A podcast about movies and the scenes that make them special. Each week, hosts Dom Nero and Adam Volerich explore a movie by finding the scene at its core–what David Lynch calls an "Eye of the Duck" scene. Join Dom and Adam as they celebrate cinema's greatest scenes, charting franchises such as Alien, The Evil Dead, and Indiana Jones, and major movements in film history, like '80s Dark Fantasy, Winter Horror, and Cyberpunk.
…
continue reading
Teachers stink! It’s our very first Robert Rodriguez joint this week. And perhaps the most ‘90s movie ever made. Come for the deep dive on alien imposter horror…and stay for the very academic discussion of Josh Hartnett’s terrible haircut. Next week, it’s another first for us — M. Night Shyamalan! We’re unrolling our tinfoil hats for one of his all…
…
continue reading
The Willenium is here, y’all. We’re hitting yet another Will Smith classic this week with the Barry Sonnenfeld buddy-alien-cop caper, MEN IN BLACK. Aliens are here among us, and it turns out, the majority of them are weird little guys who live inside other bigger weirder guys. Listen in before we all get neuralyzed. Next week, it’s another gnarly c…
…
continue reading
We're fighting for our right to live this week! It may not be July but we are very much celebrating Roland Emmerich's All-American UFO disaster epic that's sometimes called "ID4." Joining us is returning champion and co-host of the very good Die Hard on a Blank podcast, Liam Billingham! Want to know why the heck this film is called ID4? Free yourse…
…
continue reading
Ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack…ack ack Ack Ack ack ack ack! Ack ack ack Ack Ack ack ack ack! Ack ack ack Ack Ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack. [Translated for our earthly listeners]: The earth is overrun with weird little guys from Mars…and only Tom Jones can save us! It’s our first Tim Burton and we couldn’t be …
…
continue reading
This week, we’re going full tin foil hat mode to investigate the mysterious (and “true”) abduction of Travis Walton. Did he really get probed? Are polygraph tests conclusive? Why didn’t Henry Thomas get any lines in this movie?! Joining us to answer these questions and more is our old friend and co-host of the Mostly Horror podcast, Sean Parker! Ne…
…
continue reading
Surprise! We didn’t originally have a James Cameron alien movie on the list for this miniseries…but then we fell into an abyssal trench. And we found some non terrestrial intelligence down here! We simply could not pass up the chance to explore the depths of a production so notoriously grueling, Cameron himself described it as his “nightmare.” So c…
…
continue reading
What if aliens were already here? And all it took to see them was a pair of very rad 80s sunglasses? The Prince of Darkness returns one last time to answer these questions and more. And he’s bringing mullets, chewing gum, and Rowdy Roddy Piper with him. Next week, it’s a slight change of course! We’re going deep into an abyssal trench for a surpris…
…
continue reading
There are alien cocoons in the pool! And they’re making the old people horny! Our hot streak of iconic directors continues this week with this weird and wonderful sci fi classic from Ron Howard. It’s COCOON, and yes, Wilford Brimley is surprisingly young in it. Next week, we return to the dark world of John Carpenter with THEY LIVE (1988). Join the…
…
continue reading
The master of horror returns! John Carpenter may not be known for his romantic road comedies…but STARMAN is a damn fine (albeit underrated) gem. Joining us to spread the gospel of Carpenter is our old friend, assistant programmer, and digital producer (!) Nik Long. Next week, we’re hanging out with some extra-terrestrial-infected geezers in Ron How…
…
continue reading
Calling all (motorcycle) knights of the round table! On Sunday, September 15 at 7pm, Adam and Dom will be in person at the IFC Center in NYC for a special screening of George A. Romero's KNIGHTRIDERS. They'll be presenting the film and participating in a Q&A with host Matt Zoller Seitz (New York Magazine, RogerEbert.com) and author Daniel Kraus, wh…
…
continue reading
Another week, another entry for the sci-fi hall of fame! Spielberg changed the game with his shiny little goblin, and we’re here to answer the most important question of all…why is he wet??! Next week, it’s John Carpenter’s massively underrated STARMAN. Join the conversation on Eye of the Discord at https://discord.com/invite/RssDc3brsx. References…
…
continue reading
It's pod people, pop psychologists, mud baths, and one very grumpy health inspector this week. Philip Kaufman's iconic remake is bursting with 1970s cooky vibes, courtesy of Michael Chapman's singular cinematography, and Leonard Nimoy's very small leather glove. Best remake of all time? Next week we're going for what may be the biggest alien movie …
…
continue reading
Surprise! We are interrupting our regularly scheduled broadcasting for a very special transmission: The perfect organism is back! And so are we. This week, we’ll be sharing our initial reactions to Fede Alvarez’s ALIEN: ROMULUS. No production history or duck scenes. Just raw, unfiltered Xenomorph worship. That’s right. It’s Xenomorph Summer again, …
…
continue reading
Grandpa Steve is back, and he's brought all kinds of funny little guys with him this time! Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS may have been overshadowed in its time by the likes of a small space opera movie called STAR WARS...but here at Eye of the Duck, we couldn't be more excited to celebrate all its hopeful (and neurotic) wonder. Next week, it's the i…
…
continue reading
It's a glob, it's a mass, it's Steve McQueen? In a sci fi movie?! Yes it's THE BLOB. While Americans were eating weird amounts of gelatin at their dinner tables, a gooey monster from outer space was pouring into their movie theaters and consuming them all. This may be our only "B-movie" type alien movie in our Invasion miniseries, but it's by no me…
…
continue reading
Listeners, it's finally time for us to admit.....Klaatu barada nikto! Our alien invasion series has begun, and we're lifting off with one the most important science fiction films ever made, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. Praise be to Gort. Next week, it's Irvin Yeaworth's THE BLOB (1958). Join the conversation on Eye of the Discord at https://disco…
…
continue reading
Today we say goodbye to all Road Warriors, War Boys, War Pups, Toecutters, Imperators, Praetorians, Nightriders, Knightriders, and everyone else who populates the very fun and cool place known as The Wasteland. Also, listener questions! Thanks everyone who listened to our SHINY AND CHROME series! Next week, it's the premiere of our next miniseries,…
…
continue reading
Ready! Setty! GO! Here we are again, for the latest, greatest blockbuster thrill ride since FURY ROAD. It's George Miller's 2024 action odyssey, FURIOSA! Dom and Adam crawl out of their pitiless graves, deeper than hell, to follow the Fifth Rider of the Apocalypse into Valhalla. Next week, we'll be closing the book on the Wasteland once and for all…
…
continue reading
V8! V8! V8! This week, we come face to face with the Conductor of the Choir of Death himself. It's George Miller's FURY ROAD. The one. The only. The best blockbuster of the past 20 years? Or...ever? Listen as we contend with what very well may be the most "Eye of the Duck" movie of all time. And ride back to the Wasteland one last time with us next…
…
continue reading
We asked, and you voted. Now, the results are in. On today's bonus episode, we breakdown the epic conclusion of Miniseries MAYHem and announce the films we'll be tackling for our big summer miniseries! Also, ALIEN: ROMULUS? Next week, we zoom back into the Wasteland for a very, very big episode. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015). Join the conversation on E…
…
continue reading
To the bat-tank! It's another bonus this week. Rachel Talalay's TANK GIRL may not exactly take place in George Miller's dystopian world...but it's close enough. This one has been a long time coming and we couldn't be more excited to talk kangaroo guys, Naomi Watts, and the manic pixie killing machine performance by Lori Petty. Next week, we peel ou…
…
continue reading
Camelot is a state of mind. And a bonus (!) episode for our Mad Max series! This week it's George A. Romero's criminally unappreciated KNIGHTRIDERS, a film about guys who joust on motorcycles. It sounds like madness, but it's actually a moving testament to artistic purity from one of cinema's most uncompromising visionaries. We love it! And we hope…
…
continue reading
Ladies and gentlemen...dying time's here. This week we travel beyond the Thunderdome for George Miller's third entry into the Wasteland saga. Pig shit, Master Blaster, and Tina Turner. Can you really do Mad Max on a train? Listen in to find out. Next week, we take a break from the Wasteland for our first bonus of the series: George A. Romero's KNIG…
…
continue reading
This week, we remember a time of chaos and ruined dreams, but most of all, we remember the road warrior. It's MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR! Join us for the second installment of our Shiny and Chrome series as we break the film that brought Mad Max to the wasteland. Next week, we cover George Miller's MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME (1985). Join the conve…
…
continue reading
Witness us bloodbags! This week, we kick off our latest miniseries, SHINY AND CHROME!! First up is the film that started it all, MAD MAX. Listen in as we unravel the unlikely story of how a physician's take on Australian road rage turned into one of the most influential and profitable films of all time. Next week, we cover George Miller's MAD MAX 2…
…
continue reading
Programs, we've reached the END OF LINE. We'll jack in one last time to close the book on our cyberpunk series and answer listener questions. Listen through for the announcement of our new miniseries, which we'll be kicking off next week! Join the conversation on Eye of the Discord at https://discord.com/invite/RssDc3brsx Credits: Eye of the Duck i…
…
continue reading
This week, we're giving STEM full control. It's Leigh Whannell's UPGRADE! Here to break down the revenge and technological horror is past and future guest, writer, Reyna Cervantes! Listen in! Next week, we reach the END OF LINE for our cyberpunk series. Tune in as we close the book on cyberpunk and announce our next miniseries (!!) Join the convers…
…
continue reading
We're back, but we're not even close to baseline. It's Denis Villeneuve's BLADE RUNNER: 2049! As our cyberpunk series nears its end, we revisit the world that started it all. Join us for a break down of one of the greatest films of the 21st century, or at the very least, some unhinged Ridley Scott quotes. Listen in! Next week, we cover Leigh Whanne…
…
continue reading
We port into the ENCOM servers one more time to cover the first sequel of our cyberpunk series. It's Joseph Kosinski's TRON: LEGACY. And here to help make sense of the bio-digital jazz is past and future guest, filmmaker, and film programmer, Desmond Thorne! Listen in! Next week, we cover the Denis Villeneuve's BLADE RUNNER: 2049 (2017). Join the c…
…
continue reading
We take a break from our cyberpunk series for a little MAYhem. After we cover our next film franchise, the door is open for a brand new summer miniseries that YOU can decide. Listen in to hear the candidates and starting May 1, place your vote on our Discord! https://discord.com/invite/RssDc3brsx Credits: Eye of the Duck is created, hosted, and pro…
…
continue reading
What does a scanner see? Into the head? Down into the heart? It's A SCANNER DARKLY. Richard Linklater's take on a Philip K. Dick classic brings us one of the funniest and most heartfelt additions to our cyberpunk series. Listen in! Next week, we take a break from cyberpunk for a very special announcement!. Join the conversation on Eye of the Discor…
…
continue reading
Everybody runs, but nobody runs like Tom Cruise. Prolific video essayist Patrick (H) Willems (!!) joins us for this extra-long MINORITY REPORT episode. We're going deep on Steven Spielberg's second entry into the cyberpunk genre, and this time, there are surveillance spiders...and sticks that make you puke! Next week, we cover the Richard Linklater…
…
continue reading
Spielberg, Kubrick, and one of the greatest child actor performances of all time. It's AI ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE! Our cyberpunk series welcomes the 21st century with one of its most captivating and heartbreaking entries. Listen in! Next week, we cover the Steven Spielberg's Minority Report (2002). Join the conversation on Eye of the Discord at htt…
…
continue reading
Bio-ports, ski boots, and guns that shoot teeth... it's eXistenZ! A film that asks, "what if your VR headset had a pulse?" Cringe with us as we break down David Cronenberg's disgusting and prescient cyberpunk thriller. Next week, we cover the Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001). Join the conversation on Eye of the Discord at http…
…
continue reading
At long last, we enter THE MATRIX! Built on bullet-time and broken ribs, The Wachowskis' groundbreaking and endlessly impactful classic brought cyberpunk to the masses, for better or worse... Take the red pill with us and listen in. Next week, we cover the David Cronenberg's eXistenZ (1999). Join the conversation on Eye of the Discord at https://di…
…
continue reading
This week we enter a world where you're only known by strangers and the only constant is change... it's DARK CITY! Join us as we continue our cyberpunk series with Alex Proyas' blend of film noir angst and sci-fi surrealism. Next week, we cover the Wachowskis' The Matrix (1999). Join the conversation on Eye of the Discord at https://discord.com/inv…
…
continue reading
Have you ever jacked in? Wire-tripped? Experienced a Blackjack? This isn't just TV but better, it's STRANGE DAYS! Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron make their cyberpunk statement on a world consumed by addiction, violence, and virtual reality headsets...in 1995! Joining us is to make sense of it all is critic, author of BECOMING ALIEN, and five-tim…
…
continue reading
Strap on your data gloves and jack in. It's JOHNNY MNEMONIC. A film where Jesus is evil, Dolphins can code, and heaven's in Newark, New Jersey. Joining us is ERIC ANDRE SHOW editor and returning guest, Jonathan Kramer! Listen to see if we can decrypt the tortured production and ‘90s maximalism of Robert Longo's chaotic entry to the cyberpunk genre.…
…
continue reading
In a world dominated by machines, what does it mean to be human? Must we abandon our identity to attain a higher consciousness? Was the 2017 Scarlett Johansson remake unforgivable? Come find out as we unravel Mamoru Oshii's iconic and impenetrable cyberpunk classic, GHOST IN THE SHELL. Next week, we cover Robert Longo's Johnny Mnemonic (1995). Join…
…
continue reading
Is this a podcast, or just a memory of one? Does it matter? Come to Mars and find out as we cover Paul Verhoeven's TOTAL RECALL! We're joined by Die Hard on a Blank's Phillip Gawthorne and Liam Billingham to discuss one of Schwarzenegger's best performances, psychic mutants, and the pinnacle of practical effects. Isn't that worth a measly 300 credi…
…
continue reading
Motorcycles. Telekinesis. Hypersonic sounds? It's AKIRA, the first anime of our Cyberpunk series, and if we're going to cover it properly, we're going to have to transcend. Here to help invoke the uncontrollable power of Katsuhiro Otomo's future noir classic is our old friend and returning guest, Stephen Hilger! Next week, we cover Paul Verhoeven's…
…
continue reading
Welcome to Brazil! We're on the hunt for eye of the ducks in the ducts from Terry Gilliam's sci-fi masterpiece. Is it cyberpunk? Steam punk? Who cares. With Monty Python slapstick, a mustachioed Robert De Niro, and an electric samurai, we had to cover it. Fill out your paperwork and listen in. Next week, we cover Katsuhiro Otomo's AKIRA (1988). Joi…
…
continue reading
Greetings programs. We continue our journey through cyberspace today with Steven Lisberger's TRON! Was one of the most groundbreaking digital effects films drawn by hand? Enter the Grid with us to uncover the ambition, tedium, and digital frisbees that made TRON a cyberpunk touchstone. Next week, we cover Terry Gilliam's BRAZIL (1985). Join the con…
…
continue reading
Wake up, time to die! It’s the miniseries premiere(!!) of 20XX, our descent into the neon-tinted cultural movement known as Cyberpunk. We’re so excited for this series to lift off with one of the most influential science fiction films in American history, Ridley Scott's BLADE RUNNER! How much did Harrison Ford hate those voice-overs? Did Edward Jam…
…
continue reading
The new year is here, and our Cyberpunk miniseries is about to begin! But before that, we have some truly staggering movies to celebrate from 2023. And so our annual challenge faces us yet again: can Adam and Dom select only 5 movies to highlight? Probably not! But you'll have to listen to find out! A big hearty thanks to everyone helped make 2023 …
…
continue reading
Hail to the king, baby. Today we close the Necronomicon once and for all…that is, until they make a new EVIL DEAD movie. Also, new miniseries announcement!!! Credits: Eye of the Duck is created, hosted, and produced by Dom Nero and Adam Volerich. This episode was edited by Erik Gunnarsson. This episode was researched by Parth Marathe. Our logo was …
…
continue reading
A new EVIL DEAD movie? From this year?! Yes, we are shooting up the high rise of the latest vision for Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell's iconic series, and this time...there's no cabin. Or woods!! It's the last film of our NECRONOMICON miniseries, and we're sad to see it go. Stay tuned next week for our series outro, and announcement for what's coming…
…
continue reading
Happy Holidays Duckheads! We're taking a load off and so should you. See you in 2024! Credits: Eye of the Duck is created, hosted, and produced by Dom Nero and Adam Volerich. This episode was edited by Erik Gunnarsson. This episode was researched by Parth Marathe. Our logo was designed by Francesca Volerich. You can purchase her work at francescavo…
…
continue reading
The book of the dead is back, and so are we. It's Fede Alvarez's remake (reboot? reimagining?) of the Sam Raimi classic, this time with a twist: what if Evil Dead was...real? Much to unpack. References: Special Features Director/Cast Commentary Directing The Dead Evil Dead: The Reboot Making Life Difficult A Cabin in the Woods Deconstruction of a S…
…
continue reading
Who did it better? MONSTERS INC or CABIN IN THE WOODS? Find out on today's exploration of Joss Whedon, horror tropes, and the satire spectrum that starts with SCARY MOVIE and ends with SAW. Our final bonus! References: Special Features We Are Not Who We Are: Making The Cabin in the Woods The Secret Secret Stash The Cabin in the Woods The Official V…
…
continue reading