The History on Film Podcast

Ross is joined by returning guest Dr. Ben Railton to discuss the 1996 blockbuster smash, "Independence Day". They discuss the film's cultural moment, the nature of disaster films, masculinity in the End of History, and much more! See you this fall for season 3! FURTHER READING: Railton, Ben. Of Thee I Sing: The Contested History of American Patriotism. Keane, Stephen. Disaster Movies: The Cinema o...

Ross is joined by returning guest, friend of the show, and resident Bondologist Paul Klein to talk 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies". They look at how the franchise continued to adapt to the End of History 90s and the evolution of the "Bond Girl", as well as the film's (shockingly accurate) prescience. Don't forget to check out HowToReadMovies.com and the Cold War Cinema podcast! FURTHER READING: McLuh...

We conclude this three-part mini-series with the evolution of the teen movie and cultural panics around youth culture from the early 60s up to the present day! FURTHER READING: Tropiano, Stephen. Rebels & Chicks: A History of the Hollywood Teen Movie. Doherty, Thomas. Teenagers and Teenpics: The Juvenilization of American Movies in the 1950s. Shary, Timothy. Teen Movies: American Youth on Scre...

It's part 2 of my series on the JD Media Archive! I take you through some of the filmmaking trends and themes from the collection, and provide some tips for exploring on your own. If you find something interesting that you want to share, email the show at historyonfilmpodcast@gmail.com and I will feature it in our conclusion episode! FURTHER WATCHING: The JD Media Archive! FURTHER READING: Doherty...

Welcome to the first installment of a (3 part?) mini-series on my ongoing genre study project! In this episode, you'll hear about the origins of the teen movie- including the industrial and economic conditions that helped create them, the exploitation approach to film making, and much more! Also, the Paramount decision was in 1948, NOT 1947, but I have done a lot of editing already and am very tir...

The show is on a brief medical hiatus, but here are some other things you might enjoy! FURTHER READING: Dockery, Daniel. Monster Kids: How Pokemon Taught a Generation to Catch Them All. Rawlins, Justin. Imagining the Method: Reception, Identity, and American Screen Performance. Kelley, N. Megan. Projections of Passing: Postwar Anxieties and Hollywood Films. Coontz, Stephanie. The Way We Never Were...

Ross is joined by historian Joseph Kellner to discuss spiritualist subcultures during the fall of the USSR. They discuss the ways in which these belief systems reflected the idealized New Soviet Man and how these alternative beliefs spread. Also, the ways in which American and Soviet conceptions of “nostalgia” differ, electronic music, and what the Collapse can tell us about 2026. FURTHER READING:...

Ross is joined by returning guest and HoFCast senior political correspondent Chris Bell to talk about 1998's "Bulworth". They look at how the film represents the challenges of advancing left politics during the End of History, Beatty's reputation as both a filmmaker and an activist, and how a movie about a rapping senator was able to navigate topics like healthcare reform, neoliberal austerity, an...

Check out my guest appearance on the Pop Culture Basement podcast! FURTHER WATCHING: “RUSH: Beyond the Lighted Stage” (2010) SONGS TO CHECK OUT FOR PEOPLE ONLY FAMILIAR WITH “TOM SAWYER” AND “LIMELIGHT”: “By-Tor and the Snow Dog” (Fly By Night, 1975) “Witch Hunt” (Moving Pictures, 1981) “Time Stand Still” (Hold Your Fire, 1987) “Lock and Key” (Hold Your Fire, 1987) “Nobody’s Hero” (Counterparts, 1...

Ross is joined by Dr. Tiffany Knoell to discuss analyzing and teaching time travel on film! They discuss how perceptions of the past and future reflect the present, how and why the "rules" of time travel matter, and much more! This episode was previously recorded tomorrow. FURTHER READING: Ni Fhlainn, Sorcha. ‘There’s Something Very Familiar About All This’: Time Machines, Cultural Tangents, and M...

Ross squares off against the tag team of Drs. Christopher Olson and Carrie-Lynn Reinhard as they talk professional wrestling studies! They talk about wrestling as performance art, the influence it has had on cultural production and the broader entertainment industry, the boundaries of kayfabe, and much more! Ross proposes a new use case for generative AI. FURTHER READING: Johnson, Daniel Warren. D...

Ross speaks with Dr. Landon Palmer about teaching 70s Hollywood Cinema! They discuss the major trends and changes to the film industry in this period, presenting these films to younger audiences, how culture perpetuates through generations, and much more! FURTHER READING: Alsop, Elizabeth. Elaine May. Henderson, Odie. Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blaxploitation Cinema. Nystrom,...

Ross is joined by Dr. Sage Gray, and Tim Fielder, the co-creators of The Graphic History of Hip Hop! They discuss the process behind producing graphic histories, the cultural and political evolution of hip hop, as well as approaches to teaching the multifaceted history of music to younger generations. All the mutual aid organizations mentioned in the episode can be found below. FURTHER READING: "D...

Ross is joined by webcomic artist David Rapoccio to discuss NFL fandom, trends in sports culture, and the Super Bowl! It's got a little bit of everything- fandom studies, predictions and analysis, why the commercials aren't good anymore, Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and a game! And if you aren't a football fan, we tell you what to talk about so you can join in on the fun. FURTHER READING: Nan...

Ross is joined by professor of American Studies Dr. Benjamin Railton, author of and co-creator of Black and White and Read All Over. Together, they do a deep-dive on a relatively-obscure episode of The X-Files, "Unrequited", which looks at the contested legacy, cultural impact, and unresolved trauma of the Vietnam War and the POW/MIA movement. You don't have to be an X-Files fan to listen to this...

Ross is joined by Robert Spinelli and Dr. Bethan Jones to discuss the history of conspiracy theories in popular culture. They look at how conspiratorial thinking reflects social and political anxieties, the ways in which conspiracy theorists are depicted in media, and the difficulty in approaching these topics academically. FURTHER READING: Spinelli, Robert (Ed.). The Lizard People Don't Want You...

Ross kicks off the new mini-series "Class Notes" by speaking with Dr. Josie Torres Barth about her courses on Film and Media History! They discuss the major trends and focal points of the subject, the challenges of teaching media studies in our modern cultural ecosystem, and much more. FURTHER READING: Hilmes, Michele. Radio Voices: American Broadcasting, 1922-1952. Spigel, Lynn. Make Room for TV:...

As we bid a fond farewell to a close friend and colleague, please enjoy this collection of fun moments from the HoFCast Archives. SEGMENTS: Biopic Mailbag Question: 3:50 Cartoon Music Trivia: 13:35 Christmas Movie Trivia: 38:00 Stranger Things Prediction: 51:16 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ross is joined by Dr. Vaughn Joy to discuss how the Cold War and McCarthyism reshaped the American concept of Christmas. Dr. Joy's new book, Selling Out Santa: Christmas Films in the Age of McCarthy looks at how Hollywood depictions of the holidays changed to reflect the pressures of domestic containment. FURTHER READING: Joy, Vaughn. Selling Out Santa: Christmas Films in the Age of McCarthy. Blac...

Ross is joined by returning guest Paul T Klein to talk about Bond, James Bond- specifically the 1995 franchise revival film, "GoldenEye". They talk about how the film engages with the End of History moment, reinventing Bond for the 90s, as well as the tremendous impact the N64 adaptation had on gaming. Ross celebrates the career of Joe Don Baker. FURTHER READING: Chapman, James. "License to Thrill...

Ross is joined by Drs. Bethan Jones and Diane Rodgers to discuss the first of a multi-part series on "THE X-FILES". They discuss the show's history, its influence on popular culture and politics, how it helped shape fandom on the early internet, and more! FURTHER READING: Fenwick, James and Diane A. Rodgers, Eds. The Legacy of The X-Files. Jones, Bethan. The Truth is Still Out There: Thirty Years...

Ross is joined by the one and only Brian David-Marshall to discuss the history and fandom of Magic: the Gathering! The world's first trading card game, Magic has had a profound influence on gaming and popular culture, and BDM has had a profound influence on Magic. They also talk holiday cookie recipes, life imitating art, and the early history of online social networking. FYI: This is part of an o...

Ross is joined by music journalist Chris DeVille to discuss his new book, Such Great Heights. They look at how the indie music boom of the early 2000s reflected larger changes in media consumption, as well as the influence of the internet and early social media. Also in this episode: an introduction to the history of technology, Rory Gilmore's taste in music, a scholarly approach to MySpace, the d...

Ross is joined by Alan Siegel, senior staff writer at The Ringer and author of Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television -and America- Forever. They discuss the show's early success, influences, production, its place in the culture wars of the early 90s, and much more! Ross and Alan also share their thoughts on "The Naked Gun" (2025) and the "King of the Hill"...

Ross talks to writer and historian A. Brad Schwartz about the showdown between Senator Joseph McCarthy and broadcaster Edward R. Murrow as depicted in "Good Night and Good Luck", both on screen and stage. They discuss domestic containment, the evolution of broadcast news, and much more! FURTHER READING: Cloud, Stanley and Lynne Olson. The Murrow Boys: Pioneers on the Front Lines of Broadcast Journ...