MIDNIGHT MASS with Mo Beatty

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Join us for a captivating discussion on this episode of Film Nuts as we explore the profound themes and unique elements of Mike Flanagan's "Midnight Mass." Our special guest, the talented actress and voice actor Mo Beatty, known for her roles in "The Cleaning Lady" and "The Rookie: Feds," shares her personal connection to the show and how its themes resonate with her own experiences in the entertainment industry. Together, we dive into Flanagan's emphasis on the human aspects of horror and reflect on our personal journeys with faith, making this an episode you won't want to miss.

In this thought-provoking episode, we reflect on the intriguing connections between the fictional Crockett Island and the real Tangier Island, as portrayed in "Midnight Mass." Touching on themes of erosion, climate change, and community decline, we delve into the show's depiction of mortality, community, and the desire for eternal youth. We also highlight standout performances, particularly Hamish Linklater's complex portrayal, and discuss how the show's intricate storytelling and character development make it a compelling watch. Tune in for a captivating conversation that will leave you questioning your own beliefs and pondering the deeper meaning behind the show's mesmerizing narrative.

Prepare to be enthralled as we explore the existential themes and gripping storytelling of "Midnight Mass" on this episode of Film Nuts. From discussing the show's focus on grief, faith, and humanity in the vampire horror subgenre, to reflecting on our own personal experiences and journeys with spirituality, Mo Beatty and I leave no stone unturned. As we delve into the intricate layers of the show, we uncover the powerful connections between fiction and reality, tackling topics such as community decline, the desire for eternal youth, and the complexities of human nature. Don't miss out on this captivating conversation that will challenge your perspective and leave you hungry for more.

Notey Notes:
Mo's Instagram
Taylor talks Logan on Int. Analysis
Katie Siegel talks Midnight Mass and Tangier Island 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:24

eyes and skin and hands, but also wings, a sense of great wings unfolding him and his mind, finally found the word. The word was unearthed by his fear, like the tomb was unearthed by the storm, and the was Angel, angel.

Speaker 3: 0:51

If you want something slow-moving and dark that discusses what it means to be human in a variety of categories and forms, watch this show. To me, it's an incredibly relevant show, and I mean a beautifully well-done show, well-written and well-acted, and you know, the monologues in it are like every actor's dream.

Speaker 2: 1:16

Hi, I'm Taylor and welcome back to the Film Nuts podcast. Or, if you're joining us for the first time, welcome to the Fold. It's truly wonderful to have you all here for film and fellowship. The fold it's truly wonderful to have you all here for film and fellowship. I'd like to start off our episode today with a reading. Oh, if all this gold should steal my soul away. Oh, dear mother of mine, please redirect me. If this gold, bartender, you see, this wine that's drinking me came from the vine that strung Judas from the devil's tree roots deep, deep in the ground. These lyrics are to a song called Bartender by Dave Matthews Band, a song about grace, temptation and forgiveness, a song that plays in the background of a show about these same ideas from horror auteur Mike Flanagan, a show called Midnight Mass. Flanagan's third Netflix series examines grief, prejudice, faith, life and death, all while elevating the vampire horror subgenre. It is not only a profound piece of art for me, but it had a profound impact on my guest today as well.

Speaker 2: 2:29

Mo Beatty is an actress and voice actor who has appeared in such shows as the Cleaning Lady, the Rookie Feds and voice characters in Star Wars, galactic Pals and the Elder Scrolls Online video game franchise as an actor. There's tons of filmmaking to love in Midnight Mass, but it's the themes and issues that truly resonated with her. Mo and I talk about the life of a child actor, how Midnight Mass portrays religion and faith and the real life places that inspired this show. Oh, and what happens when we die. You know super light stuff. We discussed this show right after Easter and after about 40 minutes of technical difficulties we finally got talking and it's almost like we couldn't stop. So I've got my Crockett Island gear on here, but go ahead and fill up the Sacramento wine bottles. Here's Mo Beatty talking about Midnight Mass on the Film Nuts podcast. What's the good stuff you got going on.

Speaker 3: 3:30

Actually quite a bit of good stuff. I just booked a feature film that shoots in Santa Fe, just like you know a smaller part, but pretty excited about it. It's a film with Matthew McConaughey, so I'm pretty stoked about it.

Speaker 2: 3:44

That's awesome, and you're living in Santa Fe right now, right?

Speaker 3: 3:48

I am, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean I go back and forth between here and LA, but yeah, I'm here a little bit more on a regular basis, so yeah, very cool, very cool.

Speaker 2: 4:00

Yeah, I need to. I need to get up there one of these days. My partner is actually going to visit Santa Fe in June for like a week by herself. She's super excited.

Speaker 1: 4:07

Oh she's going to have. So much fun.

Speaker 3: 4:11

I can give her restaurant recommendations. So, oh dope, I'll, I'll definitely pass that along. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:17

Uh, so yeah, what? Um? We've met like once before, uh, working working together on a PBS show called hunger planet. Um, but tell me how you, kind of like, got involved in acting.

Speaker 3: 4:32

Ah, that's a good question. Um, you know, I I actually was a child actress. I started when I was four.

