This episode was supposed to be...checks notes...The Manchurian Candidate! But since we have been on hiatus for a while, we decided to change it up and pick a film that we know the audience has been waiting for, and that at least one of us would have some hot takes about. Don't worry, we will still release the other film soon. But today! Today is the day for a Ridley Scott epic swords & sandals film: Gladiator (2000).

Set during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus, this one takes us back to ancient Rome, around 180 CE. We follow Russell Crowe's character Maximus as he goes from general to slave to gladiator on a quest to avenge his murdered wife and son, depicted in grand scale with some of the best fight scenes put on film (depending on who you ask).

This is our first time covering the time period, and we did the research to satisfy all but the nerdiest of Roman history nerds. So buckle up and join us as we revisit this classic of the 21st century!

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Half stoic war epic and half frustrating courtroom melodrama, this early Kubrick film proved unassumingly controversial upon its release in comparison with the auteur’s later works.

Banned at one time or another in France, Switzerland, Fascist Spain, and US Military bases, and mostly overshadowed by The Bridge on the River Kwai from the same year, Paths of Glory was not a big hit with audiences and was completely ignored by the Academy.

Over the subsequent decades, its critical reception and some recognition from international awards kept it in the cultural consciousness enough to earn glowing reappraisals, and to make it a frequent fixture on a lot of GOAT lists today.

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Well, this one hardly needs an introduction and is as epic and sweeping as it gets. This is a film we have been wanting to cover for over two years, and finally the stars aligned. It is on just about every cinephile and film industry professional’s top ten greatest films of all time, often filling the number one spot.

If you haven’t seen it, it is well worth watching in the highest quality and biggest screen you can. The 4K restoration is fantastic, and Dune or The English Patient would not be the same without director David Lean’s masterpiece to influence them.

Alec Guinness, Peter O’Toole, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, and myriad great actors of their time star in this telling of the myth and some of the true history behind T.E. Lawrence, famous British archaeologist and military officer who played a hand during World War I in shaping what the Middle East looks like today, and arguably influenced the fates of many Arab peoples during their fight for independence from the Ottoman Empire.

Join Dan, Kt, and Liam as we explore the nuances and pitfalls of this incredibly enduring piece of cinema history from 1962.

Poster by Zachariah Wheeler

Next episode: Paths of Glory (1957)

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A lot can (and has) been said about this film. It's one of the very few that might actually achieve the status of "anti-war" film, or at least refrains from glamorizing it. It can't be accused of inaccuracy or overt messaging, because it is admittedly a picture of writer-director Oliver Stone's own experiences volunteering for the American War in Vietnam, fictionalized for the screen, but based on events he saw first hand.

While it's the only film Charlie Sheen has ever been good in (disclaimer: this is solely Dan's opinion, you can @ him directly), Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger are the big stars leading a huge cast of mostly unknown actors who later became famous: Sheen the Younger himself, Johnny Depp, Keith David, John C McGinley, among many others. They portray infantrymen at war in all of its grime, sweat, bugs, confusion, and moral ambiguity. And none of the glory.

The cinematography is claustrophobic and purposefully confusing, the Oscar-winning sound design relentless, the performances indelible. Join us as we discuss the grueling production, emotional impact, and continued legacy of this important American film.

Widely available for streaming.

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Buckle up, Danger Close fans! We went way off the usual list this time and chose a Disney renaissance film that is also decidedly a war film. From the training scenes, to the battles, to a glorious last minute rescue of the emperor, Mulan fits most of the tropes for a war film.

It's also for kids and embraces that 90's Girl Power movement that was so prevalent at the time. You will get to hear us dish about our childhood Disney favorites, debate the quality of the songs and soundtrack, and dissect Disney's intentions with this story.

But don't worry, we also have our usual history section (with a hell of a forthcoming surplus ordnance thanks to Dave Feldmann and Mike Andrews), along with our usual nonsense.

Next Episode: Platoon (1986)

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Here’s part two of Dan’s interview with Fig and RePete from the podcast So There I Was!

