The Rad Revival House

On this week’s episode of The Rad Revival House, we combine our Black History Month movie movement with the Valentine’s Day holiday in our review of the bittersweet racial love story NOTHING BUT A MAN.Returning to our show is Mike Dennis, independent filmmaker, cinephile, and host of the great cinematic website, Reelblack.com. Mike and RRH host Professor Cesare Augusto explore the complex, character-enriched nuances of NOTHING BUT A MAN, and how the film left indelible marks on both speakers.NOTHING BUT A MAN surrounds the plight of Duff Anderson (the brilliant Ivan Dixon), a working-class black man working to survive the harsh racism that plagued the 1960s American Deep South. While enduring racism by hostile whites, Duff finds love in the form of shy African-American school teacher Josie (the great character actress Abbey Lincoln), much to the dismay of her disapproving preacher father. Despite the antagonism from their respective parents, as well as the hellish bigotries of the local white populace, Duff and Abbey strive to survive to keep their love and shared lives together.Both Mike and Cesare explore the film’s excellent performances (including a stunning supporting role by famed character actor Julius Harris), its peculiar yet strong production by German-Jewish American filmmakers Michael Roemer & Robert Young, and powerful societal messages. Even if the picture is largely forgotten by mainstream audiences, our reviewers feel NOTHING BUT A MAN is significantly worth revisiting by today’s viewers, especially with our current society’s racial tensions, as well as socially-conscious filmmakers looking towards the past for strong creative inspiration!

Who’s ready for some football…drama?Happy Superbowl Sunday, class! We’re at a very special edition of our Black History Month movie movement, as we combine both BHM and the big game! This week, the RRH explores the great 1971 made-for-TV dramatic sports tearjerker, BRIAN’S SONG.Helping in our review is first-time Special Guest Lecturer, Walter Cherepinsky. An old Penn State University friend of our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, Walt is the host of WalterFootball.com, a comprehensive website that analyzes every statistics and current facts of American professional football. Together, Cesare and Walt discuss the hard-hitting dramatic essence of BRIAN’S SONG. The film explores the friendship between Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams), two players on the Chicago Bears who couldn’t be more different. One is white, the other black, and both are members of a major football team in the middle of the volatile 1960s. When the two are forced to room together during the season, both men overcome seemingly great societal odds by becoming close friends. The film takes a startling turn when Piccolo is diagnosed with a potentially-lethal cancer bout, leaving Sayers struggling with the pain of losing his best friend.Cesare and Walt combine their analytical powers to decipher BRIAN’S SONG, how the film captures the brilliant chemistry between Caan and Williams, its witty dialogue born out of football player team camaraderie, and the simplistic feel despite being a made-for-TV movie. BRIAN’S SONG is a great example of how to effectively dramatize real-life events, and make it into solid cinematic entertainment!

Happy Black History Month! All February long, The Rad Revival House celebrates African-American culture through the all-compassing eye of the cinematic lens, especially by way of underrated, underseen black movies. Joining our podcast for the very first time is Derek Major, an old friend of RRH Host Professor Cesare Augusto from their days at Penn State University’s own student radio network PSU ComRadio, and a talented writer for many notable news outlets.We begin our cinematic BHM movement with HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE, a great independent film featuring written, directed, and starring great black actor/comedian Robert Townsend. HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE offers an in-depth look at aspiring thespian Bobby Taylor, who finds himself at a creative and moral crossroads. Looking to make his big break, Bobby is close to securing a lucrative actor role, which unfortunately happens to be a racially-typecast character of the urban, inner-city “street” persuasion. Bobby must make his choice: would he accept portraying a negative stereotype as a means of holding steady work as an actor, or will he make that sacrifice in order to keep his integrity as a man?HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE is an interesting exploration of the working person-of-color actor which combines comedy and hard-hitting subtle drama. Both Cesare and Derek discuss the film’s hilariously-constructed vignettes designed to poke fun at Hollywood’s use of cinematic black stereotypes, along with exploring Townsend’s realistically human approach in focusing on Bobby’s professional and personal journeys. HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE is a great example of the burgeoning black independent cinema movement that may have cemented the rise of other African-American filmmakers like Spike Lee and John Singleton!

