The Director Dossiers

Johnny Cruz

Details

Each episode of “The Director Dossiers” is a mega deep dive into film history that explores an influential director’s entire career, or focuses on a single movie in their filmography. The show is hosted by Johnny Cruz, an award-winning screenwriter who has written & directed two feature films alongside Danny Barker, who is a filmmaker, audio engineer, and musician in the band Great Oblivion, two-time nominees at the Asbury Park Music Awards. Together, Johnny and Danny blend insightful, in-depth film discussion with a relaxed, hang-out style atmosphere.

Recent Episodes

MAR 5, 2026
A Deep Dive on Robert Altman's McCabe & Mrs. Miller - The Director Dossiers Podcast #16
“Welp, I guess if a man’s fool enough not to listen to a film history deep dive on the writing, filming, editing, and release of Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller with a woman, she ain’t gonna think much of him.” Watch on Spotify and listen on Apple Podcasts: https://linktr.ee/TheDirectorDossiers ————————————————— CHAPTERS: 0:00 — Intro 00:59 — The Writing 1:44:43 — The Filming 4:05:31 — The Editing 4:30:25 — The Release 4:57:47 — Deconstructing the Western 5:53:22 — Sisters of Misery 6:19:53 — Thanks for Watching! ————————————————— SOURCES: McCabe & Mrs. Miller(The Criterion Collection): https://a.co/d/04XKaoI4 Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller: Reframing the American West by Robert T. Self: https://a.co/d/07prfUhP McCabe by Edmund Naughton: https://a.co/d/028aJLrV Robert Altman: The Oral Biography by Mitchell Zuckoff: https://a.co/d/0j1RJ1MA Robert Altman: Jumping Off the Cliff by Patrick McGilligan: https://a.co/d/0eRTET1L Altman on Altman by David Thompson: https://a.co/d/06KLYjxU McCabe & Mrs. Miller by Bruce Jackson and Diane Christian: https://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~bjackson/bfs/mccabe20.pdf The Gentle Tamers by Dee Brown: https://a.co/d/027WQASA Daughters of Joy, Sisters of Misery by Anne M. Butler: https://a.co/d/0ieuO5yt #Robertaltman #westernfilm #western #leonardcohen #revisonistwestern #antiwestern #1970sfilm #filmhistory #filmpodcast #deepdive #cinemahistory #cinema
386 MIN
APR 16, 2025
A Deep Dive on Stanley Kubrick's The Shining - The Director Dossiers #15
All work and no film history makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no deep dive on The Shining makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no fascinating insight makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no Stanley Kubrick makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no well researched podcast makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no Director Dossiers makes Jack a dull boy. For more on Kubrick, check out our episodes on Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut, and our episode on his entire filmography. --------------------------------------- WATCH THE TRAILER FOR THE DOCUMENTS!: https://thedocumentsmovie.my.canva.site/ --------------------------------------- WATCH on Youtube https://linktr.ee/TheDirectorDossiers --------------------------------------- CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Intro 1:55 – The Writing 40:56 – The Filming 1:48:32 – The Editing 2:09:10 – The Release 2:39:58 – The Theories 4:31:48 – Our Analysis 5:07:16 - Thanks for Watching! --------------------------------------- Books: Stanley Kubrick by Vincent Lubrutto: https://a.co/d/9jz2gYY Kubrick: An Odyssey by Robert P. Kolker & Nathan Abrams: https://a.co/d/6gQjEnJ The Stanley Kubrick Archives edited by Alison Castle: https://a.co/d/4Uvz69O Stanley Kubrick and Me: Thirty Years at his Side by Emilio D’Alessandro: https://a.co/d/6ycWS4Q Kubrick by Michael Herr: https://a.co/d/i1AREP4 Stanley Kubrick: A Life by David Mikics: https://a.co/d/0jEjg94 Stanley Kubrick: Interviews by Gene D. Phillips: https://a.co/d/1PnrI4I Stanley Kubrick: The Complete Films by Paul Duncan: https://a.co/d/6UZs2ae Eyes Wide Shut: Stanley Kubrick and the Making of His Final Film. by Robert P. Kolker & Nathan Abrams: https://a.co/d/g4u0Ib5 For more Kubrick talk visit these channels and videos: The Kubrick Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOXNWogCLfM&list=PLvVelKSa0ZrL6ZpY7XuNl8hRomAutPjWF&pp=iAQB Collative Learning: https://www.youtube.com/@collativelearning Eyebrow Cinema https://www.youtube.com/@EyebrowCinema Cinematyler: https://www.youtube.com/@CinemaTyler Broey Deschanel: https://youtu.be/QLUwtSZseKk?si=3rh8n98Uob-PpCpd
308 MIN
MAR 4, 2025
The Life and Films of David Lynch(1990-2025) - The Director Dossiers Podcast #14
