Episode 314 - License to Kill
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 dive into the world of espionage, revenge, and shark tanks with the 1989 James Bond entry License to Kill. And yes, the guys are fully aware this one wasn’t a full‑blown bomb, but it definitely underperformed and remains one of the more divisive chapters in 007’s long cinematic history.
Coming off The Living Daylights, Timothy Dalton returned as Bond in a darker, more brutal story that tossed out the gadgets and globe‑trotting glamour in favor of a personal vendetta against a drug kingpin. Critics and audiences weren’t quite sure what to make of this grittier take, especially at a time when summer blockbusters were leaning hard into big, flashy spectacle. But revisiting the film today, it’s clear Dalton wasn’t just playing Bond — he was proving he deserved to be Bond.
Troy and Brad break down the film’s intense action sequences, its surprisingly grounded tone, and the behind‑the‑scenes decisions that led to one of the most unconventional Bond movies ever made. They also explore how the film’s reputation has evolved, why fans have rallied around Dalton’s interpretation, and how License to Kill quietly paved the way for the more serious Bond era that would arrive decades later.
Grab your shark‑repellent (just in case) and settle in. This is one Bond mission 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 dive into the world of espionage, revenge, and shark tanks with the 1989 James Bond entry License to Kill. And yes, the guys are fully aware this one wasn’t a full‑blown bomb, but it definitely underperformed and remains one of the more divisive chapters in 007’s long cinematic history.
Coming off The Living Daylights, Timothy Dalton returned as Bond in a darker, more brutal story that tossed out the gadgets and globe‑trotting glamour in favor of a personal vendetta against a drug kingpin. Critics and audiences weren’t quite sure what to make of this grittier take, especially at a time when summer blockbusters were leaning hard into big, flashy spectacle. But revisiting the film today, it’s clear Dalton wasn’t just playing Bond — he was proving he deserved to be Bond.
Troy and Brad break down the film’s intense action sequences, its surprisingly grounded tone, and the behind‑the‑scenes decisions that led to one of the most unconventional Bond movies ever made. They also explore how the film’s reputation has evolved, why fans have rallied around Dalton’s interpretation, and how License to Kill quietly paved the way for the more serious Bond era that would arrive decades later.
Grab your shark‑repellent (just in case) and settle in. This is one Bond mission 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.
NAB Presents: Breaking Brad - Experiment 18: Visitors from the Arkana Galaxy
This week’s experiment: Visitors from the Arkana Galaxy, an Eastern European sci‑fi fever dream that asks, “What if humanity’s first contact looked like a disco‑soaked existential crisis?” and then answers with one of the most gloriously unhinged films ever committed to celluloid. Strange creatures, stranger humans, and a plot that feels beamed in from another dimension collide into something so confident, so imaginative, so defiantly weird that you start to wonder if the filmmakers actually were from Arkana.
The movie drifts through surreal set pieces, deadpan performances, and cosmic absurdity with the swagger of a masterpiece that knows you’ll never fully understand it and doesn’t care. In no way is this Breaking Brad; if anything, it might be one of the greatest films ever made, a reminder that sometimes the best cinema comes from the outer edges of sanity and geography.
Expect baffling brilliance, unexpected beauty, and the kind of sci‑fi ambition that makes modern blockbusters look timid. Visitors from the Arkana Galaxy isn’t just a movie, it’s a transmission from a better, weirder universe, and we’re lucky it reached us at all.
Be sure to subscribe to the Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema to hear more of Sammy. Also, check out Jose’s podcast - Watch/Skip+ • A podcast on Anchor. Both are highly recommended.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
This week’s experiment: Visitors from the Arkana Galaxy, an Eastern European sci‑fi fever dream that asks, “What if humanity’s first contact looked like a disco‑soaked existential crisis?” and then answers with one of the most gloriously unhinged films ever committed to celluloid. Strange creatures, stranger humans, and a plot that feels beamed in from another dimension collide into something so confident, so imaginative, so defiantly weird that you start to wonder if the filmmakers actually were from Arkana.
The movie drifts through surreal set pieces, deadpan performances, and cosmic absurdity with the swagger of a masterpiece that knows you’ll never fully understand it and doesn’t care. In no way is this Breaking Brad; if anything, it might be one of the greatest films ever made, a reminder that sometimes the best cinema comes from the outer edges of sanity and geography.
Expect baffling brilliance, unexpected beauty, and the kind of sci‑fi ambition that makes modern blockbusters look timid. Visitors from the Arkana Galaxy isn’t just a movie, it’s a transmission from a better, weirder universe, and we’re lucky it reached us at all.
Be sure to subscribe to the Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema to hear more of Sammy. Also, check out Jose’s podcast - Watch/Skip+ • A podcast on Anchor. Both are highly recommended.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
Episode 313 - 1941
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, the guys march into the chaos of Steven Spielberg's 1979 war comedy 1941. Fresh off the unprecedented successes of Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg was handed the ultimate Hollywood blank check to make whatever he wanted. The result was an enormous, effects-driven comedy about panic erupting across Southern California in the days following Pearl Harbor. While 1941 wasn't a full-blown box office bomb, it fell well short of the massive expectations surrounding Spielberg's first comedy, becoming one of the earliest examples of how even Hollywood's hottest director wasn't immune to a stumble.
But was the film unfairly judged, or is 1941 simply too loud, too chaotic, and too overstuffed for its own good? Troy and Brad break down the film's incredible cast, jaw-dropping practical effects, and the fascinating production that saw Spielberg pushing his filmmaking ambitions to new heights. The hosts also discuss how the film's reputation has evolved over the decades, why it has developed a passionate cult following, and how its perceived failure may have helped shape Spielberg's remarkable run of classics that followed.
Sound the air raid sirens, keep an eye on the Ferris wheel, and join Not A Bomb as they revisit one of Hollywood's most fascinating near-misses, proving that sometimes even a box office disappointment can become an unforgettable piece of blockbuster history.
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, the guys march into the chaos of Steven Spielberg's 1979 war comedy 1941. Fresh off the unprecedented successes of Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg was handed the ultimate Hollywood blank check to make whatever he wanted. The result was an enormous, effects-driven comedy about panic erupting across Southern California in the days following Pearl Harbor. While 1941 wasn't a full-blown box office bomb, it fell well short of the massive expectations surrounding Spielberg's first comedy, becoming one of the earliest examples of how even Hollywood's hottest director wasn't immune to a stumble.
But was the film unfairly judged, or is 1941 simply too loud, too chaotic, and too overstuffed for its own good? Troy and Brad break down the film's incredible cast, jaw-dropping practical effects, and the fascinating production that saw Spielberg pushing his filmmaking ambitions to new heights. The hosts also discuss how the film's reputation has evolved over the decades, why it has developed a passionate cult following, and how its perceived failure may have helped shape Spielberg's remarkable run of classics that followed.
Sound the air raid sirens, keep an eye on the Ferris wheel, and join Not A Bomb as they revisit one of Hollywood's most fascinating near-misses, proving that sometimes even a box office disappointment can become an unforgettable piece of blockbuster history.
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.