Friars & Film: Recent Episodes
Luke Hoyt, Timothy Danaher, Alan Piper
"We are three Catholic priests from the Order of Preachers, and we're here, as always, to talk about the movies."
Join us as we review Woody Allen's 1989 film, covering themes of New York City, sin, the director himself, and philosophical responses to WWII. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Introitus: Requiem aeternam" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Join us as we review Woody Allen's 1989 film, covering themes of New York City, sin, the director himself, and philosophical responses to WWII. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Introitus: Requiem aeternam" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
"Run so as to win," said Paul to the Corinthians. Join us in our review of Hugh Hudson's 1981 film of British runners in training for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Expect to hear about synth, slow motion shots, the sabbath, and a philosophical analysis of sport itself. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: theme from the film.
Join us on the docks of New Jersey for Elia Kazan's 1954 signature film of a washed-up prize fighter. Topics include Augustine's City of God, the strength of innocence, and an attempt to get at why Marlon Brando is the greatest actor of his generation. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Confession" by Fool Saint.
A discussion of Joel and Ethan Coen's 2007 film based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. Topics include violence, its source and mystery. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Man in Black" by Johnny Cash.
A discussion of Joel Coen's new film with Denzel as Macbeth. What more need be said? Topics include: murder, witchcraft, the proper pronunciation of the Bard's name, and the nature of theater. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Crown on the Ground" by Sleigh Bells.
A discussion of Ermanno Olmi's 1978 film of vignettes from rural Lombard life. The style dubbed by one of our hosts as "a poor man's Terrence Malick" film, tune in as we offer a defense of why this movie is worth three hours of your time. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BMV 694" by J.S. Bach.
A discussion of Ridley Scott's 1982 film of humanoid replicants, and Harrison Ford will be the one hunting them down. Themes include artificial intelligence, cool neon vibes, and our quest to define what is a human person. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music from the film.
A discussion of Roberto Rossellini's 1945 film of Italy's occupation during World War II, one of the first of its genre. Themes include grace under fire, priests portrayed in cinema, and mortality. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "On an Evening in Roma" by Dean Martin.
A discussion of Fritz Lang's 1927 science-fiction film of various images robotic, familial, Marian, even Babel. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts" by Sufjan Stevens.
Join us as we discuss Vittorio De Sica's 1948 neorealist film about, yes, a bicycle thief. Other themes: children looking up to their parents, original sin, mob mentality, and the like. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Put The Blame On Mame" by Rita Hayworth.
Our Fellini foray is here finished. We try to tackle his two greatest films and find ourselves limited. Follow us to the early 1960s as we cover nearly 6 hours of film, tracking the decline of journalist Marcello Rubini and that of the director himself. Other themes include: Biblical fish, serial adultery, and self-absorbed artists. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Experimental Film" by They Might Be Giants.
Pope Francis' favorite film is Federico Fellini's 1954 story of a clown who with dignity and grace navigates her life on the road. We discuss mid century Italian life and the danger of living a life of perhaps too much comedy. We are joined by another guest, Joseph McHenry. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "E' bella la strada" by Claudio Chieffo.
A discussion of John Ford's 1939 film, self-described as "a powerful story of 9 strange people." We discuss the western genre, the concept of home, and John Wayne's faith. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Rawhide" by Frankie Laine.
Maybe you saw Christopher Nolan's most recent film and had no idea what happened. We reveal all secrets here. Listen for more. We are joined by Fr. Gregory Pine. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Floating on Air" by Spa Music.
Luxury, revolution, matchmaking, and the strong ocean currents of Sicily. Join us for a discussion of Luchino Visconti's 1963 film, an adaptation of the earlier novel by Lampedusa. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Mamba Italiano" by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
For everyone interested in more Swedish drama films, this is the one for you. Join us as we discuss our second Ingmar Bergman film and once again look death in the face. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Strawberry Fields Forever" by The Beatles.
A discussion of the1922 silent vampire film by F.W. Murnau. This edition should delight and inform the average movie viewer, while perhaps frustrating true Stoker scholars of this field. It is a field in which we are not experts. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Nosferatu" by Blue Oyster Cult.
Our third time covering Terrence Malick, here in his early 1978 film on migrant workers. You can see Richard Gere harvesting wheat in the Texas Panhandle, echoing the story of Abraham and Sara, all shot in natural light and very often at dusk. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: suite from the film by Ennio Morricone.
A discussion of Martin Scorsese's 2016 film on Jesuit missionaries to Japan. Based on an earlier novel by Shūsaku Endō, we discuss themes of colonialism, courage before death, whether Star Wars and Spiderman actors were a good choice as priests, and whether the film's theology is snuff with that of the Church. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "You Know How I Do" by Taking Back Sunday.
Search for paradise with us in Terrence Malick's 1998 film on the Guadalcanal campaign. The director, as always, has various musings: war in nature and in men, the animal kingdom, the inner philosopher in each man, and our inevitable task of facing death. It is also Jim Caviezel's first film, flanked by a celebrity cast of just about any actor you can name, besides Tom Hanks who was busy with Saving Private Ryan. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Jisas Yu Holem Hand Blong Mi" by Melanesian Choir and Hans Zimmer.
Be prepared to face human nature as such, as we discuss Andrei Tarkovsky's 1966 classic on the Middle Ages, the power of sweeping visuals, the texture of mud, the place of artists in society, and the mortal condition, i.e. we will all die one day. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Final Teleutaion Antiphon Before the Entrance" by Cappella Romana.
A return to the Dutch filmmaker, Carl Theodor Dreyer, and his 1955 film on three brothers, crazed prophets, and the possibility of miracles. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "The Word" by The Beatles.
A discussion of the1963 film for which Sidney Poitier won Best Actor at the Academy Awards. The story of a migrant worker, traveling through rural Arizona and then taken in by Catholic German nuns, is based on a William Edmund Barrett novel of the same name. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Amen" from the film itself.
A discussion of George Seaton's 1947 Christmas film, set in Macy's, and igniting yet again the great Santa question: should we tell children of him or not? Find the final answer in this very episode. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole.
A discussion of Carol Reed's 1949 noir film set in postwar Vienna, where a American western novelist turns detective to solve his friend's murder. Names as big as Graham Greene and Orson Welles! A mystery film to thrill all ages! Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "The Third Man Theme" by The Band.
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. 1942. No explanation necessary. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "As Time Goes By" by Dooley Wilson.
A discussion of Philip Gröning's 2007 documentary on the monks of the Grande Chartreuse. One of the most hidden religious communities in the world, they replied to his letter after 16 years, granting him 6 months access to film within cloister walls. Wait until the right contemplative mood to watch this film. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum.
A discussion of Maurice Cloche's 1947 film on St. Vincent de Paul, his work as father to the poor and galvanizing help from the higher-ups. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Vincent" (not de Paul) by Don McLean.
A discussion of Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 film on the final days of medieval Europe's best-documented female saint. Involves: wide eyes, wicked theologians, and slowly panning cameras. Intro music: "Magne Pater" by Dominican Schola Cantorum. Outro music: "Poets and Mirros" by Hope & Justin.