November 4, 2025 • 34 mins
Tim Minchin is back in the studio with Pete Helliar — and this time, he’s talking about a film he absolutely has not watched: the 1968 Steve McQueen classic Bullitt. Armed with nothing but confidence, guesswork, and a vague awareness of “that famous car chase”, Tim gives his best (and increasingly chaotic) take on a movie he hasn’t seen…until now.
Expect wild plot guesses, questionable facts, and plenty of laughs as Pete tries — and mostly fails — to keep the conversation on the road.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gooday, Pete Hall, are you here? Welcome to You ain't
seen nothing yet? The Movie podcast where our chat to
a movie lover about a classic or be loved film
they haven't quite got around to watching until now. And
today's guest National icon Tim Minchin. Oh blow, I want to.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Stay here with you.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Get to the jobble.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
My hate snake sucked my hail.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
They couldn't haven't any right now?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
You ain't seen nothing yet.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
I mean. The thing about my guest today is where
do your bloody start? This is it's Tim Minchin. He's
a national icon, national treasure. Beyond this being a household name,
I think he Yeah, he truly is a national treasure.
He is just one of the sharpest satirists Australia has produced.
(01:10):
He I don't like to use the word genius loosely,
but I think Tim fits that bill. He started up
doing comedy and in stages around Melbourne and then started
traveling more abroad to the Edinburgh and the UK and
(01:32):
has just built and built and built until he's become this,
this juggernaut he has. Uh you was responsible for Matilda
the Musical and Groundhog Day. Both were just utterly brilliant
I've had the opportunity to to interview Tim on the
project and and you know, kind of hang with him.
(01:53):
When I hosted the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Garala. They
like to have a musical spot and I'm not musical.
That may shock you, I suspect it doesn't. So they
kind of had Tim have a song and I come
of played around with it as on stage, not musically,
playing around with it. And yeah, and he's a lovely bloke.
(02:14):
He's a lovely bloke. He's a smart bloke. He's a
funny bloke. He's also on tour at the moment almost
it just comes out a national tour. Go see any change,
see you chance to see Tim Lynch and live, take
that opportunity. He is absolutely brilliant live and you both
this funny but also just musically just just a genius.
(02:36):
Like I said, there are too many superlatives. I'm bloody
stokes to be hanging with Tim Inchin today. Tim, welcome back,
Thanks for coming all the way back in to do
part two.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
No worries there. I am of the weekend. Let's do
it every week.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
More than happy to hey the the two, the other
films and we won't have the discussion about it, but
it's to mention the other films you mentioned. Magnolia was,
which is you know, one of my favorite films. Bob
Murphy ABC Radio. Bob Murphy former a fel footballer. He's
covering Magnolia for us very soon.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Really.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Bob Murphy is obviously works at the Dockers now, so.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
He's he's moved on from the doors. He has he
left the Dockers. When did he leave the Dockers?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
About a year ago.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Right, is what I know.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
We also ran the Melbourne Marathon together me and Bob
last week.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
He's a good guy.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Yeah, I feel like he's someone who should be my friend,
but I don't know him.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Oh well tell.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Him, tell him to call me and be my friend.
But if he's not working for the Dockers anymore, fuck him.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Which we ABC Melbourne, So you know, I mean that's
I feel like you can find some simpatico. Also Books Smart,
which is a great film. Super Bad gets so much
love and I do like super Bad, but I think
Books Book Smart is a superior film.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Well so, I I mean it has benefited from super Bad.
It it inherited all that was good about it and
kind of rattured. Did the speed and the comic timing up.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
I just remember thinking, especially the first half.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
I mean, once you know what the jep it is
and you have to play the story out, I'm always
like cool. But the tone, the tone set up in
that first act is just whip smart for.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Those haven't seen it, specially two girls who have graduated
that they've been very studious, They've studied, and they just
decide all the all the kids who partied also got
into the colleges that we got into as well. It's
all been for nothing. So we're gonna enjoy this one night.
We're gonna we're gonna come up with a great anecdote,
you know, you know, and and I think you know,
(04:47):
I'm sure getting having sexy is part of it, but
having a big part of.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Trying to lose virginities is definitely on the cars.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Yes, so, but it's it's it's so good. And the
conversation was another one you mentioned.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Well it's trying to be cool. Well, I mean I
don't really I'm not really a film buff, but yeah
I do. I haven't watched it for years, but I
remember just I think I was just in the mood
for the pacing. And we'll get onto talking about the
pacing of that era when we talk about Bullet. But
if you're in the mood for it, it's a beautiful film.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Yeah, and Wayne's world. We all know when there's a
obviously one of the all time classics. Let's talk about
the movie we are here to talk about nineteen sixty eight,
directed by Pete Yates, starring Course, Steve McQueen, jaque Line Bassett,
and Robert Vaughan. Tim Minchin. Did you enjoy Bullet?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:42):
I did, certainly I get out of I got out
of Bullet what I get out of that often get
out of that era of filmmaking, which is a really
lovely experience of settling into a really meta pace and
these long shots and just I don't know, I won't
(06:05):
go into the detail, but I'm sure we'll get there.
But I you know, it's it's not really brooding men
who don't communicate much. I you know, I'm a words guy.
I like you look at the films I've chosen. You know,
it's all about what people say and them trying to
express themselves and about wit and movement and existential questions.
(06:28):
I mean, Bullet has a big It plays with nihilism
in the opposite way that everything everywhere all at once.
It's sort of it does talk definitely is there's this
sort of exploration of what's the fucking point?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
But yeah, it's not you know, I don't.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
I don't go out of my way to watch everything
Clint Eastwood's ever done it, even though I think he's
a great filmmaker, just like strong silent damage blokes, I'm like, yeah,
but the thing is, I'm sick of that because of
Bullet start at Bullet actually started its right.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Yeah, so he's almost the first anti hero. So that's
one of the legacies of this film. I was watching
it for the first time so so and I had
a pretty similar reaction. It sounds like you did. I
was a bit wow, when is this? You know what? Well,
first of all, the plot is very hard to get
your your head around. There's there's little I would suggest,
(07:23):
little care for the plot. I will say that Peter Yates,
the directors, Steve McQueen, they they also to be on
the same page as like this is this is style,
a little bit of style over over substance, Like you know,
the I think Quentin Tarantina I said that Steve McQueen.
No movie star has has achieved more in this role
(07:43):
by doing less than Steve McQueen. I found it frustrating.
I'm okay with the brooding type, but I do need
something to inform why he's like that, What what has
happened in his life to get him to this point.
I know not everybody, but I felt like I needed
a hint.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
That's why I watch stories, you know that I want
to know what I don't need to know. I'm happy
for everyone to make what they want, but I'm attracted
to the question of how are we to be? You
know when that's what I try to make And only
in hindsight I realized that's what I've been doing.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
But how are we to be in the world? What
do we what do.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
We take from our triumphs and tribulations?
Speaker 2 (08:26):
What is it to be human? Blah blah blah.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
That's the big camera out sort of question. And yeah,
I think the best you can get is that Jacqueline
us Set sort of says, how can you be in
this world? She sees a dead body, are quite horrific
dead body, and she says, this doesn't this damage you.
(08:50):
You just the more you see, the less you care,
basically is what she seems to be saying. And I
don't know if I can be with someone who's just
caring less and less about this swamp that we live in.
It's kind of like saying you can't have hope here.
Maybe if you're like really trying to squeeze out the theme.
(09:10):
But as you say, that would land a lot more
if we knew where he'd come from these days, we'd
find out he'd lost a child.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Or you know, there's all these tropes.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
You know, his daughter got killed or became a draduct,
or there'll be some big backstory, and we'll want that
because we want to know what drives people. I mean,
I was slightly frustrated by the fact that, you know,
a whole he's meant to be protecting a witness. The
witness gets killed, it turns out that that witness was
a sub, but you don't really hear about how that
witness became the sub and what that impact is. But
(09:43):
then they find the real witness, and his whole job
is to find that witness to bring him back, to
bring down the mob, and of course he ends up
shooting that witness dead. So not only does he fail
to protect the witness, he kills the witness himself. And
presumably that's because the witness was firing a gun and
an airport and it was just self defense or protecting people.
But it's like, well, what and then Charmers has meant
(10:07):
to be a bad guy. But I thought Charmers were
going to turn out to be there, there'd be a conspiracy,
and it's just it's just like they went, oh, we
spent nine minutes on a car chase.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
We don't have time to finish the story, so well
to stop now, you know.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
And that is what like if you know one thing
about Bullet or even know two things, it's like Steve
McQueen's in it. And there's the car chase that begins
American action cinema in a way, and it is the
best part of this film. I suspect we're not talking
about this film if that car chase isn't in the film.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
No, I suppose not.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
And the cultural I don't know whether the Dodge Charger
versus the Mustang fast Back is the thing that made
the Dodge Chardra and the Mustang fast Back. The two
iconic muscle cars of America or whether they were already that.
Presumably they're already the two iconic muscle cars, but I'm
surely embedded it so much in culture because when I
(11:01):
was over there and I lived there for a while,
as you know, and I thought, shits and giggles, I
want to get a muscle car. And because I lived
on one side of Griffith Park and dream Works was
on the other side, I was never going to burn
much fuel. I wasn't, you know, feeling too guilty. I
drove about, you know, twenty k's a week, and I thought,
I'm going to get either a Dodge Charge or a
Mustang and They're like, do you want a convertible and
(11:22):
I'm like, absolutely not, They're so ugly. I want the fastback,
I want the you know. And I didn't realize that
this film kind of just stamped them with iconic status.
I mean that it's but you know, unfortunately, it was
such an amazing car chase. But now, I mean, the
Blues Brother's car chase is better. I mean, now, now
(11:42):
there's been so many unbelievable car chases that it sort
of looks funny, especially when they reuse the same shot
from three different angles. You notice that they're coming down
the hill and they pass a green V dub yet
and then they're coming down the hill passing the green
V dub. And then they're coming down the hill passing
the green V dub because I've.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
To save and time.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
They've done the same shot and shot it from three
directions and just cut it so it looks like, I
don't know, were we meant to think it was three
moments in time or we meant to feel like we
were just watching it from three angles.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Yeah. Yeah, the green volksbag is one of the kid
But it is like what I liked about the car Chase.
I think it's really well shot and and obviously, but
the the I like watching, We're so used in this fast,
post fast and furious kind of world where it's always
(12:32):
obviously car chase, it tends to be experts who know
how to drive cars. These were like unqualified people to
be driving this fast. It seemed to me, even though
Bullet actually kind of he overruns and he has to
kind of reverse and goes back, which is a mistake.
Apparently that the McQueen mailing the day and they kept
that in.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
When he goes into the dirt, or that he kind
of slightly the corner.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
This is the corner, Yes, and he has to back
up and that was a mistake and and they used it.
And I kind of love that because it felt like, yeah,
Frank Bullet's a cop and he's a cool cop, but
and he could.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Drive better than most, but he's not spent his whole
life becoming a stunt driver.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Exactly right, Yeah, exactly right. To go back to one
battle after another, I felt that this must have been,
you know, totally certainly an influence on that.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
I was watching it, going, oh, this is that camera
on the front of the on the front of the
front of the bonnet, going up, up and down those
San Francisco hills. I mean, the one battle after another
was just sickening. But yeah, once once you realized why
they was setting up those shots because of what happened,
how how she got out of it was so brilliant.
(13:42):
But I mean the shots are beautiful. The whole film
as a look at.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
How cinema used to be made, and just the.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
Like the the establishing shots that in early film they went, well,
we have to see that they're driving to the to
the hotel, and we have to see them get out
and go in, because otherwise how will the audience know?
And over the years it's just like, don't need that,
don't need that, don't need that, don't need that. And
we now watch us We have inherited, you know, generations
(14:18):
of filmmaking, so now we understand the form so much
that you have to do so little and you can
use all your time moving the action forward because you
just everyone just goes, oh, they drove there, and they
came into the hotel, probably had a bit of a chat.
But in Bullet they're is like, and they're getting out
of the car and they're walking towards the hotel.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
And the shots are pretty but not.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Not like arms they're stunning, you know.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Yeah, they're not Where's Andersen paintings. They're just like nice
shots with nice light, you know. But it's just amazing
how much information filmmakers felt they needed to give the
audience back then compared to how much audiences just know
all that now.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Yes and out how you interpret it?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Well, yeah, I like I like having time in movies,
like you know, whether it's establishing shots or those moments
where it's very easy for a producer to go, we
don't need that shot. And those debates. I'm sure you've
had those debates many times, and they can be quite frustrating,
because my point is always like you need to let
the audience either catch up, take a breath, sometimes just
(15:23):
to have the thought like I'm enjoying this movie, like
like just to have those those I think are really
important and what I loved. You know about watching movies,
if everything's just all about the action, I find it
a bit too much. Now with Bullet I found there
was a little too much time to have those thoughts
where it went. It wasn't me going, what's going on
(15:46):
or I'm enjoying this movie, It was like why, why
is it so slow? And why? And I know there's
a different pace in the movies, you know, you speak
about the conversation. That's a very different pace.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
So maditative.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, And I'm happy for a movie that
let me wash wash over me and maybe I'll watch
it again. And I just know that I'm so glad
when I did some research that everybody agrees the plot
is kind of ridiculous and it doesn't really matter, and
everyone seems to be on the same page with that
it's about the McQueen looking cool and it's.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Like a male model sort of piece, but you know, the.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
To try and imbue it with just kind of give
it it's due. Those shots give you an environment of
the sort of squalid, laconic, lethargic kind of like, here
we go, another fucking murder, another in this shitty city
(16:48):
where everyone dog eats dog and the politics are corrupt
and everyone's out for themselves, and it just it does
give you a feeling that you don't get from all.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
It's very interested in the procedure of police work, which
I think it was one of the first films that
really kind of you know, have that at the forefront
as opposed to even the crime to be honest that
they were actually you know, talking about and that you know,
we've seen films. I think the films of the influences
that French connection, I think is influenced by it. I
(17:21):
think the conversation, those kind of long lens kind of
you know, shots and heat I think is obviously one,
particularly the final the final scene. Yeah, and a lot
of my Michael Man's work in fact, I mean, I
think when you have this restaurant scene where nothing he said,
this is his jazz band that could have been out
of Anchorman. To be honest, it's fun. It's really fun,
(17:42):
and it's the only time you see Frank Bullet smile,
but you don't hear a single word.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Yeah, that was my favorite scene in the film because
it was just sort of honoring the time and yeah,
and it was the way of going what's old is
Argentina an American guy who wrote this. I mean the score,
the score is super weird because there's really cool moments
that are very of its time, obviously jazz and Latin
and stuff, but it's so sparse. They just there's like
(18:11):
bidding as someone walks out, and then score disappears for
the whole scene. And these days, if a scene with
that little story and that many action sequences would just
be a music video, it'd be completely scored.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Or or not scored.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
It would be using songs, you know, pre existing songs.
