Ticklish Business

Ticklish Business

Devoted to the world of Old Hollywood, Ticklish Business looks at legendary films and iconic stars

Episodes

June 18, 2025 56 mins

International Month comes to a close with a look at Akira Kurosawa's contemporary noir feature High and Low! And who better to join us than TCM producer and author Scott McGee. Scott joins Kristen and Emily to talk about this morality tale, its connections to today's society, and what the "right type" of wealthy man can look like.

Buy Scott's book Danger on the Silver Screen here.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali...

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We're going on vacation through the world of classic film! Yes, International Month is back. But unless the previous two years, where we did two movies from different countries, we're spending June in one country with a single director: Akira Kurosawa.

TCM host and author of the new book TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema, Alicia Malone, joins us to kick things off with a look at one of several Kurosawa...

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You Must Remember This host Karina Longworth sits down with us to talk about the new season of her show, "The Old Man Is Still Alive." We discuss which directors weathered the collapse of the studio system best, why Stanley Donen's Blame It On Rio gets so much guff, and John Huston's third act celebration.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Danny

David Floyd

Gates

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Call...

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Another TCM Classic Film Festival has come and gone, but whether you were on the ground in LA or you couldn't make it, Ticklish Biz has you covered with some great audio from the festival.

We start off with Ben Mankiewicz, and Elle and Dakota Fanning introducing Michelle Pfeiffer at her hand and footprint ceremony. Then it's Alicia Malone and actor Barry Bostwick discussing The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Next Eddie Muller an...

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April 23, 2025 34 mins

Flower Drum Song star Nancy Kwan sits down with Ticklish Business in anticipation of her new autobiography! Nancy talks about being discovered young, what her costars were like, and more. We also talk about the joys of actor James Shigeta.

Buy The World of Nancy Kwan now.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Danny

David Floyd

Gates

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

Chris McKay

Jacob Haller

...

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TCM's "Czar of Noir" Eddie Muller joins us once again to discuss the women of his latest book Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir. Eddie chats about interviewing some of the most iconic film noir women and how his new book seeks to tell their stories more fully.

You can pre-order Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir before it's April 8th publication by clicking the link.

And if you're in Los Angeles you can...

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Your eyes don't deceive you! Ticklish Business is back, kinda. Kristen sits down with author Mayukh Sen to talk all about Merle Oberon, the subject of Sen's latest book, Love, Queenie: Merle Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star. Sen breaks down the stereotypes about Oberon he wanted to dispel and how she was able to rise above Hollywood racism.

We appreciate everyone continuing to support us, as either a Patron or listener. E...

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Kristen and Emily return with Front Row Classics podcast host Brandon Davis to celebrate the release of Wicked by looking at the film that started it all: 1939's The Wizard of Oz. The trio discuss Judy Garland's casting, the economics of Oz, and various rumors.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

Bad...

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October 30, 2024 59 mins

It's All Hallows Eve and we're closing out spooky season with a legendary Halloween treat. Director and Shining historian Lee Unkrich joins Kristen to discuss Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of The Shining. The pair discuss the nature of adaptation, Shelley Duvall's performance (RIP), and why it still holds up today.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

...

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October 16, 2024 49 mins

Halloween inches ever closer much like the centipede? earwig? that dominates William Castle's 1959 horror film The Tingler. Emily and Kristen discuss Bill Castle and his gimmicks, Vincent Price, and why Warren Chapin might be the worst doctor character ever.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

BadGuy...

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Emily and Kristen may be a week later than usual but spooky season kicks off with a bang as the duo talk George Romero's 1968 feature Night of the Living Dead! And along for the ride is acclaimed cinematographer Levie Isaaks. Levie, watching this for the first time (!), discusses the film's impact, what Tobe Hooper took for Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and more.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

...

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September 18, 2024 66 mins

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a new episode! Kristen and Emily are back celebrating the release of the Christopher Reeve doc Super/Man with a discussion of the 1978 film that made Reeve a star. And joining us is legendary comic artist Jon Bogdanove. We talk about why this superhero movie is different than others, Valerie Perrine stealing the show, and more.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

...

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It's Kristen's birthday which means she's picking the movie! Things take a turn for the historical with special guest Ann Foster of the Vulgar History podcast to discuss 1969's Anne of the Thousand Days. We discuss Hollywood's love of historical episodes in the late-1960s, Richard Burton bringing the cringe, and why Anne Boleyn is still a woman we love no matter how many Tudor adaptations there are.

This episode was created thanks ...

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Director Laurent Bouzereau accepted the challenge telling Faye Dunaway's story to the world. Faye is the result and it is such an insightful exploration into an actress who remains misunderstood (and iconic) to this day!

Ticklish Business was fortunate to interview Bouzereau and discuss working with Dunaway, comparisons between this doc and Bouzereau's one on Natalie Wood, and more.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

A...

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This was initially intended to be a bonus episode but with Emily and I navigating various personal things we've decided to make this an official episode and it's a good one!

Director Nanette Burstein joins us to discuss her new feature, Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes. We discuss Elizabeth Taylor's fame, the rumors that continue to swirl about her, and what she might hold in common with Robert Evans!

This episode was created thank...

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Our vacation around the world of classic film comes to a close, but what an episode to celebrate with. Kristen is out this week but Emily and Samantha are back in the saddle to talk about Jacques Demy's fabulous French musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. The pair discuss Catherine Deneuve, French fashion and that bittersweet ending.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gate...

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It's not every day you talk to Martin Scorsese's editor AND the wife of Michael Powell, Thelma Schoonmaker. But Emily and I did as part of the release of the new documentary Made in England: The Movies of Powell and Pressburger. Schoonmaker and director David Hinton sat down with us to discuss what makes Powell and Pressburger iconic directors, Thelma's work with Scorsese, and more! (This might be the highlight of our year.)

Made i...

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Emily and Kristen move from Germany to Algeria by way of the 1966 Italian/Algerian co-production: The Battle of Algiers. We talk about Italian neo-realism, untested actors, and how war, sadly, never ages. We promise things will be peppier next episode!

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

Jonathan Watkins

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Sm...

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For a second year we're taking a vacation via classic film with International Month and we're starting in Germany!

Looking for a silent German pre-Code? We've got you covered with a look at Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box. Hear how Lulu shook up cinema, both domestically and abroad. We also talk about the film's frank depiction of sex work and other salacious topics.

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

...

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Ticklish Business celebrates the release of Alonso Duralde's new book Hollywood Pride by discussing classic filmdom and those were LGBTQIA, including William Haines and the stories about Cary Grant.

Buy Hollywood Pride!

This episode was created thanks to our Patrons:

Ali Moore

Amy Hart

Danny

David Floyd

Donna Hill

Gates

Jacob Haller

Jonathan Watkins

Krista Painter

McF

Rachel Clark

Shawn Goodreau

A Button Called Smalls

Chris McKay

D...

Mark as Played

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