September 21

The Shadow, 1994

Welcome back to another edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week J. Blake and Dion Baia are celebrating their 4th anniversary of the SNMS Podcast! Keeping with the past anniversary episode themes, the boys have decided to cover the Alec Baldwin-helmed big screen production of The Shadow, from 1994!

The Shadow

Dion and Blake attempt to dissect this long-established property by going back to its roots in the Walter B. Gibson-penned pulp novels, trying to coherently lay out the different timelines of The Shadow from the radio, in print, and on both the large and small screens. They unpack the elaborate history of the man in black, drawing links to what was actually going on in the world during the early 20th century, and how the character went on to influence one of the most famous superheroes ever created.  It’s another educational, hilarious and exciting anniversary-installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras:

Check out this amazing book that Blake referenced in the cast, called The Shadow Scrapbook, published in 1979!

Take a look at some of this incredible artwork right out of Blake’s stash in the SNMS Archives, of The Shadow!

As Dion and Blake have proudly endorsed in the past, to begin your journey exploring the labyrinth of Old Time Radio, click here.

And to check out the The Shadow Radio Program directly, click here!

September 7

Bullitt, 1968

Welcome again to an all new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are exploring a film that turns 50 this year, a classic and a pioneer in the genre, the Steve McQueen police-thriller, Bullitt, from 1968!

Bullitt

Blake and Dion go way down the alley- dissecting the history of this ground-breaking movie and take a deep-dive into the man, the myth, the legend, Steve McQueen. They lay out his upbringing to give context to the legendary career and short life he led. The boys then utilize the original 1963 source novel, Mute Witness, to flesh out the background of the film. They unpack all the elements like the car chase, McQueen’s style, Peter Yates’ direction, and the Lalo Schrifrin score – all of which turned this movie into the classic it became. And the fellas reveal Dion’s surprise as well! So, grab your Ford Mustang Fastbacks, cause the boys are heading back to San Francisco on an all new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras:

For more about Dion’s new book, Blood in the Streets, have a look here!

Check out this behind-the-scenes, making of featurette for Bullitt, narrated by Steve McQueen.

Please check out this great site on the many styles worn in cinema, at BAMF Style: Iconic Style from Movies and TV.

Take a look at this GREAT Janaury 2018 commercial for the new Ford Bullitt Mustang, featuring Steve McQueen‘s granddaughter, Molly McQueen, in a great nod to the 1968 film.

Have a look at this 2005 Ford commercial for the new Bullitt Mustang, featuring Steve McQueen in a Field of Dreams kind of situation.

Here’s an article on the amazing story of the lost Ford Bullitt Mustang found in 2017 in a Mexican junkyard (the car that did a lot of the jumping, stunts, and took most of the abuse) thought to be lost forever!

Check out this article on the other lost Ford Bullitt Mustang used in the film (the one for close-ups and the car McQueen tried to buy back), and it’s story of where it’s been over the past 50 years!

Bullitt is going back into the theaters for it’s 50th birthday!

August 24

Taken, 2008

Welcome back to another edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week J. Blake and Dion Baia are covering a recent classic (well recent for them), a movie that was a breakout hit and jump-started an entire sub-genre. The boys are headed to Paris, as they tackle the Liam Neeson thriller, Taken, from 2008.

 

Taken

Dion and Blake jump right in, laying out the plot and discuss the reasons they love this film. They analyse other movies that inhabit this genre and praise this tight and fast-moving  script, and speculate as to why an otherwise straight-forward, run-of-the-mill action movie starring an actor in his mid-50’s can be such a great, extremely popular action-adventure! So grab your foreign currency, burner phones, and plane tickets, because the boys have 96 hours to straighten everything out on another episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras:

Check out the original 2008 trailer for Taken!

Have a look at this interview with Liam Neeson about the film.

Take a look at this YouTube film of Taken, in 2 minutes.

 

And of course, we need to thank this episode’s sponsor mackweldon.com! Keep an ear out for the advertisement in this episode for a promo code to save money on your first order!

August 17

Tyrus – SNMS Presents: Movie Lovers

Welcome to a very special edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week actor, political commentator and professional wrestler, the incomparable Tyrus, stops by to join us for a sleepover!

