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

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353 episodes
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Episodes353

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Jan 6, 2022 · 46 min
The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
Welcome to Animation Season 2022! Happy New Year and Ba weep granah weep nini bong to you all! We're starting this new season with a movie that traumatised a generation of children - The Transformers: The Movie. Transformers started out as a toy line, and became a comic and a TV series, and it was making huge profits for parent company Hasbro, but what do you do when you want to introduce a whole new toy line and get rid of the old ones? Why, you make a feature length animation to kill off the ones you don't want anymore. It'll be easy, right? Well, turns out Hasbro ignored the advice of seasoned writer Ron Friedman, who insisted killing Optimus Prime would be a terrible idea. Hasbro went ahead and massacred not only Optimus, but other fan favourite characters, just to get kids to want new toys. While this decision is seen as one of the worst ideas in Transformers history, it arguably made The Transformers: The Movie into more than meets the eye, and while the move failed at the box office, its legacy in animation history would be preserved as an emotionally impactful story for millions of fans, and is now a beloved cult classic. I would love to hear your thoughts on The Transformers: The Movie GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian M, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris, Stuart and brand-new patron Ian D! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Derek from The Midnight Myth for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @derekjones198 / @TheMidightMyth on Twitter Mark from 100 Things We Learned from Film for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @100thingspod on Twitter Emily from I Drink Your Podcast for her Patron thoughts. You can find her @IDYPpodcast on Twitter Follow, subscribe & listen to Geek Salad in your podcast app of choice! Twitter peeps @VincentAsher @notthatbadcast @NikolisKitchen @HarrymetMovies @NeededRoads @ThiefCGT @PhiltheBear @dazzalovesmovie @BetamaxPod @30Podcast @ayumpp @Johnathanblade @ShahirDaud @Johnathanblade Instagram folk @englishbystephen 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Dec 22, 2021 · 24 min
Klaus
Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays! It looks like you’ve been good this year. How do I know? Well, this episode will only show in your podcast app if you’re officially on Santa’s nice list, so well done for being a really good person and keep up the excellent work! And who better to help you celebrate your good deeds, than Klaus? Verbal Diorama will return in 2022! Wishing you a fun, safe and brilliant holiday season! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Dec 21, 2021 · 24 min
Krampus
Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays! It looks like you might have been a little bit naughty this year. No judgement from me, but this episode will only show in your podcast app if you’re on Santa’s naughty list! And who better to teach you a lesson if you’ve been naughty, than Krampus? Verbal Diorama will return in 2022! Wishing you a fun, safe and brilliant holiday season! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Dec 20, 2021 · 1 hr 34 min
Thor: Ragnarok (ft Sam from Movie Reviews in 20 Q's)
What were you the God of again? Joining me on this special bumper conclusion to Chris-mas 2021, is the awesome Sam from Movie Reviews in 20 Q's. He's an all-round legend, and a well-known Marvel nerd, and I simply had to have him for this episode on Thor: Ragnarok. After two previous Thor movies, Marvel decided to hire Kiwi Taika Waititi, impressed with his show reel consisting of Big Trouble in Little China and Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston would return, along with Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk and a slew of famous faces, including Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban and Jeff Goldblum. But the soft reboot Thor: Ragnarok, for all its '80s synth Mark Mothersbaugh score, vibrant colour scheme, physical comedy and crackling script, deftly masquerades a dark look at Odin's past as a malevolent king, grooming a child to follow his rule and abandoning her when she turns out to be more powerful than him. This is a movie about colonialism, the whitewashing of history and dysfunctional families, and mostly asks the question; was the true bad guy Odin all along? Leaning into Chris Hemsworth's comic timing and natural wit was a stroke of genius, and rejuvenates the character and the series, and finally seems to be showing the God of Thunder's true on-screen potential. Now, kneel before your Queen! Joining me to discuss Thor: Ragnarok is Sam Hurley, host of the podcast Movie Reviews in 20 Q's and author of Compliance. He's an amazing podcaster, nerd and all-round good guy and I'm delighted that he not only joined me for this episode, but he will be returning in 2022 for Thor: Love and Thunder! You can follow him at @MovieReviewsIn on Twitter, where you'll find top quality podcasting! I would love to hear your thoughts on Thor: Ragnarok! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave, Chris and brand-new patron Stuart! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Dec 13, 2021 · 45 min
