Film Stories with Simon Brew
390 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 73 ratingsFilm Stories with Simon Brew is a podcast that looks to dig into the stories behind popular movies.From troubled productions, to rights issues, to difficulties with release to films nearly falling apart, the podcast will be looking at the stories that don't always seem apparent when watching a movie!
The podcast is hosted by Simon Brew, the founder of Den Of Geek. You can find Simon at www.twitter.com/simonbrew
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Episodes
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (2023) and Roxanne (1987)
May 26, 2024 23:00 - 1 hourAfter the release of 2008's Indiana Jones & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, Harrison Ford declared that he'd be happy to make Indiana Jones 5, as long as it didn't take another 20 years. It wasn't that far off before we got Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny. And in the interim, two of the three key creatives had changes roles. Steve Martin should have got Oscar recognition for 1984's All Of Me meanwhile, but even by that point, he had an idea for a fresh take on the classic Cyrano De ...
Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) and The Phantom Of The Opera (2004)
May 20, 2024 15:28 - 1 hourTwo films in this episode that for different reasons needed a fair amount of time to come to the screen. Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves didn't turn up until 2023, yet for many years, there was a rights battle over which studio could make a D&D movie. Even when the rights were sorted, challenges still lay ahead. With The Phantom Of The Opera meanwhile, the plan had originally been to have the movie filming by 1990. Yet a separation delayed the movie, and when it returned, an actor b...
In conversation with Fiona Shaw - IF, Terrence Malick, Super Mario Bros, The Avengers, Brian De Palma and more.mp3
May 17, 2024 15:07 - 47 minutesIn a special episode of the podcast, Fiona Shaw CBE is the guest, as she joins to chat about her career, and her latest movie, IF. Topics of conversation in this chat? The problem with her bathroom, plus working on films such as Super Mario Bros and The Avengers. Then there's her time working with Terrence Malick, her work with Brian De Palma, and a very special film too that's on the horizon for her. IF is in UK cinemas now. --- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/filmstories Try it...
Halloween (2018) and Rocky V (1990)
May 13, 2024 04:34 - 1 hourThe Halloween franchise was at a crossroads after Rob Zombie's 2009 movie, Halloween II. There was only one logical thing to do next: er, Halloween 3D, which was set for the early 2010s. The first in a line of false starts, that'd eventually take us to 2018's wildly-successful reboot/reimagining. Some reshoot work on that was done for the ending too, and the ending of Rocky V (1990) was an area of much disagreement. Sylvester Stallone had wanted to take the Rocky films back to basics, bringin...
In conversation with director Wes Ball - Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes and more
May 11, 2024 22:29 - 55 minutesWith his new film, Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes, now out in cinemas, director Wes Ball joins the Film Stories podcast for a long chat about the new film, and his career to date. From his early shorts, to his fast work on Celebrity Apprentice (and boy, is there a story there), we then move through to The Maze Runner, The Mouse Guard, and right the way through to Apes... --- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/filmstories Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! L...
Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker (2019) and Road House (2024)
May 07, 2024 21:30 - 1 hourIt's taken nearly 400 episodes, but a Star Wars film finally takes centre stage. It's 2019's saga-ending The Rise Of Skywalker, a film that was announced in 2012, and went through, well, 'changes' over the ensuing years. The planned remake of Road House actually started life roughly around the same time, and there were a couple of false starts. But when it was finally ready to go, filming seemed to go without too much trouble. It was only in post-production that the problems started to moun...
In conversation with Drew Pearce: The Fall Guy, Iron Man 3, Hobbs & Shaw, No Heroics and lots more
May 02, 2024 04:32 - 56 minutesIn a special episode, Drew Pearce joins us for a chat about his journey from making British TV show No Heroics through to writing the brand new blockbuster The Fall Guy. Key moments? Getting stuck in Los Angeles thanks to an Icelandic volcano, landing the job of writing Iron Man 3, working out what his hourly rate was for penning a $1bn blockbuster, the last-minute call for Hobbs & Shaw and a whole lot more... --- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/filmstories Try it risk-free now w...
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) and Sunshine On Leith (2013)
April 29, 2024 05:51 - 59 minutesRoland Emmerich and Dean Devlin had been asked questions many times about making a sequel to their 1996 smash hit Independence Day. Several times they came close to doing so over the years, including an ambitious plan to shoot two films back to back at one stage. Yet when it came time to move forward, the big question they faced: would Will Smith want to return? And could 20th Century Fox afford him? The story of Independence Day: Resurgence is told here. As a director, Dexter Fletcher announ...
