Episode 391: THE RED SPECTACLES (1987) with Matt Clark

THE RED SPECTACLES is one entry in a long-running multimedia dystopian sci-fi series by the guy who made GHOST IN THE SHELL (1995). It’s one of the wildest, most tone-swingy things we’ve ever seen at the Trylon. It almost feels impossible to fully encircle, one of those flicks that takes hairpin turns just when you think you’ve got a handle on it.

Amidst the confusion, our friend and film writer Matt Clark picks up on some elements that can be traced to Japanese crime films. That’s as good an entry point as any into THE RED SPECTACLES, but we’re doing our usual thing and poking around the edges of this weird movie to see how close we can get to its elusive center!

Find Matt…

• At Kino Ventura , his blog about movies
• Making Apache Revolver , his zine about crime films
• On Bluesky at kinoventura
• On Letterboxd at kino_ventura
• On Trylove episodes about SHOGUN ASSASSIN (1980), THE LAVENDER HILL MOB (1951), NIGHT MOVES (1975), THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (1973), THE ROCKETEER (1991), MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (1978)

Give to these causes in need during ICE’s occupation of Minnesota:

• https://mn50501.org/donate
• Support Minnesotans defending their communities from ICE: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
• @sanctuarysupplydepot: Mutual aid group in Mpls getting basic necessities to our houseless neighbors https://linktr.ee/sanctuarysupplydepot
• @mplsmutualaid: Clearinghouse of mutual aid for our neighbors: https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid
• ISAIAH, an interfaith group fighting for racial and economic justice in MN: https://secure.everyaction.com/G8TCnxFlE0qd9zlUEYjjeg2
• Show love to North Minneapolis families in crisis: https://www.gofundme.com/f/show-love-to-north-minneapolis-families-in-crisis

References:

• Trylove Episode 207: GHOST IN THE SHELL (1995) https://pocketcasts.com/podcast/trylove/2522e5f0-0157-0137-f265-1d245fc5f9cf/episode-207-ghost-in-the-shell-1995/a088db50-06d3-4f38-aa02-0f124abe3674
• Watch THE RED SPECTACLES on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/1987-the-red-spectacles-mamoru-oshii-1987-english-subs
• THE RED SPECTACLES 4K remaster crowdfunding campaign: https://motion-gallery.net/projects/red_spectacles
• Check the calendar, preview upcoming series, and buy tickets
• Contribute to Perisphere, the Trylon blog

#DCP

Follow us on Twitter at @trylovepodcast, Bluesky at @trylovepodca.st, and email us at trylovepodcast@gmail.com to get in touch!

Show art by Emily Csuy. Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters. Outro music: “Main Title” by Kenji Kawai from the THE RED SPECTACLES soundtrack.

Timestamps

0:00 - Episode 391: THE RED SPECTACLES (1987) with Matt Clark

3:13 - Whadja Watch this Week?

18:58 - The Patented Aaron Grossman Summary

22:39 - Matt’s coverage of Japan’s lost decade of cinema

28:51 - Aaron, the GHOST IN THE SHELL fan

38:18 - The switch from color to black and white

47:04 - Balancing the slapstick and stoicism

56:09 - The moment when you were bought in

1:01:58 - An egotistical odyssey

1:11:48 - The Junk Drawer

1:21:20 - To All the Loves We’ve Tried Before: 1987

1:26:33 - Cody’s Noteys: The TED Spectacles (guessing view counts on TED Talk videos)