Nostalgium Arcanum

Doug Lief
  • 5.0 (13)
  • TV & Film
  • Updated Weekly

Each episode we add a new entry to the Nostalgium Arcanum, a repository for the movies, tv, music, games, and other pop culture that still enchants us today. Find us on the socials by googling "Nostalgium", and support us (and get bonus content) at www.patreon.com/nostalgium.

  1. 2d ago

    Final Fantasy X

    Final Fantasy X dives deep into complex themes of religion and race, love and sacrifice. From the opening strains of its memorable score, the game immediately grabs its audience with its narrative ambition, and unique aesthetic beauty. We recruit game critic Luis Aguasvivas (NPR) and podcaster Dave Jackson (Tales From The Backlog, https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/) to join our pilgrimage to slay god, religion itself, and some scrub Blitzball teams along the way. Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium! Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod). If you have feedback, find us on the socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/265036650022926/ The symbol formerly known as Twitter: @nostalgiumpod BlueSky: @nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_nostalgium_arcanum_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nostalgium_arcanum_/ You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions. Musical Credits: Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie) All music from Final Fantasy X by - Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Junya Nakano

    Final Fantasy X

  2. Aug 10

    Video Game Soundtracks

    From the moment you pop in a quarter or press start, video games have used music to enthrall, entice, and plumb even more complex emotions, far more than one might expect from the push of a button. On this podcast we celebrate the composers who have wrestled microchips, midi, and mp3s into the rich sonic (and sometimes Sonic) tapestries that elevate simple zeroes and ones into powerful musical experiences. We're joined by a full panel of games podcasters including Dave Jackson (Tales From The Backlog), Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) and Chris Coplien (Retro Hangover) to roundtable our favorite game soundtracks. Check out the incredible podcasts from our panel: Retro Hangover (https://retrohangover.captivate.fm/) Pixel Project Radio (https://linktr.ee/pixelprojectradio) Tales From The Backlog (https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/) Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium! Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod). If you have feedback, find us on the socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/265036650022926/ The symbol formerly known as Twitter: @nostalgiumpod BlueSky: @nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_nostalgium_arcanum_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nostalgium_arcanum_/ You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions. Musical Credits: Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie) Pac-Man -Shigeichi Ishimura, Toshio Kai The Legend of Zelda – Koji Kondo ActRaiser – Yuzo Koshiro Crash Bandicoot - Josh Mancell Live & Learn – Crush40 Legend of Mana – Yoko Shimomura Silent Hill 2 - Akira Yamaoka The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time – Koji Kondo Narita Boy - Salvador Fornieles Grandia - Noriyuki Iwadare Skullgirls - Michiru Yamane, Vincent Diamante, Brenton Kossak, Blaine McGurty Shovel Knight – Jake Kaufman Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse - Hidenori Maezawa, Jun Funahashi, Yukie Morimoto, Yoshinori Sasaki Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – Brad Buxer, Sega Sound Team, and maybe Michael Jackson? Kingdom Hearts 2 - Yoko Shimomura Hotline Miami – Paris (M|O|O|N) The 7th Guest – The Fat Man Final Fantasy VIII – Nobuo Uematsu Final Fantasy IV – Nobuo Uematsu Final Fantasy VI – Nobuo Uematsu Sadow of the Colossus – Kow Otoni Super Mario Galaxy – Koji Kondo Ni No Kuni: The Wrath of the White Witch – Joe Hisaishi Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean – Motoi Sakuraba Street Fighter EX Plus α - Takayuki Aihara, Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht - Yasunori Mitsuda F-Zero X - Taro Bando, Hajime Wakai Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag – Bryan Tyler Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana - Hayato Sonoda, Takahiro Unisuga, Yukihiro Jindo, Mitsuo Singa Drakengard - Nobuyoshi Sano, Takayuki Aihara Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War - Keiki Kobayashi, Tetsukazu Nakanishi, Hiroshi Okubo, Junichi Nakatsuru Hollow Knight – Christopher Larkin Chrono Cross - Yasunori Mitsuda Nine Sols – FFXX, Im Baek Hun, Troy Lin, Shih-Wei Yang Dead Kennedys – Police Truck Claire Obscur: Expedition 33 – Lorien Testard – Lumiere Streets of Rage 2 - Yuzo Koshiro, Motohiro Kawashima Lisa: The Painful - Austin Jorgensen Nier - Keiichi Okabe, Kakeru Ishihama, Keigo Hoashi, Takafumi Nishimura Megaman 2 - Takashi Tateishi – Wily Stage 1 Chrono Trigger - Yasunori Mitsuda, Nobuo Uematsu, Noriko Matsueda Pentiment - Alkemie Early Music Ensemble Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - Jamie Christopherson Super Mario World – Koji Kondo Conker’s Bad Fur Day - Robin Beanland

    Video Game Soundtracks

  3. Aug 3

    Shadow of the Colossus

    "Shadow of the Colossus" truly casts a colossal shadow. When the question arises as to whether video games are art, this game is always Exhibit A in favor. Haunting, simultaneously minimalist and maximalist, Fumito Ueda's masterpiece challenged gameplay design in order to perfectly meld play with emotion. We're joined by guests Professors Funky and Aria from the Tabletop Hot Takes podcast (https://tabletop-hot-takes.captivate.fm/) to wander the Forbidden Lands and go aggro on skyscraper-sized beasts, but perhaps at the cost of our souls. Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium! Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod). If you have feedback, find us on the socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/265036650022926/ The symbol formerly known as Twitter: @nostalgiumpod BlueSky: @nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_nostalgium_arcanum_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nostalgium_arcanum_/ You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions. Musical Credits: Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie) All music from Shadow of the Colossus by Koh Ohtani

    Shadow of the Colossus

  4. Jul 27

    Spider-Man

    Thwip! Our summer of Sam Raimi continues as we revisit Spider-Man's first outing with Toby Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, and Willem DaFoe bringing the storied web-slinger to high-flying death-defying action. Borrowing lessons learned from Darkman, Sam Raimi's vision for Peter Parker took Marvel's premiere teen crime fighter out of development hell and into franchise heaven. We're joined by podcaster Matt Storm aka Stormageddon ("Fun" and Games, Reignite - www.djstormageddon.com) to revisit when Spider-Man's appearance truly was a brand new day. Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod). If you have feedback, find us on the socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/265036650022926/ The symbol formerly known as Twitter: @nostalgiumpod BlueSky: @nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_nostalgium_arcanum_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nostalgium_arcanum_/ You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions. Musical Credits: Intro - Dark Flute - Jim Guthrie All score from Spider-Man by Danny Elfman Ode to a Superhero - "Weird" Al Yankovic

    Spider-Man

  5. Jul 20

    Darkman

    Who is Darkman? That question, posed by the film's marketing, is answered with a laundry list including creator Sam Raimi, actor Liam Neeson, and a slough of influences from The Shadow, to The Phantom of the Opera, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Batman, and many more. A true Frankenstein of a film lurching wildly from comic book action, to horror, to tragedy, to manic comedy, the movie walks a hard-to-resist tightrope that only Sam Raimi can pull off. We're joined by guest filmmaker Alex Sosin ("The Canyon") to peel back Darkman's many faces to explore what lies underneath. Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium! Check out the teaser for The Canyon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFFWbNbdtKA Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod). If you have feedback, find us on the socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/265036650022926/ The symbol formerly known as Twitter: @nostalgiumpod BlueSky: @nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_nostalgium_arcanum_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nostalgium_arcanum_/ You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions. Musical Credits: Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie) All score from Darkman by Danny Elfman

    Darkman

  6. Jul 13

    Robots

    In 2005 "Robots" rolled off the assembly line from Blue Sky Studios, and it surprisingly remains greater than the sum of its nuts, bolts, and other assorted parts. Celebrating the aspects of capitalism that reward ingenuity and innovation, and satirizing the aspects of capitalism that incentivise profit at any cost, the film features wildly inventive production design and winning performance from an enormous celebrity roster including Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Greg Kinnear, Stanley Tucci, Paul Giamatti, Mel Brooks, and many many many many more. We're joined by Sophia Riccardi of the Moviestruck podcast (https://moviestruck.transistor.fm/) to discuss why this film's components are anything but outmoded. Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium! Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod). If you have feedback, find us on the socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/265036650022926/ The symbol formerly known as Twitter: @nostalgiumpod BlueSky: @nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_nostalgium_arcanum_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nostalgium_arcanum_/ You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions. Musical Credits: Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie) All score from Robots by John Powell Eye of the Tiger - Survivor Underground - Tom Waits Get Up Offa That Thing - James Brown

