Talking Images

In this episode, we will look at what happened when the fantastical dream that was space exploration became reality - and the future became the past.

Opening with a full-on discussion of what could be called "the first modern space exploration film", Ikarie XB 1 - we will continue to explore how the subgenre developed after Jurij Gagarin became the first human to leave our planet.

While it still feels a little odd to say it, space exploration is no longer exclusively science fiction. We will actually look at documentaries and biopic, such as For All Mankind, First Man and Space Walk - looking at events sometimes more than 50 years in the past.

We will also look at the biggest films taking up the mantle of 2001 and Solyaris - to various levels of success - with Interstellar and High Life - not to mention horror and/or found footage films like Alien and Europa Report - and much, much more.

And throughout all of this we will look back at the question from our previous episode, namely what films are actually using the space exploration subgenre to do.

Is it about creating a true sense of exploration - which we saw in the early films of fantasy. Is it about exploring concepts, such as 2001? Or is it about exploring the human psyche, as in Solyaris.

We have found examples of each - not to mention overlaps.

So strap yourself in as we take on all modern space exploration.

Do let us know what you think we missed. We know, we know, there's several.

And do visit us on ICM Forum.com to let us know what your favourite space exploration films are - and why! 

We can't wait to hear from you.

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Ikarie XB1 and Europa Report will have spoiler warnings. Simply jump to the next film using the time codes below when this happens:

Ikarie XB 1: 2:21

For All Mankind: 18:15

First Man: 23:07

Space Walk: 28:36

Alien: 33:05

2010: 38:59

Interstellar: 41:48

On Silver Globe: 47:30

Europa Report: 53:07

Prometheus: 1:07:39

Gravity: 1:11:29

Sunshine: 1:15:39

The Martian: 1.17.32

High Life: 1.22.30 

Get your battle helmets on - we're doing this.

2001 vs. Solaris.

Kubrick vs. Tarkovsky.

Oh, and ... all of cinematic history, well ... in space anyways,

Yes, that's right - in this glorious two-part episode (did we mention that were will be a follow-up?!) we will look at ALL of space exploration history - going all the way back to A Trip to the Moon.

Early films excluded, which, can almost be seen as fantasy as opposed to science fiction - we have a bold proclamation to make - and that is that 2001 and Solaris exemplify the two clear paths most late space exploration films take. 

Essentially, there is the idea - and within this episode we may get closer to figuring out if it is true - that great films of space exploration do one of two things:

1. Use space exploration to explore grand themes and concepts.

2. Use the idea of space exploration to discover truths about the human psyche.

And of course - as always, there is an overlap.

In this episode, we will cover the early days of Space Exploration, and the debate itself.

And for a quick sneak peek - in the next episode we will essentially dive into all the major space exploration films that came later - and not only talk through them - but see them in the context of 2001 and Solari - and discuss which path they chose to follow, and which, if any, break free from this binary.

Happy listening, and please join in the discussion at ICMForum.com.

Why would filmmakers go through the excruciating trouble and pain of creating their films without a single cut - any mistake being detrimental - every shoot non-stop?

Why put yourself through all that pain? Why put your actors through all that pain? Why put the actual person carrying a camera for 90 minutes through all that pain? Why?

Can single-take films do things regular films can't?

Our answer is a resounding yes!

Listen in as we talk you through the ludicrously small selection of single-take films, including the "fakes", and look at just what each of them manages to achieve.

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Skip directly to the films that interest you the most

Rope: 8:33

Macbeth: 18:21

Russian Ark: 28:24

Birdman & Gaspar Noe: 38:49

Victoria: 44.40

Utøya 22. juli: 49:41

1917: 58:41

The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open: 1:09:54

In this episode we will not just discuss the magical work of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, or the mediocre work of everyone else - we will look at how their careers developed in contrast to each other from their first double feature, to their last.

