The Projection Booth Podcast

Czechtember 2025 kicks off with Cosy Dens (AKA Pelíšky), Jan Hřebejk’s bittersweet 1999 coming-of-age dramedy adapted from Petr Šabach’s novel Hovno Hoří (Shit on Fire). Written by Petr Jarchovský, the film unfolds between Christmas 1967 and the Prague Spring of 1968, chronicling the warmth, absurdity, and heartbreak of two neighboring families caught between tradition, rebellion, and history itself.



Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth

Buonopalooza wraps up with Howard Morris’s caper comedy Who’s Minding the Mint? (1967). Jim Hutton stars as Harry Lucas, a hapless Treasury worker who accidentally swipes $50,000 and scrambles to replace it before he’s caught. To pull off the fix, he enlists a motley crew of oddballs, including Dorothy Provine’s Verna Baxter, who’s more interested in perfecting her brownies than in breaking and entering. The ensemble bursts with familiar faces—Milton Berle, Joey Bishop, Walter Brennan, Jack Gilford, and of course, Victor Buono.

Mike White, Otto Bruno, and Tim Madigan close out the Buono-palooza celebration with this br...

Mike talks with writer Katharine Coldiron about her new book, Out There in the Dark (Autofocus Books). Blending film criticism, memoir, fiction, and experimental forms, the collection uses movies as prisms to explore truth, kindness, the female body, the American West, war, and more. From The Sound of Music to Apocalypse Now, Coldiron examines how cinema shapes memory and myth. Praised as “thoughtful, trenchant, and keenly observed,” her essays prove that sometimes the best way to understand life is through the flicker of film.

Find out more at https://autofocusbooks.com/store/p/out-there-in-the-dark

Become a supp...

Buonopalooza rolls on with Robert Aldrich’s Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964). Following the massive success of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Aldrich re-teamed with Bette Davis for another Southern Gothic nightmare. This time, Davis plays Charlotte Hollis, a reclusive woman haunted by whispers of murder and locked in a decaying Louisiana mansion where secrets fester and madness simmers. The film co-stars Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, and—of course—Victor Buono in a pivotal role. Mike White is joined by Tim Madigan and Otto Bruno to dig into the history, the production troubles, and the legacy of one of the j...

Buonopalooza rages on with Victor Buono front and center in The Strangler (1964). One of his rare leading roles, Buono embodies Leo Kroll, a smothered man-child whose repressed rage against women spills into murder. Loosely modeled on the Boston police department’s profile of the Boston Strangler—and hitting theaters mere months after Albert DeSalvo’s confession—the film walks a fine line between crime drama and exploitation, delivering Buono at his creepiest. Mike is joined once again by Otto Bruno and Tim Madigan to dig into this twisted artifact of ‘60s true-crime cinema.

Become a supporter of this podcast: h...

We’re kicking off a month devoted to the inimitable presence of Victor Buono — though in our opening pick, “starring” might be generous. Let’s say “featuring,” and featuring with impact. Robert Aldrich’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) stands as the grand dame of “Hagsploitation” — or “Psycho Biddy,” if you prefer — with Joan Crawford and Bette Davis locked in a barbed-wire sister act as Blanche and Baby Jane Hudson. Mike White is joined by authors Otto Bruno and Tim Madigan to unpack the film’s camp, cruelty, and craft.

Plus, actor Dominic Burgess — who portrayed Buono in Ryan Murphy’s Feud — drops in...

The mics are on for Shaun Michael Colón’s Age of Audio (2025), a whirlwind 82-minute tour through the origins, growth, and current state of podcasting. Narrated by and featuring Ronald “Big Ron” Young Jr. — host of multiple award-winning shows — the documentary blends his personal journey with a broader look at the voices, tech, and cultural shifts that shaped the medium. Mike is joined by Chris Stachiw (The Kulturecast) and James Cridland (Podnews Daily Newsletter) for a conversation on how Age of Audio captures the podcasting boom, why the history matters, and what the film says about where the medium is headed n...

Mike is joined by Emily Intravia (The Feminine Critique) and screenwriter Howard A. Rodman for a sobering descent into Panic in Year Zero! (1962), directed by and starring Ray Milland. Loosely inspired by Ward Moore’s chilling short stories “Lot” and “Lot’s Daughter,” the film imagines a Los Angeles family thrust into chaos after a nuclear attack decimates the city. As Henry Baldwin, Milland leads his wife (Jean Hagen) and children (Mary Mitchel and Frankie Avalon) on a desperate quest for survival in a world unraveling by the hour.

With Cold War dread baked into every frame, Panic in Year Zero...

Mike is joined by Father Malone (Midnight Viewing) and Chris Stachiw (The Kulturecast) to dig into Marvel’s latest reboot attempt, Fantastic Four: First Stps (2025), the long-awaited introduction of Marvel’s First Family into the MCU. Directed by Matt Shakman and starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, the film blends retro aesthetics with multiversal madness as Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny leap from the 1960s into present-day chaos.

Does Shakman finally crack the code that’s eluded three previous FF films? Or does Marvel’s Phase 6 entry stretch itself too thin? The trio tackles the film...

Sci-Fi July wraps up with Return of the Jedi (1983), the final installment of the original Star Wars trilogy—directed by Richard Marquand, guided by George Lucas, and packed with new creatures, recycled plot beats, and merchandising gold. Joining Mike to explore the film's legacy and limitations are Jamie Benning (Filmumentaries) and Stephen Scarlata (Best Movies Never Made), along with special guest Jim Bloom, associate producer on Empire and Jedi.

From Jabba's palace to yet another Death Star, Jedi tries to close the saga with spectacle and sentiment—but not without creative compromises. We dig into the behind-the-scenes drama, the...

Mike speaks with co-director Fax Bahr and archivist James Mockoski about the stunning new 4K restoration of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991), the definitive behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the infamously turbulent production of Apocalypse Now. 

What began as a Vietnam War epic in the Philippines became one of the most harrowing shoots in cinematic history—captured on 16mm by Eleanor Coppola and transformed into a raw, revelatory portrait by Bahr and co-director George Hickenlooper. Bahr discusses the collaborative assembly of Eleanor’s intimate footage, audio diaries, and newly recorded interviews with stars like Martin Sheen and Dennis Hopper...

Sci-Fi July dives deep into the sublime with Upstream Color (2013), Shane Carruth’s mesmerizing meditation on identity, connection, and control. Co-hosts Ben Buckingham and Jim Laczkowski join Mike to untangle the film’s elliptical narrative, which follows a woman who is drugged, robbed, and psychically linked to a pig as part of a surreal cycle of manipulation and rebirth. A bold, enigmatic follow-up to Primer, Carruth’s film is an audiovisual trance, blurring the line between organism and environment, memory and self. We explore the film’s layered metaphors, sound design, and experimental structure — and maybe, just maybe, crack its code.

Mike talks with director Lisa D’Apolito about her 2025 documentary Shari & Lamb Chop, an affectionate and revealing portrait of Shari Lewis, the groundbreaking performer, writer, and puppeteer behind the beloved sock puppet Lamb Chop. D’Apolito—best known for Love, Gilda—crafts another tender exploration of a complex, trailblazing woman who was far more than a children’s entertainer.

Drawing from never-before-seen footage and interviews with everyone from Shari’s daughter Mallory Lewis to celebrities like David Copperfield, the film revisits the rise, fall, and resurgence of a TV icon who balanced charm and discipline, softness and ambition. We discuss L...

Sci-Fi July rolls on with Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), Roger Corman’s ambitious space opera directed by Jimmy T. Murakami and written by a pre-Lone Star John Sayles. This wild interstellar remix of The Seven Samurai stars Richard Thomas as Shad, a naive farm boy turned cosmic recruiter who must assemble a team of eccentric mercenaries to defend his planet from the tyrannical Sador—played with ruthless relish by John Saxon.

Mike is joined by Father Malone and Chris Stachiw to dig into the film’s unforgettable cast of characters, James Horner’s rousing score (which sounds suspiciously like his...

Mike is joined by Father Malone (Midnight Viewing) and Chris Stachiw (The Kultuecast) to discuss James Gunn's first foray as the head of the "DCU" with his 2025 film, Superman. It's a new interpretation of the Man of Steel as David Corenswet takes to the skies as the lone son of Krypton watches over the people of Earth, much to the chagrin of Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). It's a surprisingly decent entry from DC that may pave the way to a less-dour vision of superheroes.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Sci Fi July launches with a titan of cinematic futurism: Metropolis (1927). Fritz Lang’s visually stunning epic set the blueprint for dystopian science fiction, blending Gothic horror, political allegory, and machine-age spectacle. Co-written with Thea von Harbou, the film envisions a divided city of soaring towers and subterranean toil, where Freder—the privileged son of master planner Joh Fredersen—awakens to injustice through his encounter with the spiritual leader of the working class, Maria.

