Episode 152 – "End, begin, all the same. Big change. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad."

Greetings, travellers… Our journey through the strange and spellbinding world of 1980s fantasy continues, and this time we venture to the distant planet of Thra—where the suns burn bright, the creatures are unlike anything you’ve ever seen, and balance itself hangs by a thread—in The Dark Crystal. Host Michael Wilson is joined by returning guests—filmmaker and raconteur Michael Whaley, and Lynn (back after Fiddler on the Roof)—to explore Jim Henson’s bold and deeply unusual fantasy epic: a film with no humans, no easy answers, and a world that feels as ancient as it is alien. From the eerie decadence of the Skeksis to the slow, solemn pilgrimage of the Mystics, we dig into the film’s astonishing world-building, its groundbreaking puppetry, and the sheer ambition behind bringing Thra to life. Along the way, we explore its philosophical underpinnings—duality, balance, and what it truly means to be whole—and how influences like Seth Speaks helped shape its deeper ideas. But does The Dark Crystal fully come together? We discuss the tension between its childlike fairy-tale structure and its genuinely dark, often unsettling tone, the limits of its runtime, and whether the story itself lives up to the richness of the world surrounding it. There’s also plenty of love for Aughra (obviously) and Fizzgig (...okay), the unforgettable Skeksis, and the film’s emotional highs, strange quirks, and technical wizardry. Is this a flawed but fascinating experiment, or one of the most imaginative fantasy films ever put to screen? So shard the crystal, trust in the dreamfast, and whatever you do… don’t let the Skeksis catch you.

Links:

Lynn:

• Adventures in Time and Space: A Doctor Who Podcast: https://open.spotify.c...​

• Dr Who Pod Facebook: https://m.facebook.com...​

• Dr Who Pod Instagram: / adventuresintimeandspa... ​

Michael Whaley;

• Instagram:

@alwaysmichaelwhaley

@cmwhaleyphoto

• YouTube:

@turnaphrasefilms

Find Mike and the podcast all over the internet via https://linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/g479

Follow the podcast on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/3xH6

Music Composed and Performed by Al Trotter

• Follow Al on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dap8b58TT/

• Follow Al on YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCENf_17-Bi8HitVg7w5rd9Q?si=3_7ZCmLXLAp4-f3F

Join the Silver Screen Podcast Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329752622011042/?ref=share

E-mail us at mwilsonba1982@gmail.com

Created, Hosted and Written by Michael Wilson

Additional Material by Lynn McKinnon

Edited and Produced by Mike Wilson

“When single shines the triple sun,

What was sundered and undone,

Shall be whole, the two made one…”

Episode 151 - "People who have no hopes are easy to control, and whoever has the control... has the power!"

Greetings, travellers… The Silver Screen Podcast continues its journey through the magical realm of 1980s fantasy, and this time we’re heading to Fantasia—via Germany, childhood imagination, and one very suspicious-looking bookstore—to revisit The NeverEnding Story. Host Michael Wilson is joined by regular co-host D.K., along with returning guests Sandy and Lady Vean, as the team dives headfirst into Wolfgang Petersen’s beloved (and occasionally controversial) adaptation of Michael Ende’s novel. From the devastating Swamp of Sadness to the soaring joy of riding Falkor, we explore the film’s enduring emotional power, its fairy-tale quest structure, and its surprisingly early meta storytelling. Along the way, we discuss the film’s troubled relationship with its source material, its ambitious practical effects, and that unforgettable message about hope, imagination, and the dangers of “The Nothing.” Is this a timeless classic that speaks to the dreamer in all of us, or a flawed fantasy weighed down by Hollywood schmaltz? Plus we're bringing you behind-the-scenes stories from a notoriously demanding production, the truth about that traumatising horse scene and an awful lot of gushing about background details and practical effects. We also discuss the merits of the iconic Limahl theme song vs the original German score, and why people without hope are “easy to control…” So climb aboard your luckdragon, hold tight to your Auryn, and remember… Fantasia lives on—as long as we do. But that’s… another story.

Links:

Find Mike and the podcast all over the internet via https://linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/g479

Follow the podcast on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/3xH6

Follow Vean on BlueSky: @ladyvean.bsky.social

Music Composed and Performed by Al Trotter

• Follow Al on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dap8b58TT/

• Follow Al on YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCENf_17-Bi8HitVg7w5rd9Q?si=3_7ZCmLXLAp4-f3F

Join the Silver Screen Podcast Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329752622011042/?ref=share

E-mail us at mwilsonba1982@gmail.com

Created, Hosted and Written by Michael Wilson.

Co-hosted and Additional Material by D.K

Edited and Produced by Mike Wilson.

"All right! I'll do it! I'll save you! I will do what I dream! MOONCHILD!"

Cinema Classics Number 26 - "Say, for five hundred dollars I'd climb to Heaven, an' hang by my heels from the pearly gates."

