Special Report: Messiah of Evil (1973)

Special Guest: Willard Huyck
Guest Co-Hosts: Maitland McDonagh, Bill Ackerman

Released under a number of titles (including The Second Coming), Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz's Messiah of Evil (1973) is a creepy, atmospheric horror film about a young woman (Marianna Hill) who goes in search of her father only to find something far-more-sinister than she could have ever imagined.

Bill Ackerman and Maitland McDonagh join Mike to discuss this atmospheric horror film.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Messiah of Evil (1973)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Messiah of Evil on DVD

Music:
"Hold on to Love" - Raun McKinnon
"Messiah of Evil" - Skitzo

Watch:

Episode 436: Fade to Black (1980)

Special Guests: Dennis Christopher, Irwin Yablans, Craig Safan, Tim Thomerson
Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Bill Ackerman

Shocktober 2019 continues with a look at the 1980 film from director Vernon Zimmerman, Fade to Black. The film stars Dennis Christopher as Eric Binford, a youth who spends too much of his time watching and obsessing about movies. Unfortunately, Eric's a little mentally unstable thanks in part to his family which consists of his harridan Aunt Stella (Eve Brent).

Bill Ackerman and Heather Drain join Mike to discuss this fascinating look at fandom and mental illness. Interviews include stars Dennis Christopher and Tim Thomerson, producer Irwin Yablans, and composer Craig Safan.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 436: Fade to Black (1980)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Fade to Black on DVD

Music:
"Europa" - Blondie
"Tomorrow Night" - Shoes
"American Masquerade" - The Boxboys
"Main Title" - Craig Safan
"At the Movies" - Bad Brains
"Heroes Die" - Craig Safan

Watch:

Special Report: The Fly (1986)

Special Guests: Emma Westwood, Stuart Cornfeld
Guest Co-Hosts: Bill Ackerman, Samm Deighan

Samm Deighan and Bill Ackerman join Mike to discuss The Fly. Released in 1986, David Cronenberg’s film stars Jeff Goldblum as scientist Seth Brundle, a man who meets a journalist, Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis). The film tells the tale of their relationship as they get together and become driven apart after an accident changes Brundle irreparably.

Special guests are Emma Westwood, author of the Devil's Advocates book on The Fly and producer Stuart Cornfeld who discusses his work on The Fly as well as Tropic Thunder, Mimic, and more.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: The Fly (1986)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy The Fly: The Ultimate Connection on Blu-Ray
Read about David Cronenberg's Six Legs
Buy The Fly: Outbreak graphic novel
Read The Beetle and the Fly by David Cronenberg
Listen to an interview with Emma Westwood on Supporting Characters

Music:
Original Soundtrack - Howard Shore
"Human Fly" - The Cramps
"Return of the Fly" - The Misfits
"Drawing Flies" - Soundgarden
"Jeff Goldblum" - Neal Deters

Watch:

Episode 406: Body Double (1984)

Special Guests: Robert J. Avrech, Gregg Henry
Guest Co-Hosts: Bill Ackerman, Jim Vendiola

Brian De Palma’s 1984 film, Body Double  stars Craig Wasson as Jake Scully, an actor in a low budget vampire film. After a terrifying bout of claustrophobia he loses his job, his girl, and his home until fellow actor, Sam Bouchard (Gregg Henry) does Jake a favor by letting him apartment-sit at a posh pad. As an added bonus, there’s a woman across the way who performs a nightly ritual of self-pleasure and, well, Jake likes to watch. But, of course, things aren’t always what they seem in Hollywood.

Jim Vendiola and Bill Ackerman join Mike to discuss this mash-up of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo and Rear Window. Screenwriter Robert J. Avrech and actor Gregg Henry talk about the behind-the-scenes of De Palma's exploration of voyeurism.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 406: Body Double (1984)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Body Double on Blu-Ray
Buy Double De Palma by Susan Dworkin
Buy De Palma on Blu-Ray
Visit the official Annette Haven website
Read Body Double: why Brian De Palma's pornographic fiasco is worth another peek
Read De Palma Does Hollywood by Travis Woods
Read Brian De Palma’s ‘Body Double’: A Hitchcockian Thriller Executed in Completely Original Style
Read more about Pehla Nasha (1993)
Read the story about Craig Wasson on Bitchy Actress's blog
Listen to our Vertigo episode
Listen to our Blow Out episode

