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PODCAST

What"s in the Basket

What"s in the Basket

What"s in the Basket is a female-hosted film history podcast that combines research, humour, and leftist politics to deliver the absolute hottest of takes on Old Hollywood, modern movies, and fan culture. Updated Tuesdays at 8 PM Eastern.

tv & film film history

All Episodes

130:56

22. Leave Her to Heaven (1945): Hell Popping Around Here

What"s in the Basket ·

2021/11/24

Surprise Noirvember ep! It's Tierney Time once again as we discuss John M. Stahl's Technicolor noir masterpiece Leave Her to Heaven (1945). Topics include monkeys and coconuts, Vincent Price club bangers, boat massacres of all kinds, and more Bosley Crowther bullshit. Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-gj Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway (Distressed)" and "The Show Must Be Go"

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98:38

21. The Mummy (1932): He's Got On a Caftan and He's...

What"s in the Basket ·

2021/10/27

With just enough time for one more spooooky Halloween episode, we're busting open Imhotep's tomb to cover The Mummy (1932). Join us as we discuss the film's roots in the Egyptomania craze of 19th and early-20th centuries, its place as a lesser entry in the Universal horror canon, and whether or not we think Boris Karloff pissed his pants. Webbys do not interact! Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-g9 Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway (Distressed)"

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81:19

20. Cat People (1942): Baby Porky's Big Fat Move

What"s in the Basket ·

2021/10/06

In this, the spookiest of seasons, we emerge from the shadows to discuss the RKO horror classic Cat People (1942). Topics include Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur locking eyes across a crowded room, the mysterious world of Serbian stews, and a little too much about Lionel Atwill's extracurriculars. Irena did nothing wrong! Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-fW Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway (Distressed)" and "The Show Must Be Go"

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115:15

19. King Kong (1933): If Only He Had an Ass to Match

What"s in the Basket ·

2021/06/30

We're back, and we watched King Kong (1933)! The gang returns to discuss practical effects, gorilla butts, Merian C. Cooper's exhausting life choices, Fay Wray's status as the original scream queen, and why we think it's important to engage critically with older media even when it makes us uncomfortable. Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-fL Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway (Distressed)" and "The Show Must Be Go"

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76:11

Bonus 21. The Uncanny (1977) and Uninvited (1987):...

What"s in the Basket ·

2021/02/17

It's time for Evil Cats Week as Amelia and Tiff cover two feline-centric horror movies, Denis Héroux's anthology film The Uncanny (1977) and Greydon Clark's exploitation schlockfest Uninvited (1987). We discuss Ray Milland's big round head, Peter Cushing's secret kitty war crimes, terrible '80s swimsuits, and little mutant cats inside regular cats. Happy birthday, Gul! Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-fD Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway

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80:20

Bonus 20. Love on the Run (1936) and Three Loves Has...

What"s in the Basket ·

2021/01/20

It's time to kick off 2021 with our first-ever listener-requested episode! This week we take a look at two MGM romantic comedies co-starring Franchot Tone: Love on the Run (1936) and Three Loves Has Nancy (1938). Subjects include dead people clothes, Terminator running, and why Janet Gaynor is the only short person Candice has ever loved. Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-fo Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway (Distressed)" and "The Show Must

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86:11

Bonus 19. The Swarm (1978): Merry Christmas, It's Bees

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/12/23

This week the Gruesome Twosome returns to tackle Irwin Allen's star-studded disaster epic The Swarm (1978), which has nothing to do with the holiday season but does feature the gift of bees, bees, millions of bees! We discuss Michael Caine's marcel waves, Henry Fonda's squeaky wheelchair, the sweeping love triangle between Olivia de Havilland, Ben Johnson, and Fred MacMurray, and the unfair denigration of popcorn disaster movies. High in potassium, low in sodium! Show Notes & Sources:

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60:44

Bonus 18. Whirlpool (1950): Gallbladder Widower

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/11/18

It's a Noirvember bonus this week as we discuss Otto Preminger's hypnosis thriller Whirlpool (1950), starring Gene Tierney, Richard Conte, Jose Ferrer, and Charles Bickford. Subjects include kleptomania, Hulkamania (not that kind), gallbladder crises, and our very healthy parasocial relationships with the terrible stars we love. Please forgive the audio issues, particularly toward the end of the episode, which was recorded on 70-year-old equipment stolen from Richard Conte's home office in a

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105:14

18. The Omen (1976): Baby-on-Baby Crime

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/11/04

It's another shot of Gregory Peck this week as we wrap up our Halloween cursed film series with Richard Donner's demon-child classic The Omen (1976). We explore what the movie has to say about motherhood and post-Watergate political anxiety, pay tribute to the unsung women who have been bringing films to life behind the scenes for over a century, and sing the praises of our newfound favourite sequel Damien: Omen II (1978), in which friend of the pod Lew Ayres endures the single greatest death scene

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93:59

Bonus 17. Cape Fear (1962) and Cape Fear (1991):...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/10/28