Welcome back film fans and podcast pals. In this Cinema Classics episode we're going back farther than we ever have before. 103 years back in fact, for a review and discussion about the 1923 silent-era comedy Safety Last! Host Michael is joined by co-host D.K, who selected this movie for review and begins by explaining his reasons, how this film came onto his radar, why he likes it and why he thinks it's a good fit for our analysis. He also shouts out a few more silent film favourites and laments the fading popularity of these seminal works. Then it's on to the main analysis. We get into a little about the Behind- the-Scenes making of the film, including that iconic clock-hanging stunt as well as the wall climbing techniques, tricks and skills used to bring it all to life. There's talk about the writing, dealing with relatable and effective comedy vs dated attitudes and some odd structural pacing. The direction and production design comes in for high praise, as does the majority of the acting. As ever the podcast wraps up with an overview of the critics' response to the film, personal favourite things, conclusions and scores. So make sure you catch the right trolley, check your back for "kick me" signs and maybe think twice before scaling any buildings. We promise not to leave you hanging, press play and dive straight into the discussion.

Links:

Find Mike and the podcast all over the internet via https://linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/g479

Follow the podcast on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/3xH6

Music Composed and Performed by Al Trotter

• Follow Al on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dap8b58TT/

• Follow Al on YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCENf_17-Bi8HitVg7w5rd9Q?si=3_7ZCmLXLAp4-f3F

Join the Silver Screen Podcast Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329752622011042/?ref=share E-mail us at mwilsonba1982@gmail.com

Created, Hosted and Written by Michael Wilson.

Co-hosted and Additional Material by D.K

Edited and Produced by Mike Wilson.

"Young man, don't you know you might fall and get hurt?"

AN INTERVIEW WITH MUSICIAN AL TROTTER

In this special Meet the Creators episode, Mike Wilson sits down with an old friend and the podcast’s newest composer, musician Al Trotter. In this in-depth conversation, Al reflects on his early experiences with music—both listening and playing—including some (slightly embarrassing) first albums. He shares his journey through school, the influences and supporters who shaped him, and how he discovered his natural ability to learn and reproduce music by ear. Throughout the interview, Al explores each of his six released tracks, including collaborations, the real-life and fictional inspirations behind them, and his creative process—from initial ideas to published work. He also opens up about his online success and overcoming a brief crisis of creative confidence. Of course, no conversation would be complete without discussing the TV and film scores that resonate most with him, as we put him on the spot to name a few favourites. This is a fascinating and insightful listen for anyone interested in music, creative journeys, or simply a relatable—and perhaps motivational—story about following your geeky passion.

TW: Suicide, road death, grieving - 27:04 to 32:40

TW: Potential domestic/child abuse - 1:18:01 to 1:20:38

Links:

• Follow Al on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dap8b58TT/

• Follow Al, and check out all of his tracks in full, on YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCENf_17-Bi8HitVg7w5rd9Q?si=3_7ZCmLXLAp4-f3F

• Follow Al on TikTok and view the Never Forget slideshows: https://www.tiktok.com/@abusesurvivor84?_r=1&_t=ZN-95XVHPCpJfK

• "Never Forget" is available to purchase on all good digital music platforms. Proceeds go to the 9/11 memorial fund.

Find Mike and the podcast all over the internet via https://linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/g479

Follow the podcast on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/3xH6

Join the Silver Screen Podcast Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329752622011042/?ref=share

E-mail us at mwilsonba1982@gmail.com

Created & Hosted by Michael Wilson.

Edited by Michael Wilson.

Produced by Mike Wilson.

Music composed and performed by Al Trotter.

D.K's Cult Classics Episode 51 - "Freedom? We have it! And fame? Nah. It's an empty purse. Count it, go broke. Eat it, go hungry. Seek it, go mad!"

Our Silver Screen fantasy season continues as DK and guests Neil and Michelle from Destination Yesterday take on the oft-derided British epic 'Krull'. How well does it hold up, forty years on? Grab your glaive and join them to find out.

Links:

• I is for Investigate: https://open.spotify.c...

• Destination Yesterday website: https://www.destination-yesterday.com/

• Destination Yesterday Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourdestinationisyesterday

Find the podcast all over the internet via https://linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow DK on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/4upxV

Follow the podcast on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/3xH61

Join the Silver Screen Podcast Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329752622011042/?ref=share

E-mail us at mwilsonba1982@gmail.com

Created, written & hosted by DK.

Produced by DK

Edited by Michael Wilson

Executively Produced by Mike Wilson

"If I had my wish I'd be out of this gloomy place right away. If I really had my wish I'd be sitting on top of a gooseberry pie as big as a mountain. No, that's a bit greedy. I'll settle for one as big as a house."

Series 2, Episode 8 - "They always get started. They happen everywhere there's people. Mondas, Telos, Earth, Planet 14, Marinus. Like sewage and smartphones and Donald Trump, some things are just inevitable."

