Big
1988’s Big, directed by Penny Marshall, stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a pre-adolescent boy whose wish to be "big" transforms him physically into an adult.
Kevin and Mike discuss Hanks' performance, the wave of "kids who turn into adults" films that swept cinemas circa 1987/1988, Hanks' made-for-tv classic of Dungeons & Dragons-related hysteria "Mazes and Monsters", and whether or not this movie is as good as we remember it being. Oh, and Tom Hanks skateboards in it at one point.
Get out your most-bedazzled white tuxedo as GLEAMING THE TUBE discusses Big!
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Barbie
2023’s BARBIE, directed by Greta Gerwig (who also co-wrote the film), is based on the long-running and popular doll line from Mattel. In the film Barbie (Margot Robbie) has to travel from Barbieland to the real world after suffering an existential crisis. And someone on Venice Beach has a skateboard.
Kevin and Mike are joined by children's book author Phaea Crede to discuss the film, the toy, patriarchy, dream ballets, ninja turtles, why skateboarders look down their collective noses at in-line skates, Todd Haynes' Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, Pee-Wee Herman, and so, so much more.
You can check out Phaea's great books at www.phaeacrede.com
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Gremlins
We're joined by Joe Crowe, co-director of DragonCon's American Science Fiction Classics Track, to discuss 1984's Gremlins (an American science fiction classic if ever there was one)!
Kevin, Mike and Joe discuss the film, the creation of the PG-13 rating, the movie's tie-in novelization, Joe's experience interviewing Zach Galligan onstage at DragonCon, Mike seeing Sha Na Na at age four and thinking it was the band KISS, and so much more, including the very tiny bit of skateboarding that one of the Gremlins engages in during the film.
Turn off all the bright lights, don't get your player wet, and BE SURE not listen before midnight to GLEAMING THE TUBE's coverage of Gremlins!
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Visit the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track on Facebook.
Observe and Report
2009’s Observe and Report, directed by Jody Hill, tells the story of mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt (played by Seth Rogen), who is called into action to stop a flasher from turning a shopper's paradise into his personal peep show. But when Ronnie can't bring the culprit to justice, a surly police detective played by Ray Liotta is recruited to close the case. And there's a bunch of skateboarders in the mall parking lot.
Kevin and Mike discuss the movie, the skateboarders, mall skateboarding in general, the movie's influences (Taxi Driver and King of Comedy, mainly), and whether or not this film is maybe a little too dark. There's also a whole tangent at the end about musical theater. A typical GLEAMING THE TUBE episode, in other words. Enjoy!
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Kevin did a thing about DragonCon’s Favorite Musical here: DC Theater Lover's Battle Broadway! What is DragonCon's Favorite Musical?
The Shaggy D.A.
1976’s THE SHAGGY D.A., the 19th and final film directed by Robert Stevenson for the Walt Disney Company, finds Dean Jones (the king of 60s and 70s live action Disney) playing Wilby Daniels who, for reasons too complicated to get into during this episode description, keeps transforming into a dog while trying to run for district attorney. And his son skateboards.
This movie's got it all - pie fights, roller derby, a man in a dog suit punching Dick Van Patten in the face - and Kevin and Mike dive into its many delights, Disney's live-action films from this era, and Mike's childhood belief that D.A. stood for "duck's ass."
So put down that magic ring, stop asking Tim Conway to list all 49 flavors of ice cream he's selling, and settle in for the latest exciting installment of GLEAMING THE TUBE!
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Special Episode: Our Favorite Needle Drops!
Kevin and Mike are taking a break from watching and discussing a terrible skateboard movie and instead invited their friend Christian Campagna from the Talk About the Passion podcast to join the show this week. The three of them then proceed to rattle off their top 5 instances of popular songs being played in films. It's a wide-ranging discussion that touches on some of our favorite films from the 1960s through the current millennium but (spoiler) we all wound up picking something from Wes Anderson's Rushmore.
This being Gleaming the Tube, Mike then rattles off a list of his five favorite songs from skateboard videos. (We were not expecting Sade to make the cut.)
So fire up the podcast-playing apparatus of your choice and, if you're like us, you might come out of the show with some new films to either check out or that may be due for a rewatch.
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Glory Daze (and Kicking & Screaming, kind of)
1995’s GLORY DAZE tells the story of Jack Freeman, played by a young Ben Affleck at his most sour and unlikeable, and his four college housemates as they face graduation and make an attempt to prolong their carefree lifestyles before going their separate ways. At one point Affleck's character says “Wanna get a 12er and shred?" and then skateboards around to a New Bomb Turks song, hence why we're covering it.
In addition to talking about all the things about this movie that don't work - from its copious use of terrible Warped Tour punk music to its writing, directing and performances - Kevin and Mike keep coming back to a movie they both love, Noah Baumbach's KICKING AND SCREAMING (not to be confused with the Will Ferrell soccer comedy) - a film that came out the same year as GLORY DAZE, is about basically the same thing, and yet manages to be great in every way the GLORY DAZE manages to be terrible.
We know you'd rather be bowhunting, but pick up a 12er anyway and listen along as we shred GLORY DAZE to pieces.
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
The Crow
1994’s THE CROW, based on the comic series by James O’Barr, tells the story of ERIC DRAVEN who is resurrected one year after he and his fiance’ were brutally murdered and does the only sensible thing: paint his face like a mime, don his tightest leather pants, and then exact revenge on those who done wronged him.
Kevin and Mike are joined by Gary Mitchel from A Podcask of Amontillado to discuss the film (Gary loves it, Kevin and Mike aren't so sure), its legacy, influence and general gothiness, the tragic death of star Brandon Lee, the original comic, and why you should never, ever skateboard in the rain.
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Kevin appeared on the GIMMICKS podcast to discuss Moonlighting’s ATOMIC SHAKESPEARE episode!
Gary Mitchel’s horror movie podcast: A PODCASK OF AMONTILLADO
Gary (and occasionally Kevin) can be seen participating in DragonCon’s American Sci-Fi Classics Track Virtual Panels! They’re archived on YouTube! Go watch, like and subscribe! American Sci-Fi Classics
Gleaming The Tube’s theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Car Wash
1976’s CAR WASH, directed by Michael Schultz from a screenplay by Joel Schumacher, tells the day in the life of the employees of the titular CAR WASH as they engage in what can only be described as SHENANIGANS APLENTY. The film has a great ensemble cast, cameos from Richard Pryor and George Carlin, one of the catchiest theme songs ever put to celluloid, and a surprisingly robust amount of skateboarding.
Kevin and Mike discuss all this as well as those stupid "Rock Against Disco" rallies in the late 70s, the Danny DeVito subplot that only showed up in television broadcasts of the film and Mike's definition of "touch" when it comes to skateboarding. They also drop a Noah Hayslip quote or two because how could they not.
If you are listening to this in the future, know that the time had had its way with us, and that we knew it would. And it will with you. There is no escaping this. In a strange way, it's what makes life so beautiful and strange, that nothing alive stays the same. It's a new GLEAMING THE TUBE!
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Next Friday
2000's NEXT FRIDAY is a sequel to the popular 1995 film FRIDAY - it was written by and stars rapper turned actor Ice Cube, directed by Steve Carr and is inferior to the first FRIDAY by every possible quality metric one can imagine. Still, this one has skateboarding in it so Kevin and Mike endeavor to discuss it.
In between lamenting that this film is not as good as its predecessor our hosts tackle the connection between skateboarding and hip-hop, N.W.A. and the STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON movie, East Coast skateboarding vs. West Coast skateboarding, and why comedy sequels so often disappoint.
The episode winds up being about 30 minutes long, perfect to listen to while you wait for the bathroom to air out.
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Kevin joined Dragoncon’s American Sci-Fi Classics Track to argue over who the greatest fictional solo artist is. You can check that out here: BATTLE OF THE FICTIONAL BANDS: SOLO ARTIST EDITION
Kevin was also a guest on the “Wait, You Haven’t Seen…?” podcast to discuss David Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DRIVE. Go listen here: Wait, You Haven't Seen...?: Mulholland Drive
Saved!
2004’s SAVED!, directed by Brian Donnelly (who also co-wrote the film) follows a teenaged girl played by Jena Malone who attends a Christian high school and, as part of an attempt to “cure” her boyfriend of his homosexuality, winds up pregnant and facing the ostracization of her classmates, most notably the self-righteous Hillary Fae, played by Mandy Moore. The film also stars Patrick Fugit, Martin Donovan, Eva Amuri, Macaulay Culkin and the always effervescent Mary Louise Parker.
Kevin and Mike tackle the film's portrayal of religion, the way some people distort Christian messages to suit their own prejudices, the cast, the movie's status as a time capsule of mid-2000s culture, and the skateboarding antics of Patrick Fugit's rebellious Christian missionary.
Hallelujah, it's a new Gleaming the Tube!
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Nic and Tristan Go Mega Dega!
2010’s NIC AND TRISTAN GO MEGA DEGA tells a day in the life of two 10 year old skateboarding twins - this is an obscure film (it doesn't even merit its own Wikipedia page) aimed at very young children, so Kevin enlists his young daughter to give her thoughts on the film as well. What it DOES have is a ton of skateboarding, animated cockroaches, broad performances, and cake-eating punk rockers. Mega dega!
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Special Episode: Other Weird Characters from the 1980s
In this short special episode, Kevin and Mike build off their discussion of Pee-Wee's Big Adventure to discuss other weird characters from the 1980s - like Max Headroom, Mr. T, and Sgt. Slaughter. What's the difference between a character and a comedic persona? Where does professional wrestling fit into all of this? Why would anyone spend this much time obsessing over obscure pop culture from 40 years ago? Why, in a podcast ostensibly about skateboard movies, does this episode mention neither movies or skateboarding?
All this and more is discussed in this short, special episode of GLEAMING THE TUBE!
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Here’s the podcast episode our friends over at the Flopcast put together on this same subject: Flopcast 148: Kevin and Luke Don't Talk About Toons
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday
"Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", directed by Tim Burton and starring Paul Reubens as the iconic man-child Pee-Wee Herman, is an absolute delight and - despite containing a minimum amount of skateboarding - Kevin and Mike will use any excuse to rewatch it. Pee-Wee returned in the Netflix original movie "Pee-Wee's Big Holiday" a few years ago (Pee-Wee himself rides a skateboard in that one) and that was also screened for discussion. Is "Big Adventure" the best thing Tim Burton has ever done? Should Jan Hooks have gotten an Academy Award for her role as an Alamo tour guide? How, exactly, is this movie so great? All this and more is discussed in the latest episode of GLEAMING THE TUBE!
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
High Fidelity
High Fidelity, based on the novel by Nick Hornby, tells the story of Rob Gordon (John Cusack), a thirtysomething record store owner and living embodiment of a certain type of insufferable pop culture obsessed dude (I TYPED WHILE HOSTING A PODCAST ABOUT SKATEBOARD MOVIES) as he navigates love, ex-love, and maybe – JUST MAYBE – figuring out that what someone is like is more important than what they like. Also: someone skateboards in it at one point.
Kevin and Mike discuss the movie and their own relationship with being pop culture obsessives, the book, the time Kevin saw the very weird musical adaptation of this, and what High Fidelity had to say about certain types of toxic behaviors when it came out vs. what it has to say now. They go deep and confessional about their pasts while also trying to figure out what a musical adaptation of One Crazy Summer would be like. It's that type of episode.
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Mike was a guest on the TALK ABOUT THE PASSION podcast: Do It Again (Another Conversation with Mike Brousseau)
Episode 42 - Chopping Mall
1986’s Chopping Mall tells a story as old as time: three high-tech security robots turn into maniacal killing machines and start murdering the teenage employees of a shopping mall after dark. Also: someone skateboards inside the mall.
Kevin and Mike are joined by Gary Mitchel (of the horror podcast A Podcask of Amontillado) and Shaun Rosado (of PopCycled Baubles) to discuss the film, its place within the firmament of 80s horror, its misleading VHS cover art, and scary movies in general. I love the smell of commerce in the morning!
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Gary Mitchel’s horror movie podcast: A PODCASK OF AMONTILLADO
The episode of Gary’s podcast where Shaun tells his crazypants story about watching Night of the Living Dead as a child: A Podcask of Amontillado Night of the Living Dead: The OG Zom-B Part 1
Shaun Rosado’s art: PopCycled Baubles, Homemade chic for discerning geeks
Gary, Shaun and Kevin can all be seen participating in DragonCon’s American Sci-Fi Classics Track Virtual Panels! They’re archived on YouTube! Go watch, like and subscribe! American Sci-Fi Classics
Gleaming The Tube’s theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Episode 41 - Kenny & Company
1976’s KENNY AND COMPANY, written, directed, produced, shot and edited by Don Coscarelli tells the story of young Kenny as he comes of age in 70s southern California, fighting bullies, having his first crush, and dressing up as a horrific bear-pig hybrid for Halloween. And he skateboards!
Kevin and Mike are joined by pop culture writer Chris Cummins (who also hosts the great Twitch show Sci-Fi Explosion) to discuss the film, crazy stories from their own unsupervised childhoods, bullies in Woonsocket, RI vs. Philadelphia, Kevin's algebra teacher calling his parents to tell them that Kevin was a Satanist for playing Dungeons & Dragons, "the cool teacher", and the time Kevin almost got Mike fired from his janitorial job at the weird Catholic high school that Kevin attended.
A digressive, meandering episode to discuss a digressive, meandering movie!
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Chris’s Twitch shows, Sci-Fi Explosion and Cosmic Cartoons, can be viewed here: SCI-FI EXPLOSION
Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Episode 40 - The Commitments
1991’s The Commitments, directed by Alan Parker and based on the book by Roddy Doyle, tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, a young music fanatic who assembles a group of working-class youths to form a soul band named, in case the title of the film didn't tip you off, The Commitments! We see the band come together and then fall apart and also someone skateboards at one point.
Kevin and Mike are joined by Kevin Eldridge from The Flopcast to discuss the movie, the music, the soundtrack album, the tour, soul music, and the strange confluence of this film, skateboarding, and the first two U2 albums. Sure, we could have discussed a more popular film and gone on to wild podcast success but this way... it's poetry.
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You can hear Kevin Eldridge talk about weird old pop culture and other strangeness every week on The Flopcast!
Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Episode 39 - Righteous Kill
2008’s RIGHTEOUS KILL pairs legendary thespians Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as two maverick chess-playing and little-league-coaching cops who are trying to solve a string of vigilante murders that one of them might be behind? Or the other? This movie sucks, is the synopsis. Oh, and it has a skateboarding pimp character - hence why we're covering it.
Kevin and Mike dig into the careers of De Niro and Pacino, the many ways they were let down by Righteous Kill, and what pro skateboarder Rob Dyrdek is doing in this terrible, terrible movie anyway.
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Kevin and Mike’s “Moonlighting” podcast, Let’s Get Chatty About David & Maddie, is here: moonlightingpodcast.com
Episode 38 - Pretty in Pink
1986’s Pretty in Pink, written by John Hughes, tells a story of life, love, and social cliques among 80s high schoolers in the suburbs of Illinois. The film stars Molly Ringwald, Harry Dean Stanton, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer and James Spader and has the bare minimum amount of skateboarding to qualify being covered on this podcast. Kevin and Mike are joined by their friend Jen Towers, who's been researching the Internet manosphere (incels, pick-up-artists, etc.) for her dissertation to discuss where some of the characters in the film fit into that world. Discussed: Is Duckie an incel? (probably not), should James Spader be given a lifetime achievement Oscar for his work in this film (probably yes), and the movie's amazing, amazing soundtrack.
If you've been looking for a deep-dive discussion about the connections between Pretty in Pink and the Internet manosphere on what is ostensibly a dopey skateboard movie podcast then this is the episode you've been waiting for!
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Theme music is by Kissing Kontest
Kevin and Mike’s “Moonlighting” podcast, Let’s Get Chatty About David & Maddie, is here: moonlightingpodcast.com