Cineversary celebrates a milestone anniversary of a cinematic classic. Every month, we wish a happy birthday to a different film currently observing a joyous jubilee--everything from a 20th to a 100th anniversary. Host Erik Martin interviews film scholars, critics, historians and fans to discuss why each spotlighted movie is worth celebrating all these years later, its cultural impact and legacy, what we can learn from the picture today, how it has stood the test of time, and more. For more…
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In Cineversary podcast episode #96, host Erik J. Martin commemorates the 90th anniversary of Swing Time, directed by George Stevens. Joining him on the dance floor is Brian Seibert , a renowned dance critic for The New York Times and author of the book What the Eye Hears: A History of Tap Dancing ; and George Stevens Jr. , son of the Swing Time director and founder of the American Film…
In Cineversary podcast episode #95, host Erik J. Martin commemorates the 75th birthday of Strangers on a Train , directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Seated adjacent on this train ride is Stephen Rebello, contributing screenwriter on the 2012 film Hitchcock, and author of Criss-Cross: The Making of Hitchcock’s Dazzling, Subversive Masterpiece Strangers on a Train . Erik and Stephen swap insights and…
In Cineversary podcast episode #94, host Erik J. Martin honors the 20th birthday of Pan’s Labyrinth , directed by Guillermo del Toro. Joining him on this journey to the underground realm is TCM host Alicia Malone , author of TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema . Together, Erik and Alicia sneak into the Pale Man’s lair and explore what makes this film a timeless…
In Cineversary podcast episode #93, host Erik J. Martin celebrates the 60th birthday of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly , directed by Sergio Leone. He’s joined in this installment by Sir Christopher Frayling , a renowned UK-based historian, art critic, broadcaster, and author of Once Upon a Time in Italy: The Westerns of Sergio Leone. Together, Erik and Christopher dig up the gold on this picture…
In Cineversary podcast episode #92, host Erik J. Martin puts candles on two cakes: one for Buster Keaton’s The General , celebrating a 100th birthday, for which he is joined by Thomas Doherty , a professor of American Studies at Brandeis University; and Charles Chaplin’s Modern Times , marking a 90th birthday, for which Erik is accompanied by film historian Jeffrey Vance , author of the book…
In Cineversary podcast episode #91, host Erik J. Martin sends 50th birthday wishes to Taxi Driver , directed by Martin Scorsese. Accompanying him on this anniversary cab ride is TCM host and Film Noir Foundation president Eddie Muller . Erik and Eddie examine how Taxi Driver has stood the test of time, why it’s worthy of celebration five decades later, its impact on cinema, key thematic…
In Cineversary podcast episode #90, host Erik J. Martin commemorates the 80th anniversary Notorious, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Joining him in this installment is Kim Newman , the renowned UK critic and film scholar, esteemed journalist, and award-winning author of The Definitive Guide to Horror Movies . Erik and Kim head down to the wine cellar to uncork exactly what makes Notorious great,…
In Cineversary podcast episode #89, host Erik J. Martin celebrates the 80th birthday of Brief Encounter, directed by David Lean. He and his guest David Thomson – the distinguished film critic, historian, and author of Sleeping with Strangers: How the Movies Shaped Desire – climb aboard the romance express and discuss why this film still matters, its impact on cinema, relevant themes, and more.…
In Cineversary podcast episode #88, host Erik J. Martin honors the 50th anniversary of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest , directed by Milos Forman. He and his guest Patrick McGilligan – a film historian and author of Jack’s Life: A Biography of Jack Nicholson – check themselves in for a voluntary visit to Nurse Ratched's ward as they profess how crazy they are for this movie and discuss what…
In Cineversary podcast episode # 87, host Erik Martin reanimates James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein for its 90th anniversary. Joining him for this high-voltage episode is vintage horror historian Gregory Mank , author It'sAlive! The Classic Cinema Saga of Frankenstein. Together, they dissect the secrets behind Bride of Frankenstein: why the film remains so highly regarded, thematic takeaways…
In Cineversary podcast episode #86, host Erik Martin takes it to the bank as he commemorates the 50th anniversary of Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon . Joining him for this golden celebration is Maura Spiegel , a film studies professor at Columbia University and author of the book Sidney Lumet: A Life . Together, they examine how this film remains resonant and relevant, the impression it made…
In Cineversary podcast episode #85, host Erik Martin is ready for his close up as he celebrates the 75th anniversary of Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard . Accompanying him on this diamond jubilee is Eddie Muller , host of TCM’s Noir Alley and founder/president of the Film Noir Foundation . Together, they explore what makes this movie timeless and relevant, its influence on other filmmakers,…
