The Next Reel Film Podcast What's up, Doc? • The Next Reel
“You’re upside down, sir.”
It’s time for another Listener’s Choice episode! This time, 2015 Pony Prize winner Ben Lott gets to select and he chose Peter Bogdanovich’s 1972 screwball comedy “What’s Up, Doc?” Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we delve into one of Ben’s favorites. We talk about our initial expectations and experiences of this movie and how this film improves with conversation and when watched with a group of friends. We chat about the nature of screwball comedy and how it can be very difficult to jump back into an old genre but how well the writers David Newman, Robert Benton and Buck Henry pull it off here. We discuss our issues with the daffy dame played by Barbra Streisand and how she really compares to a psychopath or thief, despite the fact that once you get past the setup of the film, she really is a fun character that we grow to love. We chat about the other performers in the film, notably Ryan O’Neal and Madeline Kahn, and discuss what they bring to the table. And we talk about the nature of the comedy in the film and look at several sequences that stand out as the highlights. It’s a really fun movie that we’re glad to have seen, so thanks, Ben! So check out the movie then tune in to the conversation!
Film Sundries
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Trailers of the Week - Andy’s Trailer: Embrace of the Serpent — “I’m not quite sure what to make of this story but the look of the trailer is really quite haunting. There’s something about it that draws me in with the stark beauty of the Amazon in black and white. The story looks to be equally as intriguing as the imagery; it feels a bit like a surreal nightmare. High on my list of must-sees.”
- Pete’s Trailer: Fan — “Shahrukh Kahn plays an Indian superstar, and the young superfan that’s obsessed with him. Looks like a fun thriller with wtih some wacky Benjamin Button technological hoops to make this 40-something look 17 again.”
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