Kael Your Idols: A New Hollywood Podcast Sam Ludwig and Alana Gibson

Question: If a movie about doppelgängers is itself a doppelgänger of another movie about doppelgängers… uh… like… what’s up with that, huh? Our hosts will attempt to answer at least a version of that question as they voyeuristically peek into the world of Brian De Palma’s “Obsession”. This episode could prove extra confusing if you haven’t actually seen the movie given that: not only is it relatively obscure, its only reason to exist is as a comment on the 1958 Hitchcock masterwork Vertigo. So… you should really at least watch THAT movie before you listen. But whatever. Do what you want to do. It’s a pretty good episode if we do say so ourselves! Topics include: Veneta vs. Cornell ‘77, Game of Thrones, and Hollywood-gate.

It’s Problematic Art Week on KYI! This episode Alana and Sam are joined by animator Frank Gidlewski for a round-table on Ralph Bakshi’s 1973 Künstlerroman "Heavy Traffic". There is much talk of the film's depictions of various taboos both sexual and racial, so, be warned. Also much rumination on the woes of the modern film/animation landscape so…TW for that as well, if you’re an animator. Other topics include: making out during edgy movies, parallels with the Godfather, and feuds with R. Crumb.

Destiny’s dance continues! This week the hosts go around and around in their conversation on Sydney Pollack’s 1969 ode to the hopelessness of human existence (under capitalism)! This 1930s era Jane Fonda vehicle proves to be delightful fodder for Alana and Sam to morbidly contemplate its grim vision of fate. And speaking of grim fates: the film also co-stars Gig Young…Yeesh! Topics include: the birth of existentialism, tracking shots in Gilmore Girls, and Red Buttons.

It’s Watergate time on Kael Your Idols! Sorry to jump right in to it but we didn’t want to bury the lede. In this episode the hosts get drawn into a web of lies and cover-ups as they discuss the 1976 classic “All The President’s Men”. This tale of the greatest newspaper caper ever provides the perfect launching off point for discussing a plethora of New Hollywood character actors and themes. You can’t possibly imagine how high up this goes. Topics include: ‘Mark Twain Tonight’, impressing your boss, and paranoia.

This week on the ol’ podcast: Barbara Loden’s massively under-seen film Wanda (1970). We held this conversation a few months ago in the wake of the film placing 49th on the most recent Sight and Sound poll. Is this reputation warranted? Has the movie gone too quickly from being something no one ever heard of to supposedly being considered one of the greatest films of all time? Join Alana and Sam for a rough, run and gun discussion of this recently rediscovered 70s masterpiece. Topics include: Company: A Cast Album, female anti-heroes, and the S.T.I.G.M.A. Manifesto.

If you want to sing out! Sing out! Kael Your Idols is pleased to bring you another Very Special Episode as we turn our attention and our empathy towards the career of Hal Ashby. The hosts are joined by film person Michael J. Dougherty to trace the tragicomic trajectory of this titan of 70s cinema; starting with Ashby's work as an acclaimed editor and terminating with the studio shutting him out of his final film’s editing room. For the purpose of this episode we mainly concern ourselves with The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), Coming Home (1978), and 8 Million Ways to Die (1986), but the conversation touches on almost all of his notable projects. Topics include: allergies to preciousness,  predictions about the writers strike (this was recorded last summer), and Greta Gerwig.