Special Guest: Linda Hoaglund Guest Co-Hosts: Rob St. Mary, Chris Stachiw
Rob St. Mary returns to The Projection Booth to discuss Kinji Fukasaku's 1972 anti-war film, Under the Flag of the Rising Sun. The film stars Sachiko Hidari as the widow of Sgt. Katsuo Togashi who died in WWII. His death certificate is unclear about how he died and, thus, she can't claim survivor benefits.
The authorities are either unable or, more likely, unwilling to help her so she investigates her husband's death, tracking down his fellow soldiers and unraveling a Rashomon-like story of what might have really happened to him.
Along with Rob, Chris Stachiw joins Mike to talk about Fukasaku's film as well as Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers / Letters from Iwo Jima double feature. Translator and filmmaker Linda Hoaglund provides insight on Fukasaku's motivations during her interview.
Chris Stachiw has asked me once again to program March's shows for The Kulturecast. Not being too familiar with pre-Code films, I thought it'd be nice to watch a handful and talk about them with Chris's rotating group of co-hosts. I hope you have as much fun listening to these as I did recording them.
Special Guests: John Landis, Stuart Margolin, Gavin MacLeod Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Bill Ackerman
We're not gonna hit you with any negative waves about the odd, star-studded heist/war film, Kelly's Heroes. Samm Deighan and Bill Ackerman join Mike to discuss this Brian G. Hutton film from 1970 wherein Clint Eastwood leads a band of soldiers behind enemy lines in order to pilfer a cache of Nazi gold.
On this episode you'll hear the rest of our interview with John Landis as well as interviews with Gavin MacLeod (Moriarty) and Stuart Margolin (Little Joe).
On a special episode done in conjunction with Chris Stachiw's Kulturecast, we discuss Adam Wingard's Godzilla Vs. Kong (2021), the latest entry in the "Legendary" Monsterverse. We talk about the sprawling story that's stuffed to the gills with some mediocre performances set against a tale of two titans duking it out.
On this special episode, Mike is joined by Prof. Nicholas Schlegel, author of the upcoming German Popular Cinema and The Krimi Phenomenon: Dark Eyes of London from Lexington Books, Rowman's academic imprint and Samm Deighan, author of the upcoming The Legacy of World War II in European Arthouse Cinema from McFarland Books to discuss Krimi films. These were a German subgenre of films based on the works of Edgar Wallace that were popular during the 1960s and paved the way for Italian Giallo films.
We're looking at The Dead Eyes of London and The Creature with the Blue Hand and how they fit in the larger Krimi world.
Special Guest: Gus Macmillan Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Maurice Bursztynski
We are celebrating the great Buster Keaton with a handful of his films. Known as The Great Stone Face, Keaton was the director, writer, and star of dozens of two reel and feature films where he gained a well-deserved reputation for ingenuity, impeccable timing, and incredible stunts.
Maurice Bursztynski and Heather Drain join Mike to discuss a few of Buster Keaton's films from 1920 to 1928: One Week, Seven Chances, Sherlock Jr, Steamboat Bill Jr, and The General.
Lina Wertmüller's 1975 film Seven Beauties stars Giancarlo Gianini as Pasqualino Settebellezze of Pasqualino of the Seven Beauties. He’s a man with several sisters that he’s trying to keep on the straight and narrow. When one of his sisters gets involved with a pimp, Pasqualino murders him and is put on a path of destruction where he goes to an asylum and eventually a concentration camp.
Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger join Mike to discuss the film, Lina Wertmüller's oeuvre, and Giancarlo Gianini crying.
Special Guest: Linda Hoaglund
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Chris Stachiw has asked me once again to program March's shows for The Kulturecast. Not being too familiar with pre-Code films, I thought it'd be nice to watch a handful and talk about them with Chris's rotating group of co-hosts. I hope you have as much fun listening to these as I did recording them.
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