"How do you know?" "I don't know. I'm just afraid . . ."
Home Alone and the Fear of the Unknown
Tag: film analysis
Episode 97. Creepy Carpenter
In the spirit of Halloween, Alex and Jonathan look at the works of John Carpenter, one of the most iconic names in the contemporary horror genre. We watch Halloween (1978), Escape from New York (1981), and The Thing (1982) and discuss the origins of modern horror tropes, world-building, and stellar practical effects. https://youtu.be/ByIWMC9i000?si=aM2BkPqPeoMeTV16 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0DTuqTLf5rdfATTmuY6Yqo?si=dVrMLM07S_Sx2qNGNEk3Iw Also… Continue reading Episode 97. Creepy Carpenter
Episode 96. Pickford’s Power: The First Queen of Hollywood
Our Patrons voted on which silent film star we should cover, so today Alex and Jonathan look into Mary Pickford's incredibly influential career in front of and behind the camera. We watch The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917), Sparrows (1926), and Coquette (1929) and discuss the "little girl" persona often portrayed by Pickford, the extent… Continue reading Episode 96. Pickford’s Power: The First Queen of Hollywood
Episode 95. Films de Femmes Trois: Elaine May
Heavens! Today Alex and Jonathan wrap up the Films de Femmes series and look at the varied career of the well-rounded filmmaker and entertainer Elaine May in her films A New Leaf (1971), Mikey and Nicky (1976), and Ishtar (1987). We talk about her background in improvisational comedy, her range of directing styles from comedy… Continue reading Episode 95. Films de Femmes Trois: Elaine May
Episode 94. Huston’s Hollywood
The grand human dramas of Golden Age director John Huston are the topic today as Alex and Jonathan look at The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), and The Man Who Would Be King (1975). We talk about how Huston incorporates real life experience into his writing and directing, how he… Continue reading Episode 94. Huston’s Hollywood
Episode 93. Little Shop of Remakes
Our Patrons voted recently on what film remake they'd like to hear more about so Alex and Jonathan get into the weird world of Roger Corman's sci-fi classic The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) and Frank Oz's musical remake Little Shop of Horrors (1986). We talk about the way Roger Corman mixes comedy and horror… Continue reading Episode 93. Little Shop of Remakes
Episode 92. Swashbucklin’ Cinema
The swashbuckling genre takes Alex and Jonathan from medieval England to the Caribbean to a galaxy far far away as we look at The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). We talk about the… Continue reading Episode 92. Swashbucklin’ Cinema
Episode 91. Quintessential Quentin Feat. Hayden Chauffe
Jonathan sits down with Hayden Chauffe today to discuss the career of the modern filmmaker's filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino, in the films Reservoir Dogs (1992), Inglourious Basterds (2009), and The Hateful Eight (2015). We talk about Tarantino's literary story structure, the controversies that tend to follow his films, and the way he breaks various rules of… Continue reading Episode 91. Quintessential Quentin Feat. Hayden Chauffe
Episode 90. The American New Wave
After the studio system ended in the 1960s a new era of American cinema was born known as the American New Wave. Today Alex and Jonathan take a look at three milestones of that era: Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The French Connection (1971), and The Deer Hunter (1978). We talk about how Bonnie and Clyde… Continue reading Episode 90. The American New Wave
Episode 89. Films de Femmes Deux: Agnes Varda
Continuing our series focusing on female filmmakers, Alex and Jonathan take a look at the narrative and documentary career of French New Wave pioneer Agnes Varda in her films Le Bonheur (1965), The Gleaners & I (2000), and Faces Places (2017). We talk about Varda's capacity for biting social commentary, her empathy for her documentary… Continue reading Episode 89. Films de Femmes Deux: Agnes Varda
Episode 88. Jackson’s Journey
Alex and Jonathan trace the ever-maturing career of Peter Jackson through his films Bad Taste (1987), Heavenly Creatures (1994), and They Shall Not Grow Old (2018). We discuss the potential that young filmmakers can show in early, low-budget films, how Jackson adds his fantasy flare to a true-crime story, and the evolution of his dramatic… Continue reading Episode 88. Jackson’s Journey
Episode 87. Disney Doesn’t Die Feat. Aaron Johnson
