We're going on vacation through the world of classic film! Yes, International Month is back. But unless the previous two years, where we did two movies from different countries, we're spending June in one country with a single director: Akira Kurosawa.

TCM host and author of the new book TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema, Alicia Malone, joins us to kick things off with a look at one of several Kurosawa movies dubbed the best movie of all time. It's 1954's Seven Samurai. Kristen, Emily and Alicia explore the samurai genre, discuss this movie's influence on our conception of the American West, and thirst over Toshiro Mifune.

Buy Alicia's book here.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Danny

David Floyd

Gates

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

Chris McKay

Jacob Haller

Peter Blitstein

Peter Bryant

Peter Dawson

Reyna-Moya James

Bridget M. Hester

Cat Cooper

Daniel Tafoya

David Baxter

Diana Madden

Harry Holland

Jamie Carter

Karen Yoder

Lucy Soles

Nick Weerts

Richard Silver

Rosa

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You Must Remember This host Karina Longworth sits down with us to talk about the new season of her show, "The Old Man Is Still Alive." We discuss which directors weathered the collapse of the studio system best, why Stanley Donen's Blame It On Rio gets so much guff, and John Huston's third act celebration.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Danny

David Floyd

Gates

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

Chris McKay

Jacob Haller

Peter Blitstein

Peter Bryant

Peter Dawson

Reyna-Moya James

Bridget M. Hester

Cat Cooper

Daniel Tafoya

David Baxter

Diana Madden

Harry Holland

Jamie Carter

Karen Yoder

Lucy Soles

Nick Weerts

Richard Silver

Rosa

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another TCM Classic Film Festival has come and gone, but whether you were on the ground in LA or you couldn't make it, Ticklish Biz has you covered with some great audio from the festival.

We start off with Ben Mankiewicz, and Elle and Dakota Fanning introducing Michelle Pfeiffer at her hand and footprint ceremony. Then it's Alicia Malone and actor Barry Bostwick discussing The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Next Eddie Muller and Dana Gould improvise an intro for a chilly evening screening of I Love You Again (1940). And, finally, Michael Mann, Al Pacino and Ben Mankiewicz talk all about 1995's Heat!

You can listen to even more TCM Classic Film Festival audio, including Michele Pfeiffer's speech during her hand and footprint ceremony and Eddie Muller and Ernest Dickerson talking about 1955's The Big Combo exclusively on Patreon!

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Danny

David Floyd

Gates

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

Chris McKay

Jacob Haller

Peter Blitstein

Peter Bryant

Peter Dawson

Reyna-Moya James

Bridget M. Hester

Cat Cooper

Daniel Tafoya

David Baxter

Diana Madden

Harry Holland

Jamie Carter

Karen Yoder

Lucy Soles

Nick Weerts

Richard Silver

Rosa

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flower Drum Song star Nancy Kwan sits down with Ticklish Business in anticipation of her new autobiography! Nancy talks about being discovered young, what her costars were like, and more. We also talk about the joys of actor James Shigeta.

Buy The World of Nancy Kwan now.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Danny

David Floyd

Gates

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

Chris McKay

Jacob Haller

Peter Blitstein

Peter Bryant

Peter Dawson

Reyna-Moya James

Bridget M. Hester

Cat Cooper

Daniel Tafoya

David Baxter

Diana Madden

Harry Holland

Jamie Carter

Karen Yoder

Lucy Soles

Nick Weerts

Richard Silver

Rosa

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TCM's "Czar of Noir" Eddie Muller joins us once again to discuss the women of his latest book Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir. Eddie chats about interviewing some of the most iconic film noir women and how his new book seeks to tell their stories more fully.

You can pre-order Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir before it's April 8th publication by clicking the link.

And if you're in Los Angeles you can purchase tickets to Noir City Hollywood now.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your eyes don't deceive you! Ticklish Business is back, kinda. Kristen sits down with author Mayukh Sen to talk all about Merle Oberon, the subject of Sen's latest book, Love, Queenie: Merle Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star. Sen breaks down the stereotypes about Oberon he wanted to dispel and how she was able to rise above Hollywood racism.

We appreciate everyone continuing to support us, as either a Patron or listener. Emily and I are working on doing the show monthly for now as we finish up our books. So definitely be on the lookout for some TCMFF goodness come April.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristen and Emily return with Front Row Classics podcast host Brandon Davis to celebrate the release of Wicked by looking at the film that started it all: 1939's The Wizard of Oz. The trio discuss Judy Garland's casting, the economics of Oz, and various rumors.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

BadGuyRants

Chris McKay

Debbi Lynne

Jeffrey

Joseph

Kayla Ewing

Peter Blitstein

Peter Bryant

Peter Dawson

Susannah Burger

Brittany Brock

Cat Cooper

Daniel Tafoya

David Baxter

Diana Madden

Emily Edwards

Emily Frederichs

Harry Holland

Helena Pickup

Lucy Soles

Nick Weerts

Paul

Rosa

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's All Hallows Eve and we're closing out spooky season with a legendary Halloween treat. Director and Shining historian Lee Unkrich joins Kristen to discuss Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of The Shining. The pair discuss the nature of adaptation, Shelley Duvall's performance (RIP), and why it still holds up today.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

BadGuyRants

Chris McKay

Debbi Lynne

Jeffrey

Joseph

Kayla Ewing

Peter Blitstein

Peter Bryant

Peter Dawson

Susannah Burger

Brittany Brock

Cat Cooper

Daniel Tafoya

David Baxter

Diana Madden

Emily Edwards

Emily Frederichs

Harry Holland

Helena Pickup

Lucy Soles

Nick Weerts

Paul

Rosa

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Halloween inches ever closer much like the centipede? earwig? that dominates William Castle's 1959 horror film The Tingler. Emily and Kristen discuss Bill Castle and his gimmicks, Vincent Price, and why Warren Chapin might be the worst doctor character ever.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

BadGuyRants

Chris McKay

Debbi Lynne

Jeffrey

Joseph

Kayla Ewing

Peter Blitstein

Peter Bryant

Peter Dawson

Susannah Burger

Brittany Brock

Cat Cooper

Daniel Tafoya

David Baxter

Diana Madden

Emily Edwards

Emily Frederichs

Harry Holland

Helena Pickup

Lucy Soles

Nick Weerts

Paul

Rosa

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily and Kristen may be a week later than usual but spooky season kicks off with a bang as the duo talk George Romero's 1968 feature Night of the Living Dead! And along for the ride is acclaimed cinematographer Levie Isaaks. Levie, watching this for the first time (!), discusses the film's impact, what Tobe Hooper took for Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and more.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

BadGuyRants

Chris McKay

Debbi Lynne

Jeffrey

Joseph

Kayla Ewing

Peter Blitstein

Peter Bryant

Peter Dawson

Susannah Burger

Brittany Brock

Cat Cooper

Daniel Tafoya

David Baxter

Diana Madden

Emily Edwards

Emily Frederichs

Harry Holland

Helena Pickup

Lucy Soles

Nick Weerts

Paul

Rosa

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices