Movie Nights & Matinees

Follow Movie Nights & Matinees
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Discussions of movies remembered from the days when it was necessary to actually go to the movies. Most guests have written books on the subjects under discussion.

Bill Groves


    • Jul 14, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 59m AVG DURATION
    • 35 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Movie Nights & Matinees with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Movie Nights & Matinees

    Episode 33 - Godzilla vs Gojira

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024 56:20


    Jim and I are joined by filmfest master Bill Shaffer to talk about Japan's biggest movie star and now Oscar-winner, Godzilla (or Gojira, depending on your preference).  Listen in as we discuss the various eras, his many monstrous foes, and his appearances in Legendary's Monsterverse, as well as his recent prestige picture Godzilla Minus One, which brought the big guy his first Academy Award.Let us know what you think about this episode!A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 32 - All About WB (No, the Other One)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2024 57:42


    Film historian Dan Van Neste joins me to discuss one of Hollywood's unjustifiably forgotten leading men as chronicled in Dan's latest book, The Accidental Star: The Life and Films of Warner Baxter.  Listen in as we chat about Baxter's life, personal struggles, and roles in such pictures as 42nd Street, the Crime Doctor series, and Baxter's first, Oscar-winning outing as the big screen's Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona.Let us know what you think about this episode!A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 31 - Kids and Classics

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2024 50:41


    Jim and I chat with radio host and author Jennifer Churchill about her book Movies are Magic, as well as her other media appearances activities designed to foster of love of classic films across new generations.Let us know what you think about this episode!A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 30 - Here Comes the Cavalry

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 58:35


    Author Michael F. Blake returns to chat with me and Jim about his latest book, The Cavalry Trilogy:  John Ford, John Wayne, and the Making of Three Classic Westerns.  Ride along as we talk about the men and the movies; spotlighting Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande, with a few others getting mentions along the way.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 29 - Weaving Worlds

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2024 52:23


    I'm joined by author Cathy Whitlock to talk about the subject of production design as chronicled in her gorgeous book Designs on Film: A Century of Hollywood Art Direction.  Among the films discussed are Citizen Kane, Top Hat, Things to Come, The Wizard of Oz, Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia and You Only Live Twice, to name a few. A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 28 - Scene Me a Song

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2024 48:49


    Author Gary May joins me to talk about the career of M.K. Jerome, whose songs enhanced many a golden age Hollywood film, especially during his tenure at Warner Bros.  Moe, as he was known to friends, family and colleagues, is the subject of Gary's book The Tunesmith, The Musical Journey of M.K. Jerome.  Gary has significant insight into  Moe's life and career, given that Moe was Gary's grandfather.  Listen in as we discuss Moe's contributions to film in a variety of genres, and in support of stars such as Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, Errol Flynn and James Cagney.  Oh, and there's also that movie you might have heard mentioned once or twice called Casablanca.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 27 - Writ Large Screen: Agatha Christie

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2024 72:34


    Agatha Christie scholar and author Mark Aldridge joins me to discuss movies adapted from the writings of the famed mystery writer, as chronicled in Mark's book Agatha Christie on Screen.  Gather with us in the virtual parlor as we discuss, among other films, Love From a Stranger, And Then There Were None, Witness for the Prosecution and Murder on the Orient Express. A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 26 - Abbott & Costello Meet Biffle & Shooster

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2024 60:31


    Jim and I are joined by the multi-talented Nick Santa Maria, co-author of The Annotated Abbott and Costello and the alphabetically first half of the retro comedy team Biffle and Shooster.  We chat about Bud and Lou, and what made them and their comedy formula so special, then segue into the creation and assemblage of the neo-vintage (seriously?) short comedies produced and compiled into The Misadventures of Biffle and Shooster.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 25 - Maltin on Maltin

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2024 52:41


    As our first guest of 2024, Jim and I are thrilled to welcome the one and only Leonard Maltin, whose tenure as the movie critic for Entertainment Tonight spanned three decades, and whose books are a staple of any respectable movie reference library, in addition to his highly informative and entertaining autobiography.  Join us as we discuss his career, his books, and here and there a specific movie.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 24 - Mixed Bag Musings

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2024 50:23


    With the first anniversary of the launch of Movie Nights & Matinees coming this week, co-host Jim Reid and I have a casual conversation that includes reflections on the first year of the podcast, as well as discussions of specific movies we've been watching or that are personal favorites.  Popping up in the discussion are comedians Laurel & Hardy, Wheeler & Woolsey, Edgar Kennedy and Eddie Cantor, in addition to Fred Astaire and film historian David Shepard.  Among the films we chat about are 1916's Sherlock Holmes, the Columbia serial Mandrake the Magician, Champagne for Caesar, the Crime Doctor mystery series, and even Gertie the Dinosaur.  Jim also recounts the formation of his Dallas Classic Film Group.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 23 - Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 66:15


    Jim and I wind up the year by talking Christmas movies with TCM Library author Jeremy Arnold, whose 2018 book Christmas in the Movies has just been reissued in a revised, expanded edition.   Join us as we talk about old favorites including It's a Wonderful Life, Meet Me in St. Louis and A Christmas Carol; as well as less well-known films such as The Cheaters, Blast of Silence and Cash On Demand.  Then there's the matter of Die Hard...A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 22 - The Projector Stops

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2023 61:17


    Join me and Jim for a fascinating discussion with documentary filmmaker Peter Flynn regarding the demise of film as a mainstream exhibition medium, as chronicled in his 2015 film The Dying of the Light, and the impact of that change on generations of projectionists.  The conversation also includes his prior documentary Blazing the Trail (2011) and his forthcoming Film is Dead.  Long Live Film!A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 21 - Comedy to the Max

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2023 57:24


    After a hiatus, Jim Reid returns to join me in discussing silent comedy pioneer Max Linder with Lisa Stein Haven, the author of The Rise and Fall of Max Linder.  Along the way, we chat about Linder's status as the first silent comedy superstar, his unique mashups of stage and film in his early career, touring appearances that he used as opportunities to create comedies in unique locations, his attempts to launch an American career with such films as Seven Years Bad Luck and The Three Must-Get-Theres, and the swift downward spiral that culminated in his tragic and disturbing demise.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 20 - Writ Large Screen: Edgar Rice Burroughs

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2023 62:35


     Joining me to talk about movie adaptations of works by Edgar Rice Burroughs are prior guests Scott Tracy Griffin and Will Murray.  There's some additional discussion of a few Tarzan films, though that was mostly covered in Episode 2.  This episode will focus more on the non-Tarzan films, from 1917's The Lad and the Lion to the 2012 big-budget adventure John Carter. A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 19 - Silent Shivers

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2023 60:25


    Brian Schell of The Horror Guys blog and podcast joins me to chat about movies spotlighted in his book The Horror Guys Guide to the Silent Age of Horror Films.  Among the titles discussed are famous ones such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, The Golem, and The Man Who Laughs, as well as some that are less familiar, such as The Phantom Carriage, Waxworks and The Hands of Orlac.  Our conversation (and the book) also covers obscure or even lost films such as The Last Warning, A Page of Madness and Drakula's Death. A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 18 - Screams of Laughter

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2023 61:55


    Jim and I are joined by Paul Castiglia, blogger and author of the forthcoming book Scared Silly, to talk about classic horror comedies.  Among the movies discussed are such obvious titles as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Ghosts on the Loose and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, as well as lesser known films such as Zombies on Broadway and You'll Find Out.  A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 17 - Groovy Movies

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2023 75:14


    Jim Reid and I are joined by multi-talented musician, composer, songwriter and internet DJ Marty Ross to discuss rock & roll in the movies from its early days through the 60s.  Whether your tastes run to Little Richard, Frankie and Annette or The Monkees, come along for a fun ride from bobby socks to psychedelia.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 16 - Days of Episodic Excitement

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2023 75:12


    Jim Reid and I talk to author and publisher Ed Hulse about the history of cliffhanger serials, a subject about which Ed has written multiple outstanding books.  We go back to the literary and theatrical origins of the serial format, and talk about silent and sound serials such as The Perils of Pauline, The Green Archer, Daredevils of the Red Circle and Spy Smasher, among others.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 15 - My Pal Hal

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2023 64:16


    Recent guest Jim Reid returns to co-host as we talk with author Craig Calman about legendary producer Hal Roach as documented in Craig's book 100 Years of Brodies With Hal Roach:  The Jaunty Journeys of a Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Pioneer.   Listen in as we discuss the likes of Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase and Our Gang, among others.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 14 - Raising Hairs for Fun and Profit

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2023 56:50


    TCM's Scott McGee and I take a look at Hollywood's history of exciting stunts through the lens of his book Danger On the Silver Screen: 50 Films Celebrating Cinema's Greatest Stunts.  Listen in as we talk about a diverse group of stunt performers that includes Tom Mix, Buster Keaton, Buddy Joe Hooker and Charlize Theron, among others, and such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark,  How the West Was Won, Ronin, Casino Royale, and Death Proof, just to name a few.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 13 - Collecting and Projecting Classics

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 56:27


    I pay a virtual visit to my longtime friend Jim Reid to talk about his massive collection of classic films and his experiences projecting them for audiences ranging from however many can fit into his home theatre to hundreds seated in historic cinemas in various cities.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 12 - A Cinematic Beau-nanza

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2023 60:49


    I'm joined by film historian Frank Thompson to chat about his latest book, The Compleat Beau Geste, which exhaustively documents every adaptation (and spinoff) of P.C. Wren's classic adventure novel in film, television, radio, and on stage, with a glorious collection of illustrations, many in color.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 11 - A Picture is Worth a Thousand Faces

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2023 79:07


    My guest is actor and award-winning makeup artist Michael F. Blake, who is also the author of no less than three books on silent screen superstar Lon Chaney.  We discuss such Chaney films as Hunchback of Notre Dame, Phantom of the Opera and The Penalty, among others, in addition to Hollywood's version of Chaney's life, Man of a Thousand Faces, which starred James Cagney.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 10 - Summer of '82

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2023 40:17


    I go autobiographical in this episode and recount my experience as a crew member on Francis Ford Coppola's production of Rumble Fish, filmed in my home town of Tulsa.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 9 - Silliness and Sandwiches

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2023 50:54


    Make yourself a really big sandwich and join me as I discuss Columbia's Blondie series, which generated 28 pictures from 1938 to 1950, with Carol Lynn Scherling, author of the book Blondie Goes to Hollywood.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 8 - Follow the Celluloid Road

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2023 58:11


    Blogger and podcaster Kendahl Cruver (Watching Classic Movies) joins me to talk about her new Classic Film Fan USA Travel Guide and some of the places listed in it that will be of interest to movie buffs who find themselves on the road for vacations, work travel, day trips or similar excursions.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 7 - Tapping the Untapped

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2023 58:31


    Film historian and author Michael R. Pitts returns to discuss some of the movies profiled in his book Thrills Untapped:  Neglected Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928-1936.  Among the films we chat about are F.P. 1 Doesn't Answer, Transatlantic Tunnel, Mysterious Island (1929), SOS Iceberg, The Black Camel (the earliest surviving Charlie Chan film to star Warner Oland), the serial Tarzan the Tiger, and the Soviet epic Cosmic Voyage.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 6 - Shadowplays

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2023 75:50


    Author and pulp historian Will Murray joins me to discuss The Shadow; his origins and various screen incarnations.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 5 - Three On a Matinee

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2023 62:36


    My guest is film historian and author Michael R. Pitts.  He and I head out west to chat about Republic's 51-picture B-western series featuring The Three Mesquiteers, eight of which starred John Wayne. A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 4 - Teeth of the Lion

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2023 63:27


    My guest is Steven Bingen, and the discussion centers around his newest book, The 50 MGM Films That Transformed Hollywood, though we also discuss other books he's written and the studio in general.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 3 - Voyage to the Third Dimension

    Play Episode Play 59 sec Highlight Listen Later Mar 5, 2023 57:33


    My guests are Bob Furmanek, founder of the 3-D Film Archive, and his Technical Director, Greg Kintz.  We discuss some of the technical aspects of the medium as well as some specific films from the Golden Age, including upcoming releases of 3-D movies that the Archive has restored.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 2 - Conjugating Umgawa

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2023 61:19


    Talking Tarzan with the author of Tarzan On Film and Tarzan: the Centennial Celebration, Scott Tracy Griffin, the go-to expert on all things Edgar Rice Burroughs.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 1.5 - Son of Nothing But Amok

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2023 68:30


    I conclude my conversation with author Joe Adamson as he relates the evolution of his landmark book on the Marx Brothers, Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Sometimes Zeppo.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 1 - Nothing But Amok

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2023 59:27


    Rediscovering the Marx Brothers with Joe Adamson, film historian and author of the book Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Sometimes Zeppo.A Bill&Debi Production

    Episode 0 - Lower the House Lights

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2023 16:28


    An introduction to host Bill Groves and preview of what's to come in future episodes.A Bill&Debi Production

    Claim Movie Nights & Matinees

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel