A film featuring the work of 25 directors is getting another screening in Detroit before it’s released on video later this week. The feature is called “The Owner” and was developed by Detroit filmmaker Marty Shea. He spoke to WDET’s Rob St. Mary.

Alfred E. Neuman is getting his close up from a Detroit area filmmaker. Alan Bernstein is the director of a new documentary about MAD Magazine. “When We Went MAD” interviews many of the creators who have made a scrappy little magazine with a comic book past into an influence on popular culture and humor in America. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Bernstein about the film.

To say comedy is in Pauly Shore’s DNA is an understatement. His parents opened L.A.’s legendary club “The Comedy Store” where every major comedian over the last 40 years have performed on their way to stardom. Shore came into his own under the mentorship of controversial comic Sam Kinison and became a staple on MTV in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Since then, Shore has starred in movies, on TV and has a new special called “Pauly-Tics”. He’ll be at the Magic Bag in Ferndale tomorrow evening for two shows.

The end of the year is the time when Hollywood tries to pack the movie houses full of films vying for awards attention. Metro Times film critic Jeff Meyers spoke recently to WDET’s Rob St. Mary about what’s worth the time for movie goers this holiday season.

Metro Detroit’s only monthly independent film festival turns eight years old in 2013. The Mitten Movie Project is curated by local filmmaker and producer Connie Mangilin. She spoke recently to WDET’s Rob St. Mary.

The Detroit Film Critics Society is announcing its picks for best of 2012. Metro Times film critic Jeff Meyers is president of the group. He spoke recently to WDET’s Rob St. Mary.

“I don’t tend to analyze what I’ve done. I can’t really… I’m not entirely sure why I have succeeded, why I have been able to cut out a career in show business for over 30 years and why I still have a real hardcore fan base that has stuck with me. If there’s any secret, it’s just not to do anything that feels wrong for you.” – Chris Elliott, actor/writer/comedian

WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Elliott about this new book, his work on “Get A Life” – featuring his father, Bob Elliott of the well-known 1950s comedy team “Bob & Ray” – and his most recent TV work.

A new book on a legendary pop culture character takes a look at why we embrace the heroes we do. “Superman: the High-flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero” is the latest book by author Larry Tye. He’ll be in the Metro Detroit area talking about the book this weekend. Tye spoke recently to WDET’s Rob St. Mary.

Fans of comics, sci-fi and other pop culture will find creators and vendors galore as part of this year’s Detroit Fanfare. The annual convention kicks off this evening at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. Dennis Barger is one of the organizers of the event. He spoke to WDET’s Rob St. Mary

Former NFL star and media personality Alex Karras has died.

A Warren native is returning home to screen his latest film. Greg James is the co-writer, director and producer of “The Joint” – a day in the life comedy involving a medical marijuana dispensary. The Wayne State University graduate spoke to WDET’s Rob St. Mary about making the low-budget independent film which screens Thursday night at the Main Art Theater in Royal Oak.

In 1988, Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris’s film “The Thin Blue Line” helped to release an innocent man from Texas’s death row. Today, his latest book – “A Wilderness of Error: the Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald” – could do the same. Morris’s book investigates a murder case that put the Green Beret doctor behind bars for the killing of his family in North Carolina in 1970. The story was the basis for two other books and a popular 1984 TV mini-series called “Fatal Vision”. Morris spoke to WDET’s Rob St. Mary about his book, the nature of truth and how his investigation shows MacDonald should be released from prison.

A Detroit filmmaker has been invited to show her first feature at the Toronto International Film Festival this week. Since the announcement, several reviewers have called Rola Nashef’s “Detroit Unleaded” one of the top films to see at the festival. Before heading to Toronto, she spoke to WDET’s Rob St. Mary about writing and directing her first feature.

