“I don’t want to live among the fishes anymore. I’ll die of loneliness.”A Soviet Sci-Fi Fairy Tale of Love and Science In the 1960s, during the Khrushchev Thaw, Soviet filmmakers were given more creative freedom to explore stories beyond the typical Stalinist propaganda. This period saw a surge in sci-fi films, including the 1961 classic Amphibian Man, directed by Vladimir Chebotaryov and Gennadiy Kazanskiy. Based on the novel by Alexander Beliaev, the film tells the story of a man with...

“I’ve got a weird sense of humor, man.”Pushing Boundaries in Found Footage Horror Mark Duplass, known for his contributions to the mumblecore movement, teamed up with newcomer Patrick Brice to create a low-budget indie horror film that would challenge conventions and explore the unsettling nature of human interactions. With Duplass's experience in crafting authentic, character-driven stories and Brice's fresh perspective, they set out to push the boundaries of the found footage genre. Armed...

“It’s called ‘Murdered Man’.”Roger Corman's Comical Foray into Beatnik Horror In the late 1950s, American International Pictures approached Roger Corman to create a low-budget horror film in just five days, using sets from another project. Corman, along with screenwriter Charles B. Griffith, decided to take a satirical approach, crafting a black comedy that poked fun at the beatnik culture of the era. The result was A Bucket of Blood, a quirky and entertaining film that showcases Corman's...

“Did someone hear a woman cry?”A Haunting Guatemalan Ghost Story In 2019, Guatemalan filmmaker Jayro Bustamante released his third feature film, La Llorona, a haunting ghost story that explores the aftermath of the Guatemalan genocide. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was selected as the Guatemalan entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue the Ghost Stories series with a conversation about...

“You know, if they take a personal belonging, something that you treasure, then there’s no escape from them. You’ll be marked and they’ll always know how to find you.”Uncovering the Horrors of War and Gender Inequality Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari's directorial debut, Under the Shadow, hit the festival circuit in 2016, garnering critical acclaim and numerous awards. Set in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, this Persian-language horror film delves into the personal and societal...

“Maybe, he suddenly just wanted to die. I get that way sometimes.”The Rise of J-Horror in the International Spotlight Japanese horror, or J-Horror, has a rich history dating back decades, with influential works like Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan (1964) and Nobuhiko Obayashi's House (1977) paving the way for the genre. However, it was in the late 1990s and early 2000s that J-Horror truly gained international recognition, thanks to a wave of innovative and terrifying films that captivated...

“You’re mine now. From now on, you must devote your whole life to me.”A Ghost Story as a Statement on Pride and Greed Kenji Mizoguchi's 1953 film Ugetsu, based on stories by Akinari Ueda and Guy de Maupassant, is a haunting tale set in war-torn 16th century Japan. The film follows two peasant couples whose lives are upended by the devastation of war and the allure of ambition. Ugetsu masterfully blends the supernatural with the harsh realities of the human condition, creating a timeless...

“Anyone trying to leave the train by force will be stopped by force.”An All-Star 70s Disaster Film Mash-Up The 1970s saw a surge in the popularity of disaster films, with movies like The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, and Earthquake captivating audiences. In 1976, director George P. Cosmatos and producer Carlo Ponti joined forces to create their own entry in the genre: The Cassandra Crossing. With an all-star ensemble cast including Sophia Loren, Richard Harris, Burt Lancaster,...

“The reason, Mr. Gashade, for the hunt is the kill.”A Low-Budget Western from the Corman-Hellman-Nicholson Trio After impressing producer Roger Corman with their previous work, director Monte Hellman and actor Jack Nicholson presented him with a spec script, but Corman had a different idea. He proposed that they make two Westerns instead, giving them three weeks to shoot each film. Hellman and Nicholson agreed, and the result was a pair of existential Westerns – The Shooting and Ride in the...

“She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s hunting us.”How a Virus Spreads Through Language The 2008 Canadian horror film Pontypool, directed by Bruce McDonald and written by Tony Burgess, was inspired by Orson Welles' famous radio broadcast of War of the Worlds. Originally, Burgess envisioned the entire film as a radio play, with the main character Grant Mazzy reading the script accompanied only by a visual of the blue waveform. While this concept wasn't fully realized, it heavily influenced the...

“I think, therefore I scam.”The Sundance Struggle of Wendell B. Harris Jr.'s Sensational Con Artist Story In 1989, writer-director-actor Wendell B. Harris Jr. crafted a stunning debut feature, Chameleon Street, based on the incredible true story of con artist William Douglas Street Jr. Despite winning the Grand Jury Prize at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival, Harris faced immense difficulties securing distribution for his groundbreaking film. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we...

“Well I’ll be greased and fried! What’s the circus doing up in these parts?”The Chiodo Brothers and Their Creature Feature Legacy Before Killer Klowns from Outer Space, the Chiodo Brothers – Charles, Edward, and Stephen – had already made a name for themselves in the special effects world of the 1980s. With credits on films like Critters and sequences in RoboCop, they were well-versed in creating practical effects and creature designs. Killer Klowns from Outer Space represented an opportunity...

