60 acast.com JaZ Make a Podcast https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/jaz-make-a-podcast en John and Zac Movie,Movies,Film,TV,Television,Pop Culture,Music,Art John and Zac

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]]> false Zac Hogle info+68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6@mg-eu.acast.com 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 jaz-make-a-podcast episodic https://assets.pippa.io/shows/68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6/1756838403726-68503cfb-3359-4c44-894e-100da7aa0d26.jpeg https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/jaz-make-a-podcast JaZ Make a Podcast Supergirl (1984) Supergirl (1984) Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT 1:10:34 6a0609eea8fad4c1bec18481 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/6a0609eea8fad4c1bec18481 6a0609eea8fad4c1bec18481 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 The most gloriously unhinged superhero movie ever made — squirt squirt full 1 21 James Gunn's Supergirl film was on the horizon, so John and Zac went back to the 1984 original — and it delivered far beyond anyone's expectations. Helen Slater is a genuinely charming Supergirl/Linda Lee, who enrols in high school while Argo City presumably ceases to exist. Faye Dunaway plays Selena, a villain whose primary motivation is getting laid. Peter O'Toole exists as Zoltar — clearly operating in his own film, bless him ("squirt squirt"). Peter Cook is there too. There's an invisible Storm Dragon fight. An abandoned amusement park villain lair. A love potion applied to a gardener named Ethan. And a Phantom Zone escape that is, somehow, almost moving. This is the director's cut — the longest version — and it is a specific and extraordinary gift to cinema. "Squirt squirt" is now part of John and Zac's permanent vocabulary.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Supergirl (1984) — Director's Cut

Director: Jeannot Szwarc

Starring: Helen Slater, Faye Dunaway, Peter O'Toole, Peter Cook, Mia Farrow


Topics covered:

  • Helen Slater as Linda Lee/Supergirl — genuinely charming
  • - Faye Dunaway as Selena — villain motivated entirely by lust
  • - Peter O'Toole as Zoltar ("squirt squirt") — inexplicable in the best way
  • - The omegahedron MacGuffin
  • - The invisible Storm Dragon fight (a choice)
  • - Argo City's probable extinction while Supergirl attends high school
  • - The Phantom Zone escape — surprisingly emotional
  • - Matt Frewer (Max Headroom) in a brief cameo
  • - James Gunn's upcoming Supergirl film as context

Fast Facts:

  • The director's cut is significantly longer than the theatrical version
  • - Peter O'Toole's performance cannot be explained, only experienced
  • - "Squirt squirt" is now the show's unofficial catchphrase

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> James Gunn's Supergirl film was on the horizon, so John and Zac went back to the 1984 original — and it delivered far beyond anyone's expectations. Helen Slater is a genuinely charming Supergirl/Linda Lee, who enrols in high school while Argo City presumably ceases to exist. Faye Dunaway plays Selena, a villain whose primary motivation is getting laid. Peter O'Toole exists as Zoltar — clearly operating in his own film, bless him ("squirt squirt"). Peter Cook is there too. There's an invisible Storm Dragon fight. An abandoned amusement park villain lair. A love potion applied to a gardener named Ethan. And a Phantom Zone escape that is, somehow, almost moving. This is the director's cut — the longest version — and it is a specific and extraordinary gift to cinema. "Squirt squirt" is now part of John and Zac's permanent vocabulary.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Supergirl (1984) — Director's Cut

Director: Jeannot Szwarc

Starring: Helen Slater, Faye Dunaway, Peter O'Toole, Peter Cook, Mia Farrow


Topics covered:

  • Helen Slater as Linda Lee/Supergirl — genuinely charming
  • - Faye Dunaway as Selena — villain motivated entirely by lust
  • - Peter O'Toole as Zoltar ("squirt squirt") — inexplicable in the best way
  • - The omegahedron MacGuffin
  • - The invisible Storm Dragon fight (a choice)
  • - Argo City's probable extinction while Supergirl attends high school
  • - The Phantom Zone escape — surprisingly emotional
  • - Matt Frewer (Max Headroom) in a brief cameo
  • - James Gunn's upcoming Supergirl film as context

Fast Facts:

  • The director's cut is significantly longer than the theatrical version
  • - Peter O'Toole's performance cannot be explained, only experienced
  • - "Squirt squirt" is now the show's unofficial catchphrase

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Shutter Island (2010) Shutter Island (2010) Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT 47:06 6a06096aefd1f558b03791d1 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/6a06096aefd1f558b03791d1 6a06096aefd1f558b03791d1 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full 1 20 Shutter Island (2010) is a film so meticulously constructed that a second viewing transforms every scene. John and Zac go deep on Martin Scorsese's psychological masterpiece: the Hitchcockian and Kubrickian visual language, the deliberate breaking of the 180-degree rule as a disorientation technique, the way frozen bodies thawing represents suppressed memory returning, and the glass continuity trick that signals the hallucination before the film admits it. Was DiCaprio slightly miscast — too innocent-looking for the character's history? Maybe. Are Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley doing quietly extraordinary work? Absolutely. And what does that final line mean? Andrew chose the lobotomy. Deliberately. And it's the most devastating choice in the film. John watches it for the first time. He's on board by the end.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Shutter Island (2010)

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley

Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane


Topics covered:

  • Scorsese's visual grammar — Hitchcock, Kubrick, and the 180-degree rule
  • - The glass continuity trick as an early hallucination signal
  • - Frozen bodies = suppressed memory (the film's central metaphor)
  • - Was the hurricane real?
  • - Leonardo DiCaprio — possibly miscast?
  • - Ruffalo and Kingsley's quietly brilliant performances
  • - The final choice: Andrew's lobotomy is intentional and devastating
  • - John's first viewing — immediate conversion

Fast Facts:

  • The score was assembled by Robbie Robertson from existing classical pieces — no original music
  • - Dennis Lehane also wrote Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone
  • - This was Zac's former favourite Scorsese film

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

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Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Shutter Island (2010) is a film so meticulously constructed that a second viewing transforms every scene. John and Zac go deep on Martin Scorsese's psychological masterpiece: the Hitchcockian and Kubrickian visual language, the deliberate breaking of the 180-degree rule as a disorientation technique, the way frozen bodies thawing represents suppressed memory returning, and the glass continuity trick that signals the hallucination before the film admits it. Was DiCaprio slightly miscast — too innocent-looking for the character's history? Maybe. Are Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley doing quietly extraordinary work? Absolutely. And what does that final line mean? Andrew chose the lobotomy. Deliberately. And it's the most devastating choice in the film. John watches it for the first time. He's on board by the end.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Shutter Island (2010)

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley

Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane


Topics covered:

  • Scorsese's visual grammar — Hitchcock, Kubrick, and the 180-degree rule
  • - The glass continuity trick as an early hallucination signal
  • - Frozen bodies = suppressed memory (the film's central metaphor)
  • - Was the hurricane real?
  • - Leonardo DiCaprio — possibly miscast?
  • - Ruffalo and Kingsley's quietly brilliant performances
  • - The final choice: Andrew's lobotomy is intentional and devastating
  • - John's first viewing — immediate conversion

Fast Facts:

  • The score was assembled by Robbie Robertson from existing classical pieces — no original music
  • - Dennis Lehane also wrote Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone
  • - This was Zac's former favourite Scorsese film

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> SeaQuest DSV (1993) SeaQuest DSV (1993) Mon, 18 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT 56:48 69af86bfa944676525746361 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/69af86bfa944676525746361 69af86bfa944676525746361 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full 1 19 Steven Spielberg executive-produced it. Irvin Kershner — director of The Empire Strikes Back — directed the pilot. Roy Scheider stars as Captain Nathan Bridger. So why does SeaQuest DSV feel like it's missing everything that would make it work? John and Zac dig into the 1993 NBC pilot for this ambitious underwater sci-fi series. The production design holds up. The 1993 CG is impressive for its era. Darwin the talking dolphin is a genuine delight. But the pilot has no story engine — it builds a world without giving you a reason to live in it. Compared unfavourably to Star Trek: TNG's Encounter at Farpoint. Three seasons were made. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a perfect movie. These facts are unrelated and yet appeared in the same episode.


