Best Brattle Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 76: Talkin' Movies with Poppy War Author RF Kuang 1:15:01

13d ago1:15:01

1:15:01

In November, The Brattle invited bestselling author, cinephile, and Brattle regular Rebbeca Kuang to program a day of movies in conjunction with the release of a special collector's edition of her first novel, The Poppy War. That whole day of screenings sold out rapidly, so we invited her onto the podcast to share her thoughts on watching movies, h…

1
Episode 75: Outside The Box October 2:10:02

2M ago2:10:02

2:10:02

For this year's "spooky season" episode, we take a look at some outside-the-box options for October viewing. From those lesser-known or under-celebrated horror movies to counter-programing options to comedies and thrillers with a cozy, Halloweeny vibe, Ian, Ivy, Ned, Alissa, and our listeners have suggestions for you.…

1
Episode 74: Lauren Bacall Centennial Tribute 2:30:01

3M ago2:30:01

2:30:01

We pay tribute to one of our favorite movie stars on the occasion of what would have been her 100th birthday. Lauren Bacall's early films played a major role in the history of the Brattle Theatre, and she's a figure all four of us have long admired. We take a deep dive into some of Bacall's most revered pictures as well as some of her lesser-known …

1
Episode 73: Cruel Summer 2:00:14

5M ago2:00:14

2:00:14

As the dog days of summer approach, we take a look at the sweatiest movies we can think of. Many of these films artfully showcase how oppressive heat leads to conflict.

1
Episode 72: Desperately Seeking Susan Seidelman 1:25:46

6M ago1:25:46

1:25:46

We welcome Susan Seidelman to the podcast in celebration of her new memoir and her upcoming live appearance at the Brattle on July 18th. In addition to listening to stories about her life in film, we talk about what her films have meant to us and what it was like revisiting many of them while reading her book. We also dive into the past couple of m…

1
Episode 71: Reunion Week: 1949, 1974, 1999 2:45:08

7M ago2:45:08

2:45:08

We kick off Season 5 with our annual Reunion Week show, talking about films celebrating their 75th, 50th, and 25th anniversaries. This year, that's 1949, the year of the first televised Oscar ceremony; 1974, one of the greatest movie years of all time; and 1999, a pivotal, trendsetting year for cinema. While our discussion is tied to the series run…

1
Episode 70: Needle Drops 1:53:45

8M ago1:53:45

1:53:45

We close out our 4th season with a show about needle drops, those brilliant and sometimes lazy pop music choices filmmakers employ to set a tone, evoke an era, express a character's unspoken emotions, or just give the film a burst of energy.By Ian Brownell

1
Episode 69: Boston Underground Film Festival 1:02:13

9M ago1:02:13

1:02:13

Boston Underground Film Festival programmers Kevin Monahan and Nicole McControversy join us to discuss the history of this unique fest and their 2024 lineup.

1
Episode 68: More of the Best of 2023 2:00:01

10M ago2:00:01

2:00:01

We wrap up awards season with more thoughts on the terrific year in film that was 2023, including discussions about the 10 Best Picture nominees, the documentary and international feature nominees, the idiocy of this year's Oscar controversies as well as other internet hot takes that surrounded the big movies before and after their releases, and we…

1
Episode 67: Some of the Best of 2023 2:15:01

11M ago2:15:01

2:15:01

We begin our deep dive into the abundance of excellent films of 2023, a year that still saw fewer new releases than is typical of pre-pandemic cinema but gave us far more exciting, risky, and unusual movies of quality than we've gotten used to. It was a year of big swings by filmmakers, actors, and studios—most of which paid off, and familiar "comf…

1
Episode 66: Warner Brothers in the '80s: Enter the Blockbuster 2:18:09

12M ago2:18:09

2:18:09

For our last episode of 2023, we wrap up the Brattle's yearlong look back on 100 years of Warner Brothers by diving into how the studio reacted to the blockbuster era. Examining Warner's overt attempts to capitalize on its "franchise" intellectual properties like Superman and Batman, to its unexpected '80s blockbusters like Private Benjamin, Gremli…

1
Brattlecast #169 - Ken's Favorite Books (audio fixed) 14:26

1y ago14:26

14:26

In today’s episode we’re answering a question from a listener: what are Ken’s favorite books? Some people enjoy novels, but Ken is partial to handwritten historical documents, or a nice illuminated manuscript woven from silk. Then there are the two-for-ones: Spalding’s Baseball Guide, inscribed by Spalding himself to fellow Red Stockings player Geo…

1
Brattlecast #169 - Ken's Favorite Books 14:26

1y ago14:26

14:26

In today’s episode we’re answering a question from a listener: what are Ken’s favorite books? Some people enjoy novels, but Ken is partial to handwritten historical documents, or a nice illuminated manuscript woven from silk. Then there are the two-for-ones: Spalding’s Baseball Guide, inscribed by Spalding himself to fellow Red Stockings player Geo…

1
Episode 65: Lost In Alphaville: Noir & Technology 2:00:02

1y ago2:00:02

2:00:02

For this year's Noirvember, we look at crime and caper pictures that center on technology as well as dark dramas that deal with noirish themes of identity and mistrust. Film Noir and Science Fiction are two great cinematic genres that taste great together, and we have a grand old time discussing how the tropes, subtexts, and visual styles of each c…

1
Brattlecast #168 - The Great Boston Fire in 3D 13:59

1y ago13:59

13:59

In November of 1872 a massive fire destroyed most of Boston’s financial district, from Washington Street to the harbor. Starting in the basement of a commercial warehouse, it spread rapidly along narrow streets packed with wooden-roofed buildings. The fire department was hindered by inaccessible alarm boxes, low water pressure, and an equine flu th…

1
Brattlecast #167 - Historic Photo Albums 12:53

1y ago12:53

12:53

Today we’re talking about another surprising Brattle find: a fairly nondescript album that turned out to contain photos of prominent 1800s abolitionists. The collection includes small, sepia-toned portraits of Charles Sumner, Phillips Brooks, and even Sojourner Truth. We’ll also discuss other historical photos that have arrived at the shop, and the…

1
Episode 64: Talking Documentaries with GlobeDocs Programer Lisa Viola 1:30:28

1y ago1:30:28

1:30:28

We discuss our love of documentary features and the Brattle's legacy of screening non-fiction, sometimes in conjunction with one of our series partners. We're then joined by the programmer of one of those series: GlobeDocs Film Festival Director of Programming Lisa Viola, who gives us a history of that series and a preview of 2023's line-up.…

1
Brattlecast #166 - Early Road Trip Books 12:54

1y ago12:54

12:54

Today in the studio we have a copy of New England Highways and Byways From a Motorcar by Thos. D. Murphy. This beautifully illustrated volume guides tourists on a then-novel automobile journey through early 20th century New England, with visits to charming towns, historic churches, and the rugged Maine coast. We’ll also discuss even earlier tourism…

1
Brattlecast #165 - The Grolier Club Lecture 14:10

1y ago14:10

14:10

In this episode we’ll be talking about Ken’s exciting upcoming lecture at the Grolier Club in New York City. Founded in 1884, the Grolier Club is America’s oldest and largest bibliophile society, with the objective to promote the study, collecting, and appreciation of books and works on paper. As a speaker, Ken strives to keep these events lively a…

1
Episode 63: Walken on Sunshine - Christopher Walken in the '80s 1:42:50

1y ago1:42:50

1:42:50

Diving deep into the ‘80s filmography of one of our favorite actors, we discuss the unique performance style of Christopher Walken; his sense of humor, sense of menace, skills as a dancer, the many commercial failures he made as a leading man during this decade, and why we think all his '80s movies are all worthy of revisiting. Along the way, we ge…

1
Brattlecast #164 - Napkin Folding!

1+ y ago

—

It’s the episode you’ve been waiting for: Napkin Folding! Inspired by a British how-to book on the topic from the late 1800s, we’ll talk about the surprising ways that this fine-dining flourish relates to origami, mathematics, and even NASA’s telescope technologies. Hear how it all unfolds—from tablescapes to outer space—on this deliciously elabora…

1
Episode 62: RIP Paul Reubens & William Friedkin 1:40:26

1+ y ago1:40:26

1:40:26

We pay tribute to the late great Paul Reubens and his iconic film Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Then we take a deep drive into some of the lesser-known works of New Hollywood legend, Billy Friedkin.

1
Brattlecast #163 - The New View Boston 17:53

1+ y ago17:53

17:53

Set to open this summer, View Boston is a new three-story observation deck at the top of the Prudential Tower. The venue will feature dining options, an open-air roof deck, and an immersive theater showcasing some of Boston’s most iconic locations—including your favorite secondhand book shop. We’re honored to be included, and to play our small part…

1
Brattlecast #162 - LIFE at the Brattle 13:55

1+ y ago13:55

13:55

Today we’re taking a look at some vintage issues of LIFE Magazine, half a truckload of which recently arrived at the shop. Full of iconic photojournalism and snappy graphic design, LIFE’s oversized pages are endlessly fun to flip through—and convey so much information about mid-century American culture. Listen to hear our favorite LIFE stories, fro…

1
Brattlecast #161 - Postcard Collections 17:18

1+ y ago17:18

17:18

In this episode, we’re talking about one of our favorite things to see in the shop: vintage postcards. While today they’re mostly used to show off vacation vistas, in the past postcards conveyed holiday greetings, commemorated historical events, and gave ordinary people an inexpensive way to keep in touch. Around the turn of the century, improvemen…

1
Brattlecast #160 - Armed Service Paperbacks 12:45

1+ y ago12:45

12:45

Today we’re talking about Armed Service Editions: paperback books designed to be sent overseas to American troops during World War II. Edited and printed by the non-profit Council on Books in Wartime, they were small, portable volumes with oblong silhouettes that could easily fit into a uniform pocket. Complete and surprisingly uncensored novels by…

1
Episode 61: Thrill Ride Horror 1:36:44

1+ y ago1:36:44

1:36:44

For the dog days of summer, we strap in for an episode that asks, if there is such a thing as "elevated horror," then what the devil is unelevated horror? We try to answer that question with a summer series of Thrill Rides featuring giant monsters, killer AI, and demons from hell.

1
Brattlecast #159 - Math & Science Books 16:40

1+ y ago16:40

16:40

Usually if you walk into the Brattle with an introductory math textbook you’ll receive a polite ‘no thank you.’ However, it’s a slightly different story when that textbook was published in 1695. In today’s episode, we’re looking at a still-pretty-accurate antique trigonometry book, written in Italian and complete with engraved illustrations and fol…

1
BONUS: Quarantainment Favorites Revisited 1:28:42

1+ y ago1:28:42

1:28:42

In this rerun, we revisit an early episode that highlighted some small movies (and a couple of big ones) that are very much worth checking out.

1
Brattlecast #158 - Vermont Sheds Books 18:41

1+ y ago18:41

18:41

A university without books? Today we’re talking about the recent announcement by Vermont State University that they’ll be building an “all-digital library” and getting rid of print books as a cost-cutting measure. The decision has drawn a strong backlash from students and faculty, but, as enrollments drop, funds are slashed, and courses move online…

1
Brattlecast #157 - James Michael Curley 14:17

1+ y ago14:17

14:17

Today in the studio we have a collection of letters and speeches from one of the most colorful political figures in Massachusetts history. James Michael Curley served four terms as Mayor of Boston, a single term as Governor, and five months, for mail fraud, in Danbury federal prison. An Irish Catholic from a working class background, Curley frequen…

1
Brattlecast #156 - Rock & Roll Collections 18:41

1+ y ago18:41

18:41

In this episode we’re talking about—or “riffing on”—a group of classic rock-related books, magazines, and memorabilia that recently arrived at the shop. While not the most monetarily valuable, it’s a fun collection to have around, mostly because it takes Ken back to his days as a young rocker in 1970s Boston. He saw The Stones at the Boston Garden,…

1
Episode 60: Reunion Week: 1948, 1973, 1998 2:45:09

1+ y ago2:45:09

2:45:09

We embark on our annual journey into movies celebrating their 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries in conjunction with our annual Reunion Week series. (Actually 10 days not a week this year, so this is a double episode!) With our upcoming Noir City Boston program entirely comprised of 75th-anniversary crime pictures, we spend some time on those as we…

1
Brattlecast #155 - Pick Your Poison 11:35

1+ y ago11:35

11:35

Today in the studio we have a first American edition of the catchily titled Directions on the Treatment for Persons who have Taken Poison, and those in a State of Apparent Death, Together with the Means of Detecting Poisons and Adulterations in Wine, also, of Distinguishing Real from Apparent Death by Mathieu Joseph B. Orfila. While we wouldn’t nec…

1
Brattlecast #154 - Golden Leaves of Friendship 10:16

1+ y ago10:16

10:16

Today in the studio we have an 1852 copy of The Oasis: or, Golden Leaves of Friendship, edited by N.L. Ferguson. The Oasis is part of a whole genre of 19th century gift books: illustrated anthologies of poetry, essays, and short fiction with titles like The Keepsake, Forget-Me-Not, and The Book of Beauty. Published annually before the holiday seaso…

1
Episode 59: 20 Years of Independent Film Festival Boston 1:26:43

1+ y ago1:26:43

1:26:43

We welcome Brian Tamm and Nancy Campbell back to the podcast to talk about the twenty-year history of the Independent Film Festival Boston and the line up for the 2023 fest.

