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Mary Versus the Movies

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Rating
★★★★★
5
from
24 reviews
This podcast has
299 episodes
Language
English
Publisher
Mary Jones
Explicit
No
Date created
2021/03/22
Latest episode
2026/10/09
Average duration
53 min.
Release period
6 days

Description

Sure, the 1980s were a great decade for film. But have you seen all of them? No, neither has Mary. In fact, some pretty big films passed her by, what with being in kindergarten at the time: A Nightmare on Elm Street, Moonstruck, My Neighbor Totoro... So it's time to fix that. Artwork, opening and closing themes by Dennis Lingg Produced and edited by Mary Jones

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Episode 252 - Motel Hell (1980)
2026/10/09
Farmer Vincent and his sister Ida are just humble hoteliers and charcuterie aficionados. Is it really so bad they cut a few corners? And necks? Spooky month continues with this horror comedy about cannibalistic countryfolk and the people who cross their paths. Starring Rory Calhoun, Nancy Parsons, Paul Linke, and Nina Axelrod. Written by Robert Jaffe and Steven-Charles Jaffe. Directed by Kevin Connor. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast
2026/10/08
Introducing Why Is America Different Than Every Other Country When It Comes to Guns? from The Oprah Podcast. Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast BUY THE BOOK!  The American Way of Killing by Malcolm Gladwell ⁠https://amzn.to/4jvQMuE⁠  Malcolm Gladwell - one of America’s foremost thought leaders - examines our country’s obsession with guns and the devastating toll gun violence has taken on our communities. In his new book, The American Way of Killing: The Invention of an Epidemic, Malcolm challenges some of our most deeply held beliefs about American gun violence: what we’re missing about the root cause of most violence, how modern medicine is obscuring the reality of the problem, why the answer might be more police—not less—and how we’ve lost sight of the historical context surrounding the Second Amendment. Oprah and Malcolm speak with a Chicago based E.R. doctor who lost 15 close friends and family members to gun violence. He teaches students as young as fourth grade how to treat a gunshot wound. This episode also offers some common sense solutions to a seemingly intractable problem. 00:00:00 - Welcome Malcolm Gladwell, author of “The American Way of Killing” 00:04:20 - European vs. American police 00:08:50 - Stats around more police 00:09:50 - Malcolm’s experience with guns 00:13:30 - Welcome Dr. Pratt 00:16:33 - Talking to kids about gun violence 00:19:15 - Changing gun violence 00:21:00 - Treating gun shot wounds 00:25:13 - The 2nd amendment 00:29:00 - Crime vs. violence 00:33:45 - Instrumental vs. expressive violence 00:40:00 - Are we learning from our mistakes? 00:43:00 - The gun problem is not unsolvable Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].
Episode 251 - Spookies (1986) with Uncle Morty
2026/10/01
Mary was sick this week, so she tapped friend of the show Josh Seybert to ask his Uncle Morty to step in and kick off Spooky Month with the aptly-named Spookies, a schlocky horror movie about squatters battling a warlock. Starring Felix Ward, Dan Scott, Alec Nemser, and Maria Pechukas. Written and Directed by Thomas Doran, Brendan Faulkner, and Frank Farel. Thanks again to Uncle Morty; check out Josh's many projects at https://screamingatclouds.libsyn.com and his show with Andy Mascola, Empathy at the Apocalypse: https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/8fee42d4-fe5b-4500-9db1-767a4e25b9f8 Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
Hollywood Avalon ep. 40 - Merlin (1998)
2026/09/30
In a Britain torn apart by civil war, with Christianity displacing the Old Religion, Queen Mab of the Faeries takes it upon herself to create Merlin, the greatest enchanter of all time, in order to reestablish people's worship of her and ensure her immortality. Merlin has other plans, though. A surprising blend of high fantasy and historical romance, this TV miniseries is infinitely better than it has any right to be, thanks to a stellar cast, witty script, effects from the Jim Henson Shop, and designs by Alan Lee. Starring Sam Neil, Miranda Richardson, Isabella Rossellini, Helena Bonham Carter, Rutger Hauer, and Martin Short. Written by Edward Khmara, David Stevens, and Peter Barnes. Directed by Steve Barron. This is a preview of the latest episode of our series Hollywood Avalon. To hear the entire episode, join the Mary Versus the Movies patreon for $3/month to hear this and the entire series Hollywood Avalon: https://www.patreon.com/maryvsmovies.
Episode 250 - The Karate Kid (1984)
2026/09/25
Danny's an underdog, a poor Jersey boy suddenly dropped into Southern California, where he romances a rich girl and earns the wrath of her martial-arts-practicing bully of an ex. What's a boy to do, other than get the local handyman to teach him how to fight? We celebrate our 250th episode with a movie Dennis loves and Mary remembered nothing about. Starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue and William Zabka. Written byRobert Mark Kamen. Directed by John G. Avildsen. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
Episode 249 - High Anxiety (1977)
2026/09/18
Mel Brooks takes on Alfred Hitchcock in this underrated comedy that lovingly blends Hitchcock and his imitators into a fizzy little mystery. If this had starred Gene Wilder as intended, it would've been remembered along side the best of Brooks's films. Starring Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman, Dick Van Patten, Ron Carey, and Howard Morris. Written by Mel Brooks, Ron Clark, Rudy De Luca, and Barry Levinson. Directed by Mel Brooks. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
Episode 248 - Used Cars (1980)
2026/09/10
Sleazy advertising, corrupt lawyers, inflation, an oil crisis--what is this, 1980 or 2026? This black comedy about the end of the Carter era--from the people who later brought us Back to the Future--has more than a few resonances with our current circumstances. Starring Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Gerritt Graham, Deborah Harmon, Frank McRae, David Lander, Michael McKean, and Joe Flaherty. Written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
Episode 247 - Legend (1985)
2026/09/04
