"Shoot the Piano Player (French: Tirez sur le pianiste/Shoot the Pianist)" (1960)

Was Anthony Bourdain more than just a brilliant television host and food writer? In this feature-length, 90-minute episode of World Cinema History, host Eric Trommater is joined by Todd Kennedy, Toups Endowed Professor of Cultural Studies at Nicholls State University and author of Anthony Bourdain, Filmmaker. ​Together with our panel, we explore Kennedy’s provocative thesis: that Bourdain functioned as a cinematic auteur, reshaping non-fiction television through radical creative autonomy, unreliable narration, and deep cinematic intertextuality. We also break down Matt Johnson’s 2026 feature film Tony (starring Dominic Sessa and Antonio Banderas)—getting Todd’s expert take on whether a fictionalized origin story does justice to Bourdain's early kitchen days. Plus, we tackle the heavy questions head-on: the collaborative friction of working with legendary DPs like Christopher Doyle and Vilmos Zsigmond, the risks of high-culture tourism, and whether applying "auteur theory" to a network travel show stretches the term too far. For information on how to order the book, go to Todd Kennedy's X/Twitter profile and look in the bio. https://x.com/BayouFilmProf Chapters 0:00 Unpacking the Provocative Thesis: Bourdain as Cinematic Auteur 7:40 Bourdain's Unreliable Authorship and Cinematic Intertextuality 16:52 Defending Bourdain's Auteur Status Against Critiques 31:20 Bourdain's Unique Freedom and Accessible Academic Writing 39:05 From Grief to Guerrilla Art: Bourdain's Visual Storytelling 50:43 Deconstructing Authenticity: Privilege and the Camera's Lies 58:59 The Biopic "Tony" and Bourdain's Enduring Cultural Connection 1:10:21 Grief, Growth, and Bourdain's Lasting Cinematic Questions

The Persona "Bootleg" Session (Unedited Vault Recording) ​A bunch of American wankers taking on one of the most discussed films in history was a bad idea. Doing so when the host had an ear infection and couldn’t hear was an even worse idea. The results were cringe-inducing and no amount of editing could save it. So this is us, warts and all.

"The Leopard" (1963) (Il Gattopardo) | with Special Guest Mike Corradi. THE NOVEL: "The Leopard" (1958) (Il Gattopardo) by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. THE FILM: "The Leopard" (1963) (Il Gattopardo) Directed by: Luchino Visconti Screenplay by: Suso Cecchi d'Amico Pasquale Festa Campanile Enrico Mediolib Massimo Franciosa Luchino Visconti Produced by: Goffredo Lombardo Starring: Burt Lancaster Claudia Cardinale Alain Delon Paolo Stoppa Rina Morelli Romolo Valli Serge Reggiani Cinematography: Giuseppe Rotunno Music by: Nino Rota THE HOST: Eric Trommater https://ko-fi.com/worldcinemahistory SPECIAL GUEST: Mike Corradi, host of A History of Italy. https://ahistoryofitaly.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-history-of-italy/id1318925583 https://youtube.com/@ahistoryofitalypodcast9762?si=xLN2KYFtDmvrsoHB THE PANEL: Erin Brown https://youtube.com/@pizzahorseproductions?si=xktDoZK2qveXxOXl Sila Blume https://silablume.life/ Jennifer Trujillo https://gilbertbakerfilmfestival.lgbt/ Koom Kankesan https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4953181.Koom_Kankesan THE CHAPTERS: (TBA) CONNECT WITH US: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@worldcinehist?si=z8Yay0W0I-6APEZz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/world-cinema-history/id1744483892 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YkCJSJvngtDMhey0CNsWj?si=i143kCA8RQKhQauUICLrmA X (Twitter): @etrommater Join the World Cinema History DVD Extras Club Support the show and get closer to the booth! Benefits include: Bonus Episodes Attending Live Recordings Our Love and Appreciation Future exclusive perks Having your name mispronounced on the podcast (our sincerest apologies in advance) Join here: https://ko-fi.com/worldcinemahistory (Recurring monthly payments of any amount make a huge difference!)

Oscar winning screenwriter Kevin Willmott (with Spike Lee for "BlacKkKlansman") sits down with Eric Trommater, Erin Brown, Sila Blume and Jennifer Trujillo. The subject is his 2004 Mockumentary "CSA: Confederate States of America" which he wrote, produced and directed. It imagines the United States if the South had won The Civil War. Chapters: 0:00 - Oscar Winner Kevin Willmott Discusses "CSA: Confederate States of America" 3:14 - From "9th St." to "The 24th": Willmott's Indie Path 11:09 - Willmott's Fascination with History and "Appointment with Destiny" 15:29 - Frustration with Hollywood and the Reality of Slavery 18:34 - Mockumentary Style and Real Racist Product Commercials 24:52 - Collaborative Spirit of Low-Budget Filmmaking in Kansas 33:27 - Film's Controversy, Music, and the "Lost Cause" Narrative 38:37 - Why Films Must Challenge Audiences on American History 44:39 - USA vs. CSA: Expanding vs. Limiting Freedom 59:25 - How Fear and Hate Drive Political Decisions 1:15:45 - Are We Living in the Confederate States of America Today? 1:24:46 - The Paradox of Information and the Rise of Propaganda 1:34:28 - When Absurdity Outpaces the Power of Satire 1:39:28 - Social Media, Next Episode, and Community Discussion Music Used: Space Ambience by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com She Has Freckles on Her But, She is Nice https://youtu.be/pNcjs30BZTs?si=_7ouaQAX1hpDa7yO Lead Belly Midnight Special https://youtu.be/zIC2hVvKzVQ?si=XqFttfpnYknQR6Rr Elmer Bernstein Appointment with Destiny theme https://youtu.be/Qt6eKU3v1XE?si=7hjTnAQxiNPMlppU Connect With Us: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@worldcinehist?si=z8Yay0W0I-6APEZz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/world-cinema-history/id1744483892 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YkCJSJvngtDMhey0CNsWj?si=i143kCA8RQKhQauUICLrmA X (Twitter): @etrommater Join the World Cinema History DVD Extras Club Support the show and get closer to the booth! Benefits include: Bonus Episodes Attending Live Recordings Our Love and Appreciation Future exclusive perks Having your name mispronounced on the podcast (our sincerest apologies in advance) Join here: https://ko-fi.com/worldcinemahistory (Recurring monthly payments of any amount make a huge difference!)

The Novel: