The Next Reel Film Podcast

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Out of the Past • The Next Reel Apr 09, 2015

Show notes

The two films most often cited as the ultimate representations of film noir are Billy Wilder’s 1944 film “Double Indemnity” and Jacques Tourneur’s 1947 film “Out of the Past.” Tourneur’s film gives us Robert Mitchum at his laconic best, Jane Greer at her sexiest and Kirk Douglas in one of his earliest roles but already defined by his machismo. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Film Noir seåries with “Out of the Past.” We talk about what we love about it and how well it represents film noir, as well as the convoluted plot which certainly seems to get more complicated as it progresses. We look at that plot and question how much it affects the viewing of the film or if the noirish nature of the story allows for one to look past the plot and just focus on the mood. We chat about the talent, like Mitchum, Greer and Douglas as well as others, and what they bring to the table with each of their well-written characters. We discuss the crew, including Tourneur, and how their work helps shape this film. And we pine for the 1987 SNL skit with Mitchum and Greer in which they did a spoof of this classic called ‘Out of Gas.’ It’s a brilliant film noir and just a brilliant film — one of our favorites. We have a great time talking about it. Tune in!
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Scarlet Street • The Next Reel Apr 02, 2015

Show notes

Fritz Lang may have often had conflicts with his producers, but when he turned out a great film, he made so great that it’s easy to look past his argumentative nature and just focus on the end product. Well, perhaps more so now than at the time. Sure, he had his stinkers, but looking at a magnificent film like “Scarlet Street,” it’s easy to forgive any battles he started and just relish the brilliance of the story. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Film Noir series with Lang’s 1945 masterpiece, “Scarlet Street.” We delve into the murky depths of the theme of the story — is it one more of guilt or one more of jealousy? We wallow in the emasculated character of Christopher Cross, played by Edward G. Robinson, and his nemeses Kitty and Johnny, played by Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea. We dig in the shadows of Fritz Lang’s history and the cinematic tools he uses to tell his story here along with his cinematographer, his editor, and his composer. And we lose ourselves in the haunting paintings of John Decker, wondering if he really lacks perspective just like Cross does. It’s a fabulous film and a very strong representation of film noir. Definitely check this one out — there’s a gorgeous print of it out there which makes the film look brand new — then tune in to the show!
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Detour • The Next Reel Mar 26, 2015

Show notes

There are good films noir and there are bad films noir. But rarely do you have a case like 1945’s “Detour,” directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, where the poor quality that would make it a bad film could actually be construed as elements that make it a good film. In fact, this is arguably the only case where that happened. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Film Noir series with Ulmer’s “Detour.” We talk about the origins of the film on poverty row and what that meant at the time, as well as talk about some of the films that Ulmer made under this umbrella. We really dig into the quality — or lack thereof — of this film and debate if it really helps lend to the noir aesthetic or if it just makes it reek of a cheap film. We deliberate over the quality of the performances provided by Tom Neal and Ann Savage and decide we love her but are split on Neal. And we look at it in context of the world of noir, touching on the femme fatale, the poor sap of a hero, the black and white cinematography, the tone, etc. It’s a film that, if viewed without any look into the history or without a conversation about it, likely could be seen as just a bad film, but when really digging into it, there’s something more to it and it certainly is worth talking about. So check it out and tune in!
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Double Indemnity • The Next Reel Mar 19, 2015

Show notes

Nobody knew they were making films noir when the genre started in the 40s — it wasn’t until much later when the French dubbed this new run of American films that had a darker bent with snappy dialogue, lots of shadows and femme fatales film noir. Billy Wilder was setting out to make a crime thriller; he didn’t realize at the time that his film “Double Indemnity” would be considered the first real film noir. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our Film Noir series with Wilder’s brilliant film from 1944. We talk about the genre and what it means to be called a ‘film noir,’ particularly in relationship to the Hays Code. We chat about the brilliant trio of actors who bring this film to life — Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson. We look at the brilliant directing by Wilder and his co-writing with none other than Raymond Chandler. We investigate the dark and shadowy lighting by cinematographer John F. Seitz as well as the moody, driving score by Miklos Rozsa. And we touch on the real life crime that inspired James M. Cain to write the novella upon which this was based. It’s one of our favorite films and certainly the perfect way to kick off this series. Tune in!
* * *
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La Vie en Rose • The Next Reel Mar 12, 2015

Show notes

Biopics come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Olivier Dahan’s film “La Vie en Rose” detailing the life of Edith Piaf, one of France’s greatest singers and international stars, is a whirlwind of a film. Unlike biopics that tell the story linearly, this one wraps its audience in and proceeds to take them on a wild ride all through Piaf’s sadly short life, not so much focused on chronology as much as an emotional journey. It’s a brazen way to tell the story but one that mostly works. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we conclude our 4-part Guess the Connection series with Dahan’s 2007 Oscar-winning film “La Vie en Rose.” We talk about Marion Cotillard’s performance, which drives this film and is, in our minds, the reason to watch it. We touch on the other performers, notably Gerard Depardieu and Emmanuelle Seigner, but how all of them are truly dwarfed by Cotillard’s performance. We discuss the nature of biopics and how this story structure works in the world of this subgenre, then debate which type of biopic we find more successful. We chat about the cinematography by Tetsuo Nagata and how great it looks, along with several specific scenes that unfold in very creative ways. And we talk about Piaf’s songs and Christopher Gunning’s score, looking at the balance between the two and how the film doesn’t feel the need to overwhelm us with every Piaf song out there. It’s a strong story because of Piaf’s life and Cotillard’s performance and we have a great time talking about it. Tune in!
* * *
Hey! You know what would be awesome? If you would drop us a positive rating on iTunes! If you like what we’re doing here on TNR, it really is the best way to make sure that this show appears when others search for it, plus, it’s just a nice thing to do. Thanks!!
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And for anyone interested in our fine bouquet of show hosts:
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- [Follow Pete Wright on Twitter](http://twitter.com/petewright)
- [Follow Steve Sarmento on Twitter](https://twitter.com/mr_steve23)
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- [Follow Chadd Stoops on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ChaddStoops)
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L.A. Confidential • The Next Reel Mar 05, 2015

Show notes

1997 was a big year for movies, and perhaps that’s because one of the biggest box office sensations — James Cameron’s “Titanic” — was released that year. And while it went on to make a gajillion dollars (okay, just $2.2 billion worldwide), many argue that it’s not actually the best movie of the year, but instead give that title to Curtis Hanson’s crime thriller “L.A. Confidential.” Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our Guess the Connection series with this fantastic film. We talk about the nature of the story as a crime thriller and as, possibly, a neo-noir, and look into what the genre implications mean for what the film should have been working to achieve in its look. We discuss the look, as well as the editing, the score, the production design, and of course the writing and directing, and what all the individuals bring to the table. We dig into the actors — primarily Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell and Kim Basinger — and chat about their individual performances. And we go back to the original source material by James Ellroy and compare it with Brian Helgeland’s wonderful script, looking at how he (and Hanson) honed it down to focus it and make the screenplay and movie their own take on the take, equal in power to the novel. It’s a wonderful film that stands high in our estimation. Tune in!
* * *
Hey! You know what would be awesome? If you would drop us a positive rating on iTunes! If you like what we’re doing here on TNR, it really is the best way to make sure that this show appears when others search for it, plus, it’s just a nice thing to do. Thanks!!
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- [The Next Reel on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheNextReel)
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And for anyone interested in our fine bouquet of show hosts:
- [Follow Andy Nelson on Twitter](http://twitter.com/sodacreekfilm)
- [Follow Pete Wright on Twitter](http://twitter.com/petewright)
- [Follow Steve Sarmento on Twitter](https://twitter.com/mr_steve23)
- [Check out Tom Metz on IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1224453/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1)
- [Follow Mike Evans on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ubersky)
- [Follow Chadd Stoops on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ChaddStoops)
- [Follow Steven Smart on Letterboxd](http://letterboxd.com/steamrobot/)
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

