Michael Crichton’s space disease thriller hit the public at the perfect time – when everyone was afraid of the astronauts accidentally bringing back space viruses upon returning to Earth. Crichton wrote the book in a very pseudo-scientific way that made it feel like more of a scientific documentation of a real happening, and it worked gangbusters for his readers. When Robert Wise decided to adapt it, he opted to treat it the same and make it feel like a documentary. For some, it works better than for others. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our disease series with Wise’s 1971 thriller The Andromeda Strain.
Listen NowWhether you’re a creative person, or someone who cringes at the thought of art, you’re going to find something to enjoy about this month’s three of a kind.
Listen NowRichard Matheson’s 1954 vampire horror novel “I Am Legend” helped influence the zombie genre (it was the inspiration for the ‘68 George Romero film “Night of the Living Dead”) and popularized the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. Yet for some reason, filmmakers haven’t been able to crack the story. It’s been made into three different films, and it doesn’t seem like any of them have gotten it right. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off our disease series with the second of these adaptations, Boris Sagal’s 1971 film, “The Omega Man.”
Listen NowHayao Miyazaki began his career with television and it was the show “Lupin III” that gave him the chance to direct both for the small screen as well as for the big screen with the second story about Lupin the Third in 1979. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our short Hayao Miyazaki series with his first theatrical feature film, Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro.
Listen NowMeryl Streep won the first of her three Oscars for her supporting role in Robert Benton’s 1979 film “Kramer vs. Kramer.” And when you watch “Kramer vs. Kramer,” it’s hard not to wonder why she won for supporting actress rather than actress. Sure, her screen time is much less than Dustin Hoffman, her co-star, but her role has an equal importance in the film. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Meryl Streep series with Benton’s film.
Listen NowMichael Cimino’s 1978 film “The Deer Hunter” is definitely a divisive film, one about which a LOT of people have found plenty of things to say and argue about. Aside from all of that, it’s also the film for which Meryl Streep received her first Oscar nomination. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our Meryl Streep series, specifically looking at films for which Streep received an Oscar nomination, with Cimino’s epic Vietnam War film.
Listen NowGeorge Miller’s film “Mad Max” came out in 1979 in Australia and became a huge success, going on to become the most profitable film ever until it was unseated from its throne by one Blair Witch. It went on to spur two sequels and, soon, a fourth. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we gear up for one of our most anticipated movies this summer by kicking off our Mad Max series with the start of it all — “Mad Max.“
Listen NowNeil Simon saw Alec Guinness reading the script for “Star Wars” on the set of “Murder By Death,” and very soon after that, Guinness would be known as Obi Wan Kenobi to the world. But there is so much more to Guinness before that series of films, and in this particular series, so much humor. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we close out our Sir Alec Guinness series with Robert Moore’s 1976 film “Murder By Death.”
Listen NowThe end of 2014, the beginning of 2015. Happy New Year, everybody! And what a better way to celebrate than with Ronald Neame’s 1972 disaster classic “The Poseidon Adventure.” Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we enjoy the holiday with a wonderful conversation about this infamous ship.
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