Episode 46- Woody Allen & Zelig (1983) Part 1 of 2
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 • Duration 01:05:59
Following specials on Marlon Brando and Orson Welles a few years ago, David 'Ghosty' Wills once again joins the podcast to dive into another figure who has achieved legendary status in American film. This time we focus mainly on one film, namely Zelig from 1983, but before that Ghosty and Antony hit a few points of interest regarding the filmmaker himself
How iconic a figure is Woody Allen? What are his best films and when did we first start watching them? Is Woody versatile and experimental or does he tend to make the same film repeatedly, as some criticise him for? And what about the allegations…?
Towards the end of part 1 we get into the film itself, starting with the remarkable technical achievement that it is, the famous era it evokes and the obvious theme of changing appearance and persona to fit in. Are we all Leonard Zelig to a less extreme degree?
Enjoy!
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If we told you 'Deathtrap' was the poorer cousin of 'Sleuth' (see Episode 13), would that be a bad thing? It would certainly be a great double bill, and the film on the docket this time is full of surprises, deception and plot twists. It's not on a par with Hitchcock's 'Psycho' but does follow a similar structure as the viewer is engaged in one story before the film becomes something else entirely
Film Gold regular Scott Phipps joins Antony for a fun moviewhose opening scene is 'a movie of a play-within-a-play which takes place within the play on which the movie is based'. As well as Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve, we have the director with one of the greatest filmographiesever, Sidney Lumet, adapting a play by the legendary Ira Levin
What could go wrong?...
Enjoy!
'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms.
Feedback to contrafib2001@gmail.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod
Twitter
https://twitter.com/FilmGold75
Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts)
https://www.antonyrotunno.com
Antony's John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Media podcasts
https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com
https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
Episode 44: Rocky III (1982) Part 2 of 2
Thursday, April 9, 2026 • Duration 58:20
We round off our look at Rocky III by going through theremaining scenes of the film. Without issuing too many spoilers, Rocky comes a cropper and his life goes seriously south, motivation all but gone. However, just as Clarence the Angel came to rescue George Bailey in our very first filmreview on this show, Rocky's old rival Apollo Creed swoops in with a two-word plan that could be said to be slightly Beatle-esque (a little something for Glass Onion fans there).
Mr T continues to shine as the menacing Clubber Lang, but thesecond half of the film certainly belongs to the burgeoning bromance between Rocky and Apollo. Adrian also plays her part with a stirring speech on the beach, and Burt Young's Paulie emerges as wonderful comic relief.
Will Rocky ultimately prevail? Well, probably…
At some point in the conversation, Antony and Scott also takea tangential look at the movies of 1982 in general. We were truly spoiled in the days when films as incredible as 'The Thing' and 'Blade Runner' could drop on the same day!
Enjoy!
'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms.
Feedback to contrafib2001@gmail.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod
Twitter
https://twitter.com/FilmGold75
Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts)
https://www.antonyrotunno.com
Episode 43: Rocky III (1982) Part 1 of 2
Thursday, April 2, 2026 • Duration 55:49
Here's part one of another swapcast with 'The Stinking Pause',hosted by Scott Phipps. This time round, Antony and Scott tackle the middle film of the original 5-film Rocky franchise ('Rocky Balboa' aka Rocky VI would eventuallyarrive after a long hiatus), a subject dear to both their hearts.
After the gritty 1970s fairytale that was the original film,followed by Rocky's redemptive rematch with Apollo Creed in Rocky II, the series enters a new decade and a new era. The man gatecrashing the Rocky and Apollo party is the unforgettable Clubber Lang, played by the utterly unique Mr T in the role that would soon after land him in 'The A-Team' and make him a household name.
In this part, your humble hosts talk about their historieswith the series as a whole and discuss the other films in the franchise. They then start ploughing through Rocky III, including Rocky's 'friendly' charity match with Hulk Hogan's 'Thunderlips' and the lead-up to his defence of his titleagainst Clubber. Rocky Balboa is apparently now a 'civilised' champion. Oh dear…
Enjoy!
'Film Gold' is on all the main podcast platforms.
Feedback to contrafib2001@gmail.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/filmgoldpod
Twitter
https://twitter.com/FilmGold75
Antony's website (blog, music, podcasts)
https://www.antonyrotunno.com
Antony's John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Mediapodcasts
Episode 42- Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) Part 2 of 2
Tuesday, January 20, 2026 • Duration 01:02:34
Antony and Luke complete their look at the flawed smorgasbord of ideas that is 1983's 'Monty Python's The Meaning of Life', going through the remaining good, bad, ugly, extremely violent & completely gross scenes, and separating the top tier from the filler tracks.
In this part, expect to hear discussion of galaxies,internal organs, death and anticlimax, not to mention the adventures of Mr Creosote, yet more French accents and the token Beatles reference
Ultimately, were the Pythons too old? Too tired? Too middle-aged?
Please make your own mind up, even though I've arguably now told you what to think twice…
Episode 41: Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) Part 1 of 2
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 • Duration 01:06:09
More than a pleasure to 'get back' (see what I did there?) with friend and podcast comrade Luke Thompson to round off our sort-of trilogy of Monty Python films (originally recorded on video, see below).
This time round, Antony and Luke look at the flawed smorgasbord of ideas that is 1983's 'Monty Python's The Meaning of Life', going scene-by-scene through the good, bad, ugly, extremely violent, completely gross and filler, and trying to find just what ismissing from this Python outing that made the previous two films close to flawless masterpieces (actually we say it right at the beginning but don't tell anyone…)
In this part we give our general opinions of the film and look at some of the early scenes, so expect to hear about elderly pirates, sacred sperms and French ticklers. This is preceded by a bit of Python/Beatles comparisoning (that may not be a word) for our crossover audiences
Make your own mind up, even though I've already told you what to think…
Episode 40- Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) Part 2 of 2
Thursday, December 4, 2025 • Duration 59:20
Luke and Antony complete their look at the classic comedy 'Monty Python's Life of Brian', the talk originally recorded on video earlier this year (see below).
It's hard to avoid the controversy that surrounded this filmwhen it came out, and you will hear a clip or two from the remarkable TV debate around the more contentious aspects of it, the like of which would surely not be seen these days.
Most important though is the marvellous, some would sayflawless, content of the film, and we discuss some of the most famous and iconic scenes. Expect to hear about what the Romans did for civilisation, a famous Roman governor with a speech impediment, a rather unique Latin lesson and of course a controversially jolly accompaniment to the most agonising death imaginable.
Our review of the follow-up film 'Monty Python's The Meaningof Life' will follow (as it should) in January
Episode 39- Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) Part 1 of 2
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 • Duration 54:02
What more is there to say about Monty Python's Life ofBrian? Well, we may as well give it a bash.
Luke Thompson takes on hosting duties for a swapcast between Film Gold and Luke's English Podcast, originally recorded on video earlier this year (see below).
In this first part, Luke & Antony discuss among otherthings their histories with the film, the basic philosophy of the Python team regarding biblical epics, some of the original inspiration for the film, and its production and financing.
Fans of the film will know that in that final aspect, acertain Beatle may well get a mention…
Antony's John Lennon/Beatles and Psychology/Alt. Mediapodcasts
Episode 38- U Turn (1997)
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 01:27:12
Among Oliver Stone's large and celebrated body of work is afilm from 1997 that was largely ignored and derided at the time but is a classic case of a rediscovered gem with cult appeal. Scott Phipps joins Antony to look at the dark and twisted 'U Turn'.
Sean Penn leads an ensemble cast including the ultimate femme fatale Jennifer Lopez and many recognisable and renowned names at various stages of their careers. We recommend multiple viewings of this film to fullyabsorb all the details and vast array of images
Is this actually a comedy of the blackest kind, as thetrailer would lead you to believe? Will Bobby Cooper ever get out of town? And is everyone in Superior, Arizona on drugs?
This time round we present our second Steven Spielberg filmand one that was very much a forerunner to (and inspiration for) the more famous 'Jaws', as an ordinary man is forced to find inner resources and transcend his limitations in order to defeat a seemingly unstoppable force that can't be reasoned with.
By kind permission of Julian Charles of The Mind Renewed,the recording used here is from TMR's 20th movie roundtable, featuring Antony as a guest alongside Julian, Frank Johnson and Mark Campbell.
Dennis Weaver stars as David (every)Mann, a salesman driving his beloved red Plymouth Valiant through the California desert on his way to an important work appointment, when a predatory monster of a smoke-spewing truck inexplicably picks him as its unsuspecting prey.
(from TMR shownotes)
'Join us as we examine the tension, explore the film'sminimalist brilliance, and ask what "takeaways" might be gleaned from Spielberg's early TV/cinematic masterpiece'.
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