A Retro Interview

So as someone with Autism (Yep that’s me!) certain things have the ability to calm me down if I am having a meltdown.

One of those things is listening to the retro cinema podcast.

So today I bring you an exclusive interview with the people behind that fabulous podcast which is The Retro Cinema 

First to step and answer my questions is one half of the Retro Cinema team @_AngryMan 

Q1. At what stage in your twitter exchanges where you both discovered your love for 80’s movies did you think we can take this to the next level and produce a podcast?

A. We’s started out throwing quotes around on twitter and found we liked the same movies, Highlander was definitely one that showed that online. We’re both movie buffs and Gidgit knew I had done some podcasting before Somewhere in there Gidgit was asking me details about how you go about hosting/recording etc a podcast and was wondering about doing one. Before we knew it we thought, hey lets have some fun, record one, see how it goes. And it just took off! Bit of trivia. the very first time Gidgit and I ever actually spoke to each other was in the ten minutes before the opening lines I say in our highlander Podcast

Q2. Is there an 80’s movie that you won’t for whatever reason review? If so why?

I have a really low threshld of expectation for movies, so I enjoy most of what I watch in some way. That said. The Chipmunk Movie (1987)  Their voices are really annoying!

Q3. Do you think that movie makers today can learn a lot from the way that movies in the 80’s were made?

I think technology has replaced inventiveness. Want a werewolf? Just CGI it. I do think on some level the magic in a movie was knowing you were looking at something real and wondering ‘how did they do that?’ These days we see 9ft Naavi and go oh yeah, CGI. 

Q4. How do you select the movies that you review? Is there a process that you go through?

 Before we started, we wanted to see if there was going to be enough content for us to focus on the 80s and ones we loved. Gidge did a huge amount of research and sent me through a massive list. Haven’t found any on there yet I’d say no too – it was then we realised we had PLENTY of content for the show. Until 2028 anyway!

Q5. Do you think that 80’s movies had more of an authentication to them versus movies today? I don’t know if 80s movies were more authentic, but the way language has changed makes them seem more so. These days we’re all so concerned with placating evvery little sensitive social cohort that no one can say what they want in the words they want. So everything sounds false. 

Q6. Do you have a message for today’s writers/directors about the way movies are made?

Stop copying our movies!  Also, their should be a budget limit on any film. 300m? Its insane. It encourages them to think they can get away with CGI rather than a decent plot

Q7. Have you seen an 80’s movie thought it was great but then seen it again recently for the podcasts and thought no I/we were so wrong?

I havent seen any where I tought I was wrong about liking it. Some have definitely dated in their style though

Q8. Do you have a favourite director/writer whose work you admire the most from the 80’s?

I’d have to go with John Hughes- for the entire body of work he did in teen films when we were teenagers. Other directors did certain films I loved, but over the whole period, he just understood 80s teens

 Q9. Are you over remakes?

I love a good remake, and I also love a good movie trope. But there are some amazing writers out there with some aamzing ideas. Try and explore new ideas. Someone once said to Gergory Widen – “So its some scottish guy from the highlands who is 400yrs old and only dies when his head is choppped off in a fight to the death in New York” OK cool -lets go with that…

Q10. And finally congrats on being entered into the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards, when you win will you do a podcast live tour?!

Thanks Nick – We’re so stoked about it. And if we won? Sure we’d do a live show!. Hey if we’re invited to go along, Gidgit is going to come to Melbourne and we’d actually meet for the first time!  We have a blast podcasting together and it’s so much fun working with Gidgit. If someone started paying us it’d be a dream job lol

Next to step up was the scream queen herself I gave you @GidgitVonLaRue 

Q1. At what stage in your twitter exchanges where you both discovered your love for 80’s movies did you think we can take this to the next level and produce a podcast?

A. Angry and I were tweeting to reality shows when we started to share jokes etc – then we started to exchange quotes from the movie Highlander and we realized were were around the same age, both teens in the 80’s and we LOVE 80’s movies. I had previously done a few podcasts with Colonel and Angry was doing his own podcast so we just thought ‘hey, why don’t we do an 80’s movie podcast together?’ and we did!

Q2. Is there an 80’s movie that you won’t for whatever reason review? If so why?

Our main guidelines is at least ONE of us have to have seen the movie in the 80’s and still love it. We won’t podcast movies neither of us have seen or either of us don’t like as we are not a negative podcast. There are also movies we do love but would be difficult to podcast like Flying High as it’s machine gun jokes and comedy and I don’t think we could give it the credit it deserves trying to podcast it. There are also just some god awful 80’s movies!

Q3. Do you think that movie makers today can learn a lot from the way that movies in the 80’s were made?

Yes I do think 80’s movies could teach modern day movies makers a few things. One I do miss the golden era of the songs written FOR the movie. The 80’s ruled when it came to that. Also movies like Terms of Endearment, Steel Magnolias style movies seem to not being made anymore with big CGI blockbuster super hero movies dominating. Also look at Blade Runner and The Thing. Those films STILL hold up today with NO CGI. CGI is being way over used these days and there is something to be said for make up and real effects.

Q4. How do you select the movies that you review? Is there a process that you go through?

I tend to be the one that picks the movies we podcast – but I make sure Angry is on board with the pick. I also make sure we do different genres of movies – for instance I will not pick two comedy movies back to back – or two science fiction etc. I’ll go comedy, action, musical, horror, science fiction, drama etc. Thus there is something for everyone. When it’s our birthdays Angry does pick his movie – and I pick mine.

Q5. Do you think that 80’s movies had more of an authentication to them versus movies today?

There are still great authentic movies being made today but obviously I am going to side with 80’s movies – certainly for just the RANGE of genres covered compared to today. I think also people have less attention span – or so the studios think – so many movies are just an assault on our eyes and ears – there is a lot to be said for a ‘slow burn’ – great stories and amazing acting etc.

Q6. Do you have a message for today’s writers/directors about the way movies are made?

I think I would say – make the story/movie YOU love – don’t try and just make a box office hit. People have different tastes and different ages and as we’ve seen 60 million dollars movies can easily flop – then a movie like The Lady in the Van does well as the ‘older’ crowd do go to the cinema probably more than 18 year olds.

Q7. Have you seen an 80’s movie thought it was great but then seen it again recently for the podcasts and thought no I/we were so wrong?

Oh yes for sure. This is going to be unpopular but I remember LOVING Gremlins when I was a teen but re watching it left me a bit flat. Also I remember Uncle Buck being a lot funnier but re watching it for Who Spiked the Puns podcast I really did not enjoy it. I could keep going but yes that happens quite a lot.

Q8. Do you have a favourite director/writer whose work you admire the most from the 80’s?

I am a huge fan of John Carpenter, Frank Oz, John Hughes, Robert Zemeckis, James Cameron, Joe Dante…I could go on and on! Haha.

Q9. Are you over remakes?

The Fly, The Thing were remakes. I’m not against them if – they can make the movie BETTER – if it was a bad movie and they can improve it – but if the movie is a classic – yep why remake it? Just watch the original. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels does not need to be remade. Nor did Ghostbusters. Just swapping out men for women is not a good enough reason to remake a movie.

Q10. And finally congrats on being entered into the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards, when you win will you do a podcast live tour?!

Hahaha thanks so much Nick. We are not getting our hopes up but just lovely being acknowledged as a podcast and invited to enter. Who knows re a podcast live tour? Never know what the future holds!

Listening Info for the Retro Cinema