This week the World Tour carries Alex and Jonathan to India and the world's largest combined film market where we look at the Kollywood film Mughal-E-Azam (1960), the Bollywood film My Name is Khan (2010), and the Tollywood film Baahubali: The Beginning (2015). We talk the history and scope of Indian cinema, film rhetoric turned up to 11, and what Hollywood can learn from mainstream Indian film.

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13:54 - Mughal-E-Azam

33:19 - My Name is Khan

51:34 - Baahubali: The Beginning

1:12:54 - Overall

1:24:53 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

Tokyo Story (1953)

Harakiri (1962)

Nobody Knows (2004)

For more information, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/07/04/india-inundation

Following on the heels of Italian Neorealism came the French New Wave, so Alex and Jonathan take a trip to France and discuss three films from this explosive movement: The 400 Blows (1959), Breathless (1960), and Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962). We talk about stylistic innovations, semi-autobiographical filmmaking, and the origins of auteur theory.

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11:05 - The 400 Blows

22:22 - Breathless

34:37 - Cleo from 5 to 7

51:14 - Overall

1:03: 15 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

Mughal-E-Azam (1960) - Available on Netflix

My Name is Khan (2010)

Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)

For more information, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/06/27/france-fraiche

Alex and Jonathan say ciao to America this week as we embark on the first stage of our new ten-week World Tour series! Our first stop is Italy where we take a look at the Italian neorealism films Rome, Open City (1945) and Bicycle Thieves (1948) and the post-neorealism film 8 1/2 (1963). We talk about the effect of World War II on filmmaking, silver linings in otherwise pessimistic films, and self-referential films.

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7:39 - Rome, Open City

24:53 - Bicycle Thieves

42:25 - 8 1/2

1:02:46 - Overall

1:16:23 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

The 400 Blows (1959)

Breathless (1960)

Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962)

For more information, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/06/20/italia-infelice

Alex and Jonathan reach for the stars in the final part of the samurai series as we look at Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress (1958), and George Lucas' Star Wars (1977). We discuss the difference between adaptation and inspiration, the amorphous definition of "original," and factors that create lasting cultural impact.

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4:55 - The Hidden Fortress

20:10 - Star Wars

36:46 - Overall

53:36 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

Rome, Open City (1945)

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

8 1/2 (1963)

Visit the blog for more information:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/samurai-in-space

Where is the line between story and history? That's the question as Alex and Jonathan take a look at three great films about three great historical figures: Amadeus (1984), The Last Emperor (1987), and The Aviator (2004). We talk about factual accuracy versus dramatic license, cinematic portrayal of flawed lives, and the uniqueness of film's distinct documentary and biopic genres.

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6:01 - Amadeus

25:55 - The Last Emperor

42: 06 - The Aviator

57:32 - Overall

1:04:09 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Star Wars (1977)

For more information, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/06/06/brilliant-biopics

The greatest of all American movie monsters takes center stage this week as Alex and Jonathan discuss King Kong (1933), King Kong (1976), and King Kong (2005). We talk about keeping the heart of a remake, the evolution of visual effects, and modern legends.

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3:55 - King Kong (1933)

22:35 - King Kong (1976)

41:20 - King Kong (2005)

57:49 - Overall

1:09:15 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

Amadeus (1984)

The Last Emperor (1987)

The Aviator (2004)

For more information, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/klash-of-the-kongs

In the third installment of our Samurai and Sombreros series, Alex and Jonathan look at Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (1950) and it's western genre adaptation The Outrage (1964). We talk Rashomon's technical innovations, what makes a work stand the test of time, and examples of the "Rashomon Effect."

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3:55 - Rashomon

22:35 - The Outrage

40:57 - Overall

55:10 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

King Kong (1933)

King Kong (1976)

King Kong (2005)

For more info, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/05/23/samurai-and-sombreros-vol-3

Guest Andrea Millard joins Alex and Jonathan this week to talk about the career of writer/director Nancy Meyers with Baby Boom (1987), The Parent Trap (1998), and The Intern (2015). We talk female protagonists, growing from a writer to a director, and refining development of themes over time.

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7:45 - Baby Boom

27:41 - The Parent Trap

53:47 - The Intern

1:17:35 - Overall

1:26:54 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

Rashomon (1950)

The Outrage (1964)

For more information, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/maternal-meyers

Bringing last week's surrealism discussion into the modern day, Alex and Jonathan take a look at three films by contemporary surrealist David Lynch: Eraserhead (1977), Blue Velvet (1986), and Mulholland Drive (2001). We discuss the Lynch's use of color and sound, varying degrees of surrealist influence, and atmospheric storytelling.

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4:46 - Eraserhead

25:17 - Blue Velvet

46:12 - Mulholland Drive

1:00:09 - Overall

1:14:56 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

Baby Boom (1987)

The Parent Trap (1998)

The Intern (2015)

For links to things we talked about, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/lying-lynch

Social conventions are broken and non-sequiturs abound in our movies this week as Alex and Jonathan discuss Luis Buñuel's L'Age d'or (1930), The Exterminating Angel (1962), and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), with Un Chien andalou (1929) thrown in for good measure. We talk the social temper tantrum of the Surrealists, scene-driven plots, and the ripple effect of surreal art.

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11:41 - Un Chien andalou

18:49 - L'Age d'or

32:32 - The Exterminating Angel

45:50 - The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

56:22 - Overall

1:05:05 - Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions:

Eraserhead (1977)

Blue Velvet (1986)

Mulholland Drive (2001) - Available on Netflix

For links to things we talked about, and to find the video recording of this episode, visit the blog:

thefilmlings.wordpress.com/2017/05/02/bougie-bunuel/