Episode 781: Z Channel - A Magnificent Obsession (2004)

Guest Co-Hosts: Adam Long, Josh Hadley

Adam Long and Josh Hadley join Mike to explore Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004), the sweeping documentary from Xan Cassavetes about the rise and fall of Los Angeles’s most influential pay-TV channel. More than a cable station, Z Channel was a film school beamed into living rooms, programming uncut movies, international cinema, director’s cuts, and repertory favorites long before that was standard practice.

The conversation digs into the channel’s daring programming philosophy, its outsized impact on American film culture, and the obsessive, self-destructive personality of founder Jerry Harvey. The hosts examine how the documentary balances cinephile nostalgia with a clear-eyed look at the personal and institutional costs of that obsession, while also asking what Z Channel’s legacy means in today’s algorithm-driven media landscape.

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Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Subscribe to Adam's Corner
Buy Z Channel - A Magnificent Obsession on DVD

Music:
"Channel Z" - The B-52s

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Special Report: Dead Man's Line (2018)

Special Guests: Mark Enochs, Alan Berry

Mike talks with Alan Berry and Mark Enochs, the filmmakers behind Dead Man's Line (2018), a chilling dive into one of America’s most disturbing true-crime stories. The conversation traces how the directors reconstructed the life and legend of Tony Kiritsis, whose 1977 hostage standoff transfixed the nation and blurred the line between media spectacle and lived horror.

Berry and Enochs unpack their research, ethical choices, and the challenge of shaping archival chaos into a tense, humane documentary. They also discuss the struggles for distribution and the obligatory Hollywood remake, Dead Man's Wire, the 2026 release from director Gus Van Sant and writer Austin Kolodney.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Dead Man's Line (2018)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Kiritsis and Me: Enduring 63 Hours at Gunpoint by Dick Hall
Visit the official Dead Man's Line website

Music:
"Amoreena (BBC Session)" - Elton John

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Special Report: Age of Audio (2025)

Special Guest: Shaun Michael Colón
Guest Co-Hosts: James Cridland, Chris Stachiw

The mics are on for Shaun Michael Colón's Age of Audio (2025), a whirlwind 82-minute tour through the origins, growth, and current state of podcasting. Narrated by and featuring Ronald “Big Ron” Young Jr. — host of multiple award-winning shows — the documentary blends his personal journey with a broader look at the voices, tech, and cultural shifts that shaped the medium. Mike is joined by Chris Stachiw (The Kulturecast) and James Cridland (Podnews Daily Newsletter) for a conversation on how Age of Audio captures the podcasting boom, why the history matters, and what the film says about where the medium is headed next.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Age of Audio (2025)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Subscribe to the Podnews Daily Newsletter
Follow Age of Audio on Instagram

Music:
"I'm Sick (of this American life)" - They Might Be Giants

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Special Report: Dread Zeppelin - A Song of Hope (2024)

Special Guests: Sharif Nakhleh, Jason USA

On this special episode, Mike interviews Sharif Nakhleh, director of Dread Zeppelin: A Song of Hope (2024), and Jason USA. This compelling documentary charts the bizarre, brilliant journey of the band Dread Zeppelin, blending reggae, Led Zeppelin covers, and a touch of Elvis for a sound and story like no other. Mike unpacks the film’s creation, its exploration of musical eccentricity, and its celebration of the enduring power of hope and creativity.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Dread Zeppelin - A Song of Hope (2024)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Lean more at the Chibson website
Buy Dead Zeppelin music

Music:
"Immigrant Song" - Dread Zeppelin

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Special Report: When We Went Mad (2024)

Special Guests: Alan Bernstein

Mike speaks with fellow-Detroiter Alan Bernstein about his feature documentary, When We Went Mad (2024), a look at the usual gang of idiots behind the irreverent publication, Mad Magazine. A film more than a decade in the making, Bernstein wonderfully captures the importance and influence of Mad from inception to demise.  

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Like the film on Facebook

Music:
"It's a Gas" - Alfred E. Neuman

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Special Report: Scooter LaForge - A Life of Art (2023)

Special Guests: Ethan Minsker, Scooter LaForge

Ethan Minsker joins Mike to discuss his latest film, Scooter LaForge: A Life of Art (2023). The film's subject, Scooter LaForge, talks about his experience of having himself and his art in the documentary. The film has its premiere at DocNYC. Find out more at the festival's website.

