Unclear and Present Danger
By Jamelle Bouie and John Ganz
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Subscribers: 270
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Episodes: 46
Description
New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie and freelance writer John Ganz delve into the world of 90s post-Cold War thrillers with Unclear and Present Danger, a podcast that explores America in an age of transition to lone superpower, at once triumphant and unsure of its role in the world.
| Episode | Date |
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Judge Dredd
01:15:28
In this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John are joined by David Sims of The Atlantic magazine and the Blank Check podcast to discuss the 1995 comic book adaptation “Judge Dredd.” Made in the era when Hollywood had no idea what to do with comics and science fiction properties, “Judge Dredd” is, in most respects, a failure. But within that failure is interesting glimpse into one of the major political preoccupations of the 1990s — crime. As such, the conversation touches on the crime discourse of the decade, as well as the culture of American policing. They also talk a bit about Sylvester Stallone. It’s a good episode, even if you disagree with us about the strength of the movie itself. We realized that we skipped an important entry in Stallone’s 1990s output, so our next episode will be on the 1993 film “Demolition Man.” We’ll see you then. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. Our latest episode is on the 1970 political thriller “The Confession,” directed by Costa-Gavras. |
May 27, 2023 |
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True Lies
01:15:22
In this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watch “True Lies,” James Cameron’s tonally-incoherent (but hugely successful) spy thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. They discuss the film as a straightforward take on the American crisis of masculinity in the 1990s, as a depiction of American beliefs and ideologies around sex and power, and as the beginning of a significant turn in the cultural depiction of America’s enemies. They also talk about American interventions into Haiti, welfare reform and James Cameron’s marriages. You can watch “True Lies” on Apple TV Plus or Paramount Plus. Episodes are released every two weeks, so join Jamelle and John later this month for an episode on the 1995 adaptation of “Judge Dredd,” starring Sylvester Stallone. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. The latest episode of the Patreon is on the 1969 political thriller “Z,” directed by Costa-Gavras. |
May 14, 2023 |
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Canadian Bacon
01:09:26
This week on Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watched “Canadian Bacon,” a 1995 political comedy written, produced and directed by Michael Moore, which takes aim at American politics in the wake of the Cold War. It stars an ensemble cast of John Candy (in his last film role), Alan Alda as the president of the United States, Bill Nunn, Kevin J. O’Connor, Rhea Perlman, Kevin Pollak and Rip Torn. In their conversation, Jamelle and John discuss Michael Moore’s work and impact (especially on their political awareness), post-Cold War demobilization, deindustrialization and the ways that race and class work together in American life. New episodes come out every two weeks, so join the podcast then when we discuss James Cameron’s “True Lies.” Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. |
Apr 28, 2023 |
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Die Hard with a Vengeance
01:16:14
On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, we watched “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” the 1995 threequel to the original 1988 “Die Hard.” Directed by John McTiernan, who helmed the first film, it was written by prolific Holllywood screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh based on an original screenplay and stars Bruce Willis as recurring hero John McClane, Samuel L. Jackson as “Zeus,” and Jeremy Irons as Simon Gruber, brother of Hans. In the episode, Jamelle and John discuss Rudy Giuliani’s New York, the racial and class politics of the film and how this movie seems to anticipate the imagery of the 9/11 era. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. Our next episode is on the 1995 political satire “Canadian Bacon,” directed by Michael Moore and starring an ensemble cast of John Candy, Alan Alda, Bill Nunn and many others. You can find it to rent on iTunes and Amazon. |
Apr 15, 2023 |
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Outbreak
01:09:07
On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John discuss Wolfgang Petersen’s medical thriller slash action movie “Outbreak.” We spend the bulk of the episode discussing the experience of watching this movie having lived through a pandemic, as well as the pandemic fears of the 1990s that might have inspired this film. Unfortunately, a few technical difficulties meant the audio quality isn’t as high as it should be, but we did our best to compensate and we appreciate your patience. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. Our most recent episode of the Patreon is on Alan J. Pakula’s paranoia thriller “The Parallax View.” On our next episode of Unclear and Present Danger, we cover “Die Hard: With a Vengeance.” |
