When cult cinema maestro Jess Franco turns his lens to noir with Downtown (1975), you know you're in for a sleazy, surreal ride! Join Mike White, Heather Drain, and Jessica Shires as they unravel the tangled web of private eyes, femme fatales, and Franco’s unmistakable flair.
This Patreon-requested episode, brought to you by the fabulous Pat Radke, dives deep into one of Franco’s lesser-seen gems. Is Downtown a gritty noir, an erotic fever dream, or something in between? Tune in to find out as the crew discusses its place in Franco's prolific filmography, its unique style, and why it deserves more love.
Special Guests: Peggy Rajski, Barbara De Fina Guest Co-Hosts: Jedidiah Ayres, Andrew Nette
Noirvember 2024 ends with a bang as we delve into Stephen Frears's electrifying neo-noir The Grifters (1990). Adapted from Jim Thompson’s novel by screenwriter Donald Westlakd, this razor-sharp film stars Angelica Huston as Lily Dillon, a veteran con artist manipulating the odds at the racetrack. Her uneasy reunion with estranged son Roy (John Cusack) and his cunning girlfriend Myra (Annette Bening) sparks a volatile triangle of deception and betrayal in the high-stakes world of grifting.
Mike is joined by crime fiction experts Andrew Nette and Jedidiah Ayres to untangle this web of cons and double-crosses. Plus, executive producer Barbara De Fina and producer Peggy Rajski reveal what it took to bring this stylish, unsettling tale to life.
Special Guest: Zohar M. Sela Guest Co-Hosts: Will Youmans, Yaniv Eidelstein
Yaniv Eidelstein and Will Youmans join Mike to discuss Avanti Popolo (1986), from writer/director Rafi Bukai. Set at the end of the Six-Day War, this poetic and darkly comedic masterpiece follows a group of Egyptian soldiers navigating the vast Sinai Desert on their journey to the Suez Canal. Along the way, they're thrust into surreal and precarious scenarios, exposing the absurdity and humanity of war.
We explore the film's rich cultural commentary and unforgettable performances. Plus, we welcome the film’s editor, Zohar Sela, who provides behind-the-scenes insights into the creative process and the enduring impact of Bukai's vision.
#Noirvember 2024 shines a spotlight on Otto Preminger's Angel Face (1952), a twisted tale of obsession and betrayal. Robert Mitchum stars as Frank Jessup, an ambulance driver entangled with the wealthy Tremayne family. Torn between the dangerously alluring Diane Tremayne (Jean Simmons) and his steadfast girlfriend Mary (Mona Freeman), Frank is drawn into a deadly web of manipulation and deceit.
Jedidiah Ayers and Lexi Van Dyke join Mike to discuss this gripping exploration of desire and duplicity.
We continue #Noirvember 2024 with a look at Jean Renoir's The Woman on the Beach. Released in 1947, the film tells the tale of veteran Scott Burnett (Roobert Ryan). He’s plagued with nightmares caused by his PTSD and is assigned to the mounted division of the Coast Guard where he patrols the beach on his horse, meeting the comely Peggy Butler (Joan Bennett). She’s married to blind painter Tod Butler (Charles Bickford). All three of them are plagued by "ghosts" from their past.
As a follow-up to our episode on The Naked Kiss, Philip Marinello invited Spencer Parsons and Mike to The Substance to discuss Samuel FullerShock Corridor (1963), a harrowing tale of a reporter (Peter Breck) who goes undercover at an asylum where he meets an array of patients who reflect the ills of contemporary society.
On this special episode, we’re diving into the curious 1953 fantasy The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. Produced by Stanley Kramer, directed by Roy Rowland, and uniquely penned by Dr. Seuss, the film stars Hans Conried as Dr. Terwilliker, a sinister piano teacher who’s devised the “Terwilliker Method” for the obedient fingers of child pianists. Tommy Rettig plays Bartholomew Collins, an imaginative boy determined to derail Dr. T's grand plans.
Join Mike, playwright David MacGregor, and critic John Monaghan as they delve into the film's quirky charms, elaborate set pieces, and iconic status.
We to kick off Noirvember 2024 with a delve into Pitfall (1948), a classic film noir André De Toth, based on the book by Jay A. Dratler, starring Dick Powell as an insurance man caught in a web of deception and danger. When Powell's character falls for Lizabeth Scott’s femme fatale, his seemingly mundane life spirals into chaos, bringing betrayal, blackmail, and murder
Ian Brownell and Philip Marinello join Mike to explore the film’s themes of moral ambiguity, post-war disillusionment, and the pitfalls of desire in this rich discussion of this noir gem.
Guest Co-Hosts: Jessica Shires, Heather Drain
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