Cinema Smorgasbord

Episodes of the Cinema Smorgasbord podcast

Cinema Smorgasbord – You Don’t Know Dick – The ‘Burbs (1989)

On this episode of YOU DON’T KNOW DICK we’re joined by the Hit Factory Podcast’s Aaron Casias to discuss Joe Dante’s beloved 1989 dark comedy THE ‘BURBS, starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Rick Ducommun, Carrie Fisher and – of course – Dick Miller! We discuss our history with the film, the themes explored in Joe Dante’s films, whether the film’s ending works, and SO MUCH MORE. Check it out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Cinema Fantastica – Bad Black (2016) & Cold Hell (2017)

On this episode of Cinema Fantastica we’re traveling to the 2017 Beyond Film Festival in Los Angeles, California and pitting the 2016 Ugandan action film BAD BLACK against the 2017 German-Austrian slasher COLD HELL. From the creators of the worldwide cult sensation WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX?, BAD BLACK has a similar mix of microbudget action, comedy and drama, accompanied by the ever-present commentary from a video joker, while COLD HELL pits a Turkish immigrant (an incredible Violetta Schurawlow) working as a taxi driver against a religious fanatic targeting women in Austria. Which film will reign supreme? Listen and find out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Wild in the Streets – Violent City (1970)

We’re getting WILD IN THE STREETS with Charles Bronson and Telly Savalas in the New Orleans-set Eurocrime classic VIOLENT CITY from 1970. The plot involves Bronson’s retired assassin Jeff Heston getting revenge on those who left him for dead, including the woman he loves (played, naturally, by Jill Ireland). Sergio Sollima’s VIOLENT CITY features some dynamite action sequences, some terrific performances and some disturbing misogyny that left us – wait for it – conflicted. It also features a wonderful soundtrack from Ennio Morricone, that the movie takes great advantage of. CHECK IT OUT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? – Pete Smalls is Dead (2010)

We’re back on our Steve Buscemi bullcrap with IN THE SOUP director Alexandre Rockwell reuniting with some of the cast of the film (including Buscemi, Seymour Cassel and Carol Kane) to make the neo-noir comedy PETE SMALLS IS DEAD, which stars Peter Dinklage as an ex-screenwriter and a tremendous Mark Boone Junior as his impossibly slovenly friend. The pair head to LA to get some cash for Dinklage’s stolen screenplay, while paying tribute to their recently deceased friend Pete Smalls (Tim Roth). It’s overstuffed, and needlessly confusing, but has a parade of familiar faces that keeps things lively. We also chat about private detectives, Steve Buscemi’s biggest box office hits and MORE. Check it out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Praising Kane – The Games of Countess Dolingen (1981)

We continue our chronological look at the career of Carol Kane on PRAISING KANE with the surreal 1981 French drama THE GAMES OF COUNTESS DOLINGEN, partially based on the works of Unica Zürn (with a bit of Bram Stoker thrown in for good measure). A complex, twisting and often quite shocking film, it puzzled and intrigued our hosts who came away from it with two very different perspectives, and sparked a conversation about how much knowledge (or research) should be expected from an audience before watching a film. It’s more fun that that sounds! CHECK IT OUT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Whatever Happened to Vic Diaz? – Savage (1973)

On this episode of WHATEVER HAPPENED TO VIC DIAZ? we’re checking out the Phillipines-shot blaxploitation classic SAVAGE! from 1972, directed by Cirio H. Santiago and starring James Iglehart and Carol Speed! It’s full of explosions, knife throwing, inconsistent facial hair and a soundtrack full of jazz flute, so you KNOW it’s good. We also talk about our tricky history with the blaxploitation genre and, of course, all things Vic Diaz. CHECK IT OUT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – JodoWOWsky Part 8 – Santa Sangre (1989)

Alejandro Jodorowsky returns to filmmaking after a nearly ten year absence with the surreal horror of 1989’s SANTA SANGRE. Filled with wild, controversial imagery, our JodoWOWsky hosts trace its inception, the relationship between Jodorowsky and producer Claudio Argento, the involvement of four of the Jodorowsky children in the production, the taxing filmmaking process, the suggested involvement of Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston and SO MUCH MORE. We also discuss the feature length SANTA SANGRE documentary FORGET EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN: THE WORLD OF SANTA SANGRE from 2011, which brings much of the cast and crew together to recount some truly strange stories about the film’s inception and legacy. All this and the latest Jodorowsky news, so CHECK IT OUT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – George Kennedy is my Copilot – The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)

On this episode of GEORGE KENNEDY IS MY COPILOT we’re getting spoofy with 1988’s THE NAKED GUN: FROM THE FILES OF POLICE SQUAD, starring Leslie Nielsen as Detective Frank Drebin, who is trying to uncover a plot to assassinate the Queen. It’s a big-screen adaptation of the short-lived TV spoof TV show from the creators of AIRPLANE! and TOP SECRET!, and BOY our hosts have differing opinions on its quality. We also go in-depth on the classic 70s game show MATCH GAME, and check out George Kennedy’s first appearance on it. It’s chock full o’ nuts, so check it out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – We Do Our Own Stunts – Spiritual Kung Fu (1978)

On this episode of WE DO OUR OWN STUNTS, we continue our chronological look at the career of Jackie Chan and – surprise – Jackie is famous now! After the massive success of Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master, Jackie returns to Lo Wei who decides to dust some unreleased Jackie features off the shelf and rush them into cinemas. The first is the supernatural kung fu comedy SPIRITUAL KUNG FU, which features five bright white “ghosts” in red fright wigs (who arrived on a meteor) teaching Jackie the five style fists, while a murder mystery plays out in the shaolin temple! Features Jackie shoving living animals down his pants and ghost busting (via urination). CHECK IT OUT!