Episode 28: American Reds / Jay Lender

American Reds

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First Segment

Guest: Richard Wormser
0:00 - 31:47 - interview with Richard Wormser about American Reds

Second Segment

Guests: Jay Lender
31:48 - 1:02:24 - interview with Jay Lender about They're Watching

Description

On today's episode of Deep Focus, host Tom Breen interviews filmmaker and UNH professor Richard Wormser about his new documentary AMERICAN REDS, which offers a new history of the Communist Party USA, from the Russian Revolution in 1917 to the death of Stalin and the dissolution of the American party in the mid-1950s. For the second segment of the show, Tom talks with New Haven-born writer, director, and animator Jay Lender about his directorial debut, THEY'RE WATCHING.

Video Links

Opening clip for American Reds (2015) by Richard Wormser

Trailer for They're Watching (2016) by Jay Lender and Micah Wright

Episode 27: Cinestudio / 10 Cloverfield Lane

James Hanley (Lucy Gellman photo)

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First Segment

Guest: James Hanley
0:00 - 38:03 - interview with James Hanley about Cinestudio

Second Segment

Guest: Jonathan McNicol
39:12 - 52:39 - review of 10 Cloverfield Lane

Description

On today's episode of Deep Focus, host Tom Breen talks with James Hanley, one of the founding members and the current co-president of Cinestudio, an independent film theater located on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford. Tom and James talk about the founding of the theater amidst the cultural unrest of the late 1960s, as well as about the lasting impact and mission of a theater dedicated to cinema as an art form and as a force for social awareness. For the second segment of the show, Tom and guest reviewer Jonathan McNicol discuss 10 Cloverfield Lane, the unexpected "spiritual sequel" to the popular 2008 found footage monster movie.

Video Links

Trailer for 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) by Dan Trachtenberg

Other Links

http://www.cinestudio.org/

Episode 26: Herb Graff Collection / Son of Saul

SON OF SAUL

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First Segment

Guests: Brian Meacham, Bennett Graff
0:00 - 37:01 - interview about the Herb Graff film collection

Second Segment

Guests: Allan Appel, Lucy Gellman
37:02 - 57:01 - review of Son of Saul

Description

On this episode, host Tom Breen speaks with Bennett Lovett-Graff, editor at the New Haven Review and Chief of Operations at Rainmaker Thinking Inc., and Brian Meacham, Archive and Special Collections Manager at Yale's Film Study Center about the Herb Graff Collection of over 500 films now at Yale. In the latter part of the episode, he discusses the recent film "Son of Saul" with New Haven Independent reporters Allan Appel and Lucy Gellman.

Video Links

Trailer for Son of Saul (2015) by László Nemes

Episode 25: Philip Rosenthal / The Witch

THE WITCH

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First Segment

Guest: Philip Rosenthal
0:00 - 35:08 - interview the psychology of home movies

Second Segment

Guests: Allan Appel, Aliyya Swaby
35:09 - 53:04 - review of The Witch

Description

On this episode, Deep Focus host Tom Breen talks to Dr. Philip Rosenthal about the psychology of home movies. During the second half of the episode, Breen talks with New Haven Independent reporters Allan Appel and Aliyya Swaby about the new release "The Witch."

Video Links

Trailer for The Witch (2015) by Robert Eggers

Episode 24: Unsung Heroes / The Lady in the Van

LADY IN THE VAN

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First Segment

Guests: Rebecca Abbott, Frank Mitchell
0:00 - 32:08 - interview about Unsung Heroes

Second Segment

Guests: Allan Appel, Lucy Gellman
32:09 - 54:31 - review of The Lady in the Van

Description

Tom speaks with filmmaker Rebecca Abbott and historian Frank Mitchell about their 2001 documentary "Unsung Heroes: The Music of Jazz in New Haven." During the second segment, Tom discusses the latest Alan Bennett screen adaptation, "The Lady in the Van," with WNHH hosts Lucy Gellman and Allan Appel.

Video Links

Clip from Unsung Heroes by Rebecca Abbott and Frank Mitchell

Episode 23: Karyl Evans / Hail, Caesar!

Karyl Evans (Phil Holt photo)

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First Segment

Guest: Karyl Evans
0:00 - 33:02 - interview about Letter from Italy, 1944: A New American Oratorio and other movies by documentary filmmaker Karyl Evans

Second Segment

Guest: Allan Appel
33:03 - 53:57 - review of Hail, Caesar!

Description

Tom speaks with North Haven filmmaker Karyl Kreizinger Evans, director of "Letter From Italy, 1944: A New American Oratorio" and discusses Coen-brother comedy "Hail, Caesar!" with Allan Appel.

