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PODCAST

Verbal Diorama

Are you interested in how movies are made? Do you wonder how a film went from conception to completion? If so, Verbal Diorama, hosted by Em, is the award-winning(!) podcast for you! Movies are tough to make, and Verbal Diorama is here to celebrate the coming together of teams of extraordinary cast and crew, bringing us movies that inspire us, delight us, make us laugh, make us cry and frighten us. This podcast discovers the stories behind the scenes, and proves how amazing it is that movies

tv & film film history

All Episodes

48:20

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [Part 3 of 5]

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/05/15

In the third of five special episodes to celebrate this podcast's 300th episode, focused on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, this episode is the second middle chapter, with no beginning and no end, just like The Two Towers.The Two Towers ups the ante from The Fellowship of the Ring, balancing intense action with rich storytelling. This episode focuses on the pivotal Battle of Helm's Deep and the groundbreaking introduction of Gollum, a character that redefined motion capture in

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51:37

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring...

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/05/08

In the second of five special episodes to celebrate this podcast's 300th episode, focused on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings was 18-years-old by the time Peter Jackson started considering making his own version in live action. Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh wanted to make something high fantasy, but kept coming back to Tolkien's stories.Acquiring the rights from Saul Zaentz took a while, and at the time Jackson was contracted to Miramax,

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44:20

The history of The Lord of the Rings & The Lord of...

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/05/01

In the first of five special episodes to celebrate this podcast's 300th episode, focused on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings, this episode summarises how Tolkien's life experiences, from childhood tragedies to the horrors of war, deeply influenced the themes of his stories. They reflected the complexity of human nature, shaped his creation of Elvish languages, and how Tolkien's love of linguistics led to Middle-Earth - the home of his beloved Hobbit Bilbo Baggins, but also the

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05:36

"The world is changed" - 300th episode announcement

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/04/25

An announcement on episodes 297, 298, 299, 300 and 301. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacyOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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52:27

Flash Gordon (1980)

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/04/24

Pathetic Earthlings, who can save you now?Well, there might be one guy...Flash Gordon has been on our screens for almost 90 years, and the story of the dashing all-American hero, his companions, and his battles against Ming the Merciless laid the groundwork for modern sci-fi, influencing everything from Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek and Doctor Who.From his humble comic strip roots, Flash's adventures were perfect for a modern film adaptation, and legendary film mogul Dino De Laurentiis

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41:54

Sister Act

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/04/17

Hail, holy Queen enthroned above; O Maria! Hail, mother of mercy and of love, O Maria!Triumph, all ye cherubim. Sing with us, ye seraphim! Heav'n and earth resound the hymnSalve, salve, salve, Regina!Let the clapping begin!Sister Act isn’t just a comedy. It’s a celebration of sisterhood, resilience, and the joys you find in unexpected places. It brilliantly flips the script on the traditional representation of nuns, when lounge singer and mobster's girlfriend, Deloris van Cartier, is thrown into the

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53:26

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/04/10

Sonic’s journey from video game to blockbuster film should have been straightforward.From Sega’s fierce rivalry with Nintendo, to the chaotic path of bringing Sonic to life on the big screen, there are more twists and turns in this story than Green Hill Zone.Sega’s quest for a mascot that could rival Mario led to the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, but several attempts to make a movie fell at the first, second, third and fourth hurdles. Finally, after Sony put their project into turnaround,

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01:08:25

(From the Archive) Team America: World Police

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/04/03

A musical with sweary puppets might be one of the biggest movie miracles of all time.Team America: World Police started out as an homage to Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds mixed with Jerry Bruckheimer all-action, post 9/11 US foreign policy and a hint of disaster movies. It's likely that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone simply had no idea what they were in for when they agreed to make this movie and release it in October 2004.They had five months(!)Five months to make a fully practical

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45:03

I, Tonya

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/03/27

Tonya Harding's story highlights the struggles of being an underdog in a highly elitist sport like figure skating, where social status can overshadow talent. The media portrayal of Harding changed public perception, making her the undisputed villain of the narrative.But there's always two sides to every story. Or three. And there may be truth, or there may just be someone's truth.I, Tonya sheds light on the cycle of abuse and the complexities of Tonya’s relationships with her mother and ex-husband

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39:17

Erin Brockovich

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/03/20

Erin Brockovich proves that sometimes the biggest heroes come in the most unexpected packages, like a single mum with a penchant for swearing and a relentless drive for justice. With zero legal training but a whole lot of heart, Erin uncovers a scandal involving toxic waste poisoning a small California town’s drinking water, proving that you don't need a fancy law degree to take on a multi-billion dollar corporation. Julia Roberts, who snagged her first, and so far only, Oscar for her portrayal of

