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Saint Jack (1979) w/ Conor Battles

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Produced by Hugh Hefner and Roger Corman, lensed by Robby Müller, starring Ben Gazzara as an American pimp abroad in Singapore, and directed by Peter Bogdanovich after a multi-year filmmaking break, we’re closing out the decade with none other than Saint Jack (1979)! We are joined by special guest Conor Battles to discuss a film that is, shockingly, not as sleazy as you would think. Borne of Cybil Shepherd dropping her lawsuit against Playboy as a favor to Orson Welles and made by deceiving the Singaporean government about the plot, it's wild this one even exists! Now if only there were crew shirts for the fake movie up on Ebay…

We also talk Matt Johnson, hatred for Sam Levinson, love for Roger Corman, more diabolical fits, the Shaw Brothers, YouTube shorts, and more. Our summer style may or may not be entirely inspired by Ben Gazzara’s costuming in Saint Jack. They’re just that good!

Further “Reading”

  • By Bogdanovich (2011)
  • Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
  • Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
  • Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
  • Kinda Hot: The Making of Saint Jack in Singapore by Ben Slater
  • Saint Jack Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray
  • Talking Pictures (BBC) - Saint Jack Set Visit
  • Film 79 (BBC) - Barry Norman Interviews Peter Bogdanovich
  • Sneak Previews with Siskel and Ebert (S1E18)
  • The Plot Thickens: I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich - Episode 5: Bogdanovich, The Misunderstood
  • The New World Pictures Podcast Ep. 87: Saint Jack featuring Ben Slater
  • Saint Jack (1979) - Historical & Modern Singapore Comparisons by Toh Hun Ping
  • “Screen: 'Saint Jack,' Adventure Melodrama: Yesteryear's Exotics” by Vincent Canby for the New York Times (April 27,1979)
  • “Understated character study ‘Saint Jack’ paints an American pimp in Singapore” by Edwanike Harbour for tonemadison (July 4, 2022)
  • “The Mysterious Authenticity of Peter Bogdanovich’s Saint Jack (1979)” by Ben Slater for Senses of Cinema (June 2023)
  • “A Pimp with a Heart of Gold” By Liam Sherwin-Murray for The Paris Review (December 1, 2023)
  • “The Counter-Imperialist: Reflections on Bogdanovich’s Saint Jack (1979) by a Singaporean” by Ron Yap for Bright Lights Film Journal (December 3, 2017)

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