Beginning in July, Turner Classic Movies will air the original series, Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence. The series is hosted Elvis Mitchell, the award winning host of National Public Radio’s interview series, The Treatment. Mitchell is a former film critic for the New York Times, the LA Weekly, the Detroit Free Press as well as serving as editor-at-large from Spin magazine.
TCM's Under the Influence series takes actors and directors out of the regular TV interview circuit and, instead of selling their latest project, they simply talk about the influence that films have had on their work. The first episode featured the last interview with the late actor/director Sidney Pollack (Three Days of the Condor & The Firm). The episode features Pollack and Mitchell comfortably talking about acting and directing.
If you have listened to Mitchell's radio show then you already know that he is a masterful interviewer who has an amazing knowledge of film. Mitchell does not bore the guests (or the audience) with tired questions and that beg for stock answers.
Two episodes in to the series and Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence is already one of the best shows on filmmaking. The show is in the tradition of shows like Inside The Actors Studio and Dinner for Five.
The series features guests that are both passionate and knowledgeable about film, such as Bill Murray, Laurence Fishburne and of course Quentin Tarantino.
TCM is pairing each episode of Under the Influence with a film related to each of the guests. Sidney Pollack's episode is paired with his 1982 film, Tootsie. The very funny episode with Bill Murray (airing 7/14/08) is followed by the Marx Brothers 1935 classic, A Night at the Opera and the Cary Grant thriller, North by Northwest.
After the initial run of four episodes in July, the show will return in November with Edward Norton, John Leguizamo, Joan Allen and Richard Gere.
If you are a serious fan of filmmaking (or even a casual one), Under the Influence is well worth your time.
