Highbrow Lowbrow

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow, the show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture.

In this special Halloween episode, we look at psychological horror films that are perfect viewing this All Hallows Eve.

Steve discusses The Man Who Haunted Himself, a doppelganger story in which Roger Moore is stalked by a double who turns his life into a living hell.

Dan looks at The Hole, in which teenage stars Thora Birch, Keira Knightley and Laurence Fox are trapped in a claustrophobic setting that is sure to leave you spooked.

We hope you enjoy our discussion of these cult horror classics. Mind the spoilers and please… don’t have nightmares. Enjoy the show....

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow. The show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture.

In this episode, we look at the work of Tennessee Williams on screen, and two film adaptations of his plays starring Elizabeth Taylor.

Dan argues that Suddenly, Last Summer is a near-perfect adaptation of Williams' work, mixing Southern Gothic and Queer Cinema with aplomb.

Whereas Steve argues that the little-seen Boom! may have been a box-office bomb, but is an essential episode in the Liz Taylor / Richard Burton soap opera played out on screen. 

Beware spoilers. Enjoy the show....

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow. The show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture.

In this episode, we go down the rabbit hole and examine high-stress/high-octane movies set over the course of twenty-four hours. Steve examines Martin Scorsese's After Hours, the film in which Griffin Dunne's potential one-night stand turns into one night in Hell. And asks the question - is this the most underrated Scorsese film?

​Dan analyses Crank, in which Jason Statham keeps the British end up (and his testosterone) on the streets of LA after being poisoned by a Beijing cocktail. Is it a perfect recipe of action and comedy?

As always, dear listener, the final decision is up to you.

Beware, spoilers ahead. Enjoy the show....

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow. The show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture.

In this episode we celebrate the work of British director Stephen Frears and look at two seminal films of Frears' career. Steve discusses the gangster road movie The Hit and argues it will take you on a journey towards cinematic heaven.

Dan argues that the music, romance and listing-obsessed movie High Fidelity should make it into your Top Five Rom Coms of all time.

Have we argued our case successfully? As always, dear listener, the final decision is up to you. Spoilers ahead. Enjoy the show.

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow. The show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture.

In today's episode, Steve discusses Sexy Beast and argues it is the last great British gangster film.

Meanwhile, Dan makes the case for Shoot 'Em Up being the best film to have spoofed the action genre.

As always, dear listener, you make the final decision as to whether Steve and Dan have argued their point successfully. Beware of spoilers (and Cockney accents!) Enjoy the show...

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow. The show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture. 

In today's episode, Dan examines Wolfgang Peterson's classic submarine drama Das Boot. Is it the greatest war movie of all time, or should it just stay submerged?

Continuing the Naval theme, Steve talks about his fondness for the Steven Seagal action film Under Siege. Is it a nineties classic, or just a waterlogged Die Hard ripoff?

As always, dear listener, the final decision is up to you.

Spoilers ahead. Enjoy the show.

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow. The show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture.

In this special War movie-themed episode, Steve discusses the World War Two murder mystery The Night of the Generals. Is it a perfect marriage of two genres - war and mysteries - or does it fail on all fronts?

Dan argues that Rogue One is among the best films in the Star Wars series. Does it hit the target, or is it just another Lucasarts misfire?

As always, dear listener, the final decision is up to you.

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow. The show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture.

In this special Horror-themed episode, Steve discusses the Vincent Price comedy-horror Theatre of Blood, in which Price plays an actor who murders critics who have been rude about his performances. Is it a case of justifiable homicide or just Price chewing the scenery?

Dan argues the merits of Paul WS Anderson's Hell in Space-themed Event Horizon. Is the film a neglected classic, or is watching it less preferable than eternal torment? As always, dear listener, the final decision is up to you. Beware, spoilers ahead. Enjoy the show...

Welcome to Highbrow Lowbrow. The show where our podcast hosts Steve Powell and Dan Slattery pit high art against low culture. In this episode, Steve examines Ken Russell's biopic Lisztomania. Is it a work of genius or such a bad film that watching it could induce madness?

Whereas Dan tries to salvage the reputation of the musical Xanadu. It was a notorious bomb, but can Dan persuade you that it was a missed opportunity with moments of brilliance?

A behind-the-scenes snippet of the preparation we put in and sacrifices we make in the name of entertainment....