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A Century in Cinema (Arthur Veenema & Andrew Slaughter)

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Explore every episode of A Century in Cinema

Dive into the complete episode list for A Century in Cinema. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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Pub. DateTitleDuration
15 Feb 20221984 AMADEUS (feat. Chandler Burns)00:58:38

Amadeus sweeps the Oscars and we have Chandler Burns from behind-the-scenes at the Sundance Film Festival to tell us all about it. We discuss a range of topics, from the story's beginnings on Broadway to the production's tense moments in communist Czechoslovakia.

22 Feb 20221985 MISHIMA: A LIFE IN FOUR CHAPTERS00:58:48

A controversial film about a controversial public figure. In 1970, Yukio Mishima and members of his private army took a Japanese General hostage and attempted to inspire a coup against the government. Failing, Mishima then committed ritual suicide. How does a team of American filmmakers led by Paul Shrader tackle a story like this? We discuss music, art direction, and repressed homosexuality in Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters.

01 Mar 20221986 BLUE VELVET00:58:07

Blue Velvet presents an idyllic view of contemporary Americana, but confronts the culture's dark psychological underbelly. Blue Velvet may also be the key to understanding David Lynch's work. We talk about Dune (again), Roger Ebert's infamous review of the film, and the career of a truly unique filmmaker.

08 Mar 20221987 PREDATOR (feat. Stephane Glynn)01:00:31

We welcome special guest Stephane Glynn who wrote his graduate thesis on American imperialism of foreign bodies. What does that mean in the context of Predator and 1980s action films? We talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronald Reagan, primitive CGI effects, and a whole lot more!

15 Mar 20221988 THE THIN BLUE LINE01:01:20

Director Errol Morris reinvents the idea of documentary films with 1988's The Thin Blue Line. We talk about the film's innovative use of crime scene reenactments, human memory and eyewitness testimony, how that ties into the cinematic experience, and what "the truth" is.



22 Mar 20221989 BATMAN01:03:49

The Soviet Union collapses, Nintendo releases the Gameboy, and Batman dominates the summer box office. We talk about the Batman-mania the swept through Hollywood and the USA, stories from the set, Tim Burton, as well as comparing the various iterations of the caped crusader.


29 Mar 20221990 AKIRA KUROSAWA'S DREAMS00:52:52

Time just keeps on moving... We're in the 90s and we take a look at one of the last films from the legendary director Akira Kurosawa. Dreams is more like an autobiographical poem and we speak about how the different stories within the mosaic affected us, our favorite parts, and our own fears about the world.

05 Apr 20221991 POINT BREAK00:54:21

Moving into the 1990s, we take a look at Point Break from director Kathryn Bigelow. How does the MTV aesthetic influence films of this era? How have action movies changed over the years since this movie? And how hot are Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze? All this and more.

12 Apr 20221992 EL MARIACHI00:54:34

To highlight the burgeoning era of independent film, we take a look at El Mariachi and the filmography of Robert Rodriguez, who infamously produced this movie on a shoestring budget of $7000. How did he put his body on the line to obtain that money? What kind of tricks on set did he use to pull this off? And is this really a film that only cost $7000?

19 Apr 20221993 SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE01:10:06

Arthur and Andrew discuss this round of Hollywood romanticism, our thoughts on rom-coms, and terrorist attacks. Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle was a bold film at the time, where the leads don't meet until the end and the movie was released shortly after Jurassic Park. How does it hold up in 2022?

26 Apr 20221994 THREE COLORS: RED01:07:02

This week: Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors trilogy, in which the Polish director sets three stories of intimate human connection amidst the formation of the European Union. These films were celebrated upon their release and have gone on to become classics in the international independent film scene.

03 May 20221995 SHOWGIRLS01:06:59

Arthur and Andrew discuss a misunderstood masterpiece... the infamous NC-17 box office bomb... often cited as one of the worst films of all time... Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls.

10 May 20221996 THE WATERMELON WOMAN00:51:34

Before the 1990s, we wouldn't expect to see a film like The Watermelon Woman, a microbudget movie by a black queer filmmaker about black queer issues. But it's also a staple of 1990s independent cinema for its self-reflexivity: a film about filmmaking and film history. We tie together past episodes on Baby Face and A Page of Madness as we consider the canon of film that The Watermelon Woman challenges, and the way groups of people are buried by history. 

