Consider This with Scott Mantz

"Eyes Wide Shut" was Stanley Kubrick's final film, but it was also his most misunderstood. It opened in theaters on July 16, 1999 -- four months after Kubrick's sudden passing on March 7 -- and it was greeted with mixed reviews from critics and public indifference. Quite simply, people didn't know what to make of it.

But like most of Kubrick's movies, "Eyes Wide Shut" took repeated viewings and perspective for it to catch on, and it has since come to be regarded as another in a long list of Kubrick masterpieces. That's what makes my conversation with Robert P. Kolker (Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland) and Nathan Abrams (Professor in Film, Bangor University in Wales) so incredibly fascinating. They're the authors of the book "Eyes Wide Shut: Stanley Kubrick and the Making of His Final Film," and they provide so much insight that even diehard fans of Stanley Kubrick will find it essential.

I hope you enjoy this deep dive conversation about "Eyes Wide Shut" on "Consider This with Scott Mantz!"

I have always felt that 1999 was the best year ever for movies, and "The Iron Giant" is one of the (many) reasons why. But when the film -- directed by Brad Bird and based on the book by Ted Hughes -- was first released on August 6 , it got lost in the shuffle due to the unfortunate timing of opening the same day as "The Sixth Sense," which became a cinematic phenomenon.

But over the years, "The Iron Giant" has come to be regarded as one of the greatest animated features of all time, and it was an absolute pleasure to interview producers Allison Abbate & Des McAnuff and actor Eli Marienthal (who voices young "Hogarth") for "Consider This" about the making of this beloved classic.

I hope you enjoy the conversation!

On Episode 2 of "Consider This with Scott Mantz," I interviewed writer-director Sofia Coppola and actors Kirsten Dunst & Josh Hartnett about "The Virgin Suicides," which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1999.

Though it was overlooked with it was first released in U.S. theaters in March of 2000, "The Virgin Suicides" has gained a considerable amount of stature and popularity over the years, and it was fascinating to hear Coppola, Dunst & Hartnett look back on the making of the film with some great stories and a fresh sense of perspective.

Enjoy and thanks for listening!

On the first episode of "Consider This with Scott Mantz," I interviewed actors Reese Witherspoon & Matthew Broderick and writer-director Alexander Payne about "Election," their brilliant film from 1999 that has gained a passionate following and even greater relevancy over the years.

It was such a thrill to be able to interview the 3 of them together, and it became quickly obvious that "Election" is a special film that's close to their hearts. I learned so much about the making of this all-time classic, and I hope you will too!

Pick Flick and enjoy!