Fearless Pretender: The Jennifer Jason Leigh Podcast

Join Jason and special guest Sean Burns (splicedpersonality@bsky.social) as they discuss Jennifer’s October 14th, 2001, performance on Broadway in the play Proof in a very special bonus experience (not an official official episode). The language is explicit, the mood is weird, and CONTENT WARNING: two Americans talking about 9/11 and not in the way that usually happens in the discourse and things get very heavy. These are two people who’ve been friends since 1993 thanks to Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me - they are getting old and it is inescapable.This is about as discursive as things can get, and Jason’s disfluencies are not minimized as is usually the case in the edit process. Side topics include stagedooring, Mulholland Drive, Joe Coleman, Atlanta Backdrop Foolishness, the state of Broadway, the West Newton Cinema, what it means when your alma mater is fucking it up on a global scale, the Harvey Weinstein Of It All, the good Kicking and Screaming, Oh Mary, nightsoaps, Neil Diamond, what it means to give The Full Jennifer, vomiting fire, JJL as Alia Atreides in the unmade Dune: Messiah, an origin for Adopting The Monster, the cruelty of the passage of time, Josh Hamilton, Daniel Craig, doing a Twin Peaks rewatch, InDigEnt films, Scarlet Diva, the Lincoln Center Theatre Library, what it means when a personality big enough for the movies takes the stage, Madison Square Garden, Dino DeLaurentiis, Jason’s philosophy of camp, Kathryn Hunter, and BritBox.

Join Jason and Sam this month as returning guest Liam McCloud saddles up a seat on the fire engine for a discussion of Ron Howard’s 1991 film Backdraft. They also get into Pulsating Door Cinema, The looming Baldwin/Skarsgård Points of Divergence, Casualty!, Celebrity IOU, Fabulous Baker Boys hair, The Pillow Pyro, professionalism as a foundation, Stephen Baldwin’s career that could have been, toxic dynamics in closed structures, Jason making completely unfounded comparisons between US/UK civic structure, Frequency, ‘80s/’90s/Aughts revivals, historic moments in terrible CGI fire, European language questions, Hannibal Lecter and Clint Howard rankings, what it means to Edwige Fenech a film, boxcuts, inciting incidents/object lessons, Sliver, boat parties, OSHA laws, controversial Pacino thoughts, mysteries and subterfuge, a (shocking) secret of Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, and the Pete Burns/Glenn Danzig Continuum. If you’ve been looking to find ways to help the victims of the Los Angeles fires, a good starting place is https://www.mutualaid.la/resources There’s also a spreadsheet that aggregates GoFundMes, as well as linking out to the Displaced Disabled and Displaced Latine spreadsheets, all of which are collated here: https://tinyurl.com/444f75yv Our theme music comes courtesy of composer Tim Kutz. Follow him on Twitter ⁠@Rockub420⁠ and check out his brand new album at theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com/album/side-b.

Join the gentlemen for the latest special episode of Fearless Pretender, where we explore two legendary pieces of Lost JJL work: we explore the remnants left behind of the TV pilot Partners in Life (and the show it eventually became) as well as Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut, examining the ripples left from works which are simply – gone. In addition, you’ll hear Sam and Jason get silly and sorrowful and talk about cartoons, The Wall Of Temptation, more multiverse theory, cult followings, Margaret Dumont, boxsets, Laura Branigan, Single Female Lawyer, Stanley Kubrick as Master of sexual signifiers, QAnon, the Johan Falk films, the legacy of devoted fans and their video instincts, Jack Parsons, a future mystery, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, eidetic memory, Temptation vs Possibility, The JPL, lost media, William Friedkin, Luke Skyywalker & The 2 Live Crew, Strange Angel, Liv Ulmann’s Faithless, Star Trek pilots and their evolutions, the cinema of grind, Thelema, realtime social media intervention, and Jason getting ridiculously in-depth about photochemical processing and camera philosophy and the various and sundry transfers of the film. Also, Jason misidentifies Sydney Pollack’s character as “Zidler,” rather than “Ziegler.” Zidler is Jim Broadbent’s character in Moulin Rouge! Laura Branigan’s “Self Control” video, directed by William Friedkin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP0_8J7uxhs The 1969 Traumnovelle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u50DsIKCa1w

