This week I’m thrilled to be joined by Whit Stillman, the director of, among other features, The Last Days of Disco, Barcelona, and Love and Friendship. He’s on the show today to discuss Metropolitan and the way it has been embraced as a classic Christmas movie, as well as the evolution of the indie film business over the last 40 years or so.
If you’re in Rochester or the surrounding environs, make sure to pop over to the Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum tonight for a special showing of Metropolitan with Mr. Stillman in attendance for a Q&A. If you enjoyed this chat, I strongly recommend picking up a copy of Fireflies Press’s book, Whit Stillman: Not So Long Ago, as they are nearly sold out and will not be reprinted. (Yes, you can order it directly from the European publisher; I did and it arrived unharmed.) And if you’ve never seen Metropolitan, you really should! It’s available via streaming on the Criterion Channel and Max (aka HBO Max), and it’s also on sale for 30% off now (either individually or as part of the collection of his first three films).
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I held off listening to this til I could make time to watch Metropolitan. Solid episode as always Sonny!
You should’ve asked yourself which of the SFRP you most identify with... haha
We all like to think we’re Nicks but I’m probably closer to a Charlie (or, on my lesser days, a Fred).
From now on whenever a 'thorny' debate over social obligation is raised, I am going to assert, "If Thorstein Veblen were here, he would tell you the same thing."
God, I love that film. And The Last Days of Disco.
Nice exit track...
I am worried that people will turn on the show and since I’m using different intro music they will immediately turn it off, convinced I uploaded the wrong track. But Whit suggested playing him in with a track from the score and who am I to say no?
Worthy of this episode's substance and no mean feat that.
Thanks Sonny, one of my favorite trilogies of all time!
It’s so great!