A conversation with writer and photographer Mark Vieira about Hollywood’s Pre-Code era films of 1930-1934. Why did the era begin? and what brought it to such an abrupt end? We look at some of the stars of the period such as Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, Norma Shearer, Jean Harlow, and Mae West. As well as some of the movies that defined the period, including but not limited to, The Divorcee, Red-Headed Woman, She Done Him Wrong, and Baby Face. Click on the title Forbidden Hollywood: The Pre-Code Years 1930-1934 to purchase on Amazon or visit his website: markavieira.com

A discussion with Dr. Christopher Ames, the president of Russell Sage College, about his book “Movies About The Movies: Hollywood Reflected”. We focus on two movies from his book - Preston Sturges’ Sullivan’s Travels (1942), and Gene Kelly, and Stanley Donen’s Singin’ In The Rain (1952). We also look at two movies not in his book - Michel Hazanavicius’ black and white, mostly silent Best Picture winner The Artist (2011), and the Coen Bros.’ Hail, Caesar! (2016). What do these movies say about Hollywood? What do these movies say about America? And why are movies about Hollywood and the moviemaking process so popular?

Intimacy coordinator Ann James joins me to discuss the burgeoning field of intimacy coordination. What is it? What’s the history? The training, and what she’s doing to diversify the field.

In this episode, I talk with author John Oller about his biography of Jean Arthur entitled Jean Arthur: The Actress Nobody Knew. Mr. Oller’s biography was hailed by Leonard Maltin as “An exceptional piece of work.” We discuss Jean Arthur’s rise to fame and her career in Hollywood. The focus is on her work with directors Howard Hawks, Frank Capra, and George Stevens. Click on the title above to purchase from Amazon.

Former high-school film teacher (and my cousin) Nate Duell and I discuss the 1937 Fritz Lang film You Only Live Once starring Henry Fonda and Sylvia Sydney. We explore its place in film history as an influential forerunner to the Film Noir genre and style.

Filmmaker Tinisha Brugnone talks about how a spontaneous tour of Idlewild, Michigan, not only led to her documentary film With Love From Idlewild but to the creation of the Idlewild International Film Festival.

In August of 2019 I met and talked with documentary filmmakers Rick Minnich and Matt Sweetwood in Potsdam, Germany about their current film The Strait Guys, about a plan to build a tunnel under the Bering Strait.

In this episode, I talk with dancer, choreographer, and arts educator Haleem ‘Stringz’ Rasul about his documentary The Jitterbugs: Pioneers of Jit about the creators of a unique Detroit dance style called Jit. The documentary is available on Amazon.

My, now annual, Halloween episode of season two looks at the connection between comedy and horror. My guest Jason Zumwalt and I talk about both classic and contemporary comedy/horror films such as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Cabin in the Woods (2012) and Get Out (2017). Jason is a screenwriter who works in both the comedy and horror genres.

In this episode I talk with vintage clothing aficionado Ramona Dandridge about some of Hollywood’s most iconic looks. Ramona Dandridge owns an online vintage clothing store called Flossy’s Suitcase and her vintage clothing expertise is in high demand. She consults for private clients and has recently joined forces with AirBnB to lead a vintage clothing store tour of Detroit. We will be discussing three of her favorite high fashion films and their relevance in 2019. Movies discussed: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Mahogany, and Harlem Nights.

In this episode I speak with my cousin Nate Duell, a former high school film teacher and all-around film buff. We talk about our favorite movies from directors Billy Wilder and Ernst Lubitsch. Focus is on Some Like it Hot, The Apartment, The Shop Around the Corner and Ninotchka.

Maggie Mackay is the Executive Director of the legendary film archive Vidiots. She’s also been my friend since middle school. In this episode we discuss two iconic films from the 1990s - Point Break and Thelma & Louise.

Much has been both said and written about the time that F. Scott Fitzgerald spent working in Hollywood. And much of it has been negative. English professor and F. Scott Fitzgerald scholar Tom Cerasulo has a different opinion. The author of Authors Out Here: Fitzgerald, West, Parker and Schulberg in Hollywood Cerasulo and I discuss the possibility that Fitzgerald’s experience in Hollywood was not only not negative but was very positive and fruitful. Click on the title above to purchase through Amazon.

While Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was knocking on doors in the 13th district of Detroit during her congressional campaign, Michael Moore was working on his next film - Fahrenheit 11/9. He wanted her to be a part of his movie so he joined her for an afternoon of door knocking in Detroit. Recorded in January of 2019, Congresswoman Tlaib and I discuss that afternoon with Michael, their friendship, her contribution to his movie and her plans to take a group of Washington insiders to Palestine.

In this episode I speak with former elementary school film teacher Steven LaVigne about his favorite musicals to both screen and teach. Many musicals are mentioned but our focus is on three classic Hollywood musicals - The Wizard of Oz (1939), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), and Gigi (1958).

Run Lola Run (1998) is an independent German film from the late 1990s which features an almost entirely techno soundtrack. Cornelius Harris, the current label manager for and former musical member of the iconic Detroit techno group Underground Resistance joins me to discuss the film, its soundtrack and the musical bond between Berlin and Detroit.

Rap, hip-hop and graffiti grew up tied together on the streets of New York and legendary, New York DJ Rob Swift was there to witness it. In this episode we discuss the iconic hip-hop movie Wild Style (1983) which Swift says captures a very specific moment in the early history of rap and hip-hop. Click on the title above to view on Amazon.

Jerry Carlson was my first film professor at the City College of New York. A mentor and friend he is an encyclopedia of film knowledge. I was thrilled to finally have him on the show to discuss one of my favorite genres - Film Noir. Our discussion covers not just the classic Film Noir movies but the history of Film Noir as a genre and a technique.

Duane Ferguson and I talk about the most influential and impactful movies and directors of our childhood. From Steven Spielberg to Jim Henson to Spike Lee. Focus is on movies of the 1970s and 1980s but we also move into the present to discuss what we find most relevant today.

Side Note: This episode was to be a discussion with Jason Zumwalt on the connection between Horror and Comedy. However, we had to reschedule. That episode now appears as the second episode of season 2.