Best Bill Ackerman Podcasts (2026)

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Episode 242: Favorite Films of 2025 (feat. Patrick Ripoll + Bill Ackerman) 4:53:21

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3h ago4:53:21

4:53:21

What a year. Thank God it's over. For a nearly five-hour long conversation among my two dearest friends and fellow podcasters, we reveal 25 our of favorite films of 2025. One of our guests mainly focuses on the horror genre while I decide not to rank the titles and simply list them in alphabetical order. Obviously, my number one is a film we talked…

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Bonus Episode: Bloodbeat (1983) 33:01

4h ago33:01

33:01

What the hell is Bloodbeat?? From one-and-done French filmmaker Fabrice-Ange Zaphiratos, filmed in Wisconsin. A young woman travels to rural Wisconsin to meet her boyfriend's family, but she becomes possessed by the spirit of a Japanese samurai who goes on killing spree anytime she becomes aroused. You read that synopsis correctly which is precisel…

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Episode 73: Keith Gordon 2:56:37

4d ago2:56:37

2:56:37

Bill speaks to actor and filmmaker Keith Gordon about his life and career, from making Super 8 shorts and interning at MOMA's film archives after school to acting in Off-Broadway plays and Hollywood movies like JAWS 2, ALL THAT JAZZ, DRESSED TO KILL and CHRISTINE, to directing independent films like THE CHOCOLATE WAR, A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, MOTHER NIGHT…

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Bonus Episode: Favorite Songs of 2025 1:18:22

2d ago1:18:22

1:18:22

Happy Bonus Episode to all and to all a good listen. Here are some of my favorite songs of 2025 that you can enjoy as an 80-minute playlist here in the feed. YouTube and Spotify won't likely keep it up for long (if at all) but it'll be here in the official feed for now as a gift to the listeners who want to hear some new tunes that I really enjoyed…

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Episode 241: Michael Ritchie (feat. Peter Sobczynski) 2:09:54

2d ago2:09:54

2:09:54

Side note: In the midst of the migration from Substack to Ghost, this episode got lost in the shuffle somehow so it's back in the feed now. Apologies for the confusion / repost. There may be bugs but hopefully few and far between. Thanks again for the support, all! Returning guest, Chicago film critic, and regular contributor to the Movie Madness p…

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B-Side Me Episode #3: Fiona Apple 1:29:47

2d ago1:29:47

1:29:47

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along w/co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month. T…

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Episode 72: Skip Elsheimer 2:02:04

9d ago2:02:04

2:02:04

Bill speaks with archivist and A/V Geeks founder Skip Elsheimer about his many creative endeavors, from publishing fanzines like Preparation X and performing with the Wifflefist musical collective to preserving and sharing thousands of 16mm educational and ephemeral films. Topics include ZOOM, George Lucas, FELICIA, sponsored nutritional films, Rol…

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Episode 71: Josh Hurtado 2:33:25

24d ago2:33:25

2:33:25

Bill talks to film critic and Potentate Films founder Josh Hurtado about his many pursuits, from writing for Screen Anarchy and contributing Blu-Ray special features to consulting for film festivals and teaming up with Dylan Marchetti's Variance Films on a wildly successful theatrical re-release of S.S. Rajamouli's RRR. Topics include: Masala films…

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Episode 70: Willow Catelyn Maclay 2:10:56

1M ago2:10:56

2:10:56

Bill speaks with film critic and author Willow Catelyn Maclay about her various endeavors in film culture, from writing freelance criticism and creating the Curtsies and Hand Grenades website to contributing to special features to Blu-Rays from labels like Mondo Macabro, Arrow Video and American Genre Film Archive and co-authoring the book CORPSES,…

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Episode 69: Erica Shultz 2:23:55

1M ago2:23:55

2:23:55

Bill talks to author and podcaster Erica Shultz about her endeavors in film culture, from creating shows like Unsung Horrors to writing and publishing her book THE SWEETEST TABOO and contributing special features to various Blu-Ray releases. Topics include Letterboxd, Horror Gives Back, Customers Also Watched, Emerald Video, DEEP IN THE HEART, less…

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B-Side Me Episode #2: Belle & Sebastian 1:12:11

2M ago1:12:11

1:12:11

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along w/co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month (w…

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Bonus Episode: Jim & Patrick Watch The Entire Nightmare In Elm Street Series In One Day! 59:06

2M ago59:06

59:06

No description necessary! The title says it all. Well it was tempting to record all 12 hours of us talking through the entire franchise for the ultimate commentary track and podcast for 7 films, we thought it was best to record quick reactions after each film as we binged them all in one entire day. Happy Halloween, bitch! BE SURE TO STAY TO THE VE…

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Episode 240: Mike Flanagan (feat. Chloe Waryan) 1:56:02

2M ago1:56:02

1:56:02

Returning guest, writer, librarian, Instagram superstar and host of the Not Scared Podcast, the great Chloe Waryan, returns for her yearly visit to talk about a horror filmmaker! This time it’s all about the beloved Mike Flanagan. Do we love him as much as the rest of the horror community? You’ll have to listen to find out not just our thoughts, bu…

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David McCloskey: Secrets of a Novelist 40:35

3M ago40:35

40:35

David McCloskey, former CIA Analyst turned novelist is out with his fourth book, The Persian, about an Iranian dentist who is recruited by Mossad to take on a dangerous mission inside Iran. Cover Stories Host Suzanne Kelly digs in on how McCloskey's real-life Intelligence background fueled his latest novel, and discovers a few of McCloskey's own se…

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Bonus Episode: One Battle After Another (feat. Bill Ackerman, Patrick Ripoll) 1:37:52

3M ago1:37:52

1:37:52

Spoilers spoilers spoilers! If you haven’t seen One Battle After Another (and you should) then wait to dive into this month’s bonus conversation featuring friends Bill Ackerman (of Supporting Characters) and Patrick Ripoll (of 96 Greers) as we have an impromptu talk about the latest PTA film, One Battle After Another and how it is conversation with…

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The Person Who Wrote the Book on Writing Books 30:22

3M ago30:22

30:22

Have you ever wanted to write a book but not known where to start? We've got some answers for you. Jane Friedman, the author of "The Business of Being a Writer" joins us to explain the ins and outs of deciding what kind of publisher is right for your writing, how to approach a literary agent, what to include in a book proposal and much more. She of…

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B-Side Me Episode #1: Smashing Pumpkins 1:41:06

4M ago1:41:06

1:41:06

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the debut episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians/songwriters that we think are worth discussing. Alongside co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music …

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Episode 239: Kenneth Lonergan (feat. Mitchell Beaupre) 1:56:46

4M ago1:56:46

1:56:46

Returning guest, film writer and all-around great human being Mitchell Beaupre from Letterboxd (and a number of publications) returns for the third time to discuss a mutual favorite filmmaker of ours, the incredible Kenneth Lonergan. All three of his films mean a lot to us both so we opted to bypass the new format (which consists of two films per e…

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The Spy and the Devil 34:15

4M ago34:15

34:15

Former British diplomat and current Cipher Brief expert Tim Willasey-Wilsey is just out with a book called "The Spy and the Devil: The Untold Story of the MI6 Agent Who Penetrated Hitler's Inner Circle" We'll talk with him about the never before told story of Baron Wilhelm Von de Ropp, a German aristocrat, who became a British citizen and who spied…

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Talking "Skwerl" and "Cheese" with author Elliot Ackerman 28:55

4M ago28:55

28:55

Author and former Marine Elliot Ackerman's latest tale is about an ex-CIA Ground Branch operator who goes by his call sign, "Skwerl" and a former Afghan special ops pilot who goes by the name "Big Cheese" so you're probably already getting a good picture of Ackerman's latest novel Sheepdogs, which follows Skwerl and Cheese on a globe-trotting adven…

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#199 Brittany Ackerman 2:02:21

4M ago2:02:21

2:02:21

The Los Angeles-based Brittany Ackerman is the renowned author of the tremendous novel, The Brittanys, & is working on a brand new book called The Style Of Your Life. We talk about that book, what it was like promoting her last book, meeting boys through MySpace, the medical establishment, yoga, & more. Brittany... what a tremendous guest, what a t…

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The North Korean Threat: Intelligence and Diplomacy 35:57

5M ago35:57

35:57

Ambassador Joe DeTrani's The North Korean Threat: Intelligence and Diplomacy — A Personal Memoir is a candid insider's account of more than three decades navigating the perilous world of U.S.–North Korea relations. We'll talk with him about some of his experiences as a CIA officer, senior U.S. negotiator, and Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks. …

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The Moldavian Gambit 27:56

5M ago27:56

27:56

Lots of forces were released when the Soviet Union came apart in the early 1990s. Brad Meslin imagines the worst case scenario in his novel "The Moldavian Gambit" in which a man-portable nuclear device goes missing from a Soviet arsenal in Moldova and may have ended up in the hands of terrorists threatening to detonate in a western capital. Meslin …

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#196 Noam Hessler 2:30:02

5M ago2:30:02

2:30:02

Noam Hessler is an authentic genius - a poet, and the author of the brand new "Officeparks", his collection of poetry pending release from Farthest Heaven. Noam has been a very enjoyable guest on the show previously, and he returns for an astounding episode where we talk poetry & visual art; he recounts his most recent trip to Europe; we talk about…

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Bonus Episode: 1999 Review - The Year In Music 2:08:46

6M ago2:08:46

2:08:46

For this excursion into something besides movies, I would recruit friend and Austin-based journalist Dan Solomon to go back 20 years to talk about a year in music - an art form that I love every bit much as film. For this retrospective, my guests and I curate a new list of ten favorite records from that year, playing snippets of certain songs and d…

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Rekindling Memories of the Fuji Fire 44:02

6M ago44:02

44:02

In October1979, the most powerful cyclone in recorded history, raced across the Pacific and set in motion circumstances that caused a horrendous fire at a U.S. Marine Corps facility at the foot of Japan's Mount Fuji. Thirteen Marines died of their burns and more than 70 other people were seriously injured. And yet few people today know of or rememb…

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#193 Dan Spencer 2:12:38

6M ago2:12:38

2:12:38

The great Dan Spencer returns to Tales From The Mall. If you don't know Dan Spencer yet, you're going to want to! He's a genius singer & songwriter from Cookeville, TN. I recommend streaming his music and catching him live. He's also a great guy - very smart, very funny, and he's my great friend. We have a wonderfully relaxed & hilarious chat on Ta…

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Episode 238: Michael Bay (feat. guest hosts Chloe Waryan and Luther Moss) 2:46:21

6M ago2:46:21

2:46:21

Do you like explosions?! Well you're in for a summer treat. Thank you so much to guest hosts Chloe Waryan and Luther Moss for covering a director on Director's Club I never would want to cover without losing my mind. What a delightful discussion and it’s an honor to put this out for all to hear! You "don't want to miss" this episode! You also don't…

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Taking Midway with Martin Dugard 30:53

7M ago30:53

30:53

Martin Dugard is an enormously prolific, best-selling author. In addition to ten mega-million selling books co-authored with Bill O'Reilly, He has authored a fistful of books about World War II including "Taking London," "Taking Berlin" and "Taking Paris." Now he is back with "Taking Midway: Naval Warfare, Secret Codes, and the Battle That Turned t…

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Episode 237: Ross McElwee 50:05

8M ago50:05

50:05

I once saw a film called Sherman’s March which of course I adored. But then a year or so ago, I watched another film by the same director, Bright Leaves. For some reason, it had a profound effect on me. This episode goes into detail as to why. Joining me throughout is Illinois archivist and historian Eric Edwards for this unconventional approach to…

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Adapting CIA Training to Survive in Hollywood 29:44

8M ago29:44

29:44

Former CIA Officer Rodney Faraon served in some pretty fascinating roles at CIA – including as a daily briefer to former director George Tenet and as Chief of the unit that dealt with Chinese and Taiwanese relations. Since retiring, he's kept his analytic hat on as a Partner at Crumpton Global but he also took a turn toward Hollywood and did what m…

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The Paranormal Ranger 35:35

8M ago35:35

35:35

From 2007 – 2012, the Pentagon secretly funded a small program called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program tasked with investigating reports of military encounters with Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. In 2020, the Defense Department launched a new unit called the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force led by the U.S. Navy. And in 2…

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#191 - Nicholas Rall 2:19:11

9M ago2:19:11

2:19:11

Incredible episode. Nicholas Rall is an incredibly talented writer. He is the author the fantastic novella AFX8CCD out now on Expat Press. I talk to him about his book & the creative process, Pittsburgh, Final Fantasy, John Steinbeck, cats and more. Thank you so much, Nick, and thank you, listener!Nicholas on "X": https://x.com/viiviidsmiileNichola…

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One Man's Journey from CIA to Hollywood Consultant 28:58

9M ago28:58

28:58

Former CIA Officer Gus Kangas knew from his time in the ROTC in college, that he wanted to be an Intelligence Officer. But a convergence of mission, technology, COVID and a CIA tragedy turned him in the direction of embracing Hollywood storytelling techniques, which later opened the door to him becoming a consultant on the Paramount+ show, "The Age…

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Episode 236: Jack Clayton (feat. Rachel Bellwoar) 2:03:49

9M ago2:03:49

2:03:49

What an honor and a joy it was to talk with Rachel Bellwoar, an extremely talented writer and pop culture enthusiast whose work I’ve enjoyed discovering over the years. Thanks to many mutual cinephile friends and podcasters, we crossed paths in the world of Facebook and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her on the show to talk about an underappre…

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The Determined Spy 32:16

9M ago32:16

32:16

Veteran journalist Douglas Waller is out with a new book "The Determined Spy: The Turbulent Life and Times of CIA Pioneer Frank Wisner. We will talk with Waller about his fascinating examination of the life of a brilliant man who was a standout member of the World War II OSS, one of the founders of the CIA, and a combatant in the nascent Cold War. …

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The Russian Diplomat's Wife 30:14

9M ago30:14

30:14

Ken Dekleva is no ordinary spy novelist. Not by a long shot. He is a doctor who served as a Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist with the State Department for 14 years. He is a Senior Fellow at the George HW Bush Foundation for US-China Relations, and a Salzburg Global Fellow. He brings his special insights to the fore in his third novel "The Russ…

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TFTM #188 - Sean Moeller 1:40:34

10M ago1:40:34

1:40:34

Sean Moeller is a legendary figure in the world of American music, and is now an author as well. Sean ran the iconic music website, Daytrotter, which featured live-to-tape sessions of some of music's greatest acts. Now, the Quad Cities-based Sean has written Plain Clothes Hamburglar, a collection of fascinating writing, out now on the press Rejecti…

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Raiding The Admiral's Bookshelf 36:27

10M ago36:27

36:27

Admiral Jim Stavridis isn't just a prolific writer – having written a number of both fiction and non-fiction books since retiring from the military where he served as former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe at NATO – he's also an avid reader. His latest book, The Admiral's Bookshelf brings those two worlds together as she shares the 25 books that h…

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Episode 235: 1995 - Year In Review (feat. Collin Souter & Erik Childress) 5:55:58

10M ago5:55:58

5:55:58

Not too big of a summary this time around since the title says it all and there’s a lot to get to in terms of the episode proper. Every year around late February / early March, I call upon my Chicago film critic buddies Collin Souter & Erik Childress to join me for an epic episode discussing as many movies as we possibly can, traveling back in time…

