Secret Handshake

Secret Handshake

by Jacob Knight, Marten Carlson & Cody Bouchard

Film History Film Reviews

Season 6

Spine #79 - [REC]

Never stop recording, for fuck's sake! The boys delve deep into the found footage phenomenon, starting with Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza's deeply unsettling Spanish sensation, [REC]. Will anyone put the camera down, or will we see the last things they ever did before their untimely demises? Find out here.

Spine #78 - To Live and Die in LA

WHY YOU CHASING ME? WHY YOU RUNNING? The boys are in hot pursuit of the filmography of Bad Boy Billy Friedkin, using his coked out '80s crime opus TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA as a jumping off point to discuss one of the great bodies of work in American cinema history. Will they catch Rick Masters in the process? Find out now.

Spine #77 - Ride the High Country

If they move...kill 'em! The boys jump on their trusty steeds and make sure their iron's loaded as they head toward Mexico to interrogate the nasty, violent works of "Bloody" Sam Peckinpah, starting with his watershed transitional Western, RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY ('62). Saddle up for a long ride filled with booze, women, and many, many dead bodies as they bond over this essential filmmaker's output.

Spine #76 - Razorback

G'Day boys and girls! On this installment, the boys go Down Under to explore the wacky, wild world of Ozploitation, starting with Russell Mulcahy's psychedelic killer pic flick, RAZORBACK. Grab yer beers, as this one of those jam packed episodes with a bunch of titles you can't miss.

Spine #75 - Blue Velvet

In dreams, I walk with you. In dreams, I talk to you. The boys return to say goodbye to the late, great David Lynch, celebrating one of his crowning achievements as America's foremost avant garde pervert: BLUE VELVET. Things get just as wistful as they do weird.

Bonus Episode - The Filmography of Mean Gene Hackman

The Grim Reaper is quite active in 2025, so the boys decide to do the first of a few tribute episodes, this one in honor of the great character actor-cum-leading man, Mean Gene Hackman. Was he the greatest actor of his generation and why did he inspire so many of his colleagues (not to mention audience members)? The boys investigate one of the greats on this Bonus Episode.

Bonus Episode - The James Bond Franchise (Feat. James Emanuel Shapiro)

It's Handshake, Secret Handshake. The boys are back after a brief hiatus and they brought one of their best buds, James Emanuel Shapiro (formerly of XYZ Films, Drafthouse Films and NEON), with them to talk 007. Now that the franchise is in the hands of big tech villains, will the world's greatest spy ever truly be safe? Find out now.

Bonus Episode - The Best Films of '24

Another year in the books! For this Bonus Installment of SH, the boys break down their ten favorite films of 2024 (and may have already picked at least one film that will make their 2025 list!).

Spine #74 - Den of Thieves

Big Nick Fever has hit Secret Handshake! To celebrate the release of DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA, Jacob tries to convert Marten into being a Butler Boy and even makes him watch Gerard's HAS FALLEN trilogy (OLYMPUS/LONDON/ANGEL) for good measure. How does the first experiment of 2025 turn out? Tune in and find out!

Spine #73 - Return of the Living Dead

Braaaaaaaains! For our last episode of 2024, the boys bust out what the consider the second best zombie movie of all time: RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. Send more cops! These things are hungry!

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