Podcasts
SMC Pod #156: Sex in American Cinema and the X & NC-17 Rating
[IMPORTANT WEBSITE NOTE: Secret Movie Clubbers, you can find podcasts #138-155 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc. We will work to post them here in the future. For now, we’re making sure new pods get posted] While the team re-assembles, Secret Movie Club founder.programmer Craig Hammill goes solo to discuss the history of sex in American cinema and the X and NC-17 rating. Craig marvels that 50 years ago X-rated movies like MIDNIGHT COWBOY were winning Best Picture and THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES were mainstream, making the equivalent of $100 million dollars, and getting 3 star ratings from Roger Ebert while now American studios, filmmakers, and films seem to have no idea how to deal with sex scenes (and so avoid them). For the societal health of the country, Craig advocates for the emergence of the "adult sex movie" as a mainstream genre like action, horror, fantasy & sci-fi, and the superhero. It would help bring conversations about sex and sexuality back into the light and mainstream.
MC Pod #137: BEING JOHN MALKOVICH + Spike Jonze!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) enters the mind of skater-auteur Spike Jonze and his directorial debut, the darkly comic Being John Malkovich, written by Charlie Kaufman. BJM is one of Connor’s favorite films and he gushes about its existential horror and daring style! Edwin prefers Jonze’s follow-up Kaufman-collab, Adaptation. Craig admires his shorter work, including an Apple ad he made with FKA Twigs and his incredible music and skateboard videos. Daniel talks about how inspiring Jonze’s wild approach was to him as a young filmmaker!
SMC Pod #136: JACKASS + high art and low art!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) rides the bull for the full eight seconds with the Jackass series, co-created by Johnny Knoxville and Spike Jonze, featuring Knoxville and a group of other knuckleheads doing ridiculous and vulgar pranks and stunts! The Team also analyzes high art and low art, the dubious distinction between the two, and whether or not these terms are even valid. Daniel and Connor bond over their adolescent obsessions with skater culture and recreating their own Jackass-style stunts. Craig doesn’t understand why people have to gatekeep art. Edwin gatekeeps art.
SMC Pod #135: JEANNE DIELMAN, 23 QUAI DU COMMERCE, 1080 BRUXELLES + Sight & Sound 2022!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) sits down to talk about Chantal Akerman’s Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, which just topped Sight and Sound’s “Top 100 Greatest Films” critics’ list in 2022! The movie’s ascendance to number one was controversial for multiple reasons and the film itself splits our heroes. They also exchange a few words about the full list published by BFI, what they think about lists like this, and finally give their own top ten lists that they would have submitted to the poll! #potatogate
SMC Pod #134: Winter Break ‘22/’23 Catch-Up!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) reconvenes to detail what they’ve been up to for the last five weeks while they weren’t recording and what they’re hoping to bring into 2023. Connor is stoked about his big, cool box! Edwin brags about “watching” a lot of films and gaslights the others. Daniel went road trippin’ around the country. Craig deals with the technical aspects of editing a movie. And considering this is the Secret MOVIE Club Podcast, a few films are also discussed: Blood Beat, Surf Nazis Must Die (sorta), and Avatar: The Way of Water. Welcome back, Secret Movie Clubbers!
DEFEND THIS MOVIE #10: INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
Screenwriter Steve Grest (originator of the Defend This Movie idea) returns to the pod to debate Secret Movie Club programmer and founder Craig Hammill about Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, starring Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, and Ke Huy Quan! The 1984 sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark was controversial upon release for its dark content, and Steve agrees that it is a joyless, annoying slog. Craig admits that Temple has its problems, but he also thinks the film is a nightmarish joy brimming with classic Spielbergian cinema. Listen, and we’ll let you decide who wins!
SMC Pod #133: Celebrating John Ford, Our Director of 2022
Secret Movie Club programmer and founder Craig Hammill is joined once more by SMC blog writer Patrick McElroy to start 2023 with a recap of our director of 2022, John Ford, maybe the most important American filmmaker of all time. Craig and Patrick love the old man and his films, which include classic westerns like The Searchers and Stagecoach as well as acclaimed dramas like The Grapes of Wrath and How Green Was My Valley. Along with diving deep into his movies, Craig and Patrick also delve into Ford’s Catholicism, his Irish heritage, his belief in America, and his incredible grasp of the art of cinema.
