Network (1976) – Film Analysis | Soldiers of Cinema

Network

This week we discuss the classic 1976 political satire, Network, Directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Faye Dunaway and William Holden, the film brings Clark and Cullen’s discussion from the technical to the political, and about the lasting impact (and relevance) the film still holds.

Whether you’re discovering Network for the first time or revisiting a masterpiece, this deep-dive episode offers thoughtful film analysis and historical context.

Subscribe to Soldiers of Cinema for in-depth discussions on classic films, hidden gems, and the craft of filmmaking — from two passionate filmmakers, decades apart.

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Network

Drive (2011) – Film Analysis | Soldiers of Cinema

Drive

This week we discuss Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, a tonal film which defined the film aesthetics of the early 2010’s, and how Clark and Cullen experienced the rise of this film’s influence in their different generational experiences.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or watching Drive for the first time, this discussion highlights what makes the film a modern classic in both form and feeling.

Subscribe to Soldiers of Cinema for deep film analysis, director breakdowns, and passionate discussion from two filmmakers with decades between them.

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Drive

Embrace of the Serpent (2015) – Film Analysis | Soldiers of Cinema Podcast

Embrace of the Serpent

This week we discuss the 2015 international film, Embrace of the Serpent, directed by Ciro Guerra. This beautifully shot black and white film was inspired by the travel diaries of Theodor Koch-Grünberg and Richard Evans Schultes and tells the story of two journeys made thirty years apart by the indigenous shaman Karamakate in the Colombian Amazonian jungle, one with Theo, a German ethnographer, and the other with Evan, an American botanist, both of whom are searching for the rare plant yakruna.

This is a layered, powerful film that rewards close reading — and this episode offers just that.

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Embrace of the Serpent

Frenzy (1972) – Hitchcock Film Analysis | Soldiers of Cinema Podcast

Frenzy

This week the discussion revolves around Alfred Hitchcock’s penultimate feature film, 1972’s Frenzy! Cullen discusses Hitchcock’s influence on him growing up and why he felt it was overdue to talk about Hitch, and Clark remarks on the intriguing thought of what Hitchcock’s work would have turned into had he lived longer.

Whether you’re a Hitchcock fan or a newcomer, this episode dives into one of his most unsettling films with insight and passion.

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Frenzy

Pather Panchali (1955) – Satyajit Ray Film Analysis | Soldiers of Cinema Podcast

Pather Panchali

In this episode of Soldiers of Cinema, Clark and Cullen explore Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali (1955) — a cornerstone of Indian cinema and a deeply humanist portrayal of rural life. An adaptation of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's 1929 Bengali novel of the same name, Pather Panchali marked Satyajit Ray’s directorial debut and features a non-professional cast laid on the backdrop of the authentically filmed Indian countryside. Clark and Cullen discuss the film’s wider importance and the trajectory of many of those involved’s careers.

This episode is a heartfelt exploration of a timeless film that changed the course of international cinema.

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Pather Panchali

Sorcerer (1977) – William Friedkin Film Breakdown | Soldiers of Cinema Podcast

Sorcerer

Back for the new year, Clark and Cullen discuss William Friedkin’s 1977 psychedelic man vs nature drama Sorcerer. Cullen discusses why he chose the film and Clark chimes in on the way the film portrays the brutality of the jungle.

This episode is a deep-dive into one of the most tense and visually driven thrillers of its era.

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Sorcerer

The New World (2005) – Terrence Malick Film Analysis | Soldiers of Cinema Podcast

The New World

In this episode of Soldiers of Cinema, Clark and Cullen immerse themselves in Terrence Malick’s The New World (2005) — a meditative and visually stunning exploration of love, nature, and the clash of civilizations in early colonial America. Clark and Cullen chat about how long it’s been since their previous Malick discussion, how this movie asks you to not worry about standard story conventions and dares you to trust your feelings!

This episode is a poetic reflection on one of the most contemplative films of 21st-century cinema.

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The New World

Koyaanisqatsi (1982) – Experimental Film Analysis | Soldiers of Cinema Podcast

Koyaanisqatsi

In this episode of Soldiers of Cinema, Clark and Cullen engage with Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi (1982) — a mesmerizing, wordless meditation on modern life, environmental imbalance, and the relentless pace of human progress. A film made up of mesmerizing time-lapse photography, montage and beautiful landscapes of both natural wonders and cities, Reggio pairs these elements with a groundbreaking and iconic score by Philip Glass.

Whether you’ve seen the film or are just curious about it, this discussion highlights how a movie with no dialogue can say everything.

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Koyaanisqatsi