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PODCAST

The History on Film Podcast

The History on Film Podcast is an award-winning wide-ranging podcast series that looks at the intersections of history, film and media studies, technology, and more. Our goal is to make the educational parts entertaining and the entertaining parts educational. New episodes every Monday morning! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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All Episodes

1:21:55

One If By Land, Two If By Spaceship

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/06/22

Ross is joined by returning guest Dr. Ben Railton to discuss the 1996 blockbuster smash, "Independence Day". They discuss the film's cultural moment, the nature of disaster films, masculinity in the End of History, and much more! See you this fall for season 3!FURTHER READING:Railton, Ben. Of Thee I Sing: The Contested History of American Patriotism.Brown, Stephen. The Ecstasy of DestructionRailton, Ben. Alien Nation: Alien Autopsy.Check out Black, White, and Read All Over!FURTHER WATCHING:"Mars

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1:36:56

The Newsman Cometh

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/06/01

Ross is joined by returning guest, friend of the show, and resident Bondologist Paul Klein to talk 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies". They look at how the franchise continued to adapt to the End of History 90s and the evolution of the "Bond Girl", as well as the film's (shockingly accurate) prescience. Don't forget to check out HowToReadMovies.com and the Cold War Cinema podcast!FURTHER READING:McLuhan, Marshall. Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man.Chapman, James. License to Thrill: A Cultural

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56:23

The Violent Years, Part 3

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/05/18

We conclude this three-part mini-series with the evolution of the teen movie and cultural panics around youth culture from the early 60s up to the present day!FURTHER READING:Tropiano, Stephen. Rebels & Chicks: A History of the Hollywood Teen Movie.Doherty, Thomas. Teenagers and Teenpics: The Juvenilization of American Movies in the 1950s.Shary, Timothy. Teen Movies: American Youth on Screen.Shary, Timothy. Generation Multiplex: The Image of Youth in Contempory American Cinema.Mintz, Steven

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1:05:32

The Violent Years, Part 2

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/04/28

It's part 2 of my series on the JD Media Archive! I take you through some of the filmmaking trends and themes from the collection, and provide some tips for exploring on your own. If you find something interesting that you want to share, email the show at historyonfilmpodcast@gmail.com and I will feature it in our conclusion episode!FURTHER WATCHING:The JD Media Archive!FURTHER READING:Doherty, Thomas. Teenagers and Teenpics: Juvenilization of American Movies.Klein, Amanda Ann. American Film Cycles:

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45:52

The Violent Years, Pt. 1

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/04/13

Welcome to the first installment of a (3 part?) mini-series on my ongoing genre study project! In this episode, you'll hear about the origins of the teen movie- including the industrial and economic conditions that helped create them, the exploitation approach to film making, and much more! Also, the Paramount decision was in 1948, NOT 1947, but I have done a lot of editing already and am very tired.Check out the JD Media Archive on YouTube!FURTHER READING:Tropiano, Stephen. Rebels and Chicks: A

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12:02

Oops! All Recommendations

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/04/02

The show is on a brief medical hiatus, but here are some other things you might enjoy!FURTHER READING:Dockery, Daniel. Monster Kids: How Pokemon Taught a Generation to Catch Them All.Rawlins, Justin. Imagining the Method: Reception, Identity, and American Screen Performance.Kelley, N. Megan. Projections of Passing: Postwar Anxieties and Hollywood Films.Coontz, Stephanie. The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap.Cowan, Ruth Schwartz. More Work for Mother: The Ironies of

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1:04:48

Seeking Soviet Spirituality with Joseph Kellner

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/03/16

Ross is joined by historian Joseph Kellner to discuss spiritualist subcultures during the fall of the USSR. They discuss the ways in which these belief systems reflected the idealized New Soviet Man and how these alternative beliefs spread. Also, the ways in which American and Soviet conceptions of “nostalgia” differ, electronic music, and what the Collapse can tell us about 2026.FURTHER READING:Keller, Joseph. The Spirit of Socialism: Culture and Belief at the Soviet Collapse.FURTHER

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1:48:21

Mr. Beatty Goes to Washington with Chris Bell

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/03/09

Ross is joined by returning guest and HoFCast senior political correspondent Chris Bell to talk about 1998's "Bulworth". They look at how the film represents the challenges of advancing left politics during the End of History, Beatty's reputation as both a filmmaker and an activist, and how a movie about a rapping senator was able to navigate topics like healthcare reform, neoliberal austerity, and the "Sistah Souljah Moment". All this plus a brief history of the "Dick Tracy" sequels, a very special

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1:11

Fools RUSH In

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/03/03

Check out my guest appearance on the Pop Culture Basement podcast!FURTHER WATCHING:“RUSH: Beyond the Lighted Stage” (2010)SONGS TO CHECK OUT FOR PEOPLE ONLY FAMILIAR WITH “TOM SAWYER” AND “LIMELIGHT”:“By-Tor and the Snow Dog” (Fly By Night, 1975)“Witch Hunt” (Moving Pictures, 1981)“Time Stand Still” (Hold Your Fire, 1987)“Lock and Key” (Hold Your Fire, 1987)“Nobody’s Hero” (Counterparts, 1993)“Far Cry” (Snakes & Arrows, 2007)BANDS YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:Steely DanBlue Oyster CultDream

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57:54

A Matter of Time with Tiffany Knoell

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/03/02

Ross is joined by Dr. Tiffany Knoell to discuss analyzing and teaching time travel on film! They discuss how perceptions of the past and future reflect the present, how and why the "rules" of time travel matter, and much more! This episode was previously recorded tomorrow.FURTHER READING:Ni Fhlainn, Sorcha. ‘There’s Something Very Familiar About All This’: Time Machines, Cultural Tangents, and Mastering Time in H.G. Wells’s The Time Machine and the Back to the Future trilogy.Benjamin, Walter. The

