Rollercoaster (1977)

About this episode

Mike and Chris discuss the 1977 film Rollercoaster with superfan Richard Hatem, exploring its unique elements and character dynamics.

Mike and Chris keep their arms in the car at all times with writer-producer and Rollercoaster superfan Richard Hatem for a wild ride through James Goldstone’s 1977 star-studded disaster-thriller that pits George Segal’s weary safety inspector against Timothy Bottoms’s soft-spoken, delightfully unhinged bomber. They dig into the film’s oddball mix of procedural beats, theme-park mayhem, and Sensurround feeling, tracing how Rollercoaster fits alongside Link & Levinson's energy and why its cat-and-mouse structure still works. Expect talk of Segal’s hangdog charm, Richard Widmark’s righteous scowling, and the many ways a bomber with a walkie-talkie can make a grown man sweat. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shabby-detective-yet-another-columbo-podcast--5084441/support .

People in this episode

Hosts: Mike, Chris

Guest: Richard Hatem

Topics covered

• disaster-thriller
• film analysis
• character study
• cinematic techniques
• interview

Keywords

• Rollercoaster
• James Goldstone
• George Segal
• Timothy Bottoms
• disaster film
• film review
• interview

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Link & Levinson

Books & works: Rollercoaster

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