The B-Side: A Film Stage Podcast The Film Stage

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today we dive into the highest-grossing actor in the history of cinema: Samuel L. Jackson. The man of many franchises, he’s one bad mother––SHUT YOUR MOUTH!

Our B-Sides include Sphere, The Red Violin, Rules of Engagement, and Formula 51 (a.k.a. The 51st State a.k.a. woof). We talk about what the “L” in Samuel L. Jackson stands for, we marvel at the legend’s insane activist past, and his late-breaking career.

There’s also a deep dive into the historical origins of The Red Violin (inspired by a violin currently played by the great Elizabeth Pitcairn), the downfall of Sphere’s plot, and the troubled politics of Rules of Engagement. We do not talk too much about Formula 51, in full transparency.

Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook at @TFSBSide. Also enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. We are also now on Spotify and Stitcher. Enjoy!

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie directors! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today we pay our respects to Joel Schumacher, who passed away on June 22, 2020. A costume designer-turned-director, Schumacher made a name for himself with St. Elmo’s Fire and The Lost Boys in the mid-to-late 1980s. As demonstrated in those hit films, the filmmaker had an unparalleled eye for young talent. We examine four of lesser-remembered pictures: Cousins, Dying Young, Flawless, and Veronica Guerin.

There’s plenty of tangents here, as Schumacher was quite an outspoken sort. There are many interviews to reference and admire. We discuss his championing of young star Julia Roberts during her tumultuous rise to fame, the deep love he reveals for his characters (as evidenced in Cousins especially), the passionate failure of Flawless, and the complicated canonization of the title character in Veronica Guerin. We also take the time to celebrate good pal Jason Bailey’s piece in which he reminds his readers that Schumacher saved Batman for a moment there.

Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook at @TFSBSide. Also enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. We are also now on Spotify and Stitcher. Enjoy!

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars. Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today we celebrate a dark knight. The Batman himself, Robert Pattinson. Over a decade ago, the young actor leapt into the hearts of many a young fan playing Edward in the Twilight series. As his star rose, Pattinson would get weirder and weirder in his role choices. The ultimate result is a filmography primarily built by B-sides. Today, dan and Conor focus on four: Remember Me, Water For Elephants, Queen of the Desert, and Damsel.

We bring up that GQ profile that got some traction at the start of quarantine, The Takeout’s attempt to make Pattinson’s “fast food pasta,” the quite-memorable ending of Remember Me, the impressive life of Gertrude Bell (on which Queen of the Desert is based), and the tragedy that nobody has watched Damsel.

Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook at @TFSBSide. Also enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. Enjoy!

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie directors! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today we celebrate an impressive artist: writer/director Kasi Lemmons! After breaking out as an actress in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Lemmons impressed with her directorial debut Eve’s Bayou in 1997. Roger Ebert championed it and the film emerged as one of the biggest indie hits of the year. What followed for Lemmons were three films that disappointed at the box office, though all of them offer plenty to chew on: The Caveman’s Valentine in 2001, Talk To Me in 2007 and Black Nativity in 2013. We admire the performances Lemmons gets from her actors, the aesthetic flourishes that pervade each work and a frequently unapologetic look at race, identity and stereotypes.

We reference multiple interviews the filmmaker has given over the years, reflecting on what it was like to watch the rise of black voices in cinema in the ‘80s and ‘90s and what’s like now to see a new group of filmmakers rise to the occasion. The life and death of the mid-major studio also comes up, whether it’s the failure of Broad Green Pictures, the survival of Bleecker Street, Lionsgate acquiring Summit back in 2012 or STX Entertainment’s big swings at big content. Finally, Lemmons’ 2019 picture Harriet is also discussed, a film that earned its star Cynthia Erivo TWO Oscars nominations.

We’re also excited to announce a dedicated page for The B-Side where you can find every actor/director and the films discussed in one place: https://bit.ly/2Abfnlb

Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook at @TFSBSide. Also enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. We are also now on Spotify and Stitcher. Enjoy!

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today we bring in a heavy hitter - Murtada Elfadl of Sundays With Cate - to discuss the most-accomplished actress in the history of Hollywood: Meryl Streep. Among her TWENTY-ONE Oscar nominations, there are 4 B-Sides we dig up to examine: The Seduction Of Joe Tynan, Falling In Love, Before and After, and Prime.

We marvel at the cultural moment in which Alan Alda was a HUGE movie star, how handsome Bobby De Niro is in Falling In Love, how Alfred Molina nearly saves Before and After, and the wasted potential of Prime. Also noted is the limited, impressive career of director Ulu Grosbard and the propensity for movie studios to adapt provocative, best-selling novels in the ‘90s.

Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook at @TFSBSide. Also enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. We are also now on Spotify and Stitcher. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for listening to the podcast. In between a couple of our main episodes, we wanted to highlight some smart podcasts, some smart people and some smart funds/causes to which we’ve both been listening/donating. Links below:

To Get Active:

Minnesota Freedom Fund: https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/
Campaign Zero: https://www.joincampaignzero.org/
8 Can’t Wait: https://8cantwait.org/
DeRay Mckesson on Ending Police Brutality: https://bit.ly/2AxkZ9n

To Listen:

BLACK MEN CAN'T JUMP [IN HOLLYWOOD]
http://blackmenpodcast.com/

Who Shot Ya?
https://bit.ly/3762Dso

Black on Black Cinema
https://blackonblackcinema.podbean.com/

Medium Popcorn
https://mediumpopocorn.podomatic.com/

Black Girl Film Club
https://bit.ly/3dxzHvB

Stay active, stay positive. Affect change. And watch movies if it helps ya.

We love you all.