The Rad Revival House

The Rad Revival House returns to television with a look at 4 great episodes of the Western hit show, HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL!Our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, deep-dives in his favorite TV Western of all time. He reveals what makes this show so interesting, and how he first discovered it from, all things, STAND BY ME, his favorite film of all time, where the picture’s 4 young protagonists sing the show’s theme song on their way to see the dead body of Ray Brower! HAVE GUN-WILL TRAVEL the show is unique purely from its main protagonist, the gentleman soldier of fortune Paladin (played by, as coined by great crime writer George Pelecanos: “proto-badass” Richard Boone). Cesare explores what makes Paladin so cool: as a frontier mercenary, Paladin is motivated by two things, money, and justice. While Paladin does enjoy the finer things in life (including living in relative luxury in a swanky San Francisco hotel), our hero is also driven by a strong personal code of honor, a sense of righteousness he uses to dispense justice to ordinary folks in the West who need it the most. The show is greatly bolstered by star Richard Boone’s tough-guy demeanor, sharp sense of fashion, and intense, brooding acting skill!As part of his deep dive, Cesare reviews 4 of his favorite episodes of HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL that he feels deserves to be analyzed and be viewed by serious aspiring Western writers:THE MANHUNTERNO VISITORSFIRST, CATCH A TIGERGENESIS

The Rad Revival House ventures back to Asia with a look at the quiet, poignant character study YI YI, directed by Taiwanese film icon Edward Yang.Returning to the RRH is Special Guest Lecturer Sam Levy, co-host of the YouTube-based podcast “Informed Nostalgia.” Labeled by our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, as the go-to American guy for great Asian cinema, Sam originally recommended YI YI to us as essential viewing, and rightfully so! YI YI explores the lives of a seemingly-ordinary family in Taipei: a workaholic father, a melancholic teenaged daughter, and a precocious schoolaged boy. But the film is anything but ordinary. The themes of remorse, regret, lost loves, the beginning of life, and life’s end with death are deeply explored in this picture. YI YI alternately explores the perspectives of the characters, shifting from one’s feelings towards their situations to another, shifting sometimes agonizingly slowly, but with great, delicate care, a cinematic signature of the director, Edward Yang.Cesare and Sam analyze the film’s quiet approach, how its somewhat sluggish pace may turn off mainstream viewers, but with enough patience from the audience, the film will win over many thanks to its very relatable worldly themes, despite taking place in Taiwan. Plus, our reviewers also embrace the film’s capture of an Asian family and how its more serious and realistic turn could help defeat standard cinematic cultural stereotypes of “Martial Arts” and allow for a greater, reflective look at regular Asians!

A Rad Revival House EXCLUSIVE!We are thrilled to have a Bonafide film star, screenwriter, filmmaker, and actual subject of our reviews as a Special Guest Lecturer, Mr. Daniel Roebuck, this week! Together with our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, Danny has graciously agreed to analyze and review two of his films: his most recent directorial effort, 2026’s THE HAIL MARY, and 1987’s DUDES.First on deck is THE HAIL MARY, Danny’s newest and most endearing directorial film to date. He plays Jake Bauer, a conflicted, down-on-his-luck everyman based out of Bethlehem, PA (where Danny himself is a native), who finds himself working as a handyman in a local Catholic school. Spurned on by a feisty young nun (the hilarious Marsha Dietlein) for his lack of faith in God and in himself, Jake becomes the unwilling coach of the school’s football team. Driven by his newfound responsibility towards the school’s nuns and the spirit of his young trainees, Jake soon rediscovers his self-worth and confidence as he works to coach the team in winning not just in football, but in life itself.And in DUDES, Danny and Cesare re-explore this quirky modern day Western directed by cult favorite Penelope Spheeris (THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION; WAYNE’S WORLD). Young New York City punks Grant (Jon Cryer), Biscuit (Daniel Roebuck) and Milo (Flea of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers!) yearn for a life beyond their Big Apple surroundings). The three buddies head west to California, seemingly into greener pastures when they encounter a gang of murderous bikers, led by brutal thug Missoula (a scary Lee Ving, lead singer of the infamous hard-core punk band Fear). After the bikers savagely murder Milo, Grant and Biscuit desire revenge, but lack the means of their vengeance. Enlisting the aid of tough lady gunslinger Jessie (Catherine Mary Stewart of NIGHT OF THE COMET!), our heroes shed their old punk ways as they seek to avenge their fallen buddy!In our discussion, Danny recollects on his decades-long career, and how he used his native Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania to film his newest projects, including THE HAIL MARY. He shares with our class of listeners how to take their time when doing their own projects, how to concentrate fully on creating deep, interesting characters, and how to pool their resources when making a homegrown film, despite a low budget. We at the Rad Revival House thank our new friend to the show, Mr. Daniel Roebuck, on being an amazing Special Guest Lecturer! You come back, Danny, y’hear!!

Not since BLACK SWAN has there been such a visually-intense picture about ballerinas than 1948’s THE RED SHOES, this week on The Rad Revival House!Appearing for the first time on our show are the unbeatable team of Nicole and Tessa from the excellent Doom Generation Podcast. They join our host Professor Cesare on exploring the musical majestic beauty of THE RED SHOES, directed by the powerhouse British team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (BLACK NARCISSUS). Beautiful young Victoria Page (the stunning Moira Shearer) dreams of becoming a top ballerina. When word that the prima ballerina of Europe’s most renowned ballet company has left the business, Vickie jumps at the chance. While training, she meets young composer Julian (Marius Goring), who has been hired to compose the music for a new ballet based on the classic fairy tale “The Red Shoes.” Overseeing the show is the company’s head proprietor Boris Lemontov (brooding European actor Anton Walbrook), who wants to make Vickie their greatest ballet, along with her heart as well. When Vickie and Julian fall in love, Lemontov seeks to sabotage their romance while making her the greatest ballerina in the world.Professor Cesare and the Doom Generation ladies are awestruck at nearly everything about THE RED SHOES: its use of bright, gorgeous colors, the classic grand production value, and the performances by its cast. Our analysts agree that Powell and Pressburger created a true celebration of music, color schemes, and melodrama, rolled into one epic picture, about the ballet, no less!

On this very special Oscars Edition of The Rad Revival House, we revisit the fantastic political foreign thriller, THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS! Nominated for three Academy Awards (in non-consecutive years, a true cinematic achievement), including Best Foreign Language Film in 1966, THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS is a great landmark picture that has impacted filmmakers for decades.Returning to the RRH to assist in analyzing duties is Rob of the great film review podcast The Cinemigos. Together, our host Professor Cesare and Rob deep-dove into director Gillo Pontecorvo’s provocative exploration of the Algerian Revolution in the 1950s. Angry at being politically and socially repressed by the French government for 130 years, Algerians strike back at their oppressors. Led by petty thief turned de factor leader Ali Pointe (the spellbinding Algerian actor Brahim Hadjadj), the organized Algerian resistance group known as the National Liberation Front (FLN), use whatever means necessary to elevate their cause. From ambushing police officers to blowing up tourist spots, the FLN wage war on France’s hold over their African country. Naturally, the French strike back with military precision through their leader Colonel Mathieu (Jean Martin, or who Professor Cesare called “The French Stephen Lang). Both the FLN and the French military pound each other relentlessly, causing death and destruction in their midst!Both Cesare and Rob observe the filmmakers’ use of a near-documentary style shoot that makes THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS so captivating. Using realistic-looking explosions and a cast of mostly knowns, our reviewers marvel at the film’s gritty, uncompromising look and feel, which will leave audiences completely breathless. Aspiring filmmakers who seek to make pictures inspired by real events should study THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS and its uses of editing, raw cinematography, and unnerving performances!

What do you get when you combine the futuristic, technological, but paranoid marvel of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY with the gripping nuclear what-if nightmare of DR. STRANGELOVE? You get the brilliant underrated sci-fi masterpiece COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT as this week’s Rad Revival House review!Returning to the RRH is our old friend and recurring Special Guest Lecturer, George Davison. He rejoins our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, with a thorough look at this simply shot, yet compelling picture. COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT tells the tale of a new supercomputer, designed to prevent nuclear war not just in the United States, but all over the world. Designed and built by scientist Dr. Charles Forbin (a terrific Eric Braedon), Colossus was made to solve all of man’s problems: disease, famine, crime, war. That is, until Colossus becomes mysteriously sentient. It springs to life, and begins blackmailing the world with its own capabilities to fire nuclear missiles at any target of its choosing. Colossus’s ultimatum to mankind: “Obey me…or die!”COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT is a great case of “less is more.” Both Cesare and George marvel at the film’s great use of government-inspired sets, a cast of effective unknowns (including great future character actor James Hong), and sharp, intelligent writing. The film offers a strong cautionary tale of man’s over-reliance on computers, and how that reliance will be our downfall if we let the power of technology go severely unchecked. We recommend all serious students of Science Fiction view and study COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT should they desire to tackle the genre without the use of flashy CGI and a massive billion-dollar budget!

