Shows
Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 103 - Cannibal Holocaust / The Green InfernoFor today’s season finale, we're joined by author Caleb Bethea for possibly our longest-awaited episode. Ruggero Deodato's 1980 video nasty CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST is on the shortlist for the most controversial films ever made, from its onscreen animal cruelty to the widespread bans and obscenity charges following its release. We weigh in on whether it’s beneath or slightly above contempt, and how it looks next to a modern homage that tries recapturing that disgusting magic: Eli Roth's 2013 cannibal splatter film THE GREEN INFERNO.You can find Caleb's book at https://maudlinhouse.net/author/caleb-bethea/
2025-12-231h 35Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 102 - Private Parts / Ringmaster feat. Anthony CrislipToday we're joined by Anthony Crislip of Akron, Ohio's THE NIGHTLIGHT cinema for the vanity projects of the two most controversial broadcasters of the 90's. Both Howard Stern and Jerry Springer helped reinvent their respective mediums, whether for better or worse, but they only ventured onto the big screen once (and within one year of each other). We see if these *very* 90’s star vehicles are as unwatchable—or unlistenable--as the shows their stars hosted: Betty Thomas' 1997 Howard Stern biopic PRIVATE PARTS, and Neil Abramson's 1998 Jerry Springer comedy RINGMASTER.You can find out more abou...
2025-12-091h 14Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 101 - Two by Godard feat. Nathan Gelgud (La Chinoise / British Sounds)Today we're joined by cartoonist Nathan Gelgud to tackle the most polarizing and some might say Unwatchable period of a legendary filmmaker's career. Jean-Luc Godard was one of the leading figures of the French New Wave, at least until he abandoned narrative filmmaking for experimental political films that alienated much of his audience. We'll be looking at two films from this most controversial of eras: 1967's political docu-fiction LA CHINOISE, and 1969's avant-garde documentary BRITISH SOUNDS.You can find more from Nathan at https://nathangelgud.com/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth...
2025-11-251h 09Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 100 - Sick / In My Skin feat. Mike D'AngeloUNWATCHABLES celebrates its 100th episode with film critic Mike D'Angelo, who joins us for two films about the ecstasy of agony. These movies are all about pain of the self-inflicted kind, one fiction and one non-fiction look at the line between self-harm and self-care: Kirby Dick's heart-rending, stomach-churning 1997 documentary SICK: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF BOB FLANAGAN, SUPERMASOCHIST, and Marina de Van's 2002 body-horror drama IN MY SKIN.You can find more from Mike at: https://letterboxd.com/gemko/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by M...
2025-11-111h 23Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 99 - Halloween Special feat. Christopher Norris (Exorcist II: The Heretic / Beyond the Door)On today’s Halloween special, we’re joined by author and visual artist Christopher Norris for two films that are decidedly NOT The Exorcist. William Friedkin's 1973 phenomenon inspired plenty of imitators, but few rode its coattails as closely as these: 1974's Italian-made knock-off BEYOND THE DOOR—a minor hit that was sued for copyright infringement—and John Boorman's official, infamously reviled 1977 sequel EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC.You can find more from Chris, including his latest novel, at https://steakmtn.com/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony...
2025-10-281h 41Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 98 - Unwatchables Down Under feat. Laura Venning (Wake in Fright / The Nightingale)Today UNWATCHABLES goes Down Under for two grim Australian thrillers with the help of film critic Laura Venning. These films faced controversy for their upsetting depictions of brutal violence—in one case, the unsimulated kind—but that's nothing compared to what they say about human nature: Ted Kotcheff's 1971 psychological thriller WAKE IN FRIGHT, and Jennifer Kent's 2018 revenge Western THE NIGHTINGALE.
2025-10-191h 23Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 98 - Unwatchables Down Under feat. Laura Venning (Wake in Fright / The Nightingale)Today UNWATCHABLES goes Down Under for two grim Australian thrillers with the help of film critic Laura Venning. These films faced controversy for their upsetting depictions of brutal violence—in one case, the unsimulated kind—but that's nothing compared to what they say about human nature: Ted Kotcheff's 1971 psychological thriller WAKE IN FRIGHT, and Jennifer Kent's 2018 revenge Western THE NIGHTINGALE.You can find more from Laura at https://www.lauravenning.com/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
2025-10-141h 24Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 97 - Last Tango in Paris / Blue Is the Warmest Color feat. Steven BernsteinToday we're joined by filmmaker/author Steven Bernstein for our tribute to intimacy coordinators, none of whom were present for these films. These painfully raw relationship dramas courted controversy not just for their explicit sex scenes, but also for the conditions under which they were shot: Bernardo Bertolucci's 1972 erotic drama LAST TANGO IN PARIS, and Abdellatif Kesheesh's 2013 Palme d'Or winner BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR. You can find Steven's new novel GRQ at: https://a.co/d/7CihqRxhttps://a.co/d/7CihqRxUnwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth...
2025-09-301h 34Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 96 - Two by Doris Wishman feat. Jetta Weinstein (Bad Girls Go to Hell / Double Agent 73)Doris Wishman has been called the Queen of Sexploitation, and the most prolific female filmmaker of the 1960’s and 70’s. But did she ever learn how to make a movie? Today we’re joined by Jetta Weinstein, aka theironcupcake, to discuss two peaks of her inimitable brand of trash cinema: 1965's questionably feminist softcore drama BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL, and 1974's bra-busting spy film DOUBLE AGENT 73.You can find more from Jetta at https://letterboxd.com/theironcupcake/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony S...
2025-09-161h 25Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 95 - The Idiots / Tiptoes feat. Dr. Ethan LyonHollywood has come a long way in depicting individuals with disabilities with candor and respect… these are not those films. Dr. Ethan Lyon joins us for two movies it’s hard to imagine getting made today, though they say a lot about changing ideas of representation and political correctness: Lars Von Trier’s 1998 dark comedy THE IDIOTS, and THE “Gary Oldman as a little person” movie, Matthew Bright’s 2002 romantic drama TIPTOES.You can find more from Ethan at https://letterboxd.com/dz1ga/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dotta...
2025-09-061h 37Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 95 - The Idiots / Tiptoes feat. Dr. Ethan LyonHollywood has come a long way in depicting individuals with disabilities with candor and respect… these are not those films. Dr. Ethan Lyon joins us for two movies it’s hard to imagine getting made today, though they say a lot about changing ideas of representation and political correctness: Lars Von Trier’s 1998 dark comedy THE IDIOTS, and THE “Gary Oldman as a little person” movie, Matthew Bright’s 2002 romantic drama TIPTOES.You can find more from Ethan at https://letterboxd.com/dz1ga/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troy...
2025-09-021h 36Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 94 - Kissed / Amer feat. Frank RitzToday we’re joined by filmmaker Frank Ritz for what Freud would call our “Eros and Thanatos” episode. These two films blur the line between sex and death, including the rare look at necrophilia that’s… actually kind of sweet? The films are: Lynne Stopkewich's 1996 necrophiliac romance KISSED, and Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani's 2009 avant-garde giallo AMER.You can find more from Frank at https://letterboxd.com/frankritz/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. Unwatchables Patreon: https://www.patreon...
2025-08-191h 29Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 93 - Showgirls feat. Grace WinburneToday we’re joined by Cinematary's Grace Winburne to help us chart one film’s course from THE defining flop of the 90’s to midnight cult classic to the unlikely subject of critical reappraisal. But one question remains: does SHOWGIRLS actually not suck?You can find more from Grace at https://www.cinematary.com/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. Unwatchables Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables Instagra...
2025-08-051h 20Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 92 - Two by John Boorman (Deliverance / Zardoz)Today we're joined by Cinematary's Zach Dennis for the wild, weird, and (in one case) horrific films of director John Boorman. We take a look at his harrowing Hollywood breakthrough, 1972's disturbing survival thriller DELIVERANCE, and then its truly bizarre cult sci-fi follow-up: 1974's Sean Connery-starring ZARDOZ.You can find more from Zach at https://www.cinematary.com/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. Unwatchables Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables Instagram: https://www.instagra...
2025-07-221h 36Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 91 - Family Annihilators feat. Elena Lazic (Natural Enemies / The Stepfather)Film critic Elena Lazic joins us for two films about “family annihilators,” the real-life phenomenon of husbands and fathers who kill their entire families. We discuss a long-unavailable 70’s downer, as well as it’s darkly comic slasher-film counterpart: Jeff Kanew's bleak 1979 drama NATURAL ENEMIES, and Joseph Ruben's 1987 horror film THE STEPFATHER.Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. Unwatchables Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unwatchablespod/Twitte...
2025-07-081h 22Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 90 - Straw Dogs / Elle feat. Amy HensarlingAmy Hensarling of WATCH THIS LIST returns to discuss two films mired in controversy for their depictions of victims of sexual violence. Sam Peckinpah's 1971 thriller STRAW DOGS has been both criticized and defended for decades for its notorious depiction of a woman seemingly embracing her attacker. We consider what it’s trying to say about men, women, and humanity as a whole, plus how it’s answered by another film: Paul Verhoeven's 2017 psychological thriller ELLE.Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. Un...
2025-06-301h 25Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 87 - Two by Joel Schumacher feat. Jason Bailey (Falling Down / 8mm)Critic Jason Bailey, author of Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend, returns to UNWATCHABLES for two controversial films by the late, um, great(?) Joel Schumacher. 1993's FALLING DOWN may be THE angry white man vigilante thriller, a Rorschach test that either examines or celebrates racially charged grievance. Then there’s 1999's bleak psychological thriller 8MM, which answers the question: what if SE7EN shared a director with BATMAN & ROBIN?You can find Jason's book, Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend, at https://mzs.press/SIGNED-Gandolfini-Jim-Tony-and-the-Life-of-a-Legend-by-Jason-Bailey-Hardcover-NEW-p730146973Unwatchables is...
2025-05-131h 21Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 84 - Three by Andy Warhol feat. Will Sloan (Kiss / Blow Job / Vinyl)Writer and podcaster Will Sloan of THE IMPORTANT CINEMA CLUB joins us today as our guide through the early underground films of Andy Warhol. We’ll be covering some of the legendary pop artist’s most radical and (for at least one of us) punishing cinematic experiments: 30 minutes of couples sucking face in 1964's KISS; 27 minutes of, well, something else, in BLOW JOB; and 1965’s VINYL, an early adaptation of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE that makes Kubrick's version look like Marvel movie.You can find more from will at:https://letterboxd.com/will_sloan/https...
2025-04-011h 23Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 83 - The Cable Guy feat. Matt SingerToday author and ScreenCrush editor Matt Singer returns to discuss one of the oddest detours in a legendary Hollywood career. When THE CABLE GUY came out in 1996, Jim Carrey was on one of the hottest streaks in cinema history; fans just didn't know what to do with a dark comedy/thriller that made him into a full-blown creep. We talk about why it was considered a flop, where it falls in the careers of both Carrey and director Ben Stiller, and if it really IS that weird.You can find more from Matt at https://screencrush.com/
2025-03-181h 17Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 82 - Two by Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo / The Holy Mountain)Today we welcome Bryan Loomis, host of the film podcast WHAT A PICTURE, to discuss the work of polarizing surrealist filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. Jodorowsky made some of the most bizarre and controversial cult films of the 1970's, and we'll be discussing perhaps his two most notorious: 1970's phantasmogoric acid western EL TOPO and 1973's psychedelic odyssey THE HOLY MOUNTAIN.You can find more from Bryan at https://www.whatapicturepod.com/Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
2025-02-251h 28Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 81 - Pink Films feat. Bob McCully (Violated Angels / Muscle)Today we’re joined by SPLIT YOUR HEAD’s Bob McCully to discuss a cinematic movement entirely new to our hosts. The Japanese “pink films” of the 60s, 70s, and 80s were part lurid exploitation flicks and part transgressive art films, like arthouse video nasties. We tackle two of its most provocative touchstones: Koji Wakamatsu's true-crime inspired VIOLATED ANGELS and Hisayasu Sato's gay sadomasochistic love story MUSCLE.You can hear more from Bob athttps://open.spotify.com/show/13zXnW9HONPA7hf5U03F8iUnwatchables is hosted b...
2025-02-111h 05Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 80 - Two by David LynchThe late David Lynch explored the line between the watchable and the unwatchable as distinctively and mysteriously as any filmmaker ever has. UNWATCHABLES kicks off Season 4 by tackling his first and (sadly) last films, his two most alienating avant-garde works separated by almost exactly 30 years: 1977's hugely influential surrealist classic ERASERHEAD, and 2006's polarizing 3-hour digital camcorder experiment INLAND EMPIRE.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/unwatchables to get...
2025-01-281h 29Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 79 - The Virgin Spring / The Last House on the Left feat. Keith PhippsFilm critic Keith Phipps returns for his second UNWATCHABLES season finale, and how better to close out the year than with a harrowing arthouse classic and its unlikely grindhouse remake? Ingmar Bergman’s THE VIRGIN SPRING is a stark, unsettling adaptation of a 13th century folk ballad; 12 years later, it served as the inspiration for the grisly debut of horror director Wes Craven, 1972’s THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. We discuss how Bergman’s religious fable morphed into the template for the modern rape-revenge film, and what was lost—or gained—in translation.
Don’t forget to join us a...
2024-12-171h 07Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 78 - Two by Dennis Cooper (Like Cattle Towards Glow / Permanent Green Light)Today we welcome author, filmmaker, and (retired) performer Christopher Zeischegg for two films by notorious transgressive author Dennis Cooper. Cooper’s queer, graphic, sex- and death-obsessed fiction is disturbing enough on its own. Now he’s ventured twice into filmmaking: first with 2015’s LIKE CATTLE TOWARDS GLOW, a collection of shorts concerned with many of the same violent themes as his written work. Then he switched gears with 2018’s sweeter PERMANENT GREEN LIGHT, about a teenager compelled to literally blow himself up—with a little help from his friends.
Unwatchables is hosted by...
2024-12-031h 31Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 77 - Zero Day / Elephant feat. Steve EricksonToday we’re joined by critic Steve Erickson for two films that dared to dramatize the 1999 Columbine massacre—both in 2003, barely four years after the tragedy. Ben Coccio’s ZERO DAY and Gus Van Sant’s ELEPHANT each encountered controversy, though only one would win the Palme D’Or while the other is now mainly available on YouTube. We’ll talk about the films’ very different approaches to one of the 20th century’s defining tragedies, and where (or if) we draw the line between insight and exploitation.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer...
