14 episodes

The Betoota Advocate presents a chat show about the films you love. Join the movie maestro Alexei Toliopoulos in ‘The Last Video Store’ - located in the outback town of Betoota. Its a special hub of culture and memories with every single movie ever made lining its infinite shelves. Alexei talks with a guest about their most cherished cinematic selections, before he sends them of with a bespoke film recommendation based on their taste.

The rental combo is:
1 x New Release
2 x Weeklies
1 x Staff Pick



Follow us on Instagram @lastvideostorebetoota

The Last Video Store DM Podcasts

    • TV & Film
    • 4.8 • 21 Ratings

The Betoota Advocate presents a chat show about the films you love. Join the movie maestro Alexei Toliopoulos in ‘The Last Video Store’ - located in the outback town of Betoota. Its a special hub of culture and memories with every single movie ever made lining its infinite shelves. Alexei talks with a guest about their most cherished cinematic selections, before he sends them of with a bespoke film recommendation based on their taste.

The rental combo is:
1 x New Release
2 x Weeklies
1 x Staff Pick



Follow us on Instagram @lastvideostorebetoota

    Anna Broinowski, the Only Western Filmmaker to Access NORTH KOREA’s Film & Propaganda Industry

    Anna Broinowski, the Only Western Filmmaker to Access NORTH KOREA’s Film & Propaganda Industry

    Not just the expert on North Korean cinema and hoax authors, Dr Anna Broinowski is one of Australia’s greatest investigative documentarians. Her riveting works include FORBIDDEN LIE$, AIM HIGH IN CREATION and PAULINE HANSON: PLEASE EXPLAIN. Through these and more she’s won a Walkley, 3 AFI/AACTAs, the Al Jazeera Golden Award and even a fricking WGA prize. Anna’s latest work is her memoir DATSUN ANGEL: A true-story adventure inside the savage heart of 1980s Australia - “it’s a feminist Mad Max on really bad 80s speed”. 

    Alexei’s never had a bigger hero than his mentor Anna Broinowski so it’s an honour to walk her through the shelves to pick out a rental combo of a recent Oscar-winning gothic oddity, a cult classic of experimental Danish documentary cinema and a North Korean Kaiju monster flick with the wildest backstory you’ve never heard + a staff pick recommendation from Alexei for all those looking for a great hoax.

    Watch the full video on YOUTUBEFollow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Anna’s rental combo list. 

    Music & sounds by Rowan Dix

    Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy 

    Art by Hollow Bones Studio 
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 59 min
    Miranda Tapsell, star of TOP END WEDDING, THE SAPPHIRES and Rom-Com Expert

    Miranda Tapsell, star of TOP END WEDDING, THE SAPPHIRES and Rom-Com Expert

    Announcing Top End Bub, the follow-up to one of the best Australian romantic comedies ever, Miranda Tapsell stops by The Last Video Store. Turning in incredible performances in THE DRY, THE ARTFUL DODGER and so much more Miranda has cemented her reputation as one of Australia’s finest actors. And as you’re about to learn, Miranda Tapsell can even do a dead-on Nicolas Cage impression. 

    Miranda’s rental combo includes a future holiday classic, an Oscar-winning performance from one of the great music icons, a breakout hit of French cinema that inspired a global bob haircut epidemic and an underseen New York rom-com staff pick from guru Alexei Toliopoulos.

    Watch the full ep on YOUTUBE

    Follow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Miranda’s list on Letterboxd. 

    Music & sounds by Rowan Dix

    Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy 

    Art by Hollow Bones Studio 
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 51 min
    David Dastmalchian, star of LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL + Directors Cameron & Colin Cairnes

    David Dastmalchian, star of LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL + Directors Cameron & Colin Cairnes

    Celebrating the release of some homegrown horror we’re joined by the directors and star of LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL. With memorable turns in modern classics THE DARK KNIGHT, DUNE, PRISONERS and THE SUICIDE SQUAD, David Dastmalchian has cemented his reputation as one of the great character actors. Now he steps into the shoes of a late night talk show host in the midst of possession horror for his first leading role. Alexei talks to the horror aficionado all about it. 

    Then, we’re joined by the filmmakers Colin and Cameron Cairnes to talk through 3 weekly film titles that inspired and influenced different aspects of LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL. 

    GIVEAWAY: Cinema Passes to see Late Night with the Devil in Australia. To go in with a chance to win a double pass give us a 5 star review on Apple pods and send us a screenshot to our instagram @LastVideoStoreBetoota

    Watch the full ep on YOUTUBE

    Follow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s the films we talked about on Letterboxd.

    Music & sounds by Rowan Dix

    Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy 

    Art by Hollow Bones Studio 
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 47 min
    Zachary Ruane, from AUNTY DONNA

    Zachary Ruane, from AUNTY DONNA

    John Leguizamo enthusiast and children’s television antagonist Zachary Ruane steps into the Last Video Store. Even more important than his mind-melting comedy work in the legendary sketch comedy group AUNTY DONNA, Zach is a lover of film presenting cinema with his ​​FUN TIME FILM CLUB at the Lido in Melbourne. So this is a real meeting of the cinematic minds. 

    Zach’s picks include Alexei’s shared favourite film of 2023, a comedy with style, an Aussie Hitchcockian thriller and a surrealist masterwork from David Lynch. AND of course Lex has cooked up the most fricking weirdly perfect pick of the series so far. Like it’s nuts how he linked them up.

    Watch this episode on YOUTUBEFollow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Zachary’s list!

    Music & sounds by Rowan Dix

    Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy 

    Art by Hollow Bones Studio 


    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 47 min
    Nina Oyama, Star of Deadloch & Taskmaster Australia

    Nina Oyama, Star of Deadloch & Taskmaster Australia

    Comedian/actor/writer/director/close personal friend Nina Oyama steps into Betoota Video. Fresh off AACTA nominations for her enthusiastic performance of Abby in Deadloch and Taskmaster Australia, Nina is about to embark on her Comedy Festival tour of her new show Nina Oyama is Coming at Melbourne Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, Brisbane Comedy Festival and Perth Comedy Festival.

    A true lover of cinema, Nina’s picks range from a Norwegian body horror comedy, an indie classic in modern monochrome and one of the greatest revenge thrillers that just celebrated its 20th anniversary with a huge cinematic re-release. Somehow, Alexei weaves these together for the rarest staff pick recommendation.

    Watch this episode on YOUTUBE

    Follow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Nina’s combo on LB.

    Music & sounds by Rowan Dix

    Produced & Edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy 

    Art by Hollow Bones Studio 


    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 48 min
    Tony Armstrong, 2x Logie Award Winning Presenter

    Tony Armstrong, 2x Logie Award Winning Presenter

    A true Renaissance man whose multifaceted career continues to surprise us all. Tony Armstrong kicked things off in AFL playing for the Sydney Swans, then he won 2 Logies back-to-back as a presenter on ABC News Breakfast and now he’s in Betoota for his new foray into story-driven documentary with his upcoming ABC series TONY ARMSTRONG'S EXTRA-ORDINARY THINGS. 

    With picks like one of the great masterpieces of surrealist anime, a grounded gritty crime epic and an inventive heist film that sits somewhere right in the middle… Alexei Toliopoulos has the perfect staff pick to pop into Tony’s combo.

    Watch the full video on YOUTUBEFollow ALEXEI TOLIOPOULOS on Letterboxd for all the rental combo lists. Here’s Tony’s picks!

    Music & sounds by Rowan Dix

    Produced & edited by Alex Jae and Xanon Murphy 

    Art by Hollow Bones Studio 
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 50 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
21 Ratings

21 Ratings

Ethanaboy ,

Podcasting’s Sweethearts

Love these boys

Andrey Summers ,

Jurassic Park

When Alexei says “Barrrbenheimerrr” he sounds like Alan Partridge

AdrienHunter ,

Required Listening

I love these silly boys.

Top Podcasts In TV & Film

Just B Divorced with Bethenny Frankel
iHeartPodcasts
Watch What Crappens
Ben Mandelker & Ronnie Karam | Wondery
Pretty Little Liars: True Crime
PodCo
When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany
PodcastOne
Give Them Lala
Lala Kent | Cumulus Podcast Network
On Fire with Jeff Probst: The Official Survivor Podcast
CBS

You Might Also Like

Who Knew It with Matt Stewart
Do Go On Media
Confessions
Nearly Media
The Little Dum Dum Club with Tommy & Karl
Tommy Dassalo & Karl Chandler
Do Go On
Do Go On Media
Aunty Donna Podcast
LiSTNR
Filthy Casuals with Tommy Dassalo, Ben Vernel and Adam Knox
Tommy Dassalo, Ben Vernel and Adam Knox