Derailed Trains of Thought

27/03/2024

It's Episode 150 , folks! Hosts Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden are putting the podcast on haitus, but not before delivering a massive episode featuring a Story School about nostalgia and a wide-ranging review of the last 150 episodes of your premiere podcast on storytelling for the creator and consumer, Derailed Trains of Thought. Come enjoy the memories, the clips, and the new content!

Sometimes we look back at the stories that shaped us, at the memories of characters and fictional worlds that left their impression upon us. We can remember with fondness what we learned and experi…

28/02/2024

New Episode - #149 - In the Middle of It All

Hosts Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden discuss how to make the middle of the story work well (and how to make it not work). Also, music, random passages from classic books, and our regular hijinks.

Everyone knows famous first lines from classic novels. Everyone has their favorite endings to a long-running series. But people don’t share their favorite “middle scenes” near as …

29/12/2023

It's time to wrap up another season of Let's Finally Watch This. We start by making a few corrections, filling in a few gaps in this season's discussion of film exhibition, and discussing how film continues to change up to the present. But, then, the heart of the episode--our Ranking of Essentialness for this season's movies! We also share our personal favorities from the season. Thanks for joining us for another journey through the decades of film! Show Notes

It’s time to wrap up another season of Let’s Finally Watch This. We start by making a few corrections, filling in a few gaps in this season’s discussion of film exhibition, and di…

16/12/2023

It's nearly Christmas. Among other things, this means it's time to rest from the chaos of Christmas preparations; it's time to spend some with the people you love most; it's time to ponder peace on earth and goodwill toward man. It's time to reevaluate the year that's past and look forward to the year to come. It's a time of restoration....

It’s nearly Christmas. Among other things, this means it’s time to rest from the chaos of Christmas preparations; it’s time to spend some with the people you love most; it’s…

13/12/2023

Just a heads-up: We plan to record our Season 2 wrap-up episode for Let's Finally Watch This on Thursday night! So if you'd like to send us any feedback to discuss in that episode, leave it below or in the comments for any episode on our website. Let us know what you thought of Season 2, if you had any favorite movies we discussed, or if there's something you'd like to see in future seasons of the show. We'd love to hear from you!

01/12/2023

It's 2013. The top-grossing film of the year is Disney's Frozen, but that's not the only important fairy-tale based animated film released this year. In Japan, Studio Ghibli released The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, a beautiful, compelling retelling of the Japanese folk tale, "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." It's a film that lets us experience Japanese history, Japanese animation, and the creative ability of Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata....

It’s 2013. The top-grossing film of the year is Disney’s Frozen, but that’s not the only important fairy-tale based animated film released this year. In Japan, Studio Ghibli relea…

29/11/2023

Good news (ICYMI): Tim's son was born a few weeks ago! Both Baby David and Momma Janelle are doing great.

Bad news: For various reasons (including the new dad life), there will be no November episode of Derailed Trains of Thought this month.

Good news: However, the last regular episode of Let's Finally Watch This will release on schedule this Friday! It's about one of our favorite movies we've seen this season, so be looking forward to it! Also, Lord willing, the December episode of Derailed Trains should be just a few weeks after that, so you won't have to wait too long for our brand of podcasting goodness. 😁

24/11/2023

It's 2003--and it's the holidays. Many of our standard Christmas movies were released in the 1940s, but since the 1990s, there has been a resurgence of Christmas movies, creating a number of new holiday classics. Among those is Elf, directed by Jon Favreau, a movie nearly everyone has seen, except for Let's Finally Watch This co-host Timothy Deal. What…...

It’s 2003–and it’s the holidays. Many of our standard Christmas movies were released in the 1940s, but since the 1990s, there has been a resurgence of Christmas movies, creating a…

17/11/2023

It's 1993. Multiplexes have arrived, and there are plenty of movies to show—Jurassic Park, Tombstone, Schindler's List, the original Super Mario Bros. movie.... Okay, not all are great, but it was a time of the blockbuster. In the middle of this comes Sleepless in Seattle, an iconic romantic comedy with the now-classic pairing of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan....

It’s 1993. Multiplexes have arrived, and there are plenty of movies to show—Jurassic Park, Tombstone, Schindler’s List, the original Super Mario Bros. movie…. Okay, not all are gr…

10/11/2023

It's 1983. The blockbuster age has started, and the top-grossing movie of the year is The Return of the Jedi. However, another pivotal space movie is also released this year, The Right Stuff, a film examining the early years of the space race. Based on the book by Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff follows the journey of the Mercury Seven as they undergo grueling trials and first-of-their-kind flights....

It’s 1983. The blockbuster age has started, and the top-grossing movie of the year is The Return of the Jedi. However, another pivotal space movie is also released this year, The Right Stuff,…

03/11/2023

It's 1973. We're in the middle of the New Hollywood era, when movies tended to be more uncoventional and often darker. However, some movies are still all-around fun. The Sting, an Academy Award-winning caper movie featuring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, dives into the underworld of the 1930s with effortless skill. Two con men attempt to take revenge on a crime boss by swindling him out of his money, and the audience is along for the ride....

It’s 1973. We’re in the middle of the New Hollywood era, when movies tended to be more uncoventional and often darker. However, some movies are still all-around fun. The Sting, an Acade…

30/10/2023

There's a dead body in the isolated small-town bed and breakfast. All the weekend guests have been kept indoors because of the storm. Luckily, a famed detective is also a guest this weekend. It's time to figure out whodunit! Everyone is familiar with some version of this setup. Mysteries are a well-loved and entertaining genre--but somehow hosts Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden haven't discussed it yet!...

There’s a dead body in the isolated small-town bed and breakfast. All the weekend guests have been kept indoors because of the storm. Luckily, a famed detective is also a guest this weekend. …

27/10/2023

Our newest episode, about the Italian film 8 1/2 came through with a broken link. Apparently, the 1/2 character doesn’t work in a URL. Here’s the fixed link:

It’s 1963. We’re crossing the Atlantic to visit Italy, a preeminent filmmaking country. In the 1950s-60s, Italian film was largely known for Commedia all’Italiana (“Comedy in the Italia…

27/10/2023

It's 1963. We're crossing the Atlantic to visit Italy, a preeminent filmmaking country. In the 1950s-60s, Italian film was largely known for Commedia all’Italiana (“Comedy in the Italian way”), spaghetti Westerns (westerns made in Italy), and Post-Neorealism (a movement moving past realism to explore existential themes). Famed Italian director Frederico Fellini pushes past this last in his critically acclaimed 8½...

21/10/2023

It's 1953. We're in the middle of the Golden Age of Hollywood; we're also in the pinnacle decades of the western, a truly American plot. Westerns have been around almost as long as movies (see The Great Train Robbery). Shane is an essential and quinessential example of the genre. It tells the story of homesteaders in an isolated Wyoming valley defending their land from land-hungry ranchers, with the help of enigmantic gunslinger Shane....

It’s 1953. We’re in the middle of the Golden Age of Hollywood; we’re also in the pinnacle decades of the western, a truly American plot. Westerns have been around almost as long a…

13/10/2023

It's 1943. World War 2 is raging, and nearly all the movies are war-related in some way. Into this comes a story of evil visiting idyllic small-town America. The director is the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock; and the movie, Shadow of a Doubt, is not as flashy or as well-known as some of his others, but it is a compact, character-driven story....

It’s 1943. World War 2 is raging, and nearly all the movies are war-related in some way. Into this comes a story of evil visiting idyllic small-town America. The director is the master of sus…

06/10/2023

It's 1933. It's the Depression, and audiences want movies that don't sugarcoat the truth, but they want escapism too. That means it's time for a new type of musical. Hollywood released more than 100 musical films only three years earlier in 1930, but by 1933, they had largely disappeared as a genre. Choreographer Busby Berkeley helped revive them with several films, including this episode's movie, …...

It’s 1933. It’s the Depression, and audiences want movies that don’t sugarcoat the truth, but they want escapism too. That means it’s time for a new type of musical. Hollywo…

30/09/2023

Nearly everyone has a story about that one cartoon or movie they watched as a child that gave them nightmares, whether it was an "Elephants on Parade" acid trip or a "Why'd I'd watch this when I was seven?" childhood trauma. But even as adults, there are stories that lodge deep in the psyche, that get under your skin and just…...

Nearly everyone has a story about that one cartoon or movie they watched as a child that gave them nightmares, whether it was an “Elephants on Parade” acid trip or a “Why’d …

29/09/2023

It's 1923. The building blocks of classic Hollywood are coming together and the people are enjoying silent movies in their movie palaces in the years following the Great War. Director Cecil B. DeMille, known for the biblical epic 1956 movie The Ten Commandments, releases a movie with the same title in this year. What this first The Ten Commandments…...

It’s 1923. The building blocks of classic Hollywood are coming together and the people are enjoying silent movies in their movie palaces in the years following the Great War. Director Cecil B…

22/09/2023

It’s 1913. The movie industry is starting to move from the East Coast out west, and nickelodeons are a growing staple of American society. Out of those burgeoning years of the movie industry and newly minted movie stars come Mabel Normand, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, and the Keystone Cops, all of whom are involved in this episode's short, Mabel's New Hero....

It’s 1913. The movie industry is starting to move from the East Coast out west, and nickelodeons are a growing staple of American society. Out of those burgeoning years of the movie industry and ne…

15/09/2023

Welcome to season 2 of Let's Finally Watch This, a podcast for casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies. Once again we're traveling through the century, highlighting one movie from each decade from 1903 to 2013. In each episode, we'll highlight what's going on film history, how the chosen film affected future movies, and, of course, whether the movie itself is actually worth watching....

Welcome to season 2 of Let’s Finally Watch This, a podcast for casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies. Once again we’re traveling through the century, highlight…

14/09/2023

During this season of Let's Finally Watch This, we'll be covering movies from such notable filmmakers as Alfred Hitchcock, Cecil B. DeMille, Federico Fellini, Busby Berkeley, Jon Favreau, Isao Takahata, and Nora Ephron. And movie stars featured this season include Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Will Ferrell, Mabel Norman, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Dennis Quaid, Alan Ladd, and many more.

Generally, our discussions are designed to be as spoiler-free as possible (since we are for casual movie fans who have always *meant* to watch these classics). That said, if you'd like to watch any of this season's movies ahead of time, or if you'd just like a sneak peak at our lineup, then here's the full list! Hope you're looking forward to our Season 2 premiere tomorrow morning on your favorite podcast app!

1903 The Great Train Robbery Western Directed by Edwin S. Porter 1913 Mabel’s New Hero Comedy Starring Mabel Normand, Fatty Arbuckle, and The Keystone Cops 1923 The Ten Commandments Biblical Epic Directed by Ceil B. DeMille 1933 42nd Street Musical Choreographed by Busby Berkeley 1943 S...

11/09/2023

Season 2 of Let’s Finally Watch This will premiere this Friday! This is, of course, our spinoff podcast for casual movie fans who have always *meant* to watch classic movies. Once again this season, we’re covering one movie each decade — starting with 1903 all the way up to 2013 — and we’ll recap the film history that goes with it. If you missed the first season, it’s all available on your podcast app of choice or at our website. Hope you’re looking forward to a new season!

Visit the post for more.

31/08/2023

Episode 144 - This is the Filler Episode

This month's episode is here, featuring special guest Bex from Redeemed Otaku Podcast! She joins us to talk about filler episodes and test her anime title savvy.

This episode also includes our annual summer movie review. Which films did we go out to see and what did we think?

Nearly every long-running series has at least a few episodes that seem to be “killing time.” Sometimes they are unique one-off stories. Sometimes they are humorous character studies. An…

28/07/2023

All stories teach a lesson of some sort. Some lessons are very obvious and simple: Tell the truth. Kindness is best. True beauty comes from within. But what makes these morals resonate in a story? Why do they come off as maudlin and sappy in some stories and profound and deep in others? Hosts Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden examine the difference between simple and simplistic morals....

All stories teach a lesson of some sort. Some lessons are very obvious and simple: Tell the truth. Kindness is best. True beauty comes from within. But what makes these morals resonate in a story? …

19/07/2023

In our June episode about public domain, we touched on the topic of video game preservation. This video that came out about a week ago digs into that a little more and talks about a recent study that found 87% of video games published in America before 2010 are no longer commercially available, which is a staggering number. Check it out to learn more!

The Video Game History conducted a study and revealed that 87% of Classic Games are commercially unavailable. This is a preservation nightmare, so let's brea...

29/06/2023

Every creative work is the product of someone's hard work and imagination. That's why there's copyright laws. Storytellers of all kinds should be paid for their work and own their ideas. However, at some point, all stories enter the public domain. What is public domain? What's the role of public domain in creativity? How does public domain change storytelling? How long should a copyright last?...

Every creative work is the product of someone’s hard work and imagination. That’s why there’s copyright laws. Storytellers of all kinds should be paid for their work and own their…

31/05/2023

New episode! We discuss what our stories say about our culture--both good and bad. We also talk Mandalorian, Peer Gynt, Muppets Mayhem, and more!

It is true that the stories we consume can affect the sort of people we are. In this episode, however, hosts Timothy Deal and Nick Hayden examine the truth of the reverse. Do a culture’s stor…

12/05/2023

During Episode 140, guests Eric Anderson and Dallas Mora, joined by host Nick Hayden, competed in an epic showdown of geek-themed Jeopardy! However, that episode ran long, so only the first round made the final cut. Enjoy!

During Episode 140, guests Eric Anderson and Dallas Mora, joined by host Nick Hayden, competed in an epic showdown of geek-themed Jeopardy! However, that episode ran long, so only the first round m…

29/04/2023

New episode with special guests! Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel and Dallas Mora of Geek Devotions share stories of their ministry to those who love all things geeky.

Table top games. Cosplay. Anime. Superheros. Star Wars. Conventions. These are a few of a geek’s favorite things. Those who love these things love to share them with others. Together, they ma…