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Episode 71: Josh Hurtado

Bill talks to film critic and Potentate Films founder Josh Hurtado about his many pursuits, from writing for Screen Anarchy and contributing Blu-Ray special features to consulting for film festivals and teaming up with Dylan Marchetti’s Variance Films on a wildly successful theatrical re-release of S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR. Topics include: Masala films, SANTA SANGRE, Indie Meme, Psychobilly, the distribution of Indian cinema in North America, the recent reemergence of key John Woo and Russ Meyer movies, skinheads, John Waters and vegan warnings on Letterboxd.

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Episode 70: Willow Catelyn Maclay

Bill speaks with film critic and author Willow Catelyn Maclay about her various endeavors in film culture, from writing freelance criticism and creating the Curtsies and Hand Grenades website to contributing to special features to Blu-Rays from labels like Mondo Macabro, Arrow Video and American Genre Film Archive and co-authoring the book CORPSES, FOOLS AND MONSTERS: THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF TRANSNESS IN CINEMA with Caden Mark Gardner. Topics include: BLADE RUNNER, Simran Hans’ Girls Gotta Eat fanzine, Letterboxd, BOYS DON’T CRY, Elizabeth Purchell, the “Body Talk” series, constructive feedback from editors, COME BACK TO THE 5 & DIME, JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN and the Lou Reed/Metallica “Lulu” album.

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Episode 69: Erica Shultz

Bill talks to author and podcaster Erica Shultz about her endeavors in film culture, from creating shows like Unsung Horrors to writing and publishing her book THE SWEETEST TABOO and contributing special features to various Blu-Ray releases. Topics include Letterboxd, Horror Gives Back, Customers Also Watched, Emerald Video, DEEP IN THE HEART, lessons learned while publishing a book, Julia Smith’s BIRTH OF THE ACID WESTERN, second-screen writing, THE LAST SHARK and forcing yourself to watch over a dozen movies about La Llorona.

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James Laczkowski James Laczkowski

Episode 68: Imogen Sara Smith

Bill speaks to author and film historian Imogen Sara Smith about her various endeavors, from writing books like BUSTER KEATON: THE PERSISTENCE OF COMEDY and IN LONELY PLACES: FILM NOIR BEYOND THE CITY to contributing audio commentaries, booklet essays and on-camera interviews to home video releases from The Criterion Collection, Kino Lorber, Eureka!, Imprint, Flicker Alley, Arrow and Indicator. Topics include: John Bengtson’s SILENT ECHOES, Eddie Muller, writing techniques, The Criterion Channel, Courtney Stephens’ TERRA FEMME, her Phantom Light column for Film Comment, THE WELL, film lists/ranking and stumbling upon old W.C. Fields locations.

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James Laczkowski James Laczkowski

Episode 67: Katie Rife

Bill talks to writer/editor/podcaster/programmer Katie Rife about her many endeavors, from co-founding Everything Is Terrible, inventing puns for Mr. Skin and presenting films at Facets Night School to writing/podcasting for The A.V. Club, programming for The Music Box Theatre and freelancing for outlets like Rolling Stone, Vulture and Roger Ebert.com. Topics include: Mike McPadden, Daily Grindhouse, gatekeepers, Odd Obsession Movies, her book IF YOU LIKE QUENTIN TARANTINO…, William Morris, Film Club, Fantastic Fest 2017, online harassment, Elizabeth Purchell, ironically working for Jerry Springer and getting judged for renting THE WIRE.

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James Laczkowski James Laczkowski

Episode 66: Elena Lazic

Bill speaks to Animus Magazine founder/editor and film critic Elena Lazic. Topics include: Stéphane Delorme, PETRA, having a responsibility to cinema, The Prince Charles Cinema, STRAW DOGS, filmmaker intentionality, Another Gaze, The Relentless Picnic, the Oscars, Cahiers du Cinéma, the solitary nature of writing, TITANE, Reverse Shot, Vincent D'Onofrio and developing critical faculties through disappointment with INSPECTOR GADGET.

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James Laczkowski James Laczkowski

Episode 65: Brad Stevens

Bill speaks to author and film critic Brad Stevens about his film cultural endeavors, from contributing to publications like The Dark Side, Sight & Sound and Video Watchdog to writing books like MONTE HELLMAN: HIS LIFE AND FILMS and ABEL FERRARA: A MORAL VISION. Topics include: Auteurism, Robin Wood, BBC’s “The Great American Picture Show” season, alternate versions of films, Sight & Sound’s Greatest Films of All Time poll, SCHINDLER’S LIST, Nicole Brenez, writing the novel THE HUNT, warming up to the films of Steven Soderbergh, physical media versus streaming and Abel Ferrara.

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James Laczkowski James Laczkowski

Episode 64: Anna Bogutskaya

Bill speaks to film programmer, broadcaster, writer, podcaster and festival director Anna Bogutskaya about her many endeavors in film culture, from co-founding The Final Girls collective and programming for BFI Southbank to serving as director of Underwire Festival, producing podcasts and recording Blu-Ray audio commentaries. Topics include: THE WIZARD OF OZ and tiny philistines, The Hot Fuzztival at the Prince Charles Cinema, TROUBLE EVERY DAY and arthouse horror, Yhara Zayd, Russian dubbing practices, “The B word” programming controversy, The Filmcast and parasocial relationships, the WE ARE THE WEIRDOS touring program and reediting a Pedro Almodóvar movie to discourage internet piracy.

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James Laczkowski James Laczkowski

Episode 63: Kim Newman

Bill speaks to novelist and film critic/historian Kim Newman about some of his many endeavors. Topics include: NIGHTMARE MOVIES, originality in horror, SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT, audio commentaries, Carlos Clarens’ ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE HORROR FILM, gatekeepers, toxic fandom, LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH and how a unique series of quirks in the British education system helped to prepare him for a freelance writing career.

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