The Projection Booth Podcast

Scott Reynolds's, Heaven (1998) is a New Zealand film that features crime, sex, and the supernatural. It's the story of our titular Heaven (Daniel Edwards), a transsexual, precognitive stripper who works for a violent member of the underworld, Stanner (Richard Schiff). Moreover, it’s the story of gambler Richard Marling (Martin Donovan), his wife and her lover, a psychiatrist. And, believe it or not, both of those storylines are all tied together into one larger story.Filmmakers Spencer Parsons and David Kittredge discuss the film with Mike. Actors Daniel Edwards and Jeremy Birchall discuss the making of Heaven while author Chad Taylor talks about the inspiration for his book and revisiting the characters in The Church of John Coltrane.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Directed by Doris Dörrie, Me and Him (1988) is based on the novel Two: A Phallic Novel by Alberto Moravia and stars Griffin Dunne as Bert Uttanzi, a man who has a very active relationship with his penis. On the day of his 35th birthday he begins hearing directly from his penis, voiced by Mark Linn-Baker. Bert is an architect who’s trying to get his plans for a new marina built. He’s overly dedicated to his work while his penis tries to get him to care more about the carnal pleasures in life.Heather Drain and Adam Spiegelman join Mike to discuss the film, talking genitals, and the dumb super powers.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samm Deighan and Bill Ackerman join Mike to discuss The Fly. Released in 1986, David Cronenberg’s film stars Jeff Goldblum as scientist Seth Brundle, a man who meets a journalist, Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis). The film tells the tale of their relationship as they get together and become driven apart after an accident changes Brundle irreparably.Special guests are Emma Westwood, author of the Devil's Advocates book on The Fly and producer Stuart Cornfeld who discusses his work on The Fly as well as Tropic Thunder, Mimic, and more.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Tykwer's Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) is based on the 1985 book by Patrick Süskind. The film tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw), a man born without scent and an acute sense of smell. He goes on a quest to capture the most beautiful scent in the world...David Kittredge and Josh Stewart join Mike to discuss the film and the recent Netflix series somewhat inspired by Süskind's novel. Writer Andrew Birkin discusses the writing of the film.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian De Palma’s 1984 film, Body Double stars Craig Wasson as Jake Scully, an actor in a low-budget vampire film. After a terrifying bout of claustrophobia he loses his job, his girl, and his home until fellow actor does Jake a favor by letting him apartment-sit at a posh pad. As an added bonus, there’s a woman across the way who performs a nightly ritual of self-pleasure and, well, Jake likes to watch.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We wrap up Black History Month 2019 with three white guys talking about one of the pillars of the blaxploitation pantheon, Super Fly (1972). Directed by Gordon Parks Jr., written by Philip Fenty, and produced by Sig Shore, the film stars Ron O'Neal as Priest, a drug deal who’s looking to get out of the game. The film was derided for its glorification of drug use and lauded for its soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield.Chris Stachiw and Rob St. Mary join Mike to discuss the film, its two very uneven sequels, and the 2018 remake from Director X.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Black History Month 2019 continues with a look at the 1972 film directed by Ivan Dixon and written by John D. F. Black, Trouble Man . Robert Hooks stars as cool cat Mr. T. That’s T that rhymes with P and this cat is great at pool. He does his business out of a billiards parlor where he holds court like a Sicilian on the day of his daughter’s wedding. Mr. T runs afoul a plot hatched by Chalky and Pete (Ralph Waite & Paul Winfield), a salt and pepper team of criminals who put T on the outs with Big (Julius Harris) and the cops.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get Rollin'! (1980) is the story of three very colorful people and their lives in and around a roller rink in Brooklyn; Vinnie Venzerrelli of the "Jigaboo Jammers", Pat The Cat, and Inez Daniels.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay Scott Smith and Patrick Bromley join Mike to discuss the 1990 film from writer director Reginald Hudlin, House Party. Starring Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin, AKA Kid N’ Play, the film is about a House Party and the wild shenanigans surrounding it. It’s also about a lot more than just that and we’ll be discussing the ins-and-outs of the film and the four other films it inspired.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Mandel's F/X (1986) -- also sometimes known as FX: Murder by Illusion -- is the story of Rollie Taylor (Bryan Brown), a movie special effects man who is hired by two government agents (Cliff DeYoung & Mason Adams) to stage the public assassination of a mob boss (Jerry Orbach) who’s turned state's evidence. What better way to keep the mob off the tail than by “killing him”? But things don’t turn out as easy as that.Jedidiah Ayres and Adam Schartoff join Mike to discuss F/X, its sequel, and the spin-off TV series. Special guests include director Robert Mandel, writer Alan Ormsby, and actor Cliff DeYoung.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the 400th episode of The Projection Booth, Maurice Bursztynski and Skizz Cyzyk join Mike to discuss the 1978 made-for-TV movie The Rutles: All You Need is Cash. Directed by Gary Weis and Eric Idle, this mockumentary tells the tale of the incredible smash hit band The Rutles, their meteoric rise to fame and incredible influence on the music business.The Rutles were the brainchild of writer/comedian Eric Idle of Monty Python, Rutland Weekend Television, (and more), and musician Neil Innes of The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We conclude our discussion about Ernst Lubitsch with a discussion of his 1942 film To Be or Not To Be, the story of Joseph and Maria Tura (Jack Benny and Carole Lombard), two actors in Poland who are in a current run of Shakespeare’s Hamlet though working on a new play called Gestapo. The new play never happens on stage but they’re able to act it out in real life after Poland falls to the Nazis. The film is one of the first films to openly lampoon Nazis, made in a time before Pearl Harbor -- though released afterward -- in a time when mocking Nazis wasn’t as acceptable as it should have been.Recorded at the studios of Podcast Detroit, Paula Guthat, Ken Stanley, and Lutz Bacher join Mike to talk about this stellar comedy of manners. In the first of a two-part interview, Joseph McBride talks about his latest book, How Did Lubitsch Do It?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first of two episodes focusing on Ernst Lubitsch, this week we're discussing Trouble in Paradise (1932). The film stars Herbert Marshall as Gaston, a gentleman thief who initially connects with Lily (Miriam Hopkins), a highly skilled pickpocket, before the two begin the long con with Madame Mariette Colette (Kay Francis), the owner of a Parisian perfume company. Unfortunately for Gaston, and Lily, and Madame Colette, things aren’t so easy when it comes to the fleecing...Recorded at the studios of Podcast Detroit, Paula Guthat, Ken Stanley, and Lutz Bacher join Mike to talk about this stellar comedy of manners. In the first of a two-part interview, Joseph McBride talks about his latest book, How Did Lubitsch Do It?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China (1986) tells the story of Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), a restaurateur whose finance, Miao Lin (Suzee Pai), gets kidnapped by the nefarious forces of David Lo Pan (James Hong), a seemingly innocent old man who is actually the embodiment of the evil spirit of Lo Pan, a demon who needs a woman with green eyes in order to become corporeal again and begin his reign of terror on earth.And, there are some other white people involved in the story, too.Tony Black and Vincenzo Natali join Mike to discuss this bizarre mash-up of Chinese mysticism and American action that only W.D. Richter could write.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks with writer/actor/director Bill Duke about his new memoir, Bill Duke: My 40-Year Career on Screen and behind the Camera, as well as some of his roles in films such as Car Wash, Commando, Predator, Payback, and more.Learn more at https://amzn.to/2CF2azMLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks with actor/producer Vernon Wells about some of his classic roles -- Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, Commando, Circuitry Man, Fortress -- as well as his recent work in City of Gold and the upcoming SOS.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Based on a book by and adapted by Leonard Gardner, Fat City (1972) was directed by John Huston and stars Stacy Keach as Tully, an over the hill fighter who says he wants to pick himself up and revive his career after he meets Ernie, played by Jeff Bridges, a kid who seems to have a lot of promise in the boxing world. We see their stories parallel and contrast one another as we watch Fat City unfold.Jedidiah Ayres and Heather Drain join Mike to discuss this wonderfully downbeat film.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timon Singh of The Bristol Bad Film Club joins Mike to discuss the 2018 film from writer/director/actor/producer/etc. Douglas Burke,Surfer: Teen Confronts Fear. It's the story of Sage (Sage Burke), a teen who confronts his fear of the ocean with help from the astral projection/squid + electricity incarnation of his father. There's military intrigue, inspirational monologues, and lots and lots of surfing.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special episode, Mike talks to Alicia Malone about her book, The Female Gaze. Malone has curated an impressive list of films directed by female filmmakers over the first century of cinema.Buy it via Amazon at https://amzn.to/2LutD9VLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Based on a novel from the early 19th century book by Jan Potocki, The Saragossa Manuscript (1965) tells the rather oblique tale of Alphonse Van Worden, a Walloon captain of the guard, and his circular adventures in the region of Zaragoza which is in modern day Spain.Rob St. Mary and Samm Deighan join Mike to discuss Wojciech Has and the multilayered nature of The Saragossa Manuscript.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices