Criterion Close-Up

Mark and Aaron take a look at Whit Stillman’s Barcelona (1994), and how it compares with his other work. We focus most on his other two films from the 1990s, Metropolitan (1990) and Last Days of Disco (1998), but we also discuss his most recent effort, Love and Friendship.

About the film:

Whit Stillman followed his delightful indie breakthrough Metropolitan with another clever and garrulous comedy of manners, this one with a darker edge. A pair of preppy yet constitutionally mismatched American cousins—a salesman and a navy officer—argue about romance and politics while working in the beautiful Spanish city of the film’s title. Set during the eighties, Barcelona explores topics both heady (American exceptionalism, Cold War foreign policy) and hilarious (the ins and outs of international dating, the proper shaving method) while remaining a constantly witty delight, featuring a sharp young cast that includes Taylor Nichols, Chris Eigeman, and Mira Sorvino.

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0:00 – Intro and Welcome

4:25 – Podcastings

10:00 – Upcoming Series Announcement

13:20 – Short Takes (The Lobster, Love & Friendship)

33:00 – Barcelona and Whit Stillman

Next time on the podcast: Music and Film

Mark and Aaron explore the popular genre that is science fiction. At the core of our discussion is a science fiction project that Aaron has been working on, but we also explore the genre on Criterion, and delve into Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s World on a Wire.

0:00 – Welcome and Intro

3:00 – The War Room, Thanks Keith

8:30 – Short Takes (Frau im Mond, The Fits, Captain America: Civil War, Robinson Crusoe on Mars, Mysterious Island, Stalker)

29:00 – The Sci-Fi List Project

50:30 – Sci-Fi Criterion Titles

57:00 – World on a Wire

Next time on the podcast: Barcelona

Aaron is joined by Keith Enright for a discussion of politics, new and old, through the lens of The War Room (1993), the behind-the scenes 1992 Clinton campaign documentary. We go into depth about the backroom politics and how those are what defines the campaign, but are usually far from the public eye. We contrast the politics of today and yesterday by looking the current affairs and Robert Drew’s Primary.

About the film:

The 1992 presidential election was a triumph not only for Bill Clinton but also for the new breed of strategists who guided him to the White House—and changed the face of politics in the process. For this thrilling, behind-closed-doors account of that campaign, renowned cinema verité filmmakers Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker captured the brainstorming and bull sessions of Clinton’s crack team of consultants—especially James Carville and George Stephanopoulos, who became media stars in their own right as they injected a savvy, youthful spirit and spontaneity into the process of campaigning. Fleet-footed and entertaining, The War Room is a vivid document of a political moment whose truths (“It’s the economy, stupid!”) still ring in our ears.

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Special Guest: Keith Enright from the Criterion Completion. You can find him on Twitter

0:00 – Intro and Welcome Keith

3:40 – Keith’s FilmStruck take

12:00 – Collecting discussion

19:00 – The War Room

Next time on the podcast: World on a Wire

Mark, Aaron and Paul Cobb look at John Frankenheimer’s political thriller, The Manchurian Candidate. We explore the originality and how it influenced other paranoia films, how it spoke to the spirit of the 1960s, as a satire towards McCarthyism, and how it has remained relevant throughout the years.

About the film:

The name John Frankenheimer became forever synonymous with heart-in-the-throat filmmaking when this quintessential sixties political thriller was released. Set in the early fifties, this razor-sharp adaptation of the novel by Richard Condon concerns the decorated U.S. Army sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey), who as a prisoner during the Korean War is brainwashed into becoming a sleeper assassin in a Communist conspiracy, and a fellow POW (Frank Sinatra) who slowly uncovers the sinister plot. In an unforgettable performance, Angela Lansbury plays Raymond’s villainous mother, the controlling wife of a witch-hunting anti-Communist senator with his eyes on the White House. The rare film that takes aim at the frenzy of the McCarthy era while also being suffused with its Cold War paranoia, The Manchurian Candidate remains potent, shocking American moviemaking.

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Special Guest: Paul M. Cobb from the Blogue Cinéastique. You can find him on Twitter.

0:00 – Intro and welcome Paul

2:55 – Paul’s Criterion Connection

11:20 – Don Hertzfeldt Revisit

12:20 – August 2016 Criterion Releases

31:10 – The Manchurian Candidate

Next time on the podcast: The War Room

Mark and Aaron fly back to 1939 to discuss Howard Hawks’ classic Only Angels Have Wings. We evaluate the special effects, how the film built suspense, the context of aviation in the late 1930s, and later films that embody a similar masculinity. We also reveal the winner of our Don Hertzfeldt contest and talk about region free players.

About the film:

Electrified by crackling dialogue and visual craftsmanship of the great Howard Hawks, Only Angels Have Wings stars Jean Arthur as a traveling entertainer who gets more than she bargained for during a stopover in a South American port town. There she meets a handsome and aloof daredevil pilot, played by Cary Grant, who runs an airmail company, staring down death while servicing towns in treacherous mountain terrain. Both attracted to and repelled by his romantic sense of danger, she decides to stay on, despite his protestations. This masterful and mysterious adventure, featuring Oscar-nominated special effects, high-wire aerial photography, and Rita Hayworth in a small but breakout role, explores Hawks’s recurring themes of masculine codes and the strong-willed women who question them.

