We remember our greatest directors for the films they made at their peak. But how often do we remember their Last Take?
In this podcast, author and podcaster A. J. Black and cinephile Sam Stokes examine the final, often under-seen artistic work of creatives who have now left us. From Hitchcock's Family Plot to Wilder's Buddy Buddy, each such film carries their own story linked to the overall career and work of cinema's enduring legends.
Join Tony and Sam as they venture across the last century and explore cinema's Last Take...
A proud part of the Film Stories Podcast Network: www.filmstories.co.uk
Welcome to the LAST TAKE podcast.
Hosted by author A. J. Black and podcaster Sam Stokes, Last Take looks at the final films of directors, seeking to find in these often lesser-seen efforts what made them legends of cinema in the first place.
In this episode, a crossover with the AT THE MOVIES IN THE 90s podcast where co-host Mark McManus joins them, they go back to 1999 and look at Eyes Wide Shut, the final directorial effort of American director, Stanley Kubrick.
One of the singular auteurs of the 20th century, Kubrick's films became a sub-genre all of their own, defining and subverting a range of different cinematic styles and narratives. His last film was almost his entire career in the making and a crystallisation of many of the aspects of human relationships that so fascinated him. Does it stand as a fitting epitaph? Or is it a flawed examination of sex, love and marriage that taints his legacy? We find out...
Host / Editor
A. J. Black
Co-Host
Sam Stokes
Guest
Mark McManus
Find the podcast on social media via Linktr.ee:
https://linktr.ee/lasttakepodcast
Support the Film Stories podcast network on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/simonbrew
Twitter: @filmstories
Facebook/Instagram/Threads: Film Stories
Website: www.filmstories.co.uk
Title music: 'Dismantle' by Peter Sandberg (c) epidemicsound.com
13 Jan 2026
Agnès Varda's Faces Places
Welcome to the LAST TAKE podcast.
Hosted by author A. J. Black and podcaster Sam Stokes, Last Take looks at the final films of directors, seeking to find in these often lesser-seen efforts what made them legends of cinema in the first place.
In this episode, they go back to 2017 and look at Faces Places, the final directorial effort of Belgian/French artist and director, Agnès Varda.
Varda for decades was not just an unsung female director but an unsung influential artist, on everything from the French New Wave to feminist protest, but in the busy years leading up to her death she began to build the acclaim that eluded her. We explore why and dig into what makes Varda one of the towering female masters of the form of the 20th century...
Host / Editor
Sam Stokes
Co-Host
A. J. Black
Find the podcast on social media via Linktr.ee:
https://linktr.ee/lasttakepodcast
Support the Film Stories podcast network on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/simonbrew
Twitter: @filmstories
Facebook/Instagram/Threads: Film Stories
Website: www.filmstories.co.uk
Title music: 'Dismantle' by Peter Sandberg (c) epidemicsound.com
16 Dec 2025
Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America
Welcome to the LAST TAKE podcast.
Hosted by author A. J. Black and podcaster Sam Stokes, Last Take looks at the final films of directors, seeking to find in these often lesser-seen efforts what made them legends of cinema in the first place.
In this episode, they go back to 1984 and look at Once Upon a Time in America, the final directorial effort of Italian auteur Sergio Leone, with Robert de Niro in the main role.
Leone's career as a striking creative who transforms the Western and stamps a combination of epic lens and exploitative violence on cinema is examined, as they look at just how fitting and impressive Leone's last take was...
Host / Editor
A. J. Black
Co-Host
Sam Stokes
Find the podcast on social media via Linktr.ee:
https://linktr.ee/lasttakepodcast
Support the Film Stories podcast network on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/simonbrew
Twitter: @filmstories
Facebook/Instagram/Threads: Film Stories
Website: www.filmstories.co.uk
Title music: 'Dismantle' by Peter Sandberg (c) epidemicsound.com
25 Nov 2025
Charlie Chaplin's A Countess from Hong Kong
Welcome to the LAST TAKE podcast.
Hosted by authors A. J. Black and Sam Stokes, Last Take looks at the final films of directors and actors, seeking to find in these often lesser-seen efforts what made them legends of cinema in the first place.
In this episode, they go back to 1967 and look at A Countess from Hong Kong, the final directorial effort of American screen icon Charlie Chaplin, a romantic caper starring Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren.
Chaplin only has a cameo as an aged figure, but they look at his broad career as a comic performer and director, squaring the genius of the man with a difficult and troubling life...
Host / Editor
Sam Stokes
Co-Host
A. J. Black
Find the podcast on social media via Linktr.ee:
https://linktr.ee/lasttakepodcast
Support the Film Stories podcast network on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/simonbrew
Twitter: @filmstories
Facebook/Instagram/Threads: Film Stories
Website: www.filmstories.co.uk
Title music: 'Dismantle' by Peter Sandberg (c) epidemicsound.com
14 Oct 2025
Billy Wilder's Buddy Buddy
Welcome to the LAST TAKE podcast.
Hosted by authors A. J. Black and Sam Stokes, Last Take looks at the final films of directors and actors, seeking to find in these often lesser-seen efforts what made them legends of cinema in the first place.
In this episode, they go back to 1981 and look at Buddy, Buddy, the final film of American directing giant Billy Wilder, starring classic duo Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
Framing Wilder's illustrious career in context, they look at whether Wilder's finished on a whimper or with an underrated gem...
Host / Editor
A. J. Black
Co-Host
Sam Stokes
Find the podcast on social media via Linktr.ee:
https://linktr.ee/lasttakepodcast
Support the Film Stories podcast network on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/simonbrew
Twitter: @filmstories
Facebook/Instagram/Threads: Film Stories
Website: www.filmstories.co.uk
Title music: 'Dismantle' by Peter Sandberg (c) epidemicsound.com
14 Oct 2025
Last Take: Season 1
Welcome to the LAST TAKE podcast.
Hosted by authors A. J. Black and Sam Stokes, Last Take looks at the final films of directors and actors, seeking to find in these often lesser-seen efforts what made them legends of cinema in the first place.
In this opening episode, they introduce themselves, discuss why they created the podcast, and outline which directors and actors they plan to cover across the first season...
Host / Editor
A. J. Black
Co-Host
Sam Stokes
Find the podcast on social media via Linktr.ee:
https://linktr.ee/lasttakepodcast
Support the Film Stories podcast network on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/simonbrew
Twitter: @filmstories
Facebook/Instagram/Threads: Film Stories
Website: www.filmstories.co.uk
Title music: 'Dismantle' by Peter Sandberg (c) epidemicsound.com
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