The Pacific Northwest Insurance Corporation Moviefilm Podcast

Corbin and Ellis and Cam, (A friend, the author of (In)Action), talk about David Lynch's stab at Frank Herbert's 'Dune,' on the eve of the release of Dune: Part Two. Topics include: why did they have David Lynch make this movie, exactly? Pardon the posting mess: it was Ellis's fault. Corbin is a GOOD BOY. Watch this movie here, if you dare.

This week, Ellis and Smith discuss 'The Birds,' Hitchock's movie about that time all birds went buckwild and started mauling people. We talk about the various utilites of metaphor in addressing the picture, how fucking weird the non-birds parts of this movie are, the impressive job Hitch does in never giving you anhything close to a satisfactory cause and effect in the movie, and the less than impressive job he did in 'Respecting Tippi Hendren.'

At the end of this episode we say that next week's episode will be "THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP," available to watch here. But in real life we called an audible and will be talking about David Lynch's Dune instead. It's on HBOMax, which is a problem for Corbin, because he doesn't really HAVE HBOMax, per se. Wish him success in this journey.

Today, Corbin and Ellis talk about HEAVEN'S GATE, Michael Cimino's mondo flop about the economics of cattle farming and a romance between a country singer and The Piano Teacher. The Cattle Economics stuff works better.

Ellis and I watched the long version of this movie, which is available on DVD and streaming services. To the best of my knowledge, it is the superior version. Next week's episode is about Alfie Hitchie's "THE BIRDS," which can be seen on Criterion for ten or so more days.

Hey whoops we were supposed to do Heaven's Gate this week but Corbin got the flu so we're releasing this backstopped episode regarding Howard Hawks' 1931 Pre-Code sleazesterpiece SCARFACE, a movie I suggested as a historical inquiry that ended up being one of the best things we've watched for the show. Topics include: violence, incest, the movie's wild mis en scene, and some other stuff.

Corbin and Matt and SPECIAL GUEST RYDER (not famous) talk about 'Ferrari,' Michael Mann's 2023 movie about fast cars and human suffering. Corbin also reads from the futurist manifesto in public, which gets a little awkward.

Next Week, the movie that single handedly destroyed American cinema: HEAVEN'S GATE. The version we are watching is available on HOOPLA! (Probably: your library might differ in this matter.) See you then!

This week on the show, Corbin and Matt talk about THE MAGICIAN, a 1958 Bergman Bangern about performence, trickery, and the eternal enemy of fun, scientific rationalism. You can watch the movie here, on Criterion. Next week's movie is FERRARI, by Michael Mann. I think it's streaming somewhere but I have already given too much to this blurb.

Oh, our new cover art is by SPENCER STANLEY GROSHONG, a wonderful designer known for his work at TRILLBLAZIN. We thank Spencer for rescuing us from Corbin Smith's graphic design instincts, which are not so good.

Hey! Sorry about the break its been a little crazy around here and there lately. THis week Corbs and Ellis talk LIVE AT WORKERS TAP in PORTLAND, OREGON, about 'Night of the Comet,' a sort-of-zombie movie that mixes a bunch of 1980's stuff in a big ol' bowl and serves it to you, the viewer. Topics include: Star Trek First officers, automation's ghost living on in the ruins of human civilization, how great it would be to work as a projectionist in the early 80's, and a maybe-repeat of a conversation about film vs. digital. We also talk at length about 'The Thing,' a famous movie that Corbin just saw for the first time.

Next week's episode is about "THE MAGICIAN," by friend of the program Ingmar Bergman. You can watch it here, on Criterion.

Corbin and Dr. Matt talk about 'CURE,' ‎Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 1997 J-Horror classic. Topics: horror or pyshcological thriller (Genre distinctions being the main thing men talk about), pushing pyshcology back through premodernity, Corbin's new book on NYU Press, Mothra, and Naruto's pal the nine-tailed beast.

We're not sure what next week's episode is about yet.

In a special Christmas Episode, Corbin and Matt talk about MEET JOHN DOE, a 1941 Frank Capra Christmas Joint, staring screen goddess Barbara Stanwyck and the thinking man's John Wayne, Gary Cooper. We talk about Capra's worldview, where soceiry can fix all its problens so long as it doesn't dip intonthe morass of "Politics" or whatever. "Meet John Doe" can be seen here on Criterion, or here, on the Internet Archive, because someone forgot to renew the copyright in the seventies.

Coming up next week: Cure, a horror masterpiece about Carl Jung.

France was hoping for a better future in 1968. When that didn't happen, Robert Bresson was there to ask a very important question: "What if the icy embrace of death is all that life has to offer?" A real Live/Laugh/Love episode of the show, lemme tell ya.

This movie can be seen here, on Criterion. Next week's episode is MEET JOHN DOE, by Frank Capra, which can be seen here on Criterion, or here, on the Internet Archive, because someone forgot to renew the copyright in the seventies. Also coming up: Cure.