Thor: The Dark World
After the success of Kenneth Branagh's Thor in 2011, a sequel for the God of Thunder was quickly put into motion, with a quick turnaround of two years. The race was on to find a director with a passion for the project, which they did in Patty Jenkins. Her appointment was a big deal too: she would have been the first female director to helm a movie in the MCU. Ultimately Jenkins' passion didn't align with Marvel's vision for the sequel, and so they parted ways, leaving Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor with the hefty, and hasty, task of putting together a cohesive sequel. What Taylor gave Marvel though, wasn't the movie we ended up with. Marvel executives, led by Kevin Feige, reworked the movie and requested an additional 35 days of reshoots to "fix" The Dark World. For all its faults, there are some beacons of light though; Thor and Loki together remain the backbone of this trilogy, and then there was a special appearance at MCU Comic-Con in 2013 which really got audiences salivating.... I would love to hear your thoughts on Thor: The Dark World! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave and Chris! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Brendan, for his Patron thoughts! Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Follow, subscribe & listen to Geek Salad in your podcast app of choice! Twitter peeps @TheCinemaGuys @Craigsg1 Instagram folk @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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Dec 6, 2021 · 44 min
Thor
Whosoever listens to this episode, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor. It's Phase 1 of the MCU. We've just had Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2 - all very grounded and Midgard-based. It was the perfect time, therefore to not only introduce a cosmic location, but a character steeped in rich Norse mythology. In 2011, we got Thor, aka Doth Mother Know You Weareth Her Drapes In Space. This movie introduced the masses to the titular God of Thunder (or is it God of Hammers?), as Chris Hemsworth proved he could do more than play Captain Kirk's father, and gave the unworthy, spoiled crown prince of Asgard eventual humour and humility, in this very traditional fish-out-of-water tale of a god, literally amongst men, transported to small town Puerto Antiguo, New Mexico where he meets physicist Jane Foster, as well as a recognisable Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. An adaptation of Thor had been in the works since 1991, with Sam Raimi keen to take on the Asgardian God. This movie was rejected by 20th Century Fox, but had it been greenlit, the superhero movie landscape would look very different today.... I would love to hear your thoughts on Thor! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave and Chris! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Brendan, for his Patron thoughts! Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Derek from The Midnight Myth for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @TheMidnightMyth on Twitter Sam from Movie Reviews in 20 Q's for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @MovieReviewsIn on Twitter Follow, subscribe & listen to Geek Salad, The Midnight Myth and Movie Reviews in 20 Q's in your podcast app of choice! Twitter peeps @ItsAMusicalPod @DWLundberg @NikolisKitchen @Craigsg1 @films_that @bestfilmeverpod @NextToTheAisle @FilmEffectPod @Rachelherrera11 @ThiefCGT @Johnathanblade @TheCinemaGuys Instagram folk @friendlysparpod @thebasementbinge 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Nov 29, 2021 · 31 min
Alien vs. Predator & Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Welcome to the third Nanorama episode - episodes slightly shorter, but focusing on interesting titbits of information. For this episode, I'm concluding the Alien franchise by talking a little about the saga's attempts at crossover events: Alien vs Predator was conceived instead of James Cameron's Alien 5, and was going to be the crossover event to end all crossover events. An Alien and a Predator smackdown, set on Earth, given a very distinct Resident Evil vibe, thanks to its director Paul W.S. Anderson. While it didn't set the critics alight, it did decent enough box office to give us a sequel.... Aliens vs Predator: Requiem continued the story from the end of the first movie, with the inclusion of the Predalien. It's a shame the movie was so dark that the audience could barely see the creature. Directed by first-time directors, and experienced visual effects artists, the Brothers Strause; AvP: Requiem wanted to up the stakes, make it more personal AND more gory.... This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Nov 25, 2021 · 45 min
That Thing You Do!
1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4.... Everyone's favourite movie uncle Tom Hanks isn't as known for his directorial or screenwriting career, as he is for his many Oscar-winning acting roles. That Thing You Do! was his first foray into both directing and writing, and boy does he knock it out of the park with this. It's a charming, sweet, nostalgic tale of Erie, PA teenagers Guy, Jimmy, Lenny and Tobias (the retrospectively named bass player!). They are the Oneders, and they enter a talent competition with a ballad written by Jimmy and Lenny, but that replacement drummer Guy ups the tempo on, causing everyone to want to dance along. The Oneders, renamed The Wonders, along with Jimmy's girlfriend Faye, go on a whirlwind of musical success, but the music industry is not a forgiving master, and like many real life bands, the Wonders become one-hit wonders. It could easily be a cautionary tale, but it's just so joyous and charming, invoking an era of timelessness, recalling the bygone days of Americana, the British Invasion that started with The Beatles, as well as the politics of the music industry, with an earworm of a theme song that might even be better than the theme song of this podcast. This was a passion project for Tom Hanks, and you can tell. It oozes careful thought, and the level of behind the scenes talent working on this movie belies Hanks' inexperience behind the screen. Everything about this movie is, excuse the pun, wonderful. Liv Tyler has beautiful hair, and RIP Adam Schlesinger. I would love to hear your thoughts on That Thing You Do! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack, Dave and brand-new patron Chris! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Laurel from The Midnight Myth for her Patron thoughts. You can find her @TheMidnightMyth on Twitter Follow, subscribe & listen to Geek Salad and The Midnight Myth in your podcast app of choice! Twitter peeps @WeWatchedAThing @DWLundberg @A_November_Man @The_FJ_Podcast @cheapseatcast Instagram folk @girlymovienight 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Nov 18, 2021 · 1 hr 18 min
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (ft Nick from Nikoli's Kitchen)
Featuring five-time award winning podcaster Nicholas Haskins..... and Tits McGee. Actually, it's me, Em, Tits McGee is on vacation. Joining me is the Ron Burgundy of podcasting. A man who has many leather bound books and whose apartment smells of rich mahogany, a man who can play jazz flute like no other - Nicholas Haskins of the podcast Nikoli's Kitchen. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, if not a movie everyone's seen, is definitely a movie everyone has quoted. The lexicon of Anchorman still holds true, but not many people know that Ron Burgundy and Veronica Corningstone were loosely based on real news anchors: Mort Crim and Jessica Savitch. Savitch in particular was a trailblazer for women in news, starting as a diversity hire and becoming the station's first female reporter and one of the first women to anchor an evening network news broadcast. Sixty percent of the time, it’s a movie that works every time, because while the zeitgeist surrounding the movie still holds up, the movie itself (especially in the light of modern sensibilities and the #MeToo Movement) really kinda doesn't. This is despite the fact it was a radical re-think behind scripted comedy, and really one of the first of the 2000s era improvised Judd Apatow bromantic comedies. Verbal Diorama, in German though, does actually mean "whale's vagina". Joining me to discuss Anchorman is Nick Haskins, host of the podcast Nikoli's Kitchen and creator of Livestream for the Cure. He's the best of men and I'm delighted that he not only joined me for this episode, but he will be returning in future, too. You can follow his soothing honey vocals at @NikolisKitchen on Twitter, and listen out for me kicking off Season 3 of Nikoli's Kitchen very soon! I would love to hear your thoughts on Anchorman! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will and Jack. Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Nov 11, 2021 · 39 min
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