Speaker 3: 4:38

Uh, my brother and my mom were in it, into it, and uh, then I uh got sent on on an audition with both of them and, um, I ended up booking the job and they didn't, and uh and uh, that was the rest was history. You know I've taken breaks here and there but, um, you know, I spent a lot of my childhood traveling to LA from Phoenix, arizona, um, back and forth, like you know, once a week.

Speaker 2: 5:05

So yeah, oh, wow, were were your. Were your parents, uh, resentful at all that you got the job and they didn't?

Speaker 3: 5:14

I think my mom was a little resentful and my brother turned out to be a lawyer.

Speaker 2: 5:18

So it's oh okay, well, there you go.

Speaker 1: 5:23

That's awesome.

Speaker 2: 5:23

Yeah, that's, that's super interesting. So it's kind of like a so what your parents were? Were they actors or were they just kind of like like they did it because it was fun every once in a while, kind of thing.

Speaker 3: 5:33

My mom attempted to be one.

Speaker 2: 5:36

OK.

Speaker 3: 5:38

And you know, then to her energy kind of got put into me a little bit once she realized that, like you know, I loved it and I don't know, I guess I was good at it and I don't know, I guess I was good at it, I don't know.

Speaker 2: 5:51

yeah so what was that? Uh was that good, though, like with the support that you got uh trying to pursue your dream. Was that, did you get good support?

Speaker 3: 6:00

yeah, I would say for the most part, actually fuck. I actually I would say for the part, she was incredibly supportive and never once made me or my brother feel like we had to do it. There was definitely a lot more pressure coming from a lot of other sources from the industry that I think I recall as being really hard as like a four to eight year old, but she was generally pretty, pretty supportive. Uh, on it, yeah, that's awesome.

Speaker 2: 6:32

Yeah, you hear so many. You know any child actor story or like we always hear, like the bad stuff, we don't hear, the good stuff, right, we don't. We don't hear that.

Speaker 3: 6:39

Oh they, my parents, were super supportive of me while I was pursuing my dream, so that's really refreshing, yeah I mean I I remember when, when I was teen, when I was like about 12, so not quite a teenager my agents in LA told me, um, hey, like. Or told my mom, like, she either needs to move here or what are we doing. And my mom asked me what I wanted. And I was like I kind of want to be a dancer, and so I did that for a while.

Speaker 3: 7:07

And my mom was totally cool with that. She didn't like you know. I stayed in Phoenix and I did that and you know she didn't, she didn't make it seem like it was a big deal, but that was my choice. That's great.

Speaker 2: 7:19

Well I. So on this show, what I try to do is I try not to have a lot of people in the industry or any kind of production background, because I like to hear, like what, like a scientist, what their favorite movie might be. So when I do have people on that are actors or writers or directors, I feel like we got to come at it from a different lens. And so when you wanted and you told me you wanted to talk about Midnight Mass, I was fucking all in. I love this thing and I'm not an actor at all and there's so much like great stuff going on in this. But, broad strokes, why did you want to talk about midnight mass?

Speaker 3: 7:57

Ooh yeah, cause I switched it last minute and you know.

Speaker 2: 8:00

Easter being when Easter happened.

Speaker 3: 8:02

It felt perfect that I switched it. You know I come from a religious background. It felt perfect that I switched it. You know I come from a religious background. So the you know it strums a couple chords for me. I think that maybe it doesn't other people. Flanagan is actually one of my favorite directors right now. I will work with him at some point. I'm convinced of it.

Speaker 2: 8:21

Speak it into existence please.

Speaker 3: 8:31

Yeah, please, yeah, please. But also I just think that you know it's sort of this slow moving, pings a lot of different areas that I think is relatable, that even if you didn't grow up in a religious household can like hit home.

Speaker 4: 8:40

Jesus's first disciples. They were fishermen. One of his first miracles right, the nets are empty. Fishermen, desperate, jesus says, put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch, and when they pulled up those nets, a bounty of fish. He sees you, oh yes, he sees you, brothers and sisters, and he will resurrect this island and he will again fill your nets. It's great you're here today, but please keep coming back those doors. They're always open, as the gates are always open. You just bring yourself, god will do the rest.

Speaker 3: 9:15

To me it's an incredibly relevant show, and I mean a beautifully well done show, well written and well acted, and you know, the monologues in it are like every actor's dream.

Speaker 2: 9:26

Yeah, there are a lot of. I noticed it this time around, like I, I hadn't seen it since it first came out. I've been meaning to re-watch it. So thank you for wanting to do this. It gave me excuse to do it. Um, but I don't remember there being this many monologues and I was pleasantly. I was a little worried because, like when they started being monologuey, I was like, am I gonna zone out? Zone out, no, I did not zone out. I was all in. Um, so super refreshing to see that and for it to not feel um, uh, stale, I guess is a good word for it. Um, but you mentioned how, outside of the religious things, there's a lot to kind of like draw upon this show. What other things would that be for you?

Speaker 3: 10:05

Well, I think a big one is um just how to be a human addiction. Um getting so caught up in a belief system and an idea, even if you might be right, or onto something.

