#83 Jaws 50th anniversary with Ben Mankiewicz & James Kendrick

In Cineversary podcast episode #83, host ⁠ErikMartin⁠ takes a deep dive to search for the perfect summertime thriller and finds it in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, which celebrates a 50th anniversary this month. Accompanying him on this voyage is TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, and Baylor University film professor James Kendrick, author of Darkness in the Bliss-Out: A Reconsideration of the Films of Steven Spielberg. Together, they explore how Jaws marked a sea change in cinema, dissect the elements that make it a masterwork, hunt for key themes, and much more.Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected]

In Cineversary podcast episode #82, host ⁠Erik Martin⁠ hunts on horseback for the perfect film and finds it in Charles Laughton's The Night of the Hunter, which celebrates a 70th birthday this year. Joining him on this journey is Imogen Sara Smith, author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City, editor-in-chief of Noir City Magazine, and frequent contributor to the Criterion Collection. Together, they travel upriver to explore what makes this movie a masterpiece, the filmmakers it inspired, key thematic takeaways, and much more.Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In Cineversary podcast episode #81, host ⁠Erik Martin⁠ goes prospecting for comedic gold by revisiting Charles Chaplin’s The Gold Rush on its 100th anniversary. Accompanying him on this expedition is Jeffrey Vance, a film historian, film archivist, and author of the book Chaplin: Genius Of The Cinema. Together, they mine the priceless merits of the Little Tramp’s hilarious and impressive adventure, examining how it has stood the test of time, what makes the laughs evergreen, and how scores of imitators have been influenced by this masterwork.Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In Cineversary podcast episode #80, host ⁠Erik Martin⁠ lifts a golden chalice to toast the golden anniversary of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones. Joining him on this quest is Darl Larsen, a film and animation professor at Brigham Young University and author of A Book About the Film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Together, they collect several nice and inexpensive shrubberies, decipher obscure Swedish subtitles, and try to convince listeners that they’re not quite dead as they explore why this film still matters 50 years later.Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In Cineversary podcast episode #79, host ⁠Erik Martin⁠ marks the 65th anniversary of one of the crown jewels of world cinema,La Dolce Vita, directed by Federico Fellini. Accompanying him this month is filmmaker and Fellini scholarAntonio Monda, associate professor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Together, they explore how the movie broke new ground, why it’s still relevant, its multiple themes, and much more.Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In Cineversary podcast episode #78, host ⁠Erik Martin⁠ celebrates the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest romance films of the last three decades, Before Sunrise, directed by Richard Linklater. Joining him in this installment is the film’s Oscar-nominated co-screenwriter Kim Krizan, author of Original Sins: Trade Secrets of the Femme Fatale; and filmmaker Rob Stone, a professor of film and television studies at the University of Birmingham in the UK and author of The Cinema of Richard Linklater: Walk, Don't Run. Together, they examine why Before Sunrise still matters, the many movies it influenced, its major themes, and much more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In Cineversary podcast episode #77, host ⁠Erik Martin⁠ commemorates the 80th anniversary of one of the most beloved musicals in Hollywood history, Meet Me In St. Louis, directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Judy Garland. Joining him to discuss this seasonal favorite is Jeremy Arnold, a film historian, commentator, and author of Christmas in the Movies, and The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter. Together, they examine the many musical, mirthful, and melodramatic merits of the movie, how it has stood the test of time, its brilliant songcraft, and much more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In Cineversary podcast episode #76, host ⁠Erik Martin⁠ honors the 50th anniversary of the greatest sequel ever made, The Godfather Part II, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. This time around he’s joined by Harlan Lebo, author of The Godfather Legacy, and Glenn Kenny, film critic and author of Made Men: The Story of Goodfellas. Together, they explore what makes Part II an exemplary follow-up to the original, how the movie remains evergreen, key themes that resonate today, and much more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In Cineversary podcast episode #75, host Erik Martin celebrates the golden birthdays of two classics for the Halloween season. First, he’s joined by author and classic horror historian Gregory Mank to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein; and then he teams up with horror film scholar and author Kim Newman to honor the 50th anniversary of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, directed by Tobe Hooper. Erik and his guests provide plenty of discussion treats, with no tricks, examining why these two movies are worthy of kudos five decades onward, how they’ve stood the test of time, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].

In Cineversary podcast episode #74, host Erik Martin commemorates the 30th anniversary of the most crowd-pleasing picture of the past three decades and the greatest prison movie ever: The Shawshank Redemption. Partnering with him on this installment is Mark Dawidziak, author of The Shawshank Redemption Revealed: How One Story Keeps Hope Alive. Together, they chisel away at this impressive cinematic edifice and examine why this film remains so beloved, how it has stood the test of time, resonant themes viewers appreciate, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to [email protected].