Best Christopher Schrader Podcasts (2025)

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170. The Biblical Curse of Wealth -- Micah Belong 1:00:47

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3d ago1:00:47

1:00:47

Micah Belong joins me to share a radical reading of the Book of Genesis in which wealth isn't a blessing on God's people, but a curse! I recently appeared on Micah's podcast, The Word in Black and Red, to discuss the 10 Commandments with Micah. That link is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s-2-20-exodus-19-20-arrival-at-mt-sanai-the-ten-…

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169. The Teacher and Society -- Alfie Kohn 41:01

10d ago41:01

41:01

Alfie Kohn returns to the show to discuss his new podcast, the role of teachers in social progress, and why someone's view on chatbots in the classroom tells you eveything you need to know about their view of education. You can listen to Kohn's Zone wherever you get your podcasts, or get it straight from his website: https://www.alfiekohn.org/podca…

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Case File 121: Halloween H20 2:12:04

18d ago2:12:04

2:12:04

It's the season finale of Rogues Gallery, and our final investigation of the year leads us into the eerily empty halls of Hillcrest Academy for a look back at Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. What began as a modest direct-to-video sequel was reborn as a prestige anniversary event, bringing Jamie Lee Curtis back for one last confrontation with the Sha…

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168. Enshittification -- Cory Doctorow 34:47

25d ago34:47

34:47

It's not your imagination: everything is getting worse. And there's a reason why.

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Case File 120: Total Recall 1:52:16

1M ago1:52:16

1:52:16

It's Fall Verhoeven on Rogues Gallery! Our retrospective of Paul Verhoeven's work is winding down, and we're capping it off with a trip to Mars in his 1990 action/sci-fi fever dream Total Recall. Join us as we dig into the chaotic production history, break down the wild practical effects, and debate whether or not this is all real or just an implan…

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167. Henry Fonda for President -- Alexander Horwath 1:34:34

1M ago1:34:34

1:34:34

The film Henry Fonda for President is showing this Thursday, October 2 at Duke University. Please join us if you are in the area! https://cinematicarts.duke.edu/screensociety/screenings/henry-fonda-president-alexander-horwath-2024 More than any other individual, Henry Fonda was a symbol for better, more leftist, more social democratic America, from…

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166. Goliath's Curse -- Luke Kemp 1:18:04

1M ago1:18:04

1:18:04

According to conventional history, the last 12,000 years has seen the steady march of progress from primitive savagery to enlightened civilization. In the age of Trump, Elon, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Putin, Xi, Orbán, Netanyahu, Erdoğan, and Khamenei, this story can't be true. Luke Kemp joins me to offer another story, one in which mutual aid is what mak…

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Case File 119: Paranormal Activity 1:29:46

2M ago1:29:46

1:29:46

A young couple sets out to capture proof of the strange disturbances in their suburban home, but what begins as an experiment in home video quickly spirals into a relentless descent into fear. With its no-frills found-footage style and chillingly simple premise, Paranormal Activity turned a $15,000 indie project into a box office phenomenon and rei…

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165. Politics in Hollywood Westerns-- Ruth Kinna 1:10:12

2M ago1:10:12

1:10:12

Happy 4th Anniversary to Everyday Anarchism! For this year's anniversary episode, Ruth Kinna comes on to talk about a couple of Hollywood Westerns: Fort Apache (John Ford, 1948) and Rancho Notorious (Fritz Lang, 1952). Hollywood Westerns are about law and order, violence and vigilantism, community and individualism, savagery and civilization, and i…

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Case File 118: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) 2:06:12

2M ago2:06:12

2:06:12

Lisbeth Salander had already become an international icon before David Fincher brought her to Hollywood with his visceral and uncompromising retelling of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but is this the definitive interpretation of this character and story? That's what we're digging into this week. So join us as we discuss Fincher's exacting craft,…

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164. Slow Cinema as Democratic Cinema -- Paul Schrader 46:05

2M ago46:05

46:05

In normal cinema, the goal of the director is to control the audience, to direct their gaze, to dictate their emotions. What does it mean when directors make movies where the audience is allowed to decide what the film means to them? Legendary filmmaker Paul Schrader (screenwriter of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull; director of Mishima: A Life in Four …

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163. Capitalism and Nature -- Alyssa Battistoni 51:40

2M ago51:40

51:40

Alyssa Battistoni joins me to discuss her new book Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature. Capitalist theory generally describes nature as a "free gift." If gifts are already free, why does capitalism have to claim that nature is a "free gift"? And why does capitalism keep declaring that nature is "worth" some billions or trillions of do…

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Case File 117: Killer Klowns From Outer Space 1:46:46