Speaker 3: 10:29

Um getting so caught up in it that you you have like rose-colored glasses on that you can't actually see what's actually happening right, like the, the fact that towards the beginning of the show, when we start to realize that there's a crab shortage, that's just like a basic thing of like nobody's really paying attention to that, the fact that there's been more storms and all these things, they'll mention it, people will talk about it. They don't actually like attempt to think outside the box and be like what should we do about it? There's sort of like this acceptance and then sort of this fixation on this other thing that's like actually not going to help them at all Solve the fact that you know, know, their main source of income is dying. Does that make sense? So it's like they're just fixating on like the in like the wrong place, and I feel like they're constantly doing that throughout the show. Each of the characters, um, which makes it so much more than just like a creature feature or a you know, yeah, it's very much.

Speaker 2: 11:27

Uh, I think I had read this about Flanagan that like he kind of really emphasizes the human element of horror, like spooky, scary things are happening, but it's all about the people at the center of it, rather than like the big bad or the big reveal or something like that. And that's something that I really gravitate toward as well, as someone who enjoys a good jump scare every once in a while.

Speaker 3: 11:47

But I really like a horror movie where I'm, or a horror thing where I'm like oh, this, like this, is deep, like there's something else going on here besides creepy stuff well, and I mean he's also created a world right, because he uses a lot of the same actors over and over again but in various different points, and then you can start to see a through line of like oh, that actor played this type of character in this show and this type of character in that show and now all of a sudden you can see like a commentary through his stuff, not just in, like the one particular limited series.

Speaker 2: 12:20

Yeah, for sure. So do you remember the first time like watching this, like where were you, what was the experience, like what was going on in your life when you first saw it?

Speaker 3: 12:32

I actually remember it really well. I was actually in Albuquerque shooting an episode of the Cleaning Lady, which is a show on Fox, and I was staying with a friend because I was in LA at the time and I was staying with a friend and he was like, hey, do you want to watch this new show? My friend Matt Bidel is in it and we worked on Narcos together and I really want to watch it.

Speaker 3: 12:54

And I was like, okay, and so we made dinner and we watched the first episode and we both were kind of like this feels like theater. And first we didn't like it, like we were both like do we watch a second episode? And um, then I was like wait a second, let's just watch it, let's just give it a go and see what happens. So we watched the second episode and we were hooked and neither of us wanted to tell each other.

Speaker 3: 13:24

So then when I went back to la, I texted him and I was like so I'm now on episode six of midnight mass. He's like me too.

Speaker 2: 13:33

Like we both just kept watching it in secret so well what was it about that second episode that got you hooked, do you remember?

Speaker 3: 13:41

um, yes, uh, it was the, the one shot on the beach when there's all the dead cats on the beach and there is that long shot that they do where they're watching the cats and it's one take and you see, like just the massive production that would actually like the rehearsal that would have to go into this shot and how beautifully mastered each actor does it, and then also sort of twirling around. There's this one moment where they sort of twirl around two actors having a conversation.

Speaker 3: 14:18

And you just realize how twisted and obsessed these people are in their own little worlds and not paying attention to what's around them. I mean, there's dead cats everywhere and they're talking about something that totally isn't relevant. Or if it is relevant, it's, like you know, making excuses for why the cats are there. And oh, this happened during this storm and I was just like, oh man, this is a brilliant shot. I have to watch more of this show, like what is going on with these people.

Speaker 1: 15:12

He only had going on with these people, or just tell him to come down here. I don't think the folks are gonna much like that and that seems a little drastic. You know we've had strange things happen before.

Speaker 2: 15:15

It's public safety, really, and they'll thank you for it. Right, their mayor isn't willing to gamble with public health. Yeah, uh, I noticed that against. I like it's one of those things that re-watching I can't remember what specifically struck me so well the first time around, so watching the second one, it's almost like watching it again for the first time, like I know what happens, but like seeing all those things like long takes that are, you know, with the circular camera motion around two people as they're trying to figure out what's the cause of all the dead cats, like yeah, it's insane. The amount of, uh, the effort toward quality that goes into something like this. I think is is something to be commended.

Speaker 3: 15:51

Yes, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 15:52

Um, yeah, so I mean there's, so there's. Can you talk to me a little bit actually about your, uh, you said religious upbringing. Was it Catholic?

Speaker 3: 16:06

Was it something along those lines uh, lutheran actually, um, okay, which is, you know, you know, martin luther, kind of split off from the catholic church and thought that he could make it better, which I think, on some level, if I could choose any of like the, you know, christian religions, I feel like l Lutheranism is maybe, probably the safest space for a lot of people, um, versus some of the other, the other forms of Christianity. Um, I don't know, I think I was one of those kids that you know. Sorry, mom, for lack of a better word, I didn't really get a choice, know what I mean to actually ever think about it.

Speaker 3: 16:49

But I remember sitting in in church, you know, in sunday school and stuff often and like I mean I was a pretty rational kid, you know, I was like that kid. That was like, yeah, but when does bell actually pee when she's in journey to the castle? You know what I mean. Like um, like how does?

Speaker 2: 17:06

like what is pointing out all the things that are wrong, like right like when does little mermaid eat, and what does she eat?

Speaker 3: 17:12

does she eat her own people, like you know?

Speaker 2: 17:14

that's a good question. I never thought about that I thought about that.

Speaker 3: 17:18

I was one of those kids that thought about that um, and so you know, for me I would ask questions in sunday school and get very stern sort of word salad responses. What just was confused like wait, did they answer my question? I'm not sure, uh kind of like in that scene when, uh, I think her name is uh bev the character, bev the really oh god, I hate her.

