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THEME SONG BY: WEIRD A.I.

HEDWIG

Before we say auf wiedersehen to Season 14 with its eight revamps of the previously covered during the show’s first five years, the boys of TGTPTU reveal their unexpected special little packages: 1x1’s, wherein each host shall choose a single film by its merits of discussion and unlikelihood to be exposed on a future 4x4, creator, or thematic season. The first of these darlings is Thomas’s: HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (2001).

Adapted from the rock musical of the same name that started as the collaboration between frontman of the NYC-based band Cheater (performing on stage as Hedwig’s band) Stephen Trask and then actor later turned actor-director with this debut film John Cameron Mitchell. Hedwig’s story, on stage told in song and monologue, of male-to-female surgery so as to marry an American GI and leave East Berlin originated from Mitchell’s own experiences as a military brat in Germany and Kansas trailer parks while the jealousy and newer betrayal Hedwig expresses toward her protégé and superstar success/successor Tommy Gnosis (also played by Mitchell in the play but embodied by Early Aughts indie film darling and pod-contentious actor Michael Pitt) is elevated by Trask’s music and lyrics and is expanded and enriched with animation, locations, and added characters (most notably Andrea Martin as the band’s manager) for the silver screen.

Learn more about the progression from stage to screen from Thomas on research; jam out to Rock Facts with Ryan (sorry, mineralogists, but we’re talking glam and punk rock here); former host Jack on vibes in the rhythm section wakes up mid-episode to like the film and dig the hand-drawn animation; and Ken lands his rimshot, getting to tell his joke that calls back to TGTPTU’s Nolan coverage (Season 12).

Spoiler: You’ll be hearing from four Hed heads.

Reminder: You don’t put a bra in a dryer!

CONTENT WARNING: At least once during the episode the “f” word (“Ferengi”) is used. For those allergic to Star Trek and nerdom, our sincerest apologies. My you live long and prosper.

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Podcast: goodpodugly
Ken: Ken Koral
Ryan: Ryan Tobias

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AMERICAN SNIPER

The once distant end of Season 14’s curated rewatched flicks is now in our sights as the TGTPTU crew pulls the trigger on their final movie of the eight enlisted pairs mustering their Redux Season, taking aim at Clint Eastwood’s highest grossing film: AMERICAN SNIPER (2014).

Originally covered early in the pod’s first season (S1, E5 in Year 2020) and chosen by host Thomas who’d never seen, this American Sniper revisit offers new insight into the film the original hosting duo of Ken and Jack ranked as the worst of any Eastwood-starring or -directed picture in their Season 3 final rankings episode that concluded the Eastwood run of the show.

Frequent guest Erik Van Der Wolf provides the episode’s cold open; bookworm and host Thomas read almost half the Chris Kyle’s titular book; host Ken takes aim with some advice to filmmakers regarding a pre-shooting watch of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace; former host Jack, aka last episode’s Judas, sticks to his guns; and host Ryan joins Thomas to geek out about a Buffy the Vampire connection.

Listen to the end of the episode for season rankings of the eight films re-covered to see if American Sniper maintains its title as the worst Eastwood for Ken and Jack and for new hosts Ryan and Thomas as well as for the surprise announcement of the season’s four-film extension.

Next ep: The start of the one-offs.

Well done, fellas and Liz.

THEME SONG BY: WEIRD A.I.

Email: thegoodthepodandtheugly@gmail.com
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Podcast: goodpodugly
Ken: Ken Koral
Ryan: Ryan Tobias

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WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART

Episode 7, and you can feel the excitement of the hunt this episode, the first of TGTPTU’s final paired rewatches of the Redux Season (Season 14) and another double Eastwood starting with a bang with WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART (1990, originally covered by TGTPTU during Season 3, Episode 9).

As flick curator extraordinaire Ken’s second rewatch pick, the o.g. host hopes to sway opinion his way, believing this adaptation by Peter Viertel of his autobiographical roman à clef dramatizing his work and consternation with John Huston during preproduction on The African Queen to be a masterpiece, approaching Unforgiven in its use of Eastwood’s (playing director John Wilson, a thinly veiled Huston) Hollywood persona. And Ken might just have an adherent in new host Ryan, who has a take(s) about Eastwood and the 1990’s cinema scene and auteur theory and potential deeper meanings of this film. And Thomas offers insight into his own autobiography’s veracity in the chapters that have him inventing snowboarding and fighting ninjas. Meanwhile, host Jack read was able to read 0% of the book to prepare for the ep and takes the brunt of Ken’s anger upon relistening to the original episode.

On that episode nearly a half-decade ago, Jack had opined the film mid. Fellow Gen Z’er Thomas who’d guested on that original episode with Ken and Jack also found the movie somewhere between. But a rewatch with new pairings and fresh eyes outside the marathon of covering every Eastwood film during the first three seasons has surprises in store! Someone is called a Judas, and someone sticks to his elephant guns. Listen to find out who.

And if you ever wondered why the voice in the recent seasons’ intro songs is “not supposed to fight with the guests, Mr. Wilson,” then you might just understand after listening, you yellow bastard.

THEME SONG BY: WEIRD A.I.

Email: thegoodthepodandtheugly@gmail.com
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/TGTPTU
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thegoodthepodandtheugly?igshid=um92md09kjg0
Bluesky: @goodpodugly.bsky.social
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6mI2plrgJu-TB95bbJCW-g
Buzzsprout: https://thegoodthepodandtheugly.buzzsprout.com/
Letterboxd (follow us!):

Podcast: goodpodugly
Ken: Ken Koral
Ryan: Ryan Tobias