Fear and Loathing in Cinema where we take an old movie and deep dive into the production, behind-the-scenes, and casting to see if the film still holds up or if it never really did! Here on this first episode, hosts Bryan Kluger from Boomstick Comics, High Def Digest, and Screen Rant, along with good friend Dan Moran of Boomstick Comics joins in on the fun.
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Fear and Loathing in Cinema where we take an old movie and deep dive into the production, behind-the-scenes, and casting to see if the film still holds up or if it never really did! Here on this first episode, hosts Bryan Kluger from Boomstick Comics, High Def Digest, and Screen Rant, along with good friend Dan Moran of Boomstick Comics joins in on the fun.
Inside the brutal fighting world of film podcasts, Fear and Loathing in Cinema sets itself apart with its irreverent blend of pop culture critique, nostalgic deep-dives, and a razor-sharp, at times almost uncomfortably candid, dissection of cinematic relics that were once scorned but now, with the benefit of time, seem worthy of a second look. Hosted by a group of unpredictable yet undeniably insightful voices; Bryan Kluger, a media director with a sharp sense of irony of offensive things; Dan Moran, a lawyer who brings an often absurd legal perspective of the film industry and Kevin Costner; Preston Barta, a film critic with a taste for the heart-warmingly obscure branch of cinema; and Chelsea Nicole, a culture critic who digs into the nuances of social dynamics and horror; Fear and Loathing in Cinema Podcast thrives in that rare space between sincere analysis and gut-busting humor.
There are few films that could convince four grown men in 2025 to willingly dodge the U.S. military draft, board a non-refundable flight to Hong Kong, and enter an underground full-contact martial arts tournament with zero formal training; ave, perhaps, for some light cardio and a YouTube rabbit hole of aikido fails. But in Episode #128 of Fear and Loathing in Cinema, Bryan, Dan, Preston, and special guest Wade throw themselves; emotionally, spiritually, and imaginatively; into Bloodsport (1988), the film that launched Jean-Claude Van Damme into the cultural bloodstream like a spinning heel kick to the sternum.
Ah, Bloodsport: the movie that taught a generation that you could flex your way through customs, lie about your military orders, and still win a gold medal in manliness. For a film allegedly based on a true story, it contains roughly the same amount of factual accuracy as a gas station hot dog contains meat. That "true story," of course, revolves around Frank Dux, whose claims of being an underground fighting champion turned out to be; how shall we put this?; mostly invented, possibly hallucinated, and definitely unverifiable by any serious institution, including his high school. And yet, this tangled web of fantasy and fists is exactly what makes Bloodsport so enduring.
The episode takes a deep dive into the cinematic dreamscape that is Bloodsport, breaking down its fight choreography (surprisingly effective by today’s CGI-drenched standards), its near-operatic homoeroticism (more glistening muscle glances than a Calvin Klein catalog), and its unsung supporting performances; namely, a baby-faced Forest Whitaker as a bumbling government agent, and Donald Gibb as Ray Jackson, the bear-like bar brawler who is either the film’s comic relief or emotional center, depending on your blood-alcohol level.
There is, as always, discourse. Heated, passionate discourse. Is Bloodsport the ultimate man movie? Is it a philosophical treatise on masculinity, or just an 89-minute montage of split kicks and grunting? Is Van Damme still a household name, or has he been reduced to a nostalgic meme in the collective consciousness; a kind of martial arts Baryshnikov who peaked in a JC Penney poster section? The debate rages. As does the admiration.
Because here’s the thing: with dialogue like, “Hey babe, wanna go out with a real big man?” it’s hard not to be seduced by the earnest ridiculousness of it all. This isn’t a movie that winks at the audience; it stares you dead in the eye, flexes both pecs, and does a slow-motion helicopter kick into your heart. It’s absurd. It’s sincere. It’s America.
And really, what better way to honor the true American spirit than by celebrating a movie that’s one-third myth, one-third montage, and one-third greased thigh muscle?
So tune in, dear listener. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Join Bryan, Dan, Preston, and Wade as they journey into the heart of 80s action cinema and come out the other side bruised, confused, but spiritually enriched.
FEAR AND LOATHING IN CINEMA
Fear and Loathing in Cinema where we take an old movie and deep dive into the production, behind-the-scenes, and casting to see if the film still holds up or if it never really did! Here on this first episode, hosts Bryan Kluger from Boomstick Comics, High Def Digest, and Screen Rant, along with good friend Dan Moran of Boomstick Comics joins in on the fun.
