Special Guest: Jim Bloom Guest Co-Hosts: Jamie Benning, Stephen Scarlata
Sci-Fi July wraps up with Return of the Jedi (1983), the final installment of the original Star Wars trilogy—directed by Richard Marquand, guided by George Lucas, and packed with new creatures, recycled plot beats, and merchandising gold. Joining Mike to explore the film's legacy and limitations are Jamie Benning (Filmumentaries) and Stephen Scarlata (Best Movies Never Made), along with special guest Jim Bloom, associate producer on Empire and Jedi.
From Jabba's palace to yet another Death Star, Jedi tries to close the saga with spectacle and sentiment—but not without creative compromises. We dig into the behind-the-scenes drama, the tonal whiplash between Ewoks and existential stakes, and how Jedi served as both a climax and a commercial pivot point for the franchise. Was it a fitting finale or just a soft landing pad for action figures? Strap into your speeder bike, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
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.
Special Guests: Bruce Joel Rubin, Adrian Lyne Guest Co-Hosts: Stephen Scarlata, Yaniv Eidelstein
Yaniv Eidelstein and Stephen Scarlata join Mike to look at Adrian Lyne's 1990 film Jacob's Ladder It’s the story of Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) who’s platoon in Vietnam is attacked by unknown forces. He suffers from flashbacks of this horrific event in 1970s New York where he’s left his wife and is living with his co-worker, Jezebel (Elizabeth Pena). He is plagued, as well, by horrific visions of demons. Is Jacob going mad? Is he a victim of a government plot? Or is it something else entirely?
Special guests writer Bruce Joel Rubin and director Adrian Lyne discuss the making of the film and its fate.
June 30, 2017 – Ted Raimi, Greydon Clark, Adam Green and more are part of Survival of the Film Freaks, a new documentary that explores how technology continues to change how we define “cult” films. Directors, actors, and journalists from all generations weigh in on the ever-changing world of cult cinema in this documentary that is both an ode to and an exploration of cinema fandom.
At the helm of Film Freaks is director Bill Fulkerson. A passion for cult cinema drives Fulkerson; he has hosted the cult cinema podcast Outside The Cinema for over ten years, reviewing countless films for nearly 500 episodes. “I’ve been a lover of weird and wonderful cinema since I was a kid, and how we view and acquire these films continues to evolve. With this documentary we hope to show the past and future so that we never lose these hidden gems.”
Co-directing alongside Fulkerson is documentary filmmaker Kyle Kuchta (Fantasm). “Cult isn’t a genre, it’s a mentality. These films have legacies and followings that now everyone can be a part of because of the Internet. Film Freaks looks to delve in to what ‘cult’ means in an age where everything is available at the click of a button.”
Film Threat’s Chris Gore, William Sachs (Galaxina), and Lloyd Kaufman of Troma are just a few of the familiar faces in Film Freaks. The team is currently finishing up the remaining interviews and moving into post-production this summer.
Special Guest: Daniel Waters Guest Co-Host: Stephen Scarlata, Jamey Duvall
Catch the Excitement! Catch the Adventure! Catch the Hawk! Hudson Hawk, that is. Directed by Michael Lehmann, the 1991 Bruce Willis vanity project was considered by many at the time to be a disaster. Is that a little harsh? Was the film really a subversive parody of action films?
Stephen Scarlata and Jamey Duvall join Mike this week to examine Hudson Hawk. The episode features an interview with the film's writer, Daniel Waters, who gives us the inside scoop on the making of the film.
We examine Alejandro Jodorowsky's landmark 1973 philosophical film, The Holy Mountain, about nine adepts searching for immortality, undertaking a sacred journey. Joining us is Stephen Scarlata, co-producer of the documentary Jodorowsky's Dune.
Our special guest, Heatherleigh Navarre of The Boston Tea Room, discusses the history and significance of Tarot and reads Mike's cards.
A secret report within the guild... Take a look at one of cinema's greatest tragedy's (and greatest influences), Alejandro Jodorowsky's Dune. The 2013 documentary Jodorowsky's Dune tells the incredible tale of the surrealistic filmmaker gathering one of the most impressive rosters of talent around in order to make an ill-fated attempt at adapting Frank Herbert's seminal science fiction tome.
Special Guest: Jim Bloom
Special Guests: 
At the helm of Film Freaks is director 
Special Guest: 
Special Guest: Heatherleigh Navarre
Special Guest: Stephen Scarlata