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.

Welcome to one of our most cinematic episodes of the year! Dean and Phil talk nothing but movies, doing deep dive analyses of the new Dave Bautista action-comedy vehicle (and tax dodge?) The Killer’s Game, the current Tim Burton-directed smash hit Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the Michael Keaton-starring vehicle and directorial effort Knox Goes Away, the recent “thriller in six chapters” Strange Darling, this year’s box office disaster The Fall Guy, a 1968 film undone by director Richard Lester’s cynicism (Petulia), and an all-too overlooked classic from director Joseph Losey and leading man Alain Delon (Mr. Klein). Finally, Phil regales Dean with a real-life unsolved murder that involved the late, great Delon.

 

Last week, Dean and Phil ran out of time while discussing a vampire show from Norway that Dean has discovered and is enjoying. They kept recording, however, so this week’s show starts (as a cold open!) with that brief and hilarious discussion. Once the show proper starts, your friends in podcasting send love and best wishes to a dear friend who is having surgery this week. Then, they leap into discussions of the latest show business news, including the IATSE strike authorization vote that might lead to the halt of most television and film production, the resolution of Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney, James Bond saving the global box office, Venom: Let There Be Carnage setting the domestic box office ablaze, and the #1 worldwide box office hit of 2021 that neither Dean nor Phil have seen or even heard of! Phil and Dean then discuss Roman Polanski’s Repulsion and the importance of taking the time to do “nothing”, and what “Loki” season 1 might be telling us about the existence of multiverses. Finally, Dean and Phil celebrate the lives of a pioneer of Japanese anime, one of the best funk and soul bandleaders of all time, a character actor beloved on both the small and big screen, a groundbreaking singer-turned-activist, and two very popular comedians.

Halloween is only eight weeks away, so your friends in podcasting thought it was the perfect time to reveal their Top Ten All-Time Horror Films! Such classics as the 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers, its 1978 remake, John Carpenter’s The ThingThe Devil’s Backbone from director Guillermo Del Toro, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and Cabin in the Woods all get discussed as “honorable mentions”. What films actually made Dean and Phil’s respective lists? Listen to find out! And keep those Netflix queues handy!