Better Than Speed
46 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsPop quiz, hotshot! Has there ever been a movie better than Speed? We’re watching the entire canon of classic world cinema on a quest to discover a film that tops the Keanu Reeves masterpiece Speed.
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Episodes
#46 Point Break
March 18, 2024 15:31 - 1 hour - 60 MBSurf's up BTS fans! After an extended hiatus, we're back. To get us started off with a bang, we're going to pit Keanu against Keanu. That's right - we're going to see if the 1991 action classic POINT BREAK is better than, equal to, or worse than our beloved SPEED. Time to sit back, listen, and ask yourself: if you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price. It's not tragic to die doing what you love. Vaya con Dios! Thanks as always to the unbeatable Andrew Elmore...
#45 The Hunger
June 06, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 91.2 MBThe SPEED gang sinks their teeth into the 80s cult film THE HUNGER starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie and Susan Sarandon. Can Keanu Reeves and the careening bus take on seedy 80s New York, luscious billowing curtains in blue light and three absurdly attractive leads? Grab your Ankh and tune in to find out. We are joined by extraordinary editor Alex O’Flinn (A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT, THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD).
#44 Gremlins 2 The New Batch w/ Guest Gizmo (A.J. LoCascio)
December 06, 2021 08:01 - 1 hour - 162 MBNever get them wet. Never feed them after midnight. Never go below 50. Make sure to take good care of your pet Keanus this holiday season. Special guest A.J. LoCascio (the voice of Gizmo in the upcoming HBO Max series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai) joins us to compare Gremlins 2: The New Batch to Speed. How does this podcast even exist? Click here to check out Ted Turner’s real world doomsday tape that Daniel Clamp paid homage to. SUPER CREEPY! Thank you as always to the talented Andr...
#43 Stephen King's Firestarter
October 25, 2021 08:04 - 1 hour - 178 MBThere's a chill in the autumn air, but we brought the fire! Join us for Stephen King's Bressonian slow cinema "classic" FIRESTARTER, starring Drew Barrymore. With special guest, the incredible Isla Hinck from Easy Allies! She helps us decide if this gem is better than SPEED, or is simply a dumpster fire. Plus, we talk MATRIX RESURRECTIONS. Happy Halloween! Thank you as always to Andrew Elmore for the righteous jam. (If you downloaded this episode at midnight on Monday, it was missing ...
#42 Eraserhead
August 04, 2021 19:25 - 1 hour - 140 MBBack in the Speed cave after a year, the gang venture into the nightmarish world of David Lynch's ERASERHEAD. Without Sandra Bullock's top-notch driving and Keanu Reeve's expert marksmanship, how will they ever find their way home? Hold onto your hats. It's another wild episode of Better Than Speed.
#41 Dawn of the Dead
April 19, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 165 MBBetter than Speed is Back from the Dead! The boys take a stab at George Romero's Dawn of the Dead. Does it rise to the occasion? Is it a dead-end bore? Lock the doors, board the windows, hide in the basement and listen in! Bonus - we offer our thoughts on the Kean'ews of 2020 - Bill & Ted Face the Music. (This episode was originally recorded in September of last year, so pandemic references and Bill & Ted excitement are out of date.) Thanks to Andrew Elmore for the theme song!
#40 Bus Passenger Ortiz
March 29, 2021 07:01 - 1 hour - 180 MBJoin us for a special episode with Carlos Carrasco, the actor who played Ortiz (aka Gigantor) in the film SPEED and Popeye in BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT, among many others (including THE FISHER KING and CROCODILE DUNDEE 2)! Hear all about SPEED's infamous script rewrites and death-defying stunts. Plus, Carlos gives great advice to young actors and filmmakers while discussing representation in Hollywood. Thank you to Andrew Elmore for the official Better Than Speed theme song!
#39 The Creation of the Humanoids
August 03, 2020 07:00 - 55 minutes - 76.6 MBNever has the screen brought you a more shocking revelation. Out of World War III came ... The Creation of the Humanoids. Special guest Dawn Garcia joins us in the virtual Speed cave and gives Keanu Reeves a run for his money with an influential sci-fi cult film that asks the question: "How do you apologize to someone for killing them?" Next episode's selection is Dawn of the Dead, which is also streaming for free in glorious 4K on YouTube. Thanks to Andrew Elmore for the amazing opening...
#38 The Bad Batch
July 01, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 76.3 MBFor a refreshing change of pace, who's in the mood for a desert apocalypse? We crawl across the barren landscape of Ana Lily Amirpour's sophomore film, The Bad Batch, and perform our task once again: compare every movie to Speed. With Keanu Reeves as a charismatic cult leader nicknamed "The Dream," what could possibly go wrong? Looking for Ana Lily Amirpour's debut vampire film, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night? It's free on Kanopy with a local library card. Join us next episode for Andy...
