Content warning: discussions of rape, mentions of pedophilia, abuse, suicide. Nice Ashes and affiliates do not condone any behavior that injures another party.

This week on Nice Ashes, Nate and Mike light up the Tatiana Sweet Euphoria cigar while welcoming underground filmmaker Bill Zebub as a special guest. The conversation explores Bill's recently re-edited film Age of Lead, the inspiration behind its title, the challenges of adapting classic literature like The Odyssey and Frankenstein for the screen, and the realities of independent filmmaking. Along the way, the discussion covers artistic integrity, censorship, creative freedom, horror cinema, and the evolving landscape of low-budget film production.

Bill's website

Grimoire of Exalted Deeds

Pre-Order Never Make A Movie In Texas

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This week on Nice Ashes, Mike and Nate are lighting up the Montecristo Platinum Series Toro and taking a nostalgic trip through Mel Brooks' 1987 sci-fi comedy classic, Spaceballs. They discuss how the film holds up nearly four decades later, revisit its most memorable jokes and quotable lines, explore behind-the-scenes trivia—including George Lucas' surprising involvement—and compare it to other Mel Brooks classics like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. The conversation also expands into the current state of Hollywood, modern comedy, movie theaters, and why original storytelling seems harder to find today.

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In this episode, Nate and Mike kick off with a casual review of the sweet Tatiana Rum cigar before diving deep into medieval society’s complex social hierarchy. They unpack the rigid class structure—from monarchs and nobles to serfs and itinerants—highlighting how 85% of the population were serfs bound to the land and stripped of rights. The hosts explore the interplay between church, state, and economics, including the roles of Jewish communities and military orders like the Knights Templar. They also discuss the persistence of serfdom well into the 19th and 20th centuries across Europe and beyond, drawing parallels to modern social and power dynamics. The episode closes with reflections on historical patterns of persecution, manipulation, and the enduring influence of elite ruling classes through the ages.

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