Special Guest: Ginette Vincendeau Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Andrew Leavold
Film historian Samm Deighan and cult cinema expert Andrew Leavold join Mike to shine a light on Jean-Pierre Melville's Two Men in Manhattan (1959). Often overshadowed by his better-known crime films, this moody noir follows a journalist and a photographer as they comb the streets of New York in search of a missing French diplomat. The trio digs into Melville’s fascination with American style, the film’s ethically murky characters, and how it fits within the director’s larger body of work. They also explore the tension between documentary realism and stylized noir, and why Two Men in Manhattan deserves a second look.
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 Joseph Kessel'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.
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.
Special Guests: Rui Nogueira Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Andrew Leavold
We kick off a month of discussing French films with a look at Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Cercle Rouge (The Red Circle). The film stars Alain Delon and Gian-Maria Volente as two criminals who cross paths. Along with Yves Montand, the three men execute a daring heist before the fickle finger of fate touches them.
Samm Deighan and Andrew Leavold join Mike to discuss the film. Mike also speaks with author Rui Nogueira about his Melville on Melville book.
#Shocktober2021 continues with a look at Álex de la Iglesia’s 2013 film Witching & Bitching (AKA Las brujas de Zugarramurdi). It’s the story of two men (Hugo Silva and Mario Cassas) who rob a gold re-buyer along with one of the men’s sons. On the run from the cops they cross paths with a trio of witches in the spooky village of Zagurramurdi. Chaos ensues.
Elena Romea (Spanish Fear) and Andrew Leavold (Trash Video Archives) join Mike to discuss this and many other of de la Iglesia's films.
We conclude Spaghetti Western month with Damiano Damiani's Quien Sabe? from 1966. Released in the US as A Bullet for the General, it’s the story of a Mexican revolutionary, El Chuncho (Gian Maria Volente), and his relationship with his brother El Santo (Klaus Kinski), and a gringo named Chucho names Nino (Lou Castel).
Music:
Music used this episode
"Main Theme - On Her Majesty's Secret Service" by John Barry
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" by Propellerheads
"Weng Weng Rap" by The Chuds
"The James Bond Theme" by Naked City
Special Guest: Ginette Vincendeau
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It's all about the Weng Weng when it comes to this classic Filipinosploitation flick about a miniature secret agent.