Medfield College Film Society

This week the society rounds their season-long survey with 1977's classic Pete's Dragon, directed by Don Chaffey and starring Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, and Mickey "Lampie" Rooney.  This was called the nuclear option, but for whom?!  Find out dare ye listen once more - if you know what time it is???  It's... Miller Time...

This week the society returns to a familiar tale with 1979's retread The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, directed by Vincent McEveety and starring Tim Conway, Don Knotts, and Tim Matheson.  Will we ever get off of this roller coaster?

This week the society continues its arduous journey through the Ron Miller era at Walt Disney Productions with 1980's family horror jaunt The Watcher in the Woods, directed by John Hough & Vincent McEveety and starring Bette Davis, Lynn-Holly Johnson, and Kyle Richards.  THIS IS NOT FOR KIDS! Experience edgy Disney, 1980 style!  Follow us @medfieldfilm for the latest updates.

This week the society continues its journey through the perilous seas of the Ron Miller era as they tackle 1980's The Last Flight of Noah's Ark, directed by Charles Jarrott and starring Elliott Gould, Geneviève Bujold, and Ricky Schroder. Join us as we hit the high seas and prepare for a lot of World War II aviation history and... CHEMISTRY!

On today's show, the society watches the 1980 Ron Miller Joint Midnight Madness, directed by Michael Nankin and David Wechter, and starring David Naughton, Debra Clinger, Joel Kenney, and a young Michael J. Fox.What more can we say?  We're still watching these kind of movies.  Join us, if you dare.Follow us @medfieldfilm for the latest updates

This week the society is back to watch 1978's Return From Witch Mountain, directed by John Hough and starring Christopher Lee, Bette Davis, and those kids from the other one.  Are you ready to energize?  Or have the energy sucked out of you?  Well, be sure to lock your plutonium furnace and then join us to find out!Bydand Graphic SolutionsTodd Knaperek of Bydand Graphic Solutions; logos, branding, web design.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

This week the society dives into the depths of MILLER TIME with 1981's The Devil and Max Devlin, directed by Steven Hilliard Stern and starring Elliot Gould and Bill Cosby.  Wonder why Disney almost had a corporate takeover in the early 80s?  Wonder no longer and join us!Bydand Graphic SolutionsTodd Knaperek of Bydand Graphic Solutions; logos, branding, web design.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Buckle of folks.  This one is not for the faint of heart.  You think this sounds like a walk in the park?  This is where the Ron Miller era gets truly upsetting.  Have a nice glass of sour milk for your holiday season, but fear not - we all had to watch this!You can find this on YouTube if you have the gumption.  If you don't, you can still listen to us talk about it.

This week the society looks within the heart of darkness while watching the 1983 Ron Miller Joint Something Wicked This Way Comes, directed by Jack Clayton and written by Ray Bradbury.  You ever wonder what would happen if the haunted circus came to town?  Worry no longer! But... I'm so.... old....Follow us @medfieldfilm for the latest updates

This week, the society returns to discuss a legendary film about a legendary piece of cookware: THE BLACK CAULDRON! Relive your favorite Sierra game of the 1980s, Jeffrey Katzenberg's naivite, grizzled animators, and more as we delve into the history of this hinge point for Walt Disney animation, and cult classic.  Be sure to pack plenty of munchins and crunchins.

This week, the society tackles the 1985 trauma vehicle Return to Oz, a movie that not only features a Jack O'Lantern, but is so utterly spooky and terrifying that it may leave residue over several Halloweens!  There are certainly a lot of tricks from director Walter Murch, but are there treats?  You will have to listen to find out!

The Society is back for fall semester! STUDY HARD!  We're in the lab again with the one and only Dexter Riley again this week with the 1972 Medfield comedy Now You See Him, Now You Don't, directed by Robert Butler and starring the one and only Kurt Russell.  Brace for impact, it's MILLER TIME!

This week THE GANG (the esteemed society) kicks off Season 7 with a sensory tickle by jumping into the deep end of Ron Miller's milieu with rewatching Herbie Goes Bananas, what once ended our journey through the Herbie Cinematic Universe in Season 2.  We are rewatching to see - have we been corrupted?  Do we like it more?  Has the bar been lowered?  Gentlefolk, start your engines, it's SEASON 7 of the Medfield College Film Society!

Remember the late 90s?  Sure, we all do.  But while you may have been hanging out at Ruby Tuesday's or Outback Steakhouse, others were watching made for TV movies that reboot classic franchises.  Disney was just starting REBOOT MANIA in the 90s, and the Herbie franchise was due.  So it is that we celebrate the summer with 1997's made-for-TV movie The Love Bug, directed by Peyton Reed and staring Bruce Campbell, John Hannah, Alexandra Wentworth, and MYSTERY GUEST STAR.  Who is it? Why, you just have to stay tuned.Spicier than a Bloomin' Onion's sauce, classier than soup and quiche, it's The Love Bug!   Back to the world of Herbie we go!

You ever wonder what happened to Ned Brainard?  What about Henry Crawford?  No?  Well you'll find out anyway in this 1989 made for TV movie starring hatted Harry Anderson.  Directed by Robert Scheerer and Bob Sweeney, there's action left and right in this thriller that also stars Ed Begley Jr.  Come celebrate summer and science with us!Follow us @medfieldfilm for the latest news.

Well, here it is... the end of season six, and THIS STONE WILL BE TOUCHED!  If anyone said we wouldn't do it, they can GO SUCK AN EGG!  Richard.  Tracy.  Be there first, like some of us almost were.  Grab your tommy gun (and clue) and join us!Follow us @medfieldfilm for the latest news.

What the heck are we doing doing a whole season on Touchstone films? .... or pictures.... OR WHATEVER!  This week, join us as we take a look at 1986's boomer outing Down and Out in Beverly Hills, directed by Paul Mazursky and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Nick Nolte, and the Divine Miss M Bette Midler herself!  Michael Eisner Loved it!  Will we?  And more importantly, will YOU?These are the times that try our souls....Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates.

This week the society stays within the Touchstone Pictures vault as this season winds down with 1998's Rushmore, directed by Wes Anderson and starring Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Olivia Williams.  Join us as we head off for prep school, then public school, and remember characters in our own youth who favor the characters in this movie.  Except for the private school, we've lived it!  And the music is great!Follow us @medfieldfilm for the latest news.

This week the society continues through the world of Touchstone Pictures with 2000's High Fidelity, directed by Stephen Frears and starring John Cusack.  Sit back and let these grand tunes guide you through all the dysfunction you can bear and more - and don't forget the Jack Black!  Are these guys ever going to do Disney movies again?!Follow @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates.  

Did you ever wonder what your life would be like, if it was just... DIFFERENT?  Tired of your domestic situation?  Have a little ennui with the boss at work?  Maybe wondering about your larger regrets?  These are the questions that are tackled by the 1990 Touchstone classic Mr. Destiny, directed by James Orr and starring Jim Belushi, Linda Hamilton, and Michael Caine.  Join us as another magical bartender shows us a huge WHAT IF, and the society reflects on their own Mr. Destiny moments.  Won't you, too?Follow us @medfieldfilm for the latest news.

This week, the society views the 1997 Touchstone thriller Conair, directed by Simon West and starring a cast of luminaries, anchored by Nicholas Cage, John Malcovitch, and John Cusack.  Join us as we board a plane with all the worst criminals in America, who frequently fly around the country together for some unknown reason. Bring your best hand-to-hand combat skills, sweet tea, and apple butter, because this one is a southern scorcher!Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates.

This week the society watches the 1991 Touchstone classic What About Bob, directed by Frank Oz and starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss.  Join us as we explore the wonderful world of mental health in New England.  Please leave your poor goldfish at home, that's just cruel to the goldfish.  Don't hassle me, I'm local! It's the Medfield College Film Society!Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates.

Hey! It's a Christmas miracle! The Medfield boys are back with another Touchstone classic!  Did they save Christmas?  No, Ernest Saves Christmas, starring Jim Varney as the man himself in a wonderful Christmas present to you and yours!  If you can't travel to Orlando this Christmas, we got you covered!