Apr 02, 2023 |
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Drop Zone (feat. Soraya Roberts)
01:07:23
This week, Jamelle and John are joined by Soraya Roberts of Defector and Pipe Wrench magazine to talk “Drop Zone,” a quintessentially 1990s action film starring Wesley Snipes and Gary Busey. They talk Snipes' career and his fall into “sovereign citizenship,” the 90s obsession with “extreme” sports, and race and Hollywood. In our next episode, we’ll discuss the (ridiculous) disaster thriller “Outbreak,” directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo. It’s available to rent or purchase on Amazon and iTunes. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. Our most recent episode is on the Clint Eastwood film “The Eiger Sanction,” and our next episode will be on the Alan J. Pakula paranoia thriller, “The Parallax View.” |
Mar 19, 2023 |
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Toys
01:07:56
In this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watch “Toys,” a largely-forgotten fantasy-comedy film from director Barry Levinson. Despite its myriad flaws, the boys have a productive conversation about the film’s obvious themes — the military-industrial complex and the rise of remote and drone warfare — and its less obvious themes, specifically the bourgeois vision of family capitalism and industrial harmony at the heart of the film. “Toys” is virtually impossible to watch if you don’t have a physical disc, but there is a low-quality version available to stream here. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. |
Mar 06, 2023 |
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The Human Factor (PATREON PREVIEW)
00:11:06
We are concluding our Graham Greene series with an obscure spy drama from director Otto Preminger, the 1979 film "The Human Factor." It is of a piece with "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and to that point, Jamelle and John spend this episode discussing the connections between the two works and the similarities (and differences) between how Le Carre and Greene view betrayal and deception. "The Human Factor" is pretty good — Preminger was a master — so we both recommend that you check it out. It's available to view for rent on iTunes and Amazon Prime. To hear the full episode, subscribe to the Unclear and Present Patreon and get access to our show on the films (and television) of the Cold War, as well a monthly entry into a movie raffle, and whatever else we can think of. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. |
Feb 18, 2023 |
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The Rocketeer
01:12:24
In this week’s episode, Jamelle and John watch Disney’s “The Rocketeer,” a throwback action-adventure film starring Billy Campbell, Alan Arkin, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Sorvino and Timothy Dalton. They discuss the 1930s revival of the late 80s and early 90s, the real-life conspiracies that might have inspired the plot of “The Rocketeer,” and the political power of nostalgia for Americans on the left and the right. Episodes come out every other Friday, so we’ll see you two weeks from now with the 1992 film “Toys”" directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robin Williams. “Toys”" is basically impossible to find, so don’t worry about watching this one! Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. |
Feb 18, 2023 |
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Without Warning
00:59:38
In this week’s episode, Jamelle and John discuss “Without Warning,” a made-for-television science fiction film from 1994, produced as if it were an actual breaking news event, with “reports” from on-the-ground correspondents from around the world. They discuss the inspiration for this “docudrama” genre as well as the general wave of “asteroid attack” films in the 1990s. They also talk the psychology behind the idea that a global disaster would bring humanity together (under American leadership, of course). Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. We’ll see you in two weeks with “The Rocketeer,” a science-fiction adventure film from 1991, directed by Joe Johnston and starring Billy Campbell and Jennifer Connelly. It’s available to rent on Amazon and iTunes and available on Disney Plus. |
Feb 03, 2023 |
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Surviving the Game (feat. Gillet Rosenblith)
01:03:34
New Episode This week, Jamelle and John are joined by historian Gillet Rosenblith to discuss the 1994 action thriller “Surviving the Game,” a loose adaptation of “The Most Dangerous Game” and a glimpse into anxieties and fears regarding poverty, homelessness and urban decay in the 1990s. They also discuss other, similar films of the era, like John Woo’s “Hard Target,” and they discuss further what distinguishes the action movies of the 1990s from their predecessors in the 70s and 80s. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. |
Jan 21, 2023 |
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The Puppet Masters
01:06:10
Happy New Year! In this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, we watch “The Puppet Masters,” an adaptation of a 1951 Robert Heinlein novel that feels aimless in the absence of the original Cold War context. Jamelle and John discuss, among other things, the “Body Snatcher” genre, science fiction as a vehicle for allegory, and the war on drugs. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. |
Jan 09, 2023 |
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Blown Away (feat. Clare Malone)
01:11:44
What do you get when you mix Boston, bad accents and a lot of explosions? The 1994 thriller “Blown Away” starring Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones! Jamelle and John are joined by Clare Malone of The New Yorker to talk Irish-American identity, Irish nationalism, the racial politics of Boston and much, much more. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. |
Dec 24, 2022 |
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The Third Man (PATREON PREVIEW)
00:09:14
Hello listeners! This on the Patreon week we continued our journey into the work of Graham Greene and Carol Reed with the 1949 British noir “The Third Man.” It suffices to say that this is one of the most famous and acclaimed movies of all time, so Jamelle and John had a lot to say about its production, its writing and its themes. They also spoke a great deal about Orson Welles, the politics of postwar Europe, existentialism, and the career of star Joseph Cotten. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. To hear the full episode, subscribe to the Unclear and Present Patreon and get access to our show on the films (and television) of the Cold War, as well special mailbag episodes, monthly entry into a movie raffle, and whatever else we can think of. |
Dec 16, 2022 |
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On Deadly Ground
01:05:35
In this week’s episode, Jamelle and John scrape the bottom of the cinematic barrel with the 1994 environmentalist action flick, “On Deadly Ground,” directed by and starring Steven Seagall. It’s not a good movie, but they had a good conversation covering Seagall’s political trajectory, right-wing misogyny, and the psychological origins of authoritarian politics. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for February 18, 1994 A Variety review of “On Deadly Ground” Siskel and Ebert review “On Deadly Ground” Next week, Jamelle and John will be joined by The New Yorker’s Clare Malone to discuss “Blown Away” with Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones. |
Dec 10, 2022 |
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Our Man in Havana (PATREON PREVIEW)
00:09:14https://dts.
For this week’s Patreon episode, Jamelle and John cover the 1959 film “Our Man in Havana,” an adaptation of a 1958 Graham Greene novel by the same name. We talk Graham Greene, director Carol Reed, and Alec Guinness, the star, as well as esoteric topics like motivated reasoning, the nature of intelligence work, and the power and peril of propaganda. We also, as always, looked at the news for the day the film was released, December 30, 1959. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. To hear the full episode, subscribe to the Unclear and Present Patreon and get access to our show on the films (and television) of the Cold War, as well special mailbag episodes, monthly entry into a movie raffle, and whatever else we can think of. |
Dec 02, 2022 |
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The Pelican Brief (feat. Jay Willis)
01:18:15
In this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle, John and special guest Jay Willis of Balls and Strikes discuss the 1993 adaptation of John Grisham’s “The Pelican Brief,” and ask whether anything about the movie’s plot actually makes any sense. They also discuss the early days of the conservative legal movement, the political hegemony of capital, and Stanley Tucci. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. Last week, we covered the 1979 BBC adaptation of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for December 17, 1993 Kirkus book review of “The Pelican Brief.” The Rise of the Conservative Legal Movement: The Battle or Control of the Law |
Nov 25, 2022 |
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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (PATREON PREVIEW)
00:11:29
We have another Patreon episode for you and this week, it’s a John favorite: the 1979 BBC adaptation of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” We go deep into the character of George Smiley, John le Carre’s critique of the British ruling class, and the idea of national “decadence.” Jamelle also spends a little time talking about the American constitutional system, so it’s basically an episode where everyone is on brand. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. To hear the full episode, subscribe to the Unclear and Present Patreon and get access to our show on the films (and television) of the Cold War, as well special mailbag episodes, monthly entry into a movie raffle, and whatever else we can think of. |
Nov 18, 2022 |
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The Fugitive (feat. Michael Liroff)
01:10:55
Jamelle and John are joined by Michael Liroff of the Five Four podcast to discuss “The Fugitive,” a masterpiece of Dad cinema. They talk the liberal politics of the 1990s, the surprisingly nuanced racial politics of the film, and complain, as always, that they just don’t make them like this anymore. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! And join the Unclear and Present Patreon! For just $5 a month, patrons get access to a bonus show on the films of the Cold War, and much, much more. Links from the episode! The New York Times front-page for August 6, 1993 Wikipedia entry on Harold Washington, the 51st mayor of Chicago Also, a quick note: Jamelle said this was the 27th episode of the podcast, ti is actually the 28th! Our apologies for the mistake. |
Nov 11, 2022 |
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The Hunt for Red October (Take Two)
01:05:39
Episode 26 — The Hunt for Red October (Take Two) In this one year anniversary episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John return to the film that started it all, “The Hunt for Red October.” They discuss the film as an elegy for the Cold War era, and further explore the dilemma of American power and identity in the post-Soviet world. Next week’s episode…”The Fugitive.” Sign up for our Patreon show on the films of the Cold War! Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! |
Oct 30, 2022 |
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The Firm
01:09:13
Episode 25 — The Firm In this episode of Unclear and Present Danger, John and Jamelle discuss the 1993 John Grisham film adaptation “The Firm.” They use the genre of the legal thriller to discuss the legalization of American life in the 1990s and the turn from politics in crucible of history to management at its putative end. They also talk about Wilford Brimley, so there’s that too. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for June 30, 1993 Barack Obama’s lost manuscript “Two Cheers for Politics: Why Democracy is Flawed, Frightening—and Our Best Hope” Next time on Unclear and Present Danger…Jamelle and John return to “The Hunt for Red October.” |
Oct 16, 2022 |
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Passenger 57 (feat. Amanda Smith)
01:14:13
In this episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John are joined by Amanda Smith of the Disaster Girls podcast to discuss the Wesley Snipes vehicle “Passenger 57,” which features an extremely charismatic Snipes facing off against an off-band Hannibal Lecter and also, casual racism. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! • New York Times front-page for November 6, 1992 • Interview with Stewart Raffill, one of the writers for Passenger 57 |
Oct 03, 2022 |
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White Sands
01:04:37
Somehow, a crime thriller starring Willem Dafoe, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Mickey Rourke set in the New Mexico desert isn’t especially good. Still, the 1992 film “White Sands” gave Jamelle and John a little bit to discuss for this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! |
Sep 21, 2022 |
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Deep Cover (feat. Adam Serwer)
01:09:47
Jamelle, John and special guest Adam Serwer of The Atlantic watch one of the great crime movies of the 1990s — Bill Duke’s “Deep Cover” — and talk about post-Cold War anxiety over the drug trade, Black “tough on crime” politics, and the war on drugs. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for April 15, 1992 James Forman’s book on the Black politics of the early 1990s, “Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America.” “THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Candidates' Records; Four Years of Bush’s Drug War: New Funds but an Old Strategy” |
Sep 02, 2022 |
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Die Hard 2: Die Harder
00:57:12
Welcome to episode 22 of Unclear and Present Danger. This week, we watched “Die Hard 2: Die Harder,” the sequel — of course — to “Die Hard.” In this conversation, Jamelle and John talk the 1990s panic over violence in pop culture, the working-class qualities of John McClane, and the lost days of American suspicion of, even hostility to, the military. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! |
Aug 21, 2022 |
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Rising Sun
01:10:12
