Love Streams: The John Cassavetes Podcast

• Episode 9: A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE (1974)

  Welcome back to Love Streams: The John Cassavetes Podcast! In this podcast, a filmmaker and a film studies scholar (who happen to be married to each other) unpack, marvel at, and puzzle over the movies directed by American filmmaker, John Cassavetes, one movie at a time. This is it, folks. This is the episode you've been waiting for. It's time to dig into "A Woman Under the Influence," the one Cassavetes film that just about everyone has heard of. If you came to this podcast to hear about just one film, there's a good chance it's this one. So yean, no pressure on this episode, Allison and John! I won't lie to you, friends. This was one tough epidsode for us to make! How do you even begin to wrap your head around a movie that's this complicated and prickly? But, we made it at least! Join the conversation as we talk (at times, in circles) about one of cinema's greatest and most ineffably mysterious films. Highlights of this episode include:the TV show that financed this film; the many scripts that Cassavetes wrote before ultimately writing this particular script (and yes, this film had a script!); Swanny Swanson; Allison's bleak take on marriage and motherhood; Pauline Kael's hot takes; things you can hash out over a lunch; Stella Dallas; Cassavetes' bonafide strategy for exploiting film students; Allison's very succint review of "The Patriot" starring Mel Gibson; Robert Culp's glasses; things spoken and unspoken; deep silliness as the flipside of deep sadness; the best speech that was ever given at an Oscar afterparty; labels; maternal sacrifice; insights from Genre John; who started it; weather, conversation, hello, how are you; important advice about which movie you should not show to a date; vampires of TV and film; Carol Gilligan; Allison's desire to hide under tables; reasons why you shouldn't let anyone into your house; reasons why you should never go over to anyone else's house; reasons why you should never answer the phone, and so much more. This podcast is recorded at Longmont Public Media in Longmont, Colorado. LPM rules! We couldn't do Love Streams without this amazing community resource. 

  --------  

  3:14:47

  --------

  3:14:47
• Episode 8: MINNIE AND MOSKOWITZ (1971)

  Welcome back to Love Streams: The John Cassavetes Podcast! In this podcast, a filmmaker and a film studies scholar (who happen to be married to each other) unpack, marvel at, and puzzle over the movies directed by American filmmaker, John Cassavetes, one movie at a time. In this episode, Allison and John discuss "Minnie and Moskowitz," the Cassavetes version of a Hollywood screwball comedy. Episode highlights include: singing, howling, mustaches, Val Avery and Tim Carey (who we love), out-of-control bodies, violence, love at first sight, a movie poster controversy, flowing golden hair, Martin Scorsese, "A Clockwork Orange," foreshadowing into future films, theater tricks, interpretive sticks, and so much more. Listen along as your hosts unpack this truly mind-boggling pseudo-romcom. This podcast is recorded at Longmont Public Media in Longmont, Colorado. LPM rules! We couldn't do Love Streams without this amazing community resource.   

  --------  

  1:59:54

  --------

  1:59:54
• Episode 7: TOO LATE BLUES (1961) and A CHILD IS WAITING (1963)

  Welcome back at long last to Love Streams: The John Cassavetes Podcast! This is the part where your hosts, Allison and John, slink back into your lives with their tails between their legs. We're sorry, Listenership! After a sudden hiatus, we're back to unpacking the movies of American filmmaker, John Cassavetes, one episode at a time. Since this episode is way too late, perhaps it's appropriate that we're talking about Too Late Blues (1961) and A Child is Waiting (1963). Join us as we dive into Cassavetes' early studio films, which are seriously way more interesting than most people think. Highlights of this episode include: even more doofy music, the revelatory nature of stage performance, anecdotes about Seymour Cassel hanging out with Judy Garland, ambiguous loserdom, that one time when John Cassavetes did or did not punch Stanley Kramer, codependency, silly toasts, gross cocktails, The Guttermen, and the awesome yet underappreciated performances by Val Avery and Marilyn Clark. Thanks for hanging in there, Listenership. We're sorry for leaving you in the lurch, and we promise not to do it again. Up  next: Minnie and Moskovitz, a love story for the ages! Recorded at Longmont Public Media in Longmont, Colorado. LPM rules! We couldn't do Love Streams without this amazing community resource. 

  --------  

  2:20:12

  --------

  2:20:12
• Episode 6: SHADOWS (1959)

  Welcome back to "Love Streams: The John Cassavetes Podcast," a show in which a filmmaker and a film studies scholar (who just happened to be married to each other) unpack the movies directed by American director, John Cassavetes. In this episode, Allison and John unpack Cassavetes' directorial debut, "Shadows" (1959), and dear sweet God, do they talk about a whole heck of a lot! Episode highlights include: the secret longings of the Cassavetes Man; jazz; a perhaps-too-long discussion of experimental cinema; Ray Carney's very hot take on 1950s television; a fun anecdote about how Cassavetes inspired (and also perhaps reviled) the Beats; more jazz; unpacking Cassavetes' own interpretation of "Shadows" (which is slippery as always); activities that are supposed to be sexy but are actually extremely boring; and an extremely long discussion of race. Seriously, there's so much packed into this episode, so take a seat on your most comfortable couch, pull out a Costco-size box of Ritz Crackers and a Costco-size bag of Babybel cheese wheels (this pairing may or may not be what Allison ate for few days while editing), and enjoy this episode!

  --------  

  4:28:46

  --------

  4:28:46
• A Brief Word: Thank you, Gena

  In this very brief segment, Allison, one of your "Love Streams" co-hosts, shares her short and utterly insufficient sentiments of gratitude for the life and art of Gena Rowlands.

  --------  

  6:05

  --------

  6:05

More Arts podcasts

Trending Arts podcasts

About Love Streams: The John Cassavetes Podcast