Director's Club

This episode of the Director Club is somewhat unique in that our subject is NOT a director. However, when the subject is Walt Disney, one of the 20th century's most acclaimed visionaries, we will see how his dreams launched a studio and revolutionized animation. In part one, we?ll explore Disney's Golden Age, from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (the first animated feature), "Pinocchio", and "Fantasia", all the way through "Cinderella" and his first efforts in live action.

(0:00) Walt Disney's early history and shorts, including "Steamboat Willie" and "The Three Little Pigs" ("Mickey", Toni Basil)
(16:57) "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" ("Deep Dark Truthful Mirror", Elvis Costello)
(28:37) "Pinocchio" ("I Got No Strings", Jenny Hval)
(47:31) "Fantasia" ("The Music Never Stopped", The Grateful Dead")
(1:08:42) "Dumbo" ("Learning to Fly", Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
(1:26:22) "Bambi" / Disney's World War II support efforts ("Turn! Turn! Turn!")
(1:46:29) "Song of the South" ("The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", The Band)
(1:58:26) Animation package collections, including "Ichabod and Mr. Toad" ("Creature Without a Head", Lenny and the Squigtones)
(2:18:14) "Cinderella" ("Dress", PJ Harvey)
(2:31:28) "Treasure Island" ("Long John Silver", Richard Thompson)

The Director's Club welcomes 2019 (and the recent release of "Widows") with a look at British director Steve McQueen. With the help of Chicago Film Discussion Group co-organizer Belinda Silber, we'll look into how McQueen's art background, ability to hold on an image, and interest in meaning through physical suffering has put a fascinating spin on several of his films (and how it helped create a masterpiece in "12 Years A Slave").

(4:53) "Hunger" ("Keep Yourself Alive")
(36:01) "Shame" ("Too Much Love Will Kill You")
(1:01:13) "12 Years a Slave" ("I Want To Break Free")
(1:47:56) "Widows" ("I Want It All")

The Director's Club was so taken by the theatrical airing of the latest
Alfonso Cuarón movie, "Roma", that we had to rush out a discussion about it while it's still in theaters! With the help of the Chicago Film Discussion Group member Ken Silber, we take a look at how the movie screen (and movie audio!) enhances the qualities of his latest film, how it relates to Cuarón's life and his other movies, and the many ways it looks back to view a person's life from the dramatic extremes to the grace found in the mundane and everything in between. (Songs: "Here and Now", Letters to Cleo; "Arrivederci Roma", Nat King Cole)

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Our annual favorite films of 2018 tradition continues for the 8th year in a row, this time including former hosts Jim and Patrick, joined by current host Brad Strauss as we reveal our Top 25 favorites as well as picking our favorites for actor, score, reading listener e-mails and more!

00:00 - 58:00 - #7, #6 Favorites
58:01 - 01:00:52 - Jim Sings Bill's List Of 40 Favorites
01:00:53 - 03:05:25 - #5 - #1 Favorites
03:05:26 - 03:08:28 -  Outro / Jim's Favorite Song Of 2018

Patrick's List:
https://letterboxd.com/patrickripoll/list/2018-films/

Brad's List:
https://letterboxd.com/brads/list/year-by-year-2018-ranked/

Jim's List:
https://letterboxd.com/nowplayingjim/list/2018-ranked/

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Our annual favorite films of 2018 tradition continues for the 8th year in a row, this time including former hosts Jim and Patrick, joined by current host Brad Strauss as we reveal our Top 25 favorites as well as picking our favorites for actor, score, reading listener e-mails and more!

00:00 - 03:52 - Introduction / Brad's Favorite Song of 2018
03:53 - 01:11:55 - Sub-Categories / Awards
01:11:56 - 01:49:36 - #25 - #11 Favorites
01:49:37 - 02:44:33 - #10 - #08 Favorites

Patrick's List:
https://letterboxd.com/patrickripoll/list/2018-films/

Brad's List:
https://letterboxd.com/brads/list/year-by-year-2018-ranked/

Jim's List:
https://letterboxd.com/nowplayingjim/list/2018-ranked/

In this episode, the Director's Club goes the verite route as we look at
the films of legendary documentarian Frederick Wiseman. Joined by Chicago Film Discussion Group co-organizer Peter Richards, we go over the vastswath of a remarkably consistent body of work that delves into extensive looks at towns, schools, strip clubs, boxing gyms, and social organizations of all kinds, and explore how their deliberately removed perspectives and extended scopes allow for a contemplative insightful look at these subjects unique to the documentary form.

