Tag: 1970’s

Episode 76 – Taxi Driver

, with special guest:

Taxi DriverThis week, we take a look at one of the most iconic films of the 70’s, Taxi DriverWe are joined by movie know nothing Salsa Sterling as we explore Martin Scorsese’s dark masterpiece.  We follow Jody Foster from The Silence of the Lambs to her breakout role more than decade prior. This film also established Robert DeNiro on the A list where he has remained there ever since.  And, of course, it features one of the most iconic scenes in film.  It is so well known, the odds are you have seen dozens of parodies even if you have never watched the original.  Join us to explore this dark vision of psychosis.

Our next movie will be, surprisingly, more upbeat as we watch The Shawshank Redemption.

Taxi Driver (1976)
Taxi Driver poster Rating: 8.2/10 (913,441 votes)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Paul Schrader
Stars: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd
Runtime: 114 min
Rated: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Released: 09 Feb 1976
Plot: A mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.

Episode 68 – All the President’s Men

, with special guest:

All the President's MenAfter watching Spotlight on our last episode, we decided to take a look at another “Newspaper Journalist Thriller” so we watched All the President’s Men!  The film stars Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as the reporters who broke the Watergate story.  If you aren’t familiar with Watergate, it is the scandal that ensured every succeeding scandal ended in the word “gate.”  This film is a true classic about two guys digging until they finally found the truth.  Definitely worth the watch!

Our next film will be Grizzly Man!

All the President's Men (1976)
All the President's Men poster Rating: 7.9/10 (125,558 votes)
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Writer: Carl Bernstein, Bob Woodward, William Goldman
Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jack Warden
Runtime: 138 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Released: 09 Apr 1976
Plot: "The Washington Post" reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Richard Nixon's resignation.

Episode 52 – Foxy Brown

, with special guest:

Foxy BrownHaving just watched Jackie Brown, we decided it was time to introduce Jena to the Blaxploitation sub-genre with another Pam Greer classic – Foxy Brown!  Greer rocks a 70’s wardrobe in this film about revenge, revenge, and more revenge.  If anyone can get revenge, it would be Pam Greer.  We share some information about Blaxploitation films and spend a lot of time appreciating Pam Greer.  Because you really need to appreciate Pam Greer.

Our next movie will be the only other Tarantino film Jena hasn’t seen – Django Unchained!

Foxy Brown (1974)
Foxy Brown poster Rating: 6.5/10 (11,824 votes)
Director: Jack Hill
Writer: Jack Hill, David Sheldon
Stars: Pam Grier, Antonio Fargas, Peter Brown
Runtime: 92 min
Rated: R
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Released: 05 Apr 1974
Plot: A voluptuous vigilante takes a job as a high-class prostitute to get revenge on the mobsters who murdered her boyfriend.

Episode 42 – Murder on the Orient Express

, with special guest:

Murder on the Orient ExpressOur episode was recorded live at the Trylon theater in Minneapolis.  We watched the only adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel that the author actually liked, Murder on the Orient Express.  The cast is full of A-list stars including Ingred Bergman, who won  an Oscar for her performance in this film.  After the movie, audience members joined us for a discussion of the film.

Our next episode will introduce Jena to Bette Davis as we watch All About Eve!

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Murder on the Orient Express poster Rating: 7.2/10 (68,549 votes)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Writer: Agatha Christie, Paul Dehn, Anthony Shaffer
Stars: Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman
Runtime: 128 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Released: 24 Nov 1974
Plot: In December 1935, when his transcontinental luxury train is stranded by deep snow, detective Hercule Poirot is called on to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before, with a multitude of suspects.

 

Episode 26 – The Conversation

, with special guest:

The ConversationThis week’s episode was recorded live at the Trylon theater in Minneapolis.  We watched Francis Ford Coppola’s classic thriller The Conversation featuring Gene Hackman.  Afterward, we had a spirited conversation with several members of the audience.  Because we were live in the theater, some of the conversation might be a little bit quiet for some listeners.  Sorry about that!

Our next episode will be all about Buster Keaton’s The General!

The Conversation (1974)
The Conversation poster Rating: 7.7/10 (121,143 votes)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writer: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield
Runtime: 113 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Released: 12 Apr 1974
Plot: A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.

Episode 25 – Cabaret

, with special guest:

CabaretJena wasn’t able to make it to the recording of this episode but that’s OK, we bought in a stunt Jena!  This week’s stunt Jena was…Melissa!  Turns out Cabaret was one of the few films that she had never seen.  With Melissa our acting Jena, we were down one expert.  Enter our friend Windy Bowlsby!  Windy is a huge fan of the film and of Bob Fosse so she provided a great expert perspective.  Enjoy our conversation about the only Oscar winning musical set in pre-Nazi Germany that we know about!

Our next episode is going to be recorded live at the Trylon Theatre on June 29th.  We’ll be watching The Conversation!

And don’t forget to check out Windy and Melissa’s podcast – Xanadu Cinema Pleasure Dome!

Cabaret (1972)
Cabaret poster Rating: 7.8/10 (59,107 votes)
Director: Bob Fosse
Writer: Joe Masteroff, John Van Druten, Christopher Isherwood
Stars: Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Helmut Griem
Runtime: 124 min
Rated: PG
Genre: Drama, Music, Musical
Released: 13 Feb 1972
Plot: A female girlie club entertainer in Weimar Republic era Berlin romances two men while the Nazi Party rises to power around them.

 

Episode 10 – The Abominable Dr. Phibes

, with special guest:

The Abominable Dr. PhibesThis episode will air on the day after Halloween so we decided that it was time to show Jena a bizarre horror film starring Vicent Price.  Much like The Matrix, nobody can tell you what The Abominable Dr. Phibes is – you have to see it for yourself.  Jena was clearly still unsure what she’d seen when the movie was over and that reaction was just about perfect.  If you haven’t seen the movie yet – go ahead and listen to the episode.  We promised that there is no way to spoil the cinematic experience that is The Abominable Dr. Phibes!

Our next episode airs on the 15th of November and it will be about Jaques Tati’s Playtime!

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Abominable Dr. Phibes poster Rating: 7.1/10 (16,527 votes)
Director: Robert Fuest
Writer: James Whiton, William Goldstein
Stars: Vincent Price, Joseph Cotten, Virginia North
Runtime: 94 min
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Released: 18 May 1971
Plot: Doctor, scientist, organist, and biblical scholar Anton Phibes seeks revenge on the nine doctors he considers responsible for the death of his wife.