Fanacek

Eric Todd & Brad Crain from This Week In Charles Bronson

As a kid, I would love when my favorite shows would advertise an upcoming "very special" episode.  It often meant there was gonna be drug use, domestic violence, or the threat of pedophilia.  Sadly, this "very special" episode of Fanacek has none of those things, but it does have Eric Todd and Brad Crain from one of my favorite podcasts, This Week In Charles Bronson.  I was a guest on their show earlier this year to discuss the 1972 Charles Bronson classic, The Mechanic.  Since then, I've been an avid listener of their show and you should be as well.  Their show is helping to keep the Bronson movie catalog and legend alive and the world is a better place for it.  During our chat we discuss the origins of their show, some of our favorite Bronson movies, and wax poetic on Bronson's strengths as an actor.  Enjoy!

S5 E16 80s Actors: Movies vs TV (Part 2)

"Never quit the hit".  That's what they say.  Hollywood history is filled with the cautionary tales of actors who, despite television success, were seduced by the glitz and glamour of big screen stardom.  Let's not forget, there used to be a very solid line drawn between movie stars and TV stars.  On this episode, we are going to look at actors we knew in the 80s who worked on screens both big and small, but ultimately chose to stay in their lane and pursue TV stardom.  They knew that their bread was buttered on TV and they were just fine with it!  Make a cocktail, recline back in the lazy boy, and let 'ol Fanacek tell some tales.

S5 E15 80s Actors: Movies vs TV (Part 1)

Remember when there was a definitive line between movie actors and television actors?  Movie actors were at the top of the food chain while TV actors were bottom feeders.  Prestige TV and streaming services have changed that forever, but in the 80s it was a still very real divide.  The next several episodes will look at actors in the 80s who did both.  Some did it well, some crashed and burned, and others just knew it was best to stay in their lane.  Part 1 will take a look at actors who kicked ass on both the big screen and small.  Crack a beer, recline back and enjoy.

S5 E14 A Mark Blankfield rabbit hole

I spend more time on the IMDb app than any human being should.  I love pausing whatever I'm watching to look it up on IMDb and study the cast, trivia, filming locations, etc.  I call these my little rabbit holes and this episode of the podcast is a journey through forgotten TV shows and movies that started when I thought I recognized actor Mark Blankfield from a Saved By The Bell episode.  This somehow leads us to a discussion of The Incredible Shrinking Woman, Joe Pesci's forgotten TV show Half Nelson, and some of Glen A. Larson's TV misses like Manimal, Automan, The HighwayMan, Chameleons, and NightMan.  We're also gonna touch on ABC's sketch show Fridays, abysmal made for TV movie sequels, and Tarzan's link to a religious cult.  Somehow this all ends with The Sopranos and I don't even remember how I got there.  Enjoy!

S5 E13 Movies that became TV shows...80s Edition! (Part 2)

More 80s!  More Movies!  More failed TV shows!  This week we're looking at some almost classic Sci-Fi films that became short lived TV shows like Starman and Alien Nation.  We also discuss The Outsiders and do a head to head comparison between the iconic cast of The Outsiders movie and that of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  We'll also go down the rabbit hole that I call Baby Boom and my feelings toward Diane Keaton.  We conclude by discussing the sordid history of the television version of 9 to 5.  It's amazing if you're into this sort of thing.  A colossal waste of time if you're not.

S5 E12 Movies that became TV shows...80s Edition! (Part 1)

I know I know.  I covered some of this stuff in Season 2.  Well, I'm not done covering it, so sit back, kick off your Roos and pop open a Diet Rite while I dissect and poke fun at some classic 80s movies that became not-so-classic 80s TV shows.  We'll explore the cast of Ferris Bueller and how they couldn't fill the shoes of the O.G. cast.  I'll try and explain the rationale behind Ron Howard's Gung Ho being made into a sitcom while also scratching my head at Dirty Dancing's foray into television.  We will finally make Joaquin Phoenix go head to head with Leo DiCaprio as we discuss Parenthood's first dip in the TV pool and I'll wrap things up by celebrating arguably the greatest young cast in movie history, the stars of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  Aloha! 

The Church of Tarantino's Reverend Scott K!

I love Quentin Tarantino.  Hell, I devoted an entire season of the show to my favorite movie of all time, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.  So imagine my surprise in 2023 when I came across a podcast called The Church of Tarantino.  It made me want to be an altar boy again!  The Church of Tarantino dives deep into QT's films by focusing on scenes, characters, QT's inspirations, and everything else in the Tarantino Universe.  This season, the show is focusing on the 30th anniversary of Pulp Fiction.  I was lucky enough to be joined in this episode by host Reverend Scott K and we had a blast talking about Quentin's latest abandoned project, The Movie Critic, and some of the actors, movies, concepts, etc. that Quentin's movies, book, and podcast turned us onto.  So grab some Jesus juice and pull up a pew because we're about to take you to church!

A Conversation with Author Thom Shubilla

Thom Shubilla is an author and his new book kicks ass!  James Bond and the Sixties Spy Craze takes us on an in depth journey of film and television's obsession with spies in the 1960s.  We start with James Bond in 1962's Dr. No and weave our way through the rest of the 60s Bond movies.  But you can't stop there because 'ol 007 inspired countless wannabes in spoof films, international films, and some of our favorite 60s TV shows.  We have exploitation films, rom coms, horror movies, and even The Flintstone's got in on the spy craze.  So, slap on a tux, shake up a martini, find yourself a Bond girl and enjoy this special episode of Fanacek.

Things That Make You Go Hmmm..80s TV Edition

There was so much weird stuff going on in some of our favorite 80s TV shows and this episode is gonna shine a little light on some of my favorite questionable choices exposing a few of my favorite things that make you go hmmm...
We'll start with The A-Team's willy nilly approach to remaining incognito, and ALF having complete freedom to roam the house.  We'll also get frisky while discussing Al Bundy's libido and the big Boner on Growing Pains.  Let's not forget the bastard daughter on My Two Dads and the #smartiestoowhite approach to education on Head of the Class.  We'll wrap things up by questioning the awful life choices of Jesse and Joey on the most edgeless show of all time, Full House.  So, pull up a chair and crack a beer cuz this shit is gonna be fun.

S5 E8 Keeping House Part 3 -The Finale

It's arrived!  The finale of my three part series, Keeping House.  This episode will take a close look at two iconic 80s sitcoms that, surprisingly, did not feature housekeepers.  First up is The Golden Girls.  I'm not sure how these four ladies kept their house so clean and they're wardrobes so pristine without some hired help.  What I am sure of, though, is that these ladies liked men and the men of Miami liked them as well.  I explore every horny detail.  You're welcome!  Next up is The Cosby Show.  This is a tough one to tackle given the legacy of The Coz.  I explore the unrelatable themes of the show and eventually shine a light on how creepy this show truly was...while also being really funny...it's very conflicting.  So, get out the chocolate cheesecake, turn up the jazz, put on your favorite brightly colored sweater and enjoy!