Signal Watch PodCast
276 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsFilm. Comics. Television. Sci-fi. Superheroes. Noir. History. And more.
Join us as we examine cultural artifacts of the 20th century… boldly explore the 21st... and try to put it all in perspective
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Episodes
122: "The Wolf Man" (1941) "Curse of the Werewolf" (1961) Halloween 2020 w/ SimonUK & Ryan
October 12, 2020 04:59 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBThings get hairy as SimonUK and Ryan take a look at two movies where a fellow is really not feeling himself. We look at the classic Universal take on werewolves and the lesser known entry from Hammer (Spanish werewolves!), which are wildly different in some ways, but really agree on the "sorry, you're doomed" angle when it comes to curses that turn one into a ravening beast who still politely wears trousers.
121: "Frankenstein" (1931) "Bride of" (1935) "Curse of" (1957) Halloween 2020 w/ SimonUK & Ryan
October 04, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 69.7 MBIt's the story of a scientist with a dream and the friends he made along the way! We stitch together three films for one monstrously excellent discussion about one of pop culture's favorite go-to's, the mad scientist and his shambling pal(s). From the shocking arrival of the 1931 film by Universal to the mid-50's experiments by Hammer to bring the story to life, we chat what makes the story work from any angle, and why we're still watching 90 years later.
120: "Dracula" (1931) & "Horror of Dracula" (1958) - Halloween 2020 w/ SimonUK and Ryan
September 28, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBIt's Halloween! This year SimonUK and Ryan are taking on the classics of horror from not just one - but two studios! We're starting with a monster that really sucks - our dear old pal, The Count! Join us as we talk two great takes on Dracula - from Universal and Hammer Studios, respectively - that cemented the character in the collective imagination and which still continue to thrill! Let's talk creepy castles, alluring monsters and rubber bats!
119: "Fantasia" (1940) & "Fantasia 2000" (1999) - Disney History w/ NathanC and Ryan
September 16, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBWhen does animation become become more than popular entertainment? What are the boundaries of art that separate Beethoven and cartoon alligators? What is high-brow entertainment and funny business for the whole family? Walt Disney had a vision to elevate the form of animation and create an entirely new experience. Today, we know the result as "Fantasia", which returned in 1999 with a sequel of sorts in "Fantasia 2000". NathanC and Ryan return to talk all about a pair of Disney classics!
118: "Pride & Prejudice" (2005) - A Jamie Cinema Classic w/ Ryan
September 05, 2020 00:00 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MBIt's not all-genre-all-the-time at The Signal Watch! We jump on a literary classic translated to a very well received film from 15 years ago. We uncover Jamie's secret passion for this film, Ryan gets out of character discussing Jane Austen, and it's time to talk 19th-Century norms, fantasies that don't include being Batman, and much, much more!
117: "Showdown In Little Tokyo" (1991) - a SimonUK Cinema Series Selection (w/ Ryan)
August 30, 2020 00:00 - 55 minutes - 50.5 MBSimonUK and Ryan explore the 1991 film that brought Dolph Lundgren to the mean streets of LA's Little Tokyo as the ultimate Japanese man. It's action, mayhem, adventure and lots of nudity as Lundgren teams with the son of Bruce to take down the Yakuza before they something something protection racket/ sell pills in beer bottles. It's hard to say, but Tia Carrere is wrapped up in this mess, so you do have that going for you.
116: "The Straight Story" (1999) Plus - Interview with John Roach! Disney History w/ NathanC & Ryan
August 24, 2020 04:11 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBNathanC returns for more Disney History - and this time he brings an interview with screenwriter John Roach! We're discussing the only G-Rated entry in the filmography of David Lynch, bringing his brilliance to a completely different kind of story. And - we have an interview with one of the key storytellers! Get some insight into this remarkable film courtesy a screenwriter who was there from start to finish! It's a very different (and special!) episode of The Signal Watch.
115: "Le Samourai" (1967) & "The Conformist" (1970) - Noir Watch w/ JAL and Ryan
August 16, 2020 00:00 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBJustin and Ryan head to Europe for some neo-noir! We swing through France for a hitman film and over to Italy for... well, he's not much of a hitman, really. One of these is absolutely noir and the other, we're kind of calling a noir - and we're pretty excited about both of them. Join us as for a double-bill, continental style!
114: " Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) - Bond Watch w/ SimonUK and Ryan
August 09, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 65.9 MBIt's Roger Moore, and nobody does it better! One of the biggest-scale Bond movies, with some great villains, a terrific romance and cool-as-hell gadgets! What's not to like about this one? SimonUK and Ryan discuss a Bond movie that may be at sea, but is never adrift. Plus - Ryan gets to talk about Caroline Munro for a bit.
113: "A Fish Called Wanda" (1988) - Jamie, SimonUK and Me
August 02, 2020 00:00 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBJamie, SimonUK and yours truly revisit the 1988 favorite about a barrister, an animal lover, a moron, and Jamie Lee Curtis - all caught up in the fallout from a heist. Simon and Jamie can quote it, Ryan quite likes it, and we do our best not to talk about what makes something funny. And Ryan insists on further discussing JLC.
112: "True Lies" (1994) - ArnieFest w/ SimonUK and Ryan
July 22, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 56.8 MBArnieFest continues with a mid-90's film that dares to ask "what if James Bond were married? And Austrian? And American? And Tom Arnold was there?" It's the action comedy sensation that everyone in film school had to write a paper about and feel bad for enjoying. SimonUK and Ryan go on a less-than-secret mission to revisit this Arnie favorite.
111: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" Avengers Countdown 15 w/ Jamie & Ryan
July 16, 2020 00:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBIt's Family Issues in Spaaaaaace! Join Jamie and Ryan as we consider the second installment in the unlikeliest of the Marvel movie sub-franchises! After a ragtag bunch of misfits comes together, what's next? And what makes this series different from other Marvel films? It's all here! Check it out!
110: "King Kong" 1933, 1976, 2005, "King Kong Lives" & "Skull Island" w/ Stuart & Ryan
July 08, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 86.3 MBIt's King Kong-a-Palooza as we take on 5 movies about one big monkey. Stuart joins in as we talk about the modern mythology of King Kong, what the story tells us, and what it tells us about ourselves that we retell the story every few decades. We reflect on man, ape, mysterious islands, mystery in general, and fame as we ponder the various takes. Join us as we discuss 1933, 1976, 2005 "King Kong" installments, as well as "King Kong Lives" and the recent entry "Kong: Skull Island".
109: "Jaws" (1978) - SimonUK Cinema Series w/ Jamie & Ryan
June 30, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 75.9 MBSomething's fishy as we discuss one of the first megablockbusters. It's a Signal Watch Summer Spectacular as we discuss a movie with teeth! Bite down on Spielberg's first smash hit, while we chum the waters with more than an hour of chatter that'll have you wishing you brought a bigger podcast player.
108: "Total Recall" (1990) - ArnieFest w/ SimonUK and Ryan
June 25, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBWe get our respective asses to Mars and talk Arnie's big-budget sci-fi opus, "Total Recall". Is this the real life? Is it just fantasy? Simon and Ryan dig into this 1990 fan favorite full of rad ideas, great sets and design, a terrific cast and a pace that's hard to beat. From the director of "RoboCop" and Sharon Stone's star turn! Open your minds and join us!
107: "Backtrack" (1990)/ "Contract for Murder" (1958) - Noir Watch w/ JAL & Ryan
June 19, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 60.8 MBWe're back with more noir - neo and otherwise! It's two movies about weirdo hitmen filmed 30 years apart. One is from the go-go 90's and has a lot of surprises, and the other is a cult classic of noir, about a man who just wants enough money to get that house he's had his eye on. Both have casts worth discussing and off-kilter approaches to their form. Join JAL and Ryan as we make our way through two features that don't get that many mentions.
