd like to watch next episode's film selection, A Colt Is My Passport, you can sign up for a 14-day free trial at FilmStruck.com

Send us your questions and comments at [email protected] or on Twitter @betterthanspeed

PS. If you give us an iTunes rating we'll love you forever.

In this spectacular inaugural episode of Better Than Speed, your hosts David Holland, Daniel Morfesis, Jessica Schilling and Matthew Walden tackle the legendary Polish film Ashes and Diamonds, directed by cinema heavyweight Andrzej Wajda. If you'd like to watch Ashes and Diamonds too, you can find it streaming at http://filmstruck.com/ where they have a free 14-day trial. Make sure to join us next episode when we discuss DePalma's dark delicacy Blow Out. Will either of these movies receive a unanimous "Better Than Speed" rating? You'll have to listen to find out!

Questions or comments? Contact us at [email protected] or on Twitter @BetterThanSpeed