Music:
Original Soundtrack by Pino Donnagio
"Mr. Zero Ban Gaya Hero" - Vinod Rathod
"Relax" - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Watch:

Episode 371: Scarecrow (1973)

Special Guests: Jerry Schatzberg, Garry Michael White
Guest Co-Hosts: Bill Ackerman, Jamey Duvall

The crows are laughing at our episode about 1973's Scarecrow. The film stars Al Pacino and Gene Hackman as two drifters who join forces to head to Pittsburgh by way of Detroit to start a car wash.

Jamey Duvall (Movie Geeks United) and Bill Ackerman (Supporting Characters, From the Neighborhood) join Mike to discuss the film. Special guests include director Jerry Schatzberg and writer Garry Michael White (no relation).

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 371: Scarecrow (1973)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Scarecrow on Blu-Ray
Visit the official Jerry Schatzberg website Visit the official Garry Michael White website
Read The Queer Subtext of New Hollywood Era Buddy Movies by Caroline Madden
Listen to Movie Geeks United
Listen to Supporting Characters
Listen to From the Neighborhood
Listen to our Puzzle of a Downfall Child episode

Music:
"Scarecrow" - Fred Myrow

Watch:

Ego Fest 5: Planet Ego

Special Guests: "Mondo" Justin Bozung, Rob St. Mary, Chris Stachiw
Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain

It's been over a year since we've pulled back the curtain and done an "Ego Fest." Rather than discussing a specific film, this episode is all about The Projection Booth itself. It's the real dirt, off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush.

Heather Drain joins Mike to answer listener questions, thank Patreon Donors, go off-topic, and kvetch.

Errata: Catherine Martin is a character in Silence of the Lambs, Catherine Tramell is a character in Basic Instinct.

Download Episode Now:

Links:
Read the interview with Mike White on Outward Film Network
Read Those movie nerds behind the video-store counter are back — and they’re doing podcasts by Stephanie Merry
Listen to Heather on The Pop Culture Club
Listen to Heather on The Cotolo Chronicles
Listen to Mike and Heather on the Supporting Characters podcast
Read about Tim Lucas and Lianne Spiderbaby
Read about the death of Alan J. Pakula
Visit the official Anthony Zerbe website
Learn about the future liberals want
Read Kong: Skull Island – why do Hollywood blockbusters have such Trump-like politics? by James Robert Douglas
Listen to the We Hate Movies episode on Hollow Man
Be sure to LIKE Rob St. Mary's The Worst of Film Threat on Facebook
Buy The Cinema of Norman Mailer: Film Is Like Death by Justin Bozung
Hear more of Chris Stachiw at Kulture Shocked
Listen to The Kolchak Tapes
Read reviews of The Projection Booth
Donate to The Projection Booth via Patreon
Review The Projection Booth on Google Play
Review The Projection Booth on iTunes

Music:
"Clubbed to Death" - Piano Cover
"Release the Beast" - Breakwater
"Go" - Tones on Tail
"That's Entertainment" - The Jam
"Impeach the President" - The Honeydrippers
"American Society" - L7
"Happy-Go-Lucky Me" - Paul Evans
"White Punks on Dope" - The Tubes
"War Pigs" - Alice Donut

Watch:

Episode 310: Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979)

Special Guests: Joan Micklin Silver, John Heard, Amy Robinson, Griffin Dunne, Mark Metcalf
Guest Co-Hosts: Daniel Kremer, Bill Ackerman

In Joan Micklin Silver's Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979) John Heard plays Charles, a lovelorn man who pines for Laura (Mary Beth Hurt), who's taking a break from her relationship with Ox (Mark Metcalf).

Produced by Metcalf, Amy Robinson, and Griffin Dunne, the film was initially released as Head Over Heels with a ridiculous advertising campaign that didn't capture the true spirit of the movie. Fortunately, the film was given another chance with a new ending and its proper title.

