Pods Against Tomorrow: Reinvestigating Film Noir

Todd McGowan, a film scholar and professor from the University of Vermont, dives deep into Jacques Tourneur's noir classic, Out of the Past. He discusses how the film embodies the essence of noir through themes of fatalism and the femme fatale. The conversation touches on intriguing elements like the influence of newspaper headlines, the blend of melodrama and gangster themes, and the unique quirks in dialogue. They also debate the film's place among other noirs, like Double Indemnity, while sharing behind-the-scenes trivia that adds to its mystique.

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche film noirs. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is Andi Graceson. Andi studied film and computer science at Clark University and began their career at MTV. They are a lifelong genre fanatic, in particular sci-fi and horror narratives, and their work at the Concord Free Public Library's makerspace allowed them to instruct patrons on everything from 3D-printing spooky props, to writing code that will hopefully not gain sentience. Andi joins us to discuss David Leitch's love letter to stunt work, the genre-bending THE FALL GUY.Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠autumn_bray⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Pods Against Tomorrow on social media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email: PodsAgainstTmrw@Gmail.com

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche film noirs. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is Daniel Cho, professor of education at Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio. Daniel returns to the pod to discuss Park Chan-wook's elevated neo-noir thriller, DECISION TO LEAVE.Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠so.lxis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Pods Against Tomorrow on social media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email: PodsAgainstTmrw@Gmail.com

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche film noirs. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is Catherine Leuverink. Catherine got hooked on noir 22 years ago with the 1945 film DETOUR; she has a medicinal relationship with film, collects mid-century modern, and appreciates a cityscape noir. Catherine joins us to discuss Fritz Lang's controversial (once-banned!) classic, SCARLET STREET.Check out Catherine's excellent instagram feed, @anoiraday!Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠so.lxis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Pods Against Tomorrow on social media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email: PodsAgainstTmrw@Gmail.com

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche film noirs. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is Ian Capozzoli, who works in Communications at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, plays loosehead prop for the Worcester Men's Rugby team, frequents the used DVD bins at his local entertainment stores, and has never once been accused of being a synthetic life form. Ian joins us to discuss Ridley Scott's cyberpunk masterpiece (and its many versions), BLADE RUNNER.Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠so.lxis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Pods Against Tomorrow on social media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email: PodsAgainstTmrw@Gmail.com

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche film noirs. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is Sasha Kohan, a Clark and USC alum who held the Roger Ebert Fellowship for Film Criticism in 2017. Sasha joins us to discuss Hugo Haas' low-budget, fetishistic gold-rush bizarre noir, BAIT (1954).Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠so.lxis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Pods Against Tomorrow on social media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email: PodsAgainstTmrw@Gmail.com

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche film noirs. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is Ron Brooks, an Associate Professor of Writing Studies at Montclair State University in New Jersey. He writes about food, banjos, pinball, or whatever happens to grab his obsessions at the time. Ron joins us to discuss James Foley's oppressively sunny, alcohol soaked neo-noir, AFTER DARK, MY SWEET.Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠so.lxis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Pods Against Tomorrow on social media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email: PodsAgainstTmrw@Gmail.com

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche film noirs. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is Michael Gray, host of the Žižek and So On Podcast. Michael joins us to discuss Joseph Losey and Dalton Trumbo's down-and-dirty cult noir, THE PROWLER.Theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠so.lxis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Pods Against Tomorrow on social media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soundcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠email: PodsAgainstTmrw@Gmail.com

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche films noir. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is James Hazelden, an award-winning playwright, musician, director, performer, podcaster, and man about town. James joins us to discuss Tod Browning's classic silent proto-noir, THE UNHOLY THREE.

Pods Against Tomorrow reinvestigates the noir genre one film at a time. Join our hosts, Hugh Manon and Abe Doubleday-Bush, along with a rotating guest — our "Ace in the Hole" — as they delve into an analysis of classic, neo-, and pastiche films noir. Each episode explores the timeless themes that shaped the film noir genre and changed American pop culture forever.This week's Ace in the Hole is Daniel Cho, professor of education at Otterbein University in Columbus Ohio, and one of the hosts of the 2025 LACK conference. Daniel joins us to discuss Robert Siodmak's 1944 acid jazz "anti-noir", PHANTOM LADY.