jamesgandolfini

NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza goes to DEFCON Four as Twitter's own James "That Tony Scott Guy" Coddington joins Jonny and Darin for a deep-dive (sorry) discussion of 1995's classic Cold War thriller CRIMSON TIDE, starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. Hang on to the edge of your seat as they chat about the towering performances, Quentin Tarantino-isms, and claustrophobic color scheme of what may be the late, great Tony Scott's finest film.

The boys are back, with episode 340. And buddy, this one is just so rip roaring hot. Benny B and RZ breakdown the MLB playoffs, and bag on one of the shittiest umpires to set foot in a sports arena. They THEN talk Soprano's AND Bond. The new one. Both topics are dissected with surgical precision which obviously isn't that easy. But geez. Benny B and RZ make it seem otherwise. Listen up. 

System of Systems, at long last, is back. First things first, Ben AKA the Perpetual Self Optimizer is no longer the producer/co-host, and we want to thank him for all the great work done on this program. 

Replacing him is none other than former guest Will Samson, who takes over production duties and second mic. Welcome him!

In our first episode back, we have Ellroy Boys co-host and Apocalypse Confidential editor Blauergeist! specifically to take on the colossal disaster that is The Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark. Somehow, as bad as this film could be (cheesy as fuck casting, thin plot, aesthetically flat and gross) it's somehow so, so, so much worse. It's the kind of spinoff film that complicates the entire legacy of its source material. The great work of American pop art reduced to a shitty, faux edgy dirtbag leftist meme.

SOUNDTRACK:

Alabama 3 "Woke Up This Morning": https://music.apple.com/us/album/woke-up-this-morning-the-sopranos-mix/667102458?i=667102844

Mystifier "The Witch Resides Our Goat": https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-witch-voisin-recites-our-gloat-osculum-obscenum/299352750?i=299352756

Fusitsusha "Magic IV: https://youtu.be/Oy0njwl-AHc 

Souls of Mischief "A Name I Call Myself": https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-name-i-call-myself/369570847?i=369570888

Black Humor "Undancing in the Dirt": https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-name-i-call-myself/369570847?i=369570888

LINKS:

Will Samson's Twitter: @_Will_Samson_ https://twitter.com/_Will_Samson_

Blauergeist at Twitter: @blauer_geist https://twitter.com/blauer_geist 

Apocalypse Confidential: https://apocalypse-confidential.com/ 

Ellroy Boys podcast: https://soundcloud.com/ellroyboys

Adam on Many Saints of Newart: https://safetypropaganda.substack.com/p/based-safetty-vs-cringe-propaganda

In this week's episode David, John and Kyle catch up on Summer entertainment news including Jerry Seinfeld's Pop Tart movie (2:00) and Tessa Thompson's jigsaw puzzle TV show (6:30). We also discuss news that James Gandolfini was paid NOT to join The Office (11:30) and how Joe Exotic is holding a contest to find a date for when he is released from prison (14:30). Next we review the series premiere of HBO's The White Lotus (20:20). Finally, we break down everything from I Think You Should Leave season two (33:20).

This episode was originally recorded on July 20th and can be replayed on YouTube and Twitch. You can hear our thoughts on I Think You Should Leave Season 1 by clicking here. To get in touch with us follow us on Twitter and Instagram!

     This week Michael and Steve welcome two exciting guests. Al Sapienza who played Mikey Palmice, and Dan Grimaldi who played both Philly and Patsy Parisi. 

     First up Al talks about how he got his start in the business. Did you know he played Ringo in Beatlemania on Broadway? Then he shares how a relationship with Jason Alexander got him the audition for the Sopranos. For Al, Mikey Palmice was the role of a lifetime and he was devastated when he heard he was getting whacked. He tried to talk David out of it, but in the end kept a positive attitude and went on to build a brilliant career after the Sopranos.

     Then professor Grimaldi joins the podcast. Dan actually has a PhD in data processing and still teaches at Kingsborough Community College. When Dan originally got out of grad school he went to work for Bell Labs and absolutely hated it. After only a week on the job he decided to quit and realized acting was the life for him. When Michael was young he used to love a horror movie called “Don’t Go In the House” which starred Dan Grimaldi. Then years later when Michael landed his first role in a professional play it was Dan who ended up playing his father. Strange…

     Then Michael and Steve get into the episode which was a big one for Joe Pantoliano. Joe won an Emmy for this season and sent this episode to the academy for consideration. Michael was also nominated that year and talks about what it’s like to win, and lose at the Emmys. There’s a lot in Talking Sopranos episode #49 “Whoever Did This” S4 - Ep9. Make sure to subscribe the Talking Sopranos podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and go to the Talking Sopranos web site to ask questions and get official merchandise. 

https://www.talkingsopranos.com

Emmy award winning writers Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess join Michael and Steve for a special episode of Talking Sopranos. They share stories about how they first met David Chase and their work together on Northern Exposure. Then they talk about how they got the gig on the Sopranos and what is was like in the writer’s room early on. How Tony Sirico freaked out when a character referred to him as a bully and made Robin and Mitchell change the script to call Paulie a psycho. There are more crazy stories about setting a bar on fire and some wild times with James Gandolfini. 

Then Steve breaks out Bobby Bacala’s infamous train hat as he and Michael take on this week’s episode. It’s a dramatic, brutal and emotional show that got a lot of blowback when it first aired. Many people cancelled their subscription to HBO after seeing it. Michael and Steve also share some thoughts about their approach to acting and how they’re able to remember all those lines. There’s stories of how Tony Sirico actually went on an expedition to find the Dutchman’s lost gold and a crazy Sopranos open casting call that drew over 15,000 people. It’s a jam-packed episode! Talking Sopranos #30 “Employee of the Month” S3 Ep4. Remember to subscribe to the Talking Sopranos podcast wherever you get your podcasts and go to talkingsopranos.com to post questions and buy official merchandise. 

   The evil Richie Aprile (David Proval) joins Michael and Steve for this week’s episode of Talking Sopranos. David is an emotional guest who talks about his incredible career, his big break with Martin Scorsese on Mean Streets, and how he got the gig on the Sopranos. He also shares an amazing story about his first audition with James Gandolfini, and how he used his anger and rage at the entertainment industry to create Richie’s Aprile’s character. 

   Michael and Steve also talk about actors and entertainers who worked their whole lives to become what seemed like an overnight success….It ain’t easy folks!

   Then Michael and Steve break down this week’s episode which is definitely a shocker! Audiences were stunned when Janice pulled the trigger and lots to unpack 20 years later. Both David Proval and Aida Turturro deserved Emmys for this one. Don’t miss Talking Sopranos Ep #25 “The Knight in White Satin Armor”. Remember to subscribe to the Talking Sopranos podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and go to talkingsopranos.com to ask questions, get official merchandise and hear Michael’s original music. 

Matthew Barry is a Los Angeles-based actor, casting director, and acting teacher. His early career involved landing roles on television shows such as Family Ties and Cagney and Lacey. He then appeared alongside Robert Redford, Demi Moore, and Woody Harrelson in Indecent Proposal, as well as Johnny Depp and Bill Murray in the Tim Burton film Ed Wood. In the 90s he became one of Hollywood’s most esteemed casting directors, working on films such as Unhook the Stars, She’s So Lovely, The Notebook, Alpha Dog, Con Air, Rush Hour 1 & 2, and the soon-to-be-released film All Star Weekend, directed by Jamie Fox and starring Robert Downey, Jr. 

What you will learn:

• How Matthew’s involvement in the New York punk scene, and growing up around famous people, influenced his decision to act. [02:51-09:33]
• How his father influenced his interest in acting, and how he got his big break at a young age on a Bernardo Bertolucci film dealing with mature storylines. [09:33-18:13]
• How the success he found in film acting at a young age was a negative influence during his adolescence; What made him realize he was on the wrong path, and how he relaunched his career after a “wakeup call.” [18:13-23:46]
• The rarity of loyalty in Hollywood and how he got lucky in that regard with a close-knit group of friends he met on set in the 80s who continue to work together to this day. [23:46-27:54]
• How his decades-long friendship with A-list film director Nick Cassavetes has resulted in their collaboration on all of Nick's films.
• How and why he transitioned from acting to casting, and how his blunt honesty and candor have served him well in the industry. [27:54-36:44]
• What it was like casting The Notebook, what the casting process is like generally, and why the casting business has become more difficult in recent years. [36:44-48:56]
• What Matthew saw in young and relatively unknown actors like Amanda Seyfried and Ben Foster that made him want to cast them in Alpha Dog; his thoughts on the impressive number of well-known actors whose careers he’s helped launch over the years. [48:56-55:33]
• Matthew’s experience working on Alpha Dog; remembering Anton Yelchin. [55:33-1:01:29]
• How he found James Gandolfini for a role in Crimson Tide with Denzel Washington and how Gandolfini almost got fired from the film on the first day of shooting. [1:01:29-1:06:24]
• How Matthew found a new passion in teaching acting classes, and why being a successful actor with experience in the industry helps set him apart from other acting coaches. [1:06:24-1:11:26]
• Why actors shouldn’t take rejection personally. [1:11:26-1:15:20]

Resources:

• Matthew Barry’s: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, IMDb page
• Matthew Barry Teaches

A double barrel episode! Bobby Bacala makes his first appearance on the series and Sopranos Costume Designer Juliet Polcsa joins Michael and Steve for some incredible conversation. Juliet talks about fitting Steve for the infamous fat suit, how an ill-fitting costume got James Gandolfini in just the right mood and how Tony Sirico’s hair, of course, defined his clothes.

Then Steve talks about his first day on set and how Michael may, or may not, have high hatted him. The s**t is going to hit the fan in this week’s episode as it’s now confirmed that Big Pussy is a rat, Janice and Livia are locked in an evil chess match and Tony is caught in the middle. Don’t miss Talking Sopranos Episode #14 “ Do Not Resuscitate”. Remember to subscribe to the Talking Sopranos podcast wherever you get your podcasts and keep those questions coming at talkingsopranos.com. 

Emmy award winner Edie Falco (Carmela) joins Michael and Steve for the exciting Talking Sopranos season one finale. Edie talks about how she got her start in the business, her first thoughts about the Sopranos script, and how she thought she had absolutely no chance at the role of Carmela. She also reminisces about all the fun she had on the set, the show’s amazing success and what it was like to work with James Gandolfini. Then Michael and Steve breakdown the incredible finale of season one. Make sure to check out Talking Sopranos S1 Ep13 “I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano”. Remember to keep your questions coming for Michael and Steve at Talkingsopranos.com. 

Casting directors Georgianne Walken and Sheila Jaffe join Michael and Steve to talk about how they cast James Gandolfini, Steven Van Zandt and the rest of the Sopranos characters. They also share stories about Tony Sirico, Aida Turturro and how Jerry Stiller almost became Hesh. Then Michael and Steve breakdown this week’s episode which was a break out for Drea de Matteo. It’s all this and more on Talking Sopranos Episode #10 “A Hit is a Hit”. Go to Talking Sopranos.com to post AMA questions for Michael and Steve and don’t forget to subscribe to the Talking Sopranos podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Jamie Lynn-Sigler tells Michael & Steve how she got the role of Meadow Soprano, what it was like to work with James Gandolfini and her amazing time on the groundbreaking HBO series. She talks about how she originally thought the Sopranos was a musical and asked David Chase if he needed her to sing at the audition? Then Michael and Steve breakdown the Sopranos S1 Ep 8 “The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti”. Michael talks about how this episode was a turning point for his character and his first thoughts on the script. All this and much more in this episode of Talking Sopranos. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and send questions to Michael and Steve at talkingsopranos.com

Guest Robert Iler (AJ Soprano) joins Michael and Steve to talk about working with James Gandofini, his incredible time on the Sopranos, and being a professional poker player. Did he really shave his eyebrows in season 5? Then Michael and Steve break down the Sopranos S1 Ep 7. They discuss the flashback to 1967 and some of the David Chase’s interesting music choices. Tony tells Melfi he was always proud to be Johnny Soprano’s son but was it Livia who was the real gangster? It’s all in this this week’s episode of Talking Sopranos #7 “Down Neck”. Go to talkingsopranos.com to ask questions and more.

Sopranos S1 Ep4 - Guest Michael Rispoli (Jackie Aprile) talks to Steve and Michael about how he almost landed the role of Tony Soprano and his on-going friendship with James Gandolfini. Then Michael and Steve breakdown Episode 4 and tell stories of the cast’s infamous Eckle awards. What does the dream sequence actually mean, how is Tony putting Melfi’s advise to work and what was it really like to work with Dominic Chianese? It’s all in this episode of Talking Sopranos #4 “Meadowlands”. Remember to subscribe and keep those questions coming at Talkingsporanos.com.  

Michael and Steve open the books and discuss the intricacies of how this incredible show was made.  What it was like on set, read throughs, tone meetings and David Chase’s incredible attention to detail. Michael talks about the moment he realized the show was going to be a hit and what it was like working with the amazing cast. Then, Michael and Steve break down the episode scene by scene giving us some backstory on the main characters and their thoughts about the script. There’s another Ask Me Anything segment and lots of history about the cast. Don’t forget to submit your questions to talkingsopranos.com. Enjoy!