Special Agent Dale Cooper: Diane, The Director Dossiers released Part Two of their David Lynch retrospective. This time they detail the history behind the productions of Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Lost Highway, The Straight Story, Mulholland Drive, Inland Empire, and Twin Peaks: The Return. My god, I've learned a lot about David Lynch, and their insight into his movies has really made me appreciate the man and his stories. Diane, do yourself a favor and watch Lynch's work. --------------------------------------- Watch on Youtube; https://linktr.ee/TheDirectorDossiers --------------------------------------- CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Intro 0:56 – Wild at Heart 30:16 - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me 59:04 – Side Projects 1:10:27 – Lost Highway 1:42:02 – The Straight Story 1:54:46 – Mulholland Drive 2:21:21 – Inland Empire 2:46:41 – Side Projects 2 2:54:25 - Twin Peaks: The Return 3:19:16 - Thanks for Watching! --------------------------------------- RESOURCES: David Lynch YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkhiZW2Zi4nh4mu2OOAuOJBlKQttpwofC&si=9nZAkaOj0qJ_fR5h Books: Room to Dream by Kristine McKenna & David Lynch Lynch on Lynch by Chris Ridley David Lynch: Beautiful Dark by Greg Olson Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch David Lynch: A Retrospective by Ian Nathan #davidlynch #bluevelvetthoughts #dune #twinpeaks #eraserhead #losthighway #mulhollanddrive
201 MIN
FEB 18, 2025
The Life and Films of David Lynch(1946-1990) - The Director Dossiers #13
Special Agent Dale Cooper: Diane, 7:30am, February 24th. I've discovered a film history podcast called The Director Dossiers. Two filmmakers blending insightful, in-depth film discussion with a relaxed, hang-out style atmosphere. Never seen such a well-researched podcast in my life. They've just released Part One of a two episode retrospective on the life and filmography of David Lynch. They detail the history behind the productions of Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Dune, Blue Velvet, and Twin Peaks: The Original Series. Damn good conversation. Diane, if you ever stumble upon The Director Dossiers, that podcast is worth a listen. LEARN MORE about our movie THE DOCUMENTS!: https://thedocumentsmovie.my.canva.site Check out our review of Wolf Man w/DUSTY OHIO VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/@UC-GRvkc9ulwQvQ5e05HAwdw --------------------------------------- Watch on Youtube: https://linktr.ee/TheDirectorDossiers?utm_source=linktree_profile_share --------------------------------------- CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Intro 0:45 – Early Life 18:36 - First Short Films 40:07 – Eraserhead 1:16:13 – The Elephant Man 1:41:02 – Dune 2:20:31 – Blue Velvet 2:53:16 – Twin Peaks 3:23:15 – On to Part 2! --------------------------------------- RESOURCES: David Lynch YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkhiZW2Zi4nh4mu2OOAuOJBlKQttpwofC&si=9nZAkaOj0qJ_fR5h Books: Room to Dream by Kristine McKenna & David Lynch Lynch on Lynch by Chris Ridley David Lynch: Beautiful Dark by Greg Olson Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch David Lynch: A Retrospective by Ian Nathan
203 MIN
JAN 7, 2025
A Deep Dive on James Cameron's Titanic - The Director Dossiers #12
Rose: I have to let go Jack. Jack: What, why? Never let go, Rose. Rose: The Director Dossiers released a deep dive on the history behind the writing, filming, editing, and record-shattering release of James Cameron's Titanic. I need to let go to press play. I need to explore how James Cameron pushed technological boundaries years before the Avatar franchise and crafted one of the most ambitious productions in Hollywood History. Jack: Understandable. Let me go. --------------------------------------- VISIT AMBER & KEY: https://amberandkey.com/ --------------------------------------- LEARN MORE about our FEATURE FILM “THE DOCUMENTS!” https://linktr.ee/thedocumentsmovie --------------------------------------- Watch on Youtube: https://linktr.ee/TheDirectorDossiers?utm_source=linktree_profile_share --------------------------------------- Danny’s Instagram: @danny_barker @zatheband --------------------------------------- CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Intro 0:56 – Amber & Key 2:04 – The Writing/Research 31:16 – Filming the Titanic Wreck 47:51 – The Pre-Production 1:14:02 – The Production 2:13:02 – The Post-Production 2:59:02 – The Release 3:16:38 – Our Thoughts 3:56:59 – Thanks for watching --------------------------------------- RESOURCES: James Cameron YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkhiZW2Zi4nhsNvFPrljayCCqLNW5oRoB&si=y-wt-fiVP_pFmi0j James Cameron on Howard Stern: https://youtu.be/UjcNir7iBMg?si=pBXc0JpThTz5nOcB The Olympic/Titanic Conspiracy: https://youtu.be/KxkEMge4118?si=GaKOFojmoCcOO1jk James Cameron’s LSD trip: https://youtu.be/BC63BPsx-1s?si=mbHdt6EjfZtr4YAD Books: The Futurist: The Life and Films of James Cameron by Rebecca Keegan: https://a.co/d/bLjV3Ln Titanic and the Making of James Cameron by Paula Parisi: https://a.co/d/cMOPz3H James Cameron’s Titanic by Jain Lemos: https://a.co/d/5x5TOpI
238 MIN