    Robots

  7. Jul 6

    Songs of 1992

    After Nevermind permanently altered the musical landscape in 1991, the following year continued music's fractured attempt to catch up with rapidly changing styles. We wish-a-you joy and happiness in revisiting our personal favorites from 1992's jukebox with guest creeps and weirdos comedian Rich Baker, and our co-hosts from "Playing By Ear", Ami Lief and Kyle Lieberman. If you want to take an online improv class from Rich, go to www.daretofailimprov.com (first class is free!). Ami's handmade earrings can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomoBunnysmoreCo Check out Kyle's band, Kyle and The Silver Dork, wherever you get you music, or here on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0cxlTh9yM7rSBkZBb5aIKw Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium! Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm) and our limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (patreon.com/stillloadingpod). If you have feedback, find us on the socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/265036650022926/ The symbol formerly known as Twitter: @nostalgiumpod BlueSky: @nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_nostalgium_arcanum_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nostalgium_arcanum_/ You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions. Musical Credits: Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie) Baby Got Back – Sir Mix-A-Lot Them Bones – Alice in Chains Rooster – Alice in Chains When A Man Loves A Woman – Michael Bolton Runaway Train – Soul Asylum Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton Keep The Faith - Bon Jovi The Rockford Peaches - The All American Girls Professional Baseball League Song Smells Like Nirvana – “Weird” Al Yankovic Everything About You – Ugly Kid Joe Queen of the Night – Whitney Houston Save The Best For Last – Vanessa Williams Steam – Peter Gabriel Remedy – The Black Crowes Drive – R.E.M. Creep – Radiohead Tennessee – Arrested Development Lithium – Nirvana Rain – Madonna Under The Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers What’s Up? – 4 Non Blondes Model Girl – Gary Hughes Sublime – Date Rape No Rain – Blind Melon A Whole New World – Alan Menken and Tim Rice Friday I’m In Love - The Cure Right Now – Van Halen I Have Nothing – Whitney Houston Until I Fall Away – Gin Blossoms House of Pain – Jump Around Nothing Else Matters - Metallica Just Another Day – Jon Secada Everybody Hurts – R.E.M. Killing in the Name Of – Rage Against the Machine You Don’t Love Me Anymore – “Weird” Al Yankovic I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston Man on the Moon – R.E.M. Achy Breaky Song – “Weird” Al Yankovic

    Songs of 1992

  8. Jun 27

    Labyrinth

    Though dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, on this episode we celebrate 40 years of the babe with the power, as Jennifer Connelly braves her way through Jim Henson's "Labyrinth". Full of astounding designs, puppetry, humor, and iconic songs from a mesmerising David Bowie, while Labyrinth was not an immediate financial success, the film's undeniable awesomeness has proven it still has power over you. We're joined by guest Josh Covel of the Still Loading podcast (and our co-host on the Jim Henson retrospective podcast "Still Muppeting") to celebrate one of the greatest movies of the 1980s. Come inside, and have a nice cup of tea! Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium! Be sure to also check out our monthy musical podcast, "Playing By Ear" (https://playingbyear.fireside.fm). If you enjoyed this, it's also part of our aforementioned limited-run Jim Henson Series, "Still Muppeting" (www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod). We also had the pleasure of recently guesting on The Pop Break's retrospective on Beck, "Podelay!" specifically covering his album "Guero". Head to www.thepopbreak.com to listen. Next week we'll be on the Table Top Hot Takes podcast (https://tabletop-hot-takes.captivate.fm/) discussing Final Fantasy IX. If you have feedback, find us on the socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/265036650022926/ The symbol formerly known as Twitter: @nostalgiumpod BlueSky: @nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@_nostalgium_arcanum_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nostalgium_arcanum_/ You can also use YouTube, if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/@NostalgiumArcanum/podcasts Be sure to follow us on Instagram in particular since that's where we post bonus content, and on TikTok (@nostalgiumarcanum) for Doug's impressions. Musical Credits: Intro - Dark Flute (Jim Guthrie) All songs from Labyrinth by David Bowie All score from Labyrinth by Trevor Jones

    Labyrinth
See All (210)

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Each episode we add a new entry to the Nostalgium Arcanum, a repository for the movies, tv, music, games, and other pop culture that still enchants us today. Find us on the socials by googling "Nostalgium", and support us (and get bonus content) at www.patreon.com/nostalgium.

Information

  • Creator
    Doug Lief
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    210
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Douglas Lief
  • Show Website
    Nostalgium Arcanum