profile pic ian.jpg

Welcome to Kicking the Seat!

Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).

The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar NoéRachel BrosnahanAmy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.

Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.

Ep153: Beyond THE BEYOND w/ FABIO FRIZZI!

Ep153: Beyond THE BEYOND w/ FABIO FRIZZI!

This week, the Kicking the Seat Podcast welcomes legendary horror composer Fabio Frizzi to discuss his upcoming appearance at Chicago's Music Box Theatre! Yes, on Thursday, October 6, Fabio will conduct a live "Composer's Cut" of Lucio Fulci's horror classic, The Beyond! What exactly is a "Composer's Cut"? Who else will be on stage for this unique experience? Will Ian ever win his ongoing battle with interview-recording technology?

The answers to these questions and more (including an exclusive bit of news regarding the future of The Beyond: Composer's Cut) await in this fun and informative chat, which took place just days before Fabio left Rome for his 2016 "Zombie Apocalypse Tour"! If you'll be in Chicago next week, head over to musicboxtheatre.com to get your tickets (the VIP level includes a meet-and-greet with the maestro, as well as a signed event poster!).

Also, Ian fills you in on the latest installment of the Critic's Classics Series, coming up at Classic Cinemas Elk Grove on Wednesday, October 12. F This Movie's Patrick Bromley will introduce Wes Craven's landmark horror film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and host a Q&A after the show. For a measly five bucks, you can witness the birth of an icon on the big screen, and talk with one of the most entertaining and knowledgeable genre podcasters in the biz.

Episode 153 cracks open the seventh portal of Hell, and finds it to be...not so bad, really!

You can keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on TwitterFacebookiTunes, and Stitcher!

Ep154: Not-So-Endless Summer Nights

Ep152: MagCIFFicent!