mike@projection-booth.com mike@projection-booth.com

September 12, 2024

Episode 706: Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (2024)

Episode 706: Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (2024) Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

On a crossover with The Kulturecast and Midnight Viewing, Mike joins Chris Stachiw and Father Malone to discuss Time Burton's latest film, the legacy sequel to Beetlejuice (1988). We discuss the many new characters and those who didn't return as well as what worked and what didn't.

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Music:
"MacArthur Park" - Goober and the Peas

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September 11, 2024

Episode 705: Diamonds in the Night (1964)

Episode 705: Diamonds in the Night (1964) Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Rob St. Mary

We’re kicking off #Czechtember2024 with a classic of the Czech New Wave, Jan Nemec's Diamonds of the Night. Released in 1964, the film was a groundbreaking piece of cinema. Based on 's semi-autobiographical novel Darkness Casts No Shadow, the film is about the escape of two boys from a train carrying them to a death camp.

Heather Drain and Rob St. Mary join Mike to discuss this harrowing film.

Listen/Download Now:

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Diamonds of the Night on Blu-Ray
Learn more about The National Memorial to the Heroes of the Heydrich Terror Museum
Find out more about the Museum of Communism in Prague

Music:
"Diamonds of the Night" - Forgotten Silence

Watch:




September 4, 2024

Episode 704: Army of Shadows (1969)

Episode 704: Army of Shadows (1969) Special Guest: Ginette Vincendeau
Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Andrew Leavold

We conclude Art House August with a look at Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows (1969). Based loosely on 's memoir about the French Resistance in World War II, the film stars Lino Ventura as Phillipe Gerbier, one of a handful of Resistance fighters we meet as we travel through the underworld, striking out at the German occupiers and those loyal to the Vichy government.

Andrew Leavold and Samm Dieghan join Mike for an insightful conversation while special guest Ginette Vincendeau, author of Jean-Pierre Melville: An American in Paris, discusses Melville's career at the time and the reaction to the film.

Listen/Download Now:

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Army of Shadows on Blu-Ray

Music:
Original Soundtrack - Eric Demarsan

Watch:

August 28, 2024

Episode 703: Naked (1993)

Episode 703: Naked (1993) Guest Co-Hosts: Elinor Lewy, Nick Kujawa

We continue Art House August with a look at Mike Leigh's Naked (1993).  The film features amateur philosopher and full-time gadfly Johnny, played brilliantly by David Thewlis.  We follow Johnny as he flees to London from Manchester after raping a woman and stealing a car.

We also follow Jeremy (Greg Crutwell), an unrepentant bastard and interesting counterpoint to Johnny.

Elinor Lewy (Somebody's Watching podcast) and Nick Kujawa join Mike to discuss the film and Johnny's "dark night of the soul".

  Listen/Download Now:

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Naked on Blu-Ray
Buy Naked and other screenplay by Mike Leigh
Visit the Final Girls Berlin festival
Follow Final Girls Berlin on Instagram
Follow Somebody's Watching on Instagram

Music:
Original Soundtrack - Andrew Dickson

Watch:

August 23, 2024

Episode 702: Radio On (1979)

Special Guest: Chris Petit
Guest Co-Hosts: Ben Slater, Mark Begley

We continue Art House August with a look at Christopher Petit's Radio On. Released in 1979, the film is a road movie about a London man (David Beames) investigating the death of his brother in Bristol. A deliberately paced black and white film, it became famous for the use of modern music on its soundtrack.

Ben Slater and Mark Begley join Mike to discuss this unusual film. Writer/director Chris Petit talks about how the film came together.

Listen/Download Now:

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Radio On on Blu-Ray
Buy books by Christopher Petit

Music:
"Radioactive" - Kraftwerk
"Whole Wide World" - Wreckless Eric
"Roadrunner" - Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
"Helden (Heroes)" - David Bowie

Watch:

August 21, 2024

Episode 701: Alien - Romulus (2024)

Episode 701: Alien - Romulus (2024) Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

In this special episode of The Projection Booth, co-hosts Chris Stachiw of The Kulturecast and Father Malone of Midnight Viewing join forces to dissect Alien: Romulus 2024, the latest installment in the iconic Alien franchise. Directed by visionary talent Fede Alvarez, this film attempts to return to the franchise’s horror roots while pandering to fans.

Our hosts delve into the Alien: Isolation inspiration, the ghoulish visual effects, and the story of Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her robot pal Andy (David Jonsson) who live in a mining colony before they escape with three dead meat friends to derelict space station Romulus-Remus where hundreds of face-huggers are kept in cold storage. The film eventually introduces a very familiar(ish) face and some black goo from Prometheus/Alien: Covenant gets introduced thanks to producer Ridley Scott.

Listen/Download Now:

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth

Music:
"XX121" - Benjamin Wallfisch

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August 19, 2024

Episode 700: Caligula - The Ultimate Cut (2023)

Episode 703: Caligula - The Ultimate Cut (2023) Special Guests: Caroline Kirkendoll, Alexander Tuschinski
Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Rob St. Mary

We're celebrating our 700th episode of The Projection Booth with what may be the first time we've discussed a movie for a third time as we continue to document the troubled history of the 1980 film Caligula.

We first spoke about the film almost 10 years ago where we were joined by Maitland McDonagh to discuss the movie while Ranjit Sandhu gave us the sordid history behind the production and talked about his book 200 Degrees of Failure and filmmaker Alexander Tuschinski discussed the career of Tinto Brass and the original intentions Brass had for the finished film. Listen Now.

We came back together in 2018 to discuss the re-discovery of the original footage of Caligula and the plans Penthouse and Alexander had to restore the film to Tinto Brass's original vision. Listen Now.

Now Rob and Mike are joined by Heather Drain to talk about the version of Caligula that played at Cannes in 2023. Once referred to as Caligula MMXX, it’s now called Caligula: The Ultimate Cut and it was produced by a person named Thomas Negovan.

We'll be discussing The Ultimate Cut as well as what’s happened to this project over the last six years along with President of Penthouse Global Licensing, Caroline Kirkendoll, and director of Mission: Caligula, Alexander Tuschinski

This episode includes clips from episodes of the Century Guild Salon and the Team Human podcast. No rights are implied or given.

Listen/Download Now:

McDowell on Caligula on WTF:

Listen to the Caligula episode:

Listen to the Mission: Caligula episode:

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Subcribe to Maitland McDonagh's substack
Get your Tino Brass fix at Cult Epics
Read Alexander Tuschinski's analysis of Caligula
Buy Caligula: The Ultimate Cut on Blu-Ray -- Features commentary from Heather Drain!

Music:
"Caligula" - Edu Yattah
"Caligula Themed Music" - Lee Bannon
"Caligula Syndrome" - Soft Cell

Watch:












IsTintoBrass from Cult Epics on Vimeo.

August 14, 2024

Episode 699: Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

Episode 699: Spirit of the Beehive (1973) Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Robert Bellissimo

We’re kicking off an August of Art Films with a look at Victor Erice's The Spirit of the Beehive (1973). The film stars Ana Torrent as Ana, a five year old girl who lives with her older sister, Isabel, her mother, and her distant father in a palatial estate. When the film Frankenstein comes to their little Castilian town, Ana becomes fascinated by the creature killing little Maria.  This comes at a time when she begins to understand death in the harrowing world around her.

Heather Drain and Robert Bellissimo join Mike to discuss this thought-provoking film.

Listen/Download Now:

Mike discusses Thesis:

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy The Spirit of the Beehive on DVD

Music:
"Spirit of the Beehive" - Lack Of Knowledge

Watch: