Podcasts
Straightening Out ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ [Horror Queers Podcast]
British Buggery.
After closing out January with the very gay (and very terrible) The Covenant (listen) and the pseudo-remake of Single White Female: The Roommate (listen), we kicked off February with journey to the world of H.P. Lovecraft in Re-Animator. Now, we’re traveling back in time to discuss Albert Lewin‘s 1945 adaptation of The Portrait of Dorian Gray.
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders), tells his friend Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) that men should pursue their sensual longings, but laments that only the young get to do so. Taken with the idea, Dorian inadvertently makes a Faustian bargain to stay young forever. His wish comes true, and his boyish looks aid him as he indulges his every whim. Unfortunately, his sins take physical form on a portrait of himself, and as the years go by he must decide what type of man he wants to be.
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Episode 268: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
We apologize for the intelligence of our remarks, but we’re delving into every gay man’s worst nightmare (aging) in Albert Lewin’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945). Tagging in for the conversation is writer and filmmaker Amanda Jane Stern, who turns out to be an enormous fan of the source material!
Join us as we go all in on this adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s only novel, but not before discussing the tragedy that is Wilde’s life. We then discuss Hollywood’s “straightening” of this very queer story and bask in the glory of what is Angela Lansbury‘s third film role.
Plus, one very cruel Slut Test™, four stellar Technicolor shots (seriously), a presumably enormous confetti budget, Egyptian cat magic, one extremely unnecessary narrator and an even more unnecessary Gladys.
Cross out The Picture of Dorian Gray!
Coming up on Wednesday: We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with a discussion of the 2009 remake of Friday the 13th, just in time for its 15th anniversary.
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for nearly 288 hours of Patreon content including this month’s new episodes on Hannibal S01, Episode 02, No Way Up, Suitable Flesh, Lisa Frankenstein and, to coincide with the new Diablo Cody-penned film, our audio commentary for the month will be on Heathers.
Game Loop.
Trace and I inadvertently bookended our April discussions of John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London (listen) and Ciarán Foy’s Eli (listen) with Jude Law films. At the start of the month, we tackled Matt Damon’s Italian grifter in The Talented Mr. Ripley (listen) and now we’re closing out April with David Cronenberg‘s eXistenZ (1999).
The unofficial sequel to Videodrome (listen) and precursor to Crimes of the Future, eXistenZ takes place in the world of virtual reality and simulation. Game goddess Allegra Gellar (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is forced to go on the run with PR nerd Ted Pikul (Jude Law) through the Canadian backwoods when ‘Realist’ terrorists declare open season on her life.
Featuring no shortage of strange encounters and oddball characters, including Willem Dafoe‘s queer-coded Gas and Canadian film royalty like Don McKellar and Sarah Polley, Allegra and Ted must travel between the real world and the game world, all the while keeping track of who is friendly…and who is foe.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and RSS.
Episode 279: eXistenZ (1999) feat Vannah Taylor
Lube up your industry standard bio-port because we’re playing David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ (1999) with someone friendly: Vannah Taylor!
David Cronenberg’s meditation on the dangers of gaming and simulation is the middle entry of an unofficial trilogy. It’s also a film that gets real confusing, real fast, so good luck figuring out if we’re still in the game!
Plus: criticisms of a “bland” game world, praise for Jennifer Jason Leigh, Canadian royalty, comparisons to Serenity, disgusting gristle guns, and Pikul getting his back blown out (several times!)
Cross out eXistenZ!
Coming up on Wednesday: We’re continuing our celebration of 1999 films with a look at Stephen Sommers’ bisexual awakening, action adventure film, The Mummy (1999).
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for over 306 hours of Patreon content including this month’s new episodes on Hannibal S01E04, Late Night with the Devil, The First Omen, Femme, Abigail and a brand new audio commentary on the original The Omen (1976).
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TWO New ‘Evil Dead’ Movies Now in the Works; Sébastien Vaniček & Francis Galluppi Directing
“AHS: Delicate” Review – ‘The Auteur’ Gives Birth to a Lackluster, Laughable Finale
