Unwatchables with Marc & Seth

By Unwatchables

On Unwatchables, we dive deep into the most controversial, disturbing, or just misunderstood films. From punishing art films to extreme horror to bizarre curiosities, Marc and Seth test their limits and try to pin down what separates the art from the trolling. At the end of each episode, we answer the same question: If you could, would you Unwatch this?

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. Find us at unwatchablespod.com.

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Ep. 32 - Jeanne Dielman feat. Marya E. Gates

Unwatchables with Marc & SethJan 24, 2023

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01:13:56

Ep. 61 - Dear Zachary feat. Erik Davis

Unwatchables welcomes Erik Davis, managing editor of Fandango.com, to discuss possibly the most heart-wrenching film we’ve yet covered. Erik wrote the first review of 2008’s true crime doc DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER after its Slamdance premiere, and anyone who’s seen it knows it’s not the kind of movie you ever forget. We discuss what makes it so uniquely devastating, how it holds up after all these years, and whether the way it handles its big “secret” is shamelessly exploitative.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Apr 16, 202401:04:33

Ep. 60 - The Good Son

Today we welcome back Jetta Weinstein, aka Letterboxd's theironcupcake, to discuss the film that scarred a generation of HOME ALONE fans. Macaulay Culkin was at the height of his child stardom when his father/manager signed him on for HOME ALONE 2 under one condition… that his next role be the murderous child sociopath in 1993’s R-rated thriller THE GOOD SON. We’ll talk about who this movie was possibly made for, whether it was actually responsible for the end of Culkin’s career, and if it has THE most insane ending we’ve ever seen. You can find more from Jetta at https://letterboxd.com/theironcupcake/

Apr 02, 202401:04:37

Ep. 59 - I Love You, Daddy

Today’s film is so controversial it’s never actually been released. In 2017, comedian Louis CK wrote, directed, and starred in I LOVE YOU, DADDY, which was pulled just a week before release after a New York Times article detailed his sexual misconduct; as if that timing wasn’t bad enough, the film itself concerns a director known for his sexual indiscretions with minors. We talk about how it fits into the #MeToo movement, whether CK had a future as a director, and if the movie really is as cursed as it sounds.

Mar 19, 202401:17:51

Ep. 58 - The Zone of Interest feat. Amy Hensarling

Unwatchables is thrilled to welcome back Amy Hensarling of Watch This List for our special pre-Oscars episode! Jonathan Glazer’s harrowing Holocaust drama THE ZONE OF INTEREST may be the most unconventional Best Picture nominee in years, if not ever; we discuss Glazer’s entire career, his uniquely unsettling approach to a familiar unsettling subject, and whether in this case he went far enough. You can find more from Amy at https://letterboxd.com/amyhensarling/ and you can check out her podcast, Watch This List, at https://t.co/UWxbDl7Rnj

Mar 05, 202401:19:17

Ep. 57 - 00's Horror Remakes (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre / The Hills Have Eyes)

Today’s Unwatchables looks back at a stretch of the 2000’s when seemingly every grimy horror classic was getting a slick, ultra-gory remake. Author and podcaster Mallory Smart joins us to discuss contemporary updates of two of the most iconic and disturbing guerilla horror films of the 70’s, and whether they might actually be *more* sadistic than the originals. They are Marcus Nispel’s glossy 2003 THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, and Alejandre Aja’s brutal 2006 THE HILLS HAVE EYES.

You can find more from Mallory at https://mallorysmart.com/

Feb 20, 202401:22:07

Ep. 56 - Two by S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk / Brawl in Cell Block 99)

Today’s Unwatchables is all about the loquacious, shockingly brutal modern exploitation films of S. Craig Zahler. Special guest Matt Belenky helps us discuss Zahler’s artful approach to extreme violence, the controversy around his perceived politics, and whether his films are actually as regressive as their inspirations. On deck are 2015’s grisly horror Western BONE TOMAHAWK, and 2017’s face-smashing prison flick BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99.

You can find more from Matt at https://letterboxd.com/saveferris71/

Feb 06, 202401:26:45

Ep. 55 - The Cult of Damon Packard (Reflections of Evil / Foxfur)

Unwatchables kicks off Season 3 with one of the most notorious outsider cult films of the 2000’s. With help from video essayist Jacob Sleezer, we dissect the surreal provocations of filmmaker Damon Packard, starting with his epic, vomit-drenched, copyright-infringing magnum opus, 2002’s REFLECTIONS OF EVIL. Topics include Packard blowing his inheritance, whether he might actually be unwell, and his years-in-the-making sci-fi whatsit FOXFUR.

You can find Jacob on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/wormwould/ and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh-IwbDtNPL6T6zrngXpOCw

Jan 23, 202401:31:27

Ep. 54 - Jackass

For the Unwatchables Season 2 finale, we’re tackling the highest-grossing— and we do mean gross— documentary series of all time. In this special “Producer’s Pick” episode, our producer Tony Scarpitti helps us discuss the JACKASS phenomenon, how the films evolved over the years, and which parts we found too painful to endure. In the end, we rank all four theatrically-released films… a stunt that should not be performed at home.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Dec 12, 202301:42:32

Ep. 53 - Sleeping Dogs Lie feat. Mike D'Angelo

Film critic Mike D’Angelo returns to Unwatchables with our most unexpected guest pick yet: Bobcat Goldthwait’s 2006 dark comedy SLEEPING DOGS LIE. We discuss what makes it so queasy yet unexpectedly moving, how Mike’s opinion has shifted over the years, and whether this is the first rom-com to pivot on an act of bestiality. ALSO: Stay tuned after the discussion for our first Unwatchables guest questionnaire, including Mike’s most unpopular opinion and most Unwatchable film.

You can find more from Mike at https://www.patreon.com/gemko

Nov 28, 202301:27:44

Ep. 52 - Queen & Slim feat. Robert Daniels

Today’s guest is Robert Daniels, associate editor of http://RogerEbert.com, to help us discuss a controversial fugitive drama that takes a provocative look at police violence against Black Americans. 2019’s QUEEN & SLIM is the feature debut of Melina Matsoukas— director of the iconic music video for Beyonce’s “Formation”— and stars Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya. So why has it become potentially overlooked? We discuss how it holds up today, Snoop Dog’s hostile reaction at the screening Robert attended, and the online discourse over its ending. You can find more from Robert at https://www.rogerebert.com/contributors/robert-daniels Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Nov 14, 202301:11:15

Ep. 51 - Halloween Special feat. Katie Rife (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer / The Golden Glove)

Who better to join our Halloween special than film critic Katie Rife, aficionado of all things horror? She proves her strong stomach by exposing us to two of the most harrowing serial killer films ever made, starting with 1986’s hugely influential HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. We discuss its revolutionary approach to depicting violence, how it comments on the true crime genre, and one of its most repulsive descendants: Fatih Akin’s 2019 stomach-churner THE GOLDEN GLOVE.

You can find more from Katie at https://x.com/RifewithKatie

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Oct 31, 202301:27:13

Ep. 50 - The Kids Still Aren't All Right feat. B.R. Yeager (Bully / Mysterious Skin)

We’ve already tackled two films from KIDS’ Larry Clark on our previous “Kids Aren’t All Right” episode— who’d have thought he had more unwatchable in him? Today we’re joined by B.R. Yeager, author of the acclaimed horror novel NEGATIVE SPACE, for further evidence that the kids still aren’t, in fact, all right. Both of these films show the dark side of coming of age in all its potential trauma and violence, though only one offers any glimmer of hope: Clark’s 2001 true crime story BULLY, and Gregg Araki’s 2004 sex abuse drama MYSTERIOUS SKIN.

You can find more from B.R. Yeager at https://www.bryeager.com/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Oct 18, 202301:41:20

Ep. 49 - Clean, Shaven / Keane feat. Isaac Feldberg

Today’s films take us deep into the subjective sensory experience of extreme mental illness, including at least one character with paranoid schizophrenia. Chicago film critic Isaac Feldberg (of http://RogerEbert.com, Paste Magazine, and more) joins us to discuss the very different— but equally harrowing— approaches of two superficially similar films, both by writer/director Lodge Kerrigan: his auspicious, disturbing 1993 debut CLEAN, SHAVEN, and its 2004 spiritual remake KEANE.

