One grumpy bushman. One rebellious foster kid. One national manhunt.

This week on 100 Things We Learned From Film, we're heading into the New Zealand wilderness to uncover the incredible story behind Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016).

From Barry Crump's original novel and hidden Kiwi references to filming in some of New Zealand's most stunning locations, we're revealing the making-of stories, production secrets, casting decisions and behind-the-scenes facts that helped turn this modest independent film into a worldwide favourite.

Join us as we explore how Sam Neill and Julian Dennison created one of cinema's most unlikely friendships, why the production had to invent a birthday song at the last minute, the surprising tribute hidden in Hec's truck, and how a five-week shoot launched Taika Waititi onto the Hollywood A-list.

John's Crook this week so Planty is joined by Patron and Host of the phenomenal Repeat or Delete Podcast, Joe. It's the pod that takes looks at The Best and Worst of TV and decides whether or not to allow it to remain on the airwaves or bin it forever.

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One prank. One CB radio. One very bad idea. This week on 100 Things We Learned From Film, we're taking the scenic route through Joy Ride (2001) to uncover the incredible stories behind one of the most underrated thrillers of the 2000s.

Discover how J.J. Abrams helped create the film, why Ted Levine wasn't cast until after filming had finished, the multiple endings that almost changed everything, the Spielberg influence hiding in plain sight, and how Rusty Nail became one of horror's most unforgettable unseen villains.

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Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe dominated cinemas, there was Mystery Men (1999) a superhero comedy about a team of spectacularly underqualified crime fighters trying to save Champion City.

Featuring Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Hank Azaria, Janeane Garofalo, Paul Reubens, Kel Mitchell, Greg Kinnear and Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush, Mystery Men was packed with an incredible cast, bizarre gadgets, unforgettable costumes and jokes that audiences simply weren't ready for.

It bombed at the box office, but over the years it has become one of the most beloved cult comic-book films ever made.

In this episode, Planty and John attempt to uncover 100 fascinating facts about Mystery Men, including:

• The obscure comic book that inspired the film.

• Why the original lead character never made it into the movie.

• Behind-the-scenes stories from Ben Stiller and the cast.

• Geoffrey Rush's gloriously over-the-top performance as Casanova Frankenstein.

• The homemade superhero costumes and the incredible production design.

• Deleted scenes, hidden Easter eggs and improvised moments.

Whether you've loved Mystery Men since day one or you're discovering this cult classic for the first time, there's plenty here to make you see the film in a whole new light.

If you enjoyed the episode, please leave us a review, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and tell a fellow film fan about the show—it really helps us grow.

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Thanks for listening to 100 Things We Learned From Film!

Wax on. Wax off. Sweep the leg. Few films have left a bigger mark on pop culture than The Karate Kid, and in this episode we're stepping into the dojo to uncover the stories behind the classic.

Joining us is Sam, one of our fantastic Patrons, who chose this week's film. Together we dig into behind-the-scenes secrets, surprising casting stories, production trivia, martial arts myths, and the moments that turned this modest underdog movie into a worldwide phenomenon.

Whether you're Team Daniel, Team Johnny, or just here for Mr. Miyagi's wisdom, there's plenty to discover.

A huge thank you to Sam for picking this episode and for supporting the show!

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The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen. It is the first film in The Karate Kid franchise. The film stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue and William Zabka.[3][4] The story follows Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey who moves with his widowed mother to the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, LaRusso encounters harassment from bullies, one of whom is Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), the ex-boyfriend of LaRusso's love interest, Ali Mills (Shue). LaRusso is taught karate by handyman and war veteran Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help LaRusso defend himself and compete in a karate tournament against his bullies.

Stephen King. Killer trucks. AC/DC. Cocaine. What could possibly go wrong?

In this episode of 100 Things We Learned From Film, we're taking a look at one of the strangest cult horror films ever made: Maximum Overdrive (1986).

It's the only feature film ever directed by Stephen King himself, based on his short story Trucks, and the result is unlike anything else in his filmography. From the iconic Green Goblin truck and AC/DC soundtrack to behind-the-scenes accidents, production chaos, and King's own brutal opinions of the finished movie, we're uncovering 30 fascinating facts about this unforgettable slice of 80s horror.

Whether you think it's a disaster or a masterpiece, Maximum Overdrive has earned its place as one of the greatest cult films of its era.

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave us a comment telling us your favourite Stephen King adaptation.

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Maximum Overdrive is a 1986 American science fiction action horror film written and directed by Stephen King in his only directorial effort.[5] The film stars Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, John Short, Yeardley Smith and Christopher Murney. The screenplay was inspired by and loosely based on King's short story "Trucks", which was included in the author's first collection of short stories, Night Shift, and follows the events after all machines (including trucks, radios, arcade games, vending machines, etc.) become automatic when Earth crosses the tail of a comet, initiating a worldwide killing spree.

The film is King's only directorial effort, though dozens of films have been based on his novels or short stories. It contained black humor elements and a generally campy tone, which contrasts with King's sombre subject matter in books. The film has a mid-1980s hard rock soundtrack composed entirely by the group AC/DC (King's favourite band), whose album Who Made Who was released as the Maximum Overdrive soundtrack. It includes the best-selling singles "Who Made Who", "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Hells Bells".

