1970 was a breakthrough year for vampire cinema — sexier, bloodier, and bolder than ever before. In this episode of HORROR 101, Dr. AC and his panel explore five iconic films that redefined the vampire mythos for a new era:

• COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE (USA) – A modern bloodsucker stalks the streets of Los Angeles.

• HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (USA) – Barnabas Collins goes full Gothic on the big screen.

• THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (UK) – Hammer Horror leans into eroticism with Ingrid Pitt as Carmilla.

• COUNT DRACULA (Spain) – Jess Franco directs Christopher Lee in a rarely faithful take on Bram Stoker’s novel.

• THE NUDE VAMPIRE (France) – Jean Rollin’s surreal art-horror vision blends sci-fi and sexuality.

🎙️ Featuring special guests: Chad Hawks, Barry Kaufman, Alan Tromp, and Bobby Zier.

If you're into classic horror, cult cinema, or just love a good vampire flick, this one’s for you.
New episodes every Friday night!

REPULSION (1965) d. Roman Polanski (UK)

Co-written and directed by Roman Polanski, Repulsion (1965) is a landmark psychological horror film that explores the mental disintegration of a young woman, Carole (expertly played by Catherine Deneuve), living alone in London. Polanski's first English-language feature—and the first in his iconic “Apartment Trilogy,” followed by Rosemary’s Baby and The Tenant—Repulsion dives deep into themes of isolation, sexual repression, and psychological trauma. When Carole’s sister leaves her alone for two weeks, paranoia and terrifying hallucinations take over her world.

Polanski masterfully uses the apartment setting (designed by Seamus Flannery), Gil Taylor’s surreal camerawork, and Stephen Dalby’s eerie sound design to visualize Carole’s descent into madness. Cracking walls, grasping hands, and nightmarish shadows blur the line between reality and delusion, all set to Chico Hamilton’s moody jazz score.

Join AC and his panel of horror enthusiasts (Dodd Alley, Matthew Amador, Thomas Puhr, and Elena Romea) as we analyze Repulsion’s lasting influence, its place in horror history, the complicated relationship between art and artist, and why it remains one of the 1960s' most disturbing and enduring works.
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DODD ALLEY is an author (Gamers and Gorehounds: The Influence of Video Games on the Contemporary American Horror Film) and has a Masters in Film Studies from Ohio University, where he taught courses on Cult Cinema and Hollywood Reflexive films.

MATTHEW AMADOR is an actor and owner of Matador Behavioral Health, where he utilizes narrative fiction as a means to process trauma and anxiety through psychotherapy.  www.MatadorChicago.com 

THOMAS M. PUHR's writing has appeared in Bright Lights Film Journal and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among others. His book, Fate in Film: A Deterministic Approach to Cinema, is available from Wallflower Press. He is the co-host of Gut Punch, a new film podcast from Beneficial Shock! magazine.

ELENA ROMEA is the creator behind SpanishFear.com and Horror Rises from Spain. A researcher in literature and cinema, she holds a Ph.D. in Spanish Studies with a dissertation about the filmmaker José Val del Omar. Her work explores themes of estrangement, horror, myth, and cultural conflict.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE MUMMY'S HAND (1940) d. Christy Cabanne (USA)
THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1942) d. Harold Young (USA)
THE MUMMY'S GHOST (1944) d. Reginald Le Borg (USA)
THE MUMMY'S CURSE (1942) d. Leslie Goodwins (USA)

Tonight we unwrap the 1940s Universal Mummy films! Leaving behind the melancholy tone of the 1932 Boris Karloff original, we were introduced to a new mummy, Kharis, a shambling and bandaged silent avenger played first by Tom Tyler in 1940’s The Mummy’s Hand, celebrating its 85th anniversary, and by Lon Chaney Jr. in three subsequent sequels, The Mummy’s Tomb, The Mummy’s Ghost, and The Mummy’s Curse.

Though often overlooked next to Dracula or Frankenstein, the Mummy series has its own weird and atmospheric B-movie charms, with each film picking up—at least loosely—where the last left off, transporting the action from Egypt to small-town New England to the swamps of Louisiana, all while ignoring the passage of time in any realistic fashion.

With brief running times and minimal budgets, these creature features found a formula that worked: moldy murders by moonlight, duplicitous high priests, and lots and lots of tana leaves, while also conjuring unique traits for every installment.

Join AC and his extraordinary panel of classic horror lovers (Barry Kaufman, Frank Merle, Michael Weber) as we pay our long overdue respects to this unfairly maligned franchise, the one that made the mummy a true monster icon in the Universal canon.
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FRANK MERLE is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker originally from Chicago, IL. He has written and directed several award-winning and critically-acclaimed films, including The Employer (2013), starring Malcolm McDowell and Billy Zane, and From Jennifer (2017), starring Derek Mears and Tony Todd. Next up is Namaka, a dark fantasy starring Jamie Kennedy and David Howard Thornton.

BARRY KAUFMAN has been committed to spreading the gospel of obscure horror and science-fiction cinema since writing the fanzines Monsters of Japan and Demonique in the 1970s and 80s. He ran All-Horror Video out of a house in the woods in Homewood, Illinois through the 1980s, followed by his shop The House of Monsters in Chicago from 1996 to 2007. He now vends at genre related shows and programs festivals in the Chicago area featuring his inconspicuous film favorites.

MICHAEL WEBER is an actor, director, and currently the Artistic Director of Porchlight Music Theatre. A Chicago native, his fascination with classic horror began with WGN's legendary Creature Features and The Son of Svengoolie. He is an avid fan of the Golden Age of Radio and the author of the play, WAR of the WELLeS (about Orson Welles’ infamous radio broadcast.) 
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE TERROR (1963) d. Roger Corman (and others) (USA)
TARGETS (1968) d. Peter Bogdanovich (USA)

1963’s THE TERROR, celebrating its 60th anniversary, is a legendary curiosity item from producer/director Roger Corman, more famous for its origins than the finished product. According to legend, when Corman wrapped shooting on The Raven ahead of schedule, he took advantage of Boris Karloff’s two extra contracted days to slap together this tale of a reclusive baron with a dark secret.

With the sets for the previous film being torn down around the actors’ ears, Corman and others shot all of Karloff’s scenes back to back, then composed the rest of the movie to fit. Relative novice and Raven co-star Jack Nicholson stars as a Napoleonic officer whose beachside encounter with a beautiful young woman leads him to reclusive Karloff’s castle sanctuary and the ghostly haunts that lie within.

Five years later, those mysterious two extra days that Karloff supposedly owed Corman showed up again when the latter approached neophyte writer/director Peter Bogdanovich with a proposition of using 20 minutes of footage from The Terror, shooting 20 minutes of new footage with Karloff, and filling out the rest with… whatever else Bogdanovich could come up with. Against all odds, the rookie auteur spins a fantastic yarn with TARGETS, juxtaposing the real-life horror of a Charles Whitman-like assassin against Karloff’s fading brand of Gothic frights, with the 80-year-old veteran rendering one of the finest roles of his long career.

We've assembled another fantastic panel (David Lee White, Jon Kitley, Gavin Schmitt) primed to chat about these two examples of environmental filmmaking (i.e. reduce, re-use, recycle), so bring your popcorn and enjoy the conversation about these excellent Karloff showcases, especially since Film Masters has just released The Terror to Blu-ray!

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Jon Kitley has been running his website, Kitley's Krypt for 25 years. He's a columnist for HorrorHound magazine, a co-host on the Discover the Horror podcast, and attends multiple conventions and all-night horror movie marathons at the drive-in theaters!

Gavin Schmitt is a criminal historian, podcaster, and the author of many books, including a biography of Karl Freund. But most of all, he loves chili dogs.

David Lee White is a playwright and performer based in New Jersey. His plays "Slippery as Sin" and "Ways to Be Happy" have just been published by Next Stage Press.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

HEREDITARY (2018) d. Ari Aster (USA) 
MIDSOMMAR (2019) d. Ari Aster (USA)
BEAU IS AFRAID (2023) d. Ari Aster (USA)

From his Sundance smash debut, Ari Aster has been a rising star in the "elevated horror" firmament, challenging audiences with features packed full of adult themes, metaphor-laden subject matter, superlative performances, and gorgeous attention to production design. Polarizing as his works might be, there's no denying that he is a filmmaker who deserves and demands our full attention and stamina. (Three-hour running times, amirite?) 

Tonight’s episode is entitled, “We Have to Talk About Ari Aster,” and AC is joined once again by another outstanding panel of film fans: Owais Ahmed, Dominic Conti, and Mariana Reichman.

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Owais Ahmed is a Chicago based Actor and movie lover. Aside from movies, Owais loves biking, cold plunges, and being a dreamer. You can catch him onstage at Northlight Theatre in Selling Kabul: Jan 25th - Feb 25th.

Dominic Conti is a Chicago-based writer and actor. His first novel, Your Book Club, is now available. (Orders can be placed at dcontimail@gmail.com, or you can just say hi.)

Mariana Reichman has lived in Chicago for the last 6 1/2 years. She has a two-year-old Supermutt from Puerto Rico named Parcha that she is obsessed with. Mariana enjoys being active, trying new foods, and watching movies. (Even scary ones.)

