CinemaSpection

We continue to celebrate horror for October by talking about one of Tim's favorite films and one of the most influential horror movies ever made. We're sitting sit down for a commentary track for the original  Night of the Living Dead . Listen as we praise director George Romero's low-budget innovations, explore the various social and racial messages of the film, and comment on its stylistic tweak...

We're celebrating Halloween season with a commentary track for one of Agatha's favorite movies, Brian De Palma's 1974 cult horror musical Phantom of the Paradise ! Listen as we praise the amazing songwriting of Paul Williams, identify De Palma's various references to classic films, and marvel at Jessica Harper's dancing. Listen for our countdown to start your copy of the movie. Warning: Contains e...

Keep your tickets handy for the conductor as we have a chance encounter with the quintessential Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Strangers on a Train . Listen as we discuss Hitch's foray into film noir, praise Robert Walker's performance as the film's delusional villain, and explore the story's homoerotic subtext. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and carousel casualties. Our theme song is...

We have miles to go before we sleep so we're hitting the gas on another commentary track as we talk through one of Agatha's favorite films: the extended cut of Quentin Tarantino's exploitation tribute Death Proof . We'll discuss how the film's subject matter reflects some of Tarantino's less savory personality traits and personal history, note how the film was expanded from the version presented i...

From the highest skyscrapers to the deepest catacombs, we're going high and low to examine Fritz Lang's highly influential silent science fiction epic  Metropolis  from 1927. Kyle Brunet joins us again as we discuss the film's metaphorical depiction of class warfare, compare the screenplay to the excesses of author Thea von Harbou's novel, and analyze the differences in the various versions of the...

It's been 40 years since the release of Steven Spielberg's heartwarming (and heart-glowing) blockbuster  E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial  and we're celebrating with a full commentary track for the movie. Listen as we wax nostalgic about Star Wars toys and Atari games, note the film's parallels with other Spielberg productions such as  Close Encounters  and  Poltergeist , and ponder why there are so man...

Gee whiz!!! Noel Thingvall joins us once again as we burrow into the sand to face William Cameron Menzies' classic 1953 sci-fi chiller  Invaders From Mars . Listen as we debate the effectiveness of the film's nightmarish final reveal, criticize Martian mutant couture, and re-examine Tobe Hooper's 1986 remake of the movie. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and an epic battle with a spi...

Clear your interociter screens as Noel Thingvall joins us again to discuss the pulpy sci-fi thriller This Island Earth  from 1955. Listen as we examine the changing politics in the adaptation of the story from its source novel, comment how on how the film's reputation was changed by  Mystery Science Theater 3000 , and detail the impressive filmography of Orangey the Cat. Warning: Contains explicit...

We're offering up a generous serving of beer, blood, and grapefruit as we watch another all-time great gangster movie, 1931's  The Public Enemy . Listen as we celebrate the magnetic screen presence of leading man James Cagney, thrill to director William Wellman's dynamic visual style, and examine how the movie has inspired various crime films throughout the years, from the work of Martin Scorsese...

We're joining the rackets with the original gangster flick as we talk about  Little Caesar  from 1931. Listen as we heap praise on Edward G. Robinson's iconic performance as ambitious mobster Rico Bandello, explore the title character's ambiguous sexual orientation, and note real-life incidents of mob violence that inspired the events of the movie. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, an...

It's our 4th annual all-nighter with the Boston Science Fiction Marathon as we endure SF47's onslaught of a dozen sci-fi flicks in 24 hours. We're loaded up on coffee and Moxie as we face ecological disasters, anti-scientific attitudes, cinematic pandemics, thought-provoking explorations of the universe, and a nonsensical Star Wars rip-off. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and a deus...

This episode Noel Thingvall joins us again as we dig up missing dinosaur bones, get a leash around a tame leopard, and discuss Howard Hawk's classic screwball comedy  Bringing Up Baby . Listen as we analyze whether Katharine Hepburn's impulsive heiress is the original Manic Pixie Dream Girl, chuckle at the risqué innuendos the script manage to slip by the censors, and propose potential sequels inv...

It's that wonderful time of year again as we list our favorite movies released during 2021. Listen as we discuss the difficulties of moviegoing in the midst of a pandemic and the importance of escapism in our choices. The movies we talk about include feminine descents into madness, off-beat convention-challenging Westerns, and a ton of amazing debut features from directors to watch out for. Warnin...

