Ludicrously Specific

LudSpec Episode 15: Carter’s Cinema Companions

It's the question on everybody's lips: did Jimmy Carter, while President of the United States, watch movies three nights in a row with people he had or would have personal connections to? A ludicrously specific question that probably doesn't deserve an answer, but here we are, discussing CITIZEN'S BAND, JEREMIAH JOHNSON, and WAIT UNTIL DARK, alongside our recent viewing, in a marathon-length episode.

LudSpec Episode 14: Reliving Yaphet Kotto’s 1975

Recently, Yaphet Kotto left this mortal coil, leaving behind an astonishing body of work. How to pick only three films to talk about? Simple: choose films where he was second-billed in 1975, ranging from the sublime to the stultifying. Join us for a chat about REPORT FROM THE COMMISSIONER, SHARK'S TREASURE, and FRIDAY FOSTER.

LudSpec Episode 13: QT’S Sisters and Brothers

Ever heard of the QT Film Fest that once acted as Austin's film nerd mecca? We raided its playlist for three films with familial relations in the title: THE DION BROTHERS, SWITCHBLADE SISTERS, and BROTHERHOOD OF DEATH. But first, our usual banter, from the mutually adored JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS to the divisive PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN to the deep obscurity CENOTE.

LudSpec Episode 12: No, Not That One ...

Get ready for us to talk about three five-letter driving movies: DRIVE, SPEED, and CRASH! But if you're expecting Ryan Gosling, Keanu Reeves, and kinky Cronenberg sex and/or Paul Haggis moralising, expect differently! We've got Jimmy Stewart, a brazen ripoff of THE CAR, and one of the greatest undersung action films of the 90s. But first: our wrapup of 2020!

LudSpec Post-Terror-Fi Catchup: Biting In The Nineties!

Recent big screen outings of FROM DUSK 'TIL DAWN and BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA at Auckland's Terror-Fi film festival made us curious: could we add a third film that would connect with these in a ludicrously specific way? The answer, unfortunately, was yes. On the bright side, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE made us laugh, and we also took the time to compare our Sean Connery accents and discuss some of his underseen outings in a memorial to his passing.

LudSpec Post-Lockdown 2 Catchup: Horrorwood and More!

Remember when we said we were doing a music season? We lied. After an Auckland lockdown necessitated a lengthy interruption, we're back in the same room for the first time in months, on the eve of the greatest horror retrospective to hit Auckland in our collective memories. But before we get to that, there's chats on everything from BLUE VELVET to a one-man version of FIRST BLOOD. Hey, it's not specific this time, but at least we're back.

LudSpec S2E2: Midnight Marauders ... OF JAZZ!

Sorry, A Tribe Called Quest fans. This time we're weaving together the Hamptons, the Australian outback, and, well, Saturn through the magic of jazz performers who have not only been on the silver screen but also made recordings with the phrase "'Round Midnight" in the title. Sounds pedantic? There's a reason! Join us as we make our way from Louis Armstrong to Sun Ra via Miles Davis with HIGH SOCIETY, DINGO, and SPACE IS THE PLACE.

LudSpec S2E1: Sailing the Cs of Metal

In season 2 of Ludicrously Specific, we're back in the same room and diving into the world of music. But don't look for "films scored by Bernard Herrmann" or "rock biopics" - that may be specific, but it's not *ludicrously* specific. And that's what you need to bring AMADEUS, ALTERED STATES and WITCHFINDER GENERAL together - movies which, needless to say, were all sampled by heavy metal bands whose names begin with the letter C.

LudSpec S1E6: Not Quite Noir: Retro Kiwis in Hollywood

Ah, the golden age of Hollywood. When young Kiwis went to LA with stars in their eyes. Yes, you're right - it's the 1990s, but the films are set in the late 40s or early 50s, and thanks to Skype, the audio quality is set in the 20s. Join us as we chat about quarantine viewing then kick into three time capsules: MULLHOLLAND FALLS, CAST A DEADLY SPELL, and ROUGH MAGIC.

LudSpec S1E5: When Stuart Met Howard

One of the saddest losses of 2020 is filmmaker Stuart Gordon. Best known for his H.P. Lovecraft adaptation RE-ANIMATOR, he went back to the well several more times - and so did we! Come join us in a deep dive through Gordon's other Lovecraft feature adaptations: DAGON, CASTLE FREAK and FROM BEYOND.