I can't believe how cute this episode is! On the surface, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion is a very simple premise. Two friends, happy with their lot in life, suddenly realise that maybe their post-high school existence isn't as brilliant as they first thought. Car dealership cashier Romy White and unemployed fashionista Michele Weinberger decide to go to their ten-year high school reunion AND pose as successful businesswomen to impress their graduating class. Their ruse? They invented Post-its! It's a '90s pop culture bubble of a movie, but it's also more than it's fluffy exterior might suggest. It really is all about the power of friendship, and that success is measured on your own terms. To some, success might be marriage and children, to others it might be writing for Vogue or becoming a billionaire entrepreneur. To Romy and Michele, success is being themselves, with each other. I would love to hear your thoughts on Romy and Michele's High School Reunion! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack and Dave! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Griff from The Paul and Griff Show for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @paulngriffshow on Twitter Kristin from So I'm Watching This Show / Another Buffy Podcast for her Patron thoughts. You can find her @soimwatching on Twitter or by following #anotherbuffypodcast Subscribe, follow and listen to Geek Salad, The Paul and Griff Show, So I'm Watching This Show and Another Buffy Podcast in your podcast app of choice! Twitter peeps @FilmEffectPod @anightmarepod @tannerhelps @Nerdrovert Instagram folk @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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Nov 4, 2021 · 41 min
GoldenEye
You know the name. You know the number. He has a licence to kill, he likes his vodka martinis shaken, not stirred. He's a sexist misogynist dinosaur, a relic of the Cold War.... And then, along came GoldenEye. Propelling James Bond into the post-Cold War, post-fall of the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall, and a technologically advanced 1995. It had been six years since the previous Timothy Dalton Bond, and Pierce Brosnan's interpretation feels worlds, and decades, away from Dalton's. GoldenEye was the first James Bond movie to not take reference from any of Ian Fleming's original novels or short stories, however instead is a direct homage to Fleming himself, and his work during the Second World War. This was the millennial’s Bond, and while Pierce Brosnan’s career as Bond didn’t quite land the way this movie took off, Brosnan would create the template for a more modern James Bond going forward and leave a lasting legacy in the franchise that has so far remained unmatched. Not to mention, that N64 game is cracking! For England! I would love to hear your thoughts on GoldenEye! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will, Jack and brand-new patron Dave! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy and Mike from Geek Salad for their Patron thoughts. You can find them @geeksaladradio on Twitter Derek from The Midnight Myth for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @TheMidnightMyth on Twitter Griff from The Paul and Griff Show for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @paulngriffshow on Twitter Subscribe, follow and listen to Geek Salad, The Midnight Myth and The Paul and Griff Show in your podcast app of choice! And also to Patron Brendan for his thoughts! Twitter peeps @thatfkingguy @ShoottheFlick @Oral_mfc @SpyHards @ItsAMusicalPod @TheCinemaGuys @NikolisKitchen @alatereviewer @GorillaBrainPod @LaunchingTPilot @willf86 Instagram folk None this time Facebook chums Erik 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Oct 30, 2021 · 29 min
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
SURPRISE!! In the grand tradition of surprise Halloween episodes, and following last year's Halloween episode Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, I wanted to cover another underappreciated cult classic that probably not many other podcasts will this spooky season - Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not the excellent TV series, (although I have done an episode on Hush), but the 1992 movie that introduced Buffy to the world. Kristy Swanson is the eponymous slayer, in Joss Whedon's feature film writing debut, and it's a movie he's canonically abandoned, but Buffy the Vampire Slayer really doesn't deserve the hate. It's a fun movie, and Kristy Swanson really is a good Buffy, just not the Buffy we all know. It's the beginnings of a character that would evolve from 1997-2003 under the skills and talents of Sarah Michelle Gellar, but let's not take anything away from Swanson. This version of Buffy works as an introduction to the character, to slayer and vampire lore, and to elongated hammy death scenes. With a big name cast, including Donald Sutherland, Rutger Hauer, Paul Reubens and Luke Perry, this Buffy might be a little more fluffy, but this Buffy also slays. How funky is your chicken? Happy Halloween! This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Oct 28, 2021 · 1 hr 16 min
Jennifer's Body (ft Helen O'Hara from Empire)
You could say Jennifer's Body was wildly misunderstood on its release in 2009. Just seen as yet another titillating teen horror capitalising on the sexuality of its lead actor Megan Fox, and heralded as neither funny nor scary; the Diablo Cody-penned, Karyn Kusama-directed, horror-comedy seemed to be destined for the DVD bargain bin.... And then, in recent years, the tide has turned because now people seem to not only understand it, but appreciate it. Its commentary on female relationships, society's pressure on women and, more recently, the #MeToo movement highlighting sexual harassment and abuse in the media, and the commodification of women's bodies by powerful men, Jennifer's Body is now seen as a feminist cult horror and has been retrospectively reappraised. (TW for discussions of rape, sexual abuse and sexual harassment, specifically related to the Harvey Weinstein case) Joining me to discuss Jennifer's Body is Helen O'Hara, editor-at-large of Empire, co-host of the Empire Film Podcast, author of Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film and host of the podcast Women vs Hollywood. It was amazing and fascinating to chat to Helen about this movie, and I'd highly recommend her book! You can find her @HelenLOHara on Twitter. Huge thanks for coming on to Verbal Diorama, Helen! I would love to hear your thoughts on Jennifer's Body! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will and Jack. Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Oct 24, 2021 · 31 min
Prometheus & Alien: Covenant
Welcome to the second Nanorama episode - episodes slightly shorter, but focusing on interesting titbits of information. For this episode, I'm continuing with the Alien franchise by talking a little about the saga's attempts at prequels: Prometheus brought back Alien director Ridley Scott, to distance itself from the franchise and delve into the origins of humanity, and the story around Alien's space jockey with a big-name cast including Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Idris Elba, but while it was a financial success, audiences struggled with this Alien prequels reliance on philosophical ideas about the creation of humanity. and distinct lack of actual aliens.... Alien: Covenant, also directed by Ridley Scott, distanced itself from its prequel, by returning to its franchise roots and almost disregarding the plot and characters of the previous movie (bar Michael Fassbender's David). It was being worked on at the same time as Neill Blomkamp's Alien 5, which would reunite Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn as Ripley and Hicks. No guesses which movie out of the two got cancelled as a result.... This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Oct 21, 2021 · 38 min
The Addams Family (1991)
They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether ooky, and they're finally on Verbal Diorama. **click click** The Addams Family, based on Charles Addams' comic strips and the TV show that preceded it, might be a fun family Halloween movie, but the behind-the-scenes troubles for this production are so plentiful that it's a miracle that The Addams Family not only exists, but is as good as it is. From fainting directors, to quitting cinematographers, the sale of the movie during production and rights issues that would plague the movie's release in certain countries on DVD 'til 2013, The Addams Family is like a swan - graceful and serene above the water, thrashing about below. Not that you can tell from the movie of course; even the visual effects still hold up 30 years later. It's perfectly cast too, with actors that still define the roles - Anjelica Huston, the late Raúl Juliá and Christina Ricci - The Addams Family is a delightfully macabre Halloween movie that the whole family can enjoy, and is complimented by a sequel that in many ways is better than the original, but that's for a future episode. Let's not talk about Addams Family Reunion though..... I would love to hear your thoughts on The Addams Family! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will and Jack. Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Jack from Sequelisers for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @Sequelisers on Twitter Subscribe, follow and listen to Geek Salad and Sequelisers in your podcast app of choice! And also to Patron Claudia for her thoughts! Twitter peeps @30Podcast @stoghz @Garbsy @DWLundberg 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Oct 14, 2021 · 45 min
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Are we ready to talk about Keanu's best role in cinema? Ok, so it might not be exactly that, but I have a LOT of love for Francis Ford Coppola's lavish, sublime and gorgeous adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. So much so that I don't even mind Keanu's stilted performance - it's no way as bad as many say it is, although that might be my bias shining through. It's a visual treat for the eyes, with stunning costume design by first-time costume designer Eiko Ishioka and incredibly practical in-camera special effects, headed by first-time visual effects director Roman Coppola (son of Francis Ford Coppola), as well as an unforgettable lead performance by the one and only Gary Oldman as Count Dracula; an icon of literature, TV and cinema for almost 100 years. This movie showed us that love, lust, sexual desire and terror are not mutually exclusive, and Coppola's vision would not only give us the only Academy Award-winning adaptation of the Dracula story, but also shape the way vampires (and the legendary Count himself) are portrayed in modern cinema. I love you too much to condemn you. I would love to hear your thoughts on Bram Stoker's Dracula! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Will and Jack. Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Derek and Laurel from The Midnight Myth for their Patron thoughts. You can find them @TheMidnightMyth on Twitter Subscribe, follow and listen to Geek Salad and The Midnight Myth in your podcast app of choice! And also to Patron Claudia for her thoughts! Twitter peeps @aliceoliverTV @MoviesWork Instagram folk @contrarianprime @stuntgoatanimation 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 uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Oct 7, 2021 · 38 min
Slither
James Gunn is mostly known nowadays for his work with Marvel Studios for the Guardians of the Galaxy duology (and his famous firing and re-hiring from said company), and his most recent DC release The Suicide Squad which he made during his Marvel hiatus (similarities between this movie and the character of Starro not withstanding!) Before Marvel took a chance on him, he was a reasonably well known writer, having worked on the two Scooby-Doo live action movies, as well as writing Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake. After his work on Dawn of the Dead he started writing Slither, a tribute and homage to the horror B-movies he loved. With obvious homages to Shivers, The Blob, The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (but not Night of the Creeps, despite popular opinion that it is!), Slither is a gruesome, grotesque, imaginative take on an alien creature's plans to dominate the Earth, featuring excellent practical creature effects and imagery that you won't forget for a long time. And what does the sex toy industry have to do with the production of Slither? Find out in this episode! I would love to hear your thoughts on Slither! GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Dan, Sam and brand-new patrons Will and Jack! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Sam from Movie Reviews in 20 Q's for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @MovieReviewsIn on Twitter Subscribe, follow and listen to Movie Reviews in 20 Q's in your podcast app of choice! And also to Patron Dan for his thoughts! Twitter peeps @WeWatchedAThing Instagram folk @thecinemaguys @stuntgoatanimation 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 Studios. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Sep 29, 2021 · 50 min
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
The final episode of Sequeltember, Gremlins 2: The New Batch is, in many ways a total anomaly. It's likely many a millennial's first foray into the Gremlins universe (Gremlinverse?) due to it's focus on the cartoonish humour, rather than the horror aspects of the 1984 original. Plus it’s not often a director gets to make a sequel that the studio is so desperate for that they will relinquish creative control. This is a movie that knows it’s a cash grab sequel, but makes a mockery of it. It successfully manages to lampoon everything about its own world and mythology, even down to the ridiculous rules of Mogwai ownership. There’s no denying that Gremlins (1984) is a classic, and yet Gremlins 2 somehow manages to elevate itself because it knows the premise of the first movie is ridiculous. It doesn’t just stop at self-referencing and satirising itself though, it takes the Hollywood system of sequels and just throws shot after shot, while also upping the ante of its own production by making more diverse; literally a new batch of Gremlins. Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a completely self-aware, insane commentary on '80s excess, commercialism and greed, as well as being hilariously and fourth-wall-breakingly funny. That alone makes it one of the best sequels ever made, and the perfect end to this Sequeltember season. I would love to hear your thoughts on Gremlins 2: The New Batch! The previous episode on Gremlins can be found at https://www.verbaldiorama.com/episode/gremlins GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Dan and Sam! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Derek from The Midnight Myth for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @TheMidnightMyth on Twitter And Brendan for his Patron thoughts, too! Subscribe, follow and listen to Geek Salad and The Midnight Myth in your podcast app of choice! Twitter peeps @BrickedPit @TheCatFilmFan @DWLundberg @Oral_mfc @WithSherman @sequelsonly @DannyBrownCA @movie_drone @TooaPenny Instagram folk @sp_filmviewers @pod_appetit @thecoolnesschronicles 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 Studios. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Sep 26, 2021 · 28 min
Alien 3 & Alien Resurrection
Welcome to the first Nanorama episode - episodes slightly shorter, but focusing on interesting titbits of information. For this inaugural Nanorama, I'm continuing with the Alien franchise by talking a little about the multiple screenplay attempts for Alien 3 and the differences between David Fincher's experiences working with 20th Century Fox to Jean-Pierre Jeunet's on Alien Resurrection. Alien 3 reportedly had several attempts at a screenplay, most of which didn't even include Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley, but some remnants of plot did end up in the final film, including how we ended up on a prison ship for David Fincher's directorial debut, which he has since disowned. Alien Resurrection also started without Ripley, as a smaller budget spin off focused on a clone of Newt, until Joss Whedon got involved with the script. Sigourney Weaver was adamant she was not going to return to the franchise for Alien Resurrection, but then she got offered a huge salary, an executive producer credit and the previously deceased Ripley got cloned... Special thanks to friends and excellent human beings over at The Rewind Movie Podcast @rewindmoviecast, for allowing use of their specially made cover art for Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection for this episode of Verbal Diorama. Art is by Devlin https://devlindoesdrawing.com. Listen to The Rewind Movie Podcast's entire Alien Quadrilogy series. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Sep 22, 2021 · 53 min
Aliens
In the pantheon of great sequels, nothing comes close to James Cameron's Aliens. It takes everything great about Ridley Scott's Alien and builds on it. It gives us more backstory for Ripley, more human characters for Ripley (and the audience) to form relationships with, and more importantly (especially as it's in the name), more aliens! The Alien Queen is both antithetic and comparable to Ripley. They're both mothers, both fiercely protective of their young, but unlike the alien queen's selfish motherhood, Ripley is selfless, and will die to protect young orphan Newt (which is even more poignant in the Director's Cut after finding out about the death of Ripley's own daughter) Unlike Alien's H.R. Giger designs, these xenomorphs are from the mind of James Cameron and the legendary Stan Winston studio, providing practical puppets that are still awe-inspiring and terrifying 35 years later. Everything about this movie is perfect, except maybe the situation surrounding Vazquez. I just don't believe that muscular Latina actresses didn't exist in 1986.... Special thanks to friends and excellent human beings over at The Rewind Movie Podcast @rewindmoviecast, for allowing use of their specially made cover art for Aliens for this episode of Verbal Diorama. Art is by Devlin https://devlindoesdrawing.com. Listen to The Rewind Movie Podcast's Aliens episode, and their entire Alien Quadrilogy series. I would love to hear your thoughts on Aliens! The previous episode on Alien can be found at https://www.verbaldiorama.com/episode/alien GET IN TOUCH.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.com SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA.... Leave a 5-star rating/review: Apple Podcasts or Podchaser Join the Patreon: https://verbaldiorama.com/patreon Thank you to all the patrons Simon E, Sade, Jardiel, Claudia, Simon B, Laurel, Derek, Jason, Kristin, Cat, Andy, Mike, Griff, Luke, Emily, Michael, Scott, Mark, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Dan and Sam! Buy Merch! https://verbaldiorama.com/merch Tees, mugs, hoodies and totes are available! EPISODE THANKS TO.... Most excellent patrons: Andy from Geek Salad for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @geeksaladradio on Twitter Scott from Monkey See Monkey Review for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @MSMRpod on Twitter Derek from The Midnight Myth for his Patron thoughts. You can find him @TheMidnightMyth on Twitter And Brendan for his Patron thoughts, too! Subscribe, follow and listen to Geek Salad, Monkey See Monkey Review and The Midnight Myth in your podcast app of choice! Twitter peeps @chancewhitmore5 @hugosposts @moviemania77 @ThiefCGT @PhiltheBear Instagram folk @xerxeshavelock @sassylassy76 @nzwaffles @vegimorph 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 Studios. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy