On this episode Mike talks with Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak about their new film A Disturbance in the Force (2023). It's all about the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special and just had its premiere at South By Southwest.
On this special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks with Curator of Film Eric Hynes and Associate Curator of Film Edo Choi about the First Look 2023 program from the Museum of the Moving Image.
First Look, the Museum’s festival of new and innovative international cinema, will take place March 15–19, 2023. The festival introduces New York audiences to formally inventive works that seek to redefine the art form while engaging in a wide range of subjects and styles. The 2023 lineup includes both nonfiction and fiction, features and shorts, as well as forms that fall outside the boundaries of traditional theatrical distribution. This year, the festival will premiere 44 works, including 18 features representing more than 22 countries.
Special Guest: Ginette Vincendeau Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Andrew Leavold
French Month continues with a look at Jean-Pierre Melville’s Bob le Flambeur (1956), the first of many gangster films he would direct. Based on his story with dialogue by Auguste LeBreton, it tells the tale of Bob (Roger Duchesne), an aging man who robbed a bank 20 years prior, and now spends his time going from game to game -- craps, cards, whatever. He even has a slot machine in his Montmartre apartment.
On this special episode, Mike spoke with underground filmmaker and No Wave founder Beth B about her career including her retrospective at the Metrograph as well as the upcoming Kino release of her films.
We’re kicking off a month of discussions of French films with Barbet Schroeder’s Maîtresse (1976). The film stars Bulle Ogier as the titular Mistress, Ariane, and Gerard Depardieu as Olivier, a thief who robs the wrong apartment.
Special Guests: Ian McNeice, Christopher Villiers, Martyn Burke, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker Guest Co-Hosts: Mark Begley, Chris Stachiw
The boys from From the Files of Police Squad (in Color), our limited series about Police Squad! and The Naked Gun films are back and talking about something we didn't discuss there...
Released in 1984, Zucker Abrahams Zucker’s Top Secret is a send up of both Elvis movies and WWII espionage films. It’s a very odd duck which stars Val Kilmer as Nick Rivers, a teen idol who has made a name for himself with a series of songs about surfing and skeet shooting. Nick goes behind the Iron Curtain to East Germany where things haven’t changed much since WWII, especially that it’s Nazis in charge of everything, rather than the communist party. He becomes embroiled in intrigue though Nick Rivers sticks his neck out for nobody until he meets the gorgeous Hillary Flammond (Lucy Gutteridge) and her band of freedom fighters.
Chris Stachiw and Mark Begley join Mike to discuss the film while the episode features interviews with actors Ian McNeice and Christopher Villiers, screenwriter Martyn Burke, and writers/directors Jim Abrahams and David Zucker.
Music:
"Straighten Out the Rug" - Nick Rivers
"How Silly Can You Get?" - Nick Rivers
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" - Nick Rivers
"Skeet Surfing" - Nick Rivers
Special Guest: Christopher St. John Guest Co-Hosts: Gary Phillips, Samm Deighan
Our Black History Month coverage continues with a look at Christopher St. John's Top of the Heap. Released in 1972 the film stars St. John as George Lattimer, a DC police officer who’s confronted with pressures from his job, his wife, and his daughter. When his mother dies, George undergoes a bit of a breakdown where he starts fantasizing about another life including being an astronaut.
Gary Phillips and Samm Deighan join Mike to discuss this sorely under-seen film while Christopher St. John talks about how Top of the Heap came together despite interference from the film's producer.
The Code Red Blu-Ray of Top of the Heap is out of print. In the meantime, you can see the film via Shout Factory TV, Tubi, and other streaming services.
Special Guests: Sam Waymon, Christopher Sieving Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Leon Chase
Heather Drain and Leon Chase join Mike to kick-off Black History Month with a look at Bill Gunn's 1973 film Ganja & Hess which stars Duane Jones as Dr. Hess Green, a scholar who is stabbed with an ancient dagger by a crazed house guest, the husband of Ganja Meda (Marlene Clark). Hess is resurrected and helps Ganja be reborn as well. The two are now addicted to blood in one of the most unusual vampire films around.
Special Guests: Jeremy Coon, Steve Kozak
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