A TECHNICAL NOTE: Some of y'all may notice it's been longer than usual since our last show, and it's been very heartwarming to hear from listeners checking in to make sure that we're okay, what with general and specific chaos that is currently reshaping the world. The episode on Buried Alive was marked by a catastrophic technical situation that affected the entire second half of Jason's audio track, and while we reconstructed what we could, if things seem a tad 'off' or imbalanced, this is why. We thank you for your patience with this and hope that you are as well as possible. Join Sam and Jason and special guest film critic Liam McCloud as they talk about Frank Darabont’s 1990 directorial debut Buried Alive. You’ll also hear about ‘90s neonoir, the wrong time to decide to be fully honest, the comedy of tension and the tension of comedy, the many varieties of bastardry, a return of Blue Fang, William Atherton and unctuousness, tropical fishcraft, some Shawshank heresy, abortion judgments, the moral foundations of Gremlins, power imbalances in male friendships, buried alive cinema, inescapable Nashville movies, “Tasty Fish,” what unfinished homes and communities signify, Scooby-Doo villainy, malign smarm, Chekhov’s Rottweiler, getting real about Fantasia, buried accents, the art of the dawdle, the shameful legacy of Walter Peck and the enduring sins of Ghostbusters, the difference between compromise and acquiescence, heart attacks, how resurrection makes you inherently interesting, noble fat guys, an unexpected Emperor’s New Groove reference, trap cinema, and intense color coordination.

In addition to discussing George Armitage's Miami Blues, join Sam and Jason this month for an ongoing debate about the intelligence of the character Susie, Desperation Pies, confrontational chest hair, the most unexpected Star Trek comparison you’ll ever encounter, the concept of The Generic becoming oddly Specific by being Generic in multiple spaces, The legacy of the Mayflowers, “Hour Back… Get It,” the Michael Hanekeness of Cockfighter (read Keir-La Janisse’s book!), Tom Tykwer’s Heaven, Koos Van Den Akker, “Somewhere That’s Green”- the person, the novels of Paul Beatty, Kṛṣṇa Consciousness as reflected in popular culture, the Bernard Goetz case, a Blair Witch-related schism, the Suzanne Vega multiverse, gardening skills, and Voight-Kampff Empathy Tests. At Sam’s insistence, certain material was excised from this episode. Vinegar Pie recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/what-is-vinegar-pie-8401486 Context on what was cut: Boy George: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_George#Assault_and_false_imprisonment_conviction James Franco: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Franco#Sexual_misconduct_accusations_and_lawsuit

This month, Sam and Jason are joined by Dr Linda Marric to talk about 1989’s Last Exit To Brooklyn, following a perhaps more involved pre-episode content advisory than any episode since Flesh + Blood. In addition, we get into Baldwinalia, fat politics, Cabaret, the legacy of Alexis Arquette, Fassbinder blondes, Courtney Love, intersectional dehumanization, Constantin Films, union politics, Metropolis, Dolores as a plural noun, Threesome, Brooklyn grit, pansexual jazz brunch at Stewart’s, Dogville, NYU TV, Advanced Wig theory, Anybodys from West Side Story, the third F Word, “Dental Plan; Lisa Needs Braces,” Jenette Goldstein and Renée Soutendijk, and a cameo from Baby Zelda! Our theme musics are by Tim Kutz, and you can, and should, hear more of his work at theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com

To start with: Yanni/Overture (from Heart of Midnight) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_epW6yR8e0s Whitney Houston/I’m Your Baby Tonight* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0oRnyXxIrY X-Men: The Animated Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAkL2-vh2Sk Join Sam and Jason this month as they discuss 1988’s Heart of Midnight, as well as Steve Buscemi, The Three Mothers, the spectre of AIDS, Tamara de Lempicka, Aphex Twin/”Come To Daddy,” 3D conflict, makeup theory in Lady Vengeance and The Substance, expansive cosmic horror, The Allnighter, Hooper X, NTSC/PAL framerates, Brenda Vaccaro, garbage disposals, Everett DeRoche, “Far From Over,” liminal spaces, cigarette smoking, pink/grey dialectics, what Inferno & Total Recall have in common, the psychic toll of water damage, Sam inventing a new fighting move, Eric Prydz/”Call On Me,” road trips, the return of waterbed discourse, The Ozploit Podcast, Hawai’ian shirts as signifier, Suspiria red, a flashback to our origin episode, extensive color theory, A germ of a podcast idea for the grabbing, Odalisques with UmbyPods and disco balls, and Hider in the House. Our theme musics are by Tim Kutz, and you can hear more of his work at theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com * this was not the version released to radio and MTV in Europe, so it may sound unexpectedly different.