17 May 20221997 FACE/OFF00:46:46

Poetic cinema as Tarkovsky intended... We discuss John Woo's Face/Off! How this film came to be, 1990s cheese in this film versus Showgirls, and whether this film has established itself as a "classic".

24 May 20221998 THE CELEBRATION00:54:15

In 1995, a group of Danish filmmakers including Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg railed against the state of modern movies and drafted the Dogme 95 manifesto. We take a look at Vinterberg's The Celebration, the first film of the Dogme 95 canon, to explore the ideas of the unique filmmaking movement and how well the rules can apply to directors today.


31 May 20221999 THE VIRGIN SUICIDES (feat. James Westervelt)01:08:03

On the eve of the new millennium, Sofia Coppola's bold debut feature The Virgin Suicides premiered to critical acclaim. We're joined by James Westervelt as we take a look at the way the film uses the aesthetic of 90's independent film to tackle a challenging subject from within the Hollywood system. We also announce a short break before we head into the last two decades of A Century in Cinema.

12 Jul 20222000 MISS CONGENIALITY00:56:01

Arthur and Andrew are back and talking about the movies of the new millennium! Terrorists threaten the world AND the beauty pageants of San Antonio! Learn about screenplay tropes, contemporary Hollywood, and our opinions on Rotten Tomatoes as we watch and discuss Miss Congeniality! Also Sandra Bullock!!

19 Jul 20222001 NO MAN'S LAND00:48:34

For Arthur and Andrew, the Bosnian War of the 1990s may have been overshadowed by the 9/11 terrorists attacks in 2001,  but it's certainly still worth exploring in a film like No Man's Land. This week we discuss how this movie subverts the expectations of war films set up by Saving Private Ryan a few years earlier, and we also attempt to wrap our heads around the Bosnian War (we do not do a good job).


26 Jul 20222002 DEVDAS00:57:13

Arthur and Andrew venture to the grandiose world of Bollywood to discuss Devdas. We talk about the major differences between the films we've come to expect in the west and the melodrama of the masala musical genre. We also talk about the state of musicals in the American film landscape.

*Mandy Moore, not Marilyn Monroe

02 Aug 20222003 SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER... AND SPRING00:54:27

While the US launches a second war with Iraq, we turn to talk about the burgeoning Korean film industry and Kim Ki-Duk's Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring. We discuss movies that tackle adult topics, how we relate to the philosophy in this movie, the life of the director, and The Passion of the Christ. Also, do arthouse films have to be boring?

09 Aug 20222004 SAW00:52:23

While the Saw franchise would later go on to be defined by blood and guts and 3D gimmicks, Arthur and Andrew really admire the genuine tension and horror of the first film. We discuss the successful career of James Wan, how horror films have changed since Saw, and the "gamification" of watching films.

16 Aug 20222005 A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE01:02:18

A History of Violence inspires discussions of the American psyche in a post-9/11 world and survival of the fittest within the human species. We talk about how this film fits into the careers of David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen.

23 Aug 20222006 VOLVER00:56:09

We talk about the Spanish film Volver  and the life of its esteemed director Pedro Almodóvar.

30 Aug 20222007 PERSEPOLIS (feat. Élise Hanson)01:02:40

In the wake of 9/11, anti-Muslim bigotry swept across the western world. Artists like Marjane Satrapi push against the hatred with her graphic novel turned animated film, Persepolis, showing audiences what it was really like to live through the Iranian revolution and war with Iraq. Local playwriter Élise Hanson joins us to talk about how films can help us empathize with other cultures and gain a deeper understanding of the people around the world.

06 Sep 20222008 TWILIGHT01:02:20

Twilight and the mania surrounding the franchise at the time offers us an opportunity to talk about fandoms, romance, (Cronenberg,) modern gothic-horror, and how volatile criticism is thrown at media made for women versus media made for men.

13 Sep 20222009 DOGTOOTH01:00:21

As the events of the Great Recession play out, we turn to Greece where the country's debt crisis is (or isn't) showcased in the dark allegory of Yorgos Lanthimos' Dogtooth.


20 Sep 20222010 CERTIFIED COPY00:56:25

Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy inspires a variety of discussions about hyperreality, film festival bubbles, and why Iran banned a film directed by one of their greatest filmmakers.

27 Sep 20222011 YOUNG ADULT00:58:58

We talk about leaving our home town, writing as therapy, mental illness in modern films, and more on this week's episode all about Young Adult.

04 Oct 20222012 CLOUD ATLAS (feat. Noah Cannon)01:34:56

Once again, we're joined by Noah Cannon who is here to help us wrangle the most labyrinthine film on our list: Cloud Atlas, technically one of the most expensive independent films ever made from the Wachowski sisters and Tom Tykwer. There's a lot to talk about: how history repeats itself, the many changes between the book and the movie, how this film has become something of a cult classic, the excitement of having a transgender director helming a huge film, and why we (as well as Tom Hanks) think you should give Cloud Atlas another shot if you overlooked it in 2012.

11 Oct 20222013 THE DANCE OF REALITY01:00:36

40 years after The Holy Mountain, we revisit famed director Alejandro Jodorowsky with his surreal autobiographical film, The Dance of Reality. What is it like for a midnight cult director to return to the world of cinema after so many years? We talk about what makes this film more approachable than Jodorowsky's other works, while still going into detail about the scene where someone urinates on someone else's face.

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18 Oct 20222014 NOAH01:02:59

What (if anything) does Darren Aronofsky's reinterpretaion of the biblical flood myth have to say about environmentalism in today's world? How does a $160 million blockbuster fit into the career of an indie director like Aronofsky? We discuss these questions and more as we talk about Noah.

25 Oct 20222015 BONE TOMAHAWK01:09:00

According to the NYT, the racial politics of Bone Tomahawk are "abysmal", and it may not be a film we enjoyed, but it makes for an episode packed with great discussions. We talk about what role western films have in contemporary Hollywood, the digital look of modern films, how we try to watch a movie we don't like, as well as the career and potential problems you might have with the director, S. Craig Zahler.

01 Nov 20222016 THE HANDMAIDEN01:13:57

Worldwide political extremism has a lot of us turning to film and entertainment in 2016. We talk about Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden, a South Korean film that Andrew has been looking forward to discussing since the beginning of the podcast. Topics include LGBTQ cinema, how to conduct sex scenes, and the Japanese colonization of Korea in the 1930s.

08 Nov 20222017 A GHOST STORY01:23:00

A Ghost Story offers us a remedy to nihilistic thoughts as we discuss the isolation and depression of our modern age, we also talk about A24 as a brand, what a $100,000 film looks like, as well as Red Letter Media and film criticism on the internet, . We also talk about the #metoo movement that marks a cultural shift in the entertainment industry.

15 Nov 20222018 MANDY00:59:15
What is the cult-classic Nicolas Cage film Mandy actually about? We discuss the masculinity and religious overtones of this insane film from director Panos Cosmatos.

22 Nov 20222019 A HIDDEN LIFE01:33:38

With violent right-wing movements around the world in the 2010s, there's never been a better time to visit Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life.  In proper Malick fashion, we jump from point to point, ranging from the director's career, his unique filming style, the Disney-Fox merger, and the end of our podcast. Join us for our last official film discussion of A Century in Cinema.

27 Dec 2022THE END01:57:44

Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, and thank you to our Patreon subscribers for supporting the show! This week we talk about Avatar The Way of Water.

We say goodbye to our wonderful listeners and revisit some of our past opinions and favorite episodes. We also thank all of our guests and talk about what we got out of this project.

09 Oct 20201920 WITHIN OUR GATES00:50:14

After a World War, a flu pandemic,  and a series of race riots in the United States... Oscar Micheaux’s independently produced Within Our Gates premiered in 1920. Known for being the oldest surviving film from an African-American director, it is also seen as a response to the racial climate in America at the time, as well as D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation (1915). We discuss all these topics, as well as early silent cinema.

10 Oct 20201921 THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE00:34:25

Victor Sjöström’s Swedish film The Phantom Carriage inspires discussions about early visual effects, the prohibition movement, and the horror of working a job for over 36,000 years.

11 Oct 20201922 NANOOK OF THE NORTH00:45:21

We watch the infamous origin of the documentary genre, Robert J. Flaherty’s Nanook of the North. We discuss what truth is and what is fiction, as well as strange behind-the-scenes stories. We also look at other documentaries that don’t tell the whole story.

12 Oct 20201923 SAFETY LAST00:29:34

We discuss how the star system in Hollywood created a group of legendary comedians including Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin. We also talk about stunts gone wrong, and the rise and fall of Harold Lloyd’s career.

13 Oct 20201924 THE THIEF OF BAGDAD00:29:53

Superstar Douglas Fairbanks’ The Thief of Bagdad is a blockbuster from Hollywood’s golden era of silent cinema. We look at the film’s use of innovative VFX and lavish art direction to create something audiences at the time had never seen before. We also discuss the best ways to watch really long films like this one, and the racism prevalent in early Hollywood.

27 Oct 20201925 BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN00:43:26

Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin: an artistically famous propaganda film from the newly-formed Soviet Union. We discuss the story's context in Russian history and what the Nazis thought about the film. We also look at the film's innovative use of editing, its lack of a central protagonist, and many other unique choices that make Battleship Potemkin stand out.

03 Nov 20201926 A PAGE OF MADNESS00:31:15

 We discuss Japanese storytellers in silent cinema, and we try to decipher the symbolism in A Page of Madness given certain rumors about the Japanese Emperor. We also talk about our thoughts on experimental film.


10 Nov 20201927 METROPOLIS00:53:36

There's a whole lot to talk about with Fritz Lang's Metropolis, including its connections to the burgeoning Nazi ideologies, and its many different versions and restorations throughout the years. We also discuss famed sci-fi author H.G. Wells' thoughts on the film.

17 Nov 20201928 STEAMBOAT WILLIE & THE CROWD00:42:22

Cinema begins to change dramatically when synchronized sound takes over the artform. We also consider the shift in optimistic cultural attitudes as the roaring 20s come to a close and things get much darker around the world. All this and more as we talk about Steamboat Willie and The Crowd.

24 Nov 20201929 PANDORA'S BOX00:43:38

While the world plunges into the Great Depression, we travel to Germany to watch Pandora's Box, a story that hints at coming destitution and an early example of a feminist film. We consider how well that description holds up, and we talk about the career of Louise Brooks. We finish the episode with a retrospective of the 1920s in film.




01 Dec 20201930 THE BLUE ANGEL00:46:03

This week we watch The Blue Angel, directed by Joseph von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich. Andrew could have talked for hours about these two and their filmography, so prepare for a passionate and informative discussion. We talk about why we love tragedies, why we love subtitles, and why we love this movie. This is also the first podcast we recorded after debuting the show. Thank you to all our wonderful listeners for keeping up with our ramblings!

08 Dec 20201931 THE PUBLIC ENEMY00:34:34

The morality of James Cagney and The Public Enemy comes into question before we discuss prohibition and the shifting attitudes in American society, as well as the evolution of the gangster genre in film history. And in a moment our listeners have all been waiting for, we finally bring up thoughts on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

15 Dec 20201932 VAMPYR (feat. Brian Higgins)00:39:49

We welcome our guest Brian Higgins, the Executive Creative Director of Mental Healthy FIT and fan of Vampyr, to talk all about Carl Theodor Dreyer's horror masterpiece. We delve into what makes this film feel like a nightmare, how it compares to other vampire films from the time like Nosferatu and Dracula, as well as the short story it's based on.

22 Dec 20201933 BABY FACE00:55:00

We discuss a salacious film from the brief and fascinating era of pre-code Hollywood: Baby Face, starring Barbara Stanwyck. We talk about the Hays Code, how it became enforced shortly after this film's release, and the specifics of what US filmmakers could and couldn't show for the next three decades under censorship. We also consider if this film was progressive for its time and if it would still be controversial today.

29 Dec 20201934 L'ATALANTE00:39:50

The short but influential career of French director Jean Vigo inspires talks about poetic realism, how French cinema depicts subconscious imagery, and the frustrating but realistic portrayal of love in his one feature film, L'Atalante. We also dive into the tragic life of Jean Vigo, as well as his controversial short film, Zero for Conduct.

05 Jan 20211935 THE 39 STEPS00:39:02

We discuss early Alfred Hitchcock. Before his Hollywood masterpieces like Vertigo and Psycho, Hitchcock’s British production of The 39 Steps was still embraced by mass audiences in 1935. We talk about the famous director’s prolific work, his thrilling tropes, and his many quirks. We also discuss the idea of shooting for the edit, a method that allowed Hitchcock to control the final cut of his films.

12 Jan 20211936 THINGS TO COME00:45:00

We don't like this film, but it provides a great foundation to talk about early science-fiction, what people were predicting about the future, and the rise of fascism during the 1930s. We also mention the drama during production and how H.G. Wells' vision compares to another early sci-fi film: Metropolis (1927).

19 Jan 20211937 THE AWFUL TRUTH00:49:20

We discuss a white-telephone screwball comedy from the middle of the Great Depression: The Awful Truth. We talk about Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, the two hilarious leads in this film, as well as Leo McCarey's unorthodox directing style. We also revisit Marlene Dietrich and her infamous strip tease out of a gorilla costume.

26 Jan 20211938 THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD00:42:01

We watch the first color film on the list, The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn. We compare this adaptation of the myth with the many other film adaptations throughout the years, and we ask why the Robin Hood franchise feels out of date. We also discuss the Technicolor company and their innovative process to create color film.

02 Feb 20211939 MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON00:42:48

It's the beginning of World War 2, Hollywood is in the midst of a golden age, and we discuss Frank Capra's smash hit, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. We cover the  rise and fall of Capra's career, as well as his time spent making propaganda films for the war. We also discuss how the politics and ideology of this film play in 2021's climate.

09 Feb 20211940 DANCE, GIRL, DANCE00:40:53

The first film directed by a woman in our lineup: Dorothy Arzner's Dance, Girl, Dance. We talk about her career in Hollywood and the unique perspective she brought to this script, including how progressive this film may feel for its time. We also discuss the diegetic musical elements of Dance, Girl, Dance.

16 Feb 20211941 DUMBO00:42:53

Revisiting Disney's early studio days, Arthur and Andrew have a lot to talk about. We touch on what it feels like to enjoy Dumbo but still understand its problematic elements, including the film's racist depictions of certain characters and an animators' strike brought on by the film's workload. We also talk about Citizen Kane and the other Disney films from this era like Fantasia and Pinocchio. 

23 Feb 20211942 TO BE OR NOT TO BE00:39:22

From the middle of WW2, Arthur and Andrew take a look at a comedy poking fun at Nazi Germany: director Ernst Lubitsch's To Be or Not to Be. We discuss how difficult it is to laugh at dark subject matter and how successfully various films pull it off, including The Great Dictator and Jojo Rabbit. We also talk about the untimely death of Carole Lombard, the lead actress of this film.

02 Mar 20211943 LE CORBEAU00:43:56

Made during the Nazi occupation of France, Le Corbeau offers us insight into the politics of a film industry under a totalitarian state and how that affected director Henri-Georges Clouzot's film and career. We also discuss our opinions on spoiler culture.

09 Mar 20211944 DOUBLE INDEMNITY00:41:57

A film noir classic that embodies what people love about the genre. We discuss the contentious relationship between the three writers and why none of the actors wanted to appear in this film. We also end the episode talking about why we think the war genre is inherently difficult to put to film.


16 Mar 20211945 ROME, OPEN CITY00:38:16

Produced right after the liberation of Rome when the city was still recovering from battle, Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City offers us insight into the feelings of average citizens across Europe following years of war. Arthur and Andrew discuss the Italian Neorealism movement, the Cannes Film Festival, our favorite WW2 films, and how we first met years ago.

23 Mar 20211946 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (feat. Dan Patterson)00:44:53

With the veterans of WW2 adjusting to a post-war society, The Best Years of Our Lives captures the mood of America through intimate characters in an epic story, becoming the highest grossing film of the 1940s. In this episode, Arthur and Andrew are joined by Dan Patterson to discuss the career of William Wyler, why this film seems to have slipped from the public's consciousness, and how it compares to Rome, Open City.

30 Mar 20211947 BLACK NARCISSUS00:44:50

Following WW2, British audiences came to terms with losing their colonial influence and that sentiment is reflected in Black Narcissus, from directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. We dive into the complexity of this film's themes, how it utilizes technicolor, and the unfortunate use of black face that still drags it down. We also take a look at why the National Legion of Decency believed Black Narcissus was an affront to religion.

06 Apr 20211948 THE RED SHOES00:43:51

Continuing our discussion of British filmmakers Powell and Pressburger, we take a look at a film that Andrew adores and Arthur does not: The Red Shoes. We discuss its presentation of ballet on film and the art direction as it compares to Black Narcissus.

13 Apr 20211949 THE THIRD MAN00:51:51

In post-war Vienna, with the city divided by the Cold War, Carol Reed's The Third Man breaks new ground in the film noir genre. Arthur and Andrew get the opportunity to talk about Orson Welles and his antics on set, as well as how director Carol Reed and cinematographer Robert Krasker came up with the iconic visuals. We also discuss how this film encompasses the cinematic movements of the 1940s, and we sum up our thoughts on the decade.

20 Apr 20211950 ORPHEUS00:49:12

Arthur and Andrew discuss French film "auteur" Jean Cocteau and his film Orpheus. There are layers and layers to explore within Orpheus, including the director's problematic personal life, all of the symbolism throughout the film, and connections with other movies we've watched.

We also discuss A Century in Cinema's lost episode.

27 Apr 20211951 THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD00:40:36

Cold War fears manifest in the arctic creature-feature, The Thing From Another World. Arthur and Andrew compare this film to its remake, John Carpenter's The Thing from 1982, as well as other monster movies such as Frankenstein, Godzilla, Alien, and even The Shape of Water. We also talk about the influence of the Hollywood blacklist, and we question who was really the director of this film, Christian Nyby or Howard Hawks?

04 May 20211952 HIGH NOON00:39:47

As a metaphor for the Hollywood blacklist and the red scare, High Noon offers us the chance to talk about the House Un-American Activities Committee and how writer Carl Foreman was "ran out of the country". Find out why High Noon is cited by many US Presidents as their favorite film. We also touch on the western genre and the careers of Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, and Katy Jurado.

11 May 20211953 TOKYO STORY00:36:17

Sometimes cited as one of the greatest films ever made, Yosujiro Ozu's Tokyo Story is a deceptively simple but poignant family drama. Set in post-war Japan, we get to discuss how this film's themes mirror the country's shifting culture, and we also get to talk at length about Ozu's life, his filmmaking style, and why we love his stories.


18 May 20211954 SANSHO THE BAILIFF & GODZILLA00:59:48

Sansho the Bailiff might be our toughest watch on the list so far, but this film from the great Japanese director Kenji Mizoguchi offers the opportunity to discuss cinema as an empathy machine. We also discuss the original Godzilla, one of Arthur's favorite films, the beginning of the Japanese kaiju genre, and we talk about how certain films from our childhoods can define who we are.

25 May 20211955 REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE00:51:39

Lurking underneath the happy-go-lucky nuclear families of 1950s America was a dark sense of dread and loneliness captured in Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause, starring James Dean in one of his last roles. We discuss the film's homosexual subtexts and the untimely deaths that befell the cast.

01 Jun 20211956 THE SEARCHERS00:43:49

The Searchers attempts to confront the western genre's racism against Native Americans, but is the heart of this film racist or is it simply about racist people? We attempt to grapple with our feelings about this classic film and its star, John Wayne. We also discuss the behind-the-scenes documentary that Warner Brothers produced to promote The Searchers.

08 Jun 20211957 THE CRANES ARE FLYING00:47:52

After Stalin's death in 1953, the thawing of totalitarian policies allowed Soviet filmmakers like Mikhail Kalatozov to break new ground and explore the war, society, and gender in films like The Cranes Are Flying. In addition to the societal context that makes this film feel so incredible coming from the USSR, we dive into the gorgeous cinematography that makes The Cranes Are Flying feel so fresh for 1957.



15 Jun 20211958 INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION (feat. Tara Leblanc)00:53:43

From Czechoslovakia in the Eastern Bloc comes a film unlike anything you've ever seen, based on the work of Jules Verne and directed by Karl Zeman: Invention for Destruction. We're joined by artist Tara Leblanc who lends us tons of her insight into Eastern European animation and the unique stylization that made this film possible.

22 Jun 20211959 BEN-HUR01:06:37

As of its production, it's the most expensive film ever made... and as of this episode, it's the longest film we've watched for this project... in 1959, BEN-HUR arrives from MGM and director William Wyler. We discuss the religious tropes and how well they mesh with the rest of the film, plus we talk all about the famous chariot race. Did someone die on set? We also discuss the cinematic trends we noticed throughout the 1950s, as well as our favorite films from the decade.

29 Jun 20211960 EYES WITHOUT A FACE00:49:47

The new decade brings a handful of great horror films that help to redefine the genre, including the Eyes Without a Face from France and director Georges Franju. We talk about our thoughts on the horror genre, the strange career of Georges Franju, and the many films inspired by the mask from Eyes Without a Face.

06 Jul 20211961 WEST SIDE STORY (feat. Kagan Breitenbach)00:56:15

Film composer and special guest Kagan Breitenbach offers insight into the musical compositions of West Side Story that separate it from prior musicals, while Andrew discusses his time in a stage production of West Side Story and why there were numerous changes in the film adaptation. Arthur occasionally says things.

13 Jul 20211962 THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE00:55:17

Historically prophetic, The Manchurian Candidate leads us into discussions on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Frank Sinatra's relationship with JFK, and secret CIA brainwashing projects. We also discuss director John Frankenheimer's roller-coaster career, and the brilliantly villainous Angela Lansbury.

20 Jul 20211963 8 1/200:54:59

8 1/2 is often considered to be the magnum opus in Fellini's career, but Andrew discusses some essential context and other films that help to explain why it was such a critical success upon its release. We also talk about cinema becoming a post-modern art, and the many in-jokes throughout this film.

27 Jul 20211964 MARY POPPINS00:44:56

We take a look at the iconic Disney classic, Mary Poppins, and we discuss the original author's conflicted feelings about the adaptation. We talk about the personal balancing act of loving a film while acknowledging the more unfortunate elements of its history. And, of course, we talk about the career of Julie Andrews.

03 Aug 20211965 THE SOUND OF MUSIC00:58:08

Amidst a tumultuous year of civil rights marches and anti-war protests, 20th Century Fox releases The Sound of Music, a sentimental WW2 musical that usurps Gone With the Wind as the highest-grossing film at the time. Andrew brings in tons of behind-the-scenes drama involving Christopher Plummer and helicopters, and we talk about the film's depiction of Nazis 20 years after the war.


10 Aug 20211966 PERSONA00:53:11

We're looking to Sweden this year, as we watch, discuss, and wrestle with our interpretations of Ingmar Bergman's classic arthouse film, Persona.

17 Aug 20211967 PLAYTIME00:59:50

1967 is the "summer of love" in the United States, but we're in France looking at Jaques Tati's Playtime. So relax and enjoy a fun comedy with Arthur and Andrew as they recall their favorite jokes in this unique film, what it all means, and the aspects of comedy that hold up over time. We also discuss Bonnie and Clyde and its significance following the end of the Hays Code.

24 Aug 20211968 ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST & 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY00:56:12

Although 1968 is a stressful year in American history, audiences can look forward to many great films coming to theaters. The Hayes Code is no more. Auteurs are producing classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey and One Upon a Time in the West. Arthur and Andrew discuss the spaghetti western genre, post-modern subversions, and whether or not you should watch a movie on your phone.

31 Aug 20211969 EASY RIDER01:02:41

While men walk on the moon, the independent film scene takes off in the wake of Hollywood's decline and the end of the Hays Code. Arthur and Andrew talk about the wild behind-the-scenes drama of Easy Rider with director Dennis Hopper and discuss whether or not his eccentric behavior was necessary. We also look at the process of editing down this unorthodox film and how well Easy Rider depicts drug culture. 

We wrap up the episode with a retrospective on the 1960s, the trends we saw, and our favorite films from the decade.


12 Oct 2021INTERMISSION01:42:20

Arthur and Andrew have taken a short break. But we're recording new episodes and we're coming back soon.

In the intermission, we make a few announcements... before giving you a rare free jazz episode... reflecting on the successes of the podcast... talking about our favorite films in the first 50 years of the lineup... which ones have not stood the test of time... and what we've personally gained from doing this project week-by-week.

Of course, we want to thank our lovely listeners and hope you've been enjoying A Century in Cinema!

09 Nov 20211970 WANDA00:58:00

Welcome back to Season 2 of A Century in Cinema!

We continue our exploration of independent cinema from the new Hollywood era with Wanda. We discuss how difficult it is to finance films, even when they're smaller in scale, and the challenges that come with leading a project like this. We also speak on the life and career of Barbara Loden as this film's star, writer, director, and producer. How does her filmmaking style compare with Dennis Hopper, the director of Easy Rider?

16 Nov 20211971 A NEW LEAF00:49:45

The next generation of filmmakers and their nostalgia for early Hollywood genres begins to influence a new wave of films in Hollywood. Arthur and Andrew take a look at A New Leaf from writer, director, and star Elaine May. We discuss the controversies between May and Paramount upon the film's release. Then we compare this film to an earlier movie on our list.

23 Nov 20211972 PINK FLAMINGOS00:51:39

** EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD **

At midnight screenings in the 1970s, new films push up against societal norms. In this shocking new episode... Arthur and Andrew take a look at Pink Flamingos from director John Waters and starring Divine. We talk about our initial reactions to this movie, how the public reacted to it in 1972, the state of independent cinema at the time, and we consider what makes a cult film a "cult film".

30 Nov 20211973 THE HOLY MOUNTAIN00:56:06

Internationally, the early 1970s are filled with political upheavals and economic recessions around the world, so filmmakers capture the dizzying mood with bold and controversial films. We continue our exploration of cult cinema with Alejandro Jodorowsky's The Holy Mountain, one of the strangest but most unique and exciting films on our list. Among our topics of discussion you can expect us to interpret religious symbolism, debate animal deaths on film, and sort through the wild [alleged] life story of director Jodorowsky.

In our Patreon episode for premium listeners, we talk about Jodorowsky's Dune and our thoughts before going into the new 2021 adaptation.

07 Dec 20211974 PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (feat. Kagan Breitenbach)01:04:46

With the Watergate scandal and the worldwide recession continuing through 1974, you could blink and miss a true cult-classic from director Brian De Palma: Phantom of the Paradise. Composer Kagan Breitenbach joins us to talk about this underground rock-opera, how the music subtly highlights dark themes, and the many influences in pop culture that were clearly inspired by this film.

In our Patreon episode for premium listeners, we talk about Halloween Kills and its place in the Halloween franchise.

14 Dec 20211975 NASHVILLE00:59:51

What does Nashville have to say about the American psyche? What is the public's response to so many recent and unprecedented political events? How does director Robert Altman achieve such an epic scope to explore these themes? While Jaws dominated the box office in 1975, Nashville became a critical and award-winning film that defined the era in a different way.

For our Patreon bonus episode, Andrew compares the new West Side Story (2021) to the 1961 version we watched for the podcast.

21 Dec 20211976 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN00:49:50

Government conspiracies and sinister secrets are on the public's mind in the wake of Watergate. We start with a discussion of All the President's Men, but Arthur and Andrew meander through various conspiracy theories, Alan J. Pakula's paranoia trilogy, the intricacies of the Watergate scandal, and what on Earth a split diopter is.

For our Patreon bonus episode, we get into the holiday spirit and discuss gift giving, Christmas films, and the new movie Spencer!

28 Dec 20211977 THE ASCENT00:53:03

One film overshadows the box office and pop culture in 1977, so do not worry, we speak about the importance of Star Wars before getting to our main topic: The Ascent by director Larisa Shepitko from the Soviet Union. We talk about this film's victory against the Soviet censors and our experience taking in challenging anti-war films like this one.

For our Patreon bonus episode we talk about the future we'd like to see for the Star Wars franchise.

04 Jan 20221978 THE DEER HUNTER00:57:53

Three years after the US military evacuates from Saigon, Hollywood begins to tackle the Vietnam War with Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter. We talk about the controversy surrounding this film upon its release, how the story holds a mirror to US society's attitude towards Vietnam, and Andrew's mom's reaction to The Deer Hunter. We also talk about Oscar bait as a concept.

11 Jan 20221979 MANHATTAN (feat. Noah Cannon)00:58:52

New York City went through many infamous changes in the 1970s, but director Woody Allen held an affection for the city's past life. Arthur and Andrew welcome self-appointed Woody Allen expert Noah Cannon to the show to talk about Manhattan and the life of its director, writer, and star. We discuss why so many people hate Woody Allen and why Woody Allen hates himself. We also lavish praise on Gordon Willis' cinematography and look back on the decade to discuss our favorite and least favorite films we watched for the podcast.

And in our bonus episode available to Patreon subscribers, we ask the question: how would Manhattan fare in today's box office?



18 Jan 20221980 KAGEMUSHA00:53:20

While Ronald Reagan is elected President in the United States, we look to Japan where master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa rekindles his career with Kagemusha. Arthur and Andrew geek out and profess their love for all things Kurosawa, his use of color, and his attention to historical details. Find out how George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola got involved in this film's production.

In our Patreon episode, we talk about our favorite and least favorite movies from Kurosawa's career and Arthur confronts the idea that Kurosawa actually did make bad films.

25 Jan 20221981 ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK00:55:48

John Carpenter and Kurt Russell team up to Escape from New York as a response to Watergate and the economic decline of New York City. We watch Siskel and Ebert give their television review of this film, and we ask why we really enjoy certain b-movies like this one.

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