PODCAST · tv
Better Than Speed
by Better Than Speed
Pop quiz, hotshot! Has there ever been a movie better than Speed? We're watching the entire canon of classic world cinema on a quest to discover a film that tops the Keanu Reeves masterpiece Speed.
Episodes
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#46 Point Break
Surf's up BTS fans! After an extended hiatus, we're back. To get us started off with a bang, we're going to pit Keanu against Keanu. That's right - we're going to see if the 1991 action classic POINT BREAK is better than, equal to, or worse than our beloved SPEED. Time to sit back, listen, and…
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#45 The Hunger
The SPEED gang sinks their teeth into the 80s cult film THE HUNGER starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie and Susan Sarandon. Can Keanu Reeves and the careening bus take on seedy 80s New York, luscious billowing curtains in blue light and three absurdly attractive leads? Grab your Ankh and tune…
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#44 Gremlins 2 The New Batch w/ Guest Gizmo (A.J. LoCascio)
Never get them wet. Never feed them after midnight. Never go below 50. Make sure to take good care of your pet Keanus this holiday season. Special guest A.J. LoCascio (the voice of Gizmo in the upcoming HBO Max series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai) joins us to compare Gremlins 2: The New Batch…
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#43 Stephen King's Firestarter
There's a chill in the autumn air, but we brought the fire! Join us for Stephen King's Bressonian slow cinema "classic" FIRESTARTER, starring Drew Barrymore. With special guest, the incredible Isla Hinck from Easy Allies! She helps us decide if this gem is better than SPEED, or is simply a…
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#42 Eraserhead
Back in the Speed cave after a year, the gang venture into the nightmarish world of David Lynch's ERASERHEAD. Without Sandra Bullock's top-notch driving and Keanu Reeve's expert marksmanship, how will they ever find their way home? Hold onto your hats. It's another wild episode of Better Than Speed.
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#41 Dawn of the Dead
Better than Speed is Back from the Dead! The boys take a stab at George Romero's Dawn of the Dead. Does it rise to the occasion? Is it a dead-end bore? Lock the doors, board the windows, hide in the basement and listen in! Bonus - we offer our thoughts on the Kean'ews of 2020 - Bill & Ted Face…
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#40 Bus Passenger Ortiz
Join us for a special episode with Carlos Carrasco, the actor who played Ortiz (aka Gigantor) in the film SPEED and Popeye in BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT, among many others (including THE FISHER KING and CROCODILE DUNDEE 2)! Hear all about SPEED's infamous script rewrites and death-defying stunts. Plus,...
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#39 The Creation of the Humanoids
Never has the screen brought you a more shocking revelation. Out of World War III came ... The Creation of the Humanoids. Special guest Dawn Garcia joins us in the virtual Speed cave and gives Keanu Reeves a run for his money with an influential sci-fi cult film that asks the question: "How do…
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#38 The Bad Batch
For a refreshing change of pace, who's in the mood for a desert apocalypse? We crawl across the barren landscape of Ana Lily Amirpour's sophomore film, The Bad Batch, and perform our task once again: compare every movie to Speed. With Keanu Reeves as a charismatic cult leader nicknamed "The…
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#37 Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
This is our podcast and its freaking us out! Join the BTS crew as they take a trip Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Will they succumb to the film's pills and thrills? Do they love it when a beautiful woman licks between their toes?? Turn on, tune in, drop out and find out! Check out the soundtrack...
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#36 Aguirre, the Wrath of God
The BTS crew officially begins Season 2's look at cult films by taking a trip deep into the jungles of Werner Herzog's Aguirre, The Wrath of God. What lies down river for our explorers - fever, famine, COVID-19? Tune in and find out. Plus, hang around for a special reading of poetry written by...
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#35 The Speedademy Awards (27th Annual)
Aaaaaaand we're back! Season 2 kicks off with a recap of the best and worst films of 2019. Looking for some off-the-beaten path movie recommendations? Want to understand all the buzz at the Oscars? We'll gently hold your hand, just like Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, and walk you through the...
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#34 Season One Finale: 1984
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Big Bus is strength. Celebrate an entire two years of laughter, love and heartbreak in our tumultuous season finale that will permanently alter Better Than Speed history forever. Here's George Orwell's doubleplusgood essay on Politics and the English Language. A...
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#33 Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival
Punch, kick, it's all in the mind. Join us as Zatoichi, the blind swordsman, slices and dices his way through the Edo countryside of Japan in the fan-favorite film Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival. If you've stuck with us through our very extended season 1 tour through the alphabet, you have…
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#32 Young Mr. Lincoln
Fourscore and 7 days ago, the BTS crew decided to tackle John Ford's Young Mr. Lincoln. Is it a classic of the studio system era or a corny piece of hagiography? Lie down, let your mind stand up, and take a listen. Wanna find out what the critics from Cahiers du Cinéma thought of the film? Here's...
