Pop Screen - Phoebe Bridgers (and More) in I Saw the TV Glow - Pop Screen 129

Phoebe Bridgers (and More) in I Saw the TV Glow - Pop Screen 129

Explicit content warning

10/17/24 • 75 min

Pop Screen

Phoebe Bridgers! Snail Mail! Fred Durst?! The list of Pop Screen-qualifying cast members is only the beginning of the weirdness in Jane Schoenbrun's sophomore film I Saw the TV Glow. Released in the UK after a wait almost as punishing as the film's devastating time-jumps, it's the story of two kids who really, really like a TV show. That is, if you're satisfied with a surface-level reading.

If you're not, allow Graham and Robyn to take you through the film's multitude of trans and queer readings, its nods to 1990s telefantasy classics from Buffy to Twin Peaks, its use of - and critique of the abuses of - nostalgia, its subtle coding of each time period it's set in, and of course its soundtrack, whose mix of modern artists and '90s vibes has already made it a cult classic independent of the film it's soundtracking. We also discuss Harmony Korine's short films, the weirdness of early internet video and so much more. It's for the ladies, the fellas and the people who don't give a [censored] - which, we now realise, is an acknowledgement of nonbinary identity. Who knew?

If your heart is like a claw machine, grab a subscription to our Patreon where we release an exclusive episode of this podcast every month, plus lots of other DVD bonus features: written reviews of The X-Files and Red Dwarf, classic Asian genre cinema under the microscope and even more. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to find out more.

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Halsey & Moses Sumney in MaXXXine - Episode 128

It's time for Pop Screen's Halloween month, and as luck would have it one of the biggest new horror films of the year has plenty of pop connections. The final instalment in a trilogy which started with X, MaXXXine takes the story of Maxine Minx through to the '80s, and finds Halsey and Moses Sumney waiting for her there.

Join Graham and Andrew from Behold! podcast as they dive into the film's period detail, which of its supporting actors get away with their outrageous accents, and the magic of Mia Goth. We also discuss Halsey's collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Moses Sumney's enviable satellite connection, and that world-class Buster Keaton scene. It's a film with balls, alright.

Over on our Patreon, we're getting ready to drop a Patreon exclusive episode on Satan's Bed, an absolutely bizarre obscurity starring Yoko Ono with lots of strange stories attached to it. Subscribers also get monthly written reviews of classic Asian genre cinema, weekly reviews of The X-Files and Red Dwarf, and our end-of-month round-up podcast Last Night... Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to find out more.

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Thor in Rock N Roll Nighmare - Pop Screen 130

Bow before the mighty Thor! That's Jon Mikl Thor, obviously, the musclebound Canadian hard rocker whose mix of riffs and strongman stunts never quite led him to rock Valhalla. Not that it stopped him trying, and Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare was his biggest swing at the big leagues. On paper, it's a canonical hard rock horror movie, right down to the not-exactly-a-stretch casting of Thor as the frontman of a rock band. In practice, it is far, far stranger than that.

Join Graham and Jeff as they discuss the film's alarmingly phallic puppets, its inexplicably long driving sequences and the insane third-act twist that seals its cult movie legend. We also discuss the twisty career of Thor himself, not least the time when he got a new manager who wanted to reshape his career path based on the channelled wisdom of the New Age entity "Seth". The '70s, everyone!

If you want to hear us talking about rock - rock! Rock! - as well as several other musical genres, you'll find a monthly bonus episode of this show on our Patreon, as well as our monthly movie round-up Last Night..., weekly reviews of The X-Files and Red Dwarf, articles on classic Asian genre cinema and much, much more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to keep up!