Kat Ellinger and Jonathan Owen join Mike to discuss Juraj Herz's Oil Lamps (1971), a tragic fin de siecle melodrama about the Stepa Kilianova (Iva Janzurová) and her husband Pavel (Petr Cepak), a former solider who suffers from syphilis.
Special Guests: Hermína Franková, Hanna Frank Guest Co-Hosts: Kat Ellinger, Gil Kenan
#Czechtember2021 continues with a look at Václav Vorlícek's Girl on a Broomstick (1972), the story of a young witch (Petra Cernocká) who would rather escape to the world of human beings than be stuck in detention for 300 years(!).
Gil Kenan and Kat Ellinger join Mike to discuss the film while author Hermína Franková (and her granddaughter, Hana Frank) discuss the writing of the original story and the 2019 musical version.
Martial artist and Hollywood actor Bruce Lee passed away a mere month before the release of his breakthrough film Enter the Dragon. Easily dismissed as a remake of Doctor No that rehashed a famous scene from Orson Welles's The Lady From Shanghai, Enter the Dragon has several puzzling loopholes neither the screenwriter, editor, or director could fix. However, this Hong Kong production cashed in on Lee’s California Connections, his personalized style of Jeet Kune Do, and his absolute determination to finally make a 'western' film his way.
Join Dylan Davis of The Super 70 Podcast as we go scene by scene and discuss how a forgone tragedy turned into not only the film Bruce Lee is most remembered for, but the seminal martial arts movie for an entire generation.
We continue Czechtember 2021 with our second Václav Vorlícek film this month, How About Some Spinach? (AKA Coz takhle dát si spenát). It’s the story of two nogoodniks Jaroslav Zemánek (Vladimír Mensík) and Frantisek Liska (Jirí Sovák). They’re arrested for trying to steal some alcohol only to get out and get involved in some corporate espionage around a wondrous machine that can make creatures younger or older and can shrink them as well. However, it has a bug that causes unexpected results when the creature has recently ingested spinach.
Czechtember continues with a look at Otakar Vavra’s (1970). Based on the 1963 book by Václav Kaplický, the film looks at the paranoia of a witch hunt in Moravia during medieval times. And, being released in 1970, the film also looks at the persecution of women as well as show trials in the Communist system.
It's that time! Aaron Peterson (The Hollywood Outsider) and Mark Begley (Wake Up Heavy) help Mike pull back the curtain and discuss the inner-workings of The Projection Booth. Mike answers listener questions, thanks Patreon donors, jaws on about how the sausage is made, and reads some bad reviews.
We conclude African Cinema month with a look at Rungano Nyoni's I Am Not A Witch (2017) in which a little girl (Maggie Mulubwa) lives with a group of witches in Zambia while being exploited by a government official.
Special Guests: Larry Bishop, Dina Lipton Guest Co-Hosts: Bryan Connolly, Andras Jones
On this special episode we’re looking at the 1996 film from writer/director/actor Larry Bishop, Mad Dog Time (AKA Trigger Happy). Released in the wake of Pulp Fiction, it’s something of a metaphysical gangster film with one of the most astounding casts ever put together.
The film stars Gabriel Byrne as Brass Balls Ben London, the man who’s been left in charge while his boss, Vic (Richard Dreyfuss) has been sent to the funny farm. Meanwhile, Mick (Jeff Goldblum) has Vic’s girl, Grace (Diane Lane) on ice.
Bryan Connolly and Andras Jones of The World is Wrong podcast join Mike to discuss this overlooked film. Filmmaker Larry Bishop and Production Designer Dina Lipton discuss the making of Mad Dog Time.
Guest Co-Hosts: Jonathan Owen, Kat Ellinger
Special Guests: Hermína Franková, Hanna Frank
Martial artist and Hollywood actor Bruce Lee passed away a mere month before the release of his breakthrough film Enter the Dragon. Easily dismissed as a remake of Doctor No that rehashed a famous scene from Orson Welles's The Lady From Shanghai, Enter the Dragon has several puzzling loopholes neither the screenwriter, editor, or director could fix. However, this Hong Kong production cashed in on Lee’s California Connections, his personalized style of Jeet Kune Do, and his absolute determination to finally make a 'western' film his way.
Guest Co-Hosts: Jonathan Owen, Ben Buckingham
Guest Co-Hosts: Rahne Alexander, Samm Deighan
Guest Co-Hosts: Mark Begley, Aaron Peterson
Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Spencer Seams
Special Guests: Larry Bishop, Dina Lipton
