Stereoactive Movie Club
Stereoactive Media
Alicia, Mia, Stephen, and Jeremiah – along with special guests – are discussing some of the greatest movies ever made. Who says? Sight And Sound magazine says. Every ten years, since 1952, the publication has surveyed critics and directors to determine which films, according to those surveyed, might be considered the best. The five film-loving friends take turns picking movies that have appeared on the list and then dig into them with an eye on their cultural impact, how they stand up today, and just whether they’re actually as good as all those critics and directors say they are.
Stereoactive Movie Club Trailer
The Stereoactive Movie Club is discussing some of the greatest movies ever made. Who says? Sight and Sound magazine says. Every ten years, since 1952, Sight and Sound has surveyed critics and directors to determine which films, according to those surveyed, might be considered the best. The five film-loving friends take turns picking movies that have appeared on the list and then dig into them with an eye on their cultural impact, how they stand up today, and just whether they’re actually as good
Ep 37 // Beau Travail
It’s Jeremiah’s Round 6 Pick: Beau Travail, the 1999 film directed by Clair Denis.Beau Travail, which is something of a loose adaptation of Herman Melville’s Billy Budd, was commissioned by a European culture channel Arte as a film about foreignness. It updates the classic novella to feature French Legionnaires stationed in the East African nation of Djibouti, which at the time of the film’s production had only recently, relatively speaking, ceased to be ruled by France after nearly a century of
Ep 36 // Wild Strawberries
It’s Alicia’s Round 6 Pick: Wild Strawberries, the 1957 film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman.Wild Strawberries was Ingmar Bergman’s 18th feature film in eleven years. It was written while he was in a hospital for stress and gastric issues, then quickly produced as his personal life was in disarray.Critics in Sweden pretty much loved the film, while its reception in the United States was more mixed. But its influence has been strong over the years and directors such as Stanley Kubrick and
Ep 35 // Modern Times
It’s Stephen’s Round 6 Pick: Modern Times, the 1936 film starring, written, and directed by Charlie Chaplin.Modern Times marked at least the 60th appearance of Charlie Chaplin in a film as the Little Tramp – and depending on whether you think the barber character in The Great Dictator is also the Tramp, Modern Times may be the last time Chaplin played the character. And while his previous film, 1931’s City Lights, featured synchronized music and sound effects, Modern Times was the first time Cha
Ep 34 // Battleship Potemkin
It’s Mia’s Round 6 Pick: Battleship Potemkin, the 1925 film directed by Sergei Eisenstein.Divided into 5 acts, Battleship Potemkin, in commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of what is known as the First Russian Revolution of 1905, tells the story of a mutiny aboard the titular Russian naval vesselIn the film’s telling, the crew’s refusal to eat borscht made from maggot-infested meat is the first domino in a series of events that leads to a sort of mini-revolution in the port city of Odessa.And i
Ep 33 // Round 6 Picks!
In our next batch of movies, we'll be traveling from the Soviet Union to Florida with stops in Sweden, Hollywood, and Djibouti along the way...So, listen up as we reveal our picks for what we’ll be watching in Round 6 of the podcast! Also, we introduce a special guest who’ll be joining us for all of Round 6!Produced by Stereoactive Media
Ep 32 // Boyhood w/ Max Goransson
It’s Jeremiah’s Round 5 Bonus Pick: Boyhood, the 2014 film directed by Richard Linklater.Boyhood tells the story of a young boy, his slightly older sister, their divorced parents, and the people who come in and out of their lives over the course of 12 years, from the time the boy is 6 until he’s 18. Step-parents come and go, or even stay. Many moves are made. And we see the ways in which the parents’ decisions and actions affect their kids until they begin to have more agency and independence.Th
Ep 31 // Apocalypse Now
It’s Alicia’s 5th pick: Apocalypse Now, the 1979 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola.Coppola’s fellow New Hollywood/Movie Brat filmmaker, John Milius first conceived of adapting ‘Heart of Darkness’ as a Vietnam War movie sometime in the late ‘60s. The original plan was for Milius to write, Coppola to produce, and for George Lucas to direct. Eventually, as Lucas became busy with other projects, Coppola became the project’s director and co-writer.The film’s shooting schedule in the Philippines w
Ep 30 // Raging Bull
It’s Lora’s 5th pick: Raging Bull, the 1980 film directed by Martin Scorsese.The film is a character study of boxer Jake LaMotta, who himself is presented as questionable in character but pure in talent. It is considered one of the best films of its decade and quickly became legendary for DeNiro’s feat of gaining weight for the later scenes. It also basically introduced Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty to the world in star-making turns and was, in more ways than one, something of a saving grace for
Ep 29 // Pierrot le Fou
It’s Stephen’s 5th pick: Pierrot le Fou, the 1965 film directed by Jean-Luc Godard.Godard himself said the film was "connected with the violence and loneliness that lie so close to happiness today. It's very much a film about France."And with its fourth wall breaks, often jarring editing style, and tendency to internally jump among mass culture and/or pop art references in both extremely metatextual and self-referential ways, the film is at once recognizable as a Godard film, a Frenc
Special Episode // The Sight And Sound 2022 Polls Revealed!
The 2022 edition of Sight And Sounds magazine’s polls of the “greatest films ever made” were released last week, and since our entire podcast is about movies that have been on these decennially updated lists, we got together to share our reactions to the new ones.
Here is the top 10, as decided by 1639 critics:
Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
Vertigo (1958)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Tokyo Story (1953)
In the Mood for Love (2000)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Beau Tr
Ep 28 // The Grapes of Wrath
It’s Mia’s 5th pick: The Grapes of Wrath, the 1940 film directed by John Ford.
The film is based on John Steinbeck’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel, which was also the best-selling novel of that year and was cited as a major part of the basis on which Steinbeck was awarded a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. The politics and story of the book were potentially thorny enough that Daryl F. Zanuck, the famed producer at 20th Century Fox, sent investigators to witness just how bad the situation in Ok
Ep 27 // Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
It’s Jeremiah’s 5th pick: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, the 1927 film directed by F.W. Murnau.
Based on a 1917 short story called “The Excursion to Tilsit,’ written by Hermann Sudermann, the film was Murnau’s first in the United States, after he was brought over from Germany by William Fox to make something for Fox Film Corporation like the expressionist work he’d produced in his home country – Nosferatu, The Last Laugh, and Faust among those. As with his previous work, the art design is exagge
Ep 26 // Round 5 Picks!
Listen up as we reveal our picks for what we’ll be watching in Round 5 of the podcast!
Spoiler alert: we have two bonus picks this time around, so we’ll be watching 7 films total.
And, as referenced in the episode, here is the list of all movies released after 1980 that appeared in the top 100 of the Sight & Sound critics and directors surveys in 2012:
1982 - Blade Runner (Ridley Scott / USA)
1982 - Sans Soleil (Chris Marker, France)
1982 - Fanny and Alexander (Ingmar Bergman, Sweden)
Ep 25 // Pather Panchali
It’s Lora’s 4th pick: Pather Panchali, the 1955 film directed by Satyajit Ray.
Pather Panchali, which translates as “Song of the Little Road,” is based on the 1929 novel of the same name, which is the semi-autobiographical work of author Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. Satyajit Ray was a graphic designer working on illustrations for a 1944 abridged edition of the book when it was suggested to him that the stoy’s depiction of rural life in the Bengali region of India would make for a good film. A f
Ep 24 // Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
It’s Stephen’s 4th pick: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, the 1964 film directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Often cited as one of the best comedy films of all time – as well as simply one of the best films generally – this was Kubrick’s follow-up to Lolita, released two years before in 1962.Its making began with the director’s desire to produce a movie about a nuclear accident during the Cold War. As he was doing research for the project, someone suggested he read P
Ep 23 // Persona
It’s Mia’s 4th pick: Persona, the 1966 film directed by Ingmar Bergman.
Persona is a film that is open to much interpretation about its themes, meaning, and maybe even its plot. In the most basic way, it’s the story of a well known Swedish actress who suffers an emotional shutdown and is put in a hospital. It’s explained that there is nothing wrong with her either mentally or physically, but she is completely unwilling to move or speak. A nurse is assigned to her, but a lack of any progress soon
Ep 22 // The Rules of the Game
It’s Jeremiah’s 4th pick: The Rules of the Game, the 1939 film directed by Jean Renoir.
‘The Rules of the Game’ was the most expensive film ever made in France at the time of its production and came on the heels of a series of successful films that had made Renoir one of the top French directors. After initial preview screenings that began in June of 1939 and a premier in July that met with low box-office and mixed reviews, a series of edits eventually whittled the film down from its 113 minute
Ep 21 // Hiroshima Mon Amour
It’s Alicia’s 4th pick: Hiroshima Mon Amour, the 1959 film directed by Alain Resnais.
With ‘Hiroshima Mon Amour,’ Resnais and screenwriter Marguerite Duras, explore the intersection where tragedy and trauma meet history and memory.
The film was released on May 8, 1959 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI International Critics’ Prize.
Among its other accolades was recognition by Cahiers du Cinéma on its list of the top 10 films of 1959, where it was ranked 2nd after Kenji Mizogu
Ep 20 // Round 4 Picks!
Listen up as we reveal our picks for what we’ll be watching in Round 4 of the podcast!
Spoiler alert: it’s our most international round yet!
Produced by Stereoactive Media
Ep 19 // Singin’ in the Rain
Singin’ in the Rain was a product of MGM’s so-called “Freed Unit,” named for the person who headed it -- Arthur Freed.
Before this film, Freed worked on many of the best known musicals, both historically and of their respective days: The Wizard of Oz, Babes in Arms, Meet Me in St. Louis, Ziegfeld Follies, Easter Parade, On the Town, Annie Get Your Gun, Show Boat, and An American In Paris.
It was after working on An American in Paris -- which featured music by George Gershwin, and went on to win
Ep 18 // The Godfather Part II
It’s Mia’s 3rd pick: The Godfather Part II, the 1974 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola
The Godfather Part II both continues the story begun in the first film and also deepens it by depicting what came before. We watch as Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone continues in the family business, building his empire while trying to hold on to his family, both actual and figurative. This is crosscut with a portrayal of his father Vito’s rise from an unfortunate child in Sicily to a respected man in New Yor
Ep 17 // 8 ½
It’s Jeremiah’s 3rd pick: 8 ½, the 1963 film directed by Federico Fellini.
8 ½ was Fellini’s feature film follow-up to 1960s La Dolce Vita – with a segment for an anthology film produced in the interim. La Dolce Vita had been something of an international sensation when it came out, so perhaps the pressure of following that up led him to produce a film about the pressure on a director to make his next movie.
It was released in February 1963 to much acclaim, especially from European critics, draw
Ep 16 // Lawrence of Arabia w/ Matt
It’s Alicia's 3rd pick: ‘Lawrence of Arabia,’ the 1962 film directed by David Lean.
The film is adapted from the autobiographical account of T. E. Lawrence, ‘Seven Pillars of Wisdom,’ which was first published in 1926 and told the story of his involvement with the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turks, from 1916-1918.
Over the decades, many filmmakers – chief among them legendary silent and early sound era producer/director Alexander Korda – courted Lawrence, his estate, and biographers who
Ep 15 // Vertigo
It’s Lora’s 3rd pick: ‘Vertigo,’ the 1958 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Considered by an increasing number of people to be the director’s masterpiece, the film relies on an against-type performance by Jimmy Stewart and a complex, multi-faceted performance by Kim Novak. It first appeared on the Sight & Sound magazine poll of the greatest films ever made in 1972, as a runner up. It’s then appeared on the decennial list every time since, moving up to number 7, then number 4, then number 2,
Ep 14 // Round 2 Wrap Up / Round 3 Picks
It’s the end of Round 2 of the Stereoactive Media Movie Club podcast! We’re revisiting the films we’ve discussed in the last 6 episodes and we’re picking our next round of movies to watch and discuss!
Produced by Stereoactive Media
Ep 13 // The Godfather
It’s Mia’s 2nd pick: 'The Godfather,’ the 1972 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Foundational to modern cinema that’s followed in its footsteps and culturally influential beyond the scope of most movies, it’s often cited as one of the greatest films ever made. In the 2002 Sight & Sound magazine poll – in tandem with its sequel, Part 2 – it was named the 4th greatest movie of all time by critics while the 2 films together were named the 2nd greatest film of all time by directors. And
Ep 12 // Mirror
It’s Jeremiah’s 2nd pick: ‘Mirror,’ the 1975 film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. Nonlinear in structure it features moments from the central character’s life, both as a young boy and as a father, interspersed with bits of newsreel footage, other memories, and poetic passages. It broke into the top 10 of Sight & Sound magazine’s ‘greatest films’ poll in 2012, ranking 9th on the survey of directors.
Produced by Stereoactive Media
Ep 11 // L’avventura
It’s Alicia’s 2nd pick: ‘L’avventura,’ the 1960 film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. It’s departure from until-then standard plotting was something of a breakthrough and, along with other films by like-minded filmmakers of the time, helped to influence films – and style – to come. It was voted 2nd in Sight & Sound magazine’s ‘greatest films’ poll in 1962, then came in at #5 in 1972 and #7 in 1982.