Bill Ackerman and Daniel Kremer (who's writing a book about Joan Micklin Silver) join Mike to discuss the film, which is finally getting a proper Blu-Ray release.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 310: Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Chilly Scenes of Winter on Blu-Ray
Buy Chilly Scenes of Winter by Ann Beatie
Buy Sidney J. Furie: Life and Films by Daniel Kremer
Read Chilly Scenes of Winter by Jeff Stafford
Read “Women Directors are One More Problem We Don’t Need”: Joan Micklin Silver on Chilly Scenes of Winter by Vadim Rizov
Read How 'Chilly Scenes' Was Rescued by James Atlas
Hear more from Bill Ackerman at the Supporting Characters podcast
Learn more about Daniel Kremer at the Confluence Film blog

Music:
"Head Over Heels" - The Go-Go's
"Chilly Scenes of Winter" - Cousin Emmy and the New Lost City Ramblers
"Hazy Shade of Winter" - The Bangles

Watch:

Episode 309: Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970)

Special Guests: Jerry Schatzberg, Barry Primus
Guest Co-Hosts: Bill Ackerman, Daniel Kremer

Jerry Schatzberg's Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970) stars Faye Dunaway as Lou Andreas Sand, a model who has been used up and discarded by the fashion industry. Her former photographer and lover, Aaron (Barry Primus) interviews Lou, allowing screenwriter Carole Eastman to take the audience back and forth in a fracture time structure, allowing us to see the pieces of the puzzle that is Lou.

Bill Ackerman and Daniel Kremer join Mike to discuss this fascinating and difficult-to-find film.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 309: Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Puzzle of a Downfall Child on DVD (PAL, Reg.2)
Visit the official Jerry Schatzberg website
Buy Looking for Gatsby by Faye Dunaway
Buy Sidney J. Furie: Life and Films by Daniel Kremer
Listen to Supporting Characters from Bill Ackerman
Listen to the Film Comment podcast on Puzzle of a Downfall Child
Read Bombast: Carole Eastman by Nick Pinkerton

Music:
"Re-Make/Re-Model" - Bryan Ferry
"The Model" - Kraftwert
"This Year's Girl" - Elvis Costello

Watch:

Guest Spot: Supporting Characters

Mike was interviewed for the Supporting Characters podcast where he dished about The Projection Booth, Cashiers du Cinemart, SuperHappyFun.com, Who Do You Think You're Fooling?, and more.

Listen to the Episode:

Or Download Now

Be sure to check out the other episodes of the Supporting Players podcast.

Errata:
I said "Herb" but I mean "Hugh" as in Hugh Cohen

Links:
Buy Film Language: A Semiotics of the Cinema by Christian Metz
Buy Impossibly Funky: A Cashiers Du Cinemart Collection
Visit the (very old) Anti-Tarantino website

Watch:

Who Do You Think You're Fooling? from Mike White on Vimeo.

Episode 257: Demon Seed

Special Guests: Gerrit Graham, Rebecca Umland, Sam Umland
Guest Co-Hosts: Bill Ackerman, Maitland McDonagh

In Donald Cammell's Demon Seed, Alex Harris (Fritz Weaver) creates Proteus, a super-computer that terrorizes Susan Harris (Julie Christie).

Maitland McDonagh and Bill Ackerman join Mike in discussing the film, Dean Koontz's source novel(s), and more. We talk with Gerrit Graham about his role in the film as well as Cammell scholars Rebecca & Sam Umland.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "TPB: Demon Seed" on Spreaker.

Bonus Interview: Gerrit Graham
Listen to "TPB: Demon Seed Bonus: Gerrit Graham" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Demon Seed on DVD
Buy Demon Seed by Dean Koontz
Buy Donald Cammell: A Life on the Wild Side by Rebecca & Sam Umland
Buy Maitland McDonagh's books
Buy The Tim Burton Encyclopedia by Sam Umland
Buy Outlaw Heroes as Liminal Figures of Film and Television by Rebecca Umland
Listen to Bill Ackerman's Supporting Characters podcast
Visit Lunch Meat VHS to read Bill Ackerman's writing
Visit the official Dean Koontz website
Read “Demon Seed”: The 1977 Donald Cammell film predicted how supercomputers and robots really want to screw us by Bryan Thomas

Music:
"Pre-Trip" - Jerry Fielding
"Computer Love" - Kraftwerk
"Demon Seed" - The Proteus

Watch:

Jordan Belson: Samadhi (1967) from CVM on Vimeo.