On episode 21 of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John discuss the horrifically problematic 1993 thriller “Rising Sun” starring Wesley Snipes and Sean Connery. It’s lurid, salacious and incredibly racist, which makes it fertile ground for a discussion of the anti-Japanese panic of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Additional topics include Wesley Snipes' career, Michael Crighton’s whole deal, and the question of whether it is even possible to forge a unifying national narrative. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! The Washington Post on the protests against the release of “Rising Sun.” Hobart Rowen on Japan-bashing in the 1980s. |
Aug 06, 2022 |
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In the Line of Fire
00:54:18
In this, our twentieth episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watched the hit 1993 thriller “In the Line of Fire,” directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Clint Eastwood, Rene Russo and John Malkovich. They discuss Eastwood’s career and star persona, the anti-political apathy of the 1990s, and the “end of history” vibes of Eastwood and Malkovich’s characters. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for July 9, 1993 |
Jul 24, 2022 |
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In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco
00:56:55
For episode 19 of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watch “In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco,” a ripped-from-the-headlines-style movie about the siege at Waco. They use the movie as an occasion to discuss right-wing extremism, abuse and overreach among federal law enforcement, and how both played themselves out in American culture. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for May 23, 1993 “Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America” by Kathleen Belew American Experience: Ruby Ridge “Waco: The Rules of Engagement,” a 1997 documentary on the siege and its fallout. |
Jul 09, 2022 |
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Falling Down
01:10:03
Jamelle, for one, has been very excited about this episode, an analysis of Joel Schumacher’s 1993 film “Falling Down.” In the conversation, Jamelle and John discuss the populist moment of the early 1990s, the discourse around the “angry white man,” the class politics (or lack thereof) of the film, and the erosion of the post-war anti-fascist consensus. Connor Lynch produced this episode. Artwork by Rachel Eck. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for February 26, 1993 Carol Clover on “Falling Down” in Sight and Sound magazine. A New York Time story on the “race to win over the angry white male” from 1995. |
Jun 25, 2022 |
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Sniper
01:04:31
In this episode of Unclear and President Danger, Jamelle and John discuss “Sniper,” a delightful piece of genre trash that also happens to speak to some of the paranoias and prejudices of the era. To that point, their conversation veers from the anti-Bill Clinton conspiracy theories of the early 1990s to the militia aesthetic that emerged later in the decade. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front page for January 29, 1993 |
Jun 11, 2022 |
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Under Siege
01:08:04
For episode 16 of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John discuss “Under Siege,” 1992 action thriller directed by Andrew Davis and starring Steven Seagal in what is clearly his best role. We talk about Seagal’s career, Hollywood’s view of the American military in this era of filmmaking, and the strange, almost left-wing politics of this movie in particular. Jamelle also attempts a bad impression of Seagal. It’s a good time. “Under Siege” is available for rent on Amazon and iTunes. Our logo, as always, is courtesy of the great Rachel Eck, who you can find on Instagram. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times frontpage for October 9, 1992 Steven Seagal’s infamously unwatchable appearance on Saturday Night Live. Scene in “Austin Powers” where Austin learns the Cold War is over. |
May 28, 2022 |
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Sneakers (feat. Mike Duncan)
01:12:01
On episode 15 of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John are joined by Mike Duncan (Revolutions podcast, “Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution”) to discuss the delightful 1992 thriller Sneakers. It’s a movie about a tech mogul who hopes to stage an information revolution and, not surprisingly, John, Jamelle and Mike discuss the internet, social revolutions, and the challenge of building something out of nothing. Our logo, as always, is courtesy of the great Rachel Eck, who you can find on Instagram. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! |
May 14, 2022 |
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JFK (feat. Alexis Coe)
01:21:18
