Ruined Childhoods

WE DID IT! This episode marks our half-way point through season 3 where we are going A-Z and then Z-A through movie titles. We're thrilled to cap off the first half with Sir John Boorman's 1974 heady fantasy, Zardoz. What is now considered a cult classic was at the time considered a flop and embarrassment, but we're here to tell a different side of the story, celebrating what makes it special and worthy of conversation in 2025.Next episode: Z (1969) • The 3rd season of Ruined Childhoods is a year-long cinematic/alphabetic yo-yo, taking listeners from A-Z and then Z-A.Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifyContact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

In our journey working from A-Z then Z-A in movie titles, it's hard to get to Y and not explore Barbra Streisand's 1983 directorial debut, Yentl. This adaptation from a short story is a tough nut to crach - it's the story of an Orthodox Jewish woman from a Polish shtetl who challenges the traditions of her own faith in order to better learn its very own teachings. The movie's legend perhaps surpasses its own success, but that's what we're here to do on this episode - celebrate the elements that make it special and imagine new ways to revisit the film through a 2025 lens.Next episode: Zardoz (1974) • The 3rd season of Ruined Childhoods is a year-long cinematic/alphabetic yo-yo, taking listeners from A-Z and then Z-A.Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifyContact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

Richard Donner. Charles Bronson. Mary Tyler Moore. Jimmy Stewart. Yup - these unlikely bedfellows teamed up for a government-funded film to market a new rocket-powered jet meant to propel the US Air Force and NASA into outer space. X-15 contains a lot of firsts - it boasts that it's the first movie filmed in space as it uses actual footage from test flights, this is the first feature film in Mary Tyler Moore's oeuvre, and it's the first movie directed by film legend Richard Donner. Dan and Jon discuss what sets this film apart from others of its kind and share thoughts on how it could be revisited today. Next episode: Yentl (1983) • The 3rd season of Ruined Childhoods is a year-long cinematic/alphabetic yo-yo, taking listeners from A-Z and then Z-A.Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifyContact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

Willow has all the makings of a fantasy classic - top tier director, big stars, impressive special effects, and bell of the ball writer, George Lucas. But for many, this movie is nothing but a bad attempt at capitalizing on the success of Star Wars. Dan and Jon celebrate the elements of the film that make it work and come up with some fresh ways to it back, perhaps without Disney+ removing it almost instantly. Next episode: X-15 (1961)Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifySubscribe to The WALT!Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

Remember Remember the 26th of February (this episode's release date, of course). V for Vendetta may not be a film classic, but it activated a generation of activism fashion. Though the design is from the V for Vendetta graphic novel, this 2005 film launched it into global collective consciousness. Paired with Natalie Portman's iconic head-shaving scene, the visuals of this film are still memorable 20 years later. Dan and Jon celebrate the film's legacy and give their thoughts on how it could be revisited in 2025.Next episode: Willow (1988)Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifySubscribe to The WALT!Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

The legend of The Usual Suspects continues to this day. Its twist ending, stories from the set, and all of the parodies that came in its wake are a big part of the film's lasting legacy. But after much deliberation, Dan and Jon have some ideas on how this 1995 crime/heist film could be revisited for a modern audience.Next episode: V for Vendetta (2005)Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifySubscribe to The WALT!Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

With the success of Dawson's Creek, Kevin Williamson let his freak flag fly on the big screen by writing a number of late 90s and early 2000s teen thrillers, but he only directed one - Teaching Mrs. Tingle. This film features Dawson's alum Katie Holmes up against screen legend Dame Helen Mirren, which sounds like fun, right? But with studio intervention and major edits to turn this movie into a PG-13 romp, perhaps Dan and Jon have some ideas for how the film could be revived for a contemporary audience.Next episode: The Usual Suspects (1995)Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifySubscribe to The WALT!Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

Fresh off the success of Teen Wolf, Back to the Future, and Family Ties, young actor Michael J. Fox was white hot and it seemed like any project he was attached to would be a success. It's no surprise that this week's movie, The Secret of my Success, would be one of the highest grossing films of the year, despite being a relatively mediocre adult comedy. Dan and Jon talk about what makes the movie fun to watch, but at times hard to get through given today's standards for workplace decorum. They also share their thoughts for how the film could have a new life in 2025. Next episode: Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifySubscribe to The WALT!Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net

Director Brian Robbins may have been head of the class, but that doesn't make him out of touch with the world of burnout numbskulls and the world of professional wrestling. The proof? 2000's Ready to Rumble, the story of two idiots who are determined to bring a disgraced pro wrestler back to his former glory. Dan tells Jon all about the world of pro wrestling, wrestlers, and how they entered and re-entered his life starting in the 1980s. Dan and Jon also share their ideas for how Ready to Rumble could be brought back in 2025.Next episode: The Secret of my Success (1987)Watch this episode on YouTube or SpotifySubscribe to The WALT!Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods & RuinedChildhoodsPod.comRuined Childhoods is produced & edited by Jon Richardson • jrmediaservices.net