2024-11-191h 25Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 76 - Halloween Special feat. Zach Butcher (Maniac / Angst)It’s the UNWATCHABLES Halloween special, and we’re dissecting two films that helped pave the way for last year’s subject, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. With help from return guest Zach Butcher, we consider how two earlier, less “respectable” horror movies deglamorized serial killers by putting us in their shoes: 1980’s grimy New York slasher MANIAC and 1983’s Austrian cult shocker ANGST.This is also a great time to check out our new and improved Patreon page! This week’s exclusive bonus content is a full conversation with Zach about our *extremely* combative rankings of the HALLOWEEN film s...
2024-10-301h 30Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 75 - Two by David Cronenberg (The Fly / Dead Ringers)Today we’re kicking off Horror-tober with two classics from the undisputed master of body horror, David Cronenberg. And who better to help us than filmmaker and novelist Bobby Miller, the director of horror films like CRITTERS ATTACK! and 2016's THE CLEANSE starring Johnny Galecki and Angelica Huston. We’ll be discussing two films that blend horror, sci-fi, and grand tragedy in ways that churn your emotions as much as your stomach: 1986's existential monster movie THE FLY, and 1988's twisted psychological thriller DEAD RINGERS.
Also be sure to pre-order Bobby Miller’s new book SITUATION NOWHERE at http://Situat...
2024-10-151h 16Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 74 - Unwatchables Live (The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.)For the very first Unwatchables live event hosted by Akron's Nightlight theatre, Seth and Marc introduce a special screening of THE 5,000 FINGERS OF DR. T, the only film ever written by Dr. Seuss— one deemed too dark and strange for family audiences when it flopped in 1953, but now rightfully beloved for its surreal production design and infectiously absurd musical numbers.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/unwatchables to get ac...
2024-10-0939 minUnwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 73 - More Cannes-tastrophes (The Brown Bunny / The Sea of Trees)Today we welcome Letterboxd’s own Swartacus for the 2nd edition of our CANNES-TASTROPHES series. The Cannes film festival is the most prestigious of its kind in the world, and these films had premieres so disastrous that hundreds booed and even fled the theater. First up is Vincent Gallo’s scandalous 2003 art film THE BROWN BUNNY, which Roger Ebert famously declared the worst film in Cannes’ history (sparking a legendary feud with the director). Then we see whether that label REALLY applies to our second candidate, Gus Van Sant’s universally panned, Matthew McConaughey-starring mush THE SEA OF TREES.
2024-09-251h 31Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 72 - United 93 / 9/11Today’s UNWATCHABLES looks back on two very different films about the September 11th terrorist attacks. Paul Greengrass’ UNITED 93 came out less than 5 years after the tragedy and was the first Hollywood film to dramatize the day that many people weren’t sure needed dramatized. We’ll discuss what recreating the attacks means today as well as back in 2006, and then consider the other end of the spectrum: 2017’s simply titled 9/11, a chamber drama starring a post-TWO AND A HALF MEN Charlie Sheen trapped in an elevator in the World Trade Center. And if that sounds ill-advised… you have no idea.
2024-09-101h 23Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 71 - A Family Affair (Nil by Mouth / The War Zone)Today we’re joined by author Derek Fisher for two eerily similar, and similarly miserable, family portraits. Both are the directorial debuts of renowned British actors who would never direct again; both follow dysfunctional working class families; and both star Ray Winstone as *the* worst dad of all time. Only one, however, was too much for one of our hosts to finish. Is it Gary Oldman’s 1997 slice-of-misery NIL BY MOUTH, or Tim Roth’s harrowing 1999 incest drama THE WAR ZONE?
You can find more from Derek at https://derekafisher.com/
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2024-08-271h 37Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 70 - Star Wars Prequels Pt. 2 - Revenge of the SethOn the conclusion of our two-part episode on the STAR WARS prequels, we somehow find both more AND less middle ground. ATTACK OF THE CLONES and REVENGE OF THE SITH are generally considered the worst and best of the prequels, respectively—so naturally, we can’t even agree on that. Topics include whether lightsaber Yoda is a high- or lowlight, how you whiff the casting of Anakin two times over, and the future of both George Lucas and a Lucas-free STAR WARS.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, feat...
2024-08-201h 23Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 69 - Star Wars Prequels Pt. 1On a special two-part UNWATCHABLES, our hosts opinions are galaxies far, far apart. George Lucas’ STAR WARS prequels were greeted with mixed to hostile reactions over 20 years ago, but these days some fans—even one on this podcast!—will argue that they’re worth defending. With help from our producer Tony, we’re tackling all three films in the most divisive STAR WARS trilogy of them all… but can a divided UNWATCHABLES stand?Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.You can...
2024-08-131h 19Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 68 - Scare Bears feat. Zack Bornstein (Birdboy / Unicorn Wars)Today we’re joined by Zack Bornstein, the Emmy-nominated, WGA and Peabody Award-winning writer from shows like SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and SHRINKING, to answer the question: what if the Care Bears were in ANTICHRIST? The animated films of Alberto Vázquez are full of cuddly talking animals, but also graphic gore, human-looking genitalia, and possibly clinical depression. We’ll be discussing his two unrelentingly bleak features: 2015’s coming-of-age horror drama BIRDBOY: THE FORGOTTEN CHILDREN, and 2022’s epic splatter film UNICORN WARS.
You can find more from Zack at https://www.zackbornstein.com/
2024-07-301h 06Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 67 - The World's Greatest Sinner / Forbidden ZoneUnwatchables welcomes back Cinematary’s Michael O’Malley for two unhinged California cult curiosities that land somewhere between ROCKY HORROR and THE ROOM. Are they crazily inspired, or just crazy? They are: Timothy Carey’s 1962 Frank Zappa-scored satire THE WORLD’S GREATEST SINNER, and Richard Elfman’s 1980 absurdist musical fantasy FORBIDDEN ZONE.
You can find more from Michael at https://www.cinematary.com/
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchable...
2024-07-161h 42Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 66 - 1941 / One from the HeartToday we welcome podcaster and musician Bob Ethington to discuss two ambitious, high-profile flops from two of the 1970’s most ambitious, high-profile auteurs. Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola were following up some of the most beloved American films ever made when they sunk huge budgets into experiments that blew up in their faces— and that might even share some blame for the end of the New Hollowood era. They are Spielberg’s 1979 epic historical farce 1941, and Coppola’s 1981 lavish musical romance ONE FROM THE HEART.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Sca...
2024-07-021h 28Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 65 - Two by Rick Alverson (The Comedy / Entertainment)Today we welcome back Paul Keelan of CINEMATIC UNDERDOGS to discuss the abrasive, deliberately alienating character studies of Rick Alverson. Alverson works with alt-comedy icons like Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington, but his films are anything but normal comedies— whatever you call them, they’re dark, uncomfortable, and follow people you probably don’t want to spend much time with. We’re discussing two of his best-known provocations (don’t let the titles fool you): 2012’s Tim Heidecker-starring THE COMEDY, and 2015’s Neil Hamburger vehicle ENTERTAINMENT.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti...
2024-06-181h 46Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 64 - Catherine Breillat feat. Hit Factory Hosts (Fat Girl / Anatomy of Hell)We’re thrilled to welcome Hit Factory hosts Aaron & Carlee to discuss the films of French provocateur Catherine Breillat. Breillat never met a male/female relationship she couldn’t dissect in harrowing fashion, often with explicit or downright shocking content. We tackle two of her hardest to stomach films: 2001’s pitch-black coming of age tale FAT GIRL, and 2004’s graphic arthouse provocation ANATOMY OF HELL.
You can find more from Aaron and Carlee at https://open.spotify.com/show/2bwSvn4H3airk00IYCwaoa
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced...
2024-05-312h 06Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 63 - Mother's Day Special (Inside / Proxy)In honor of Mother’s Day, we’re joined by horror author Emma E. Murray to take a look at the Unwatchable side of motherhood. Today’s films aren’t afraid to put both small children and pregnant women in peril; they include possibly the single bloodiest film of the New French Extremity horror wave, as well as a truly demented (and underseen) Hitchcock riff. They are the 2007 French slasher film INSIDE, and Zack Parker’s shocking 2013 psychodrama PROXY.
You can find all of Emma's books at https://emmaemurray.com/
Unwatcha...
2024-05-141h 33Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 62 - The Passion of Joan of ArcToday we’re going back to 1928 for what might be the most harrowing film of the silent era. Carl Theodor Dreyer’s intense, claustrophobic THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC was like nothing at the time and arguably still isn’t; we’ll talk about the film’s controversial history, what makes it so radical, and whether it might be too much for some viewers.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us on...
2024-04-3056 minUnwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 61 - Dear Zachary feat. Erik DavisUnwatchables welcomes Erik Davis, managing editor of Fandango.com, to discuss possibly the most heart-wrenching film we’ve yet covered. Erik wrote the first review of 2008’s true crime doc DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER after its Slamdance premiere, and anyone who’s seen it knows it’s not the kind of movie you ever forget. We discuss what makes it so uniquely devastating, how it holds up after all these years, and whether the way it handles its big “secret” is shamelessly exploitative.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, prod...
2024-04-161h 04Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 60 - The Good SonToday we welcome back Jetta Weinstein, aka Letterboxd's theironcupcake, to discuss the film that scarred a generation of HOME ALONE fans. Macaulay Culkin was at the height of his child stardom when his father/manager signed him on for HOME ALONE 2 under one condition… that his next role be the murderous child sociopath in 1993’s R-rated thriller THE GOOD SON. We’ll talk about who this movie was possibly made for, whether it was actually responsible for the end of Culkin’s career, and if it has THE most insane ending we’ve ever seen.
You can find more from Jetta...
2024-04-021h 04Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 59 - I Love You, DaddyToday’s film is so controversial it’s never actually been released. In 2017, comedian Louis CK wrote, directed, and starred in I LOVE YOU, DADDY, which was pulled just a week before release after a New York Times article detailed his sexual misconduct; as if that timing wasn’t bad enough, the film itself concerns a director known for his sexual indiscretions with minors. We talk about how it fits into the #MeToo movement, whether CK had a future as a director, and if the movie really is as cursed as it sounds.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc D...
2024-03-191h 17Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 58 - The Zone of Interest feat. Amy HensarlingUnwatchables is thrilled to welcome back Amy Hensarling of Watch This List for our special pre-Oscars episode! Jonathan Glazer’s harrowing Holocaust drama THE ZONE OF INTEREST may be the most unconventional Best Picture nominee in years, if not ever; we discuss Glazer’s entire career, his uniquely unsettling approach to a familiar unsettling subject, and whether in this case he went far enough.
You can find more from Amy at https://letterboxd.com/amyhensarling/
and you can check out her podcast, Watch This List, at https://t.co/UWxbDl7Rnj
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and...
2024-03-051h 19Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 57 - 00's Horror Remakes (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre / The Hills Have Eyes)Today’s Unwatchables looks back at a stretch of the 2000’s when seemingly every grimy horror classic was getting a slick, ultra-gory remake. Author and podcaster Mallory Smart joins us to discuss contemporary updates of two of the most iconic and disturbing guerilla horror films of the 70’s, and whether they might actually be *more* sadistic than the originals. They are Marcus Nispel’s glossy 2003 THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, and Alejandre Aja’s brutal 2006 THE HILLS HAVE EYES.
You can find more from Mallory at https://mallorysmart.com/
Unwatchables is hosted...
2024-02-201h 22Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 56 - Two by S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk / Brawl in Cell Block 99)Today’s Unwatchables is all about the loquacious, shockingly brutal modern exploitation films of S. Craig Zahler. Special guest Matt Belenky helps us discuss Zahler’s artful approach to extreme violence, the controversy around his perceived politics, and whether his films are actually as regressive as their inspirations. On deck are 2015’s grisly horror Western BONE TOMAHAWK, and 2017’s face-smashing prison flick BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99.
You can find more from Matt at https://letterboxd.com/saveferris71/
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitt...
2024-02-061h 26Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 55 - The Cult of Damon Packard (Reflections of Evil / Foxfur)Unwatchables kicks off Season 3 with one of the most notorious outsider cult films of the 2000’s. With help from video essayist Jacob Sleezer, we dissect the surreal provocations of filmmaker Damon Packard, starting with his epic, vomit-drenched, copyright-infringing magnum opus, 2002’s REFLECTIONS OF EVIL. Topics include Packard blowing his inheritance, whether he might actually be unwell, and his years-in-the-making sci-fi whatsit FOXFUR.
You can find Jacob on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/wormwould/ and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh-IwbDtNPL6T6zrngXpOCw
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth...
2024-01-231h 31Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 54 - JackassFor the Unwatchables Season 2 finale, we’re tackling the highest-grossing— and we do mean gross— documentary series of all time. In this special “Producer’s Pick” episode, our producer Tony Scarpitti helps us discuss the JACKASS phenomenon, how the films evolved over the years, and which parts we found too painful to endure. In the end, we rank all four theatrically-released films… a stunt that should not be performed at home.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at ...
2023-12-121h 42Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 53 - Sleeping Dogs Lie feat. Mike D'AngeloFilm critic Mike D’Angelo returns to Unwatchables with our most unexpected guest pick yet: Bobcat Goldthwait’s 2006 dark comedy SLEEPING DOGS LIE. We discuss what makes it so queasy yet unexpectedly moving, how Mike’s opinion has shifted over the years, and whether this is the first rom-com to pivot on an act of bestiality. ALSO: Stay tuned after the discussion for our first Unwatchables guest questionnaire, including Mike’s most unpopular opinion and most Unwatchable film.
You can find more from Mike at https://www.patreon.com/gemko
Unwatchables is hosted b...
2023-11-281h 27Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 52 - Queen & Slim feat. Robert DanielsToday’s guest is Robert Daniels, associate editor of http://RogerEbert.com, to help us discuss a controversial fugitive drama that takes a provocative look at police violence against Black Americans. 2019’s QUEEN & SLIM is the feature debut of Melina Matsoukas— director of the iconic music video for Beyonce’s “Formation”— and stars Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya. So why has it become potentially overlooked? We discuss how it holds up today, Snoop Dog’s hostile reaction at the screening Robert attended, and the online discourse over its ending.
You can find more from Robert at https://www.rogerebert.com/contributors/robert-daniels
Unwatchables is...
