Film Journal Podcast

Between the end of the original Star Trek in 1969 and his cinematic return as Captain Kirk in 1979, William Shatner roamed some strange territory. In this episode, George and Ryan dive headfirst into Shatner’s “wilderness years,” exploring four offbeat, often outrageous films: the carnal chaos of Big Bad Mama , the sleazy psycho-thriller Impulse , the satanic sludgefest The Devil’s Rain , and the...

George and Ryan discuss the big superhero blockbusters of the summer! With special guest Vince Salerno from the Vince Salerno Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@thebigv75 Support the show

George and Ryan discuss the tumultuous career of the man who became famous as cinema's Dracula- Bela Lugosi. Career HIGHS like White Zombie (1932) and LOWS, Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) Support the show

George & Ryan watch and review Roger Corman's infamously unreleased Fantastic Four film from the early 90's as well as the documentary "Doomed". Support the show

In this episode, George and Ryan dive into the last four films of Alfred Hitchcock’s career: Torn Curtain , Topaz , Frenzy , and Family Plot . From Cold War tension to grim London alleyways to offbeat psychics and kidnappers, we explore how the Master of Suspense closed out his career with a mix of political paranoia, brutal violence, and dark humor. Was Hitchcock still pushing boundaries—or just...

George & Ryan discuss four Roger Corman produced films directed by filmmakers who went on to do big things! Martin Scorsese: Boxcar Bertha Joe Dante: Piranha  Ron Howard: Grand Theft Auto Francis Ford Coppola: Dementia 13 Support the show

Welcome to a new feature series! High and Low! On each installment Ryan and George will be discussing an actor or director. One great movie, one bad movie. Our inaugural featured player: The Great Tony Curtis! The Films: Some Like it Hot and The Manitou !  Support the show

In order to capitalize on the blockbuster success of Tim Burton's Batman every studio in town dusted off any pulp magazine or comic strip hero they could find. A litany of lush period pieces with beautiful dames, handsome heroes and dastardly villains were produced throughout the 90's- all failing to match the success of Caped Crusader. Films like the Rocketeer, The Shadow, The Phantom &...

What transformed science fiction from niche fantasy serials into a dominant cultural force? The answer lies in the atomic anxieties of post-World War II America. The mushroom cloud hanging over our collective consciousness created fertile ground for stories about invasion, destruction, and otherworldly threats. Diving into four quintessential films— The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet,...

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Ryan and George discuss the legacy of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece Psycho and its three sequels. Are they any good?  Support the show

What a year 2024 has been for cinema! In this deep-dive episode, we unpack the most compelling, controversial, and conversation-worthy films that defined the year in movies. We begin with " The Substance ," examining how this body horror masterpiece transcends simple commentary on Hollywood's beauty standards to explore the psychology of self-destruction. Demi Moore's fearless...

Step into the shadowy, glamorous world of Italian giallo cinema, where black leather gloves, gleaming blades, and stylish murder mysteries captivated audiences decades before American slashers dominated horror screens. In this deep-dive exploration, George, Ryan and Special Guest Jacob Calta unravel the distinctive visual language and cultural significance of a genre that transformed how filmmaker...

Summer blockbuster season arrives with its usual mix of spectacle, star power, and occasional surprises, giving us plenty to dissect in this episode. We jump headfirst into Alex Garland's "Civil War," a visually striking but politically ambiguous journey through a fractured America that sparks passionate disagreement between us. While one sees a pointless exercise in nihilism, the o...

Alien: Romulus has ignited passionate debate among franchise devotees and casual viewers alike—is it a brilliant return to form or merely retreading familiar territory? We dive deep into what makes this latest entry work so effectively as both homage and evolution. The production design immediately transports us back to the world of the original film—analog interfaces, practical effects, and a liv...

Before there was Rotten Tomatoes, before YouTube critics dominated our screens, two rival Chicago newspaper men forever changed how we talk about movies. What began as a local PBS show featuring a pair of bickering film critics evolved into a cultural phenomenon that would span decades and influence generations of film lovers. The magic of Siskel and Ebert wasn't just in their famous thumbs u...

George and Ryan are joined by Cobra Malibu, Montgomery Carlo, and Detective Wolfman for a high octane discussion of Mad Max! Few film franchises have captured the essence of societal collapse and human resilience quite like Mad Max. In this deep-dive conversation, we explore how George Miller transformed a modest Australian revenge thriller into one of cinema's most influential and enduring p...

"You'll believe a man can fly" wasn't just clever marketing for 1978's Superman—it was the promise of a cinematic revolution that forever changed how we experience superheroes on screen. In this nostalgia-filled exploration, we chart the remarkable journey of Superman's leap from comic pages to blockbuster phenomenon and examine why this franchise remains the blueprin...

Step into the shadowy world of film noir as we explore four cinematic masterpieces that defined and transformed the genre. From the maternal sacrifice of Mildred Pierce to the atomic briefcase of Kiss Me Deadly, these films reveal how noir evolved to reflect changing American anxieties in the post-war period. Joan Crawford's Oscar-winning performance in Mildred Pierce offers a fascinating fem...

Long before the MCU dominated pop culture, Fox's original X-Men trilogy revolutionized superhero cinema by treating comic book material with unprecedented seriousness and emotional depth. This deep-dive conversation explores how Bryan Singer's first two X-Men films established a template for grounded superhero storytelling that continues to influence filmmakers today. The discussion begi...

Sony's "Madam Web" has spun quite a web of controversy, and we're here to untangle it all. What happens when two film enthusiasts with vastly different takes on the same movie sit down to dissect it? Pure entertainment. This conversation dives deep into Dakota Johnson's portrayal of Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who develops clairvoyant abilities and becomes entangled in pro...

Journey into the shadows of Hammer Film Productions as we unearth four remarkable gems from their golden age that showcase the studio's versatility beyond their famous Dracula and Frankenstein franchises. This deep dive celebrates the creative range that made Hammer the undisputed kings of Gothic horror in the 1950s through 1970s. Our exploration begins with "The Mummy" (1959), feat...

What exactly is film noir? It's a question that has plagued film scholars and enthusiasts for decades, and one we tackle head-on in this deep dive into four classic examples of the style. While many mistakenly label film noir as a genre, it's more accurately described as a distinctive visual and thematic approach to filmmaking that emerged primarily in the 1940s. Through our examination...

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George & Ryan discuss the classic films of Hammer Horror! This episode: The Quatermas Xperiment, The Abominable Snowman, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Curse of Frankenstein. Support the show