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1:14:44

Breaking Kayfabe

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/02/23

Ross squares off against the tag team of Drs. Christopher Olson and Carrie-Lynn Reinhard as they talk professional wrestling studies! They talk about wrestling as performance art, the influence it has had on cultural production and the broader entertainment industry, the boundaries of kayfabe, and much more! Ross proposes a new use case for generative AI.FURTHER READING:Johnson, Daniel Warren. Do a Powerbomb.FURTHER WATCHING:The Wrestler (2008) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more

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1:19:17

That 70s Class with Landon Palmer

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/02/16

Ross speaks with Dr. Landon Palmer about teaching 70s Hollywood Cinema! They discuss the major trends and changes to the film industry in this period, presenting these films to younger audiences, how culture perpetuates through generations, and much more!FURTHER READING:Alsop, Elizabeth. Elaine May.Henderson, Odie. Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blaxploitation Cinema.Nystrom, Derek. Hard Hats, Rednecks, and Macho Men: Class in 1970s American CinemaTarantino, Quentin. Cinema

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1:49:18

Hip Hop Historians

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/02/09

Ross is joined by Dr. Sage Gray, and Tim Fielder, the co-creators of The Graphic History of Hip Hop! They discuss the process behind producing graphic histories, the cultural and political evolution of hip hop, as well as approaches to teaching the multifaceted history of music to younger generations. All the mutual aid organizations mentioned in the episode can be found below.FURTHER READING:"Dearly Beloved"The Graphic History of Hip Hop.FURTHER WATCHING:Style Wars (1982)House Party (1990)Sankofa

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1:04:08

QB Draw with Dave Rappoccio

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/02/02

Ross is joined by webcomic artist David Rapoccio to discuss NFL fandom, trends in sports culture, and the Super Bowl! It's got a little bit of everything- fandom studies, predictions and analysis, why the commercials aren't good anymore, Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and a game! And if you aren't a football fan, we tell you what to talk about so you can join in on the fun.FURTHER READING:Nanni, Ryan. The New Cats Turn 20.TheDrawPlay.com!FURTHER WATCHING:The Super Bowl!"Lisa the Greek""Bart

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1:24:06

Missing Inaction with Benjamin Railton

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/01/26

Ross is joined by professor of American Studies Dr. Benjamin Railton, author of and co-creator of Black and White and Read All Over. Together, they do a deep-dive on a relatively-obscure episode of The X-Files, "Unrequited", which looks at the contested legacy, cultural impact, and unresolved trauma of the Vietnam War and the POW/MIA movement. You don't have to be an X-Files fan to listen to this episode, but it does help if you remember what Ross Perot's 1992 campaign song was.FURTHER

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1:15:40

The Episode They Don't Want You to Hear!

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/01/19

Ross is joined by Robert Spinelli and Dr. Bethan Jones to discuss the history of conspiracy theories in popular culture. They look at how conspiratorial thinking reflects social and political anxieties, the ways in which conspiracy theorists are depicted in media, and the difficulty in approaching these topics academically. FURTHER READING:Spinelli, Robert (Ed.). The Lizard People Don't Want You to Read ThisJones, Bethan. Participatory Culture Wars: Controversy, Conflict, and Complicity in

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1:10:33

Film and Media History with Josie Torres Barth

The History on Film Podcast ·

2026/01/12

Ross kicks off the new mini-series "Class Notes" by speaking with Dr. Josie Torres Barth about her courses on Film and Media History! They discuss the major trends and focal points of the subject, the challenges of teaching media studies in our modern cultural ecosystem, and much more.FURTHER READING: Hilmes, Michele. Radio Voices: American Broadcasting, 1922-1952.Spigel, Lynn. Make Room for TV: Television and the Family Ideal in Postwar America.Schatz, Thomas. The Genius of the System: Hollywood

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55:07

So It's Come to This: A HoFCast Clip Show

The History on Film Podcast ·

2025/12/18

As we bid a fond farewell to a close friend and colleague, please enjoy this collection of fun moments from the HoFCast Archives.SEGMENTS:Biopic Mailbag Question: 3:50Cartoon Music Trivia: 13:35Christmas Movie Trivia: 38:00Stranger Things Prediction: 51:16 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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1:15:20

The Cold War on Christmas with Vaughn Joy

The History on Film Podcast ·

2025/12/15

Ross is joined by Dr. Vaughn Joy to discuss how the Cold War and McCarthyism reshaped the American concept of Christmas. Dr. Joy's new book, Selling Out Santa: Christmas Films in the Age of McCarthy looks at how Hollywood depictions of the holidays changed to reflect the pressures of domestic containment. FURTHER READING:Joy, Vaughn. Selling Out Santa: Christmas Films in the Age of McCarthy.Black and White and Read All OverFURTHER WATCHING:It's a Wonderful Life (1946)Klaus (2019) Hosted on Acast

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1:40:04

GoldenEye on the Prize with Paul Klein

The History on Film Podcast ·

2025/12/08

Ross is joined by returning guest Paul T Klein to talk about Bond, James Bond- specifically the 1995 franchise revival film, "GoldenEye". They talk about how the film engages with the End of History moment, reinventing Bond for the 90s, as well as the tremendous impact the N64 adaptation had on gaming. Ross celebrates the career of Joe Don Baker.FURTHER READING:Chapman, James. "License to Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films"Knoor, Alyse. "GoldenEye 007"FURTHER WATCHING:"GoldenEra"AND

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