Filmsplaining with Martyn Strange

On this episode, I chat with friend of the show and co-host of both Checkout Cinema and Cinematary Grace Winburne about discovering Bob Fosse's masterpiece Cabaret! We discuss our histories with musicals, how and why this one works so well, Liza Minelli's knockout performance, and the state of the modern day musical. Listen to Grace's work on Checkout Cinema and Cinematary.

On this episode, I chat with Philip Marinello from The Substance podcast about an under-seen killer thriller of British cinema from Michael Powell: 1960's Peeping Tom. We discuss this film's legacy in relation to Psycho the very same year, how Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker rescued and revived it, and what it means to be an audience obsessed with moving images and how they make us complicit in the horrific events of the movie. Listen to Philip's podcast The Substance here.

Today on the show, I chat with MUBI head of audio and podcast host Rico Gagliano about Spike Lee's vibrant and vital 1989 masterpiece Do The Right Thing. We discuss our initial gut reactions to the film and how its legacy and impact has only gotten stronger since its release, and Rico discusses what he learned from interviewing Spike Lee as well as what people should take away from the film now. Listen to the MUBI podcast and follow Rico Gagliano here.

This year for Halloween, I wanted to do something special, so I compiled a list of forty creature features and asked my followers on Threads to vote for their ten favorites. Listen in and see what they came up with! full Letterboxd list: https://letterboxd.com/martynstrange/list/filmsplaining-406-creature-features/

Today on the show, I discuss the provocative, groundbreaking "Teen Apocalypse" trilogy from New Queer Cinema icon Gregg Araki: Totally Fucked Up, The Doom Generation, and Nowhere. Set in the hazy wastelands of Los Angeles, the films follow various groups of teens who explore drugs, sex, television, and societal collapse through deadpan humor and witty observations on the end of the world.

On today's show, I chat with filmmaker Alex Pulisci about his passion for wrestling and the poignant tragedy of The Iron Claw. We discuss sports biopics, brotherly bonds, transformative performances, and where theatre meets commerce in the worlds of professional wrestling and cinema. follow Alex on Instagram/Threads