Episode 804: Miss Americana / Narrowsburg

Feb 19, 2020

How high above soar the stars, enchanting us with their blazing glory! Or perhaps we only project such power onto them, and they are merely ordinary beings, elevated by our own desires. In today’s episode, guest host Leslie Combemale (the Cinema Siren, herself) joins us as we review the new Taylor Swift biopic Miss Americana, which just premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and is now available on Netflix. In addition, Chris interviews director Martha Shane about her documentary Narrowsburg, a tragicomic tale of grifters bedazzling a small town with promises of Hollywood glory. Join us for a look at the pros and cons of fame and fortune.

 

Group Review Documentary:

MISS AMERICANA (Lana Wilson, 2020)

Now playing on Netflix

Film Featured in Interview Portion:

NARROWSBURG(Martha Shane, 2019)

Now playing in festivals

Other Films Mentioned:

• After Tiller (Martha Shane/Lana Wilson, 2013)
• American Factory (Steven Bognar/Julia Reichert, 2019)
• Analyze This (Harold Ramis, 1999)
• Beauty and the Beast (Gary Trousdale/Kirk Wise, 1999)
• Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982)
• Crip Camp (James Lebrecht/Nicole Newnham, 2020)
• The Departure (Lana Wilson, 2017)
• T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
• Four Deadly Reasons (Paul Borghese, 2002)
• Gaga: Five Foot Two (Chris Moukarbel, 2017)
• Guest of Cindy Sherman (Tom Donahue/Paul Hasegawa-Overacker, 2008)
• Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist (Alexandre O. Philippe, 2019)
• The Lion King (Roger Allers/Rob Minkoff, 1994)
• Lost in La Mancha (Keith Fulton/Louis Pepe, 2002)
• Memory: The Origins of Alien (Alexandre O. Philippe, 2019)
• 78/52: Hitchcock's Shower Scene (Alexandre O. Philippe, 2017)
• Young Frankenstein (Mel Brooks, 1974)

Links to reviews and interviews by Christopher Llewellyn Reed:

• Hammer to Nail review of Miss Americana
• Hammer to Nail review of Narrowsburg
• Hammer to Nail interview with director Martha Shane of Narrowsburg

Timestamps:

• 00:37 – Intro
• 04:38 – Group Discussion of MISS AMERICANA
• 21:53 – Chris interviews Martha Shane of NARROWSBURG
• ­­40:46 – Doc Talk

Website/Email:

www.fogoftruth.com

[e-mail]

Credits:

Artwork by Hilary Campbell

Intro music by Jeremiah Moore

Transitional music by BELLS (thanks to Christopher Ernst)

Editing and shownotes by Christopher Llewellyn Reed