<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd"><channel><title><![CDATA[Bulwark Goes to Hollywood]]></title><description><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch on movies, technology, and understanding the next Hollywood <br/><br/><a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/s/screentime?utm_medium=podcast">www.thebulwark.com</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/s/screentime</link><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 23:52:34 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/87281/s/87956.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><author><![CDATA[The Bulwark]]></author><copyright><![CDATA[Center Enterprises, Inc]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[info@thebulwark.com]]></webMaster><itunes:new-feed-url>https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/87281/s/87956.rss</itunes:new-feed-url><itunes:author>The Bulwark</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Sonny Bunch on movies, technology, and understanding the next Hollywood</itunes:subtitle><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><itunes:owner><itunes:name>The Bulwark</itunes:name><itunes:email>info@thebulwark.com</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:category text="TV &amp; Film"/><itunes:category text="News"><itunes:category text="Entertainment News"/></itunes:category><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/s/87956/8fa2eb1d4fc800bc9dd522a07763100b.jpg"/><item><title><![CDATA[How the FCC Is Trying to Silence Trump Critics]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m joined by Robert Corn-Revere. Currently the chief counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Corn-Revere also served as the chief counsel to the Federal Communications Commission chair in 1993 and as a counsel on important First Amendment cases that have made their way all the way to the Supreme Court. (Seriously, <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Corn-Revere">check out his Wiki</a>, it’s crazy.) We had a pretty in-depth chat about how the FCC works and the myriad ways in which Trump’s hand-picked chair, Brendan Carr, is perverting some of the long-term ideals of the commission. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-the-fcc-is-trying-to-silence</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:211069316</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:22:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/211069316/9ba382bdcb2a2d5e5f8a0030d53778fe.mp3" length="47671406" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2979</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/211069316/731154379497283ea0c196fa781cef4f.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[‘Sugar’ Examines a Different Side of Los Angeles]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m joined by <em>Sugar </em>showrunner Sam Catlin to discuss the second season of Apple TV’s underappreciated gem. If you haven’t watched the show, you should; season one is available in full and the penultimate episode of season two airs today. It’s a neo-noir with a sci-fi twist, a show about how media can shape us as people, and one of the best-acted programs on television. (Seriously: There’s a whole TV show with Colin Farrell doing A-List work and people aren’t talking about that nearly enough!) I hope you give the show a watch and give this episode a listen.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/sugar-examines-a-different-side-of-los-angeles</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:209124067</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/209124067/9ced6c81b83b5dbcfd3f595e50763f2c.mp3" length="41658211" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2603</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/209124067/ad90087034a2aaa2628c982343e24965.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Which Directors Have the Most Hollywood Juice?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Nate Jones of Vulture to discuss his monumental effort to rank the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/100-most-powerful-directors-in-hollywood.html">100 most powerful directors in Hollywood</a>. We discussed how the audience has shifted from stars to IP to maybe, now, directors, and what that means for the industry. Plus: Who did his inside sources think he rated too highly … and too lowly? All that and more on this week’s (if I do say so myself) very fun episode. Debate amongst yourselves: Who has the most juice in Hollywood … and who <em>should </em>have the most juice?</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/which-directors-have-the-most-hollywood-juice</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:208289531</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/208289531/929d8f8bc59c5fba1a07f7203606a253.mp3" length="47680055" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2980</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/208289531/28690256236d260777c2029b59deb0e0.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Can Subsidies Bring Film Production Back to the USA?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Chris Fenton to discuss efforts to pass a federal tax credit that would help reshore American film production and his own made-in-America film, <em>Bad Counselors</em>, which hits theaters next week. Things got a little spicy as we debated some of the downsides of these programs—and, specifically, how they might come to pass; I think the federal government should be working for all of America on this issue rather than picking winners and losers state by state—but something clearly needs to be done. Film production and the culture industry more broadly is one of the great American exports, and we’ll all be better off if we can find a way to keep those jobs in America.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/can-subsidies-bring-film-production</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:207285097</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/207285097/5be577ed1029351982150c019e66b376.mp3" length="57330858" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3583</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/207285097/b8bcbbdbe3919a67d39ee8e900d95217.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How the Screen Has Changed Us]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by renowned critic and film historian David Thomson to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-sudden-flicker-of-light-a-revisionist-history-of-movies-david-thomson/43b9b9f85466497b?ean=9781668205730"><em>A Sudden Flicker of Light: A Revisionist History of Movies</em></a><em>. </em>It’s a bracing tome, given its thesis: That the film screen has fundamentally altered who we are and how we interact with the world, in ways mostly negative. I’ll have more on this book in my newsletter this week, but I really hope you pick it up; there’s a lot to chew on in it.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-the-screen-has-changed-us</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:206313013</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/206313013/cad75c900d451fea9a902542a3ce86ec.mp3" length="43175007" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2698</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/206313013/b7cba44e2979298d931b5a058122764d.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Comcast and NBC Universal Are Breaking Up: What Does That Mean?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by CNN’s media analyst Brian Stelter to discuss the big news of the week, Comcast’s decision to spin NBC Universal off into a separate company. What will happen to the broadcast network? Who might some of the suitors be for the standalone company? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/comcast-and-nbc-universal-are-breaking</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:204727623</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/204727623/6bff9460f34b8114385f27234701e3d1.mp3" length="29845437" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1865</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/204727623/bc4b40b0854a863a84ca549b61465ca5.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Increasing Entanglements of Hollywood and AI]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Ben Fritz of the <em>Wall Street Journal</em> to discuss his exclusive on the partnership between Google and A24 and what it portends for the rest of the studios who are either diving into the world of AI filmmaking or cautiously sitting on the sidelines waiting to see how things shake out. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-increasing-entanglements-of-hollywood-and-ai</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:203572566</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/203572566/35a97045a769d0b22b6e62c05e9480f3.mp3" length="36087643" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2255</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/203572566/bf3fb44cde336d741069cbca1ad822c0.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Mount Rushmore of TV]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by my first guest, the great Richard Rushfield, to talk all things TV. What’s the deal with Fox buying Roku? What does the post-peak-TV era look like? And, perhaps most importantly, who is on <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/tvs-mount-rushmore-according-to-50-hollywood-insiders/">the Mount Rushmore of television</a>? All that and more on this week’s episode. Leave your pick for the all-time-top-four TV figures in the comments!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-mount-rushmore-of-tv</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:202614635</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/202614635/ab8bc9d749faf3dbb899402254921718.mp3" length="42651389" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2665</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/202614635/65c81a1c781815aaeb58e277f274c301.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Wild West of 1980s Movie Financing]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined by Peter M. Hoffman this week to discuss his new memoir, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/karmic-winds-reflections-from-the-smartest-guy-in-hollywood-peter-m-hoffman/75a61ded1344ca93?ean=9781644285626&#38;next=t"><em>Karmic Winds</em></a>, about his time in Hollywood as the tax lawyer who could figure out how to get movies financed and get people paid. Fans of 1980s action movies will recognize many of the names here, as Hoffman was a key figure in the Golan and Globus empire before becoming CEO of Carolco Pictures during their epic run of films that included <em>Basic Instinct</em> and <em>Terminator 2</em>. We also discussed the way tax laws helped—and then hindered—getting movies made, and Peter’s own unfortunate run-in with IRS authorities. If you want the full story, make sure to check out his book, which goes into much more detail than we had time for here.</p><p>This episode gets a bit in the weeds about tax law and the such, but I’d love to hear from folks about their favorite Carolco films. One that we touched on very briefly is <em>Jacob’s Ladder</em>, a movie I’ve always found fascinating in part because I don’t think it entirely works. Or at least, it didn’t for me … but Peter’s book highlights the ways in which the film reflects the Tibetan Book of the Dead, which may just be the key to unlocking it all. I’m excited to go back and revisit it with that idea in mind.  </p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-wild-west-of-1980s-movie-financing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:201610113</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/201610113/c997a878cf261f486189f2fd7b55ba0a.mp3" length="39112010" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2444</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/201610113/4e810dcfedd6a3727ca1b172b46b340a.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bringing ‘Day of the Dead’ Back to Life]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m super-excited about this week’s episode, as I’m getting to talk about one of my favorite zombie movies (<em>Day of the Dead</em>) with one of the creators of that film (John Harrison, the first assistant director and composer of its iconic score) and one of the producers at one of my favorite boutique Blu-ray labels (Jeff Roland from Shout Factory/Scream Factory). We talk all about the making of the film, of course, but also the making of this set: one of my favorite special features on the bonus disc is a 30-minute-or-so doc about the actual restoration of this film. How they tracked down the interpositive, what they had to do to get the transfer into shape for a 4K release, how they had to mix the sound, etc. </p><p>I really cannot recommend this set enough: it comes out June 16, but I strongly recommend <a target="_blank" href="https://gruv.com/products/day-of-the-dead-40th-anniversary-edition-4k-ultra-hd-blu-ray-uhd-_1000862334?srsltid=AfmBOoq439G0KIRXJFs5lDX3MM551xCsd4ofGjA5FdxDGQIi-9izNED1">picking up a copy now</a>, as these collector’s editions can be hard to keep in stock. Obviously, the fans of Romero’s films are going to want it. But I would pitch it to anyone who appreciates a good piece of archival work: There are documentaries on this thing that will simply help you understand the world of physical media better. Plus a fun new audio commentary featuring Drew McWeeny and Daniel Kraus. And, of course, a pristine new transfer that gives extra depth and definition to all of those scenes set in the underground mines where most of the movie takes place. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/bringing-day-of-the-dead-back-to-life-george-romero-jeff-roland-john-harrison</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:200661570</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/200661570/30ec5f0bff2c330a8175a5c3d6fdb65b.mp3" length="56290138" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3518</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/200661570/56d23c9fce87913662ca77413cf916f5.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Three Movies to Prep For Our Viral Apocalypse]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Just as a heads up: This episode was posted on the Takes feed over the weekend, but I wanted to make sure and share it with y’all because a.) it was a lot of fun and b.) I did a weirdly large amount of work for it, having to rewatch three films and read a bunch of stuff. But I wanted to make sure you guys heard it in case you haven’t subscribed to the Takes feed. (And if you haven’t, for shame! You’re missing JVL and me <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/watch?v=199627957">riffing</a> on the terrible America 250 concert!)</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/three-movies-to-prep-for-our-viral</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:199664743</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/199664743/011fd3a024ff103b1019f2c8f5cd6783.mp3" length="45410670" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2838</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/199664743/d2926376e3d5c51495e878d9e58ef5d8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Turning Sex and Dragons Into Streaming Money]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Julia Alexander to discuss <a target="_blank" href="https://puck.news/streaming-romantasy-problem-why-dragons-dont-pay-off/">her latest piece for Puck</a> on why romantasy—the subgenre of fine literature dedicated to dragons and sex—has had a hard time gaining a foothold on streaming services despite burning up the book charts. We also chatted about Amazon’s advertising ambitions and how it hopes to use its supposedly profitable video division to drive business elsewhere on the site … and whether or not the company is getting so big, it might make sense for the government to force some parts of it to split off. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/turning-sex-and-dragons-into-streaming</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:198703392</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/198703392/4823a2fb7cb9badd3933052835dc9645.mp3" length="48546107" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3034</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/198703392/a71a023418126e2b80082c35f5556b59.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Top Ten War Movies]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Hey everyone, so: This posted in the Takes feed over the weekend. (You can watch the video on Substack <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-greatest-war-movies-ever-made">here</a> or YouTube <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdhtcW-uC_I">here</a>.) I Just wanted to make sure this episode got into the Bulwark Goes to Hollywood feed in case you don’t subscribe to the Takes feed (though you should!) and also to give everyone a heads up that Mona Charen and I will be doing an episode of <em>her</em> podcast on <em>A Man for All Seasons</em>. You can watch <em>that</em> movie <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9BbfoBeXB4">for free on YouTube</a>, so long as you don’t mind ads. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-top-ten-war-movies</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:197770175</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/197770175/622a7595213181df82a1382e4dbd3f8d.mp3" length="49559712" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3097</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/197770175/efed183584d985a109f144a69ea8b7ca.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Summer Movie Preview!]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Scott Mendelson of The Outside Scoop to preview the summer movie season and address some of the hottest questions in the biz. Why did Netflix push Greta Gerwig’s Narnia movie to next year and give it a full(ish) theatrical window? What’s shaping up to be the biggest flop of the summer? Is box office health finally back on the upswing after some down years post-COVID and post-strikes? And what the heck is “Infinity Vision”? All that and more on this week’s episode. Leave your most-anticipated film in the comments!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/summer-movie-preview-f80</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:196776036</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/196776036/45139a5672d462409b6348462d13091e.mp3" length="51351544" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3209</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/196776036/4e24bf7b047fcf04405df9fd55ba16dc.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Fan-Driven Distribution Company]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Occasionally, someone will ask me if I think they should invest in a movie. My answer is, invariably, the same: you should only invest in movies you really believe in; you should understand that even if you invest, the movie will likely never get made because most movies never do; and you should only invest if you’re willing to lose everything you put in, because even those movies that <em>do</em> get made tend to show a loss.</p><p>I lead with this because today I’m talking to Jeff Annison of <a target="_blank" href="https://legionm.com">Legion M</a>, a production and distribution company built on the idea that fan investments are a great way to both develop seed capital and drive enthusiasm at theaters. Legion M is not a fly-by-night company and has a number of productions under its belt, including <em>My Dead Friend Zoe </em>and <em>The Man in the White Van</em>. Jeff will be the first to tell you that investing is risky and should only be done if you’re comfortable with losing it all, though he obviously has staked his claim with Legion M and put no small amount of his own capital at risk. And they’ve certainly seen some successes with films like the Nic Cage-starring <em>Mandy</em> (one of my favorites of the 2010s).</p><p>We discussed how changes to investment laws in 2016 helped spur a shift in indie fundraising from crowdfunding models to models that allow individuals to earn equity in the movies they contribute to the production of. We also discussed the Legion M Film Fund, their distribution-minded arm that provides last-in, first-out money for films seeking a domestic release. And we chatted about the effort to build a consistent fan base via the cultivation of retail investors.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-fan-driven-distribution-company</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:195994844</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/195994844/3c2046410a0b944b7d4061013595de14.mp3" length="49271759" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3079</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/195994844/f8f50dfcba26669099e3d5c57ba5339b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Lou Diamond Phillips's Riveting New Film]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Lou Diamond Phillips, who you know from … well, tons of stuff. <em>La Bamba</em>, <em>Young Guns</em>, <em>Longmire</em>, and last year’s best new TV show, <em>The Chair Company</em>. He’s on the show this week to discuss his new film, <em>Keep Quiet</em>, which is playing this Saturday evening at the Dallas International Film Festival and should hit theaters this summer. We talked about all sorts of stuff, but one thing I find really fascinating is <em>Keep Quiet</em>’s place in the burgeoning mini-genre we might think of as Native Noir: films like this, <em>Killers of the Flower Moon</em>, and <em>Wind River</em>, TV shows like <em>Reservation Dogs</em>, <em>Dark Winds</em>, and <em>Longmire</em>, etc. It’s an interesting moment, and <em>Keep Quiet </em>is a key part of it. I hope you’ll seek it out once it hits theaters … don’t worry, I’ll remind you when it’s about to happen.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/lou-diamond-phillipss-riveting-new</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:195265147</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/195265147/027101a2ef2502c9730257a07943f487.mp3" length="36698727" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2293</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/195265147/495e6301604fc145b460abfbb13b901d.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What America Loses If WB and Paramount Merge]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Special two-part episode of the podcast! The big news in Hollywood this week has been the burgeoning effort by Hollywood creatives to fight the purchase of Warner Bros. by Paramount Skydance. Thousands of names—including some of the biggest in the business—have signed an open letter in the hopes of demonstrating that not everyone in the industry is on board with the potential deal. So I wanted to talk to some of the folks behind it.</p><p>First up is an interview with Ted Hope, indie producer extraordinaire and author of the <a target="_blank" href="https://tedhope.substack.com">Hope for Film</a> Substack. We talked about how indie production has changed over the last few decades and what could be lost if Warner Bros. and Paramount are allowed to merge. </p><p>Then I got <a target="_blank" href="https://jonreiss.substack.com">Jon Reiss</a> and Jax Deluca of the <a target="_blank" href="https://futurefilmcoalition.substack.com">Future Film Coalition</a> on the horn. We discussed what concrete steps could be taken to help fight this merger and what media consolidation means to the indie filmmakers out there. </p><p>If you found this podcast interesting or informative, I hope you share it with your friends!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/what-america-loses-if-wb-and-paramount-merge</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:194436050</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/194436050/fe4812229d4513d589db6d5ec347c132.mp3" length="61557694" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3847</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/194436050/80b225dabb82c9024ac45b5f786f7526.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA['The Christophers': Emotionally Authentic Art]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined on this week’s episode by Ed Solomon, the writer of the new Steven Soderbergh feature, <em>The Christophers</em>, which is in limited release this weekend and going wider next. It’s the story of an aging artist, played by Ian McKellen, and his new assistant, played by Michaela Cole, who has been hired by the artist’s son and daughter to forge a series of paintings from an earlier, more successful period in his career. The idea being that, when he dies, the kids can sell the “found” works for millions.</p><p>Solomon discussed the idea for the film, which began with a single sentence from Steven Soderbergh, and blossomed from a twisty noir into something more emotionally resonant. We also discussed their previous collaboration, <em>No Sudden Move</em>, and why he wishes more people had had a chance to see it; the difference between more conceptual art and actual paintings; and the joy of working with McKellen and Cole in shaping the voice of the characters on the screen in <em>The Christophers. </em></p><p>It was a wide-ranging chat, is what I’m saying, and we didn’t even get a chance to discuss <em>Men in Black</em> or the <em>Bill & Ted </em>series of films, which he co-wrote. Maybe next time! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-christophers-emotionally-authentic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:193722459</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/193722459/a111f161c219ad52a9fe71ee16b51405.mp3" length="41595935" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2599</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/193722459/18161df82e9f99334da287084b4df0f7.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Cross-Country Making of 'Forrest Gump']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Steve Starkey to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-the-set-of-forrest-gump-steve-starkey/0d1ed1786e7d80e9?ean=9781985903678&#38;next=t"><em>On the Set of Forrest Gump</em></a>. Steve won an Oscar for best picture as producer on that film, but he has a career that, as I told him, has meant a lot to me, with credits on, among other pictures, <em>Empire Strikes Back </em>and <em>Return of the Jedi</em>, <em>Who Framed Roger Rabbit</em>, the two <em>Back to the Future </em>sequels, <em>Contact</em>, <em>Cast Away</em>, and, of course, <em>Forrest Gump</em>.</p><p>We discussed all sorts of stuff here, from the movie magician who made Lt. Dan’s legs disappear, to his work as second unit director, to the early days of using digital trickery to fake the words and faces of famous people, to the worst note he’s ever gotten after an audience test, to the difficulties facing California’s film industry in the face of global tax rebates and production credits.</p><p><em>On the Set of Forrest Gump</em> is laid out like a coffee table book and is beautifully illustrated with 250 or so full-color stills from set. So it’s nice to look at. But the story he tells is a fascinating glimpse into the push and pull of art and business, the struggle between the producer on the ground trying to make sure his director has the resources he needs and the studio bankrolling the whole thing and worried about losing tens of millions of dollars on a movie that isn’t a guaranteed hit. </p><p>Anyway, I hope you check it out. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-cross-country-making-of-forrest</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:192958178</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:42:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/192958178/bbe15f315bcddd50c2adf0f99efafe46.mp3" length="52011484" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3250</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/192958178/6a2ba3d9e8b47942215639dfb10b0bd4.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How America Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Gambling]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m very pleased to be joined by McKay Coppins, author of April’s cover story in <em>The Atlantic</em>: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/04/online-sports-betting-app-addiction/686061/">“Sucker: My Year as a Degenerate Gambler.”</a> We discussed the rise of sports betting apps, why his boss gave him $10,000 to lose, how the wild proliferation of sports gambling could destroy faith in the sports we watch, and why Kalshi/Polymarket could wind up getting people killed. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend! And make sure to read McKay’s story! It’s really quite good.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-america-learned-to-stop-worrying</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:192276093</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/192276093/2455cac1e06bc96e1e842aca34036740.mp3" length="49215337" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3076</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/192276093/42a29ef32696b345bfe4ed56331eeea6.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Larry McMurtry: Man of the West]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m very pleased to be joined by David Streitfeld to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/western-star-the-life-and-legends-of-larry-mcmurtry-david-streitfeld/ec007193cc6a4acd?ean=9780063234888&#38;next=t"><em>Western Star: The Life and Legends of Larry McMurtry</em></a>. Amongst the topics discussed: McMurtry’s obsession with book buying and selling; how his books and the films they were made from helped shape the view of the west; and why <em>Lonesome Dove</em>—both the book and the miniseries—endures more than forty years later. From <em>The Last Picture Show </em>to <em>Brokeback Mountain</em>, McMurtry rests alongside Cormac McCarthy one of the great modern voices of the American West.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/larry-mcmurtry-man-of-the-west</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:191374458</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/191374458/64fdf37b08a9dc3fa803c42ae0d4751a.mp3" length="49826078" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3114</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/191374458/e997c9a5c2ba84561c334416350204cf.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Can Every Movie Make Money?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m very pleased to be rejoined by Kevin Goetz, who is the guru of movie testing to discuss his latest book, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-score-in-hollywood-secrets-to-success-in-the-movie-business-kevin-goetz/df086468e82467f9?ean=9781982189860&#38;next=t"><em>How to Score in Hollywood</em></a>. When you spend nine figures on a film and another eight figures marketing it, you want to know what works for audiences and what doesn’t, and Kevin’s the guy who can help you do that. He believes that nearly every movie—if it’s made for the right price and marketed to the right people—should be able to make money, and he’s happy to explain how his company, Screen Engine/ASI, can help make that hope a reality. Our discussion runs the gamut—from concept testing to post-screening focus groups to some Oscar chatter—and I hope you enjoy.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/can-every-movie-make-money</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:190517516</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/190517516/77abc5f8e25b479c6e19676ea9d56073.mp3" length="53431281" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3339</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/190517516/5d22ce237393983643202dd52cfa07c9.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ethan Suplee and the Challenge of Getting Nasty]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m very pleased to be rejoined by Rod Blackhurst (we had him on a couple of years back to discuss his indie crime drama <em>Blood for Dust</em>) and joined for the first time by Ethan Suplee, veteran character actor we all know and love from films like <em>Mallrats</em>, <em>Remember the Titans</em>,<em> </em>and <em>The Wolf of Wall Street </em>and TV shows like <em>My Name Is Earl</em>. </p><p>We’re discussing their new film, <em>Dolly</em>, a true indie endeavor made in the spirit of American classics like <em>The Texas Chain Saw Massacre </em>and <em>The Evil Dead</em> or the New French Extremity’s <em>High Tension</em>. Rod and his partners raised some money, brought some folks to the woods of Tennessee, and put together something he hopes will be memorable for the audiences who see it. It’s hitting theaters this weekend, playing around 800 or so screens across the country, and if you’re a horror head—or just someone looking for something different—I hope you’ll check it out. (It <em>is</em> a horror movie, though, so I cannot provide any refunds if the onscreen terror sparks a walkout.)</p><p>As I said, getting Ethan on the show is a real treat because I’ve been a fan for years and it’s been interesting to watch him dip his toes into some darker waters in recent years in films like <em>Dolly</em>, <em>Babylon</em>, <em>Blood for Dust</em>, and <em>God Is a Bullet</em>. It was fun to pick his brain about consciously making that shift and why his film work often gives him a little more space to stretch than his TV work.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/ethan-suplee-and-the-challenge-of</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:190005159</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/190005159/988328bee18bd778c921eb67f6cd8dfd.mp3" length="56391704" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3524</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/190005159/8e3efb2e6fb48eb273b655cf496f9ef8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[‘Sirāt’ and Finding Community in the End of the World]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>We have a special bonus episode this week: I’m joined by Óliver Laxe, the director of the Oscar-nominated <em>Sirāt</em>, to discuss his film about a rave at the end of the world and how we can find community in an age of dislocation and isolation. I wanted to get this out now because a.) the film is expanding this weekend, b.) Laxe himself will be in attendance at a handful of shows across the country over the next week or two here, and c.) it really is the sort of movie you need to see in a theater. For the sound system and the big picture, yes, but also the sense of community a packed theatrical showing can generate. You’ll want to experience it with other people, believe me.