Resident animaniac Aaron Johnson joins Alex and Jonathan today to talk about a very particular period in the history of Disney animation in The Black Cauldron (1985), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), and The Little Mermaid (1989). We talk about how The Black Cauldron almost killed Disney, the homages and innovations of Who Framed Roger… Continue reading Episode 87. Disney Doesn’t Die Feat. Aaron Johnson
Episode 86. Family Feud [Video]
Our Patreon family has come together to choose the topic this week, so Alex and Jonathan are looking at just that, family, in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Incredibles (2004), and The Road (2009). We talk about dysfunctional families, the way films help us to open up and become closer to our family, and the… Continue reading Episode 86. Family Feud [Video]
Episode 85. Wreaking Revenge
Revenge is a universal motivator and today Alex and Jonathan take a look at how it also works to create great stories in Lady Snowblood (1973), Memento (2000), and The Revenant (2015). We talk about the various conclusions about revenge in each movie, creating films that transcend gimmicks, and revenge as an "archegenre" that can… Continue reading Episode 85. Wreaking Revenge
Episode 84. The New Noir
As a follow up to last season's episode on classic film noir, Alex and Jonathan travel through the evolution of the modern subgenre of neo-noir in The Long Goodbye (1973), L.A. Confidential (1997), and Drive (2011). We discuss ways that noir themes cross over into neo-noir, the ways neo-noir uses violence, and the changing aesthetics… Continue reading Episode 84. The New Noir
Episode 83. Films de Femmes: Sofia Coppola
In the first of a series of episodes focusing on the cinematic contributions of female directors, Alex and Jonathan look at the career of Sofia Coppola in The Virgin Suicides (1999), Lost in Translation (2003), and The Beguiled (2017). We talk about Coppola's atmospheric style, the way she presents the relationship between men and women… Continue reading Episode 83. Films de Femmes: Sofia Coppola
Episode 82. Mighty Preposterous Monty Python
According to our recent poll for our Patrons, today Alex and Jonathan discuss the ridiculous filmography of British comedy group Monty Python: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979), and The Meaning of Life (1983). We discuss the hallmarks of Monty Python's comedy, various ways to create sketch-based films around a… Continue reading Episode 82. Mighty Preposterous Monty Python
Episode 81. An Episode You Can’t Refuse Feat. Benjamin Angrisano
Benjamin Angrisano joins Alex and Jonathan once again, this time to take a look at one of the most famous of all film trilogies: The Godfather (1972), The Godfather: Part II (1974), and The Godfather: Part III (1990). We talk about the thematic resonance of the series, the ways the third film differs from the… Continue reading Episode 81. An Episode You Can’t Refuse Feat. Benjamin Angrisano
Episode 80. Poised Poitier
For the first episode to focus on an actor as such, Alex and Jonathan look at three influential leading roles played by Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun (1961), A Patch of Blue (1965), and In the Heat of the Night (1967). We discuss how acting becomes highlighted in a film which is adapted from the stage, the ways that Poitier's roles reflect his own… Continue reading Episode 80. Poised Poitier
Episode 79. SERIOUS SERIES 4: Precocious Pink Panthers
For the final installment of the Serious Series, Alex and Jonathan talk about three films of the Pink Panther comedy franchise: The Pink Panther (1963), A Shot in the Dark (1964), and The Pink Panther (2006). We discuss about how the focus of the franchise changed with the reception of the first film, the way the character of Inspector Clouseau becomes more distinct… Continue reading Episode 79. SERIOUS SERIES 4: Precocious Pink Panthers
Episode 78. SERIOUS SERIES 3: Gargantuan Godzilla Generations
A true giant of film history is our focus this week as Alex and Jonathan take on three films from different eras of the Godzilla franchise: Godzilla (1954), Godzilla vs. King Ghidora (1991), and Godzilla (2014) (with a special shoutout to Shin Godzilla (2016)). We talk about the post-war fears in the themes of the original film, the campy… Continue reading Episode 78. SERIOUS SERIES 3: Gargantuan Godzilla Generations
Episode 77. SERIOUS SERIES 2: Primate Planet Pandemonium
Alex and Jonathan are thrown into the madhouse world of Pierre Boulle's Planet of the Apes this week as we look at three reboots of the popular franchise: Planet of the Apes (1968), Planet of the Apes (2001), and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). We talk about how the original series balanced spectacle and thematic weight, where the 2001 adaptation misses the mark, and how the most… Continue reading Episode 77. SERIOUS SERIES 2: Primate Planet Pandemonium
Episode 76. SERIOUS SERIES 1: Being Bond, James Bond
To kick off Season 3 of the podcast, Alex and Jonathan are starting a series of episodes about some of cinema's most influential and long-last film series. First up is the James Bond franchise with From Russia with Love (1963), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), and Skyfall (2012). We talk about the origins of the James Bond character, the consistent elements… Continue reading Episode 76. SERIOUS SERIES 1: Being Bond, James Bond
Episode 75. A Charles Carol
As the holidays approach and the second season of The Filmlings Podcast comes to an end, Alex and Jonathan take a look at three different adaptations of Charles Dickens' classic story in A Christmas Carol (1951), Scrooged (1988), and A Christmas Carol (2009). We discuss adaptations driven by performance, shock value, and graphics appeals, why each of us love different versions… Continue reading Episode 75. A Charles Carol
Episode 74. Kolorowy Kieślowski [Video]
In a special video episode, Alex and Jonathan discuss the highly stylized and thematic films of Krzysztof Kieślowski, specifically his Three Colors Trilogy: Three Colors: Blue (1993), Three Colors: White (1994), and Three Colors: Red (1994). We talk about conveying emotion through visual rhetoric, connecting films through theme rather than narrative, and movies that stick with you long after the fade to… Continue reading Episode 74. Kolorowy Kieślowski [Video]
Episode 73. Tall Tales
"Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles..." This week Alex and Jonathan discuss three movies about the act and importance of storytelling: The Princess Bride (1987), Big Fish (2003), and The Fall (2006). We discuss the various ways that stories impact our lives, crafting a plot structured around a story-within-a-story, and creating a visual… Continue reading Episode 73. Tall Tales
Episode 72. Bloody Burton Feat. Jason Harden
In proper Halloween spirit, Alex and Jonathan invite Jason Harden back to the podcast to talk about some of the darker films by director Tim Burton: Edward Scissorhands (1990), Sleepy Hollow (1999), and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007). They discuss the way Tim Burton blends dark and whimsical tones, the evolution of Johnny Depp's… Continue reading Episode 72. Bloody Burton Feat. Jason Harden
Episode 71. Detectives, Dames, and Deception
Diving into maybe the darkest genre in film-history, Alex and Jonathan take a look at the moral complexity of film noir in The Maltese Falcon (1941), Double Indemnity (1944), and Touch of Evil (1958). We talk about the increasing darkness of the subject matter as the period goes on, common elements like the femme fatale, and the continuing… Continue reading Episode 71. Detectives, Dames, and Deception
Episode 70. Tricky Tati
When it comes to post-sound era physical comedy, Jacques Tati's character Monsieur Hulot is an inspiration that still resounds today. Alex and Jonathan take a look at the complex scenarios created in Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953), Playtime (1967), and Trafic (1971). We talk about traits of the Hulot character, how Tati built a miniature city, and how he is… Continue reading Episode 70. Tricky Tati
Episode 69. A Robotic Retrospective
Alex and Jonathan dive into the history and variety of robot representation in film today. Specifically we're talking about: The Terminator (1984), The Iron Giant (1999), and Ex Machina (2014). We discuss the range of robots from violent villains to compassionate characters, the transition from divinely-inspired to human-made, and how robot stories help us anticipate the future. https://youtu.be/78T6P9U2ggo?si=SX2wUJKXF_PnRWK8… Continue reading Episode 69. A Robotic Retrospective
Episode 68. The Artsy Archers: A Portrait of Powell and Pressburger
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's directing team known as "The Archers" is the topic of discussion today as Alex and Jonathan take a look at The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), and Black Narcissus (1947). We talk about the way the Archers formed and resolved to make films, how they blend… Continue reading Episode 68. The Artsy Archers: A Portrait of Powell and Pressburger
Episode 67. Hundreds of Holmes
The game is afoot this week as Alex and Jonathan take a look at three adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective, Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), The Sign of Four (1987), and Sherlock's "A Study in Pink" (2010). We discuss the different personality traits of Sherlock Holmes that are emphasized in each… Continue reading Episode 67. Hundreds of Holmes
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