Shows
The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 102 - 90 Years of King Kong (1933).On Episode 102 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by returning guest host and writer for Film ‘89, filmmaker Martin Kessler, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of a monumental classic of cinema, 1933’s King Kong. This beloved monster movie from the filmmaking team of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack employed then revolutionary stop-motion animation to bring not just the film’s titular character to life, but a whole host of dinosaurs and other inhabitants of Skull Island. Featuring the original scream-queen, Fay Wray, as novice actress Ann Darrow, Robert Armstrong as desperate filmmaker Carl Denham and Bruce Ca...
2023-07-311h 20The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 101 - Oppenheimer (2023).On Episode 101 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and returning guest host Matthias Van De Roest give their in-depth analysis and spoiler-filled review of acclaimed director Christopher Nolan’s epic biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Based on the 2005 book, American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, Oppenheimer is the biographical account of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer who was put in charge of the Manhattan Project, the goal of which was to win the race to develop nuclear weapons before the Nazi’s and ultimately win WWII. As well as discussing the technical merits of Nolan’s film and it’s...
2023-07-251h 08The Film 89 Podcast100th Episode Q&A.It’s the 100th Episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast and to celebrate, we’re devoting an entire episode to answering a selection of questions from our vast cohort of guest hosts, friends and you, our beloved listeners. So join Neil, Skye and Steve as they answer your questions on a number of film, television and pop culture related topics. And thank you all for helping us get to our first century of episodes!
2023-07-071h 28The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 99 - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).On Episode 99 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye give their spoiler-filled analysis and review of the fifth and possibly final film in the saga of the adventures of Dr. Henry Jones Jr, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
2023-06-301h 09The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 98 - Arnold (2023).On Episode 98 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye don their Speedos, oil each other up and prepare to flex as they finally devote an episode to one of the Film ‘89 team’s most revered icons of the big screen, a man whose films typify the very decade from which the podcast derives its name. Bodybuilder, turned movie star, turned Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The catalyst for the guys finally tackling Arnie’s career is the new 3-part Netflix documentary, aptly titled ‘Arnold’. Each part, just over an hour long, is devoted to his early bodybuilding career where he came to d...
2023-06-181h 40The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 97 - The Wicker Man (1973).It’s time to keep your appointment with The Film ‘89 Podcast as Skye is joined by returning guest hosts John Arminio and Steven Saunders to celebrate the 50th anniversary of cult British horror film, The Wicker Man (1973). Director Robin Hardy’s film stars Edward Woodward as Scottish police sergeant Neil Howie who ventures to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Sgt Howie’s investigation turns into a cat and mouse chase that culminates in one of the most bone chilling endings in all of horror cinema. That said, the bulk of the film...
2023-05-161h 58The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 96 - Star Trek: Picard - Season 3 (2023).On Episode 96 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye boldly go somewhere they didn’t expect to go, back to the realms of a current year Star Trek television show. Join them as they give their in-depth, spoiler-filled analysis and review of Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard. Show-runner, writer and director, Terry Malalas has been brought on to the show for this third season along with a new writing team and the results have had longtime Trek fans alight with joy as the core Next Generation cast are reunited for what might be their last adventure. Is this new show...
2023-04-281h 52The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 95 - The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).On Episode 95 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve, Skye and returning guest host Leighton Winstone discuss a film from a director whose films have already been covered several times on Film ‘89 and one who without doubt would be on the Mt. Rushmore of favourite directors for all three of them, Martin Scorsese. This episode sees the maturity of a 10 year investment, or in other words, it’s coming up on the 10th anniversary of Scorsese’s adaptation of Jordan Belfort’s book, The Wolf of Wall Street. By far one of Scorsese’s most controversial films, the legendary director re-teamed with Leonard...
2023-03-271h 26The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 94 - Scarface (1983) & Carlito’s Way (1993).On Episode 94 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by returning guest host and writer for Film ‘89, Leighton Winstone to discuss a double bill of films from legendary director Brian De Palma, both of which happen to star one of their all time favourite actors, Al Pacino. The first is De Palma’s 1983 remake of Howard Hawks’ 1932 crime drama, Scarface. The other is De Palma’s pseudo-follow up, Carlito’s Way. Since it’s release 40 years ago, Scarface has attained a huge following and the guys discuss its considerable influence on the crime dramas and gangster films that followed...
2023-03-211h 42The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 93 - Return of the Jedi (1983).Episode 93 of The Film ‘89 Podcast brings to a close our coverage of George Lucas’ Original Star Wars trilogy as Neil, Skye and Richard celebrate the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi (1983). They discuss the behind the scenes making of the film and how writer/producer George Lucas, director Richard Marquand and co. brought the story to a satisfying conclusion. Also discussed are the film’s astonishing technical achievements in creature design and visual effects as well as the numerous and controversial changes Lucas made with his 1997 Special Edition rerelease of the film and the further changes he made for th...
2023-03-111h 50The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 92 - The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).On Episode 92 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, returning guest host John Arminio joins Skye as they go back to the golden age of Hollywood, 85 years in fact, to discuss one of the all time classics, The Adventures of Robin Hood, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Haviland, Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone. Whilst not the first big screen adaptation of the Robin Hood legend, it set out a template for the innumerable adaptations that would follow. John and Skye discuss the three strip Technicolor process used to shoot the film, the magnificent score by Erich Wolfgang Ko...
2023-02-1755 minThe Film 89 PodcastEpisode 91 - John Carpenter’s ‘Christine’ (1983).On Episode 91 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning guest hosts Jacob Rivera and Kyle Reardon to take a look back at a film from one of the Film ‘89 team’s favourite directors, John Carpenter, his 1983 adaptation of Stephen King’s Christine, the tale of a possessed 1958 Plymouth Fury and it’s young new owner’s descent into madness as both car and driver go on an unstoppable killing spree. Coming off the back of the critical and commercial failure of The Thing (1982), a film that would later be widely regarded as a masterpiece of cinema, Carpenter went back to...
2023-01-301h 03The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 90 - Review of the Year - 2022.As we move into 2023, the founding fathers of Film ‘89 unite to give you their in-depth review of all that was good (and not so good) in the world of film and television in their review of the year that was 2022. From blockbuster fare such as Top Gun: Maverick to indie gems such as The Banshees of Inisherin and The Northman, to Bollywood action epic, RRR, Steve, Richie, Neil and Skye discuss over 40 films, television shows and books, some that they loved and others that they weren’t so keen on. So get your best of 2022 lists ready and join the...
2022-12-312h 29The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 89 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).The wait is over! It’s been a whole year since Richie, Skye, Adam Rackoff and Bill Scurry gave their epic assessment of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring for the film’s 20th anniversary and, as promised, the guys are back together one year on to give their in-depth analysis of the second part of Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002). This remarkable film is every bit as astonishing as the first, and then some. Not only are a slew of new characters and locations introduced, but there...
2022-12-072h 25The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 88 - Lawrence of Arabia (1962).On Episode 88 of The Film ‘89 Podcast Steve and Skye are joined by Steven Saunders. So far this year on Film ‘89 we’ve tackled some of the really big films, films of tremendous importance to us as cinephiles and important to the history of cinema, films such as Star Wars, The Godfather and Blade Runner to name but a few. And they don’t come much bigger than the film that’s the focus of this episode as we finally tackle legendary British director David Lean and his monumental 1962 historical epic cum war film, Lawrence of Arabia, a film that was nomina...
2022-11-2103 minThe Film 89 PodcastEpisode 87 - 60 Years of 007 - Dr. No (1962).On Episode 87 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning guest host, professional film poster artist Tony Stella, to tackle a subject and a franchise that, surprisingly, hasn’t been discussed in-depth on Film ‘89 yet, that of British super-spy James Bond. Skye and Tony celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first of the official Eon Productions 007 films with Dr. No from 1962. Based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which was his sixth in the series, published in 1958, the film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, it was directed by Terence Young and st...
2022-11-041h 41The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 86 - 2022 Halloween Special - Favourite Horror Film Scores.With Halloween looming, Episode 86 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is a suitably spooky affair. Many of our listeners have been requesting that we bring back our Favourite 5 section so we’ll be expanding that to fill an entire episode as Skye and returning guest host Stephen Simpson discuss their favourite horror film scores. Plus we have the picks of our friends and listeners as well as some listener questions. This episode is brought to you in conjunction with Psilowave Records (psilowave.com) where until November 5th, if you use the promo code FILM89 you’ll get 15...
2022-10-251h 16The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 85 - The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - Season 1 (2022).On Episode 85 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and returning guest host John Arminio give their in-depth analysis and spoiler-filled review of the first season of Amazon’s billion dollar series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which debuted on September 1st and ran for 8 episodes. As well as Tolkien’s written work, the guys make the obvious comparisons to Peter Jackson’s six Middle Earth films and how successful this new show has been in adapting Tolkien’s beloved saga to the format of long-form television.
2022-10-191h 18The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 84 - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Season 1 (2022).On Episode 84 of The Film ’89 Podcast we return to the bridge of the USS Enterprise as Martin Kessler and John Arminio give their in-depth and spoiler-filled analysis of Season 1 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Spinning off from Star Trek: Discovery, Strange New Worlds follows the further adventures of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his crew on a show that makes a welcome return to the more episodic storytelling format of classic Trek shows. Martin and John are veritable Treksperts and bring their usual expertise and passion to their overview of what has been an extremely well received fi...
2022-08-161h 06The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 83 - Prey (2022).On Episode 83 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, filmmaker, podcaster and master cinephile, Martin Kessler returns to discuss the latest entry in the long running Predator series, Prey, a prequel set in 1719 America as a young Comanche woman faces off against a more primitive, but still deadly version of the alien hunter seen in previous films. Martin is a huge fan of the original 1987 film and its 1990 sequel having discussed the entire series on a previous episode of Film ‘89. So join Skye and Martin as they give their spoiler filled verdict on Prey, available now on Hulu & Disney+.
2022-08-0955 minThe Film 89 PodcastEpisode 82 - Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).On Episode 82 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye have the high ground as they give their spoiler-filled analysis and verdict on the latest Disney+ Star Wars show, Obi-Wan Kenobi, which saw it’s sixth and final episode drop onto the streaming service last week. Will this new show help heal the ever widening rift between opposing factions of the vast and passionate Star Wars fandom, or serve to widen it? Tune in for the usual in-depth analysis from the Film ‘89 Team.
2022-06-281h 52The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 81 - “From Hell’s Heart…” 40 Years of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982).On Episode 81 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Richie and Skye are face to face with a genetically engineered tyrant as former guest host and friend of the Film ‘89 team, Bill Scurry, joins the guys in person to discuss one of their all-time favourite films, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) which celebrates its 40th anniversary the same week this episode was recorded. The guys discuss the making of the second big screen Trek outing following their discussion 3 years ago of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Following production troubles on that film, significant changes were made behind the scenes when the...
2022-06-062h 02The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 80 - Conan The Barbarian (1982).On Episode 80 of The Film ’89 Podcast, John Arminio and professional film poster artist Tony Stella join Skye to celebrate yet another 40th anniversary. Last episode it was Blade Runner and now it’s another classic from 1982, John Milius’ big screen adaptation of the character made famous in the books of Robert E. Howard, Conan The Barbarian starring titanic screen icon, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Milius’ film, based on a script by Oliver Stone, is no B-movie sword & sorcery, hack & slash fest. There’s a depth of well executed storytelling at play, coupled with a sparse but perfectly crafted script, all wrapped up with an...
2022-05-112h 11The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 79 - “All Those Moments…” 40 Years of Blade Runner (1982).On Episode 79 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by regular guest host, filmmaker Bill Scurry, to discuss Ridley Scott’s seminal science fiction classic, Blade Runner (1982) which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Blade Runner is without doubt one of the most influential films not just within the sci-fi genre, but in any genre. Scott’s film had a troubled production and was something of a failure upon its initial release in June of 1982, but over four decades has seen it revived and rejuvenated and gain a huge following. For a time it attained cult classic status...
2022-04-172h 16The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 78 - “Strictly Business” - 50 Years of The Godfather (1972).On Episode 78 of The Film ‘89 Podcast we make you an offer you can’t refuse as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel, The Godfather. Joining Steve and Skye are returning guest hosts, Leighton Winstone and Kyle Reardon. The guys discuss the making of this remarkable film and give their usual in-depth analysis of what is without doubt one of the greatest movies of all time.
2022-03-282h 17The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 77 - The Batman (2022).On Episode 77 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye give their in-depth and spoiler-filled review of director Matt Reeves’ new big screen iteration of one of the comic book world’s most famous characters, Batman, or in this case, The Batman. Starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, Paul Dano and Andy Serkis, The Batman is garnering considerable acclaim and overwhelmingly positive word of mouth. Now that the dust is starting to settle on this latest big screen outing for The Caped Crusader, will the guys hold it in similar regard and will it be a strong enough...
2022-03-081h 17The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 76 - The Book of Boba Fett (2021).On Episode 76 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye & Richie give their in-depth and spoiler-filled review of Lucasfilm’s latest Star Wars related Disney+ show, spinning off from Season 2 of The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett is written by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni and consists of 7 episodes directed by Robert Rodriguez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Dave Filoni among others. Does this new Star Wars show live up to both the high standards set by The Mandalorian and the huge fan expectation for a show centred around one of Star Wars’ most popular characters?
2022-02-171h 12The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 75 - Star Wars (1977).For the 75th episode of The Film ’89 Podcast, which also happens to be the podcast’s 4 year anniversary, we give you a suitably special episode which celebrates one of the Film ’89 team’s all-time favourite films, George Lucas’ Star Wars from 1977. Join Richie, Neil and Skye as they celebrate Star Wars’s upcoming 45th anniversary and discuss what this monumental film means to them. Star Wars was a film that not only smashed box office records but one that would redefine the landscape of cinema forever. It ushered in an era of blockbuster movies and came at a time when the wor...
