Spies Like Us Podcast (SpiesLikeUs)

Robert Redford plays a veteran CIA operative who is just a day from retirement when he finds that his golden boy protege (played by Brad Pitt) has gone rogue.  When he finds that his CIA superiors are looking for reasons to cut ties with said protege, he initiates a personal crusade to find the truth.  Tons of delicious tradecraft in this one. Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

Concluding discussion of the first season of TURN,  dramatizing the historical contributions of the Culper Spy Ring in the success of the American Revolution.  This week we are considering the season’s finale Episode 10 in detail.

Next week we return to movie discussion with Where Eagles Dare (1968) starring Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton.  A crack team of Allied soldiers stages a daring rescue during World War II, but their mission turns out to be much more than it appears.

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license 

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Science fiction spy stories are rare, but this fits the bill and has tradecraft worth discussing.  Tod brings in some disparate guests, all of which have different relationships with the Star Wars franchise.  Together, we untangle this unique entry into the canon.    

Our next topic will be Zero Dark Thirty, an attempt at dramatizing the real-life work of the CIA in the hunt for Osama Bin Laden.  Come talk spy film and television with us at:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Part 1 of 2.  Miss Sloane is not a traditional spy film by any measure, but the Tradecraft is Real in the psychological game of move and countermove depicted in this oh-so-dirty! depiction of Washington politics.  Know your enemy and know what cards they have in their hand.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Tod and David continue discussion on this very excellent espionage thriller series that pits a pair of deep-cover KGB agents posing as a married couple against the FBI Counterintelligence in Washington, D.C. in the mid 1980’s.

This is Part Two of a Three Episode series on Season One of The Americans.  The final week we will close the discussion with details (including spoilers) of the final episode 13.        

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license 

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/ 

Part 1 of 2.  It’s another spy comedy!  Or at least it tries to be.  It’s one of the most profitable movies of 1985, but looking back now it is kind of hard to figure out why.  Friend of the show Yammering Lew joins us to try to solve the mystery.   Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Not a lot of science fiction spies out there, but Elim Garak from the Deep Space Nine television series is one of the coolest… and definitely the smirkiest.  How does he hold up as a spy character?  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

Movie adaptation of the real CIA operation in which a fake Hollywood movie was promoted in order to provide cover for the extraction of 6 American diplomats from the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1980.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

James Bond is probably the most recognizable movie character of all time, and most certainly the granddaddy of all spy heroes.  Does the King deserve to keep wearing that crown 50+ years later? Tod and Dave have their doubts, and we discuss them in depth.   Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Final episode of the television miniseries based on John Le Carre’s 1997 novel.  Tom Hiddleston (Loki!) is recruited by Olivia Colman (The Crown!) to infiltrate the organization of an arms dealer played by Hugh Laurie (House!)  

Next week: Three Days of the Condor (1975) 

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license 

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Recent and realistic, and up for Best Picture.  Based on the true story of FBI informant William O’Neil, who infiltrated the Black Panther Party in 1960’s Chicago.  

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Discussion of the newly released British ITV adaptation of the IPCRESS File continues with analysis of the third of this six-episode offering.  This Len Deighton novel was most famously adapted for film in 1965 starring Michael Caine and produced by Bond co-producer Harry Saltzman.  

A full movie discussion episode of Billion Dollar Brain (1967) has been recorded, and will go live as soon as we can finish editing. 

Tod and Dave tackle a bit of Le Carre in one of his first post-Cold War novels.  Let’s take a look at how Intelligence actually operates within a bureaucratic scale, and the human toll that it involves. Given that all spy operations are only truly understood in hindsight, this is about as close of an observation that we might expect.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Intelligence agency Mossad takes center stage in this Spielberg film about operation Wrath of God.  Our Israeli heroes wrestle with troubling questions about where the line lies between legitimate counter-terrorism and revenge as they pursue the perpetrators of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

The first film based on one of John Le Carre’s many international bestselling novels.  Richard Burton stars as a British intelligence officer who fakes his discharge from the service in drunken, disillusioned disgrace in order to draw the attention of Eastern German agents.  One of the most famous and influential spy films of all time. 

Our next topic will be Official Secrets (2019).  Keira Knightley portrays Katherine Gunn, the British spy who risked everything to expose illegal intelligence operations in the leadup to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.  Find out where you can watch it at:  https://reelgood.com/movie/official-secrets-2019

Suggestions?  Comments?  Get nerdy about spy stuff with us at:   

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Deviating from the standard format, Tod and David visit the super-fun and zany crew of the Let’s Rewatch podcast to discuss CoaDM.  Charlie Kaufman adapts the 'unauthorized autobiography' in which game show impresario Chuck Barris claims to have been a CIA assassin.  George Clooney’s first stab at directing, Sam Rockwell’s first starring role, also featuring Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts.      

