Ticklish Business

#204: International Month — Seven Samurai (1954 with Alicia Malone)

We're going on vacation through the world of classic film! Yes, International Month is back. But unless the previous two years, where we did two movies from different countries, we're spending June in one country with a single director: Akira Kurosawa.
TCM host and author of the new book TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema, Alicia Malone, joins us to kick things off with a look at one of several Kurosawa movies dubbed the best movie of all time. It's 1954's Seven Samurai. Kristen, Emily and Alicia explore the samurai genre, discuss this movie's influence on our conception of the American West, and thirst over Toshiro Mifune.
Buy Alicia's book here.
This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:
Ali Moore
Danny
David Floyd
Gates
McF
Rachel Clark
Shawn Goodreau
A Button Called Smalls
Chris McKay
Jacob Haller
Peter Blitstein
Peter Bryant
Peter Dawson
Reyna-Moya James
Bridget M. Hester
Cat Cooper
Daniel Tafoya
David Baxter
Diana Madden
Harry Holland
Jamie Carter
Karen Yoder
Lucy Soles
Nick Weerts
Richard Silver
Rosa

#203: The Old Man Is Still Alive (with Karina Longworth)

You Must Remember This host Karina Longworth sits down with us to talk about the new season of her show, "The Old Man Is Still Alive." We discuss which directors weathered the collapse of the studio system best, why Stanley Donen's Blame It On Rio gets so much guff, and John Huston's third act celebration.
This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:
Ali Moore
Danny
David Floyd
Gates
McF
Rachel Clark
Shawn Goodreau
A Button Called Smalls
Chris McKay
Jacob Haller
Peter Blitstein
Peter Bryant
Peter Dawson
Reyna-Moya James
Bridget M. Hester
Cat Cooper
Daniel Tafoya
David Baxter
Diana Madden
Harry Holland
Jamie Carter
Karen Yoder
Lucy Soles
Nick Weerts
Richard Silver
Rosa

#202: TCM Classic Film Festival Audio

Another TCM Classic Film Festival has come and gone, but whether you were on the ground in LA or you couldn't make it, Ticklish Biz has you covered with some great audio from the festival.
We start off with Ben Mankiewicz, and Elle and Dakota Fanning introducing Michelle Pfeiffer at her hand and footprint ceremony. Then it's Alicia Malone and actor Barry Bostwick discussing The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Next Eddie Muller and Dana Gould improvise an intro for a chilly evening screening of I Love You Again (1940). And, finally, Michael Mann, Al Pacino and Ben Mankiewicz talk all about 1995's Heat!
You can listen to even more TCM Classic Film Festival audio, including Michele Pfeiffer's speech during her hand and footprint ceremony and Eddie Muller and Ernest Dickerson talking about 1955's The Big Combo exclusively on Patreon!
This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:
Ali Moore
Danny
David Floyd
Gates
McF
Rachel Clark
Shawn Goodreau
A Button Called Smalls
Chris McKay
Jacob Haller
Peter Blitstein
Peter Bryant
Peter Dawson
Reyna-Moya James
Bridget M. Hester
Cat Cooper
Daniel Tafoya
David Baxter
Diana Madden
Harry Holland
Jamie Carter
Karen Yoder
Lucy Soles
Nick Weerts
Richard Silver
Rosa

#201: Nancy Kwan Interview

Flower Drum Song star Nancy Kwan sits down with Ticklish Business in anticipation of her new autobiography! Nancy talks about being discovered young, what her costars were like, and more. We also talk about the joys of actor James Shigeta.
Buy The World of Nancy Kwan now.
This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:
Ali Moore
Danny
David Floyd
Gates
McF
Rachel Clark
Shawn Goodreau
A Button Called Smalls
Chris McKay
Jacob Haller
Peter Blitstein
Peter Bryant
Peter Dawson
Reyna-Moya James
Bridget M. Hester
Cat Cooper
Daniel Tafoya
David Baxter
Diana Madden
Harry Holland
Jamie Carter
Karen Yoder
Lucy Soles
Nick Weerts
Richard Silver
Rosa

TCM's Eddie Muller Talks 'Dark City Dames'

TCM's "Czar of Noir" Eddie Muller joins us once again to discuss the women of his latest book Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir. Eddie chats about interviewing some of the most iconic film noir women and how his new book seeks to tell their stories more fully.
You can pre-order Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir before it's April 8th publication by clicking the link.
And if you're in Los Angeles you can purchase tickets to Noir City Hollywood now.

Interview With Merle Oberon Biographer Mayukh Sen

Your eyes don't deceive you! Ticklish Business is back, kinda. Kristen sits down with author Mayukh Sen to talk all about Merle Oberon, the subject of Sen's latest book, Love, Queenie: Merle Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star. Sen breaks down the stereotypes about Oberon he wanted to dispel and how she was able to rise above Hollywood racism.
We appreciate everyone continuing to support us, as either a Patron or listener. Emily and I are working on doing the show monthly for now as we finish up our books. So definitely be on the lookout for some TCMFF goodness come April.

#198: The Wizard of Oz (1939, with Front Row Classics)

Kristen and Emily return with Front Row Classics podcast host Brandon Davis to celebrate the release of Wicked by looking at the film that started it all: 1939's The Wizard of Oz. The trio discuss Judy Garland's casting, the economics of Oz, and various rumors.
This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:
Ali Moore
Amy Hart
Danny
David Floyd
Donna Hill
Gates
Jacob Haller
McF
Rachel Clark
Shawn Goodreau
A Button Called Smalls
BadGuyRants
Chris McKay
Debbi Lynne
Jeffrey
Joseph
Kayla Ewing
Peter Blitstein
Peter Bryant
Peter Dawson
Susannah Burger
Brittany Brock
Cat Cooper
Daniel Tafoya
David Baxter
Diana Madden
Emily Edwards
Emily Frederichs
Harry Holland
Helena Pickup
Lucy Soles
Nick Weerts
Paul
Rosa

#197: The Shining (1980 with Lee Unkrich)

It's All Hallows Eve and we're closing out spooky season with a legendary Halloween treat. Director and Shining historian Lee Unkrich joins Kristen to discuss Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of The Shining. The pair discuss the nature of adaptation, Shelley Duvall's performance (RIP), and why it still holds up today.
This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:
Ali Moore
Amy Hart
Danny
David Floyd
Donna Hill
Gates
Jacob Haller
McF
Rachel Clark
Shawn Goodreau
A Button Called Smalls
BadGuyRants
Chris McKay
Debbi Lynne
Jeffrey
Joseph
Kayla Ewing
Peter Blitstein
Peter Bryant
Peter Dawson
Susannah Burger
Brittany Brock
Cat Cooper
Daniel Tafoya
David Baxter
Diana Madden
Emily Edwards
Emily Frederichs
Harry Holland
Helena Pickup
Lucy Soles
Nick Weerts
Paul
Rosa