School of Movies

Die Hard With a Vengeance & Live Free or Die Hard

[Digital Gonzo 2010]

0m: The third Die Hard movie gets the Gonzo treatment. This time John McTiernan returns to bring the series back to greatness. We discuss how in many ways this is the equal of the original.

55m: This time almost everyone from the original three is absent save for Bruce Willis himself and we struggle to locate our interest in what is otherwise a functional, but unrelated action flick.

We’re aided by some sterling musical accompaniment and at the end we bring in the big guns with Doctor Mark Kermode’s views on this particular waste of a sequel. There are also rants about the focus-grouped nature of this production, the PG-13 certificate, the subsequent lack of bite onscreen and why Willis needs to see a wigmaker and a vest-supplier.

Guests:

Neil Taylor of GameBurst

Matt Ramsey of GamerDork

Die Hard & Die Hard 2: Die Harder

0m: In this first show, we discuss the Nakatomi incident, John and Holly’s relationship and Hans’ status as one of the greatest movie villains of all time. We also look at how immensely influential Die Hard has been both for action-thrillers and the portrayal of cinematic heroes.

52m: The 1990 sequel to Die Hard. You know the drill; airport in trouble, terrorists, gunfights. Experience firsthand what happens when the Gonzo format encounters a movie that’s actually just pretty mediocre. Tangents galore! Other movies, what made them good, anything to save us from traipsing through the minutia of this by-the-numbers late 80’s action movie.

There’s also some hilarious dubbing work from the TV edits.

Guests:

Neil Taylor of GameBurst.

Mike Philips from The Fanboys Lunchcast,

Matthew Ramsey of GamerDork

Return of the Jedi [Ultimate Edition]

[School of Movies 2017]

We round off our Orij Trij redux episodes with the most divisive of Star Wars movies until Revenge of the Sith came along, then The Force Awakens, then The Last Jedi, look Star Wars makes a lot of people happy and a lot of people very mad! 

This one had more cut out then the other two, partly because so much had already been said about the massive influence upon cinema, the craft of making them and the overall story and character arcs, and ultimately this movie is a two hour framing device for Luke and his Father to have a long chat with lightsabers. 

I pulled out all the stops to boil this down to only everything important and entertaining about ROTJ, and it ended up, a show to be proud of.

Guests:

Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg 

James Batchelor of the Bond and Beyond Podcast

Voice Actor Alex Eding

Chris Brown of The Married Gamers 

The Empire Strikes Back [Ultimate Edition]

[School of Movies 2017]

The special re-edited and polished up special edition of our original 2010 podcast on what a hell of a lot of people consider to be the greatest Star Wars movie ever filmed. 

As with the Episode IV show the original footage was mixed with the best sections best bits of our 2015 blu ray commentary, blended with the music of John Williams. 

We look at how and why this 1980 science-fantasy classic is still as dark, bright and fresh today as it was nearly four decades ago, how many new aspects were introduced (because that's how expanding mythology works!) and how Star Wars would not still be the phenomenon it was, without it. 

Guests:

Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg 

James Batchelor of the Bond and Beyond Podcast

Voice Actor Alex Eding

Mike Phillips of The Fanboys Lunchcast. 

Star Wars [Ultimate Edition]

[School of Movies 2017]

This is a special re-edited and polished up special edition of our original 2010 podcast on the 1977 movie that started it all. 

Mixed with the best sections of that show are the best bits of our 2015 blu ray commentary, all bound together with the glorious score from John Williams. 

You can still listen to the earliest version, it's available for all on the School of Movies Archive podcast feed, but this one is way better and has 55% less jibber jabber. 

Guests:

Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg 

James Batchelor of the Bond and Beyond 

Voice Actor Alex Eding

Legends of Zelda

[Digital Cowboys 2010]

Maybe the best of the Digital Cowboys episodes. This is all about Zelda through the years, covering every game and it comprises extracts from many, many interviews with podcasters and the DC community.

What comes across is a very special game series. There is a justified reason why Nintendo releases these games in gold boxes and treats the moment as a major event. It's difficult in fact to imagine many others being recounted with such fondness and with such importance. The frustration is also there; the bad design decisions and the repetitive formula, amid hopes for the future, all underscored by 25 years of incredible music.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed towards this show, without your submitted rich experiences, it wouldn't have been a fraction as good.

Originally published July 16th 2010.

Guests:

Dan Ilson - Everything is Better with Beer & Gonzo Planet
Adam Capone - Joypod
Leon Cox - Cane and Rinse & GamerDork
Dits Symeou - The Gamerscene & Gonzo Planet
Alex Shaw - Digital Cowboys, Digital Gonzo & Gonzo Planet
Luke Carson - Digital Cowboys community
Mik Phillips - The Fanboys Lunchcast & Gonzo Planet
Ryan Astley - Gonzo Planet
Michelle Smith - Pink & Deadly
Paul Shotton - Digital Cowboys
Tony Atkins - Cane and Rinse & Digital Cowboys
James Batchelor - GameBurst, The WiiDS podcast & Gonzo Planet
Leah Haydu - GamerDork, Some Other Castle & Gonzo Planet
David Turner - Joypod
Roy Fortitude - Digital Cowboys community cast
Chris O'Regan - Superhappyfuntimeshow
Josh Garrity - Cane & Rinse, Digital Cowboys Community cast & Gonzo Planet
Edie Sellers - Gamehounds
Daniel Floyd - Extra Credits