An Invitation Productions
An Invitation Productions sprung to life when storyboard artist Jim Penola began exploring Karyn Kusama’s 2015 masterpiece THE INVITATION with the podcast titled––what else?––“An Invitation to THE INVITATION.” 🟣 The limited series remains a unique narrative/critical hybrid that is as meticulously scripted as it is produced, using Kusama's film as a means of highlighting cinematic craft alongside rigorous self-inquiry. Jim’s passion for other films blooms further in an eclectic selection of “one-off” episodes that excavate movies like COOL RUNNINGS and JUPITER ASCENDING. 🟣 However, his fascination with audio drama married to the aural essay format continues with the series “An Invitation to DESTROYER” – centered on Kusama’s 2018 neo-noir, originally starring Nicole Kidman. 🟣 Consider yourself invited. RSVP now.
Episodes
45 episodes
A.I.P. Tapes #004: Top Five Horror Films of 2024
A.I.P. Tapes invites new release recommendations and concise film analysis into your feed.Today, you're invited to watch host Jim Penola's Top Five Horror Films of 2024.RSVP now.Written, produced, and hosted by Jim Penola...
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2:20
A.I.P. Tapes #003: WOMAN OF THE HOUR
A.I.P. Tapes invites new release recommendations and concise film analysis into your feed.Today, you're invited to watch WOMAN OF THE HOUR (2024) — the feature film directorial debut of Anna Kendrick. The based-on-a-true-story thriller ...
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4:20
A.I.P. Tapes #002: THE SHADOW STRAYS
A.I.P. Tapes invites new release recommendations and concise film analysis into your feed.Today, you're invited to watch THE SHADOW STRAYS (2024) — the latest blood-spattered-action-symphony from writer/director Timo Tjahjanto, now stre...
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4:42
A.I.P. Tapes #001: SMILE 2
A.I.P. Tapes invites new release recommendations and concise film analysis into your feed.Today, you're invited to watch SMILE 2 – the glossy, inventive sequel to 2022's biggest Horror movie. Though the film doesn't fully explore its ne...
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3:52
Thematic Content #03: BIG BLACK DELTA x TENET with Jonathan Bates
Thematic Content is a series about the themes that define film history—across eras, genres, and filmmakers—even mediums.Episode #03 takes an unexpected (but welcome) detour towards the world of contemporary electronic music with special ...
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Season 2
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35:56
Thematic Content #02: 8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE with Philip Gawthorne
Thematic Content is a series about the themes that define film history—across eras, genres, and filmmakers—even mediums.Episode #02 continues this inaugural season's exploration of a "Los Angeles Horror of Manners" with a vivid look at p...
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Season 2
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48:36
Thematic Content #01: BLADE RUNNER with Dom Nero
Thematic Content is a series about the themes that define film history—across eras, genres, and filmmakers—even mediums. This inaugural episode takes a look at Ridley Scott's 1982 film, BLADE RUNNER, and features special guest
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Season 2
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23:25
Ellipsis #10: "One Good Choice" with Karyn Kusama
Karyn Kusama is the writer/director of GIRLFIGHT (2000), the director of JENNIFER'S BODY (2009), THE INVITATION (2015), and of course, DESTROYER (2018). She is also an Emmy nominated director of television that includes work on YELLOWJACKETS, D...
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Season 2
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55:34
An Invitation to DESTROYER #08: "The Chase"
In episode #08 of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola examines the nocturnal foot chase between Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) and Arturo Guerrero (Zach Villa), an ex-criminal and former friend of Bell's. The ensuing discussion breaks down...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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34:53
Ellipsis #09: "The Preservation of Family" with Matt Manfredi
Please enjoy this unlocked episode of my Patreon-exclusive series "Ellipsis" – the official companion podcast to "An Invitation to DESTROYER" – where I discuss the movie with fellow superfans, critics, and the creators themselves. ...
