The Oscar Project Podcast

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Dyamite. I'm joined by Murray Mintz from the "CineVibez Fanzine" newsletter and we talk about what the going rate for "buying a husband" was in 1929, some wonderful twists and turns throughout the plot, and innovative uses of sound in director Cecil B. DeMille's first fully sound feature.

You can watch Dynamite on YouTube and be sure to check out Murray's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Babylon directed by Damien Chazelle
• The Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont
• Beauty and the Beast directed by Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale
• The Ten Commandments directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder
• Hold Back the Dawn directed by Mitchell Leisen
• John Wick directed by Chad Stahelski
• Glorious Betsy directed by Alan Crosland and Gordon Hollingshead
• The Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• The Ten Commandments (1923 silent version) directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• The Bridge of San Luis Rey (lost film) directed by Charles Brabin
• The Substance directed by Coralie Fargeat

Other referenced topics:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• MovieDiva article about the sound innovations produced for this film
• LA Times review

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In today's episode, I interview Meron Alon, director of the new short film "Too Good," a humorous take on what happens when we die and meet God at the gates to heaven.

Listen to hear about the process of casting the two stars of the film, some unconventional questions that God asks at the gates of heaven, and one of the best character names I think I've heard in a long time.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• All Fours by Miranda July

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Too Good" directed by Meron Alon
• The Matrix directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• The Talented Mr. Ripley directed by Anthony Minghella
• Closer directed by Mike Nichols
• Almost Famous directed by Cameron Crowe
• Call Me by Your Name directed by Luca Guadagnino
• 10 Things I Hate About You directed by Gil Junger

Follow Meron on Instagram @meronalon.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Madame X. I'm joined by Dan Pal from the "PalCinema, Television, & Music" newsletter and we talk about the theme of forgiveness which appears in the film, director Lionel Barrymore's conscious decision to limit the amount of music in the film, and whether the story  might have worked better as the original stage production.

You can watch Madame X on YouTube and be sure to check out Dan's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Madame X (1937) directed by Sam Wood
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont
• The Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• Madame X (1966) directed by David Lowell Rich
• Madame X (2021) directed by Ricardo Gomes, Nuno Xico, and Sasha Kasiuha
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• The Jazz Singer directed by Alan Crosland
• The Patriot directed by Ernst Lubitsch (lost film)
• It's a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde directed by Rouben Mamoulian
• The Divine Lady directed by Frank Lloyd
• Coquette directed by Sam Taylor
• Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Other referenced topics:

• Madame X (play) by Alexandre Bisson
• Madame X (album) by Madonna
• The Dark Side of the Moon (album) buy Pink Floyd
• Variety review
• Hartford Courant review
• "Too Much Padding Spoils the Fun" by Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times
• Heart of Darkness (novel) by Joseph Conrad

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In today's episode, I interview Hannah Rose Ammon, director of the new short film "We Do Our Best," a tender, true-to-life portrait of motherhood, girlhood and growing up in New York.

Listen to hear about the real life event that inspired the film, what it was like filming in a small bar environment in New York City, and the importance of music in telling a story like this.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Just Kids by Patti Smith

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "We Do Our Best" directed by Hannah Rose Ammon
• Moonstruck directed by Norman Jewison
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind directed by Michel Gondry
• The Virgin Suicides directed by Sofia Coppola
• Breakfast at Tiffany's directed by Blake Edwards
• School of Rock directed by Richard Linklater
• Notting Hill directed by Roger Michell

Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannah.rose.a and the film @wdobfilm.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Last of Mrs. Cheyney. I'm joined by Shawna Carroll from the "Notes From Post" newsletter and we talk about some interesting visual choices from the director and cinematographer throughout the film, incredible costumes (especially on Norma Shearer's Fay Cheyney), and how the plot of the film doesn't quite land in the third act.

You can watch The Last of Mrs. Cheyney on YouTube and be sure to check out Shawna's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Who's the Boss? (series)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory directed by Tim Burton
• A League of Their Own directed by Penny Marshall
• The Patriot (lost) directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) directed by Richard Boleslawski, George Fitzmaurice and Dorothy Arzner
• The Law and the Lady directed by Edwin H. Knopf
• Camille directed by George Cukor
• Mrs. Miniver directed by William Wyler
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• Dracula directed by Tod Browning
• Skyscraper directed by Howard Higgin
• The Leatherneck directed by Howard Higgin

Other referenced topics:

• The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (play) by Frederick Lonsdale (read for free online at fadedpage.com)
• "The first Oscars lasted 15 minutes — plus other surprises from 95 years of awards" by Mandalit del Barco from NPR
• The Maid of the Mountains (play) by Frederick Lonsdale
• Dracula (play) by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston
• New York Times review
• Los Angeles Times review
• Jackson Upperco on That's Entertainment!

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In today's episode, I interview Aizzah Fatima, writer, producer, and star of the feature film Americanish, a look at several young Pakistani-American women living in Queens as they chase their American dreams.

Listen to hear about the roots of the story in Aizzah's one woman show she was performing in New York, the importance of portraying young Muslim women with agency and abilities on screen, and what went into building an ensemble cast for the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Dirty Paki Lingerie by Aizzah Fatima
• You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
• The Dancing Girls of Lahore: Selling Love and Saving Dreams in Pakistan's Pleasure District by Louise Brown
• High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• Americanish directed by Iman Zawahry
• Muslim Girls DTF Discuss Their Faith (series)
• Law & Order (series)
• Reasonable Doubt (series)
• New Amsterdam (series)
• Blue Bloods (series)
• High Maintenance (series)
• The Code (series)
• Mr. Robot (series)
• The Good Wife (series)
• Cheers (series)
• Ms. Marvel (series)
• Past Lives directed by Celine Song
• Joyland directed by Saim Sadiq
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Mrs. Doubtfire directed by Chris Columbus
• Love Actually directed by Richard Curtis
• High Fidelity directed by Stephen Frears

Follow Aizzah on Instagram @aizzahfatima and the film @americanishfilm.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Thunderbolt. I'm joined by Jake Myshrall from the "Film Runner" newsletter and we talk about the innovative ways von Sternberg used sound even in this early sound film, the prevalence of gallows humor throughout the second half of the film, and how various actors are adjusting to the use of sound in film.

You can watch Thunderbolt on YouTube and be sure to check out Jake's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• Underworld directed by Joseph von Sternberg
• The Last Command directed by Joseph von Sternberg
• Citizen Kane directed by Orson Welles
• Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• Mank directed by David Fincher
• Stagecoach directed by John Ford
• King Kong directed by Merian Cooper
• Titanic directed by James Cameron
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman
• Intolerance directed by D. W. Griffith
• The Jazz Singer directed by Alan Crosland
• "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (1910 short) directed by Otis Turner
• The Valiant directed by William K. Howard
• Gone with the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Coquette directed by Sam Taylor
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• In Old Arizona directed by Raoul Walsh
• The Patriot directed by Ernst Lubitsch (lost film)
• Alibi directed by Roland West

Other referenced topics:

• Mankiewicz family tree on Wikipedia
• New York Times review
• Los Angeles Times review
• Cineaste Magazine review by Catherine Russell

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In today's episode, I interview Frank Sun, whose latest film "We Are Kings" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year and will be playing at the 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival this August.

Listen to hear about how Frank's immigrant background informed the way he looked at the world even from a young age, the benefit of discovering his characters through a feature length version of the script, and how Frank's own mother supported him in achieving his dreams.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Exhalation by Ted Chiang
• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
• The Courage to Be Disliked: The Japanese Phenomenon That Shows You How to Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness by Ichiro Kishimi

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "We Are Kings" directed by Frank Sun
• Survivor (series)
• To Live directed by Zhang Yimou
• Whiplash directed by Damien Chazelle
• Dumb and Dumber directed by Peter Farrelly
• The Wrestler directed by Darren Aronofsky
• Arrival directed by Denis Villeneuve
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• "Fabric" directed by Frank Sun (forthcoming)

Follow Frank on Instagram @xfranksun and the film @wearekingsfilm.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Hollywood Revue of 1929. I'm joined by Chris Mann from the "Daily Movie Question" newsletter and we talk about how the film truly feels like watching a stage revue like those that were popular at the time, some interesting visual effects that the film employed at various points, and the propensity for women to be physically carried off stage by a group of several men throughout the film.

You can watch The Hollywood Revue of 1929 on YouTube and be sure to check out Chris's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Karnival Kid" directed by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off directed by John Hughes
• Star Wars Trilogy
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont
• Pinocchio directed by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske
• Stan and Ollie directed by Jon Baird
• It's a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra

Other referenced topics:

• Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act
• Ralph McQuarrie artwork from The Empire Strikes Back
• "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson
• "We Are the World" by U.S.A. For Africa
• New York Times review
• Variety review
• Film Daily review
• The New Yorker review

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In today's episode, I interview Nicola Rose, whose latest film Magnetosphere is playing at ComicCon and the San Diego Children's Film Festival this summer.

Listen to hear about the challenges of bringing a character with synesthesia to the screen in a realistic way, realizing that life is a combination of funny moments and emotionally challenging moments, and the experience of working with a young cast that felt like they all naturally belonged together.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• I'm the One That I Want by Margaret Cho
• Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere by Maria Bamford
• Borgel by Daniel Pinkwater

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• Magnetosphere directed by Nicola Rose
• Goodbye, Petrushka directed by Nicola Rose
• CODA directed by Siân Heder
• Matilda directed by Danny DeVito
• Monty Python's Flying Circus (series)
• The Pirates of Penzance directed by Wilford Leach
• Moonrise Kingdom directed by Wes Anderson
• Amélie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
• The Double Life of Veronique directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski
• Auntie Mame directed by Morton DaCosta
• The Addams Family directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

Other works mentioned:

• The Mikado by Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert (musical)
• The Pirates of Penzance by Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert (musical)
• Oklahoma! by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein (musical)

Follow the film on Instagram @magnetospheremovie and Nicola @nicolarosedirects and check out Nicola's Substack. If you've seen the film, Nicola would love for you to leave a review on IMDb and Letterboxd.

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