2M ago1:46:46

1:46:46

This week, we're diving into one of the weirdest invasions ever committed to celluloid: Killer Klowns from Outer Space. When a group of extraterrestrial circus clowns land in a small town, they don't come in peace... unless "peace" involves cotton candy cocoons, shadow puppet executions, and balloon animal bloodhounds. Topics include: how the Chiod…

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162. Divorcing Anarchism and Liberalism -- Alexandre Lefebvre 43:24

3M ago43:24

43:24

Alex comes back on the podcast and we try to separate liberalism and anarchism, with some success! (I think the problem is that what Alex and I agree on is democratic socialism - so liberal socialism and anarchist socialism end up pretty close). The business of basketball is our central example, so sorry if that part bores you to tears. Being bored…

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Case File 116: Saw 1:41:10

3M ago1:41:10

1:41:10

We want to play a game. That's right, it's time to investigate 2004's Saw - the low-budget sleeper hit that became a phenomenon and kicked off one of the most lucrative horror franchises of the last two decades. But this original entry has some key differences from the majority of its sequels, so join us as we unpack the film we remember this being…

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161. The German Peasants' War -- Lyndal Roper 1:03:54

3M ago1:03:54

1:03:54

Lyndal Roper joins me to discuss her book The Summer of Fire and Blood: The German Peasants' War. 500 years ago, German peasants learned that Martin Luther had declared that they should be free. They agreed - and Europe was plunged into war.By Graham Culbertson

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Case File 115: Deep Blue Sea 1:48:17

3M ago1:48:17

1:48:17

"Deepest. Bluest. My hat is like a shark's fin." - Henry David Thoreau This week, we're visiting the Aquatica Research Facility and submerging ourselves in the 1999 sci-fi/action/thriller Deep Blue Sea. Originally conceived as Jurassic Park meets Jaws, the filmmakers ultimately decided to take a page from Alien's playbook instead. Join us as we dis…

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160. Marrying Anarchism and Liberalism -- Alexandre Lefebvre 49:46

4M ago49:46

49:46

Alexandre Lefebvre, author of Liberalism as a Way of Life, joins me to discuss the many ways that anarchism and liberalism are compatible. Later this month, you'll here Alexander back on the show, as we try to divorce the two traditions.By Graham Culbertson

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Case File 114: I Saw The TV Glow 2:27:09

4M ago2:27:09

2:27:09

"Sometimes The Pink Opaque feels more real than real life." On this episode, we're traversing The Midnight Realm and opening up a case file on Mr. Melancholy from I Saw The TV Glow. Topics include: writer/director Jane Schoenbrun's inspiration for the story, our own personal connections to the media that this is influenced by, how authentically thi…

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159. The Folksinging Anarchist Tradition -- Willi Carlisle 57:24

4M ago57:24

57:24

In celebration of his new album Winged Victory, Folksinger Willi Carlisle joins me to discuss the connections between folk music and leftism, especially anarchism. I love all of Willi's albums. Here's his website: https://www.willicarlisle.com/By Graham Culbertson

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Case File 113: Arachnophobia 1:31:51

4M ago1:31:51

1:31:51

This week, we're headed to the quiet town of Canaima, where a deadly infestation is crawling just beneath the surface. We're breaking down Arachnophobia, the Spielberg-produced "thrill-omedy" that gave audiences a reason to check their shoes before putting them on. Topics include: the more straightforward tone of the original script, how the finish…

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158. Tolkien's Romantic Anarchy -- Meredith Veldman 1:01:49

5M ago1:01:49

1:01:49

Everyday Anarchism goes back to where it all began: the romantic anarchism of J.R.R. Tolkien. Meredith Veldman, author of Fantasy, The Bomb, and the Greening of Britain, joins me to talk about the romantic protest underlying The Lord of the Rings. We discuss the romantic quest for reintegration at the heart of the novels, the appeal that romanticis…

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Case File 112: Jurassic World 2:40:41

5M ago2:40:41

2:40:41

This week, we're strapping into our Gyrospheres and heading back to Isla Nublar to unlock the secrets of 2015's Jurassic World. After spending over a decade exploring (and ultimately rejecting) various story ideas, Steven Spielberg finally hit upon a concept for the long-awaited fourth film in his blockbuster franchise... Open the park. But even wi…

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157. Nietzsche's Twilight of the Idols -- David Hill 55:30

5M ago55:30

55:30

My colleague David Hill rejoins the show to discuss Twilight of the Idols, one of Nietzsche's last works, and one in which Nietzsche directly discusses anarchism. In addition to Nietzsche's putdowns of anarchists, David and I also discuss the ancient Greeks in Nietzsche's thoughts, the unsavory aspects of Nietzsche's philosphy, and Nietsche's attac…

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156. Bauhaus and the Anarchic City -- Robin Schuldenfrei 1:06:33

