The History on Film Podcast

Ross talks to writer and historian A. Brad Schwartz about the showdown between Senator Joseph McCarthy and broadcaster Edward R. Murrow as depicted in "Good Night and Good Luck", both on screen and stage. They discuss domestic containment, the evolution of broadcast news, and much more!FURTHER READING:Cloud, Stanley and Lynne Olson. The Murrow Boys: Pioneers on the Front Lines of Broadcast Journalism.Oshinsky, David. A Conspiracy so Immense: The World of Joe McCarthy.Griffith, Robert. The Politics of Fear: Joseph R. McCarthy and the Senate.Schwartz, Brad. Why We Never Got a "Murrow Moment" with Trump.Schwartz, Brad. The Media Spawned McCarthyism. Now History Is Repeating Itself.FURTHER WATCHING:"Good Night and Good Luck""The Manchurian Candidate" (1962)"Star Trek: the Next Generation", S4E21 "The Drumhead"

Ross talks to Dr. Sarah Juliet Lauro about her book The Transatlantic Zombie: Slavery, Rebellion, and Living Death. They discuss where the zombie comes from, what it has represented historically, and how and why it continues to resonate. Happy Halloween!FURTHER READING:Lauro, Sarah Juliet. The Transatlantic Zombie: Slavery, Rebellion, and Living Death.FURTHER WATCHING:"Shaun of the Dead""Atlantics""Plan Nine from Outer Space"

Ross and Ryan are joined by returning guest Dr. Christopher Olson to talk about the career of filmmaker Charles Band! They discuss the director's filmography, his methods, and his influences. They also talk about the style and legacy of indie film-making in the era of home video.And make sure to check out our previous episode with Chris, all about his book on "Mystery Science Theater 3000"!Season 1, Episode 13: "Play MSTie for Me with Matt Foy and Christopher Olson"And our episode on how the VHS changed the film industry!Season 1, Episode 7: "Make it a Blockbuster Night with Frederick Wasser"FURTHER READING:Band, Charles. Confessions of a Puppetmaster: A Hollywood Memoir of Ghouls, Guts, and Gonzo Filmmaking.FURTHER WATCHING:Chris: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Trancers", "The Primevals"Ryan: "Pink Flamingos", "Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death"Ross: "Groom Lake"

Ross and Ryan are joined by friend of the show David Morton to talk with Chris Morgan about 90s Nickelodeon and his book "The Nickelodeon '90s: Cartoons, Game Shows, and a Whole Bunch of Slime". They discuss the origins of the network, cable network fandom, and how and why the network changed. They also discuss some of the shows from that era, and how they informed the network's sensibilities. Let us know which shows were your favorites! Email Historyonfilmpodcast@gmail.com!FURTHER READING:Morgan, Chris. The Nickelodeon '90s: Cartoons, Game Shows, and a Whole Bunch of Slime.FURTHER WATCHING:"The Orange Years"

Ross and Ryan speak with media historian Dr. Josh Shepperd about the founding of American public broadcasting and his book, Shadow of the New Deal: The Victory of Public Broadcasting. They look at how and why public media came to be, the value it has today, and why it is so important to protect. FURTHER READING:Shepperd, Josh. Shadow of the New Deal: The Victory of Public Broadcasting.CALL TO ACTION:Support your local public media!

Ross and Ryan kick off the start of season 2 by welcoming on The Feral Historian! They discuss three iconic films oriented around "the end of history", how and why that concept came into being, and its legacy. Unfortunately, Ross had to leave this one early, but not before making some truly terrible jokes. We're back, y'all!FURTHER READING:Hoel, Erik. We Can't Imagine an "End of History" in Sci-Fi AnymoreFURTHER WATCHING:The Feral Historian on YouTube!

Season 2 kicks off on September 22nd!

Ross and Ryan celebrate summer break with an ALL-TIME great summertime, chill out, hang out, good vibes movie- "That Thing You Do!" (1996). They discuss making fake songs sound real, the movie's legacy as a millennial touchstone, the relationship between the music and film industries in the 1950s and 60s, Ross's love of rom-coms, and much more! Plus, HoFCast listeners share their thoughts on the film- and you can too! Whether you're watching it for the first time or the hundredth, let us know what you think of the movie, and we will share it on a future episode! We plan to do this for select episodes in season 2 as well, so make sure to follow us on social media to know what else we are working on! Happy summer!