327 – On the Road

With I’m Still Here garnering praise in this year’s awards race, we thought it would be a great time to talk about Walter Salles – and, well, things turned out great with a surprise Best Picture nomination for Salles and company. After earning stateside honors with films like The Motorcycle Diaries and Central Station, Salles took on an ambitious and long-gestating project: an adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. With a starry cast and impeccable craft team, the film received a mild-to-dismissive reception at its Cannes premiere and struggled throughout the season to regain traction.

This episode, we praise the work of Salles (including in this divisive film!) and mention the many names that were previously attached to bring the landmark book to the screen. We also talk about Kristen Stewart during the height of Twilight, Salles’ reedit of the film before its fall release, and the supporting cast that includes the likes of Amy Adams, Viggo Mortensen, Elisabeth Moss, Alice Braga, and Kirsten Dunst.

Topics also include IFC Films, the 2012 National Board of Review Top 10 Independent Films, and other beat generation films.