Join Sam and Jason this month as they’re joined by host of The Directors Club podcast and Chicago-based Film Critic Jim Laczkowski to talk about Christopher Guest’s 1989 debut feature The Big Picture, wherein the following topics may occur: Pay-Per-View, The persistence of vision of Corky St. Clair, The Goodbye Girl: The Musical, fleeting Bechdel moments, Al Cliver/Pierluigi Conti, misunderstanding genre, L.A.’s Vista Theatre, Fran Leibowitz, This Is Spinal Rap (Fear of a Black Hat vs CB4), Logan Stevens, how we’re finally going to get Sam to watch Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, bêtisier, charity shop serendipity, Jiminy Glick vs Ed Grimley vs Jackie Rogers Jr, pernicious and omnipresent sexism, The many lives of Richard Belzer, Quiet On The Set, and the Dan Schneider of it all. Sam: Bluesky / Letterboxd Jason: Bluesky / Twitter / Rotten Tomatoes Jim: Twitter / Bluesky / Substack / Director's Club

Join Sam and Jason on this month’s episode of Fearless Pretender, where we finally discuss the elephant in the room [in comments recorded about a month ago] as well as John Stockwell’s 1987 film Under Cover, in addition to satellite dish searches, The LaHabra Sound, the sad winnowing of availability, Witchboard, Rainbow Harvest, the liminal space that is the video store, the difference between college and university, cassette technology, Amber and Johnny, and Cannon Classics.  

Join Sam and Jason as they are joined by Bede “The Terrible Australian” Jermyn to discuss* 1986’s SISTER, SISTER as well as crimes against hair, bayou safety, why nobody’s happy in The House of Mirth, an expansion of the Fearless Pretender Drinking Game, the ritual sparagmos of Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part Two, Schrödinger’s Dub, the perils of running a small business, heroic med-taking, the disconnect when Eric Stoltz doesn’t play a ginger, inescapable “Teach Me How To Love” scenes, suspicious normality, 1987’s Nice Girls Don’t Explode, and pear symbology. * - in an episode recorded before the recent developments regarding Jennifer’s social media. And yes, we will address it at the beginning of the next episode. Fearless Pretender: Twitter/X / Bluesky Jason: Rotten Tomatoes / Twitter/X Sam: Letterboxd / Bluesky Bede: The Super Network / Twitter/X

Join Sam and Jason as they discuss the 1986 filmed theatrical production of PICNIC* as well as take a crash course in the history of Labor Day, House of Gucci syndrome, writer/director conflicts, The Golden Girls, Broadway on US cable TV, flowers for Conchata Ferrell, Duckman, humble fuckability, what determines Southern belletry, and sitcom paleontology. * in a recording that predates some of the developments regarding JJL and her social media presence. Fearless Pretender: Twitter/X / Bluesky Jason: Twitter/X / Bluesky / Rotten Tomatoes Sam: Bluesky / Letterboxd

Sam and Jason welcome back Craig MacNeil (Craig and Friends) to discuss 1986's The Men's Club, a film which challenges the viewer in unexpected ways. Join them as they discuss this ensemble curiosity, as well as Gwen Welles, Vice Squad, Oliver North, deep kissing and 1980s HIV paranoia, The Before Trilogy, Sasha Grey, Psychoplasmics, shoulder dancing, Season Hubley, brothel breakfasts, '80s homophobia, and All That Jazz.  Fearless Pretender's theme music is by Tim Kutz, who just dropped his new single "Techno Hit Of The Year" at https://theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com/ Jason: ⁠Twitter / X⁠ / ⁠Bluesky⁠ / ⁠Rotten Tomatoes⁠ Sam: ⁠Bluesky⁠ / Letterboxd Craig: Twitter / X

Sam and Jason take an eighteen-wheeler to tradition and welcome two guests for this month’s very special episode, talking about 1986’s THE HITCHER. With Super Marcey (The Super Network) and William Bibbiani (The Critically Acclaimed Network) having thumbed a ride, we talk about the Rutger Hauer/JJL reunion, nihilist homoeroticism, police ethics (and the lack thereof), what makes a Dardenne protagonist, how Americans and Aussies share the special unease of living in a country with desolate roads in the starkest of deserts, Martyrs, taking moral stances, structure, digital releases for ‘80s indie cinema, potato delivery systems, the possibility that while gearing up to play Nash perhaps Jennifer did time as a short order cook, what Ryder teaches us as viewers about BDSM, Soul Man, the power of parental prophecy, Abel Ferrara’s The Addiction, The Geto Boys, justice for Zach Knighton in La Vie Nouvelle, and so much more. Jason: ⁠Twitter / X⁠ / ⁠Bluesky⁠ / ⁠Rotten Tomatoes⁠ Sam: ⁠Bluesky⁠ / ⁠Letterboxd Bibbs: Critically Acclaimed / Twitter/X Marcey: The Super Network / Twitter/X

For the first episode of 2024, Jason and Sam take a break from their chronological survey of Jennifer Jason Leigh's career and discuss what might have been. In the first of several episodes that will cover films that Jennifer was ALMOST in, we look at a somewhat forgotten 80s coming of ager and an iconic rom-com that made a megastar of its lead in 1990. First up, loose Twelfth Night riff Just One of the Guys, in which Jennifer nearly played the lead role of Terri, a high school senior who disguises herself as a guy when she's not submitted to a journalism competition. We discuss how the film plays now, eventual lead Joyce Hyser's performance, and whether Jennifer could ever have made a convincing dude. Then, we discuss one of the biggest projects Jennifer has turned down: Pretty Woman. We get into the film, its (waning?) cultural imprint, and the difference between the version that was released and the script JJL turned down. Jason: Twitter / X / Bluesky / Rotten Tomatoes Sam: Bluesky / Letterboxd

This month, Sam and Jason welcome producer Heather Buckley (The Ranger, The Sacrifice Game,Blood and Flesh: The Reel Life and Ghastly Death of Al Adamson, amazing special features on the blu-rays you love for the past fifteen-plus years) to discuss the Paul Verhoeven film Flesh + Blood. It’s a wild and expansive discussion about the most violent and upsetting film ever named after a Roxy Music album that covers a lot of ground and fords some surreal technical issues. Our guest Heather Buckley’s most recent production, The Sacrifice Game, streams on Shudder in North America next week. This month’s bibliography includes the books Jesus of Nazareth by Paul Verhoeven, Paul Verhoeven Interviews, and Paul Verhoeven by Rob Van Scheers, the television show Black Adder, as well as the following films: Alexander (Stone), Baise-Moi (Despentes/Trinh Thi), Death in Venice (Visconti), The Devils (Russell), The Devil’s Honey (Fulci), Excalibur (Boorman), Lancelot du Lac (Bresson), Little Mother (Metzger), Monty Python and The Holy Grail (Gilliam/Jones), Poison Ivy: The New Seduction (Voss), Sauna (Annila), The Trilogy of Life (Pasolini), and Vice Squad (Sherman). Jason: Twitter / X / Bluesky / Rotten Tomatoes Sam: Bluesky / Letterboxd Heather: Twitter

A full length episode for this, Jennifer's only film of 1984, in which she has a tiny supporting part covering only about 3 minutes screen time, might seem a little indulgent, but when Billy Ray Brewton is your guest, you make the most of him. Jason, Sam and Billy Ray talk about the authenticity of the smalltown feel of this coming of ager, about the chemistry between Jamie Lee Curtis and male leads C. Thomas Howell and Patrick Swayze and about the differences between Jennifer's inexperienced characters up to this point and the much more sexually forward Candy. Digressions include discussions of Velamints, seeing films as a product of their time and the way the hosts saw their own towns change, much like Grandview does. Our theme music comes courtesy of composer Tim Kutz. Follow him on Twitter ⁠@Rockub420⁠ and check out his brand new album at http://theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com/album/side-b. Twitter / X @JJLPodcast @jshawhan @BillyRayBrewton Around the Web Sam: Bluesky / Letterboxd Jason: Bluesky / Rotten Tomatoes Billy Ray: Linktree