You can find more from Isaac at https://linktr.ee/isaacfeldberg

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Oct 03, 202301:34:06

Ep. 48 - Puppet Perversion (Meet The Feebles / Let My Puppets Come)

Today we’re joined by Bob McCully from the film podcast Split Your Head to discuss two of the first films to violently tear up the notion that puppets are just for kids. Back when puppetry was mostly the domain of children’s entertainment, these movies brought enough graphic sex, drugs, and violence to traumatize any child unlucky enough to stumble upon them: Peter Jackson’s 1989 ultra-dark comedy MEET THE FEEBLES, and Gerard Damiano’s 1976 pornographic musical LET MY PUPPETS COME. You can follow Bob on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bobmccully/ and check out his podcast, Split Your Head, at https://www.youtube.com/@splityourheadpodcast

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Sep 19, 202301:27:39

Ep. 47 - Queer Controversy feat. Guy Lodge (Querelle / Taxi zum Klo)

Today we’re tackling two controversial landmarks in gay cinema with help from Guy Lodge, film columnist for The Observer and chief UK film critic for Variety. Both films were scandalous for the early 1980’s, pushing boundaries with their unflinching depictions of the lives of gay men just before the AIDS crisis. First up is 1982’s QUERELLE, the final and most provocative film from legendary German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder; followed by 1980’s even more daring (and graphic) cult classic TAXI ZUM KLO (aka TAXI TO THE TOILET).

You can find more from Guy at https://www.filmoftheweek.co.uk/

Sep 05, 202301:19:00

Ep. 46 - NYC Cop Sleazecore feat. Jason Bailey (Cruising / Bad Lieutenant)

This week’s Unwatchables is a double feature of “NYC cop movie sleazecore”— a term coined by guest Jason Bailey, film critic, author, and host of the popular film podcast A Very Good Year. Both of these films were mired in controversy for their explicit content; both are by directed by legendary, and legendarily cranky, auteurs; and both star iconic New York actors navigating the city’s seedy underbelly. The films are William Friedkin’s (R.I.P) 1980 undercover crime thriller CRUISING, and Abel Ferrara’s 1992 morality play BAD LIEUTENANT.

You can hear more from Jason at tinyurl.com/avgy-pod and find his latest book at amazon.com/Jason-Bailey/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Aug 22, 202301:35:50

Ep. 45 - The Baby of Macon feat. Bilge Ebiri

Today we’re joined by Bilge Ebiri, one of the country’s leading film critics for Vulture and New York Magazine, to tackle Peter Greenaway’s most disturbing film. The British director may be best known for his 1989 arthouse classic THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER, but he made several other singular, controversial, and often shocking films in the 80’s and 90’s. Perhaps the most shocking of all is 1993’s THE BABY OF MÂCON, which distributors found so disturbing that it wasn’t seen for years in the U.S. and has still never had an official North American release. Now that it can finally be streamed, we see what all the fuss is about and if there’s any saving this baby from the bathwater.

You can find more from Bilge at https://www.vulture.com/author/bilge-ebiri/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Aug 08, 202301:11:43

Ep. 44 - Lindsay Lohan Edition (I Know Who Killed Me / The Canyons)

Today’s guest is Christopher Norris aka Steak Mtn, the visual artist behind album art for bands like Against Me!, the frontman of Combatwoundedveteran, and now the author of the new book THE HOLY DAY. He’s here to help us figure out what happened to Lindsay Lohan, former teen idol from films like FREAKY FRIDAY and MEAN GIRLS, who seemed on her way to working with legendary directors like Robert Altman. Instead her career took some strange turns before fizzling out, and we’re talking two of the most Unwatchable examples: 2007’s horror fiasco I KNOW WHO KILLED ME, and Paul Schrader’s 2013 “erotic thriller” THE CANYONS.

Jul 25, 202301:31:45

Ep. 43 - Sátántangó feat. Charles Bramesco

Unwatchables welcomes author and film/TV critic Charles Bramesco to discuss one of the most intimidating of all cinematic rites of passage. Bela Tarr’s SATANTANGO is 7 hours and 20 minutes long, and at least one of our hosts endured the entire film in one butt-numbing sitting. And lest you think that 7+ hours flies by, it’s also a quintessential example of slow cinema at its bleakest and most punishing. We discuss the nature of “endurance cinema,” how best to endure this particular example, and the scene that Marc found to be the hardest to watch in all of Unwatchables history.

