Ruined Childhoods

We certainly hope that the curse isn’t true because this episode is all about The Exorcist. That’s right, we’re talkin’ Merrin. We’re talkin’ Karras. We’re talkin’ Regan. We’re talkin’ Pazuzu. Jon & Dan talk about the whole gang, including everyone from the entire Exorcist universe.

But what else do you do with this well-covered property? Dan & Jon have some ideas.

Next episode: Three Men and a Baby

The same year their family television show was taken off the year, The Monkees released a film that tanked in the theaters, but has found a cult following for all the right reasons. On this episode of Ruined Childhoods, Dan and Jon draw parallels for the Monkees releasing Head to Young Sheldon releasing a statement about King Jong-Un.

Next episode: The Exorcist (1973)

Ivan Reitman’s 1990 classic Kindergarten Cop may have gotten a straight-to-VOD sequel, but that doesn’t mean that Dan & Jon aren’t going to come up with some new fresh ways to revisit this Arnold Schwarzenegger gem.

Big thanks to Millie De Chirico for suggesting this masterpiece.

Next episode: Head (1968)

Dan and Jon are joined by Millie De Chirico. Don’t be fooled by Millie’s clout as Programming Manager for Turner Classic Movies and Programmer for TCM Underground - she’s here to talk about figure skating classic, The Cutting Edge. This movie defies all of the odds and stands the test of time as possibly the best pairs figure skating film, next to its 2007 spiritual parody, Blades of Glory.

And the month of May features films curated by Millie! Next episode: Kindergarten Cop (1990)

Follow Millie on social media!

Twitter: @MillieDiChirico

Instagram: @Debbie_Country

Dan and Jon are joined by writer, critic, and Elaine May-enthusiast, Carrie Courogen to celebrate the classically misunderstood Ishtar. Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty get into some dangerous business as Chuck Clarke and Lyle Rogers - two wannabe musicians who find themselves in a mixup with the CIA and a group of radical communists who want to overthrow a tyrant. Dan, Jon, and Carrie talk about how this movie is a hidden gem and how it became a dark mark on the career of writer/director, Elaine May.

Follow us on Instagram at @RuinedChildhoodsPod

Follow Carrie on Twitter - @CarrieCourogen

Follow Carrie on Instagram - @CarrieCourogen

Next Episode: The Cutting Edge (1992)

It's 1973 in Los Angeles, California. Private Investigator, Philip Marlow is trying to find out who killed his friend and find his cat. 47 years later, two ding-a-lings with microphones and an internet connection try to find a way to bring back Marlow in a way that's relevant to a modern-day audience.

Next episode: Ishtar (1987)

On this episode, Dan and Jon take it back to 1989 and then 1994 to a lesser extent, and then 1998 to an even lesser extent to go over the Major League series. Beyond that, they go over their own personal experiences with baseball fandom, including Dan’s brief stint as a Steve Garvey 1987 Donruss baseball card impersonator. But most importantly, Dan and Jon celebrate the genius of Bob Uecker.

Next episode: The Long Goodbye (1973)

When Hollywood’s rom-com leading man Rock Hudson wanted to take on an acting challenge that would make people take him seriously as an actor, he paired up with The Manchurian Candidate director John Frankenheimer and made Seconds, about a middle-aged man who chooses to be “rebooted” as a younger man with a different life. The film was booed right out of Cannes and caused audience members to become physically ill, but has since become a cult classic that is now considered brilliantly prescient in its ideas about identity and society’s impact on how we live our lives.

Next episode: Major League (1989)

Few movies have gone from being box office failures to beloved classics to the extent that The Monster Squad has over the last 30 years. Dan and Jon may not have seen it in the theater (though Dan remembers seeing the poster), but like others, they’ve become passionate fans after repeated viewings on HBO and VHS. Sequels and remakes have always been rumored, but have yet to come to fruition. Join Dan and Jon as they discuss the possibilities and potential in multiple approaches to reviving this property. Also: Jon shares how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected his work as the Media Producer at the Portland Art Museum.

Whether you love it or hate it, Tootsie is an iconic film depicting the struggles of both a temperamental male actor and women in the workplace. Is there a place for Dorothy Michaels in the future of cinema? Is her story really over? Dan & Jon lay out the history of the film and their ideas for a possible resurrection of the property.

Next episode: The Monster Squad (1987)