After reminiscing about what it was like for a boy to grow up in the ’70s ’80s & ’90s, Tyrus and Dion Baia chat about their love for cinema, hitting specifically on Smokey and the Bandit and Jackie Gleason, Cannonball Run, Superman Returns, and the Marvel Film Universe, among others. They discuss Godzilla, He-Man, You Can’t Do That on Television, G. I. Joe, and the “latch-key” childhood era they both grew in, versus theTyrus drastic differences that kids now encounter growing up in the past two decades. They get into Tyrus‘ background and how he went from doing security for Snoop Dogg, to becoming a WWE and Impact Wrestler, and his seguing into acting (even signing on to play Suge Knight in an upcoming Biopic), and his recent position as a cohost on The Greg Gutfeld Show on the Fox News Channel.

It’s a fun, absolutely hilarious, and insightful conversation this week on an all new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

August 10

The Blues Brothers, 1980

Welcome to a very special episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week J. Blake and Dion Baia are covering a classic Chicago-centric film and to ground them and give it some historical city context and for this gigantic sleepover, they brought in the Windy City’s very own, Mighty-Mighty Mike Vanderbilt to lend a hand. We’re all ‘on a mission from God’ this go-around when we take on the musical phenomenon The Blues Brothers, from 1980!The Blues BrothersHaving Mike Vanderbilt over is very exciting for Dion and Blake, and after a quick catch up, they all jump right in. Mike and Blake bring an added layer to the conversation as they are gigging rock and blues musicians themselves with their own bands, and they talk shop about fronting various groups and their gear preferences when performing live at various venues (Dion tries to add his input as he played the alto saxophone in 4th grade, and the drums for 4 years in elementary and middle school). The fellas then focus in on the significance of this film and the history of The Blues Brothers and Jake & Elwood, discussing their roots on Saturday Night Live, and the direction of John Landis on the 1980 film. Mike brings his unique Chicago input, giving some great context to the various locations that highlight the Windy City, making it almost a third star of the film. So, make sure you’ve got your converted 1974 Mount Prospect Dodge Monaco gassed up, your cheese whiz, and your Night Train Wine, ’cause the boys have a long ride back, as they examine another classic, on an all new fantastic Chicago-edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

EXTRAS!

Please check out J. Blake’s musical endeavors here, as he keeps the blues arrive in New York City!

Please check out Chicago‘s very own, Mike Vanderbilt on TWITTER, on FACEBOOK,  at The A.V. Club where he is a writer and contributor, at The Daily Grindhouse where he is an editor, and tending bar at the Rock Island Public House!

Take a look at this fabulous documentary on the making of The Blues Brothers.

Here’s a playlist of the deleted scenes from the iconic film!

Have a look at The Blues BrothersFull Concert at the Winterland, on December the 31st, 1978!

July 27

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1978


Welcome back to another installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J Blake are taking on one of their top 10 favorite films of all time. A movie they’ve frequently spoken about doing since the inception of the podcast. Well, that day has finally arrived. This go around, the boys are covering the 40th anniversary of the Sci-Fi/Horror Philip Kaufman classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, from 1978.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Blake and Dion knew from the outset this episode would be a long one. After their big announcement about partnering with the CLNS Media Network, they jump right in utilizing the original Jack Finney 1955 novel The Body Snatchers, and the original 1956 classic film by legend Don Siegel. They analyze the relationships between the 1978 movie’s stellar cast and all the elements–from sound design to the guerrilla-style cinematography–that contributed to making every second and inch of this film to be intentional and help further the plot; setting the tone of this incredibly horrifying narrative. They dissect the themes and motifs within and discuss why this story works brilliantly in any decade it’s set within. So, keep a close eye on your friends and family, make sure those around you are not suddenly becoming ‘strangers’, and whatever you do, don’t fall asleep, because they get you when you sleep–as the boys prove on an all new exciting and informative installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras!

As discussed in the podcast, to purchase the newly released the 3rd edition of The Twilight Zone Companion: Revised and Expanded, click here!

Check out the original trailer to this classic!

Take a look at this great featurette about the Special Effects in the Invasion of the Body Snatchers, called Practical Magic!

Have a look to Sigourney Weaver discussing the terror of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers!

Also brought up in the podcast, the boys wholeheartedly recommend checking out the Suspense radio show classic adapted from a short story by Ray Bradbury, called Zero Hour!

July 13

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, 1991

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are exploring one of their favorite franchises -talking all things Star Trek– and taking a deep-dive into the 1991 film, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country !

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Blake and Dion jump right in, unpacking this huge topic- from the original series, to the feature films, and all the other elements that led to this movie, Star Trek VI , as well as utilize the fantastic novelization. They also lay out all the social and geopolitical events that were unfolding around the world at the time that played into this film (which the boys consider one of the best of the series). So watch your Romulan Ale intake, and monitor any enormous neutron radiation fields, because the lads are dissecting one of their absolute favorites in this all new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(During the episode Dion and Blake excitedly referred to the great character actor Ward Bond as Wade Bond and his fabulous show Wagon Train as Wagon Trail  yes they can get overzealous at times.)

(Brock Peters was not the voice of the Kingpin on the 1994 Spiderman animated seriesbut instead it was Roscoe Lee Browne.)

Extras!

Check out the original trailer for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country!

Here’s a great featurette from 1991 on the making of Star Trek VI!

Have a look at this great interview with composer Cliff Eidelman about the film.

Take a listen to the amazing spine-tingling episode of Suspense, entitled The Flesh Peddler, starring the great DeForest Kelley.

As referenced in the podcast, here’s a young Dion HERE and HERE blissfully playing with his CHiPs tricycle, before the now notorious ‘incident’.

June 29

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, 1974

Welcome to another all new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! With the hot summer months upon us, J. Blake and Dion Baia have decided to cover a classic- a movie they’ve been talking about doing since year one of the podcast. This week the boys are hitting familiar territory -the gritty 1970’s- and chatting about the amazing Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw film, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, from 1974!

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 poster

After having a brief discussion about “trigger warnings,” Dion and Blake jump right in and can’t gush enough about their mutual love for this seldom remembered cinema gem. They unpack the backstory of the film, the history and climate of New York City of the era and why all this is integral to the movie’s plot. They analyze the absolutely amazing cast of actors, the tight story, and they breakdown the phenomenal score by David Shire. So, grab your subway maps, your subway motorman car “keys” and your train timetables, because the fellas are taking you back to one of the greatest eras of cinema -the 1970s- and one of its best examples, right here on an all new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras!

Please take a listen to the absolutely fabulous score by composer David Shire!

Have a look at the original trailer to this classic film!

Take a gander at these great alternate posters for the film, HERE and HERE!

As discussed in the podcast, PLEASE check out these EXCLUSIVE interviews with former NYPD Homicide Detective turned Hollywood legend Randy Jurgensen, as he discusses and lays out this era in both cinema and the country (particularly in New York City), of the late 60’s and 70’s. Must listens for any film or history fans. 

Here’s the original trailer for the 1998 television adaptation of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3!

And lastly, have a listen to the 1994 Beastie Boys song Sure Shot, where not only due the B Boys name check this week’s movie, but also give shout-outs to Dr. John, Lee Dorsey, Kojak, John Woo, Rod Carew, Lee Perry, Vaughn Bode and Cheech Wizard, and good old Ma Bell… all in one tune. Impressive.

June 15

Jurassic Park, 1993

Welcome back to another edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! Dion Baia and J. Blake are back talking about a mega summer blockbuster that turns 25 years old this month, a film that literally changed the face of cinema with its use of DTS and Computer Generated Imagery for the better (or worse, depending on your feelings about CGI vs Practical Effects). That’s right, the boys are chatting the Michael Crichton/Steven Spielberg classic, Jurassic Park, from 1993!

Blake and Dion jump right in, discussing memories of seeing this film that glorious summer of 1993, and how incredible the visuals and audio were for cinema-goers at the time. They discuss the revolutionary Special Effects within this movie and how they evolved with the story from being robotic and stop-motion effects, to ground-breaking CGI. They cover the inception of this story from the brilliant mind of Michael Crichton, and how he was able to sell this idea to Steven Spielberg even before the book was published. They also dissect Spielberg‘s choices within the film and the moments that have now become that of cinema legend! So grab your partners, pile into the autonomous Ford Explorers, and whatever you do, don’t get out of the vehicles if there’s a power outrage, because the fellas are talking dinosaurs this week with an all new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras!

Check out this 1993 behind-the-scenes making-of documentary on Jurassic Park!

Take a look at these great and rare behind the scenes footage at Stan Wintson’s workshop, developing the various practical dinosaur Effects!

