The Next Reel Film Podcast

How does James Dean fare opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson? Did this film need to be 3 ½ hours long? Where does the name ‘Bick’ come from? And where are all the giants? Tune in to this week’s episode to get these answers and more!

Show Notes

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"Who gets a hold of this much land unless they took it off someone else?"

Looking at the characters James Dean played in his three leading roles, it’s clear that he was excited to play complex characters that weren’t easy to define as simply ‘protagonist’ or ‘antagonist.’ In his final film, Giant, Dean plays a cowhand that could have easily become a love interest in the first half of the film before he takes a darker turn later on. After looking at his previous films, it seems absolutely like a role Dean would take. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we wrap up our series on Dean’s three films with George Stevens’ 1956 epic Giant.

We talk about the length of the film and the need for this to be an epic that also suffered from epic length – does it help or hinder? We chat about Dean’s brilliant performance paired with the other performers in the project, notably Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson. We also ponder the name ‘Bick’ quite a bit, pondering its evolution. We dig into the scene where Dean serves Taylor some tea and pull out some interesting tidbits. We debate whether Around the World in 80 Days should have beaten this out of a Best Picture Oscar. And we revel in some of the elements in this film – racism, women’s rights – that feel fresh to see in a film from the 50s (and a sad reminder that we still have a ways to go).

It’s not one of our favorites (certainly not Pete’s) but there is a lot of interesting stuff going on here and it makes for a great conversation. So check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Film Sundries

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Creators and Guests

Host
Andy Nelson
With over 25 years of experience in film, television, and commercial production, Andy has cultivated an enduring passion for storytelling in all its forms. His enthusiasm for the craft began in his youth when he and his friends started making their own movies in grade school. After studying film at the University of Colorado Boulder, Andy wrote, directed, and produced several short films while also producing indie features like Netherbeast Incorporated and Ambush at Dark Canyon. Andy has been on the production team for award-winning documentaries such as The Imposter and The Joe Show, as well as TV shows like Investigation Discovery’s Deadly Dentists and Nat Geo’s Inside the Hunt for the Boston Bombers. Over a decade ago, he started podcasting with Pete and immediately embraced the medium. Now, as a partner at TruStory FM, Andy looks forward to more storytelling through their wide variety of shows. Throughout his career, Andy has passed on his knowledge by teaching young minds the crafts of screenwriting, producing, editing, and podcasting. Outside of work, Andy is a family man who enjoys a good martini, a cold beer, a nice cup o’ joe. And always, of course, a great movie.
Host
Pete Wright
#Movies, #ADHD, & #Podcasting • Co-founder @trustory.fm🎥 The Next Reel Family of #Film Podcasts @thenextreel.com🎙️ Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast @takecontroladhd.com📖 Co-author of Unapologetically ADHD • https://unapologeticallyadhdbook.com

What is The Next Reel Film Podcast?

A show about movies and how they connect.
We love movies. We’ve been talking about them, one movie a week, since 2011. It’s a lot of movies, that’s true, but we’re passionate about origins and performance, directors and actors, themes and genres, and so much more. So join the community, and let’s hear about your favorite movies, too.
When the movie ends, our conversation begins.