The Director's Chair Network

Ryan welcomes returning co-host Craig back to The Director’s Chair Network for Terrence Malick’s *The New World* (2005).
They talk first viewings in theaters, why Malick belongs on the biggest screen possible, the three existing cuts of the film, Emmanuel Lubezki’s natural-light cinematography, and James Horner’s famously unhappy score experience. The conversation covers Colin Farrell as John Smith, Christian Bale as John Rolfe, Q’orianka Kilcher’s breakout as Pocahontas, Christopher Plummer’s brief but sharp work, and how the movie handles the historical romance without turning it into Disney.
Craig previously hosted the Brian De Palma season on the network. Also happening on the channel: Sam Peckinpah coverage from Scott Murphy, plus thanks to Katie (John Hughes), Andy (Edgar Wright), and Sicco (Paul Verhoeven). Ryan and Craig also tease covering Michael Mann’s *Heat 2* when it arrives.
A long, immersive sit with one of Malick’s most visually stunning films.
00:00 – Intro, Craig returns, network updates (Peckinpah, De Palma, Hughes, Wright, Verhoeven) 
04:00 – Their history with Malick and first seeing *The New World* in theaters 
10:00 – Three cuts of the film and the Criterion set 
14:00 – James Horner’s score and his public frustration 
20:00 – Plot overview: Jamestown, Smith, Pocahontas, Rolfe 
28:00 – Look, authenticity, and Lubezki’s cinematography 
35:00 – Colin Farrell and the John Smith romance 
42:00 – Christian Bale as John Rolfe 
48:00 – Q’orianka Kilcher’s casting, age, and performance 
58:00 – Christopher Plummer and the fighting sequences 
1:05:00 – How Malick actually directs on set 
1:12:00 – Final thoughts, box office, and why the film has grown  
1:16:00 – Heat 2 tease and wrap-up

In-depth analysis of Paul Verhoeven’s 1977 classic *Soldier of Orange* (*Soldaat van Oranje*). We cover the film’s personal roots for Verhoeven, its massive production and royal involvement, historical context of the Dutch occupation, fraternity hazing as fascist allegory, multiple cuts, critical reception, and a detailed scene-by-scene look at one of the most realistic war films ever made.  
00:00 Intro & Series Context  
00:46 Why Soldier of Orange Matters  
01:00 Personal Connection & Atmosphere of Occupation  
02:04 Anti-German Sentiment & Language  
02:35 Dutch Royalty & Nazi Ties  
03:31 Royalty as Major Theme  
03:56 Budget, Financing & Royal Support  
05:10 Premiere & Royal Attendance  
07:16 Multiple Cuts & Survival Run  
08:51 Cult Status & Legacy  
09:15 Opening Montage & Newsreel Blend  
09:30 Hazing Scene & Fascist Imagery  
11:28 Fraternity Culture & Elite Networks  
13:37 Introducing the Main Characters  
14:08 Pre-War Life & War Announcement  
15:35 Invasion Begins  
17:47 Early War Experiences  
19:27 Summer Under Occupation  
20:00+ Escape Plans, Resistance, Espionage & Key Plot Points  
(Continues through detailed scene analysis, character arcs, themes of collaboration, class, and the film’s ending)
Thanks for watching this entry in the Director’s Chair series on Paul Verhoeven.

In-depth discussion of Sam Peckinpah’s 1971 film Straw Dogs, featuring guest Liam (co-host of the Spotlight Star Trek podcast and major Peckinpah fan). We cover the film’s origins, Peckinpah’s career and struggles, the infamous controversy, themes of masculinity and violence, editing, score, and why it’s one of Liam’s all-time favorites.
Content warning: This episode contains detailed discussion of sexual assault and extreme violence.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro & Film Stats
01:40 Liam’s Podcasting Background (Spotlight)
05:30 Peckinpah Fandom Origin Story
12:00 Discovering The Wild Bunch & Straw Dogs
18:00 Peckinpah’s Career Struggles & What-Ifs
25:00 Trigger Warning & Entering Straw Dogs
30:00+ Film Discussion, Themes, Editing, Score, Controversy & Rankings
Huge thanks to Liam for joining. Check out Spotlight (the Star Trek podcast from a non-Trekkie perspective) wherever you get your podcasts.
Next episode: Junior Bonner.

Katie and returning guest Lizzie rewind to 1996 for Disney’s live-action 101 Dalmatians, written by John Hughes and starring Glenn Close as an unforgettable Cruella de Vil. From 90s fashion trivia to puppy overload, family viewing, and why this remake still works, they dig into the spots that made it special.

Paul Verhoeven's 1977 masterpiece Soldier of Orange isn't just another WWII film — it's a deeply personal, morally complex look at occupation, resistance, collaboration, and survival born from the director's own childhood under Nazi rule in the Netherlands. In Part 1 of this Director's Chair deep dive, we explore what shaped Verhoeven's subversive vision, the real Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema behind the bestselling memoir, shocking new questions about his story, the chaotic production that nearly destroyed the film, and the brutal historical reality of occupied Holland.
We cover Verhoeven as a "war child," the social rifts that defined Dutch society for decades, the Englandspiel tragedy, NSB collaborators, royal family exile, the massive budget battles with producer Rob Houwer, legendary on-set fights, the infamous bike scene, and how the screenplay was reshaped to ask audiences: What would YOU do in their place?
This is the film Verhoeven was arguably born to make — epic, hyper-realistic, and unafraid of gray areas.
0:00 - Welcome & Introduction to Soldier of Orange (Part 1)
0:49 - Production Credits, Rob Houwer & the Screenplay Team
2:25 - Paul Verhoeven's WWII Childhood & Dutch Society's Deep Schisms
4:23 - Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema: The Book, Million-Copy Success & New Revelations
8:23 - Life Under German Occupation: Royals Flee, NSB Rises & Resistance Reality
17:47 - Royal Connections, British Investors & Pre-Production Drama
22:57 - Production Hell: Fights with Houwer, The Bike Scene Disaster & Near-Cancellation
28:34 - Casting Stories: Rutger Hauer, Rijk de Gooyer & Real-Life Inspirations
35:15 - Nuanced Portrayals of Collaboration, Betrayal & Survival
41:49 - Epic Extras, Royal Fans & Teaser for Part 2 (The Film, Premiere & Aftermath)
Part 2 drops soon