The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood

Before we get started: apologies for the downgrade in my audio quality about 10 minutes into this episode. My computer, unappreciative of the coffee I spilled on it earlier in the week, decided to restart itself mid-recording in protest. It shall be punished greatly. —— This week I’m joined by Brian Abrams, author of “You Talkin’ to Me?”: The Definitive Guide to Iconic Movie Quotes. We discussed how he pared his list down, the research that went into making this more than a mere list of his personal favorites, and the evolution of the iconic movie quote into a versatile form of meme-creation. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to share it with a friend!

This week I’m rejoined by Jonathan Taplin, author of The End of Reality: How 4 Billionaires Are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse, Mars, and Crypto, to discuss the ways in which popular culture may be leading the public down a dark road. Mr. Taplin has previously been on the show to talk about his career in the entertainment business, from tour manager for Bob Dylan to producer of early Martin Scorsese classics Means Streets and The Last Waltz to his early efforts to introduce video streaming, so he knows a thing or two about the ways in which politics is downstream from culture. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend!

This week I talk to Ben Dreyfuss, formerly in charge of audience acquisition at Mother Jones and currently the author of the Calm Down Substack, about the promise and the peril of complete data transparency. Ben watched what happened firsthand as data about what readers wanted became more and more available to journalists: how it shaped what was written, and how, and for whom, and how this race for virality wound up decimating the advertising market that newsrooms relied on.  I wanted to talk to Ben about this because I remember living through this data revolution and, while I'm supportive of the labor unions and their desire to get more data about what is successful in order to divvy up a more equitable share of streaming revenue, I’m also nervous about some of the knock-on consequences of full data transparency. Besides, more creatives really should be asking themselves if they want everyone to know precisely how many—or, more likely, how few—people are watching the vast majority of streaming offerings.  If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend! And sign up for Ben’s Substack; it’s a hoot.

This week I’m joined by Anthony Penta, director of We Kill for Love, a documentary/film essay about the erotic thriller and its place in the history of cinema. Drawing parallels to film noir and gothic romances, among other genres, Penta traces not only the artistic legacy of We Kill for Love but also the role they played in the early days of home video rentals and pay cable. Hundreds of films melding sex, violence, and sexy violence were produced, yet many of them have all but disappeared, critics dismissing them as little more than softcore pornography and viewers moving on to other forms of titillation. The erotic thriller lives on, but you’ll be a little surprised to see precisely where. We Kill for Love is available on VOD now. Make sure to rent it after the kiddos have gone to bed, as this is a return to the world of Cinemax After Dark. But I don’t want to leave you thinking it’s lurid: We Kill for Love is a tasteful, informative, and empathetic look back at the genre filled with new interviews with the actors, actresses, producers, and directors of the genre, as well as the critics and academics attempting to impart it with a bit more respectability. I didn’t know I needed a two-and-a-half-hour documentary about erotic thrillers in my life, but I’m glad I have it. As always, if you enjoyed this episode or learned something about the business of film, please share it with a friend!

This week I’m joined by Chris Yogerst to discuss The Warner Brothers, his fascinating new look at the life of Jack, Harry, Sam, and Albert Warner, who collectively formed the Warner Bros. studio. From the technological innovations such as sound pursued by Sam, to the moral case for cinema made by Harry, to the classic mogul behavior of Jack, the journey of the brothers Warner makes for an interesting glimpse into the world of Hollywood. Amongst the topics discussed: how Warner Bros. went to war against the Nazis; labor strife in the 1940s; and the ugly breakup of the family dynasty. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend!

This week I’m rejoined by The Entertainment Strategy Guy to talk about his two-part series on streaming flops (TV shows here; movies here). If hits pay for the misses, and we know what the hits are, shouldn’t we know what the misses are as well in order to make fewer of them? We discuss his methodology and then examine one buzzy title, Hijack, to see if it’s a hit or a flop and how to think about those terms. We also discuss why sports documentaries tend to underperform and why most mid-to-large-budget movies should either be released theatrically or not made at all. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

