This episode begins an irregular series that will take a look back at a minor cinematic phenomenon that happened more often in the 1980s than in any other decade: a one-time-only distribution company. ----more---- We talk about the 1980 Tinto Brass erotic historical drama Caligula, starring Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren,…
On this very special episode of the podcast, we discuss the life, career, and death of Alan Smithee, one of the most prolific filmmakers of the 1980s... who never actually directed a film, or, really, ever even existed. It's a twisted tale of incompetence, greed, and saving face. ----more---- The…
In this very special episode, we do something that only 13,948 other podcasts have already done or are in the process of doing this week: taking a look back at the Halloween movies. ----more---- The movies covered in this episode: Halloween (1978, John Carpenter) Halloween II (1981, Rick Rosenthal) Halloween…
In this episode, we discuss the career of one of the best filmmakers to come out of 80s cinema: Scottish filmmaker Bill Forsyth. Oh, you've never heard of him? Or you're only familiar with one of his films? Join us on a cinematic journey through the career of a filmmaker…
On this very special episode of The FilmJerk Podcast, we talk not about a specific movie or filmmaker or actor or distribution company, but of a moviegoing concept that was huge in the 1980s but has all but disappeared from the movie-going landscape: the dollar house. AKA the discount house,…
As we conclude our multi-part miniseries, The United Film Distribution Company, one of the first distributors to be operated by a motion picture exhibition company, has become Taurus Entertainment, and will go on one of the worst runs of film releases any distribution company has ever had. ----more---- Before you…
We continue our multi-part miniseries on The United Film Distribution Company and Taurus Entertainment, one of the first distributors to be operated by a motion picture exhibition company. This week, we talk about several of their biggest successes, including Mark L. Lester's Class of 1984, Richard Hiltzik's Sleepaway Camp, and…
We begin a multi-part miniseries on The United Film Distribution Company and Taurus Entertainment, one of the first distributors to be operated by a motion picture exhibition company, who teamed with filmmaker George A. Romero to produce and/or distribute several of his most popular and enduring movies, including Dawn of…
This episode completes a two-part miniseries on an interesting concept in examining genre movies in the 80s, Grounded Genre. Joining us for this miniseries is our very special guest Sarah Bullion, an award-winning director, producer and screenwriter who also spent ten years on sets as a prop master and second…
This episode starts a two-part miniseries on an interesting concept in examining genre movies in the 80s, Grounded Genre. Joining us for this miniseries is our very special guest Sarah Bullion, an award-winning director, producer and screenwriter who also spent ten years on sets as a prop master and second…
This week, we take a look back at the quick rise and even quicker fall of FilmDallas Pictures, which began its life as a Texas-based film investment company in 1983. After helping to produce two Oscar-winning films in 1984, they would take a leap of faith to become a film…
On this week's episode of The FilmJerk Podcast, we examine how one filmmaker, John Badham, would end up with the rare feat of having two hits movies, Blue Thunder and WarGames, released only three weeks apart. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/9105885?utm_source=youtube
On this week's episode, we complete our dive into the Martin Scorsese Cinematic Universe of the 1980s, with the history behind his masterpiece Raging Bull, as well as a personal remembrance of the film by the host. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/9105884?utm_source=youtube
On this week's episode, we continue our dive into the Martin Scorsese Cinematic Universe of the 1980s, with a look back at his oft-misinterpreted 1983 classic, The King of Comedy. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/9105883?utm_source=youtube
Bill DeMott reviews night two of WrestleMania 39 Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/14539453?utm_source=youtube
This week, we continue our look back at the 1980s movies of Martin Scorsese, with a look back at After Hours, the last low-budget, small-scale, intimate movie he'd ever make. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/9105882?utm_source=youtube
This week, we continue our look back at the 1980s movies of Martin Scorsese, concentrating on the movie that inarguably changed the direction of his career: The Last Temptation of Christ. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/9105881?utm_source=youtube
This week, we start an irregular look back at the 1980s movies of Martin Scorsese, starting with what, for me, is his best film of the decade: The Color of Money. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/9105880?utm_source=youtube
This week, we take a look back at a movie shot in 1980, and would sit on the proverbial shelf until it premiered on basic cable in 1984, becoming a cult film and inspiring an early 1990s music revolution. Lou Adler's Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains. ----more---- The original…
This week's episode takes a look back at the career of writer, director and actor Albert Brooks and his brilliant 1985 comedy Lost in America. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/9105878?utm_source=youtube
This week's episode takes a look back at the career of Ralph Bakshi and his pioneering 1981 animated rock musical American Pop. Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/9105877?utm_source=youtube
This week's episode takes a look at the best movie in the John Hughes canon: 1987's Some Kind of Wonderful. ----more---- The original 1987 theatrical one-sheet for the movie. Some Kind of Wonderful Paramount Pictures Released February 27th, 1987 Director: Howard Deutch Producer and Writer: John Hughes Elias Koteas and…
This week's episode takes a look back at the short-lived 1980s distribution company, Scotti Brothers Pictures. ----more---- The titles discussed during this episode include: Death of a Soldier (1986, Phillipe Mora) Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989, Jean-Claude Lord) Eye of the Tiger (1986, Richard C. Sarafian) He's…
This week's episode takes a look back at the 1980s movies directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson, as well as several of the films he wrote in the 1970s before becoming a director. ----more---- The titles discussed during this episode include: ...And Justice for All (1979, Norman Jewison) Avalon…
