The Next Reel Film Podcast

"Don’t come near, honey. Molten gold wouldn’t suit your skin."

Creating a movie from a comic book has obviously become a huge way to make money at the box office these days, but back in the late 60s, it seemed a bit riskier. Dino de Laurentiis wanted to make a film out of the incredibly popular Italian comic “Diabolik”, but the first try was bad and not worth finishing. It took a bit for people to really connect with the vision. So he dumped it and started again. Luckily, his second go-around – this time with director Mario Bava – worked. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we wrap up our series celebrating 50th anniversaries of 1968 crime films with Bava’s Danger: Diabolik.

We talk about the crazy tone the film gives off and how it feels so much a part of its period while incredibly unique. We look at the over-the-top nature of the performances and how they work in the film, starting with John Phillip Law as the title character. We chat about the phenomenal production design and lively camera work, and how well the film works visually. We debate the quality of Ennio Morricone’s music and wonder if we’ll ever get the theme song out of our heads. And we wonder what other Bava films we need to see to really feel like we get what he’s going for in his body of work.

It’s a fun film that at least one of us liked, and is a film that feels like it’ll be an enjoyable one for repeat viewings. We have a great time chatting about it so check it out then tune in! And join our conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!

Film Sundries

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"I believe in live and let live."

Frank Sinatra and his rat pack are found in specific types of films, so seeing him in this dark, realistic detective story seems like a bit of surprise. When you think back to his performances in films like From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate, however, it’s easier to see how Sinatra might fit in a film like Gordon Douglas’ 1968 The Detective. But how well does it hold up today? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson - as we continue celebrating 50th anniversaries and 1968 crime films with Douglas’ The Detective.

We talk about what an exciting surprise of a film this is and how it’s completely not what either of us were expecting. We look at some of the issues this film deals with – homosexuality, police brutality, corruption – and discuss what works and what doesn’t about some of them. We chat about the use of flashbacks and how they work in this film. We celebrate the fantastic cast, notably Sinatra, Lee Remick, Jacqueline Bisset, and Robert Duvall. We touch on how this film plays into the end of Sinatra’s marriage with Mia Farrow. We praise the fantastically bluesy score by Jerry Goldsmith. And we touch on the wonderful camerawork all throughout the film.

It’s a surprising film that’s well worth looking at. We have a great conversation about it, so check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!

Film Sundries

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

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What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
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"Well, well, well, what have we got here? Buffalo Bill with the fancy hat!"

Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood worked with each other on five films, but before they first started, neither of them had heard of the other. Luckily, with a little homework, they both realized they enjoyed each other’s work and agreed to sign on to do Coogan’s Bluff together. Unfortunately for us, the film doesn’t hold up very well since it was first released 50 years ago. But are there still elements worth looking at? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Crime Films from 1968 series with Siegel’s Coogan’s Bluff.

We talk about why this film doesn’t hold up nearly as well as Targets, Peter Bogdanovich’s film we discussed last week, and acknowledge it as a film of its time but not much more than that. We look at what Eastwood is bringing to the table as this country mouse coming to the big city and if it has any merit. We discuss several points of the script and look at why the screenplay falls flat and doesn’t bring anything new to the table in the world of cop action films. We chat about the camerawork and editing and look at several moments that stand out in largely mediocre work. And we look at how well the film did and ponder its controversial violence when compared to the violence in Targets.

It’s a rough film for us but one that certainly has its fans (largely because of Eastwood and/or Siegel). We still have a great time talking about it on this week’s show. So check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Don’t forget to join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/thenextreel

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

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What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

"My kind of horror isn’t horror anymore."

One of Roger Corman’s claims to fame is that he’s never lost money on a movie, and one of the reasons that holds true is because he never spends much money on any of them. For beginning filmmakers looking to learn their craft and hopefully make it big, this is something they work with. Like many great filmmakers who got their start with Corman (another of his claims to fame), Peter Bogdanovich worked as a writer before being given a chance to write and direct his own feature for Corman, and right out of the gate, he proved himself a director worth discussing. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off our 1968 crime film series with Bogdanovich’s film Targets.

We talk about how effective and affecting this film still is 50 years after its release, and how shocking it is that it actually (and sadly) feels more relevant today. We look at the crazy way the film came to be – including Boris Karloff’s role in it. We chat about the powerful performance by Tim O’Kelly and look at why it’s so off-putting. We discuss the way the two stories are intercut and why it worked for us. And we look at some of the key crew members, including cinematographer László Kovács and the woman wearing many hats, Polly Platt.

It’s a powerful film that does a good job of disguising its low budget, and certainly provides for a great conversation on the show this week. So check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon!

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
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• X
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• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

"Ape never kills ape."

Twentieth Century Fox had found great success with their Planet of the Apes franchise, but they also were learning that a continuous run of sequels would bring less and less money back in. So by the time they got to the fifth entry in the series, the budget was a pittance compared to that of the first film. This time, however, it really feels like the cheap end of a franchise. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we wrap up our Apes series with J. Lee Thompson’s 1973 film, Battle for the Planet of the Apes.

We talk about the problems we have with this film and look at the likely source of our issues to be the screenwriters – John William Corrigan and Joyce Hooper Corrigan. We talk about Roddy McDowall returning to his role as Caesar and struggle with some of the ways his character is depicted. We discuss the concept of a battle for a planet, and compare that with what we get here – largely something that doesn’t feel that epic. We look at the budget cutbacks Thompson and his team continued to deal with in these films. We discuss the differences between the theatrical and extended cuts. And we look at logic problems found in the script all through the project and wonder what would’ve made it stronger.

It’s a disappointing ending for the franchise… until it kicks in again decades later. Still, for what we have here, it’s pretty rough. Still, we have a good time talking about it, so check it out (or not) and tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon!

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

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What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

"The savage must be shackled in chains. You are that beast, Caesar."

J. Lee Thompson was meant to direct the original Planet of the Apes film but wasn’t able to due to project conflicts. By the time the franchise got to the fourth film, Thompson was invited back to finally make his mark. The budget was lower than it had been previously, but he still did his best with what he had, and he made the darkest of the franchise. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our series on the original Planet of the Apes films with Thompson’s 1972 film Conquest for the Planet of the Apes.

We talk about the social commentary existing within this film and how well it works compared to the previous films. We look at the return of Ricardo Montalban and Roddy McDowall and the heart the two of them bring to this story, not to mention the frightening transition from innocent ape to revolutionary leader. We touch on the nature of the story here with the ape training montages and the big battle sequence near the end and debate how effective they are. We hit on the darkness of the film and discuss the two different cuts and how that darkness changes so much between versions. And we look at why the film ended up being made so cheaply but how well it did in the box office.

It’s a dark film but a fantastic entry to this franchise, and we have a great time talking about it. Tune in to this week’s show to find out more! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon!

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
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• Instagram
• Threads
• X
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• Flickchart
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• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

"I did it because I like chimpanzees best of all apes, and you the best of all chimpanzees."

Twentieth Century Fox had found that cheap sequels could turn healthy profits so immediately booked Paul Dehn, the writer of Beneath the Planet of the Apes, to write a third in the series. Unfortunately, the second film ended with the planet being blown up. For Dehn, that was just a thrilling challenge to overcome, and overcome it he did. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Planet of the Apes series with Don Taylor’s 1971 film Escape From the Planet of the Apes.

We talk about the tonal shifts all through the film as well as many of the story problems, yet how it still provides an incredibly fun experience. We look at the wonderful performances by Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter as our two lead chimpanzees and give them credit for how affecting the film (and particularly the ending) is. We ponder some of the screenplay choices they used to retcon the series but find ourselves forgiving them because they end up working out pretty well. We touch on Jerry Goldsmith and his funky 70s score. And we marvel at the strength of the film’s ending and how well it works.

It’s a film that feels like it’s all over the place but is still an absolute joy to watch. We have a great time talking about it on this week’s show, so check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon!

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Threads
• X
• YouTube
• Flickchart
• Pinterest
• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

"May the blessing of the Bomb Almighty and the fellowship of the Holy Fallout descend on us all this day and forevermore."

With the success of the first Planet of the Apes film, 20th Century Fox rushed a sequel into production, something that was usually reserved for b-run serials. That first film, however, was a good crossover property – it had the genre elements but was made on an A-list level. That gave Fox the confidence that a sequel could work. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Planet of the Apes series with Ted Post’s 1970 film, Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

We talk about how well this film works – or doesn’t – as a followup to the first film and why it still stands out as a fun film to watch, at least for Andy. We look at how the story became what it was and why it ended up getting made at the budget level it was. We chat about our many problems with the story and debate if they’re intrinsic to the script or were partially caused by the lack of a budget. We chat about the cast – notably the new faces of James Franciscus, James Gregory, David Watson and the actors playing the underground mutants – and look at what they’re bringing to the table. We discuss the film’s messages and wonder if any of them are as strongly portrayed as the ones in the first film. And we deliberate on the crew, particularly the camerawork of Milton R. Krasner and the music of Leonard Rosenman, not to mention the mutant faces created by John Chambers.

It’s an interesting entry into the franchise and certainly leaves us wondering how they can make a sequel. Regardless, it’s a fun one to talk about, so tune in to this week’s show! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
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• Threads
• X
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• Flickchart
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• Pete 
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What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

"Get your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!"

Rod Serling discovered the strength of writing science fiction as a way to disguise commentary on society of the day which led to The Twilight Zone. His contributions to Franklin J. Schaffner’s science fiction film Planet of the Apes allowed him to do the same on a cinematic scale. With political, religious and social commentary, as well as commentary on nuclear war, Serling gave the series a definite point of view and contributed to the film becoming an incredible success. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off our 50th anniversary celebration of the Planet of the Apes series, starting with Schaffner’s 1968 film Planet of the Apes.

We talk about the messages in the film and how well they integrate with the story, as well as how some people very likely may find more problems with some of those messages. We discuss some of the basic premise of the story and how logical it is, and how much that really matters. We talk about Charlton Heston and his over-the-top performance, and why it works for some and not others. We touch on the others in the cast and revel in the work they do here. And we discuss the amazing makeup work done by John Chambers as well as the wild score by Jerry Goldsmith.

It’s a great film and we have a great conversation about it. Check it out! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Threads
• X
• YouTube
• Flickchart
• Pinterest
• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.

"My God, it’s full of stars!"

After reading Arthur C. Clarke’s sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s film, director Peter Hyams was very interested in transforming it into a film. After getting the blessing from Clarke and Kubrick, he set to work. But inevitably, he was fighting an uphill battle – making a sequel to a film that many people consider to be one of the greats. In the end, the film was received well enough and turned a profit at the box office. But how well does it hold up today? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we wrap up our Odyssey series with Hyams’ 1984 film 2010.

We talk about the struggle with this film and why it is problematic right out of the gate, and why the problems are exacerbated when sitting next to Kubrick’s film (even if it does feel closer to Clarke’s original vision). We chat about the nature of HAL in this film and debate whether it’s okay to have turned ‘him’ into a good guy here. We look at Roy Scheider’s performance here and struggle with it because of our great love for the man and the films he starred in before this one. And we discuss the special effects throughout this film – largely quite good.

It’s a frustrating film that hasn’t held up well over time, but it still makes for a fascinating discussion. Tune in to this week’s show to join the chat. The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!

Film Sundries

Thank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/thenextreel.

Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.

Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!

Here’s where you can find us around the internet:

• The Web
• Letterboxd
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Threads
• X
• YouTube
• Flickchart
• Pinterest
• Pete 
• Andy

What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!

• You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
• Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
• Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
• Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
• Or sign up for AUDIBLE.