PhantasmaCast

Ep. 38 - Fade In & CatchfireThis week, we're facing our past regrets and disowned creations with Jud Taylor’s Fade In (1973) and Dennis Hopper’s Catchfire (1990). These films represent the absolute limit of corporate interference, operating as flawed, compromised monuments to the nightmare of the studio system. We look at how Jud Taylor's western romance gets completely lost in translation, and how Dennis Hopper legally scrubs his identity from a star-studded thriller. It is a double feature about the high cost of creative compromise, the fragility of structural conventions, and the remnants of pure authorship that persist under duress. Whether it is a studio executive altering a film beyond recognition or a director completely abandoning their own project, both films suggest that when commerce wins, the true story gets buried. 🎬 Movies DiscussedFade In (1973, Dir. Alan Smithee / Jud Taylor)Catchfire (1990, Dir. Alan Smithee / Dennis Hopper) 🕰️ Chapters0:00 Intro1:03 Who is "Alan Smithee"?3:11 Fade In24:45 Backtrack57:33 Are these movies worth watching???📀 Physical Media Shoutouts @kinolorber  🔗 Find & Follow PhantasmaCast YouTube: https://youtube.com/@2certifiedbangers Instagram: https://instagram.com/2certifiedbangers TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@2certifiedbangers Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/phantasmacast/id1745055694 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0eifTBsW1y8CkGQppn81Hp 💬 Join the ConversationDo you think a studio-compromised film is still worth watching for the director's surviving ideas, or should Alan Smithee movies be left entirely in the vault? Let us know in the comments.#AlanSmithee #FilmHistory #CinephileCulture #DennisHopper #PhysicalMedia

This week, we are celebrating Pride by hitting the highway with a double showing of drag queen road movies: Stephan Elliott’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) and Beeban Kidron’s To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995). These films show that a road movie is about much more than getting from point A to point B. We look at how Tick’s journey in Priscilla allows him to shed the fear of being himself in front of his estranged son, anchoring the comedy with beautiful, independent vulnerability. On the flip side, we watch how the trio in To Wong Foo confront and dismantle their own preconceived notions about small-town communities as they embed themselves in middle America. It is a double feature about identity, community, and self-discovery. Whether it is navigating the harsh Australian outback or transforming a forgotten town, both films suggest that the ultimate destination on a drag journey is finding the confidence within yourself to be yourself completely. 🎬 Movies DiscussedThe Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994, Dir. Stephan Elliott)To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995, Dir. Beeban Kidron) 🕰️ Chapters0:00 Intro0:45 Favorite Road Movies11:50 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)47:31 To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)🔗 Find & Follow PhantasmaCastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@2certifiedbangers Instagram: https://instagram.com/2certifiedbangers TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@2certifiedbangers Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/phantasmacast/id1745055694 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0eifTBsW1y8CkGQppn81Hp 💬 Join the ConversationDo you prefer the grounded, indie storytelling of Priscilla or the light-hearted studio energy of To Wong Foo? Let us know in the comments. #PriscillaQueenOfTheDesert #ToWongFoo #DragCinema #RoadMovies #PhantasmaCast

Ep. 36 - The Long Good Friday & CasinoThis week, we are stepping into the halls of crumbling criminal empires with John Mackenzie’s The Long Good Friday (1980) and Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995). These films feature protagonists who operate as kings in their own respects, letting their massive egos blind them to the immediate threats right in front of their faces. We look at how Harold Shand’s dream of a legitimized London empire clashes with a political nightmare, and how Sam "Ace" Rothstein’s obsession with total control in Vegas ultimately creates his own downfall. It is a double feature about the illusion of power, the volatility of the underworld, and the high cost of unchecked ambition. Whether it is the rainy streets of London or the blinding neon of the desert, both films show that a king is only as strong as the foundation he ignores. Plus, we dig into the incredible performances from Helen Mirren and Sharon Stone, who serve as the crucial anchors to these men of ambition. 🎬 Movies DiscussedThe Long Good Friday (1980, Dir. John Mackenzie)Casino (1995, Dir. Martin Scorsese) 🕰️ Chapters0:00 Intro0:45 Derek and Jake decide on their Top Scorsese picks8:42 The Long Good Friday36:08 Casino1:05:11 Outro/Closing thoughts📀 Physical Media Shoutouts@criterioncollection 🔗 Find & Follow PhantasmaCast:YouTube: https://youtube.com/@2certifiedbangers Instagram: https://instagram.com/2certifiedbangers TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@2certifiedbangers Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/phantasmacast/id1745055694 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0eifTBsW1y8CkGQppn81Hp 💬 Join the ConversationDo you prefer the gritty British realism of The Long Good Friday or the maximalist operatic tragedy of Casino? Let us know in the comments.#TheLongGoodFriday #CasinoMovie #MartinScorsese #BritishCinema #NeoNoir

Ep. 35 - Bad Lieutenant & Dragged Across ConcreteThis week, we are looking at the law of the street with Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant (1992) and S. Craig Zahler’s Dragged Across Concrete (2018). We explore "cops crashing out," looking at how these films handle officers who have completely abandoned the rulebook. Bad Lieutenant serves as a visceral redemption story, suggesting that even the most irredeemable, drug-addled soul can find a moment of spiritual clarity. In contrast, Dragged Across Concrete functions as a pulpy reactionist fantasy. It presents a world of "white persecution" where the line between the badge and the mask is non-existent. We discuss how Zahler frames cops and criminals as two halves of the same coin, locked in a slow-burn cycle of suspicion and violence. 🎬 Movies DiscussedBad Lieutenant (1992, Dir. Abel Ferrara) Dragged Across Concrete (2018, Dir. S. Craig Zahler) 🕰️Chapters0:00 Intro2:34 Bad Lieutenant38:39 Dragged Across Concrete1:09:08 Conclusion or Final Thoughts Regarding "Morality in Media"📀 Physical Media Shoutouts@KinoLorber and @Lionsgate🔗 Find & Follow PhantasmaCastYouTube: youtube.com/@2certifiedbangersInstagram: instagram.com/2certifiedbangersTikTok: tiktok.com/@2certifiedbangersApple Podcasts: apple.co/phantasmacastSpotify: spoti.fi/phantasmacast💬 Join the ConversationDoes LT actually deserve redemption, or is Zahler's cynical worldview more realistic? Let us know in the comments. #BadLieutenant #DraggedAcrossConcrete #AbelFerrara #SCraigZahler #CinephileWho is the ultimate "crash out" cop in your opinion?

This week, we are walking the beat with Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye (1973) and Shane Black’s The Nice Guys (2016).These films represent two sides of the same tarnished coin. We look at Philip Marlowe as a relic of a moral code that simply does not apply to the world anymore. In The Long Goodbye, Marlowe is a ghost in his own life, stumbling through a cynical, hazy L.A. that has no room for his brand of loyalty. Contrast that with The Nice Guys, where our leads are trying to affect change against an overwhelming tide of corporate and political corruption, only to realize the deck is stacked against them.It is a double feature about the failure of the private eye archetype. Whether it is the nihilistic malaise of the 70s or the frantic comedy of a modern action-noir, both films suggest that the truth does not set you free, it just makes you tired.🎬 Movies DiscussedThe Long Goodbye (1973, Dir. Robert Altman)The Nice Guys (2016, Dir. Shane Black)🕰️ Chapters0:00 Intro0:45 "95 KFM Home of PhantasmaCast"/Shane Black and Other Musings10:19 The Long Goodbye41:55 The Nice Guys1:10:46 Outro or "Never Trust a Billionaire"📀 Physical Media Shoutouts @KinoLorber and @WarnerArchive🔗 Find & Follow PhantasmaCastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@2certifiedbangersInstagram: https://instagram.com/2certifiedbangersTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@2certifiedbangersApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/phantasmacast/id1745055694Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0eifTBsW1y8CkGQppn81Hp💬 Join the Conversation☝️ Does Philip Marlowe work better as a ghost in the machine or as a bumbling fixer trying to stay afloat? Let us know in the comments.

This week, we are stepping into the Hollywood house of mirrors with Robert Altman’s The Player (1992) and Spike Jonze’s Adaptation (2002).These aren't just movies about making movies; they are cynical, paranoid love letters to the nightmare of the creative process. We look at how Griffin Mill’s life in The Player becomes the very thriller he is trying to produce, and how Charlie Kaufman literally writes himself into a corner in Adaptation.It is a double feature about the high cost of the "pitch," the absurdity of the studio system, and the paralyzing fear that you might just be a hack. Whether it is a studio executive getting away with murder or a screenwriter having a nervous breakdown on the page, both films suggest that in Hollywood, the story eventually consumes the storyteller.🎬 Movies DiscussedThe Player (1992, Dir. Robert Altman)Adaptation (2002, Dir. Spike Jonze)🕰️ Chapters0:00 Intro0:45 Favorite movies "about" movies11:50 "The Player" (1992)47:31 "Adaptation." (2002)1:14:57 (very) Final Thoughts📀 Physical Media Shoutouts @criterioncollection  and  @ShoutFactoryVEVO 🔗 Find & Follow PhantasmaCastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@2certifiedbangersInstagram: https://instagram.com/2certifiedbangersTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@2certifiedbangersApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/phantasmacast/id1745055694Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0eifTBsW1y8CkGQppn81Hp💬 Join the ConversationDo you prefer the cynical Hollywood satire of The Player or the neurotic self reflection of Adaptation? Let us know in the comments.