Million Dollar Baby • The Next Reel Feb 26, 2015

Show notes

Next up in our Guess the Connection series: Clint Eastwood’s 2004 boxing drama “Million Dollar Baby."
For those of you who have yet to see “Million Dollar Baby,” you probably should just stop reading this and go watch the movie. Even though the movie is nearly 11 years old now, it’s still hard to talk about without going into detail about the change in story direction in the third act. That was a divisive problem at the time of the movie’s release, and while it shouldn’t be a problem now, it feels like it is. But we jump into all kinds of spoilers in our show this week. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we continue our mysterious Guess the Connection series with Eastwood’s 2004 film “Million Dollar Baby.” First off, it’s not a boxing movie like “Rocky” is a boxing movie, and we talk at length about that, really looking at the direction this screenplay takes you. This is a boxing drama — a story about characters who happen to inhabit the world of boxing. We chat about the ninja-level script by Paul Haggis based on F.X. Toole’s book and how it works outside of the confines of the standard structure expected in Hollywood screenplays. We discuss the brilliant performances all the way through from Eastwood to Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman, as well as the supporting players like Jay Baruchel, Anthony Mackie and Margo Martingale. It’s a powerful film that hits its mark every time, so watch the movie then tune in!
* * *
Hey! You know what would be awesome? If you would drop us a positive rating on iTunes! If you like what we’re doing here on TNR, it really is the best way to make sure that this show appears when others search for it, plus, it’s just a nice thing to do. Thanks!!
- [The Next Reel on iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-reel/id478159328?mt=2)
- [The Next Reel on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheNextReel)
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And for anyone interested in our fine bouquet of show hosts:
- [Follow Andy Nelson on Twitter](http://twitter.com/sodacreekfilm)
- [Follow Pete Wright on Twitter](http://twitter.com/petewright)
- [Follow Steve Sarmento on Twitter](https://twitter.com/mr_steve23)
- [Check out Tom Metz on IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1224453/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1)
- [Follow Mike Evans on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ubersky)
- [Follow Chadd Stoops on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ChaddStoops)
- [Follow Steven Smart on Letterboxd](http://letterboxd.com/steamrobot/)
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

Syriana • The Next Reel Feb 19, 2015

Show notes

It’s game time, folks! This current series consists of four films that for all intents and purposes are not related, except for one connection they all have. And that’s the game — guess the connection. We won’t be announcing the films ahead of time — you’ll have to wait until they’re released to see what the films are. And when the podcast about the fourth film in our series is released on Friday, March 13th, the first person to post the correct connection on Facebook or Twitter will win a Next Reel T-shirt! Think you’ve got what it takes? Then tune in for clues and play along! First up, “Syriana."
After Stephen Gaghan wrote “Traffic” for Steven Soderbergh, Soderbergh introduced him to Robert Baer’s book “See No Evil,” and Gaghan knew the next complex multi-story film he wanted to write. After years of researching around the world, he brought “Syriana” to the world and, while well received, both critics and audiences alike found it very complicated and confusing. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we begin our Mystery series with Gaghan’s 2005 film “Syriana.” We talk about why Andy likes it so much — loves it in fact — and what he gets out of it, as well as why Pete finds it to be 20 minutes of a brilliant ending preceded by tedium. We chat about the countless famous faces gracing the screen in this film and how they each do, particularly Matt Damon, George Clooney, Jeffrey Wright and Alexander Siddig. We discuss the roles each of them play and how their stories connect, as well as the fascinating element of fathers and sons in the story. We discuss the politics within the film as well as the terrorism and the corporate greed. And we cover some of the technical elements, like the editing, the camera work and the score. It’s a film that even we find divisive but one that is definitely saying something. Tune in!
* * *
Hey! You know what would be awesome? If you would drop us a positive rating on iTunes! If you like what we’re doing here on TNR, it really is the best way to make sure that this show appears when others search for it, plus, it’s just a nice thing to do. Thanks!!
- [The Next Reel on iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-reel/id478159328?mt=2)
- [The Next Reel on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheNextReel)
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And for anyone interested in our fine bouquet of show hosts:
- [Follow Andy Nelson on Twitter](http://twitter.com/sodacreekfilm)
- [Follow Pete Wright on Twitter](http://twitter.com/petewright)
- [Follow Steve Sarmento on Twitter](https://twitter.com/mr_steve23)
- [Check out Tom Metz on IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1224453/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1)
- [Follow Mike Evans on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ubersky)
- [Follow Chadd Stoops on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ChaddStoops)
- [Follow Steven Smart on Letterboxd](http://letterboxd.com/steamrobot/)
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

Delicatessen • The Next Reel Feb 12, 2015

Show notes

We love doing our Listener’s Choice episodes — it’s a great way for our listeners to get us to finally talk about movies about which conversations are long overdue. Cameron Ryan, our 2014 Pony Prize winner, got to pick the movie this time, and ended up picking the fantastic black comedy “Delicatessen,” a movie that we both love but for whatever reason just hadn’t gotten around to discussing yet. So now finally, join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we enjoy another Listener’s Choice episode with one of our faves, the Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro 1991 film “Delicatessen.” We talk with Cameron about why she chose this film and what it means to her, as well as the joy of winning the Pony Prize. We discuss the look of the movie — Jeunet and Caro each come from graphical backgrounds and, when paired with Darius Khondji’s beautiful cinematography, as well as the amazing production and costume design, created an unforgettable post-apocalyptic world. We chat about the indelible performances, starting with Dominique Pinon, a perfect choice for someone who was a former circus performer. And we talk about the nature of the story, a very upside down world with hell on earth and underground saviors. It’s a marvelous film that deserves to be talked about, so tune in!
* * *
Hey! You know what would be awesome? If you would drop us a positive rating on iTunes! If you like what we’re doing here on TNR, it really is the best way to make sure that this show appears when others search for it, plus, it’s just a nice thing to do. Thanks!!
- [The Next Reel on iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-reel/id478159328?mt=2)
- [The Next Reel on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheNextReel)
- [The Next Reel on Twitter](http://twitter.com/thenextreel)
- [The Next Reel on Flickchart](http://www.flickchart.com/thenextreel)
- [The Next Reel on Letterboxd](http://letterboxd.com/thenextreel/)
- [Guess the Movie with The Next Reel on Instagram](http://instagram.com/thenextreel)
- [Check out the Posters with The Next Reel on Pinterest](http://pinterest.com/thenextreel)
And for anyone interested in our fine bouquet of show hosts:
- [Follow Andy Nelson on Twitter](http://twitter.com/sodacreekfilm)
- [Follow Pete Wright on Twitter](http://twitter.com/petewright)
- [Follow Steve Sarmento on Twitter](https://twitter.com/mr_steve23)
- [Check out Tom Metz on IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1224453/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1)
- [Follow Mike Evans on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ubersky)
- [Follow Chadd Stoops on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ChaddStoops)
- [Follow Steven Smart on Letterboxd](http://letterboxd.com/steamrobot/)
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

Murder By Death • The Next Reel Feb 05, 2015

Show notes

Neil Simon saw Alec Guinness reading the script for “Star Wars” on the set of “Murder By Death,” and very soon after that, Guinness would be known as Obi Wan Kenobi to the world. But there is so much more to Guinness before that series of films, and in this particular series, so much humor. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we close out our Sir Alec Guinness series with Robert Moore’s 1976 film “Murder By Death.” We talk about Neil Simon’s comedy writing here, how it worked for us now, and, for Pete, how it’s changed since he first saw it when he was young — the story definitely has aged. We chat about Guinness’s performance as Jamesir Bensonmum, the blind butler, and how much we love what he brings to the table here. We discuss the other actors — the detectives played by Peter Falk, Peter Sellers, James Coco, David Niven, Elsa Lanchester; their seconds including Maggie Smith, Eileen Brennan and a very young James Cromwell; and in a surprising turn, Truman Capote as the mysterious host. We touch on Dave Grusin and what he brings to the table as the composer. And we can’t help but compare the movie to “Clue,” the one that we both hold in our hearts as a guilty pleasure. It’s a light and inconsequential film to talk about, despite its story problems. It’s worth a watch. Then tune in once you have!
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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