Alan J. Pakula
American film director and screenwriterWikipedia
26
MENTIONS
21
EPISODES
21
PODCASTS
Search complete. 26 mentions across 21 episodes found for "Alan J. Pakula".
Oct 21, 2026
Bobby BonesHOST
Is this an old movie? So is this a movie that you've never seen? It's actually from 1982.
Bobby BonesHOST
It's a psychological drama written and directed by Alan J. Pakula.
Bobby BonesHOST
It's based on the book from 1979.
Bobby BonesHOST
It's set in 1947.
Bobby BonesHOST
It's actually from 1982.
Bobby BonesHOST
Um, it's a psychological drama written and directed by Alan J Pakula.
BrandonPANELIST
Alan J. Pakula.
Bobby BonesHOST
It's based on the book from 1979.
EddieHOST
Oh, okay.
EddieHOST
I didn't know that.
EddieHOST
And, and don't you guys think it's crazy, though, that the director of that movie was Alan J Pakula?
BrandonPANELIST
That's, that's what, Alan Jackson.
Alex WithrowHOST
It's not.
Nick DostalHOST
And also we talk about this a lot, you know, like when we recommend and like why we did that whole entire Jay Pakula episode was if you've never even seen all the president's men, how do you how would you not enjoy this? Like, yeah, like, like, like, like, because you wouldn't really have like that frame of reference to kind of see when you're looking at these type of like.
Nick DostalHOST
journalists out there grinding, working on a story.
Nick DostalHOST
Like there's a lot of movies that follow this mechanism of, of, of, of play.
Jason ChristianHOST
... another paranoid film.
Jason ChristianHOST
This is the first Hollywood paranoid trilogy before Pakula's, in my opinion.
Jason ChristianHOST
But anyway, I digress.
Paul T. KleinHOST
Mm-hmm.
Jon SwartzGUEST
I think we should dedicate our shows on Friday.
Jon SwartzGUEST
There was a director in the 70s and the 80s, actually, Alan J. Pakula.
Jon SwartzGUEST
I think he's from New York.
Jon SwartzGUEST
He was the director of the specialists in the paranoid thrillers like Clute, Parallax View, all the president's men.
Jon SwartzGUEST
This show would appeal
Mike VizardHOST
so much to him.
William RamseyHOST
Right
BrettGUEST
... maybe Alan Pakula, the director, that we, we covered also.
William RamseyHOST
Yeah, he got the metal bar through the front, uh, windshield death, which is really strange.
BrettGUEST
Um, and, you know, what do they...
Anthony NelsonHOST
So my number four movie is also, uh, more in line with my number five, not really, like kind of a departure from Ex Machina.
Anthony NelsonHOST
My number four movie is All the President's Men by Alan J. Pakula, which-
Jared MathiasHOST
Mm
Anthony NelsonHOST
... is obviously very famous movie about the investigation into Watergate.
Claira CurtisHOST
... turnaround
Sydney VolpeHOST
... that was Alan Pakula, right? All the President's Men?
Claira CurtisHOST
Uh, yes.
Sydney VolpeHOST
'Cause that was, uh, the...
Max EvryGUEST
Yeah.
Max EvryGUEST
And then it's interesting because I think I point out, you know, like even some people at the studio were a little wary of the concept for Night Skies because it really was just kind of going back to the 1950s sort of xenophobic clichés about aliens being evil and coming and, you know, wanting to dissect us or... whatever you know it's essentially yeah yeah like one of the one of those 50s things and yeah it's sort of like if Alan Pakula after all the president's men made like a positive biopic Richard Nixon and it's yeah it it and even in his script notes spielberg says like i i know that this is an about face from close encounters like i kind of that's kind of what i want to do i kind of want to do something different and um yeah and i i think that's what was interesting and i mean and yeah and then we get into the kelly hopkinsville of it all and you know and like that was obviously you know a very tense um you know horrifying event you know whether you think it happened or not i sort of think it's inconsequential because it's like it's just a great story you know like you know this this rural family you know just sort of being bombarded by these str you know strange creatures you know i think john sales says they're like evil killer squirrels or something Yeah.
Max EvryGUEST
And, you know, and John Sayles and Ron Cobb and Steven Spielberg, you know, very much took that essence and ran with it.
Max EvryGUEST
And yeah, and I think the, what's really fun about Night Skies is like, you know, in terms of the aliens themselves is they are, they're not just like, you know, here to blast us, like, they're here to fuck with us.
Kevin McCarthyHOST
Oh, wow.
Guillermo del ToroGUEST
And, and we were discussing Pakula.
Kevin McCarthyHOST
Hmm.
Guillermo del ToroGUEST
When Pakula portrays vulgarity, he portrays it in a way that is tense.
Guillermo del ToroGUEST
It's not quite real.
Guillermo del ToroGUEST
All the President's Men, obviously the best example of a perfectly lensed movie.
11 more episodes mention Alan J. Pakula.
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