A Star Is Born has been filmed four times, but the first version is the best: a combination of Singin’ in the Rain and Death of a Salesman, David O. Selznick’s production drips with “movie” and artificiality, yet still delivers an ending that seems taken from Greek tragedy. No stars were harmed in the making of this film–yet the film also dramatizes the harm ... Show More
Today
Karen McNally ed., "Women in Hollywood's Dream Factory: Tales of Inequality, Abuse, and Resistance" (U Illinois Press, 2026)
The #MeToo revelations put a twenty-first-century stamp on the age-old story of women’s mistreatment in Hollywood. In Women in Hollywood's Dream Factory: Tales of Inequality, Abuse, and Resistance (U Illinois Press, 2026) Karen McNally edits a collection focused on examining an ... Show More
1h 3m
Yesterday
Michael Mann Reconsidered: Thief and The Insider
It’s the Pop Culture Professors, and in this show we start a series on the films of Michael Mann. Structured as a knock-out tournament, we set his eight most highly regarded movies single-elimination competition, starting with Thief (1981) Vs. The Insider (1999). We ask what make ... Show More
28m 54s
Mar 10
Stephen Lee Naish, "Screen Captures: Film in the Age of Emergency" (Lever Press, 2026)
Movies open a window into our collective soul. In Screen Captures: Film in the Age of Emergency (Lever Press, 2026), Stephen Lee Naish guides us through recent cinematic phenomena that reflect/refract our contemporary political existence. Stephen Lee Naish is a writer, independen ... Show More
1h 9m
Jul 2025
#598 - Shana L. Redmond and Michael Gillespie on Body & Soul and Us
This week we’re excited to present a conversation between film scholars Shana L. Redmond, Director of the Center for the Study of Social Difference at Columbia University, and Michael Gillespie, Associate Professor in NYU’s Department of Cinema Studies, as they discuss a double f ... Show More
40m 35s
Oct 2024
Why I Stopped Music For Filmmaking - Michael J Epstein
Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube here:
https://youtu.be/AGXF9gco6fg?si=VQKjAU7kC8HNivCP
Michael J. Epstein is a filmmaker, writer, musician, and scientist. With his production company, Launch Over, he has made theme-driven genre shorts and features that have pla ... Show More
1h 52m
Jan 2024
‘Blackfish’ Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite Turns Blacklist Script ‘I.S.S.’ Into Sci-Fi Thriller Theatrical Release
Not all award-winning filmmakers planned for a career in film when they were younger. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite found her love of film in her thirties, and has since directed films such as Blackfish, Our Friend, and many others. She recently directed I.S.S., a high-stakes t ... Show More
45m 15s
Nov 2021
Dune DP Greig Fraser and Editor Joe Walker Break Down Crafting a Cinematic Epic
Get ready for tons of insight on this massive film!
In this episode, we talk about...
How the team conquered the challenge of presenting such a dense, beloved, and influential book on the screen.
How the team tried to keep elements of the book that may not be the most cinemati ... Show More
1h 18m
May 2025
What We Lose If We Don’t Preserve Film
In this episode, GG Hawkins of No Film School sits down with Ben Roberts, Chief Executive of the British Film Institute (BFI), for a powerful conversation on the cultural and creative necessity of film preservation. As the BFI celebrates the 90th anniversary of its National Archi ... Show More
34m 57s
Dec 2022
The Greatest Actors Of All Time: An Empire Podcast Discussion Special
The new issue of Empire magazine is on sale right now, folks, in all good, evil, and virtual newsagents, and it's a belter. This month's issue is dedicated to a celebration of the greatest actors of all time, as voted for by you, the readers of Empire. It's got everything, from e ... Show More
42m 37s