They start with the key historical context: Fellini’s birth in 1920 in Rimini, his move to Rome in 1939 where fell in with a cognoscenti bursting at the seams in the capital city, and then his first foray in to film, writing for Italian neorealist master Roberto Rossellini before seeking out his own measure of control.

After discussing the creative release of post-War Rome, they then cover the first three films in the set: Variety Lights (1951), The White Sheik (1952), and the far more personal and revealing I Vitelloni (1953).

From the start, they identify a clear contrast between Fellini’s emerging voice and the neorealist predecessors with whom he broke in to the moviemaking business. But don’t let the combination of whimsy and existentialism fool you—Fellini was drawing on those roots from the get-go, especially with I Vitelloni, which, if not recognized as a classic at the time of its release, is so clearly a springboard for what will come next.

Listen to the new episode now.

Show Notes

00:00 Welcome to Crash Course
01:07 Season Focus on Fellini
02:26 Fellini’s Origins and War
03:51 Neorealism and Working with Rossellini
04:58 Post-War Rome and the Creative Boom
08:12 Hollywood and State Support of Film
13:33 Three Film Rundown
17:15 First Impressions and Rankings
17:54 Variety Lights Deep Dive
19:15 Neorealism Versus Fellini’s Escapism
24:28 Chaplin’s Influence
27:38 Dreams and Carnivals
28:36 White Sheik Quick Take
30:09 Why I Vitelloni Hits Hard
31:13 Small Town Slacker Life in Italy
34:11 Contrasting Moraldo and Fausto
37:03 How Fellini Breaks with Neorealism
46:07 Next Up in the Set
49:34 Outro

Until then, arrivederci!

Returning guests and Lynch devotees Ben Elsener and Andrew Stewart are back one last time. Together, we recap the season’s earliest episodes, discuss why Twin Peaks is a fitting capstone on our comprehensive examination of Lynch, and attempt to place its original ABC run in historical context, including how audience and network pressure forced major story reveals and contributed to the show’s decline in the second season, but also how it set the tone for the era of prestige television that would arrive over the next decade or two.

We contrast the TV series’ tonal agility and its beloved ensemble (especially Special Agent Dale Cooper, played by Kyle MacLachlan) with Fire Walk with Me’s far darker, narrower, but still urgent focus on Laura Palmer, leaving room for plenty of praise for Sheryl Lee while also noting the film’s polarized reception.

Join us to hear everything from our take on the mythology of the Red Room to our proposed definitions of “Lynchian,” as we reflect on Lynch’s singular influence on modern cinema and television.

Show Notes

00:00 Introduction
01:49 Why End on Twin Peaks
17:14 How ABC Let It Happen
25:04 Tarantino Take and Laura Focus
30:30 Fire Walk With Me Reactions
36:52 The Limits of the Prequel Film
41:21 Red Room Meaning
51:21 Picking Favorite Scenes / Lightning Round
58:05 Defining “Lynchian”
01:02:16 Discussing Lynch’s Legacy
01:09:24 Season Wrap and Farewell

In this episode we explore how Lynch's unique style is applied to the place most famous for film as a medium, and how Hollywood is a perfect place to explore his recurring themes of identity and reality.

Our conversation touches on Lynch's use of non-linear storytelling at the tail end of his filmmaking career and how that intersects with how he is coming to grips with the modern technology that arrives around the turn of the 21st century.

Here, we go deeper than ever on Lynch's cinematic world-building as a natural segue in to an exploration of his work on television, which we’ll cover in greater detail in our fourth and final episode of the season.

Show Notes

00:00 Introduction
02:43 The LA Trilogy: An Introduction
03:26 Lost Highway
28:55 Mulholland Drive
41:03 Lynch's Hollywood Influences
47:15 Dreams and Delusions in Lynch's Films
58:32 Inland Empire as a Lynchian Enigma
01:04:45 Transcendental Meditation and Lynch's Philosophy
01:16:48 Teasing Twin Peaks

The conversation kicks off with Eraserhead, Lynch’s surreal student project that delves into fears of parenthood and intimacy in the strangest possible manner. From there, we transition to Blue Velvet, one of Lynch’s master works, which deals with the themes of evil and how it is intertwined with Americana. Lastly, we discuss The Straight Story, a heartwarming departure from Blue Velvet, featuring Richard Farnsworth.

The final film, and really all three of them, epitomize Lynch’s thematic range and interest in simple human kindness as a counterbalance to his interest in the darker side of human nature.

Throughout, the episode, we continue to touch on Lynch’s unique creative processes, the way he is fueled by transcendental meditation, and the broader implications of his work, particularly just what the term “Lynchian” means.

Show Notes

00:00 Introduction

01:41 Introducing the Films: Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and The Straight Story

03:52 Discussing the Range of David Lynch’s Work

14:47 Diving into Eraserhead

26:28 Transition to Blue Velvet

33:42 Dennis Hopper’s Iconic Performance

36:16 Exploring Evil and Good in Blue Velvet

44:03 The Straight Story: A Journey of Kindness and Redemption

01:00:25 David Lynch’s Critique of Hollywood from within

Note: In the middle of the episode, we discuss David Foster Wallace’s impression of David Lynch vis a vis an essay he wrote after visiting him on set. You can find the full essay right here.

Why are we starting with those three—even though they’re not in chronological order? Well, Andy has his reasons, and they’re mostly about easing our way in to the most accessible of his works.

The discussion begins with The Elephant Man, possibly the most conventional of his films. It continues with the disastrous 1984 version of Dune, a film plagued by production issues and, perhaps, a creative force who realizes throughout those challenges that conventional Hollywood isn’t for him.

Finally, we dissect Wild at Heart, drawing parallels to other directors like Quentin Tarantino and digging in to Lynch's obvious love for/obsession with The Wizard of Oz. Oh, and we get a chance to celebrate Nicolas Cage, a foxy Laura Dern, and an early entry in to the catalogue of films where a Willem DeFoe performance steals the show.

As we start to delve into Lynch's work, we begin to discuss what the often-overused adjective “Lynchian” actually means—from the grotesque and uncomfortable to the fugue-like states that start (and keep) showing up in his work.

Show Notes

00:00 Re-introduction to the Crash Course Podcast

01:37 Meet the Lynch Lovers, Andy Stewart and Ben Elsener

04:25 The Elephant Man as Soft Landing in to the work of Lynch

19:22 Dune: Lynch's Disastrous Sci-fi Epic

34:26 The Unique Dynamic between Lynch and Frequent Collaborators

35:21 Comparing David Lynch to Orson Welles

40:32 Wild at Heart: A Deep Dive

48:51 Lynch's Wizard of Oz Obsession

58:17 Lynch vs. Tarantino: A Beginning Comparative Analysis

01:03:23 Looking Ahead to Next Episode

Production Note: We ran in to some unsurprising—but still very annoying—technical challenges with our recording, so if you notice rare moments of audio dropping out, that is why. We’ll do some extra testing before next episode to ensure that you get a more pleasant listen. Thanks for your patience!

I am thrilled to share some exciting news with you—something new is launching at Film 101. Brace yourself for a new adventure: a podcast series!

Now, I know what you might be thinking. The world has an overabundance of podcasts. Who needs one more? Or perhaps you prefer the eloquence of the written word, specifically mine. Fear not. What’s coming next won’t replace the stuff that made you a subscriber in the first place.

But it does feel like time for something new that aligns perfectly with the essence of this endeavor. So, with a mix of excitement and anticipation, allow me to introduce "Crash Course," a podcast series.

This concept came to life because, despite having watched more films and a larger variety than nearly everyone I know, I still have significant gaps in my cinematic knowledge. Fortunately, I have a circle of brilliant, witty friends ready to help me bridge these gaps. So here we are.

In each short yet intense season, we will delve into topics I've yet to explore in-depth—for instance, a specific genre, an era, a style, or even directors and actors. Each season will feature a guide or two, akin to cinematic Sherpas, leading me to new heights.

What cinematic—ahem—peak will we scale first? David Lynch.

Why Lynch, you ask? The passing of this legendary filmmaker earlier this year was a pivotal moment that spurred the inception of this podcast. As I looked back on his body of work at the time of his passing in January, I realized how little of his oeuvre I had actually experienced. My understanding of Lynch stemmed largely from his reputation, but that is about to change.

Embarking on a journey through Lynch’s mind-bending work is no casual endeavor. Lynch, after all, once said to the Los Angeles Times: “I don't know why people expect art to make sense when they accept that life doesn't make sense." So here I am, ready to take on his reputation as an inscrutable artist with serious commitment.

Luckily, I have Lynch aficionados in my life who have graciously agreed to guide me on this labyrinthine exploration—a path befitting his idiosyncratic legacy.

So stay tuned. Our first episode will debut in your podcast feeds soon, and I cannot wait to share this journey with you.