</p><p>Laxe will be appearing for Q&As in person through the 8th in DC, Boston, Chicago, Austin, and Nashville; you can see the dates on the flyer below. But if you don’t live near one of these shows, I hope you check out the movie in a theater near you. It’s a real trip.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/sirat-and-finding-community-in-the</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:189877217</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/189877217/a414a6a6abce2214509b87dfa5b97eb1.mp3" length="32921194" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2057</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/189877217/7411db706ea41c9cfe55a02c3f37a1a5.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Three Friends Saved, and Destroyed, Hollywood]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined by Paul Fischer on this week’s episode to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-last-kings-of-hollywood-coppola-lucas-spielberg-and-the-battle-for-the-soul-of-american-cinema-paul-fischer/05e71e0ffc38fe23?ean=9781250878724&#38;next=t"><em>The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg—and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema</em></a><em>. </em>It’s a fascinating look at a pivotal moment in film history, when the breakdown of the studio system gave rise to the auteurist 1970s, the first half of which was dominated by Francis Ford Coppola, only to cede the landscape to the blockbuster entertainments that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg mastered in the back half of the decade and beyond.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-three-friends-saved-and-destroyed</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:189292627</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/189292627/e198a778767e85f66e52dd7d50ac630d.mp3" length="36208863" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2263</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/189292627/00e47c56ecb37c07a78a72ac14d0e5ec.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Oscar-Nominated Doc Exposes Alabama's Brutal Prisons]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m joined by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman to discuss their Oscar-nominated documentary, <em>The Alabama Solution</em>. Currently streaming on HBO, their documentary combines interviews, investigative journalism, and footage from within the prisons themselves obtained via contraband cellphones to reveal the horrible and dangerous living conditions of those serving time in the Alabama correctional system. It’s a documentary primed to shock the conscience, and I hope everyone out there watches it—even, perhaps especially, if you do not consider yourself a prison reform advocate.</p><p>You can also go to the documentary’s website, <a target="_blank" href="https://thealabamasolution.com">TheAlabamaSolution.com</a>, to learn more about the deaths inside Alabama’s prisons. And if you think this is an important film and an important issue, please share it with a friend.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/oscar-nominated-doc-exposes-alabamas</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:188498682</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/188498682/98f000cd14b2b6f4c35f53a952ed4d89.mp3" length="51617043" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3226</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/188498682/75cb17faa02421d724e0399d7607ef42.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Read All About 'The Late, Great Hannibal Lecter']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Remember that weird moment in the 2024 campaign cycle where Donald Trump started referring to how much he loved and identified with “the late, great Hannibal Lecter”? That was odd, right?</p><p>I discussed that and more with Brian Raftery, whose new book <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/hannibal-lecter-a-life-brian-raftery/1c2de2f6157d7318?ean=9781668070581&#38;next=t"><em>Hannibal Lecter: A Life</em></a> is both the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the love consuming your heart and a fascinating portrait of a bizarre creation from a reclusive writer. Indeed, the most interesting part of the book is the early deep dive into the life and writing of Thomas Harris, who has given just a handful of interviews over his nearly 50-year career. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/read-all-about-the-late-great-hannibal</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:187749188</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/187749188/f981677fc016b3668530913dfc9ab22b.mp3" length="46053894" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2878</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/187749188/1a4e67451e57b35be8edf93a5f1e2550.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How AI Will Enslave Us All]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m very pleased to be joined this week by Matthew Robinson, who is the screenwriter of the new film, <em>Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die</em>. It is the rarest of things: a mid-budget, high-concept, sci-fi action-comedy. Starring Sam Rockwell as a time-traveler from a ruined future (or possibly just a bum with a fake bomb strapped to his chest), Robinson and director Gore Verbinski (<em>The Ring</em>, <em>Pirates of the Caribbean</em>) have crafted a piercingly satirical take on our obsession with screens, our inability to deal with the tragedy of modern living, and the creeping fire that all-powerful AI will wind up killing half of us and enslaving the rest. </p><p>It’s opening wide on February 13, and I really hope you check it out. I may write a hair more about it in my newsletter though I probably won’t review it properly as I try not to review movies made by people I’ve interviewed so as to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. (Ethics, baby!) That said, I strongly recommend going to see it in a movie theater if for no other reason then to demonstrate that there is an audience for original films with a clear point of view and something to say about our world and our moment. </p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-ai-will-enslave-us-all</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:186984477</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/186984477/33a74396cd726fa8662b1b86ee7e8eb3.mp3" length="39075651" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2442</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/186984477/589dba9cab0b9c9b75965f566264dd0f.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Last Action Director]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m very pleased to be joined by Ric Roman Waugh, the director of the new film <em>Shelter</em>, starring Jason Statham. We talked a lot about making that movie and how he best utilized Statham’s skills as opposed to Dwayne Johnson’s in the movie <em>Snitch</em> or Gerard Butler’s in the <em>Greenland</em> films, <em>Kandahar</em>, and <em>Angel Has Fallen</em>. <em>Shelter</em>, which is in theaters now, is a little more meditative than some of Statham’s recent work, though no less effective for it.</p><p>Then we discussed making the transition from stuntman to director: Waugh worked with Tony Scott on a number of pictures, and had some interesting insights into the methods of the great action director. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have to practically restrain myself from just doing 30 minutes on Waugh’s <em>Shot Caller</em>, a gritty prison drama </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-last-action-director</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:186202776</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/186202776/ec20a1d83de56d44fd6c836009dfd845.mp3" length="29862587" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1866</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/186202776/3f7be2b551a1c00be0c51e082a01ae8f.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[2026 Oscar Nominations: A ‘Sinners’ Paradise?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The Oscar nominations dropped yesterday morning and I grabbed our favorite Oscar prognosticators, Katey Rich and Christopher Rosen of The Ankler’s <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/s/prestige-junkie">Prestige Junkie</a>, to chat about what it all means. Does <em>Sinners</em>’s 16 nominations mean it could upset <em>One Battle After Another </em>for best picture? What does it mean that <em>Wicked: For Good</em> took home zero nods? Perhaps most importantly: Will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/delroy-lindo-deserves-a-dang-oscar">Delroy Lindo get his dang Oscar</a>, as we demanded back in October? All that and more on this week’s episode, including a SHOCKING prediction by Christopher at the end of this podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out their <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prestige-junkie/id1746560024">podcast</a>. And please share this one with a friend! (And Delroy Lindo’s agent, we gotta get him on this show to talk about his career, amirite?)</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/2026-oscar-nominations-a-sinners</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:185465909</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/185465909/aa49860c914f8a91b016d8038a976b2c.mp3" length="36256112" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2266</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/185465909/321c0f229464a429a01b3cb78b1a34c4.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Football Is King (Until It Won't Be)]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Chuck Klosterman to discuss all things football and his new book, aptly titled <em>Football</em>. (<a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/football-chuck-klosterman/6f7b5ee7868210ba?ean=9780593490648&#38;next=t">Please buy a copy for yourself and your friends</a>; you’ll thank me, and then your friends will thank you.) We hit on an array of topics, including but not limited to the potential demise of the sport, the ways in which television and football are a perfect match, why streaming services are spending billions to acquire the rights to NFL and NCAA games, how gambling and fantasy football have fundamentally changed our relationship to the sport, and trying to think through how we think about football and why it matters. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/football-is-king-until-it-wont-be</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:184695485</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/184695485/b77179605dd14921b98e3adb90f74b74.mp3" length="53397860" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3337</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/184695485/0907b4de89dd34010023b2147570e169.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[An Age of Cultural Stagnation]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m pleased to be joined by W. David Marx, author of the new book <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/blank-space-a-cultural-history-of-the-twenty-first-century-w-david-marx/a9d1f5616a7275b1?ean=9780593833995&#38;next=t"><em>Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century</em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/blank-space-a-cultural-history-of-the-twenty-first-century-w-david-marx/a9d1f5616a7275b1?ean=9780593833995&#38;next=t">.</a> Alongside Marx’s <em>Status and Culture</em>, this book is one of the key texts to understanding how and why the culture has shifted so radically so quickly: the combination of “poptimism” (we discuss what, precisely, this is early on) and cultural omnivorism (the merging of all genres and all forms into a sort of equally viable mass entertainment) and the internet’s flattening of culture have led to a stagnant culture and a revanchist counter-counterculture eager to exact revenge and facing no real opposition in that effort. </p><p>If you enjoyed our conversation, or simply want to understand how we wound up in the world we wake up to every morning, I strongly recommend picking up Marx’s book. And if anything was unclear from our chat, drop me a line in the comments and hopefully I can help clear things up!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/an-age-of-cultural-stagnation</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:183984739</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/183984739/bf490a6eab7e38f13303095e4fa2d947.mp3" length="52593695" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3287</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/183984739/c0fe041f1c3da3503b5088aabbea8a59.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sitting Shiva for Rob Reiner]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On Monday, Sam Stein DMed me and asked if we could put together a little livestream event celebrating the work of Rob Reiner; he described it as sitting shiva, and I was happy to take the lead on putting this group of mourners together. I was joined by my colleague Bill Kristol, <em>The Ankler</em>’s Richard Rushfield (whose great column on Reiner you can read <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/p/rob-reiner-michele-reiner-dead-tribute">here</a>), and <em>Semafor</em>’s Dave Weigel (whose <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-show-that-never-ends-the-rise-and-fall-of-prog-rock-david-weigel/c0328b31031f2338?ean=9780393356021&#38;next=t">book on prog rock</a> is a must-read for fans of the genre). </p><p>You can also watch the video <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/remembering-the-best-of-rob-reiner">here</a>:</p><p>Watch my technology betray me! (I swear, everything was working perfectly in the green room!) You can help keep this sort of thing possible if you sign up for a membership. As a bonus, if you sign up now, you’ll get a month free, which is a great deal!</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/sitting-shiva-for-rob-reiner</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:182029160</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/182029160/a919dff0cc741cfd63be242180938f3b.mp3" length="49319829" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3082</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/182029160/f1cb74d65247a5cdf4a85288dea64689.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What'll Netflix Do with WB's Live Experiences?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Vulture’s Nicholas Quah to discuss his and Savannah Salazar’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/what-netflix-buying-warner-bros-means-for-wb-theme-parks.html">piece</a> on what Netflix might do with Warner Bros.'s tie-ins with Universal Studios and Six Flags, and then expanded the conversation to consider the vast universe of WB’s entanglements. The studio also owns an enormous video game company, the second-biggest comic book company in DC Comics, and all sorts of other stuff. What is Netflix going to do with all these disparate pieces? Who knows! But we do some rank speculation.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/whatll-netflix-do-with-wbs-live-experiences</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:181371122</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/181371122/cbf5bc8a81276350a6c51781ff84692d.mp3" length="26811889" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1675</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/181371122/f87f5c58bcac94544b798a9d7df359d4.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Netflix Buying WB Means Reduced Competition]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Scott Mendelson of <a target="_blank" href="https://scottmendelson.substack.com">The Outside Scoop</a>, whom I’ve tasked with answering a very simple question: Is there a good business case to be made for rebooting the <em>Rush Hour</em> franchise or is it merely a (very odd) sop to Donald Trump and his wife’s chronicler, Brett Ratner? (:47). Then we discussed <em>Zootopia</em>’s crazy popularity in China. (14:16) We taped this episode before news broke that Netflix had completed its purchase of the studio and streaming assets of Warner Bros., but we were prescient enough to discuss what might happen if Netflix picked up a controlling stake in WB. Spoiler: Nothing good for competition in Hollywood! (33:15)</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/is-there-a-business-case-for-making</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:180643234</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/180643234/e0464921d0a6b76028d2d517fe30053c.mp3" length="50987928" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3186</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/180643234/8fa2eb1d4fc800bc9dd522a07763100b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sticking with 'Family']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by David Coggeshall (previously on to discuss <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-orphan-first-kill-beat-expectations"><em>Orphan: First Kill</em></a><em> </em>and the first <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-the-family-plan-became-a-hit"><em>Family Plan</em></a>) to discuss his sequel to the surprise 2023 hit for AppleTV+. We talked shooting in London and Paris, the inspirations this holiday-season film, and what might come next for this series (and his career!). If you enjoyed this episode—or need a “drunk uncle movie” to watch with the family, as David described his film—make sure you check out <em>The Family Plan 2</em>, streaming on AppleTV now. And please share this with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/sticking-with-family</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:180125031</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/180125031/5d920ff0e41603634a1693addcd1b041.mp3" length="45060419" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2816</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/180125031/8fa2eb1d4fc800bc9dd522a07763100b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[A 'Fast and Furious' Guide to the Economics of Hollywood]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>For a goofy franchise that started with gangsters stealing DVD players and wound up with a Pontiac Fiero going into space, <em>The Fast and the Furious</em> movies are a pretty fantastic lens through which to view the last quarter-century of Hollywood economics. From the DVD boom and bust to the internationalization and diversification of ticket-buyers to questions of propriety surrounding the digital resurrection of deceased actors to the desire for all-encompassing franchise-based “cinematic universes,” the series has ridden every economic wave buffeting the movie business since the original’s release in 2001. </p><p>Author Barry Hertz does a wonderful job of weaving that story amidst the tangle of egos and artistic energy that makes up the <em>Fast </em>series in his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/welcome-to-the-family-the-explosive-story-behind-fast-furious-the-blockbusters-that-supercharged-the-world-barry-hertz/3360ac529e99b10e?ean=9781538771037&#38;next=t"><em>Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World</em></a>. Full disclosure: I’m not a particularly big fan of the series, so I was a little skeptical when I agreed to check out Barry’s book. But even if you don’t really care about the <em>Fast and Furious</em> movies, there’s more than enough behind-the-scenes drama and economic intrigue to keep you riveted. And it’s a must-buy stocking stuffer for anyone in your life who lives their life a quarter mile at a time.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-fast-and-furious-guide-to-the-economics</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:179459753</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:56:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/179459753/e9878c82a400ca936f2fe5c11b18e4ff.mp3" length="38391444" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2399</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/179459753/c07e7b24b22847e0eab7b52745632de8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Printing the Legend]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Chris Yogerst, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-man-who-shot-liberty-valance-chris-yogerst/1a3b818c3109ae9e?ean=9780826368386&#38;next=t">author of the new book from the University of New Mexico’s “Reel West” series</a> on <em>The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. </em>We discussed the making of the film, its place in the western canon as a sort of natural ending point for the traditional westerns made by John Wayne and John Ford, and the surprisingly political nature of the film’s central struggle between the frontier and civilization. If you enjoyed the episode, check out the book (or pick up the pristine 4K, on which Paramount did a fine job of making the film look good as new). And make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/printing-the-legend</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:178802664</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2025 15:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/178802664/a54bec17a1d689354e4eabc1cc6a8e88.mp3" length="40337916" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2521</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/178802664/6c2549854c52b259636425a52bc8a8f5.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Eternal Relevance of 'Network']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined by Dave Itzkoff on this week’s episode to discuss Paddy Chayefsky’s classic film, <em>Network</em>. Dave literally wrote the book on <em>Network</em> in his history of the film, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/mad-as-hell-the-making-of-network-and-the-fateful-vision-of-the-angriest-man-in-movies-dave-itzkoff/25c1ceb2b800eae3?ean=9781250062246&#38;next=t"><em>Mad As Hell</em></a>, and had lots to say about the making of the movie, the minds behind it, and its ongoing relevance to our daily lives. I know what you’re thinking, I can practically hear your thoughts: A movie about corporations taking over news divisions and fearing problems from the FCC holding up mergers because they don’t like coverage? What does that have to do with anything happening today? But I think we can squeeze out a similarity or two to our current moment.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-eternal-relevance-of-network</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:178184488</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/178184488/413c1a74ab8a4b2fe499f997b02cc5a1.mp3" length="40892096" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2555</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/178184488/2421cb6a3e4b4fcb2db5af7c46ea2a3f.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What ‘A House of Dynamite’ Gets Right About Nuclear War]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Tom Nichols—staff writer at the Atlantic, professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval War College, and all-around nuclear arms expert—to discuss Kathryn Bigelow’s new nuclear war film <em>A House of Dynamite</em>. On this episode, we discuss how his students reacted to previous nuclear panic films like <em>The Day After</em> and <em>Threads</em>, what the new film from Bigelow and writer Noah Oppenheim gets right about the current state of our nuclear preparedness, and what keeps Tom up at night about the current White House’s nuclear posture. </p><p>You can read Tom’s pieces on <em>A House of Dynamite </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/10/kathryn-bigelow-house-of-dynamite/684569/">here</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/10/pentagon-house-of-dynamite/684714/">here</a>, and he has another up about what the Trump White House doesn’t understand about nuclear weapons <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/10/trump-nuclear/684758/">here</a>. You can read <em>my</em> review of the film <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/i/177022870/a-house-of-dynamite-review">here</a>. And if <em>you</em> have thoughts, please sound off in the comments or share this episode with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/what-a-house-of-dynamite-gets-right</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:177575682</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/177575682/3a5c7b6e536ce15de8501743e292a6d0.mp3" length="50012478" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3125</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/177575682/cb372133256c9e517693bf501f5cdb5d.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Delroy Lindo Deserves a Dang Oscar]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p></p><p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Katey Rich and Christopher Rosen of The Ankler to preview the awards season and give you tips on what to check out (spoiler: <em>Hamnet</em>’s gonna be a big one this year) and discuss the exquisite art of Oscar prognostication. (If you enjoy this episode, make sure to check out The Ankler’s <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/s/prestige-junkie">Prestige Junkie</a><em> </em>newsletter and show.) For the record, you can see my nomination guesses <a target="_blank" href="https://anklerpundits.com/pundit/sonny-bunch/">here</a> at the Ankler Pundits site.</p><p>One of the things we delve into is the weird position Oscar pundits find themselves in, as they are torn between portraying the world as it is and trying to subtly change things to reshape the world in their image, as the predictions themselves have been known to shape the outcome of races. And that’s why I am staking a claim here: Delroy Lindo deserves a god-dang Oscar nomination for his work in <em>Sinners</em>. </p><p>Look, don’t get me wrong: Lindo has deserved Oscar gold for some time. He absolutely deserved it for his work in <em>Da Five Bloods</em>, for instance. But I celebrate the man’s entire body of work. I would give him a lifetime achievement award simply for his pronunciation of “sesame cake” in <em>Congo</em>. The man’s a damn legend and it’s about time the Academy gave him his due. </p><p>But he <em>especially</em> deserves it for the work he does in <em>Sinners</em>, a movie that seems lined up to snag a whole boatload of Oscar nominations, including best picture. Yes, yes: Michael B. Jordan’s dual performance as Smoke and Stack is the showcase of the film. But Lindo’s turn as Delta Slim embodies the <em>soul</em> of the movie; he is the embodiment of the life of a musician, of a <em>black </em>musician, in the American South at a time when simply being black could mark you for death. And he’s just funny as hell in the role, delivering these slightly off-kilter line reads that no one else could have pulled off. </p><p>Give the man his Oscar gold already! At the very least, give him the nomination. The people demand it! Leave your favorite Lindo performance in the comments, if you would. I’d like to prove that this man deserves his plaudits. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/delroy-lindo-deserves-a-dang-oscar</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:176943082</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/176943082/99e45f9e7155b4e182474326ebbe8adc.mp3" length="53382402" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3336</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/176943082/1170041d7a995c3b5371538e703b4b1c.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Crafting an Iconic Horror Movie Mask ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Hey, so, I wanted to pull an episode from the archive this week because it’s relevant to the big movie hitting theaters this weekend: <em>Black Phone 2</em> follows up the surprise 2022 hit, <em>The Black Phone</em>, resurrecting The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) and his iconic mask. Back before that movie came out, I talked to Jason Baker of Callosum FX Studios about helping design the mask for that movie (as well as for WWE stars and the band, Slipknot) and his work with the legendary Tom Savini. We also discussed Jason’s documentary about Savini, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/smoke-and-mirrors-the-story-of-tom-savini"><em>Smoke and Mirrors</em></a>, which you can rent for just 99 cents from Apple (or buy for just $1.99) or stream for free on Tubi. And if you enjoyed this re-run, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/crafting-an-iconic-horror-movie-mask</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:176333260</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 10:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/176333260/c6ee9af10bdd55a8b6cfb41d7ecb7766.mp3" length="26358054" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2196</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/176333260/f2b3afe7b0c36cf41d56aea9f4049535.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Orwell Helps Us Remember Truth]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Raoul Peck (<em>I Am Not Your Negro</em>) to discuss his new documentary, <em>Orwell: 2+2=5</em>. We talked about his upbringing in Haiti and having to flee a dictatorial regime there, how social media and AI manipulations help degrade the idea of objective truth, and what can be done to combat this scourge. If you enjoyed the episode, I hope you check out his documentary: it’s playing in New York City and Los Angeles now, and you can find showtimes <a target="_blank" href="https://films.neonrated.com/orwell/">here</a>. It should be expanding across the country here in the coming weeks, including showtimes in Dallas, Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and elsewhere. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-orwell-helps-us-remember-truth</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:175726864</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/175726864/6102ff7c14e9cde4811a112156047eab.mp3" length="30965464" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1935</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/175726864/4a336f4ac82d6271cc7752ddc7c580fe.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How an MTV Prank Helps Explain the Internet]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Hey, before you listen to this week’s episode, do me a favor and watch the short film we’re going to be discussing. It’s only 17 minutes long, and if you’re between the age of 31 and 45 or so, I think it’ll trip a lot of your nostalgia circuits. (It’s fun for all ages, but Yourgo said this was the age range that best responded to the movie.)</p><p>Fun right? OK, now you can listen to this episode with Yourgo Artsitas. It’s a good chat about the nature of online trolling and a simpler time when we believed our votes (for the top songs on Total Request Live) really mattered. If you enjoyed our discussion, share all this with a friend, would you?</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-an-mtv-prank-helps-explain-the</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:175158377</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/175158377/138af11869f605d15884a14079794b19.mp3" length="45725800" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2857</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/175158377/e26d93a290874ee1382918e993ae7762.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Movies Can Better Prep Us for the AI Threat]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Nate Soares to talk about his new book, cowritten with Eliezer Yudkowsky, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/if-anyone-builds-it-everyone-dies-why-superhuman-ai-would-kill-us-all-eliezer-yudkowsky/2da88520a671d222?ean=9780316595643&#38;next=t"><em>If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All</em></a><em>. </em>It’s a fascinating book—some will say fearmongering and sensationalist; I, frankly, think they’re overly optimistic about our ability to constrain the development of general intelligence in AI—in large part because of how it’s structured. Each chapter is preceded by a fable of sorts about the nature of intelligence and the desires of intelligent beings that look and think very differently from humans. The point in each of these passages is less that AI will <em>want</em> to eliminate humanity and more that it might do so <em>incidentally</em>, through natural processes of resource acquisition. </p><p>This made me think about how AI is typically portrayed in film; it is all too often a <em>Terminator</em>-style scenario, where the intelligence is antagonistic in human ways and for human reasons. We talked some about how storytellers could do a better job of thinking about AI as it might actually exist versus how it might be like us; <em>Ex Machina</em> is a movie that came in for special discussion due to the thoughtful nature of the treatment of its robotic antagonist’s desires. If this episode made you think, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-movies-can-better-prep-us-for</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:174527708</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 26 Sep 2025 10:45:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/174527708/cd6292b039d78bcf616ec6cc73b5709a.mp3" length="51331042" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3208</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/174527708/4c3c7b603c0da8f107cd1c52a9518625.