Pop Screen is going into hardcore auteur territory this week, with a film directed by and starring the one and only Barbara Streisand. A story of hidden family secrets, illicit affairs, licit affairs, quasi-licit affairs – look, there’s a lot of affairs, alright? – it was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars while Streisand was snubbed for Best Director, suggesting her music career was preventing her from being taken seriously as a filmmaker.
On this week’s Pop Screen, Aidan and Graham discuss how fair that is, balancing the film’s sentimental, sometimes dated tone against its visual beauty, surprising eagerness to confront taboos and unexpected appearance from George Carlin. We also discuss the legacy of Streisand’s directorial debut Yentl, Nick Nolte’s brief, perplexing reign as People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive, and the two classic Simpsons jokes this film inspired.
Every time I hear the wind, it seems to whisper the phrase “Donate to our Patreon, where you can get a monthly bonus episode of this podcast as well as Graham’s Doctor Who reviews, unrestricted access to our sister podcast Directors Uncut and more”. Which is a bit wordy, but who’s going to argue with the wind? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more news.
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