It seems like every summer comic book characters invade the screens at the multiplex. This summer’s big films include “The Avengers” and “The Dark Knight Rises”. But, a small, long-running comic from a local artist makes its way to the big screen this summer. Hamtramck resident Matt Feazell is the creator of “The Amazing Cynicalman” – a strip that’s been running for over 30 years. Wednesday evening he’ll be screening his independently produced live action film version of Cynicalman at Green Brain Comics in Dearborn. Feazell spoke recently to WDET’s Rob St. Mary.

Detroiters are expressing shock and sorrow following last night’s shooting at the opening of the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Some say they may avoid the film because of the shooting.

The Detroit Windsor International Film Festival is back for its fifth year. The festival starts tomorrow and runs through Saturday on the Wayne State University campus. Suzanne Janik is Director of Operations for the festival. She spoke recently to WDET’s Rob St. Mary - who is also a judge for the upcoming festival.

Starting today at the Detroit Institute of Arts, a new photography exhibit opens featuring the work of someone known better for her music and poetry - Patti Smith

Smith spent time yesterday morning with the media at the DIA. WDET’s Rob St. Mary was one of the reporters who attended and was able to tour the exhibit with Smith leading the way. He talked to WDET's Pat Batcheller about the tour, the photos and more.

Numerous legends of film and television convene in Novi this weekend for the 23rd Motor City Comic Con.

Some of the latest movies from Europe’s boot will shine on the silver screen this weekend in Metro Detroit.

WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke recently to Wayne State Professor Elena Past. She is one of the coordinators of the Italian Film Festival.

The festival ends its run in Metro Detroit on Sunday.

A southeast Michigan cultural institution is celebrating 50 years of cutting edge film, this week.

The Ann Arbor Film Festival started in 1962. So organizers are taking the long view with this year’s celebrations of five decades of cinema.

This Southeast Michigan Drive In has beat the odds and stayed open. WDET spent a weekend finding out what it's like today.

“I knew from the day we started that they (the City of Detroit) were going to come eventually… without a doubt. You can’t do this on the scale that we were doing it and not raise some eyebrows eventually.” – Ken Poirier, Co-Creator of Theatre Bizarre

Theatre Bizarre creators John Dunivant and Ken Poirier say they don’t expect their annual, underground masquerade to return to its original location inside a burned out residential neighborhood near the vacant Michigan State Fairgrounds again.

Detroit singer/songwriter Rodriguez worked for decades without much notice. Then, in the late 1990s, he found out that his early 1970s albums had a huge following overseas – especially in Australia and South Africa. Last month, a documentary about Rodriguez premiered at Sundance Film Festival, winning awards and rave reviews. The film “Waiting for Sugar Man” was also picked up at the festival by Sony Pictures Classics and is expected to be released later this year. Rodriguez recently stopped by WDET to share the news. Excited about the new developments, Rodriguez often clutched at his newspapers as he spoke to WDET’s Rob St. Mary.

Sad news from the art world today, a respected contemporary artist, and Detroit native, Mike Kelley has died. He was 57. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Travis Wright about Kelley. Rob interviewed with Kelley recently.

A Detroit writer who has been creating his own underground publication of true stories… is collaborating with an internationally known contemporary artist and filmmaker for the latest issue. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke recently to Steve Hughes, the creator of “Stupor”, about his latest issue featuring art and design by Matthew Barney.

A new documentary about the punk/funk band Fishbone opens in Detroit this week. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Chris Meltzer – the director of “Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone” which starts a weekend run at the Cass City Cinema on Thursday.

A documentary about a year in the life of the Detroit Fire Department called “BURN” is heading towards the finish line. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to producers and directors Brenna Sanchez and Tom Putnam about the last developments with the film including the addition of comedian/actor Denis Leary as a producer.

This week, an Ann Arbor art collective from the 1970s will be recognized in a retrospective show at a Los Angeles gallery. WDET’s Rob St. Mary takes a look at Destroy All Monsters.

The group that started the Burton Theatre in Detroit, which closed this spring, says it’s preparing to broaden it’s effort and re-open in a new neighborhood. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Nathan Faustyn, Jeff Else and Brandon Walley about the new “Corktown Cinema”.