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43:19

Elizabeth (1998)

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/03/13

Queen Elizabeth I was a formidable leader who defied the norms of her time, cleverly balancing the expectations placed upon her as a woman with her ambitions as a ruler. An Indian director and an Australian lead actor came together to bring us a truly brilliant biographical drama on the ascension to the-then Catholic English throne of the Protestant Elizabeth I, in Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth.Queen Elizabeth I was a powerful female figure in a male-dominated society, and Elizabeth accurately

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49:13

The Woman King

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/03/06

This month on Verbal Diorama, we celebrate Women’s History Month, and it’s the perfect time to highlight the Agojie; fierce African warriors of the kingdom of Dahomey, who fought not just for their country, but for a legacy that resonates today. Watching The Woman King is like stepping into a vivid tapestry of history, action, and empowerment that celebrates the resilience of women in an often overlooked narrative - 19th century black women in positions of power and influence.It’s not just about

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50:01

(From the Archive) Treasure Planet

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/02/27

A look back into the archive now, for a movie I've mentioned several times in previous episodes, talking about John Musker and Ron Clements, and the movie they actually really wanted to make.This is it - Treasure Planet.And it is, indeed, a treasure, but like Atlantis: The Lost Empire, it was lost on early 2000s Disney viewers, but it's an outstanding achievement, looks beautiful, and is largely forgotten in Disney's back catalogue.It deserves re-evaluation though, as does this very old episode of

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47:44

Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/02/20

This podcast is now six! And to celebrate, some post-Renaissance Disney.If Atlantis really existed, no one wrote about it until Plato, who did so 9,000 years after its destruction. Atlantis: The Lost Empire draws from Plato's original Atlantis myth, as well as classic adventures stories like Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1864) and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870), Victorian-era adventure fiction and steampunk, various New Age interpretations of Atlantis, and elements

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50:03

Hercules (1997)

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/02/17

This podcast is now six! And to celebrate, some Renaissance Disney.The story of Heracles is revered across Greek mythology, but this isn't Heracles. This is Hercules. Same guy, kind of, but this isn't just a retelling of a Greek myth—it's a whole exploration of what makes a true hero; taking some "creative liberties" with the original myth—goodbye tragic backstories, hello superhero narratives (as well as Disney's penchant for merchandise!)Hercules’ journey from zero to hero is basically the story

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46:14

(Basil) The Great Mouse Detective

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/02/13

This podcast is now six! And to celebrate - some pre-Renaissance Disney.Basil may just be a little mouse, but this little mouse packed a mighty punch for Disney during a time when the animation studio was teetering on the edge of disaster. With a mix of clever storytelling, dark visuals, and a villain who’s as charismatic as he is frightening, Basil proves that sometimes, the smallest heroes can save the day—or in this case, an entire animation division! The Great Mouse Detective (or Basil the Great

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54:00

Shrek 2

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/02/06

Shrek and Fiona, fresh off their 'happily ever after', are invited to a Royal Ball in celebration of their marriage. It's being held, far far away in the kingdom of Far Far Away, by Fiona's parents, the King and Queen of Far Far Away, aka Mum and Dad. But hold on to your boots (Puss), because Shrek, being an actual ogre, faces a bit of a challenge fitting in with the royal family—especially when they expected the dashing Prince Charming, instead of a swamp-dwelling ogre. Shrek 2 builds on its

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47:16

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/01/30

In 1992, US President George H.W. Bush famously remarked, during a speech at the Annual Convention of the National Religious Broadcasters, that the American family needs to be “a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons.”The longest-running American animated series, longest-running American sitcom, and the longest-running American scripted primetime television series, both in seasons and individual episodes. The Simpsons is, quite frankly, a phenomenon, and the long-awaited The

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50:34

ParaNorman

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/01/23

Speaking of a family with gifts, young Norman Babcock happens to be able to speak to the dead, making him a social outcast to humans, but also probably the only person who can stop zombies rising from their graves...ParaNorman's unique approach to horror allows it to explore serious societal issues through animation, and creatively blends animated horror with heartfelt themes of acceptance and understanding. Laika Studios have never been one to follow the leader, and while other studios were

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46:51

Encanto

Verbal Diorama ·

2025/01/16

Welcome to The Family Madrigal, and the Surface Pressure hiding underneath the perfect façade of a magical family with wonderful gifts - everyone except Mirabel. Who probably wonders "What Else Can I Do?" on the regular, when her Abuela seems to blame her for everything.All Of You probably know the intergenerational trauma this movie perfectly depicts, but it's also a movie that took the time to show deep love and respect for Colombia, mi encanto. By having a Colombian Cultural Trust, and directors

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