Film Gold

Antony Rotunno

This is a deep dive into some of the host and the guests' favourite films, many of which we consider among the pinnacles of film achievement.

37 Episodes

Episode 37: Duel (1971)
9/1/2025
1:04:13
This time round we present our second Steven Spielberg filmand one that was very much a forerunner to (and inspiration for) the more famous ‘Jaws’, as an ordinary man is forced to find inner resources and transcend his limitations in order to defeat a seemingly unstoppable force that can’t be reasoned with. By kind permission of Julian Charles of The Mind Renewed,the recording used here is from TMR’s 20th movie roundtable, featuring Antony as a guest alongside Julian, Frank Johnson and Mark Campbell. Dennis Weaver stars as David (every)Mann, a salesman driving his beloved red Plymouth Valiant through the California desert on his way to an important work appointment, when a predatory monster of a smoke-spewing truck inexplicably picks him as its unsuspecting prey. (from TMR shownotes)‘Join us as we examine the tension, explore the film'sminimalist brilliance, and ask what "takeaways" might be gleaned from Spielberg's early TV/cinematic masterpiece’. 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠https://www.antonyrotunno.com Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Mediapodcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.comhttps://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion: OnJohn Lennon and Life And Life Only) at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ‘The Mind Renewed’ website/podcasthttps://themindrenewed.com/episodes/2022-25/1646-ep084episode links‘Duel’ original trailer & IMDB pagehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m9aeCeHbiQhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067023/ Steven Spielberg on the making of the film (3 parts)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luG6wuSQYUEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKKd8z-3GXohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wob0Y0KVvC8 David Mann calls Chief Brody (Duel vs Jaws)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA0Y6SzEKrE
Episode 36- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 5 of 5
6/27/2025
48:00
And so we say goodbye as Charles Foster Kane faces the final curtain… Antony wraps up Citizen Kane’s final scenes, discusses the critical response to the film and its multi-decade legacy, and the final words -13 minutes of them- are given to the man himself, Orson Welles, aided by Huw Wheldon and Dick Cavett If you’ve listened through this series (and the previous3-parter on Orson), we sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed it 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠ Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles andPsychology/Alt. Media podcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.comhttps://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/ Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion:On John Lennon and Life And Life Only) at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ episode linksThe Snow Globe scenehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSj-BCOlGPY The Rosebud revealhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr93wwtiKQM Citizen Kane film pages⁠⁠⁠https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane⁠⁠⁠ Citizen Kane: Anatomy of a Classic (presented by BarryNorman)⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCez9Pgqb5s The life of Charles Foster Kane⁠⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Foster_Kane⁠⁠ The Citizen Kane files (Wellesnet archive)⁠⁠⁠https://www.wellesnet.com/citizen-kane-resources/⁠⁠ Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles(must-watch doc, 2014)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhtpfRl2wyE
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Episode 35- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 4 of 5
6/14/2025
46:08
Antony continues a scene-by-scene analysis of Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane. As we enter the second half of the film, things are still going reasonably well with Charles Foster Kane, but the slow descent into despair and emptiness will soon begin with the famous ‘breakfast table montage’.As you listen to this and/or watch the film, it’s worth asking a fundamental question about acceptance of reality and whether public acclaim is merely a poor substitute for something fundamental to a happy life. The final part of this series will be out at the end of the month We hope you enjoy the show! 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠ Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt.Mediapodcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.comhttps://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/ Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion: OnJohn Lennon and Life And Life Only) at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ episode linksCitizen Kane film pages⁠⁠https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1⁠⁠⁠⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane⁠⁠ Original trailer for the film⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dxh3lwdOFw⁠⁠ The life of Charles Foster Kane⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Foster_Kane⁠ The Citizen Kane files (Wellesnet archive)⁠⁠https://www.wellesnet.com/citizen-kane-resources/⁠ The breakfast table montagehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfl2M8B9WA8 Do we create our own reality?https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/intimacy-path-toward-spirituality/201412/do-we-create-our-own-reality How to accept yourselfhttps://psychcentral.com/lib/ways-to-accept-yourself Are the rich more lonely?https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/are_the_rich_more_lonely
Episode 34- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 3 of 5
5/14/2025
53:06
Our continuing journey into the world of Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane finds Antony beginning a scene-by-scene analysis, starting with the film’s Gothic horror opening,possibly the best-known final word of a character in any film, and then the sudden and jarring segue into the newsreel obituary of the world-famous Charles Foster Kane. We try to make sense of the sometimes absurdly non-linear structure of the film while admiring the remarkable artistry contained in every scene. The young Kane is brash, charismatic and successful in his professional and personal life, but his downfall will soon begin… Part 4 will be out next month We hope you enjoy the show! 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt.Media podcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.comhttps://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/ Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion: On John Lennon and Life And Life Only) at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ episode linksCitizen Kane film pages⁠https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1⁠⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane⁠ Original trailer for the film⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dxh3lwdOFw⁠ The life of Charles Foster Kanehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Foster_Kane The Citizen Kane files (Wellesnet archive)⁠https://www.wellesnet.com/citizen-kane-resources/⁠ The electric opening to the filmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFSjHBVx-xk News On The March!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ6QnaEQ7sY The projection roomhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZjkzM8N_oQ The full first half of the filmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74ol6mKC3aY The Union Forever- The White Stripes vs Citizen Kanehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X6PoXzpyz0 Renee Zellweger as Judy Garlandhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_dizVjNTbg
Episode 33- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 2 of 5
4/20/2025
47:37
We continue our multi-part series on Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane, finishing our prelude to the main film by looking at the shooting, storytelling, special effects, editing and sound/music. We also detail its commercial performance and the pushback from William Randolph Hearst. In Part 3, Antony will begin going scene by scene through the film We hope you enjoy it! 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠ Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt.Media podcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.comhttps://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/ Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion:On John Lennon and Life And Life Only) at⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠OR⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠⁠ episode linksCitizen Kane film pagehttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1 Citizen Kane: Anatomy of a Classic (presented by Barry Norman)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCez9Pgqb5s The Citizen Kane files (Wellesnet archive)https://www.wellesnet.com/citizen-kane-resources/ Gregg Toland (ace cameraman)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol3hAubwtM8 The Best of Bernard Herrmannhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0FRC1MTocs
Episode 32: Citizen Kane (1941) Part 1 of 5
4/2/2025
47:18
Following on from Film Gold’s Orson Welles special last time round, Antony this time tackles head-on, with another multi-parter, the grandaddy of American films, Citizen Kane. The first two parts look at the background and the making of the film before we go scene-by-scene through the film in later parts.This time round, Antony intros this deep dive and looks at Orson Welles’s arrival in Hollywood, his incredible RKO contract, and the writing and inspiration(s) for the multi-layered character of Charles Foster Kane We hope you enjoy it! 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠ Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Media podcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.comhttps://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/ Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion: On John Lennon and Life And Life Only) at⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠OR⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno⁠⁠⁠ episode linksCitizen Kane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane Original trailer for the filmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dxh3lwdOFw The Battle Over Citizen Kane (Welles and Hearst)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1W65RHqM2k William Randolph Hearsthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Randolph_Hearst Mank (2020)https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10618286/ Raising Kane (Pauline Kael, 1971)https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1971/02/20/raising-kane-i Heart of Darkness radio version (Orson Welles, 1938)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=201xgXsJMuA
Episode 31- Orson Welles: Mercurial Magician (Part 3 of 3)
9/25/2024
1:10:40
Just as Orson Welles finally bowed out in 1985, we must do the same. This time round Antony and Ghosty pick up Orson’s film career from his acting gig in the sublime ‘The Third Man’, a couple of returns to Shakespeare territory and a trio of absolute masterworks of his own making, namely ‘Touch of Evil’, ‘The Trial’ and ‘F For Fake’ (plus a couple of other films along the way). Finally we look at interviews, his fall from grace into TV commercials, more comparisons with Marlon Brando and a final summing-up of our feelings about his life and legacy. We (and Orson up there in the clouds) hope that you have enjoyed this latest series and Film Gold will be back before the end of the year for more. In the meantime, please check out Antony’s other podcasts (links below) 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠ https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠ Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Media podcasts ⁠⁠ https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/ Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion: On John Lennon and Life And Life Only) at ⁠⁠https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno⁠⁠ OR ⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno⁠⁠ Ghosty’s Cliff Richard & The Shadows podcast ⁠https://wesayyeah.podbean.com/⁠ Interview clips from Ghosty’s radio show ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GhostyTMRS⁠ episode links Website for everything Orson https://www.wellesnet.com/ The Third Man theme played by Anton Karas & also The Beatles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oEsWi88Qv0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1cHZSskXxw Poignant scenes from ‘Touch of Evil’ (1958) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTI6rN0Vmes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeccTYUrb_Q Law court scene from ‘The Trial’ (1962) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFGlB4a2B1I F For Fake (1973) podcast deep dive https://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/2020/08/episode-482-f-for-fake-1973.html Recommended documentaries about Orson (Arena special, Magician, One-man band) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFqW6b1hfFY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brVah-r65pI&t=1s https://dochouse.org/event/magician-the-astonishing-life-and-work-of-orson-welles/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eoN1m73xXk Simon Callow (Orson biographer x many) discusses him on the ‘Great Lives’ podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b0b1r3hs Classic Orson interviews (Dick Cavett 1970, Michael Parkinson 1974) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NTOSevzp4w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NTOSevzp4w Orson loses it over frozen peas! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyko_oQ0da8
Episode 30- Orson Welles: Mercurial Magician (Part 2 of 3)
9/4/2024
1:10:10
We continue our Orson Welles journey, accompanied by uberfan David ‘Ghosty’ Wills, with discussion of the big daddy of all films, 1941’s Citizen Kane. Was this both a blessing and a curse for Orson’s career? We also discuss Welles’s forays into wartime politics and the films ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’,, ‘The Stranger’, ‘The Lady From Shanghai’ and ‘Macbeth’. The final part will be out at the end of the month We hope you enjoy the show! 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠ https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠ Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Media podcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/ Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion: On John Lennon and Life And Life Only) at ⁠https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno⁠ OR ⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno⁠ Ghosty’s Cliff Richard & The Shadows podcast https://wesayyeah.podbean.com/ Interview clips from Ghosty’s radio show https://www.youtube.com/@GhostyTMRS episode links Heart of Darkness radio adaptation (1938) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcKH74lnPEo Citizen Kane Wikipedia and IMDB pages https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Kane https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/ The Citizen Kane Book by Pauline Kael https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/352259.The_Citizen_Kane_Book The Battle Over Citizen Kane (1996 documentary) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG75tMSNnmY Citizen Kane: A critic’s commentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6LCfO0wnXw Orson Welles on Race Relations (1946 radio show) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFraBvYO5jI Everything Is A Remix (doc series about creativity) https://www.everythingisaremix.info/watch-the-series/
Episode 29- Orson Welles: Mercurial Magician (Part 1 of 3)
7/30/2024
1:09:55
Following on from our Marlon Brando and Michael Caine deep dives in the last few years, this time Orson Welles gets the Film Gold treatment. David ‘Ghosty’ Wills joins Antony for a 3-parter looking at the great man’s life, work and legacy. First up we discuss Orson’s early life and the start of his theatre and radio careers, both of which Ghosty feels are somewhat undervalued when compared to his more famous film work. Part 1 ends with the famous ‘War of the Worlds’ broadcast in 1938, our hero on the cusp of going to Hollywood and making the film that would make and break him… Part 2 will be out next month We hope you enjoy the show! 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠ https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠ Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Media podcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/ Support Antony’s podcast work (Film Gold, Glass Onion: On John Lennon and Life And Life Only) at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno OR https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno Ghosty’s Cliff Richard & The Shadows podcast https://wesayyeah.podbean.com/ Interview clips from Ghosty’s radio show https://www.youtube.com/@GhostyTMRS episode links Orson’s mammoth Wikipedia page (most of which is probably true) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Welles The Mercury Theatre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Theatre Voodoo Macbeth (1936) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wmWBki06yc War of the Worlds (1938, complete) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q7tN7MhQ4I Orson defends himself the next day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vbYyDh-BRI Night of the Living Dead news segments (1968) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AdWJalP1vo Orson Welles meets H. G. Wells https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUdghSMTXsU
Episode 28- Dr. Strangelove (1964)
3/21/2024
1:38:21
We are delighted to bring you another swapcast with former Film Gold guest and my podcasting ‘spiritual brother’, Julian Charles of ‘The Mind Renewed’. On the docket this time is a true classic from the master, Stanley Kubrick. It’s a film that works beautifully on the level of pure comedy but is absolutely packed with layers of meaning, both overt and subtle, and is a showcase for the remarkable and unique talents of Peter Sellers. Julian and Antony talk about Kubrick, Sellers, the rest of the cast, the film’s many virtues, its themes and much more… We hope you enjoy the show! 'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms. Feedback to [email protected] Facebook⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠https://twitter.com/FilmGold75⁠⁠ Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts) ⁠⁠https://www.antonyrotunno.com⁠⁠ Antony’s John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Media podcasts ⁠⁠https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/⁠ Julian’s website and podcast https://themindrenewed.com/ episode links The Making of Dr. Strangelove https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ6BiRtGTAk Learning To Love The Bomb (video essay) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ6BiRtGTAk On Thermonuclear War (Herman Kahn) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Thermonuclear_War Peter Sellers and George C Scott ‘interviews’ on the set (1963) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7NnTmxcFt4

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Film Gold

Antony Rotunno

37 Episodes

Episode 37: Duel (1971)

Episode 36- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 5 of 5

Episode 35- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 4 of 5

Episode 34- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 3 of 5

Episode 33- Citizen Kane (1941) Part 2 of 5

Episode 32: Citizen Kane (1941) Part 1 of 5

Episode 31- Orson Welles: Mercurial Magician (Part 3 of 3)

Episode 30- Orson Welles: Mercurial Magician (Part 2 of 3)

Episode 29- Orson Welles: Mercurial Magician (Part 1 of 3)

Episode 28- Dr. Strangelove (1964)