SHOW NOTES

Show: SeaQuest DSV (NBC, 1993-1996)

Creator: Rockne S. O'Bannon | Exec. Producer: Steven Spielberg

Pilot Director: Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back)

Starring: Roy Scheider as Captain Nathan Bridger


Topics covered:

  • SeaQuest vs. Star Trek TNG — how a pilot should establish a story engine
  • - Darwin the talking dolphin (a genuine delight)
  • - Why great pedigree can't save a weak pilot structure
  • - 1993 production design and CG — impressive for its era
  • - Jonathan Brandis as the young crew member (more charming than Wesley Crusher)

Fast Facts:

  • Irvin Kershner directed The Empire Strikes Back before this pilot
  • - SeaQuest ran for 3 seasons (1993-1996)
  • - Roy Scheider also starred in Jaws — covered in the JaZ Season 1 finale

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

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Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Steven Spielberg executive-produced it. Irvin Kershner — director of The Empire Strikes Back — directed the pilot. Roy Scheider stars as Captain Nathan Bridger. So why does SeaQuest DSV feel like it's missing everything that would make it work? John and Zac dig into the 1993 NBC pilot for this ambitious underwater sci-fi series. The production design holds up. The 1993 CG is impressive for its era. Darwin the talking dolphin is a genuine delight. But the pilot has no story engine — it builds a world without giving you a reason to live in it. Compared unfavourably to Star Trek: TNG's Encounter at Farpoint. Three seasons were made. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a perfect movie. These facts are unrelated and yet appeared in the same episode.


SHOW NOTES

Show: SeaQuest DSV (NBC, 1993-1996)

Creator: Rockne S. O'Bannon | Exec. Producer: Steven Spielberg

Pilot Director: Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back)

Starring: Roy Scheider as Captain Nathan Bridger


Topics covered:

  • SeaQuest vs. Star Trek TNG — how a pilot should establish a story engine
  • - Darwin the talking dolphin (a genuine delight)
  • - Why great pedigree can't save a weak pilot structure
  • - 1993 production design and CG — impressive for its era
  • - Jonathan Brandis as the young crew member (more charming than Wesley Crusher)

Fast Facts:

  • Irvin Kershner directed The Empire Strikes Back before this pilot
  • - SeaQuest ran for 3 seasons (1993-1996)
  • - Roy Scheider also starred in Jaws — covered in the JaZ Season 1 finale

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Batman on the Silver Screen Batman on the Silver Screen Mon, 04 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT 1:19:52 69e6915e07ecece42a16c882 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/69e6915e07ecece42a16c882 69e6915e07ecece42a16c882 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 From camp to masterpiece — ranking every Batman film ever made full 1 18 The Caped Crusader has had more cinematic lives than any superhero in history — and John and Zac are ranking them all. This episode is a chronological tour through every Batman film: from the gloriously campy 1966 original through Tim Burton's gothic reinvention, Joel Schumacher's ice-pun disasters, Christopher Nolan's unimpeachable Dark Knight trilogy, and beyond. The big answers: Who is the greatest Batman? Kevin Conroy (animated series) — not close. Who is the greatest Joker? Mark Hamill, full stop. What is the greatest Batman film? The Dark Knight, unanimously. And what is Batman & Robin (1997)? Hot garbage. Affectionate, nostalgic, occasionally enjoyable hot garbage — but hot garbage.


SHOW NOTES

Films covered:

  • Batman (1966) — Adam West
  • - Batman (1989) — Tim Burton / Michael Keaton
  • - Batman Returns (1992)
  • - Batman Forever (1995) — Val Kilmer
  • - Batman and Robin (1997) — George Clooney
  • - Batman Begins (2005) — Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale
  • - The Dark Knight (2008)
  • - The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
  • - Batman v Superman (2016) and the DCEU
  • - The Batman (2022) — Matt Reeves / Robert Pattinson

Fast Facts:

  • Kevin Conroy (animated series) is declared the greatest Batman of all time
  • - Mark Hamill's Joker is the gold standard — even above Heath Ledger
  • - Batman and Robin's ice puns are cited as evidence that nobody said no

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

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Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> The Caped Crusader has had more cinematic lives than any superhero in history — and John and Zac are ranking them all. This episode is a chronological tour through every Batman film: from the gloriously campy 1966 original through Tim Burton's gothic reinvention, Joel Schumacher's ice-pun disasters, Christopher Nolan's unimpeachable Dark Knight trilogy, and beyond. The big answers: Who is the greatest Batman? Kevin Conroy (animated series) — not close. Who is the greatest Joker? Mark Hamill, full stop. What is the greatest Batman film? The Dark Knight, unanimously. And what is Batman & Robin (1997)? Hot garbage. Affectionate, nostalgic, occasionally enjoyable hot garbage — but hot garbage.


SHOW NOTES

Films covered:

  • Batman (1966) — Adam West
  • - Batman (1989) — Tim Burton / Michael Keaton
  • - Batman Returns (1992)
  • - Batman Forever (1995) — Val Kilmer
  • - Batman and Robin (1997) — George Clooney
  • - Batman Begins (2005) — Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale
  • - The Dark Knight (2008)
  • - The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
  • - Batman v Superman (2016) and the DCEU
  • - The Batman (2022) — Matt Reeves / Robert Pattinson

Fast Facts:

  • Kevin Conroy (animated series) is declared the greatest Batman of all time
  • - Mark Hamill's Joker is the gold standard — even above Heath Ledger
  • - Batman and Robin's ice puns are cited as evidence that nobody said no

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> The Devil Wears Prada (2006) The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT 1:05:29 69cedaa91d7024f1a7e3ab4b false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/69cedaa91d7024f1a7e3ab4b 69cedaa91d7024f1a7e3ab4b 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 An A-list cast, a confused script, and a sequel nobody fully asked for full 1 17 With The Devil Wears Prada 2 on the horizon, John and Zac return to the 2006 original — and their verdicts diverge. The cast is undeniable: Meryl Streep delivers one of the great screen performances of her career, Anne Hathaway brings real charm, Emily Blunt is razor-sharp, and Stanley Tucci elevates every scene. The moment Miranda Priestly shows vulnerability is extraordinary. But the script meanders, can't decide what it's saying about ambition, and never gives supporting characters the complexity they deserve. The 2005-era body-shaming humour hasn't aged well. Patrick Dempsey's character has no discernible reason to exist. Somewhere inside this film is a great movie about the seduction of power — it just never fully commits. John found it hard going. Zac found more to appreciate.


SHOW NOTES

Film: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Director: David Frankel

Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci

Based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger


Topics covered:

  • Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly — all-time great screen performance
  • - Anne Hathaway's Andy — the arc that almost works
  • - The sweater monologue — the film's best scene
  • - The body-shaming culture of the mid-2000s and how it reads now
  • - Emily Blunt underwritten; Stanley Tucci underused
  • - Patrick Dempsey — a character without purpose
  • - What The Godfather does better with ambition as a theme
  • - John hated it; Zac was more charitable

Fast Facts:

  • The film made over $216 million globally on a $52 million budget
  • - A sequel has been announced
  • - Stanley Tucci was subsequently diagnosed with throat cancer

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> With The Devil Wears Prada 2 on the horizon, John and Zac return to the 2006 original — and their verdicts diverge. The cast is undeniable: Meryl Streep delivers one of the great screen performances of her career, Anne Hathaway brings real charm, Emily Blunt is razor-sharp, and Stanley Tucci elevates every scene. The moment Miranda Priestly shows vulnerability is extraordinary. But the script meanders, can't decide what it's saying about ambition, and never gives supporting characters the complexity they deserve. The 2005-era body-shaming humour hasn't aged well. Patrick Dempsey's character has no discernible reason to exist. Somewhere inside this film is a great movie about the seduction of power — it just never fully commits. John found it hard going. Zac found more to appreciate.