A princess, her forest-dwelling boyfriend, and an assortment of fairies battle the devil after she accidentally leads a unicorn into an ambush by goblins. It's an uneven film, coming during the great 1980s fantasy boom, but we liked it in spite of ourselves. Starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, Alice Playten, David Bennett, and Billy Barty. Written by William Hjortsberg. Directed by Ridley Scott. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
Hollywood Avalon, ep. 39 - The Once and Future King: Paganism and Arthurian Cinema (full episode)
2026/09/01
We're doing something a little different this month; instead of covering a film or tv show, we're releasing a lecture given earlier this month. Also, we're releasing this episode widely, including on the main feed. We were recently invited by Rev. Michael Dangler--a member of the Patreon here--to give a talk at the Summerlands Festival about Arthurian cinema. And so I wrote a short essay, titled "The Once and Future King: Paganism and Arthurian Cinema", which discusses the origins of seeking Pagan themes in Arthurian legend, followed by a discussion of several films, all of which have been covered on the podcast: Apocalypse Now, Excalibur, and the Mists of Avalon among other films are brought up. Apologies for the sound quality; we had an equipment failure, and so we only had one recording make it through the presentation, so there's some ambient noise, and audience interaction is hard to hear clearly. Once again, we'd like to thank Rev. Dangler for inviting us to speak, we had a wonderful time, and it was great to get our thoughts down on the subject. This is the second time I've been able to give a short talk on film (see our bonus episode on Joe Dante's The Movie Orgy for the other); hopefully it won't be the last. For anyone interested, Rev. Dangler has his own Patreon as well: https://www.patreon.com/cw/chronarchy
Episode 246 - The Hunt for Red October (1990)
2026/08/28
A rogue Soviet submarine commander wants to defect to America, but first he's got to outlive being hunted by both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., and only one man can help him--Jack Ryan, CIA desk-jockey, in his first cinematic outing. Starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Sam Neill, Tim Curry, Scott Glenn, James Earl Jones, and Stellan Skarsgård. Written by Larry Ferguson and Donald E. Stewart from Tom Clancy's novel. Directed by John McTiernan. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
Episode 245 - Thief (1981)
2026/08/14
A jewel thief tries to build the perfect life for himself, only to find he's in hock to more powerful gangsters in this stylish Neo-noir film that has one foot in 1970s American New Wave and another in the 1980s crime thriller. Starring James Caan, Tuesday Weld, Robert Prosky, Willie Nelson, and James Belushi. Written and directed by Michael Mann. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
Episode 244 - The Commitments (1991)
2026/08/06
A young Dubliner puts together a band of working class musicians to play American soul music in this shaggy film based on Roddy Doyle's novel. We talk about music, what it means to be a cover band, questions raised by white singers trying to sound "black", and whether we've lost touch with making art for yourself. Starring Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Félim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Johnny Murphy, Andrew Strong, and Colm Meany. Written by Roddy Doyle. Directed by Alan Parker. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies
Episode 243 - Back to the Beach (1987)
2026/08/01
Beach Month ends with the loving parody of the genre, where Frankie and Annette rekindle their marriage, their son falls in with punks, and their daughter falls in love with a genial surf bum. It's packed with cameos from 1960s sitcom stars, musicians, and a whole lot of green-screened surfing. Starring Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Devin Sladin, Lauri Loughlin, Tommy Hinkley, Connie Stevens, Don Adams, Bob Denver, and Pee-Wee Herman. Written by Peter Krikes, Steve Meerson, and Christopher Thompson. Directed by Lyndall Hobbs.
Hollywood Avalon, ep. 38 - The Mists of Avalon (2001)
2026/07/31
The classic Arthurian story is given a Pagan spin, where the adherents of the Goddess of the Old Religion--lead by Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, and her chosen successor Morgaine--are at odds with the growing Christian religion of Glastonbury and Camelot. Everyone hopes that Arthur will be the one true king to unite the two faiths into one nation, but, well, we all know how that turns out. This tv miniseries adaptation of Marion Zimmer-Bradley's extremely popular novel is lusciously designed for its time, but the story falls apart in the second half, not only skipping large portions of the book, but rewriting it in ways that I found frustrating. Starring Julianna Margulies, Anjelica Huston, Joan Allen, Samantha Mathis, Edward Atterton and Michael Vartan. Written by Gavin Scott from the book by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Directed by Uli Edel. CW: contains a brief discussion of the child sexual abuse allegations against Bradley and her ex-husband. This is a preview of the latest episode of our series Hollywood Avalon. To hear the entire episode, join the Mary Versus the Movies patreon for $3/month to hear this and the entire series Hollywood Avalon: https://www.patreon.com/maryvsmovies.
Episode 242 - The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966)
2026/07/23
Beach Month continues with no beach, no Frankie, and no Annette, but we do get a corpse in a creepy house who has to perform one last good deed in order to get into heaven, his evil attorney trying to cheat two young people out of a fortune, and the Bobby Fuller Four as the backing band. It's very silly, not remotely beachy, and a far cry from movies like Gidget or Beach Party, with the only continuity coming from the return of Eric Von Zipper and his biker gang. But it also has very strong Scooby-Doo vibes, so who are we to complain? Starring Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley, Basil Rathbone, Nancy Sinatra, Aron Kinkade, Quinn O'Hara, Harvey Lembeck, and Boris Karloff. Written by Louis M. Heyward and Elwood Ullmann. Directed by Don Weis. Listen without ads when you join the Patreon: patreon.com/maryvsmovies

