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Check out the Serpent’s Path archive right here.

After starting his V-Cinema adventure with MEN OF RAGE and YAKUZA TAXI (both covered on our last episode) Kiyoshi Kurosawa began his most ambitious project yet: a series of SIX films featuring two bumbling, but loveable, gangsters played by Shô Aikawa and Kôyô Maeda who continually find themselves in unlikely, comical scenarios (with – naturally – bursts of sex and violence). Kurosawa would shoot two of the films at a time, and on this episode of Serpent’s Path we’re checking out the first two entries. In 1995’s Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Heist our pair end up falling for the same woman, only to be forced to help her raise money for a sick relative once she gets involved with (wait for it!) the yakuza. Then, in Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Escape (also from 1995) the two are hired by a Yakuza boss to spy on his daughter and her boyfriend, only for them to get wrapped up in a tale of love, betrayal and AUSTRALIA. All that and plenty of context, so ENJOY!

Our major sources for this episode are:

This Tom Mes interview with Kurosawa from Midnight Eye:

http://www.midnighteye.com/interviews/kiyoshi-kurosawa-3/#:~:text=It%20was%20based%20on%20a,I%20actually%20made%20this%20film.

A French interview with Kurosawa covering his early career

http://eigagogo.free.fr/en/interview-kiyoshi-kurosawa.php

The post Episode 323 – Serpent’s Path: The Films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Heist (1995) & Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself: The Escape (1995) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out the full HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? archive right here

We RETURN TO THE SANDLER-VERSE on this episode of HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? (the world’s finest Steve Buscemi podcast) with the 2015 made-for-Netflix western-comedy THE RIDICULOUS 6 featuring Terry Crews, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Jorge Garcia, and Luke Wilson and Sandler himself as the titular 6, as well as appearances by Will Forte, Steve Zahn, Nick Nolte, Danny Trejo, Harvey Keitel and.. uh.. Vanilla Ice as Mark Twain. Oh, and it sucks! It’s really bad! Hear us suffer, please.

The post Episode 322 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – The Ridiculous 6 (2015) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out the full Bartel Me Something Good archive right here

On this free-wheeling episode of BARTEL ME SOMETHING GOOD we’re doubling up with two films featuring notable Paul Bartel ACTING performances. Uh.. kinda. We start with the cult-classic killer robots in a mall horror film CHOPPING MALL, directed by Jim Wynorski. With an all-star cast including Kelli Maroney, Barbara Crampton, DICK MILLER, Gerrit Graham, Mel Welles, Angus Scrimm and – of course – Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov, reprising their roles from EATING RAOUL! Then we put on our deerstalker hats and pull out our magnifying glasses as we solve the mystery of WHERE IS PAUL BARTEL (as “Twister Master”) IN GREGG ARAKI’S THE LIVING END?! The record will be changed PERMANANTLY as we discuss Araki’s transgressive 1992 road comedy-drama ALSO featuring an appearance by Mary Woronov. Have a listen, friends!

The post Episode 321 – Bartel Me Something Good – Chopping Mall (1986) & The Living End (1992) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out all the episodes of CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT right here.

We’re selling out again.. and much faster than usual! On this explosive episode of CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT we’re surviving on wild boar and coconut water with the help of Sam Raimi in 2026’s SEND HELP, his return to low-budget thrills starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien! That pair got stranded on a deserted island after a (appropriately violent) plane crash, but here’s the twist: O’Brien is McAdams’ overbearing, piece of garbage boss and McAdams is obsessed with survivalist books and TV shows. The pair learn a lot about love, friendship and MURDERING EACH OTHER. Did we like it? I dunno. Let’s find out!

The post Episode 320 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Send Help (2026) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out all the episodes of CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT right here.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ?! TELL ME WHAT’S A-HAPPENIN! On this episode we’re SELLING OUT FOR THE LORD as we tackle Norman Jewison’s adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR featuring (wussy) Ted Neeley as Jesus and (bad-ass) Carl Anderson as Judas. Doug asks Liam all sorts of uncomfortable religious questions. Y’know, for fun! We’ll talk the history, the performances, the accusations of anti-semitism, all that stuff! Also, what is the DEAL with this Jesus guy? Listen and find out!

The post Episode 319 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out the Praising Kane archive right here.

We like to have fun here on PRAISING KANE, the world’s finest chronological Carol Kane-themed podcast, but occasionally – rarely – even Carol Kane’s charms are not enough to lift up a film, and that’s certainly the case with Joyce Chopra’s misguided misfire THE LEMON SISTERS from 1989 (though held back from release until 1990). Despite a dynamite supporting cast (including Elliott Gould, Aidan Quinn, a young Nathan Lane, and Ruben Blades) and the talented trio of Diane Keaton, Kathryn Grody and Kane herself as the titular Lemon Sister (friends who grew up together on the Atlantic City boardwalk who sing standards in a nightclub.. sorta), it’s just a disaster. Bad music, incomprehensible plot elements, and a lack of chemistry just dooms the whole thing. But is there ANYTHING to recommend it? Listen and find out!

The post Episode 318 – Praising Kane – The Lemon Sisters (1989) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out the full Wild in the Streets archive right here

Three well-to-do young men go on a crime and killing spree for KICKS while Tomas Milian is.. uh.. kinda on their trail in Romolo Guerrieri’s YOUNG, VIOLENT, DANGEROUS from 1976! Milian is sort of wasted, but the trio are a hoot (and there’s plenty of homoerotic under(?)current as well, because of course there is! There’s blood, murder, and a tremendous car chase. Who could ask for anything more? We also discuss our favorite trios for some reason. ENJOY!

The post Episode 317 – Wild in the Streets – Young, Violent, Dangerous (1976) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out the full HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? archive right here

On a brand new episode of HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? we’re finding a stranger in the alps with THE DUDE and all his funny pals in The Coen Brothers’ neo-noir cult favorite THE BIG LEBOWSKI from 1997. Featuring Jeff Bridges as the dude, John Goodman as his pal Walter Sobchak and – of course – the great Steve Buscemi as the mild-mannered Donny (and also Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro, Sam Elliott and MORE). We talk about Dudeism, oat sodas, Caucasians.. all that stuff! Enjoy!

The post Episode 316 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – The Big Lebowski (1997) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out the full We Do Our Own Stunts archive right here

Before we get to the sublime (POLICE STORY) we need to experience the ridiculous, and it doesn’t get much more ridiculous than 1985’s HEART OF DRAGON which features Jackie taking care of his developmentally delayed brother (played by Sammo Hung) even though he really just wants to be on the SWAT Team.. or a police officer.. or a sailor. While sometimes a total disaster (the Sammo antics are NOT GREAT) it also features some extraordinary choreography (from Yuen Biao), particularly in the Japanese version we watched for this episode that has TWO extra fight scenes and closing credits outtakes. Hear some conflicted opinions on this episode of WE DO OUR OWN STUNTS!

Here’s Jackie singing “We Are The World” with Lionel Richie

The post Episode 315 – We Do Our Own Stunts – Heart of Dragon (1985) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

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Check out all the episodes of CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT right here.

On a returning CINEMA SMORGASBORD SELLS OUT we’re talking about Bradley Cooper’s divorced dad energy mid-life crisis comedy-drama IS THIS THING ON? for some reason. Will Arnett plays a RICH BASTARD who divorces former volleyball star Laura Dern and turns to stand-up comedy to discover insights about himself and somehow we STILL decided to watch it. Bradley Cooper plays a character named BALLS! Yikes! Anyway, there are plenty of shocking revelations, so give it a listen. Spoilers ahead, but who cares?

The post Episode 314 – Cinema Smorgasbord Sells Out – Is this Thing On? (2025) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.