Quentin Tarantino's 10th film (unreleased) and Erin Brockovich (2000)
April 22, 2024 05:33 - 57 minutesA film that's not yet happened - at the time of recording! - takes centre stage in this Film Stories episode. In 2019, Quentin Tarantino released his apparently penultimate film as director - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood - but five years on, it's no clearer what his final film will be. It doesn't look like it's going to be The Movie Critic, as had been suggested.... One film that did happen? How about the wildy successful Erin Brockovich? A 2000 movie that brought with it the challenge of ad...
In conversation with Dan Stevens
April 19, 2024 05:54 - 40 minutesIn this special episode of Film Stories, Dan Stevens joins Simon to talk about his latest film, Abigail. They talk about the making of the film, the sort-of crossover with Cocaine Bear, and why it needed to be shot in a certain order. Plus, they also touch on drinking receptables, Colossal, choosing roles, and a whole lot more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Mass (2021)
April 15, 2024 05:06 - 58 minutesTwo risky films take centre stage in this episode of Film Stories, starting with Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. A 170-minute film released in the midst of a summer jammed with over 100 films to choose from in cinema. Who would have thought it'd prevail at the box office? Spielberg for one wasn't too worried: but also, he came to it directly after making The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad. No wonder he had to rely heavily on his instincts. Fran Kranz meanwhile, better known for...
Scoop (2024), with director Philip Martin
April 11, 2024 05:06 - 40 minutesIn this special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is joined by director Philip Martin, chatting days after the release of his latest film. That movie is Scoop, the dramatisation of the infamous BBC interview with Prince Andrew. The pair chat about Philip's early work, his time in Canada trying to break into the film industry, then jetting to Los Angeles at one point to pitch to John Travolta. Then there's Scoop, and the challenges of making a film where everybody pretty much knows th...
Saltburn (2023) and Mean Girls (2024)
April 08, 2024 05:30 - 55 minutesA pair of bang up to the minute films in this episode of Film Stories, both of which enjoyed the fruits of viral marketing. Saltburn (2023) had been in the head of its writer/director Emerald Fennell for years before she even got to work on her Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman (2020). The catalyst? A really rather famous scene in with a bathtub. But who could have guessed how the internet would take hold of her film post-release? In the case of Mean Girls (2024), the battle was on to hide ...
In conversation with Dolph Lundgren
April 04, 2024 20:01 - 35 minutesIn a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is joined by Dolph Lundgren. Yep, that Dolph Lundgren: not only Ivan Dragon, but a writer, director, actor, TED Talker, academic and lover of cats. They chat about his latest directorial outing, Wanted Man, that's available on UK digital services now. Plus, which version of Rocky IV is the best, why his cat has ended up in the end credits of his latest film, his love of watching Sex And The City, and a chat about the impact of putting hi...
Ghostbusters II (1989), plus Ernie Hudson
March 25, 2024 06:22 - 57 minutesThere's a Ghostbusters theme running through this episode of Film Stories, starting off with a dive into 1989's Ghostbusters II. Dismissed by critics on its release and not matching the commercial performance of the 1984 original, the movie had a very difficult path to the screen. Then, when it finally started moving forward, it found itself in a queue with films such as Twins and Scrooged, to which others had commitments to. We dig into that in this episode - including the crucial meeting in...
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), with co-writer and director Gil Kenan
March 22, 2024 07:17 - 35 minutesIn a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, director and co-writer Gil Kenan joins to talk about his latest movie, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. He tells Simon about being one of four people to direct a Ghostbusters movie, and the one moment where it hit him how monumental that was. Plus, how filming got underway one year before release, the practicalities of puppets, and some of the career challenges that led to this moment too. Plus, reflections on Kenan's own story, and what got him t...
A View To A Kill (1985) and Buster (1988)
March 18, 2024 06:34 - 57 minutesIt's back to the 1980s in this episode of the Film Stories podcast, kicking off with one last James Bond 007 adventure for Roger Moore. A View To A Kill - teased at the end of 1983's Octopussy as From A View To A Kill - came together initially with little fuss for a James Bond movie. Roger Moore was quickly invited back. John Glen was asked to direct even before he'd finished the last film. Pinewood Studios was booked. And then the problems: question marks over whether Roger Moore was too old...
