The Pedestal Podcast

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (EP12)

In this episode, we just got our beavers stuffed with the 1988 Leslie Neilson screwball comedy THE NAKED GUN: FROM THE FILES OF POLICE SQUAD!

After reminiscing over the days of VHS vs Beta (4:08), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with Pops lauding its use of constant little jokes over the big ones (7:12). We dive into the continuing comedic brilliance of Leslie Neilson (19:19), delve into our favorite scenes from Weird Al to the baseball game finale (24:30), and Mike admires how well the movie “keeps the farts hot” (32:14). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the inevitable debate about OJ Simpson (42:44). Shane takes issue with the ratio of bad to good jokes (48:23), we talk about why Ricardo Montalban may be the movie’s weakest link (51:11), and how the Queen plot severely dates the whole thing (55:26).

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (EP11)

In the first episode of season two, we strike hard and fade away with the 1990 radical action classic TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES.

 

After sharing the different impacts karate class had on our childhoods (5:24) and who our favorite Ninja Turtle was (8:50), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how well the look of the turtles themselves have held up over the years (13:10). We debate Casey Jones’ claustrophobic joke (23:44), we gush over the movie’s use of flashbacks (33:13), and examine some of the bold artistic choices made in a kid’s action movie (39:43). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with all the things that bothered us about Shredder (45:47) and that punk kid Danny (48:10). Pops dives into the issues with the movie’s pro-vigilantism (52:37) and Shane asks the question we’ve all pondered for years: “Are the turtles sexual beings?” (1:05:55)

Jaws (EP10)

In the final episode of season one, we get you the head, the tail, the whole damn thing with the 1975 Spielberg thriller JAWS.

 

After Mike divulges his childhood obsession with sharks (7:26), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how well the carnage and violence still hold up (9:49). We get into the Indianapolis monologue (15:50), the legendary John Williams score (20:14) and delve into why Richard Dreyfus’ performance was so good (27:56). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with ways we’d bring down the film’s bloated length (32:57). We talk about the flaws in the third act quest to kill the shark (38:48), Robert Shaw’s over-acting (42:56), and Shane compares Jaws to a regular season baseball game (48:24). We end with an epic throw down between Mike and Pops over the antagonists both in Jaws and in the movie Interstellar (50:24).

Airplane! (EP09)

In this episode, we picked the wrong week to quit drinking with the 1980 Zucker Brothers comedy AIRPLANE!

 

After Shane reveals Airplane’s connection to the movie Ghost (6:42), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how well it exploited dramatic dignified actors for extremely ridiculous roles (10:46). We talk about how many modern jokes have been harvested from this film (15:25), the underrated genius of Robert Stack (20:01), and the emergence of Leslie Neilson as a comedy legend (27:47). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with Airplane’s overreliance on stereotypes (31:01). We debate whether or not Captain Oveur is actually a pedophile (38:13), Mike defends his position on the guitar scene (40:42), and we get into why the flashbacks were potentially the movie’s weakest links (45:16).

Full Metal Jacket (EP08)

In this episode we've gotta try to keep our heads until this peace craze blows over with the 1987 Kubrick war drama FULL METAL JACKET.

 

After quibbling over how to pronounce Kubrick’s name (4:46), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with the heavy contrasts between Joker and Gomer Pyle (12:00). We get into why the drill sergeant was both a hilarious and heady character (20:35), how the concept of “war” was the true villain of Full Metal Jacket (24:15), and talk about the cultural impact of “Me So Horny” (29:02). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the how the sniper reveal doesn’t hold up (41:13). We discuss the over-saturation of Vietnam War films at the time (42:57), whether or not the film’s second half is more educational than entertaining (45:43), and why the movie’s look wasn’t able to elevate its battle scenes (49:45).

Coming to America (EP07)

In this episode, we’re your queen to be with the 1988 John Landis comedy COMING TO AMERICA.

 

After Shane explains how the movie’s royal bath affected him as a youth (1:23), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with the many different characters that Eddie Murphy was able to pull off (9:26). We discuss the classic matrimony song (12:15), why Coming to America’s impact goes beyond its gags (16:51), and how one scene clearly inspired Kanye West (18:34). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the problems with Sexual Chocolate’s Randy Watson (31:13) and why Lisa put up with Daryl (35:44). We get into the nightclub dating montage (39:28), all the jokes involving McDowell’s restaurant (41:53), and Shane nitpicks the final wedding scene (45:22).

Garden State (EP06)

In this episode, we’re exploring the infinite abyss with the 2003 Zach Braff indie darling GARDEN STATE.

 

After Pops admits he stole from it back when he was a film student (4:22), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with a pre-Big Bang Theory Jim Parsons (9:07). We discuss the famous soundtrack (15:46), why the movie helped us understand our younger selves (19:31), and get into how Peter Sarsgaard and Jean Smart elevated their characters (25:39). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with Natalie Portman as the original Manic Pixie Dream Girl (31:11) and Braff’s wildly erratic performance (33:22). We examine Method Man’s peep show hotel  (39:18), continue down into the quarry (41:33), and wonder why we should be caring about Largeman’s problems at all (51:53).

Space Jam (EP05)

In this episode, we’re not white, we’re clear with the 1997 Michael Jordan/Bugs Bunny team up SPACE JAM.

 

After Shane and Pops differ in opinion on the Looney Tunes (2:44), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how the movie stayed true to the legend of Jordan (8:25). Mike stands up for Babs Bunny (14:23), we all praise everything that is Bill Murray (17:10), and discuss the degree of difficulty MJ had to act in a movie like this (25:07). Shane and Mike lock horns over Ray Allen’s performance in He Got Game (27:58) and we then move on to the case for knocking Space Jam off the pedestal with Pops taking issue with the portrayal of the toons (32:15). We examine the movie’s other NBA stars (36:49), the film’s inherent corporate cynicism (41:30), and why the actual basketball scenes didn’t work (42:32).

Goldfinger (EP04)

In this episode, we’re shaken but not stirred with the 1964 James Bond classic GOLDFINGER.

 

After Shane kicks things off with his love for the game Goldeneye and his disdain for Daniel Craig (3:13), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with why Sean Connery might be the best Bond ever (7:16). We discuss how Goldfinger works as a satire of male culture in the 60s (12:49), and why Pops thinks both Odd Job (15:37) and Bond’s Aston Martin (20:49) are awesome. We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the movie’s overt and borderline embarrassing misogyny (23:18). We wonder whether or not Bond hates the Beatles (29:55), examine the myriad problems with the ending (36:34) and Shane struggles to wrap his head around why Bond movies are so popular (42:14).

The Blair Witch Project (EP03)

In this episode, we’re afraid to close our eyes and afraid to open them with the 1999 ultra-indie horror THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT.

 

After debating the validity of the movie’s extremely low budget (2:21) we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with the authenticity of all the performances (15:12) and how Blair Witch Project’s “found footage” format still holds up (22:27). We’re then split three ways on which lead each of us liked the most (27:18). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with Pops first confusing the hell out of Shane with his “Late 90s Ennui” movie theory (32:21). We then get into which parts elicited more groans than scares (45:12), the inconsistent reactions throughout the film (48:47), and argue over whether or not Heather is one of the most annoying movie characters of all time (51:46).