SHOW NOTES

Film: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Director: David Frankel

Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci

Based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger


Topics covered:

  • Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly — all-time great screen performance
  • - Anne Hathaway's Andy — the arc that almost works
  • - The sweater monologue — the film's best scene
  • - The body-shaming culture of the mid-2000s and how it reads now
  • - Emily Blunt underwritten; Stanley Tucci underused
  • - Patrick Dempsey — a character without purpose
  • - What The Godfather does better with ambition as a theme
  • - John hated it; Zac was more charitable

Fast Facts:

  • The film made over $216 million globally on a $52 million budget
  • - A sequel has been announced
  • - Stanley Tucci was subsequently diagnosed with throat cancer

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> WrestleMania X7 (2001) WrestleMania X7 (2001) Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT 1:18:54 69b8bd7f4266c9b1c79f1b88 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/69b8bd7f4266c9b1c79f1b88 69b8bd7f4266c9b1c79f1b88 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 The greatest night in wrestling history — and the end of the Attitude Era full 1 16 Generally considered the greatest WrestleMania of all time. Also four hours long, which John consumed across multiple sittings. Zac — a lifelong wrestling fan who once ran an annual family Christmas wrestling league called Christmas Chaos in his grandmother's basement — guides John through the full card from Houston's Reliant Astrodome. The highlights: TLC II between the Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz, and Edge and Christian is one of the most spectacular sequences ever broadcast. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit is the best pure wrestling on the card. And the main event — Rock vs. Stone Cold, ending with Austin aligning with Vince McMahon — officially signals the death of the Attitude Era. Too many McMahons. Not enough Mick Foley. The whole thing slaps.


SHOW NOTES

Event: WrestleMania X7 | April 1, 2001 | Reliant Astrodome, Houston, TX


Card highlights:

  • Chris Jericho vs. William Regal (Intercontinental Title)
  • - APA vs. Right to Censor (Tag Team)
  • - Hardcore Championship: Kane vs. Raven vs. Big Show
  • - Eddie Guerrero vs. Test (European Championship)
  • - Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit — best match of the night
  • - Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon (Street Fight)
  • - Chyna vs. Ivory (Women's Championship)
  • - The Undertaker vs. Triple H
  • - TLC II: Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Edge and Christian
  • - The Rock vs. Steve Austin — WWF Championship (Austin heel turn; end of the Attitude Era)

Fast Facts:

  • WCW had been purchased by WWF just five days before this event
  • - Zac's family ran an annual backyard wrestling league called Christmas Chaos in spandex and long underwear
  • - Linda McMahon, fictional WWF Commissioner in this era, is now US Secretary of Education

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Generally considered the greatest WrestleMania of all time. Also four hours long, which John consumed across multiple sittings. Zac — a lifelong wrestling fan who once ran an annual family Christmas wrestling league called Christmas Chaos in his grandmother's basement — guides John through the full card from Houston's Reliant Astrodome. The highlights: TLC II between the Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz, and Edge and Christian is one of the most spectacular sequences ever broadcast. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit is the best pure wrestling on the card. And the main event — Rock vs. Stone Cold, ending with Austin aligning with Vince McMahon — officially signals the death of the Attitude Era. Too many McMahons. Not enough Mick Foley. The whole thing slaps.


SHOW NOTES

Event: WrestleMania X7 | April 1, 2001 | Reliant Astrodome, Houston, TX


Card highlights:

  • Chris Jericho vs. William Regal (Intercontinental Title)
  • - APA vs. Right to Censor (Tag Team)
  • - Hardcore Championship: Kane vs. Raven vs. Big Show
  • - Eddie Guerrero vs. Test (European Championship)
  • - Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit — best match of the night
  • - Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon (Street Fight)
  • - Chyna vs. Ivory (Women's Championship)
  • - The Undertaker vs. Triple H
  • - TLC II: Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz vs. Edge and Christian
  • - The Rock vs. Steve Austin — WWF Championship (Austin heel turn; end of the Attitude Era)

Fast Facts:

  • WCW had been purchased by WWF just five days before this event
  • - Zac's family ran an annual backyard wrestling league called Christmas Chaos in spandex and long underwear
  • - Linda McMahon, fictional WWF Commissioner in this era, is now US Secretary of Education

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Phantom (1996) The Phantom (1996) Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT 45:10 698bf81bd4ce9463161e41b4 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/698bf81bd4ce9463161e41b4 698bf81bd4ce9463161e41b4 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full 1 15 It was supposed to launch a franchise. It bombed at the box office. Thirty years later, John and Zac are here to explain why it absolutely shouldn't have. The Phantom (1996) is one of the most purely enjoyable action adventure films of the decade: Billy Zane as the Ghost Who Walks, Treat Williams as a villain of boundless charisma, Kristy Swanson as a Marion Ravenwood-worthy love interest, and Catherine Zeta-Jones doing her Bond femme fatale thing before Entrapment put her on the map. Billy Zane studied the original Lee Falk comic strip to replicate the character's exact physical poses, and you can see it. Hitchcock's bomb theory is alive and well in the third act. The CGI skulls are gloriously bad. The purple suit is completely badass. Slam evil.


SHOW NOTES

Film: The Phantom (1996)

Director: Simon Wincer

Starring: Billy Zane, Treat Williams, Kristy Swanson, Catherine Zeta-Jones


Topics covered:

  • The Phantom's origin as the first costumed superhero (1936 Lee Falk comic)
  • - Billy Zane's physical performance studied from the source comic
  • - Treat Williams as Xander Drax — the most charismatic villain
  • - Kristy Swanson as Diana Palmer — underrated lead performance
  • - Catherine Zeta-Jones pre-Entrapment, pre-Zorro
  • - Hitchcock's bomb theory in the final act
  • - Practical stunts and 1930s production design
  • - Why it bombed in 1996 and why it deserves a reboot
  • - Zac attended the original premiere and received the Phantom ring

Fast Facts:

  • "Slam evil" is the film's actual tagline, now an unofficial JaZ motto
  • - A planned trilogy never materialized after the box office disappointment
  • - Zac attended the original theatrical premiere as a teenager

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> It was supposed to launch a franchise. It bombed at the box office. Thirty years later, John and Zac are here to explain why it absolutely shouldn't have. The Phantom (1996) is one of the most purely enjoyable action adventure films of the decade: Billy Zane as the Ghost Who Walks, Treat Williams as a villain of boundless charisma, Kristy Swanson as a Marion Ravenwood-worthy love interest, and Catherine Zeta-Jones doing her Bond femme fatale thing before Entrapment put her on the map. Billy Zane studied the original Lee Falk comic strip to replicate the character's exact physical poses, and you can see it. Hitchcock's bomb theory is alive and well in the third act. The CGI skulls are gloriously bad. The purple suit is completely badass. Slam evil.


SHOW NOTES

Film: The Phantom (1996)

Director: Simon Wincer

Starring: Billy Zane, Treat Williams, Kristy Swanson, Catherine Zeta-Jones


Topics covered:

  • The Phantom's origin as the first costumed superhero (1936 Lee Falk comic)
  • - Billy Zane's physical performance studied from the source comic
  • - Treat Williams as Xander Drax — the most charismatic villain
  • - Kristy Swanson as Diana Palmer — underrated lead performance
  • - Catherine Zeta-Jones pre-Entrapment, pre-Zorro
  • - Hitchcock's bomb theory in the final act
  • - Practical stunts and 1930s production design
  • - Why it bombed in 1996 and why it deserves a reboot
  • - Zac attended the original premiere and received the Phantom ring

Fast Facts:

  • "Slam evil" is the film's actual tagline, now an unofficial JaZ motto
  • - A planned trilogy never materialized after the box office disappointment
  • - Zac attended the original theatrical premiere as a teenager

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> JaZ Go to the Oscars (1987) JaZ Go to the Oscars (1987) Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT 1:00:41 699dd0e30e248fdc4f3a54b2 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/699dd0e30e248fdc4f3a54b2 699dd0e30e248fdc4f3a54b2 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 The 59th Academy Awards reviewed — Platoon, Aliens, and the year the Academy missed the point full 1 14 The 98th Oscars are this Sunday. John and Zac head back forty years to the 59th — the 1987 ceremony celebrating the films of 1986 — and find the Academy getting some things defensible, some things wrong, and largely missing the bigger picture. Platoon wins Best Picture and Best Director (Oliver Stone, Vietnam veteran — defensible). Sigourney Weaver loses Best Actress for Aliens to Marlee Matlin (not defensible). David Lynch is nominated for Blue Velvet and loses (also not defensible). Paul Newman wins Best Actor for The Color of Money in what looks like a long-service award. Meanwhile the films with real staying power — Top Gun, Ferris Bueller, Labyrinth, Highlander, Aliens, Stand By Me — were largely absent or overlooked. 1986 had more going on than the Academy noticed.


SHOW NOTES

Event: 59th Academy Awards | March 30, 1987

Hosts: Chevy Chase, Paul Hogan, Goldie Hawn


Key winners and verdicts:

  • Best Picture: Platoon — defensible, if safe
  • - Best Director: Oliver Stone, Platoon — David Lynch (Blue Velvet) was robbed
  • - Best Actor: Paul Newman, The Color of Money — career achievement energy
  • - Best Actress: Marlee Matlin, Children of a Lesser God — Sigourney Weaver (Aliens) deserved it
  • - Best Supporting Actor: Michael Caine, Hannah and Her Sisters
  • - Best Supporting Actress: Dianne Wiest, Hannah and Her Sisters
  • - Best Visual Effects: Aliens — correct call

Overlooked by the Academy: Labyrinth, Highlander, Big Trouble in Little China, Ferris Bueller, The Fly, Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator, Manhunter


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]]> The 98th Oscars are this Sunday. John and Zac head back forty years to the 59th — the 1987 ceremony celebrating the films of 1986 — and find the Academy getting some things defensible, some things wrong, and largely missing the bigger picture. Platoon wins Best Picture and Best Director (Oliver Stone, Vietnam veteran — defensible). Sigourney Weaver loses Best Actress for Aliens to Marlee Matlin (not defensible). David Lynch is nominated for Blue Velvet and loses (also not defensible). Paul Newman wins Best Actor for The Color of Money in what looks like a long-service award. Meanwhile the films with real staying power — Top Gun, Ferris Bueller, Labyrinth, Highlander, Aliens, Stand By Me — were largely absent or overlooked. 1986 had more going on than the Academy noticed.


SHOW NOTES

Event: 59th Academy Awards | March 30, 1987

Hosts: Chevy Chase, Paul Hogan, Goldie Hawn


Key winners and verdicts:

  • Best Picture: Platoon — defensible, if safe
  • - Best Director: Oliver Stone, Platoon — David Lynch (Blue Velvet) was robbed
  • - Best Actor: Paul Newman, The Color of Money — career achievement energy
  • - Best Actress: Marlee Matlin, Children of a Lesser God — Sigourney Weaver (Aliens) deserved it
  • - Best Supporting Actor: Michael Caine, Hannah and Her Sisters
  • - Best Supporting Actress: Dianne Wiest, Hannah and Her Sisters
  • - Best Visual Effects: Aliens — correct call

Overlooked by the Academy: Labyrinth, Highlander, Big Trouble in Little China, Ferris Bueller, The Fly, Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator, Manhunter


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]]> Wet Hot American Summer (2001) Wet Hot American Summer (2001) Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT 1:01:06 698bf7ded4ce9463161e1dae false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/698bf7ded4ce9463161e1dae 698bf7ded4ce9463161e1dae 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full 1 13 Zac's all-time favourite comedy. The funniest thing John has seen in years. Wet Hot American Summer (2001) is David Wain's absurdist masterpiece — a summer camp comedy in which everyone is obviously in their early 30s playing 16-year-olds, children die and nobody notices, Paul Rudd gives the greatest comedic performance of his career as the most aggressively bad boyfriend in screen history, and a can of vegetables (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) has an existential crisis and then has sex with a refrigerator.


Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Elizabeth Banks, and Molly Shannon all deliver career-best comedic work. Katie's final speech to Coop is one of the great gut punches in American comedy. The go-to-town sequence changes the film entirely. "Specifically sex with Andy. Not you." This film is a masterwork.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Director: David Wain

Starring: Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Molly Shannon, Chris Meloni


Topics covered:

- David Wain's direction — corralling genius into coherent absurdism

- Paul Rudd as Andy the terrible boyfriend — career-best comedic work

- The go-to-town sequence as the movie's turning point

- Bradley Cooper and Michael Ian Black in the storage shed

- Katie's final speech — the long con that pays off perfectly

- The children who die (at least two, possibly more)

- H. Jon Benjamin as the talking can of vegetables

- David Wain as one of three comedy pillars of the early 2000s

- Netflix follow-ups: First Day of Camp (prequel) and Ten Years Later (sequel)


Fast Facts:

- This is Zac's actual all-time favourite film

- The go-to-town sequence supposedly happens within one hour of camp time

- Katie's speech: "I'm sixteen. I'm all about sex. Specifically sex with Andy. Not you."


Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Zac's all-time favourite comedy. The funniest thing John has seen in years. Wet Hot American Summer (2001) is David Wain's absurdist masterpiece — a summer camp comedy in which everyone is obviously in their early 30s playing 16-year-olds, children die and nobody notices, Paul Rudd gives the greatest comedic performance of his career as the most aggressively bad boyfriend in screen history, and a can of vegetables (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) has an existential crisis and then has sex with a refrigerator.


Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Elizabeth Banks, and Molly Shannon all deliver career-best comedic work. Katie's final speech to Coop is one of the great gut punches in American comedy. The go-to-town sequence changes the film entirely. "Specifically sex with Andy. Not you." This film is a masterwork.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Director: David Wain

Starring: Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Molly Shannon, Chris Meloni


Topics covered:

- David Wain's direction — corralling genius into coherent absurdism

- Paul Rudd as Andy the terrible boyfriend — career-best comedic work

- The go-to-town sequence as the movie's turning point

- Bradley Cooper and Michael Ian Black in the storage shed

- Katie's final speech — the long con that pays off perfectly

- The children who die (at least two, possibly more)

- H. Jon Benjamin as the talking can of vegetables

- David Wain as one of three comedy pillars of the early 2000s

- Netflix follow-ups: First Day of Camp (prequel) and Ten Years Later (sequel)


Fast Facts:

- This is Zac's actual all-time favourite film

- The go-to-town sequence supposedly happens within one hour of camp time

- Katie's speech: "I'm sixteen. I'm all about sex. Specifically sex with Andy. Not you."


Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Valentine's Day (2010)]]> Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT 1:04:08 698411491976ad12370da452 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/698411491976ad12370da452 698411491976ad12370da452 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full 1 12 An A-list cast so large it had to be printed in two columns. A budget of $52 million. A global box office of $216 million. And a film that John and Zac can barely figure out how to recommend — or not recommend. Garry Marshall's Valentine's Day (2010) is a Love Actually riff with a larger cast and a thinner script: Anne Hathaway has the only storyline that approaches a real arc; Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner were retroactively added for the youth demographic and it shows; the big twist — Eric Dane's quarterback coming out as gay — was meaningful in 2010 and reads as underdeveloped now. Patrick Dempsey plays the most inexplicable jerk in romcom history. The best movie about love is The Empire Strikes Back. Zac remains firm on this.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Valentine's Day (2010)

Director: Garry Marshall

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Topher Grace, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Eric Dane, Jessica Biel, Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner, Queen Latifah, Shirley MacLaine, Hector Elizondo, George Lopez


Topics covered:

  • The sheer number of storylines (counted and categorized live)
  • - Anne Hathaway as the film's only fully-functioning character arc
  • - Patrick Dempsey — the most underwritten jerk in romcom history
  • - Eric Dane's quarterback coming-out storyline through a 2010 vs. 2025 lens
  • - Taylor Swift's enormous stuffed bear
  • - Why Love Actually does this concept better
  • - Zac's declaration: The Empire Strikes Back is the greatest love story in film

Fast Facts:

  • Budget $52 million / Worldwide gross $216 million
  • - The Empire Strikes Back as the greatest love story in film is not up for debate

