Watch This With Rick Ramos

Bukowski's Drunken Streets: Marco Ferreri's Tales of Ordinary Madness Continuing our exploration of The City of Angels, Mr. Chavez & I dive into the great Los Angeles novelist, short story writer, poet, and "Dirty Old Man" Henry Charles Bukowski (1920 - 1994). Bukowski holds a special place in my heart and memories; Beginning with Notes of a Dirty Old Man and continuing through novels (Women, Ham on Rye), a screenplay (Barfly), and numerous poetry collections (War All the Time: Poems 1981-1984, Septuagenerian Stew: Stories and Poems, The Last Night of the Earth Poems), I have been a fan of Bukowski's work for the better part of three and a half decades. Bukowski's writings depict Los Angeles in a way that few wrtiers are able to match. This week we look at "Bukowski's Los Angeles" as depicted in Marco Ferreri's 1981 adaptation of the short story collection, Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness as Tales of Ordinary Madness featuring Ben Gazarra as Bukowski's alter ego

Down These Dark Streets: James Ellroy - Feast of Death Continuing our travels through Los Angeles, Mr. Chavez & I focus our discussion on the great LA Crime (Historical Crime) Novelist, James Ellroy. Famous for his LA Quartet - including The Black Dahlia, L.A. Confidential, The Big Nowhere, and White Jazz, as well as the autobiographical My Dark Places, Ellroy has written some of the most celebrated and polariizing Los Angeles based novels of the last century. His examination of the L.A. Police Department, criminals, murders, and (fictionalized) historical characters is unlike anything else in modern day fiction. It's a thrill to sit down and discuss this bold, brazen, and difficult writer. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can still be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com  As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not a

Another Lost Angel: Paul Schrader's Hardcore This week we continue our descent into Ibrahim Chavez's Los Angeles with a look at Taxi Driver screenwriter, Paul Schrader's blunt and brutal examination of the Los Angeles/San Diego/San Francisco sex trade of the late 1970s. Schrader's upbringing in a strict Calvinist environment would shape his social outlook and influence his abandonment of religion and drive towards sexual and cultural freedoms. Much like his screenplay for Taxi Driver, Schrader's Hardcore would take inspiration from John Ford's classic The Searchers, replacing the racism of that film with a difficult and controversial look at the world of pornography and the restrictive worlds that feed into it. Featuring George C. Scott in a powerful - at times sad and other times unlikable - performance of a man searching for his lost (runaway?) daughter, Season Hubley as a sex worker  he employs to lead him into this foreign world, and Peter Boyle as a smarmy, degenerate and exceptionally effective private

At Night and From a Distance: Thom Andersen's Los Angeles Plays Itself We're starting the month of December (and ending 2023) with a dive into Los Angeles in a month of programming curated by our own Ibrahim Chavez. Our first episode of December is a look at film critic and teacher, Thom Andersen's "video essay" Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003). A legend in the world of documentary filmmaking, Andersen's film was seen sporadically in screenings set up by Andersen, showings at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles (Hollywood), and filesharings through film lovers. In 2014 the film film was finally released on DVD through Cinema Guild and can also be seen (for free) on YouTube.  Examining the city of Los Angeles in three distinctive categories (Background/Character/Subject), Andersen's film is a love letter to the city and cinema itself. Questions are asked and Answers are forwarded. Take a listen and see if you agree with our thoughts on this wonderfully entertaining look at one of the world's great cities.

Beyond Laughter: Richard Pryor - Live in Concert & Live on the Sunset Strip  This week Mr. Chavez & I close out November with a look at - arguably - the greatest stand-up comic the craft has ever produced, Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor, Sr. I have been an admirer of Mr. Pryor for nearly five decades now and am unable to remember a time when I was not aware and was not in total awe of him. On this episode, Ibrahim & I look at the legacy of this great artist as well as the brilliance in both his material, delivery, and stage presence. We look at his two greatest artistic achievements, 1979s Richard Pryor: Live in Concert  and 1982s Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip. There is a whole lot to break down and we give it our all. Take a listen and let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary

Ransom: Akira Kurosawa's High & Low There are no shortage of names that define our undersrtanding and foster our enjoyment of Cinema. Scorsese, Fellini, Bergman, Leone, Eisenstein, Spielberg, Chaplin, Keaton, Lumet, Ford, Hawks . . . the list could run for pages (and fortunately for us it does). There is a name that cannot be left off . . . Best known for his Jidaigeki - Historical (Action) Dramas - including Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Rashomon, Throne of Blood, and The Hidden Fortress (to name a few), Kurosawa was a master at the modern drama, as well. Ikiru, The Bad Sleep Well, Drunken Angel, Stray Dog are a few of his modern explorations of Japanese life after the war. A masterpiece (rarely discussed and criminally underseen) is 1963's High & Low. Adapted from Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series of crime novels, High & Low is a beautiflly nuanced and brilliantly tension-guided police procedural. Re-teaming in their fifteenth (of sixteen) collaborations, Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune come together to te

When a Promise Meant Something: Sean Penn's The Pledge  November is the month of Rick Ramos and this week we continue - following Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon and Walter Hill's Hard Times - with a look at Sean Penn's 2001 The Pledge. Featuring an underrated (and I would argue tragically underseen) Jack Nicholson performance that sidesteps all of the Nicholson tropes that we have become used to, Nicholson portrays Jerry Black, a police detective on the eve of his retirement who leaves his retirement party to investigate a young girl's rape and murder. He is quickly sucked into the horror of the crime and finds himself obsessed with discovering the truth and bringing the killer to justice. Penn's film takes all of the labored and tired tropes that have become standard for the genre and manipulates them in ways that make for a fresh directorial take. Featuring an all-star cast (that never screams of stunt casting) including: Sam Shepard, Helen Mirren, Aaron Eckhart, Patricia Clarkson, Michael O'K

Oil & Blood: Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon Take a listen as Mr. Chavez & I kick off the month of November with a series of films curated by your host and producer, Rick Ramos. We begin with a discussion of Martin Scorsese's newest film - currently in theaters - Killers of the Flower Moon, a beautifully realized adaptation of David Grann's 2017 non-fiction best seller, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI.  Featuring exceptional performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, new comer Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Tantoo Cardinal, Brendan Fraser, and a powerfully restrained Robert DeNiro, Killers of the Flower Moon is a beautifully told and powerfully moving dramatization of the Osage murders of the early 1920s. Scorsese has crafted a nuanced and gripping film that only time will allow the revelation of its complete impact. It was a pleasure to begin November with this film. Comments can be directed to gondoramos@yahoo.com.  As always, we continue t

1933 . . . Words Didn't Buy Much - Walter Hill's Hard Times  On this week's episode, Mr. Ramos celebrates his 49th birthday looking at the purpose and drive of WatchThis W/RickRamos, some of his favorite films, why he loves them as he does, and culminating with a look at one of his favorite films, Walter Hill's directorial debut, Hard Times (1975). Why this films is a longstanding favorite is a mystery, however it is one that our illustrious host works to understand. Featuring wonderful performances from Charles Bronson as Chaney, James Coburn as Speed, Strother Martin as Poe, and exceptional supporting performances from Jill Ireland, Nick Dimitri, Robert Tessier, and Michael McGuire Hard Times continues to hold onto Ramos's imagination and soul. This was a fun episode. Hopefully you'll enjoy the reminiscing. If you have something to contribute you can correspond with Rick Ramos at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks. As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listen

Your #1 Fan: Rob Reiner & Stephen King's Misery This week Mr. Chavez & I close out October and Halloween with one of the great Horror/Thrillers of the 1990s, Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's Misery. A tale of King's personal struggles with the writing medium, alcohol and drug abuse, and the perils of fame told through the life of the fictional author Paul Sheldon. With the creation of Annie Wilkes - a seemingly sweet, caring, and psychotic nurse, King gave life to an incredible character that embodied many of his personal demons. Realized through the performances of James Caan as King's alter ego, Paul Sheldon, and (a new discovery at the time) Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes, King and Reiner created one of the more unsettling, disturbing, and beautifully tense thrillers in the history of the genre. With a wonderful supporting cast including Lauren Bacall, Frances Sternhagen, and - an exceptional - Richard Farnsworth, Misery, was a great film to re-visit. We are thrilled to end the month with thi

Never Sleep Again: The Horror of Freddy Krueger This week Ibrahim & i talk one of the iconic Horror figures of the late 20th Century, Wes Craven's pedophile, nightmare murderer Freddy Krueger. Through seven original films, a remake  (which we only touch on), and a Friday the13th crossover, Krueger has taken on a cryptic and overwhelming cult of popularity. Created by Craven and realized through the performance of Robert Englund, Krueger is a character that has captured the cinematic imagination and enjoyment of audiences throughout the world. With the original Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - directed by Wes Craven, followed by four quality diminishing sequels and a triumpant return to form with the Wes Craven directed Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994), the combined efforts of Craven, Englund, and actress Heather Langenkamp have created one of the great figures in Horror Cinema. Take a listen and let us know what you think - gondoramos@yahoo.com  As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listen

Full Moon Fever: John Landis's An American Werewolf in London Halloween is around the corner . . . this week Mr. Chavez & I continue our look into the Horror Genre with a screening and discussion of John Landis's 1981 Horror Classic, An American Werewolf in London. There's a whole lot going on in Landis's film (some good, some bad, some exteme), but the great gift - that it continues to deliver on - is the introduction of Special Effects and Make-Up Master, Rick Baker. On this week's episode we discuss what we feel Landis did right, what he did wrong, as well as the film's lasting impact on the entire make-up and special effects industry. Baker won a richly deserved Oscar (an award created specifically for his groundbreaking work) at the '81 Academy Awards. Take a listen and let us know what you think. It's a fun and interesting talk detailing the film, Landis's career, the history of Horror films, and the importance of the genre itself. Let us know what you think . . . gondoramos@yahoo.com.  As always, w

The Horror Double: Invasion of the Body Snatchers  This week Ibrahim & I look at a classic (a standard) of the Horror Genre - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 & 1978) and Body Snatchers (1993). Based on the 1954 Jack Finney Sci-Fi Novel, directors Don Siegel, Philip Kaufman, and Abel Ferrara have taken drastically different approaches to this material. Each film is a classic in their own rights. Take a listen and see if you agree with out assessments. As always we'd love to hear your comments and contributions at gondoramos@yahoo.com. Many Thanks.  As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Bloody Giallo - Dario Argento's Suspiria This week Ibrahim & I dive into the world of Italian Giallo Cinema with a look at Dario Argento's 1977 "masterpiece" Suspiria. Combining violence, sexploitation, the supernatural, and vibrant color, Argento's film is one that is considered one of the most influential films in the genre. For those familiar with the podcast it should come as no surprise that one of us dislikes this film and one of us wholeheartedly embraces it. Take a listen for a spirited conversation. . . it's a good time. You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com.  As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

Dark, Wild Woods: Neil Jordan's The Company of Wolves This week Mr. Chavez & I sink into the world of Fairy Tales and Warped Childrens' Stories to examine Director Neil Jordan's 1984 Horror/Fairy Tale The Company of Wolves. This is an intersting film with beautiful production design. One of us appreciates it more than the other and so the arguments begin. Take a listen as we discuss fairy tales as allegory, the storied history of werewolves in cinema and literature, as well as Neil Jordan's filmography. It's an interesting conversation that we know you will appreciate.   You can reach us at gondoramos@yahoo.com As always, we continue to look to you good and loyal listeners for support. If you have listened and enjoyed our bantering over these nearly eight years please feel free to support us with a monetary contribution. We're not asking for a whole lot. Whatever you can give is appreciated. Follow the link below to contribute.  Our Continued Thanks.  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos  