Mike is joined by Ranjit Sandhu and Federico Bertolini to discuss the many versions of the film, its fraught production, the complex legacy of Lang a...

The Fantasia International Film Festival returns for its 29th edition, running from July 17 to August 8, 2025, and promises another electrifying celebration of genre cinema from around the world. With its full slate now unveiled across three waves of programming, Fantasia 2025 continues its tradition of championing daring filmmakers and boundary-pushing storytelling.

Among the major highlights this year is Yuji Shimomura’s highly anticipated Crazy Musashi, penned by cult favorite Sion Sono. Also debuting is the world premiere of The Beast Within by genre auteur Gabriel Carrer, while Bertrand Mandico’s surreal She Is Conan the Barbarian will receive its North Amer...

By request from Patreon supporter Peter Rogers, we’re tackling A Man for All Seasons (1966), Fred Zinnemann’s acclaimed adaptation of Robert Bolt’s stage play. Joining Mike are Spencer Parsons and Robert Bellissimo to explore this portrait of Sir Thomas More, played with quiet defiance by Paul Scofield in an Oscar-winning performance. The film follows More’s moral and political stand against King Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage, a position that would cost him his freedom—and ultimately his life. We unpack the film’s legacy, its courtroom drama structure, and how it reflects shifting power, faith, and integrity duri...

John Cassavetes may be known for his raw, improvisational indie dramas, but with Gloria (1980), he delivered something entirely different—a gritty urban thriller with a heart, starring the incomparable Gena Rowlands who plays the titular Gloria, a tough, no-nonsense woman with mob ties who suddenly finds herself the reluctant guardian of a young boy targeted by gangsters after his family’s brutal murder. Armed with nothing but attitude and a pistol, Gloria hauls the kid through the hostile streets of New York City, dodging bullets, hitmen, and her own complicated past.

Mike is joined by returning guests Judith Mayn...

Mike talks with filmmakers Chris Rosik and Rob Cousineau about their 2025 film So Fades the Light, a quiet, unsettling drama about the long shadows of cult trauma. The story follows Sun (Kiley Lotz), once known as the “God Child” of the Iron and Fire Ministry, a violent extremist group shattered by a police raid. Years later, Sun lives in isolation, traveling the country in her van—until the release of the cult’s leader (D. Duke Solomon) draws her back to the ruins of her former life.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection...

Author D. Harlan Wilson joins Mike to discuss his latest book, Strangelove Country, a collection of critical fictions examining four of Stanley Kubrick’s most influential science fiction films: Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Blurring the lines between criticism, fiction, and satire, Wilson explores how Kubrick’s work continues to shape cultural narratives about technology, violence, human identity, and control.

The conversation covers Wilson’s experimental approach to writing, the enduring legacy of Kubrick’s cinema, and how speculative fiction and critical theory intersect. Together, they examine how Kubrick’s visions of...

Mike is joined by Robert Bellissimo and Philip Marinello to explore O Pagador de Promessas (1962), the landmark Brazilian drama from director Anselmo Duarte. Also known internationally as The Given Word, the film adapts Dias Gomes’s acclaimed stage play into a sharp critique of institutional power.

The story centers on Zé do Burro, a simple farmer who treks over 20 miles into Salvador while bearing a heavy cross—honoring a vow to Saint Barbara after his donkey, Nicholas, falls ill. What begins as a devout act of gratitude becomes a battleground of bureaucracy, media exploitation, and religious gatekeeping. Winner of th...

Mike ventures deep beneath the surface with director Rob Petit to discuss Underland (2025), a haunting, meditative documentary that charts an extraordinary subterranean journey into the hidden worlds beneath our feet. Narrated by author and co-writer Robert Macfarlane, the film adapts his bestselling book Underland: A Deep Time Journey, bringing to life an awe-inspiring descent into caves, catacombs, glacial crevasses, and underground rivers spanning continents. More than just a travelogue, Underland explores humanity’s relationship with deep time—how we bury our dead, our nuclear waste, and our myths far below the surface.

Mike and Petit explore the technical and...