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The Traitor's Tale 40:37

10M ago40:37

40:37

James Lawler was a highly-decorated CIA officer who conducted some legendary textbook level operations for the Agency. He now excels as a novelist and is out with his third work of fiction "The Traitor's Tale: A Novel of Treachery Within the CIA." We will talk with Lawler not only about the book – but about his career and how his art sometimes imit…

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Episode 234: Nick Digilio (Celebrating 40 Years As A Film Critic) 2:10:00

11M ago2:10:00

2:10:00

This is a celebration, not just another Director’s Club episode for a reason. Back in 1990, I became an avid fan and follower of today’s guest and he’s been on this show a couple of times in the past, most recently for the Paul Thomas Anderson Part II episode. I’m talking of course about Nick Digilio. 40 years ago, he began his career as a professi…

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Story of a CIA Wife 29:04

11M ago29:04

29:04

In "Story of a CIA Wife," Rosie Mowatt-Larssen shares her journey from Germany to the United States, where her life took an unexpected turn when her husband joined the CIA. Suddenly immersed in a world of secrecy, Rosie grappled with anxiety and doubt as she adjusted to her husband's covert career. We will talk with her about the unique challenges …

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Secret Servants of the Crown 43:43

11M ago43:43

43:43

Dr. Claire Hubbard-Hall has broken the code on how to discover and report on the remarkable history of women who have silently served British intelligence over the years. In her book "Secret Servants of the Crown: The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence" (published in the U.S. on February 25, 2025, tells heretofore untold tales of the real wome…

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#183 Bill (Farthest Heaven) 2:27:04

11M ago2:27:04

2:27:04

Bill, aka Will, is the founder and CEO of Farthest Heaven. He's also one of Tales From The Mall's greatest friends. Brendan was the Best Man at his wedding. And he joins the show for a FREE chat about everything under the sun, including Joyce Carol Oates, Real Genius, fish research, gaming, R. Kelly, and so much more. I love you Bill. Enjoy. Bill o…

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Episode 233: Elaine May (feat. Sharon Gissy) 2:03:28

12M ago2:03:28

2:03:28

Let’s forget all about inauguration day (since this comes out on January 20th, 2025) by focusing on someone who truly matters, the legendary comedic mind of Elaine May, pioneer of improv sketch comedy and so much more! We focus on all four of her directorial films and sing the praises of nearly all of them. Yes, that MAY include her last feature fr…

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The Eurasian Century 31:31

12M ago31:31

31:31

Hal Brands, a renowned expert on global affairs, talks with us about his new book: "The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World. Brands argues that Eurasia's strategic geography can illuminate the contours of rivalry and conflict in today's world. We will talk with him about what can be learned from Eurasian wars o…

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Professional Courage - Telling It Like It Is 44:17

12M ago44:17

44:17

To say that retired Army Major General Jack Leide had a remarkable military career would be an understatement.. He has been inducted into four different halls of fame - the US Military Attaché Hall of Fame, the US Military Intelligence Hall of Fame, the Defense Intelligence Agency's "Torch Bearers Hall of Fame" and the Army Foreign Area Officer Hal…

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Episode 232: Favorite Films of 2024 (feat. Bill Ackerman) 4:55:09

12M ago4:55:09

4:55:09

Nearly five hours of conversation and recommendations all about the year 2024 in cinema! Bill Ackerman (host of Supporting Characters and guest host of this show) and I reveal 25 favorite films, talk about the year in general and have a lot to say as usual. In addition, you’ll get to hear thoughts from previous guest Chloe Waryan as well as a tradi…

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Episode 231: Jackie Chan (feat. Sam Inglis & Gabe Powers) 2:56:53

1y ago2:56:53

2:56:53

Happy holidays! Grateful to my incredibly smart and passionate guests to cover a genre I’m not as well-versed in - Hong Kong cinema particularly martial arts action. I am familiar with Buster Keaton though unlike the first time I saw Rumble In The Bronx back in 1995 at the local multiplex. Nevertheless, I know I was watching a legendary talent of t…