The Film 89 Podcast

After a longer than expected Spring hiatus, The Film '89 Podcast is back and on Episode 134, returning co-hosts Matthias Van De Roest and Bill Scurry join Steve and Skye to celebrate the 40th anniversary of acclaimed director William Friedkin's 1985 crime drama To Live and Die in L.A. Something of a return to form for Friedkin after a number of critical and commercial failures, the film would tap into the same gritty police procedural approach that made his 1971 masterpiece The French Connection so successful. Starring William Petersen, John Pankow, Debra Feuer, Darlanne Fluegel, Dean Stockwell, John Turturro and featuring a brilliantly threatening turn from Willem Dafoe as counterfeiter Eric Masters, To Live and Die in L.A. also features gorgeous cinematography by Robby Müller and a stunning new wave soundtrack by Wang Chung. As well as giving their usual in-depth analysis, the guys also dig into the making of the film, paying particular attention to its incredible car chase sequence. So fasten your seatbelts and hold on tight as the Film '89 team explore one of the quintessential crime dramas of not just the 1980s, but any decade.

It is with much regret that we come to the end of the journey that has been The Film '89 Podcast, as tonight's episode marks for the guys a peak of sorts, a culmination of the last 7 years which has all led to the film we're covering on this monumental episode. Steve, Neil and Skye are joined by a returning co-host who hasn't been on Film '89 since Episode 40, way back in November 2019, when he and Steve reviewed The Irishman, it's our good friend, Tony Sower. Tony joins us to discuss his all-time favorite film, a film that we've been threatening to cover on the podcast for the longest time. If the name of this podcast takes influence from the ‘80s and nostalgia for movies we grew up with, then this film in a way typifies that era. And if the 1980s will be remembered for particular types of film, then the high concept action film is surely one of those types, born out of a decade where excess was celebrated. That film is the 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger action classic, Commando. Some frankly hyperbolic opinions are going to be put forth on tonight's episode, opinions as big as the Austrian Oak himself. Commando sees Arnie, after the fantasy heroics of Conan The Barbarian and the sci-fi horror of The Terminator, playing a more grounded, contemporary role as retired Army Commando, John Matrix. Yet there's ultimately nothing grounded when it comes to Commando, a film that takes over the top machismo to hitherto unseen levels in a film that may be the action film distilled to its purest form. We hope you've enjoyed The Film '89 Podcast, we'd love to carry on, but after a peak like Commando, there's nowhere to go but down, and we always intended to go out on a high. Adios. 

On Episode 132 of The Film '89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by returning co-hosts, Jacob Rivera and Leighton Winstone to discuss a film from the director who has had the most coverage on Film '89, with no less than 5 episodes dedicated to his films and one of those being a double bill, it's legendary filmmaker, Martin Scorsese. The film being discussed is one that the guys have desperately wanted to cover since the podcast began, Scorsese's 1980 biopic of former World Middleweight boxing champion, Jake La Motta, starring Robert De Niro, it is of course Raging Bull. Shot in back and white and featuring a staggering, Oscar winning central performance by De Niro, Raging Bull also features stellar turns from Cathy Moriarty, in her debut acting role as La Motta's long suffering second wife, Vickie and Joe Pesci as La Motta's put upon brother, Joey. Raging Bull has become an enduring classic of cinema, hailed by many critics as one of the greatest films ever made and here it's given the in-depth Film '89 treatment for its 45th anniversary. 

On Episode 131 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve, Neil and Skye are joined by returning co-hosts, Bill Scurry and Matthias Van De Roest to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Academy Award winning crime thriller, The Usual Suspects (1995). Critically acclaimed upon its release and making a considerable worldwide box office haul on a meagre $6 million budget, it's amazing ensemble case, incredible Oscar winning script, precise editing and sharp direction would make it an endearing classic of the 1990s. Unfortunately the film doesn't get spoken about as frequently as it once did, likely due to the controversy that arose in the intervening years surrounding its director and one of its stars. But putting aside those issues and examining it purely as a work of collaborative art, The Usual Suspects remains one of the greatest crime dramas ever conceived and is a film that's endlessly rewarding and rewatchable.

On Episode 130 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil & Skye will be grabbing their glow-rods and avoiding physical contact greetings as they jump forward in time from a crime ridden Los Angeles of 1996, to a seemingly harmonious, but borderline fascist utopian 2032 San Angles as they discuss the 1993 action-science-fiction cult classic, Demolition Man, from producer Joel Silver and then first time director, Marco Brambilla. It stars Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock in her breakout role. The guys discuss how this seemingly by-the-numbers ‘90s action film has transcended its roots due to it having layers of subtly clever social commentary and a level of mind boggling prescience that has helped it continue to age like a fine wine with each passing decade. 