What happens when a lavish dinner party refuses to end? Mike is joined by filmmaker Miguel Llansó and critic Rob St. Mary to unpack the surreal social satire of Luis Buñuel’s The Exterminating Angel (1962). In this sharp and strange masterwork, a group of upper-crust guests find themselves mysteriously unable to leave a post-opera gathering—days pass, civility erodes, and Buñuel’s absurdist lens skewers class, ritual, and the thin veneer of order.

From sheep in the parlor to the creeping dread of inaction, we discuss the film’s dream logic, religious and political interpretations, and its place i...

Mike chats with co-directors Travis Wood and Alex Mallis about their debut feature The Travel Companion (2025), a painfully funny look at friendship, ambition, and emotional unraveling among aspiring filmmakers. The story centers on Simon (Tristan Turner), a struggling documentarian who clings to the one major perk in his life: the free airline travel he enjoys as the designated companion of his best friend and roommate Bruce (Anthony Oberbeck), a flight attendant. When Bruce starts dating the effortlessly cool and talented Beatrice (Naomi Asa), Simon spirals into insecurity and paranoia, terrified of losing his ticket—literally and figuratively.

Premiering at...

We wrap up Maudit May with a look at Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers (1972), a once-lost independent musical that’s recently been restored and released on Blu-ray by the American Genre Film Archive. Directed by Robert J. Kaplan and written by Sandra Scoppettone, the film stars Holly Woodlawn as Eve Harrington, a young woman from Kansas who moves to New York City in search of something more—only to find herself in a strange world of characters who, like her, share names with familiar figures from classic Hollywood.

Joining Mike to explore the film’s unconventional structure, layere...

The day we released The Brave episode, producer Charles Evans Jr. texted me to say that he was sorry he hadn't gotten back to me but wanted to share some memories of making the film. We discussed how the project came to be and his experience making it.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

The Projection Booth continues its spotlight on rare and elusive cinema with The Brave (1997), Johnny Depp’s directorial debut and a film shrouded in mystery since its limited release. Adapted by screenwriter Paul McCudden from a novel by Fletch author Gregory McDonald, The Brave tells the harrowing story of Rafael, a Native American man who agrees to sacrifice himself in a snuff film to provide for his impoverished family.

Joining Mike to dissect this bleak, emotionally charged drama are returning co-hosts Spencer Parsons and Jedidiah Ayres, along with special guest Paul McCudden himself, who discusses the film’s chal...

Mike is joined by podcaster Aaron Peterson (The Hollywood Outsider) and filmmaker Miguel Llansó (Crumbs, Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway, Infinite Summer) for a conversation about Rafael Corkidi’s elusive 1971 or 1972 feature debut Ángeles y querubines (Angels and Cherubs). Once presumed lost, this visually ravishing curio from Mexico’s surrealist wave plunges into Edenic allegory, spiritual symbolism, and vampiric resurrection. 

The trio explores how Corkidi’s background as cinematographer on El Topo and The Holy Mountain shaped his arresting compositions—and why his directorial efforts remain both transfixing and narratively confounding.

From telepathic puppets to...

Mike White is joined by Mike Sullivan and Emily Intravia to take a long-overdue look at Move (1970), the surreal, seldom-seen New York comedy directed by Stuart Rosenberg. Fresh off his success in MASH Elliott Gould stars as Hiram Jaffe, a would-be playwright stuck writing porn and walking dogs while waiting for the movers who never arrive. As his mundane reality refuses to budge, Hiram plunges into a chaotic interior world filled with absurd fantasies, sexual misadventures, and psychological spirals.

Adapted from Joel Lieber’s novel (and screenplay), Move attempts to blend urban anxiety, dream logic, and dark comedy—resu...

Brace yourself for a mind-melting trip into cinematic obscurity as Mike White, Heather Drain, and Ben Buckingham dive headfirst into There Is No 13 (1974), the elusive, long-suppressed anti-war film from director William Sachs. Blending absurdist humor, surreal vignettes, and unflinching commentary on the Vietnam War, the film follows draftee George Thomas through a fractured journey of memory, fantasy, and emotional unraveling.

Almost impossible to find and never properly released in the U.S., There Is No 13 has lived more as rumor than repertory staple, with tales of government pressure and controversy haunting its legacy. First screened at the Berlin...

Mike welcomes director Lexi Alexander to discuss her latest film, Absolute Dominion (2025), a dystopian martial arts thriller set in a world torn apart by religious warfare. They dig into the film’s provocative premise, the challenges of balancing action with social commentary, and the process of staging large-scale fight sequences on screen. Lexi shares insights into the production, working with actors like Désiré Mia and Alex Winter, and her thoughts on the state of modern genre filmmaking.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Actor James A. Watson Jr. joins Mike White in The Projection Booth for a lively and insightful conversation about his remarkable career. Best known for his work on Quincy, M.E., The Rookies, and Hill Street Blues, Watson reflects on breaking into Hollywood, the challenges he faced as a Black actor, and his early film roles in Halls of Anger and The Organization. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from Airplane II: The Sequel and offers a candid look at working in both television and film across the 1970s to today. 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.c...

The Marvel machine rolls on! Mike welcomes Chris Stachiw and Father Malone back to The Projection Booth to unpack Thunderbolts (2025), Marvel’s latest plunge into the morally murky side of the MCU. With a roster of antiheroes and reformed villains, Thunderbolts flips the superhero script—so does it soar or stumble? The trio dives deep into the film’s character dynamics, chaotic action, and franchise fatigue, pulling no punches as they debate whether Marvel’s gamble pays off.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.

Mike welcomes film writer Mike Sullivan and critic/podcaster Amy Nicholson (Unspooled) to dig into So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993), Tommy Schlamme’s cult romantic comedy where Mike Myers plays it (mostly) straight — no prosthetics, no outlandish characters, just a jittery San Francisco beat poet navigating his fear of commitment. That is, until his charming new love, played by Nancy Travis, starts to look suspiciously like a black widow killer. Expect plenty of riffs on the film’s quirky mix of romance, murder mystery, and Myers’s rare leading-man turn — plus some love for its killer soundtrack and sharply oddball 90...

Director Rachel Feldman joins Mike to discuss her powerful new film Lilly (2025), a long-overdue portrait of activist Lilly Ledbetter. They explore the real-life struggles that inspired the story, the battle to bring Lilly’s fight for equal pay to the big screen, and the challenges of crafting a deeply personal historical drama in today’s Hollywood landscape. Feldman shares behind-the-scenes insights into the film’s development, the emotional performances at its core, and why Lilly’s story continues to resonate now more than ever.

The film opens in the US on May 9, 2025.

Become a supporter of this pod...

Prepare for takeoff as Mike White is joined by Mark Begley (Wake Up Heavy) and Chris Stachiw (The Kulturecast) for a high-flying deep dive into Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)! Buckle up for a spirited discussion about the often-overlooked follow-up to one of the greatest comedies of all time. Beyond the crew's lively breakdown, the episode features an impressive lineup of interviews with writer/director Ken Finkleman, legendary comedy writers Al Jean and Mike Reiss, and actors Robert Hays and James A. Watson Jr. Get ready for behind-the-scenes stories, writing room war tales, and reflections on the film's unique legacy — all wh...

TCM’s Alicia Malone returns to The Projection Booth to talk about her latest book, TCM Imports: A Journey Through International Cinema (2025). Mike and Alicia dive into the stories behind how foreign films made their way into American hearts—and living rooms. From groundbreaking works to hidden gems that expanded Hollywood's imagination, they trace the surprising, inspiring, and sometimes frustrating history of international cinema's arrival stateside. Along the way, Alicia shares her personal favorites, her research surprises, and why celebrating these global voices matters now more than ever.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podc...

Tension simmers in La Haine (1995), Matthieu Kassovitz’s electrifying portrait of disenfranchised youth in the Parisian banlieues. Mike is joined by guest co-hosts Lumi Etienne and Judith Mayne for a deep dive into the film’s kinetic black-and-white visuals, pulsing energy, and unflinching look at police violence, social unrest, and alienation.

Over the course of a single 24-hour span, we follow Vinz, Saïd, and Hubert—three friends caught in a spiral of rage, hopelessness, and reaction to systemic oppression.

Special guest Ginette Vincendeau, renowned scholar of French cinema, offers historical and cultural insights into the film’s...

Co-hosts Maurice Bursztynski and Jonathan Melville join Mike to take on a Patreon request from listener John Atom—Nevil Shute’s On the Beach. They dive into both the 1959 Stanley Kramer film and the 2000 TV mini-series directed by Russell Mulcahy. Set in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, the story centers on a U.S. submarine that finds refuge in Melbourne, Australia, where residents face the grim reality that the fallout is heading their way.

The episode explores the emotional depth and existential dread of both adaptations, from the restrained melancholy of Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner to the...