In Cineversary podcast episode #84, host Erik Martin powers up the old DeLorean and takes a scenic drive around Hill Valley to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future . Joining him for the ride is the film’s co-screenwriter Bob Gale ; and Michael Klastorin , author of Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History . Together, they examine the movie’s lasting…
In Cineversary podcast episode #83, host ErikMartin takes a deep dive to search for the perfect summertime thriller and finds it in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws , which celebrates a 50th anniversary this month. Accompanying him on this voyage is TCM host Ben Mankiewicz , and Baylor University film professor James Kendrick , author of Darkness in the Bliss-Out: A Reconsideration of the Films of Steven…
In Cineversary podcast episode #82, host Erik Martin hunts on horseback for the perfect film and finds it in Charles Laughton's The Night of the Hunter , which celebrates a 70th birthday this year. Joining him on this journey is Imogen Sara Smith , author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City , editor-in-chief of Noir City Magazine, and frequent contributor to the Criterion Collection.…
In Cineversary podcast episode #81, host Erik Martin goes prospecting for comedic gold by revisiting Charles Chaplin’s The Gold Rush on its 100th anniversary. Accompanying him on this expedition is Jeffrey Vance , a film historian, film archivist, and author of the book Chaplin: Genius Of The Cinema. Together, they mine the priceless merits of the Little Tramp’s hilarious and impressive…
In Cineversary podcast episode #80, host Erik Martin lifts a golden chalice to toast the golden anniversary of Monty Python and the Holy Grail , directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones. Joining him on this quest is Darl Larsen , a film and animation professor at Brigham Young University and author of A Book About the Film Monty Python and the Holy Grail . Together, they collect several nice…
In Cineversary podcast episode #79, host Erik Martin marks the 65th anniversary of one of the crown jewels of world cinema, La Dolce Vita , directed by Federico Fellini. Accompanying him this month is filmmaker and Fellini scholar Antonio Monda , associate professor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Together, they explore how the movie broke new ground, why it’s still relevant,…
In Cineversary podcast episode #78, host Erik Martin celebrates the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest romance films of the last three decades, Before Sunrise , directed by Richard Linklater. Joining him in this installment is the film’s Oscar-nominated co-screenwriter Kim Krizan , author of Original Sins: Trade Secrets of the Femme Fatale ; and filmmaker Rob Stone , a professor of film and…
In Cineversary podcast episode #77, host Erik Martin commemorates the 80th anniversary of one of the most beloved musicals in Hollywood history, Meet Me In St. Louis, directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Judy Garland. Joining him to discuss this seasonal favorite is Jeremy Arnold , a film historian, commentator, and author of Christmas in the Movies , and The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies…
In Cineversary podcast episode #76, host Erik Martin honors the 50th anniversary of the greatest sequel ever made, The Godfather Part II , directed by Francis Ford Coppola. This time around he’s joined by Harlan Lebo , author of The Godfather Legacy , and Glenn Kenny , film critic and author of Made Men: The Story of Goodfellas . Together, they explore what makes Part II an exemplary follow-up…
In Cineversary podcast episode #75, host Erik Martin celebrates the golden birthdays of two classics for the Halloween season. First, he’s joined by author and classic horror historian Gregory Mank to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein ; and then he teams up with horror film scholar and author Kim Newman to honor the 50th anniversary of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre…
In Cineversary podcast episode #74, host Erik Martin commemorates the 30th anniversary of the most crowd-pleasing picture of the past three decades and the greatest prison movie ever: The Shawshank Redemption . Partnering with him on this installment is Mark Dawidziak , author of The Shawshank Redemption Revealed: How One Story Keeps Hope Alive . Together, they chisel away at this impressive…
In Cineversary podcast episode #73, host Erik Martin marks the 70th anniversary of perhaps Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest work: Rear Window . Joining him for this installment is Patrick McGilligan , author of Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light and an adjunct professor of film at Marquette University; and Josh Larsen , co-host of the Filmspotting podcast and author of Fear Not! A Christian…
In Cineversary podcast episode #72, host Erik Martin is joined by guest Ken Womack —author of several books on the Fab Four including The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles and Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans —as they celebrate the 60th birthday of A Hard Day’s Night , directed by Richard Lester. Together, they rediscover the euphoria of of Beatlemania, examine this film’s…
In Cineversary podcast episode #71, host Erik Martin is joined again by Eddie Muller , host of TCM’s Noir Alley and founder/president of the Film Noir Foundation , to mark the golden anniversary of Chinatown (1974), directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jack Nicholson. Together, they investigate what makes this movie tick like precision clockwork 50 years later, why it still matters, crucial…
In Cineversary podcast episode #70, host Erik Martin lights 70 birthday candles for Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront , starring Marlon Brando. Two esteemed guests join him this time around: Stephen Rebello , author of the forthcoming book A City Full of Hawks: On the Waterfront Seventy Years Later ; and Michael Phillips , film critic for The Chicago Tribune. Together, they examine why this movie…
In Cineversary podcast episode #69, host Erik Martin sends 70th birthday wishes to Akira Kurosawa’s epic masterwork Seven Samurai . This month, he’s joined by Asian cinema expert and University of Illinois film professor David Desser , as well as Stuart Galbraith IV , author of The Emperor and the Wolf: The Lives and Films of Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune . Together, they explore what makes…
In Cineversary podcast episode #68, host Erik Martin celebrates the diamond anniversary of Carol Reed’s The Third Man with two outstanding guests: David Thomson , renowned film critic, cinema historian, and author of The Fatal Alliance: A Century of War on Film; and Charles Drazin , film historian and author of In Search of The Third Man. Together, they scour the streets and sewers of Vienna on…
In Cineversary podcast episode #67, host Erik Martin and guest Joseph McBride , a film professor at San Francisco State University and author of Frankly: Unmasking Frank Capra , send a valentine to It Happened One Night, directed by Frank Capra, which celebrates a 90th birthday this month. Erik and Joseph hitchhike across Hollywood history to examine how this granddaddy of the romcom and screwball…
In Cineversary podcast episode #66, host Erik Martin heads to the War Room with former LA Times and NPR film critic Kenneth Turan and Hofstra University film professor Rodney Hill to decipher the top secret codes behind Dr. Strangelove , directed by Stanley Kubrick, in celebration of the movie’s 60th anniversary. Erik and his guests explore how this black comedy masterwork remains evergreen,…
In Cineversary podcast episode #65, host Erik Martin talks Chinese turkey with leg lamp expert Andrew Scahill , a film studies professor at the University of Colorado Denver known for his holiday movies course, as they commemorate the 40th anniversary of A Christmas Story , directed by Bob Clark. Andrew and Erik cover this film from soap to fudge, exploring why this film remains timeless and…
In Cineversary podcast episode #64, host Erik Martin is joined by David Desser , emeritus professor of cinema studies at the University of Illinois and one of the world’s foremost experts on Asian cinema, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Tokyo Story , directed by Yasujirō Ozu. They discuss why and how this film remains a masterwork, Tokyo Story’s prominent themes , Ozu’s unique style, and much…
In Cineversary podcast episode #63, host Erik Martin honors big birthdays of 2 great horror films. First, he’s joined by Alexandre O. Philippe , director of Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist , to honor the 50th anniversary of The Exorcist , directed by William Friedkin; and then he partners with classic horror historian and author Gregory Mank to commemorate the 75th anniversary of…
In Cineversary podcast episode #62, host Erik Martin sends golden birthday wishes to American Graffiti , directed by George Lucas. Riding shotgun with him for this 50th birthday party is Barna Donovan , film professor at Saint Peter’s University and author of several books on the cinema, including Conspiracy Films: A Tour of Dark Places in the American Conscious . Erik and Barna will go cruising…
In Cineversary podcast episode #61, host Erik Martin commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Marx Brothers’ comedy classic Duck Soup , directed by Leo McCarey. His copilot this month is Robert S. Bader , director of the documentary Groucho & Cavett and author of Four of the Three Musketeers: The Marx Brothers on Stage . Erik and Robert will examine the lasting comedic power and influence of Duck…
In Cineversary podcast episode #60, host Erik Martin honors the 30th anniversary of Schindler’s List and the 25th anniversary of Saving Private Ryan , both directed by Steven Spielberg. Joining him this month is Annette Insdorf , professor in the Graduate Film Program of Columbia’s School of the Arts and author of Indelible Shadows: Film and the Holocaust ; and James Kendrick , professor of film…