2022-02-122h 30The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 74 - Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).On Episode 74 of The Film ’89 Podcast, Richie, Neil & Skye give their in-depth, spoiler-filled analysis and verdict of a film that’s tearing up the global box office and smashing records, Sony Pictures’ & Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: No Way Home. Rarely has a film been filled with such brave and bold creative narrative choices and shocking twists and turns, so we urge you to see the film before listening as the guys discuss all major plot elements, many that you won’t want spoiled if you haven’t already seen it. Go see the film then tune in for the usual quality disc...
2021-12-2000 minThe Film 89 PodcastEpisode 73 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).Episode 73 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is one of the bigs ones, another film struck off our bucket list of films to cover on Film ‘89 and currently one of the three most requested films by you, our listeners. Those three films are Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy and on this Cave Troll sized episode, Richard and Skye are joined by returning guest hosts, filmmakers Bill Scurry and Adam Rackoff, to embark upon an epic journey into Middle Earth as they give their in-depth analysis of the first part of Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of J.R.R. Tol...
2021-12-032h 40The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 72 - Dune (2021).On Episode 72 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by filmmaker, podcaster and writer on the subject of film and one of Film ‘89’s most revered recurring guest hosts, the venerable Mr Bill Scurry, to discuss one of Bill’s favourite films and it’s newly released remake. They’ll be giving their in-depth and spoiler filled analysis of director Denis Villeneuve’s latest epic cinematic undertaking, his adaptation of Frank Herbert’s legendary science fiction tale, Dune, or to be more precise, the first part of Villeneuve’s adaptation. They’ll also be discussing David Lynch’s cult classic 1984 film adap...
2021-11-011h 23The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 71 - Halloween Kills (2021).Episode 71 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is our 2021 Halloween Special. Joining Steve and Skye and hailing all the way from Southern California is film writer, podcaster and quite fittingly for this episode, horror aficionado, Alexandria Daniels. This trio of horror film fans will be giving you their in-depth and spoiler-filled analysis of the second film in director David Gordon Green’s Halloween revival trilogy that began in 2018 with Halloween and continues now with the recently released Halloween Kills. As well as a review of the new film, they’ll be discussing John Carpenter’s classic 1978 original and it’s many sequels. T...
2021-10-241h 17The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 70 - Citizen Kane (1941).On Episode 70 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by returning co-hosts Steven Saunders, host and producer of The Film Connection podcast, and podcasting veteran, Dave Eaves. The assembled team are tackling one of the most important films ever made and one hailed by many critics as the greatest ever made, Orson Welles’ astonishing directorial debut, Citizen Kane, which this year celebrates its 80th anniversary. The guys discuss the film’s enigmatic director/star who at just 24 years old, managed to alter the landscape of cinema forever. Citizen Kane is a film ripe for endless analysis and that’s...
2021-09-071h 49The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 69 - “Thank God For The Rain” - 45 Years of Taxi Driver (1976).Episode 69 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is one that we’ve been eagerly waiting to bring you since the podcast began. 45 years ago, director Martin Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader brought to the big screen a film that would epitomise that particular decade’s penchant for gritty and often unflinchingly bleak looks at society’s grimy underbelly. The film in question is Taxi Driver, and Robert De Niro’s remarkable performance as Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle is a chilling character study, a statement on the fallout of that most controversial of conflicts and also a study of one man’s failing mental healt...
2021-07-251h 20The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 68 - Loki (2021) / Black Widow (2021).Episode 68 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is a double sized rundown of not one, but two of Marvel’s latest properties as Neil, Skye & Richie give their in-depth and spoiler-filled reviews of Season 1 of Loki on Disney+ and Marvel Studios’ latest and much delayed theatrical release, Black Widow.
2021-07-192h 07The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 67 - Army of the Dead (2021).On Episode 67 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye are joined by one of their favourite co-hosts from episodes past, filmmaker, film commentator and co-host of the brilliant I Don’t Get It Podcast, the venerable Mr Bill Scurry who makes his long overdue return to Film ‘89.As they’re still without the cinema as a means of film nourishment, the guys are aiming their sights at Netflix’s latest big offering, Zack Snyder’s zombie action film, Army of the Dead, starring Dave Bautista as Scott Ward, who, following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, leads a group of mer...
2021-05-261h 44The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 66 - The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021).On Episode 66 of The Film ’89 Podcast, Neil, Richie & Skye discuss Marvel Studios’ second series for Disney+, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, starring Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Daniel Bruhl, Emily VanCamp and a host of familiar and new faces as Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes deal with life in a world without Captain America. As well as discussing all aspects of this new show, the guys go further back into the MCU to give some long-overdue attention to a film that’s a key influence on this latest Marvel show and a firm favourite amongst the Film ’89 Team, 2014’s Captain...
2021-05-011h 30The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 65 - Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021).On Episode 65 of The Film ’89 Podcast, Neil, Richie and Skye discuss a film that’s been miraculously resurrected from the realms of mediocrity and given a new lease of life. That film is of course 2017’s Justice League which, through a combination of ancient alien technology, dark magic and unprecedented fan pressure, has been brought back to life, rejuvenated in a new form, Zack Snyder’s Justice League. The guys give their usual in-depth take on not just the new cut of the film but also the controversy surrounding the the original theatrical version and the remarkable set of circumstances that led...
2021-03-231h 56The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 64 - WandaVision (2021).On Episode 64 of The Film ’89 Podcast, Richie, Skye & Neil head to Westview, New Jersey to investigate the strange goings on in Marvel Studio’s first series for Disney+, WandaVision, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprising their roles of Wanda Maximoff and Vision. The guys go in-depth in their analysis of this hugely successful foray into serialised television for Marvel Studios as the long-running franchise is taken into new territory, paving the way for the much anticipated slate of Marvel shows set to follow in its wake.
2021-03-112h 15The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 63 - “The Art of Loneliness” - Lost in Translation (2003) & Her (2013).On Episode 63 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Haydn and Skye are joined by a very special guest host to discuss a double bill of two of their favourite films which share strong connective elements. Sofia Coppola won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Lost in Translation (2003) which was loosely inspired by her relationship with her then-husband Spike Jonze. Ten years later, Spike Jonze would win the same award for Her (2013), another film about relationships and loneliness, both films starring Scarlett Johansson.Joining Haydn and Skye is a very special guest host hailing all the way from California, the wonderful Be...
2021-02-031h 55The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 62 - Wonder Woman 1984 (2020).Episode 62 of The Film ’89 Podcast straddles both 2020 and 2021 like some bronze colossus and the big point of discussion this episode is our spoiler-filled review of director Patty Jenkins’ much delayed sequel to her smash hit 2017 entry into Warner Bros’ DCEU, Wonder Woman, a film that grossed a whopping $822 million worldwide. That film is of course Wonder Woman 1984, so join Neil & Skye as they give you their in-depth review as well as a look ahead to what 2021 might have in store for both Film ’89 and the film industry in general.
