Episode 99: GREASE (1978)

Celebrate 8 years and 100 episodes of NostalgiaCast as Jonny and Darin journey (at last!) to a galaxy far, far away for a discussion of George Lucas's o.g. STAR WARS Trilogy. Author R.J. Craddock sits in the gunner's seat for a lively chat about the movies' impact on countless filmmakers and film nerds, and how the 1997 Special Editions either did or didn't futz with our nostalgia for the original films. Also a special thanks to all our esteemed guests and listeners. We're so grateful that you've stuck with us, and look forward to many fun conversations in the future!

GREASE is the word (is the word that you heard) as NostalgiaCast returns to Rydell High for a boppier, bouncier-than-expected discussion of what is arguably the quintessential '70s musical, directed by Randal Kleiser and starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Jonny and Darin chat about the energetic performances, irresistible songs, and R-rated innuendos, lyrics, and visual gags that have been inadverdently enjoyed by families for almost half a century. With relish!

It took 98 episodes and double-oh-seven-and-a-half years for Jonny and Darin to talk about a James Bond film, but NostalgiaCast finally tackles everyone's favorite tuxedo-wearing, license-to-kill-bearing sex pest with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, starring 007 as Roger Moore. Popcorn Digest co-hosts Gareth Green and Andrew Raphael lend their Bond expertise to an in-depth discussion of Moore's best(?) outing as the character, as well as their histories with / fondness for the franchise as a whole.   (PLEASE NOTE: Darin's audio file was corrupted during the recording and was salvaged as best as possible. So in the interest of preserving the conversation, the episode is presented as is. We apologize for any inconvenience to your eardrums.)

I love the smell of napalm in the morning! Journey up the Nùng River with Jonny and Darin as they take a psychedelic look back at Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 epic APOCALYPSE NOW, starring Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, and Marlon Brando. But is this the Vietnam War movie to end all Vietnam War movies, 45 years after the fact? Or is the controversy about its making more interesting than the movie itself? Also, is Brando really the iconic actor everyone claims he is?

Look to the skies as NostalgiaCast attempts to make contact with Steven Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. Paperback Flicks hosts R.J. Craddock and Rae Davidson join Jonny and Darin for an out-of-this-world discussion of the groundbreaking FX, overly overlapping dialogue, and sense of awe and wonder that permeates Spielberg's 1977 magnum opus, plus how it compares to the rat-a-tat sci-fi extravaganzas of today.

Scoot and boot! Childhood friend Jason Payne makes his fourth token appearance on NostalgiaCast for a discussion of Carroll Ballard's 1979 children's classic THE BLACK STALLION, starring Kelly Reno, Teri Garr, Mickey Rooney, and Hoyt Axton (or, as Jonny calls him, "the guy from GREMLINS"). Listen as Jason, Jonny, and Darin speak in awed reverence about the film's breathtaking cinematography, enveloping sound mix, and its uncanny ability to "speak" to kids and adults alike. Take the reins and join us!  

For the latest episode of NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza, Jonny and Darin tackle the faux-documentary / biography / proto-YouTube video essay that is Orson Welles's F FOR FAKE. They talk about the movie as an examination of authorship over art, Welles's (brazen but ultimately unsuccessful) attempts to explode the documentary form, and how a story of charlatans, magicians, and frauds slots into the legendary director's manic career.

NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza heads back to the '60s for a discussion of AMERICAN GRAFFITI, from indie director George Lucas. Crank up your radios and bop along to the beat as Jonny and Darin chat about the nonstop parade of music and muscle cars that permeate this rock 'n' roll coming-of-age tale. But is it a fun and breezy time at the movies, or the same stilted slog as Lucas's later films?

Oo-de-lally, what a day! Jonny and Darin venture into Sherwood Forest to discuss the anthropomorphic action of Disney's ROBIN HOOD, with special guest Stephen J. Anderson, director of MEET THE ROBINSONS and WINNIE THE POOH! (I know, right?) Listen as they get to reminiscin' and this-n-thattin' about the 1970s as a transitional period for Walt Disney Animation, and the character designs that made ROBIN HOOD such a furry phenomenon. Then get ready for a full-on geek-out session about Mr. Anderson's seminal work as an animator and story supervisor on TARZAN, THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE, and BROTHER BEAR.

NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza continues with a look back at Michael Cimino's harrowing epic drama THE DEER HUNTER, which tries to out-GODFATHER THE GODFATHER with elongated, lugubrious wedding sequences and a shakedown of American idealism. Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, and the late, great John Cazale star in a tale about working-class joes torn apart by the ravages of war, and Jonny and Darin are there to walk you through the fun!