An event taking place at the Magic Bag in Ferndale on Thursday is being billed as a battle between “found” objects. In one corner is the creators of Ann Arbor based Found Magazine, who collect misplaced notes, pictures and materials. In the other corner are the creators of Wisconsin based Found Footage Festival, who collect odd and humorous videos. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Nick Prueher of the Found Footage Festival about his love of unloved VHS tapes and this week’s event.

WDET is unveiling its “Crossing the Lines” series this morning. It’s an in-depth exploration of what unites us and divides us as people and as a region.

Throughout the year, we’ve been mapping the region’s beliefs, behaviors, and the language codes people use to unite and divide.

We’ve focused on issues of inclusion, exclusion, geographical boundaries and efforts to bridge those boundaries.

Our goal is to bring new perspectives and a more inclusive range of voices and views to discussing those issues that limit the region’s potential.

Detroit’s image has long been an issue that divides the region’s residents.

As part of our "Crossing The Lines" series, WDET’s Rob St. Mary has created a sound collage of media references and perceptions of Detroit over the past 50 years.

The Ferndale Film Festival is returning for another year. The celebration of independent film – local and international – runs Wednesday through Sunday at some new locations… even beyond the Ferndale city limits. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to organizers Suzanne Janik and Bill Urich about this year’s event.

A new movie theatre is opening this weekend inside the old Burton International School in Detroit. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to organizers Joel Landy and Erin McDonald about the new Cass City Cinema - which is slated to open in the former Burton Theatre location. .

Halloween starts early this weekend at the Redford Theatre with a screening of the 1960’s horror comedy “Munster, Go Home”. The non-profit community movie house on Detroit’s Northwest side is hosting actor Butch Patrick of the 60s cult TV show “The Munsters” as part of the event. Patrick was cast as “Eddie” the wolf boy on the show. Patrick talks to WDET's Rob St. Mary about those times, what he's doing today and this weekend's event.

Writer and artist Frank Miller has created some of the most beloved stories in the hearts of comic book fans over the past 30 years. The rebooting of “Daredevil” to “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns” to “Sin City” and “300”, Miller has created acclaimed stories. Several of them have gone on to become Hollywood blockbusters. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Miller about his latest work, “Holy Terror” which puts September Eleventh and the War on Terrorism in the realm of costumed heroes.

This past weekend, the Detroit Fanfare, a comic book and pop culture convention took place at Cobo Center. One of the guests was actor/director Peter Weller. The star of “Robocop” met up with some of the people responsible for raising the money to build a statue in Detroit in honor of the character. WDET’s Rob St. Mary met up with Weller Saturday night at the Lager House in Corktown where supporters of the Robocop statue were holding a party to support local food pantry “Forgotten Harvest”. Weller talked about his thoughts on Detroit, the Detroit Tigers, Robocop - the film and the statue effort, his current work directing the show "Sons of Anarchy" and working on his PhD in Art History at UCLA.

The Ann Arbor Film Festival turns 50 in the coming year. Leading up to the anniversary, the festival is hosting a series of monthly screenings of some of the important and influential films to come through over the past five decades. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Donald Harrison, the executive director of the Ann Arbor Film Festival.

A new exhibition opens Friday night at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit in Midtown. It’s the second part of the show entitled, “Barely There”. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Luis Crouquer (Crocker) – the Director and Chief Curator of MOCAD – in the spring about the first part of the concept. Today, he follows up with a look at “Barely There 2”.

As we approach the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks, WDET’s Rob St. Mary went looking for some perspectives in the art world. Rob spoke recently with Pontiac based artist Jef Bourgeau about his thoughts on the use of 9/11 in art and a gallery show he hosted in early 2002, about six months after the event, at the Museum of New Art called “Ground Zero”.

All this week WDET has been looking at the September Eleventh attacks and how they have affected us… ten-years later. Filmmaker and adventurer Paul Daniels has been to Antarctica three times. During his second time there, wintering over at the South Pole, the September Eleven terrorist attacks took place. He spoke to WDET’s Rob St. Mary about the experience and the film he made during that time.

The on-line fundraising effort for a documentary on Detroit’s underground carnival, Theatre Bizarre, ends tomorrow. But the filmmakers aren’t sure they’ll meet their goal. WDET’s Rob St. Mary sat down recently with filmmakers Per Frankell and Gary Bredow to talk about the latest developments on the film and the fundraising efforts.

Throughout comedy history duos have been a winning combination. Think Martin and Lewis or Cheech and Chong or Harold and Kumar. Today, WDET’s Rob St. Mary introduces us to Ed and Moe, the brain child of a Dearborn filmmaker whose internet show is attracting attention locally and beyond.

The party store is a staple of the Metro Detroit retail experience and it appears to be fertile ground for a Detroit raised filmmaker. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to writer-director Joe Doughrity and producer Dwight Patillo about their film “Cornerstore” which opens locally on Friday.

A local techno DJ and filmmaker is currently working on a documentary about female DJs, like her, and what it takes to make it in a music dominated by men.

WDET’s Rob St. Mary sat down recently with DJ Jenny LaFemme to talk about her project.

The Burton Theatre – which closed in the spring – lives on in exile… popping up in different locations around Metro Detroit. WDET’s Rob St. Mary talked recently with Nathan Faustyn – one of the coordinators for the Burton Theatre – about his efforts to keep their film series viable.

A documentary about Detroit’s legendary rock band the MC5 has been completed but the producers need a little help securing the music rights. So, an on-line effort is underway now through the 4th of July to raise the funds needed to bring the feature to screens worldwide. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to one of the coordinators of the effort – Freddie Brooks.

The creators of the underground Halloween party known as Theatre Bizarre have spent the better part of the past decade transforming a section of a blighted, burned out neighborhood in the City of Detroit into a one night carnival. With stages, a roller coaster and even a Ferris wheel, Theatre Bizarre is a circus sideshow come alive. That was until city officials shut it down last fall. WDET’s Rob St. Mary recently caught up with the creators, who call their concept “the greatest masquerade on earth”, to talk about the future of their creation.

The fourth annual Detroit Windsor International Film Festival takes place this week on the Wayne State University campus. WDET’s Rob St. Mary recently talked to festival organizer Suzanne Janik and local filmmaker Jeffery Schultz about the festival.

A new documentary opens in Detroit this weekend made by someone known for appearing in fake documentaries. Actor and comedian Harry Shearer’s new project is called “The Big Uneasy” and investigates how New Orleans flooded following Hurricane Katrina. WDET’s Rob St. Mary spoke to Shearer by phone yesterday.

Eighteen bands will come together in Detroit on Saturday and battle – sonically, speaking – from two stages at the Lager House in Corktown while the cameras roll. WDET’s Rob St. Mary reports on the making a local concert film – “Urgh: A Detroit Music War”.

Starting Thursday night at the Detroit Film Theatre, the Oscar-winning editor of such modern classics as “The Conversation”, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Star Wars” – Richard Chew – will host a series of four double features and a discussion on the art of film editing.

In the mid-1980s, two Wayne State University students started a magazine which covered the underground and independent film scene. Eventually, it with international. But in 1997 Film Threat Magazine ceased publication and became web only. Now, 14 years later, the current owner and publisher of Film Threat - Mark Bell – is seeking a return to print.

The second annual Detroit Independent Film Festival kicks off this weekend. Today, WDET’s Rob St. Mary introduces us to a young filmmaker who’s not only pursuing his own career… but is helping others like him in the process.

Next week, Detroit artist and musician Matthew Ellison the Second will screen three new short films at the Mitten Movie Project’s Zombie Night in Royal Oak. Today, WDET’s Rob St. Mary introduces us to Ellison and takes us deep inside his creation, Electric Otto’s Funk Factory.