The Oscar Project Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Cimarron . I'm joined by Kevin Pettit from the See You At the Movies newsletter and we talk about the unbelievable scale of the world created for this film, the absolute character that is Yancey Cravat, and several excellent double features that you can pair with this film. You can watch Cimarron online or purchase a...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Ran Jing, director of the short film “Imprint,” a look at how topics like immigration, class, and advancing technology can all be intertwined. Listen to hear about the genesis for the story out of a conversation she had with a friend, how the film addresses the common fear of falling behind in our society, and the challenge of casting a young a...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Trader Horn . I'm joined by Rob Thomas from the Not That Rob Thomas newsletter and we talk about how the film is at times an adventure story and at others a nature documentary, the sometimes surprising amount of violence on display in the film , and the most obnoxious pith helmet this side of the Sahara. You can watc...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Misha Calvert, director of the short film “Fault,” an exploration of buried trauma that threatens the career of a star tennis player on the eve of the U.S. Open. Listen to hear about the story that was adapted from the personal story of the film's star, the potential alternate setting for the film that still comes through in the final prod...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Little Caesar . I'm joined by Charlotte Simmons from The Treatment newsletter and we talk about the array of differences between the novel and the film, the film's place as a foundation for many of the mob movies that have followed, and  You can watch Little Caesar online for or purchase a copy for yourself and...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Guy Trevellyan, director of the short film “Plastic Surgery,” a unique take on the body horror genre mixed with awareness of a crisis with global impact. Listen to hear about how he re-wrote a character based on his lead actress being six months pregnant, getting connected with one of the actors from the Narnia films, and the importance of soun...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film The Criminal Code . I'm joined by Murray Mintz from the CineVibeZ Fanzine newsletter and we talk about what it means to stick to the criminal code, an excellent supporting performance from a pre- Frankenstein Boris Karloff, and a new understanding of the term yammering. You can watch The Criminal Code online for your...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Wesley Wang, director of the short film “Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank,” a frenetic animated short set to a new song "Feel It All Again" by adore. Listen to hear about the collaboration between Wesley and adore with their unreleased music, some of the films that informed the creation of these characters, and his plans for the future o...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Royal Family of Broadway and I'm joined by Rebecca Deniston who writes the Taking Up More Room newsletter , and we talk about the distinct lack of story evident in the film, the complete ostentatiousness of every frame of the film, and how much influence the poor transfer of this film made on our opinion of it ov...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Javier Cano Larumbe, director of the short film "Void," a horror take on the effects of a pending divorce on the world of a young child. Listen to hear about the films that inspired this story, the process of casting the boy to play the lead actor in his film, and how he was able to turn the location of the home into a character of it...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Min and Bill I'm joined by Maria Banson who writes the The Brunello Bombshell newsletter , and we talk about the interesting family dynamics at play in this film, an incredible (and Oscar worthy) performance from Marie Dressler in the lead role, and the second half of the film that flies by once the action really get...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Michael Cusumano and Charity Schubert, director, producer and lead actor of the short film "Last Minute," a comedic look at trying to get a school project done at the last minute in a world without the internet and smart phones. Listen to hear about the story that grew out of generational differences between school today and 40 years...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Just Imagine I'm joined by Amanda Kusek who writes the The 90-Minute Movie newsletter , and we talk about the vision of 1980 as seen from 1930, how the film takes on a completely new plot nearly halfway through, and some out of this world imaginings of what people on Mars might be like. You can watch Just Imagine on...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my discussion of the 1930 film The Dawn Patrol . I don't have a guest today, but you can hear me discuss the comparisons between this and earlier WWI war films, the feud between Howard Hawks and Howard Hughes, and Hollywood's first nepo baby. You can watch The Dawn Patrol on YouTube , or Tubi or pick up a physical copy for your collection. Other f...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Morocco I'm joined by Jake Myshrall who writes the Film Runner newsletter , and we talk about how stars like Marlene Dietrich were treated both on screen and off, the way von Sternberg layers the visual aspects of his film sets, and the lengths some men will go for love. You can watch Morocco on YouTube , Tubi or the...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Doorway to Hell I'm joined by Jeff Kramer who writes The Death Star Human Resources Department Newsletter , and we talk about comparisons between being a mobster and being in war, the decision to show a child being seriously injured in a film of this era, and what happens when the police detective knows something...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Radha Mehta, director of the short film "Sūnna," a look at the experience of a young girl losing her hearing and how that will impact the music that she shares with her mother. Listen to hear about the origins of the story in her own truth, the importance of using the sound to drive the narrative of the film, and the way she used the...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Whoopee! I'm joined by Dan Pal who writes the PalCinema, Television, & Music newsletter, and we talk about how the film feels more like a collection of skits rather than it's ultimate form, some very problematic racial portrayals, and the legacy of some of the music that came out of this film and the precedi...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, Suzanne Ferriss, author of the new book, Greta Gerwig: Filmmaker makes a return to the podcast following her first appearance almost three years ago. Listen to hear about the central theme of fashion and how the word "fashion" can come to have multiple meanings, why Gerwig (and other female directors) are more often recognized as writers than dir...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Laughter . I'm joined by Beth Lisogorsky who writes the You Need to Watch This newsletter, and we talk about the wild mess of relationships we see on screen, an ending that doesn't clearly wrap things up in a nice little bow, and the distinct lack of anything to truly laugh about in this film. You can watch Laug...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Ray Morton, author of the book, King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon –Revised and Updated Edition . Listen to hear about why King Kong has endured in popular culture for nearly a century, what the future of King Kong may look like, and Ray's own King Kong sculpture made out of snow. Books mentioned in this episode include: King Kong: The...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Vanessa Esteves, director of the short film "Christopher & the Bug," a heartwarming animated short about a reclusive owl whose solitary world is upended by an unexpected visitor, evolving into a touching story about loneliness, empathy, and the courage to connect. Listen to hear about the origin of the story in her own experience,...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Holiday . I'm joined by Swabreen Bakr who writes the Anti-Brain Rot newsletter, and we talk about the variations between the play, this version of the film and the 1938 film adaptation, the strategies the Seton children have learned in dealing with their father, and an exploration of the difference between various ch...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I interview Paul Fischer, author of the new book, The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg―and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema . Listen to hear about tackling three of the titans of the film industry, how each of his three protagonists changed filmmaking in their own way, and some of the key contributors that helped influence these...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is the beginning of my conversations about the films nominated at the 4th Academy Awards. I'm joined by Kevin Pettit who writes the See You at the Movies newsletter and we break down some of the history of the 4th Academy Awards, a minor change to the writing categories, and all of the nominees. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the news epis...