This week’s Canadian Thanksgiving installment features follow-ups on several topics from past episodes: Are the most important pop culture figures of the last quarter of the 20th century all named “David”? Why is contemporary art so abundant with creativity and so full of joy? What are some of the most thrilling aspects of Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia? And speaking of Savannah, why is The Pirate House so darn haunting? In addition to those follow-ups, Phil has been researching “Trainee” programs offered by the Writer’s Guild in the wake of their (tentative) deal with the producers. And a loyal listener has thoughts about the best/worst actors to play Hercule Poirot on the big screen. This last leads into Dean’s thoughts about Kenneth Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice before three films starring the great Dirk Bogarde, the soulfulness of Oliver Reed and a brilliant, unheralded masterpiece by the late William Friedkin all get discussed. Finally, in “Celebrity Deaths”, a beloved star of “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” (and “NCIS”) gets remembered.

This week’s show covers a lot of ground thematically AND geographically! The death of João Donato takes us to Brasil and the era of bossa nova. The death of Dianne Feinstein takes us back to San Francisco of 1978. The death of Jane Birkin inspires discussion of her daughters, fashion, Hercule Poirot, Dirk Bogarde, and Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania! And the death of Sir Michael Gambon inspires Phil to get up on his soapbox railing against those who think of the great actor as “Dumbledore”! The charms of Savannah, Dean’s ongoing battle with Covid after-effects, the end of the Writer’s Strike, and murder mystery dinners are all on the menu as well!

Dean was still battling Covid and Phil was heading to Savannah, Georgia, so this week’s installment of was recorded several days early. In it, Dean offers suggestions to Phil of sites he should visit in the Hostess City of the South and Phil regales Dean with the history of the place where he would be staying. Dean and Phil preview what they expected to happen in the ongoing labor strife in Hollywood. A deep discussion of improv leads to Dean recounting a particularly hilarious scene in which he once performed. This leads to a preview of Richard Linklater’s new movie, Hit Man, and that leads to a discussion of two classic films celebrating anniversaries this year: the Hong Kong actioner Executioners (aka Heroic Trio 2) starring Anita Mui, Michelle Yeoh, and Maggie Cheung, which turns 30 this year, and perhaps the greatest concert film of all time, Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense, which turns 40 this year and which has inspired Talking Heads reunions. Finally, a beloved English folk singer and a former piano prodigy get remembered in “Celebrity Deaths”.

Dean came back from PhileFest with a case of the Covid-19 and rumors about the forthcoming reboot of “The X-Files”. Phil questions him about both! Phil also asks about a potential guest on a forthcoming show, before sharing a story of how Ann Arbor, Michigan was named for a family member. Last week’s discussion of some great contemporary Japanese cinema leads to a follow-up about Japan’s entry into this year’s Academy Awards before another cinematic follow-up involves great films made in secrecy. A long overlooked, spooky classic from the 1970s gets celebrated and the latest, rather disturbing news from the Hollywood picket lines gets discussed. Finally, in “Celebrity Deaths”, a game show legend, a multiple Emmy Award-winning actor, a chart-topping singer, and two stand-up comedians get remembered.

This past week, your friends in podcasting & broadcasting were reunited in Michigan. You can hear all about the tour Dean gave Phil of some of his Detroit stomping grounds, and their neighboring environs. You can learn about the Mandela Effect. You can get your taste buds watering as you discover the joys of Detroit pizza and home-made ginger ale. You can recoil in horror at both the latest behavior by the AMPTP and the studio moguls in their ongoing conflict with the Writers Guild as well as the reasons Trader Joe’s had to remove some products from its shelves. All that, plus the number one song in the country, the most legendary pubs in the world and a very special guest pops in from time to time to lend her irrepressible spirit and joie de vivre!

This weekend, Dean and Phil recorded one VERY LONG conversation that will be edited into the next two installments of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour. The next time they record, they will be together in Dean’s Motor City-adjacent stomping grounds! This week, you will hear your friends in broadcasting and podcasting discussing the new cinematic releases Medusa Deluxe, Afire and Barbie as well as a new Taiwanese film on Netflix (Marry My Dead Body). You will hear the latest developments in the negotiations between the writers and the media companies (and yes, there HAVE BEEN negotiations!). You will hear another in Dean’s suggestions of vintage television shows you might wish to binge while your favorite new shows will be gone for a while. There is an email with a correction from a loyal listener that itself gets corrected! And because everyone loves a sequel, Dean and Phil follow upon last week’s all-music edition of “Celebrity Deaths” with another all-music edition, as they discuss the lives and legacies of many music notables that died over the past weeks. 

This week, after a cold open involving Pee Wee Herman and David Hasselhoff, Dean and Phil discuss Dean’s travel plans, a big 30th anniversary “X-Files” convention and the latest news involving the Hollywood labor battles. Then Dean offers up another suggestion of a vintage television series you might want to avail yourself of while no new series are being produced. An all-music edition of “Celebrity Deaths” will focus on a groundbreaking Chinese American performer, a beloved bass player, an influential punk rock star, and a chart-topping singer. Then, Dean and Phil celebrate the enduring comedic legacy of true cinematic genius Jacques Tati, discussing his life, his career, his artistry and two of his most beloved films. Phil then asks Dean to weigh in on why the exceptionally funny Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves lost so much money. A show that starts out creepy, albeit hilarious, ends that way as well!

It’s Happy Birthday to Dean Haglund and boy has he been celebrating! On this week’s show, you will hear all about his celebrations. You will also hear about his road trip to upstate New York. And you will hear about a very bizarre social calendar for Phil! The latest news in the writers and actors strikes gets discussed, as does the controversy surrounding “waivers” being granted to certain productions. Dean offers up at least one more television series from the past you might want to avail yourself of while you wait for new seasons of your current favorites. Phil sings the praises of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3 and Season 1of “Shrinking”. Last week, Dean revealed what he thinks of as Robert De Niro’s 5 greatest performances. Phil follows up with a couple of alternative picks this week. Finally, the surprising box office performance (failure?) of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One gets analyzed, and the film’s strengths get celebrated and missteps get dissected.

This week’s show picks up where last week’s show left off, in a cold open about Godard’s Contempt and Scorsese’s Raging Bull. Then, Dean and Phil talk about the importance of supporting movie theaters, and Dean offers up another vintage TV title ripe for viewing/re-viewing during what promises to be a very lengthy halt in television production. Phil shares deeply personal thoughts about two remarkable people who died this year. That leads to an edition of “Celebrity Deaths” dedicated entirely to great writers. Then, it’s back to Robert De Niro (and Raging Bull) as Dean celebrates what he believes to be the all-time five greatest performances by the multiple Oscar-winning legend.

A question from a loyal listener like you (yes, YOU!) leads to a passionate and thoughtful discussion about what television and movies you should be watching while no new television and movies are being made due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes. Moreover, Dean and Phil will discuss the ways all of us can greatly improve the chances of an equitable outcome to the contractual impasses. In honor of the actors, four frequently overlooked films boasting excellent performances by major stars will get remembered. And two of the greatest films of all time will get analyzed. Plus, this week’s show includes more on Raging Bull, further insights into “wabi-sabi”, and the return of “The Live Event of the Week”.