Supporting Characters

Bill speaks with author, critic and publisher Maitland McDonagh about her creative pursuits, from the origins of books like THE 50 MOST EROTIC FILMS OF ALL TIME and the landmark BROKEN MIRRORS/BROKEN MINDS: THE DARK DREAMS OF DARIO ARGENTO to blogging for TV Guide and founding 120 Days Books. Topics covered include: ballet, COLUMBIA FILM REVIEW, Times Square grindhouse culture, Dennis Gifford’s A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF HORROR MOVIES, writing for TV Guide, contemporary horror films, film theory, DARKER THAN AMBER, cat counselors and Abel Ferrara’s approach to ensuring a quiet setting for an interview.

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Bill speaks with film journalist, critic and film festival programmer Alan Jones about some of his many endeavors, from writing childhood film diaries to co-directing the UK's largest International genre film festival. Topics covered include: Dario Argento, The Portobello Hotel, punk rock, auditioning for Russ Meyer, CARRIE, the BFI, Guillermo del Toro, disco and Jones’ forthcoming book DISCO MANIA for Nicolas Winding Refn, Asia Argento, visiting film locations, and how following the writing advice of Jackie Collins can allow you to accept the pleasures of alliteration.

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Bill speaks to The Rialto Report’s Ashley West. West explains how his ongoing documentary project detailing the birth of the adult film industry in New York put him on the path to recording audio commentaries with figures like Radley Metzger, consulting on the HBO series THE DEUCE and co-founding The Rialto Report, a collection of podcasts, articles and photographs chronicling the history of the golden age of adult film. Other topics covered include: fanzines, the field recordings of Alan Lomax, the adult film work of Wes Craven, BOOGIE NIGHTS and more!

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Bill talks to author and film critic Molly Haskell about some of the many contributions she’s made to film culture, from writing film criticism for publications like The Village Voice and Vogue to developing books like her landmark FROM REVERENCE TO RAPE: THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN IN THE MOVIES and the recent STEVEN SPIELBERG: A LIFE IN FILMS.

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Bill talks to film journalist, special effects supervisor, podcaster and award-winning home video supplements producer Heather Buckley. They discuss her path from writing for Dread Central to co-producing the forthcoming feature film THE RANGER. Other topics include: J. Hoberman and Jonathan Rosenbaum’s book MIDNIGHT MOVIES, punk rock, Martin Scorsese, and more!

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Bill talks to author and film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum about some of his many endeavors in film culture, including books like MOVING PLACES and MOVIE WARS, his tenure as principal film reviewer at the Chicago Reader, and his involvement in multiple Orson Welles-related projects, ranging from THIS IS ORSON WELLES to THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND. Other topics include: Critical interactivity, identity politics in film criticism, André Téchiné, film culture in New York and Paris in the late '60s, confusing Art with Class, audio commentaries, TWIN PEAKS, hate mail, film festivals and how plagiarism can be a positive thing if your ideas are important.

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Bill talks to writer, editor and podcaster Kat Ellinger about the various film culture projects she’s been involved in, from creating her first blog to co-hosting the Daughters Of Darkness podcast and serving as the Editor-In-Chief at Diabolique Magazine. Other topics covered include accents, Video Nasties, sexism in film culture, Heather Drain, Parental Advisory stickers, the importance of editors, audio commentaries, New Age travellers, the Japan Cuts film festival, Kat’s forthcoming book on Harry Kümel’s DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS, work/life balance and the proper use of newspapers to ward of vampires.

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Bill talks to writer and film historian Tim Lucas about some of his many contributions to film culture, from early mimeographed fanzines and articles like “The Shape Of Rage” and "The Butchering of Dario Argento" to award-winning efforts like Video Watchdog magazine and the book MARIO BAVA: ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK. Other topics covered include David Cronenberg and the filming of VIDEODROME, and more!

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Bill speaks with Joseph A. Ziemba, creator of the website Bleeding Skull, director of genre programming and promotions at Alamo Drafthouse, and a lead archivist for American Genre Film Archive (AGFA). They discuss the origins of his various projects, as well as formative cinematic experiences, the aesthetic of BOARDINGHOUSE, work/life balance, the evolution of AGFA, and why preserving films like BAT PUSSY won’t necessarily get you disinvited from future family get-togethers these days.

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Bill speaks with film critic Abbey Bender. They discuss her experiences in film culture, from childhood repertory screenings to writing for publications like Film Comment, The Village Voice, Playboy and Rolling Stone. Other topics include: “women’s interest” writing assignments, fashion as it relates both to Rainer Werner Fassbinder and ‘The Brady Bunch”, New York film culture, politics and contrarian auteur favorites on Twitter, JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS and forging short-lived friendships in order to have someone to see Jean-Luc Godard movies with.

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