This week, it’s all about movies! The first movies we remember seeing, and a bit about the people who got us into movies. There’s talk about drive ins and multiplexes; the times before the rise of the blockbuster and what followed after blockbuster films became common. We discuss the difference between film and movies as well as the movies that made us both want to write screenplays one day. Are movies better or worse than they used to be? Yep, we cover that! Along the way, we talk about our favorite movie characters and the worst — and best — movies we’ve ever seen.
Quick Note: We recorded this over Skype, each running our own sound. Shawn doesn’t have a buffer between his desk and recorder, so there are some bumping sounds throughout the podcast. In the spirit of this week’s show, just imagine it’s the footsteps of the t-rex from Jurassic Park!
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Shawn says
I really do sound like I’m broadcasting from a barricaded radio room at Jurassic Park after Newman released the dinosaurs and Sam Jackson failed to contain them.
gorillamen says
Shawn: The one time Sam Jackson fails us on the podcast!
He’s done wonders on every other episode…
CMStewart says
I remember being quite annoyed with the replicating broom scene in Fantasia, but now I forget why. I was exposed to all kinds of movies growing up, from Disney to R rated. As a child, my mother took me to several R rated movies with graphic sex and rape scenes, (I suppose in the interest of well-roundedness) which I hated.
I enjoyed Exorcist since the first time I watched in. I think the first time, I was in my early teens.
CMStewart says
Oh yeah, best movies: TRHPS, Napoleon Dynamite, and Duel. Honorable mentions go to The Breakfast Club (totally unrealistic), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (totally realistic), and Cabin Fever, for the character Deputy Winston, who made it into one of my novels. Deputy Winston is one of the Best Characters Ever (spoiler): http://youtu.be/R5eqnXjIivw
Worst movie: Pot Zombies. Five minutes in and I guarantee your eyes and ears will be bleeding. And it just gets worse from there. Be very afraid: http://youtu.be/iRUm0ZBl868
gorillamen says
CMS: Clearly, we must do an episode about B-movies. Pot Zombies…not that I will boast, but it was filmed (at least in part) locally.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High was damn good stuff. I haven’t watched it in years, but I’m guessing it will hold up. The football-throwing uncle in Napoleon Dynamite cracked me up.
You mention graphic stuff in film. The rape scene in Clockwork Orange. Just…no! It was one of those rite of passage movies, and I watched it, but I never watched it again because of that scene. Ugh…
CMStewart says
And I round out my best movie collection with the horror genre, of course: Jaws and The Shining.
I didn’t see the movie Clockwork Orange, but I saw the beginning of the rape scene in one of those “scariest movie scenes ever” TV shows. I’m not a fan of rape scenes in general, they usually don’t add a lot to the story. The CO rape scene was over-acted and tedious. From what I’ve read about the book, I think I’ll skip that as well. There’s no big moral dilemma, in my opinion.
Curtis says
Ah memories.
First movie I remember seeing was my sisters taking me (or I was forced upon them to go with them by my parents…) to see Disney’s “Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.” with Dick Van Dyke.
Only two movies I have walked out on and asked for a refund: “The Gods Must Be Crazy” and “Money Train”
Oh and Shawn, since you mentioned you can’t count movie characters based on novels, Die Hard was based on the novel “Nothing Lasts Forever” by Roderick Thorp 🙂
As for the best movie all-around…there’s a TON of great movies, but if I had to pick one it would be Raiders of the Lost Ark. It may not be perfect, but it was so well done its rewatch value never gets old. So of course, my favorite character would have to be Indiana Jones as well 🙂
gorillamen says
Curtis: Did you lose a bet and the punishment was The Money Train? If you walked out, you ultimately won.
And I learned something: had no idea that Die Hard was based off a novel. Shawn broke his own rule!
Indy is such a great character, and Raiders is such a blast. Especially now that I’ve finally seen the opening scene.
Shawn says
I think that means Christopher won!