Go beyond the algorithm! Film Swap is the podcast for curious and adventurous film lovers. In every episode, David and Jonathan — along with special guests — swap films on fascinating themes and dive into film history, cult cinema, lost classics, and the hidden gems that deserve more love. Calm, thoughtful, and fun discussions for anyone who wants to dig deeper and find their next favourite film.
Film Swap Ep. 57 - Spy-Fi Subversives! The Unknown Man of Shandigor and Billion Dollar Brain
What happens when Cold War spy films throw out the rulebook?
In this episode of Film Swap, we head into the stranger corners of 1960s espionage with two wildly unconventional 1967 films: Jean-Louis Roy’s The Unknown Man of Shandigor and Ken Russell’s Billion Dollar Brain, starring Michael Caine as Harry Palmer.
In The Unknown Man of Shandigor, rival spies descend on an eccentric scientist and his extraordinary invention. But beneath the surreal visuals and bizarre spy capers is a darker idea: what happens when something created for the good of humanity becomes a prize for those who want wealth and power? As the race to control the invention intensifies, paranoia and madness inevitably follow.
Then there’s Billion Dollar Brain, where a billionaire, a giant computer and a fanatical anti-communist crusade collide in one of the strangest entries in the Harry Palmer series. It’s a Cold War spy thriller that starts looking increasingly like a warning about the dangerous combination of wealth, technology and political power.
Both films turn the familiar spy movie on its head, playing with the genre’s Cold War politics, imperial ambitions and futuristic ideas. And despite being made in 1967, they have some surprisingly modern things to say about who controls technology, who gets to wield power, and what happens when ideology and money become tangled together.
Join us as we explore two forgotten Cold War spy films, their strange visions of the future, and why The Unknown Man of Shandigor and Billion Dollar Brain deserve to be rediscovered.
30 Jul 2026
Film Swap Ep. 56 - Hostile Horizons! Kin-Dza-Dza! and The Plague Dogs
This time on Film Swap actor and musician George Coutsoudis joins us once again as we're diving back into some Reel Rarities with two unforgettable cult classics that prove some of the best films are the ones you've never heard of.
We begin with Kin-dza-dza! (1986), Georgi Daneliya's wonderfully weird Soviet sci-fi comedy, where two ordinary men find themselves stranded on a baffling alien planet full of strange customs, absurd social rules and some surprisingly sharp observations about humanity.
Then it's back to Earth for The Plague Dogs (1982), Martin Rosen's powerful animated adaptation of Richard Adams' novel. Following two laboratory dogs as they escape into the wilds of the Lake District, it's a moving, often heartbreaking story about survival, freedom and finding your place in a world that doesn't always welcome you.
Although they couldn't seem more different, these films have more in common than you might think. We explore how both throw their characters into unfamiliar worlds where every decision matters, every encounter is unpredictable, and the journey itself becomes the real story.
We chat about surreal science fiction, unforgettable animation, social satire, unlikely friendships, and why these remarkable films deserve to be discovered by a whole new audience.
If you're looking to venture beyond the algorithm and uncover some truly unique cinema, come and join us.
**In this episode:
Kin-dza-dza! (1986)
The Plague Dogs (1982)
Reel Rarities
Cult and overlooked films
Soviet science fiction
Adult animation
Richard Adams adaptations
Film history and recommendations
Listen to George Coutsoudis on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/7cgOuTdmZpVjHj6SiuZdnS?si=oKHLFMIeTXWfi7XIjhmWGw) or any of your favourite music streamers!
Visit our website at: filmswap.uk (www.filmswap.uk)
1 Jul 2026
Film Swap Ep. 55 - Profound Piffle! 2010: The Year We Make Contact and Prometheus
What happens when filmmakers reach for the profound... and end up with a little piffle?In this episode of Film Swap, David and Jonathan are joined by special guest, genre film expert Richard Doyle to explore the curious world of Profound Piffle—films packed with big ideas, philosophical ambition and cosmic questions that occasionally tie themselves in knots along the way.The discussion centres on Ridley Scott's Prometheus (2012) and Peter Hyams' 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984), two science fiction films that attempt the daunting task of expanding upon some of cinema's most enduring mysteries. Both films seek answers to questions posed by beloved classics, but does explaining the unknown enrich the story or diminish its power?Along the way, we discuss the relationship between mystery and explanation in storytelling, whether modern audiences have become too dependent on exposition and tidy resolutions, and why filmmakers seem increasingly compelled to explain every corner of their fictional worlds. Does answering a mystery deepen a story, or undermine its impact? When does mythology become lore? And can a film be simultaneously profound and a little bit silly?From alien creators and enigmatic monoliths to franchise world-building and the value of ambiguity, this conversation explores why some of cinema's most fascinating and enduring films are also its messiest.Brought to you by those funky film guru's at the Film Swap podcast. Your calm oasis for fun and thoughtful film discussion.Visit our website at filmswap.uk
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41,612
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
4.7 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 60 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
65
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
60
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Questions about Film Swap
Who hosts Film Swap?
David and Jonathan host the show. Published by Film Swap Media.
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The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
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