Podcasts about ultimate darkness

The Emperor Paints - Akira Kurosawa's Dreams With the world staring into an unforeseeable future, I'm going solo with this episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos. This week I change the format a bit so that we can look at individual films until we can figure out a way to bring Mr. Chavez back into The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness. This week I take a look at Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (1990), a film that - over time - has grown in it's relevance and beauty. After the triumph of Kagemusha & Ran, the great director once again found himself unable to obtain funding. Seeking help from foreign investors (including Steven Spielberg), Kurosawa was finally able to realize this film that would capture the breadth and power of his nearly 80 years. Sit back and listen as I go into detail and what this film has meant to me as well as audiences across the world. Thank you for your continued love and support. As always, Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks!   

A Very Naughty Boy - Remembering Terry Jones (1942-2020) On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, I welcome Mike Black back to The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to discuss the passing of one of the great comic minds of the 20th Century - Monty Python's Terry Jones. From his appropriation of his mother's mannerisms to play one of the great drag women roles in television and cinema, Jones was an incredibly underrated writer, actor, and director. He passed away this past Tuesday at the age of 77. Although it is sad to look back at those great inspirations that we are losing so rapidly it's also wonderful to remember the magic that Jones gifted. It was a pleasure to have Mike Black - a fellow comedian and actor - to reminisce on Monty Pythons' and specifically Terry Jones on our lives and comic sensibilities. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. 

This episode we take a suggestion from a previous guest and stick our heads into a odd, incredible, zany and just all around journey that is TIME BANDITS from 1981 coming from the hard to argue creative mind of Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame. IMDB's synopsis is: A young boy's wardrobe contains a time hole. Through this hole an assortment of short people come while escaping from their master, the supreme being. They take Kevin with them on their adventures through time from Napoleonic times to the Middle Ages to the early 1900s, to the time of Legends and the Fortress of Ultimate Darkness where they confront Evil! And that's hardly scratching the surface. Join Chad, Billy and Derek as they try and keep their heads on straight through this one of a kind movie.  *if you choose to partake In the drinking game, please drink to have fun not to hurt yourself! And be legal drinking age! We need you! Thank you!* Make sure to follow my the workin on it network! EZXP: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFgW... and on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yWg3Rk (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&v=qwvepTncwDU&redir_token=zsjGsd-rXBzxKQo4ETySP52q5bN8MTU1ODA2NjgxOEAxNTU3OTgwNDE4&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F5yWg3Rk) ... and Untitled Mix tape: https://open.spotify.com/show/50lP5pd (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&v=qwvepTncwDU&redir_token=zsjGsd-rXBzxKQo4ETySP52q5bN8MTU1ODA2NjgxOEAxNTU3OTgwNDE4&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F50lP5pd) ... Artwork by weirdmike: Behance.com/weirdmike Like what I'm doing? Consider helping out the show: https://www.patreon.com/Bonuscommentary (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&v=qwvepTncwDU&redir_token=zsjGsd-rXBzxKQo4ETySP52q5bN8MTU1ODA2NjgxOEAxNTU3OTgwNDE4&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.patreon.com%2FBonuscommentary) check out just the audio at: https://soundcloud.com/user-824991008 (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&v=qwvepTncwDU&redir_token=zsjGsd-rXBzxKQo4ETySP52q5bN8MTU1ODA2NjgxOEAxNTU3OTgwNDE4&q=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fuser-824991008) And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonuscommentary (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&v=qwvepTncwDU&redir_token=zsjGsd-rXBzxKQo4ETySP52q5bN8MTU1ODA2NjgxOEAxNTU3OTgwNDE4&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbonuscommentary)

The Joker - An Iconic Cultural Villain (With Special Guest Mike Black)   On this week's episode of WatchThisW/RickRamos, Old Friend Mike Black returns to The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to discuss the history of The Joker - one of the most important villains in all of comics, film, and literature for that matter. We discuss the various portrayals of the Batman villain, from Caesar Romero thru Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, Mark Hamil, and - now - Joaquin Phoenix. Why has this character so wholly captured the imaginations (and fears) of readers and audiences the world over. He is a figure far more important than a simple fictional character. There's no one I know better to dig into this history than my friend Mike Black. Take a listen and let us know what you think.  Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. As always, thanks for your continued love & support. 

The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling & Kurosawa's Ikiru: Purpose, Regret, & Redemption On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Ramos goes it solo in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to talk Judd Apatow's 2018 HBO Documentary on The Life, Struggles, & Career of Garry Shandling (November 29, 1949 - March 24, 2016). Apatow had incredible access to the comedian's life, having known him for nearly four decades, and The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling is probably the most in depth understanding of Shandling's art, life, and spiritual self. It's a wonderful examination of the life of one of the greatest stand-up comics of all times . . . his personal, artistic, and spiritual struggles. Ramos pairs this episode with Akira Kurosawa's 1952 Ikiru, featuring a touching and brilliant lead performance from Kurosawa stock player Takashi Shimura as an almost anonymous political bureaucrat who discovers he is dying from stomach cancer and becomes consumed with finding purpose for his life. These are two films that have affected Ramos deeply, an emotional and thoughtful discussion of these two films which he hopes you enjoy. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. As always, Thanks for the Continued Love & Support. 

A Farewell to Burt Reynolds (February 11, 1936 - September 6, 2018) It's never a quick process, however when one of your idols dies it's necessary (maybe cathartic) to sit down and understand the emotions. On the morning of Thursday, September 6th I read that Burt Reynolds had passed away at the age of 82. Sometimes you have to come to terms with your childhood heroes and understand how that appreciation evolves over the years. From early television thru Deliverance and Smokey & the Bandit, Boogie Nights and up until his last lead role in The Last Movie Star, Burt Reynolds worked in Hollywood for nearly sixty years and was widely recognized as one of the great "movie stars" the industry has produced. What is less recognized is Reynolds as an exceptional actor. For a little less than an hour I find myself sitting in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness talking about this great man. Sit back, take a listen, and - hopefully - have some fond memories. As always compliments, complaints, suggestions, and advice can be directed to  gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks!

Going Back To The Comedy Store On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos Ramos goes solo out of The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to talk about the importance of The Comedy Store in his life and the steps that went into leaving and finally returning nearly a decade later. Just a quick change of pace that we hope you have a good time listening to. As always, thank you for your continued Love & Support. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com.  

The History of Television Part 1: From Carhode Ray Tubes to Ed Sullivan  On this week's episode of WatchThis w/RickRamos, Ibrahim & Rick sit down in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to begin a lengthy examination of  television. Part I takes a look at the early history of creating television, moving into the great early television shows that would make up the memories of The Baby Boomer Generation into Generation X. We talk Your Show of Shows, Leave it to Beaver, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Ed Sullivan Show, Meet the Press, and many other groundbreaking shows. Take a load off and join us as we take this trip down Memory Lane. Questions, Comments, Problems, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. As always . . . Our Heartfelt Thanks!

Greatest Cinema Heroes  On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Ibrahim & I take our mutual seats in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to discuss the greatest heroes in all of cinema. From defining what a hero truly is to the vagaries of the hero, anti-hero, and dependence on villains we tackle this question from a number of angles. We discuss each of our Top 10's as well as a number of names that just barely missed the cut. It was a fun time. Take a listen and let us know what you think. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. As always, thanks for the continued love & support. 

Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal, Jackie Earl Haley & The Bad News Bears - On this week's episode of WatchThis w/RickRamos I'm flying solo and talking one of the most underrated films of the 1970's, Michael Ritchie's 1976 Little League Epic The Bad News Bears (1976). With standout performances from Walter Matthau as the drunken, miserable, ex-baseball player and current pool cleaner, Morris Buttermaker, and Tatum O'Neil, Jackie Earl Haley, and Vic Morrow in supporting roles, this is a film that is a well-loved classic, however has never received the critical recognition that it deserves. So, I'm just gonna sit down in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness and talk this love letter to Little League Baseball. Take a listen & enjoy this walk down memory lane. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Thanks for the continued support! 

George Carlin - Celebrating a Genius on What Would Have Been His 81st Birthday On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos Ibrahim & I sit down in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to talk one of the greatest stand-up comics of all time . . . George Carlin. We discuss Carlin's fascination with words, his prodigious output (14 HBO specials and countless albums), his cultural influence, and - finally - his brilliance in creating material that challenged the status quo, common beliefs, and that always present line in the sand. Take a listen as we celebrate this great artist on what would have been his 81st birthday. Questions, Comments, Problems, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Thanks for all of the continued love and support. 

Kurt Cobain, 90's Grunge, Suicide, Controversy, & The Voice of a Generation . . . On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos Ibrahim & I sit down in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to discuss the Life, Death, Influence, and Controversy surrounding Nirvana front man, Kurt Cobain. Take a listen as we discuss three documentaries that deal with this subject: Nick Broomfield's, Kurt & Courtney (1998), Benjamin Statler's Soaked in Bleach (2015), and Brett Morgen's Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015). Still fascinating after 24 years, this story makes for a very interesting conversation. Hopefully, you will see that as well. Thanks for listening, and thanks for the continued love and support. Questions, Comments, Problems, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com.  Thanks!

Continuing with our practice of using ALL of our data for the month, on this episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, I sit down in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to continue our Question & Answer analysis of Cinema . . . It's Purpose, Importance, and - often - the misunderstanding that comes with studying this art form. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We had a good time and are looking forward to doing more of these. Questions, Comments, Problems, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com.  Our Continued Love & Thanks!

We had some room left before the data ran out, so Ibrahim & I decided to sit down - once again - in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness for a short episode of questions about Cinema, The Art, Interpretation, and Attitudes. Take a listen to a fun little talk as Ibrahim continues his interrogation. Thanks for the continued love & support. Questions, Comments, Problems, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Thanks!

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos Ibrahim & I sit down in The Fortress of Ultimate Darkness to discuss screenwriter Taylor Sheridan. Coming out of an incredibly prolific writing period, Sheridan has exploded onto the scene writing three of the best films of the last five years. Sicario (2015 - Director Denis Villeneuve), Hell or High Water (2016 - Director David Mackenzie), and - finally - Wind River, with which Sheridan made his directorial debut in 2017. It is rare that a screenwriter is able to so forcefully capture marginalized communities and dismissed men and women without being condescending in doing so. Three phenomenal films that deserve your attention and which we are proud and thrilled to be discussing. Please take a listen and - either - discover these films or sit back and listen to our assessment and decide for yourselves whether or not you agree with us. As always, thank you for the continued love and support. Questions, Problems, Comments, and Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com.