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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

GREMLINS (1984) d. Joe Dante (USA)
GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH (1990) d. Joe Dante (USA)
GHOULIES (1985) d. Luca Bercovici (USA)
GHOULIES 2 (1987) d. Albert Band (USA)

The early 1980s were a magical time for fans of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy fare at the cinema, with genre fare being cranked out by the fistful and practical effects ruling the day, making viewers gasp, gag, gawk, and greedily gobble up all they could find. Tonight, we’ll take a look at two franchises birthed by two mighty masters of the art form, at different points on the budgetary spectrum.

Please join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Dodd Alley, Kevin Matthews, and Derrick Carey) for a lively discussion about these two rubber monster franchises from the 1980s! YUM YUM.
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DODD ALLEY is an author (Gamers and Gorehounds: The Influence of Video Games on the Contemporary American Horror Film) and has a Masters in Film Studies from Ohio University, where he taught courses on Cult Cinema and Hollywood Reflexive films.

DERRICK CAREY has worked in front of and behind the camera for almost 30 years, as a director, producer, editor, sound man, colorist, and actor. He is also the driving force behind the Astro Radio Z podcast. https://linktr.ee/AstroRadioZ

KEVIN MATTHEWS posts a movie review daily on the For It Is Man's Number blog, and is one quarter of the Raiders of the Podcast team who have been putting out weekly episodes for over six years. https://linktr.ee/raidersofthepodcast
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

WOLF CREEK (2005) d. Greg McLean (Australia)
WOLF CREEK 2 (2013) d. Greg McLean (Australia)
WOLF CREEK (2016-17) d. Tony Tilse/Greg McLean (Australia)
HOSTEL (2005) d. Eli Roth (USA)
HOSTEL: PART II (2007) d. Eli Roth (USA)
HOSTEL: PART III (2011) d. Scott Spiegel (USA)

Tonight, we’ll be discussing two films that helped change the face of horror when they hit screens in late 2005, both from young and hungry writer/directors who wanted to make a splash… or splatter, as the case might be: Wolf Creek from Australian Greg McLean and Eli Roth’s Hostel.

Based loosely on real events in the Outback, Wolf Creek traded supernatural scares for realistic terror, introducing the relentless villain Mick Taylor, played unforgettably by longtime character Ozploitation character actor John Jarratt.

Meanwhile, Hostel shocked audiences with its raw depiction of human trafficking and sadism in Eastern Europe, playing upon Western tourists’ worst fears and pushing boundaries that mainstream horror had rarely crossed.

Together, this dastardly duo helped pivot horror from an era of self-aware slashers and J-Horror remakes to something darker and more visceral. Ultimately, Wolf Creek and Hostel redefined what horror could show—and how far it could go.

Join AC and his gore-loving gang (Cati Glidewell, Ciara Wylie, Anna Ceragioli, Dominic Conti) as we celebrate 20 years of severed Achilles tendons, heads on sticks, and unsafe travels!

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ANNA CERAGIOLI is a Chicagoan who lives for horror movies. From throwing horror-themed dinner parties, playing Monster Bash in her pinball league, or chilling with a Goblin vinyl, it’s all horror all the time for her.

DOMINIC CONTI is a Chicago-based writer and actor. His first novel, Your Book Club, is now available. (Orders can be placed at dcontimail@gmail.com, or you can just say hi.)

CATI GLIDEWELL (aka The Blonde in Front) is a Chicago-based film critic, lifelong cinephile, film festival jury member, and a member of Chicago Indie Critics since 2020. You can find her on all social media platforms, as well as Post Mortem radio and Radio of Horror on YouTube.

CIARA WYLIE is a lifelong horror fan and co-creator of Deep Cuts Horror Trivia in Chicago, IL. In her free time she can be found screaming into the uncaring void about Final Destination 3. 
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!!

THE BODY SNATCHER (1945) d. Robert Wise (USA)
ISLE OF THE DEAD (1945) d. Mark Robson (USA)

Producer Val Lewton, the master of atmospheric horror, collaborated with legendary actor Boris Karloff on two memorable films: The Body Snatcher (1945) and Isle of the Dead (1945). Both films showcase Lewton’s signature blend of psychological tension and poetic visuals, while allowing Karloff to deliver some of his most nuanced performances. They remain standout entries in both men's careers and in the horror genre at large.

The Body Snatcher, directed by Robert Wise, is a chilling adaptation of a Robert Louis Stevenson story. Karloff plays the sinister cabman John Gray, who supplies cadavers to a medical school through increasingly dark means. His menacing and strangely sympathetic portrayal perfectly embodies Lewton’s predilections for morally ambiguous characters and subtle horror.

Isle of the Dead, directed by Mark Robson, is set during a plague outbreak on a quarantined island during the Balkan Wars. Karloff plays General Pherides, a rigid military man who gradually succumbs to superstition and fear. The film explores themes of death, isolation, and psychological unraveling, with haunting visuals that reflect Lewton’s artful low-budget storytelling.

Join AC and his panel of classic-loving fanatics (Steve Archacki, Jon Kitley, Mike Mayo, Tyler Pistorius) as we discuss how Lewton and Karloff elevated horror beyond monsters and gore, focusing instead on dread, atmosphere, and the fragility of the human mind.
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STEVE ARCHACKI is a connoisseur and collector of all things EuroTrash (especially Italian/Spanish gothic and giallo films and anything Hammer Horror). He also identifies as an avid vinyl soundtrack collector, lapsing metalhead, direct mail marketing guru, and to this day, still harbors perpetual crushes on Rosalba Neri and Dagmar Lassander.

JON KITLEY has been running his website, Kitley's Krypt for 25 years. He's a columnist for HorrorHound magazine, a co-host on the Discover the Horror podcast, and attends multiple conventions and all-night horror movie marathons at the drive-in theaters! https://kitleyskrypt.com/

MIKE MAYO has written several books about film and popular culture, among them VideoHound’s Horror Show and American Murder. He is also the author of the Jimmy Quinn historical suspense novels set in Prohibition-era New York. https://www.mike-mayo.com/

TYLER PISTORIUS is an actor, screenwriter, and producer living in Chicago. His recent works include Death is Business and A Missed Connection, and is currently in development on a new project.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE STEPFORD WIVES (1975) d. Bryan Forbes (USA)
REVENGE OF THE STEPFORD WIVES (1980) d. Robert Fuest (USA)
THE STEPFORD CHILDREN (1987) d. Alan J. Levi (USA)
THE STEPFORD HUSBANDS (1996) d. Fred Walton (USA)
THE STEPFORD WIVES (2004) d. Frank Oz (USA)

Sexy and funny, inflammatory and spooky, director Bryan Forbes and screenwriter William Goldman’s adaptation of Ira Levin’s bestseller The Stepford Wives is that rare animal: a socially relevant yet thoroughly entertaining sci-fi/horror thriller.

Frustrated NYC photographer Joanna (Katharine Ross) moves with her family to the idyllic Connecticut suburb of Stepford. Before long, the liberated lass observes that the local female population is a submissive, domestic lot, unnaturally preoccupied with fulfilling their husbands’ every passing desire. 

Cautionary women’s lib tale? Nail-biting conspiracy yarn? Satire on sexual politics? Science fiction or social fact? Audiences of the day saw all of this and more, sparking controversy and heated discussions and it is a testament to all the artists in front of and behind the camera that it still packs a wallop today. 

Join AC and his brilliant panel of guests (Kait Astrella, Joe B., Anna Ceragioli, Dino Clark, Nicola McCafferty) as they celebrate 50 years of better living through robotics, The Stepford Wives! 
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KAIT ASTRELLA is a librarian, archivist, and indie book publicist working in New York City. Find her posting about printed books and strange fiction on Instagram @kastrella2.

JOE B. is a dad, a social media luddite, a mediocre bass player, and a devoted consumer of burritos. He teaches high school English as his day job, and he loves talkin’ books and movies.

ANNA CERAGIOLI is a Chicagoan who lives for horror movies. From throwing horror-themed dinner parties, playing Monster Bash in her pinball league, or chilling with a Goblin vinyl, it’s all horror all the time for her.

DINO CLARK has been a horror fan since I was wee lad, after my parents bought our first VCR in the mid-80s. Born and raised in Chicago, love attending horror cons & chatting about my fave horror films with fellow fans! Human Resources for most of my career, which can be a mini-horror movie at times.

NICOLA MCCAFFERTY is a PhD candidate in the department of Radio, Television, and Film at Northwestern University. Her research looks at screen representations of nonhuman women such as mannequins, dolls, robots, and aliens in order to deconstruct the overlapping categories of whiteness, humanity, and femininity. Outside of grad school, Nicola has a few stray bylines at Dread Central, has seen every Kristen Stewart movie, and runs an Etsy store (https://www.etsy.com/shop/vvitchroom/?etsrc=sdt) where she sells enamel pins, stickers, and prints inspired by horror and cult films from the 1960s to today.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

DEEP RED (aka PROFONDO ROSSO) (1975) d. Dario Argento (Italy) 

🔪 Join us for a deep dive into Dario Argento’s haunting giallo masterpiece! 🎬 Tonight, we dissect one of the most iconic films of Italian horror cinema.

Deep Red isn’t just a slasher—it’s a symphony of style, blood, and mystery. With brutal kills, dreamlike visuals, and an unforgettable score by Goblin, Argento blends murder and art like no one else.

