I have to admit I am addicted to podcasts. It is amazing that so much free content is available, and I usually top up my iPod – yes I’m one of those Luddites with an old fashioned iPod Classic as that is the only device that has a large enough capacity my music – on a daily basis. There are some great podcasts covering sport, television and comedy, but I am concentrating on those covering films.
The overrated
I am often surprised about which podcasts get the most publicity, regularly popping up in best of lists. Here a couple of examples that are okay, but are wildly overpraised. You Must Remember This covers old time Hollywood tales and I am interested in the subject matter, but I find it is covered more in depth and more entertainingly elsewhere. The host Karina Longworth’s drawl is probably an acquired taste, and each episode takes so long to get going with the ads and previews at the start. How Did This Get Made trashes bad films. There are some amusing moments, but the presenters are not as funny as they seem to think they are.
Ones to dip into
The podcasts in the essential listens below are great whatever the subject of each episode. Others are worth a listen occasionally, depending on what they are covering, such as the magazine programme, The Film Programme from Radio 4 and The Next Picture Show which compares and contrasts a new release with an older movie.
If you have run out of other options, Filmspotting SVU is worth a go but as it concentrates on movies that are streaming in the US, it is not that relevant to UK listeners.
The specialist listens
Criterion are probably the leading distributors of classic films on DVD and Blu Ray. Each disk is painstakingly restored, where needed, and contains a plethora of extras. There are a large number of Criterion related podcasts under the Criterion Cast banner. My favourite of these was Off The Shelf, probably because it cast its net wider than the one label, but there have been no new episodes this year. If you are into James Bonding, The James Bonding podcast is worth a listen. Generally devoting an episode to one film, it is best listened to shortly after seeing the film under discussion.
Oscar Oscar would probably have been in the best section a couple of years ago when it was released on a near weekly basis, especially the 3 AMovIeGOerS episodes. However, the talented host, Jason O’Brien, is concentrating on his documentary film making career so it is rare to have shows released outside of the Oscar period. During that time, though, it is essential listening.
The weekly review shows
I suppose this is the most obvious podcast idea and there are plenty of choices on offer. Film Weekly from The Guardian was an essential listen, but after a couple of hiatuses, that was finally culled last year. Of the current offerings, I like Failed Critics and Film Fandango. Neither are particularly serious and the presenters do lack knowledge of movie history, but they are entertaining listens. A new addition is The Little White Lies podcast. Helmed by James Richardson, from the great Guardian Football Weekly podcast, the reviews from professional critics are a bit more erudite, and Richardson holds it all together well.
The essential listens
When it comes to detailed and intelligent reviews, you can’t beat Filmspotting. The hosts, Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen are informed and informative, as were Larsen’s predecessors. My favourite element of the show is the top 5 lists that close each episode.
If you are looking for a general film discussion show, Movie Geeks United should fit the bill. The regular hosts, Jamey Duvall, Jerry Dennis and, especially, Dean Treadaway have an astonishing depth of knowledge. The chat can get sparky, but it is always a fascinating mix of new release reviews, discussion of movie news and examination of film lists. Duvall is also one of the Amoviegoer contributors to the Oscar Oscar show and I particularly enjoy the episodes where Adam Long joins the guys to review the new blu ray releases.
For a look at films of the golden age, I would recommend listening to two that are provided by Adam Roche. Both are all the better for not concentrating on the usual cannon of old films. Attaboy Clarence is a light-hearted mixture of amusing chat, reviews, funny old adverts and a classic radio play with a film connection. Subscribing to Attaboy Clarence on iTunes will also allow you to receive episodes of The Secret History of Hollywood. These are more serious examinations covering a range of subjects. Roche and I have very similar tastes, as he has provided series based on the Universal monsters, the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies and Alfred Hitchock, amongst others. The lengths may be daunting, with the 3 Hitchcock episodes running to over 19 hours, but they are never boring.
For a dissection of mostly poor movies, your best bet is Film Sack. Approaching 350 episodes, the quality remains consistently high, mainly thanks to the 4 contributors. All of them bring something different to the show and it is apparent that they are good friends. Episodes covering films I haven’t seen are just as entertaining as those on films I am very familiar with.
My final selection is an obvious one – the Kermode and Mayo Film Reviews show. A bit of a cheat in that it is actually a radio show (on 5 Live, 2pm Fridays) but listening to the podcast version is better. Not only are all the breaks for news, sport etc cut out, there is a lot of additional content at the beginning and at the end. Mark Kermode is just about the best critic working in this country and he reviews all of the major and important releases. However, the joy of the show is in the chemistry between Kermode and presenter Simon Mayo.