episode list:
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261.) (rerun) Fourth Anniverary ShowThe Show's Fifth Year
209.) (rerun) 3rd Anniversary show
210.) Errol Morris interview
211.) Fourth anniversary show-best of foreign, clips, rarities, interviews
212.) Kim Novak tribute. Scenes from her movies, commentary, and a rare clip of an appearance on "The Steve Allen Show" in 1956.
213.) Halloween special: Alice Cooper on the "Snoop Sisters," "Dead People" (another one that deserves a cult; creepy grindhouse bleeding-eye zombie flick from Willard/Gloria Huyck); "Spider Baby"
214.) Deceased Artiste: Shirley Clarke. "The Connection" is shown at length
215.) Video review round-up: Ida Lupino "Queen of the Bs," Mike Leigh's "Meantime," and "The Best of the Uncle Floyd Show"
216.) "The Falls," Peter Greenaway's epic-length mock-documentary
217.) "A Night to Dismember," Doris Wishman's most amazing accomplishment (revisited)
218.) Clips from an amusing, gimmicky British game show, "In the Dark with Julian Clary" (contestants make fools of themselves in the dark while a foppish British standup star mocks them to their face); Johnny Lydon's appearance on the "Judge Judy" show; review of the indie feature "Bang."
219.) Clips from and discussion of the British fantasy miniseries "Neverwhere," scripted by comics scribe Neil Gaiman ("The Sandman"). Also: discussion of comics, specifically Gaiman and Alan Moore's work
220.) Alan Rudolph interview (what a nice, soft-spoken guy!)
221.) (rerun) Xmas episode: variety shows, "Dufo," and Jean Shepherd
222.) New Years rant. Deceased Artistes: Kathy Acker, Sally Maar, Stubby Kaye.
223.) "Gershwin," a French TV documentary directed by Alain Resnais
224.) Hugo Haas, part 3. Scenes from "Hold Back Tomorrow" and the very noir "The Other Woman."
225.) Deceased Artistes: cinematographer Stanley Cortez, Toshiro Mifune, Sonny Bono (not a reverent treatment of the latter)
226.) Godard: "Tout Va Bien," "Every Man for Himself" and a fave scene from "Pierrot Le Fou"
227.) Dino Risi's "Il Sorpasso" (the Easy Life) 1962 Italian film about a swinging middle-aged bachelor (Vittorio Gassman) who gives life lessons to a wimpy law student (Jean-Louis Trintignant)-both liberating and corrupting him. Great bouncy twist-music score.
228.) Radley Metzger tribute. Reviews of and scenes from video rereleases of "Dark Odyssey," "The Alley Cats," "Therese and Isabelle," and "Score."
229.) Fred Blassie interview, with clips from the WWF, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and the always inspiring "My Breakfast with Blassie."
230.) "On the Death of Federico Fellini." Italian TV documentary covering the funeral of Il Maestro, with film clips.
231.) John Sayles interview (in conjunction with opening of "Men with Guns"); review of "East Side Story," documentary about Soviet musicals
232.) German theme episode: reviews of home-video releases of work by Margarethe Von Trotta and Wim Wenders, plus "Nico Icon" and a "Deceased Artiste" tribute to Falco
233.) "Hellzapoppin"-scenes from this rarely-screened classic comedy, plus commentary
234.) "Beat" Takeshi tribute-scenes from four Takeshi Kitano films (plus reviews and biographical commentary): "Violent Cop," "Boiling Point," "Sonatine," and "Fireworks"
235.) (rerun) Rudy Ray Moore interview
236.) Stella Stevens interview, part 1
237.) Fourth Easter show. Collection of wonderful Christian toys and more videos: "Sing and Play Jamboree," "The Donut Hole," and the absolutely amazing Carman, Christian singer (country, gospel, metal, rap-he does 'em all and at the same white-bread, kick-ass, Christ-lovin' level!)
238.) Stella Stevens interview part 2, introductory promo for NY Women's Film Festival
239.) "fear of Mickey Rooney"-scenes from "Skidoo," "Revenge of the Red Baron," and a discussion of the nightmare that is "The Manipulator" (aka "B.J. Lang Presents")
240.) tribute to Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki, with clips
241.) Sam Fuller "Deceased Artiste" tribute, part 1--spotlighting Fuller's early works as a director
242.) More Marco Ferreri-in this case, his odd allegories about the battle of the sexes, "I Love You" and "La Carne (the Flesh)"
243.) Sam Fuller tribute episode, part 2-spotlighting Fuller's work as an actor and his influence on later generations of cinephiles and directors
244.) Video Roundup: reviews of the rerelease of "Emmanuelle," Radley Metzger's "Lickerish Quartet" and "Little Mother," and "Irma Vep"
245.) "The Legendary Joe Meek" U.S. premiere of "Arena" documentary on the life of '60s British pop producer Joe Meek (with clips of his proteges The Tornadoes, Screamin' Lord Sutch, and the Honeycombs)
246.) interviews with French actress Vahina Giocante ("Marie Baie Des Anges") and filmmaker Hal Hartley; review of Hartley's "Henry Fool"
247.) Father's Day theme show-"W.C. Fields: Great American Dad," hosted by Ed and his own pater
248.) Video roundup: review of Kino's impressive "Slapstick Encyclopedia" (vols. 1-4) with emphasis on Fatty, Mabel and Keystone
249.) (rerun) "Night Train to Terror"
250.) "Deceased Artistes"-director Harrison Marks, distributor Henry G. Sapirstein, director Gene Fowler Jr., producer Anatole Dauman, John Derek, Maureen O'Sullivan, Lloyd Bridges (focus on "Home of the Brave" and the wildly underrated noir "Try and Get Me")
251.) Interview with filmmaker Mark Rappaport ("The Silver Screen/Color Me Lavender")
252.) "Deceased Artistes"-Linda McCartney, Tammy Wynette, Alice Faye, and Wendy O. Williams
253.) even more "Deceased Artistes"-Mae Questel, Bella Abzug, Maidie Norman, Phil Hartman, Jack Lord; also: WWII propaganda short, "Shickelgruber does the Lambeth Walk" and scenes from "For Your Height Only" (Filippinio James Bond parody starring a midget)
254.) (rerun) "The Executioner"
255.) (rerun) interview with Marco Ferreri
256.) Video roundup: reviews of Godard's "Detective," "First Name: Carmen," and "Passion," and Wong Kar-Wai's "Happy Together" and "Fallen Angels"; also: review of the theatrical rerelease of "The Young Girls of Rochefort"
257.) "editorial" segment; mini-trib. to comedian/director Eddie Buzzell with clips from amazing 1930 short "The Devil's Cabaret" (which includes musical numbers set in hell) and his work with the Marx Bros.
258.) Fifth annual Jerry Lewis tribute. Inspirational readings from Jerry's autobio; even more Jerry collectibles; clips from TV appearances (including a mid-'70s appearance on "The Stanley Siegel Show")
259.) Fred Olen Ray interview, part 1
260.) Ed's appearance on PBS show "Freedom Speaks"; appearance of "Media Funhouse" Wong Kar-Wai interview footage on Sundance Channel documentary on Asian directorsThe Show's Sixth Year
262.) Frank Sinatra "Deceased Artiste" footage, part 1
263.) Fred Olen Ray interview, part 2
264.) Batman theme show-scenes from ABC rarites (Batgirl promo film and Fall 1966 special starring West and Ward as Batman and Robin) and a Phillippine comedy (with musical numbers!) called "Allys Batman en Robin"
265.) Halloween show. Alice Cooper at his most sickly looking-the punk-drunk phase of 1981 (rare French television special). Mexican television adaptation of "Rocky Horror" (includes Spanish-language versions of "Over at the Frankenstein Place" and "Hot Patootie" and makeup, masks, and costumes that make Ben Cooper look sophisticated)
266.) (rerun) Leos Carax tribute
267.) Jean Seberg tribute. On the occasion of what would have been her 60th birthday, scenes from rare European co-productions she starred in-including the nightmarishly over-the-top "Kill"directed by her husband, novelist Romain Gary. Bad psychedelia, would-be New Wave editing, and godawful scripting (plus idiotic gunplay) make this one of poor Jean's worst, but well worth watching (in an abbreviated form).
