Retro Ramble

Retro Ramble

Join the Brothers McGhee each month as Charlie and George take a light-hearted look back at the TV and Films they grew up on and why many are still relevant today. Be sure to check out our Patreon page - www.patreon.com/retroramble to access tonnes of additional content, reviews, videos and more. Copyright Notice: All copyright material remains the property of the original copyright holder and all clips and audio samples have been used only as a reference and as part of a review in line with Creative Commons FAIR USE policy. TAGS: 80s, 90s, action, cult, comedies, funny, movies, podcast, pop, review, thrillers, video games

Episodes

July 2, 2026 59 mins

Charlie and George have found themselves trapped in The Phantom Zone as they revisit the cult curiosity that is Supergirl!

As we see a new take on the superhero currently in cinemas, the brothers look back at the first big-screen attempt, which, unsurprisingly, had a few production challenges along the way. An absent Superman, extensive rewrites, an eclectic cast and last-minute distributor issues are just a few things under discus...

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Charlie and George mount up for a double (barrelled) bill of Young Guns and Young Guns 2: Blaze of Glory! 
The brothers discuss how these films injected a heavy dose of brat-pack swagger into the classic Western genre. The hosts break down Emilio Estevez's wild per...
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April 27, 2026 80 mins

In this episode Charlie and George find themselves in the brutal Hyborian Age to revisit Conan the Barbarian! But they're not alone in this mythic quest; they're joined by special guest Dr. Tomas Rawlings, who brings an extensive knowledge of Conan canon!

These three brave pod-warriors explore the literary origins of Conan (arguably starting the fantasy genre as we now know it), the film's production challenges and the casting of o...

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April 3, 2026 54 mins

Charlie and George are off to mid-90s Miami, getting hot and sweaty in the explosive and (not so) erotic action movie, The Specialist!

There's a lot to unpack - Stallone and Stone's desperate search for chemistry, James Wood's acting in overdrive, Rod Steiger offending all of Latin America with that accent and Eric Roberts' amazing wardrobe - just wow. 
Oh, there's also John Barry on the soundtrack ...
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February 27, 2026 47 mins

Charlie & George are taking a stroll down the shadowy alleys of Dark City! They are looking back at the 1998 cult-classic sci-fi noir from The Crow's Alex Proyas.

They look at the film's origins, influences, philosophical themes, plus it's similarities with The Matrix, which was released a year later.

There's also alternative casting in Coulda Woulda Shoulda and some breathy Kiefer Sutherland impressions.

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January 30, 2026 68 mins
How do you follow up a blockbuster like Top Gun? Simple, you get the same people involved and remake it, swapping out jets for race cars. What could go wrong? Turns out quite a bit.
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December 19, 2025 49 mins

In this episode, Charlie and George are tackling another Christmas classic, this time slightly more modern than previous festive outings, they're talking about Elf!

From the films challenging production with an untested star and director in Will Ferrell and Jon Faverau, a limited budget, legal issues and some nostalgic stop motion.

As per usual, there's alternative casting in Coulda Woulda Shoulda, some bad impressions as well as a...

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December 3, 2025 54 mins

In this episode, Charlie & George are hitting the streets of LA to revisit cult comedy TV show adaptation, Dragnet!

They delve into the production of one of 1987's biggest hits, very
much a passion project for writer and star Dan Ackroyd, co-starring a then-up-and-coming actor called Tom Hanks and directed by Bond alumni, Tom Mankiewicz.

There's also chat around the legacy of Dragnet, some a...

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October 29, 2025 71 mins
It's time for another Halloween special! Charlie and George are heading to the dark side of Neptune in search of the Event Horizon!
They will delve into Paul W.S. Anderson's cult classic sci-fi horror film, exploring its production, the tight schedule involved, and some haunting deleted scenes.
Th...
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October 3, 2025 52 mins

In this episode, Charlie and George are rambling about retro 90s hit, Leon aka Leon: The Professional. Considering this was a film the boys have watched over the years again and again, gaining access to the fully uncut international version of the film has left them as traumatised as character Mathilda's neighbours!

