Behind The Lens

debbie lynn elias
  • 5.0 (6)
  • TV & FILM
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Join noted film critic debbie lynn elias and a line-up of talented co-hosts and informed guests each week as she goes BEHIND THE LENS and below the line with in-depth looks at films and filmmaking with the movers and shakers and up and comers of the industry, along with movie reviews, interviews, box office round-ups, awards, festival coverage, specialty segments like Tech Talk, Legalese and Classic Corner, and more every Monday at 11am PT/2pm ET - only on Adrenaline Radio!

  1. MAY 4

    BEHIND THE LENS #519: Featuring Renny Harlin

    I'm very excited about this week's BEHIND THE LENS because I get to talk about RENNY HARLIN and his new film DEEP WATER! After 33 years of chatting with Renny and talking about his films, he truly is not only one of my favorite filmmakers, but one of my favorite people. His intelligence, his skill, his dedication to the craft of moviemaking and storytelling, his directorial vision, and his kindness. I adore him. Chatting with Renny is always a joy, and no matter how long we talk, it's never long enough. And that's what happened last week when we sat down for an exclusive interview to discuss DEEP WATER. Renny wanted an hour. Publicists said no and offered 4 minutes. I begged and got 15 minutes. BUT, undeterred, when the formal interview (which ran 20 minutes) ended, Renny and I spent another 30 minutes together on our own, talking about the film, filmmaking, and other things. For those who aren't familiar with the film as yet, DEEP WATER is the story of an airline flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai that goes down in the middle of the Pacific. After surviving the crash, the survivors soon discover they're not alone, and they must survive the shark-infested waters. Simple right? Not the way Renny Harlin tells it. DEEP WATER is directed by Renny Harlin, written by Pete Bridges and John Kim, and stars, among others, Aaron Eckhart, Sir Ben Kingsley, Molly Belle Wright, Angus Sampson, Kelly Gale, Elijah Tamati, and Kate Fitzpatrick. Cinematographer is D.J. Stipsen, with editing by Geoff Lamb, with Fernando Velázquez providing the score. I also give you some pearls and fun takeaways from this weekend's TCM Classic Film Festival. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    39 min

  2. APR 27

    BEHIND THE LENS #518: Featuring David Mackenzie

    As promised, this week on BEHIND THE LENS is all about director DAVID MACKENZIE and his new explosive film, FUZE. Directed by David Mackenzie and written by Ben Hopkins, FUZE boasts an amazing cast – Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Saffron Hocking, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Elham Ehsas, and Sam Worthington. Executed with razor-sharp precision, FUZE is a tightly coiled, high-wire heist thriller that unfolds like a cinematic shell game—constantly shifting perspective, redirecting attention, and daring audiences to keep up. Built around the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb in London, the film uses its premise not just as a ticking clock, but as the perfect cover for a meticulously orchestrated crime. As authorities race against time to contain the crisis, alliances blur and moral boundaries are crossed, the film deftly propels audiences through a series of calculated twists, delivering a wildly entertaining ride. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    32 min

  3. APR 20

    BEHIND THE LENS #517: Featuring Anton Sigurdsson

    This week on BEHIND THE LENS, it's all about tension and terror, blood and brutality with writer/director ANTON SIGURDSSON's psychological thriller/mystery, REFUGE. Four estranged friends reunite on a fishing trip, but a missing child and a desperate father's accusation turn the reunion into a deadly reckoning. Brutal, bloody…..lots of duct tape involved. Terror-filled. A twisted ending that will probably surprise most. Written and directed by Icelandic filmmaker ANTON SIGURDSSON, REFUGE boasts a wonderful cast of Adam Sinclair (Sam), Adam Dorsey (Mike), Donald Paul (Barry), and Christopher Dietrick (Jay). Behind the lens, we have high storytelling production values thanks to cinematographer Gunnar Audum Johansson and editor Sharif M.Es. Ali, amazing production designer Jarrett Staaf, and a score by Yu Miyashita. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    52 min

  4. APR 13

    BEHIND THE LENS #516: Featuring Ben Wheatley and Aneil Karia

    This week on BEHIND THE LENS it's all about "To See or Not To See", and after hearing today's exclusive interviews with BEN WHEATLEY discussing NORMAL and ANEIL KARIA talking all things HAMLET, I think you'll agree that the answer will easily be – Must See. Both of these films are fresh and fantastic, from story to performances to production values. First up today is director ANEIL KARIA talking about HAMLET starring Riz Ahmed. It takes guts to handle Shakespeare and adapt and reimagine, but director Aneil Karia did an amazing job with HAMLET. One of the most interesting aspects of the film comes courtesy of Michael Lesslie's screenplay. Michael did a wonderful job adapting "Macbeth" for director Justin Kurzel, and once again delivers a Shakespearean adaptation that is relatable and attainable for today's audience with HAMLET. Switching gears and genres, we head to the small town of NORMAL with director BEN WHEATLEY. I love Ben Wheatley's work, be it High Rise, Free Fire, Rebecca, Meg 2, or now, NORMAL. Ben can tackle any genre and always delivers first-rate films with high production values, excellent performances, and, in many cases, go-for-broke action and intensity. I have to put NORMAL in the latter category. Directed by Ben Wheatley and written by the brilliant Derek Kolstad, and starring Bob Odenkirk, NORMAL is the latest collaboration from this powerhouse team. Described as a kinetic neo-Western action film with Odenkirk as an unassuming substitute sheriff with a troubled past who, after moving to a quaint Midwestern town, responds to a bank robbery and unknowingly uncovers something far more explosive. NORMAL is weird, wacky, and wonderful, brimming with originality, spurting blood, fantastic action, great deadpan humor, and first-rate performances. It is an absolute blast. When was the last time you watched folks covering up dead bodies and bright red blood with snow, and be thankful for having had a blizzard?? http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    48 min

  5. APR 6

    BEHIND THE LENS #515: Featuring Joshua Enck

    As promised, this week on BEHIND THE LENS we're talking about the religious-themed, historical drama A GREAT AWAKENING. Brought to us by director/co-writer Joshua Enck and those terrific folks at Sight & Sound, A GREAT AWAKENING tells the true story of an unlikely friendship between Reverend George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin that resulted in one of the most defining moments in American history – the American Revolution. The film is enlightening, eye-opening, engrossing, and entertaining. It is visually and emotionally immersive. With the colonies on the brink of collapse in 1739, the Reverend George Whitefield sparked the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering proclamation of liberty in Christ. In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitefield's closest friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation's freedom hanging in the balance, Franklin discovers true liberty cannot only be written into law – it must be awakened in the hearts of the people. Directed by Joshua Enck and co-written by Enck, Jeff Bender, and Jonathan Blair, A GREAT AWAKENING stars Jonathan Blair as George Whitefield and John Paul Sneed as Benjamin Franklin. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    48 min

  6. MAR 30

    BEHIND THE LENS #514: Featuring Oscar Boyson

    Sorry that I missed all of you last week with BEHIND THE LENS, but I had no voice. And you all know how catastrophic that is when I cannot talk and sound worse than a Budweiser bullfrog. So my apologies. But it's a new week, and I've got a working voice and working internet, so let's take a look at a film and filmmaker that just blew me away – OUR HERO, BALTHAZAR and co-writer/director OSCAR BOYSON. OUR HERO BALTHAZAR marks Oscar's feature directorial debut, but it is certainly not his first time in the cinematic rodeo given his prior directing experience with some episodics and shorts, but also serving as a producer on films like UNCUT GEMS and FRANCES HA, as well as working his way through the various components of filmmaking, including sound recording, editing, production design, and more, giving him a nice grounding for a feature directorial experience. OUR HERO, BALTHAZAR is a brilliant directorial calling card for Oscar. Co-written by Oscar with Ricky Camilleri, OUR HERO, BALTHAZAR stars Jaeden Martell and Asa Butterworth, along with Chris Bauer, Jennifer Ehle, Pippa Knowles, Avan Jogia, and more. The film rises and falls on the performances of Jaeden and Asa, both of whom will knock your socks off. This is a fascinating and insightful interview with co-director/writer OSCAR BOYSON! Enjoy! http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    41 min

