Episode notes
‘Giant’ may be remembered as James Dean’s final film, but there is so much more to the story. Chris and Lizzie dive into the making of the classic 1956 film, why James Dean and Rock Hudson couldn’t stand each other, and how Elizabeth Taylor found herself caught between the two. Find out how homophobia tore Rock Hudson’s life apart, why director George Stevens constantly fought with James Dean, and how Dean’s untimely death prior to the end of production set the film on a totally different course. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
WHAT WENT WRONG
by Sad Boom Media · English · Film & TV
What Went Wrong covers Hollywood’s most notoriously disastrous movie productions, digging into the behind-the-scenes insanity of everything from massive flops to record-breaking blockbusters. In each episode, hosts Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer dive into a new film to explore the mind-blowing
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22 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 19 min
The 13th Warrior
In 1999, Touchstone thought they had a surefire hit in the works. They had source material by the author of ‘Jurassic Park’ and the director of ‘Die Hard’ behind the camera! But soon things fell apart so spectacularly that ‘The 13th Warrior’ would become one of the year’s biggest box office bombs. This week, Chris and Lizzie unpack how a power struggle between author Michael Crichton and director John McTiernan doomed the film from the start. Find out why making this movie was a battle worthy of Beowulf himself, full of injuries, near death experiences, and pure unadulterated treachery.…
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15 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 38 min
War of the Worlds (2005)
This week, Chris & Lizzie try to unearth the truth behind 2005's War of the Worlds - was it an unmitigated, Cruisian PR disaster? Or was Tom Cruise's bizarre press tour merely a scapegoat? Plus, how Steven Spielberg and company put together a $135M sci-fi epic on a 10 month turn-around, how a couple of B-movie mockbusters beat it to the box office, and yet another concept album throwing a wrench in the works. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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12 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Out of Frame: Scientology and Hollywood
In preparation for Monday's episode on War of the Worlds (2005) Chris and Lizzie explore the history of Scientology, the wave of religious movements in early 20th century Los Angeles, and set the table for Tom Cruise's disastrous publicity tour leading up to the release of the film. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Big Fat... Latina Wedding? This week, Chris & Lizzie dive into the magical, seemingly impossible indie-darling that could, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Learn how Nia Vardalos turned what Hollywood perceived to be her biggest liability (her Greek heritage) into a movie so specifically hilarious, it felt universal. This is the unlikely story of how a one-woman show (and a $500 ad in the LA Times) found Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks in its audience and birthed one of the most successful indie films in the history of Hollywood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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25 May 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Breakfast at Tiffany's
When Hollywood producers got their hands on Truman Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, they thought they’d found the perfect RomCom. There was just one problem: there was no rom in that com because the narrator was gay. In this episode, Chris and Lizzie break down the Audrey Hepburn classic and discover why she was reluctant to take the part, which actor caused the most trouble on set, and how the cinematographer got electrocuted… at Tiffany’s! Plus we discuss the lasting impact of Mickey Rooney’s troubled performance, and discover why Truman Capote himself wanted to spit on the director.…
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22 May 2026 · 56 min
Out of Frame: In Cold Blood | Movie vs. Book
When the town of Holcomb, Kansas opened its doors to renowned author Truman Capote in 1959, they had no idea their story would change the way True Crime was written forever. Join Chris and Lizzie as they explore the real case behind the novel ‘In Cold Blood’ and its 1967 film adaptation, plus find out where Capote may have twisted the truth, and the shocking lengths film director Richard Brooks took to recreate the murders of the Clutter Family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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8 Oct 2026 · 39 minNew
ENCORE: James McAvoy on California Schemin'
This week, we revisit our interview with the one and only James McAvoy as Chris and Lizzie break down what went wrong - and very right - on his directorial debut, California Schemin’. The film follows two young Scottish rappers who get laughed out of the music industry… until they start pretending to be American. It’s a true story of ambition, delusion, and the blurry line between reinvention and outright fraud. Find out what drew McAvoy to the script, how he assembled the perfect cast, and what surprised him most about stepping behind the camera for the first time. Plus, discover the tricks…
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5 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 14 min
Saw
Just two guys and we're having a good time! This week, Chris and Lizzie chain themselves to James Wan and Leigh Whannell's breakout horror hit, SAW. What began as a simple exercise to try to escape their tiny home country of Australia led to a franchise beyond either of their expectations and, perhaps, desires. From work VISAs to unpaid profits and Cary Elwes' self-discovery of latent claustrophobia, this terrifyingly crunched production proves that just because you don't make the movie you wanted, doesn't mean you can't make the movie the audience did. *CORRECTIONS: Cary Elwes did reprise…
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1 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Out of Frame: Lana Turner & Johnny Stompanato (ft. Hollywood Crime Scene)
Lana Turner made a name for herself as one of Hollywood’s most sought after femme fatales in films like ‘The Postman Always Rings Twice’, but her personal life may have been more scandalous than anything she portrayed on screen. Turner was a true rags to riches story - complete with an iconic discovery at a soda shop counter - but her life was an extremely difficult one, full of married men, debauchery, and abuse. However it was her relationship with mobster Johnny Stompanato that would haunt her - and her daughter - for the rest of their lives. This week, Lizzie is joined by Desi and Rachel…
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28 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 17 min
Carrie (1976)
It’s been 50 years since Brian De Palma turned prom into a blood bath, so let’s find out what went wrong on ‘Carrie’. Join Chris and Lizzie as they dive deep into Stephen King’s first on-screen adaptation. Find out why no one wanted to adapt the novel, why De Palma had to beg for the job, and why he was dead-set against casting Sissy Spacek. Plus, discover why that deadly prom sequence was just as scary in real life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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