Greg Kleinschmidt Podcasts

Subscriber-only episode Camp counselors Jackie and Greg explore the nine short films that make up Kenneth Anger's "Magick Lantern Cycle". The films discussed include: Fireworks (1947); Puce Moment (1949); Rabbit's Moon (1950/71); Eaux d'Artifice (1953); Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954); Scorpio Rising (1964); Kustom Kar Kommandos (1965); In…

Jackie and Greg get locked up with Robert Bresson's minimalist prison-escape classic, A MAN ESCAPED from 1956. Topics of discussion include Bresson's cinema of hands, how it compares to other jailbreak films, where it falls within his filmography, and why it's a magical pairing of filmmaker and subject matter. #69 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "The 100 G…

Jackie and Greg enter the Zone in search of the deeper meaning behind Andrei Tarkovsky's STALKER from 1979. Topics of discussion include the film's texture, its roots as a sci-fi novel, Tarkovsky as a conjurer, and its (literal) toxic production history. #29 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time" list. https://www.bfi.org.uk/s…

Jackie and Greg take chase in the sewers of post-war Vienna for Carol Reed's THE THIRD MAN from 1949. Topics of discussion include the famous zither score by Anton Karas, the allure of post-WWII cinema, the effect of unknowable characters, and the influence Orson Welles had on the finished film. #73 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "The 100 Greatest Films o…

Jackie and Greg are joined by Chelsea Pope and Victoria Harley of the A Breath of Fresh Movie podcast on the winding hills of David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE from 2001. Topics of discussion include LA diner culture, an assessment of the many different interpretations of the film, its beginnings as a TV pilot, where it fits in Lynch's filmography, an…

Subscriber-only episode Camp counselors Jackie and Greg enter the mythical land of Oz for a sequel responsible for terrifying generations of children: it's Walter Murch's RETURN TO OZ from 1985. Topics of discussion include the nightmarish imagery in the film, how it establishes an entirely different tone from the Judy Garland classic, why it was a…

Jackie and Greg return to Michelangelo Antonioni's “trilogy on modernity and its discontents” with the final film in the cycle, 1962's L'ECLISSE. Topics of discussion include the film's fascination with architecture, its radical ending, Antonioni's mastery of mood and atmosphere, and how it compares to the other two films in the trilogy: L'AVVENTUR…

Jackie and Greg fail to brush up on their medieval Russian history before digging into Andrei Tarkovsky's sprawling epic about the titular 15th century icon painter, ANDREI RUBLEV from 1966. Topics of discussion include the film's episodic structure, its withholding of the artist's work until the end, Tarkovsky's complicated relationship with horse…

Jackie and Greg set the stage for Marcel Carné's epic tale of love, loss, and the theatre, CHILDREN OF PARADISE from 1945. Topics of discussion include the film's epic scope, how it was made in Nazi-occupied France, a debate on whether Garance is worthy of everyone's attention, and how the trope of the sad clown is expanded upon to create cinema's …

Subscriber-only episode Disclaimer: this episode contains sexually explicit clips. Camp counselors Jackie and Greg tackle the raciest film they've yet to cover for the podcast: Gaspar Noé's 3D sex-movie LOVE from 2015. Topics of discussion include Noé as a provocateur, the difference between pornography and art, sex as a means of storytelling, Noé'…

It's Jackie's turn to pick the Personal Print this time: it's Noah Baumbach's 2012 portrait of twentysomething life in New York City, FRANCES HA. Topics of discussion include the influence of Baumbach vs. Greta Gerwig, the film's roots in the work of Woody Allen and the French New Wave, its free-flowing episodic structure, life in your twenties, an…

Jackie and Greg arrive at the next Kurosawa on the list, the insanely influential RASHOMON from 1950. Topics of discussion include the film's groundbreaking narrative style, a debate over which of the versions of the story is most accurate, why the baby at the end ties things up a little too neatly, and how it's a pluviophile's dream come true. #24…

Jackie and Greg arrive at the third Jean Renoir on the list, GRAND ILLUSION (LA GRANDE ILLUSION) from 1937. Topics of discussion include the film's gentle satire, Erich von Stroheim as the Tin Man, Renoir's obsession with race and class, and why Strauss waltzes are the most romantic. #73 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time" …

Jackie and Greg revel in the sumptuous vibes that are Wong Kar Wai's IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE from 2000. Topics of discussion include the film's controversial new restoration, how it slots into WKW's filmography, its use of shorthand and subtle visual cues to convey the story, and how the extensive deleted scenes re-frame the events of the film. #24 on…

Subscriber-only episode In the inaugural episode in their "S'mores" series, Jackie and Greg splash around in the filth that is John Waters' PINK FLAMINGOS from 1972. Topics of discussion include Waters' entrepreneurial skills and background, the Manson-family vibe running throughout, Divine as a shit-eater and icon, and why it's endured as one of t…

Jackie and Greg take on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for their episode on Roman Polanski's CHINATOWN. Topics of discussion include J.J. Gittes as a quintessential New Hollywood protagonist, great works by problematic artists (and whether separating the art from the artist is possible), the impeccably twisty script from Robert Towne…

Jackie and Greg return to the great Carl Theodor Dreyer for one of his signature films, the late-career masterpiece ORDET from 1955. Topics of discussion include its origins as a stage play, the long takes, the constantly howling wind, what Dreyer's saying about organized religion, and the powerful spirituality of the film. #24 on Sight & Sound's 2…

Jackie and Greg get into the rhythm of the night for Claire Denis' BEAU TRAVAIL from 1999. Topics of discussion include the film's use of movement, its unorthodox storytelling methods, an interpretation of the ending in the dance club, and why enigmatic films keep pulling you back into their orbit. #78 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "The 100 Greatest Film…

Jackie and Greg are joined by cinephile extraordinaire Daisuke Beppu in their discussion of Francis Ford Coppola's epic depiction of life in the mafia, THE GODFATHER from 1972. Topics include the films origins as a "trashy" novel, the casting of Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, Coppola's expansive and nuanced storytelling, oranges as a harbinger of dea…

With Oscar season just around the corner, Jackie and Greg share their Top 10 lists from 2022, which they’ve kept secret from each other up until now. Will they have lots of overlap or are they pretty far apart? Tune in and find out! Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sceneandheardpod Check us out at our official website: https://w…

Jackie and Greg are joined on the old dusty trail by Becca Deveaux from the "This Cinematic Life" blog in their discussion of Sergio Leone's epic spaghetti western, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST from 1968. Topics of discussion include whether the film is an anti-western, Leone as a mythmaker, a theory on Charles Bronson's character having been dead …

Shots fired: Jackie and Greg are at their most aggressive when it comes to their wildly differing opinions of Jean-Luc Godard's French New Wave staple, CONTEMPT, from 1963. Topics of discussion include Godard's self-referential style, the allusion of gods and men, how the film is an apology to Anna Karina, and the cyclical nature of arguments. Will…

Jackie and Greg attempt to reconstruct the family home for Orson Welles' THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS from 1942. Topics of discussion include the film's torrid editing history, Welles' restless invention coming off the heels of CITIZEN KANE, the miscasting of Tim Holt, and why it remains one of the greatest "what-ifs" in cinema history. #81 on Sight &…

Jackie and Greg get into the moodiest film about an affair ever made, Michelangelo Antonioni's L'AVVENTURA from 1960. Topics of discussion include the film's use of negative space, how Monica Vitti is more than just a pretty face, why movies about sad rich people are always compelling, and how Antonioni is responsible for creating a new film gramma…

Jackie and Greg take on one of the biggest historical epics in the history of cinema, David Lean's LAWRENCE OF ARABIA from 1962. Topics of discussion include the sweeping score by Maurice Jarre, Peter O'Toole's thundering performance, how the historical epic has fallen by the wayside, and why Omar Sharif is sexy AF. #81 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "The…

Jackie and Greg put on their tap shoes as they get into a film very near and dear to their hearts, Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly's SINGIN' IN THE RAIN from 1952. Topics of discussion include the recycling of songs from older productions, why people sleep on Jean Hagen's performance, how Kelly took inspiration from Powell and Pressburger, and why it'…

Jackie and Greg are joined by Becca Deveaux from the "This Cinematic Life" blog to discuss the brand-new 2022 Sight & Sound "Greatest Films of All Time" list! Sight & Sound's 2022 "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time" critics' list: https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-time Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sc…

Scene and Heard returns Tuesday, December 6th for an episode dedicated entirely to the 2022 Sight & Sound list! We're going live! Join us on the Arroyo Film Club Instagram page on Sunday, November 27th at 7:30pm PT for movie trivia, Q&A, and casual chat. Hope to see you there! Arroyo Film Club on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arroyofilmclub …

Jackie and Greg introduce the Arroyo Film Club's brand-new podcast, 'Behind the Slate', as they sit down with its creator and host, Aaron Strand. 'Behind the Slate' is a film history podcast that takes a deep dive into the life and work of cinema's greatest directors. For fans of history and movies, this one's a must! Listen to 'Behind the Slate' o…

Jackie and Greg get into Víctor Erice's THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE just in time for Halloween! Topics of discussion include the film's childlike sense of wonder, the haunting cinematography and music, its influence on Guillermo Del Toro and PAN'S LABYRINTH, and a brief history of the Universal monster movies. #81 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "The 100 Gre…

Jackie and Greg hit the first Andrei Tarkovsky on the list, which just happens to be his most personal and elusive work: MIRROR (Zerkalo) from 1975. Topics of discussion include the nature of dreams and memories, the immersive cinematography by Georgy Rerberg, comparisons to the work of Ingmar Bergman, and how some films just can't be described wit…

Jackie and Greg return to Ingmar Bergman for his late-career masterpiece FANNY AND ALEXANDER from 1982. Topics of discussion include the film's autobiographical nature, the sweeping cast of characters, the balance of light and dark, a comparison between the theatrical and television versions, and the literal magic and wonder that permeate the film.…

Jackie and Greg are joined by actress Christine Lahti for a very special episode: it's Bill Forsyth's HOUSEKEEPING from 1987. Topics of discussion include the quiet unease of the film, a deep dive into the character of Sylvie, a comparison between the film and Marilynne Robinson's novel, and why it deserves a place among the great literary adaptati…

Jackie and Greg hit their second Bergman on the list: it's the endlessly enigmatic PERSONA from 1966. Topics of discussion include a deep dive into Bergman's psyche, how the film fits in with the rest of his filmography, a list of films by other filmmakers that riff on the main idea, and a heated debate on whether it's possible to read too much int…

Jackie and Greg mine one of Hollywood's most precious gems, Michael Curtiz's CASABLANCA from 1942, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Topics of discussion include the film's reputation as "the movie", the stacked cast of the greatest character actors of the day, the incredible economy of the script, the ambiguous morality of the character…

Jackie and Greg arrive at the first Kurosawa on the list, the 1954 epic SEVEN SAMURAI. Topics of discussion include the film's pacing and structure, the animalistic performance of Toshiro Mifune, Kurosawa's little details, the humor peppered throughout, and how it continues to serve as a blueprint for all subsequent movie epics. #17 on Sight & Soun…

Jackie and Greg are joined this week by Robert Reed Altman for their biggest episode yet, Robert Altman's New Hollywood masterpiece NASHVILLE from 1975. Topics of discussion include the sprawling cast of characters, the incredible musical numbers, how Altman perfected the ensemble drama, and why it's basically the greatest movie ever. Stay tuned fo…

Jackie and Greg discuss the crown jewel of Armenian Cinema, THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES from 1969. Topics of discussion include the parallels between filmmaker Sergei Parajanov’s life and the poet Sayat Nova’s, the sensual nature of the film and its themes, and the cultural representation of Armenia and Transcaucasia. They are joined by Anahit Mikaye…

It's Greg's turn to pick the film this week and he takes the opportunity to screen Robert Greenwald's roller disco XANADU for Jackie. Topics of discussion include the film's camp factor; the incredible music by Electric Light Orchestra, Cliff Richard, and The Tubes; a debate on whether it's better than GREASE; the animated interlude by Don Bluth; a…

Jackie and Greg duke it out with each other in the name of Robert Bresson for their episode on AU HASARD BALTHAZAR. Topics of discussion include Bresson's aversion to "acting", the film as a parable of the Christ story, how divisive Bresson is as a filmmaker, and whether the film goes too far or not far enough to illustrate its main themes. #16 on …

Jackie and Greg take on Erich von Stroheim's partly-lost silent epic GREED from 1924. Topics of discussion include the film's grim subject material, von Stroheim as a liar and mythmaker, the episodic structure, and whether the 4-hour reconstructed version should be considered the definitive version of the film or not. #84 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "T…

It's Jackie's turn to pick the film and she chooses one of the key pieces of her cinematic foundation, Baz Luhrmann's jukebox musical MOULIN ROUGE! from 2001. Topics of discussion include Luhrmann's opulent and frenetic style, the far-reaching cinematic inspiration using everything from Georges Méliès to Bollywood, how it revitalized the movie musi…

Jackie and Greg return to the world of Yasujiro Ozu for the first installment in his "Noriko Trilogy", LATE SPRING (Banshun) from 1949. Topics of discussion include post-war Japan, the quiet devastation of the film, Setsuko Hara's smile, pillow shots, and the enigmatic vase which appears before the film's climax. #15 on Sight & Sound's 2012 "The 10…

Jackie and Greg strap in for their longest film yet: Edward Yang's four-hour epic, A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY from 1991. Topics of discussion include Yang's impeccable mise-en-scène, the scope of the production, how the film was designed to be shown without an intermission, and why it's ultimately hobbled by its mammoth runtime. #84 on Sight & Sound's 2…

Jackie and Greg are back with another journey-down-a-river, descent-into-madness film, Francis Ford Coppola's APOCALYPSE NOW from 1979. Topics of discussion include the nightmare production, its colossal scale (and why it couldn't be made today), whether the last act with Marlon Brando works or not, and a comparison to one of the film's key inspira…

Jackie and Greg are back for a very special episode this week, as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL. Topics of discussion include its origins as “A Boy’s Life”, the storybook look and feel, how John Williams’ score elevates the film to opera, and why it’s endured for 40 years as an evergreen classi…

Jackie and Greg swoop in like vultures to pick the meat off "Bloody Sam" Peckinpah's revisionist western from 1969. Topics of conversation include Peckinpah's personal life, Old Hollywood vs. New Hollywood, the film's staginess, the magic of Warren Oates, and why Peckinpah's face deserves to be blasted down off the Mount Rushmore of "Great American…

Jackie and Greg finally get to the first Jean-Luc Godard on the list, BREATHLESS (À bout de souffle) from 1960. Topics of discussion include the film's innovative editing, why it's considered the pinnacle of the French New Wave, how the actors themselves are intended to be more interesting than the characters they're playing, and why this ranks as …

Jackie and Greg return to the Seine for their third consecutive film set along a river, Jean Renoir's famously unfinished A DAY IN THE COUNTRY (PARTIE DE CAMPAGNE) from 1936. Topics of discussion include a chat on mid-length movies (the film runs 41 minutes), the male gaze, why the film went unfinished and what's missing, and whether Renoir intende…

Jackie and Greg dig into Jean Vigo's only feature film, the highly revered L'ATALANTE from 1934. Topics of discussion include Vigo's anarchist roots, how the film subverts all other French films from the same era, the risqué sexual content, and Vigo's untimely death at age 29 from tuberculosis. Join them for their second consecutive journey down a …