SMC Pod #132: Victor Sjöström’s THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE + New Year’s Eve in film
To close out 2022, the Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) toasts silent classic, The Phantom Carriage, directed by and starring Victor Sjöström, a sort of Swedish Christmas Carol or It’s a Wonderful Life set around New Year’s Eve! The Team also continues their journey through the holidays with NYE in film: Daniel thinks it’s about time to talk about About Time, Craig keeps going with The Godfather series, Edwin likes to end the year with Schwarzenegger’s End of Days, and Connor broadcasts from the local Dave & Buster’s. Happy New Year!
SMC Pod #131: Secret Santa Holiday Special!
Ho ho ho! The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) unwraps their gifts from themselves: they did a Secret Santa but with movies! Edwin has a hard time opening the 2003 martial arts film, Ong-Bak. Connor isn’t quite sure how to operate the star-studded disaster movie, Airport ‘77. Daniel didn’t ask for – but is pleasantly surprised by – 2014 indie sci-fi comedy, The Infinite Man. And, in a Christmas miracle, Craig gets exactly what he wanted: Spielberg’s new autobiographical film, The Fabelmans! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Secret Movie Clubbers!
SMC Pod #130: Edward Yang’s A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY + International Noir
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) delves into Edward Yang’s 1991 masterpiece, A Brighter Summer Day, a sprawling four-hour Taiwanese crime film about teen gangs in 1950s Taipei. The Team also investigates other international movies with some noir in them! Craig loves Almodóvar’s Live Flesh. Daniel goes back to classic Korean film, The Housemaid. Connor brings up High & Low and half-remembers some other Kurosawa noirs. And – shocker – Edwin talks about Jackie Chan!
SMC Pod #129: Frank Darabont’s THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION + the “other” Stephen King
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) digs into Frank Darabont’s neo-classic, The Shawshank Redemption, starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and adapted from Stephen King’s novella. King is a massive force in literary horror but he’s explored every genre, and here the Team flips through King’s non-horror work! Edwin is pumped on Schwarzenegger action flick The Running Man. Daniel finds Stand By Me to be his favorite. Craig wants to translate his favorite King books, The Stand and Wizard & Glass, to the screen. Connor pitches several adaptations of his own. Hollywood: he’s available!
SMC Pod #128: Movie Posters!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) unfolds their opinions on movie posters in honor of SMC’s recent collaboration with Laurent Durieux! The Team reminisces about poster’s they’ve had on their own walls, explores the history of posters, and shares their thoughts on modern poster trends. Craig talks fake posters in films and what makes a good poster. Daniel talks Mondo and the resell market. Connor talks movies posters from Ghana and Eastern Europe. Edwin can’t stop selling.
Check out a gallery of the posters mentioned here: https://www.secretmovieclub.com/blog/poster-podcast-supplement
SMC Pod #127: Thanksgiving Special – Nominating films for the holiday!
Coming at you a day early so you can listen while avoiding your family, the Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) gives their nominations for films you can watch on Thanksgiving that are NOT John Hughes’ classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Edwin suggests The Last Waltz, Scorsese’s concert movie actually filmed on the day. Connor surprises no one by bringing up Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. Craig loves Terrence Malick’s The New World. Daniel explores the duality of family tied to the holiday with American Movie and Knives Out. It’s turkey time!
SMC Pod #126: GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE + kaiju films
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) roars again! This time about beloved 90s Gamera trilogy – Guardian of the Universe, Attack of Legion, and Revenge of Iris – and other kaiju films – a Japanese genre of stories with giant monsters like Godzilla! Craig offers his opinion that these 90s Gamera films are the peak of monster-suit effects. Connor thinks all the monsters are adorable and wants to get them all hugs! Daniel defends Pacific Rim and Del Toro’s use of CGI with heft. And kaiju expert Edwin shares his adoration of kaiju king Ishirō Honda!
SMC Pod #125: RICHARD PRYOR: LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP + comedians in film
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) takes stage to talk at you about stand-up superstar Richard Pryror and his classic 1982 concert film Live on the Sunset Strip! The conversation then broadens out to talk about comedians in film and what they can bring to movies both in front of and behind the camera. Daniel explains why he thinks Eddie Murphy elevates Walter Hill’s 48 Hrs. Connor comes clean about his anti-stand-up and pro-sketch bias. Craig mourns the loss of Robin Williams.
