Podcasts

Andrei Tarkovsky: Nostalgia - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 23:30:24 -0700

Tarkovsky's sixth film as director, Nostalgia (1983) is a departure in many ways from his previous work. It is his first film abroad, but paradoxically it is his most patriotic film as well. Often regarded as one of his weaker films, but if the viewer is careful enough she or he may also find one of his most emotionally satisfying works.

Written and presented by Mike Dawson. Quotations read by Michael Storer.

Overlooked Gems: City Hall - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Tue, 31 May 2011 23:30:24 -0700

Harold Becker's conspiracy thriller City Hall (1996) could have been one of the most popular thrillers of the 1990s thanks to its impressive script and excellent performances - but instead it faded into relative obscurity. This episode examines both the film and its failure to capture to a wider audience.

Written and presented by Mike Dawson.

Guilty Pleasures: Moulin Rouge! - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:30:24 -0700

More emphasis on "guilt" than "pleasure" in this weeks examination of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! (2001). Please listen, I've not lost the plot. Honest.

Written and presented by Mike Dawson.

Analysis: The Opening Sequence of When Harry Met Sally - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Tue, 17 May 2011 23:30:24 -0700

Rob Reiner's When Harry Met Sally (1989) written by Nora Ephron, is generally considered one of the best romantic comedies of all time. Its opening sequence is something special as it perfectly foreshadows what is to come and sets the stage for the conflict between the two protagonists.

Written by Margit Keerdo. Additions written by Mike Dawson. Presented by Mike Dawson.

Analysis: The Films of Anh Hung Tran - Part Two - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Tue, 10 May 2011 23:30:24 -0700

Part Two of Two. Anh Hung Tran is one the greatest directors working today, in this episode of Left Field Cinema we examine his two latest films which move away from Tran's native Vietnam. Starting with cacophonic masterpiece I Come with the Rain (2008) then moving onto his adaptation of Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood (2010).

Written and presented by Mike Dawson. Additions written by Wilson McLachlan.

Analysis: The Films of Anh Hung Tran - Part One - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Wed, 04 May 2011 04:30:24 -0700

Part One of Two. Anh Hung Tran is one the greatest directors working today, in this episode of Left Field Cinema we examine his first three films also known as "The Vietnam Trilogy". Starting with his debut The Scent of Green Papaya (1993), his work improved with the violent crime thriller Cyclo (1995) and he became a master of the medium with At the Height of Summer (2000).

Written and presented by Mike Dawson. Additions written by Wilson McLachlan.

Analysis: Ghostbusters - A Family Fantasy or Adult Comedy? - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:30:24 -0700

It's a tale of a director and two writers. Director Ivan Reitman wanted to produce a family oriented film, screenwriters Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis appear to be aiming for an older crow. But who won the battle?

Written and presented by Mike Dawson.

Analysis: Wild River and the Politics of Elia Kazan - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 23:30:24 -0700

Elia Kazan's testimony before the HUAC in 1952 was the defining event of Kazan's career. From this point on his politics and sense of personal morality have been questioned by many in Hollywood and his actions have never been fully forgiven. But Kazan's films show a far more complex and nuanced sense of politics, sometimes standing in direct opposition to his reputation - particularly in the case of Wild River (1960)

Written by Wilson McLachlan and Mike Dawson. Presented by Mike Dawson.

Guilty Pleasures: Jumpin' Jack Flash - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 04:30:24 -0700

Penny Marshall's Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986) is an acute example of the bizarre trend in the 1980s of blending comedies and thrillers. For Whoopie Goldberg it makes an excellent example of her often underrated work as an actor.

Written and presented by Mike Dawson.

Analysis: The Romanian New Wave - Part Four - Podcast

Left_Field_Cinema — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 23:44:44 -0700

Part Four of Four. Occasionally the Romanian New Wave moves away from reality, in this episode we explore metaphysics in relation to Cristian Nemescu's California Dreamin' (2007) and Catalin Mitulescu's How I Spent the End of the World (2006). But where the Romanian New Wave is almost universally adored is in its aesthetics, in this regard Cristian Mungiu's 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007) is perhaps the very best example.

Written and presented by Mike Dawson.