Episode 310 – Serpent’s Path: The Films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Men of Rage (1994) & Yakuza Taxi (1994)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the Serpent’s Path archive right here.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa is coming off a rough patch after controversies around SWEET HOME in 1989 and the financial failure of THE GUARD FROM UNDERGROUND in 1992, but after retreating into television work he’s about to be given a new lifeline in the 90s: V-CINEMA! This straight-to-VHS trend focusing on genre fare ended up being a training ground for a number of favorite directors and Kurosawa dives right in, first with the extremely silly (but quite fun) crime-comedy YAKUZA TAXI, and continuing with the cycling drama (adapted from a Yasuhito Yamamoto manga) MEN OF RAGE. On this episode of SERPENT’S PATH we look at everything Kurosawa was up to, how he ended up on these two films, and detail some of our own frustrations watching them. ENJOY!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 308 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – The Impostors (1998)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the full HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? archive right here

Steve Buscemi.. the CROONER? It happened! In this episode of HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? we’re checking out Stanley Tucci’s throwback comedy THE IMPOSTORS from 1998 where Tucci teams with Oliver Platt as a pair of struggling actors/con-artists who find themselves in the middle of MANY plots when they accidentally stowaway on an ocean liner. I’m laughing already! And you’ll be laughing(?) alongside an all-star cast that includes Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, Hope Davis, Lili Taylor, Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney, and – of course – Steve Buscemi as “Happy” Franks. Also Woody Allen shows up. Anyway, all that and the latest Buscemi news. Stop reading this and start listening!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 302 – Praising Kane – License to Drive (1988)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the Praising Kane archive right here.

On the latest PRAISING KANE we’re diving into the fraught history of the two Coreys (Haim and Feldman) with the 1988 teen comedy classic(?) LICENSE TO DRIVE, featuring car chases, a hip drive-in restaurant, scary driving tests (/w James Avery), Richard Masur, Billy Ocean’s “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car” and OF COURSE the wonderful Carol Kane. We also chat about the upcoming short documentary CAROL & JOY which should be available to watch RIGHT NOW on the Criterion Channel. Enjoy!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 277 – We Do Our Own Stunts – My Lucky Stars (1985)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the full We Do Our Own Stunts archive right here

We’re taking a brief respite from American films on WE DO OUR OWN STUNTS to return to Hong Kong (and Japan!) for the sequel to the wildly popular WINNERS & SINNERS, it’s the even MORE wildly popular MY LUCKY STARS from 1986! Starring the 5 Lucky Stars (minus John Shum, but with extra bonus Eric Tsang), it’s bookended with some wild Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao action sequences and the meaty center is full of silly comedy – and lots of uncomfortable stuff because of course there is. How does it stack up to the first film, and exactly how much Jackie do we get in this one? LISTEN AND FIND OUT!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 273 – Wild in the Streets – Mean Frank and Crazy Tony (1973)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the full Wild in the Streets archive right here

One a very special REMOTE episode of WILD IN THE STREETS, Doug calls in from Newfoundland to discuss the mixed up crime comedy MEAN FRANK AND CRAZY TONY from 1973. Featuring Lee Van Cleef as a tight-lipped mobster and Tony Lo Bianco as the wannabe wise-guy who worships him, the two get into all sorts of trouble, including an impressive car chase (“Mon dieu!”), a factory shootout and more power drill mayhem than you can throw an apple core at. There’s plenty of action, Edwige Fenech and Jean Rochefort pop up in supporting roles, and you even get a horn-heavy score from Riz Ortolani. What’s not to love? Listen and find out!

Watch MEAN FRANK AND CRAZY TONY right here:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 270 – We Do Our Own Stunts – Cannonball Run II (1984)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the full We Do Our Own Stunts archive right here

Jackie Chan is back in Hollywood (against his better judgment) and is joining a cavalcade of stars including Burt Reynolds, Dom Deluise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Marilu Henner, Shirley MaClaine and MANY MORE – including ol’ blue eyes himself Frank Sinatra – in the cross-country race (?) comedy (?) CANNONBALL RUN II which brings back all the things you know and love(?) about the first film, and.. well, that’s just about it. It’s pretty much the same thing. Except there’s an orangutan this time, and Jackie has been teamed up with Richard Kiel just to make sure we all know he’s extra small and (once again) bafflingly Japanese. Listen to Liam’s blood pressure rise in REAL TIME as he describes his time with the film. ENJOY!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 267 – You Don’t Know Dick – Used Cars (/w Mike White)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the full You Don’t Know Dick archive right here

It’s the long-awaited return of YOU DON’T KNOW DICK and we’ve got a barn burner of an episode featuring cinematic podcast royalty Mike White (from The Projection Booth) joining us to chat about the raucous 1980 comedy USED CARS /w Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Deborah Harmon, Frank McRae and Gerrit Graham! But before that we go deep on what the heck happened to Robert Zemeckis, and how USED CARS came about – and how it was turned into a mid-80s TV show (briefly). All this and, of course, a close look at Dick Miller’s (brief) appearance, and it’s NON-STOP LAUGHS. Trust US!

Find The Projection Booth on Twitter @proboothcast and on BlueSky at projectionbooth.bsky.social and find the latest episodes at https://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 264 – Praising Kane – Ishtar (1986)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the Praising Kane archive right here.

PRAISING KANE returns with the notorious Elaine May-directed, Dustin Hoffman & Warren Beatty-starring bomb ISHTAR from 1986! Featuring those two as hapless songwriters who end up wrapped up in international intrigue in the middle east, it had a famously messy production but is it as bad as its reputation? Or as good as its revised reputation? Also, did you know Carol Kane is in it? SHE IS! But first we have to chat about the 1986 Cinemax comedy sketch special from Bob Goldthwait called DON’T WATCH THIS SHOW, with Whoopi Goldberg, Tim Kazurinsky, Dee Snider, (an uncredited) Robin Williams and – of course – CAROL KANE! It’s AWFUL! All this and the latest CK news so LISTEN!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 262 – We Do Our Own Stunts – Wheels on Meals (1984)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the full We Do Our Own Stunts archive right here

Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan are headed to Barcelona, Spain in the 1984 action-comedy spectacular WHEELS ON MEALS, featuring Jackie and Yuen as food truck operators and Sammo as a hapless detective. Of course, we also get a pickpocket damsel in distress (Lola Forner), shenanigans in a mental hospital, car chases, foot chases and one of the best martial arts fights EVER between Jackie and kickboxer Benny “The Jet” Urquidez. We dive into the background and even spend some time chatting about Jackie Chan VIDEO GAMES. Lots to discuss, so let’s get to it!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

Episode 256 – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

RSS/iTunes/Spotify

Check out the full HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? archive right here

What better time to watch a computer animated feature about monsters than.. uh.. January? Well, we’re doing it anyway! On this episode of HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? we’re watching the Sandlerverse-adjacent animated comedy HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA and it’s.. actually not too bad. Featuring the vocal talents of Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, and – of course – Steve Buscemi, it’s about a bunch of monsters in a hotel or something. I don’t know. Just listen to the thing. Thanks!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More