Closed Set w/ Themistoklis Alexis

This week, we revisit the life and work of the great Czech-British filmmaker Karel Reisz (1926-2002). A seminal figure of England's Free Cinema movement and the British New Wave, Reisz announced his arrival with the 1960 "kitchen sink" classic Saturday Night and Sunday Morning before directing memorable films like Morgan - A Suitable Case for Treatment, Isadora, The Gambler, and The French Lieutenant's Woman. Join us as we celebrate the work of a reserved and unassuming man who deftly examined some of the darker sides of human behaviour. Kisses many.

In this episode, we desperately try to stave off the sophomore jinx with a comprehensive look at the life and work of George Roy Hill (1921-2002), who helmed classics like the western Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, caper film The Sting, the flapper-era musical Thoroughly Modern Mille, the cult classic Slap Shot, and the adaptation of John Irving's novel The World According to Garp. Join us as we revisit these works and more in the spectrum-spanning catalogue of the erudite, stingy, and perverted Hill.

We properly kick off the Closed Set podcast with a celebration of the life and work of John Cassavetes (1929-1989), a pioneer of independent American cinema responsible for films like Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, and Love Streams. A uniquely talented director, actor, screenwriter, and playwright, Cassavetes remains beloved by filmmakers and cinephiles alike for his raw, honest, and most importantly, nuanced examinations of love and life. Kisses many.