“In this world of guns and knives, wherever Tang Lung may go to, he will always travel on his own.”Bruce Lee's One-and-Done Showcase of Martial Arts Mastery In 1972, Bruce Lee was already a rising star in the martial arts film world, having starred in a handful of successful films. However, he had yet to have the opportunity to fully showcase his unparalleled fighting skills on his own terms. That all changed with The Way of the Dragon, a film that allowed Lee to demonstrate his incredible...

“You didn't mean it. You never mean it. You didn't mean it the time when you put up the bouquet with the 'get well' card in the funeral parlor, and sent the black lilies to the old lady in the hospital, you didn't mean it.”Roger Corman's 38th Film in 5 Years The year was 1960. The American movie landscape was dominated by Westerns, sword-and-sandal epics, and Rock and Roll musicals. But in the underbelly of Hollywood, a different kind of movie was brewing. This was the era of exploitation...

“How can you tell what’s a dream or what’s real when you can’t even tell when you’re awake or when you’re asleep?”Dalton Trumbo's Controversial Anti-War Classic In 1971, blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo adapted his own 1939 anti-war novel Johnny Got His Gun for the big screen. The film marked Trumbo's directorial debut and only feature film as director. Set during World War I, the story follows a young American soldier who becomes a quadruple amputee after being hit by an artillery...

“I don’t have anything. Never did have anything. Never will have anything.”The Tale of Barbara Loden's Unsung Masterpiece In the late 1960s, actress Barbara Loden came across a newspaper article about a woman on trial for bank robbery who thanked the judge for her sentence. Perplexed by what could drive a woman to such a point, Loden crafted a story that would become her sole feature film, Wanda. Despite being married to acclaimed director Elia Kazan, Loden struggled to get the film made,...

“Now that you know everything about me, you still love me?”A Twisted Love Story and a Director's Only Film The Honeymoon Killers, released in 1970, is a crime drama based on the real-life story of Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, the infamous "Lonely Hearts Killers" who murdered as many as 20 women in the 1940s. The film was originally set to be directed by a young Martin Scorsese, but after a start too slow for the budget, the project was handed over to the producer’s friend and roommate...

“Why can’t anybody hear me?!”The Fascinating Origins of a Classic Horror Film In the early 1960s, director Herk Harvey stumbled upon an abandoned amusement park in Salt Lake City, sparking the idea for what would become the classic horror film Carnival of Souls. With a shoestring budget and a cast of mostly unknown actors, Harvey set out to capture the haunting atmosphere of that desolate park. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off the One-and-Done series with a conversation...

“I don't believe in magic, Wombat, but a few times in my life, I've seen things. Things I can't explain. And I've come to believe it's not so much what you believe. It's how hard you believe it.”The Final Chapter(?) in the Indiana Jones Saga After a 15-year hiatus, the legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones returns for one last adventure in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Directed by James Mangold, this fifth installment aims to capture the spirit of the original trilogy while bringing...

“It’s a helluva thing, killin’ a man.”A Western Classic Revisited Clint Eastwood's 1992 Western masterpiece, Unforgiven, was a critical and commercial success upon its release. The film, which Eastwood directed and starred in, was a revisionist take on the classic Western genre, exploring themes of violence, redemption, and the myth of the American West. With its complex characters and morally ambiguous storyline, Unforgiven challenged traditional Western tropes and helped revitalize the...

“Can we talk about something other than Hollywood for a change?”Robert Altman's The Player is a satirical dark comedy that takes a sharp look at the inner workings of Hollywood and the movie industry. The film was nominated for Best Film Editing at the 1993 Academy Awards, competing against Basic Instinct, The Crying Game, A Few Good Men, and the winner Unforgiven. The Player marked Altman's return to the spotlight after a string of critical and commercial disappointments in the 1980s. Join...

“We’re all useless alone. It’s a good thing you’re not alone.”Everything Everywhere All at Once is a unique and ambitious film that defies genre conventions. Directed by the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), the film was born out of their desire to create something that would explore the multiverse concept in a fresh and exciting way. With an all-star cast led by Michelle Yeoh, the Daniels set out to craft a story that would not only entertain but also provoke thought and emotion....

“It’s not the plane, sir. It’s the pilot.”The Long Road to Top Gun: Maverick The original Top Gun was a massive success in 1986, but it took over 30 years for a sequel to finally take flight. Development on Top Gun: Maverick began in 2010 when Paramount Pictures approached producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Tony Scott about a sequel. Unfortunately, the project was put on hold after Scott's death in 2012. The studio eventually moved forward with the sequel in 2017, with Joseph Kosinski...

“You want to dance the masque, you must service the composer. You gotta sublimate yourself, your ego, and, yes, your identity. You must, in fact, stand in front of the public and God and obliterate yourself.”A Cinematic Masterpiece from Director Todd Field Director Todd Field may not be a prolific filmmaker, but his small body of work showcases his incredible talent and strong voice. After a 16-year hiatus, Field returns to the director's chair with Tár, a film that has been praised as a...