Jenna Does Elvis #9 – Girl Happy (1965) / Tickle Me (1965)

girltickleWell, I can finally say that I’m in no-man’s land as far as these films are concerned. With The British Invasion in full swing and the quality of these films going down, down, down, Elvis was starting to lose his patience and it shows. In fact, he hated the music he was forced to record for Girl Happy so much he refused to record any new songs for several months after—and I can’t say I blame him. As a result, all of the songs in Tickle Me are just recycled from previous recordings.

As for me, well, I’ve now watched eighteen Elvis films—that’s more than halfway through—and I’m finally starting to feel some fatigue. On one hand, I’m really enjoying how much Elvis knowledge I’ve acquired; I find myself able to have conversations with people I know in which I drop a ton of Elvis facts with ease and confidence, and watch them respond in turn with polite nods and glances at their watches. Well, after these next two films, I too was looking at my watch. The year is 1965, and as dopey as I thought Help! was, these next two make it look like a lost Spielberg epic.

Continue reading Jenna Does Elvis #9 – Girl Happy (1965) / Tickle Me (1965)

Smug Film Podcast Episode #28 – Tommy Wiseau / The Room LIVE RiffTrax (5/4/15)

Episode 28 1:02:45 | View on iTunes | Download Mp3

On this episode, John D’Amico, Jenna Ipcar and I are joined via phone by Tommy Wiseau, the producer, writer, director, and star of the cult classic The Room and the new Hulu series The Neighbors! We discuss the upcoming live RiffTrax of The Room that is showing via satellite to over 700 theaters May 6th and 12th, and talk all about his work. Plus, questions from the mailbag, and Chloe Pelletier with her thoughts on Avengers: Age of Ultron!

Links Mentioned On This Episode:
The Room: LIVE RiffTrax May 6th & 12th
Tommy Wiseau’s The Neighbors
Tony Jaa Fighting Demonstration

If you have a movie-related question you’d like answered on the show, send it to Podcast@SmugFilm.com!
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Brad Avery, With An Apropos William Friedkin Story

friedkin

During this week’s podcast, in which Cody, John, and Jenna discuss the films of 1977, the conversation turns, of course, to William Friedkin’s masterpiece Sorcerer. I was glad to hear it come up, as just a few months ago I had the pleasure of being able to see it for the first time at the Harvard Film Archive. Not only was the new 4K restoration they screened unbelievably gorgeous, but William Friedkin himself was in attendance, and ended the evening with a Q&A.

William Friedkin is 79 years old, and while he occasionally discussed the craftsmanship involved in filmmaking or his philosophies towards storytelling, he mostly just told old man stories. And my God, if you ever have the opportunity to hear Friedkin talk, do not pass it up. Imagine your grandfather’s old glory day yarns he’s told a million times—now, imagine they’re about making The French Connection and getting innocent men off death row and visiting devil worshippers in Iraq.

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Smug Film Podcast Episode #14 – Green Brothers / Video Game Adaptations / Sequels & Reboots (1/26/15)

Episode 14 1:17:16 | View on iTunes | Download Mp3

On this episode, John D’Amico tells Jenna Ipcar and I about his new feature film, Green Brothers, which he is currently editing for a release later this year. We talk in depth about what it’s like to shoot in the five boroughs of NYC, and then close the show with an extra-long mailbag segment, where we discuss everything from video game adaptations to sequels and reboots. If you have a movie-related question you’d like answered on the show, send it to Podcast@SmugFilm.com!
Continue reading Smug Film Podcast Episode #14 – Green Brothers / Video Game Adaptations / Sequels & Reboots (1/26/15)

Smug Film Podcast Episode #13 – Brad Avery / Apocalyptic Films / Italian Neorealism (1/19/15)

Episode 13 52:12 | View on iTunes | Download Mp3

On this episode, John D’Amico and I are joined via Skype by Smug Film’s own Brad Avery. We discuss his essay Bicycle Thieves and Other Apocalyptic Films, and explore his idea that apocalyptic films and italian neorealist films have a lot in common. As always, we close the show with questions from our mailbag. If you have a movie-related question you’d like answered on the show, send it to Podcast@SmugFilm.com!

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