2021-01-021h 27The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 61 - The Mandalorian, Season 2 (2020).On Episode 61 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye are once again joined by their curmudgeonly mutual friend and fellow life-long Star Wars enthusiast, Jim Cottle, to give their spoiler-filled review of the second season of Lucasfilm/Disney’s The Mandalorian. The first season was a hit with the guys earning a collective score of 9/10 back on Episode 41. Show creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have pulled out all the stops in a second season that has had Star Wars fandom ablaze with discussion. Also the guys discuss the plethora of forthcoming content recently unveiled by Disney in their Investor Anno...
2020-12-252h 04The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 60 - “Just a Shot Away” - Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990) & Casino (1995).On Episode 60 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by two guest hosts who are both making their debut on the podcast. The first is fellow Welshman Leighton Winstone, who, as well as having written countless pieces for the site is a frequent co-host on The Undead Wookie Podcast.Our second guest is certainly not Welsh. Hailing all the way from the US of A, we’re very glad to be joined by a longtime friend of Film ‘89, filmmaker and fellow hardcore cinephile, Kyle Reardon. This episode the guys will be discussing not one but tw...
2020-12-151h 58The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 59 - “Nothing Ever Ends” - The Enduring Legacy of Alan Moore’s ‘Watchmen’.The Film ’89 Podcast’s dynamic duo of comic book experts, Haydn Spurrell and John Arminio, return to discuss Watchmen, the beloved comic book creation of legendary writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colourist John Higgins. First published by DC Comics in September 1986, ending in October 1987, the 12 issue maxi-series was later collected as a single volume and would go on to become regarded as one of the all-time great comic book series’. It spawned follow-up series’ in comic form as well as prequels and in 2009 director Zack Snyder brought the story to the big screen, something many had previously thought impossib...
2020-12-091h 38The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 58 - An interview with Joey Cramer, star of Flight of the Navigator (1986) & Life After the Navigator (2020).In Episode 58 of The Film ’89 Podcast, one of the Film ’89 writing team, Steven Saunders, makes his long-overdue debut on the Podcast. Steven is a lifelong cinephile and host of his own podcast, The Film Connection, and for this very special episode, he was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview actor Joey Cramer, star of the hit 1986 Disney sci-fi film, Flight of the Navigator. Joey is the subject of a new documentary from writer/director Lisa Downs, Life After the Navigator, that’s both a loving retrospective of Flight of the Navigator but also a biography of Joey’s life. A...
2020-11-171h 06The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 57 - The Karate Kid (1984).Episode 57 of The Film ’89 Podcast is ready to deliver a roundhouse kick to 2020 and propel you back to a better time, 1984 in fact and the cult classic martial arts drama, The Karate Kid. Rocky director John G. Avildsen’s beloved film stars Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Elisabeth Shue, Martin Kove and features an Oscar nominated turn from Pat Morita as the wise sensei, Mr Miyagi. It’s a firm favourite amongst the Film ’89 Team and Richie and Neil go all in on this deep dive analysis of The Karate Kid. Also discussed are the numerous sequels, the 2010 reboot, and the recent T...
2020-11-152h 29The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 56 - The Fog (1980).On the 56th episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve, Haydn & Skye take a ghoulish trip to the haunted coastal town of Antonio Bay as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of John Carpenter’s tale of ghostly revenge, The Fog. Carpenter is a firm favourite director amongst the Film ‘89 team and following on from one of our earliest episodes where Carpenter’s seminal sci-fi/horror classic, The Thing was given the Film ‘89 treatment, this time we look at his 1980 cult classic, The Fog, a ghost story that underwent considerable post-production re-shooting after Carpenter felt that it lacked the requisite scares compared to its con...
2020-10-221h 34The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 55 - The Social Network (2010).On Episode 55 of The Film ’89 Podcast we’ve handed the reigns to one of our favourite guest-hosts from past episodes, Mr Jacob Rivera. As well as being a valued writer for film89.co.uk, Jacob’s a seasoned podcaster and having previously joined us for our Fight Club episode amongst others, Jacob returns to the work of director David Fincher as he and his guest-host celebrate the tenth anniversary of Fincher’s brilliant 2010 film, The Social Network. This hugely acclaimed film charts the genesis of social media giant Facebook and the legal wranglings that surrounded its early years and the possibly...
2020-09-201h 30The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 54 - Tenet (2020).Episode 54 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is unique in that it’s presented in reverse in honour of our main review, Christopher Nolan’s latest mind-bending, time-inverted action/science- fiction film, Tenet. So starting off will be a raft of listener questions as Neil and Skye dig deep into the Film ‘89 mailbag to answer your film and television related queries. Then for our spoiler-filled review, the guys will be going in-depth to give their detailed breakdown of the film that’s marked their long awaited return to the cinema after months of lockdown. So check your watches and sit back for yet anothe...
2020-08-311h 45The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 53 - The Back to the Future Trilogy (1985-1990).Synchronise your watches Film ‘89ers because in Episode 53, Richie and Skye (and their very special guest co-host) will be going in-depth as they discuss one of the all-time great movie trilogies, Back to the Future from 1985 and it’s two sequels filmed back to back and released in 1989 and 1990 respectively. They’ll be discussing the behind the scenes production of these amazing films as they always do when they cover the classics but also want to give our listeners their very personal analysis of what makes these films so special. But they’re not alone in this celebration of Back to the F...
2020-08-192h 57The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 52 - Jaws (1975).Episode 52 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is one the big ones for us, one of those special films that’s been on our dream list of films to cover since the podcast was just a pipe dream. That film is of course Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film, Jaws, and to coincide with the film’s 45th anniversary, we’re giving you, our loyal listeners, something which as far as we’re aware has never been done before, a Jaws audio commentary. It’s certainly not something that’s been done on Laserdisc, DVD or Blu-Ray. Now this is a special episode not just because Jaw...
2020-08-082h 14The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 51 - Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) / Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).In Episode 51 of the Film ’89 Podcast, Haydn is joined by returning co-host John Arminio of Comix Connection to discuss the impact of two of the most revered animated superhero films ever made. Separated by 25 years, 1993’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse have considerable stylistic differences but what they have in common is that both are brilliant adaptations of their respective characters. One film portrays the dark and brooding Gotham City, the other a bright and colourful New York City but both films give proper dues to the heart of their respective characters and are both b...
2020-08-011h 26The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 50 - 1990, The Summer of Sequels.Episode 50 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is a milestone not only for being our half century episode, but it’s also the first time that all five founding members of film89.co.uk have appeared together on an episode. As it’s a special episode we’ll be taking our listeners away from the woes of 2020 and back in time 30 years to the summer of 1990. That particular year in film is one that’s very special to us. The roster of films released theatrically in 1990 was huge with numerous films released which would go on to become all-time classics, films such as Martin...
