PODCAST · tv
Hell of a Picture
by Hell of a Picture
Have you ever wondered what makes a Hell of a Picture? No? We’re willing to bet that you have, just probably not in those terms. A Hell of a Picture is a movie or film that is truly unforgettable. But what makes them that way? Why do they stand out amongst the panoply of cinematic history? Well fear not, because two old friends are about to undertake a sacred mission to bring clarity to the people. To define the hereto indefinable, to articulate the indescribable, to…watch a ton of movies and talk about them. All of this in the hopes of figuring out what makes a Hell of a Picture.
Episodes
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Raising Arizona - Making kidnapping funny since 1987
The Coens keep coming this week on Hell of a Picture as we dive into the ‘87 screwball comedy, Raising Arizona. The guys open the show discussing the comedic influences of the film and how it manages to make horrible crimes both funny and endearing. Andrew talks about the semi-fantastical…
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Blood Simple - What’s in a name?
After much ado about Anora, we finally get into our Coen brothers series beginning with their 1984 debut film, Blood Simple. The guys open the show talking about how and from whom the movie got its startup money. Dave tells us about the title, while Andrew addresses the use of sight, sound, and...
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Anora - What did I just pay for?
Every time we think we’re out, the Oscars drag us back in. After seeing what went down at this year’s Academy Awards we decided to delay our Cohen brothers series and take some time to talk Anora, the 2025 best picture winner. They guys debate the comedic value of the picture, the motivation of…
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Birdman - The unexpected virtue of podcasting
Our Oscar winning series continues into the 2010s, with the 2014 Best picture winner, Birdman. We open up the show this week by talking about the unexpected connection to our last best picture No Country for Old Men. We dive into the blurred lines between what’s real and imagined, we talk about…
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No Country For Old Men - Gotta set the tone
Our decade by decade series moves into the 2000’s, so to celebrate we’re taking it back to the 80’s with the Coen brothers best picture winner, No Country for Old Men. The boys open the show talking about tone in filmmaking, and just where it comes from. They discuss aging characters in a…
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Titanic - It’s only hubris if it flops
This week on HOAP our hearts and our Oscar series will go on as we discuss the 1997 phenomenon, Titanic. The guys open the show examining the technical achievements of the film. Dave tells us about lengths (pun intended) Cameron went to in recreating the ship, while Andrew talks about the film’s...
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Amadeus - Better than mediocre, but is it genius?
Rock us Amadeus! This week on HOAP we enter the 80’s with the somewhat irregular period piece, Amadeus. The guys have a long talk about the nature of genius and where it comes from. They each share a story from the ‘85 Oscars, talk about the film’s unusually modern portrayals, and discuss the...
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The Deer Hunter - You only get one shot
Welcome to the jungle and welcome to the ‘70’s. This week on HOAP we’re going best picture hunting with the 1978 classic The Deer Hunter. Andrew opens the show talking about Michael Cimino, the film’s director, and his dubious war record, while Dave tells us about the difficulties of filming…
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Lawrence of Arabia - Exemplar of the contradictory character
This week on Hell of a Picture we enter the turbulence of the 1960’s with the world war one character study, Lawrence of Arabia. The guys open the show describing how the film embraces the wide range of opinions on Lawrence and how that branches out thematically in the picture. Andrew talks about...
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On the Waterfront - Your favourite actor’s favourite performance
Oscar season continues this week on Hell of a Picture with the 1955 best picture winner, On the Waterfront. Dave opens the show talking about the film’s director, Elia Kazan, and how art imitates life in the film, while Andrew tells us about Marlon Brando’s performance and the emergence of…
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Casablanca - An exquisite propaganda cocktail
We’re back, baby! With the holiday season behind us, HOAP looks ahead to the next big season, Oscar season. And to do that, we’re examining one best picture winner from each decade leading up to the present day. First up, Casablanca. The guys open the show talking about the film’s little known...
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Batman Returns - The best cast of any Batman movie?
