Podcast Guest: Kelvin Hatle

Episode 118 – Schindler’s List

, with special guest:

Schindler's ListFor a podcast that tries to blend movie education with comedy – this episode creates a bit of a puzzler. We are watching Schindler’s List. Steven Spielberg’s undisputed masterpiece about the holocaust as seen through the eyes of a man who tried to prevent a tiny part of it is a sobering cinematic work. And yet it is certainly one of the best films made by him or any other director. Kelvin Hatle joins us to see the film for the first time and we spend quite a bit of time discussing the impact afterward.

Next up, we are going to see how another famous director takes a look at Nazis when we watch Mel Brooks’ The Producers!

Schindler's List (1993)
Schindler's List poster Rating: 9.0/10 (1,474,085 votes)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Thomas Keneally, Steven Zaillian
Stars: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley
Runtime: 195 min
Rated: R
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Released: 04 Feb 1994
Plot: In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.

Episode 110 – The Goonies

, with special guest:

The GooniesThis week is unusual because Melissa couldn’t make it and Tim was forced to be the movie expert. This proved difficult as it was only his second time watching the film! He and guest Kelvin Hatle do their best as they watch a favorite of many people who were children in the 80’s – The Goonies! Produced by Steven Spielberg, this film feels incredibly dated if you weren’t into it in the first place. Still, it holds a place of affection in the hearts of many so we take a look at what makes it tick.

Next up is…we don’t know! Whatever movie wins the Academy Award for Best Picture.

The Goonies (1985)
The Goonies poster Rating: 7.7/10 (304,353 votes)
Director: Richard Donner
Writer: Chris Columbus, Steven Spielberg
Stars: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen
Runtime: 114 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Released: 07 Jun 1985
Plot: A group of young misfits called The Goonies discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate's long-lost treasure.

Episode 96 – The Cannonball Run

, with special guest:

Cannonball RunThis episode, we follow the late Sir Roger Moore from his first turn as James Bond to a film where he basically plays himself playing James Bond.  Cannonball Run is a film by Hal Needham starring Burt Reynolds and Farrah Fawcett and – honestly – almost every other actor from the seventies you’ve ever heard of.  Also, there are actors from before the seventies.  And there’s also Jackie Chan.  Because why the hell not? The film is a crazy mess of silly fun filled with some embarrassingly dated racial humor.  We are joined by Kelvin Hatle who has, amazingly, never seen the film before.

Next up, we go back to James Bond and watch Timothy Dalton take on The Living Daylights

The Cannonball Run (1981)
The Cannonball Run poster Rating: 6.2/10 (40,746 votes)
Director: Hal Needham
Writer: Brock Yates
Stars: Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett
Runtime: 95 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Action, Comedy, Sport
Released: 19 Jun 1981
Plot: A wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race. However, the eccentric entrants will do anything to win the road race, including low-down, dirty tricks.

Episode 84 – Josie and the Pussycats

, with special guest:

Josie and the PussycatsIt is a new year and we celebrate with a ridiculous movie that may not be great but is way better than it had any right to be.  Kelvin Hatle joins us to watch Josie and the Pussycats, a subversive comedy about product placement and corporate greed. It is also exceptionally silly and features an absolutely amazing performance by Parker Posey.  You have probably never watched this movie and while it is surprisingly dated for a film only fifteen years old, it is still a lot better than anyone could have expected.

Our next film will be an entirely different experience as we watch La Dolce Vita!

Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
Josie and the Pussycats poster Rating: 5.6/10 (25,129 votes)
Director: Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan
Writer: Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont, Richard Goldwater
Stars: Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson
Runtime: 98 min
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Music
Released: 11 Apr 2001
Plot: A girl group find themselves in the middle of a conspiracy to deliver subliminal messages through popular music.

Episode 56 – The Warrior and the Sorceress

, with special guest: ,

The Warrior and the SorceressHaving watched Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone tackle the same story, this episode considers John Broderick’s take on the same material.  We know what you’re thinking: who is John Broderick?  Exactly.  Frequent guest Kelvin Hatle joins us for a sword and sandal retelling of Yojimbo that is, in almost every conceivable way, a complete disaster.  The Warrior and the Sorceress takes elements we have grown familiar with and inserts bad fight choreography, gratuitous nudity, and a bizarre puppet lizard.  You have not lived until you’ve seen this film and you will never forget it once you do.

We will save you, dear listeners, from watching Last Man Standing.  Our next movie will be Moneyball!

The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984)
The Warrior and the Sorceress poster Rating: 4.2/10 (2,618 votes)
Director: John C. Broderick
Writer: John C. Broderick, William Stout, Ryûzô Kikushima
Stars: David Carradine, Luke Askew, María Socas
Runtime: 81 min
Rated: R
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Released: 07 Sep 1984
Plot: A fearsome swordsman, Kain, crosses the barren wastelands and comes upon a town where two arch enemies fight incessantly for control of the town's only well.

Episode 24 – Dune

, with special guest: , ,

DuneFor our newest episode, we subjected Jena to the 1984 train wreck that is David Lynch’s Dune!  We are joined by two special guests.  First is Kelvin Hatle, who has an unholy love for bad movies great and small.  Second is Jerry Belich who, along with Melissa, produced a Swede version of the film that you can (and should) watch on Youtube!  We try to make sense of a film that almost works on many levels and yet completely fails on all of them.  Who knows if we succeeded?

We added the horrible song that Tim wrote for the credit sequence of the Dune Swede.  It is after the closing music to the podcast.  If you’d like to download your own version of the song (though we don’t know why you would), you can do that here.

Our June 15th episode will be about Cabaret and features special guest Windy Bowlsby!

Dune (1984)
Dune poster Rating: 6.3/10 (182,774 votes)
Director: David Lynch
Writer: Frank Herbert, David Lynch
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Virginia Madsen, Francesca Annis
Runtime: 137 min
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Released: 14 Dec 1984
Plot: A Duke's son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father's evil nemesis to free their desert world from the emperor's rule.