Criterion Reflections

Criterion Reflections – Episode 155 – Allan King's Come On Children

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025

David is joined by William Remmers to discuss an obscure Canadian documentary about 10 groovy teenagers who are granted 10 weeks of autonomy for the purpose of generating compelling cinematic moments, or at least trippy vibes.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 154 – Jun Fukuda's Godzilla vs. Megalon

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025

David is joined by Richard Doyle and David Seeley to provide intellectual gravitas as we contemplate the threat that atomic testing presents to the future of human civilization. Also: Jet Jaguar to the rescue!

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 153 – Mike Leigh's Hard Labour

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025

David is joined by first-time guest Ethan Magnan to discuss Leigh's first made-for-TV film, and we also talk about Hard Truth's, his most recent release from 2024.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 152 – Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025

David is joined by Richard Doyle, Eric Grant, and Josh Wilson to talk about a recent release from the Criterion Collection. We had a fun conversation, that unresolved matter of $200 notwithstanding.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 151 – Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024

David is joined by Richard Doyle and Robert Taylor to discuss this skewed reworking that situates Raymond Chandler's 50s noir classic in early 70s L.A.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 150 – Lina Wertmüller's Love and Anarchy

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024

David is joined by Richard Doyle to discuss this timely tale of radical resistance and romantic folly in fascist Italy of the 1930s.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 149 – Roger Vadim's Don Juan (or if Don Juan Were a Woman)

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024

The podcast returns after a long break featuring David in a solo episode talking about Brigitte Bardot's acting career with a focus on this, her final feature performance.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 148 – The Game of Clones

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2024

David talks with Michael Worth about the excellent new Bruceploitation box set from Severin Films.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 147 – Charles Nichols' and Iwao Takamoto's Charlotte's Web

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2024

David is joined by musical theater enthusiast Robert Cioffi to discuss this Hanna-Barbera animated adaptation of E.B. White's all-time best-selling youth fiction novel.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 146 – Perry Henzell's The Harder They Come

Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024

David and guests conclude a 3-part series on Black cinema of February 1973 with a discussion of a Jamaican midnight movie classic that launched reggae a a major force in global popular music.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 145 – Larry Cohen's Black Caesar

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2024

David, Richard, and James continue their conversation about Black cinema of 1973, focusing on a Blaxploitation classic featuring a funky James Brown soundtrack and charismatic Fred Williamson in the title role.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 144 – Mel Stuart's Wattstax

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2024

David is joined by Richard Doyle and first-time guest James Merritt to talk about this engaging concert/documentary featuring Isaac Hayes, Richard Pryor, The Staples Singers, and an all-star cast of Black musical artists that performed at the LA Coliseum in August 1972.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 143 – Fernando Di Leo's The Boss

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024

David is joined by Richard Doyle as they dive into the mafia-infused milieu of Italian poliziotteschi cinema via this trilogy-concluding whirlwind of mayhem, betrayal, and revenge.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 142 – Luchino Visconti's Ludwig

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024

David provides a video overview of Visconti's maligned late career masterwork and extends his coverage in a conversation with Brad McDermott

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 141 – Roberto Rossellini's The Age of the Medici

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2024

David revisits the TV miniseries that attempts to recreate the cultural milieu of 15th century Florence in this first episode of Season 5: 1973.

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Criterion Reflections – Intro to Season 5: 1973

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2024

A brief video introducing the newest phase of my long-running project to review every Criterion film in chronological order of original theatrical release!

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 140 – Costa-Gavras' State of Siege

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2023

We wrap up Season 4: 1972 by discussing a film portraying the grinding conflicts and ruthless power plays between oppressive governments and desperate insurgencies.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 139 – Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2023

David and guests discuss the strengths and liabilities of Bergman's remarkable comeback to arthouse preeminence in this Oscar-winning symphony of suffering.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 138 – Melvin Van Peebles' Don't Play Us Cheap

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2023

David is joined by Richard Doyle and a first-time guest, actor/filmmaker Aaron Strand, to discuss this film adaptation of a barrier-breaking Broadway musical.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 137 – Hanzo the Razor

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2023

We discuss Shintaro Katsu's "life after Zatoichi" project, three films about a principled cop in Edo-era Japan, renowned for his fighting skills and infamous interrogation techniques.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 136 – Brian De Palma's Sisters

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2023

David dissects Brian De Palma's breakout thriller with Richard Doyle and first-time guest Robert Baum.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 135 – Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Eight Hours Don't Make a Day

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2023

David and his ensemble gather 'round the table to enjoy and engage with Fassbinder's winsome series about family life and the German working class.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 134 – Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2023

David and guests share their thoughts on this sensational, scandalous landmark film from 1972 that still stirs up strong reactions today.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 133 – Bob Rafelson's The King of Marvin Gardens

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2023

David is joined by Richard Doyle to discuss the final feature film in Criterion's America Lost and Found: The BBS Story box set.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 132 – Éric Rohmer's Love in the Afternoon

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2023

David is joined by Matthew Gasteier to talk about the final installment of Rohmer's film series Six Moral Tales.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 131 – Luis Buñuel's The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2023

David is joined by Derek Power, Travis Trudell, Brad McDermott and Dave Eves in a series of 1:1 chats about Bunuel's magnificent and delectable chef d'oeuvre from late in his career.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 130 – Martin Ritt's Sounder

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2022

This adaptation of a youth fiction classic earned 4 Oscar nominations, popular acclaim and some critical backlash. We discuss all that, and also share our reactions to the new Sight and Sound list.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 129 – Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi in Desperation

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2022

The 24th film in the series finds the Blind Swordsman venturing down the bleakest and most nihilistic pathways. Zatoichi gets no darker than this!

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 128 – Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2022

We discuss this infamous and polarizing film in which Krug and company commit sex crimes of the century that inevitably lead them to a brutal night of vengeance.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 127 – William Crain's Blacula

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2022

David is joined by Aaron West from Criterion Now to discuss this blaxploitation/horror mash-up from July 1972.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 126 – Late July 1972

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2022

Films discussed include GREASER'S PALACE, CIAO! MANHATTAN and BONE - all streaming on the Criterion Channel.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 125 – Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Canterbury Tales

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2022

David and guests discuss the middle installment of Pasolinin's Trilogy of Life, an adaptation of the bawdiest chapters in Geoffrey Chaucer's classic medieval text.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 124 – Ronald Neame's The Poseidon Adventure

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2022

David and guests take a deep dive into this massively successful and influential disaster-movie blockbuster that established genre standards for the decades that followed.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 123 – James Ivory's Savages

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2022

Daisuke Beppu, Robert Taylor and Richard Doyle join David to discuss this strange diversion from the usual form that made Merchant Ivory Productions an Oscar-winning powerhouse in 80s and 90s cinema.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 122 – Alan Gibson's Dracula A.D. 1972

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2022

We discuss a late entry in Hammer Films' Dracula series at a time when the beloved studio's reign of terror perilously approached the breaking dawn of a new era in cinematic horror.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 121 – Rainer Werner Fassbinder's The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2022

David and guests discuss Fassbinder's emotionally intense and visually compelling chamber piece, exquisitely crafted and impeccably performed, a superb artistic achievement for everyone involved.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 120 – Larry Hagman's Beware! The Blob

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2022

David and guests discuss this mixed bag of schlock comedy, drippy sci-fi, goopy horror and vintage early 70s kitsch. Don't say we didn't warn you!

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 119 – Gordon Parks' Shaft's Big Score!

Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022

David and guests talk about the second installment in the SHAFT franchise and also discuss TOP OF THE HEAP, both currently featured in the Criterion Channel's "Beyond Blaxploitation" bundle.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 118 – Bruce Lee's The Way of the Dragon

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2022

David is joined by Michael Worth and Richard Doyle to talk about the last film Bruce Lee starred in during his lifetime, his only directorial effort, the climactic battle with Chuck Norris, and more!

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 117 – Michael Campus's Z.P.G. and George A. Romero's Hungry Wives a.k.a. Season of the Witch

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2022

Two obscure genre flicks from May 1972 that were given brief limited runs on the Criterion Channel are the focus of this episode.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 116 – Jacques Demy's The Pied Piper

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2022

Come listen and be entranced by our enchanted conversation about this overlooked folk horror fairy tale set in the tragic era of the Black Death.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 115 – Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022

David and guests discuss the delightful flavors and occasional bad taste of Hitchcock's penultimate film, a debate that ends in a tie.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 114 – Roberto Rossellini's Blaise Pascal

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2022

Rossellini's distinctive approach to portraying history on film focuses on the French polymath, a innovative genius in mathematics, science and philosophy.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 113 – John Huston's Fat City

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2022

Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges and Susan Tyrell star in this remarkable adaptation of Leonard Gardner's classic novel set in the riff-raff boxing milieu of Stockton, California.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 112 – Peter Medak's The Ruling Class

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2022

In this barbed satire of aristocratic elites, Peter O'Toole's manic pivot from beatific flower child to merciless killer ranks as one of his greatest on-screen roles.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 111 – Maurice Pialat's We Won't Grow Old Together

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2022

Pialat's second feature film won a Best Actor award at Cannes in 1972 for its portrayal of the terminal phase of a doomed and codependent love affair.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 110 – Robert Altman's Images

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2022

David is joined by Brad McDermott to talk about Robert Altman's overlooked excursion into psychological horror, featuring an award-winning lead performance by Susannah York.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 109 – Lone Wolf and Cub [Part 2]

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021

This episode covers the last three films in this classic series: Baby Cart in Peril, Baby Cart in the Land of Demons and White Heaven in Hell.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 108 – Kenji Misumi's Lone Wolf and Cub [Part 1]

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2021

David and guests embark on the demon path to hell as they discuss the first three films (and Shogun Assassin too!) in this classic saga of ronin & child in feudal Japan.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 107 – Jean-Luc Godard & Jean-Pierre Gorin's Tout va bien / Letter to Jane

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2021

David wraps up his miniseries on Godard as he and his guests interrogate JLG's final collaborations with Jean-Pierre Gorin as part of the Dziga Vertov Group.

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Criterion Reflections – Episode 106 – Godard 68/71

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2021

David is joined by Jon Laubinger to discuss Le gai savoir and the Arrow box "Godard + Gorin: Five Films 1968-1971", released during Godard's period of politically-charged cinema as a member of the Dziga Vertov Group.

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