Join AC and his blood-loving panel of horror enthusiasts (Derek Botelho, Darren Callahan, Kristy Jett, Bryan Martinez, Larry Sternshein) as we explore the film’s themes of trauma and perception, its jaw-dropping set pieces, and how Deep Red capped the 1970s giallo heyday. Mirrors, Murders, and Music, we’re pulling apart every detail.

Whether you’re a die-hard Argento fan or new to the world of Italian horror, this discussion uncovers what makes Deep Red such a lasting influence—from its visual storytelling to its shocking final twist.

👁️ Who’s the real killer?
🎵 What makes that Goblin score so spine-tingling?
🎥 Why does Deep Red still cut deep 50 years later?
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DEREK BOTELHO is an author, film journalist, playwright, and visual effects artist. Not one to rest on his laurels, nor do much about them either, he is currently writing his first novel. His book, The Argento Syndrome, is topically relevant and will only enhance this listening or viewing experience!

DARREN CALLAHAN is an award-winning writer, director, and composer who has written drama, fiction, and non-fiction for many major outlets, mostly focused on the horror genre. He has also released nearly 100 records, from pop to noise to ambient to film soundtracks.  His website is darrencallahan.com and his IMDB is http://www.imdb.me/darrencallahan.

KRISTY JETT, faithful horror nerd of 40+ years, resides in Buffalo, NY and is the mother of nine cats. She remains now and forever the world's biggest fan of the film Popcorn (1991). 

BRYAN MARTINEZ is a super cool cat, lives in the home burg of Svengoolie (BERWYN), and runs The Giallo Room (now stalking your favorite social media platform).

LARRY STERNSHEIN is a lifelong movie fan in Colorado and host of the movie memories podcast "Reel Early." Not only does he love talking about horror and action cinema, but is also a big pro wrestling fan.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!!

THE DESCENT (2005) d. Neil Marshall (UK)
THE DESCENT PART 2 (2009) d. Jon Harris (UK)

After a tragic accident, six friends reunite for a caving expedition, only to see their adventure go horribly wrong when a collapse traps them deep underground. Then, to make matters much, much worse, they find themselves pursued by bloodthirsty subterranean creatures.

The Descent, written and directed by Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, Doomsday), is not only a well-made monster movie with strong female characters; it’s an undeniable masterwork of indie horror and suspense that combines genuine drama and relationships, an atmosphere of palpable dread, and an abundance of gore and jump scares. Plus, it may be the first underground horror film that really works, capitalizing on every claustrophobic opportunity.

Grab your torches and carabiners and join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Katie McLean Hainsworth, Michael Klug, Kevin Matthews, Chris Scales, Mandy Walsh) as we celebrate 20 years of The Descent!
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KATIE MCLEAN HAINSWORTH is a Chicago-based performer/writer, whom you can regularly find on both the DARK NEXUS and FAWX & STALLION podcasts. She’s happily guested on HORROR 101 a few times as well as on Roll For Impact’s THE STRANGER.

MICHAEL KLUG was born and raised in South Dakota. He is an actor, screenwriter, film critic, screenplay consultant, novelist, filmmaker and overall movie nerd, living in Los Angeles. Long live George A. Romero!"  http://klugiverse.com/

CHRIS SCALES is a lifelong horror fan, aspiring horror screenwriter, and horror panelist.  KEVIN MATTHEWS posts a movie review daily on the For It Is Man's Number blog, and is one quarter of the Raiders of the Podcast team who have been putting out weekly episodes for over six years. https://linktr.ee/raidersofthepodcast

MANDY WALSH is a Chicago area actor and can be seen onstage this spring in Lifeline Theater's production of The War of the Worlds. 
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965) d. Mario Bava (Italy/Spain)

A forgotten classic that blends the cosmic terror of space exploration with the eerie atmosphere of a Gothic haunted house, Mario Bava’s groundbreaking 1965 sci-fi/horror film Planet of the Vampires presents a visually striking and deeply unsettling narrative whose influence reverberates throughout the genre, notably 1979’s smash Alien.

Set on a desolate alien planet, Planet of the Vampires follows a crew of astronauts as they struggle to survive after responding to a mysterious distress signal. As they explore the barren landscape, a supernatural, otherworldly force begins to take control of their minds and bodies.

Using limited resources to create a grand sense of scale, Bava generates a relentless atmosphere of dread, isolation, and paranoia via his signature moody lighting amidst Giorgio Giovannini’s breathtakingly eerie set designs. Add in the enthusiastic performances from Barry Sullivan, Norma Bengall, Ivan Rassimov, and Evi Marandi, all draped in Gabriele Mayer’s stunning sleek leather costumes, the result is a sci-fi/horror flick like no other!

Join AC and his brilliant panel of sci-fi enthusiasts (Darren Callahan, Craig J. Clark, Troy Howarth, Stan Hyde, Alan Tromp) as they discuss this neglected masterpiece and its place in Bava’s wider filmography. Don’t forget your meteor deflectors! 

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DARREN CALLAHAN is an award-winning writer, director, and composer who has written drama, fiction, and non-fiction for many major outlets, mostly focused on the horror genre. He has also released nearly 100 records, from pop to noise to ambient to film soundtracks.  His website is darrencallahan.com and his IMDB is http://www.imdb.me/darrencallahan. 

CRAIG J. CLARK watches a lot of movies. He started watching them in New Jersey, where he was born and raised, and continues to watch them in Indiana. He is a frequent contributor to Crooked Marquee (https://crookedmarquee.com/author/craig-j-clark/) and writes the monthly Full Moon Features column for Werewolf News (https://werewolf-news.com/category/full-moon-features/). He is not a werewolf himself (or so he says)

TROY HOWARTH is a Rondo Award-nominated writer who specializes in European Cult cinema. His books include The Haunted World of Mario Bava, Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci and His Films, So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films, among others. He has also contributed audio commentaries, audio essays, and liner notes to over one hundred DVD and Blu-ray releases from the U.S., the U.K., and Germany. He resides in Pennsylvania.

STAN HYDE teaches, examines, and consults on international film programs for students (International Baccaluareate's Film Course), as well as writing about model making, film history, and some fiction. He is winner of the Mangled Sky-Scraper Award for helping bring G-FEST, the annual Godzilla Convention in Chicago, to life since 1995, and is a 2021 Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association Hall of Fame recipient for his work with science fiction conventions, clubs, and fanzines.

ALAN TROMP is a golden age Monster Kid, who has published articles in Filmfax, Twilight Zone Magazine, and We Belong Dead publications in the UK. He was scriptwriter for the shot-on-video nightmare, The Soul Eaters
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

GINGER SNAPS (2000) d. John Fawcett (Canada)
GINGER SNAPS 2: UNLEASHED (2004) d. Brett Sullivan (Canada)
GINGER SNAPS BACK: THE BEGINNING (2004) d. Grant Harvey (Canada)

Ginger Snaps, directed by John Fawcett and written by Karen Walton, is a unique and unforgettable Canadian werewolf feature that blends horror, coming-of-age themes, and dark humor, with a focus on the terrifying experience of transformation. The story follows two outsider sisters, Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins), whose lives take a horrific turn when Ginger is bitten by a vicious nocturnal beast. As Ginger's transformation begins, Brigitte must struggle to save her sister while also battling her own impending fate.

The film’s fresh approach to the struggles of adolescence, with themes of bodily autonomy, female identity, and the complex bond between siblings, led to two sequels: Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) and Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004), which continued to explore the tragic, supernatural world introduced in the original.

Join AC and his panel of hairy-scary enthusiasts (Jessalyn Abbott, Daniel Ekholm, Nicola McCafferty, Tim Palace) as they celebrate a movie packed with standout performances, amazing special effects, and a script that blends horror with emotional depth. 25 years after its release, Ginger Snaps retains its bite!
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JESSALYN ABBOTT is a writer, producer and editor. She produced and edited LIKE ME which premiered at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival and was nominated for a grand jury award. Her most recent effort, PuLL: A Dark Comedy, is currently in pre-production.

DANIEL EKHOLM has written about film in several Swedish magazines, including Moviezine, which is the leading film magazine in Sweden. He also contributed the essay on The Blob (d. Chuck Russell, 1988) for Hidden Horror. Daniel would like to write his own book about horror films one day, but since fair use does not exist in Sweden, he started writing a children's book that he plans to finish at some point.

NICOLA MCCAFFERTY is a PhD candidate in the department of Radio, Television, and Film at Northwestern University. Her research looks at screen representations of nonhuman women such as mannequins, dolls, robots, and aliens in order to deconstruct the overlapping categories of whiteness, humanity, and femininity. Outside of grad school, Nicola has a few stray bylines at Dread Central, has seen every Kristen Stewart movie, and runs an Etsy store (https://www.etsy.com/shop/vvitchroom/?etsrc=sdt) where she sells enamel pins, stickers, and prints inspired by horror and cult films from the 1960s to today. 

TIM PALACE is a lifelong Chicago-based genre fan with a particular devotion to the horrific. A committed collector of physical media, Tim has amassed close to 13,000 titles he's excited to share with his new terror tyke Oliver.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

MISERY (1990) d. Rob Reiner (USA)

Rob Reiner's 1990 psychological thriller Misery, based on Stephen King's bestselling novel, remains a masterclass in tension and suspense. Tonight, our panel of horror enthusiasts celebrates the unforgettable performances (James Caan, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, Frances Sternhagen, and Richard Farnsworth), the film's themes of obsession and captivity, and screenwriter William Goldman’s breathtaking adaptation which retains the spirit of the source material while also changing key elements for the screen. 

