RELEASE – Details, episodes & analysis

This week we are breaking down a LEGEND. Ken Russell gave us so much... musical, debauchery, camp, skewering of the status quo. We chose three very different films to dissect: The Boy Friend (1971), The Devils (1971) and Whore (1991).

These films were tough to find for some years but now loads of Ken Russell are streaming on Criterion. Get into them.

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Instagram: ⁠@release_pod⁠

Website: ⁠release.pictures⁠

Music by ⁠⁠René j Núñez⁠

This week we are ruminating about teen angst and catastrophe as seen thru the thoughtful lens of Gregg Araki. Take a treacherous walk thru his Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy with us: Totally F***ed Up (1993), The Doom Generation (1995), Nowhere (1997). It's gonna be lonely. But it'll look cool.

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Instagram: @release_pod

Website: release.pictures

Music by ⁠René j Núñez⁠

We walk thru the 1932 cinema landscape.

And then we talk about 2 films that changed our lives. 

FREAKS

released 02.12.1932 in the United States

directed by Tod Browning

THE BLOOD OF A POET

released 01.20.1932 in France

directed by Jean Cocteau

See supplemental material:

Instagram: @release_pod

Website: release.pictures

Music by René j Núñez

We talk about what was happening around film in 1931.

And then we dissect one film we both loved and one Paul hated...

MATA HARI

released 12.26.1931 in the United States

directed by George Fitzmaurice

starring our girl Greta Garbo + Ramon Novarro

LE MILLION

released 04.15.1931 in France

directed by René Clair

with cinematography by Georges Périnal (who also worked with Jean Cocteau, see more of his work with our 1932 pick BLOOD OF A POET)

See supplemental material:

Instagram: @release_pod

Website: release.pictures

Music by René j Núñez

 We talk 1930 cinema history.

And then talk through two important films for very different reasons.

BORDERLINE

released 10.13.1930 in the United Kingdom

directed by Kenneth Macpherson

starring Paul Robeson (we will dive deeper into him in 1933)

L’AGE D’OR

released 11.29.1930 in France

directed by Luis Buñuel

+ written with Salvador Dalí

See supplemental material:

Instagram: @release_pod

Website: release.pictures

Music by René j Núñez

This week, we are talking about our love Laura Dern! And specifically 2 favorites (a great double feature!): Smooth Talk (1985) directed by Joyce Chopra + Citizen Ruth (1996) directed by Alexander Payne. Plus a bit about the Enlightened series (2011). And lots about artistic process. 

And we talk about our love for Black Lady Sketch Show and Kendrick Lamar's latest Mr. Morale & Big Steppers. Also, The Staircase with queen Toni Collette and Colin Firth. 

Instagram: @release_pod

Website: release.pictures

Music by René j Núñez

This week, we are talking about New Wave punk films of the late 70s-80s! We cover a lot of terrain and parse how the punk ethos were represented in film, and the reaction to it. We get into these films specifically: Jubilee (1978), Liquid Sky (1982), Smithereens (1982), Stop Making Sense (1984) and True Stories (1986).

There’s also a documentary about Jubilee from 2003 that we recommend. It’s called Jubilee: A Time Less Golden. It is worth checking out.

And watch Jerrod Carmichael’s 2022 special Rothaniel. It's amazing.

Instagram: @release_pod

Website: release.pictures

Music by René j Núñez

This week, we are talking about another iconic set of collaborators! One of the first thing Paul interested to Caroline was the incredible YouTube series UNHhhh. If you haven't seen it, you've got to. In it, the two RuPaul's Drag Race stars riff on a broad theme (Death, Space, Roommates, etc.) as the green screen their placed in front of allows their brilliant editors to punch up the conversation. It's truly one of the most delightful things you can watch. And out oft he gate, the duo had just the most potent chemistry. They are now on tour together and Paul was lucky enough to see it. We talk about that and all things Trixie and Katya. And then we talk Urban Cowboy (1980) and line dancing. Please DM us your line dancing movie recommendations.

And 80s New Wave movies won out over Stoner Films so see you for that in a near-future minisode.

Instagram: @release_pod

Website: release.pictures

Music by René j Núñez

This week we are talking about the most incredible European New Wave duo! Italian actress Monica Vitti and Italian filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni were collaborators and lovers in the 1960s and made some of the most indelible films of all time so far. 

We watched and loved: L'Avventura (1960), La Notte (1961), L'Eclisse (1962) and Red Desert (1964).

Because you gotta go beyond Blow-Up (1966) and his other MGM films. Those are good too but, ya know.

Also these 2 documentaries are worth checking out and we talk about them a bit:

Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials (1966)

Blow Up of "Blow Up" (2016)

And at the end we talk about An American In Paris, Swamp Thing (and Paul's romantic love for him), Mrs. Maisel, John Malkovich and Cher.

Finally, we have a question. What should our next minisode be? 1980s New Wave or Stoner Movies.

Vote on our Spotify or send us your vote on Instagram. We'll also post a proper poll there along with lots of supplemental content on Monica x Michelangelo.

Instagram: @release_pod

Website: release.pictures

Music by René j Núñez

This week Caroline pushes Paul to explore Hal Hartley and the original indie queen herself Adrienne Shelly.

And they (we) both loved it. 

Highly recommend the 2 films we discuss as a double feature: The Unbelievable Truth (1989) and Trust (1990) from Hartley's Long Island Triology. We also discuss the documentary Adrienne (2021) about the amazing life and tragic death of Hartley's star.