Who’s ready for some football…drama?Happy Superbowl Sunday, class! We’re at a very special edition of our Black History Month movie movement, as we combine both BHM and the big game! This week, the RRH explores the great 1971 made-for-TV dramatic sports tearjerker, BRIAN’S SONG.Helping in our review is first-time Special Guest Lecturer, Walter Cherepinsky. An old Penn State University friend of our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, Walt is the host of WalterFootball.com, a comprehensive website that analyzes every statistics and current facts of American professional football. Together, Cesare and Walt discuss the hard-hitting dramatic essence of BRIAN’S SONG. The film explores the friendship between Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams), two players on the Chicago Bears who couldn’t be more different. One is white, the other black, and both are members of a major football team in the middle of the volatile 1960s. When the two are forced to room together during the season, both men overcome seemingly great societal odds by becoming close friends. The film takes a startling turn when Piccolo is diagnosed with a potentially-lethal cancer bout, leaving Sayers struggling with the pain of losing his best friend.Cesare and Walt combine their analytical powers to decipher BRIAN’S SONG, how the film captures the brilliant chemistry between Caan and Williams, its witty dialogue born out of football player team camaraderie, and the simplistic feel despite being a made-for-TV movie. BRIAN’S SONG is a great example of how to effectively dramatize real-life events, and make it into solid cinematic entertainment!

Hey, freaks! In this very special episode, The Rad Revival House takes things a bit “upside down” with a unique new topic, “The Unrealized Pop References of STRANGER THINGS”!Joined by longtime regular Special Guest Lecturer Steve “The Analog Man” Tumolo, host Professor Cesare Augusto tackles the worldwide phenomenon of the hit Netflix series STRANGER THINGS. Both Cesare and Steve are big fans of the show, especially with its nonstop use of 70s and 80s-based movie references towards legends such as Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, George Lucas, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, and more. These legends clearly shaped the work of STRANGER THINGS creators Matt and Ross Duffer, but what about more unobvious references? What were some of the other, more obscure, more underrated films that influenced this show and helped shape its amazing impact?So Cesare and Steve put their heads together and came up with 5 movies they theorize helped create the classic pop culture zeitgeists of STRANGER THINGS. Together, they speculated that films such as THE MONSTER SQUAD, THE MATRIX, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, and others are possible cinematic candidates that possible burned into the creative brains of the Duffer Brothers, which in turn helped them envision the grand design of STRANGER THINGS. Cesare and Steve painstakingly discuss their movie theories, and have a damn good time doing it! Plus, they discuss the series’ grand finale, and what the Duffers should do to continue their successful careers down the road!

Happy New Year, Class! The RRH is proud to present our first review of 2026 that slices harder than a sword to the neck: the 1973 Kung Fu epic, BEACH OF THE WAR GODS!Joining our discussion as Special Guest Lecturer is Chris The Brain, the esteemed host of the excellent Bulletproof Action Podcast, the show that analyzes all things cinematically action. Both Chris and our host, the Professor Cesare Augusto, explore the unique martial arts thriller that is BEACH OF THE GODS.Written, directed, and starring vintage movie legend Jimmy Wang Yu, BEACH OF THE WAR GODS is essentially the Chinese answer to THE SEVEN SAMURAI. During the Ming Dynasty, a community of Chinese fisherman found themselves oppressed and threatened by a horde of invading Japanese samurai. Unable to repel the marauders alone, the fishermen look to Hsia Feng (Wang Yu), a taciturn swordsman with justice and vengeance on his mind. Recruiting five equally-deadly warriors, Hsia Feng rallies the fishermen to fight back against their oppressors, leading to a deadly, blood-soaked confrontation on the town streets and the local shores.Both Cesare and Chris analyze the film’s magnificently-shot battle sequences, the incredible use of genuine, elbow-grease stunt work, and Wang Yu’s expert directorial vision. Our reviewers also discuss Wang Yu himself, on how his stunning career was hampered by his controversial off-screen life and alleged ties to Chinese organized crime. Despite the star’s setbacks, both reviewers admire Wang Yu’s efforts in making one of the greatest and yet criminally-underrated martial arts tales ever released!

Happy yee-haw Holidays! The Rad Revival House begins its Unlikely Holiday Films movement with back-to-back reviews of the most unlikely movies to watch before Christmas!First on our list is DAY OF THE OUTLAW, the 1959 wintry Western thriller from genre master Andre De Toth. Our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, analyzes this what he calls a “Hitchockian suspense Western”. In an isolated Wyoming town, powerful and angry cattleman Blaise Starrett ( criminally-underrated screen legend Robert Ryan) is feuding with a major farmer when their local squabble is interrupted by an invading outlaw gang. Led by dying but principled cavalry soldier Jack Bruen (Burl Ives), the gang threatens to violate the town’s women and destroy everything in its path. Forced into action, Blaise must find a way to outwit the outlaws and save his town from utter destruction. DAY OF THE OUTLAW is a powerful winter-based Western that, in Professor Cesare’s eyes, serves as a precursor to later icy frontier pictures such as THE GREAT SILENCE and THE HATEFUL 8. Aspiring Western writers should absorb this little-seen picture that combines both the hostile threat of freezing temperatures and the cruelty of evil men!

