Now Playing Podcast Presents: The Fast and Furious Retrospective Series

Love at first bite

Books & Nachos is now part of Now Playing Podcast.

Before our book reviews were branded as Now Playing Podcast Book Reviews, they were released under a separate show called Books & Nachos. That podcast focused on book discussions, most of which tied directly into films we were covering on Now Playing. We’ve now merged those episodes into the main Now Playing Podcast feed for easier access and a complete archive. But these older episodes still have the original Books & Nachos intro and credits on those older recordings. 

Prepare the Chianti and fava beans. Stuart is spending a month dining with author Thomas Harris and his most infamous creation—Dr. Hannibal Lecter. As a companion to our Hannibal Lecter movie retrospective, Stuart is cracking open the four novels that inspired the five films featuring the cultured cannibal.

The first course is Red Dragon, the 1981 crime novel that introduced Hannibal Lecter to the world. This chilling story of FBI profiler Will Graham hunting the serial killer known as the “Tooth Fairy” would later inspire two film adaptations: Michael Mann’s Manhunter (1986) and Brett Ratner’s Red Dragon (2002).

Join Stuart as he gets inside Lecter’s mind and examines how Harris crafted the twisted relationship between the imprisoned doctor, the new murderer who idolizes him, and the investigator who once put Lecter behind bars.

It is in your nature to do one thing correctly: listen to this show!

Before Anthony Hopkins was savoring fava beans and a nice Chianti, Hannibal Lecter first appeared on the big screen as “Hannibal Lector,” played by Brian Cox in Manhunter, the stylish 1986 thriller from Miami Vice creator Michael Mann.

When a brutal serial killer known as the “Tooth Fairy” begins murdering entire families, FBI profiler Will Graham is pulled out of retirement to track him down. To understand the mind of the killer, Graham turns to the one man who knows that darkness best—the imprisoned murderer he once captured, Hannibal the Cannibal.

Though the story would later be retold in The Silence of the Lambs era with Red Dragon, Manhunter initially failed at the box office before gaining a devoted following among Lecter fans. But does Mann’s neon-soaked thriller stand alongside the more famous films that followed? Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob kick off Now Playing Podcast’s Hannibal Lecter retrospective with their review of Manhunter.

Death's not so bad. How do I know? I watched Elektra once.

Murdock in Love

After the success of X-Men, 20th Century Fox rushed another Marvel hero to the big screen: Daredevil. With Ben Affleck fresh off the success of Armageddon and The Sum of All Fears, the casting of the blind lawyer-turned-vigilante seemed poised to ride the same wave that had just propelled Spider-Man to box office glory. Backed by a strong supporting cast including Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Colin Farrell as Bullseye, Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin, and a pre-Iron Man Jon Favreau as Foggy Nelson, Daredevil smashed opening weekend records in 2003. Yet despite that early success, the film quickly faded from the court of public opinion. Was this Marvel adaptation unfairly judged, or did it deserve the bad reputation that followed? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob on Now Playing Podcast as they revisit Daredevil and render their verdict.

Dracula returns to show all-new ways to suck!

Blade II slashed its way to over $150 million worldwide, so it was no surprise that the Daywalker returned just two years later for a third outing. What was surprising was that this time Blade didn’t come alone. Joining Wesley Snipes are Jessica Biel, Ryan Reynolds, Natasha Lyonne, and Parker Posey as a new generation of vampire hunters taking the fight to the undead. With writer David S. Goyer stepping into the director’s chair and Dracula himself entering the mix as Blade’s ultimate nemesis, Blade: Trinity aims to raise the stakes with bigger action, more quips, and a whole new team dynamic. But does this sequel give the franchise fresh blood, or does splitting the spotlight drain the life out of Blade’s final adventure? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob on this Now Playing Podcast to find out.

Lock up your daughters, boys and girls. Now Playing Podcast returns!

Blade was an unexpected hit in 1998, so in 2002, Wesley Snipes returned as the Daywalker for the first sequel of his career. This time the vampire hunter faces a new threat: the Reapers, a vicious breed of super-vampires that force Blade into an uneasy alliance with the very bloodsuckers he’s sworn to destroy. Behind the camera is then–up-and-coming director Guillermo del Toro (Mimic), bringing his love of monsters, gothic visuals, and brutal action to the franchise, with David S. Goyer returning to write the script. Does Blade II sharpen the series with bigger action and nastier creatures, or does the sequel lose its bite? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob’s review on Now Playing Podcast to find out.

I guess if you're immortal, cholesterol doesn't matter?

By 1998, the only Marvel Comics character to get a wide theatrical release was Howard the Duck. But that changed when Dark Knight writer David S. Goyer brought Marvel’s vampire hunter to the big screen in Blade, with Wesley Snipes donning the black leather to wage war on the undead. Facing off against Stephen Dorff’s ambitious bloodsucker Deacon Frost, Blade mixed martial arts, techno soundtracks, and vampire mythology into something unlike the comic book movies that came before it.

Arriving just after the misfire of Batman & Robin, Blade helped restore credibility to comic adaptations and quietly laid the groundwork for the Marvel movie boom that followed. But does this pre-Matrix blend of CGI, blood-soaked action, and late-’90s style still hold up today? Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob sharpen the stakes and dive into the film’s place in comic book movie history on Now Playing Podcast.

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Dracula, Lestat, Angel, Nosferatu, Spike...Jerry??? While Hollywood continues to mine all vampire properties to build on the current fang mania, the 1985 cult film Fright Night was not one with the name recognition that made it an obvious choice for a remake. But with Buffy the Vampire Slayer writer Marti Noxon handling the script and an impressive cast including Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, and David Tennant, this unlikely revival just might have the bite to make vampires scary again. But does this modern Fright Night honor the spirit of the 1985 original, or is it just another victim of Hollywood’s remake machine? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock on Now Playing Podcast to find out.

The eyes have it!

Now Playing Podcast concludes its Final Destination retrospective with the fifth and newest installment in the franchise. When Sam and his coworkers narrowly escape a catastrophic bridge collapse on their way to a company retreat, they think they’ve cheated fate. But as always in this series, Death’s design is far from finished. With Tony Todd returning as the mysterious Bludworth, there may finally be clues about how Death’s plan works… and whether it can ever truly be beaten. But after five films, are audiences still invested in the mythology, or are we all just here to watch the next elaborate chain reaction of grisly demises? Arnie, Jakob, and Brock break down the thrills, the twists, and the kills as Now Playing Podcast reviews Final Destination 5.

Bowling alley pizza gives us similar convulsions - and we're not even vampires!

Jerry Dandrige may have been turned to dust in Fright Night, but Charlie Brewster’s troubles are far from over. After months of therapy convincing him that vampires don’t exist, Charlie tries to move on with his life… until Regine, Jerry’s mysterious sister, arrives looking for revenge. With Charlie doubting his own memories and a new girlfriend caught in the crossfire, his only hope once again lies with washed-up TV horror host Peter Vincent: Vampire Killer. Featuring a new lineup of monsters and leaving fan-favorite Evil Ed behind, Fright Night Part 2 tries to continue the cult classic’s mix of horror and humor. But does this sequel capture the bite of the original? And perhaps the bigger question: can you even track down a copy to watch? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock on Now Playing Podcast to find out.