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> An A-list cast so large it had to be printed in two columns. A budget of $52 million. A global box office of $216 million. And a film that John and Zac can barely figure out how to recommend — or not recommend. Garry Marshall's Valentine's Day (2010) is a Love Actually riff with a larger cast and a thinner script: Anne Hathaway has the only storyline that approaches a real arc; Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner were retroactively added for the youth demographic and it shows; the big twist — Eric Dane's quarterback coming out as gay — was meaningful in 2010 and reads as underdeveloped now. Patrick Dempsey plays the most inexplicable jerk in romcom history. The best movie about love is The Empire Strikes Back. Zac remains firm on this.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Valentine's Day (2010)

Director: Garry Marshall

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Topher Grace, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Eric Dane, Jessica Biel, Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner, Queen Latifah, Shirley MacLaine, Hector Elizondo, George Lopez


Topics covered:

  • The sheer number of storylines (counted and categorized live)
  • - Anne Hathaway as the film's only fully-functioning character arc
  • - Patrick Dempsey — the most underwritten jerk in romcom history
  • - Eric Dane's quarterback coming-out storyline through a 2010 vs. 2025 lens
  • - Taylor Swift's enormous stuffed bear
  • - Why Love Actually does this concept better
  • - Zac's declaration: The Empire Strikes Back is the greatest love story in film

Fast Facts:

  • Budget $52 million / Worldwide gross $216 million
  • - The Empire Strikes Back as the greatest love story in film is not up for debate

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Died in '25 — Part Two]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT 41:26 697199dba6c658f1836385ed false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/697199dba6c658f1836385ed 697199dba6c658f1836385ed 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 Robert Redford, Rob Reiner, Terence Stamp, and the rest of the icons we lost full 1 11 Part Two of the tribute continues. Robert Redford — Butch Cassidy, The Sting, The Natural, and the man who built the Sundance Film Festival from nothing. Rob Reiner, whose directing career is so quietly remarkable it almost defies belief: This Is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men. John and Zac agree he deserves his own dedicated episode. Also remembered: Terence Stamp as General Zod. Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. Graham Greene in Dances with Wolves. Jim Lovell, the real Apollo 13 astronaut. Loni Anderson from WKRP in Cincinnati. Jane Goodall. Ace Frehley. Dick Cheney. Brigitte Bardot. And Hiroyuki Tagawa — Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat. He has entered eternal rest. Fatality.


SHOW NOTES

Remembering in Part Two:

  • Terence Stamp — General Zod (Superman II), Billy Budd, Far from the Madding Crowd
  • - Jim Lovell — Apollo 13 astronaut (the real one)
  • - Loni Anderson — WKRP in Cincinnati
  • - Robert Redford — Butch Cassidy, The Sting, The Natural, Sundance Film Festival founder
  • - Graham Greene — Dances with Wolves, Maverick (Canadian actor)
  • - Diane Keaton — Annie Hall, First Wives Club
  • - Jane Goodall — primatologist, conservationist
  • - Ace Frehley — KISS guitarist
  • - Dick Cheney
  • - Rob Reiner — Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men
  • - Brigitte Bardot
  • - Hiroyuki Tagawa — Mortal Kombat, Showdown in Little Tokyo

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Part Two of the tribute continues. Robert Redford — Butch Cassidy, The Sting, The Natural, and the man who built the Sundance Film Festival from nothing. Rob Reiner, whose directing career is so quietly remarkable it almost defies belief: This Is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men. John and Zac agree he deserves his own dedicated episode. Also remembered: Terence Stamp as General Zod. Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. Graham Greene in Dances with Wolves. Jim Lovell, the real Apollo 13 astronaut. Loni Anderson from WKRP in Cincinnati. Jane Goodall. Ace Frehley. Dick Cheney. Brigitte Bardot. And Hiroyuki Tagawa — Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat. He has entered eternal rest. Fatality.


SHOW NOTES

Remembering in Part Two:

  • Terence Stamp — General Zod (Superman II), Billy Budd, Far from the Madding Crowd
  • - Jim Lovell — Apollo 13 astronaut (the real one)
  • - Loni Anderson — WKRP in Cincinnati
  • - Robert Redford — Butch Cassidy, The Sting, The Natural, Sundance Film Festival founder
  • - Graham Greene — Dances with Wolves, Maverick (Canadian actor)
  • - Diane Keaton — Annie Hall, First Wives Club
  • - Jane Goodall — primatologist, conservationist
  • - Ace Frehley — KISS guitarist
  • - Dick Cheney
  • - Rob Reiner — Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men
  • - Brigitte Bardot
  • - Hiroyuki Tagawa — Mortal Kombat, Showdown in Little Tokyo

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> <![CDATA[Died in '25 — Part One]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT 54:03 69646fa53a409cca499a8020 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/69646fa53a409cca499a8020 69646fa53a409cca499a8020 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 Remembering the legends we lost: David Lynch, Gene Hackman, Val Kilmer, and more full 1 10 2025 took some giants. In Part One of their tribute to the icons who passed this year, John and Zac spend time with the ones who shaped their lives as fans: David Lynch, visionary behind Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, whose influence on the strange and surreal in cinema cannot be overstated. Gene Hackman — Zac's all-time favourite actor — who gave us The French Connection, Hoosiers, Superman, and The Conversation. Val Kilmer, who was Doc Holliday, Batman, and Iceman all at once. Brian Wilson, who drove himself to the edge of genius and changed popular music forever. Plus: Bob Uecker, George Foreman, Michelle Trachtenberg, Pope Francis, George Wendt, Loretta Swit, Sly Stone, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Ozzy Osbourne, Hulk Hogan, and Michael Madsen.


SHOW NOTES

Remembering in Part One:

  • David Lynch — Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead
  • - Bob Uecker — announcer, actor, beloved baseball icon
  • - Gene Hackman — The French Connection, Hoosiers, Superman, The Conversation (Zac's all-time favourite actor)
  • - Michelle Trachtenberg — Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Eurotrip
  • - George Foreman — champion, cultural institution
  • - Val Kilmer — Tombstone, Top Gun, The Saint, Batman Forever
  • - Pope Francis
  • - George Wendt — Norm Peterson, Cheers
  • - Loretta Swit — Hot Lips, M*A*S*H
  • - Brian Wilson — Beach Boys, Pet Sounds genius
  • - Malcolm-Jamal Warner — Theo Huxtable, The Cosby Show
  • - Ozzy Osbourne
  • - Hulk Hogan — WWF pioneer
  • - Michael Madsen — Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> 2025 took some giants. In Part One of their tribute to the icons who passed this year, John and Zac spend time with the ones who shaped their lives as fans: David Lynch, visionary behind Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, whose influence on the strange and surreal in cinema cannot be overstated. Gene Hackman — Zac's all-time favourite actor — who gave us The French Connection, Hoosiers, Superman, and The Conversation. Val Kilmer, who was Doc Holliday, Batman, and Iceman all at once. Brian Wilson, who drove himself to the edge of genius and changed popular music forever. Plus: Bob Uecker, George Foreman, Michelle Trachtenberg, Pope Francis, George Wendt, Loretta Swit, Sly Stone, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Ozzy Osbourne, Hulk Hogan, and Michael Madsen.


SHOW NOTES

Remembering in Part One:

  • David Lynch — Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead
  • - Bob Uecker — announcer, actor, beloved baseball icon
  • - Gene Hackman — The French Connection, Hoosiers, Superman, The Conversation (Zac's all-time favourite actor)
  • - Michelle Trachtenberg — Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Eurotrip
  • - George Foreman — champion, cultural institution
  • - Val Kilmer — Tombstone, Top Gun, The Saint, Batman Forever
  • - Pope Francis
  • - George Wendt — Norm Peterson, Cheers
  • - Loretta Swit — Hot Lips, M*A*S*H
  • - Brian Wilson — Beach Boys, Pet Sounds genius
  • - Malcolm-Jamal Warner — Theo Huxtable, The Cosby Show
  • - Ozzy Osbourne
  • - Hulk Hogan — WWF pioneer
  • - Michael Madsen — Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Christmas Songs (2025) Christmas Songs (2025) Wed, 24 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT 53:20 69370a833d875cc257f36b05 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/69370a833d875cc257f36b05 69370a833d875cc257f36b05 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 The ultimate Christmas playlist — pop bangers, tearjerkers, and gloriously unhinged novelty tracks full 1 9 It's the last episode of 2025, and John and Zac are closing the year the only way that makes sense: a deep dive into the greatest Christmas songs ever recorded. Three categories, two very different musical sensibilities, and almost no agreement. Pop Christmas: Zac goes full Mariah Carey (All I Want for Christmas Is You — correct), while John leans toward the classic crooners. Tearjerkers: John presents Bing Crosby's I'll Be Home for Christmas, complete with its heartbreaking WWII origin story; Zac counters with Charles Brown's blues-soaked Please Come Home for Christmas. Novelty: the Dropkick Murphys bring the Christmas chaos for John; Weird Al's The Night Santa Went Crazy represents for Zac. A proper send-off to the year — and a Christmas playlist worth stealing.


