Behind the Slate

Have you watched 'Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song' and need to talk about it? We feel you. That's why Aaron is once again joined by Dr. Amy Abugo Ongiri, film historian, Director of Ethnic Studies at the University of Portland, and author of the book: “Spectacular Blackness: The Cultural Politics of the Black Power Movement and the Search for a Black Aesthetic". Join us as we talk about Sweetbac...

Melvin flips Hollywood the middle-finger setting out to make his own independent movie, at a time when it was considered borderline impossible. What followed was one of the wildest stories in film history as Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song survives on-set madness and impossible odds to become one of the most successful films of the decade. Email us: behindtheslatepod@gmail.com Instagram: @behind...

Fresh off his triumphant homecoming at the 1967 San Francisco International Film Festival, Melvin Van Peebles finds himself in a very different America than the one he left in 1959. There are protests against the Vietnam war, a growing counter culture culminating in the ‘Summer of Love’, and The Civil Rights Movement evolving into cries of Black Power. Soaking up this chaos like a sponge, Melvin c...

Today, Aaron is joined by Dr. Amy Abugo Ongiri, film historian, Director of Ethnic Studies at the University of Portland, and author of the book: “Spectacular Blackness: The Cultural Politics of the Black Power Movement and the Search for a Black Aesthetic". Dr. Ongiri talks to us about this shift from Civil Rights to Black Power, how The Black Panther Party effectively used the media to spread th...

I am hard at work prepping the next installment of the Melvin Van Peebles history series. In the meantime, I wanted to take a moment to talk about the release schedule moving forward as well as reflecting on how this show has evolved beyond just a history podcast and how that will continue to shape the show going forward! If you have any thoughts or questions, please email me at behindtheslatepod@...

Today, Aaron is joined by Christopher Sieving a professor of film at the University of Georgia, Athens. His latest book is titled ‘Pleading the Blood: Bill Gunn’s Ganja and Hess’ which I cannot wait to read, so please, if you’re a ‘Ganja and Hess’ fan, or just want to learn more about this amazing film, go buy that out. But his first book, and the subject for today’s podcast, is titled ‘Soul Searc...

Today, Aaron is joined by visionary entrepreneur, cinephile and theatre owner, Christopher Escobar. Chris serves as the Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Society, the non-profit group that runs the Atlanta Film Festival. He is also the owner of the famed Plaza Theatre, Atlanta's oldest continuously operating theatre, and the new owner of The Tara theatre, another of Atlanta's great historic m...

In this episode we meet Melvin Van Peebles, a small but brilliant boy who grows up split between the rough South Side of Chicago and the nearby suburb of Phoenix, Illinois. A brilliant student, he graduates from high school at the age of fifteen, becomes the first person in his family to go to college. By the time he's 26, he's a veteran officer of the Air Force, a father, a husband in an interrac...

Aaron is joined by filmmaker, photographer, experimental ethnographer, world traveler and the winner of the ATLFILMPARTY Cycle 4, Artemus Jenkins. Artemus talks about some of his earliest film memories, gives insight into his creative journey into filmmaking and explains why he believes documentary is the most exciting genre for the future of film. ATLFILMPARTY is an Atlanta based community event...

It is our first episode on the life and work of the revolutionary artist, Melvin Van Peebles... only Mr. Van Peebles will not be appearing. In order to understand the themes, imagery and messages within his films, we are going to tell a story of African American representation in American drama. We'll meet a Caribbean immigrant who founds the first black owned theatre in the U.S., a gangly white a...

Aaron is joined by Ken Double, President of the Atlanta Theatre Organ Society and organist at The Fox Theatre. We discuss the history of the theatre organ, how it works, and why these precious instruments are some of the most incredible feats of musical engineering of all time. Atlanta Theatre Organ Society: https://www.atosatlanta.org/ Email us: behindtheslatepod@gmail.com Instagram: @behindthesl...

Aaron is joined by NY Times and LA Times bestselling author Jane Scovell ( Small Town Big Dreams, Ginger My Story, Elizabeth Takes Off ) to discuss her 1998 biography of Oona O'Neill Chaplin. Janes shares details of her 8 year research process, and what she thinks motivated the mysterious and captivating Oona O'Neil, a fascinating historical figure who is too often defined by the men in her life....

Aaron is once again joined by Greg Kleinschmidt of the Arroyo Film Club and the 'Scene and Heard' Podcast. Together, they reflect on the Chaplin series and debate what Hollywood can still learn from the silent era, if this truly is the worst era for studio filmmaking, 'amusement park' films vs. cinema and who is better...Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton. Bring an umbrella. It's raining takes. Emai...

Marvel Studios has contacted the Arroyo Film Club with a special assignment: find the greatest directors in history and put them into a pitch competition in order to direct the next great superhero franchise: The Phone Ranger. Aaron and Greg reach deep into the archives and go head to head in a pitching playoffs that will change the future of cinema. Get your popcorn ready! Email us: behindtheslat...

The final episode in our Chaplin series! Facing repeated scandals, box office failures and anti-communist witch hunts, Charlie Chaplin is kicked out of the country he once loved, and goes from being the most beloved man on earth, to one of it's most controversial inhabitants. Yet in the midst of this turmoil, Chaplin finds joy in marriage and family, and continues to fight against those who doubt...

Aaron is joined by, Shub Agrawal, to discus her first ever viewing of 'City Lights'. Shub talks about the differences between this film and 'Bridgerton', how Chaplin helped her look for the beautiful moments life, and we discuss strategies to convince your friends/families to watch silent films. If you've been inspired to watch a Chaplin film after listening to our series, come unpack the experien...

Aaron speaks with author and scholar from Chicago's Newberry Library, Steven J. Venturino. We discuss teaching Chaplin in the classroom, the power of silent film, and discuss in depth Chaplin's process and motivations behind City Lights and The Great Dictator . Email us: behindtheslatepod@gmail.com Instagram: @behindtheslatepod TikTok: @behindtheslatepod YouTube: @behindtheslatepodcast Aaron Stran...

With the advent of sound in movies, Chaplin seemed to be fading into irrelevance. Instead, he comes back with his three greatest masterpieces, 'City Lights', 'Modern Times' and 'The Great Dictator'. Host Aaron Strand gives a full account of Chaplin's life including his marriage to Paulette Goddard, his bromance with Winston Churchill and his war against Adolf Hitler. Email us: behindtheslatepod@gm...

Aaron speaks with actor, writer, comedian and teacher Tara Ochs on the nature and theory of comedy. We discuss why farts are funny, how the belief that comedians need to be sad is a complete myth, the intricacies and problems of cancel culture in both modern and historical contexts, and the history of female comedians. Tara gives her insights on why Chaplin's work holds up 100 years later and shar...

Chaplin pushes the limits of art, business, politics and love leaving a trail of great art and broken lives in his wake.  Email us: behindtheslatepod@gmail.com Instagram: @behindtheslatepod TikTok: @behindtheslatepod YouTube: @behindtheslatepodcast Join our weekly film club: https://www.instagram.com/arroyofilmclub Producer: Greg Kleinschmidt Photography: Lola Scott Sources: ‘Chaplin His Life and...

Chaplin goes to Hollywood where he learns the tricks of the trade from film comedy pioneer Mack Sennett. As World War I rages, he becomes the motion picture world's first superstar, and the highest paid person on the planet. As his popularity grows, Chaplin continues to experiment and transitions from bawdy slapstick to high-minded comedy, with a smile and a tear. Email us: behindtheslatepod@gmail...

One-reelers are the laid back alternative to the research heavy episodes of Behind the Slate. On this episode, Aaron reflects on an incredible first week since the BTS premiere . He reads several emails and shares extra Chaplin stories that were cut from episode 1, reflects on the importance of history when viewing film, relates the pressures of drinking as a performing artist and shares a touchin...

In this first episode, host Aaron Strand takes us to Victorian London to meet a little boy named Charles Spencer Chaplin. His father was an alcoholic singer, and his mother was in and out of the insane asylum. Chaplin overcame these extraordinary circumstances, as well as repeated failures on and off the stage, finally becoming a well respected slapstick comedian... that's when Hollywood called. E...

Greg Kleinschmidt and Jacqueline Postajian of the podcast 'Scene and Heard' sit down with Aaron Strand to talk about the new film history podcast, 'Behind the Slate'. Email us: behindtheslatepod@gmail.com Instagram: @behindtheslatepod TikTok: @behindtheslatepod YouTube: @behindtheslatepodcast Join our weekly film club: https://www.instagram.com/arroyofilmclub Producer: Greg Kleinschmidt Photograph...