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TV & Film

Verbal Diorama

Verbal Diorama

The award-winning indie film history podcast celebrating the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't.

Have you ever wondered how your favourite movies were made? Hosted by Em, Verbal Diorama is a movie podcast that takes you behind the scenes to discover the extraordinary stories of cast and crew who bring classic films, blockbuster films, and cult films to life.

Movies are tough to make, and this podcast proves how amazing it is that they actually exist. From Hollywood classics to hidden gems, each episode explores the behind-the-scenes history, legacy, and untold filmmaking stories that make cinema history.

Ear Worthy 2024 Best Movie Podcast Winner | Golden Lobes 2025 Earworm Award Nominee | Ear Worthy 2025 Best Movie Podcast Nominee | Golden Lobes 2026 Earworm Award Nominee

New episodes weekly. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app.

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  • 353 episodes
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Episodes353

Newest first
  • Sep 1, 2022 · 1 hr 6 min

    Spider-Man 2 (2004)

    The power of the sun, in the palm of my hands... Welcome to Sequeltember: The Sequel. Another round of sequels to movies previously featured on Verbal Diorama, and the month starts with a sequel that surpassed its genre-defining original. Spider-Man 2 is, 18 years after its release, still widely regarded as one of the best comic book movies ever made. It's not hard to see why. It has a relatable, human story at its heart, a villain with pathos, gives us the familiar cinematic beats we expect from superhero cinema, as well as accessibility to casual viewers. A blend of truly remarkable practical and CG effects make Doc Ock a ground-breaking antagonist, brought to life by the one and only Alfred Molina. Sam Raimi's trilogy peaks here. I would love to hear your thoughts on Spider-Man 2 (2004) ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Pete, Heather and Danny BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Derek for his patron thoughts. You can find him @derekjones198 on Twitter and his podcast The Midnight Myth on all your podcast apps. Zo for his patron thoughts. You can find him @BackLookCinema on Twitter and his podcast Back Look Cinema on all your podcast apps. And Brendan for his patron thoughts. Twitter peeps @HarrymetMovies @bestfilmeverpod @AtPedestrian @HarleyMumford @kevin_thecritic @Neillbert @DWLundberg @diabolicalpod @momscast @mikeb196 @laughmatician @TheGodofPod @AndyGaudion93 @AndrewGordge @GRive03 @AdventuresSun Instagram folk @sp_filmviewers @dywmpodcast Facebook chums None this time Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Mentioned in this episode: Paid promotions in this episode This episode contains a paid Patron promotion for Middle Class Film Class, hosted by patron Pete. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Aug 30, 2022 · 34 min

    Grease 2

    Spending my vacation in the summer sun, gettin' lots of action and a lots of fun, scorin' like a bandit 'til the bubble burst, suddenly it got to be August 31st! Come on everybody, gather 'round, I'm gonna show you how to knock 'em down. When I'm on the ball, I'm the number one, and I'm gonna show you how it's done. It's time for the annual birthday episode! While I pride myself on being your Girl For All Seasons, sometimes you have to Do It for Our Country and forget the Charades. It's time for the superior Grease to reign supreme - Grease 2! Who's That Guy? It's Maxwell Caulfield! Who's looking for a Cool Rider? well, me, but also Michelle Pfeiffer! No need to be Prowlin' through your podcast app looking for a Rock-a-Hula-Luau. We'll Be Together, and (Love Will) Turn Back the Hands of Time to go Back to School Again in 1961 at Rydell High, as the T-Birds and Pink Ladies return to Score Tonight. Any unauthorised Reproduction of this birthday episode is strictly prohibited. MY GREASE 2 ARTICLE FOR FILM STORIES Adrian Zmed & The T-Birds - Solid Gold This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Aug 25, 2022 · 1 hr 6 min

    Twins (ft. Drew and Matt from Sequel Pitch)

