The Oscar Project Podcast
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Today I am discussing the 1928 film . The film tells the story of Sadie Thompson, a woman of questionable moral character, and Mr. Davidson, the devout missionary who makes it his mission to reform her while they are both forced to stay on a remote Pacific island. Listen now to hear about the troubles the film faced in being made, how Swansons performance can be related to her later work in Sunset Boulevard, and as always, my own thoughts about the film. Resources: __ __
In todays interview, I speak with Lisa Stein Haven, a Professor of English at Ohio University and expert in all things Charlie Chaplin. She has written extensively on the actor and director and hosted the first international Charlie Chaplin conference ever held on American soil in 2010, the 100th anniversary of Charlies first trip to America. In addition to several works on Charlie Chaplin, she has published books about hi brother Syd Chaplin and Max Linder. She joins the show to talk about her latest book, https://amzn.to/3xcSnzG. Listen to hear how Chaplin dealt with the media when he was making movies, what type of person Chaplin truly was, and why Chaplin has been such an inspiration to actors over the last century. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Follow Lisa on Instagram (@lisasteinhaven https://www.instagram.com/lisasteinhaven/) and check out her Amazon Author Page https://amzn.to/3PCQimK for links to all of her books.
As I announced in my spring preview episode earlier this week, today I am discussing the 1928 film . The film focuses on the story of John and Mary Sims as they build a family together and face lifes challenges in early 1900s New York City. Listen now to hear about the creative people behind the film, and as always, my own thoughts about the film.
On todays episode, I give a quick preview of some of the things Im working on for the podcast in the coming weeks a months. Be sure to subscribe to the show in your podcast player and follow The Oscar Project for all the updates. __ __ Im appearing on the next episode of The Playlist Project podcast https://theplaylistproject.buzzsprout.com/ with my friend Stacy. Check out her podcast all about the music people love at the link above.
With the 96th Academy Awards in the book, I am joined today by Luis Mendez to discuss all the happenings at the Oscars on Sunday night. Check out Luis at The Mendez Report https://www.mendezmoviereport.com/ and follow him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mendezmovierpt/, Twitter https://twitter.com/MendezMovieRPT, Threads https://www.threads.net/@mendezmovierpt, and Letterboxd https://letterboxd.com/MendezMovieRPT/.
Its time for me to break down who I think will win at the Oscars this weekend. In this episode I go over all 23 categories, letting you know who I think will win the Oscar and who I think should win. They dont always match, so listen in to win your Oscar prediction pool!
In todays episode, I interview Vincent René-lortie, the director of "Invincible", an ode to the memory of Marc-Antoine Bernier and the tale of a young man yearning for his freedom. The film is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy® Awards after winning Best Live Action Short Film at Chicago Children’s Film Festival in 2022 and Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma in 2023 . Listen to hear Vincent discuss his personal connection to the story, how he got to work with some tremendous young actors and how he has dealt with being an Oscar nominee. Books recommended by Vincent include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Follow Vincent on Instagram @vincentrenelortie https://www.instagram.com/vincentrenelortie/ and the film Invincble @invincibleshortfilm https://www.instagram.com/invincibleshortfilm/
In todays episode, I interview Nazrin Choudhury, the director of "Red, White and Blue", the story of a single mother in Arkansas who must cross state lines in search of an abortion. After winning the Grand Jury Award for Best Live Action Short at the Edmonton International Film Festival, the film is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy® Awards. Listen to hear Nazrin discuss how she decided to make this impactful film, what she was able to bring from working in television to making a short film, and her experience of being announced as an Oscar nominee. Books recommended by Nazrin include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Follow Nazrin on Instagram @nazrin.choudhury https://www.instagram.com/nazrin.choudhury/ and the film Red, White and Blue @redwhiteandbluefilm https://www.instagram.com/redwhiteandbluefilm/
In todays interview, I speak with Ryan Britt, a fiction and non-fiction author who has written for , , , and StarTrek.com, among others. His first two books were https://amzn.to/3uxMkEN and https://amzn.to/3T0bntH. He joins me to talk about his latest book, https://amzn.to/49AfCBk. Listen to hear how might have been different if it was published today, the genesis of in the coastal seagrass of Oregon, and how the various film versions of Dune have had success or failure. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Follow Ryan on Twitter (@RyancBritt https://twitter.com/RyancBritt) or Instagram (@ryan.britt https://www.instagram.com/ryan.britt/) and check him out at the Tucson Book Festival https://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/?id=676 on March 9th.
In this weeks episode, I interview Misan Harriman, the director of "The After", a powerful and affecting story that follows a man who has to reconnect with himself and society after witnessing a devastating random attack. After its world premier at the Oscar®-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival, where it won Best Live Action Short, this incredibly thought-provoking short film is officially nominated for the 96th Academy Awards and Misan is kind enough to join me today and talk about the film. Listen to hear Misan discuss his inspiration for the film, what he experienced being a first time filmmaker, and how he felt at being nominated for an Oscar. Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Follow Misan on Instagram @misanharriman https://www.instagram.com/misanharriman/
In this weeks episode, I interview Jean Chapiro, recipient of the Bronze Medal in the Documentary category at the 2023 Student Academy Awards. She was recognized for her film "Till We Find Them" which looks at the families of missing persons in Mexico as they look for their loved ones. Listen to hear Jean discuss what drew her to documentary film, the dangers of documenting the missing persons crisis in Mexico, and what her favorite documentary film is. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Follow Jean on Instagram @jean.chap https://www.instagram.com/jean.chap/
As we near the end of January, Im looking back at 2023. I interviewed 10 amazing authors about their books and spoke with six filmmakers as well. There was so much new content on The Oscar Project Podcast, it was hard to pick the best bits, but here are some of my favorite parts of the interviews from 2023. Be sure to pick up the books from all these guests and support their work. __ __ And of course, check out the work of my filmmaker interviewees __ __
The nominees for the 96th Academy Awards were announced early this morning. The nominees come from 53 films across 23 categories and cover all sorts of films from dramas to comedies, blockbusters to indie darlings. There will be plenty more to come from The Oscar Project https://theoscarproject.substack.com/ in the next month and a half, but for today, let’s just get straight to the nominees!
In todays interview, I speak with Katie Gee Salisbury, a writer and photographer whose work has appeared in the , , , and the Asian American Writers’ Workshop. She also writes the newsletter Half-Caste Woman https://halfcastewoman.substack.com/. She has spoken about her work at the Museum of Chinese in America, Barnard College, New York University, and gave a TED Talk entitled “As American as Chop Suey https://youtu.be/OQlltIzzZ7w?si=N0RWRZ6yVQRmCRlL.” She joins me today to talk about her first book, https://amzn.to/3S34q9n. Listen to hear how Anna May Wong reinvented herself and took control of her career when Hollywood wouldnt cast her in leading roles and how she changed her approach to portraying Asian characters after visiting China. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __
Happy New Year! Its my first interview author of 2024, and today I speak with Saul Austerlitz, a freelance writer whose work has been published in the New York Times, Esquire, Vanity Fair, and Rolling Stone. He is an adjunct professor of writing and comedy history at New York University, and the author of , , , , and . He joins me today to talk about his new book, . Listen to hear the how Adam McKay and Will Farrell created some of the most memorable scenes in the film, how the film uses the character of Veronica to comment on the male dominated newsroom culture, and why the early 2000s spawned so many great comedy films. Follow Sauls Substack called Hope in the Dark https://saulausterlitz.substack.com/. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __
In my third and final part of the Thanksgiving special, I interview four of the five creators of the animated short film "Boom," which won the Gold Medal in animation at the 2023 Student Academy Awards. Listen to hear the team discuss the process for developing the story, what they enjoyed about visiting Los Angeles, and some of the movies that have inspired them. Follow them on Instagram: __ __ Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __
In the my second of the three part Thanksgiving special, I interview Iain Forbes, recent recipient of the Silver Medal in the Narrative category at the 2023 Student Academy Awards. He was recognized for his film "Revisited" which explores how a family reacts when the father they thought was dead for 20 years suddenly returns to their home. Listen to hear Iain discuss the inspiration for the film, how he went about casting this film and one of the most interesting dinner parties weve come up with on the podcast. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __
In the first of a three part Thanksgiving special, I interview Giorgio Ghiotto, recent recipient of the Gold Medal in the Documentary category at the 2023 Student Academy Awards. He was recognized for his film "Wings of Dust" which shines a spotlight on the activism of Vidal Merma, an independent journalist in Peru. Listen to hear Giorgio discuss the challenges of making a student documentary, why he became interested in documentaries to begin with, and what his favorite documentary film is. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __
In this author interview, I speak with Nate Patrin, a freelance writer based in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has covered nearly every imaginable genre of music for outlets including Bandcamp, Stereogum, Pitchfork, The Vinyl Factory, and Red Bull Music Academy. His first book was published in 2020, and he joins me today to talk about his new book, . Listen to hear the importance of Lynchs first film to his career, what exactly a Lynchian film is, and why Lynch is a mystery even to himself. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __
In this author interview, I speak with Ian Nathan for the second time on the podcast He joins me today to talk about his book, https://amzn.to/3FsZF2Z. Listen to hear the importance of Lynchs first film to his career, what exactly a Lynchian film is, and why Lynch is a mystery even to himself. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Also mentioned in this episode: __ __
In this author interview, I speak with Andrew DeGraff, a freelance illustrator and artist living and working in Maine. He graduated from Pratt Institute’s Communications Design program and returned to teach there from 2009 to 2014. His gallery work has been shown in cities around the world including New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Calgary, Mexico City, and the Philippines. He published his book https://amzn.to/3tz47dG in 2015 and he joins me today to talk about his book, https://amzn.to/48K51Ew. Listen to hear what exactly a Cinemap is, how long it takes to make a single map, and what some of the challenges are in putting together these unique pieces of art. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Also mentioned in this episode: __ __
In this author interview, I speak with Nat Segaloff is a writer, broadcaster, teacher, film historian, and raconteur with a varied background in motion picture publicity, journalism, producing, and covering up other peoples mistakes. Having begun his career during the exciting transition between the old studios and the film generation of the New Hollywood, he provides both perspective and commentary on a wide range of subjects, many of them having to do with movies. He joins me today to talk about his upcoming book, https://amzn.to/45P8S13. Listen to hear how the original Scarface film was impacted by the beginning of the production code, and why people gravitate to characters like Tony Montana in film. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Also mentioned in this episode: __ __
Regular episodes of The Oscar Project are back and this week Im discussing the 1928 film . This story is adapted from a play of the same name and was considered one of the most important cop/gangster films of the time when it was released. Listen now to learn about the threats made against the creators and as always, my own thoughts about the film. Look for more episodes every Monday as I finish out the rest of the films nominated for Oscars at the very first Academy Awards.
