Shea Cinema: The Best Picture Project

Author: Shea Cinema

TLDR; Father/Daughter team watch and review all movies nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, starting back in 1927.Welcome to Shea Cinema, The Best Picture Project! Join host Sara Shea and her father, William Shea, as they watch and explore every film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Sara and Dad are recreating a project Sara assigned to her high school Film Studies students, which includes contextual historical research, discussing their personal responses to each film, what makes these films important, why these films need to be understood in context, and, finally, did the winner deserve the Oscar? So grab your popcorn, pull up a chair, sit back and relax, and let's begin Shea Cinema.
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Language: en-us

Genres: Film History, Film Reviews, TV & Film

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S6E11: King Kong, 1933
Episode 11
Monday, 3 November, 2025

(Episode recorded November 2, 2024)00:00 Introduction to Shea Cinema and King Kong01:54 Guest Intro: Andrew Corns05:31 The Academy Awards and Cultural Context10:52 Production Insights and Screenplay Details14:29 King Kong Musical18:00 King Kong's Legacy and Influence on Cinema28:17 Connections to Literature and Personal History36:33 Character Development and Themes in King Kong45:06 Censorship and the Evolution of King Kong51:54 History Timeline, Feb/Mar 193352:08 Historical Context and Cultural Impact01:09:25 Box Office Success and Challenges01:10:33 Top Song of the Day01:16:53 "Day Of" Headlines, March 2, 193301:28:50 Plot Summary and Character Analysis01:35:25 Adventures on Skull Island01:36:43 Watching The Lost World01:40:39 The Lost World vs. King Kong01:46:46 Sympathy for the Monster01:52:54 The Evolution of Special Effects01:57:22 Contemporary Review, NYT, March 3, 193302:02:45 Roger Ebert Review, 200202:08:43 Keely Joins the Discussion02:08:54 Thumbs Rating02:14:24 "You're Not Women"02:18:43 Exploring Racial Themes in Classic Cinema02:22:35 Likes and Dislikes02:26:52 Visual Effects and Their Impact02:31:58 The T-Rex/Allosaurus Scene02:35:43 Arrowsmith Questions02:36:05 Cultural Reflections and Allegories02:41:11 Rewatchability and Legacy of King Kong02:44:31 Shea Cinema Stats: Wedding and Death Count02:52:42 Bimbo Award02:56:52 Andrew Loves OverturesPlease leave us a review wherever you are listening!Email us rants as well as raves: sheacinema@gmail.comYou can also find us on Instagram (and now Twitter/X): @sheacinema