Skip to content
How is that better, Catholically? episode artwork

EPISODE · May 14, 2025 · 1H 12M

How is that better, Catholically?

from Curated by Chance · host Neal E. Fischer and Lauren Tagliaferro

Episode 41: How is that better, Catholically? PROMPTS: 30, Expose, Shadow From the tight grip of Hollywood’s moral code to the brooding, empty piazzas of metaphysical painting, it’s all about what happens when shadows speak louder than light. Neal exposes the strange, fascinating, and deeply moralistic world of the Hays Code, Hollywood’s self-imposed censorship system that ruled American cinema from the 1930s to the 1960s. From Fatty Arbuckle to Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, and the birth of film noir, Neal tracks the cultural panic that shaped what we could (and couldn’t) see on screen—and how filmmakers got clever with innuendo, subtext, and shadowy visual metaphors. Plus: the Catholic Church’s role in forming the hilariously named but terrifyingly influential Legion of Decency. Then Lauren steps into the surreal with Giorgio de Chirico, a metaphysical painter who helped pave the way for Surrealism—and then completely rejected it. With eerie cityscapes, haunting shadows, and mythic stillness, de Chirico’s early work captivated the likes of Magritte and Dalí… until he denounced it all as forgeries. We explore his moody brilliance, his retreat into classicism, and how his lonely mannequins and Roman arcades still echo through modern art and cinema. Help Support The Show On Patreon! www.patreon.com/curatedbychance Join The Curated By Chance Music League (RD 2): bit.ly/4iSDSmx Follow the show and its creators on Instagram: The Show - @curatedbychance Lauren - @paisleylo Neal - @nealefischer E-mail us: [email protected] Hear Neal each week on Triviality Podcast. Subscribe now! Listen to Lauren on Miss Information Podcast! Subscribe now! Check out Neal's books available now and for pre-order! www.linktr.ee/nealefischer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 14, 2025

Embed this episode

Ready to play

How is that better, Catholically?

0:00 1:12:23

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Curated by Chance?

This episode is 1 hour and 12 minutes long.

When was this Curated by Chance episode published?

This episode was published on May 14, 2025.

Can I download this Curated by Chance episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!