Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Once Upon A VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) with Jules Scheele | 24 sept. 2026 | 01:40:11 | |
"Be sure and tell 'em Large Marge sent ya!" Joined by our super-talented friend, illustrator and comics artist Jules Scheele, we chart the rise, fall and comeback of Pee-wee Herman - the pop culture phenomenon and alter ego of Paul Reubens - focusing in on this wild road trip movie which was also Tim Burton's feature debut. Getting goofy with the Groundlings, Saturday Night Live disappointment, Frankenweenie, fruit salad marriage, THAT stop motion jump scare, the utopian chaos of Pee-wee's Playhouse, going in and out of the closet, mythologised Americana, E.G. Daily's pop career, clown surgeons and beautiful dinosaurs await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Is this something you'd like to share with the rest of us, Amazing Larry? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Great Muppet Caper (1981) with Jonathan North (Joncast Media) | 17 sept. 2026 | 01:16:03 | |
"It's plot exposition, it has to go somewhere." Hey, a movie! Jim Henson's feature directorial debut, following up The Muppet Show and The Muppet Movie with a madcap jewel heist comedy set in London. Jonathan North of the Joncast Media multiverse of podcasts joins us for a fun chat about this old favourite and the legendary love affair between Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. The rat bellhops of the Happiness Hotel, screen icon Diana Rigg, an unsettling father of identical twins, bicycle puppetry, Busby Berkeley style synchronized swimming, and Gonzo's feelings towards chickens await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. What does "BSC" stand for? British Society of Cinematographers! And I'm sure 8/10 British cinematographers would recommend you listen to this episode! Miss Piggy crashes through a stained glass window on a motorbike looking fabulous! What more do you want? Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Orlando (1992) | 10 sept. 2026 | 01:30:02 | |
"Nothing thicker than a knife's blade separates melancholy from happiness." Queer temporality, gender expression and sexual fluidity - we are nourished by Sally Potter's beautiful reworking of the "unfilmable" 1928 novel by Virginia Woolf, starring Tilda Swinton as the title character who experiences an extended life as both a man and a woman. A Bronski Beat angel, gorgeous production design and costumes, Billy Zane on a horse, precocious library-lending, colour-shifting eyes, that maze sequence and trans icon Quentin Crisp, the true Queen of England, await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. This future of yours, when it's gonna begin? Today? Or, is it always tomorrow? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Splash (1984) with Christian Garcia (That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema) | 03 sept. 2026 | 01:26:33 | |
"What ya looking at? Never seen a guy who slept with a fish before?" Ahoy! We're joined by Christian Garcia from That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema podcast to discuss Ron Howard's smash hit mermaid romcom that launched Tom Hanks into superstardom and gave us an unforgettable underwater performance from Daryl Hannah. The symbolic power of mermaids, queer-coded secrets, consumerist satire, a koi-inspired tail, 80s comedy yelling, a scary sea hag deleted scene and the Touchstone Pictures of it all await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Would we trade a fountain for a necklace? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Simply Irresistible (1999) | 27 août 2026 | 01:13:56 | |
"I just wanted to eat." We're going off-menu and off-piste for this little slice of late 90s Cosmopolitan culture NYC romcom ridiculousness. It's less Sex and the City and more Crabs in the Kitchen as Sarah Michelle Gellar gets some culinary help from a magic crustacean. Emotionally-imbued food, public orgasms, special effect failures, Betty Buckley and our dream restaurant pairings of dishes with SMG projects await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Poppadoms or bread? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Swan Princess (1994) with Sophie B (Monstrous Productions) | 20 août 2026 | 01:44:33 | |
"Animals, assemble!" Loosely adapted from the Tchaikovsky ballet Swan Lake, this animated feature from ex-Disney director Richard Rich spawned a surprising legacy. Our friend Sophie B of audio fiction team Monstrous Productions joins us for an enchanting chat, with a special contribution from Cullen of Not My Fantasy podcast explaining the significance of this film for homeschoolers. Princesses on parade, raiding the fanfiction archive, the queer resonance of a transformation sequence, Queen Uberta's lewks, too many talking animal companions, Rothbart's book of Swan Spells, a prince named Derek, hag faces, an Odette AI chatbot and branded strawberry CBD lipgloss await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. What else is there? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Highlander (1986) | 13 août 2026 | 01:17:38 | |
"There can be only one." We had a gay old time with Russell Mulcahy's big, bold, beautiful and SILLY film about immortals fighting a fateful battle over centuries, from 16th century Scotland to 1980s New York City. Christopher Lambert's accent, Clancy Brown's command of camp, Sean Connery's everything, ridiculous scene transitions, the stunning landscapes of our home country, that memorable Queen score and Michael's book about the incredible life of Freddie Mercury await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Who wants to live forever? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Pleasantville (1998) | 06 août 2026 | 01:21:00 | |
"TV Time - remember, you're soaking in it." We got more than we bargained for in revisiting this odd allegorical fable about a couple of 90s teens stuck in a 50s sitcom, introducing self-discovery, sexuality and colour to the residents of the greyscale television world. Reese Witherspoon discovering the joy of reading, Tobey Maguire being a little creep, that Fiona Apple cover of Across the Universe, that iconic bathtub scene, and discussion of the well-intentioned but rough central metaphor for bigotry and discrimination await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. What's the deal with Don Knotts? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Mannequin (1987) | 30 juil. 2026 | 01:03:41 | |
"Oh my God, he's in love with a... dummy!" Kicking off our new Romantasy season, it's time for the diva dummy herself: Mannequin! The scat stylings of Liverpool's answer to Cleopatra Kim Cattrall, the glorious gayness of Meshach Taylor's turn as Hollywood Montrose, the dawn of market research, department store delirium, Brat Pack credentials, a pink Cadillac, hang glider ridiculousness, an extended fancy dress montage and a massive organ await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Is anything going to stop us now? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Labyrinth (1986) - Special Edition | 23 juin 2026 | 03:17:38 | |
"Dance, magic dance!" To celebrate the 40 year anniversary of Labyrinth, here's our epic new standalone episode revisiting this truly iconic 80s dark fantasy musical masterpiece from Muppet maestro Jim Henson, starring Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and conjure up personal memories of the film and its impact. Responding to guest contributions from listeners and friends of the pod as well as snippets of our previous review back on the first season, it's time to reconsider our rating and discover the reasons why this film continues to cast a captivating spell over generation after generation. Thank you so much to all our guest contributors on this special episode: Raisah, Pete, Scott, Alice, Liam, Lena, Byron, Courtney, Connor, Kate, Rachel and Rob. Who are the Venerable Beadles? Have we changed our mind about Sir Didymus? What babe? What power? Who do? Do what? Why are Shirley Temple and Cary Grant here? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Snack Pack - Season Finale and Mailbag | 04 juin 2026 | 01:46:39 | |
We wrap up our Size Matters season by bursting open a bag full of listener questions, reflections on the movies we've covered and three brand-spanking-new mini-reviews of The Elm-Chanted Forest (1986), The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) and The Return of the King (1980) as well as our thoughts on mystical British comedy-drama TV series Small Prophets (2026). Lots of delicious little snacks to share! Thematic resonance, homunculi, Monster In My Pocket, the origins of our rating system, Australasian kids' TV, Serendipity the Pink Dragon/Dinosaur, some favourite non-fantasy films, the Ernest series, the fairies from Sleeping Beauty, remake potential and more Buffy the Vampire Slayer references await. What's the theme of our next season, coming later this summer? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| FairyTale: A True Story (1997) with Michael Valvo | 21 mai 2026 | 01:31:01 | |
"Masters of illusion never reveal their secrets." The scandalous story of the Cottingley Fairies hoax that captivated Britain in the early 20th century is magically transformed into a prestige fantasy drama - one of two major motion pictures adapting these events. We chat with the delightful actor and memorabilia collector Michael Valvo about this hidden gem. Skydancers, spiritualism, Harvey Keitel as Harry Houdini with a noticeable prosthetic nose, Radical Faeries, Doctor Who connections, high end production design, grief and growing up await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Are there fairies at the bottom of the garden, or are we faking it in the campest way possible with hat pins and Princess Mary's Gift Book? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Dolls (1987) with Bright Light Bright Light | 14 mai 2026 | 01:07:34 | |
"The girl was right. The little people, they're f***ing dolls!" We're thrilled to be joined by pop legend Bright Light Bright Light to discuss a favourite cult classic midnight movie directed by Stuart Gordon - the whimsical horror comedy dark fairytale Dolls! That iconic poster image, Charles Band going from Empire Pictures to Full Moon Features, a BOYTOY belt, filming back-to-back with the absolutely wild From Beyond, Hilary's soup recipe, the evil toys of Barbarella, gruesome gore, Madonna cosplay, being a hairdresser having to cut mouldy dollies' hair on It's A Small World, a descendant of Pocahontas, the Sean Astin timeline, Puppet Master facial inspiration, Camden Market girls, a giant killer teddy bear, the joy of vinyl and Kim Cattrall not wanting to be in a situation for even an hour where she's not enjoying herself await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Which cast member also features in a truly iconic music video? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The BFG (1989) with Dr Liam Casey | 07 mai 2026 | 01:13:23 | |
"Whizzpop, whizzbang, feel the bubbles go down!" Our friend, clinical psychologist and mental health researcher Dr Liam Casey joins us to discuss this animated Roald Dahl adaptation, originally made for UK TV by Cosgrove Hall productions. A song about farting, The Delicious Miss (Sophie) Dahl, World Book Day, the 2016 Spielberg film being dragged through the mud, Mrs. Slocombe's you-know-what, grandpa feelings, making Frobscottle with a Berocca, Liam's library of dreams, the Kate Bush Fruitopia commercials, retro British children's TV including Rainbow and The Dreamstone, a terrifying monstrous giant rising from the sea, I Don't Know How To Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar, and the concept of replacing Queen Elizabeth II with Kylie Minogue await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. What do human beans from Sweden taste like? Sweden sour! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Harry and the Hendersons (1987) with Antonio Palacios | 30 avr. 2026 | 01:08:41 | |
"No, no, no Bigfoot here, Sergeant. I was just joking." Joining us on the trail of a very special sasquatch is a connoisseur of cult movies, Antonio Palacios from The Cultworthy Cinema Podcast and Back 2 The Balcony. It's time for a family comedy that became a real VHS staple - initially known in the UK as "Bigfoot and the Hendersons"! Rick Baker providing stunning makeup effects and having beef with Spielberg, a surprising connection to The Monkees, cryptid chat including Sam the Sandown Clown, and a wood-panelled station wagon await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Is this our most "dad stuff" episode so far? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987) | 23 avr. 2026 | 00:54:39 | |
"Only you can choose your fate." In the second part of our double bill of peculiar Pinocchio movies, we revisit one of Callum's childhood favourites - Filmation's ill-fated cartoon pseudo-sequel which provoked the wrath of Disney - fitting for a film that flits between saccharine sweetness and a dark carnival of deeply disturbing imagery. Surreal animation, an absolutely wild voice cast including James Earl Jones, Rickie Lee Jones, Ed Asner, Tom Bosley, Don Knotts and Scott Grimes, the respective puppet provenance of Twinkle and Puppetino, glittering green grog at the Neon Cabaret, the Blue Fairy aka Fairy Godmother giving us a zooted musical number then skedaddling, the cosmic horror of a great big eldritch villain, L'Oreal putting the kibosh on the spinoff TV series nobody wanted, a raccoon with a breastplate and a problematic monkey await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. What do we make of Gee Whillickers and Grumblebee? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996) | 16 avr. 2026 | 01:07:15 | |
"Miracles are made in the heart, papa." It's time for our double bill of peculiar Pinocchio movies - first up is this lavish live action international co-production with memorably uncanny puppet practical effects provided by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. We also dive deep into our relationship with Carlo Collodi's story and its legacy including the Disney adaptation(s), Guillermo del Toro's stunning stopmotion passion project, the Spielberg-Kubrick collaboration AI: Artificial Intelligence and the excellent, book-faithful 2019 film from Matteo Garrone. Jonathan Taylor Thomas, a nightmarish donkey transformation on a rollercoaster, opera pastiche, the fairytale charm of Prague, Bebe Neuwirth serving puss, a sea monster with human eyes and teeth, Sacro Bosco, a truly hideous CGI cricket and Dawn French's cream cakes await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Which rock star provides Pinocchio's singing voice? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Thumbelina (1994) | 09 avr. 2026 | 01:12:35 | |
"After the rain goes, there are rainbows - I'll find my rainbow soon." We return to the Don Bluth oeuvre with a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale adaptation starring Jodi Benson, hot on the heels of The Little Mermaid and the Disney renaissance at large. An amphibious Charo's cuchi-cuchi, Bluth's preoccupation with both death and sparkles, Barry Manilow, fairy headgear, Thumbling stories, Carol Channing chatting to Betty White on the phone, the Danny Kaye movie musical, dark undercurrents and some distinctive vocal stylings await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. What does Andersen's penpal have to do with any of this? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Gremlins (1984) with Movie Oubliette | 27 mars 2026 | 01:21:36 | |
"To understand, one has only to listen." We've called upon Conrad and Dan of the brilliant Movie Oubliette podcast to help us tackle this Christmassy classic, throwing outlandish comedy, B-movie horror and Spielbergian schmaltz into a blender and making a real mess of the kitchen. The origins of Amblin, Joe Dante's Looney Tunes leanings, the commodification of nostalgia, Zach Galligan getting his thunder stolen by a puppet, Scottish post-rock band Mogwai, cookies representing the nuclear family, Phoebe Cates' delivery of THAT monologue, a reported Furby lawsuit, shocking scenes in the YMCA pool, the movie magic behind Gizmo's expressive face, Mrs Deagle being catapulted, an unhinged deleted sequence from Chris Columbus' darker original spec script and Jerry Goldsmith's pitch-perfect score await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Which character's name does Michael keep getting wrong? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Pokémon: The First Movie (1998) with Duncan Lindsay | 20 mars 2026 | 01:50:30 | |
"You mean, we don't have to fight with each other?" Our friend and resident Pokémon professor Duncan Lindsay pops by to chat all things Pocket Monsters with us - the franchise in general, the video games, the trading card game, the anime TV series and the many, many movies - focusing in on this hugely commercially successful theatrical release in which Mewtwo Strikes Back. Pondering why gays love Pokémon, existential crises, an iconic pop soundtrack album, Pikachu's expressive voice, Team Rocket's dubious disguises, Mewtwo giving us Frankenstein's Monster and Cher, Dragonite flopping and Chansey being a f** p*** wh** await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Were 4Kids cooking with their adaptational choices for the dub? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) with Tranna Wintour | 06 mars 2026 | 01:21:59 | |
"Help each other, draw upon one another, and always remember the power that binds you." We're joined by comedian, writer, broadcaster, Faithful and all-round icon Tranna Wintour to discuss the totally tubular TMNT phenomenon - from comics to cartoons to tons of toys - focusing in on the Turtles' 1990 big screen debut. Fun fact - in the UK we originally knew them as "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles"! April O'Neil's yellow raincoat, soft masculinity, the grounding effect of pop culture references, Krang, Henson family dynamics, kung fu, Tranna's frozen pizza tips, malfunctioning animatronic faces, Pleasure Island, the questionable presence of Casey Jones, dad feelings, Shredder's sparkly jumpsuit, video nasties, and an emotive giant rat puppet await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Who’s our favourite Turtle? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Beetlejuice (1988) | 20 févr. 2026 | 01:11:53 | |
"Paranormal? Is that what they're calling your kind these days?" In honour of the late, great Catherine O'Hara and her brilliant turn as Delia Deetz, we're finally covering a Tim Burton film - and it's a goofy, ghoulish game changer that will rattle your funny bones. An outsider's found family, nods to B-movie horror, Michael Keaton's bonkers energy, some delightfully absurd special effects, the Usborne Book of Ghosts, queer film lighting, Winona Ryder as goth icon Lydia Deetz, spontaneous human combustion, Sammy Davis Jr, a sweet love story, the camp of Miss Argentina, the Cathouse rock club, Alec Baldwin's chinos, ghost photography, the many careers and gay supernatural talents of Otho, and a truly memorable lipsync extravaganza await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. What was the originally scripted ending that would have made this the perfect fit for our Size Matters season? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) | 13 févr. 2026 | 01:10:38 | |
"We have too long forgotten the magic powers of nature. The time has come to call on them again." We're going down under to dance with some fairies who conspicuously lack Australian accents in this gorgeously green animated eco-fable. Tim Curry as a malevolent spirit singing about acid rain pouring down like egg chow mein, Crocodile Dundee, changing sociocultural perceptions of enviromentalism, Robin Williams improvising for 14 hours, Kath and Kim, a cyborg artist's antenna, Magi Lune serving so hard she crystallizes, a goanna voiced by Tone Loc, climate anxiety, Steve Irwin, a Walkman, romance, a Sheena Easton performance debacle, the influence of The Little Mermaid, the power of collective action and some wild deleted lyrics await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Exactly how much of the Batty Rap do we feature? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Small Soldiers (1998) | 06 févr. 2026 | 01:19:55 | |
"Don't call it violence, call it action. Kids love action! It sells!" Bustin' out of the box, we're prepared to defeat the Commando Elite in this sanded down but still bitingly satirical romp about AI toy warfare. Life in plastic? It's fantastic. Joe Dante giving us Susan Sontag camp sensibility, the Everything Is Terrible Jerry Maguire video pyramid, transmascs loving shark movies, Action Man vs G.I. Joe, corporate synergy, Aladdin's nipples, Martika's Kitchen, the Toy Story of it all, Spinal Tap turning it up to 11 as assorted Gorgonites, the Frankenstein throwback of the Gwendy doll conversion, Sarah Michelle Gellar being sued by Burger King, contraband Furbies, the pronunciation of Kirsten Dunst, the Barbie Liberation Organisation, surprise Spice Girls connections, the diva doll herself Dead Meat's James A Janisse, Phil Hartman's big TV, loving Archer loving Encarta, Gremlins comparisons, putting away childish things, Led Zeppelin, the Creatures life simulator PC games and Titanic references await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Why did we decide to cover this when there's no magical or supernatural element involved? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Alice - Něco z Alenky (1988) | 30 janv. 2026 | 00:33:02 | |
"Now you will see a film made for children... perhaps." An experimental little solo episode from Callum, exploring this Czech surrealist stop motion dark fantasy from Jan Švankmajer. It's an extra weird one, but that's what happens when you talk to yourself... Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| James and the Giant Peach (1996) | 09 janv. 2026 | 01:13:50 | |
We're off on a fruity adventure with stop-motion animated insects in yet another dark delight discarded by Disney, an adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel helmed by Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Stinky Cheese Man, a very c***y spider, Tim Burton drama, suprisingly sobering themes, Revolting Recipes, the power of Pete Postlethwaite, a mechanical shark, Andy Partridge from XTC vs Randy Newman, a fabric rhino puppet in a tank, Joanna Lumley, the New York City set looking like a pop-up book, Microsoap and Callum's Miriam Margolyes story await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. If we were bugs, what kind of bugs would we be? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Gate (1987) | 02 janv. 2026 | 01:31:43 | |
A real horror show aimed at a younger audience, this very 80s Canadian kindertrauma classic opens a portal to Hell in the backyard - and demons both fun-size and massive are coming to disrupt the pizza party with disturbing visions of death! We're not "f***ing off"! The Satanic Panic, supernatural experiences, Stephen Dorff in his debut, swear words, spectacular stopmotion animation and special effects, and the Stranger Things of it all await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. What's tres uncool? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Spice World (1997) | 26 déc. 2025 | 01:34:16 | |
"Will you turn that bloody racket down?" Time for some Girl Power! Who said anything about Space Ghettos? We celebrate the British pop phenomenon with a great big episode about their smash hit turned cult classic feature film Spiceworld and the Lynchian video for their single Viva Forever in which two children are spirited away by Aardman animated tin-toy fairies resembling Scary, Sporty, Ginger, Baby and Posh Spice. Our renditions of notable ad libs, Michael's pitch for a biopic centred on Geri Halliwell, the presence of literal aliens, Spice Force 5, Trap Door, the socialist community in Liverpool, Rupert the Bear annuals, the Playstation game, Robb Stark getting his bum out, A Hard Day's Night vs The Monkees' Head, Chupa Chups lollipops, the clones of S Club Seeing Double, the coolness of Richard E. Grant and hot twink Alan Cumming, turbulent times on The Island of Doctor Moreau, deciding which Spice Girl would play various roles in Doctor Who, dreamfasting, the French and Saunders Mamma Mia sketch, high femme drag, toilet horror, the comedic timing of Victoria Beckham, buying the VHS tins in Woolworths, and a camera sticking out of a cow await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Why the double bill with The Borrowers? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Borrowers (1997) | 26 déc. 2025 | 01:09:25 | |
We're crashing into our new season with an action-packed adaptation of Mary Norton's classic children's books. Comparisons with the 1992 and 2011 TV versions and Studio Ghibli's 2010 anime The Secret World of Arrietty, the Trocadero Centre, post-war allegory, the incredible filmography of visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang, ice cream made of mashed potato, Penelope Wilton delivering an impassioned speech in Bob & Rose, product placement, a hat on a hat, Celia Imrie's enormous Chappell Roan wig, an officious Ruby Wax, a cheese-eating dog, John Goodman getting tied up by a ceiling fan, Smack the Pony, Jane Norman carrier bags, The 10th Kingdom, life in a dystopian steampunk Hovis advert, and a young Tom Felton's chinchilla named Stanley await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Why the double bill with Spice World? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1988 BBC TV series) - Special Edition | 11 déc. 2025 | 02:23:10 | |
It's time for a Christmas VHS classic - the first instalment of the BBC's adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Thank you so much to all our guest contributors on this special episode: Richard, Daniel, Cullen, Sophie, Paul, Rob, and Daniel Boxyteeopatra. We share our thoughts on the series and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Which weapons would Father Christmas hand out to us? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Sac Magique - Season Finale and Mailbag | 28 nov. 2025 | 01:24:47 | |
It's time to wrap up the Season of the Witch by opening a magic bag full of listener questions, updates and also-rans. Ursula K. Leguin's Carrier Bag Theory, Tilly from Tots TV, the population of Iceland, Bette Davis, Halloweentown, Poison for the Fairies, Hilary Duff, Grotbags and Wizadora await. Want to find out our favourite fantasy novels? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Wicked: For Good (2025) - BONUS episode | 23 nov. 2025 | 02:47:11 | |
I've heard it said that podcasts come into our lives for a reason... SPOILER ALERT! This epic bonus episode features our extended and detailed discussion of the new movie Wicked: For Good, scene by scene. Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Black Cauldron (1985) with James Swanton | 21 nov. 2025 | 01:48:30 | |
It's time for one of the most infamous entries in the 80s dark fantasy canon - Disney's boldly ambitious animated epic, The Black Cauldron. Joining our discussion of the film's merits and shortcomings is actor, writer and horror icon James Swanton. Three wayward witches, an oracular pig, green mist, Welsh mythology, Elmer Bernstein's ondes martenot-heavy score, and one bonechilling villain in the Horned King await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. How do we feel about Gurgi? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Worst Witch (1986) and A Return to Return to Oz (1985) | 31 oct. 2025 | 01:20:19 | |
Anything can happen on Halloween... Celebrating Once Upon A VHS icon Fairuza Balk, we have a special double-dunter! First up, an addendum to last year's episode about our beloved Return to Oz. We saw the 40th anniversary screening of Return to Oz at the DCA in Dundee as part of the Dundead horror and cult film festival lineup, and give our reactions to seeing on the big screen as well as expanding on our thoughts and theories about this gothic and gorgeous movie. Then we join Mildred Hubble for a whole lot of trouble in The Worst Witch, a TV movie adaptation of Jill Murphy's book series set at a magic boarding school with a wild cast including Charlotte Rae, Diana Rigg and Tim Curry. Oh, and some "remarkable" songs and visual effects. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Has anybody seen my tambourine? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Company of Wolves (1984) with Rachel Lydia Barker (Girl on Film) | 23 oct. 2025 | 01:43:31 | |
As you're pretty, so be wise - wolves may lurk in every guise... Rachel Lydia Barker, film critic, video essayist and creator of the Girl on Film YouTube channel joins us in straying from the path to discuss a truly wild film. It's not just a dark and edgy reworking of Little Red Riding Hood, but a surreal and sensual gothic fairytale overflowing with symbolism, feminist allegory and sharp commentary about gender and power dynamics. Literary trailblazer Angela Carter and The Bloody Chamber, roadtrips with a Brothers Grimm soundtrack, a boy named Howell, having a Sylvia Plath phase, Una's Becoming Unbecoming and the shadow of the Yorkshire Ripper, the truly baffling filmography of Neil Jordan, production designer Anton Furst's trees on wheels, a beautiful but flimsy puppet theatre, the unmade medieval musical fantasy MidKnight, the darker elements of coming of age narratives, The Village People, cyclical mother-daughter relationships, Rachel's Rat King Halloween costume, a very Doctor Who meets Skeksis banquet, a basketball court made of Sprite, Terence Stamp in an anachronistic Rolls Royce, Alison dressing up as Lady Gaga on Pretty Little Liars, a hedgehog running around the house, Grandmother Angela Lansbury's smashed porcelain head and puppet ermine, a very Jareth from Labyrinth bedazzled jacket, sexual transformation, Rose Tyler being chased by Bad Wolf, Amanda Seyfried, an Evanesence music video, a frightening picture of Oliver Reed as a werewolf, the ITV player, forbidden Nesquik, pink knickerbockers, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, food colouring magic, glamorous day beds, gorgeous art direction, the 80s fantasy dream logic prelude to A Nightmare on Elm Street, the eroticism of passing script notes back and forward and plenty of wig discussion await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. How many references to The Life of a Showgirl will be made? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Cannon Movie Tales: Hansel and Gretel (1987) with Movies That Made Us Gay | 16 oct. 2025 | 01:41:49 | |
With Michael lost in the woods, Callum calls upon returning guest co-hosts Pete and Scott from the fabulous Movies That Made Us Gay podcast to dive into discussion, dissection and dissemination of the Cannon Films "package" of fairy tale films, focusing in on Hansel and Gretel - it is the season of the witch, after all! We also discuss a few other adaptations of Hansel and Gretel including Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre, Tim Burton's kung fu influenced 1983 short, the 2020 horror film Gretel and Hansel from Osgood Perkins and a nightmare-inducing episode of the 1987 anime Grimm's Fairytale Classics. The SurLaLune Fairytales website, the documentary Electric Boogaloo, being gauche at the Cannes Film Festival, briefly revisiting Masters of the Universe, the dinosaur puppets in the Super Mario Brothers Movie, Chuck Norris, Ninja III: The Domination, Cannon's bizarre expansion of Red Riding Hood, more than one Engelbert Humperdinck, mother giving us kitchen sink drama, Simon and the Witch, the hazards of leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, Ariana Grande in a donut shop, a notably awful bowl cut, David Warner's bag of meat, Griselda's disgusting carpet, red licorice wigs on the gingerbread child fence, Cloris Leachman being dunked in batter, the importance of a good magical staff, an Ibiza foam party explosion, Debbie Harry in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, a pioneer woman in the woods, Gandalf taking out his pipe and popping in a crystal, Meg Mucklebones, spooky voices, aspic salads, and Michael's visceral reaction to styrofoam await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. How many deep cut RuPaul's Drag Race references do we manage to squeeze in? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Witches (1990) with Robert Berg | 09 oct. 2025 | 01:41:52 | |
Witches of England... you are a disgrace! Robert Berg, writer and copy editorial director of Bona Books, a queer press specialising in fantasy, science fiction and horror, joins us to peel back the layers of weirdness with this unsettling adaptation. The complicated legacy of Roald Dahl, loving a sad wash, the performance of gender, gay gasps at the long list of women who might have played the Grand High Witch, feminist filmmaking pioneer Mai Zetterling and her missing finger, feelings about the different endings of the book and film, the children's horror space, Jim Henson's mouse unit, bad ADR dubbing giving a giallo feel, Anne Hathaway saying "gooorlic" in the remake, British seaside hotels, being a grandma's boy, Chicken and Mushroom Pot Noodle, a girl being stuck in a painting, purple eyes, another snake, Creature Shop excellence, a monstrous striptease, distressing transformations, wet puppets, cock-a-leekie or cress soup preferences, and of course Anjelica Huston doing everything. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Who loved the mum's shawl and who hated it? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Craft (1996) with Juno Dawson | 02 oct. 2025 | 01:15:32 | |
We are the weirdos, mister. Light as a feather, stiff as a board. I bind you, Nancy, from doing harm... It's October, it's an iconic performance from Fairuza Balk, it's time to celebrate Fairuzaween with THE millennial mall-goth high school witch horror, 1996's The Craft. Our special guest Juno Dawson, bestselling author of the bewitching Her Majesty's Royal Coven series, screenwriter, actress and cohost of So I Got To Thinking podcast, joins us to call the corners. Sarah's cement-front wig, invoking Manon from KATSEYE, comparisons between The Craft: Legacy and The L Word: Generation Q, a pearl of wisdom from Rita Ora, living in a "Spanish", music video DVDs, Rachel True appreciation, queerness radiating out no matter what, Sex and the City, girl group chemistry, inconsistent elemental coding, Kath & Kim, cyberpunk earrings, sleepover shenanigans, Doctor Who companions, Neve Campbell's hideous satin blouse, giving the gays more than they wanted, multiple Buffy the Vampire Slayer tangents, the Jezebel Etsy witch curse, gaslighting, Heidi Klum, finger-snakes, young Hollywood in the 90s, the pronunciation of athame, manifesting a Bratz dolls collaboration and the best outro we've ever recorded await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. "Then why are you still bleeding?!" Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996) with Alice Boyd-Leslie | 25 sept. 2025 | 01:13:32 | |
Before the hugely popular 90s sitcom, Sabrina the Teenage Witch had something of a trial run with this tonally very different TV movie. The delightful Alice Boyd-Leslie of Drunken Horror and Not Another Teen Podcast joins us for a trip down Memory Lane in enchanted super-fast sneakers. We also discuss other incarnations from her 60s Archie Comics origin to the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix. Melissa Joan Hart portraying two of the greatest teen girl characters of all time, Channel 5 vibes, Ryan Reynolds' butt, Filmation's proposed Bewitched cartoon, Salem being gay, the Paul Lynde Halloween special, Spice Girls Impulse body spray, the failed Elvira sitcom pilot, a lot of chat about clothes, comparisons to Spider-Man and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a white-and-silver prom, aunt Hilda having the personality of aunt Zelda and the wig of Tori Amos, shoplifting, Hilary Duff as Isabella of Paolo and Isabella, a dough boy getting baked, Peppa Pig being horrible, an app where a woman is running with ever-growing platform heels, the Britney Spears music video for "(You Drive Me) Crazy (The Stop! Remix)" and gaslighting someone you've just flown across the moon with await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Do we sing the Clarissa Explains It All theme tune? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Little Mermaid (1989) | 18 sept. 2025 | 01:40:11 | |
Come on, you poor unfortunate souls! We've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty, and our first Disney animated classic deep dive brings us a real Renaissance woman for the season of the witch - Divine meets Joan Collins, the diva doll herself, Ursula. We have a sincere love for this one - just don't ask us to give up our voices for it. Hans Christian Andersen crying on Charles Dickens' lawn, the queer genius of Howard Ashman, desire, the gorgeous art of Kay Nielsen, soft masculinity, a surprise appearance by Ambrosius from Labyrinth, reasons why we don't like the Broadway musical, a handheld LCD game, Queen Latifah, a garden of truly disgusting little freaks aka polyps, thoughts on the live-action remake, McDonalds tie-in toys, shrimp lipstick, and flowers for Nightmare Nail Animation Queen Kathy Zielinski and Live Action Reference Footage Queen Sherri "Voice of Slappy Squirrel" Stoner await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Why does the statue in Copenhagen keep losing her head? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) | 11 sept. 2025 | 01:35:00 | |
A Kiki is a party for calming all your nerves, and we have a special delivery coming! The Pippi Longstocking connection, Hayao Miyazaki's perfectionism, coming of age, British publishing jargon, the origins of Ursula's painting, San Francisco apparently being a European city, Totoro on stage, variations between dubs, His Dark Materials, grief, geese, not being the baby any more, herring and pumpkin pie, built-in obselence, etiquette, neurodiverse readings, freelancer burnout, women mentoring women, Jiji and Miss Puss, the value of community, mutual aid, various pronunciations of Ghibli, a dusty as hell bedroom, an ungrateful mean girl, a dirigible, branded mooncups, resistance and resilience await. Does this episode set a record for number of the uses of the word "melancholy"? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Halloween Tree (1993) | 04 sept. 2025 | 00:47:37 | |
Pick your soul pumpkin and grab a corner of a cape as we hurtle into the second part of our Ray Bradbury double bill with this Hanna-Barbera animated treat. Lollygagging, the Roseanne Halloween special, TV quality animation, "that mortician woman on YouTube" (Caitlin Doughty), edutainment, a slingshot on a sarcophagus, purple prose readings, Carmen Sandiego, the gargoyles of Notre Dame, transatlantic traditions, a big sombrero for Dia de Los Muertos, a beastly kite with lots of eyes and fangs, Mari Lwyd, collars for bin bag Dracula capes, Samhain, the categorisation of Hard Magic and Soft Magic, don't be fooled by the rocks that she's got - she's still Jenny from the block, candy skull ASMR, the weathervane agenda, and the Cartoon Network of it all await. What were our own notable childhood Hallowe'en costumes? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) | 27 août 2025 | 01:20:40 | |
Roll up, roll up! In this first part of our Ray Bradbury double bill, we take a ride on the creepy carousel of the October People in a dark and moody film that Disney would probably rather keep secret. Our thoughts on Ray Bradbury's writing, the politics in the Dark Pandemonium Carnival, extreme Pam Grier appreciation mania, Grandpa Simpson's onion on his belt which was the style at the time, schmoozing with celebs, nostalgia as a sickness, the Vogue rap, American boyhood, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, spiders in the bed, reshoots with terrible wigs, Michael not knowing who the High Sparrow in Game of Thrones is, regret, being the target market for Dust Witch lunchboxes, a coming of age for Old Dad, lockdown horror, Picnic at Hanging Rock, a mesmerising parade, a Stan Winston skeleton with skin on, becoming a baby in the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon, creepy statues, a Doctor Who mirror maze, Weapons, and Dust Witch lewks await. What tortured metaphor do we use to describe Bradbury's influence on Stephen King? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997) with Tom Bloom | 21 août 2025 | 01:46:45 | |
The Brothers Grimm get even grimmer with this gothic horror dark fairytale with possibly the most metal trailer in existence, Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1998). Writer, artist, coin-operated fortune teller and marketing and design superstar at indie perfumery Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Tom Bloom, joins us for a deep dive into the old ways. Sigourney Weaver being mother, the grunge roots of the Grimmification movement, whimsygoth culture, escaping from the Superstition Mountains, hagsploitation, the dark affirmations of fairytales, a child in a bad wig and a great cape, reclaiming Y2K fear, male filmmakers unconsciously reaching for gender euphoria through the figures of the wicked queen and the teen dream, blood 'n' tombstone imagery, some excellent crone makeup, "we mustn't blame mother", and a very nasty magic mirror await. This episode also features our first foray into Smell-O-Audio as we also do a live sniff test of two themed fragrance oils from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab - Snow White and Poisoned Apple! Ripley does what to Dr Alan Grant while talking about resurrecting their dead child? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| The Witches of Eastwick (1987) with Morgan M Page | 14 août 2025 | 01:41:18 | |
Is it feminist? Is it queer? It's Cher, bitch! Seduced by this wayward success story of the witch film canon, we join forces with our longtime friend, writer, historian, artist and activist Morgan M Page, to mull over this oddball outlier. Barbra Streisand's fateful wig that led to giant mechanical spiders, everyone wanting a boyfriend who looks like a lesbian, zucchini, squirty cheese and cherry pits, deleted footage of an upsetting Veronica Cartwright animatronic, penis curvature conversations, VOLUME, "punk hun" Kathy Acker interviewing the Spice Girls, laughing to break a fall from a high balcony, Lilith Fair, doing a bit about titles of The Witches of East End episodes, Buffy eBay regrets, goth being forever, a phallic kaiju, our calls for a revival of the stage musical, snakes on a bed, unlikely cheerleader Jack Nicholson, coming together with other girls, gays and theys to destroy a man, Cher's cowboy boots and banana clipped pigtails, yassified Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer bouncing a tennis ball with her butt await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Who would we cast in a remake? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| A Simple Wish (1997) with Tara Tagliaferro (Down the Yellow Brick Pod) | 07 août 2025 | 01:41:55 | |
Get your jelly sandals on and your magic wands at the ready - we're not in Manhattan any more! The wickedly talented Tara Tagliaferro of Down the Yellow Brick Pod returns to chat with us about this quirky little number that captivated a micro-generation with its peculiar charms, and highlights some favourite fantasy books from her childhood. Truth-speaking 90s family movie icon Mara Wilson, preposterous auditions, Kathleen Turner's witch-to-conductor costume change, characters being flattened with early CGI magic, Lucy Simon giving us Broadway mega-musical pastiche with Two Cities, a giant rabbi, fairy godmother exams, Boots, Martin Short's Mad Hatter flipper, ketchup girl, The Jolly Postman and his tea-filled bladder, a treasury of Chappell Roans, NOT Tim Curry as NOT Andrew Lloyd Webber, self-insert fanfic, Bogus with Gerard Depardieu, paperback novelisations, madcap energy and Princess Furball await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Will there be more than one magical human-dog fusion mentioned in this episode? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Hocus Pocus (1993) | 31 juil. 2025 | 01:26:17 | |
We're back - and it's the season of the witch! Join us as we fly over Salem with the Sanderson sisters for this Hallowe'en classic that is creepy, comedic, camp and a few other words beginning with "c". Pop culture witchcraft (and drag) reemerging in turbulent times, inflating a squashed cat puppet, "kiss me I'm Alison!", Bette Midler going on Zoom, an apology to David Kirschner, a virgin lighting the Black Flame Candle, remarkable musical numbers, a book bound with human skin, retro company logos, Callum impersonating Rosie O'Donnell singing For Good, boo boxes, Michael's ghost gang, a little woman, master of horror Mick Garris, a mouthful of moths, Mariah Carey, great cloaks, putting a banging donk on Sarah's Theme, dodgy edits taped from the TV and Disney's Halloween House await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Sarah Jessica Parker-ca? Kathy Najimy? Is it Thora Birch or Thora Hird? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
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| Jim Henson's The Storyteller - Hans My Hedgehog (1987) - BONUS Patreon Preview | 17 juil. 2025 | 00:53:32 | |
A preview of our brand new Patreon exclusive coverage of Jim Henson's The Storyteller featuring the pilot episode, Hans My Hedgehog. To hear the whole thing, our Star Wars and Lord of the Rings episodes and much more to come, check out our Patreon: https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs Join our Clamshell Club for $5 or £4 per month to gain access to three strands of exclusive bonus episodes: Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller) Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars) Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings) A new episode will be added to one of these strands each month. Clamshell Club members get a shoutout on main feed episodes. Thank you! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Hero's Knapsack - Season Finale and Mailbag | 03 juin 2025 | 01:39:01 | |
Hello Podlings, it's time for a chat! Join us as we talk a load of rubbish and have a rummage in the hero's knapsack. We answer listener questions, look back on our journey so far, share some exciting news about our Clamshell Club and crown this season's Miss Fan Favourite. The Once Upon A Time magazine and audio cassette carrycase, Gobbolino the Witch's Cat, Michael's mum reading 50 Shades of Grey, our thoughts on the first episodes recent TV continuations Willow (2022) and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019), sword sapphics, pretending to like Rent, our pitch and casting for Robert Eggers' Labyrinth 2, mini reviews of fantastical recent releases including The Legend of Ochi, Death of a Unicorn, Sinners and I Saw The TV Glow (plus short documentary This Werewolf Complex), a relationship lore drop, the Placebo cover version of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill, stories coming back to us when we need them, The Hunger Games prequels, Pride, John Yorke's Into the Woods, Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey, Maureen Murdock's The Heroine's Journey, Ginger Minj appreciating big girl Dorothy, more flowers for Molly Grue and Mrs Brisby, working class heroism, networking in old maiden type of shoes, Buffy listening to mariachi music, favourite Chappell Roan wig moments, a tribute to Jean Marsh, Doctor Who, and a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Return to Oz await. Is the real NeverEnding Story the friends we made along the way? Listen and find out! Story Teller website with digital versions of Once Upon A Time: https://storyteller.one/ Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Dark Crystal (1982) - Special Edition | 15 mai 2025 | 02:01:00 | |
In the Age of Wonder, everybody loves puppets! We're journeying through Thra, somewhere between the Land of Gorch and Fraggle Rock, on a quest to restore balance to a broken world. Or at least make an entertaining podcast. To celebrate this iconic movie in the spirit of collaboration, community and The Great Conjunction, we invited our listeners and guests from previous episodes to contribute shards of their experiences with the film, scattered throughout the episode. A huge thank you to everyone who responded to the Crystal's call - Alice, Cullen, Daniel, Paul, Pete, Robert and Scott. Underappreciated drag legend Frank Oz, the complicated career and legacy of Jim Henson, plastic witch fingers, the Muppets' sense of longing, Skeksis gender presentation, Orville the Duck, the faerie magic of Brian Froud, a scrapped attempt at Lord of the Rings, Bjork being part Gelfling, Alan Garner's The Owl Service, Na'vi skin, the hairy hands of Dartmoor, Miss Piggy doing Las Culturistas, Yoda, a Podling dancing on the table, purple glow, trans icon Janice, wood elf vibes, a sublime score from Trevor Jones, zooted hippie Mystics, Awkwafina, hard-working puppeteers on their haunches, a return to Droomvlucht at Efeteling, the Blue Peter annual, Kira the literal manic pixie dream girl, inspirational crocodile illustrations, Night of the Hunter, lightflex technology, the ghosts of Northumberland, losing Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab bottles in the Enchanted Forest, Andy Samberg, Fuerteventura vultures, a clockwork orrery, the 48 hour countdown for a Taylor Swift lilo, twinkling out of existence, Callum's misguided impressions, Michael's foray into fanfic, and the return of the Sphinx Question await. We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch. Is Aughra a witch? Listen and find out! Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||