2020-06-162h 38The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 49 - Constantine (2005) - From Comic Book to the Big Screen.In Episode 49 of the Film ’89 Podcast, our resident comic book creator Haydn Spurrell is joined by returning co-host and fellow comic book expert, John Arminio of Comix Connection, to discuss in-depth one of their favourite comic book creations, John Constantine. Star of DC Comics’ Hellblazer comic book series and the creation of legendary comic book writer, Alan Moore, John Constantine is a cynic with the ability to perceive and communicate with half-angels and half-demons in their true form. He seeks salvation from eternal damnation in Hell for a suicide attempt in his youth. In 2005 the character became the focus of a bi...
2020-05-311h 32The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 48 - The Empire Strikes Back (1980).Episode 48 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is released on the day of the 40th anniversary of the release of one of the Film ‘89 Team’s all-time favourite films, The Empire Strikes Back. This second instalment of George Lucas’ Star Wars saga is regarded by many as the best film in the long running film franchise. In an episode that’s been high on the Film ‘89 dream list of films to cover on the podcast since it began, Neil, Richie and Skye go in-depth in a huge episode dedicated solely to this remarkable film as they discuss the behind the scenes making-of Em...
2020-05-212h 34The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 47 - Manhunter (1986).In Episode 47 of The Film ’89 Podcast, John Arminio and Bill Scurry are joined by friend of Film ’89 and established podcaster and hardcore cinephile, Matthias Van Der Roest making his guest-host debut as he and the guys dissect, discuss and celebrate director Michael Mann’s 1986 film, Manhunter. An adaptation of author Thomas Harris’ book, Red Dragon, Manhunter marks the first big screen appearance of Harris’ now legendary serial killer, Doctor Hannibal Lecktor, played brilliantly by Brian Cox. But Lecktor isn’t the main focus here as Former F.B.I. Profiler Will Graham tracks a brutal serial killer known as the Tooth Fairy...
2020-05-151h 05The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 46 - Jerry Goldsmith, Movie Music Maestro.In Episode 46 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by guest co-host Stephen Simpson of the Pop Culture Gamers Podcast. Stephen is an expert in film scores and film composers and has amassed a huge collection of film score vinyl over the years so is the ideal guest to discuss a true legend of film and television, composer Jerry Goldsmith. Goldsmith’s work has been discussed more than that of any other film composer on Film ‘89 and his career spanned six decades before his passing in 2004. Throughout his career he composed iconic scores for countless television shows and films...
2020-04-292h 03The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 45 - Field of Dreams (1989).We’re hoping that Episode 45 of The Film ‘89 Podcast will be a soothing balm to the soul in these troubling times we find ourselves in. With much of the world in lockdown and sports of all kind cancelled, we’ve decided to take a look back at director Phil Alden Robinson’s beloved 1989 baseball themed film, Field of Dreams. Far more than a mere sports drama, Field of Dreams is a heart warming, magical and deeply romantic tale of familial redemption and reunification, passion and longing for a bygone era and of course a shared love of one of America’s most che...
2020-04-191h 28The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 44 - Discussing a World in Crisis.A wise man once said, “art is whatever we do when we’re not focussed on survival”. Well that wise sage was none other than frequent Film ’89 Podcast guest-host and contributor to film89.co.uk, Mr Bill Scurry. Bill joins Neil & Skye for an episode that’s very much a departure from the norm, something quite different to what our listeners are used to but then these aren’t normal circumstances that we find ourselves in as the world is gripped by a deadly pandemic that’s brought life as we know it grinding to a halt. We had big plans for Epis...
2020-03-201h 42The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 43 - “More Than Meets The Eye”, The Toys, The Show & Transformers: The Movie (1986).In Episode 43 of The Film ’89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning co-hosts, Bill Scurry and John Arminio as they go all nostalgic for arguably their most beloved childhood franchise, The Transformers. The guys explore the genesis of the famous and innovative toy line, its accompanying animated TV series and the 1986 theatrical animated film, Transformers: The Movie which emotionally scarred an entire generation with its callous offing of innumerable beloved and long established characters. Featuring a stellar cast of vocal talent including Leonard Nimoy and Orson Welles, the film is given the usual passionate and in-depth analysis you’ve come to expe...
2020-02-012h 15The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 42 - 1917 (2019).In Episode 42 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by a man who is now Film ‘89’s official Californian representative as well as a boxing expert, cinephile and all-round gentleman, Mr Jacob Rivera as they give their in-depth and spoiler-filled review of director Sam Mendes’ critically acclaimed, Golden Globe winning and multi-Oscar nominated WWI film, 1917. They also give their rundown of their all-time favourite depictions of war in film and television with the usual input from their fellow film writers, Film Twitter friends and of course, you, our listeners. Index:Main Review: 1917 - 0:03:04Favourite War Film...
2020-01-1619 minThe Film 89 PodcastEpisode 41 - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker / The Mandalorian (2019).In an alcohol fuelled celebration of the second anniversary of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye ring in a new year in style as they welcome back a long lost friend and former co-host, Jim Cottle. This slightly inebriated trio go back to that galaxy far, far away to bring you their in-depth and very much spoiler-filled verdict on not just one but two new Star Wars properties. First up is Episode 9 of the main Star Wars saga, The Rise of Skywalker. Will this third and final film in the sequel trilogy make up for the guys’ disappointment at recent film...
2020-01-081h 59The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 40 - The Irishman (2019).On Episode 40 of The Film ’89 Podcast, Steve is joined by his close friend and Film ’89 contributor, Tony Sower to give their in-depth and spoiler-filled analysis of director Martin Scorsese’s long awaited film adaptation of author Charles Brandt’s novel, I Heard You Paint Houses. Retitled, The Irishman, the 26th full length feature film from Scorsese is also his longest film to date and is also a first in that it’s primary form of distribution after a limited theatrical run is via the streaming service Netflix who financed the film after several Hollywood studios turned Scorsese down. This sprawling tale of mo...
2019-11-211h 09The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 39 - An Interview with Oscar Winning Visual Effects Supervisor, Phil Tippett.Episode 39 of The Film ’89 Podcast is a very special one as Steve and Skye interview two-time Oscar winning visual effects supervisor, Phil Tippett. Phil is a true legend in the field of visual effects, having specialised in creature design and character animation as well as being a director and producer whose contribution to film will be held in the same regard as the likes of Willis O’Brien, Dick Smith, Rick Baker, Douglas Trumbull, Jim Henson, Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Rob Bottin, Stuart Freeborn and of course, the great Ray Harryhausen. He was an integral part of George Lucas’ original Star W...
2019-11-191h 24The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 38 - The Shining (1980) / Doctor Sleep (2019).Episode 38 of The Film ‘89 Podcast celebrates both one of horror’s most respected authors, Stephen King as well as one of cinema’s most revered auteur directors, the late, great Stanley Kubrick as Steve and Skye wrap up warm, pack the snowcat and head off to the remote Overlook Hotel for an in-depth discussion of Kubrick’s 1980 film adaptation of King’s 1977 novel, The Shining. The guys discuss the friction between author and director over the changes Kubrick made to King’s story and the different angle from which the film approaches King’s tale of a young boy with special abilit...
