The Oscar Project Podcast

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film The Criminal Code. I'm joined by Murray Mintz from the CineVibeZ Fanzine newsletter and we talk about what it means to stick to the criminal code, an excellent supporting performance from a pre-Frankenstein Boris Karloff, and a new understanding of the term yammering.

You can watch The Criminal Code online for yourself and be sure to check out Murray's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Right to Love directed by Richard Wallace (potentially lost)
• Stand and Deliver directed by Ramón Menéndez
• Five Star Final directed by Mervyn LeRoy
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• The Dawn Patrol directed by Howard Hawks
• Scarface directed by Howard Hawks
• The Big Sleep directed by Howard Hawks
• Rio Bravo directed by Howard Hawks
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! directed by Chuck Jones
• Frankenstein directed by Guillermo del Toro
• The Big House directed by George Hill
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles

Other referenced topics:

• Five Star Final (play)
• The Criminal Code by Martin Flavin
• Morduant Hall's review in the New York Times
• Variety review
• Dennis Schwartz on dennisschwartzreviews.com
• Photoplay Magazine review

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In today's episode, I interview Wesley Wang, director of the short film “Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank,” a frenetic animated short set to a new song "Feel It All Again" by adore.

Listen to hear about the collaboration between Wesley and adore with their unreleased music, some of the films that informed the creation of these characters, and his plans for the future of his company in the new age of digital media.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Trial by Franz Kafka
• The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank” directed by Wesley Wang
• "nothing, except everything." directed by Wesley Wang
• Bonnie and Clyde directed by Arthur Penn
• The Matrix directed by Lilly Wachowski and Lana Wachowski
• John Wick directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch
• Fantastic Mr. Fox directed by Wes Anderson
• Wallace & Gromit directed by Nick Park
• Backrooms directed by Kane Parsons
• Iron Lung directed by Markiplier
• Brazil directed by Terry Gilliam
• Mulholland Drive directed by David Lynch
• City Lights directed by Charlie Chaplin
• The Master directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• No Country for Old Men directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Other media mentioned in this episode:

• "did i tell u that i miss u" by adore
• "Feel It All Again" by adore

Follow Wesley on Instagram @wesleywanggg and subscribe to his YouTube channel @wesleywangfilm. You can also follow the film on Instagram @violetnmarlowe.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Royal Family of Broadway and I'm joined by Rebecca Deniston who writes the Taking Up More Room newsletter, and we talk about the distinct lack of story evident in the film, the complete ostentatiousness of every frame of the film, and how much influence the poor transfer of this film made on our opinion of it overall.

You can watch The Royal Family of Broadway on YouTube and be sure to check out Rebecca's newsletter and her website takinguproom.com.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! directed by Chuck Jones
• Laughter directed by Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Gone With the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• The Women directed by George Cukor
• My Fair Lady directed by George Cukor
• Citizen Kane directed by Orson Welles
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles
• You Can't Take It With You directed by C.C. Coleman and Frank Capra
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont (previous episode on The Broadway Melody with Kevin Pettit)
• Stage Door Canteen directed by Frank Borzage

Other referenced topics:

• The New Yorkers (musical)
• The Barrymore Family on Wikipedia
• Emanuel Levy writing on emanuellevy.com

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In today's episode, I interview Javier Cano Larumbe, director of the short film "Void," a horror take on the effects of a pending divorce on the world of a young child.

Listen to hear about the films that inspired this story, the process of casting the boy to play the lead actor in his film, and how he was able to turn the location of the home into a character of its own in the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Reflections: On Cinematography by Sir Roger Deakins

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Void" directed by Javier Cano Larumbe
• The Sixth Sense directed by M. Night Shyamalan
• Poltergeist directed by Tobe Hooper
• Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg
• The 400 Blows directed by François Truffaut
• Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial directed by Steven Spielberg
• Batman directed by Tim Burton
• The Empire Strikes Back directed by Irvin Kershner

Follow the Javier on Instagram @jcanolarumbe.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Min and Bill I'm joined by Maria Banson who writes the The Brunello Bombshell newsletter, and we talk about the interesting family dynamics at play in this film, an incredible (and Oscar worthy) performance from Marie Dressler in the lead role, and the second half of the film that flies by once the action really gets going.

You can watch Min and Bill on YouTube, Tubi, or Amazon Prime or pick up a physical copy for your collection and be sure to check out Maria's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Big House directed by George Hill
• The Champ directed by King Vidor
• Tugboat Annie directed by Mervyn LeRoy
• The Tragedy of Macbeth directed by Joel Coen
• Nomadland directed by Chloé Zhao
• The Taming of the Shrew directed by Sam Taylor
• Morocco directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Holiday directed by Edward H. Griffith
• A Free Soul directed by Clarence Brown
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles

Other referenced topics:

• Call My Agent! (series)
• Dark Star by Lorna Moon
• Steve Kopian on unseenfilms.com
• David writing on simbasible.com

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In today's episode, I interview Michael Cusumano and Charity Schubert, director, producer and lead actor of the short film "Last Minute," a comedic look at trying to get a school project done at the last minute in a world without the internet and smart phones.

Listen to hear about the story that grew out of generational differences between school today and 40 years ago, a bit of luck in casting one of the film's main characters, and the way the production crowdsourced period furnishings for the set to make it look and feel like the late 1980s.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Making Movies by Sydney Lumet
• The Only Woman in the Room: A Historical Novel of Hedy Lamarr and Her Secret Wartime Invention by Marie Benedict
• The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler 

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Last Minute" directed by Michael Cusumano
• "Napoleonic Code" directed by Michael Cusumano
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Black Mirror (series)
• The Third Man directed by Carol Reed
• Fargo directed by Joel Coen
• Big Night directed by Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott
• Dangerous Liaisons directed by Stephen Frears
• Marie Antoinette directed by Sofia Coppola
• Bernie directed by Richard Linklater
• Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme
• All About Eve directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
• Amadeus directed by Milos Forman
• Only Lovers Left Alive directed by Jim Jarmusch
• Bram Stoker's Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• 12 Angry Men directed by Sydney Lumet
• Network directed by Sydney Lumet
• Dog Day Afternoon directed by Sydney Lumet

Follow the film on Instagram @lastminuteshortfilm, their production company @whiskeycatproductions, and Charity @charityschubert. You can also find information on the Marie Antoinette exhibit Charity mentioned on the Victoria & Albert website. You can also get more information on the Whiskey Cat Productions presentation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Christopher Hampton at their website.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Just Imagine I'm joined by Amanda Kusek who writes the The 90-Minute Movie newsletter, and we talk about the vision of 1980 as seen from 1930, how the film takes on a completely new plot nearly halfway through, and some out of this world imaginings of what people on Mars might be like.

You can watch Just Imagine on YouTube, Tubi or the Amazon Prime or pick up a physical copy for your collection and be sure to check out Amanda's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Planet of the Apes directed by Franklin J. Schaffner
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• Back to the Future Part II directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman and Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• Tarzan (film series)
• It's a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra
• A Woman of Affairs directed by Clarence Leon Brown
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles

Other referenced topics:

• "California, Here I Come" written by Buddy DeSilva and performed by Al Jolson
• "California" by Phantom Planet
• The O.C. (series)
• Film Daily note about the print kept for future review
• New York Times review
• Nora Fiore writing on The Nitrate Diva
• Janne Wass on scifist.net

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Today's episode is my discussion of the 1930 film The Dawn Patrol. I don't have a guest today, but you can hear me discuss the comparisons between this and earlier WWI war films, the feud between Howard Hawks and Howard Hughes, and Hollywood's first nepo baby.

You can watch The Dawn Patrol on YouTube, or Tubi or pick up a physical copy for your collection.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Hell's Angels directed by Howard Hughes
• The Air Circus directed by Howard Hawks (lost film)
• The Road to Glory directd by Howard Hawks (lost film)
• The Criminal Code directed by Howard Hawks
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman and Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• The Patent Leather Kid directed by Alfred Santell
• The Noose directed by John Francis Dillon (lost film)
• Little Caesar directed by Mervyn Leroy
• Bulldog Drummond directed by F. Richard Jones
• The Dawn Patrol (1938) directed by Edmund Goulding
• The Doorway to Hell directed by Archie Mayo
• Laughter directed by Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast

Other referenced topics:

• Batman (series)
• The New Yorker review
• Danny Reid on pre-code.com

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Morocco I'm joined by Jake Myshrall who writes the Film Runner newsletter, and we talk about how stars like Marlene Dietrich were treated both on screen and off, the way von Sternberg layers the visual aspects of his film sets, and the lengths some men will go for love.

You can watch Morocco on YouTube, Tubi or the Internet Archive or pick up a physical copy for your collection and be sure to check out Jake's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Thunderbolt directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Blue Angel directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Shanghai Express directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman
• Farewell to Arms directed by Frank Borzage
• A Star is Born directed by William A. Wellman
• Paths of Glory directed by Stanley Kubrick
• The Front Page directed by Lewis Milestone
• Tempest directed by Sam Taylor and Victor Tourjansky
• Wonder of Women directed by Clarence Leon Brown
• Madame X directed by Lionel Barrymore
• The Rogue Song directed by Lionel Barrymore
• Intolerance directed by D. W. Griffith
• The Criminal Code directed by Howard Hawks
• Svengali directed by Archie Mayo
• King Kong directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
• Casablanca directed by Michael Curtiz

Other referenced topics:

• "American Pie" by Don McLean
• New York Times review
• "Morocco (1930)- Celebrating iconography and deconstructing the icon" by Alyssa Marie on the Trial Bi Media
• "Morocco (1930) Film Review" on GreatBooksGuy.com 

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Doorway to Hell I'm joined by Jeff Kramer who writes The Death Star Human Resources Department Newsletter, and we talk about comparisons between being a mobster and being in war, the decision to show a child being seriously injured in a film of this era, and what happens when the police detective knows something about the gangster's love interest that the gangster himself doesn't know.

You can watch The Doorway to Hell on YouTube or Tubi for free and be sure to check out Jeff's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone directed by Chris Columbus
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Heat directed by Michael Mann
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Goodfellas directed by Martin Scorsese
• The Leatherneck directed by Howard Higgin
• Gone with the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Yankee Doodle Dandy directed by Michael Curtiz
• Dracula directed by Tod Browning
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• Scarface (1932) directed by Howard Hawks
• Avengers: Doomsday directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
• Disraeli directed by Alfred E. Green
• Casino directed by Martin Scorsese
• The Departed directed by Martin Scorsese

Other referenced topics:

• London Calling (play) by Geoffrey Kerr
• A Handful of Clouds (play) by Rowland Brown
• The Simpsons (series)
• New York Times review
• Variety review
• Danny Reid on pre-code.com

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