POPULARITY
Categories
REPLAY OF AN EPISODE OF PARALLAX VIEWS FROM EARLIER THIS MONTH DUE TO A FAMILY CRISIS; PARALLAX VIEWS WILL BE BACK TO REGULAR SCHEDULE NEXT WEEK. MY APOLOGIES
On this edition of Parallax Views, returning guest James M. Dorsey, independent journalist and scholar at The Turbulent World Substack, breaks down the latest developments shaping the Middle East. We start with the high-stakes U.S.-Iran talks, where Dorsey explains the deep mistrust between Washington and Tehran, the obstacles to a deal, and why, despite tensions, he doubts Trump seeks a full-scale war. We explore what military action against Iran could mean for the Gulf States, Turkey, and the Caucasus, and the broader question of regional stability. Next, we analyse Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, D.C., his fraught relationship with Trump, and what's at stake politically for Israel as elections approach. Dorsey explains what Netanyahu likely seeks from the former president on Iran and why mutual distrust may be defining their interactions. In the latter half, we dive into the rising rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, examining shifts in Saudi regional strategy, the UAE's backing of militias and separatists, and the potential dangers this poses across North Africa, especially in Sudan. We also discuss the UAE's growing closeness with Israel, Qatar's positioning in the Saudi-UAE rivalry, and what these dynamics reveal about the future of Middle East geopolitics.
In Hollywood Haunts the World: An Investigation into the Cinema of Occulted Taboos (Headpress, 2026), Robert Guffey deconstructs the most powerful taboos of the twentieth century (and the initial decades of the twenty-first century) by analyzing how disturbing and transgressive ideas involving Theosophy, Gnosticism, Freemasonry, Darwinian Evolution, Surrealism, Freudian and Jungian psychology, race relations, paranoia, UFOs, xenophobia, political conspiracies, the JFK assassination, virtual reality, and alternate dimensions have been reflected in films — both American and foreign — throughout the past one hundred years. Popular films and TV shows that fall under cutting-edge scrutiny include Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley, Larry Wade Carell's Girl Next, Matt Shakman's WandaVision, Anthony and Joe Russo's Avengers: Infinity War, Scott Derrickson's Dr. Strange, Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, Jennifer Kent's The Babadook, Christopher Nolan's Inception, Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad, Oliver Stone's JFK, Mark Frost and David Lynch's Twin Peaks, John Carpenter's They Live, Alan Pakula's The Parallax View, John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate, Jack Arnold's It Came from Outer Space, Edgar G. Ulmer's The Man from Planet X, Robert Florey's Murders in the Rue Morgue, Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr., and Victor Sjöström's The Phantom Carriage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In Hollywood Haunts the World: An Investigation into the Cinema of Occulted Taboos (Headpress, 2026), Robert Guffey deconstructs the most powerful taboos of the twentieth century (and the initial decades of the twenty-first century) by analyzing how disturbing and transgressive ideas involving Theosophy, Gnosticism, Freemasonry, Darwinian Evolution, Surrealism, Freudian and Jungian psychology, race relations, paranoia, UFOs, xenophobia, political conspiracies, the JFK assassination, virtual reality, and alternate dimensions have been reflected in films — both American and foreign — throughout the past one hundred years. Popular films and TV shows that fall under cutting-edge scrutiny include Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley, Larry Wade Carell's Girl Next, Matt Shakman's WandaVision, Anthony and Joe Russo's Avengers: Infinity War, Scott Derrickson's Dr. Strange, Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, Jennifer Kent's The Babadook, Christopher Nolan's Inception, Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad, Oliver Stone's JFK, Mark Frost and David Lynch's Twin Peaks, John Carpenter's They Live, Alan Pakula's The Parallax View, John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate, Jack Arnold's It Came from Outer Space, Edgar G. Ulmer's The Man from Planet X, Robert Florey's Murders in the Rue Morgue, Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr., and Victor Sjöström's The Phantom Carriage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/film
In Hollywood Haunts the World: An Investigation into the Cinema of Occulted Taboos (Headpress, 2026), Robert Guffey deconstructs the most powerful taboos of the twentieth century (and the initial decades of the twenty-first century) by analyzing how disturbing and transgressive ideas involving Theosophy, Gnosticism, Freemasonry, Darwinian Evolution, Surrealism, Freudian and Jungian psychology, race relations, paranoia, UFOs, xenophobia, political conspiracies, the JFK assassination, virtual reality, and alternate dimensions have been reflected in films — both American and foreign — throughout the past one hundred years. Popular films and TV shows that fall under cutting-edge scrutiny include Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley, Larry Wade Carell's Girl Next, Matt Shakman's WandaVision, Anthony and Joe Russo's Avengers: Infinity War, Scott Derrickson's Dr. Strange, Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, Jennifer Kent's The Babadook, Christopher Nolan's Inception, Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad, Oliver Stone's JFK, Mark Frost and David Lynch's Twin Peaks, John Carpenter's They Live, Alan Pakula's The Parallax View, John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate, Jack Arnold's It Came from Outer Space, Edgar G. Ulmer's The Man from Planet X, Robert Florey's Murders in the Rue Morgue, Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr., and Victor Sjöström's The Phantom Carriage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/popular-culture
DAMTT: Where is Everybody? Don't Ask Me to Talk has listeners from around the world, not just C-eh, n-eh, d-eh which is a surprise to no one except Stacy and Eric. In other news Eric survived not just his gum graft, but his gum graft post-surgery diet and his cold is gone which means to keep him humble the universe sent him an eye that looks like he went a round. Naturally this resulted in a conversation around how wearing sunglasses may be the one vanity thing that works – covering something lame with something that makes you look cool (think Macron, pirates, Bono, and Biden). Stacy is on edge with her impending move leading her to point out it's like the book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, which Stacy is shocked to learn Eric has NEVER read. As for Cultural Blindspots, Stacy watched her first episode ever of The Twilight Zone and was rightfully impressed with how on edge it leaves you. Meanwhile, Eric watched an old Warren Beatty movie based mostly in Seattle called The Parallax View and a newer old movie, Gladiator. While not factual, it was enjoyable, but enough to watch number 2? Maybe not…as for the week's top topic, folding a fitted sheet, Eric shares a life hack, and Stacy invokes Martha Stewart's name. DAMTT is on Facebook and Instagram as @dontaskme to talk or email asking@dontaskmetotalk.com Next Time: The “real” as we'd like to see
On this edition of Parallax Views, libertarian gadfly Jim Bovard returns to dissect the federal killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis and its disturbing parallels to the infamous Ruby Ridge standoff. Bovard, author of ten books including Public Policy Hooligan, Attention Deficit Democracy, The Bush Betrayal, and Lost Rights: The Destruction of American Liberty, examines how federal law enforcement, including ICE, Border Patrol, and the FBI, have historically operated under preemptive “Rules of Engagement” that sanction the use of deadly force against American citizens. He traces the echoes of Ruby Ridge, where the Weaver family was ambushed by FBI snipers and U.S. Marshals, to the recent Minneapolis shooting, highlighting patterns of threat inflation, government cover-ups, and the erosion of civil liberties. In this episode, we discuss Alex Pretti's killing—shot in the back multiple times despite surrendering a legally carried firearm—and the official government narrative that quickly labeled him a “domestic terrorist.” Bovard contrasts the federal and political spin surrounding Pretti with the 1992 FBI and ATF operations in Idaho, where Randy and Vicki Weaver, along with family friend Kevin Harris, were targeted under similarly aggressive rules of engagement. He details how, in both cases, federal agents preemptively used lethal force, disregarded due process, seized evidence to prevent independent investigation, and faced little accountability, despite public outcry and judicial rebukes. Bovard also examines the broader implications for civil liberties, gun rights, and freedom of speech, including how videotaping federal agents has become criminalized in practice and how political partisanship—exemplified by Trump administration officials and conservative media—can shape public acceptance of state violence. He unpacks the historical, legal, and political dimensions of these incidents, from the misrepresentation of armed threats to the systematic attempts at cover-up by the Justice Department and federal law enforcement agencies. This episode is essential listening for anyone concerned with U.S. federal law enforcement abuses, ICE and Border Patrol accountability, FBI sniper operations, government overreach, civil liberties in America, the politics of domestic terrorism labeling, and the ongoing legacy of Ruby Ridge in contemporary policing. Bovard's insights offer a stark reminder of how federal power can be misused and why vigilance is necessary to protect individual rights against state violence.
Death and Rebirth of EuropeA recorded conversation between members of Parallax and Dark Renaissance Productions discussing the idea of Europe's decline and the possibility of transformation.The conversation also relates to a longer-term collaborative project planned for Paris in 2026.Timestamps00:00 – Introduction and context02:10 – Where the idea “death and rebirth of Europe” comes from06:45 – Europe as culture, history, and myth14:30 – Sense of decline and loss of orientation23:20 – Tradition, modernity, and rupture33:40 – Is Europe already dead?43:10 – What “rebirth” could mean54:00 – Future conversations and Paris project1:01:30 – Closing remarks
January 14th 2026 Tom and Andrew discuss Camille Paglia´ Sexual Personae
The Apocalypse Players — a Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast
In which time shifts, an ongoing investigation is very briefly visited and the players must confront certain dualities, Yithian or otherwise… A modern Call of Cthulhu Scenario by Joseph Chance Cast: Josephine Arundel – Belinda Cornish Chris Caldwell – Dan Wheeler Max Davenant – Danann McAleer Charlie Westenra – Dominic Allen Keeper of Arcane Lore – Joseph Chance CW: This podcast contains mature themes, strong language and cosmic horror. This episode contains the evident sound of someone drinking tea. As ever, human discretion is advised. Music includes: Waves from The Past - Anna Dager & Hannah Ekstrom https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Kw21NkSu4j/ Celestial Spheres - Ave Air https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/5346c11d-81ac-458e-9d63-f53b8fa91321/ Who We Once Were - Gavin Luke https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/c9e485f8-2969-4b8e-9c75-829fe9ad9079/ Through The Alleyways - Jon Bjork https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/64978412-f992-3301-bdc8-8747a039ffd3/ Hiding in The Shadows - Ludvig Moulin https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/c4f88f81-2c2b-4d98-b64d-f9126470c734/ Tiny Scandals - Creative Cut - Heron Vale https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/tiny-scandals-creative-cut-orchestra/138177 Up To No Good - Alt Version - Score Maestro https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/up-to-no-good-alternative-version/137611 The Ninja Path - Jono Heres https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/album/blue-desert/10972 Hotel Lalo - Harry Edvino https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/a6d57ec3-cb02-405d-af2a-14931d1555aa/ Gravity of Fragile - DEX 1200 https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/6165500f-3d46-4509-b16d-d308229ee352/ Light Footed - Bonnie Grace https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/48833251-ac55-3e3d-9562-e632dde5b5fd/ Mysterious Antics - Dream Cave https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/e8a513fe-c597-39eb-a101-bc8898b50444/ Imber - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/19d624eb-2516-43ea-8c3a-52e92cdb68c4/ Scandinavian Folk 2 https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/bede20b4-36e0-3965-9fab-3d220dfc0444/ Landscapes - Helmut Schenker https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/f6e96196-103b-4260-b2bc-ec423116c6f9/ Sworn by Blood - Dream Cave https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/75628ecd-c5f2-387f-b01e-839e8b434bc6/ In Santa Ana - First Timer https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/8b74f82a-e721-4f93-b358-d214e6c00086/ Do You Really Wanna Be In Love? - Frigga https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/b94f0ef1-9a8b-311c-b358-537b560c433b/ Missing Memories - Christopher Moe Ditlevsen https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/M5e5wT9Ci7/ Tavore - Anders Schill Paulsen, Anna Dager & Hannah Ekstrom https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/3jAWMYFdtD/ Crucial Calculations - Gavin Luke https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/wJWNbpM3bh/ Sounded Blue Saga https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Ua4aSty4ml/ Murmur Forest - Rand Aldo https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/7amZAibTX0/ Where the Flowers Grow - Dez Moran https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/EcUT8PAe8b/ The Adjunct Anders Schill Paulsen, Hanna Ekström, Anna Dager Celestial Spheres - Ave Air https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/3ed2z62JCV/ Out of the Window - Farrell Wooten https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/uZpb17J0rN/ Redemption - Sunriver https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/redemption/93323 Bitter Bitter - Dylan Thomas https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/dylan-thomas-bitter-bitter/49435 Bound To Fall Apart - Jon Bjork https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/ecb4e639-62bc-3f2c-b48f-53c23b5b8cf0/ Savage Shadows - Semi https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/savage-shadows/134832 Those Moments - Hampus Naeselius https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/HmZtb2i0sL/ 3000 Years Old - Farrell Wooten https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/7a29bef0-58f0-303b-af94-575197610de9/ Enter The Realm of Shadows - Christopher Moe Ditlevsen https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/003fff05-76b0-44f2-bd5e-2d2b98e2b062/ Ebbas Not Right - Peter Crosby https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/4052c08d-d4c6-4974-b888-6aeaa505c4af/ Vapors - Ethan Sloan https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/yg5J0DyMEz/ Tension Mansion - Kikoru https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/eZkXkCpIjF/ The Prophet - Alec Slayne https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/JK03rRZisV/ Shouldn't Have Met You https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/shouldnt-have-met-you/73261 V1rgo - Ambre Jaune https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/0Pq5JDXcmj/ Hysteria - Anna Dager & Hannah Ekstrom https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/DOLsvJVimx/ The Closing - Hannah Ekstrom https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/yYkl9onNPg/ Incertitude - Hannah Ekstrom https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/YUW9T6jcJA/ Tviviel - Hannah Ekstrom https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/xdbASDVzOS/ Title: "Impromptu Exorcism" Artist: Tim Kulig (timkulig.com) Licensed under Creative Commons By Attribution 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Grass on the Grave - Sage Oursler https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/rJe82RQka0/ Void - WHENISEEYOUISEEMYSELF https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/fGp8lQImZt/ Grief and Isolation - DEX 1200 https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/c1flrtmhZU/ Invention No. 1 in C Major https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/1daa8eab-3190-3851-ac38-c41bc5033d84/ Take Five - Ambre Jaune https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/J8E0Z4qTMZ/ A Gathering - Farrell Wooten https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/TCFbG808lJ/ Spheres - Elliptik https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/EMaiTc6RNW/ The Duke of Norfolk - Dylan Thomas https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/dylan-thomas-bitter-bitter/49435 Twivel - Ekstrem and Dager https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/xdbASDVzOS/ Friends Make the Worst Enemies - Experia https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/bf0f9833-2f40-3525-b13e-166942b8e020/ Cave Dwellers https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/cave-dwellers/85396 The Lure - Christian Anderson https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/7WZdqHNOQ7/ Mist Over Lapland https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/mist-over-lapland/99505 Maybe Next Year - Spectales Wallet & Watch https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/IwdmifGfcl/ Seven Sins Later - Farrell Wooten https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/HFSjWZQDWE/ Stop Snitching https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/QCMBXV5202/ Jay Varton - Silent Castle https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/uKXncvlspI/ Follow the Falcon - David Celeste https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Trl1W1XgLF/ Work Undone - Pearce Roswell https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/4831fd82-d8e0-30c4-9351-5a1719d1163e/ The Search - Hannah Ekstrom https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/pKp55DWXME/ The Arctic - INSTRUMENTS - Jo Wandrini https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/QH3Sw8lU6S/ The Mire - Anders Schill Paulsen https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/cDx39w2F3D/ Metaformation - Ethan Sloan https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/8vz9arpHEB/ Shadowdance - Saira Ridley https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/xKz8svrmcZ/ Into The Void - Ella Joy Meir https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/into-the-void/127506 Bad Dreams - Mary Riddle https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/ed0ee666-a83d-3e3b-9eee-dd5d6ae5abd5/ Société Secrete - Duke Herrington https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/60be67f8-ed95-449f-b496-7959505d7577/ Over of This Town - Will Harrison https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/qpwpYDpGnv/ Excitement - Traditional https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/71e77fbc-eda1-3105-9c99-8f8319cf2532/ "SCP-x4x (Mind Leech)" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/music.html “The Liberty Bell” John Philip Sousa, 1893 - US Marine Band https://archive.org/details/InternetJukebox.JPS.48/01+Liberty+Bell+-+USMC+Performance.mp3 Restlessness Friedrich Burgmuller https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/68a0fdda-4805-3a03-954a-1bc12176a93f/ Work Undone - Pearce Roswell https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/4831fd82-d8e0-30c4-9351-5a1719d1163e/ Coma Visions - Martin Klem https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/17b0058f-00f6-3177-845e-2e449193e23c/ Etude No. 1 for Strings - Peter Sandberg https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/45e4a974-0361-3816-997e-6a7c7e77674c/
Alex and Nick end season 1 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project with Alan J. Pakula's Paranoid Thriller Trilogy. KLUTE, THE PARALLAX VIEW, and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN are three of the best New Hollywood films.The guys break down each film, Pakula's career, Gordon Willis' astonishing work as a cinematographer, the current state of journalism, Watergate, “Deep Throat,” JFK, sex work, and so much more.Part 10 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Instagram / Letterboxd / XSend mailbag questions to whatareyouwatchingpodcast@gmail.com
On this edition of Parallax Views, we continue covering the explosive developments of last week with the abduction of Nicolas Maduro by the United States. Joining me is Kyle Anzalone, opinion editor at Antiwar.com and host of Conflicts of Interest and The Kyle Anzalone Show, to break down what we know so far about the operation, what remains unclear, and what it could ultimately entail for Venezuela, the region, and the United States of America. We discuss the circumstances surrounding Maduro's kidnapping, including whether he may have been sold out by elements within his own government, as well as popular narratives pointing to Israel and oil interests as prime drivers—and why we're skeptical of those explanations. Kyle and I also examine the broader political context: Maduro's prior willingness to work with the Trump administration on oil, the propaganda buildup ahead of the operation (including Trump branding Maduro a “narco-terrorist”), and, most significantly, the role of Marco Rubio and South American Republicans tied to the Cuban-American exile lobby. In that light, we explore whether Venezuela is being treated as a testing ground or prelude for future U.S.-backed destabilization or regime change efforts in Cuba, the fractures this episode reveals within MAGA-world, and how war hawks have worked to cognitively infiltrate the so-called anti-interventionist movement to reorient those elements back into more hawkish sentiments.
In this episode of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by freelance film journalist Corey Atad, who has written for such publications as The Baffler and Defector, to break down the growing likelihood of Netflix acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery and what a Netflix–Warner Bros. merger would mean for Hollywood, media competition, and the future of cinema. The discussion examines how Netflix's ambitions could end up reshaping the entertainment industry—often at the expense of workers, audiences, and cultural life. Atad also analyzes David Ellison's attempted hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, a move widely seen as an effort to block a Netflix takeover. Despite positioning himself as an alternative to Netflix, Ellison—who is aligned with MAGA political networks and Silicon Valley power structures—raises serious concerns due to his erratic leadership style and behind-the-scenes dealings, including reported personal outreach to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav while actively attempting to seize control of the company. The episode further explores fears that a Paramount–Skydance merger could transform CNN into a MAGA-aligned media outlet, with Atad arguing that the deeper issue may be the accelerating collapse of cable news itself rather than partisan capture alone. A central theme of the conversation is how Netflix and streaming consolidation threaten movie theaters, which Atad frames as vital communal spaces in a time of increasing social atomization. Michael and Atad discuss how the Netflix business model, rooted in a Silicon Valley “disruptive” mindset, prioritizes scale and dominance over shared cultural experiences—placing theatrical exhibition and mid-budget filmmaking at risk. The episode concludes by arguing that neither Netflix absorbing Warner Bros. nor a Skydance takeover represents a good outcome, and that a functioning democratic state would prevent this level of media consolidation in the first place. Special attention is given to how a Netflix–Warner Bros. deal could harm Canada's media industry, where Atad is based. In other words, this episode discusses regulation, monopoly, culture, the potential death of theaters, and what it all in the bigger picture for America and the world through a conversation about Netflix's acquiring Warner Bros. It's a doozy at around 2 hours but should interest movie and non-movie fans alike!
Drusilla and Josh discuss Chris Nash's In a Violent Nature. From wiki: “In a Violent Nature is a 2024 Canadian slasher film written and directed by Chris Nash, and starring Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, and Lauren-Marie Taylor. Described as an "ambient slasher",[4][5] it follows a mute killer who is accidentally resurrected from his grave in the Ontario wilderness by a group of teenagers, whom he then begins stalking and murdering. The events depicted are largely observed from the killer's perspective.”Also discussed: Thanksgiving, Hero Quest, Wake Up Dead Man (2025), Emma (2020), Alamo doing some AI shit, The Parallax View (1974), Microfilm, Birth (2004), and more. NEXT WEEK: Martin (1977)Microfilm Linktree:https://linktr.ee/microfilmmusic?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=df4ca08d-8e48-4376-8ea4-a09cbdb89658Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/
December 15th 2025 Andrew Sweeny takes a look into the future
American Exception members on Patreon get first access to new episodes, and paid subscribers enjoy the entire library of the best historical analysis of deep events on the American Exception podcast. Join our Patreon at https://patreon.com/americanexception We are also on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@americanexception9407 Aaron and Max Arvo discuss The Parallax View—the 1974 film directed by Alan J. Pakula, starring Warren Beatty, and based on a 1970 novel by Loren Adelson Singer. We recommend that people watch the film before listening since we don't attempt to give any organized synopsis, nor do we avoid spoilers. Listen at your own risk! Follow and support Max Arvo on Substack! Music: "Silent Motion" by Mock Orange Special thanks to Dana Chavarria for producing the episode!!
Hello friends and familiars! We return to semi-regular programming... but not really. Dustin has commandeered the ship and is programming the month of November. Spoiler alert: this is the first in a month long run of him skirting, avoiding, and flagrantly violating the rules of the marathon Arthur set forth. And he starts of this violation with the second entry in Alan Pakula's paranoia trilogy, The Parallax View. We talk media, journalism, the 70s, and much, much more this week. Tune in now!
This spooky season on Parallax Views, we venture behind the Iron Curtain with historian Alexander Herbert, author of Fear Before the Fall: Horror Films in the Late Soviet Union. Herbert uncovers a hidden world of Soviet horror cinema — films that reflected the fears, contradictions, and collapsing certainties of late socialism. We talk about Viy (1967), the first officially Soviet horror movie and a chilling adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's tale about a terrified seminarian forced to pray over a witch's corpse. From there, Herbert explores how later Soviet filmmakers created movies that were either horror or horror-adjacent. It's an exploration of a rather unexplored topic. It's a conversation about horror, history, and ideology — and how the Soviet Union's final decades produced some of the most fascinating and overlooked genre films ever made.
On this edition of Parallax Views, we continue our annual Spooky Season series with a chilling deep dive into one of Hollywood's most infamous real-life tragedies — the Twilight Zone: The Movie helicopter crash. Journalist Steve Chain, author of Fly By Night: The Secret Story of Steven Spielberg, Warner Bros., and the Twilight Zone Deaths, joins the show to uncover the haunting true story that forever changed the film industry. Chain's explosive investigation revisits the 1982 disaster that claimed the lives of actor Vic Morrow and two children on set — and the five-year legal battle that followed. Was it a tragic accident, or was there a cover-up to protect some of Hollywood's most powerful names, including John Landis and Steven Spielberg? Chain pulls back the curtain on the shocking evidence, courtroom drama, and corporate maneuvering behind one of Tinseltown's darkest chapters. As part of Parallax Views' spooky season lineup, this episode isn't about ghosts or monsters — it's about real-life horror: power, negligence, and the human cost of spectacle. If you're fascinated by true crime, Hollywood scandals, media history, or the eerie intersection of fame and tragedy, you won't want to miss this one.
On this edition of Parallax Views, we continue our Halloween “spooky season” series with an episode exploring how true crime stories—particularly those involving serial killers—are brought to life on screen. Screenwriter Stephen Johnston joins the show to discuss the process of writing films about notorious figures like Ed Gein, Ted Bundy, and The Hillside Stranglers (Angelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi). Johnston's screenwriting credits include Chuck Parello's Ed Gein (2000; aka In the Light of the Moon), starring Steve Railsback (known for his portrayal of Charles Manson in the 1976 TV film Helter Skelter) and Carrie Snodgress (Diary of a Mad Housewife); Matthew Bright's darkly comic and controversial Ted Bundy (2002); and Parello's The Hillside Strangler (2004), featuring C. Thomas Howell (Red Dawn) and Nicolas Turturro (NYPD Blue). Most recently, Johnston wrote the screenplay for Chad Ferrin's Ed Kemper, a biopic about “The Co-Ed Killer” that received its video-on-demand (VOD) release earlier this year.