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WTDSE06: Anniversary and Finale
After 60 podcasts, 52 directors and too many films to count, Watching The Directors is bowing out. On this, our second anniversary show and series finale, we try to go out with a frenzy of lists, listener mail, reviews and discussion. Join us as we follow last year's anniversary with our Season 2 10 lists of essential films and insider films.We also add a couple final reviews with a look at the most requested films of the year: The Coen Brothers' No Country For Old Men and P.T. Anderson's T ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD43: Alfred Hitchcock Part 1 (The British Talkies)Now, after great confusion, comes the single-most requested episode of WTD: the elusive Part 1 (of 3) in Hitchcock's filmography. Beginning with prototypical mistaken identity/murder suspense thriller of Blackmail, and moving through landmarks like The Lady Vanishes, we look over the formative years of one of the most iconic directors of the twentieth century. On this episode we explore the British era of Hitch's work, culminating in the bizarre, romantic thriller, Rebecca.And, we also make ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD43: The Hitchcock Ten QuizIn the collective genius that is the Ten Quiz, we take a gander at the second-most forgotten era of a great director's work. Along with the hosts' own insights, listeners have provided true insight into Sir Alfred's films, from the first murder with sound in Blackmail to the last British film (or first American), Rebecca.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD42: Michael Powell (stereo)It's not hard to list directors from the studio era that are considered greats: Welles, Hawks, Wilder, Capra and Ford. But if you ask modern giant Martin Scorsese, he might remind you about a British director named Michael Powell. Together with long-time partner Emerich Pressburger, Powell formed the production company "The Archers." That team produced remarkable films that are generally underwatched and underappreciated in the United States. Whether it's the epic The Life and Dea ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD42: Michael Powell (mono)This is a mono edition of the lengthy and large Powell episode (35 MB vs. 71 MB).Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD41: Steven SoderberghThere aren't many directors who get to be called "cool" as often as Mr. Steven Soderbergh. But the de facto chronicler of the new Rat Pack didn't start that way. Before Ocean's 11 (12 and 13), he was best known for a little indie film called Sex, Lies, and Videotape. That movie's frank dialogue and personal filmmaking style helped secure the power of Sundance and the rise of independent filmmakers everywhere. But Soderbergh also has some interest in how films are made, including t ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD40: Woody Allen (1966-85)If you spend a little time with Woody Allen, you start to see things in a different way. New York is a city of romance, music, farce and love. And behind every relationship is a disfunction waiting to happen. On this episode, we look through Mr. Allen's eyes and come away shaped by a Freudian perspective. With comedies like Bananas and Sleeper, Allen demonstrated his appreciation for the old comics. With Manhattan, Annie Hall and The Purple Rose of Cairo, he showed he had his own ideas. On ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD40b: The Allen Ten QuizJudging by a few listener submitted lists, Woody Allen - in the period between 1966 and 1985 - is either one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, or a hack that should be resigned to direction late-night infommercials. We do all that we can to get to the truth through a stack of Ten Quizes and our own little insights.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD39: Mira NairWe all have a list of movies we keep meaning to watch: Citizen Kane, Birth of a Nation, anything from Fellini. But maybe there's some room on that list for Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding or The Namesake. In this episode we talk about the director of those films, Mira Nair, and her contribution to cinema. Nair's feature work over the last twenty years has been momentarily noticed and then neglected. But does it deserve more attention? Join us as we talk about the immigrant experience, liter ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD38: Terry Gilliam (mono)Due to the emensity of our Gilliam podcast, we are offering a smaller mp3 for download. The only difference (aside from about 40MB) is that this version is in glorious mono.Of course the stereo version is still available.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD38: Terry Gilliam (stereo)In this immense, action-packed edition of WTD, we take a long look at one of our most exciting and eloquent directors (or perhaps you would prefer another "e" adjective, like "egomaniacal"). Terry Gilliam has an identifiable aesthetic and a constant thematic affection that floats through all his movies - films like Brazil, 12 Monkeys and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. To discuss such a weighty filmmaker, we are joined by Duke Senter from the Degree of Separation podcast ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD38b: The Gilliam Ten Quiz (redux)Perhaps "sw" may be on to something - maybe there is a "Gilliam curse" - but for whatever reason, the original posting of the Gilliam Ten Quiz show left some listeners with a 9-second show. So here is another attempt at posting that, this time in classic mono.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD38b: The Gilliam Ten QuizIt's been quite a few years since Terry Gilliam was an animator. In fact, since then he's directed a small, but notably significant, group of films that use real actors in real(ish) situations. On this Ten Quiz program, we look at the mind and work of Mr. Gilliam as we read listener submitted comments and add our own limited insights on Brazil and Tideland.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD37: Richard LinklaterKnown as a champion of independent film to many, Richard Linklater has a keen interest in making movies about... nothing. Instead, he follows conversations with a camera, moving from Austin to Vienna to Paris (that French one) and back to Texas, viewers are treated to people talking more often than plots. On this episode we look at the work of Linklater who has given us iconic characters in Dazed and Confused, the essential couple-talk film with Before Sunrise and a mix of experiments and m ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD37b: The Linklater Ten QuizJoin us as we look through our stack of listener-submitted Ten Quizes, hoping to capture something of the enigma that is Richard Linklater. On this episode, we talk about a few surprises from Austin's favorite son. Of course, we do give a bit of time - perhaps too much time - to some of the failures of meat packing, little league baseball and Texas bank robbers.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD36: Akira Kurosawa (1948-58)On this episode, we come dangerously close to starting a fan club. Akira Kurosawa is generally recognized as one of an elite class of filmmakers, a group whose names include Fellini, Hitchcock and Eisenstein. But knowing the legend and actually seeing the films produces a different, and surprising impression. Join us as we discuss an eleven year period of filmmaking that could easily be considered one of the most productive and influential ever compiled. Kurosawa may be known for The Seven ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD36b: The Kurosawa Ten QuizRoger Ebert, in his review of The Seven Samurai, sneaks in a little comment with a lot of power: "this greatest of filmmakers." The "this" in that comment is none other than Akira Kurosawa, the subject of this episode's Ten Quiz. Join us as we talk about one of film's most vital and influential directors, breaking down such impossible questions, like, "How do you choose a worst film?"Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD35a: John Carpenter (1976-96)Ol' Jack Burton will tell you, this is the episode you need to listen to. In the hour that follows, we'll look at Jack, Snake, the Shape and other icons you would never have heard of without the peculiar mind and work of John Carpenter. Looking through twenty years of one of our most distinct and independent filmmakers we find a few gems and a few disasters. We start with an homage to Rio Bravo, hints of George Romero, references to Howard Hawks and Don Siegel - all blended with a premiere ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD35b: The Carpenter Ten QuizIt's all about Kurt Russel... or is it? On our John Carpenter Ten Quiz edition, we break down the film, style, music and technique of Mr. Carpenter while trying to find something nice to say about Village of the Damned. Plus, on this very special edition, we are joined by Chris and Kathy Vander Kaay from the film podcast "The Studio Upstairs." (Note: this is longer than our usual Ten Quiz show - but that's just extra value.)Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTDSE05: Terrence MalickOn this special edition of WTD, we spend some time with a guy who we've heard a lot about, but seen little from. Terrence Malick is one of the most withdrawn but celbrated actors in American filmmaking despite having created only four feature films over the last 34 years (a fifth, Tree of Life, is currently in pre-production and slated for 2008).Join us as we review Malick's work, aesthetic and affections. (Note: Malick was selected as the winner of a recent listener poll. To qualify for a ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD34: Jane CampionJane Campion was something of a mystery in the 1990s. Her breakthrough film, The Piano, seemed to signal the emergence of an important new voice amidst a number of new and exciting voices (i.e. Fincher, Tarantino). Yet anticipation for her films has not followed those of her peers. Instead, much of Campion's work remains unseen by popular audiences. However, that hasn't kept critical voices from pointing to her as an important director capable of capturing elements of the human experience w ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD33a: Leo McCarey (1931-62)Jean Renoir once called Leo McCarey a great humanist, or, more precisely, said that McCarey understood people better than anyone in Hollywood. A few decades have passed and Mr. McCarey's legend has shifted to that of melodrama and family-friendly comedy. On this edition, we'll review a sliver of the director's work, reflecting on his contributions, his voice and whether it's time for a revisit of McCarey's legacy.
Join us as we look at the monumental classics Duck Soup and An Affair To Reme ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD33b: The McCarey 10 QuizPeople love his films, but most just don't know it. On this edition we break down a small list of listener-submitted 10 Quizes, but still get a chance to talk a bit more about the man behind An Affair To Remember, The Awful Truth and Duck Soup... ("a bit" is the operative phrase). Join us for an appetizer-strength examination of one of the studio era's most honored directors.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD32a: James WhaleSome directors are destined to be remembered, others forgotten, and then there's James Whale - a director who is mostly obscured. Although he is known for his two landmark creations - the Frankenstein series and The Invisible Man - he actually did a bit more... a whole lot more. The problem is that his musical, Showboat, is hard to get hold of. His premiere World War I film, Journey's End, hasn't made it to the U.S. yet. But what does exist is provocative and fulfills the entertainer's mand ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD32b: The Whale Ten QuizThere may not be a lot of films available on dvd. There may not even be a ton of listener-submitted 10 Quizes, but that doesn't mean there isn't at least thirty minutes of discussion about James Whale, his work and what we think about it. Join us for the show. It's not scary.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD31a: Alfonso CuaronOver the last few years, the name "Alfonso CuarÃn" has gone from a buzz to a roar. After developing a remarkably fluid and visual style, CuarÃn earned critical praise with the Spanish-language Y tu mamà tambiÃn, Impressed blockbuster audiences by his transformation of the Harry Potter franchise and astounded movie-goers of all types with his social dystopian vision in Children of Men. On this episode, we spend a bit of time with CuarÃn's small but impressive filmography.
We a ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD31b: The Cuaron Ten QuizWelcome to the first attempt at a new format for Watching The Directors. In an effort to give a bit more time to both the 10 Quizes and the rest of the show, this special 10 Quiz portion delves into Mr. CuarÃn's work with a bit more from the listener. Surprisingly, this guy with only six features gave a lot of us almost too much to talk about.(Next WTD 10 Quiz: James Whale - Oct 30)Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD30: John HughesIn response to a short ballot of directors that "deserve a bit of respect," John Hughes came out as the listener choice. So here he is, in all of his pre-Beethoven glory. Considered by many to be the essential director of 1980's teen films, Hughes has also put together a compelling writing career. Besides directing The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, he was the writer of other 80's classics like Vacation, Mr. Mom and Pretty in Pink. Join us as we look at a sentimental ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD29: Coen BrothersUnlike pop music, filmmaking doesn't normally think in terms of duos. But somehow, Joel and Ethan Coen have combined their talents into a singular force, creating a unique voice in contemporary cinema. They have developed a filmography that includes surreal comedies like Raising Arizona, cinematic statements like Miller's Crossing and cult-like followings with The Big Lebowski. Combined with a breakthrough masterpiece with 1996's Fargo, the Coens have demonstrated a persistent style and qua ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD28: Kevin SmithBeyond Springsteen and Bon Jovi, New Jersey never gets the respect of the other "New" state. Woody Allen had the magic and majesty of Manhattan, but Kevin Smith opted for the grit and vulgarity of Red Bank. Rather than yielding to the shadow of Metropolis, Smith infused his hometown with John Hughes's mythical Shermer, Illinois. He built a troupe of characters with their own, profane atmosphere. He told simple stories about conversations and sentiment.On this episode we look at Sm ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD27: Barbara Kopple & Michael MooreNo one knows how to shake up a political season like Flint Michigan native, Michael Moore. Likewise, few people have done more to