Podcasts Steven Benedict

The Oscar-winning Thelma & Louise was released in 1991 to a storm of controversy. Did it warrant it then and does it hold up to scrutiny now? The post Thelma & Louise appeared first on Steven Benedict.

What makes for a great opening? Character? Conflict? Poetry? Hopefully, more than something we're supposed to just look at. The post Great Openings – Part One appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Despite being labelled fascist and an insult to Britain, if... won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1969. Almost half a century later, it still retains much of its power. The post if…. appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Why did French playwright, Edmond Rostand base his play on a real-life historical figure and then choose to turn his writing talent into a tragedy? The post Cyrano de Bergerac appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale has been described as timely. But there is only one time to tell it: right now. Which means always. The post The Handmaid’s Tale appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Terrence Malick's first feature is not just one of the greatest debuts in the history of American cinema, Badlands also succeeded in redirecting screen violence. The post Badlands appeared first on Steven Benedict.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari's influence is so great it reaches far beyond horror and into sci-fi, thrillers, and historical romances. The post The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari appeared first on Steven Benedict.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas was an avant-garde filmmaker whose sole interest was in making highly experimental short films. The post THX-1138 appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Animation is not a genre, and not all cartoons are for children. So how did Hayao Miyazaki deliver a classic family film with so much adult content? The post Spirited Away appeared first on Steven Benedict.

It is incorrectly assumed that Steven Spielberg turned Stanley Kubrick's dark story into another of his child-friendly fantasies. The post A.I.: Artificial Intelligence appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Jean-Pierre Melville's masterpiece is so influential, even if you haven't seen it... you have seen it because you've seen dozens of films influenced by it. The post Le Samouraï appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Before it was adapted into a film, Cabaret was a memoir, a short story, a play and a Broadway musical. Released in 1972, it now serves as a history lesson. The post Cabaret appeared first on Steven Benedict.

5 Oscar nominations, 4 Cesar wins, 2 BAFTAs and over $170m at the global box office. So why does Amélie still manage to polarise audiences? The post Amélie appeared first on Steven Benedict.

If you need three things to make a good film; a good script, a good script and a good script, how did Nicolas Roeg make a masterpiece from just fourteen pages? The post Walkabout appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Once considered avant-garde, freeze-frame is now common place in every genre. Here are some of landmark and innovative uses of the technique. The post Freeze-Frame appeared first on Steven Benedict.

David Lean's most enduring masterpiece is the rarest of breeds. An epic that is also a portrait, it somehow avoids all temptations to explain its enigmatic subject. The post Lawrence of Arabia appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Once considered avant-garde, slow-motion is now the mainstay of every action film. Here are some of the best and most innovative uses of the technique. The post Slow-Motion appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Once dismissed as The King of Kitsch, Pedro Almodovar has since become a laureate of liberalism. This masterpiece from 1999 was the turning point. The post All About My Mother appeared first on Steven Benedict.

All films begin at a keyboard. But whether the film is about screenwriters, journalists, novelists or composers, how does cinema depict the art of writing? The post Writers appeared first on Steven Benedict.

Ernest Hemingway hated what Hollywood did with his novels. The only film of his work he liked was this classic adaptation of his celebrated short story. The post The Killers (1946) appeared first on Steven Benedict.