Best Generalknowledge Podcasts (2024)

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184. 'Dune 2' 56:30

7d ago56:30

56:30

Denis Villenueve's masterpiece 2nd part of his 'Dune' trilogy.By Meetinghousetv.com

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183. 'Get Shorty' (1995) 1:06:58

18d ago1:06:58

1:06:58

Barry Sonnenfeld and Scott Frank's adaptation of Elmore Leonard's 1990 crime novel 'Get Shorty' was the 2nd film that John Travolta made after returning to top stardom with a bang in Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction'. This vibe-y, enjoyable, smartly-written and brilliantly-acted mid-90's example of the $20-30 million-dollar studio movie that now seems lik…

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#176 - LGBTQ+ Love in Ancient & Classic Literature: Part 1 18:05

24d ago18:05

18:05

We're always on a mission to show that LGBTQ+ love has existed long before any of us. In this episode, Charlotte covers a brief history of gay relationships in ancient literature, particularly in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology, and a little bit of 11th century Japanese literature too. Stay tuned in a couple of episodes time, when we jump forward…

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#175 - 13 Weird Things That Have Washed Ashore 30:44

1M ago30:44

30:44

Ellie shares 13 weird things that have washed ashore in different parts of the world, including an entire 10-foot tree in La Push, a German U-Boat in 1919 that turned out to be lethal, and hundreds of rubber ducks that are still likely to be floating out in the oceans today. --- References for This Episode: (See our website below for all links) 20 …

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182. 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950) with Special Guest Brad Caleb Kane 1:26:06

1M ago1:26:06

1:26:06

I'm joined again by multi-hyphenate Brad Caleb Kane for a discussion about Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett's iconic 1950 satirical noir Hollywood cautionary tale 'Sunset Boulevard' and various other digressions!By Meetinghousetv.com

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#174 - Bishop Castle: the Colorado Landmark Built by One Man 29:27

1M ago29:27

29:27

Charlotte talks about Bishop Castle, a huge stone building in Colorado built over the course of 60 years by one man, Jim Bishop. The family describe it as “a monumental statue in stone and iron that cries loud testament to the beauty and glory of not only having a dream, but sticking with your dream no matter what." Learn about the history of this …

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181. All of Brad Pitt's Cliff Booth Scenes from 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' 1:59:30

1M ago1:59:30

1:59:30

The second in my growing collection of episodes devoted to 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'...this time it's an episode celebrating all the brilliant Cliff Booth scenes...scenes representing some of Brad Pitt's finest acting to date and the heart and soul of Tarantino's greatest homage to the Hollywood of his youth.…

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180. Oscars 2024 Recap 36:24

2M ago36:24

36:24

It's my annual Oscar Recap. And Killers of the Flower Moon wuz robbed!By Meetinghousetv.com

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179. All of Leonardo Dicaprio's Rick Dalton Scenes from 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' 1:35:35

2M ago1:35:35

1:35:35

All of Leonardo DiCaprio's scenes as Rick Dalton in Quentin Tarantino's movie-making love-letter 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' If you're new to the podcast, there's an episode just for you. Previous All Their Scenes episodes: Phillip Seymour Hoffman in 'Charlie Wilson's War' Michael Keaton in 'Jackie Brown' and 'Out of Sight' as Special Agent Ray…

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#173 - Grace O'Malley: Pirate Queen of Ireland 31:02

2M ago31:02

31:02

In this episode, Ellie talks about someone who fits perfectly in our 'awesome women of history' series: Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen of Ireland. Best summed up by Irish historian and novelist Anne Chambers, O'Malley was a fearless leader, by land and by sea, a political pragmatist and politician, a ruthless plunderer, a mercenary, a rebel, and …

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178. 'Klute' (1971) 1:19:55

2M ago1:19:55

1:19:55

Alan J. Pakula deserves more attention and respect as one of the grestest American film directors of any era. His run of films in the 70's, from 'Klute' to 'The Parallax View' to 'All The President's Men'...all brilliantly shot by Cinematographer Gordon Willis (The Godfather films)...are as impressive and of their moment as any films made in this t…

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#172 - Craftivism: How Artists Use Crafts to Change the World 28:05

2M ago28:05

28:05

Throughout history, there have been so many different methods people have used to affect change in the world, from peaceful protests to revolutions that are anything but quiet. But one of the methods that has risen to prominence over the last century or so is “craftivism”: a word that combines craft and activism. Charlotte talks all about craftivis…

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177. 'The Third Man' (1949) 1:19:37

2M ago1:19:37

1:19:37

Carol Reed and Graham Greene's iconic post-war neo noir classic 'The Third Man'. A perfect movie. Steven Soderbergh calls it the only movie you need to watch in order to learn how to make a movie. In this episode I cover the making of, the battles between David O. Selznick, Alexander Korda, Reed and Orson Welles, the happenstance score to end all f…