SHOW NOTES

Last episode of 2025


Pop picks:

  • "All I Want for Christmas Is You" — Mariah Carey (Zac)
  • - Classic Christmas crooners — John's corner

Tearjerkers:

  • "I'll Be Home for Christmas" — Bing Crosby (John)
  • - "Please Come Home for Christmas" — Charles Brown (Zac)

Novelty:

  • "The Season Is Upon Us" — Dropkick Murphys (John)
  • - "The Night Santa Went Crazy" — Weird Al Yankovic (Zac)

Fast Facts:

  • Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was written during WWII and first performed for soldiers overseas
  • - Charles Brown's "Please Come Home for Christmas" is a blues Christmas classic from 1960
  • - This was the final JaZ Make a Podcast episode of 2025

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> It's the last episode of 2025, and John and Zac are closing the year the only way that makes sense: a deep dive into the greatest Christmas songs ever recorded. Three categories, two very different musical sensibilities, and almost no agreement. Pop Christmas: Zac goes full Mariah Carey (All I Want for Christmas Is You — correct), while John leans toward the classic crooners. Tearjerkers: John presents Bing Crosby's I'll Be Home for Christmas, complete with its heartbreaking WWII origin story; Zac counters with Charles Brown's blues-soaked Please Come Home for Christmas. Novelty: the Dropkick Murphys bring the Christmas chaos for John; Weird Al's The Night Santa Went Crazy represents for Zac. A proper send-off to the year — and a Christmas playlist worth stealing.


SHOW NOTES

Last episode of 2025


Pop picks:

  • "All I Want for Christmas Is You" — Mariah Carey (Zac)
  • - Classic Christmas crooners — John's corner

Tearjerkers:

  • "I'll Be Home for Christmas" — Bing Crosby (John)
  • - "Please Come Home for Christmas" — Charles Brown (Zac)

Novelty:

  • "The Season Is Upon Us" — Dropkick Murphys (John)
  • - "The Night Santa Went Crazy" — Weird Al Yankovic (Zac)

Fast Facts:

  • Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was written during WWII and first performed for soldiers overseas
  • - Charles Brown's "Please Come Home for Christmas" is a blues Christmas classic from 1960
  • - This was the final JaZ Make a Podcast episode of 2025

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT 46:48 691691d5243c8d887018829e false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/691691d5243c8d887018829e 691691d5243c8d887018829e 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 A beloved classic caught between two better films it could have been full 1 8 It's a beloved holiday film. The Dickens source material is exceptional. Michael Caine plays it admirably straight. The Ghost of Christmas Past is genuinely unsettling. And yet — The Muppet Christmas Carol can't quite commit to being either a great Christmas Carol adaptation or a fully-realized Muppets film, and the tension between those two things undermines both. John and Zac dig into why: Gonzo and Rizzo's narration fragments the emotional pace; the Muppets feel shoehorned into roles that don't quite fit their energy; Tiny Tim lands less powerfully as a puppet; the musical numbers are uneven; and the middle drags. But Michael Caine is wonderful, the production design is gorgeous, and the Ghost of Christmas Future delivers real dread. A warm, flawed, perfectly fine Christmas movie. Zac gives it a 5-6. John gives it a 7.


SHOW NOTES

Film: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Director: Brian Henson | Music: Paul Williams

Starring: Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge


Topics covered:

  • Does the Muppets format serve A Christmas Carol? (Complicated answer)
  • - Gonzo and Rizzo as narrators — charming but pacing-disrupting
  • - Michael Caine's committed and affecting performance
  • - Ghost of Christmas Past — genuinely creepy design
  • - Ghost of Christmas Future — the film's best sequence, punches pulled too early
  • - Why Tiny Tim doesn't land the same way in puppet form
  • - The Marleys (Waldorf and Statler) and Fezziwig (Fozzie Bear pun)
  • - Best Christmas Carol adaptations to compare (Alastair Sim, Mickey's Christmas Carol)

Fast Facts:

  • First Muppets film produced by Disney, after Jim Henson's passing
  • - Both enjoyed watching it, though neither thinks it's a great Muppet film or great Christmas Carol

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> It's a beloved holiday film. The Dickens source material is exceptional. Michael Caine plays it admirably straight. The Ghost of Christmas Past is genuinely unsettling. And yet — The Muppet Christmas Carol can't quite commit to being either a great Christmas Carol adaptation or a fully-realized Muppets film, and the tension between those two things undermines both. John and Zac dig into why: Gonzo and Rizzo's narration fragments the emotional pace; the Muppets feel shoehorned into roles that don't quite fit their energy; Tiny Tim lands less powerfully as a puppet; the musical numbers are uneven; and the middle drags. But Michael Caine is wonderful, the production design is gorgeous, and the Ghost of Christmas Future delivers real dread. A warm, flawed, perfectly fine Christmas movie. Zac gives it a 5-6. John gives it a 7.


SHOW NOTES

Film: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Director: Brian Henson | Music: Paul Williams

Starring: Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge


Topics covered:

  • Does the Muppets format serve A Christmas Carol? (Complicated answer)
  • - Gonzo and Rizzo as narrators — charming but pacing-disrupting
  • - Michael Caine's committed and affecting performance
  • - Ghost of Christmas Past — genuinely creepy design
  • - Ghost of Christmas Future — the film's best sequence, punches pulled too early
  • - Why Tiny Tim doesn't land the same way in puppet form
  • - The Marleys (Waldorf and Statler) and Fezziwig (Fozzie Bear pun)
  • - Best Christmas Carol adaptations to compare (Alastair Sim, Mickey's Christmas Carol)

Fast Facts:

  • First Muppets film produced by Disney, after Jim Henson's passing
  • - Both enjoyed watching it, though neither thinks it's a great Muppet film or great Christmas Carol

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Christmas in Wonderland (2007) Christmas in Wonderland (2007) Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT 51:36 6913b251830e2623bf87aa2f false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/6913b251830e2623bf87aa2f 6913b251830e2623bf87aa2f 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 The worst Christmas movie ever made — starring Patrick Swayze, somehow full 1 8 It was supposed to be a magical holiday film. It is, instead, a cinematic catastrophe. John and Zac sit through Christmas in Wonderland (2007) so you absolutely don't have to: a film shot almost entirely inside West Edmonton Mall, starring a deeply confused Patrick Swayze, Tim Curry doing an inexplicable Scottish accent, Chris Kattan, and Carmen Electra. There is no discernible plot. There is a counterfeit money scheme. There is product placement so aggressive it crosses into performance art. There is CGI so bad it cannot be explained, defended, or understood. And yet — in the tradition of great bad cinema — there is something perversely compelling about watching professionals fail this completely. This is Zac's genuine pick for the worst movie he has ever seen. A must-listen for lovers of truly terrible films.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Christmas in Wonderland (2007)

Director: James Orr

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Tim Curry, Chris Kattan, Carmen Electra

Shot at: West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta


Topics covered:

  • The West Edmonton Mall as setting and co-star
  • - Tim Curry's inexplicable Scottish accent (never explained)
  • - The counterfeit money scheme (such as it is)
  • - CGI that should have stopped production cold
  • - The ethics of product placement at this level
  • - Patrick Swayze's confusion (shared by the audience)

Fast Facts:

  • This is the actual worst movie Zac has ever seen in his life
  • - It was filmed at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta
  • - Tim Curry plays a villain with a Scottish accent for reasons nobody can explain

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]]> It was supposed to be a magical holiday film. It is, instead, a cinematic catastrophe. John and Zac sit through Christmas in Wonderland (2007) so you absolutely don't have to: a film shot almost entirely inside West Edmonton Mall, starring a deeply confused Patrick Swayze, Tim Curry doing an inexplicable Scottish accent, Chris Kattan, and Carmen Electra. There is no discernible plot. There is a counterfeit money scheme. There is product placement so aggressive it crosses into performance art. There is CGI so bad it cannot be explained, defended, or understood. And yet — in the tradition of great bad cinema — there is something perversely compelling about watching professionals fail this completely. This is Zac's genuine pick for the worst movie he has ever seen. A must-listen for lovers of truly terrible films.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Christmas in Wonderland (2007)

Director: James Orr

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Tim Curry, Chris Kattan, Carmen Electra

Shot at: West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta


Topics covered:

  • The West Edmonton Mall as setting and co-star
  • - Tim Curry's inexplicable Scottish accent (never explained)
  • - The counterfeit money scheme (such as it is)
  • - CGI that should have stopped production cold
  • - The ethics of product placement at this level
  • - Patrick Swayze's confusion (shared by the audience)

Fast Facts:

  • This is the actual worst movie Zac has ever seen in his life
  • - It was filmed at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta
  • - Tim Curry plays a villain with a Scottish accent for reasons nobody can explain

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

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Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Film Composer Death Bracket Film Composer Death Bracket Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT 47:58 68e5cedfd798804c9ef3b66d false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/68e5cedfd798804c9ef3b66d 68e5cedfd798804c9ef3b66d 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 John Williams vs. the world — seeding the greatest film composers of all time full 1 6 After Van Helsing nearly broke them, John and Zac turn to something beautiful: the music behind the movies. This is the bracket-setting episode of the Film Composer Death Bracket — they narrow the field to eight seeds and argue about who belongs. John Williams is #1 (obviously). Howard Shore earns #2 on the strength of The Lord of the Rings alone. James Horner, Elmer Bernstein, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Bernard Herrmann, and John Barry round out the field. A wild card debate between Barry, Herrmann, and Randy Newman. Head-to-head matchups are coming in future episodes. For now: the bracket is set, the arguments have begun, and the show has found its second wind after the Van Helsing incident.


SHOW NOTES

The 8-seed bracket:

  1. John Williams — Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Schindler's List, Harry Potter, E.T., Jurassic Park
  2. 2. Howard Shore — The Lord of the Rings trilogy
  3. 3. James Horner — Star Trek II, Braveheart, Titanic, Aliens
  4. 4. Elmer Bernstein — The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, Ghostbusters
  5. 5. Danny Elfman — Batman, The Simpsons, Edward Scissorhands, every Tim Burton film
  6. 6. Alan Menken — The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin
  7. 7. Bernard Herrmann — Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Taxi Driver
  8. 8. John Barry — James Bond franchise, Born Free, Out of Africa

Wild card debate: John Barry vs. Bernard Herrmann vs. Randy Newman

Head-to-head matchups coming in future episodes!


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Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> After Van Helsing nearly broke them, John and Zac turn to something beautiful: the music behind the movies. This is the bracket-setting episode of the Film Composer Death Bracket — they narrow the field to eight seeds and argue about who belongs. John Williams is #1 (obviously). Howard Shore earns #2 on the strength of The Lord of the Rings alone. James Horner, Elmer Bernstein, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Bernard Herrmann, and John Barry round out the field. A wild card debate between Barry, Herrmann, and Randy Newman. Head-to-head matchups are coming in future episodes. For now: the bracket is set, the arguments have begun, and the show has found its second wind after the Van Helsing incident.


SHOW NOTES

The 8-seed bracket:

  1. John Williams — Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Schindler's List, Harry Potter, E.T., Jurassic Park
  2. 2. Howard Shore — The Lord of the Rings trilogy
  3. 3. James Horner — Star Trek II, Braveheart, Titanic, Aliens
  4. 4. Elmer Bernstein — The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, Ghostbusters
  5. 5. Danny Elfman — Batman, The Simpsons, Edward Scissorhands, every Tim Burton film
  6. 6. Alan Menken — The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin
  7. 7. Bernard Herrmann — Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Taxi Driver
  8. 8. John Barry — James Bond franchise, Born Free, Out of Africa

Wild card debate: John Barry vs. Bernard Herrmann vs. Randy Newman

Head-to-head matchups coming in future episodes!


Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

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Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> JaZ Make a Prologue - Film Composer Death Bracket JaZ Make a Prologue - Film Composer Death Bracket Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT 5:58 69169053e4a19aaf07a2f13d false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/69169053e4a19aaf07a2f13d 69169053e4a19aaf07a2f13d 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 bonus

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]]>

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]]> Baseball in Movies and TV Baseball in Movies and TV Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT 45:04 68f83fb85d128a844c926dc2 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/68f83fb85d128a844c926dc2 68f83fb85d128a844c926dc2 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 From Field of Dreams to Blernsball — the greatest diamond moments in film and TV full 1 5 Baseball and cinema were made for each other — and John and Zac are here to prove it. This episode covers the full lineup: the tear-jerking mysticism of Field of Dreams, the scrappy underdog chaos of Major League, the pitch-perfect period drama of Eight Men Out, and the raw authenticity of Bull Durham. They debate whether A League of Their Own holds up (yes, obviously), revisit the enduring magic of The Sandlot, and make the case for Brockmire as the most underrated baseball TV series ever made. Plus: Star Trek baseball, Futurama's Blernsball, and a very personal Cubs moment — the day the 108-year World Series curse ended happened to be the same day Zac's son was born.


SHOW NOTES

Topics covered:

  • Field of Dreams (1989)
  • - Eight Men Out (1988)
  • - Major League (1989)
  • - Bull Durham (1988)
  • - A League of Their Own (1992)
  • - The Sandlot (1993)
  • - Brockmire (TV series, IFC)
  • - Star Trek baseball and Futurama's Blernsball
  • - The 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series

Fast Facts:

  • The 2016 Cubs World Series win ended a 108-year curse — and coincided with the birth of Zac's son
  • - Brockmire stars Hank Azaria as a profanity-spewing minor league announcer; it's brilliant and underrated
  • - Bull Durham is widely considered the greatest sports movie ever made

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Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Baseball and cinema were made for each other — and John and Zac are here to prove it. This episode covers the full lineup: the tear-jerking mysticism of Field of Dreams, the scrappy underdog chaos of Major League, the pitch-perfect period drama of Eight Men Out, and the raw authenticity of Bull Durham. They debate whether A League of Their Own holds up (yes, obviously), revisit the enduring magic of The Sandlot, and make the case for Brockmire as the most underrated baseball TV series ever made. Plus: Star Trek baseball, Futurama's Blernsball, and a very personal Cubs moment — the day the 108-year World Series curse ended happened to be the same day Zac's son was born.


SHOW NOTES

Topics covered:

  • Field of Dreams (1989)
  • - Eight Men Out (1988)
  • - Major League (1989)
  • - Bull Durham (1988)
  • - A League of Their Own (1992)
  • - The Sandlot (1993)
  • - Brockmire (TV series, IFC)
  • - Star Trek baseball and Futurama's Blernsball
  • - The 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series

Fast Facts:

  • The 2016 Cubs World Series win ended a 108-year curse — and coincided with the birth of Zac's son
  • - Brockmire stars Hank Azaria as a profanity-spewing minor league announcer; it's brilliant and underrated
  • - Bull Durham is widely considered the greatest sports movie ever made

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> JaZ Make a Prologue - Baseball JaZ Make a Prologue - Baseball Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:00:00 GMT 3:03 6903a168076a402ee2834c3d false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/6903a168076a402ee2834c3d 6903a168076a402ee2834c3d 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full

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]]>

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]]> Van Helsing (2004) Van Helsing (2004) Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:00:00 GMT 41:30 68dde54bd1a3cd6ea963976d false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/68dde54bd1a3cd6ea963976d 68dde54bd1a3cd6ea963976d 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 Hugh Jackman vs. Dracula vs. coherent filmmaking — nobody wins full 1 4 Van Helsing (2004) is a movie. John is quite certain of this. He finished it — eventually — after a viewing process he described as "almost breaking" him across 2.5 days. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale fight Dracula, thousands of unexplained bat-baby offspring, Frankenstein's monster, and the concept of consistent tone, all within a single two-hour-plus runtime. The CGI is very much of its era. Dracula is played as three different characters stitched into one cape. The Vatican monster-hunting agency is a brilliant concept that goes nowhere. Hugh Jackman is completely the right casting. Kate Beckinsale is not. The friar is the only character who understands what film he's in. The Angel Gabriel twist is dropped as a single line and never revisited. The result of all this: the Film Composer Death Bracket. John is never watching Van Helsing again.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Van Helsing (2004)

Director: Stephen Sommers

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh as Dracula


Topics covered:

  • The opening Mr. Hyde vs. Van Helsing sequence (first red flag)
  • - The Vatican monster-hunting Q department — great concept, wasted
  • - Dracula's performance problem (three tones simultaneously)
  • - Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale's notable lack of chemistry
  • - The Angel Gabriel twist (mentioned once, never developed)
  • - Vampire bat babies — a lore choice nobody approved
  • - The friar — the only character in the right film
  • - Van Helsing directly inspired the Film Composer Death Bracket

Fast Facts:

  • John consumed the film across 2.5 days and nearly did not recover
  • - Stephen Sommers also directed The Mummy (1999) — a significantly better film
  • - "No Van Helsing" is now permanently tattooed across John's heart

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> Van Helsing (2004) is a movie. John is quite certain of this. He finished it — eventually — after a viewing process he described as "almost breaking" him across 2.5 days. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale fight Dracula, thousands of unexplained bat-baby offspring, Frankenstein's monster, and the concept of consistent tone, all within a single two-hour-plus runtime. The CGI is very much of its era. Dracula is played as three different characters stitched into one cape. The Vatican monster-hunting agency is a brilliant concept that goes nowhere. Hugh Jackman is completely the right casting. Kate Beckinsale is not. The friar is the only character who understands what film he's in. The Angel Gabriel twist is dropped as a single line and never revisited. The result of all this: the Film Composer Death Bracket. John is never watching Van Helsing again.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Van Helsing (2004)

Director: Stephen Sommers

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh as Dracula


Topics covered:

  • The opening Mr. Hyde vs. Van Helsing sequence (first red flag)
  • - The Vatican monster-hunting Q department — great concept, wasted
  • - Dracula's performance problem (three tones simultaneously)
  • - Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale's notable lack of chemistry
  • - The Angel Gabriel twist (mentioned once, never developed)
  • - Vampire bat babies — a lore choice nobody approved
  • - The friar — the only character in the right film
  • - Van Helsing directly inspired the Film Composer Death Bracket

Fast Facts:

  • John consumed the film across 2.5 days and nearly did not recover
  • - Stephen Sommers also directed The Mummy (1999) — a significantly better film
  • - "No Van Helsing" is now permanently tattooed across John's heart

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> JaZ Make a Prologue - Van Helsing (2004) JaZ Make a Prologue - Van Helsing (2004) Fri, 17 Oct 2025 09:00:00 GMT 7:37 68f14e13c4d0380ae709f4bf false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/68f14e13c4d0380ae709f4bf 68f14e13c4d0380ae709f4bf 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full

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]]>

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]]> Sleepy Hollow (1999) Sleepy Hollow (1999) Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:00:00 GMT 46:02 68ce0fedf5e00f6ca4664695 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/68ce0fedf5e00f6ca4664695 68ce0fedf5e00f6ca4664695 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full 1 3 A genuine 10 out of 10 from both of them. Sleepy Hollow (1999) is Tim Burton operating at his most focused and fully-realized: a film so beautifully constructed, so committed to its atmosphere, and so perfectly cast that even its real flaws — a clunky third-act revelation, some dated CGI — barely register. Johnny Depp's cowardly, fainting Ichabod Crane is the best performance of his career: more grounded, more human, and more interesting than Jack Sparrow. Ray Park provides the Horseman's terrifying physicality; Christopher Walken provides the face. The church fence death sequence is one of the most memorable in Tim Burton's entire filmography. Danny Elfman's score — which almost lost John in the first act — earned him back completely by the end. Zac's all-time favourite Tim Burton film.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Michael Gambon, Miranda Richardson, Caspar Van Dien

Music: Danny Elfman | Headless Horseman: Ray Park (body), Christopher Walken (face)


Topics covered:

  • Johnny Depp's physical comedy as cowardly Ichabod — his best screen work
  • - Ray Park and Christopher Walken as the composite Horseman
  • - Michael Gambon's church fence death — the film's standout moment
  • - Danny Elfman's score: slow-burn effectiveness
  • - The mother/witch vs. father/dogma thematic thread
  • - CGI issues (the crone, the Horseman's face rebuilding)
  • - Tim Burton's visual language and what makes it distinct

Fast Facts:

  • Shot entirely on soundstages in England — the environment is entirely artificial
  • - This is Zac's all-time favourite Tim Burton film

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

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]]> A genuine 10 out of 10 from both of them. Sleepy Hollow (1999) is Tim Burton operating at his most focused and fully-realized: a film so beautifully constructed, so committed to its atmosphere, and so perfectly cast that even its real flaws — a clunky third-act revelation, some dated CGI — barely register. Johnny Depp's cowardly, fainting Ichabod Crane is the best performance of his career: more grounded, more human, and more interesting than Jack Sparrow. Ray Park provides the Horseman's terrifying physicality; Christopher Walken provides the face. The church fence death sequence is one of the most memorable in Tim Burton's entire filmography. Danny Elfman's score — which almost lost John in the first act — earned him back completely by the end. Zac's all-time favourite Tim Burton film.


SHOW NOTES

Film: Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Michael Gambon, Miranda Richardson, Caspar Van Dien

Music: Danny Elfman | Headless Horseman: Ray Park (body), Christopher Walken (face)


Topics covered:

  • Johnny Depp's physical comedy as cowardly Ichabod — his best screen work
  • - Ray Park and Christopher Walken as the composite Horseman
  • - Michael Gambon's church fence death — the film's standout moment
  • - Danny Elfman's score: slow-burn effectiveness
  • - The mother/witch vs. father/dogma thematic thread
  • - CGI issues (the crone, the Horseman's face rebuilding)
  • - Tim Burton's visual language and what makes it distinct

Fast Facts:

  • Shot entirely on soundstages in England — the environment is entirely artificial
  • - This is Zac's all-time favourite Tim Burton film

Follow us on Instagram: @jazmakeapodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Acast

Email: jazmakeapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> JaZ Make A Prologue - Sleepy Hollow JaZ Make A Prologue - Sleepy Hollow Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:21:38 GMT 5:02 68de988638a313e2f1615645 false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/68de988638a313e2f1615645 68de988638a313e2f1615645 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full

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]]>

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]]> Star Trek V Star Trek V Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:00:00 GMT 36:40 68a8aa4da04c35d2c973f2be false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/68a8aa4da04c35d2c973f2be 68a8aa4da04c35d2c973f2be 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 A Celebration full 1 2 On this episode of JaZ Make a Podcast, John and Zac dive into a celebration of the oft-misunderstood Star Trek V: The Final Frontier!


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]]> On this episode of JaZ Make a Podcast, John and Zac dive into a celebration of the oft-misunderstood Star Trek V: The Final Frontier!


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]]> Passing Grade: Ron Howard Passing Grade: Ron Howard Mon, 08 Sep 2025 11:00:00 GMT 30:32 68a8aa3473bf5b62980b55cf false https://shows.acast.com/jaz-make-a-podcast/episodes/68a8aa3473bf5b62980b55cf 68a8aa3473bf5b62980b55cf 68a8aa1073bf5b62980b4bb6 full 1 1 On this episode of JaZ Make a Podcast, John and Zac dive into a retrospective of the career of director Ron Howard!



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]]> On this episode of JaZ Make a Podcast, John and Zac dive into a retrospective of the career of director Ron Howard!



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]]>