The Projection Booth

We're discussing Better Off Dead (1985) from writer/director Savage Steve Holland. The film stars John Cusack as Lane Myer, a high school student obsessed with his girlfriend, Beth. When Beth breaks up with him -- throwing Lane over for Roy Stalin, a jock douchebag who can ski the most dangerous mountain around -- Lane attempts suicide several times… like you do in a good comedy. Jess Byard and Mi...

Cinema Novo month continues with a look at Joaquim Pedro de Andrade’s Macumaia. Based on the 1928 Modernist novel of the same name by Mário de Andrade (no relation). Some see the Cinema Novo movement ending around 1967 while others say that it simply entered another phase. Regardless, Macunaima is unlike any other movie we’ve discussed this month so far and it might be in the running as a favorite...

On this special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks to writer/director/actor Oliver Robins about his latest film, Celebrity Crush (2019). The film stars Robins as a celebrity who is kidnapped by an obsessive fan after a one night fling at a convention. Hear the rest of our interview with Mr. Robins on our Poltergeist episode in October! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...

Cinema Novo month continues with a look at Glauber Raucha’s Terra em Transe also known as Entranced Earth or Land of Anguish. It’s the story of the mythical country of El Dorado where the events seem to oddly parallel the political upheaval of Brazil from 1960 to 1966. It was initially banned by the Brazilian government until enough public outcry allowed it to be shown domestically as well as in f...

On this very special episode of The Projection Booth we're looking at the films of Trent Harris, specifically The Beaver Trilogy (2000) which includes a documentary segment about Utah native "Groovin' Gary" along with two narrative remakes (starring Sean Penn and Crispen Glover in the Gary role). We also look at the documentary about The Beaver Trilogy from director Brad Besser called The Beaver T...

Cinema Novo month continues with a look at Glauber Rocha's Black God, White Devil (and its follow-up, Antonio Das Mortes). It's two stories in one as our main character, Manuel, kills his boss and then goes on the run, becoming a follower of Sebastian (the Black God of the title) before eventually becoming a follower of Corisco (the White Devil). Ken Stanley and Chris Stachiw join Mike to discuss...

We are kicking off a month of shows discussing the Cinema Novo movement from Brazil with a look at Nelson Pereira dos Santos’s 1963 film Vidas Secas. Also known as Barren Lives, the film is based on a 1938 novel by Graciliano Ramos. It’s the story of a family trying to survive in the scraggly countryside of Northeast Brazil. We join them as they search for a place to live, a way to put food on the...

Can Dialectics Break Bricks? is the 1973 film from Rene Vienet which is a re-dubbing of the 1972 film Crush. The film re-tells re-tells the story of Crush as the story of a bunch of rotten bureaucrats who have oppressed the working class long enough. The workers look forward to a day when the landlords will all hang, priests will be cut in two and the churches will be burned to the ground. Spencer...

We’re looking at the 1971 film from James Bidgood, Pink Narcissus. It’s a wordless film which tells the story of a young hustler played by Bobby Kendall who engages in a series of fantasies throughout an evening. The film was shot on 8mm but still presents a lush, fantastic color palette and incredible sets that are even more incredible when the viewer remembers that this was all shot in Bidgood’s...

Jess Byard and Heather Drain join Mike to discuss the Panic Movement and Fernando Arrabal's freshman film, Viva La Muerte. It's the surrealistic tale of Fando, a boy whose mother sold his father out to the fascists during the Spanish Civil War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5...

Daniel Kremer and Jarrod Labine join Mike to discuss The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart. Based loosely on Robert T. Westbrook’s book of the same name, the film follows the exploits of the unlikely-named protagonist who’s not very likable, Stanley Sweetheart (Don Johnson). He fancies himself an underground filmmaker and Lothario. The film follows him on his exploits as he navigates life, women,...

Bro, on this special episode of The Projection Booth we're looking at the 2001 movie from R. D. Robb, Don's Plum. The film remains officially unreleased in the U.S. while available legally in other parts of the world. The film stars a group of young actors known as "The Pussy Posse" including Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Macguire. It's about a group of guys who bring their dates to the titular dine...

French Month concludes with a look at Jean Rollin's Lips of Blood (1975). The film stars Jean-Loup Philippe as Frederic, a man who, one night at a party, sees a photograph of a gothic castle that triggers a memory. He suddenly recalls a time when he was young when a young woman gave him shelter for the night. After that he's plagued by visions of her and feels the need to reconnect. Maitland McDon...

French Month continues with a look at Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Le Corbeau. Also known as The Raven, the film was released in 1943 and made by Continental Films, a German company operated in France during World War II. It’s the story of the small town of Saint Robin which is plagued by a poison pen letter writer who torments citizens with scandalous details of their lives, turning people against one...

We’re looking at a new series called Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time. Directed by Danny Wolf, the title might tip you off that this is a documentary about cult movies with an audacious title and scope. Rod Lott and Chris Stachiw join Mike to discuss this 5 1/2 hour, 3 part series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Become a supporter of this podcast: http...

French Month continues with a look at Alain Renais's Last Year at Marienbad (1961). Based on a script by Alain Robbe-Grillet, the film tells the tale of three characters, M, A, and X, as they wander the halls and grounds of a vast hotel in Marienbad. What are their relationships? What are they doing in Marienbad? How does this film take apart everything that we think we know about narrative storyt...

On this special episode, Mike talks with director Andrew Ahn (Spa Night) about his latest film, Driveways. It's a touching story of a mother and son who are cleaning up a relative's house after her death. The son makes friends with their new neighbor, played by Brian Dennehy in one of his final performances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Become a supporter of this...

We kick off French Month with a look at Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Doulos. The second of his several and seminal gangster films, Le Doulos is the story of two men -- Silien (Jean-Paul Belmondo) and Faugel (Serge Reggiani). They are denizens of the underworld where loyalty and honor are everything. When a burglary Faugel has planned goes awry he thinks that it’s Silien who set him up. Is Silien the...

We wrap up Polish Month on the Projection Booth with a look at Wojciech Has's Hourglass Sanatorium. Based on a 1937 book from Bruno Schulz, the 1973 film stars Jan Nowiki as Josef, a man who travels to the titular sanatorium to see his father who is somewhere between life and death. Things only get stranger from there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Become a support...

Polish month continues with a look at Walerian Borowczyk's Goto, Island of Love. Released in that magical year of 1969, the film tells the tale of a thief (Guy Saint-Jean) on the Island of Goto which is ruled over by Governor Goto III (Pierre Brasseur). After being pitted in armed combat and somehow surviving he is put in charge of the Governor’s dogs, boots, and the killing of flies. Daniel Bird...

Mike talks to director Ben Kasulke who's had a long career as a cinematographer, working often with Lynn Shelton, Guy Maddin, and Todd Rohal. Ben's feature debut, Banana Split, is an endearing coming-of-age story and is now available on Amazon Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-bo...

Released in 2005, Shane Black’s KISS KISS BANG BANG stars Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart, a two-bit thief who lucks his way into a Hollywood audition which puts him on a very crooked path of playing a detective along with Val Kilmer as Gay Perry. The film pays homage to pulp detectives of old by way of the slick writing style of Black in his directing debut. Learn more about your ad choices....

On this special report, author Mark Edlitz talks with Mike about his latest book, The Many Lives of James Bond: How the Creators of 007 Have Decoded the Superspy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5513239/support . Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon....

We continue Polish Month with a look at two films from Andrzej Żuławski. First up is his feature debut, Third Part of the Night (1970) which is a horror thriller regarding lice, the apocalypse, and doubles. We also discuss The Devil (1972) in which a man jailed for regicide is freed, given a straight razor, and pointed to all the people he feels have betrayed him. Samm Deighan and Rondo-Award Winn...

On this special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks with Joseph Lanza, author of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Film That Terrified a Rattled Nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5513239/support . Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.co...