This is your friendly neighborhood Cineversary podcast host, Erik Martin, here to let you know that we will not be posting a Cineversary episode for June, in case you were patiently waiting for this month's installment. And the reason being is that I've been doing some vacationing with family and then recuperating from some minor surgery – nothing serious, rest assured – which means I've not had…
In Cineversary podcast episode #59, host Erik Martin celebrates the 60th birthday of one of the greatest foreign films ever made, 8½ , directed by Federico Fellini. His guest this month is Antonio Monda , known for directing and producing several films and being an associate professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Erik and Antonio will examine why 8½ is deserving of kudos six…
In Cineversary podcast episode #58, host Erik Martin honors the 100th birthday of the timeless silent comedy Safety Last , starring Harold Lloyd, by speaking with Richard Correll , chief archivist for the Lloyd Trust, and Suzanne Lloyd, Harold’s granddaughter and president of Harold Lloyd Entertainment . Erik and his guests assess this film from a top floor view and examine why Safety Last is…
In Cineversary podcast episode #57, host Erik Martin celebrates the 90th birthday of King Kong with three great guests: visual effects master Phil Tippett ; Ray Morton , author of King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson; and TV actor, director, screenwriter, and producer Richard Correll . Together, they take the scenic route from Skull Island to the Empire State…
In Cineversary podcast episode #56, host Erik Martin is joined by Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz and Farran Smith Nehme , whose writings have appeared in The Village Voice, Sight & Sound, and her Self-Styled Siren Substack. Together, they sift through the sands of time to uncover the golden truths behind The Treasure of the Sierra Madre as they commemorate the film’s 75th anniversary.…
In Cineversary podcast episode #55, host Erik Martin and guest Carrie Rickey , former film critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer, explore the hidden rot beneath the white picket fences of a small town and the sinister secret that threaten to destroy an all-American family as they celebrate the 80th birthday of Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt . Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at…
In Cineversary podcast episode #54, host Erik Martin learns afresh why it’s a sin To Kill a Mockingbird , as he honors the 60th anniversary of this remarkable work. Joining him this month is Chris Hite , a film professor at Allan Hancock College and an award-winning filmmaker, animator, and screenwriter of movies like FireStorm ’77: The True Story of the Honda Canyon Fire (2021). Erik and Chris…
For Cineversary podcast episode #53, host Erik Martin revisits one of the most beloved and critically acclaimed films ever made: Casablanca , which celebrates an 80th birthday this month. In this installment, he’s joined by David Thomson , a renowned film critic, cinema historian, and author of Sleeping with Strangers: How the Movies Shaped Desire ; as well as Kenneth Turan , film critic for…
For Cineversary podcast episode #52, host Erik Martin takes a double dip into the Halloween candy bowl by spotlighting two seminal early horror films: First, Nosferatu , which marks a 100th anniversary this year, for which he’s joined by film scholar and Nosferatu expert David Kalat ; and Cat People , commemorating an 80th birthday in 2022, for which he’s joined by classic horror historian Gregory…
For Cineversary podcast episode #51, host Erik Martin takes a trip down film noir boulevard to revisit Out of the Past , directed by Jacques Tourneur, which turns 75 this autumn. Joining Erik this episode is Eddie Muller , the host of TCM’s Noir Alley and author of Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir . They navigate through this classic film’s cigarette haze and dark labyrinth of double-crosses…
For Cineversary podcast episode #50, host Erik Martin revisits the magnificence of The Magnificent Ambersons , Orson Welles’ follow-up to Citizen Kane that marks an 80th anniversary this summer. For this commemoration, Erik partners with two outstanding guests: film scholar James Naremore , author of The Magic World of Orson Welles ; and filmmaker Joshua Grossberg , director of the forthcoming…
In Cineversary podcast episode #49, host Erik Martin takes an audio trip to the Emerald Isle to pay tribute to one of John Ford’s finest works, The Quiet Man , which enjoys a 70th anniversary this summer. Erik is joined in the celebration by two terrific guests: Joseph McBride , a film professor at San Francisco State University, cinema historian, and author of several books including Searching…
In Cineversary podcast episode #48, host Erik Martin revisits suburbia circa 1982 through the lens of Steven Spielberg and arguably his best film, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial , which marks a 40th birthday this month. Joining Erik for this installment is James Kendrick , a film professor at Baylor University who teaches courses on Spielberg and serves as the QNetwork.com movie critic; and Caseen…
