Director's Club

Good evening. Welcome back to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.For episode 3 we find Hitchcock's clout at British International Pictures crumbling, his bosses increasingly fed up with his nonsense and a new beginning that would catapult him to international success. Plus: Alfred Hitchcock does drag!From turgid stage adaptations to bizarre pseudo-screwball, from old dark house farce to basically inventing James Bond, this is one of the wildest stretches of Hitch's career! 0:00 - 0:40 - Intro Music0:41 - 20:46 - The Skin Game (1931)20:47 - 51:41 - Rich and Strange (1931)51:42 - 1:22:06 - Number Seventeen (1932)1:22:07 - 2:26:49 - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)2:26:50 - 2:27:59 - Outro Music

NOTE: After this episode, B-Side Me will be getting its own separate feed as a standalone show! If you enjoy the first five episodes, you'll have to subscribe to the new link which I will share soon!In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I'm happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time, it's all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along with fiancee Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month. This time, it's all about the divisive Counting Crows! Have you heard them lately? Without further ado, here is the 5th episode of B-Side Me.The format is simple: each of us picks an A-side to discuss (a more popular well-known song) and then we choose a B-side (a song that’s more obscure) that we think you should listen to ASAP. Add our choices to playlists, listen to us talk about another art form we both adore just as much as film! Thank you so much to Sharon for joining me on this nerdy podcasting journey and can’t wait for April (this summer, we will also have guests on). Grateful to all of you who listen to this one! Special shout-out to journalist and friend Dan Solomon for contributing too!Watch the new Counting Crows documentary on HBO MAX: https://play.hbomax.com/movie/3a004038-8df4-48c8-8fde-a1d7cfcea1a6

Where to begin discussing a filmmaker like Jodorowsky? Obviously I had heard of him and had seen the documentary, Jodorowsky's Dune, but it was until last year that I sat down to watch The Holy Mountain, knowing I was going to do this episode a few months later. Thanks to Sharon, I have now seen not only one of my new favorite movies, but discovered a new favorite director.Alongside my other favorites: PT Anderson, David Lynch and Sam Raimi, Jodorowsky has something in common with all of them - he treats cinema like a playground of the subconscious or an empty canvas that reflects reality, both bleak and beautiful. To affirm my newly found love are two podcasters/film scholars that I've been meaning to talk with on the show for a long time: Mike White (host of the Projection Booth) and the great Heather Drain!Our main reviews focus on The Holy Mountain and Santa Sangre, but Jodo's other work comes up throughout as well. There are laughs, fireworks, acid trips and digressions galore all in the spirit of a true artist who has likely changes lives, befuddled others and created remarkable art that is truly all his own. The first hour focuses on The Holy Mountain, while the second jumps into Santa Sangre and so much more. No time stamps necessary for this wild journey! Hope you enjoy and be sure to seek out both these two films alongside another masterpiece, El Topo!Follow Mike White: https://www.projectionboothpodcast.comFollow Heather Drain: https://www.mondoheather.comOther references to The Holy Mountain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IAG8JdShaI

Not too big of a summary this time around since the title says it all and there’s a lot to get to in terms of the episode proper. Every year around late February / early March, I call upon Chicago film critic buddies Collin Souter & Erik Childress to join me for an epic 5 hour+ episode discussing as many movies as we can, traveling back in time 30 years to cover an entire year.Clips, trailers, songs, quotes, excerpts, a trailer remix and more! Thank you Collin & Erik as always and thank you to the fans/listeners/subscribers for listening to this yearly tradition.Follow Collin https://letterboxd.com/cdsouterhttps://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/christmasmoviesactuallyhttps://www.collinsouter.comFollow Erikhttps://letterboxd.com/erikthemoviemanhttps://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/moviemadnesshttps://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/the-friendship-dilemma

Good evening. Welcome back to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert.For episode 2 we see Hitchcock break free of his silent era and break ground by producing the first* British sound film. In Easy Virtue (1928) a fallen woman finds new love (and hate) among an upperclass family, in Champagne (1928) a playgirl heiress loses everything and is forced to work a regular job, in Blackmail (1929) a woman kills her rapist and gets blackmailed for it and finally in Murder! (1930) a famous actor turns amateur sleuth to unpack a whodunnit murder mystery.This is the era where Hitchcock goes from British film wunderkind to bonafide national celebrity, with even royalty visiting his sets to see how sound films are made. And his ascent isn't even close to done! Exciting!0:00 - 0:40 - Intro music0:41 - 26:52 - Easy Virtue (1928)26:53 - 57:02 - Champagne (1928)57:03 - 1:50:22 - Blackmail (1929)1:50:23 - 2:11:19 - Murder! (1930)2:11:20 - 2:12:10 - Outro music

