154. Paul Verhoeven: Elle

Our ongoing series on the works of Dutch provocateur Paul Verhoeven takes a dark turn with 2016’s Elle, a film that enters the mires of sexual assault, agency, and revenge. Where does Ben see dark comedy playing out? What skeeves Eli out the most in this movie? What did Wilson learn from a Verhoeven Q&A about his thoughts on the Roman Catholic Church? Isabelle Huppert and Verhoeven guide us to morally dangerous places…Pitch your video game in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00 Intro08:55 General reactions19:36 The many characters of Elle25:01 The film’s unpredictable structure29:51 Antiheroes: TV versus film; then versus now35:00 Reveals in the film; Michelle’s agency42:37 A happy ending?49:33 The mystery of Michelle54:31 Huppert’s performance; differences from the book

Step into 17th-century Italy as we dive into Paul Verhoeven’s BENEDETTA. The wild, true story of a Catholic nun experiencing religious visions while swept up in a passionate lesbian love affair. Why did Eli compare this historical epic to Love Island: All Stars UK? Why was Wilson advocating to free the nipple? And what specific insert shot did Ben feel was missing from the film? Tune in to find out!Show your devotion in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:02:43 Film context00:04:39 General reactions 00:12:17 Exploring the divine and human social structures00:18:11 Is Benedetta telling the truth?00:24:04 Sister Felicita 00:31:58 Sex00:43:01 Cinematography 00:46:40 The torture scenes00:48:08 Bartolomea00:50:27 Performances 00:59:08 Capitalism and money01:01:06 Singaporean film classification01:07:45 Verhoeven legacy

Eli sits down with friend of the podcast Russell Goldman (013. Zack Snyder's Justice League; 058. Sundance 2023 Dispatch) to discuss the making of his upcoming feature debut, Sender, starring Britt Lower, Rhea Seehorn, Jamie Lee Curtis, Anna Baryshnikov, and David Dastmalchian. Russell tells Eli about overcoming obstacles during production, the movie’s journey at festivals, and the creative collaborators Russell worked with to bring Sender to life. Visit sendermovie.com to learn more about the film and find festival screenings near you before its Dark Sky Films release in Spring 2027!Place a Smirk order in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00 Intro06:31 The Journey to making Sender12:30 Assembling the team23:04 Overcoming obstacles on set28:39 Sender’s relationship to evolving technology40:53 How audiences may encounter Sender44:06 Closing

Following his interview with Mary Stephen at the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival, Wilson has invited the storied director to return to Deep Cut to discuss her new hybrid documentary feature and her work editing the films of Éric Rohmer. As Palimpsest: Story of a Name garners praise around the international film festival circuit for its sensitive, witty exploration of her family’s history, Stephen dives into a different side of her personal history with the French auteur. Listen in as we ask Stephen’s thoughts on Rohmer’s process with actors on set, the authority Stephen had over the edit, and how parents tell–– or, don’t tell–– stories to their children.Tells us about your family history in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps00:00 Intro03:51 Melvil Poupad: Hot or Not 05:21 Rohmer’s personal and professional life08:42 Working as a Rohmer collaborator11:10 A Summer's Tale preproduction 13:02 The Rohmerian Type of Woman14:40 Blocking and editing in A Summer's Tale21:06 Creative input as an editor 25:10 Mary’s sense of time27:52 An Autumn’s Tale35:55 The themes of Palimpsest38:19 The Ending of Palimpsest45:29 Mary's Relationship with her father51:11 Mary as a director54:34 Advice for younger filmmakers and personal deep cut

Fall in love with three beautiful podcast hosts; fumble the bag with all three. To prepare for our upcoming interview with director Mary Stephen, we study her work editing Éric Rohmer’s A Summer’s Tale. Almost five years following our initial series on the French auteur, have our thoughts changed on his calm naturalism? We compare his work to more recent Deep Cut director Hong Sang-soo, discuss the structure of his scenes, and wonder about how Stephen helped sculpt time in this film. Most importantly: do we really find that pouty French twink hot?Spend your summer break in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:06:00 A Summer Tale context00:10:38 General reactions00:20:02 Film structure and opening00:24:47 Gaspard’s conundrum 00:30:48 Margot00:36:08 What is the film trying to say?00:38:15 Naturalism and conversations 00:44:05 The passage of time 00:46:15 The audience’s trust00:50:17 Hong v Rohmer, closing tangents

Eli flies in from his foray into his favorite film fest, the 64th installation of the New York Film Festival. It’s a year full of delicate, considerate, humanistic films: Sandra Wollner’s Everytime, Ira Sachs’ The Man I Love, Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid, and Mike Leigh’s Tender Loving Care. Ben and Wilson share their thoughts on two more films in the lineup, Hong Sang-soo’s The Day She Returns, and William Greaves’ Once Upon a Time in Harlem. Also, just for the heck of it, hear what Wilson thinks about Kore-eda Hirokazu’s latest, Look Back.Join the club, kid: find our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Keep walking in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00 Intro06:40 Everytime (2026) dir. Sandra Wollner13:05 The Man I Love (2026) dir. Ira Sachs23:17 Club Kid (2026) dir. Jordan Firstman27:31 Tender Loving Care (2026) dir. Mike Leigh32:37 For The Moon (2026) dir. Eric Baudelaire38:44 The Day She Returns (2026) dir. Hong Sang-soo44:07 Once Upon a Time in Harlem (2026) dir. William Greaves, David Greaves47:25 Look Back (2026) dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda50:59: Upcoming festival coverage

Before Paul Verhoeven was Hollywood’s pervert-auteur of choice, he was making massive hits in Dutch cinema like this episode’s focus, Katie Tippel. Ben’s main question for this episode: what is Paul Verhoeven’s worldview? To answer, the Deep Cut trio explores the economic and sexual exploitation of Tippel’s world, the surprisingly modern-feeling period filmmaking, and lots of nudity.Links:Adam Nayman on Katie TippelBen’s review of MahjongJump rope double dutch style in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:03:51 Summary, context, and general reactions00:19:08 Verhoeven's worldview00:33:43 Prostitution and sexuality00:48:47 Historical films and the feeling of modernity01:04:00 Exploitation?

Sex, violence, and metanarrative critiques of the audience! Our series on the films of Dutch auteur Paul Verhoeven begins with several bangs in 1992's Basic Instinct. After getting to know the thrilling perv, Wilson gets grossed out by Michael Douglas, Ben gets enthralled by Sharon Stone, and Eli gets confused about the ending. What big ideas lie beneath this spectacular erotic thriller? Listen on…Interrogate us in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:01:50 Introducing Paul Verhoeven00:10:00 Moral complexity 00:17:08 Context on Verhoeven00:27:15 Introducing Basic Instinct00:33:00 Nick as the protagonist; Michael Douglas as an actor00:41:25 The interrogation scene00:52:30 The end of the movie 01:02:29 Car chases and murder01:06:15 Themes and big ideas 01:14:30 Closing thoughts

Following his conversation with Film at Lincoln Center programmer Maddie Whittle, Eli returns from watching the series she programmed, Scary Movies XIV, to tell Ben and Wilson about fright, fear, thrill, chill… you get it. Stay tuned for Eli’s thoughts on new films Buddy (dir. Casper Kelly) and Something Real (dir. Evar Anvelt) and revival screenings of Cam (dir. Daniel Goldhaber), Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (dir. John McNaughton), and Wendigo (dir. Larry Fessenden), plus exclusive insights from directors during their Q&A sessions.Links:The full slate of films at Scary Movies XIVScare us in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:42 Festival intro09:30 General horror discussion12:13 Buddy (2026) dir. Casper Kelly17:00 Something Real (2026) dir. Evar Anvelt21:09 Revivals21:34 Cam (2018) dir. Daniel Goldhaber34:31 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) dir. John McNaughton42:56 Wendigo (2001) dir. Larry Fessenden50:31 Wrap-up

Eli sits down with programmer Madeline Whittle to chat about this year’s edition of SCARY MOVIES, which showcases the latest offerings in horror from all around the world. Maddie talks about her relationship with horror films, the process of selecting films for SCARY MOVIES XIV, and previews some of the offerings at the festival! SCARY MOVIES XIV will run from August 12 - 20 at New York City’s Film at Lincoln Center.Links:Film at Lincoln Center: Scary Movies XIVMaddie’s TwitterSpook us in our FREE patreon, discord server, and our socials @ www.deepcutpod.com Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:45 Maddie’s relationship with horror films and the festival05:54 Programming the Scary Movies festival09:25 Festival highlights 15:27 Why do we watch scary movies?19:12 Maddie’s Deep Cut Pick