2019-11-051h 43The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 37 - Terminator: Dark Fate (2019).In Episode 37 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye discuss the long running Terminator franchise that began in 1984 with James Cameron’s breakout action/sci-fi classic and has since spawned no less than 5 sequels, the latest of which is the Tim Miller directed, Terminator: Dark Fate, which sees Linda Hamilton return to the iconic role of Sarah Connor. Also returning is Arnold Schwarzenegger in a new story by Cameron himself. Will this latest instalment live up to the great legacy of Cameron’s first two Terminator films? Tune in for our spoiler-filled review. And after that, the guys also answer some o...
2019-10-281h 42The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 36 - Joker (2019).In Episode 36 of the Film ‘89 Podcast, Richie, Haydn and Skye go all-in on a spoiler-filled review of Warner Bros’ latest adaptation of a DC Comics property, director Todd Phillips’s Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Robert De Niro. Since it’s debut at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Golden Lion Award for Best Film, Joker is a movie that has been the subject of much controversy with its themes of society’s ill-treatment of people with mental health issues, it’s anti-hero stance on vigilante violence and it’s overt social commentary, Joker is a comic-book adaptation lik...
2019-10-141h 30The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 35 - From First Blood to Last Blood, The John Rambo Saga (1982 - 2019).In Episode 35 of The Film ‘89 Podcast we go all out action as we explore in-depth, one of the most beloved franchises of the 1980s and beyond. Starting with the taut 1982 film, First Blood, Neil and Richie take a razor sharp Bowie knife to this classic Sylvester Stallone action-thriller. Next up is the 1985 sequel, Rambo: First Blood Part II, followed by Rambo III in 1988. The franchise was resurrected in the form of 2008’s über violent third sequel, simply titled, Rambo which leads us to the main review this episode, the newly released, Rambo: Last Blood which is given the full spoiler-filled treat...
2019-10-043h 01The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 34 - Rio Bravo (1959) & Horror Film Special.Episode 34 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is our biggest episode yet as we dive headlong into an in-depth celebration and analysis of a classic western that’s celebrating its 60th anniversary, Howard Hawks’ much loved 1959 film, Rio Bravo, starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Angie Dickinson. We discuss the genesis of the film - a response by Hawks to the 1952 Gary Cooper western, High Noon. We explore the film’s themes, discuss its great cast and compare it to other westerns from an era when it was the dominant genre in both film and television. Joining us in this mammoth...
2019-09-102h 53The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 33 - Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood (2019).Episode 33 of the Film ‘89 Podcast is a celebration of the films of Quentin Tarantino as we provide the most in-depth (and therefore spoiler-filled) analysis of a single film that Film ‘89 have covered so far as Neil and Skye are joined by the phenomenally talented film poster and key film art illustrator, Tony Stella. The film in question is of course Tarantino’s love letter to the film industry, Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood. The film has received much critical praise but like many of Tarantino’s films has been the subject of some controversy. The guys leave no stone unturned...
2019-08-242h 15The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 32 - “Forget it Jake, it’s...” Chinatown (1974) - Celebrating 45 years of Roman Polanski’s Classic Film-Noir.Episode 32 of The Film ’89 Podcast is a loving celebration of 45 years of one of the defining modern examples of the film-noir, Roman Polanski’s 1974 crime thriller mystery, Chinatown, starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston. Joining Steve and Skye to discuss his all-time personal favourite film is returning guest host and founder and co-host of the brilliant ‘I Don’t Get It’ Podcast, the venerable Mr Bill Scurry. Bill brings with him is insatiable passion for and knowledge of film to assist in the analysis of what makes Chinatown such an enduring classic and one of the most revered films of t...
2019-07-252h 03The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 31 - Toy Story 4 / Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019).In this bumper sized double issue (episode) of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Richie, Neil and Skye are joined by the winner of last year’s Film ’89 contest, Chris Beynon, who is claiming his prize of a guest-host spot on the show. Chris has gone to the trouble of coming all the way to us to record in person as we give you not one, but two in-depth, spoiler-filled reviews of two of the summer’s biggest films. First up is Disney Pixar’s fourth entry in their long running and beloved Toy Story series, Toy Story 4. Can the creative geniuses behind the previo...
2019-07-122h 00The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 30 - "Breaking The First Two Rules" - The 20th Anniversary of Fight Club (1999).We’re not supposed to talk about Episode 30 of The Film ‘89 Podcast where we remove our shirts and shoes to celebrate the 20th anniversary of director David Fincher’s searing, controversial and hugely faithful adaptation of the acclaimed novel by author Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club. This playfully subversive film defies categorisation and refuses to submit to genre convention. It’s Fincher at the absolute top of his game and is a film like no other. Joining us to dissect Fight Club is Jacob Rivera. Founder of JabHookBoxing.com, Jacob is also a frequent co-host of podcasts such as the Pound for Poun...
2019-06-231h 55The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 29 - Black Mirror Season 5 (2019).On Episode 29 of The Film ‘89 Podcast we welcome back filmmaker, writer on film, prolific podcaster and the host of the brilliant Flixwise Canada Podcast, Martin Kessler. This episode we’ll be reviewing Season 5 of Netflix’s Black Mirror as well as giving an in-depth overview of the series in its entirety and, in keeping with a recurring theme on Black Mirror, we’ll be discussing our all-time favourite video games. Index:Black Mirror Season 5 and series overview - 0:05:45Favourite Video Games - 1:16:32
2019-06-132h 30The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 28 - Celebrating 40 Years of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).For Episode 28 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, we’re boldly going somewhere we’ve never gone before on the show as we explore the long-running television and film phenomenon that is Star Trek and in particular it’s first big screen outing, director Robert Wise’s 1979 film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Joining us this episode are two of our favourite former guest hosts; filmmaker and co-host of the culturally invaluable I Don’t Get It Podcast, the ineffable Bill Scurry and Comix Connection’s John Arminio, a cinephile extraordinaire whose passion for and knowledge of film knows no frontier. We’ll be exploring...
2019-05-142h 04The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 27 - Avengers: Endgame (2019).Episode 27 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is dedicated entirely to Marvel Studios’ latest film, Avengers: Endgame. A movie this big, being the culmination of over 11 years worth of meticulously crafted long-form storytelling spread out over 22 films, is deserving of special attention as Neil, Skye and the Film ‘89 Team’s newest member, James Pearce, go in-depth to review and analyse in forensic detail this colossal cinematic achievement. We’ll be leaving no Infinity Stone left unturned as we lay bare the entire 3 hour epic so beware, this will be full of spoilers. We’ll also be answering some Marvel-centric questions from our listeners so...
