Bond made Daniel Craig famous. Benoit Blanc may make him unforgettable. It sounds like a wild theory until you start looking at the evidence.

In this special episode of Within the Donut Hole: A Benoit Blanc Podcast, John Williams and Harris Thomas investigate one of the most fascinating questions in modern cinema: Could Benoit Blanc ultimately become Daniel Craig's defining role?

From the immense shadow of James Bond to the freedom and creativity of the Knives Out mysteries, we explore why Blanc may be the most personal, complete, and enduring character Craig has ever played. Along the way, we discuss the burden of inheriting an iconic role, why previous Bond actors never fully escaped 007, the timeless appeal of great detectives, and the remarkable creative partnership between Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson.

This isn't Bond versus Blanc. It's a conversation about legacy.

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In this episode of Within the Donut Hole, we open the case to the beautifully obsessive world of vinyl collecting with a very special guest: Mo Shafeek, co-founder of Mutant.

We dive deep into Mutant’s Wake Up Dead Man vinyl soundtrack release. From the haunting score by Nathan Johnson to the intricate artwork, packaging, and the dangerously tempting variant - the devilish “Eve’s Apple”. This is a conversation about what happens when film, music, and design collide to create physical media.

We talk process, collaboration, and the philosophy behind making something you don’t just listen to but hold. What goes into crafting a release that feels like an extension of the film.

And yes, we discuss how our love life meets our love of collecting records, cassette recorders pressed to our television sets, and of course, Mutant’s Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Lava release.

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Sun, sand, and a perfectly constructed murder.

This week on Within the Donut Hole, we break down Evil Under the Sun, one of Agatha Christie’s most elegant films. With Hercule Poirot at the center, we explore how a seemingly simple timeline becomes a masterclass in direction, score, script, casting, cinematography, editing, costume design, and locations.

From airtight alibis to carefully hidden truths, this is classic cinematic detective storytelling at its finest and a fascinating blueprint for our modern-day sleuth Benoit Blanc.

And yes, the tray of unidentifiable cocktails and the mysterious cheese with cherries will be discussed.

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