In this Movie Memory Machine: Five For mini-episode, Landen and Truman dig up five cinematic gems that either complement or correct Sahara’s sunbaked chaos. From notorious box office bombs to globe-trotting adventures, these films tackle desert escapism, colonial absurdity, and character chemistry with sharper storytelling and far less Steve Zahn thirst. Also, Tintin.
Films Discussed:
National Treasure (2004)
Ishtar (1987)
Gunga Din (1939)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Topics Covered:
National Treasure as the domestic Da Vinci Code with Nicholas Cage and map-based dad logic
Ishtar and Sahara as case studies in studio interference and misunderstood misfires
Gunga Din as proto-boy-hangout cinema filtered through colonialist baggage
The Man Who Would Be King and why you shouldn’t let your friend become a god
Tintin as the platonic ideal of globe-trotting adventure and Spielberg flexing with full flair
Key Takeaways:
Chemistry and character trump camel count
Some flops flop for good reason—others are buried treasure
Colonialist satire can age weirdly—but still frame genre evolution
Never underestimate a Belgian boy reporter with a dog
Listener Prompt:
What’s your go-to treasure hunt movie? And has any desert adventure ever topped The Mummy? Let us know using #MovieMemoryMachine.
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