Episode 735: Blood and Diamonds (1977)

We conclude a month of discussing Japanese films with a look at Toshio Matsumoto’s 1971 film Demons aka Shura.  The story of the film is part of the fabric of the larger 47 Ronin narrative and is the story of a ronin who is cheated by a geisha and how he carves a bloody path for revenge.Emily Intravia and Samm Deighan join Mike to discuss this breathtaking, disturbing film.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

24 Apr 20241h 11min

Mike spoke with author Jared Stearns about his biography of entertainer Marilyn Chambers. The book, Pure: The Sexual Revolutions of Marilyn Chambers, is now available: https://amzn.to/3xFovvQBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

21 Apr 202441min

On this special crossover episode with The Kulturecast, Chris Stachiw, Father Malone, and Mike White look at the new film from Alex Garland, Civil War.  The film stars Kristen Dunst as Lee, a war photographer, who travels with her print journalist friend, Joel (Wagner Moura).  After a suicide bombing in New York CIty, the two decide to go to Washington DC where they hope to get an interview with the president (Nick Offerman), one of many cast members from Garland’s Devs to show up, including one of their traveling companions, Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), and the young girl who wants to be a war photographer as well, Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) and… surprise!  It’s actually a movie all about her! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

17 Apr 20241h 2min

We continue our discussion of Japanese films this month by returning to the world of Yoshishige Yoshida and his 1970 film Heroic Purgatory. It's the story of Nakano (Mariko Okada). She returns home with a lost teenager, Ayu (Kazumi Tsutsui). Meanwhile, a man posing as her dad tries to get her back, causing Nanako's husband, Shoda (Naizo Kamoda) to recall his youth as a revolutionary. Like his previous film, Eros plus Massacre, Heroic Purgatory moves with its own logic moving back and forth in time in order to tell its story.Earl Jackson and Axel Kohagen join Mike to try and parse this dense tale of revolutionaries through the mid- to late-20th century.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

17 Apr 20241h 17min

We continue Japanese month with a request from listener Vaughn Kuhlemeier, Millennium Actress (2001).  Directed by Satoshi Kon, the film  tells the story of Chiyoki Fujiwara, an actress who met a fugitive when she was a young lady who spent the rest of her life looking for him.  She’s approached by a filmmaker and his cameraman to celebrate the studio she helped make famous.  As they learn about her life they enter into her memories and films -- as does the audience.  We move seamlessly between fantasy and reality in this beautifully animated film.El Goro and Professor Earl Jackson join Mike to discuss Kon's work.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

10 Apr 20241h 7min

Actor/Director Stephen Moyer speaks to Mike about his second feature film, A Bit of Light, which stars Anna Paquin and Ray Winstone. Moyer graciously discusses his career from his early days in chorus to his favorite roles on stage and on screen.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

8 Apr 202442min

Mike spoke with cinematographer Laura Hudock about the 2024 documentary Girls State. The film follows 500 adolescent girls who come together to organize a faux-Supreme Court where they debate the most contentious issues facing today.Find out more about Laura at her website: https://www.laurahudock.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

5 Apr 202423min

On this special episode, Mike talks with Ashley Sabin and David Redmon about their 2023 documentary, Kim's Video. It's a brief looks at the video store named for Youngman Kim and a longer look at the journey the videos took after Kim's closed down.Thanks to Kim's Video for stocking Who Do You Think You're Fooling and You're Still Not Fooling Anybody as well as for buying tons of bootlegs from SuperHappyFun.com. Though, no thanks for selling me out to Matthew Barney's lawyers...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

5 Apr 202422min