POP ART

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

WHO DOOD IT: Join me and founder and editor in chief at For Reel, Thomas Stoneham-Judge, as we talk Knives Out/Gosford Park, two locked door, closed circle of suspects murder mysteries.

“We have the nanny cam footage.” It’s a remote mansion. Someone has been murdered. It has to be someone who is staying there. What do you do?…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 83 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, founder and editor in chief at For Reel, Thomas Stoneham-Judge, who has chosen as his film Rian Johnson’s modern day locked room/closed circle of suspects murder mystery, Knives Out, while I have chosen Robert Altman’s period locked room/closed circle of suspects murder mystery, Gosford Park, both murder mysteries that take place at remote mansions with a limited number of suspects.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: What is a locked room, closed circle of suspects murder mystery? Who did Ryan Philippe replace in Gosford Park? What does Benoit Blanc’s name in Knives Out translate as? What did Raymond Chandler say about these types of murder mysteries? Why did Robert Altman use two cameras constantly moving in every scene? Is Gosford Park a bait and switch? How did Knives Out get around the reading of the will cliche? What is the relationship between Gosford Park and Downton Abbey?

Check out Thomas’ website for ForReel at https://thisisforreel.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.

ONE DOWN AND…: Join me and animator/writer Glenn Dion (King of the Hill/Big Mouth/Human Resources) while we talk two films about people eliminating one’s enemies one by one.

“Don’t you talk to me about grammar.” We all have obstacles in our lives. Roadblocks that keep us from achieving our goals. But how do we deal with them? Do we work around them? Outsmart them? Manipulate them to our advantage? Or do we do everything to completely obliterate them, destroy their utter existence, ground them to complete dust, so they no longer pose the remotest impediment to our journey?

Sounds like it’s time for Episode 82 of Pop Art, the podcast 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 round, I am happy to welcome as my guest, animator and writer Glenn Dion, who has chosen as his film the graphic novel and video game influenced Scott Pilgrim v. The World, while I have chosen the classic Ealing comedy, Kind Hearts and Coronets, both films about someone needing to eliminate a series of people who are stopping them from achieving their goal.

And in this episode we answer such questions as: Why are comic book/graphic novels so popular to adapt to films today? What is it about serial killer comedies? What is transmedia storytelling? Why are the 40s and 50s in film much more cynical than people think? What changes were made to the endings of both films and why? What problematic element of Kind Hearts… had to be changed for US distribution? Who are the unsung heroes of Scott Pilgrim…? What was difficult about the special effects in both films? Why did Scott Pilgrim… bomb? From where do we get the phrase, Revenge is a dish best served cold? What is it about that light switch?

Check out Glenn’s IMDB page at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0227916/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0and his shows King of the Hill, Big Mouth and Human Resources.

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. 

OTHERWORDLY: Join me and writer Caitlin Duffy (Reacher, untitled Arnold Schwarzenegger Netflix series) while we talk two films about contact with another world, Contact and Another Earth.

“Boy, this is really going to change the Miss Universe Contest”. Are we alone in the universe? And if not, what does that mean? And what would aliens be like? And what would they want? To destroy us? To bring peace? To gain knowledge?…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 81 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, writer Caitlin Duffy, who has chosen as her film the hard sci-fi Jody Foster film Contact, while I have chosen soft sci-fi Brit Marling film Another Earth, both films about first contact with beings from another planet.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: What is SETI? What is hard sci-fi as opposed to soft sci-fi? Who do they want to play the president in Contact? Who is the Saw Lady? Why did they use Bill Clinton? What is special about the opening shot in Contact? Cyanide pill or no cyanide pill? Who is Steven Ford’s father? How does Gianni Versace fit in?

Check out Caitlin’s IMDB page at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3044034/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0and be sure to check out Reacher on Amazon.

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

SPACED: I know what you are going to say. Episode 77, shouldn’t this be episode 81? Good eye. My guest and I tried to record this episode twice and Skype let us down. But three’s the charm and Skype came through, but I decided to keep the original episode number because…let’s just say HAL made me do it.

Also, we have already covered a Tarkovsky film and a Kubrick film. So while waiting for this one, use the time to listen to Episode 76, The Shining/The Innkeepers with podcaster and film enthusiast Nicholas Rehak, as well as Episode 37, Annihilation/Stalker with filmmaker Gustavo A. Garzon.

“Open the pod bay doors, Hal” What is space? The final frontier? A place where no one can hear you scream? Or, as the introduction to one guide to the galaxy says, it’s big, really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind bogglingly big it is…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 77 of Pop Art, where we find the art in pop culture and the pop culture in art. For Pop Art, 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, Hollywood hyphenate, producer, director, actor, writer Adam Benish, who has chosen as his film Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey, while I have chosen as my film Andrei Tarkovsky’s masterpiece, Solaris, both films about odd occurrences in outer space.

And in this episode we answer such questions as: Why did they change the tagline on the 2001 poster to “The Ultimate Trip”? What did Tarkovsky and Kubrick think of each other’s films? What does HAL stand for? The jump cut at the end of the Dawn of Man sequence goes from a bone to a what? Was Tarkovsky murdered? What are tokusatsufilms? What did Rock Hudson think of 2001? In Solaris, where was the long drive filmed and why was it not cut from the movie? What is the theory of punctuated equilibrium? How did Kubrick end up getting all the credit for the special effects? What was the chief irony in the making of both films when it comes the country the directors came from? What did the Vatican think of 2001? What was the title of Mad Magazine’s parody of 2001?

And check out Adam Benish’s IMD page at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2354563/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

You can find more information about his films on social media on YouTube, twitter and Instagram at Benish Films and @BenishFilms

His film Generations Under Sail is now making the film festival circuit.

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

PRETTY AS A PICARESQUE: Join me and filmmaker Steve Herold (Death of an Umbrella Salesman, Walmea) while we talk two films inspired by Voltaire’s Candide, The Jerk and O Lucky Man!

“I was born a poor black child”: It’s a tale as old as the Spanish Golden Age and made perhaps most famous in the west by Voltaire’s Candide. Take a somewhat naïve innocent, usually of lower social class, thrust him out in the world, and have him navigate the slings and arrows he encounters, trying to survive in an essentially corrupt society. Or as I call it, Episode 80 of Pop Art, where I and my guest 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, filmmaker Steve Herold, who has chosen as his film the Steve Martin vehicle, Carl Reiner’s The Jerk, while I have chosen Lindsay Anderson’s cult favorite, O Lucky Man!, both picaresque films with a naïve innocent having to go out on his own to discover the world.

And in this episode we answer such questions as: Quentin Tarantino’s The Jerk? Reactive, active or passive? What is white male protestant comedy? What are the problematic aspects of both films? How does Stanley Kubrick fit in? How many slaps did McDowell endure in the final scene? What is Steve Martin’s favorite line? What is the French title of O Lucky Man!? Where was Hartounian’s gas station located? How does Star Wars fit in and what does it have to do with Pig Man? Where does Rob Reiner appear in the film?

And don’t forget to check out Steve Herold and his films. His IMDB page is at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003750/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0#director

Hs film Death of an Umbrella Salesman can be found on Amazon Prime and his newest film Walmea is making the festival rounds.

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

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE:  Join filmmaker Nicole Jones-Dion, one of the winners of the Fox Writers Incubator Program, as we discuss two films about people caught between life and death-the horror/thriller Jacob’s Ladder and the romantic fantasy A Matter of Life and Death, aka Stairway to Heaven.

“Jake. New York is filled with creatures”. Don’t you hate when this happens? You’re dead. No, you’re still alive. No, you’re dead. No, you’re alive. No, you’re…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 79 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, filmmaker Nicole Jones-Dion, who has selected, as her choice, the Adrian Lyne/Bruce Joel Rubin expressionistic thriller Jacob’s Ladder, while I have chosen Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s epic fantasy A Matter of Life and Death, aka Stairway to Heaven, both films about characters caught between life and death.

And in this episode we answer such questions as: Why do these sorts of films fascinate people? Why did Lyne change the location of the courtroom scene between Tim Robbins and Jason Alexander from a hallway to a stairwell? What was the original purpose in making A Matter of Life and Death? What is the major difference between Lyne’s vision and Rubin’s vision of Jacob’s Ladder? Why was the title A Matter of Life and Death changed to Stairway to Heaven in the US? Why did Rubin do that sent him on a spiritual quest and led him to write about these themes of life and death? How does WWII and Viet Nan play into the two films? How does Planet of the Apes fit in? The Tibetan Book of the Dead? On what day did they begin filming A Matter of Life and Death and what is its significance? Who is Tom Rolf and why is he the unsung hero of Jacob’s Ladder? How do the James Bond films fit in? What does the title Jacob’s Ladder refer to? Who is Jezebel?

Check out Nicole’s IMDB page at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5702566/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_4

And her film Stasis on IMDB TV and Amazon

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 I FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE. Join me and podcaster, blogger and film enthusiast Richard Kirkham as we discuss Bull Durham and This Sporting Life, two films about athletes in existential crises.

I know what you’re thinking. What happened to Episode 77. Well, we recorded that episode on 2001 and Solaris twice, but Skype failed to download it. But everything seems fine now and we should be doing that episode in the near future. For some illogical reason, I decided to keep it Episode 77. Don’t ask me.

IT TAKES A LOT OF BALLS: I believe in the Church of Baseball. It’s spring when a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of…sports; or sport for our English listeners. Yes, sounds like it’s time for Episode 78 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 round, I am happy to welcome back, for the fourth time, Richard Kirkham, who has chosen as his film the Ron Shelton low key classic Bull Durham, while I have chosen the Lindsay Anderson’s angry young man, kitchen sink drama This Sporting Life, both films about athletes going through an existential crisis.

And in this episode we answer such questions as: What is it about sports films? What does it mean to win by losing? What do the writers of both films have in common? What happened during the Broadway production of David Storey’s The Changing Room that didn’t shock little old ladies? Where did the names come from? If a baseball player hits the bull do they really get a free steak dinner? How does Ron Shelton resemble his Bull Durham hero? How does Lawrence Olivier fit in? Who did the producers of Bull Durham want for Tim Robbin’s role first and how did Ron Shelton react? Why were young men angry in Britain?

Check out the LAMBcast at http://www.largeassmovieblogs.com/

Check out Richard’s blog at https://kirkhamclass.blogspot.com/?fbclid=IwAR3YYgDVY-42zT8hsDDo5ECSNe1xyPP9x2bvUAmm_XsVDDjtUjp3Aj8smCQ

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 I FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE. Join me and podcaster and film enthusiast Nick Rehak as we discuss two films about haunted hotels, The Shining and The Innkeepers.

THEY CHECK IN, BUT DO THEY CHECK OUT: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It’s vacation time. You make your reservations. You find what you think is the perfect get away. You register. And then…well, I can’t say because it’s just that gruesome…Sounds like it’s time for Episode 76 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/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. This time round, I am happy to welcome as my guest, podcaster and film enthusiast, Nick Rehak, who has chosen as his film the Stanley Kubrick horror classic The Shining, while I have chosen new filmmaker Ti West’s small indie The Innkeepers, both films about haunted hotels.

And in this episode we ask such questions as: Does Kubrick believe in ghosts? What are the two kinds of haunted house/buildings movies? Who said: God is a big, black slab from outer space and the devil is a bartender named Lloyd? What did Ti West have to say about The Shining? Why did Kubrick make The Shining? What did co-writer Diane Johnson think of Stephen King? Why do horror movies focus so much on female characters? How long did it take to shoot The Innkeepers? What Razzie Awards did The Shining get nominated for? Why is it wrong to call the two girls in The Shining twins? Who dubbed Jack Nicholson in Italy?

Be sure to look up Nick Rehak at Rehak Radio https://www.mixcloud.com/TheRehak/rehak-radio-the-first-episode-51121/

His podcast at French Toast Sunday https://frenchtoastsunday.com/podcasts

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 I FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE, SAYS HAPPY ANNIVERSARY POP ART:  Yes, it’s the 75th episode of Pop Art, which means diamonds.

DIAMONDS ARE A GIRLS’ BEST FRIEND. “Cops! What the hell do they want? I haven't done anything... lately!” Traditionally, the gift for 75th anniversaries is diamonds. So my gift to you are two films about the search for precious jewels. Yes, it’s time for Episode 75 of Pop Art, the podcast where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. On Pop Art, 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 round, I am happy to welcome back as my guest, Donald McKinney, who has chosen as his selection the 1980s tongue in cheeky, postmodern Romancing the Stone, while I have chosen 1950’s MGM epic King Solomon’s Mines, both about a dangerous search for lost treasure.

And in this episode, we answer such questions as: What is it about the hair? Why did Diane English only have one screenplay produced in her lifetime? What does the name Quatermain mean? What did the critics misunderstand about Romancing the Stone when it first came out? Where does Valley of the Dolls come in? What does the phrase “romancing the stone mean”? What beat out King Solomon’s Mines for best picture? What’s the in joke about American Express Travelers Checks?

Meanwhile, check out The Real Short Box on most streaming platforms like Apple, as well as on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+real+short+box

Donald’s website Rumblespoon Productions as http://www.rumblespoon.com/wp/index/

The web series The Blue Beetle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6a-L7kUfdE

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 SAYS HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY: LOVE AND DEATH

POP ART, WHERE I FIND THE POP CULTURE IN ART AND THE ART IN POP CULTURE: LOVE AND DEATH: “Don’t be creepy. Don’t be creepy. Don’t be creepy.” This time round, Pop Art has a very special episode for the holiday. The question? Is love dead? Is romance dead? Is being dead dead? Sounds like it’s time for Episode 74 of Pop Art, the podcast where we find the pop culture in art and the art in pop culture. On Pop Art, 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, film enthusiast and movie blogger Rishabh Vashishtha, who has chosen as his selection the teen romance living dead film Warm Bodies, while I have chosen the classic Val Lewton/Jaques Tournier classic I Walked with a Zombie, both about love stories revolving around dead people.

And in this episode we address such questions as: What are the source materials for both films? What is important about Val Lewton and Jacque Tournier to horror film history? How did they change the ending of Warm Bodies from the book? Is it Theresa Harris or Teresa Harris? What is the difference between a zombie and the living dead? Who are Frances Dee and Edith Barrett married to? What is a post and post post modern zombie movie? Why don’t the living dead rot away?

Check out Rishabh’s blog at https://rishabhvashishthareviews.wordpress.com/about/

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