A Master is Gone - Remembering Michael Chapman (November 21, 1935 - September 20, 2020)

The great cinematographer Michael Chapman has passed away at the age of 84. Join me on this solo episode where I pay tribute to the man who lensed Hal Ashby's The Last Detail (1973), Philip Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Carl Reiner's Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) & The Man with Two Brains (1983), and Bill Murray & Howard Franklin's Quick Change (1990), and his last film Gábor Csupó's Bridge to Terabithia (2007). Nominated for The Academy Award twice -his second nomination in 1993 for Andrew Davis' The Fugitive (1993), but the two films he is best known for are the Martin Scorsese directed masterpieces Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980) - for which he received his first nomination. He also directed a half a dozen films including the Tom Cruise starring All the Right Moves (1983) and Clan of the Cave Bear (1986). He was truly an exceptional artist and although he had retired in 2007 his passing is a loss to the artistry of cinema.

Thank you for your continued patience, love, and support. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com.

When It All Changed - Remembering September 11th - WatchThis W/RickRamos

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Ibrahim & I sit down to discuss the 19 year anniversary of the September 11th attacks which took the lives of nearly 3,000 people. We give our own recollections of that day as well as discuss the movies that depict these events and were inspired by that day. We discuss Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, Stephen Daldry's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Spike Lee's 25th Hour, and Paul Greengrass' United 93. Take a listen as we remember this horrible day.

Thank you for your continued support. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Thanks!

Evil Hides in Plain Sight - Tim Roth's The War Zone

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, I welcome Mr. Chavez back to the podcast to discuss one of the most unjustly overlooked films of the 1990's - TimRoth's look at a family slowly disintegrating. Featuring a cast led by Ray Winston as Dad, Tilda Swinton as Mum, and Lara Belmont and Freddie Cunlieffe as their teenage kids. We can't say more about this film without giving away too much. So, take a chance on one of the best films that too few audiences have seen.

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Thanks for the continued support.

Painting with Light - The Art of John Alton

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos I go solo to talk one of the greatest cinematographers the industry has ever known - John Alton. Looking at three of his classic Noir films- T-Men (1947), and Raw Deal & He Walked By Night (Both 1948), I break down what is truly great about Film Noir. The magic of smoke, fog, shadows, and - especially - Black & White photography to create a world of tension, fear, and surprise.

I had a great time talking about this. Take a listen and let me know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com

As always, my thanks & appreciation for your continued support.

"It's like weighing air . . ." - Wayne Wang & Paul Auster's Smoke & Blue in the Face

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Ibrahim & I sit down to discuss a forgotten classic of 90's Independent Cinema, Director Wayne Wang and Writer and Co-Director, Paul Auster's Smoke - a beautifully nuanced look at the inhabitants of a Brooklyn neighborhood and the cigar shop that so many of them congregate. With a great lead performance from Harvey Keitel and a supporting cast including William Hurt, Harold Perrineau Jr., Giancarlo Esposito, Stockard Channing, Ashley Judd, and Forrest Whitaker, Smoke is a great showcase for this group of eclectic actors. While Smoke was finishing production, Wang and Auster realized that they had gold with outtakes and additional scenes the actors had improvised. Under budget and schedule, the directors went to Miramax and were given the funds for an additional five days to shoot Blue in the Face, a fun and lively film that continues the previous story and expands the world of the characters. Both films are wonderful gems of 90's cinema. Take a listen to this fun and interesting conversation.

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Our Continued Thanks.

The Power of Soul - Alan Parker's The Commitments

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos I go solo to remember the late English filmmaker Alan Parker who passed away this July 31st at the age of 76. With a filmmaking career that begin in the early 1970's, Parker would be a force in cinema for nearly a quarter of a century. He created such exemplary films as Bugsy Malone (1976), Midnight Express (1978), Angel Heart (1987), Mississippi Burning (1988), among others. This week WatchThis focuses on his 1991 Muscial look at the Dublin working class, The Commitments based on the short novel by Roddy Doyle. This is a fantastic film. Although the episode starts as a remembrance and celebration of the late filmmaker, it quickly becomes an argument for the power and drive that film can inspire. If you haven't seen this film you owe it to yourself to do so. Hopefully, my endorsement will help lead you in that direction.

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

Coffee & Cigarettes & Conversation: Jim Jarmusch's Coffee & Cigarettes (1986 - 2004)

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Ibrahim & I sit down to discuss That Poet of Independent Cinema Jim Jarmusch. In 1986 Jarmusch began shooting a series of short films that would ultimately evolve into eleven films all centered around the cultural staple of Coffee & Cigarettes. Featuring Roberto Benigni, Steven Wright, Jack & Meg White, Steve Coogan, Alfred Molina, Reneé French, Cinqué & Joie Lee, Steve Buscemi, The RZA & The Gza, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Iggy Pop, and Tom Waits, among others. A slow, contemplative, often-hilarious series of shorts, Jarmusch stands as one of the most important artists in the history of cinema. Take a listen as we discuss Jarmusch, his films, and the culture of coffee and cigarettes. Thanks for listening. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks!

Always The Last to Know: Gene Hackman as Harry Moseby in Arthur Penn's Night Moves (1975)

Take a listen as Rick Ramos flies solo to talk Gene Hackman in Arthur Penn's classic Neo-Noir Thriller Night Moves (1975). A bravado showcase for Gene Hackman's subtlety. It is exactly this type of performance that has flown Hackman under the radar of great actors for so many decades. Never given the recognition of his 70's era colleagues such as DeNiro, Pacino, and Hoffman, Hackman gives a nuanced and subtle performance that lets audiences and film lovers know why he was one of the best actors in the latter half of cinema's history. Take a listen as I discuss this underseen 1970's gem from director Arthur Penn.

As always, Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Thanks for the continued love and support.

My Dark Places - Nicholas Ray's In a Lonely Place (1950)

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, I go solo to give my opinions on Nicholas Ray's touching and tragic In a Lonely Place (1950) with a character-defining performance by the iconic Humprhey Bogart. With a supporting performance from Academy Award winning actress Gloria Grahame (The Bold & the Beautiful - Brilliant!), Ray's film is a telling look into the world of Hollywood and the darkness and (sometimes) hopelessness of the artist. Take a listen. The episode covers what the critics consider a "noir" but I take issue with that categorizing. I also go over how I'm handling the quarantining - books, series, and movies that I'm watching during these trying times. Take a listen . . . It's a lot of fun! 

Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.

Nineteen-Eighty-Four & A Half:  Terry Gilliam's Brazil 

On this week's episode of WatchThis W/RickRamos, Ibrahim & I sit down to discuss Terry Gilliam's masterful take on Totalitarian Rule and Orwellian Dystopia in 1985's Brazil. Featuring a great lead role by character actor Jonathan Pryce and a wonderful supporting cast including: Katherine Helmond, Jim Broadbent, Charles McKeown, Kim Greist, Ian Holm, Peter Vaughn, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, and Robert DeNiro (in one of his earliest cameo performances). From the struggles in getting it made, the brilliance of what was created, and the subsequent attempts by Universal Studios (specifically President & CEO, Sid Sheinberg) to wrestle the film from Gilliam and shape it into a more palatable and audience-friendly product. 

This was a great discussion between someone who loves the film and has seen it numerous times and someone who is viewing it for the very first time. Take a listen and let us know if you have us much fun listening as we had in discussing it. Questions, Comments, Complaints, & Suggestions can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com. Our Continued Love & Thanks.