The Flick Lab

Karri and Henrik investigate the roots and reasons for the early downfall of the Hellraiser horror franchise. It is generally considered the quality dropped considerably after the first two entries. Was it greed? Indifference? Dimension Films? Harvey Weinstein? All of them? Hosted by Karri Ojala and Henrik Telkki. Edit by Karri Ojala. The Flick Lab theme tune by Nick Grivell ( https://www.instagra...

The Flick Lab returns from its winter break. Bond Marathon continues with a film that has been claimed to almost kill the franchise - Die Another Day. Here, Bond is seen sporting the infamous invisible car and surfing between glaciers in Iceland. Did the film 'jump the shark' and why? Why didn't Brosnan return as Bond? In a completely unexpected turn of events, the Lab's so far biggest disagreemen...

International Cinema Challenge 2019 is over. The Flick Lab looks back at the challenge with a Finnish listener Heli Sandström, who watched all the 20 films in the challenge. Hosted by Karri Ojala and Henrik Telkki. Guest Heli Sandström. Edit by Karri Ojala. The Flick Lab theme tune by Nick Grivell (https://www.instagram.com/prodbyiof). Miroirs, 3. Une barque sur l'Océan by Maurice Ravel performed...

It's time for 007 vs. 006. Join The Flick Lab for the in-depth analysis of GoldenEye, Pierce Brosnan's debut as James Bond in 1995. Our guests are Matt Spaiser from The Suits of James Bond and Tom Frankland the Bond expert. This episode is part of The Flick Lab's 'James Bond Marathon', where one Bond episode will be released every last Thursday of the month leading up to the release of No Time to...

Karri and Henrik delve into horrifying war imagery just in time for Christmas. After all, Yuletide is all about family ties, and so is the Soviet film Come and See. Here, a 15-year old Flyora experiences the harrowing consequences of WWII. Come and See has been on countless lists as one of the best or the best war film ever made. Idi i smotri / Иди и смотри (1985). Directed by Elem Klimov. Starrin...

The box that opens the doors of hell has returned. Karri and Henrik go after a film that they're quite familiar with - Hellbound: Hellraiser II, the successful sequel to the original Clive Barker's Hellraiser. Kirsty is haunted again by hell's adjutants, the Cenobites. Was a sequel warranted? Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988). Directed by Tony Randel. Starring Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Kenneth...

To coincide with the Finnish Independence Day, The Flick Lab analyses the most well-known Finnish film inside Finland - The Unknown Soldier (Tuntematon sotilas). It's an adaptation of Väinö Linna's novel regarding the Finnish Continuation War against the Soviet Union. In the film, we follow a group of soldiers experiencing the terrors of war - but also some humane moments of a lighter tone. The Un...

In Licence to Kill, the James Bond franchise attempted to somewhat reinvent itself. After over a decade of light-hearted Roger Moore Bond films, it was time to get back to the source material and make Bond more gritty with Timothy Dalton. Is Licence to Kill's Bond simply a cold-hearted killer, or is this a welcome return to the spirit of the books of Ian Fleming? Nowadays the film enjoys a growing...

Crazy! Some reviewers have laughed so much at this film they've had tears in their eyes through most of the running time. This is also the most commercially successful film in the history of South Africa. Is 'The Gods Must Be Crazy' really that funny and how deep do its themes go? The show is joined by a South African guest Matt. The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980). Directed by Jamie Uys. Starring N!xau...

Are you a cat person? How about a demonic mutant cat person? In Uninvited, wealthy criminals make the calamitous decision to bring a lab cat on board their yacht. The film enjoys a cult status as one of the worst horror films ever filmed. But is it so bad that it's rather enjoyable? Uninvited (1988). Directed by Greydon Clark. Starring Mike Harvery, Alex Cord, Clu Gulager, Shari Shattuck. Uninvite...

One of the most respected Polish films of all time, The Promised Land (Ziemia obiecana) is a film based on a book about the hardships during industrial revolution and capitalism in the Polish city of Łódź. How will two Finnish film podcast hosts see this classic film? Our Polish guest is Magda Hutny. Ziemia obiecana (1975). Directed by Andrzej Wajda. Starring Daniel Olbrychski, Wojciech Pszoniak,...

Timothy Dalton's debut as James Bond. Did Bond drive a Land Rover off an actual suicide cliff? Did the director call the leading lady's dress a piece of table cloth? Is the film having a Roger Moore hangover? Is Bond actually fighting with the Taliban? The film has a rather multilayered plot with all its variables. The Lab is here to explain everything as Karri, Henrik and Tom discuss all the plot...

A Japanese guy living in Finland, Daiki-san, will share his fascinating background, as well as perspective on the Japanese thriller drama, The Blue Light. What will happen when Shuuichi's life collapses around him and he can't turn back the clock? What is the meaning of the road racer? Join Daiki, Karri and Henrik to find out. 'The Blue Light' (2003) (Ao no honou / 青の炎). Directed by Yukio Ninag...

If you got a death wish, you got a date with Charles Bronson - or is it Paul Kersey. He's out to wipe clean the streets of 1970's New York of crime, with crime. All because of a Jeff Goldblum. Has Death Wish rightfully acquired its fame as one of the ultimate vigilante films? This is a listener recommendation from Łukasz (Poland). / Death Wish (1974). Directed by Michael Winner. Starring Charles B...

Pack yourself full of charm with pipe bombs and hobo pants; a burger joint lady has been targeted for infatuation. / The Terminator (1984). Directed by James Cameron. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Earl Boen.

Two Finnish gentlemen are trying to make sense out of their by far most challenging international film yet. Yeelen is a deep dive into the African country Mali, its culture, beliefs, languages, history... and the sorcery of one blood-thirsty father, out to kill his son! / Yeelen (Brightness) (1987). Directed by Souleymane Cissé. Starring Issiaka Kane, Aoua Sangare, Niamanto Sanogo, Balla Moussa Ke...

Sean Connery's last outing as James Bond, Never Say Never Again. Connery joined forces with producer Kevin McClory to make an 'unofficial' James Bond film which is a rehash of Thunderball. The Flick Lab goes through all the subjectively best and worst Bond films from each actor who played Bond until the release of No Time to Die (2020). The Lab unanimously voted Never Say Never Again as the worst...

The Brotherhood of War was the most successful Korean film at its time. It's a story of two brothers thrown into the Korean War. It was successful internationally and praised by critics. Our guest to explain its cultural nuances is Lee from South Korea. This episode is part of The Flick Lab International Cinema Challenge 2019. Join and find out more:  https://bit.ly/2M8vQKT   Lee's Instagram:  htt...

The Matrix was a revolutionary sci-fi film that introduced the world to concepts like the Bullet Time and brought to front some exciting existential questions. The Lab now dissects the entire film and touches on multiple of its philosophical points. How has the film aged 20 years on? This film is a listener recommendation from Teemu. / The Matrix (1999). Directed by Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski...

Martiniquan film episode. Black people were being exploited as cheap labor by the whites in sugar plantations in the 1930's Caribbean. But one grandmother has a tireless quest to get her grandson out of the cycle. That is the story of Sugar Cane Alley, a Martiniquan film. Martinique is a French overseas island in the Caribbean. We are joined by Sébastien from Martinique who owns a sugar cane plant...

Karri and Henrik are joined yet again by the Bond expert Mr. Tom Frankland, in a very thorough autopsy on Moonraker. Where does the line go before larger-than-life becomes too comical for its own good? Or is Moonraker simply sometimes misunderstood, top-notch entertainment? / Moonraker (1979). Directed by Lewis Gilbert. Starring Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Richard Kiel.

A movie out of an actual video game? That's what Shenmue: The Movie is, and a film made out of the most expensive video game ever made. Can it work? Shenmue the game was one of its kind in simulating real life with such attention to detail at its time and set some new industry standards. The game that was so expensive that each Dreamcast owner should've bought the game at least 3 times to make it...

Kyrgyz film episode. The Adopted Son (Beshkempir) is a Kyrgyz coming-of-age story centered around the boy Beshkempir in a remote village. The film was selected as the Kyrgyz entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Academy Awards. We are joined in this episode by Baiaman and Kenny from Kyrgyzstan to explain all the cultural nuances of the film. The Adopted Son is the film #13 out of 20...

Swedish film episode. Pippi Longstocking is perhaps the most beloved children's story from Sweden. But is Pippi racist? Does the film hold up today? What contributes to the enduring success of Pippi? What is the general rivalry between Sweden and Finland all about? / Pippi Långstrump på de sju haven (1970). Directed by Olle Hellbom. Starring Inger Nilsson, Maria Persson, Pär Sundberg, Beppe Wolger...

Even North Korea does cinema - and once it did so by kidnapping a director from South to North for the purpose of making movies for the "Supreme Leader" Kim Jong-il. One of the films the South Korean Shin Sang-ok directed for him was Hong Kil-dong. / Directed by Kil-in Kim, Sang-ok Shin. Starring Kye-Sung Chan, Kye-Sung Chan, Sun-bu Choe, Yong Il Hwan.