52. Coppola Cast #32: Youth Without Youth (2007)

On this hot, humid summer day, Bryan and A.J. discuss Francis Coppola’s return to the director’s chair after a decade away, Youth Without Youth (2007). This thematically ambitious, low-key arthouse film about an elderly man who regains his youth, and supernatural powers of sorts, after being struck by lightning is not only a curious choice for a comeback but also marks the beginning of a distinct career phase for Coppola. We talk about the beginning of Coppola’s late career indie phase, what is interesting and what is confusing about this movie, the performances of Tim Roth and Bruno Ganz, the makeup choices (or lack thereof) for Alexandra Maria Lara, and we try to pin down whether there is anything to pin down. This episode’s Coppola wine was: Diamond Collection Pinot Grigio 2022.

37. Coppola Cast #19: Rumble Fish (1983) w/Shane Hazen

The Motorcycle Boy Reigns. To help tackle Francis Coppola’s “art film for teenagers” we’re joined by Shane Hazen of the Phi Phenomenon podcast for a special crossover episode! Though this S.E. Hinton adaptation is light on plot there is a lot to discuss. We delve into the philosophical and existential themes, the experimental approach taken by Coppola and the rest of the crew, and begin to wonder if the 1980’s was a more interesting decade for films than it gets credit for.

In addition to hosting the Phi Phenomenon podcast Shane Hazen has also worked as an editor on films like To the Wonder and The First Girl I Loved. Check out more of Phi Phenomenon here: https://phiphenomenon.com/ and wherever you find podcasts.

26. Coppola Cast #8: The Rain People (1969)

The characters in Francis Coppola’s The Rain People are on a cross country roadtrip but we are sheltering in place. After directing an old fashioned studio musical, Coppola returns to a more intimate, character focused story with The Rain People. Shirley Knight stars as a young housewife that leaves on a road trip to reevaluate her decisions. Her journey of self discovery takes a turn when she picks up a former college football star with brain damage (James Caan). In terms of style and technique this is as far away from Finian’s Rainbow as you can get. We talk about road movies, the “70’s movie ending”, and the Farrelly brothers come up, naturally. This episode’s wine was: Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Blue Label Merlot 2016.