Episode 63: The Saga of Dune (2000)

DuneWatch continues as Glenn & Scott review the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune. How does this series compare to the 1984 movie, how does it compare to the 1965 novel, and which one does it draw more inspiration from? They discuss how the miniseries handles the prophecy storyline, explore changes it made to the book story and whether or not they work, evaluate the acting performances, and Scott names two random products that were for sale in 2000. Glenn compares the Baron Harkonnen to Professor X, and has far too much interest in his intimate apparel. But remember, the saga of DuneWatch is far from over.

You can support the show on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys. On the most recent patron-exclusive show, Scott discussed his recent bout of watcher's block.

Every Monday night at 8pm Eastern time, Glenn & Scott stream video games live on https://www.twitch.tv/nontoxicfanboys. Come hang out with us in the chat, or catch the archive later on our Youtube channel if you just want to watch us play games badly.

The theme music used in this podcast is Discovery by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5756-discovery
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 61: "Raising" the "Stakes" - U.S. Marshals

Glenn & Scott close out their journey through the The Fugitive Cinematic Universe with a look at the 1998 film U.S. Marshals. Tommy Lee Jones is back, and so is special guest Alanna Kelly to help us decide if this movie is as careful and intelligent as its predecessor. Does it copy the previous film, does it grow and evolve from the previous film, or does it merely try to one-up the previous film? And does it succeed at whichever of those it attempts? Along the way they also discuss Samuel Gerard’s manliness and it’s relative toxicity, the… mystery(?) plot at the center of the story, the movie’s score composed by Scott’s nemesis Late Nineties Jerry Goldsmith, and how each of the hosts would fare trying to vault over a chain link fence.

Alanna works for The Snack Sack, a food equity mutual aid organization. Find out more at www.thesnacksack.org.

You can support the show on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Every Monday night at 8pm Eastern time, Glenn & Scott stream video games live on https://www.twitch.tv/nontoxicfanboys. Come hang out with us in the chat, or catch the archive later on our Youtube channel if you just want to watch us play games badly.

The theme music used in this podcast is Discovery by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5756-discovery
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Episode 60: The Fugitive (1993) - Much Better Decisions!

In a tradition going back to Episode 4 of this podcast, friend of the show Alanna Kelly has demanded a follow-up to our last episode. So after our review of the 2020 Quibi series The Fugitive, Glenn, Scott, and Alanna gather to review the 1993 Harrison Ford movie The Fugitive. They cover the film’s plot structure, the mystery at the heart of the film, its four major action sequences, and Glenn & Scott spend perhaps too much time disparaging the series some more. Scott compliments how awful the final fight in the film is, Glenn shares a charming story from his innocent youth, and Alanna celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. Finally, in a very special episode of Glenn and Scott Read Wikipedia, Scott tells Glenn & Alanna about the real-life murder case that every producer of every iteration of The Fugitive has denied taking inspiration from, and how it relates to the wrestler Mick Foley.

Alanna works for The Snack Sack, a food equity mutual aid organization. Find out more at www.thesnacksack.org.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Every Monday night at 8pm Eastern time, Glenn & Scott stream video games live on twitch.tv/nontoxicfanboys. Come hang out with us in the chat, or catch the archive later on our Youtube channel if you just want to watch us play games badly.

The theme music used in this podcast is Discovery by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5756-discovery
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Musical selections composed by James Newton Howard:

• "I Need You" from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
• "The Courthouse/Stairway Chase" from The Fugitive
• "It's Over/End Credits" from The Fugitive
• "Memorial Hospital" from The Fugitive
• "Air Raid Drill" from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1

Buy the music cited in this episode:

• The Fugitive score by James Newton Howard: https://amzn.to/3h8NYBY
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire score by James Newton Howard: https://amzn.to/3vXPPin
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 score by James Newton Howard: https://amzn.to/3zXGyu3

Episode 59: Extremely Poor Decisions - A Review of The Fugitive (2020) and of Quibi (Sort Of)

The 2020 streaming series The Fugitive, and the Quibi streaming service it was produced for, are both stories of people making the worst possible decisions at every turn. Series protagonist Not Richard Kimble tries to prove his innocence by going on a violent crime spree, while Quibi founders Jeffery Katzenberg and Meg Whitman launched a streaming television service that people couldn't watch on their televisions.