You can find Charles' book, COLORS OF FILM, at https://www.quarto.com/books/9780711279384/Colors-of-Film

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus. You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Jul 04, 202301:12:24

Ep. 42 - Stranger Than Fiction feat. Aisha Harris (Compliance / Stuck)

Today’s Unwatchables features Aisha Harris, cohost of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour and author of the new book Wannabe: Reckonings With the Pop Culture That Shapes Me. On our “Stranger Than Fiction” episode, we discuss two bizarre true crime stories dramatized in unflinching detail: Craig Zobel’s shocking drama COMPLIANCE, and Stuart Gordon’s darkly comic thriller STUCK. We talk about what these incidents say about human nature, and how these disturbing films’ very different approaches illuminate how ordinary people can do the unthinkable.

You can find more from Aisha at https://linktr.ee/aishaharris

Jun 20, 202301:24:05

Ep. 41 - Heaven's Gate feat. Scout Tafoya

Unwatchables welcomes Scout Tafoya— critic, video essayist, and author of But God Made Him a Poet: Watching John Ford in the 21st Century— to discuss the film branded for decades as the quintessential big-budget disaster. Michael Cimino’s HEAVEN’S GATE gets blamed for a lot of things: for bankrupting its studio, for animal cruelty, and for singlehandedly ending the auteur-driver New Hollywood era. Scout helps us separate the myths from the facts, and figure out whether the film is in fact four hours of bloated self-indulgence or a neglected masterpiece.

You can find Scout's latest book on John Ford, But God Made Him a Poet: Watching John Ford in the 21st Century, at www.withanxbooks.com/store/p/but-god-made-him-a-poet-watching-john-ford-in-the-21st-century.
You can follow Scout on Patreon at www.patreon.com/honorszombie.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Jun 06, 202301:03:32

Ep. 40 - Life After The Matrix (Speed Racer / Cloud Atlas / Jupiter Ascending)

On today’s Unwatchables, we ask the question: how do you follow up one of the most popular sci-fi trilogies ever made? If you’re the Wachowskis, it’s with three straight flops, each one stranger, more expensive, and more widely derided than the last. We’re joined by Brad Efford of the internet zine Wig Wag to survey the sisters' entire post-Matrix career, and figure out if anything deserves cult status— or if it’s all just Unwatchable. They are 2008’s live-action cartoon SPEED RACER, 2012’s literary adaptation CLOUD ATLAS, and 2015’s space opera JUPITER ASCENDING.

You can find more from Brad at https://www.wigwagmag.com/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

May 23, 202301:37:25

Ep. 39 - Nekromantik / The Death King

(Content Warning: The second half of this episode contains discussions of suicide)

It’s time for Unwatchables to dive into some REALLY nasty stuff with an assist from Tom Davies, writer and podcaster for http://AVForums.com. Jörg Buttgereit’s infamously gross cult horror film Nekromantik defied state censors with its gruesome yet empathetic look at necrophiliacs (and the women who love them!), while his follow-up The Death King is an experimental anthology film about murder, suicide, and castrating Nazis (and not so much the women who love them). Are they merely gut-churning provocations, or is there more than meets the severed eye?

You can find more from Tom at http://AVForums.com⁠.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

May 09, 202301:41:24

Ep. 38 - The Act of Killing / The Look of Silence

Today’s Unwatchables takes our first dive into non-fiction with help from Jon Nix, documentary filmmaker and director of the new film Don’t Fall in Love with Yourself. Joshua Oppenheimer’s documentaries about the 1960’s Indonesian mass killings are a singularly bizarre and uncomfortable spectacle: The Act of Killing allows the killers themselves to gleefully re-enact their atrocities, while The Look of Silence sets up direct confrontations between the perpetrators and a victim’s brother. We discuss the ethical considerations of such a project, which film better illuminates its harrowing subject, and why genocidal killers are so into gaudy musical numbers.

You can find more from Jon at https://www.jonnixfilm.com/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Apr 25, 202301:24:43

Ep. 37 - Two by Yorgos Lanthimos feat. Carlos Aguilar (Dogtooth / The Killing of a Sacred Deer)

Unwatchables is joined by film critic Carlos Aguilar, writer for http://RogerEbert.com, Variety, the New York Times, and many more, to dive into one of the most original and provocative auteurs of the last 15 years. Yorgos Lanthimos has been compared to the likes of Michael Haneke and Luis Bunuel, and we’re talking perhaps his two most disturbing films: the 2009 twisted family portrait Dogtooth, and 2017’s surreal thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer. We discuss Lanthimos’ taste for the darkly absurd, Colin Farrell’s career revival, and where the director’s path may lead following an Oscar-winning costume drama.

You can find more from Carlos at ⁠https://twitter.com/Carlos_Film

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Apr 04, 202301:19:54

Ep. 36 - Freaks feat. Kristen Lopez

The Wrap’s film editor Kristen Lopez joins us this week to discuss one of the earliest entries in the Unwatchables canon. Tod Browning’s Freaks is one the most controversial films of the 1930’s, a one-of-a-kind exercise in empathy and (arguably) horror that essentially ended the career of the Dracula director. Topics include the film’s journey to becoming a cult classic, Browning’s unique and ill-fated career, and how one of the first complex depictions of disabled characters plays over 90 years later.

You can find more from Kristen at https://www.thewrap.com/author/kristen-lopez/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables⁠ to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Mar 21, 202301:10:02

Ep. 35 - Dogville feat. Richard Lawson

This week’s Unwatchables welcomes Vanity Fair's chief critic Richard Lawson to discuss one of the most audacious and savage provocations from one of our most relentless provocateurs. Lars Von Trier’s Dogville is a 3-hour critique of American “values” that’s filmed on a mostly bare soundstage and puts its star Nicole Kidman through one of the director’s most harrowing gauntlets of suffering. Topics include the distancing effect of the film’s artificial presentation, how it holds up in a post-Bush era, and if Von Tier’s misanthropy got the best of him this time.

You can find more from Richard at https://www.vanityfair.com/contributor/richard-lawson

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Mar 07, 202301:21:16

Ep. 34 - Christian Scare Films (The Burning Hell / If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do?)

Ron Ormond was a B-movie exploitation director before a near-death experience inspired him to start producing some of the most bizarre and gruesome Christian films ever made. We're joined by Cinematary’s Michael O’Malley to discuss two of his surreally morbid collaborations with Baptist preacher Estes Pirkle: 1974’s nightmare vision The Burning Hell, and 1971’s anti-communist screed If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do? We discuss how Ormond moved from the drive-in to the altar, the not-coincidental collision between evangelical Christianity and anti-Communism, and the effect these gory spectacles (which were shown at church!) would have had on young believers.

You can find more from Michael at https://www.cinematary.com/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Feb 21, 202301:28:24

Ep. 33 - Two by Harmony Korine (Gummo / Trash Humpers)

Experimental filmmaker Harmony Korine burst onto the independent film scene with his screenplay for Larry Clark's Kids, but it's his own grotesque, alienating, and often shocking films that turned him into a cult figure. Unwatchables is joined by author, musician, and Korine superfan Marzi Margo to discuss two of the director’s most notorious provocations: his 1997 directorial debut Gummo, and 2009's audience-baiting Trash Humpers. We discuss Korine's background and artistic "ethos," how we should view his infatuation with the physically and mentally disabled, and whether Trash Humpers is the most unwatchable film we've ever featured on the podcast.

You can find Marzi's latest book at https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998601276

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Feb 07, 202301:36:15

Ep. 32 - Jeanne Dielman feat. Marya E. Gates

Today we’re joined by Marya E. Gates, film critic for sites like http://RogerEbert.com and creator of both #Noirvember & #AYearWithWomen, to discuss one of the most daunting of classic films. Chantal Akerman’s Jeanne Dielman is a 200-minute minimalist art film that recently topped Sight and Sound’s poll of The Greatest Films of All Time, unseating titles like Vertigo and Citizen Kane— and pissing off much of the (male) old guard. We discuss the film’s influence on independent cinema, why the Sight and Sound list caused such controversy, and how exciting 3+ hours of domestic chores can actually be (spoiler: very!).

You can find more from Marya at oldfilmsflicker.substack.com.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jan 24, 202301:13:56

Ep. 31 - A Few Bad Men feat. A.A. Dowd (Naked / In the Company of Men)

Unwatchables kicks off Season 2 with special guest A.A. Dowd, former film editor of The AV Club and current culture editor at Chron. This week’s films challenge us to identify with main characters whose repellent behavior stretches the definition of “protagonist”: Mike Leigh’s blistering character study Naked, and Neil LaBute’s immersion in toxic masculinity In the Company of Men. We discuss the career-defining performances of David Thewlis and Aaron Eckhart, how we’re supposed to process such cruelty from our “heroes,” and what the hell ever happened to Neil LaBute.

