FilmBabble: The Sight and Sound Top 100

Today, Charlie and Antonio take their second trip to the world of Senegalese cinema: Djibril Diop Mambéty's TOUKI BOUKI. Listen along as they grapple with this renegade classic raging against French colonialism. They discuss the ethics of filming animal violence, the film's depiction of the lingering effects of colonialism, and the natural beauty of the Senegalese landscape. Hop in!   Intro/outro...

Trash. Agnes Varda. Waste. France. Debris. Aging. Detritus. Death. Junk. All this and more swings in the orbit of THE GLEANERS AND I, the 2000 French documentary by legendary maverick filmmaker Agnes Varda. Filled to the brim with quirky characters, Varda among them, THE GLEANERS AND I takes Charlie and Antonio for an easy, breezy ride. Hop in!   Intro/outro music: "Flitcraft" by Mekons   THE GLEA...

In this week's FilmBabble, the gents tackle the still-reigning sci-fi behemoth, Metropolis. Nearly 100 years later, Fritz Lang's awe-inspiring feat of cinema continues to challenge and excite conversation, even without much of the original footage. Does its reputation and towering legacy prove worthy, or has the last century ushered in enough new marvels for us to consider it eclipsed? Intro/outro...

The Filmbabble Boys get thrown a curveball on this one: a short film?! Namely, 1962's LA JETÉE, a short film by iconoclastic French filmmaker Chris Marker. The cinematic medium itself is toyed with like a cat playing with a ball of yarn. Travel through time with us, one still image at a time... Intro/outro music: "BURNOUT" by jauwn LA JETÉE (1962), France, written and directed by Chris Marker, cin...

What do you live for? For art, or for love? Join us as we break down the electrifying technicolor miracle that is The Red Shoes, with special guest Ciara Lally. Intro/outro music: 'Bolero' by Maurice Ravel THE RED SHOES (1948), United Kingdom, written and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, cinematography by Jack Cardiff, featuring Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook, and Marcus Goring.

Stand back. Here comes Charlie and Antonio's first dive into the mystical pool that is Andrei Tarkovsky's work. First up: his towering historical epic ANDREI RUBLEV. Faith, humanity, art, death, history, war. Join the FilmBabble Boys as they tackle this legendary Russian film (and the man who made it!) Intro/outro music:  "jazzy" - jauwn ANDREI RUBLEV (1966), USSR, written by Andrei Konchalovsky a...

FilmBabble is BACK, and in full force! This week, Charlie and Antonio take a very brief trip to a certain European country, alongside the picturesque Ingrid Bergman and sour co-star George Sanders. "What will they find there?" you may be asking yourself. Perhaps we're asking ourselves the same question. Intro/outro music: 'Bossanova' by Liborio Conti JOURNEY TO ITALY (1954), Italy and France, writ...

A woman's mysterious disappearance pulls at the bond between her lover and her friend. Memory... hazy, unreliable memory. Charlie and Antonio take all this in and more in Michelangelo Antonioni's 1960 classic: L'AVVENTURA. Join them as they follow the beautiful Monica Vitti through Antonioni's illustriously misty Italy.    Intro/outro music: "Onie" by The Electric Prunes   L'AVVENTURA (1960), Ital...

Hey, let's go! Take a step out the front door and wave hello to your big, furry neighbor, Totoro. In the lush Japanese countryside, mystery and wonder abound. The kids know where to look. Do you? Intro/outro music: 'Torn Flesh' by Karl Casey (White Bat Audio) MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988), Japan, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, cinematography by Hisao Shirai, featuring Dakota Fanning, Elle Fan...

Melodrama is never mellow, and Douglas Sirk makes that very clear. In this week’s episode, the FilmBabble gentlemen watch a proper technicolor tearjerker. Surrender to it, you know you want to… Intro/outro music: Handel’s Harp Concerto, 3rd Movement performed by Josh Layne (Harpist in the Wild) IMITATION OF LIFE (1959), USA, written by Eleanore Griffin and Allan Scott, directed by Douglas Sirk, ci...

On this week's episode, Charlie and Antonio are knocked out by SANSHO THE BAILIFF, Kenji Mizoguchi's 1954 tragedy about family torn apart in a feudal Japan. With this film, Mizoguchi proves to be a stand-out director for the FilmBabble Boys. Don't let this one pass you by. Mercy, brutality, integrity, HUMANITY. It's all here.   SANSHO THE BAILIFF can be streamed for free on the Criterion Channel o...

We've got a big one here, folks! Today on FilmBabble, Charlie and Antonio watch the universally beloved masterpiece SPIRITED AWAY, one of many masterpieces hailing from the acclaimed Japanese animation studio- Studio Ghibli. A 10 year old girl moves away from home and finds that her parents have been transformed into pigs! Forced into a new world, bizarre yet not too dissimilar from our own, Chihi...

In case you're wondering... In this bonus episode, Charlie and Antonio reflect on their favorite films of the past year and talk the 2024 Academy Awards. Intro/outro music: 'I Wish You Love' (Live) - Blossom Dearie

Silence may be golden, but is "Modern Times"? This 1936 classic marks the final silent film of Charlie Chaplin's storied filmography, as well as the final appearance of his beloved Tramp character. A predominately pro-worker comedy picture, this film stands out on The List, as one of the oldest and one of the few sans dialogue (sort of). Can one, in the year 2024 C.E., still appreciate and even en...

On this week's episode of FilmBabble, Charlie and Antonio watch Sátántangó. Yes, you read that right. Sátántangó, Béla Tarr's 1994 epic. 7 and a half hours. Black and white. Hungary. Communism. Strap in- the White Whale has appeared over the horizon. Will they survive? Tune in and find out!   Article by Greg Wetherall mentioned in the episode: https://lwlies.com/interviews/bela-tarr-satantango-ber...

Alright Mr. DeMille, they're ready to Babble! On today's episode of FilmBabble, Charlie and Antonio take a quick detour onto SUNSET BOULEVARD, the 1950 classic chock-full of romance, intrigue, and.... murder? Take a seat, order a coffee, and listen up!   Intro/outro music: "Main Title from 'The Wild Bunch'", composed by Jerry Fielding.    SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950), written by Charles Brackett, Billy...

Life, death, the great beyond. All this and more is explored in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's innovative Technicolor dreamworld: A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. Charlie and Antonio are joined by special guest and friend Leila to dive headfirst into this feast of visual splendor and dry British humor. Let's go!   Intro/outro music: 'Lick You (Let You Die)' by Pulgas   A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEA...

This week, the escalator was broken, so we took the long way down. The very long way, into to the depths. 'A Brighter Summer Day', by FilmBabble favorite Edward Yang, is a four-hour long epic, not to be compared to nor viewed lightly. Special guest Henry Merker holds our hand as we try to shed some light on all this darkness. Intro/outro music: 'Trouble of the World' performed by Mahalia Jackson A...

This week on FilmBabble, Charlie and Antonio Go Babbling. Join them as they babble away on the 1974 French hangout classic: Céline and Julie Go Boating! Kick your feet up, take a chill pill, and enjoy their ride through French New Wave director Jacques Rivette's singular vision. This is a good one, folks. Pass it on!   Intro/outro music: "I Just Threw Out The Love of My Dreams", originally by Weez...

Here it is. The moment you've all been waiting for. Histoire(s) du Cinéma. Four and a half hours. Eight chapters. The history/histories/story/stories of cinema, for your viewing (listening) pleasure. Did we survive this episode? Tune in to find out!   Intro/outro music: 'Nectár' by Tenório Jr.   HISTOIRE(S) DU CINÉMA (1988), France and Switzerland, written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard, original...

Happy New Year! David Lynch. The Man, The Myth, The Dream.....? This week, Charlie and Antonio submerge into the surreal 1986 classic BLUE VELVET. A severed ear leads an unpredictable college student into the seedy underworld lying beneath middle-class American society. Truly, a mystery film like no other. Strap in, folks!   Intro/outro music: "These Chains" by Mid-Air Thief   BLUE VELVET (1986),...

Happy Monday! Today, the Filmbabble Boys are joined by special guest and friend Kamla to dive into the underappreciated coming-of-age gem: SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. Released in 1973 towards the end of Francisco Franco's rule of Spain, writer/director Victor Erice combines the political and the personal in this allegorical tale. Don't let this one pass you by!   Intro/outro music: 'Dreaming' by Poly S...

This week, Charlie and Antonio tackle the first of four films directed by cinema's enfant terrible of the French New Wave: Jean-Luc Godard's PIERROT LE FOU. Featuring French superstars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina, this film follows the familiar story of lovers on the run, though Godard's direction makes this anything but familiar. Join Charlie and Antonio in tackling this challenging film a...

Delve into the beauty of Wong Kar-wai's cinema with the fellas this week via CHUNGKING EXPRESS, an instant classic from early 90s Hong Kong. Prominently featuring music (originally) by The Cranberries and The Mama's & the Papa's, this split narrative confounds traditionally held notions of cinema and sinks its teeth into the human experience. Joined by Wong Kar-wai superfan Ryan, Charlie and Anton...

Happy Monday, dear listener. How are you? Are you well? We hope you're well. Well, let's cut to the chase, shall we? Episode 12: THE SHINING. A first time watch for Charlie, and a favorite for both Antonio and our extra special guest, Emily. This landmark of horror, and cinema, hardly needs any introduction. If you haven't yet seen this, nestle into your couch, pull up your blanket, and grab the p...