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Film Generations: Daily Summaries Delivered
by ElectraCast Media LLC
Which classic films still work for audiences today? On Film Generations, two guys born in the middle of 20th Century movie culture select a classic film to share with a panel of young film lovers — and see how it plays for today's generation. Along the way we discuss the making of each film, the state of the world when it was made, its reception by critics and public when originally released, and how its reputation has grown over the years. Discussions cover changes in representation, storytelling styles and the world itself since each film came out. At the end of every episode each panelist rates the movie and reveals whether they would recommend it to a friend.
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- 3 days ago1h 2m
309. The Princess Bride (1987)
In the wake of Director Rob Reiner’s tragic death, Film Generations examines The Princess Bride, a 1987 favorite with a magical cast, that came amid an astonishing string of hits that transformed Reiner’s public image from sitcom star “Meathead” to one of Hollywood’s most esteemed and beloved directors. Our young panelists were introduced to this film on video at early ages, making it a childhood memory formed long before they became film buffs. How does that affect their opinions of this comedy/fantasy/satire, and is their lens hopelessly different from the hosts, who saw the film when initially released in theaters as adult aspiring filmmakers? Find out as our swashbuckling panel weighs in, only on Film Generations. Hosts: Mark Netter & David Tausik Panelists: Guy Lewis, Kylee LaRue & Jake Flowers An ElectraCast Production Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_Bride IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/ Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/princess_bride Roger Ebert: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-princess-bride-1987 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Jun 9, 20261h 1m
308. Persona (1966)
To cineastes of the 20th century, Ingmar Bergman was a fixture on the Mount Rushmore of World Cinema. His cultural presence receded in the decades following his death but Gen Z interest in his films, driven by streaming and Letterboxd, is suddenly on the rise. We couldn’t wait to pick one of his most challenging movies to see how it plays to a younger audience. Persona (1966), made smack-dab in the middle of Bergman’s career, has delighted and perplexed audiences from the day it was released. Some of the issues it tackles — identity, motherhood, sexuality — are perennial. Others -- Jungian duality and the artificiality of filmmaking — seem ripe for a comeback. Hearing different generations of film lovers grapple with this masterpiece illuminates how our culture has changed and what continues to endure. Listen in for the surprising results. Hosts: Mark Netter & David Tausik Panelists: Guy Lewis, Kylee LaRue, Olive Goldberg & Brennan Guntang An ElectraCast Production Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEfJopPIbQg&t=163s Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona_(1966_film) IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060827/ Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/persona Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Mar 24, 20261h 5m
307. Body Heat (1981)
On the heels of last episode’s Double Indemnity (1944), Film Generations examines the 1981 film noir Body Heat, an update of the genre for the then youthful baby boom generation. This was the directorial debut of writer/director Lawrence Kasdan, an unknown who leapt into prominence when he co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back (now Star Wars V) and Raiders of the Lost Ark in the same year. Among Body Heat’s era-appropriate updates to film noir are explicit sexuality, a liberated femme fatale and buckets of body sweat, all in living color. This approach turned heads in in 1981 but does it get a rise from a young generation in 2026? Find out as our panel reveals all, only on Film Generations. Hosts: Mark Netter & David Tausik Panelists: Guy Lewis, Olive Goldberg & Sonia Howell An ElectraCast Production Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Heat IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082089/ Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1002830-body_heat Roger Ebert: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-body-heat-1981 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Mar 5, 20261h 3m
306. Double Indemnity (1944)
Double Indemnity, as much as any other movie, invented the film noir genre and is possibly the most imitated, spoofed and remade classic of all time. Yet, on re-watching it, we as hosts were truly surprised: Double Indemnity defies expectations, and as much as being a template for the Film Noir genre it helped birth, it is also a template for the singularly witty and cynical voice of the great Billy Wilder. Wilder’s record-breaking writer/director career defied genre expectations with satiric comedies, ground-breaking dramas and films like The Apartment that walk a tightrope between the two. With Double Indemnity, he took a lurid news story about a homicidal wife and, with screenwriter Raymond Chandler, turned it into a taboo-crossing tale of sex and betrayal that spotlights darkest Los Angeles while casting shade on modern American life. Do these qualities pierce through eight decades of parody, imitation and meme? To judge by our young panel’s responses, the answer is both yes and no. Hear for yourself if and how this 20th century classic survives 21st century perception. Hosts: Mark Netter, David Tausik Panelists: Guy Lewis, Olive Goldberg, Sonia Howell, Brennan Guntang An ElectraCast Production Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Indemnity IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036775/ Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/double_indemnity Original Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKrrAa2o9Eg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Feb 18, 20261h 22m
305. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