Speaker 2: 17:45

I hate her so much. Shout out to the actress who does a great job. I hate her. I hate her so much. Shout out to the actress she does a great job. I hate the character of Bev so much.

Speaker 3: 17:52

She's just the worst. She's the worst, but you know, when she's like sort of talking to the sheriff about like the poison, and yes, you're correct.

Speaker 6: 18:02

After those cats, not knowing what on earth could have done it, I put some out strategically carefully around my property. A few others requested I do the same for them. And if that poor dog, if it ingested some accidentally, well, I'll just be a wreck. Is that what you're telling me, please? If that's what occurred, if you're certain, well, I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself so is it, and are you certain?

Speaker 1: 18:34

I mean I'm not telling you that I can't say just about anything for certain you don't even know what she's saying.

Speaker 3: 18:42

At a certain point you're like she's saying something, but I don't know what it is. But now I think I'm just gonna leave. I guess she didn't poison the dog, or did she? You know what I mean. It's like you don't really know what she said, and like that's how I felt in church often wow, was there like?

Speaker 2: 19:00

was it just because you were questioning the logistics of things, of the teachings that were in the Catholic church, or was there something about you as a person that was um, butting heads with Catholic beliefs, or something like that?

Speaker 3: 19:19

I think it was a mixture of both, to be honest, I think, that, like I was never equipped to be spiritual in that way, um, and that was something that took me, you know well, into my twenties, to to sort of reconcile with like, oh no, this isn't. This has never been for me. I was pretending God's blessings, you know, I was saying it, but I wasn't believing it.

Speaker 3: 19:44

Right, I was saying it because I was told that that's what I was supposed to say, but I wasn't believing it. I was saying it because I was told that that's what I was supposed to say.

Speaker 2: 19:59

You know when I ended an email, yeah, okay. So that I mean I, as someone who I did not grow up religious, like I went to sometimes a Baptist church, sometimes a Presbyterian church, but like never really cared that I was there, I was always bored, I always didn't want to be there up until, like, I stopped, you know, going or whatever, in high school or something like that. So I don't have like this kind of religious background to draw upon where I'm, like you know, questioning things or never felt like I belonged, like I just I just didn't want to be there. That was just who I am. So I think what's so interesting about this show is the way each character, kind of like, has their own belief system, both inside and outside of Catholicism, in some cases even in Islam. Um, so if you, if you had to pick one of the characters in the show that you feel like you might identify or relate to most, who would it be?

Speaker 3: 20:52

Ooh gosh, somewhere in between, coming from a place of the present, versus maybe who I was when I was younger would be either the doctor that was like trying to justify what the fuck was going on or figure out what was going on and, honestly, the main character.

Speaker 3: 21:26

You know I've been plagued by, by certain things that I've done in my own life that has sort of driven my decision making and you know I stepped away from the church, I think in a lot of ways that he talks about you know You're talking about Riley, the main character, Riley. Riley the main character. Yeah, I got you, yeah.

Speaker 2: 21:46

I got you so that, speaking of main characters, like we're watching this show the whole time, riley's the main character up until he's not. I love you, aaron green.

Speaker 1: 22:00

I love you my whole life. One way or another, I love you too. I did my best.

Speaker 2: 22:26

I did my best. I did my best like I was. I was so I was upset when that happened because I was like what, you can't do that. But then afterward I was like, okay, I get it like things are still moving, things still have meaning. He's still kind of in the show after his like, like terrifying and beautiful demise. I don't know how else to put it.

Speaker 3: 22:53

Yeah, I mean, he literally went up in smoke. Yeah, he had to, though, in order for the story to move on and conclude. In my opinion Because I do think the story is he was a vehicle in which another story needed to be told, so he had to go at a certain point that's a good way, don't you agree?

Speaker 2: 23:18

yeah, I, I do. But at the same time, like I don't know if you ever watch friday lights, but that's my guy man, that's qb1 matt saracen. I was so sad to see him, I was so sad to see him go, but but it makes sense, like it totally makes sense within the the world of this show. So sorry for the interruption, but I will be brief. I am so grateful that you decided to listen to the film podcast today.

Speaker 2: 23:43

If you are enjoying what you're hearing, please consider supporting the show on patreon. With a small monthly amount, you can get access to behind the scenes goodies, early access to full episodes and you can vote on what movie we watch the first Monday of every month on the Nuthouse Discord. The Nuthouse itself is free to join and is full of other film and TV lovers, so you'll fit right in. You can check out info on all these things in the show notes. And if all of this sounds like a bit too much, that's totally okay. But if you want to keep up to date on all our episodes, please be sure and subscribe on your favorite platform of choice and if you're listening on Apple podcasts, go ahead and leave a rating and review so we can get in front of other awesome people like yourself. Okay, enough of me rambling back to the good stuff. Do you have a favorite? I know there's so much we've already talked about as far as scenes and moments, but do you have a favorite scene or moment from it on the show?

Speaker 3: 24:36

Outside of the beach scene um outside of the dead cats the dead cat scene.

Speaker 2: 24:42

I think that. I think that's might say something about you.

