Bow before the mighty Thor! That's Jon Mikl Thor, obviously, the musclebound Canadian hard rocker whose mix of riffs and strongman stunts never quite led him to rock Valhalla. Not that it stopped him trying, and Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare was his biggest swing at the big leagues. On paper, it's a canonical hard rock horror movie, right down to the not-exactly-a-stretch casting of Thor as the frontman of a rock band. In practice, it is far, far stranger than that.

Join Graham and Jeff as they discuss the film's alarmingly phallic puppets, its inexplicably long driving sequences and the insane third-act twist that seals its cult movie legend. We also discuss the twisty career of Thor himself, not least the time when he got a new manager who wanted to reshape his career path based on the channelled wisdom of the New Age entity "Seth". The '70s, everyone!

If you want to hear us talking about rock - rock! Rock! - as well as several other musical genres, you'll find a monthly bonus episode of this show on our Patreon, as well as our monthly movie round-up Last Night..., weekly reviews of The X-Files and Red Dwarf, articles on classic Asian genre cinema and much, much more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to keep up!

Phoebe Bridgers! Snail Mail! Fred Durst?! The list of Pop Screen-qualifying cast members is only the beginning of the weirdness in Jane Schoenbrun's sophomore film I Saw the TV Glow. Released in the UK after a wait almost as punishing as the film's devastating time-jumps, it's the story of two kids who really, really like a TV show. That is, if you're satisfied with a surface-level reading.

If you're not, allow Graham and Robyn to take you through the film's multitude of trans and queer readings, its nods to 1990s telefantasy classics from Buffy to Twin Peaks, its use of - and critique of the abuses of - nostalgia, its subtle coding of each time period it's set in, and of course its soundtrack, whose mix of modern artists and '90s vibes has already made it a cult classic independent of the film it's soundtracking. We also discuss Harmony Korine's short films, the weirdness of early internet video and so much more. It's for the ladies, the fellas and the people who don't give a [censored] - which, we now realise, is an acknowledgement of nonbinary identity. Who knew?

If your heart is like a claw machine, grab a subscription to our Patreon where we release an exclusive episode of this podcast every month, plus lots of other DVD bonus features: written reviews of The X-Files and Red Dwarf, classic Asian genre cinema under the microscope and even more. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to find out more.

Back with a vengeance! Yes, ahead of the release of Furiosa, we're looking at the Mad Max movie that features the most legendary pop star in the whole series (well, apart from the Doof Warrior): Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Initially reviled for its lighter tone and child sidekicks, the film now feels like a stepping stone to the operatic excesses George Miller has taken the franchise to in the 21st century - and Tina Turner as Aunty Entity is a piece of stunt-casting that truly works.

This week, Producer Rob rejoins the show to talk about all things Mad Max, including the series's fascinatingly improvisatory attitude towards continuity, the extent to which Max Rockatansky obeys Joseph Campbell's laws of heroism, and the absolute goldmine of memorable quotes this movie contains. It's two podcasters enter, and, er, two podcasters leave - but not before revealing this film's unexpected place in hip-hop history...

Come to our Barter Town over at Patreon, where you can exchange your money for a monthly bonus episode of the show - we've just covered every single pop star appearance on Doctor Who, from the Beatles to Billie Piper - plus written articles on classic Asian cinema, The X-Files and red Dwarf. Backers also get two bonus podcasts: the unclassifiable miscellany of Last Night... and the methodical run-through of cult franchises that is From the Video Aisle. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram to find out more

There's always been a steady stream of British acts trying to make it in America, but the American acts trying to make it over here are a more rarefied bunch. Along with Sparks, one of the few US artists to try their hand at the notably Brit-centric early '70s glam rock scene was Suzi Quatro, who arrived with an unforgettable image, a massive bass guitar and some songs you'll know even if you don't know her name.

She's still touring today, and Liam Firmager's documentary Suzi Q tracks her from the messy dissolution of her early band The Pleasure Seekers into the 21st century. Join Graham and Mick as they discuss this, as well as the film's many parallels with another documentary about a female solo artist we covered earlier in the year. We also reveal Suzi Quatro's family connection to one of Graham and Mick's favourite TV shows. It's not Doctor Who. Not this week, at least.

That said, if you want two in-depth Doctor Who reviews from Graham every week, you could always donate to our Patreon, where you also get a monthly bonus episode of this podcast, and exclusive access to our other movie podcast Directors Lottery. Find out more by following us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

#moviereview #popscreen #suziq #suziquatro #documentary #liamfirmager #glamrock

We're doing a Madonna movie! No, come back! This week, Graham and Sarah go back to the Material Girl's breakthrough moment, when her Nile Rogers-produced sophomore album Like a Virgin proved she wasn't a fluke, and Desperately Seeking Susan became one of the top five highest grossing films of 1985. But don't think this is a safe choice for a young pop star: it's a screwball comedy, a tough genre to get right, by Susan Seidelman, a director with only one, punk-inflected, previous film. And wait until you find out what film inspired Seidelman...

It was, in short, a huge gamble that paid off. On this week's show, Graham and Sarah discuss the home-made appeal of Madonna's early image, and why the desperately sought Susan was a better fit for Madonna than most of her later roles. We also discuss her directorial effort W.E., an early indicator that Oscar Isaac's talent and charisma would strongly outpace his ability to choose a good script.

If you've recently received a windfall from going through the pockets of your dead gangster boyfriend, you might consider donating to our Patreon, where you can get access to a monthly bonus episode of Pop Screen, Graham's Doctor Who reviews, a whole exclusive movie podcast - Director's Lottery - and more. Stay tuned to our Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to find out what we've got planned for the future!

#popscreen #moviereview #desperatelyseekingsusan #madonna #rosannaarquette #johnturturro #giancarloesposito #susanseidelman

A biopic of Brian Wilson had been mooted ever since the late 1980s, but it wasn't until 2014 that Bill Pohlad's Love & Mercy was released, with its bold time-hopping structure that allowed both Paul Dano and John Cusack to play the Beach Boys' chief songwriter. The former played Wilson as he recorded Pet Sounds and his legendary unrealised Smile project, the latter played him as he struggled to escape the control of his abusive quack therapist Eugene Landy. It sounds a bit heavy - and it is - but the soundtrack is full of the most beautiful music ever made.

On this week's episode of Pop Screen, Graham is joined by fellow Beach Boys fan Ewan to discuss the film and its clutch of impressive performances, including Bill Camp, Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti as the monstrous Landy. We also discuss the strange circumstances which led to Pet Sounds becoming the definitive Beach Boys album despite having almost no band members play instruments on it, what the best Beach Boys song is, and why Graham's answer to that question is the correct one.

Over and over the crow cries uncover our Patreon, where you'll get a monthly bonus episode of this show - this month's involves Louis Theroux! - as well as access to our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, Graham's Doctor Who reviews and more. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to find out more about our new shows, videos and articles.