Hey, freaks! In this very special episode, The Rad Revival House takes things a bit “upside down” with a unique new topic, “The Unrealized Pop References of STRANGER THINGS”!Joined by longtime regular Special Guest Lecturer Steve “The Analog Man” Tumolo, host Professor Cesare Augusto tackles the worldwide phenomenon of the hit Netflix series STRANGER THINGS. Both Cesare and Steve are big fans of the show, especially with its nonstop use of 70s and 80s-based movie references towards legends such as Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, George Lucas, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, and more. These legends clearly shaped the work of STRANGER THINGS creators Matt and Ross Duffer, but what about more unobvious references? What were some of the other, more obscure, more underrated films that influenced this show and helped shape its amazing impact?So Cesare and Steve put their heads together and came up with 5 movies they theorize helped create the classic pop culture zeitgeists of STRANGER THINGS. Together, they speculated that films such as  THE MONSTER SQUAD, THE MATRIX, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, and others are possible cinematic candidates that possible burned into the creative brains of the Duffer Brothers, which in turn helped them envision the grand design of STRANGER THINGS. Cesare and Steve painstakingly discuss their movie theories, and have a damn good time doing it! Plus, they discuss the series’ grand finale, and what the Duffers should do to continue their successful careers down the road!

Happy New Year, Class! The RRH is proud to present our first review of 2026 that slices harder than a sword to the neck: the 1973 Kung Fu epic, BEACH OF THE WAR GODS!Joining our discussion as Special Guest Lecturer is Chris The Brain, the esteemed host of the excellent Bulletproof Action Podcast, the show that analyzes all things cinematically action. Both Chris and our host, the Professor Cesare Augusto, explore the unique martial arts thriller that is BEACH OF THE GODS.Written, directed, and starring vintage movie legend Jimmy Wang Yu, BEACH OF THE WAR GODS is essentially the Chinese answer to THE SEVEN SAMURAI. During the Ming Dynasty, a community of Chinese fisherman found themselves oppressed and threatened by a horde of invading Japanese samurai. Unable to repel the marauders alone, the fishermen look to Hsia Feng (Wang Yu), a taciturn swordsman with justice and vengeance on his mind. Recruiting five equally-deadly warriors, Hsia Feng rallies the fishermen to fight back against their oppressors, leading to a deadly, blood-soaked confrontation on the town streets and the local shores.Both Cesare and Chris analyze the film’s magnificently-shot battle sequences, the incredible use of genuine, elbow-grease stunt work, and Wang Yu’s expert directorial vision. Our reviewers also discuss Wang Yu himself, on how his stunning career was hampered by his controversial off-screen life and alleged ties to Chinese organized crime. Despite the star’s setbacks, both reviewers admire Wang Yu’s efforts in making one of the greatest and yet criminally-underrated martial arts tales ever released!

The Rad Revival House continues its Unlikely Holiday Movies run with the bonkers 1984 Sci-Fi cult classic NIGHT OF THE COMET!Joining us is our newest Special Guest Lecturer, former screenwriter and now Writers Guild of America auditor Chris Chabot, who worked the hustle and bustle of the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Pennsylvania alongside our host, Professor Cesare Augusto! Together, Cesare and Chris explore this goofy satirical look at the cinematic post-apocalyptic craze of the early 80s. When a comet decimates half of the human race during the Christmas Season, two young Valley Girl sisters (Catherine Mary Stewart & Kelli Maroney) are stunned that they are among the very few survivors of this global disaster. Left with the very strong possibility that they are the last people on Earth, the sisters do what every other person will do after surviving the Apocalypse: go shopping! That is, until they run afoul of gun-totting zombies and a sinister cabal of government scientists!Despite its limited budget, NIGHT OF THE COMET is a fabulously-shot independent science fiction thriller thrown in with a happy dose of 80s-flavored comedy. Backed with a hilariously effective cast and a catchy 80s New Wave soundtrack (including Cyndi Lauper’s megahit “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” NIGHT OF THE COMET is slambang entertainment, especially for cult film fans. Both Chris and Cesare discuss the film’s quirky writing, its surprisingly strong special effects (including that eerie yellow sky!), and indie movie charm. Filmmakers should view NIGHT OF THE COMET to help them understand that a $100 million dollar budget isn’t necessary to tell an end-of-the-world tale, as long as you have a strong imagination and memorable characters to boost it!