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why 'Haunted Hotel' Is the Perfect Spooky Season Show]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Matt Roller, the creator and showrunner of the new Netflix animated show <em>Haunted Hotel</em>. We discussed his background in television, how it helped prepare him for the long (shockingly long!) process of creating a full season of animated television, and why he is reading the comments. The show is live on Netflix now and I hope you check it out … and give it the preferred two (not one!) thumbs up, for the reasons Roller laid out in this episode. And if you enjoyed THIS episode, I hope you share it with a friend! (I could also use a thumbs up or two myself, you know.)</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/why-haunted-hotel-is-the-perfect</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:173945044</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 19 Sep 2025 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/173945044/aeb0be55a7f0f4623310a6b6835a801e.mp3" length="51553815" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3222</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/173945044/71814d9277c067bc857f318a89264e5e.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA['Andor' and the Accelerationist Moment]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Tony Gilroy to discuss his work on <em>Andor</em>, the hit Disney+ series that’s a prequel to <em>Rogue One</em> but has ambitions beyond telling the backstory of the Death Star. It is, in a very real way, a TV show about our moment and the mounting tension felt throughout the political order: from Imperial troops on the streets of civilian cities attempting to provoke conflict to Luthen Rael’s (Stellan Skarsgård) campaign of violent resistance, one can’t help but draw parallels to this increasingly fraught point in American history. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/andor-and-the-accelerationist-moment-f77</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:173365564</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/173365564/3f1394198ab96421619a57817bec7820.mp3" length="45111392" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2819</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/173365564/6ec10b24448744896f385311529a29ce.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Does America Need a Film Tax Credit?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Rep. Laura Friedman, the congresswoman from the area we colloquially refer to as “Hollywood,” to discuss her push for a national film tax credit of the sort used by the United Kingdom and other countries to lure production of movies back to the United States. </p><p>We discuss her career in the TV and film industry before her move into politics, how DC is not unlike Los Angeles, and why the U.S. needs a national film tax credit more than a cost-increasing tariff on movies. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/does-america-need-a-film-tax-credit</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:172820526</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:30:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/172820526/dfa8e99911994867623c61d502ade39e.mp3" length="39068544" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2441</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/172820526/674152cbdbd81fc31dde6b109df67a38.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How an Alamo Founder Is Reinventing Theaters—Again]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Tim League, one of the founders of the Alamo Drafthouse and the man behind <a target="_blank" href="https://metrocinema.com">Metro Private Cinemas</a> in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. It’s a pretty cool concept—half fine dining, half private cinema auditorium—and I was excited to discuss the evolution of movie theaters as both viewing and gastronomic experiences. League is planning to open the theater in a few weeks, and they’re accepting reservations now; you can check out the offerings <a target="_blank" href="https://metrocinema.com/now-playing">here</a>. If you go, let me know: I’ll be very jealous, as it will likely be a while before I am able to make it up to New York again. But when I do, it’s the first stop on my tour of the city.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-an-alamo-founder-is-reinventing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:172223238</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 2025 13:22:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/172223238/ced52ed095016d66e3368e581e0ebf52.mp3" length="38110155" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2382</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/172223238/666a3fe538fe8e67f9973eef1b4a2969.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Wild Career of 'Weapons' Star Toby Huss]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by Toby Huss, star of the summer’s most surprising smash hit, <em>Weapons</em>, as well as the rebooted <em>King of the Hill</em> on Hulu and <em>Americana</em>, in theaters and VOD now. We talked about all those, plus his weird and lovely photography book, <em>American Sugargristle</em>, which you can (and should!) order <a target="_blank" href="https://hatandbeard.com/products/american-sugargristle-by-toby-huss">here</a>. Toward the end of the episode, I went full Chris Farley and did a “Hey, remember <em>The Adventures of Pete and Pete</em> and <em>Carnivale</em>? You were awesome in those” segment. Luckily, Mr. Huss was insightful and, frequently, quite poignant while discussing his work as an artist across multiple disciplines, from acting to music to photography. If you enjoyed the episode—and I hope you did—please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-wild-career-of-weapons-star-toby</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:171584684</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/171584684/e3dea796c0709e8dacd7d9c15f342d0e.mp3" length="60186661" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3761</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/171584684/ec7bc1a8e73aa9646389075b89f38f64.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ron Howard: The Most Underrated Major Director?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by <em>New York Magazine</em>’s Bilge Ebiri, who has an enormous, career-spanning <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/ron-howard-in-conversation.html">interview with Ron Howard</a> in the latest issue. We discussed what makes a Ron Howard movie a “Ron Howard Movie,” the incredibly under-appreciated <em>Thirteen Lives</em>, and <em>that</em> movie about J.D. Vance. And then we talked a bit about his <a target="_blank" href="https://mubi.com/en/notebook/posts/dreams-per-second-a-history-of-the-frame-rate">fascinating history</a> of a key element of film technology in the latest issues of Mubi’s quarterly film journal, <em>Notebook</em>. Why is 24 frames per second the accepted frame rate? And why does our eye revolt when the image, paradoxically, gets closer to “reality”? If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/ron-howard-the-most-underrated-great</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:171017152</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/171017152/029d9ed91ab214eb57b3baf059199109.mp3" length="51810873" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3238</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/171017152/d9afb918a33a889c9512ab1cb27bf649.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Can 'The Naked Gun' Save Hollywood Comedies?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I asked David Poland (read his <a target="_blank" href="https://davidpoland.substack.com">Substack</a>!) to come on this week to pick his brain about the state of the big studio comedy, a genre that has diminished in recent years as international grosses became more important and a lot of comedy releases shifted to streaming in an effort to reduce advertising costs. Which led to us talking about the states of various genres (including horror and superhero pictures) as well as the state of play around the world. If you learned something this week, I hope you share this episode with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/can-the-naked-gun-save-hollywood</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:169661855</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/169661855/a5e62682345580f885c48b24a4d58aa7.mp3" length="44199421" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2762</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/169661855/655b6f476926018e922838fad1a319ab.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Society-Deforming Spectacle of Jubilee]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Puck media correspondent Julia Alexander to discuss the absurdities of Jubilee. You might not recognize the name of the company but you’ve probably seen some of their clips; most recently, Mehdi Hasan went up against 20 self-described far-right conservatives that resulted in at least one of the participants losing his job after he proudly declared himself an autocrat and downplayed Nazi crimes during the Holocaust. Is this brand of debate spectacle lucrative? Maybe! Is it bad for society? Undoubtedly. We examine why on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-society-deforming-spectacle-of</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:169152800</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/169152800/baf7f0cdfb973fc72208d9c8683fa25e.mp3" length="48127393" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3008</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/169152800/e9b68259d03b665cef226a97b60289e1.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Anime Is Taking Over Pop Culture]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Crunchyroll EVP Mitchel Berger to talk about anime’s increasing popularity with those yearning for community. We reference a report on the state of anime several times; you can read it <a target="_blank" href="https://view.ceros.com/nrgmr/crunchyroll-global-state-of-anime/p/1">here</a>. The long and the short of it, though, is that anime is increasingly popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, which will likely come as no surprise to anyone who has seen the wall of manga in their local Barnes and Noble. From theatrical rollouts in the United States and around the world to the 17-million-subscriber-strong Crunchyroll streaming service to the sold-out Anime Expo in Los Angeles earlier this month, it’s an enormous segment of the market that holds a deep attachment to younger audiences. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/why-anime-is-taking-over-pop-culture</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:168505646</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/168505646/68689c055f305c32c0e886fc2e76e961.mp3" length="40828586" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2551</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/168505646/5a47b0e08977091de03496a7a14761f3.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[‘Sovereign’ Tackles a Political Cult with Compassion]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I talked to Christian Swegal, the writer-director of the new film <em>Sovereign</em>, about his new film and its focus on the cult-like behavior of the Sovereign Citizen movement. We discussed Nick Offerman’s commanding lead performance, how you adapt a movie with an ending and setting as tragic as this one, and the difficulty of finding compassion even for those who seem to deserve it least. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out <em>Sovereign</em>, which is in theaters and on VOD now. And please, share this with a friend! </p><p>Movies like this don’t have huge ad budgets; they need word of mouth to thrive. It’s a tough story with some great performances by Offerman, Jacob Tremblay, and Dennis Quaid. If you want to see something a little different from the standard franchise fare flooding the multiplex, you have to support movies like <em>Sovereign</em>.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/sovereign-tackles-a-political-cult</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:168019851</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/168019851/b84d303b258eb2ba5295bfd8bf80211b.mp3" length="34149164" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2134</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/168019851/a83981eee7f180c270b3cfda479d659b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is 'F1' a Hit? How Do We Even Judge That?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Always glad to talk to the Entertainment Strategy Guy (read him <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com">here</a>!) about the state of play in the world of streaming and beyond. Among the topics discussed this week: Whether or not <em>F1: The Movie </em>is a hit (and what being a “hit” means for a $200 million original for Apple as opposed to a different type of movie for a different type of studio); whether F1, the sport, is a butts-in-seats phenomenon in the United States; why the streaming wars are tightening and other streaming services are closing the originals gap with Netflix; and how sports rights are going to shake out over the next few years as the ESPN streaming service comes online and regional sports networks start to dwindle. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/is-f1-a-hit-how-do-we-even-judge</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:167408524</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/167408524/deee71c53683c29efb45530f9b02c9b4.mp3" length="44208598" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2763</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/167408524/808cfa4c2260ba40a8a53d83cf8908b8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Zombies Help Explain Political Theory]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Daniel Drezner—cohost of the <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/space-the-nation/id1712381882"><em>Space the Nation</em></a> podcast with Ana Marie Cox and proprietor of the <a target="_blank" href="https://danieldrezner.substack.com">Drezner’s World Substack</a>—to discuss the eternal popularity of zombies (most recently via the hit movie <em>28 Years Later</em>, which I reviewed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/28-years-later-review">here</a>) and the continued relevance of his book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Theories-International-Politics-Zombies-Apocalypse/dp/0691223513/ref=sr_1_1?crid=C8OVFE9TX5U2&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BkIKGV9-DyHgrpR28be9Bw62BgTPRK7P4gsBKDNTXPx1Fzdtawja6rWlmxFHEwIPDg37V8ZGCG-0mUh9dmuunKfP6cA70TGnn2uKniIFBwJerCpmMYZA_6ogDe9IEMRMXpLM-AtN9DJIN2A917e9163kFsgLyq3dXfUs1dnuE2adTmBJN_qxUVmfvcwE6PiI.ssWVfolRCiUtAKZxoxgYoQb3Z5_OiKBdEUlI3ny6PFY&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=theories+of+international+politics+and+zombies&#38;qid=1750879682&#38;sprefix=theories+of+internation%2Caps%2C140&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Theories of International Politics and Zombies</em></a>, which is now in its third edition. We chatted about the ways different political theories might confront waves of the undead and discussed how this book can help explain basic problems of international relations to even lay audiences. If you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p><p>And, as a bonus, here’s a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/washingtonpost/videos/star-wars-the-galactic-civil-war/10153441456602293/">link</a> to a video starring Dan, me, and Across the Movie Aisle’s Alyssa Rosenberg that asked what Star Wars would have looked like if it had been shot in the style of Ken Burns’s <em>Civil War</em>. Enjoy!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-zombies-help-explain-political</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:166837285</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 27 Jun 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/166837285/d12ed58f665ea36da68e45ba234b9ac6.mp3" length="41031280" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2564</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/166837285/0d5503aa9de84becd7f05c52053f9a4c.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[You Can Make a Movie with Your Phone]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Bart Weiss to discuss the evolution of the iPhone-shot movie from <em>Tangerine </em>to <em>28 Years Later</em> and his recent book, <em>Smartphone Cinema: Making Great Films with Your Mobile Phone. </em>You have the power to make a movie in the palm of your hand: will you use it? If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/you-can-make-a-movie-with-your-phone</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:166287479</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/166287479/2b69f5164407d6a15929ce409255e0d0.mp3" length="41521869" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2595</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/166287479/c2a4aab45e47ad080ac1aa33afd45b5d.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Productions Are Fleeing Los Angeles]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Lane Brown of <em>New York</em> magazine to discuss his feature on an increasingly rare phenomenon: the film or TV show shot in Los Angeles. From foreign tax credits to the cost of permits, Los Angeles is getting more expensive to shoot in, meaning that more productions are moving out of Los Angeles altogether. If you enjoyed this episode, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/hollywood-movies-film-industry-los-angeles-california-production.html?_gl=1*1rxcob6*FPAU*NzQ2NTcxODEyLjE3NDg4ODU4MjU.*_ga*MzE5MzYzMjMuMTc0NDg0ODUzOA..*_ga_DNE38RK1HX*czE3NDk1ODYzMTIkbzE4JGcxJHQxNzQ5NTg2MzgyJGo1NiRsMCRoMjAxMDYyMjYwOA..*_fplc*M28xTWE1YUpPaFlRTTE5V2pKM2ZlQ3pBbEpzWUlpMHljNiUyQk5ucVNpQzFvaWluMmV4WEdLdEdGbnpteHFFbXVZelFJejE2MkZDOUlyQTZHNFQ2cWdWM3pTbTFrbjFsaEYyR3VISmQ5a2M2YmVZZkRjM2ZBNDBHbEpKc2JBemclM0QlM0Q.">make sure to read Lane’s piece</a>. And please, share this with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/why-productions-are-fleeing-los-angeles</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:165657912</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 13 Jun 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/165657912/a579438f0769ad116572d6a8386b9b5d.mp3" length="37422195" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2339</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/165657912/4498a0968b01da4fec32f871191dcb81.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How the Studios Are (Quietly) Using AI]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by New York Magazine features writer Lila Shapiro to discuss her feature story on the growing utilization of generative AI by Hollywood studios to cut costs and speed up production times. From a party hosted by an AI studio to the work being done by Runway to the growing sense that, hey man, this is just The Future, it seems like AI is, as several folks in the piece put it, “inevitable.” If you enjoyed this episode or learned something in it, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-the-studios-are-quietly-using</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:165280951</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 06 Jun 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/165280951/6e63083eb63a1c81e9678eecdb56e566.mp3" length="44518728" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2782</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/165280951/bbe985cea9dd5c3f1911302f7963dac6.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Life in Music]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I strayed a bit from Hollywood to talk to David C. Lowery of the bands Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven about his new album, <em>Fathers, Sons, and Brothers. </em>You can check out the album <a target="_blank" href="https://davidl.lnk.to/FSB">here</a> and peruse the accompanying Substack <a target="_blank" href="https://davidclowery.substack.com">here</a>. We had a fascinating chat about how the industry has changed over the last 40 years (for better and worse), how folks discover new music, and how his experiences growing up helped shape his musical tastes and self-conception as an American. If you enjoyed the episode, I hope you check out his album and his Substack. And please share this with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-life-in-music</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:164742888</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/164742888/5c93224d8052afaeb98307fef375bdbf.mp3" length="61730293" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3858</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/164742888/e976c2057fa4ad8f0dbd6f88074a9d80.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Clothing 'The Last of Us']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined by Ann Foley this week to discuss her work as costume designer on the hit HBO show <em>The Last of Us</em>. From sourcing vintage clothes to weaving the infected’s fungal-explosions in with the clothes they were wearing when they died to her graduate school on the sets of <em>Agents of SHIELD</em>, Ann’s insights into translating the world of the game to the world of the screen are pretty fascinating. At the end of the episode, Ann mentions Ellie’s Converse sneakers; you can see what Bella Ramsey scribbled on them <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/ann.foley/p/DIh0XkMKCdk/?hl=en&#38;img_index=1">here</a>. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/clothing-the-last-of-us</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:164160149</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 13:37:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/164160149/14dabbdc89a5310a4e7d501d9d6502dd.mp3" length="27527427" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1720</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/164160149/13ec4ea8333a4bc878c9799c19f96a1e.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[One Family's Journey Through Hollywood]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined by Matthew Specktor, author of <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-golden-hour-a-story-of-family-and-power-in-hollywood-matthew-specktor/21679791?ean=9780063008335&#38;next=t"><em>The Golden Hour: A Story of Family and Power in Hollywood</em></a>. Part novel, part memoir, and entirely entertaining, Matthew’s book is a revealing look at life in Hollywood when you’re not on the A-list but occasionally adjacent to it. In addition to relating the drama that makes any family intriguing, Matthew’s book is a keen look at Hollywood in a time of flux, as the rise of the super agencies and the internationalization of the Hollywood studios radically altered the American cinematic landscape. If you enjoyed the episode, I hope you check out his book. And please, share this with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/one-familys-journey-through-hollywood</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:163653971</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 16 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/163653971/ab78ec6297a3664a4cd1df0b90e62421.mp3" length="37640381" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2352</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/163653971/0acc618da5b8c7462b576c915eb45b6c.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How David Mamet Made His First Film in 12 Years]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Evan Jonigkeit, the star and producer of <em>Henry Johnson</em>. Based on the play of the same name by David Mamet, <em>Henry Johnson </em>is Mamet’s first film in a dozen years and a beguiling provocation; I greatly enjoyed discussing not only the meaning of the movie with Jonigkeit but also how difficult it is to get a picture like this—a series of Socratic dialogues, a movie of complex ideas made for adults—in front of audiences. </p><p><em>Henry Johnson </em>is available to rent now <a target="_blank" href="https://henryjohnsonmovie.com/collections/all-products">from the film’s website</a> and is playing in a handful of locations (including a one-night stop at the Aero in Los Angeles and a residency at Bryn Mawr). I hope you check it out. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-david-mamet-made-his-first-film</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:163140416</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/163140416/dfae5010a6b44ed4a8adbf8677faec96.mp3" length="44893641" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2805</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/163140416/267db4ba924b69e65b28969aaf686662.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Hidden Art of 'Secret Mall Apartment']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Jeremy Workman, the director and producer of <em>Secret Mall Apartment</em>. We discussed the difficult process of getting your subjects to trust you, the trickiness of distributing an indie documentary in the modern cinematic landscape, and the importance of having a big star like Jesse Eisenberg willing to do a little press for you. The movie’s playing in theaters now; you can see if it’s in a cinema near you <a target="_blank" href="https://secretmallapartment.com">here</a>. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-hidden-art-of-secret-mall-apartment</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:162652017</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/162652017/f7b6d912b0f310ad26d2c604e0f308ff.mp3" length="39787852" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2486</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/162652017/92e790e5beaf873b7d237d1514547704.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hollywood Should Rely Less on Overseas Box Office]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode I’m rejoined by Scott Mendelson of <a target="_blank" href="https://scottmendelson.substack.com">The Outside Scoop</a> to talk about the state of the box office thus far through 2025. It’s better than 2024—thank you, <em>Minecraft</em>—but not as good as 2023. Plus, we delve into some of the discussion surrounding <em>Sinners</em>’s box office, particularly the foreign and domestic splits. Does its strength in North America demonstrate that Hollywood should be less concerned with appealing to foreign audiences and more worried about making big bucks (and better movies) for the homegrown crowd? All that and more on this episode; if you enjoyed it, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/hollywood-should-rely-less-on-overseas</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:161993440</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/161993440/9ecd6ecc60776797556b3a9ba8af3293.mp3" length="58599373" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3662</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/161993440/df3ce9699498a24a20337d4ec79c2c87.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Economics of Indie Distribution]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I talked to Andrew Ortenberg of Briarcliff Entertainment about distributing tricky movies like <em>The Apprentice</em> and <em>Magazine Dreams</em>. How have the economics of cinematic distribution improved for distributors with the infrastructure in place to handle it? How have the various video-on-demand tiers shifted over the last few years? What should folks keep in mind before they declare a movie a hit or a flop? And why are family movies an under-utilized resource for the indie set? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-economics-of-indie-distribution</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:161494448</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/161494448/7bce69a99e06736bbd40d2054eeb5efb.mp3" length="68773319" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>4298</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/161494448/eb48f8ae5eb8a02f0a84e184b6b65deb.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hollywood Imagery's Impact on Politics]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by <em>New York Times </em>film critic Alissa Wilkinson to discuss her new book about Joan Didion, <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/we-tell-ourselves-stories-joan-didion-and-the-american-dream-machine-alissa-wilkinson/21479473?ean=9781324092612&#38;next=t"><em>We Tell Ourselves Stories</em></a>. I mentioned the book in a newsletter a couple of weeks back, but I wanted to focus on the ways in which the political world has borrowed showbiz’s penchant for image calibration, from the ways in which issues are decided upon to the means by which politicians decide which voters to target. Didion, of course, was a natural observer of these shifts, having spent years in Hollywood before becoming one of the nation’s most interesting political observers. If you enjoyed this episode, I hope you both pick up a copy of Alissa’s book and share this with friends!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/hollywood-imagerys-impact-on-politics</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:160967025</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/160967025/029694b08635998179b6ad57520bbbf1.mp3" length="41789110" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2611</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/160967025/3f232660b2bab14c92609179a6044d9b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bringing Memories of 'Warfare' to Life]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Ray Mendoza, who cowrote and codirected the new A24 movie <em>Warfare</em> with Alex Garland (<em>Civil War</em>, <em>Ex Machina</em>). We discussed the journalistic process of rebuilding the day’s actions portrayed in the film from the memory of those who participated, Mendoza’s work with Garland on <em>Civil War</em>, and the cinematic experience of trying to help people understand what it’s like to go into battle after getting your brain rattled. The movie releases on April 11, and I strongly recommend watching it in a theater to get that fully immersive sonic effect. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/bringing-memories-of-warfare-to-life</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:160521827</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/160521827/0f132df74cc2554c0bb2fe9f6e75af6a.mp3" length="29962356" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1872</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/160521827/58cb8a6acc30fc7d0e51bc56f3598f2e.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Dystopian Mediocrity]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I am pleased to be rejoined this week by Bobby Miller to discuss his new novel, <a target="_blank" href="https://thebobbymiller.com/situationnowhere"><em>Situation Nowhere</em></a>. Imagine <em>Brazil </em>by way of <em>Idiocracy</em> but goopier: That’s <em>Situation Nowhere</em>. We talked about some of his influences, the state of our increasingly recursive culture, and why we need to bring back shaming folks for selling out. If you’re in Los Angeles, check out Bobby’s <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/BobbyMiller/status/1904550025725903186">event on Saturday at The Redwood Bar</a>! And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend. (And listen to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-movie-isnt-real-until-you-can-hold">last year’s episode</a> with Bobby about the Blu-ray release of his film, <em>The Cleanse</em>.)</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/dystopian-mediocrity</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:159960149</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 28 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/159960149/ec7a5b7739b5561271b6db55d50ffaab.mp3" length="33568619" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2098</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/159960149/9b39e4e494d078619165b2412586be54.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Low Culture That Brought Us to Trump]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode I’m joined by Ross Benes, the author of the forthcoming book <a target="_blank" href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/1999-the-year-low-culture-conquered-america-and-kickstarted-our-bizarre-times-ross-benes/21667128?ean=9780700638574&#38;next=t"><em>1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times</em></a>. It comes out in a few weeks and I hope you take a gander at it; we spent most of our time discussing the ways in which professional wrestling and the Insane Clown Posse help explain the phenomenon that is Donald J. Trump and his ascent through the political landscape, but there’s more to the book than that. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-low-culture-that-brought-us-to</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:159487423</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 21 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/159487423/fc4eab408d16bcd5d1604a4c461eb4c0.mp3" length="34685505" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2167</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/159487423/787080e71db73d0bf38a36b320f2023c.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Build Your Own Movie Library]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>A weird question I sometimes get is this: “I want to get into buying movies on disc, Sonny, but I don’t know where to start.” I say it’s weird because the answer seems obvious to me: just buy movies you like to watch! But there are issues I take for granted like formats and resolutions, so I thought it would be useful to talk to Aidan Ryan of the Boston Globe about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/03/05/magazine/dvd-movies-physical-media-comeback/">his recent piece in that newspaper’s magazine</a> focused on the Gen Z/Young Millennial cohort that has gotten really into collecting movies on disc. From the dollar DVD bins to the high-quality UHD 4K collectors sets put out by the boutique labels, these younger collectors run the gamut. If you have questions of your own, feel free to leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-to-build-your-own-movie-library</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:159062637</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 15 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/159062637/05966ca7909dd080114b9ccd434d6bf0.mp3" length="36891386" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2305</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/159062637/5b40665b7f444b9b140c6818bdaf3f92.