It’s Christmas!!!!! So, to celebrate we’re rounding out our run of atypical Christmas movies with the 1992 Tim Burton film, Batman Returns. The guys open the show talking about the marketing snafu that had McDonald’s selling toys for this grisly story of attempted child murder and how the…
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Lethal Weapon - Forerunner of the modern buddy cop flick?
The season of giving rolls on, so we’re gonna give ‘er with the 1987 Richard Donner cop classic, Lethal Weapon. The guys open by discussing the Christmas elements of the film and why it feels less Christmasy than Die Hard. They talk about the movie’s dark leanings, its unusual lead characters…
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Die Hard - Did it reinvent the action genre?
‘Tis the season for mayhem, so Hell of a Picture is getting into the spirit with a look at the Christmas action classic, Die Hard. The guys open the show talking about what makes something a Christmas movie and if Die Hard qualifies. Dave tells us about the bottled-up format of the film, while...
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The Irishman - Scorsese’s most personal film?
This week on Hell of a Picture we wrap up the Scorsese, De Niro, and Pesci quartet of films with the 2019 epic, The Irishman. The guys open the show talking about the movie as part of a mob trilogy with Goodfellas and Casino, and whether or not this is Scorsese’s most personal film. Andrew tells…
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Goodfellas and Casino - The Cain and Abel of Scorsese films
This week, Hell of a Picture continues their run on the shared works of Scorsese, De Niro, and Pesci with a rare double-feature that discusses Goodfellas and Casino as sibling films. The guys ask each other if they think Casino suffers primarily for being second chronologically, or if Goodfellas…
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Raging Bull - Jake 9:25 says “bring me my f*ing coffee”
This week, Hell of a Picture stays inside the ropes for another look from the fighter’s perspective with Scorsese’s Raging Bull. They guys open the show talking about the partnership between Scorsese, De Niro, and Pesci before exploring Jake LaMotta the man and the character. Andrew takes us...
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Rocky IV - A rock(y) opera for the ages
Dust off your boxing gloves and ready your log cabins because this week on Hell of a Picture we’re talking Rocky IV! That’s right, the guys take a deep, montage-laced dive into arguably the most iconic film of an iconic franchise. They continue their discussion on propaganda in cinema and talk...
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Hero - The perfect Machiavellian parable.
This week Hell of a Picture is making a u-turn. Wait, should it be “an u-turn”? It starts with a vowel but it definitely doesn’t sound right. Anyway, however you say it, we decided to revisit an idea we had a few weeks ago and talk about the Chinese historical epic, Hero. The guys consider the...
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Rosemary’s Baby - A subtle brand of horror.
It’s Halloween, and it’s horror movie time. Andrew convinced Dave to curb his fears and watch the 60s classic, “Rosemary’s Baby” and analyze how the film creates tension and hysteria. The guys question: does the film still work today? And where does it fall in the horror grand scheme of the…
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Chinatown - It’s complicated. Or is it?
Warning. This episode contains reference to sexual violence. It may be upsetting to some listeners. Once you go noir, you never go far. Ok, that sucked. And you know who also sucks? Roman Polanski, that’s who. The guys open the show by ripping on Roman a while before setting aside the artist to…
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L.A. Confidential - Extra pulp added.
We liked 1997 so much last week we’ve decided to hang out there a little longer by watching the ‘97 film noir hit, L.A Confidential. Dave and Andrew open the show with a throughline for all the noir and noir adjacent films they’ve done to date and examine the characters as people struggling to…
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Jackie Brown - How old is 44, really?
Our Tarantino trio comes to an end this week with the 1997 blaxploitation homage piece, Jackie Brown. The guys open the show talking about the film’s reception at the time of its release and how opinions have since evolved. They discuss the film not only as a take on exploitation cinema, but also...
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Inglourious Basterds - You know, I really like those SOBs.
The Tarantino campaigns have just begun, and this week we marshall our forces for one thing and one thing only: killin’ nazis. That’s right, it’s Inglourious Basterds; Tarantino’s 2009 episodic historical-fiction-fairytale. The guys begin the show talking about the erosion of humanity in war, and...
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Once upon a time…in Hollywood - The past, the present, the future, and some f*ing hippies.
In a highly contrived pivot, the guys begin their Tarantino series with the filmmaker’s most recent effort, Once upon a time…in Hollywood. Dave opens the show asking if the great ones are ever judged fairly. Andrew talks about the seemingly bottomless bag of tricks in Tarantino’s repertoire and...
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Dune Part I & II - The thrilling continuation of the conclusion.
Had enough Dune, yet? You have? Well, too bad cause we haven’t. The guys went purposely long last week in their discussion of Dune, parts one and two, so this week we wrap up our own two-parter with the finale of that talk. As everyone knows, the superior part of any to-be-continued episode of...
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Dune Part I & II - Part one of parts one and two. Wait, what?
Strap on your stillsuit and brush up on your sandwalk ‘cause it’s Dune time, baby! That’s right, the boys sit down together for a long talk on the 2021 and 2024 films, Dune part one and Dune part two. Dave opens the show with a record setting rundown and tells us about Frank Herbert, author of…
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Enemy - Spiders, spiders everywhere so let’s all watch weird films.
Arachnophobes beware, this week on HOAP the guys are talking about the 2013 Denis Villeneuve surrealist picture, Enemy. Andrew and Dave open by talking about the rarity of surrealism in feature films and why a movie sometimes shouldn’t give us what we want. They discuss the cyclical nature of...
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Blade Runner 2049 - Keeping it real.
You thought we were done questioning what’s real? Pffft, get real. Andrew and Dave enjoyed talking Blade Runner so much last week they decided to get right back on the unicorn with the 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049. They open the show talking about the burden of the original and the thin line a...
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Blade Runner - Intelligent design sense.
Hell of a Picture is coming to the end of this rabbit hole. But no discussion on what is real would be complete without a dip into the 2007 final cut of the 1982 Ridley Scott classic, Blade Runner. Confused yet? The guys open by giving some background on cyberpunk and how Blade Runner became the...
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Total Recall - We’ll always have Mars.
Continuing on their mind bender, Andrew and Dave are off to Mars with the 1990 Paul ver Hoeven and Arnold Schwarzenegger picture, Total Recall. They talk about the film as a last bastion of (almost) pure practicals, with heaps of praise lauded on the character effects team. Dave tells us about…
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The Matrix - Identity, nihilism, and kung-fu like whoa.
Get ready for a soft turn as the boys ease out of 90’s summer blockbusters and into reality-benders with the blockbusting, reality bending, 90’s classic The Matrix. The guys discuss the ways in which the movie has evolved since its release, with Andrew talking about how the film’s comments on...
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Twister - The greatest F1 through 5 not starring Vin Diesel.
Hold on to your cows and let go of your damn doors ‘cause it’s Twister time, baby! That’s right, with Twisters hitting theatres, Andrew and Dave figured there was no better time to talk Twister, the 1996 Jan de Bont disaster flick (as if there’s any other kind of Jan de Bont flick). The guys open...
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The Rock - Losers always whine about their best. Winners podcast in person.
The boys are back in town! Well, one of them is. The other one actually lives in the town in question, and the one who doesn’t is home for a holiday and - forget it. It doesn’t matter. Andrew and Dave are in the same room this week and they’re talking about The Rock. That’s right. Rock talk!…
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Independence Day - 5 billion dead, very sad.
The boys of summer are back and so are their movies. This week, Hell of a Picture kicks off a series of 90’s summer blockbusters, and we’re busting the block wide open with the 1996 mega-hit, Independence Day. The guys reminisce on the VHS days of yore and don’t even try to hide their sentimental...
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Lady Bird - Not Johnson. Way better.
This week Andrew and Dave conclude their three act examination of Greta Gerwig with the 2017 film Lady Bird. The guys lavish praise on our lead character played by the extraordinary (and finally pronounceable) Saoirse Ronan. They laud her performance as a refreshing contrast to the usual…
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Little Women (2019) - Enter the 7th chamber(maid)
After the sensory overload that was Barbie, the boys take a sharp turn on the Gerwig superhighway with the comparatively muted, Little Women. Dave laments his reticence to watch this type of movie and finds an odd joy in a period piece that isn’t entirely British, while Andrew gives masterclasses...
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Barbie - Comin’ in hot (pink, that is)
With Nolan in the books, Andrew and Dave start a new directorial series with Greta Gerwig and the 2023 phenomenon, Barbie. Like the rest of the internet, the guys can’t help but discuss the movie as a contrasting piece to Oppenheimer, noting the wild disparity in tone, colour, as well as bespoke...
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Oppenheimer – The Tiger Woods of WMDs
This week Andrew and Dave round out the Nolan trio with the 2023 film Oppenheimer. Andrew tells us about the lengths Nolan went to in shaping the technical mould of the film and, in doing so, reveals that Kodak still exists. Dave wishes that Oppenheimer had listened to his wife, Kitty, and told...
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Interstellar – Love in a Dangerous Spacetime
This week, after the claustrophobic grit of Following, Andrew and Dave find themselves in a whole different dimensional bookshelf with Interstellar. Dave opens talking about how his experience with the movie has changed since he last saw it based on shifting cultural tides, while Andrew speaks...
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Following - Nolan’s Debut
After the thrilling conclusion of their Spielberg trio, the guys get into a treble from the director many consider the heir apparent: Christopher Nolan. To get to the heart, they start from the start (shoutout to rock legends Loverboy) with Nolan’s first feature film “Following”. Andrew and Dave...
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The Fabelmans - Spielberg’s Therapy
This week Dave and Andrew round out their three-part Spielberg series with the semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans. They revel in the joy of a young man making his first movies, talk about life as a series of pictures in motion, and wonder “what’s the deal” with sexy Jesus? The guys...
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Jurassic Park - Spielberg’s New Age of Filmmaking
In episode two, Andrew and Dave tour Jurassic Park. They take opposing views on its merits as a companion piece to Jaws, talk about who Spielberg is in 1993 versus 1975 and how that informs his choices as a filmmaker; and wonder who the real villain in all this is. Spoiler alert, for once it’s…
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Jaws - The Original Summer Blockbuster
This week the guys are watching Jaws. They praise a mechanical shark and deride the real ones; discuss the impact of Jaws on how, and when, movies are released; and ruminate on what the shark means to each of us. It’s like a Secret Garden thing, we think. Andrew lauds Spielberg’s manipulation of...
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Welcome to Hell of a Picture
Have you ever wondered what makes a Hell of a Picture? No? We’re willing to bet that you have, just probably not in those terms. A Hell of a Picture is a movie or film that is truly unforgettable. But what makes them that way? Why do they stand out amongst the panoply of cinematic history? Why do...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Have you ever wondered what makes a Hell of a Picture? No? We’re willing to bet that you have, just probably not in those terms. A Hell of a Picture is a movie or film that is truly unforgettable. But what makes them that way? Why do they stand out amongst the panoply of cinematic history? Well fear not, because two old friends are about to undertake a sacred mission to bring clarity to the people. To define the hereto indefinable, to articulate the indescribable, to…watch a ton of movies and talk about them. All of this in the hopes of figuring out what makes a Hell of a Picture.
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Hell of a Picture
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Hell of a Picture have?
Hell of a Picture currently has 45 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Hell of a Picture about?
Have you ever wondered what makes a Hell of a Picture? No? We’re willing to bet that you have, just probably not in those terms. A Hell of a Picture is a movie or film that is truly unforgettable. But what makes them that way? Why do they stand out amongst the panoply of cinematic history? Well...
How often does Hell of a Picture release new episodes?
Hell of a Picture has 45 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Hell of a Picture?
You can listen to Hell of a Picture 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 Hell of a Picture?
Hell of a Picture is created and hosted by Hell of a Picture.
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