My favorite movie has been the 1997 dark comedy, Grosse Pointe Blank, for three quarters of my life. I even wrote a lengthy piece on the movie for Film Inquiry last year that got recognition from John Cusack, himself. However, back in 2018, I had an idea for a podcast and because I didn’t trust myself to go it alone, I cast a net out into the Twittersphere for a co-host. Joseph (Joe) George, native Michigander, freelance writer & former Film Inquiry contributor, answered the call and the podcast concept started to become a reality from that point, on.
We recorded nearly a year’s worth of material throughout 2019 and into 2020. You will notice mentions of pandemic (which still hasn’t changed), Johnny Nash, one of the soundtrack musicians, being alive (he has since died, RIP), and numerous other signals of a time long gone. Such is the problem of recording episodes that far in advance. The discussions, however, remain fruitful and hopefully enjoyable for you, our new listeners. We are exploring every aspect of this film which means the structure of the show needs a little explanation.
We have divided up the shows into four categories, each category having its own week of each month: music, film, minute-by-minute analysis, and wild card episodes.
First Monday of Each Month — Music
In the first episode of every month, Joe and I will be doing a deep dive into the discography of every musical artist featured on the film soundtracks. More than likely, we will not accomplish a single artist’s whole discography in a year’s time, because some of them have a significant number of albums. We are taking our order from the film’s order: the first song you hear is “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash. So the first episode of each artist will be an introduction and each successive music episode will be about single albums in their discography as chronologically as possible. In Nash’s case, we will reach his 1969 gospel album, Prince of Peace, by the end of 2021.
Second Monday of Each Month — Film
In the second episode of every month, Joe and I will be digging into the filmographies of each member of the film’s cast and crew. The order of cast and crew we will go in is largely up to our discretion, however we decided to begin with George Armitage, Grosse Pointe Blank’s director. It just so happens that his filmography is only 7 films strong, so our listeners will actually have some sense of completion this year. The first episode of each cast and crew member will be an introduction to their “life and times” and perhaps some wild speculations on the part of your hosts. By the end of the year, we will discuss each of Armitage’s films and then we will begin the works of Jamie Anderson, Grosse Pointe Blank‘s cinematographer.
Third Monday of Each Month — Minute by Minute Analysis
In honor of the groundbreaking podcast, Alien Minute, Joe and I decided that we would break down Grosse Pointe Blank by strict minute increments. So the third episode of every month will be an analysis by your hosts of one minute of the film. By the end of 2021, we will be 12 minutes into the movie. How’s that for lightning speed?
Fourth Monday of Each Month — Wild Card
The fourth Monday is always going to be a wild card. It could (hopefully) be an interview with someone who was in or worked on the film. We will also do interviews with people who have just watched the film for the first time as Joe and I seek to reclaim that glory of the first watch vicariously through our guests. Our last wild card episode featured an interview with Sarah Welch-Larson, author of Becoming Alien: The Beginning and End of Evil in Science Fiction’s Most Idiosyncratic Film Franchise. We will also have free-wheeling discussions about random topics that we ultimately have to tie back into the film in a somewhat convincing manner. This week will allow us to follow any tangents we might have around Grosse Pointe Blank. You will never know what the fourth Monday will bring you, but whatever it is, we will try to make it a good listen for you!
Once 2021 rolls to an end, we will begin recording episodes closer to their release so that our references will be a little more “in time,” but, mostly, because Joe and I have a great time recording these conversations for you and we have missed doing so, regularly. We are truly excited to be a part of the Film Inquiry podcast network and hope that we add something unique and enjoyable to the roster.
And, of course, you must remember, this podcast is us…breathing.
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema – get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.
Join now!