Find more great Let’s Rewatch episodes at https://rewatch.libsyn.com/

Discussion of the newly released British ITV adaptation of the IPCRESS File continues with analysis of the fourth of this six-episode offering.  This Len Deighton novel was most famously adapted for film in 1965 starring Michael Caine and produced by Bond co-producer Harry Saltzman.  

We will continue to give weekly coverage on this TV series, and cap out our ‘Palmerfest’ with a movie episode discussing the final Palmer film, Midnight in St. Petersburg (1996).

Next television series and next movie have not yet been decided, so if there is something you want us to cover, now is a great time to chime in.  You can do so at:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

The ‘Bond Effect’ is in full swing by the mid-sixties.  It seems like everyone is scrambling to cash in on the spy craze in movies and television.  A lot of serious spy movies are launched here but there is no shortage of silliness. We tackle one of the most immediate and direct Bond parodies here.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Continued discussion of the first season of Homeland, which follows a CIA officer deeply disturbed by the possibility that a recently released war prisoner may have been secretly turned by al-Qaeda.  This week we are considering Episode 7 in detail.

Next week we will discuss the season finale Episode 12, and fair warning Spoilers will be in play.  The following week will be our monthly movie discussion, this time we are headed toward The Conversation (1974) by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gene Hackman.    

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license 

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/ 

A brief appeal to the audience for feedback and ratings.  

2018 Australian 6-episode series which we HIGHLY recommend both for spy geeks and people that don’t care much about tradecraft but enjoy a solid human drama.  Watching these characters unwind and reveal their true characters under the duress of multiple intertwining espionage threats was a real treat for both of us.  ALSO!!!!  It is our first episode featuring a guest with actual expertise in the field, author and ex-intelligence officer Francis Hamit.  Really excited about this one.

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWvZEYVa9A0    

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

We launched this podcast with the mission to cover ALL types of spy movies, good and bad.  Here is proof of our commitment to the mission.  The spy craze of the 1960’s left no studio hesitant to cash in, and that included the Hanna Barbera animation studio.  In the first feature length Flintstones film, Fred is tasked by ‘the government’ to take the place of an international superspy.  

Next up we will be revisiting Season One of Le Bureau, a critically acclaimed French spy television series.

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Our quick takes on Cliff Walkers, a Chinese film by acclaimed director Zhang Yimou which got a simultaneous U.S. release.  Fresh out of the theater, we bring you our first impressions of this chilly 1930's story of Moscow-trained Chinese patriots attempting to liberate a key prisoner from their Japanese-occupied homeland.  No shortage of cloaks or daggers (literally!) in this one.  

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh_b1Lv3uh0

Our next regularly scheduled episode is a deviation from standard format, we will be presenting an episode of the Let's Rewatch! podcast on which David and I appeared as guests to discuss Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002).  Charlie Kaufman adapts the 'unauthorized biography' in which game show impresario Chuck Barris claims to have been a CIA assassin.    

Red Sparrow (2018)

Jennifer Lawrence is a Russian SVR-trained ‘Sparrow’ who matches wits against a CIA agent (Joel Edgerton) while trying to stay one step ahead of her handlers.  

We are taking some weeks off here.  Next month, Total Recall (1990) qualifies as a spy movie, if only barely.  OK, maybe I am just using it as an excuse to geek out over Verhoeven.  

We’re always inviting input on what movies and films to cover on the podcast at:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

Robert Rodriguez takes a departure from his usual blood-soaked genre sendups to deliver his first blockbuster, a kid friendly spy adventure.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

Part 2 of 2.  Miss Sloane is not a traditional spy film by any measure, but the Tradecraft is Real in the psychological game of move and countermove depicted in this oh-so-dirty! depiction of Washington politics.  Know your enemy and know what cards they have in their hand.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

News items for recent/upcoming releases and announced projects in the spy entertainment sphere.  Also, The Simpsons recently did a spy-themed episode, The Man From G.R.A.M.P.A., and Dave returns from having seen Disney's newest take on Cruella, reporting that there is more espionage involved than the trailers might have led us to believe!  Our quick takes on both of those.   

Our next regularly scheduled episode is Mission Impossible 3.  

Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is classified Retired, Extremely Dangerous and he’s also got some equally retired and dangerous friends (Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovitch, Brian Cox).  Mary-Louise Parker gets swept up in their mission to find out who is trying to kill Frank after all these years in this colorful and comedic caper. 

Producer Harry Saltzman takes newly-minted superstar Michael Caine back for a third dip into the Harry Palmer well, and the results are not great.  In fact, the movie’s performance with audiences and critics are so bad that Caine convinces Saltzman to release him from the planned five movie contract. 

It’s the tradecraft that we are most interested in though, and Tod and Dave get into it like we always do.

Please look forward to our continued week-by-week discussion of the new IPCRESS File television miniseries, followed by our final ‘Palmerfest’ contribution in which we will tackle the final Palmer film, Midnight in St. Petersburg (1996).  

Next television series and next movie have not yet been decided, so if there is something you want us to cover, now is a great time to chime in.  You can do so at:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Our first anime!  It’s more proof (if you needed it) that we are dedicated to cover anything spy-related.  This manga has been a big hit in Japan, and weebs like David have been eagerly anticipating the translation into television.  More of a family sitcom than a pure spy thriller, but we will give it a look and discuss the tradecraft of the show.    

Next week we will start in on Slow Horses, a 6-episode AppleTV offering starring Gary Oldman and Jonathan Pryce.  

Our next spy MOVIE episode has yet to be chosen, so now is a GREAT time to tell us what you want at:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

One of the most influential movies we had never heard of, in terms of cinematic style and substance.  A stark portrayal of the brutality of terrorism and counterinsurgency tactics that is studied by intelligence agencies around the world even today. 

Next week will be Ronin (1998)

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Tod and Dave expand their sweep of cinematic spy genre by including The Company, a 2007 TV mini series.  It’s a semi-historical but fictionalized view of the Cold War as seen from the perspective of the CIA, and we LOVE that kind of stuff.  Doubt me? Go ahead and give it a listen. It’s about to get very spy-nerdy in here. Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Palmerfest concludes with our analysis of the return of Michael Caine to the role of the iconic bespectacled secret agent in the 90’s.  Filmed back-to-back with its sequel Midnight in St. Petersburg (1996), it was initially meant for theatrical release but scaled back to a Showtime cable channel offering.  Tod and David can only speculate on the reasons why, but speculate we will.  

Next week, a brief deviation into one of the stranger corners of spy entertainment, a look at the first few episodes of the new anime series Spy Family (available in the US on Hulu and Crunchyroll).  Following that, we will catch up with Slow Horses (AppleTV).

We’re always inviting input on what films and television series to cover at:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

Spy entertainment news and alerts, plus our quick takes on Judas and the Black Messiah (2021).  This film is based on historical events (1960's), featured organizations are the Black Panthers and the FBI.

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSjtGqRXQ9Y

The next regular episode will be The Battle of Algiers (1966) and work has begun on our Ronin (1998) episodes.  

Continued discussion of the Bourne films.  Tod and Dave chew into the tradecraft of Supremacy, and discuss how the Bourne character represents doubt and amnesia in the American political psyche at large.  You won’t want to miss this one.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

You asked for it, here it is!  Seminal spy television series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., specifically tackling s1e23 The Brain Killer Affair and s2e23 The Moonglow Affair.    

Part Two will discuss episodes s3e1 and s4e1.  We had heard that each season of the show has a slightly different flavor so we wanted to sample from all 4 seasons.  

Bonus content, a commentary track for s3e1 is available at https://www.spieslikeus.net/spies-like-us-podcast/bonus-man-from-uncle-commentary-track

Best enjoyed after listening to Part One and before listening to Part Two.  But you do you. 

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

We’re adding a low budget B-movie to our collection of spy stories this time.  This made-for-tv production is admirable for how high it aims in terms of futurism, but falls flat in terms of tradecraft.  Director Colin Budds explains how he tried to thread the needle between an ambitious script and a restrictive budget and time frame in a special Bonus interview HERE. 

At the time of recording, the only place to watch the film Max Knight Ultra Spy is here.   

Our next topic will be the TV series The Recruit, Season One.  A semi-comedic look at the CIA as a nest of office intrigue where everyone’s #1 job is to cover their ass.Available to watch for free on YouTube here.

Suggestions?  Comments?  Get nerdy about spy stuff with us at:   

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Continued discussion of tradecraft in this 2018 Australian 6-episode series.  We go in and put some interesting questions out there, pry around the edges about how much this show makes ACTUAL sense.  Let’s go deep on this one, It’s worth the journey. 

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Part 2 of 2.  Much beloved for its bright, snappy script and thoroughly enjoyable ensemble, Sneakers has stood the test of time as a spy film that can be enjoyed by pretty much anyone.  Let’s peek underneath the hood and see if the tradecraft holds up as well.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.  

Marlene Dietrich stars as an Austrian prostitute recruited to spy on Russian agents during World War I.  This film can be streamed here.

Our next topic will be The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015).  Modern reimagining of the 1960’s TV series.  Find out where to watch it here.

We have previously discussed the TV series, find those episodes here:  Part 1  Part 2

Suggestions?  Comments?  Get nerdy about spy stuff with us at:   

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Slick, tense thriller starring Robert DeNiro as a former CIA agent, hired on to a team of other mercenaries to retrieve a box from some very unfriendly people.  The contents of the box are unknown (and not important), as is the real identity of their employer (turns out to be very important).  

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Keira Knightley portrays Katherine Gunn, the British spy who risked everything to expose illegal intelligence operations in the leadup to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.  Find out where you can watch it at:  https://reelgood.com/movie/official-secrets-2019

Suggestions?  Comments?  Get nerdy about spy stuff with us at:   

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

The story of Richard Sorge might be lesser known to Western audiences, but his spy operation is considered by many authorities to be possibly the greatest of all time.  A WWI decorated German veteran, he was recruited by the Communist Party to infiltrate the Nazi embassy in Tokyo in the years leading up to WWII.  This accounting of historical events was Masahiro Shinoda’s final film.  

It may be difficult to procure an official copy of this film, but there is a high quality version easily found on YouTube.          

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Tod and David continue discussion on this very excellent espionage thriller series that pits a pair of deep-cover KGB agents posing as a married couple against the FBI Counterintelligence in Washington, D.C. in the mid 1980’s.

This concludes our Three Episode series on Season One of The Americans, in which we discuss the Season Finale.

Next week we return to spy MOVIE discussion with 2006’s Casino Royale.  Just in time for the theatrical release of No Time To Die, the final chapter in the Daniel-Craig-as-Bond reboot!  

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license 

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/ 

Slick, tense thriller starring Robert DeNiro as a former CIA agent, hired on to a team of other mercenaries to retrieve a box from some very unfriendly people.  The contents of the box are unknown (and not important), as is the real identity of their employer (turns out to be very important). 

Next week will be Get Smart (2008).   

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Spy entertainment news and alerts, plus our quick takes on The Bureau.  This French television series began in 2015 and is ongoing.  Featured agency is the DGSE.  

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFsBFcu8cOs

The next regular episode will be Ronin (1998) and work has begun on our Get Smart (2008) episodes.  

We drill deeper into the tradecraft of the film’s two main characters, Charlize Theron’s Lorraine and James McAvoy’s Percival.  Will Lorraine prevail due to superior tradecraft, or simply due to being the heroine of the film?  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

We like this movie.  We like Brosnan.  We really do.  But enough is enough already!  The franchise has gone stale at this point and you can’t just paint by numbers 18 films in a row, especially with the Cold War being absolutely Over..  Tomorrow Never Dies is perhaps a fine film, on its own, but its popcorn appeal is being strongly challenged by Ronin, Bourne, and Mission Impossible at this point.

This is Bond at an important cinematic tipping point.  Let’s discuss.    

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

The Jason Bourne character changes the game and really sets a new tone for spy movies going forward into the new millennium.  Tod and Dave discuss the tradecraft of the Bourne films as well as their impact on spy films at large.    Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.  

One of the most influential movies we had never heard of, in terms of cinematic style and substance.  A stark portrayal of the brutality of terrorism and counterinsurgency tactics that is studied by intelligence agencies around the world even today. 

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Continued discussion of the television series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., specifically tackling s3e1 The Her Master’s Voice Affair and s2e1 The Summit 5 Affair.     

Reminder:  Bonus content, a commentary track for s3e1 is available at https://www.spieslikeus.net/spies-like-us-podcast/bonus-man-from-uncle-commentary-track

Next week we will be discussing Mission: Impossible 3 (2006) 

Music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100240

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Tod and David tackle the movie that aimed to do for James Bond what ‘Batman Begins’ did for Batman, completely re-booting 007 for a new century.  Expect us to publish a Brush Pass episode as soon as we have seen No Time To Die, which is expected to close out the Daniel Craig storyline.