SMC Pod #124: Halloween Hangover II - Dead by Dawn
The witching and horror-movie-watching season may be over, but the Secret Boo-vie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Goos, Edwin Ghost-mez, Dan-eek Ott, and Craig Hamm-kill) holds a seance for everything spooky they did for Halloween that they haven’t already talked to death on the podcast! Daniel gushes on the new film Pearl. Connor spills his guts about some new-to-him films he loved, like Deadly Lessons and Bad Ben. Edwin loses his head over a cool Friday the 13th poster. Craig sinks his teeth into SMC’s screenings of Raw and Ganja & Hess. Happy Halloween Hangover everyone!
SMC Pod #123: Mario Bava’s BLOOD AND BLACK LACE + giallo films
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, and Craig Hammill) is joined by Connor’s good friend and fellow AFI alumnus, Paul Immerman, to sorta discuss Mario Bava’s Blood and Black Lace and, more broadly, the Italian giallo film: a horror subgenre noted for its psychedelic style, gore, and incredible titles like, “Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key.” Craig appreciates that - even though giallo films helped lead to slasher films - giallos are NOT slashers. Paul analyzes the evolution of Bava’s career. Edwin and Connor probably get themselves into hot water by mentioning movies that aren’t really giallos, like Zombi 2 and Suspiria.
SMC Pod #122: A conversation with Matthew Gentile, director of AMERICAN MURDERER
SMC programmer and founder Craig Hammill sits down with longtime Secret Movie Clubber, Matthew Gentile, to talk about his new film, American Murderer! Matthew shares his experiences writing and directing his first feature, a crime thriller based on the true story of Jason Derek Brown - a conman placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list - and starring Tom Pelphrey, Ryan Phillippe, Idina Menzel, and Jacki Weaver. Craig and Matthew go through the movie’s journey to the screen, from idea to post-production. See American Murderer in theaters now and on digital October 28th!
Check out Matthew at: https://www.matthewgentiledirector.com/ or his IG: @matthewlgentile
SMC Pod #121: David Lynch’s LOST HIGHWAY + transitional films
After our screening and Q&A with editor and producer Mary Sweeney, the Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Alex Olivier, and Craig Hammill) hits the road with David Lynch’s neo-noir-nightmare, Lost Highway! Described by Lynch as a “psychogenic fugue,” starring Bill Pullman and Patricia Arquette, and with fascinating connections to Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo and real-world crimes and tragedies. The team also explores the idea of a “transitional film,” a movie that moves a director from one era of their career to another, through the films of Federico Fellini, Terrence Malick, and Sam Raimi. We’ll let you guess who brought up who! Edwin briefly appears.
SMC Pod #120: Summer Break 2022 catch-up!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) reassembles to talk about what they’ve been up to during their three month break from recording! The SMC Theater got a renovation! Edwin got two new jobs! Connor watched a lot of movies and had jury duty! Daniel also watched a lot of movies and actually had jury duty while this was being recorded! Craig started reading The Count of Monte Cristo and did something else extremely exciting that you’ll just have to listen to the episode to find out about!
DEFEND THIS MOVIE #9: Late Period Scorsese - HUGO vs THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Secret Movie Club Team members Patrick McElroy and Craig Hammill sit down to talk about two of master filmmaker Martin Scorsese’s late period films: Hugo from 2011, and The Wolf of Wall Street from 2013! Both Patrick and Craig love Scorsese, but Craig thinks Hugo doesn’t work and Patrick thinks Wolf is obvious. Craig comes to the defense of Wolf as a hilarious, relevant satire of American greed; Patrick loves Hugo because of how personal it feels for Scorsese. Will they let this disagreement lead to the end of Secret Movie Club and – possibly – the world as we know it?!
For more info. on Patrick check him out here!
SMC Pod #119: Silent cinema!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) chips away at a mammoth conversation about the silent era of film and what we can learn from silent cinema! Craig loves F.W. Murnau’s The Last Laugh. Daniel brings up the problems with how silent film is often introduced to people as an academic bore. Connor respects the Lon Chaney version of The Phantom of the Opera. Edwin drinks Strong Coke. There’s also a lot of talk about the American education system and cinematic legacy. Apologies to Emily Brontë.
