Episode notes
You poddin' to me? Well, listener, actually - we are podding to you. For nearly FOUR HOURS. The great Tracy Letts joins us to talk about Scorsese's monumental Taxi Driver , a film that is both fully ingrained in the American psyche and completely surprising and effective on every rewatch. Of course we're gonna spend our longest episode ever talking about it! This week, we discuss Paul Schrader's "God's Lonely Man" fixation, Ben's uncle's experiences as a New York City cab driver, the 1976 Oscars, Taxi Driver's themes of male loneliness and white supremacy, the incredible performances of…
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Blank Check with Griffin & David
Blank Check Productions · Film & TV · English
Not just another bad movie podcast, Blank Check reviews directors' complete filmographies episode to episode. Specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects. Each new miniseries, hosts Griffin Newman and David Sims delve into the works of film’s most outsized personalities in painstakingly hilarious detail. Produced…
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4 Oct 2026 · 3 hr 16 min
The Color of Money with Chris Ryan
Famously, 1986's The Color of Money was a money gig for Scorsese after a bunch of big-budget bounces. But it sure as hell doesn't feel like one! Chris Ryan joins us to talk about the original legacyquel, which passed the torch from Newman to Cruise. We're also chatting snooker, Atlantic City, and Warren Zevon this week, so grab your balabushka and chalk. It's in the way that you use it. Get your hands on Minnesota Fats: Pool Legend. Check out Amsterdam Billiards. Watch Sandler do Werewolves of London. Listen to David discuss the novelization of Species and Species 2 on the Authorized…
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27 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 26 min
After Hours with Alison Sivitz
1985's After Hours - It's the ultimate "one crazy night in New York City" movie. It's also the ultimate Griffin movie (both Dunne and Newman). But is it the ultimate cool person choice for the best Scorsese movie? Let's discuss. The lovely Ali Sivitz (also known as Bald Ann Dowd) joins us to talk about this deliriously entertaining slice of prime SoHo history. Apologies to everyone who hates when we talk too much about New York. It's kind of difficult to avoid it with this one. Read When Real Ann Dowd Met Bald Ann Dowd Follow Bald Ann Dowd Follow Ali on IG Check out Joe Frank’s Monologue…
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20 Sep 2026 · 3 hr 1 min
The King of Comedy with Stavros Halkias
This week we're covering Scorsese's The King of Comedy and we've got the real King of Comedy on to talk about how Rupert Pupkin should have done some open mic nights. The great Stavros Halkias returns to talk Marty, Bobby, Jerry Lewis, Sandra Bernhard, the Klumps, and his billion-dollar pitch for a new action franchise character named Fuccio Pussighetti. Plus - we all apologize to Jason Mantzoukas. Blank Check's Merch Store is back! The first round of pre-orders on new items ends September 20 . Watch Jerry Lewis at the 30th Anniversary Screening of King of Comedy. Watch Don Rickles Tribute,…
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13 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 16 min
Raging Bull with David Krumholtz
Did you pod my cast? DID YOU POD MY CAST? Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull is often cited as one of the greatest films of all time - one of the greatest boxing films, one of the greatest biopics, one of the greatest screen transformations and lead performances of all time. It's also one of the greatest uses of repetitive dialogue. The great David Krumholtz joins us to talk about Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, the luminous Cathy Moriarty, and the tonal tightrope this film walks. Again - DID YOU POD MY CAST?? Check out Krumholtz's De Niro story De Niro FUCK TRUMP Sign up for Check Book , the Blank…
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6 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 59 min
New York, New Yorkwith Lin-Manuel Miranda
Start spreadin' the news, we're podding today... Broadway icon (and newly minted Disney Legend!) Lin-Manuel Miranda joins us to talk about what is possibly Scorsese's biggest bounce - 1977's New York, New York. Cocaine, unchecked ambition, and a misguided attempt to try and get Liza Minnelli to do improv led Marty to some dark places. But hey - at least Robert De Niro learned how to play the saxophone! Expect lots of Broadway talk on this episode - with, of course, much props to the "Homie John Kander." Check out the Disney Legends alongside Lin Read Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for…
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23 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 28 min
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore with Katey Rich
"Martin Scorsese doesn't make movies about women" - WRONG. "Martin Scorsese doesn't make movies that would work as a long-running workplace sitcom" - ALSO WRONG. Katey Rich joins us to chat about Scorsese's unexpected follow-up to Mean Streets , 1974's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore . We're talking diners, Ellen Burstyn, parenting strategies, "women's pictures," and far more Hootie & The Blowfish than you'd expect from this episode. We're also not "trying silence," okay? Buy the Hootie and the Blowfish shirt Katey (and David) have. Listen to the Screen Draft eps with Griffin and Katey. Read…
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16 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 32 min
Mean Streets with Miriam Bale
We're heading to Little Italy's San Gennaro festival this week with Griffy Parm, David Bags, and the great Miriam Bale as we chat about 1973's Mean Streets - a major breakthrough for both Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro. Join us as we chat about the seismic impact this film had on American cinema, DeNiro's screen persona, those iconic needledrops, and the ways racism and misogyny permeate the film's atmosphere. Also - did you know this movie was mostly filmed in Los Angeles!?! Listen to Bobby on Off Menu Follow @judis.annie on Instagram Read the Next Scorsese series in Esquire Listen to…
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9 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 23 min
Who's That Knocking at My Door / Boxcar Bertha
Knock knock! Who's there? MARTY, THAT'S WHO! Welcome to the first installment in PODCASTFELLAS - our supersized series on the films of short king and Italian-American asthmatic Martin Scorsese. This guy made some pretty good movies, huh. This week, Griffin, David, and Ben discuss Scorsese's Little Italy upbringing and his two first features - 1967's Who's That Knocking at My Door? and 1972's Boxcar Bertha . One feels like a film school parody of Scorsese movie. The other, a not-scuzzy-enough exploitation picture. Neither really feel like his true debut. Check out Mostly True: The West's Most…
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6 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 30 min
A Conversation with Andrew Stanton
Surprise! In a first for Blank Check, we’re dropping a bonus main-feed episode featuring a conversation with the Academy Award-winning director of the films we just covered. The great Andrew Stanton joins us for a delightful conversation about Pixar, what happened to scatting, and how Elmo messed everything up for everyone. He answers many questions from Griffin (the Pixar nerd formerly known as FlikLover98), and goes in depth on the ending of WALL-E. Enjoy! Sign up for Check Book , the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier…
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2 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 30 min
Toy Story 5
Woody, Buzz, and Jessie are back - and they're making us freak out about social media! Join Griffin, David, Ben, and Marie as they discuss Andrew Stanton's latest film - this summer's blockbuster hit Toy Story 5. David gets to talk about being a parent. Marie and Ben get to talk about wanting to be parents. And Griffin gets to talk about his special interest - the Toy Story franchise. Special thanks to Nick “Tiger” Wiger (Doughboys, How Did This Get Played?) and Aiko Tanaka ( @aikocomedy ) for help with the Japanese translations. Read Sucker: My year as a degenerate gambler By McKay Coppins…
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