2019-04-281h 53The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 26 - Into the Heart of Darkness - The 40th Anniversary of Apocalypse Now (1979).In Episode 26 of The Film ’89 Podcast we’re joined by a very special guest host, from Comix Connection in Pennsylvania, he’s a frequent guest on esteemed Podcasts such as Wrong Reel and Hellbent for Horror to name but two and is a hugely knowledgeable cinephile and all-round top chap, it’s Mr John Arminio. John joins us to celebrate the 40th anniversary of director Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam War epic, Apocalypse Now. Not only is Apocalypse Now one the most highly regarded war films ever made, it’s widely considered to be one of the greatest films of the 1970’s...
2019-04-171h 47The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 25 - “God we love this street!” Celebrating 30 Years of Joe Dante’s ‘The ‘Burbs’ (1989).In Episode 25 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by a very special guest co-host, the founder of and writer for The Pink Smoke, John Cribbs, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of their all-time favourite films, the 1989 Tom Hanks comedy vehicle, The ‘Burbs. The ‘Burbs’ director is also the subject of this episode’s Favourite 3 segment as the guys discuss their favourite Joe Dante films. Index:The ‘Burbs - 0:05:20Favourite 3 Joe Dante films - 1:14:00
2019-03-281h 52The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 24 - Captain Marvel (2019).In a packed 24th episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye, Neil and Richie review the new Netflix comedy series After Life from comic/writer/actor Ricky Gervais, they give their in-depth analysis and verdict on the 21st film from Marvel Studios, Captain Marvel and in keeping with the theme of the mid-nineties-set, superhero spectacular, they discuss their three favourite films from 1995.Index:Review - After Life - 0:01:15Main Review - Captain Marvel - 0:33:14Favourite 3 Films of 1995 - 1:43:41
2019-03-132h 09The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 23 - Alita: Battle Angel (2019).It’s a packed office at Film ‘89 Towers for Episode 23 of The Film ‘89 Podcast as Skye, Steve, Neil and Haydn review the (kind of) live-action adaptation of beloved Japanese Manga, Battle Angel Alita, retitled, Alita: Battle Angel, from director Robert Rodriguez and producer James Cameron. It’s a showcase of often brilliant special effects and makes superb use of the 3D and IMAX formats but how does the film hold up as a whole and is it a worthy and worthwhile adaptation? We discuss our favourite animated films as well as reading out some of our listeners’ picks and we ans...
2019-02-131h 53The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 22 - ‘Ode To Joy’ - Celebrating 30 Years of Die Hard (1988).In our special festive Episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast we’re joined by boxing expert, film writer and über cinephile, Jacob Rivera to discuss the action classic, Die Hard as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Directed by John McTiernan (Predator, The Hunt for Red October) and starring Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman, Die Hard is regarded as not only one of the greatest films of the 1980s but of all time and one that redefined the action genre. It not only spawned four sequels but also a plethora of copycat action films of varying quality. Yet thirty years on, Die Hard...
2018-12-192h 10The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 21 - When Dinosaurs ruled the Earth - Celebrating 25 Years of Jurassic Park.In the colossal 21st episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Richie, Haydn & Skye take an in-depth look back at director Steven Spielberg’s big-screen adaptation of author Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park which celebrated its 25th Anniversary this year. They explore the making of this beloved summer blockbuster, it’s themes and the elements that elevate it above that of a mere big budget action film. There’s an intelligence and a beating heart to the film that helped solidify it as one of the greatest movies of its decade, one that holds up over a quarter of a century later. Not only t...
2018-12-062h 24The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 20 - Celebrating 60 Years of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958).In Episode 20 of The Film ‘89 Podcast we’re joined by cinephile extraordinaire, champion of the Blu-Ray format and physical media, frequent guest-host of the Wrong Reel Podcast, Criterion Cast and many more besides, Mr Dave Eaves. This episode we take the deep dive into the dizzying maelstrom of possession, deception and murder that is Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 masterpiece, Vertigo. Hailed by critics as one of the greatest films of all time, we examine the making of Vertigo, explore its themes and it’s impact on modern cinema. Plus we discuss our favourite Alfred Hitchcock films and answer the usual listener question...
2018-11-211h 45The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 19 - ‘One-Sheet Wonders’ - An Interview with Illustrator Paul Shipper.In Episode 19 of The Film ‘89 Podcast we’re joined by a very special guest, England-based movie poster and key art illustrator Paul Shipper. Paul is one of the most talented artists working in the film industry with credits that include theatrical posters for such films as Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange and Avengers: Infinity War, Disney’s Big Hero 6 and Star Wars: The Last Jedi and many more. Paul has also created innumerable pieces of cover art for Blu-Ray releases from such esteemed labels as Arrow Video and Shout Factory. He’s produced artwork for the likes of Empire Magazine, Dolby Cinemas, T...
2018-11-121h 15The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 18 - “Friendship is Universal” - V (1983) & V: The Final Battle (1984).In the mothership sized 18th episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye are joined by a multi-talented movie savant who wears many dapper hats; co-host of the brilliant “I Don’t Get It Podcast”, a frequent co-host of Wrong Reel and the genius behind Twitter & Facebook’s Daily Cobra Commander, Mr Bill Scurry. This episode the guys move away from film into the realm of television as they peel the latex face off one of the most beloved of all television miniseries, Kenneth Johnson’s ‘V’ and ‘V: The Final Battle’. They examine what makes V such an enduring piece of...
2018-10-302h 45The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 17 - “Age cannot wither her...” The Making of ‘Cleopatra’ (1963).In Episode 17 of the Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and Steve are joined by arguably their most long-awaited guest co-host, James Hancock, the creator and host of the phenomenal Wrong Reel Podcast as well as his ever increasingly popular YouTube channel, ‘Geekin’ with James Hancock’. James and the guys take the deep dive on the fascinating behind the scenes story of one of Hollywood’s most notoriously difficult and prolonged productions, 20th Century Fox’s epic, audacious and totally out of control 1963 historical epic, ‘Cleopatra’. They look at the behind the scenes controversy surrounding this most tumultuous production as well as the off-screen scand...
2018-10-161h 35The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 16 - Predator (1987) - The Predator (2018).In Episode 16 of The Film ‘89 Podcast Neil and Skye are joined by filmmaker and host of the Flixwise Podcast and contributor to film89.co.uk, Martin Kessler for an in-depth discussion of the long-running action/science-fiction franchise that began in 1987 with director John McTiernan’s Predator starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The guys examine what makes Predator such an enduring classic and discuss the sequels Predator 2, Predators and the cross-over Alien vs. Predator films. This all leads to the main review, Shane Black’s long-awaited fourth film in the main saga of the trophy hunting aliens, The Predator. Predator (1987) - 0:02:27; Predat...
2018-09-182h 13The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 15 - RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop (2018).In Episode 15 of The Film ‘89 Podcast we’re joined by Gary Smart, producer, writer and director and founder of Dead Mouse Productions and Cult Screenings UK Ltd, creators of the definitive making-of documentaries, ‘Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II’ and ‘You’re so cool, Brewster! The Story of Fright Night’ along with original Fright Night director Tom Holland. Gary joins us to discuss the team’s latest forthcoming venture, the epic ‘RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop’. This incredibly in-depth look at the making of the 1987 action/science-fiction classic, it’s enduring legacy and subsequent sequels, involved the participation of over...
