The Chasing Chevy Chase Podcast

Mark Begley (Wake Up Heavy), Chris Stachiw (The Kulturecast), and Mike White (The Projection Booth) host the Chasing Chevy Chase Podcast! Join us on an exciting journey through the illustrious career of this comedy icon as we explore his groundbreaking roles, behind-the-scenes stories, and timeless contributions to the world of entertainment.

Each episode of the Chasing Chevy Chase podcast brings you expert analysis, and nostalgic reflections on Chevy Chase's most iconic characters in classic films like National Lampoon's Vacation, Caddyshack, and Fletch.

On our official first episode we're discussing Joe Camp and his Benji Empire which includes the film Oh! Heavenly Dog (1980) in which Chevy plays a private dick who is killed on a case and gets sent back to Earth not as Warren Beatty but Benji the dog.  He tries to solve the case of his own murder and continue wooing Jane Seymour. 

Episode 0: Foul Play:

Listen to "S7E2. She was one tough old mama: Foul Play (1978)" on Spreaker.

Episode 1: Oh! Heavenly Dog:

Listen to "Episode 1: Oh! Heavenly Dog (1980)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Subscribe today at http://www.chasingchevypodcast.com

Subscribe at Spotify
Subscribe at iTunes

Watch:

Episode 682: Demons (1970)

Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Emily Intravia

We conclude a month of discussing Japanese films with a look at Toshio Matsumoto's 1971 film Demons AKA Shura AKA Pandemonium.  The story of the film is part of the fabric of the larger 47 Ronin narrative and is the story of a ronin (Katsuo Nakamura) who is cheated by a geisha and how he carves a bloody path for revenge.

Emily Intravia and Samm Deighan join Mike to discuss this breathtaking, disturbing film.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 682: Shura (1971)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Watch Shura at Archive.org

Music:
"Shura No Hana" - Meiko Kaji

Watch:

Special Report: Civil War (2024)

Guest Co-Hosts: Chris Stachiw, Father Malone

What kind of American are you?

On this special cross-over episode with The Kulturecast, Chris Stachiw and Father Malone join Mike to analyze the film Civil War (2024) and the work of its writer/director, Alex Garland. We discuss the film's oblique narrative and how it fails to reflect the current political powder keg of the United States.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Special Report: Civil War (2024)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future by Stephen Marche
Buy How Texas Can Be Its Own Country by Johnny Vincento
Buy They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency by Malcolm Nance

Music:
"Let's Have a War" - Fear

Watch:

In Smog and Thunder - Trailer from Sean Meredith on Vimeo.

Episode 681: Heroic Purgatory (1970)

Guest Co-Hosts: Axel Kohagen, Earl Jackson

We continue our discussion of Japanese films this month by returning to the world of Yoshishige Yoshida and his 1970 film Heroic Purgatory. It's the story of Nakano (Mariko Okada). She returns home with a lost teenager, Ayu (Kazumi Tsutsui). Meanwhile, a man posing as her dad tries to get her back, causing Nanako's husband, Shoda (Naizo Kamoda) to recall his youth as a revolutionary. Like his previous film, Eros plus Massacre, Heroic Purgatory moves with its own logic moving back and forth in time in order to tell its story.

Earl Jackson and Axel Kohagen join Mike to try and parse this dense tale of revolutionaries through the mid- to late-20th century.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 681: Heroic Purgatory (1970)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy the Kiju Yoshida Collection on blu-ray

Music:
"Purgatory" - Vangelis

Watch:

ICYMI - Bonus Episodes Galore!

In case you missed it, we occasionally do some bonus episodes that don't always get a mention on the website. Here's a whole batch of them from the beginning of 2024 until now!

Stephen Moyer on A Bit of Light (2022):

Listen to "Special Reprot: A Bit of Light (2022)" on Spreaker.

Laura Hudock on Girls State (2024):

Listen to "Special Report: Girls State (2024)" on Spreaker.

Kim's Video:

Listen to "Special Report: Kim's Video (2023)" on Spreaker.

Bill Plympton on The Tune (1992):

Listen to "Special Report: Bill Plympton on The Tune (1992)" on Spreaker.

Peter Flynn on Film Is Dead! Long Live Film! (2024):

Listen to "Special Report: Film Is Dead! Long Live Film! (2024)" on Spreaker.

Nicholas Wright on French Girl (2024):

Listen to "Special Report: Nicholas Wright on French Girl (2024)" on Spreaker.

Terry Hayes on The Year of the Locust:

Listen to "Special Report: Terry Hayes on The Year of the Locust" on Spreaker.

Dan Partland on God & Country:

Listen to "Special Report: God & Country (2024)" on Spreaker.

Roxine Helberg on Cold Copy (2023):

Listen to "Special Report: Cold Copy (2023)" on Spreaker.

Andrew Cumming on Out of Darkness (2024):

Listen to "Special Report: Out of Darkness (2024)" on Spreaker.

Peter Hutchings on Which Brings Me to You (2024):

Listen to "Special Report: Which Brings Me to You (2024)" on Spreaker.

Thomas Vincent on Role Play (2024):

Listen to "Special Report: Thomas Vincent on Role Play (2024)" on Spreaker.

Riccardo Scamarcio on Race for Glory (2024):

Listen to "Special Report: Riccardo Scamarcio on Race for Glory (2024)" on Spreaker.

Bruce Vilanch Makes the Yuletide Gay:

Listen to "Special Report: Bruce Vilanch Makes the Yuletide Gay" on Spreaker.

Watch:

Episode 680: Millennium Actress (2001)

Guest Co-Hosts: Earl Jackson, El Goro

We continue Japanese month with a request from listener Vaughn Kuhlemeier, Millennium Actress (2001). Directed by Satoshi Kon, the film tells the story of Chiyoki Fujiwara, an actress who met a fugitive when she was a young lady who spent the rest of her life looking for him. She’s approached by a filmmaker and his cameraman to celebrate the studio she helped make famous. As they learn about her life they enter into her memories and films -- as does the audience. We move seamlessly between fantasy and reality in this beautifully animated film.

El Goro and Professor Earl Jackson join Mike to discuss Kon's work.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 680: Millennium Actress (2001)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Millennium Actress on Blu-Ray

Music:
"rotation (LOTUS-2)" - Susumu Hirasawa

Watch:

Episode 679: R100 (2013)

Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Jim Vendiola

We are kicking off a month dedicated to Japanese Film with a look at Hitoshi Matsumoto’s 2013 film R100 .  It’s the story of a man (Nao Ômori) who makes a contract with an organization called Bondage.  For a year they’ll surprise him with appearances from a variety of dominatrices who will attack and humiliate him at random.  When they begin to show up where he works and lives he tries to cancel the contract but finds this impossible. 

This was a suggestion from Jim Vendiola who joins Mike along with Samm Deighan to discuss this hilarious film.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 679: R100 (2013)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy R100 on DVD

Music:
"Friday Night" - Arabesque
"Life" - Down Town Boogie-Woogie

Watch:

Episode 678: Communion (1989)

Special Guests: Whitley Strieber, Philippe Mora
Guest Co-Hosts: Joseph Maddrey, Jonathan Penner

Joseph Maddrey and Jonathan Penner join Mike to look at Philippe Mora's unusual and challenging 1989 film Communion. Written by Whitley Strieber and adapted from his own book... and his own life... the film stars Christopher Walken as Strieber, a writer who experiences an alien abduction.

Director Phillipe Mora and writer Whitley Strieber discuss the making of the film and its effect on their careers.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 678: Communion (1989)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Read Communing with Whitley Strieber by Joseph Maddrey
Buy Communion on Blu-Ray
Buy Communion by Whitley Strieber

Music:
"Mr. Spaceman" - The Byrds

Watch: