Hustlers of Culture: Recent Episodes
4DA Publishing & Bunkazilla UK
Podcast offering a UK BIPOC PoV on all things cultural. Cohosted by @afrofilmviewer & @hughkdavid, produced by @4DAPublishing for @4DAConsultancy. Airs 1st @BunkazillaUK then free @SoundCloud.
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In a double-length season finale, Les and Hugh dive deep into one of Hugh's favourite filmmakers (and one Les finds himself coming back to again and again), Michael Mann, and his last theatrical feature, the hugely underrated BLACKHAT. First, however, Les talks about his article (now published) about Cinema Bastards, and modern fandom, with Hugh tying that in to tech issues that lead them into the film itself.
We are thrilled to present this interview with British director Peter Webber, whose Spanish-language feature PICKPOCKETS, currently on Netflix, we covered earlier this season. Peter graciously took time out of his busy schedule (here talking to us remotely from Italy where he was on a festival jury, so please excuse any technical hiccups still present in the recording) to discuss the fifteen-year-long process to make PICKPOCKETS. Then we dive deep into his career, from TV movies at the BBC to his recent reggae documentary INNA DE YARD, available now on Amazon Prime, via GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, HANNIBAL RISING, EMPEROR and more.
Thanks once again to Peter for making this podcast happen and being so generous with his time and thoughts.
Les and Hugh look at remakes, debuts, directorial style, language of cinema, showbiz, narcissism, music and transcendence in the context of the latest version of showbiz myth A STAR IS BORN.
A long-awaited chance for Les and Hugh to return to this modern classic. The discussion begins funnily enough on the Hughes Brothers and MENACE II SOCIETY as a way into the late John Singleton's smash-hit debut by contrast. As they dig deeper and deeper into Singleton's work and his cast, more and more context is placed around both this film, what came before and it and those that would follow.
Les convinces Hugh to FINALLY watch Boots Riley's stellar SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, saying it's made for him. Much to his joy, Hugh proves him right, as the two wax lyrical about a modern masterpiece.
In an extended interview special, Les and Hugh interview director/writer/editor Ross Boyask about his latest film, I AM VENGEANCE: RETALIATION, as well as his career, an insider's view of the business and an action fan's view of the genre.
Les wants to talk about one of his all-time faves, and Hugh wants to fill a gap in his viewing history, so one rewatches while the other finally watches and this is what happened next.
Les & Hugh talk Gore Verbinski & Justin Haythe's A CURE FOR WELLNESS starring Dane DeHaan, Mia Goth, Jason Isaacs, Ivo Nandi, Adrian Schiller, Celia Imrie, and many more!
Les & Hugh discuss Glen Ficarra & John Requa's rom-com-crimer FOCUS (2015) starring Will Smith & Margot Robbie. Not the first talk they've had about Big Willy and his career, but this film adds twists to previous theories the pair held.
This episode, Les and Hugh look at Anglo-Argentinian co-pro PICKPOCKETS, now available on Netflix. Directed by Brit Peter Webber, who brings to the fore local talent in this pulsing, stylish yet gritty Bogota, Colombia-set street crime drama.
Les and Hugh look at a director new to them, Sara Colangelo, with her second film starring the brilliant, fearless Maggie Gyllenhaal. It deals with a dramatic subject that terrifies Hugh in its execution given his own professional experiences.
Les persuades Hugh to try out the works of writers/directors/producers/actors Benson & Moorhead, given he doesn't usually rate mumblecore-esque works, and he falls hard for their talents.
Les and Hugh discuss the Netflix prestige flick THE TWO POPES, as well as the career of Fernando Mireilles.
Hugh and Les look back at a key Britflick from the start of this century, as well as the career of Diaspora Indian director Gurinder Chadha, whose career this put on the map.
Les and Hugh discuss the career and latest film of Korean New Wave auteur Bong Joon-Ho.
Les persuades Hugh to FINALLY watch LOOPER, sitting on his shelf since release. With both having seen BRICK and LAST JEDI, Hugh a huge fan of TERRIERS and Les having seen BROTHERS BLOOM, BREAKING BAD and KNIVES OUT, the stage is set for a deep dive into the talented yet strangely controversial director's career.
Hugh interviews Kim Hallam about 2019's EGX gaming con, complete with her series of interviews with indie developers as well as playthroughs.
This time, it's a fave of Hugh's that Les is persuaded to (re)assess. Possibly even more reviled by both genre fans and the mainstream than ESCAPE FROM L.A. in veteran director John Carpenter's extensive oeuvre, there's always been a few die-hard supporters, Hugh being one of them. But will Les join him?
Another "hot topic" of the day, at least online, Les and Hugh try to avoid it but instead dive headlong into their issues and their thoughts around it.
Once again Les persuades Hugh to finally dust off a crimer he's been telling him about for ages. Having read Higgin's books when younger and seen CHOPPER, Hugh then watched THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES and double-billed KILLING THEM SOFTLY with the HD remaster of THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE, leading to a wider discussion about Higgins' vision of crime fiction vs. Dominik's vision.
Les persuaded Hugh to finally watch Lynne Ramsay's adap of Jonathan Ames' excellent crimer, which they had both read. This leads to an in-depth discussion of both pieces of art, the process of adaptation, and of course Joaquin Phoenix.
Les' recent viewing of FAST COLOR leads to a wide-ranging discussion between him, Hugh, Maxine and Kim of all sorts of issues of representation of women across film, TV (FLEABAG), literature and videogames (FIRE EMBLEM: THREE HOUSES)
Is it possible for either of these to have a single favourite director? Maybe not, but Friedkin is one much-fêted American Master they can agree on celebrating, especially having just seen him live on stage along with Wang Chung interviewed by Mark Kermode after a film print screening of TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. The two wax lyrical but also critical about many films across his career.
Yup, the corporate merger everyone was talking about in early 2019: Disney acquiring Fox was one of those topics Les and Hugh just could not avoid. So at it they go...
Buzzwords all over the media, but is it really what it says it is? Les and Hugh get stuck into the very issue that started this podcast off.
Les doesn't want to talk about CAPTAIN MARVEL as it already had loads of coverage elsewhere. Hugh wants to briefly make some points about it before they move on. Nearly a whole episode later...