SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham

Three-time Oscar winner, Howard Shore, is Tom Needham's exclusive guest on SOUNDS. He will be talking about his score for Francois Girard's THE SONG OF NAMES. Decca Classics released the soundtrack to the film based on the award-winning novel by Norman LeBrecht, THE SONG OF NAMES. The recording features music composed by Howard Shore and violin passages performed by Australian-Taiwanese violinist...

HAPPY CAMPERS, the opening night film for the Port Jefferson Documentary Series, chronicles the final days of a working-class summer colony in a scrappy trailer park that just happens to hold the secret to a rich life. In a waterfront campground off the coast of Virginia, residents spend their summers living spitting distance apart in rust-bitten RVs. They chuckle about the modest rent they pay fo...

Ralph Arlyck is the acclaimed director of "I Like It Here.” This documentary, which has won the International Critics Prize at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival and been an official selection at numerous prestigious film festivals including Palm Springs and New York Jewish. Ralph Arlyck, an American documentary filmmaker with a rich career spanning decades, explores his neighborhood and person...

William H. Macy is a versatile American actor whose career spans both independent films and mainstream blockbusters. Known for his remarkable performances, Macy has taken on major roles in iconic films such as "Fargo," "Boogie Nights," "Air Force One," "Magnolia," "Mystery Men," and "Jurassic Park III." His filmography extends into the 2000s with standout appearances in "Cellular," "Bobby," "Every...

The Electoral College process, though unfamiliar to many, is crucial in determining the actual winner of a U.S. presidential election, with just 538 electors casting the deciding votes. This process, which allows a runner-up to ascend to the presidency, has sparked debate since its inception. Despite the perception of partisanship, reforming or abolishing the Electoral College has received biparti...

Haroula Rose is an accomplished filmmaker, writer, and musician whose latest project, "All Happy Families," marks her second feature film as a writer, director, and producer. Executive produced by Michael Shannon, the ensemble cast features talents such as Josh Radnor, Becky Ann Baker, and Chandra Russell. The film, which had its international premiere at the Galway Film Festival, is set for a the...

Alexander Payne is an acclaimed American film director, screenwriter, and producer, recognized for his satirical approach to contemporary American society. Payne made his feature film debut with the black comedy "Citizen Ruth" (1996), quickly gaining recognition for his biting commentary. His second film, the political satire "Election" (1999), starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, gar...

Wallace Shawn is a multifaceted American actor, playwright, and screenwriter known for his distinctive voice and thought-provoking works. As a playwright, he is celebrated for creating intellectually rigorous and often politically charged plays such as “The Designated Mourner,” “Aunt Dan and Lemon,” and “Our Late Night.” His writing, which explores themes of power, privilege, and the human conditi...

Alexandra Pelosi is an acclaimed filmmaker who has produced and directed 15 HBO documentary films. Her career began at NBC News, where she spent a decade as a field producer. In 2000, Pelosi was assigned to cover George W. Bush’s presidential campaign, which led to her breakthrough HBO documentary, “Journeys with George.” The film earned her an Emmy Award and launched her career as a documentary f...

TELEVISION EVENT is a feature documentary about how THE DAY AFTER (1983), a TV movie which vividly imagined nuclear war in the US heartland, moved a divided nation and its president to confront this disturbing global issue. Katrina vanden Heuvel is editorial director and publisher of The Nation. She served as editor of the magazine from 1995 to 2019. She writes a weekly column for The Washington P...

Peter Fonda was a renowned American actor, director, and screenwriter, best known for his role in the counterculture classic “Easy Rider” (1969), which he co-wrote and starred in, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. A key figure in 1960s Hollywood, Fonda was a two-time Academy Award nominee and a two-time Golden Globe winner, building a legacy as part of the illustrious Fonda...

Laurie Anderson is one of America’s most renowned creative pioneers, celebrated for her multimedia presentations that span visual art, music, film, and performance. Anderson gained international recognition in 1980 with her single "O Superman," which reached number two on the British pop charts and appeared on her debut album "Big Science." Over the years, she has released numerous albums, includi...

Lalo Schifrin is an Argentine-American composer, pianist, and conductor best known for his iconic film and television scores. He is celebrated for his ability to blend jazz, classical, Latin, and popular music, which has made his work stand out in both Hollywood and the concert world. His signature piece, the theme for "Mission: Impossible," is a masterclass in suspense and tension, becoming one o...

Rory Kennedy is an accomplished American documentary filmmaker, known for her thought-provoking films that often explore social justice, history, and political issues. She is the youngest child of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy. Despite her father's assassination before her birth, Rory grew up deeply embedded in the legacy of her prominent family. Her documentaries reflect a comm...

On the next episode of the SOUNDS Podcast, Tom Needham is joined by music legend Morris Day. Throughout the years, Morris Day and the Time have been one of America's premiere funk bands releasing the classic albums “Ice Cream Castles,” “What Time Is It?,” “The Time” and “Pandemonium.” Morris Day and the Time, though, are probably most remembered for their performance in Prince's “Purple Rain.” For...

Peter Joseph, the founder of the Zeitgeist Movement, will be Tom Needham’s guest on SOUNDS. He will be discussing his book, The New Human Rights Movement: Reinventing the Economy to End Oppression, and his upcoming film, InterReflections. Peter Joseph is an award-winning filmmaker, musician and activist who is most well-known for his Zeitgeist Film Series. The Zeitgeist films utilize archival foot...