The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast

This week, Madeline, Julian and Emilio kick off a new cycle dedicated to "Offbeat Musicals" with perhaps the pre-eminent offbeat musical movie: 'Little Shop of Horrors', released in 1986, directed by Frank Oz, featuring standout performances from Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Levi Stubbs as Audrey II, anchored by the iconic score from Howard Ashman and Alan Menken.  It's a Viewnanimous pick, and they are joined by composer/performer/teacher/great human/"Little Shop" enthusiast Will Reynolds to break down what is weird and wonderful about the film and its music.  The group digs into the touching performances, the elite puppetry, its playful yet clear adherences to classic Broadway musical conventions, how the period setting becomes a backdrop for the themes, that very bleak original ending vs. the happy theatrical release ending, and much more!  
Will Reynolds is an accomplished composer, coach, and performer.  His score for The Violet Hour can be found where ever you stream music.  You can follow his goings on, learn about his Inspired Actions Method, and see where he is performing next at his website willreynoldsonline.com and on IG @willcreynolds    
If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.  This really helps us find new listeners and grow!
Follow us on YouTube, IG and TikTok: @sleeplesscinematicpod
Send us an email at [email protected]
On Letterboxd? Follow Julian @julian_barthold and Madeline @patronessofcats

This week, Emilio, Madeline, and Julian welcome in fellow podcaster Christian Garcia for a bonus episode to discuss 'Written on the Wind', Douglas Sirk's seminal romantic melodrama from 1956 starring Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, and Dorothy Malone in an Oscar-winning performance. This was a first watch for everyone involved, but a welcome initiation to the aesthetic and thematic paths on which Sirk often tread. The group digs into the reach and influence that this film had on modern filmmakers, how the film chooses to portray masculinity, the captivating performances, the blend of genres it manages to balance, and the many subversive touches Sirk sneaks into the film that give it so much staying power.    
Christian Garcia is a co-host of the podcast That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema.  Along with co-host Luke Delmar, the podcast takes a loving look back at classic films from Hollywood's Golden Age through a queer lens.  You can listen and follow @thatolgayclassiccinema  
Programming Note: This conversation was recorded in 2025. 
If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.  This really helps us find new listeners and grow!
Follow us on YouTube, IG and TikTok: @sleeplesscinematicpod
Send us an email at [email protected]
On Letterboxd? Follow Julian @julian_barthold and Madeline @patronessofcats

Madeline, Emilio, and Julian are rejoined by film editor and all-around great cinephile hang James Codoyannis to wrap up their cycle of Oscar-Worthy Rom-Coms with a "Close-Up" on three films written by the prolific Neil Simon. For the first "Close-Up" episode devoted to a screenwriter, the group bring their varied histories with Simon's body of work, on screen and on stage, to viewings of 1967's "Barefoot in the Park," directed by Gene Saks, 1972's "The Heartbreak Kid," directed by Elaine May, and 1977's "The Goodbye Girl," directed by Herbert Ross. Despite the common threads of Neil Simon's writing style (such as speedy couplings of main characters, eccentric supporting roles, and impromptu moments of singing), these films make for an eclectic mix; whereas "Barefoot in the Park" channels an of-its-time comedy of errors from stage to screen, "The Heartbreak Kid" thrives on friction between Simon's romanticism and Elaine May's offbeat directorial style, and "The Goodbye Girl" goes back to matching Simon's vision while reflecting a newfound wisdom that comes with age. 
All of these films received Oscar nominations or wins in their respective years, most prominently in the acting categories, but awarded or not, they give us memorable performances from Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Mildred Natwick, and Charles Boyer in "Barefoot in the Park," Charles Grodin, Jeannie Berlin, Cybill Shepard, and Eddie Albert in "The Heartbreak Kid," and Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, and Quinn Cummings in "The Goodbye Girl," all of whom helped bring Neil Simon's evolving screenplays to life.  
Follow James on his socials:
INSTAGRAM: @codboyannis
LETTERBOXD: jcodoyannis
BLUESKY: @codboyannis.bsky.social
WE STRANGERS now available on rent & buy at AMAZON, APPLE TV, and other places
Follow @westrangersthefilm on INSTAGRAM
SEAWEED STORIES now available to watch on Leo DiCaprio's YouTube Channel
Rent/Purchase RON DELSENER PRESENTS at: https://linktr.ee/rondelsenerpresents
Watch BOB OF THE PARK on NYT's Op-Docs Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLQUC7_wtFg
If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.  This really helps us find new listeners and grow!
Follow us on IG and TikTok: @sleeplesscinematicpod
Send us an email at [email protected]
On Letterboxd? Follow Julian at julian_barthold and Madeline at patronessofcats

We've been breaking down Oscar Worthy Rom Coms for several weeks now, but what about movies that didn't get nominations or wins but absolutely should have?  This week, Madeline, Julian and Emilio, along with their guests from our latest cycle, share their picks for romantic comedies that never got the Oscar love they deserved.   These selections range from obvious snubs to cult classics misunderstood upon initial release to unapologetic personal picks from the heart.  
A huge thanks to our guests this cycle who shared their picks: writer/director Anu Valia, Anna Stone of the film podcast Stone's Top Tens, writer and film programmer David Schwartz, and filmmaker/editor James Codoyannis.   
If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.  This really helps us find new listeners and grow!
Follow us on YouTube, IG and TikTok: @sleeplesscinematicpod
Send us an email at [email protected]
On Letterboxd? Follow Julian @julian_barthold and Madeline @patronessofcats

This week, Julian, Emilio, and Madeline are joined by comedian Sydney Duncan to discuss two films that launched their leading ladies to superstardom - William Wyler’s “Roman Holiday” from 1953 and Garry Marshall’s “Pretty Woman” from 1990. The group draws comparisons both salient and subtle, and examines the aspects of Audrey Hepburn and Julia Roberts’ performances that solidify these roles as their breakouts. The group also discusses the role that class plays in each of these films and the relationships at their center. Among the many similarities, they also observe that one of the best-known scenes in each film features a kindred improvisatory moment.
You can follow Sydney Duncan on Instagram and TikTok @sydneyduncanonem, and catch her on the Maude and Betty house teams at UCB NY.
If you enjoy our podcast, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.  This really helps us find new listeners and grow!
Follow us on IG and TikTok: @sleeplesscinematicpod
Send us an email at [email protected]
On Letterboxd? Follow Julian @julian_barthold and Madeline @patronessofcats