Speaker 3: 24:45

Probably does Somebody. Somebody asked me once they were like do you like any comedy? Like do Somebody somebody asked me once they were like do you like any? Comedy Like do you watch comedies? I was like, of course I love comedy, coraline.

Speaker 6: 24:57

Oh wait, Big Mouth.

Speaker 3: 24:58

Oh wait, you know, that's you know just the moment in Breaking Bad when the body falls from the ceiling. Oh wait, that's not comedy.

Speaker 2: 25:10

Are you the only? Are you laughing? Are you laughing during?

Speaker 3: 25:13

those moments are you 100, 100? I'm laughing during those moments that's so.

Speaker 2: 25:18

Yeah, so I guess you lean toward the darker sense of of things 100.

Speaker 3: 25:24

Um, yeah, I guess I'm a cynic at heart. I would say, actually my favorite moment is when Riley talks about what happens when you die.

Speaker 5: 25:47

I dream, bigger than I have ever dreamed before, because it's all of it, just the last dump of DMT all at once and my neurons are firing and I'm seeing this firework display of memories and imagination and I am just tripping. I'm really tripping balls because my mind's rifling through the memories you know long and short term and the dreams mixed through the memories. You know long and short term and the dreams mixed with the memories, and it's a curtain call.

Speaker 3: 26:19

That moment got me on such a deep level. I mean I was like weeping during both those monologues. Hmm, Because we think about it a lot. I mean I don't know if you do, Do you think about death? I do.

Speaker 2: 26:37

You know what, more often than I'd like to. I don't know what it is, I don't know what happens, but I don't like it. I don't like thinking about it.

Speaker 3: 26:47

No, but at some point during your 30s, I feel like you do you think about how you're going to die or what happens when you die? And what is true, what is real? And can something be true and real? For me that's totally different than for somebody else.

Speaker 2: 27:05

So what do you think happens when we die?

Speaker 3: 27:13

I probably shouldn't have laughed at that.

Speaker 2: 27:17

At this point it's on brand for you.

Speaker 4: 27:18

So just go with it.

Speaker 2: 27:21

Just keep rolling with it Gosh.

Speaker 3: 27:26

I think that Riley's right. I forget the other character's name.

Speaker 2: 27:32

Aaron.

Speaker 3: 27:33

Aaron Gosh sorry Names are, they've escaped me. You know, when Aaron describes Littlefoot, her baby, she describes what she thinks, she sees when she goes and how she meets up with Littlefoot, and I'll see my father and my grandmother and I'll see my little girl, and she will be happy and safe.

Speaker 5: 28:06

And I will be so glad to meet her I really hope you're right.

Speaker 3: 28:20

She really is just describing what happens when you get that huge impact of dmt in your body, cause you probably do experience something like that Visions, you know, the people that you love, memories it probably does hit you all at once and I, I think, I think that's what happens, sadly. That's what I think.

Speaker 2: 28:50

You can feel free to dodge this question if you want to, but God forbid, something happens tomorrow. What do you think you'll see? What do you think that DMT will trigger for you?

Speaker 6: 29:05

Oof.

Speaker 3: 29:08

Probably A lot of like nature. I have like these really heavy nature moments with, um, just myself and solitude, uh, and also other people. You know, I have this very distinctive memory of someone incredibly important to me handing me a flower as we were running, going for a run, and I remember that moment as if I could taste it right now and I feel like things like that would probably come back to me, maybe some regret, standing alone on a stage and whatever that feeling is that euphoric feeling, yeah, and my regrets.

Speaker 2: 29:59

So good, both good and bad stuff.

Speaker 3: 30:03

I think both good and bad stuff, because I think, you know, the idea of euphoria doesn't necessarily mean good or bad, it just means like a heightened sense of reality.

Speaker 2: 30:16

Hmm, I had not heard that. That's an interesting perspective.

Speaker 3: 30:22

At least that's my perspective. I like it.

Speaker 2: 30:25

Yeah, it's not, you know, sunshine and roses, like it's just a better appreciation of just everything. Sure, Like I mean sunshine and roses, like it's just a better, like a better appreciation of just everything.

Speaker 3: 30:35

Sure, like I mean, think about it. Like you know, if you've ever been on a drug trip, you're not necessarily going to get the download. That is always positive. That's why people have bad drug trips. But it still is technically a download of, you know, dmt or serotonin or whatever it is that that drug causes. But that's why people can fall into a bad cycle with it and that's why addiction is so interesting and weird is that you're not necessarily addicted to the good of something. You might actually be addicted to the bad of something you might actually be addicted to the bad of something.

Speaker 2: 31:14

Yeah, so just an addiction to the feeling in general correct so this took a turn.

Speaker 2: 31:24

Uh, I think like, well, there's just this show, man, it's, it's. It's so powerful in a lot of ways, even coming from me, who I don't like particularly identify with any particular character or like thematic element. But I do really appreciate this kind of theme of the lengths people will go to to hold on to whatever faith they can, oh yeah, which brings in our whole, our whole creature discussion about our angel, our, our vampire, um, which they never. What I love about the show is they never call a spade a spade like it's, it's this, it's this thing, it's this angel, it's this gift from god. There's no like, there's never like vampire or like.

Speaker 2: 32:14

That word is never used or like, but still, going through all of the tropes of vampire stories, like sunlight and all this, you know, all this other stuff, and that's what I love about this. It was like, it was subtle because they're like hey, like, literally you can see it's a fucking vampire, but we're not gonna call it that. This isn't, you know, like this isn't one of the Blade movies which they all rule from what I've seen 100%. But yeah, it's just so subtle about things, which I think is really great If you were to ever play a creature or a monster, what kind of creature or monster would you want to play?

Speaker 3: 33:00

uh, gosh, you know, I kind of probably like some sort of weird goblin-y. You know, um, um creature sounds fun to me like some sort of goblin-y you know um creature sounds fun to me like some sort of goblin, okay.

Speaker 2: 33:17

Okay, do you? Do you talk normal or do you have like a goblin language or like what do you think? I definitely have a goblin language okay, okay, what does it sound like? Give me a little taste let's do this perfect.

Speaker 2: 33:35

That's gonna be the intro. I'm just gonna play that one soundbite just get people hooked. So one of the things I feel like goes uh underappreciated is like I had to do a deep dive, basically on um the actor that plays the creature, because he doesn't have a headshot on imdb. I was like a guy plays angel like I, to look up and see all the stuff that he's done, which is I really love actors who play um creatures like the iconic Doug Jones and people like that.

Speaker 2: 34:00

Yeah, um, when you were, when you were kind of watching this and you were thinking about all the different layers that have to go on with this show. One of the things I've heard a lot of criticism about for the show is that it kind of tries to cram too much thematically into one show.

Speaker 3: 34:24

I can see why someone would say that, but I think it's so well done that it doesn't matter. But I think it's so well done that it doesn't matter because if we would have drawn it out more? And don't get me wrong, I love this show. It's also one of my favorites. I clearly have some sort of obsession with, um, religious stuff, but the leftovers, you know they they really do draw it out right like for like four seasons and it's also a beautiful show.

Speaker 3: 34:51

but I do think there's something interesting about keeping it seven episodes or eight episodes and just like doing with what you will with it. Because, think about it too, like we have a lot of themes that go on in our life every day. I mean, I'm living like ten realities right now. You know this being one of them, you know, but I have a lot of other things going on that are also very real and probably have themes in it too. So I'm okay with it.

Speaker 2: 35:20

Cool Um. So what about?

Speaker 3: 35:23

you. What about I? I'm actually curious cause you bring that up. What about you?

Speaker 2: 35:27

Um, I, yeah, I don't think so. Yeah, kind of like you, like I see where people can come off like that, because you're tackling grief, you're tackling addiction, you're tackling faith, you're kind of tackling um, uh, economics, um, in a way for a small I also think there's a lot of climate change to climate change, for sure, yeah. Which, which, uh so speaking of, do you know um the place, the actual Island that Crockett Island is based on?

Speaker 3: 36:09

It's off of it's off the coast of Maine, isn't it?

Speaker 2: 36:17

No, uh, no. So on, it's off of. It's off the coast of Maine, isn't it? No, uh, no. So it's filmed in Vancouver, british Columbia area. There's like an island they filmed, uh, off of there, that's what they filmed it, but it's actually based on an island that, uh, I've been obsessed with since I was a little kid. Um, it's called Tangier Island and it's in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay and it is wasting away, so people won't be living there in 50 years. It's very much like it's an actual place and the name Crockett Island Crockett is actually a common last name in the area. The last name, pruitt, is actually a common last name.

Speaker 2: 36:49

On the island itself, there's a character named Uker, the mayor of Tangier. His nickname is Uker. It's literally that's like where everything comes from, and there's a section of the Island. It used to be one whole Island and then it got divided into two sections and one of the sections is called upwards. So that's the upwards that we talk about and it's literally when they talk about, you know, dead cats and bones of relatives washing up, that's that's stuff that literally happens on that Island because it's wasting away due to both erosion and climate change, like there's a whole bunch going on. So when I was watching the show and they said Crockett Island, I was like I already that name's already in the back of my head. And then the more they kept exposing about the show, like ukrain uppers I was like what? And I had like going on the internet and be like, is this based on Tangier Island? And turns out it was uh, both, um, uh, uh, I'm sorry. Uh, katie Siegel had a has a uh, an article about talking about it.

Speaker 3: 37:51

And then there's like a, a whole. Reddit thread about like people making the connections, which is pretty wild, that's so interesting to me because I thought Midnight Mass was his only show where it wasn't based on something, it was just his own creation. But this actually makes it more cool for me that it is actually based on something, something it's just based on a historical place instead of like a poem or whatever, like some of his other shows yeah, very much, I think.

Speaker 2: 38:18

Uh, yeah, I think they were actually from from what I've read, they contemplated actually filming there, but it is it in from an infrastructure standpoint?

Speaker 2: 38:28

they can't handle it like it didn't make sense to do all that, but they did visit and check it out, from what I've read is like the possible, like location. So there's a lot of inspiration there, which I thought was like my worlds were colliding when I was like watching the show I was like this is nuts, this is so cool. There's a bunch of documentaries on how it's like gonna be uninhabitable in 50 years due to climate change and everything and people leaving too, cause it's like, yeah, the population has dwindled. Much like, much like Crockett Island in the show. So if you had to recommend the show to someone who had not seen it, what would you say?