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Listen to "Epx459-Scooter-LaForge-Art-Life" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Be sure to LIKE the film on Facebook
Follow Scooter LaForge - A Life of Art on Instagram

Music:
"Cock Block" - Dahlia

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Trailer: Scooter LaForge, a life of art from Ethan H. Minsker on Vimeo.

Special Report: Sharksploitation (2023)

Friend of The Projection Booth, Stephen Scarlata (co-host of The Best Movies Never Made podcast) discusses his directorial debut, Sharksploitation (2023), a terrific documentary about the vilification and exploitation of sharks in movies.

The film is streaming on Shudder.

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Listen to "Special Report: Stephen Scarlata on Sharksploitation (2023)" on Spreaker.

Music:
"Mack the Knife" - Bobby Darrin

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Special Report: We Kill for Love (2023)

Special Guest: Anthony Penta

Mike talks with Anthony Penta, the creative force behind the new documentary video essay We Kill for Love (2023) all about the erotic thriller phenomenon of the 1980s and '90s. The film looks at the history, production, themes, and impact of the genre.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Anthony Penta on We Kill for Love (2023)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Visit the film's official webpage
Read Crimes of Desire: A Casefile on the Erotic Thriller by Anthony Penta
Buy The Erotic Thriller in Contemporary Cinema by Linda Ruth Williams

Music:
"Main Title (Theme From Basic Instinct)" - Jerry Goldsmith

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Special Report: Fantastic Fest 2022

Special Guests: Kyra Elise Gardner, Daphné Baiwir

On this special episode, Mike talks with the directors of two horror-related documentaries: Kyra Elise Gardner of Living with Chucky (2022) and Daphné Baiwir of King on Screen (2022).

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Fantastic Fest 2022" on Spreaker.

Special Report: The Butthole Surfers Movie

Special Guests: Tom Stern, Noa Durban

Mike speaks with producer Noa Durban and director Tom Stern about their upcoming feature documentary, The Butthole Surfers Movie. The film looks at the groundbreaking alternative art band The Butthole Surfers.

The film is still in the funding stages. Donate at the film's official website.

Music:
"Moving to Florida" - The Butthole Surfers
"Human Cannonball" - The Butthole Surfers

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Listen to "Special Report: The Butthole Surfers Movie" on Spreaker.

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Special Report: Matt Eskey on The Mojo Manifesto (2022)

Special Guest: Matt Eskey

On this special episode, Mike talks with director Matt Eskey about his documentary feature debut, The Mojo Manifesto: The Life and Times of Mojo Nixon (2022) which sheds some much-needed light on the unusual career of Mojo Nixon.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Follow The Mojo Manifesto on Instagram
Follow The Mojo Manifesto on Facebook
Visit The Mojo World Empire website

Music:
"Vibrator Dependent" - Mojo Nixon

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Listen to "Matt Eskey on The Mojo Manifesto (2022)" on Spreaker.

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Special Report: Imperfect (2021)

Special Guests: Regan Linton, Brian Malone

On this special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks with Regan Linton and Brian Malone about their documentary Imperfect (2021) in which a differently-abled theater troupe from Denver puts on a production of Chicago.

The film plays this week at the Slamdance film festival. Find out more at https://imperfectfilm.com/

Music:
"Mr. Cellophoane" - John C. Reilly

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Listen to "Special Report: Imperfect (2021)" on Spreaker.

Watch:

imperfect TRAILER from Fast Forward Films, LLC on Vimeo.

Special Report: Julia (2021)

Special Guests: Carla Gutierrez, Claudia Raschke

On this special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks with Carla Gutierrez and Claudia Raschke, the editor and cinematographer of Julia (2021), a documentary about famed chef Julia Child who revolutionized televised cooking.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Julia (2021)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth

Music:
"Keep On Cooking" - PBS Digital Studios

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Special Report: Wojnarowicz (2020)

Special Guests: Chris McKim, Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey

Director Chris McKim celebrates the confrontational and controversial artist David Wojnarowicz in the 2020 documentary Wojnarowicz: F*ck You, F*ggot F*cker. On this special episode Mike speaks with McKim along with producers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Wojnarowicz (2020)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Wojnarowicz on DVD

Music:
"Crime Drama" - 3 Teens Kill 4

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Special Report: Hollywood Bulldogs (2021)

Special Guests: Jon Spira

Director Jon Spira talks to Mike about his career including his latest film, the 2021 documentary Hollywood Bulldogs: The Rise and Falls of the Great British Stuntmen.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Elstree 1976 on Blu-Ray
Buy Anyone Can Play Guitar on DVD

Music:
"Hey Bulldog" - The Beatles

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Listen to "Special Report: Hollywood Bulldogs (2021)" on Spreaker.

