That 70s Movie Podcast
A look back at the films that defined cinema's greatest era - the 1970s!
Episodes
Dirty Harry
Send us Fan MailThis week on "That '70s Movie Podcast," Jonathan and Michael are on the prowl for the 1971 action-thriller "Dirty Harry."We had mixed feelings about this film, with Jonathan offering qualified praise for its first 71 minutes and Michael unequivocally labeling it a fascist movie. In fairness, Jonathan called the third act a "catastrophic train wreck,&q
The Day Of The Jackal
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Michael and Jonathan play cat and mouse with the 1973 political thriller, "The Day of the Jackal."After several weeks of character-driven movies that led us to conclude plot-shmot, we both agreed that this movie leans into the plot and declares quite assuredly—character-schmaracter. We loved how the process in the film—both the a
Night Moves
Send us Fan MailThis week on "That '70s Movie Podcast," Jonathan and Michael dive into the water for the 1975 neo-noir thriller, "Night Moves."This is one of Jonathan's favorite movies, and it shows! He talked with great passion about the enigma of Harry Moseby (played by Gene Hackman), his complicated relationship with Ellen, and Harry's consistent ability to co
Jaws
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Michael and Jonathan jump in the ocean for the 1975 thriller, "Jaws."Though we usually see eye to eye (or at least close to it), it was "disagreement" week on the podcast. Michael argued that Jaws is peak joyride filmmaking, with great character development, director Steven Spielberg's masterful ratcheting up of su
Love and Death & The "Early Funny Ones"
Send us Fan MailThis week on "That 70s Movie Podcast," Jonathan and Michael hit the frontlines for Woody Allen's 1975 comedy classic "Love and Death" and also his four other "early funny ones" - "Take the Money and Run," "Bananas", "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex (*But Were Afraid to Ask)," and "Sleeper."It&
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael are jumping in the phone booth for the 1976 crime drama, "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie."We loved the moral ambiguity at the heart of the movie, the focus on character over plot, the night-for-night shooting, and above all the extraordinary performance by Ben Gazzara as LA club owner -- and degenerate gambl
Mikey and Nicky
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael climb the gate for the 1976 classic "Mikey and Nicky."We were thrilled to finally discuss a film directed by the legendary Elaine May -- one of the few female directors who cracked this glass ceiling in the male-dominated New Hollywood. We loved May's directorial choices and her razor-sharp script. We we
Two Lane Blacktop
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael check under the hood for the 1971 cult classic "Two Lane Blacktop."We were joined this week by film critic extraordinaire and author of "Sofia Coppola: The Complete Unofficial Guide," Christina Newland.We talked with Christina about director Monte Hellman's existential approach to filmmaking, M
Sex, Lies and Videotape
Send us Fan MailThis week on that '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael get brutally honest about the 1989 indie classic, "Sex, Lies and Videotape."One of the credos of the podcast is that not every '70s film was made in the 1970s, and "Sex, Lies and Videotape," written and directed by Steven Soderbergh, is the kind of small, personal, character-driven film that re
Dog Day Afternoon
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael wave the white flag for the 1975 classic "Dog Day Afternoon."This is 70s, New York filmmaking at its absolute peak. Phenomenal acting performances from Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning, and Chris Sarandon, inspired direction from the underappreciated master Sidney Lumet, Dede Allen's brilliantly p
Marathon Man
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael go the extra mile for the 1976 thriller "Marathon Man."While we enjoyed many of the stylistic elements of this film, we had a blast discussing the many glaring plot holes (we came up with 12), including poorly placed carriage bombs, bad tonsorial choices, inexplicable post-stabbing decision-making, strangely
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Send us Fan MailBuy Us A Coffee!This week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael pour a tall one for the 1966 classic "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"In this episode, we marveled at the GOAT-level performances from Elizabeth Taylor (Martha) and Richard Burton (George), praised Mike Nichols' highly cinematic take on a classic American play, and debated what thi
Straight Time
Send us Fan MailThis week on "That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael go up the river for the 1978 crime drama "Straight Time."We loved this nuanced and thematically rich late '70s cult classic, particularly for Dustin Hoffman's grounded and bravura =performance as Max Dembo, an ex-convict trying to follow the straight and narrow ... and failing miserably. But w
Duel
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael hit the gas for Steven Spielberg's 1971 chase movie, "Duel."We talked at length about Steven Spielberg's legacy as a director and how "Duel" showcases his abundant skills but also shows a very un-Spielbergian edge. We praised the masterful ways Spielberg creates tension and suspense in the
Klute
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael press play for the 1971 psychological thriller, "Klute."We loved everything about this movie -- from Jane Fonda's unflinching portrayal of Bree Daniels, a Manhattan call girl caught up in a murder investigation led by Detective John Klute (played by Donald Sutherland), to Alan J. Pakula's inspired d
Days of Heaven & Remembering Robert Duvall
Send us Fan MailThis week on That 70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael separated the wheat from the chaff on the 1978 film "Days of Heaven" ... and we also remembered the career of Robert Duvall, who passed away last month.Both of us praised Duvall's extraordinary career and his roles in some of the greatest films of the 1970s. But we focused most of our discussion on his stellar
The Last Picture Show
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jonathan and Michael grabbed some popcorn and headed to the local movie theater to check out the 1971 coming-of-age story "The Last Picture Show."We talked at length about the uniformly extraordinary acting performances in this movie, from Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson to Cybil Shepherd and Ellen Burstyn; praised Peter Bogdanovich's fantastic direction
The French Connection
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jonathan and Michael go high-speed on the 1971 classic "The French Connection."We talked at length about the film's multiple, bravura chase scenes and asked if the famous car-train sequence is even the best one in the movie! We debated whether Popeye Doyle, played by Gene Hackman, is a good cop, and questioned whether his character was too one-dimensional
North Dallas Forty
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael tackle the 1979 sports drama, North Dallas Forty.We talked at length about the evolution of sports movies and how the '70s were a golden age for gridiron warriors, punching pugilists, and biking Italians. We heaped praise on Nick Nolte's performance as well as G.D. Spradlin, Charles Durning, and Mac Davis in
The Long Goodbye
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jonathan and Michael jumped into the ocean to discuss the Robert Altman neo-noir classic, "The Long Goodbye." We agreed that this is one of Altman's best-directed movies and a fantastic example of revisionist noir. We talked at length about Philip Marlowe's steadfast moral and ethical code, and how it ran headfirst into the changing social mores of th
Shampoo
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael get lathered up for the 1975 classic "Shampoo."In this episode, we went deep on "Shampoo's" uniquely political frame; why the backdrop of the 1968 presidential election is its own character in the movie, and whether the film's critique of liberal apathy about the election of Richard Nixon
Point Blank
Send us Fan MailThis week on that '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael are on a mission ... to talk about the 1967 neo-noir classic "Point Blank."Yes, we know this is not officially a '70s film, but in its structure, themes, and vibe, it fits very much with the New Hollywood of the 1970s. In fact, as we discuss in this episode, "Point Blank" laid the foundation fo
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael climb into bed for the 1969 Paul Mazursky-directed satire, "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice."We both agreed that even though it was released in late 1969, the film qualifies as a '70s movie, both in terms of structure and content. We loved all four leading actors, notably Dyan Cannon and Robert Cul
One Battle After Another
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael decided to go in a different direction -- and turned on the green light to discuss the 2025 blockbuster "One Battle After Another."We talked about Paul Thomas Anderson's legacy as a director, the influence of '70s cinema on his filmmaking, and how this film was a departure in form from his previous
Chinatown
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael were joined by Ron Brownstein as we opened up the floodgates on the 1974 neo-noir thriller, "Chinatown."Ron has written extensively about Los Angeles in the 70s, and he regaled us with stories about the making of the film and, in particular, the drafting of Robert Towne's screenplay, which we all agreed
The Towering Inferno
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael turn the firehose on the 1974 disaster movie "The Towering Inferno."We praised the movie's stellar special effects and stunt work, as well as its suspenseful set pieces, while acknowledging that the acting and dialogue were perhaps not the best.We also talked about our favorite disaster movies, explored
Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid
Send us Fan MailThis week on "That '70s Movie Podcast," Jonathan and Michael knocked on the door of the 1973 revisionist Western, "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid."We talked at length about James Coburn's astonishing performance as Pat Garrett and why this film is Sam Peckinpah's definitive statement on the Old West (we weren't shy, however, about addressing P
Nashville
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael had a worry-free conversation about the 1975 Robert Altman classic, "Nashville." We were joined by Northwestern University Communications Studies professor Heather Hendershot, who is the author of a recent BFI book on the movie.While Jonathan and Heather had nothing but praise for a film widely considered Alt
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Michael and Jonathan go to the bank on the 1973 classic "The Friends of Eddie Coyle."We had nothing but praise for this film's naturalistic feel, top-tier location work, razor-sharp pacing, and outstanding acting performances. In particular, we loved Robert Mitchum's lead role, but also went to bat for Richard Jordan an
Looking For Mr. Goodbar
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Michael and Jonathan put on their platform shoes, don their favorite sequined shirts, and turn on the strobe lights for a spirited conversation about the 1977 film "Looking For Mr. Goodbar," starring Diane Keaton (RIP).In this episode, we heap praise on Keaton, not only for her bravura performance in this film but also for her co
The Conversation
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael are joined by Tom Schaller, political scientist and movie nerd, for a conversation about the 1974 mystery thriller "The Conversation."We talked about why this movie is perhaps the prototypical 1970s New Hollywood film. We discussed Francis Ford Coppola's A+ directing, but also his uneven movie career. We
Young Frankenstein
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and Michael bring to life the 1974 comedy classic "Young Frankenstein."In this episode, we discussed our favorite film comedies and why, in general, comedy often doesn't receive the same critical respect as other genres of film. We praised the performances of Cloris Leachman, Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldma
The Parallax View
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Michael and Jonathan take the plunge on the 1974 paranoid thriller, "The Parallax View."We discussed the brilliance of the movie's look and feel, its expert direction and cinematography, but also its occasionally glaring plot holes. We critiqued Warren Beatty's performance in the lead role, talked about whether we'
Three Days Of The Condor
Send us Fan MailIn this week's episode, Michael and Jonathan dived into the 1975 paranoid spy thriller "Three Days of the Condor." We talked about Robert Redford's extraordinary legacy as an actor and movie star, lavished more praise on Faye Dunaway, discussed the often cryptic dialogue in this movie, asked if Max Van Sydow's "Joubert" is a GOAT-level bad guy, an
Network
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathon and Michael get mad as hell about the 1976 classic "Network."We discuss whether this is the best-acted movie of all time, Sidney Lumet's place in the pantheon of great American directors, and Faye Dunaway's ranking among the best actresses of her generation. In addition, we explore Network's continued cult
All That Jazz
Send us Fan MailThis week, Michael and Jonathan go all-in with the 1979 Bob Fosse-directed classic "All That Jazz." We discuss whether this semi-autobiographical film is an act of self-flagellation by Fosse or a cry of defiance. We also talked about the brilliance of Roy Scheider's performance, the burden of perfectionism, and whether "All That Jazz" is the best movie ever
Charley Varrick
Send us Fan MailThis week, Jonathon and Michael land the plane on the 1973 neo-noir classic "Charley Varrick." We discuss whether this is the prototypical 70s film. We ask if Walter Matthau is an underrated sex symbol, and we unpack the meaning of the movie's tag line, "the last of the independents." So get on board and join us as we burn this film to the ground!Support th
The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3
Send us Fan MailThis week on That '70s Movie Podcast, Jonathan and I get on board with the 1974 classic "The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3." Is this a great film, a terrific film, or is it a miracle? Is it the best New York City movie ever? We also talk about the 2009 remake and ask, "Should great movies ever get remade?"So bring your Kleenex, set your watches, and stand clear of
Five Easy Pieces
Send us Fan MailIn our latest episode, Jonathan and I discuss "Five Easy Pieces" and ask: Is this the prototypical 70s movie? Is Bobby Dupea a loner or just a fraidy cat? Is this Jack Nicholson's best performance? Come join us, and please bring your own toast because we don't have any here!Support the show
Taxi Driver
Send us Fan MailMichael and Jonathon dig deep on one of the classics of American cinema, 'Taxi Driver," and ask how much of what we see in the movie is real ... or is happening in the mind of Travis Bickle.Support the show
All The President's Men
Send us Fan MailCheck out the inaugural episode of That '70s Movie Podcast as we dig into one of the great movies of the decade -- "All The President's Men." Support the show
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