For episode 8, Sam and Jason delve into the theatrical cut of Jennifer's exploitation TV movie, directed by Jonathan Kaplan. First screened as Girls of the White Orchid, but released theatrically with some more overtly sleazy ingredients as Death Ride to Osaka. This time, we're joined by Jonathan Hertzberg of Fun City Editions, who released the film in their excellent Primetime Panic blu-ray set, and brings some insider knowledge having interviewed Kaplan for that release. Among the things up for discussion are Mako and Soon Teck-Oh's subversive use of Japanese in the film's TV version; the merits of each title; Jennifer's nonchalant attitude to nudity; the film's chaotic location shoot in Japan, and much more. Our theme music comes courtesy of composer Tim Kutz. Follow him on Twitter ⁠@Rockub420⁠ and check out his brand new album at http://theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com/album/side-b. Twitter / X @JJLPodcast @24FPSUK @jshawhan @FunCityEdition Around the Web Sam: Threads / Bluesky / Letterboxd: All @24FPSUK Jason: Rotten Tomatoes Fun City Editions

For Episode 7, Jason, Sam and guest Craig MacNeil confront the cultural divide provoked by Rodney Dangerfield and his 1983 Brewster's Millions-alike comedy Easy Money. Among the subjects up for discussion are the genius (?) of Rodney Dangerfield; how good a year the pizza guy at Ridgemont High had after everyone graduated; the merits of RC Cola and Panda Pops; the comic potential of precarious cakes, oh, and Jennifer Jason Leigh's part as Rodney Dangerfield's daughter. Join us for this epic deconstruction of a near forgotten (and, in the UK, barely released) movie. PS: Sam got the preview wrong at the end of this episode, Grandview USA is the September episode. Next month we'll be covering Girls of the White Orchid / Death Ride to Osaka with a very special guest. Craig and Friends @ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/craig-friends/id1361582513 Easy Money vs Modern Woman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYt1tznPduQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdzQi_hh7Qc trailer for Elvira Mistress of the Dark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZdrAqH78l8 Klingon culture not samurai culture / John Ford’s novel The Final Reflection https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Reflection LaToya Jackson’s “Just Say No” video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwLpuOHOjcQ Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t Drive Drunk” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0IhxqRzJgQ Anthrax’s “I’m The Man” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiHdr4rWG98 sadly, extant footage of Taylor Negron’s appearances on The Dating Game are not available James Adomian at The Midnight Suggestion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJU0KVN4eek The “Rappin’ Rodney” video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWTKhQzQl1A Contact Us Sam Twitter: https://twitter.com/24FPSUK Threads: Username 24FPSUK Jason: https://twitter.com/jshawhan Craig: https://twitter.com/CraigAndFriends / https://twitter.com/VideodromeDisco Music theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com

This time, Jason and Sam tackle another couple of TV projects from Jennifer Jason Leigh's early 80s career. After School Special "Have You Ever Been Ashamed Of Your Parents?" defies the stereotype of these shows by having some excellent writing and nuanced performances (and, yes, a slightly clunkily inserted moral). TV movie "The First Time" sees Jennifer among a quality cast with some great roles for the film's women, in a story that deals with coming of age from a different angle than Fast Times. Among the topics: Playing an only child convincingly. A co-star with an amazing career path. Everyone should have a grandma like Charlotte in The First Time. Sam HATES the score for one of these. Our theme music comes courtesy of composer Tim Kutz. Follow him on Twitter ⁠@Rockub420⁠ and check out his brand new album at theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com/album/side-b. Twitter @JJLPodcast @24FPSUK @jshawhan

Sam and Jason tackle the first of this show's white whales: Jennifer's breakthrough role in era defining teen comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Among the subjects up for discussion are the incredibly stacked cast of character actors the film introduced; the existence or otherwise of Linda's boyfriend Doug and the differences between the theatrical and TV versions of the film. We also touch on Roger Ebert's review of the film; male friendship as represented by Rat and Damone; the value of the class clown; THAT nude scene... and American house numbering. Note: Sam wanted to call this episode "Doesn't anybody f**king knock anymore?", but we decided it had to be a JJL line in the title. Our theme music comes courtesy of composer Tim Kutz. Follow him on Twitter @Rockub420 and check out his brand new album at https://theeuphoricrecall.bandcamp.com/album/side-b. Fast Times at Ridgemont High is available on Criterion Blu Ray in both the US and the UK Tree of Knowledge is included in the 10 film Nils Malmros boxset from Nordisk film (Region 2, includes English subtitles) Seventeen is available... if you look for it and because we love you, here's the trailer for Blue Fang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8QlOOEChAg Twitter @JJLPodcast @24FPSUK @jshawhan