  7. MAR 16

    BEHIND THE LENS #513: Featuring David Koepp and Marc Klasfield

    It's post-Oscar Monday on BEHIND THE LENS and most of Hollywood is probably still recuperating from a night of celebration. Some big winners last evening, notably ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, SINNERS, and KPOP DEMON HUNTERS, and you'll hear me talk about the evening with the good, the bad, and, to borrow from Sigourney Weaver, the adorable. But on #BTLRadioShow, we're looking ahead with films that could be in contention for the 99th Academy Awards next year, namely COLD STORAGE and screenwriter DAVID KOEPP, and DO NOT ENTER and director MARC KLASFELD. First up is screenwriter – and also author – David Koepp talking about his sci-fi thriller COLD STORAGE. You all know who David is. He's the screenwriter behind Jurassic Park, Stir of Echoes, The Mummy, several Indiana Jones movies, Zathura, Death Becomes Her, Carlito's Way, and so many more. Some are original scripts. Many are adaptations of books or novellas from authors like Michael Crichton and Stephen King. But now, with COLD STORAGE, David is adapting his own book! The film stars Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville, Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, and Vanessa Redgrave. Then we go from sci-fi thriller with snark and humor to a straight-up terror-filled tale from director MARC KLASFELD – DO NOT ENTER. And I'll tell you all right now, if you're from Philly or Jersey and have fond memories of going down the shore or all those stories and rumors about haunted places, horrid creatures like the Jersey Devil, or mobsters galore, then this is definitely the film for you. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    57 min

  8. MAR 9

    BEHIND THE LENS #512: Featuring Paul Boyd

    I love this week's BEHIND THE LENS, and my interview with writer/director PAUL BOYD talking about his new film SCARED TO DEATH. In this exclusive conversation, Paul dives deep into the making of his horror-comedy SCARED TO DEATH, a self-described "love letter to horror movies" that blends satire, absurdity, and genuine genre reverence. We explore the film's genesis and how the film uses a haunted-house movie-within-a-movie setup to examine belief, fear, masks people wear, and the absurdities of Hollywood itself. Paul details the personal inspirations behind the story (including buying a supposedly haunted house once owned by Charlie Chaplin), the joyful collaboration with his cast and crew, and the deliberate balance of scares, humor, and emotional undercurrents. As you'll hear, we break down the visual grammar and Paul's work with cinematographer Steven Poster, whose work all of you are well familiar with – DONNIE DARKO, SOUTHLAND TALES, LIFE STINKS, ROCKY V, NEXT OF KIN, REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE, and more, and how they developed a color palette, lenses used, dutching, angles, POV, etc. And how about Paul's work with editor Ed Shiers who just happens to also be a drummer with an incredible sense of rhythm, something that comes in handy with editing? Plus, Misha Segal's score AND Kurt Diemer's end credit song "Scared to Death", which is fantastic. And you'll hear Paul talk about the location house in Altadena where the film was shot. The first home ever built in Altadena, and one of the only homes to survive the Altadena fires last year, and you'll find out how it lucked out. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

    1h 12m
See All (513)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Join noted film critic debbie lynn elias and a line-up of talented co-hosts and informed guests each week as she goes BEHIND THE LENS and below the line with in-depth looks at films and filmmaking with the movers and shakers and up and comers of the industry, along with movie reviews, interviews, box office round-ups, awards, festival coverage, specialty segments like Tech Talk, Legalese and Classic Corner, and more every Monday at 11am PT/2pm ET - only on Adrenaline Radio!

Information

  • Creator
    debbie lynn elias
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    513
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Elias Entertainment Network
  • Show Website
    Behind The Lens