#popscreen #moviereview #loveandmercy #thebeachboys #brianwilson #pauldano #billpohlad #johncusack #elizabethbanks #paulgiamatti #billcamp #biopic #petsounds

Could the King of Pop have become the King of Cinema? Not, perhaps, on the evidence of 1988's Moonwalker, a curious, personal but deeply overbudgeted melange of music videos, live performance, claymation and a bewildering plot-line where Jackson fights back against Joe Pesci's not exactly Scorsese-worthy drug dealer by turning into a car. Critics at the time found it bizarre, self-indulgent and incoherent, and while that's not exactly wrong, its frequent songs and dance routines do remind you what an extraordinary performer Jackson was.

This week on Pop Screen, lifelong MJ fan Archaeon joins us to discuss the album - Bad - that the film was designed to promote, argue that the Smooth Criminal video is a dark-horse candidate for Jackson's best ever, and try to work out what the hell Pesci's haircut is. Other topics of discussion include possible inspirations for Spike the Rabbit, the tragic history of the Noid, the very '80s child performances and the status of Pesci's character as a back-handed 'tribute' to Jackson's then-manager Frank DiLeo.

If this podcast gave you fever like you've never, ever known, you may be interested to know you can get a bonus episode every month by donating to our Patreon, which also gives you access to our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, Graham's Doctor Who reviews, and more. Check out our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for the latest news on what we've got coming up.

#popscreen #moviereview #moonwalker #michaeljackson #joepesci #1980s #claymation #noid #smoothcriminal

The director of Deliverance made a film starring the Dave Clark Five? It happened! This week, We Are Cult's Mark Cunliffe rejoins the podcast to talk about John Boorman's very uncharacteristic debut Catch Us If You Can, starring Clark as a stuntman who goes on the run with Barbara Ferris's frustrated advertising spokeswoman. Made in the shadow of A Hard Day's Night, its unsettling satire on the PR industry and strikingly direct drug references make it a precursor to the more pessimistic counterculture cinema that would emerge later in the 1960s.

Aside from discussing this prescient, underseen gem, we also talk about the Dave Clark Five's music, and how they went from being rivals to the Beatles to their current place in the popular memory. There's also space to consider the great career of John Boorman, and recommend his excellent autobiography (which contains the best Lew Grade anecdote you'll ever hear). Other burning issues include the cross-generational appeal of Yootha Joyce, the problematic wigs of Boorman's latest film Queen & Country, and whether or not Ronald Lacey ever looked young.

If you enjoyed this podcast and don't want to see us reduced to advertising Ian Meat's wares, donate to our Patreon for a monthly bonus episode, a whole extra film podcast - Director's Lottery - and much more. Stay informed about what we're doing next by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

#popscreen #moviereview #catchusifyoucan #daveclarkfive #1960s #yoothajoyce #ronaldlacey #johnboorman #roadmovies #rockandroll

There aren't many pop movies of the 2010s that won an Oscar, but then there aren't many pop movies as well-crafted and emotionally devastating as Asif Kapadia's 2015 documentary Amy. A bruising look at the rise and fall of Amy Winehouse told with intimate archive footage, it's both a celebration of a unique talent and an excoriation of the culture that led to her death.

On this week's Pop Screen, Aidan joins Graham to discuss who, if anyone, the villain of the movie is, what it says about 2000s Britain that it killed its one true pop icon, and who added those wretched synth strings to Take the Box. We also celebrate Winehouse's pointed, sometimes shocking lyrics and unmistakable voice, and pour cold water on the "27 Club" mythology - without noticing the episode number for this very show...

If you'd like to help us buy a better pair of glasses so we don't make this mistake again, you can donate to our Patreon where you get a whole bonus podcast - Director's Lottery - as well as exclusive Pop Screen episodes, Graham's Doctor Who reviews, and more. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to find out the full details of what we're up to next.

#popscreen #moviereviews #asifkapadia #amywinehouse #documentary #backtoblack #amy

The long-awaited biopic of Sir Elton Hercules John - wait, Hercules? Yes, Hercules - was always going to be a flamboyant affair, but no-one suspected it would be a full-scale, dancing-in-the-streets musical. Yet that is exactly what director Dexter Fletcher and screenwriter Lee Hall delivered in 2019's Rocketman. This week, the Ben, the Ben, the Ben is back to help Graham make sense of the extraordinary results.

Along the way, we discuss the many names attached to the lead role before Taron Egerton came along, the film's fought-for R rating - and its somewhat shorter Russian cut - and the best bits from Elton's riotous autobiography. We also talk about Fletcher's salvage job on a certain other 1970s rock biopic, and wonder relatedly if Bryan Singer has ever actually been on a film set.

If you want to help us afford electric boots and a mohair suit, you can donate to our Patreon, where backers will get a bonus episode every month, as well as access to our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, Graham's Doctor Who reviews and much more stuff that isn't available anywhere else. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram either.

#popscreen #moviereview #rocketman #eltonjohn #taronegerton #dexterfletcher #jamiebell #brycedallashoward #biopics #lgbt #richardmadden #glamrock

Phyllida Lloyd's 2008 film Mamma Mia! was a box-office sensation - so why are we vaulting straight over it to review its 2018 sequel? A lot of reasons, as Mark and Graham discover on this week's episode of Pop Screen. Beginning with an absolutely gonzo rendition of When I Kissed the Teacher, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again takes plenty of big, weird chances, not least the decision to pattern its plot structure on The Godfather Part II.

This new ambition can only be ascribed to a change of writer and director, the latter post filled by Ol Parker, the former by Richard Curtis, who it would be fair to say Mark and Graham have priors with. We discuss how his sensibility gels with the Mamma Mia! cinematic universe, the way the film simultaneously celebrates and lampoons its predecessor, and the ever-vexed question of whether men can sing.

As well as running this podcast, we also run a struggling restaurant on an imaginary Greek island, so we'd appreciate your Patreon donations. It's not a one-way thing: you get plenty of exclusives including our other film podcast Director's Lottery, a monthly bonus Pop Screen episode, Graham's Doctor Who reviews and more. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, either.

#popscreen #moviereviews #mammamia2 #mammamia #abba #lilyjames #cher #merylstreep #olparker #colinfirth #stellanskarsgard #richardcurtis #alexadavies #jeremyirvine #amandaseyfried #dominiccooper #juliewalters #alexadavies #christinebaranski #piercebrosnan #andygarcia #musicals #fernando?

Look at the film we're covering on this week's Pop Screen. Who can say it's not beautiful? That's right, this week Graham and Ewan are reviewing True Stories, the sole directorial credit for Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. A drily comic compilation of stories inspired by Byrne's love of local tabloids, it gave John Goodman an early starring role, it gave Thom Yorke a band name and it gave Warner Bros.' marketing department a headache as they struggled to sum it up in a trailer.

It's a strange movie, but fortunately God made some people who like it that way, and it's been a consistent cult favourite. Join us to discuss the film's unusually sweet-hearted view of the suburbs, what the film says about its director, the epic nerd feud between Errol Morris and Byrne, and why you shouldn't expect a seat at David Byrne's house. Some people say this movie is the cathedral of our time. Not me.

Shopping is a feeling, and if you've been looking around for the perfect Patreon to donate to, might we suggest ours? Backers get a monthly bonus episode of this very show, access to our other film podcast Directors' Lottery, Graham's weekly Doctor Who reviews, and more. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more puzzlin' evidence of what we're doing next.

#popscreen #moviereviews #davidbyrne #johngoodman #truestories #talkingheads #swooziekurtz #stephentoblowsky #spaldinggray

Christina Aguilera waited ten years to make her first film, and when she did the reviews suggested she could have waited a little longer. This week, Joe and Graham look at Burlesque, which pairs Christina with one of the most accomplished (Oscar-winning!) singers-turned-actors in history, Cher. It's a strange mix of let's-put-the-show-on-here cliches, Bob Fosse lifts and discussion of local zoning laws.

Yet it wasn't as big a flop as you might remember, and its soundtrack has a bizarrely prestigious list of songwriters. Join us as we discuss Ali, Christina's character, and her strange lack of motivation, Cher's changing feelings about the film, and - of course - the truly outrageous supporting role for Kristen Bell. Once you've heard the former Veronica Mars refer to Christina Aguilera as "a slut with mutant lungs", you'll never be the same again.

If you don't want to see us reduced to putting on burlesque shows to raise money for podcasts - seriously, you don't want to see that - donate to our Patreon, where you can get exclusive Pop Screen episodes, Doctor Who reviews, our other movie podcast Director's Lottery and more. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

#popscreen #moviereviews #burlesque #christinaaguilera #cher #musicals #stanleytucci #kristenbell #alancumming

We've covered plenty of biopics of musical legends on this podcast, and one word has hovered unspoken in the background: Cox. Dewey Cox, that is, the legendary rocker played by John C Reilly in Jake Kasdan's Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. A musical innovator, a tortured genius, a tireless advocate for small people's rights... he didn't exist, of course, but this spoof is so beautifully observed it doesn't really matter.

Let's duet! This week, Mark Harrison of Film Stories rejoins Graham to look at the film that makes it impossible to watch any other biopic without giggling inappropriately at all the sad parts. We discuss the cameos that were cut, the gruelling promotional tour Reilly embarked on in support of the film, and which of 2024's biopics include scenes from this film played dead straight. It's a beautiful ride, alright.

If you want to buy us a sink to replace the ones we broke during our dark period, you can donate to our Patreon, where you'll get a monthly bonus episode of this very show, plus two other podcasts not available anywhere else - From the Video Aisle, looking at cult favourite franchises, and the unclassifiable Last Night... We also do written articles on classic television science fiction and Asian genre films, and much more besides. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more.

On paper, Light of Day has everything going for it. One of the first films Michael J Fox made after Back to the Future, it's a gritty tale of rock 'n' roll as a blue-collar pressure vent, aptly made by the director of Blue Collar, Paul Schrader. Its supporting cast has acting royalty in the form of Gena Rowlands, rock royalty in the form of Joan Jett, and a theme song by Bruce Springsteen.

And yet... after disappointing at the box office it disappeared so thoroughly it's never released an English-language DVD release. This week on Pop Screen, Archaeon joins Graham to discuss why the film didn't connect, whether it deserves better, and the small but enjoyable screen career of Joan Jett. We also talk about the very unexpected cameo from a future alternative rock icon and Oscar-winning composer, Springsteen's long and tangled history with the film, and those old butter adverts where a little animated man plays the trombone. If you can't see how the latter is connected to this film, I'm sorry, I just can't help you.

We like to blow off steam after a tough day at the factory with a roof-raising podcast session, and if you want to help us keep doing that you can donate to our Patreon. Backers get exclusive access to our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, a monthly bonus episode of Pop Screen, two weekly Doctor Who reviews, and anything else we might choose to announce on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

#popscreen #moviereview #lightofday #joanjett #michaeljfox #paulschrader #brucespringsteen #genarowlands 

Pop Screen takes its first dip into the flamboyant world of Japanese director Sion Sono with Tokyo Tribe. Adapting a manga by Santa Inoue, Sono takes the characteristically weird decision to tell it in the form of a hip-hop opera, with dialogue rapped by a mixture of actors and real Japanese rappers like Young Dais. It works better than it sounds, and Geek Show head honcho Rob Simpson is here to guide Sono newbie Graham through its neon-lit wastelands.

Along the way we discuss Riki Takeuchi's colossal performance as gang boss Buppa, Sono's involvement in Nikkatsu's "pinku eiga" revival, the scene-stealing appearances by a DJing grandma, and so much more. We also wonder if we live, despite all appearances, in a golden age of maverick film-makers, and look forward to Sono's English-language debut with Nicolas Cage in Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Pop Screen makes most of its money from the murder business and deals with corrupt politicians, but if you'd like to top us up we've got a Patreon which offers bonus episodes of Pop Screen, a whole exclusive movie podcast, Doctor Who reviews and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

#popscreen #moviereview #sionsono #tokyotribe #manga #musical #rikitakeuchi #rap #oldschoolhiphop #youngdais

The prospect of a Frank Zappa episode of Pop Screen is likely to get you either cheering or groaning, which is of course why we're doing it. This week, confirmed Zappa obsessive Aidan Fatkin joins regular host and Zappa dunce Graham to talk him through the jazz-rock-classical-comedy titan's career - his epic discography, exhaustive production techniques, ribald wit and many, many, seriously many battles with the forces of censorship.

We're also here, of course, to talk about his 1971 film 200 Motels, a plotless mix of skits, musical performances, animation that might be too weird for cult status. Full of sex, lies and videotape - hey, that's a catchy title! - it can be hard work but, like Zappa himself, it's a true one-off. We discuss the career of co-director Tony Palmer and his influence on rock-doc history, as well as Keith Moon playing a sexy nun, a bizarre misunderstanding over the word "pad" and Danny Baker for some reason.

If you want to keep this podcast Absolutely Free from advertising, why not donate to our Patreon? Backers will get a monthly bonus episode of Pop Screen, as well as our other movie podcast Directors' Lottery and Graham's twice-weekly Doctor Who reviews. Follow us at Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more news.

#popscreen #moviereview #200motels #frankzappa #ringostarr #keithmoon #tonypalmer #mothersofinvention

Today we know Morrissey as a character on The Simpsons, but are you aware he also taught Villanelle how to do local government admin? This is just one of the revelations in Mark Gill's 2017 film England is Mine, a film about Morrissey's early life starring Jack Lowden as the indie icon-in-the-making. Released just as Morrissey exhausted the patience of his remaining fanbase by threatening to sue Der Spiegel for accurately reporting his terrible opinions, it vanished quickly - but did it deserve better?

This week, Mick Snowden of Behold! podcast joins Graham to mull that question over. They also discuss their shared love of The Smiths, including the evergreen hobby of picking out the references to old films and girl-group hits the band's lyrics and record sleeves are studded with, and share theories about why Morrissey's official Facebook page is so very, very strange.

"I've never had a job/ Because I'm too shy", and if you want to help me maintain this unsupportable lifestyle you can donate to The Geek Show's Patreon, where you'll find exclusive bonus episodes of Pop Screen, our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, the best damn Doctor Who reviews on the internet and more. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to hear about what we've got coming up next.

#popscreen #moviereview #englandismine #morrissey #thesmiths #jacklowden #markgill #jodiecomer #jessicabrownfindlay #johnnymarr #biopic #lindersterling

It's the film that's so punk, it annoyed even the punks - Derek Jarman's Jubilee, with its motley cast including Toyah Wilcox, Rocky Horror legend Richard O'Brien, a pre-fame Adam Ant and at least one former tightrope walker, is our subject of discussion this week. Join We Are Cult's Mark Cunliffe and regular host Graham Williamson as they discuss Jarman's influence as a film-maker, a gay rights advocate and even a gardener, as well as the film's fascinated yet critical overview of Britain's first wave of punk.

There's also room to consider the divergent careers of the film's stars, from the hugely influential original punk scene kid Pamela "Jordan" Rooke to Ian Charleson and Karl Howman: incestuous brothers in Jubilee, but the actors went on to have very different later careers. We also talk about punk's questionable, semi-ironic use of fascist and serial killer iconography, as well as the vexed question of why the British scene burned out so quickly - albeit leaving some tremendous music.

Obviously money is a deeply un-punk statist control system created by the Man to keep us down, but we still need it. If you donate to our Patreon you can get a monthly Pop Screen bonus episode, as well as access to our other film podcast Directors Lottery and Graham's classic Doctor Who reviews. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with everything we've got coming in the future!

#popscreen #moviereviews #derekjarman #jubilee #timetravel #punk #1970s #pamelarooke #adamant #toyahwilcox #iancharleson #johndee

It would be fair to say that Battleship, Peter Berg's $250 million dollar Hasbro adaptation, does not arrive with the greatest of advance press. And yet, on this week's Pop Screen, our hosts are still astonished at how much goes wrong. Join Graham and Andrew (from Behold! podcast) as we anatomise the film's scanty, mostly burrito-focused characterisation, its unfortunate obsession with the acronym "RIMPAC", its unexpectedly cute alien baddies and its truly beyond-parody choice of end credits song.

But because this is Pop Screen, we talk about more than the movie. This was an inauspicious screen debut for Rihanna, so we also take some time to discuss the Barbadian R&B superstar's ability to expertly ride the wave of cultural changes, as well as her little-heralded role in putting British indie-pop out of its misery. We also wonder what she's been doing since the release of her last album in 2016, and discover a new way in which that infamous year is cursed.

Rihanna can afford to sit around posting on Instagram for five years, but we can't, which is why we genuinely appreciate your support on our Patreon. We also reciprocate your pecuniary affections with exclusive Pop Screen episodes, exclusive access to our other film podcast Director's Lottery, Graham's Doctor Who reviews and more. Check Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for more.

#popscreen #moviereview #battleship #rihanna #peterberg #liamneeson #action #sciencefiction #alexanderskarsgard

Brian De Palma is not a name commonly associated with campy rock-opera frivolity, but his 1974 film Phantom of the Paradise is closer to Rocky Horror territory than you'd expect from the Carrie auteur. A gonzo melange of Gaston le Roux, the Faust myth and the 1970s music scene before it figured out how to be cool, it's like nothing else you've ever seen before, and this week Graham joins his Directors' Lottery colleague Rob Simpson to figure it all out.

Along the way, we discuss De Palma's career, its roots in experimental hippie-era satire and its many highs and lows. We also discuss Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow's 2015 documentary about the director, and how it affected our understanding of this film. There's also room for some consideration of the film's star, singer-songwriter Paul Williams, a delightful anecdote about a young Guillermo del Toro and a quiz about the many, many lawsuits this film unexpectedly faced.

If you don't want to see us reduced signing our life's work away in blood to make money, you can donate to our Patreon. Donors will get exclusive access to bonus episodes of Pop Screen, Graham's Doctor Who reviews and the aforementioned Director's Lottery. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and leave a review on iTunes if you enjoyed this show.

#popscreen #moviereviews #phantomoftheparadise #briandepalma #phantomoftheopera #faust #musicals #jessicaharper #1970s #paulwilliams

Before we find out if Chadwick Boseman is going to win a posthumous Oscar for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, let's take a look back at Get On Up, his previous brush with the Academy's sweet tooth for musical biopics. Widely predicted to be a frontrunner in the 2015 Oscar race, the Mick Jagger-produced biopic of James Brown walked away empty-handed. It would be one thing if it was a competitive year, but this was the year when the big winner was The Revenant, so, y'know.

What went wrong? Well, as Ben and Graham discover on this week's episode, it certainly isn't any fault of Boseman's. They anatomise his remarkable performance as the Godfather of Soul, and examine the themes and strengths that run through the actor's tragically short career. There's also room for discussion of James Brown's turbulent life, ranging from his legendary work ethic to his infamously contradictory political stances, as well as his monumental influence on hip-hop.

Showbusiness is a fickle mistress prone to wild mood swings, so if you want our eventual biopic (it's coming, right?) to be a bit more harmonious than this you can donate to our Patreon and get loads of goodies like our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, Graham's Doctor Who reviews, a monthly bonus episode of this show and more. Don't forget to follow on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook too.

#popscreen #moviereview #getonup #funk #jamesbrown #chadwickboseman #tatetaylor #biopic #oscars #maraineysblackbottom #danaykroyd #octaviaspencer #violadavis

Pop Screen roars back, like an army of mods on scooters, with Quadrophenia. One of the definitive British cult movies, a peerless translation of an ambitious concept album and a loving tribute to a scene that, in its era, was so dangerous that the term "moral panic" was coined to describe the press reaction. It's the film that made Brighton rock.

But even this is selling Frank Roddam's film short, as Mick and Graham discover. It worked in the 1970s because it tapped into the disaffection and rage of late '70s Britain, it worked in the 1990s as part of the mass Sixties revival of Britpop, and it works now because - hey! - it's a good film, got some good tunes in it and that. All of these topics will be discussed, as well as Roddam's links to everything from one of Hollywood's legendary unproduced screenplays to Masterchef, the film's early roles for Sting, Ray Winstone and Timothy Spall, and the bit-part actor whose name had to be redacted from a song by Iggy Pop.

Want to support this non-stop flow of solid gold trivia? You can donate to our Patreon and get an exclusive bonus episode every month, as well as our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, our Doctor Who reviews and more. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to keep up with what we've got coming up!

#popscreen #moviereviews #quadrophenia #thewho #mod #phildaniels #petetownsend #rogerdaltrey #keithmoon #leslieash #raywinstone #frankroddam #timothyspall #johnentwhistle #sting

What better time for a mockumentary than April Fools Day? The history of  music industry mockery is long and storied, but Graham, Sarah and Mark went for a recent example - Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, a note-perfect spoof of the early 2010s style of pop-promo documentary. A flop on its initial release in 2016, time has shown that ever since this film was born, it was dope.

Join our trio of reviewers as we consider the career of The Lonely Island, the comedy hip-hop trio who created and star in the film, as well as the real-life inspirations behind some of the film's funniest jokes, how its cavalcade of cameos - everyone from Nas to Mariah Carey to Ringo Starr - matches up to real-life music documentaries, and the reasons why this film couldn't beat out the Ninja Turtles at the US box office. We also have a dramatic reading of the press release for Justin Bieber's new album, which could be taken straight from Conner4Real's dialogue.

If you want to help us earn Patrick Stewart money, you can donate to our Patreon. In return, you'll get a monthly bonus episode of Pop Screen - there's one about the Style Council out tomorrow! - as well as our other movie podcast Director's Lottery, weekly Doctor Who reviews and lots of other bonus content. Also follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

#popscreen #moviereview #mockumentary #thelonelyisland #popstarneverstopneverstopping #andysamberg #saturdaynightlive

John Singleton was 21 - 21! - when he made one of the most acclaimed debuts of the 1990s, one which led to him becoming the first African-American to get a Best Director nomination at the Oscars. It would be the perfect punchline if it was bad, but annoyingly for this deeply unserious podcast it's great: a frontline dispatch from a world plagued by violence and poverty that still feels vital, and also finds room for more humour and tenderness than you might expect.

Join Rob and Graham as they discuss this landmark film and its star Ice Cube, then perhaps the most controversial music star in America, now a reliable, familiar presence in all kinds of movies. They also discuss the film's unexpected inspiration, its heartbreaking ending and venture a cheeky but probably-accurate guess as to why there are so many movies about gentrification. Plus: hot takes on gangsta rap from early '90s political columnists that have not aged as well as this movie!
If you don't want us to be drawn into the terrible gang culture that surrounds podcasting, you can give us some money over at our Patreon, where in return you'll get a bonus episode of this show every month. We also have no less than two podcasts - Last Night... and From the Video Aisle - and we give you weekly written reviews of Red Dwarf, The X-Files and Doctor Who.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to learn more.

Pop Screen continues its dive into the strangest products of the 1980s trend towards long-form music videos with a lost gem of British pop surrealism - Jack Bond's It Couldn't Happen Here, starring the Pet Shop Boys. Arguably the first stumble in the relentless upwards trajectory PSB were enjoying, it's been disowned by the band and archly reappraised by Bond as "the first post-Brexit movie".

After joining Graham to review Spice World in Episode 2, Ewan Gleadow makes his Pop Screen return for this utterly befuddling film, which sees Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe embarking on an epic road trip involving existentialist ventriloquist dummies, burning men walking calmly through Kings Cross and Barbara Windsor. We also discuss the label of "irony" that hung around the band's necks for much of their early careers, their unfortunate habit of releasing anti-consumerist songs whose messages went over the heads of Thatcher's Britain, and the vexed question of what the best Pet Shop Boys album is.

If you want to help us make lots of money, but in an ironic way obviously, you can donate to our Patreon - backers get exclusive access to our other movie podcast Director's Lottery and a bonus Pop Screen episode every month. For more news about upcoming shows, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

#popscreen #moviereviews #petshopboys #itcouldnthappenhere #bfi #jackbond #neiltennant #chrislowe #barbarawindsor #garethhunt

We have taken out our Invisalign, and this is the podcast: Mick Snowden of Behold! rejoins Pop Screen to review Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry. It's basically a piece of embedded journalism from the household of a very 21st-century pop star, from the day she first uploaded 'Ocean Eyes' to being tapped to write a Bond theme at the age of eighteen. 

Along the way, Graham and Mick will debate whether 140 minutes is the right length of time to document a career that's still only one album long, as well as pondering the mysterious name of Billie's no-mark boyfriend "Q", appreciating the convenience of having a mother who doubles as a masseuse, sharing a personal anecdote about a Radio 2 DJ and delineating the difference between a guy who has a car and a Car Guy.

Alas, we have yet to achieve the level of success that might make Katy Perry pay attention to us, but if you want to help us get there you can donate to our Patreon and get yourself an exclusive bonus episode every month. You can also keep up to date on our plans for our future (can't wait to meet her!) on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

#theworldsalittleblurry #popscreen #moviereviews #billieeilish #jamesbond #documentary #appletv #oceaneyes

This week, Mark Harrison from Film Stories and VODzilla returns to the podcast to talk all things Josie and the Pussycats! Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont's Archie Comics-derived spoof was received poorly on its initial release - yikes - twenty years ago, but with Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina revitalising the source material and Framing Britney Spears turning the world's eyes back to the turn-of-the-millennium celebrity landscape, there's no better time to reconsider its beguiling mix of vicious industry satire and affectionate character comedy.

Under consideration: the film's totally jerkin' soundtrack, the divergent future careers of the film's central trio of Rachel Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson and Tara Reid, the many reasons why it might have failed at the box office - including a Simpsons episode that coincidentally pre-empted one of its central gags - and the link between this film and Salman Rushdie that you never knew existed.

In the spirit of this film's infamously blunt product placement, we're not hiding the fact that we're begging for money at Patreon - though we do give you plenty in return, including a monthly newsletter, a bonus Pop Screen episode and a whole exclusive extra podcast. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, too.

#josieandthepussycats #riverdale #archiecomics #popscreen #moviereviews #cultfilm #tarareid #framingbritneyspears #rachelleighcook #rosariodawson #alancumming #parkerposey 

It is the future. 2009. A CGI Anthony Hopkins wants Emilio Estevez's body, but not in a sex way. Which badass bounty hunter does he dispatch to bring Estevez for processing in the - I swear to god, this is what it's called - "lobotomizer"? Why, Mick Jagger, of course. That's the set-up for Freejack, which despite a generous budget and a skilled production team went straight to VHS in the UK. One disappointed Blockbusters patron was Archaeon, aka Prob, who joins Graham to discuss the film this week.

We assess its many bizarre creative decisions, such as the emphasis on dune buggies as a futuristic mode of transport, the outrageous cameo from Amanda Plummer, and Jagger's singularly unthreatening henchman. We also reveal which 1980s masterpiece Jagger was almost cast in, and talk about that Dutch cartoon show about the man with the very long willy. We're not quite sure how we got onto that last one, but it's in there.

If you don't want to see us reduced to renting our bodies to computer-generated Welsh acting legends, donate to our Patreon and get a monthly bonus episode, as well as our other movie podcast Director's Lottery (this month: John Waters). Also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest.

#popscreen #moviereviews #freejack #sciencefiction #mickjagger #anthonyhopkins #emilioestevez #renerusso #rollingstones #amandaplummer #newyorkdolls

The title is Buddy Holly, the star is David Essex, and the mood is pure Edward Heath. Claude Whatham's 1973 coming-of-age film might be set in the 1950s but it's really an artefact of Britain's long post-60s comedown, bleak, pessimistic and extremely brown. Remarkably, this tale of a wannabe rock star shrugging and screwing his way through a drizzly holiday camp made Essex a teen idol, and it has a slew of '50s and '60s stars supporting him: Keith Moon, Billy Fury and, as his sleazy mentor, no less a figure than Ringo Starr.

In this week's Pop Screen, Graham and Mark discuss the oft-underrated acting talents of the one-time Richard Starkey, as well as all the other issues the film brings up: the surprisingly durable stage and screen career of David Essex, the round of musical chairs that led to this being directed by the rock-sceptic Whatham, and the film's connections to the life of John Lennon. About the only thing we don't cover is the sequel, Stardust, because...

...that's our Patreon exclusive for next month, so if you want to be listening to that next week you know where to go. To stay informed about other forthcoming episodes, don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

#popscreen #moviereviews #thatllbetheday #davidessex #ringostarr #billyfury #keithmoon #johnlennon #davidputtnam #1950s #stardust

This week's episode of Pop Screen is about Lorene Scafaria's Hustlers, a film whose tonal balancing act is as precarious as Jennifer Lopez's gravity-defying pole dance. A feminist movie set at a strip club, a warm-hearted caper comedy about sexual exploitation and the credit crunch, a serious crime drama with a festival's worth of pop star cameos... can anyone pull this risky job off?

Join Graham and Sarah as they discuss the film's complex feminist credentials, the musical careers of Lopez, Lizzo and Cardi B, and Scafaria's status as a potential queen of the rom-com in a Hollywood age that doesn't care for them. We also do a quiz based on Jennifer Lopez's infamous 1998 Moveline interview, so it's not all heavyweight discussion.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to help us get that schmoney, you can donate to our Patreon and get an exclusive episode every month, as well as other rewards from other Geek Show podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

#hustlers #popscreen #moviereview #lorenescafaria #jenniferlopez #constancewu #cardib #lizzo #juliastiles #kekepalmer #lilireinhart

This week's Pop Screen is about Silibil & Brains - and if your reaction was "Who the hell are Silibil & Brains"?, allow Jeanie Finlay's fascinating 2013 documentary The Great Hip Hop Hoax to explain. Finding themselves shut out of the rap industry for their Dundee origins, they decided to pretend they were from California. Ridiculously enough, it worked, and they were groomed for stardom until, inevitably, things started to unravel.

This week's guest host is Andrew Young from Behold! podcast, helping Graham to unpick the intricacies of a story that has so much to say about the music world's quest for marketable authenticity at the expense of actual truth, as well as a time capsule of the post-Eminem early 2000s pop landscape. It is also a story that is really, really dumb.

If you don't want to see us reduced to pretending to be American in order to survive, you can become one of The Geek Show's Patreon backers, where the goodies include a monthly extra episode of Pop Screen that isn't available anywhere else. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, too.

#popscreen #moviereviews #documentaryreviews #thegreathiphophoax #jeaniefinlay #hiphop #eminem

Absolute Beginners! If you were part of the British film scene in the mid-80s, you knew it as the coolest project in development: a lavish, experimental musical from punk director Julien Temple, adapted from Colin MacInnes's cult novel, with a cast including Patsy Kensit, Sade, Edward Tudor-Pole, Bruno from Strictly and - standing atop the film as though it were a giant globe - David Bowie.

Then the film came out, and nobody went to see it. A film made in the 80s about the 50s with stars from all decades, it confused people at the time, but has since amassed a noteworthy cult following. This week on Pop Screen, Graham and Mick reassess Temple's epic folly, asking: is it that bad? Which of its stars escape with their dignity intact? And have you, or anyone else you know, ever had it blue?

Sadly, the days when creative young men could live in a squat with a troupe of tap-dancing jazzbos has passed. Today, you need money to survive, and if you give a little to our Patreon you get a lot, including one exclusive Pop Screen episode per month. Don't forget to subscribe to our Facebook and Twitter as well!

#popscreen #moviereview #absolutebeginners #julientemple #davidbowie #patsykensit #sade #stylecouncil #edwardtudorpole #musicals #jazz #raydavies #britishfilm

Strap in and get ready for a wild ride, because this week on Pop Screen Graham and Mark are explaining Holy Motors. No false advertising, no ironic trickery - we guarantee that a viable interpretation of Leos Carax's infamous 2012 head-scrambler will be posited as we travel through each of the bizarre tasks imposed upon M. Oscar (a truly phenomenal Denis Lavant).

And where does all that leave us? It leaves us with a heartfelt appreciation of the life and screen career of Kylie Minogue, as it should do. Come for the impenetrable arthouse, stay for the mainstream pop! Yes, this would probably have been more commercial if we did it the other way round.

If you appreciate this undertaking and don't want to see us reduced to miming sex with a CGI dragon in order to survive, please donate to our Patreon where - among other goodies - you can get an exclusive Pop Screen episode every month. For more news on what we're doing, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

#holymotors #popscreen #moviereviews #leoscarax #kylieminogue #edithscob #denislavant #surrealism

Love knows no boundaries, nor does rock, and nor does Pop Screen, which journeys outside of Britain for the first time to look at Wild Zero, a delirious horror-comedy-musical road movie starring the uncompromisingly rock-oriented band Guitar Wolf. Join Graham and Rob as they try and piece together what they've just seen, a journey which involves tighty-whities, UFOs, gender identity and Link Wray's 'Rumble'. Somehow they also find the room for digressions on Adam Buxton, the beauty of Bandcamp, video nasty collectors and so much more.

Rock 'n' roll will never die, and neither will The Geek Show if you contribute to our upkeep over on Patreon. You get some treats for your money too, not least a whole monthly episode of this show that isn't available anywhere else. 

#popscreen #moviereviews #wildzero #guitarwolf #zombies #rockabilly #japan #musicals #adambuxton #sciencefiction 

Sam Taylor-Johnson is about to release Back to Black, her second music biopic following 2009's Nowhere Boy. So naturally Pop Screen decided to review... her EL James adaptation? Yeah, why not, it's got Rita Ora in it. Returning co-host Joe did a lot of Ritasearch for this podcast and was delighted to remember that she only has about a minute of screentime.

Not that there's any shortage of other things to talk about when it comes to 50 Shades of Grey. Its status as a cultural phenomenon, its dubious sexual politics, its troubled production and long list of nearly-stars... all of this and more is covered in this dangerously erotic edition of Pop Screen. We also explain why Christian Grey's chauffeur is the secret hero of these movies, and reveal what the Frenchest film ever made is. It's not this one.

If you don't want us to be financially dependent on a creepy billionaire who uses us as sex slaves, you can donate to our Patreon where we're about to drop an exclusive episode on the 1994 police thriller The Glass Key, as well as publishing written reviews of Red Dwarf, The X-Files and Doctor Who every week. Patreon backers also get two whole podcasts that aren't available anywhere else: From the Video Aisle is in the middle of a Mr. Vampire retrospective, and the movie and TV miscellany that is Last Night... comes out every month as well. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more information.

That's right, it's the Spice Girls! And they're dressed as each other! Isn't it a howl? If you do not, in fact, think it's a howl, their film Spice World might be a bit of a slog - yet despite near-universal disdain from critics it remains the all-time highest-grossing movie starring a pop band. In episode two of Pop Screen, Graham and Ewan pick their way through the film's minefield of skits, celebrity cameos and quickly-abandoned subplots. They also re-examine the film as part of its cultural moment, which means considering everything from the decline of Britpop to the out-takes from a Polaroid commercial, and ask: what is the legacy of the Spice Girls?

Most dieticians agree that the best way to spice up your life is to donate to our Patreon, where you can get an extra episode of this show every month, among other goodies. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest news about upcoming episodes, too.

#spiceworld #thespicegirls #popscreen #gerihorner #melb #melc #emmabunton #victoriabeckham #moviereview

The Geek Show's new podcast about pop stars in the movies couldn't start with any other film. It's 1964, the Beatles are running away from a mob of schoolgirls, and Richard Lester is about to reinvent the rock and roll movie with A Hard Day's Night. But how did this landmark in both musical and cinematic history come to be? Join Graham and Joe for a tale involving The Goon Show, banned documentaries, working-class playwrights and a serious loophole in the Beatles' EMI contract, all somehow adding up to pop movie gold.

If you dig what you hear, why not leave a review on your podcast provider of choice to help us get some crowds of screaming fans? Or donate to our Patreon and get exclusive content, including an extra monthly episode of Pop Screen that isn't available anywhere else?

#popscreen #moviereviews #thebeatles #johnlennon #paulmccartney #ringostarr #georgeharrison #aharddaysnight #richardlester #1960s #merseybeat

Tomorrow sees the launch of The Geek Show's new podcast Pop Screen. But what is a Pop Screen, and why should I listen? Not to worry, here's Graham with a quick explainer.

There are some pop movies that capture the appeal of an entire genre. Such was the case with Perry Henzell's The Harder They Come, a crime drama that was such a hit it essentially popularised reggae in the United States. Such things are possible only with a star of the calibre of Jimmy Cliff, plus soundtrack and screen appearances from the likes of Toots and the Maytals and Prince Buster.

This week, Aidan rejoins Graham to talk about Henzell's film, and uncover the reason why he might be the ultimate Pop Screen director. We also talk about Chris Blackwell's Island Records, whose film division was launched by this very movie. There's also discussion of the film's real-life inspiration, the "original rude boy" Ivanhoe Martin, its possible subtexts and the white-knuckle experience of watching that bus swerving all over the place during the opening credits.

If you want to keep us from plying our trade as door-to-door gardeners, you can donate to our Patreon and get a monthly bonus episode of this show, plus two exclusive podcasts not available anywhere else - From the Video Aisle, which is currently working its way through the Mr. Vampire series, and the completely unclassifiable Last Night... There are also weekly written reviews of Doctor Who, The X-Files and Red Dwarf, plus a monthly pick of a classic Asian genre film in Fantastic Asia. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook for more.

www.patreon.com/thegeekshow

In 2024, Pop Screen is spending a month in Jamaica, hailing the island's mighty presence in the field of music. And to kick off, we're talking about... er, 10cc? Yes, when they said they don't like reggae, they love it, few could have expected that love would manifest itself in multi-instrumentalist Lol Creme directing a 1991 Jamaican comedy about a small-town eccentric who thinks he can talk to trees, cows and cricket balls becoming involved with a lusty German photographer. As you do.

The Lunatic is, as you can probably tell from the above synopsis, a weird old thing. Fortunately Graham and Mark Cunliffe have re-teamed in order to make it even weirder, with digressions about the original TV version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, how Small Axe got Graham through the first lockdown year, and the film's tonal similarity to the saucy seaside postcards of Donald McGill. We're not in love - but we did enjoy it.

If you'd like to throw a bit of spare change at your local village idiots, we've got a Patreon which is just about to drop an episode on the Neil Young/Devo collaboration Human Highway. We've also been covering everything from Mr. Vampire to Neighbours in our other podcasts Last Night... and From the Video Aisle, as well as writing reviews of Doctor Who, classic Asian genre films, The X-Files and Red Dwarf. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to find out more.

In 2004, the veteran Welsh rock band The Alarm pulled off an audacious hoax, releasing their single '45 RPM' under the alias of The Poppy Fields. The Poppy Fields were supposedly a new band of teenage rock stars in skinny jeans, as was the style at the time. As the song ascended the charts, Alarm mainman Mike Peters revealed the deception, kicking off a debate about ageism in the music industry.

It's a fascinating story, so fascinating that Mick has dragged himself out of his sickbed to talk to Graham about Vinyl, the 2012 film loosely based on it. We discuss its many missed opportunities, its bizarre decision to make the Mike Peters analogue more or less totally unsympathetic, and the question of whether this con would work in 2012 - which is more of a cultural gap than the eight years it is on paper. We also discuss The Alarm's long career, the rock movie baggage of star Phil Daniels, and the irony that - these days - a middle-aged heritage act is a better money-spinner than a sexy young rock band.

We don't pretend to put out a load of extra content on our Patreon - we actually do it, including a monthly bonus episode of this show (the latest one is about Priscilla), exclusive podcasts Last Night..., about anything our critics have watched this month, and From the Video Aisle, reviewing cultishly adored franchises, as well as written pieces on classic Asian genre cinema and British and American TV science fiction. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to find out more.

www.patreon.com/thegeekshow

Good vibes only this week, as Mark Cunliffe of We Are Cult rejoins the podcast to talk about Cyndi Lauper's lead role in the 1988 supernatural comedy Vibes. A film so inspired by Ghostbusters that Dan Aykroyd was briefly attached to star, it has an enviable cast fronted by Lauper, Jeff Goldblum and Peter Falk. And yet, somehow, it tanked.

On this episode of Pop Screen, then, we attempt to solve the timeless Fortean mystery of why people didn't watch this at the time, taking detours to talk about the career of supporting players Julian Sands (RIP) and Steve Buscemi, consider the odd self-seriousness with which 1980s family comedies treat their paranormal mythos, try to ascertain what the worst Dario Argento film is and talk about a Winnebago full of balloons, I guess. It's one of those weeks.

Tomorrow sees the release of our latest Patreon exclusive episode, about Sofia Coppola's Priscilla. Subscribers also get two bonus podcasts a month - Last Night... and From the Video Aisle, the latter of which is prepping a Mr. Vampire retrospective - plus written reviews of classic Asian genre cinema, Doctor Who, The X-Files and Red Dwarf. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to find out more...

Memo to you: Pop Screen is back for 2024 and we're covering one of the wildest, most controversial and most ambitious rock movies of the 1970s. Starring Mick Jagger among a motley cast of models, gangsters, boxers and one father of a national embarrassment, Performance saw Nicolas Roeg and Donald Cammell join forces for a joint debut like no other.

On this episode, Rob and Graham reunite to talk about the film's turbulent production, its difficult journey into a form Warner Brothers - who thought this was going to be like A Hard Day's Night - found acceptable, and the short but eventful life of the mysterious Donald Cammell. If you want to hear us talk more about his co-director, Rob and Graham have also covered The Man Who Fell to Earth. If you want us to talk more about Mick Jagger, well...

...there's an exclusive bonus episode of this podcast concerning Tony Richardson's Ned Kelly coming out on our Patreon very soon, where it'll join a galaxy of quality content: the franchise-reassessing podcast From the Video Aisle is about to dive into the Mr. Vampire series, our X-Files and Red Dwarf reviews are well into the golden age of those shows, and there's also the movie miscellany podcast Last Night... at the end of the month. This isn't even close to the limit of what we do: check Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to find out more.

Last week, our sister podcast Uncut took you through January through to June in our two-part review of 2023. Now, Pop Screen takes up the reigns with Vincent, Naomi, Rob, Graham, Kat, Simon, Mike, Oliver and James all returning to give their favourite films of the second half of the year - culminating in that all-important top ten. What will make the cut? Who did Barbenheimer on the day of release? How many diverging opinions on Saltburn can we get? And who put the Puss in Boots sequel above the new Scorsese? But it's not all about the year's big talking points and blockbusters. We also shine the spotlight on smaller films you might have missed, including The Passenger, Raging Grace, Femme, Trenque Lauquen, Smoking Causes Coughing, Eileen, How to Have Sex, Afire and many more. We'll be back in a fortnight's time with a regular Pop Screen episode on Mick Jagger's first acting role in Performance, but until then... ...if you want more, you can always donate to our Patreon where you'll get monthly bonus episodes of this show, exclusive podcasts about cult franchises and the wider world of movies and TV, written articles about classic Asian genre cinema, plus cult TV reviews covering The X-Files, Red Dwarf and Doctor Who. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay in touch.

It's time for Pop Screen's Halloween month, and as luck would have it one of the biggest new horror films of the year has plenty of pop connections. The final instalment in a trilogy which started with X, MaXXXine takes the story of Maxine Minx through to the '80s, and finds Halsey and Moses Sumney waiting for her there.

Join Graham and Andrew from Behold! podcast as they dive into the film's period detail, which of its supporting actors get away with their outrageous accents, and the magic of Mia Goth. We also discuss Halsey's collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Moses Sumney's enviable satellite connection, and that world-class Buster Keaton scene. It's a film with balls, alright.

Over on our Patreon, we're getting ready to drop a Patreon exclusive episode on Satan's Bed, an absolutely bizarre obscurity starring Yoko Ono with lots of strange stories attached to it. Subscribers also get monthly written reviews of classic Asian genre cinema, weekly reviews of The X-Files and Red Dwarf, and our end-of-month round-up podcast Last Night... Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to find out more.

Pop Screen finishes 2023 with a movie that could not be less stock to our ears - Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's Metallica: Some Kind of Monster. Granted unprecedented levels of access to the world's biggest heavy metal band, the directors of the Paradise Lost trilogy made a raw documentary about a band somehow staying together and making an album despite unprecedented personal turmoil. The punchline: the album they make is St. Anger, perhaps the most reviled album in their back catalogue (or at least the most reviled one that doesn't feature Lou Reed).

Join Aidan and Graham for this exploration of the lifestyle and indeed deathstyle of the metal legends, including diversions to talk about Lars Ulrich's feud with Napster, which type of dad James Hetfield is and the vexed question of whether Metallica are actually good. We also discuss the band's history and former members, their decision to hire a group therapist to get them back together and, of course, that infernal snare drum sound.

If you want to keep us tapping on a tin can despite public opposition, you can donate to our Patreon where you'll get a monthly bonus episode of this show, written reviews of classic SF television and Asian genre cinema, and two whole bonus podcasts that aren't available anywhere else. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to find out more.

All we want for Christmas is this: Mariah Carey's notorious film vehicle is the subject of Pop Screen's festive episode. Equally reviled and unfortunate, it's the tale of a foster child who grows up into an aspiring singer, and whose rise to fame is, shall we say, subtly patterned on Carey's own career. Its soundtrack album was released on 9/11, which stymied its commercial potential. That inspired a #JusticeforGlitter campaign many years later; the film was less fortunate.

On this year's Pop Screen Christmas special, David rejoins Graham to talk about the many unlikely couples in this film, the almost surreally undercharacterised friends of Carey's Billie, and how Carey's divorce from Tommy Mottola may have forced this film into its 1980s setting. We also discuss Carey's triple-threat legacy: her world-class voice, her current status as Queen of Christmas, and the "I don't know her" gif.

If you want to help us transcend being backing singers for... Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi? Apparently, you can donate to our Patreon where you'll find a monthly bonus episode of this show, as well as our Patreon exclusive podcasts Last Night... and From the Video Aisle, the last of which is midway through a reassessment of the V/H/S franchise. Plus written reviews of classic Asian genre cinema, Doctor Who, Red Dwarf and The X-Files. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more.

Get ready for (a) love (-in): Graham is joined once again by the Uncut Network's Rob for a look at Iain Forsythe and Jane Pollard's massively acclaimed sort-of documentary about Nick Cave. As well as providing an intimate look at the Australian legend's creative process and history, it also features appearances from his deeply unexpected celebrity friends: Ray Winstone and Kylie Minogue, together at last!

Along the way, there's time to consider the idiosyncratic concert demands of Nina Simone, while a look back at Forsythe and Pollard's career lets us talk about The Cramps and reveal the name of God. But mostly, this is a celebration of Cave - and there's more to come, with Andrew Dominik's duology of One More Time With Feeling and This Much I Know To Be True out tomorrow on our Patreon...
If you want to put stacks of green paper in our red right hands, you can donate to our Patreon, where you'll get the aforementioned Pop Screen bonus episodes plus reviews of Eastern genre cinema in Fantastic Asia, our monthly movie round-up Last Night..., cult franchises discussed in From the Video Aisle and weekly reviews of Doctor Who, Red Dwarf and The X-Files. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to find out more.

On this week's Pop Screen, Graham has a very important and special guest: Mark's dog! And, fine, yes, also Mark, with our favourite quizmaster and Film Stories writer coming back to talk about Russell T Davies's most personal drama. Set across the early years of the AIDS crisis, It's a Sin has a cast full of breakthrough young stars, memorable cameos from acting veterans, plus Olly Alexander, whose day job in Years and Years allows us to cover the show.
Not that we need much of an excuse to talk about it, or indeed Davies's day job showrunning Doctor Who for its imminent 60th anniversary specials. There's also space for digressions on Prime Ministerial cameos, the real-life inspirations behind the central characters, an appreciation of Erasure and why Russell T Davies must be hopping mad at Stranger Things right now. The T stands for "Thatcherism has left a legacy of death and division", by the way.
If you want to fund our dreams of leaving the Isle of Man and becoming an actor, you can donate to our Patreon where you'll get a monthly bonus episode of this show - currently it's one about Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, as if you needed further incentive - plus our other podcasts Last Night... and From the Video Aisle. You'll also get weekly written reviews of Doctor Who, Red Dwarf and The X-Files, classic Asian genre cinema under the microscope in Fantastic Asia, and more. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more information.