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.
Appears in 76 Episodes
TOPG Ep 57: Bloodsport
This week, we enter the underground world of full-contact, no-rules martial arts with Bloodsport (1988). Jean-Claude Van Damme high-kicks his way through the legendary...
TOPG Ep 56: Independence Day
Aliens. Explosions. Jeff Goldblum uploading a virus with a 90s laptop. This week, we revisit Independence Day (1996), the blockbuster that blew up the White House and ...
TOPG Ep 55: Dirty Dancing
This week, we revisit Dirty Dancing (1987), the coming-of-age dance romance that made hearts race and boosted watermelon sales. With Patrick Swayze’s smooth moves, Je...
TOPG Ep 54: Blue Thunder
This week we take flight with Blue Thunder (1983). With cutting-edge (for the time) surveillance tech and some heavy 80s paranoia, does this action-thriller soar, or s...
TOPG Ep 53: Roxanne
This week we revisit Roxanne (1987), Steve Martin’s modern-day take on Cyrano de Bergerac, complete with small-town charm, poetic insults, and questionable telescope e...
TOPG Ep 52: Crocodile Dundee
That’s not a podcast… this is a podcast. This week we head Down Under (and then to New York) with Crocodile Dundee (1986), the fish-out-of-water comedy that made Paul ...
TOPG Ep 51: Tin Cup
Dust off your clubs and get ready for some swagger, this week we’re teeing up Tin Cup (1996). Is this a sports rom-com hole-in-one, or does it shank straight into the ...
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 R...
TOPG Ep 49: Black Rain
Neon lights, leather jackets, and a whole lot of cigarette smoke—this week we fire up Black Rain (1989), Ridley Scott’s gritty East-meets-West crime thriller starring ...
TOPG Ep 48: Star Wars: A New Hope
This week we revisit Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)—the movie that launched a franchise, redefined sci-fi, and made breathing loudly somehow menacing. Does this cultural...
TOPG Ep 47: White Nights
It’s Cold War drama meets high-stakes dance battles! This week, we revisit White Nights (1985), where ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov and tap legend Gregory Hines te...
TOPG Ep 46: Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction (1987) wasn’t just a thriller, it was a full-blown cultural moment. This week, we revisit the steamy, suspenseful cautionary tale that made Michael Do...
TOPG Ep 45: Bachelor Party
Before The Hangover, there was Bachelor Party (1984)—a chaotic cocktail of strippers, donkeys, and Tom Hanks in full 80s comedy mode. This week, we dive into the outra...
TOPG Ep 44: Jacob’s Ladder
Is it a psychological horror masterpiece or just a paranoid fever dream? This week, we descend into Jacob’s Ladder (1990), a mind-bending journey through the fractured...
TOPG Ep 43: April Fools Day
Is it a slasher? Is it a prank? Is it actually scary? For our April Fools’ Day special, we’re revisiting April Fool’s Day (1986), the horror movie that flipped the gen...
TOPG Ep 42: Overboard
Amnesia, kidnapping, and questionable romantic ethics, Overboard (1987) is a rom-com that could only exist in the 80s. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell bring the charm, bu...
TOPG Ep 41: Leprechaun
Nothing says St. Patrick’s Day like beer, bad luck, and a murderous little guy in a green suit! This special holiday episode, we’re diving into Leprechaun (1993), the ...
TOPG EP 40: European Vacation
In this episode regular Gen X hosts Mathew and Olen are joined by special guest host, Mark Wolters, an award-winning travel vlogger and the host of the Wolters World Y...
TOPG Ep 39: Firefox
In the 80s, every problem could be solved with a cool vehicle—so why not a thought-controlled Soviet fighter jet? This week, we revisit Firefox (1982), where Clint Eas...
TOPG Ep 38: They Live
Put on your sunglasses and wake up, sheeple—it’s time to revisit They Live (1988)! John Carpenter’s cult classic blends sci-fi, action, and social satire as Roddy Pipe...