(0:00) Intro to Wiseman
(18:52) "Titicut Follies"
(37:31) "High School"
(48:12) "Juvenile Court" / "Welfare" / "The Store"
(1:09:17) "Near Death"
(1:27:58) "Aspen, CO"
(1:33:05) "Public Housing"
(1:49:02) "Belfast, MA"
(2:02:30) "The Last Letter"
(2:17:10) "Boxing Gym"
(2:26:54) "Crazy Horse"
(2:34:10) "At Berkeley"
(2:57:13) "Ex Libris"
(3:13:43) "Monrovia, IN"

Five years in the making, only completed via Christmas miracle, Director's Club host emeritus Patrick Ripoll returns to fulfill an old debt. Tyler Foster joins him to discuss the work of Seijun Suzuki, from his inauspicious beginnings cranking out Nikkatsu programmers to his glory days of cranking out really strange Nikkatsu programmers.

In this episode, the Director's Club takes the cannoli and runs with it as we look at the films of Francis Ford Coppola. With Uberfounder of the Director's Club (and Now Playing Network head) Jim Laczkowski, in Part I we dive into his four masterpiece films, and explo re where in his early history was hints of such an amazing run of movies. Come eavesdrop on our conversation about the "Godfather" films, "Apocalypse Now", and, er, "The Conversation"!

(8:46) "Dementia 13" ("Psychotic Reaction", The Count Five)
(15:28) "The Rain People" / "Patton" ("Runaway", Del Shannon)
(28:47) "The Godfather" ("Godfather Theme", Nino Rota as played by Slash)
(1:07:59) "The Conversation" ("Listening In", The Undertones)
(1:31:33) "The Godfather Part II" ("Family Affair", Sly and the Family Stone)
(1:57:40) "Apocalypse Now" ("The End", The Doors)

Cross-posted over at Voices + Visions too!

Jim here! I've been in a horrible funk so I put out the call (or the "Pat" signal) to my dear old friend Patrick Ripoll to stop by for pizza, cannoli and some good old fashioned conversation. First we dealt with our dark thoughts surrounding jobs and then turned on the mics to do what we do best (or not): ramble on about movies. This time we focus on two recent horror releases in particular. David Gordon Green's 2018 sequel HALLOWEEN and Luca Guadagnino's remake of SUSPIRIA. Fair warning, we spoil both so hopefully you've seen them by now, and you probably should.

Along the way, we dive further into the Halloween franchise, conflicted thoughts about Argento, other horror remakes we like, and a whole slew of bizarre digressions towards the end including the idea of all remakes putting podcasters into their updated takes. What horror remakes would we like to see or can expect? Is Hollywood already as doomed as planet Earth to the point of not expecting greatness anymore? Is 2018 a weak year for movies? Did Patrick actually capture the sense and sound of eating cannoli at the top of the show? You'll have to tune in and listen to find out. This was a blast and hopefully you think so too.

00:00 - 12:39 - Intro
12:40 - 47:02 - Halloween (2018)
47:03 - 01:30:27 - Suspiria (2018)
01:30:28 - 02:20:40 - Digressions, Remakes, The Future Of Cinema

Be sure to check out Patrick's latest episode of Tracks of the Damned, which is a totally awesome mix of Halloween treats:
http://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/tracksofthedamned/halloweenmixtape2018

This month the Director's Club takes a Phantasmic journey through the films of director Don Coscarelli. Coming from the "New Wave of Horror", Coscarelli combined abtract nightmare imagery, a youthful small-town generosity, and an iconic imposing prescence of a Tall Man to create his legendary horror movie "Phantasm", which has become a series unique in the personal touches from its creator and his friends over 25 years. We look at the fascinating qualities of each filim in the series, as well as his other notable films like "Survival Quest", "John Dies at the End", and "Bubba Ho-Tep" (which may be the most insightful look at the King of Rock 'n' Roll on film!)

7:57 "Phantasm" (Theme from "Phantasm", Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave)
36:14 "The Beastmaster" ("The Number of the Beast", Iron Maiden)
47:34 "Phantasm II" ("Ballbreaker", AC/DC)
1:04:06 "Survival Quest" ("Fight to Survive", White Lion)
1:13:25 "Phantasm III" ("Ball Crusher", Steppenwolf)
1:25:47 "Phantasm IV" ("Ball and Biscuit", The White Stripes)
1:39:13 "Bubba Ho-Tep" ("The King's Highway", Brian Tyler)
2:01:20 "John Dies at the End" ("The Beginning Is The End Is The
Beginning", The Smashing Pumpkins)
2:13:46 "Phantasm V" ("The Passage of Time", The Orb)