Video Links

Trailer for Letter from Italy, 1944: A New American Oratorio by Karyl Evans

Trailer for Hail, Caesar! by the Coen brothers

Episode 22: Life Ends at 30 / Anomalisa

ANOMALISA by Charlie Kaufman

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First Segment

Guests: Michael Field, Trish Clark
0:00 - 37:32 - interview about the web series Life Ends at 30

Second Segment

Guests: Allan Appel, Lucy Gellman
37:33 - 55:59 - review of Anomalisa

Description

On this episode, WNHH host Tom Breen talks to writer-director Michael Field and producer Trish Clark , creative team on "Life Ends at 30" webseries. During the latter half of the episode, he talks to New Haven Independent reporter and WNHH station manager Lucy Gellman about new film "Anomalisa."

Video Links

Trailer for Anomalisa by Charlie Kaufman

Episode 21: Dan Vieira / Debby Evans

Dan Vieira (Lucy Gellman photo)

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First Segment

Guest: Dan Vieira
0:00 - 34:33 - interview about Youth Rights Media

Second Segment

Guest: Debby Evans
34:34 - 53:47 - interview about contemporary African cinema series

Description

Host Tom Breen welcomes New Haven-based freelance videographer Dan Vieira to talk about his work with Youth Rights Media and foray into independent filmmaking, and Westville resident Debby Evans about her three-part African cinema series.

Video Links

Trailer for Labeled by Youth Rights Media

Trailer for Munyurangabo by Lee Isaac Chung

Episode 20: Gorman Bechard / The Revenant

Gorman Bechard (Thomas Breen photo)

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First Segment

Guest: Gorman Bechard
0:00 - 40:21 - interview about Who Is Lydia Loveless? and other rock documentaries

Second Segment

Guest: Lucy Gellman
40:22 - 51:03 - review of The Revenant

Description

Tom Breen talks with local filmmaker Gorman Bechard about rock docs, animal rights, and New Haven film culture.

Video Links

Trailer for Who Is Lydia Loveless? by Gorman Bechard

Trailer for The Revenant

Episode 19: Best Movies of 2015

SPOTLIGHT by Todd McCarthy

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First Segment

Guests: Dan Heaton, Arnold Gorlick
0:00 - 53:22 - discussion of the top 10 movies of 2015

Description

Host Tom Breen talks through the top 10 movies of 2015 with Madison Art Cinemas' Arnold Gorlick and New Haven movie blogger Dan Heaton.

Dan Heaton	Arnold Gorlick	Tom Breen
10. Trainwreck	10. Inside Out	10. Son of Saul
9. It Follows	9. Red Army	9. What We Do in the Shadows
8. Love & Mercy	8. Phoenix	8. Chi-Raq
7. The Diary of a Teenage Girl	7. The End of the Tour	7. Tangerine
6. Amy	6. Wild Tales	6. 45 Years
5. Clouds of Sils Maria	5. Love & Mercy	5. Carol
4. Spotlight	4. Room	4. Ex Machina
3. White God	3. Spotlight	3. It Follows
2. 45 Years	2. The Revenant	2. The Duke of Burgundy
1. Inside Out	1. Brooklyn	1. Spotlight

Video Links

Trailer for Inside Out

Trailer for Brooklyn

Trailer for Spotlight

Episode 18: Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens

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First Segment

Guests: Brian Slattery, Shafiq Abdussabur, Leo Slattery
0:00 - 50:23 - review of the latest STAR WARS entry with Brian Slattery, Shafiq Abdussabur, and Leo Slattery

Description

WNHH host Tom Breen speaks to fellow hosts Brian Slattery and Shafiq Abdussabur, as well as Slattery's nine-year-old son Leo, about what the newest Star Wars movie means for the franchise, and for viewers.

Video Links

Trailer for STAR WARS EPISODE VII

Episode 17: Jeremy Rumas / Chi-Raq

CHI-RAQ by Spike Lee

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First Segment

Guest: Jeremy Rumas
0:00 - 26:48 - interview with filmmaker Jeremy Rumas about his new surf documentary HANGS UPON NOTHING

Second Segment

Guests:Shafiq Abdussabur, Allan Appel
26:49 - 57:11 - review of Spike Lee's CHI-RAQ

Description

Host Tom Breen talks with Jeremy Rumas, director of the new surf movie "Hangs Upon Nothing." For the second segment of the show, Tom talks with Allan Appel, Shafiq Abdussabur, and Lucy Gellman about Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq."

Video Links

Trailer for HANGS UPON NOTHING

Trailer for CHI-RAQ

Episode 16: Elihu Rubin / The New Haven Trilogy

Elihu Rubin (Lucy Gellman photo)

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First Segment

Guest: Elihu Rubin
0:00 - 41:48 - interview with filmmaker and architectural historian Elihu Rubin about his New Haven Trilogy of documentaries

Description

On this week's episode, WNHH host Tom Breen speaks with Elihu Rubin, the author of Insuring the City: The Prudential Center and the Postwar Urban Landscape (Yale University Press, 2012).