Speaker 3: 39:07

Do you like thrillers? I don't know If you want something slow, moving and dark that discusses what it means to be human in a variety of categories and forms. Watch this show. Yeah, that's a good one If you enjoy good story and good acting and well-developed characters and you're also fine. You know, getting jump scared from time to time. Watch the show, yeah.

Speaker 2: 39:42

Is there any? Before we kind of wrap up, is there anything that we haven't touched upon that you would like to discuss, either with something you've got going on or the show itself?

Speaker 3: 39:52

pond that you would like to discuss, either with something you've got going on or the show itself. I actually want to mention one other thing that I don't know if it was michael flanagan's intention with the show, but it was what I got from. It is the final moment with the two kids on the boat. Do you call it a buoy? What do you call it a?

Speaker 1: 40:06

dinghy is probably the dinghy because it's not a kayak, it's a robot. It's a robot it's a robot.

Speaker 3: 40:13

And it's the girl who has been recovered with her legs, right, you know, because she's been drinking the juice like everyone else, is keeping that youth, which is probably a whole nother conversation and, and you know, episode, but um, or yeah, um, but she, she and and boyfriend, let's say, are the only two survivors. So the kids survive, right, they don't drink that final you know bout and turn into vampires and they're not going to burn. And they're watching the island burn. And all of a sudden she says I can't feel my legs Because the reality kicked back in. The reality her truth is is that she was drinking this juice. It is now worn off and now they're watching the island burn that all the people older than her made happen. And so now it's like sort of for me, this metaphor of what we're leaving our youth with.

Speaker 3: 41:11

Like we've been burning our world up for so long and we're just going. Here you go, oh go to the mainland. Go, go, go on that boat there. Oh wait, I can't feel my legs there's nothing I can do, because you've wrecked me with your own addictions and vices and rose colored glasses.

Speaker 1: 41:33

Hmm.

Speaker 3: 41:35

What do you think about that?

Speaker 2: 41:38

I never thought of it that way, no no, no.

Speaker 2: 41:41

That makes sense to me. To me it seemed like I mean A. It's literal because Sure, yes, yeah, but also service level. For me was, yeah, kind of that reality check where, like you know, there isn't a fix for the current situation, but I never broadened that scope to take into account the world or anything beyond that, and so I think that's a really I think that's something really insightful you pointed out, but I can't let you go by the this is a topic for another episode kind of thing. So can you expand a little bit upon the One way we're talking about the different?

Speaker 1: 42:34

age gaps.

Speaker 3: 42:36

Yeah, I mean the fact that you know the blood that they all have been drinking turns them back into their youthful state. I mean that's what we all want all the time.

Speaker 3: 42:47

That's what we're taught by society to want is to constantly be 17 or 20 or wherever, whenever we were at our best, instead of just being present with where we're at now. You know what my back hurts. I now need reading glasses. I, you know I have dementia. We all we constantly want to get back to the place that we were at when things were good when in reality, it's all good, even if you are going through something that is incredibly stressful or hurtful or painful.

Speaker 3: 43:23

That's just like part of actually existing and I just I I really like how it highlights that a little bit about how, how we do that, how we just have like like this natural sort of acceptance of it based on what society has told us.

Speaker 2: 43:38

I think the way in which the show conveys kind of this regression into youthfulness, I think is so tactful.

Speaker 1: 43:46

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 43:47

Like it's something where, like all of a sudden, bradley's mom just she looks, she's like, oh, I don't need my sunglass or my reading glasses, and she just kind of puts them away and then his dad like gradually gets a little less gray, like the. The extreme example is, um, uh, the doctor annabeth annabeth gish's character's mom. Right, that is the one that is like it's insane Her regression based on the individual masses that Paul aka John is giving to her, which, yeah, watching the second time, I was like you know, you know what happens. You're like, oh, but look how they're doing it. They're doing it so well, it's so subtle, like you might even not notice it. I think that's what, to me, is like. The true mark of something being successful is that you could notice it if you're really paying attention, but also you could not and still have a great time like witnessing whatever you end up watching.

Speaker 2: 44:44

And then that second rewatch you know how everything going. You're like, oh, look at all the fucking breadcrumbs they left. It makes so much sense, like that was like, that's so cool, um, yeah, so actually one more. One last thing I really want to talk about um, uh, hamish lincolner's performance in this show like dude should have got an emmy or something like it was insane how good he was in this whole thing.

Speaker 3: 45:10

A hundred percent. I mean, you know who his mom is right.

Speaker 2: 45:14

No, who's his mom?

Speaker 3: 45:15

His mom is Kristen Linklater. She wrote, like you know, the voice of Shakespeare. I forget the names of the books.

Speaker 2: 45:22

Bad after me.

Speaker 3: 45:24

You know how to, how to hone your voice, how to hone your Shakespeare there's she's written a bunch of books about like fascinating OK. So to me it like makes sense that he's so good. But he is so good, I mean, he is just spot on, because you feel for him, even though he's kind of the person causing all of it on some level, you know yeah um, you feel bad for him, like when he stands on that bridge with the love of his life and says I'm sorry.

Speaker 3: 45:52

It's like, oh god, you just like feel it so deep in your soul yeah, my opinion, yeah, it was like you start.

