Sudden Impact & Impulse (with Jourdain Searles)

Rotten Rewind

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Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke made six films together over the course of a decade. They also had a tumultuous romantic partnership that culminated in a 19 month trial where Locke developed breast cancer. Locke, an Academy Award nominated actress, turned to directing in the late 80s, but was never able to achieve the notoriety she deserved because of her public falling out with Eastwood.
Today on the podcast, we're looking back on their final collaboration together, the fourth entry in the "Dirty Harry" franchise, "Sudden Impact," as well as Locke's sophomore feature behind the camera, "Impulse." Critic and writer Jourdain Searles returns to the show for an in-depth conversation about the tragedy surrounding Locke's career and her mostly unseen directorial efforts.
Why were we robbed of such a talented artist's future works? Was Sondra Locke the Polly Platt to Eastwood's Bogdanovich? How do reconcile an artist's off-screen behavior with their legendary career? What happens when Dirty Harry tackles rape culture? Why doesn't Theresa Russell work anymore? How the fuck do you pronounce George Dzundza's last name? Find out right now as we kick off our month-long descent into the seedy back alleys and underworlds of Vulgar Neo-Noir.