Ben Reiser, Scott Lucas and Jim Healy tackle one of their favorite "Christmas" movies, 1978's The Silent Partner, directed by Daryl Duke and written by Curtis Hanson. In addition to Duke and Hanson, the guys cover everyone and everything from Elliott Gould to Christopher Plummer, from Susannah York to John Candy, from David Cronenberg to Carolco, and much much much more. Also a delightful round of What Was Playing That Week?!?

Ep. 54 - The Silent Partner (1978)

On the eve of Paul Newman's centennial, Ben, Scott and Jim welcome guest Christina Martin-Wright to the show for a spirited and lengthy dissection of George Roy Hill's brilliant hockey comedy, SLAP SHOT. Pull up a bleacher and join in as the panel discusses:

* Own vs Owns
* What qualifies as a sex scene
* Network tv versions of profanity fueled classics
* Lindsay Crouse’s tipping point
* Paul Newman’s gold teeth
* The lost art of “mooning”
* The lost art of subtle “coarse” comedies
* Sssssss vs Slither
* Carlson bros vs Hanson bros
* Strother Martin vs Marv Albert

And much much more! + what was playing that week?


Ep. 55 - Slap Shot (1977)

This February at the UW Cinematheque, in our ongoing series of new international movies making their first local theatrical showings, we present the Madison Premiere of DEAD MAIL, written and directed by the talented duo of Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy.

Evocatively set in the Midwest at the dawn of the digital age, this dark comedy and thriller is one of the most exciting American movies of the decade! DEAD MAIL begins with the story of Jasper, a diligent post-office clerk played by Tomas Boykin, who discovers a blood-stained cry for help delivered to his “dead letter” office. With assistance from Jasper’s quirky colleagues and a Scandinavian hacker, an investigation uncovers a whole new story, a psychodrama played-out between a synthesizer engineer and his possessive patron. Frequently reminiscent of movies by Alfred Hitchcock, Brian De Palma and the Coen Brothers, Dead Mail’s narrative is consistently compelling and surprising. Set in the mid 1980s, the blandly evocative period details and the numerous stylistic directorial flourishes make it clear that we are in the hands of a confident and talented pair of filmmakers. On this episode of Cinematalk, Jim Healy and Ben Reiser talk to Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy about their friendship, professional history, and the making of DEAD MAIL, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in early 2024 and went on to play a number of other major international Festivals, including Toronto and Leeds. This podcast does contain DEAD MAIL spoilers, and we recommend seeing the movie before listening.


Ep. 94 DEAD MAIL with Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy

70 Movies We Saw in the 70s makes it's (in)glorious return as Ben and Scott welcome American Genre Film Archive's Bret Berg, and Inglorious Trekspert (and Ben's high school buddy) Mark Altman for a not-quite maiden voyage on the Enterprise for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Boldly go where lots of nerdy podcasts have gone before as we explore:

*Our love/hate relationships with this motion picture

*Al Pacino, Star Trek superfan

*Bill Shatner, hero or heel?

*Ensign Steven Wright

*Gene Roddenberry, breast or thigh man?

*Kirk's killing streak

*A Bearded Bones

*A Celibate Deltan

*V'ger or Vijer?

*V'ger vs The Entity

And. So. Much. More!


Ep. 56 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Ben Reiser and Jim Healy are joined by returning guest, Richard Shepard (FILM GEEK, THE PERFECTION, THE MATADOR, I KNEW IT WAS YOU, GIRLS) for a deep dive into Peter Bogdanovich's comeback masterpiece, SAINT JACK (1979). Join us for a fascinating discussion as we:

- Bow down to Ben Gazzara
- Salute Singapore
- Praise Peter Bogdanovich
- Dig Denholm Elliott
- Rave about Robby Muller
- Open up about Orson Welles
- Get Groovy with George Lazenby

Plus: Cybill Shepherd writes a screenplay, Paul Theroux praises an adaptation, Roger Corman rides again, Vincent Canby writes a wrongheaded review and so much more...

Ep. 57 - Saint Jack (1979)

In conjunction with UW Cinematheque's view-at-home presentation of the newly restored Jazz on a Summer's Day (1959), this episode of Cinematalk takes a close look at the influential concert documentary filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. In the first segment, UW Madison Film Professor Jeff Smith talks with the Cinematheque's Mike King about the cultural and historical significance of the artists who appeared at Newport and the influence of Jazz on a Summer’s Day on subsequently made concert movies. In the second segment, Cinematheque's Ben Reiser talks with his fellow SUNY Purchase classmates, filmmakers Jeff Kushner and Bob Gosse, about their Film Professor, Aram Avakian, and Avakian's contributions to Jazz on a Summer's Day.

15. JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY w/Jeff Smith, Jeff Kushner, & Bob Gosse

A UW Madison Department of Communication Arts Podcast