The Spiel

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TV & FILM

Each week, hosts Eric Vespe and Scott Wampler welcome a notable guest to the show to discuss a work of film from the career of director Steven Spielberg. The Spiel is an open-ended love letter to one of the greatest film directors of all time and his enormous impact on cinema.

2 DAYS AGO

David Dastmalchian on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

David Dastmalchian is one of our best character actors (LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, THE DARK KNIGHT, DUNE, OPPENHEIMER, THE SUICIDE SQUAD) and now he's joining Vespe and JRT to talk about the controversial INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. Our time with Dave was limited, so we run through this movie at a breakneck pace, much like the back half of the film itself, talk about its place among the other Indiana Jones films, why we loved it so much growing up, and why it remains a favorite entry into the franchise despite its not so stellar reputation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 1m
4 NOV

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods on A.I. - Artificial Intelligence

The writer/producer/director team behind A Quiet Place, 65, and The Boogeyman have a new movie out this week called Heretic, starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East, so they decided to stop by and chat about one of their favorite Spielberg films: A.I. That's right, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods are our guests and we dive into the nitty gritty of Spielberg's controversial masterpiece, A.I. We all have different interpretations of the ending, so of course we talk through that. We talk tone, the Kubrick of it all, and how Spielberg shoots a good amount of this movie like a horror film. It's a wonderful chat about one of Spielberg's most fascinating movies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 29m
21 OCT

Mallory O'Meara on Joe Vs. The Volcano

Chaos ensues as the wonderful, and James Beard award-winning, author Mallory O'Meara (Girly Drinks, The Lady from the Black Lagoon) comes on the show to discuss the extremely odd Amblin flick Joe Vs. The Volcano, starring Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan (three Meg Ryans, believe it or not), and directed by the famous writer John Patrick Shanley (Moonstruck). This movie is a favorite of Vespe's, but both other folks in the chat are newbies to it. We get personal, talk about what we'd do if we were diagnosed with the dreaded "brain cloud," and ask ourselves why there isn't way more sex happening in this movie. So, pop open the nearest orange soda and strap in for this energetic, very funny, and oddly deeply personal conversation as we look at Joe Vs. The Volcano. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 45m
14 OCT

Germain Lussier on Hook

Germain Lussier (head movie nerd writer at Gizmodo and I09) joins Vespe and JRT for a wide-ranging discussion on Steven Spielberg's Hook starring Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and a very pissed off Julia Roberts. How much does nostalgia come into play when discussing this film? Did everybody who was a child when they saw it love it and all the adults hated it? Or is the answer more complicated than that? We cover that, plus go into the troubled production and where Hook falls in Spielberg's overall body of work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 14m
7 OCT

Jurassic Park with Jeremy Slater

Jurassic Park is not only one of the best popcorn films ever made, it's also the catalyst for the largest shift in Hollywood production and storytelling in recent cinematic history. It changed movies forever. To dive into that and just how awesome and fun Jurassic Park is, we are joined by one of the most in-demand screenwriters in the business, Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight, The Umbrella Academy, Godzilla x Kong). We talk about Jurassic Park's impact, how different it would have been if any of the other directors pining for it had made it instead (Sam Raimi, James Cameron). So join us clever girls as we gush all over this formative film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 43m
30 SEPT

Introducing The Spiel's New Co-Host

The Spiel co-creator Scott Wampler passed away before the show debuted and the hunt was on to find someone that could step in to the immense void he left behind. After months of searching, Vespe made his choice. Now you get to meet the new co-host. What are their dreams? Aspirations? Deepest, darkest wishes? And how good is their Morgan Freeman impression? You'll have to listen to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 15m
23 SEPT

Live At Fantastic Fest: Nacho Vigalondo on Close Encounters of the Third Kind

The Spiel rings in its very first live show at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX. Vespe is joined by guest co-host Nick Preuher (co-founder of the Found Footage Fest) and special guest Nacho Vigalondo (director of Timecrimes, Colossal, and Daniela Forever) to talk about Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Does Close Encounters act as a spiritual sequel to Jaws? What about shared DNA with David Lynch's Eraserhead? Nacho seems to think so! So enjoy this very special live recording! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1h 7m
16 SEPT

Wynter Mitchell on Catch Me If You Can

We celebrate the final episode of The Spiel with Scott Wampler as co-host with this rowdy chat with our dear friend, podcaster, and advisor to the stars Wynter Mitchell about a top tier Spielberg entry: Catch Me If You Can. This is a special episode in that it is the very first thing we recorded for the show. This was our test run to see if a podcast about Spielberg's movies would work and two hours later we knew we had something cool on our hands. With Scott's passing it's only fitting that every single thing he recorded gets its time in the sun, especially when the chat is as alternately chaotic and insightful as this one turned out to be. Enjoy the chat and tip a can of White Claw for Pop-Pop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2h 14m

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Each week, hosts Eric Vespe and Scott Wampler welcome a notable guest to the show to discuss a work of film from the career of director Steven Spielberg. The Spiel is an open-ended love letter to one of the greatest film directors of all time and his enormous impact on cinema.