But I loved the music and I thought the scene
in the restaurant with the band playing it was just
sort of honoring the aesthetic. It was really a kind
of yeah, a bit of a swing noir thing, and
I just thought it was cool as fuck.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I agree and it kind of said to me, you know, like, yeah,
we are, and maybe more in hindsight, but we are.
This is there's a little his style here, there isn't
you know. I'm not to say it's it's it's there's
no substance, but it's certainly stilover substance. I think I
think they I think they're here for a good time.
Like I said, i'd like more, a bit more action,
(19:12):
if you know, if we're viewing this as an action film.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
But that's so you know, if you'd never seen a
card choset like that, Let's go back to the cinema
and watch it again.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Imagine being in the cinema in nineteen sixty eight and
watching and watching that like you see nothing like it before.
And there's there's always the aesthetics they shot on location there,
they use natural light, they use real sound, you know.
So it's almost the arrival of the European New Wave
in mainstream America.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
And it's so interesting watch listening to the sound and
how they hadn't quite worked out how to clean up sound.
And because I don't I'm not, as I say, I'm
not a buffer I've watched very few movies.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Before nineteen eighty.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I not watch many old films.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
But you know, the camera's facing this way and Steve
McQueen go, and you've got this background noise, and then
suddenly the oral environment changes because the shot reverses, and
of course it was shot now later and the light's different,
and they hadn't quite worked out how to clean up
sound and to put white noise behind it to match
the I mean, this is stuff I didn't know about
at all until, you know, the last decade when I
(20:18):
started getting involved in making film and TV. But once
you've been involved in a sound mix for a show,
you're like, oh my god, they could not They just
didn't know yet how to do it. And of course
they're working on tape and they don't have digital technology
and all that. So you notice all that stuff, and
you without a doubt the pace, the lack of story,
the kind of you know, the ways in which technology
(20:39):
has so called improved filmmaking that made it maybe arguably
a little bit clean and a little bit sort of clinical.
I had to put myself in that. Okay, I'm not
going to be a twenty twenty five person thinking this
is too slow. I've got to let it be pretend
I've only seen the films it up until A nineteen
(21:00):
sixty seven. But it's very hard to do that we do.
I was a bit fucking bored, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yeah, yeah, I was a bit the same. And the
other the other element is is with Steve McQueen, is
you got the mustangs and the cars and him being cool,
but it's also the clothing, the wardrobe. A he's a rough,
rough looking guy, like in the sexy kind of hot.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
You don't even have the language for how sexy. But
it's such a straight guy. He's not rough, he's like
hot and cool, and he's got beautiful blue eyes and
a gorgeous jaw, lovely lips.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
When I watched Cashiy in The Sundance Kid for the
first time with Bob Murphy, he's returning with Magnolia, As
we mentioned, I my wife the next morning, she said,
how do you have the film?
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Go?
Speaker 1 (21:44):
I said, and I google image Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
I said, look at their eyes. Look at their eyes.
These are the best looking men you'll ever see in
your life. And McQueen's obviously right up there but is
also a sense of style, like Turtle Next became a
thing because all cops up to this point where like
dressing dark suits and they pop pie hats and all
(22:05):
of that. Where he brought style. Because Steve McQueen embraced
being a movie star like he was. He did not
want to disappear under esthetics or you know, like fake
beards or anything like that. He knew, check this shit
out exactly right. Yeah, And that was the people who
work with him like really appreciated it because he was like, no,
he knows what the audience wants and he wants to.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Get to them and what angle to hold his face.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
So I mean that is huge these days that the
actors really do understand and are taught to go, well,
you you know, you know where the camera is, you
know what angler is going to get your cheek bones,
and they are thinking about that stuff, especially the ones
who have made it to the top partially by being
unbelievably hot.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Yeah, and the tweet jacket with the patches, I always
consider it hot.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
Right, there was all those heat shimmer on the shots
and you get all this heat on the shot and
I don't know about the lens conditions, that make that happen.
But it was very popular, and I mean it was
very prolific in the time. Those shots where the shimmer
of heat reads on the on the picture, but it
looked hot, and he's in a turtle neck and a
(23:11):
jacket and like chinos.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
I'm like, Jesus, do take your turtleneck off. It's got
to be itchy.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Well, I always kind of, you know, for my mind
connects tweed jackets with the patches to librarians or professors.
But you always forget that something always fashion. It starts
off as cool and then it gets dwindled down as
it becomes more accessible.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
To until librarians are still wearing it.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Yes, well, I bought this after I saw a bullet
that was forty years ago.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Grande.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
There's not much female representation, I mean, Jackulber said, it's
it's a bit of a thankless character. In fact, there's
one scene where she's talking and her mouth not even
in shot. It's a shoulder. It's covered by the shoulder
of Steve McQueen, and it's yeah, you know, it's a
pretty thankless task.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
And she was still in that English hyper articulate, you know,
you say every line a bit like you're a stage
actress and.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
You know Trevor crane Roll.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
It is like whenever she spoke, you're like, oh, now
we're getting a monologue from someone who was trained at Rada. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Yeah, because it.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Does seem like, like I said, everyone feels like they're
in the same movie, maybe a part of jaquelb Set.
And because Robert Vaughan I think is very good. It's
weird because there's no natural traditional antagonist in this in
this movie, like Robert.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
No one feels like it's going to be Charmers.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
But yeah, but it's not really. But I think he's
he's really kind of good in this, Like he's on
the same performance level I think is as McQueen. He's
not overdoing it. Fact, let's have a little listen to
a scene between Charmers and Bullet.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
And what went wrong with channel?
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Who else knew he was? What who else knew? Worry was?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
What even blind? Well, do you know where to look
for him and use your name to get in?
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Are you suggesting I disclosed his whereabouts and somebody did
and it didn't come from us. That's hardly the issue.
What certainly is I've I've got an officer with a family,
and he shot up pretty bad. And I've got a
(25:39):
witness who can't talk.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
I wanna know about a Ross. What was the deal
you made with did.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
Noetendant? Don't try to evade the responsibility in your parlance.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
You blew it.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
You knew the significance of his testimony that you've failed
to take adequate measures to protect them.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
So do you?
Speaker 3 (26:03):
It was a job no more or it more?
Speaker 2 (26:08):
And you the dedication.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
I was led to believe.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
You believe what you want. You work your side of
the street and I'll work mine.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
I think Rubberbone's really good in this, and it does
give us something to hang your hat on if you're
looking for. What is this movie about, is that this
trust in the establishment in politicians that they don't They
certainly don't labor the point that I don't think this
is a movie with a massive message. It is interesting
because it's nineteen sixty eight and there's massive things going
(26:38):
on in America's post cand of the assassination. It's it's
it's unrest over Vietnam, and so that it doesn't touch
on any of that stuff interestingly.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Well except yeah, it maybe right.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
It is definitely an early reflection of what has become
this catastrophic loss of two institutions, and it did start
around then and Watergate, and it's just so you're seeing,
maybe again, if we're giving it as much credit as
we can, a sort of early example of this, you know,
(27:14):
I'm sure it's not an early example. It's a tailor
as old as time, but that everyone is compromised, and
everyone's Machiavelian, and no one can be trusted, and there's
no good guys. There's just as Jacqueline says, you're just
all in the swamp and you're not even noticing it's
a swamp anymore. I mean, she didn't say that, but
that's the implication.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Thank god that the swamp's been drained.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Now, Oh that's much better now.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Those days we just needed we just needed a handsome
six foot.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Four person at the right time. Yeah, before we wrap out,
I just wanted this go back to the car chase.
One big choice that was made by the composer. They
had score all the way through it. Let's have a
little listen to the score. This is when the chase
is just just kind of starting out before it really
kicks in. So you have it at both going on.
(28:04):
It's a nice score. It's where the cars are kind
of still working there, they're not really chasing yet, they're
not chasing just yet, and they hold up and it
kind of does stay with it a little bit. And
then the composer that said, I can't compete with the
Mustang and the charge is so let's let's just drop
(28:28):
the joy to sound of the cars, which you know
became and he's right. It's a it's a great call.
It's it's it gives it an energy that I think
that you know, often scored does lift.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Well, yeah, a score will always I mean, it's just
a look at other examples where you can choose to
have score or not score in a in a really
emotional scene, I've always loved you, or your mum's dad
or you know, and score. It's it's always a dial
that you have to consider because score can.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Bolster the subtext.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
It can say and in this moment, the person felt
hopeful forbody whatever, or this is portentous or whatever, but
it can steal from the scene because actually just watching
two humans have that moment can make you feel more
in the moment because it's not being enhanced and Similarly
(29:32):
in a carchase, it's sort of felt more realistic. The
stuff you were saying about the driving being realistic. I'd
say that's partly. It's a lot of that is editorial
and score because how you cut it changes how you
feel about how realistic the driving is. And just hearing
the squeal of tires and the roar of engines makes
it feel like you're just there on the street, because
(29:52):
on the street, when you watch a car zoom pass,
there's no orchestra to tell you how to feel.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Yeah, yep. So you must have times when you're scoring
some thing where you you know, you probably you're a musician,
so you want to put scoring, I imagine, but there,
you know, there must be times be like, no, I
don't think I'm needed here.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
Well, you know, I don't. I'm not a composer in
that way. I don't score. But I was quite and
I've only really been a producer, sort of played that
role in one thing, which is upright. But as you
can imagine, I loved, I adored the guys who composed it,
but I was in amongst it, and they wanted me
(30:33):
in amongst it because they're composing for a musician, and yeah,
without a doubt they would send their edit where they're
their first pass and there's music all through it. And
a big part of what I was able to do
with some confidence just because I don't know why I
was confident, cocky fuck.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
I suppose I just went nothing there, nothing there.
Speaker 4 (30:54):
I know a lot of it was about taking score
out because I thought, yeah, exactly that it can.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
It can cheese it up a bit.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
It can take away from the impact of a thing
if you are putting it kind of. I think Sundeim said,
it's a hat upon a hat. You know you don't
you shouldn't always put a hat on a hat, but
you gotta be careful about putting a hat on a hat.
And if the emotions already there, you don't you don't
want to put another hat on it.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
No, No, don't put a hat on a hat unless
you're a spring carnival and then it probably looks like
and then.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Just hat up, hats all the way out, the turtles,
all the way.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Down to mention you are a national treasure. We have
taken up way too much of your time, but it's
been a bloody delight just to hang out with you.
And chat movies. What where can people see you? Where
can people do to get more tim intioned into their line?
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Is coming out?
Speaker 1 (31:39):
Pete mate? This will be out like next Week'll be soon?
Speaker 2 (31:42):
All right?
Speaker 4 (31:42):
Well, I mean I'm starting touring. There you go, probably
this week when this comes out. I'm my first show
for my Australian tour of songs the world will never hear,
celebrating twenty years of hardcore, fucking rock and roll nerding
love it. I love a short title. My first show
is the thirty first Is that Friday or Saturday? It
might be Friday, maybe Saturday. I'm yet again up against Oasis.
(32:07):
When I was touring in the UK, I was playing
in Manchester for two nights at the Manchester Royal Opera House,
the same two nights that the Boys were playing their
first concert in their hometown for whatever since two thousand
and nine. And now I'm in Melbourne. I'm fucking playing
there at Marble around the corner while I'm at the palais.
But all the cool kids will be at the palais,
(32:29):
all the middle aged men in bucket hats, they'll all
be at Oasis, and all the cool kids will be
at the Palais. So I'm at the Palais for three
nights next week. I think there's a few tickets for
the third night still left. And then yeah again, because
I'm doing reagionably big rooms, I think there are still
a few tickets in most towns. Yeah, so I'll be
on tour all through in November, basically in early December.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Get on your Google machines and find out when Tim's
coming to a place.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
Tim mension dot com to make sure you don't get
sucked into those assholes scale upping ticket prick exactly right. Yeah,
go to my website and I'll make sure no one's
scamming out.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Tim mention dot com. Mate, thanks so much, it's been
a real pleasure. And I'll get Bob Bonfie to give
you a call.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Yes, please tell Bob to send me a dick pic.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
There we go. That was Tim Minchin and he's three
favorite films, or three of his favorite films. It is
interesting because when you people ask for, you know, three favorites.
