How did a 1971 country-pop anthem about West Virginia end up inspiring, of all things, a 1995 anime classic about teens in Tokyo? We kick off a new season about great movie needle-drops with the tale of Whisper of the Heart (Yoshifumi Kondō)—the anime that helped popularize John Denver's “Take Me Home Country Roads” into Japanese culture. Guests include the song's co-writer Bill Danoff, plus rare interviews with Studio Ghibli cofounder Toshio Suzuki and his daughter Mamiko, the movie's lyricist.
The audio documentary podcast MUBI Podcast returns with a sequel to our popular 2023 season that dives deep into the grooves of classic movie “needle drops.” Titled Needle on the Record, Side Two, in each episode host Rico Gagliano tells the story of a film that fused music and image to make magic—and sometimes, changed popular culture. Season guests include director Gurinder Chadha and musician Bally Sagoo on the bhangra bangers of Bend It Like Beckham (2003), and star Jack O'Connell on This Is England (Shane Meadows, 2006), the ska-fueled drama that introduced him to audiences.
Listen to episode one below or wherever you get your podcasts: