The Projection Booth Podcast

After nearly a decade in development, Robert Zemeckis's Contact finally hit theaters in 1997. The film stars Jodie Foster as Dr. Ellie Arroway, a dedicated SETI scientist who uncovers a groundbreaking message from outer space, setting the stage for a profound exploration of science, faith, and human connection. Mike is joined by Emily Intravia of The Feminine Critique and Jamey Duvall of Movie Geeks United to discuss this iconic sci-fi film. The episode also features insightful interviews with actor William Fichtner, producer Lynda Obst, screenwriter James V. Hart, and SETI science adviser Seth Shostak, offering behind-the-scenes stories and deeper looks into the making of the movie.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

For a bonus to our Contact episode, here's more of our interview with William Fichtner who tells Mike about the favorite roles he's played in film (so far).Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

In a decade lousy with "nature strikes back" films (Grizzly, Night of the Lepus, Kingdom of the Spiders), visual designer turned filmmaker Saul Bass's Phase IV stands out as a hybrid of solid science fiction, nature documentary, and personal drama.This episode features interviews with the writer of Phase IV, Mayo Simon, along with actor Michael Murphy and composer Brian Gascoigne. Mike's joined in the discussion by writers Robert Hubbard and Josh Hadley.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

This is the voice of world control. I bring you an episode of The Projection Booth about Colossus: The Forbin Project, the 1970 Joseph Sargent film based on a novel by D.F. Jones where man enslaves himself via a supercomputer.Eric Braeden sets the record straight on Piranha, The Rat Patrol, and Escape from the Planet of the Apes.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Noirvember 2015 concludes with a little murder among friends in Danny Boyle's 1994 feature debut Shallow Grave which stars Kerry Fox, Ewan McGregor, and Christopher Eccleston as three prats looking for a new flatmate.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

A group of Michiganders created the public accessshow, "30 Minutes of Madness". Jeremy Royce documented this phenomenon in his film 20 Years of Madness.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Noirvember continues as we consider Louis Malle's debut feature film, Elevator to the Gallows AKA Ascenseur pour l'échafaud, which stars Jeanne Moreau as Florence and Maurice Ronet as Julien.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

On this special episode, Mike talked with filmmakers Joan Kramer and David Heeley about their book, In the Company of Legends.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Noirvember continues as we look at Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 sci-fi philosophical Noir starring Eddie Constantine and Anna Karina, Alphaville.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

On a rare "sequel episode" we return to Harold Warren's Manos: The Hands of Fate to check out the restored Blu-Ray release and talk to the creators of Manos Returns and Manos: The Hands of Felt.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Noirvember returns with a quartet of unusual titles. We kick off the month with a double dose from Jim Jarmusch's Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai and Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samourai.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

The story of Tower Records is one of entrepreneurship. Colin Hanks examines the story in the 2015 documentary All Things Must Pass: The Life And Death Of Tower Records.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Shocktober concludes with a look at the 1922 film by director Benjamin Christensen - Häxan, an odd artistic mash-up of what can only be described as a university slide show lecture, a documentary featuring reenactments, and a horror film.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

On a special episode of The Projection Booth we look at Amy Berg's documentary An Open Secret, a hard-hitting expose about the exploitation of children in the entertainment industry.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Based on a book by and adapted by Frank De Felitta, The Entity was directed by Sidney J. Furie and stars Barbara Hershey as Carla Moran, a woman haunted by a malevolent spirit that sexually terrorizes her.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Lucio Fulci's The Beyond stars Catriona MacColl as Liza who opens a hotel built on a hellmouth in Louisiana. This proximity to a center of evil only helps spur some pretty strange occurrences and maybe a few lapses in judgment along the way.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

In William Castle's Homcidal, "Jean Arless" stars as Emily, a murderess who may herself be a victim of abuse. We're joined by Jeffrey Schwarz, director of Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story, to discuss the film.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Ten Canoes is a story about stories. It tells the multi-layered tale of brothers in an Australian aboriginal tribe. It's brought to us by director Rolf de Heer and cinematographer Ian Jones, one of several of their collaborations with actor David Gulpilil.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

On a special episode of The Projection Booth, Mike talks with Tom Roston about his new book, I Lost It at the Video Store, an oral history of working at or going to the video store.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Sven-Ole Thorsen has stories to tell. He spoke more with Mike about his work on the Conan films, Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe, Red Heat, and so much more.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.