Podcast Part 2: A Smackdown Conversation w/ Melanie Lynskey
Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at 3:00PM 
ICYMI Part One of this Podcast & The Smackdown Itself
Starring: Actress Melanie Lynskey, the original creator of the Smackdowns Brian Herrera (aka StinkyLulu), and your regulars Nathaniel R, Joe Reid and Nick Davis.
Smackdown 1964 - A Companion Conversation Pt. 2
00:01 Back From Intermission & Joe freaks out over Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte
04:05 Bette Davis and Baby Jane
07:30 Agnes Moorehead totally divides us
13:30 The Night of the Iguana and its repressed lesbian
16:30 Melanie talks subtext, chemistry and shares an acting pet peeve
20:50 Nathaniel demands a remake and we cast it
24:00 Ava Gardner and Richard Burton GIF-ables
31:20 Not Nominated: Glynis Johns, Irene Papas, and Gloria Foster
34:10 A parting question for Melanie Lynskey
You can listen at the bottom of the post or download the conversation on iTunes. Continue the conversation in the comments.
THANKS AGAIN TO OUR GUEST MELANIE LYNSKEY
Her new film Happy Christmas (co-starring Anna Kendrick, Joe Swanberg, and Lena Dunham) is currently available OnDemand and iTunes and opens in limited theatrical release at the end of July.
Anna Kendrick & Melanie Lynskey in Happy Christmas (2014)
(It's funny and endearing. Writer/Director Joe Swanberg really loves his characters and his actual baby son is one of the best babies you'll ever see in a movie -- so much personality!)
Reader Comments (13)
Both parts were so enjoyable! Part of what made it so was the differences of opinion on all the films and performances. Melanie's insights as a professional actress were great, also as someone who loves musicals, although My Fair Lady is one I'm only lukewarm on, it was fun to hear someone's take on a genre that she thoroughly dislikes.
Hope you do one for each Smackdown. It's true that even though you can look in depth at the performance during the Smackdown the film surrounding it can add or distract from that work and you can't include that in a summary review, the podcast provides a perfect outlet.
Lastly, I'm all in for Melanie to play Miss Fellows!! Now I have to ponder who would be right in the other roles.
I <3 Melanie
Excellent podcast, I enjoyed every minute of it! I recently saw The Night of the Iguana for the first time too and this gave me some new things to consider. I'm more on Melanie's side when it comes to Grayson Hall in the movie, she didn't do much for me but I LOVED Ava Gardner. This podcast also makes me feel better about never being able to sit through My Fair Lady. I love musicals, I love Audrey, but that movie bores me to tears and I can never finish it. Maybe one day I'll be able to, but...um...do I have to?
Also, I love that Nick mentioned some alternatives to the actual nominees, especially Gloria Foster in Nothing But a Man, that movie deserves to be seen!
Speaking of gif-able moments, I think someone mentioned it in the smackdown thread proper, but Ava Gardner's late exit where she has difficulty opening a flimsy door was so, so good. I paused and rewatched it 4 times.
Thanks so much, everyone, for these comments. This conversation was so fun to have, as was all the talk leading up to it, as are all these opinions in Comments about what everyone thought of the different performances.
@FilmJunkie: So glad you're excited about Foster and Nothing But a Man! I only saw it two or three weeks ago, while I was watching a lot of '64 stuff to go along with the Smackdown movies, but I've been meaning to see it forever. Sounds like you've been a fan for a while?
Awesome. Again, thanks so much guys!
And Melanie, you rule!
I <3 Melanie too!
SUCH fun all 'round, really.
This was fantastic. You should definitely do this again for the next smack down.
@Nick: I watched it for the first time about 5 years ago and just fell in love with it. It's probably time that I revisit it, but I remember thinking it was a very special movie at the time that I saw it.
"Fuck respectability, I'm going to die in this house." LOL. All the podcasts should have copious reference to old school divatude, this was a hoot.
Would love to see Melanie become a regular of the podcast!
sad man -- me too obvs, but you know... she is a working actor. be happy that her career is going so well so she rarely has time for such things. :)
Dave, that scene stays with me!