The Movie Fort

EPISODE 6: RAD with Hollywood Mike Miranda

In this episode of The Movie Fort Podcast, BMX legend Hollywood Mike Miranda came over to the fort for an extra special screening of RAD, the 1986 cult classic directed by Hal Needham. If you know RAD, then you know Hollywood steals some scenes playing himself in the film. We have some laughs as Hollywood spins some hilarious stories about making RAD and its enduring legacy as a film that's now inspiring a third generation of BMX riders. After a long hiatus, RAD is now available for the first time ever for rental or purchase via most major streaming providers.

Episode 5: Steel with Harlan Gleeson

In the season 2 premiere of The Movie Fort podcast, comedian and OG Los Angeles legend Harlan Gleeson came over to the fort to watch the 1979 Lee Majors film Steel. Co-starring in the picture is Harlan's father Redmond Gleeson as Harry, the demolitions expert who's a vital member of Majors' elite crew of construction workers. Harlan and I have some laughs and discuss what it was like being a free range kid in Los Angeles in the '70s and '80s and growing up in an Irish family with nine siblings.

Episode 4: Blue Thunder with Errin Vasquez

My buddy Errin Vasquez pedaled over to the fort to watch the 1983 classic Blue Thunder, starring Roy Scheider as an LAPD helicopter pilot who unexpectedly finds himself patrolling the Los Angeles skies in world's most advanced attack helicopter. (If you weren’t around for the early to mid ‘80s, it was pretty much the Golden Age for kick-ass movies and TV shows about helicopters.) Errin is a SoCal native who grew up in the 'burbs a couple dozen miles from downtown LA where much of Blue Thunder is set. We had some laughs and talked about what it was like to see familiar locations on the big screen and the thrill of being a kid and seeing Knight Rider being filmed in your neighborhood. And it wouldn't be a chat about life in California in the '80s without BMX bikes, skateboards, and the punk scene thrown into the mix. Today Errin is a television editor who works on the Paramount lot and uses his summer hiatus to explore the outdoors. Before that, he worked on the special effects side of things and was involved in the creation of one of the most notorious and/or iconic pieces of special effects makeup in cinema history which we talk about for an almost disturbing amount amount of time but when you hear what it is, you'll understand why.

Episode 3: Six Pack with Brent Pope

Actor, comedian, and all around good guy Brent Pope came over to the fort to have a few laughs and watch the 1982 Kenny Rogers classic Six Pack. If you don't know this fine piece of American cinema, Kenny plays Brewster Baker, a struggling stock car racer whose luck changes when he crosses paths with six orphans who know a thing or two about working on cars. Seriously. That's the entire premise of the movie and it's what Brent wanted to watch. We've been friends since way back in the last century when we were both broadcasting majors at the University of Nebraska. Following graduation, we both ended up in LA and Brent has been killing as an actor. Some of his recent credits include Silicon Valley, Roseanne, and Speechless. When we weren't distracted by Kenny Rogers' refined, yet rugged good looks, Brent talked about the acting life and what it was like to grow up in small town Nebraska.

Episode 2: Poltergeist with Cousin Jen and Cousin Teagan

Back in the summer of 1983, my Cousin Jen and I were scarred for life when her older brother Rob sat us down to watch Poltergeist on Videodisc. Yes, Videodisc. Now, in 2019, we have a chance at revenge. Rob's son Teagan (no need to call CPS he's 20-years-old) joined us to watch Poltergeist for the very first time. Will it terrify him like it terrified us? There's only one way to find out. This episode was recorded in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.