Podcast reviews

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5 out of 5
24 reviews
★★★★★
Sagedrum 2025/05/01
Over the Edge Episode was great!
I just stumbled upon this episode as I was looking for podcast discussing Over the Edge, and I found yours one of the best and spot on analysis of the...
★★★★★
Briarfae 2024/11/02
I’ve enjoyed this podcast for years!
Keep up the good work. 💙
★★★★★
LizbotBeep 2023/11/17
The only Gen X movie podcast you need!
Mary & Dennis strike an impressive and always entertaining balance of fun joking around and truly engaging film insight with Mary’s knowledge of old c...
★★★★★
rasputins rib 2023/01/23
My new favorite podcast of 2023
Fun jaunt down memory lane of some meh to great movies with 2 hosts that have a great rapport. 5 out of 5!
★★★★★
TheRealTavie 2022/09/01
Fun, film-literate takes on your 80s faves
As someone born in 1979, Mary’s POV mirrors my own in a lot of ways and I find her conversations with Dennis delightful. These two come at these films...
★★★★★
nebulis1966 2022/05/30
Gen X ftw
Five stars for the episode about “Slackers” alone!
★★★★★
Gatsg 2022/04/27
A great listen!
I was recently introduced to this podcast by my brother, and I really enjoy listening to it. I have not seen all of the movies they have covered, so I...
★★★★★
J_s_de_A 2022/02/20
Delightful!
Love Mary & Dennis! Since I began listening to the pod, I’ve gone back and rewatched so many movies from my childhood and seen many others that I’ve m...
★★★★★
Fripp’s Bar Stool Emporium 2022/02/11
Me vs Podcasts
This podcast is great. I heard about it on The Best Show and i’ve been really enjoying it. I feel like i’ve seen every movie ever but i’m not evange...
★★★★★
G Friday 2021/04/09
A delightful trip through the 80s
The opening episodes of this podcast have been a lot of fun to listen to! Mary, who is very much a cinema buff, never got around to watching some very...
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