Biopic: A Podcast Story

Episode 52: What’s Love Got to Do With It with Katy from the Queens Podcast

All hail Queen Tina (and while we’re at it, Queen Angela Bassett). We take a look at the story of the singular Tina Turner as told through the 1993 biopic of her marriage to garbage monster Ike Turner with our very special guest Katy, co-host of the always entertaining Queens Podcast. 
We discuss what love has to do with it (spoiler: nothing, it’s coercive control), wigs, the #notallmen employees of the Ramada Inn, the weird journey of the traumatizing moment of “Eat the cake, Anna Mae,” and Tina Turner’s otherwise joy-filled life as an unparalleled superstar. 
What’s Love Got to Do with It is directed by Brian Gibson and stars Angela Bassett as Tina Turner, Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner, Jenifer Lewis as Zulma Bullock, and Vanessa Bell Calloway as Jackie. 
Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.
Check out the Queens podcast here:  https://queenshistorypodcast.com/the-queen-of-rock-n-roll-tina-turners-life-story/ 
 
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Episode 51: Coco Avant Chanel with Fashion Writer Roxanne Robinson

Sara and Rena welcome the brilliant fashion journalist Roxanne Robinson for the 2009 film Coco Avant Chanel (that means “Before” for anyone who hasn’t been using their 2025 existential crisis to re-learn French on Duolingo). By being “before” Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel became an icon, we can skip over the grossness of Coco’s who Nazi thing, and focus instead on the ambitious, very talented designer who wanted women to be free, comfortable, independent, and chic. 
(And would go on to collaborate with the Nazis). 
Coco Avant Chanel is directed by Anne Fontaine, and stars Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel, Benoit Poevoord as Etienne Balsan, and Alessandro Nivola as Boy Capel. 
Check out a sampling of Roxanne’s terrific reportage here: https://www.roxanne-robinson.com/ 
 
Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.
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Episode 50: The Alamo, Starring John Wayne as Davy Crockett

The most meaningless standoff in American history is commemorated in a manner it deserves: a speechifying hagiography that’s actually about the political beliefs of its star and director, John Wayne. Davy Crockett (the awesomest dude who ever lived, according to this film), Jim Bowie (the second awesomest dude who ever lived) and William Travis (just kind of an okay dude) join forces to protect a fort (that has a basement, BTW) for “the republic.” Or, as history has revealed, for the republic to allow people to own slaves. Awkward details that make it all less heroic, so the movie just doesn’t talk about it.
But there’s more to discuss when it comes to this heroic tale of a white supremacist death cult: Corpse capers, toxic masculinity, poorly staged battle sequences, Frankie Avalon, hats made of garbage mammals, and, of course, how it all connects to Jonestown. As a bonus, we address Chill Wills and what was probably the tackiest Academy Awards campaign in the history of campaigning. 
The Alamo was directed by John Wayne and stars John Wayne as Davy Crockett, Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie, Laurence Harvey as WIlliam Travis, Frankie Avalon as Smitty, Chill Wills as Beekeeper, and Linda Cristal as Flaca.
Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.
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Episode 49: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Starring John C. Reilly

Rena and Sara dive into this unflinching look at the life and times of the singular Dewey Cox, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. 
We discuss: What if Nate Cox had survived? Why didn’t Don MacLean include Dewey in “American Pie”? How important are blankets in recovery from addiction? Is twelve too young to get married? What is the “Short Power” movement, anyway? … And so much more as we unpack Jake Kasdan’s seminal vision and John C. Reilly’s powerful performance. 
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is directed by Jake Kasdan and stars John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox, Jenna Fischer as Darlene Madison, David Krumholtz as Schwartzberg, Tim Meadows as Sam, Raymond J. Barry as Pa Cox, the amazing Margo Martindale as Ma Cox, Kristen Wiig as Edith, Craig Robinson as Bobby Shand, and countless others. 
Sources include: 
Dewey Cox Ain’t Dead: An Oral History of ‘Walk Hard’
https://www.theringer.com/2019/05/29/movies/walk-hard-dewey-cox-oral-history-john-c-reilly-music-biopic-jake-kasdan-judd-apatow
 
Cinemablend interview with John C. Reilly: 
https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Interview-John-C-Reilly-7260.html#
 
Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.
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Episode 48: The Agony and the Ecstasy, Guest Starring Fry and Bry from Pontifacts

Have you ever wanted to watch a movie about paint drying? You’re in luck. Sara and Rena are joined by Fry and Bry from Pontifacts to discuss the “will he or won’t he” tale of Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel starring the NRA’s Charlton Heston and alleged murder and confirmed monster Rex Harrison as Michelangelo and Pope Julius II, respectively.
And that’s it. That’s the plot. Will he finish the painting? 
We discuss why the movie opens with a 15-minute long art lecture, warrior popes, Charlton Heston’s bummer political journey, leeches, awkwardly inserted hetero love stories, and so much more in this delightful discussion about a truly boring movie. 
The Agony and the Ecstasy is directed by Carol Reed, stars Charlton Heston as Michelangelo, Rex Harrison as Pope Julius II, Diane Cilento as Contessina de’Medici, and Harry Andrews as Bramante.
Sources mentioned in this episode include: 
Michaelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling, by Ross King 
And of course, Pontifacts, a brilliant podcast that can be found here: https://pontifacts.podbean.com/ 
Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it. 
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Episode 47: Star 80, Bob Fosse's Last Movie and the Story of Dorothy Stratten

It’s a special week of watching Sara’s absolute favorite biopic, Bob Fosse’s masterpiece Star 80 (Note: All Fosse movies are masterpieces). Star 80 tells the story of Dorothy Stratten, a lovely young woman who would become Playboy’s Playmate of the Year in 1980 and had a massive future ahead of her, and how Paul Snider, her despicable partner, murdered her in a jealous rage spiral. Toxic masculinity, our society’s obsession with young, beautiful women, and the entertainment industry meat-grinder are all on display in this ahead-of-its-time film that features astonishing performances from Eric Roberts, Mariel Hemingway, and Carroll Baker. 
We discuss: Eric Roberts’s 700+ IMDB film credits and Rena having seen but two of them (Star 80 and the Doctor Who TV movie), the brilliance of editor by Alan Heim, just how much Peter Bogdanovich hated this movie (and never should have screwed over Polly Platt), that Spiderman meme and how all of the men in this movie are in it, and so much more. 
Star 80 is directed by Bob Fosse, stars Mariel Hemingway as Dorothy Stratten, Eric Roberts as Paul Snider, Cliff Robertson as Hugh Hefner, Carroll Baker as Dorothy’s Mother, and Roger Rees as Aram. 
Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.
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Episode 46: Walk the Line, Starring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash

It’s the movie that, along with Ray, spawned a hundred other movies that follow this precise template, Walk the Line. James Mangold’s film about the addict-y and self-destructive parts of Johnny Cash’s life has earned some mockery over the years for its one-way ticket to Clichéistan, but is that criticism warranted? Well…sometimes. 
We discuss the unbelievable charm of Reese Witherspoon, how James Mangold engages in the most stunning act of self-plagiarism since 1985’s Fogarty vs. Fantasy, Inc., Johnny Cash’s hobgobblin-ishness as compared to annoying addict-rock star Jim Morrison, what happens to you when you become Waylon Jennings’s roommate, the misery of being the first wife of a self-destructive artist, hot goss from the set of this film, and the brilliant Dallas Roberts’s one-and-done scene as producer Sam Phillips.
Important questions: Is it metaphysically possible to take a member of the Jennings family emotionally hostage? Should one take medical advice from Elvis? (No. Duh.) Does Sara qualify as an “expert” on the dangers of table saws?  How on earth did Crash win Best Picture? 
Walk the Line is directed by James Mangold, written by Mangold and Gil Dennis, and stars Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, Reese Witherspoon as June Carter Cash, Ginnifer Goodwin as Vivian Cash, Robert Patrick as Ray Cash, Dallas Roberts as Sam Phillips, and Shooter Jennings as Waylon Jennings. 
Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.
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Episode 45: Lisztomania with Special Guest Elana Levin from the Graphic Policy Podcast

Happy birthday to Rena and Roger Daltrey! We’re delighted to be joined by the brilliant Elana Levin from the Graphic Policy podcast (https://graphicpolicy.com/radio/, on Bluesky @Levin) for the completely bananas, wildly original Lisztomania, Ken Russell’s 1970s musical biopic on the first rock star, Franz Lizst. 
In this super-sized episode, we’re talking about birthday boy Roger Daltrey, a Roger Daltrey voodoo doll, phallus-laden musical numbers, Ringo Starr as the pope, neglected children, a room filled with butt sconces, a gold-dipped Frankenstein, a Richard Wagner-Hitler-vampire hybrid, a gorgeous score by prog rock el divo Rick Wakeman, and the most beautifully literal Deus Ex Machina in the history of the world. And that’s only scratching the surface.
Naturally, there are corpse capers, because why wouldn’t there be? 
Buckle up: You haven’t seen one like this before. 
Lisztomania is directed by Ken Russell and scored by Rick Wakeman, and stars Roger Daltrey as Franz Liszt, Paul Nicholas as Richard Wagner, Sara Kestelman as Princess Carolyn, Ringo Starr as the Pope, Veronica Quilligan as Cosima, Fiona Lewis as Marie, and Nell Campbell as Olga Janina. 
Sources: 
Franz Liszt: Musician, Celebrity, Superstar, by Oliver Hilmes.
Being Wagner: The Story of the Most Provocative Composer Who Ever Lived, by Simon Callow.
The Biographers podcast six episode series on Franz Liszt.
 
Find Elana here: https://graphicpolicy.com/radio/ 
Spoiler Warning: We spoil everything. And we enjoy it.
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