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
NOSFERATU writer/director Robert Eggers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:31
Writer/Director Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Witch, The Northman, Nosferatu) discusses a few of {@text|Pronoun@} favorite films with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone…
ADULT SWIM YULE LOG 2: BRANCHIN' OUT writer/director Casper Kelly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:05
Writer/director Casper Kelly (Too Many Cooks, Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out, Cheddar Goblin) discusses a few of his favorite films with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc…
DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE author Warren Zanes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:21
Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska author Warren Zanes discusses his favorite movies about the return of the unresolved with Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi…
MEANWHILE ON EARTH writer/director Jérémy Clapin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:27
MEANWHILE ON EARTH writer/director Jérémy Clapin discusses a few of his favorite films with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
TOXIC AVENGER writer/director Macon Blair [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:21
Writer/Director Macon Blair discusses a few of his favorite comfort food movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
THE UNIVERSAL THEORY filmmaker Timm Kröger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:33
The Universal Theory director Timm Kröger walks us through some of his most influential movies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tony & Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Michael R. Jackson PART 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:57
The conversation continues as Tony & Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Michael R. Jackson discusses his favorite horror films with Josh Olson and Joe Dante featuring a deep dive into the work of John Carpenter. Learn mor…
Tony & Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Michael R. Jackson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:55
Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Michael R. Jackson discusses his favorite horror films with Josh Olson and Joe Dante featuring a deep dive into the work of John Carpenter. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis…
IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE writer/director Greg Jardin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:11
IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE writer/director Greg Jardin discusses a few of his favorite films with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices