Monday, October 28, 2019

Blast of the Mohicans

I had a blast talking with Blake Howard on The Last (12 Minutes) of the Mohicans podcast, but once again felt that I'd left so much unsaid and unexplored that I'd wanted to get to. The entire mini-series is available now and the guest line up is juicy. The episodes are as follows:
1: Joe Lynch
2: Fran Hoepfner and Kris Tapley
3: Walter Chaw and J.R. Hennessy
4: Bilge Ibiri and Cam Williams
5: Carly Severn and Mark Olsen
6: Dante Spinotti
7: Brendan Hodges and Jedidiah Ayres
8: Jordan Harper and Stu Coote
9: Sean Burns and Jen Johans
10: Travis Woods and Craig Mathieson
11: Manohla Dargis and Matt Zoller Seitz
12: Michael Mann
 I can't tell you how pleased I am to be keeping this company. It's ridiculous.

Last of the Mohicans was my introduction to Michael Mann and it fucking blew my hair back. I'd grown up reading kiddie versions of James Fennimore Cooper's Leatherstocking tales as well as watching the Steve Forrest / Ned Romero made for TV movies from the 70s (did you know that before Madeleine Stowe was in Last of the Mohicans in 1992 she was in the sequel to 1977's Last of the Mohicans, 1978's The Deerslayer?) which played at about the same tone and aesthetic as Fess Parker's Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. But this... was something so much better. It was so... romantic. And tragic. And just aces all around.

The chance to talk about it with Blake and in the company kept was a serious honor eclipsed only by how much fun it's been listening to the episodes. Really, it's the closest thing I've got to hanging out with friends on any kind of regular basis these days. You guys are my people. Listen here or wherever you get podcasts.

And hey - be sure to stick around once my initial segment is over because I got a bonus segment wherein Blake and I discuss the late-great Russell Means and some of the on-set turbulence of the production. Thanks too to Benjamin Whitmer for the anecdotes and insights.

Also, Blake is producing another meditation on a certain film in bite-size chunks podcast that'll be landing in time for Noirvember: Increment Vice hosted by Travis Woods. Travis dropped the schedule for the release of the first five episodes this week.

Lookit that - Blake, Fran, Jordan, Kayleigh Donaldson and Kim Morgan. That's a strong opening volley, man. Check out Kim's terrific piece on Inherent Vice at the New Beverly Cinema blog and then tell me you're not excited to hear more. On twitter Travis also named a few more guests for Increment Vice including Karina Longworth, Matt Zoller Seits, Rian Johnson, Elric Kane, Bob Freelander, Drew McSweeney and uh me. Shit, guess I'd better bring my A-game. Looking forward to this.

On the latest episode of the Do Some Damage podcast I was all prepared to talk about El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, but right as I was getting ready to watch it in preparation the news of the passing of Robert Forster found me and... ugh, I switched tracks and gave a handful of Forster recs including William Lustig's Vigilante! Joke's on me though, 'cause it turns out Forster is in El Camino reprising his brief Breaking Bad role and you'll just have to wait till next time to hear my thoughts on it.

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