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Season 2
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1:28:44
An Invitation to DESTROYER #07: "There's No Such Thing As An Unexpressed Emotion"
In the 7th proper episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola continues to assess the fragile heart of the film: the contentious relationship between Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) and her teenage daughter, Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn). Thro...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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21:22
Ellipsis #08: "The Euphoria of Lawlessness" with Philip Gawthorne
Please enjoy this unlocked episode of my Patreon-exclusive series "Ellipsis" – the official companion podcast to "An Invitation to DESTROYER" – where I discuss the movie with fellow superfans, critics, and the creators themselves.
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Season 2
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1:05:48
An Invitation to DESTROYER #06: "Your Heart"
"Indelible in the hippocampus, it was the laughter. The uproarious laughter between the two." | "That scene – Megan and I agreed, before we started shooting it – that she was not going to *ever* wink at the audience. That no matt...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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28:48
Ellipsis #06: "The Brutality of Time and Sunlight" with Phil Hay
Please enjoy this unlocked episode of my Patreon-exclusive series "Ellipsis" – the official companion podcast to "An Invitation to DESTROYER" – where I discuss the movie with fellow superfans, critics, and the creators themselves. ...
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24:56
An Invitation to DESTROYER #05: "Hesitation Marks"
"I was always quite fascinated by people who could suppress really dark, deep, painful experiences. And I wanted to explore the idea that perhaps pushing down on those terrible experiences is harder than facing them." –Jennifer Kent
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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29:52
An Invitation to DESTROYER #04: "How Do You Make a Cop Movie in an ACAB World?"
How do you make a cop movie in an ACAB world? In episode 4 of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," writer/producer/host Jim Penola continues to wrestle with DESTROYER's depiction and dramatic centering of a police officer – a choice that continues to ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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25:12
An Invitation to DESTROYER #03: "Stray Dog"
In the 3rd episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola discusses Karyn Kusama's fascination with coyotes as a symbol of untamed rage, the importance of DESTROYER's mother/daughter dynamic, and the ways that Dire Straits may be the ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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35:19
An Invitation to DESTROYER #02: "I Don't Need to Morally Sustain What She's Doing"
In the 2nd episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola elaborates on the film's unflinching portrait of a moral but self-immolating woman in the form of Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman). Beneath and within Bell's many layers lies a tragic...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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38:06
An Invitation to DESTROYER #01: "This Is How It Ends"
In the inaugural episode of "An Invitation to DESTROYER," host Jim Penola recreates the first 4 pages of 2018's DESTROYER, directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi, as an audio play. His subsequent analysis of those ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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37:43
An Invitation to JUPITER ASCENDING
A special "one-off" bonus episode dedicated to The Wachowskis' JUPITER ASCENDING (2015). | Original Score by John Penola | Artwork by Jim Penola | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, and Jane...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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36:00
An Invitation to COOL RUNNINGS
A special "one-off" bonus episode dedicated to Disney's COOL RUNNINGS (1993). | Original Score by John Penola | Artwork by Joseph Penola | Shout-out to some of my lovely & amazing patrons: Rupa dasGupta, John Penola, Stephanie Pavlick, and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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22:50
THE INVITATION: An Unabridged Audio Dramatization
This unique bonus episode compiles all 15 of the "radio play" portions from the limited series "An Invitation to THE INVITATION" into one seamless aural experience. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this one-of-a-kind re-telling of Phil Hay & Matt...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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2:11:56
A Conversation with Karyn Kusama
In the 7th (and likely final) bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with who else? Karyn Kusama. During their conversation from December 2020, Jim and Karyn –– often through the unavoidable-but-revealing lens of...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:31:20
A Conversation with Lindsay Burdge
In the 6th bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with prolific indie actor Lindsay Burdge (A Teacher, Easy, Thirst Street, Black Bear) who of course plays Sadie. During their conversation from December 2020, Lin...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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1:27:42
A Conversation with John Carroll Lynch
In the 5th bonus episode of the series, Jim Penola sits down for an extended talk with revered character actor John Carroll Lynch (Fargo, Zodiac, The Founder, American Horror Story, Big Sky). During their conversation from December 12th, 2020, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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1:31:48