POP ART

POP ART, WHERE WE FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE.

OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN: Join me and my guest, playwright, director and screenwriter Steven Peros (The Cat’s Meow, Footprints), as we talk Psycho/Peeping Tom, two films about serial killers that changed movies forever.

It happens to the best of us. You get these urges. You can’t help yourself. Someone dies. Then someone else dies. Then someone else dies. What’s a serial killer to do…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 93 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. I am your “A boy’s best friend is his mother” host, Howard Casner. Today, I am happy to welcome as my guest, playwright, director and screenwriter Steven Peros, who has chosen as his film the Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho, while I have chosen the Michael Powell thriller Peeping Tom, both voyeuristic films about characters who go a little mad sometimes.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: Why was Psycho such a hit and Peeping Tom such a flop? What is it about serial killer movies anyway? Is Psycho postmodern? Why was Rebecca such an important film in Hitchcock’s history? Why did Peeping Tom get reevaluated? From a Freudian standpoint, what is interesting about the Bate’s House? Why does the central character in Peeping Tom have a German accent when he is supposed to be British? Was Psycho really responsible for Perkin’s and Leigh’s lackluster careers afterwards? Who was compared to the Marquis de Sade? Why does Psycho start on Friday, December 11th?

Check out Steven’s IMDB page at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0674432/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3

The Cat’s Meow and Footprints are as of now available on Tubi

And he can be contacted on Facebook (he is the only Steven Peros who is not a realtor); he can be found on twitter at @StevenGPeros; and his website is at https://stevenperos.com/.

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss

POP ART, WHERE WE FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE.

FILM FLAM: Join me and my guest, podcaster and film enthusiast Todd Liebenow, of the Forgotten Filmcast, as we talk Ed Wood/Sullivan’s Travels, two films about filmmakers trying to get their films made.

“But with a little sex”: Don’t you hate it when this happens. You have an artistic vision. But no one else sees it. No one else will finance it. They call you crazy, a crackpot, or the worst insult possible—uncommercial. What do you do…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 92 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. This time, I am happy to welcome back as my guest, film enthusiast and podcaster, Todd Liebenow, who has chosen as his film Tim Burton’s comedy biopic, Ed Wood, while I have chosen the Preston Sturges farce, Sullivan’s Travels, both films about filmmakers trying to make movies that reflect their vision.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: What was inaccurate about the portrayal of Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood? Why did the NAACP write a letter to Preston Sturges after seeing Sullivan’s Travels? What is postmodern about both Ed Wood and Sullivan’s Travels? What did Raymond Chandler call Veronica Lake? Why was Ed Wood’s girlfriend the most successful of Wood’s entourage? Why is Preston Sturges so important in the history of screenwriting? What actors from Plan 9 From Outer Space appear in Ed Wood? Why is the cinematographer of Sullivan’s Travels so important in film history?

And don’t forget to check out Todd’s podcast The Forgotten Filmcast at https://forgottenfilmcast.wordpress.com/

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss

POP ART, WHERE WE FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Join me and my guests, filmmakers Richard and Holly Soriano (My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving) as we talk The Peanut Butter Falcon and Alice of the Cities, two films about an adult stuck with a child while on a road trip.

“You are not invited to my birthday party!” Don’t you hate when this happens? You’re on the road, minding your own business, trying to get someplace and you run into this…kid, this unaccompanied, on their own, no adult supervision…kid. What do you do?…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 91 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome as my guests, filmmakers Holly and Richard Soriano, who have chosen as their film the modern day Huckleberry Finn update, The Peanut Butter Falcon, while I have chosen the German new wave Alice in the Cities, both films about adults suddenly finding themselves on a road trip with a child or someone childlike.

And in this episode we answer such questions as: What director is also almost as well known for being a hand model? German New Wave or The New German Cinema? Has the portrayal of people disabilities changed in film? Could Alice in the Cities be done today? How far back to road stories date? Genre meets Diversity? How does F. Scott Fitzgerald fit in? What’s wrong with the geography in Peant Butter…? Where are Wim Wenders and Peter Haneke in the film?

And don’t forget to check out Richard and Holly’s film My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving, not seen on multiple streaming platforms including Amazon. For more information go to https://www.facebook.com/MyApocalypticThanksgiving/

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss

MERRY XMAS-POP ART, WHERE WE FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE.

HOME FOR THE HELLIDAYS: Yes, it’s that time of year for the Pop Art Christmas Episode. So join me and my annual yuletide guest Jay Cluitt (Deep Blue Sea-the Podcast; Con Air-The Podcast; Life v. Film blog) as we talk National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation/A Christmas Tale.

“Yule crack up”: Ah, Christmas. It’s that time when we gather all our loved ones around in one location so that we can remind ourselves why we never spend time with them the other 364 days of the year. It’s the time for airing old grievances, swearing we’ll never see that person again, get drunk because it’s the only way to get through it, and eat until we puke. And then a month later we remember what a wonderful time we had and can’t wait again until next year. …Sounds like it’s time for Episode 90 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. And this episode is the Christmas special. For this episode, I am happy to welcome back as my guest, podcaster and film enthusiast Jay Cluitt, who has become my annual holiday guest. Jay has chosen as his film the raucous comedy National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, while I have chosen Arnaud Desplechin’s French dramedy, A Christmas Tale, both films about family gatherings at Christmas.

As noted, Jay his been my annual Christmas guest, so don’t forget to check out episodes 35, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang/The Thin Man and 70, Home Alone/Code Pierre Noel.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: Why didn’t Chris Columbus do …Christmas Vacation? Who the hell is Arnaud Desplechin anyway? Whatever happened to Chevy Chase and does anyone care? Why does Henri faceplant himself on the street? How does Betty Boop fit in? Is the answer It’s French? Where do Legos come in? Where does the director of …Christmas Vacation appear in the movie? Would you want to have dinner with any of the people?

Check out Jay’s blog at https://lifevsfilm.com/, The Deep Blue Sea-The Podcast at https://www.spreaker.com/show/deep-blue-sea-the-podcast, and Con Air-The Podcast at https://www.spreaker.com/show/con-air-the-podcast

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss

POP ART, WHERE WE FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE.

GO WESTERN, YOUNG MAN: Join me and film producer Colin Vaines (Gangs of New York, Young Victoria, My Week with Marilyn, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool) as we talk The Wild Bunch/Once Upon a Time in America.

First, a mea culpa caveat. There were some technical issues, so at the end, some things were cut short, mainly in how I listed my suggested films, and then I left out what’s coming up for me and the podcast. But other than that, it was a great recording venture.

“When you side with a man, you stay with him!” Oh, the good old days of the west where it was easy to tell the good buys from the bad guys. The bad guys wore black hats; robbed and killed innocent people; and hated Indians; the good guys wore white hats, brought law and order to the community, and hated Indians …Sounds like it’s time for Episode 89 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome as my guest, producer and filmmaker Colin Vaines, who has chosen as his film the existentialist revisionist western, Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch, while I have chosen the more postmodern revisionist western, Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, both films not just about the changing West, but about the change in Westerns.

And in this episode we answer such questions as: Why did the two filmmakers make so few films? What is the connection between the Mexican warlord Mapache and the Oscar statuette? Who dubbed Claudia Cardinale’s voice and what is she most famous for? What movie did Lee Marvin turn down The Wild Bunch to do? Dario Argento and Bernardo Bertolucci…together? What did John Wayne say about The Wild Bunch? Why did a French movie projectionist hate Once Upon a Time…? What did Peckinpah do after Robert Ryan wouldn’t stop complaining about not getting top billing? What fashion influence did Once Upon a Time… have and what did it have to do with escalators?

Check out Colin’s Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Vainesand his films which can be found on various platforms as well as coming to a theater near you.

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss

POP ART, WHERE WE FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE.

DUMMY AND DUMMIER: Join me and frequent guest and host of the LAMBcast and Richard’s Film a Day blog Richard Kirkham, as we talk Magic and Dead of Night, two films with ventriloquists with, shall we say, some personal issues.

“Just room for one inside, sir”. So, you have a friend. He’s a dummy, but he’s smarter than you. He’s wooden, but he has more personality than you. He says awful things, but he’s way more liked than you. He’s not real…or is he…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 88 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. Today, I am happy to welcome as my guest, podcaster, film enthusiast and the host of the Lambcast podcast, Richard Kirkham, who has chosen as his film the Anthony Hopkins starrer Magic, while I have chosen the portmanteau horror film Dead of Night, both having ventriloquists with mental issues.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: Why did Anthony Hopkins leave Hollywood after Magic? How did Dead of Night influence physics? What is so creepy about ventriloquists anyway? Why did William Goldman bow out of Hollywood for a while? Who died just a year before the release of Dead of Night and what is her connection to the film? Which actor gets credited twice at the close of Magic? What stopped Dead of Night being made earlier than 1945? Who was the original choice to play Corky? What is the connection of Dead of Night to A Fish Called Wanda and Indiana Jones? Who are Lilian Ross and Elisabeth Welch?

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

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

My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT: For the annual Pop Art Halloween Show, join me and my guest, teacher by day, horror aficionado by night, Lisa Leaheey, as we discuss two films about exorcisms, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Requiem, both films based on the same real life incident.

“Crazy people don’t know they’re crazy” You have a friend. They seem fine, normal, just like the next person. Then, suddenly, they start having fits. They start hearing and seeing things. They speak in foreign languages. Is it epilepsy? Is it schizophrenia? Or is it, could it be, maybe it’s…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 87 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome back as my guest, teacher by day, horror aficionado by night, Lisa Leaheey, who has chosen as her selection The Exorcism of Emily Rose, while I have chosen the German film Requiem, both films, not just about exorcisms, but about exorcisms based on the same real life incident.

Lisa has been my guest twice before. So be sure to check out Episode 59 where we talked Memento and Spellbound, and her first time on for Halloween, Episode 67, where we talked Hell House, LLC and Man Bites Dog.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: Who did Jennifer Carpenter’s contortions? Who is a fan of Deep Purple? Why did Derrickson choose Boardman to help write …Emily Rose? What’s a Lola and would you want to be one? What urban legend has sprung up relating to …Emily Rose? What is true horror? Who are Campbell Scott’s parents? What is it about exorcisms anyway? What is the coincidence behind Carpenter being cast? Why are there no MRIs in the two movies?

Check out Between the Scares with Lisa Leaheey at Whatever With Jason Soto at https://open.spotify.com/episode/7a0hdhkumnnpXH0CAYr33i

And check out her podcast The SibList at https://www.facebook.com/The-SibList-109714494695206

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES: Join me and film enthusiast and blogger James Wilson, Blogging by Cinema Light, as we talk Vertigo/Mississippi Mermaid, two films about woman who are one thing in the first half, but something else in the second half.

“You shouldn’t keep souvenirs of a killing.” You meet someone. You fall in love. But something seems…off. In fact, you begin to wonder, is this the person they claim to be or are they somebody totally different…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 85 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome as my guest, film enthusiast and blogger James Wilson, who has chosen as his film Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, Vertigo, while I have chosen Francois Truffaut’s tribute to Hitchcock, Mississippi Mermaid, both films about men who become involved with women who appear to be one thing in the beginning, but turn out to be something entirely different by the end.

And in this episode, we answer the such questions as: Why were Vertigo and four other movies taken out of circulation and why wasn’t Psycho? What is a Cornell Woolrich and would you want to be one? How and why did Hitchcock go from being a pop culture filmmaker to an artist? How do Truffaut and Hitchcock treat women differently? What is the Vertigo effect? What about the French? What is a before and after picture? Red, green, red, green, red, green…? What was the alternative ending to Vertigo?

Be sure to check out James’ blog Blogging by Cinema Light at https://bloggingbycinemalight.blogspot.com/2022/09/booksmart.html?fbclid=IwAR0A3PFc9_wxqTdiO5kjQMRdme4aoapvetsWBDXeZ-7CKvDVJGfXwDk_fyU

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss

SOMETHING FISHY’S GOING ON: Join me and novelist, film enthusiast and podcaster, Heather Baxendale-Walsh, as we talk Lost in Translation/Toby Dammit, two fish out of water stories about actors in an existential crisis while visiting another country. What could go wrong?

It’s difficult to be a fish. It’s even more difficult to be a fish out of water. It’s even more difficult to be a fish out of water actor having a mid-life crisis on the verge of a breakdown suffering jet leg and not speaking the native language…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 84 of Pop Art, where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. It’s the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. This time, I am happy to welcome as my guest, novelist, film enthusiast and podcaster, Heather Baxendale-Walsh, who has chosen as her film Sofia Coppola’s existential exploration of alienation, Lost in Translation, while I have chosen Federico Fellini’s surrealist classic Toby Dammit, both films about actors in crisis in a foreign country.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: Who is the part Anna Faris played not, definitely not, most definitely not, based on? Who was originally cast in the Terence Stamp? What is it about portmanteau films? Where did the idea for the Suntory commercial come from? Is there a Mandela effect here? What do the two Germans say in the sauna? Where does Silent Hill fit in? What did the elderly man in the hospital say?

Be sure to check out Heather’s new book now available on Amazon, The Prophecy https://www.amazon.com/s?k=hb+walsh+the+prophecy&i=stripbooks&crid=3VBTWBQF3LCZE&sprefix=hb+walsh%2Cstripbooks%2C231&ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_1_8

And her website at heatherbaxendale.com

Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/

My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss