The Last Picture House: Recent Episodes
And Cut Media
The last word in film criticism.
The Last Picture House covers films that have finally made their way into Japanese cinemas.
On this episode, Marcus and Maria look ahead to this year's Cannes Film Festival. They preview the films, the filmmakers as well the controversies.
The 76th edition of the festival will be held from May 16 to 27, 2023.
This week, Marcus and Maria are joined by academic Garrett De Orio to talk about Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise's groundbreaking musical, West Side Story (1961).
A loose re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is set on the streets of 1950s New York. Two young lovers must overcome racial prejudice and gang violence in order to be together.
The panel discuss the film's journey from stage to screen, the challenges of production in New York City, and the film's reception.
As always, this episode contains spoilers. We strongly recommend (re)watching the film before listening. There's also some strong language which may not be suitable for younger listeners.
Links to some of the things discussed:
- Official West Side Story website
- Documentary on Bernstein's 1984 recording of West Side Story with opera stars Jose Carreras and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
- Leonard Bernstein: The Political Life of an American Musician
- A memoir by Bernstein's assistant of the early 1980s, who became the estate's musical executor and archivist; dishy Bernstein gossip
- Profile of Arthur Laurents in New York Magazine
- What Jerome Robbins Knew That Leonard Bernstein Didn't
- Time Out's review of Rooftops
- Scenes from the Officer Krupke episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Stephen Sondheim's obituary in the New York Times
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On this episode Maria and Marcus look back at 30 years of Silence of the Lambs (1991).
How did a modestly budgeted film about the pursuit of a serial killer win the “big five” Oscars? And how does the film continue to provoke audiences 30 years after its release? We’ll discuss the making of the film, it’s cultural legacy, as well as controversies.
This episode contains spoilers. We strongly recommend (re)watching the film before listening.
Links to some of the things discussed:
- Understanding Silence of the Lambs' complicated cultural legacy
- The Spirit of The Silence of the Lambs Lives On
- The Transphobic Legacy of ‘The Silence of the Lambs’
- The Silence of the Lambs: Brooke Smith on Surviving Buffalo Bill
- Brooke Smith Answers Every Question We Have About The Silence of The Lambs
- The Jeffrey Dahmer-Hannibal Lecter Pop Culture Connection
- 'Silence of the Lambs': The "Interesting Dilemma" of Selecting Hannibal Lecter's Mask
- 'The Silence of the Lambs': The Newsweek Review of Johnathan Demme's Terrifying Thriller
- Understanding Silence of the Lambs' complicated cultural legacy
- Interview with Demme on his career
- Last Picture House on Twitter
- Marcus Lovitt on Twitter
This week Marcus and Maria examine Martin Scorsese's frequently overlooked absurdist black comedy, After Hours (1985). When corporate "word processor" Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) meets the mysterious, fickle Marcy (Rosanna Arquette,) he accepts an offer of a late-night rendezvous in downtown Manhattan. But when Paul begins to have second thoughts and tries to return home, he finds himself trapped in a surreal nightmare.
Marcus and Maria go behind the scenes to explore the film's origins, its themes of paranoia and emasculation, and where After Hours fits in beside Scorsese's other work.
This episode contains spoilers. We strongly recommend watching the film before listening.
Links to some of the things discussed:
- 35 Years Ago, After Hours Saved Martin Scorsese's Career (Esquire)
- After Hours screenplay (Cinephilia & Beyond)
- Michael Ballhaus Gave Us Goodfellas’ Tracking Shot, But His Most Brilliant Work Was in Scorsese’s After Hours (Vulture)
- After Hours (Vulture)
- Roger Ebert on After Hours
- Steven Soderbergh on After Hours
- After Hours' and the Rarity of a Comedy That's Not Afraid Someone Might Think It's Gay (Vulture)
- Plagiarism scandal
- 'After Hours' in the Afterlife: The Case for Paul Hackett's Hell (Film School Rejects)
- Last Picture House on Twitter
- Marcus Lovitt on Twitter
Having exhausted online trivia quizzes and home baking, Maria, Iain and Marcus ARE BACK with a new series of the podcast. This episode, the panel take you on a guided tour of the UNFINISHED PICTURES that never made it onto the big screen. This episode HAS IT ALL: Orson Welles, Marilyn Monroe... even the Sex Pistols having dinner with Roger Ebert.
Links to some of the things discussed:
- "The RKO story. It's All True" (YouTube)
- Roger Ebert's screenplay for "Who killed Bambi?"
- "The Epic That Never Was" (documentary about "I, Claudius") (YouTube)
- "Marilyn Monroe: Something’s Got to Give" (YouTube)
- When Mike Nichols Fired Robert De Niro: Excerpt from ‘De Niro: A Life’
- "Clouzot's Towering Inferno"
- Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno - Film Clip 2 (YouTube)
- Last Picture House on Twitter
- Marcus Lovitt on Twitter
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
The Decade in Film - LPH018
In their first episode back after hiatus, Dai, Maria, Iain and Marcus attempt the impossible - a comprehensive survey of the best films of the 2010s. They nominate the movies they loved on first viewing, the films they learned to love, as well as those which best captured the spirit of the “post truth” era. As always, they finish the show with a nervous search through correspondence to learn whether listeners agree with them.
Links to some of the things discussed:
- The Making of Tampopo
- Cultural Details You Missed in Parasite
- The Best Films of the Decade
- Phantom Thread Review: A deftly spun yarn
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
On this special episode, Dai, Maria, Iain and Marcus discuss their favorite Christmas movies. They talk reconnection and nostalgia, surviving the holiday season, as well as Christmas movies that celebrate love and romance. Along the way, they share their thoughts on what makes the perfect Christmas film, as well as stories from their own (sometimes chaotic) lives. Finally, the panel delve into Santa's sack to sift through listeners' favorites.
Links to some of the things discussed this week: * What makes the perfect Christmas movie? * The magic formula that makes the perfect Christmas film * What Makes a Great Christmas Movie? * Trailer for The Silent Partner * The key to a great Christmas film: misery and mayhem * Christmas Movies So Awful They’d Make Santa’s Naughty List
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
On this episode, Iain, Maria, and Marcus continue their discussion of the 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival. They begin with "Disco," a provocative Norwegian drama about a young woman growing up within an evangelical church, before moving onto a live-action adaptation of Tezuka Osamu's manga "Barbara." They then examine Iranian film "Old Men Never Die," and Turkish allegory "Food For a Funeral." Next, the panel discuss two crime dramas with a social conscience: cops and robbers on the streets of Tehran in "Just 6.5," and Italian coming of age drama "Nevia." Finally, the team reviews Taika Waititi's much-anticipated "anti-hate satire" "Jojo Rabbit," and daring Spanish comedy "Advantages of Traveling by Train."
Links to some of the things discussed this week: * ‘Jojo Rabbit’ Is ‘Easy Listening’ Cinema: Critics Debate the Success of Taika Waititi’s ‘Anti-Hate’ Satire
* Springtime for Nazis: How the Satire of “Jojo Rabbit” Backfires
* International trailer for Advantages of Travelling by Train
* Advantages of Travelling by Train on Rotten Tomatoes
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
On this month's episode, Maria, Iain and Marcus discuss the 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival. They begin by talking about Danish Grand Prix winner "Uncle," before moving on to "Cry," whose director Hirobumi Watanabe was awarded Best Director in the Japanese Cinema Splash category. Then they discuss two movies about troubled relationships: Japanese comedy "A Beloved Wife," and Noah Baumbach's Netflix divorce drama "Marriage Story." Next, they examine two movies that explore war and its impact: the hard-hitting Ukranian film "Atlantis," and French historical drama "Towards the Battle." Finally, the team reviews Martin Scorsese's much-anticipated gangster film, "The Irishman." Links to some of the things discussed this week: * 'Poolsideman': Bringing life to the mundane * Film Review: Life Finds A Way (2018) by Hirobumi Watanabe * Shin Adachi's mission to bust the myth of marital bliss in 'A Beloved Wife' * So, How Is the De-Aging in The Irishman? Incredibly Impressive. * The Lies of the Irishman * Jimmy Hoffa and 'The Irishman': A True Crime Story?
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
On this month's episode, Iain, Maria and Marcus discuss (cinematic) guilty pleasures. What makes a bad movie a cult classic? Can you have too much of a good (bad) thing? Links to some of the things discussed this week: * Roger Ebert on Showgirls * Suicide Squad: (nearly) one year on * The Art of Editing and Suicide Squad * Sam Elliott is Road House's Real Sex Symbol * Why Road House remains and action movie classic * Ten Reasons Why Road House is Basically The Greatest Movie Every Made * An Exhaustive Breakdown of Patrick Swayze's 'Road House' * Demolition Man: How Do The Three Seashells Actually Work? * Demolition Man's a black movie and here's why * 'My Geisha' Arrives * Kimono my house - Shirley MacClaine does yellowface, but is this the Black Like Me of Asian exotica? * Ranked: Every James Bond Film From Best to Worst
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
On this episode, Maria, Iain and Marcus discuss “One Upon a Time… in Hollywood,” the latest film from Quentin Tarantino. They compare the film with the director's previous work, ask whether or not it exploits the tragic death of Sharon Tate, and discuss how it treats the many other 60s film stars who make an appearance. Links to some of the things discussed this week: * Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s many, many controversies, explained * Once Upon a Time in Hollywood review – uneven ode to a lost era * Quentin Tarantino and His Many Italian Movie References * Music in the movies: Quentin Tarantino * Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood: the music
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
On this episode, Marcus, Maria, and Iain discuss what motivates an actor to risk their career by taking on a challenging or an otherwise “difficult” character. Along the way, they examine great performances that have provoked audiences and upturned expectations.
Links to some of the things we discussed this week:
- Meryl Streep calls out Dustin Hoffman for 'Kramer vs Kramer' slap from 40 years ago
- How 10 Things I Hate About You turned Heath Ledger into a reluctant star
- Christian Bale is Sick and Tired Of His "Miserable" Body Transformations
- Roger Ebert reviews "Irreversible"
- Monica Bellucci discusses "Irreversible"
- Philadelphia: un-packaging the Hollywood Aids drama
- How "Philadelphia" Has, And Hasn't, Changed How We See AIDS
- Just Plain Good: the criminally underrated Fred McMurray
- Boys Don't Cry and Hollywood's Ongoing Obsession with Trans Suffering
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
On this episode Marcus, Iain, Dai and Maria discuss the enduring popularity of the monster movie and consider the latest in the Godzilla franchise, "Godzilla: King of the Monsters". Next, the panel talk about John Landis's horror comedy "American Werewolf in London" and its memorable transformation scene. Finally, the hosts share their thoughts on Guillermo del Toro's "The Shape of Water" and speculate on Eliza's life post-Baltimore.
Links to some of the things we discussed this week:
- Jason Barr's The Kaiju Film on Amazon
- Article on Takashi Murakami
- No Surprises video and The Making Of video
- The Man Who Was Godzilla
- Monster Movies: A Sexual Theory
- The transformation scene from An American Werewolf in London
- Creature from The Black Lagoon trailer
As always, this episode contains mild spoilers.
On this special episode, we discuss some of the highlights at Tokyo's recent Italian Film Festival, including Matteo Garrone's "Dogman," Valerio Mieli's "Ricordi?," and Alessandro Aronadio's "Io c'è". We also sit down for exclusive interviews with some of the filmmakers.
Contains mild spoilers.
On this episode, we ask if there’s such a thing as an unfilmable novel. Are some projects just too complex, expensive or controversial to adapt? We examine three movies based on supposedly unfilmable source material: Norwegian Wood, adapted from the book by Haruki Murakami, Apocalypse Now, based on Joseph Conrad's novella, and Dune, adapted from the books by Frank Herbert.
Contains mild spoilers.
We sit down with CG animator Stephane Mangin to discuss his work on such films as Jungle Book, Mowgli, Fantastic Beasts, Frozen and Wreck it Ralph.
In part two of the show, we talk with Mangin about Katsuhiro Otomo's anime classic "Akira" and consider the film's impact.
On this episode, we examine cinema audiences' seemingly inexhaustible appetite for remakes. We consider what makes them successful, discuss how they differ from reboots and reimaginings, and (of course!) talk about some of our favorites.
Contains mild spoilers.
This week we discuss the recent Golden Globe Awards, Bradley Cooper's "A Star is Born," and the films we're looking forward to in 2019.
Contains mild spoilers.
Break out the bubbly... it's the inaugural Last Picture House Awards!
As 2018 draws to a close, we discuss our favorite films of the year, including "BlacKkKlansman," "Black Panther," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "The Favourite," "Ladybird," "Phantom Thread," "Roma," and "Shoplifters."
Contains mild spoilers.
You are a vicious snowflake.
On this episode we talk about Panos Cosmatos’s “Mandy" and Bryan Singer/Dexter Fletcher’s “Bohemian Rhapsody."
Contains mild spoilers.
This week we continue our look at the 2018 Tokyo International Film Festival. We discuss Yorgos Lanthimos’s “The Favourite,” Marcelino Islas Hernández’s “Clases de Historia” (“History Lessons”) and Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma.” PLUS interviews with some very special guests.
Contains mild spoilers.
On this week's episode, we're at the Tokyo International Film Festival. We discuss Edoardo De Angelis’s “The Vice of Hope” and Paolo Sorrentino's “Loro”.
Contains mild spoilers.
Want to see something really scary?
On this week's episode, we discuss our favorite horror movies, as well as the recently released "A Quiet Place".
Warning: here be spoilers!