New REVIEWS AND OTHERWISE: FAST AND FURIOUS 1,4,5.6 and 9 + HOBBS AND SHAW

 I haven’t seen all of the FAST AND FURIOUS movies (though I probably should catch up with TOKYO DRIFT and FURIOUS 7–Paul Walker’s last time playing Brian), but here’s an episode discussing the ones I have seen— with a sidebar into earlier films of Rob Cohen (who directed the original THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS.  Closing moments are about how F9 is the last movie I’ll get to see in a theater before my upcoming stem cell/bone marrow transplant.

https://anchor.fm/terry-mccarty/episodes/THE-FAST-AND-THE-FURIOUS-1-4-5-6--9-PLUS-HOBBS-AND-SHAW-e13mf8d

New REVIEWS AND OTHERWISE: Quentin Tarantino’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD—movie, book, virtual theme park?

 This stream-of-consciousness bonus episode looks at Quentin Tarantino’s (perhaps) next-to-last film, which (at least in Los Angeles) has repeat viewers (one person has seen it eight times so far) and other QT fans awaiting the expanded mass market paperback novel coming soon to a bookstore, newsstand and/or supermarket.  

So here’s 20 minutes of words about Tarantino’s equivalent to James Cameron’s TITANIC—plus a brief argument for DEATH PROOF as QT’s woke, anti-misogyny film.

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/terry-mccarty/episodes/BONUS-EPISODE-SOME-MILD-HERESY-REGARDING-QUENTIN-TARANTINO-AND-ONCE-UPON-A-TIME-IN-HOLLYWOOD-e13ijbr

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UMdzUiJJvZoIuOs3V6SpF?si=a1tMJeoEQZSh1FaKzdCoEg&dl_branch=

New REVIEWS AND OTHERWISE: THE SPARKS BROTHERS + ASSORTED MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES

First 15 minutes of this episode on Edgar Wright’s new documentary film about Ron and Russell Mael and their band you may have heard of and listened to.  Then, a survey of rock documentaries which discuss bands who have mostly maintained lengthy careers regardless of the level of mainstream interest.

 https://anchor.fm/terry-mccarty/episodes/THE-SPARKS-BROTHERSTHE-SUBGENRE-OF-MUSIC-DOCUMENTARIES-ABOUT-CAREER-LONGEVITY-ANDOR-REDISCOVERY-e135g13

New REVIEWS AND OTHERWISE: 1970s WESTERNS: CLINT EASTWOOD/GENRE DECONSTRUCTION

 The latest episode continues my occasional examination of 70s Westerns (essentially the last hurrah for the genre before it became mostly niche product seen in 80s art houses).  First 12 minutes on Clint Eastwood, with a shoutout to Burbank’s LexG and his comprehensive podcast episode on Clint’s career from Sergio Leone’s Man With No Name trilogy to 1990’s THE ROOKIE, which could be regarded (in spirit) as a better farewell to Dirty Harry Callahan than Clint and Buddy Van Horn’s THE DEAD POOL.

Remainder of the episode defines deconstruction of the Western as a conscious veering away from traditional storytelling by way of scripting, aesthetic choices, directorial/actor decisions.  Films discussed include McCABE AND MRS. MILLER, BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS, BAD COMPANY (1972), THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN, ZANDY’S BRIDE, THE MISSOURI BREAKS and PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID (with mentions of Sam Peckinpah’s later BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA and CONVOY).

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pC8HI5tw0s6nlHVC4n88N?si=RZ6tnfK6RoifNrYiRp71NA&dl_branch=1

New REVIEWS AND OTHERWISE: RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON/IN THE HEIGHTS

 Discussion of two movies available in theaters and on streaming services.  Also discussed: differing reactions to Disney+ charging roughly $30 for a movie for its first three months vs HBOMAX making WB releases available for no extra charge (but for just a month) plus inquiring as to why studios consider their streaming income and number of viewers per movie  to be none of the public or press’s business.

https://anchor.fm/terry-mccarty/episodes/SEE-IT-IN-A-THEATER-OR-AT-HOME-RAYA-AND-THE-LAST-DRAGONIN-THE-HEIGHTS-e12ncfn

New REVIEWS AND OTHERWISE: 1970s WESTERNS: THE TWILIGHT OF JOHN WAYNE

 I’ll be doing some non consecutive episodes on the decline of the Hollywood Western in the 1970s.  And, as with genre films in decline, there are some interesting to good ones (largely ignored by audiences) released during this period.

This episode discusses John Wayne’s trajectory from the Oscar-winning peak of TRUE GRIT into the valley of clinging to an outdated image/stubbornly staying at one with his core, tradition-bound audience (one exception being Mark Rydell’s THE COWBOYS, which shocked some 1971-72 viewers with Wayne dying from multiple gunshot wounds by primary villain Bruce Dern).

Also, the 1971 PLAYBOY interview (where Wayne let loose with racist views of Native Americans and racist/patronizing commentary on Black people) is discussed—along with my guess as to why the pushback (and yes, there was criticism at the time) did little damage to Wayne’s career.

Finally, after 1976’s THE SHOOTIST, Wayne said goodbye to the Western genre—as a commercial pitchperson for headache medicine Datril and Great Western Bank.

https://anchor.fm/terry-mccarty/episodes/1970s-WESTERNS-THE-TWILIGHT-OF-JOHN-WAYNE-e12enrl

REVIEWS AND OTHERWISE on two types of movie sequels

 Comparing the move-the-story-forward success of A QUIET PLACE PART II to the often sluggish retreading of THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT https://anchor.fm/terry-mccarty/episodes/SEQUELITIS-THE-CONJURING-THE-DEVIL-MADE-ME-DO-IT-VS-A-QUIET-PLACE-PART-II-e1271un

Another bonus REVIEWS AND OTHERWISE episode on underseen film noir

 Second bonus episode, this time experimenting with musical underscore.  Eventually, I’ll take the plunge into reading commercials.

Here’s the link: https://anchor.fm/terry-mccarty/episodes/Bonus-Episode-Underseen-Film-Noir-e1219i1

Also available here: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy81ZDE4N2YyNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==

And here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2o84GxeqDmbeytYC2n7hqX