Cinematic Oblivion

A sickly sweet cocktail of various ingredients, Harry and Nick reunite after two weeks apart to discuss the 90's films of Brian De Palma, the video art of Jan Svankmajer, Ryan Trecartin, Alan Resnick, and the "wayward circus child" sub-genre, particularly Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay (1988) and Hiroshi Harada's Midori (1992).

The first part of our three-part history and analysis of Soviet Science Fiction films.

In this episode we begin in the silent era with Aelita: Queen of Mars (1924) and Cosmic Voyage (1935) and then blast off into the space race with Road to the Stars (1957), The Silent Star (1960), Planet of Storms (1962), and Ikarie XB-1 (1963) These films shine with the hope of a united communist Earth, where no matter what side of the iron curtain you call home we are all joined under the glory of the sky's call.

Chapter 1: Soviet Silents (2:05)

Chapter 2: Escape Velocity (14:45)

Chapter 3: Venus (30:50)

The first installment in a new series of mini episodes called spotlight, wherein Nick and/or Harry take a look at a particular theme (film/director/genre/etc.) that wouldn't otherwise be featured in a regular episode.

In this inaugural episode Harry takes a look at the 2009 indie horror comedy Make Out With Violence, while also reflecting on the days when Netflix offered a bevvy of bizarre low budget indie films available to stream.

Happy Halloween kiddies! We celebrate the season by paying tribute to EC comics, a horror brand as notorious as it was influential. We follow the brand's legacy from Amicus pictures, to Stephen King, to HBO. Come down into the Crypt of Terror with us. The morgue the merrier!

Chapter 1: Low Culture (3:18)

Chapter 2: Amicus (25:55)

Chapter 3: King and Romero (49:30)

Chapter 4: Little House on the Scary (1:16:45)

In this special Halloween episode of Grab Bag we discuss Ruby (1977), Pin (1988), Don't Look Up (1996), The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and the long awaited Terrifier (2017). We also discuss the rise and fall of J horror, the myriad Frankenstein adaptations and the complete lack of a great clown horror masterpiece.

In this episode we go back to some of the earliest adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world and explore the evolving world of 1970's American animation.

Chapter 1: There and Back Again (10:00)

Chapter 2: Bakshi's Big Trip (37:00)

Chapter 3: A Tale of the Hobbits (1:07:17)

In this grab bag episode Nick and Harry discuss Hell House LLC (2015), Trilogy of Terror (1975), Fragment of an Empire (1929), and suprise hit The Deadly Spawn (1983).

In this episode we study the films of Ida Lupino, the first woman to direct movies within the 1950's Hollywood system. We discuss both the ahead of its time feminism and decade representative conservatism that make up her work.

Chapter 1: Mardis Gras (3:35)

Chapter 2: Ida on the issues (11:50)

Chapter 3: Morality Plays (48:06)

Get out the pálinka, the paprika, and the patience as we discuss long-take auteur Béla Tarr's 7 hour study of spiders, muddy walks, and tango, tango, tango!

We are fairly split in our discussion of British cinematographer turned director Nicolas Roeg, prompting the first official "cinematic showdown." Listen as we debate and discuss some early seventies psychedelia and decide for yourself.

Chapter 1: Performance (3:50)

Chapter 2: Walkabout (37:15)

Chapter 3: Don't Look Now (57:40)

Chapter 4: The Man Who Fell To Earth (1:19:20)