Reel Deep Dive

Looking to take on a more commercial project after the lackluster box office of the critically acclaimed The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), writer/director Carl Theodore Dreyer decided that a horror movie was the way to go. Loosely adapted from Sheridan Le Fanu's story collection 'In a Glass Darkly', Vampyr was filmed on location in the French countryside with a cast primarily composed of non-actors. Its shoestring budget forced the filmmakers to rely on symbolic imagery and allusive atmospherics rather than spectacular effects work.

Vampyr was released to a severe critical drubbing and an actively hostile audience (a riot broke out in Vienna when dissatisfied theater patrons were denied a refund). However, Vampyr was reappraised decades later and is now considered an intriguing example of how artists of the silent era approached the advent of talkies.

Ryan is joined by Sarah and Cheryl for a close look at this evocative cult film. Discussion points include Vampyr's debt to German Expressionism, its key place in the evolution of the cinematic vampire, and the religious subtext of its storytelling.

Writer/director Nicholas Meyer is best known for his contributions to the better Star Trek films of the 1980's, but he was noticed by the Federation due to Time After Time, a quirky romcom in which a time traveling H.G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper across 1970's San Francisco. Anchored by a cast that includes Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, and Mary Steenburgen, Time After Time charmed audiences and has been spun off in a multitude of ways.

Ryan, Cheryl, and (especially) Sylvan were far less charmed by Time After Time; the general consensus among them is that this movie is dated, clumsily edited, and oddly reactionary about the subjects that it claims to be progressive about. Discussion topics for this recording include the fetishization of serial killers, how H.G. Wells' socialist beliefs are addressed in Time After Time's stated text, the storytelling's ambivalent approach to feminism, the sexual tension between the protagonist and the antagonist, and the reason why everyone in this film runs like a Muppet.

Based on Koji Suzuki's 1991 novel and loosely remade from Hideo Nakata's 1998 film adaptation, the 2002 Hollywood take on The Ring was a sleeper hit that shrewdly played off a number of prevalent trends found at the turn of the millennium (it lifted its color palette from The Matrix, it featured a precocious child character like the one found in The Sixth Sense, and it engaged in a guerilla marketing campaign like The Blair Witch Project). The Ring also set off a few trends of its own; among other things, a whole bunch of American remakes of Japanese horror movies were produced in its wake.

Ryan is joined by Sylvan for a chat about this popular and well-remembered horror movie. Discussion topics center upon the cultural ubiquity of ghost stories, how The Ring crafts inversions of collective hopes about the afterlife, the reasons for the surprisingly long cultural reach of the movie's score, and the story's subtext when it comes to free speech and journalism.

The fifth installment in the Child's Play/Chucky franchise, Seed of Chucky involves the titular killer doll starting a family. While noted upon its release for leaning into the campier elements of the slasher genre, Seed of Chucky might be distinguished more by its focus on transgender themes, an uncommon practice in Hollywood during the turn of the millennium.

Ryan is joined by Pete, Cheryl, Sylvan, Toby, and Mordecai for an examination of this interesting cinematic time capsule. There is some discussion about this franchise's discomforting use of the voodoo religion as a plot contrivance, but most of the dialogue is focused upon interpreting Seed of Chucky through a queer lens. What parts of Seed of Chucky feel oddly prescient today? Which parts feel dated?

If you want our take, you're going to have to listen to the episode.

Bigger, bolder, more ambitious, and more character-driven than its predecessor, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 also got better reviews and took in a heftier box office. It is often cited as one of the few MCU movies that possesses a distinct visual character and a unique directorial voice.

Ryan is joined by Toby, Cheryl, and Sarah for a conversation about this rousing, emotive crowd pleaser. Talking points largely center on the movie's embrace of humor, needle drops, and found family narrative dynamics; Rocket's penchant for self-sabotage, Nebula's resentment of Gamora, and Star-Lord's daddy issues are prominent motifs throughout the dialogue. Space is also given to how Guardians plays things fast and loose with its source material; the dynamic reinterpretation of Mantis being a primary focus.