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The 2025 Stunt Awards!]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m plesaed to be rejoined by Brandon Struessnig to discuss one of my favorite packages of the year, Vulture’s annual stunt awards. Who were the big winners? What were some of the surprises? Just how long did it take George Miller to shoot that war rig sequence in <em>Furiosa</em> anyway? All that and more on this week’s episode. Make sure to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/vultures-2025-stunt-awards-winners-furiosa.html">check out the winners</a> before listening to us discuss them. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-2025-stunt-awards</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:158605987</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 08 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/158605987/460d307cd65d8f13a2aaad97f1c131b5.mp3" length="36974560" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2311</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/158605987/f034ad7e7d41295626e7fe8064ed3d9d.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Help Veterans Returning Home]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I was joined by Jake Rademacher, the director of <em>Brothers After War</em> to talk about his new documentary checking in with folks who have returned from the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq and how they are reintegrating into society. It’s a powerful and moving documentary, and I highly recommend checking it out if you get the chance, particularly if you have a veteran in your life. You can find showtimes nearest you <a target="_blank" href="https://tickets.brothersafterwar.com">here</a>. And if you’re a veteran, you should still be able to get free tickets to the film by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vettix.org/visitor/home">signing up at VetTix.org</a> and searching for <em>Brothers After War. </em>If you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-to-help-veterans-returning-home</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:158077309</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 01 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/158077309/4542d2509803e03eb7c5861de0ea6926.mp3" length="41533251" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2595</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/158077309/56756af75a66a312c63afc1f0cbfba3b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[SNL At 50]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by the New York Times’s James Poniewozik to discuss SNL’s (rather lengthy) 50th anniversary celebration. (Here’s a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/arts/television/greatest-snl-episode-ever.html?unlocked_article_code=1.yk4.vTtq.B_2kq596z5xv&#38;smid=url-share">gift link to James’s piece</a> on his favorite episode of SNL.) We discuss the show, how it has changed, and how changes in how people watch the show change its meaning (and our relationship to it). I also asked James about his book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Audience-One-Television-Fracturing-America/dp/1631498150/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.35lFxoMSXgzj2oS-K8yGbhBMdPNYzpyT8lkqwL-bAT_Eu5pHDQ43CAbXr9NMk-0HEVLxhkxeX6iRz3dEEjzTKSCx_xkafD1NABppOmqvptUsZInUCrOEdCubHzKdXacHoBPwjF_9XAnTygMLb3BQdCrL4Y7ClS9JvRg--MNNddw13bo1vFANhX1T0gezI-3zdxBPopOZl6VAGJfI-mSAwe9nb1txVvjWC1V2j0AlxGs.IMK897FU1xiV7tsdgZUuS-qDlPypx363BdwDU5vVtHg&#38;qid=1740171872&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America</em></a> and how to best cover Trump without succumbing to the siren song of scolding; that clip starts a little before minute 30 if you want to skip all the SNL chatter. (But why would you?) If you enjoyed the episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/snl-at-50</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:157646163</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 22 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/157646163/7101520dfd21c59c68079b663b072ccb.mp3" length="42206581" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2638</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/157646163/a469bda270caaa30bc0bde8c2ed4f876.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Make a Microbudget Movie]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Jake VerKesen—some of you in the comments might know him by his handle, Jake VK—on the long and winding road to turning an idea for a micro-budgeted indie movie like <em>I Agree With You</em> from a dream into a reality. We discuss the paperwork, the delays, the fundraising, the shooting, the food, the editing, and, finally, the showing, that goes into getting an indie movie made and delivered to the people. </p><p>As discussed on the episode, the movie’s not out just yet, but hopefully y’all will get a chance to see it soon. You can follow the film’s progress on its <a target="_blank" href="https://fortifiedfilms.substack.com">Substack</a> and add <em>I Agree With You </em>to your <a target="_blank" href="https://letterboxd.com/film/i-agree-with-you/">Letterboxd watchlist</a>. I hope you check it out. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-to-make-a-microbudget-movie</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:156955781</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 15 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/156955781/cc664a10c350cfa8674c0bd5d38a40df.mp3" length="66611204" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>4163</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/156955781/c21de6eae3d6a70684d388020bc6da0c.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Documenting Horror]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m <a target="_blank" href="https://hollywood.thebulwark.com/philip-gelatt">rejoined</a> by writer/director Philip Gelatt and novelist Paul Tremblay (author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Horror-Movie-Novel-Paul-Tremblay/dp/0063070014/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1735UON9TTJL7&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.o_UE59GrbikOvNhrY9yyhKoGp0pLnl9quPMP79nuPjRxojJKQUVRmxeI2huscwAGnGdbnbGVMQtkUreifpfJLBZHn8WmGbREZgayonLbwoQp7AEC-nN9BgE0dVBc-gsV7Kv2ijjdb1HwqB2ol8uqipAUuVACfW3UARCc0TJRCfarq-Wuo1YV7baddbjmAclHZg_ZueuIwwTvPikm1MEjyI5jAgTE-q6PjNNg35lzMX4.PU45QNuEvVWCkCmSILgKqXbEXl-C3BuwqAhggHLitCM&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=horror+movie&#38;qid=1738939953&#38;sprefix=horror+movie%2Caps%2C148&#38;sr=8-2"><em>Horror Movie</em></a><em> </em>and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Cabin-End-World-Novel/dp/0062679112/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZVCRU1PELEN5&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.XuYEPfZOWm2u7_uuCLdUycagIu4e6kHhHw9iaOy3zsMS_JBdbB_77ZsCf_f5e0LAZWirZBlXw7gWaI2YLEfIAkILHpyA4E2qhZNbeVnFBnnocXwcYl3QTqwazw0JytPynVgpE8Bx_2bA8D35AMJmmJmJE_UZoE2pMcCBY5Pxt6I_-uyz97t56IQVe8yHnsrVG7mG3cXXIICTFdo0iMQGeLZM4GHnMC-HD7i4JzJY0gM.9io7DflcjRtTVyNW7kDVukTSUNxKxSPjzUhQY7HYjfE&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=the+cabin+at+the+end+of+the+world&#38;qid=1738939978&#38;sprefix=the+cabin+%2Caps%2C155&#38;sr=8-1"><em>The Cabin at the End of the World</em></a>, among other scary books) to discuss the new Substack-hosted <a target="_blank" href="https://etchstudio.substack.com">docu-horror series </a><a target="_blank" href="https://etchstudio.substack.com"><em>Etch</em></a>. The concept is pretty cool: Philip has interviewed a quintet of horror authors—Tremblay, Stephen Graham Jones, Laird Barron, Elizabeth Hand, and Mariana Enriquez—and every week he’s dropping another episode that combines that interview with a reading of a short story and video illustration. (Not quite a movie, exactly, more like creepy imagery.)</p><p>I’ll say, as a longtime user/reader of Substack, it’s exciting to see folks push the boundaries of what the site can be. I think most people see Substack as a newsletter/podcast site, and most of the video I’ve seen on Substack has been, more or less, video versions of podcasts. (We have a lot of those here at The Bulwark!) But this is a great example of a creator deciding to bypass the studios and the streamers and just make something he wants to see in the world using the broadcast tools provided by <a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/profile/3567-hamish-mckenzie">Hamish McKenzie</a> and his team at Substack and doing so in a way that allows you to “own” the readers/followers, a stark contrast from YouTube, TikTok, and other user-generated video sites. (It’ll be great when they drop a streaming-style app.) If you are into horror, I highly recommend checking this out. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p><p>And if you’re curious about <em>Etch</em>, you can watch the first episode for free here:</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/documenting-horror</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:156675034</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 08 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/156675034/913889241104153c0fa6b9572a5d5311.mp3" length="36791482" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2299</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/156675034/6c7acfb0ced4ac589cc397d6a483eb9e.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Tariffs Will Make Movies More Expensive]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, Sonny Bunch is rejoined by Jesse Nelson of DiabolikDVD and Cauldron Films to discuss the state of home video. We get to the tariff discussion around 32 minutes in, but before that, Jesse dispels some of the concerns about Sony’s recent announcement that they’re discontinuing recordable media like Blu-ray, what collectors are looking for from his store, and how he and his business partner go about deciding out what titles to distribute via their label, Cauldron Films. As mentioned on the episode, I enjoy Diabolik’s “<a target="_blank" href="https://diabolikdvd.com/product-category/browse-by-label/">Browse by Label</a>” page to see what weird stuff is hitting Blu-ray and UHD in the upcoming months. Make sure to check out Cauldron’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cauldron-films.com">lineup</a>; that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cauldron-films.com/collections/front-page-titles/products/mad-foxes-limited-uhd-blu-ray-w-slipcase"><em>Mad Foxes</em></a> set seems pretty cool. If you enjoyed the episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-tariffs-will-make-movies-more</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:156206688</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 01 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/156206688/595976b8e1ca49015e52429b875d8c3a.mp3" length="43495973" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2718</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/156206688/d48609338b36eb4d2f9c6d991397a5a0.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Is Gaming Underperforming Expectations?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s supersized episode of The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood, I’m rejoined by Matthew Ball to discuss his <a target="_blank" href="https://www.matthewball.co/all/stateofvideogaming2025">epic examination</a> of the state of the video game industry and how its growing pains reflect what we’ve seen in other entertainment industries like film. I’d recommend at least scanning his report (you can download the pdf <a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d8e9007bc3d0e18a4c49673/t/6792e19bc4d35228a0365f98/1737679288349/Gaming2025_v1.23-CompressedOnline-3.pdf">here</a>) even if you’re not a gamer—I am, as discussed in the opening moments, at best a “filthy casual”—because if you’re familiar with the growth patterns of nearly any industry, you’ll likely find some congruences. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/why-is-gaming-underperforming-expectations</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:155631465</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 25 Jan 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/155631465/fa2abbba3224446d9125d109458051be.mp3" length="64215078" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>4013</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/155631465/e5e2f32dfc78718cdbcb6673ad915191.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Revisiting 'Inglourious Basterds']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Bill Ryan and Dennis Cozzalio to discuss their contribution to the new Arrow Limited Edition release of <em>Inglourious Basterds </em>on 4K. The booklet features a blog-era (remember blogs?) conversation about the film that occurred when it was initially released, in addition to, among other things, a postcard with a recipe for apple strudel (whip cream NOT optional). It’s a great set with lots of extras and I highly recommend picking it up if you can find a copy. We discussed the initial response to the film and our own feelings about it some 15 years or so later, as well as that weirdly exciting moment of online film criticism. If you enjoyed the episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/revisiting-inglourious-basterds</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:155040231</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 18 Jan 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/155040231/a00d3eb8364c17d5fd96eea21fb3b4dc.mp3" length="54697268" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3418</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/155040231/d3d97b3ea4de50fe963027319de7f2f2.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Awards Season in Flux]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Richard Rushfield and Katey Rich of The Ankler to discuss the state of the awards season post-Golden Globes and in the midst of the Los Angeles fires. (Indeed, Los Angeles resident Richard is in the city to give us an on-the-ground update of the state of things from his perspective. Please excuse any background noise/distortion that you may hear as a result!) We talked about <a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-153972753">how the Globes might affect the Oscars</a>, how the Globes has <a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-153308187">devolved into an incestuous web of self-dealing</a>, and how the fires might affect Academy Award voting patterns. We also discussed the new <a target="_blank" href="https://anklerpundits.com">Ankler Pundits prediction site</a>, which I am honored to have been asked to take part in. Check it out and feel free to mock my picks.</p><p>And look: I understand the impulse to avoid discussing awards given everything that’s going on out west. I want to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/babygirl-review">reiterate</a> that there are good charities that can be donated to if you’re looking to help out:</p><p>If you can’t wait to donate, you can never go wrong with José Andrés’s <a target="_blank" href="https://wck.org/relief/california-fires-jan25">World Central Kitchen</a>, which has teams on the ground helping feed first responders. Two additional charities I’ve had folks recommend are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globalempowermentmission.org/">Global Empowerment Mission</a> and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.calfund.org/funds/wildfire-recovery-fund/">California Community Foundation</a>. I’m sure they’ll all make good use of every penny.</p><p>I also think halting the awards will do little to improve anyone’s financial standing and will in fact hurt the folks who work for all the ancillary events. Not just the awards shows themselves, but the parties, the limo drivers, the caterers, the dress designers, people whose whole year is made or broken by this stretch in Los Angeles. Awards may feel silly but even silly things can be worthwhile, particularly when your livelihood depends on it.</p><p>If you enjoyed this show, I hope you share it with a friend.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/awards-season-in-flux</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:154560417</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 11 Jan 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/154560417/b27339934f834ba9ee03e167d43c08fc.mp3" length="47286883" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2955</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/154560417/2e2b3a40eba523a4e48362ec9de812b1.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Fascinating Legacy of 'Yacht Rock']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Steven Hyden, who—in addition to being the author of books on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/There-Was-Nothing-Could-U-S/dp/0306832062/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DxCQMdN3PxateQkDDyNn_mgg6w_87lDeoS0q5-FTuOs3POmHGq-4DmnjitDLegI3Hi17-wuq2yin4chHjb7NTrrF4ZE0hODg8zt1SxSQqp4u4hqOpR01mWmYAFK2J2Zgc2c4OhYwG9L3eugvyqZbzEEoTjS0YlKFsKIBG8WEHeLWbzum4-W7N5o7oKWGeY0AcL0et1SK0965B3tdRjIzXlqQTRKBkeBGuqKBokRIZDg.5UReQuXGDzfz4ujJByNsQntD7B1wWUpMijOhsXWj6MM&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;hvadid=486212226459&#38;hvdev=c&#38;hvlocphy=9026937&#38;hvnetw=g&#38;hvqmt=e&#38;hvrand=2308299450464257305&#38;hvtargid=kwd-1074897270436&#38;hydadcr=22317_10175861&#38;keywords=steven+hyden+books&#38;qid=1735878710&#38;sr=8-1">Bruce Springsteen</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Long-Road-Pearl-Soundtrack-Generation/dp/0306826429/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DxCQMdN3PxateQkDDyNn_mgg6w_87lDeoS0q5-FTuOs3POmHGq-4DmnjitDLegI3Hi17-wuq2yin4chHjb7NTrrF4ZE0hODg8zt1SxSQqp4u4hqOpR01mWmYAFK2J2Zgc2c4OhYwG9L3eugvyqZbzEEoTjS0YlKFsKIBG8WEHeLWbzum4-W7N5o7oKWGeY0AcL0et1SK0965B3tdRjIzXlqQTRKBkeBGuqKBokRIZDg.5UReQuXGDzfz4ujJByNsQntD7B1wWUpMijOhsXWj6MM&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;hvadid=486212226459&#38;hvdev=c&#38;hvlocphy=9026937&#38;hvnetw=g&#38;hvqmt=e&#38;hvrand=2308299450464257305&#38;hvtargid=kwd-1074897270436&#38;hydadcr=22317_10175861&#38;keywords=steven+hyden+books&#38;qid=1735878710&#38;sr=8-2">Pearl Jam</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/This-Isnt-Happening-Radioheads-Beginning/dp/0306845687/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DxCQMdN3PxateQkDDyNn_mgg6w_87lDeoS0q5-FTuOs3POmHGq-4DmnjitDLegI3Hi17-wuq2yin4chHjb7NTrrF4ZE0hODg8zt1SxSQqp4u4hqOpR01mWmYAFK2J2Zgc2c4OhYwG9L3eugvyqZbzEEoTjS0YlKFsKIBG8WEHeLWbzum4-W7N5o7oKWGeY0AcL0et1SK0965B3tdRjIzXlqQTRKBkeBGuqKBokRIZDg.5UReQuXGDzfz4ujJByNsQntD7B1wWUpMijOhsXWj6MM&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;hvadid=486212226459&#38;hvdev=c&#38;hvlocphy=9026937&#38;hvnetw=g&#38;hvqmt=e&#38;hvrand=2308299450464257305&#38;hvtargid=kwd-1074897270436&#38;hydadcr=22317_10175861&#38;keywords=steven+hyden+books&#38;qid=1735878710&#38;sr=8-3">Radiohead</a>, and a prolific author at <a target="_blank" href="https://uproxx.com/author/steven-hyden/">Uproxx</a>—served as the story producer on HBO’s new film, <em>Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary</em>. In addition to discussing just what it means to be a story producer on a documentary, we discussed the making of this film, the evolution of the term “yacht rock,” and why (some) artists have (slowly) warmed to the term. I really can’t recommend the documentary enough: it’s both entertaining and informative. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-fascinating-legacy-of-yacht-rock</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:154058131</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 04 Jan 2025 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/154058131/83777b5275d287f02309033771d94192.mp3" length="44285583" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2767</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/154058131/4f3cdd9c3a7c1873e354219731dcaec1.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Everything There Is to Know About Star Wars]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Brandon Wainerdi to discuss DK’s hefty and handsome new reference book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Encyclopedia-Definitive-Galaxy/dp/074409884X/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=BO2RW08ORU57&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.a1t5Pqqhrs3I228mr2nrGDqA3yYUxIc0qkNcwJ6bKb1rcyLfmF5Aabpu48ao9AgINgTrK3tT5H6LCqDqOjtxAqw2G-XGqrhK4_Uc_fxnebYCc1hLVNf4iZj7WbtwjuONzHWBcN8z1AvQF2qT41rCPMZoPnUz-n-dSOKy0bLCO3u_CDZKdPJBGVq2-iLwKbmsrZx6hUltJc15k0eHFWOZj7Yl0Xl8YnjfNqvYgUX_iDz8YEIv-aZ7U_HLk-JGwbYQVKl-TXWKom9mihH74K1BNQeHhkZ3V8gmmTOpYx26f-A.brdTRveQnz1nuX_AZ0ueKrKquf5W7DRctqG9GTKSc5E&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=star+wars+encyclopedia&#38;qid=1734710972&#38;sprefix=star+wars+en%2Caps%2C162&#38;sr=8-1-spons&#38;sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&#38;psc=1"><em>Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy</em></a>. We discussed how he broke into writing about Star Wars, researching his entries for the book, and why so much of what we obsessives know about Star Wars comes not from the films but the surrounding products. Brandon’s interview podcast, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.talkingbay94.com">Talking Bay 94</a>, is a must-listen if you’re a fan of the series. I’ll just say, on a personal note, that this is a really beautiful book: lots of illustrations, tons of information. If you have a precocious tween who loves Star Wars in your life, you could do much worse than this as a gift for them this Christmas. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/everything-there-is-to-know-about</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:153416837</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Dec 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/153416837/69676380a89a91ba078c50b23c96daf9.mp3" length="47589900" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2974</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/153416837/4fc8e24a2631dd38a1bc1ac09ed12eeb.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bringing Novels Into the Internet Age]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by novelist and Broadway producer Michael Wolk to discuss his new interactive novel,<em> Devil’s Game. </em>You can check it out yourself <a target="_blank" href="https://try.devilsgame.com">here</a>; it’s an interesting mix of web-first design and apocalyptic airport thriller. We talked about what drove him to write this novel and also discussed the state of Broadway and live theater more generally. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/bringing-novels-into-the-internet</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:153139603</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 15 Dec 2024 00:24:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/153139603/187062a459ae1bbe8332a07420b54d4d.mp3" length="29122357" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1820</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/153139603/85734f634bf41067f9699c1b6b56b0b3.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Copyrighted Material Being Used to Train AI]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I talked to Alex Reisner about his pieces in the <em>Atlantic </em>highlighting the copyrighted material being hoovered into large language models to help AI chatbots simulate human speech. If you’re a screenwriter and would like to see which of your work has been appropriated to aid in the effort, click here; he has assembled <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/11/opensubtitles-ai-data-set/680650/">a searchable database</a> of nearly 140,000 movie and TV scripts that have been used without permission. (And you should read his other stories about copyright law <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/02/generative-ai-lawsuits-copyright-fair-use/677595/">reaching its breaking point</a> and “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/01/chatgpt-memorization-lawsuit/677099/">the memorization problem</a>.”) In this episode, we also got into the metaphysics of art and asked what sort of questions need to be asked as we hurtle toward the future. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-copyrighted-material-being-used</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:152677215</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 07 Dec 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/152677215/b3da9bcedb4ee63068697e0883f3eff2.mp3" length="38571586" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2410</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/152677215/628e438dda8a7c5aafbeb49e2158976b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Comcast Is Spinning Off Its Cable Assets: What Does that Mean?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by Sean McNulty of The Ankler’s morning roundup newsletter, <a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-151883030">The Wakeup</a>, to discuss the big news in cable land: ComcastNBCUniversal’s decision to spin (most of!) their cable properties into a new, separate company, called SpinCo for now. What does this mean for MSNBC, USA, and the rest of the impacted channels? Why is Bravo staying under the Comcast umbrella? What impact will this have on NBC? All of these questions are asked and some answers are given. Warning: There is a fair amount of rank speculation in this episode, but that couldn’t be avoided. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/comcast-is-spinning-off-its-cable</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:152024633</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 23 Nov 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/152024633/ae420c6d7bd6696e4738818ac058736b.mp3" length="38599188" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2412</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/152024633/357218e5a1cd2bcdf8d06d4c8e70ff32.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Melding Video Games and TV Shows]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m thrilled to be joined by Jacob Navok, the CEO of Genvid Entertainment, to discuss his company’s new partnership with DC Comics, DC Heroes United. A combination mobile game and Justice League television show, DC Heroes United is a fascinating hybrid entertainment experience, one that Navok has been working on in various forms for years now. </p><p>The first 20 minutes or so of the show are largely about DC Heroes United; after that, we discuss the evolution of this sort of interactive gaming/viewing more broadly, including earlier experiments on Facebook and with properties like <em>The Walking Dead</em> and <em>Silent Hill</em>. It’s a fascinating new arena of entertainment, and I hope you learn something about how the next generation is interacting with media even if you’re not that interested in the properties themselves. </p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/melding-video-games-and-tv-shows</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:151721560</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 16 Nov 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/151721560/84a35bea86e578bc86b67d4fc20ef209.mp3" length="56585099" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3536</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/151721560/f24db3d1827b11e5fa9ba9e0d7582956.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Christmas Movie Industrial Complex]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><em>Hey everybody, before we get started I’d just like to welcome the new subscribers we’ve picked up over the last month or two and remind y’all that if you’re here strictly for the politics and aren’t interested in the cultural coverage that you can change your email and podcast preferences </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/account"><em>here</em></a><em>. I won’t be offended! —SB</em></p><p>This week I’m joined by Russell Hainline, the screenwriter of the forthcoming Netflix original <em>Hot Frosty</em> as well as a whole bunch of Hallmark original Christmas movies (including last year’s <em>The Santa Summit </em>and the forthcoming <em>The Santa Class</em>). I asked him on today to talk about the burgeoning market for Christmas movies on channels like Hallmark and streaming services like Netflix, and we had a great chat about how Hallmark resembles a cable network less than the old Hollywood studios like RKO and MGM. What lessons can the rest of the industry learn from them? If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-christmas-movie-industrial-complex</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:151392933</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 09 Nov 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/151392933/9eae02b2386c0ce916435d4a2e620ba7.mp3" length="50440791" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3152</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/151392933/d68c5ecb48592098cb9992d6a7f2adff.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Alfred Hitchcock, Master of Fear and Desire]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Mark Cousins, the writer and director of the new documentary, <em>My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock</em>. We talked about his movie’s unorthodox presentation, why Hitchcock remains eternally relevant, and how he puts together his incredible video essays. (If you’ve never seen his <em>The Story of Film: An Odyssey</em>, you really should.) And then he turned the tables on me with some closing questions! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/alfred-hitchcock-master-of-fear-and</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:150953151</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 02 Nov 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/150953151/b52a685142c090d4e72932be2a060365.mp3" length="32526720" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2032</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/150953151/375cdf8fedee9739153ec8710f4d6dff.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Four Horsemen of the Media Apocalypse]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Good show, long show today with the Entertainment Strategy Guy (subscribe to his Substack <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com">here</a>). I’m going to offer up timestamps here, which I don’t usually do, because there’s a <em>ton</em> of stuff covered in this podcast. </p><p>Amongst the topics we discussed: Marvel vs. DC in the TV realm (:40); Tulsa King’s status as a surprise hit for Paramount+ (11:40); what the data about Netflix’s second season of <em>Monsters </em>suggests about its completion rate and why that matters (16:06); why horror has a lower streaming ceiling than theatrical ceiling (21:29); Prime Video’s moves into sports and news (30:56); the four horsemen of the media apocalypse (38:41); and a cautious defense of embattled WB-Discovery honcho David Zaslav (56:17).</p><p>Phew! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-four-horsemen-of-the-media-apocalypse</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:150728690</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 26 Oct 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/150728690/3d3eecfa413390746a89e494e2b42a88.mp3" length="60951615" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3809</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/150728690/a73f36e73a6932ec368114d8798159fc.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Second Look at 'Caligula']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Thomas Negovan, who oversaw the reconstruction of <em>Caligula: The Ultimate Cut</em>. Combing through 96 hours of the original negatives, Tom rebuilt the film from the ground up in order to bring it closer in line with the vision of writer Gore Vidal, director Tinto Brass, and star Malcolm McDowell. We discussed some of the technical challenges of tracking down source materials, the challenge of reconstructing a film that felt entirely different from every version previously known, and how McDowell and costar Helen Mirren responded to the reconstituted picture.</p><p>The <em>Ultimate Cut</em> debuted at Cannes last year and is available now via streaming, <a target="_blank" href="https://diabolikdvd.com/product/bd-caligula-the-ultimate-cut-blu-ray-preorder/">Blu-ray</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://diabolikdvd.com/product/caligula-the-ultimate-cut-4-disc-le-4k-uhd-blu-ray-cd-preorder/">4K</a> from Drafthouse Films and Unobstructed View. (The Blu-ray and 4K sets also include a previous cut of the film; for more on that cut and its odd provenance, I’d recommend reading this <a target="_blank" href="https://diabolikdvd.com/important-information-about-caligula-uhd-from-unobstructed-view/">note</a> at Diabolik DVD.) And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-second-look-at-caligula</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:150324949</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 19 Oct 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/150324949/913ecc379fe2c6ea808ba23799d36a2c.mp3" length="43714160" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2732</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/150324949/6b5d77fb1f19aebbc7b12424ccb28930.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Movie Donald Trump Doesn’t Want You to See]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined by Gabriel Sherman, the writer of <em>The Apprentice</em>, on this week’s episode.