In this author interview, I speak with Brad Weismann, an award-winning writer and journalist who has also worked as a stand-up comic and improv actor. He’s contributed to publications and websites worldwide such as , , , , and . His first book, https://amzn.to/45yJSuP, was recently published by the University of Mississippi and he contributed to the critical collection . He joins me today to talk about his new book, https://amzn.to/47TBrvP. Listen to hear about what horror is, how horror films are similar to todays superhero films, and why the horror genre has been kept out of the Oscars (with very few exceptions). Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Also mentioned in this episode: __ __
In this author interview, I speak with Koren Shadmi, the author of https://amzn.to/3PiLgwd, , https://amzn.to/3OROntv, and https://amzn.to/47RbEV2. He joins me today to talk about his graphic novel, https://amzn.to/3ssXkSp. Listen to hear about how Lugosis history as an activist, how Lugosis career might have been different had he played Frankensteins monster, and why is such an enduring story for film adaptation. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Music mentioned in this episode includes: __ __
In this author interview, I speak with Ian Nathan, the author of https://amzn.to/3KvVJkY, https://amzn.to/3KyvnPm and https://amzn.to/47ti8tg, and biographies of The Coen Brothers https://amzn.to/47pEqvK, Quentin Tarantino https://amzn.to/3DNgu87, and Wes Anderson https://amzn.to/3qnV66a. He is the former editor and executive editor of , the worlds biggest movie magazine, and a regular contributor to newspapers, magazines, and TV. He joins me today to talk about his new book coming out September 7th, https://amzn.to/3qmlVYx. Listen to hear about how Eastwood fits in to both the old star tradition of Hollywood and the upstart filmmakers that came in the 1970s, how Eastwood can be considered a feminist filmmaker, and whether Eastwood will ever truly retire from filmmaking. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __
In this author interview, I speak with Kristen Lopez, the film editor at The Wrap whose articles have appeared at Variety, MTV, TCM, and Roger Ebert. She joins me today to talk about her latest book, , a look at fantastic books that have been made into films over the last 100 years. Listen to hear about how Kristen went about picking the books to include in this project, where he desire to read the book before seeing the movie came from, and why she feels its helpful to read the book first. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Emily Edwards Fuckbois of Literature podcast https://www.fuckboisoflit.com/.
In this author interview, I speak with Suzanne Ferriss whose first book about Sofia Coppola https://amzn.to/44J30FC was published in February 2021 and she edited https://amzn.to/3XSugj3, which was published in early 2023. She joins me today to talk about her latest book, https://amzn.to/3OgpVTx from BFI Film Classics about Coppola’s film that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Listen to hear about Suzanne’s approach to writing about Coppola’s work, the wealth of films she recommends, and thoughts on who might be a good fit to cast in if it were made today. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ John Kacere on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kacere, inspiration for the opening shot of . Video for Shawn Mendess sons "Lost in Japan" https://youtu.be/SAWzXkV3hHo, inspired by .
In my second author interview, I speak with guests Charlotte Booth and Brian Billington. Charlotte Booth is a professional writer of history books (including https://amzn.to/3XAjde0, and https://amzn.to/3CUPuD4), and was also an extra in a Bollywood movie. Brian Billington is an IT professional, amateur photographer, and a lover of movies who enjoys working out where those movies were filmed. Over the years they’ve created personal movie location tours including Wells, Turin and London, and decided it was time to share this with others. They join me today to talk about their collaboration, https://amzn.to/3CUoaVE. Listen to hear about how Charlotte and Brian came up with the idea for the book, some diverging thoughts on James Bond, and the oddest dinner party guest list in film. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __
Its a first for The Oscar Project, an interview with an author who writes about movies. Todays guest is Mia Mask, a professor at Vassar College where she teaches African American cinema, Documentary History, and seminars on topics including horror film and auteurs like Spike Lee, Charles Burnett and Ava DuVernay. She also teaches feminist film theory, African national cinemas, and other genre courses. Her commentary can be heard on NPR and her first book https://amzn.to/3qWU3de was published in 2009. Today she joins me to talk about her new book https://amzn.to/466a3tA. Listen to hear about Mias work with Criterion, including getting to speak with actor Sidney Poitier, what three of her favorite westerns are, and much more. Books mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Films mentioned in this episode include: __ __ Check out Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobo_(Dell_Comics) for more information about the Lobo Comics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobo_(Dell_Comics) mentioned in the interview.
