May 5

The Fugitive, 1993

The boys are back for a Spring 2023 edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! J. Blake and Dion Baia bring the band back together and cover a film near and dear to their childhood, The Fugitive from 1993. They discuss the movie’s origins and the epic original 1963 television series, and try to put into context how big of a deal this film was for their generation. So, grab your bucket of pizza and some Mega-jolt cola, because Dion and Blake are running from the law in this brand-new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

May 3

John Wick, 2014

Welcome back to an all-new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are covering a modern classic–a film they predict will one day be a ‘sleepover‘ staple for generations of future movie-loving kids. The guys are taking their sleepover time machine back to 2014 to tackle the Keanu Reeves action orgasm, John Wick!

The boys jump right in, discussing other genre-centric movies that led up to John Wick, and the duality of the comic book elements laced within, alongside the super real and authentic techniques and action, that made this movie so captivating and engaging. They also unpack the brutality within, and how it plays to the viewers’ heartstrings, giving the film’s hero, John Wick, license to do just about anything. So make sure you do some stretching beforehand because Blake and Dion are gonna be getting physical in this all-new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras!

Check out Keanu Reeves training on the range, to get his John Wick on!

Have a look at this great article about John Wick‘s implement of the Center Axis Relock Method, and if that is right or wrong.

Take a look at Keanu Reeves getting starstruck meeting Sonny Chiba for the first time.

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!

August 4

The Lost Boys, 1987

Hello again and welcome back to another all new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are talking another absolute cult classic film that turns 30 this week. A movie about beach boardwalks, teen angst, and of course vampires, Joel Schumacher‘s The Lost Boys from 1987.

The Lost Boys Poster

The boys fondly reminisce about the era The Lost Boys came out within, and how the concept of teenage vampires was a relatively new idea for audiences. Blake and Dion discuss the vampire lore and the ‘classical’ representation these characters had in cinema, and how this film kind of turned that traditional idea on end. They talk about the obvious connections to novelist J.M. Barrie‘s story Peter Pan, as well as the other cultural influences peppered in the story, such as the reoccurring presence of rock icon Jim Morrison and the symbolism invoked, which goes to the greater themes layered within. They discuss the family dynamics in the story, be it the Emerson family’s or the Lost Boys gang themselves. The lads go into the Corey connection, and the relationship between Haim and Feldman that all started with this movie. They compare this film to the novelization, and interject some of the subplots and scenes that were discarded in the final cut of the 1987 movie. And they also chat about the sexual tension between the main characters in the story, and ponder the question: who is really attracted to who here? So, how monumental was The Lost Boys’ soundtrack when it came out? Did director Joel Schumacher maybe put himself a little bit into young Corey Haim‘s character? What’s Blake‘s Billy Wirth story? How about Dion‘s Jason Patric encounter? Well it’s about time that you sharpen those wooden stakes, gather as much Holy Water as you can find, and above all, don’t invite any strangers into your house because an all new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers is coming your way!

(* The two stories referred to in the podcast that predate Bram Stoker‘s 1897 Dracula, were the 1819 short story entitled The Vampyre by John William Polidori, and the 1872 lesbian vampire novella Carmilla, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu– both in public domain and available online free to read.

Extras:

Check out the original trailer for The Lost Boys!

Watch the deleted scenes, here!

And check out more deleted scenes from the film, here!

Take a look at Corey Haim and Feldman talking about The Lost Boys!

Have a look at the 2004 The Lost Boys 17 year old Retrospective!