document the plight of organized labor and the politically unpopular than Barbara Kopple. They represent the progressive edge of documentary filmmaking. While Kopple has managed to remain behind the scenes, Moore has figured out a way to turn the documentary format into a celebrity-making device. Whether it's Kopple's landmark expose on life in a mining town, Har ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD26: Stanley KubrickThe first episode of season 2 is a marathon look at Stanley Kubrick, the revered mind behind Spartacus, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey and a few films that will make your skin crawl while you waltz. Joe and Melissa are joined by Duke, who was last heard on the Tarantino episode and now co-hosts the podcast Degree of Separation. Together, they attempt to discuss the essence of Kubrick, the work and mastery of one of cinema's most respected and enigmatic directors. Along the way, mail ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTDSE04: Anniversary ShowA year ago, we were cramming Spielberg's entire career into a forty-five minute episode. The show's changed little-by-little, but we're still after the same thing: exploring the way that different directors approach their films. On this episode we consider the first season, talk a bit about season two and have the definitive conversation on Shyamalan's inflated Director Score. We also "re-watch" the two films listener's most often say we've missed. We put together the 10 Essential ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD25: Ingmar BergmanIf foreign films seem scary, and the idea of Swedish movies about God and relationships is absolutely terrifying, this is the edition you've been avoiding. But don't worry. Ingmar Bergman isn't that terrifying. On this episode we'll spend some time with a selection of his movies, covering all of The Criterion Collection's releases, spanning nearly thirty years of some landmark cinema. Join us as we offer our usual Ten Quizes and unbelievably deep insights. But we break the format a bit to o ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD24: Rob ReinerIf "Goes to 11", "Inconceivable", "I'll have what she's having" and "You can't handle the truth" make you go into full movie trivia mode, you have Rob Reiner to thank. Since 1984, Reiner has been creating the most memorable non-Jedi scenes and characters in popular movies. From the landmark "mockumentary" This is Spinal Tap to the single chief executive in The American President, his films combine personal growth with humor and romance. He a ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD23: Curtis HansonCurtis Hanson created this generation's Purple Rain (8 Mile). He also spent a solid decade turning Hitchcock suspense formula films into a career path. But in 1997, Hanson stumbled across - or engineered - a change in direction with a classic modern film noir, the critically and popularly adored L.A. Confidential. His subsequent films have been small character studies, more concerned with finding home than homicides. On this episode of WTD, we look at Hanson's last twenty years, including o ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD22: Alfred Hitchcock (part 3)If you love Hitchcock, but you're afraid of Norman Bates, download this show. On this episode, WTD covers the years 1948-1976, looking exclusively at the color films. Join us as we look at the highest and lowest points of a legendary career, complete with coverage of the classics (North By Northwest, Vertigo) and the lesser works (Torn Curtain, Family Plot) with glances in between. Of course we'll feature our 10 Quizes, a 5-minute filmography and a review by Melissa. (Note: concerning the & ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD21: Quentin TarantinoWTD invites its first ever guest host to face the vulgar, visceral, violent and verbal world of Quentin Tarantino. Join us as we look at the career of America's most celebrated and self-promoted director of the last twenty years. Together, we'll tackle a stack of guest 10-Quizes, discuss the Tarantino style and mystique, spend too much time recounting scenes and see if anyone will give Jackie Brown some love. Plus we feature a review of Tarantino's newest film, Death Proof, from the Grindho ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD20: Ridley ScottWe didn't really talk about the Kubrick connection. We barely mentioned the career in commercials or the relationship to brother Tony. So what did we discuss? Listen to this episode as we explore the varied and fascinating career of Ridley Scott. Over the course of the last thirty years, the elder Scott has created some of film's most famous science fiction and action. Join us for our 10-Quizes, the (slightly-more-than) 5 Minute Filmography and a lot of talk about whether or not Gladiator i ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WJ00: A test postThis is merely a test post. Hopefully, this will one day be live with future audio content.Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTDSE03: Wes AndersonWe've waited. We really have. But Wes Anderson hasn't given us enough material for a regular show - hence, this special edition. On this episode of WTD, we look at the four features from that unlikely Texan. Join us as we talk about estranged fathers and sons, symmetry and red speedos. Beginning with Anderson's short Bottle Rocket up to The Life Aquatic... we will do our best to give a quick overview of his all-to-brief career.Plus, we dedicate ten good minutes at the end of the show ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD19: David FincherLooking back at Rick Springfield's 'Dance This World Away' music video, it might be hard to believe that its director, David Fincher, would eventually be known for serial murderers, disturbing violence and a technical prowess that has become legendary. Through atmospheric crime thrillers like Se7en and the cutting edge adaptation of Chuck Pahlahniuk's Fight Club, Fincher has built a career on shattering theatrical expectations, beginning murmurs of master status. On this edition of WTD, we ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD 18: Mel BrooksComedy is hard work - just ask Mel Brooks. In his career, he's managed to place 3 films on the AFI top 100 list, while turning flatulence into an art form. On this episode, we spend some time with a name that's become synonymous with parody and slapstick. Join us as we run Mr. Brooks's films through our Ten Quiz, discuss his essential works and review his homage to Hitchcock. (Correction: when discussing "Best Picture" Joe continually referred to Gene Wilder rather than Gene Hackm ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD 17: Howard Hawks (1938-59)Perhaps there never was a time when "men were men..." but there was a place. In this episode of WTD, we turn the focus onto one of the legendary names of the Hollywood picture. Howard Hawks perfected the screwball comedy, made Marilyn glow, gave John Wayne machismo and still had time for Bogart and Bacall. Join us for a 10 Quiz, the letterbox, a look at Hawks's essential films. Plus, we shake things up a bit and include the 5 Minute Filmography, a new section we introduced in epis ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD16: Robert ZemeckisFrom middle-class Chicago to the time-honored halls of USC, Robert Zemeckis is a truly American filmmaker. Together, with Steven Spielberg, he helped reinforce a blend of nostalgia and optimism that can be traced back to Frank Capra. On this episode, we'll see if there's more to Zemeckis than his similarity to other directors. We'll consider a solid array of landmark popular films ranging from Romancing the Stone to The Polar Express (and especially those inbetween - i.e. Back to the Future ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD15: George LucasIf you can't remember a time before jedis, thank a director named George Lucas and an empire called Star Wars. On this early edition of WTD, we'll take Lucas seriously - the way most people did in the 1970's. We'll explore the two periods of his career and keep our Jar-Jar rhetoric to a minimum. We will also talk about two landmark films that are often lost beneath the shadow of the Star Wars mythology. And, if you're lucky, there may be a 10 Quiz, some film excerpts, a review and a comedy ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTDSE02: Directors To WatchIf we ever become a movie studio, we have a whole list of filmmakers we'd attempt to corrupt with our money and marketing. On this episode of WTD, we look at a select group of six directors that excite us and make us think the future of the film industry is in pretty good hands. There are some you've heard of like Coppola and Gaghan, a few that sound familiar, like Jason Reitman, Richard Kelly and Niki Caro. Then there's that obscure filmmaker Richard Dutcher, who is popular in the American ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTDSE01: Mel GibsonOver thirteen years, Mel Gibson has only directed four movies - something that makes him ineligible for a normal WTD show. But two of those films were landmarks. Braveheart won the Best Picture and Best Director Oscar in 1995. The Passion of the Christ created both controversy and an unbelievable popularity for an independent film. For those reasons, and because we really wanted to watch and talk about Apocalypto, we've thrown in a bonus program about a surprisingly important director. Jo ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | WTD14: Edward Zwick"Edward who?" you may ask. Edward Zwick, of course. He's the guy who just released the under-performing Blood Diamond and some other films you may have seen. Does The Last Samurai sound familiar? How about a little Civil War drama called Glory? Well, if you still have questions, listen to this episode as we discuss Zwick, a television mentality, and that famous rice liquor, sake. Plus, we'll still have our Ten Quiz.Theme by Deerfoot (at ilovedeerfoot.com)Other music by Epic ... 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