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0:00 – Intro and Welcome

1:50 – Don Hertzfeldt giveaway winner

7:55 – Podcastaggedon

12:40 – Region Free Player

18:05 – Short Takes (Everybody Wants Some, Amy, Blue Velvet, Chimes at Midnight, Son of Saul, A Vermont Romance)

39:20 – Only Angels Have Wings

Next time on the podcast: The Manchurian Candidate

Mark and Aaron discuss Plain Archive, the South Korean Blu-Ray label, with input from Hyunhu Jang. He is a Producer and the Communications Manager for the label. In addition to talking about the label’s titles and their terrific packaging, we also delve into the global Blu-Ray economy and the challenges with streaming media. We discuss the 2016 Cannes lineup and share our favorite 1988 films.

0:00 – Intro and Welcome Ghost of Plain Archive

2:55 – Thanks & Feedback on New Formats

7:25 – Hertzfeldt Giveaway Update

9:10 – Mark on First Time Watchers

14:00 – Plain Archive Discussion

37:15 – Movie Lists, 1988 Films

46:40 – Cannes 2016

54:20 – Short Takes (Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, Steve Jobs, Ex Machina, Shame, Carol, Star Wars: The Force Awakens)

Next time on the podcast: Only Angels Have Wings

Mark and Aaron change things up by talking about a variety of topics. We delve into Don Hertzfeldt, Lady Snowblood, our recent purchases, films we’ve seen lately, Criterion news, and a strange story about a trolling incident.

0:00 – Intro & Show Preview

2:15 – Show Format Changes

5:55 – The “Troll” Incident

14:00 – Don Hertzfeld

19:25 – Recent Purchases

31:05 – Lady Snowblood

38:35 – A Little Bit of Criterion News

51:15 – 4K TV Discussion

57:00 – Short Takes (A Poem is a Naked Person, The Miracle Worker, The Swimmer, Embrace of the Serpent, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Crimson Peak)

Next time on the podcast: Boutique Labels

Mark and Aaron are joined by Michele Rosenthal, professional illustrator and Criterion fan artist. She’s also a Criterion fan, but approaches the label from a different angle compared to most collectors. We talk to her about her process, passion, and dedication, and we also discuss the June 2016 release slate with her.

Special Guest: Michele Rosenthal from Criterion Affectiont. You can find her on Twitter, Tumblr, and at her personal/professional website.

0:00 – Intro and Welcome Michele

2:15 – Michele’s Criterion Connection

7:30 – Housekeeping

9:00 – Feedback from Gross-Out

10:45 – June Criterion Releases

31:10 – Michele Rosenthal

Next time on the podcast: A New Show Format, Trolls, Lady Snowblood

Mark, Aaron, and Tim are seduced by plastics. We explore what turned out to be a pivotal film in Hollywood history. The Graduate paved the way for many films to come, from casting lead actors, film structure, cinematography, and to the use of music in film. We explore the complexities of Ben’s relationships, speculate about the ending, and flesh out the time period in which the film was made.

About the film:

One of the most beloved American films of all time, The Graduate earned Mike Nichols a best director Oscar, brought the music of Simon & Garfunkel to a wider audience, and introduced the world to a young actor named Dustin Hoffman. Benjamin Braddock (Hoffman) has just finished college and is already lost in a sea of confusion and barely contained angst when he becomes sexually involved with a friend of his parents’, the indomitable Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), before turning his attention to her college-age daughter (Katharine Ross). Visually imaginative and impeccably acted, with a clever, endlessly quotable script by Buck Henry (based on the novel by Charles Webb), The Graduate had the kind of cultural impact that comes along only once in a generation.

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Special Guest: Tim Costa from the First Time Watchers Podcast. You can find them on Twitter and Facebook.

0:00 – Intro and Welcome Tim

4:25 – Tim’s Criterion Connection

7:00 – Criterion Chronicles discussion

9:00 – Feedback from Gross-Out

11:00 – Listener feedback

13:10 – Short Takes (The Seventh Seal, Cinema Paradiso, Spotlight)

26:00 – The Graduate

Next time on the podcast: Criterion Close-Up: Criterion Art

Mark, Aaron, Cole, and Dustin are back to continue the conversation about “Gross Out” films. We explore a number of other releases. This time we strike a balance between artistry and filth, and try to find redeeming qualities in some of the films considered to be among the grossest of all time. We cover genres and movements, including Giallo, 80s horror, New French Extremity, and the Cannibal series.

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Special Guests: Cole Roulain and Dustin Schultz. Cole is from the Magic Lantern Podcast. You can find them on Twitter and Facebook. You can find Dustin on Twitter.

Next time on the podcast: The Graduate