Pauline Kael's Brutal Reviews Changed Hollywood

"She's so f***ing mean," Quentin Tarantino once said of film critic Pauline Kael. Kael was known for brutally harsh film reviews that could make or break a movie. People want to dismiss critics for "not knowing anything", but Kael knew a lot - and her knowledge was valuable to the industry. Her ability to spot up-and-coming talent in the 60s and 70s helped New American Cinema flourish. Find out about her life as we read her wildest reviews. Who could ever say something mean about The Sound of Music? Pauline Kael!This episode originally aired with Grab Bag Collab on their Patreon. Stephanie Weber is the host, creator, researcher, and writer of Directora. Amanda Rossman mixed this episode. Brock Alter made the artwork. Follow Directora on Instagram and TikTok. E-mail questions, suggestions, and anything else to directorapodcast@gmail.comSources for this episode:Barsanti, Chris. “When Film Mattered: Pauline Kael’s Age of Movies.” October 27, 2011. https://themillions.com/2011/10/when-film-mattered-pauline-kaels-the-age-of-movies.htmlBrody, Richard. “What Pauline Kael Failed to See About Young Film Lovers”. April 8, 2025. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/what-pauline-kael-failed-to-see-about-young-film-loversCwik, Greg. “The Critic as Artful Gadfly”. Pop Matters. November 14, 2012. https://www.popmatters.com/165416-the-critic-as-artful-gadfly-pauline-kael-2495797841.htmlGarver, Rob. What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael. (2018).Hellerman, Jason. “The Controversy Behind ‘Citizen Kane’, ‘Mank’, and Pauline Kael”. December 2, 2020. https://nofilmschool.com/citizen-kane-pauline-kaelJones, Emma. “It Was Really Wrong: How Last Tango in Paris’ Infamous Explicit Scene Undid Its Female Star.” BBC News. April 3, 2025.  https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250402-maria-schneider-how-last-tango-in-pariss-infamous-explicit-scene-undid-its-female-starKael, Pauline. “Circles and Squares.” JSTOR.org https://www.jstor.org/stable/1210726Kael, Pauline. “Bonnie and Clyde.” The New Yorker. October 13, 1967. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1967/10/21/bonnie-and-clydeLinfield, Susie. “The Perils of Pauline” LA Times. Sept. 29, 2002. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-sep-29-bk-linfield29-story.htmlPotton, Ed. “She’s So Mean - The Critic Everyone Loved to Hate”. The Times. March 17, 2023. https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/tarantino-described-her-film-reviews-as-the-greatest-shit-ever-she-s-just-being-so-f-ing-mean-nnkt6056rRussell, Calum. “Pauline Kael Reviews Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction” Far Out Magazine. March 16 2013. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/pauline-kael-reviews-quentin-tarantinos-pulp-fiction/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.