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Special Report: Ethan Minsker is the Man in Camo (2018)

Special Guests: Ethan Minsker

Filmmaker, author, artist Ethan Minsker talks about his 2018 film Man in Camo as well as some of his previous work and his upcoming documentaries on Scooter LaForge and Film Threat magazine.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Man in Camo on DVD

Music:
"Banned in DC" - Bad Brains

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Ethan Minsker is The Man in Camo (2018)" on Spreaker.

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Guest Spot: The Sparks Brothers (2021)

Special Guest: Paul Trewartha

Edgar Wright has been known to use music to great effect in his narrative films, so it's only appropriate that he makes a music-related documentary. The Spark Brothers (2021) tells the tale of brothers Ron Mael and Russell Mael who, as Sparks, have been writing and recording albums for nearly 5 decades. Unlike so many musicians who had an initial creative flourish then lose sight of their muse, the Maels are still creating great music right up to today.

Due to a peculiar turn of events, Tim, Bernard and Maurice handed the keys to the See Hear car over to friends of the show Mike White of the Projection Booth Podcast and musician / documentarian Skizz Cyzyk. These guys are the best, and we felt completely comfortable leaving the show in their professional hands. As a bonus, Mike also presents an interview with the film's editor Paul Trewartha. Paul cut The Sparks Brothers using Adobe Premiere.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: The Sparks Brothers (2021)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Visit the Spark Brothers website

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Special Report: The Ventures - Stars on Guitars (2020)

Special Guests: Staci Layne Wilson
Guest Co-Hosts: Maurice Bursztynski, Skizz Cyzyk

Maurice Bursztynski and Skizz Cyzyk join Mike to discuss Staci Layne Wilson's documentary The Ventures: Stars on Guitars (2020) about one of the best instrumental bands of the 20th Century. Formed in the late '50s and still going today, The Ventures are most famous for their versions of "Walk, Don't Run" and the Hawaii 5-0 theme. The documentary goes beyond the hits to show the influence that The Ventures have had for the last sixty years.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: The Ventures - Stars on Guitars (2020)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy The Ventures: Stars on Guitar on DVD
Get Garage Sales's Pointless Summer on CD
Read Josie Cotton meets The Ventures

Music:
"Penetration" - The Ventures
"Walk, Don't Run" - The Ventures

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Special Report: Zappa (2020)

Special Guest: Alex Winter
Guest Co-Hosts: Skizz Cyzyk, Yaniv Eidelstein

On this special episode Yaniv Eidelstein and Skizz Cyzyk join Mike to discuss the latest documentary feature by Alex Winter, ZAPPA (2020). It’s a two plus hour look at composer, musician, artist, singer, agent provocateur Frank Zappa.

Links:
Buy Zappa on Blu-Ray
Watch Zappa
Buy The Real Frank Zappa by Frank Zappa and Peter Occhiogrosso
Buy Monster Road
Watch Derailroaded: Inside the Mind of Wild Man Fischer

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Zappa (2020)" on Spreaker.

Music:
"Cheepnis" - Frank Zappa
"Trouble Every Day" - She Drew the Gun

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Special Report: Forman Vs. Forman (2019)

Special Guests: Helena Trestíková, Daniel Vadocký

On this special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks to Helena Trestíková (aided by the film's rep, Daniel Vadocký) -- half of the directing team behind the 2019 documentary Forman Vs. Forman -- about her life in occupied Czechoslovakia, her 45 year career as a documentary filmmaker, and the importance of Milos Forman.

Links:
Like Forman Vs. Forman on Facebook

Music:
"Milos Forman" - Tigres Leones

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Forman Vs. Forman (2019)" on Spreaker.

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