That is to say, the 1988 double feature that in so many ways showcased what Studio Ghibli could do:

And the studio's, at the time, proposed swansongs of 2013:

Almost every film before, in between and after will also get a mention - some in detail - as we marvel at just how these two giants of cinema changed the landscape of anime.

We will also push the arguably already accepted claim that Studio Ghibli - rather than being the Japanese Disney, really was a platform for two great artists to develop their own unique style - screw everyone else!

The fact that the studio has been withering away, is as such no true fall - but a showcase of how it truly was Takahata and Miyazaki holding it all together - and with the older Miyazaki coming out of retirement - and the lesser Miyazaki (Goro) seemingly fumbling into 3D, Studio Ghibli is at an odd place in its own history.

But regardless of where they may go, and if this is really the end - it has been an incredible journey. One we hope to pay tribute to and honour.

Strap yourself in for a Christmas and end-of-the-year episode that will be something out of the ordinary!

Yes, we will talk about our favourite Christmas films: including Sol telling us all how Home Alone traumatised him for life!

And yes - we will also be a bunch of non-Americans thoroughly confused about the appeal of a Christmas Story (sorry).

But above all we are interested in just how different Christmas traditions are born - and how people around the world celebrate Christmas (Jul) and New Year!

Get ready to learn all about nisser, goats, people who hate Germany ... as we also try to investigate:

The crime against new years.

 Where is the New Year Movie Industrial Complex? Where?!!

(Oh, and get ready for a lot of self-promotion about Scotland as well)

So, from all of us here at Talking Images, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Get ready for one heck of a claustrophobic rollercoaster ride as Chris, Sol and Tom go through some of the biggest (and some of the most underrated) single location - and primary location - films of all time!

Spoiler Warning: We will spoil Coherence (with a clear warning) - jump to 1:01:00 if you do not want to get the concept spoiled.

We will cover:

Adapted Plays:

Secret Honor: 00:08:33

Street Scene: 00:14:32

Carnage and Roman Polanski: 00:15:35

Sacha Guitry: 00:17:30

Huis Clos: 00:19:10

Claustrophobia:

Exterminating Angel: 00:21:50

Rear Window: 00:25:27

Mother!, Evridiki BA 2037 and Repulsion: 00:29:05

Rolf de Heer's Alexandra's Project and The Quiet Room: 00:36:28

Isolation/loneliness:

Music Room: 00:42:30

All is Lost: 00:47:07

Low budget:

Stalled: 00:48:56

Pontypool: 51:10

LFO: 52:59

Coherence: 00:57:39 - Spoilers end: 1:01:00

Man From Earth: 1:01:00

Bigger Films:

Lifeboat: 1:04:14

12 Angry Men: 1:06:50

Experimental Films:

Michael Snow: 1.11.14

Marcel Hanoun's Autumn: 1.17.23

Most extreme cases

Buried: 1.19.44 

Locke: 1:24:00

1:27:13

Winifred Wagner: 1.28.40

ATM: 1.31:21

Haze: 1:33:26

Outro: 1:35:37 

Recording in the midst of ICMFF2020, Chris, Matthieu and Tom break down the main slate and the highlights from the festival so far.

John Guillermin, the director of Rapture, The Towering Inferno, King Kong, Never Let Go, Guns at Batasi and a long line of other films is best known for his bad temper, and there have been no comprehensive books on his work.

This has changed: His wife Mary Guillermin has launched a large project to do John's work justice, and the book: John Guillermin: The Man, The Myth, The Movies is now out.

We sat down with her before the release, and had an absolutely fantastic chat about John's life and work: and learned so much!

Did you for instance know that Patricia Gozzi did not know English when she played the lead in Rapture and learned all her lines phonetically?

Or that he really did not want to do King Kong 2, and tried to talk his producer out of it.

We get the answers to several of your listener questions, leaned why he seemed to accept any movie (he really did!) and heard so many stories, including why he disliked Paul Newman but loved Steve McQueen.

I know we all had so many exciting moments here - including some films we had no idea we would discuss - and great insight into John Guillenmin as both a man and filmmaker.