The Next Reel Film Podcast

How realistic is any story about a severed hand that attacks people, and are we able to get past that premise to enjoy this movie? Is Michael Caine’s descent into madness effective or too much? Were the effects believable? And what is this film saying about psychology and science in the 80s? Tune in to this week’s show to get answers to these questions and more!

Show Notes

Oliver Stone had already made an indie feature film in 1973 and had written the adapted screenplay for Midnight Express which garnered him an Oscar. These elements put him in the position to write and direct his first feature film, albeit one still relatively under studio control. He found the book “The Lizard’s Tail” by Marc Brandell and really enjoyed the psychological angle of the story. He decided to adapt it as The Hand and he set to work. But for Stone’s debut directing a studio feature, does the movie work? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off our Oliver Stone in the 80s series with his 1981 film The Hand.

We talk about the nature of killer hand movies and why they’re largely so hard to buy into, but how the psychological angle of this one almost gets past that. We look at Stone and what signs of his works to come we can already see in this film. We chat about Michael Caine and his turn as an overbearing man slowly going insane and how it almost feels like a villain’s origin story. We discuss the elements of the story – divorce, emasculation as represented by the protagonist’s drawing hand getting amputated in a accident, the psychological collapse of a man unable to control his world – and look at how they work in horror films... as well as in this film. We look at the effects – from the severing of the hand to the various tricks to film a hand attacking and debate how well it works. And we look at tropes in the film and 80s attitudes toward yoga and psychologists.

It’s an entertaining film that doesn’t work completely but still is fun enough to watch. We have a great time talking about it so check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!

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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.