Episode 18.5: Ronin

Commenting to point out that the random ice skater whom Gregor’s Russian Mafia contact is with was played by none other than Katarina Witt, the Olympics skating champion, actual East German, and (for some) late Cold War sex symbol.

As Fallout: New Vegas is one my favorite games, I very much appreciate the reference. Thank you Devon.

Thanks to the podcast i watched this movie. I fully believe that the voiceover in the end was added because this movie released in the same year as the good friday referendum, and they were too far into making it when that happened. After all none of the characters reference it so it could well have been added in the edit

Late here because I'm catching up having just recently become a patron: your Sean Bean podcast should be SAVE SEAN BEAN

People from Britain talking about "Europeans, eh?" will never not send me

Do you think the dogs that greet them at Aged Hugo Drax's house were the same ones that ate the woman from the bond movie?

Could you recommend more books and movies, fiction and non-fiction, with good spycraft?

I hope at some point we get Ocean’s 12 as a bonus, I would very much like to hear my best friends, the hosts of this podcast, discussing that one

The small coffee cups are set up by De Niro's first line in the movie: "Juste un petit verre."

This podcast is ok but I’m really looking forward to ‘Full o’ Beans’

all this talk of the procedural intricacies this film endeavours to show reminds me of one my favourite anti-bond procedural thrillers that might be good for you to watch, with a similar name scheme to this one le samourai (1967)

1:17:31 ooo you should try van hellsing abridged :)

53:43 sounds like a new patron goal to me lol

I've got to suggest 'Escape to Athena' for this, it's a 1979 half WW2 adventure-comedy and half bond film - and it stars Roger Moore (though he's not the protagonist)

okay, this is going to seem like an insane recommendation but if you love Michael Lonsdale you have to watch Out 1. it's a 13 hour long movie, almost entirely improv, and a good chunk of the first 2 hours is theatre groups doing silent acting exercises - i know that all sounds unbearable but you have to believe me when i say its one of the best films ever made the first couple of hours can feel like a chore to watch but they're absolutely necessary and once you get past them and the film gets its hooks in you it is an emotional rollercoaster. Michael Lonsdale gives an incredible performance that keeps catching you off-guard and his acting towards the end of the film seared itself into my brain

For the first several minutes I heard Mr. Bean instead of Sean Bean and was very confused

*changes the name of the group chat to "Fucked into a cocked hat"*

Maybe something like Blades in the dark Alice? Where there is a mechanism to go back and do the planning stuff

Listened to the whole episode only to get insanely excited about the fact that in two weeks they're doing Van Helsing, one of my unironically favourite movies

Since we are all personal friends here, does Alice have any notes on running this as a TTRPG, and if so can I have them please?

Alice, In the SAS, For Real THIS TIME

Great, so now that we’re all friends here can I maybe get a ride to the airport from one of you?

I dont know if I could have a date with an Abi cardboard cutout. It wouldnt withstand either the Shibari ties or the flogging xo

The style of showing all the complicated details that go on behind intel and covert work is brilliantly shown in some of the fiction novels from ex-SAS guys, like Andy McNab, Chris Ryan, etc

WRT the bit at the end about the Good Friday Agreement - filming ended a month before the agreement was signed, so I'd guess they added it to stay current.

What do I do if I got the FNV joke but already am on HRT? Panik??

im Delighted that the Gang knows us all Personally, and arent At All SARCASTIC. (My heart is Broken now; Think of the Cat!)

I'd subscribe to an alice dev and abi pod about the sharpe series

Handcuffing a case to someone's wrist is apparently more about making sure the case arrives with the courier as it does with keeping someone from taking it; clearly, if someone wants the contents of the case bad enough, they'll take it, but what you don't want is the case accidentally left in the washroom at Zurich Central station.

Just to settle the minds of those listening: No, you are not going insane: Stellan Skarsgård was not in Knives Out. Given she's mentioned it in exactly the same context previously I think Abi was doing a callback joke.

Genuinely, fully, this film is the apotheosis of 20thC Hollywood. It's the pinnacle of 1970s New Hollywood films. It's tightly scripted and well acted. The characters are all mundane - not super human or fantastic. The film predates the bloat of cheap money after 2001. It's from before the practical effects industry was gutted by CGI... Not that i dislike contemporary films but in many ways this movie is the last of its kind.

Omg I am just starting this I'm so fucking excited! Also please do Sneakers next!!

Y’all just absolutely fucking roasted me with that Fallout New Vegas joke

While my pick for a cardboard cutout would be abigail, I prefer to imagine I am listening with Spicy Fruit Toast.

Would that be the "King James Bible" drinking game?

"the KJB drinking game."

fuck yeah my favourite car chase and sean bean being an idiot.