5M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

Robin Schuldenfrei joins me to discuss her new book Objects in Exile, which is about the many afterlives of the Bauhaus school and its practitioners. Robin and I particularly focus on the relationship between Bauhaus and city planning, especially focusing on Chicago and the work of Ludwig Hilberseimer. Key questions include: How can societies ensur…

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Case File 111 - Friday the 13th: A New Beginning 1:36:36

6M ago1:36:36

1:36:36

This week, we're revisiting the infamous fifth installment of the Friday the 13th franchise: A New Beginning! The film that dared to continue Jason Voorhees' legacy without the man himself. Set five years after the events of The Final Chapter, this entry follows a troubled Tommy Jarvis as he grapples with trauma and a new wave of murders at a halfw…

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155. Baseball Utopia in Eephus -- Carson Lund 55:59

6M ago55:59

55:59

"What is joy when everything has been monetized and optimized?" For Carson Lund, the answer is rec league baseball, and his new film Eephus is about how a meaningless, anachronistic activity like a local baseball league can actually be the most meaningful and important thing you can do. The film is an ode to baseball, a comedy, and "an argument for…

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154. Hannah Arendt and Civil Disobedience -- John McGowan 1:14:42

6M ago1:14:42

1:14:42

John McGowan joins the podcast again to discuss a recent republication of Hannah Arendt's essay "Civil Disobedience, which responds to Plato's Crito, Thoreau's "Resistance to Civil Government," and the leftwing mass movements of the 1960s. John and I discuss Arendt's importance as a theorist of revolution and totalitarianism, as well as the complex…

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Case File 110: Anaconda 1:31:30

6M ago1:31:30

1:31:30

This week, we're venturing deep into the Amazon to confront one of cinema's most infamous serpents: the titular terror of 1997's Anaconda. When a documentary crew sets out to capture the elusive Shirishamas tribe on film, they instead find themselves ensnared in the coils of a maniacal hunter's obsession... and the literal coils of a giant, man-eat…

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153. Organizing in the 21st Century -- Jaz Brisack 37:59

6M ago37:59

37:59

Jaz Brisack joins me to discuss their new book, Get on the Job and Organize. Jaz and I discuss why billionaires take union organizing personally, how organizing is different in the 21st century, and how you can organize your workplace. Jaz might be coming to a town near you soon - here's the link to their book tour sites: https://www.simonandschust…

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152. Why Billionaires Love AI -- Brian Merchant 1:05:51

7M ago1:05:51

1:05:51

Brian Merchant, author of the newsletter Blood in the Machine, returns to the show to talk about the newsletter, ai, tech oligarchs, the neoliberal "abundance" agenda, jobs, and pretty much everything else you want to know about the terrible, horrible, no good collusion between Trump, Tech billionaires, and ai. Fight the tech billionaires. Support …

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Case File 109: GoldenEye 2:16:01

7M ago2:16:01

2:16:01

GoldenEye marked the beginning of a new era for the James Bond franchise, introducing Pierce Brosnan as 007 in a post-Cold War world grappling with shifting geopolitics and evolving cultural expectations. And instead of running from those inescapable truths, the producers decided to confront them head-on. The result? One of the most beloved entries…

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151. Graeber's Debt Chapter 12, The Beginning of Something Yet to Be Determined 1:17:53

7M ago1:17:53

1:17:53

In which I end my series on David Graeber's Debt, apologize for mistakes, and offer some hope for a new world in which we have more money and less monetarism. Thank you to all of the listeners to this series, and my wonderful lineup of guests: Dirk Ehnts, Eleanor Janega, Cory Doctorow, Bill Maurer, Henry Farrell, James K. Galbraith, Fuad Musallam, …

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150. Secret Mall Apartment -- Jeremy Workman and Michael Townsend 41:48

7M ago41:48

41:48

When capitalists developed their neighborhood with a giant mall, eight artists developed an abandoned space in the mall into an apartment. It was art without permission, and now there's a documentary about what it was like to make a secret mall apartment as a form of art. Jeremy Workman, the director of Secret Mall Apartment, and Michael Townsend, …

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Case File 108: It Follows 1:39:11

7M ago1:39:11

1:39:11

This week, we're investigating The Entity from It Follows and discussing what makes this atmospheric horror/mystery so effective. Topics include: the recurring nightmare that inspired the film, the anachronistic production design and how it adds to the overall dreamlike feel, the incredible score by Diasterpeace, a few differences between the scrip…

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149. Anarchy in the Big Easy -- Max Cafard and Vulpes 39:55

7M ago39:55

39:55

Max Cafard (which is a pen name) and Vulpes (which is also a pen name) join me to discuss their fantastic new graphic novel Anarchy in the Big Easy, which is just what it sounds like. Max and Vulpes and I discuss the cosmic anarchy, political anarchism, and everyday anarchy that's flowed through what is now called New Orleans for centuries and mill…