This is the first in a series of episodes on the 1977 Wim Wenders film Der amerikanische Freund or The American Friend.

It's based on the 'Ripley's Game' by Patricia Highsmith.

In this episode I talk about what attracts me to Ripley and Highsmith's writing with Cristina Politano.

Find Cristina at: @monalisavitti on Twitter and at cristinapolitano.substack.com

I recommend her writing very highly.

Music: DAF

This is a quick update of the plans for the end of the first year and season of the podcast.

Moore St Masala:

https://youtu.be/_1taXkpCx88?feature=shared

Kickabout:

https://youtu.be/7fHWM_CoJtw?feature=shared

Two Questions - Maura:

https://youtu.be/0OTKy94TNgI

In this episode I discuss The Funeral, a 1996 film from Abel Ferrara starring Christopher Walken, Annabella Sciorra, Chris Penn and Isabella Rossellini. It's a gangster film, a revenge movie, a political film but most importantly and brilliantly a film about marriage and relationships.

In this episode I welcome back friend of the podcast Anthony Litton to talk about El Dorado by Howard Hawks. We talk about remakes, the damned necessity of plots, what we really respond to in movies and even Tom Cruise.

In this episode I talk with Director/Producer Craig McCall about his documentary 'Cameraman: the life and work of Jack Cardiff'.

Capturing the personal, technical and anecdotal brilliance of Jack Cardiff from his start as a child actor, to being one of the pioneers of colour cinematography through is work with Powell and Pressburger, to working with many of the great directors in the history of cinema.

For more about Jack Cardiff and the film please visit - https://jackcardiff.com/

In this episode I speak with Zane Simon about Tom Noonan's 1994 movie What Happened Was. The movie was new to me and a real revelation. It has gone some way to reviving my belief in American indie cinema from the 1990s.

and the MMA Vivisection on the Bloody Elbow podcast network.

A short bonus in which Nigel Bunyan talks about the pacing, sound design, blocking and acting in Leone's Once apon a time in the West.

Too good not to share.

Watch Nigel and JJ's short here:

https://youtu.be/7fHWM_CoJtw

The second part of my conversation with film and TV editor Nigel Bunyan.

Don't forget the ko-fi if you would like to show your appreciation for the work: