Director's Club

It's the most wonderful time of the beginning of the year! The title of this episode says it all and I'm so grateful to my two guests for joining me for this epic reflection on the film year that was 2022! Now I'll be going back to 1993 for February's retrospective episode so until then enjoy 6 hours of nerding out. Also please be sure to check out the two new podcasts soon to be added to the Now Playing Network! Thank you so much for listening to a yearly tradition that is always a complete joy!

00:00 - 22:50 - Intro / General Thoughts
22:51 - 01:07:33 - Ancillary Awards
01:07:34 - 02:17:55 - Honorable Mentions
02:17:56 - 04:16:10 - #10-#6
04:16:11 - 05:54:23 - Top 5 Films Of 2022
05:54:24 - 06:03:43 - Outro

Feelin Film:
https://feelinfilm.com

We Doing Filmographies:
https://www.facebook.com/wedoingfilmographies

Bill Ackerman's List:
https://auteuristtrap.blogspot.com/2022/12/2022-40-favorites.html

Jim Laczkowski's List:
https://letterboxd.com/jimlaczkowski/list/2022-ranked/

Brad Strauss' List:
https://letterboxd.com/brads/list/year-by-year-2022-ranked

Guest host Bill Ackerman invites author, film historian and Twitch Of The Death Nerve co-host Samm Deighan to discuss the work of Ken Russell, the visionary talent who directed groundbreaking profiles of artists for the BBC before attaining international acclaim and notoriety through bold, often controversial films like WOMEN IN LOVE, THE MUSIC LOVERS, THE DEVILS, THE BOY FRIEND, MAHLER, TOMMY and ALTERED STATES.

00:00 - 21:49 - Introduction

21:50 - 38:51 - Monitor, ELGAR and the early BBC years

38:52 - 46:30 - Early Theatrical Features and THE DEBUSSY FILM

46:31 - 59:09 WOMEN IN LOVE

59:10 - 1:09:19 DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS and World War II imagery

1:09:20 - 1:16:46 THE MUSIC LOVERS

1:16:47 -1:37:23 THE DEVILS

1:37:23 - 1:51:17 THE BOY FRIEND

1:51:18 - 2:00:17 SAVAGE MESSIAH and Andrzej Żuławski’s THE BLUE NOTE

2:00:18 - 2:17:10 MAHLER, TOMMY, LISZTOMANIA and VALENTINO

2:17:11 - 2:31:53 ALTERED STATES and Ken Russell in the 80s

2:31:54 - 2:44:15 W***E and the later films of Ken Russell

2:44:15 - 2:46:40 Favorite Ken Russell movies and conclusion

Follow Samm Deighan on Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/sammdeighan/posts

Listen to Twitch Of The Death Nerve:

https://cinepunx.com/podcast-episodes/twitch-of-the-death-nerve/

Buy The Legacy of World War II in European Arthouse Cinema by Samm Deighan:

https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-legacy-of-world-war-ii-in-european-arthouse-cinema/

Read Samm Deighan’s Ken Russell Retrospective series at Diabolique Magazine:

https://diaboliquemagazine.com/category/columns/a-ken-russell-retrospective/

Listen to The Projection Booth Podcast on Ken Russell:

https://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/2020/03/special-report-tommy-1975.html?m=0

https://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/2014/05/episode-168-devils.html

https://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/2015/04/episode-216-altered-states.html?m=0

Director Joe Talbot on WOMEN IN LOVE:

https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6435-more-is-more-lessons-in-excess-from-women-in-love

Elgar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPNrKx4dKfU

The Debussy Film

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

Dance Of The Seven Veils

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA3C645436B787602

The Music Lovers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8Tf31aOITI&t=2s

Mahler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGq7TFoxB4E&t=2s

Salome’s Last Dance

https://rarefilmm.com/2019/09/salomes-last-dance-1988/

The Blue Note (Andrzej Żuławski’s 1991 film about Frédéric Chopin)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z06E3HKnzAI

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

Mindframes hosts Michael Cockerill and Dave Canfield join me for this special tribute to honor our dear friend Sergio Mims. Several years ago, I did an episode on one of his favorite directors, Michael Curtiz. Of course you are encouraged to listen to that. But I asked Mike & Dave to join me to revisit two titles in particular from Curtiz as well as recommend several others as a way of honoring the memory of Sergio. Perhaps one of these films is an all-time classic called CASABLANCA? In addition, we review a couple of recent titles like RRR and AFTERSUN.

