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Ross is joined by Alan Siegel, senior staff writer at The Ringer and author of Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television -and America- Forever. They discuss the show's early success, influences, production, its place in the culture wars of the early 90s, and much more! Ross and Alan also share their thoughts on "The Naked Gun" (2025) and the "King of the Hill" revival.
FURTHER READING:
Siegel, Alan. Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television -and America- Forever
FURTHER WATCHING:
"The Simpsons"
Alan's pick: "Mr. Plow"
Ross's picks: "The Springfield Files", "Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie"
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Ross talks to writer and historian A. Brad Schwartz about the showdown between Senator Joseph McCarthy and broadcaster Edward R. Murrow as depicted in "Good Night and Good Luck", both on screen and stage. They discuss domestic containment, the evolution of broadcast news, and much more!
FURTHER READING:
Cloud, Stanley and Lynne Olson. The Murrow Boys: Pioneers on the Front Lines of Broadcast Journalism.
Oshinsky, David. A Conspiracy so Immense: The World of Joe McCarthy.
Griffith, Robert. The Politics of Fear: Joseph R. McCarthy and the Senate.
Schwartz, Brad. Why We Never Got a "Murrow Moment" with Trump.
Schwartz, Brad. The Media Spawned McCarthyism. Now History Is Repeating Itself.
FURTHER WATCHING:
"Good Night and Good Luck"
"The Manchurian Candidate" (1962)
"Star Trek: the Next Generation", S4E21 "The Drumhead"
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Ross talks to Dr. Sarah Juliet Lauro about her book The Transatlantic Zombie: Slavery, Rebellion, and Living Death. They discuss where the zombie comes from, what it has represented historically, and how and why it continues to resonate. Happy Halloween!
FURTHER READING:
Lauro, Sarah Juliet. The Transatlantic Zombie: Slavery, Rebellion, and Living Death.
FURTHER WATCHING:
"Shaun of the Dead"
"Atlantics"
"Plan Nine from Outer Space"
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Ross and Ryan are joined by returning guest Dr. Christopher Olson to talk about the career of filmmaker Charles Band! They discuss the director's filmography, his methods, and his influences. They also talk about the style and legacy of indie film-making in the era of home video.
And make sure to check out our previous episode with Chris, all about his book on "Mystery Science Theater 3000"!
Season 1, Episode 13: "Play MSTie for Me with Matt Foy and Christopher Olson"
And our episode on how the VHS changed the film industry!
Season 1, Episode 7: "Make it a Blockbuster Night with Frederick Wasser"
FURTHER READING:
Band, Charles. Confessions of a Puppetmaster: A Hollywood Memoir of Ghouls, Guts, and Gonzo Filmmaking.
FURTHER WATCHING:
Chris: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Trancers", "The Primevals"
Ryan: "Pink Flamingos", "Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death"
Ross: "Groom Lake"
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And now for something completely different. Ross and Ryan are joined by Dr. Jeffrey Weinstock to discuss the cultural history of famed British comedy troupe Monty Python. They discuss the group's influences and output, English absurdist comedy, fandom as a language, and much more.
FURTHER READING:
Weinstock, Jeffrey (ed. with Kate Egan). And Now for Something Completely Different: Critical Approaches to Monty Python.
FURTHER WATCHING:
The works of Monty Python!
BONUS:
Check out a recent segment Dr. Weinstock did with CBS on Rocky Horror!
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Ross and Ryan are joined by friend of the show David Morton to talk with Chris Morgan about 90s Nickelodeon and his book "The Nickelodeon '90s: Cartoons, Game Shows, and a Whole Bunch of Slime". They discuss the origins of the network, cable network fandom, and how and why the network changed. They also discuss some of the shows from that era, and how they informed the network's sensibilities.
Let us know which shows were your favorites! Email Historyonfilmpodcast@gmail.com!
FURTHER READING:
Morgan, Chris. The Nickelodeon '90s: Cartoons, Game Shows, and a Whole Bunch of Slime.
FURTHER WATCHING:
"The Orange Years"
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Ross and Ryan speak with media historian Dr. Josh Shepperd about the founding of American public broadcasting and his book, Shadow of the New Deal: The Victory of Public Broadcasting. They look at how and why public media came to be, the value it has today, and why it is so important to protect.
FURTHER READING:
Shepperd, Josh. Shadow of the New Deal: The Victory of Public Broadcasting.
CALL TO ACTION:
Support your local public media!
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Ross and Ryan kick off the start of season 2 by welcoming on The Feral Historian! They discuss three iconic films oriented around "the end of history", how and why that concept came into being, and its legacy. Unfortunately, Ross had to leave this one early, but not before making some truly terrible jokes. We're back, y'all!
FURTHER READING:
Hoel, Erik. We Can't Imagine an "End of History" in Sci-Fi Anymore
FURTHER WATCHING:
The Feral Historian on YouTube!
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Season 2 kicks off on September 22nd!
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Ross and Ryan celebrate summer break with an ALL-TIME great summertime, chill out, hang out, good vibes movie- "That Thing You Do!" (1996). They discuss making fake songs sound real, the movie's legacy as a millennial touchstone, the relationship between the music and film industries in the 1950s and 60s, Ross's love of rom-coms, and much more! Plus, HoFCast listeners share their thoughts on the film- and you can too! Whether you're watching it for the first time or the hundredth, let us know what you think of the movie, and we will share it on a future episode! We plan to do this for select episodes in season 2 as well, so make sure to follow us on social media to know what else we are working on! Happy summer!
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We're hitting the road this summer! Hear Ross and Ryan's guest appearances this month on "The Revisionist's Almanac" and "Deep Cuts: the Game"!
Listen to our segment on Raiders of the Lost Ark for The Revisionist's Almanac on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever else you get your podcasts!
Hear Ryan play Deep Cuts: the Game on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever else you get your podcasts!
Thank you again to Andrew and Jeff for including us!
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Ross and Ryan correct the record one last time as they triumphantly conclude the award-winning first season of The History on Film Podcast. There's also a call for submissions and guests, as well as a sneak peek at season two! And finally, we bring on an expert to answer the defining question of our times- "what the hell is a chicken jockey?"
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Season One of the History on Film Podcast comes to a thrilling conclusion! We talk briefly with Dr. Chris Kempshall, and then spend the rest of the episode speaking with historian and Galactic Civil War veteran Beaumont Kin about their latest book, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire.What lessons can we take from a galaxy far, far away?
FURTHER READING:
Kempshall, Christopher. Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire.
FURTHER WATCHING:
Any and all Star Wars, but especially "Andor"
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Ross and Ryan are joined by filmmakers Derek Murphy and Mitchell Zemil, creators of the MeansTV documentary series "Preserving Worlds". They discuss the preservation of early, obsolete, or obscure online games, and the communities that are dedicated to their continuation. We look at the challenges of maintaining and documenting these games, why it's so important, pitch a Florida-based social networking game, and much more!
FURTHER READING:
Bollmer, Grant. Theorizing Digital Cultures.
Cohen, Daniel and Roy Rosenzweig. Digital History: A Guide to Gathering, Preserving, and Presenting the Past on the Web.
FURTHER WATCHING:
"Preserving Worlds" on MeansTV
ALSO CHECK OUT:
The Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media!
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Ross and Ryan finish out Musical May 2025 with 2012's film adaptation of "Les Miserables". They discuss the enduring messages of the film/musical/book, how historians use culture to interrogate the past, and much more. Also, "Andor"!
FURTHER READING:
Darnton, Robert. The Great Cat Massacre.
FURTHER WATCHING:
"Les Miserables" (1998)
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An incoming transmission from Darth Vader himself interrupts the show and our intrepid hosts are forced to make a deal to save their lives - and by enlisting some help, they may just be up to the task!
In this trailer, we preview the Season One finale of The History on Film Podcast, which will premier on June 9th, where Ross and Ryan will give an in-universe look at Star Wars history and discuss the history of the Galactic Empire with Dr. Chris Kempshall, author of "Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire."
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Ross and Ryan continue Musical May with 1980's "Xanadu"! I'll be honest, this one is less about history and more about good vibes, so enjoy!
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For the second week of Musical May, Ross and Ryan discuss 1972's "Cabaret". They discuss the fragility of interwar Germany and the rise of fascism, the artistic influences on the film, and why this film is painfully relevant still.
FURTHER READING:
Weitz, Eric. Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy.
Swett, Pamela. Neighbors and Enemies: The Culture of Radicalism in Berlin, 1929-1933.
Isherwood, Christopher. Goodbye to Berlin.
FURTHER WATCHING:
"Cabaret" (1972)
"Don't Be a Sucker" (1946)
"Paths of Glory" (1957)
"Metropolis" (1927)
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920)
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For the first-ever installment of Musical May, Ross and Ryan dig into 1961's "West Side Story"! They look at how the film depicts social anxieties around juvenile delinquency, reflects the Puerto Rican experiences of the Great Migration, and discuss some of the structural components of adapting a musical for the screen.
FURTHER READING:
Gilbert, James. A Cycle of Outrage: America's Reaction to the Juvenile Delinquent in the 1950s.
Tropiano, Steven: Rebels and Chicks: A History of the Hollywood Teen Movie.
May, Elaine Tyler. Homeward bound: American Families in the Cold War Era.
FURTHER WATCHING:
Let us know which version of "West Side Story" you prefer!
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Welcome to Musical May 2025! Here is the release schedule for the month:
May 5: "West Side Story" (1961)
May 12: "Cabaret" (1971)
May 19: "Xanadu" (1980)
May 26: "Les Miserables" (2012)
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