Retro Ramble

Which episode should someone start with?

To be honest, the first few episodes are a bit scrappy with not the best audio! I feel we found our feet by Episode 9 - Batman as we found a formula that worked; a mix of production trivia, film review, nostalgia and humour. I'm a huge Batman fan, and as the film spent a decade in development and went on to become such a cultural phenomenon, there was a lot to discuss!

Which have been your favourite episodes so far?

With over 100 episodes now, it's a hard choice! We've been lucky to have some guests join us over the past few years, which allows for a different dynamic - so Highlander (with documentary producer Andy Hughes), Timecop (with the hosts of the Spocklight podcast) and Dirty Dancing (with our sister, Sophia) were all great fun to make. We always have fun with the big action heroes; Arnie, Stallone and Jean Claude Van Damme, as it allows us to indulge in some bad impressions!

Which episode are you most proud of?

A lot of the films we cover mean a lot to people and we want to do the best job possible. Everyone's taste in films differs, but I think the films that had the most challenging productions usually make entertaining episodes. The film Total Recall (Episodes 67/68) had a very interesting journey to the big screen, with some crazy sequel ideas that sadly never happened. There was so much to discuss, we ended up splitting it into two episodes!

What is your vision for your show?

We'd love to feature more guests on the podcast, whether it's other podcasters who have an interest in 1980s/1990s films or people who have worked on these films! We'd love to do some video reviews but we currently we are too stretched for time!

What is your favourite other podcast that isn't yours?

It's a hard choice - it's like choosing your favourite film! For fellow film podcasts, I enjoy Film Stories, Films to Be Buried With, Unspooled and How Did This Get Made. For non-film podcasts, Smartless, Off Menu and Adam Buxton are also really entertaining, with some great celebrity guests.

How did you come up with the name for your podcast?

Our original name was Brothers In Armchairs until we discovered a Youtube gaming channel with the same name! We created a spreadsheet and played around with many word combinations for discussing films but we also wanted some flexibility with a name, in case we wanted to cover TV and video games - which "Retro" perfectly covered. We also wanted to reflect an honest, light-hearted approach, hence the "Ramble" part and I always think little alliteration is more memorable and fun!

Tell us a bit about yourself

I'm George, one half of Retro Ramble. I have always been passionate about movies. I studied Film and Media at the University and then spent 14 years in advertising, working on major blockbusters like Transformers, Harry Potter, and Avatar. For the last 3 years, I have been working in the games industry, surrounded by like-minded people who are also passionate about film, TV and games. When I am not working or podcasting, I am busy looking after my two children or cooking for my friends.