Director's Club

Jim Laczkowski
Director's Club

A monthly show that reviews one film director per episode with the occasional bonus episode. Episodes 123-172 were hosted by Brad & Al. As of 2022, new episodes will be hosted by Jim and/or Bill. directorsclub.substack.com

  1. 12/24/2024

    Episode 231: Jackie Chan (feat. Sam Inglis & Gabe Powers)

    Happy holidays! Grateful to my incredibly smart and passionate guests to cover a genre I’m not as well-versed in - Hong Kong cinema particularly martial arts action. I am familiar with Buster Keaton though unlike the first time I saw Rumble In The Bronx back in 1995 at the local multiplex. Nevertheless, I know I was watching a legendary talent of the highest caliber even back then. Joining me for a discussion on the directorial work of a master stunt man, actor, singer, death-defying daredevil Jackie Chan… are newcomer Sam Inglis and returning genre champion Gabe Powers. We talk about Jackie’s debut, history and transition into the mainstream focusing on many of his standout titles. Stay tuned for the favorite films of 2024 episode in a couple weeks and thank you all for the support and for listening this year and beyond! And huge gratitude to Sam and Gabe for bringing their expertise that will likely have you jotting down titles to add to your watch list the way they did for me. 00:00 - 03:57 - Introduction / Changes To The Show In 202503:58 - 10:49 - Guest Introductions / Sam’s Origin Story10:50 - 01:34:51 - Chan’s History / Fearless Hyena / Young Master / Project A01:34:52 - 02:25:19 - Police Story / Miracles / Armour Of God II02:25:20 - 02:56:53 - Drunken Master II / Other Notable Titles / Outro Be sure to follow Sam!https://bsky.app/profile/24fpsuk.bsky.socialhttps://letterboxd.com/24FPSUKhttps://open.spotify.com/show/17u9DSmsiByQ56LijyERooBe sure to follow Gabe!https://genregrinder.comhttps://letterboxd.com/gabepowershttps://bsky.app/profile/gabepowers.bsky.social Subscribe to the new Substack / Bluesky / Letterboxd!https://directorsclub.substack.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/jimlaczkowski.bsky.socialhttps://letterboxd.com/jimlaczkowski Director's Club is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Director's Club at directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

    2h 57m
  2. Episode 230: Michael Mann Redux (feat. Brian Tallerico & Ryan Verrill)

    11/25/2024

    Episode 230: Michael Mann Redux (feat. Brian Tallerico & Ryan Verrill)

    Have you been waiting for the Mann? Well it's been over a decade since we last discussed his work back when Patrick and I mainly covered our love for both Heat & The Insider. Cut to present time, I have recruited two of my favorite returning guests to touch upon nearly every title by Michael Mann focusing on his post-Collateral output since it wasn't covered last time.  Grateful to both Ryan Verrill (The Disc-Connected) and Brian Tallerico (RogerEbert.com) for joining me for a delightful conversation about Michael Mann, from his humble beginnings to his foray into digital video and more! Next month after awards season voting ends, we'll be back with a brand new episode covering the directorial work of the legendary Jackie Chan! Stay tuned for an upcoming bonus interview episode featuring filmmaker Joel Potrykus (Vulcanizadora, Buzzard, Relaxer).  00:00 - 04:49 - Introduction 04:50 - 50:30 - Early Michael Mann 50:31 - 01:17:20 - Middle-Period Mann  01:17:21 - 01:44:10 - Recent Mann / Top 3 Favorites / Outro Be sure to follow Brian! https://bsky.app/profile/briantallerico.bsky.social https://www.rogerebert.com/contributors/brian-tallerico https://letterboxd.com/briantt Be sure to follow Ryan! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChV1P_yx88ACwyXKKEOFLcw https://letterboxd.com/disc_connected https://bsky.app/profile/disc-connected.bsky.social Subscribe to my Substack / Bluesky! https://5years.substack.com https://bsky.app/profile/jimlaczkowski.bsky.social Get full access to Director's Club at directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 44m
  3. Episode 229: Guillermo Del Toro (feat. Chloe Waryan)

    10/28/2024

    Episode 229: Guillermo Del Toro (feat. Chloe Waryan)

    The spooky season is here! Why not indulge in the twisted fantasy worlds of one renowned, revered Mexican filmmaker by the name of Guillermo Del Toro! Of course I needed to enlist a super fan of his and I was lucky enough to have returning guest Chloe Waryan back on the show for another truly delightful discussion. Chloe may very well be my go-to guest every October (well at least for next year so we can finally talk about Mike Flanagan). Not to mention, you're in for a surprise when Chloe and I introduce a bonus segment after the movie reviews that I know you'll enjoy! We start out the first ten minutes with some recent horror discoveries from Chloe and a quick review of a documentary I got to catch at the Chicago International Film Festival. For more reviews from there, do check out my Substack linked below! Before Thanksgiving, you'll be treated to a brand new Michael Mann redux episode so stay tuned for that. Thank you so much to Chloe for coming back on and to you for listening.  00:00 - 11:34 - Introduction / Recent Horror Recs 11:35 - 42:05 - Cronos, Mimic, The Devil's Backbone 42:06 - 01:02:47 - Blade II, Hellboys, Pacific Rim 01:02:48 - 01:24:29 - Pan's Labyrinth, Crimson Peak 01:24:30 - 01:49:49 - Shape of Water, Nightmare Alley, Pinocchio 01:49:50 - 02:11:21 - Surprise Segment / Top 3 / Outro Be sure to follow Chloe! https://chloesnotscared.com Chloe's IG https://www.instagram.com/chloesnotscared Subscribe to my Substack! https://5years.substack.com Beach Too Sandy Water Too Wet podcast! https://www.beachtoosandy.com Get full access to Director's Club at directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe

    2h 11m
4.4
out of 5
142 Ratings

About

A monthly show that reviews one film director per episode with the occasional bonus episode. Episodes 123-172 were hosted by Brad & Al. As of 2022, new episodes will be hosted by Jim and/or Bill. directorsclub.substack.com

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