Episode 129 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, our first of 2025, is a companion piece to our episode from last February, Episode 112, where Steve, Skye and John Arminio discussed Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula, and both Tod Browning's 1931 film adaptation as well as Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 version, Bram Stoker's Dracula. For this episode, the same trio will be giving you their in-depth and spoiler filled review and analysis of director Robert Eggers' remake of F.W. Murnau's 1922 German expressionist silent horror classic, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, this new version titled simply, Nosferatu. As well as Murnau's film, the guys will also be discussing acclaimed German director Werner Herzog's 1979 remake, Nosferatu the Vampyre.

On Episode 128 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye are joined by returning co-host, filmmaker, producer and master cinephile, Adam Rackoff. When planning what films to cover on Film ‘89, we invariably aim to choose films that we love and want to talk about but always consider whether you, our valued listeners would want to hear us discuss those same films. Well, for the film we've chosen for this episode, we've been wholly self indulgent for once. Christmas is coming so we've decided to treat ourselves and pick a film that Neil and Skye have wanted to champion and discuss on the podcast since it first started. That film is a Star Trek film and it's the first big screen outing for The Next Generation crew and something of a passing of the torch between the original series crew and the TNG gang, Star Trek: Generations. Generations is often regarded as one of the lesser loved Trek films and as much as it seems to have been more positively reappraised in recent years, it's not going to feature on most fans' lists of their favourite Star Trek films, but for Neil, Skye and Adam, the opposite is true. So as well as giving the film the usual in-depth Film ‘89 analysis for its 30th anniversary, our trio of hosts are going to try and get to the bottom of just why they love this oft-maligned film so much. 

On Episode 127 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and returning guest host, acclaimed film poster artist, Tony Stella, continue their annual coverage of the long running James Bond series of films with 1964's Goldfinger. Directed by Guy Hamilton, Goldfinger is the third film in the series and is based on the seventh James Bond book by author Ian Fleming. This time Bond is tasked by the Bank of England and Mi6 to investigate gold magnate Auric Goldfinger, who they suspect is building up a vast inventory of gold by nefarious means. Sean Connery's third outing as the British super spy is regarded by many as the pinnacle of the franchise, now the longest running in film history, and features a superb cast including Gert Fröbe as the titular villain as well as Honor Blackman and Shirley Eaton as two of the most memorable Bond girls. The word iconic is often overused in the realm of film criticism, but Goldfinger is filled with moments and situations that truly earn that description. So join the guys as they give their usual passionate, in-depth analysis of the film for its 60th anniversary.

On Episode 126 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by returning co-host Becky D'Anna. Becky is a marketing executive for Sony Pictures, a seasoned podcaster and an expert on film and the film industry, making her the ideal guest-host with which to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 thriller, Rear Window, starring James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr. Shot on just one location, a huge set built on the Paramount Studios backlot, Rear Window is the ultimate tale of voyeurism as Stewart's wheelchair bound photographer, L.B. Jeffries, ropes in his beautiful socialite girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) and his insurance company appointed nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) into his personal investigation into what he believes is the murder of one of the residents of his bustling tenement block. A masterclass in visual storytelling, Rear Window is one of the Master of Suspense's most beloved films and certainly one of several peaks in a staggering filmography, a movie that would influence filmmakers for decades to come. 

Episode 125 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is our 2024 Halloween Horror Special and joining Skye and regular co-host John Arminio, is author, podcast producer, filmmaker and expert in all things horror related, J. Blake Fichera. Last year it was The Exorcist, and the focus of this year's Halloween episode is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of another equally remarkable, influential and iconic horror classic, Tobe Hooper's, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Made on a meagre budget with a cast of unknowns, Hooper's film would quickly achieve iconic status and go on to permeate popular culture like few other horror films before it. It would become hugely influential but would never be equalled in terms of its almost documentary approach to the fictional events it depicts, inspired by the exploits of real life killers such as Ed Gein. The guys discuss the making of the film and explore the many layers of sociopolitical commentary that Hooper intentionally or even subconsciously weaved into this macabre work of art, a stunningly shot, meticulously crafted, grimy and unsettling masterpiece of horror cinema, laid bare by the experts at Film ‘89. 