This week I’m joined by Roy Price, the founder of Prime Video and Amazon Studios, to discuss what it would look like in 2023 to start a brand-new movie studio. Which genres are under-served? What price points should budgets be aimed at? And which audiences are looking for something they aren’t getting from the big studios? We also talk a bit about streaming networks and audience acquisition/retention, and why low-budget horror might wind up being a crowded space in the coming years. If you enjoyed the episode, please share it with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some backstory to this episode: last month I bought a ticket for Sound of Freedom because I was curious about the year’s most unexpected box office sensation. As the credits rolled, star Jim Caviezel came on the screen and gave a speech to the audience about the importance of theatrical exhibition; it’s the sort of thing you typically see at the start of movies these days, actors and directors thanking audiences for coming to the theater. Here’s the wrinkle: during his speech, Caviezel tells audience members they can “pay it forward,” buy a ticket for someone who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to go. When the QR code allowing audiences to do this came on the screen, a woman who had lingered by the exit when she heard Caviezel talking pulled out her phone, scanned the code, and bought a ticket. I’ve never seen anything like that in a movie theater. Ever. So I asked Jeffrey Harmon, Angel Studios’s Chief Content Officer, on the show to talk about his studio’s unique business model, how they decide what to fund, and whether or not the pay-it-forward model could work for other types of movies like civil rights dramas. We discussed how the pay-it-forward system impacts the box office (briefly: only tickets that are requested and redeemed count toward the total, which as of this writing stands at $156 million domestic) and what their plans are for international distribution. As always, if you learned something, I hope you share this episode with a friend. Finally: I know there’s a lot of controversy swirling around this movie. For reasons I lay out here, I think it’s a fairly serious misstep to describe this as “the QAnon movie,” though I understand why some have misgivings given Jim Caviezel’s statements in the past. But this episode is about the film’s box office business, and as such I hewed pretty closely to that topic. If you’re not interested in that aspect of Sound of Freedom, I understand, but I’d ask you to keep comments on topic if you’d like to discuss this week’s episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m rejoined this week by The Wall Street Journal’s Erich Schwartzel, author of Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy, to talk about Hollywood’s disastrous summer in China, where virtually every American movie released so far has underperformed. We also talk briefly about why Meg 2: The Trench may end up being one of the lone bright spots for Hollywood this year. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s episode Ryan Faughnder, author of the Wide Shot newsletter, returns to the show to talk about Netflix’s softer-than-expected earnings report, the momentary bright spot at the box office, and the possibility that this strike is going to be going on for quite some time. If you enjoyed the episode, share it with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I’m rejoined by Jake Tapper, who is on the show to discuss his new historical novel All the Demons Are Here, the third book in the Charlie and Margaret Marder Mysteries. It’s a great beach read and works as a standalone, but I still recommend checking out his previous novels as well to get the full scope of of the Marder family’s story. On this episode we discuss how the books have evolved, the research that went into writing them, and which big name is circling an adaptation of The Hellfire Club for a big streamer. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to pick up a copy of Jake’s book. And share this episode with a friend!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m happy to be rejoined by the first (and, perhaps one day, final) Bulwark Goes to Hollywood guest, Richard Rushfield of The Ankler (subscribe today!), to talk about Hollywood’s shaky summer. Nine-figure flops, the collapse of IP, labor woes, c-suite shakeups: it’s a weird time out west. How is the industry going to handle it? And what might the future look like? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I’m joined by Nick de Semlyen, the editor of Empire magazine and author of the new book The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage. We talk Sly, Arnold, Bruce, and the other big names of the 1980s, how the cinematic heroes of the decade dovetailed in a way with the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and how a second-rate Chuck Norris feature may have inspired a revolution. If you enjoyed the episode, check out the book. And share this podcast with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I’m joined by Ken Harbaugh, the producer of Against All Enemies, to discuss his new documentary about the disproportionate number of military and police personnel attracted to extremist groups like the Oath Keepers. How did so many end up at the vanguard of the mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6? And what role do lies about elections play in radicalizing this cohort? We also discuss the film’s glowing reception at Tribeca and the work that goes into getting a documentary like this not only produced but also distributed. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to share it with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I’m joined by Brooks Barnes of the New York Times to discuss his story on Universal’s efforts to build what amounts to a new release window, the premium video on demand (PVOD) window. For the first time, Brooks has some real numbers, and they’re pretty interesting. For instance, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, pictured above, has made more than $75 million since May 16 despite still being in theaters and being the seventh-highest-grossing film last weekend. You should read the whole thing and then listen to our chat. (Or vice versa.) And if you enjoyed the episode, share it with a friend!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s show, I’m joined by Arthur Smith, chairman of A. Smith and Co. Productions, the company behind long-running hits like Hell’s Kitchen and American Ninja Warrior. In addition to explaining why he shies away from the label “reality TV,” he’s here to talk about his career and his fascinating new book Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Television. Arthur has one of the most interesting careers of anyone I’ve ever spoken to: he got his start at the CBC, working his way up to the head of sports, before moving to Dick Clark’s production company in the States, then getting in on the ground floor at Fox Sports, and then founding A. Smith and Co. where he’s produced shows for the major networks, cable companies, and streamers alike. He’s seen every facet of the business over the last 40-some years and has great insights into how things have changed—and how they’ve stayed the same. If you learned something from this episode and think others would enjoy it, please share it with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I’m joined by Cara Cusumano, Festival Director and VP of Programming at the Tribeca Festival, for a wide-ranging chat about the nature of the modern film festival, how a festival’s sense of place can coexist with efforts to make the festival’s programming available to people around the world, and how Tribeca has expanded beyond film into a multimedia extravaganza. We also talked about a subject near and dear to my own heart, as a parent of younger children: What can festivals do to get families more involved and encourage the next generation’s love of film? Tickets for a number of the events Cara and I discussed today are still available at TribecaFilm.com. And if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you share it with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s episode, I’m joined by the Entertainment Strategy Guy to talk about the state of streaming data. What do we know? What don’t we know? Do movies fare better on streaming after getting a theatrical run? How does the data help determine what we watch? What is the “binge curve”? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you found it illuminating, make sure to sign up for his Substack! And if you enjoyed this episode make sure to share it with a friend!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I am pleased to be joined this week by screenwriter Colby Day to discuss all the unapid work that goes into getting paid work. I loved reading Colby’s diaries of annual pitch meetings and the such for 2021 and 2022, and thought I might share them, and him, with you as a way to help you understand some of the frustrations that writers have with the current state of Hollywood. How many pitches does a writer have to make to land one paying gig? Why does it take an endless amount of time to get paid after drafts have been submitted? How could the strike help alleviate some of these problems? All that and more on this week’s episode. If you enjoyed it, please share with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I’m rejoined by Scott Mendelson of The Wrap to talk about the state of the box office. Is the comic book boom over? What should we be looking for from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 if we want to assess the health of Disney’s cash cow? What did Scott make of The Flash at Cinemacon? When will the mid-level movie recover? Why is 2017 a better comparison point than 2019? All that and more on this week’s show! If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices