Podcast Guest: Alison Anderson

Jul 15 2019

Episode 134 – Gods and Monsters

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Gods and MonstersAlison Anderson, our resident Frankenstein guest, joins us for Gods and Monsters, a film about James Whale, director of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. The movie features an early star making turn by Brandan Fraser as well as a great pre-Lord of the Rings performance by Sir Ian McKellon. It serves as a fine finish to our trip through the Frankenstein catalog that began way back with Young Frankenstein.

Up next, we will follow director Bill Condon as he provides the screenplay to Chicago!

Gods and Monsters (1998)
Gods and Monsters poster Rating: 7.3/10 (33,632 votes)
Director: Bill Condon
Writer: Christopher Bram, Bill Condon
Stars: Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave
Runtime: 105 min
Rated: R
Genre: Biography, Drama
Released: 04 Nov 1998
Plot: The last days of Frankenstein (1931) director James Whale are explored.

 

Jul 12 2019

Episode 133 – Bride of Frankenstein

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The Bride of FrankensteinOur latest episode continues our exploration of Frankenstein with Bride of Frankenstein. Alison Anderson joins us to watch the sequel to James Whale’s Frankenstein with this film, that may actually be better. James Whale directs the sequel to his classic monster movie and Boris Karloff returns as the monster. Elsa Lanchester plays one of the most recognized women in the history of film and she’s on screen for something like five minutes! Go Elsa!

Next up, we are going to finish our Frankenstein series with Gods and Monsters!

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Bride of Frankenstein poster Rating: 7.8/10 (56,692 votes)
Director: James Whale
Writer: Mary Shelley, William Hurlbut, John L. Balderston
Stars: Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Colin Clive
Runtime: 75 min
Rated: Approved
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Released: 06 May 1935
Plot: Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Baron Henry Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.

May 21 2019

Episode 131 – Frankenstein

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FrankensteinWell after promising to get to this film for a few months, we finally managed to watch the 1931 Frankenstein! Adapted from Mary Shelly’s book, this movie basically defines what Frankenstein’s Monster will look like for the rest of film history. Boris Karloff has the star making role in this James Whale directed classic. Alison Anderson joins us after having watched Young Frankenstein so she can finally get where a whole bunch of the jokes came from!

Next up, we are going to follow Boris Karloff (sort of) to  Arsenic and Old Lace!

Frankenstein (1931)
Frankenstein poster Rating: 7.7/10 (84,925 votes)
Director: James Whale
Writer: John L. Balderston, Mary Shelley, Peggy Webling
Stars: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Boris Karloff
Runtime: 70 min
Rated: Approved
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Released: 21 Nov 1931
Plot: Dr Henry Frankenstein is obsessed with assembling a living being from parts of several exhumed corpses.

Dec 03 2018

Episode 124 – This is Spinal Tap

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This is Spinal TapWe are sticking with comedy for just a bit longer as we watch the classic heavy metal mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap! Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer play the members of a rock band whose popularity is on something of a downward slide. Rob Reiner is the director of a film that is mostly improvised and still manages to have a story arc. It’s a super funny movie and Allison Anderson joins us to see it for the first time!

Next up, we are going to try to find someone who has never seen The Princess Bride!

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
This Is Spinal Tap poster Rating: 7.9/10 (153,607 votes)
Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer
Stars: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest
Runtime: 82 min
Rated: R
Genre: Comedy, Music
Released: 02 Mar 1984
Plot: Spinal Tap, one of England's loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.

Nov 01 2018

Episode 122 – Young Frankenstein

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Young FrankensteinJust in time for the day after Halloween! We finish off our trip through the films that are arguably Mel Brooks’ best with Young Frankenstein! This satirical homage to the classic Universal horror movies (but especially Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein) may be one of Brooks’ least madcap films but it is still a comedic masterpiece. Gene Wilder heads up a stellar cast that really chews scenery in black and white!

Next up, we’ll follow Madeline Kahn to Clue!

Young Frankenstein (1974)
Young Frankenstein poster Rating: 8.0/10 (176,518 votes)
Director: Mel Brooks
Writer: Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks, Mary Shelley
Stars: Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman
Runtime: 106 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Comedy
Released: 15 Dec 1974
Plot: An American grandson of the infamous scientist, struggling to prove that his grandfather was not as insane as people believe, is invited to Transylvania, where he discovers the process that reanimates a dead body.

Oct 15 2018

Episode 121 – Blazing Saddles

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Blazing SaddlesOur Mel Brooks series continues with his parody of the Western Genre – Blazing Saddles! Alison Anderson joins us for her first viewing of a film that took on racism head on in the 1970’s. When it comes to addressing racism, the film still really does a good job. When it comes to…other things, it might not have fared so well. Still, for the most part it holds up fabulously and is still wickedly funny.

From here, we are going to watch one more Mel Brooks film – Young Frankenstein.

Blazing Saddles (1974)
Blazing Saddles poster Rating: 7.7/10 (159,914 votes)
Director: Mel Brooks
Writer: Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman
Stars: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens
Runtime: 93 min
Rated: R
Genre: Comedy, Western
Released: 07 Feb 1974
Plot: In order to ruin a western town and steal their land, a corrupt politician appoints a black sheriff, who promptly becomes his most formidable adversary.