Produced by Stereoactive Media
Ep 10 // Bicycle Thieves
It’s Lora’s 2nd pick: ‘Bicycle Thieves,’ the 1948 film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It’s an emblematic example of the neorealist movement that developed in Italy after World War II, depicting the lives of everyday people struggling to get by, and mostly cast with non-professional actors. It was voted the #1 greatest film of all time in the very first critics poll Sight & Sound magazine did back in 1952. Since then it’s placed #7 in 1962 and as a runner up in 1992. It was also on the directo
Ep 9 // The General
It’s Stephen’s 2nd pick: ‘The General,’ the 1926 film directed by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman – and of course also starring Buster Keaton. It’s an action comedy set during the Civil War and largely centered around a stolen train and plenty of stunt work and it’s been on Sight & Sound magazine’s decennial poll of the “greatest films” twice – at #8 in 1972, then at #10 in 1982.
Produced by Stereoactive Media
Ep 8 // The Searchers w/ JPK
Very special guest JPK joins us with his pick: ‘The Searchers,’ the 1956 film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Jeffrey Hunter. It’s a western that put new spins on some of the genre tropes that Ford himself helped to establish and it’s been on Sight & Sound magazine’s decennial poll of the “greatest films” every time since 1982.
Produced by Stereoactive Media
Ep 7 // Round 1 Wrap Up / Round 2 Picks
It’s the end of Round 1 of the Stereaoctive Media Movie Club podcast! We’re revisiting the films we’ve discussed in the last 5 episodes and addressing comments from listeners and members of the Facebook group. Also, we’re picking our next round of movies to watch and discuss – but this time there’ll be 6 because we have a special guest joining us to make a pick and join us for the episode where we’ll discuss their choice!
00:00 - Intro + the last good movies we saw
10:38 - About the show / Do
Ep 6 // Rashomon
It’s Jeremiah’s pick… ‘Rashomon,’ the 1950 film by Akira Kurosawa, the premise of which has been emulated often over the decades. The film has appeared twice on Sight & Sound magazine’s decennial poll of the “greatest films” as voted on by directors – #10 in 1992 and #9 in 2002.
00:00 - Intro + the last good movies we saw
09:14 - About the show / expectations for ‘Rashomon’
12:48 - About the film / open discussion
55:15 - Favorite scenes or moments / the test of time / influence or re
Ep 5 // Tokyo Story
It’s Alicia’s pick… Released in 1953 and very loosely based on a 1937 American film called ‘Make Way for Tomorrow,’ ‘Tokyo Story,’ follows a retired couple living in a town in the southern part of Japan as they visit their grown children, who mostly live in Tokyo. Over the course of the film, the couple’s children have trouble managing time to spend with their parents, while their daughter in law, the widowed wife of the couples’ son who died in the war, does all she can to make them feel welcom
Ep 4 // Citizen Kane
It’s Lora’s pick… ‘Citizen Kane,’ the 1941 debut film by Orson Welles. Often referred to as the greatest film ever made, it’s possibly Welles’ greatest achievement, but the controversy surrounding it (mainly stirred up by William Randolph Hearst, the main target of the film’s narrative) also led to his quick fall from grace. The film has appeared on every single one of Sight & Sound magazine’s decennial polls of the “greatest films,” debuting as a runner up in 1952, then sitting at #1 for th
Ep 3 // The Magnificent Ambersons
It’s Stephen’s pick… Released in 1942 and directed by Orson Welles, ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’ depicts a wealthy midwestern family at the end of the 1800s and start of the 1900s. Based on the 1918 novel by Booth Tarkington, its prologue sets the Ambersons up as either the toast of the town or privileged aristocrats lording it over everyone else. After a young suitor named Eugene Morgan embarasses himself – and by extension, her – the object of his affection, Isabel Amberson chooses another man
Ep 2 // The Passion of Joan of Arc
For our first full-fledged movie chat, we discuss ‘The Passion of Joan of Arc,’ directed by Carl Thedor Dreyer, starring Maria Falconetti, and released in 1928. The film has appeared in the top ten of Sight & Sound magazine’s decennial “greatest films” poll 5 times – 4 times on the critics poll and once on the directors poll.
00:00 - Intro + the last good movies we saw
12:59 - About the show / about ‘The Passion of Joan of Arc’
14:41 - Why Mia picked the movie and her thoughts on it / o
Ep 1 // Introductions & Round 1 Movie Draft
Welcome to a new movie podcast featuring 5 friends leading discussions on movies. In our inaugural episode, we discuss the decennial Sight & Sound poll, then each pick a movie that’s appeared on the list to watch in future episodes. So, listen along to find out which movies we’ll be watching, then watch along with us–and maybe even participate in the podcast?
00:00 - Intro + the last good movies we saw
05:08 - About the show / about the Sight & Sound poll
11:50 - Our movie picks
17:
COMING SOON!
5 person discussions on films, starting with those on the decennial movie polls put out by Sight & Sound magazine.