The Next Reel Film Podcast

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Seconds • The Next Reel Jun 18, 2015

Show notes

James Wong Howe shot color films very well, but it was his black-and-white cinematography that he was really known for. He won two Oscars for his B&W cinematography and played with many techniques that influenced filmmakers and cinematographers long after he was gone. The camera work on John Frankenheimer’s 1966 film “Seconds” is no exception. It fits the tone of the film perfectly, creating a sense of unease and discomfort quite often. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we finish our B&W cinematography of James Wong Howe with Frankenheimer’s “Seconds.” We talk about the camerawork (paired with the editing) and how it works — or doesn’t work — for us in this thriller. We chat about the talent, notably Rock Hudson, John Randolph, Salome Jens, Will Geer, Murray Hamilton and Jeff Corey, and what they bring to the table. We discuss what works and what doesn’t work for us in this unique sci-fi story. And we touch on Jerry Goldsmith’s music and how much we love — or hate — it in this film. It’s a bit of a divisive conversation this week, but a very fun one. Tune in!
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Sweet Smell of Success • The Next Reel Jun 11, 2015

Show notes

James Wong Howe had just won his Oscar for his black-and-white cinematography for “The Rose Tattoo” when the star of the film, Burt Lancaster, hired him to shoot his next picture, “Sweet Smell of Success.” Howe and director Alexander Mackendrick knew right away that to tell this story properly, they really needed to film on the streets of New York City at night. So they did, and in the process created a stunningly gorgeous and dark film noir that feels like it truly lives in the city, not on some Hollywood soundstage. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Black-and-White Cinematography of James Wong Howe series with Mackendrick’s wonderful 1956 film, “Sweet Smell of Success.” We talk about the chiaroscuro look that Howe captured in this film, and also look at the deep focus and camera movement and how it all helps tell the story. We chat about Ernest Lehman and Clifford Odets, the writers, looking at what they each contributed to the wickedly brilliant dialogue. We discuss the cast — notably Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Marty Milner, Barbara Nichols and Emile Meyer — and what they bring to the table. We touch on Walter Winchell, the figure on whom Lancaster’s character was based. And we talk about how the film was received at the time — poorly — as well as how opinion of it changed over time. It’s a film that feels biting and dangerous, and it’s one we enjoy quite a bit. Tune in!
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Kings Row • The Next Reel Jun 04, 2015

Show notes

“Kings Row” was adapted from a much racier novel from 1940 and had to be sanitized quite a bit because of the Hays Code. They had to leave some pretty big elements out — homosexuality, mercy killings, incest, nymphomania — but even with that, the film still is very dark because of the issues it does deal with. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Black and White Cinematography of James Wong Howe series with Sam Wood’s 1942 film “Kings Row.” We talk about the adaptation and what had to change in order for the producers to be given the green light, but what those changes meant for the film and how the added subtext really aids the film through today’s eyes. We chat about the cast — Robert Cummings, Ann Sheridan, Claude Rains and Ronald Reagan in particular — and what each of them bring to the table (notably Reagan in what many call his best performance). We talk about Howe’s great cinematography and what he adds to this dark story with a midwestern gothic style of shooting, giving this seemingly idyllic town at the turn of the last century a touch of noir. And we talk about Wood and his body of work, noting what we’d seen of his without realizing they were his films. It’s a film that really took us both by surprise but one that worked well for us, particularly as a film from the 40s. Tune in!
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The Thin Man • The Next Reel May 28, 2015

Show notes

James Wong Howe is often cited as one of the most influential cinematographers there have been. He worked in film from the early days of the silents to the mid-70s when he received his last Oscar nomination for his color work on “Funny Lady.” But his black-and-white cinematography is what he’s primarily known for. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we start up our Black and White Cinematography of James Wong Howe series with W.S. Van Dyke’s 1934 film “The Thin Man.” We talk about the joy of watching this film, and how it really doesn’t come from the mystery so much as the fantastic relationship between Nick and Norah Charles, probably the most famous sleuthing pair to ever grace the silver screen. We talk about Howe and what he brought to the table in this studio production. We chat about William Powell and Myrna Loy and how their chemistry on and off the screen is some of the best, which must be why they starred in 14 films together. We chat about the rest of the cast as well as Van Dyke and his directing style. And we discuss why a film like this works even if its story isn’t that interesting. It’s a fun film to start our new series and we have a great time talking about it. Tune in!
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Mad Max Fury Road • The Next Reel May 21, 2015

Show notes

In case you haven’t heard, everybody seems to be talking about “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Whether they’re talking about the silly fan theories about who Tom Hardy really is playing in this film, or the ‘meninist’ groups telling people to avoid it because of its feminist agenda, or everyone else talking about the amazing action film that George Miller gave us, it certainly seems to be on people’s minds. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we finish up our Mad Max series with Miller’s latest entry, and our favorite, “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Andy gets to brag about seeing it in D-Box, while both discuss how the 3D worked overall. We talk about the world building that Miller does in this film and why it works so well. We chat about Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa and Tom Hardy as Max, discussing what works — and may not work — in their roles. We discuss some of the people behind the scenes and what they bring to the table — John Seale the DP, production designer Colin Gibson, Guy Norris the action unit director and supervising stunt coordinator and Margaret Sixel, the editor. And we stew on how this fits into the storyline with the first three films. It’s a fantastic action film, likely one that will be oft repeated, and we have a great time talking about it. Tune in!
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Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome • The Next Reel May 15, 2015

Show notes

While the first two Mad Max films had so much going for them, it sure seemed like a stumble with the third of the trilogy. But that’s looking at it through today’s eyes because some critics like Roger Ebert sure loved it — he put it on his ’10 Best’ list of 1985! Okay, so George Miller had lost his producing partner, Byron Kennedy, and let George Ogilvie co-direct it with him. Maybe that’s why “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” seems to be a bit of a stumble. Maybe it was the American financing that made it feel less gritty and more… Hollywood. Whatever it was, it’s definitely the lesser of the three films. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we go beyond Thunderdome with Mel Gibson and Tina Turner, continuing our Mad Max series with Miller’s 1985 film. We talk about all of the problems it has, and how Andy still finds it a guilty pleasure while Pete downright hates it. We talk about the great concepts Miller and co-writer Terry Hayes had in putting this story together, but how poorly executed they were — every one of them. We chat about the joy of working with 400 pigs on set and what they had to do to make that work. We discuss the car chase — way too late in the movie for our tastes — and how it works in comparison with those we’ve seen come before. And we deliberate on where we think “Fury Road” will fit chronologically with these first three films. It’s a very problematic film on which we find ourselves split, but it’s a very fun film to talk about. Tune in!
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Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior • The Next Reel May 07, 2015

Show notes

With the international popularity of “Mad Max,” George Miller was excited to get back into the driver’s seat and continue with his hero as he wandered the dystopian wastes of Australia looking for fuel. It was a smart move as “Mad Max 2,” or “The Road Warrior” as it was released in the States, not only did well at the box office but helped build the cult following of this franchise. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Mad Max series with 1981’s “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior.” We talk about the fundamental differences in the types of story between the first and second film, and how Pete gravitates toward the familial connections in the former while Andy gravitates toward the redemption in the latter. We chat about the great cast — Bruce Spence, Michael Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells, Kjell Nilsson, Virginia Hey and of course Mel Gibson — and how they fit in mess of a future. We talk stunts and car chases — of course — and how Miller really stepped it up for this film, culminating in a 13-minute tanker chase at the end. And we look at the costume design and how it’s evolved from the first film to this. We love the film, despite our differences about which is better, and have a great talk about it this week. Tune in!
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Mad Max • The Next Reel Apr 30, 2015

Show notes

George Miller’s film “Mad Max” came out in 1979 in Australia and became a huge success, going on to become the most profitable film ever until it was unseated from its throne by one Blair Witch. It went on to spur two sequels and, soon, a fourth. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we gear up for one of our most anticipated movies this summer by kicking off our Mad Max series with the start of it all — “Mad Max.“ Join us as we talk about why we love this film so much and how much Miller gets out of this dystopian world he’s created, despite his limited funds. We discuss the nature of this world and where it falls as far as post-acopalytic versus a near future that’s just messed up. We chat about Mel Gibson in one of his first starring roles and what he brings to the table, along with the other actors (including Hugh Keays-Byrne as Toecutter, who will be turning up on ”Fury Road" as well). We go into the amazing stunt work at length, really digging into some of the wild things they did while marveling that so few people got seriously hurt. And we look at the cinematography, art direction, costume design and composing and how each element really worked perfectly to bring this world to life. It’s a fantastic film and we’re both big fans. Tune in!
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Touch of Evil • The Next Reel Apr 23, 2015

Show notes

Orson Welles never was one who could direct in the Hollywood studio system without a hitch, and his last studio picture he directed, 1958’s “Touch of Evil,” stands testament to that fact. While the shoot itself went well, the film ran into its issues in post, leaving a truncated version that Welles wasn’t a part of (nor happy with) released on the bottom of a double bill. Luckily, through the plucky determination of producer Rick Schmidlin and editor Walter Murch, an extended version of the film, largely re-edited to Welles’ own notes to the studio, was cut together and released in ’98. The two iterations are night and day, and the film now stands as not only one of the great films noirs but also as one of Welles’ finest cinematic achievements. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we finish our film noir series with this magnificent, and dark, film. We talk about the problems Welles had with the post on this film and what some of the changes he wanted were, along with how they worked in the extended edition. We ruminate on the idea of Charlton Heston playing a Mexican, but pass that off as an unfortunate sign of the time and a decision needed in order to get the picture off the ground. We also talk about Janet Leigh, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, Dennis Weaver, Marlene Dietrich, Joseph Cotten and more. And we spend a while discussing the brilliant camerawork Welles put together with his DP, Russell Metty, along with Welles’ sense of storytelling with a camera and how he was able to create amazing dances between the camera and the actors. It’s a brilliant film — one of our favorites — so go check it out then tune in!
This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5640170/advertisement

Ace in the Hole • The Next Reel Apr 16, 2015

Show notes

From “Double Indemnity” in 1944 through “The Apartment” in 1960 (maybe even “One, Two, Three” in ’61), Billy Wilder really hit his stride. His films were all over the map genre-wise, yet he showed how great a director he was because they’re all incredibly memorable. With his successes, however, he certainly didn’t shy away from making dark pictures from time to time, and “Ace in the Hole” is arguably his darkest. Released in 1951, it came out a time when neither the public nor the critics were ready for something like it and it flopped. Hard. But with time, it’s found a new audience and has been canonized as one of his greatest achievements. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Film Noir series with “Ace in the Hole.” We dig deep into our personal opinions about how well the film works — Andy loves is while Pete had problems with it. We delve into what the story is trying to say and debate about how well it’s actually doing what it sets out to do. We chat about the cast — Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Robert Arthur, Porter Hall and more — and look at what they bring to the table. We talk about Wilder and his directing here, along with Charles Lang’s cinematography and Hugo Friedhofer’s brilliant score. And we debate over the placement of the film on our Flickchart, wondering if the rock/paper/scissors battles will ever work better in Pete’s favor. It’s a great week talking about a divisive film. Tune in!
This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5640170/advertisement

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