From scenes that should have probably remained on the cutting room floor, to the mesmerising Gary Oldman to ...

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September 5, 2025 67 mins

It's down, down to wire, as Charlie and George are back in Bond territory, tackling 1987's The Living Daylights! 

They discuss the debut of (the very underrated) Timothy Dalton and taking Bond back to his gritty roots. There are the typical Bond tropes to cover, including memorable action sequences, dastardly henchmen, and a synth-heavy John Barry score, amongst a very convoluted plot! 

So set your hopes up way too h...
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August 6, 2025 39 mins

In this episode, Charlie and George travel to Mexico for some stylish and sexy nineties gun play, it must mean Desperado!

They delve into the films origins, as well as the career of writer/director/editor/sometimes musician Robert Rodriguez. To get there, they need to discuss his ground breaking debut, El Mariachi and the third installment of the trilogy, Once Upon A Time in Mexico.

Expect bad impressions, sweaty chemist...

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June 21, 2025 44 mins

Get ready for a deep dive into the classic film that redefined the summer blockbuster -  Jaws!

Charlie and George celebrate the movie's 50th anniversary, reminiscing about its enduring impact whilst exploring its challenging production, iconic moments, characters and lasting legacy, from the problematic mechanical shark "Bruce" to John Williams' unforgettable score.

Join them for a light-hearted yet insightful look back a...

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May 13, 2025 45 mins

In this episode, Charlie and George revisit Danny Boyle's intense 2002 horror classic, 28 Days Later! 

They discuss everything from the iconic desolate London setting, production tricks,  the breakout performances from Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris, the atmospheric score, and its role in shaping modern zombie horror. 
Join us for a spoiler-filled discussion as we explore this groundbrea...
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April 20, 2025 32 mins

In this episode, once again its time to pay tribute to another legend. Following the recent passing of Val Kilmer, George and Charlie take a moment to look back on their favourite films of an actor taken too soon.

We will be covering Kilmer's uncanny performance as Jim Morrison in The Doors in our next patreon episode.

Retro Ramble 2025

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April 4, 2025 56 mins

In this episode, to honour the late, great Gene Hackman, Charlie and George are taking a deep dive on Crimson Tide!

There's a lot to discuss, it's a Tony Scott film (so expect slick, sweaty visuals), two of the greatest actors squaring off in a confined space and a booming Hans Zimmer soundtrack, paving the formula for future Simpson/Bruckheimer productions.

As usual, there's some juicy behind-the-scenes insight and some interestin...

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March 10, 2025 17 mins

A short special episode remembering the acting legend Gene Hackman, who we sadly lost a few weeks ago.

Charlie and George discuss a variety of their favourite performances, from French Connection, Superman, Get Shorty, Royal Tenenbaums and The Conversation.

Their next podcast episode will be a deep dive (pun intended) on Crimson Tide!

Please like, review and share with like minded retro fans!
Disclaimer: ALL COPYRI...
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March 8, 2025 37 mins

In this month's episode, Charlie and George are off to Oregon, to see if Number 5 really is alive.... That's right, they're revisiting 80's cult classic Short Circuit!

All the usual topics are covered, from preproduction challenges, suspicious spin offs to controversial casting (and that's not just Steve Guttenberg)!
Does Short Circuit still hold up?
Where does it rank with other fam...
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February 4, 2025 46 mins

In this episode, it's Annual Arnie time, with Charlie and George delving into one of Schwarzenegger's biggest misfires - Last Action Hero!

How can a film with the world's biggest star, a huge budget, a great concept, a successful director and the most expensive writers in Hollywood possibly fail?!
Was it ahead of its time? Is it underrated? Tune in to find out!
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January 24, 2025 65 mins
To kick off 2025, Charlie & George are looking back on what they watched in 2024!
The brothers discuss what they loved, were mildly entertained by and what they felt were the turkeys of the year!  
Films include Dune 2, Gladiator 2, Alien Romulus, The Fall Guy, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Gh...
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