    Auguest concludes, with the first, second and third rule in a crisis situation... I have no respect for those who have no respect for logic. Joining me to talk about Ivan Reitman's fan-favourite Arnold Schwarzenegger & Danny DeVito buddy comedy TWINS are two hosts of a podcast that could be the twin podcast to Verbal Diorama; Drew and Matt from Sequel Pitch! I know, right! Practically twins! While we only have three fathers between us, not six, our podcasts were separated at birth, only to find each other much later. Very much like the story of Julius and Vincent Benedict, coincidentally also the names of Matt's twin daughters. Arnold Schwarzenegger was known as an '80s action hero, following hits like The Terminator and Commando. He wanted to branch out into comedy and a chance meeting with Ivan Reitman at a ski resort would give him the chance. The idea they pitched to Universal was simple: Schwarzenegger. DeVito. Twins. Together Reitman, Schwarzenegger and DeVito would also take no up-front salary, but instead a portion of the profits, which would yield a unexpected and unprecedented windfall for all three. This episode is also filled with way more innuendo an '80s buddy comedy should facilitate, as well as some great Arnie impressions. And did you know that in real life science is taking steps towards creating an actual Julius Benedict, using three-parent IVF? Tonight is your night, bro! Drew (@DrewToynbee) and Matt (@V1KingXL) host Sequel Pitch alongside Ross and Andy. You can find their back catalogue of brilliant episodes in your podcast app of choice, and they're on Twitter as @SequelPitch I would love to hear your thoughts on Twins! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Pete, Heather and brand-new patron Danny! BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Drew & Matt for being awesome and coming on! Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Aug 18, 2022 · 2 hr 11 min

    Ex Machina (ft. Jack from Sequelisers)

    Auguest continues! Impulse. Response. Fluid. Imperfect. Patterned. Chaotic. All words to describe this podcast, but also uttered by Nathan describing the brain of his ultimate creation; Ava. But can Ava pass as human? Let's find out as we delve into Alex Garland's (sort-of!) directorial debut, EX MACHINA! This week's guest wasn't lucky, he was chosen. I had to use all of my self-awareness, imagination, manipulation, sexuality and empathy to be joined by the terrific Jack Chambers-Ward from Sequelisers, who was made to be on this podcast talking about Ex Machina. Despite all of his work so far, Ex Machina might very well be Alex Garland's masterpiece. A complex, character-driven piece, on the power of nature vs future, nature vs nurture and man vs object of desire. Basically this movie and this episode.... is all about Kyoko. Kyoko is the key. Don't believe us? Listen in and we'll explain why.... If you've created a conscious machine, it's not the history of man. That's the history of gods. The YouTube video we mention several times, by Shaun, is titled How Wikipedia Got Ex Machina (2014) Wrong and is available here Jack (@jlwchambers) hosts Sequelisers alongside Matt Stogdon and Tim Maytom. You can find their back catalogue of brilliant episodes in your podcast app of choice, and they're on Twitter as @Sequelisers I would love to hear your thoughts on Ex Machina! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Pete and Heather. BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Jack, for being awesome and coming on! Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Aug 11, 2022 · 1 hr 21 min

    Dogma (ft. Andy from Geek Salad)

    Auguest continues! Snootch to the motherf**king nootch! Verbal Diorama returns for another guest hosted episode for probably the best movie writer/director Kevin Smith has ever made - DOGMA. There's no pleasure, no rapture, no exquisite sin greater than being joined for Dogma by the human embodiment of the Buddy Christ, Andy from Geek Salad, for his Holy Trinity of guest appearances. He has a penchant for the dramatic, but unlike other fallen angels, he won't kill you for your sins. Kevin Smith tapped into his lapsed Catholicism and wrote an ambitious, controversial and theologically actually-rather-respectful; reverent, yet irreverent story. You people! If there isn't a movie about it, it's not worth knowing, is it? Andy (aka Perennial Commenter Andy!) hosts Geek Salad along with regular contributors Mike, Katherine and Joe. You can find their back catalogue of brilliant episodes in your podcast app of choice, and they're on Twitter as @geeksaladradio I would love to hear your thoughts on Dogma! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Pete and Heather BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Andy, for being awesome and coming on! Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Aug 4, 2022 · 1 hr 24 min

    Basic Instinct (ft. Gali from The Rewind Movie Podcast)

    Auguest, a month of amazing guest-hosted episodes, begins! I'd have to be pretty stupid to host a podcast about killing and then kill him the way I described in my podcast. I'd be announcing myself as the killer. I'm not stupid. TW: This episode includes a discussion about a scene which depicts forced sex/sexual assault/rape as well as Sharon Stone's recent revelations that she did not consent to her genitals being shown on screen. It's not just global warming, Verbal Diorama is officially getting hotter, and finally tackling the definitive erotic thriller of the '90s - BASIC INSTINCT! A spec script that Mario Kassar of Carolco paid $3 million for, which became the movie everyone was talking about, but mainly for one infamous scene in particular. Joining me for this sexy investigation is a man who can wield an ice pick like no other. A man who likes rough edges, and a podcaster who falls for the wrong guest appearance. It’s Gali from The Rewind Movie Podcast. Will Gali make it out of the episode alive? Will I charge him with smoking? Will he get off before he gets offed? Or will we f**k like minks, raise rugrats, and live happily ever after? Maybe forget the rugrats... Gali hosts The Rewind Movie Podcast along with Devlin, Patrick and Matt. You can find their back catalogue of brilliant episodes in your podcast app of choice, and they're on Twitter as @rewindmoviecast I would love to hear your thoughts on Basic Instinct! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Pete and Heather BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Gali, for being awesome and coming on! Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Mentioned in this episode: Paid promotions in this episode This episode contains a paid Patron promotion for Middle Class Film Class, hosted by patron Pete. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jul 28, 2022 · 51 min

    Airplane!

    Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts for the latest episode of this podcast. What is it? Well, it's an audio file you can listen to at any time, but that's not important right now. Surely Verbal Diorama can't be serious? Well, Verbal Diorama is serious, and don't call me Shirley. I'm Em, I'm your pilot for this flight, and the life of everyone on board depends upon just one thing: finding a podcast host who can not only fly this plane, but who didn't have fish for dinner. We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor? Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit podcasting... I would love to hear your thoughts on Airplane! ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Pete and brand-new patron Heather! BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy and Mike for their patron thoughts. You can find them @geeksaladradio / @gundam_guyver on Twitter and their podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Pete for his patron thoughts. You can find him @TheRealPEEEETE on Twitter and his podcast Middle Class Film Class on all your podcast apps. Nicholas, Stuart and Ian for their patron thoughts, too! Twitter peeps @DirectorNeil @nobodyasked4pod @VincentAsher @NeededRoads @AlyInASpin @AtPedestrian @SwayzeofArabia @toptenpods @DallasKing1138 @GorillaBrainPod @TrueblueRich @GemCFC @JakeGGodfrey Instagram folk None this time Facebook chums Tony M Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jul 25, 2022 · 30 min

    Promising Young Woman

    Another Nanorama (episodes slightly shorter, but focusing on interesting titbits of information) on the history and legacy of Promising Young Woman, and how important this movie is, regardless of your gender. If this movie makes you feel uncomfortable, it's doing its job. TW: This episode covers suicide, rape, sexual abuse, lack of rape convictions, as well as a rant on the recent overturning by the US Supreme Court of Roe vs Wade, making abortions illegal in some US States and limiting reproductive healthcare. Believe women Respect women Fight for women If you need to talk to someone - https://www.samaritans.org/ Please consider supporting abortion and reproductive rights charities in the US - https://abortionfunds.org/funds/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jul 21, 2022 · 55 min

    The Terminator

    It was a fever dream while making Piranha II: The Spawning that gave James Cameron his idea for a terrifying metal endoskeleton crawling through flames. From that initial idea, he would write a draft, and with the help of Gale Anne Hurd, he would have a script that would sell to Orion, and funding from Hemdale Film Corporation. That script was called The Terminator. Made for a comparatively tiny $6.5 million, The Terminator would surpass all expectations, including that of Orion, and of its star Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a role that he'd admit in later life was his personal favourite character. With practical effects by Stan Winston Studio and Fantasy II, a tightly paced story and taking inspiration from slasher horror, The Terminator terminated the competition on its release in October 1984. It created a franchise, created a star and created a director. Come with me if you want to listen... I would love to hear your thoughts on The Terminator ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas, Zo, and brand-new patrons Kev and Pete! BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Derek for his patron thoughts. You can find him @derekjones198 on Twitter and his podcast The Midnight Myth on all your podcast apps. Zo for his patron thoughts. You can find him @backlookcinema on Twitter and his podcast Back Look Cinema on all your podcast apps. and to Nicholas and Ian for your Patron thoughts too! Twitter peeps @HarrymetMovies @DirectorNeil @VincentAsher @DWLundberg @eilfmovies @NeededRoads @mrlondon_ncb @AtPedestrian @dissectthatfilm @AvatarPod @robopulp @forced2bsocial @ConnectionsCult @BenBerwickGB @TIaaDMedia @mcuonrepeat Instagram folk @lindahl_a Facebook chums None this time Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. I'll be back! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jul 14, 2022 · 51 min

    District 9

    It's not every first time director who hits it out of the park with their first feature, especially one based on an original idea, with an unknown cast. Luckily (or rather unluckily for Halo), an existing project that had brought them together had crumbled, and so a partnership began between powerhouse producer Peter Jackson, fresh off his The Lord of the Rings trilogy and newcomer Neill Blomkamp. Based on Blomkamp's 6-minute short film Alive in Joburg, District 9 takes South Africa's recent history and translates it into a science fiction satire, asking the simple question of "How would humans treat alien refugees?" and is it really any different to "How would white people treat black people?" While District 9 has its controversies and critics, it was a fresh and interesting take on the alien invasion genre in 2009, and while you would have thought a sequel would be forthcoming rather quickly, District 10 has never quite materialised... Alive in Joburg is available to watch at https://youtu.be/ZlgtbEdqVsk I would love to hear your thoughts on District 9 ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas and Zo! BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Zo for his patron thoughts. You can find him @backlookcinema on Twitter and his podcast Back Look Cinema on all your podcast apps. Twitter peeps @DirectorNeil @TheRealPEEEETE @WeWatchedAThing @TIaaDMedia @AtPedestrian @diabolicalpod @isceneitpod @SarahHamstera @laughmatician @MadeUpMoviesPod Instagram folk None this time Facebook chums None this time Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jul 7, 2022 · 54 min

    Mars Attacks!

    Ack ack ackack ACK ACK! Based on the Topps trading cards of the same name, a movie version of Mars Attacks! first started gathering pace in the mid-80s, but without Tim Burton's involvement. After several years in development hell, screenwriter Jonathan Gems and director Tim Burton got involved, with a script which was costed by Warner Bros at $250 million to make. Not even Titanic would cost that much. To get the cost down, compromises had to be made, and while eight months of stop-motion work had been completed, the decision was made to scrap most of it for CG Martians, which reduced the budget enough to allow production to commence. At the same time, rival studio 20th Century Fox was working on their own big budget special effects-laden alien invasion movie, you might have heard of; Independence Day, and director Roland Emmerich wanted to beat Burton to the punch... I would love to hear your thoughts on Mars Attacks! ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew, Nicholas and Zo. BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy and Mike for their patron thoughts. You can find them @geeksaladradio / @gundamguyver on Twitter and their podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Dave for his patron thoughts. Nicholas for his patron thoughts. Twitter peeps @CapitalGamesPod @Neillbert @VincentAsher @AndrewGordge @marcpaters0n @holmesmoviespod @AtPedestrian @SatMornPod @ajblackwriter @ThiefCGT @NeededRoads @BigChiefBurrito @MadModMonkey Instagram folk @dave_j_bamf @friendlysparpod Facebook chums None this time Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jun 30, 2022 · 47 min

    Enchanted

    Enchanted started life as something very different to what it ended up becoming. Originally conceived as an R-rated comedy with no songs, it was purchased by Touchstone Pictures and eventually made its way to becoming a Disney property, which meant a serious tone down of the material. Going through several directors and writers, eventually it landed with Tarzan and 102 Dalmatians director Kevin Lima. He envisaged a love letter to Disney's past, taking inspiration from Shrek and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, enlisting the song writing abilities of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, and giving us the inimitable Amy Adams as the simply enchanting Giselle... I would love to hear your thoughts on Enchanted ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Jason, Ian D, Sunni, Drew and Nicholas BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Sunni for her patron thoughts. You can find her @Bookofliespod on Twitter and her podcast Book of Lies on all your podcast apps. Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Nicholas and Brendan for their Patron thoughts, too! Twitter peeps @DWLundberg @SeanGeekPodcast @SoWizardPodcast @CapitalGamesPod @OSWpodcast1 @AtPedestrian @KevinRBrackett Instagram folk @retroramblepod @friendlysparpod @fourieraaitjie Facebook chums Tony M Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jun 27, 2022 · 35 min