This week the society continues their exploration of the realms of Touchstonia by watching 1988's Cocktail, directed by Roger Donaldson and starring the one and only Tom Cruise, Doug Coughlin, and society favorite Elisabeth Shue.  Ever want to make it filthy rich?  Try bartending! But beware, it's not all TGI Friday's - there's a seedy underbelly of intrigue, high dares, Tom Cruise freakouts, and a lot of Coughlin's laws!Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest news.

Are you tough? What is tough?  Join the society this week as they watch the 1986 Touchstone Pictures treat Tough Guys, directed by Jeff Kanew, and starring Hollywood legends Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, and newcomer Dana Carvey.  Join us as we see what tough means - rebelling against your retirement home!  Breaking up break dancing, and more!  Just make sure to wear your pinstripes and be prepared for awful Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster impressions throughout.Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates.

This week, the society celebrates Spooky Season with another spooooooky Halloowwwweeeeen special, watching the 1994 Touchstone Picture Ed Wood, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, and Sarah Jessica Parker.  Beware! Take caaaare!!! Bewwwaaaaaarreeee!  Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest news

The 80s were really something, weren't they?  The ladies went to work and the men, they had to learn how to change diapers....  sometimes. But what would happen if THREE men had to change a diaper?  Could they pull it off?  Especially when dating all of the Upper West Side?  These are the questions Michael Eisner and Disney executives had to answer when greenlighting 1987's Three Men and a Baby, directed by the one and only Leonard Nimoy and starring Tom Selleck, Ted Danson, and Steve Guttenberg.  How will our four men do in watching and reviewing this classic?  Tune in and see!Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest news.

Relive the bloat of the late 90s and crazy what if scenarios of the late Clinton administration as the society watches their first movie of this season with 1998's Armageddon.  This mega blockbuster, directed by Michael Bay and starring a cast of established and then-establishing stars headed by Bruce Willis, was a board room delight as theatergoers flocked in droves.  But does it hold up to 2024 scrutiny?  Will the society survive the armageddon of watching ALL Touchstone films this season?  You DON'T WANT TO MISS A THANG of this season, so tune in!Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest info.

Season Six begins!  We take a trip to a tumultuous time in the history of the Walt Disney Company and the birth of Touchstone Pictures.We are joined by the Medfield College Players, who present the thrilling radio drama "Who's Touchin' My Stones." Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media.

The boys are back in town and take the field to watch the 1960 TV special Moochie of Pop Warner Football: From Ticonderoga to Disneyland, directed by William Beaudine and starring Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran as himself... kind of.  If you don't know Moochie, stop and go directly back to "Old Yeller" or last year's summer special where he's in little league.  If you don't know football, go back to "Gus."  Like a withholding parent that refuses to praise their child, that's all we can say about this one at this time, but please join us!Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates.

The society convenes for their summer series, looking back at some TV movies Disney has released through the years.  This week, the society watches the 1986 TV movie The Parent Trap II,  starring Hayley Mills, Hayley Mills, and Tom Skerritt.  The original Parent Trap was one of our favorite movies - it was so well thought-out and entertaining, surely this one will live up to it as a proper sequel, right?  Right?Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for more updates

This week we have the SEASON 5 FINALE - hard to believe it's been 5 years in the can!  And to celebrate, we're hunting for gold.... AND PROTECTING IT with 2004's thriller National Treasure, directed by Jon Turteltaub and starring Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, and Sean Bean...... and Jon Voight.  Join us as we follow clues our founding fathers left for us to connect us to a great and all powerful treasure!  Beware of ever-present 90s antagonist Sean Bean though... he's wily.  Will we find lots of gold while protecting our country's history?  Tune in and find out!

What is it about 80s-era cop movies?  Is it the wisecracks? The great villains who seem to always use fish markets as a front for their wrongdoing?  The neverending fight against corruption?  Perhaps it's as simple as appreciation for a sultry sax part.  These are the questions we aim to tackle in this week's episode, where we watch the 1989 Touchstone Pictures vehicle Turner & Hooch, directed by Roger Spottiswoodle and starring funnyman Tom Hanks,  Mare Winningham, and Coach Craig T. Nelson.  

This week the society watches the 1960 Disney classic Pollyanna, directed by David Swift and starring Jane Wyman, Moochie, and the debut of podcast favorite Hayley Mills in the title role.  Upset about how your life is going?  Maybe refraction can help!  Still upset about how your life is going?  Maybe someone else's tragedy will help! The only way to find out is to listen in as our society chews on this full meal of a motion picture.Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest news.

This week the society explores the intrigue of the Deep South in 1976's Treasure of Matecumbe, directed by Vincent McEveety and starring Robert Foxworth, Joan Hackett, and Peter Ustinov.   Hey, when I said Deep South, did it send a shiver down your spine?  Perhaps thinking of Polynesian war masks?  Glaring dancing ruffians?  Oh.... me neither.   Anyway, join us as we watch this very unique set of events and perils, and see a little vintage Discovery Island along the way....For the latest news, follow us @medfieldfilm on social media.

This week the society is back as we watch the 1993 film Cool Runnings, directed by Jon Turteltaub and starring John Candy, Leon, and Doug E. Doug.  Join us as we recall fond memories of the Calvary Olympics, Western Steer restaurants, and hear Andy's opinions on line dancing (spoiler: he LOVES it!).Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates.

This week the society watches the Disney classic The Parent Trap from 1961, written and directed by David Swift and starring the incomparable Hayley Mills, Maureen O'Hara, and Brian Keith.  Join us as we explore many things, but mostly talking about our admiration for Maureen O'Hara, Brian Keith, and the ranch house in this film.  Will this one get a spot securely in our all-time top 10?  Grab two (or more) fingers of bourbon, have a seat, and listen to find out!Join us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest news.

This week the society returns to the high seas with 1996's Muppet Treasure Island, directed by Brian Henson and David Lane, and starring Tim Curry, Billy Connolly, and Jennifer Saunders.  See what happens when our friends the Muppets take on another literary classic, and one that we know well with the John Louis Stevenson classic.   It's the perfect cure for your post-holiday CABIN FEVER!Follow us on social media @medfieldfilm

Happy Holidays to you and yours from all of us at the Medfield College Film Society!  This week the society celebrates the holidays by being thankful for not having tragic lives and watching 1985's One Magic Christmas, a movie that lives innocently enough on Disney Plus.  Ever wonder what it would be like if everything was wrenched away from you in the cold tundra of Ontario?  Well, if you don't want to find out, you'd better believe in Santa.  If you do want to find out, check out this film with us.Follow us on social media @medfieldfilm

This week the society is back out West viewing the 1975 madcap adventure The Apple Dumpling Gang,  directed by podcast regular Norman Tokar and starring Bill Bixby, Susan Clark, and Don Knotts and Tim Conway... doing their thing.  We will ask the big questions, such as "why not dumplin'?" and "why can't you offer a woman a drink in Disney's old west?"  This and more awaits, you, but first.... I gotta go Mr. Donovan....

The Medfield gang is back with a movie that was near and dear to most of us - 1973's animated classic Robin Hood, directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, starring Brian Bedford, Phil Harris, and Peter Ustinov, and featuring some truly iconic Roger Miller songs.  Why don't you sit and rest a spell as we discuss this peach's place in the Disney echelon?  Nobody really likes Skippy, but that shouldn't hurt things too bad, right?  And George "Goober" Lindsay is up in here, surely that will make Andy go bananas, right?  I guess you'll just have to find out....

Hang on all ye ghouls and spirits, we're back for another SPOOOKY HALLOWWWEEEEEN SPECIAL with 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas, based on a concept by Tim Burton, directed by Henry Selick, and starring Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon and Catherine O'Hara.  Buckle up as we handle this duel holiday classic, but beware - Andy doesn't like musicals and this thing is full of tunes.  We just can't stop singing here at Medfield, and this one seems like just the ticket for this time of year.  Stay tuned until the very end for a proper holiday singalong with two of the podcast most-remarked-upon people, you won't want to miss it!

This week the society experiences the 1967 Disney spectacle The Happiest Millionaire, directed by podcast fixture Norman Tokar and starring Fred MacMurray, Tommy Steele, and Leslie Ann Warren.  Experience the breathtaking musical extravaganza through the eyes of Andy, or resident critic who going into this quite-lengthy film claimed to "not like musicals."  Or through the eyes of our historian, Michael Crawford, who once received the soundtrack on LP as a teenager for a birthday present.  Will their opinions hold?  Will minds be changed?  Tune in this week as we strengthen the dwelling of the Medfield College Film Society!Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates.

Hold on to your butts because this one very well might blow out your pants!  The Medfield College Film Society is BACK in Season 5 form, ready to endure the most punishment yet for YOUR entertainment.  Not even the familiar halls of Medfield College are safe this week as we watch and discuss 1997's Michael Eisner joint Flubber, directed by Les Mayfield and starring Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden, and Christopher "Shooter McGavin" McDonald.  This is the first season film that none of us has ever seen.  Could it be good? Possibly.  Will it be good? Only we know the answer, but you must listen to find out!  Follow us on social media @medfieldfilm

Join us for the preview of this our fifth season!  It's hard to believe it's been five years, but here we are on the precipice of another dive through the Disney film canon.  Join us as we discuss the slate of films coming up, and play a little game of NO CONTEXT MOVIE QUOTES.

A diamond is a boy's best friend! So says the subtitle of this 1959 Disney made-for-TV sports CLASSIC the society watches for their second Summer movie.  Moochie of the Little League, directed by William Beaudine and starring Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran and Alan "The Skipper" Hale may not have found life in our VHS collections growing up, but the character of Moochie always has a seat at the MCFS table.  Join us as we witness the mercurial rise of Moochie's athletic career and subsequent decline of his newspaper business, along with a real drag of a family and a hearty advocate in his little lady friend.  It's Moochie! Woweeee!

The society kicks off its all-new summer series with a rather out-of-the-way gem from the rich catalogue of 80's and 90's Disney television movies.  Crank the Eisner up as we tune in to 1986's period drama The Girl Who Spelled Freedom, directed by Simon Wincer and starring Kieu Chinh, Mary Kay Place, and Wayne Rogers.  Join us as we witness a story based on true events in the wild world of the Carter administration.  Just remember to always keep winning,  pester your spouse as able,  make sure everyone knows where the bathroom is, and.... Go Vols!

Season 4 - what a long strange trip it's been! It all comes down to this, perhaps the grandaddy of them all, as the society watches the 1964 Disney classic Mary Poppins, directed by Robert Stevenson and starring Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, and David Tomlinson.   Join us as we see what the Disney studio is capable of at the height of its powers, but will it be enough for our resident film critic Andy?  Will the spontaneous singing and British children be too much for him to bear?  Will the appearance of his favorite least favorite Ed Wynn be more than he can handle?  Join us for a trip to foggy Londontown with everyone's favorite nanny and timelord, but come prepared to question capitalism and absentee parenting, and bring your best cockney accent along for the ride!Follow us @medfieldfilm on social media for the latest updates

This week the society watches the 1991 Eisner-era adventure film White Fang, directed by Randal Kleiser and starring Ethan Hawke, Klaus Maria Brandauer, and friend of the podcast JED as Mr. Fang himself.  Join us as we head to the frozen Klondike in search of fortune and adventure, but beware: there are vicious gangs of dandy dogfighters who may foil your plans.  Be sure to befriend all the wild animals you can possibly find, as well as grizzled elders, and always be prepared for corpse luges and constantly having to move your hair out of your eyes.  Grab a can of beans and join us for White Fang!Join us on social media @medfieldfilm for the latest updates

This week the society watches the rare suspense-thriller in 1964's The Moon-Spinners, directed by James Neilson and starring Hayley Mills, Eli Wallach, and Pola Negri.  Join us as we explore the Grecian Isles with some clueless anthropologist tourists, but beware:  there are many glaring men and screaming cats that await you there.  So make sure you pack a good travel blanket and some Dramamine, because those bus rides will make you really want to hurl.Follow us @medfieldfilm for the latest updates.