<em> </em>Sebastian Stan plays Donald Trump in this movie in theaters now about the future president’s relationship with noted legal fixer and possible evil supervillain Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). The movie’s path to distribution is almost as interesting as the film itself: Following production and a decent response at Cannes, it found itself in limbo as the original financier got cold feet and studios worried about reprisals from Donald Trump if he were to win the presidency again. We discussed all that and more in our chat; if you found it interesting, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-movie-donald-trump-doesnt-want</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:150100209</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 12 Oct 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/150100209/b51b9de06af532a397761c9f87f2758f.mp3" length="49828482" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2491</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/150100209/17addccc99f2cb59f77852c3f44ebdbf.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Is It So Hard to Find Something to Watch on Streaming?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Parrot Analytics’s Brandon Katz to discuss a vexing issues for streaming channels and audiences alike: why do the services have such a difficult time helping people find more things on the service to watch? Our chat is based in part <a target="_blank" href="https://observer.com/2024/10/steaming-subscriber-acquisition-retention/">on his column in the Observer</a>, and you should read it if you have a second. But the long and the short of it is that streaming services are dealing with customers signing up for a month or two, binging what they want to watch, and then canceling their sub, over and over, hopping from service to service. Is this anyway for folks to live? </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/why-is-it-so-hard-to-find-something</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:149817810</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 05 Oct 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/149817810/266f961282fb19958821bf7668267d06.mp3" length="38371388" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2398</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/149817810/42e3ac021a698b86413904dfc8dc3b41.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Devo's Groundbreaking Work]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><em>Relevant to the episode below! On Saturday, Sept. 28, there’s a screening of a Devo documentary at the </em><a target="_blank" href="https://thetexastheatre.com/film/devo-music-documentary-2024/"><em>Texas Theatre at 7:30 p.m.</em></a><em>; I’ve seen it, it’s really entertaining and informative, even if you’re not well-versed in Devo lore (which I am not). And the award show itself is </em><a target="_blank" href="https://thetexastheatre.com/film/ernie-kovacs-awards/"><em>Sunday, Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m.</em></a><em> Tickets are available to both! Check them out if you’re here in town!</em></p><p>This week I’m talking to a friend here in Dallas, Bart Weiss, about the Ernie Kovacs Award taking place this weekend at the Texas Theatre. This year’s honoree is Jerry Casale from the band Devo, and we’re discussing his work both with the band and as a pioneer of the music video artform. Check out the links above for tickets to the various events (the screening tonight is going to be pretty fun, I think, as the movie is super-interesting). If you’re in the Dallas area I hope you check it out. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/devos-groundbreaking-work</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:149505464</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 28 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/149505464/5829551f3979ad65f52c557f131c2c81.mp3" length="37619057" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2351</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/149505464/91b0a8f73b817726cfc7b9a1c4627ef0.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Social Media Is Warping Our Sense of Everything]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Jason Pargin to discuss his latest novel, <em>I’m Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom</em>, a standalone comic adventure about life in the age of interconnectivity<em>. </em>It’s out Tuesday; you can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Worry-About-This-Black/dp/125028595X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1SYS7R4S24B32&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QhDB3hKASFK4ZSKR1o2Dw2QS_h9qSIW9M3QyOS-L4LY.dkK5NsnlxulcOr14XDBrcqVBXG-tet26fIYd1E42fao&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=jason+pargin+black+box+of+doom&#38;qid=1726869672&#38;sprefix=%2Caps%2C160&#38;sr=8-1">preorder it now</a>. And I really hope you do: Pargin is among the most precise observers of life as it is lived in the digital age, and one of the things we really dive into in this episode is the way in which social media and smartphone living have really altered how we not only interact with each other but also ourselves. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-social-media-is-warping-our-sense</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:149179678</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/149179678/b3fda6a8a653ae1c6538f72728583494.mp3" length="63261604" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3953</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/149179678/7eb971e13ea693d04eef6d956c9e765f.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Death of a Community]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Amy Nicholson, the director of the documentary <em>Happy Campers</em>, which is now <a target="_blank" href="https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/happy-campers/umc.cmc.1wbry0j8sznr6amgs6s4vn24s">available for rental or purchase</a> on VOD at Apple. We discussed the ragtag oceanside community Amy documented, how she came to find herself in a position to tell their story, and some of the stranger reactions to the film’s decision to be less didactic and more emotionally compelling. If you’re intrigued by what you hear here, make sure to check out the movie. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-death-of-a-community</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:148860225</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 14 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/148860225/7411fc4d0c014b6d42456bc278f57027.mp3" length="52651379" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3290</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/148860225/3a8a9802c638ba24ca65a2102a340294.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Will Rogers and the American Spirit]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I talked to Steven Watts about his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Cowboy-Rogers-American-People/dp/1108495931/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9YX1A8N84YK1&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tITCE7t7xH4GE8B17YzERDIyB97EH3J4pp85-1kL1zJBSma2Z9FB1xbablU2myAU.rh_LCDVJxtW61shUy3Kqb85re3sKSqoFs7SLeWd3m1E&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=citizen+cowboy+will+rogers+and+the+american+people&#38;qid=1725543162&#38;sprefix=citizen+cowboy%2Caps%2C236&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Citizen Cowboy: Will Rogers and the American People</em></a><em>. </em>Rogers was a fascinating figure, one who straddled America’s status as a largely agrarian, frontier-expanding nation to the more urban, cosmopolitan nation we have today. He helped people manage the cultural change with his humor and became one of the most famous (and beloved) men in America by riding the new mass media wave and gently sticking it to politicians of all stripes. If you want to learn more about Rogers, make sure to check out Steven’s book. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/will-rogers-and-the-american-spirit</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:148532915</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 07 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/148532915/a82ae9460da074715c3a7313cd608dbd.mp3" length="37035586" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2314</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/148532915/605a851a5671a82d549899921795bba8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[John Magary on the Art of Editing]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by John Magary, editor of the new film <em>Between the Temples</em>. We discuss how he got into the editing business, the role of the editor in building the rhythm and flow of a picture, the aesthetic choices an editor can make in shaping the meaning of a movie, and a little about his work with the Criterion Channel. If you enjoyed this episode, try to find a theater playing the movie near you; it’s in 500 or so screens, which means there’s a decent chance there’s a showing somewhere in your neighborhood. And make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/john-magary-on-the-art-of-editing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:148314875</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 31 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/148314875/8d4379b48b0ff99e665c618e1520cf59.mp3" length="53458455" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3341</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/148314875/10ba27dff3dd56c4e91122966d028e07.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Social Media Trap for Teens]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>My guest this week is Valentina El Harizi, an 18-year-old first-time filmmaker who has an entry at the DIFF Shorts Film Festival. (If you get this email early enough and happen to live in the Dallas area, you can head over to the Angelika Film Center Dallas on Mockingbird Lane and catch the film; <a target="_blank" href="https://diffshorts2024.eventive.org/schedule/66ab1333f58be900773422aa">the “High School Shorts” program starts at 3PM local time.</a>) We discussed her film, “Behind the Scenes,” as well as the difficulties of growing up in a world where social media is the first, second, and third option most kids have to interact with each other. If you enjoyed this episode—or think someone with kids surrounded by social media should hear it—please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-social-media-trap-for-teens</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:148041212</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 24 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/148041212/9be9ddec6f059b79c32584ff0da24959.mp3" length="37767029" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2360</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/148041212/c3096e8517fa96c4731dd2b4048cb3fd.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Disney's Future Is the Past]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Robbie Whelan, who covers the wide world of Disney for the <em>Wall Street Journal</em>. We talked about all the stuff Disney rolled out at D23 (Sequels! Theme park additions! New Cruise ships!) and discussed the ways in which the softness in Disney’s “Experiences” division (which includes, among other endeavors, the theme parks) may suggest general economic softness that’s hidden by the success of movies like <em>Inside Out 2</em> and <em>Deadpool & Wolverine</em>. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/disneys-future-is-the-past</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:147791169</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 17 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/147791169/0f4c0bc62ec663db84f7cbf30be8dbae.mp3" length="34518945" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2876</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/147791169/c350a4bf2dfe758e8cbbbbf4188a2cfe.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Brad Thor's World of Intrigue]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I met with novelist (and Bulwark+ member!) <strong>Brad Thor</strong> in a shadowy location (upstairs at Dallas’s magnificent flagship <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hpb.com">Half Price Books</a>) to discuss his latest book of international intrigue, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Doubt-Thriller-Scot-Harvath-ebook/dp/B0CL5DFTPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JXBEEE9AQIOZ&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.c4T9OTNx2K_iV7f3GNrJOaikdZERZXJfSwi2A2l_LY8ef7nSHAlp75PCMGYffl-9Nw8G3AFtw1tHb3zQISEaMLB5NvoNe3BqCmqgxrzyyaZidPndbmy420LWETLSqp854Pf3_na7OQMCg9RZTgo29In0WpcH90Z8IbzyLTdmLRc.NxUnxoxgwJCPBnYoAKAIEOI_j2tzOOz4_parUDmBjp4&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=shadow+of+doubt+brad+thor&#38;qid=1723211103&#38;sprefix=%2Caps%2C92&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Shadow of Doubt</em></a>. We also talked about the idea that men don’t buy novels, smuggling real-world ideas into the universe of his fiction while maintaining their entertainment value, and a potential adaptation of his Scot Harvath novels into a streaming hit. If you’re looking for a late-summer read, make sure to pick up Brad’s book. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/brad-thors-world-of-intrigue</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:147520342</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 10 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/147520342/42d60d8a74001e7bce59704fe7006725.mp3" length="50786438" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3174</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/147520342/bb93f7ad4c99db75794e29874fd000a6.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Documenting the Rise of Nazism]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined this week by Thomas Doherty, Brandeis professor and author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Hitler-1933-1939-Film-Culture/dp/0231163924"><em>Hollywood and Hitler, 1933-1939</em></a>, and Maria Elena de las Carreras, lecturer in film studies at the UCLA School of Film and Television, at the CSUN Department of Cinema and Television Arts,* to talk about the recent restoration and Blu-ray release of two documentaries by Herbert Kline: <em>Crisis: A Film of ‘The Nazi Way’ </em>and <em>Lights Out in Europe</em>. Doherty and de las Carreras provided commentary tracks on the films and were kind enough to join me to discuss the historical import and context of these two important films, which chronicled the German annexation of Czechoslovakia and the beginning of Hitler’s assault on Poland.</p><p>Both movies are available on one Blu-ray directly <a target="_blank" href="https://flickeralley.com/products/against-the-storm-herbert-kline-in-a-darkened-europe-crisis-a-film-of-the-nazi-way-lights-out-in-europe">from Flicker Alley</a> (or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Against-Storm-Herbert-Darkened-Blu-ray/dp/B0CTJ6N8V7">Amazon</a>), and they are must-owns for folks interested both in documentary film from the period and World War Two more broadly; I’d heard of <em>Crisis</em> before but had never seen it, and it was a real treat to finally get to watch it. </p><p><em>* Maria Elena de las Carreras’s title has been corrected. </em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/documenting-the-rise-of-nazism</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:147071302</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jul 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/147071302/ee555a4b67940663aefc3771620f1258.mp3" length="51959661" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3247</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/147071302/52731a60adad9628104743b9ccf14968.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ryan Faughnder on Paramount's Big Changes]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m being rejoined by the <em>Los Angeles Times</em>’s Ryan Faughnder to discuss the sale of Paramount to David Ellison. What does this mean for the various arms of Viacom? Then we discussed the collapse of Redbox and the state of the box office. If you enjoyed this episode, please sign up for Ryan’s newsletter, The Wide Shot, <a target="_blank" href="https://membership.latimes.com/newsletters/?sfmc_id=65206da672048630290b2550&#38;skey_id=d0525560e4f798f02b78ea5219c8eca08be57a058711e020886527f5daf0052a&#38;utm_id=36069296&#38;utm_source=Sailthru&#38;utm_medium=email&#38;utm_campaign=NLTR-Email-List-The%20Wide%20Shot&#38;utm_term=Newsletter%20-%20The%20Wide%20Shot">here</a>. It’s free! And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/ryan-faughnder-on-paramounts-big</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:146794767</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/146794767/9a847a4e9492cae66cbd0055063bf73e.mp3" length="34254510" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2141</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/146794767/2e74c72fdd5162ccef81c5e7d2316311.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Jennifer Esposito on 'Fresh Kills']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode I’m joined by Jennifer Esposito, the director, writer, and star of <em>Fresh Kills</em>, a mob movie told from the perspective of mob wives and mob daughters. We discussed her career in the movies and how that helped prep her to stand behind the camera, why it’s hard to find audiences for original movies telling stories aimed at adults, how social media is helping build a base of support, and the powerfully feral performance of Odessa A’zion. You can watch <em>Fresh Kills</em> right now from the comfort of your own home <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/fresh-kills">on your preferred VOD provider</a>. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p><p><p>If you’d like to yell at me about movies (or anything else I’ve written/said on a podcast), you can do so in Dallas on <a target="_blank" href="https://attpac.org/event/an-evening-with-the-bulwark?pid=65637">September 5 at the Wyly Theatre</a>. Or maybe you just want to say hi to Sarah and Tim (they’re great!) or listen to Adam Kinzinger talk about the state of [gestures wildly] all this. And if you’re coming into town and just want a recommendation of where to eat or grab a drink, I can probably help with that too. </p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/jennifer-esposito-on-fresh-kills</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:146545577</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 13 Jul 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/146545577/1d14919e684d8c7cc9b9a69221ea9fd5.mp3" length="41373595" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2585</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/146545577/6fdcf963622bb273a16fc81757af8109.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Nielsen's Ratings Evolution]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Often, when people discuss television viewing these days they’ll conclude their chat with something like “But we just don’t know what people are watching.” That is an increasingly outdated view of the data, however. On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Dierdre Thomas, the Chief Product Officer for Nielsen’s Audience Measurement business unit. We talked about the evolution of Nielsen’s business measuring market share, how the company captures what people are watching and where, and how overall viewing habits have changed in the streaming age. </p><p>We also discussed “The Gauge,” Nielsen’s overall look at the ways in which people are watching TV these days. Here’s May 2024’s Gauge, which shows just where things stand.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/nielsens-ratings-evolution</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:146337853</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 06 Jul 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/146337853/8e6ba67ebfc5a6445bff7101011b8693.mp3" length="34692414" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2168</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/146337853/2ac4ecc2f5e891ba620bf4ea9dc1919c.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Documenting 'How to Rob a Bank']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Stephen Robert Morse and Seth Porges, the producers and directors of <em>How to Rob a Bank</em>. Streaming now on Netflix, the true-crime doc’s subject, Scott Scurlock (aka, the Hollywood Bandit), calls to mind <em>Point Break</em> in his commitment to living his life however he pleased and funding it through criminal activities. But, as Porges told me in our interview, <em>How to Rob a Bank</em> is also a subversion of the cinematic trope of the noble bank robber, a rejection of that idealized vision of criminality. It’s a reminder that what filmmakers portray has some impact on how we see—and take part in—the world. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to watch their movie. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/documenting-how-to-rob-a-bank</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:146085659</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 29 Jun 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/146085659/33b5f358b962ccb72e0d9d381a80bb41.mp3" length="30596099" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1912</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/146085659/3117f7053359654ffa37c620ccb4cf0d.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[We’re All ’Theatre Kids’]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by John DeVore, author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Theatre-Kids-John-DeVore/dp/1493077767"><em>Theatre Kids: A True Tale of Off-Off Broadway</em></a><em>. </em>In addition to discussing his life in the arts and the different species of theatre children—from the stage to politics to religion, theatre kids come in all shapes and size—we also talked a bit about the evolution of media in the post-9/11, pre-iPhone age. And we went back to one of my favorite topics: why no one can behave themselves in public these days! Get off our lawns! If you enjoyed this episode, you should pick up a copy of John’s book; it’s a quick read with just the right amount of melancholy. And please share this episode with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/were-all-theatre-kids</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:145879497</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 22 Jun 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/145879497/66dc2a981eca39a541bf11f7e6bd9e9c.mp3" length="42866115" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2679</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/145879497/adf2c21af22e769fb19a8430c65550cc.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Celebrating Bruce Willis]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by Sean O’Connell to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Willis-Celebrating-Cinematic-Unbreakable/dp/1493076337"><em>Bruce Willis: Celebrating the Cinematic Legacy of an Unbreakable Hollywood Icon</em></a><em>. </em>Breaking down Willis’s career—which has been sadly cut short following his diagnosis of aphasia—by comedies, action movies, work with auteurs, and “Die Hards,” the book is an exhaustive look at, mostly, the highs (and some of the lows) of Willis’s career. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/celebrating-bruce-willis</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:145650699</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 15 Jun 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/145650699/7a33c8d5edb6517d2ea42dc7a7ce17ca.mp3" length="34459698" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2153</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/145650699/a8d94b9e536a56cc1dd14466dbb174b9.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Don't Panic About Movie Theaters (Yet)]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I invited David Poland on so he could talk us all of the ledge about the state of theatrical exhibition. And while he didn’t quite do that—his opening words: “It’s, it’s bad! Things are bad”—he did highlight why things aren’t necessarily disastrous and how both the studios and the exhibitors can help get everything back on track. If you’re interested in the business of showbiz, make sure to check out David’s Substack, <a target="_blank" href="https://davidpoland.substack.com">The Hot Button</a>. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/dont-panic-about-movie-theaters-yet</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:145428059</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 08 Jun 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/145428059/9a0b21bfa0f8e2ca57bee8f999fd354b.mp3" length="52896719" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3306</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/145428059/fb9e762db0323be32ffa1a89960a00a5.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Movie Isn't Real Until You Can Hold It]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m joined by Bobby Miller, the writer/director of <em>The Cleanse</em>, to talk about the film’s long and winding path to a Blu-ray release. (You can buy it at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Cleanse-Blu-Ray-Bobby-Miller/dp/B0D1W17568/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GGHDU3UGZ1VG&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.SNv4TctnisxKypsqhAM7Ng7WDa8Dn3HP7cz25vQmuyk.hH6j4894awqKPdXoKrP6ynn-vcEWunvjpnYZxXpCBFA&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=the+cleanse+blu+ray&#38;qid=1716405273&#38;sprefix=the+cleanse%2Caps%2C110&#38;sr=8-1">Amazon</a> or for <a target="_blank" href="https://diabolikdvd.com/product/cleanse-blu-ray-copy/">five bucks less at the great DiabolikDVD</a>.) We discussed getting that film made, the struggle to secure a release, and why owning a physical copy of a movie packed with special features like commentary tracks and making-of docs is a real thrill for a filmmaker who grew up absorbing the extras on features like <em>Boogie Nights</em>. We also discussed his voice-directing and editing work and why he wrote a novel. If you enjoyed this episode, please check out Bobby’s movie. (And his <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bobbymillertime.com">Substack!</a>) And make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-movie-isnt-real-until-you-can-hold</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:144885954</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 24 May 2024 13:54:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/144885954/91b6907b58d4a173ddec735e8c7ebf75.mp3" length="33620860" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2101</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/144885954/e83a0f79c4f793e8364a0aaee718fb9b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Documenting January 6]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix-Fine to discuss their searing look at the assault on the Capitol on January 6 perpetrated by supporters of Donald Trump attempting to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. We discussed how they got their footage, why the events are being memory-holed by embarrassed Republican politicians, and how you can help spread the word about this documentary so people aren’t allowed to forget what, and who, they’re supporting when they support Donald Trump. If this interview gets your blood boiling like it got mine boiling, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-sixth">you can watch </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-sixth"><em>The Sixth</em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-sixth"> on your VOD provider of choice</a>. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/documenting-january-6</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:144725331</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 18 May 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/144725331/abd8580fbac0abcdce881cbf60cd2b95.mp3" length="49225352" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3076</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/144725331/5012f1477a08c63ae5edf1d2d0310355.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[On the Great Albert Brooks]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m thrilled to have Adrienne LaFrance of <em>The Atlantic</em> on the show this week to discuss <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/06/albert-brooks-movies-defending-my-life/678213/">her profile of Albert Brooks</a> and more generally celebrate his greatness. From movies like <em>Broadcast News </em>and <em>Defending Your Life,</em> to voicework on <em>The Simpsons </em>and <em>Finding Nemo</em>, to his under-appreciated villainy in <em>Drive</em>, Brooks’s talents have wowed multiple generations of moviegoers and TV watchers. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/on-the-great-albert-brooks</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:144506050</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 11 May 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/144506050/8f7a95e4bc929d09b61f7ea9fe7a5014.mp3" length="32346512" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2021</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/144506050/86026799554db1f06377129d945ce131.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Fall and Rise of 'Scarface']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m rejoined by Glenn Kenny to discuss his new book <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/World-Yours-Story-Scarface/dp/1335449620/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3OEP6QDK7Z45Z&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wytYG_nGXi0ZUkcA7Ge2QDlnLHDRWFAP0H-Cae5CqLVMtaMH24iYYP1Fn7ajcu2frDCGd6uhap5VPlD94KrBCmYO3-OIpjweH5FLOCUeG8hBIB-3jawsL74T8JmZ9Lvi6NAFyoSIeOqcVawtofosPftoZiLQZOA3-Gkyz1FvwQ7s9tV-UX4VX8v5Grli97y9NHVXhcQFUV1z6jj684P-CKkDD8-HpYjs97wLVD6kd1A.9d1Bjykzxf-QHZ1lapiXf_liQqyfbQhm6a4q9IyEfTY&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=the+world+is+yours+book&#38;qid=1714761062&#38;sprefix=the+world+is+yours+boo%2Caps%2C108&#38;sr=8-1"><em>The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface</em></a><em>. </em>Among the topics discussed: What a <em>Scarface</em> directed by Sidney Lumet might have looked like; how the movie secured an R rating rather than a commercially disastrous X; and whether or not <em>Scarface </em>is a “political” movie. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to listen to <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480?i=1000507783727">our previous encounter</a> (and pick up his book <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Made-Men-Goodfellas-Glenn-Kenny/dp/1335016503/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.F3jyBpKrgvyjT3dKrMyCEPsAnKxIHg3YUe7of_XjLbtJ1rR21yNzNKhPmczYJIVGN_d8lAA44KH9AOv6D09PluTul1vruRcKs8zcBCt3b34Z6qEw-jLCm0k2V_ekjhjB1eZG2b1teCW1B66mGu0dXSN0u8VVijDnyvpJRFC6WDlY65CK-LNYauA3xDJ2lCxjreCfVWEx5xkYcDrWPDlN0nmwIaGy_nnobd02xrAGHa8.F2xNaXIFIg6nHmYEFbQL1icbhOzplDKRHkPa1pCJraE&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=Made+Men&#38;qid=1714761521&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Made Men: The Story of Goodfellas</em></a>, it’s a hoot). And please share this with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-fall-and-rise-of-scarface</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:144281685</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 04 May 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/144281685/66cfd280da8a860061ecc554fc19229b.mp3" length="46034167" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2877</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/144281685/743833fb4d2159aea93193512e84a800.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is David Ellison Hollywood's Great Hope?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m rejoined by the Los Angeles Times’s Ryan Faughnder (read and sign up for his newsletter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/newsletter/2024-04-23/netflix-is-changing-how-it-reports-subscriber-numbers-what-that-says-about-the-streaming-wars-the-wide-shot">here</a>!) to discuss Netflix’s big data change, why some in Hollywood are hoping for David Ellison to take over Paramount (though shareholders have a different view), and more. If you liked what you heard, share this episode with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/is-david-ellison-hollywoods-great</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:144044731</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 27 Apr 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/144044731/a150f53de86023202e736d94c139d5a6.mp3" length="28883730" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1805</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/144044731/8fa2eb1d4fc800bc9dd522a07763100b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Art of Costume Design]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>As readers may remember, <em>The Beekeeper </em>has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-beekeeper-review">one of my favorite movies of the year thus far</a>. One thing in particular I loved about it was the costume design: It’s an underappreciated artform, conveying character through clothing, and the costuming in this film perfectly conveyed a range of characters, from “taciturn hero” to “crazed killer” to “crypto douchebag.” </p><p>Which is why I’m very excited to have Kelli Jones, the film’s costume designer, on this week to talk about <em>The Beekeeper </em>and her work elsewhere. From previous collaborations with director David Ayer on movies like <em>Bright</em> to the long-running FX biker gang show <em>The Sons of Anarchy </em>to Oscar-nominated biopics like <em>Straight Outta Compton</em> and <em>Nyad</em>, Jones’s work is a striking example of the importance of clothing in bringing a cinematic world to life. </p><p>And I have a favor to ask you. The next time you’re watching a movie, think about the silent—but very visible—work that costume design is doing. Look at the suits, soak in the dresses, think about how fabrics can convey period with a simple glance. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-art-of-costume-design</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:143751044</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 20 Apr 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/143751044/239a70008ba847a735052d9a8183df70.mp3" length="38830301" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2427</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/143751044/69627f2b85f9e95ef68da6556add9df9.