Ribbon of Memes

It's been over a century and a quarter since the first moving picture was committed to celluloid - the "ribbon of dreams", as Orson Welles mellifluously intoned.

And so, welcome, one and all, to Ribbon of Memes, a new podcast in which Roger Bell_West and Nick Marsh supply grateful listeners hot takes about films considered masterpieces by critics or filmgoers in general.

The rules: we choose one "masterpiece" from every year from the earliest days of cinema to our dreadful modern dystopia. Do we agree these films are classics? Are we entertained? Did we even understand what the film was trying to say? The questions are endless!*

We start in 1973 (for reasons explained in the first podcast) and progress vaguely chronologically (unless we think of another film that makes an interesting comparison to the one we have just seen, or are otherwise distracted by shiny new things).

Yes, that's right, we decided that what the world really needed was two more uninformed middle-aged white guys telling the world about media largely produced by similar people. Find out whether we were right or not herein!

*Actually, no, that's most of them.

We're also on iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

The Wave (2015) and The Quake (2018) 14 December 2024

Roger and Nick preen our beards to indulge in Scandi Disaster with The Wave (Bølgen) and The Quake (Skjelvet).

Chimes at Midnight (1965) 16 November 2024

Roger and Nick are joined by Michael Cule to consider what Orson Welles did to Shakespeare in 1965's Chimes at Midnight.

Psycho (1960) and Rear Window (1954) 19 October 2024 - 1 comment

Roger and Nick are invited to get all male-gazey again, in 1960's Psycho and 1954's Rear Window.

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) 05 October 2024 - 1 comment

Nick and Roger cross off the boxes on the family tree as we consider 1949's Kind Hearts and Coronets.

Three Colours trilogy (1993-1994) 07 September 2024

Nick and Roger, joined once again by special guest MaryAnn Johanson, look at Kieslowski's final and most successful work: Three Colours Blue, Three Colours White and Three Colours Red.

The Poseidon Adventure (1972) 10 August 2024

Nick and Roger get wet and steamy as we consider 1972's The Poseidon Adventure.

Third Anniversary 26 July 2024

Roger and Nick celebrate our third anniversary doing this podcast.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) 13 July 2024 - 1 comment

Nick and Roger look at the sort of Epic! film that just doesn't get made any more, 1962's Lawrence of Arabia. (Actual historica accuracy can wait by the back door in case we need you.)

Cidade de Deus (2002) 29 June 2024

Roger and Nick won't last long enough on the streets to starve, in 2002's Cidade de Deus.

Citizen Kane (1941) 15 June 2024

This Orson Welles guy may be fine on the radio, but can he make a movie? Nick and Roger look at his directorial debut, 1941's Citizen Kane.

Battleship Potemkin (1925) 20 April 2024 - 10 comments

Nick and Roger take on our first banned film (not certified in the UK until 1954, "X"/"18" certificate until 1987) with 1925's Battleship Potemkin.

The Big Short (2015) 13 April 2024

Roger and Nick continue our exploration of the world of finance with The Big Short (2015).

It's a Wonderful Miracle on 34th Street 23 December 2023 - 4 comments

Nick and Roger discuss Miracle on 34th Street (1947) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946).

North by Northwest (1959) 02 September 2023 - 4 comments

Nick and Roger watch the first James Bond film, or at least the one that gave them most of their ideas: North by Northwest (1959).

Promising Young Woman (2020) 03 June 2023

Roger and Nick discuss Promising Young Woman.

Roma (2017) 29 April 2023 - 3 comments

Nick and Roger discuss Roma.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) 15 April 2023

Nick and Roger consider character arcs and vengeance films as we look at 2017's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Arrival (2016) 08 April 2023

Roger and Nick with special guest Shim get terribly earnest to discuss Arrival (2016).

Spotlight (2015) 18 March 2023 - 1 comment

Nick and Roger put on our green eyeshades and ecclesiastical rings to discuss Spotlight (2015).

(Recorded face to face in an acoustically bright room, apologies for that.)

Birdman (2014) 18 February 2023

All in one take, Nick and Roger discuss Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014).

Before trilogy (1995-2013) 04 February 2023

Nick and Roger discuss Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013).

Argo (2012) 21 January 2023 - 3 comments

Nick and Roger discuss Argo (2012).

There Will Be Blood (2007) 22 October 2022

Roger and Nick discuss There Will Be Blood (2007).

Walk the Line (2005) 01 October 2022

Nick and Roger discuss Walk the Line (2005).

Vera Drake (2004) 17 September 2022

Nick and Roger discuss Vera Drake (2004). (Note that while this is already tagged "explicit", like every episode, we do go into a bit of detail about the mechanics of abortion as depicted here, so you may not want to listen to this where people can overhear you.)

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) 02 September 2022

Nick and Roger discuss Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003).

Lost in Translation (2003) 27 August 2022

Roger and Nick discuss Lost in Translation (2003) and wonder: are we the baddies?

The Pianist (2002) 13 August 2022 - 4 comments

Roger and Nick discuss The Pianist (2002).

Magnolia (1999) 02 July 2022 - 1 comment

Roger and Nick discuss Magnolia (1999).

Schindler's List (1993) 26 March 2022 - 4 comments

Roger and Nick discuss Schindler's List (1993).

Unforgiven (1992) 12 March 2022 - 3 comments

Roger and Nick discuss a Western that maybe isn't as subversive as it wants you to think it is, Unforgiven (1992).

Thelma & Louise (1991) 26 February 2022

Roger and Nick discuss our second Ridley Scott film, Thelma & Louise (1991).

Back to the Future (1985-1990) 19 February 2022

Nick and Roger discuss Back to the Future (1985), Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Back to the Future Part III (1990).

Goodfellas (1990) 12 February 2022

Roger and Nick return to Scorsese and de Niro to discuss Goodfellas (1990).

Heathers (1989) 05 February 2022

Nick and Roger discuss Heathers (1989).

Do The Right Thing (1989) 29 January 2022

Roger and Nick (face to face!) discuss Do The Right Thing (1989).

Cinema Paradiso (1988) 15 January 2022

Nick and Roger with special guest MaryAnn Johanson discuss Cinema Paradiso.

The Dead (1987) 25 December 2021 - 2 comments

Nick and Roger discuss The Dead.

Stand By Me (1986) 11 December 2021 - 3 comments

Nick and Roger discuss Stand By Me.

The Breakfast Club (1985) 04 December 2021 - 2 comments

Roger and Nick discuss The Breakfast Club.

Dance With a Stranger (1985) 27 November 2021 - 2 comments

Nick and Roger discuss Dance With a Stranger.

Blood Simple (1984) 20 November 2021 - 4 comments

Roger and Nick discuss Blood Simple.

Paris, Texas (1984) 13 November 2021 - 1 comment

Nick and Roger with special guest MaryAnn Johanson discuss Paris, Texas.

Local Hero (1983) 06 November 2021

Roger and Nick discuss Local Hero.

Raging Bull (1980) 18 September 2021

Roger and Nick discuss Raging Bull.

Network (1976) 07 August 2021

Roger and Nick discuss Network.

The Man Who Would Be King (1975) 31 July 2021 - 2 comments

Roger and Nick discuss The Man Who Would Be King.

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2022
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2023
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2024
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