Ruined Childhoods

With the success of Dawson's Creek, Kevin Williamson let his freak flag fly on the big screen by writing a number of late 90s and early 2000s teen thrillers, but he only directed one - Teaching Mrs. Tingle. This film features Dawson's alum Katie Holmes up against screen legend Dame Helen Mirren, which sounds like fun, right? But with studio intervention and major edits to turn this movie into a PG-13 romp, perhaps Dan and Jon have some ideas for how the film could be revived for a contemporary audience.

Next episode: The Usual Suspects (1995)

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Ruined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

Fresh off the success of Teen Wolf, Back to the Future, and Family Ties, young actor Michael J. Fox was white hot and it seemed like any project he was attached to would be a success. It's no surprise that this week's movie, The Secret of my Success, would be one of the highest grossing films of the year, despite being a relatively mediocre adult comedy. Dan and Jon talk about what makes the movie fun to watch, but at times hard to get through given today's standards for workplace decorum. They also share their thoughts for how the film could have a new life in 2025.

Next episode: Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)

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Ruined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

Director Brian Robbins may have been head of the class, but that doesn't make him out of touch with the world of burnout numbskulls and the world of professional wrestling. The proof? 2000's Ready to Rumble, the story of two idiots who are determined to bring a disgraced pro wrestler back to his former glory. Dan tells Jon all about the world of pro wrestling, wrestlers, and how they entered and re-entered his life starting in the 1980s. Dan and Jon also share their ideas for how Ready to Rumble could be brought back in 2025.

Next episode: The Secret of my Success (1987)

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Ruined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

Wow. If you haven't seen Q: The Winged Serpent, stop whatever you're doing, find it, and press play. With the star power of Richard Roundtree and David Carradine, the run-and-gun directing style of Larry Cohen, and mind-altering acting from Michael Moriarty, this film truly has it all. But perhaps there's an opportunity to revisit this cult classic - Dan and Jon surely have their thoughts.

Next episode: Ready to Rumble (2000)

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Before there was Rocky Horror, Tommy, or The Wall, director Brian De Palma and Paul Williams teamed up to bring us a genre-defining rock opera that continues to stun audiences, further cementing its cult classic status. Phantom of the Paradise tells the story of a singer-songwriter whose opus is stolen from him by Swan, the one man who controls the world's popular music, and his descent into madness. Dan and Jon celebrate the music, the stunning visuals, and brilliant direction by De Palma. They also imagine ways that this film could be revisited for a modern audience.

Next episode: Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

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Actor Tim Blake Nelson took a few breaks from acting to direct films starting in the 1990s. And with the surge in popularity of teen heartthrob Shakespeare adaptations like Romeo + Juliet (1996), it was an obvious choice to adapt Othello for a contemporary audience. Jon and Dan celebrate this overlooked token of its time and admire the talents that brought it to life, even if it is a little over the top at times.

Next episode: Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

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One of Alfred Hitchcock's few adventure films also may be his most influential, which is saying a LOT. North by Northwest defined the look and feel for spy movies, gave us iconic set pieces, and may change the way you shave your face. Dan and Jon also have some ideas for how it can be brought back in 2025.

Next episode: O (2001)

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Fritz Lang's first sound film may also be his most complex, despite having released Metropolis in 1927 to much acclaim. M is the story of a city that is worked into a frenzy when an elusive child murderer is on the loose and nobody can be trusted. The cops are determined to find the murderer and bring him to justice, but the city's criminal underworld wants to get to him first and serve their own justice so they can back to their life of crime without the cops always on their tail. Dan and Jon come up with fun ways to celebrate the 1931 classic in ways that feel appropriate given this is an important film not just in the world of film, but also when it comes to the rise of the Nazi party.

Next episode: North by Northwest (1958)

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Director Hal Ashby's first film is a clear prototype for what he has to come with films like Being There, Shampoo, & Harold and Maude, all satires with a focus on class inequality. The Landlord is a brilliant portrayal of upper classes whites gentrifying a Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, essentially looking into Prospect Park's actual future. Dan and Jon celebrate its place in cinema history and theorize how it could be reenvisioned today, years after life imitated art.

Next episode: M (1931)

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Listen to Micheaux Mission

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Dan and Jon GUSH over the 1971 Alan J. Pakula Neo-noir Klute and they are NOT shy about it! They also celebrate the amazing Jane Fonda, the tactile audio of 70s cinema, and the lost art of a slow pace. They also share their thoughts on how Klute could be revisited in the modern era.

Next episode: The Landlord (1970)

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