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Before there was Tom Cruise, before there was Cliff Booth, even before there were just a few small beers, there was HOOPER! For our 1970s Bogdanovich wrapup, we chose a movie starring two-time colleague of Bogdanovich, Burt Reynolds, and directed by legendary stuntman Hal Needham: Hooper. The film also features a Bogdanovich analogue that may or may not be Needham and Reynolds letting out years of anger against Peter. Hooper is not only a guy we would love to grab a drink with (then take an Uber home), but a love letter to stunt work in film and a character study on the physical toll that work takes. 
We also riff on a level that's freakin' sublime making puns with M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography and discuss Journey's like for the new film Mother Mary, Journey's utter dislike of The Fall Guy, ideas for the new Academy Award for Best Stunt Design, and baffling box office stats. Onward to the 1980s! 
 
Further “Reading”
By Bogdanovich (2011)
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
But Enough About Me by Burt Reynolds
Dick Van Dyke advertises the Hal Needham Stuntman Western Movie Set
Hooper original trailer
Quentin Tarantino honors Hal Needham at the 2012 Governors Awards
THE BOGDANOVICH ARCHIVE
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Produced by Hugh Hefner and Roger Corman, lensed by Robby Müller, starring Ben Gazzara as an American pimp abroad in Singapore, and directed by Peter Bogdanovich after a multi-year filmmaking break, we’re closing out the decade with none other than Saint Jack (1979)! We are joined by special guest Conor Battles to discuss a film that is, shockingly, not as sleazy as you would think. Borne of Cybil Shepherd dropping her lawsuit against Playboy as a favor to Orson Welles and made by deceiving the Singaporean government about the plot, it's wild this one even exists! Now if only there were crew shirts for the fake movie up on Ebay…
We also talk Matt Johnson, hatred for Sam Levinson, love for Roger Corman, more diabolical fits, the Shaw Brothers, YouTube shorts, and more. Our summer style may or may not be entirely inspired by Ben Gazzara’s costuming in Saint Jack. They’re just that good!
Further “Reading”
By Bogdanovich (2011)
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
Kinda Hot: The Making of Saint Jack in Singapore by Ben Slater
Saint Jack Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray
Talking Pictures (BBC) - Saint Jack Set Visit
Film 79 (BBC) - Barry Norman Interviews Peter Bogdanovich
Sneak Previews with Siskel and Ebert (S1E18)
The Plot Thickens: I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich - Episode 5: Bogdanovich, The Misunderstood
The New World Pictures Podcast Ep. 87: Saint Jack featuring Ben Slater
Saint Jack (1979) - Historical & Modern Singapore Comparisons by Toh Hun Ping
“Screen: 'Saint Jack,' Adventure Melodrama: Yesteryear's Exotics” by Vincent Canby for the New York Times (April 27,1979)
“Understated character study ‘Saint Jack’ paints an American pimp in Singapore” by Edwanike Harbour for tonemadison (July 4, 2022)
“The Mysterious Authenticity of Peter Bogdanovich’s Saint Jack (1979)” by Ben Slater for Senses of Cinema (June 2023)
“A Pimp with a Heart of Gold” By Liam Sherwin-Murray for The Paris Review (December 1, 2023)
“The Counter-Imperialist: Reflections on Bogdanovich’s Saint Jack (1979) by a Singaporean” by Ron Yap for Bright Lights Film Journal (December 3, 2017)
THE BOGDANOVICH ARCHIVE
 
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Arguably nobody loved classic Hollywood movies more than Peter Bogdanovich, and he tried to channel that love into a film about a ragtag gang of moviemakers in the early age of cinema: Nickelodeon. After back-to-back flops, Bogdanovich ended up back with Burt Reynolds, Tatum O’Neal, Ryan O’Neal; PLUS he introduced John Ritter to the world! It still didn’t work out for Pete at the box office or with critics… but again, this movie is nowhere near as bad as the world would lead you to believe. At least that’s what Jonah, Journey, and special guest The Girls Who Cried B-Horror co-host Aine  Geraghty think!
In addition to Aine’s devotion to her beloved Burt Reynolds, we also talk about Journey finally meeting the fabled Napa Boys (and not really clicking with their vibe), Ryan O’Neal being quite the looker despite everything else about him, an upcoming slate of Peter impersonators, and no film escaping the watchful eye of the Letterboxd vegan alert film critic.
Further “Reading”
By Bogdanovich (2011)
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
Opening Soon...at a Theater Near You with Siskel and Ebert (Dec. 1976)
"'Nickelodeon': Not Much Movie for the Money” by Richard Eder for the New York Times (Dec. 22, 1976)
“‘Nickelodeon’ Has Only Flickering Joys” by Gene Siskel for the Chicago Tribune (Dec. 24, 1976)
"Review: 'Nickelodeon'" by Roger Ebert for Chicago Sun-Times (December 27, 1976)
“Peter Bogdanovich’s Year of the Cat” by Alex Simon for Venice Magazine (2002)
“One Director Looks Backward, While Another Peers Underwater” by Dave Kehr for the New York Times (April 15, 2009)
“Review: The Last Picture Show and Nickelodeon Get Sony Double Feature DVD” by Fernando F. Croce for Slant (April 20, 2009)
"Q&A - Director Peter Bogdanovich Finally Gets Five Minutes of His Movie Back" by James Rocchi for AMC Blog (May 6, 2009) 
“Nickelodeon” by Rob Nixon for TCM (June 30, 2009)
“The Forgotten: "Nickelodeon" (1976)” by David Cairns for Mubi Notebook (May 1, 2014)
VHS tape upload of the 2020 TCM presentation of the director’s cut of Nickelodeon, introduced by Bogdanovich
Tentative Blu-ray page for upcoming release
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And for a movie absolutely nobody was clamoring for, it’s Peter Bogdanovich’s original Cole Porter-suggested musical, At Long Last Love! In possibly the most 1970s cast of all time, Cybill Shepherd, Burt Reynolds, Madeline Kahn, and Duilio Del Prete in a menage-a-quatre with supporting performances from John Hillerman, Eileen Brennan, Mildrick Natwick, and M. Emmett Walsh. If you can believe that Bogdanovich could be folly to his cinematic nostalgia, he attempted to make a Lubitsch-esque musical, live singing and all! And not a single soul was a fan- except those crazy Europeans!
It really isn’t as bad as the entirety of pop culture would lead you to believe, and filmmakers like Rian Johnson have cited it as one of their favorite movie musicals! We also talk about Jonah finally meeting the fabled Napa Boys, misrepresentations of podcasting in a new horror movie, the ghost of Peter Bogdanovich returning a lost Airpod, Ken Russell’s Tommy, and how, once again, all the plot tension in a Peter Bogdanovich movie could be saved by polyamory.
 
Further “Reading”
By Bogdanovich (2011)
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
5001 Nights at the Movies by Pauline ​​Kael 
Cybill Does It… To Cole Porter on YouTube for your listening pleasure
Definitely not a link to watch At Long Last Love on Russian YouTube
“Peter Bogdanovich’s ‘At Long Last Love’ Bombed in 1975 — It Now Exists in Two Versions You Can’t See Anywhere” by Jim Hemphill for IndieWire (March 20, 2025)
“Peter Bogdanovich Retrospective” by Richard Brody for the New Yorker (September 20, 2018)
“At Long Last Love: It’s Delightful, It’s Delicious, It’s De-Lovely by Carrie Courogen for Bright Wall / Dark Room (October 28, 2024)
“Peter Bogdanovich on the Making of ‘At Long Last Love’” by Kim Masters for the Hollywood Reporter (June 12, 2013)
At Long Last Love: Blu-ray Review by Shannon T. Nutt for High-DefDigest (June 26, 2013)
“Hyphenates Seek Unified Film Approach” by Paul Gardner for the New York Times (February 25, 1974)
“‘At Long Last Love' Evokes Past Films” by Vincent Canby for the New York Times (March 7, 1975)
At Long Last Love review by Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times (January 1, 1975) [Archived on RogerEbert.com]
 
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It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… Daisy Miller? This week we talk society (we love society, but there’s not enough of it in Europe), Peter & Cybill, and the Roman fever, all thanks to the 1870s it girl Daisy Miller.
Bogdanovich undertook the first (and only cinematic) adaptation of Daisy Miller at the suggestion of his friend Orson Welles, and boy, was it certainly a decision he made. A period piece made before the rise of Merchant Ivory costumes dramas and with a distinctly American protagonist played by Cybill Shepherd, Daisy Miller was not well received at the time. Partly due to the film itself and also partly because everyone in Hollywood kinda hated Cybill and Peter at this point. We try to parse through it!
We also talk about Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, the privilege of hosting Orson Welles in your home, getting jumpscared by the name Ezra Miller, doing impressions of Bogdanovich doing impressions of Cary Grant, and our favorite Adam McKay masterpiece, Don’t Look Up.
Next Episode: At Long Last Love (1975)
 
Further “Reading”
By Bogdanovich (2011)
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
Daisy Miller by Henry James
Daisy Miller: A Comedy in Three Acts by Henry James
Daisy Miller Episode 1, a 5-part 2017 BBC Radio 4 production
The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir by William Friedkin
Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino
“'I made movies' an interview with Henry Hathaway” by Scott Eyman for Take One (v05 n01, September-October 1974)
“Three's Company” by Peter Bart for Variety (December 6, 2004) [archived on FilmScoreMonthly forum]
“Between Cut and Action” by John Gallagher for National Board of Review (August 2004)
“‘Daisy Miller,’ Once Dismissed as Embarrassing Vanity Project, Is the Equal to ‘Last Picture Show’” by Jim Hemphill for IndieWire (May 15, 2024)
“‘Daisy’ is an Unexpected Triumph" by Vincent Canby (June 16, 1974)
Daisy Miller Kino Lorber Blu-ray release
Daisy Miller Carlotta Films Blu-ray release (France)
 
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There are many cinematic masterpieces, but only one in which Randy Quaid and Ryan O’Neal start wrasslin’. This week, we are talking about the 1973 hit film Paper Moon! Following up his love letter to screwball comedies, Bogdanovich takes us to the Midwest in the height of the Great Depression, following Bible scam artist Moze Pray and his (possible) daughter, Addie. Starring real life father and daughter duo Ryan and Tatum O’Neal, and the always fabulous Madeleine Kahn, Paper Moon is a beautifully shot and humorous film that in many ways marks the end of the height of Bogdanovich’s career. 
 
In this episode, we discuss Peter’s continued obsession with wearing awful yellow clothing, everyone’s favorite actor & soccer mogul “Rob Mac”, failed television and stage musical adaptations of Paper Moon, the misery of eating 30 pancakes, and Journey continues to rant about how much they hate Love Story. Don’t forget that you still owe me my $200!
 
Next Episode: Daisy Miller (1974)
 
Further “Reading”
The Kid (1921)
By Bogdanovich (2011)
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
Addie Pray (retitled to Paper Moon) by Joe David Brown
A Paper Life by Tatum O’Neal
Found: A Daughter’s Journey Home by Tatum O’Neal
Both of Us: My Life with Farrah by Ryan O’Neal
You Must Remember This - “Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 4 - Orson Welles, What’s Up Doc, and Paper Moon”
“Three's Company” by Peter Bart for Variety (December 6, 2004) [archived on FilmScoreMonthly forum]
“How an Overweight 15-Year-Old Found Happiness on a Movie Set,” by Judy Klemesrud for the New York Times (May 16, 1973)
Paper Moon (1974) TV Series [playlist of all accessible episodes]
Tatum O’Neal’s Oscar acceptance speech
50th Anniversary of Paper Moon interview with P.J. Johnson
Broadway Bound: The Musicals That Never Came to Broadway- Paper Moon (1993)
“Someday, Baby” from the Paper Moon musical
“Girls Like Us” from the Paper Moon musical
Paper Moon Criterion 4K UHD release
Paper Moon Eureka Blu-ray release
Kinonik in Portland, Maine
 