I can't do songs. I find it ridiculous when people
ask me for my favorite meal or my favorite color,
but for some reason, my three favorite films. It's quite
easy for me. But we'll discuss the movie we're here
(33:42):
to talk about with Tim Minchin National Icon next week,
which is nineteen sixty eights Bullot starring Steve McQueen, directed
by Peter Yates. That's next week. And you ain't see
nothing yet. If you haven't seen Bullet check it out
see then.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
M hm.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
And so we leave old Pete safe and soult and
to our friends of the radio audience, we've been a
pleasant good night
Gooday, Pete Hall, are you here? Welcome to You ain't
seen nothing yet? The Movie podcast where our chat to
a movie lover about a classic or be loved film
they haven't quite got around to watching until now. And
today's guest National icon Tim Minchin. Oh blow, I want to.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Stay here with you.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Get to the jobble.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
My hate snake sucked my hail.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
They couldn't haven't any right now?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
You ain't seen nothing yet.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
I mean. The thing about my guest today is where
do your bloody start? This is it's Tim Minchin. He's
a national icon, national treasure. Beyond this being a household name,
I think he Yeah, he truly is a national treasure.
He is just one of the sharpest satirists Australia has produced.
(01:10):
He I don't like to use the word genius loosely,
but I think Tim fits that bill. He started up
doing comedy and in stages around Melbourne and then started
traveling more abroad to the Edinburgh and the UK and
(01:32):
has just built and built and built until he's become this,
this juggernaut he has. Uh you was responsible for Matilda
the Musical and Groundhog Day. Both were just utterly brilliant
I've had the opportunity to to interview Tim on the
project and and you know, kind of hang with him.
(01:53):
When I hosted the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Garala. They
like to have a musical spot and I'm not musical.
That may shock you, I suspect it doesn't. So they
kind of had Tim have a song and I come
of played around with it as on stage, not musically,
playing around with it. And yeah, and he's a lovely bloke.
(02:14):
He's a lovely bloke. He's a smart bloke. He's a
funny bloke. He's also on tour at the moment almost
it just comes out a national tour. Go see any change,
see you chance to see Tim Lynch and live, take
that opportunity. He is absolutely brilliant live and you both
this funny but also just musically just just a genius.
(02:36):
Like I said, there are too many superlatives. I'm bloody
stokes to be hanging with Tim Inchin today. Tim, welcome back,
Thanks for coming all the way back in to do
part two.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
No worries there. I am of the weekend. Let's do
it every week.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
More than happy to hey the the two, the other
films and we won't have the discussion about it, but
it's to mention the other films you mentioned. Magnolia was,
which is you know, one of my favorite films. Bob
Murphy ABC Radio. Bob Murphy former a fel footballer. He's
covering Magnolia for us very soon.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Really.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Bob Murphy is obviously works at the Dockers now, so.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
He's he's moved on from the doors. He has he
left the Dockers. When did he leave the Dockers?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
About a year ago.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Right, is what I know.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
We also ran the Melbourne Marathon together me and Bob
last week.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
He's a good guy.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Yeah, I feel like he's someone who should be my friend,
but I don't know him.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Oh well tell.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Him, tell him to call me and be my friend.
But if he's not working for the Dockers anymore, fuck him.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Which we ABC Melbourne, So you know, I mean that's
I feel like you can find some simpatico. Also Books Smart,
which is a great film. Super Bad gets so much
love and I do like super Bad, but I think
Books Book Smart is a superior film.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Well so, I I mean it has benefited from super Bad.
It it inherited all that was good about it and
kind of rattured. Did the speed and the comic timing up.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
I just remember thinking, especially the first half.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
I mean, once you know what the jep it is
and you have to play the story out, I'm always
like cool. But the tone, the tone set up in
that first act is just whip smart for.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Those haven't seen it, specially two girls who have graduated
that they've been very studious, They've studied, and they just
decide all the all the kids who partied also got
into the colleges that we got into as well. It's
all been for nothing. So we're gonna enjoy this one night.
We're gonna we're gonna come up with a great anecdote,
you know, you know, and and I think you know,
(04:47):
I'm sure getting having sexy is part of it, but
having a big part of.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Trying to lose virginities is definitely on the cars.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Yes, so, but it's it's it's so good. And the
conversation was another one you mentioned.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
Well it's trying to be cool. Well, I mean I
don't really I'm not really a film buff, but yeah
I do. I haven't watched it for years, but I
remember just I think I was just in the mood
for the pacing. And we'll get onto talking about the
pacing of that era when we talk about Bullet. But
if you're in the mood for it, it's a beautiful film.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Yeah, and Wayne's world. We all know when there's a
obviously one of the all time classics. Let's talk about
the movie we are here to talk about nineteen sixty eight,
directed by Pete Yates, starring Course, Steve McQueen, jaque Line Bassett,
and Robert Vaughan. Tim Minchin. Did you enjoy Bullet?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:42):
I did, certainly I get out of I got out
of Bullet what I get out of that often get
out of that era of filmmaking, which is a really
lovely experience of settling into a really meta pace and
these long shots and just I don't know, I won't
(06:05):
go into the detail, but I'm sure we'll get there.
But I you know, it's it's not really brooding men
who don't communicate much. I you know, I'm a words guy.
I like you look at the films I've chosen. You know,
it's all about what people say and them trying to
express themselves and about wit and movement and existential questions.
(06:28):
I mean, Bullet has a big It plays with nihilism
in the opposite way that everything everywhere all at once.
It's sort of it does talk definitely is there's this
sort of exploration of what's the fucking point?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
But yeah, it's not you know, I don't.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
I don't go out of my way to watch everything
Clint Eastwood's ever done it, even though I think he's
a great filmmaker, just like strong silent damage blokes, I'm like, yeah,
but the thing is, I'm sick of that because of
Bullet start at Bullet actually started its right.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Yeah, so he's almost the first anti hero. So that's
one of the legacies of this film. I was watching
it for the first time so so and I had
a pretty similar reaction. It sounds like you did. I
was a bit wow, when is this? You know what? Well,
first of all, the plot is very hard to get
your your head around. There's there's little I would suggest,
(07:23):
little care for the plot. I will say that Peter Yates,
the directors, Steve McQueen, they they also to be on
the same page as like this is this is style,
a little bit of style over over substance, Like you know,
the I think Quentin Tarantina I said that Steve McQueen.
No movie star has has achieved more in this role
(07:43):
by doing less than Steve McQueen. I found it frustrating.
I'm okay with the brooding type, but I do need
something to inform why he's like that, What what has
happened in his life to get him to this point.
I know not everybody, but I felt like I needed
a hint.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
That's why I watch stories, you know that I want
to know what I don't need to know. I'm happy
for everyone to make what they want, but I'm attracted
to the question of how are we to be? You
know when that's what I try to make And only
in hindsight I realized that's what I've been doing.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
But how are we to be in the world? What
do we what do.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
We take from our triumphs and tribulations?
Speaker 2 (08:26):
What is it to be human? Blah blah blah.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
That's the big camera out sort of question. And yeah,
I think the best you can get is that Jacqueline
us Set sort of says, how can you be in
this world? She sees a dead body, are quite horrific
dead body, and she says, this doesn't this damage you.
(08:50):
You just the more you see, the less you care,
basically is what she seems to be saying. And I
don't know if I can be with someone who's just
caring less and less about this swamp that we live in.
It's kind of like saying you can't have hope here.
Maybe if you're like really trying to squeeze out the theme.
(09:10):
But as you say, that would land a lot more
if we knew where he'd come from these days, we'd
find out he'd lost a child.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Or you know, there's all these tropes.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
You know, his daughter got killed or became a draduct,
or there'll be some big backstory, and we'll want that
because we want to know what drives people. I mean,
I was slightly frustrated by the fact that, you know,
a whole he's meant to be protecting a witness. The
witness gets killed, it turns out that that witness was
a sub, but you don't really hear about how that
witness became the sub and what that impact is. But
(09:43):
then they find the real witness, and his whole job
is to find that witness to bring him back, to
bring down the mob, and of course he ends up
shooting that witness dead. So not only does he fail
to protect the witness, he kills the witness himself. And
presumably that's because the witness was firing a gun and
an airport and it was just self defense or protecting people.
But it's like, well, what and then Charmers has meant
(10:07):
to be a bad guy. But I thought Charmers were
going to turn out to be there, there'd be a conspiracy,
and it's just it's just like they went, oh, we
spent nine minutes on a car chase.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
We don't have time to finish the story, so well
to stop now, you know.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
And that is what like if you know one thing
about Bullet or even know two things, it's like Steve
McQueen's in it. And there's the car chase that begins
American action cinema in a way, and it is the
best part of this film. I suspect we're not talking
about this film if that car chase isn't in the film.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
No, I suppose not.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
And the cultural I don't know whether the Dodge Charger
versus the Mustang fast Back is the thing that made
the Dodge Chardra and the Mustang fast Back. The two
iconic muscle cars of America or whether they were already that.
Presumably they're already the two iconic muscle cars, but I'm
surely embedded it so much in culture because when I
(11:01):
was over there and I lived there for a while,
as you know, and I thought, shits and giggles, I
want to get a muscle car. And because I lived
on one side of Griffith Park and dream Works was
on the other side, I was never going to burn
much fuel. I wasn't, you know, feeling too guilty. I
drove about, you know, twenty k's a week, and I thought,
I'm going to get either a Dodge Charge or a
Mustang and They're like, do you want a convertible and
(11:22):
I'm like, absolutely not, They're so ugly. I want the fastback,
I want the you know. And I didn't realize that
this film kind of just stamped them with iconic status.
I mean that it's but you know, unfortunately, it was
such an amazing car chase. But now, I mean, the
Blues Brother's car chase is better. I mean, now, now
(11:42):
there's been so many unbelievable car chases that it sort
of looks funny, especially when they reuse the same shot
from three different angles. You notice that they're coming down
the hill and they pass a green V dub yet
and then they're coming down the hill passing the green
V dub. And then they're coming down the hill passing
the green V dub because I've.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
To save and time.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
They've done the same shot and shot it from three
directions and just cut it so it looks like, I
don't know, were we meant to think it was three
moments in time or we meant to feel like we
were just watching it from three angles.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Yeah. Yeah, the green volksbag is one of the kid
But it is like what I liked about the car Chase.
I think it's really well shot and and obviously, but
the the I like watching, We're so used in this fast,
post fast and furious kind of world where it's always
(12:32):
obviously car chase, it tends to be experts who know
how to drive cars. These were like unqualified people to
be driving this fast. It seemed to me, even though
Bullet actually kind of he overruns and he has to
kind of reverse and goes back, which is a mistake.
Apparently that the McQueen mailing the day and they kept
that in.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
When he goes into the dirt, or that he kind
of slightly the corner.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
This is the corner, Yes, and he has to back
up and that was a mistake and and they used it.
And I kind of love that because it felt like, yeah,
Frank Bullet's a cop and he's a cool cop, but
and he could.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Drive better than most, but he's not spent his whole
life becoming a stunt driver.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Exactly right, Yeah, exactly right. To go back to one
battle after another, I felt that this must have been,
you know, totally certainly an influence on that.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
I was watching it, going, oh, this is that camera
on the front of the on the front of the
front of the bonnet, going up, up and down those
San Francisco hills. I mean, the one battle after another
was just sickening. But yeah, once once you realized why
they was setting up those shots because of what happened,
how how she got out of it was so brilliant.
(13:42):
But I mean the shots are beautiful. The whole film
as a look at.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
How cinema used to be made, and just the.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
Like the the establishing shots that in early film they went, well,
we have to see that they're driving to the to
the hotel, and we have to see them get out
and go in, because otherwise how will the audience know?
And over the years it's just like, don't need that,
don't need that, don't need that, don't need that. And
we now watch us We have inherited, you know, generations
(14:18):
of filmmaking, so now we understand the form so much
that you have to do so little and you can
use all your time moving the action forward because you
just everyone just goes, oh, they drove there, and they
came into the hotel, probably had a bit of a chat.
But in Bullet they're is like, and they're getting out
of the car and they're walking towards the hotel.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
And the shots are pretty but not.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Not like arms they're stunning, you know.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Yeah, they're not Where's Andersen paintings. They're just like nice
shots with nice light, you know. But it's just amazing
how much information filmmakers felt they needed to give the
audience back then compared to how much audiences just know
all that now.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Yes and out how you interpret it?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Well, yeah, I like I like having time in movies,
like you know, whether it's establishing shots or those moments
where it's very easy for a producer to go, we
don't need that shot. And those debates. I'm sure you've
had those debates many times, and they can be quite frustrating,
because my point is always like you need to let
the audience either catch up, take a breath, sometimes just
(15:23):
to have the thought like I'm enjoying this movie, like
like just to have those those I think are really
important and what I loved. You know about watching movies,
if everything's just all about the action, I find it
a bit too much. Now with Bullet I found there
was a little too much time to have those thoughts
where it went. It wasn't me going, what's going on
(15:46):
or I'm enjoying this movie, It was like why, why
is it so slow? And why? And I know there's
a different pace in the movies, you know, you speak
about the conversation. That's a very different pace.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
So maditative.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, And I'm happy for a movie that
let me wash wash over me and maybe I'll watch
it again. And I just know that I'm so glad
when I did some research that everybody agrees the plot
is kind of ridiculous and it doesn't really matter, and
everyone seems to be on the same page with that
it's about the McQueen looking cool and it's.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Like a male model sort of piece, but you know, the.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
To try and imbue it with just kind of give
it it's due. Those shots give you an environment of
the sort of squalid, laconic, lethargic kind of like, here
we go, another fucking murder, another in this shitty city
(16:48):
where everyone dog eats dog and the politics are corrupt
and everyone's out for themselves, and it just it does
give you a feeling that you don't get from all.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
It's very interested in the procedure of police work, which
I think it was one of the first films that
really kind of you know, have that at the forefront
as opposed to even the crime to be honest that
they were actually you know, talking about and that you know,
we've seen films. I think the films of the influences
that French connection, I think is influenced by it. I
(17:21):
think the conversation, those kind of long lens kind of
you know, shots and heat I think is obviously one,
particularly the final the final scene. Yeah, and a lot
of my Michael Man's work in fact, I mean, I
think when you have this restaurant scene where nothing he said,
this is his jazz band that could have been out
of Anchorman. To be honest, it's fun. It's really fun,
(17:42):
and it's the only time you see Frank Bullet smile,
but you don't hear a single word.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Yeah, that was my favorite scene in the film because
it was just sort of honoring the time and yeah,
and it was the way of going what's old is
Argentina an American guy who wrote this. I mean the score,
the score is super weird because there's really cool moments
that are very of its time, obviously jazz and Latin
and stuff, but it's so sparse. They just there's like
(18:11):
bidding as someone walks out, and then score disappears for
the whole scene. And these days, if a scene with
that little story and that many action sequences would just
be a music video, it'd be completely scored.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Or or not scored.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
It would be using songs, you know, pre existing songs.
