Special Topics in Media Studies is a lecture-based podcast that tackles media history one artifact at a time. Each season of the series we will investigate a different mass media theme, medium, or programming genre. While our focus is educational (it is an academic podcast after all), we tailor our conversations toward a broad audience of media enthusiasts.
Film Listology: #68 - Ben-Hur
Ben-Hur (1959) · Jul 7, 2026
Film Listology: #69 - Jaws
Jaws (1975) · Jun 23, 2026
Film Listology: #70 - Blade Runner
Blade Runner (1982) · Jun 9, 2026
Film Listology: #71 - Parasite
Parasite (2019) · Apr 28, 2026
Film Listology: #72 - High Noon
High Noon (1952) · Apr 21, 2026
Film Listology: #73 - Barry Lyndon
Barry Lyndon (1975) · Apr 7, 2026
Film Listology: #74 - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) · Mar 31, 2026
Film Listology: #75 - The Graduate
The Graduate (1967) · Mar 17, 2026
The Heist Film: Logan Lucky (2017)
Logan Lucky (2017) · Feb 17, 2026
The Heist Film "Live Recap Special" - Inception (2010)
Inception (2010) · Feb 3, 2026
The Heist Film: Inception (2010)
Inception (2010) · Jan 20, 2026
The Heist Film "Live Recap Special" - Fantastic Mr. Fox (2012)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) · Jan 6, 2026
The Heist Film: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) · Dec 23, 2025
The Heist Film: The Killing (1956)
The Killing (1956) · Dec 9, 2025
The Heist Film: Ocean's Eleven (2001)
Ocean's Eleven (2001) · Nov 25, 2025
Film Review: One Battle After Another ... One Pod After Another
One Battle After Another (2025) · Sep 30, 2025
Audiences Weren't Ready For "Eddington"...And They're Not Ready For "One Battle After Another"
One Battle After Another (2025) · Sep 23, 2025
2025 Summer Movie Season - May
May (2025) · Aug 19, 2025
Talking Mass Communication Perspectives - "Muted Group Theory in Pixar Animation"
The Incredibles (2004) · Jul 1, 2025
Talking Mass Communication Perspectives - "Muted Group Theory in Pixar Animation"
WALL·E (2008) · Jul 1, 2025
Talking Mass Communication Perspectives - "Muted Group Theory in Pixar Animation"
Brave (2012) · Jul 1, 2025
Film Listology: #76 - A Streetcar Named Desire
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) · Mar 6, 2025
Film Listology: #77 - Metropolis
Metropolis (1927) · Feb 25, 2025
Film Listology: #78 - The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (2008) · Feb 18, 2025
Film Listology: #79 - Amadeus
Amadeus (1984) · Feb 11, 2025
Film Listology: #80 - WALL*E
WALL·E (2008) · Feb 4, 2025
Future Shock Film: Arrival (2016)
Arrival (2016) · Dec 11, 2024
Future Shock Film: Tenet (2020)
Tenet (2020) · Dec 3, 2024
Future Shock Film: Oblivion (2013)
Oblivion (2013) · Nov 27, 2024
Future Shock Film: I Am Legend (2007)
I Am Legend (2007) · Nov 19, 2024
Future Shock Film: Greenland (2020)
Greenland (2020) · Nov 12, 2024
Communicating Fears in Film: "Beetlejuice"..."Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"!
Beetlejuice (1988) · Oct 31, 2024
Communicating Fears in Film: "Beetlejuice"..."Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"!
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) · Oct 31, 2024
Future Shock Film: The Zero Theorem (2013)
The Zero Theorem (2013) · Oct 18, 2024
Future Shock Film: Roundtable Reflection
Minority Report (2002) · Oct 15, 2024
Future Shock Film: Roundtable Reflection
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) · Oct 15, 2024
Future Shock Film: Roundtable Reflection
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) · Oct 15, 2024
Future Shock Film: Roundtable Reflection
Soylent Green (1973) · Oct 15, 2024
Future Shock Film: Roundtable Reflection
The Hunger Games (2012) · Oct 15, 2024
Future Shock Film: The Hunger Games (2012)
The Hunger Games (2012) · Oct 8, 2024
Future Shock Film: Minority Report (2002)
Minority Report (2002) · Oct 1, 2024
Future Shock Film: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) · Sep 24, 2024
Future Shock Film: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) · Sep 17, 2024
Future Shock Film: Soylent Green (1973)
Soylent Green (1973) · Sep 10, 2024
Film Listology: #81 - 8 1/2
8½ (1963) · Aug 20, 2024
Film Listology: #82 - Laura
Laura (1944) · Aug 14, 2024
Film Listology: #83 - Back to the Future
Back to the Future (1985) · Jul 30, 2024
Film Listology: #84 - The General
The General (1926) · Jul 24, 2024
Film Listology: #85 - Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) · Jul 17, 2024
Joker: Top 5 Clown Princes of Crime
Joker (2019) · Jun 25, 2024
Joker: The Dark Side of Film Fandom (Author Interview)
Joker (2019) · Jun 18, 2024
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns TIME JUMP SPECIAL, "The Batman" (2022)
The Batman (2022) · Jun 4, 2024
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Narrative Adaptations
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012) · May 21, 2024
Film Listology: #86 - The Sting
The Sting (1973) · Apr 16, 2024
Film Listology: #87 - The Lion King
The Lion King (1994) · Apr 9, 2024
Film Listology: #88 - Anatomy of a Murder
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) · Apr 2, 2024
Film Listology: #89 - The Kid
The Kid (1921) · Mar 26, 2024
Film Listology: #90 - Inception
Inception (2010) · Mar 19, 2024
Film Listology: #91 - The Matrix
The Matrix (1999) · Feb 6, 2024
Film Listology: #92 - Alien
Alien (1979) · Jan 30, 2024
Film Listology: #93 - Annie Hall
Annie Hall (1977) · Jan 23, 2024
Film Listology: #94 - Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive (2001) · Jan 16, 2024
Film Listology: #95 - All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) · Jan 9, 2024
Film Listology: #96 - The Rules of the Game
The Rules of the Game (1939) · Dec 12, 2023
Film Listology: #97 - L.A. Confidential
L.A. Confidential (1997) · Dec 7, 2023
Film Listology: #98 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) · Nov 29, 2023
Film Listology: #99 - The Great Dictator
The Great Dictator (1940) · Nov 14, 2023
Film Listology: #100 - Cool Hand Luke
Cool Hand Luke (1967) · Nov 6, 2023
Killers of the Flower Moon - Film Screening First Impressions
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) · Oct 27, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film, The Return!: "They Live" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
They Live (1988) · Oct 3, 2023
Summer Movie Season: July 2023
Sound of Freedom (2023) · Sep 27, 2023
Film Listology: #101 - Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max (1979) · Sep 22, 2023
Film Listology: #101 - Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) · Sep 22, 2023
Summer Movie Season: June 2023 - Part 4
June (2023) · Sep 19, 2023
Film Listology: #102 - Cabaret
Cabaret (1972) · Sep 15, 2023
Summer Movie Season: June 2023 - Part 3
June (2023) · Sep 11, 2023
Film Listology: #103 - Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy (1969) · Sep 7, 2023
Summer Movie Season: June 2023 - Part 2
June (2023) · Sep 5, 2023
Summer Movie Season: June 2023
June (2023) · Aug 24, 2023
Summer Movie Season: May 2023
The Little Mermaid (2023) · Aug 17, 2023
Summer Movie Season: May 2023
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) · Aug 17, 2023
Film Listology: #104 - A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange (1971) · Aug 15, 2023
Summer Movie Season: April 2023
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) · Aug 8, 2023
Summer Movie Season: April 2023
Air (2023) · Aug 8, 2023
Film Listology: #105 - Gladiator
Gladiator (2000) · Jul 28, 2023
Film Listology: #106 - His Girl Friday
His Girl Friday (1940) · Jul 25, 2023
Film Listology: #107 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) · Jul 11, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film: Eastern Othering, Part 3 - Gremlins (1984)
Gremlins (1984) · Mar 2, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film: Eastern Othering, Part 2 - Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986) · Feb 23, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film: Eastern Othering, Part 1 - Red Dawn (1984)
Red Dawn (1984) · Feb 16, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film: Nightmarish Nature Special - The Mist (2007)
The Mist (2007) · Feb 7, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film: Nightmarish Nature, Part 3 - Contagion (2011)
Contagion (2011) · Jan 26, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film: Nightmarish Nature, Part 2 - Tremors (1990)
Tremors (1990) · Jan 19, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film: Nightmarish Nature, Part 1 - The Birds (1963)
The Birds (1963) · Jan 11, 2023
Communicating Fears in Film: Astrophobia, Part 3 - Signs (2002)
Signs (2002) · Dec 29, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Astrophobia, Part 2 - It Came from Outer Space (1953)
It Came from Outer Space (1953) · Dec 22, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Astrophobia, Part 1 - The Thing from Another World (1951)
The Thing from Another World (1951) · Dec 13, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Holiday Special - Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) · Dec 8, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Cold War Creatures, Part 3 - Them! (1954)
Them! (1954) · Nov 29, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Cold War Creatures, Part 2 - Godzilla (1954)
Godzilla (1954) · Nov 22, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Cold War Creatures, Part 1 - Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) · Nov 14, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Monstrous Metaphors Halloween Special, Marvel's Werewolf by Night (2022)
Werewolf by Night (2022) · Oct 31, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Monstrous Metaphors, Part 3 - The Invisible Man (1933)
The Invisible Man (1933) · Oct 27, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Monstrous Metaphors, Part 2 - Frankenstein (1931)
Frankenstein (1931) · Oct 20, 2022
Communicating Fears in Film: Monstrous Metaphors, Part 1 - Dracula (1931)
Dracula (1931) · Oct 13, 2022