54. Coppola Cast #34: Twixt (2011) & B'twixt Now and Sunrise: The Authentic Cut (2022)

At long last we arrive at Francis Coppola’s (as of now) most recently released film Twixt (2011) and close out season 2. We discuss Coppola’s return to the horror genre, the great, eerie dream sequences, what aspects of Twixt remind us of the films of Coppola’s early mentor, Roger Corman, and how this is a surprisingly personal film for Coppola. We also pick out all of the references to Edgar Allan Poe and to other Coppola movies. Then we review Coppola’s recent re-edit of Twixt titled B’twixt Now and Sunrise: The Authentic Cut, which we thought was called Re-Twixt, and have a few issues with. Finally we announce the director we will be covering in Season 3, beginning soon (probably).

50. The M. Night Shift #20: Knock At The Cabin (2023)

A Knock at the Cabin (2023) from M. Night Shyamalan brings us out of hiatus and we return to being The M. Night Shift to discuss his latest horror/thriller. Bryan and A.J. talk about what works (stylistic choices, the cinematography, but most of all Dave Bautista’s excellent performance), what doesn’t work (nearly everything else), and how Shyamalan put his stamp on yet another adaptation. Naturally, we get into major spoilers and compare the ending of the movie to the very different ending of the novel. We also talk about “cabin” movies as genre and A.J. eventually says the title of this movie correctly. Tangents include a talk about novelizations, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Peter Bogdanovich. This episode’s Shyamalan Scotch was: Dewar’s White Label.

46. Coppola Cast #27: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

We’ve crossed oceans of time to talk about Francis Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). At first glance Coppola’s follow up to The Godfather Part III seems like just a job for hire, and that is how the project came to him, yet Coppola couldn’t help but find interesting ways to make his version of Dracula distinct from all the others. Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula was a box office hit allowing Coppola to finally climb out of 10 years of debt and its influence is still felt on the horror and vampire genre today. It gets dismissed by some as either unnecessary or pure spectacle (the same criticisms it received when it was released), but we find Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula not only stylish but very effective and scary. We discuss the cast and their eccentric accents, the unforgettable look of Gary Oldman as the Count, the award winning costumes by Eiko Ishioka, the spectacular, old-fashioned practical visual effects, the influence of Coppola’s time working for Roger Corman, and more. There’s so much to talk about that there’s not much time for tangents, but there is time for an anecdote about David Paymer. This episode’s Coppola wine was: Diamond Collection 2018 Black Label Claret.

42. The M. Night Shift #19: Old (2021)

Happy Shocktober! For October (or as we call it, Shocktober) we’re taking a break from Coppola to revisit M. Night Shyamalan and review his latest, Old. We discuss the movie’s similarities to a classic episode of The Twilight Zone, themes and plots that Shyamalan revisits from his previous movies and perhaps improves on, share similar reactions to some of the stylistic choices, and wonder: is this Shyamalan’s best film in nearly two decades? Our conversation includes major SPOILERS. Tangents include candy corn, which directors are also good actors, and Tom Cruise’s COVID safety rant. This episode’s Shyamalan scotch was: Chivas Regal 12 Year Blended Scotch.

33. Coppola Cast 15: Apocalypse Now (1979, Workprint, Redux, & Final Cut)

Our motto: Apocalypse Now! Coppola’s most epic movie leads to our most epic episode as we tackle his surreal, nightmarish Vietnam War film: Apocalypse Now. Not only do we break down the iconic 1979 theatrical version, but also delve into the unreleased Workprint, the 2001 Redux version, and the 2019 Final Cut version. We also talk about the documentary Hearts of Darkness, chronicling the notoriously troubled production of Apocalypse Now. We compare the different versions, discuss if the restored scenes (especially the French Plantation scene) alter or enhance the story, and wonder if Apocalypse Now is a secret horror movie. This episode’s Coppola Wines: Diamond Collection Monterrey County Pinot Noir 2017 and Sofia Brut Rose 2018.

#21: Coppola Cast 3: Dementia 13 (1963)

Still working for Roger Corman, Francis Ford Coppola writes and directs his first film not cobbled together from other films: Dementia 13 (1963). This low budget horror film was meant to cash in on the success of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) but still satisfy the exploitation movie market. A.J. and Bryan discuss what sets Dementia 13 apart from other low budget horror films, wonder why rich people don’t have giant paintings of themselves over fireplaces anymore, and brainstorm an idea for an Eric Roberts movie. This episode’s Francis Coppola wine was: Diamond Collection Emerald Label Pinot Grigio.

#20: Coppola Cast 2: The Haunted Palace (1963) & The Terror (1963)

…And we’re back! After a longer than expected hiatus, Bryan and A.J. return to the discuss the early work Francis Ford Coppola did for legendary B-movie king Roger Corman. Coppola was still attending UCLA when he became Corman’s “ace assistant” doing various jobs on different movies including even writing and directing low budget horror movies. Coppola rewrote the screenplay for The Haunted Palace, starring Vincent Price, and worked for a few days (3 or 4 or 11 depending on the source) as director for the notorious B-movie The Terror, starring Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson. We praise Vincent Price and Roger Corman, try to figure out just what the hell is happening in The Terror, and wonder how you forget to copyright a movie. This episode’s Coppola wine was: Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Ivory Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2016.

Episode 18: Glass (2019)

Do not adjust your podcast dials, this is the podcast you’re looking for! The M. Night Shift is now…(drum roll)…The Director’s Wall. The hosts are the same but the filmmaker under review will change next episode, but first there is the little matter of M. Night Shyamalan’s superhero crossover film Glass (2019). Glass is a sequel to both Unbreakable (2000) and Split (2017) pitting Unbreakable’s hero (Bruce Willis) against Split’s villain (James McAvoy) who has teamed up with Unbreakable’s villain Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson). Is this the Shyamalan movie to end all Shyamalan movies? We don’t go on many tangents but we do manage to SPOIL the endings of several movies including: Hereditary, Avengers: Infinity War, Get Carter, Play Dirty, Carlito’s Way, and Layer Cake. This episode’s Shyamalan scotch was: Johnny Walker Blender’s Batch: Experiment #6.

Next episode Bryan and A.J. will begin reviewing the films of Francis Ford Coppola.

Episode 16: Split (2017)

It’s our (not really) final episode! At last we review Shyamalan’s most recent horror hit, Split (2017) and look as his career as a whole. We marvel at James McAvoy’s skill as an actor, notice the return of interesting camera movements to Shyamalan’s movie, and speculate on the plot of the upcoming Split sequel. We end by each naming our favorite and least favorite Shyamalan films. Then put on our film professor hats and talk about what it’s like to examine a filmmaker’s entire body of work. This episode’s Shyamalan scotch was: Johnny Walker Blender’s Batch No.3. We’ll be back, eventually, for Shyamalan’s next movie.

Episode 15: Wayward Pines (2015) & The Visit (2015)

For the shortest month of the year we bring you a special double episode and review Wayward Pines and The Visit. Our discussion of Wayward Pines quickly turns into a conversation about Freejack, Robot Jox, and Stuart Gordon. Though Shyamalan only directed the pilot of the short lived Fox series, we discuss the first 5 episodes and the big twist of the series. Then we delve into Shyamalan's "comeback": the low budget, found footage horror movie, The Visit. This film was a hit at the box office and with audiences, but not with us. We go over where we feel the movie fell short, including the big twist, or lack thereof. We take tangents to Twin Peaks/David Lynch, Judy Greer, and finally the delight that is Starter For 10,  but not before managing to spoil: Dark City, Friday the 13th IV: The Final Chapter, Twin Peaks, Willow Creek, and Cursed. This month's Shyamalan scotch was: Black Scot.

Episode 11: The Happening (2008)

We’re back just in time for Shocktober! This time we watched Shyamalan’s environmental horror film The Happening. Though this movie turned a profit at the box office it was panned and derided by audiences and critics alike. We delve into the casting, dialogue, shaky premise, and unfortunate lack of thrills in what was meant to be a shocking, thrilling movie. Tangents include: Bryan’s encounter with Alan Ruck, horror movies we stumbled upon in our younger days, and being in rowdy theater audiences. This month’s Shyamalan scotch was: Glen Moray Speyside Single Malt  

P.S. We also talk about the impending celebration known as Video Store Day, a day to celebrate and support your local video store if you’re lucky enough to have one. If you happen to be in Austin, TX on October 21st swing by Vulcan Video. We’ll be having a raffle with cool prizes, deals, and free beer (while supplies last).

Happy Shocktober!

Episode 8: The Village (2004)

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village, released in the summer of 2004, made over $100 million at the box office, but still fell flat with audiences and critics and inspired one of Roger Ebert’s most notorious 1 star reviews. We discuss the elements of the film we liked, and then delve into the problems, plot holes, and twists. Tangents include A.J.’s days at the Tower Records classical department, reminisce about the “trailer voice,” Chris Carter’s Harsh Realm, and who would be the perfect star for our fictional cop show, The High Commissioner. This month’s Shyamalan scotch was, you guessed it: High Commissioner.

Episode 6: Signs (2002)

Signs (2002) was marketed as "M. Night Shyamalan's Signs" making him one of only a handful of filmmakers that have had their names put above the title of a movie. Signs received polarizing reviews and reactions from critics and audiences alike, but went on to make over $200 at the box office. Bryan and A.J. delve into the plot (spoilers ensue), the unlikely weakness of the aliens, fan theories, theology, CGI, and somehow end up talking about zombies. We also get confused about the Culkins and discuss our own theories of UFOs and alien life--it gets a little nerdy. Apologies for A.J.'s lackluster plot synopsis-- the scotch had not kicked in yet. This month's Shyamalan scotch was: Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition.

Episode 3: The Sixth Sense (1999)

The Sixth Sense (1999) was a critical and box-office hit that became a phenomenon and made M. Night Shyamalan a household name—a rare accomplishment for any filmmaker. This movie became a cultural touchstone and went on the earn 6 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Director & Original Screenplay (Shyamalan), Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment), Supporting Actress (Toni Collette), and Editing (Andrew Mondshein). Before diving into The Sixth Sense we relive the summer of 1999 by talking about the trailers included on the DVD. Naturally we discuss the big twist which leads us to talk about other movies with twists (The Crying Game, The Usual Suspects, Identity). Given the significance of the color red in the movie, this episode's scotch was Johnnie Walker Red.