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176. 'The Long Good Friday' (1980) 1:14:42

3M ago1:14:42

1:14:42

In which my evolving, complicated relationship with the crowd-pleasing John 'Frenzy' MacKenzie's exuberant, vibe-y classic 'The Long Good Friday' is flayed open and nailed to the floor for your auditory enjoyment.By Meetinghousetv.com

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175. The King Crimson documentary 1:17:52

3M ago1:17:52

1:17:52

Director Toby Amies and I discuss his excellent and unexpected documentary 'In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50'.By Meetinghousetv.com

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174. 'Aliens' and 'Alien 3' 1:18:22

3M ago1:18:22

1:18:22

Ridley Scott's brilliant 1979 sci-fi/horror classic 'Alien' burnished his deserved reputation as bold re-interpreter of techno-dystopian futurism and exploder of genres. But it made a lot of money and dollar signs in the eyes of 'Alien' producers Brandywine Productions led them to turn for a sequel to James Cameron, who had already done a similar t…

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#171 - How to Be a Better Home Cook with Ben Ebbrell (Sorted Food) 1:14:00

4M ago1:14:00

1:14:00

We're very excited to be joined by Ben Ebbrell, otherwise known as Ebbers, from YouTube's Sorted Food! We talk all about how to be a better home cook, including essential kitchen equipment and cupboard staples, how to expand your culinary knowledge, how to be excited even about midweek cooking, and lots more. Ben also talks about his history of foo…

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#170 - British Christmas Dinner Through the Ages 40:26

4M ago40:26

40:26

On 25th December, lots of families across the UK will tuck into a Christmas dinner. Everyone has their favourite part that they just can't go without, whether it's the roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings or our personal favourite – pigs in blankets! But what did Christmas dinner in Britain look like throughout the ages? And where did some of our tra…

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173. 'Withnail & I' (1987) 1:57:37

4M ago1:57:37

1:57:37

One of the most quotable and iconic of British films, born out of writer/director Bruce Robinson's personal experiences and shepherded to the big screen by George Harrison and his Handmade Films company. 'Withnail & I' is a beloved comedy but in this episode I talk as much about its forlorn, end-of-an-era wistful heart as I do the incredibly quotab…

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172. 'The French Connection' (1971) 2:18:36

5M ago2:18:36

2:18:36

Billy Friedkin's iconic 1971 game-changing NYC police procedural/car chase classic 'The French Connection' has a fascinating backstory and making-of history, and, hey: that's what I'm here for! To bring you all the best stories behind the scenes on the streets of New York and all the context and color that helps place this movie in the pantheon of …

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#169 - The Truly Terrifying Tale of Pinocchio 29:34

5M ago29:34

29:34

If you've seen the Disney adaptation of Pinocchio, you might think it's one of the darker, scarier films Disney have made. But did you know the original tale written by Carlo Collodi is even more terrifying? We're talking abuse, starvation, death... yeah, it's a fun ride (and written for children!!). In this episode, Charlotte tells the original da…

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#168 - How Russell T. Davies Changed TV with Dr. Emily Garside 1:24:49

5M ago1:24:49

1:24:49

We're so excited to be joined by Dr. Emily Garside to talk about her book, Gay Aliens and Queer Folk: How Russell T. Davies Changed TV. We nerd out about Russell T. Davies' entire writing career and how he changed the landscape of queer and working class characters on TV, and how Wales and the UK as a whole has been impacted by the phenomenon of Do…

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171. 'The Friends of Eddie Coyle' (1973) 1:19:34

6M ago1:19:34

1:19:34

Peter Yates was quietly one of the most interesting film directors of his time. His seminal 1967 British train-robbery film 'Robbery' got him noticed for the job directing Steve McQueen in 1968's 'Bullitt'. In that film, Yates turned in a car chase frequently mentioned as second only to the iconic one filmed by Billy Friedkin in 'The French Connect…

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#167 - Accessible Halloween: How to Make the Spooky Season Inclusive 35:14

6M ago35:14

35:14

Halloween is widely celebrated around the world in many different ways, but have you ever considered how to make your celebrations inclusive and accessible to all? Accessibility is a huge thing today, and it’s really important not to make anyone feel left out of the celebration. In this episode, Charlotte shares some studies and ideas to make your …

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170. 'Killers of the Flower Moon' (2023) 1:59:45

6M ago1:59:45

1:59:45

Martin Scorcese's new film 'Killers of the Flower Moon' is in many ways his magnum opus; it's a film carefully wrought with all of his and his production team's highest possible creative efforts, and it also marshals all those resources in the furtherance of a greater collective understanding and reckoning with yet another dark chapter in America's…

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#166 - A Century of Magic: 100 Years of the Walt Disney Company 1:23:07

