Rephonic
Artwork for The Spiel
Steven Spielberg
Jaws
Jurassic Park
Poltergeist
Schindler's List
Raiders Of the Lost Ark
Amazing Stories
Stephen King
The Goonies
Transformers
War Of the Worlds
Cinema
E.T.
Hook
Spielberg
Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom
ET the Extra-Terrestrial
Indiana Jones
Close Encounters
Horror Films

Each week, host Eric Vespe welcomes a notable guest to the show to discuss a work of film from the career of director Steven Spielberg. The Spiel is an open-ended love letter to one of the greatest film directors of all time and his enormous impact on cinema. SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows explori... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes58Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
TV & Film

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Spiel

Latest Episodes

Director Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2, Imaginary) has a new killer shark movie out now called The Devil's Mouth starring Kathryn Newton, so naturally he had to come on The Spiel talk a little bit about his Spielberg-y influences.

Yes, Jaws does come up, ... more

Jaws is host Eric Vespe's favorite movie of all time, so it's only fitting that we get the nerdiest possible deep dive into the 1975 blockbuster with special guest Ian Nathan.

Ian's an author and documentarian who has produced books on The Coen Brot... more

There is a brand new Steven Spielberg movie out in theaters this weekend so of course we had to dive into it on The Spiel. Vespe is joined by his longtime friend and ex-Ain't It Cool colleague Drew McWeeny to dissect, as best they can, Spielberg's Di... more

Prominent indie actor Lou Taylor Pucci (Southland Tales, Thumbsucker, Evil Dead 2013) is our guest this episode to talk about a new title for The Spiel: *batteries not included, the 1987 film produced by Steven Spielberg, directed by Matthew Robbins,... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Kingcast
The KingcastFANGORIA Podcast Network
BEST MOVIES NEVER MADE
BEST MOVIES NEVER MADEStephen Scarlata & Josh Miller
Screen Drafts
Screen DraftsClay Keller and Ryan Marker
The Movies That Made Me
The Movies That Made MeSpectreVision Radio
Talking Scared
Talking ScaredNeil McRobert

Recent Guests

Ian Nathan
Editor, film journalist and documentarian; project lead on Jaws Explored
Empire (writer/editor); Jaws Explored
Episode: Jaws with Ian Nathan
Drew McWeeny
Film critic and commentator; long-time Ain't It Cool News contributor
Independent/Film Critic
Episode: Disclosure Day Review with Drew McWeeny
Lou Taylor Pucci
Actor known for indie films and recent works including Touch Me
Episode: *batteries not included With Lou Taylor Pucci
DC Pierson
Comedian, writer, actor known for Mystery Team
Personal project: Mystery Team Blu-ray release promotion
Episode: Transformers: Dark of the Moon with DC Pierson
Matthew McManus
Co-director/producer
Redux Redux team
Episode: Duel with The McManus Brothers
Kevin McManus
Co-director/producer
Redux Redux team
Episode: Duel with The McManus Brothers
Renny Harlin
Film director known for Cliffhanger, Deep Blue Sea, Die Hard 2, Nightmare on Elm Street 4, and The Strangers trilogy
Filmmaker
Episode: Jaws with Renny Harlin
Kevin Lewis
Writer, producer, and director known for 'Willy's Wonderland' and 'Pig Hill.'
Episode: Three O'Clock High with Kevin Lewis
Mick Garris
Director and writer known for his work on horror films and television series, including Amazing Stories and adaptations of Stephen King works.
Episode: Amazing Stories with Mick Garris

Host

Eric Vespe
Host of The Spiel, frequently discusses filmmaking craft and Spielberg-adjacent cinema

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 153 ratings
  • Still great guests but Eric’s tangents need to be shorter

    I have been listening to Eric’s podcasts since the early days of the Kingcast and I have loved so much of the stuff he’s produced or co-produced. But so much of the time now he tells the same story again and again and talks about his own exploits, instead of asking good questions from his cool guests. If he can ramble less about his own life, it would be so much better

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    aosmitty13
    United States7 months ago
  • .

    Podcast Addict
    5
    PigDan
    8 months ago
  • In Favor of Impressions

    Love this Spielberg focused podcast with Eric Vespe. Already miss Scott Wampler and I’m going to miss Josh Robert Thompson. He was a great co-host, super funny, and I never tired of hilarious and nailed Spielberg and Lucas impressions. Seriously loved the impressions and always wanted more. I know it’s not the show, but I needed those laughs.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KrimSteve
    United Statesa year ago
  • Solid show but needs a new CE3K ep.

    I've listened to several random eps and all are great, except the Close Encounters one. Nothing against Nacho but most of his talk was about everything other than CE3K -- 1941, Jaws, ET, Tom & Jerry, etc. And the guest co-host didn't seem like he had even fully seen the film. How could someone not realize that the 5-note motif is incorporated throughout the score? CE3K deserves a 2nd ep like you did for AI.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    "Who are you people?"
    United Statesa year ago
  • Podcast Addict
    PigDan
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the blend of nostalgia and rigorous analysis.
Guests consistently bring deep expertise and passion for cinema craft.
The host's tangents can occasionally sidetrack episodes, but guest insights remain strong.

Top TV & Film Podcasts

Watch What Crappens
Watch What CrappensBen Mandelker & Ronnie Karam
The Big Picture
The Big PictureThe Ringer
WHAT WENT WRONG
WHAT WENT WRONGSad Boom Media
RHAP: We Know Big Brother
RHAP: We Know Big BrotherBig Brother Podcast Recaps & BB27 LIVE Feed Updates from Rob Cesternino, Taran Armstrong and more
Blank Check with Griffin & David
Blank Check with Griffin & DavidBlank Check Productions
Two Sons and Me
Two Sons and MePodcastOne
House of R
House of RThe Ringer

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Jaws with Ian Nathan
Q: What makes Brody such an interesting leading man in your view?
Brody is a reluctant, realistically flawed hero whose fear and humanity are clear from the start, allowing audiences to relate to him and making his arc through the film feel grounded and earned.
Jaws with Ian Nathan
Q: So can you talk a little bit about that before we dive into the film on the whole?
We discussed the crowdfunding structure behind Jaws Explored, backed by Creative BC, and how backers can pre-order the book and movie together to support the project.
Duel with The McManus Brothers
Q: Was there a particular moment that crystallized your view of Duel's craft?
The tunnel-and-diner sequences demonstrate how a simple premise can become a masterclass in timing, blocking, and editor-camera coordination; these moments show that great suspense often comes from the smallest character-driven choices rather than extravagant set-pieces.
Duel with The McManus Brothers
Q: How do you compare the opening sequence of Duel to modern openings in thrillers, and what makes it enduring?
The opening car pursuit sets a tonal and spatial map that informs everything that follows; it blends a sense of grounded reality with impending danger, and Spielberg's use of real LA geography makes the audience feel the world and the stakes immediately—an approach that still resonates with audiences today.
Duel with The McManus Brothers
Q: What drew you to Duel as a topic for Redux Redux, beyond your affection for Spielberg?
We were already scouting the same streets Duel used, which created a direct line between the old film and our own filmmaking with Redux Redux; the film's car-chase architecture and the way it uses spaces and real locations to build suspense felt like a natural bridge for our work and for discussing how to stage large, tangible action under constraints.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Spiel

What is The Spiel about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dan into Spielberg's work and influence, with guests ranging from journalists and critics to filmmakers and actors who share a hands-on passion for cinema. Episodes orbit around production stories, craftsmanship, and the cultural footprint of Spielberg's films, often anchored by behind-the-scenes anecdotes, comparative analyses, and era-spanning insights. A standout aspect is the strong emphasis on practical filmmaking lore, on-set storytelling, and the intersection of classic cinema with contemporary perspectives, making it appealing for cinephiles, industry folks, and creators seeking thoughtful, craft-forward conversations.

Across episodes, the show leans into affectionate, film-nerd culture with a willingness to challenge narrat... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Spiel?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Spiel. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Spiel and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Spiel get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Spiel, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Spiel?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Spiel, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Spiel have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Spiel has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Spiel?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Spiel:

1. The Kingcast
2. BEST MOVIES NEVER MADE
3. Screen Drafts
4. The Movies That Made Me
5. Talking Scared

How many episodes of The Spiel are there?

The Spiel launched 2 years ago and published 58 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Spiel?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Spiel?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Spiel from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Spiel?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Spiel. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Spiel?

Recent guests on The Spiel include:

1. Ian Nathan
2. Drew McWeeny
3. Lou Taylor Pucci
4. DC Pierson
5. Matthew McManus
6. Kevin McManus
7. Renny Harlin
8. Kevin Lewis

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days