2023-11-141h 11Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 51 - Halloween Special feat. Katie Rife (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer / The Golden Glove)Who better to join our Halloween special than film critic Katie Rife, aficionado of all things horror? She proves her strong stomach by exposing us to two of the most harrowing serial killer films ever made, starting with 1986’s hugely influential HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. We discuss its revolutionary approach to depicting violence, how it comments on the true crime genre, and one of its most repulsive descendants: Fatih Akin’s 2019 stomach-churner THE GOLDEN GLOVE.You can find more from Katie at https://x.com/RifewithKatie
2023-10-311h 26Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 50 - The Kids Still Aren't All Right feat. B.R. Yeager (Bully / Mysterious Skin)We’ve already tackled two films from KIDS’ Larry Clark on our previous “Kids Aren’t All Right” episode— who’d have thought he had more unwatchable in him? Today we’re joined by B.R. Yeager, author of the acclaimed horror novel NEGATIVE SPACE, for further evidence that the kids still aren’t, in fact, all right. Both of these films show the dark side of coming of age in all its potential trauma and violence, though only one offers any glimmer of hope: Clark’s 2001 true crime story BULLY, and Gregg Araki’s 2004 sex abuse drama MYSTERIOUS SKIN.
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2023-10-181h 41Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 49 - Clean, Shaven / Keane feat. Isaac FeldbergToday’s films take us deep into the subjective sensory experience of extreme mental illness, including at least one character with paranoid schizophrenia. Chicago film critic Isaac Feldberg (of http://RogerEbert.com, Paste Magazine, and more) joins us to discuss the very different— but equally harrowing— approaches of two superficially similar films, both by writer/director Lodge Kerrigan: his auspicious, disturbing 1993 debut CLEAN, SHAVEN, and its 2004 spiritual remake KEANE.
You can find more from Isaac at https://linktr.ee/isaacfeldberg
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpi...
2023-10-031h 34Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 48 - Puppet Perversion (Meet The Feebles / Let My Puppets Come)Today we’re joined by Bob McCully from the film podcast Split Your Head to discuss two of the first films to violently tear up the notion that puppets are just for kids. Back when puppetry was mostly the domain of children’s entertainment, these movies brought enough graphic sex, drugs, and violence to traumatize any child unlucky enough to stumble upon them: Peter Jackson’s 1989 ultra-dark comedy MEET THE FEEBLES, and Gerard Damiano’s 1976 pornographic musical LET MY PUPPETS COME.
You can follow Bob on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bobmccully/ and check out his podcast, Split Your Head, at...
2023-09-191h 27Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 46 - NYC Cop Sleazecore feat. Jason Bailey (Cruising / Bad Lieutenant)This week’s Unwatchables is a double feature of “NYC cop movie sleazecore”— a term coined by guest Jason Bailey, film critic, author, and host of the popular film podcast A Very Good Year. Both of these films were mired in controversy for their explicit content; both are by directed by legendary, and legendarily cranky, auteurs; and both star iconic New York actors navigating the city’s seedy underbelly. The films are William Friedkin’s (R.I.P) 1980 undercover crime thriller CRUISING, and Abel Ferrara’s 1992 morality play BAD LIEUTENANT.
You can hear more from Jason at tinyurl.com/av...
2023-08-221h 35Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 45 - The Baby of Macon feat. Bilge EbiriToday we’re joined by Bilge Ebiri, one of the country’s leading film critics for Vulture and New York Magazine, to tackle Peter Greenaway’s most disturbing film. The British director may be best known for his 1989 arthouse classic THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER, but he made several other singular, controversial, and often shocking films in the 80’s and 90’s. Perhaps the most shocking of all is 1993’s THE BABY OF MÂCON, which distributors found so disturbing that it wasn’t seen for years in the U.S. and has still never had an official North...
2023-08-081h 11Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 43 - Sátántangó feat. Charles BramescoUnwatchables welcomes author and film/TV critic Charles Bramesco to discuss one of the most intimidating of all cinematic rites of passage. Bela Tarr’s SATANTANGO is 7 hours and 20 minutes long, and at least one of our hosts endured the entire film in one butt-numbing sitting. And lest you think that 7+ hours flies by, it’s also a quintessential example of slow cinema at its bleakest and most punishing. We discuss the nature of “endurance cinema,” how best to endure this particular example, and the scene that Marc found to be the hardest to watch in all of Unwatchables history...
2023-07-041h 12Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 42 - Stranger Than Fiction feat. Aisha Harris (Compliance / Stuck)Today’s Unwatchables features Aisha Harris, cohost of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour and author of the new book Wannabe: Reckonings With the Pop Culture That Shapes Me. On our “Stranger Than Fiction” episode, we discuss two bizarre true crime stories dramatized in unflinching detail: Craig Zobel’s shocking drama COMPLIANCE, and Stuart Gordon’s darkly comic thriller STUCK. We talk about what these incidents say about human nature, and how these disturbing films’ very different approaches illuminate how ordinary people can do the unthinkable.
You can find more from Aisha at https://linktr.ee/aishaharris
Unwatcha...
2023-06-201h 24Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 41 - Heaven's Gate feat. Scout TafoyaUnwatchables welcomes Scout Tafoya— critic, video essayist, and author of But God Made Him a Poet: Watching John Ford in the 21st Century— to discuss the film branded for decades as the quintessential big-budget disaster. Michael Cimino’s HEAVEN’S GATE gets blamed for a lot of things: for bankrupting its studio, for animal cruelty, and for singlehandedly ending the auteur-driver New Hollywood era. Scout helps us separate the myths from the facts, and figure out whether the film is in fact four hours of bloated self-indulgence or a neglected masterpiece.
You can find Scout's latest book on John Ford, But God...
2023-06-061h 03Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 40 - Life After The Matrix (Speed Racer / Cloud Atlas / Jupiter Ascending)On today’s Unwatchables, we ask the question: how do you follow up one of the most popular sci-fi trilogies ever made? If you’re the Wachowskis, it’s with three straight flops, each one stranger, more expensive, and more widely derided than the last. We’re joined by Brad Efford of the internet zine Wig Wag to survey the sisters' entire post-Matrix career, and figure out if anything deserves cult status— or if it’s all just Unwatchable. They are 2008’s live-action cartoon SPEED RACER, 2012’s literary adaptation CLOUD ATLAS, and 2015’s space opera JUPITER ASCENDING.
You can find more...
2023-05-231h 37Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 39 - Nekromantik / The Death King(Content Warning: The second half of this episode contains discussions of suicide)
It’s time for Unwatchables to dive into some REALLY nasty stuff with an assist from Tom Davies, writer and podcaster for http://AVForums.com. Jörg Buttgereit’s infamously gross cult horror film Nekromantik defied state censors with its gruesome yet empathetic look at necrophiliacs (and the women who love them!), while his follow-up The Death King is an experimental anthology film about murder, suicide, and castrating Nazis (and not so much the women who love them). Are they merely gut-churning provo...
2023-05-091h 41Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 38 - The Act of Killing / The Look of SilenceToday’s Unwatchables takes our first dive into non-fiction with help from Jon Nix, documentary filmmaker and director of the new film Don’t Fall in Love with Yourself. Joshua Oppenheimer’s documentaries about the 1960’s Indonesian mass killings are a singularly bizarre and uncomfortable spectacle: The Act of Killing allows the killers themselves to gleefully re-enact their atrocities, while The Look of Silence sets up direct confrontations between the perpetrators and a victim’s brother. We discuss the ethical considerations of such a project, which film better illuminates its harrowing subject, and why genocidal killers are so into gaudy musi...
2023-04-261h 24Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 37 - Two by Yorgos Lanthimos feat. Carlos Aguilar (Dogtooth / The Killing of a Sacred Deer)Unwatchables is joined by film critic Carlos Aguilar, writer for http://RogerEbert.com, Variety, the New York Times, and many more, to dive into one of the most original and provocative auteurs of the last 15 years. Yorgos Lanthimos has been compared to the likes of Michael Haneke and Luis Bunuel, and we’re talking perhaps his two most disturbing films: the 2009 twisted family portrait Dogtooth, and 2017’s surreal thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer. We discuss Lanthimos’ taste for the darkly absurd, Colin Farrell’s career revival, and where the director’s path may lead following an Oscar-winning costume dr...
2023-04-041h 19Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 36 - Freaks feat. Kristen LopezThe Wrap’s film editor Kristen Lopez joins us this week to discuss one of the earliest entries in the Unwatchables canon. Tod Browning’s Freaks is one the most controversial films of the 1930’s, a one-of-a-kind exercise in empathy and (arguably) horror that essentially ended the career of the Dracula director. Topics include the film’s journey to becoming a cult classic, Browning’s unique and ill-fated career, and how one of the first complex depictions of disabled characters plays over 90 years later.
You can find more from Kristen at https://www.thewrap.com/author...
2023-03-211h 10Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 35 - Dogville feat. Richard LawsonThis week’s Unwatchables welcomes Vanity Fair's chief critic Richard Lawson to discuss one of the most audacious and savage provocations from one of our most relentless provocateurs. Lars Von Trier’s Dogville is a 3-hour critique of American “values” that’s filmed on a mostly bare soundstage and puts its star Nicole Kidman through one of the director’s most harrowing gauntlets of suffering. Topics include the distancing effect of the film’s artificial presentation, how it holds up in a post-Bush era, and if Von Tier’s misanthropy got the best of him this time.
You c...
2023-03-071h 21Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 34 - Christian Scare Films (The Burning Hell / If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?)Ron Ormond was a B-movie exploitation director before a near-death experience inspired him to start producing some of the most bizarre and gruesome Christian films ever made. We're joined by Cinematary’s Michael O’Malley to discuss two of his surreally morbid collaborations with Baptist preacher Estes Pirkle: 1974’s nightmare vision The Burning Hell, and 1971’s anti-communist screed If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do? We discuss how Ormond moved from the drive-in to the altar, the not-coincidental collision between evangelical Christianity and anti-Communism, and the effect these gory spectacles (which were shown at church!) would have had on young...
2023-02-211h 28Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 33 - Two by Harmony Korine (Gummo / Trash Humpers)Experimental filmmaker Harmony Korine burst onto the independent film scene with his screenplay for Larry Clark's Kids, but it's his own grotesque, alienating, and often shocking films that turned him into a cult figure. Unwatchables is joined by author, musician, and Korine superfan Marzi Margo to discuss two of the director’s most notorious provocations: his 1997 directorial debut Gummo, and 2009's audience-baiting Trash Humpers. We discuss Korine's background and artistic "ethos," how we should view his infatuation with the physically and mentally disabled, and whether Trash Humpers is the most unwatchable film we've ever featured on the podcast.
...
2023-02-071h 36Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 32 - Jeanne Dielman feat. Marya E. GatesToday we’re joined by Marya E. Gates, film critic for sites like http://RogerEbert.com and creator of both #Noirvember & #AYearWithWomen, to discuss one of the most daunting of classic films. Chantal Akerman’s Jeanne Dielman is a 200-minute minimalist art film that recently topped Sight and Sound’s poll of The Greatest Films of All Time, unseating titles like Vertigo and Citizen Kane— and pissing off much of the (male) old guard. We discuss the film’s influence on independent cinema, why the Sight and Sound list caused such controversy, and how exciting 3+ hours of domestic chores can actual...
2023-01-251h 13Unwatchables with Marc & SethEp. 31 - A Few Bad Men feat. A.A. Dowd (Naked / In the Company of Men)Unwatchables kicks off Season 2 with special guest A.A. Dowd, former film editor of The AV Club and current culture editor at Chron. This week’s films challenge us to identify with main characters whose repellent behavior stretches the definition of “protagonist”: Mike Leigh’s blistering character study Naked, and Neil LaBute’s immersion in toxic masculinity In the Company of Men. We discuss the career-defining performances of David Thewlis and Aaron Eckhart, how we’re supposed to process such cruelty from our “heroes,” and what the hell ever happened to Neil LaBute.
You can find more fr...
2023-01-101h 22Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 30 - Unexpectedly Watchables feat. Keith Phipps (The Straight Story / The Munsters)Unwatchables closes out the year (and season one!) with film critic Keith Phipps, former film editor of the AV Club and The Dissolve, co-host of The Next Picture Show, and author of Age of Cage. In the spirit of the season, this is a special REVERSE episode: two heartwarming family films from directors who usually specialize in the Unwatchable. First up is David Lynch’s G-rated Disney drama The Straight Story, followed by Rob Zombie’s PG take on the family sitcom The Munsters. If we squint really hard, can we still make out the provocateurs behind the camera?
You can...
2022-12-271h 16Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 29 - Tetsuo: The Iron Man feat. Josh LarsenThis week we’re joined by Filmspotting’s Josh Larsen— author of Fear Not, an upcoming book taking a faith-based look at horror— to discuss one of our most skin-crawling provocations yet. Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo: The Iron Man is a seminal text of both body horror and Japanese cyberpunk, an experimental horror/superhero film that’s as surreal as it is disgusting. We discuss the film’s nightmarish merging of technology, violence, and sexuality, the cultural anxieties behind it, and where the two Davids (Lynch and Cronenberg) fit in.
You can find more from Josh Lars...
2022-12-131h 03Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 28 - Cannes-tastrophes feat. Nathan Rabin (Southland Tales / Under the Silver Lake)Who better to help us close out our month of high-profile misfires than THE Nathan Rabin, author of My Year of Flops and The Joy of Trash? On the table are two wildly ambitious passion projects whose disastrous Cannes premieres threatened to end their directors’ careers: Richard Kelly's 2006 gonzo sci-fi satire Southland Tales, and David Robert Mitchell's 2018 absurdist noir Under the Silver Lake. We discuss the films’ unique visions of L.A., the career-best performances of their movie star leads, and if these flops— in the words of our guest— are actually secret successes.
You can...
2022-11-291h 27Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 27 - Psycho (1998) feat. Matt SingerThis week’s Unwatchables features Matt Singer, film critic, author, and editor of ScreenCrush.com, to help continue our month of high-profile misfires (or are they?). His pick is one of the most foolhardy cinematic experiments ever released by a major studio: Gus Van Sant’s 1998 remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. It’s not a reimagining, a reboot, or even a legacy-quel— to use a phrase that our guest coined— but a nearly shot-for-shot recreation of one of the most iconic classics in the canon. We discuss what exactly Van Sant meant to accomplish, whether any part of it “works,”...
2022-11-151h 21Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 26 - Modern Badness (Cats / Space Jam: A New Legacy)Unwatchables is devoting November to the biggest flops, misfires, or— possibly?— misunderstood gems of the past few decades. Kicking off the month are two mega-budget failures that were widely mocked for assuming the worst of their audiences: 2019’s ill-fated adaptation of Cats, and 2021’s celebration of intellectual property Space Jam: A New Legacy. We’re joined by podcaster Emily B. to discuss whether either film actually has some kind of soul, or if perhaps there’s truly nothing to salvage.
You can find Emily B's podcast I'm Sooooo Miserable at: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F9nTeN...
2022-11-011h 27Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 25 - Halloween Special (Audition / Ichi the Killer)Takashi Miike has made over a hundred feature films, but for our super-sized Halloween episode we’re tackling his two most notorious: 1999’s stealth extreme horror film Audition, and 2001’s ultra-violent yakuza thriller Ichi the Killer. To help us out, we welcome back one of our favorite guests, Kay (aka govnaim), who previously brought their expertise to our discussion of Salò. Topics include what makes Audition so different from Miike’s other blood-soaked genre exercises, and whether Ichi crosses the line from gory fun to truly ugly violence.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth...
2022-10-191h 37Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 24 - Art or Porn? (In the Realm of the Senses / The Wayward Cloud)Big thanks to Paul Keelan from Cinematic Underdogs for joining us for this wide-ranging discussion about two art films whose explicit— and often un-simulated— sexual content caused some to cry obscenity: Nagisa Ōshima’s 1976 erotic true crime story In the Realm of the Senses, and Tsai Ming-liang’s 2005 surrealist romance The Wayward Cloud. We discuss their wildly different yet similarly frank approaches to sexuality, and have it out about which one is actually a great movie. (Hint: we do not agree.)
You can hear more from Paul on his podcast Cinematic Underdogs at: https://anchor.fm...
2022-10-041h 26Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 23 - Irreversible feat. Mike D'AngeloWe’re thrilled to welcome professional critic Mike D’Angelo—aka “The Man Who Viewed Too Much,” staple of The AvClub, The Dissolve, Las Vegas Weekly, and now Alternate Ending, among others (as well as a thriving Patreon)— to Unwatchables. Mike personally witnessed hundreds of people flee the Cannes premiere of 2002’s Irreversible, and to this day considers it the most painful to watch of all great films. We discuss what makes the film so unwatchable (yet profound?), what sets it apart from Gaspar Noé’s other provocations, and Mike’s favorite theatrical experiences in his 27 years as a critic.
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2022-09-201h 20Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 22 - The Bakshi Way (Fritz The Cat / Coonskin)Unwatchables welcomes artist Jared Gonzalez to help us discuss Ralph Bakshi, whose profane, controversial animated films helped pave the way for everything from The Simpsons to South Park to Adult Swim. First up is 1972’s Fritz The Cat, the first X-rated feature-length cartoon; followed by 1975’s incendiary racial satire Coonskin (aka Street Fight). Topics include how Bakshi almost singlehandedly broke Disney’s monopoly on animation, how much R. Crumb is to blame for all the animal sex, and how to process the deliberately racist imagery of Coonskin in 2022.
Unwatchables is hosted by Mar...
2022-09-071h 38Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 21 - Two by Todd Solondz (Happiness / Palindromes)Who’s more preoccupied with the Unwatchable than Todd Solondz, one of the leading misanthropes of the 90’s indie scene? Seth and Marc try to parse out whether his dark, button-pushing comedies have anything meaningful to say about sexual dysfunction and human cruelty… or if the joke’s really on us. First up is 1998’s infamously disturbing (and almost unreleaseable) Happiness, followed by 2004’s experimental abortion drama Palindromes.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
Y...
2022-08-231h 19Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 20 - CrashThis week’s Unwatchables tackles perhaps the most controversial film by one of our most controversial directors, the master of body horror David Cronenberg. Helping us out is Andrew Swafford— one of the founders of Cinematary and its long-running weekly podcast— as we discuss 1996’s ode to car-wreck fetishists Crash. We dive into J.G Ballard’s original novel, whether the film merits a queer reading, and what we look for in a Cronenberg joint.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
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2022-08-091h 18Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 19 - Horrors of War (Come and See / The Painted Bird)Unwatchables is thrilled to welcome Chris Gillotte, aka Letterboxd’s Ziglet_mir, for our “Horrors of War” episode. Both of this week’s films filter the atrocities of World War II through the traumatized eyes of a child: 1985’s nightmarish Soviet classic Come and See, and the 2019 adaptation of Jerzy Kosiński’s scandalous The Painted Bird. We discuss the films’ opposed stylistic approaches, the value of meticulously recreating real-life horrors, and how much it matters that The Painted Bird is total bullshit.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti...
2022-07-261h 26Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 18 - The New French Extremity (High Tension / Martyrs)This week’s Unwatchables is all about “The New French Extremity,” a wave of brutal horror films whose focus on bodily harm led directly to the torture porn era of America horror. (Depending on whether you like Hostel or Saw, you can give them either credit or blame.) Our aptly-named guest Zach Butcher joins us to discuss the only example to hit U.S. theaters, followed by the most notorious of the bunch: 2003’s blood-drenched slasher High Tension, and 2008’s paean to physical suffering Martyrs.Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced b...
2022-07-201h 36Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 17 - Duck and Cover (Threads / When the Wind Blows)Special guest Sinead Lynch joins us from Ireland to lend her expertise and cultural perspective to a discussion of some of the bleakest depictions of nuclear holocaust ever committed to film - 1984's harrowing, docu-realistic nightmare Threads and 1986's gut-wrenching animated heartbreaker When the Wind Blows.You can hear Sinead's podcast "Crackpot Theories" at https://open.spotify.com/show/0Wv0Pp8nk26RPS43WdjQZL?si=b490d8666ccf445f or find her on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@fizzygnomes.Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer...
2022-07-111h 28
Unwatchables with Marc & SethUNLOCKED - Bonus Episode - Pride Month SpecialUnwatchables is taking a couple weeks off for summer break, so to close out the final week of Pride month, we're unlocking a recent Patreon-exclusive bonus episode where Marc and Seth discuss their favorite LGBT films. If you're interested in hearing more episodes like this one, consider supporting the podcast by subscribing on Patreon.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive...
2022-06-281h 15Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 16 - When Porn Went Mainstream (The Devil in Miss Jones / The Opening of Misty Beethoven / Her Name Was Lisa)Unwatchables is excited to welcome Jetta, otherwise known as Letterboxd’s “theironcupcake,” to this week’s episode! Our guest brings her considerable expertise to discuss the “Golden Age of Porn,” that bygone span of the 1970’s where theatrically released hardcore films enjoyed commercial and even critical success. We start with 1973’s The Devil in Miss Jones, Gerard Damiano’s follow-up to Deep Throat that still stands as the highest-grossing adult film and even earned a positive review from Roger Ebert. Next up, we compare two very different approaches to pornographic movies: the zany, Airplane-style comedy of 1976’s The Opening of Misty Beethoven...
2022-06-221h 27Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 15 - Not for Kids: Animation Edition (The Plague Dogs / Felidae)This week’s Unwatchables is proof that neither animation nor talking animals mean you’re not about to have your soul shredded. Animation expert Aaron Reese joins us to discuss two very adult cartoons where all dogs (and cats) really do go to heaven: Martin Rosen’s bleak heartbreaker The Plague Dogs, and Michael Schaack’s graphic feline noir Felidae. Aaron helps guide us through the animation techniques that make these so distinctive, why we don’t get more cat sex scenes, and how The Plague Dogs out-downs even Watership Down.
You can find Aaron's in...
2022-06-141h 38Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 14 - Two by Rob Zombie (The Devil's Rejects / Halloween II)For our first non-arthouse horror episode, who better than Rob Zombie to drag us into the grindhouse muck? There’s nothing “elevated” about the musician-turned-filmmaker’s sadistic, blood-drenched aesthetic, including his two cult endurance tests: 2005’s grisly horror Western The Devil’s Rejects, and 2009’s singularly brutal Halloween II. We discuss Zombie’s very specific obsessions, how hard it is to stomach the relentless cruelty, and whether his skills as a director make up for his limitations as a writer.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah...
2022-06-071h 31Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 13 - The Filthy Mind of John Waters (Pink Flamingos / Desperate Living)You may know John Waters as the goofy, pencil-moustached TV personality, or from his mainstream successes like Hairspray or Cry-Baby. But his unlikely career started with some of the most transgressive and outright repulsive cult films of the 1970s, including one of the most Unwatchable© films we’ve yet tackled. Waters superfan Robin Guiler joins us for an appropriately rowdy episode about the first and last films in the director’s “Trash Trilogy”: 1972’s truly disgusting midnight movie Pink Flamingos and 1977’s filthy Wizard of Oz riff Desperate Living. We discuss Waters’ button-pushing influences, if there’s any real craft behind his seemin...
2022-05-311h 20Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 12 - Two by Darren Aronofsky (Requiem For A Dream / mother!)It’s Darren Aronofsky week on Unwatchables, featuring two very different gauntlets of suffering from opposite ends of his career: 2000’s grueling drug cautionary tale Requiem For A Dream and 2017’s gloriously bonkers (and receiver of the coveted “F” Cinemascore) mother!. Special guest and author James Jackson takes a break from work on an actual high-profile film production to discuss his Aronofsky fandom and how the director evolved from hyper-stylized wunderkind to this generation’s Roman Polanski (in a good way!). Both films make for a tough sit, but we all agree only one is among the most deliriously thrilling an...
2022-05-251h 29Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 11 - Experimental Edition (Dog Star Man / Begotten)On this week’s “Experimental Edition” of Unwatchables we welcome Tim Peyton, the manager/director of Rubicon Cinema in Akron, OH, to help us dive into some of the most alienating corners of avant-garde filmmaking. First up is Stan Brakhage’s 1965 experimental touchstone Dog Star Man, followed by E. Elias Merhige’s 1989 gruesome horror curiosity Begotten. We discuss how non-narrative films challenge our basic assumptions about film grammar, what makes one work of unconventional abstraction “work” better than another, and whether Begotten is just gross nonsense.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti...
2022-05-171h 36Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 10 - The Birth of a NationThis week’s Unwatchables tackles our most difficult subject matter yet. The Birth of a Nation is the most vilely racist “great film” ever to reinvent the medium, and its shadow looms large over American history. We did extensive research for this deep dive into the historical context, including the film’s hideous ideology, its unprecedented success and stunning technical innovations, and how figures like D.W. Griffith and Woodrow Wilson grappled with the controversy they didn’t see coming. In the end we try to figure out what The Birth of a Nation means in 2022, and more fundamentally: can great...
2022-05-101h 10Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 9 - Arthouse Horrors (Possession / Trouble Every Day)We're joined by special guest Amy Hensarling as we dive into two films by arthouse directors dipping their toes into horror for the first, and probably last time: Andrzej Żuławski's bugshit 1981 gorefest Possession and Claire Denis' 2001 cannibal sex thriller Trouble Every Day. In the war between artful pretentiousness and stomach-churning carnage, which one wins? Or do we all lose?
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bo...
2022-05-031h 17Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 8 - Two by Michael Haneke (Funny Games / Amour)In the wake of comments he made on last week's episode, Marc received a number of credible threats on his life from pro-Clifford extremists. Out of an abundance of caution, he called in from a payphone in an undisclosed location this week to discuss two films by the renowned but controversial filmmaker Michael Haneke, a specialist in the Unwatchable. Those films are 1997's home invasion thriller Funny Games and 2012's Palme d'Or-winning Amour.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
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2022-04-261h 15Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 7 - Ebert Hated Hated Hated These Movies (North / Clifford)Hey, it's episode 7 - you deserve a break! These movies may be guilty of crimes against cinema, but there's no torture or depravity in this episode (unless you count Martin Short's psychological torture of Charles Grodin). Our friend Boaz joined us to talk about two films from 1994 - Rob Reiner's Elijah Wood-starring career-killer North and the bizarre, darkly funny Martin Short vehicle Clifford - whose profiles were heightened by Roger Ebert's sensational negative reviews (spolier, he really hated them). We hope you enjoy this fun, easygoing episode after weeks of suffering. Also, Seth told me I had to make...
2022-04-191h 17Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 6 - Easter Special (The Exorcist / The Passion of the Christ)It's the Unwatchables Easter special and another doubleheader! Marc and Seth don their altar robes and rosary beads for William Friedkin's 1973 horror blockbuster The Exorcist and Mel Gibson's 2004 New Testament drama/snuff film The Passion of the Christ. If you're looking for salvation, you've come to the wrong place.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next.
Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.co...
2022-04-121h 18Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 5 - A Clockwork OrangeFor our fifth episode, we sat down with our good friend and fellow Unwatcher Chris Mosby to discuss Stanley Kubrick's cult-classic dystopian psycho-drama A Clockwork Orange and the Anthony Burgess novel from which it was adapted. We talk through the experience of revisiting this landmark film from our young adulthoods with the weary eyes of regular adulthood. Does Kubrick hold onto his knack for rich, immersive world-building on this controversial follow-up to his masterpiece? (Of course he does!) Are the film's critiques of criminal justice or its commentary on human nature substantive enough to warrant all this brutal violence? (Eh...
2022-04-051h 11Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 4 - The Kids Aren't Alright (Kids / Ken Park)Marc and Seth sit through two films by photographer, filmmaker, and provocateur Larry Clark - 1995's Kids and 2002's Ken Park. Are Clark's films unflinching documents of youthful hedonism or sensationalist scaremongering? And how does the weird old pervert behind the camera affect how we feel about it all? Listen to find out.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, is produced by Tony Scarpitti, and features artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in...
2022-03-291h 10Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 3 - Salò, or the 120 Days of SodomGet out your forks and bibs folks, we're talkin' Salò! Friend of the show Govnaim joins us as we dig into Pasolini's infamous foray into the upper echelons of the Unwatchables cannon. Bon appétit!Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next.Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at un...
2022-03-221h 06Unwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 2 - Freddy Got FingeredMarc and Seth reflect on the finer points of Tom Green's 2001 gross-out comedy Freddy Got Fingered, such as its fascination with horse anatomy, its appreciation for the elephant reproductive system, and its abiding respect for the miracle of childbirth (Also, is it actually an avant-garde masterpiece?). Due to unforeseen circumstances, Seth had to record this episode from the bottom of a well. Please consider subscribing to Unwatchables on Patreon so we can afford to get him out.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, is produced by Tony Scarpitti, and features artwork by Micah Kraus.
2022-03-1556 minUnwatchables with Marc & SethEpisode 1 - AntichristIn our debut episode, we tackle Lars Von Trier's notorious 2009 psychological horror film Antichrist starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. With its over-the-top art film flourishes, rotting anthropomorphic woodland critters, and graphic depictions of genital mutilation, Antichrist offers plenty of extreme content to watch or unwatch. Tune in to find out what we think.
Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer and produced by Tony Scarpitti with artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in o...
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