Carrie and Paolo are joined by their good friend Wade to discuss the 80s comedy-horror/exploitation film Brain Damage. Can a film that leads to a discussion on consent also be a laugh riot? Listen and find out!

Brain Damage

On their first episode, Paolo and Carrie discuss the 2010 horror/thriller My Soul to Take. Topics include lazy screenwriting, Wes Craven's condor obsession, and Paolo's set decoration obsession.

My Soul To Take

Paolo, Carrie, and Wade discuss Rules of Engagement. It gets political!

Rules Of Engagement

Paolo, Carrie, and Wade discuss the 2006* film Man of the Year. Topics include baffling shot choices, a perverse jump scare, and the protagonist's vague similarity to Donald Trump.

*Paolo said the wrong year in the intro, and this was easier than re-recording!

Man Of The Year

Paolo, Carrie and Wade discuss the 2001 film Storytelling.

Storytelling

Paolo, Carrie, and Wade discuss the 1988 screwball mob-comedy Married to the Mob. Topics include Jonathan Demme's use of music, Paolo's catholic school experiences, and Carrie dying of the common cold.

Married To The Mob

Paolo and Carrie are joined by writer/production design/artisan Jeff Chaney to discuss a triple feature of short films: Possibly in Michigan (1983, Cecelia Condit), He Was Once (1989, Mary Hestand), and Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987, Todd Haynes).

Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by writer/director Tony DiBiase to discuss the 2009 mystery-thriller Triangle. Topics include Timecrimes, lying to your audience, and a surprising amount of Greek mythology.

Triangle

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by Wade to discuss Neil Labute's 2008 domestic drama-thriller Lakeview Terrace. Topics include our protagonists' terrible relationship, everyone hating Chris, and the "dangers" of spermjacking.

Lakeview Terrace

Paolo and Carrie are joined by director/actor/comedian Kyle Surma to discuss Jerry Zucker's 2001 ensemble comedy Rat Race. Topics include: 9/11, prairie-dogging, and the elaborate mechanics of the film's Nazi jokes.

Rat Race

Paolo and Carrie go it alone for a discussion of Nia Vardalos' 2009 romantic comedy I Hate Valentine's Day. Topics include tapas, possible narcissism, and whether or not Mike Starr and Danny Aiello look alike.

I Hate Valentine's Day

Paolo and Carrie are joined by Justin Benson to discuss Jackie Kong 1987 horror-comedy Blood Diner. Topics include the allure of nude aerobics & karate, terrible acting, and the skillful art of dismemberment comedy.

Blood Diner

Paolo and Carrie are joined by two guests - Krista Jackson and Emily Neil - to discuss Damon Santostefano's 1999 romantic comedy Three to Tango. Topics include progressive homophobia, humor about insecurity, and Paolo's impression of flirty ladies.

Three To Tango

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by writer/production designer/fellow podcaster Jeff Chaney to discuss Judd Apatow's 2015 big-budget comedy-drama Trainwreck. Topics include: a surprising amount of cinematography-related issues, the film's mish-mash of tones, and when exactly Amy had time to plan her big romantic gesture.

BONUS: this episode's artwork was created by Jeff Chaney!

Trainwreck

Paolo and Carrie are joined by director/actress & Paolo's sister Alex Carone to discuss Eli Roth's 2007 horror-satire Hostel: Part 2. Topics include: the surprisingly restrained use of gore, the mysterious function of the Bubblegum Gang, and Paolo's love of films with severed penises.

Hostel: Part 2

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Marco Ferreri's 1969 existential puzzler Dillinger is Dead and Jim Trainor's 2008 short film The Presentation Theme. Topics include: the protagonist taking forever to eat, how to make a mental process cinematic, and the existential importance of the anum.

Dillinger Is Dead

Paolo and Carrie are joined by Will Ackland to discuss Mike Judge's 2009 small-business satire Extract. Topics include where exactly the film takes place, Kristen Wiig's performance, and how long it takes a grown man to masturbate.

Extract

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Cindy Sherman's 1997 artsy horror film Office Killer and her 1975 silent short Doll Clothes. Topics include: Cindy Sherman's photography career, cat ladies, and Paolo's frustration with James Franco.

Office Killer

Carrie and Paolo are joined again by the third member of The Secret Cinema, beloved composer Ricardo Ortiz, to discuss Wes Craven's 1988 voodoo horror film The Serpent and the Rainbow. Topics include: various insane tales from behind the scenes, scrotum stabbing, and Carrie and Paolo getting various facts wrong.

The Serpent and the Rainbow

Paolo and Carrie go it alone for a discussion of "Stephen Greene" and his 2015 political screwball comedy, Accidental Love. Topics include: Stephen Greene's origin story, television-style comedy writing, and one weird trick for enjoying Accidental Love and Alien: Covenant.

Accidental Love

Paolo and Carrie are joined by filmmaker & contributor to Chicago film guide Cine-File, John Dickson, to discuss Walter Hill's 1981 bayou thriller Southern Comfort. Topics include: broad similarities between this and Aliens, real animal corpses, and what the film argues about the United States.

Southern Comfort

Paolo and Carrie are alone again for a very subjective discussion of Amir Bar-Lev's 2007 art world documentary My Kid Could Paint That and two bonus shorts: Chris Marker's 1990 film Cat Listening to Music, and Cory Arcangel's 2009 film Arnold Schoenberg Opus 11 - 1 - Cute Kittens. Topics include: everyone in the art world being crazy, having control of your narrative, and whether or not Marla's dad helping her really matters.

My Kid Could Paint That

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by Emily Neil to discuss Brian Yuzna's 1989 gruesome horror-satire Society. Topics include: goofy sound effects, totally sexy boobs, and the word "shunt" gaining a whole new meaning.

Society

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by Will Ackland to discuss Nacho Vigalondo's 2014 techno-thriller Open Windows, as well as his musical short film 7:35 de la Mañana. Topics include: general themes and trends of Vigalondo's career, Sasha Grey's acting, and our confusion over the implications & details of the ending.

Open Windows

Paolo and Carrie are rejoined by Emily Neil to discuss Jim McBride's 1989 campy & creepy Jerry Lee Lewis biopic Great Balls of Fire! Topics include: the film's Solondzian tone, a refresher on the Bermuda Smile, and the dark secrets of Jerry Lee's love life.

Great Balls Of Fire!

Paolo and Carrie go it alone for a special Halloween-adjacent discussion of Takashi Miike's horrific 2006 short film Imprint. Topics include: a traumatically brutal torture scene, the pregnancy horror sub-genre, and a whole new way of looking at pinwheels.

Imprint

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Hampton Fancher's 1999 existential mystery The Minus Man. Topics include: what the hell this movie is about, literally flirting with death, and one of the greatest trailers in film history.

The Minus Man

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Josh Benson for a discussion of David E. Durston's 1970 lsd-sploitation thriller I Drink Your Blood. Topics include: the conspicuous lack of blood drinking, getting gangbanged at a murder scene, and inaccurate depictions of hydrophobia.

I Drink Your Blood

Paolo and Carrie are joined by Gabby Abrego to discuss Arie Posin's 2005 ensemble indie drama The Chumscrubber. Topics include: what the title means, Ralph Fiennes' dolphin-centric story arc, and an unexpected reference to Un Chien Andalou.

The Chumscrubber

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by director/actress & Paolo's sister Alex Carone to discuss Stuart Gordon's 2005 seedy existential drama Edmond. Topics include: comparisons between the film and the original play, various theories about the protagonist's psychology, and an explanation of the film's tarot symbolism. 

Bonus: our discussion was recorded at Alex's house in Adrian, Michigan, and we somehow completely forgot to mention it during the episode!

Edmond

Paolo and Carrie are joined again by Emily Neil to discuss Andrew Dominik's 2012 political crime drama Killing Them Softly. Topics include: the function of James Gandolfini's subplot, artistic depictions of being on heroin, and none of us remembering the specifics of the 2008 financial crisis.

Killing Them Softly

Paolo and Carrie are joined by RJ Hanson for a discussion of Higuchinsky's 2000 bizarro-horror film Uzumaki. Topics include: great scenes that aren't in the film, set up that doesn't set anything up, and the girl with celluloid hair.

(This episode "brought" to you by ladylonghorn.bandcamp.com!)

Uzumaki

Paolo and Carrie are joined by two guests - Justin & Sarah Benson - to discuss Peter Chelsom's 2001 slapstick dram-edy Town & Country. Topics include: Warren Beatty as audience surrogate, similarities to Black Sheep, and architect fetishists.

Town & Country

THE SECRET CINEMA is a podcast dedicated to finding meaning in the underappreciated and/or under-analyzed films of yesteryear.

Hosted by Paolo Carone & Carrie Chaffee
with music by Ricardo Ortiz

Executive Producer: Gary Carone

The Secret Cinema

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