More Podcast and You Tube Recommendations
As part of the Blaugust Festival of Blogging, I thought I’d take the time to promote some of the content creators whose work I enjoy. Despite all the white noise, click bait and snake oil salesmen, there is still a wealth of good material to be found online, be it blogs, podcasts, You Tube channels or streamers. Most of what I currently enjoy, I discovered through word of mouth. I feel more disposed towards trusting the views and opinions of friends than I do of “recommendations” made by Google and You Tube, driven by their “questionable” algorithms. These are often determined by key words and have no ability to ascertain quality. So here are a mixture of You Tube channels, podcasts and blogs that I wholeheartedly recommend. Between them they cover such subjects as movies, gaming, comedy and history. Feel free to leave comments about my choices and share your own recommendations.
As part of the Blaugust Festival of Blogging, I thought I’d take the time to promote some of the content creators whose work I enjoy. Despite all the white noise, click bait and snake oil salesmen, there is still a wealth of good material to be found online, be it blogs, podcasts, You Tube channels or streamers. Most of what I currently enjoy, I discovered through word of mouth. I feel more disposed towards trusting the views and opinions of friends than I do of “recommendations” made by Google and You Tube, driven by their “questionable” algorithms. These are often determined by key words and have no ability to ascertain quality. So here are a mixture of You Tube channels, podcasts and blogs that I wholeheartedly recommend. Between them they cover such subjects as movies, gaming, comedy and history. Feel free to leave comments about my choices and share your own recommendations.
Dark Corners Reviews. If you have a liking for cult, obscure and trash cinema, then Dark Corners Reviews can provide in-depth commentary upon such content. Presented by writer Robin Bailes, films such as The Clones of Bruce Lee, Trog and Warriors of the Apocalypse are dissected in a droll and knowledgeable fashion. Robin also provides some very detailed retrospectives on classic horror movie franchises such as Universal Horror movies of the thirties and Hammer Studios Frankenstein series. These are extremely well researched and offer intelligent genre analysis along with clear love and affection. Dark Corners Reviews has been running for over five years so there is a wealth of content available on the channel. It is also interesting to see Robin refine his style and technique over time.
Extra Credits. Created by Daniel Floyd and James Portnow in 2008, Extra Credits was initially a You Tube channel about video games studies. However over the years it has broadened its scope and now offers regular content analysing Science Fiction, History and Mythology. Each subject is presented as an animated video with casual but extremely informative narration. It’s a great way to come to grips with weighty subjects such as the history of the Irish Potato Famine or Greek Myths. The games study videos are all written by those with first-hand experience and explore such subjects as common mechanics, development schedules and sales and monetisation. Furthermore, the videos are always presented in an upbeat fashion, even when tackling tough issues. The team also put out updates to previous videos and will correct or append content where appropriate. It’s all extremely professional, intelligent and yet presented in an entertaining and easily digestible format. All involved seem to be genuine and likeable. Something that’s quite rare online these days.
Rule of Three. This is a somewhat niche market podcast but is really excels at what it does. British comedy writers Joel Morris and Jason Hazeley invite other comedians, actors and writers to discuss what they find funny and provide one example for discussion. Hence you will get the likes of comedian Phil Jupitus waxing lyrical about animator Chuck Jones, comic actor Kevin Eldon heaping praise upon The Rutles and writer Charlie Brooker dissecting the comedy genius of the movie Airplane. The show is informative, extremely funny and at times an utter geekfest. These guys know about their craft (as do their guests) and among all the humour and banter, the budding writer can glean a lot of useful information via their show.
Scormus Fails. As long as I can remember, Scormus (formerly known as the MMO Troll) has been writing, podcasting, producing You Tube videos and live streaming. He is a familiar face in the MMO fan community; part of the furniture if you will. Like many of us, he has seen an ebb and flow in his content and audience. Yet he doggedly produces content, tries different mediums and talks about the things he loves. He knows he’s not to everyone liking but he is resolutely his own man. You have to admire someone who just does their own thing and keeps going. Over the years his sense of humour has grown on me and I enjoy dipping into his various content. I think he sends a very positive message to those who are just starting out on their blogging, podcasting or streaming career.
Murf Versus. I wrote a blog post a while ago about how overfamiliarity can be fandom’s Achilles Heel. In my case it’s movies. I’ve seen a lot and therefore, it takes more to impress, surprise or inspire me. However, a great tangential way to enjoy material you’re already familiar with, is through the experiences of others. And that is why I enjoy Murf’s blog. He and his partner Diane regularly sit and view classic films and do their upmost to put aside their own cultural baggage and give a fair and logical appraisal. Sometimes they find a point of entry and some common ground. Other times not so. Murf writes eloquently and thoughtfully. His musings are often astute and mature. He is also happy to eschew critical consensus. If he doesn’t like a cinematic sacred cow, he’ll happily say so and provide cogent reasons for doing so. So if you are more than just a casual movie viewer then do take a look at his blog. You may or may not agree with him on certain films but you cannot fault his honesty.
