The Big Picture · Review · Discussion · Top Five · Interview
August 26, 2022/ 93 min/ Sean Fennessey · Joanna Robinson
George Miller's Three Thousand Years of Longing, House of the Dragon's premiere, and dueling top-5 fantasy-film lists, plus an interview with Funny Pages director Owen Klein.
24 films across 5 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
Three Thousand Years of LongingGeorge Miller's first film in seven years, since Mad Max: Fury Road
Idris Elba's djinn tells Tilda Swinton's narratologist the story of his centuries of servitude in a hotel room in Istanbul. Adapted by Miller and his daughter Augusta Gore from an A.S. Byatt novella. Both hosts found the framing-device scenes between Elba and Swinton stronger than the fantastical flashbacks, and expect it to find its real audience on rewatch rather than in theaters.
Where Fantasy Comes FromHouse of the Dragon just premiered on HBO; the hosts trace the genre back through its '80s boom
Raised as a test case: is a biblical epic a fantasy film? Joanna says yes to this one, no to Passion of the Christ.
The film they credit with kicking off the '80s fantasy boom.
Part of the early-'80s cluster chasing Star Wars with swords instead of lasers.
Cited as a movie that hasn't aged well outside its own moment.
Comes up here as part of the genre history, then again as Joanna's own pick later.
Sean says it holds up mostly on Tim Curry's makeup.
The most popular '80s fantasy where they grew up, thanks to the Fred Savage/Peter Falk frame story.
Disney's infamous flop that nearly sank its animation division.
Joanna's Top 5 Fantasy Filmsnot a competitive draft, just favorites she wants to champion
No. 1: Tarsem Singh's story-within-a-story, starring Lee Pace as an injured stuntman spinning a tale for a girl in his hospital. Joanna calls it the most beautiful film she's ever seen; it's also messy, shot piecemeal across whatever exotic locations Tarsem was scouting for commercials, and she says it's still not available to stream.
No. 2 (a tie): Cartoon Saloon's Celtic-myth animated film, about a girl who can turn into a wolf. Joanna wanted it to win the animated Oscar.
No. 2 (a tie): the Cartoon Saloon film about selkies that Joanna paired with Wolfwalkers rather than pick just one.
No. 3: Jim Henson's puppet fantasy with David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King and a young Jennifer Connelly. Joanna says she didn't clock how psychosexual Bowie's performance is until she rewatched it as an adult.
No. 4: Ron Howard's film, from a story by George Lucas, starring Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer as Mad Martigan. Joanna watched it constantly as a kid, then couldn't find it anywhere for years until it landed on Disney+.
No. 5: David Lowery's Arthurian retelling with Dev Patel as Gawain. Joanna's pick for most under-watched movie on the list.
Sean's Top 5 Fantasy Filmshis words: 'all of the fear and cowardice' compared to Joanna's list
No. 1: Sean's pick over Return of the King, on the theory that Fellowship is the fandom consensus best of the trilogy. He singles out Sean Astin's Sam as the performance the movie doesn't work without.
No. 2: written by John Milius and Oliver Stone, directed by Milius. Sean rewatched it while prepping for The Book of Boba Fett and calls it uncomfortable by modern standards but still powerful.
No. 3: a shoutout to director Wolfgang Petersen, who died shortly before this episode.
No. 4: John Boorman's King Arthur film, with early roles for Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne, and Patrick Stewart, plus Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren as Merlin and Morgana. Sean calls it a strange, LSD-trip of a movie.
No. 5: not a great movie by Sean's own admission, but a foundational one for Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion effects work.
In conversation
Owen Klein's directorial debut, produced by the Safdie brothers, about a teenage cartoonist chasing mentorship in the world of underground comics. Klein talks about writing a part for his Meisner teacher, Louise Lasser, and shooting on 16mm to match the movies that made him want to make movies.
Frank Tashlin's Martin and Lewis comedy. Klein's answer to the show's closing question, having just seen a 35mm IB Technicolor print at Lincoln Center.
Also mentioned raised along the way
George Miller's filmography Mad Max: Fury RoadBabeHappy FeetMad Max Beyond ThunderdomeThe Witches of EastwickLorenzo's OilFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga
In passing DuneTop Gun: MaverickThe Prestige
Talked about, not picked The Last UnicornThe Dark CrystalMoonage DaydreamO Brother, Where Art Thou?Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Owen Klein's influences The Girl Can't Help ItLord Love a DuckBreakfast at Tiffany'sSlackerThe Brothers McMullenEl MariachiPutney SwopeGreaser's Palace
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV House of the DragonGame of ThronesThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerThe SandmanThe Wheel of TimeThe Book of Boba FettDoug
Ads FanDuelCarvanaBoar's HeadQuaker
Other Trial by Content