Here’s a great behind-the-scenes featurette creating and sculpting the full-size T-Rex dinosaur!

Have a gander at this great interview with Michael Crichton talking about Jurassic Park.

June 1

Back to the Future, 1985

The boys are at it again this week on an all new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! J. Blake and Dion Baia are taking on an absolute cinema classic–the Robert Zemeckis helmed masterpiece, Back to the Future from 1985!

Back to the Future

Filled with an all-star cast on the very top of their game, Dion and Blake can’t hold in their excitement and enthusiasm for this movie, as they gush over every aspect of the production. From the script, to the effects, to the themes–everything here is top-notch. They discuss the huge “what-ifs” in this movie, like the alternate cast choices, early versions of the script, and the alternate ending. It’s all going down this week. So grab your skateboards, portable cassette players, and make sure you have enough plutonium to get back and forth again, because once they get their newly built Delorean conversion to 88 mph…well you can guess what’ll happen this week, on an all new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras!

Check out the original 1985 trailer to Back to the Future!

Here’s some great deleted scenes from the film!

Take a look at these original screen tests with Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson and Tom Wilson!

Crispin Glover discusses his fallout and issues with Zemeckis and others that led to his lawsuit and none appearance in the sequels.

Have a look at Christopher Lloyd taking about Eric Stoltz and his exit from Back to the Future.

Lastly, as referenced in the podcast, if you wanna check out the early podcast episodes Blake & Dion did prior to the inception of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers, check out their Side-Casts on Podwits.com.

May 18

Total Recall ,1990

Welcome back to another installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers ! Dion Baia and J. Blake are taking on a popular fan request, a real favorite from their childhoods that was a blockbuster when it was released. The boys are getting their asses to Mars this week as they cover the Arnold Schwarzenegger epic, Total Recall, from 1990!

Total Recall Poster

Blake and Dion jump right into it, revisiting this classic and discuss how happy they are that this movie still holds up. They compare the finished version to the original Philip K. Dick short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale as well as the differences within the novelization, and explain the long process of getting this from the page to the screen. They unpack the massive Practical Effects in all their splendor, something that probably will never be seen in a Hollywood film like this again- along with a whole lot more. So come on down and check out another really late night meditation in an all new episode of  Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers !

*During the podcast, actor Michael Champion was mentioned as perhaps the villain in the 1991 film The Hard Way, when it was in fact the great Stephen Lang.

Extras!

Check out the original theatrical teaser trailer to Total Recall!

Watch the making of titled, Imagining Total Recall!

Take look at these rare, behind the scenes!

Here’s a great little featurette about the miniature work from Total Recall!

Last but not least, have a look at this Special Effects Featurette that explains the Skeleton Scene, among others!

May 4

Color of Night, 1994

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are tackling new ground, taking on the erotic genre, specifically the erotic thriller, and what better vehicle to discuss this topic than to cover the legendary Bruce Willis film, Color of Night, from 1994.

Color of Night

The boys attempt to set the table and lay out the era back when the erotic, the sizzler, and specifically the erotic thriller fed a need for audiences, especially to an adolescent coming to age. In the period of the early 90s, films like Basic Instinct, Sliver and Body of Evidence were big news because of the controversy they generated. Blake and Dion analyze this forgotten genre, and (while some of it may seem tame to today’s standards), they try to illustrate an era where nudity and NC-17 films attracted major stars, and why this particular genre was very important to the history of cinema. The fellas discuss the amazing ensemble cast in Color of Night, as well as the controversy it generated, and the similarities to Giallo or even Hitchcock plots. So come down memory lane as Dion and Blake reminiscence about a genre that has virtually disappeared in recent decades, in another informative and fun installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Corrections and Amends:

(When discussing Shirley Temple, the boys referenced the 1947 film she and Cary Grant starred together in, as “Bobby and the Bobby-Soxer “, when they actually meant The Bachelor and Bobby-Soxer.)

(Also, while discussing Color of Night, Dion referred to the killer’s car as a Camaro, when it actually was a 1978 Pontiac Firebird.)

(One more: While discussing the actor Steve Railsback in the possible casting in the Lance Henriksen role, Dion (again!) mentioned “Dangerous Games“, when he was actually referring to the 1982 horror film Deadly Games.)

Extras!

Check out the original trailer for Color of Night!

Have a look at the original TV spot for Color of Night!

