Episode 769: Season of the Witch (1972)

Special Guests: Payton McCarty-Simas, Adam Lowenstein
Guest Co-Hosts: Father Malone, Rahne Alexander

George A. Romero trades zombies for suburban malaise in 1971's Jack’s Wife (AKA Season of the Witch, Hungry Wives), a spellbinding portrait of domestic despair and occult liberation. Jan White stars as Joan Mitchell, a disenchanted housewife drifting through a fog of loneliness and repression until she finds power--real or imagined--through witchcraft.

Rahne Alexander and Father Malone join Mike to dig into Romero’s haunting mix of feminist allegory, surreal dream logic, and kitchen-sink psychology. Mike interviews Professor Adam Lowenstein about Romero’s Pittsburgh years and scholar Payton McCarty-Simas about her new book That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism, and the American Witch Film.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 769: Season of the Witch (1972)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Season of the Witch blu-ray
Buy That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism, and the American Witch Film by Payton McCarty-Simas
Learn more about The Horror Studies Center at Pitt
Listen to Midnight Viewing

Music:
"Why Didn't Rosemary?" - Deep Purple
"Season Of The Witch" - Lana Del Rey

Watch:

Episode 753: Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)

Special Guest: Allan Holzman
Guest Co-Hosts: Father Malone, Chris Stachiw

Sci-Fi July rolls on with Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), Roger Corman’s ambitious space opera directed by Jimmy T. Murakami and written by a pre-Lone Star John Sayles. This wild interstellar remix of The Seven Samurai stars Richard Thomas as Shad, a naive farm boy turned cosmic recruiter who must assemble a team of eccentric mercenaries to defend his planet from the tyrannical Sador—played with ruthless relish by John Sayles.

Mike is joined by Father Malone and Chris Stachiw to dig into the film’s unforgettable cast of characters, James Horner’s rousing score (which sounds suspiciously like his work for Star Trek II), and the early visual effects work of James Cameron. Special guest Allan Holzman, the film’s editor (and future director of Forbidden World), offers behind-the-scenes insights from the golden age of Corman’s New World Pictures. Low-budget spectacle, recycled spaceship sets, and alien oddballs abound in this scrappy cult favorite.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 753: Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Battle Beyond the Stars on Blu-Ray

Music:
Soundtrack - James Horner

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Special Report: Superman (2025)

Guest Co-Hosts: Father Malone, Chris Stachiw

Mike is joined by Father Malone (Midnight Viewing) and Chris Stachiw (The Kulturecast) to discuss James Gunn's first foray as the head of the "DCU" with his 2025 film, Superman. It's a new interpretation of the Man of Steel as David Corenswet takes to the skies as the lone son of Krypton watches over the people of Earth, much to the chagrin of Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). It's a surprisingly decent entry from DC that may pave the way to a less-dour vision of superheroes.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Superman (2025)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth

Music:
"Superman" - The Clique

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Episode 724: 24 Hour Party People (2002)

Guest Co-Hosts: Father Malone, Axel Kohagen

We continue another Patreon month with a pick from Andrew Henrickson: 24 Hour Party People (2002). Join Mike White, Father Malone, and Axel Kohagen as they dive into Michael Winterbottom's electric chronicle of the Manchester music scene, told through the eyes of the ever-charismatic Tony Wilson (Steve Coogan). From Factory Records to the legendary Hacienda, the film brims with unforgettable moments and a who's who of '80s post-punk history, including standout performances by Lennie James, Paddy Consadine, and more.

We were supposed to speak with screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce again for the episode but it didn't happen this time.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 724: 24 Hour Party People (2002)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy 24 Hour Party People on Blu-Ray
Buy 24 Hour Party People by Tony Wilson
Buy Control on Blu-Ray

Music:
"24 Hour Party People" - Happy Mondays

Watch:

Special Report: Kraven the Hunter (2024)

Guest Co-Hosts: Father Malone, Chris Stachiw

Mike is joined by co-hosts Father Malone and Chris Stachiw to sink their teeth into J.C. Chandor's Kraven the Hunter (2024), the latest cinematic adaptation from Sony's Spider-Man universe. They dissect the film’s portrayal of the infamous anti-hero (Aaron Taylor Johnson)), the performances, and its place in the broader superhero genre. The trio tackles the creative choices, the film’s fidelity to its source material, and whether it brings anything fresh to the crowded landscape of comic book adaptations.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Epx558-Kraven-the-Hunter" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Kraven the Hunter on Blu-Ray

Music:
"The Hunter" - Albert King

Watch:

Episode 712: Rucker (2022)

Special Guest: Amy Hesketh
Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

Shocktober continues with a Patreon request as we discuss the 2022 horror film Rucker which follows Leif Rucker (Bobby C. King), a seemingly ordinary long-haul trucker who has been serially killing women resembling his ex-wife for 30 years. The narrative takes a turn when Maggie (Cheyenna Lee), a young filmmaker making a documentary about truckers, becomes privy to Rucker's deadly secret and chooses to document his crimes.

Father Malone and Chris Stachiw join Mike to discuss the film, alongside an interview with director Amy Hesketh.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 712: Rucker (2022)" on Spreaker.

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

Music:
"Seasons in the Sun" - Too Much Joy

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Episode 706: Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (2024)

Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

On a crossover with The Kulturecast and Midnight Viewing, Mike joins Chris Stachiw and Father Malone to discuss Time Burton's latest film, the legacy sequel to Beetlejuice (1988). We discuss the many new characters and those who didn't return as well as what worked and what didn't.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 706: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)" on Spreaker.

Music:
"MacArthur Park" - Goober and the Peas

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Episode 701: Alien - Romulus (2024)

Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

In this special episode of The Projection Booth, co-hosts Chris Stachiw of The Kulturecast and Father Malone of Midnight Viewing join forces to dissect Alien: Romulus 2024, the latest installment in the iconic Alien franchise. Directed by visionary talent Fede Alvarez, this film attempts to return to the franchise’s horror roots while pandering to fans.

Our hosts delve into the Alien: Isolation inspiration, the ghoulish visual effects, and the story of Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her robot pal Andy (David Jonsson) who live in a mining colony before they escape with three dead meat friends to derelict space station Romulus-Remus where hundreds of face-huggers are kept in cold storage. The film eventually introduces a very familiar(ish) face and some black goo from Prometheus/Alien: Covenant gets introduced thanks to producer Ridley Scott.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 701: Alien - Romulus (2024)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth

Music:
"XX121" - Benjamin Wallfisch

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Special Report: Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)

Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

On this special cross-over episode with Chris Stachiw's Kulturecast, we're discussing the new Netflix film, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024). The TLDL; is that Mike, Chris, and Father Malone really enjoyed its mix of Murphy's comic chops and a few throwbacks to the older films. 

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Beverly Hills Cop 4: Axel F (2024)" on Spreaker.

Music:
"Axel F" - Crazy Frog

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Mike White May 2024: Francis Veber Films

Another year, another seat in the chair at The Kulturecast for Mike White May (sometimes Mike White March). This time around Mike chose some of the many films written by (and often directed by) Francis Veber. Inspired by the Buddy Buddy episode of The Projection Booth, Mike and Chris Stachiw (along with a fine selection of co-hosts) discuss a handful of Veber originals and their remakes.

The Tall Blonde Man with One Black Shoe:

Listen to "The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe / The Man with One Red Shoe" on Spreaker.

Le Jouet:

Listen to "Le Jouet / The Toy" on Spreaker.

Le Chevre:

Listen to "La Chèvre / Pure Luck" on Spreaker.

Les Fugitifs:

Listen to "Les Fugitifs" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy ReFocus: The Films of Francis Veber by Keith Corson

Episode 687: Furiosa - A Mad Max Saga (2024)

Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

Nine years after we took our first trip down the Fury Road, we're re-introduced to Furiosa (Alyla Browne / Anya Taylor-Joy) and told the tale of her journey from The Green Place to the Citadel and beyond in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024).

This is a cross-over episode with The Kulturecast where Chris Stachiw, Mike White, and Father Malone discuss this latest entry in George Miller's stunning filmography.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 687: Furiosa - A Mad Max Saga" on Spreaker.

The Mad Max Series:

Listen to "Episode 415: The Mad Max Series" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga on Blu-Ray

Music:
"You Are Awaited" - Tom Holkenborg

Watch:

Special Report: Civil War (2024)

Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

What kind of American are you?

On this special cross-over episode with The Kulturecast, Chris Stachiw and Father Malone join Mike to analyze the film Civil War (2024) and the work of its writer/director, Alex Garland. We discuss the film's oblique narrative and how it fails to reflect the current political powder keg of the United States.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Civil War (2024)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future by Stephen Marche
Buy How Texas Can Be Its Own Country by Johnny Vincento
Buy They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency by Malcolm Nance

Music:
"Let's Have a War" - Fear

Watch:

In Smog and Thunder - Trailer from Sean Meredith on Vimeo.

Episode 643: Bullet (1996)

Special Guest: Bruce Rubenstein
Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

Our month of requests wraps up with one from our mutual pal Andy Hendrickson, it's Julien Temple's Bullet from 1996. The film stars Mickey Rourke as the titular Bullet, an ex-con back on the streets and reunited with his dysfunctional family. Or is the movie really about Bullet's brother, Ruby, played by Adrien Brody?

Chris Stachiw and Father Malone join Mike to discuss the film while co-screenwriter Bruce Rubenstein (the inspiration for Ruby) spills the beans about the making of Bullet.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 643: Bullet (1996)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Bullet on DVD
Read an interview with Julien Temple about Bullet

Music:
"Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" - Barry White
"La-Di-Da-Di" - Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew

Watch:

Episode 611: The Baron (1977)

Special Guests: Alan Metzger, Phillip Fenty
Guest Co-Hosts: David Walker, Father Malone

Black History Month continues with a look at Phillip Fenty’s 1977 film The Baron . Originally known as Baron Wolfgang Von Tripps, the film stars Calvin Lockhart as Jason, a filmmaker who is trying to complete his film on Von Tripps only to have everything go wrong. His money man, Coke Man (Charles McGregor), is in dutch with one of his connections in the mob while Jason’s people in California want to re-cast the movie with a white guy and remove him from the project.

Father Malone and David Walker join Mike to discuss the movie. Cinematographer Alan Metzger and director Phillip Fenty discuss their careers and making this often-overlooked film.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 611: The Baron (1977)" on Spreaker.

Bonus: Interview with Matthew Mallison:

Listen to "Special Report: Interview with Matthew Mallison" on Spreaker.

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

Music:
All music by Gil Scott-Heron

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Episode 604: Danger Diabolik (1968)

Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Father Malone

We wrap up 2022 with a look at Mario Bava’s 1968 pop sensation Danger: Diabolik. Based on the fumetti by Angela and Luciana Guisanna, the film stars John Phillip Law as the titular Diabolik, an atomic age superthief who gets the girl, gets the gold, and spoils the lives of every policeman in Italy including Michel Piccoli as Inspector Ginko.

Father Malone and Samm Deighan join Mike in discussing the film as well as the '90s cartoon and recent film trilogy that's currently underway.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 604: Danger Diabolik (1968)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Danger: Diabolik on Blu-Ray

Music:
"Driving Decoys" - Morricone Youth

Watch:

Episode 591: Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Special Guests: Gaylen Ross, John Amplas, Jon Towlson
Guest Co-Hosts: Jamie Russell, Father Malone

We’re continuing #Shocktober2022 with an episode on George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead Released in 1978, the film is a stalwart of the zombie film pantheon. Ostensibly picking up after the events of Night of the Living Dead, the film stars Gaylen Ross as Francine, one of a handful of people trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. She and the others find refuge in a mall where they rebuild a facsimile of contemporary American society.

Father Malone (Dark Destinations) and Jamie Russell (Book of the Dead: The Complete History of Zombie Cinema) join Mike to discuss the film. Interviews feature Gaylen Ross, John Amplas, and Jon Towlson (author of the Devils Advocates book on Dawn of the Dead).

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 591: Dawn of the Dead (1978)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Dawn of the Dead on Blu-Ray
Buy Dawn of the Dead (2004) on Blu-Ray
Buy The Zombies That Ate Pittsburg: The Films of George A. Romero by Paul Gagne

Music:
"Figment" - S. Park
"Scarey" - D. Scott
"Main Theme" - Adam Etzel

Watch:

Episode 584: The Gumball Rally (1976)

Special Guest: Nicholas Pryor
Guest Co-Hosts: Father Malone, Chris Stachiw

Released in 1976, Leon Capetanos wrote and Chuck Bail directed The Gumball Rally which stars Michael Sarrazin as Michael Bannon, a corporate exec who gets his kicks from an all out coast to coast race where he’s partnered with his buddy, Professor Sam Graves (Nicholas Pryor) and really is racing against his rival Smitty (Tim McIntire) and his ringer Franco (Raul Julia).

Chris Stachiw and Father Malone join Mike in a discussion of The Gumball Rally and other coast-to-coast road race films, Cannonball (1976) and The Cannonball Run (1981). Nicholas Pryor talks about the behind-the-scenes of the film.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 584: The Gumball Rally (1976)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy The Gumball Rally on Blu-Ray
Buy Cannobal Run on Blu-Ray
Buy Cannonball! World's Greatest Outlaw Road Race by Brock Yates

Music:
"Gumball" - Fred Weinberg

Watch:

Episode 575: Popeye (1980)

Special Guests: Allan F. Nicholls, Paul Dooley, MacIntyre Dixon
Guest Co-Hosts: Paul Zimmerman, Father Malone

We’re looking at the 1980 film from director Robert Altman and writer Jules Feifer, Popeye. Based on the King Syndicate comic by E.C. Segar, it’s the story of a mariner (Robin Williams) who comes to the port town of Sweethaven looking for his father. He finds a town under the control of a mysterious man known only as The Commodore who has left his right hand man, Bluto (Paul L. Smith), in charge of the city which is plagued with ruffians and an overzealous tax collector. He meets the Oyl family, a dysfunctional group whom he must redeem in order to find his father and true happiness.

Father Malone and Paul Zimmerman join Mike to discuss the film while interviews include Allan F. Nicholls, Paul Dooley, and MacIntyre Dixon.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 575: Popeye (1980)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Popeye on Blu-Ray
Buy The Art and History of Popeye by R.C. Harvey
Buy Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History by Fred M. Grandinetti
Buy Movie Dad: Finding Myself and My Family, On Screen and Off by Paul Dooley

Music:
"It's Not Easy Being Me" - Harry Nilsson
"Everybody's Got To Eat" - Paul Dooley
"Sailin'" - Shelley Duvall & Robin Williams
"He Needs Me" - Shelley Duvall
"Popeye Twist" - The Tornados

Watch:

Episode 517: Escape from New York (1981)

Special Guests: Nick Castle, Adrienne Barbeau, Joseph Alves
Guest Co-Hosts: Aaron Peterson, Father Malone

On the second of our two-part discussion about John Carpenter films, Father Malone, Aaron Peterson and Mike discuss Escape from New York (1981). It's the story Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), a former war hero turned disillusioned criminal in an America that has turned into a police state. When the President's plane crashes in the prison colony that was once Manhattan, Snake is sent in after him.

Interviews include co-screenwriter Nick Castle, actress Adrienne Barbeau, and production designer Joseph Alves.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 517: Escape from New York (1981)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Escape from New York on Blu-Ray
Buy Escape from New York: The Official Story of the Film by John Walsh
Buy Escape from L.A. on Blu-Ray
Buy Lockout on Blu-Ray
Buy There Are Worse Things I Could Do by Adrienne Barbeau

Music:
"Escape From New York" - Merciless Attack
"Escape from New York" - Robert Johnson And Punchdrunks
"The Duke Arrives -- The Barricades" - John Carpenter

Watch:

Episode 516: Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

Special Guests: Troy Howarth, Tommy Wallace
Guest Co-Hosts: Aaron Peterson, Father Malone

We kick off a two-part discussion of John Carpenter> with a look at his first proper feature film, Assault on Precinct 13 (1976). Father Malone (Dark Destinations) and Aaron Peterson (Hollywood Outsider) join Mike to look at the film and all of its various remakes (Ghosts of Mars, District B13, etc).

Troy Howarth talks about his new books, Assault on the System: The Nonconformist Cinema of John Carpenter, and Tommy Wallace discusses his work on Assault on Precinct 13 as well as many of his follow-up films.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 516: Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Assault on Precinct 13 on Blu-Ray
Buy Rio Bravo on DVD
Buy Ghosts of Mars on DVD
Buy the Assault on Precinct 13 (remake) on Blu-Ray
Buy District B13

Music:
"Assault On Precinct 13" - Garage A Trois
"You Can't Fight It" - Jimmy Chambers
"Assault On Precinct 13" - Nova Mura
"Assault On Precinct 13" - Zombie Zombie

Watch: