300 episodes

Optimism Vaccine’s panel of experts and idiots explore the dingy crevices between pop culture and forgotten trash in a never-ending quest to celebrate your guilty pleasures in the world of cinema and beyond.

Optimism Vaccine The Optimism Vaccine Network

    • TV & Film
    • 4.8 • 22 Ratings

Optimism Vaccine’s panel of experts and idiots explore the dingy crevices between pop culture and forgotten trash in a never-ending quest to celebrate your guilty pleasures in the world of cinema and beyond.

    Abraxas, The Danish Arnold (The Cinema of Sven-Ole Thorsen)

    Abraxas, The Danish Arnold (The Cinema of Sven-Ole Thorsen)

    THIS WEEK: Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe (1990), No Exit (1995), The Viking Sagas (1995)
    Hunk Month, AKA the quest to explore every muscleman-turned-actor in Arnold Schwarzenegger's orbit, continues with a look at some of the major roles played by bodybuilder/powerlifter/natural villain/danish dynamo, Sven-Ole Thorsen. That also means you get TWO Damnia Lee films, a Eurovision star, and all the Jesse Ventura fake Terminator action you can handle.
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    • 1 hr 11 min
    Franco's Island (The Cinema of Franco Columbu)

    Franco's Island (The Cinema of Franco Columbu)

    THIS WEEK: Beretta's Island (1991), Danger in Paradise A.K.A. Taken Alive (1994), Doublecross on Costa's Island (1997), Ancient Warriors (2003)
    Oh, you thought Arnold Schwarzenegger was the only big Hollywood star to come out of Pumping Iron? Maybe you've forgotten all about the illustrious career of Arnie's best friend: Former bodybuilder turned writer/director/producer/action star, Franco Columbu. He's 5'5", jacked to the gills and ready to kill (or at least hack your film to pieces and re-edit it himself).
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    • 1 hr 12 min
    Feeling Arnold's Pump (Pumping Iron 1 and 2)

    Feeling Arnold's Pump (Pumping Iron 1 and 2)

    THIS WEEK: Pumping Iron (1977), Pumping Iron II: The Women (1985)
    We don't agree on much at Optimism Vaccine, but one universal truth around here is our mutual admiration for hunky beefcakes. And when it comes to beefcakes, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bev Francis stand head and shoulders above the competition.
    Join us as we take a magnifying glass to two of George Butler and Charles Gaines' most influential documentaries. We'll answer all of your pressing questions like "Is Arnie the most likable psycho ever?" and "Did George Butler accidentally make an invaluable contribution to the queer film canon?"
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    • 1 hr 13 min
    Pain Don't Hurt (Three Road House Films + A Bonus Road Home)

    Pain Don't Hurt (Three Road House Films + A Bonus Road Home)

    THIS WEEK: Road House (1989), Road House 2: Last Call (2006), Road House (2024), Road House (1948)
    How do you follow up the Rowdy Herrington helmed, Patrick Swayze starring, down-and-dirty shit-kicker fest that is the original Road House? You don't. You just don't touch it. And if you do touch it, don't cast Jake Busey like you're making an extended episode of Shasta McNasty. While you're at it, don't try to remake it 35 years later and hire Conor McGregor either.
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    • 1 hr 29 min
    Viva Santo! (The Cinema of El Santo)

    Viva Santo! (The Cinema of El Santo)

    THIS WEEK: Santo vs. Infernal Men (1961), Santo vs. the Evil Brain (1961), Santo and Blue Demon vs. the Monsters (1970), Santo vs. Doctor Death (1973)
    With a lucha libre wrestling career spanning 50 years and 50+ films under his belt, El Santo achieved god-like status in Mexico without ever taking his mask off in public. Join us as we survey his storied career and see if his star power can elevate low-budget genre films into something sublime.


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    • 1 hr 19 min
    2 Cob 2 Web

    2 Cob 2 Web

    THIS WEEK: Cobweb (2023) and the other Cobweb (2023)
    Last year we were blessed with not one but TWO underappreciated films named COBWEB. One is a wild Halloween-set horror flick buried at your local multiplex in the midst of Barbenheimer fever and the directorial debut of Samuel Bodin. The other is a classic film-about-a-film farce helmed by acclaimed Korean auteur Kim Jee-woon and ignored by the haters at Cannes.
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    • 1 hr 15 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
22 Ratings

22 Ratings

a homerun overtime ,

Don’t keep this Hush Hush

Give a listen !

bare mountain ,

A film freak’s dream

If the words Vinegar Syndrome or psychotronic mean anything to you this is well worth a listen. Doing god’s work fellas.

clairehigs ,

Yay

This is a very good podcast. Very good and funny film chatting. It is delightful.

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