Mike Nichols. Elizabeth Taylor. Richard Burton. An expletive-filled broadway play. A draconian Hays Code on its last legs. These were the ingredients for a film that would shake hollywood to its core in the mid 60’s. We talk about a notorious production, the scenes that astounded us, and how the film feels like an inspiration for filmmakers like Cassavetes, Aster, and the Safdies.

Next week: Black Girl (1966) by Ousmane Sembène

Hosted by Zachary Domes (hetchy on letterboxd) and J Brooks Young (jyoun on letterboxd). Music by hetchy

French New Wave gets all the publicity, but the Soviet New Wave might be the most astounding development that cinema had seen to date. In this episode, we talk about the precursors to Sergei Parajanov’s career-changing, and medium-changing, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, from Dovzhenko to Tarkovsky, and the films this Ukrainian folk art epic inspired, like Children of Men. We also discuss how folk art and music affects us deeply in this day and age when so much of culture is manufactured and lacking any tradition. And we explain what’s happening in the film plot-wise, with the help of the original short story.

Next week: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

Send questions and comments to unauthorizedpod@gmail.com

Hosted by Zachary Domes (hetchy on letterboxd) and J Brooks Young (jyoun on letterboxd). Music by hetchy

We take a break from the 60’s to discuss the new film from director Celine Song, Materialists, a contemporary romantic drama that has divided audiences. After that, we talk about our trip to the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year and some of the standout films shown there from directors like Radu Jude and Hong Sang-soo.

2:09 - Materialists

21:58 - Materialists w/ spoilers

41:59 - Berlinale intro

43:21 - Magic Farm

44:12 - If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

46:45 - Kontinental ‘25

49:46 - What Does that Nature Say to You?

52:04 - Dreams (Sex Love)

57:59 - Dressed in Blue (1983)

Next week: Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965) by Sergei Parajanov

Send questions and comments to unauthorizedpod@gmail.com

Hosted by Zachary Domes (hetchy on letterboxd) and J Brooks Young (jyoun on letterboxd). Music by hetchy