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The Secret Cinema

The Secret Cinemawww.secretcinemapodcast.com
THE SECRET CINEMA is a podcast dedicated to finding meaning in the underappreciated and/or under-analyzed films of yesteryear. Hosted by Paolo Carone & Carrie Chaffee with music by Ricardo Ortiz Executive Producer: Gary Carone
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Episodes

Town & Country

Paolo and Carrie are joined by two guests - Justin & Sarah Benson - to discuss Peter Chelsom's 2001 slapstick dram-edy Town & Country. Topics include: Warren Beatty as audience surrogate, similarities to Black Sheep, and architect fetishists.

Mar 23, 20181 hr 27 min

Uzumaki

Paolo and Carrie are joined by RJ Hanson for a discussion of Higuchinsky's 2000 bizarro-horror film Uzumaki. Topics include: great scenes that aren't in the film, set up that doesn't set anything up, and the girl with celluloid hair. (This episode "brought" to you by ladylonghorn.bandcamp.com!)

Mar 02, 20181 hr 26 min

Killing Them Softly

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Andrew Dominik's 2012 political crime drama Killing Them Softly. Topics include: the function of James Gandolfini's subplot, artistic depictions of being on heroin, and none of us remembering the specifics of the 2008 financial crisis.

Feb 09, 20181 hr 21 min

Edmond

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by director/actress & Paolo's sister Alex Carone to discuss Stuart Gordon's 2005 seedy existential drama Edmond. Topics include: comparisons between the film and the original play, various theories about the protagonist's psychology, and an explanation of the film's tarot symbolism. Bonus: our discussion was recorded at Alex's house in Adrian, Michigan, and we somehow completely forgot to mention it during the episode!

Jan 26, 20181 hr 41 min

The Chumscrubber

Paolo and Carrie are joined by Gabby Abrego to discuss Arie Posin's 2005 ensemble indie drama The Chumscrubber. Topics include: what the title means, Ralph Fiennes' dolphin-centric story arc, and an unexpected reference to Un Chien Andalou.

Jan 12, 20181 hr 39 min

I Drink Your Blood

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Josh Benson for a discussion of David E. Durston's 1970 lsd-sploitation thriller I Drink Your Blood. Topics include: the conspicuous lack of blood drinking, getting gangbanged at a murder scene, and inaccurate depictions of hydrophobia.

Dec 22, 20171 hr 38 min

The Minus Man

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Hampton Fancher's 1999 existential mystery The Minus Man. Topics include: what the hell this movie is about, literally flirting with death, and one of the greatest trailers in film history.

Nov 10, 20171 hr 21 min

Imprint

Paolo and Carrie go it alone for a special Halloween-adjacent discussion of Takashi Miike's horrific 2006 short film Imprint. Topics include: a traumatically brutal torture scene, the pregnancy horror sub-genre, and a whole new way of looking at pinwheels.

Oct 27, 20171 hr 9 min

Great Balls Of Fire!

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by Emily Neil to discuss Jim McBride's 1989 campy & creepy Jerry Lee Lewis biopic Great Balls of Fire! Topics include: the film's Solondzian tone, a refresher on the Bermuda Smile, and the dark secrets of Jerry Lee's love life.

Sep 29, 20171 hr 35 min

Open Windows

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by Will Ackland to discuss Nacho Vigalondo's 2014 techno-thriller Open Windows, as well as his musical short film 7:35 de la Mañana. Topics include: general themes and trends of Vigalondo's career, Sasha Grey's acting, and our confusion over the implications & details of the ending.

Sep 15, 20171 hr 37 min

Society

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by Emily Neil to discuss Brian Yuzna's 1989 gruesome horror-satire Society. Topics include: goofy sound effects, totally sexy boobs, and the word "shunt" gaining a whole new meaning.

Aug 31, 20171 hr 36 min

Sphere

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Josh Benson to discuss Barry Levinson's 1998 underwater sci-fi thriller Sphere. Topics include: redundant intertitles, the continuing adventures of Barry Levinson's bad directing, and varieties of scary meat.

Aug 18, 20171 hr 32 min

My Kid Could Paint That

Paolo and Carrie are alone again for a very subjective discussion of Amir Bar-Lev's 2007 art world documentary My Kid Could Paint That and two bonus shorts: Chris Marker's 1990 film Cat Listening to Music, and Cory Arcangel's 2009 film Arnold Schoenberg Opus 11 - 1 - Cute Kittens. Topics include: everyone in the art world being crazy, having control of your narrative, and whether or not Marla's dad helping her really matters.

Jul 28, 20171 hr 41 min

Southern Comfort

Paolo and Carrie are joined by filmmaker & contributor to Chicago film guide Cine-File, John Dickson, to discuss Walter Hill's 1981 bayou thriller Southern Comfort. Topics include: broad similarities between this and Aliens, real animal corpses, and what the film argues about the United States.

Jul 14, 20171 hr 40 min

The Burning

Paolo and Carrie go it alone again (naturally) for a discussion of Tony Maylam's 1981 summer camp slasher The Burning. Topics include: blatant continuity errors, spatially impossible murders, and one of the slasher genre's greatest kill scenes.

Jun 23, 20171 hr 35 min

Accidental Love

Paolo and Carrie go it alone for a discussion of "Stephen Greene" and his 2015 political screwball comedy, Accidental Love. Topics include: Stephen Greene's origin story, television-style comedy writing, and one weird trick for enjoying Accidental Love and Alien: Covenant.

Jun 09, 20171 hr 36 min

Fear

Paolo and Carrie are joined by two guests - beloved composer Ricardo Ortiz and friend of the podcast Courtney - to discuss James Foley's 1996 thriller Fear. Topics include: Mark Wahlberg messing with clocks, what constitutes a great fingering scene, and Paolo's adventures through James Foley's more recent work.

May 25, 20171 hr 29 min

The Serpent and the Rainbow

Carrie and Paolo are joined again by the third member of The Secret Cinema, beloved composer Ricardo Ortiz, to discuss Wes Craven's 1988 voodoo horror film The Serpent and the Rainbow. Topics include: various insane tales from behind the scenes, scrotum stabbing, and Carrie and Paolo getting various facts wrong.

May 05, 20171 hr 13 min

Apt Pupil

Paolo and Carrie are joined by their friend Courtney to discuss Bryan Singer's 1998 horror-drama Apt Pupil. Topics include: key differences between the film and Stephen King's original novella, the uncomfortable blend of Holocaust imagery and sexual imagery, and whether or not baseball is really Todd's sport.

Apr 28, 20171 hr 33 min

Mr. Freedom

Paolo and Carrie are joined by Josh Benson to discuss William Klein's 1968 anti-American comedy Mr. Freedom. Topics include: whether or not this is the most anti-American film ever made, the hilarious costume design, and Paolo mistakenly believing that he coined the term "political sledgehammer."

Apr 14, 20171 hr 12 min

Stuart Saves His Family

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Will Ackland to discuss Harold Ramis' 1995 family dramedy Stuart Saves His Family. Topics include: easement drama, emotional trauma, and Saturday Night Live movies.

Mar 31, 20171 hr 22 min

Krippendorf's Tribe

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Todd Holland's 1998 "family comedy" Krippendorf's Tribe. Topics include: when exactly Krippendorf's wife died, a surprisingly offensive sex scene, and the logistics of circumcision.

Mar 17, 20171 hr 38 min

Office Killer

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Cindy Sherman's 1997 artsy horror film Office Killer and her 1975 silent short Doll Clothes. Topics include: Cindy Sherman's photography career, cat ladies, and Paolo's frustration with James Franco.

Mar 03, 20171 hr 23 min

The Student Nurses

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil (as well as a secret semi-guest) to discuss Stephanie Rothman's 1970 feminist sexploitation comedy-drama The Student Nurses. Topics include: the career of Stephanie Rothman, stethoscopes representing penises, and a lengthy discussion of a protagonist's abortion.

Feb 17, 20171 hr 35 min

Extract

Paolo and Carrie are joined by Will Ackland to discuss Mike Judge's 2009 small-business satire Extract. Topics include where exactly the film takes place, Kristen Wiig's performance, and how long it takes a grown man to masturbate.

Feb 03, 20171 hr 27 min

Dillinger Is Dead

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Marco Ferreri's 1969 existential puzzler Dillinger is Dead and Jim Trainor's 2008 short film The Presentation Theme. Topics include: the protagonist taking forever to eat, how to make a mental process cinematic, and the existential importance of the anum.

Jan 20, 20171 hr 36 min

Clifford

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by Emily Neil to discuss Paul Flaherty's 1994 dark comedy Clifford. Topics include: a fringe theory regarding divorce and Jurassic Park's popularity, the film's bizarrely elaborate set-piece, and whether or not liking this film means you hate children.

Dec 02, 20161 hr 30 min

Hostel: Part 2

Paolo and Carrie are joined by director/actress & Paolo's sister Alex Carone to discuss Eli Roth's 2007 horror-satire Hostel: Part 2. Topics include: the surprisingly restrained use of gore, the mysterious function of the Bubblegum Gang, and Paolo's love of films with severed penises.

Nov 18, 20161 hr 22 min

Trainwreck

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by writer/production designer/fellow podcaster Jeff Chaney to discuss Judd Apatow's 2015 big-budget comedy-drama Trainwreck. Topics include: a surprising amount of cinematography-related issues, the film's mish-mash of tones, and when exactly Amy had time to plan her big romantic gesture. BONUS: this episode's artwork was created by Jeff Chaney!

Nov 04, 20161 hr 48 min

Inferno

Paolo, Carrie, and Emily Neil discuss Dario Argento's 1980 atmospheric horror-mystery Inferno. Topics include how many viewings it took before we understood the plot, the Three Mothers trilogy, and the film's alluring use of architecture.

Oct 21, 20161 hr 26 min
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