Now that Quibi content is resurfacing on Roku, Glenn & Scott follow up on their previous discussion of the 2020 The Fugitive series in Episode 55 of the podcast by actually watching the show. They seek to answer all the important questions about the series, such as: How does a serialized action thriller work when each episode is eight minutes long? WTF is Keifer Sutherland doing with his voice? Is the show actually any good apart from the weirdness of its creation? And seriously, a streaming television service you can’t watch on televisions?!

The show opens with a recap of Quibi and a non-spoiler review of The Fugitive series; spoilers abound after 13:50.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys. On last month's Patron-exclusive podcast, Scott compared editing the show to a very particular kind of torture. Come join us at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys to hear it!

Every Monday night at 8pm Eastern time, Glenn & Scott stream video games live on twitch.tv/nontoxicfanboys. Come hang out with us in the chat, or catch the archive later on our Youtube channel if you just want to watch us play games badly.

The theme music used in this podcast is Discovery by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5756-discovery
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Buy the score album from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard: https://amzn.to/3sLKFWf.

Episode 39: Are We Klingon, Or Are We Dancer? - Star Trek: Discovery Season One

Glenn and Scott are back with a somewhat belated discussion of the first season of Star Trek: Discovery. They discuss what worked for them and what didn’t, why the show went too fast and felt too slow, and whether anyone was buried. They each have opinions, and Scott thinks you should ignore one of them.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections:

• “I Can’t Dance” from Star Trek: Discovery, “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad” by Jeff Russo
• “Torchbearer” from Star Trek: Discovery, “The Vulcan Hello” by Jeff Russo
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “War Is Over” from Star Trek: Discovery, “Will You Take My Hand?” by Jeff Russo

Buy the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 original score by Jeff Russo
• Star Trek: Discovery Season 1, Chapter 2 original score by Jeff Russo
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 37: More Spectacular Advice

Steve Wille joins Glenn & Scott for another dip into the Spectacular Advice email, which you can reach right now at spectacularadvice@gmail.com! This time the three discuss family planning, privacy vs. secrecy, and grilled cheese sandwiches.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections:

• “Perspectives” from Star Trek: The Next Generation, “A Matter of Perspective” by Ron Jones
• “Baba Yetu” from Civilization IV by Christopher Tin, solo piano version performed by Peter Johnston
  “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
  “Sandwiches Are Beautiful” by Bob King

Buy the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation Ron Jones score collection
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire original score by James Newton Howard
• We Like to Move! Kids Workout Songs

Episode 36: The Force’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed

Having seen The Last Jedi again, Glenn, Scott, and Alanna are retreating to the far-off island known as The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular to discuss the movie some more! Glenn is embarrassed about omissions in the score segment from last time, Scott is upset about Canto Bight, and Alanna is still yelling about Kylo. Other topics discussed include what it means to be Somebody, Objectivism, and…yes, love triangles. Are you a theme lumper or a theme splitter? Is “willingness to be evil” a make-or-break issue in your relationships? All this and more awaits you!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections:

• “Ahch-To Island” from Star Wars: The Last Jedi by John Williams
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “Holdo’s Resolve” from Star Wars: The Last Jedi by John Williams
• “The Fathiers” from Star Wars: The Last Jedi by John Williams
• “The Last Jedi” from Star Wars: The Last Jedi by John Williams
• “The Jedi Steps and Finale” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens by John Williams

Buy the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Wars: The Last Jedi original score by John Williams
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens original score by John Williams
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 34: The Last (Spoilers)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been chased down by the latest episode of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular, as Alanna Kelly joins Glenn & Scott to dissect the latest addition to the Star Wars saga. A brief spoiler-free discussion on their expectations for and impressions of the film (taking up the first twelve minutes of the show) is followed by a longer discussion of the depth and breadth of The Last Jedi. How does the movie carry everyone’s favorite characters forward? How does it play with preconceived notions of what a trilogy’s middle chapter does? Why does Glenn suddenly care about Kylo Ren? They discuss how one of the storylines seems to be a sidetrack from the main plot, and then Glenn & Scott get sidetracked by ranking all nine Star Wars scores.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections from Star Wars: The Last Jedi by John Williams:

• “Main Title”
• “The Supremacy”
• “The Rebellion Is Reborn” (Rose’s Theme)
• “The Spark”

Buy the Star Wars: The Last Jedi original score by John Williams.

