Cathode Ray Mission

Film Interviews
Visual Arts
Film Reviews

Each week on Cathode Ray Mission, video store nerds Randy & Will plumb the depths of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and all the other streaming services to find the best and worst of big-budget cinema blockbusters, direct-to-video cult favorites, and everything in between.

Credits

Randy Heyer
Will Scovill

Like Me (2017)

In the inaugural episode, Randy & Will watch Robert Mockler's 2017 debut thriller Like Me. Like Me follows Kiya (Addiison Timlin), a young woman who sets out on a crime spree that she broadcasts across social media. As Kiya's criminal acts draw awe and ire from across the internet, she feels the push to escalate the amount of abuse and humiliation she inflicts on her victims while desperately coming to terms with her own needs for some sort of meaningful emotional connection.

Randy & Will discuss style and substance, the direct to digital market, and Like Me's themes of isolation in a pre-pandemic world.

Like Me is available on Amazon Prime Video and Shudder streaming services.

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Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

if... (1968)

Following up last week's launch, Randy & Will watch 'if...' Lindsay Anderson's 1968 surreal coming of age story about a group of boys returning to English boarding school whose budding rebellious streak clashes with authoritarian ideals of their upperclassmen superiors. if... marks the feature film debut of Malcolm McDowell who's performance of the lead character Mick Travis led to his casting in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and two subsequent films with Lindsay Anderson where he reprised his role as Mick Travis.

if... is available on Amazon Prime Video and The Criterion Channel

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Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tremors (1990)

This week Randy & Will review Tremors, the 1990 creature feature from City Slickers director Ron Underwood. The film is both exciting and hilarious even without Crystal's borscht-belt style humor and Jack Palance's heavy breathing.

Tremors is currently available on Amazon Prime Video.

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Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John Carter (2012)

This week Randy & Will look at Disney's attempt at bringing Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs' influential Barsoom series to the big screen. Does John Q. Public care about another blockbuster franchise, especially one based on a 100 year old IP?

John Carter is available on Netflix.

Get Chat Pile's new vinyl release at Reptilian Records http://www.reptilianrecords.com/products/666243-chat-pile-this-dungeon-earth-remove-your-skin-please-lp

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Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Baby of Mâcon (1993) & The Stuff (1985)

***Warning***

The Baby of Mâcon contains scenes of sexual violence which are discussed in this episode. If you'd like to skip this portion then skip second section which starts around 37:00.

This week Randy & Will look at morality, faith, & corruption by way of two very different selection. Up first is The Baby of Mâcon, Peter Greenaway's controversial meta-drama about corruption at all levels of society. Previously not available in the US, this movie is an an incredible cinematic achievement and must be seen to be believed.

Afterwards, we'll see how far people will go to make a buck in Larry Cohen's 1985 horror-satire The Stuff. When America falls for a heavily marketed meal replacement, an FBI agent turned corporate spy quickly discovers that The Stuff is made from a mysterious substance that melts people from the inside.

Both of today's selections are available on Amazon Prime Video.

Support independent theaters with Virtual Screenings! Virtual screenings let you purchase a ticket from your local theater to stream first run movies at home. Your theater will get to keep a portion of the ticket to help maintain business and keep people employed during lockdown.

We're suggesting two of our local theaters but check your area to see if any independent theaters are hosting virtual screenings and support them if you can.

Roxie Theater (San Francisco) - roxie.com

Rodeo Cinema (Oklahoma City) - rodeocinema.org

Get Chat Pile's new vinyl release at Reptilian Records http://www.reptilianrecords.com/products/666243-chat-pile-this-dungeon-earth-remove-your-skin-please-lp

---

Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Killer Joe (2011) & The Green Hornet (2011)

***Warning***

Killer Joe contains scenes of sexual violence which are discussed in this episode. If you'd like to skip this portion then skip second section which starts around 40:00.

This week we've got a Texas sized two-fer from 2011. Up first is William Friedkin's southern fried dark comedy Killer Joe which stars Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Gina Gershon, & Thomas Hayden Church with Matthew McConaughey at his sleaziest in the title roll.

After that, we've got a weird entry into the super hero canon with Michelle Gondry's action-comedy with Seth Rogan, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, & Christoph Waltz.

Killer Joe is available on Hulu.

The Green Hornet is available on Netflix.

We're suggesting two of our local theaters but check your area to see if any independent theaters are hosting virtual screenings and support them if you can.

Roxie Theater (San Francisco) - roxie.com

Rodeo Cinema (Oklahoma City) - rodeocinema.org

Get Chat Pile's new vinyl release at Reptilian Records http://www.reptilianrecords.com/products/666243-chat-pile-this-dungeon-earth-remove-your-skin-please-lp

---

Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Extraction (2020) w/ Stephen Ku

This week special guest Stephen Ku brings us Extraction, the 2020 Netflix original movie that brings the Russo Brothers and Chris Hemsworth back together to deliver an action movie allegorically designed to maximize worldwide appeal. We talk action movies, former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and where the Extraction franchise should go next.

Catch Stephen on Nerd Rage! The Great Debates available wherever you find podcasts or on Twitter @TheSuperKu and Instagram @kudetat

We're suggesting two of our local theaters but check your area to see if any independent theaters are hosting virtual screenings and support them if you can.

Roxie Theater (San Francisco) - roxie.com

Rodeo Cinema (Oklahoma City) - rodeocinema.org

Get Chat Pile's new vinyl release at Reptilian Records http://www.reptilianrecords.com/products/666243-chat-pile-this-dungeon-earth-remove-your-skin-please-lp

---

Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chloe (2009)

This week Randy & Will are whisked away to 2009 and watch Chloe, Atom Egoyan's clearly Canadian low-stakes erotic thriller with Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, & Amanda Seyfried in the title role.

We're suggesting two of our local theaters but check your area to see if any independent theaters are hosting virtual screenings and support them if you can.

Roxie Theater (San Francisco) - roxie.com

Rodeo Cinema (Oklahoma City) - rodeocinema.org

Get Chat Pile's new vinyl release at Reptilian Records http://www.reptilianrecords.com/products/666243-chat-pile-this-dungeon-earth-remove-your-skin-please-lp

---

Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Uptight! (1968)

This week we directly address the historic demonstrations that have been held across the U.S. and around the world in response to the most recent wave of highly public murders and other violent crimes perpetrated by police officers and their supervising agencies.

To do this we watched Uptight, Jules Dassin's 1968 crime drama made following his return to the U.S. after being blacklisted from Hollywood. Uptight was released the same year as Rev. Martin Luther King's assassination and uses the aftermath as a backdrop to tell the story of a group black revolutionaries in Cleveland, OH and the botched gun heist that threatens to tear their movement apart.

The screenplay was written by Dassin along with the film's star Julian Mayfield and co-star Ruby Dee who also co-produced the film alongside Dassin. It's based on The Informer, a novel originally set in Ireland had been twice adapted to film with John Ford's 1936 version winning 3 Oscars.

The film's clear political stance made it a risky release for Paramount and despite helping to inspire the political messages of the emerging Blaxploitation genre, the film has been largely ignored for over 50 years.

This film is obscure but easily available for purchase on DVD, rental or purchase on Amazon Video, it appears on channels like Criterion occasionally, and several versions are available on YouTube at the time of this release.

This week we encourage listeners to check the movie out, show and discuss it to others, and donate anything you can (be it cash or your own time) to organizations in your community that help citizens fight against abuse from the police and other systems of power.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Nightingale (2018)

This week Randy & Will watch The Nightingale, writer-director Jennifer Kent's follow-up to 2014's The Babadook. Set in Tasmania in the 1820s, The Nightingale follows the story of Clare Carroll, an Irish convict forced to work as a servant to the British Army overseen by an abusive commander, Lieutenant Hawkins. When Carroll is accidentally left alive after watching her husband and baby murdered while being raped by Hawkins and his men, she sets out for revenge with an Aboriginal tracker named Billy.

This film is incredibly violent and contains several scenes of rape, the killing of an infant, & racism so please be warned.

The Nightingale is currently available on Hulu.

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Find Cathode Ray Mission on Letterboxd at crmpod

Or on Instagram at cathoderaymissionpod

Emails us at cathoderaymissionpodcast@gmail.com

Find Randy & Will on Letterboxd at Raygun Busch & Wolf Dakota

Or on Instagram @raygun_busch and @will.scovill

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.