The Projection Booth Podcast

Jessica Shires joins Mike White and Heather Drain to discuss her Patreon request: Jess Franco’s 1973 film A Virgin Among the Living Dead. It’s the story of Christina ("Christina von Blanc"), a young woman who is summoned to her family’s mansion after the suicide of her father. There we meet her odd family. The film plays out somewhere between a dream and a nightmare following its own pace and logic.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Jedidiah Ayres and Andrew Nette join Mike to look at Jeremy Kagan's The Big Fix. Released in 1978, the film stars Richard Dreyfuss as Moses Wine, a radical in the '60s who’s now a down-on-his-luck detective who gets put on a case that takes him back to his old stomping grounds.Author of the Moses Wine books (and so much more), Roger L. Simon joins us to discuss writing the film while Kagan talks about his career.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Jedidiah Ayres and John Walker join Mike to look at Michael Mann's moody supernatural film The Keep. Released in 1983, the film is a real who’s who of actors including Jürgen Prochnow as a German captain, Gabriel Byrne as a Nazi SS Major, Ian McKellan as a disabled scholar, and Scott Glenn as an ancient being on the side of light. All of them eventually make their way to the titular Keep deep in the Romanian Carpathians. Also joining us are Professor Ivo Ritzer who discusses his essay about The Keep and Manhunter in The Philosophy of Michael Mann, producer Hawk Koch, and the author of The Keep, F. Paul Wilson.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Mike talks with special effects coordinator Brandon K. McLaughlin about his career from being on set on The Rocketeer to his work on There Will Be Blood to his latest work on Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

On this episode Emily Intravia and Chris Cummins join Mike to discuss the 2001 film from writer / directors Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, Josie & The Pussycats. It’s the story of the Pussycats -- Josie, Valerie, and Melody -- a rockin’ girl group from Riverdale, and how they become entangled in a dastardly plot cooked up by the record industry to exploit teens for their limited but plentiful income and to turn them into good consumers.We also talk a bit about Spice World (1997), yet another Alan Cummins film about a girl rock group.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Mike talks with writer/director L.E. Staiman and writer Cheston Mizel about their pandemic comedy Love Virtually. It's a story about how the world, and relationships, were falling apart. The film is now available via your favorite digital rental/purchase platforms.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Philip Marinello and Spencer Parsons join Mike to look at Sam Fuller’s 1964 film The Naked Kiss. The film stars Constance Towers as Kelly, a call girl who turns over a new leaf by becoming the best darned nurse a small town hospital that specializes in the care of special needs kids has ever seen. She’s torn between two men, the sheriff who thinks she’s trash and needs to be run out of town to a nearby brothel and the successful entrepreneur who holds a shocking secret. Constance Towers and Michael Dante (from a Noircon 2022 event) talk about working with Sam Fuller and the making of The Naked Kiss.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Mike speaks with author Steve Matteo about his latest book, Act Naturally: The Beatles On Film, which examines the handful of films starring the fab four along with what shaped them. Buy the book at https://amzn.to/3SaylOEThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Rob St. Mary joins Mike to look at the 1992 Belgian film Man Bites Dog. Directed by Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, and Benoît Poelvoorde, the film is a mockumentary about a serial killer, Ben, played by co-director Benoit, who’s being followed around by a camera crew who capture some of his more outrageous adventures but also his thoughts about life, beer, and more.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Friend of the show AJ Black returns to talk with Mike about his latest book, Lost Federations: The Unofficial Unmade History of Star Trek. Tony goes deep into Trek lore to look at unmade projects, alternate histories, and forgotten stories.Order your copy today at https://amzn.to/3QuKsVAThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Ian Brownell and Tim Luz join Mike to kick off spooktacular coverage with Erie C. Kenton’s 1932 adaptation of H.G. Wells’s 1896 book, The Island of Doctor Moreau. Here it’s called Island of Lost Souls and stars Charles Laughton as Moreau, a mad scientist who works to bend the will of nature to suit his needs. He works to create a race of human/animal hybrids on his mysterious island which is disturbed by Edward Parker and Ruth Thomas.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Mike talks with filmmaker Steven Summers about his ambitious five-part docu-series, War Movie: The American Battle in Cinema (2023). It's a fascinating look at how the presentation of war in American movies has changed over the first century of film. Find out more at http://www.cantileverfilms.com/This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

A request from Patreon donor Vaughn Collmyer, we're discussing Robert Downey’s 1970 film Pound, an ensemble piece wherein a group of 18 actors play different breeds of dog... and one lonely, lost penguin… all awaiting their fate in a dog pound.Spencer Parsons, Rob St. Mary, and Mike discuss Downey's film as well as Robert Downey Jr.'s documentary Sr. about his relationship with his father and his father's career.This movie deserves a proper release today!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

On this special Czechtember episode we’re looking at Oldrich Lipsky’s 1981 film The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians. Based on the novel by Jules Verne from 1892, the film tells the story of Count Teleke of Toloko (Michal Docolomanský), a blowhard opera singer who, along with his manservant, stop by the village of where he learns about the nearby Devil’s Castle which is said to be haunted.Jonathan Owen and Emily Barney join Mike to discuss this off-beat adaptation (and the other three adaptations of the same story around the same time.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Mike talks with director Brett Smith about his feature film debut, Freedom's Path (2022). The film tells the tale of an AWOL Union Soldier who meets a man running part of the Underground Railroad. The film is now available to stream.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Kyler Fey joins Mike to answer most listener questions... other than those submitted by Dallas Norvell who send along his own audio file. Learn why 2024 has been such a bizarre year at The Projection Booth podcast!Thanks again to everyone who sent in their questions and comments. And if you figure out the little pizza remark, please let me know!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Mike talks with film critic Matt Singer about his latest book, Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever, which tracks the origins and evolution of the landmark film criticism show.Get your copy at https://amzn.to/49hjPuGThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

We continue our Czechtember month of murder and mayhem with Oldrich Lipsky's 1971 film Four Murders are Enough, Darling. The film stars Oldrich’s brother, Lubomir, as George Camel, a teacher who is mistaken for a murderer by two rival gangs who are fighting for a million dollar check.The movie is the second filmed adaptation of the book by Ninad Brixy, Entry Forbidden to the Dead.Cerise Howard and Rahne Alexander join Mike to discuss this wacky CzechThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Ethan Minsker joins Mike to discuss his latest film, Scooter LaForge: A Life of Art (2023). The film's subject, Scooter LaForge, talks about his experience of having himself and his art in the documentary. The film has its premiere at DocNYC. Find out more at the festival's website.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement

Mike talks with Steven Pierce, the co-writer/director of Herd (2023). He's joined by actors Dana Snyder and Corbin Bernsen to discuss the making of this contemporary zombie film.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5513239/advertisement