This week we're taking a quick detour from our cursed film series to tackle a different kind of horror movie: J. Lee Thompsons's neo-noir thriller Cape Fear (1962), and Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake of the same name. We discuss the stark differences in how each film handles its sensitive subject matter, admire Robert Mitchum's sick Del Boca Vista wardrobe, and partake in some recreation at the bowling center with noted human Gregory Peck. A content warning: both of today's films are about sexual

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114:20

17. Poltergeist (1982): You Obviously Don't Know How...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/10/14

Our Halloween theme continues this week with another notoriously "cursed" horror movie: Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg's haunted house classic Poltergeist (1982). We tackle the question of just who actually directed the film, explore its iconic special effects, and confront the moral implications of the popular "curse" narrative. Please note that this podcast has not been and will never be censored by Pizza Hut. Finally, another content warning—today's episode addresses the deaths of two of

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117:10

16. The Exorcist (1973): Sometimes the Vibes Is Right

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/09/30

We're back! After losing an episode to our very own MP3-devouring curse, we emerge from the shadows to kick off the Halloween season with a look at William Friedkin's similarly cursed horror classic The Exorcist (1973). We trace writer William Peter Blatty's journey from Georgetown to...well...Georgetown, attempt to address at least a few of the approximately one billion things that went wrong during the film's production, and mourn the omission of Father Dyer's sick Snoopy sweatshirt. Fair warning:

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68:05

Bonus 16. Basket Case 2 (1990): First Anniversary...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/09/02

This week all the crickets in the state of California join us to celebrate the show's one-year anniversary with a look at Basket Case 2 (1990), belated and beloved sequel to the first movie we ever covered. Topics include the Belial Babies, our own tragic Hollywood endings, and—somehow—Tony Randall. Thanks for sticking with us this year, and here's to the next one! Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-aH Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway

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84:58

Bonus 15. Romance on the High Seas (1948): Jack...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/08/05

On this week's bonus episode we tackle the postwar Warner Brothers musical Romance on the High Seas (1948), starring Doris Day, Janis Paige, Oscar Levant, S.Z. Sakall, and absolutely no one else. Warning: The following podcast contains material that may be disturbing to the ghost of Jack Carson. Listener discretion is advised. Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-ac Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway (Distressed)" and "The Show Must Be Go"

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74:01

Bonus 14. Rollercoaster (1977): He's Got Timmy...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/07/22

Amusement parks may be off limits this summer, but at least we've got the disaster flick Rollercoaster (1977) to hold us over. Join us for this week's bonus episode as we discuss George Segal's tiny hat, Timothy Bottoms' stinky bomber jacket, Richard Widmark's Sophia Petrillo glasses, and Henry Fonda's enviable late-in-life disaster movie cameo grift. Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-a6 Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway (Distressed)" and "The

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93:39

15. Holiday (1938): Not Caring is Cool

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/07/01

Today we're taking a look at Holiday (1938), arguably the most understated of Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn's four films together. We discuss the early years and muses of playwright Philip Barry, Holiday's role in launching Hepburn's career, her contentious but unwavering friendship with director George Cukor, and we finally have a legitimate reason to talk about Lew Ayres — plus Candice serves up another edition of her Puppet Corner and tackles the ultimate question: is it weird that Edward

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59:22

Bonus 13. Berlin Correspondent (1942): That's Not His...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/06/03

This week the Gruesome Twosome heads back to the ol' Dana Andrews well for a research-free look at the World War II thriller Berlin Correspondent (1942). We discuss the film's extremely poor attempts at emulating Foreign Correspondent (1940), the evolution of Hollywood's approach to the war as it unfolded, Hans Gruber's Super Cool Postage Stamp Emporium, and that time Dana's adult braces fused his jaw shut. This episode was recorded prior to the onset of protests against racism and police brutality

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86:13

14. Safety Last! (1923): Back Then They Didn't Have...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/05/13

The time has finally come—we're covering a silent film! This week we take a look at the early life and career of Harold Lloyd, culminating in the production of his first masterpiece Safety Last! (1923). Topics include child scammers, prop bombs that aren't prop bombs, towel delivery vans, and our impassioned arguments for why the so-called "third genius" of silent comedy deserves a greater legacy than he has been allotted. Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-9m Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod

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134:37

13. The Boys in the Band (1970): Are You Going to the...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/04/29

After three seemingly endless months, we're finally back with a fully-researched episode—and it's our longest yet, so heat up some lasagna and settle in as we tackle William Friedkin's adaptation of Mart Crowley's play The Boys in the Band (1970). Topics include the influence of both play and film on the LGBT rights movement, the use of Old Hollywood references as shorthand by an isolated minority that took refuge in the movies, and Natalie Wood's unmatched gift-giving skills. Show Notes & Sources:

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55:55

Bonus 12. Panic in the Streets (1950): I Want a...

What"s in the Basket ·

2020/04/08

It's Topical Tuesday on the pod this week as we discuss Elia Kazan's pandemic-themed film noir Panic in the Streets (1950). Subjects include pneumonic plague, lax '50s parenting, the questionable legality of Jack Palance's acting methods, and a potentially COVID-stricken Candice's best Bob Dylan impression. Show Notes & Sources: https://wp.me/pbeIfn-8X Theme Music by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io): "Dark Hallway (Distressed)" and "The Show Must Be Go"

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43 results

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