Optimism Vaccine The Optimism Vaccine Network

THIS WEEK: Gone With The Pope (2010), Grizzly II: Revenge (2020), and New York Ninja (2021)
We have plenty of stories of dusty 35mm film reels rescued from obscurity and finally given the reverence and restoration they deserve. It's far rarer when a film that was never completed is rescued and reconstructed. This week, we're looking at three unique approaches to film reconstruction. From Bob Murawski's slick editing and commitment to director Duke Mitchell's vision, to a three-decade-long journey ultimately resulting in a head-spinning horror sequel, and even a full "re-directing" and re-dubbed version of an unreleased John Liu oddity.
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THIS WEEK: Takeshis' (2005), Glory to the Filmmaker (2007), Achilles and the Tortoise (2008)
What do you do when you’re Takeshi Kitano, Japan’s ubiquitous, wildly successful TV and film star, and you begin questioning your own value as an artist? You get introspective introspective and try your best to self-destruct in the most interesting way possible.
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THIS WEEK: The Hand (1981), Body Parts (1991), Idle Hands (1999)
What do Oliver Stone, the guy who wrote The Hitcher and Timothée Chalamet’s uncle have in common? They’ve all made films about killer limbs. Is this loose theme enough to carry an episode? Maybe! Or maybe this was just an excuse to watch another movie starring Jeff Fahey.

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THIS WEEK: House (1985), House II: The Second Story (1987), House III: The Horror Show (1989), House IV (1992)
You might remember House as the dusty VHS tape at your local video store with the creepy finger ringing a doorbell. Maybe you remember House II because of the brilliant subtitle, THE SECOND STORY. Perhaps you caught House III on TV years ago because you spent a solid 20 minutes believing it was Wes Craven's Shocker. And you absolutely don't remember House IV so don't try to act like you do.
No matter what, only one is certain: We should have watched House Party instead.
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THIS WEEK: Ringmaster (1998) and Citizen Verdict (2003)

THIS WEEK: Ghosthouse (1988), Witchery (1988), Beyond Darkness (1990)