106: "Predator" (1987) a SimonUK Cinema Series Installment (w/ Ryan!)
June 08, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 72.4 MBArnie-Fest continues as Simon and Ryan get to da choppa and do not camouflage their adoration of this 1980's sci-fi actioner staple. We talk about the cross-genre bending of the film, the changes to action in this era, Bill Duke, exult the acting skills of Arnold, and generally have a grand old time talking about what is maybe one of the best remembered movies of the second half of the 80's - and with darn good reason.
105: "Commando" (1985) a SimonUK Cinema Series Installment (w/ Ryan!)
May 29, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 71.1 MBSimonUK and Ryan discuss one of the finest films ever produced, the 1985 action opus, "Commando". Starring our beloved Arnie, the movie is an ideal of the action genre and narrative economy, while also featuring a fantastic cast, a possibly unintentionally weirdo bad-guy, a multi-talented Rae Dawn Chong, and Bill Duke as Bill Duke. We explore the incredible amount of goofy violence, idyllic child-rearing, unlikely explosions and what it means to strip down for a ride in a rubber raft.
104: "Superman II" (1981) - a Super Film Selection with Ryan and Stuart
May 24, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 65.7 MBEveryone loves "Superman II", or at least that's how they remember it. Listen in as two guys who have seen this movie way, way too many times, read too much about it and - frankly - thought more about it than an adult person probably should set about discussing the follow-up to the super-tastic "Superman: The Movie". This one has the big bad-guy fight! But also, weird powers, a shiny disco bed, and will the real Gene Hackman please stand up?
103: "Skyfall" Bond Watch 07 w/ SimonUK & Ryan
May 17, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 61.5 MBWe talk a favorite of the entire Bond franchise - "Skyfall"! It's not just a perfect Adele song, it's also a movie! Daniel Craig and Dame Judith Dench protect Mother England and tangle with Javier Bardem! There's a komodo dragon! There's a mysterious island! There's a chase through tunnels! A jail cell with no toilet! Join Simon UK and Ryan as we sort through the film that was better than the films immediately before and after.
102: "The Omega Man" (1971) - Quarantine Watch with SimonUK & Ryan
May 11, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBWe're in quarantine, and there's one sci-fi movie that's been on our minds. Join us as we talk about being the last man on Earth! At least the last sane man on Earth. Except for those other people out there living in the 'burbs. Anyway, it'd be nice to just drive cars off the lot without having to haggle.
101: "The Killing" (1956) & "The Asphalt Jungle" (1950) - Noir Watch 05 w/ JAL & Ryan
April 29, 2020 00:00 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBJAL and Ryan watch two noir classics. Both heists. Both starring Sterling Hayden. One directed by a young Stanley Kubrick, the other by John Huston. We dive into what makes them work, some terrific performances and which director was in his prime and which was sorting things out. It's a journey into movies that set the stage for every heist movie to come after.
100: "Superman: The Movie" (1978) - a Super Film selection with Ryan and Stuart!
April 21, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 81.7 MBRyan is joined by fellow Superman super-fan, StuartW, as they take on the 1978 superhero film that made the world believe a man can fly. It's a discussion of how lightning was caught in a bottle and set a template that the better superhero films still emulate. It's a geek-out fan-fest as Stuart and Ryan fly high into the movie that maybe both of them have seen way, way too many times.
099: "Why Do We Watch Movies?" Ep 02 w/ SimonUK
April 14, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBWe start our new series which asks "Why do people watch movies?" No, really. Why? What do they mean to us? Why do we care about fictional characters doing fictional things? How do certain movies impact us more than others? What draws us in? What makes us come back? And who better to ask about "Why movies?" than SimonUK? Who he is and how he came to be!
098: Quarantine Media 01 - Tiger King, Love is Blind, McMillions and more! w/ Maxwell, Jamie & Ryan
April 08, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBThings have gotten really strange as we've sheltered in place in our homes. Life is upside down, and we're all worried for the state of the world. But in a time of existential crisis, it doesn't mean we aren't watching some TV. Maxwell joins us to talk "Tiger King", "Love is Blind", "McMillions" and whatever else we're watching as part of our self-care regimen. Or what our kids are putting on, at least.
097: "Streets of Fire" (1984) - Ryan's Random Cinema 01 w/ Jamie
March 31, 2020 00:00 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MBJamie and Ryan revisit one of Ryan's inexplicably favorite movies, 1984's "Streets of Fire" (which he is well aware is probably not a good movie, but it's somehow a movie he'll always stop to watch). Another time! Another place! It's sorta the retro 1980-50's, a sprawling urban landscape where rock rules and so do dudes in leather gear on motorbikes! But a steely-eyed dude with a high powered rifle and Amy Madigan at his side can save the day AND the cute girl (Diane Lane!)! Adventure! Ex...
096: "Doctor Strange" (2016) Avengers Countdown 14 w Jamie & Ryan
March 24, 2020 00:00 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBJamie and Ryan delve into the multiverse of madness that is the 2016 Marvel entry, "Doctor Strange". It's no one's favorite Avengers film, but it's got some interesting stuff and absolutely pushes us forward toward what would become Infinity War. It's a hero who may be a bit of a jerk, but he's got some neat special FX.
095: "Gemini" (2018) - Noir Watch w/ JAL & Ryan
March 17, 2020 00:00 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBIt's a neo-noir! Join JAL and Ryan as we delve into a modern mystery thriller full of twists and turns in the world of Hollywood-pointed Los Angeles! There's murder, suspects and a personal assistant on the run, languidly pursued by no less than John Cho! Join us as we talk the world and rules of noir and doing it without pointing out that you're doing noir!
094: "Kingsman: The Secret Service" (2014) w/ SimonUK and Ryan
March 10, 2020 00:00 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MBWe take a break from Bond to look at a sort of surreal spy adventure, also from Jolly Olde England! It's "Kingsman", the 2014 action adventure with some exciting stuff, a decidedly hard-R rating, a dash of "Moonraker" and how to climb the social ladder in London through grit, street smarts, parkour, and a penchant for looking good in a suit! Plus, Samuel L. Jackson chewing the scenery in a role he's about 35 years too old to play.
093: "Xanadu" (1980) - Jamie's Cinema Classics 01 (w/ Ryan)
March 08, 2020 00:00 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBFor no reason in particular we decided to watch "Xanadu" (1980) and talk about it. It seems neither of us had ever seen it, and, honestly, we now have more questions than answers. Not a musical, not-not a musical, starring a legend of the silver screen in his swan song and an up-and-coming film siren in the movie that kept her off the big screen for decades - it's roller skating, disco, rock, big band, 40's and 80's, and more rollerskating! XANADU!
092: "Laura" (1944) - Noir Watch w/ JAL & Ryan
February 27, 2020 05:09 - 1 hour - 54.9 MBWe welcome all-new co-contributor and longtime pal JAL to the PodCast for a new series: Noir Watch! We're kicking it off with a dreamy murder mystery, "Laura" (1944) - a whodunnit about a detective who falls for a painting, a venom tongued columnist and Vincent Price in his pre-Master of Horror Days. And, of course, the lovely Gene Tierney.
091: "Teen Wolf" (1985) w/ StuartW & Ryan
February 20, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBFrom the great state of Missouri, StuartW joins us to talk about one of his favorites from the 1980's - and one you probably haven't seen in a long while - it's "Teen Wolf"! The movie that brought us Urban Surfin', a girl named "Boof" and a curiously blase attitude about a lycanthrope wandering the halls of a typical American high school.
090: "Casino Royale" (2006) Bond Watch 06 w/ SimonUK, Jamie & Ryan
February 13, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 65.9 MBWe're back with more Bond, and this time we've got Jamie along for the ride! We take a gamble on the 2006 relaunch of the Bond Franchise starring Daniel Craig, Eva Green and Dame Judy Dench as "M". All our cards are on the table as we examine this movie and how it fit into the world building they tried this go-round, how to make a Vesper cocktail, and what makes this movie so unique in the series. It's "Casino Royale"!
089: Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) w/ SimonUK and Ryan!
February 03, 2020 00:00 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MBOh my. Well, there's a lot of tarantulas, and that's a problem, see? But don't worry! Shatner is on the case! And while he's in a love triangle with his brother's widow and a sexy scientist, he's gotta help save the Harvest Festival because spiders are here. Drama! Thrills! Romance! Woody Strode! SimonUK! Ryan!
088: Oscars Talk! MRSHL, Maxwell and Ryan talk about The Academy Awards
January 27, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 77.9 MBIt's Academy Awards Season! Our panel of experts sits down to talk about the Oscars! What are they? Why are they? How did they come to be? It's a four hour program full of tiny clips of movies, awkward shots of celebs, and where you walk away with a paper weight, so what's the deal?
087: "Captain America: Civil War" (2016) - Avengers Countdown 13 w/ Jamie & Ryan
January 25, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 64.9 MBWe get to the dark middle chapter of the Avengers Chronological Countdown as Cap and Tony cannot agree on some paperwork, Bucky says a farewell to arms, a "Cats" understudy becomes a hero and Aunt May is suddenly way more interesting. It's "Captain America: Civil War"! and Jamie and Ryan are going to talk about it!
086: "1917" (2019)a SimonUK Cinema Series episode w/ Ryan
January 20, 2020 00:00 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBSimonUK and Ryan ponder the atrocities of WWI via the 2019 critical darling and single-shot technical exercise, "1917". As accolades pile up, our two heroes must traverse a conversation across enemy lines and ponder what a war movie means and looks like in 2020.
085: "The Island" (1980)- SimonUK Cinema! w/ Ryan
January 14, 2020 00:00 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MBAhoy! We sail into the NSFW new year with a tale of unlikely adventure and horror as a very 1980-era Michael Caine heads to the Bermuda Triangle to look into some missing boats only to find: a secret civilization of PIRATES. And not fun, yo-ho-ho pirates, but, like, crazy inbred weirdo pirates. It's a whole scene, man.
084: "Trading Places" (1983) Holidays 2019 w/ MRSHL and Ryan
January 08, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBThe holidays never end here at The Signal Watch! We've got one more PodCast for you as we discuss "Trading Places" (1983), a movie about class, race, and power of hoping your audience knows a whole lot about the commodities market (we do not). Join us as we discuss a movie that's both dated and ageless. Oh, and it takes place at Christmas, sort of.
083: "Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker" - A Star Wars Pondering w/ SimonUK and Ryan
January 04, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBSimonUK and Ryan were already standing around the kitchen talking about "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker", so they turned on a microphone and recorded themselves. What follows is a semi-incoherent conversation by two 40-something guys pondering the final installment of a decades-spanning storyline.
082: "Four Rooms" (1995) - Holidays 2019 w/ AmyC and Ryan
December 27, 2019 00:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBPrepping for New Year's Eve, AmyC and Ryan return to the indie film scene of the 1990's when Tarantino could do no wrong and Miramax was the hottest game in movies. But what if they decided to Voltron their talent into a single, unimpeachably delightful and quirky movie made up of four separate segments by four separate auteurs? It'd be great, right? ...right?
081: "CATS" (2019) - Day Drinking the Movies w/ Jamie, Doug, Kristen and Ryan
December 23, 2019 00:00 - 57 minutes - 52.4 MB(Our most NSFW episode yet!) We hit the Alamo Drafthouse, settled in and ordered up some cocktails, for we were watching "CATS" - the adaptation of the 1980's musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber! Join us in a Day Drinking the Movies episode as we discuss 2019's favorite (and deserving!) movie punching bag - with special guests Doug and K!
080: "Rare Exports" (2010) - Holidays 2019 w/ SimonUK and Ryan
December 22, 2019 00:00 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBIt's a Signal Watch Stocking Stuffer! SimonUK and Ryan watched the 2010 Finnish sorta-horror import "Rare Exports" (2010), all about Santa maybe not being the fun-loving fellow who drops down chimneys to drop off presents, and maybe more a bit of "hold my beer, Krampus".
079: "Lady in the Lake" (1947) Holidays 2019 w/ Jamie & Ryan
December 19, 2019 00:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBIt's Christmas Noir! From a first-person-perspective! It's kinda weird, honestly! Join Jamie and Ryan as they discuss "Lady in the Lake", a movie about murder with a very twisty mystery, with a lot of the story taking place on Christmas! For some reason. And Ryan finally gets to talk about Audrey Totter, noir and whatnot.
078: "Long Kiss Goodnight" (1996) Holidays 2019 w/ SimonUK, Jamie & Ryan
December 14, 2019 00:00 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBThe Signal Watch hearts Geena Davis. And here she is! In a movie that takes place at Christmas - because it's written by Shane Black. SimonUK, Jamie and Ryan talk this mid-90's actioner that predates Jason Bourne movies but post-dates the Bourne books about a secret assassin recovering her memory as the baddies movie in.
077: "Go" (1999) Holidays 2019 w/ Maxwell and Ryan
December 11, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 69 MB(NSFW) Maxwell and Ryan review 1999's indie darling, "Go", a movie which absolutely occurs maybe at Christmas, borrows the "Pulp Fiction" narrative structure and shines a light on shenanigans occurring in the greater LA area for hip young people.
076: "Jaws: The Revenge" (1987) Holidays 2019 w/ SimonUK, Jamie and Ryan
December 03, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MB(mildly NSFW) SimonUK, Jamie and Ryan hold a holiday roundtable to discuss "Jaws: The Revenge", which, for reasons unknown, takes place at Christmas. Join us as we puzzle through the chapter in the Jaws saga no one asked for, added psychic powers, Michael Caine, and a plot that doesn't even bother to make sense.
075: Kryptonian Thought-Beast Christmas Comics and Recs - w/ Brandon Z!
November 24, 2019 00:00 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBBrandon Z and Ryan talk about how comics have embraced Christmas over the years, from the cute to the weird and everything in-between. We also make some practical recommendations for folks who want to gift some comics this holiday season. For links to recommendations and to see images of referenced comics: https://www.kryptonianthoughtbeast.com/2019/11/christmas-with-kryptonian-thought-beast.html
074: "WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978) - Thanksgiving Special w/ Eric, Maxwell & Ryan!
November 20, 2019 00:00 - 1 hourWe welcome special guest, Eric S, as Maxwell and I discuss one of the greatest episodes of TV of all time, from one of the greatest sitcoms of all time! It's a 2019 Thanksgiving edition of The Signal Watch! We talk about the series in general, but all through the lens of one turkey of an episode. Oh, the humanity! (We recommend watching S1: Episode 7 of "WKRP in Cincinnati" before listening)
074: "WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978) - Thanksgiving Special w/ Maxwell, Motolove & Ryan!
November 19, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 77.8 MBWe welcome special guest, Eric S, as Maxwell and I discuss one of the greatest episodes of TV of all time, from one of the greatest sitcoms of all time! It's a 2019 Thanksgiving edition of The Signal Watch! We talk about the series in general, but all through the lens of one turkey of an episode. Oh, the humanity! (We recommend watching S1: Episode 7 of "WKRP in Cincinnati" before listening)