Episode #54 - Kristopher Tapley (JFK)

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"You gotta look at it like a snapshot. There's one judge of true greatness, and that's time." 

The Oscars aren't exactly Peter's favorite film event of any given year, but he does find the world they inhabit fascinating: how and why Hollywood presents itself to the rest of the world as it does? And if you are going to follow that universe, the collected journalistic sensibilities of Kristopher Tapley of In Contention is the right place to be. Peter talks to Kris about his start in filmmaking school before transitioning into writing, and uses his time to dispel the common myths many use to dismiss the Oscars. They also talk about his work highlighting the work of the technical support workers and memorable shots, before discussing a film that truly shows the work of below the line people: Oliver Stone's JFK. However, that certainly doesn't stop them from debating  the conspiracy itself.

0:00-1:50 Opening

2:54-9:14 Establishing Shots - Mizoguchi's The 47 Ronin

10:00-47:38 Deep Focus - Kristopher Tapley

48:55-1:05:05  Double Exposure - JFK (Oliver Stone)

1:05:09-1:06:49 Close 

Read Kris at In Contention and follow him on Twitter.

Episode #53 - Doug Dillaman (My Neighbor Totoro)

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"Editing is about rhythm and about emphasis. You're telling the viewer what's important."

Near the great down under, ex-pat Doug Dillaman has crafted his own cinephile life in New Zealand. Whether it's writing about movies, practicing the craft of editing for national television, or making his own movie, Jake, Doug has continually engaged in movies in a place often not thought about for its cinephile culture. So in this sit down with Peter, Doug talks about his origins of cinephila in Michigan and Texas, the idea of "leaning in" as a way to understand how an editor can tell a story, and how he crafted a supremely dark comedy about a man replaced in his own life. Finally, the two talk about My Neighbor Totoro, Hayao Miyazaki's impressionist vision of childhood magic, which leads Peter to reflect on how we discuss the feeling of delight in cinema.

0:00-2:30 Opening

3:22-8:54 Establishing Shots - On Charles Bronson

9:38-1:18:36 Deep Focus - Doug Dillaman

1:19:19-1:39:06  Double Exposure - My Neighbor Totoro (Hayao Miyazaki)

1:39:10-1:40:48 Close 

Visit the Website for Jake. Doug's (occasionally) updated blog can be found here, his contributions to Lumiere Reader here, and his Letterboxd here.