This week, join Chris and Lizzie as they learn how the two Midwestern mavens of the Matrix (facing diminishing box office returns), an unassuming Aussie assistant director, and mogul of mayhem Joel Silver spin Alan Moore’s decidedly English anarchist manifesto (starring a bomb-happy, building-blasting, Guy Fawkes fanatic) into a post-9/11 American studio spectacle. Plus, Natalie Portman's shaved head, practical dominoes, and James Purefoy's desperate desire for eyes. *CORRECTIONS: Natalie Portma...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 132
Terrible timing, lack of creative direction, and straight up sabotage plagued Mariah Carey’s infamous big time flopper: 2001’s ‘Glitter’. Find out why the movie was doomed from the start, how Max Beesley’s sexy marimba playing still couldn’t save it, and why Jennifer Lopez may be partially to blame! Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [wrong] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/wrong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 131
How did a studio on the brink, a Jewish director, and a second-rate star turn a pulpy, near-blasphemous mass market Christian book into a blockbuster for the ages? Join Chris and Lizzie as they travel back in time to a tinsel town in painful transition to learn why MGM bet it all on a remake of the costliest film of the silent era, examine Gore Vidal's controversial contributions to the script, and test Mussolini's assertion that film is the ultimate weapon. *CORRECTIONS: Chris mispronounces bot...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 56 min•Ep. 130
Cinematographer Steven Poster and camera operator, Dave Chameides join the conversation to put us on the set of Richard Kelly's iconic film, Donnie Darko. Learn about the collaborative efforts required to understand Kelly's vision, and the technical gymnastics necessary to bring it to life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 22, 2025•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 129
Wonder Woman took 75 years to make it to the big screen. Her journey was full of rewrites, reboots, and lots and lots of men. Find out how director Patty Jenkins got the job, why Superman helped Gal Gadot get the part, and who Zack Snyder turned to for help when nothing was working. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 19, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 129
Was the fall of the Iron Curtain Bond's curtain call? Tasked with saving the super spy were a pair of nepo babies, a television actor and a Kiwi director fresh off a flop. Join Chris and Lizzie as they dive headfirst off an alpine dam into the Herculean effort to bring Bond into the 90s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 12, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 128
Join Chris as he explores 007's origins, birthed from the mind of a 44 year old dilettante debut writer, the result of a bet with his nay-saying brother, at a vacation home in Jamaica affectionately named… GoldenEye. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 09, 2025•23 min•Ep. 127
A decade of development hell, enough writers to take down a gorilla (maybe even a Hulk), and a director dealing with daddy issues. This week, Chris and Lizzie smash into the origins of Ang Lee's Hulk, a brooding mid-aughts Marvel misfire that's just a bit misunderstood. They'll discover the Hulks that almost were (animatronic!), the Hulks that we deserved (Steve Buscemi!) and the Hulks that came to be (Ang Lee gettin' that rage out). *CORRECTIONS: Hulk #1 was released in March of 1962 (not May, ...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 126
A plane crash puts a premature end to a precocious protagonist… on screen and off. This week Chris and David explore Richard Kelly’s cult classic debut film, Donnie Darko. Learn how a fateful meeting with Francis Ford Coppola, the undying support of Drew Barrymore, and a high school band’s cover of a Tears for Fears track secured Darko a place in cult-film history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 125
Jennifer Grey knew the part of Frances “Baby” Houseman was perfect for her. There was just one problem: Patrick Swayze. The stars of 1987’s ‘Dirty Dancing’ had history, and it wasn’t good. In this episode Chris and Lizzie dive into the low budget film that became a smash success despite production woes, a brand new studio backing it, and two stars who just couldn’t see eye to eye. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 124
Would audiences walk out? Would the animation make them sick? Was Walt Disney a madman? Such were the real musings of industry experts when Walt bet it all on Snow White, Disney’s first feature animated film. Join Chris and guest hosts Elena Crevello and Chelsea Davison (of Podstruck) as they explore how Disney redefined cinema forever with a four-quadrant hit for the ages. *NOTE: The German animated feature film that Chris references was 1926's "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" by Lotte Reinige...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 123
In this atypical episode, Chris takes you down the Walt Disney rabbit hole, setting the table for our episode on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Join us for an exploration of the childhood and early career of the man who created the House of Mouse, up until he decided to create his first animated feature-length film. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 31, 2025•31 min•Ep. 122
This week, Chris and special guest (and film critic) Dan Murrell get to the choppa! with a deep dive of 1987's Predator. They'll be braving snakes (venomous and Hollywood), fire ants, scorpions and traveler's diarrhea as they explore this unlikely sci-fi action classic's arduous production. Learn how Arnold hooked the crew on cigars, bested Jesse Ventura's biceps, and why Shane Black was killed first. Plus, why you may not want to attempt heat vision in 100-degree weather... Hosted on Acast. See...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 121
Chris and Lizzie speak with the incredible, Emmy-winning Casting Director, Wendy O'Brien (Abbott Elementary, Dave, It's Always Sunny, Wyrm). Enjoy a conversation about how this role is different from what you might think, how it has changed in a post-Covid world, what it's like to work with Chris, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 10, 2025•41 min•Ep. 120
Marilyn Monroe can’t remember her lines, Jack Lemmon can’t walk in heels, and Billy Wilder is slipping sleeping pills up his tuchus. ‘Some Like It Hot’ is a groundbreaking comedy that nearly broke writer/director Billy Wilder. Join Chris and Lizzie as they break down Billy Wilder’s struggles with Marilyn, and Marilyn’s relationships with her overbearing husband and acting coach, and find out why Tony Curtis allegedly called her Hitler. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 120
Three decades of development hell, a dozen drafts and one very embattled director. This week, Chris and Lizzie explore the tumultuous journey of Malcolm X, Spike Lee’s unusual path to the directing chair, and how the public battle over the civil rights leader’s story nearly eclipsed the story itself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 119
This week it’s Francis Ford Coppola vs Bob Evans vs everyone. Join Chris and Lizzie for part 2 as they break down the truly insane rivalries behind 1972’s The Godfather. Find out why Coppola’s team briefly turned against him, how James Caan might have beaten up a costar on screen, and why this movie has one of the most dangerous stunts we’ve ever covered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 118
It’s a movie about the mafia… but they couldn’t say the word mafia… because the actual mafia threatened the entire production if they didn’t remove it. This week Chris and Lizzie dive into Francis Ford Coppola’s groundbreaking 1972 film, The Godfather. Find out why Coppola and Al Pacino both almost got fired, how Robert DeNiro almost made it into part 1, and why Paramount didn’t even want to make the movie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 117
What happens when Tom Cruise’s unstoppable force meets Stanley Kubrick’s immovable object? Tune in as Lizzie & Chris uncover the secrets of the reclusive auteur’s thirteenth and final film, a production so difficult it (likely) ended a marriage, dispatched its director and may have sent not one, but two Kubrick collaborators deeper into the embrace of a truly secretive society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 116
Storyboard artist Warren Drummond (Shaft, A Beautiful Mind, Nightcrawler, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) has worked with some of the greatest filmmakers of our time, from John Singleton to Denzel Washington and Ron Howard. In this Below the Line interview, Warren illuminates the world of storyboarding, his journey into film, the transition from analog to digital, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 23, 2024•39 min•Ep. 115
How did a tennis pro, a theater nerd, and a TV actor redefine the action genre? Because they had nothing left to lose. This week, Chris and Lizzie dive deep into 1988’s quintessential Christmas film: from Bruce’s receding hairline and an unfinished script to Rickman’s inability to hold a gun and Joel Silver’s desire to just blow shit up, this production had more problems than a McClane marriage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 16, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 115
More Gremlins, more problems! But that didn’t stop Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg from adding an endless stream of critters to the deranged 1984 Christmas classic. Busted puppets caused massive delays and pushed creature master Chris Walas to his limits, but it could’ve been worse - they could’ve used… live monkeys?! Find out why parents were furious about the film, how it helped change the MPAA rating system forever, and why Tom Hanks isn’t in it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...
Dec 09, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 114
Blue screens! Tennis balls! Directions from George Lucas! What are three things that make an actor’s job harder? Chris and Lizzie conclude their Menace coverage with a crunch at ILM, the public shaming of Jar Jar Binks and why George may have lost a lot more than $50 million in his divorce. Plus, how no one saw it coming… except for Weird Al. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 113
Jedi! Lightsabers! Taxes? This week, Chris tests Lizzie’s midi-chlorians (and patience) with George Lucas’ polarizing return to Star Wars. Was Lucas a victim of his own success, or were we all victims of his divorce? Plus, how Michael Jackson and Denzel Washington were nearly canon, and more! CORRECTIONS: *Doctor Dolittle was release in 1967, not 1976, as Chris mistakenly stated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 112
How did the 4th (or maybe 5th) version of ‘A Star is Born’ take almost 20 years to make… and why did it almost star Russell Crowe and Beyoncé?! This week Lizzie and Chris break down Bradley Cooper’s 2018 directorial debut, and discover why Lady Gaga was initially a tough sell. Find out how everyone from Jamie Foxx to Metallica had a hand in this Oscar nominated film’s journey to the screen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 11, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 111
The only thing worse than being a character in a Sam Raimi movie? Acting in one. This week, Chris and Lizzie unearth the grueling, injury-laden production of The Evil Dead. Discover the importance of such amenities as running water, toilets, and electricity; and the pain of removing fake blood with hot coffee. Plus, how Raimi couldn’t have done it without a veritable village, including a couple of Coens, a King of horror, and a septuagenarian sales agent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 110
Paul Rudd was almost murdered, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were wasted, and El Niño threatened to rain out production - that’s just the beginning of what went wrong on Clueless (1995). Find out how Alicia Silverstone and Brittany Murphy got cast, and why one studio almost changed it to be more about… the guys? As if! It took writer/director Amy Heckerling years to get her vision to the screen, but it was like, totally worth it. CORRECTIONS: Chris mistakenly refers to having watched the Criterion...
Oct 14, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 109
Tombstone' shot first and 'Wyatt Earp' died. In Part 2 of our coverage, Chris & Lizzie endure the explosive arrival of replacement director George P. Cosmatos, revisit Kurt Russell's last-minute rewrites, and try to answer the impossible question: does a better version of this movie exist? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 108
Saddle up and skin that smokewagon, because Kevin Costner's about to shut your movie down. In Part 1 of our coverage on 'Tombstone', Chris & Lizzie dissect the film's Hollywood duel with rival 'Wyatt Earp', Kurt Russell's hardball, and how writer/director Kevin Jarre assembled one of the greatest cast and crews of all time, only to listen to none of them. Manscaped - head to manscaped.com and get 20% off + free shipping with the code WRONG *CORRECTIONS: George P. Cosmatos's last name is pron...
Sep 30, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 107
How did Shakespeare in Love beat one of the greatest war movies of all time for Best Picture at the 1999 Oscars? It’s simple: Harvey Weinstein. But Saving Private Ryan was just one of many massive snubs in this comedy of errors. Learn how producer and original director Ed Zwick's dreams were dashed, why Julia Roberts dropped out last minute, and why Gwyneth Paltrow didn't want to star across(ed) her lover. HelloFresh - For FREE breakfast for life go to HelloFresh.com/freewentwrong Lumen - for 15...
Sep 16, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 106
