Episode 125: Episode 125 - 2024 Halloween Special - 50 Years of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).

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. 

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.