268.) (rerun of Seberg show-access folks screwed up)
269.) Thanksgiving show, with seasonal clips (Burroughs "Thanksgiving Prayer," Vaughn at parade clip, turkey-shoot instructional) and review of video review of the silent cliffhanger "Les Vampires"
270.) Video Round-Up. Kino's "Silent Scream" series-horror features ("The Penalty," "The Bells," "Kingdom of Shadows") and "Studio Snapshots"
271.) Video Round-Up. Kino's "Slapstick Encyclopedia, Volume 2" Review of second four-volume set containing silent comedy classics; also "Comedy Cavalcade" (Paramount talkie shorts)
272.) (rerun) Cassavetes theme. Gena Rowlands/Seymour Cassel interview.
273.) Christmas show. Seasonal clips-"Donut Hole," Dean Martin/"Christmas Blues," and abridgement of "Elves." The latter is a straight-to-video seasonal horror film about a dept. store Santa (Dan Haggerty) who stumbles upon a Neo-Nazi mad scientist who using his daughter in an intended experiment to mate a virgin with an elf (on the stroke of midnight, Christmas Eve) in order to produce a super-race of killer elves (that's the plot, honest).
274.) "Women of the World"-show with musical numbers featuring female performers from different countries. Sally Yeh (in concert, Hong Kong), Brigitte Bardot ('60s publicity film), Isabelle Adjani ('80s TV special), Thalia (Mexican pop star, music video), Helen (Indian movie star, dance numbers from various movies-including one in which her dance awakens a macho statue), and Mitsou (French-Canadian, music video)
275.) (rerun) "The Sound is Now" with Sonny Bono and Phil Ochs debating "conservatives"
276.) Alice Cooper group (Michael Bruce, Neal Smith, Dennis Dunaway) interview, Part 1
277.) Hong Kong theme. Video Round-Up concerning new company (Crash Cinema) reissuing '70s/'80s chopsocky classics, plus behind-the-scenes footage (exclusive to the "Funhouse") of the making of "Once Upon a Time in China and America"
278.) Robert Bresson tribute (clips and commentary, in conjunction with MOMA retrospective)
279.) "The Last Goon Show of All" Final gathering of all three Goons (Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe) in a BBC TV taping of their radio reunion show in 1972.
280.) (rerun) "The Dean Martin Show"/Jackie Chan's "Thunderbolt"
281.) Beatles rarities: concert, TV appearances, behind-the-scenes "Yellow Submarine" making-of, and the lost scene from "Yellow Submarine"
282.) tribute to the filmic flops of Ringo Starr: scenes from "Blindman," "Son of Dracula," and spotlight on "Candy"
283) Round-Up: AMMI tribute to Richard Lester; MOMA tribute to Edward G. Robinson; 3 Radley Metzger titles released on home video
284.) (rerun) Roger Corman interview
285.) obscurities from the Age of Aquarius: "B.S. I Love You" and "Can Heironymous Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find Happiness?," Anthony Newley's stunningly awful musical ripoff/homage to Fellini's "8 1/2" with Joan Collins as Polyester Poontang, Milton Berle as the Devil ("Good Time Eddie Filth"), and Georgie Jessel as Death!
286.) Video Round-Up: overview of Shocking Video product-"extreme" Japanese wrestling (male and female); Georges Franju's "Judex; compilation "Mondo Jerry"; copyright-violation madness in Turkey-Turkish "Superman" remake (with Ed Wood-like budget and resourcefulness) and "3 Dev Adam"-the unholy union of Captain America and Santo to fight a green Spiderman
287.) Easter blasphemy again-French mag.with naked waif-chick as Christ; Xtian toys; Carman vids.
288.) Easter blasphemy continues with more twisted Xtian kiddie-vids.: "The Good Book" (featuring Robert Morse--in a very low moment--and Marcia Lewis) and even more "Donut Repair Club" highlights. Also: even more Carman (in a music vid featuring special guest-star Tony Orlando!)
289.)(rerun) Jack Hill interview
290.)(rerun) Ted V. Mikels interview, Part 1
291.) Alice Cooper group (Michael Bruce, Neal Smith, Dennis Dunaway) interview, Part 2--hear about how "Alice Cooper" interacted with Jan Murray and Mickey Spillane's daughter, plus the time that Alice's snake surfaced in Charlie Pride's toilet (ah, the salad days of shock rock).
292.) Alice Cooper group interview, Part 3
293.) "Deceased Artiste" tribute to Stanley Kubrick. Scenes from his first films, the short documentaries "The Day of the Fight" and "The Flying Padre." Also: footage of Kubrick directing from his daughter's authorized docu. "Making 'The Shining.'"
294.) (rerun)"Derek and Clive Get the Horn"
295.) (rerun)"Goodbye, Uncle Tom"
296.) In answer to "The Phantom Menace," the Media Funhouse presents scenes from the film dubbed "The Turkish 'Star Wars,'" a no-budget concoction that makes Ed Wood's oeuvre resemble that of James Cameron. The filmmakers decided that, lacking the funds to recreate Industrial Light and Magic's computer wizardry, they would simply have their actors *stand in front* of a screen showing scenes from Lucas's initial film! The rest is a mishmash of bad kung-fu fight scenes, folks dressed in strange anthropomorphic garb, and odd robot characters intended to ape R2D2 and C3PO. Unforgettable stuff--and if that ain't enough, there's another scene from the Turkish opus that features Capt. America and Santo fighting a green-costumed Spiderman.
297.) Deceased Artistes. Roddy MacDowall (represented by footage of the beloved cult pic "Lord Love a Duck" and his own "Tam Lin (The Devil's Widow)," Huntz Hall, etc.
298.) Featured film: Bob Rafelson's "King of Marvin Gardens."
299.) Show re-aired (break in numbering, due to technical screw-up.
300.) Deceased Artiste. Shel Silverstein (represented by readings by your humble narrator--of "Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book" and Silverstein's demented epic poem "The Devil and Billy Markham," and scenes of Shel on "The Johnny Cash Show" and in the film "Who is Harry Kellerman...?").
301.) Consumer Guide: Max Ophuls fest in NYC, "Love and Anger" (Euro co-production anthology featuring minimalist Marxist shorts by Bertolucci and Godard amongst others).
302.) Consumer Guide: John Ford fest (clips). Deceased Artiste: Akira Kurosawa.
303.) (rerun) Brigitte Bardot.
304.) Consumer Guide: review of "The Acid House"; Asian-American Film Festival (scenes from several films, focus on Japanese crime thriller "Nobody"); mail-order video release of Serge Gainsbourg's film "Je T'Aime, Moi Non Plus" (plus Gainsbourg musical clips).
305.) Deceased Artistes. 3 kiddie show hosts (Buffalo Bob Smith, Shari Lewis, Bob McAllister), more Silverstein ("The Ballad of Lucy Jordan"), and Cocteau cohort, actor Jean Marais.
306.) Tribute to photographer William Klein, with scenes from his "Who are you, Polly Maggoo?" (1966 mock-verite fictional study of a supermodel) and "Mister Freedom" (1969 political satire about an American superhero on the loose in France). Also: scenes from the oddball Indian remake of the American sleeper "Fright Night."
307.) Tribute to Clara Bow/consumer guide review of Bow films on home video. Included: scenes from rarely scene Bow features and the restored Kino releases.
308.) Interview with Sir Peter Ustinov, on the occasion of the opening of the British comedy "Stiff Upper Lips." Part One.
309.) Interview with Sir Peter Ustinov, Part Two. Included: Ustinov's experiences working with filmmakers Max Ophuls and Stanley Kubrick.
310.) 6th Annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day tribute show. Cohost Stephen Kroninger and I explore Lewis collectibles, read from the inspirational Jer tome "How to Be a Person," and show scenes from his late '50s TV adaptation of "The Jazz Singer."
311.)(rerun)Errol Morris interview
312.)Ed's tour of the Internet using a handy (but otherwise worthless) WebTV, we journey through some of your humble host's fave media-related websites, and some of the weirder ones: the enclaves of the "furries" (folks who dress up in animal costumes for friendly weekend fun); the slapstick freaks (those who get off on pie fights and other Stooge-like activities); and the "plushies" (those who have close, intimate relationships with their cuddly dolls). Quite unusual stuff, even for this show (hey, folks, I don't advocate it, I only show it....)