Maximum Overdrive was theatrically released on July 25, 1986 to a critical and commercial failure. The film was nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Director for King and Worst Actor for Estevez in 1987, but both lost to Prince for Under the Cherry Moon.[6] King disowned the film, describing it as a "moron movie", and considered the process a learning experience,[7] after which he intended never to direct again. Regardless of its initial failure, the film has developed a dedicated cult following over the decades with many calling it a "so bad it's good" horror classic.

Bonjourno!

This week on 100 Things We Learned From Film, we’re heading into Nazi-occupied France for one of the most audacious, quotable and flat-out entertaining films ever made — Inglourious Basterds.

Join us as we uncover 30 fascinating facts about Quentin Tarantino’s alternate-history masterpiece, from the decade-long writing process and the search for the perfect Hans Landa, to the real dangers of nitrate film, the truth behind the infamous three-finger mistake, and how a relatively unknown Austrian actor named Christoph Waltz walked into an audition and changed cinema history.

We’ll also explore the hidden inspirations, production nightmares, bizarre casting possibilities, historical inaccuracies, behind-the-scenes stories, and why Tarantino himself once suggested Hans Landa might be the greatest character he ever wrote.

Whether you’re a fan of Aldo Raine, Shosanna Dreyfus, The Bear Jew, or just enjoy watching Nazis get absolutely obliterated in a burning cinema, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

That’s a bingo!

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Inglourious Basterds is a 2009 black comedy war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars an ensemble cast including Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger, and Mélanie Laurent. The film tells an alternate history story of two converging plots to assassinate Nazi Germany's leadership at a Paris cinema—one through a British operation largely carried out by a team of Jewish American soldiers led by First Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Pitt), and another by French Jewish cinema proprietor Shosanna Dreyfus (Laurent) who seeks to avenge her murdered family. Both are pitted against Hans Landa (Waltz), an SS colonel with a fearsome reputation.

The title (but not the story) was inspired by Italian director Enzo G. Castellari's 1978 Euro War film The Inglorious Bastards, but deliberately misspelled as "a Basquiat-esque touch".[8] Tarantino wrote the script in 1998, but struggled with the ending and chose instead to direct the two-part film Kill Bill. After directing Death Proof in 2007, Tarantino returned to work on Inglourious Basterds. A co-production between the United States and Germany, the film began principal photography in October 2008 and was filmed in Germany and France with a $70 million production budget.

Inglourious Basterds premiered on May 20, 2009, at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, and received a wide release in theaters in Germany on August 20, and in the United States on August 21. The Weinstein Company distributed the film in the United States, while Universal Pictures handled international distribution. It was a commercial success, grossing $321.5 million worldwide, becoming Tarantino's highest-grossing film to that point, until it was surpassed by Django Unchained (2012). The film received critical acclaim, with Waltz's performance as Hans Landa being singled out for praise, but some criticized the historical liberties taken. It also won multiple awards and nominations, among them eight Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay). For his role as Landa, Waltz won the Cannes Film Festival's Best Actor Award, as well as the Academy Award, Actor Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.

What happens when a family accidentally runs over Bigfoot... and then takes him home?

This week on 100 Things We Learned From Film, we're heading deep into the Pacific Northwest to uncover the fascinating story behind Harry and the Hendersons (1987). From Oscar-winning makeup effects and the incredible work of Kevin Peter Hall to the real-life Bigfoot legend that inspired the movie, we're digging through the fur to find the facts you never knew.

Along the way we'll explore:

🦶 The famous Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot footage

🏆 How Harry won an Academy Award

🎬 Rick Baker's greatest creature creation

👣 The history of the Sasquatch legend

🎭 Kevin Peter Hall's remarkable performance inside the suit

📺 The surprising legacy of the film

As always, we'll attempt to learn 100 things from the movie... and probably end up learning a few more.

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This week on 100 Things We Learned From Film, we’re heading back to the silent era for one of the most influential comedies ever made 1923’s Safety Last! starring the legendary Harold Lloyd.

We dive into the making of the film, the jaw-dropping skyscraper climb, how Lloyd performed dangerous stunts despite a disability, and why the famous clock-hanging scene became one of the defining images in cinema history.

Along the way we explore early Hollywood, the genius of silent comedy, Hal Roach Studios, rooftop trick photography, real-life “human spider” climber, and how Safety Last! helped shape action comedy for generations to come.

Expect behind-the-scenes stories, silent film history, production trivia, and plenty of facts about Harold Lloyd: the often-overlooked third giant of silent comedy alongside Chaplin and Keaton.

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Friend of the Pod James from Repeat or Delete and his wonderful wife Katie are doing The North Yorkshire Ultra Challenge on 20 June 2026. Walking 50km in a day for Endometriosis UK.

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Safety Last! is a 1923 American silent romantic-comedy film starring Harold Lloyd. It includes one of the most famous images from the silent-film era: Lloyd clutching the hands of a large clock as he dangles from the outside of a skyscraper above moving traffic. The film was highly successful and critically hailed, and it cemented Lloyd's status as a major figure in early motion pictures. It is still popular at revivals, and it is viewed today as one of the great film comedies.[5]

The film's title is a play on the common expression "safety first", which describes the adoption of safety measures as a means to avoid accidents, especially in workplaces. Lloyd performed some of the climbing stunts himself, despite having lost a thumb and forefinger four years earlier in a film accident.