Happy yee-haw Holidays! The Rad Revival House begins its Unlikely Holiday Films movement with back-to-back reviews of the most unlikely movies to watch before Christmas!First on our list is DAY OF THE OUTLAW, the 1959 wintry Western thriller from genre master Andre De Toth. Our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, analyzes this what he calls a “Hitchockian suspense Western”. In an isolated Wyoming town, powerful and angry cattleman Blaise Starrett ( criminally-underrated screen legend Robert Ryan) is feuding with a major farmer when their local squabble is interrupted by an invading outlaw gang. Led by dying but principled cavalry soldier Jack Bruen (Burl Ives), the gang threatens to violate the town’s women and destroy everything in its path. Forced into action, Blaise must find a way to outwit the outlaws and save his town from utter destruction. DAY OF THE OUTLAW is a powerful winter-based Western that, in Professor Cesare’s eyes, serves as a precursor to later icy frontier pictures such as THE GREAT SILENCE and THE HATEFUL 8. Aspiring Western writers should absorb this little-seen picture that combines both the hostile threat of freezing temperatures and the cruelty of evil men!

The Rad Revival House is proud to present our Double Feature Tribute to the late great Diane Keaton.Joining our discussion is Jeanne Marie Denizard, “The Sleepless Critic,” one of New England’s most revered and esteemed film critics. She and our host, Professor Cesare, analyze two of Keaton’s most notable yet notably underrated pictures, LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR, and BABY BOOM. Both films were critically- and commercially-acclaimed on their respective years - 1977 and 1977- but are largely underseen by today’s audiences.First in LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR, Keaton plays the complex and tragic role of Theresa, a teacher with a dark double life. A teacher who assists deaf children by day, Theresa scours the New York City streets by night where she partakes in a progressively-increasing path to self-destruction. Showering herself in alcohol and drugs, Theresa also meets scores of young men, many with less-than-honorable intentions. Backed with a strong supporting cast of then-unknown actors like Tuesday Weld, William Atherton, Levar Burton, Tom Berenger, and Richard Gere, Keaton tackles this difficult role with a combination of grace and wild abandon, right to the film’s horrifying climax.In contrast, Keaton also stars in BABY BOOM, an 80s comedy that tackles motherhood and the decade’s corporate lifestyle. As the “Tiger Lady” J.C., Keaton portrays a sharp-as-a-tack, ambitious working woman who finds her life turned upside down when she is unexpectedly made the guardian of a very small baby, the daughter of a deceased distant relative. Now trapped with this life-changing development, Keaton balances a no-nonsense corporate fierceness with a sweet comedic edge that she was armed with since her funny 1970s heyday. Both Jeanne and Cesare hope all aspiring actors would watch both of these two particular performances and learn to utilize versatility and raw gifts for drama and humor combined, just like the great Diane Keaton!

The Rad Revival House explores the mind of a violent, trigger-happy psychopath in filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich’s 1968 debut, TARGETS! Joining us for the very first time is cinephile, podcast producer, and kid brother to our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, Gabe Mara.Horror legend Byron Orlok (played by the magnificent Boris Karloff) is contemplating retirement after decades in the movie business. Orlok is tired and burnt-out, but begrudgingly agrees to do one last public appearance after his latest film release at a nearby drive-in theater outside Los Angeles. Meanwhile, a young disturbed individual named Bobby Thompson (the chillingly effective Tim O’Kelly) is about to embark on a brutal killing spree. Armed with hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols, Bobby indiscriminately kills innocent people from afar, painting the City of Angels blood red. Soon, both Orlok and Bobby converge together at the drive-in where a bullet-ridden climax awaits!Together, Cesare and Gabe decipher drama auteur Peter Bogdanovich’s stunning eye for direction, producer Roger Corman’s resourceful contribution to help the film get made, the helpfulness involvement of Bogdaonvich’s creative partner Polly Platt, and the picture’s fantastic production. Both brothers shed their respective lights on what makes TARGETS such an effective film that helps elevate it from mere schlock, into a cult film fan’s dream come true!

The RRH returns to the bloodsoaked American Old West with ULZANA’S RAID!Returning to our show is Cinema Studies Professor Peter Mascuch to offer his sharp insight upon this notoriously violent but artistically great Revisionist Western. ULZANA’S RAID stars Hollywood legend Burt Lancaster and up-and-coming Bruce Davison as Macintosh and DeBuin respectively, two officers of the United States Cavalry tasked with apprehending or killing Ulzana, a renegade Apache on a rampage all over the Southwestern United States. With an Apache scout (Jorge Luke) in tow, Lancaster and Davison head to a collision course with the ultra violent Ulzana and his war party. Carnage and death inevitably ensue!Directed by Robert Aldrich (KISS ME DEADLY, THE DIRTY DOZEN) and written by Alan Sharp (NIGHT MOVES), ULZANA’S RAID is a bleak and bloody Western which took the dual cultural risks of showing a more positive light upon the Apaches and portraying them as vengefully violent. Both Peter and Cesare discuss Aldrich’s stark direction, Sharp’s expert screenplay, and the engrossing performances from Lancaster, Division, and Luke. They further analyze the film’s powerful debunking of the Western, which removed the genre’s conventional tropes and added newer, tougher edges like graphic violence that was so recognizable in 1970s cinema. ULZANA’S RAID manages to realistically capture the Old West in its bloody form while telling a compelling story.   

When it comes to reviewing underrated great movies…NOTHING IS OVER! NOTHING!Because this week’s episode is an academic deep dive in the 1982 action classic FIRST BLOOD!Joining us this week is Wayne of the excellent film review podcast In Film We Trust. Together, Wayne and our host, Professor Cesare Augusto tackle just what makes FIRST BLOOD so unique and memorable. We all know John Rambo the man, the myth, and the legend. But what many folks might not be aware of is just how artistically well-done FIRST BLOOD is compared to its countless imitators and rip-offs, and even the rest of its own franchise. FIRST BLOOD introduces us to John Rambo, and just what made the man tick. Here, he’s fresh back stateside, out of the Vietnam War, only to be confronted by a crooked local lawman (played with brilliance by Brian Dennehy). What follows is a suspenseful private war between our hero, a highly decorated Green Beret suffering from severe PTSD, against scores of local police officers and military men out for his hide.Wayne and Cesare explore FIRST BLOOD’s excellent characters (including Stallone’s profound portrayal of his second notable franchise character after Rocky Balboa), great use of British Columbia’s rugged natural terrain, and sharp writing, elements that its sequels sorely lacked. This episode’s analysts formally declare that FIRST BLOOD, just like ROCKY, is the only film of its franchise to be vastly superior in its artistic quality compared to its sequels. Hear our analysis and judge for yourselves!

This week’s review cuts like a Katana with THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI!Repeat Special Guest Lecturer Jay Corso returns to lend an insightful hand on this fabulous 1960s Japanese Chanbara (sword-fighting) tale. A trio of Samurai warriors, all of which with intriguing and clashing personal backstories, become embroiled in a tense power struggle between desperate peasant farmers and a corrupt magistrate. Determined to make their voices heard after being subjected to poverty and oppression, the peasants resort to abducting the magistrate’s daughter. The magistrate retaliates using his influence and access to bloodthirsty mercenaries to strike back against the peasants. Moved by the peasants’ situation, the three Samurai rally to the defense of their new impoverished friends and battle against the magistrate’s army of killers!THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI is a suspenseful chanbara thriller that offers as a counter to more famous period piece epics by the likes of Akira Kurosawa. Director Hideo Gosha generates feelings of claustrophobia and unnerving tension within the film, backed simultaneously with gritty acting and of course, violent sword fights. The Rad Revival House recommends viewers interested in exploring more lesser-known Samurai epics to watch THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI for a grittier look at Japan’s Katana-wielding warriors!

The Rad Revival House visits the land of India for the very first time with a look at the legendary Satyajit Ray’s stunning debut film, PATHER PANCHALI!Joining our discussion is host Professor Cesare Augusto’s old friend and fellow cinephile Sam B. Levy. Together, Cesare and Sam analyze what makes this black and white Indian cinematic pearl so special. PATHER PANCHALI tells the tale of an impoverished family from the Bengali region of India in the turn of the century. Told from the eyes of the family’s youngest, a boy named Apu, the film surrounds the family’s regular lives and how they must endure difficult hardships caused by poverty, harsh weather, and the absence of their hard-working but distracted father. Cesare and Sam discuss Ray’s great direction, his eye for detail, and how he was able to generate a touching film with limited funds, for just his debut picture!Aspiring filmmakers looking to make a film based out of a very simple story are encouraged to watch PATHER PANCHALI for true creative inspiration.

The Rad Revival House revisits its classic Criminally Forgotten Actors segment with a special showcase on the ultra-cool Spaghetti Western star, Peter Lee Lawrence!German by origin, Lawrence had a different approach as a SW icon. Rather than being a rugged gunfighter by the likes of Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Franco Nero, Lawrence was a strikingly handsome young man whose good looks masked a killer deep within. Lawrence specialized in playing mysterious sharp-dressed strangers. He epitomized dapper yet enigmatic anti-heroes who were often underestimated by his enemies, and yet managed to defeat them through his wits, hand-to-hand combat prowess, and a lightning-fast trigger finger. In this episode, we showcased three of his films: KILLER CALIBER .32, KILLER ADIOS, and GARRINGO, from 1967 to 1969.Tom Betts, the amazing co-host of the great YouTube-based Spaghetti Western Podcast, generously provided us with great insight on the short but meaningful career and life of Peter Lee Lawrence. Betts revealed that Lawrence had died at the very young age of 30 from severe stomach ailments (and not from a brain tumor, as it is erroneously reported on Wikipedia).Despite his untimely death, the Rad Revival House places Peter Lee Lawrence high on the Spaghetti Westerns pedestal. With only 30 films in his filmography, Lawrence oozed an irresistible charisma and talent to match his matinee idol good looks. If there is ever such a truly underrated actor, Peter Lee Lawrence deserves such an honor!

Check it: the RRH reviews the 1985 hip-hop drama KRUSH GROOVE!Our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, be kickin’ it old-school style as he reviews this great piece of 80s pop culture. KRUSH GROOVE tells the tale of Russell Walker (Blair Underwood in his debut film role), a fictionalized take on Russell Simmons, the real-life founder of the legendary hip hop label Def Jam Recordings. When his rap band Run-D.M.C. has a sudden flush of success with their newest single, Walker must desperately find the capital to produce and distribute more records to ride on the group’s meteoric rise to fame. As he discovers the hard way that finding the funds to sell the record proves extremely challenging, Walker resorts to making a deal with a shady businessman (Richard Gant) and risks everything he and Run-D.M.C. had worked for.The film also stars 80s sensations Sheila E, The Fat Boys, and Kurtis Blow, along with budding rap and R&B singers LL Cool J, New Edition, and The Beastie Boys. Cesare deciphers how KRUSH GROOVE offers a strong dramatic edge as well as incredible musical performances. KRUSH GROOVE is a musical unlike any other, with great performances, a compelling story, and of course, a sick soundtrack that’s a blast from the 80s past!Plus, Cesare pays tribute to his late dog/fur-baby/movie-viewing partner Jameson, who left this Earth abruptly on 4-13-25. The unofficial mascot of the RRH, James was the perfect, loving dog, and we will miss him immensely. RIP, Kipitee

The Rad Revival House is "burning" up with excitement about our newest Horror review on WITCHFINDER GENERAL!We're joined by London-based cinephile and author Jennifer Upton, who provides some very shrewd insight on this unusual 1968 folk horror chiller. Vincent Price stars as Matthew Hopkins, a sadistic witch hunter who apprehends and tortures innocent people he wrongfully accuses of witchcraft 1600s England. When Hopkins abducts a beautiful young woman, her soldier husband (Ian Oglivy) must take a stand against the witch hunter's cruelty.Our host, Prof. Cesare Augusto and Jennifer analyze the eccentric approach of the film's director Michael Reeves (gone too soon), along with Price's gloriously over-the-top performance, and the use of actual British castles to add to the picture's gloomy gothic presence!

Screen legend Robert Mitchum returns to the Rad Revival House in his classic grumbling, high-intensity fashion with his 1973 Boston-based gangster drama THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE!Based on the novel by attorney-turned crime author George V. Higgins, THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE tells the tale of Eddie “Fingers” Coyle, an aging low-level gun-dealer doing whatever it takes to stay out of prison. Even if it means snitching out fellow criminal associates to the law. That’s what Eddie is doing, and that’s what he intends to do, and Boston’s meanest organized crime figures ain’t gonna like that he’s selling them out to G-Men!Joining our discussion is longtime Massachusetts native and frequent RRH Special Guest Lecturer Frank Mandosa (host of the great film review podcast Silver Screeners). Both Frank and RRH host Professor Cesare Augusto put their heads together as they analyze the almost agonizingly-slow pace of EDDIE COYLE, as well as its fabulous performances by star Mitchum (as the titular Eddie), Richard Jourdan, Peter Boyle, Steven Keats, and other famous 1970s character actors. Enthusiasts of thought-provoking, emotion-inducing gangster pictures should sit and absorb the quiet power of THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE. Because there’s more to 1970s crime pictures than just glamorized mobster epics and fancy-pants expensive productions!

Tuesday Night’s a great time for action cinema as the RRH reviews the 1991 cult classic THE LAST BOY SCOUT!This doozy of a thriller stars Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans as a disgraced ex-Secret Service agent turned private eye and a fallen-from-grace ex-quarterback respectively, thrown together when a murder hits close to home. Enemies at first, the unlikely duo must naturally put their differences aside to solve the murder and bring down a corrupt pro-football owner.Returning to the RRH is Rob of the great podcast The Cinemigos as he and our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, try to make sense behind THE LAST BOY SCOUT’s infamously turbulent production. Directed with great style by the late, great Tony Scott and written by dialogue wiz Shane Black, Rob and Cesare discuss the film’s downsides, including behind-the-scenes chaos (thanks to a clusterfuck of Hollywood egos) and uneven cinematic nature. Our speakers also analyze the picture’s fantastic dialogue and acting, putting THE LAST BOY SCOUT miles ahead of other similar, lesser competing films of its era.Screenwriters looking to create a bold, ballsy yet thought-provoking detective thriller should absorb THE LAST BOY SCOUT and learn from both its artistic ups and downs in order to create their own masterful private eye picture!

This St. Patrick’s Day week, the Rad Revival House explores the working-class Irish immigrant historical thriller, THE MOLLY MAGUIRES!Our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, takes the solo reins in this episode to review a film that is near and dear to his heart. A fellow immigrant himself, Professor Augusto analyzes what makes THE MOLLY MAGUIRES such an endearing film which centers upon the plight of real Irish-American immigrant workers who strike back against what they allege as workplace oppressors. Sean Connery and Richard Harris star as “Black” Jack Kehoe and James McKenna respectively, two members of a supposed Irish-American secret criminal society made up of disgruntled coal miners deep in 1870s Pennsylvania coal mining country . Kehoe is the leader of this group, who christened themselves “The Molly Maguires,” who attack and sabotage their own workplace motivated by accusations of low pay, unsafe working conditions, and management abuse. Little does Kehoe know that McKenna, the newest member of the Molly Maguires, is actually an undercover Pinkerton Detective out to derail the gang’s efforts!THE MOLLY MAGUIRES offers a cinematic take on an obscure and tragic piece of American history. Professor Augusto analyzes the film’s strong accuracy on the true Molly Maguires story, as well as the strong performances by the cast, especially by Connery and Harris. Filmmakers interested in tackling a true historical event for their original project should watch and absorb THE MOLLY MAGUIRES for inspiration on how to take real history and generate emotionally-strong cinema as a result!

The Rad Revival House pays tribute to the late great Gene Hackman and his most underrated performances.Returning to our show is noted film critic Jeanne Marie Denizard of “The Sleepless Critic”, as she and our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, take turns in exploring Hackman’s greatest and yet, woefully underseen roles, at least underseen by the mainstream masses. Together, they look at Hackman’s performances in HEARTBREAKERS, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, PRIME CUT, NIGHT MOVES, and GET SHORTY. They take turns in exploring Hackman’s gritty tough-guy roles, his hilarious comedic bits (Hackman himself did not have much faith in his funny man skills, which we wholeheartedly disagree with), and his honed, razor-sharp skills as an actor overall.The RRH gives its sincerest condolences to Hackman and his family at this difficult time. We, as devoted cinephiles, also hope that Hackman’s legacy as an actor will forever inspire further generations of actors and filmmakers to come. He will be sorely missed!