Episode 20: This Is All a Damned Inconvenience – Star Trek: Nemesis

A generation comes to its end as Star Trek: Nemesis takes its place in the latest Star Trek film vault edition of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular. Glenn & Scott are joined by Steven Graham to try to figure out just what Shinzon’s plan is and how it’s supposed to work, what it means to seize the means of production on Romulus, how well the movie explores its ideas about mirroring and nature vs. nurture, action scenes that feel like they’re there to be used in a video game, and how the final voyage of The Next Generation treats The Next Generation. So set a collision course for the latest edition of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular! (Warning: discussion of sexual assault.)

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections:

• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “My Right Arm” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “The Mine” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “The Scorpion” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “Repairs” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “A New Ending” (Shinzon’s theme, plaintive setting) from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “The Mirror” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “Remus” from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “A New Ending” (Shinzon’s theme in its final form) from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith
• “A New Ending” (main theme, slow setting) from Star Trek: Nemesis by Jerry Goldsmith

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek: Nemesis, original score by Jerry Goldsmith
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 18: Where Was Your Evolved Sensibility – Star Trek: First Contact

Star Trek: First Contact tries to add The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular’s distinctiveness to its own, as the Star Trek vintage vault series continues. Glenn & Scott discuss genre drift as First Contact lurches from horror film to action thriller to something more akin to a Star Trek story, and as the Borg lurch from zombies to vampires to insects. They also discuss the meaning of the Borg (and how that changes now that they have a queen), why Captain Picard invites the whole collective to the gun show, the bizarre eroticism of the Borg Queen, the beginning of the Star Trek future, and the beginning of the end of a Star Trek series. Now with the intense discussions of starship design you’ve all been asking for!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections:

• “End Credits” from Star Trek: First Contact by Jerry Goldsmith
• “Main Title” from Star Trek: First Contact by Jerry Goldsmith
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “First Contact” (spaghetti western version) from Escapade Velocity by Steve Greaves

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek: First Contact original score by Jerry Goldsmith
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire original score by James Newton Howard
• Escapade Velocity by Steve Greaves

Episode 17: What’s So Civil About War Anyway?

Captain America: Civil War is here, and Glenn & company are ON IT. The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular convenes its panel of Glenn, Scott, and special guest Tim Capel to take sides in this evitable conflict and break down Marvel’s latest marvel, including a spoiler-laden look at the causes and uses of the movie’s central conflict, how Our Heroes are used, the ways that Civil War changes the landscape of the MCU, and the Stan Lee solo movie we all really want to see. Scott gets bogged down in the physics of Ant-Man, while Tim provides the crucial perspective of someone who actually knows something about comics.

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections:

• “Cap’s Promise” from Captain America: Civil War by Henry Jackman
• “Civil War” from Captain America: Civil War by Henry Jackman
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “Larger Than Life” from Captain America: Civil War by Henry Jackman

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Captain America: Civil War, original score by Henry Jackman
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 14: Don’t Let it End This Way – Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

It’s the end of an era, as Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country comes under the watchful eye of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular. Glenn & Scott examine the final voyage of the collected Original Series cast, including its story’s parallels to the end of the Cold War, the celebration of Star Trek‘s 25th anniversary from the perspective of its 50th, the crew’s abruptly increased space-racism, the return of Nicholas Meyer, things and supplies, logic as the beginning of wisdom, and more adventures in budgetary restrictions. There’s also no small amount of debate as to what exactly one should call Spock’s violation of Valeris. (Warning: discussion of rape and torture from 38:31 to 53:40.)

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical Selections:

• “Star Trek VI End Credits Suite” by Cliff Eidelman
• “Sign Off” from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country by Cliff Eidelman
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “Star Trek VI End Credits Suite” by Cliff Eidelman

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, original score by Cliff Eidelman
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 11: A Fighting Chance to Live – Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

The Star Trek film vault continues with Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, as The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular takes a turn towards the meditative. Glenn & Scott welcome Tim Capel from PTBN Comics to an in-depth discussion of the third Star Trek movie’s place in an ongoing story, its theatricality, Klingon linguistics, Christopher Lloyd & Mark Lenard’s differing approaches to gravitas, how death can be turned into a fighting chance to live, the inability of Commander Kruge to see past his own worldview, the film’s distinct lack of Kirstie Alley & Bibi Besch, and finger-sex versus finger-foreplay. Glenn sings the praises of James Horner’s lyrical score, Tim gives a brief rundown of the state of Trek comics in the early 80’s, and Scott explains why the film’s finale might be the best single scene in Star Trek history.

Get yourself an Altair water, hit the antimatter inducer, and enjoy the latest episode of The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Music selections:

• “Main Title” from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by James Horner
• “Bird of Prey Decloaks” from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by James Horner
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “Returning to Vulcan” from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by James Horner

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock score by James Horner
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire score by James Newton Howard

Episode 7: Where No One’s Ever Flown – Star Trek: The Motion Picture

To mark Star Trek’s 50th-anniversary year, The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular launches a special rewind series examining the twelve Trek films, leading up to the release of the thirteenth this July! In this installment, the journey begins with a dive into Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Glenn & Scott Butler look at the first Star Trek movie’s development, its pacing issues, its iconic score, its relationship with fandom as it existed in the 70’s, which pieces of the original series are retained and which are discarded, new characters that are introduced and done away with in short order, beloved characters whose actual characterization might be considered thin, the effect the film had on the franchise’s development heading into the eighties, and whether it deserves its poor reputation. Tune in to find out how many times Scott can say the phrase “dreadfully dull” in eighty-four minutes!

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections:

• “Main Title” from Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Jerry Goldsmith
• “Overture” (Ilia’s Theme) from Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Jerry Goldsmith
• “I Need You” from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard
• “The Enterprise” from Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Jerry Goldsmith

Purchase the music excerpted in this episode:

• Star Trek: The Motion Picture, original score by Jerry Goldsmith
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, original score by James Newton Howard

Episode 1: The Hunger Games

The Glenn Butler Podcast Hour Spectacular kicks off when the now-titular Glenn Butler welcomes his brother Scott to the land of podcasts and welcomes listeners to a deep dive into The Hunger Games series. They discuss the hugely successful film franchise along the following criteria: 1. Did Glenn understand the story despite never reading any of the books, or did the movies leave out too many details in favor of flash and explosions? 2. Was Scott satisfied that the books and the movies are telling the same story, or was it garbled beyond recognition in the transition from novel to screenplay? Other topics covered include the construction of competing mythologies, the mechanisms of soft vs. hard population control, Capitol Couture, personal agency, a Love Triangle of Doom, depictions of trauma, whether it’s possible to depict war without ennobling it, and pairs of actors that Glenn can’t tell apart.

A BLANKET SPOILER WARNING for the new movie applies to the last section. Each section has spoilers for the movie & book being covered as well as the previous entries.

Chapters:

• 0:00:23 – Intro
• 0:08:30 – The Hunger Games
• 1:14:26 – Catching Fire
• 2:11:56 – Mockingjay Part 1
• 2:56:03 – Mockingjay Part 2

You can support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/nontoxicfanboys.

Musical selections:

• “Horn of Plenty” by Arcade Fire, from The Hunger Games
• “I Need You” by James Newton Howard, from Catching Fire
• “The Hanging Tree” by Jeremiah Fraites, Wesley Schultz, Suzanne Collins, and James Newton Howard, performed by Jennifer Lawrence, from Mockingjay Part 1
• “Air Raid Drill” by James Newton Howard, from Mockingjay Part 1
• “Returning Home” by James Newton Howard, from The Hunger Games

Buy the music excerpted in this episode:

• The Hunger Games, original score by James Newton Howard
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, original score by James Newton Howard
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, original score by James Newton Howard
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, original score by James Newton Howard