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Cinema Sleuths: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Luke Deckard and Matthew Booth
Two crime-fiction authors. All of cinema and TV. One case to crack. Luke Deckard and Matthew Booth investigate the films and television shows that shape pop culture — from beloved classics and hidden gems to blockbusters, disasters and everything in between. Expect strong opinions, surprising connections, behind-the-scenes stories and arguments that occasionally require further investigation. The evidence is gathered. The suspects are interrogated. The verdict is yours.
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- 1 weeks ago1h 38m
Episode 100: Case 100: PREDATOR (1987) — If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It!
For our 100th investigation, we head deep into the jungle for John McTiernan’s Predator (1987) — the iconic genre-busting science-fiction action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers and Kevin Peter Hall.At first, Predator looks like the ultimate testosterone-fuelled 1980s action movie!In this episode, we investigate what makes Predator such an enduring classic. How did John McTiernan transform a seemingly straightforward action movie into a tense science-fiction horror thriller? And how does it flip the action hero concept on its head? CASE FILE: PREDATOR (1987)Directed by: John McTiernan Written by: Jim Thomas and John Thomas Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers and Kevin Peter Hall Genre: Action / Science Fiction / Horror / Thriller Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth Edited by Luke Deckard Theme song by Luke Deckard Logo by Phil Dragash DISCLAIMERAll content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.*All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*
- 2 weeks ago1h 48m
Episode 99: Case 99: STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE (1979) | Celebrating 60 Years of TREK!
Space. The final frontier! 60 years ago, STAR TREK was released on the small screen. And nearly 50 years ago, STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE hit the BIG SCREEN! To celebrate TREK, this week, you Cinema Sleuths investigate Robert Wise’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), the ambitious science-fiction epic that brought the original Star Trek crew to cinemas for the first time.Starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, and Walter Koenig, the film reunites the crew of the USS Enterprise for a mysterious mission involving an enormous alien entity known as V’Ger, which approaches Earth with seemingly unstoppable power.Based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was written by Harold Livingston, with story contributions from Harold Livingston and Alan Dean Foster, and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Robert Wise.In this episode, we put Star Trek: The Motion Picture under the magnifying glass, investigating the extraordinary journey from beloved television series to blockbuster movie. And we are joined by special cinema sleuth Ayesha Khan, host of Every Sci-Fi FIlm Ever podcast! We explore the film’s troubled and famously expensive production, the pressure to bring Star Trek to the big screen after Star Wars' success, and the ambitious decision to make a slower, more cerebral science-fiction film rather than simply turning the Enterprise crew into action heroes.We investigate the movie’s visual effects, Jerry Goldsmith’s iconic score, V’Ger mystery, philosophical themes and spectacular Enterprise flyby, and so much more.We also look at the movie’s initial reception, its reputation as “the slow one”, and the reassessment it has received over the years.CASE FILE: STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979)Directed by: Robert Wise Written by: Harold Livingston Based on: Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig Music by: Jerry Goldsmith Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera / Adventure / MysteryWas Star Trek: The Motion Picture a misguided attempt to compete with Star Wars — or a bold, beautiful piece of science fiction that was simply misunderstood in its time? CREDITSCinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard and Matthew Booth Edited by Luke Deckard Music by Luke Deckard Logo by Phil Dragash DISCLAIMER:All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.
- 4 weeks ago1h 24m
Case 98: THE RIP (2026) | Dir Joe Carnahan | A Netflix Hit or Miss?
The Rip (2026), starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and directed by Joe Carnahan, is a Netflix crime thriller that raises the question: has the era of prestige filmmaking left Netflix?
- 4 weeks ago1h 24m
Case 98: THE RIP (2026)
NETFLIX's The Rip (2026), starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and directed by Joe Carnahan, raises the question: has the era of prestige filmmaking left Netflix? In this episode, we look at The Rip and how Netflix’s increasingly familiar style of spoon-fed storytelling is responsible for dumbing down movies and shows. We also ask why Netflix keeps avoiding theatrical releases and whether The Rip would have been better served on the BIG SCREEN. We are joined by returning guest Cinema Sleuth, author/podcaster Steve Hunt, host of The Boxing Movie Podcast and Desert Island Fights. CASE FILE: THE RIP (2026) Directed by: Joe Carnahan Written by: Joe Carnahan Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Luciana Barroso, Dani Bernfeld Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth Edited by Luke Deckard Theme song by Luke Deckard Logo by Phil Dragash DISCLAIMER All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law. *All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*
- Aug 19, 20261h 7m
Case 97: LANTERNS (2026) — The DCU's Brightest Day or Darkest Night?
Lanterns is the latest DC property that has enraged the internet. Some fans seem to love it while others are infuriated. Do they have a good reason, or has fan discourse gone too far? We discuss that and whether this show is really worthy of the hate.
- Aug 19, 20261h 7m
Case 97: LANTERNS (2026) — DC's Best Show Yet… or Another Dud?
Lanterns is the latest DC property that has enraged the internet. But has fan discourse gone too far? We discuss that and whether this show is really worthy of the hate. Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth Edited by Luke Deckard Theme song by Luke Deckard Logo by Phil Dragash DISCLAIMER All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law. *All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*
- Aug 17, 20261h 22m
Case 96: THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946) | Dir Tay Garnett |
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) is widely regarded as one of the classic film noirs — but does this celebrated adaptation of James M. Cain’s iconic hard-boiled novel still deserve its reputation? In this episode of Cinema Sleuths, we put The Postman Always Rings Twice to the test. We investigate Tay Garnett’s 1946 film and what made it a landmark of classic Hollywood and film noir.
- Aug 17, 20261h 22m
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946) | Dir Tay Garnett
Your cinematic sleuths are back at it! This week, we are joined by thriller author Regan MacArther, writer of the John Lash series. THE CASE: THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946) Starring: Lana Turner, John Garfield, and Cecil Kellaway Written by Harry Ruskin and Niven Busch Based on the novel by James M Cain Directed by Tay Garnett CREDITS Mean Streets is produced by Luke Deckard and Matthew Booth Edited by Luke Deckard Music by Luke Deckard Logo by Phil Dragash DISCLAIMER: All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.
About Cinema Sleuths
Two crime-fiction authors. All of cinema and TV. One case to crack. Luke Deckard and Matthew Booth investigate the films and television shows that shape pop culture — from beloved classics and hidden gems to blockbusters, disasters and everything in between. Expect strong opinions, surprising connections, behind-the-scenes stories and arguments that occasionally require further investigation. The evidence is gathered. The suspects are interrogated. The verdict is yours.
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