You can find more from A.A. Dowd at https://www.chron.com/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jan 10, 202301:22:20

Episode 30 - Unexpectedly Watchables feat. Keith Phipps (The Straight Story / The Munsters)

Unwatchables closes out the year (and season one!) with film critic Keith Phipps, former film editor of the AV Club and The Dissolve, co-host of The Next Picture Show, and author of Age of Cage. In the spirit of the season, this is a special REVERSE episode: two heartwarming family films from directors who usually specialize in the Unwatchable. First up is David Lynch’s G-rated Disney drama The Straight Story, followed by Rob Zombie’s PG take on the family sitcom The Munsters. If we squint really hard, can we still make out the provocateurs behind the camera?

You can find more from Keith at thereveal.substack.com/ and www.patreon.com/NextPictureShow

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

You can support us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next. Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

Dec 27, 202201:16:23

Episode 29 - Tetsuo: The Iron Man feat. Josh Larsen

This week we’re joined by Filmspotting’s Josh Larsen— author of Fear Not, an upcoming book taking a faith-based look at horror— to discuss one of our most skin-crawling provocations yet. Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo: The Iron Man is a seminal text of both body horror and Japanese cyberpunk, an experimental horror/superhero film that’s as surreal as it is disgusting. We discuss the film’s nightmarish merging of technology, violence, and sexuality, the cultural anxieties behind it, and where the two Davids (Lynch and Cronenberg) fit in.

You can find more from Josh Larsen at: https://www.larsenonfilm.com/

You can keep up to date on Josh's new book at: https://fuller.tfaforms.net/f/fear-not

Or find his film podcast at: https://www.filmspotting.net/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Dec 13, 202201:03:34

Episode 28 - Cannes-tastrophes feat. Nathan Rabin (Southland Tales / Under the Silver Lake)

Who better to help us close out our month of high-profile misfires than THE Nathan Rabin, author of My Year of Flops and The Joy of Trash? On the table are two wildly ambitious passion projects whose disastrous Cannes premieres threatened to end their directors’ careers: Richard Kelly's 2006 gonzo sci-fi satire Southland Tales, and David Robert Mitchell's 2018 absurdist noir Under the Silver Lake. We discuss the films’ unique visions of L.A., the career-best performances of their movie star leads, and if these flops— in the words of our guest— are actually secret successes.

You can find more from Nathan Rabin at https://www.nathanrabin.com/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Nov 29, 202201:27:57

Episode 27 - Psycho (1998) feat. Matt Singer

This week’s Unwatchables features Matt Singer, film critic, author, and editor of ScreenCrush.com, to help continue our month of high-profile misfires (or are they?). His pick is one of the most foolhardy cinematic experiments ever released by a major studio: Gus Van Sant’s 1998 remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. It’s not a reimagining, a reboot, or even a legacy-quel— to use a phrase that our guest coined— but a nearly shot-for-shot recreation of one of the most iconic classics in the canon. We discuss what exactly Van Sant meant to accomplish, whether any part of it “works,” and what distinguishes Psycho ’98 from today’s soulless retreads.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Nov 15, 202201:21:44

Episode 26 - Modern Badness (Cats / Space Jam: A New Legacy)

Unwatchables is devoting November to the biggest flops, misfires, or— possibly?— misunderstood gems of the past few decades. Kicking off the month are two mega-budget failures that were widely mocked for assuming the worst of their audiences: 2019’s ill-fated adaptation of Cats, and 2021’s celebration of intellectual property Space Jam: A New Legacy. We’re joined by podcaster Emily B. to discuss whether either film actually has some kind of soul, or if perhaps there’s truly nothing to salvage.

You can find Emily B's podcast I'm Sooooo Miserable at: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F9nTeN75S3fbWG1XWzO4H

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Nov 01, 202201:27:26

Episode 25 - Halloween Special (Audition / Ichi the Killer)

Takashi Miike has made over a hundred feature films, but for our super-sized Halloween episode we’re tackling his two most notorious: 1999’s stealth extreme horror film Audition, and 2001’s ultra-violent yakuza thriller Ichi the Killer. To help us out, we welcome back one of our favorite guests, Kay (aka govnaim), who previously brought their expertise to our discussion of Salò. Topics include what makes Audition so different from Miike’s other blood-soaked genre exercises, and whether Ichi crosses the line from gory fun to truly ugly violence.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Oct 19, 202201:37:38

Episode 24 - Art or Porn? (In the Realm of the Senses / The Wayward Cloud)

Big thanks to Paul Keelan from Cinematic Underdogs for joining us for this wide-ranging discussion about two art films whose explicit— and often un-simulated— sexual content caused some to cry obscenity: Nagisa Ōshima’s 1976 erotic true crime story In the Realm of the Senses, and Tsai Ming-liang’s 2005 surrealist romance The Wayward Cloud. We discuss their wildly different yet similarly frank approaches to sexuality, and have it out about which one is actually a great movie. (Hint: we do not agree.)

