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Episodes
Saturday May 22, 2021
Saturday May 22, 2021
Hard Boiled Review
This week on Sordid Cinema, we travel back to 1992, and for the first time ever on the podcast, we sit down to review a John Woo film. And not just any John Woo film, but arguably one of the single greatest action movies of all time. It’s one of Woo’s masterpieces and along with A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Bullet in the Head, it helped revolutionize Hong Kong action cinema! That’s right folks, we finally get around to discussing the effortlessly cool Hard Boiled.
It’s safe to say, Hard Boiled is a masterpiece of action filmmaking and the ultimate expression of everything Woo became famous for. It’s perhaps the granddaddy of a genre once known as Heroic Bloodshed (a term invented by Rick Baker) and it boasts one of the greatest set-pieces ever put to celluloid— a legendary explosion of gunfire and pyrotechnics that takes up the film’s final hour.
In this episode, we break down all three major action set-pieces, from the opening tea house sequence which features two iconic shots of Chow Yun Fat to the warehouse raid where Johnny Wong seizes control of the Triad gangs, and to the climactic siege on a hospital involving hundreds of extras including a dozen or so newborns trying to escape while the building around them goes up in flames.
Expect to hear us gush over Woo’s direction, the movie’s famous unbroken three-minute tracking shot, Michael Gibbs soundtrack, and of course, the stellar performances from Tony Leung, Chow Yun Fat, and Philip Kwok as the eyepatch-wearing maniac Mad Dog, who’s acting and stunt work, often is overshadowed by his co-stars.
Sit back, relax and get ready for a wild ride. This might be the most action-packed episode of the Sordid Cinema Podcast yet!
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Sunday May 16, 2021
Sunday May 16, 2021
Point Blank (1967) Review
Way back on episode 126 of the Sordid Cinema Podcast, we reviewed John Boorman’s gritty, raw crime drama Point Blank, featuring superb performances by Lee Marvin and Angie Dickinson.
The 1967 thriller combines elements of film noir with stylistic touches of the European nouvelle vague and features a fractured timeline (similar to the novel’s non-linear structure), disconcerting narrative rhythms, and a carefully calculated use of film space.
Discussing the film is Ricky D, Simon Howell and former co-host, Ali McKinnon.
Saturday May 15, 2021
Saturday May 15, 2021
Black Coal, Thin Ice Review
For our first non-English feature in a minute, we take a trip to Heilongjiang Province to dissect Black Coal, Thin Ice, Diao Yinan’s grim 2014 neo-noir. (Its successor, the more widely-seen The Wild Goose Lake, may, or may not be the subject of a future Sordid episode.) We get a little lost in the film’s dense and troubling plot, neon cityscapes, and many acts of cruelty and malice. But hey, at least there are fireworks!
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Tuesday May 04, 2021
Tuesday May 04, 2021
The legend of King Arthur has never been lacking in cinematic retellings, but none can compare to John Boorman’s gorgeous and thematically faithful Excalibur. From the vast and tangled web of source material, the director of Point Blank and Deliverance distills the epic myth down to iconic imagery backed by theatrical performances from young actors destined to be stars. This week the Sordid Cinema Podcast discusses the fantastic (and fantastical) filmmaking, dives into the lore, and admires the vision of clunky knights and a wily wizard, all bound together by primeval landscapes and a magical sword.
Join Rick, Simon, and Patrick as they debate the effectiveness of green lighting and ADR, compare Excalibur to another movie involving a quest for the Holy Grail, enjoy Nicol Williamson’s sly (and often hilarious) turn as Merlin, mourn the character of Gawain, and show off their knowledge of one of the most famous tales ever told. Whether you think it’s glorious or a little goofy, there’s plenty to love about Excalibur, so have a listen!
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Sunday Apr 25, 2021
Sunday Apr 25, 2021
White Men Can’t Jump Review
In 1992, Ron Shelton wrote and directed one of the greatest sports movies of all time starring a then relatively unknown Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrleslon who was previously only known for his work as the fifth lead in the popular sitcom, Cheers. On paper, White Men Can’t Jump shouldn’t have been a hit considering the lack of star power and the fact that the first 20 minutes of the movie revolves around a pickup outdoor basketball game— and yet, this unconventional sports movie became a box office success and helped popularize street ball across North America. There hasn’t been a sports film quite like it since.
This week on the Sordid Cinema podcast, we dive deep into the cult classic and discuss why the movie is just as much about the art of jive as it is about basketball and why this exuberant romantic comedy is as smart about playground basketball as Bull Durham was about minor league baseball.
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Monday Apr 19, 2021
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Ravenous (1999) Review
In one of our most spirited episodes in recent memory, the gang unites with guest Mike Worby to sing the praises of Antonia Bird’s gonzo 1999 cannibal shocker Ravenous. Is it a horror movie, a western, a cannibalism drama, a homoerotic fable, a survival story, a historical epic, a black comedy, or a satire? The answer is yes. Also: lots of talk about Michael Nyman and Damon Albarn’s oddball score, the brilliant cast, Robert Carlyle’s demonic antics, and how to sell your friends on this one-of-a-kind movie.
Saturday Apr 17, 2021
Saturday Apr 17, 2021
The Guest Review
Way back in 2014, we sat down to discuss The Guest, a pretty crafty genre pastiche written by Simon Barrett and directed by Adam Wingard of You’re Next fame. The film follows a soldier who introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence leaving everyone questioning who he really is. Joining us for this review was Sound On Sight’s then managing editor, Deepayan Sengupta.
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Beyond Thunderdome and Fury Road
In what was supposed to be the very last episode of Sordid Cinema (before we decided to bring back the show), we recorded the second part of our Mad Max extravaganza. In this episode, we start by discussing Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, the third in George Miller’s sci-fi series, and at roughly the 35-minute mark, we dive deep into the visceral feminist anthem known as Mad Max Fury Road. Take a listen and you’ll be sure to learn 50 facts about what is arguably the best action movie in decades.
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Max Max and The Road Warrior
The release of Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller’s triumphant return to the franchise he created 36 years prior (!), prompted us to record a two-part extravaganza devoted to Miller’s series of post-apocalyptic thrillers. We get to Fury Road in the second half of this special; for now, former co-host Edgar Chaput rejoined us to discuss the original Mad Max, as well as its significantly more financially impactful sequel, 1981’s The Road Warrior.
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Monday Apr 12, 2021
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Apocalypto Review
This week the Sordid Cinema Podcast gets to the (ahem) heart of what makes Mel Gibson’s 2006 action-epic, Apocalypto, still such a thrilling watch. The simple story of a Mayan villager brutally kidnapped in order to be ritually sacrificed to appease the gods, who then escapes and must race home to retrieve his expectant wife and child from a flooding well, is filled with period detail, cruel violence, and intense action. Sure, there was a bit of controversy upon the film’s release [see: Mel Gibson], and debate about the authenticity of the depiction of the Mayan civilization, but Apocalypto also went on to win praise from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Spike Lee, among others.
But it’s not all tapir-testicle-eating fun. Join Rick, Simon, and Patrick as they muse on the merits of Gibson’s direction, debate the clarity of the film’s messages, praise numerous performances as MVP-worthy, and touch on how the film relates to the rest of Gibson’s filmography. It’s a show packed with discussion about creepy little-girl prophets, similarities to The Passion of the Christ, and creative names for female characters. For all this and more, have a listen!
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