On Halloween in the USA (November 1 in Japan), Phil and Dean recorded this week’s show via zoom for a far out and far east installment of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour. In it, you will hear accounts of Dean’s adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun. You will also hear the sad tale of Phil’s sister, and Phil’s full report on the big live show he hosted, and the show he was performing in that night. There will be deep dive discussions of several films, including two by director Brian G. Hutton and two somewhat overlooked horror films. The importance of Halloween as a time to discover, or re-discover unfairly maligned or outright ignored genre films gets celebrated as well. Finally, great stars Kris Kristofferson and Teri Garr, and legendary “Star Trek” writer, producer and show-runner Jeri Taylor get remembered in “Celebrity Deaths”.

Dean is in the process of re-examining the cinematic legacy of Roman Polanski, separate from his personal legacy. The timing is fortuitous as Phil re-watched Polanski’s 1976 cult favorite The Tenant, which also inspired thoughts about The Shining. Phil also re-watched two masterpieces by John Cassavetes in the wake of the great Gena Rowlands’ death: A Woman Under the Influence and Love Streams. Finally, Dean and Phil celebrate Paris, Texas at 40, discussing the role of the American Southwest in indie cinema of the early to mid 80s, and the way Paris, Texas points the way towards Wim Wenders’ next masterpiece, Wings of Desire. Dean had to leave for London, so he drops out a few minutes early, but not before the return of “Lawsuit in the Week”, and how Netflix might be in financial hot water over its “Baby Reindeer”. At that point, Phil welcomes Marc Hershon back to the show to discuss last month’s Emmy Awards and the possible forms the venerable awards show might take in the future. Such acclaimed current TV as “Shogun”, “Slow Horses”, “The Bear”, “Hacks”, “Reservation Dogs”, “Only Murders in the Building”, and the aforementioned “Baby Reindeer” get deep dive discussions.

This week’s show boasts several great stories, both about your friends in podcasting and about show business notables. Phil shares a touching tale of being reunited with a very famous old friend. He also shares personal memories about the late acting and singing star James Darren, and the NBA great Alvin Attles. And although he died almost two months ago, Dean and Phil finally take the time to offer a heartfelt remembrance of beloved fitness guru Richard Simmons. An email from friend of the show Maurice Terenzio leads to re-visiting the discussion Dean and Phil had a couple weeks back about game show icon Peter Marshall, (the email is a GOOD one!). Another email from a fan who hosts his very own medical show leads to a very thoughtful and interesting conversation as Dean and Phil consider an invitation to appear on this man’s show and discuss Dean’s ongoing interest in the paranormal. Finally, Phil brings back the “vintage movie ad” game, and quizzes Dean about three cinematic releases from September of 1987!

Your friends in podcasting (AND broadcasting!) have quite the week to discuss! As the holidays approach, and Covid-19 dashes Dean’s travel plans, Awards Season in Hollywood gets underway. The National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Circle announced their winners of the best in cinema for 2021, and a consensus has begun to form through critics Top Ten lists about the best of the year in television. Dean and Phil discuss it all. They also try to make sense of the latest in the accidental shooting on the set of “Rust”. A whole lot of classic films get discussed, including which films may have best depicted what life in America was really like in the mid-1980’s. A new documentary series about The Beatles from Peter Jackson gets reviewed and four actors and a musician get remembered in our penultimate installment of “Celebrity Deaths” for 2021. If nothing else, you will learn that the movie Beau Geste is NOT the movie Gunga Din and director Wim Wenders is NOT director Werner Herzog.