Best Rico Gagliano Podcasts (2025)

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Listen Now: Lawless Planet 5:17

Play Pause

3d ago5:17

5:17

It’s not that hard to kill a planet. All it takes is a little drilling, some mining, a generous helping of pollution and voila! Earth over. When you take stock of what’s left, it starts to look like a crime scene: decapitated mountains, poisoned rivers, oil-soaked pelicans, maybe a sun-bleached cow skull in a dried-up lake bed. The only thing missi…

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Listen Now: Lawless Planet 5:20

3d ago5:20

5:20

It’s not that hard to kill a planet. All it takes is a little drilling, some mining, a generous helping of pollution and voila! Earth over. When you take stock of what’s left, it starts to look like a crime scene: decapitated mountains, poisoned rivers, oil-soaked pelicans, maybe a sun-bleached cow skull in a dried-up lake bed. The only thing missi…

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KNEECAP — Rich Peppiatt on politics and partying 29:17

7d ago29:17

29:17

Our full interview with the writer/director of the Northern Irish indie phenomenon KNEECAP. Host Rico Gagliano visits Rich at his Belfast pad, to talk about wrangling the movie's titular hard-partying provocateurs, the rise of Northern Ireland's film industry, and why he briefly resented a Quiet Girl. Part travelogue, part deep-dive storytelling, t…

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AMORES PERROS shakes up Mexico City (w/ Gael García Bernal) 39:20

14d ago39:20

39:20

Superstar Gael García Bernal (THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES) and legendary set designer Eugenio Caballero (PAN’S LABYRINTH) help take host Rico Gagliano on a tour of Mexico City’s streets and its cinema — from the golden era of “ranchera” musicals to the making of Alejandro Inarittu’s tectonic breakthrough AMORES PERROS. Part travelogue, part deep-dive st…

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Listen Now: Flesh and Code 8:58

17d ago8:58

8:58

Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human. Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without judgement, supports him through his darkest moments, even explores his …

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Listen Now: Flesh and Code 8:58

17d ago8:58

8:58

Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human. Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without judgement, supports him through his darkest moments, even explores his …

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Smashing in the doors of Amsterdam cinema (w/ BABYGIRL director Halina Reijn) 36:55

21d ago36:55

36:55

The Netherlands isn't known for tons of great movies... but its capital city of Amsterdam is packed with tons of great movie theaters. Rico takes us on a tour of his favorite town, to learn why. (Spoiler alert: Breaking into buildings played a role). Guests include director/actor Halina Reijn (BABYGIRL, BLACK BOOK), NY Times contributor Nina Siegal…

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Ireland tells its own tales (w/ KNEECAP director Rich Peppiatt) 42:57

28d ago42:57

42:57

Rico travels to Dublin and Belfast, and hangs with an epic lineup of local heroes, to learn how Ireland went from a backdrop for Hollywood rom-coms... to one of the hottest film cultures on the planet. Featuring directors Rich Peppiatt (KNEECAP) and John Crowley (BROOKLYN), superproducer Ed Guiney (POOR THINGS), and acting legends Fiona Shaw (MY LE…

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GRAND THEFT HAMLET — How Shakespeare’s Danish prince conquered the movies 25:13

5M ago25:13

25:13

GRAND THEFT HAMLET tells the radical tale of a band of artists who stage a virtual production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet inside the online video game Grand Theft Auto. But it’s hardly the first time filmmakers have messed with Shakespeare’s great Dane. Host Rico Gagliano learns the history of Hamlet on screen, with help from the movie’s cocreators, Pi…

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THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE — Magnus von Horn on the dark past...and present 26:53

6M ago26:53

26:53

The Oscar-nominated THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE is inspired by the grim, gripping true story of one of Denmark's most infamous criminals. Director/co-writer Magnus von Horn tells guest host Anna Bogutskaya about recreating the horror of a century ago, and how it might not be all that different than right now. THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE is now streaming …

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QUEER — Luca Guadagnino & Justin Kuritzkes take William S. Burroughs on a whole new trip 22:26

6M ago22:26

22:26

For their first project together since last year's steamy hit CHALLENGERS, director Luca Guadagnino (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME) and writer Justin Kuritzkes tackle another story about a sensuous 1950s romance of desire and longing: an adaptation of William S. Burroughs' novel QUEER. The pair tell host Rico Gagliano about why they vibe, how they make audi…

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SPEED RACER — The Wachowskis go full throttle 30:46

7M ago30:46

30:46

After THE MATRIX and V FOR VENDETTA, the Wachowskis were ready to turn from darkness, into the bright, bright candy-colored light. The result was SPEED RACER, an eyepopping postmodern explosion that honored the gravity-defying spirit of old-school anime… and which audiences couldn’t quite figure out. Host Rico Gagliano talks with the SPEED RACER st…

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SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK — Charlie Kaufman’s movie of a lifetime 35:37

8M ago35:37

35:37

When screenwriter Charlie Kaufman started making his epic, heartbreaking directorial debut SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK, he was the toast of Hollywood. Then it flopped, put a pause on his career, and arguably marked the end of the heady “indiewood” era of the oughties. Host Rico Gagliano talks to one of the film’s stars, Daniel London (MINORITY REPORT), co…

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THE HUDSUCKER PROXY — The Coen Brothers fall from a great height 34:29

8M ago34:29

34:29

In 1994, indie darlings the Coen Brothers went for the big time with a playful pastiche of classic Hollywood movies that pulled out every visual and comedic stop… and still crashed and burned at the box office. Host Rico Gagliano tells the story of the soaring Coens movie that paved the way for the flatlands of FARGO. Guests include HUDSUCKER’s leg…

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SYLVIA SCARLETT — Katharine Hepburn pays for her transgressions 37:30

8M ago37:30

37:30

It’s hard to imagine Katharine Hepburn as anything but a Hollywood icon. But in 1935, director George Cukor’s dreamy, gender-fluid comedy SYLVIA SCARLETT derailed her career for years. Host Rico Gagliano tells the story of a movie with sexual politics way ahead of its time — and which paid for it dearly at the box office. Guests include movie star …

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BABE: PIG IN THE CITY — George Miller makes one for the grownups 35:05

8M ago35:05

35:05

The first BABE was a family-friendly megahit. So for the sequel, why did director George Miller thrust his sweet porcine hero into a family-unfriendly nightmare? Host Rico Gagliano takes a trot down the mean streets of BABE: PIG IN THE CITY, telling the story of its rise and box-office fall with the help of guests including Farmer Hoggett himself, …

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SORCERER — William Friedkin’s heart of darkness 41:39

9M ago41:39

41:39

In the mid-’70s, legendary director William Friedkin — fresh off THE EXORCIST — helicoptered into South America with tens of millions of dollars… and emerged with malaria and a bleak, thrilling masterpiece called SORCERER. The only problem was the competition: A little movie called STAR WARS. Host Rico Gagliano tells the story of how SORCERER crash…

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SKINAMARINK — The Internet’s own haunted house 40:50

9M ago40:50

40:50

Director Kyle Edward Ball had a nightmare as a child: "I was in my parents’ house, my parents were missing, and there was a monster." Turns out, this is a nightmare a lot of people have had. After honing this craft on his YouTube channel, he finally made his film… and then it leaked online. Joined by Ball himself and Dread Central’s editor-in-chief…

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HOUSE — The Japanese psychedelic masterpiece 27:16

9M ago27:16

27:16

Few films have garnered the rabid, cult following over the years is a sight to behold. Giant cats. Talking houses. Heads coming out of wells. The images might be familiar, but the story behind the film is less so. The debut feature from experimental filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi was done in collaboration with his 10-year-old daughter. Season 6, title…

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THE AMITYVILLE HORROR — America’s most haunted home 32:44

10M ago32:44

32:44

The most famous haunted house in America is a large Dutch Colonial family home that became a bestseller, super-successful horror movie and a franchise that has spawned over 60 movies (and counting). And it’s all based…on a con. Together with horror critic Jenn Addams, FANGORIA editor-in-chief Phil Nobile Jr. and Bloody Disgusting critic Joe Lipsett…

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THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE — Guillermo del Toro’s creative resurrection 27:45

10M ago27:45

27:45

After a bad experience in Hollywood, Guillermo del Toro had lost his spark. He got it back with a story of a haunted orphanage during the Spanish Civil War, a script he wrote when he was still a student. Together with the film’s producer Rosa Bosch, BFI’s Creative Director and author of THE FABER BOOK OF MEXICAN CINEMA Jason Wood and co-host of the…

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POLTERGEIST — The first suburban haunted house 47:55

10M ago47:55

47:55

Before POLTERGEIST, haunted house movies took place in old, creepy mansions. Regular host Rico Gagliano visits the original suburban house in California to check for ghosts and hands over to guest host Anna Bogutskaya to explore how POLTERGEIST transformed horror movies forever with the help of the movie’s star JoBeth Williams, original publicist M…

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THE SUBSTANCE — Coralie Fargeat rips beauty standards to gory shreds 23:52

11M ago23:52

23:52

Writer/Director Coralie Fargeat's Cannes-winning body-horror blitz THE SUBSTANCE features Demi Moore as an aging star who turns to a mystery drug in hopes of becoming a better, younger version of herself. Fargeat tells host Rico Gagliano about casting Moore, why blood and guts are great metaphors, and the pain of makeup removal. THE SUBSTANCE comes…

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Riz Ahmed channels Yann Mounir Demange in DAMMI 20:03

1y ago20:03

20:03

Oscar-winning actor/producer Riz Ahmed (SOUND OF METAL) and acclaimed UK director Yann Mounir Demange (’71, TOP BOY) tell host Rico Gagliano about treading the line between truth and fiction in DAMMI—Demange’s semi-autobiographical short about an angry young man trying to come to terms with his identity, his dad, and his birthplace: Paris. DAMMI is…

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The Flipsides of Cannes — Featuring Wim Wenders and more 25:41

1y ago25:41

25:41

With Cannes 2024 underway, host Rico Gagliano takes a tour of the less-known corners of the legendary film festival—avoiding red-carpet glamour to bring you tales of spiritual seekers, aspiring filmmakers on the street, and the ongoing drama of the fest’s favorite dive bar. Featuring on-location conversations with Wim Wenders, UK critic Anna Boguts…

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PERFECT DAYS — Wim Wenders cures his post-pandemic blues 25:13

1+ y ago25:13

25:13

Legendary filmmaker Wim Wenders returns to the show to tell host Rico Gagliano about his Cannes-winning, Oscar-nominated PERFECT DAYS—the story of a Tokyo toilet cleaner who finds joy in routine. They also get into a few of Wenders’s favorite things: Japan, travel, Nina Simone, and having time on his hands. PERFECT DAYS will stream exclusively on M…

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HIGH & LOW - JOHN GALLIANO — Kevin Macdonald tackles fashion and forgiveness 26:49

1+ y ago26:49

26:49

Superstar fashion designer John Galliano wrecked his career when he was caught on video in a drunken, antisemitic rant circa 2011. Now, in a new documentary, Oscar-winning documentarian Kevin Macdonald (WHITNEY, ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER) asks audiences to gaze into Galliano’s eyes and decide for themselves if he deserves a second act. On this special e…

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Sofia Coppola — PRISCILLA, from source to soundtrack 22:03

1+ y ago22:03

22:03

In a wide-ranging interview, Sofia Coppola tells host Rico Gagliano all about the making of her new Priscilla Presley biopic—from the Kubrick flick that inspired her opening sequence...to picking the soundtrack full of pop tunes by just about everyone except Elvis. It's a follow-up to last week's career-spanning look at the themes threaded through …

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Sofia Coppola — from VIRGIN SUICIDES to PRISCILLA 29:13

1+ y ago29:13

29:13

There’s maybe no working filmmaker more associated with film fashion than Sofia Coppola. But in this brief history of her super-stylish body of work, we figure out the thematic stitching inside those perfect fits. Host Rico Gagliano talks with Coppola, her brother (and collaborator) Roman, and her award-winning costume designers past and present, t…

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DO THE RIGHT THING — Spike Lee and Ruth E. Carter find color in the dark 33:42

1+ y ago33:42

33:42

Spike Lee’s masterwork DO THE RIGHT THING is an incendiary look at racial tension, an empathetic portrait of a community...and one of the flyest-ever distillations of street style as the ’80s gave way to the ’90s. Host Rico Gagliano learns how double Oscar-winner Ruth E. Carter (BLACK PANTHER) used bright color, afro-consciousness, and a whole lot …

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QUADROPHENIA — The mod, mod world of ’64, ’79 and beyond 45:56

1+ y ago45:56

45:56

In 1979, at the tail end of the punk era, Franc Roddam’s QUADROPHENIA helped convince a certain crew of UK kids to favor sharp suits over bondage gear. Host Rico Gagliano tells the twisty story of the movie, the ‘60s mod subculture it celebrates, and the mod revival it fueled. Guests include Roddam himself, superstar fashion designer Anna Sui, mod …

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BREATHLESS — Jean Seberg & Jean-Luc Godard dress down film and fashion 32:52

1+ y ago32:52

32:52

In 1959, a brash critic-turned-filmmaker named Jean-Luc Godard cast movie star Jean Seberg in his first film, BREATHLESS. You probably know it revolutionized movies, but it also had a big impact on fashion, onscreen and off—by seeming like it wasn’t even trying. With the help of historians and critics, host Rico Gagliano decodes Seberg’s “French Gi…

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HOW TO HAVE SEX — Molly Manning Walker just wants to talk 19:09

1+ y ago19:09

19:09

The Cannes-winning HOW TO HAVE SEX tracks a trio of UK women on a non-stop clubbing holiday...that goes disturbingly off the rails. In this special episode, writer/director Molly Manning Walker tells host Rico Gagliano about the highs and lows of party culture, why consent should be more than a word, and how she prefers her roller coasters. HOW TO …

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Ken Loach Calls for Solidarity in THE OLD OAK 22:27

2y ago22:27

22:27

As the “Hot Labor Summer” of union strikes rolls into autumn, legendary British director Ken Loach sits down with host Rico Gagliano to look back on a long career spent telling the stories of working people…and why it might end with THE OLD OAK: a call for solidarity in a northern industrial town. THE OLD OAK releases in cinemas in the UK and Irela…

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Sebastián Silva on ROTTING IN THE SUN — "Everyone and everything in it will get trashed" 22:46

2y ago22:46

22:46

Sundance favorite Sebastián Silva tells host Rico Gagliano about his self-described "misanthropic comedy" ROTTING IN THE SUN—the satirical story of a happy hedonist and a not-so-happy filmmaker who end up in the middle of a Hitchcockian mystery. Silva dishes on how he teamed up with superstar Instagrammer Jordan Firstman, the importance of self-moc…

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PASSAGES — Ira Sachs's "endless circle of desire" 22:28

2y ago22:28

22:28

"Let's just say I wanted to make a liberated film. I felt like...am I allowed to say 'f*** it?' Like, 'f*** it.'" So says legendary indie filmmaker Ira Sachs about PASSAGES, his seriously sexy Sundance hit about an insatiable artist in a messy modern love triangle. In this special episode, Sachs tells host Rico Gagliano how his all-star cast (Ben W…

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Cannes Conversations — Ildiko Enyedi on short cinema 11:32

2y ago11:32

11:32

Oscar-nominated Hungarian filmmaker Ildiko Enyedi is celebrated for her bold, unclassifiable features (like the Cannes-winning sci-fi MY 20TH CENTURY). But at this year’s Cannes she trained her eye on smaller-scale visions: She helmed the jury picking the festival’s best short films. Enyedi tells host Rico Gagliano about her own whimsical shorts, h…

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Cannes Conversations — Filipa Reis on privilege and empowerment 16:08

2y ago16:08

16:08

At Cannes, celebrated Portuguese directing duo Filipa Reis and Joao Miller Guerra debuted LEGUA — a movie about a housekeeper tending to an empty country estate… and the sacrifices she’s willing to make for work and friendship. Reis tells host Rico Gagliano about turning the camera on her own privilege, the joys and challenges of tag-team directing…

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Cannes Conversations — Joanna Arnow watches (wryly) from a distance 12:20

2y ago12:20

12:20

Filmmaker Joanna Arnow’s shorts and docs are funny, fearless looks at people at their most excruciatingly vulnerable — especially herself. In her debut feature THE FEELING THAT THE TIME FOR DOING SOMETHING HAS PASSED, she ratchets up the deadpan humor to tell the story of a woman navigating the alternately mundane and surreal worlds of work, family…

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Cannes Conversations — With OMEN, Baloji clears his name 16:08

2y ago16:08

16:08

Belgian rapper-turned-auteur Baloji was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo — where for some, his name literally means “demon.” So it’s no surprise that his mind-bending first feature OMEN is all about characters society considers cursed. Baloji tells host Rico Gagliano about this kaleidoscopic debut, the pressures of competition at Cannes, an…

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Cannes Conversations — Elene Naveriani on their stealth punk heroine 16:14

2y ago16:14

16:14

In their sophomore feature BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY, Georgian-born filmmaker Elene Naveriani tells the story of a middle-aged virgin in a small Georgian town who dares to start living the life she feels like leading — gossips and the patriarchy be damned. Naveriani tells host Rico Gagliano about the movie’s big little moments, its “instinctiv…

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Cannes Conversations — Weston Razooli lets his kids go wild 13:28

2y ago13:28

13:28

L.A. filmmaker Weston Razooli’s debut feature RIDDLE OF FIRE is like if THE GOONIES were directed by Francois Truffaut — a tale of three modern kids on an old-fashioned adventure in the woods, facing down a family of witches. Razooli tells host Rico Gagliano about his D&D-soaked childhood in Utah, how he cast the kids… and the afterparty following …

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Cannes Conversations — Monia Chokri on THE NATURE OF LOVE 10:33

2y ago10:33

10:33

Quebecois actor and director Monia Chokri is a Cannes regular — who in her films, regularly returns to her favorite themes: Very smart women having a very hard time figuring out relationships. Host Rico Gagliano stole a few minutes with her at this year’s Cannes to try and figure out why — and to learn about her charmer of a dramedy THE NATURE OF L…

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Cannes Conversations — Kleber Mendonça Filho watches movie palaces disappear 19:07

2y ago19:07

19:07

In 2019, Brazil's Kleber Mendonça Filho won the Jury Prize at Cannes with his co-directed movie BACURAU. This year he returned to the fest to premiere a documentary about movies. Or more specifically, about the places we watch them. In the second installment of our mini-season of conversations taped on location at Cannes '23, Filho tells host Rico …

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Cannes Conversations — Wim Wenders on ANSELM 12:05

2y ago12:05

12:05

To kick off our mini-season of conversations taped on location at the 2023 Cannes film festival, host Rico Gagliano meets up with legendary director Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club; Paris, Texas). The subject of their conversation: Wenders' new 3D documentary Anselm, which plunges the audience into the work of German fine artist Anselm Kiefer.…

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FERRIS BUELLER to WOLF OF WALL STREET — Cinema's top music supervisors break down their greatest hits 43:15

2y ago43:15

43:15

We wrap up our season on great needle drops with an interview mixtape. Host Rico Gagliano talks to three legendary music supervisors about their iconic pairings of music and image...a bunch of which likely provided the soundtrack to some part of your life. Featuring Randall Poster (KIDS, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, SUMMER OF SOUL), Margaret Yen (JUNO)…

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BLACKBOARD JUNGLE — Hollywood's first rumble with rock ‘n’ roll 33:40

2y ago33:40

33:40

In his gritty ’55 flick BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, director Richard Brooks introduced a wide audience to Sidney Poitier, the harsh world of inner-city schools...and a genre of music called "rock ‘n’ roll." Host Rico Gagliano tells the story of Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock"—cinema's first rock needle drop—with the help of music detective and author J…

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CHUNGKING EXPRESS — Wong Kar Wai puts "Dreams" on the menu 34:48

2+ y ago34:48

34:48

Shot on a shoestring in six wild weeks, CHUNGKING EXPRESS is the movie that put legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai on the international map—along with his star, pop diva Faye Wong...and her Cantonese cover of The Cranberries's hit "Dreams." Host Rico Gagliano learns how the song, the director, and the singer all came together to capture Hon…