Episode 318 - Prince of the City
Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad descend into the gritty, morally tangled world of Sidney Lumet’s 1981 neo‑noir crime epic Prince of the City. It’s one of those underseen gems that cinephiles whisper about, critics champion, and everyone else somehow missed entirely.
Prince of the City follows a narcotics detective pulled into a sprawling corruption investigation, and the deeper he goes, the more the film tightens its grip. At the center of it all is Treat Williams, delivering a performance so raw, so committed, and so quietly devastating that it’s honestly a “treat” to watch him work. This is the kind of role actors dream about, and Williams attacks it with a mix of vulnerability and intensity that feels almost dangerous. If you ever needed proof he was one of the most underrated actors of his era, this is the movie.
Troy and Brad dig into Lumet’s meticulous direction, the film’s sprawling cast of morally compromised characters, and the real‑life case that inspired the story. They also explore how Prince of the City became overshadowed by Lumet’s more famous crime dramas, why it deserves to be mentioned alongside Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon, and how its reputation has quietly grown among fans of hard‑boiled, character‑driven noir.
And because the guys can’t resist calling out cinematic injustices, they make it very clear that Criterion needs to get on making a 4K edition of this film. Prince of the City deserves the restoration, the essays, the spine number, the whole treatment. It’s long overdue.
Grab your badge, question your morals, and settle in. This is one crime saga worth revisiting.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad descend into the gritty, morally tangled world of Sidney Lumet’s 1981 neo‑noir crime epic Prince of the City. It’s one of those underseen gems that cinephiles whisper about, critics champion, and everyone else somehow missed entirely.
Prince of the City follows a narcotics detective pulled into a sprawling corruption investigation, and the deeper he goes, the more the film tightens its grip. At the center of it all is Treat Williams, delivering a performance so raw, so committed, and so quietly devastating that it’s honestly a “treat” to watch him work. This is the kind of role actors dream about, and Williams attacks it with a mix of vulnerability and intensity that feels almost dangerous. If you ever needed proof he was one of the most underrated actors of his era, this is the movie.
Troy and Brad dig into Lumet’s meticulous direction, the film’s sprawling cast of morally compromised characters, and the real‑life case that inspired the story. They also explore how Prince of the City became overshadowed by Lumet’s more famous crime dramas, why it deserves to be mentioned alongside Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon, and how its reputation has quietly grown among fans of hard‑boiled, character‑driven noir.
And because the guys can’t resist calling out cinematic injustices, they make it very clear that Criterion needs to get on making a 4K edition of this film. Prince of the City deserves the restoration, the essays, the spine number, the whole treatment. It’s long overdue.
Grab your badge, question your morals, and settle in. This is one crime saga worth revisiting.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Episode 316 - Super Mario Bros.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad jump down the strangest cinematic warp pipe ever constructed and land in the dystopian, fungus‑covered madness of Super Mario Bros. from 1993. The guys spend the entire episode trying to figure out what the heck is going on in this movie, because even after thirty years, the answer remains unclear.
Super Mario Bros. arrived with one of the most recognizable brands in pop culture. Mario wasn’t just a video game character; he was the video game character. So naturally, Hollywood took this beloved, colorful, family‑friendly world and said, “What if we turned it into a grimy Blade Runner knockoff with lizard people, cyberpunk plumbing, and Dennis Hopper threatening everyone with de‑evolution lasers?” It’s the kind of creative decision that makes you wonder if someone accidentally adapted the wrong property.
Troy and Brad dig into the film’s chaotic production history, the wild rewrites, the directors who seemed determined to reinvent Mario into something no one asked for, and the baffling creative choices that turned a simple platformer into a dystopian sci‑fi fever dream.
Grab your overalls, avoid the fungus, and hold onto your Koopa coins. This is one cinematic misadventure worth revisiting.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad jump down the strangest cinematic warp pipe ever constructed and land in the dystopian, fungus‑covered madness of Super Mario Bros. from 1993. The guys spend the entire episode trying to figure out what the heck is going on in this movie, because even after thirty years, the answer remains unclear.
Super Mario Bros. arrived with one of the most recognizable brands in pop culture. Mario wasn’t just a video game character; he was the video game character. So naturally, Hollywood took this beloved, colorful, family‑friendly world and said, “What if we turned it into a grimy Blade Runner knockoff with lizard people, cyberpunk plumbing, and Dennis Hopper threatening everyone with de‑evolution lasers?” It’s the kind of creative decision that makes you wonder if someone accidentally adapted the wrong property.
Troy and Brad dig into the film’s chaotic production history, the wild rewrites, the directors who seemed determined to reinvent Mario into something no one asked for, and the baffling creative choices that turned a simple platformer into a dystopian sci‑fi fever dream.
Grab your overalls, avoid the fungus, and hold onto your Koopa coins. This is one cinematic misadventure worth revisiting.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Episode 315 - Battleship
Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad set sail into the explosive, alien‑filled chaos of the 2012 blockbuster Battleship. And yes, the guys know this one wasn’t just an underperformer. It was one of the biggest cinematic wipeouts of the year. In fact, Battleship is part of a rare double‑feature of disaster courtesy of Taylor Kitsch, who somehow managed to star in two of 2012’s biggest bombs with this film and John Carter. A true achievement in box office misfortune.
Battleship arrived with all the makings of a summer tentpole: massive effects, a stacked cast, and a marketing campaign that practically shouted from the rooftops. It also came with one of the strangest Hollywood pitches of the decade, since the entire movie is based on a board game. Yes, the same board game you played as a kid, the one where you yelled “You sunk my battleship!” while trying not to knock over the plastic grid. Hollywood looked at that and said, “What if aliens?”
Troy and Brad dig into the film’s wild production, its attempt to blend military spectacle with sci‑fi mayhem, and the curious creative decisions that turned a simple naval strategy game into a full‑blown alien invasion epic. They also explore how the film’s reputation has shifted over time, why some viewers have embraced its over‑the‑top charm, and whether Battleship deserves a second look or remains a cautionary tale about adapting literally anything into a blockbuster.
Grab your grid, call out a coordinate, and brace for impact. This is one cinematic bomb worth revisiting.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad set sail into the explosive, alien‑filled chaos of the 2012 blockbuster Battleship. And yes, the guys know this one wasn’t just an underperformer. It was one of the biggest cinematic wipeouts of the year. In fact, Battleship is part of a rare double‑feature of disaster courtesy of Taylor Kitsch, who somehow managed to star in two of 2012’s biggest bombs with this film and John Carter. A true achievement in box office misfortune.
Battleship arrived with all the makings of a summer tentpole: massive effects, a stacked cast, and a marketing campaign that practically shouted from the rooftops. It also came with one of the strangest Hollywood pitches of the decade, since the entire movie is based on a board game. Yes, the same board game you played as a kid, the one where you yelled “You sunk my battleship!” while trying not to knock over the plastic grid. Hollywood looked at that and said, “What if aliens?”
Troy and Brad dig into the film’s wild production, its attempt to blend military spectacle with sci‑fi mayhem, and the curious creative decisions that turned a simple naval strategy game into a full‑blown alien invasion epic. They also explore how the film’s reputation has shifted over time, why some viewers have embraced its over‑the‑top charm, and whether Battleship deserves a second look or remains a cautionary tale about adapting literally anything into a blockbuster.
Grab your grid, call out a coordinate, and brace for impact. This is one cinematic bomb worth revisiting.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.