Podcasts Steven Benedict

With young audiences off from school, Hollywood knows there is more money to be made in the summer than at any other time. The post 71. The Summer Blockbuster appeared first on Steven Benedict.

"Here's looking at you, kid." Casablanca has more quotable lines than any other movie, but it's the visual design that gives the film its thematic resonance. The post Casablanca appeared first on Steven Benedict.

All industries need profits to survive. So why do so many Hollywood films castigate wealth and capitalism? The post Money, Money, Money appeared first on Steven Benedict.

When it comes to cinema, many people consider black & white as old. Yet the same people also consider it beautiful. Surely black & white is more than that? The post Black & White appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Based on a 1971 best-selling novel that was inspired by a real-life case of demonic possession said to have occurred in 1949, is this really the scariest film ever made? The post The Exorcist appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Ken Kesey's story of social oppression was inspired by the CIA program, MKUltra. Did the film retain the novel's rage? The post One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Before the Devil wore Prada, there was Working Girl, a fairytale in New York about big hair, big shoulder pads and even bigger dreams. The post Working Girl appeared first on Steven Benedict.

For all of 2001's groundbreaking special effects and narrative innovation, Stanley Kubrick owes a bit of debt to a romantic fantasy and a Soviet propaganda film. The post 2001: A Space Odyssey appeared first on Steven Benedict.

There is more to James Bond than dry martinis, guns, gadgets and girls. His biggest contribution to cinema is the Set-Piece. The post James Bond and the Art of the Set-Piece appeared first on Steven Benedict.

How important is a film's title? Would this film have been such a huge hit had it been called Girls In Big White Dresses? The post Four Weddings and a Funeral appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Some films generate controversy, but Alan Parker's Angel Heart was creating quite a stir even before it was released. Was it worth the trouble? The post Angel Heart appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Released in 1955, The Night of the Hunter was greeted with scorn by critics and ignored by audiences. How wrong they were. The post The Night of the Hunter appeared first on Steven Benedict.

When Amadeus was initially released the trailer was given a near saturation run on MTV, presenting the composer as the punk of his day. The post Amadeus appeared first on Steven Benedict.

By no means the first teen-drama, The Breakfast Club is not just a landmark film for teenagers. It's essential viewing for adults and teachers as well. The post The Breakfast Club appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Jane Austen's readers are known for zealously protecting their idol's novels from filmmakers. But does their pride prejudice or benefit the adaptations? The post Jane Austen in Film appeared first on Steven Benedict.

With 4 Oscars and over $548m at the box-office, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid remains the most popular western ever made. The post Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Surrealism was an art movement that originally set out to shock. So how has it become such a normal element in Hollywood cinema? Has it lost its original power? The post Surrealism in Cinema appeared first on Steven Benedict.

While Cormac McCarthy’s acclaimed novel broke genre convention, the Coens’ adaptation is a study in audiovisual chaos. The post No Country for Old Men appeared first on Steven Benedict.

How did this film, adapted from Annie Proulx's acclaimed short story and initially categorized as 'the gay cowboy' movie, go on to gross over $180m worldwide? The post Brokeback Mountain appeared first on Steven Benedict.

The Graduate has long been regarded only in terms of Benjamin Braddock’s affair with Mrs. Robinson. But what does it tell us about Elaine Robinson? The post The Graduate appeared first on Steven Benedict.