Ep. 155 – Peter Hyams (feat. Mike Ryan)

The B-Side: A Film Stage Podcast

Happy Valentine’s Day from The B-Side! Here we talk about movie directors! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between. Today we appreciate one of the great, under-appreciated Hollywood directors: Peter Hyams! Our B-Sides include Peeper, Hanover Street, The Star Chamber, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, and Running Scared. Our guest is Mike Ryan, great writer, interviewer, and deep fan of Hyams’ eclectic body of work. Sudden Death is a favorite, along with 2010. We discuss the auteur versus the “workman director,” why some filmmakers gather an intense following and others don’t, and the lasting effect many of Hyams’ films have had on the culture as well as other filmmakers. There’s much talk about Hyams’ ability as a cinematographer, and how rare it is to be a director that films their own movies. Mike makes the case that 2010 is more watchable than 2001: A Space Odyssey, Conor attempts to get over how corrupt Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines are as cops in Running Scared, and Dan sings the praises of Hyams’ Narrow Margin. There’s extended conversation about Robert Blake, co-star of Hyams’ debut Busting, an appreciation of director John Badham (specifically Blue Thunder), and a reflection on the enormity of the production of End of Days. Be sure to give us a follow on social at @TFSBSide. Also enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor.