Chris Smith’s new Netflix doc FYRE tells the story of huckster Billy McFarland and his doomed Fyre Festival as a compelling piece of meat-and-potatoes journalism that’s far from the verité of Smith’s portrait of Mark Borchardt in 1999’s AMERICAN MOVIE. But for all their surface differences, at heart FYRE is another movie about a charismatic leader who overpromises and under-delivers. After dissecting what FYRE shows us — and doesn’t show us — about McFarland’s history of scammy endeavors, we dig into what connects and separates Smith’s two protagonists in terms of their ambitions, their approaches, and their intent. Plus, Your Next Picture Show, where we share recent filmgoing experiences in hopes of putting something new on your cinematic radar.

Please share your comments, thoughts, and questions about AMERICAN MOVIE, FYRE, or anything else in the world of film by sending an email to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Show Notes / Works cited:

• Fyre Fest Fiasco GoFundMe (gofundme.com/exuma-point-fyre-fest-debt)

• Fyre Fight: The Inside Story of How We Got Two Warring Fyre Festival Documentaries in the Same Week, by Scott Tobias (TheRinger.com)

• Amateurs, Con Artists, and Vanishing Movie Stars: Inside the World of Chris Smith’s Documentaries, by Scott Tobias (TheRinger.com)

• The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars, by Keith Phipps (Vulture.com)

Your Next Picture Show: 

• Keith: George Hill’s THE BIG HOUSE

• Scott: Talal Derki’s OF FATHERS AND SONS

• Genevieve: Jason Reitman’s TULLY

Outro Music: Beth Ditto, “Fire”



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Smith’s new Netflix doc FYRE tells the story of huckster Billy McFarland and his doomed Fyre Festival as a compelling piece of meat-and-potatoes journalism that’s far from the verité of Smith’s portrait of Mark Borchardt in 1999’s AMERICAN MOVIE. But for all their surface differences, at heart FYRE is another movie about a charismatic leader who overpromises and under-delivers. After dissecting what FYRE shows us — and doesn’t show us — about McFarland’s history of scammy endeavors, we dig into what connects and separates Smith’s two protagonists in terms of their ambitions, their approaches, and their intent. Plus, Your Next Picture Show, where we share recent filmgoing experiences in hopes of putting something new on your cinematic radar.Please share your comments, thoughts, and questions about AMERICAN MOVIE, FYRE, or anything else in the world of film by sending an email to <a href="mailto:comments@nextpictureshow.net">comments@nextpictureshow.net</a>, or leaving a short voicemail at <a>(773) 234-9730</a>.Show Notes / Works cited:• Fyre Fest Fiasco GoFundMe (<a href="http://gofundme.com/exuma-point-fyre-fest-debt">gofundme.com/exuma-point-fyre-fest-debt</a>)• Fyre Fight: The Inside Story of How We Got Two Warring Fyre Festival Documentaries in the Same Week, by Scott Tobias (TheRinger.com)• Amateurs, Con Artists, and Vanishing Movie Stars: Inside the World of Chris Smith’s Documentaries, by Scott Tobias (TheRinger.com)• The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars, by Keith Phipps (Vulture.com)Your Next Picture Show: • Keith: George Hill’s THE BIG HOUSE• Scott: Talal Derki’s OF FATHERS AND SONS• Genevieve: Jason Reitman’s TULLYOutro Music: Beth Ditto, “Fire” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Looking at cinema's present via its past. From the former editorial team of The Dissolve, The Next Picture Show examines how classic films inspire and inform modern movies. Episodes take a deep dive into a classic film and its legacy, then compare and contrast that film with a modern successor. Hosted and produced by Genevieve Koski, Keith Phipps, Tasha Robinson, and Scott Tobias.

Looking at cinema's present via its past.

The Next Picture Show

The "American Movie" director with another charismatic leader who overpromised and under-delivered.

Chris Smith's Charismatic Dreamers, Pt. 2 - Fyre

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ac812351-50d9-482f-bf3d-b4410175eb6e/transcript