An Invitation Productions

I was a casual fan of this film and during one of my long commutes into work I decided to give this podcast a try. Boy am I glad I did. Jim Penola’s voice is hypnotic and his passion for this film shines through each chapter. They way he articulates each scene with intelligent breakdowns and thoughtful observations is truly incredible. I have gone from a casual to obsessive fan of this film and I owe that to Mr. Penola. His interviews with the cast and crew are so well done, you can tell how devoted he is to his craft and you can feel his excitement through the speakers. Do yourself a favor and check it out, I hope more is to come!

Holy moly what a ride! Absolutely stunning production. Exceptional writing and direction, great audio quality, awesome pacing. Jim Penola’s voice is phenomenal. The intros are not simply script readings but well-crafted radio drama with an awesome cast introduced further in the series. Combined with the soundtrack, sound bites, foley work (what would that be called for radio?) and the fact that the movie and the screenplay deviate from one another, Jim makes it easy for the listener to get swept up in the new avenues of the story. His expert research and production knowledge— what was kept, what was cut, what was the writers, what was the director, what was expected, what was an accident – makes each beat of rolling commentary more insightful than the last. The man loves what he’s talking about and has a bank of knowledge to speak expertly, accessibly, and eloquently on each and every set of pages. It is a thoroughly immersive experience. Additionally, the quality of the soundtrack by John Penola sets an amazing tone, leaving the listener with a unique sense of apprehension while concurrently lulling us into the safe rhythm of host’s speaking cadence -- a nice echoy nod to the ever-anxiety-inducing tone set by the movie itself. All in all, this is an incredibly entertaining, insightful, well crafted, well-paced, nuanced deep dive on The Invitation. I cannot recommend this podcast enough. Do yourself a favor -- start as soon as you can. Can’t wait for the last two episodes to drop. Great work.

An Invitation to the Invitation is a podcast for those who relish a deep dive into the nature of film, and cinematic process. Joined with the celebration of theme and nuance, Jim’s seductive and descriptive narration entwined with the podcast’s mesmerizing soundtrack, draws you into the mind of a super fan and the movie’s creators. Such an alluring combination leaves you longing to be “invited” along for more! 😎🍷🎬

A hypnotic deep dive into an under-appreciated film. This meticulously crafted and deeply insightful exploration of Karyn Kusama’s haunting psychological thriller THE INVITATION is beautifully produced and carefully calibrated (kudos to John Penola for the score!) for a truly hypnotic and meditative experience. Host Jim Penola must be the kind of viewer that filmmakers dream of - uncannily observant, erudite, and finely attuned to and appreciative of every aspect of a film’s creation. If only every excellent, under-appreciated movie got this kind of loving, single-minded attention!