Among the most successful and beloved films in the expansive Marvel Studios catalog, Guardians of the Galaxy was initially seen as a bit of a risk due to its offbeat character designs and obscure source material. However, because of strong performances, a fun array of needle drops, and storytelling that judiciously balances humor and heart, a sci-fi movie about a sentient tree and a talking space raccoon made over $700 million at the international box office and was soon spun off into a multimedia franchise.

Ryan is joined by Cheryl and Toby for a close look at this rollicking, humanistic crowd pleaser. Talking points include the film's emphasis on character over plot, the weird indifference that the MCU has for action scenes that are supposedly the main selling point for movies like this, and how Guardians of the Galaxy is a uniquely personal mutation of special effects-driven popcorn spectacles of past decades.

Featuring lavish sets, elaborate makeup effects, numerous references to European folklore, and ascending new superstar Tom Cruise as the main protagonist, Legend was director Ridley Scott's attempt to transfer the appeal of the fantasy genre from the printed page to the silver screen. It failed to attract much of an audience while in theaters, but Legend gradually acquired a following through home video and frequent broadcasts on basic cable. As such, the film has enjoyed a long cultural afterlife (with Tim Curry's memorably hammy performance as the villain playing no small part in this fact).

Ryan is joined by Cheryl, Pete, and Sarah for an in-depth discussion about the original American theatrical cut of Legend. Naturally, since this is one of those movies where multiple versions have gotten an official release, there's some talk about how each one differs in terms of length, tone, editorial direction, and soundtrack. There's also a conversation about how Scott's willingness to water down his storytelling and hack the movie to pieces betrays a lack of trust in his audience.

The most popular, visible, and imitated member of The Three Stooges by a significant margin, Curly Howard's manic physical comedy, childlike comedic persona, and arsenal of catch phrases were often perceived as the core of the comedy team's popular appeal. Often seen as a tragic figure beyond the camera, Curly Howard's various addictions and excesses would torpedo his private life and ultimately lead to an early grave.

Ryan is joined by Rachel for a discussion of four short films that aptly represent Curly Howard's influence on both The Three Stooges in particular and comedic filmmaking in general. The sharp dichotomy between the public and private life of Curly Howard is talked about in depth, but time is also taken to touch upon the ambivalent legacy of Curly, how academic scholars undervalue physical humor, and whether Curly Howard might even be a bit underrated in the idiom of American comedy.

Spaceballs yielded mediocre box office returns and was widely criticized as a creative misfire for director/co-writer/supporting actor Mel Brooks, but it quickly found an audience through home video and constant broadcasts on basic cable. By lampooning the culturally-omnipresent Star Wars franchise, Spaceballs served as an accessible entrypoint for younger people looking to get into Mel Brooks' filmography; for many born well after Brooks' heyday in the 1970's, Spaceballs is often the first Brooks film they see and form a connection with.

Ryan is joined by Cheryl, Sylvan, and Toby for a closer look at this surprisingly durable little spoof movie. The first topic of discussion is whether Spaceballs' blend of lightly risque humor and mild satire makes it ideal for 12 year olds in the same manner that Saturday Night Live, National Lampoon, Mad Magazine, and Weird Al have connected with tween audiences in the past (Toby, an actual 12 year old, was brought in watch Spaceballs for the first time in order to serve as a test case).

Other conversational points include Spaceballs' connection to screwball comedies of the Golden Age of Hollywood, whether or not Brooks watered down his incisive edge throughout his 80's work, how Spaceballs plays into the blockbuster trends of the era it came out in, and how Spaceballs is unique in the Brooks catalog since he's poking fun at a younger colleague rather than the work of a contemporary or a predecessor.

Shortly after Bad Taste (1987) and well before The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Peter Jackson directed a lowbrow Muppets parody entitled Meet the Feebles. Taking place on a puppet-run variety show comparable to what Kermit and the gang typically do, the anthropomorphic animals in this film spend a bit more time doing drugs, shooting porn, having Viet Nam flashbacks, and plotting against each other. Released to mixed reviews and indifferent box office, Meet the Feebles crawled its way to cult status after wizards and hobbits made its director a household name.

Ryan is joined by Rachel for an examination of this cheap, wayward cousin of Jim Henson's oeuvre. Discussion topics include the limitations of shock humor, the purpose of satire, and which Muppet lampoons work the best.