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#31 The X From Outer Space
Kaiju run amok when we discuss this campy cult classic. Will they subdue Speed, or can Keanu Reeves conquer them all? You can watch The X From Outer Space streaming on the Criterion Channel. You can also catch next week's selection, The Young Mr Lincoln, for free on Tubi. Check out the full...
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#30 Wild Strawberries
We wish Ingmar Bergman a happy 101st birthday by comparing his elegiac masterpiece Wild Strawberries to the mortality pondering vehicular mayhem in Speed. Plus, get all your latest Keanu Reeves news in our new segment, KeaNews. Wild Strawberries is available streaming on the Criterion Channel, as...
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#29 Jan de Bont, Director of Speed
The man, the myth, the legend, Jan de Bont, invited the BTS team to come hang out at the original Speed cave to celebrate the film's 25th anniversary. The director spills the beans on all the production secrets, terrifying stunts, and classic Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock moments from the…
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#28 Videodrome
Finally: an episode dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment. Better Than Speed investigates the truth behind Cronenberg's Videodrome, and discovers the graphic violence depicted may not be as fake as they thought. Plus, special guest Dawn Garcia professes her undying love for Keanu Reeve's...
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#27 The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Hope you brought your umbrellas, because we're about to shed projectile tears over this sentimental classic from the French New Wave: Jacque Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. You can catch the film streaming on the newly launched Criterion Channel, along with John Woo's The Last Hurrah For...
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#26 To Be Or Not To Be
We give a Better Than Speed salute to Ernst Lubitsch's powerful and punchy anti-Nazi comedy from 1942. The only thing we hail at Speed HQ is that big blue bus going 50 miles an hour. Make sure to join us for our next episode where we tackle our first musical, Jaques Demy's The Umbrellas of...
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#25 The Speedademy Awards (26th Annual)
The glitz, the glamor, the hype! The gold watches and the coveted Keanus! This year's awards ceremony goes off the rails when the best and worst films of 2018 duke it out in a balls-out battle. Plus, your burning questions answered... Was 1999 the best year in cinema history? Will David disown...
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#24 Seven Samurai
"We give our Kurosawa Connoisseur, Morgan Hanner-Morfesis, the ultimate pop quiz: is Seven Samurai Better Than Speed? Is Mifune puny compared to killer Keanu? All will be answered as we test our mettle with the pedal to the metal." - Gene Shalit
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#23 Repo Man
Beverly Hills. Century City. Everything's so nice and pretty, but the ever acute Alex Cox turns his lens to the gritty underbelly of LA's punk scene. Special guest Dawn Garcia takes us on a tour of California counter-culture at the end of the century. Which is a more quintessential LA flick…
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#22 Quai des Orfèvres
It's Halloween! So we rose from the grave with Clouzot's frothy potboiler Jenny Lamour. Have you missed us? Because we've missed you. You can check out this week's film selection on Amazon Video. Sign this petition to keep FilmStruck alive. And join us next episode for Repo Man!
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#21 Predator 2
Good things come in twos! Join us on the safari for a very special bonus episode devoted entirely to Predator 2. The lions, the tigers, the bears... oh my. No spoilers, but there's a lot to celebrate on this week's surprise podcast as we welcome new members to the BTS club.
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#20 Summer of Sandy
As the brutal summer of 2018 comes to a close, we celebrate everything Sandy with a rundown of the best (and worst) films in the Sandra Bullock catalogue. Plus, a ratings bonanza as we fire off verdicts left and right. Will any Sandra movies dethrone Speed? Next episode, we'll discuss Clouzot's...
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#19 Pickpocket
When he sees someone rich both his thumbs start to itch and he has to pick a pocket or two. The wonderful Morgan Hanner-Morfesis joins us to discuss Robert Bresson's transcendental meditation on love and loss, PICKPOCKET. Drinking game: take a shot every time we mention Paul Schrader. This...
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#18 Only Angels Have Wings
It's an unwritten rule: never pull a boner in front of Cary Grant. But rules were meant to be broken. Join us for a perilous excursion into the Howard Hawks adventure film where bonds are tested, planes demolished, and friendships forged. With special guest Matt Maddox, editor of the upcoming…
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#17 The Night of the Hunter
Would you like me to tell you the little story of right-hand / left-hand? The story of good and evil? The story of Mitchum vs Hopper? Tonight, three bros get in touch with their dark side and ride down the river of hate with Charles Laughton's expressionistic masterpiece THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER....
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#16 My Own Private Idaho
Finally: it's time for some Keanu on Keanu action as we explore Gus Van Sant's street hustler and Shakespeare smash up. Special guest Chad Concelmo helps us determine if River Phoenix's greatest role can still stare down Speed.
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#15 Bus Passenger Helen
The distinguished actor Beth Grant joins us to share amazing behind-the-scenes secrets from her role in the film Speed. Before throwing herself in the line of fire, she wasn't afraid to ask the big question: "What about the rest of us?" Plus, Sandra does the salsa, Keanu does the cockroach, and...
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#14 Le Corbeau
Editor Julio Cesar Perez IV (It Follows, Under the Silver Lake) turns Speed HQ upside down with his controversial film selection in an unprecedented episode filled with twists and turns and double crossings. However you choose to pronounce it, Le Corbeau is a barn burner. But do its explosive...
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#13 Knife in the Water
We dive headfirst into the murky waters of biographical criticism with our most challenging episode to date. Special guest Greg O'Bryant bravely forges through the marsh with us as we examine Roman Polanski's debut film. Content warning: there is a brief discussion of Polanski's notorious past…
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#12 Juliet of the Spirits
Che bello! Director Matt Tyrnauer (Valentino: The Last Emperor, Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood) joins us for a tour through Fellini's career and the specters that haunt his art. Juliet of the Spirits and next episode's selection, Knife in the Water, are both available streaming on...
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#11 In Cold Blood
It's no shame to have a dirty face, honey baby. The shame comes when you keep it dirty. Robert Blake makes short order of all the Charlie Potatoes who dare cross him in the Richard Brooks adaptation of In Cold Blood. We're joined by photographer and documentary filmmaker Jessica Schilling to…
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#10 The Speedademy Awards
Hype! Glamour! The Best Films of 2017! Plus, we hand out cheap gold watches to all the stinkers. Hundreds of millions of movie lovers tune in each year to the Speedademy Awards ceremony to learn who will receive the highest and lowest honors in filmmaking. [email protected]
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#9 Hard Boiled
John Woo woos the crew with his extravagant Hong Kong action pageant Hard Boiled. Director Stewart Hopewell joins us to compare apples to apples, and helps us issue a verdict on this film's worthiness next to Speed. Hard Boiled is not available on most streaming services, so if you'd like a…
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#8 Grand Illusion
Jean Renoir enters the ring to take on the undefeated heavyweight champ SPEED! If you'd like to view the internationally beloved anti-war classic GRAND ILLUSION, you can find it streaming in beautiful high definition on Amazon Video. You can also find THE GREAT ESCAPE and SUNSET BOULEVARD on…
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#7 F For Fake
If you'll permit us a bit of verse, the Devil whispered behind the leaves: "It's pretty, but is it better than Speed?" Special guest Morgan Hanner-Morfesis throws down on tricksters, hoaxes and forgeries in the extravagant Orson Welles swan song F For Fake. Wanna watch along before listening? You...
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#6 A Very Keanu Christmas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the bus, Not a creature was speeding, not even us; The explosives were hung by the gas tank with care, In hopes that Keanu soon would be there; Dennis Hopper was nestled all snug in his bed, While dreams of retirement danced in his head And…
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#5 Eyes Without A Face
Where there were eyes there's only space, as a mad doctor attempts to heal his daughter's broken face. Special guest Alex Gootter hops aboard the Speed bus to dissect Georges Franju's eerie horror gem EYES WITHOUT A FACE. You can watch all three Franju films we discuss on this episode, including...
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#4 Daisies
Czech it out! Get ready for a deep dive into the feminist Czech New Wave classic DAISIES (aka Fucking With Dudes and Putting Them on Trains). Documentary filmmaker Jessica Schilling joins us to debate its merits against the bus that couldn't slow down. Plus, Daniel mounts a spirited yet...
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#3 A Colt Is My Passport
Never cross the Yakuza. The cherubic cheeked Joe Shishido stands his ground against a Japanese crime syndicate with a thirst for revenge in this action-packed and surprise-filled episode. From Tokashi Nomura to Seijun Suzuki and beyond, we yak it up about the Nikkatsu Noir crime genre and finally...
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#2 Blow Out
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! The BTS crew dissects Brian De Palma's slasher sendup Blow Out, with the help of special guest Morgan Hanner-Morfesis. It's a battle between two Jacks, Travolta vs Keanu. No matter who wins, we all lose. *Spoiler Warning and Violent Content Advisory* We talk about EVERYTHING. You...
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#1 Ashes and Diamonds
In this spectacular inaugural episode of Better Than Speed, your hosts David Holland, Daniel Morfesis, Jessica Schilling and Matthew Walden tackle the legendary Polish film Ashes and Diamonds, directed by cinema heavyweight Andrzej Wajda. If you'd like to watch Ashes and Diamonds too, you can…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Better Than Speed have?
Better Than Speed currently has 46 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Better Than Speed about?
Pop quiz, hotshot! Has there ever been a movie better than Speed? We're watching the entire canon of classic world cinema on a quest to discover a film that tops the Keanu Reeves masterpiece Speed.
How often does Better Than Speed release new episodes?
Better Than Speed has 46 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Better Than Speed?
You can listen to Better Than Speed on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Better Than Speed?
Better Than Speed is created and hosted by Better Than Speed.
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