#37 Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
June 15, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 86.1 MBThis is our podcast and its freaking us out! Join the BTS crew as they take a trip Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Will they succumb to the film's pills and thrills? Do they love it when a beautiful woman licks between their toes?? Turn on, tune in, drop out and find out! Check out the soundtrack to the film on Spotify. Also, donate, join the protests if you can, stay safe and support Black Lives Matter.
#36 Aguirre, the Wrath of God
April 13, 2020 03:14 - 46 minutes - 64.3 MBThe BTS crew officially begins Season 2's look at cult films by taking a trip deep into the jungles of Werner Herzog's Aguirre, The Wrath of God. What lies down river for our explorers - fever, famine, COVID-19? Tune in and find out. Plus, hang around for a special reading of poetry written by Keanu Reeves. From Aguirre to Zatoichi, the bus boys are back. Uncensored. No holds barred.
#35 The Speedademy Awards (27th Annual)
February 03, 2020 08:30 - 1 hour - 98.9 MBAaaaaaand we're back! Season 2 kicks off with a recap of the best and worst films of 2019. Looking for some off-the-beaten path movie recommendations? Want to understand all the buzz at the Oscars? We'll gently hold your hand, just like Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, and walk you through the exploding bus fire that was 2019. For all your split diopter needs, check out Daniel's tumblr page full of more than 100 examples of this technique.
#34 Season One Finale: 1984
November 03, 2019 17:52 - 1 hour - 98.2 MBWar is peace. Freedom is slavery. Big Bus is strength. Celebrate an entire two years of laughter, love and heartbreak in our tumultuous season finale that will permanently alter Better Than Speed history forever. Here's George Orwell's doubleplusgood essay on Politics and the English Language. A huge thank you to all our listeners, guests and fellow hosts who have made this such a fun project over the past two years. We'll be back for season two in a few months. Until then, stay above 50...
#33 Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
September 30, 2019 09:15 - 54 minutes - 62.2 MBPunch, kick, it's all in the mind. Join us as Zatoichi, the blind swordsman, slices and dices his way through the Edo countryside of Japan in the fan-favorite film Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival. If you've stuck with us through our very extended season 1 tour through the alphabet, you have our sincere thanks. You won't want to miss our season finale, when we take on the last remaining category from the Criterion Collection: films that start with a number. 1984 is our final pick... y...
#32 Young Mr. Lincoln
September 03, 2019 05:20 - 1 hour - 93.4 MBFourscore and 7 days ago, the BTS crew decided to tackle John Ford’s Young Mr. Lincoln. Is it a classic of the studio system era or a corny piece of hagiography? Lie down, let your mind stand up, and take a listen. Wanna find out what the critics from Cahiers du Cinéma thought of the film? Here's that essay we name dropped in the episode. And please join us next episode for the salacious samurai sensation, Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival.
#31 The X From Outer Space
August 19, 2019 00:17 - 1 hour - 84.1 MBKaiju run amok when we discuss this campy cult classic. Will they subdue Speed, or can Keanu Reeves conquer them all? You can watch The X From Outer Space streaming on the Criterion Channel. You can also catch next week's selection, The Young Mr Lincoln, for free on Tubi. Check out the full backstory on Jan de Bont's unfinished Godzilla film at SciFi Japan. Also, be sure to watch the trailer for the upcoming documentary Where’s My Roy Cohn. Huge thanks to that film’s producer, Micah B...
#30 Wild Strawberries
July 17, 2019 22:34 - 1 hour - 74 MBWe wish Ingmar Bergman a happy 101st birthday by comparing his elegiac masterpiece Wild Strawberries to the mortality pondering vehicular mayhem in Speed. Plus, get all your latest Keanu Reeves news in our new segment, KeaNews. Wild Strawberries is available streaming on the Criterion Channel, as well as our selection for the next episode, the kaleidoscopic Japanese kaiju film, The X From Outer Space.
#29 Jan de Bont, Director of Speed
June 13, 2019 07:07 - 54 minutes - 65 MBThe man, the myth, the legend, Jan de Bont, invited the BTS team to come hang out at the original Speed cave to celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary. The director spills the beans on all the production secrets, terrifying stunts, and classic Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock moments from the iconic film we’ve based our podcast on. Somebody pinch us, we can’t believe this actually happened. Tune back in next episode when we have the nerve to compare Jan’s classic film to Ingmar Bergman’s W...