You can hear more from Paul on his podcast Cinematic Underdogs at: https://anchor.fm/cinematicunderdogs

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Oct 04, 202201:26:43

Episode 23 - Irreversible feat. Mike D'Angelo

We’re thrilled to welcome professional critic Mike D’Angelo—aka “The Man Who Viewed Too Much,” staple of The AvClub, The Dissolve, Las Vegas Weekly, and now Alternate Ending, among others (as well as a thriving Patreon)— to Unwatchables. Mike personally witnessed hundreds of people flee the Cannes premiere of 2002’s Irreversible, and to this day considers it the most painful to watch of all great films. We discuss what makes the film so unwatchable (yet profound?), what sets it apart from Gaspar Noé’s other provocations, and Mike’s favorite theatrical experiences in his 27 years as a critic.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Sep 20, 202201:20:17

Episode 22 - The Bakshi Way (Fritz The Cat / Coonskin)

Unwatchables welcomes artist Jared Gonzalez to help us discuss Ralph Bakshi, whose profane, controversial animated films helped pave the way for everything from The Simpsons to South Park to Adult Swim. First up is 1972’s Fritz The Cat, the first X-rated feature-length cartoon; followed by 1975’s incendiary racial satire Coonskin (aka Street Fight). Topics include how Bakshi almost singlehandedly broke Disney’s monopoly on animation, how much R. Crumb is to blame for all the animal sex, and how to process the deliberately racist imagery of Coonskin in 2022.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Sep 07, 202201:38:20

Episode 21 - Two by Todd Solondz (Happiness / Palindromes)

Who’s more preoccupied with the Unwatchable than Todd Solondz, one of the leading misanthropes of the 90’s indie scene? Seth and Marc try to parse out whether his dark, button-pushing comedies have anything meaningful to say about sexual dysfunction and human cruelty… or if the joke’s really on us. First up is 1998’s infamously disturbing (and almost unreleaseable) Happiness, followed by 2004’s experimental abortion drama Palindromes.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Aug 23, 202201:19:24

Episode 20 - Crash

This week’s Unwatchables tackles perhaps the most controversial film by one of our most controversial directors, the master of body horror David Cronenberg. Helping us out is Andrew Swafford— one of the founders of Cinematary and its long-running weekly podcast— as we discuss 1996’s ode to car-wreck fetishists Crash. We dive into J.G Ballard’s original novel, whether the film merits a queer reading, and what we look for in a Cronenberg joint.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Aug 09, 202201:18:50

Episode 19 - Horrors of War (Come and See / The Painted Bird)

Unwatchables is thrilled to welcome Chris Gillotte, aka Letterboxd’s Ziglet_mir, for our “Horrors of War” episode. Both of this week’s films filter the atrocities of World War II through the traumatized eyes of a child: 1985’s nightmarish Soviet classic Come and See, and the 2019 adaptation of Jerzy Kosiński’s scandalous The Painted Bird. We discuss the films’ opposed stylistic approaches, the value of meticulously recreating real-life horrors, and how much it matters that The Painted Bird is total bullshit.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jul 26, 202201:26:13

Episode 18 - The New French Extremity (High Tension / Martyrs)

This week’s Unwatchables is all about “The New French Extremity,” a wave of brutal horror films whose focus on bodily harm led directly to the torture porn era of America horror. (Depending on whether you like Hostel or Saw, you can give them either credit or blame.) Our aptly-named guest Zach Butcher joins us to discuss the only example to hit U.S. theaters, followed by the most notorious of the bunch: 2003’s blood-drenched slasher High Tension, and 2008’s paean to physical suffering Martyrs.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jul 19, 202201:36:44

Episode 17 - Duck and Cover (Threads / When the Wind Blows)

Special guest Sinead Lynch joins us from Ireland to lend her expertise and cultural perspective to a discussion of some of the bleakest depictions of nuclear holocaust ever committed to film - 1984's harrowing, docu-realistic nightmare Threads and 1986's gut-wrenching animated heartbreaker When the Wind Blows.