Speaker 2: 46:03

You slowly start to recognize that well, not even slowly, you know something is amiss from the get-go, yeah, but you still. You kind of like, like he's nice to everyone, um, he's super curious, he's helping a bunch of people out, um, and then when you start to realize, like actually, who he is and the fact that he's then trying to take the gift from god, as he put it, the this, this, this angel's blood, and try and restore his community, like the fact that the community itself is struggling both from physical ailments and anything beyond that Like you feel for him, you want him like he wants to make things better and we all, we all want that, even if it's not, you know, the youthful, trans, youthful regression, it's just to make things better.

Speaker 4: 46:52

I was lost and confused, tired and old, on the road to Damascus when, lo and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto me and bestowed upon me the healing graces of God and I was restored. As you have all been restored, I returned to you all and I brought with me that angel of the Lord so that he might bless us all. And we have seen the miracles our new bodies, the resurrection of the body, new and everlasting life.

Speaker 2: 47:27

But then you know, vampire shit happens and he's like oh I I can't control these like hungers and all this other stuff, and then and then bev just ruins like everything and I mean, she is the ultimate life ruiner, I think.

Speaker 2: 47:42

But yeah, no I mean, he is the best of intentions, in my opinion yeah, I think that's what's great about him as the character, as, like I guess he's a villain, but also not like it's. There's so many gray areas with all these characters. You definitely have characters that are like these are supposed to be your heroes, however flawed they are. You have all these intermediates that are just doing the best they can, and then and then there's bev and whatever.

Speaker 3: 48:08

Uh, she may be the only one that doesn't have the best of intentions.

Speaker 2: 48:12

She is like here's the thing as soon as you heard an animal, it's over. Yeah.

Speaker 3: 48:19

Like what are we doing?

Speaker 2: 48:20

Bev Like yes, come on. Come on, mo. Thank you so much for doing this. This is. This has been a lot of fun. I know it took us 40 minutes to figure out how this interface works, but we got there, man, we did it.

Speaker 2: 48:36

So this is a part of the show where I try and say something profound that ties up what has happened in the conversation. Just listened to and, honestly, I'm at a loss for words. While Midnight Mass is a technical marvel, there's a lot going on from the filmmaking side that is super impressive. There's almost too much for me to dive into. I failed to write my outro for this episode. I'm making it up right now as I'm talking.

Speaker 2: 49:11

Things have been really busy, really crazy, with everything that I have going on outside of this podcast, and I want to thank you all for tuning in every other week for whatever show or movie I end up talking about with whatever guest. Of all the depressing things in Midnight Mass, there's one thing that I really can't stop thinking about, and that's this sense of community. Yes, there are people on the island looking at you, bev, that truly have possibly evil intentions, but it truly is what she believes is good. Ignoring that part, everyone on this island is looking out for one another. There is a considerable amount of grace and compassion happening and, no matter what happens in the end, everyone was really trying to do their best. But obviously this show has a very unhappy ending, but it still makes me want to believe in the idea of community. So I really want to thank you all for all the episodes that you've listened to, you've watched, you've downloaded. It really does mean a lot, and this is a project that I started during the pandemic and I did not think I would be still doing it four years later. So thank you for that. I would love to make the show something bigger, something better, something we can all be involved in, and I hope it's just a vehicle for us to understand each other a little bit better. So thank you all so much.

Speaker 2: 50:55

Okay, enough with the sappy stuff. A huge thanks to Mo for chatting with me today and a thank you the size of angel's wings to you for joining us. Please check out the show notes to follow Mo on social media so you can keep up with all the stuff she's up to and whatever she might be appearing in next. You never know. And really quickly before you go, I want to shout out the awesome guys over at the interior analysis podcast for having me on recently to talk about my favorite superhero movie ever possibly Logan. We had a really great talk and you can check out the link to that in the show notes below. And please check out their other episodes as well as the video essays that they do on some very insightful and interesting topics. Also, a big thanks to Apple podcast user who Did what Now for leaving us a wonderful review recently.

Speaker 2: 51:39

Quote I meant to check out a few minutes of an episode and ended up listening to three episodes in one day. The host has fun and meaningful conversations with guests about their favorite movies. Highly recommend it. End quote. Thank you so much. Who Did what Now? That really does mean a lot. If you enjoyed the show today, please go ahead and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform of choice, and if you happen to be listening to this on Apple Podcasts, please leave a rating and review, just like who Did what Now. It helps us get noticed by more awesome folks like yourself. If you want to help the show grow and get some cool perks in the process, please consider becoming a patron of the show. Just a small amount per month helps us keep the show going and helps us grow and get better and all that fun stuff. For more info on that, check out the show notes or visit patreoncom.

Speaker 2: 52:25

Slash film nuts Our theme this season is brought to us by the Deep End. Our artwork is designed by Modongwa Sibuhudi and all episodes of the Film Nuts podcast are produced and edited by me, taylor D Adams. If you want to get in touch, you can email filmnutspodcast at gmailcom or follow us on Instagram and TikTok at filmnutspodcast. And don't forget to join the Nuthouse Discord community absolutely free by checking out the link in the show notes as well. Thank you all again. So much for listening to this episode and all the episodes that we've put out so far. We're at over 50, which is nuts, and we got a couple more before our season four is over. So thank you again and until next time. Be good to each other.