Shows
Enter The VoidSXE12: THE FINALEBelieve it or not, we have arrived at the 100th and longest and final episode of ENTER THE VOID. On today's episode, your hosts Bill and Renan sit down together in person to reminisce about how they originally came up with the idea for this podcast, how they launched their earlier show KubrickCast, and even how they met in the first place. Next, they revisit their definition of a mindfuck movie for the last time, and then name their mindfuck "Mt. Rushmore" for both the greatest films covered on the series and their favorites... and a few of their...
2019-07-102h 25
Enter The VoidSXE11: BLUE VELVETFor our final regular episode of the podcast (yep, the whole thing) we finally come to one of the essential films of the mindfuck movie discussion, David Lynch's breakthrough as a popular artist, 1986's BLUE VELVET. Starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Laura Dern, and of course Dennis Hopper, it was highly controversial upon release, and soon became the favorite film of academics and critical theorists—not to mention the late David Foster Wallace—and today stands as a film classic. But how challenging is it 33 years later? What are we to make of the multi-layered symbolism, the sexual violence, how...
2019-06-262h 14
Enter The VoidSXE10: GROUNDHOG DAYOur pick for this episode is not your usual, bog standard time travel psychological horror... but then again, maybe it is? Today we are doing GROUNDHOG DAY, the 1993 romantic comedy directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. A sleeper of a mindfuck, Groundhog Day warmed hearts and tickled funny bones when it debuted early in the Clinton era, but by the 21st century it had come to be recognized for its theological significance—and then YouTube got hold of it, and the rest is history. Today, we discuss: whether it's a proper mindfuck; how long Phil ac...
2019-06-121h 29
Enter The VoidSXE9: PERFECT BLUE & PAPRIKASo this episode was supposed to be just about PERFECT BLUE, Satoshi Kon's 1997 animated psychological thriller. But we couldn't stop at just one! So Renan and Bill went ahead and watched PAPRIKA, his 2006 science-fiction opus too, which also sadly would be his last feature film. Today, your hosts talk about the life and career of Satoshi Kon, his incredible imagination and mastery of technique, and how both films examine themes of dual identities. Also discussed: Perfect Blue on the internet and celebrity culture; Paprika on dreams and filmmaking; how Darren Aronofsky borrowed well and Christopher Nolan borrowed poorly—and bo...
2019-05-291h 23
Enter The VoidSXE8: THE FILMS OF LUIS BUÑUELHow have we got this far without discussing anything by the original film surrealist, Luis Buñuel? Well, today we rectify the situation and discuss not one but four films from the Spanish exile / expatriate moviemaking legend. In this episode, your hosts examine the previously promised UN CHIEN ANDALOU (1929), THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL (1962), and THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE (1972), plus one of his more accessible films, BELLE DE JOUR (1967) with Catherine Deneuve. Among the topics for discussion: Buñuel's peripatetic life and unpopular politics, his roles in both the Surrealist and French New Wave movements, his use of dreams an...
2019-05-151h 23
Enter The VoidSXE7: FIGHT CLUBAt long last we get around to a movie that was on our mind when we started this podcast: FIGHT CLUB, the 1999 David Fincher film starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter, based on the 1996 Chuck Palahniuk novel of the same name. If you don't like politics with your movies, then today's show isn't for you, because Fight Club was born in controversy, released to Boomer acrimony, and then, once it attained cult status, attracted the unwanted—but not altogether surprising—approval of some of the most loathsome ideologues of the 21st century. Today, Bill and Renan take...
2019-05-011h 37
Enter The VoidSXE6: MINDF**K TELEVISIONThis episode is a little different: rather than taking on a single film or even the work of one director, the scope in this extra-long bonus episode is the greatest mindfucks across more than 50 years of TV history. In three separate segments, Bill and Renan each make their "Mount Rushmore" picks for the greatest television series, single episodes and standout moments in mindfuck TV. Shows discussed in this episode include: Twin Peaks, Black Mirror, LOST, The Leftovers, The X-Files, The Prisoner, The Good Place, Wild Palms, Russian Doll, Dark, The Sopranos, Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Tales from The...
2019-04-172h 14
Enter The VoidSXE5: THE FLYIn today's episode, Bill and Renan return to the work of David Cronenberg—a director twice before discussed on this podcast—to consider the 1986 film many believe to be his masterpiece: THE FLY, starring Jeff Goldblum as a scientist who accidentally fuses his genes with a common housefly, and Geena Davis as the woman who loves him. So: is it actually Cronenberg's best film? Is this movie about aging, disease, and AIDS specifically? Or is it a cautionary tale about science and the nuclear age? What does this movie want us to make of Stathis Borans? Do we think The...
2019-04-031h 26
Enter The VoidSXE4: BEING JOHN MALKOVICHIn the waning months of the 20th century, a remarkable little film from a pair of unknown filmmakers arrived in US cinemas, and it became a bona fide sensation. That was BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999), written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Spike Jonze, starring John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, and of course, John Malkovich. It was a formative film experience for your hosts, and twenty years later Bill and Renan revisit it for you today. Among the topics discussed: the film's reception at the time and how it looks now that the novelty has worn off; was 1999 the...
2019-03-201h 25
Enter The VoidSXE3: INCEPTIONHow has this show never done a Christopher Nolan film before? Today your hosts rectify that and discuss his 2010 film INCEPTION, a $800 million-grossing summer blockbuster with no pre-established IP, unless being the next film by the guy who made The Dark Knight somehow counts. In this episode, Renan and Bill discuss: whether this and other Nolan features are truly mindfucks or mere puzzle films; whether they work on a second time viewing; how Nolan uses time, editing, and music to achieve his ends; defending Nolan from the haters on film Twitter; whether it's OK for the dialogue to be...
2019-03-061h 18
Enter The VoidSXE2: 8½�Today Renan and Bill lose their neorealist chains and grapple with the 1963 Federico Fellini film 8½, hailed by armchair film scholars as one of the greatest films of all time. More than 50 years on, how does it hold up? Undoubtedly and deservedly a classic, 8½ today looks different than it did in the 1960s, or even the 1990s. In this episode: 8½'s attitudes toward women; Pauline Kael's critical review; Guido's heirs including Don Draper; Fellini's virtuosic filmmaking; whither the imperial film director; and other films about filmmaking. Also, Bill offers some hot Sundance tips, and we highlight a listener's electronic music project...
2019-02-201h 26
Enter The VoidSXE1: 12 MONKEYS / LA JETÉEWe're back with the first of our last run of episodes, and today's episode is a two-for-one deal: we mostly discuss Terry Gilliam's 1996* time travel thriller 12 MONKEYS, with Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe and Brad Pitt, and weave throughout discussion of the 1962 French featurette that inspired it, LA JETÉE. Discussed in this episode: how does time travel work (or not) in these movies? What do we think happens after the events of 12 Monkeys? Is there anything La Jetée does better? What lessons do these movies have for modern audiences? Did you find all the character actors from The Wi...
2019-02-061h 13
Enter The VoidSXE0: PREVIEWWell, what have we here—it's the tenth season of ENTER THE VOID! Your patience has been rewarded: Bill and Renan are back for what we are gratuitously terming "Season X". (Multiple pronunciations accepted.) This time, we're doing things a little bit differently. The good news: we'll be doing 10 films instead of 8; we're going bimonthly, which may be bad if you need your fix, or good if you already have a lot of podcast obligations (we know the feeling); and we're doing a couple of bonus episodes, including a long-overdue discussion of mindfuck television, plus a finale / retrospective / wrap-up. An...
2019-01-2332 min
Enter The VoidS9E8: THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEERAt last, it's the season 9 finale, and we go out with a bang: THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER by writer-director Yorgos Lanthimos and co-writer Efthymis Filippou is one of the most searing film experiences of the last few years. Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Barry Keoghan star in this family drama / suspense thriller / haunted house / horror film, which despite being a tough hang that no one's really sure what it's about, was also widely praised upon release in 2017. In this episode, your hosts discuss their experiences watching it a second time, the story's roots in Greek mythology, Lanthimos' co...
2018-10-311h 16
Enter The VoidS9E7: ALTERED STATES For the penultimate episode of season 9, your hosts alter their consciousness and explore ALTERED STATES, a 1980 sci-fi horror film written by Paddy Chayefsky, directed by Ken Russell, and today known as much for its far-out story as for its creators' infamous feud. William Hurt stars as Eddie Jessup, an academic whose experiments with sensory deprivation and hallucinogenic drugs lead him to "regress" to an earlier evolutionary state. (Literally!) Fully committed and totally bonkers, Altered States is something you have to experience for yourself, especially the wild, sexually charged religious visions; the preposterously verbose dialogue; not to mention that whole thing...
2018-10-241h 08
Enter The VoidS9E2: RAWIs Julia Ducornau's 2016 film RAW (French: Grave) a coming of age film about cannibalism? A body horror film about family relationships? A tale of sexual discovery and veterinary practices? Yes, no, and maybe—but not necessarily in that order! In this episode, Bill and Renan consider a film they might not otherwise have been drawn to... with sexy results! Discussed: what the film has to say about cannibalism and teenage sexuality, not to mention college hazing rituals; whether Raw is a true horror movie or something else; references to Kubrick, PTA, and Cronenberg; other films about bloodthirsty teenage girls (and...
2018-09-191h 15
Enter The VoidS9E1: TOTAL RECALLIt's not too often that we examine a major Hollywood blockbuster on this show, but it's not too often that the studios release something as baffling as TOTAL RECALL, and by that we mean the original 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger–Paul Verhoeven sci-fi schlockfest. Is it all a dream? Did he read Word Up! magazine? Did Quaid ever get his ass to Mars, or is he lobotomized in the chair at Rekall? We may never know for sure, but in this first episode of our ninth season, your hosts Renan and Bill go long to discuss the film's vision of the fu...
2018-09-121h 26
Enter The VoidS8E6: UNDER THE SKINWhat did you think of Jonathan Glazer's 2013 minimalist sci-fi UNDER THE SKIN, starring Scarlett Johansson? Did it all make sense when you watched it the first time? Or did it only reveal it to yourself after another viewing? Today your hosts, Bill and Renan, come at it from different perspectives and have, well, different perspectives on it. Topics discussed include how the film was made and what it means, how it differs from the book and early scripts, and how it relates to ScarJo's stardom. Plus: other films that double as commentary on their actors, big stars in weird...
2018-05-161h 15
Enter The VoidS8E5: THE HOLY MOUNTAINWow, THE HOLY MOUNTAIN sure is something! Alejandro Jodorowsky's 1973 follow-up to El Topo is a wild psychedelic trip, a critique of the militarization of 20th century life, and even a satire of the counterculture that spawned it. At least, we think. Today, Bill and Renan try to explain to each other what they think happened in the movie, what it's supposed to be about, recount how the film was made, how it disappeared from public view, how it's influenced other artists in the years since—and discuss the perfectly understandable reason why George Harrison turned down the lead role....
2018-05-091h 19
Enter The VoidS8E2: STALKERFor our second episode of the season, your hosts return to the eerie beauty, philosophical pondering, and deliberate pacing of Andrei Tarkovsky with STALKER (1979). Less a science fiction film than Solaris and more of an unconventional road movie, Stalker takes the viewer on a journey through a mysterious Zone where three protagonists seek the fulfillment of their greatest desires at risk of equally great peril. Or... do they? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Meanwhile, Renan and Bill discuss the film's infamously troubled production, the film's influence on Annihilation and Blade Runner 2049, Tarkovsky's faith and defection from the Soviet Union, and what he might make of o...
2018-04-181h 03
Enter The VoidS8E0: PREVIEWOur long national nightmare is over! Wait, no it's not. But at least here's some good news: Season 8 of ENTER THE VOID is coming! Renan and Bill are back with today's preview episode, giving you the rundown on what you need to watch to keep up with us over the next eight weeks. And a big shout-out to our fans in our Podcast Club, who picked every single one of this season's films. Here's the lineup: American Psycho (Harron, 2000) Stalker (Tarkovsky, 1979) Audition (Miike, 1999) Repo Man (Cox, 1984) The Holy Mountain (Jodorowsky, 1973) Under the Skin (Glazer, 2014) Moon (Jones, 2009) Battle Royale...
2018-04-0423 min
Enter The VoidS7E8: ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MINDFor the final installment of the seventh season, Bill and Renan welcome back third season guest Ray Patnaude to discuss ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND. Chances are good you not only have heard of it, but it's very possibly a favorite film of almost everyone you know. In this finale episode, the trio discuss how they felt about it on release and upon revisiting; the techniques director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman deploy to make it both emotionally effective as well as dream-like and disorienting; Gondry's music videos and the film careers of his fellow video directors; p...
2018-01-311h 09
Enter The VoidS7E7: FUNNY GAMESWhich FUNNY GAMES is your favorite? Is it the Michael Haneke film about a bourgeois couple subjected to home invasion by a pair of sadistic killers from 1997, or the Michael Haneke film about a bourgeois couple subjected to home invasion by a pair of sadistic killers from 2007? Is either of these films your favorite telling of this particular story? In today's episode, Renan and Bill compare the two versions, try to understand what Haneke was trying to say with them, explore what is compelling about them in spite of the subject matter, make unexpected comparisons to the filmography of...
2018-01-241h 04
Enter The VoidS7E4: HIGH-RISETo discuss Ben Wheatley's 2015 dystopian drama HIGH-RISE—based on the J.G. Ballard novel of the same name, adapted for the screen by Amy Jump, and starring Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Irons—we welcome to the show Simon Owens, a past colleague of Bill and Renan's and a journalist based in DC. The film looks and sounds amazing, the source material is first-rate, and the acting is all around superb. So why does this movie actually make less sense than some of the crazier movies we've talked about this season? Debate ensues. High-Rise links: High-Rise on IMDb...
2018-01-0359 min
Enter The VoidS7E2: HAUSU (ハウス)Nobuhiko Obayashi's 1977 HAUSU (or ハウス, or HOUSE) is possibly the most insane movie we've ever discussed on Enter The Void Podcast—and that's really saying something! This week Renan and Bill are joined by Teo Bugbee, who brought this psychedelic slapstick haunted house bubblegum horror comedy to our attention. And yet, as crazy as it is, it's also immensely enjoyable, and worthy of discussion for its distillation of childhood fears, commentary on the atom bomb, debatable feminist content, and of course its pure sensory overload. Hausu links: Hausu on IMDb Hausu on Wikipedia Hausu trailer Manohla Dargis NYT review...
2017-12-2058 min
Enter The VoidS7E1: DARK CITYAlex Proyas' DARK CITY is a tough one to properly summarize. It's not just that it's part film noir, part horror and part science fiction. It's also that its critical esteem, cult status, and lasting influence have never really found a point of consensus. In this episode, Bill and Renan try to figure out how to regard the film's reputation, especially in light (so to speak) of the 2008 director's cut. Plus: if Dark City was made today, would it be a video game?; why Roger Ebert loved it so much; eerie similarities to The Matrix (and The Force Awakens); a...
2017-12-131h 11
Enter The VoidS7E0: PREVIEWSeason 7 of ENTER THE VOID is nearly upon us! In today's preview episode, Renan and Bill quickly run through the list of films to be discussed over the next eight episodes, so you can watch with us and get the most out of these discussions. The films are: Dark City (Proyas, 1998) Hausu (Obayashi, 1977) Barton Fink (Coens, 1991) High-Rise (Wheatley, 2015) Weekend (Godard, 1967) mother! (Aronofsky, 2017) Funny Games (Haneke, 1997) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Gondry, 2004) Show links: Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Archives: enterthevoid.fm Follow us: Facebook + Twitter
2017-12-0610 min
Enter The VoidTWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN - PART IIIFor the last installment of our three-part special series on TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN, we have two more interviews: Bill talks with Alex Fulton, author of a widely-read essay arguing the final two episodes are meant to be watched in sync; and Renan has a conversation with writer Alex Pappademas, formerly of Grantland, GQ, SPIN and MTV News, about the the origins of his Twin Peaks fandom, his double reaction as a fan and critic, critical response to the show, analysis of episode 8, and Fire Walk With Me. Twin Peaks links: Twin Peaks: The Return on IMD...
2017-09-291h 55
Enter The VoidTWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN - PART IThrough the first 50+ episodes of its existence, ENTER THE VOID has kept its eye on the feature film. But today the show returns from its customary inter-seasonal hiatus for a very special reason: David Lynch's astonishing TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN is now over, and your hosts couldn't live with themselves if they didn't give it the consideration it deserves. In this first of three special episodes, Renan and Bill share their thoughts and feelings on the show's 18-episode run; offer their half-baked theories on its mind-breaking conclusion; run a mock draft of their favorite things from the show; consider Twi...
2017-09-251h 05
Enter The VoidS6E8: MULHOLLAND DRIVEFor the final episode of season 6, Renan and Bill tackle a biggie: it's David Lynch's 2001 masterwork MULHOLLAND DR., which many view as Lynch's greatest movie, and some critics even consider the best film of the young century. In this extra-long episode, your hosts get right down to it and explain how their views on it have evolved over repeat viewings; try to explain how Diane's real world and Betty's dream world are connected; examine a few of Lynch's "10 clues" to the film; recount the film's origins as a pilot for ABC television; admire the performance of Naomi Watts; and ru...
2017-09-061h 26
Enter The VoidS6E6: THE DARK CRYSTALJim Henson and Frank Oz's 1982 film THE DARK CRYSTAL is dark, morbid, and yet still ostensibly for kids. Bill and Renan consider this movie's most terrifying elements, other beloved disturbing works intended for audiences of children, and how puppets and CGI characters can fall into the "uncanny valley." Does this movie need a Han Solo? How much can you buy a Henson puppet for? What's the deal with the upcoming Netflix series? Film links: The Dark Crystal on IMDb The Dark Crystal on Wikipedia Official Dark Crystal page Excerpts from Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History Vince...
2017-08-2457 min
Enter The VoidS6E5: THX 1138As the first film of a director who only made a half-dozen films in 50 years, 1971's THX 1138 might be an obscure discovery. But as it happens, it's the directorial debut of merchandising tie-in billionaire George Lucas, and it's just weird enough to merit analysis by your loyal hosts. Today Bill and Renan ask: is THX more like Nineteen Eighty-Four or Brave New World? is it visionary, derivative, or a combination of both? where did George Lucas find so many bald people? can we actually compare Lucas to Harmony Korine? and, is it possible THX is actually a film improved by...
2017-08-1656 min
Enter The VoidS6E3: UPSTREAM COLORGood news: this week Bill and Renan talk about Shane Carruth's 2013 transcendent sci-fi romance UPSTREAM COLOR! Bad news: now they're all out of Shane Carruth films. Famously directed, written, starring, scored and edited by Carruth himself, UC is much different than his cult debut Primer—an ETV selection in season 1—a more ethereal, impressionistic, and even mature film. Questions your hosts attempt to answer in this episode: how much does the look and feel of this film owe to Terrence Malick?; we know what the movie is about, but what does it mean?; do we like it or not how willi...
2017-08-021h 02
Enter The VoidS6E1: DONNIE DARKOIf destruction is a form of creation, then what are we to make of the relationship between Donnie Darko (2001) and its controversial director's cut? In the first full episode of ENTER THE VOID season 6, your hosts Renan and Bill consider this box office flop and cult classic written and directed by Richard Kelly, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jena Malone, featuring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, and even Seth Rogen. Topics discussed: the incredible soundtrack; the inexplicable changes to said music in the director's cut; fan theories and the value of fan theories; Kelly's confounding subsequent career; how much Bil...
2017-07-191h 11
Enter The VoidS6E0: PREVIEW + TWIN PEAKSLike we always do about this time, it's the season 6 preview episode for ENTER THE VOID, a podcast about movies that may have nothing at all in common except completely messing with your head. Your hosts Bill and Renan are ready to tackle another 8 films, each getting a short introduction here today. But we're also doing something special: as the season gets under way, Twin Peaks: The Return is at its midpoint, so your co-hosts spend a few minutes offering their views of David Lynch's current project. Below, the list of season 6 films so you can watch ahead: D...
2017-07-1228 min
Enter The VoidS5E8: TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH METhe final episode of season 5 is about either the worst film David Lynch has ever made, or possibly one of his greatest—the 1992 TV-to-film crossover TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME, revealing the last seven days of Laura Palmer's troubled life, plus a lot of other strange things that don't really make sense unless, you know, they kind of do. In this episode, Renan and Bill discuss their separate paths to this film; Renan's experience of watching the complete series for the first time; Bill's long-term relationship with the Twin Peaks franchise; how it was reviled by critics and audie...
2017-05-031h 23
Enter The VoidS5E7: COHERENCEFrom the annals of low-budget mind-trip filmmaking, today the show examines James Ward Byrkit's 2013 sci-fi drama COHERENCE. Starring a cast of unknowns, shot in a pseudo-documentary style on a very short schedule, the film is an ingenious example of economical, seat-of-your-pants filmmaking. But it's also one that divides your hosts. In this episode, Bill inexplicably compares it to the Bourne movies; Renan inexplicably compares it to The Wire; the various fan-offered timelines are explored; the influence of Amazon and Netflix on independent film and the definition of "duopsony" are discussed; the logical implications of certain storylines are debated; and and t...
2017-04-261h 05
Enter The VoidS5E6: EL TOPOClearly still recording together in NYC—though they never actually say so—Bill and Renan talk EL TOPO (1970), the legendary, head-spinning "acid Western" by the irascible Alejandro Jodorowsky. The film is remarkable for many reasons: its status as the undisputed first "midnight movie", its embrace by heroes of the 70s counterculture, for being locked away for decades in a contractual dispute, and for the very very questionable (potentially criminal) circumstances regarding its production. Discussed in this episode: Jodorowsky as proto-Tarantino and anti-Kubrick (but he's still a fan of the Master!); Jodorowsky, Frank Zappa, Yayoi Kusama, and why artists aren't like y...
2017-04-191h 08
Enter The VoidS5E5: MELANCHOLIARenan and Bill are finally back in the same room this week to discuss Lars Von Trier's 2011 science-fiction end-of-the-world-melodrama MELANCHOLIA. Their wide-ranging conversation touches on the subject of depression and the director's struggle with it; comparisons to The Tree of Life and Last Year at Marienbad; oh, and of course Another Earth, the other movie from 2011 about a mysterious planet in Earth's orbit; Bill's rogue planet Wikipedia rabbit hole; here again is Pieter Bruegel's The Hunters in the Snow; Stack Exchange, Wallace-l, fake news and internet theories; von Trier's crazy Cannes interview and what we think of his other work; k...
2017-04-121h 16
Enter The VoidS5E4: ANOTHER EARTHANOTHER EARTH, written and directed by Mike Cahill, written by and starring Brit Marling, and technically top-line starring William Mapother, is a 2011 sci-fi drama about bad decisions, tragic loss, difficult choices, and terrible regret. Oh, and also the appearance in the sky of, well, another Earth. In this episode, Bill and Renan talk about the limitations and innovations of low budget sci-fi, how much one can really enjoy movies about sad people, Hollywood's tendency to cast younger women and older men as romantic leads, what the ending is supposed to mean, and your hosts' thoughts and feelings about Marling's hit Ne...
2017-04-0556 min
Enter The VoidS5E3: HEAVY METALWhen your 1981 animated feature makes its central villain a glowing green orb called Loc-Nar that causes civilizations to rise and fall across time and space and vaporizes anyone who attempts to absorb its power... is it really fair to judge by the standards of 2017? Well, that never stopped Renan and Bill from going right ahead! In the third episode of season 5, your hosts consider the film's worldview (i.e. that of a horny teenage boy); this film's relationship to Sausage Party and The Fifth Element; which segments worked better than others; Hollywood remake rumors; and what if there was a hip-h...
2017-03-2950 min
Enter The VoidS5E2: THE LOBSTERThis week your show hosts consider THE LOBSTER, a very funny and very weird 2015 black comedy directed and co-written by Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz. In this conversation, Bill and Renan examine the absurdist rules of the film's future society; what the film has in common with The Sopranos, Nocturnal Animals and No Country For Old Men; whether or not it says anything about Tinder; the uses of Colin Farrell; and which animals would your hosts want to be? Plus, Bill develops a theory of the film in real time, and Renan has a "Usual Suspects m...
2017-03-221h 02
Enter The VoidS5E1: SOLARISFor the first full episode of ETV season 5, Bill and Renan talk SOLARIS: mainly the 1972 Andrei Tarkovsky classic, but also the 2002 Steven Soderbergh remake. Although they tell the same story, they are very different films. Your hosts evaluate each film on the merits and in relation to one another, plus: their very different pacing and runtimes; how each film is dated in different ways; the pros and cons of flashbacks; which film had the better ending; the practicalities of filmmaking under Brezhnev; and the film's awkward relationship to Stanley Kubrick and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Film links: So...
