
Advertise on podcast: Morally Offensive
Rating
4.9from
This podcast has
62 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Morally OffensiveExplicit
Yes
Date created
2024/11/01
Latest episode
2026/10/01
Average duration
74 min.
Release period
8 days
Description
Morally Offensive is a weekly film podcast hosted by ex-Catholics (and one Reform Jewish woman) working their way through movies “Condemned” or considered “Morally Offensive” by the Catholic Legion of Decency, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. This podcast isn’t just for those who grew up going to confession with a healthy dose of Catholic guilt; it’s for anyone interested in the history of US censorship, dirty movies, classic film, and how social upheaval and change often coincide with seismic changes to the media landscape.
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The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978): Sleazy Sexploitation or An Examination of Conscience? | Part 2 (American Giallo)
2026/10/01
In Part Two of our discussion of The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978), Bill and Kevin are joined by Ben Schneider from Reel Beans Podcast, and finally get into the movie itself. As part of the continuing American Giallo series, they walk through the plot, dig into the production and behind-the-scenes history, and see whether the Catholic reviews from Part One actually hold any weight.
The crew goes over Faye Dunaway’s performance, Tommy Lee Jones' moralizing detective, the film’s strange blend of murder mystery and 1970s thriller, and the Helmut Newton fashion photography at the center of it all. The crew digs into what the movie might be saying about advertising, voyeurism, Capitalism, and the exploitation of women’s bodies. Is The Eyes of Laura Mars really just sleazy sexploitation ala Helmut Newton and Studio 54, or is there a more interesting argument buried underneath the pile of bodies and haute couture?
Were the Catholic reviewers onto something in their critiques, or were they totally off base? Did some of the reviewers get it, or at LEAST seem to grasp part of its meaning? Tune in (are we still saying that in the streaming era?) to find out!
Theme song by Bill "Netherlands" Holland
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The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978): Sex, "Twaddle", & One B.F. Dick | Part 1 (American Giallo)
2026/09/28
Bill and Kevin are back with another installment in the American Giallo series, and this time we’re staring directly into The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) with Ben Schneider from Reel Beans Podcast. In Part One, the guys dig through the Catholic reviews and internal memoranda on Irvin Kershner’s Faye Dunaway thriller, and apparently the “Catholics” had some thoughts. One reviewer dismissed the movie as “twaddle,” another wrote it off as grocery store schlock, and then there’s the surprisingly thoughtful review from one B.F. Dick. Yes...that's actually his name.
We also get into the bizarre screenwriting history behind The Eyes of Laura Mars, including the long-running rumors about Italian screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi’s involvement, and talk about Faye Dunaway’s absolutely killer run of movies leading up to this one. Along the way, we look at the film as a piece of American Giallo, the Catholic obsession with sex and violence on screen, and the strange path this very strange movie took from hands of John Carpenter, to the Eyes of Laura Mars.
Check out episode one, and definitely come back for a deep dive into the movie and behind the scenes tidits in episode two.
Theme song by Bill "Netherlands" Holland
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Re-release: The Exorcist (1973) - First Impressions of an Exorcist Virgin (Restored)
2026/09/28
Since the Spooky Season is upon us, and we've gained a LOT of new listeners over the summer, we decided to restore one of our best early episodes, which unfortunately experienced technical difficulties during the recording process. Our Exorcist episode was famously interrupted by demons that got into our recording gear and caused a host of tech issues (or so the TikTok Exorcists tell us). As a result, we were never fully happy with the finished product. Now, armed with the very same technology used to restore John Gielgud's big speech in Caligula, we have improved the audio as best we could, given our time and budget. We didn't expect miracles, but we are much happier with the overall sound of this episode, and it really helps the content shine in the way we initially intended.
Summary: It shouldn't be surprising that an episode about William Friedkin's The Exorcist would be plagued with technical problems (if you believe in that kind of thing) but the episode is finally live! Cisco makes Bill watch a film that he has put off seeing for years, due to a deep-seated fear of the devil and the demonic. Bill gives his first reactions, and the guys get into the post-Exorcist panic over demons (and consequent spike in exorcisms in the US), the increase in the number of Exorcists in the US, and the film's troubled production. Tangents include why Bill has never played Dungeons and Dragons, Hot priests, New Age synth music as gateway to the devil, the actual Pope's Exorcist, and irrational Catholic fears over yoga.