But I loved the music and I thought the scene
in the restaurant with the band playing it was just
sort of honoring the aesthetic. It was really a kind
of yeah, a bit of a swing noir thing, and
I just thought it was cool as fuck.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I agree and it kind of said to me, you know, like, yeah,
we are, and maybe more in hindsight, but we are.
This is there's a little his style here, there isn't
you know. I'm not to say it's it's it's there's
no substance, but it's certainly stilover substance. I think I
think they I think they're here for a good time.
Like I said, i'd like more, a bit more action,
(19:12):
if you know, if we're viewing this as an action film.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
But that's so you know, if you'd never seen a
card choset like that, Let's go back to the cinema
and watch it again.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Imagine being in the cinema in nineteen sixty eight and
watching and watching that like you see nothing like it before.
And there's there's always the aesthetics they shot on location there,
they use natural light, they use real sound, you know.
So it's almost the arrival of the European New Wave
in mainstream America.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
And it's so interesting watch listening to the sound and
how they hadn't quite worked out how to clean up sound.
And because I don't I'm not, as I say, I'm
not a buffer I've watched very few movies.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Before nineteen eighty.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I not watch many old films.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
But you know, the camera's facing this way and Steve
McQueen go, and you've got this background noise, and then
suddenly the oral environment changes because the shot reverses, and
of course it was shot now later and the light's different,
and they hadn't quite worked out how to clean up
sound and to put white noise behind it to match
the I mean, this is stuff I didn't know about
at all until, you know, the last decade when I
(20:18):
started getting involved in making film and TV. But once
you've been involved in a sound mix for a show,
you're like, oh my god, they could not They just
didn't know yet how to do it. And of course
they're working on tape and they don't have digital technology
and all that. So you notice all that stuff, and
you without a doubt the pace, the lack of story,
the kind of you know, the ways in which technology
(20:39):
has so called improved filmmaking that made it maybe arguably
a little bit clean and a little bit sort of clinical.
I had to put myself in that. Okay, I'm not
going to be a twenty twenty five person thinking this
is too slow. I've got to let it be pretend
I've only seen the films it up until A nineteen
(21:00):
sixty seven. But it's very hard to do that we do.
I was a bit fucking bored, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yeah, yeah, I was a bit the same. And the
other the other element is is with Steve McQueen, is
you got the mustangs and the cars and him being cool,
but it's also the clothing, the wardrobe. A he's a rough,
rough looking guy, like in the sexy kind of hot.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
You don't even have the language for how sexy. But
it's such a straight guy. He's not rough, he's like
hot and cool, and he's got beautiful blue eyes and
a gorgeous jaw, lovely lips.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
When I watched Cashiy in The Sundance Kid for the
first time with Bob Murphy, he's returning with Magnolia, As
we mentioned, I my wife the next morning, she said,
how do you have the film?
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Go?
Speaker 1 (21:44):
I said, and I google image Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
I said, look at their eyes. Look at their eyes.
These are the best looking men you'll ever see in
your life. And McQueen's obviously right up there but is
also a sense of style, like Turtle Next became a
thing because all cops up to this point where like
dressing dark suits and they pop pie hats and all
(22:05):
of that. Where he brought style. Because Steve McQueen embraced
being a movie star like he was. He did not
want to disappear under esthetics or you know, like fake
beards or anything like that. He knew, check this shit
out exactly right. Yeah, And that was the people who
work with him like really appreciated it because he was like, no,
he knows what the audience wants and he wants to.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Get to them and what angle to hold his face.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
So I mean that is huge these days that the
actors really do understand and are taught to go, well,
you you know, you know where the camera is, you
know what angler is going to get your cheek bones,
and they are thinking about that stuff, especially the ones
who have made it to the top partially by being
unbelievably hot.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Yeah, and the tweet jacket with the patches, I always
consider it hot.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
Right, there was all those heat shimmer on the shots
and you get all this heat on the shot and
I don't know about the lens conditions, that make that happen.
But it was very popular, and I mean it was
very prolific in the time. Those shots where the shimmer
of heat reads on the on the picture, but it
looked hot, and he's in a turtle neck and a
(23:11):
jacket and like chinos.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
I'm like, Jesus, do take your turtleneck off. It's got
to be itchy.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Well, I always kind of, you know, for my mind
connects tweed jackets with the patches to librarians or professors.
But you always forget that something always fashion. It starts
off as cool and then it gets dwindled down as
it becomes more accessible.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
To until librarians are still wearing it.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Yes, well, I bought this after I saw a bullet
that was forty years ago.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Grande.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
There's not much female representation, I mean, Jackulber said, it's
it's a bit of a thankless character. In fact, there's
one scene where she's talking and her mouth not even
in shot. It's a shoulder. It's covered by the shoulder
of Steve McQueen, and it's yeah, you know, it's a
pretty thankless task.
Speaker 4 (24:02):
And she was still in that English hyper articulate, you know,
you say every line a bit like you're a stage
actress and.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
You know Trevor crane Roll.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
It is like whenever she spoke, you're like, oh, now
we're getting a monologue from someone who was trained at Rada. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Yeah, because it.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Does seem like, like I said, everyone feels like they're
in the same movie, maybe a part of jaquelb Set.
And because Robert Vaughan I think is very good. It's
weird because there's no natural traditional antagonist in this in
this movie, like Robert.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
No one feels like it's going to be Charmers.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
But yeah, but it's not really. But I think he's
he's really kind of good in this, Like he's on
the same performance level I think is as McQueen. He's
not overdoing it. Fact, let's have a little listen to
a scene between Charmers and Bullet.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
And what went wrong with channel?
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Who else knew he was? What who else knew? Worry was?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
What even blind? Well, do you know where to look
for him and use your name to get in?
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Are you suggesting I disclosed his whereabouts and somebody did
and it didn't come from us. That's hardly the issue.
What certainly is I've I've got an officer with a family,
and he shot up pretty bad. And I've got a
(25:39):
witness who can't talk.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
I wanna know about a Ross. What was the deal
you made with did.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
Noetendant? Don't try to evade the responsibility in your parlance.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
You blew it.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
You knew the significance of his testimony that you've failed
to take adequate measures to protect them.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
So do you?
Speaker 3 (26:03):
It was a job no more or it more?
Speaker 2 (26:08):
And you the dedication.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
I was led to believe.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
You believe what you want. You work your side of
the street and I'll work mine.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
I think Rubberbone's really good in this, and it does
give us something to hang your hat on if you're
looking for. What is this movie about, is that this
trust in the establishment in politicians that they don't They
certainly don't labor the point that I don't think this
is a movie with a massive message. It is interesting
because it's nineteen sixty eight and there's massive things going
(26:38):
on in America's post cand of the assassination. It's it's
it's unrest over Vietnam, and so that it doesn't touch
on any of that stuff interestingly.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Well except yeah, it maybe right.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
It is definitely an early reflection of what has become
this catastrophic loss of two institutions, and it did start
around then and Watergate, and it's just so you're seeing,
maybe again, if we're giving it as much credit as
we can, a sort of early example of this, you know,
(27:14):
I'm sure it's not an early example. It's a tailor
as old as time, but that everyone is compromised, and
everyone's Machiavelian, and no one can be trusted, and there's
no good guys. There's just as Jacqueline says, you're just
all in the swamp and you're not even noticing it's
a swamp anymore. I mean, she didn't say that, but
that's the implication.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Thank god that the swamp's been drained.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Now, Oh that's much better now.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Those days we just needed we just needed a handsome
six foot.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Four person at the right time. Yeah, before we wrap out,
I just wanted this go back to the car chase.
One big choice that was made by the composer. They
had score all the way through it. Let's have a
little listen to the score. This is when the chase
is just just kind of starting out before it really
kicks in. So you have it at both going on.
(28:04):
It's a nice score. It's where the cars are kind
of still working there, they're not really chasing yet, they're
not chasing just yet, and they hold up and it
kind of does stay with it a little bit. And
then the composer that said, I can't compete with the
Mustang and the charge is so let's let's just drop
(28:28):
the joy to sound of the cars, which you know
became and he's right. It's a it's a great call.
It's it's it gives it an energy that I think
that you know, often scored does lift.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Well, yeah, a score will always I mean, it's just
a look at other examples where you can choose to
have score or not score in a in a really
emotional scene, I've always loved you, or your mum's dad
or you know, and score. It's it's always a dial
that you have to consider because score can.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Bolster the subtext.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
It can say and in this moment, the person felt
hopeful forbody whatever, or this is portentous or whatever, but
it can steal from the scene because actually just watching
two humans have that moment can make you feel more
in the moment because it's not being enhanced and Similarly
(29:32):
in a carchase, it's sort of felt more realistic. The
stuff you were saying about the driving being realistic. I'd
say that's partly. It's a lot of that is editorial
and score because how you cut it changes how you
feel about how realistic the driving is. And just hearing
the squeal of tires and the roar of engines makes
it feel like you're just there on the street, because
(29:52):
on the street, when you watch a car zoom pass,
there's no orchestra to tell you how to feel.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Yeah, yep. So you must have times when you're scoring
some thing where you you know, you probably you're a musician,
so you want to put scoring, I imagine, but there,
you know, there must be times be like, no, I
don't think I'm needed here.
Speaker 4 (30:10):
Well, you know, I don't. I'm not a composer in
that way. I don't score. But I was quite and
I've only really been a producer, sort of played that
role in one thing, which is upright. But as you
can imagine, I loved, I adored the guys who composed it,
but I was in amongst it, and they wanted me
(30:33):
in amongst it because they're composing for a musician, and yeah,
without a doubt they would send their edit where they're
their first pass and there's music all through it. And
a big part of what I was able to do
with some confidence just because I don't know why I
was confident, cocky fuck.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
I suppose I just went nothing there, nothing there.
Speaker 4 (30:54):
I know a lot of it was about taking score
out because I thought, yeah, exactly that it can.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
It can cheese it up a bit.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
It can take away from the impact of a thing
if you are putting it kind of. I think Sundeim said,
it's a hat upon a hat. You know you don't
you shouldn't always put a hat on a hat, but
you gotta be careful about putting a hat on a hat.
And if the emotions already there, you don't you don't
want to put another hat on it.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
No, No, don't put a hat on a hat unless
you're a spring carnival and then it probably looks like
and then.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Just hat up, hats all the way out, the turtles,
all the way.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Down to mention you are a national treasure. We have
taken up way too much of your time, but it's
been a bloody delight just to hang out with you.
And chat movies. What where can people see you? Where
can people do to get more tim intioned into their line?
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Is coming out?
Speaker 1 (31:39):
Pete mate? This will be out like next Week'll be soon?
Speaker 2 (31:42):
All right?
Speaker 4 (31:42):
Well, I mean I'm starting touring. There you go, probably
this week when this comes out. I'm my first show
for my Australian tour of songs the world will never hear,
celebrating twenty years of hardcore, fucking rock and roll nerding
love it. I love a short title. My first show
is the thirty first Is that Friday or Saturday? It
might be Friday, maybe Saturday. I'm yet again up against Oasis.
(32:07):
When I was touring in the UK, I was playing
in Manchester for two nights at the Manchester Royal Opera House,
the same two nights that the Boys were playing their
first concert in their hometown for whatever since two thousand
and nine. And now I'm in Melbourne. I'm fucking playing
there at Marble around the corner while I'm at the palais.
But all the cool kids will be at the palais,
(32:29):
all the middle aged men in bucket hats, they'll all
be at Oasis, and all the cool kids will be
at the Palais. So I'm at the Palais for three
nights next week. I think there's a few tickets for
the third night still left. And then yeah again, because
I'm doing reagionably big rooms, I think there are still
a few tickets in most towns. Yeah, so I'll be
on tour all through in November, basically in early December.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Get on your Google machines and find out when Tim's
coming to a place.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
Tim mension dot com to make sure you don't get
sucked into those assholes scale upping ticket prick exactly right. Yeah,
go to my website and I'll make sure no one's
scamming out.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Tim mention dot com. Mate, thanks so much, it's been
a real pleasure. And I'll get Bob Bonfie to give
you a call.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Yes, please tell Bob to send me a dick pic.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
There we go. That was Tim Minchin and he's three
favorite films, or three of his favorite films. It is
interesting because when you people ask for, you know, three favorites.
I can't do songs. I find it ridiculous when people
ask me for my favorite meal or my favorite color,
but for some reason, my three favorite films. It's quite
easy for me. But we'll discuss the movie we're here
(33:42):
to talk about with Tim Minchin National Icon next week,
which is nineteen sixty eights Bullot starring Steve McQueen, directed
by Peter Yates. That's next week. And you ain't see
nothing yet. If you haven't seen Bullet check it out
see then.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
M hm.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
And so we leave old Pete safe and soult and
to our friends of the radio audience, we've been a
pleasant good night
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