#28 Videodrome
May 20, 2019 07:30 - 1 hour - 109 MBFinally: an episode dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment. Better Than Speed investigates the truth behind Cronenberg's Videodrome, and discovers the graphic violence depicted may not be as fake as they thought. Plus, special guest Dawn Garcia professes her undying love for Keanu Reeve's Speed. Head's up: Videodrome is one of the more intense film selections we've featured so far, so we briefly talk about sexual violence and self-harm in relation to the film's plot in this episod...
#27 The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
April 29, 2019 07:30 - 1 hour - 87.7 MBHope you brought your umbrellas, because we're about to shed projectile tears over this sentimental classic from the French New Wave: Jacque Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. You can catch the film streaming on the newly launched Criterion Channel, along with John Woo's The Last Hurrah For Chivalry. Be sure to join us next episode for David Cronenberg's Videodrome! Thanks as always to Erin Larson for running the database of all our verdicts over at Letterboxd. And if you want a gli...
#26 To Be Or Not To Be
April 07, 2019 18:45 - 41 minutes - 47.4 MBWe give a Better Than Speed salute to Ernst Lubitsch's powerful and punchy anti-Nazi comedy from 1942. The only thing we hail at Speed HQ is that big blue bus going 50 miles an hour. Make sure to join us for our next episode where we tackle our first musical, Jaques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Plus, if you leave us an iTunes review or recommend our podcast to a friend online, you're automatically entered to win one of our brand new, limited edition Better Than Speed shirts from Da...
#25 The Speedademy Awards (26th Annual)
February 09, 2019 21:05 - 1 hour - 85.3 MBThe glitz, the glamor, the hype! The gold watches and the coveted Keanus! This year's awards ceremony goes off the rails when the best and worst films of 2018 duke it out in a balls-out battle. Plus, your burning questions answered... Was 1999 the best year in cinema history? Will David disown Predator? Will Daniel's popcorn populism save the day? Will Jessica coin a catch phrase? Remember to join us for our next regular episode featuring Ernst Lubitsch's classic comedy To Be Or Not To Be...
#24 Seven Samurai
January 14, 2019 08:15 - 1 hour - 77.1 MB“We give our Kurosawa Connoisseur, Morgan Hanner-Morfesis, the ultimate pop quiz: is Seven Samurai Better Than Speed? Is Mifune puny compared to killer Keanu? All will be answered as we test our mettle with the pedal to the metal.” - Gene Shalit
#23 Repo Man
December 01, 2018 02:14 - 53 minutes - 61.3 MBBeverly Hills. Century City. Everything's so nice and pretty, but the ever acute Alex Cox turns his lens to the gritty underbelly of LA's punk scene. Special guest Dawn Garcia takes us on a tour of California counter-culture at the end of the century. Which is a more quintessential LA flick: Keanu Reeve's Speed or Emlio Estevez's Repo Man? Has Harry Dean Stanton been abducted by aliens? Will we all get vaporized by the neutron bomb? You can stream Repo Man on Amazon Video. And you can ...
#22 Quai des Orfèvres
October 31, 2018 08:49 - 1 hour - 73 MBIt's Halloween! So we rose from the grave with Clouzot's frothy potboiler Jenny Lamour. Have you missed us? Because we've missed you. You can check out this week's film selection on Amazon Video. Sign this petition to keep FilmStruck alive. And join us next episode for Repo Man!
#21 Predator 2
September 17, 2018 11:09 - 57 minutes - 65.6 MBGood things come in twos! Join us on the safari for a very special bonus episode devoted entirely to Predator 2. The lions, the tigers, the bears... oh my. No spoilers, but there's a lot to celebrate on this week's surprise podcast as we welcome new members to the BTS club.
#20 Summer of Sandy
August 28, 2018 10:23 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBAs the brutal summer of 2018 comes to a close, we celebrate everything Sandy with a rundown of the best (and worst) films in the Sandra Bullock catalogue. Plus, a ratings bonanza as we fire off verdicts left and right. Will any Sandra movies dethrone Speed? Next episode, we'll discuss Clouzot's Quai des Orfèvres.
#19 Pickpocket
July 30, 2018 07:01 - 1 hour - 80.3 MBWhen he sees someone rich both his thumbs start to itch and he has to pick a pocket or two. The wonderful Morgan Hanner-Morfesis joins us to discuss Robert Bresson's transcendental meditation on love and loss, PICKPOCKET. Drinking game: take a shot every time we mention Paul Schrader. This episode's film selection PICKPOCKET is available on FilmStruck, and they have a 14-day trial if you wanna stay on theme and snatch this one for free. On our next episode we'll be celebrating The Summe...