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[From 'Funny or Die' to Western Neo-Noirs]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s show I talked to Rod Blackhurst, the director of the new film <em>Blood for Dust</em>, about … well, a whole bunch of stuff. From his early shorts on the comedy website Funny or Die starring Dave Franco and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, to a documentary about Amanda Knox, to the horror short “Night Swim” (which recently received the feature-length treatment), to his new picture with the great Scoot McNairy and an all-star supporting cast that includes Ethan Suplee, Stephen Dorff, Josh Lucas, and Kit Harrington, we cover his whole career.</p><p><em>Blood for Dust</em> hits VOD and has a limited theatrical engagement six days from now, and if you’re in the mood for a western neo-noir that deals with people who feel real (and have real-feeling problems), you’re not going to want to miss it. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/from-funny-or-die-to-western-neo</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:143496220</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 13 Apr 2024 17:13:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/143496220/65d0b00f4cd7cbfc5c6043a2ac36dc88.mp3" length="62278725" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3892</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/143496220/e3b9a9d8e77161ab47a649589ac4be43.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Best and the Worst of Streaming 2023]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m very excited to be rejoined by the Entertainment Strategy Guy <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com">(subscribe to his newsletter!)</a> to discuss the year in streaming. What were the <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-top-streaming-films-in-2023">biggest hits</a> in TV and film? What were the biggest <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-56-biggest-film-flops-bombs-and">misses</a>? Could linear-like ad-supported streaming services be the future for big services like Netflix and Disney+? Is there a <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/p/peacock-nfl-streaming-double-standard-amazon">double standard</a> for the tech-based streamers and the studio-owned streamers?  All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-best-and-the-worst-of-streaming</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:143307668</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 06 Apr 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/143307668/3bb3bb255994fdad2baa8f3312e8b3e9.mp3" length="61809707" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3863</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/143307668/8fa2eb1d4fc800bc9dd522a07763100b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bringing 'Lousy Carter' to Life]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I was thrilled to chat with star David Krumholtz and writer-director Bob Byington about their new movie, <em>Lousy Carter</em>. It’s a wide-ranging conversation, touching on topics from shooting during the age of Covid to where Krumholtz was when he got the call to audition for <em>Oppenheimer</em>, and I hope you find it as fun to listen to as it was for me to conduct. If you enjoyed it, I hope you share it with a friend.</p><p>A little extra this week: I hope you check out both <em>Lousy Carter </em>and Byington’s body of work. Everyone says they’re tired of the same old mush at the multiplex; well, here’s a chance to dive into a body of work you may not be familiar with. Some highlights:</p><p>* Byington and Krumholtz previously worked together on <em>Frances Ferguson</em>, which you can watch for free on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Frances-Ferguson-Kaley-Wheless/dp/B081CLQKQG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PKF89RQKE2RR&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.j8hWbwjp6uJK3f0PZwYpXD2Pdr-ezAC3eBADnFIAzeNkkCzFOUEl1fHPtPmHI2HOVGm5GiSwsNpToH2PSv5xrjfRwVg1Fz-PahhmRejU9eX0vVoGeW0G9mM22bUdSJMPVwh-LcryroDpmJAUHBBoC2M9abhQhcaBuZj-XVF7RPXBjmIs61PNtjqmro3K0RV2dehBS7FSwV1bxmiK--bPYunA4BtB180uhNBZGMI5pnY.m7EhPijKKQyrlcB4rug8LcKIrR-GkKx2pEScccpFcHc&#38;dib_tag=se&#38;keywords=frances+ferguson&#38;qid=1711650131&#38;sprefix=frances+ferguson%2Caps%2C122&#38;sr=8-1">Amazon Prime</a>; it is charmingly dry and occasionally cutting without coming across as meanspirited. Star Kaley Wheless gives a realistic and somewhat complicated performance as the substitute teacher convicted of sleeping with an (of-legal-age) student, while Krumholtz’s turn at the end as a group therapist is both humorous and humane.</p><p>* <em>Somebody Up There Likes Me</em> (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/somebody-up-there-likes-me-2013">available for free on Peacock and for rental elsewhere</a>) is an amusing look at a slacker floating through life starring Nick Offerman and Keith Poulson, and the framing device—we skip ahead five years each sequence, giving us 35 years in the life of Poulson’s character—is weirdly affecting. The passage of time comes for us all, or some such.</p><p>* <em>Infinity Baby</em> (streaming on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/infinity-baby">Kanopy and Amazon</a>) is probably the oddest of these four films: set in the not-too-distant future, Kieran Culkin’s Ben works for a pharmaceutical company that accidentally made babies that never grow older. He’s interesting as a free-floating cad—and Culkin is an absolutely magnetic screen presence—but I think the best performance belongs to Martin Starr (<em>Silicon Valley</em>, <em>Party Down</em>). He’s playing slightly against type here: rather than a sure-of-himself-know-it-all, he’s a little more fidgety, a little unsteady. And that unsteadiness pays off in the film’s closing moments, as we see the results of an unexpected responsibility.</p><p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/bringing-lousy-carter-to-life</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:143049265</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 30 Mar 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/143049265/860f11fb91e383b94dc68c2661eacd76.mp3" length="35499168" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2218</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/143049265/7843148add6861c357f7f0d456737a64.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The 2024 Stunt Awards!]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode I’m thrilled to be rejoined by Brandon Struessnig and Bilge Ebiri, who spearhead Vulture’s annual Stunt Awards. We talked about the year’s big winner, <em>John Wick Chapter 4</em>, how folks kind of have to decide for themselves how much CGI is too much CGI when determining what counts as practical and what counts as digital, and compiling the 100 most influential fight scenes of all time. Some important links for you: </p><p>* The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/stunt-awards-2024.html">winners</a> of the 2024 stunt awards;</p><p>* Brandon’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/henry-kingi-stuntman-action.html">tribute</a> to Henry Kingi;</p><p>* The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/best-action-movie-fights-scenes.html">100 most influential fights</a> in action cinema;</p><p>* And a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/the-fall-guy-movie-stuntmen-ryan-gosling.html">preview of </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/the-fall-guy-movie-stuntmen-ryan-gosling.html"><em>The Fall Guy</em></a>.</p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-2024-stunt-awards</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:142839477</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 23 Mar 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/142839477/f719598e31fc40f62eb0d90576f9859e.mp3" length="58331021" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3645</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/142839477/ee9939eb3e70f83070050340ffe73c93.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What Does a Film Commissioner Do?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m honored to be joined by Dallas Film Commissioner Tony Armer to discuss what, precisely, a film commissioner does. On this episode he discusses his own path to getting involved in the film industry, breaks down different kinds of incentives cities and states use to woo productions, and talks about how Dallas has made itself more attractive to major productions looking for a place to shoot. We also talk a bit about Tony’s podcast; do yourself a favor and check <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/team-deakins-q-a-post-blade-runner-2049-screening/id1704493412?i=1000626770637">out the episode featuring a post-screening Q&A</a> with cinematographer Roger Deakins, who was in town a few months back for a showing of <em>Blade Runner 2049. </em>And if you enjoyed <em>this</em> podcast, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/what-does-a-film-commissioner-do</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:142621411</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 16 Mar 2024 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/142621411/9a3e63e131a5a312ab7f749b93d34e20.mp3" length="47364608" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2960</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/142621411/76f113a2659dcd20e2d5b93df7747505.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA['Beetlejuice: The Musical,' Indie Film, and Life on the Road]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m pleased to be joined by Abe Goldfarb, who is currently playing Otho for the touring company of <em>Beetlejuice: The Musical </em>and both starred in and co-directed <em>First Time Caller</em> (which I reviewed <a target="_blank" href="https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/why-not-have-true-detective-and-night">here</a>). You may remember a few months back that Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert got kicked out of a showing of <em>Beetlejuice: The Musical</em>; well, Abe happened to be onstage when all that went down. After having a few laughs about that, we get into the world of indie filmmaking and his recently released project, <em>First Time Caller</em>. Turns out that one of the best ways to make money on a project like this is to make it and release it on an ad-supported streaming channel, yet more evidence that we’ve torn down the whole system just to reinvent cable. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/first-time-caller-2022"><em>First Time Caller</em></a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://beetlejuicebroadway.com"><em>Beetlejuice: The Musical</em></a>, on tour now. And make sure to share this with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/beetlejuice-the-musical-indie-film</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:142365903</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 09 Mar 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/142365903/86684d98b3fbb42c8d9379525811eae5.mp3" length="55020370" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3438</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/142365903/b72b95959314fb5586613c61ad22ef99.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Nelms Brothers Talk 'Red Right Hand' ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>A couple years back I had Ian and Eshom Nelms <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480?i=1000501985809">on the show</a> to talk about their new Christmas classic, <em>Fatman</em>. We had a great talk, so I was thrilled when their people reached out to see if I’d like to discuss their new flick, a sort of southern revenge thriller/neo-noir by the name of <em>Red Right Hand</em>. We discussed getting Orlando Bloom and Andie MacDowell to play somewhat against type, how drone usage helps expand the scale and scope without blowing up the budget on a picture like this, and the unpredictable vibe of Jonathan Easley’s script that attracted them to the project in the first place. You can watch <em>Red Right Hand </em>on <a target="_blank" href="https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/red-right-hand/umc.cmc.5qebptdsbcpcr9flrsiseaqcv">Apple</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/0FQWIAE4NZ8QTIPQGPJRDEC9VW/ref=atv_dl_rdr?tag=justus1ktp-20">Amazon</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jbE5cr5vYk">YouTube</a>, and wherever else you might watch a video on demand. It’s worth the price of admission just to watch Andie MacDowell play a vicious southern queenpin; trust me, you’ve never seen her quite like this before. If you enjoyed our chat, I hope you’ll check it out. And please share this episode with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-nelms-brothers-talk-red-right</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:142245023</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 02 Mar 2024 17:45:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/142245023/64942a3b1977154a3c01e8600bd4f2dd.mp3" length="30640439" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1915</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/142245023/65312c436540eb1568b88c503a88d3b4.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Hollywood Field Guide]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, we have the original Bulwark Goes to Hollywood guest, Richard Rushfield of <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com">The Ankler</a>, returning to discuss his fabulous Hollywood Field Guide. How do you <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/p/field-guide-1-how-to-handle-actors">assuage actors</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/p/field-guide-2-how-to-handle-writers">reassure writers</a>, and make your way through the rest of Hollywood? Richard will guide you. Plus, we discuss the state of the box office, how Oscar season is shaping up, and more! If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-hollywood-field-guide</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:141905672</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 24 Feb 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/141905672/12f80d8352a206189f7506a18415262b.mp3" length="39191430" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2449</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/141905672/ddbdc63c714d33ce99ae29f0143dbddc.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Julian Schlossberg Returns to Tell More Hollywood Tales!]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week Julian Schlossberg returns to tell more tales of life in the arts. From reading his life story as the narrator of the new audiobook version of his memoir, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Try-Not-Hold-Against-Me/dp/B0CSGF6GBZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=E2S5SY33QSMQ&#38;keywords=try+not+to+hold+it+against+me+book&#38;qid=1707857766&#38;sprefix=try+not+to+hol%2Caps%2C124&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Try Not to Hold It Against Me</em></a>, to his work with the great Elaine May, to keeping the classic 1970s picture <em>Mikey and Nicky </em>in circulation, we had tons to discuss. Make sure to check out his new podcast, “Julian Schlossberg’s Movie Talk,” the first episode of which is an <a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6rEUkFTK3R2p4QZQdEEE9U">interview with the great F. Murray Abraham</a>. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/julian-schlossberg-returns-to-tell</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:141646932</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 17 Feb 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/141646932/9f41df51dce9e74907c55018da89a364.mp3" length="44069429" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2754</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/141646932/5d4d29e7b1669aa2be2c93a55e7bd55e.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Piracy Persists on the Internet]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Karyn Temple, Senior Executive Vice President and Global General Counsel for the Motion Picture Association, to discuss how the trade group wages the global war on intellectual property infringement. A couple of months back <a target="_blank" href="https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/stopping-piracy-before-it-starts">we had the MPA’s Terri Davies on the show</a> to talk about the Trusted Partners Network and how the film industry could help cut down on piracy before a film is released. But what do you do when it’s out in the world and starts showing up on BitTorrents? How do you shut down feeds showing live sporting events in real-time? This is the other side of the 360-degree protection against internet piracy the MPA is striving to implement. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend! </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-piracy-persists-on-the-internet</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:141442153</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 10 Feb 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/141442153/5813be91d8d8fd708f83db8b4a054509.mp3" length="40021044" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2501</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/141442153/9427b1bdedff0124ca52637e92dbb1f8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What Did Peak TV Let Escape from 'Pandora's Box'? ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m thrilled to be joined by Peter Biskind to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Box-Greed-Upended-Television/dp/0062991663/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#38;qid=1706732398&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Pandora’s Box: How Guts, Guile, and Greed Upended TV</em></a>. From the rise of HBO to the streaming boom, how we watch TV—and what gets shown on TV—has radically changed over the last few decades. We discuss the role of technology, advertising, and changing audience tastes, and muse about the role TV’s antiheroes played in paving the way for Donald Trump. If you’re a fan of Biskind’s previous books, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Riders-Raging-Bulls-Sex-Drugs-ebook/dp/B005Z37BNQ?ref_=ast_author_dp&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QoDWVFoa0OE2i9eLbccBSnpyPKCHC_Too4va7na_jAxxfgIzzFfaPntG0fafEIln35CPvOZ0XCfJra966A-RgV52QRV97m2VPUk1_R7_DmKn_U1FcCKiv3WxAJy59_BtB4LrlDWM9pqrOhMyO0k2qv-PjNCCK25UkSml1MU_-H8PMQ7s0y6EBqNwLC7RVe76.AS95WAd7dg_bAVLGT4aTcmd2Kv2m4uTE77qUSuBH8Jg&#38;dib_tag=AUTHOR"><em>Easy Riders, Raging Bulls</em></a><em> </em>and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Down-Dirty-Pictures-Sundance-Independent-ebook/dp/B0092PUM70?ref_=ast_author_dp&#38;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QoDWVFoa0OE2i9eLbccBSnpyPKCHC_Too4va7na_jAxxfgIzzFfaPntG0fafEIln35CPvOZ0XCfJra966A-RgV52QRV97m2VPUk1_R7_DmKn_U1FcCKiv3WxAJy59_BtB4LrlDWM9pqrOhMyO0k2qv-PjNCCK25UkSml1MU_-H8PMQ7s0y6EBqNwLC7RVe76.AS95WAd7dg_bAVLGT4aTcmd2Kv2m4uTE77qUSuBH8Jg&#38;dib_tag=AUTHOR"><em>Down and Dirty Pictures</em></a>, you’ll love <em>Pandora’s Box</em>. (If you haven’t read <em>Easy Riders, Raging Bulls</em>, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy today.) And if you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/what-did-peak-tv-let-escape-from</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:141247898</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 03 Feb 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/141247898/774f9d69b7eef267b3eac612faee9256.mp3" length="43207592" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2700</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/141247898/d6d0f2793d084c2f90515ab5a544fb2d.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sundance at 40]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Very excited to have James Emanuel Shapiro, President of U.S. distribution at XYZ Films, back on the show with a recap of all the action at Sundance and a discussion about the state of the film festival scene writ large. Then we discuss some of his upcoming releases, including the new sci-fi flick <em>Restore Point</em> and XYZ’s exciting acquisition of <em>Skyline: Warpath</em>, starring action bigshots Scott Adkins and Iko Uwais.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/sundance-at-40</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:141052625</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jan 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/141052625/172393a1cd4fdc05e3abbe8293ff26f3.mp3" length="40395588" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2524</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/141052625/ebc81787ca669def7688a7c86b4cb58f.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How 'The Family Plan' Became a Hit for Apple]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m re-joined by David Coggeshall to talk <em>The Family Plan</em>, AppleTV+’s high-concept action-comedy about a dad, Mark Wahlberg, who has to take his family on the run when his past life as a hitman rears its ugly head. Released over the Christmas holiday season—as David notes in today’s episode, the perfect time to capture families looking for something everyone age 10 to 100 can enjoy—the film “debuted as the most watched movie ever,” according to <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2023/12/mark-wahlberg-the-family-plan-apple-tv-plus-most-watched-movie-ever-the-morning-show-broke-records-for-drama-series-1235678791/">Deadline’s sources at Apple</a>. But the film was far from a sure thing. Find out why David’s agents dropped him when they got the script, why the film’s breakout character almost got cut from the picture altogether, and why Ciarán Hinds is one of the best in the business. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-the-family-plan-became-a-hit</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:140549366</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 13 Jan 2024 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/140549366/5c617c70d7719798e79621bce5051a5e.mp3" length="41316453" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2582</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/140549366/9f429e522eb0864fefbd0fc2a159e311.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What's Next in 'The Streaming Wars']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m joined by Brandon Katz to talk about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.parrotanalytics.com/strategy/netflix-streaming-wars-not-winner-take-all-svod-rank/">Parrot Analytics’s new report</a> on the state of streaming and why the “winner take all” theory of the so-called streaming wars was always a little bit silly. We discuss what attracts viewers to the streaming services, what keeps them there once they sign up, and how Parrot Analytics measures “demand” for a show. If you love charts and data visualization, you’ll love Parrot’s new report; I highly recommend checking it out if that’s your cup of tea. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you’ll share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/whats-next-in-the-streaming-wars</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:140368711</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 06 Jan 2024 19:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/140368711/1707a66674e10849e86ccd1bf3543f17.mp3" length="43643531" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2727</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/140368711/5452c90213bdf15e3108de4af9e830d9.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Francis Ford Coppola, Visionary]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Sam Wasson to discuss his new book <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Path-Paradise-Francis-Coppola-Apocalypse/dp/006303784X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30T939U7YZYK8&#38;keywords=the+path+to+paradise+a+francis+ford+coppola+story&#38;qid=1703192430&#38;sprefix=the+path+to+%2Caps%2C201&#38;sr=8-1"><em>The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story</em></a>, which chronicles the making of <em>Apocalypse Now</em> and the rise and fall of Coppola’s revolutionary studio, American Zoetrope. From technological innovations to the madness of Coppola’s effort to capture America’s first “Rock and Roll War,” the book is a fascinating glimpse into a radically different idea of filmmaking than was pursued by the Hollywood studios. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/francis-ford-coppola-visionary</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:139992641</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 23 Dec 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/139992641/6029b12908ba1bc6d997144bab93eb2d.mp3" length="40320468" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2520</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/139992641/ad5c6f943bfcd51e4e770f4dfe5b7630.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Whit Stillman on 'Metropolitan,' a Christmas Movie]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m thrilled to be joined by Whit Stillman, the director of, among other features, <em>The Last Days of Disco</em>, <em>Barcelona</em>, and <em>Love and Friendship</em>. He’s on the show today to discuss <em>Metropolitan</em> and the way it has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/metropolitan-is-a-christmas-movie/">embraced as a classic Christmas movie</a>, as well as the evolution of the indie film business over the last 40 years or so. </p><p>If you’re in Rochester or the surrounding environs, make sure to pop over to the Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum tonight for a special showing of <em>Metropolitan</em> with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eastman.org/event/film-screenings/metropolitan">Mr. Stillman in attendance for a Q&A</a>. If you enjoyed this chat, I strongly recommend picking up a copy of Fireflies Press’s book, <a target="_blank" href="https://firefliespress.com/Whit_Stillman"><em>Whit Stillman: Not So Long Ago</em></a>, as they are nearly sold out and will not be reprinted.<em> </em>(Yes, you can order it directly from the European publisher; I did and it arrived unharmed.) And if you’ve never seen <em>Metropolitan</em>, you really should! It’s available via streaming on the Criterion Channel and Max (aka HBO Max), and it’s also on sale for 30% off now (either <a target="_blank" href="https://www.criterion.com/films/774-metropolitan">individually</a> or as part of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/1179-a-whit-stillman-trilogy-i-metropolitan-barcelona-the-last-days-of-disco-i">collection</a> of his first three films).</p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/whit-stillman-on-metropolitan-a-christmas</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:139786644</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 16 Dec 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/139786644/d4a0dda207790ec14e2812b6c46adef3.mp3" length="41747660" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2609</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/139786644/05fd3960cc83235671aee93e219eead5.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Year in the Box Office]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, Scott Mendelson returns to the show to discuss how 2023 shook out at the box office, why niche films and niche audiences became more important than ever to movie theaters, and whether or not studios are hiding that <em>Wonka</em>, <em>The Color Purple</em>, and next year’s <em>Mean Girls</em> remake are musicals because they’re worried about the impact on box office. Make sure to check out Scott’s new Substack, <a target="_blank" href="https://scottmendelson.substack.com">The Outside Scoop</a>. I’ve long loved his breakdowns of the weekend box office and look forward to seeing what he’s putting together here on Substack. And if you enjoyed <em>this</em> podcast, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-year-in-the-box-office</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:139513504</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 09 Dec 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/139513504/deef33db92fcf62053a25d38ad00cc7c.mp3" length="55684095" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3480</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/139513504/d78f93b49fa8a9bb8f808bfd826f68ae.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Nicolas Coppola to Nicolas Cage]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Zach Schonfeld to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Coppola-Became-Cage-Zach-Schonfeld/dp/019755637X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FGAXYE5LG074&#38;keywords=how+coppola+became+cage&#38;qid=1701278379&#38;sprefix=how+copp%2Caps%2C192&#38;sr=8-1"><em>How Coppola Became Cage</em></a>. Zach’s look at the early years of Nicolas Cage’s career is deeply researched, featuring interviews with directors like David Lynch (<em>Wild at Heart</em>), Mike Figgis (<em>Leaving Las Vegas</em>), and Cage’s own brother, Christopher Coppola (<em>Deadfall</em>). We talked about Cage’s mythmaking, his anger at being accused of benefitting from nepotism, and his befuddlement at becoming a meme, among other topics. If you’re a fan of the <em>Raising Arizona</em> star or need a Christmas gift for the <em>Vampire’s Kiss </em>fan in your life, <em>How Coppola Became Cage</em> is a must-have. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/from-nicolas-coppola-to-nicolas-cage</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:139271218</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 02 Dec 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/139271218/e3b31481f75b401717b826d0de9feae9.mp3" length="37483643" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2342</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/139271218/2f065ed43d8625f5f369354e3b9b5134.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Charlie Chaplin's Life in Exile]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m rejoined by Scott Eyman, author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Chaplin-vs-America-Politics/dp/1982176350/ref=sr_1_1?crid=N2I3D776NT3S&#38;keywords=charlie+chaplin+vs.+america&#38;qid=1700680883&#38;sprefix=charlie+chaplin%2Caps%2C120&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Charlie Chaplin Vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided</em></a><em>. </em>We discussed the great silent star’s exile from America, how the press and the government conspired against Charlie Chaplin, the personal and professional perils of being prematurely anti-fascist, and why Buster Keaton seems to be more fashionable than The Tramp these days. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out Scott’s book, available at all fine booksellers now. And please share it with a friend! </p><p>Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and that this podcast finds you safe and well in your travels. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/charlie-chaplins-life-in-exile</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:139082947</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 25 Nov 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/139082947/311861474d8b5aaf22138ef257ab4b36.mp3" length="46407901" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2900</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/139082947/e0c26e5cea873f7f9731724fd79e1e89.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why You Can Finally Watch 'Moonlighting' on Streaming]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Glenn Gordon Caron, the creator and showrunner of <em>Moonlighting</em>, to talk about that series’s long-awaited arrival on streaming. We discussed the show’s creation, the discovery of Bruce Willis, how he and costar Cybil Shepherd kept up with the show’s trademark rapid-fire patter, the difficulty in clearing music rights (and how <em>Moonlighting</em> was one of the first shows to heavily incorporate pop music into the show), working with legends like Orson Welles and Stanley Donen, and so much more. </p><p>If you’ve never watched the show, I highly recommend checking it out on Hulu; the folks at Disney have done an amazing job restoring the episodes. A handful of highlights, if you’re trying to figure out where to start:</p><p>* <strong>Season 1, Episode 1: The Pilot.</strong> Tonally this is a bit different from what would follow, but it’s genuinely kind of wild to see Willis show up onscreen fully formed as Bruce Willis, Star in what was almost literally his first role.</p><p>* <strong>Season 1, Episode 2: Gunfight at the So-So Corral. </strong>Again, the show is still finding its footing, but it’s a pretty good representation of the combination of smart dialogue, great casting, and clever resolutions to the onscreen mysteries.</p><p>* <strong>Season 2, Episode 4: The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice. </strong>Orson Welles introduced this episode—which is structured with a mysterious intro and then two dream sequences (one dreamt by Shepherd’s Maddie Hayes as a sort of MGM musical; the other by Willis’s David Addison as a sort of 1940s noir)—in part because the network was terrified no one would want to watch a black-and-white episode of TV.</p><p>* <strong>Season 2, Episode 18: Camille. </strong>Whoopi Goldberg and Judd Nelson co-starred, and their mystery is all well and good, but it’s the closing sequence in which the (fourth) walls of reality come crashing in on the cast that makes this second season finale a must-watch.</p><p>* <strong>Season 3, Episode 6: Big Man on Mulberry Street. </strong>The mid-show dance sequence was done by Stanley Donen, and, again, I just can’t imagine what it was like to have this sequence pop up in the middle of network TV in the 1980s. Wild stuff.</p><p>* <strong>Season 3, Episode 10: Poltergeist III — Dipesto Nothing. </strong>One of the show’s episodes focusing on the adventures of Ms. Dipesto (Allyce Beasley) and Mr. Viola (Curtis Armstrong), who make for a delightful pairing.</p><p>* <strong>Season 4, Episode 2: Come Back Little Shiksa. </strong>Shepherd had to leave the show for a while due to her pregnancy, which led to a series of episodes that separated her and Willis. But the creators used some clever ways to get them in the same room. Plus: John Goodman’s in this one! </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/why-you-can-finally-watch-moonlighting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:138889334</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 18 Nov 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/138889334/6d6efcfaadc7c10fafaef2f81d3c9b84.mp3" length="76688111" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3834</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/138889334/31e3f2e9160e63ac28f6595ab674a5e4.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stopping Piracy Before It Starts]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Terri Davies, who heads up the Motion Picture Association’s Trusted Partners Network. TPN helps studios and other partners develop best practices for avoiding leaks of films and TV shows pre-release, from pre- to post-production. We discussed her time at Sony Pictures from 2000 to 2015, a period of time during which the business of distribution was revolutionized (and digitized), how the MPA helps studios reduce the likelihood of a movie leaking before its release date, and how different solutions are tailored for content creators of different sizes. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/stopping-piracy-before-it-starts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:138735931</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 11 Nov 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/138735931/66a27480a879bfaeb5021f8f8a59cb1b.mp3" length="31911407" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1994</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/138735931/2903fcc672c33b6a151bd368fbfcae93.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How What We Watch Defines Us]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Walt Hickey, the author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-What-Watch-Everything/dp/1523515899/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TPFQQ41Y3GGR&#38;keywords=you+are+what+you+watch+walt+hickey&#38;qid=1699113742&#38;sprefix=you+are+what+you%2Caps%2C131&#38;sr=8-1"><em>You Are What You Watch: How Movies and TV Affect </em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-What-Watch-Everything/dp/1523515899/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TPFQQ41Y3GGR&#38;keywords=you+are+what+you+watch+walt+hickey&#38;qid=1699113742&#38;sprefix=you+are+what+you%2Caps%2C131&#38;sr=8-1"><strong><em>Everything</em></strong></a>. Among the many topics discussed on this show: the surprisingly durable effect of Warner Bros.’s merchandising efforts aimed at adults; how identity and pop culture become hopelessly (and negatively) intertwined; and how violent movies can help <em>stop</em> violence from occurring. If you find this podcast interesting, I hope you check out Walt’s book; it has tons of charts (one of which is reproduced above) and many fascinating nuggets I simply did not have time to dig into with him today. And make sure to share this episode with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-what-we-watch-defines-us</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:138494140</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 04 Nov 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/138494140/523d2c4b013e1816db0fc4deeaa6f758.mp3" length="45016097" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2813</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/138494140/7c011bb5710b2bb60aa3240d1d8d9c15.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Zoey Ashe's Life in the (Future) Panopticon]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by Jason Pargin to discuss his new novel, <em>Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia</em>, and the ways in which the futuristic panopticon he envisions for Zoey and the other citizens of Tabula Ra$a is a little like now, but <em>moreso</em>. We talk for a bit about how book marketing has evolved over the last decade-plus, why TikTok became a must for novelists like himself, and why despite the word “dystopia” being in the title of the book, he doesn’t necessarily think of his vision of the near future as a downer. </p><p>Unpaid endorsement: I really enjoy Jason’s novels (he is also the author of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/John-Dies-at-the-End-4-book-series/dp/B09C2CKBPL"><em>John Dies at the End</em></a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/John-Dies-at-the-End-4-book-series/dp/B09C2CKBPL"> series</a>), and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084S3SDZ4?binding=paperback&#38;ref=dbs_m_mng_rwt_sft_tpbk_tkin&#38;qid=1698177162&#38;sr=1-4">the Zoey Ashe books</a> (the first two of which are available on Kindle Unlimited) are pretty compulsively readable, a pleasing melange of ideas and imagery and just enough suspense from moment to moment to activate the “okay, just one more chapter” portion of my brain. <em>Zoey Is Too Drunk for This Dystopia</em> is understandable if you’ve not read the other books in the series, but you can’t go wrong by picking up copies of the previous entries. And if you want a signed copy of his latest, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.parnassusbooks.net/thisdystopia">you can get one from Parnassus Books</a> in Nashville, but you have to <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JasonKPargin/status/1716830660424540201">order </a><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JasonKPargin/status/1716830660424540201"><em>by Monday</em></a>. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/zoey-ashes-life-in-the-future-panopticon</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:138257990</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 28 Oct 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/138257990/a2de7f20b8cfdc2020f544d2c9cb1361.mp3" length="49904550" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3119</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/138257990/24bfca247582faf5f90b7cfaf743d266.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Siskel and Ebert Got Their Thumbs ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m joined by Matt Singer this week, author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Opposable-Thumbs-Siskel-Changed-Forever/dp/0593540158/ref=pd_lutyp_d_bmx_gp_cc6cxfjn_sccl_1_1/140-4069914-6608659?pd_rd_w=RFfIS&#38;content-id=amzn1.sym.82063e04-8129-45a3-90de-950a2081643f&#38;pf_rd_p=82063e04-8129-45a3-90de-950a2081643f&#38;pf_rd_r=49GKYN5YYH8DWD9CNJKX&#38;pd_rd_wg=qrT35&#38;pd_rd_r=612aa085-1923-4530-845d-8925117606f8&#38;pd_rd_i=0593540158&#38;psc=1"><em>Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel and Ebert Changed Movies Forever</em></a>. The book, out this Tuesday, is a wide-ranging look at the myriad ways in which Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel’s seminal show—or, really, three shows, which ran across multiple networks over multiple decades—changed not only film criticism but film marketing as well. We talked about the introduction of the thumb system—which, shockingly, was not with the duo from the beginning—and why their genuinely antagonistic relationship hasn’t really translated to the YouTube/podcast era of film criticism. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to share it with a friend! </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-siskel-and-ebert-got-their-thumbs</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:138084578</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Oct 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/138084578/bd6c3542669cee7197af953f4dfb986f.mp3" length="38871679" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2429</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/138084578/56cee6a3a4dfb7b605249c7896c54fc8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How 'Airplane!' Changed Comedy Forever]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m thrilled to be joined by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker to discuss their new oral history, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Surely-You-Cant-Be-Serious/dp/1250289319/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#38;qid=1696473769&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Surely You Can’t Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane!</em></a> In this episode we discuss, among other topics, what set the ZAZ style apart from other titans of the 1970s/1980s comedy boom, how the serious actors on set nailed their deadpan comic patter, trying to nail comic timing in test screenings that weren’t generating many laughs, and how Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michael Eisner helped change the face of comedy by championing the movie during their tenure at Paramount. I cannot recommend this book enough if you love <em>Airplane! </em>and it’d make a great gift for the person in your life who never stops telling you they picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue. If you enjoyed this episode please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-airplane-changed-comedy-forever</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:137681546</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 07 Oct 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/137681546/cee57c15f8b0b5b4a23ab1b298d7f96a.mp3" length="30622835" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1914</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/137681546/8b93b04e31d2d4c144bd8e7499ca2ad9.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What the Writers Gained By Striking]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Elaine Low of <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com"><em>The Ankler</em></a><em> </em>and its <a target="_blank" href="https://strikegeist.substack.com">Strikegeist newsletter</a> to talk about the end of the WGA strike and what the writers won, from performance-based residuals on streaming originals to minimum writers room sizes to AI protections. We also discussed how the picket line and social media helped maintain solidarity and, briefly, how things are looking in the SAG-AFTRA strike. Make sure to sign up for <a target="_blank" href="https://strikegeist.substack.com">Strikegeist</a> if you haven’t already: it’s free and a great digest of what’s happening on the lines on a day-to-day basis. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend! </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/what-the-writers-gained-by-striking</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:137489860</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 30 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/137489860/3ff7bb8684809719529acde84181936d.mp3" length="30551364" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1909</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/137489860/602ed44c8b06cc281f1d698af6fdd281.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Lines that Define our Lives]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><em>Before we get started: apologies for the downgrade in my audio quality about 10 minutes into this episode. My computer, unappreciative of the coffee I spilled on it earlier in the week, decided to restart itself mid-recording in protest. It shall be punished greatly.</em></p><p>This week I’m joined by Brian Abrams, author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/You-Talkin-Me-Definitive-Iconic/dp/1523514612/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KC7C1XS0E43T&#38;keywords=brian+abrams+you+talkin+to+me&#38;qid=1695327863&#38;sprefix=brian+abrams+you+talkin+to+me%2Caps%2C198&#38;sr=8-1"><em>“You Talkin’ to Me?”: The Definitive Guide to Iconic Movie Quotes</em></a><em>. </em>We discussed how he pared his list down, the research that went into making this more than a mere list of his personal favorites, and the evolution of the iconic movie quote into a versatile form of meme-creation. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-lines-that-define-our-lives</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:137273791</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 23 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/137273791/e2005da46f7615807693a00ab4006f54.mp3" length="29333227" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2444</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/137273791/93a0819b0862f0b3f6fb9fa85ef28755.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Fantasy Culture and the Flight from Reality]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by Jonathan Taplin, author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/End-Reality-Billionaires-Selling-Metaverse/dp/1541703154/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#38;qid=1694718414&#38;sr=8-1"><em>The End of Reality: How 4 Billionaires Are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse, Mars, and Crypto</em></a>, to discuss the ways in which popular culture may be leading the public down a dark road. Mr. Taplin has <a target="_blank" href="https://bulwarkhollywood.thebulwark.com/p/jonathan-taplin-on-working-with-dylan">previously been on the show</a> to talk about his career in the entertainment business, from tour manager for Bob Dylan to producer of early Martin Scorsese classics <em>Means Streets </em>and <em>The Last Waltz</em> to his early efforts to introduce video streaming, so he knows a thing or two about the ways in which politics is downstream from culture. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/fantasy-culture-and-the-flight-from</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:137047293</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 16 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/137047293/298a69737d0de75240318219ad2eb82a.mp3" length="34318340" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2859</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/137047293/e8aca24da27d04dfaa6060e92bf39f34.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Data Transparency Is a Double-Edged Sword]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I talk to Ben Dreyfuss, formerly in charge of audience acquisition at <em>Mother Jones </em>and currently the author of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.calmdownben.com">Calm Down Substack</a>, about the promise and the peril of complete data transparency. Ben <a target="_blank" href="https://www.calmdownben.com/p/public-streaming-data-will-change-hollywood">watched what happened firsthand</a> as data about what readers wanted became more and more available to journalists: how it shaped what was written, and how, and for whom, and how this race for virality wound up decimating the advertising market that newsrooms relied on. </p><p>I wanted to talk to Ben about this because I remember living through this data revolution and, while I'm supportive of the labor unions and their desire to get more data about what is successful in order to divvy up a more equitable share of streaming revenue, I’m also nervous about some of the knock-on consequences of full data transparency. Besides, more creatives really should be asking themselves if they want everyone to know precisely how many—or, more likely, how <em>few</em>—people are watching the vast majority of streaming offerings. </p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend! And sign up for Ben’s Substack; it’s a hoot.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/data-transparency-is-a-double-edged</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:136825480</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 09 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/136825480/dae710fb96cc7944d91578acdfb037dc.mp3" length="35554967" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2962</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/136825480/e81e200726193acedf83edee16f073a6.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Erotic Thrillers: Unsung Heroes of Home Video]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Anthony Penta, director of <em>We Kill for Love</em>, a documentary/film essay about the erotic thriller and its place in the history of cinema. Drawing parallels to film noir and gothic romances, among other genres, Penta traces not only the artistic legacy of <em>We Kill for Love </em>but also the role they played in the early days of home video rentals and pay cable. Hundreds of films melding sex, violence, and sexy violence were produced, yet many of them have all but disappeared, critics dismissing them as little more than softcore pornography and viewers moving on to other forms of titillation. The erotic thriller lives on, but you’ll be a little surprised to see precisely where.</p><p><em>We Kill for Love</em> is available on VOD now. Make sure to rent it after the kiddos have gone to bed, as this is a return to the world of Cinemax After Dark. But I don’t want to leave you thinking it’s lurid: <em>We Kill for Love</em> is a tasteful, informative, and empathetic look back at the genre filled with new interviews with the actors, actresses, producers, and directors of the genre, as well as the critics and academics attempting to impart it with a bit more respectability. I didn’t know I needed a two-and-a-half-hour documentary about erotic thrillers in my life, but I’m glad I have it.</p><p>As always, if you enjoyed this episode or learned something about the business of film, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/erotic-thrillers-unsung-heroes-of</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:136595879</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 02 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/136595879/5b9e14542c5334463ee1a91699ba7642.mp3" length="39075656" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3256</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/136595879/b11a706d6c54805a1c63e8e92b331bdb.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Rise and Fall of the Brothers Warner]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Chris Yogerst to discuss <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Warner-Brothers-Screen-Classics/dp/0813198011/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XJG4UM2L1BQI&#38;keywords=chris+yogerst+warner+brothers&#38;qid=1692898288&#38;sprefix=warner+brothers+chris+%2Caps%2C168&#38;sr=8-1"><em>The Warner Brothers</em></a>, his fascinating new look at the life of Jack, Harry, Sam, and Albert Warner, who collectively formed the Warner Bros. studio. From the technological innovations such as sound pursued by Sam, to the moral case for cinema made by Harry, to the classic mogul behavior of Jack, the journey of the brothers Warner makes for an interesting glimpse into the world of Hollywood. Amongst the topics discussed: how Warner Bros. went to war against the Nazis; labor strife in the 1940s; and the ugly breakup of the family dynasty. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!</p><p>As a little bonus interview treat: Chris mentioned an interview with Harry Warner’s longtime secretary Lois McGrew. You can watch the whole thing <a target="_blank" href="https://thebrotherswarner.com/interview/lois-mcgrew/">here</a>.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-brothers</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:136376842</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 26 Aug 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/136376842/70d522891b30fead96342be460b59896.mp3" length="37946412" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3162</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/136376842/896e0a126f481202b0ba4f3aa1652098.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why We Need to Know What’s Failing]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com/">The Entertainment Strategy Guy</a> to talk about his two-part series on streaming flops (TV shows <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com/p/over-110-of-the-biggest-tv-show-flops">here</a>; movies <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com/p/over-40-of-the-biggest-flops-bombs">here</a>). If hits pay for the misses, and we know what the hits are, shouldn’t we know what the misses are as well in order to make fewer of them? We discuss his methodology and then examine one buzzy title, <em>Hijack</em>, to see if it’s a hit or a flop and how to think about those terms. We also discuss <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/p/sports-docs-are-shooting-bricks-on">why sports documentaries tend to underperform</a> and why most mid-to-large-budget movies should either be released theatrically or not made at all. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/why-we-need-to-know-whats-failing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:136197865</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 19 Aug 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/136197865/912060902dca860fc2c7347be0044e55.mp3" length="37109448" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3092</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/136197865/d02a50fc74bcee57611406914eab3f5b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Start a Film Studio in 2023]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Roy Price, founder of Prime Video and Amazon Studios and the author of the <a target="_blank" href="https://pricepoint.substack.com">Price Point Substack</a>, to discuss what it would look like in 2023 to start a brand-new movie studio. Which genres are under-served? What price points should budgets be aimed at? And which audiences are looking for something they aren’t getting from the big studios? We also talk a bit about streaming networks and audience acquisition/retention, and why low-budget horror might wind up being a crowded space in the coming years. If you enjoyed the episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-to-start-a-film-studio-in-2023</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:135907347</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 12 Aug 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/135907347/d85bce0cad4088a1e3522e89be47b706.mp3" length="33854390" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2821</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/135907347/4cd649eecb63fb26874164db25e211ec.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How 2023's Oddest Box Office Hit 'Paid It Forward']]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Some backstory to this episode: last month I bought a ticket for <em>Sound of Freedom</em> because I was curious about the year’s most unexpected box office sensation. As the credits rolled, star Jim Caviezel came on the screen and gave a speech to the audience about the importance of theatrical exhibition; it’s the sort of thing you typically see at the start of movies these days, actors and directors thanking audiences for coming to the theater. Here’s the wrinkle: during his speech, Caviezel tells audience members they can “pay it forward,” buy a ticket for someone who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to go. When the QR code allowing audiences to do this came on the screen, a woman who had lingered by the exit when she heard Caviezel talking pulled out her phone, scanned the code, and bought a ticket.</p><p>I’ve never seen anything like that in a movie theater. <em>Ever</em>. So I asked Jeffrey Harmon, Angel Studios’s Chief Content Officer, on the show to talk about his studio’s unique business model, how they decide what to fund, and whether or not the pay-it-forward model could work for other types of movies like civil rights dramas. We discussed how the pay-it-forward system impacts the box office (briefly: only tickets that are requested and redeemed count toward the total, which as of this writing stands at $156 million domestic) and what their plans are for international distribution.</p><p>As always, if you learned something, I hope you share this episode with a friend:</p><p>Finally: I know there’s a lot of controversy swirling around this movie. For reasons I lay out <a target="_blank" href="https://letterboxd.com/sonnybunch/film/sound-of-freedom/">here</a>, I think it’s a fairly serious misstep to describe this as “the QAnon movie,” though I understand why some have misgivings given <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/04/jim-caviezel-decries-the-adrenochroming-of-children-as-if-thats-a-thing">Jim Caviezel’s statements</a> in the past. But this episode is about the film’s box office business, and as such I hewed pretty closely to that topic. If you’re not interested in that aspect of <em>Sound of Freedom</em>, there are plenty of other materials you can read on the topic.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-2023s-oddest-box-office-hit-paid</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:135715807</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 05 Aug 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/135715807/0441c4c4c635da7b435d4c72668679f7.mp3" length="35480967" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2956</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/135715807/664b842c373a5380018bf37b242f87d5.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hollywood's Hopes in China Are Fading]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m rejoined this week by <em>The Wall Street Journal</em>’s Erich Schwartzel, author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Red-Carpet-Hollywood-Cultural-Supremacy/dp/B097CGZ3CT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39UCTK1DI1XYN&#38;keywords=red+carpet+erich+schwartzel&#38;qid=1690560103&#38;sprefix=red+carpet+erich%2Caps%2C254&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy</em></a>, to talk about Hollywood’s disastrous summer in China, where virtually every American movie released so far has underperformed. We also talk briefly about why <em>Meg 2: The Trench</em> may end up being one of the lone bright spots for Hollywood this year. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/hollywoods-hopes-in-china-are-fading</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:135525341</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 29 Jul 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/135525341/5e2e89beebfaeefb1b487488b826cc9e.mp3" length="26960589" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2246</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/135525341/ba332f5b398b1008a6c8397fe4d2df38.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Netflix's Soft Earnings and the 'Barbenheimmer' Juggernaut]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode Ryan Faughnder, author of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/newsletter/2023-07-18/who-will-end-hollywood-strikes-labor-nightmare-the-wide-shot">Wide Shot newsletter</a>, returns to the show to talk about Netflix’s softer-than-expected earnings report, the momentary bright spot at the box office, and the possibility that this strike is going to be going on for quite some time. If you enjoyed the episode, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/netflixs-soft-earnings-and-the-barbenheimmer</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:135342330</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 22 Jul 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/135342330/967130f5114e15e9d71dfb5db6a38fd2.mp3" length="23274181" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1939</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/135342330/6363342be0bd1f4721b3538d141580ef.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What If Evel Knievel Had Run for President?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by Jake Tapper, who is on the show to discuss his new novel <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/All-Demons-Are-Here-Mysteries/dp/0316424382/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#38;qid=1689259435&#38;sr=8-1"><em>All the Demons Are Here</em></a>, the third book in the Charlie and Margaret Marder Mysteries. It’s a great beach read and works as a standalone, but I still recommend checking out his previous novels as well to get the full scope of of the Marder family’s story. On this episode we discuss how the books have evolved, the research that went into writing them, and which big name is circling an adaptation of <em>The Hellfire Club</em> for a big streamer. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to pick up a copy of Jake’s book. And share this episode with a friend! </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/what-if-evel-kinevel-had-run-for</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:134719455</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 15 Jul 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/134719455/84bdd2d71a0eafc48ce3ea18896c8d77.mp3" length="35699519" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2231</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/134719455/0576f23b97443f16ba0fca32736f0909.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hollywood's Perfect Storm]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m happy to be rejoined by the first (and, perhaps one day, final) Bulwark Goes to Hollywood guest, Richard Rushfield of The Ankler (<a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com">subscribe today!</a>), to talk about Hollywood’s shaky summer. Nine-figure flops, the collapse of IP, labor woes, c-suite shakeups: it’s a weird time out west. How is the industry going to handle it? And what might the future look like? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/hollywoods-perfect-storm</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:133511761</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 08 Jul 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/133511761/c884a1477ccf7d27ec2bb06945fbeac7.mp3" length="26174414" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2181</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/133511761/c934fd754fc875e0ef41ccbc5512ea7a.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Decade of Big Muscles and Bigger Egos]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Nick de Semlyen, the editor of <em>Empire</em> magazine and author of the new book <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Last-Action-Heroes-Triumphs-Hollywoods/dp/059323880X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=329YW401STZHY&#38;keywords=the+last+action+heroes+book&#38;qid=1687897911&#38;sprefix=the+last+action+heroes%2Caps%2C165&#38;sr=8-1"><em>The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage</em></a><em>. </em>We talk Sly, Arnold, Bruce, and the other big names of the 1980s, how the cinematic heroes of the decade dovetailed in a way with the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and how a second-rate Chuck Norris feature may have inspired a revolution. If you enjoyed the episode, check out the book. And share this podcast with a friend!</p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-decade-of-big-muscles-and-bigger</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:131492954</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 01 Jul 2023 16:17:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/131492954/a2e966902dfdaae2b0b6d65802d813ba.mp3" length="24231916" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2019</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/131492954/0158e8a53d1002cfc2d8ae4d98285df1.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[New Doc Examines How Vets Are Recruited by Militias]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Ken Harbaugh, the producer of <em>Against All Enemies</em>, to discuss his new documentary about the disproportionate number of military and police personnel attracted to extremist groups like the Oath Keepers. How did so many end up at the vanguard of the mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6? And what role do lies about elections play in radicalizing this cohort? We also discuss the film’s glowing reception at Tribeca and the work that goes into getting a documentary like this not only produced but also distributed. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to share it with a friend!</p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/new-doc-examines-how-vets-are-recruited</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:130013320</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 24 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/130013320/4d060accc0f91f4a102ef574ec5f2c0a.mp3" length="23086722" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1923</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/130013320/c839c0bce678dba290c0ea77f48617ac.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Universal Found a Brand-New Customer]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Brooks Barnes of the <em>New York Times</em> to discuss his story on Universal’s efforts to build what amounts to a new release window, the premium video on demand (PVOD) window. For the first time, Brooks has some real numbers, and they’re pretty interesting. For instance, <em>The Super Mario Bros. Movie</em>, pictured above, has made more than $75 million since May 16 despite still being in theaters and being the seventh-highest-grossing film last weekend. You should <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/07/business/media/universal-premium-video-on-demand.html">read the whole thing</a> and then listen to our chat. (Or vice versa.) And if you enjoyed the episode, share it with a friend! </p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-universal-found-a-brand-new-customer</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:128549188</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 17 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/128549188/c9e65a702a04c2d9a41f3505b30d55b7.mp3" length="25183521" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2098</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/128549188/ea47abec12999a44e6ef4a26f80c3fd9.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Just Don't Call it 'Reality' TV ]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s show, I’m joined by Arthur Smith, chairman of A. Smith and Co. Productions, the company behind long-running hits like <em>Hell’s Kitchen </em>and <em>American Ninja Warrior</em>. In addition to explaining why he shies away from the label “reality TV,” he’s here to talk about his career and his fascinating new book <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Reach-Lessons-Learned-Lifetime-Television/dp/B0B67WYVGG/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#38;qid=1686234183&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Television</em></a><em>.</em> Arthur has one of the most interesting careers of anyone I’ve ever spoken to: he got his start at the CBC, working his way up to the head of sports, before moving to Dick Clark’s production company in the States, then getting in on the ground floor at Fox Sports, and then founding A. Smith and Co. where he’s produced shows for the major networks, cable companies, and streamers alike. He’s seen every facet of the business over the last 40-some years and has great insights into how things have changed—and how they’ve stayed the same. If you learned something from this episode and think others would enjoy it, please share it with a friend!</p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/just-dont-call-it-reality-tv</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:126881452</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 10 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/126881452/9b26a877f8924d442db2ef619c1c1b3b.mp3" length="39173971" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3264</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/126881452/9b583b5ad59319e5276769306638c572.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tribeca and the Evolution of the Film Festival]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Cara Cusumano, Festival Director and VP of Programming at the Tribeca Festival, for a wide-ranging chat about the nature of the modern film festival, how a festival’s sense of place can coexist with efforts to make the festival’s programming available to people around the world, and how Tribeca has expanded beyond film into a multimedia extravaganza. We also talked about a subject near and dear to my own heart, as a parent of younger children: What can festivals do to get families more involved and encourage the next generation’s love of film? Tickets for a number of the events Cara and I discussed today are still available at <a target="_blank" href="https://tribecafilm.com">TribecaFilm.com</a>. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend!</p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a>  </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/tribeca-and-the-evolution-of-the</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:125129655</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 03 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/125129655/aee674c22bd9a992cca769746e2a5cfe.mp3" length="25257925" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2104</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/125129655/85dae70249f5c3dd17c3bec12f14b32b.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Data that Determines What We Watch]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by the Entertainment Strategy Guy to talk about the state of streaming data. What do we know? What don’t we know? Do movies fare better on streaming after getting a theatrical run? How does the data help determine what we watch? What is the “binge curve”? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you found it illuminating, make sure to <a target="_blank" href="https://entertainment.substack.com">sign up for his Substack</a>! And if you enjoyed this episode make sure to share it with a friend! </p><p>A recommendation from a friend is worth its weight in gold. Podcast gold, the richest lucre there is. If you’d prefer to listen to the show on the service of your choice, find it here: <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-data-that-determines-what-we</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:123635879</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 27 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/123635879/65a21080e6afc17dd3f552a97d75ac98.mp3" length="35958394" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2996</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/123635879/0ebe88c731c6ef43f8d3d47d1a32c821.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Much Free Work Do Writers Do to Get Paid Work?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I am pleased to be joined this week by screenwriter Colby Day to discuss all the unapid work that goes into getting paid work. I loved reading Colby’s diaries of annual pitch meetings and the such for <a target="_blank" href="https://medium.com/@colbyday/my-2021-as-a-working-screenwriter-4c4c7252b4af">2021</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://medium.com/@colbyday/my-2022-as-a-working-screenwriter-a041a207cef8">2022</a>, and thought I might share them, and him, with you as a way to help you understand some of the frustrations that writers have with the current state of Hollywood. How many pitches does a writer have to make to land one paying gig? Why does it take an endless amount of time to get paid after drafts have been submitted? How could the strike help alleviate some of these problems? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, please share with a friend!</p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-much-free-work-do-writers-do</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:122548179</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 20 May 2023 16:09:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/122548179/a6a893d58f4fe65f67a37dc076ee6d9f.mp3" length="26379085" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2198</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/122548179/8c2902f29c90ef151d2ac17758a12153.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is the Superhero Boom Officially Over?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by Scott Mendelson of The Wrap to talk about the state of the box office. Is the comic book boom over? What should we be looking for from <em>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 </em>if we want to assess the health of Disney’s cash cow? What did Scott make of <em>The Flash </em>at Cinemacon? When will the mid-level movie recover? Why is 2017 a better comparison point than 2019? All that and more on this week’s show! If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend!</p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/is-the-superhero-boom-officially</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:120974445</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 13 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/120974445/7111c9afedd0e164109db4c84691d35e.mp3" length="29858607" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2488</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/120974445/05b59073f5fbf275d334fc10ca3fefc4.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Do You Bring the (Fake) Real Pete Davidson to Life?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Judah Miller, showrunner of the new Peacock dramedy <em>Bupkis</em>, to talk about bringing Pete Davidson’s life to the small screen. <em>Bupkis </em>is fascinatingly hard to describe in shorthand, given the way it mixes tones and genres, and also the manner in which it blends Pete Davidson’s ripped-from-the-headlines life with a fictionalized version of his family and day-to-day existence. The first season is streaming in its entirety now on Peacock, and I strongly recommend checking it out: it’s a fascinating portrait of fame in the age of social media and also the business of showbiz. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!</p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-do-you-bring-the-fake-real-pete</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:119285996</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 06 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/119285996/f351145190fbabefd6d1a4b4557c7309.mp3" length="17304458" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1442</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/119285996/da164f490397258887931aab886973a3.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[What's to Come in The Streaming Wars]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Matthew Ball, CEO of Epyllion, former global head of strategy for Amazon Studios, and the author of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Metaverse-How-Will-Revolutionize-Everything/dp/1324092033/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#38;qid=1682538273&#38;sr=8-1"><em>The Metaverse</em></a><em> </em>and “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thestreamingbook.com">The Streaming Book</a>,” which you can read at that link there. And you should read it if you want to understand how we got where we are in the streaming wars, why it’s early yet in the contest between the companies vying for your attention, and where we’re headed as consolidation occurs. </p><p>If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p><p>And if you found this episode informative, I hope you share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/whats-to-come-in-the-streaming-wars</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:117476628</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 29 Apr 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/117476628/66aa77089575288e792997ce6b6e53a4.mp3" length="28931986" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2411</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/117476628/1ac0cdd186056fceed15bc192cf6f0f9.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Going to the Movies: Still the Best Value Around]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by David Herrin of <a target="_blank" href="https://thequorum.com">The Quorum</a>—a must-visit site for any amateur or professional box office nerd—to talk about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thecinemafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/THE-VALUE-OF-A-MOVIE-TICKET-04.18.23-.pdf">a new study</a> The Quorum put together in partnership with The Cinema Foundation about the value proposition of going to the movies. We talked all sorts of stuff on this episode: why audiences are three times more excited to return to theaters now than they were at the same time last year; how going to the movies stacks up against going to concerts and other out-of-the-home events; the percentage of consumers who get concessions; and why <em>Barbie</em>’s surprisingly high unaided awareness might still be a cause for concern.</p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p><p>And If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/going-to-the-movies-still-the-best</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:116100832</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 22 Apr 2023 16:07:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/116100832/97d3638b87be13ee353240cb6594c9ac.mp3" length="21485578" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1790</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/116100832/510e101c6ff3765a6c56049fe0b602e9.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Summer Box Office Preview]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I’m rejoined this week by Frank Pallotta, formerly of CNN, to preview the summer box office. Have we already seen the year’s biggest movie debut with <em>The Super Mario Bros. Movie</em>? Will audiences show up for big-budget blockbusters like the new <em>Mission: Impossible </em>and <em>Guardians of the Galaxy</em>? Will adults ready for raunchier fare come out for Jennifer Lawrence’s new romcom? Who’s going to win the Battle of July 21, when Christopher Nolan’s <em>Oppenheimer </em>and Greta Gerwig’s <em>Barbie </em>debut? All that and more on this week’s episode! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p><p>And If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/summer-box-office-preview</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:114826477</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 15 Apr 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/114826477/45c3356e25b1622e561d6966aae6266a.mp3" length="32817183" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2735</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/114826477/f2b6511b6ddf6404d7d2cbd03a6a28c7.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Will the WWE-UFC Merger Amp Up the Streaming Arms Race?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Sean McNulty of The Ankler to talk about the week’s biggest entertainment news: the merger of the WWE and UFC into a $21 billion sports-entertainment company. But this move is just a piece of the puzzle if you want to understand the complex dance between sports leagues, streaming companies, and cable bundles. Are sports leagues the ultimate “arms dealers” in the streaming wars, moving from company to company as these services try to find content that makes sense for viewers and advertisers alike? Or are teams with revenue tied to regional sports network deals kind of … well, screwed? All this and more—including a chat about the actual king of televised sports; and no, I’m not talking about the NFL—on this week’s show! </p><p>If you’d like to listen via your preferred podcast network, you can find the show at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p><p>Feel free to leave a rating or a review while you’re there; it helps out more than you realize. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/will-the-wwe-ufc-merger-amp-up-the</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:112681887</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 08 Apr 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/112681887/518583f401cf431e62bddb653fd69904.mp3" length="30410051" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2534</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/112681887/52ad18855946f88ba74f5a02570bb885.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Are Video Games the New Comic Books?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m joined by Gene Park, video game reporter at the Washington Post, to talk about the oncoming video game boom and how our current moment feels reminiscent of 2008, when the comic book boom kicked off for real. Yes, there had been comic book successes before that, your <em>Batman</em>s and your <em>Spider-Man</em>s. But 2008 saw the release of <em>The Dark Knight</em> (which smashed opening weekend records) and <em>Iron Man</em> (which inaugurated the single most successful franchise of all time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe), recalibrating how Hollywood thought of superhero cinema. Between <em>The Last of Us</em>’s popularity with critics and audiences alike and projections that <em>The Super Mario Bros. Movie </em>will be one of the highest-grossing movies of the year, it feels like we’re hitting a similar inflection point with video game adaptations.</p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!</p><p>And If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p><p>Bulwark+ members can <a target="_blank" href="https://screentime.thebulwark.com">comment</a> on the show<strong> </strong><a target="_blank" href="https://screentime.thebulwark.com"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/are-video-games-the-new-comic-books</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:111665363</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 01 Apr 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/111665363/5d8f6cb4a7e7df1c4b2c546a7ad53dd4.mp3" length="33059181" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2755</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/111665363/766b8b8b59111a8f7c275cf517a0b054.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Theatrical Exhibition Helps Stave Off Piracy]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Cinema Foundation President Jackie Brenneman to discuss the group’s new report on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thecinemafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/State-of-the-Cinema-Industry-March-2023.pdf">state of the cinema industry</a>. Among the many topics discussed this week are the ways in which theatrical exhibition help tamp down piracy by keeping pristine copies off the pirating sites, the success of National Cinema Day, how the ongoing domestic box office recovery is tied to increases in wide releases, and the slightly complicated way average ticket prices are calculated. (Exciting news: We now have a new average ticket price, after a couple of years of using 2019 averages! Now all the inflation scolds have new data to deploy.) </p><p>If you enjoyed the episode, please share it with a friend! </p><p>And If you would prefer to listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, you can subscribe to the show on the platforms at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf0JxUhMGa5kyF1LsiUNjfw/featured"><em>YouTube</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5maXJlc2lkZS5mbS90aGVidWx3YXJrZ29lc3RvaG9sbHl3b29kL3Jzcw"><em>Google</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1526477480/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Overcast</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://castro.fm/podcast/f5d4357f-e453-469a-a01c-8da7024de6f4"><em>Castro</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/The-Bulwark-Goes-to-Hollywood-p1356635/"><em>TuneIn</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://pca.st/wel09d6j"><em>Pocket Casts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/PC:1000563233"><em>Pandora</em></a> </p><p>Bulwark+ members can <a target="_blank" href="https://screentime.thebulwark.com">comment</a> on the show<strong> </strong><a target="_blank" href="https://screentime.thebulwark.com"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/how-theatrical-exhibition-helps-stave</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:110210246</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 25 Mar 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/110210246/ecff0b70d28be46e3a7750c6aa8ee8ec.mp3" length="19282201" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2410</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/110210246/3e221c6d61152b4eea89a40373daed00.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Can the Drive-In Survive?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by April Wright, director of <em>Back to the Drive-In</em>. We discuss the ways in which drive-in theaters kinda-thrived during the pandemic, but also have been hit by some of the same problems plaguing every industry in the post-pandemic era: labor shortages, supply chain issues, and nonsensical mandates from local governments. Make sure to check out <em>Back to the Drive-In</em>, which is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/back-to-the-drive-in">on VOD now</a>. You can listen to the show at the player up there or subscribe at the links below:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/"><em>Others</em></a></p><p>And if you liked this episode, share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/can-the-drive-in-survive</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:109109506</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 18 Mar 2023 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/109109506/cdd6bfcd501f5342774207944dcc2a96.mp3" length="15966112" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1996</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/109109506/3197e6bfed61b63f770984e634227c13.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Best Stunts of 2022, Rewarded]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p><em>You can listen on the Substack player above or, if you prefer, subscribe to the show on these podcast platforms:</em><a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/"><em>Others</em></a></p><p>On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Bilge Ebiri and Brandon Streussnig to talk about Vulture’s enormous feature on the best stunts of 2022. Part celebration of the year in action, part plea for the Oscars to finally recognize stunt performers and performances as a category worthy of notice, the inaugural Stunt Awards is a feast for any lover of action (and action-adjacent) cinema. Among the issues discussed this week are why some professionals think an Oscar for stunts is a bad—even potentially dangerous—idea, how to think about rewarding these performers, and the sad fact that some of the best, most kinetic action you’ll find never makes it to theaters at all. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-best-stunts-of-2022-rewarded</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:107452124</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 11 Mar 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/107452124/c6af61cc35dbb0205814462bae189568.mp3" length="24086014" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3011</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/107452124/a02120f5f0a6f7ea13a8bec2da0e4ff2.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Drama Behind Hollywood's Biggest Night]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week, I’m joined by Michael Schulman to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Wars-History-Hollywood-Sweat/dp/0062859013"><em>Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears</em></a><em>. </em>What were some of the ulterior motives for making the Oscars? How did the ceremony help break the blacklist? And was Rob Lowe’s duet with Snow White <em>really</em> the worst thing that’s ever happened on the show? Or, you know, in the history of existence? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed our chat, make sure to pick up his book and share this episode with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-drama-behind-hollywoods-biggest</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:106069953</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 04 Mar 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/106069953/5b556f908772d1cea5fc46ce78175a48.mp3" length="20495954" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2562</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/106069953/20ea76f66f30f2e16acb024463bee8b8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Will the WGA Strike? Can It Afford Not To?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by Richard Rushfield—fresh off a nice little profile in <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/p/rushfield-70-days-to-the-abyss"><em>Vanity Fair</em></a>—to talk about the oncoming train of a WGA strike. Seventy days out, Richard put the odds of a work stoppage at 65 percent. What are the two sides looking for? How might the industry change? And is the fate of civilization itself at stake? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/will-the-wga-strike-can-it-afford</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:104898691</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 25 Feb 2023 17:12:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/104898691/6910b81151db29cbfa6d592e1b8bc681.mp3" length="15728921" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1966</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/104898691/69c129cf3e2dd8089c727c5e27ae81f0.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[David Thomson on the Magic of Acting]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>On this week’s episode, Sonny is pleased to welcome David Thomson back to the show to discuss his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Acting-Naturally-Magic-Great-Performances/dp/059331929X"><em>Acting Naturally: The Magic in Great Performances</em></a><em>. </em>In this episode we discuss the difficulty of describing what, precisely, actors do onscreen; the trickiness of writing about appearances; why Method Acting was the biggest thing since the advent of sound; and why audiences feel uncomfortable when they find out a filmmaker is less-than-perfect in their personal lives. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out <a target="_blank" href="https://hollywood.thebulwark.com/david-thomson">Mr. Thomson’s previous appearance</a> to discuss his history of movie directors. And make sure to share the show with a friend! </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/david-thomson-on-the-magic-of-acting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:103412519</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 18 Feb 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/103412519/7fa2b6d9228150b6d740e6399f049eb4.mp3" length="19656692" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2457</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/103412519/ceeb93ee95cc94bd5720b12f649b9f80.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Theater: You Can Get Rich, But Making a Living Is Hard]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>I was very excited to get Julian Schlossberg on the show this week to talk about his new book, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Try-Not-Hold-Against-Me/dp/0825310253/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18F080ZM0OOCV&#38;keywords=julian+schlossberg&#38;qid=1675955816&#38;sprefix=julian+schlossberg%2Caps%2C170&#38;sr=8-1"><em>Try Not to Hold it Against Me: A Producer’s Life</em></a>, in large part because he is intimately involved with a part of showbiz that I do not understand at all, at least financially: Broadway and live theater. But Julian’s career stretches beyond the stage: he booked theaters in New York City where he helped Warren Beatty save <em>McCabe and Mrs. Miller</em> from obscurity; he had a radio show that brought him into the orbit of George C. Scott, among others; and he did some time at Paramount, one of his more frustrating experiences in his career. After you listen, make sure to check out his book; Elaine May, the director of <em>Mikey and Nicky</em> and a comedic power, wrote a very nice (and funny!) introduction for it. And, as always, share this episode with a friend!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/theater-you-can-get-rich-but-making</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:101876781</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/101876781/aec2f4e6bc0bc31eb5d00f88781be839.mp3" length="22613335" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2827</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/101876781/6e438f13b729b7e3e0385a3b687f73f8.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Shawn Ryan on Past WGA Negotiations and the Evolving Business]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>When I saw that Shawn Ryan—the creator of <em>The Shield</em>,* the hit CBS show <em>S.W.A.T.</em>, and the forthcoming Netflix show <em>The Night Agent</em>—had penned a <a target="_blank" href="https://theankler.com/p/shawn-ryan-pens-a-letter-to-the-editor">letter to the editor in The Ankler</a> disputing an agent’s characterizations of past Writers Guild of America negotiations with producers, I knew I had to get him on the show. Ryan, who in addition to running and writing some fantastic TV was also on the WGA negotiating committees in 2007, 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020, shared his thoughts on the state of the business and made a very important point at the end of this interview: It’s not the <em>writers</em> who are saying there’s going to be a strike. </p><p>This is a must-listen episode if you want to understand some of the fundamentals of the most important business story in Hollywood in 2023. If you found it illuminating, please share with a friend!</p><p>And if you would like to listen via a non-Substack podcasting platform, find your preferred choice here: <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/id1526477480"><em>Apple Podcasts</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6QlElUjbQxMq1hAt7Hkbsm"><em>Spotify</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood"><em>Stitcher</em></a><em> | </em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast/the-bulwark-goes-to-hollywood/"><em>Others</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>*I feel like you can make a very convincing case that </em>The Shield<em> is roughly as important to the business and artistry of prestige TV as </em>The Sopranos<em> for a whole host of reasons, but that’s a newsletter for another time.</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/shawn-ryan-on-past-wga-negotiations</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:100735593</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 04 Feb 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/100735593/8221056d3b2e54611223558f5f4b7289.mp3" length="21006700" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2626</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/100735593/d16b7263a033bea835de14e5fd68c2e4.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Producer Dean Devlin Goes (Back) to Space]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m pretty excited to be joined by Dean Devlin, whose work in movies like <em>Universal Soldier</em>, <em>Stargate</em>, and <em>Independence Day </em>I grew up loving. He works mostly in television now on series like <em>The Librarians </em>and <em>Leverage,</em> and has a new one out on SyFy debuting February 3: <em>The Ark</em>. We talk about his new show, how the business has evolved these last 30 years, and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, please share it with a friend! And make sure to check out <em>The Ark</em>, new episodes which will also hit Peacock a day after debuting on SyFy.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/producer-dean-devlin-goes-back-to</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:98941894</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/98941894/ecc9351754916413222659339789e938.mp3" length="19874032" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>1656</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/98941894/62fe645baab12eecf2c3dfdb6824ec5e.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[PaleyFest's Secret Weapon: Love]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>This week I’m rejoined by Rene Reyes, Vice President of Public Programming and Festivals at the Paley Center, to talk about PaleyFest 2023. It’s the year’s most entertaining celebration of television, from prestige cable hits to broadcast mainstays to the wild world of streaming. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.paleycenter.org/events/paleyfest-2023/">Tickets are on sale now</a> for this year’s festival, and some of the highlights look great; I’d kill to be able to attend the opening night celebration of <em>The Mandalorian</em>, and I imagine the <em>Yellowstone </em>tickets will go quick if they haven’t disappeared already.</p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend. And if you’d like to suggest future panels for Rene in the comments, I’m sure he’d love to hear from you. </p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/paleyfests-secret-weapon-love</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:97823100</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2023 14:12:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/97823100/05057638c9327a34ffbd7d6c8e074ddc.mp3" length="19089730" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>2386</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/97823100/96bb06e52c7b5c4590755c05bfee1048.jpg"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Scientifically Measuring Movie Love]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Kevin Goetz, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Audience-ology-Moviegoers-Shape-Films-Love/dp/1982186674/bulwark08-20">author of the must-read book </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Audience-ology-Moviegoers-Shape-Films-Love/dp/1982186674/bulwark08-20"><em>Audience-ology</em></a>, joins me this week to talk about the science of getting audiences to theaters. And, perhaps even more importantly for studios, figuring out which movies are worth spending eight figures to market in the hopes of getting audiences to theaters Can marketing help teach audiences “how” to watch a movie? Why might studios get excited about something as simple as a reply ratio to a free screening before even a single frame of film has unspooled? And how can you measure … movie love?</p><p>I mentioned this on the show, but I don’t really listen to a ton of podcasts because I don’t have time, what with all the podcasts <em>I’m </em>doing. But I do carve out time for Kevin’s, which is called <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-kill-the-messenger-with-movie-research-expert/id1639990844">Don’t Kill the Messenger</a>. A good introductory point is <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jason-blum-award-winning-producer-discusses-halloween/id1639990844?i=1000583048408">his episode with Jason Blum</a>, I guarantee you’ll learn a lot. Subscribe to it, leave a rating and a review if you have time: it should be far more popular than it is. </p><p>If you enjoyed <em>this </em>episode, please share it with a friend! And if you’d prefer to listen on Apple or another podcast service, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast-episode/scientifically-measuring-movie-love/">click here to find your favorite</a>.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.thebulwark.com/subscribe</a>]]></description><link>https://www.thebulwark.com/p/scientifically-measuring-movie-love</link><guid isPermaLink="false">substack:post:96500280</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sonny Bunch]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2023 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/96500280/a99d9da507d5260747fe6a5a57cef8e2.mp3" length="24404499" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Sonny Bunch</itunes:author><itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>3051</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://substackcdn.com/feed/podcast/87281/post/96500280/a09349dbe69de91e2a50191152c2a043.jpg"/></item></channel></rss>