Video Links

Clip from ON BROADWAY (2000)

Episode 15: Stephen Dest / Spotlight

Stephen Dest (Lucy Gellman photo)

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First Segment

Guest: Stephen Dest
0:00 - 38:03 - interview with filmmaker Stephen Dest

Second Segment

Guests: Allan Appel, Lucy Gellman
38:04 - 51:33 - review of SPOTLIGHT

Description

WNHH host Tom Breen interviews local filmmaker, writer and director Stephen Dest, then discusses the film "Spotlight" with NHI reporters Allan Appel and Lucy Gellman.

Video Links

Trailer for Spotlight (2015)

Episode 14: Best Video / The 33

Hank Paper (Lucy Gellman photo)

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First Segment

Guests: Hank Paper, Hank Hoffman
0:00 - 39:28 - interview with Best Video owners Hank Paper and Hank Hoffman

Second Segment

Guests: Allan Appel, Lucy Gellman
39:29 - 1:00:32 - review of THE 33

Description

On today's episode, host Tom Breen talks with Hank Paper and Hank Hoffman, the owners of the Hamden-based video rental store and performance venue Best Video. Tom then reviews the new movie THE 33 with Allan Appel and Lucy Gellman.

Video Links

Trailer for THE 33

Episode 13: Travis Carbonella / Doris Zelinsky

Travis Carbonella (Lucy Gellman photo)

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First Segment

Guest: Travis Carbonella
0:00 - 33:11 - interview with Travis Carbonella

Second Segment

Guest: Doris Zelinsky
35:50 - 52:05 - interview with Doris Zelinsky about People Forget, New Haven Remembers

Description

On the first segment of today's episode, Tom talks with Travis Carbonella, a local videographer whose many short promotional, documentary, and fiction movies offer a unique perspective on the people and places that make up the Elm City. They talk about a few of the subjects he’s trained his camera on to date; the differences between making a movie for hire and making one for oneself; and the challenges and benefits of being a New Haven-based filmmaker. For the second segment of the show, Tom talks with producer Doris Zelinsky about People Forget, New Haven Remembers, a new documentary about New Haven's Holocaust Memorial on Whalley Avenue.

Video Links

Travis Carbonella's video about the Westville Artwalk 2016

Episode 12: Jennifer Abod / The Passionate Pursuits of Angela Bowen

Angela Bowen (left), Jennifer Abod, and poet Kitty Tsui (PHOTO BY ROSIE KAR, PHD)

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First Segment

Guest: Jennifer Abod
0:00 - 52:33 - interview with director Jennifer Abod about THE PASSIONATE PURSUITS OF ANGELA BOWEN

Description

Deep Focus host Tom Breen sits down in the studio with Dr. Jennifer Abod, scholar, activist, feminist, and musician, to speak about her recent documentary "The Passionate Pursuits of Angela Bowen."

Episode 11: Brendan Toller / Sicario

Brendan Toller (Lucy Gellman photo)

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First Segment

Guest: Brendan Toller
0:00 - 37:18 - interview with local filmmaker Brendan Toller

Second Segment

Guests: Allan Appel, Lucy Gellman
37:19 - 54:41 - review of SICARIO

Description

WNHH host Tom Breen sits down with local documentary filmmaker Brendan Toller to talk about his latest music documentary, DANNY SAYS, about the punk rock pioneer Danny Fields.

Video Links

Trailer for SICARIO (2015)

Episode 9: Home Movie Day / VHS

Molly Wheeler (Lucy Gellman photo)

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First Segment

Guests: Brian Meacham, Molly Wheeler
0:00 - 27:01 - interview with local film archivists Brian Meacham and Molly Wheeler about Home Movie Day at the New Haven Museum

Second Segment

Guests: David Gary, Joe Fay
27:02 - 52:53 - discussion of the Yale library's new VHS collection and a VHS swap at Lyric Hall

Description

For the first segment of today's show, Tom Breen talks with film archivists Brian Meacham and Molly Wheeler about Home Movie Day at the New Haven Museum. For the second segment, he talks about the cultural and historical importance of the VHS with Yale librarian David Gary and Lyric Hall movie programmer Joe Fay.

Video Links

Trailer for the VHS documentary REWIND THIS

Episode 8: Film Masterpieces / Black Mass

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First Segment

Guests: Dudley Andrew, David Bromwich
0:00 - 43:39 - interview with Yale professors Dudley Andrew and David Bromwich about the Film Masterpieces screening series

Second Segment

Guests: Allan Appel
43:40 - 54:09 - review of BLACK MASS

Description

Tom Breen talks with Professors Dudley Andrew and David Bromwich about how to classify a film masterpiece, and then reviews BLACK MASS with Allan Appel.

Video Links

Trailer for BLACK MASS (2015)