POP ART

“Those aren’t pillows”. We’ve all been there. We have to be somewhere. We only have a certain amount of time to get there. And when we try…we hit nothing but obstacle after obstacle after obstacle. That’s right. It sounds like the perfect time for Episode 33 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome back a previous guest, film enthusiast and blogger movierob, who has chosen teen scene John Hughes’ first adult movie, the Steve Martin/John Candy farce, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and I have chosen the classic Russian antiwar film, Ballad of a Soldier, both films about characters trying to get someplace by a certain time, and find it, well, just a tad difficult. And in this episode, we answer such questions as: Why did Planes, Trains and Automobiles get an R rating? What did Ballad of a Soldier signify when it came to Russian films? What was the original ending of Planes, Trains…? Who is “one righteous dude”? How successful was Ballad of a Soldier? What does Planes, Trains… say about class in the US? What was the director of Ballad… able to get away with more than other Russian filmmakers?

And be sure to check out movierob’s blog at https://movierob.wordpress.com/

“Stick this is your trophy case.” It’s November, and to paraphrase Alfred Lord Tennyson, in fall a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of…sports, or, since one of our films is British, sport. And since we are still in quarantine, what better idea that to combine sports with prison. Sounds like the perfect time for Episode 32 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome back a previous guest, film enthusiast, creator of the Film a Day blog, and host of the LAMBCast podcast Richard Kirkham, who has chosen the Robert Aldrich directed Burt Reynolds vehicle, The Longest Yard, and I have chosen the angry young man Tony Richardson drama, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, both about sports and prisons. And in this episode we answer such questions as: What was the alternative ending for The Longest Yard? Which people associated with the movies are part of long film dynasties? What did Aldrich think of Reynolds and what did Reynolds think of Aldrich? How does James Bond and Alfred Hitchcock fit in? What is the difference between James and Edward Fox? Who started the crazy old ladies films? What is an angry young man and what do they want?

Meanwhile, check out Richard’s Film a Day blog at http://kirkhamclass.blogspot.com/

And the LAMBCast at http://www.largeassmovieblogs.com/

“I live, I die. I LIVE AGAIN!” Do you sometimes think we’re on the edge of an apocalypse? That tomorrow you might wake up to a barren and dog eat dog wasteland of mass destruction? And I’m not talking America after the election. Sounds like it’s time for Episode 31 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome back a previous guest, the host of the Cathode Ray Mission, Adam Ferenz, who has chosen George Miller’s blockbuster reimagining of the George Miller cult classic franchise Mad Max, Mad Max: Fury Road, and I have chosen L.Q. Jones cult classic adaptation of enfant terribles sci-fi author Harlan Ellison’s cult classic A Boy and His Dog, two apocalyptic films about some very strange strangers in some very strange lands. And in this episode, we answer such questions as: How does the Brady Bunch and Green Acres fit in? What did Miller steal from Ellison that led to Mad Max: Fury Road? How did Tom Hardy break his nose? How many hours of footage was there for Mad Max and how long did it take to view it? What was the controversy over the last line in A Boy and His Dog?

And check out Adam Ferenz’s Cathode Ray Mission podcast at https://www.blogtalkradio.com/deviantlegion/2019/09/14/adam-ferenzs-cathode-ray-mission

“It’s coming out of me like lava”. Is there some event you’ve been missing out on since the quarantine kicked in? Are you having those wedding bell blues? Are you not going to the chapel? Are you not getting married in the morning? Sounds like it’s time for Episode 30 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. For my listeners, please like, follow or comment. I’m especially looking for more reviews on iTunes and I’d love to know what you think. For this episode, I am happy to welcome two guests, actors, producers and radio hosts, Jasper Cole and Ralph Cole, Jr., who have chosen the hit marital farce that gave us the national treasure known as Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids, and I have chosen the art house hit from Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, Monsoon Wedding. And in this episode we ask such questions as: Does the bathroom scene hurt the film, make the film, or both? Which movie made 30 times its cost? What is the legacy of Bridesmaids? Where did the idea for Monsoon Wedding come from? Where does Miss Marple fit in? Fill in the blank: weddings are a __________? Why did Jon Hamm not get his credit?

And listen to Jasper and Ralph on their radio show at https://www.blogtalkradio.com/oneononejcole

Look for Jasper Cole in the film Kambucha Cure and as producer, Never and Again, due out in 2021

And Ralph Core, Jr. in The Undertaker’s Wife and Boy Culture

“It’s alive! It’s alive!” Do you think there may be just a bit too much ego out there? That there are people who think they can do no wrong? That morality doesn’t apply to them? And I’m not talking about politicians and lawyers…or film directors. Just in time for Episode 29 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. This time, my guest, animater, blogger and film enthusiast Curt Headly, has chosen the Steven Spielberg blockbuster with game changing special effects, Jurassic Park, while I have chosen the timeless horror classics, a set of three, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein, all films about scientists trying to play god. And in this episode we answer such questions as: Are these simply genre films or is there more to them that first meets the eye? How does the Age of Enlightenment and Modernism fit in? Which is the most popular dinosaur? What does North by Northwest have to do with it? What was so unsettling about the special effects in Jurassic Park? Where does Nazism fit in? What is a golem and would you want to be one?

“I want my lavender spats.” What is about kids? Those annoying little rug rats and curtain climbers that cause you nothing but misery, pain and despair? Wouldn’t it be great if you could do something about them? But you can’t, can you? Because they’re kids. Can’t live with them, can’t kill them…or can you? Just in time for Episode 28 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome back a returning guest who earlier joined me on Pop Art to discuss The Omen and Village of the Damned, Damien Riley. As someone especially interested in horror, I was thrilled to have him return for the Halloween episode. Damien has chosen perhaps the underrated non-Halloween Halloween movie, Halloween III, Season of the Witch, while I have chosen the overlooked and also perhaps underrated Dr. Seuss fantasy/musical The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T, both with diabolical plots aimed at children. And in this episode, we answer such questions as: why did neither film succeed or meet expectations? What did Dr. Seuss have to say about The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T? Who is or were married while working on these two films? Who dubbed Timmy Rettig’s voice? Who was the voice of the curfew announcer in Halloween III? What is a Hans Conried and would you want to be one? And did the Simpsons do it?

And be sure to check out Damien’s blog: rileyonfilm.com

“Hope for the best, expect the worst.” Running short of cash? Need some extra income? Would some rare and precious jewels help out? But what if everybody else and their cousin are after them as well? Just in time for Episode 27 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. This time, my guest is writer/director/producer Drew Hall (Convergence, now on Amazon), who has chosen Guy Ritchie’s British crime farce Snatch, while I have chosen the Mel Brooks film nobody has seen or heard of, The Twelve Chairs, both with a disparate group of characters trying to locate some jewels. And in this episode we answer such questions as: Which movie is a vending machine snack and which is a well prepared steak? What is the primary difference between Ritchie and Tarantino? Why did Woody Allen and Mel Brooks’ careers go in different directions? Why did Gene Wilder not do The Twelve Chairs? What is a Dennis Farina and would you want to be one? How well does Ritchie’s style hold up today? What is the source material for Spaceballs?

“Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads.” Is there something about this time period that just isn’t working for you? Wouldn’t you love to travel in time and do something to fix things? Like the apocalypse? Or maybe to stop your parents from making an absolute mess of everything? Sounds like the perfect time for Episode 26 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. This time, my guest, writing coach, trainer and narratologist Dimitri Vorontsov chose the immensely popular time travel movie from filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, Back to the Future, and I chose the experimental, art film La Jetee from avant garde French filmmaker Chris Marker, both about going back in time to events earlier in their or their parent’s youth. And in this episode we answer such questions as: Which scene from BTTF is the funniest when seen in a Russian movie theater? Which one made Dimitri cry? What is the main difference between La Jetee and Twelve Monkeys? What is the inciting incident in BTTF and does it break all the rules of modern day film structure? What does Greek tragedy, Christianity and film noir have to do with these films? What is it with French intellectual cinema? Is BTTF racially insensitive? How does Donald Trump fit in and are we living through Back to the Future II? And check out Dimitri’s new screenwriting contest and websites: https://superstarscreenwriters.com/?fbclid=IwAR32Uul-DVYSsjy6l94Nl5B6dd6d1kP7nRAim7jtCy6JtBhOhkGLueh6IE0, https://www.facebook.com/groups/SuperstarScreenwriters/

“I don’t do requests.” Is there someone in your life you wish wasn’t? Maybe a group of people? Or maybe you’re just plain bored? I have a solution—how about taking up…hunting? Sounds like the perfect time for Episode 25 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. This time my guest, writer and film critic, influencer and book reviewer, Hermione Flavia chose the perhaps bit too relevant Arnold Schwarzenegger dystopian action film The Running Man and I chose the pre-code adventure classic, The Most Dangerous Game, both films about men hunting men for sport. And in this episode we answer such questions as: What are the major differences between the films and their source material? Who is the first recorded black person to play a white character in film? Who are the saving graces of each film? What was Richard Dawson’s condition for doing The Running Man? How relevant is The Running Man to the world today? And where does The Family Feud and Scooby Do come in? What is pre-code? And what is it about those fashions? And have a look at Hermione’s blog at wildfiremotionpictures.com.

“I don’t do requests.” Is there someone in your life you wish wasn’t? Maybe a group of people? Or maybe you’re just plain bored? I have a solution—how about taking up…hunting? Sounds like the perfect time for Episode 25 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic side of cinema with a connection to it. This time my guest, writer and film critic, influencer and book reviewer, Hermione Flavia chose the perhaps bit too relevant Arnold Schwarzenegger dystopian action film The Running Man and I chose the pre-code adventure classic, The Most Dangerous Game, both films about men hunting men for sport. And in this episode we answer such questions as: What are the major differences between the films and their source material? Who is the first recorded black person to play a white character in film? Who are the saving graces of each film? What was Richard Dawson’s condition for doing The Running Man? How relevant is The Running Man to the world today? And where does The Family Feud and Scooby Do come in? What is pre-code? And what is it about those fashions? And have a look at Hermione’s blog at wildfiremotionpictures.com.