This half we talk movies a little, with some cool details about the harrier jets in True Lies, and get some personal “oh shit!”flying stories from the guys.

If you want to hear more from Fig and RePete, here is their True Lies ep, where they interview their squadron mates who actually flew in the film, and links to the rest of their show. Enjoy!

https://sothereiwas.us/episode/16/

Website (with lots of great photos): https://sothereiwas.us

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/so-there-i-was/id1628848482

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZKdN0mQWINqZsbkCrSpDC

Having recorded this right before Memorial Day, we do talk about Veteran issues a bit. If you are a Veteran who is struggling or know one, there is help! Dial 988, then press 1.

This week on Danger Close, a Veteran interview with yours truly, Dan!

I sat down with two former Marine aviators and we talked about our experiences in the Corps, traded aviation stories, and I even played them a special recording that has not gone public until now!

This is part One where Dan mostly talks about his career in the Marines and in aviation, in part Two we will get Fig and RePete’s stories from flying harriers and talk movies a bit.

Check out their awesome aviation show So There I Was (links below) for epic interviews with military pilots from World War II to the most recent wars.

We will release part Two shortly, and return to regular DC/DCE content after that. Thank you all for being very patient during our break!

Website (with lots of great photos): https://sothereiwas.us

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/so-there-i-was/id1628848482

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZKdN0mQWINqZsbkCrSpDC

For the first time ever, the Fright Pub crew and the Danger Close team get together in person to record a podcast. In Pittsburgh!!

If this film is where the Venn diagram of horror films and war films meet, then I guess Liam is where the Venn diagram of our two shows come together! He's...the glue? The central spoke in the wheel? I don't know, this analogy is not working.

Anyway, we all had a blast having plenty of drinks in the Fright Pub and seeing what kind of rules we could break in each other's shows. And did we mention Zombies? And Nazis? And Nazi-Zombies!

It's gonna be a good time. Welcome to Danger...Club? Fright Close? Man, none of this is working. But we did have a lot of fun. Enjoy!

We’re back!

The show returns with a brand new DCE episode that we decided to release free to everyone. We want to thank our generous Patrons for sticking with us during our much needed break as we caught up with our schedule and got a bunch of recordings done. We have six episodes in the bag that we are editing and will be releasing over the next few months.

Back in 2010, Christopher Nolan directed his most ambitious title at the time: a sci-fi heist thriller with an all-star cast and a huge budget. A little movie you may have heard of, called INCEPTION.

Dan picked this one as one of his all-time favorites, and he was really curious to see what Kt and Liam had to say. How many dream-levels down into this conversation can they go? Is Liam going to once again disparage an extremely-popular, Oscar-winning film? Tune in to our kinda…sorta war film podcast, and find out!

TRIGGER WARNING: This film discussion deals with suicide. Listener discretion advised.

Listen to our entire library of DCE episodes for only $4 a month, with titles like Predator, The Terminator, North by Northwest, and more!

www.dangerclosepod.com/support

Another good example of a modern war film produced before September 11th, this one puts us in the helicopters and humvees of Task Force Ranger during the humanitarian crisis in Somalia in 1993. Dispensing with most of the geo-political complexities that led to US forces deploying to East Africa, the focus here is mostly on the Rangers and Delta Force on the ground, who dropped into a hostile district with all the confidence of overwhelming force and technology, only to find out the hard way that a daytime raid and repetitive tactics were a recipe for disaster.

You may not recognize them all in a sea of later-famous faces: Josh Hartnett as the young staff sergeant, Ewan McGregor as the coffee expert, a young Tom Hardy in his first big picture, and a grizzled Tom Sizemore returning to a combat leadership role. The film really humanizes the American soldiers and makes you live their experiences, while…not really filling in the motivation of the Somali fighters or the context of the larger conflict.

This was a first-time watch for at least one of us! Join us today as we explore the Battle of Mogadishu and its hard-learned lessons.

Next Episode: Mulan (1998)

Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments!