Back by Popular Demand with Dennis Camlek

Time has been kind to Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” His adaptation of the best-selling novel was initially dismissed by critics and author Stephen King, however it has since been hailed for its chilling aesthetic, superb visual fabric and harrowing sound design. Always ahead of his time, Kubrick got the last laugh, as "The Shining" is now rightfully considered one of the greatest horror films in cinema. Steve Cozzolino checks in to the Overlook and joins Dennis to discuss why all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Celebrated screenwriters with a distinct world view, Joel and Ethan Coen pivoted in 2007 with an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel No Country for Old Men; and in typical Coen Bros. fashion they turned in one of the great works of the 21st century, the winner of the Best Picture Academy Award. While guest Jason Thompson would never take a satchel of drug money he still joins Dennis to celebrate this masterwork from two of the most significant filmmakers of this generation. Don’t put it in your pocket sir, it’s your lucky quarter. Anywhere not in your pocket, where it'll get mixed in with the others and become just a coin. Which it is.

In 1973 most 15 year olds barely scratch together enough cash to buy an album, yet Cameron Crowe was already touring with bands like Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers and Fleetwood Mac, and writing about it for Rolling Stone. He harnessed those talents into a successful filmmaking career and that early experience was showcased in the critically-acclaimed "Almost Famous." Music lovers Laura Lubrano and Jason Zollan return to the show and join Dennis to stand up for the uncool, because the only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool.

It's amazing to think that bounty hunter Jack Walsh was a consolation prize for Robert DeNiro after he lost the starring role in “Big” to Tom Hanks. It worked out for both of them - and for us, luckily - as 1988’s “Midnight Run” would become an adored masterpiece of the buddy action genre. Television development executive (and former colleague) Hugh Fitzpatrick joins Dennis to savor every morsel of this superb, odd couple road trip. So sit down, relax, have a sandwich, drink a glass of milk, do some effin’ thing.

Director John McTiernan hit an incredible trifecta, having helmed the action classics “Die Hard” (1988) and “The Hunt for Red October” (1990)...but it all started with 1987’s “Predator,” a muscular action-horror hybrid, featuring a unique premise: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the world’s best soldiers are hunted down by a far superior alien enemy. The box office hit spawned a hugely successful franchise, with sequels, spinoffs and reboots still being made to this day. To think Jean-Claude Van Damme was almost in it, too. With Ol' Painless in tow, Julius Benedict drops into the jungle to savor this action classic; but he and Dennis better hurry and get to the choppa!

The massive success of “Pulp Fiction” created an arms race for talky crime films. Producers flocked to the genre master himself, author Elmore Leonard. After decades of failed adaptations, Hollywood once again raided his bookshelves, and first up was 1995’s “Get Shorty,” a film MGM wanted Quentin Tarantino to direct. Too busy adapting another Leonard bestseller (Rum Punch, which would become “Jackie Brown,”) Tarantino passed, but not before convincing John Travolta to star as loan shark turned film producer Chili Palmer. Andrew Fryer joins Dennis to revisit this industry comedy that suggests Hollywood may be tougher to navigate than organized crime. After all, sometimes you do your best work when you've got a gun to your head.

Amazing how a random dinner with a total stranger can quickly turn into a fulfilling friendship, one fueled by a mutual pursuit of creative exploration. Serendipity came calling when Nick Malone first met Dennis in 2012. A former actor turned husband who retired from his craft, he had no idea that Dennis would soon share a screenplay he’d written - “Keep the Bottle Close” - a project he intended to produce as a living, breathing television pilot (ultimately filmed in 2015). As one door closed, another one opened, allowing Nick to step in front of the camera one last time. Sometimes it pays to order off the menu.

Fifty years ago producers Richard Zanuck and David Brown handed the directing reins of a best-selling novel to a young, upcoming filmmaker named Steven Spielberg. Moviegoers, the motion picture industry, and the country at large had no idea what was in store. An unprecedented release - and a critical and commercial triumph - “Jaws” has endured for decades and will forever remain part of the cultural conversation. Jim Camlek and his little brother celebrate this masterclass in story, character and execution. Here’s to swimming with bowlegged women!

Several weeks into production of "Back to the Future," screenwriter Bob Gale and director Robert Zemeckis had a huge problem: Eric Stoltz was not giving them the performance their Spielberg backed film desperately needed. Enter budding star Michael J. Fox, the actor they wanted from the beginning. Literally working around the clock, Fox spent his days portraying television's Alex P. Keaton and his nights as time traveling teen Marty McFly. It would quickly become the role of a lifetime. With the beloved classic turning 40, David O'Sullivan joins Dennis - and Nick Malone guests hosts - as our little podcast celebrates its 50th episode. This is heavy.