239 - The Lower Depths (1936) and The Lower Depths (1957)
Random Acts of Cinema
It’s a podcast double doozer! Renoir and Kurosawa both adapt the same play, over 2 decades apart. Mifune and Gabin play the same roll. One is set in the source’s original Russia and the other in Edo-period Japan. Both are about hope and despair at the limit of human poverty. Is there more to this comparison than… the comparison? *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our . T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing...
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LD154 - Blackmail (1929)
Random Acts of Cinema
Hitch is back! His/England’s/Europe’s first commercial talkie sets the tone and themes for a lifetime of adult-themed psycho-sexual thrillers. Complicated protagonists, with questionable values, make questionable choices (all in good fun) until evil men force them to come to terms with their own sense of self-worth. Sounds like a recipe for… blackmail! *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our . T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and...
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779 - Blind Chance (1987)
Random Acts of Cinema
Krzysztof Kieslowski returns to the podcast with his 1981 break-out smash hit (or at least it would have been if Polish censors hadn’t suppressed it for 6 years and only then to release a heavily cut version). It’s almost as if there is one narrative where the film got released as planed, another where Kieslowski couldn’t release it, and yet another where Randy didn’t pick it for this podcast. *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our . T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s...
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1 - The Grand Illusion (1937)
Random Acts of Cinema
1. One. Un. Eins. Welcome to the first episode of the Spirit Guides… is what I would say if we watched the films of the Criterion Collection in numerical order. It took us nearly seven seasons, but we’ve finally been assigned spine number one: Jean Renoir’s The Grand Illusion. Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay, and (scene-stealing) Erich von Stroheim, trace the lives of prisoners-of-war and their captors during World War I. Escapes, indignities, and unexpected friendships mark the scenes, but it’s really an exploration of how humanity must compete...
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99 - Gimme Shelter (1970)
Random Acts of Cinema
This week we are joined by special guest Max to (sub in for Mike and) discuss one of the great concert films of all time. Music. Death. Controversy. The Rolling Stones and the directing trio of the Maysle brothers and Catherine Zwerin find themselves in the middle of a decade-defining disaster: 1969’s free concert at Altamont. *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our . T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Krzysztof...
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52 - Yojimbo (1961)
Random Acts of Cinema
Huh… Apparently Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune made a few movies together. Wonder if this one is any good? *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our . T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Jean Renoir’s Grand Illusion (1937).
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LD366 - Boogie Nights (1997)
Random Acts of Cinema
Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. These are the things that you come to Random Acts of Cinema for. Paul Thomas Anderson almost manages to reach our podcastly levels of hedonism and vice in his late 90s indie apogee covering the late 70s porn apogee. *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our . T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo (1961).
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490 - Wings of Desire (1987)
Random Acts of Cinema
Imagine a world where, whenever you think you are alone, there are always a bunch of dudes in trench coats quietly standing behind you and resting their hands on your shoulder. And they can read your mind. And they talk about you to their friends. And sometimes they sneak into your dreams. Now imagine that there is nothing creepy about that and it's actually very reassuring. And that maybe we can find world peace through understanding and a new kind of politically-informed spirituality. Thanks to these trench coat guys. *Come support the podcast and get yourself...
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861 - 45 Years (2015)
Random Acts of Cinema
Andrew Haigh directs a totally-not-boring movie about people talking about a marriage that seems find but maybe it really isn’t. But, like I said, in a totally-not-boring way. *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our . T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire (1987).
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711 - A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
Random Acts of Cinema
Did you know that the Beatles also made movies?!? Yeah, so did we. *Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our . T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more! If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Andrew Haigh 45 Years (2015).
info_outlineFinally, a movie comes along with the guts to ask the question: can you be a Fourierist AND a Vebleninian at the same time? Explore this question and more at the Manhattan debutante ball season after parties of Whit Stillman’s career defining entrée about class, love, and pretentious discussion topics.
*Come support the podcast and get yourself or someone you love a random gift at our merch store. T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more!
If you’d like to watch ahead for next week’s film, we will be discussing and reviewing Juan Bustillo Oro’s Dos Monjes (1934).