Movie Nights & Matinees

Author Michael F. Blake returns to chat with me and Jim about his latest book, The Cavalry Trilogy: John Ford, John Wayne, and the Making of Three Classic Westerns. Ride along as we talk about the men and the movies; spotlighting Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Rio Grande, with a few others getting mentions along the way. A Bill&Debi Production

I'm joined by author Cathy Whitlock to talk about the subject of production design as chronicled in her gorgeous book Designs on Film: A Century of Hollywood Art Direction. Among the films discussed are Citizen Kane, Top Hat, Things to Come, The Wizard of Oz, Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia and You Only Live Twice, to name a few. A Bill&Debi Production

Author Gary May joins me to talk about the career of M.K. Jerome, whose songs enhanced many a golden age Hollywood film, especially during his tenure at Warner Bros. Moe, as he was known to friends, family and colleagues, is the subject of Gary's book The Tunesmith, The Musical Journey of M.K. Jerome. Gary has significant insight into Moe's life and career, given that Moe was Gary's grandfather. Listen in as we discuss Moe's contributions to film in a variety of genres, and in support of stars such as Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, Errol Flynn and James Cagney. Oh, and there's also that movie you might have heard mentioned once or twice called Casablanca. A Bill&Debi Production

Agatha Christie scholar and author Mark Aldridge joins me to discuss movies adapted from the writings of the famed mystery writer, as chronicled in Mark's book Agatha Christie on Screen. Gather with us in the virtual parlor as we discuss, among other films, Love From a Stranger, And Then There Were None, Witness for the Prosecution and Murder on the Orient Express. A Bill&Debi Production

Jim and I are joined by the multi-talented Nick Santa Maria, co-author of The Annotated Abbott and Costello and the alphabetically first half of the retro comedy team Biffle and Shooster. We chat about Bud and Lou, and what made them and their comedy formula so special, then segue into the creation and assemblage of the neo-vintage (seriously?) short comedies produced and compiled into The Misadventures of Biffle and Shooster. A Bill&Debi Production

As our first guest of 2024, Jim and I are thrilled to welcome the one and only Leonard Maltin, whose tenure as the movie critic for Entertainment Tonight spanned three decades, and whose books are a staple of any respectable movie reference library, in addition to his highly informative and entertaining autobiography. Join us as we discuss his career, his books, and here and there a specific movie. A Bill&Debi Production

With the first anniversary of the launch of Movie Nights & Matinees coming this week, co-host Jim Reid and I have a casual conversation that includes reflections on the first year of the podcast, as well as discussions of specific movies we've been watching or that are personal favorites. Popping up in the discussion are comedians Laurel & Hardy, Wheeler & Woolsey, Edgar Kennedy and Eddie Cantor, in addition to Fred Astaire and film historian David Shepard. Among the films we chat about are 1916's Sherlock Holmes, the Columbia serial Mandrake the Magician, Champagne for Caesar, the Crime Doctor mystery series, and even Gertie the Dinosaur. Jim also recounts the formation of his Dallas Classic Film Group. A Bill&Debi Production

Jim and I wind up the year by talking Christmas movies with TCM Library author Jeremy Arnold, whose 2018 book Christmas in the Movies has just been reissued in a revised, expanded edition. Join us as we talk about old favorites including It's a Wonderful Life, Meet Me in St. Louis and A Christmas Carol; as well as less well-known films such as The Cheaters, Blast of Silence and Cash On Demand. Then there's the matter of Die Hard... A Bill&Debi Production

Join me and Jim for a fascinating discussion with documentary filmmaker Peter Flynn regarding the demise of film as a mainstream exhibition medium, as chronicled in his 2015 film The Dying of the Light, and the impact of that change on generations of projectionists. The conversation also includes his prior documentary Blazing the Trail (2011) and his forthcoming Film is Dead. Long Live Film! A Bill&Debi Production