You can hear Sinead's podcast "Crackpot Theories" at https://open.spotify.com/show/0Wv0Pp8nk26RPS43WdjQZL?si=b490d8666ccf445f or find her on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@fizzygnomes.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jul 12, 202201:29:09

UNLOCKED - Bonus Episode - Pride Month Special

Unwatchables is taking a couple weeks off for summer break, so to close out the final week of Pride month, we're unlocking a recent Patreon-exclusive bonus episode where Marc and Seth discuss their favorite LGBT films. If you're interested in hearing more episodes like this one, consider supporting the podcast by subscribing on Patreon.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jun 28, 202201:15:12

Episode 16 - When Porn Went Mainstream (The Devil in Miss Jones / The Opening of Misty Beethoven / Her Name Was Lisa)

Unwatchables is excited to welcome Jetta, otherwise known as Letterboxd’s “theironcupcake,” to this week’s episode! Our guest brings her considerable expertise to discuss the “Golden Age of Porn,” that bygone span of the 1970’s where theatrically released hardcore films enjoyed commercial and even critical success. We start with 1973’s The Devil in Miss Jones, Gerard Damiano’s follow-up to Deep Throat that still stands as the highest-grossing adult film and even earned a positive review from Roger Ebert. Next up, we compare two very different approaches to pornographic movies: the zany, Airplane-style comedy of 1976’s The Opening of Misty Beethoven, and the grim drama of 1979’s Her Name Was Lisa.

You can find Jetta on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/theironcupcake/

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jun 21, 202201:27:21

Episode 15 - Not for Kids: Animation Edition (The Plague Dogs / Felidae)

This week’s Unwatchables is proof that neither animation nor talking animals mean you’re not about to have your soul shredded. Animation expert Aaron Reese joins us to discuss two very adult cartoons where all dogs (and cats) really do go to heaven: Martin Rosen’s bleak heartbreaker The Plague Dogs, and Michael Schaack’s graphic feline noir Felidae. Aaron helps guide us through the animation techniques that make these so distinctive, why we don’t get more cat sex scenes, and how The Plague Dogs out-downs even Watership Down.

You can find Aaron's indie comics and follow his travels on Instagram at @dizwiz1982, or check out his vast collection of Disneyana and other pup culture artifacts at @the_distorian.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jun 14, 202201:38:01

Episode 14 - Two by Rob Zombie (The Devil's Rejects / Halloween II)

For our first non-arthouse horror episode, who better than Rob Zombie to drag us into the grindhouse muck? There’s nothing “elevated” about the musician-turned-filmmaker’s sadistic, blood-drenched aesthetic, including his two cult endurance tests: 2005’s grisly horror Western The Devil’s Rejects, and 2009’s singularly brutal Halloween II. We discuss Zombie’s very specific obsessions, how hard it is to stomach the relentless cruelty, and whether his skills as a director make up for his limitations as a writer.

Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.

Jun 07, 202201:31:42

Episode 13 - The Filthy Mind of John Waters (Pink Flamingos / Desperate Living)

You may know John Waters as the goofy, pencil-moustached TV personality, or from his mainstream successes like Hairspray or Cry-Baby. But his unlikely career started with some of the most transgressive and outright repulsive cult films of the 1970s, including one of the most Unwatchable© films we’ve yet tackled. Waters superfan Robin Guiler joins us for an appropriately rowdy episode about the first and last films in the director’s “Trash Trilogy”: 1972’s truly disgusting midnight movie Pink Flamingos and 1977’s filthy Wizard of Oz riff Desperate Living. We discuss Waters’ button-pushing influences, if there’s any real craft behind his seeming ineptitude, and frankly, a lot of things we don’t even want to put in this episode description.

Visit bignoisecandymountain.com/ for more information on where and when to see Seth and Robin's band Valley Girls. Unwatchables is hosted by Marc Dottavio and Seth Troyer, produced by Tony Scarpitti, featuring artwork by Micah Kraus.
You can support us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/unwatchables to get access to exclusive bonus content and weigh in on what we watch next.
Find us online at www.unwatchablespod.com or shoot us an email at unwatchablespodcast@gmail.com. We're on Instagram and Twitter under @unwatchablespod.

May 31, 202201:20:43