Theme song by Bill "Netherlands" Holland
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Body Double (1984): Relax, Don't Do It...When You Wanna Come | Part Two (American Giallo)
2026/09/16
Bill and Jess continue their American Giallo series with Cisco Scartozzi for the second half of Brian De Palma’s Body Double (1984). Once again, Cisco is playing defense for De Palma, and Jess is dissecting some of the less savory subtexts within his films. This time, we dig into the behind-the-scenes stories surrounding the film’s second half, including the casting of Melanie Griffith, De Palma’s obsession with the Hitchcock blonde, and the unexpected Frankie Goes to Hollywood music video that splits the movie in half.
We also get into the movie’s wildly uneven tone, its mix of erotic thriller, horror, satire, and whether all those competing ideas ultimately work. Despite its shortcomings, there’s plenty to unpack in Body Double, from its elaborate set pieces and technical filmmaking to the strange collection of ideas that make it such a memorable entry in the American Giallo series.
*The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the hosts and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast, its management, or any affiliated organizations. Information provided by guests is their own and does not constitute an endorsement by the show.
Theme song by Bill "Netherlands" Holland
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Morally Offensive Podcast Trailer
2026/09/14
Do you like dirty movies? Did you grow up Catholic? Did you not grow up Catholic, but dislike censorship? Are you passionate about the history of film? Do you enjoy discussing film in the context of the past as well as modern social issues? Do you enjoy hearing weird personal anecdotes about DIY Exorcisms, being condemned by your own parents, or having your entire high school banned from a cathedral? Are you looking for a film podcast made by a bunch of native midwesterners who unironically use the word "Ope"? Then, this podcast MAY be for you!
Body Double (1984): Makes You Hot, Doesn't It? | Part One (American Giallo)
2026/09/11
In this episode of Morally Offensive, Bill and Jess are joined by former co-host Cisco Scartozzi to take on Brian De Palma’s Body Double (1984), a voyeuristic erotic reimagining of Vertigo packed with Hitchcock references, murder, sex, bright red blood, and some of De Palma’s most controversial ideas about the male gaze, desire, and women.
We read the Catholic condemned review of Body Double and dig into De Palma’s career, his obsession with Hitchcock, and the ongoing debate over his treatment and sexualization of violence against women. Jess is firmly anti-De Palma, with Carrie as the notable exception. Cisco comes ready to defend De Palma, while Bill plays referee in a heated debate about the nature of sex and violence onscreen.
We also discuss De Palma putting his foot in his mouth during interviews, Jake Scully getting cucked, the cinematic legacy of driller killers, LA's famed Chemosphere house, Hitchcock's bounced check movie "Under Capricorn", and, naturally, putting onions on hot dogs. With three hosts in one room, it's a sweatbox of an episode, where the crew heatedly debates the merits of DePalma's desire to push the mainstream erotic thriller as far as the ratings board would let it.
Alice Sweet Alice (1976): When Rigid Catholic Devotion Becomes Psychosis | Part Two (American Giallo)
2026/09/04
In Part 2 of Morally Offensive’s deep dive into Alice, Sweet Alice (1976), Bill and the gang look beyond the film’s Catholic imagery to examine director Alfred Sole’s career and the real-world religious and psychological ideas lurking beneath the movie’s murders, masks, and First Communion.
The episode explores Sole’s two later feature films and his career as a production designer, before turning back to the film’s depiction of Catholicism and mental health. The discussion digs into the Catholic fear of therapy and the recurring cultural idea that confession can serve as a substitute for psychological care. The hosts also tackle excommunication and ask whether the extreme punishment actually makes sense within Catholic theology given the film’s known acts of mortal sin.
From there, the conversation gets into religious psychosis, scrupulosity, and the ways high-control religious environments can affect people who struggle with ADHD, OCD, and other disabilities. The hosts discuss how an obsessive focus on religious rules and sin can come at the expense of a person’s psychological and physical well-being.
Part 2 of Alice, Sweet Alice takes the film’s Catholic horror seriously, asking where religious devotion ends, where psychological distress begins, and what happens when the two become impossible to separate.
*The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the hosts and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast, its management, or any affiliated organizations. Information provided by guests is their own and does not constitute an endorsement by the show.
