An Invitation Productions

Please enjoy this unlocked episode of my Patreon-exclusive series "Ellipsis" – the official companion podcast to "An Invitation to DESTROYER" – where I discuss the movie with fellow superfans, critics, and the creators themselves. *Matt Manfredi is an Emmy nominated screenwriter with decades of experience inside both the independent and studio systems. His credits include CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL, RIDE ALONG 1&2, THE INVITATION, DESTROYER, and Disney+'s THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY among others.During this episode of ELLIPSIS, Matt and I cover considerable ground – discussing the ways family life influenced DESTROYER, what the mental toll of shooting the ill-fated MINA HARKER might have been, and why Matt is more optimistic than not when it comes to the capricious future of screen stories. Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 7th proper episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola continues to assess the fragile heart of the film: the contentious relationship between Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) and her teenage daughter, Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn). Through a dramatic reading of pages 38–41 of the DESTROYER screenplay, Penola spotlights the ordinary ways that long term resentment festers, the satisfaction of unbridled female rage, and the subsequent ruin that both these emotional blast radiuses can create.Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

Please enjoy this unlocked episode of my Patreon-exclusive series "Ellipsis" – the official companion podcast to "An Invitation to DESTROYER" – where I discuss the movie with fellow superfans, critics, and the creators themselves.  Today, my guest is Philip Gawthorne. Phil is the creator and co-host of podcast, DIE HARD ON A BLANK – the podcast that explores the influence of DIE HARD on action cinema one action movie at a time. During this episode of ELLIPSIS, Phil and I put a special emphasis on DESTROYER’s place in the pantheon of Noir – specifically Los Angeles Neo-Noir –– citing comparisons to William Friedkins’ TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA and Curtis Hanson’s LA CONFIDENTIAL. The result is an energizing discussion that underlines the liminal spaces between crime and virtue, and even the spiritual ascension (as Phil calls it) that can come from reconciling that chaos and order. If you enjoy the episode, please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com/jimpenolaAbove all, thank you for listening.Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

"Indelible in the hippocampus, it was the laughter. The uproarious laughter between the two." | "That scene – Megan and I agreed, before we started shooting it – that she was not going to *ever* wink at the audience.  That no matter what was happening to her in terms of how other people were behaving – whether they were cracking jokes – the horror of it *is* that they are cracking jokes."Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

"I was always quite fascinated by people who could suppress really dark, deep, painful experiences. And I wanted to explore the idea that perhaps pushing down on those terrible experiences is harder than facing them." –Jennifer KentSupport the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

How do you make a cop movie in an ACAB world? In episode 4 of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," writer/producer/host Jim Penola continues to wrestle with DESTROYER's depiction and dramatic centering of a police officer – a choice that continues to reverberate dynamically in our fraught, present-day relationship with law enforcement.Through comparisons to contemporaries such as BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (2020) and cult classics like MIAMI VICE (2006), Penola echoes a "duty to interrogate" these stories as offered by DESTROYER's screenwriter, Phil Hay. Indeed, the film transcends the surface nature of cop life to explore the deeper nature of pain itself. Guest Editor: Sarah GorrSupport the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 3rd episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola discusses Karyn Kusama's fascination with coyotes as a symbol of untamed rage, the importance of DESTROYER's mother/daughter dynamic, and the ways that Dire Straits may be the code to understanding Erin Bell. Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 2nd episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola elaborates on the film's unflinching portrait of a moral but self-immolating woman in the form of Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman). Beneath and within Bell's many layers lies a tragic variation of the classic Femme Fatale archetype. One that stands out amid a recent glut of female-fronted action movies that, while technically pro-woman, also have little to offer beyond that.Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the inaugural episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola recreates the first 4 pages of 2018's DESTROYER, directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi, as an audio play. His subsequent analysis of those specific pages celebrates the clarity of the screenplay, the confidence of the direction, and the feminist context that drove its creation... all while setting the stage for what is to come.Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

A special "one-off" bonus episode dedicated to The Wachowskis' JUPITER ASCENDING (2015). | Original Score by John Penola | Artwork by Jim Penola | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/extended/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

A special "one-off" bonus episode dedicated to Disney's COOL RUNNINGS (1993). | Original Score by John Penola | Artwork by Joseph Penola | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/extended/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

This unique bonus episode compiles all 15 of the "radio play" portions from the limited series "An Invitation to THE INVITATION" into one seamless aural experience. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this one-of-a-kind re-telling of Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi's superb screenplay –– complete with every deleted and extended scene that didn't make it to the film's final cut. | Script: Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi | Original Score: John Penola | Production, Editing, Sound Design: Jim Penola | Voice Cast (in alphabetical order): Michael Barnett, Jess Kellner, Tighe Kellner,  Summer Mastain, Jim Penola, Christina Roman, Ryan Smith, Rebecca Spiro. | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 7th (and likely final) bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with who else? Karyn Kusama. During their conversation from December 2020, Jim and Karyn –– often through the unavoidable-but-revealing lens of Covid –– discuss the ways THE INVITATION remains ahead of its time, as well as the way it thoughtfully addresses evergreen human dilemmas. Enjoy. | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 6th bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with prolific indie actor Lindsay Burdge (A Teacher, Easy, Thirst Street, Black Bear) who of course plays Sadie. During their conversation from December 2020, Lindsay and Jim discuss (among many other things) their shared struggle to uphold small talk and social decorum during the best of times, let alone during a pandemic. Additionally, Lindsay describes the uniquely sensitive and adaptive directing style of Karyn Kusama. Enjoy. | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 5th bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with revered character actor John Carroll Lynch (Fargo, Zodiac, The Founder, American Horror Story, Big Sky). During their conversation from December 12th, 2020, JCL and Jim discuss everything from on-set pull-up contests all the way to the universal need for forgiveness. Enjoy. | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 4th bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with THE INVITATION's co-star, Mike Doyle. During their conversation from December 4th, 2020, Mike discusses his long history with Logan Marshall-Green, his hilarious/fortuitous introduction to the film's screenplay, and the important ways THE INVITATION side-steps cliché. | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 3rd bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with THE INVITATION's star, Logan Marshall-Green. During their conversation from November 28th, 2020, Logan and Jim discuss a wide variety of topics including what made THE INVITATION's on-set family so special, the dilemma of waking up to societal grief, and much more.  | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the 2nd bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with THE INVITATION's co-writer/co-producer—and 1st gentlemen to director Karyn Kusama—Phil Hay. During their conversation from November 21st, 2020, Phil and Jim cover the pervasive nature of grief, the purpose of creating art, and the connection & dialogue each can create. | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the first bonus episode for "An Invitation to THE INVITATION," Jim Penola welcomes his first ever guest, Matt Manfredi (DESTROYER, RIDE ALONG 1 & 2, etc.), co-writer and co-producer of THE INVITATION.In this full-length conversation recorded during November 2020, Jim and Matt touch on the film's deeply personal nature, the benefits of studio movies vs. independent ones, and the distinct, collaborative role of the writer. | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and Jane Penola. | Receive exclusive/uncut content, early access, and more at Patreon.com/jimpenola | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••

In the final episode of the series, host Jim Penola insists that the THE INVITATION’s unforgettable ending transcends its inherent bleakness and offers a universal solidarity within its depiction of great loss. | Original Score by John Penola | Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation | Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com | <3 Support the Show.•••Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Jane Penola, and Joseph Penola. ⚫ Get early access, extended episodes, and the Patreon-exclusive companion podcast "Ellipsis" only at Patreon.com/jimpenola ⚫ Follow us on Twitter: @AnInvitation and Instagram: @Invitation2Invitation ⚫ Email us: Invitation2Invitation@gmail.com•••