Beyond Black Tropes: Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (Part II) A second episode uploaded and ready for your enjoyment, as Mr. Chavez and Mr. Ramos continue our look at The History of Black Horror Cinema through the Shudder Network and Xavier Burgin's Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019). Take a listen as we move out of the "Blaxploitation" era and into the modern era of Black Horror. It's a fun talk. Let us know what you think at gondoramos@yahoo.com  If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. We've busted ass for a number of years, scraping by for the Love of Cinema . . . you can do the right thing by digging into those pockets and giving a little bit to help keep the lights on. Our Continued Thanks.  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/watchrickramos

First to Die: Black Noire: A History of Black Horror Part I  The first of a two-part looking at The History of Black Horror Cinema. On this episode we discuss the Shudder Network Documentary Black Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019), focusing on the history, films, tropes, and achievements of African-American Horror Cinema. Including interviews with scholars, writers, directors, and actors, Xavier Burgin's 2019 documentary is an enjoyable and informative look at a sub-genre that rarely gets the attention and examination it deserves. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com.  If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply click on the link below and go to the Buy Me a Coffee website. We've busted ass for a number of years, scraping by for the Love of Cinema . . . you can do the right thing by digging into those pockets a

Horror Well-Cut: Nicholas Roeg's Don't Look Now This week Ibrahim & I continue our descent into Horror Cinema with a look at a British Classic, Nicholas Roeg's Don't Look Now (1973). Beautifully edited, masterfully directed, and sensitively acted (from stars Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland), Nicholas Roeg's film examines the struggle of a married couple as they attempt to continue living after the accidental drowning of their young daugter. Featuring a sex scene that has stirred controversy and speculation for over forty years, Roeg's film utilizes tension built through incredible tension and editing. Don't Look Now is a film that has continued to captivate critics while unsettling audiences since the film's premiere in 1973. Take a listen and let us know what you think. We can be reached at gondoramos@yahoo.com If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the link below and donate to this long-running labor of love. Simply cl

A Mary Shelley Dick Joke: Mel Brooks's  Young Frankenstein There's absolutely no caption, intro, blurb, or description that can capture the magic and brilliance of Mel Brooks's masterpiece (arguably one of three), Young Frankenstein (1974). From a script by Brooks and star, Gene Wilder, two comic geniuses salute, honor, and show great love for the Classic Universal Horror films of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. With a brilliant supporting cast (possibly the greatest ever committed to film) including Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars, Peter Boyle, Gene Hackman, and Madeline Khan, Brooks and Wilder's continuation of James Wales's Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) faithfully recreates the Frankenstein World Cinema has come to know and love. Take a listen as Mr. Chavez & I shine a light on this incredibly loving and - often times - hilarious film.   If you've listened to us over the years, or if you're new to the podcast, and you'd like to support us you can click on the

Family Plot: William Friedkin's Film of Tracy Letts's Killer Joe This week Ibrahim & I remember the iconic filmmaker, William Friedkin. Friedkin was director of numerous classic films including: The French Connection (1971), The Exorcist (1973),  Sorcerer (1977), and To LIve and Die in L.A. (1985). His career would see numerous hits and misses, however many would agree that it ended with one of the strongest (and easily the most polarizing) films of his career . . . the Tracy Letts scripted (from his stage play) Killer Joe. Troubling material and numerous explicitly violent scenes make this film a struggle (albeit incredibly rewarding) to get through. With an powerful titular performance from Matthew McConaughey and an incredible supporting cast including: Emile Hirsch, Thomas Hayden Church, Gina Gershon, and Juno Temple, this is - arguably - one of the best films 2011 and the decade. Take a listen and see if you agree with our impressions of this overpowering film. Questions, Comments, Complaints, and Su