Campion Conversations

The latest episode of Campion Conversations dives into three of the films in idiosyncratic director Paul Verhoeven's canon: Robocop, Total Recall and Starship Troopers.  Do these shlocky sci-fi action romps really explore themes from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Plato's Republic?  Would You Like To Know More?

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Everyone has heard of at least one Greek myth, even if they're not aware of it. Whether it's Perseus slaying the snake-haired Gorgon Medusa or Theseus pursued by the Minotaur in the Labyrinth or Icarus attempting to fly, Greek myths are part of our cultural fabric. But if you want to actually familiarise yourself with these tales of old, where do you start? Classics lecturer Thomas Flynn discusses this question with literature lecturer and host Dr Colin Dray in this episode of Campion Conversations.

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With the recent Star Wars trilogy wrapping up and the release of The Mandalorian, the franchise seems to be getting a makeover under Disney. This episode of  Campion Conversations takes a frank look at Star Wars under Disney's mantle. What did they get wrong? What worked well? Why was there so much angst over the final trilogy and what is the big deal about The Mandalorian? We answer all these questions and more in your latest edition of Campion Conversations.

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What defines Doctor Who? What has shaped its storytelling? And what has its legacy been upon genre narratives and television at large? Dr Colin Dray and Dr Jeremy Bell discuss the franchise that has spanned more than half a century with over a dozen iterations of the title character in this episode of Campion Conversations.

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In this miniature episode of Campion Conversations, literature lecturer Dr Colin Dray and classics lecturer Thomas Flynn discuss some lesser-known works by the father of modern fantasy, J.R.R. Tolkien.These texts are particularly useful for those interested in learning more about the liberal arts (as well as Tolkien fans).

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Campion takes on the classic trilogy that many of us grew up watching in this episode of Campion Conversations.Host Dr Colin Dray and co discuss their love for the trilogy and examine it in light of the burgeoning potential of science in the 1980s, while considering other questions like:Is the plot plausible?Does the time-travel timeline hold up?Which film is the strongest of the three? Which is the weakest?We discuss all this and more! Listen and enjoy.

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The four quirky anti-heroes who starred in one of the most defining television shows of the '90s take centre stage in this episode of Campion Conversations.What is Seinfeld actually about? Is it a show about nothing, as it meta-textually suggests in Season 4? Are the characters simply just high-functioning sociopaths? And does the humour still hold up 20 years on?

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Cardinal John Henry Newman died 129 years ago on 11 August 1890. A renowned writer, the (soon-to-be-canonised) prelate wrote numerous books, essays and letters throughout his life both as an Anglican and, later, a Catholic. Perhaps the most famous of these was his autobiographic Apologia. In this episode of Campion Conversations, our lecturers discuss Newman, his defining work and how best to read it.

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We looked at Jane Austen's novels, now we discuss the various adaptations. Austen's works have been adapted, re-adapted, modified and caricaturised in countless ways. We dive into these and discuss which ones worked, which didn't and what remain today as the gold standard of Austen book-to-film adaptations.

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Another miniature episode of suggested books to read before studying at Campion. This episode tackles St Augustine’s famous autobiographical work, Confessions. Campion’s lecturers discuss this work and the saint behind it in this episode of Campion Conversations.

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