Primal Screen

We're celebrating the Melbourne Cinémathèque's 40th anniversary this week with two of the pre-eminent film society's co-curators in the studio. Primal Screen favourite Cerise Howard and Associate Professor Adrian Danks (making his PS debut!) joined Flick Ford to reflect on Melbourne Cinémathèque's vital contribution to cinema and to talk about their upcoming program on Australian documentary filmmaker Tom Zubrycki. A hugely important filmmaker in his own right but also a key mentor and producer for many other Australian filmmakers that have followed. They also review Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland's latest film Green Border, a brutalising drama rooted in deep research that is so urgently of the moment, its potency is manifold. It tells the story of refugees from the Middle East and Africa trying to reach the European Union court in a geopolitical crisis triggered by the Belarusian dictator Lukashenko. Listen back for more on this discussion of how Zubrycki's and Holland's films remain committed to social justice, human rights and the ethics of filmmaking.

This week on Primal Screen, Flick Ford is joined by Alice McShane and Will Cox to discuss two wildly different films. Wicked offers a polished, mainstream iteration of a beloved musical, while The People’s Joker pushes the boundaries of intellectual property and the superhero genre in its DIY approach. Despite such different production context, the conversation explores how both films engage with themes of queerness whether subvert or overt, as well as girlhood, gender, and the femme. Come for succinct reviews of these two wildly different films, stay for an extended discussion of the musical genre on screen. Tune in to Primal Screen on Triple R - Mondays from 7pm, 102.7FM

"This week on Primal Screen, Flick Ford discusses with guest reviewers Thomas Caldwell and Stuart Richards this week's upcoming releases. The Roman Empire is on everyon's minds as Gladiator II is released onto the big screen, recieving the blockbuster roll out fit for an emperor. Directed by Ridley Scott in follow up to his 2000 classic and starring the muscled-up Paul Mescal, find out whether this large-scale sequel lives up to its promise of epic entertainment. In contrast to this mighty title, Flick, Thomas and Stuart discuss the quieter film Memory, directed by Michel Franco and starring Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard. The film's unique examination on the nature of memory, as a means to uncover hidden truths as well as cloud true recollections makes for a wonderful discussion. Tune in to Primal Screen on Triple R - Mondays from 7pm, 102.7FM "

This week’s episode dives into the Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF), taking place 14–24 November 2024. We’re joined by special guest and former co-host Cerise Howard, program director at MQFF and Patrick Kelly, screen academic at RMIT University. Cerise and Patrick share their top picks of the MQFF program, which this year celebrates queer music culture through the theme Formative Sound and Vision.

It's spooky season this week Primal Screen gears up for a very special Halloween Edition of the show. Former Primal Screen host Paul Anthony Nelson and Co-organiser of Melbourne Horror Film Society Melisa Begg jump into the studio to discuss three iconic films, Henry Selick’s 1993 ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Nicolas Roeg’s 1990 ‘The Witches’ based on Roald Dahls children’s book of the same title; and André Øvredal’s 2029 ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’.

In this episode we discuss Adam Elliot's award winning film Memoir of a Snail (2024) which which was the opening night film of MIFF 2024. And we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Ishiro Honda's 1954 film Godzilla.

Flick Ford and Thomas Caldwell speak to filmmaker Jaydon Martin about his new film Flathead. Jaydon joins Flick and Thomas to review The Apprentice, Ali Abassi's film about Donald Trump's ascent to power, and the team discuss the documentary about four Tiwi Island girls who dream of AFLW stardom in Like My Brother.

Hosts Flick Ford and Will Cox chat with directors of Ghostlight (2024), Kelly O'Sullivan and Alex Thompson. Then they review new releases Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) and Megalopolis (2024).

Anthony Carew fills in for Flick, joined by guest reviewers Alice McShane and Erin Rosenberg to discuss a trio of new releases. The satirical feminist body horror The Substance (2024), the documentary Your Fat Friend (2023), and the coming-of-age My Old Ass (2024).

Eloise Ross and Emma Westwood host Primal Screen this week. They're joined by Felix Hubble and Kai Perrignon to discuss Static Visions's latest festival 'Neo-Intimacies', and also review Bill Mousoulis' Australian Musical My Darling in Stirling (2023) and the Netflix limited-series The Perfect Couple.

This week Flick Ford is joined by guest reviewers, Silvi Vann Wall and Eloise Ross. Together they tackle the question: what happens when you revive a cult classic? Tim Burton’s sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is on the reviewing table for this episode, along with French erotic drama, Last Summer, directed by Catherine Breillat. Plus, Elyse from ACCA and Hudson from FFFA and Umbrella discuss Friday the 13th: Ozploitation at the Drive-In event at Lido Cinemas. Come geared for a mega-marathon of Australian gothic horrors… tickets are selling fast! Get them here.

With special guest reviewers Thao Phan, Andrew Lynch, our host Flick Ford takes us through the latest horror flicks with a science fiction twist.

This week, presenter Flick Ford is joined by guests Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Will Cox, and Alice McShane to explore where the culinary and the cinematic collide. They sink their teeth into the desire, disgust and drama that food brings to the screen, from the questionable viscosity of Willy Wonka's chocolate river to the faux pas of snacking in the cinema.

Host Flick Ford brings Primal Screen out of the studio and into the Performance Space for this edition of RRR's beloved film and screen culture program. She speaks with director, screenwriter, and cinematographer Warwick Thornton (Samson and Delilah, Sweet Country), filmmaker, producer and theatre director Nadia Tass (Malcolm, The Big Steal), and screenwriter & director Goran Stolevski (Housekeeping for Beginners, You Won't Be Alone, Of An Age). Flick and her panelists sort through the complex and messy questions of what defines Australian cinema – from where we’ve come from, to where we’re heading – and how cinema can challenge myths of nationhood

Join host Flick Ford with reviewers Cerise Howard and Thomas Caldwell, as they chat to founder and artistic director of Hear My Eyes, Hayden Green, and guitarist Lachlan Stuckey from 5-piece band Surprise Chef. They delve into the collaborative inner workings of their reinterpretation of Australian film Wake in Fright (1971), to create a cinematic and musical reimagining. Flick, Cerise and Thomas also discuss their top film picks for this year's Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF).

Maudie Osborne fills in for Flick and she is joined by film buffs Anthony Carew and Will Cox to review Deadpool & Wolverine, Totem and LONGLEGS

Flick is joined by reviewers Cerise Howard, Programme Director of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and Writer, Chris Dite. They shine a retro spotlight on SNOWPIERCER on its 10th anniversary, and S/HE IS NOT HER/E.

Flick Ford is joined by Jonathan Schuster (co-writer of recently released Australian movie The Emu War) and film programmer and reviewer Alice McShane. Schuster provides extensive insight into the main aspects of The Emu War, especially its themes and plot. McShane dives into her thoughts on some new releases, including the blockbuster of the moment Twisters, and Australian indie film Birdeater.

This week, Flick is joined by film buffs Maudie Osborne and Anthony Carew to review the latest from Jeff Nichols, who is also known for Take Shelter (2011) and Mud (2012). The Bike Riders details the decade-long story of the Midwestern bike club, the Vandals. As an outsider, Kathy observes their transformation from a haven for misfits into a notorious crime gang. This evolving identity calls the club’s ideals into question, and young member Benny must choose between the allure of the Vandals and being with Kathy. The Bike Riders (2024) The team also goes on to review Yorgos Lanthimos’ new, witty triptych tale, Kinds of Kindness. Teaming up again with Emma Stone after the recent release Poor Things (2023), and Efthymis Filippou, the screenwriter for his 2009 film Dogtooth, Lanthimos returns with more of his signature flavour of weird. “This is a work of audacious originality, vicious humour and balls to the wall strangeness, giving the impression there are few places the director won’t go.” - David Rooney. Kinds of Kindness (2024) Primal Screen airs every week on Triple R at 7pm Mondays. Follow us on socials: Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/primal-screen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primalscreenshow/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primal_screen_show/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/primal_screen

This week in the studio, Jack Ralph and Kelsey Pettifer join Flick Ford in the 3RRR studio to delve into the subtle yet profound body of work created by Kelly Reichardt. They discuss films such as First Cow (2019), the political thriller Night Moves (2013), and Wendy and Lucy (2008). The conversation covers Reichardt's challenges in getting her films made, her resistance to mainstream conventions, and her ability to develop indie films with strong casts delivering natural performances. They also explore the recurring actors and the themes that weave through each of her films. The discussion features the 2016 film CERTAIN WOMEN, a triptych of stories centred on women leading local lives in middle America, based on the writing of Maile Meloy. The Guardian’s Wendy Ide describes Reichardt’s approach in Certain Women as going ‘beyond naturalism and landing somewhere between painful introversion and acute empathy.’ They also touch on Reichardt's 2022 film SHOWING UP, which follows Portland-based sculptor Lizzy as she prepares for an upcoming show. The film is celebrated by die-hard Reichardt fans for its strong adherence to the director’s signature anti-dramatic style. Showing Up presents an artist working in real-time, without her process being filtered through a romanticised lens, resulting in a very grumpy yet authentic Michelle Williams comedy-drama. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/primal-screen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primalscreenshow/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primal_screen_show/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/primal_screen