Fifty years ago producers Richard Zanuck and David Brown handed the directing reins of a best-selling novel to a young, upcoming filmmaker named Steven Spielberg. Moviegoers, the motion picture industry, and the country at large had no idea what was in store. An unprecedented release - and a critical and commercial triumph - “Jaws” has endured for decades and will forever remain part of the cultural conversation. Jim Camlek and his little brother celebrate this masterclass in story, character an...
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 45 min
Several weeks into production of "Back to the Future," screenwriter Bob Gale and director Robert Zemeckis had a huge problem: Eric Stoltz was not giving them the performance their Spielberg backed film desperately needed. Enter budding star Michael J. Fox, the actor they wanted from the beginning. Literally working around the clock, Fox spent his days portraying television's Alex P. Keaton and his nights as time traveling teen Marty McFly. It would quickly become the role of a lifetime. With the...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 49 min
A love letter bidding farewell to the 'Golden Age of Cinema,' Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" revisits a world you fully want to live in. A magnificent recreation - and readjustment - of how things both were and should have been. One could even argue that this fascinating intersection of movie history and human history should have been the last film of Tarantino's outstanding career. Ruth Metzger joins Dennis to relish the cinematic treasures of 1969 Los Angeles, a place we...
May 17, 2025•1 hr 35 min
A richly deserved Pulitzer cemented the legacy of David Mamet's 1983 play "Glengarry Glen Ross," but that legacy evolved during the opening minutes of James Foley's 1992 film adaptation. Alec Baldwin's memorable monologue (a scene Mamet wrote specifically for the screenplay) coupled with a murderers' row of actors, catapulted the film into a highly quoted cult classic. Media veteran Jason Wagenheim joins Dennis to discuss what it takes to get them to sign on the line which is dotted. Coffee is f...
Apr 27, 2025•1 hr 20 min
In 1984 a trusted production executive desperately tried to convince Clint Eastwood to pass on “The Cut-Whore Killing,” stressing that the screenplay was not worth his time. Eastwood placed it in a drawer, but not because of the material; only during the latter phase of his career did he feel he could earn the right to properly deconstruct the western genre. Released in 1992, “Unforgiven” would go on to win Oscars for Best Picture, Director (Eastwood), Editing, and Supporting Actor for the late ...
Apr 08, 2025•1 hr 37 min
The legend of Bill Murray is real. He doesn't do contracts. If you want to work with him, you leave a message on his 1-800 number and hope he calls you back. Writer and director Sofia Coppola had no idea if he would arrive on set of "Lost in Translation." Lucky for them, he did; they were both nominated for Oscars, and her script won. Writer, film lover and media executive Laura Lubrano joins Dennis to discuss why this story of loneliness and disconnection is one of the great character studies o...
Mar 16, 2025•1 hr 31 min
It's hard to fathom that studio execs were initially reluctant to cast Eddie Murphy in 1983's "Trading Places." It only became the fourth highest grossing film of the year and catapulted the actor to massive global stardom (and a lucrative five picture deal at Paramount). The movie also reignited Dan Aykroyd's career and opened many new doors for Jamie Lee Curtis. Channeling his inner Winthorpe, Rob Bohn returns to the pod and joins Dennis to celebrate a comedy classic deeply inspired by the scr...
Dec 27, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Filmmaker John Hughes was a master of the human condition, his characters always felt rich in authenticity. After a string of acclaimed teen films, he set his sights on adults in 1987's "Planes, Trains & Automobiles," a heartfelt road comedy about the horrors of holiday travel. Steve Cozzolino returns to the show and joins Dennis to savor the comic flavors of this Thanksgiving feast. Remember, when you're telling your little stories, here's a good idea - have a point. It makes it so much mor...
Nov 24, 2024•1 hr 33 min
“Saturday Night Live” made Chevy Chase a star and after one season he left the show to chase fame and fortune on the big screen. After a string of hits and misses, it would take him nearly a decade to find the role he was born to play - Irwin M. Fletcher, investigative journalist in the 1985 comedy “Fletch.” Laced with razor sharp wit and breezy, deadpan charm, the film harnessed Chase’s superb improv skills and delivered the most satisfying performance of his career. Life long friend Rick Craig...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 35 min
Few filmmakers left a greater mark in the 1980’s than the late John Hughes. A student of character, dialogue and the human condition, the prolific writer and director had a keen ability to understand the teenage point of view. He was one of us; and those talents were on full display in 1985’s “The Breakfast Club," widely considered his career defining work. Jason Wagenheim returns to the pod and joins Dennis to celebrate this iconic film that influenced an entire generation. It’s demented and sa...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 32 min
A young, upstart FBI agent infiltrates a tight-knit group of surfers who rob banks so they can afford a nomadic lifestyle of spiritual enlightenment. This is the actual plot of acclaimed filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 action thriller, “Point Break.” Is it ludicrous? Yes. Is it absurd? Certainly. However, this muscular entertainment became a highly quotable cult classic and the reasons are justifiable. Jason Zollan returns - with two meatball sandwiches - and joins Dennis to defend why this fil...
Aug 31, 2024•1 hr 29 min
Fans were disappointed when they learned the film adaptation of the 1995 bestselling novel High Fidelity was being moved from London to Chicago. Author Nick Hornby felt it was a ridiculous thing to have any objection to…that the nationality of record store owner Rob Gordon really had no bearing on anything. He was right. John Cusack and his fellow screenwriters knew exactly what they were doing, because we all have friends like Rob, Dick and Barry, unappreciated scholars who believe music is aut...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 42 min
The Best Bond. A topic that’s been fiercely debated for generations…and all it took was an efficient, black and white cold open to confidently announce to the world that Daniel Craig had something to say about it. In “Casino Royale,” a new James Bond had arrived: a brooding, flawed 007, a man wounded by life, yet still believed in the cause. Jim Camlek returns to the show to revisit this spectacular achievement that rebooted - and saved - the Bond franchise. Enjoy it shaken or stirred, we don’t ...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 34 min
When Martin Scorsese first read the 1985 nonfiction book Wiseguy, he immediately called author Nicholas Pileggi and told him “I’ve been waiting for this book my entire life.” To which Pileggi replied, “I’ve been waiting for this phone call my entire life.” And that is how 1990’s “GoodFellas” came to be. Scorsese instantly knew how to make the film - 'to begin the story like a gunshot and have it get faster from there.' Ruth Metzger returns to the show and joins Dennis to dig deep on what is wide...
Jun 29, 2024•1 hr 32 min
John Milius' "Red Dawn" was released in 1984 against the backdrop of the Cold War, when tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were at an all-time high. A premise only Hollywood could love: World War III is waged on U.S. soil and a group of high schoolers decide to take up arms against their aggressors. Hell yes! Rob Bohn joins Dennis for his second tour of duty to celebrate this action classic, the first PG-13 film ever released. Wolverines! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...
May 22, 2024•1 hr 36 min
As a suffering, lifelong Cleveland fan, filmmaker David S. Ward figured the only way the Indians would ever win the World Series is if he wrote a movie allowing them to do so. And it would need to be a comedy, of course, because “ nobody would believe it as a drama .” Ward’s dream came to fruition with 1989’s “Major League,” the film that players will tell you is their favorite baseball movie hands down. With a touch of Crisco and a pinch of Bardol, baseball purist Jason Thompson joins Dennis to...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 32 min
When Richard Donner’s “Lethal Weapon 2” was released in 1989 it not only conquered the box office, it quickly and assuredly climbed the ranks of movie sequels which surpassed their predecessors…a rare feat. This rousing entertainment wears its heart on its sleeve. Laced with wit and spectacular action, the film is widely considered the best of the franchise. Author and media executive, Andrew Fryer, joins Dennis to discuss how the filmmakers perfectly harnessed the magic of Riggs and Murtaugh. S...
Mar 15, 2024•1 hr 29 min
It’s hard to imagine a film as treasured as 1996’s “Swingers” actually failing at the box office. But it happened. Only a shrewd marketing push by Buena Vista Home Video gave the movie a second life, and in short order it became a highly-quotable cult classic. It also catapulted the careers of Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn and director Doug Liman. Ad tech executive Jason Zollan, the guy behind the guy behind the guy, joins Dennis to discuss why this superb indie comedy defied the odds. We’re all gro...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 28 min
Media heavyweight and first time guest Jason Wagenheim didn’t bat an eye when asked which movie he wanted to discuss: Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction.” What can we say, Wagenheim doesn't screw around. Featuring three interlocking stories about thugs, palookas and divine intervention, this landmark achievement from 1994 hijacked the social conversation, resuscitated John Travolta’s career and instantly changed the course of independent cinema. So, grab yourself a Big Kahuna Burger and let’s get...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 33 min
Jean Shepherd's razor sharp wit and keen eye for period detail provide the perfect holiday cheer in 1983's "A Christmas Story." Scot Safon and Jim Camlek return to the show and join Dennis to discuss why this heralded gem became one of the most treasured holiday films on record. It's a major award! (Dedicated to the loving memory of Barbara Camlek). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 32 min
Jason Thompson is our resident expert on crime author James Ellroy. So it surprises no one when he leapt at the chance to join Dennis to discuss Curtis Hanson’s critically-acclaimed “L.A. Confidential” from 1997. This muscular, exquisitely crafted thriller about celebrity, crime and police corruption not only pays homage to classic noir of the 40’s and 50’s, but confidently earns its place alongside it. Life is good in Los Angeles, it’s paradise on Earth...that’s what they tell you, anyway. Host...
Dec 18, 2023•1 hr 37 min
Wes Anderson's critically-acclaimed 2001 film "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the kind of movie that takes on new meaning once you've danced a few rounds with life. Perhaps a comedy on the surface, this is a film about regret, loss, the passage of time...and Old Custer. Nick Malone returns to the show to revisit one of Anderson's greatest cinematic achievements. It's about putting a brick through the other guy's windshield, taking it out and chopping it up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...
Dec 03, 2023•1 hr 42 min
In Los Angeles, you never know who's sitting at the next table. Sometimes it's an accomplished, award-winning filmmaker who's worked in film and television for over thirty five years. Call it chance, call it serendipity, but when you bump into the director of "Halloween II" and "Halloween: Resurrection," you invite him onto the pod. Hollywood veteran Rick Rosenthal joins Dennis to discuss his prolific career in entertainment, an unwavering support for aspiring filmmakers and the mark he left on ...
Oct 29, 2023•1 hr 23 min
You've got Steven Soderbergh, a rising filmmaker eager to take his craft to the level, two budding movie stars in Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney, and an acclaimed novel by Elmore Leonard, a national treasure. "Out of Sight" was lightning in a bottle, a perfect storm that changed the course of everyone's careers. So why did it tank at the box office? Filmmaker Matthew C. Mills joins Dennis to geek out on this criminally-overlooked gem from 1998 and assess why nobody ever talks about it. No mor...
Oct 14, 2023•1 hr 25 min
It’s rare when a film comes along that strikes a chord with the critics while also becoming a massive commercial success. Such was the case with “The Fugitive.” The second highest grossing film of 1993 was universally acclaimed and also recognized with seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture (and a Supporting Actor win for Tommy Lee Jones). That doesn’t happen often and it begs the question of whether it was cinema's last great thinking person’s action film. So think yourself up ...
Sep 16, 2023•1 hr 27 min
Patrick Swayze injures himself while shooting a grueling fight scene in 1989's “Road House.” As a result he’s unable to star in "Predator 2" or “Tango & Cash,” and opts for the less strenuous role of Sam Wheat in “Ghost.” Which only becomes the highest-grossing film of 1990, a career move that catapulted him to another level of stardom. All because he said yes to play the Double Deuce's brawny, philosophizing cooler, Dalton. After months of waiting for his phone to ring, Rob Bohn finally joi...
Aug 26, 2023•1 hr 25 min
When a work of art can speak to you so profoundly that you think it was specifically made for you, breathe that in deeply because that's rarified air. That’s how Lance Neuhauser and Dennis both feel about the FX series “The Bear.” Neuhauser makes his annual visit to the show to not only sing the praises of this terrific creative achievement but to also question whether criticism and optimism can co-exist. Micro basil, eff yeah! (Warning: Spoilers) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more ...
Aug 05, 2023•1 hr 35 min
How can “Coming to America” not be considered one of the most quoted movies of the 80’s? It features a treasure trove of delightful characters. Reverend Brown. Randy Watson. Cleo McDowell. The My-T-Sharp barbers. Priceless. So, prepare the royal baggage as David O’Sullivan joins Dennis to celebrate the film’s 35th Anniversary and relive a glorious time of their youth when they both worked the concession stand at the Trans-Lux Cine’ in Danbury, CT. "No journey is too great when one finds what he ...
Jul 21, 2023•1 hr 42 min
It's late at night, you’re flipping channels and land on a movie you know you probably shouldn’t be watching. After all, you’ve got better things to do, right? Wrong. Some refer to them as guilty pleasures but we call them Good Bad Movies. As Jason Thompson puts it, “These films are chicken pot pies, they are fish sticks.” Movies with no nutritional value, but let's face it, they sure taste great. So, buckle up and take a ride on The Porkchop Express as Jason, Nick Malone and Jim Camlek join Den...
Jun 17, 2023•1 hr 50 min
The story of San Diego’s top ranked news anchorman getting upstaged by a budding female reporter is the perfect film to break format on a podcast. When the host of this show got the call from network brass that they wanted to give Nick Malone - a rising, hot shot talent from the local affiliate in Viera, Florida - his shot at guest hosting duties, he graciously agreed to the proposition. After all, Dennis has secretly wanted to be a guest on his own pod for a while now. So, let's give this kid h...
Apr 23, 2023•1 hr 33 min