Podcast and You Tube Recommendations
I have no problems finding podcasts and You Tube channels that explore the subjects that I like. It’s determining which ones are any good that is the real trick and the only way to do this is to sit down and listen or watch them. Sometimes you need to give two or three episodes a go before you can truly determine if a show is for you. So, I thought it may be useful to share another small selection of the content that I am currently enjoying, so you don’t have to wade through quite so much “white noise” that fills the internet. I’ve made a conscious decision to select a broader spectrum of material and not to focus just on gaming. All the shows recommended are freely available although you can support the content creators if you wish to. Feel free to leave comments on the titles listed and share your own recommendations.
I have no problems finding podcasts and You Tube channels that explore the subjects that I like. It’s determining which ones are any good that is the real trick and the only way to do this is to sit down and listen or watch them. Sometimes you need to give two or three episodes a go before you can truly determine if a show is for you. So, I thought it may be useful to share another small selection of the content that I am currently enjoying, so you don’t have to wade through quite so much “white noise” that fills the internet. I’ve made a conscious decision to select a broader spectrum of material and not to focus just on gaming. All the shows recommended are freely available although you can support the content creators if you wish to. Feel free to leave comments on the titles listed and share your own recommendations.
The Infinite Monkey Cage. Science can be very complex, esoteric and daunting. Many of the big topics can seem inaccessible to the layman. However, The Infinite Monkey Cage addresses this with its witty, irreverent look at the universe. Physicist Brian Cox, comedian Robin Ince and a selection of guests discuss and debate such subjects as the Big Bang, Infinity and human irrationality. The light-hearted approach helps break down barriers and make the topics somewhat clearer, without trivialising matters. Guests have included Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins and Alan Moore. This is a very entertaining show which appeals on multiple levels. The mixture of academic and non-academic guest often means that explanations are rendered in clear and understandable terms. Frequently the subjects discussed will remain with the listener for days after the show as they are so thought-provoking. Furthermore, if that wasn't enough to recommend this podcast to you, a few years ago it acquired a great new theme tune by Eric Idle.
A Podcast to the Curious. This show explores and dissects not only the collected works of author M R James, but in more recent episode focuses on the short stories that influenced his writing. The two hosts Will Ross and Mike Taylor are knowledgeable entertaining and easy to listen to. The production is slick and academic, with all the appropriate references discussed clearly appearing in the show notes. I live in the hope that others will listen to the show and be inspired to produces a similar podcast focusing on the works of comparable authors. If you are an avid reader, then listening to A Podcast to the Curious is like joining a book club where you can swap ideas and discuss the meaning behind the text. It’s a great show that is both enjoyable to listen to and very illuminating. The subtleties of the authors work are fully explored, and I’ve gained a wider insight into the work of M R James as a result.
The Geek to Geek Podcast. There are many game related podcasts and shows that also talk about pop culture. What makes The Geek to Geek Podcast different from others is the quality of the discussions between host Beej and Void. Their respective tastes are similar but not identical and therefore they’re not afraid to disagree. The banter is thoughtful and at times quite scholarly, but the tone remains light, enthusiastic and engaging. Void also does an extremely good job of moderating the discussions and the show is well edited. As a result, a lot of material is packed into the hour running time and the pair maintain a regular publishing schedule. Beej and Void are also happy to engage with their listeners and have a subreddit where they expand upon subjects covered in the show. It is this attention to detail along with good natured and informed conversation, that makes The Geek to Geek Podcast stand out from similar shows about gaming, comics, the MCU and all things geek.
The Evolution of Horror. One of my minor podcasting regrets is that I never managed to get the movie related show I was planning off the drawing board and into production. However, The Evolution of Horror has recently come along and filled that gap for me. Hosted by freelance video producer Mike Muncer, the show explores the long-term evolution of the horror genre, through analysis of its respective sub-genres. The primary focus is that of horror cinema, but the show is not shy from tackling the subject from a literary, television and even theatrical perspective. Mike is well informed and dedicated. He regularly draws upon his professional contacts and peers as guests who are always illuminating and engaging. These have included writer Alan Jones, actor and writer Andy Nyman and director Lesley Manning. Furthermore, horror fandom is sometimes perceived as a male dominated province. The Evolution of Horror flies in the face of this not only by having female guests but frequently exploring the subject from a gender perspective. So, if you are a fan of horror and enjoy the audio equivalent of long-form critiquing, then this podcast is essential listening.
Good Bad Flicks. As a consummate movie fan who likes material from both ends of the cinematic spectrum, Good Bad Flicks is a refreshing change from some of the dry and dusty shows that explore more cerebral movies. Cecil Trachenburg regularly creates videos that explore cult classics, obscure horror as well as exploitation and other sub-genres. These analyses are in-depth, well researched and humourlessly narrated. The latter is a real skill as all too often other video hosts come across as mocking the very material they explore. Cecil does not do this, and his light-hearted approach is born of affection for the subject rather than scorn. I’ve watched several films as a result of reviews on Good Bad Flicks. I found Operation Avalanche to be exactly as described although I didn’t reciprocate Cecil’s stance on Doom. However, Good Bad Flicks isn’t a dogmatic fanboy show entrenched in a defensive stance. It’s about enjoying something even if it’s bad and Cecil makes it clear that not everything will be to everyone taste. Hence, I can wholeheartedly recommend his You Tube channel as it encapsulates the good things about fandom and not the negative.