Gavin Mevius, co-host of The Mixed Reviewsjoins us to talk about Cast a Deadly Spell, the made-for-TV movie from 1991 that asks us all to imagine a world where anyone can use magic, but with one hard-boiled detective named Harry Philip Lovecraft (Fred Ward) who chooses not to for…reasons? Perhaps it has something to do with his backstory, which is…never brought up? Or the rules of magic, which are…absent? Or the societal order, which is…never mentioned?
Alright, you know what? You dig just a little bit into this HBO original and you’ll discover that its film noir roots are deep, but its Lovecraftian influence is superficial at best. But hey, what it lacks in substance it makes up for with jokes about racism, transphobia, and statutory rape! Maybe there’s a reason Joseph Dougherty isn’t a household name.
The discussion ends around 59:35, but feel free to keep listening on after that for Jim’s crazy Batman Returns theory and a poll as to whether watching the Super Bowl or The Snyder Cut inspires more dread.
