Special Episode - Andrew Sarris Roundtable

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"All I can do is point at the specific beauties of interior meaning on the screen and later catalogue the moments of recognition."

It can only be underestimated how much of the ways we perceive and think about cinema today have been defined by Andrew Sarris. The importer of auteur theory from France and the long time champion of some of the greatest film artists who would have been ignored otherwise, Sarris's work in the Village Voice, the academic halls of Columbia, and his canonical book, The American Cinema, represents an invaluable legacy on cinephilia and criticism. Sarris passed away in June of 2012, but with October 31st, 2013 being what would have been his 85th Birthday, Peter is glad to host a round table featuring Dan Sallitt, Godfrey Cheshire, and David Schwartz to discuss the work of an essential critic and lover of movies.

0:00-1:37 Opening 

3:25-57:16 Sarris Roundtable (Part I)

57:49-59:05 Advertisement

1:00:06-1:23:22 Sarris Roundtable (Part II)

1:23:25-1:25:17 Close / Outtake

Episode #27 - Craig Simpson (Paris, Texas)

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"There's this mythology that great works of art kind of just come like 'that,' so it's nice to see all the hard work and struggle."

One can spend their entire life just watching the movies and appreciating the work on screen, but often just as fascinating is seeing all the behind the scenes work. Craig Simpson, a blogger and occasional contributor to The House Next Door, has worked and organized the archival collections of some of the most unique film artists of the last century. So the Man From Porlock makes his journey from Bloomington, Indiana all the way to New York to talk about growing up a cinephile in the American Southwest, his skepticism to the cult of auteurism, and the treasures at the Lilly Library at Indiana University. Finally, they dive into the world of Paris, Texas, which Craig describes as a perfect test case of unweildy collaborators keeping each other in place. 

0:00-1:06 Opening 

2:56-6:34 Establishing Shots - Who The Hell is Howard Hawks?

7:19-50:57 Deep Focus - Craig Simpson

52:16-1:12:48 Double Exposure - Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders)

1:12:52-1:14:56 Close / Outtake

Visit Craig's blog and Letterboxd, as well as his posts for The House Next Door. 

Follow Craig on Twitter.

Special Episode - The 51st New York Film Festival #3 (Tony Dayoub)

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As the 51st New York Film Festival comes to a close, Peter finally takes on a number of the big American films (and one French!) of the year, though don't mention the "O word" around him. Just because these films are going to be discussed in the context of awards season does not make them any less essential viewing, as Peter is joined by House Next Door and Press Play blogger Tony Dayoub to discuss these works that dive into various aspects of the American past, present, and future. Peter and Tony make a visit to the American South and Midwest with films from Steve McQueen and Alexander Payne, as well the 1920s and the future with James Gray's The Immigrant and Spike Jonze's Her. Plus they dive into the controversial Cannes winner Blue is the Warmest Color before hanging with vampires Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddelston. Some are great; others maybe not so much. Find out which on the show.

0:00-1:40 Opening 

3:01-17:04 Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave

18:08-29:30 James Gray's The Immigrant

30:57-42:07 Alexander Payne's Nebraska

42:20-43:28 Trivia Round

44:24-53:51 Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive

54:43-1:08:12 Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue is the Warmest Color

1:09:40-1:22:42 Spike Jonze's Her

1:22:47-1:24:26 Close 

Read Tony Dayoub's work on his blog Cinema Viewfinder, and on Press Play and The House Next Door.

Follow Tony on Twitter.

Special Episode - NYFF's Views from the Avant-Garde (James Hansen)

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With over 200 films spread over 40+ programs, how does one even begin to approach the New York Film Festival's Views from the Avant-Garde, especially someone as novice as Peter? Well, the only way is to dive in head first, as he did this year, and now brings on experimental film expert James Hansen to talk through approaches to these truly unique films. The two dish it out on canonical artists like Luther Price, Peter Hutton, and Nathaniel Dorsky, and rhapsodize about other favorites they've found along the way, including Peter's favorite film of the festival - a stop motion rock opera set to Dark Side of the Moon. Finally, they finish off with an appropriate feature, Stephanie Barber's Daredevils, which engages viewers in how to think about new ways to take risks and see things differently. (Make sure to check the notes below for a handful of excellent links to writings and videos of the various films). 

0:00-8:00 Opening / Approaching the Avant-Garde

9:24-17:49 Luther Price
24:07-32:20 Landscapes, Peter Hutton, and Three Landscapes
32:20-37:52 Nathaniel Dorsky
38:51-48:26 Jodie Mack and Dusty Stacks of Mom
53:26-1:08:25  Stephanie Barber's Daredevils

1:08:27-1:10:24 Close / Outtake 

Read James Hansen's work on Out 1 Film Journal. 

Follow James on Twitter.

Special Episode - The 51st New York Film Festival #2 (Monica Castillo)

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Much of the fun of a festival like the New York Film Festival is experiencing the works of major auteurs from the front lines, but it's also about finding something small, unique, and truly exciting. For this second podcast report from the preeminent Manhattan film festival, Boston film critic Monica Castillo tracks her way down to coast to join Peter for another week through the festival, including the US premiere of the latest film from the Coen brothers, Inside Llewyn Davis. But beyond mellow 60s folk rock, there's surrealism in Taipei with the latest of Tsai Ming-Liang, melancholic love with Philipe Garrel, and another comedic head-scratcher from Romania. All this and more as NYFF continues its 51st run.

0:00-1:54 Opening 

3:00-12:39 The Coens' Inside Llewyn Davis
13:38-23:30 Joanna Hogg's Exhibition
24:24-32:13 Corneliu Porumboiu's When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism
33:31-41:33 Phillipe Garrel's Le Jealosie
43:05-1:01:05 Tsai Ming-Liang's Stray Dogs

1:01:06-1:02:48 Close

Read Monica Castillo's work on Dig Boston, Bitch Magazine, The Phoenix. Hear her on Film Geek Radio.

Follow Monica on Twitter.