Special Guests: Sara Paretsky, David Aaron Cohen, Nick Thiel, Jeff Kanew, Warren Leight Guest Co-Hosts: Dahlia Schweitzer, Rahne Alexander
Noirvember 2025 keeps rolling as Mike teams up with author Dahlia Schweitzer and artist Rahne Alexander to crack open V.I. Warshawski (1991), Jeff Kanew’s glossy take on Sara Paretsky’s groundbreaking detective. Kathleen Turner commands the screen as V.I., whose night on the town swerves into murder, a dead former Blackhawks star, and a teenager who refuses to stay out of danger.
This episode brings together an incredible lineup: Sara Paretsky, creator of the V.I. Warshawski novels; screenwriters David Aaron Cohen, Nick Thiel, and Warren Leight; and director Jeff Kanew. They share the inside story of adapting an iconic literary detective, shaping Turner’s formidable on-screen persona, and navigating the film’s winding path from page to screen.
Along the way, we dig into Chicago’s cinematic grit, the film’s place in early-’90s studio genre filmmaking, and—yes—we spoil who killed Boom Boom and finally reveal what the initials V. I. actually stand for.
Special Guest: Rachel Talalay Guest Co-Hosts: Dahlia Schweitzer, Rahne Alexander
Rahne Alexander and Dahlia Schweitzer join Mike to discuss Rachel Talalay's 1995 comic book adaptation, Tank Girl. The film stars Lori Petty as the titular heroine who takes on the Department of Water & Power in a post-Apocalyptic wasteland populated by scavengers, oppressed citizens, and mutant kangaroo men.
The trio discuss the film's mysterious R-rating, the path to the silver screen, and more. Director Talalay dishes about the behind-the-scenes turmoil she and the film endured.
Special Guest: Robert Longo Guest Co-Hosts: Duane Swierczynski, Dahlia Schweitzer
We conclude Sci-Fi July with a look at Robert Longo's Johnny Mnemonic (1995). The film was based on a story by and adapted by William Gibson and stars Keanu Reeves as the titular Mr. Mnemonic, a data courier with an implant in his cranium. He’s hired by a trio of scientists who overload his hard drive with the cure for a disease of the future.
Duane Swierczynski and Dahlia Schweitzer join Mike to discuss the film while director Robert Longo dishes about the behind-the-scenes struggle to get the picture made.
Special Guest: Tom Kalin Guest Co-Hosts: Dahlia Schweitzer, Chris Stachiw
We are kicking off Shocktober 2022 with a look at Cindy Sherman's Office Killer. Released in 1997 the film stars Carol Kane as Dorine Douglas, a mousy proofreader at a magazine that’s downsizing. After accidentally electrocuting the office lech, Dorine begins recreating her office life at home with her overbearing mother.
Released in 1970, Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist is set primarily in 1938 Europe. We follow the life of Marcello Clerici (Jean-Louis Trintingant), the titular conformist, a man who tries desperately to fit in and follow the party line.
Special Guest: Sarah Juliet Lauro Guest Co-Hosts: Patrick Bromley, Dahlia Schweitzer
Dahlia Schweitzer and Patrick Bromley join Mike to kick off #Shocktober2019 with a look at Marc Foster's World War Z (2013). It's not necessarily based on Max Brooks's book of the same name though he gets a credit at the beginning. It’s a zombie apocalypse film starring Brad Pitt that takes Pitt around the world looking for the cause of and cure for a zombie plague.
Special Guest: Dahlia Schweitzer Guest Co-Hosts: Terry Frost, Eric Cohen
We continue our #Noirvember coverage with a discussion of The Big Sleep (1946). The first proper Philip Marlowe book by Raymond Chandler, it was the second appearance of Marlowe on screen, this time portrayed by Humphrey Bogart.
Eric Cohen and Terry Frost join Mike to discuss the pre-release version of Howard Hawks's film, how Bogart portrayed Marlowe, and the 1978 re-interpretation of the source material by Michael Winner.
Dahlia Schweitzer returns to The Projection Booth to discuss her upcoming book, L.A. Private Eyes.
Special Guest: Dahlia Schweitzer Guest Co-Hosts: Jedidiah Ayres, Tony Black
James Cole (Bruce Willis) may or may not be a time traveler sent from our future to learn about our present. Inspired by Chris Marker's La Jetée, Terry Gilliam's Twelve Monkeys (1995) is based on a script by David Webb and Janet Peoples.
Special Guests: Sara Paretsky, David Aaron Cohen, Nick Thiel, Jeff Kanew, Warren Leight
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