Queen is Dead - A Film, TV and Culture Podcast

In this special Halloween episode, Dhruv, Amartya & Simon discuss the explosion of Japanese horror in the late 90s and early 2000's. We discuss their diverse styles that all talk about the alienation caused by the internet boom thematic elements.

Do listen for an in-depth & spoiler-filled discussion of all three films!
**Apologies for some of the background noise in the episode**   
Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast   
You can also follow Simon: https://www.instagram.com/the_bong_cinephile_/     
Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!   
Follow us on Letterboxd at:     
https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/     
https://letterboxd.com/amartya/
https://letterboxd.com/the_bong_cineph/

In this new episode, Amartya and Sanjeet discuss the new Lokesh Kanagaraj film "Leo", starring Thalapathy Vijay, among other stars. We discuss what we liked/disliked in the film, championing the film for its decision to move away from the generic star vehicles that have been popular recently in Tamil and Telugu cinema.

Kanagaraj's 5 film career so far has been driven by his unique directorial sensibility, but does the aesthetic of his universe still work for this film?

Sanjeet: https: //www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/

Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

In this very special episode, Dhruv, Aryan, and Ashwani welcome Amith -- handler of the now inactive Mactacritic page on Instagram -- to celebrate the works of arguably THE essential filmmaker of our times, Jafar Panahi. The Iranian filmmaker, already known internationally for his docu-fiction work before his arrest, molded that aesthetic in defiant, perceptive, and self-reflexive ways post-arrest. The objective -- continue to reveal stories about people around him, which meant turning the camera on himself because of his arrest.

Listen to the full episode to hear us first discuss the context surrounding Panahi's arrest, then each of the five films the director made during the filmmaking and travel ban he continues serving. The objective -- not only to situate these films within the context of Panahi's arrest but also to champion the formal excellence that the director often sneaks into his films in the same way these films have, sometimes, needed to be snuck under the noses of Iranian authorities to be sent to international festivals!

Also, cameo (vocal) appearance by the great Werner Herzog!

TIME CODES

Introduction to Jafar Panahi: [03:15 - 11:36]

"This is Not a Film" (2011): [11:36 - 38:44]

"Closed Curtain" (2013): [38:44 - 46:45]

"Taxi" (2015): [46:45 - 01:10:17]

"3 Faces" (2018): [01:10:17 - 01:20:34]

"No Bears" (2022): [01:20:34 - 01:53:55]

You can read Ashwani's High on Film piece on "No Bears" here: https://www.highonfilms.com/no-bears-2022-movie-ending-explained-themes-analyzed/

Follow our Instagram page:  

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

You can also follow us on Instagram at:

Amith: https://www.instagram.com/_amith.km.__/

Aryan: https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm

Ashwani: https://www.instagram.com/ashwanirdeshak/

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Follow us on Letterboxd at:

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Amith: https://letterboxd.com/mactacritic/

Ashwani: https://letterboxd.com/trast_akt/

Aryan: https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/

In this episode, Dhruv, Amartya, Shashwat, and a special new guest -- Srilekha Mitra (writer for High on Films, Youth Ki Awaaz, The Red Sparrow, and other publications) -- talk all about the delightfully artifice-laden worlds of Wes Anderson.

First, we discuss Anderson's auteurism, discussing its value (or lack thereof) in today's filmmaking world for audiences and critics alike.

Then, we go beyond praising the infinite layers of surface beauty that cover his 2023 output to talk about their softly beating hearts. This includes a spoiler-filled discussion of both his divisive COVID-themed feature, Asteroid City, and adaptations of 4 Roald Dahl shorts currently playing on Netflix -- "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar," "The Swan," "The Rat Catcher," & "Poison."

Featuring an extended cameo appearance by *drum roll* Lord Sanjeet.

TIME CODES

ACT I (Wes Anderson's Auteurism) - [00:00 - 26:11]

ACT II ("Asteroid City") - [26:11 - 01:03:56]

ACT III, SCENE 1 ("Henry Sugar") - [01:03:56 - 01:30:56]

ACT III, SCENE 2 ("The Swan") - [01:30:56 - 01:48:11]

ACT III, SCENE 3 ("The Rat Catcher") - [01:48:11 - 01:56:23]

ACT III, SCENE 4 ("Poison") - [01:56:23 - 02:11:28]

EPILOGUE (Unedited) - [02:11:28 - 02:18:23]

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify and rate us if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

The article referenced in the ep:

"Asteroid City: Wes Anderson's Film is Replete with Bekettian Absurdity" [Srilekha]: https://theredsparrow.in/features/asteroid-city-wes-andersons-film-is-replete-with-beckettian-absurdity/

You can (should!) follow Srilekha on:

INSTRAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mitra__srilekha_

You can (should!) read her incredible articles here:

LINK TREE: https://linktr.ee/sri14

Follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

You can also follow us on Instagram at:

Shashwat: https://www.instagram.com/filmahole/

Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Follow us on Letterboxd at:

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Shashwat: https://letterboxd.com/coffeebag569/

Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/sanjeet_singh/

In this impromptu episode, Dhruv listens to Amartya vent about the recently released Netflix thriller starring Kareena Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Vijay Varma -- "Jaane Jaan." An official adaptation of Keigo Higashino's "The Devotion of Suspect X," Ghosh's film deviates significantly from its source material, squandering the novel's tragic emotionality without adding anything significant of its own to Higashino's story.

Listen to the full episode for a spoiler-filled discussion of "Jaane Jaan" and our answers to the great questions about adaptations and film criticism sent by our listeners on Instagram!

TIMECODES

Introduction: [00:00 - 01:32]

Q & A: [01:33 - 18:48]

"Jaane Jaan": [18:49 - 01:21:48]

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify and rate us if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

You can read Amartya's review of "Jaane Jaan" for HoF here: https://www.highonfilms.com/jaane-jaan-2023-netflix-movie-review/

In this (much longer than planned) discussion of SRK's latest blockbuster, "Jawan" (2023), we spend half the episode setting up multiple contexts that help us each inform our disparate reactions to the film. Amartya, Aryan, and Dhruv talk about the Bollywood context -- the Angry Young Man films of the 70s, SRK, and the industry today. And our special guest, Adithiyan (@curioseradithiyan on Instagram), provides the bulk of the material to set up the Tamil Film Industry context -- from the 60s to Shankar to Murgadoss to Atlee (whose VIjay collaborations dominate a significant part of our discussion).

After setting up all interrelated, industrial, socio-political, and aesthetic contexts, we discuss the merits and demerits of "Jawan" (w/ spoilers).

Do listen to the full episode and tell us you agree/disagree with us!

TIME CODES

Introduction: [00:00 - 04:22]

Context P1 - Bollywood & SRK - [04:22 - 19:01]

Context P2 - The Tamil Film Industry - [19:01 - 32:34]

Context P3 - Atlee's Cinema - [32:34 - 56:45]

"Jawan" Review - [56:45 - 01:48:13]

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify and rate us if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Articles referenced in the ep:

"Before Jawan" [Adithiyan]: https://theredsparrow.in/features/packaging-matters-a-look-back-into-atlees-filmography-before-srks-jawan/

"Dil Se to Jawan" [Aryan]: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw77wpuI-hW/?img_index=1

"Jawan Review" [Amartya]: https://theredsparrow.in/film-reviews/jawan-standard-atlee-mix-of-hodgepodge-but-the-chemical-x-is-definitely-srk/

"Indian Films and Western Audiences" [Jerzy Toeplitz]: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000134149

You can (should!) follow Adithiyan in these places:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curioseradithiyan/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/curioseradi/

Follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

You can also follow us on Instagram at:

Aryan: https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/
Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/
Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Follow us on Letterboxd at:

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/
Aryan: https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/
Amartya: https://letterboxd.com/amartya/

In this episode, Sanjeet, Dhruv, Aryan, and returning guest, Shashwat discuss their three favorite films of the year (up till and including July). Not limited to any particular language or industry, this discussion gives you a wide variety of films from all over the world that fascinated us in ways that we had not anticipated.
Check out this episode to know more.
Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast  
You can also follow us on Instagram at:  
Shashwat: https://www.instagram.com/filmahole/
Aryan: https://www.instagram.com/aryantalksfilm/   
Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/
Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/     
Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!
Follow us on Letterboxd at:
Shashwat: https://letterboxd.com/coffeebag569/
Aryan: https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/
Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/
Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/sanjeet_singh/

In this special episode, Amartya and Dhruv remember William Friedkin -- the great American director who recently passed away at the age of 87.

First, we discuss our introductions to his filmography, simultaneously elaborating upon his status as a critical 70s New Hollywood filmmaker. Then, we take a deep dive into 5 of his films, some seminal from the 70s -- "The French Connection" (1971) and "Sorcerer" (1977) -- others cult-classics from the 80s and 2000s -- "To Live and Die in LA" (1985), "Bug" (2006) and "Killer Joe" (2011).

("The Exorcist" is excluded because we will be discussing it come Halloween!)

Listen to the full, geeky, spoiler-filled episode to celebrate all things Friedkin (plenty of the director's hilarious anecdotes are discussed and sampled throughout the episode!).

TIMECODES

Overview: [00:00 - 03:39]

Introductions to William Friedkin: [03:40 - 13:43]

"The French Connection" (1971): [13:44 - 35:41]

"Sorcerer" (1977): [35:42 - 56:36]

"To Live and Die in LA" (1985): [56:37 - 01:10:21]

Dhruv's "SORCERER IS PG!": [01:10:21 - 01:11:50]

Friedkin -- Late 80s to Early 2000s: [01:11:51 - 01:19:32]

"Bug" (2006): [01:19:33 - 01:30:49]

"Killer Joe" (2011): [01:30:50 - 01:38:56]

Friedkinphillia: [01:38:57 - 01:47:53]

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify and rate us if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

You can read Amartya's review of "Sorcerer" for HoF here: https://www.highonfilms.com/sorcerer-1977-review/

In this long overdue episode, Dhruv, Sanjeet, and Amartya invite back Sanket Mistry (@Cinephile Sanket on YouTube) to discuss two different types of films from one of his favorite genres -- The Historical Epic.

We begin by situating the origin of this type of film to the 50s and 60s. Then, we delve into things that enthrall and frustrate us now when we watch William Wyler's "Ben-Hur" and David Lean's "Doctor Zhivago."

Listen to the full episode for a spoiler-filled discussion of the narrative characteristics common to both these epics, their different enduring qualities, and why one works more than the other for different people in the panel.

Timecodes

Context: [00:00 - 04:19]

"Ben-Hur" (1959): [04:20 - 42:30]

"Doctor Zhivago" (1965): [42:30 - 01:23:00]

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Follow our Instagram page: https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

You can subscribe to Sanket's Channel on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@CinephileSanketFilmLover/about

You can follow us on Instagram at:

Sanket: https://www.instagram.com/cinephile_sanket/

Sanjeet: https://www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Amartya: https://www.instagram.com/amartya25/

Follow us on Letterboxd at:

Sanket - https://letterboxd.com/cinephilesanket/

Dhruv - https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Sanjeet - https://letterboxd.com/Sanjeet_Singh/

Amartya - https://letterboxd.com/amartya/