TOPG Ep 50: The Hunt for Red October
This week, we dive deep—literally—with The Hunt for Red October (1990). Sean Connery plays a Russian sub captain with a Scottish accent, Alec Baldwin is a young Jack Ryan, and the Cold War tension is thicker than sonar fog. Is this slow-burning thriller still a tactical masterpiece, or has time torpedoed its legacy? Join us as we surface the truth: Too Old or Pure Gold?
Hosts: Olen Vanderleeden & Matthew Stockton
Co-Hosts: Sean & Clef Seeley
Creators and Guests
Host
Mathew Stockton
Mathew Stockton is co-host of Too Old or Pure Gold and the voice behind the acclaimed true crime podcast Dark Poutine. Known for his dry wit, sharp cultural takes, and unapologetic disdain for both Tom Cruise and David Hasselhoff, Mathew brings a grounded, no-nonsense edge to the show. Check Mathew out on Dark Poutine and follow his dog Steve at Steve_couldnt_leave
Host
Olen Vanderleeden
A Gen X creative whose career spans cannabis, clean tech, and media, but his real passion is stuck in a time warp somewhere between a VHS rental and a training montage. As the creator, producer, and co-host of Too Old or Pure Gold, Olen channels his lifelong love of 80s cinema, especially the high-kicking, synth-scored, gloriously weird corners of it, into a podcast that celebrates, critiques, and reexamines the movies that shaped a generation.
Guest
Anthony
A true renaissance man and our resident construction sage, Anthony brings a no-frills, all-heart perspective. He’s our go-to voice on all things structural, whether it’s a collapsing bridge in an 80s action flick or the logic gaps in a flimsy plot. As the show’s self-appointed “dog acting” critic, he’s got a keen eye for canine performances and a low tolerance for cinematic nonsense.
Guest
Pieter Vanderleeden
At 93, Pieter is the tireless heart of Pieter’s Plot Corner, watching and studying every film we cover, then delivering a brilliant and succinct plot summary for listeners who may not have seen (or survived) the movie in question. He missed a lot of these films in the '80s, but he’s catching up now, and loving (almost) every minute. Equally dedicated to the good and the awful, Pieter is an essential part of the podcast family and a fan favorite in his own right.
Guest
Sean
Engineer… or is he? Sean is the enigmatic force behind Too Old or Pure Gold, part behind-the-scenes producer, part on-mic wild card. He can stare you down like Clint Eastwood in Pale Rider and unravel ridiculous plots with the precision of dissecting the russian espionage mess in Firefox. A martial arts practitioner with a deep knowledge of submarine warfare, Sean brings a tactical mind and a low tolerance for dumb comedy. Not easily impressed, he demands movies that make sense and deliver, but when they do, he’s the sleeper favorite voice of reason.
