Executive Action (1973), The Parallax View (1974), & JFK (1991)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian discuss three post-JFK assassination films. This episode is a kind of sequel to the first episode, Paranoia Puppetry, where we looked at pre-JFK assassination films. These post-JFK (as well as post-Malcolm, Martin, RFK and Fred Hampton) assassination films take a more critical look at the causes of American political assassinations, a look in the mirror.

Misc.

Seinfeld “Magic Loogie” 

The Critic “JFK Director’s Cut” 

Further Reading:

The Devil's Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government by David Talbot 

Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O’Neill 

American Tabloid by James Ellroy 

The Cold Six Thousand by James Ellroy 

Other films referenced:

The Manchurian Candidate 

Seinfeld 

The Critic 

The Godfather 

All the President’s Men 

Klute 

Mission Impossible 

Star Trek TNG 

Dumb and Dumber 

Boy Meets World 

Dick Tracy (1990) 

A Clockwork Orange 

Men in Black 

Cocoon (1985) 

The Thing (1981) 

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves 

Waterworld 

Wayne’s World

Get Carter (1971), The Long Good Friday (1981), & Sexy Beast (2000)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED 

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian discuss how they do gangster films across the pond: there’s plenty of grizzly violence, tour-de-force performances and accents so thick that even native English speakers need subtitles. 

Where to watch:

Get Carter (Blu-Ray)

The Long Good Friday (Blu-Ray)

Sexy Beast (DVD)

Other films referenced:

Brighton Rock 

Mona Lisa (1986) 

Harvey (1950) 

Donnie Darko 

Get Carter (2000) 

Ronin 

Raiders of the Lost Ark 

GoldenEye (1995) 

They Live (1988) 

Ghostbusters (1984)  

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Dawn of the Dead (1979) 

Wolf of Wall Street (2013) 

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 

Jaws 3-D 

Frank Herbert’s Dune (2000) 

Big Trouble in Little China 

LA Takedown 

Terminator 2: Judgment Day 

Close Encounters of the Third Kind 

Dazed and Confused  

Falling Down 

Eyes Wide Shut 

Mean Streets 

The Big Lebowski 

The Shawshank Redemption  

Daniel Isn’t Real 

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), LA Takedown (1989), & El Mariachi (1992)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian are joined by Andy Buigues to discuss three rough drafts that would later be remade by the same filmmaker and become The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Heat and Desperado. These films are the lesser known first attempts by the filmmakers at telling these stories. The gang explores what they got right, what they got wrong and what was changed between the iconic second draft and the more obscure rough draft of the films.

Where to watch:

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Blu-Ray)

LA Takedown (R2 DVD)

El Mariachi (Blu-Ray)

Misc:

Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez 

Other films referenced:

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) 

Heat (1995) 

Desperado (1995) 

The Evil Dead (1981) 

Evil Dead 2 

Westworld (1973) 

Jurassic Park 

M (1931) 

Thief (1981) 

Manhunter (1986) 

The Keep 

Crime Story 

Miami Vice 

Terminator 2 

Vampires (1998) 

Mortal Kombat (1995) 

The Terminator 

On the Waterfront 

Roadracers (1994)

Evil Dead II (1987), Gremlins 2 (1990) & Terminator 2 (1991)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian discuss three sequels that were better* than the originals. The originals and the sequels were made by the same filmmakers. The sequels branched off into different genres, but each of the original movies were straight-horror films, so it was exciting to see how the stories morphed into their new genres.

*Brian does not fully agree with this assessment.

Where to watch:

Evil Dead 2 (Blu-Ray)

Gremlins 2 (Blu-Ray)

Terminator 2 (Blu-Ray)

Misc:

The Call of Chuthlu 

2 Shots of Vodka Meme

Other films referenced:

Aliens 

Godfather 2 

Caddyshack 2 

The Terminator 

Gremlins 

The Evil Dead (1981) 

The Wizard of Oz (1939) 

Color Out of Space 

Hellzapoppin' (1941) 

Three Stooges 

Night of the Living Dead (1968) 

The Thing (1981) 

Rambo II 

The ‘Burbs 

The Howling 

Matinee 

Return of the Jedi 

Multiplicity 

Return of the Living Dead 

Marathon Man 

A Boy and His Dog 

Harvey (1950), Cloak & Dagger (1984) & Daniel Isn’t Real (2019)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian discuss three films in totally different genres about characters with imaginary friends. A drama, a horror movie and a children’s adventure with spies, murder, sabotage, bombings and Atari.

Where to watch:

Harvey (Blu-ray)

Cloak & Dagger (DVD)

Daniel Isn’t Real (DVD)

Misc:

Jack Black Atari Commercial

Post Mortem with Mick Garris Podcast 

Other films referenced:

Men In Black 

Rebecca (1940) 

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) 

It’s a Wonderful Life 

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

ET 

Psycho (1960)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) 

39 Steps (1935) 

The Window (1949) 

The Dark Crystal 

The NeverEnding Story 

Color Out of Space 

Back to the Future 

Halloween (1978) 

Prince of Darkness 

The Thing (1981)

Hellraiser 

The Shining (1980) 

The Exorcist 

Halloween (2018) 

Halloween (2007) 

Halloween II (1981) 

House of Cards 

Total Recall (1990)

Robocop (1987) 

In the Mouth of Madness 

True Detective 

Day of the Dead (1985) & Return of the Living Dead (1985)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian are joined by Michael Floyd to continue discussing how the zombie evolved into the movie monster we know and love today. From the 1600’s in Haiti to the 1930’s in the States to the monster it became in the 1980’s, the zombie had a long journey. This is the second rung on the evolutionary ladder for this pop culture icon.

Where to watch:

Further reading:

Other films referenced:

Dawn of the Dead (1979), and Zombi 2 aka Zombie aka Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian are joined by Michael Floyd to continue discussing how the zombie evolved into the movie monster we know and love today. From the 1600’s in Haiti to the 1930’s in the States to the monster it became in the 1980’s, the zombie had a long journey. This is the second rung on the evolutionary ladder for this pop culture icon.

Where to watch:

Further reading:

Other films referenced:

White Zombie (1932), The Last Man on Earth (1964) and Night of the Living Dead (1968)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian discuss how the zombie evolved into the movie monster we know and love today. From the 1600’s in Haiti to the 1930’s in the States to the monster it became in the 1980’s, the zombie had a long journey. This is the first rung on the evolutionary ladder for this pop culture icon.

All of these movies are in the public domain, so we’ve uploaded high-quality versions of them on our YouTube channel.

Where to watch:

Further reading:

Other films referenced:

The Hunt (2020) and Hard Target (1993)

ALL MOVIES SPOILED

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian discuss these two loose adaptations of The Most Dangerous Game. It’s not just a story you had to read in middle school, it’s also the basis for a dozen movies. These are two of them. Brian and Jeremy watched The Hunt at a drive-in, the 2020 approximation of a movie theater, then we paired it with another adaptation of the same source material, John Woo's first American movie, starring Wilford Brimley, Lance Hendrickson, The Mummy, and Van Damme.

Where to watch:

Other films/shows referenced:

Suddenly (1954), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), and The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

In this film block, Jeremy and Brian breakdown these post-war, pre-JFK assassination films. All have a creeping paranoia at the heart of them. As the Cold War cranks up, these movies get darker and darker. And there are a lot of eerie similarities to the details of these movies and the Kennedy assassination...almost enough to give you a sense of creeping paranoia. 

Where to watch: 

Further reading:

Fascinating context that connects brainwashing programs to the JFK assassination and more is found in Tom O'Neill's book, Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties.