The Projection Booth

Whoopbruary keeps the action rolling with Fatal Beauty (1987), a hard-hitting crime thriller starring Whoopi Goldberg as tough-talking detective Rita Rizzoli. Directed by Tom Holland and based on a script by Bill Svanoe, the film follows Rizzoli as she battles to keep a deadly designer drug off the streets. Co-hosts Rob St. Mary and Kevin Lehane join the discussion, and we’ve got exclusive intervi...

Whoopbruary rolls on with Burglar (1987), a comedic crime caper starring Whoopi Goldberg as Bernice Rhodenbarr -- Hugh Wilson’s reimagining of the literary burglar created by Lawrence Block. With Bobcat Goldthwait bringing his signature chaos as her loyal sidekick and G.W. Bailey on her trail, this one’s packed with familiar faces and offbeat energy. Guest co-hosts Kevin Lehane and Cullen Callaghe...

Pirate radio takes center stage as The Projection Booth tunes into 40 Watts from Nowhere (2025), the riveting true story of an underground FM station broadcasting from the shadows of 1990s Los Angeles. Host Mike White sits down with the film’s director, Sue Franklin, to explore the rebellious spirit behind the airwaves, the challenges of bringing this real-life outlaw operation to the screen, and...

Whoopbruary is here! We're dedicating a whole month to the incomparable Whoopi Goldberg, spotlighting a trio of films she made after her powerhouse performance in The Color Purple—plus one extra for good measure. Kicking things off is Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986), the high-energy spy comedy directed by Penny Marshall. Whoopi stars as Terry Doolittle, a quick-witted computer technician who unwittingly...

George A. Romero’s Resident Evil is one of the greatest "what could have been" stories in horror cinema. Filmmaker Brandon Salisbury discusses his documentary, which explores the legendary director’s unmade adaptation of the iconic video game, diving into the history, the scripts, the concept art, and the behind-the-scenes drama that kept Romero’s vision from reaching the screen. Featuring insight...

Buckle up for a journey through the absurd, anarchic, and audacious as The Projection Booth takes on Jean-Luc Godard's Weekend (1967). Hosts Mike White, Rob St. Mary, and Andrei Idu (who requested the episode via Patreon) dive headfirst into Godard's biting critique of consumerism, class, and chaos, dissecting the film's surreal narrative, infamous tracking shots, and unapologetically subversive t...

Mike White is joined by Maurice Bursztynski and Suzen Tekla Kruglinska to explore Hal Ashby's Being There (1979), a satirical masterpiece based on Jerzy Kosinski’s novel. This listener request from Patreon supporter Jordan Nash examines the story of Chance, played brilliantly by Peter Sellers, a sheltered, developmentally delayed man who steps out of isolation after his caretaker's death. Wanderin...

Mike welcomes writer/director (and fellow Michigander) Anna Baumgarten for a heartfelt conversation about her award-winning 2021 film Disfluency. This intimate exploration of a young woman's journey to recover from trauma and rediscover her voice captures the raw vulnerability of healing and self-discovery. Anna shares the personal inspirations behind the film, the challenges of portraying mental...

We dive into Red Lights (2012), a psychological thriller that blends skepticism, belief, and the enigmatic world of psychic phenomena. Written and directed by Rodrigo Cortés (Buried), the film stars Sigourney Weaver and Cillian Murphy as a pair of investigators determined to expose fraudulent psychics. Their sights are set on Simon Silver (Robert De Niro), a legendary blind performer whose mysteri...

The Projection Booth dives deep into the shadowy corridors of power with Alan J. Pakula's All the President’s Men (1976), a landmark film about the Watergate scandal that brought down a presidency. This special episode, co-hosted by Robert Bellissimo and Andras Jones -- who requested the film for Patreon Request Month -- delves into the gripping story of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward (Rob...

We continue another Patreon month with a pick from Andrew Henrickson: 24 Hour Party People. Join Mike White, Father Malone, and Axel Kohagen as they dive into Michael Winterbottom's electric chronicle of the Manchester music scene, told through the eyes of the ever-charismatic Tony Wilson, played by Steve Coogan. From Factory Records to the legendary Hacienda, the film brims with unforgettable mom...

On this special episode, Mike talks with Sharif Nakhleh, director of Dread Zeppelin: A Song of Hope (2024), and producer Jason USA. This compelling documentary charts the bizarre, brilliant journey of the band Dread Zeppelin, blending reggae, Led Zeppelin covers, and a touch of Elvis for a sound and story like no other. Mike unpacks the film’s creation, its exploration of musical eccentricity, and...

Starting 2025 with a bang, we're diving into Todd Haynes's groundbreaking debut, Poison (1991). Co-hosted by the fabulous Rahne Alexander and Kyler Fey himself, this episode unpacks the audacious triptych of tales—Hero, Horror, and Homo—that propelled Haynes to indie cinema stardom. Bold, provocative, and unapologetically queer, Poison challenges conventions and leaves an indelible mark on the New...

Mike dives into the deep end with Patrick Jankiewicz, the author of Just When You Thought It Was Safe: A JAWS Companion. From the film’s iconic legacy to its ripple effect on Hollywood and pop culture, Patrick unpacks the behind the scenes of the shark that changed everything. It’s a fascinating look at the making of a masterpiece, the sequels, and why JAWS still has us afraid to go in the water....

Explore the dualities of morality, fate, and human frailty in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Woody Allen's masterful blend of dark comedy and philosophical drama. To close out 2024 and our Patreon-requested series, Mike White welcomes Andras Jones and Keith Gordon for a spirited discussion of this haunting tale. With Martin Landau and Allen himself leading parallel storylines—one of an ophthalmol...

Mike is joined by co-hosts Father Malone and Chris Stachiw to sink their teeth into J.C. Chandor'a Kraven the Hunter (2024), the latest cinematic adaptation from Sony's Spider-Man universe. They dissect the film’s portrayal of the infamous anti-hero, the performances, and its place in the broader superhero genre. The trio tackles the creative choices, the film’s fidelity to its source material, an...

Dive into a neon-drenched dystopia as Mike is joined by Chris Stachiw and Heather Drain to dissect Kamikaze 89! This cult oddity, directed by Wolf Grem, is the fifth adaptation of Per Wahlöö's Murder on the 31st Floor, but this version catapults the narrative into the "futuristic" world of 1989. Together, the team explores the film’s avant-garde aesthetic, its sly satire on media and power, and th...

When cult cinema maestro Jess Franco turns his lens to noir with Downtown (1975), you know you're in for a sleazy, surreal ride! Join Mike White, Heather Drain, and Jessica Shires as they unravel the tangled web of private eyes, femme fatales, and Franco’s unmistakable flair. This Patreon-requested episode, brought to you by the fabulous Pat Radke, dives deep into one of Franco’s lesser-seen gems....

Mike converses with Stephen Brotherstone and Dave Lawrence, the authors of the Scarred for Life  book series. They discuss the unsettling aspects of 1970s and 1980s pop culture that left lasting impressions on a generation. From chilling public information films to haunting children's television and dystopian sci-fi, discover how these dark cultural elements shaped their acclaimed books. Tune in f...

Noirvember 2024 ends with a bang as we delve into Stephen Frears' electrifying neo-noir The Grifters. Adapted from Jim Thompson’s novel by screenwriter Donald Westlake, this razor-sharp film stars Anjelica Huston as Lily Dillon, a veteran con artist manipulating the odds at the racetrack. Her uneasy reunion with estranged son Roy (John Cusack) and his cunning girlfriend Myra (Annette Bening) spark...

Step into the weird and wonderful world of Crust as Mike sits down with actor, writer, and director Sean Whalen! Best known for his unforgettable roles in cult classics like The People Under the Stairs and Twister, Sean takes us behind the scenes of his latest venture—a bizarre and heartfelt horror-comedy about a laundromat worker, his insecurities, and a monster made from soiled socks. Become a s...

Yaniv Eidelstein and Will Youmans join Mike to discuss Avanti Popolo (1986), from writer/director Rafi Bukai. Set at the end of the Six-Day War, this poetic and darkly comedic masterpiece follows a group of Egyptian soldiers navigating the vast Sinai Desert on their journey to the Suez Canal. Along the way, they're thrust into surreal and precarious scenarios, exposing the absurdity and humanity o...

Noirvember 2024 shines a spotlight on Otto Preminger’s Angel Face (1952), a twisted tale of obsession and betrayal. Robert Mitchum stars as Frank Jessup, an ambulance driver entangled with the wealthy Tremayne family. Torn between the dangerously alluring Diane Tremayne (Jean Simmons) and his steadfast girlfriend Mary (Mona Freeman), Frank is drawn into a deadly web of manipulation and deceit. Jed...

On this special episode, Mike talks with actor/musician Dash Mihok a little bit about his career including his latest film, Armor (2024).  The film will be in Theaters, On Digital and On Demand November 22, 2024. Learn more at https://dashmihok.net/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5513239/support . Become a supporter of The Projection Boot...

We continue Noirvember 2024 with a look at Jean Renoir’s The Woman on the Beach.  Released in 1947, the film tells the tale of veteran Scott Burnett played by Robert Ryan.  He’s plagued with nightmares caused by his PTSD and is assigned to the mounted division of the Coast Guard where he patrols the beach on his horse, meeting the comely Peggy Butler played by Joan Bennett.  She’s married to blind...