Episode 62 – 'The Keep' - a podcast by Phi Phenonenon

The one entry in Michael Mann’s filmography that the director rarely speaks about is his second theatrical feature and his one foray into fantasy, an unfortunate experience both with its production and post-production. On this episode, I’m joined by Ted Haycraft and Lani Gonzalez as we discuss:

- why a movie can’t necessarily be categorized as a “mess” when the studio cuts its director’s cut by over half its length;
- how, maybe, Mann “bit off more than he can chew” from a production standpoint;
- Tangerine Dream’s amazing ethereal proto-’80s synth score;
- why Mann’s filmmaking is so expressionistically visual or existential brilliant to some;
- and why it’s so humorless, turgid, or joylessly masculine to others.

Also:

- How this movie mixes so many genuinely impressive FX shots with cheesy, incomplete ones;
- all the mythological early acting of now-seminal actors like Gabriel Byrne and Ian McKellen;
- a deep dive into the number of times Mann has recut his films;
- and a deep dive into the number of times there has(n’t) been scripted humor or lightness in a Mann film.

Ted Haycraft is film critic for Evansville’s WFIE-14 and co-hosts Cinema Chat on its Midday show. He can also be found on Cinema Chat’s Facebook page.

Lani Gonzalez writes about film for both Book and Film Globe and, alongside her husband (and former guest-host) AJ, their blog Cinema Then and Now.

The Keep is available on VOD to rent and is also available on DVD in Australia.

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