Foremost, however, we'll examine the dynamic between Paul and Annie, and how their complex relationship evolves under the oppressive circumstances, with Bates' Oscar-winning portrayal of Annie Wilkes balanced against Caan’s nuanced and atypical sensitivity. 

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Jess Ader, Dodd Alley, Jordy Sirken, Freddie Young) as we tap into the heart of Misery’s unsettling atmosphere and cultural significance. What makes Misery more than just a horror film? How does it tap into deep-seated fears and anxieties about fame, vulnerability, and fan culture? Be sure to bring your sledgehammers!
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JESS ADER is a fellow appreciator of movies and deep synth soundtracks. Former radio-TV-film student making money elsewhere but never giving up the love of all “moving” forms of media and art. He likes peanut butter.

DODD ALLEY is an author (Gamers and Gorehounds: The Influence of Video Games on the Contemporary American Horror Film) and has a Masters in Film Studies from Ohio University, where he taught courses on Cult Cinema and Hollywood Reflexive films.

JORDY SIRKEN is the horror-obsessed critic behind Jordy Reviews It (jordyreviewsit.com). Slashers, creature features, paranormal haunts, and everything in between, she's an avid fan of the macabre, and a HUGE enthusiast of practical effects. Since 2015, she's been reviewing genre films and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. You can follow her on Instagram and TikTok at @jordyreviewsit

FREDDIE YOUNG is a NYC horror reviewer and frequent podcaster. He has been running the website Full Moon Reviews (www.fullmoonreviews.net) since 2006, telling it like it is and enjoys spreading the word on good and bad films, mainly in the horror genre. He's planning on a full-time return to podcasting within the second half of 2025, hoping to put some attention on some “misunderstood films.”
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) d. Jim Sharman (UK/USA)

Join us for a special in-depth panel discussion celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, from its original 1973 stage production to its transformation into midnight movie cult sensation. Come for the magic, stay for the madness!

Screenwriter Richard O'Brien and director Jim Sharman shocked audiences with their unique blend of rock 'n' roll, comedy, camp, sci-fi, and horror, and their creation ignited the unforgettable tradition of “Time Warp” midnight screenings worldwide and introduced Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Riff-Raff, Magenta, Columbia, Brad, and (dammit) Janet to an unsuspecting world. We’ll also explore the film’s powerful themes of identity, self-expression, and freedom – central to songs like “Don’t Dream It, Be It, “Hot Patootie,” and “Sweet Transvestite.”

Join AC and his extraordinary roster of guests (Ashley Lamers, Lin Morris, Amy Pearson,Chris Wylie) as we reflect on how Rocky Horror’s groundbreaking legacy, inspiring generations of fans to live boldly and unapologetically. Whether you’re a Rocky Horror veteran or discovering it for the first time, the rebellious spirit of its music, characters, and message continue to resonate after 50 years.
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ASHLEY LAMERS is a professional counselor, animal advocate, coffee enthusiast, straight edge vegan feminist, and horror lover with a “do no harm, take no shit” sensibility. She has two cats, a business, and many opinions. 

LIN MORRIS is a writer who makes his living doing something else entirely. His novels Spot the Not and The Marriage Wars are both available on Amazon. The first movie he recalls seeing is Two on a Guillotine at the Super 99 Drive-In at much too young an age, and he’s been a horror fan ever since. Despite the strenuous efforts of his parents, he remains stubbornly left handed.

AMY PEARSON is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Durham University. In addition to being a whopping great horror enthusiast, she's also a power lifter, photographic model, and aerialist.

CHRIS WYLIE is the co-host of Deep Cuts Horror Trivia in Chicago, and an avid lover of psychological and trash horror. He believes we need to stop shaming people for not having seen certain movies, and has had his ass kicked by Batgirl on film.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!!

PHENOMENA (1985) d. Dario Argento (Italy) 

Perhaps the only “insect detective” movie out there on the shelves, featuring a very young Jennifer Connelly (released one year before Labyrinth) as the daughter of a famous American movie star sent away to study at an exclusive Swiss girl’s academy, whose students just happen to be falling victim to a homicidal killer. But as this is an Argento movie, things are hardly what they seem.

Those familiar with Donald Pleasance primarily for his increasingly loony portrayals of Dr. Loomis in the Halloween series should check out his fine, subdued work here as a wheelchair-bound entomologist with a wavering Scottish accent, while Deep Red’s Daria Nicolodi adds another winning portrayal to her CV as the troubled Frau Bruckner.

The strong opening half hour is followed by a middle section riddled with kinetic fits and starts, with a bizarre, gory ending that has “kitchen sink” writ large upon it. (All eyes on the monkey.) Argento elects for a song score comprised of myriad recording artists (including Bill Wyman, Motorhead, and Goblin), and while much of it works, it occasionally calls attention to itself rather than complementing the onscreen action (particularly with Iron Maiden’s offerings). 

Potentially a bit much for the uninitiated, but those accustomed to Argento’s lack of narrative logic and flair for the unexpected will enjoy the ride.

In honor of the film's 40th anniversary, we have a full house (of horrors): Jon Kitley (Kitley's Krypt, Discover the Horror), Bryan Martinez (The Giallo Room), Adam Rockoff (Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, The Horror of It All), and Lawrence P. Raffel and Carl Lyon (Monsters at Play, FEARNet) sharing reminiscences about bootleg tape trading, early internet message boards and usernames, and, of course, their first encounters with PHENOMENA and how their feelings have changed (or not) over the years.

Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

FINAL DESTINATION (2000) d. James Wong (USA)
FINAL DESTINATION 2 (2003) d. David R. Ellis (USA)
FINAL DESTINATION 3 (2006) d. James Wong (USA)
THE FINAL DESTINATION (2009) d. David R. Ellis (USA)
FINAL DESTINATION 5 (2011) d. Steven Quale (USA)

Created by Jeffrey Reddick, the Final Destination franchise introduced a unique concept: Death as an unstoppable force that relentlessly hunts down survivors who cheat its grasp. Tonight, AC and the gang explore the fascinating origins of this chilling idea and how it became the backbone of the series, fueling the horrifying and creative death sequences that have captivated audiences for 25 years.

Our expert panel of enthusiastic FD fans (Ashley Lamers, Mike Mayo, Frank Merle, Vanessa Morgan, Ciara Wylie) delves into the films’ hidden Easter eggs and behind-the-scenes trivia, from the special effects wizardry behind some of the most memorable kills, to the inspirations drawn from real-life experiences. And, of course, we can't forget fan favorite Tony Todd, whose ominous presence as the mysterious coroner has become one of the series' most iconic elements.

Whether you're a die-hard fan or new to the franchise, this is the ultimate destination for all things Final Destination!
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ASHLEY LAMERS is a professional counselor, animal advocate, coffee enthusiast, straight edge vegan feminist, and horror lover with a “do no harm, take no shit” sensibility. She has two cats, a business, and many opinions. 

MIKE MAYO has written several books about film and popular culture, among them VideoHound’s Horror Show and American Murder. He is also the author of the Jimmy Quinn historical suspense novels set in Prohibition-era New York.

FRANK MERLE is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker originally from Chicago, IL. He has written and directed several award-winning and critically-acclaimed films, including The Employer (2013), starring Malcolm McDowell and Billy Zane, and From Jennifer (2017), starring Derek Mears and Tony Todd. Next up is Namaka, a dark fantasy starring Jamie Kennedy and David Howard Thornton.

VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several horror novels and film guides (When Animals Attack, Strange blood, Evil Seeds) – available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN. She's also the creator of Traveling Cats, the first travel blog for cat lovers – https://traveling-cats.com.

CIARA WYLIE is a lifelong horror fan and co-creator of Deep Cuts Horror Trivia in Chicago, IL. In her free time she can be found screaming into the uncaring void about Final Destination 3. 
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

WHO WANTS TO TALK SLASHER MOVIES???

Titles Discussed: Friday the 13th, To All a Good Night, Terror on Tour, Don't Answer the Phone, Don't Go in the House, Prom Night, Terror Train, He Knows You're Alone, Mother's Day, Funeral Home, Christmas Evil, New Year's Evil

The 1980s were a pivotal year for horror films, and the decade kicked off with some of the most influential entries in the genre! Join our panel of horror experts (Fraser Coffeen, Art Ettinger, Amanda Reyes, Adam Rockoff, Freddy Young) as we discuss the origins, lasting impact, and evolution of the slasher, covering everything from the technical aspects to their cultural significance, changing the landscape of cinema forever.

Key films such as Friday the 13th introduced the world to Jason Voorhees (and became a cultural phenomenon in the process), while Canadian offerings like Prom Night, Terror Train, and Funeral Home added their own unique twists to the formula, setting the stage for a wave of imitators. We’ll explore the masked killer tropes, the rise of Final Girls, and how these films captivated audiences with their ground-breaking gore FX, suspenseful stalk and slash sequences, and unforgettable characters.

