Podcasts for Classic Film Fans: August Round-up

A lot of my podcast listening this month featured classic actresses, whether as sole focus of an episode or discussed at length. I loved all of these great tributes to some of the most talented and influential women in studio age Hollywood. All episode titles link to the show: 

Hollywood Obsessed 

Getting Personal with Hollywood Hunk and TV Action Hero Lorenzo Lamas—Part 1 

August 13, 2023 

Lorenzo Lamas is so humble and charming in this interview in which he discusses both his own career and his famous parents: Fernando Lamas, Arlene Dahl, and stepmother Esther Williams. I’m looking forward to part two.

Cinema Junkie 

Anna May Wong’s Rendezvous with American History 

August 24, 2023 

This is an excellent talk with Yunte Huang, author of Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong's Rendezvous with American History. He has a great perspective on Wong’s legacy and most important films, in which he acknowledges problematic aspects of her career, but emphasizes where she shined as a performer.

Fade Out 

Sylvia Sidney in Mars Attacks! 

August 25, 2023 

Film and culture writer Marya Gates talks about Sylvia Sidney’s final film, Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! (1996). I love how she discusses that this late film in her career was her introduction to the actress. The directors who cast film legends like Sidney have done so much to inspire interest in classic films.

Movie Nights & Matinees 

Collecting and Projecting Classics 

July 30, 2023 

This was a fascinating talk about old school film collecting and projecting. As much as I love the convenience of digital home projection, I’m always going to be drawn to the tactile allure of film.