We will then be re-publishing our prior episode on the first episode of Homeland, before following up with a pair of episodes in which we will delve further into that show’s first season.  Next movie has not yet been decided, so throw your votes at us.    

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Gary Oldman leads a 6-episode adaptation of the 2010 novel by Mick Herron, the first of eight so far.  The core high concept of this series is that Mi5 has a secret side agency where they send all of their fuckup agents into a sort of purgatory (Slough House).  A brilliantly written dark comedy.

Next week, movie episode!  Red Sparrow (2018) stars Jennifer Lawrence as a Russian SVR-trained 'Sparrow' who matches wits against a CIA agent (Joel Edgerton) while trying to stay one step ahead of her handlers.   

We’re always inviting input on what movies and films to cover on the podcast at:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

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Friend of the show Joe Duffus joins us to conclude discussion of Le Bureau des Legendes season one.  Spoilers abound.    

Next up is Sicario (2015), a spy-adjacent movie about CIA operations involving Mexican and Colombian drug cartels.  Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro star.  

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Closing out discussion of the Netflix miniseries The Spy starring Sacha Baron Cohen as the real life Israeli spy Eli Cohen (1960’s era).  

Looking ahead, Casablanca has been tabled.  We are switching tracks to write notes on The IPCRESS File (1965) in preparation for the launch of the tv series in Britain.  Stay tuned!

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Famed director Alfred Zinneman (High Noon, From Here to Eternity) directs the mother of all modern Assassin movies.  It’s a fictional but extremely believable portrayal of a plot to kill French President Charles de Gaulle in 1963.  The portrayal of identity forging in this film was so realistic that it caused European authorities to update their passport protocols!

Episode Thirty Four and Thirty Five (Argo, 2012)

Ian Fleming’s Bond character was always viewed by Hollywood as a franchise inducer.  Ten films in, with crowd pleasing Sean Connery tapping out, they still wanted to push the 007 brand forward, and Roger Moore takes the mantle.  How much has changed between 1962 and 1977?  Tod and Dave discuss this strange but important decade of Bond, and especially whether Moore is up to the task of passing on the torch.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

Television miniseries based on John Le Carre’s 1997 novel.  Tom Hiddleston (Loki!) is recruited by Olivia Colman (Peepshow!  The Crown!) to infiltrate the organization of an arms dealer played by Hugh Laurie (House!)  We’re going to cover all 6 episodes on a weekly basis.  This is giving us some time to think about overhauling our show format to better include spy television series as well as movies.  Work in progress.   

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Part 2 of 2.  Last week we discussed the many ways this spy comedy fails to deliver the laughs.  This week Tod and Dave dig into all the ways it also pretty much fails to be a spy movie.   Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Continued discussion of RED.  Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is classified Retired, Extremely Dangerous and he’s got some equally retired and dangerous friends (Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovitch, Brian Cox).  Mary-Louise Parker gets swept up in their mission to find out who is trying to kill Frank after all these years in this colorful and comedic caper.  

Next week we will be tackling the 1973 british classic The Day of the Jackal, portraying a fictional assassination attempt on French President Charles de Gualle.    

Continued discussion of the mother of all modern Assassin movies.  It’s a fictional but extremely believable portrayal of a plot to kill French President Charles de Gaulle in 1963.  The portrayal of identity forging in this film was so realistic that it caused European authorities to update their passport protocols!    

Next week we will be celebrating the anniversary of our podcast by comparing the best and the worst spies from all of our 2020 episodes. 

Tod and David are really excited to finally talk about this very excellent espionage thriller series that pits a pair of deep-cover KGB agents posing as a married couple against the FBI Counterintelligence in Washington, D.C. in the mid 1980’s.

This is Part One of a Three Episode series on Season One of The Americans.  Here we will discuss the pilot episode.  Next week we will discuss episode 7.  The final week we will close the discussion with details (including spoilers) of the final episode 13.        

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Spy entertainment news and alerts, plus our quick takes on The Courier.  We went straight to the theater for this one and we recommend it highly for spy geeks!

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbR1A95Ll8Q

The next regular episodes will be our Get Smart (2008) treatment; we will have some fun with a spy comedy, and following that we are VERY EXCITED to have an actual military intelligence expert to help us break down Pine Gap.

Rebroadcast episode in preparation for a couple weeks of delving further into this critically acclaimed French spy series.  Next week: episode 6, following week: episode 10.  

The next movie has not been picked yet, so send recommendations.  

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We revisit the TNT miniseries and give its second episode a careful look.  Fictional CIA agent Jack takes part in the Hungarian Revolt of 1956 while historical (but dramatized) figures in Washington disagree on whether and how the US should become involved.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

Jessica Chastain spearheads an ensemble cast in this representation of the CIA’s hunt for, and eventual assassination of, Osama Bin Laden.  

Our next topic will be The Report, a highly critical evaluation of the CIA’s methodology in their prosecution of the ‘War on Terror’.  Give us your suggestions and comments at:

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

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Tod and Dave love talking about spy movies, old, new, good and bad.  Let’s dig in on this genre and explore! We inaugurate our podcast with an analysis of what could arguably be called the first spy movie of all time.  A 1934 Hitchcock classic, The Man Who Knew Too Much.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.  

Tod and Dave tackle their first ‘action movie’ variant of the spy genre here.  Do assassination movies qualify as spy movies? Maybe not all of them do, but we had to put this one in here.  We’ll argue that this is a genre-defining moment in cinematic history. Seriously, we think this is a game-changer.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Discussion of the newly released British ITV adaptation of the IPCRESS File continues with analysis of the fifth of this six-episode offering.  This Len Deighton novel was most famously adapted for film in 1965 starring Michael Caine and produced by Bond co-producer Harry Saltzman.  

Next week will be our last on this TV series.  SCHEDULE CHANGE announcement, our ‘Palmerfest’ will conclude not with Midnight in St. Petersburg, but with Bullet to Beijing (1995).  Reasons for this will be explained.  

We’re always inviting input on what movies and films to cover on the podcast at:

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Along with The Untouchables, released the same year, No Way Out ushers us into the Age of Kevin Costner.  Critics have been especially kind to this movie, calling it a Hitchcockian masterpiece of neo-noire.  How kind will Tod and Dave be to the tradecraft portrayed in this political thriller?  Listen and find out.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

The Mission:Impossible film franchise has grown into a massive popcorn hit that also gets solid nods from film critics.  But it wasn’t always so.  Here, Dave and Tod lay out their arguments that it is MI3 that sets the tone for this, possibly the current reigning champion of the ‘action spy’ genre.  As always, we are going hypercritical on the tradecraft demonstrated in the film.  Set your expectations of realism quite low, this is a pure thrill ride.        

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Timothy Dalton steps into the role of James Bond in the first film to try to ‘ground’ the story in somewhat more topical, post-Cold War scenarios.  No volcano-dwelling supervillain here, rather a Columbian drug cartel headed by Robert Davi.  A shockingly young Benicio del Toro provides the role of the Heavy.  Find where to watch here.

Our next topic will be the first season of The Recruit (2022).  Dark comedy about a CIA lawyer who gets in way over his head in a CIA that is portrayed as being more obsessed with plausible deniability than operational effectiveness.  Find where to watch here.

Suggestions?  Comments?  Get nerdy about spy stuff with us at:   

https://www.facebook.com/spieslikeuspodcast/

https://twitter.com/spies_likeus

https://www.spieslikeus.net/contact

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Spy entertainment news and alerts, plus our quick takes on Spy City.  We watched one episode of this new spy series from AMC+, and our quick takes might or might not help you decide if you want to get on board.  

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh_b1Lv3uh0

Our next regular episode will be our deep dive into the tradecraft of Judas and the Black Messiah, a new (2021) film that explores the infiltration of the Black Panther Party by FBI asset William O'Neil in Chicago of the 1970's.  

Television miniseries based on John Le Carre’s 1997 novel.  Tom Hiddleston (Loki!) is recruited by Olivia Colman (The Crown!) to infiltrate the organization of an arms dealer played by Hugh Laurie (House!)  We’re going to cover all 6 episodes on a weekly basis.  This is giving us some time to think about overhauling our show format to better include spy television series as well as movies.  Work in progress.  

Once we finish this series, next planned movie is Three Days of the Condor (1975) 

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Continued discussion of the JJ Abrams version of the Mission: Impossible film formula, and how this film set the tone for massive franchise success going forward.  

Next week we will be discussing a much more serious and historically based topic, the 2003 film Spy Sorge from legendary director Masahiro Shinoda.  Richard Sorge was an infamous spy for Russia that collected information from the Japanese in the build-up to World War II, under the guise of being a Nazi.  Lots of history to dig into there.  

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The Spy (2019)

Netflix miniseries The Spy starring Sacha Baron Cohen as the real life Israeli spy Eli Cohen (1960’s era).  In this cast we discuss the first two of the six episodes and we will finish out the series in the following weeks.  

After we finish The Spy we’ll return to film discussion with Casablanca (1942)..  

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CONCLUSION of our discussion of the six-episode IPCRESS File from ITV.  

‘Palmerfest’ continues next week however with a change of plans, the movie will be Bullet to Beijing (1995).  Discussion of the new AppleTV series Slow Horses (Gary Oldman, Jonathan Pryce) on the near horizon.  

Let us know what you would like covered at:

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100% self-indulgent breaking our arms patting ourselves on the back anniversary episode!  Brief review of the worst and best, least and most accurate spy movies we discussed in 2020.  Further we are pitting over 60 spy characters from those films against each other to see who is the best overall in a number of categories.  Visit http://spieslikeus.net/spyvsspy to keep track of all the contenders!  

Continued omphaloskepsis (look it up, it’s one of the greatest words ever).  It feels really good to hit a year and we are feeling like a bit of self indulgence is warranted.  We are retrospecting on our first year of podcasting and especially doing a Spy vs Spy beatdown of different spy characters.  This week, Handlers, Analysts, Assassins and Puppet Masters.  Oh, you really want to stick around for the Puppet Master discussion.  It’s really good.   

Visit http://spieslikeus.net/spyvsspy to keep track of all the contenders!  

Next week we will be back in form, hitting up the classic and definitive cinematic work on counterinsurgency, 1966’s The Battle of Algiers. 

Thanks for listening!  One Year woot!  Much more to come!!!

Robert Rodriguez takes a departure from his usual blood-soaked genre sendups to deliver his first blockbuster, a kid friendly spy adventure.  Special guest Yammering Lew joins us to discuss!  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

Continued discussion of Enemy of the State, an action-packed tale of an ‘everyman’ character (Will Smith) caught in the grinding gears of US domestic surveillance abuse.     

Next week we are returning to James Bond, this time portrayed by Pierce Brosnan, in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies.    

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Hopefully you guys have all already heard the regular Total Recall 1990 episode and subscribed to the Sci-Fi Wise Guys podcast.  Find it on your favorite podcast app or here:

https://linktr.ee/scifiwiseguys

What?  Need more convincing?  Here’s a free sample.  Here, I go on to Chris and Anthony’s podcast and join in a conversation about the Total Recall 2012 remake starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsdale, Jessica Biel and Bryan Cranston.

But seriously, don’t listen to it here.  Go listen to it on their show.  They got a great thing going over there.  

Our next topic will be The Old Man, currently streaming on Hulu and other services.  Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow match wits as retired (sort of) spies who share a troubling past.  Come talk spy film and television with us at:

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Continued discussion of Le Bureau des Legendes includes everything up to and including episode 6.  Next week:  concluding discussion of the 10 episode season.  

The next movie will be Sicario (2015), a spy-adjacent movie about CIA operations involving Mexican and Colombian drug cartels.  Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro star.  This one is pretty highly regarded by Tod and Dave, so do seek it out if you haven’t already.

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Recent and realistic, and up for Best Picture.  Based on the true story of FBI informant William O’Neil who infiltrated the Black Panther Party in 1960’s Chicago.  

Next week we are going to feature on the Let’s Rewatch podcast and talk about 2002’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.  Does it qualify as a spy film?  Let’s have that discussion.  We had a lot of fun chatting movie stuff with this crew, regardless.  

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Television miniseries based on John Le Carre’s 1997 novel.  Tom Hiddleston (Loki!) is recruited by Olivia Colman (The Crown!) to infiltrate the organization of an arms dealer played by Hugh Laurie (House!)  We’re going to cover all 6 episodes on a weekly basis.  This is giving us some time to think about overhauling our show format to better include spy television series as well as movies.  Work in progress.   

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You like Ninjas?  We got Ninjas.  Samurai Spy deals with an important transitional moment in feudal Japan’s history, but is also deeply informed by the Cold War paranoia that infected the age in which the movie was made.  Who are the good guys, who are the bad guys?  We will have to travel into the fog to find out.   Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

Yammering Lew and Lon Lovett return in our continued discussion of the attempted reboot of the Get Smart IP in 2008.  We are still having fun with it.  “CAAAAAAAN!!!!”   

Next week we will start in on Pine Gap, an Australian miniseries which we think layers in a ton of valid tradecraft while also being highly approachable to people new to the genre.  Check it out!     

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‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

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In the immediate frenzy of the James Bond-fueled 1960’s spy craze, it’s very interesting to note that Bond co-producer Harry Saltzman chooses this moment to produce a sort of ‘Anti-Bond’ spy film.  Michael Caine brings a ‘working man’s’ subtlety to his portrayal of a spy character that will strongly influence the more realistic spy films that will follow in further decades.  

A new iteration of this seminal work of spy fiction is just around the corner.  March 6th has just been announced as the first of a planned 6 episode miniseries of the IPCRESS File on ITV.  David and Tod plan to watch and review each episode, each week.   

Along the way, we will also be reviewing a selection of the Harry Palmer films, specifically Billion Dollar Brain and Last Night in Petersburg.  Please join us at the park bench of your choice to discuss!

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While still primarily standing in for James Angleton, Matt Damon’s character borrows key elements from other historical CIA figures as the film takes us through the dangerous game of counterintelligence and the failed invasion of Cuba in 1961.   Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details. 

British ITV adaptation of the Len Deighton novel, also famously adapted for film in 1965.  This version sticks firmly to its 1960’s roots but makes interesting update choices in other areas.  We will continue to discuss each episode of the six-episode miniseries on a weekly basis.

IN ADDITION we are working on a movie episode for 1967’s Billion Dollar Brain, another Harry Palmer movie, hopefully for release as soon as next week.     

We are getting goofy again with this one.  The Get Smart TV series capitalized on the Bond explosion of the 60’s with the first witty and parodic take on the spy genre, and 50 years later Warner Brothers decided to see if there was still gas in that tank.   Yammering Lew and Lon Lovett join us to discuss the 2008 version of Get Smart.  We have fun with it. 

Robert Redford plays a veteran CIA operative who is just a day from retirement when he finds that his golden boy protege (played by Brad Pitt) has gone rogue.  When he finds that his CIA superiors are looking for reasons to cut ties with said protege, he initiates a personal crusade to find the truth.  Tons of delicious tradecraft in this one. Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

Continued discussion of The Departed.  Tension ramps up as Damon (mob mole in the police) and DiCaprio (police mole in the mob) begin to hunt for one another in earnest.  Plus a section on the Infernal Affairs source material.  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.

Concluding discussion of the first season of Homeland, which follows a CIA officer deeply disturbed by the possibility that a recently released war prisoner may have been secretly turned by al-Qaeda.  This week we are considering the season’s finale Episode 12 in detail, INCLUDING SPOILERS.

Next week we return to movie discussion with The Conversation (1974) by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gene Hackman.  A surveillance expert becomes obsessed with a cryptic conversation recorded on behalf of a mysterious client.    

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Tod and Dave hit a Brush Pass bonus episode with our first impressions of the final Daniel-Craig-as-Bond flick.  Be warned this is a full spoiler episode.  We figure if you haven't seen the film yet, you probably don't care about spoilers.  

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Intricate and personal dramatization of the real-life story of one of history’s most successful spies, Kim Philby.  Intertwining narratives tell the tale of how Philby came to defect to the USSR in 1969 as well as the effects it had on British and American intelligence thereafter.  Truly one of the most intense spy stories we have covered on this cast.  Find where to watch here.

Due to the VERY complex nature of the tradecraft in this series we will be covering it over two episodes of our podcast.  Here is our analysis of episodes 1-3.  Next month we will continue with our analysis of episodes 4-6, which concludes the series.    

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Experimental short form episode.  Quick takes on the new Netflix show Lupin, plus spy entertainment news and alerts.  

Darkly comic Netflix television series follows a young CIA lawyer who manages to get completely in over his head in his first week at the agency.  The CIA here is portrayed as being more obsessed with plausible deniability than operational effectiveness.  Find where to watch here.

Our next topic will be the miniseries A Spy Among Friends.  Intricate drama centered on the career of Kim Philby, possibly history’s most successful spy.  Find where to watch here.

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‘Ice Cold’ by Audionautix

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‘Enter the Party’ by Kevin MacLeod

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Continued discussion of Spy Sorge, a historical film showcasing the operations of Richard Sorge in the years leading up to WWII.  

Next week we are busting out the Bruckheimer with 1998’s Enemy of the State starring Will Smith, Gene Hackman and John Voight.  

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Gary Oldman tackles the iconic spy character George Smiley in this 2011 adaptation of the 1974 novel by John Le Carre’.  It’s a lot of story to fit into 2 hours; does the tradecraft hold up?  Music and SFX used under CCA license https://www.spieslikeus.net/attributions for details.