Your friends in podcasting get November off to a swinging start by sharing a whole bunch of stories before delving into many fascinating films, both legendary and notorious, both short subjects and features. The stories involve Halloween, the WNBA champion Golden State Valkyries, the late, great Sir Patrick Stewart, and the making of a behind-the-scenes documentary Phil once directed about the making of a fascinating film. The short subjects discussed are the 1983 DIY experimental video horror musical Possibly in Michigan from artist Cecilia Condit and the seminal work of surrealist cinema Un Chien Andalou, the first film from all-time master Luis Buñuel which he co-wrote with none other than Salvador Dali. Three controversial horror feature films that continue to delight and disturb more than forty years after each of them were initially released get thoroughly celebrated: The current 4K restoration of Ken Russell’s The Devils, the 1981 Possession and David Lynch’s first film, Eraserhead.

Dean is back home in Birmingham, Michigan. Phil is at home in Los Angeles. They connect via Zoom to discuss the fire damage Dean witnessed while he was in L.A. last week, as well as his ongoing and evolving thoughts regarding Captain America: Brave New World which he caught up with on a flight. Phil has thoughts about the recent Mickey 17, and about the current theatrical releases Caught by the Tides and Friendship. The talk then turns to the business of show and the recently announced/ongoing breakups of media conglomerates Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast/NBC Universal. Finally, in “Celebrity Deaths”, a character actor on the brink of big fame, a chart-topping singer of 1960s hits, and a legendary jazz singer and pianist all get remembered, and Phil corrects something Dean said last week in remembering the great Brian Wilson, as well as offering something he recently learned about beloved television star Loretta Swit (who was remembered a couple weeks back).