Ep. 06-20: Slaughterhouse Five (1972)

From his home in Ilium, N.Y., optometrist Billy Pilgrim (Michael Sacks) narrates how he came to be “unstuck in time.” Kidnapped by aliens and living in comfort with his assigned mate, B-movie starlet Montana Wildhack (Valerie Perrine), Billy experiences the events of his life in random order, flitting between his past as an American prisoner of war in World War II, to his humdrum middle-class life in the present-day, to his future as a zoo curiosity on the planet Tralfamadore.

Welcome to our first visit to the weird, wacky, and wonderful world of beloved humanist author Kurt Vonnegut. Although Slaughterhouse-Five (1972) is not a perfect movie, it still manages to capture the novel’s essence, which is a challenging task considering the difficulty of successfully adapting Vonnegut novels. Join us as we discuss the strengths and weaknesses, including its screenplay, cast, and the marvelous direction of George Roy Hill. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys becomes unstuck in time, traveling through the eyes of Billy Pilgrim and a lifetime of lunacy and love.

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Ep. 06-19: Godzilla a.k.a Gojira (1954)

Ships are sinking. Neighboring islands are being attacked. What if underwater hydrogen bomb testing has awakened a fire-breathing monster from its centuries-long sleep? Enter Godzilla. Tokyo’s only hope is an ominous weapon called the Oxygen Destroyer. But will the talented young scientist who developed it allow such a dangerous weapon to be revealed to the world?

Six seasons in and we’ve finally reached the BIG GUY. Godzilla’s cultural influence is as mammoth as the monster itself, spanning eight decades and over thirty-five sequels, reboots, and re-imaginings. Join us as we discuss the reasons behind the movie’s genesis and why its concept seems forever enduring. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys goes… Wait. What’s that thunderous sound? Head for the hills! Godzilla has risen!

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Ep. 06-18: The Illustrated Man (1969)

In the 1930s, a psychotic drifter who’s after a mystery woman who covered his whole body in illustrations that foresee the future shows three of them (The Veldt, The Long Rain, and The Last Night of the World) to an enchanted traveler.

This is our first venture into the world of Ray Bradbury and our first science fiction anthology. Join us as we discuss the pros and cons of this film, including the screenplay, location, and the terrific cast (playing multiple roles!). Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys meets a mysterious hobo on the road… a tattooed stranger eager to share with us his secrets and perhaps divulge a few of our own.

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Ep. 06-17: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

An ancient Ring thought lost for centuries has been found, and through a strange twist of fate has been given to a small Hobbit named Frodo. When Gandalf discovers the Ring is in fact the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, Frodo must make an epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it. However, he does not go alone. He is joined by Gandalf, Legolas the elf, Gimli the Dwarf, Aragorn, Boromir, and his three Hobbit friends Merry, Pippin, and Samwise. Through mountains, snow, darkness, forests, rivers, and plains, facing evil and danger at every corner the Fellowship of the Ring must go. Their quest to destroy the One Ring is the only hope for the end of the Dark Lord’s reign.

We’re back! Welcome, 2024! And what better way to kick off the new year than with an expansion of our parameters? David and I have long thought we should include forages in the peripherals of our respected genres and from here on, we occasionally will. Horror will now also embrace thrillers and Sci-fi will also include fantasy, hence today’s lofty venture. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) was the beginning of an enormous undertaking by talented New Zealand director Peter Jackson. Join us as we discuss the plethora of ingredients that began the recipe of this enchanting series, including its Tolkien origins, its marvelous cast, and special effects. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys begins a new adventure that starts with their first full-fledged fantasy episode. Join us…

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