Fresh off his surprise hit M*A*S*H, Robert Altman headed out to the snowy Northwest with stars Warren Beatty and Julie Christie to make this quirky anti-western whose reputation grew along with Altman’s career. Our young panel was divided on this one, from the 1971 depiction of sex workers to the to the hyper-realist flourishes that have informed yet remain at odds with American filmmaking in 2026. So does McCabe & Mrs. Miller stand the test of time as a classic of its era? Tune in and find out how this Vietnam-era reimagining of the American frontier plays for a new generation. Hosts: Mark Netter, David Tausik Panelists: Guy Lewis, Sonia Howell An ElectraCast Production Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCabe_%26_Mrs._Miller IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067411/ The Criterion Collection: https://www.criterion.com/films/28712-mccabe-mrs-miller Ebert Review: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-mccabe-and-mrs-miller-1971 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Jan 5, 20261h 10m
304. Grand Illusion (1937)
Frequently named by filmmakers and critics as one of the greatest films ever made, Jean Renoir’s classic tale of French soldiers in a World War I German POW camp and their daring escape is now almost 90 years old. Its importance to film history is certain — but is it still fun to watch? While much of Grand Illusion is unique, especially its bittersweet farewell to the pre-WWI European aristocratic order, it has directly influenced countless movies, including The Great Escape and The Shawshank Redemption, does it offer any surprises or unexpected delights to a new generation? Get set for an impassioned discussion across generations where one thing becomes clear: this film’s preoccupations are immensely relevant to our world today. Hosts: Mark Netter & David Tausik Panelists: Guy Lewis, Kylee LaRue, Cohlie Brocato An ElectraCast Production Trailer: https://youtu.be/vcO8rEjoG0c Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Grande_Illusion IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028950/reference/ 97% on Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/la_grande_illusion Ebert Review: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-grand-illusion-1937 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Nov 25, 20251h 3m
303. All the President’s Men (1976)
In 1976 All the President’s Men was released to an audience eagerly awaiting Hollywood’s take on the story of the decade: the Washington Post investigation that led to the downfall of President Richard Nixon. The all-star team of producer Robert Redford, screenwriter William Goldman and director Alan Pakula had the task of adapting a highly complicated best-seller by reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein into a movie, but could rely on the fact that contemporary audiences knew the story well. With the help of The Godfather cinematographer Gordon Willis and a superb cast, they succeeded in creating a film worthy of the hype. But does it hit with a new generation of viewers whose understanding of Watergate may be understandably murky at best? Can a film this topical still pack a punch almost 50 years after its release? Find out as our panel of young film lovers contends with the revolutionary changes in journalism, politics, and the media that have occurred since 1976 — and ask whether a pair of intrepid reporters could topple a corrupt President today. Hosts: Mark Netter & David Tausik Panelists: Guy Lewis, Jake Flowers, Anika Mathur An ElectraCast Production Trailer: https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2958664729/?playlistId=tt0074119&ref_=tt_ov_pr_ov_vi Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_President%27s_Men_(film) IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074119/ MetaCritic: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/all-the-presidents-men/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Sep 18, 202552 min
302. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
A firecracker that initially fizzled with audiences but has increasingly crackled with succeeding generations of film lovers, Sweet Smell of Success today boasts a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Defying genre expectations, it has been described in the media as a film noir, a crime thriller, a comedy, a satire, a character study, and a drama. By any measure, this poison pen letter to the glitzy world of big city show business is bracing and entertaining. It features pungent dialogue, a ripping jazz score, balls-out performances from enthusiastically unlikeable characters played by Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis, and top-notch location work in 1950s New York City strikingly shot in black and white. Can our panel of young film-lovers relate to this bygone world of martini-drinking, cigarette-smoking, woman-exploiting men on the make? Or will the not-so-sweet smell drive them away? Hosts: Mark Netter & David Tausik Panelists: Guy Lewis & Kylee LaRue An ElectraCast Production Added to National Film Registry in 1993 IMDb with restored trailer: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051036/reference/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Smell_of_Success Original Variety Review: https://variety.com/1956/film/reviews/sweet-smell-of-success-2-1200418251/ Roger Ebert Review: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-sweet-smell-of-success-1957#google_vignette Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
About Film Generations
Which classic films still work for audiences today? On Film Generations, two guys born in the middle of 20th Century movie culture select a classic film to share with a panel of young film lovers — and see how it plays for today's generation. Along the way we discuss the making of each film, the state of the world when it was made, its reception by critics and public when originally released, and how its reputation has grown over the years. Discussions cover changes in representation, storytelling styles and the world itself since each film came out. At the end of every episode each panelist rates the movie and reveals whether they would recommend it to a friend.
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