#18 Only Angels Have Wings
July 09, 2018 08:35 - 1 hour - 86 MBIt's an unwritten rule: never pull a boner in front of Cary Grant. But rules were meant to be broken. Join us for a perilous excursion into the Howard Hawks adventure film where bonds are tested, planes demolished, and friendships forged. With special guest Matt Maddox, editor of the upcoming Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder film DESTINATION WEDDING. If you didn't get the chance to watch this episode's film, ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS, starring Cary Grant, Rita Hayworth, and Jean Arthur, you can ...
#17 The Night of the Hunter
June 19, 2018 08:38 - 1 hour - 73.7 MBWould you like me to tell you the little story of right-hand / left-hand? The story of good and evil? The story of Mitchum vs Hopper? Tonight, three bros get in touch with their dark side and ride down the river of hate with Charles Laughton's expressionistic masterpiece THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. You can find it streaming on Amazon if you want to join in on the fun. Shoutout to Radio Raheem, Chuck D, and all the knuckle bracelet wearing players out there. Next episode, we'll find out i...
#16 My Own Private Idaho
June 04, 2018 09:01 - 1 hour - 70.1 MBFinally: it's time for some Keanu on Keanu action as we explore Gus Van Sant's street hustler and Shakespeare smash up. Special guest Chad Concelmo helps us determine if River Phoenix's greatest role can still stare down Speed.
#15 Bus Passenger Helen
May 21, 2018 00:16 - 41 minutes - 47.8 MBThe distinguished actor Beth Grant joins us to share amazing behind-the-scenes secrets from her role in the film Speed. Before throwing herself in the line of fire, she wasn't afraid to ask the big question: "What about the rest of us?" Plus, Sandra does the salsa, Keanu does the cockroach, and Alan Ruck gets stuck in every actor's nightmare. We hope you're as delighted as we are with this exciting interview.
#14 Le Corbeau
April 15, 2018 17:00 - 54 minutes - 64 MBEditor Julio Cesar Perez IV (It Follows, Under the Silver Lake) turns Speed HQ upside down with his controversial film selection in an unprecedented episode filled with twists and turns and double crossings. However you choose to pronounce it, Le Corbeau is a barn burner. But do its explosive themes burn brighter than Speed? The film selection for our next episode is Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private, starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. You can watch it streaming on Amazon Video. Wanna...
#13 Knife in the Water
April 02, 2018 03:23 - 57 minutes - 67.9 MBWe dive headfirst into the murky waters of biographical criticism with our most challenging episode to date. Special guest Greg O'Bryant bravely forges through the marsh with us as we examine Roman Polanski's debut film. Content warning: there is a brief discussion of Polanski's notorious past, so be prepared for some difficult subjects which we do our best to address tactfully. If you're interested in hearing film critic April Wolfe's wonderful podcast we refered to, you can find the Swi...
#12 Juliet of the Spirits
March 19, 2018 07:00 - 1 hour - 76.1 MBChe bello! Director Matt Tyrnauer (Valentino: The Last Emperor, Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood) joins us for a tour through Fellini’s career and the specters that haunt his art. Juliet of the Spirits and next episode’s selection, Knife in the Water, are both available streaming on FilmStruck.
#11 In Cold Blood
March 05, 2018 08:00 - 1 hour - 78.6 MBIt's no shame to have a dirty face, honey baby. The shame comes when you keep it dirty. Robert Blake makes short order of all the Charlie Potatoes who dare cross him in the Richard Brooks adaptation of In Cold Blood. We're joined by photographer and documentary filmmaker Jessica Schilling to track all the rain drops and beautifully lit silhouettes that haunt this relentlessly unsettling film. Want the raw deal straight from the source? Check out composer Quincy Jones spilling the beans on ...
#10 The Speedademy Awards
February 19, 2018 08:25 - 58 minutes - 69.2 MBHype! Glamour! The Best Films of 2017! Plus, we hand out cheap gold watches to all the stinkers. Hundreds of millions of movie lovers tune in each year to the Speedademy Awards ceremony to learn who will receive the highest and lowest honors in filmmaking. [email protected]
#9 Hard Boiled
February 05, 2018 08:01 - 1 hour - 85.8 MBJohn Woo woos the crew with his extravagant Hong Kong action pageant Hard Boiled. Director Stewart Hopewell joins us to compare apples to apples, and helps us issue a verdict on this film's worthiness next to Speed. Hard Boiled is not available on most streaming services, so if you’d like a chance to win a Blu-ray copy, leaves us a review on iTunes, or simply mention us on the internet to your friends, tag us, and we’ll throw your name in the hat and announce the winner on our next episod...
#8 Grand Illusion
January 22, 2018 10:38 - 1 hour - 86.4 MBJean Renoir enters the ring to take on the undefeated heavyweight champ SPEED! If you'd like to view the internationally beloved anti-war classic GRAND ILLUSION, you can find it streaming in beautiful high definition on Amazon Video. You can also find THE GREAT ESCAPE and SUNSET BOULEVARD on there too. Erich Von Stroheim's four hour silent film GREED is available on FilmStruck, as well as Jean Renoir's gorgeous melancholy ode to India, THE RIVER. While you're there, take a walk on the...
#7 F For Fake
January 08, 2018 05:01 - 1 hour - 92.5 MBIf you’ll permit us a bit of verse, the Devil whispered behind the leaves: "It's pretty, but is it better than Speed?” Special guest Morgan Hanner-Morfesis throws down on tricksters, hoaxes and forgeries in the extravagant Orson Welles swan song F For Fake. Wanna watch along before listening? You can find F For Fake streaming on FilmStruck, where they offer a 14-day free trial of their Criterion Collection and arthouse film library. Or, watch the 9-minute trailer here to get a good taste f...
#6 A Very Keanu Christmas
December 21, 2017 02:18 - 39 minutes - 46.7 MB'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the bus, Not a creature was speeding, not even us; The explosives were hung by the gas tank with care, In hopes that Keanu soon would be there; Dennis Hopper was nestled all snug in his bed, While dreams of retirement danced in his head And Sandra in her 'kerchief, and Ortiz in his cap, Had narrowly avoided a longshoreman's nap, When out on the freeway there arose such a clatter, Jack sprang from his coffee to see to the matter. ...
#5 Eyes Without A Face
December 11, 2017 05:01 - 56 minutes - 66.2 MBWhere there were eyes there’s only space, as a mad doctor attempts to heal his daughter’s broken face. Special guest Alex Gootter hops aboard the Speed bus to dissect Georges Franju’s eerie horror gem EYES WITHOUT A FACE. You can watch all three Franju films we discuss on this episode, including JUDEX, EYES WITHOUT A FACE, and BLOOD OF THE BEAST on FilmStruck, who are offering a 14-day free trial of their Criterion Collection and art film streaming service. Next episode’s selection, the Or...
#4 Daisies
November 28, 2017 05:01 - 1 hour - 73.3 MBCzech it out! Get ready for a deep dive into the feminist Czech New Wave classic DAISIES (aka Fucking With Dudes and Putting Them on Trains). Documentary filmmaker Jessica Schilling joins us to debate its merits against the bus that couldn’t slow down. Plus, Daniel mounts a spirited yet unsuccessful defense of the disastrous Tom Hanks vanity project FORREST GUMP. You can watch a whole host of Czech New Wave classics we discuss on this episode, including Věra Chytilová’s DAISIES, Jaromil ...
#3 A Colt Is My Passport
November 14, 2017 08:38 - 58 minutes - 68.9 MBNever cross the Yakuza. The cherubic cheeked Joe Shishido stands his ground against a Japanese crime syndicate with a thirst for revenge in this action-packed and surprise-filled episode. From Tokashi Nomura to Seijun Suzuki and beyond, we yak it up about the Nikkatsu Noir crime genre and finally answer your burning question: Is A COLT IS MY PASSPORT better than shooting up a speed ball? You can watch both A COLT IS MY PASSPORT and next episode’s Czech New Wave selection DAISIES on FilmStr...
#2 Blow Out
October 31, 2017 06:18 - 1 hour - 71 MBHAPPY HALLOWEEN! The BTS crew dissects Brian De Palma’s slasher sendup Blow Out, with the help of special guest Morgan Hanner-Morfesis. It’s a battle between two Jacks, Travolta vs Keanu. No matter who wins, we all lose. *Spoiler Warning and Violent Content Advisory* We talk about EVERYTHING. You can watch Blow Out through Amazon Prime’s Starz streaming service. Plus, Pauline Kael’s excellent essay on Blow Out can be found here. If you’d like to watch next episode’s film selection, A...
#1 Ashes and Diamonds
October 13, 2017 21:56 - 1 hour - 80.9 MBIn this spectacular inaugural episode of Better Than Speed, your hosts David Holland, Daniel Morfesis, Jessica Schilling and Matthew Walden tackle the legendary Polish film Ashes and Diamonds, directed by cinema heavyweight Andrzej Wajda. If you'd like to watch Ashes and Diamonds too, you can find it streaming at http://filmstruck.com/ where they have a free 14-day trial. Make sure to join us next episode when we discuss DePalma's dark delicacy Blow Out. Will either of these movies receive a...