Unspooled

Amy & Paul traverse 1959’s Alfred Hitchcock blockbuster North By Northwest! They discuss what makes Cary Grant’s suit one of the greatest in cinema, ask why so many Hitchcock films feature women betraying men, and draw a line from this film to the Coen Bros. Plus: Daniel Raim, director of “The Man On Lincoln’s Nose,” talks about Hitch’s famed art director Robert Boyle. For Spartacus week, what do...

Paul & Amy fly the coop to 1954's Marlon Brando crime drama On The Waterfront! They ask what the film would have been like with Frank Sinatra in the lead, explore the history of "the Method," and wonder how the ending would change if this were made today. Plus: Paul revisits your thoughts on Lawrence Of Arabia. For North By Northwest week, what is your favorite Hitchcock film? Call the Unspooled v...

Paul and Amy journey through 1962's David Lean WWI epic Lawrence Of Arabia! They ask if this can fairly be called a "white savior" film, learn about the many injuries Peter O'Tools endured during the shoot, and compare the film's structure to Citizen Kane. Plus: A brief look at the controversy around the Joker premiere. For On The Waterfront week, what are times in your life you could have been a...

Amy & Paul surf through 1976's Sidney Lumet TV news satire Network! They explore how writer Paddy Chayefsky came up through the TV trenches, listen to modern media figures who took inspiration from Howard Beale, and ask if the film has become too real to work as satire. Plus: Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany talks about what it was like to reprise the Diana Christensen role onstage. If you haven't s...

Amy & Paul flirt with 1940's archetypal Katharine Hepburn romantic comedy The Philadelphia Story! They discover the origins of the industry trope of "box office poison," explore the strange social mores of the 40s, and learn that everyone on set may have been in love with Jimmy Stewart. Plus: Screenwriter Katie Silberman (Set It Off, Isn't It Romantic) explains why The Philadelphia Story is one of...

Amy & Paul fly through 1941's Humphrey Bogart proto-noir The Maltese Falcon! They ask if this is the ultimate "dad movie," learn about all of Malta's unique animals and praise the incredible fonts of 1940's San Francisco. Plus: Adam Savage (Mythbusters) talks about his obsession with recreating the original Maltese Falcon prop. How would you recast The Philadelphia Story's love triangle in 2019? C...

Paul & Amy sing the praises of 1975's sprawling country opus Nashville! They compare Robert Altman's loose technique to the perfectionist auteurs of past Unspooled movies, find further parallels to Quentin Tarantino's latest, and learn what real Nashvillians thought of the film. Plus: Screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury shares her inspiration for the film's story. What would you do for the Maltese Falcon...

Amy & Paul dig into 1938's Howard Hawks screwball classic Bringing Up Baby! They ask if Cary Grant was the model for Christopher Reeve's Superman, learn how Hepburn modulated her performance to get the comic tone just right, and wonder why weddings were so casual in the 30s. Plus: Cary's daughter Jennifer Grant shares memories of growing up with her father. For Nashville week, call the Unspooled v...

Paul and Amy boogie through 1994's Quentin Tarantino indie breakout Pulp Fiction! They revisit the moment Pulp Fiction won at Cannes, ask what this film did right that so many imitators did wrong, and try to figure out what's in the briefcase. Plus: Some of the couples you thought should star in a modern "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?"   What do you think Bringing Up Baby is about, if you haven'...

Amy and Paul drink in 1966's black relationship comedy Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? They learn about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's status as the Brangelina of their day, ask which member of the ensemble is the meanest, and wonder if George and Martha are truly in love after all. Plus: A new tasting segment, this time with a very rare spirit! What do you think is in the briefcase in Pulp...

Paul & Amy go to war over 1939's blockbuster Southern epic Gone With The Wind! They praise the chemistry of Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh, watch a trailer for the misbegotten sequel, and ask whether a film this messy deserves to be in the AFI's Top 10. Plus: Kevin J. Goff, the great grand-nephew of Hattie McDaniel, talks to Amy about her legacy. Suggest a cocktail for us to drink on next week's epi...

Paul & Amy take aim at Michael Cimino's 1978 Vietnam War epic The Deer Hunter! They investigate the film's controversial use of Russian Roulette, ask whether Robert De Niro's character is too perfect, and try Unspooled's first ever film-inspired food tasting segment. Plus: Rutanya Alda, who plays Angela in the film, talks about her journey from Latvia to Hollywood. For Gone With The Wind week, fil...

Amy & Paul don't fight the power of 1989's Spike Lee breakthrough Do The Right Thing! They praise the film's Shakespearean qualities, analyze the infamous reception it received at Cannes, and ask whether this story has a true villain. Plus: The man himself, director and star Lee joins the show to discuss why the film still feels so timely 30 years later. What do you think The Deer Hunter is about?...

This week Paul & Amy play with 1995's pioneering CGI adventure Toy Story! They learn about the surprising career of Randy Newman, ask if Sid was really such a bad kid, and debate whether the film was a greater triumph for art or commerce. Plus: Annie Potts, the voice of Bo Peep, tells us how she joined the film, and Josh Cooley shares what it was like to direct Toy Story 4. What Pixar film would y...

Paul & Amy walk into 1969's New York hustler drama Midnight Cowboy! They look for meaning in the song "Everybody's Talkin'," ask whether Jon Voight's babyfaced features make him the perfect Joe Buck, and marvel at how modern the film still feels. Plus: More of your picks for horror films that could make the AFI list. For Toy Story week, help us come up with new catchphrases for Woody! Call the Uns...

What horror films should be added to the AFI's signature list? Do films like The Sixth Sense or Psycho count as horror? Paul and Amy debate these questions live from the Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans, with special guests Sam Zimmerman from Shudder and Phil Nobile Jr. from Fangoria! They ask whether fast zombies are superior to slow zombies, discuss when meta-horror films become too meta, a...

50 films down, 50 to go! But first, Paul and Amy celebrate making it halfway through the AFI list on this special episode. They discuss their favorite performances from the films so far, break down a controversial DVD/Blu-Ray packaging campaign, read pitches for AFI movie mashups from listeners, and unveil their newly-ordered Top 50 list. Next week, we're releasing our live episode from the Overlo...

Paul & Amy fall into Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 psychological thriller Vertigo! They learn who created the famous Vertigo zoom, listen to a classic 90s song inspired by Vertigo, and ask if the age gap between Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak works to the film's credit. Plus: Tony Lee Moral, author of multiple books on Hitchcock, tells us where Vertigo fits into his filmography.   Next week is our 50th mov...

Amy & Paul cross-examine 1962's Southern drama To Kill A Mockingbird! They compare the slice-of-life storytelling to later filmmakers like Richard Linklater, reveal Brock Peters' on-set nickname, and ask whether the film can be considered separately from the book. Plus: author and professor Wayne Flynt talks about his friendship with Harper Lee in her later years.   For Vertigo week, what other di...

Paul & Amy dig into 1991's serial killer thriller The Silence Of The Lambs! They praise the many ways the film puts us in Clarice Starling's head, discover the inspirations for Hannibal Lecter's voice, and learn how Buffalo Bill was originally received by LGBT activists. Plus: former detective Paul Holes of the Murder Squad podcast explains what Silence of The Lambs gets right abour criminal profi...

Amy and Paul suit up for 1982's gender-bending Dustin Hoffman comedy Tootsie! They ask whether Michael is really a great actor, praise Bill Murray's scene-stealing performance, and compare the film to last year's Best Picture winner. Plus: drag comedian Roz Drezfalez ("Ghosted" podcast) tells us why he loved Tootsie as a kid.   For Silence Of The Lambs week, help us create a menu for Hannibal Lect...

This week Paul & Amy investigate 1974's sunlit neo-noir Chinatown! They examine the charges against Roman Polanski and discuss how to watch and contextualize his work today, before diving into the film's recurring water symbolism and Faye Dunaway's superlative performance. Plus: historian and writer Hadley Meares (Curbed LA) breaks down some of the true Los Angeles history that inspired Chinatown....

Amy & Paul excavate 1948's Humphrey Bogart thriller The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre! They ask if Fred C. Dobbs qualifies as an antihero, look at the wild career of director John Huston, and explore how Treasure inspired everything from Breaking Bad to There Will Be Blood. Plus: film critic extraordinaire Leonard Matin explains how he became a Bogart fan.   For Chinatown week, complete the famous...

This week Paul & Amy investigate 1976's journalistic thriller All The President's Men! They learn about the controversy surrounding who wrote the screenplay, appreciate the unshowy direction of Alan Pakula, and ask whether Woodward & Bernstein are a true cinematic 'odd couple.' Plus: Liz Hannah, the screenwriter of The Post, tells us whether her film was an intentional prequel to President's Men....

Amy & Paul gaze through the looking glass into 1937's Walt Disney fairy tale Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs! They appreciate Snow's sense of humor, question the hygiene of squirrels washing dishes, and wonder what Disney would think of the behemoth his company has become. Plus: animation historian J.B. Kaufman explains what made Snow White so groundbreaking, and Kate Littleton, the moderator of t...