Noel Thingvall returns to the show as we grab some shovels and unearth one of Alfred Hitchcock's most unusual films, the strangely sweet black comedy  The Trouble with Harry . Listen as we examine the title corpse's post-mortem career as a small town matchmaker, marvel at the film's clever dialogue and gorgeous autumnal location photography, and reveal the connection between Hitchcock and the 2002...

Chris Chipman joins us as we voyage into the dark years of Disney and come out the other side to discuss the 1979 science fiction/disaster film The Black Hole . Listen as we comment on how the movie merges the technology of contemporary science fiction flicks with the somber style and pace of older features, explore the strange religious and philosophical elements of the film's story, and imagine...

We're revisiting Charles Dickens' immortal classic as warped through the comic sensibilities of Bill Murray as we watch Richard Donner's 1988 Christmas hit  Scrooged . Listen as we discuss Murray's manic take on the miserly main character, consider the implications of updating A Christmas Carol to the Reagan years, and swoon over Carol Kane's adorably violent performance as the Ghost of Christmas...

Bob Chipman joins us for our annual outing with secret agent James Bond and this mission may be our most grueling yet as we cut down the cubic zirconia of 007 films,  Diamonds Are Forever . Listen as we discuss Sean Connery's perfunctory return to the franchise, measure the mortality rate for women who sleep with James Bond, and contemplate more efficient methods of smuggling diamonds. Warning: Co...

Now we are dangerous as we celebrate Noirvember by having an informal chat with the vice-principal about  Brick , director Rian Johnson's teen noir debut. Listen as we discuss how the classic noir archetypes translate perfectly to a high school setting, examine the moral ambiguity of Joseph Gordon Levitt's moody detective protagonist, and debate whether the character of Brain actually exists in th...

  In this special episode, we're discussing the second weekend of Salem Horror Fest Part 5. Listen as Tim reviews thirteen more films screened at the festival:    Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes Take Back the Night Apps Hideout Deathcast So Vam Val Bad Girls Seeds Caprice Brain Death Snapper Cockazoid Check out Salem Horror Fest at www.salemhorror.com Our theme song is "Nostalgia TV" by Edward Jonatha...

In this special interview episode, we talk to horror journalist/historian Heather Wixson about her amazing new book  Monsters, Make-Up and Effects, Vol. 1 , which chronicles the history of the make-up effects industry. Listen as we share formative childhood experiences watching horror movies, examine the politics behind the selection process for make-up Academy Awards, and comment on the divide be...

This episode we're discussing one of the most bizarre films in the annals of American horror film history as Peter Horne joins us to slice up The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Listen as we suggest some of the political and religious subtexts under the skin of Tobe Hooper's iconic 1974 classic, take note of the various injuries (both physical and psychological) inflicted on the movie's cast and crew du...

  In this special episode, we're discussing the first weekend of Salem Horror Fest Part 5. Listen as Tim reviews over a dozen feature films screened at the festival:  Miracle Valley Two Witches What Happens Next Will Scare You Parallel Minds Hall Keeping Company Landlocked Wicked Games I Need You Dead Sam and Mattie Make a Zombie Movie 6:45 The Free Fall Origin Unknown Check out Salem Horror Fest...

In our latest episode, Ellie joins us again as we get lost in the twists and turns of a childhood favorite while discussing Jim Henson's fantasy fable  Labyrinth . We'll compare the movie to Henson's previous fantasy epic  The Dark Crystal , examine the film as a metaphor for the transition to womanhood, and ponder what a Bog of Eternal Stench would smell like. Warning: Contains explicit language,...

Dark is the suede that mows like a podcast as we take a look back at Tim Burton's underappreciated 1996 alien invasion spoof  Mars Attacks!  Listen as we discuss the 1950s sci-fi films that inspired this anarchic comedy, analyze the box office disparity between this film and  Independence Day , and speculate on whether the Martian invasion fleet is actually a badly-behaved school trip. Warning: Co...

In our latest episode, we welcome Paresh Maharaj from the Busted Limes podcast as we cancel the apocalypse to talk about Guillermo del Toro's giant monster epic Pacific Rim . Listen as we discuss Guillermo del Toro's sophisticated visual style, comment on proper theme music for donning cosplay, and debate whether Mako Mori passes her own test. Warning: Contains explicit language, spoilers, and sci...