Director's Club

Good evening. Welcome to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

We have now reached the peak of Alfred Hitchcock's career, finding the ambitious auteur angling to ascend to new heights of affluence, adoration and artistic acclaim. With I Confess he chases Catholic consternation across Quebecois contexts, with Dial M for Murder...

Delighted to welcome back both Kerry and Collin of the Christmas Movies Actually podcast (also available on the Now Playing Network), to talk about a comedy legend that is long overdue. I first saw the great Harold Ramis on SCTV thanks to my dad along with Ghostbusters in the theater which became an early favorite of mine too. But what about the films he has directed? One in particular is beloved (which I knew it would be on first viewing) that has to be discussed at length while the other is more of a personal favorite from one of...

Good evening. Welcome to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

On this month's installment we see Hitchcock take flight with his own production company, his own projects, his own risks and bold formal gambits that no one else would ever be fool enough to try. In Rope (1948) Hitchcock embraces long takes...

After an extended break, the regular format has returned for the rest of 2026. Then we'll see what happens in the new year. At the very least, you'll be getting the yearly traditions regardless if the regular format changes. For the next two episodes, I needed to discuss filmmakers that bring me joy and aren't too heavy. The first is a filmmaker I've been meaning to cover for a little while since back in 2002, I became a huge fan of Nicole Holofcener.

This is appropriately a short and sweet episode, much like the director's work itself. Joining me...

Good evening. Welcome to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

As the Selznick era comes to an end we see an Alfred Hitchcock growing in confidence, ambition and struggling against the increasing interference of the overbearing producer. With Lifeboat Hitchcock takes on a seemingly simple premise that was in fact an...

It's the first B-Side Me/Director's Club crossover (and the last if you listen to the intro). One of the other yearly traditions occurs when I step away from film and turn to my other favorite art form: music, alongside returning guests and lifelong friends J and Dan. I'll be putting all the year in music episodes in one happy archive soon enough but for now, please partake in this delightful bonus discussion all about 2006, as we run down our favorite records of that year.

Included are many song clips, memories, laughs and a lot of recommendations...

At first I was going to simply just write about my love of Phil Alden Robinson's spy thriller, Sneakers (1992), but then I decided it was time to start recording my voice again in hopes of returning to our regularly scheduled program next month. Since I needed something to lift my spirits, I asked friend and Chicago Film Critic Erik Childress to join me to talk for 2 hours all about a movie that means a lot to me. Another "Jim and his dad love this movie" example.

Instead of only talking about why it's so great as a...

Good evening. Welcome to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

As we reach the midpoint of Alfred Hitchcock's career we see a variety of films, including a screwball comedy and another 39 Steps re-run, but we also see the full flowering of a Hitchcock driven by psychology, by terror of a much...

Good evening. Welcome to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

In this episode Alfred Hitchcock finally escapes the confines of the British film industry, only to once again find himself a small fish in a large pond. With The Lady Vanishes (1938) he takes the 39 Steps formula into dizzying new heights of...

Good evening. Welcome back to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

For episode 4 we find Alfred Hitchcock a newly christened international film star, taking the magic formula he discovered in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) in four very different configurations, with four very different results, as we discuss the ground...

Good evening. Welcome back to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

For episode 3 we find Hitchcock's clout at British International Pictures crumbling, his bosses increasingly fed up with his nonsense and a new beginning that would catapult him to international success. Plus: Alfred Hitchcock does drag!

From turgid stage...

NOTE: After this episode, B-Side Me will be getting its own separate feed as a standalone show! If you enjoy the first five episodes, you'll have to subscribe to the new link which I will share soon!

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I'm happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time, it's all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along with fiancee Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out abou...

Where to begin discussing a filmmaker like Jodorowsky? Obviously I had heard of him and had seen the documentary, Jodorowsky's Dune, but it was until last year that I sat down to watch The Holy Mountain, knowing I was going to do this episode a few months later. Thanks to Sharon, I have now seen not only one of my new favorite movies, but discovered a new favorite director.

Alongside my other favorites: PT Anderson, David Lynch and Sam Raimi, Jodorowsky has something in common with all of them - he treats cinema like a playground of...

Not too big of a summary this time around since the title says it all and there’s a lot to get to in terms of the episode proper. Every year around late February / early March, I call upon Chicago film critic buddies Collin Souter & Erik Childress to join me for an epic 5 hour+ episode discussing as many movies as we can, traveling back in time 30 years to cover an entire year.

Clips, trailers, songs, quotes, excerpts, a trailer remix and more! Thank you Collin & Erik as always and thank you to the fans/listeners/subscribers for li...

Good evening. Welcome back to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

For episode 2 we see Hitchcock break free of his silent era and break ground by producing the first* British sound film. In Easy Virtue (1928) a fallen woman finds new love (and hate) among an upperclass family, in Champagne (1928) a playgirl...

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I'm happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time, it's all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along with co-host and partner Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month (sorry we skipped January). For Feb, it's all about the remarkably talented dream pop duo Beach House!

The format is simple: each of us picks an A-side to discuss (a more popu...

The last director-centric episode was back in late November / early December but we're back on the regularly monthly schedule as of now! Huge thanks to my buddies Ross & Tripp for coming on to talk about a true blue classic storyteller, and we have a lot to say!

For this episode on the legendary Frank Capra we focus on a couple more obscure titles instead of the popular ones. I chose the pre-code dramedy American Madness while Ross & Tripp picked the adaptation of the hit play Arsenic and Old Lace starring Cary Grant.

That's the plan...

The title says it all. 50 Favorites Part One was done back in 2021. Every couple of years, we nerd out some more! Collect them all, tell your friends!

Welcome back Supporting Characters host Bill Ackerman for a 7-hour conversation about 50 more of our very favorite films, bringing the total to 200. Perhaps in 2028 we will return??

Thank you for listening and for the support and to Bill for being one of the best guests and friends on the planet. Stay tuned for two more DC episodes this month (Frank Capra + B-Side Me) and then in March, another...

Good evening. Welcome to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.

First up, a slate of silent films. In The Pleasure Garden (1925) a showgirl must fight for her love, in The Lodger (1927) a mysterious new boardinghouse tenant may or may not be a serial killer, in The Ring (1927) an up and coming...

My first live podcast recording! Author/film critic/podcaster Nick Digilio sold out the community room at the Rogers Park Branch library in Chicago to talk all about his new book and memoir, 40 YEARS 40 FILMS. I asked questions, played movie clips, celebrated an accomplished Chicago legend that has meant a lot to me in so many ways these past 30+ years. Thank you to Sharon for coming to the rescue by filming the video last minute which you can view at the link below as an alternative to the audio. Oodles of gratitude to all the patrons, fans, friends and...

Do you love physical media and movies? Then you should be following all-things Ryan. I am truly honored to be joined by returning guest and physical media community superhero Ryan Verrill. We discuss the many projects he has in the works while mainly focusing on his latest distribution company, Antenna Releasing. During the 2nd half of the conversation, we also discuss some of his favorite films of 2025!

Per their website, Antenna Releasing is "always looking for exciting new voices in film to champion" and Ryan (along with his two hard-working compadres) are definitely making things happen already...

What a year. Thank God it's over. For a nearly five-hour long conversation among my two dearest friends and fellow podcasters, we reveal 25 our of favorite films of 2025. One of our guests mainly focuses on the horror genre while I decide not to rank the titles and simply list them in alphabetical order. Obviously, my number one is a film we talked about earlier this year in its entirety as a separate bonus episode (below). But there are 24 more films to celebrate as well (many more from my guests too).

Joining me as always are film historian...

What the hell is Bloodbeat?? From one-and-done French filmmaker Fabrice-Ange Zaphiratos, filmed in Wisconsin. A young woman travels to rural Wisconsin to meet her boyfriend's family, but she becomes possessed by the spirit of a Japanese samurai who goes on killing spree anytime she becomes aroused.

You read that synopsis correctly which is precisely why I decided to concoct a special holiday bonus episode featuring friends Matt Greene & Jesse Oliver for an experimental episode on a truly bizarre holiday horror film that has become a favorite. You can still watch the movie after listening to us describe...

Happy Bonus Episode to all and to all a good listen. Here are some of my favorite songs of 2025 that you can enjoy as an 80-minute playlist here in the feed. YouTube and Spotify won't likely keep it up for long (if at all) but it'll be here in the official feed for now as a gift to the listeners who want to hear some new tunes that I really enjoyed in a stellar year for new music. Support these artists! Happy holidays and thank you for your kindness and support this past year.

2025 Songs

...

Side note: In the midst of the migration from Substack to Ghost, this episode got lost in the shuffle somehow so it's back in the feed now. Apologies for the confusion / repost. There may be bugs but hopefully few and far between. Thanks again for the support, all!

Returning guest, Chicago film critic, and regular contributor to the Movie Madness podcast is back for a long overdue third appearance. His most memorable one being well over a decade ago when he took the pro-side on the infamous Brian De Palma episode.

None other than the...

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along w/co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month. This time, it's all about the remarkably talented Fiona Apple! Without further ado, here is the 3rd episode of B-Side Me.

The format is simple: each of us pick an A-side to disc...

Returning guest, Chicago film critic, and regular contributor to the Movie Madness podcast is back for a long overdue third appearance. His most memorable one being well over a decade ago when he took the pro-side on the infamous Brian De Palma episode. None other than the talented and hilarious Peter Sobczynski volunteered to discuss the (mostly) underrated works of satirist Michael Ritchie (no relation to Guy) who had a career with high highs and low lows. We talk mainly about three of his most under-appreciated films and skim through the majority of his filmography (despite the return to...

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along w/co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month (we missed October but that’s okay, it was a very busy month). Without further ado, here is the 2nd episode of B-Side Me.

The format is simple: each of us pick an A-s...

No description necessary! The title says it all. Well it was tempting to record all 12 hours of us talking through the entire franchise for the ultimate commentary track and podcast for 7 films, we thought it was best to record quick reactions after each film as we binged them all in one entire day. Happy Halloween, bitch!

BE SURE TO STAY TO THE VERY END. There’s a surprise special cameo that really was a real treat for both of us to say the least. Now here are a lot of photos if you're seeing this on Substack th...

Returning guest, writer, librarian, Instagram superstar and host of the Not Scared Podcast, the great Chloe Waryan, returns for her yearly visit to talk about a horror filmmaker! This time it’s all about the beloved Mike Flanagan. Do we love him as much as the rest of the horror community? You’ll have to listen to find out not just our thoughts, but former co-host and horror enthusiast Patrick Ripoll makes a cameo as well. Thank you so much Chloe for coming back and stay tuned for a new episode of B-Side Me later in the month too!

Spoilers spoilers spoilers! If you haven’t seen One Battle After Another (and you should) then wait to dive into this month’s bonus conversation featuring friends Bill Ackerman (of Supporting Characters) and Patrick Ripoll (of 96 Greers) as we have an impromptu talk about the latest PTA film, One Battle After Another and how it is conversation with his other work as well.

In addition, I talk about my first viewing of the film (and how unique it was) as well Bill’s thoughts on what he’s seen at the New York Film Festival that we can look...

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the debut episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians/songwriters that we think are worth discussing. Alongside co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month with the first episode of B-Side Me.

The format is simple: each of us pick an A-side to discuss (a more popular well-known song) and then we choose a B-side (a song that...

Returning guest, film writer and all-around great human being Mitchell Beaupre from Letterboxd (and a number of publications) returns for the third time to discuss a mutual favorite filmmaker of ours, the incredible Kenneth Lonergan. All three of his films mean a lot to us both so we opted to bypass the new format (which consists of two films per episode) to talk about his debut film, You Can Count On Me (newly released via Criterion Collection) then his remarkable follow-up Margaret, ending with the award-winning Manchester by the Sea.

Much more to say overall about what...

For this excursion into something besides movies, I would recruit friend and Austin-based journalist Dan Solomon to go back 20 years to talk about a year in music - an art form that I love every bit much as film.

For this retrospective, my guests and I curate a new list of ten favorite records from that year, playing snippets of certain songs and discussing our feelings about music in general. As of 2021, I decided to include my dear friend Jason Simpson, also a pop culture writer, to join us in this endeavor.

I've been going...

Do you like explosions?! Well you're in for a summer treat. Thank you so much to guest hosts Chloe Waryan and Luther Moss for covering a director on Director's Club I never would want to cover without losing my mind. What a delightful discussion and it’s an honor to put this out for all to hear! You "don't want to miss" this episode! You also don't want to close your eyes, you don't want to fall asleep. Animal crackers optional.

00:00 - 05:40 - Show Changes / Intro from Jim!

05:41 - 07:15 - Introduction from Chloe

07:16...

I once saw a film called Sherman’s March which of course I adored. But then a year or so ago, I watched another film by the same director, Bright Leaves. For some reason, it had a profound effect on me. This episode goes into detail as to why.

Joining me throughout is Illinois archivist and historian Eric Edwards for this unconventional approach to this podcast. A lot of it edited, scripted, even EQ’d, but the most obvious difference are included excerpts from other shows. We hear a lot from Ross McElwee himself thanks to an arra...

What an honor and a joy it was to talk with Rachel Bellwoar, an extremely talented writer and pop culture enthusiast whose work I’ve enjoyed discovering over the years. Thanks to many mutual cinephile friends and podcasters, we crossed paths in the world of Facebook and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her on the show to talk about an underappreciated British director, Jack Clayton!

Pauline Kael praised The Innocents as "one of the most elegantly beautiful ghost movies ever made” and rightfully so. We also talk about the majority of his work since his fi...

Not too big of a summary this time around since the title says it all and there’s a lot to get to in terms of the episode proper. Every year around late February / early March, I call upon my Chicago film critic buddies Collin Souter & Erik Childress to join me for an epic episode discussing as many movies as we possibly can, traveling back in time to cover an entire year.

In the midst of the joyful conversation are lots of clips, songs excerpts, trailers, sound effects and general weirdness from yours truly. Not to mention a...

This is a celebration, not just another Director’s Club episode for a reason. Back in 1990, I became an avid fan and follower of today’s guest and he’s been on this show a couple of times in the past, most recently for the Paul Thomas Anderson Part II episode. I’m talking of course about Nick Digilio.

40 years ago, he began his career as a professional film critic, reviewing movies on Roy Leonard’s radio show. It’s also amazing to think that 40 years ago, I first fell in love with movies after seeing Back to the Futur...

Let’s forget all about inauguration day (since this comes out on January 20th, 2025) by focusing on someone who truly matters, the legendary comedic mind of Elaine May, pioneer of improv sketch comedy and so much more! We focus on all four of her directorial films and sing the praises of nearly all of them. Yes, that MAY include her last feature from 1987 that does not deserve the reputation or the critical bashing that it received upon its release.

Thank you so much to Sharon for being a delightful returning guest and nerding out with me for tw...