Don’t Push Pause

Episode 73 : Dead Presidents

DEAD PRESIDENTS gave a voice to Vietnam veterans who experienced the atrocities of war, only to return home & find the struggle was not over. This intense coming of age journey continues to cut to the core, while being a uniquely realistic depiction of Black Americans during the post-war 1970s.

 

 

***Discussions include***

• Capturing the Black experience before/during/after the Vietnam War; the director’s visions for the film, plus positives & drawbacks of loosely adapting true stories, truth vs. fiction, pacing & visual style; interweaving genres to blend a serious story into an entertaining film; strength of the cast & unpacking the main characters; the film’s incredible soundtrack, release & critical reception.
• DEAD PRESIDENTS (1995). Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker, N’Bushe Wright, Freddy Rodriguez, Rose Jackson // Directed by Albert Hughes & Allen Hughes.

 

***Picks of the Week***

• Lindsay’s Pick, SET IT OFF (1996). Jada Pinkett, Vivica A. Fox, Queen Latifah, Kimberly Elise // Directed by F. Gary Gray.
• Justin’s Pick, LOVE JONES (1997). Larenz Tate, Nia Long, Isaiah Washington, Lisa Nicole Carson, Bill Bellamy // Directed by Theodore Witcher.

 

***MurrayMoment***

• Comparing the journey in DEAD PRESIDENTS to Billy’s labor of love, THE RAZOR’S EDGE, plus the process of adapting a novel into a screenplay.

 

***Final Thoughts on DEAD PRESIDENTS.***

 

Next Episode: 4/20 SPECTACULAR STONER SPECIAL!

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• Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber // Music: Matt Pace // Announcer: Mary Timmel // Logo: Beau Shoulders

 

 

Be Kind and Rewatch! // March 30, 2021

Episode 72 : Big Trouble In Little China

A year of recording remotely prepared us for an epic battle of genre-bending proportions! Time to rediscover the creative genius behind the martial arts adventure, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA!

**Discussions**
Reinventing the story’s origin, inspiration, uniqueness, significant rewrites, & John Carpenter’s influence; atypical heroes, martial arts integration & cultural sensitivity; special effects, set production, pacing, atmosphere & multi-layered tones; character strengths & cast breakdown; audience, marketing, release & second life of; the synth-driven score & film’s theme song.

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986) // Kurt Russell, Dennis Dun, Kim Cattrall, James Hong, Victor Wong // Directed by John Carpenter.

 

***Picks of the Week***

—Lindsay’s Pick, POLICE ACADEMY (1984) // Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall, Michael Winslow, Bubba Smith // Directed by Hugh Wilson.

—Justin’s Pick, USED CARS (1980) // Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Gerrit Graham, Deborah Harmon // Directed by Robert Zemeckis.

***MurrayMoment***
Inspired by BIG TROUBLE’s constant dampness, we visit a rainy day save by Billy.

***Final Thoughts on BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA.***

Next Episode: DEAD PRESIDENTS (1995)!

+Please rate, review & subscribe on your podcast platform of choice!
(For real, it totally helps us!)

Complete Episode Archive, Videos & Store:
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Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber // Music: Matt Pace // Announcer: Mary Timmel // Logo: Beau Shoulders

Episode 71 : The Fly (1986)

Deconstructing what makes THE FLY (1986) a renowned sci-fi classic with a truly transformative love story & one of best remakes of all time.

*Discussions*

The original short story, differences from the original ‘58 film, plus FLY sequels; the unimaginable search for a director/screenwriter; saving a turbulent production; intimate nature of the film, blending humanistic themes & primal fears with body horror in a love story; unique casting stories & character evolutions; favorite special effects moments, technological feats & the hauntingly emotional score.

THE FLY (1986) // Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz // Directed by David Cronenberg.

 

**Picks of the Week**

—Lindsay’s Pick, EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY (1988) // Geena Davis, Julie Brown, Jeff Goldblum, Damon Wayans, Jim Carrey // Directed by Julien Temple.

—Justin’s Pick,  VIBES (1988) // Cyndi Lauper, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Falk, Julian Sands // Directed by Ken Kwapis.

 

**MurrayMoment**

A comparison between the love stories in THE FLY & Billy’s ‘88 film, SCROOGED.

**Final Thoughts on THE FLY.**

 

Next Episode: BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986)!

+Please rate, review & subscribe on your podcast platform of choice! (For real, it totally helps us!)

Complete Episode Archive, Videos & Store: www.dontpushpausepodcast.com

+Follow us on Facebook @dontpushpause

+Follow us on Instagram @dontpushpausepodcast

+Follow us on Twitter @dontpushpause

+Subscribe on YouTube, Don’t Push Pause Podcast

+Email us: dontpushpausepodcast@gmail.com

Hosts: Justin Johnson & Lindsay Reber

Music: Matt Pace

Announcer: Mary Timmel

Logo: Beau Shoulders

February 16, 2021