Not only that, but after our conversation, you'll get to hear Sergio one last time on this show. Over a year ago, we did a Patreon exclusive episode on THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, only not the Curtiz version surprisingly. Wanted everyone to hear Sergio's thoughts on that excellent film since it steps things up and is more faithful to the true story than Curtiz's take. Thank you so much for listening and mucho gratitude to Mike and Dave for coming on to talk some classics. We briefly mention our love of DOCTOR X, KING CREOLE and THE SEA WOLF!

Listen to Sergio Mims’ Michael Curtiz episode (7 years ago):

https://directorsclubpodcast.libsyn.com/website/episode-99-michael-curtiz

For more Mike & Dave reviews, check out Mindframes!

https://mindframesfilm.com

00:00 - 08:04 - Intro

08:05 - 30:33 - What We Watched Recently

30:34 - 01:18:57 - Curtiz & Casablanca

01:18:58 - 01:55:20 - The Breaking Point

01:55:21 - 02:16:10 - Other Curtiz Films / Outro

02:16:11 - 03:01:11 - Sergio Mims Talks About The Charge Of The Light Brigade!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

Normally something like this would be a bonus episode, but this is a special exception. As Erik wrote: Sergio Mims, our noted film scholar and friend, was well on his way to becoming “King Commentary” with all his official contributions to Blu-rays for Kino, Vinegar Syndrome and others. During the pandemic at the peak of lockdown, Collin Souter of Christmas Movies Actually, suggested that our good friend record one for Disney’s controversial 1940 film, Song of the South. Sergio did not hesitate and delivered something for his friends. Some of them are here to again pay brief tribute to the man who was a regular part of the Movie Madness podcast. Jim Laczkowski is joined by both Collin and the Movie Madness host, Erik Childress, to introduce this track that can now be experienced by everyone. Whether you have a version of the film to sync up with or not it doesn’t matter, because you can just sit back and soak in the words of a film lover who left us way too soon. Stay tuned for one more official episode around Thanksgiving followed by another upcoming contribution by guest co-host Bill Ackerman!

0:00 – A Tribute To Sergio Mims by Erik Childress, Jim Laczkowski & Collin Souter

16:43 – Instructions To Cue Up Commentary

17:36 – Song Of The South Commentary By Sergio Mims

Be sure to also check out Collin's CMA tribute to Sergio feat. clips here: http://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/christmasmoviesactually/episode68

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

There's something strange... in your podcast feed... but don't call me. I have no idea how it got there. Perhaps the devil? Maybe an alternate version of me came here from a different universe and placed it here? Regardless, I think a few years back I strung together some scary songs and weird sounds but I added a little bit extra to accompany it. Better live up to the title of being "craaaazy!" Can you make it thru these 40 minutes?

If you want the real deal from Patrick this year for your trick or treating, then you should absolutely check out his latest Halloween Mix here if you haven't already:

http://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/tracksofthedamned/halloween2022

Happy Halloween To All! Stay scarrry!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

A special bonus episode is here to highlight one of the many excellent offerings from the Mental Filmness Film Festival. Hopefully the title alone is enough to get you intrigued to check out the title I’m focusing on for this conversation. Philip Józef Brubaker is my guest today and a multi-talented one at that. He has created and edited comedic shorts, experimental films, video essays, documentaries and more! His 2009 documentary BRUSHES WITH LIFE: ART, ARTISTS AND MENTAL ILLNESS won multiple awards within the film industry, screened at festivals and aired state-wide on public television.

Most recently, he has garnered a lot of acclaim and attention for his work as a video essayist (of which there are many examples of that you should track down) and of course, my first introduction to his work was due to the fact that he did an essay on work by my favorite director, Paul Thomas Anderson showcasing correlations between PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE and THE LONG GOODBYE. Now he’s hitting the festival circuit with a personal, often very funny and meta-layered essay-memoir-experimental feature in which the title says a lot - that would be HOW TO EXPLAIN YOUR MENTAL ILLNESS TO STANLEY KUBRICK now streaming for a couple of more weeks via Sharon Gissy’s Mental Filmness Film Festival that I truly hope you’ll make time for. Thank you so much to Philip for taking the time to talk about his past and present work that I know you will get a lot out of once you see it.

00:00 - 08:43 - Introduction

08:44 - 01:12:30 - Interview With Philip Brubaker

Check Out Philip’s Film Streaming Free Till November 6th:

https://watch.eventive.org/mentalfilmness2022

https://bit.ly/3TQg3ja

Philip’s Website:

https://philipbrubaker.com

Philip’s Vimeo:

https://vimeo.com/philipbrubaker

Philip’s YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/pjbrubak

Philip's Twitter:

https://twitter.com/lens_itself

Philip’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bolddecade

Mental Filmness (Watch For Free Now):

https://mentalfilmness2022.eventive.org/welcome

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

What an episode in so many ways that it’s hard to know where to begin in even writing an introduction. The first ten minutes are mostly about me remembering a friend and film critic near and dear to many of us along with promoting and supporting an upcoming film festival as well. I hope you won’t skip over the beginning since it would mean a lot if you listened to the tribute about someone very important to my life and to the lives of many. There will be more words and a separate write-up on that to come. Of course the bulk of this episode surrounds the work of a filmmaker that also means a lot to me personally: Allan Moyle - a name I’m sure you know by now due to how many times I’ve mentioned the film PUMP UP THE VOLUME on this podcast. But what about his other work as well? My guests today are recurring co-host and Supporting Characters host Bill Ackerman and a delightful and accomplished newcomer, co-host of The Important Cinema Club Podcast, Justin Decloux.

All three of us have a lot to say about different personal experiences not just involving Allan Moyle’s work, including TIMES SQUARE and EMPIRE RECORDS, but early on, due to this coming out in October, we provide various horror film recommendations that we consider to be “outside the box” (though mine are certainly ones I’ve championed in the past but they’re now available to stream via The Criterion Channel). Be sure to grab a pen and paper to jot down some titles!

This was recorded during an emotional time to be sure (what a year) but I’m truly grateful to my guests for coming on with short notice for this discussion and stay tuned to the feed for much more to come. The spirit of friend / hero and Chicago film historian Sergio Mims is infused in this episode as you’ll hear. We are thinking of him and his many friends and family. Stay tuned for more information about an upcoming tribute to him at the Black Harvest Film Festival at the Gene Siskel Film Center.

00:00 - 10:20 - Introduction / Sergio Mims

10:21 - 17:00 - Intro To The Show

17:01 - 53:49 - Horror Recommendations For This Month

53:50 - 01:35:38 - The Rubber Gun, Times Square

01:35:39 - 02:04:39 - Pump Up The Volume

02:04:40 - 02:33:46 - Empire Records, New Waterford Girl

02:33:46 - 02:55:35 - Other Moyle Films / Top 3 / Outro

Bill’s Conversation With Sergio Mims:

http://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/supportingcharacters/episode45

More About Sergio Mims:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2022/10/6/23391442/sergio-mims-movie-critic-black-harvest-film-festival-obituary

Mental Filmness Film Festival (Virtual):

https://mentalfilmness2022.eventive.org/films

Mental Filmness Film Festival (Live):

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mental-filmness-live-a-film-festival-about-mental-health-tickets-428260537797

Criterion Channel (80s Horror):

https://www.criterionchannel.com/80s-horror

Learn More About Justin & The Important Cinema Club:

https://www.filmtrap.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

Guest host Bill Ackerman invites writer Gianna D’Emilio to discuss the work of Mia Hansen-Løve, the acclaimed writer/director of films like THINGS TO COME, BERGMAN ISLAND, EDEN and GOODBYE, FIRST LOVE. In anticipation of her latest effort, ONE FINE MORNING, they take a close look at her first seven features.

Read “Girlhood, Postfeminism and Contemporary Female Art-House Authorship: The “Nameless Trilogies” of Sofia Coppola and Mia Hansen-Løve” by Fiona Handyside

https://www.alphavillejournal.com/Issue10/HTML/ArticleHandyside.html

Read Mia Hansen-Løve in conversation with Elena Lazic on MAYA:

https://elenalazic.wordpress.com/2019/03/11/my-films-are-portraits-i-try-to-make-my-characters-live-mia-hansen-love-on-maya/

Read “All Is Forgiven” by James King:

https://animusmagazine.com/2021/11/26/all-is-forgiven/

Read “In Praise Of Mia Hansen-Løve’s ‘Things To Come’” by Joanna Biggs:

https://www.anothergaze.com/praise-mia-hansen-loves-things-come/

Read “The Cinema of Mia Hansen-Løve Candour and Vulnerability” by Kate Ince:

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-the-cinema-of-mia-hansen-love.html

Buy a Mia Hansen-Løve T-shirt:

https://www.girlsontopstees.com/shop/mia-hansen-lve-t-shirt

Watch the THINGS TO COME Press Conference with Isabelle Huppert & Mia Hansen-Løve: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRO-DR-9V-c

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

Oh hello there! This is my way of reviewing new releases once in a while and provide them here for you - monologue-style. This time I'm providing some reviews for early September including something very special: a bonus interview with the writer/director of one of the new films I’m reviewing. Neil LaBute has been making interesting features for well over 20 years and his latest is a creepy little Gothic horror film called House Of Darkness (opening on September 9th). Listen to him talk about it, then give a listen to my review along with three other titles as well.

Usually these are available on Patreon but decided to include this one on the main feed as well. I also talk a lot more than usual in the intro for personal reasons concerning mental health and why there was a bit of an absence in August. Hopefully you enjoy this bonus episode right before hearing the next official episode from guest host Bill Ackerman coming within the next week. Give it up for his great work so far with the Stephen Sayadian episode too! Thank you for the support & for listening to this episode. Huge thanks to Neil LaBute for taking the time to talk with me as well.

00:00 - 16:30 - Intro / Update

16:31 - 30:20 - Interview With Writer/Director Neil LaBute (HOUSE OF DARKNESS)

30:21 - 37:10 - HOUSE OF DARKNESS (Available in Theaters, Sept. 9 and on Demand and Digital Sept. 13)

37:11 - 50:14 - THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING

50:15 - 59:24 - ON THE COUNT OF THREE

59:25 - 01:13:50 - VENGEANCE

Opening Song: True Love Will Find You In The End - Daniel Johnston

Closing Song: Last Resort - Papa Roach

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

Guest host Bill Ackerman invites film/culture writer Heather Drain and writer/programmer Justine Smith to discuss the films of Stephen Sayadian (aka Rinse Dream), the singular talent behind films like NIGHTDREAMS, CAFÉ FLESH and DR. CALIGARI. As an added bonus, Bill also includes a new interview with writer/historian/film preservationist Daniel Bird, who produced the 2021 4K restoration of DR. CALIGARI and is presently working on an upcoming restoration of CAFÉ FLESH.

00:00 - 1:59:00 - Stephen Sayadian discussion w/Heather Drain & Justine Smith

1:59:00 - 2:01:55 - Daniel Bird Introduction

2:01:55 - 2:59:30 - Daniel Bird Interview

2:59:30 - 3:00:45 - Outro

Fantasia 2021: A Masterclass with the Legendary Stephen Sayadian, in conversation with Justine Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7CmT7pD8rI&t=2830s

Watch Wall Of Voodoo “Do It Again” video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bScjfPE2_-Q

Hear Stephen Sayadian, Jerry Stahl and Heather Drain talking about DR. CALIGARI on The Projection Booth:

https://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/2015/09/episode-236-dr-caligari.html

Hear a discussion of NIGHT DREAMS on The Projection Booth:

https://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/2012/04/episode-57-night-dreams.html

Trailer for PARTY DOLL A GO GO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og9Dk8olXGo

Party Doll A Go-Go! (1991) Condensed Dialogue (Censored)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5MQONLNcV4

The Ramones “Psycho Therapy” video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bej93aPldHE

Silk Stalkings - Pilot Episode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL6NQG7jZro&t=820s

Visit Heather Drain’s website:

https://www.mondoheather.com

Follow Justine Smith on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/redroomrantings

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe