Ep. 77 - Zero Day / Elephant feat. Steve Erickson

Today we welcome author, filmmaker, and (retired) performer Christopher Zeischegg for two films by notorious transgressive author Dennis Cooper. Cooper’s queer, graphic, sex- and death-obsessed fiction is disturbing enough on its own. Now he’s ventured twice into filmmaking: first with 2015’s LIKE CATTLE TOWARDS GLOW, a collection of shorts concerned with many of the same violent themes as his written work. Then he switched gears with 2018’s sweeter PERMANENT GREEN LIGHT, about a teenager compelled to literally blow himself up—with a little help from his friends. Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Today we’re joined by critic Steve Erickson for two films that dared to dramatize the 1999 Columbine massacre—both in 2003, barely four years after the tragedy. Ben Coccio’s ZERO DAY and Gus Van Sant’s ELEPHANT each encountered controversy, though only one would win the Palme D’Or while the other is now mainly available on YouTube. We’ll talk about the films’ very different approaches to one of the 20th century’s defining tragedies, and where (or if) we draw the line between insight and exploitation. Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

It’s the UNWATCHABLES Halloween special, and we’re dissecting two films that helped pave the way for last year’s subject, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. With help from return guest Zach Butcher, we consider how two earlier, less “respectable” horror movies deglamorized serial killers by putting us in their shoes: 1980’s grimy New York slasher MANIAC and 1983’s Austrian cult shocker ANGST. This is also a great time to check out our new and improved Patreon page! This week’s exclusive bonus content is a full conversation with Zach about our *extremely* combative rankings of the HALLOWEEN film series. For bonus episodes PLUS Marc and Seth’s reviews, special lists, and looks back at the UNWATCHABLES canon, join us at http://patreon.com/unwatchables! Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Today we’re kicking off Horror-tober with two classics from the undisputed master of body horror, David Cronenberg. And who better to help us than filmmaker and novelist Bobby Miller, the director of horror films like CRITTERS ATTACK! and 2016's THE CLEANSE starring Johnny Galecki and Angelica Huston. We’ll be discussing two films that blend horror, sci-fi, and grand tragedy in ways that churn your emotions as much as your stomach: 1986's existential monster movie THE FLY, and 1988's twisted psychological thriller DEAD RINGERS. Also be sure to pre-order Bobby Miller’s new book SITUATION NOWHERE at http://SituationNowhere.com, and get an autographed copy with exclusive art! Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

For the very first Unwatchables live event hosted by Akron's Nightlight theatre, Seth and Marc introduce a special screening of THE 5,000 FINGERS OF DR. T, the only film ever written by Dr. Seuss— one deemed too dark and strange for family audiences when it flopped in 1953, but now rightfully beloved for its surreal production design and infectiously absurd musical numbers. Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Today we welcome Letterboxd’s own Swartacus for the 2nd edition of our CANNES-TASTROPHES series. The Cannes film festival is the most prestigious of its kind in the world, and these films had premieres so disastrous that hundreds booed and even fled the theater. First up is Vincent Gallo’s scandalous 2003 art film THE BROWN BUNNY, which Roger Ebert famously declared the worst film in Cannes’ history (sparking a legendary feud with the director). Then we see whether that label REALLY applies to our second candidate, Gus Van Sant’s universally panned, Matthew McConaughey-starring mush THE SEA OF TREES. You can find more from Swartacus at https://letterboxd.com/swartacus/ Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Today’s UNWATCHABLES looks back on two very different films about the September 11th terrorist attacks. Paul Greengrass’ UNITED 93 came out less than 5 years after the tragedy and was the first Hollywood film to dramatize the day that many people weren’t sure needed dramatized. We’ll discuss what recreating the attacks means today as well as back in 2006, and then consider the other end of the spectrum: 2017’s simply titled 9/11, a chamber drama starring a post-TWO AND A HALF MEN Charlie Sheen trapped in an elevator in the World Trade Center. And if that sounds ill-advised… you have no idea. Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Today we’re joined by author Derek Fisher for two eerily similar, and similarly miserable, family portraits. Both are the directorial debuts of renowned British actors who would never direct again; both follow dysfunctional working class families; and both star Ray Winstone as *the* worst dad of all time. Only one, however, was too much for one of our hosts to finish. Is it Gary Oldman’s 1997 slice-of-misery NIL BY MOUTH, or Tim Roth’s harrowing 1999 incest drama THE WAR ZONE? You can find more from Derek at https://derekafisher.com/ Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

On the conclusion of our two-part episode on the STAR WARS prequels, we somehow find both more AND less middle ground. ATTACK OF THE CLONES and REVENGE OF THE SITH are generally considered the worst and best of the prequels, respectively—so naturally, we can’t even agree on that. Topics include whether lightsaber Yoda is a high- or lowlight, how you whiff the casting of Anakin two times over, and the future of both George Lucas and a Lucas-free STAR WARS. Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

On a special two-part UNWATCHABLES, our hosts opinions are galaxies far, far apart. George Lucas’ STAR WARS prequels were greeted with mixed to hostile reactions over 20 years ago, but these days some fans—even one on this podcast!—will argue that they’re worth defending. With help from our producer Tony, we’re tackling all three films in the most divisive STAR WARS trilogy of them all… but can a divided UNWATCHABLES stand?Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.