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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 Noé, Rachel Brosnahan, Amy 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.

Ep1061: Accademia Giallo CREDITO EXTRA: The Shiver Screen! January Giallo Returns to The Music Box

Ep1061: Accademia Giallo CREDITO EXTRA: The Shiver Screen! January Giallo Returns to The Music Box

Ian Simmons

Happy New Year, to all our beloved, black-gloved bellezze!

Accademia Giallo is back with a special "Credito Extra" look at The Music Box Theatre's latest edition of its wildly popular "January Giallo" film series--kicking off this Monday, January 6!

Co-programmers William Morris and Katie Rife join Ian to talk about how this terrifying tradition made its way to Chicago and what genre fans can expect from this year's lineup.

Far from being a 40-minute infomercial, Will and Katie pull back the curtain on the surprising challenges of putting together an annual film series; reveal why Giallo has become so popular with younger audiences; offer a delicious tease of untapped international gialli, which may be coming soon to a classroom near you!

If you're in Chicagoland on any Monday this month, treat yourself to a lurid evening of backstabbing, front-stabbing, J&B Scotch, and bumbling cops! January Giallo is back!

Subscribe, like, and comment on Kicking the Seat here on YouTube, and check us out at:

Show Links

  • Watch the trailer for The Music Box Theatre's "January Giallo 2025" series!

  • And get your tickets to these scream-worthy screenings every Monday, starting January 6!

  • Support our guests's creative and critical exploits! William Morris of Music Box of Horrors and Oscarbate Film Collective.

  • Katie Rife, of too many things to list! So here's a handy Muckrack page with all the links.

  • You can also follow Katie on X.

  • If you haven’t seen our interview with legendary director Sergio Martino from “January Giallo 2024”, you can check it out here.

  • Support all of our terrifying teachers' axe-tracurricular activities!

  • Catch up with classic episodes of his Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers podcast!

  • Continue your education with our "Accademia Giallo" Playlist!

Ep1060: Outside the Cathouse, Inside the Arthouse: An Interview with Actor/Filmmaker Raphael Sbarge!

Ep1060: Outside the Cathouse, Inside the Arthouse: An Interview with Actor/Filmmaker Raphael Sbarge!