DEFEND THIS MOVIE #8: DRIVE MY CAR
Secret Movie Club Team members Connor Lloyd Crews and Daniel Ott agree on a lot of things… but NOT Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car, one of last year’s most lauded films! Daniel shares hisol opinion with the critics that it is a beautiful meditation on grief and art. Connor thinks it is long, boring and pretentious. Will these two knuckleheads ever see eye to eye on anything again? Or will this descend into a mutual therapy session that has little to do with the film and much more to do with their personal lives? Only one way to find out! And in the intro, SMC programmer and founder Craig Hammill eulogizes the recently deceased Jean-Luc Godard.
SMC Pod #118: Fan films, edits, remakes and more!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) gabs all about fan-made content and works in honor of SMC’s screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation! Daniel talks about all the Star Wars fan films. Edwin enjoys Steven Soderbergh’s edit of Heaven’s Gate. Craig remembers his time helping make Our Robocop Remake. Connor pulls the car over to talk about video games instead of movies. Megachurches and the Team members’ own James Bond ideas are also discussed!
SMC Pod #117: Unrealized films and projects!
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) has a chat about their favorite unrealized movies and what could have been! Daniel is obsessed with Sergio Leone’s Leningrad: The 900 Days. Craig laments the loss of Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods. Connor desperately wants to see The Beatles’ and Kubrick’s bizarre version of Lord of the Rings. Edwin ponders Jodorowsky’s legendary adaptation of Dune. Ridley Scott’s Blood Meridian, Fellini’s The Journey of G. Mastorna, and Coppola’s possibly upcoming Megalopolis all get discussed. They also talk a lot about made-movie RRR and how handsome lead Ram Charan is.
DEFEND THIS MOVIE #7: Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’AVVENTURA
Secret Movie Club programmer and founder Craig Hammill and SMC blog writer Patrick McElroy take either side on Michelangelo Antonioni’s seminal 1960 masterpiece, L’Avventura! Scorsese called Antonioni “The Man Who Set Film Free,” and Patick agrees. Craig thinks the movie is pretentious. Both acknowledge its impact on film language. They talk about the cinematography, the themes, the style, and everything else! Who wins? We’ll let you decide!
SMC Pod #116: HELLBOY (2004) + comics and film
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, A.J. Grier, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) summons a discussion about Hellboy (2004), Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation of Mike Mignola’s cult/occult comic. They also branch off in a hundred directions talking about comics, film, adaptations, and fans. A.J. and Daniel want comic book movies to have soul. Craig likes the kinky Batman Returns and runs into trouble at home. Connor does a list that he’s not going to retype here. Edwin is on his phone.
DEFEND THIS MOVIE #6: RIO BRAVO and ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976)
Two men – Secret Movie Club Team members Edwin Gomez and Craig Hammill – who both love John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13, but who disagree on its noted predecessor, Howard Hawks’ classic Western, Rio Bravo! Craig loves the film, but Edwin thinks you should skip it! Can he convince Craig that saying “get along, little doggie” to Rio Bravo is fine, or will Craig get Edwin to admit he should respect and acknowledge the film’s influence on the movies Edwin loves? And how long will they talk about forgotten sci-fi Sean Connery-led High Noon-riff Outland?
SMC Pod #115: TOM CRUISE: The Podcast
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) are once more joined by Celeste Menchaca, this time to talk about a single actor: consummate professional, incredible stunt performer, and enigma, Tom Cruise! From Risky Business to Jerry Maguire, Magnolia to Eyes Wide Shut, Collateral to Tropic Thunder, and Mission: Impossible to Mission: Impossible 2. Celeste views Tom as an action-man. Daniel loves Top Gun: Maverick. Craig admires Tom’s work ethic. Edwin makes a lot of what-could-be-called-jokes with movie titles. CLC talks about [REDACTED].
SMC Pod #114: UN CHIEN ANDALOU & Surrealism in film
The Secret Movie Club Team (Connor Lloyd Crews, Edwin Gomez, Daniel Ott, and Craig Hammill) adds their entry to the pile of conversations about essential 1929 Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí short, Un Chien Andalou. If you’ve been to film school, you’ve seen it! If you haven’t, it’s on YouTube! The Team also discusses Surrealism in film. Connor loves the hell sequence in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. Edwin thinks Head is amazing. Daniel admires the work of Apichatpong Weerasethakul, hates hand-ants, and reveals what he knows about P3. Craig mostly talks about his dreams and Jack Nicholson.