Film Stories in conversation with Phillip Noyce - Fast Charlie, Clear And Present Danger, Patriot Games, Blind Fury, Rabbit Proof Fence and more
March 15, 2024 07:03 - 51 minutesIn a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, director Phillip Noyce joins Simon for a good, long chat. They talk about many of films from across Noyce’s career, starting with his latest, Fast Charlie. The Pierce Brosnan-headlined pulpy thriller has quite the story of its own. From there, the conversation moves across Noyce’s career: from the printer of Clear & Present Danger, working with Rutger Hauer on Blind Fury, the crisis of confidence surrounding The Giver and the impact of Ra...
Dunkirk (2017) and Dangerous Minds (1995)
March 11, 2024 06:14 - 56 minutesWith Christopher Nolan now an Oscar-winner, this particular episode of Film Stories begins by zipping back to 2017, when he had a his first serious drive-by of the Academy Awards. That'd be with Dunkirk, the first time he told a true story on film. It took him a long time to be in a position where he felt confident enough to make the film - and even then, he faced some pretty significant technical and logistical challenges to get it made.Even before he asked Warner Bros for the money to make ...
In conversation with Jeff Wadlow - Imaginary, Truth Or Dare, Blumhouse and more
March 08, 2024 09:13 - 36 minutesIn a special episode of Film Stories, Simon is joined by writer/director Jeff Wadlow, as he releases his new film - Imaginary - into the world. There's therefore discussion about that, the challenge of making a traditional 'Blumhouse' film, and working with puppets too. Along the way, they chat too about Truth Or Dare, 2005's Cry Wolf and - yes! - The Muppets. Plus, some words on The Adrenaline Film Project, a tremendous initiative that's very close to Jeff Wadlow's heart. Imaginary is in ci...
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016) and The Phantom (1996)
March 04, 2024 06:30 - 58 minutesSuperhero movies? Oh, go on then. A pair of very different projects take centre stage here, at different ends of the budget spectrum. 2016's Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice was a pivotal movie for Warner Bros, and a big screen showdown that it'd first attempted nearly 20 years previously. This time, director Zack Snyder was effectively charged with leading the fightback against Marvel and its cinematic universe - and his Batman/Superman showdown would have plenty of ramifications. In the c...
In conversation with Eric Roth - Killers Of The Flower Moon, The Insider, AI, writing, Airport movies and more
March 01, 2024 06:52 - 1 hourA very warm welcome to the Film Stories podcast to screenwriter (and producer!) Eric Roth. He joins Simon for a conversation that goes right back through his career: from working on a hit Airport movie, to thinking he picked the wrong ending for the thriller Suspect. Things turned in the 1990s though with the success of Forrest Gump, and Roth reflects on that, as well as touching on films such as Michael Mann's masterpiece, The Insider. We come right up to date too with Killers Of The Flower ...
Spy (2015) and F/X (1986)
February 26, 2024 05:52 - 55 minutesTwo films with very short titles in this episode, starting with a comedy favourite from the 2010s. Director Paul Feig broke out of movie jail with 2010's Bridesmaids - and he used his freshly-inked deal with 20th Century Fox to get his own take on a James Bond film to the screen. Thing is: how do you persuade studio executives that Jason Statham can be a comedy lead? And, come to think of it, how do you convince Jason Statham? As for 1986's F/X, here was a movie written with television origin...
In conversation with Ian McShane and Gonzalo López-Gallego
February 23, 2024 09:19 - 38 minutesIn a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, a pair of guests join Simon to talk about the really, really good indie film American Star, and the ecosystem of independent filmmaking. A guessable spoiler for the film is dropped by Ian McShane in the conversation. Director Gonzalo López-Gallego and his star/producer Ian McShane talk about how the film took years to come together, and then was shot in under a month, and edited in under a month. The pair clearly enjoyed working together, and ...
Fantastic Four (2015) and The Fantastic Four (1994, unreleased)
February 19, 2024 06:09 - 57 minutesThe Fantastic Four take centre stage on the Film Stories podcast, with a pair of films that each had their demands. The 2015 Fantastic Four was set to reboot the characters on the big screen, and give 20th Century Fox another ongoing superhero franchise. Yet this didn't go to plan at all. Director Josh Trank was hired, and wouldn't get to make the film he wanted. Others were quite happy to point the finger at Trank. Either way, the film would struggle. Yet at least it'd get a release. In 1994...
