The Film 89 Podcast

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.