Skip to main content

#033 Damien Chazelle: Whiplash vs. Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench w/ guests Jason Ferguson & Santos Barbosa III



Download MP3 In today's episode Nate and Austin compare Damien Chazelle's best and worst rated films, Whiplash (2014) and Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), respectively. Nate keeps saying Chavelle, Austin comes up with a new segment, Jason's the only one that didn't love whiplash, and Santos likes to feel uncomfortable. Check back next Sunday at 7pm PST where we will compare Rob Reiner's Stand by Me (1986) and North (1994), his best and worst rated films.
Also check out this clip where Damien Chazelle, Miles Teller, and J.K. Simmons talk about the music of Whiplash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptnchayd0Dc

Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench Notes

Worst Rated

PLOT: After connecting with the shy Madeline, a jazz trumpeter embarks on a quest for a more gregarious paramour, but through a series of twists and turns punctuated by an original score, the two lovers seem destined to be together.
  • Ratings: IMDb 6.2 | RT 90% C / 57% A
  • Released: 2009
  • Director: Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
  • Writer(s): Damien Chazelle
  • Cinematographer: Damien Chazelle
  • Notable actors: Jason Palmer, Desiree Garcia, Sandha Khin
  • Budget: N/A
  • Box office: $35 thousand
  • Fun Facts:
    • This film was Damien Chazelle's thesis for Harvard University.

Whiplash Notes

Best Rated

PLOT: A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.
  • Ratings: IMDb 8.5 | RT 94% C / 94% A
  • Released: 2014
  • Director: Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
  • Writer(s): Damien Chazelle
  • Cinematographer: Sharone Meir (The Last House on the Left)
  • Notable actors: J.K. Simmons, Miles Teller, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell, Nate Lang, Chris Mulkey
  • Budget: $3.3 million
  • Box office: $49 million
  • Fun Facts:
    • During the more intense practice scenes, the director wouldn't yell, "cut!" so that Miles Teller would keep drumming until he exhausted himself.
    • J.K. Simmons suffered two cracked ribs when Miles Teller tackled him during the last two days of shooting. Simmons managed to continue working despite his injury.
    • The director and writer of the film, Damien Chazelle, could not get funding for the movie, so he instead turned it into a short film and submitted it into the Sundance Film Festival in 2013. The short film ended up winning the Short Film Jury Award, and he got funding soon after.
    • The film was shot in 19 days.
    • Miles Teller, who has played the drums since he was 15, received blisters on his hands due to the vigorous, unconventional style of jazz drumming. Some of his blood was on the drumsticks and the drum set as a result.
    • For the slapping scene, J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller filmed several takes with Simmons only miming the slap. For the final take, Simmons and Teller decided to film the scene with a real, genuine slap. This is the take that is in the film.
    • Although a visual double was used, all of Andrew's drumming were performed by Miles Teller himself to pre-recorded tracks. About 40% of Teller's drumming was used in the soundtrack.
    • J.K. Simmons has played piano in the past and had to retake lessons for his role.
    • The film is one of the lowest grossing movies ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
    • Nate Lang (Carl) is an accomplished drummer and trained Miles Teller and Austin Stowell for their roles.
    • J.K. Simmons has won 47 awards for his role as Fletcher.
    • Early drafts of the original screenplay was written as a psychological thriller.

  Intro music: Calm The Fuck Down - Broke For Free / CC BY 3.0  
 

Check out this episode!

Popular posts from this blog

Explaining the Ending of MULHOLLAND DRIVE

MULHOLLAND DRIVE is a complex and surreal film directed by David Lynch, known for its non-linear narrative and dreamlike sequences. The ending is open to interpretation and has been the subject of much debate among viewers. Here's a breakdown of the ending: Diane's Dream vs. Reality: Throughout the film, there are two main narrative threads: one follows Betty/Diane's dreamlike experiences in Hollywood, and the other delves into Diane's harsh reality. The ending reveals that the majority of the film has been a dream constructed by Diane Selwyn, a failed actress, as a means to escape the guilt and pain of her actions. Betty/Diane's Descent into Madness: Betty, played by Naomi Watts, represents Diane's idealized self—a hopeful and innocent aspiring actress. However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Betty's story is unraveling, and her identity begins to merge with Diane's. This culminates in the revelation that Betty is merely a construct of Di...

Final Destination Bloodlines Set to Bring Fresh Horrors to the Franchise

The long-running and fan-favorite horror series Final Destination is set to make its return with Final Destination Bloodlines, bringing a new chapter of supernatural terror to the big screen. Scheduled for a theatrical and IMAX release on May 16, 2025, in the U.S. (and internationally beginning May 14), the film promises to continue the franchise’s tradition of chilling premonitions and inescapable fate. The upcoming installment features a fresh ensemble cast, including Kaitlyn Santa Juana (The Friendship Game, The Flash), Teo Briones (Chucky, Will vs. The Future), Richard Harmon (The 100, The Age of Adaline), Owen Patrick Joyner (Julie and the Phantoms, 100 Things to Do Before High School), and Anna Lore (They/Them, Gotham Knights). Also joining the cast are Brec Bassinger (Stargirl, Bella and the Bulldogs) and horror icon Tony Todd, who reprises his role from the original Final Destination films. Todd, best known for his chilling portrayal of the titular character in the Candyman fra...

4K Blu-ray Review: Drop (2025) — A Tense, Tech-Driven Thriller That Mostly Sticks the Landing

In Drop, director Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day) crafts a nerve-wracking thriller centered on a devastating dilemma: would you take a life to save the ones you love? The story follows Violet, a widowed single mom attempting to re-enter the dating world after years of grief and recovery. Played with emotional precision by Meghann Fahy, Violet finds herself on a promising first date with the affable and seemingly genuine Henry (Brandon Sklenar) in an elegant, glass-walled Chicago restaurant. But their evening takes a sinister turn when Violet receives a disturbing message via a sleek, anonymous app called DigiDrop: if she doesn’t kill her date before the check arrives, her son and sister will die. What unfolds is a tightly wound 95-minute thriller that feels both classic and timely. The film builds its suspense through confinement, not action. Most of the story unfolds in real-time at their dinner table, creating a pressure-cooker environment that reflects Violet’s psycholo...