Deep Blue Sea (1999) and 1984 (1984)
February 12, 2024 07:34 - 59 minutesIn this latest episode of Film Stories, we start with sharks. Very big sharks. A story imagined by a young screenwriter's memory of a childhood incident, that he eventually turned into a script. Then that script would go on to become Deep Blue Sea. There were challenges, though: should the tone be Jaws-like? Or Jurassic Park? Or Alien? And then the very late need for more footage to be shot too. In the case of 1984, adapted from George Orwell's novel of the same name, time was a luxury they d...
In conversation with Hoyte van Hoytema - Oppenheimer, Spectre, Christopher Nolan, David O Russell and Tomas Alfredson
February 09, 2024 17:25 - 49 minutesIn a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is joined by Oscar-nominated director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema for a long chat about his work. They talk extensively about Hoyte's work with Christopher Nolan, not least on Oppenheimer. But also, there's a bit of Dunkirk and Interstellar in there. Furthermore, a few words on working on the James Bond movie SPECTRE too. Plus: the chances of working with Tomas Aldredson again. Oppenheimer is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K dis...
The King Of Comedy (1982) and I Love Trouble (1994)
February 05, 2024 06:06 - 57 minutesNeither The King Of Comedy nor I Love Trouble were met with strong box office or enthusiastic reviews on their initial releases - but one has fared a lot better since. 1982's The King Of Comedy would be the last time Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese would unite for many years - and for a long time it was a project that appealed more to De Niro than Scorsese. Still, after a damp initial response, the film's reputation has grown. A lot. Not so with 1994's I Love Trouble, a rare movie star-dri...
Interview With The Vampire (1994) and Tina: What's Love Got To Do With It (1993)
January 29, 2024 05:54 - 59 minutesWas there ever a bigger casting furore in the 1990s than when Tom Cruise landed the role of Lestat in Interview With The Vampire? Based on the book by Anne Rice, the author herself was incandescent, taking out advertising the slam the casting. Meanwhile, there were issues over keeping the rights - and problems that could have been avoided had John Travolta - as was once planned - accepted the role in the 1970s! The late Tina Turner meanwhile claimed that - for very good reasons - she never wa...
In conversation with Juan Antonio Bayona
January 26, 2024 06:49 - 40 minutesIn a special episode, Simon is joined the writer and director Juan Antonio Bayona for a conversation about his work and his latest film. That movie is the Oscar-nominated (at the time of writing) Society Of The Snow, an extraordinary drama shot over more than 100 days. Bayona talks about his process and the duty of care involved in telling the story, as well as the importance to him of a long shoot. They touch on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Impossible, The Orphanage and A Monster Call...
Inglourious Basterds (2009) and The Muppet Movie (1979)
January 22, 2024 06:25 - 1 hourTwo individual filmmakers take centre stage in this episode of Film Stories, starting with Quentin Tarantino. For a decade, he was talking in interviews about making a World War II movie called Inglorious Bastards, but he swerved making it for a long time, in favour of the Kill Bill movies and Death Proof. He argued he didn't have writer's block: he just couldn't stop writing it. He changed the title to Inglourious Basterds, set himself a firm deadline, and started shooting just eight months ...
In conversation with Alexander Payne
January 19, 2024 16:13 - 35 minutesIn this very special episode of Film Stories, Simon welcomes Oscar-winning writer and director Alexander Payne to chat, in part, about the newly-released The Holdovers. Yet this is a bit of a different chat, as their conversation not only takes in the film, but also the process of finding the spark for a movie, the process of being interviewed for the release of a feature, and some book recommendations as well. Hope you enjoy the conversation, and The Holdovers is now playing... Hosted on Ac...
The Black Cauldron (1985) and In The Loop (2009)
January 15, 2024 06:00 - 1 hourThis time on the Film Stories podcast, its 1985 animated feature The Black Cauldron. A film whose budget more than doubled, that arrived five years later, and nearly broke Walt Disney Animation Studios in the process. Plus, its legacy is such that you won't find it anywhere near a Disney theme park. The story of one of the most remarkable chapters in Disney animation history. Then the second film in this episode is the Oscar-nominated British satirical comedy In The Loop. The directorial debu...
