Verbal Diorama

This one feels so bitter-sweet to be talking about. This episode was originally scheduled for mid-September, but due to the sudden passing of Chadwick Boseman on 28th August, I postponed it out of respect. After V for Vendetta it feels right to be talking about a hero who inspired so many, and by that I don't just mean T'Challa as the Black Panther, but Chadwick Boseman himself. A man of grace, integrity, poise and power. A man who meant so much to so many.

The character of T'Challa, introduced in Captain America: Civil War in 2016 isn't the first black on-screen superhero, but he's the most accessible. Children across the world could look to T'Challa, Okoye, Shuri and Nakia and see themselves represented on screen. African traditions are explored and Killmonger remains one of the MCU's most well-rounded and fascinating villains. Just a kid from Oakland who was abandoned by his family, his bitter and twisted attempt to ascend to the throne of his father's homeland and change Wakanda for, what he believes is, the greater good.

It's a beautifully realised, perfectly acted celebration of African culture, heritage and people, and I love it.

And to Chadwick. You are loved, you are missed, thank you.

Wakanda Forever!

I would love to hear your thoughts on Black Panther!

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

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Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. 

This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition! 

The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. 

Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honour to cover V for Vendetta, and you may call me Verbal Diorama.

I would love to hear your thoughts on V for Vendetta!

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

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SURPRISE!!

I kept this off the schedule just in case I couldn't quite pull it off, but having recently rewatched it, I decided to do a bonus episode on Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight just for Halloween, which deserves WAY more recognition than it gets.

From a great well-known cast of faces, such as William Sadler, Jada Pinkett, Billy Zane, Dick Miller and Thomas Haden Church to some genuinely spooky great practical effects and world building, Demon Knight really delivers in a way most low-budget horror movies don't.

Not to mention it's probably the only horror movie where a black woman is the final girl and she saves the world!

I never thought I'd say that Billy Zane was the best part of anything.... he chews the scenery like never before or again as The Collector. Maybe he's entranced me into doing this episode? Maybe I'm possessed? What is this green goo?!

Happy Halloween! 

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Listen, for all the online discourse in 2016, Ghostbusters (2016) is in no way as bad as it's been made out to be. Is it perfect? No. Is it the superior Ghostbusters? No. Is it the Anti-Christ of the Ghostbusters universe? No. Do I find it hilariously funny and love these women? YES! Is Chris Hemsworth the most gifted human being in the world other than Keanu Reeves? Probably!

Joining me with his own proton pack of appreciation for Ghostbusters, is Simon Brew. Editor of Film Stories magazine/website and host of Film Stories podcast. Together we're taking on the ghosts of reboots, and taking aim at the misogynists and hate-spewers of the world. Just because Ghostbusters 2016 exists, and it exists for a reason mind you, it doesn't erase or belittle Ghostbusters or Ghostbusters II. There's enough room for all these incredibly talented and funny actors to bust ghosts in Hollywood.

Ghostbusters III had been in the pipeline for years and years, until a reboot of the story was optioned instead and announced to be a female team. The trailer, released online in early 2016, quickly generated a slurry of hateful, misogynistic and racist remarks and even death threats to its director.

Death threats! For a movie! You can't make this up....

While I'll admit it's not my favourite Ghostbusters movie, Ghostbusters 2016 has a special place in my heart and it does some brilliantly innovative things with its visuals and 3D. I'm sad we won't get to see these characters again. Especially Holtzmann, she's AWESOME!

Thank you to the wonderful Simon Brew for being brilliant and occasionally hilarious. You can find his work at https://www.filmstories.co.uk/ or on Twitter @filmstoriespod and listen to the Film Stories podcast if you like what I do, but you want someone who's much much better at it (despite his insistence to the contrary).

Charge the lines, create the vortex, break the barriers.....

I would love to hear your thoughts on Ghostbusters (2016)!

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

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Before we start, a trigger warning.

Scream is unfortunately inspired by some gruesome, horrific true crime events which are mentioned briefly in this episode. Although I don't go into details, I do mention violence and sexual assault, so if you'd rather not hear this part of the story, please skip the following times 15:54-17:53. I do mention a warning before it starts too. The section lasts just under two minutes.

Full disclosure - I had not seen Scream until watching it for this episode. I had seen clips, such as Drew Barrymore's phone call scene, but nothing else. It's safe to say that clip stuck with me, and ever since I was frightened to watch it.

But watch it I have! Hear what I think of it in the episode!

Viewers' love of watching people being (fictionally) killed is certainly not limited to 20th/21st century horror movies, but undoubtedly Scream's biggest claim to fame is the fact it's credited with reviving the dead (excuse the pun!) slasher genre. There was another that came before it though, something that also tried to be bold and blur the lines between tired horror clichés and tropes. Another Wes Craven movie....

As pretty much a total non-horror fan, researching this episode has opened up a fascinating world of horror fact and fiction, and might have actually made me want to watch some other horror classics (but it might take me a while - Scream did scare me!)

From Scream's true crime roots, to its well-known cast and ability to mix horror and comedy, it remains a firm horror fan favourite. I can see why. The opening scene is, probably, one of the most iconic of modern cinema, with maybe one exception....

I would love to hear your thoughts on Scream!

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

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I thought we'd play a game....

It's been 9 months since I last featured a Laika movie, and I've waited a long time on purpose to bring Coraline to the podcast.

Because Coraline is scary. It's a genuine horror movie that just happens to be animated. And like most horror, it's the real life elements that Coraline speaks about; family, trust, attempted kidnap and deceptive adults that are the real horror elements at play. We all wish for another version of our lives, but is the grass always greener on the other side?

Based on the excellent Neil Gaiman novella, and expertly directed by Henry Selick, of The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach fame, Coraline is a masterpiece of stop motion, an expertly devised web of horror and this was only Laika's first attempt to make their own animated features. With sprinkles of The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, as well as one of very few films to really make excellent use of 3D, keep your eye on Coraline....

Laika's achievement is, as always, simply astonishing.

Now you're going to stay here forever. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on Coraline!

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Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike and Griff!

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EPISODE THANKS TO....

Robin of Black Case Diaries for allowing me to share her theories on Coraline and parenting (Black Case Diaries can be found on Twitter @blackcasediary and Instagram @blackcasediariespodcast - go check out their The Nightmare Before Christmas episode!)

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Scooby-dooby-doo! Where are you? We've got some work to do now!

I'm joined by my furry sidekick Jess (she's not happy we're discussing a movie about a dog!) to talk all about the 2002 live-action adaptation of Scooby-Doo (and a little about its sequel Monsters Unleashed).

We all grew up with some iteration of Scooby-Doo, and it's that nostalgia that fuels this movie, along with some great performances from its young core cast, including real-life couple Freddie Prinze Jr and Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Fred and Daphne, alongside a scene-stealing Matthew Lillard as Shaggy and pitch perfect Linda Cardellini and Scooby-Doo, as himself.

Originally conceived as a slightly more risqué movie, with more sexual references, drugs and bad language, it was seriously watered down to appeal to the family friendly audience, but titbits of that previous R-rated cut remain.

Scooby-Doo was never going to win Academy Awards, but it's super fun, super self-aware and so very very super 2000s and I'm here for it for all those reasons and more.

Here's the original animated intro to this movie, which is brilliant - https://youtu.be/QepaSw6w5bs

Hang on, that's not Jess.... it's..... Lady Katrina Pussenkatz, host of Verbal Diorama's rival podcast! And she would have got away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling listeners!

I would love to hear your thoughts on Scooby-Doo!

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Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike and Griff!

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There are many astonishing things about The Rocketeer....

• Its origins in pulp serials
• its authentic comic book style
• its unknown leading man
• its innocence and timelessness
• its beautiful score by James Horner
• its stunning art deco poster

But the most amazing, brilliant, incredible thing about The Rocketeer, is how much people love it. Despite its lacklustre box office, and the fact that Disney have never seemed to care much about it, people who watch The Rocketeer LOVE The Rocketeer.

Maybe because of its charm and innocence? Maybe because you can get lost in this anachronistic retro-yet-modern 1930s period Los Angeles?

Or maybe that its because it depicts a nice, kind every-man hero who finds a jet-pack and realises he can use it to fly? And he then uses that power to fight Nazis? Maybe it really is just that simple?

The Rocketeer might be a simple story, well executed, but it's one of Disney's truly underrated gems. We need less people saying "The Rocka-who?" and more people discovering the joy of Dave Stevens' iconic superhero.

I would love to hear your thoughts on The Rocketeer!

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Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike and Griff!

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is it. The Princess Bride. As You Wish. Death cannot stop my true love for this movie. All it can do is delay it for 59 episodes.

Verbal Diorama, inconceivably, goes downhill from here because there is no movie as perfect as one about fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love AND miracles...

There's a shortage of perfect movies in the world. It would be a pity not to cover this one.

From William Goldman's perfect novel, to the many attempts to get it made, to Rob Reiner's insistence it was the perfect movie for him, it truly is a tale of overcoming adversity, believing in yourself, fighting for want you want and, unironically, twue wuv!

Because everyone involved loves this movie, and pretty much everyone who watches it loves it too. True love is real, and it's all for The Princess Bride. Life is pain (highness) right now in the world, but there's no to blave going on here, this movie will make you feel better. Have fun storming the castle!

Don't rush me, sonny. You rush a podcaster, you get rotten podcasts! Maybe I could come over and read it again to you tomorrow.....

Jill Bearup's YouTube video on the sword fight of Westley and Inigo from a stage combat point of view can be found here

I would love to hear your thoughts on The Princess Bride!

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SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....

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Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike and Griff!

NEW! Buy Merch! https://teespring.com/stores/verbaldiorama

Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available, and for the month of September 2020 only, get 15% off all items with promo code VD15OFF

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In a change to the scheduled programming, Death Becomes Her moves up the schedule slightly and marks the first appearances on the podcast for global Hollywood icons Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn.

Yes, Bruce Willis is also in this movie, and he's quite good, but the appeal for Death Becomes Her has always, for me, been Streep and Hawn, who wanted a star vehicle for them both and when Thelma and Louise fell through, in swooped Robert Zemeckis, a man who needs little introduction.

Death Becomes Her is an effects-driven, yet cautionary tale on society's obsession with youth and beauty, the pitfalls (or should that be stairfalls?) of female rivalry, as well as highlighting what really is important in life. It comments on Hollywood's obsession with female starlets seemingly never ageing and the pressures women are under to be constantly beautiful, thin and desirable. It's also wickedly funny and bitingly satirical. Critics at the time, however, did not agree. Style over substance was essentially many a critics' thought.

Meryl Streep would rule out ever returning to effects-driven movies, but the legacy of Death Becomes Her lives on in other ways....

I would love to hear your thoughts on Death Becomes Her!

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SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....

Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser 

Join the Patreon: patreon.com/verbaldiorama

Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike and Griff!

NEW! Buy Merch! https://teespring.com/verbaldiorama

Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available, and for the month of September 2020 only, get 15% off all items with promo code VD15OFF

EPISODE THANKS TO....

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.