Reel to Reel

We're about 6 weeks too late for prime year-end-list season (blame Nina and/or the fact that none of the good movies come out until December) but that isn't stopping us from giving our belated takes on the last year in music and film. Will highlights albums from Cate Le Bon, FKA twigs, and David Berman’s Purple Mountains, and Nina shouts out “Uncut Gems,” “Hustlers,” and “Mister America” (all of which, sadly, were snubbed by the Academy). *This episode was recorded on January 13, 2020, hence the Oscars talk.* Clips used: - "Miami" by Cate Le Bon - "MT BTL 3.0" by Tim Heidecker - "Cellophane" by FKA twigs - "Criminal" by Fiona Apple - "Powerade" by Daniel Lopatin (from "Uncut Gems" OST) - "All My Happiness Is Gone" by Purple Mountains Note: We do not own the music used in this episode. All clips used under fair use guidelines for educational and discussion purposes only. Theme music by Will Atkinson

In less than a week, Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman" will drop onto Netflix accounts everywhere, becoming the latest film to be released directly to a streaming service. And just last week, Disney launched its exclusive streaming service, Disney+, heralding a new era for TV streaming. As we enter the 2020s, what will these developments mean for pop culture? In this episode of "Reel to Reel," Nina and Will take a deep dive into the meteoric rise of streaming in the 2010s — and what it means for music, TV and film. Topics discussed include the precarious state of movie theaters, the power of algorithms, the danger of treating Spotify like an endless archive, and the importance of non-digital preservation in the wake of events like the Universal Studios warehouse fire. Clips used: - "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson - "Plastic Love" by Mariya Takeuchi Note: We do not own the music used in this episode. All clips used for educational and discussion purposes only under fair use law. Theme music & editing by Will Atkinson

Halloween picks from your Recess editors — what's better than this? Will and Nina pull their skeletons out of the closet in the form of music and film from the likes of Scott Walker, Jeremy Saulnier, The Sonics and more. Along the way, they discover the greatest horror of them all: the imminent threat of nuclear war. Also Polish-directed, French-German-produced Cold War allegories. Clips used: - Screaming clip from Andrzej Żuławski's "Possession" - "Jesse" by Scott Walker - "The Cabinet" by Das Kabinette - "The Witch" by The Sonics Note: With the exception of the theme, we do not own the music used in this episode. All clips used for educational and discussion purposes only under fair use guidelines. Theme music by Will Atkinson

"Reel to Reel" continues! This week, Nina and Will air their grievances with artists they think are overrated. Targets include Bob Dylan, Morrissey, Christopher Nolan and (naturally) Woody Allen. Clips used: - "Must Be Santa" by Bob Dylan - "The Mole" by Hans Zimmer (from "Dunkirk") - "How to Write a Morrissey Song ('Sing the Third')" by Andy Wood - "Morrissey's End Credits Song from 'Green Book'" by Demi Adejuyigbe Here's that video of Bob Dylan singing "Must Be Santa": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8qE6WQmNus And Demi Adejuyigbe's Morrissey-inspired end credits song for "Green Book": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_96bgvIDlM Note: We do not own the music clips used in this episode. All music used under fair use guidelines for educational and discussion purposes only. Theme music & editing by Will Atkinson

This week on "Reel to Reel," we're talking about censorship. Inspired by the news of Universal Pictures canceling "The Hunt" in the wake of two major instances of gun violence (oh, and some tweets from the President), Will and Nina discuss the history of censorship in the music and film industries, from the Hays' Code to music's ubiquitous Parental Advisory Warning. Clips used: - "New York City Cops" by The Strokes All music used under fair use law for educational purposes only. Theme music by Will Atkinson

With apologies to "Old Town Road," one-hit wonders have always been a part of pop culture — and a bittersweet fate for any artist who receives the label. This week on "Reel to Reel," Will and Nina talk about their favorite one-hit wonders, from "Napoleon Dynamite" to The Cardigans to the quiet dominance of Sister Nancy's "Bam Bam." Featured clips: - "Lovefool" by The Cardigans - "Nightcall" by Kavinsky - "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - "Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai - "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy - "The Artist Ouverture" by Ludovic Bource Note: We do not own any of the music used in this podcast. Clips are used for educational and discussion purposes only under fair use law. Theme music by Will Atkinson

Last week, we spent an hour doing what was probably the best "Reel to Reel" episode we've ever done... but we forgot to press record. Sorry! This episode is an attempt to recreate the original conversation in all its glory — which is fitting, because our theme for the week is remakes. Are there really more remakes these days, or does it just feel that way? Has music gotten less original, or, to quote Nina quoting "Fight Club," is everything just a copy of a copy of a copy? What did we do to deserve the uncanny-valley weirdness of the "Cats" and "The Lion King" remakes in the same calendar year? We answer all of these questions and more today on "Reel to Reel." (Note: Yes, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is and always was an HBO show, despite Will very confidently mansplaining otherwise.) And here's that trailer for "Cats," if you missed it. Watch at your discretion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_O8DN1CY_E Theme music by Will Atkinson

The term "outsider art" is most often applied to self-taught visual artists or sculptors who have little contact with the mainstream art world. But who are the outsiders in music and cinema? We discuss our favorite weirdos, cult classics, and otherwise left-field artists in this episode of "Reel to Reel." Featured clips: - "Records" by R. Stevie Moore - Dialogue from "Meek's Cutoff" (2010) - "La Poupee Qui Fait Non" by Cristina - "I'm A Suspect" by Lonnie Holley Note: We do not own any of the music used in this podcast. Clips are used for educational and discussion purposes only under fair use law. Theme music by Will Atkinson

Buckle up, because we're going back in time to talk about the (very long) history of the music and film industries, and how they got to where they are today. Nina talks about the rise and fall of the New Hollywood movement, and Will traces the path of pop music from the dawn of the Billboard charts to Lil Nas X. Clips used: - Al Jolson singing in "The Jazz Singer" (1927) - "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" by Flatt & Scruggs, from "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) - "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard - "Tutti Frutti" by Pat Boone - "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes - "Crying" by Roy Orbison - "Rock and Roll Music" by Chuck Berry Note: We do not own any of the music used in this podcast. Clips are used for educational and discussion purposes only under fair use law. Theme music by Will Atkinson

Reel to Reel is back with a new run of episodes this summer! Inspired by the recent Met Gala, Will and Nina discuss Susan Sontag's seminal essay "Notes on Camp," what is (and isn't) camp, and why some art is so bad it's good. Musicians and films discussed include ABBA, Queen, "Grease," John Waters films, and Italo disco. Clips used: - Susan Sontag interview with Charlie Rose (1995) - "Do It Again" by Easy Going - "Beauty School Dropout" by Frankie Avalon - "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen - "Waterloo" by ABBA

For the final episode of this run of "Reel to Reel," Will and Nina look at the intersection of music and film: soundtracks. Whether it's an original score or an already popular hit, directors from Dennis Hopper to David Lynch have found ways to inventively include music within the worlds of their films. With that, the first edition of "Reel to Reel" is a wrap — thanks for listening, and we'll be back! Clips used: - "Love Theme" from "Blade Runner" by Vangelis - "Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede - "Scarface (Push it to the Limit)" by Paul Engemann - "Don't Bogart Me" by Fraternity of Man - "Laura Palmer's Theme" by Angelo Badalamenti - "Nightcall" by Kavinsky

What's the best run of three movies or albums released in an artist's career? This question guides today's episode of "Reel to Reel." Inevitably, Will and Nina wind up discussing some of the bigger names in music and film, from a young Martin Scorsese to the "new" Kanye. Clips used: - "Gold Soundz" by Pavement - "Dark Fantasy" by Kanye West - "Bound 2" by Kanye West

Today, Nina and Will talk about a very special place for both of them: North Carolina. Together they look at the artists who have hailed from the Old North State — even if they left for New York as soon as they became successful. Will discusses one great indie band and two pioneering guitarists, while Nina examines the state's rich (and unlikely) history with cinema. Clips used: - "Dynamite" by The dB's - "Freight Train" by Elizabeth Cotten - "Rumble" by Link Wray - "Raise Up" by Petey Pablo

What has been the best single year in pop culture? For Nina, it's 1999 in film; for Will, nothing tops the music of 1977. They each dissect the calendar year they chose and what made it so influential — and they take a look at some recent years that might make the cut. Clips used: - "Venus" by Television - "Speed of Life" by David Bowie - "Oh Bondage, Up Yours!" and "Plastic Bag" by X-Ray Spex

“________, I love you, but you’re bringing me down.” In this episode, Nina and Will discuss odes: in this case, those works of art that pay homage specifically to a place, whether that’s a state, a city, or a single street. They start by examining musical and cinematic odes to New York and L.A., before splitting up for a final mystery round. Through Nina’s film picks and Will’s music picks, they discover that the relationship between artists and their surroundings is often a complicated one. Clips used: - Dialogue from "Taxi Driver" (1976) - "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas - "Main Titles" by Vangelis, from "Blade Runner" (1982) soundtrack - "L.A." by Elliott Smith - "A More Perfect Union" by Titus Andronicus

Introducing Reel to Reel, the new music and film podcast from the Duke Chronicle’s arts and culture section, Recess. For their first episode, co-hosts Will and Nina go back to their starting points, answering this question: What is the work that made you fall in love with your medium? Will shares an album, Nina shares a film, and together they reflect on nostalgia, the importance of the physical form, and the classic art-versus-artist debate. (Recorded 2/5/18) Clips used: - “Kissing the Lipless” by The Shins - “Ironside Theme” by Quincy Jones