The Beekeeper (2024), with director David Ayer
January 12, 2024 07:16 - 36 minutesIn a brand new special episode of Film Stories, writer/producer/director David Ayer joins Simon for a chat. It's Ayer's new film The Beekeeper that's their prime focus: an old school action film with some honey in it as well. It's a tonal shift for Ayer, and also a rare film that he's directed but not written himself. As well as talking about that, a few words too on the media ecosystem following David Ayer's Suicide Squad experiences, and he opens up about the films that he's really keen to ...
Batman Forever (The Schumacher Cut, unreleased) and Cats (The Butthole Cut, unreleased)
January 08, 2024 06:09 - 56 minutesIn this episode of Film Stories, a pair of films that enjoyed varying fortunes on their original cinema release - both of which are said to have unreleased alternate cuts. In the case of 1995's Batman Forever, reports of a longer version of the movie - said to be a lot darker - started surfacing a couple of years after the film's original release. Then came a DVD release added some striking deleted scenes - and director Joel Schumacher's 170-minute version of Batman Forever was starting to ga...
In conversation with writer/director Billy Ray
January 05, 2024 07:39 - 1 hourIn a very special episode of Film Stories, Simon is joined by writer/director Billy Ray, to chat about his career and body of work. Simon quickly gets sidetracked by the fact that Billy started off by writing for The Jetsons, but soon they're into conversation about films as diverse as Captain Phillips, Shattered Glass, Breach, Color Of Night and Hart's War. They also chat about AI in the film business, and cover a few of the films that Billy had written which never made it to the screen. It...
In The Bleak Midwinter (aka A Midwinter's Tale) live, with Kenneth Branagh, Michael Maloney, Julia Sawalha, Nicholas Farrell, Gerard Horan and Mark Hadfield
December 22, 2023 05:35 - 55 minutesIn 1995, Kenneth Branagh - between the giant projects of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and his film version of Hamlet - made an utterly charming low budget comedy called In The Bleak Midwinter. He paid for the film himself, bringing together a bunch of actors to tell the story of, well, a bunch of actors. A company who happened to be putting on a Christmas Eve performance of Hamlet. In December 2023, after years of trying, we managed to bring them all together for a special screening of the fil...
Film Stories review of 2023 special
December 18, 2023 06:15 - 1 hourAt the end of a busy year for movies, this episode of Film Stories is saluting some of the films that might just have passed a few people by. Simon, unusually, isn't by himself for this episode either, as the Film Stories magazine and website team each come along with their picks too. Chaos, as you might expect, is soon the order of the day. Although hopefully you might find a movie or two in all of this to add to your watchlist! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. ...
It's A Wonderful Life (1946) and Saving Mr Banks (2013)
December 11, 2023 05:57 - 57 minutesAh, It's A Wonderful Life. A Christmas classic, that managed to basically bankrupt the production company of its director, and also lose money at the box office. In fact, were it not for an admin error, there's a good chance it wouldn't be regarded as arguably the best Christmas movie of all time. One that was targeted for original release in January. Lots to chat about here. A fair amount to talk about with 2013's Saving Mr Banks too, a movie script that Disney reportedly nearly bought simpl...
Wonka (2023), with writer/director Paul King and co-writer Simon Farnaby
December 08, 2023 06:56 - 37 minutesIn a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Paul King (director/co-writer) and Simon Farnaby (co-writer) join Simon to talk about their latest movie: Wonka. The conversation covers the writing process, how they felt after The Bunny & The Bull struggled to find and audience, a bit of Paddington 2, and a tiny dab of The Phantom Of The Open. But also: the challenges of making a Willy Wonka prequel story.. Complete with Paul King's phone going off, and Simon Farnaby trying to give Simon the...
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and Babe: Pig In The City (1998)
December 04, 2023 06:00 - 1 hourWriter/director George Miller steps into the spotlight for this episode of Film Stories, as we dig into a pair of his sequels. The hugely-acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road arrived in 2015, but it had a heck of a journey to get that far. An abandoned attempt to get the film made in 2003, and then the whole production having to be put on ice for a year after weather conditions meant a change of location. And then there was the shoot itself, which came to an end without the beginning or final act of ...
In conversation with Reginald Hudlin
December 01, 2023 08:10 - 34 minutesIn a special episode of Film Stories, writer, director, producer and a whole lot more Reginald Hudlin joins Simon. They're talking as Hudlin's new film, Candy Cane Lane, arrives on Prime Video. And Christmas is very much part of the discussion. But they also cover a bit of Marshall, why Hudlin put together his own website with quite so much detail, the curiosity of film critics and a whole lot more. Candy Cane Lane is now playing on Prime Video. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...
Election (1999) and Sliding Doors (1998)
November 27, 2023 06:12 - 55 minutesA pair of late 1990s movies in this episode, both of which are remembered three decades later for differing reasons. In the case of 1999's Election, the Alexander Payne-directed movie remains one of the most scathing and cleverly dark high school movies of its era. Perhaps that's why Paramount Pictures at the time had problems with it, not least how on Earth do you market the film? 'Not well' was the eventual answer to that. Plus: would Tom Cruise really have been right for the Matthew Broder...
In conversation with Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer, Jennifer Lee
November 23, 2023 22:27 - 37 minutesIn a very special episode, Simon is joined by the Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Jennifer Lee. Jennifer Lee has also co-written and executive produces Disney's centenary animated feature, Wish, so there's some chat about that. But also, about Lee's journey from being the person brought into the Wreck-It Ralph writing team on an eight week contract, through to writing and co-directing the two Frozen movies, then taking arguably the key job at the studio. The pair talk...
Batman Returns (1992) and Backdraft (1991)
November 20, 2023 07:02 - 1 hourIn the latest episode of Film Stories, a deeper dig into 1992's Batman Returns, and how 1991's firefighter drama Backdraft suddenly hotted up. With Batman Returns, director Tim Burton had no original intention of coming back, after the problems he'd been through on 1989's Batman. But promised a freer hand, he signed on the dotted line - and it'd be fair to say didn't quite give Warner Bros the film it expected or wanted. Backdraft wasn't quite as dramatic a story, but it did go from a relativ...
In conversation with Catherine Hardwicke
November 17, 2023 14:53 - 38 minutesIt's a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, and joining Simon for a chat about her career is writer, director and production designer Catherine Hardwicke. The pair chat first and foremost about her latest film, the indie comedy Mafia Mamma! that's now available in the UK. They talk logistics, the challenges, and the joy that is Toni Collette. The conversation also covers Hardwicke's breakthrough film, Thirteen, and the independent movie landscape. Plus, a bit of casting, a bit of Twi...
Cop Land (1997) and Junior (1994)
November 13, 2023 06:14 - 56 minutesThe impact of Pulp Fiction's success in the mid-1990s meant that ensemble films based on scripts from relatively inexperienced writer/directors were on the radar of Hollywood. Step forward James Mangold's Cop Land, which was a quick beneficiary. After an attempt to get John Travolta to star in the film failed, and incredible cast - led by Sylvester Stallone - started to come together. But had Pulp Fiction unfairly changed the expectation of what Cop Land was to be? And that's before Mangold a...
Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and Greatest Days (2023)
November 06, 2023 06:08 - 58 minutesIt's a pair of summer movies in this episode of Film Stories, both of which were affected by the pandemic, one of which would fare a lot better than the other. The journey to 2022's Top Gun: Maverick was over a decade long, a sequel that stopped and started more than once. Tom Cruise eventually agreed to make the film though, with filming underway in 2018: yet circumstances would mean it'd be many years before audiences could clap their eyes on it. The idea of doing a movie based around the m...
The Incredible Hulk (2008) and Life (2017)
October 30, 2023 06:37 - 56 minutesIn this episode of Film Stories, a little bit of a Marvel misfire, and a film that was pitched by the owner of the company that made it. When Marvel first for into making films, it secured over $500m via a major loan to fund its plans. It was felt that a Hulk movie, The Incredible Hulk, was needed quickly to help pay things off. That and Iron Man thus went into production at the same time - and one would go a lot, lot smoother than the other. Life meanwhile is an often-overlooked sci-fi hit f...
In conversation with Joe Stephenson and Scott Chambers - Doctor Jekyll, Jurassic Island (!) and indie filmmaking
October 27, 2023 15:08 - 47 minutesIn a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is chatting to director Joe Stephenson, and actor/producer Scott Chambers. It turns into quite a chat, only temporarily interrupted by a cup of coffee. Stephenson is the director of Doctor Jekyll, in which Chambers co-stars with Eddie Izzard. He talks about trying to get a sub-£1m film moving in the UK, and how it ended up getting a posh London premiere. He chats too about films such as Chicken and McKellen: Playing The Part. Scott Chamb...