The Podcast Review

these two guys (Jett Loe and Gareth Higgins) are onto a winning formula.  Too often, film podcasts devolve into an endless stream of tangents and side-stories, minutiae that would bore the legs off a spider.  Well … no more!

The Film Talk presents to you a weekly podcast of TWO of the latest theatrical releases.  Packaged in half an hour, this is purely the films themselves, and nothing else.

Jett (on the left) hails from Nashville, and his sparring partner, Gareth, is from Ireland.  They bring a transatlantic approach to the discussion.  One might think American / European, or maybe just a mere clash of personalities.  Actually, despite what they claim, Jett and Gareth don’t argue, or get inflamed, they just provide alternative views.

The podcast has been running on 3 years now, and is just about to ring up it’s 100th episode.  The guys are on a fundraising drive, and keen to bring on any new listeners.  I definitely appreciate these guys’ up front approach; it makes a marked contrast to what else is out there.

Professional, intelligent, engaging, sometimes abrupt.  Heartily recommended.

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I have to say up-front that Sci-Fi Talk is an amazing enterprise.  Began at the beginning of the year, there is now an archive of 100 Interviews with the Actors and Creators of SCI-FI.  Actually, the mandate extends further than that; it covers the associated realms of Fantasy and Horror, in both tv and movie formats.  The host, Tony Tellado, has invested an enormous amount of WILL into this venture; and one can only marvel at the final result.

There is insight and perspective; straight from the originators’ mouths.  Before, such access would have only been granted to the media elite, but in today’s decentralised, information-free times, everyone can become a conduit of  truth and story.  And that is what Tony does.  Let those who animate our tv screens and imaginations speak their answers about what it was like to participate in these Sci-Fi ventures.  Amazing.

the interviews are a tight 20 minutes in length, although they do stray above this occasionally.  There is no fluff or time-wasting, it’s straight into the interview itself.  Audio quality is only so-so, as the main means of conveyance is by phone line, which can be patchy at best.

Science Fiction has a way of presaging the future by only 10 or 15 years; and in that respect it is somewhat frightening.  What *exactly* are these writers and creators tapping into when they set their minds free?

subscribe – enjoy – and be astonished.  5 Stars.

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Films are the cultural artifacts of our time – they form a neat package (coming under 2 hours for a time-pressed age), are accessible widely through cinema and then ubiquitous dvd, and are subject to critical and popular opinion.  It is not for nothing that imdb is one of the powerhouse websites of the world.  Films, in the end, are about stories concerning the human creature; how it survives, loves, grows, and challenges for power.  Films are about US.

so films are important.  Opinions too are important.  But what the industry truly thrives on is the hype.  And so we come to that curious artifact indeed – the Film Trailer.  What could be seen as a 90 second film condensed out of a 90 minute package, the Trailer is a curious beast indeed.  How to entice with the best scenes, yet not give everything away, how to tell a mini-story without spoiling the Greater Whole.  Cutting a trailer is an art in itself.

FilmTrailers is a regularly updated podcast that pushes out about 5-6 of the latest trailer releases each week.  The site is run from the UK, so you will see a lot of french cinema being represented which makes it a differentiating point for US and Australian audiences; a taste of wider culture if you will.  Most of the trailers are of good quality, but aren’t HD; in fact, a small number came across as low-res, which was a bit of a disappointment; considering that the visuals are the prime draw of a film.  A small quibble nonetheless, for this convenient podcast delivery.

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true art is hard to make; so too is genuine, probing analysis.  It takes a particular mindset to be able to evaluate and gauge a work; place it in a historical context, and compare it to its peers or non-peers.  A wide-ranging mind, an open-ness of opinion, a pursuit of some truthful ideal are all requisite to this quest for Analysis.

so we come to this podcast.  Left Field Cinema is a spoken word presentation by Mike Dawson.  He prepares essays of reviews, hidden masterpieces, and misunderstood classics, and then, well, reads then aloud.  Not your typical film podcast, but a thoroughly immersive and intellectual experience.  Episodes average around the 15 minute mark, and the podcast has been running for about 2 years.  It forms an impressive archive.

I find the spoken word essays literate and challenging.  They are infused with perception and critique.  If you are looking for a smart film podcast, this is the one for you.  Film IQ.

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ps. this analysis of the film Dune is just astonishing

the best thing about this podcast is the ‘cover-art’ that goes with each podcast.  Check out some of it here on their podomatic page.

The Splattercast is an outgrowth podcast of the main horror website – Dead Lantern.

now, horror holds a special place in our society; it is almost a taboo area that is welcomely explored.  Its most evident presence is in horror films; both those that make it to the big screen, and those that have cult underground releases.  This is the visual, most visceral representation of it.  But there is a whole subculture of shocking art, horrific imagery and terrified imaginations.  Horror has many manifestations.

Horror is an exploration of our darkest sides; chopping, murder, re-vivification, gushing torrents of blood, dead chicks.  It is an area that exists within each of us; from the first time we witnessed death in a pet or saw raw bloody meat in a high school biology class.  We see the flesh and bloodiness that underlies all life.

some suppress these feelings, others let them roam free.  Horror is as much part of life as is the bright Shining Love that we all profess is the greatest draw in life.  Through the darkness, we appreciate.

Horror makes us understand.

The podcast is a bunch of guys talking about their passion.  It is thoroughly amusing and lighthearted – after all, the *really* bad horror flicks are laughable in their core and premise.  Shows run over the 80 minute mark, but just fly by.  Lots of laughs.

Shock out.

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there is nothing like passion; and there is nothing quite like geeks with passion.  They devote their lives to their objects of passion, learning all the minutiae that there is know.  Geeks know how to delve, and they delve deep.  Whether it be games, gadgets, films, or programming – their ways of connecting trivia are boundless.

And so we arrive at this podcast: The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Podcast.  A fairly generic name, but the two guys running this are full of imagination and spark.  Scott and Anthony are their names, and they basically do a retrospective on great sci-fi movies (the fantasy element is much less played, but expands the scope of their discussions).  Each episode focuses in on a classic sci-fi offering, and they do deal with the greats – 2001, The Abyss, Robocop.  Current films also get a serve, with representations from Watchmen, the Dark Knight, and Iron Man.  It’s a nifty and clever sampling.

Shows run for half an hour, and feature extended clips from the film being discussed.  The reviewers stay on topic, and give an abundance of personal and historical analysis.

I love this genre, and love these two guys’ approach to it.  Geek out my friends.

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Note: downloads are slow from this site.  Be patient … it’s worth it!