    Romancing the Stone & The Jewel of the Nile

    Another Nanorama (episodes slightly shorter, but focusing on interesting titbits of information) on the history and legacy of 1984 smash-hit adventure romantic comedy Romancing the Stone and its rushed sequel The Jewel of the Nile... Romancing the Stone was written by waitress Diane Thomas, and in a true rags-to-riches story was sold to producer Michael Douglas for $250,000. Filmed on location in the Mexican jungle, Romancing the Stone was beset with problems, but the real issues were going on behind the scenes, because 20th Century Fox thought it would be a huge flop... The Jewel of the Nile was rushed into production to capitalise on the huge success of Romancing the Stone, but it was a production with more problems that its predecessor. From the change in writer and director, to Kathleen Turner's unwillingness to return and subsequent lawsuit threat. Illness would plagued the shoot in Morocco and multiple tragedies would occur, too. But when the going gets tough... This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jun 23, 2022 · 40 min

    Mortal Kombat (1995) & Mortal Kombat: Annihilation

    GET OVER HERE! In a change to the scheduled episode, a smaller Nanorama (episodes slightly shorter, but focusing on interesting titbits of information) on the history and legacy of the original Mortal Kombat film adaptation from 1995, and its much maligned sequel... YOUR SOUL IS MINE! Mortal Kombat, as a video game, was a worldwide phenomenon. It made sense to make it into a movie. It really was an unprecedented hit, too. And it all started with the arcade game for Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Midway Games' love of Jean-Claude Van Damme.... TEST YOUR MIGHT! Mortal Kombat: Annihilation promised three times the ambition of the first movie, with more fights, more special effects and more Outworld. It did follow through on those promises, to be fair to varying degrees of success, but there was some genuine innovation behind the scenes... FINISH HER! Dom O'Brien's article on Mortal Kombat: Annihilation FLAWLESS VICTORY! MOOORTALLL KOMMMBATTT!!! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jun 16, 2022 · 1 hr 7 min

    Team America: World Police

    Team America: World Police started out as an homage to Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds mixed with Jerry Bruckheimer all-action, post 9/11 US foreign policy and a hint of disaster movies. It's likely that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone simply had no idea what they were in for when they agreed to make this movie and release it in October 2004. They had five months(!) Five months to make a fully practical movie starring marionettes, with scale sets and explosions and montages and sex! With zero CGI. Did they do it? Bleep yeah. This episode explains how, and why we should be retrospectively praising this movie for more than its satire. I would love to hear your thoughts on Team America: World Police ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Ian D, Sunni, Drew & brand-new patron Nicholas! BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Derek for his patron thoughts. You can find him @derekjones198 on Twitter and his podcast The Midnight Myth on all your podcast apps. Nicholas for his patron thoughts too! Twitter peeps @TheRealPEEEETE @FantayziaR @SeanGeekPodcast @CapesOnTheCouch @AaronishJackson @The80sMoviePod @Oral_mfc @SwayzeofArabia @Johnathanblade @eilfmovies @PodcastWtcc @PiecingPod @NeededRoads @AtPedestrian @laughmatician @nobodyasked4pod Instagram folk @sp_filmviewers Facebook chums None this time Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jun 9, 2022 · 1 hr 5 min

    The Suicide Squad (2021)

    Heroes Through the Decades comes to a close in the 2020s with The Suicide Squad, proving that even villains can become heroes when given a second chance. Literally. When David Ayer's Suicide Squad was released in 2016, it was not the original movie he envisioned. Affected by the critical hammering of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Warner Bros set about making Suicide Squad lighter and more comedic, and David Ayer's version of the movie was substantially changed. The movie was a huge financial success in 2016, but a critical flop. Hence all the calls to #ReleaseTheAyerCut. While a sequel to Suicide Squad had been planned to happen immediately after, several factors, including the unavailability of Will Smith and Margot Robbie, and David Ayer choosing not to return meant the sequel remained unmade... That was until James Gunn was fired by Disney over controversial ten-year-old tweets in July 2018. This was an opportunity Warner Bros and DC jumped on immediately, hiring Gunn and giving him free reign over whatever DC projects he wanted to make. He chose to make his version of Suicide Squad. The Suicide Squad. And, excuse the inappropriate pun, but it's marvellous. I would love to hear your thoughts on The Suicide Squad (2021) ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Ian D, Sunni and Drew BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Derek for his patron thoughts. You can find him @derekjones198 on Twitter and his podcast The Midnight Myth on all your podcast apps. Scott for his patron thoughts. You can find him @MSMRpod on Twitter and his podcast Monkey See Monkey Review on all your podcast apps. Sam for his patron thoughts. You can find him @MovieReviewsIn on Twitter and his podcast Movie Reviews in 20 Qs on all your podcast apps. Twitter peeps @AddictsAction @AndrewGordge @DWLundberg @SmashTriviaJohn @Johnathanblade @TheRealPEEEETE @stuntgoat75 @FantayziaR @MusicTVfilmfan @fabricius91 @wdrpthederp @MadeUpMoviesPod @notthatbadcast @SWOProductions @ShoottheFlick Instagram folk @sassylassy76 @sp_filmviewers Facebook chums Andrew N Tony M Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • Jun 2, 2022 · 1 hr 7 min

    X-Men: First Class

    After the financial success of X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men spin-offs X-Men Origins: Wolverine and X-Men Origins: Magneto were both being developed at about the same time at 20th Century Fox. Due to the Writer's Guild of America strike in 2007-2008, production on Magneto was halted and put on the back burner, whereas Wolverine managed to scrape through the system. When Wolverine was released and didn't do quite as well as Fox hoped, the idea for an Origins franchise, and specifically the Magneto spin-off, was shelved, until the idea for a young X-Men movie came back into executives' minds after dabbling in it in the mid 2000s. The two ideas for young X-Men and a Magneto origin story, along with the name X-Men: First Class, were mushed together to start a new trilogy. There were serious time constraints on this production though. It would end up coming together in just thirteen(!) months, with literal days between finishing the post-production and its premiere. The fact X-Men: First Class is as xceptional as it is, well, it's quite miraculous. I would love to hear your thoughts on X-Men: First Class ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Ian D, Sunni and Drew BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy and Mike for their patron thoughts. You can find them @geeksaladradio / @gundam_guyver on Twitter and their podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Sunni for her patron thoughts. You can find her @bookofliespod on Twitter and her podcast Book of Lies on all your podcast apps. Derek for his patron thoughts. You can find him @derekjones198 on Twitter and his podcast The Midnight Myth on all your podcast apps. Twitter peeps @DWLundberg @AndrewGordge @holmesmoviespod @HarrymetMovies @HarleyMumford @retrorambleblog @giles_gough @mikeb196 @NeededRoads @mrlondon_ncb @kevin_thecritic Instagram folk @sassylassy76 @dave_j_bamf @projectingfilm Facebook chums Tony M Vikki M Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • May 26, 2022 · 1 hr 14 min

    Spider-Man (2002)

    Spider-Man gave us an origin story of great power and great responsibility, in more ways than one, but also a story that ordinary nerds could relate to. From humble origins as a throwaway character in a cancelled comic book title, to Marvel's flagship character, a movie version of Spider-Man has been in the works since the early '80s with differing results. Enjoy my new feature "Corman, Cannon, Carolco and Columbia"! A trip through the web of un-made Spider-Man movies of years past, but how each of them made Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002) possible, and with it started breaking financial box office records left, right and centre. Cannon teaser trailer for their Spider-Man movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqvzRqWRQnw Amalgamated Dynamics Green Goblin mask & make-up test - https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/blog/spider-man-green-goblin-adi-makeup-test I am so high, I can hear heaven. I would love to hear your thoughts on Spider-Man (2002) ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Ian D, Sunni and Drew BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Derek for his patron thoughts. You can find him @derekjones198 on Twitter and his podcast The Midnight Myth on all your podcast apps. And Brendan for his patron thoughts. Twitter peeps @DWLundberg @NeededRoads @mrlondon_ncb @notthatbadcast @TheMiddleborne @HarleyMumford @AndrewGordge @KidCreole3 @robjrobbie @Johnathanblade @EverTrendingPod Instagram folk @seangeekpodcast @sp_filmviewers @friendlysparpod Facebook chums Tony M Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • May 19, 2022 · 57 min

    Blade (1998)

    Heroes Through the Decades ass kicks into the '90s, with Wesley Snipes' cool, charismatic badass vampire hunter - Blade! In 1971 the Comics Code Authority updated its code criteria, which had been in place since 1954, relaxing the rules on the depiction of horror in comics. For the first time, vampires were allowed in comic books. Marvel's first pseudo-vampire character, Morbius the Living Vampire sowed the seeds for the second; Blade the Vampire Hunter. Wesley Snipes was originally interested in making an adaptation of Black Panther before his attention was piqued with a movie adaptation of Blade. In many ways, it feels like the character of Blade was made for Wesley Snipes, and he not only decided to star in Blade, but also produce it through his production company Amen Ra Films. Snipes was literally and figuratively invested in this production. Snipes, along with writer David S. Goyer (who fought against studios trying to whitewash the character) and director Stephen Norrington, formed a trifecta of creative passion for Blade; for his story, the homage paid to Hong Kong action films and to make this story as bloody, gory and fun as it could be. Insert very '90s techno rave music here. IT'S BLOOD RAVE TIME! I would love to hear your thoughts on Blade (1998) ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Ian D, Sunni and Drew BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Scott for his patron thoughts. You can find him @MSMRpod on Twitter and his podcast Monkey See Monkey Review on all your podcast apps. Ian and Brendan for your patron comments too! Twitter peeps @HarrymetMovies @Kevhaney @chancewhitmore5 @UKFilmNerd @anightmarepod @AlonzoTheArtist @30Podcast @NeededRoads @Stuntgoat75 @FantayziaR @Johnathanblade Instagram folk @sassylassy76 Facebook chums Andy T Tony M Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  • May 12, 2022 · 1 hr 3 min

    Batman (1989)

    Heroes Through the Decades kapows into the 1980s, and is there any superhero as ubiquitous as Batman? Found in comics, in movies and TV, on lunchboxes, as toys and as one of the best-known silhouettes in the world, Batman's omnipresence in pop culture might be commonplace today, but while Batman was a hugely popular comic book series (and '60s TV show!), the Caped Crusader as we know him shifted into popular culture in 1989, not only with the release of this movie, but with BATMANIA! Batman was a movie built from the ground up for merchandising potential, and that famous black and yellow Batman logo adorned everything in the run-up to the release of this movie, including clothing, trading cards and bags. Teaser posters were stolen from bus stops and subway stations. Pre-production of Batman was long and arduous, with fan expectations at fever pitch, and when Michael Keaton's name was announced, 50,000 letters of complaint were sent to the production. This episode also pays its respect to the late Bill Finger, a man who was never originally credited for co-creating Batman, and it took a novelist and documentary filmmaker's persistence to get Finger the posthumous credit he deserved. I would love to hear your thoughts on Batman (1989) ! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Vern, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart, Ian D, Sunni and brand-new patron DREW! BRAND-NEW Merch STORE!! T-shirts inspired by The Mummy (1999) with more collections to come! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy for his patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter and his podcast Geek Salad on all your podcast apps. Claudia for her patron thoughts. Twitter peeps @MrAsquith @DWLundberg @BurghFan004 @Stuntgoat75 @HarrymetMovies @films_that @andywilliams250 @SwayzeofArabia @american_murder @SmashTriviaJohn @RealBrewsyTwos @NikolisKitchen Instagram folk @sassylassy76 Facebook chums Andy T Tony M Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Mentioned in this episode: Livestream for the Cure 2022 The 6th Annual Livestream for the Cure will take place May 19th - 21st over 45 hours, as creators from around the world come together to fight for hope - the hope of a future immune to cancer. Join me and other podcasters and content creators from across the world as we support Livestream for the Cure and raise $20,000 for the Cancer Research Institute. I'll be joining Nick on Livestream for the Cure on Saturday 21st May between 17:00-18:00 BST (12:00-13:00 Eastern US time / 09:00-10:00 Pacific US time). This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy