AMERICAN PRESTIGE host, historian and author Daniel Bessner

AMERICAN PRESTIGE host, historian and author Daniel Bessner

Author: SpectreVision Radio December 2, 2025 Duration: 1:06:17
Author/historian Daniel Bessner discusses his favorite dystopian films with Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode Vanishing Point (1971) Mad Max (1971) Casablanca (1941) Looper (2012) Hollywood Boulevard (1976) Chronicle (2012) Fruitvale Station (2013) Black Panther (2018) Knives Out (2019) Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Children of Men (2010) Idiocracy (2006) The Matrix (1999) The Animatrix (2003) Batman: Gotham Knight (2008) They Live (1988) Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) Minority Report (2002) Magnolia (1999) War of the Worlds (2005) Mission: Impossible (1996) Escape From LA (1996) Escape From New York (1981) Robocop (1987) The Warriors (1979) Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) 12 Monkeys (1995) Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1988) The Fisher King (1991) The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) Brazil (1985) Time Bandits (1981) V for Vendetta (2005) Gattaca (1997) Mad Max (1979) The Road Warrior (1981) Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985) Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) Other Notable Items Our Patreon! Our pals at Movies Unlimited The Hollywood Food Coalition The American Cinematheque in Los Angeles Spike Lee George Miller Steven Seagal Daniel’s American Prestige podcast Lawrence Summers  Daniel’s “Life and Death of Hollywood" article in Harper’s Bazaar Rian Johnson Bruce Willis Joseph Gordon-Levitt Josh Trank  Ryan Coogler Dante Alighieri Barack Obama Poker Face TV series (2023- ) Laura Dern Carrie Fisher Clive Owen Julianne Moore Lana Wachowski Lily Wachowski Slavoj Zizek Keith David Rowdy Roddy Piper Joe Pantoliano John Carpenter Harlan Ellison Tom Cruise The Mission: Impossible film franchise Philip K. Dick Steven Spielberg Max von Sydow Kurt Russell Peter Fonda “Theme From New York, New York” song by Frank Sinatra (1977) 12 Monkeys TV series (2015-18) Bruce Willis Brad Pitt Terry Gilliam Henry Jaglom The Occupy Wall Street movement V for Vendetta graphic novel series by Alan Moore and David Lloyd (1982-89) Ethan Hawke Jude Law Ernest Borgnine Nicholas Hoult Tom Hardy Charlize Theron George Miller Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road book by Kyle Buchanan (2022) The Star Wars franchise The Indiana Jones franchise Mel Gibson Daniel’s American Prestige interview with Glen Lowry This list is also available on Movies Unlimited. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a particular magic in hearing a great filmmaker talk not about their own work, but about the movies they love. That’s the heart of The Movies That Made Me. Each episode, hosts Josh Olson-an Oscar-nominated screenwriter and TFH Guru-and the legendary director Joe Dante sit down with fellow filmmakers and entertainers for deep, personal conversations about the films that shaped them. These aren’t dry academic critiques; they’re lively, passionate discussions recorded live in Hollywood, full of behind-the-scenes insight and genuine nostalgia. The atmosphere is further enriched by the technical craft of film composer Don Barrett, who engineers the sessions. This podcast, part of the SpectreVision Radio network, digs into the foundational cinema that inspires creators, spanning genres and eras. You’ll hear guests unpack the specific scenes, directors, and sometimes forgotten gems that ignited their imaginations and, ultimately, guided their careers. It’s a journey into the collective memory of storytelling, revealing how the movies we watch in the dark go on to light the way for new stories. Tune in for a series of unexpected connections and celebrated histories, all through the lens of those who make movies for a living.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Movies That Made Me
Podcast Episodes
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Duration: 27:37
Featured trailers for the movies discussed in this week's Jordan Harper episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SHE RIDES SHOTGUN novelist Jordan Harper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:33
Novelist Jordan Harper discusses his favorite film adaptations with Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode She Rides Shotgun (2025) Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) Infested (2002) War of…
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Duration: 46:04
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Remembering Jonathan Kaplan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:43
We're remembering the late great director (and Trailers From Hell Guru) Jonathan Kaplan (1947–2025) and re-running our chat with the director of Over The Edge, The Accused, and many more. Jonathan took us on a journey th…
Trailer Show: James DeMonaco [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:22
Featured trailers discussed in James DeMonaco's episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
THE HOME writer/director James DeMonaco [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:59
Writer/director James DeMonaco discusses his top ten films that evoke the surreal, hallucinatory feel of dreams/nightmares, while not actually depicting dream/or nightmares with Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Show Notes: Movi…
AIRPORTS co-director Adam Rifkin RETURNS! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34:11
Writer/Director/TFH Guru Adam Rifkin returns to discuss cinematic remixes and mashups with Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode The Movie Orgy (1968) The Tingler (1959) Hollywood Boulev…
DIABLO actor Scott Adkins & director Ernesto Díaz Espinoza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:01
Action star Scott Adkins RETURNS with director Ernesto Díaz Espinoza to discuss their favorite action scenes with Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode Diablo (2025) Mirageman (2007) Man…