2018-09-101h 44The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 14 - Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018).In the giant 14th Episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil, Richie & Skye discuss Disney’s controversial removal of director James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 and Sir Patrick Stewart’s recent announcement that he’s to return to his most iconic TV role, Jean Luc Picard; the main review is Peyton Reed and Marvel Studios’ latest entry to the MCU, Ant-Man & The Wasp; they discuss their favourite movie trilogies and answer yet more of your listener questions. Enjoy!James Gunn - 02:59; Patrick Stewart - 18:59; Main Review - Ant-Man & The Wasp - 25:11; 3 Favourite Trilogies - 1:12:50; Listener Questions - 1:59:41.
2018-08-112h 14The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 13 - Ten Years of The Dark Knight - Part 2, The Dark Knight (2008).Episode 13 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is the second of our two-part celebration of the 10th anniversary of Christopher Nolan’s seminal 2008 masterpiece, The Dark Knight. Having given an overview and analysis of The Dark Knight Trilogy in the previous episode, this time Skye and Neil concentrate solely on the second film and give their in-depth analysis of it by way of an audio commentary. You can listen to the episode whilst watching your own copy or just listen to the guys dissect this amazing comic book movie/crime drama as a regular episode. Enjoy!
2018-08-022h 38The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 12 - Ten Years of The Dark Knight - Part 1, The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005 - 2012).Episode 12 of the Film ’89 Podcast is the first of a special two-part celebration of the 10th anniversary of Christopher Nolan’s seminal 2008 masterpiece, The Dark Knight. Skye is at long last joined from Melbourne, Australia by Film ’89’s very own Haydn Spurrell. As well as having recently published his own comic book, Chimera, Haydn is a huge DC Comics fan and in this first part the guys take the deep dive on the films that form Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy; Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). They explore both the origins of and making of the films...
2018-06-291h 36The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 11 - Watching Skies: Star Wars, Spielberg & Us (2018).In Episode 11 of the Film ’89 Podcast, Skye is joined by Mark O’Connell, author of Catching Bullets: Memoirs of a Bond Fan, to discuss his new book, Watching Skies: Star Wars, Spielberg & Us. Mark discusses his love of a very special period of film from roughly 1975 - 1984 and the hugely influential films from this era of summer blockbusters. Films such as Jaws, Star Wars, Close Encounters, Superman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Poltergeist, Gremlins, Ghostbusters and many more from the likes of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Richard Donner, Joe Dante and more are discussed along with Mark’s love o...
2018-06-231h 27The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 10 - Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).In Episode 10 of The Film ’89 Podcast, Skye, Steve Amos and Jim Cottle give their in-depth analysis and spoiler-filled verdict on Solo: A Star Wars Story. They discuss their favourite movie characters and answer the usual listener questions. Plus, don’t miss our on-going contest to win a guest spot on the podcast discussing the film or TV show of your choice. Like, subscribe, leave us a review, but most importantly, enjoy.Main Review - Solo: A Star Wars Story - 0:01:28Favourite Movie Characters - 1:03:50Listener Questions - 1:28:00
2018-05-291h 40The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 9 - Deadpool 2 (2018).In Episode 9 of The Film ’89 Podcast, Skye, Neil and Jim discuss YouTube Red’s new show Cobra Kai, their follow-up to the ‘80s classic The Karate Kid; the main review is 20th Century Fox’s R-Rated comic book sequel, Deadpool 2; the lads discuss their all-time favourite science-fiction films and they answer the usual listener questions. Also, they reveal a new contest where the prize is a rare opportunity for podcast fans to… let’s just say prizes like this aren’t given away very often. Enjoy!Cobra Kai - 6:10Main Review - Deadpool 2 - 17:38Favourite Scie...
2018-05-212h 10The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 8 - Casablanca (1942).Episode 8 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is something of a departure from the regular format of the show as Skye and Steve Amos provide an audio commentary to one of the most beloved of all Hollywood classics, Casablanca. Skye and Steve go in-depth into the history of the film’s production, offer behind the scenes trivia and discuss the themes and impact of this truly iconic movie. Listen to it whilst watching your copy of the film or without, either way we’re sure you’ll enjoy this passionate discussion of the film that nabbed Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director...
2018-05-121h 48The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 7 - Avengers: Infinity War (2018).Episode 7 of The Film ’89 Podcast is a full-on, SPOILER-FILLED, no punches pulled examination of Marvel Studios' 10-years-in-the-making superhero epic, Avengers: Infinity War. Skye, Neil and Richie leave no (Infinity) stone unturned as they give their in-depth analysis of a film that is destined to go down in history as one of the most ambitious ever made. Comic book movies simply don’t come bigger than this and the guys have brought you an episode every bit as epic as the film they’re discussing. Enjoy!
2018-04-272h 10The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 6 - Ready Player One (2018).The 6th jam-packed episode of the Film ’89 Podcast is a Steven Spielberg Special hosted by Skye, Steve Amos and Jim Cottle. As well as giving their full-on, spoiler-filled review of the legendary director’s latest film, Ready Player One, the guys also give the rundown of their favourite films from his long and illustrious career as well as answering the usual listener questions. Review - Ready Player One - 0:02:48; Favourite Steven Spielberg films - 0:45:40; Listener Questions - 1:21:46.
2018-04-011h 35The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 5 - Annihilation (2018).In the fifth episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye, Neil Gaskin and Richie Roberts take a look forward to Marvel Studios’ hugely anticipated superhero epic Avengers: Infinity War, the main review is Alex Garland’s new sci-fi film Annihilation, the guys discuss their favourite actors and answer some more listener questions.Infinity War Preview - 0:02:09; Review - Annihilation - 0:24:23; Favourite Actors - 1:10:23; Listener Questions - 2:03:36
2018-03-232h 12The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 4 - Black Panther (2018).For the fourth episode of The Film ’89 Podcast Neil and Skye are joined by Jim Cottle to give a rundown of the latest movie trailers; they give their analysis of Season One of Star Trek: Discovery; the main review is Marvel Studios’ Black Panther and the trio discuss their favourite movie opening scenes.Trailer Rundown - 02:36; Review - Black Panther - 40:56; Favourite Movie Opening Scenes - 1:25:03; Listener Questions - 2:10:46.
2018-02-152h 23The Film 89 PodcastEpisode 3 - John Carpenter's The Thing (1982).The third episode of The Film ’89 Podcast is something of a departure from the regular format of the show as we present the first of our Retrospective episodes where we go in-depth and offer some probing discussion and analysis of a classic film. The first film to be featured in this regular series is John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi/horror masterpiece, The Thing. Joining Skye to discuss The Thing is former stage director Matt Jenkins, a lifelong fan of the film, and filmmaker and host of the brilliant Flix Wise Canada Podcast and frequent writing contributor to both Film89.co.uk and...
2018-01-281h 42