The HBO Original two-part documentary Pee-wee as Himself, directed by Matt Wolf, debuts Friday, May 23 (8pm ET) with both parts airing back-to-back on HBO and available to stream on Max.

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for more Pee-wee listen to the DESIGNERS ON FILM interview with Ben Shown, available on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon podcasts

https://www.designersonfilm.com/podcast/pee-wees-big-adventure-1985-with-ben-shown

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https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000607/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14419140/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090500/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089791/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081915/

Erin Prus is a design leader living in the heart of the Midwest, focuses on the ways words (and their systems and styles) shape design, and impact UI design elements, accessibility, and more. She returns to the show to talk about Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor. Is Challengers the horniest tennis movies ever? What about the sweaty, rainy scenes? And how does it compare to 9 1/2 Weeks or Basic Instinct?

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A teacher-journalist turned content designer and UX writer, Erin Prus is no stranger to career pivots. She's been consulting for two seemingly disparate clients in the health tech and horticulture spaces, two things she cares deeply about. Also, she's scheduled to wrap up a forthcoming memoir later this year. When she's not working, Erin loves being outside, spending time with her French Bulldog Rumi, doing Pilates, and watching movies with her son.

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Challengers (2024)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16426418/

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/movies/2024/04/29/yes-applebees-in-challengers-is-accurate-zendaya-cincinnati-open/73499584007/

https://www.vulture.com/article/why-challengers-had-that-applebees-scene.html

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Other movies discussed, alphabetical list

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Matchpoint (2005)

Phantom Thread (2017)

Queer (2024)

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

The Social Network (2010)

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Wimbeldon (2004)

Y tu mamá también (2001)

Pump Up the Volume stars Christian Slater as a high schooler who moonlights as an underground radio personality. In addition to the movie, Ian Smile talks about music, media, craft, and the importance of messaging and content.

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After over 15 years building his career in the New York City design community, Ian Smile chased his dreams of designing skateboards, following the sunset west for the skateparks and beaches of Southern California. He was welcomed into the skate world by some of his childhood heroes and has since proudly held the position of Creative Director for both the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and CSEF College Skateboarding.

https://www.threads.com/@endashes

https://www.instagram.com/endashes/

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Pump Up the Volume (1990)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100436/

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Music, movies, media, and craft discussed

https://www.target.com/p/ennio-dvd/-/A-91886972

https://www.kanopy.com/

https://thamesandhudson.com/disorder-9780500029060

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_movement

https://www.underconsideration.com/speakup/interviews/venezky.html

https://www.ted.com/talks/paula_scher_great_design_is_serious_not_solemn

https://www.moma.org/artists/7070-paula-scher

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC5

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler,_the_Creator

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul%27s_Boutique

Throughout his career, Ian Smile has been a graphic designer, creative director, community builder, and is currently a principal UX designer building digital products for media management and distribution for pro sports & entertainment industries. Ian and I discuss Pump Up the Volume, starring Christian Slater as a high schooler who moonlights as an underground radio personality, he's a voice for the students and somebody they relate to, even look up to. We also talk about Generation X, the punk ethos, and old school media.

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After over 15 years building his career in the New York City design community, Ian Smile chased his dreams of designing skateboards, following the sunset west for the skateparks and beaches of Southern California. He was welcomed into the skate world by some of his childhood heroes and has since proudly held the position of Creative Director for both the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and CSEF College Skateboarding.

https://www.threads.com/@endashes

https://www.instagram.com/endashes/

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Pump Up the Volume (1990)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100436/

https://www.theringer.com/2020/08/21/movies/making-of-pump-up-the-volume-30th-anniversary-christian-slater

https://www.rogerebert.com/features/the-needle-drop-sessions-pump-up-the-volume-and-untamed-heart

https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2020/08/pump-up-the-volume-still-reverberates-30-years-later/

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/christian-slater-dirty-john-mr-robot-pump-up-the-volume-1234707369/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soupy_Sales

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Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical list

Clerks (1994)

The Crow (1994)

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Dune (1984, 2021, 2024)

The Fisher King (1991)

Gleaming the Cube (1989)

The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)

Network (1976)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Singles (1992)

Slacker (1990)

Sneakers (1992)

Stand by Me (1986)

Talk Radio (1988)

Turk 182 (1985)

Vanishing Point (1971)

WarGames (1983)

HBO's trailer for Pee-wee as Himself recently debuted, a walk down memory lane, full of familiar faces, funny stories, and some hard truths. The two-part TV series debuts May 2025.

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https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14419140/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090500/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089791/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081915/

Ben Shown is equal parts design nerd and creative mentor, bringing a playful curiosity to complex challenges and a love of user-centered everything. As Head of Design at Blink UX, he helps shape the vision for industry giants like Amazon, Expedia, Microsoft, NASA, and The New York Times. When it comes to movies, Ben considers Pee-wee's Big Adventure a North Star, a pillar, and for all the right reasons. It has comedy, drama, surprise, shock, whimsy, and even some horror, with memorable scenes and quotable lines that to this day are iconic.

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Beyond agency work, Ben corrupts young design minds at Northeastern University as a part-time lecturer, spreading his infectious enthusiasm for making technology less frustrating and more equitable. Ben earned his MFA in design from the University of Washington in Seattle, where he focused on graphic design, design theory, data visualization, and exhibit design. And when given the chance, he'll gladly talk to you about design workshops, grid systems, typography, improv comedy, movies, and Murphy beds.

https://blinkux.com/services

https://www.linkedin.com/in/benkshown/

https://camd.northeastern.edu/people/benjamin-shown/

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Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089791/

https://groundlings.com/people/paul-reubens

https://youtu.be/WzOQixyJseQ?si=6A3TqCYcKD223WPi&t=93

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKiXu-VVHBw

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Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical list

M*A*S*H (1970)

The Prestige (2006)

Scrubs (2001-2010)

Benjamin Franklin famously wrote, "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." When it comes to movies about taxes, finance, banking, scheming, lying, cheating, and selling, here are a few of my favorites, from comedies to dramas, to the completely outrageous and obscene.

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American Psycho (2000)

The Big Short (2015)

Boiler Room (2000)

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

The Other Guys (2010)

Trading Places (1983)

Wall Street (1987)

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

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designersonfilm.com/bigshort

Accomplished marketing leader Bill Childs comes back to the show. After thirty years of working as a graphic designer, copywriter, art director, illustrator, marketing director, and creative director, Bill shares his insights in the book Childs Play which serves as a field guide for anyone who works creatively. Bill talks about why the high-octane comedy Midnight Run is a perfect movie, from Grodin's improvisations to De Niro's commitment to the character, with Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and Philip Baker Hall in supporting and memorable roles.

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From an early age, Bill Childs knew that his life's work would be in the creative realm, and this has brought him to roles as a graphic designer, layout artist, copywriter, marketing director, columnist, lecturer, and creative director. As a lecturer and public speaker, Bill Childs loves sharing his knowledge with the next generation, especially when it comes to leadership styles and how they affect a work culture. Whenever a culture of creativity was embraced, the work was always better, people were happier, and the company drove more revenue. 

https://www.billchilds.com/ 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/childs-play-william-childs/1145035474 

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Midnight Run (1988)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095631/ 

https://youtu.be/WTmCcnJuGCU 

https://youtu.be/bJHJw59YLWM 

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Other movies discussed, alphabetical list

Alien (1979)

Bad Boys (1995)

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

Die Hard (1988)

Drive (2011)

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

Mean Streets (1973)

Moonlighting (1985-1989)

Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Risky Business (1983)

Seems Like Old Times (1980)

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

This Is 40 (2012)

Wise Guys (1986)

Thankful for Val Kilmer and all the wonderful work he did, especially 2010's MacGruber which helped me get through some dark times during 2020's COVID lockdown.

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Val Kilmer, so much range, such a phenomenal artist.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000174/

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MacGruber (2010)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470023/

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/05/an-oral-history-of-macgruber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaCPCekIL3s

Top Secret! (1984)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088286/

Real Genius (1985)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089886/

Top Gun (1986)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20215968/

The Saint (1997)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120053/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saint_(TV_series)

The Nice Guys (2016)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3799694/

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/

Val (2021)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14731254/

Noah Smith is a multidisciplinary visual storyteller specializing in UX design. With a background in film, Noah's also a big, big fan of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the 1986 comedy that's also full of action, drama, and sprawling musical numbers. Ferris, an extremely popular teenager, skips school and with his best friend Cameron and his girlfriend Sloane, they embark on a series of adventures. What about the possibility of Ferris being a figment of Cameron's imagination, the so-called Fight Club theory? And how does Ferris connect to Spider-Man? Plus, the movie's small but memorable baseball moments make it perfect for the month of March and Major League Baseball's season openers.

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Noah Smith's true love for all things 80s includes some pretty rad engagement photos that made their way into People and Huffpost. An accomplished woodworker, he's designed tables, bowls, cutting boards, spoons, and everything in-between, a hobby he began in 2020. For a few years in college he produced music (under the name, Hard Mix) and eventually signed to a record label.

https://www.noahdanielsmith.com/

https://www.instagram.com/noahdanielsmith/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahdanielsmith/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/omg-these-80s-themed-engagement-pics_n_5978cffce4b0e201d57a8f96

https://people.com/human-interest/couple-80s-throwback-engagement-pics/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/16VGnqXIwxBGxmeShTvFKE?si=NB20bU3VQQWy0wvD4LSzyw

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Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/ 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098795/ 

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/06/why-ferris-bueller-never-existed/327276/ 

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-ferris-bueller-fight-club-theory-and-other-fan-conspiracies-sending-people-on-reddit-into-a-tailspin-2015-6 

https://www.mlb.com/cut4/33rd-anniversary-of-cubs-game-attended-by-ferris-bueller-c279886598 

https://www.slashfilm.com/503532/the-ferris-bueller-fight-club-theory/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiMuj85ngEo 

https://theweek.com/speedreads/540187/john-hughes-wrote-ferris-buellers-day-6-days-79-other-facts-about-80s 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Rose_House 

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Pop culture discussed

https://www.bustle.com/p/the-ferris-bueller-reference-in-spider-man-homecoming-you-mightve-missed-68654 

https://typographica.org/on-typography/corbis-buys-veer-whither-the-fonts/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooney_(band)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcazL5yNukw 

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Other movies and shows discussed, alphabetical list

Alfie (1966)

Deadpool (2016)

Fight Club (1999)

Hello Dolly! (1969)

The Matrix (1999)

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Point Break (1991)

Pretty in Pink (1986)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Toy Story 5 (2026)

WALL-E (2008)

WarGames (1983)

Weird Science (1985)