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I'm happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time, it's all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along with co-host and partner Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month (sorry we skipped January). For Feb, it's all about the remarkably talented dream pop duo Beach House! The format is simple: each of us picks an A-side to discuss (a more popular well-known song) and then we choose a B-side (a song that’s more obscure) that we think you should listen to ASAP. Add our choices to playlists, listen to us talk about another art form we both adore just as much as film! Thank you so much to Sharon for joining me on this nerdy podcasting journey and can’t wait for March's episode (next year we will also have guests on too). More to come!

The last director-centric episode was back in late November / early December but we're back on the regularly monthly schedule as of now! Huge thanks to my buddies Ross & Tripp for coming on to talk about a true blue classic storyteller, and we have a lot to say! For this episode on the legendary Frank Capra we focus on a couple more obscure titles instead of the popular ones. I chose the pre-code dramedy American Madness while Ross & Tripp picked the adaptation of the hit play Arsenic and Old Lace starring Cary Grant. That's the plan of action I'm taking with this show from now on - I choose a lesser-known film worth discussing and the guest does the same (as much as I love It's A Wonderful Life of course). I'm so grateful to the hosts of A Tripp Through Comedy, one of my favorite shows for joining me on this episode that I'm sure you'll enjoy if you're a fan of Capra (or even if you're not!).Follow Tripp & Ross: A Tripp Through ComedyFollow All-Things Me Here: JimLaczkowski.net

The title says it all. 50 Favorites Part One was done back in 2021. Every couple of years, we nerd out some more! Collect them all, tell your friends!Welcome back Supporting Characters host Bill Ackerman for a 7-hour conversation about 50 more of our very favorite films, bringing the total to 200. Perhaps in 2028 we will return??Thank you for listening and for the support and to Bill for being one of the best guests and friends on the planet. Stay tuned for two more DC episodes this month (Frank Capra + B-Side Me) and then in March, another epic-long episode covering the films of 1996 w/Erik & Collin.Parts 1-350 Favorites (2021): https://www.jimlaczkowski.net/50favorites1 50 Favorites Part II: Dead by Dawn (2022): https://www.jimlaczkowski.net/50favorites250 Favorites Part III in 3D (2024): https://www.jimlaczkowski.net/50favorites350 Favorites Part IV: The Final Chapter (2026): https://www.jimlaczkowski.net/50favorites4Follow and Support Bill's Podcast! https://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/supportingcharacters

Good evening. Welcome to Dial P for Podcast, Patrick Ripoll's year-long chronological voyage through the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Every month Patrick will be watching four Hitchcock features and talking about them here, from The Pleasure Garden to Family Plot, all across the year of 2026, examining the life and work of England's most famous cinema pervert. First up, a slate of silent films. In The Pleasure Garden (1925) a showgirl must fight for her love, in The Lodger (1927) a mysterious new boardinghouse tenant may or may not be a serial killer, in The Ring (1927) an up and coming boxing challenger must fight for his love and in Downhill (1927) a rich schoolboy takes the fall for a friend's crime with disastrous results. The birth of one of the most spectacular careers in film history, the master director's not-so-humble beginning. Check it out, here as a new Director's Club exclusive spin-off series!0:00 - 0:44 - Intro Theme0:45 - 18:47 - The Pleasure Garden (1925)18:48 - 58:21 - The Lodger (1927)58:22 - 1:19:48 - The Ring (1927)1:19:49 - 1:45:21 - Downhill (1927) 1:45:22 - 1:46:09 - Outro Theme

My first live podcast recording! Author/film critic/podcaster Nick Digilio sold out the community room at the Rogers Park Branch library in Chicago to talk all about his new book and memoir, 40 YEARS 40 FILMS. I asked questions, played movie clips, celebrated an accomplished Chicago legend that has meant a lot to me in so many ways these past 30+ years. Thank you to Sharon for coming to the rescue by filming the video last minute which you can view at the link below as an alternative to the audio. Oodles of gratitude to all the patrons, fans, friends and CPL staff for their support and accommodation. Huge congrats to Nick for another great success with this book and for the many years of reviewing films with passion! Thanks everyone for listening!Buy Nick's book: https://eckhartzpress.com/shop/40-years-40-filmsVideo: https://vimeo.com/jimlaczkowski/nickdlibraryBe sure to visit: https://nickdigilio.comCheck out my new website: https://jimlaczkowski.net/nickbookbonuspodcast

Do you love physical media and movies? Then you should be following all-things Ryan. I am truly honored to be joined by returning guest and physical media community superhero Ryan Verrill. We discuss the many projects he has in the works while mainly focusing on his latest distribution company, Antenna Releasing. During the 2nd half of the conversation, we also discuss some of his favorite films of 2025!Per their website, Antenna Releasing is "always looking for exciting new voices in film to champion" and Ryan (along with his two hard-working compadres) are definitely making things happen already with their incredible new endeavor! Thank you so much to Ryan for talking with me on our lunch break and sharing with me all the good news at a time when we need it the most. Follow Ryan here, there, everywhere!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-disc-connected/id1615134944https://www.youtube.com/c/DiscConnectedMediahttps://www.patreon.com/cw/DiscConnectedhttps://letterboxd.com/disc_connectedhttps://www.antennareleasing.com

What a year. Thank God it's over. For a nearly five-hour long conversation among my two dearest friends and fellow podcasters, we reveal 25 our of favorite films of 2025. One of our guests mainly focuses on the horror genre while I decide not to rank the titles and simply list them in alphabetical order. Obviously, my number one is a film we talked about earlier this year in its entirety as a separate bonus episode (below). But there are 24 more films to celebrate as well (many more from my guests too).Joining me as always are film historian/podcaster/commentator Bill Ackerman (Supporting Characters) and the co-host of 96 Greers and the host of Tracks of the Damned, Patrick Ripoll. We all have opinions, lots of surprises to share and so many titles for you to seek out. I wish I was a bit more enthused about the year in film but I am very happy to share 25 titles that I certainly think are well worth your time. Hoping you feel this episode is also worth your time! And so grateful to my two passionate cinephiles for returning to nerd out on New Year's Day!Special thanks to guest contributor and friend Chloe Waryan (of Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast) for sharing her picks at around the 18 minute mark too!Follow Bill: Supporting CharactersFollow Patrick: 96 Greers // Tracks of the DamnedListen To Us Discuss One Battle After Another: My Favorite Film of 2025Other Year-End Episodes From Previous Guests I Recommend:The Nick D PodcastGenre GrinderNot Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast

What the hell is Bloodbeat?? From one-and-done French filmmaker Fabrice-Ange Zaphiratos, filmed in Wisconsin. A young woman travels to rural Wisconsin to meet her boyfriend's family, but she becomes possessed by the spirit of a Japanese samurai who goes on killing spree anytime she becomes aroused. You read that synopsis correctly which is precisely why I decided to concoct a special holiday bonus episode featuring friends Matt Greene & Jesse Oliver for an experimental episode on a truly bizarre holiday horror film that has become a favorite. You can still watch the movie after listening to us describe it in detail because you won't believe your eyes. It is available to find in its entirety on YouTube; I recommend blind buying the Vinegar Syndrome Blu-Ray linked below.For this deep dive rabbit hole, I edited together excerpts of Matt & Jesse describing it along with excerpts from other podcasts/YouTube videos sprinkled throughout. Clips from the film and director! There is a lot of synth music, robot voices, an edited/compressed version of me talking about this one-of-a-kind movie. Happy holidays and see you in 2026 for the year-in-review favorites of 2025 episode soon!More interesting info: https://www.wisconsinfrights.com/blood-beatBuy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Beat-Blu-ray-DVD-Combo/dp/B075427Q6Q

Happy Bonus Episode to all and to all a good listen. Here are some of my favorite songs of 2025 that you can enjoy as an 80-minute playlist here in the feed. YouTube and Spotify won't likely keep it up for long (if at all) but it'll be here in the official feed for now as a gift to the listeners who want to hear some new tunes that I really enjoyed in a stellar year for new music. Support these artists! Happy holidays and thank you for your kindness and support this past year.2025 SongsPretrial (let her go home) - Fiona AppleAu Pays du Cocaine - GeeseLove Takes Miles - Cameron WinterSo Be It - ClipseDancing in the Club - This is Lorelei & MJ Lendermen2468 - HorsegirlCicada - The OpheliasYUHDONTSTOP - De La SoulHeadphones On - Addison RaeTotal euphoria - CarolineNora - Case OatsCadillac - Colin MillerWasteland - SnocapsElderberry Wine - WednesdayBeyond That Moon - Madison CunninghamDidn’t I - Liam KazarDivinize - LuxMonte Carlo / No Limits - Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse BandBetter Be Quiet Now - Brad MehldauApple Music Playlist: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/2025-songs/pl.u-DKD5czlda3