Theme song by Bill "Netherlands" Holland
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Alice Sweet Alice (1976): A Porno, An Excommunication, and a First Communion | Part One (American Giallo)
2026/08/28
In Part One of their two-part deep dive into Alfred Sole’s Alice, Sweet Alice (1976), Bill and Kevin are joined by Janecka Deer of Scream Queen Podcast to explore a now-classic Catholic adjacent horror films of the 1970s.
Set in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1961, Alice, Sweet Alice follows twelve-year-old Alice Spages as her younger sister Karen prepares for her First Communion. When Karen is murdered, a mysterious figure in a translucent mask sets off a disturbing mystery involving childhood, first communion, puberty, family dysfunction, and violence.
Bill, Kevin, and Janecka dig into the film’s religious imagery, First Communion iconography, grimy 1960s setting, Brooke Shields’ early role, Paula Sheppard’s unsettling performance, and Sole’s distinctive approach to horror.
The discussion also looks back at Sole’s controversial debut, Deep Sleep, which attracted Catholic criticism, the FBI, and got the director excommunicated from the church. While Alice, Sweet Alice had no Catholic reviews of its own, Sole’s history with Catholic censors provides important context for this strange and provocative piece of American horror.
And this is only the beginning. Part Two takes the investigation through the rest of Alice, Sweet Alice.
Theme song by Bill "Netherlands" Holland
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Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971): Sexploitation Meets Star Trek | (American Giallo)
2026/08/20
This week on Morally Offensive, past guest Ophelia Crane returns for Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971), Roger Vadim’s deeply unpleasant high school sex comedy/murder mystery, written by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. We ask the question: Why does Quentin Tarantino LOVE this movie?
We get into Roger Vadim’s sleazy history, Roddenberry’s involvement and our subsequent ruining of Star Trek for ourselves, the curious casting of Rock Hudson, and Angie Dickinson shedding her Police Woman uniform. Or is it Lady Cop? Woman Cop!? Cop Woman!? Plus: Telly Savalas, every 1971 auntie's favorite sex symbol (evidently).
There’s a lot more going on in Pretty Maids All in a Row than its swinging ’70s exterior suggests, and watching it in 2026 makes some of its choices land particularly badly. The film offended secular and religious audiences when it first came out, but it feels particularly disturbing and irresponsible in a post-Epstein Files world. We hated this movie on just about every level, and oddly found ourselves often agreeing with the Catholic censors and reviewers.
Theme song by Bill "Netherlands" Holland
Special "Space" intro Music: Geoff Harvey
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Dressed to Kill (1980): A Bloody Mess, or Bloody Brilliant? | Part Two (American Giallo)
2026/08/11
In Part 2 of Morally Offensive’s American Giallo deep dive into Brian De Palma’s Dressed to Kill (1980), Bill, Jess, and Ava Davis get into the cast, production, infamous shower scene, and the choices that made Dressed to Kill one of the most controversial films of Brian De Palma’s career. The discussion looks at the film’s place between Italian giallo, Hitchcockian thriller, erotic thriller, and American horror, while taking a closer look at what has and has not aged well in De Palma’s most provocative work.
The episode examines the controversial use of Victoria Lynn Johnson as Angie Dickinson’s body double in the shower sequence, the making of Dressed to Kill, and De Palma’s decision to double down on the film’s transgender themes, or what we would now recognize as its portrayal of transgender identity. The conversation also digs into the film’s technical craft, from De Palma’s elaborate camera movements, split screens, POV shots, Hitchcock references, and elaborate set pieces to Pino Donaggio’s extraordinary and unmistakable score. Bill makes the case for the formal brilliance of Dressed to Kill, while Jess and Ava argue that its troubling representation of transgender identity, uneven filmmaking, and exploitation of its own controversial themes make the film increasingly difficult to defend. Is Dressed to Kill a great American Giallo? A deeply flawed Brian De Palma thriller? A Hitchcock homage filtered through 1980s exploitation cinema? Or is it somehow all three at once?
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Dressed to Kill (1980): Catholics Condemning Sexism, Acting Sexist | Part 1 (American Giallo)
2026/07/29
Bill and Jess are joined by filmmaker and actor Ava Davis to kick off their discussion of Brian De Palma's highly controversial film Dressed to Kill (1980). Starring Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, and Keith Gordon, Dressed to Kill blends Hitchcockian suspense with the stylish murder mysteries of Italian giallo, helping define the American Giallo movement while becoming one of the most influential psychological thrillers of the 1980s. Upon its release, the film ignited fierce debate over violence, sexuality, gender, artistic freedom, and censorship, and more than four decades later it remains one of Brian De Palma's most celebrated and polarizing films.
For the first time, Morally Offensive draws from previously unexplored material in the National Center for the Study of Censorship and the Moving Image (NCOMP) archives at the Catholic University of America. These archival files reveal how Catholic critics reacted to Dressed to Kill in real time, including surprisingly candid reviews, pointed disagreements with mainstream critics, and one especially memorable attack aimed at legendary film critic Pauline Kael. Along the way, Bill, Jess, and Ava explore Brian De Palma's Catholic upbringing, Alfred Hitchcock's influence on his filmmaking, the film's place within the American Giallo tradition, how Dressed to Kill has aged in light of modern conversations about transgender representation in cinema, and its enduring influence on horror, thrillers, and contemporary filmmakers.
Featuring exclusive archival research from the Catholic University of America, this episode examines Dressed to Kill through the lenses of film history, Catholic censorship, American Giallo, and modern cultural criticism, uncovering why Brian De Palma's controversial masterpiece continues to inspire debate more than forty years after its release.
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American Gigolo (1980): Paul Schrader's Naked Man in a Room | Part 2 (American Giallo)
2026/07/17
Bill and Kevin are joined once again by Milwaukee journalist Michail Takach to conclude their discussion of American Gigolo (1980), the first film in the American Giallo series.
The conversation covers the film's second half, from Julian Kaye's downfall to its quietly redemptive ending. Bill argues that Paul Schrader's screenplay, informed by the filmmaker's strict Calvinist upbringing in rural Michigan and the spiritual questions that run throughout his work, ultimately tells a deeply Christian—and even distinctly Catholic—story of grace, redemption, and transformation. Drawing comparisons to Robert Bresson's Pickpocket, the hosts revisit the Catholic reviews discussed in Part One and make the case that the film's theological undercurrents are richer than its Catholic critics gave it credit for. Along the way, they discuss Richard Gere's star-making performance, Lauren Hutton, Héctor Elizondo, and the supporting cast, examining the performances and creative choices that have helped American Gigolo endure.
Michail also shares his personal experiences at Los Angeles's legendary Probe nightclub, one of the clubs that helped define the city's late 1970s nightlife and inspired the world of American Gigolo. The episode closes with a discussion of American Gigolo as a critique of the Baby Boomers' "Me Generation," exploring how Schrader's portrait of image, wealth, and self-invention anticipated the hollow materialism that would come to define much of the 1980s.
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American Gigolo (1980): The Film that Announced the 80s | Part 1 (American Giallo)
2026/07/07
Bill and Kevin kick off a brand new season of Morally Offensive with American Giallo, a series exploring American thrillers from the 1970s through the 1990s that borrow the style, themes, and visual language of Italy's legendary giallo films.
Their first stop is American Gigolo (1980), Paul Schrader's sleek and controversial neo-noir starring Richard Gere in the role that transformed him into an international star. Joining them is Milwaukee journalist and LGBTQ historian Michail Takach to examine how the film blends erotic thriller, crime drama, psychological character study, and high fashion into one of the defining American films of the early 1980s.
The conversation explores Schrader's Calvinist worldview, Giorgio Moroder's groundbreaking electronic score, Dan Perri's iconic title sequence, and the turbulent behind the scenes behind Blondie's "Call Me." Along the way, Bill, Kevin, and Michail discuss how this film announced the style of the 1980s, the influence of Italian giallo on American filmmaking, masculinity, rampant consumerism, the cocaine hangover from the sexual revolution and the disco era homophobia in film, and why American Gigolo remains one of the most stylish, influential, and misunderstood neo-noirs ever made. Diversions include Giorgio Moroder eating chicken, Chevy Chase almost being offered the lead role, the worst Catholic review we've found so far, and the man who got rich off a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. We also discuss the fact that Pretty Woman and American Gigolo are perfect bookends to the Reagan 80s, and even float our conspiracy theories about the films taking place in the same universe.
Whether you're a fan of Paul Schrader, Richard Gere, Italian giallo, neo-noir, erotic thrillers, film history, cult cinema, or classic 1980s movies, this episode launches our American Giallo series by tracing the DNA between European genre cinema and the American thrillers it inspired.
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Ms. 45 (1981): New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones (Part 2)
2026/06/23
Bill and Stephanie are joined once again by author and screenwriter J. Patrick Hanley for part two of their discussion of Abel Ferrara's Ms. 45 (1981), the controversial cult classic revenge thriller starring Zoë Tamerlis Lund. This episode focuses on the film's second and third acts as Thana evolves from a traumatized garment worker into one of the most infamous vigilante figures in 80s exploitation cinema. The conversation explores Thana's origin story as a female vigilante, and how Ms. 45 fits within the rape-revenge subgenre alongside other landmark exploitation and horror films of the 1970s and 1980s.
More than forty years after its release, Ms. 45 remains one of the most controversial and influential cult movies ever made, continuing to generate debate among horror fans, film historians, and critics about violence, gender, morality, and the enduring legacy of one of New York's most notorious exploitation films.
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Ms. 45 (1981): The Patron Saint of Vengeance (Part 1)
2026/06/11
Bill and Stephanie are joined by author and screenwriter J. Patrick Hanley to discuss cradle Catholic Abel Ferrara's cult classic Ms. 45 (1981), one of the most controversial, influential, and widely debated revenge films of the 1980s.
The conversation explores the film's place in New York exploitation cinema, Ferrara's early career, and the unforgettable performance by Zoë Tamerlis Lund as Thana, a mute garment worker whose life is shattered by violence and her autonomy reclaimed through bloody revenge. Patrick, Bill, and Stephanie dig into what makes Ms. 45 so unsettling decades later: its refusal to offer easy catharsis, its grim portrait of urban alienation, and the way Ferrara blurs the line between exploitation filmmaking and social commentary. They also wrestle with the film's competing readings as both a feminist statement and a provocative grindhouse revenge fantasy, examining why audiences continue to debate its intentions and legacy.
Along the way, they unpack the film's connection to the rape-revenge subgenre, Ferrara's filmography's place in the broader context of genre and exploitation cinema. The group discusses how Ms. 45 helped cement Ferrara's reputation as one of American cinema's most provocative and haunted cradle Catholic directors, while exploring the film's lasting influence on horror, thriller, and revenge movies that followed.
The conversation also dives into Lund's fascinating life and career, Ferrara's recurring Catholic themes of sin, guilt, judgment, and redemption. More than forty years after its release, Ms. 45 remains a lightning rod for debates about exploitation cinema, it's artistic value, and whether a film which focuses on violence against women, can ultimately transcend it's own genre trappings.
Is Ms. 45 a feminist revenge story, a cult horror classic, an exploitative pile of trash, or more complicated than it's lurid promo materials?
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Podcast reviews
Read Morally Offensive podcast reviews
doubtingtomjr 2026/08/24
Maybe worth a shot anyways
Tuned in for 1 particular episode. I like the format, content and conceit. In that 1 episode, a host gave strong opinions repeatedly throughout the e...
thehouse1826 2026/08/12
Love it!
One of the things that makes this show different is how the hosts bring their own religious backgrounds and experiences into the movies they cover. Th...
Ichabof33 2026/04/01
Unique!
The hosts are passionate and knowledgeable. One knew the director of the film and shared her insights into it based on conversations. They use researc...
Elyse_KL 2025/11/01
Love these guys
I love this podcast, the reviewers are pretty good at staying on track and their insights are really interesting. It’s very easy listening and if I’ve...
Reelbeans 2025/10/31
Fellow Alumni
So great to hear a fellow NMU alumni and movie buff! Listened to one episode and had a smile on my face the whole time. Bravo!!
O. Couling 2025/08/25
Just what the exorcist ordered
As a recovering ex evangelical, who also worked in film, I enjoy this conversation with two quite ethical host, calling out abusers and systems of opp...
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Joel Osteen, SiriusXM

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Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager
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The Big Honker Podcast
Andy Shaver & Jeff Stanfield

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The Daily Stoic
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Verdict with Ted Cruz
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Steve Deace Show
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