Hand Me the Mike #04: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead with Vincent Mollica

In the latest Hand Me the Mike, host Daniella Mazzio is joined by illustrator and Sidney Lumet evangelist Vincent Mollica to talk about Lumet's final film Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Topics of conversation include Lumet's actor-first process, the movie's layers of visual metaphor, the southern gothic pulse throughout the film, and how Michael Shannon's brief role is nonetheless a crucial foil to Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance and character.

Listen directly through Pinecast, or subscribe below via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, and more:

Vincent Mollica is a Student Processing Specialist who lives in Madison, WI although he considers Chicago home. He is also a cartoonist, illustrator, and animator who uses the Instagram handle Movie Theater Stories. He is currently packing many stacks of DVDs he purchased at thrift stores around the Midwest.

Follow Vincent on Instagram and check out his recent work in Lumpen Comics Issue #143 (the first issue since 2022)!

This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated.

Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."

Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.

Hand Me the Mike cover art features an illustration from Daniella and fonts designed by Steve Shanabruch as part of The Chicago Neighborhoods.

Additional audio snippets are from Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.

This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:

Michael Shannon's interview with The Film Stage: https://thefilmstage.com/michael-shannon-on-kubrickian-inspiration-sex-as-storytelling-and-sidney-lumet/

Martha Pinson's Notes on the "Lumet Method": https://marthapinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/THE-LUMET-METHOD-1.pdf

Sidney Lumet interview with BFI: https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/interviews/sidney-lumet-before-devil-knows-youre-dead

Carter Burwell on the score: https://www.carterburwell.com/projects/Before_The_Devil.html