On Episode 124 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve, Neil and Skye return to the films of James Cameron and his directorial debut (not counting Piranha 2), starring possibly the most prominent megastar of their childhood, Arnold Schwarzenegger. That film is Cameron's gritty, action-science-fiction smash hit, The Terminator, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month. The product of a fever dream Cameron had whilst in Rome during the Piranha 2 debacle, The Terminator represents one of the most cost effective filmmaking endeavours of the 1980s, whereby a potentially pulpy science fiction yarn was bolstered by some truly defining star turns, none more so than the titular character himself. Schwarzenegger's portrayal of a killer cyborg from the future would define his career like no other role. Coupled with precise filmmaking from a young, driven, perfectionist director, some stunning effects work from artists such as Stan Winston, a stunning, synth-filled, percussive and atmospheric score from composer Brad Fiedel, and some gorgeous cinematography and tight editing, these ingredients would come together to create a film that the Film ‘89 team regard as one of the most important films of their upbringing, one that holds up today as a true masterpiece of genre filmmaking. 

On Episode 123 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve, Skye and returning co-hosts, Leighton Winstone and filmmaker Kyle Reardon are covering another all-time classic, The Shawshank Redemption, a film that, according to the long-running IMDB Top 250, is the greatest film of all time. A big screen adaptation of the Stephen King Novella and directed by Frank Darabont, The Shawshank Redemption was released 30 years ago and was met with muted critical and commercial success and no wins despite 7 Academy Award nominations. But upon it's release on home video, it became a huge success and in the years since has become a perennial favourite and a film cited by many as one of the greatest films ever made. The guys chart the making of the The Shawshank Redemption , the changes that Darabont made from King's book and give their usual in-depth analysis of this remarkable film for its 30th anniversary. 

On Episode 122 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined once again by filmmaker, podcast host and producer, Martin Kessler, as the show continues its in-depth coverage of some of the greatest films ever made. And this episode it's the turn of director Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi/horror masterpiece, Alien, a film our trio have been eager to discuss since the podcast began. They discuss the film's inception, it's production and the incredible creative talents that would craft one of the most visually astounding films ever made with a level of set design and an overall aesthetic like no film before it. At the forefront of this was the incredible work of Swiss surrealist, H.R. Giger, whose creature designs would birth a new type of nightmare fodder that would terrify audiences the world over. They discuss composer Jerry Goldsmith's majestic score, the incredible practical effects and a cast of just seven actors that surely ranks as one of the greatest ever assembled. So suit up, strap in and enjoy Film ‘89's celebration of the 45th anniversary of a motion picture that's widely regarded as one of the most influential, genre defining, and arguably, most perfect films ever made. 

On Episode 121 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning guest host, filmmaker Martin Kessler, to give you their in-depth and spoiler-filled review of director Fede Alvarez's new film, Alien: Romulus, the seventh film in the saga that began 45 years ago with Ridley Scott's seminal Alien. Following Scott's two most recent films in the franchise, pseudo-prequel Prometheus (2012) and it's follow up, Alien: Covenant (2017), Alvarez's film is set 20 years after Alien but 37 years before James Cameron's Aliens to tell an isolated story of a crew of young Weyland Yutani mining colony workers who end up going head to head with the deadly creatures on an abandoned space station. Will Alvarez's film breathe new life into a franchise that some feel was choked by Scott's previous two films' over-intellectualisation of the series, or will it just give fans a force-fed meal of Alien related best-of moments? 

On Episode 120 of The Film ‘89 Podcast we're doing something we haven't done for a long time - reviewing a new comic book movie - Disney/Marvel Studios' latest cinematic outing, and their first ever R-rated superhero film, Deadpool & Wolverine, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. As well as giving their in-depth and spoiler-filled review and analysis of the new film, Neil and Skye give their thoughts on the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the superhero genre in general after several years of output that have been far from great in terms of critical and commercial success. They discuss whether Deadpool & Wolverine's box office success is a sign of a turnaround for the MCU, or just a brief anomaly, brought about by a very unique set of circumstances that allowed Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy an opportunity to make a third Deadpool film that openly mocks a sub-genre of film that's lost its way.

On Episode 119 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve, Skye and Bill Scurry discuss a film that's been high on the list of films that they've most wanted to dedicate an episode to since the podcast began. The one big stumbling block that was preventing them from doing so was it's lack of availability on any kind of modern HD format, having never even had a release on Blu-Ray. But fortunately it was given a shiny new 4K upgrade earlier this year for its 35th anniversary. That film is of course The Abyss, James Cameron's 1989 underwater science fiction thriller that got a significantly bulked up rerelease in 1993 in the form of the considerably longer and undeniably better Special Edition. As well as their usual in-depth analysis of the film, they take the deep dive into the making of The Abyss, a film whose production was one of the most ambitious and frankly arduous ever attempted. 

On Episode 118 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye discuss a film that they've been eager to cover since the podcast began, a film from the podcast's namesake year of 1989, Spike Lee's seminal story of a baking hot day in Brooklyn where the ever increasing heat pushes racial and cultural tensions to breaking point, Do The Right Thing. Joining them is a guest host making his long overdue Film ‘89 debut. He's the founder and co-host of the brilliant Zebras in America podcast, his vast wealth of writing on film can be found at PinnlandEmpire.com, he's a frequent contributor at ThePinkSmoke.com and he's as passionate and knowledgeable a cinephile as you're likely to find anywhere, Mr Marcus Pinn. Marcus and the guys discuss the brilliant ensemble cast of Lee's film, in which he stars alongside Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Danny Aiello, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Rosie Perez, Samuel L. Jackson, Martin Lawrence and many more. They discuss Ernest Dickerson's astonishing cinematography as well as the film's complex themes of racial intolerance. Do The Right Thing remains an all time classic of cinema and one of the most important films of the 1980's. 

On Episode 117 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, we address the fact that only one of director Quentin Tarantino's films has had a dedicated episode of Film ‘89, way back in 2019. For our long overdue return to the work of one of modern Hollywood's most revered auteurs, we've decided to finally cover one of our listeners' most requested films, Tarantino's stunning sophomore effort, Pulp Fiction. A sensation upon its release having taken the 1994 Cannes Film Festival by storm, winning the coveted Palm d'Or, Pulp Fiction would whip up a storm of controversy but also receive widespread critical acclaim, going on to be considered one of the greatest and most influential films of the 1990's and inspiring a slew of wannabe cool crime dramas in its wake. If Reservoir Dogs was Tarantino's incendiary debut then Pulp Fiction was a truly explosive phenomenon, a directorial follow-up that gave the independent film movement a boost like few other films in the ‘90s. Join Steve, Skye and returning guest hosts, Leighton Winstone and Kyle Reardon as they celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the most remarkable and perfectly constructed motion pictures ever made.  

On Episode 116 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning co-hosts Adam Rackoff, Bill Scurry and John Arminio to continue Film ‘89's coverage of the original Star Trek films. Having covered The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan on previous episodes, the guys now celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Following on from the harrowing events of the second film and the loss of Spock, actor Leonard Nimoy would make his directorial debut and craft a film about death and, as the title suggests, rebirth. Employing superb practical and optical effects that more than hold up 40 years on, the guys fight the corner for a Trek film that they feel is somewhat underrated as well as providing their usual passionate and in-depth analysis in this celebration of the film and where for them it ranks amongst the numerous big screen Trek outings. 

On Episode 115 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and returning guest host Stephen Simpson don their fire retardant suits as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Towering Inferno, Producer and co-director Irwin Allen and director John Guillermin's big screen adaptation of not one but two books and a film that surely ranks as one of, if not THE greatest disaster films of all time. With a star studded ensemble cast including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Robert Vaughn, Richard Chamberlain, Jennifer Jones, Robert Wagner and many more, The Towering Inferno would go on to be a huge critical and commercial success, garnering 8 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. A showcase of some astounding practical effects and stunt work, The Towering Inferno isn't just a rollicking action spectacle but also a superbly made drama and a somber cautionary tale. 

On episode 114 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Leighton Winstone and filmmaker Kyle Reardon join Steve and Skye as they did two years ago when they celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Godfather. Now they're back to celebrate the 50th anniversary of possibly the greatest sequel ever made, The Godfather Part II. A huge critical success upon it's release, it would go on to be nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning 6 for Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction/Set Decoration, Original Score and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro. It currently sits at No.4 on the long running IMDB Top 250 and is widely regarded as not only one of the greatest sequels ever made, but one of the greatest films period.

On Episode 113 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and regular guest host, Bill Scurry, give their spoiler filled analysis and verdict of Part Two of Denis Villeneuve's epic adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal science fiction novel, Dune. Bill and Skye reviewed Part One of Villeneuve's adaptation back in late 2021, on Episode 72 and Bill being a huge Dune fan, was duty bound to return for Film ‘89's coverage of Part Two. Bill and Skye discuss the staggering technical achievement the film represents, it's stellar cast, how faithfully it adapts Herbert's epic tome, as well as making predictions as to its final box office haul and it's potential to both sweep up at next year's Academy Awards and also how it's success may help pull Hollywood out of its recent slump. 

On Episode 112 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined once again by regular guest host, John Arminio and for once, the crux of their chosen topic isn't a film, but a book, author Bram Stoker's 1897 tale of the now famous Transylvanian Count Dracula. As well as discussing this classic of horror literature, the guys discuss some of the big screen adaptations of Stoker's novel, in particular, Tod Browning's 1931 film starring Bela Lugosi, titled of course, Dracula, a film that kick-started a long running series of Monster features for Universal. They also go in-depth on a more recent adaptation of the book but one that's now already over three decades old, Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film, with the slightly longer title of Bram Stoker's Dracula. They explore the making of these two film adaptations as well as the prominent religious iconography, already present in the source novel, that Coppola weaved into his adaptation of a book that is arguably as important as any in the horror genre. 

On Episode 111 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and regular guest host, Bill Scurry don their colours and venture into the violent New York of 1979 to discuss Walter Hill's cult classic film, The Warriors. Beloved by film critics such as Pauline Kael, the film was controversially pulled from cinema's by Paramount three weeks into its theatrical run following reported outbreaks of gang violence at theatres. The film wasn't the financial success that Hill had wanted but in the years that followed, The Warriors attained an ever growing following and a second life on television and home video, and is now regarded as not only one of Hill's best films, but as a beloved example of ‘70s American cinema. Oozing style from every pore and armed with a phenomenal synth-rock score by composer Barry De Vorzon, The Warriors is a film as worthy as any of the Film ‘89 treatment. 

“We come to it at last, the great battle of our time”. On Episode 110 of The Film ‘89 Podcast our years-long podcasting journey through Middle Earth draws to a close as Skye and returning co-hosts, Bill Scurry, Adam Rackoff and John Arminio tackle The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King for it's 20th anniversary. The third and final part of Peter Jackson's colossal undertaking to adapt to film J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic would not only smash box office records but would take an Oscar haul of a record equalling 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Join the guys as they follow their previous mammoth episodes on The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers with a deep dive into this staggering achievement in filmmaking. As before they discuss the making of the film and give an in-depth analysis of the third film in a trilogy that's vying for the title of greatest film trilogy of all time. 

On Episode 109 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by one of our favourite returning guest hosts, professional film poster artist and master cinephile, Tony Stella. This episode, the guys continue their coverage of the James Bond films that started last year with Dr. No, and continues here with a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the second big screen Bond outing for Sean Connery, From Russia With Love. Skye and Tony discuss the film in-depth as well as Ian Fleming's 1957 book on which the film is based. So pack your gadget filled suitcases and step aboard The Orient Express for a celebration of one of the most beloved of all the big screen James Bond adventures. 

On Episode 108 of The Film ‘89 Podcast the team are back in the embrace of one of their favourite filmmakers, David Fincher, with an in-depth and spoiler-filled review of his latest thriller based on the graphic novel series by Alexis Nolent, The Killer, starring Michael Fassbender in his first acting role since 2019's Dark Phoenix. As well as discussing The Killer, Skye and returning guest hosts, Jacob Rivera, Leighton Winstone and Kyle Reardon discuss the current state of theatrical distribution. Given that The Killer is a Netflix film that only had a two week limited theatrical release window before it dropped onto the streaming service on November 10th, the guys discuss the increasing trend of high profile directors making films for streaming services such as Netflix and Apple and how this may affect the future of cinema. 

On Episode 107 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve is joined by Leighton Winstone and filmmaker Kyle Reardon to give you their in-depth review and analysis of legendary director Martin Scorsese's latest film, his epic adaptation of author David Grann's 2017 book, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. Scorsese's film drops the book's subtitle and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons and John Lithgow. It tells the story of the discovery of oil in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land and the subsequent series of murders of the Osage people that take place until the FBI steps in to unravel the mystery. Scorsese has directed some of the Film ‘89 team's all time favourite films, several of which have had their own in-depth episodes on the podcast. Will Scorsese's latest capture the same degree of success of the other big 2023 historical drama, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, or will audiences, put off by it's considerable runtime, wait for its subsequent release on Apple TV+? Tune in to hear the team's verdict of the latest film from a true Hollywood legend. *Apologies for the varying levels of audio quality on this episode. In keeping with the theme of the film, it was recorded on equipment from the 1920s. 

Halloween season is in full swing at Film ‘89 Towers as we bring you our special 2023 horror themed episode as Steve & Skye, along with returning guest hosts, John Arminio and Stephen Simpson, delve headlong into a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Director William Friedkin's 1973 film adaptation of author William Peter Blatty's best selling 1971 novel, The Exorcist. It's a film that's not only regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made but one that's also, adjusted for inflation, one of the most financially successful films ever made. Featuring amazing performances from Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb and a stunning turn from then child actress, Linda Blair, The Exorcist is a film that pushed boundaries in a way no film before it had done, and is one that has endured for half a century as an all-time classic of cinema. Special thanks to Matt Needle for the great episode artwork. Follow him on Twitter @needledesign. 

On Episode 50 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined once again by professional film poster artist, Tony Stella to discuss, for its 50th anniversary, a film starring one of the true icons of cinema, Bruce Lee. That film is Enter The Dragon, Lee's first, breakout Hollywood movie and tragically his last following his death at age 32 shortly before the film's release. Bruce Lee's life, although cut tragically short, was a fascinating one that led to not only the creation of his own style of martial arts, Jeet Kune Do, but he would attain both within his lifetime and way beyond, a mythical status and is without doubt the most recognised martial artist to ever live. Even though he only made one Hollywood film, his three Hong Kong films would become some of the most successful ever made, and his lasting impact on both cinema and pop culture will likely endure for all time. So join Skye and Tony in this celebration of arguably the most important martial arts epic ever made. 

On Episode 104 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye interviews Gary Smart, Christopher Griffiths and Eastwood Allen, respectively the producer, director and co-director/editor of RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, the epic, four and a half hour making-of documentary that's been seven years in the making. Gary first appeared on Film ‘89 way back in September 2018 when the documentary was still in the early stages of production but it's finally complete and available to stream in the US with U.K. streaming to come next month as well as a features packed Blu-Ray to follow. Already the No.1 Documentary Blu-Ray on Amazon in the US and U.K., RoboDoc is without doubt the definitive document of the making-of and lasting legacy of director Paul Verhoeven's ultra-violent, satire filled 1987 masterpiece, and just happens to be Skye's all-time favourite film. 

On Episode 103 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is once again joined by seasoned podcaster, cinephile and expert on film scores and composers, Stephen Simpson to celebrate, for its 60th anniversary, one of the Film ‘89 team's all-time favourite films, The Great Escape. Director John Sturges, hot off the success of 1960's, The Magnificent Seven, once again assembles an epic international cast including Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, James Garner, Donald Pleasence, Charles Bronson, James Coburn and many more, in an adaptation of Paul Brickhill's book of the same name. The story of the real life breakout of Allied officers from a German POW camp in WWII, Sturges' film, aside from garnering considerable critical acclaim, would go on to become a perennial Sunday afternoon TV classic with a memorable Elmer Bernstein score, and moreover, go on to be regarded as one of the greatest war films ever made.

On Episode 102 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by returning guest host and writer for Film ‘89, filmmaker Martin Kessler, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of a monumental classic of cinema, 1933's King Kong. This beloved monster movie from the filmmaking team of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack employed then revolutionary stop-motion animation to bring not just the film's titular character to life, but a whole host of dinosaurs and other inhabitants of Skull Island. Featuring the original scream-queen, Fay Wray, as novice actress Ann Darrow, Robert Armstrong as desperate filmmaker Carl Denham and Bruce Cabot as daring sailor, Jack Driscoll, King Kong is arguably the most influential creature feature ever made and is discussed here along with the King Kong's legacy which has spawned a long-running series of films that's still going strong today. 

On Episode 101 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and returning guest host Matthias Van De Roest give their in-depth analysis and spoiler-filled review of acclaimed director Christopher Nolan's epic biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Based on the 2005 book, American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, Oppenheimer is the biographical account of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer who was put in charge of the Manhattan Project, the goal of which was to win the race to develop nuclear weapons before the Nazi's and ultimately win WWII. As well as discussing the technical merits of Nolan's film and it's stellar cast, the guys also discuss the crazy Frankenstein's Monster of a phenomenon that is Barbenheimer. 

It's the 100th Episode of The Film ‘89 Podcast and to celebrate, we're devoting an entire episode to answering a selection of questions from our vast cohort of guest hosts, friends and you, our beloved listeners. So join Neil, Skye and Steve as they answer your questions on a number of film, television and pop culture related topics. And thank you all for helping us get to our first century of episodes! 

On Episode 99 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye give their spoiler-filled analysis and review of the fifth and possibly final film in the saga of the adventures of Dr. Henry Jones Jr, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. 

On Episode 98 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye don their Speedos, oil each other up and prepare to flex as they finally devote an episode to one of the Film ‘89 team's most revered icons of the big screen, a man whose films typify the very decade from which the podcast derives its name. Bodybuilder, turned movie star, turned Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The catalyst for the guys finally tackling Arnie's career is the new 3-part Netflix documentary, aptly titled ‘Arnold'. Each part, just over an hour long, is devoted to his early bodybuilding career where he came to dominate the sport, his acting career that made him a global household name and his eventual segue into politics. So join the guys as they discuss this fascinating documentary and discuss Schwarzenegger's extensive filmography.

