Episode 123: Episode 123 - “Pressure and Time” - 30 Years of The Shawshank Redemption (1994).

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. 

On Episode 121 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning guest host, filmmaker Martin Kessler, to give you their in-depth and spoiler-filled review of director Fede Alvarez’s new film, Alien: Romulus, the seventh film in the saga that began 45 years ago with Ridley Scott’s seminal Alien. Following Scott’s two most recent films in the franchise, pseudo-prequel Prometheus (2012) and it’s follow up, Alien: Covenant (2017), Alvarez’s film is set 20 years after Alien but 37 years before James Cameron’s Aliens to tell an isolated story of a crew of young Weyland Yutani mining colony workers who end up going head to head with the deadly creatures on an abandoned space station. Will Alvarez’s film breathe new life into a franchise that some feel was choked by Scott’s previous two films’ over-intellectualisation of the series, or will it just give fans a force-fed meal of Alien related best-of moments? 

On Episode 120 of The Film ‘89 Podcast we’re doing something we haven’t done for a long time - reviewing a new comic book movie - Disney/Marvel Studios’ latest cinematic outing, and their first ever R-rated superhero film, Deadpool & Wolverine, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. As well as giving their in-depth and spoiler-filled review and analysis of the new film, Neil and Skye give their thoughts on the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the superhero genre in general after several years of output that have been far from great in terms of critical and commercial success. They discuss whether Deadpool & Wolverine’s box office success is a sign of a turnaround for the MCU, or just a brief anomaly, brought about by a very unique set of circumstances that allowed Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy an opportunity to make a third Deadpool film that openly mocks a sub-genre of film that’s lost its way.

On Episode 119 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve, Skye and Bill Scurry discuss a film that’s been high on the list of films that they’ve most wanted to dedicate an episode to since the podcast began. The one big stumbling block that was preventing them from doing so was it’s lack of availability on any kind of modern HD format, having never even had a release on Blu-Ray. But fortunately it was given a shiny new 4K upgrade earlier this year for its 35th anniversary. That film is of course The Abyss, James Cameron’s 1989 underwater science fiction thriller that got a significantly bulked up rerelease in 1993 in the form of the considerably longer and undeniably better Special Edition. As well as their usual in-depth analysis of the film, they take the deep dive into the making of The Abyss, a film whose production was one of the most ambitious and frankly arduous ever attempted. 

On Episode 118 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Steve and Skye discuss a film that they’ve been eager to cover since the podcast began, a film from the podcast’s namesake year of 1989, Spike Lee’s seminal story of a baking hot day in Brooklyn where the ever increasing heat pushes racial and cultural tensions to breaking point, Do The Right Thing. Joining them is a guest host making his long overdue Film ‘89 debut. He’s the founder and co-host of the brilliant Zebras in America podcast, his vast wealth of writing on film can be found at PinnlandEmpire.com, he’s a frequent contributor at ThePinkSmoke.com and he’s as passionate and knowledgeable a cinephile as you’re likely to find anywhere, Mr Marcus Pinn. Marcus and the guys discuss the brilliant ensemble cast of Lee’s film, in which he stars alongside Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Danny Aiello, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Rosie Perez, Samuel L. Jackson, Martin Lawrence and many more. They discuss Ernest Dickerson’s astonishing cinematography as well as the film’s complex themes of racial intolerance. Do The Right Thing remains an all time classic of cinema and one of the most important films of the 1980’s. 

On Episode 117 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, we address the fact that only one of director Quentin Tarantino’s films has had a dedicated episode of Film ‘89, way back in 2019. For our long overdue return to the work of one of modern Hollywood’s most revered auteurs, we’ve decided to finally cover one of our listeners’ most requested films, Tarantino’s stunning sophomore effort, Pulp Fiction. A sensation upon its release having taken the 1994 Cannes Film Festival by storm, winning the coveted Palm d’Or, Pulp Fiction would whip up a storm of controversy but also receive widespread critical acclaim, going on to be considered one of the greatest and most influential films of the 1990’s and inspiring a slew of wannabe cool crime dramas in its wake. If Reservoir Dogs was Tarantino’s incendiary debut then Pulp Fiction was a truly explosive phenomenon, a directorial follow-up that gave the independent film movement a boost like few other films in the ‘90s. Join Steve, Skye and returning guest hosts, Leighton Winstone and Kyle Reardon as they celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the most remarkable and perfectly constructed motion pictures ever made.  

On Episode 116 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye is joined by returning co-hosts Adam Rackoff, Bill Scurry and John Arminio to continue Film ‘89’s coverage of the original Star Trek films. Having covered The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan on previous episodes, the guys now celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Following on from the harrowing events of the second film and the loss of Spock, actor Leonard Nimoy would make his directorial debut and craft a film about death and, as the title suggests, rebirth. Employing superb practical and optical effects that more than hold up 40 years on, the guys fight the corner for a Trek film that they feel is somewhat underrated as well as providing their usual passionate and in-depth analysis in this celebration of the film and where for them it ranks amongst the numerous big screen Trek outings. 

On Episode 115 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Skye and returning guest host Stephen Simpson don their fire retardant suits as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Towering Inferno, Producer and co-director Irwin Allen and director John Guillermin’s big screen adaptation of not one but two books and a film that surely ranks as one of, if not THE greatest disaster films of all time. With a star studded ensemble cast including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Robert Vaughn, Richard Chamberlain, Jennifer Jones, Robert Wagner and many more, The Towering Inferno would go on to be a huge critical and commercial success, garnering 8 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. A showcase of some astounding practical effects and stunt work, The Towering Inferno isn’t just a rollicking action spectacle but also a superbly made drama and a somber cautionary tale. 

On episode 114 of The Film ‘89 Podcast, Leighton Winstone and filmmaker Kyle Reardon join Steve and Skye as they did two years ago when they celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Godfather. Now they’re back to celebrate the 50th anniversary of possibly the greatest sequel ever made, The Godfather Part II. A huge critical success upon it’s release, it would go on to be nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning 6 for Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction/Set Decoration, Original Score and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro. It currently sits at No.4 on the long running IMDB Top 250 and is widely regarded as not only one of the greatest sequels ever made, but one of the greatest films period.