At the Movies #66: The Shape of Water (2017) w/ Caitlyn Paxson
https://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFAtTheMovies66ShapeOfWater/SandfAtTheMovies66–ShapeOfWater.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSIt’s finally here. The Show Formerly Known as Shoot the WISB returns with its new name: At the Movies. In today’s episode, we’re joined by Caitlyn Paxson in a riveting discussion of the much-acclaimed Guillermo Del Toro fantasy, The Shape of Water. The crew looks at how the film examines folklore, its approaches to marginalized identities, where it succeeds and fails, the importance of the color green, and much more. We hope you enjoy the episode!
The Intersection: The Shape of Water
I am a Guillermo del Toro fan. Mind you, I didn’t discover him until Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006, but I made up for it. (And if you haven’t seen The Devil’s Backbone and The Orphanage, you absolutely should.) So, when I heard he was doing a Creature From the Black Lagoon kind of film with extra-added romance, I was all in. The preview can be found here. My expectations, based upon the trailer, were something between Creature From the Black Lagoon and Edward Scissorhands. I thought it would be creepy and sad because that’s Guillermo del Toro’s work, and he does it very, very well. However, this time I was surprised. The film is gorgeous. All his films tend to be, and it’s obvious that every visual aspect is carefully chosen. The creature makeup and design was exactly right. The costumes are impeccable. I think the film is set in 1961 or possibly 1962.[1] The cast is amazing, and I was very happy to see Octavia Spencer. She’s wonderful as Zelda Fuller, Elisa Esposito’s coworker. Interestingly enough, this film is a Feminist one—unlike the original Creature From the Black Lagoon which features a monster kidnapping a white woman so he can have his way with her and a hero who must save her from being plundered. In this case, the two roles are switched. The villain in The Shape of Water is played by Michael Shannon and is a walking, talking sack of toxic masculinity which particularly fits the era—a time when square-jawed heroes featured heavily in film and literature. It was nice to see that role as the antagonist. Even the Russians (the standard Big Bad of the ’50s and ’60s) weren’t as awful. I appreciated that.
#40. Crimson Peak (2015) — A Shoot the WISB Subcast w/ Trish Matson
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/ShootTheWISB40CrimsonPeakWTrishMatson/ShootTheWisb40–CrimsonPeakWTrishMatson.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSGothic romance, freaky houses, and Tom Hiddleston, oh my! In this special, Shaun-free episode of Shoot the WISB, Rachael and David are joined by secret ninja editor Trish Matson for a discussion of Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak. We hope you enjoy the episode! Note: If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below):
#05 — Pacific Rim (2013) — A Shoot the WISB Discussion w/ Michael R. Underwood
http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/ShootTheWISB5PacificRim2013Reviewed/Shoot%20the%20WISB%20%235%20–%20Pacific%20Rim%20%282013%29%20Reviewed.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSGiant robots, giant monsters, and city-smashing goodness! For this episode of Shoot the WISB, Mike Underwood returns once more to join Paul, David, and I to discuss Pacific Rim. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. Spoiler Alert: the following podcast contains spoilers for the film being reviewed; if you wish to see the film without having it ruined for you, download this podcast and save it for later. Download the episode here. Show notes: Pacific Rim (IMDB) Shaun’s Post About His Movie Experience Paul’s Website Paul’s Twitter Functional Nerds David’s Website David’s Twitter David’s Books Michael’s Website Michael’s Twitter Michael’s Books Note: We’re shifting over the Shoot the WISB segments from my personal blog to The Skiffy and Fanty Show. Why? It just makes more sense, I suppose. If you’ve never listened to the Shoot the WISB casts, you’ll likely see them pop up in your iTunes or RSS feeds over the next few weeks.