It’s episode 14 of Unclear and Present Danger and we’re talking Oliver Stone’s ridiculous yet incredibly-compelling conspiracy thriller, JFK. Jamelle and John are joined by the historian Alexis Coe to discuss the film, as well as the real John F. Kennedy, his life and legacy. This is a long and fruitful conversation, that covers everything from the Boomer wish-fulfillment which animates the movie to the political consequences of conspiracy-thinking. Once again, our new logo is courtesy of the great Rachel Eck! You can find her on Instagram. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for December 20, 1991 Oliver Stone’s New York Times op-ed defending the film. Miller Center of Public Affairs page on the Kennedy presidency. Politico Magazine on John F. Kennedy and Margaret Coit Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath by Mimi Alford |
Apr 30, 2022 |
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Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (feat. Sam Adler-Bell)
01:13:30
Is a Star Trek movie a political and military thriller? We think so! Which is why, for this thirteenth episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John (and their guest, Sam Adler-Bell of the “Know Your Enemy” podcast) discussed Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. They talked about the nature of Star Trek’s utopianism, questioned whether the Federation is actually a good thing, and gave a close reading of the film’s Cold War allegory. Our new logo is courtesy of the great Rachel Eck! You can find her on Instagram. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for December 6, 1991 |
Apr 16, 2022 |
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Company Business
01:15:11
On episode 12 of Unclear and Present and Danger, Jamelle and John talk about, and puzzle over, the 1991 action comedy (comedic thriller?) “Company Business.” They have an extended discussion of Gene Hackman’s career, talk Mikhail Gorbachev and the collapse of the Soviet Union, and think about the surge of populism that struck American politics in the early 1990s. Our new logo is courtesy of the great Rachel Eck! You can find her on Instagram. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front-page for September 6, 1991 Martin Chilton’s 2020 profile of Gene Hackman “Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union” by Vladislav M. Zubok |
Apr 01, 2022 |
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Flight of the Intruder (feat. Jonathan Katz)
01:18:11
On this 11th episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John are joined by the journalist and author Jonathan Katz to talk John Milius' 1991 Vietnam drama, “Flight of the Intruder.” Among many other things, they talk Milius' work and career, the place of Vietnam in American’s historical memory, the political impact of the Gulf War, and the search for meaning through conflict. Our logo is courtesy of the great Rachel Eck! You can find her on Instagram. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! |
Mar 18, 2022 |
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Going Under
01:05:21
In this tenth episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John talk a little about this week’s movie, the 1991 submarine farce “Going Under,” but devote most of the episode to discussing the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia, and the way the world has underestimated the power of democracy. Also, you might notice that we have a new logo. That is courtesy of the great Rachel Eck! You can find her on Instagram. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times for Friday, August 23, 1991 A comprehensive explainer of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at Jewish Currents magazine. |
Mar 04, 2022 |
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The Russia House
01:06:00
On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John talk the 1990 John Le Carré adaptation “The Russia House,” starring Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer. They discuss the social base for intelligence work during the Cold War, the period of glasnost and perestroika in the Soviet Union, the politics of nostalgia and the film’s excellent wardrobe. You can rent “The Russia House” on iTunes or on Amazon. Also, you might notice that we have a new logo. That is courtesy of the great Rachel Eck! You can find her on Instagram. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! The New York Times for December 25, 1990 Wikipedia article for glasnost and perestroika John D. Skrentny’s “The Minority Rights Revolution” on the impact of the Cold War on liberal reforms in the United States. |
Feb 19, 2022 |
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Hidden Agenda
01:06:01
In this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John tackle yet another movie about the Troubles, the 1990 film “Hidden Agenda.” This one, however, is more concerned with British politics than the well-being of the Irish people. They discuss Margaret Thatcher, talk a little about colonialism and the intra-European origins of racism, and complain about the dearth of well-made political thrillers. You can watch “Hidden Agenda” for free on Tubi. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! The New York Times for Wednesday November 21, 1990. Cedric Robinson’s “Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition” Alan J. Pakula’s 1974 film “The Parallax View.” |
Feb 04, 2022 |
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By Dawn’s Early Light
01:01:50
In this episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John discuss the 1990 made-for-TV movie “By Dawn’s Early Light.” Their conversation centers on the politics of nuclear weapons, what they mean for constitutional democracy, and how fear of nuclear weapons has been a potent political tool since the end of the Second World War. “By Dawn’s Early Light” is available to stream for free on Amazon and YouTube, and is available for rent on iTunes. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! |
Jan 22, 2022 |
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The Fourth War
01:04:11
In the sixth episode of Unclear and Present Danger, John and Jamelle discuss “The Fourth War,” a late-period John Frankenheimer film about two crusty bastards who almost start the third world war over a personal grudge match. It looks like a TV movie and it’s not that interesting, but it was good fodder for a fruitful and fascinating conversation. Jamelle brings some 19th century American political history to the table, and John uses Francis Fukuyama’s “The End of History” to get at some of the ideas in the film. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times front page for Friday, March 23, 1990 Janet Maslin’s New York Times review Roger Ebert’s Chicago Sun-Times review A book worth reading: The Slave Power: The Free North and Southern Domination, 1780–1860 |
Jan 07, 2022 |
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The Package
00:59:20
In this week’s episode, Jamelle and John talk “The Package,” the 1989 conspiracy thriller from Andrew Davis, and the first of many Andrew Davis movies to come on this podcast. They talk class tensions within the military, the age-old American fear of standing armies and military bureaucracies, the anti-politics inherent in conspiracy theorizing, the role of ideology in shaping the actions of key actors, and how the shadow of the JFK assassination hangs over this movie. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! The New York Times frontpage for August 25, 1989. An information page for the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The Wikipedia entry for “The Day of the Jackal.” |
Dec 24, 2021 |
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No Way Out
01:03:30
On this week's episode, Jamelle and John discuss the strange, surprisingly sleazy 1987 thriller No Way Out, starring Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman and Sean Young. Topics of discussion include Costner's strikingly bland persona, the contradictions within Reaganite conservatism, the futile quest for national unity, and the late 1980s as the last hurrah for the idea of the carefree white man. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! |
Dec 10, 2021 |
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Clear and Present Danger
01:16:19
In this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John discuss the show’s namesake, “Clear and Present Danger,” the third and final “Jack Ryan” movie of the 1990s, whose politics are one part arch-cynicism about American foreign policy and one part naive liberal optimism about the integrity of the national security bureaucracy. Other topics include the film’s connection to the Iran-Contra scandal, the way that it touches on American memory of the Vietnam War, the fantasy of unlimited American power that animates this and other movies in the Tom Clancy oeuvre and, of course, Harrison Ford. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times frontpage for August 3, 1994 1994 Entertainment Weekly feature on “Clear and Present Danger” |
Nov 26, 2021 |
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Patriot Games (feat. Will Rahn)
01:01:26
In this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John are joined by Will Rahn of Yahoo News to talk “Patriot Games,” the second Jack Ryan movie of the 1990s and the first to star Harrison Ford. They discuss Ross Perot and the 1992 presidential election, Irish nationalism (and Irish bars), the film’s unambiguously pro-C.I.A politics, WASP triumphalism and the politics of George H.W. Bush. Follow us on Twitter! Links from the episode! New York Times for June 6, 1992 |
Nov 12, 2021 |
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The Hunt for Red October
58:21
This is the first episode of Unclear and Present Danger, a new podcast by Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times and John Ganz, a freelance journalist writing a book on American politics in the 1990s. It is a podcast about the political thrillers of that decade, and what they said — or did not say — about the United States in the last years and immediate aftermath of the Cold War. We’re going to cover a wide range of movies, but we thought we would begin with a paradigmatic example of the genre, John McTiernan’s The Hunt for Red October, based on the best-selling Tom Clancy novel. A quick correction: In the episode, Jamelle said that McTiernan went to jail for tax evasion. This was incorrect. He actually went to prison for lying to the FBI. |
Oct 28, 2021 |