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Oct 23, 2026 1 hr 46 min

To Sir, With Love II (1996) w/ Collin Brinkmann

Episode 28

Show notes

This week, we are joined by author of Late Style in Film, Collin Brinkmann, to discuss yet another Bogdanovich legacy sequel: To Sir With Love II. Thirty years after Sidney Poitier’s defining role as “Sir” (Mark Thackeray) in the 1967 British smash hit To Sir, With Love, the powers of the television world decided it was time for a TV sequel, and what more obvious choice to helm than Peter Bogdanovich. Moving from London to Chicago, this follow-up has it all: a secret son, students with guns, life lessons, and most importantly: no calling anyone sluts in the classroom! Even if you haven’t watched the original To Sir, With Love (with its very catchy international hit theme song ingeniously titled “To Sir with Love”) we would really recommend you give this one a spin.

We also discuss Claire Denis being relegated to the streaming trenches, Poitier and Bogdanovich dying on the exact same day, how Sir could have helped out some of the characters in Scorsese’s Mean Streets, the finer qualities of Bogdanovich as a writer, possible defenses(?) of Illegally Yours, and Journey’s affinity for John Huston’s Annie.

Next Episode: Blessed Assurance [AKA The Price of Heaven] (1997) with Evan from Left of the Projector

Further “Reading”

• To Sir, With Love II (1996) Original Broadcast with Commercials
• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Late Style in Film by Collin Brinkmann
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Michael Shannon talks getting fired from the film w/ NYT
• Michael Peña on Colbert
• ‘To Sir, With Love II Review’ by Ken Tucker for Entertainment Weekly (April 5, 1996)
• ‘CBS Sunday Movie To Sir, With Love II Review’ by Todd P. McCarthy for Variety (April 3, 1996)
• ‘TELEVISION REVIEW: Sequel for To Sir, With Love’ by Caryn James for NYT (April 6, 1996)
• ‘What Sidney Poitier taught me about courage and A Raisin in the Sun’ by LZ Granderson for the LA Times (June 8, 2022)

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Music by Ryan Torgeson

Art by Jordan Kady

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Oct 9, 2026 2 hr 33 min

Fallen Angels 'A Dime a Dance' (1995)

Episode 27

Show notes

It’s 1995: Peter Bogdanovich is back on Showtime and better than ever! This week, we cover Peter’s first real noir output: an episode of the anthology series Fallen Angels. In his episode “A Dime a Dance,” we follow Jennifer Grey and Eric Stolz as they investigate the murder of a nightclub dancer and evade a killer that also seems to be on the hunt for Jennifer Grey. Peter being Peter, the episode also features L.B. Stratten as the murdered dancer. It’s a genuinely well-constructed episode made to look like almost all black and white cinematography, and makes one wish Peter had done more noir.

We also discuss the Paranormal Activity stage adaptation, old timey radio programs (Journey didn’t want to go down a 15 minute spiral, but the 1949 Suspense episode “Ghost Hunt” is one of the precursors to modern found footage horror alongside Orson Welles’ infamous “War of the Worlds” broadcast and RULES), Spider-Noir presented in “True-Hue”, an unaired Bogdanovich pilot called Prowler, niche bar trivia theming, and how dance is the devil.

Next Episode: To Sir, With Love II (1996) w/ Collin Brinkmann

Further “Reading”:

• Fallen Angels S2E3 “A Dime a Dance” on YouTube
• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• “‘Fallen Angels’: The Lost Showtime Series That Hinted at the Future of Prestige TV” by Jake Rossen for MentalFloss (Oct. 30, 2025)
• The first minute of Prowler pilot
• Scott Bakula in Prowler
• Noir program Full Moon Matinee featuring a Detective Host
• Magazine reprinting of ‘Dime a Dance’ / ‘The Dancing Detective’

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Music by Ryan Torgeson

Art by Jordan Kady

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Sep 25, 2026 1 hr 40 min

Picture Windows 'Song of Songs' (1995)

Episode 26

Show notes

We were lucky enough to record in-person again, this time to talk about Bogdanovich’s episode of the 1995 Showtime anthology series Picture Windows. You’ve never heard of it? To be fair, most people haven’t. They brought in filmmakers such as John Boorman, Bob Rafelson, Joe Dante, and more to essentially make a short film based on a classic work of art. Peter’s episode, “Song of Songs,” is based on Botticelli’s Primavera and if you could believe it, it features cheating, being a bad husband, L.B. Stratten, and of course, Peter playing the role of a suave gentleman. It’s the start of Peter’s TV era, so lock in!

We also discuss The Odyssey, the walkability of Somerville, Massachusetts, director John Travolta and how he definitely doesn’t have mommy issues, the wonders of the Fresca slushee, and the on camera star power of Peter Bogdanovich.

Next Episode: Fallen Angels - ‘A Dime a Dance’ (1995)

Further “Reading”

• Picture Windows S1E2 ‘Song of Songs’ on YouTube
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• “CLOWNING GLORY: The first half-hour drama in the Picture Windows series, Soir Bleu brings Norman Jewison full circle” by John Boyle for the Globe and Mail (June 3, 1995)
• “Showtime’s Fine Art Gallery is a Director’s Milieu” in the Roanoke Times (Sept. 30, 1995)
• “TV REVIEWS: ‘Picture Windows’ Trilogy No Artistic Masterpiece” by David Kronke for the LA Times (Sept. 30, 1995)
• “Catch Some Oscar Nominees At Home Before The Awards Show” in the Morning Call (March 15, 1996)

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Jonah

Journey

Sep 11, 2026 1 hr 23 min

'Never Say Goodbye' by Yoko Ono (1995)

Episode 25

Show notes

In a team-up we never expected, this week we are covering “Never Say Goodbye,” a 1982 Yoko Ono song that Peter Bogdanovich directed a music video for… in 1995. Would it shock you to hear that Peter put his regulars of Eric Stoltz and L.B. Stratten in this? This music video also features (as far as we’ve gotten) Peter’s only canonical queer characters, which is certainly something. Plus, it’s a very catchy song!

We also discuss if Peter is an ally, if trains and buses can count as hotels, and our dislike for Sean Lennon’s whole vibe. Plus, an Illegally Yours friend has a special message for Journey’s 26th birthday and we learn some important Peter news!

Further “Reading”

• Behind the scenes of filming
• Intro trailer for the music video shown at the AMFAR Benefit Gala
• Cast soundtrack for New York Rock
• Review: Another Chrous in the Ballad of John & Yokoby Stephen Holden for the NYT (March 31, 1994)
• “Never Say Goodbye” remastered music video

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Next Episode: Picture Windows - ‘Song of Songs’ (1995)

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Jonah

Journey

Aug 28, 2026 1 hr 15 min

The Thing Called Love (1993) w/ Isaac Owens

Episode 24

Show notes

This week we’re joined by special guest Isaac Owens as we follow Peter all the way down to the Deep South and meet our new pals Miranda, James, Kyle, and Linda Lue Linden in The Thing Called Love. A major box office disappointment of its year, we’re here to once again reappraise a misunderstood Bogdanovich picture (trust us)! We put on our dancin’ boots and quite enjoyed this musical dramedy about a young singer-songwriter named Miranda Presley (no relation to Elvis) as she follows her country music dreams in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s got River Phoenix’s last performance, Sandra Bullock right before she broke out in Speed, fantastic country outfits, really fun country music, and even a virtually invisible cameo of Peter riding a horse.

We discuss horrible bars in Nashville’s Broadway, the best fascist romcom of the year, people with rancid vibes at a Bob Dylan concert, our continuing addiction to buying physical media, and the geography of Nashville. Plus, we get hyped for the upcoming release of Jimmy, Isaac introduces batshit IMDB reviews to our Sort By: Lowest segment, and Jonah accidentally manifests the new 4K Criterion of Harold and Maude into existence.

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• This Is Orson Welles by Peter Bogdanovich and Orson Welles
• They All Laughed AFI Catalog entry
• The Thing Called Love Director’s Cut DVD
• “Movies - Sept. 2, 1992” by Aleene MacMinn for the LA Times
• November 1994 Cosmo interview with Sandra Bullock
• Dermot Mulroney playing the cello with Ellen
• Siskel and Ebert The Thing Called Love episode
• “Not Phony: Peter Bogdanovich’s The Thing Called Love” by James Kenney (July 18, 2022)

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Next Episode: “Never Say Goodbye” by Yoko Ono (1995)

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Jonah

Journey

Aug 14, 2026 2 hr 32 min

Noises Off (1992) w/ Jane Altoids

Episode 23

Show notes

After the box office flop of Texasville, Peter returns to cinema with an adaptation of a British farce. Would you be shocked to hear that while also flopping at the box office, we think this movie is quite good! We are joined this week by podcaster, critic, and Film Twitter™ darling Jane Altoids to discuss Bogdanovich’s 1992 comedy Noises Off!, also stylized as Noises Off… and simply, Noises Off. After establishing Michael Caine’s anxiety over the show’s Broadway Premiere, the film follows a three act structure of chaos and different performances leading up to its big New York premiere. There’s sardines, there’s mile-a-minute-dialogue, there’s cheating (shocking for a Bogdanovich picture I know), and there’s John Ritter! All the makings of classic (so Disney please give this a 4K release! A Blu-Ray! Please!!).

We also discuss Minions & Monsters, the new Jon Bernthal-led Dog Day Afternoon stage play, Bane being the scariest guy we’ve ever seen in our lives, Freddy Got Fingered, awkward filmmaker Q&As,

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• This Is Orson Welles by Peter Bogdanovich and Orson Welles
• Noises Off by Michael Frayn
• Noises Off (1992) Behind the Scenes
• Noises Off (1992) AFI Catalog
• “Playing ‘Noises Off’ the American Way” by Michael Frayn, LA Times, April 6, 1992
• “We Could all Use a Little Sex and Slapstick Comedy Right Now,” Sarah Deshaies talking to Jacob Tierney about his 2015 production of Noises Off! For Cult MTL, February 2, 2017
• Vincent Canby for The NYT, March 20, 1992
• “Touchstone and Beyond: A History of Disney’s ‘Noises Off’”by Bill Gowsell
• Michael Caine's "Batman Begin" tweet

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Next Episode: The Thing Called Love (1993)

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Jane Altoids

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Jonah

Journey

Jul 31, 2026 2 hr 31 min

Texasville (1990) w/ Kyle Amato

Episode 22

Show notes

It’s a new decade for Peter Bogdanovich and for him that means returning to familiar territory. This week we are joined by Boston Hassle film critic and Hawke Cast cohost Kyle Amato to talk about 1990’s Texasville, the sequel to The Last Picture Show that nobody really asked for (but we quite enjoyed anyway). With nearly all the cast returning and some new faces (oh hey Annie Potts!!), Bog tries to make a comeback by following the life of Jeff Bridges’ Duane in Reagan-era Texas. It’s melancholic and funny all at once and we really wish that people would give it a chance! They even put both the theatrical and director’s cut versions on the Criterion disc of The Last Picture Show! No excuse not to watch!

We also talk about Bar Rescue, legacy sequels, Wahlburgers, Journey's continued dislike for The Napa Boys, and the multiple Robert Altman movies Texasville made us think of. Plus, we advocate for how everyone should watch Peter Weir’s Fearless, work out a premise for Call Me by Your Name 2: This Time It’s a Chick!, and Jonah commits the unforgivable sin of forgetting a critical hotel for hotel watch.

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas (1991)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
• “Annie Potts: Deep in the Heart of ‘Texasville’” by David Wallace for the LA Times (Sept. 28, 1990)
• AFI Catalog for Texasville
• Variety review of Texasville
• Peter Travers’ review of Texasville for Rolling Stone
• Vincent Canby’s review of Texasville for The NYT
• Janet Maslin’s review of Texasville for The NYT
• “Welcome to the Age of the Legacyquel” by Matt Singer for Screen Crush, November 23, 2015
• The Last Picture Show Criterion ft. Texasville
• Roger Ebert reviews Texasville
• Siskel and Ebert review Texasville
• Peter discussing Texasville with Bobbie Wygant, September 22, 1990
• Peter discussing Texasville with Bob Costas, October 1, 1990
• Cloris Leachman discussing Texasville with Bobbie Wygant, September 22, 1990

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Next Episode: Noises Off! (1992) with Jane Altoids

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Read Kyle's work for Boston Hassle

Kyle Amato

Kyle's Substack

Hawke Cast

Jonah

Journey

Jul 17, 2026 1 hr 58 min

BONUS: The City Girl (1984) + An '80s Roundup w/ Alex Kittle

Episode 21

Show notes

After a string of unique releases (and an unexpected relief special we found) this week we’re wrapping up Peter’s 1980s! Much like the 1970s, Peter had a number of unrealized projects in this tumultuous decade (imagine Bog’s Popeye!) and also had his first executive producer credit with Moon Pictures: Martha Coolidge’s 1984 narrative feature debut, The City Girl! The City Girl follows a young Toronto photographer as she breaks up with her shitty boyfriend, has a charmingly awkward threesome, and investigates a local cult. It’s a very solid picture that’s sadly only available via some VHS rips.

We also talk about our continued dislike for Ryan O’Neal, Czechoslovakian New Wave classic Daisies, how offputting it is to actually project Targets on film, Peter kinda-sorta being the reason this movie has never had an actual release outside festivals, King Kong needing a heart transplant, and Colleen Camp singing for the city giiiiiiiiiiiirl.

Further “Reading”

• The City Girl (1984)
• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide To Punks On Film by Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly
• Cinema Her Way: Visionary Female Directors In Their Own Words by Marya E. Gates
• “Rusty Mason: The real woman behind 'Mask'” By Iris Krasnow for UPI (May 14, 1985)
• “Well, Hello Molly Ringwald!” by Richard Corliss for Time (May 26, 1986)
• “Our Entire Belief System Must Change” by Martha Coolidge for the NYT (August 14, 2012)
• “The Chronicler of the Kingdom of New York: Peter Kaplan 1954-2013” by M.H. Miller for Observer (November 30, 2013)
• “Present Tense: Martha Coolidge” by Sheila O’Malley for Film Comment (Mar/April 2020)
• “‘I Loved John. I Miss Him a Lot.’ Peter Bogdanovich Reminisces on His Friend John Cassavetes” by John Gallagher for MovieMaker (January 31, 2023)
• Private Lives screenplay
• Whereabouts screenplay and draft notes
• Wild About Harry screenplay
• The Intimate Writings of Theodor Hammer screenplay
• Orson Welles Moonlight Intro

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Next Episode: Texasville (1990) with Kyle Amato

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Alex Kittle

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Jonah

Journey

Jul 3, 2026 2 hr 34 min

Friend to Friend (1989)

Episode 20

Show notes

In a 🚨🚨Special Alert 🚨🚨 episode, we are talking about Peter Bogdanovich’s Armenian Earthquake Relief special, Friend to Friend! After months of relentless searching and investigating, Jonah discovered that TWO copies of this Bogdanovich oddity (Bogoddity, some might say) live at the Armenian Museum of America in Watertown, Massachusetts!

In this episode, Jonah tells of his odyssey to find Friend to Friend and we discuss our thoughts on the special itself. Made in an effort to fundraise for relief after the December 1988 earthquake, this special switches between two points. On one hand we are shown informative documentary footage about the earthquake, the Armenian genocide, and overall Armenian history. On the other, we also meet some of the biggest stars of the late 80’s that they could ring up rehearsing the English version of Charles Aznavour’s “Pour toi, Arménie.” We've got Liza, We've got Dionne Warwick, we've got Mannix from Mannix! We also talk about our continued hate for Fathom Events.

Further “Reading”

• Friend to Friend: Armenian Earthquake Relief (1989), now on YouTube!
• “Stars sing 'For You, Armenia'” from UPI (January 29, 1989)
• “Raising Their Voices to Aid Armenian Orphans” by John Burman for the L.A. Times (January 31, 1989)
• “Stars Band Together For Armenia” by Tom De Savia for Cash Box Magazine [Pg. 4] (February 11, 1989)

Next Episode: ‘80s Recap + The City Girl (1984) w/ Alex Kittle

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Jonah

Journey

Jun 26, 2026 37 min

Illegally Yours (1988)

Episode 19

Show notes

We knew there would be some low points in Bogdanovich’s filmography but.. Whew. Talk about a new low! Wait… maybe a Rob Lowe! That’s right, this week we are talking about absolutely nobody’s favorite Bogdanovich picture: Illegally Yours! A movie we watched and somehow found enough to talk about for 90ish minutes. It’s a film that makes no sense, that nobody had fun making, and flopped so bad in summer test screenings that it got pushed to a January release. Illegally Yours is an attempt at a screwball comedy; young juror Richard Dice (Rob Lowe) tries to save his childhood crush, Molly (Colleen Camp), from being sent to jail. There’s cassette tapes, castles, St. Augustine, and Harry Carey Jr.!

We also talk about Rob Lowe’s 1989 Academy Awards opening musical number with Snow White, the Nate Rate©, Pete’s weirdest new relationship, “horse protein”, and imagining Bogdanovich’s version of Dune.

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
• Illegally Yours (1988) on Tubi
• Illegally Yours Trailer #1
• llegally Yours Trailer #2
• “The Rejected Flower: A Heartfelt Defense of Peter Bogdanovich’s Romantic Freefall Through Space, ILLEGALLY YOURS” by James Kenney
• “Illegally Yours” by Variety Staff (December 31, 1987)
• “Tough Test” from the L.A. Times Archive (July 19, 1987)
• “PETER BOGDANOVICH: The Hollywood Flashback Interview” by Alex Simon (April 2002)
• “Debt-Ridden De Laurentiis is Filmstuck” for the Chicago Tribune (February 24, 1988)
• Trailer for Young Washington (if a single soul reading this decides to watch, please pirate it and do not give Angel Studios any money)
• Rob Lowe Opens the 1989 Oscars with Snow White!
• “Photo Archive: Illegally Yours | Star Rob Lowe and director Peter Bogdanovich make a really bad movie in St. Augustine in 1988” in the St. Augustine Record (September 25, 2012)

Next Episode: ‘80s Recap + The City Girl (1984)

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Journey

Jun 19, 2026 1 hr 45 min

Mask (1985) w/ Billy Thegenus

Episode 18

Show notes

This week, we discuss everyone’s favorite ‘80s classic about a boy and his mother, first loves, fighting back against bullies, a close-knit community, and life and death in sunny California. What’s that, Back to the Future? No, this one actually does end up starring Eric Stoltz, it’s Peter Bogdanovich’s 1985 film Mask! We are joined by film programmer and trivia host legend Billy Thegenus to discuss Bog’s last box office success with this Cher, Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliott, and Laura Dern drama. In Peter’s return to directing after a four-year break, he tackles the real-life story of Rocky Dennis, a teenager with a rare disease that causes cranial enlargements, and his mother, Rusty. Would you be shocked to hear that Cher and Bogdanovich clashed on set? We weren’t.

We also discuss Alex Proyas’ Knowing, more tree calendars, Ryan O’Neal (we simply cannot escape him), Eric Stoltz directing several episodes of Glee, and the plight of Rotta the Hut. Also, a loud noise we thought was a branch hitting Billy’s roof was actually a meteor creating a sonic boom over Massachusetts (timestamp - 1:02:33). Even 1,000 miles away, the power of podcasting keeps Journey in the loop on New England supremacy.

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• The Elephant Man (1980)
• A Different Man (2024)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Cher: Part 1: The Memoir by Cher
• Mask AFI Catalog
• “Mask, Bogdanovich Tale of a Rare Disease” by Vincent Canby for the NYT (March 8, 1985)
• “The Drama Behind Mask” by Michelle Green for People (March 18, 1985)
• “An Unusual Mother: Helping Her Children Face Down Death” by Linda Witt for the Chicago Tribune (May 11, 1986)
• New Musical ‘Mask’ Premieres at Pasadena Playhouse
• “Mask, Musical Tale of Mother, Son and Belonging, Begins World Premiere in CA” by Kenneth Jones for Playbill (March 12, 2008)
• “In Conversation: Peter Bogdanovich” by Andrew Goldman for Vulture (2019)
• “Sam Elliott was a fan of Cher long before they starred together in Mask” by Clark Collis for Entertainment Weekly (February 12, 2019)
• “Florence Tullis, portrayed by Cher in ‘Mask,’ dies at age 70” by Dennis McLellan for the LA Times (November 19, 2006)
• “'Mask' Director Peter Bogdanovich on Cher's Bad Attitude — and Why She Still Deserved the Oscar” by Peter Bogdanovich as told to Tatiana Siegel, originally published in The Hollywood Reporter (August 28, 2015)
• “Cher Lambasts ‘Mask’ Director Peter Bogdanovich As Misogynistic, A ‘Pig’: ‘So F—ing Arrogant’” by Natalie Oganesyan for Deadline (November 23, 2024)

Next Episode: Illegally Yours (1988)

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Spielberg x Nolan Film Series at the Coolidge

Billy

Crystal Ballroom Film Trivia

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Jonah

Journey

Jun 5, 2026 2 hr 7 min

BONUS: Star 80 (1983) w/ Chris Woodward

Episode 17

Show notes

This week, we take a turn from Bogdanovich and check in on his cinematic analogs with Bob Fosse’s final film, Star 80. Fosse takes on Dorothy Stratten’s rise to stardom, meeting and falling in love with Bogdanovich (or, according to the film, “Aram Nicholas”), and the tragic murder at the hands of her husband.

We also discuss the atrocious television movie version starring Jamie Lee Curtis, how to spot a Bogdanovich analog if he isn’t wearing a bandana, Robert Redford’s final film choices, the legacy of the Jackass franchise, and why Peter got really into making calendars based on trees.

Further “Reading”

• Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story (1981)
• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• One Day Since Yesterday: Peter Bogdanovich & the Lost American Film (2014)
• 20/20: Death of Playmate Pt. 1 (Full episode available on Hulu)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• The Killing of the Unicorn by Peter Bogdanovich
• Star 80 DVD listing
• Star 80 AFI Catalog
• “Death of a Playmate” by Teresa Carpenter for the Village Voice, November 1980
• “Star 80, A Sex-Symbol's Life and Death” by Vincent Canby for the New York Times (November 10, 1983)
• Star 80 by Roger Ebert (November 10, 1983)
• “Mariel Hemingway: Bob Fosse ‘Literally Chased Me Around a Couch’” by Emily Tess Katz for Huffpost (April 9, 2015)
• “Eric Roberts Says Bob Fosse Made Him Spend the Night in the Real ‘Star 80’ Murder Apartment” by Seth Abramovitch (April 20, 2026)

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Chris

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Jonah

Journey

May 22, 2026 1 hr 59 min

They All Laughed (1981) w/ Drusilla Adeline

Episode 16

Show notes

They all laughed… and so did we! We also cried, just a bit. This week, we finally hit a new decade for Bogdanovich as we explore his 1981 misunderstood masterpiece, They All Laughed. And to do this we’re joined by graphic designer, poster artist, and co-host of the arthouse horror podcast Bloodhaus, Drusilla Adeline! The film stars a stacked cast of both Old and New Hollywood: John Ritter, Colleen Camp, Dorothy Stratten, Audrey Hepburn, and the Saint of Singapore himself Ben Gazarra. Affairs, private detectives, roller skating, and even more Peter self-inserts abound. What can we say? We all really adored this movie.

We also discuss Peter playing pinball and eating at the buffet at the Playboy Mansion, Dan Akroyd’s cannibal directorial debut Nothing But Trouble, introducing a loved one to Twin Peaks, how so many people failed Dorothy Stratten, our continued reverence for Robby Müller’s cinematography, and envisioning Peter Bogdanovich discussing ethical non-monogamy.

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• One Day Since Yesterday: Peter Bogdanovich & the Lost American Film (2014)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• The Killing of the Unicorn by Peter Bogdanovich
• They All Laughed DVD Release
• If you, for whatever reason, are wondering what Tarantino put on his 2002 Sight and Sound list
• Bogdanovich talking about Dorothy Stratten
• Vincent Canby’s review for the NYT; November 20, 1981
• LA Times article about Bogdanovich having to declare bankruptcy due to self-distributing They All Laughed
• Dorothy Stratten on Johnny Carson; April 16, 1980
• WKRP in Cincinnati S04E10 Love, Exciting and New (Colleen Camp promoting They All Laughed appearance)
• San Diego news report on the festival premiere of They All Laughed
• Bobbie Wygant interviews Peter Bogdanovich for They All Laughed
• Q&A with Peter Bogdanovich & Alex Ross Perry for They All Laughed (September 21, 2012)
• “Slippery as the Dickens: Peter Bogdanovich on “They All Laughed’”by Peter Sobczynski for RogerEbert.com (October 13, 2016)
• "Peter Bogdanovich’s Dying Wish Was for His Lost Classic ‘They All Laughed’ to Finally Be Seen" by Harrison Richlin for IndieWire (September 24, 2024)
• You Must Remember This - “Dead Blondes, Episode 13: Dorothy Stratten" (April 25, 2017)
• You Must Remember This - “Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 6: Pretty Baby and a Playmate Murder” (June 29, 2020)
• The Plot Thickens “I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich - Episode 6: Dorothy” (May 26, 2020)
• Wes Anderson interviews Peter Bogdanovich about They All Laughed (Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3)

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Drusilla Adeline

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https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/

Jonah

Journey

May 8, 2026 2 hr 57 min

BONUS: Hooper (1978) + A '70s Roundup

Episode 15

Show notes

Before there was Tom Cruise, before there was Cliff Booth, even before there were just a few small beers, there was HOOPER! For our 1970s Bogdanovich wrapup, we chose a movie starring two-time colleague of Bogdanovich, Burt Reynolds, and directed by legendary stuntman Hal Needham: Hooper. The film also features a Bogdanovich analogue that may or may not be Needham and Reynolds letting out years of anger against Peter. Hooper is not only a guy we would love to grab a drink with (then take an Uber home), but a love letter to stunt work in film and a character study on the physical toll that work takes.

We also riff on a level that's freakin' sublime making puns with M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography and discuss Journey's like for the new film Mother Mary, Journey's utter dislike of The Fall Guy, ideas for the new Academy Award for Best Stunt Design, and baffling box office stats. Onward to the 1980s!

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• But Enough About Me by Burt Reynolds
• Dick Van Dyke advertises the Hal Needham Stuntman Western Movie Set
• Hooper original trailer
• Quentin Tarantino honors Hal Needham at the 2012 Governors Awards

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Jonah

Journey

May 2, 2026 1 hr 33 min

Saint Jack (1979) w/ Conor Battles

Episode 14

Show notes

Produced by Hugh Hefner and Roger Corman, lensed by Robby Müller, starring Ben Gazzara as an American pimp abroad in Singapore, and directed by Peter Bogdanovich after a multi-year filmmaking break, we’re closing out the decade with none other than Saint Jack (1979)! We are joined by special guest Conor Battles to discuss a film that is, shockingly, not as sleazy as you would think. Borne of Cybil Shepherd dropping her lawsuit against Playboy as a favor to Orson Welles and made by deceiving the Singaporean government about the plot, it's wild this one even exists! Now if only there were crew shirts for the fake movie up on Ebay…

We also talk Matt Johnson, hatred for Sam Levinson, love for Roger Corman, more diabolical fits, the Shaw Brothers, YouTube shorts, and more. Our summer style may or may not be entirely inspired by Ben Gazzara’s costuming in Saint Jack. They’re just that good!

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
• Kinda Hot: The Making of Saint Jack in Singapore by Ben Slater
• Saint Jack Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray
• Talking Pictures (BBC) - Saint Jack Set Visit
• Film 79 (BBC) - Barry Norman Interviews Peter Bogdanovich
• Sneak Previews with Siskel and Ebert (S1E18)
• The Plot Thickens: I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich - Episode 5: Bogdanovich, The Misunderstood
• The New World Pictures Podcast Ep. 87: Saint Jack featuring Ben Slater
• Saint Jack (1979) - Historical & Modern Singapore Comparisons by Toh Hun Ping
• “Screen: 'Saint Jack,' Adventure Melodrama: Yesteryear's Exotics” by Vincent Canby for the New York Times (April 27,1979)
• “Understated character study ‘Saint Jack’ paints an American pimp in Singapore” by Edwanike Harbour for tonemadison (July 4, 2022)
• “The Mysterious Authenticity of Peter Bogdanovich’s Saint Jack (1979)” by Ben Slater for Senses of Cinema (June 2023)
• “A Pimp with a Heart of Gold” By Liam Sherwin-Murray for The Paris Review (December 1, 2023)
• “The Counter-Imperialist: Reflections on Bogdanovich’s Saint Jack (1979) by a Singaporean” by Ron Yap for Bright Lights Film Journal (December 3, 2017)

http://letterboxd.com/cbattles/

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Conor Battles

http://x.com/curfew_gull

The Journal of Stoogeological Studies: An Unauthorized Three Stooges Fanzine (first volume; second volume with Conor’s essay soon to come!)

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Jonah

Journey

https://letterboxd.com/ageraghty15/

Apr 24, 2026 2 hr 32 min

Nickelodeon (1976) w/ Aine Geraghty

Episode 13

Show notes

Arguably nobody loved classic Hollywood movies more than Peter Bogdanovich, and he tried to channel that love into a film about a ragtag gang of moviemakers in the early age of cinema: Nickelodeon. After back-to-back flops, Bogdanovich ended up back with Burt Reynolds, Tatum O’Neal, Ryan O’Neal; PLUS he introduced John Ritter to the world! It still didn’t work out for Pete at the box office or with critics… but again, this movie is nowhere near as bad as the world would lead you to believe. At least that’s what Jonah, Journey, and special guest The Girls Who Cried B-Horror co-host Aine Geraghty think!

In addition to Aine’s devotion to her beloved Burt Reynolds, we also talk about Journey finally meeting the fabled Napa Boys (and not really clicking with their vibe), Ryan O’Neal being quite the looker despite everything else about him, an upcoming slate of Peter impersonators, and no film escaping the watchful eye of the Letterboxd vegan alert film critic.

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
• Opening Soon...at a Theater Near You with Siskel and Ebert (Dec. 1976)
• "'Nickelodeon': Not Much Movie for the Money” by Richard Eder for the New York Times (Dec. 22, 1976)
• “‘Nickelodeon’ Has Only Flickering Joys” by Gene Siskel for the Chicago Tribune (Dec. 24, 1976)
• "Review: 'Nickelodeon'" by Roger Ebert for Chicago Sun-Times (December 27, 1976)
• “Peter Bogdanovich’s Year of the Cat” by Alex Simon for Venice Magazine (2002)
• “One Director Looks Backward, While Another Peers Underwater” by Dave Kehr for the New York Times (April 15, 2009)
• “Review: The Last Picture Show and Nickelodeon Get Sony Double Feature DVD” by Fernando F. Croce for Slant (April 20, 2009)
• "Q&A - Director Peter Bogdanovich Finally Gets Five Minutes of His Movie Back" by James Rocchi for AMC Blog (May 6, 2009)
• “Nickelodeon” by Rob Nixon for TCM (June 30, 2009)
• “The Forgotten: "Nickelodeon" (1976)” by David Cairns for Mubi Notebook (May 1, 2014)
• VHS tape upload of the 2020 TCM presentation of the director’s cut of Nickelodeon, introduced by Bogdanovich
• Tentative Blu-ray page for upcoming release

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Aine

The Girls Who Cried B-Horror on Apple + Spotify

https://www.instagram.com/geeway4ever/

https://www.instagram.com/thegirlswhocriedbhorror/

https://www.instagram.com/goodsandwichsketch/

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Jonah

Journey

Apr 10, 2026 2 hr 6 min

At Long Last Love (1975)

Episode 12

Show notes

And for a movie absolutely nobody was clamoring for, it’s Peter Bogdanovich’s original Cole Porter-suggested musical, At Long Last Love! In possibly the most 1970s cast of all time, Cybill Shepherd, Burt Reynolds, Madeline Kahn, and Duilio Del Prete in a menage-a-quatre with supporting performances from John Hillerman, Eileen Brennan, Mildrick Natwick, and M. Emmett Walsh. If you can believe that Bogdanovich could be folly to his cinematic nostalgia, he attempted to make a Lubitsch-esque musical, live singing and all! And not a single soul was a fan- except those crazy Europeans!

It really isn’t as bad as the entirety of pop culture would lead you to believe, and filmmakers like Rian Johnson have cited it as one of their favorite movie musicals! We also talk about Jonah finally meeting the fabled Napa Boys, misrepresentations of podcasting in a new horror movie, the ghost of Peter Bogdanovich returning a lost Airpod, Ken Russell’s Tommy, and how, once again, all the plot tension in a Peter Bogdanovich movie could be saved by polyamory.

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
• 5001 Nights at the Movies by Pauline Kael
• Cybill Does It… To Cole Porter on YouTube for your listening pleasure
• Definitely not a link to watch At Long Last Love on Russian YouTube
• “Peter Bogdanovich’s ‘At Long Last Love’ Bombed in 1975 — It Now Exists in Two Versions You Can’t See Anywhere” by Jim Hemphill for IndieWire (March 20, 2025)
• “Peter Bogdanovich Retrospective” by Richard Brody for the New Yorker (September 20, 2018)
• “At Long Last Love: It’s Delightful, It’s Delicious, It’s De-Lovely by Carrie Courogen for Bright Wall / Dark Room (October 28, 2024)
• “Peter Bogdanovich on the Making of ‘At Long Last Love’” by Kim Masters for the Hollywood Reporter (June 12, 2013)
• At Long Last Love: Blu-ray Review by Shannon T. Nutt for High-DefDigest (June 26, 2013)
• “Hyphenates Seek Unified Film Approach” by Paul Gardner for the New York Times (February 25, 1974)
• “‘At Long Last Love' Evokes Past Films” by Vincent Canby for the New York Times (March 7, 1975)
• At Long Last Love review by Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times (January 1, 1975) [Archived on RogerEbert.com]

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Jonah

Journey

Mar 27, 2026 2 hr 11 min

Daisy Miller (1974)

Episode 11

Show notes

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… Daisy Miller? This week we talk society (we love society, but there’s not enough of it in Europe), Peter & Cybill, and the Roman fever, all thanks to the 1870s it girl Daisy Miller.

Bogdanovich undertook the first (and only cinematic) adaptation of Daisy Miller at the suggestion of his friend Orson Welles, and boy, was it certainly a decision he made. A period piece made before the rise of Merchant Ivory costumes dramas and with a distinctly American protagonist played by Cybill Shepherd, Daisy Miller was not well received at the time. Partly due to the film itself and also partly because everyone in Hollywood kinda hated Cybill and Peter at this point. We try to parse through it!

We also talk about Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, the privilege of hosting Orson Welles in your home, getting jumpscared by the name Ezra Miller, doing impressions of Bogdanovich doing impressions of Cary Grant, and our favorite Adam McKay masterpiece, Don’t Look Up.

Next Episode: At Long Last Love (1975)

Further “Reading”

• By Bogdanovich (2011)
• Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
• Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
• Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
• Daisy Miller by Henry James
• Daisy Miller: A Comedy in Three Acts by Henry James
• Daisy Miller Episode 1, a 5-part 2017 BBC Radio 4 production
• The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir by William Friedkin
• Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino
• “'I made movies' an interview with Henry Hathaway” by Scott Eyman for Take One (v05 n01, September-October 1974)
• “Three's Company” by Peter Bart for Variety (December 6, 2004) [archived on FilmScoreMonthly forum]
• “Between Cut and Action” by John Gallagher for National Board of Review (August 2004)
• “‘Daisy Miller,’ Once Dismissed as Embarrassing Vanity Project, Is the Equal to ‘Last Picture Show’” by Jim Hemphill for IndieWire (May 15, 2024)
• “‘Daisy’ is an Unexpected Triumph" by Vincent Canby (June 16, 1974)
• Daisy Miller Kino Lorber Blu-ray release
• Daisy Miller Carlotta Films Blu-ray release (France)

Theme music by Ryan (http://twitter.com/molecularlioneI)

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Jonah

Journey