TOPG Ep 64: Beastmaster
This week on Too Old or Pure Gold, we wrestle with the loincloth-laden cult classic The Beastmaster (1982). Ferrets, tigers, and more oily pecs than a barbarian expo; this sword-and-sorcery romp is peak cable-TV nostalgia. But is it truly an epic fantasy worth revisiting, or just a beastly mess from the VHS bargain bin?
Host: Olen Vanderleeden & Aaron Levitz
Cast: Sean & Clef Seeley
Host: Olen Vanderleeden & Aaron Levitz
Cast: Sean & Clef Seeley
Creators and Guests

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
Aaron Levitz
Aron Levitz brought sharp insight, dry humor, and an impressive ability to make sense of a truly baffling film. A proud Gen Xer and longtime friend of the pod, Aron might be successful, we’re not entirely sure, but the fact that he’s the President of Wattpad, one of the world’s most innovative storytelling platforms, certainly points in that direction.

Guest
Clef Seeley
Clef Seeley is is the composer of our theme music and soundtrack critic. He’s just as comfortable appreciating the lighthearted charm of Remo Williams as he is unpacking the psychological layers of Videodrome. Clef brings a rare balance of joy and depth to the pod, always ready to laugh, but never afraid to go deep when a film demands it.

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.