Hello there, faithful friends… this is it (for now). We’re closing out this run of our Hit or Miss: Cybermen deep dives with a true epic—World Enough and Time / The Doctor Falls. A finale that somehow manages to feel like both an ending and a beginning, bringing us full circle from our very first Cyber review all the way back to the origins of the Mondasian Cybermen. Join Michael, D.K, and returning guest Tobi (plus a special guest appearance by returnee Lynn) as we head Into the Vortex one last time to tackle one of the most universally beloved stories in modern Doctor Who. Is this the definitive Cyberman story? Does Missy’s redemption arc truly stick the landing? And how does this finale balance so many moving parts without ever collapsing under its own weight? We dig into the genius (and science) behind the colony ship and time dilation, the long-awaited return of the Mondasian Cybermen, a masterclass in multi-Master storytelling, Bill’s devastating journey and unconventional resolution, Nardole’s quietly perfect send-off, Rachel Talalay’s cinematic direction, and that speech… you know the one. Plus all the usual features: Hit or Miss, behind-the-scenes insights, standout performances, favourite moments, and our final scores as we decide where this story truly lands. Is this a near-perfect send-off for the Twelfth Doctor? Or does anything hold it back? The Doctor falls… but does this story rise to a full Hit?

Links:

Follow Tobi on BlueSky - darksonic.bsky.social

Follow Mike and the podcasts all over the internet via linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Discord: MikeOfSteel#2913

Hosted and written by Michael Wilson

Co-hosted and additional material by D.K

Editor/Producer - Michael K. Wilson

Created by Michael K. Wilson

Based on a format by Will Templar

"Does Moffat wanna bang himself?"

Series 2, Episode 7 - “We Cybermen are superior in every way. Except when it comes to navigating stairs.”

Welcome back, Doctor devotees and Cyber converts alike. This week our journey through all-time Cybermen stories takes us to the 26th Century, aboard a doomed freighter captained by an elderly British comedy legend, hurtling towards prehistoric Earth… and moments away from one of Doctor Who’s most shocking losses. Yes, it’s time for Earthshock. There’s a lot going on in this one, and our own ragtag crew are here to break it all down. Captain Michael is back in the host chair, with first officer D.K., returning guest Joshua (for the second week in a row), and HoM: DW first-timer Jenny rounding out the group with some impressive geek credentials — and maybe a surprising take on this particular adventure. We kick things off with the usual pre-amble, this time putting newbie Jenny through the Who initiation process: her introduction to the show, favourite stories so far, and her Cyber shout-outs. From there we briefly touch on the pleasantly surprising recent discovery of missing classic episodes and share our own excitement about what it could mean for fans. After that it’s a slightly shorter Hit or Miss section, where we debate a couple of big swings from the most recent series, a legendary antagonist, and a certain Sixth Doctor Cybermen encounter. As always, the final hour is devoted to the deep-dive review. D.K. talks through the behind-the-scenes decisions that shaped the story — including the secrecy around the return of the Cybermen and the devastating conclusion. We get into the Doctor and Adric’s surprisingly petulant behaviour in episode one, the effectiveness of the Cyber plan, some questionable stunt casting, issues with direction and effects, and the tension that still manages to land despite it all. There’s also a lively debate about pacing, nostalgia versus modern sensibilities, and whether the story still hits as hard today. As ever, we wrap up with audience opinions, our favourite moments, and final scores. So don’t just sit there watching old clips like the Cyber Leader — enjoy this podcast the way you’d enjoy a flower, a sunset, or a well-prepared meal. Hopefully it can be one of those small, beautiful things that life is all about. "Excellent!"

Links:

Josh:

• https://www.facebook.com/share/18EBd6kFwa/

• https://youtube.com/@InfiniteStudiosFL?si=xjlQUmgnhDVrOF0k

Check out the trailer for Josh's upcoming show "Solis": https://youtu.be/tm3mMcFaMVs?is=cmSazvwU3Ustckbq

Follow Mike and the podcasts all over the internet via linktr.ee/mikespods

Follow Mike on Discord: MikeOfSteel#2913

Hosted and written by Michael Wilson

Co-hosted and additional material by D.K

Editor/Producer - Michael K. Wilson

Created by Michael K. Wilson

Based on a format by Will Templar

“This one calls himself the Doctor, and he does nothing else but interfere.”

“That’s it. That’s the show."

D.K's Cult Classics Episode 50 - " I move the stars for no one"

For Cult Classics' 50th episode, DK is kicking off the 80s fantasy season with a trip to the undergound. He only has thirteen hours to solve the riddle of the Labyrinth. Join him and guests Vean, Sandy and Jenn as they brave the bog of eternal stench and the Goblin city to face off against the Goblin king, himself. There's plenty of discussion to be had so jump in on the podcast where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems.

Links:

Vean:

• https://youtube.com/@vean_chevalier?si=0HZ-oHvt8dbnMnnh

Jenn:

• https://www.instagram.com/valinstarr?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== - - -
• https://share.google/ogoQXHi1pmR9wAM5s Find the podcast all over the internet via https://linktr.ee/mikespods Follow DK on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/4upxV Follow the podcast on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/3xH61 Join the Silver Screen Podcast Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/329752622011042/?ref=share E-mail us at mwilsonba1982@gmail.com Created, written & hosted by DK. Produced by DK Edited by NickExecutively Produced by Mike Wilson"It's only forever, not long at all."