Was That Our Exit? (feat. Saul Austerlitz)
Episode 38
Toss the kids in the back and chart a winding course to a kitschy destination — we’re at the wheel of three American road trip comedies this week. Pit stops include a deep psychological analysis of Clark Griswold, a theory on how you market indie pop and questions about whether Netflix is making the new cable movie.
Chance begins the episode in conversation with writer Saul Austerlitz. They discuss his book, “Another Fine Mess” (a history of American comedy film), as well as the 1941 road trip classic “Sullivan’s Travels.” You can read Saul’s work in The New York Times, The LA Times, The New Republic and more. Find more about his books on film and television at saulausterlitz.com.
At 15 minutes, Noah and Chance transition to “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” At 26:30, they give “Little Miss Sunshine” a push. And at 37:45, why does nothing bad happen in the Netflix original “The Fundamentals of Caring”?
You know, some might say life is a, uh, highway.
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Movie Reviews & Reappraisals
Be Reel is a movie reviewing & reappraising podcast hosted by Chance Solem-Pfeifer and Noah Ballard.
Each time out, we select three movies based around a genre and call up guests ranging from submarine captains to Oscar winners. Then, we rate the movies, weighing both technical quality and entertainment.
Noah and Chance are old friends who mostly respect each other’s opinions. Even though Chance is a fool and a traitor. Find their show presented at ThePlaylist.Net and follow them on Twitter for the latest on Noah’s literary agenting and Chance’s work in the Portland arts scene.