November 20th, 2008 03:28pm
Kevin
It’s no surprise that the recent Oliver Stone film, W, has bombed at the box office — much like its ’90s psuedo-predecessor, Primary Colors. Regardless of how good the movie is (and W is mighty intriguing), the fact remains that the public has had a front-row seat to witness the debacle of the White House over the last eight years… so why would they want to relive the experience for an additional two hours?
In addition, why is it that our fictional Hollywood presidents, such as David Palmer of 24 and Jeb Bartlet of The West Wing, are often so much more appealing than their real-life counterparts? How has the public perception of the Commander-in-Chief been impacted by film and television throughout the years, and do topical shows like Saturday Night Live actually impact the electorate… or simply cement our already-existing opinions of elected officials?
Returning as my guest is pop-culture critic and freelance writer Leonard Pierce — you can find out more information on Leonard’s projects and thoughts at his blog.
November 5th, 2008 11:11am
Kevin
“What do we do now?” — Victorious Senate candidate Bill McKay, in the film The Candidate
Returning as my guest is Loyola political science professor Alan Gitelson for a special one-hour post-election show, where we discuss everything from the McCain/Obama battle to the makeup of the next Congress.
2008 Post-Election Recap:
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October 20th, 2008 11:52am
Kevin
Due to the history and prominence of Hollywood, the world of cinema has long been considered to be an intrinsically American art form, and youth culture is one of the nation’s most profitable exports. How have various countries around the world reacted to the influx of American youth-oriented movies, from ’50s rebellion films like The Wild One and Rebel Without a Cause up through the modern day? What sorts of similarities do we find among various themes in American and foreign-made films about youth? In the discussion, we examine a host of notable foreign pictures, including City of God, Little Vera, and Show Me Love. My guest is Tim Shary, director of the film and video studies department at the University of Oklahoma, and co-editor of the recent book Youth Culture in Global Cinema.
Youth Culture in Global Cinema:
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October 8th, 2008 09:16am
Kevin
It seemed like just yesterday that the 2008 presidential campaign kicked off, didn’t it? Countless balloons, campaign flyers, and YouTube spoofs later, we’re finally heading into the home stretch of a nearly-two-year race. What sort of impact might the current economic crisis have on the Obama/McCain battle? How much of a role will the so-called “Bradley Effect” (the disparity between polling data and actual results due to possible racial bias) play with regards to Obama’s chances? And could Republican Sarah Palin be one of the few VP candidates to have an effect — either positively or negatively — on her ticket’s success? Returning as my guest is Loyola political science professor Alan Gitelson, who has served as an election analyst on NPR, WGN, and many other media outlets.
October 7th, 2008 10:08am
Kevin
About a year ago, I wrote an essay for the online magazine The High Hat on the depictions of mental illness in film and television over the years — you can find that essay here. However, a few months earlier, I’d done a radio show on the very same subject with my friend and fellow cinemaphile Molly McAshan on that same topic. The original broadcast was split into a few parts since we were in the midst of a station pledge drive at the time, but I’ve condensed the show for your listening pleasure. As a mental-health professional in Chicago, Molly has a great deal of insight on the challenges that actual psychologists and psychiatrists face. (Do therapists typically have therapists of their own, a la Dr. Melfi in The Sopranos? Molly says yes.) She also has a film blog called Celluloitering, which I’d recommend even if she did give a thumbs-up to Burn After Reading. (I know, I know — but I think the Coen Brothers are overrated. I realize I’m in the minority on this one…)
Mental Illness in Pop Culture:
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August 26th, 2008 12:02pm
Kevin
These certainly aren’t the superheroes our parents grew up watching. The critical and box-office smash The Dark Knight is Exhibit A of how superhero films are now free to aim squarely at adult audiences — further proof that their graphic-novel counterparts have cemented their place as a respected literary genre. Not to be outdone, the much-anticipated Watchmen film, based on Alan Moore’s landmark comic series of the 1980s, will hit screens next year… along with a slew of other movies based on iconic comic-book characters.
Interestingly enough, however, comics outside of America typically deal with a much wider range of stories than our mostly-crimefighting fare. Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical series Persepolis , about her experiences growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, achieved global acclaim, while in contrast, similarly-themed comics here in the States like American Splendor and Ghost World are largely considered underground press.
Returning as my guest is freelance writer and pop-culture critic Leonard Pierce, a contributor to Nerve.com’s ScreenGrab; information about Leonard’s writing and various projects can be found at his blog.
The Dark Knight and Comics in Global Culture:
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August 11th, 2008 01:03pm
Kevin
War… what is it good for? Well, that’s debatable, but war films have certainly been a boon for both Hollywood and the U.S. government throughout the last century. How have movies been used both to criticize war and to serve as propaganda vehicles for the military? And in what ways do various war films depict the political and social biases of the periods in which they were made? My guest is Peter Rollins, professor emeritus of film studies at Oklahoma State University and co-editor of the new book: Why We Fought: America’s Wars in Film and History.
American Wars in Film:
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July 21st, 2008 01:15pm
Kevin
Ever since H.G. Wells’ classic novel The Time Machine was published back in 1895, the concept of time travel has proven to be manna from heaven for pencil-chewing scriptwriters. Besides appealing for our longing for the ability to correct mistakes of the past, time travel is the ultimate “fish out of water” narrative staple that works for comedy, horror, and every genre in between. Cinemaphile and movie blogger Molly McAshan will join me to discuss everything from classics such as Back to the Future and The Terminator to more recent films such as The Butterfly Effect and the newly-relaunched TV series Dr. Who.
Time Travel in Pop Culture:
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July 9th, 2008 04:00am
Kevin
Whether they be tales about the perils of technology (Airport), environmental catastrophe (The Day After Tomorrow), or sci-fi armageddon (Cloverfield) disaster films have long been a Hollywood staple. How have disaster movies evolved throughout the years, and what do they say about our shifting societal fears? Stephen Keane is a lecturer at Bath Spa University in Great Britain, and the author of the book Disaster Movies: The Cinema of Catastrophe.
June 25th, 2008 09:01am
Kevin
After over a year of campaigning, slews of primaries and caucuses, and countless millions of dollars spent, both major parties have settled on their respective nominees… so now what? Loyola political science professor Alan Gitelson returns to join me in a look at the current state of the 2008 presidential race. Can we compare the Obama/McCain matchup to any historical presidential battles? How will the recent decision of Obama to bypass public financing for the general election impact the campaign? And will newly-crowned Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr siphon off sorely-needed votes from the McCain camp this fall? Alan Gitelson has provided election analysis for NPR, WGN, and countless other media outlets around the country.
June '08 Presidential Race Recap:
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