After a hiatus, Jim Reid returns to join me in discussing silent comedy pioneer Max Linder with Lisa Stein Haven, the author of The Rise and Fall of Max Linder. Along the way, we chat about Linder's status as the first silent comedy superstar, his unique mashups of stage and film in his early career, touring appearances that he used as opportunities to create comedies in unique locations, his attempts to launch an American career with such films as Seven Years Bad Luck and The Three Must-Get-Theres, and the swift downward spiral that culminated in his tragic and disturbing demise. A Bill&Debi Production

Joining me to talk about movie adaptations of works by Edgar Rice Burroughs are prior guests Scott Tracy Griffin and Will Murray. There's some additional discussion of a few Tarzan films, though that was mostly covered in Episode 2. This episode will focus more on the non-Tarzan films, from 1917's The Lad and the Lion to the 2012 big-budget adventure John Carter. A Bill&Debi Production

Brian Schell of The Horror Guys blog and podcast joins me to chat about movies spotlighted in his book The Horror Guys Guide to the Silent Age of Horror Films. Among the titles discussed are famous ones such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, The Golem, and The Man Who Laughs, as well as some that are less familiar, such as The Phantom Carriage, Waxworks and The Hands of Orlac. Our conversation (and the book) also covers obscure or even lost films such as The Last Warning, A Page of Madness and Drakula's Death. A Bill&Debi Production

Jim and I are joined by Paul Castiglia, blogger and author of the forthcoming book Scared Silly, to talk about classic horror comedies. Among the movies discussed are such obvious titles as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Ghosts on the Loose and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, as well as lesser known films such as Zombies on Broadway and You'll Find Out. A Bill&Debi Production

Jim Reid and I are joined by multi-talented musician, composer, songwriter and internet DJ Marty Ross to discuss rock & roll in the movies from its early days through the 60s. Whether your tastes run to Little Richard, Frankie and Annette or The Monkees, come along for a fun ride from bobby socks to psychedelia. A Bill&Debi Production

Jim Reid and I talk to author and publisher Ed Hulse about the history of cliffhanger serials, a subject about which Ed has written multiple outstanding books. We go back to the literary and theatrical origins of the serial format, and talk about silent and sound serials such as The Perils of Pauline, The Green Archer, Daredevils of the Red Circle and Spy Smasher, among others. A Bill&Debi Production

Recent guest Jim Reid returns to co-host as we talk with author Craig Calman about legendary producer Hal Roach as documented in Craig's book 100 Years of Brodies With Hal Roach: The Jaunty Journeys of a Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Pioneer. Listen in as we discuss the likes of Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase and Our Gang, among others. A Bill&Debi Production

TCM's Scott McGee and I take a look at Hollywood's history of exciting stunts through the lens of his book Danger On the Silver Screen: 50 Films Celebrating Cinema's Greatest Stunts. Listen in as we talk about a diverse group of stunt performers that includes Tom Mix, Buster Keaton, Buddy Joe Hooker and Charlize Theron, among others, and such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark, How the West Was Won, Ronin, Casino Royale, and Death Proof, just to name a few. A Bill&Debi Production

I pay a virtual visit to my longtime friend Jim Reid to talk about his massive collection of classic films and his experiences projecting them for audiences ranging from however many can fit into his home theatre to hundreds seated in historic cinemas in various cities. A Bill&Debi Production

I'm joined by film historian Frank Thompson to chat about his latest book, The Compleat Beau Geste, which exhaustively documents every adaptation (and spinoff) of P.C. Wren's classic adventure novel in film, television, radio, and on stage, with a glorious collection of illustrations, many in color. A Bill&Debi Production

My guest is actor and award-winning makeup artist Michael F. Blake, who is also the author of no less than three books on silent screen superstar Lon Chaney. We discuss such Chaney films as Hunchback of Notre Dame, Phantom of the Opera and The Penalty, among others, in addition to Hollywood's version of Chaney's life, Man of a Thousand Faces, which starred James Cagney. A Bill&Debi Production