The Rad Revival House is back with a vengeance in its 3rd Season!We are thrilled to open Season 3 with quite the lethal combination: a dual look at the unique 1971 vigilante thriller BILLY JACK, and the gritty hard-boiled Native American mystery thriller novel WINTER COUNTS. Our Special Guest Lecturer is David Heska Wanbli Weiden, the author and brilliant mastermind behind WINTER COUNTS!Weiden and our host Professor Cesare break down what parallels BILLY JACK and WINTER COUNTS together: both film and novel showcase the adventures of true Indigenous American badasses and their shared desires towards brutal yet righteous justice. In BILLY JACK, star and director Tom Laughlin is the eponymous hero, an Indigenous ex-Green Beret and Hapkido expert who uses his deadly martial arts skills to protect a special school of Hippie students from a gang of sadistic white racists deep in the American Southwest. Caught between his desire for violent revenge and deep pacifism beliefs, Billy is pushed to the breaking point when a loved one is caught in the crossfire.In WINTER COUNTS, a young Indigenous enforcer/reluctant sleuth named Virgil Wounded Horse is hired to find the source of illegal drugs creeping into his South Dakota Indian reservation. Unsure in taking the case at first, Virgil then declares war on the drug dealers when they take their poison drastically close to home.Both BILLY JACK and WINTER COUNTS offer great glimpses into the world of Indigenous American culture, and what happens when hate and crime rear their ugly heads in said world. Weiden, an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota nation, provides fantastic insight of what BILLY JACK means to him as an Indigenous American, and how the film (despite its rather outdated cinematic feel and utterly bizarre moments of haphazardly thrown sequences), contributed to the write of his novel. Plus, Weiden shares exciting news about the long-awaited sequel to WINTER COUNTS, coming in 2026!We at the RRH thank David Heska Wanbli Weiden again for his terrific contribution to our show, and highly recommend everyone to read WINTER COUNTS available on Amazon!

The Rad Revival House explores the mind of a violent, trigger-happy psychopath in filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich’s 1968 debut, TARGETS! Joining us for the very first time is cinephile, podcast producer, and kid brother to our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, Gabe Mara.Horror legend Byron Orlok (played by the magnificent Boris Karloff) is contemplating retirement after decades in the movie business. Orlok is tired and burnt-out, but begrudgingly agrees to do one last public appearance after his latest film release at a nearby drive-in theater outside Los Angeles. Meanwhile, a young disturbed individual named Bobby Thompson (the chillingly effective Tim O’Kelly) is about to embark on a brutal killing spree. Armed with hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols, Bobby indiscriminately kills innocent people from afar, painting the City of Angels blood red. Soon, both Orlok and Bobby converge together at the drive-in where a bullet-ridden climax awaits!Together, Cesare and Gabe decipher drama auteur Peter Bogdanovich’s stunning eye for direction, producer Roger Corman’s resourceful contribution to help the film get made, the helpfulness involvement of Bogdaonvich’s creative partner Polly Platt, and the picture’s fantastic production. Both brothers shed their respective lights on what makes TARGETS such an effective film that helps elevate it from mere schlock, into a cult film fan’s dream come true!

When it comes to reviewing underrated great movies…NOTHING IS OVER! NOTHING!Because this week’s episode is an academic deep dive in the 1982 action classic FIRST BLOOD!Joining us this week is Wayne of the excellent film review podcast In Film We Trust. Together, Wayne and our host, Professor Cesare Augusto tackle just what makes FIRST BLOOD so unique and memorable. We all know John Rambo the man, the myth, and the legend. But what many folks might not be aware of is just how artistically well-done FIRST BLOOD is compared to its countless imitators and rip-offs, and even the rest of its own franchise. FIRST BLOOD introduces us to John Rambo, and just what made the man tick. Here, he’s fresh back stateside, out of the Vietnam War, only to be confronted by a crooked local lawman (played with brilliance by Brian Dennehy). What follows is a suspenseful private war between our hero, a highly decorated Green Beret suffering from severe PTSD, against scores of local police officers and military men out for his hide.Wayne and Cesare explore FIRST BLOOD’s excellent characters (including Stallone’s profound portrayal of his second notable franchise character after Rocky Balboa), great use of British Columbia’s rugged natural terrain, and sharp writing, elements that its sequels sorely lacked. This episode’s analysts formally declare that FIRST BLOOD, just like ROCKY, is the only film of its franchise to be vastly superior in its artistic quality compared to its sequels. Hear our analysis and judge for yourselves!