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SHOW: Travolta/Cage
HOSTS: Natan Rabin, Clint Worthington
NETWORK: N/A
HOSTS: Natan Rabin, Clint Worthington
NETWORK: N/A
EPISODE BEING DISCUSSED: "Carrie/Valley Girl (with Scott Weinberg)"
There have been few careers as storied as Nicolas Cage and John Travolta. This isn't to say that they're always topping box office charts, but for a certain mentality, every new film brings with them a fascinating into an artist fearless enough to delve into material both profound and profoundly stupid. Still, who could deny the magic of Cage delivering hammy over-the-top acting in The Wicker Man, or Travolta doing whatever Battlefield Earth was? While they couldn't be called a masterpiece by the most rational of minds, those willing to explore the outer depths of pop culture's offerings will find something to be excited about. While there have been more refined actors who have aged gracefully, Cage and Travolta take risks that are undeniably capable of leaving an impression.
That is the gist of why Nathan Rabin and Clint Worthington chose to begin tackling their filmographies combined. Why these two together? As the title alludes to, they were both in Face/Off, and that is the exact format by which the show will follow. Each episode promises to follow one film per actor facing off to see who has the better filmography, who took the most risks, and who is just the most interesting person to watch. Rabin has had his own career celebrating bad films with his popular column My World of Flops, as well as praising such bizarre works on his website Nathan Rabin's Happy Place with limited-run columns that have been dedicated to such things as months dedicated to monkey movies, and the complete filmography of Dolemite star Rudy Ray Moore.
With Worthington, they have a promising task ahead of them. As the first episode would suggest, there was always some promise going into their career. Even then, there's plenty that was unexpected that makes such moments as Cage in Valley Girl humorous. To think of him as a sex symbol is ridiculous, especially given how better known he is as the bug-eyed lunatic of later films. Even Travolta, the more classically handsome, seems to be playing against type as a jock-type in Carrie, picking on the different kid. While this episode may come across as copacetic, it will be interesting to hear Rabin and Worthington try to compare films that are radically different, both in theme and quality. It is a curved path where neither is likely to stay in the good or bad camp for long. Still, each one is spoken of with a passion for the craft and technique, as well as how each performance will compare to later work.
While the initial draw for the show is Travolta and Cage, the films themselves are spoken of with a reverence that makes the show quite endearing. Such topics include how Valley Girl had the most new wave soundtrack in existence, and how there was a time when punks and valley girls were different (also, why doesn't Rabin like Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl"?). Actors and performances are spoken of with joy made all the more impressive as they cover obscure figures. Add in Scott Weinberg, former host of '80s All Over, and there's such a love for the retro world that the nearly two-hour episode feels like an endorsement of these movies. Even Carrie feels like it's given a new look when discussing Travolta's antipathy for his girlfriend in the movie. Even then, the trio make for an entertaining conversation that feels like an essential for fans of movies, though more likely the bad movie genre that is going to show up in a dozen episodes or so.
Travolta/Cage is a celebration of two actors who feel like they have been sidelined for the past 15 years. This isn't to say that their output should be ignored. Rabin will passionately explore every film on his website and add depth to the experience as well as a strong sense of humor. It also helps that Worthington has promised to keep a rift with Rabin over who is considered the better actor (money's on Cage). Even if this show eventually gets to the recent output that nobody's seen, there's likely going to be something to enjoy. This isn't a bad movie podcast like The Flop House or We Hate Movies. It's something greater. It's a chance to recognize the nuance of two actors who many don't consider all that nuanced. It's a celebration of two of the strangest careers, though it's likely to stay sweet for just a little bit longer.
OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5
WORTH A SECOND GO?: If you're a fan of Cage or Travolta, then this is an essential podcast. Rabin has long been one of the most essential film critics on Hollywood flops, and this is going to give him a chance to wax poetic in a way that his writing hasn't allowed him. He's been entertaining in the past, and one can hope this makes him a permanent fixture in the podcast realm.
There have been few careers as storied as Nicolas Cage and John Travolta. This isn't to say that they're always topping box office charts, but for a certain mentality, every new film brings with them a fascinating into an artist fearless enough to delve into material both profound and profoundly stupid. Still, who could deny the magic of Cage delivering hammy over-the-top acting in The Wicker Man, or Travolta doing whatever Battlefield Earth was? While they couldn't be called a masterpiece by the most rational of minds, those willing to explore the outer depths of pop culture's offerings will find something to be excited about. While there have been more refined actors who have aged gracefully, Cage and Travolta take risks that are undeniably capable of leaving an impression.
That is the gist of why Nathan Rabin and Clint Worthington chose to begin tackling their filmographies combined. Why these two together? As the title alludes to, they were both in Face/Off, and that is the exact format by which the show will follow. Each episode promises to follow one film per actor facing off to see who has the better filmography, who took the most risks, and who is just the most interesting person to watch. Rabin has had his own career celebrating bad films with his popular column My World of Flops, as well as praising such bizarre works on his website Nathan Rabin's Happy Place with limited-run columns that have been dedicated to such things as months dedicated to monkey movies, and the complete filmography of Dolemite star Rudy Ray Moore.
With Worthington, they have a promising task ahead of them. As the first episode would suggest, there was always some promise going into their career. Even then, there's plenty that was unexpected that makes such moments as Cage in Valley Girl humorous. To think of him as a sex symbol is ridiculous, especially given how better known he is as the bug-eyed lunatic of later films. Even Travolta, the more classically handsome, seems to be playing against type as a jock-type in Carrie, picking on the different kid. While this episode may come across as copacetic, it will be interesting to hear Rabin and Worthington try to compare films that are radically different, both in theme and quality. It is a curved path where neither is likely to stay in the good or bad camp for long. Still, each one is spoken of with a passion for the craft and technique, as well as how each performance will compare to later work.
While the initial draw for the show is Travolta and Cage, the films themselves are spoken of with a reverence that makes the show quite endearing. Such topics include how Valley Girl had the most new wave soundtrack in existence, and how there was a time when punks and valley girls were different (also, why doesn't Rabin like Frank Zappa's "Valley Girl"?). Actors and performances are spoken of with joy made all the more impressive as they cover obscure figures. Add in Scott Weinberg, former host of '80s All Over, and there's such a love for the retro world that the nearly two-hour episode feels like an endorsement of these movies. Even Carrie feels like it's given a new look when discussing Travolta's antipathy for his girlfriend in the movie. Even then, the trio make for an entertaining conversation that feels like an essential for fans of movies, though more likely the bad movie genre that is going to show up in a dozen episodes or so.
Travolta/Cage is a celebration of two actors who feel like they have been sidelined for the past 15 years. This isn't to say that their output should be ignored. Rabin will passionately explore every film on his website and add depth to the experience as well as a strong sense of humor. It also helps that Worthington has promised to keep a rift with Rabin over who is considered the better actor (money's on Cage). Even if this show eventually gets to the recent output that nobody's seen, there's likely going to be something to enjoy. This isn't a bad movie podcast like The Flop House or We Hate Movies. It's something greater. It's a chance to recognize the nuance of two actors who many don't consider all that nuanced. It's a celebration of two of the strangest careers, though it's likely to stay sweet for just a little bit longer.
OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5
WORTH A SECOND GO?: If you're a fan of Cage or Travolta, then this is an essential podcast. Rabin has long been one of the most essential film critics on Hollywood flops, and this is going to give him a chance to wax poetic in a way that his writing hasn't allowed him. He's been entertaining in the past, and one can hope this makes him a permanent fixture in the podcast realm.
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