Classic Cinema

THE HOST — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, Korean Cinema, SHOCKTOBER!, , War

October 24, 2023

Part social satire, horror, comedy, and family drama “The Host” is an exciting example of cinematic bravura that signals a…

ROSEMARY’S BABY — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Criterion Collection, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, Horror, sex, SHOCKTOBER!, , Women's Cinema

October 24, 2023

From Krzysztof Komeda’s perfectly haunting musical motif to its sublimely Gothic urban atmosphere, in and around Manhattan’s Central Park West…

BASKETCASE — SHOCKTOBER!

American Independent Cinema, Black Comedy, Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, Horror, Podcast, sex, Sexploitation, SHOCKTOBER!, Transgressive Cinema

October 24, 2023

In episode #25 Mike and I take an old school trip to bad old Manhattan of the ’80s with BASKET…

THE EXORCIST: THE VERSION YOU’VE NEVER SEEN — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Coming-of-Age, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, Horror, Magical Realism, Political Satire, Religion, Sexploitation, SHOCKTOBER!, Transgressive Cinema, Women's Cinema

October 23, 2023

On the day after Christmas in 1973, Oscar-winning director William Friedkin followed up the tremendous success he enjoyed with “The…

WITHNAIL AND I — SHOCKTOBER!

Black Comedy, British Cinema, Buddy Movie, Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, LGBTQ, Podcast, SHOCKTOBER!, , Transgressive Cinema

October 23, 2023

A British cult film classic seems like just the thing to break Cole and Mike out of their hangover from…

BAD TIMING: A SENSUAL OBSESSION — SHOCKTOBER!

BDSM, British Cinema, Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Criterion Collection, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, Horror, Podcast, Psychological Thriller, sex, Sexploitation, SHOCKTOBER!

October 23, 2023

Brooklyn artist Valleire Trachsler came on the show to talk about one of Isabelle Huppert’s favorite films included in the…

COMMAND AND CONTROL — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Current Affairs, Documentary, FIVE STARS, SHOCKTOBER!, True Crime, War

October 22, 2023

Filmmaker, lava-lover, and Prime Focus Executive Director Anthony Matt is our guest co-host for our upcoming podcast episode where we…

MELANCHOLIA — SHOCKTOBER!

Cannes Film Festival, Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, Danish Cinema, Dystopia, FIVE STARS, Horror, SHOCKTOBER!, Women's Cinema

October 21, 2023

2011 is the year of apocalypse in cinema. “The Tree of Life,” “Take Shelter” and “Melancholia” each offer differing visions…

CURE — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Criterion Collection, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, Horror, Japanese Cinema, Serial Killer, SHOCKTOBER!

October 21, 2023

Writer/director Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s bold police procedural breaks every cliche in the book. Cole Smithey.

THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Criterion Collection, Cult Film, Dystopia, FIVE STARS, Horror, LGBTQ, Literary Adaptation, Music, Political Satire, Rock 'n' Roll, Sci-Fi, sex, SHOCKTOBER!, , Women's Cinema

October 18, 2023

“The Man Who Fell to Earth” is brilliantly stylized science fiction satire about an alien who comes to our big…

BLACK SWAN — SHOCKTOBER!

BDSM, Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, Dance, Erotic, FOUR STARS, Horror, LGBTQ, SHOCKTOBER!, Women's Cinema

October 17, 2023

Darren Aronofsky’s voyeuristic psychological thriller about a prima ballerina’s descent into madness employs the same subjective dancer’s-point-of-view that gave “The…

SALO, OR THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, Italian Cinema, LGBTQ, Literary Adaptation, Political Satire, sex, Sexploitation, SHOCKTOBER!, Transgressive Cinema

October 17, 2023

Welcome! Groupthink doesn’t live here, critical thought does. This ad-free website is dedicated to Agnès Varda and to Luis Buñuel.…

BUG — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FOUR STARS, Horror, Political Satire, SHOCKTOBER!, , Transgressive Cinema, War, Women's Cinema

October 17, 2023

William Friedkin ratchets up suspense and terror to an almost unbearable level with his adaptation of Tracy Letts’ award-winning 2004…

THE TENANT — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, French Cinema, Horror, LGBTQ, Polish Cinema, Psychological Thriller, SHOCKTOBER!, , Transgressive Cinema

October 17, 2023

Roman Polanski’s intense psychological thriller stars the director himself as Trelkovsky, a troubled file clerk who takes over the former…

THE DAMNED — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, Cult Film, FIVE STARS, Historical Epic, Horror, Italian Cinema, Political History, sex, Sexploitation, SHOCKTOBER!, Transgressive Cinema, True Crime, War, Women's Cinema

October 17, 2023

That Visconti’s iconic vision became a cinematic touchstone for other influential filmmakers is a testament to the Italian director’s lasting…

ZODIAC — SHOCKTOBER!

Capsules Blog, Classic Cinema, FIVE STARS, Horror, Serial Killer, SHOCKTOBER!, True Crime, Women's Cinema

October 17, 2023

Towering performances from Jake Gyllenhaal (as staff newspaper political cartoonist Robert Graysmith), and Mark Ruffalo (as famed homicide Inspector David…