It's time to keep your appointment with The Film ‘89 Podcast as Skye is joined by returning guest hosts John Arminio and Steven Saunders to celebrate the 50th anniversary of cult British horror film, The Wicker Man (1973). Director Robin Hardy's film stars Edward Woodward as Scottish police sergeant Neil Howie who ventures to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Sgt Howie's investigation turns into a cat and mouse chase that culminates in one of the most bone chilling endings in all of horror cinema. That said, the bulk of the film refuses to follow standard horror conventions and remains one of the most unique British films ever made, truly one of a kind. Featuring Britt Ekland, Ingrid Pitt, Diane Cilento and a superlative performance from screen legend Christopher Lee, Hardy's folk horror classic remains a film like no other, and one that gets the usual passionate and in-depth analysis you've come to expect from the Film ‘89 team in this definitive exploration and examination of The Wicker Man. 

On Episode 96 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Neil and Skye boldly go somewhere they didn't expect to go, back to the realms of a current year Star Trek television show. Join them as they give their in-depth, spoiler-filled analysis and review of Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard. Show-runner, writer and director, Terry Malalas has been brought on to the show for this third season along with a new writing team and the results have had longtime Trek fans alight with joy as the core Next Generation cast are reunited for what might be their last adventure. Is this new show a welcome change of creative direction for modern Trek? Join the Film ‘89 team as they discuss what many  sci-fi fans are calling THE television event of 2023. 

On Episode 95 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve, Skye and returning guest host Leighton Winstone discuss a film from a director whose films have already been covered several times on Film ‘89 and one who without doubt would be on the Mt. Rushmore of favourite directors for all three of them, Martin Scorsese. This episode sees the maturity of a 10 year investment, or in other words, it's coming up on the 10th anniversary of Scorsese's adaptation of Jordan Belfort's book, The Wolf of Wall Street. By far one of Scorsese's most controversial films, the legendary director re-teamed with Leonardo DiCaprio alongside a superlative supporting cast including Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Joanna Lumley and an Oscar nominated Jonah Hill. The guys discuss the career of the film's lead, DiCaprio and where The Wolf of Wall Street sits in their own personal lists of favourite Martin Scorsese films. 

On Episode 94 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye are joined by returning guest host and writer for Film ‘89, Leighton Winstone to discuss a double bill of films from legendary director Brian De Palma, both of which happen to star one of their all time favourite actors, Al Pacino. The first is De Palma's 1983 remake of Howard Hawks' 1932 crime drama, Scarface. The other is De Palma's pseudo-follow up, Carlito's Way. Since it's release 40 years ago, Scarface has attained a huge following and the guys discuss its considerable influence on the crime dramas and gangster films that followed in its wake. A violent and controversial film on its initial release, Scarface would typify the greed and excesses of the 1980s. De Palma's 1993 film, Carlito's Way, whilst telling a quite different story, remains a brilliantly crafted tale of a reformed gangster, recently released from prison, struggling to escape his former life. 

Episode 93 of The Film ‘89 Podcast brings to a close our coverage of George Lucas' Original Star Wars trilogy as Neil, Skye and Richard celebrate the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi (1983). They discuss the behind the scenes making of the film and how writer/producer George Lucas, director Richard Marquand and co. brought the story to a satisfying conclusion. Also discussed are the film's astonishing technical achievements in creature design and visual effects as well as the numerous and controversial changes Lucas made with his 1997 Special Edition rerelease of the film and the further changes he made for the DVD and Blu-Ray releases. The guys also discuss where Return of the Jedi sits in their ranking of the Star Wars saga as well as the enduring legacy of Lucas' groundbreaking original trilogy. 

On Episode 92 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, returning guest host John Arminio joins Skye as they go back to the golden age of Hollywood, 85 years in fact, to discuss one of the all time classics, The Adventures of Robin Hood, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Haviland, Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone. Whilst not the first big screen adaptation of the Robin Hood legend, it set out a template for the innumerable adaptations that would follow. John and Skye discuss the three strip Technicolor process used to shoot the film, the magnificent score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, the film's many superbly choreographed fight scenes and it's exemplary cast, all ingredients that come together to create a film that is widely regarded as one of the greatest swashbuckling adventures of all time. 

On Episode 91 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning guest hosts Jacob Rivera and Kyle Reardon to take a look back at a film from one of the Film ‘89 team's favourite directors, John Carpenter, his 1983 adaptation of Stephen King's Christine, the tale of a possessed 1958 Plymouth Fury and it's young new owner's descent into madness as both car and driver go on an unstoppable killing spree. Coming off the back of the critical and commercial failure of The Thing (1982), a film that would later be widely regarded as a masterpiece of cinema, Carpenter went back to the style of horror he perfected in his 1978 classic, Halloween. Light on gore but full of mood and suspense, Christine is one of the lesser talked about films in Carpenter's filmography but one that we feel is one of the director's best films and is discussed in depth by the Film ‘89 team for its 40th anniversary. 

As we move into 2023, the founding fathers of Film ‘89 unite to give you their in-depth review of all that was good (and not so good) in the world of film and television in their review of the year that was 2022. From blockbuster fare such as Top Gun: Maverick to indie gems such as The Banshees of Inisherin and The Northman, to Bollywood action epic, RRR, Steve, Richie, Neil and Skye discuss over 40 films, television shows and books, some that they loved and others that they weren't so keen on. So get your best of 2022 lists ready and join the guys on Episode 90 of The Film ‘89 Podcast. 

The wait is over! It's been a whole year since Richie, Skye, Adam Rackoff and Bill Scurry gave their epic assessment of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring for the film's 20th anniversary and, as promised, the guys are back together one year on to give their in-depth analysis of the second part of Peter Jackson's epic trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002). This remarkable film is every bit as astonishing as the first, and then some. Not only are a slew of new characters and locations introduced, but there are technologies put to use here that would have a huge impact on the special effects industry for years to come. Aside from the film's technical merits, the story being told is done with such care and an exacting precision and with such deftly skilled craftsmanship and acting talent as to truly create a film for the ages and one that solidifies Jackson and Co's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's books as a true masterpiece of modern filmmaking. So pick up your sword and axe and step once more into Middle Earth with Episode 89 of The Film ‘89 Podcast. 

On Episode 88 of The Film ‘89 Podcast Steve and Skye are joined by Steven Saunders. So far this year on Film ‘89 we've tackled some of the really big films, films of tremendous importance to us as cinephiles and important to the history of cinema, films such as Star Wars, The Godfather and Blade Runner to name but a few. And they don't come much bigger than the film that's the focus of this episode as we finally tackle legendary British director David Lean and his monumental 1962 historical epic cum war film, Lawrence of Arabia, a film that was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and walked away with 7, including Best Picture and Best Director and in the 6 decades that have followed, has gained a hallowed status as one of the greatest films ever made. 

On Episode 87 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning guest host, professional film poster artist Tony Stella, to tackle a subject and a franchise that, surprisingly, hasn't been discussed in-depth on Film ‘89 yet, that of British super-spy James Bond. Skye and Tony celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first of the official Eon Productions 007 films with Dr. No from 1962. Based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which was his sixth in the series, published in 1958, the film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, it was directed by Terence Young and starred the late, great Sean Connery as James Bond. The James Bond franchise has become our most requested topic to cover on Film ‘89 and we invite you to join us as we take this long overdue dive into the world of the beloved super-spy for an in-depth and passionate celebration of cinema's longest running film franchise. 

With Halloween looming, Episode 86 of The Film ‘89 Podcast is a suitably spooky affair. Many of our listeners have been requesting that we bring back our Favourite 5 section so we'll be expanding that to fill an entire episode as Skye and returning guest host Stephen Simpson discuss their favourite horror film scores. Plus we have the picks of our friends and listeners as well as some listener questions. This episode is brought to you in conjunction with Psilowave Records (psilowave.com) where until November 5th, if you use the promo code FILM89 you'll get 15% off all purchases. Psilowave is an independent U.K. retailer of the finest in hard to get vinyl releases including movie soundtracks and scores. 

On Episode 85 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and returning guest host John Arminio give their in-depth analysis and spoiler-filled review of the first season of Amazon's billion dollar series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which debuted on September 1st and ran for 8 episodes. As well as Tolkien's written work, the guys make the obvious comparisons to Peter Jackson's six Middle Earth films and how successful this new show has been in adapting Tolkien's beloved saga to the format of long-form television. 

On Episode 84 of The Film '89 Podcast we return to the bridge of the USS Enterprise as Martin Kessler and John Arminio give their in-depth and spoiler-filled analysis of Season 1 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Spinning off from Star Trek: Discovery, Strange New Worlds follows the further adventures of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his crew on a show that makes a welcome return to the more episodic storytelling format of classic Trek shows. Martin and John are veritable Treksperts and bring their usual expertise and passion to their overview of what has been an extremely well received first season of the latest entry in the vast Star Trek universe.