Every actor yearns to stretch, proving their range of capabilities with each role. For superstars like Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone, that desire also means transcending the "persona" that made them stars in the first place. In this episode, our silver screen icons trade the big studio picture for something resembling the emerging independent film scene that exploded in the late 80s - auteur character studies, artistically told with limited budgets but bountiful grit. For many, these films provide an opportunity for a new cinematic voice to be heard; for established performers like Streisand and Stallone it's a shot at reinvention, culminating in that ultimate sign of approval: an Academy Award.

Join theatre professor Kirk Vichengrad and entertainment journalist Matthew Chernov on a fascinating and unexpected exploration of the atypical performances by our legends in their respective Oscar-bait films, "Nuts" and "Cop Land."

We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises.

Also, please click the SEND US A TEXT button below to quickly share your thoughts directly with us. We’d love to hear your opinions of these films, our two superstars, and of course, the podcast itself. As we grow, we are so grateful for your feedback and support, which helps us spread the word of Babs and Sly: A Streisand and Stallone Podcast.

Show Theme Music composed and provided by Brian Kinler.

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Despite the old adage that "the book is always better than the movie," our hosts Kirk Vichengrad, a theatre professor, and Matthew Chernov, an entertainment journalist, argue that a successful adaptation should capture the essence of its source material while standing on its own as an achievement in a different medium. In this episode, they explore the film adaptations of the best-selling novels The Prince of Tides and First Blood, both of which earned critical and commercial success — and the enthusiastic approval of their authors, Pat Conroy and David Morrell. Through a deep dive into Barbra Streisand's 1991 directorial triumph and Sylvester Stallone's 1982 launch of the blockbuster Rambo franchise, the conversation uncovers surprising common themes and compelling insights into "the memories that haunt us and the truth that sets us free."

We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises. Also, please click the "Send Us a Text" button below to share your thoughts with us directly. We’d love to hear your opinions of these films, our two superstars, and the podcast itself. As we grow, we're grateful for your feedback and support, which helps us spread the word of Babs and Sly: A Streisand and Stallone Podcast.

Our show's theme music is composed and provided by Brian Kinler

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For Barbra Streisand, it was the resilient culmination of a 15-year passion project. For Sylvester Stallone, it was the formidable task of following up an all-time movie classic. In 1983, they tackled those challenges from the director’s chair, bringing two very different films with music to life. By exploring the harmonies and histories of Yentl and Staying Alive, theater professor Kirk Vichengrad and entertainment journalist Matthew Chernov duet on which superstar really sang and which hit a few too many sour notes.

Listen all the way to the very end of the episode for a fun coda to the conversation!

Our show's theme music is composed and provided by Brian Kinler

We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to follow and subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises.

If you enjoy this episode and want to tell us, just click the "Send us a text" button below and share your thoughts directly with us!

Send us a text