6M ago1:23:07

1:23:07

In 1923, Walt Disney founded his company with nothing but determination and a dream. In the century since its creation, it has taken over the world with theme parks, media of all kinds, merchandise, and more. In this episode, Ellie takes us through the entire 100-year history of the Walt Disney Company, from its humble beginnings to the multimedia …

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169. Phone Call Scenes In Movies 1:17:24

7M ago1:17:24

1:17:24

A particular interest of mine is phone calls in movies. I'm interested in them as plot devices, as examples of good or indifferent screenwriting, as opportunities for actors to show different sides of themselves in scenes where they're not opposite other actors, and on and on. In this episode we'll take a look at a few different genres of Movie Pho…

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#165 - The Real History of Barbie 27:04

7M ago27:04

27:04

Barbie was created in 1959 by Ruth Handler as an alternative to baby dolls, giving girls the opportunity to imagine their future selves not only as caregivers, but as anything they wanted to be. Over the last 60 years, Barbie has empowered girls to imagine themselves in aspirational roles from a princess to president — but there’s a lot more to the…

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168. All of Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Scenes in 'Charlie Wilson's War' 1:03:31

7M ago1:03:31

1:03:31

An appreciation of Phillip Seymour Hoffman and his brilliant portrayal of real-life CIA Most Interesting Man Gust Avrokotos in Mike Nichols' final film 'Charlie Wilson's War'.By Meetinghousetv.com

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#164 - Welsh Mythology: The Ancient Bond Between Corgis and Fairies 22:37

7M ago22:37

22:37

We're back after our hiatus, and it's time for another episode about animals and mythology! Did you know that Corgis, the most adorable butt-wiggling dogs in the world, are noble steeds for fairies in Welsh myths? In this episode, Ellie tells us a few different stories involving these pointy-eared cuties. --- Where to Find Us: Head to our website, …

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167. Albert Brooks & Julie Hagerty in 'Lost In America' (1985) 1:33:13

7M ago1:33:13

1:33:13

'Lost In America' was Albert Brooks' 3rd film as a writer/director/star and remains probably the most broadly-appealing of his films. It's one of two of his films to have been given the Criterion stamp of cineaste approval, the other being the often-underrated 'Defending Your Life', and now, and perhaps even more important, it's the first of his fi…

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166. 'Across 110th Street' (1972), the Film and Song 1:25:21

8M ago1:25:21

1:25:21

'Across 110th Street' is a 1972 Harlem crime film that contains many of the tropes of the exploitation films of the era...but it also contains incredible performances from black actors whose skills rise far above the material at hand, people like Paul Benjamin, Yaphet Kotto, Richard Ward, and Marlene Warfield. And Bobby Womack's title song was used…

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165. The Michael Keaton Ray Nicolette Cinematic Universe 1:16:54

8M ago1:16:54

1:16:54

Elmore Leonard's cocky, energetic ATF Agent Ray Nicolet is a key protagonist in his book 'Rum Punch'. For Quentin Tarantino's film adaptation of 'Rum Punch', 'Jackie Brown', the character, now named "Ray Nicolette" was embodied by the brilliant Michael Keaton with a perfectly cocky, energetic physicality. While cinematic universes are commonplace n…

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164. 'Jackie Brown' (1997) 1:03:06

8M ago1:03:06

1:03:06

Quentin Tarantino surprised fans with the release of his third film, 'Jackie Brown' coming as it did on the heels of the global phenomenon that was 'Pulp Fiction' in all its unprecedented Tarantino-ness. Devoid of gory violence, 'Jackie Brown' is a thoughtful, hilarious, insightful and moving crime story that manages to be incredibly faithful to th…

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163. 'To Live and Die in LA' (1985) 1:21:46

8M ago1:21:46

1:21:46

Billy Friedkin, maybe the weirdest (in a good way) major American director of his generation, almost doesn't make sense on paper; wait...the same guy directed 'The French Connection' and 'The Excorcist'? But the ups and downs of Friedkin's storied and somewhat haphazard career are what makes him one of the most interesting directors to consider. An…

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162. 'Barbie' (2023) 1:03:05

9M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

A deep-dive into the semiotics of 'Barbie' and its post-feminist critique of corporate capitalism and American mores. Just kidding, I went and saw 'Barbie' with five 12-year-olds. Six, if you count me. But seriously, this episode unpacks some of the things I found interesting about the film, its very existence, its brilliant marketing and repositio…

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We'll Be Back Soon! 2:37

9M ago2:37

2:37

We're just dropping in to say we're taking a short break and we'll be back very soon! In the meantime, head over to our Patreon where we'll be keeping you updated, and you'll be first to know about our plans to return! --- Where to Find Us: Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com, to read full episode notes and see a list of links and resources used…

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