Film Stories with Simon Brew

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, we're digging into the story of a much-loved modern classic. Two films in 1990 arrived based around the story of real-life gangster Henry Hill. Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas though is something very special: Scorsese took a rare co-writing credit on the film, although at one stage, it was being suggested that Tom Cruise and Madonna take lead roles......

In a very special episode of Film Stories, Simon is joined by the co-writer and director of the latest – and last – Indiana Jones film, James Mangold. The pair spend some time chatting about Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny, and also explore parts of the making of Cop Land and Heavy. There’s chat about Le Mans ’66 and Brummie accents, before a chunter too about Mangold’s hugely underappreciated...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a pair of films that might just have had a bit of overlap to them! Olympus Has Fallen began life many years before it got to the screen, but it had an added advantage over its rival in that it had a movie star in place - and Gerard Butler wanted to up the violence quotient a little too. Sony meanwhile was spending a lot more money on a rival project...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a pair of films that both hit problems with one of their lead roles... 2004's Spider-Man 2 is (rightly) regarded as one of the finest superhero films, and that's impressive in itself given the tight turnaround that Sony wanted on the film. However, just weeks before filming was about to begin, there was even sizeable doubt that its leading man would...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a massive hit sci-fi movie that came from smaller origins, and a baseball film that, well, hit problems. The story of I, Robot the movie - in theory based on the work of Isaac Asimov - started with an indie script that was set effectively in one room. But over time, the film escalated, at one stage attracting Arnold Schwarzenegger. Still, when it go...

A very special episode of Film Stories, with a very special guest: producer Barbara DeFina. She tells us what's she currently up to, and takes us through her early work with Sidney Lumet. Then, the many films she produced for Martin Scorsese, including the particular challenges of The Last Temptation Of Christ, Casino, and finding the right house for Cape Fear. There's a bit of Goodfellas in the c...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, two relatively low budget films that both proved bigger hits than expected. For writer/director Zach Cregger, he was in 'director jail' following the commercial disappointment of his first couple of films. Still, he managed to get his new film, Barbarian, into place (with a bit of help from a spreadsheet). The problem? Funding fell away just days be...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, the difficult journey back to Middle Earth, and the first animated film from DreamWorks. Following the success of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, it seemed straightforward that at some point, The Hobbit would make it back to the screen. But the path there would prove far more difficult than originally thought, thanks to legal issues, financial issues...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, the continued attempt to find box office life in the Terminator films, and a modestly-priced movie that demonstrated the power of a trailer. For the third attempt to make a new Terminator trilogy of movies, the plan this time was more straightforward: bring James Cameron back to the series, and give him a big chunk of creative power again. With Dead...

Hollywood royalty joins the Film Stories podcast for this special episode, as writer, producer and director James L Brooks. The starting point for the chat is a film that Brooks has produced, the long awaited screen adaptation of Judy Blume's Are You There God, It's Me Margaret. And then they get chatting about making movies, about the 1994 box office disappointment I'll Do Anything, a brief drive...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, two very big blockbuster films, one of which had more joy finding an audience than the other. 1996's Independence Day came together at surprising speed, with creative duo Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin wary that Mars Attacks! was on the way too. And there was the small matter of getting the film's Superbowl trailer right as well. Battleship was to...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a pair of 2014 releases: one of which sent a movie star grey, the other sending its director to movie jail. Collateral marks one of the darker leading roles in Tom Cruise's career. But for a while, the film was actually set to feature Russell Crowe and Adam Sandler in its lead roles. Furthermore, the spark for the movie came when its writer was in h...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, two successful movies, one of which cost a lot more money than the othert! 2005's Batman Begins gave filmmaker Christopher Nolan the latitude to properly reboot and reinvent Batman on the big screen. But he still insisted on building part of the film in his garage, and he wasn't Warner Bros' initial choice either. With The Guard, writer/director Joh...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a pair of hit films that hit at the box office, but also that each met a challenge or two. The idea of a Hollywood take on TV show The Equalizer had been knocking around since the mid-2000s, and for a while it looked as if Russell Crowe was going to take on the lead role. But then the idea of Denzel Washington starring was mooted - leading to eight...

It's a very welcome return to the Film Stories podcast for the brilliant Dexter Fletcher, as he joins Simon for a special episode. In this one, they talk about Dexter's new film - Ghosted - and the challenges involved in making it. That, and his abandoned attempt to make The Saint, working alongside movie stars in nice jumpers, late casting replacements and a whole lot more. Plus, he still wants t...

In a bonus special episode of Film Stories, here's a collection of interviews from our live shows that take place around the UK. At each show, we talk to people in and around the world of film, and get their stories. In this collection: Oscar-winner Nina Hartstone on Bohemian Rhapsody, Cats, Cyborg Cop, and recreating a certain sound that I'm certainly not writing down here. Independent filmmaker...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, two films that were released in unusual times for the pair of them! 1990's The Hunt For Red October is a cold war thriller, that landed as the Cold War was thawing. It had a different problem too: a week or two into filming, its leading man needed very quick replacing - and a fax went over to Sean Connery... The idea of bringing together Godzilla an...

In a very, very special episode of Film Stories, four-time Oscar winner Nick Park joins Simon for a conversation about his work and career. So much is covered here: from the genesis of Wallace & Gromit and the early days trying to break into animation, through to the seven-year journey of A Grand Day Out and being presented an Oscar by Woody Woodpecker. They also chat about Nick joining Aardman, t...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a hit Spider-Man spin-off, and the film that tried to capitalise on the success of Basic Instinct. The first talk of a Venom movie came about in the late 1990s. But eventually, Sony would start developing the film as part of its Spider-Man rights package. The problem? It kept rebooting Spider-Man, and that kept resetting its Venom plans. Big things...

In a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon welcome director Jeremy Garelick for a chat about his work. They talk about the newly-released Murder Mystery 2, as well as The Wedding Ringer, The Break Up and a few projects that didn't come to pass. And then about the eureka moment that led to Garelick searching for a disused high school for sale - and the number of films that suddenly see...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a much-loved original, and its subsequent remake. 1969's The Italian Job came about in part due to Paramount Pictures wanting to make movies in the UK. But it was tough to get cooperation from the manufacturer of Mini cars, its famous ending came about very late in the day, and apparently - 30 years after its release - the film was still in debt! St...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, two modestly-costed movies from 2014 that turned out to be really rather successful. Writer Derek Kolstad had got his first screen credit on a Dolph Lundgren-headlined movie. And he had a plan for a slimmed down action movie, with a 75-year old lead character. Things changed though when a man called Keanu Reeves got interested in it. With It Follows...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, two films that were adapted for the screen - albeit in very different ways. Author Frank Miller wasn't looking to let Hollywood bring his acclaimed Sin City to the big screen. Yet filmmaker Robert Rodriguez had an unusual approach, and his own film studio to help him realise it. Plus, he wasn't strictly looking to do an adaptation anyway. A little m...

In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, a sequel that took a long time to come together, and an attempt by Sylvester Stallone to change direction. 1992's Basic Instinct didn't immediately seem an obvious candidate for a sequel. A huge box office take soon changed that - but the path to the follow-up would involve a bankruptcy, a legal case, and a lot of people turning the project down. Un...

In a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is joined by writer, producer and director Aline Brosh McKenna. They talk about her feature directorial debut Your Place Or Mine, and the journey to get to that point. Plus, they go over projects such as The Devil Wears Prada, Morning Glory, My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, We Bought A Zoo and a whole lot more. Plus, her journey into film, and a whole...