Author page: Doug Tilley

Cinema Smorgasbord – Eric Roberts is the Man – Night of the Caregiver (2023)

It’s the spookiest time of the year, and that means the return of the beloved ERIC ROBERTS IS THE MAN podcast with a special HALLOWEEN-themed horror episode, featuring Atomic Elbow’s Robert Newsome as our VERY SPECIAL GUEST! Our guest is treated to the spine-chilling 2023 horror film NIGHT OF THE CAREGIVER from western director/actor Joe Cornet, and starring THE EXORCIST’s Eileen Dietz, Natalie Denise Sperl and – of course – Eric Roberts! We also dig into the price of stardom, fatherhood, Michael Jackson, summoning spirits and SO MUCH MORE including all the latest Eric Roberts news! CHECK IT OUT, JERKS!

Cinema Smorgasbord – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – The Dead Don’t Die (2019)

The world’s finest Steve Buscemi-themed podcast returns earlier than usual so we can celebrate SPOOKY SEASON with Jim Jarmusch’s bizarre zombie horror comedy THE DEAD DON’T DIE from 2019! With a bonkers all-star cast (including Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Selena Gomez, Austin Butler, Iggy Pop, Carol Kane, RZA, Danny Glover.. and STEVE BUSCEMI) the film was received with confusion upon release but has a amassed a rapidly growing following. Find out our thoughts on this and all the latest Steve Buscemi news. CHECK IT OUT

Cinema Smorgasbord – Halloween Horror Special – No One Will Save You (2023) & Cobweb (2023)

The tradition lives with another super SPOOOoooOKY Cinema Smorgasbord Halloween Special! As per usual, we’re BREAKING FORMAT and taking a (spoiler free!) look at two recently-released horror films, starting with Liam’s choice of the dialogue-free sci-fi horror of Brian Duffield’s NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU, followed by the creepy mystery of Samuel Bodin’s intensely Halloween-themed COBWEB (starring Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr). As is part of our yearly Halloween celebration we chat a bit about some other recent horror films we’ve watched as well.. just like the popular podcasts do! ENJOY THE SCARES!

CINE-WEEN 2023: In Defense of DEATHDREAM (aka DEAD OF NIGHT)

If you’re a reader already lucky enough to be familiar with Bob Clark’s 1974 horror classic DEATHDREAM (aka DEAD OF NIGHT), you may be wondering why it’s even appearing on a column of undervalued or undercelebrated films, and it’s true that there’s been a critical re-evaluation of the film that has taken hold over the past decade. But, frankly, I still think there’s work to be done, even within the catalogue of the venerable Bob Clark, where it deserves to sit among his very best: including A CHRISTMAS STORY, BLACK CHRISTMAS and (former most profitable Canadian film of all time) PORKY’S.

Cinema Smorgasbord – Bartel Me Something Good – The Longshot (1986)

On this episode of BARTEL ME SOMETHING GOOD we’re off to the races with the Tim Conway-penned and Mike Nichols-produced gambling comedy THE LONGSHOT, starring Conway, Harvey Korman, Jack Weston and Ted Waas! A passion project for Tim Conway (and a work-for-hire gig for Paul Bartel) it’s.. a bit of an odd duck, but it DOES have a theme song rapped by Conway AND Ice-T! Enjoy!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Further Reeding – Castaway (1986)

On this episode of FURTHER REEDING, Oliver Reed and Amanda Donohoe have only gone and got themselves stranded on a desert island and have to survive, but – GET THIS – they did it on purpose in Nicolas Roeg’s CASTAWAY from 1986. Based on a bizarre true story, it involves a whole lot of nudity and Oliver Reed acting like a maniac so you know we had to talk about it. Sadly, it’s a bit hard to track down (unless you write the title and year of release into YouTube), so you’ll just have to listen to us describe it and try to use your imagination to picture all the nudity. ENJOY!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Praising Kane – An Invasion of Privacy (1983)

On this jam-packed episode of Praising Kane, our chronological look at the career of Carol Kane continues, starting with brief discussions about a mid-70s Dr. Pepper commercial, as well an early 80s adaptation of Irwin Shaw’s The Girls in Their Summer Dresses featuring both Carol Kane and Jeff Bridges! After the break we turn our attention to the surprisingly star-studded drama AN INVASION OF PRIVACY from 1983 featuring Valerie Harper, Richard Masur, Jerry Orbach, Jeff Daniels, Sarah Michelle Gellar (in her screen debut) and – of course – Carol Kane! Some darker subject matter, but a unique episode. Check it out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – George Kennedy is my Copilot – Tick, Tick, Tick (1970)

On this episode of GEORGE KENNEDY IS MY CO-PILOT our merry trio is diving into the fiery drama TICK, TICK, TICK from 1970 starring Jim Brown, Fredric March, Clifton James and – of course – George Kennedy! Brown stars as the newly elected Sheriff of a very, very racist southern county, while Kennedy is the now ex-Sheriff who is semi-committed to keeping him alive. Spoiler: it’s not easy! Before that we discuss another George Kennedy commercial (for California-based tech company TOTLCOM), and try our darndest to make it interesting (did we succeed? listen and find out!)

Cinema Smorgasbord – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – Animal Factory (2000)

We’re back on HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW KIDS? with the Steve Buscemi-directed prison drama (based on the Edward Bunker book) ANIMAL FACTORY from 2000, starring Edward Furlong & Willem Dafoe, along with a killer supporting cast. Starring Buscemi-verse regulars like Seymour Cassel, Mark Boone Junior, and Rockets Redglare, you also get memorable supporting performances from Danny Trejo, Mickey Rourke, Tom Arnold(!) and.. wait for it. Steve Buscemi! Listen to us talking to it, ya sick twist!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Wild in the Streets – Syndicate Sadists (1975)

On this episode of WILD IN THE STREETS, Tomas Milian is RAMBO in Umberto Lenzi’s spaghetti-western influenced SYNDICATE SADISTS from 1975! After Rambo’s friend is brutally murdered, he takes it upon himself to go up against two criminal gangs (one led by Joseph Cotton’s Paternò), while also rescuing a young boy who has been kidnapped. Does he manage to embarrass them all while everyone gazes on him in total awe? Yep! Check it out!