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Screwball comedies, remember them? We hope so, because it's sort of integral to our discussion of Bogdanovich’s hit 1972 screwball comedy What’s Up, Doc? After the black and white cinematography and heavy mood of The Last Picture Show, Pete wanted to make a very bright and light comedy in the style of Howard Hawks. Starring Ryan O’Neal as the straight man and Barbra Streisand as the daffy dame, What’s Up, Doc? is nothing but 94 minutes of zany fun, confusing suitcases, two very hot leads, and Madeline Kahn stealing the show.
 
In this episode, we’re joined by our friend Erik to discuss insane screwball comedy title choices, difficult to explain Zootopia fan-comics, our pals the Looney Tunes, Jonah’s gay card being taken away, notable Christmas-enjoyer Shane Black being relegated to streaming, and how you’re the upside down!
Next Episode: Paper Moon (1973)
 
Further “Reading”
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
His Girl Friday (1940)
Ball of Fire (1941)
What’s Up, Doc? (1950) (the Looney Tune!)
The Dove (1968) (Madeline Kahn’s first screen role!)
Bullitt (1968)
Screwball Comedies… Remember Them? (1972) (BTS promo short)
My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand (Barbra’s tome of an autobiography)
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
You Must Remember This - “Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 4 - Orson Welles, What’s Up Doc, and Paper Moon
"Peter Bogdanovich on Barbra Streisand: ‘Funny, Cute and Kind of a Wiseass’" by Gregg Kilday for the Hollywood Reporter (April 19, 2013)
"This SF-set ’70s comedy permanently damaged a city landmark" by Dan Gentile for SF Gate (February 9, 2022)
What’s Up, Doc? trailer
What’s Up, Doc? Blu-ray [Warner Archive]
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Dr. Fang and the Bats
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No pressure at all for this one! We start Bogdanovich’s 1970s with one of the most important films in New Hollywood (and cinema at large): The Last Picture Show! Not only a seminal film for its frank sexuality, black and white cinematography, and breakout performances, but also its incredibly messy behind-the-scenes affairs. Talk about 4DX cinema… Plus, we’re joined by friend and film aficionado Brooke Forrest!
 
In this episode we discuss the novelization of Ang Lee’s Hulk, Orson Welles’ love of French champagne and what that might sound like, our disbelief in Cybill Shepherd’s “immediate” attraction to Bogdanovich, Oscar nomination fraud, and Jeff Bridges throwing diabolical fits.
 
Next Episode: What’s Up Doc (1972)
 
Further “Reading”
By Bogdanovich (2011)
The Last Picture Show Criterion 4K
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray boxset
Columbia Classics 4K Collection Vol. 3
The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule
The Seventies: The Decade That Changed American Film Forever by Vincent LoBrutto
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls by Peter Biskind
Cybil Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd with Aimee Lee Ball
Hulk: The Junior Novel
'The Last Picture Show: An Oral History’ by Chris Nashawaty for Entertainment Weekly (April 17, 2017)
‘‘Bogdanovich’s ‘Last Picture Show’ as He Intended It’ by Barbara Saltzman for the Los Angeles Times (August 12,1991)
You Must Remember This - “Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 3 - Last Picture Show Love Triangle”
You Must Remember This - “Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 4 - Orson Welles, What’s Up Doc, and Paper Moon”
It Happened in Hollywood - “Peter Bogdanovich: ‘The Last Picture Show’”
The Last Picture Show 40th Anniversary Panel
Indie Sex: Teens, IFC documentary about teenage sexuality in film
Ben Johnson’s Oscar speech
Cloris Leachman’s Oscar speech
 
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An episode that functions as both an exploration of unrealized Bogdanovich directorial efforts and an excuse to record our very first in person episode! We dive into Sergio Leone’s underrated movie, also known as A Fistful of Dynamite, which Bogdanovich was originally slated to direct. Bogdanovich left the film for a number of reasons (who knew that he wasn’t a fan of Leone’s close-ups?) and we were left with a fascinating and firmly Leone helmed James Coburn and Rod Steiger spaghetti Western. Is this the only Western that opens with a Mao Zedong quote?
 
In this episode we discuss Atlanta tourist attractions, the return of Gore Verbinski, Bogdanovich being messy (shocking), and Steely Dan tattoos. Plus, a preview of our Mad Max double feature, Jonah misremembering the title of MVP 2: Most Vertical Primate multiple times, and consistent (and correct) affirmation on how Boston is the greatest city in the world.
 
Next Episode: The Last Picture Show (1971)
 
Further “Reading”
Picture Shows: The Life and Films of Peter Bogdanovich by Andrew Yule 
‘Peter Bogdanovich’s ‘What’s Up, Doc?’ brought screwball back to life’ by Sven Mikulec for Cinephelia Beyond’ 
November 1973 NY Mag Bogdanovich article about Duck, You Sucker! and Leone
‘Filmmaker Interview with Antonia Bogdanovich’ by William Hemingway for UK Film Review (April 15, 2024)
‘Antonia Bogdanovich on Reviving a Dream with “Sleep No More”’ by Stephen Saito for MoveableFest (July 30, 2024) 
‘Interview: Peter Bogdanovich’ by Noah R. Taylor for That Shelf (April 3, 2012)
A Fistful of Dollars prologue
Duck, You Sucker! Blu-ray by Kino Lorber
Duck, You Sucker! Blu-ray by Eureka
Patreon preview for Pod Casty For Me’s episode on Duck, You Sucker!
You Must Remember This - “Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 2 - Peter Bogdanovich and the Woman Behind the Auteur”
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A documentary that required mandatory blindspot watches and made us into unexpected John Ford guys. What can we say, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance gets to us all! In the first Bogdanodoc, he used his journalistic know-how and nerdy love for film scholarship to convince the AFI to make a John Ford documentary (deal with it Frank Capra). Featuring interviews from Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and even the grumpy and honestly fitted out John Ford himself, Bogdanovich crafts a love letter to the directorial work and authorship of ol’ Jack. Even if the doc perhaps feels like 60% a clip show at times, in these hosts’ opinion…
 
In this episode we discuss box office headache of Angel Studios, the upcoming Jimmy Stewart biopic starring Archie from Riverdale, Bogdanovich’s notorious pastel yellow sweater, our good friend Varang, and David Lynch’s knockout performance as Ford in The Fabelmans.
 
Next Episode: Duck, You Sucker! (1971) (AKA: A Fistful of Dynamite)
 
Further “Reading”
Directed by John Ford (1971) [original AFI release version and Re-Splice Edit]
By Bogdanovich (2011)
AFI LIfetime Achievement Award: A Tribute to John Ford (1973) (recorded from Japanese TV)
Picturing Peter Bogdanovich by Peter Tonguette
Searching for John Ford by Joseph McBride [Internet Archive]
'The Autumn of John Ford’ by Peter Bogdanovich for Esquire (April 1,1964)
‘AFI honors its roots’ by Pamela McClintock for Variety (August 28, 2006) (Learn more about Bog’s one man show, “Sacred Monsters,” which does not seem to exist in any recorded form)
‘John Ford: Ford focus’ by Geoffrey MacNab for The Independent (July 14, 2006)
‘Bogdanovich Points 'John Ford' In Right Direction’ by Tim Lammers for WESH (November 7, 2006)
You Must Remember This - “Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 2 - Peter Bogdanovich and the Woman Behind the Auteur”
Trailer for the new awful-looking Jimmy Stewart movie
Orson Welles Wine Commercial