1
Brattlecast #153 - An Impressive Walk-In 17:32

1+ y ago17:32

17:32

One of the great things about working at the Brattle is that you never know what’s going to walk through that door. Recently, a customer surprised us by bringing in a copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle, one of the earliest printed books to feature illustrations. As if that wasn’t interesting enough, he also had a copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer, as well…

1
Brattlecast #152 - The American Cemetery 12:18

1+ y ago12:18

12:18

Today in the studio we have The American Cemetery, a monthly trade journal for graveyard proprietors and caretakers; all of the issues from 1929 have been bound into a large hardcover volume. While it may not seem like the most lively subject, The American Cemetery presents a darkly humorous juxtaposition of the mundane with the macabre. Ads extoll…

1
Episode 58: Celebrating Celluloid 1:37:21

1+ y ago1:37:21

1:37:21

To celebrate "Reel Film Day" and in honor of the Brattle's commitment to screening 35mm prints, we dive deep into why we love showing films on film and why Boston is such a unique and abundant city for repertory cinema. We talk with our fellow programs and projectionists at some of the other five cinemas in Boston and beyond that continue this rich…

1
Brattlecast #151 - The Impactful Internet 12:05

2y ago12:05

12:05

In this episode we talk about the impact of the internet on the shop, and on bookselling in general. Dictionary and encyclopedia sales have declined precipitously as search engines supplant reference books, but it’s easier than ever to do our own research online. E-readers may be convenient, but even young people still enjoy the tactility and craft…

1
Brattlecast #150 - Antiques Roadshow Memories 20:21

2y ago20:21

20:21

In this episode, Ken talks about some especially notable TV appraisals from his years on Antiques Roadshow. The highlights include a Civil War letter with a surprising twist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph, and one item that… actually didn’t work out so well. The show is currently in the midst of its 27th season; you can catch new episodes Mon…

1
Episode 57: More Of The Best Of 2022 1:53:51

2y ago1:53:51

1:53:51

We continue looking back on 2022’s best films via some listener suggestions for their favorite films of the year. We then discuss the Oscars nominations, the Best Actress “controversy,” the various rules and non-rules of the Academy’s nomination process, the pros and cons of digital color grading, and many other Oscar-adjacent topics we have strong…

1
Brattlecast #149 - All Those Signed Copies 14:14

2y ago14:14

14:14

Today we’re talking about a great recent book buy: a library of about 25,000 interesting, well-cared-for volumes, many autographed by authors like Kazuo Ishiguro, Salman Rushdie, and P.D. James. There’s even a book of Robert Mapplethorpe photographs signed by his subjects. It took a lot of heavy lifting to get all those books back to the shop, but …

1
Brattlecast #148 - A World of Jell-O 14:24

2y ago14:24

14:24

There’s always room for Jell-O… cookbooks! As colorful and light as the iconic dessert itself, these recipe booklets were given out as free promotional items starting in 1904, and played a large part in Jello’s meteoric and jiggly rise to fame. Some feature illustrations by artists like Maxfield Parrish and Norman Rockwell; all contain congealed co…

1
Episode 56: Some Of The Best Of 2022 2:10:06

2y ago2:10:06

2:10:06

We look back on the ups and downs of 2022, a year that saw some huge successes and some huge disappointments and some disturbing trends. This episode focuses mostly on the smaller films that people may have missed, but we start out with Top Gun Maverick and Everything Everywhere All at Once because we can't talk about 2022 in film without going dee…

1
Brattlecast #147 - Specialized Travel Guides 17:39

2y ago17:39

17:39

Today we’re talking about older travel guides written for people from historically marginalized groups. With the advent of the internet, planning a trip is easier than ever, and most of us take it for granted that we’ll be welcomed at our destination rather than hassled or even harmed. Sadly, this was not always the case, especially for Black Ameri…

1
Brattlecast # 146 - Prepping a Book Collection 16:24

2y ago16:24

16:24

On today’s episode we’re answering a question from a listener: If you want to sell a large library, what can you do to prepare before Ken, or someone like Ken, comes to take a look? The good news is, we don’t really care how tidy or organized your shelves are, within reason—in fact, we’ve almost certainly seen much worse. Our top tip is to decide i…

1
Brattlecast #145 - Book Fair Postscript 14:24

2y ago14:24

14:24

This episode is a recap of the recent Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair, which recently returned to the Hynes Convention Center after years of online-only events. How did it go? The short answer is, Great! It was well attended, with over 120 dealers exhibiting, so everyone could enjoy seeing old friends – and making new ones – in person ag…

1
Episode 55: The Adventures of Antoine Doinel 1:42:16

2y ago1:42:16

1:42:16

We take a look at the Antoine Doinel cycle of five films made about the same character over a twenty year period by director François Truffaut and actor Jean-Pierre Léaud. We're then joined by Truffaut scholar Annette Insdorf for some detail on the iconic French New Wave filmmaker and her insights into these particular films.…

1
Brattlecast #144 - The Astronaut Book 15:28

2y ago15:28

15:28

Today we’re looking at a fresh arrival to the shop: a copy of The Astronauts: the Story of Project Mercury, America's Man-in-Space Program, by Martin Caiden. On its own, it’s an interesting account of the early space race, but a handful of illustrious signatures really cause this particular volume's value to skyrocket. We’ll explore this and other …

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