Side note: In the midst of the migration from Substack to Ghost, this episode got lost in the shuffle somehow so it's back in the feed now. Apologies for the confusion / repost. There may be bugs but hopefully few and far between. Thanks again for the support, all!Returning guest, Chicago film critic, and regular contributor to the Movie Madness podcast is back for a long overdue third appearance. His most memorable one being well over a decade ago when he took the pro-side on the infamous Brian De Palma episode.None other than the talented and hilarious Peter Sobczynski volunteered to discuss the (mostly) underrated works of satirist Michael Ritchie (no relation to Guy) who had a career with high highs and low lows. We talk mainly about three of his most under-appreciated films and skim through the majority of his filmography (despite the return to the old format change). Thank you so much Peter for coming back and stay tuned next month for another episode of B-Side Me and another returning Chicago film critic and podcaster as well to discuss another legendary comedy director!00:00 - 13:06 - Introduction with Peter (awards season is coming)13:07 - 45:49 - Prime Cut + Early Ritchie45:50 - 01:16:50 - The Island! 01:16:51 - 01:47:21 - Other Ritchie Titles01:47:22 - 01:58:02 - The Positively True Adventures…01:58:03 - 02:09:54 - Top 3 Ritchie Films / OutroFollow Peter!Read Peter at RogerEbert.comSubscribe to Peter’s Substack

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along w/co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month. This time, it's all about the remarkably talented Fiona Apple! Without further ado, here is the 3rd episode of B-Side Me.The format is simple: each of us pick an A-side to discuss (a more popular well-known song) and then we choose a B-side (a song that’s more obscure) that we think you should listen to ASAP. Add our choices to playlists, listen to us talk about another art form we both adore just as much as film! Thank you so much to Sharon for joining me on this nerdy podcasting journey and can’t wait for 2026 (next year - we will also have guests on too).Patrick Podcast - Uptown Song Club (more Fiona talk): https://www.buzzsprout.com/2039079/episodes/11190527-1-we-are-all-just-meat

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along w/co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month (we missed October but that’s okay, it was a very busy month). Without further ado, here is the 2nd episode of B-Side Me.The format is simple: each of us pick an A-side to discuss (a more popular well-known song) and then we choose a B-side (a song that’s more obscure) that we think you should listen to ASAP. Add our choices to playlists, listen to us talk about another art form we both adore just as much as film! Thank you so much to Sharon for joining me on this nerdy podcasting journey and can’t wait for episode 3 in December (next year - we will also have guests on too).

No description necessary! The title says it all. Well it was tempting to record all 12 hours of us talking through the entire franchise for the ultimate commentary track and podcast for 7 films, we thought it was best to record quick reactions after each film as we binged them all in one entire day. Happy Halloween, bitch!BE SURE TO STAY TO THE VERY END. There’s a surprise special cameo that really was a real treat for both of us to say the least. Now here are a lot of photos if you're seeing this on Substack that is :)

Returning guest, writer, librarian, Instagram superstar and host of the Not Scared Podcast, the great Chloe Waryan, returns for her yearly visit to talk about a horror filmmaker! This time it’s all about the beloved Mike Flanagan. Do we love him as much as the rest of the horror community? You’ll have to listen to find out not just our thoughts, but former co-host and horror enthusiast Patrick Ripoll makes a cameo as well. Thank you so much Chloe for coming back and stay tuned for a new episode of B-Side Me later in the month too!00:00 - 03:29 - Intro03:30 -10:27 - Recent Horror Films Chloe Recommends10:28 - 52:40 - Let’s Talk Flanagan, Oculus52:41 - 01:28:57 - Doctor Sleep, Shush/Hush, Chuck, etc.01:28:58 - 01:36:26 - Patrick’s Thoughts01:36:27 - 01:56:02 - Favorite Flanagan Films / OutroFollow Chloe!Substack/Not Scared PodcastLetterboxdChloe's Not ScaredDirector's Club is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thanks for reading Director's Club! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit directorsclub.substack.com/subscribe