Here’s Blake with the man, the myth, the legend himself, Lance Henriksen!

Take a gander a this 1994 interview with Bruce Willis, while promoting Color of Night!

Have a listen to the Golden Globe nominated song, The Color of Night!

 

April 20

Captain America, 1990

Welcome back to another edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! J. Blake and Dion Baia are kicking the Spring season off with a cult classic -a film largely forgotten by many- or gets a raw deal by those who do. But with the new Avengers: Infinite Wars coming out, the boys thought it was about time to cover this important installment in Marvel history. This week it’s they’re talking all things Captain America, from 1990.

Captain America 1990 Movie Poster

Dion and Blake chat about growing up being avid comic book fans and how popular the medium was at the time, while reminiscing about the various comic book stores they frequented in that glorious era of their youth. They segue and discuss the history of Captain America and particularly how it related to what was really happening in the world at the time, before they get to the 1990 film. They explore the epic cast assembled and the pitfalls of trying to do a faithful adaptation of a classic character without having the budget to do so. It’s all going down on this epic, all-new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

EXTRAS!

Here’s the entire film in spectacular quality, courtesy of YouTube!

Check out the original trailer for Captain America!

Take a look at director Albert Pyun discussing the casting the roll of Captain America for his 1990 film.

Have a look at VH1’s FLIX 1989 behind-the-scenes featurette of the making of Captain America.

And here is a rarely seen 1986 Cannon Films promo for the upcoming Captain America film, being billed then as helmed by Death Wish franchise director Michael Winner

April 6

The Goonies, 1985

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are two kids on an adventure! They’re headed up to the Goon Docks, and taking up where Chester Copperpot (aka Keenan Wynn) left off, looking for One-Eyed Willy‘s treasure as they take on an absolute cult classic, The Goonies, from 1985!

The Goonies

Always a huge request from listeners, this film brings it all back for Blake and Dion. They chat about the idea of all of us having a shared collective of ‘childhood memories’ consisting of bikes, skateboards, snack food and junk food, and plain fun and adventure, as they reminisce about this classic epic. They discuss this subgenre of “kids on an adventure“, and other films of the time period which shared commonalities with this template, and the various forces that came together to get The Goonies made. They analyze the superb cast and crew, and the surprising tidbits of info that may not be commonly known- (such as the dropped subplot of gorillas escaping a local zoo and stealing a golf cart and then a car, all of which was shot Second Unit by Steven Spielberg!) -among others. The boys attempt to unpack as much as they can in another enthralling, hilarious and informative edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

#Craptoad #TickletheBrim

(During the podcast while talking about the 1996 film Mulholland Falls, Dion mistakenly said John Lithgow when he meant John Malkovich– our apologies.)

Extras!

Here’s the Cyndi Lauper tie-in music video, The Goonies ‘r’ Good Enough !

Check out these deleted scenes from the movie!

Take a look at this Making of Featurette from 1985!

Brought up on the podcast, here is a short documentary about the life of iconic football player John Matuszak, who played Sloth, and his untimely death.

And also discussed on this episode, here is child star Ernie Reyes Jr. from the mid-80s, taking on some local bully/gang members, and kicking Don Cheadle‘s butt.

March 23

Clue, 1985

Welcome back to another episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week the boys are discussing a cult classic, a comedy completely based off a well-established and much-loved board game.  J. Blake and Dion Baia are trying out their sleuthing abilities this episode, as they tackle the zany farce, Clue, from 1985.

Clue poster

Blake and Dion analyze this cult comedy and it’s amazing ensemble cast, and speculate about why this film (which was received very poorly by critics initially) eventually endeared itself to an entire generation of film lovers. They compare it to the other type films that came out at the time, and get into the nuts and bolts of the original game and it’s origins. They also talk about what they like- and perhaps don’t like about this epic comedy. It’s all going down this go-around on and all new, exciting and hilarious installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras:

Have a look at the original 1985 trailer for Clue !

Listen to the fabulous original soundtrack by John Morris!

Here’s a 2017 teaser trailer for the work-in-progress documentary on Clue, entitled Who Done It !

Have a gander at these photos from the 2017 Hascon, of the exclusive $250 edition of Clue , here and here!

Take a look at Jane Wiedlin from the Go-Go’s discussing her role in Clue !

Check out this 1985 VCR Clue Mystery Game in it’s entirety!