Cineversary

In Cineversary podcast episode #64, host Erik Martin is joined by David Desser, emeritus professor of cinema studies at the University of Illinois and one of the world’s foremost experts on Asian cinema, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tokyo Story, directed by Yasujirō Ozu. They discuss why and how this film remains a masterwork, Tokyo Story’s prominent themes , Ozu’s unique style, and much more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #63, host Erik Martin honors big birthdays of 2 great horror films. First, he’s joined by Alexandre O. Philippe, director of Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist, to honor the 50th anniversary of The Exorcist, directed by William Friedkin; and then he partners with classic horror historian and author Gregory Mank to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Erik and his guests indulge in some Halloween frights and fun, exploring why these two films remain masterworks, how they’ve stood the test of time, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #62, host Erik Martin sends golden birthday wishes to American Graffiti, directed by George Lucas. Riding shotgun with him for this 50th birthday party is Barna Donovan, film professor at Saint Peter’s University and author of several books on the cinema, including Conspiracy Films: A Tour of Dark Places in the American Conscious. Erik and Barna will go cruising back to the early rock and roll era to explore the moviemaking, music, and messages behind American Graffiti, why this film is deserving of our attention five decades later, and what we can learn from the picture today. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #61, host Erik Martin commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Marx Brothers’ comedy classic Duck Soup, directed by Leo McCarey. His copilot this month is Robert S. Bader, director of the documentary Groucho & Cavett and author of Four of the Three Musketeers: The Marx Brothers on Stage. Erik and Robert will examine the lasting comedic power and influence of Duck Soup and the Marx Brothers and what makes this film worthy of kudos nine decades since its release. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #60, host Erik Martin honors the 30th anniversary of Schindler’s List and the 25th anniversary of Saving Private Ryan, both directed by Steven Spielberg. Joining him this month is Annette Insdorf, professor in the Graduate Film Program of Columbia’s School of the Arts and author of Indelible Shadows: Film and the Holocaust; and James Kendrick, professor of film at Baylor University and author of Darkness in the Bliss-Out: A Reconsideration of the Films of Steven Spielberg. Erik, Annette, and James will explore why these films still resonate all these years later, ways they were inspiring and innovative, what they reveal about Spielberg, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

This is your friendly neighborhood Cineversary podcast host, Erik Martin, here to let you know that we will not be posting a Cineversary episode for June, in case you were patiently waiting for this month's installment. And the reason being is that I've been doing some vacationing with family and then recuperating from some minor surgery – nothing serious, rest assured – which means I've not had the bandwidth or ability to create an episode for June. But the good news is that Cineversary will be back a month from now with a double feature of sorts – we will be celebrating major anniversaries of two different Spielberg works in July: the 30th anniversary of Schindler's list, and the 25th birthday of Saving Private Ryan. I've got a pair of fantastic guests lined up for that show, the first being acclaimed film historian Annette Insdorf, and the second our go to Spielberg expert Baylor University film professor James Kendrick, who returns for his third consecutive summer time appearance on Cineversary. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #59, host Erik Martin celebrates the 60th birthday of one of the greatest foreign films ever made, 8½, directed by Federico Fellini. His guest this month is Antonio Monda, known for directing and producing several films and being an associate professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Erik and Antonio will examine why 8½ is deserving of kudos six decades later, its important themes, what it reveals about Fellini, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at www.cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #58, host Erik Martin honors the 100th birthday of the timeless silent comedy Safety Last, starring Harold Lloyd, by speaking with Richard Correll, chief archivist for the Lloyd Trust, and Suzanne Lloyd, Harold’s granddaughter and president of Harold Lloyd Entertainment. Erik and his guests assess this film from a top floor view and examine why Safety Last is worthy of celebration a century later, ways it has stood the test of time, its influence on pop culture, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at Cineversary.com and email show comments or suggestions to cineversarypodcast@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #57, host Erik Martin celebrates the 90th birthday of King Kong with three great guests: visual effects master Phil Tippett; Ray Morton, author of King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson; and TV actor, director, screenwriter, and producer Richard Correll. Together, they take the scenic route from Skull Island to the Empire State Building as they explore why Kong still matters, how it’s stood the test of time, its huge influence on cinema, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #56, host Erik Martin is joined by Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz and Farran Smith Nehme, whose writings have appeared in The Village Voice, Sight & Sound, and her Self-Styled Siren Substack. Together, they sift through the sands of time to uncover the golden truths behind The Treasure of the Sierra Madre as they commemorate the film’s 75th anniversary. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #55, host Erik Martin and guest Carrie Rickey, former film critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer, explore the hidden rot beneath the white picket fences of a small town and the sinister secret that threaten to destroy an all-American family as they celebrate the 80th birthday of Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #54, host Erik Martin learns afresh why it’s a sin To Kill a Mockingbird, as he honors the 60th anniversary of this remarkable work. Joining him this month is Chris Hite, a film professor at Allan Hancock College and an award-winning filmmaker, animator, and screenwriter of movies like FireStorm ’77: The True Story of the Honda Canyon Fire (2021). Erik and Chris pay homage to Mockingbird and explore why it’s worth celebrating six decades later. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

For Cineversary podcast episode #53, host Erik Martin revisits one of the most beloved and critically acclaimed films ever made: Casablanca, which celebrates an 80th birthday this month. In this installment, he’s joined by David Thomson, a renowned film critic, cinema historian, and author of Sleeping with Strangers: How the Movies Shaped Desire; as well as Kenneth Turan, film critic for National Public Radio, former film critic for the Los Angeles Times, and author of Not to Be Missed: Fifty-Four Favorites From a Lifetime of Film. Erik and his guests return to Rick’s Café Americain to hear Sam play it again and to examine why Casablanca continues to resonate and how it has transcended time. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

For Cineversary podcast episode #52, host Erik Martin takes a double dip into the Halloween candy bowl by spotlighting two seminal early horror films: First, Nosferatu, which marks a 100th anniversary this year, for which he’s joined by film scholar and Nosferatu expert David Kalat; and Cat People, commemorating an 80th birthday in 2022, for which he’s joined by classic horror historian Gregory Mank, author of The Very Witching Time of Night: Dark Alleys of Classic Horror Cinema. Erik and his guests peel back the cobwebs on these macabre masterworks to explore how they remain relevant today, why they’re worth celebrating, and the long shadows of influence they’ve cast upon the horror genre. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

For Cineversary podcast episode #51, host Erik Martin takes a trip down film noir boulevard to revisit Out of the Past, directed by Jacques Tourneur, which turns 75 this autumn. Joining Erik this episode is Eddie Muller, the host of TCM’s Noir Alley and author of Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir. They navigate through this classic film’s cigarette haze and dark labyrinth of double-crosses to examine why Out of the Past stands the test of time, how it’s unique among noir fare, and why it’s worth celebrating. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

For Cineversary podcast episode #50, host Erik Martin revisits the magnificence of The Magnificent Ambersons, Orson Welles’ follow-up to Citizen Kane that marks an 80th anniversary this summer. For this commemoration, Erik partners with two outstanding guests: film scholar James Naremore, author of The Magic World of Orson Welles; and filmmaker Joshua Grossberg, director of the forthcoming documentary The Lost Print. Collectively, they discuss why The Magnificent Ambersons remains a cherished cinematic work, why RKO removed 43 minutes from the film and how it significantly altered Welles’ vision, and the search for this lost footage. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #49, host Erik Martin takes an audio trip to the Emerald Isle to pay tribute to one of John Ford’s finest works, The Quiet Man, which enjoys a 70th anniversary this summer. Erik is joined in the celebration by two terrific guests: Joseph McBride, a film professor at San Francisco State University, cinema historian, and author of several books including Searching For John Ford, Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge, and The Whole Durn Human Comedy: Life According to the Coen Brothers; and Des MacHale, a mathematics professor at University College Cork in Ireland and author of The Complete Guide to the Quiet Man. Together, they explore why The Quiet Man remains so beloved around the world, its cultural impact, elements considered controversial today, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #48, host Erik Martin revisits suburbia circa 1982 through the lens of Steven Spielberg and arguably his best film, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, which marks a 40th birthday this month. Joining Erik for this installment is James Kendrick, a film professor at Baylor University who teaches courses on Spielberg and serves as the QNetwork.com movie critic; and Caseen Gaines, a director, educator, pop culture historian, and author of several books including the forthcoming E.T. The Extra Terrestrial: The Ultimate Visual History. Erik and his guests will examine how E.T. set a new template for sci-fi adventure films, why and how it has stood the test of time, reasons it’s worth celebrating four decades later, its cultural impact and legacy, and more. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #47, host Erik Martin turns back the clock to commemorate the 70th birthday of one of the most beloved westerns of all time: High Noon, directed by Fred Zinnemann. In this installment, Erik serves as a trusty deputy of sorts to film scholar sheriff Glenn Frankel, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic. Erik and Glenn explore how High Noon changed the western genre, why it’s worth celebrating seven decades later, its cultural impact and legacy, and what we can learn from this study in temporal tension today. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support

In Cineversary podcast episode #46, host Erik Martin honors the 70th birthday of what most regard as the finest Hollywood musical of them all, Singin’ in the Rain, directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen. Joining Erik for this installment is Turner Classic Movies host Alicia Malone, author of the newly released book Girls on Film: Lessons From a Life of Watching Women in Movies. Erik and Alicia examine how Singin’ in the Rain remains a bona fide classic 70 years later, why it still matters, its cultural impact and legacy, and what we can learn from all this genius singing and dancing today. Erik also chats with Brian Eggert, a film critic, essayist, and owner of DeepFocusReview.com, about Kelly’s unique approach to dancing on film. Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at anchor.fm/cineversary and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cineversary/support