2017-03-151h 03
Enter The VoidS5E0: PREVIEWENTER THE VOID is back for our fifth season, and this time around Renan and Bill have set themselves the task of talking about only films by directors they haven't covered on the show. How did they do? Pretty good! Except for the last episode, but we think you'll find it a forgivable exception. Starting next week, ETV will appear in your podcast feed each Wednesday, and here is the lineup so you can watch ahead: Solaris (Tarkovsky, 1972) The Lobster (Lanthimos, 2015) Heavy Metal (Potterton, 1981) Another Earth (Cahill, 2011) Melancholia (Von Trier, 2011) El Topo (Jodorowsky, 1970) Coherence (Byrkit, 2013) Twin Peaks: Fire W...
2017-03-0811 min
Enter The VoidS4E8: 2046At last it is the final episode of the fourth season of Enter The Void. And to mark the occasion we're not just talking about Wong Kar-wai's 2046 (2004) but also the two films with which it forms a loose trilogy: 1990's Days of Being Wild and especially 2000's In the Mood for Love. Better still, Bill and Renan are joined by Wong aficionado Samarth Bhaskar from the New York Times. In this, they cover: lucking into a theatrical screening of Wong's films; a valiant attempt to describe what happens in 2046; how the three films relate to each other; what exactly th...
2016-12-211h 23
Enter The VoidS4E7: A SCANNER DARKLYOur penultimate episode of season 4 is about Richard Linklater's A SCANNER DARKLY, a 2006 adaptation of Philip K Dick's quasi-autobiographical novel of the same name. A blip on the screen—er, scanner?—at the time it was released, the film is now remembered best for its innovative rotoscope technique. But it's also a showcase for Robert Downey Jr. just before he became a superstar, a rare bright spot for Winona Ryder in her wilderness years, and also Keanu Reeves is here, being Keanu. In this episode, Bill and Renan also talk about other Philip K Dick adaptations, drug movies, Radiohead, Alex...
2016-12-141h 03
Enter The VoidS4E6: LAST YEAR AT MARIENBADThis week Renan and Bill welcome back season 2 guest Mark Netter to talk about what might just be the original mindfuck movie: 1961's French-language LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD, directed by Alain Resnais in collaboration with novelist Alain Robbe-Grillet. If you've never seen Marienbad, worry not, there is nothing we can say about it that will ruin this movie. Even after multiple viewings and a long discussion, we still don't know what it means—but that doesn't stop your hosts from trying! Also discussed: how Bill and Renan failed Marienbad on first viewing; how WWII and the Nazi occupation influenced th...
2016-12-071h 17
Enter The VoidS4E5: ARRIVALFor the first time since ETV began, Renan and Bill examine a film that is actually in theaters at the time of recording: Denis Villeneuve's ARRIVAL, starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker. It is not every day that Hollywood releases a sci-fi movie aimed at adults, let alone one that messes with your head like this one does, and it's certainly rare for a film to be built around linguistic theory. Also in this episode: other big budget "puzzle" films and how they get made; examining the work of the Nolan brothers, Twin Peaks and Westworld in p...
2016-11-301h 15
Enter The VoidS4E4: UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLDIn 1991, Wim Wenders leveraged the success of his crossover hit Wings of Desire to mount a project he'd dreamed of for years: a globe-trotting sci-fi epic he considered the "ultimate road movie". That film is UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD, and if you've never heard of it.... well. Warner Bros. made Wenders trim his nearly 5-hour cut by almost half, and the resulting film confused audiences and critics and sank without a trace. (But what a soundtrack!) And yet, the film all but predicted GPS navigation, smartphone addiction, and even free travel within the Euro area. Until very re...
2016-11-231h 06
Enter The VoidS4E3: OLDBOYToday Bill and Renan are joined by season 2 guest host Brian Gluckman for a wide-ranging discussion centered around Park Chan-wook's 2003 South Korean thriller OLDBOY. Among the topics covered: that famous hammer-hallway scene, that famous octopus scene, Spike Lee's misbegotten 2013 American remake, did you even know there was an unofficial Bollywood remake?, how it compares to the original Japanese manga, other films of Park Chan-wook including this year's The Handmaiden, and other daring works by South Korean filmmakers. This is a fun one! (But the audio's a little hinky, we admit.) Film links: Oldboy on Wikipedia Oldboy on I...
2016-11-161h 00
Enter The VoidS4E2: BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOWWhoa, OK, have you ever seen a movie that's more a midnight movie than BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW? We're not sure that we have, and in this episode Renan and Bill get way into what at least they think Panos Cosmatos' 2010 custom-built mindfuckery is really all about. Discussed in this episode: the amazing music, the incredible art direction, and the kinda maybe just so-so story and characters. Whatever you take from Cosmatos' visionary project, after this you're totally gonna want to rewatch Tombstone. Film links: BTBR official website BTBR on Wikipedia BTBR on IMDb BTBR trailer A...
2016-11-0952 min
Enter The VoidS4E1: ADVANTAGEOUSKicking off the fourth season of your favorite podcast about mindfuck movies, we look deep into ADVANTAGEOUS, a 2015 low-budget sci-fi darling of Sundance. Directed and co-written by Jennifer Phang, starring and co-written by Jacqueline Kim, with a welcome understated performance by Ken Jeong, the movie explores eternal themes amid a futuristic backdrop that looks all too familiar: How will competition for the best jobs work in a more crowded world? What happens when technology is good enough to make many careers obsolete? When it comes to self-improvement, how far is too far? And will we become almost totally inured to...
2016-11-021h 09
Enter The VoidS4E0: PREVIEWThe wait is over: Season 4 of ENTER THE VOID is right around the corner. This season we'll be talking about eight new movies—one of them in fact brand new—with double the guest hosts, bringing new perspectives to Bill and Renan unpack some really, really strange films. This season ETV will take on: Advantageous (Phang, 2015) Beyond the Black Rainbow (Cosmatos, 2002) Oldboy (Park, 2003) Until the End of the World (Wenders, 1991) Arrival (Villenueve, 2016) Last Year at Marienbad (Resnais, 1961) A Scanner Darkly (Linklater, 2006) 2046 (Wong, 2004) Show links Subscribe: iTunes Archives: enterthevoid.fm Follow us: Facebook + Twitter
2016-10-3011 min
Enter The VoidS3E8: WORLD OF TOMORROWClosing out season 3 of Enter The Void, Renan and Bill consider Don Hertzfeldt's Oscar-nominated animated short WORLD OF TOMORROW, which asks more brilliant and terrifying questions in its 17 minutes than many feature length sci-fi movies put together. For Emily, the 4-year-old central protagonist, and the viewer alike, it's a head-spinning tour of the medium-near future where cloning and life extension, virtual reality, autonomous robots, "discount" time travel, and even living on the moon are all part of the same tedious experience as our own smartphones and instant communications. Also discussed: what happens when our memories become art, or commodity?; in t...
2016-08-2459 min
Enter The VoidS3E7: CHUNGKING EXPRESSWong Kar-wai's CHUNGKING EXPRESS is a little different from the psychological thrillers and existential horrors this show usually talks about, but it's no less experimental and just as much a ride through crazytown. It's appropriate that the 1994 film could be called Pulp Fiction meets Reality Bites, since the film's Western popularity is largely thanks to Quentin Tarantino, who brought it to U.S. theaters. Today, Bill and Renan also discuss: whether it matters that Faye Wong is a so classic "manic pixie dream girl"; the cinematography and contributions of Chris Doyle; how it relates to Hong Kong's recent history...
2016-08-171h 00
Enter The VoidS3E6: PIDarren Aronofsky's first feature and still one of his weirdest, PI (or "π") is a B&W-shimmering orb providing a view to several convergent trends of the late 1990s: young independent directors scraping together a mainstream career; the use of obscure math and especially chaos theory in popular art; and the low-level burbling ambient electronic music of artists with names like Orbital and, well, The Orb. In this week's episode, Renan and Bill consider all of the above, and with it: pop mysticism and numerology, the whiter whites and blacker blacks of reversal film, the long arm of Gilliam and Serling...
2016-08-101h 04
Enter The VoidS3E5: THE INVITATIONIf you think you've ever had an uncomfortable dinner party experience, well, THE INVITATION will remind you just how boring your life really is. The most contemporary film we've discussed on the show to date, Karyn Kusama's 2015 slow-burn seriocomic ensemble drama / psychological thriller is one worth seeing knowing as little as possible, but still an absorbing study of character and group dynamics even if you know where it's going. This week Renan and Bill are joined by Emily Gaudette of Inverse.com to talk about her interview with Kusama, other dinner party films, how we react to grief and trauma, a...
2016-08-0354 minEnter The VoidS3E4: SECONDSMany years after directing SECONDS, John Frankenheimer reflected, the 1966 film went from failure to classic without ever having been a success. It was too arty and weird for Rock Hudson fans, and too Rock Hudson-y for weird art film fans. Though rejected by the public upon first release, the story it tells is no less compelling 50 years later. And now, thanks to Criterion and iTunes, this once obscure-for-a-cult-classic is available for rediscovery at the push of an Apple TV remote button. In this episode Renan and Bill are joined by guest host Ray Patnaude, who first saw it on TV late...
2016-07-2757 min
Enter The VoidS3E3: INLAND EMPIREWhat exactly is one to make of INLAND EMPIRE? Certainly, it's the kind of film only David Lynch could make. But it's unusual even by his own famously weird standards. It seems to have no plot or maybe three or else a secret design connecting it all together; it deliberately confuses you about its characters' identities, but at least its characters are confused, too; even the symbolism seems to have been sliced apart and glued back together as if to deliberately frustrate the viewing audience. Oh, and it's three hours long! But considered as a work of art, and for Laur...
2016-07-201h 01Enter The VoidS3E2: JACOB'S LADDERWhy isn't JACOB'S LADDER better known than it is? It's director Adrian Lyne's best film, Tim Robbins' first starring role, secretly way more influential than you know, and one of the few Hollywood movies to avoid flinching at the implications its psychological horror implies. Besides that, it has has Biblical allegories, military testing of psychoactive drugs, and is one of the few films to sustain a commitment to dream logic through its entirety. In this episode, Renan and Bill unpack its possible meanings, its long gestation period from page to screen, how it relates to movies like The Sixth Sens...
2016-07-1356 min
Enter The VoidS3E1: THE CITY OF LOST CHILDRENFor the first episode of season 3, Renan and Bill consider their second Jeunet et Caro film: 1995's THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN. Featuring Ron Perlman in his first starring feature role (in phoenetically-memorized French!), six times the Dominique Pinon as Delicatessen, incredible constructed harbor town sets and all the water to go with it, Rube Goldberg-inspired sequences, and conjoined twins, CITY is a feast for the senses. So, how does it stack up against other Jeunet films? What makes it work (or not) as a story? How does it borrow from Charles Dickens? What tropes does it trade on? An...
2016-07-0645 minEnter The VoidS3E0: PREVIEWSeason 3 of ENTER THE VOID is almost here! And because our episodes come with absolutely no spoiler warnings, we want to give you advance notice of what we're watching and discussing so you can keep up with us. In this short episode, Renan and Bill discuss a modest change to the show's schedule, and then get on to previewing the films themselves: The City of Lost Children (Jeunet et Caro, 1995) Jacob's Ladder (Lyne, 1990) Inland Empire (Lynch, 2006) Seconds (Frankenheimer, 1966) The Invitation (Kusama, 2015) Pi (Aronofsky, 1998) Chungking Express (Kar-wai, 1994) World of Tomorrow (Hertzfeldt, 2015) Show links: Rate us on iTunes! Fr...
2016-06-2912 min
Enter The VoidS2E2: BRAZILGloriously disorienting and hugely influential, Terry Gilliam's BRAZIL almost didn't happen the way we know it today. In the second season's second episode, Renan and Bill excavate Gilliam's endless battle with Sid Sheinberg and Universal Studios; debate films and directors inspired by BRAZIL (Tim Burton's Batman, how did we not see it until now!); altercate over whether Rian Johnson's directorial work counts as a descendant (but Mike Judge's Idiocracy totally does); and deliberate on where it stands compared to other adaptations and quasi-adaptations of George Orwell's 1984.
S2E02:
Film: Brazil (1985)
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Jonathan Pryce, Rober...
2016-03-091h 02
Enter The VoidS2E0: PREVIEWSeason 2 of ENTER THE VOID is nearly upon us. This time around, we're giving you a sneak preview of the films we plan to talk about, so you can follow along more closely. In this short episode, Renan and Bill give a quick rundown of the season ahead, and are over quick so they can get back to planning and you can get to watching.
And now, every film from the coming season, in episode order:
Eraserhead (Lynch, 1977)
Brazil (Gilliam, 1985)
The Man Who Fell To Earth (Roeg, 1976)
Videodrome (Cronenberg, 1983)
Near Dark (Bigelow, 1987)
The Congress (Folman, 2013)
Suicide Clu...
2016-02-1018 min
Enter The VoidS1E6: LOST HIGHWAYWhen Lost Highway arrived in theaters in early 1997, Lynch's reputation was on the line, critics hated it, basically no one went to see it... and yet almost 20 years later, for as flawed and occasionally incomprehensible as it may be, it is also one of David Lynch's strongest and best-realized visions. In the seventh episode of Enter The Void, Renan and Bill consider all of this and David Foster Wallace's famous essay on Lynch making this movie.
S1E6:
Film: Lost Highway (1997)
Director: David Lynch
Starring: Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, Balthazar Getty
Film links:
IMDb: Lost...
2015-11-041h 23
KubrickCastENTER THE VOID > S1E1: PHANTOM OF THE PARADISEHey wait, what did we do with KubrickCast? Well, KubrickCast has come to the end its natural run. But we have great news! Bill and Renan are picking up where they left off with an all-new show that should appeal to you, the KubrickCast subscriber. The new show is ENTER THE VOID about what we might call "mindfuck movies".
You can subscribe at http://enterthevoidpodcast.libsyn.com/rss but we're also publishing the first episode of ENTER THE VOID to this feed. But only this one! To join us on our dis
____
It's t...
2015-09-301h 07
KubrickCastThe Final EpisodeAt long last, the final scheduled episode of KubrickCast. This time around, Bill and Renan rank Stanley Kubrick's filmography by several categories, and then count down their top ten. (1:29:13)
2015-09-081h 29KubrickCastListener SuggestionsThe penultimate scheduled episode of KubrickCast takes up listener suggestions, and covers many more Shining-derived online videos, other Kubrick podcasts to check out, and what's next for Bill and Renan in podcasting. (1:00:27)
2015-08-251h 00KubrickCastMaking The ShiningKubrickCast returns today after taking summer vacation to review a film made by a Kubrick... but not Stanley Kubrick. It's Making The Shining (1980), a made-for-TV documentary short filmed and directed by Kubrick daughter Vivian Kubrick. Making The Shining takes viewers backstage of The Shining, famously showing glimpses of Shelley Duvall's difficult time on set, Jack Nicholson as the most famous goofball in the world, and a rare glimpse of the legendary Kubrick in action. (43:22)
2015-08-1143 minKubrickCastMashups + SupercutsAfter a brief hiatus, Bill and Renan are back to talking about films again, but this time it's all about your films—or videos, more properly—the mashups, supercuts and fan edits available on YouTube, Vimeo and elsewhere. Which are good? Which are great? Which are terrible but still fun to talk about? Plus, our hosts provide their personal top-five rankings. (59:17)
2015-06-2359 minKubrickCastKubrick and Music w/ Christine Lee GengaroThis week Bill and Renan are joined by Christine Lee Gengaro, author of Listening to Stanley Kubrick: The Music in His Films. Topics discussed: how Christine decided on Kubrick as a musical subject; the research process; things you never knew about Kubrick's scoring process; how to pronounce all of these European composers' names; who else is killing it in music and film thes days; plus a little bit about Back to the Future. (1:15:57)
2015-05-271h 15KubrickCastStanley Kubrick's BoxesIn this episode, Bill and Renan discuss the Jon Ronson documentary Stanley Kubrick's Boxes (2008) about the late film director's extensive archive of materials from his films, stored in boxes across his Hertfordshire estate. Plus, Bill tells the story of seeing Ronson screen the film in Brooklyn, and apologizes for what came next. (54:04)
2015-05-1254 minKubrickCastA.I. Artificial Intelligence (Part 2)In part two of our discussion about A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Bill and Renan debate what belongs to Spielberg and what belongs to Kubrick; what critics thought of the film, and how your interpretation of the ending plays into your view of the film overall. (59:10)
2015-04-2859 minKubrickCastA.I. Artificial Intelligence (Part 1)It's the first overtime episode of KubrickCast! With all canon Kubrick films behind us, we start exploring related topics with the closest thing to an unreleased mix tape: Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001). In this episode, we discuss Kubrick's development of the project in the 1970s and 80s to his efforts in the 1990s to get Spielberg to take it up. Also: David's programming and functionality, a rant. (56:53)
2015-04-1456 minKubrickCastEyes Wide Shut (Part 2)In the final regular season episode of KubrickCast, Bill and Renan discuss the music of Eyes Wide Shut (1999), the controversy surrounding its release, the controversy surrounding th film reviews, Kubrick's many nods to his earlier films, the possibly apocryphal phenomenon of "Eyes Wide Shut parties" and, of course, the Illuminati. (1:16:44)
2015-03-171h 16KubrickCastEyes Wide Shut (Part 1)At last we've arrived at Stanley Kubrick's final picture, Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Bill and Renan discuss the rumor mill and advance hype preceding the film's completion, the adaptation from Arthur Schnitzler's Traumnovelle, the hit piece-as-memoir by co-screenwriter Frederic Raphael, the casting of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, and go behind the scenes of Eyes Wide Shut's complex, secretive 400-day production. (1:17:16)
2015-03-031h 17KubrickCastFull Metal Jacket (Part 3)In this special edition of KubrickCast, we're doing something a little bit different: Renan takes a break, while Bill interviews Matthew Modine, Pvt. Joker himself, along with Adam Rackoff, who helped him produce the Full Metal Jacket Diary app and audiobook. (52:33)
2015-02-1752 minKubrickCastFull Metal Jacket (Part 2)Returning to Full Metal Jacket (1987) this week, Bill and Renan explore the casting of R. Lee Ermey, how Matthew Modine got Vincent D'Onofrio an audition, Stanley Kubrick's only film cameo (sort of), the film's release, reception, legacy, themes and... TV Tropes. (1:13:25)
2015-02-031h 13KubrickCastFull Metal Jacket (Part 1)Everyone seems to love the first half of Full Metal Jacket (1987), but opinions diverge wildly on the second part. In this episode, Bill and Renan explore Kubrick's collaboration with Michael Herr and Gus Hasford, the strange writing process, and even stranger process of building the city of Hue by tearing down part of central London. (1:02:38)
2015-01-201h 03KubrickCastThe Shining (Part 3)For a third and final time we revisit The Shining, this time focusing on the myriad fan theories about the film, particularly those explored in the documentary Room 237. Plus, is Toy Story 3 an allegory for The Shining? (1:24:36)
2015-01-061h 24KubrickCastThe Shining (Part 2)In the second installment about Kubrick's massively popular horror film, Bill and Renan get into the film's remarkable use of Steadicam, mid-70s non-chic costumes, a scene deleted after the first weekend of release and the long-running feud between Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick. (1:21:46)
2014-12-231h 21KubrickCastThe Shining (Part 1)It's been written that every Stanley Kubrick movie is a horror film—it's just that only one actually fits into the genre. This is the one! Kubrick's alternately creepy and campy The Shining (1980) took five years to make, arrived to middling reviews, and later became perhaps his most obsessed-over creation. The first part focuses on the project's origins, actors, sets and locations. (1:50:30)
2014-12-091h 50KubrickCastUnrealized ProjectsStanley Kubrick made thirteen feature-length films, and considered making many more. In this installment, Bill and Renan investigate One-Eyed Jacks, Blue Movie, The Lord of the Rings (!), and the two big ones that got away: Aryan Papers and Napoleon. Plus: will any of these projects eventually see the light of day? We'll discuss. (1:53:39)
2014-11-251h 53KubrickCastBarry LyndonBarry Lyndon is a strange one in Kubrick's career: a mixed critical reaction and disappointing box office upon its release, the film has undergone a near-complete reappraisal but has not entered the pop culture canon like the films which surround it. In the 17th episode of KubrickCast, Bill and Renan try to get to the bottom of this mystery. (1:32:47)
2014-11-111h 32KubrickCastA Clockwork Orange (Part 2)In this installment, Bill and Renan debate the themes of A Clockwork Orange, discuss its release in the US and the UK, the reviews both scathing and sympathetic, Kubrick's decision to withdraw it from circulation in England and what that means. The show also explores references to other Kubrick work in this film, pop culture refernences to this one, and Bill makes Renan try to guess what a parental guidance website says about it. (1:56:48)
2014-10-281h 56KubrickCastA Clockwork Orange (Part 1)At long last, KubrickCast decides it will move on to another movie besides 2001: A Space Odyssey—and next on the list is Kubrick's palate-cleanser of a follow-up, the controversial 1971 cult classic A Clockwork Orange. (1:26:00)
2014-10-141h 26KubrickCast2001: A Space Odyssey (Part 5)In the fifth and final installment of this mini-series on 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bill and Renan talk about how the iPod got its name, Mad Men and Mad Magazine riff on 2001, and what the movie got right and wrong in science and future predictions. (1:36:12)
2014-09-301h 36KubrickCast2001: A Space Odyssey (Part 4)In our fourth (!) installment of our discussion about 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bill and Renan return to discuss the themes of the film, Kubrick's fascinating Playboy interview, and then we go really deep. (1:08:24)
2014-09-161h 08KubrickCast2001: A Space Odyssey (Part 3)In the latest episode, Bill and Renan consider the most important jump cut in motion picture history; how the novel and story differ; what the monolith is all about; and why Arthur C. Clarke felt bad on IBM's behalf. (1:13:02)
2014-09-021h 13KubrickCast2001: A Space Odyssey (Part 2)In part two of our open-ended series on 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bill and Renan explore the special effects, music, and how there were almost aliens in this film. (1:10:14)
2014-08-191h 10KubrickCast2001: A Space Odyssey (Part 1)In this first of multiple installments, Bill and Renan discuss 2001: A Space Odyssey, beginning with the project's origins, massive pre-production research effort, filming at MGM studios, and the fabled Monolith. (1:13:47)
2014-08-051h 13
KubrickCastDr. Strangelove (Part 2) At last, the second half of Bill and Renan's in-depth conversation about Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), exploring the film's themes, relationship to reality, to Sidney Lumet's Fail-Safe, to its source material—the novel Red Alert—and Dr. Strangelove's legacy as arguably the most important film comedy of all time, as an enduring force in popular culture, not to mention its relevance in a post-Snowden world. (1:07:41)
2014-07-221h 07KubrickCastDr. Strangelove (Part 1)Bill and Renan hope you're excited as they are to finally get into Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), widely regarded as one of Kubrick's best films and, arguably, the most important comedy of all time. This first of two installments explores pre-production, production, and the fascinating cast of characters and actors—including the real-life basis for the character of Dr. Strangelove. (1:32:39)
2014-07-081h 32KubrickCastLolita Bill and Renan tackle Lolita (1962), Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of the controversial 1955 Vladimir Nabokov novel of the same name. In Lolita we can see Kubrick beginning to find his way toward a new approach to his pictures, which resulted in the classics we'll be discussing in future episodes. (1:19:22)
2014-06-241h 19KubrickCastDocumentary Shorts Taking a slight detour in the sixth episode, Bill and Renan discuss Kubrick's early career as a magazine photographer, and his early documentary shorts: Day of the Fight, Flying Padre and The Seafarers. (48:29)
2014-06-1048 minKubrickCastSpartacusBill and Renan take on Spartacus (1960), the last film Stanley Kubrick would ever not have complete control over. A big Hollywood epic and a film classic according to most, Spartacus is still a flawed (and overlong) picture, but one with a fascinating back story. (1:07:55)
2014-05-271h 07KubrickCastPaths of GloryBill and Renan consider Paths of Glory (1957), a stunning anti-war film starring Kirk Douglas as a French officer. Still regarded as a classic, this is considered a turning point in Kubrick's career, and it gave us multiple excuses to bring up The Wire, not that we really needed any. (1:19:03)
2014-05-131h 19KubrickCastThe KillingBill and Renan discuss The Killing (1956), Stanley Kubrick's third feature and the first one he really nails. The story focuses on Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) and the team he assembles to pull off one big score: a daring racetrack robbery that works like a charm... until it doesn't. Featuring William Beutler and Renan Borelli. (57:02)
2014-04-2957 min
KubrickCastKiller's KissBill and Renan consider Stanley Kubrick's Killer's Kiss (1955). Set in New York, it's the tale of a down-on-his-luck boxer, the fetching dancer who lives in the next building, her tough guy boss, and a mannequin factory whose owner is about to file a big insurance claim. Featuring William Beutler and Renan Borelli. (29:53)
2014-04-1529 minKubrickCastFear and DesireIn the first episode of KubrickCast, Bill and Renan consider Stanley Kubrick's first feature film, Fear and Desire (1953). While it certainly is not a successful film, Fear and Desire is a lot more fun to talk about than it was to watch. (33:36)
2014-04-0133 min