Film Stories with Simon Brew
491 episodes — Page 1 of 10
In conversation with Aaron Sorkin
Quantum Of Solace, the rushed Bond, plus indie director Brenda Lee
In conversation with former Carolco CEO Peter M Hoffman
The Inbetweeners Movie (2011), and the incredibly fast turnaround of a box office giant
Adam Randall on directing Slow Horses, his mystery IMDB film, and Gary Oldman's text messages
James Cameron's Titanic (1997), the two battling studios, and drugs in the chowder
Interview special with Oscar winner Susanne Bier (Practical Magic 2) and producer Ken Petrie (Sunny Dancer and more)
Parenthood, the plane trip that led to the film, plus a lovely chat with Robert Carlyle
In conversation with Michael Sarnoski - The Death Of Robin Hood, Death Stranding, Pig, and videogames
Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey, the title that had to change, plus a chat with William Sadler and Alex Winter too
Speed (1994), the lack of Speed 3, plus director Dave Green on the Coyote Vs Acme saga
In conversation with Adam Shankman - Stop That Train, the Oscars, Hairspray and more
Licence To Kill (1989), plus Toby Kebbell on Dead Man's Shoes and more
Film Stories Live: with Mark Kermode in Cornwall
Carlito's Way, a film it took ten attempts to make
Dances With Wolves (1990), plus its three different cuts...
Howard The Duck (1986) and the first Marvel movie, plus Terri White
Gladiator (2000) and its journey to the screen, plus director Morgan Matthews
American Made (2017), and the Tom Cruise film that's fallen through the cracks
In conversation with Sam Campbell - Make That Movie, bananas, VHS tapes, cinema and more
Fight Club (1999), plus the dig against Rupert Murdoch at the end
In conversation with Paul Mercurio - Strictly Ballroom, Exit To Eden, and, er, homebrew beer
Jurassic Park (1993), and the struggle to bring dinosaurs to the screen
The New Mutants (2020), and a big missed opportunity
In conversation with director Alicia MacDonald - Finding Emily, Mike Leigh, short films, romantic comedies, Kickstarter
In conversation with Thea Sharrock - Ladies First, Wicked Little Letters, The Beautiful Game, posh chairs
Hook, and how it became the Steven Spielberg film that Steven Spielberg doesn't like
Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003), and one hell of a challenge to secure the Terminator rights
Contact (1997) and how it nearly fell apart, plus David Frankel on The Devil Wears Prada 2
Cape Fear (1991), and when Martin Scorsese read it three times and hated it
Dick Tracy (1990), along with the strange trick to hold onto its rights
Wild Wild West (1999), plus how it affected The Matrix and The Iron Giant
In conversation with Paul Feig - The Housemaid, Bridesmaids at the Oscars, Ghostbusters and more
In conversation with David Mackenzie | Fuze, Relay, Hell Or High Water, Starred Up, AI and more
Director David Mackenzie stops by to chat about his new film, Fuze, in the latest episode of the Film Stories podcast. Ryan Lambie steps in to to chat to David about his work, and films such as Young Adam, Starred Up, the mighty Hell Or High Water (which Mackenzie chats about revisiting recently) and Relay. Plus a whole lot on Fuze, in cinemas now, and his plans for future projects... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Judge Dredd (1995), and the long battle to get it made
In 1980, an option was taken out on Judge Dredd with a view of getting a movie of Mega City One's legendary law enforcer to the big screen. In the years that followed, it looked like Tony Scott might direct a film based on 2000AD comics' most famous character, with Arnold Schwarzenegger sniffing around. In the end, 1995 saw a seasoned movie star in Sylvester Stallone and a twentysomething British film director called Danny Cannon realising the film. Turned out to be quite a story... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In conversation with Radio Silence - Ready Or Not 2, Sega Dreamcast, Samara Weaving and more
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett work as filmmakers under the collective name of Radio Silence, and they've been out and about promoting their new film, Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come. The poor pair had to suffer a conversation with Simon for their sins, that touched on the new movie, on films such as Abigail and Devil's Due, plus tips of the hat to very expensive chairs and the Sega Dreamcast console... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
X-Men (2000), and how it changed superhero cinema
No two ways about it, 2000's X-Men movie was a massive gamble. At a time when studios needed movie star vehicles, 20th Century Fox found itself without a summer blockbuster due to a delay on a Tom Cruise film. It'd already greenlit and backtracked on X-Men once. When the film finally got going? Well, there'd be well-reported behind the scenes problems. A star who wasn't cast until shooting began. And a story that requires a fair amount of use of the word 'allegedly'... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In conversation with Christopher Miller and Phil Lord | Project Hail Mary, Rocky IV, Geostorm 2 and more
In person, Simon got to meet - after years of interviewing them remotely - writers/producers/directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord. Chaos absolutely ensued. In this Film Stories special, they talk about Project Hail Mary, the second best Rocky film, choosing to do a project because it's a good idea for a change, and a whole lot more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Postman (1997) and Wag The Dog (1997) | Two films. The same weekend. Very different reputations
At the end of 1997, Kevin Costner's second film as director - The Postman - made its way into cinemas, at the end of a difficult year for Warner Bros. The $80m, three hour movie would be savaged by critics, and fail to find an audience - but there was quite the story behind the film, before and after. There's quite a story too to Wag The Dog, a movie that could fit into the schedules when a far more expensive project was hit by a delay. And the political satire that followed made headlines for unexpected reasons within months of its release. Stories of both are told in this episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In conversation with Drew Goddard | A very nerdy film chat
Here's a special episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, where Simon is joined by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Drew Goddard. Drew was in town to talk about his script for Project Hail Mary. But as you're about to hear, the conversation goes off in a lot of different directions: from directing Bad Times At The El Royale and Cabin In The Woods, to writing The Martian, to, er, Police Academy... Project Hail Mary is in UK cinemas from 20th March. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joker (2019) and Cat's Eye (1985) | Two lower budget films, only one grossed a billion
Jared Leto was the reigning Joker. Todd Phillips couldn't get the films he wanted to do off the ground. The DC range of movies was having a whole range of challenges for Warner Bros. And constant changes at the studio were leading to regular challenges of direction. In the midst of this, a relatively slim production, Joker, would have notable ramifications. Similarly slim, Cat's Eye marks the first credited screenplay for a man called Stephen King. But this too had challenges, when the original financing plan fell apart. And then, another film - Firestarter - had a bit of a knock-on effect... Stories of both are told in this episode. Please like/subscribe/leave nice reviews. Thank you! Find more at www.filmstories.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kevin Costner's Horizon project and where it's up to, plus Andrew Stanton
In the late 1980s, Kevin Costner - pre-Dances With Wolves - first had the idea for what became the Horizon movie saga. A hugely-ambitious series of westerns, that he'd ultimately star in, co-write, and direct. By 2026, two films had been made, only one released, and around ten minutes shot of a third. So what's happened? For the second half of this episode, Simon is joined by director Andrew Stanton, chatting about his new film In The Blink Of An Eye. The pair chat science fiction, semi-colons, a fruity toy, John Carter, and a whole lot more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and Maybe Baby (2000) | The never-ending shoot, and Ben Elton's directorial debut
The plan was for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to spend around six months in the UK for the filming of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. Kubrick had been mulling the film for decades, and considering a couple of other projects, too. But the shoot of Eyes Wide Shut would ultimately be his final film - and it's end up in the Guinness Book of Records. For Ben Elton, he was keen to pursue making the film Maybe Baby, having enjoyed success with the same story in his novel Inconceivable. But his insistence on a particular piece of casting nearly derailed the whole project. Stories of both are told in this episode. Please do like and subscribe and leave nice reviews! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What on earth is film 'testing'? | A podcast special, with Kevin Goetz
The art of movie testing isn't just about researching finished films. It's also testing the very concept of a movie, that can determine both whether it gets made, and what it gets made for. In a special episode of the podcast, a man who you may not have heard of joins Simon. Yet Kevin Goetz has certainly had some impact on the films you watch. His new book - How To Score In Hollywood, written with Bob Levin - digs into this. And in this special chat, we uncover some of his work... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hulk (2003), plus the ongoing sequel problem
It was very different times for Marvel when, in the 1990s, it struck an assortment of deals over screen rights for its characters. For the purposes of this tale, the Incredible Hulk, for whom Universal snapped up the rights. The deal done then continues to have some ramifications now, but the first fruits of it? Ang Lee's 2003 movie Hulk, starring Eric Bana. Arriving the year after Sam Raimi's Spider-man, it turns out there was an early alarm bell that they might have got the tone a little wrong... More on the film, and the ongoing sequel issues, in this episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Untouchables (1987), plus the prequel movie that never was
Brian De Palma's soaring 1987 crime drama The Untouchables nearly went in some very different directions. Jack Nicholson as Eliot Ness? Bob Hoskins as Al Capone? And what's more, the film's legendary sequence on the steps of Chicago's Union Station was pretty much made up on the fly. The story is told in this episode, as well as the brief attempt to get a prequel movie - Capone Rising - off the ground as well. If you enjoy this, please like and subscribe. Doesn't half help independent podcasts when you do that... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In conversation with director Angel Manuel Soto | The Wrecking Crew, Blue Beetle, toilet roll
Director Angel Manuel Soto has just brought Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista together on the big screen, in the Prime Video hit THE WRECKING CREW. Growing in Puerto Rico, he was some way away from the man who'd direct BLUE BEETLE for Warner Bros and DC. And in this special interview, he tells his incredible film story. And it involves loo roll! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fatal Attraction (1987), plus a very nerdy chat with Sam Raimi
Quite the double dose in this episode of Film Stories. Firstly, the story of how Fatal Attraction came from the roots of a short film at the start of the 1980s. How directors such as John Carpenter turned it down. And how the infamous battle over its ending led to one of the iconic movie thrillers of the 1980s. Then! It's only Sam Raimi! Chatting about Send Help, movie frame rates, For Love Of The Game and futuristic prison movies... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In conversation with Ric Roman Waugh | Shelter, Statham, the freezing cold and more
Ric Roman Waugh has directed films such as the newly-released Shelter, along with Greenland, Greenland: Migration, Kandahar and more. And in this far-reaching conversation with Simon Brew, he takes us through his latest film and body of work. Not least the unusual connection between Simon and Ric's fathers, thanks to Paint Your Wagon. A tenuous link, surely, but one the pair get into! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Educating Rita (1983) | A mighty messy Star Wars production
Two very different films in this latest episode of film history podcast Film Stories. Firstly, it's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an infamously difficult production that saw director Gareth Edwards fashion a war tale in the Star Wars universe - and then reshoots become Hollywood trade press fodder. Coming off the back of two James Bond films meanwhile, director Lewis Gilbert reckoned he might be able to get interest in a film take on hit play Educating Rita back in the early 1980s. He got a short, sharp shock - but a dinner party offered him a very welcome stroke a luck. Stories of both films are told in this episode. Please do the like and subscribe and leaving a nice review thing. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices