Best Decline Of The Western Civilizations Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 323: Le Bonheur (1965) 1:02:12

10d ago1:02:12

1:02:12

Our Agnès Varda month continues with a discussion of Le Bonheur (Happiness), following the lives of a happy little nuclear family whose happiness gets challenged (or does it?) when the father begins an affair. Deeply feminist and gorgeously filmed, Le Bonheur fools you into thinking its one thing and then becomes another. We do recommend watching t…

1
322: Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962) 1:03:41

17d ago1:03:41

1:03:41

This month we are (finally!) exploring some of the works of the great Agnès Varda, one of the pioneers of the French New Wave. First up, we're starting with one of her most widely seen: Cléo from 5 to 7. Corinne Marchand stars as the titular Cléo, a young singer waiting for important medical results. Over the course of 90 minutes, Cléo tries to dis…

1
Episode 321: Roxanne (1987) 59:51

24d ago59:51

59:51

We close out 1987 with a quirky one: Steve Martin's adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac: Roxanne, starring Daryl Hannah as the titular intellectual love interest of C.D. (Martin), a small-town fire chief with a brilliant mind and a prominent proboscis. This is a really fun way to end this series! Next up we'll have an entire month of Agnes Varda, star…

1
320: The Princess Bride 1:18:57

1M ago1:18:57

1:18:57

This week, the Dames are talking about love, true love as we discuss the beloved 1987 fairy tale classic, The Princess Bride. William Goldman adapted the script from his own novel. Rob Reiner directs the film which stars Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Andre the Giant, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn and so many more. Be …

1
Episode 319: Maurice (1987) 1:00:57

1M ago1:00:57

1:00:57

And we're back! This week, we're talking about Maurice (1987), the Merchant-Ivory adaptation of E.M. Forster's startlingly progressive story of homosexual love in Edwardian England. The more things change, the more they stay the same, it seems. Next week, we'll be discussing The Princess Bride, so Gen-Xers and Millennials should get real excited!…

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318: Moonstruck (1987) 1:01:27

2M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

This month we're traveling back to 1987, starting with the Academy Award-winning romance, Moonstruck. Plot: Loretta Castorini, a bookkeeper from Brooklyn, New York, finds herself in a difficult situation when she falls for the brother of the man she has agreed to marry. Directed by: Norman Jewison Written by: John Patrick Shanley Starring: Cher, Ni…

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Episode 317: Wayne's World (1992) 1:04:03

2M ago1:04:03

1:04:03

We close out our Women's History Month discussion of Penelope Spheeris with THE movie of the 1990s: Wayne's World, starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey! Hear about the film that introduced a generation to "Bohemian Rhapsody" and maybe sort of formed Lauren's entire psyche. Next week, we'll be chatting about Moonstruck, so defo prep for that! Party o…

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316 — Suburbia (1983) 55:02

2M ago55:02

55:02

We continue our Penelope Spheeris series with her first narrative feature, Suburbia. Plot summary: Suburbia is director Penelope Spheeris's study of the Los Angeles punk rock scene in the early 1980s. Evan and his younger brother leave their broken home in an attempt to escape their alcoholic mother. They find family in a group of punks who live as…

1
Episode 315: The Decline of Western Civilization (1981) 58:50

3M ago58:50

58:50

We're celebrating Women's History Month by discussing some of the best films of the severely underrated Penelope Spheeris, whose filmography is quite something. First up: Spheeris's first feature, The Decline of Western Civilization, an intense, enjoyable, wholly strange documentary about the LA hardcore punk scene in 1979/1980. Even if you're not …

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314: The Elephant Man (1980) 55:33

3M ago55:33

55:33

We conclude our David Lynch series with his first Academy Award-nominated feature, The Elephant Man. Released in 1980, John Hurt stars as John Merrick, a Victorian era freak show star whose life changes when he meets Dr. Frederick Treves, played by Anthony Hopkins. But of course, with David Lynch telling the story, there is so much more to it than …

1
Episode 313 - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992) 59:20

3M ago59:20

59:20

This week we continue our David Lynch series with Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, the prequel film to the remarkable series. Trigger warning for discussion of sexual abuse/incest.By Citizen Dame

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312 — Mulholland Drive 1:00:24

3M ago1:00:24

1:00:24

This week, we continue our David Lynch series by exploring the mysteries of Mulholland Drive. Plot summary: After a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality. Written and directed by David Lynch Starring: Naomi W…

1
Episode 311: Blue Velvet (1986) 1:12:56

4M ago1:12:56

1:12:56

We're back and better than ever! After a brief hiatus while Karen was at Sundance, the Dames return to discuss some of the must-sees of the festival, followed by a deep dive into David Lynch's 1986 masterpiece Blue Velvet, starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, and Laura Dern.By Citizen Dame

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310 — A Face in the Crowd 59:45

4M ago59:45

59:45

This week, we're discussing Andy Griffith's first big screen role in A Face in the Crowd, the 1957 film from Elia Kazan. Griffith stars as Lonesome Rhodes, a wandering musician who is discovered in a small county jail and goes on to become an influential television star. It is a fascinating and timely examination of fame, influence, and the cult of…

1
Episode 309: Nosferatu (2024) 1:04:55

5M ago1:04:55

1:04:55

The Dames delve into the darkness and despair with Robert Eggers's Nosferatu, a Dracula adaptation, remake of Murnau's 1922 film, and work of art all its own.By Citizen Dame

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308: Catching Up With the Dames 1:15:34

5M ago1:15:34

1:15:34

Welcome to 2025! As we gear up for a new year of exciting episodes and so many movies to talk about, we take a little look back at some of the films we have been watching lately, from Lauren's Hitchcock Year to Will & Harper and Wallace & Gromit, this wide-ranging conversation covers a lot of recent and upcoming releases as well as some of our favo…

1
Episode 307: The Apartment (1960) 1:01:27

5M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

Happy New Year from Citizen Dame! For our final episode of 2024, we talk about the hilarious and melancholic The Apartment, directed and written by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon as an office worker who lets executives use his apartment for extramarital affairs, and Shirley Maclaine as the elevator girl he develops feelings for (without knowing…

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306: Carol (2015) 1:12:49

5M ago1:12:49

1:12:49

This week, we celebrate the season with Todd Haynes' 2015 holiday romance, Carol. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara star in this adaptation of the 1952 Patricia Highsmith novel.By Citizen Dame

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Episode 305: The Bishop's Wife (1947)/The Preacher's Wife (1996) 51:08

6M ago51:08

51:08

The Dames do a double-feature this week with The Bishop's Wife and The Preacher's Wife, in which we try to determine whether Cary or Denzel is the hottest angel committed to film. Jury's still out.By Citizen Dame

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304: L'assassinat du Père Noël/Who Killed Santa Claus? (1941) 1:04:09

6M ago1:04:09

1:04:09

The Dames are kicking off a month of holiday movies, beginning with the 1941 French production, L'assassinat du Père Noël/Who Killed Santa Claus? Directed by: Christian-Jaque Written by: Charles Spaak; based on the novel by Pierre Véry Starring: Harry Baur, Renée Faure, Raymond Rouleau, Robert Le Vigan, Jean Brochard Produced by Continental Films…

1
Episode 303: The Naked Kiss (1964) 1:10:09

6M ago1:10:09

1:10:09

The Dames close out Noirvember in pulpy style with Samuel Fuller's still shocking The Naked Kiss, starring Constance Towers as a prostitute who moves to a small town and upends its social and sexual hierarchy by actually being a kind, ethical person. (TW for discussions of sexual abuse.)By Citizen Dame

1
302 - Touch of Evil (1958) 59:56

6M ago59:56

59:56

This week, we discuss Orson Welles' noir classic, Touch of Evil. Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh star as a Mexican official and his wife who find themselves embroiled in a drug trafficking scandal that also involves an American detective (Welles) and his questionable methods of bringing people to justice.…

1
Episode 301: The Night of the Hunter (1955) 1:10:16

7M ago1:10:16

1:10:16

We kick off Noirvember 2024 in style with Charles Laughton's exceptional directorial effort: The Night of the Hunter, starring Robert Mitchum as a fire and brimstone "preacher" who preys on widows in Depression-era West Virginia, but meets his match in two small children hiding an expensive secret. The Night of the Hunter was Laughton's only film a…

1
Episode 300: The Babadook (2014) 1:03:58

7M ago1:03:58

1:03:58

For our 300th episode, we finally discuss Jennifer Kent's brilliant 2014 horror film, The Babadook.By Citizen Dame

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299: Rosemary's Baby (1968) 1:13:15

7M ago1:13:15

1:13:15

The Dames interrogate one of the more controversial of the great horror films: 1968's Rosemary's Baby, starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes, and directed by Roman Polanski. A complicated, multi-faceted film that's not always easy to talk about, both for its content and the feelings surrounding its director, there's no doubt that we have a lot to…

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298: Interview With a Vampire (1994) 1:12:45

8M ago1:12:45

1:12:45

This week, we continue Spooky Movie Month with vampires! Specifically, the 1994 Neil Jordan horror adaptation, Interview With a Vampire. We're talking Tom Cruise, Anne Rice, Louis' incessant whining, and the way Kirsten Dunst would be unfairly branded for years to come.By Citizen Dame

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Episode 297: Deep Red (Profondo Rosso) 1:07:05

8M ago1:07:05

1:07:05

Spooky season is upon us, which means SPOOKY MOVIES! We kick off this season with a legendary giallo: Dario Argento's 1975 film Deep Red, starring David Hemmings and the remarkable Daria Nicolodi. Murder has never been so weird.By Citizen Dame

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Political Loyalties and Catholic Faith 1:12:19

8M ago1:12:19

1:12:19

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith and Dr. Bulzacchelli discuss the meaning and history of the various political alignments, including "left" "right", "center right," etc. Once this terminology is defined the various alignmentsare evaluated in the light of Catholic theology. This episode is helpful for those Catholics (and oth…

1
296 - Jojo Rabbit (2019) 1:25:07

8M ago1:25:07

1:25:07

This week, the Dames wrap up Fall Festival season with Taika Waititi's Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit. From (Fox) Searchlight, the film was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. With so much humor and heart, we explore the brilliance of this World War II film told through the perspective of a 10-year-old Na…

1
Episode 295: The Shape of Water 1:11:16

8M ago1:11:16

1:11:16

The Dames go deep (hehe) on Guillermo del Toro's glorious magical realist fable (and Best Picture winner) The Shape of Water, and its deceptively simple narrative that combines fairy tale, biblical allegory, and transcendental love into something that is truly unique. Is this just the "fish-fucking movie" or is it so much more? Next week, we'll be …

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294: Gone Girl (2014) 1:15:07

9M ago1:15:07

1:15:07

This week, the Dames dive into the twisted thriller, Gone Girl. Gillian Flynn adapted her own novel into the screenplay of one of David Fincher's most popular and debated movies. In this episode, we're talking all about everything that is so good and so wrong about this movie, from Rosamund Pike's Oscar-nominated performance to Ben Affleck refusing…

1
Episode 293: Brokeback Mountain 1:10:10

9M ago1:10:10

1:10:10

We kick off fall festival season with a lineup of major films that had their premieres at festivals past. This week we begin with Ang Lee's seminal queer western Brokeback Mountain (2005). How far we've come (and how far we still have to go). Next week will be David Fincher's Gone Girl!By Citizen Dame

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292 — Rope (1948) 1:07:30

9M ago1:07:30

1:07:30

This week, the Dames discuss another Hitchcock masterpiece, the 1948 thriller Rope. Starring Farley Granger and John Dall, this single-location technical experiment also marks the first time Alfred Hitchcock worked with star James Stewart.By Citizen Dame

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Episode 291: Vertigo 1:00:59

9M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

We continue with our Hitchcock month with one of the more controversial movies in his oeuvre: Vertigo, widely considered to be Hitchcock's masterpiece. But is there really a reason for that? What makes this film stand out? Why does everyone love Vertigo so much—and the most important question...do we?…

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290: Shadow of a Doubt 1:17:28

9M ago1:17:28

1:17:28

Welcome back, friends! After a very short break, the Dames return to celebrate the Master, Alfred Hitchcock's 125th birthday with his 1943 film, Shadow of a Doubt. Theresa Wright and Joseph Cotten star in this twisty, suspenseful tale set in California's wine country.By Citizen Dame

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Catholicism and the Political Landscape 1:13:04

10M ago1:13:04

1:13:04

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Bulzacchelli and Dr. Smith discuss current political events from a Catholic perspective. The discussion focuses especially on presidential politics, the rule of law, the administrative state, and the politics of abortion. The conversation bypasses the usual shallow polemics and engages the deeper t…

1
Episode 289: Shelley Duvall - 3 Dames 1:09:48

10M ago1:09:48

1:09:48

In honor of the great Shelley Duvall, the Dames discuss three films she made with Robert Altman: Nashville (1975), 3 Women (1977), and Popeye (1980). We maybe didn't know exactly what some of these meant, but man were they fascinating! Our Criterion giveaway is still running, so let us know what one Criterion disc you would love to own! We'll pick …

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288: Criterion Blindspots - Dames of a Summer Night 57:49

11M ago57:49

57:49

Hello, again! This week the Dames are celebrating Criterion with something extra fun: cinematic blindspots. Our chat includes a look at Targets (1968), Thelma and Louise (1991), and Smiles of a Summer Night (1955).By Citizen Dame

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Episode 287: Tom Cruise Part Deux - A Few Good Dames 1:19:39

11M ago1:19:39

1:19:39

We're back with a second part of our ongoing series "Karen Loves Tom Cruise (and Lauren Thinks He's Neat)"! This time, we're chatting about three very different thrillers from three very different directors, all starring Mr. Cruise: A Few Good Men (1992), Minority Report (2002), and Collateral (2004). How many of these should Tom have won an Oscar …

1
Pastoral Theology: Integrating Theory and Practice 1:04:51

11M ago1:04:51

1:04:51

Dr. Bulzacchelli and Dr. Smith discuss "pastoral theology".Can pastoral theology be intellectually rigorous?What distinguishes "pastoral theology" from speculative theology and other subdisciplines in theology?Is there a danger of too sharply dichotomizing between these two theological projects?How does pastoral theology overlap with non-theologica…

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286: Harold, They're Lesbians! 1:10:41

11M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

The Dames wrap up Pride Month with a look at three great films about lesbians. First, it's the very sexy Bound (1996) from the Wachowskis. Then we chat about Rafiki, Wanuri Kahiu's 2018 coming-of-age story that was banned in her home country of Kenya. And finally, Rose Glass's newest film, Love Lies Bleeding (2024), starring Kristen Stewart and Kat…

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Episode 285: Rock Hudson/Douglas Sirk Melodramas - Written on the Dame 1:18:42

12M ago1:18:42

1:18:42

As Pride Month continues, the Dames go into the career of Rock Hudson, one of the most famous closeted actors of classic Hollywood. In this episode, we focus on three of Hudson's melodramas with Douglas Sirk, and how Hudson's star persona and undercurrents of queerness inform the films: Magnificent Obsession (1954), All that Heaven Allows (1955), a…

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284: Pride Month Is for Dames 1:13:17

12M ago1:13:17

1:13:17

It's Pride Month and this week we are talking about a pair of essential documentaries. With 1990's Paris Is Burning, director Jennie Livingston spent 7 years examining the drag scene in New York in the 1980s, leading to a groundbreaking film that is still discussed today. And in 2020, director Sam Feder brought Disclosure to Netflix, chronicling th…

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Episode 283: Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho - Dame Motel 1:24:42

12M ago1:24:42

1:24:42

The Dames go in-depth on Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece, Psycho. Spoilers abound, with discussions of the film's performances, twists and turns, how Hitchcock connects emotionally with his audience, and why the sequels and prequel fail to live up to the original!By Citizen Dame

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282: A Tribute to Roger Corman 56:49

1y ago56:49

56:49

This week, the Dames pay tribute to Roger Corman, who passed away May 9, 2024 at the age of 98. We share our thoughts about the prolific director and producer, and then dive into three of his films: A Bucket of Blood (1959), Premature Burial (1962), and The Masque of the Red Death (1964).By Citizen Dame

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Episode 281: Harrison Ford - Air Force Dame 1:16:32

1y ago1:16:32

1:16:32

The Dames are back this week to talk more about summer blockbusters and super American films from a super American actor: Harrison Ford. Topics include the grumpy-man love story of The Fugitive (1993), presidents punching terrorists in Air Force One (1997), and haunted happenings in What Lies Beneath (2000).…

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280: Steven Spielberg - Jurassic Dame 1:16:14

1y ago1:16:14

1:16:14

It's summer blockbuster season and what better way to kick things off than with an episode all about Steven Spielberg! This week, we're talking Jaws (1975), E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Jurassic Park (1993). Like what you hear? Be sure to share this with your friends!By Citizen Dame

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The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy: Creative Retrieval 1:11:28

1y ago1:11:28

1:11:28

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith and Dr. Bulzacchelli explore the unique character and ethos of medieval philosophy. The discussion focuses on distinguishing characteristics, the decline of the Roman empire, the intersection of faith and reason, and especially the enduring value of medieval philosophical thought. Join in, su…

1
Episode 279: Essential Criterion Films - Citizen...Dame? 1:15:57

1y ago1:15:57

1:15:57

The Dames finally cover the film that gave us our name as we discuss some incredibly essential films from the Criterion Collection (and why they're so important): Citizen Kane (1941), Seven Samurai (1954), and The Graduate (1967). So...what do you think about the significance of Rosebud?By Citizen Dame

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Episode 278: Movies for 420 - The Dame Lebowski 1:07:49

1y ago1:07:49

1:07:49

This week the Dames are celebrating 4/20 with a lively chat about three very different movies with one important thing in common. From 1998, we talk the Coen brothers' The Big Lebowski and Terry Gilliam's Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. And then we wrap things up with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's 2014 surprisingly successful sequel 22 Jump Stre…

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