Ep. 133 PlayTime (1967) - a podcast by The Twin Geeks

After many attempts of conjoining in person yet again, a mutual love of the French comic auteur and his gargantuan masterwork PlayTime have reunited our two cohosts for an in-person discussion of their various misadventures throughout the day, as well as the setting and spectacle of Tati's grandiose playground for his signature Monsieur Hulot character. Tati's recurring themes about the oppressive reach of modernist design and technological advancements reach skyscraper-like heights in this epic farce, at the time the most expensive film made in France. The meticulous detail of Tati's eye vigilantly crafts every detail in every frame, capitalizing on every moment as an opportunity for social satire and absurdist romp. We talk about all the big moments that make an audience roar, as well as the small jokes that illicit a constant chuckle. But most of all, we zero in on what makes Tati's comedy so universal, to such a point where a cacophony of languages are heard throughout the film with nary a sign of a subtitle to translate, much to the surprising benefit of the overall piece. On top of all that, we recount the wonderful day we shared together, from Calvin's unfortunate brush with the law to the latest videogames we're eagerly anticipating the return of the Daydreamcast for proper discussion, not to mention the time we had tearing up the town at the various arcades and restaurants we visited before moseying our way over to the historic Hollywood Theater for an incredible cap on our raucous night out. All of this and more from your independent resource on classic and contemporary cinema.

Timestamps:

00:00: Back Together Again!

00:45: Calvin's Brush with The Law

02:33: Uhh this isn't the Daydreamcast?

04:29: Calvin Comes to Town/The Cultural Allures of the Big City

09:35: Crying about Cry Macho, Neo-Westerns vs Modern Westerns, The 2020 Oscars?

12:55: An exclusive look at the first trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza

17:24: Arcade Escapades

29:11: Introducing the Hollywood Theater

36:39: PlayTime

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