Whether you're a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the genre, our conversation about the blood-soaked slasher movies of 1980 has something for everyone!
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FRASER COFFEEN is the co-host of Creepy History, a podcast dedicated to all the creepy stuff you wish they taught you in High School. He’s been published in Horror Homeroom magazine and How to Analyze and Review Comics.

ART ETTINGER is the editor of Ultra Violent Magazine, a public defender, and a Razorcake record reviewer. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where his lifelong obsessions with punk rock and horror/exploitation cinema continue to consume him.

AMANDA REYES is a film historian and writer. She is the editor and co-author of Are You in the House Alone: A TV Movie Compendium: 1964-1999 and she is a co-host of the podcast The Made for TV Mayhem Show. Follow her on IG at @madefortvmayhem and Facebook at Made for TV Mayhem

ADAM ROCKOFF is the screenwriter of Wicked Lake, a film so depraved it caused Ron Jeremy to storm out of the theater in anger. However, his 2010 adaptation of the classic exploitation film, I Spit on Your Grave, received nearly unanimous praise from horror critics. His first book, Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978-1986, a critical examination of the slasher genre, was made into a documentary which premiered on STARZ, and his follow-up, The Horror of It All traces the highs and lows of the genre through the lens of his own obsessive fandom. When not getting his hands bloody, Rockoff runs the television production company, FlashRock Films.

FREDDIE YOUNG is a NYC horror reviewer and frequent podcaster. He has been running the website Full Moon Reviews (http://www.fullmoonreviews.net) since 2006, telling it like it is and enjoys spreading the word on good and bad films, mainly in the horror genre. He's planning on a full-time return to podcasting within the second half of 2025, hoping to put some attention on some “misunderstood films.”
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

TREMORS (1990) d. Ron Underwood (USA)
TREMORS 2: AFTERSHOCKS d. S.S. Wilson (1996) (USA)
TREMORS 3: BACK TO PERFECTION d. Brent Maddock (2001) (USA)
TREMORS 4: THE LEGEND BEGINS d. S.S. Wilson (2004) (USA)
TREMORS 5: BLOODLINES d. Don Michael Paul (2015) (USA)
TREMORS: A COLD DAY IN HELL d. Don Michael Paul (2018) (USA)
TREMORS: SHRIEKER ISLAND (2020) d. Don Michael Paul (USA)

Join AC and his Graboid-loving panel of guests (Mark Easteadt, Eric Fritzius, Christopher Hainsworth, Daniel Millhouse) as they burrow deep below the surface of the 1990 cult classic Tremors, celebrating its 35th anniversary!

Explore the making of the original film, highlighting the creatives behind the camera, including director Ron Underwood and writers S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock, whose innovative storytelling helped transform Tremors into a beloved monster movie, as well as enthusiastic cast members Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Reba McEntire, Michael Gross, and Victor Wong, who brought the quirky and memorable characters to life.

Tremors is a true “sleeper” hit, gaining a massive fan following after its home video release and eventually spawning six, count ’em, SIX sequels and a short-lived TV series. We’ll examine the evolution of the franchise and how the sequels expanded the Tremors universe, keeping the mix of horror, comedy, and creature thrills alive.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, we hope our discussion will give you a deeper appreciation for the making of Tremors and its lasting influence on the monster movie genre.
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MARK EASTEADT is a movie-lovin', trivia-spoutin', music-sharin', pop culture nerd that loves talking about all of the above. He also hosts the horror movie Meetup, Charlottesville Horror Film Fanatics https://www.meetup.com/charlottesville-horror-film-fanatics

ERIC FRITZIUS writes things, acts in others and records mouth noises sold in the form of audiobooks. You can find his stuff at https://www.MisterHerman.com

CHRIS HAINSWORTH (he/him/his) is an actor/writer/director represented by Big Mouth Talent Chicago. He is a DeathScribe winner 2009 for the audio drama "Remembrance" and author of The Fourth Wall, part of Motel 666 (2015).

DANIEL MILLHOUSE joyfully returns to review films with Dr. AC and friends! As an Assistant Professor at the College of DuPage, he cherishes his Theatre, TV/Film, and Motion Capture acting experiences. He is one mischievous, charming, goofball.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

PSYCHO (1960) d. Alfred Hitchcock (USA)
PSYCHO II (1983) d. Richard Franklin (USA)
PSYCHO III (1986) d. Anthony Perkins (USA)
PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING (1990) d. Mick Garris (USA)
PSYCHO (1998) d. Gus Van Sant (USA)

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is not just a film; it’s an institution in the world of cinema, one that redefined the horror genre forever. Based on Robert Bloch’s 1959 novel, audiences were introduced to Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a seemingly mild-mannered motel owner with a dark and twisted secret.

The film's groundbreaking narrative, shocking twists, and chilling atmosphere have influenced filmmakers for decades. In addition to its unforgettable set-pieces (shower scene, anyone?) and stellar performances from the entire cast (Janet Leigh, Martin Balsam, Vera Miles, John Gavin), Bernard Herrmann’s haunting score combined with Hitchcock’s meticulous direction and Joseph Stefano’s brilliant screenplay adaptation, turning Psycho into a cornerstone of cinematic history.

Psycho explores themes of identity, madness, and the unseen horrors lurking beneath the surface of ordinary life. Its multiple sequels and spin-offs, including Psycho II (1983), Psycho III (1986), and Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990), as well as, Gus Van Sant’s controversial shot-for-shot 1998 remake and the hit series Bates Motel (2013–2017) stand as a testament to the enduring power of the original film's influence.

Join AC and his mad-talented panel of guests (Matthew Amador, Christianne Benedict, Robert V. Galluzzo, Doug Long, Mackenzie Parker) as they discuss this masterclass in suspense, storytelling, and psychological horror, and the legacy it has left behind.
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MATTHEW AMADOR is an actor and owner of Matador Behavioral Health, where he utilizes narrative fiction as a means to process trauma and anxiety through psychotherapy.  www.MatadorChicago.com  

CHRISTIANNE BENEDICT is a cartoonist, film writer, malcontent, and Bloginatrix at https://krelllabs.blogspot.com

DOUG LONG is a theatre director, writer, and on the faculty at DePaul University, where his classes include “The Films of Alfred Hitchcock.” He has written book reviews for several film journals, including Film Quarterly and Film & History.

ROBERT V. GALLUZZO is a filmmaker responsible for the documentaries The Psycho Legacy (2010) and Analog Love (2021), as well as producer on the narrative feature Lucky (2021). He has written for several horror publications including Fangoria, FEARnet, Blumhouse and is the co-creatore of Icons Of Fright. www.robertvgalluzzo.com

MACKENZIE PARKER is a filmmaker living in Los Angeles. He studied at Northern Illinois University and the Moscow Art Theater. He has worked on TV shows such as Sons of Anarchy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is currently working as a staff editor for Digital Alliance.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960) d. Wolf Rilla (UK)
CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (1964) d. Anton Leader (UK)
VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1995) d. John Carpenter (USA)
THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS (2022) d. David Farr (UK)

Get ready for a spine-chilling journey into Midwich, England, aka the VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960) as we break down this brilliant sci-fi/horror classic’s eerie legacy. Based on John Wyndham’s 1957 source novel, The Midwich Cuckoos, and directed by stalwart Wolf Rilla who shared credit for the screenplay with Stirling Silliphant, future Oscar-winner for In the Heat of the Night (1967) and the TV series Route 66.

The haunting premise, aided by sharp dialogue, documentary-style storytelling, and standout performances by George Sanders (All About Eve, Hangover Square), Barbara Shelley (Dracula Prince of Darkness, Quatermass and the Pit), Michael Gwynn (The Revenge of Frankenstein), and young Martin Stephens (The Innocents) created a landmark feature that still resonates with horror audiences today.

The film inspired both a 1964 sequel, Children of the Damned (which inspired the Iron Maiden song), as well as John Carpenter's 1995 remake and the 2022 miniseries.

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Joe B., Michelle Courvais, Lin Morris, Brett Neveu) as we uncover the secrets behind the iconic children with glowing eyes!
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JOE B. is a dad, a social media luddite, a mediocre bass player, and a devoted consumer of burritos. He teaches high school English as his day job, and he loves talkin’ books and movies.

MICHELLE COURVAIS is a health coach, empowerment self-defense instructor, student of herbalism (code for WITCH) and sometimes a Chicago actor.

LIN MORRIS is a writer who makes his living doing something else entirely. His novels Spot the Not and The Marriage Wars are both available on Amazon. The first movie he recalls seeing is Two on a Guillotine at the Super 99 Drive-In at much too young an age, and he’s been a horror fan ever since. Despite the strenuous efforts of his parents, he remains stubbornly left handed.

BRETT NEVEU is a professor at Northwestern University where he teaches writing for the screen and stage. His film/TV screenplays include Eric LaRue (dir. Michael Shannon) and Night’s End (dir. Jennifer Reeder) with Shudder/AMC. Past theatre productions include Revolution with A Red Orchid Theatre, Verböten with House Theatre and Red Bud with The Royal Court Theatre. Brett is also a recipient of a Steinberg/ATCA New Play Citation, The Marquee Award from Chicago Dramatists, The Ofner Prize for New Work and the Emerging Artist Award from The League of Chicago Theatres.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

GAMERA: THE GIANT MONSTER (1965) d. Noriaki Yuasa (Japan)
GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE (1995) d. Shusuke Kaneko (Japan)

Japan’s second-most iconic kaiju (aka the Other Big G), Gamera evolved from a destructive force to a heroic protector of humanity. The early Showa era films (1965-1980) established Gamera, a giant, turtle-like creature, as a friendly figure for youngsters while also showcasing him battling various monstrous threats. Often lighthearted and less serious than their Godzilla counterparts, Gamera’s reputation as the “friend to all children” made him a beloved character around the world.

In 1995, the franchise was rebooted with the Heisei trilogy, comprised of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995), Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996), and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999), which gave the series a darker, more mature tone. This trilogy redefined Gamera as an ancient, powerful protector of Earth, tackling complex themes alongside epic monster battles and state-of-the-art special effects.

Throughout the Gamera series, several memorable monsters have appeared as adversaries to the titular turtle kaiju, including Gyaos, Barugon, Viras, Guiron, Zigra, Jiger, Legion, and Iris. These foes, each with unique abilities and characteristics, ensured that every onscreen battle was a breath-taking, earth-shaking, cityscape-breaking smackdown, while maintaining the franchise’s unique blend of adventure, fantasy, and spectacle.

Join AC and his awesome panel of G-guests (Joyce Boss, Dave M Gray, Stan Hyde, Mark Matzke) as they celebrate 60 years of the twenty-ton terrapin, GAMERA!!

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JOYCE MIHARA BOSS teaches world literature and cinema, myth, and Japanese popular culture at Wartburg College. Her academic publications and presentations have focused on various topics related to Godzilla, yōkai, global fandom, and Japanese religion and folklore.

DAVE “M” GRAY is currently a test subject in a subterranean mad science lab and allowed to send proofs of life to Raiders of the Podcast (raidersofthepodcast.blogspot.com or anywhere you podcast) and Twitch (twitch.tv/sh4ggyr4nd) weekly.

STAN HYDE teaches, examines, and consults on international film programs for students (International Baccaluareate's Film Course), as well as writing about model making, film history, and some fiction. He is winner of the Mangled Sky-Scraper Award for helping bring G-FEST, the annual Godzilla Convention in Chicago to life since 1995, and is a 2021 Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association Hall of Fame recipient for his work with science fiction conventions, clubs, and fanzines.

MARK MATZKE is the narrative voice of numerous Small Town Monsters documentaries such as “Sasquatch Unearthed.” He's featured on STM's YouTube series "UFOs Revisited,” and has written for Stephen Bissette’s upcoming “Cryptid Cinema 2,” Nostalgia Digest and G-FAN.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

AC joins his Streaming and Screaming co-hosts Chad the Bird and Lucy Ba'al as they count down their favorite fright flicks of 2024!

Let us know YOUR favorite picks from 2024 in the comments! Looking forward to another year of Sharing the Scare!

Titles mentioned in this episode:

Longlegs, Suitable Flesh, Exhuma, Broadcast Signal Intrusion, The Demon Disorder, Infested, Oddity, Terrifier 3, Immaculate, Nosferatu, Satanic Hispanics, The Substance, Smile 2, The Coffee Table, Crumb Catcher, The First Omen, In a Violent Nature, Cuckoo, Baghead, Abigail, Azrael, Daddy's Head, Strange Darling, Mads, Trap, Mr. Crockett, Frankie Freako, Sator, Alien: Romulus, Prey, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, The Devil's Bath, Godzilla X Kong, Humane, I Saw the TV Glow, Late Night with the Devil, Things Will Be Different, MaXXXine, Never Let Go, Night Swim, V/H/S/Beyond, Starve Acre, The Vourdalak, Stopmotion, and many more!

Join ussssssss!!! 
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All things Chad the Bird @ChadTheBird https://linktr.ee/ChadtheBird
All things Lucy Ba'al @lucybaal2299 https://linktr.ee/lucy_baal
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

LES DIABOLIQUES (1955) d. Henri-Georges Clouzout (France)

Slip into the dark and suspenseful world of “The French Hitchcock,” Henri-Georges Clouzot (The Wages of Fear), and his extraordinary nonpareil of suspense, 1955’s Les Diaboliques, where nothing is as it seems and every twist keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Set in and around a remote boarding school, a frail wife (Vera Clouzout) and her romantic rival (Simone Signoret) plot to murder her cruel, abusive husband (Paul Meurisse). But when things do not go as planned, the two women are thrust into a terrifying psychological nightmare where nothing is what it seems.

From its chilling atmosphere to the unforgettable performances, we’ll explore every haunting detail that makes Les Diaboliques one of the most daring and suspenseful features ever made, ripe for rediscovery by a new generation on this, its 70th anniversary!

Packed with secrets and surprises, AC and his marvelous panel of guests (Don Bapst, Mark Easteadt, Melissa Hannon, Doug Long, and Cullen Wade) break down this cinematic masterpiece’s groundbreaking narrative, exploring how it revolutionized psychological thrillers and inspired countless filmmakers, including The Master himself. 
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DON BAPST is an American-Canadian novelist, filmmaker, and playwright whose titles include The Hanged Man, Recalculating Euphoria, and Doppelgänger. He’s currently developing a horror film set in the Yukon.  https://donbapst.com/

MARK EASTEADT is a movie-lovin', trivia-spoutin', music-sharin', pop culture nerd that loves talking about all of the above. He also hosts the horror movie Meetup, Charlottesville Horror Film Fanatics https://www.meetup.com/charlottesville-horror-film-fanatics

MELISSA HANNON is a horror fanatic, Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and the founder/EIC of http://horrorgeeklife.com, packed with the latest news about all things scary and spooky.

DOUG LONG is a theatre director, writer, and on the faculty at DePaul University, where his classes include “The Films of Alfred Hitchcock.” He has written book reviews for several film journals, including Film Quarterly and Film & History.

CULLEN WADE is the author of S(p)lasher Flicks: The Swimming Pool in Horror Cinema, out in 2025 from McFarland Books. Follow him on letterboxd @tobe_whooper and Bluesky @cullenwade.bsky.social
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (1980) d. Barbara Peeters (& others) (USA)

Dive into the wild world of Humanoids from the Deep as we unravel the untold stories of producer Roger Corman and director Barbara Peeters! From shocking controversies to behind-the-scenes secrets (including the infamous last-minute changes that sparked much outrage).

Starring B-movie stalwarts Doug McClure (The Land That Time Forgot), Vic Morrow (The Last Shark, Twilight Zone: The Movie), and Ann Turkel and featuring early efforts from future Hollywood heavyweights James Horner (Titanic) and Rob Bottin (Robocop) (musical score and makeup, respectively), this thrilling panel discussion takes you deep into the making of this 1980 horror class-sick that pushed boundaries and left a lasting mark on exploitation cinema! 

Noyo, a small coastal California town, is terrorized by a series of brutal attacks on its residents. These attacks are revealed to be the work of mutated, amphibious creatures—humanoid monsters created as a result of genetic experimentation. As the creatures hunt and kill, they also target the women of the town, leading to a violent clash between the humans and the mutated beings in a desperate fight for survival.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (John W. Bowen, Damien Glonek, Vanessa Morgan, Jen Olson, and Ryan Olson) as they celebrate this 45-year-old MONSTERPIECE.
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JOHN W. BOWEN has been a columnist, reviewer and feature writer for Rue Morgue magazine since 1999, and has also written sporadically for more (...cough...) “civilized” publications, including the Kingston Whig-Standard, The Toronto Star and Kingston Life Magazine. Born in Dallas and raised in Kingston, Ontario, he is also a professional musician and recovering strip club DJ.

DAMIEN GLONEK is best known as the co-creator of Living Dead Dolls, which holds the record for the longest continuously running horror themed dolls. He is also co-host of the horror podcast, Discover the Horror. In Damien’s spare time, he collects horror movie posters, watches horror movies, reads about watching horror movies and talks about reading and watching horror movies to anyone that will listen.

VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several horror novels and film guides (When Animals Attack, Strange blood, Evil Seeds) – available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN. She's also the creator of Traveling Cats, the first travel blog for cat lovers – https://traveling-cats.com.

JENNIFER OLSON is a lifelong horror fan and mother of three monster kids. She is a former member of The Flint Horror Con, and currently part of the Synapse Films street team!

RYAN OLSON (aka S. Ravenlord of The Cold Beyond music group) is the owner of Deadspeak Design and Night World Records, as well as a member of the Synapse Films street team and a regular on the Synapse Films podcast. His work has been featured in Liquid Cheese, Horrorhound, & Evilspeak Magazines.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

BLOOD FEAST (1963) d. H.G. Lewis (USA)
TWO THOUSAND MANIACS (1964) d. H.G. Lewis (USA)
COLOR ME BLOOD RED (1965) d. H.G. Lewis (USA)

Herschell Gordon Lewis' "Blood Trilogy" — Blood Feast (1963), Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964), and Color Me Blood Red (1965) — revolutionized the horror genre by introducing explicit gore and shocking violence, laying the foundation for the splatter film subgenre.

With their graphic depictions of mutilation and taboo subjects, these films were groundbreaking in their raw and unrestrained approach. Dubbed "The Godfather of Gore," Lewis' work not only influenced future exploitation/slasher films and filmmakers, but also shaped the blood 'n' guts themes that became key elements of modern horror cinema. 

Tonight, AC and his splatter-loving panel (Anna Maurya, Nicola McCafferty, Ernie Rockelman, Chris Wylie) honor this low-budget master of the macabre, and the notorious trio of films that launched a million buckets of Karo syrup!
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ANNA MAURYA is a film fan stuck in Ohio. They have been a guest on Raiders of the Podcast, a contributor to Hidden Horror, and they generally dislike writing about themselves in the third person.

NICOLA MCCAFFERTY is a PhD candidate in the department of Radio, Television, and Film at Northwestern University whose current research focuses on how screen representations of nonhuman women (think mannequins, cyborgs, and humanoid aliens) help us gain insights into the categories of both humanity and femininity. Outside of grad school, Nicola has a few stray bylines at Dread Central and runs an Etsy store ( https://www.etsy.com/shop/vvitchroom/?etsrc=sdt%29 ) where she sells enamel pins, stickers, and prints inspired by horror and cult films from the 1960s to today. 

ERNIE ROCKELMAN is an educator and writer who began covering genre cinema for HorrorHound magazine in 2019. His piece, “Black Horror,” earned him the Rondo Hatton Award for “Article of the Year” in 2021. Ernie’s writing can also be found in Fangoria and Monster-Mania Magazine.

CHRIS WYLIE runs the monthly Deep Cuts Horror Trivia Nights in Chicago (with his equally charming wife).
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

MOTEL HELL (1980) d. Kevin Connor (USA)

“It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s Fritters.” So runs the tagline for 1980’s Motel Hell, an endearing oddball combo of black humor and horror, featuring veteran character actor Rory Calhoun as Vincent, the proprietor of the Motel Hello, where the O on the neon sign keeps going on the blink.

Vincent and his equally wacky sister Ida (a pre-Porky’s Nancy Parsons) make their living by ensnaring unsuspecting motorists to fill up the skins of their famous Farmer Smith sausages.

For his first American feature, Kevin Connor took a break from directing Amicus’ fantasy epics (such as The Land that Time Forgot, At The Earth’s Core, and Warlords of Atlantis) to helm the madness provided by the sibling screenwriting/producing team of Robert and Steven-Charles Jaffee, and does a smashing job balancing the chainsaws and chuckles.

Calhoun and Parsons are terrific in their respective roles, and the spirited set-up and multitude of off-the-wall vignettes have earned Motel Hell a lasting cult reputation, distinguishing it from the glut of slashers emerging around the same time.

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Jessalyn Abbott, S.A. Bradley, Eric Fritzius, Jen Olson, John Pata) as we head on down to the farm and celebrate 45 years of Motel Hell!
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JESSALYN ABBOTT is a writer, producer and editor. She produced and edited LIKE ME which premiered at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival and was nominated for a grand jury award. Her most recent effort, PuLL: A Dark Comedy, is currently in pre-production.

S.A. BRADLEY hosts the “Hellbent for Horror” podcast, is the author of “Screaming for Pleasure: How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy,” and lectured at Webster University and The College of Idaho. His show, “My Horror Manifesto,” played in NYC.

ERIC FRITZIUS writes things, acts in others and records mouth noises sold in the form of audiobooks. You can find his stuff at MisterHerman.com

JENNIFER OLSON is a lifelong horror fan and mother of three monster kids. She is a former member of The Flint Horror Con, and currently part of the Synapse Films street team!

JOHN PATA lives in Wisconsin. He’s made some horror films, he’s hosted some horror stuff, and he’s read some horror books.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

ONIBABA (1964) d. Kaneto Shindo (Japan)
KWAIDAN (1964) d. Masaki Kobayashi (Japan)

Tonight, we discuss the 1964 Japanese horror classics Onibaba and Kwaidan, exploring their reflections of post-war Japanese society, folklore, and complex themes of fear and morality.

Set in feudal Japan, Onibaba sees two women surviving by killing samurai and selling their armor. Blending psychological terror, supernatural elements, and an ominous, demonic mask, writer/director Kaneto Shindo (Kuroneko) uses stark black-and-white cinematography to examine the horrifying consequences of betrayal, lust, and murder. 

In Kwaidan, director Masaki Kobayashi (Hara-Kiri) presents four traditional ghost stories based on Lafcadio Hearn's writings. Using visually striking and atmospheric cinematography, this epic Japanese anthology horror film delivers eerie tales of the uncanny, featuring vengeful spirits, mythical creatures, and haunting folklore.

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Christianne Benedict, Jon Kitley, John McDevitt, Jen Olson, Lee Price) as they analyze how these two films combine historical context and haunting imagery to create timeless works of horror that continue to resonate with audiences today.
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CHRISTIANNE BENEDICT is a cartoonist, film writer, malcontent, and Bloginatrix at https://krelllabs.blogspot.com

JON KITLEY has been running his website, Kitley's Krypt for 25 years. He's a columnist for HorrorHound magazine, a co-host on the Discover the Horror podcast, and attends multiple conventions and all-night horror movie marathons at the drive-in theaters! https://kitleyskrypt.com/

JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA!, a weekly horror gathering with film screenings at Sideshow Gelato, and Fetish Film Forum, a monthly screening series about fetish, kink, leather, and BDSM at the Leather Archives & Museum. John is fascinated by all genres of cinema and appreciates horror most of all for its willingness to explore what makes us uncomfortable and for the compassion it often extends to its characters and the viewer.

JENNIFER OLSON is a lifelong horror fan and mother of three monster kids. She is a former member of The Flint Horror Con, and currently part of the Synapse Films street team!

LEE PRICE is dedicated to preserving and celebrating our history, culture, and monster movies through his work with the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts and freelance writing. Occasional guest blogger at “Wonders in the Dark.” https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974) d. Tobe Hooper (USA)

In 1973, Tobe Hooper and a group of young actors and technicians ventured out in to the Texas wilderness to shoot a low-budget horror film that would go on to become one of the greatest landmark cinematic achievements in history.

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE was a smash hit upon its release the following year and has not lost any of its ability to shock and terrify and influence other filmmakers over the ensuing five decades.

In the studio with AC to chat about this watershed motion picture are a trio of celebrated authors and podcasters: S. A. Bradley, author of Screaming for Pleasure and creator of the Hellbent for Horror podcast, Jon Kitley of Kitley's Krypt and HorrorHound Magazine, and freelance writer Aaron AuBuchon, who co-hosts (along with Mr. Kitley) the Discover the Horror podcast.

Please join us as we explore the project's troubled genesis, its even more storied release, and its lasting power on the eve of Dark Sky Films' breathtaking UHD 4K double disc release for home video, complete with four commentary tracks, three documentaries, interviews with the cast and crew, and a conversation between Hooper and kindred spirit William Friedkin (The Exorcist).
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AARON AUBUCHON is a film professor and writer, and also an editor, director, motion graphics artist and producer. He is also co-host of the Discover the Horror podcast. https://discoverthehorror.com/ 

S.A. BRADLEY hosts the “Hellbent for Horror” podcast https://hellbentforhorror.com/, is the author of “Screaming for Pleasure: How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy,” and lectured at Webster University and The College of Idaho. His show, “My Horror Manifesto,” played in NYC. 

JON KITLEY has been running his website, Kitley's Krypt for 25 years. He's a columnist for HorrorHound magazine, a co-host on the Discover the Horror podcast, and attends multiple conventions and all-night horror movie marathons at the drive-in theaters!
https://kitleyskrypt.com/
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

CALVAIRE (aka THE ORDEAL) (2004) d. Fabrice du Welz (Belgium)

After his car breaks down en route to the next holiday gig, low-rent crooner Marc Stevens (Laurent Lucas) stumbles into a backwards backwoods community devoid of women. Taking shelter at a nearby inn, he soon finds himself captive in a nightmarish scenario that manages to surprise and unnerve without resorting to eviscerations.

This genre offering from Belgium, which arrived on the cusp of the new "French Extreme" movement of the early 2000s, presents a few novel twists on the well-worn “travelers off the beaten path” trope. Kudos to director Fabrice du Welz, who co-wrote the script with Romain Protait, for his skillful evocation of dread-filled atmospherics, as well as one of the strangest dance sequences ever to pass through a camera lens. Also featuring Jackie Berroyer, Eurobabe Brigette Lahaie, and Phillipe Nahon (High Tension).

Join AC and his marvelous panel of guests (Dominic Conti, John McDevitt, Cati Glidewell, Ashley Lamers) as they reflect back on 20 years of holiday counterprogramming with Calvaire!!
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DOMINIC CONTI is a Chicago-based writer and actor. His first novel, Your Book Club, is now available. (Orders can be placed at dcontimail@gmail.com, or you can just say hi.)

CATI GLIDEWELL (aka The Blonde in Front) is a Chicago-based film critic, lifelong cinephile, film festival jury member, and a member of Chicago Indie Critics since 2020. You can find her on all social media platforms, as well as Post Mortem radio and Radio of Horror on YouTube.

ASHLEY LAMERS is a professional counselor, animal advocate, coffee enthusiast, straight edge vegan feminist, and horror lover with a “do no harm, take no shit” sensibility. She has two cats, a business, and many opinions. 

JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA!, a weekly horror gathering with film screenings at Sideshow Gelato, and Fetish Film Forum, a monthly screening series about fetish, kink, leather, and BDSM at the Leather Archives & Museum. John is fascinated by all genres of cinema and appreciates horror most of all for its willingness to explore what makes us uncomfortable and for the compassion it often extends to its characters and the viewer.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!!

THE EXORCIST (1973) d. William Friedkin (USA)
EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977) d. John Boorman (USA)
EXORCIST III (1990) d. William Peter Blatty (USA)
EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING (2004) d. Renny Harlin (USA)
DOMINION: THE PREQUEL TO THE EXORCIST (2005) d. Paul Schrader (USA)

(originally broadcast Aug 2023)

It’s amazing to believe that THE EXORCIST has been in our lives for a half century, because for many fans, it’s hard to imagine the horror landscape without it. Its release in the final days of December 1973 triggered a seismic shift in popular culture and the world has literally never been the same.

William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel had already become a sensation in the publishing world, and so a film version seemed inevitable, although it’s unlikely that anyone imagined so much of the sensational and explicit material from the printed page would end up on the big screen. Setting aside the sensational special effects, the idea of of a 12-year-old girl spewing shocking curse words and pea soup in equal measure in a Hollywood picture is still incredible to conceive, even in the adventurous, risk-taking environment of the early '70s.

And yet, it happened, and in the process became the highest grossing film of its time and garnered 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, honors which no horror film had ever before achieved. (It deservedly won for Best Screenplay and Sound.)

Tonight, we’ll be discussing the Exorcist legacy, its sequels, prequels, rip-offs, and lasting impact on pop culture, and asking the question: Is it still "the scariest movie ever made"?Joining AC in the studio is another fantastic guest panel, all shining stars in the Chicago Theatre firmament: Michelle Courvais, Chris Hainsworth, Katie McLean Hainsworth, Mandy Walsh, and Christopher M. Walsh.
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MICHELLE COURVAIS is a health coach, empowerment self-defense instructor, student of herbalism (code for WITCH) and sometimes a Chicago actor.

CHRIS HAINSWORTH (he/him/his) is an actor/writer/director represented by Big Mouth Talent Chicago. He is a DeathScribe winner 2009 for the audio drama "Remembrance" and author of The Fourth Wall, part of Motel 666 (2015).

KATIE MCLEAN HAINSWORTH is a Chicago-based performer/writer, whom you can regularly find on both the DARK NEXUS and FAWX & STALLION podcasts. She’s happily guested on HORROR 101 a few times as well as on Roll For Impact’s THE STRANGER.

MANDY WALSH is a Chicago area actor and can be seen onstage this winter in The Factory Theater's production of Kitty James and Destiny's Trail to Oregon. 

CHRISTOPHER M. WALSH is a Chicago-based actor and playwright. His most recent play, Miss Holmes Returns, was just published by Dramatic Publishing. (https://linktr.ee/christophermwalsh)
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) d. Bob Clark (Canada)
SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT (1984) d. Charles Sellier (USA)

It's time to celebrate the Happy HorrorDays with two Christmas classics, both of which are celebrating milestone anniversaries!

Director Bob Clark’s effective (and underrated) holiday thriller BLACK CHRISTMAS pre-dates the slasher film craze and its influence is felt in Halloween, When a Stranger Calls, and countless others. The simple set-up involves a college sorority house and an (unseen) homicidal killer, heightened by some of the most chilling and unsettling obscene phone calls ever recorded. Utilizing extensive handheld camerawork, this is also among the first usage of the “heavy-breathing killer’s point-of-view” shots that would become a staple of the slasher oeuvre.

Meanwhile, 1984’s notorious ad campaign for SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT, with its iconic poster art showing Santa descending a chimney with an axe in hand, became the stuff of legend, prompting outraged parents to picket theaters and write scathing letters to distributor Tri-Star until the movie was yanked from cinemas. But what of the feature itself? It’s actually pretty solid by slasher standards, with director Charles Sellier and screenwriter Michael Hickey providing plenty of gore, gratuitous nudity, and several nifty plot twists. 

Grab your sleds and join AC and his dazzling panel of enthusiasts (Tim Palace, Mackenzie Parker, Chris Scales, Ian Simmons, and Ciara Wylie) as they honor the chills of the season!
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TIM PALACE was born and raised on horror from an early age in Chicago, IL. A lifelong devotee to the genre and the preservation of physical media, 2024 should be the year he hits the 10,000 mark for titles in his collection.

MACKENZIE PARKER is a filmmaker living in Los Angeles. He studied at Northern Illinois University and the Moscow Art Theater. He has worked on TV shows such as Sons of Anarchy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is currently working as a staff editor for Digital Alliance. 

CHRIS SCALES is a lifelong horror fan, aspiring horror screenwriter, and horror panelist. 

IAN SIMMONS runs the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, where he posts movie reviews, interviews, and critics round tables. He is also a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, and feels conflicted about referring to himself in the third person. https://kickseat.com/

CIARA WYLIE is a lifelong horror fan and co-creator of Deep Cuts Horror Trivia in Chicago, IL. In her free time she can be found screaming into the uncaring void about Final Destination 3. 
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!!

THE MUMMY (1932) d. Karl Freund (USA)
THE MUMMY (1959) d. Terence Fisher (UK)
THE MUMMY (1999) d. Stephen Sommers (USA)

One of the most enduring classic horror archetypes, The Mummy has appeared on film almost since the inception of cinema, with numerous silent efforts preceding Universal's landmark production in 1932 starring Boris Karloff. Since then, there have been a surprising number of sequels, reboots, updates, and variations on the classic Egyptian monster and its accompanying curse.

Tonight, in the spirit of unwrapping strange gifts and disturbing family heirlooms, we tackle three of the best-known versions of the sand-swept tale, including Hammer's 1959 color remake starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and 1999's action/adventure spin with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.

Join AC and his intrepid panel of guests (Doug Long, Mike Mayo, Gavin Schmitt, Michael Weber) as they dive deep into the mysteries of THE MUMMY!
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DOUG LONG teaches film-related classes at DePaul University and writes book reviews for film journals, including Film Quarterly and mise-en-scene.

MIKE MAYO has written several books about film and popular culture, among them VideoHound’s Horror Show and American Murder. He is also the author of the Jimmy Quinn historical suspense novels set in Prohibition-era New York.

GAVIN SCHMITT is Wisconsin's criminal historian and the author of several books. He's also a degenerate cinephile and has written on film topics, particularly cinematographer Karl Freund. He's been half naked with Norman Reedus, shared breakfast with Tiffany Shepis, and helped David Arquette find cocaine in Chicago. 

MICHAEL WEBER is an actor, director, and currently the Artistic Director of Porchlight Music Theatre. A Chicago native, his fascination with classic horror began with WGN's legendary Creature Features and The Son of Svengoolie. He is an avid fan of the Golden Age of Radio and the author of the play, WAR of the WELLeS (about Orson Welles’ infamous radio broadcast.) 
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

NIGHT OF THE DEMONS (1988) d. Kevin Tenney (USA)
DEAD HEAT (1988) d. Mark Goldblatt (USA)

Tonight’s episode is entitled "The Class of 1988," even if “class” may not be the first word that springs to mind when describing these two horror/comedy titles. Both enjoyed limited theatrical releases, but by and large, home video was where most fans encountered them for the first time.

DEAD HEAT, starring Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo, tells the story of a cop who goes down in the line of duty and then comes back up, thanks to a miracle machine invented by horror veteran Vincent Price.

NIGHT OF THE DEMONS, on the other hand, stars scream queens Linnea Quigley and Amelia Kincaide in a Halloween romp where a séance in an abandoned funeral parlor opens the door to the supernatural, with all manner of splattery nonsense to follow.

Tonight's panel is comprised of cast and crew members of Wisconsin's own award-winning independent feature, DEAD WEIGHT (2012): Matty Field, Lee Marohn, Jess Ader, Joe B., and writer/director John Pata. (You can see his most recent effort, BLACK MOLD, on Tubi right now!) Join in the fun as the boys discuss the secrets of comedy editing and missing lipstick tubes! We invite you to join the conversation below in the comments.

As always, Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

AT MIDNIGHT I'LL TAKE YOUR SOUL (1964) d. Jose Mojica Marins (Brazil)
THIS NIGHT I'LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (1967) d. Jose Mojica Marins (Brazil)
EMBODIMENT OF EVIL (2008) d. Jose Mojica Marins (Brazil)

In 1964, Brazil's democratically elected government was forcefully overthrown, with the new authoritarian regime enacting new laws that stifled freedom of speech and increased censorship of all media. Somehow, this was also the year that At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, featuring Brazil’s first horror icon, Coffin Joe (played by director/co-writer Jose Mojica Marins), was hurled like a celluloid pipe-bomb into the midst of so much conservatism and religious piety.

A curious blend of the traditional and the groundbreaking, Coffin Joe (aka Zé do Caixão) became a national sensation, appearing in a half dozen films, including two official sequels, This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse (1967) and Embodiment of Evil (2008), though he and his creator still remain largely unknown to modern horror fans.

Join AC and his sterling panel of guests (Rigo Garay, Jon Kitley, Alan Tromp, Cullen Wade, and Jonathon Lucas, beaming in from Australia) as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of this magnificently transgressive and daring slice of horror cinema!
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RIGO GARAY is a writer/actor/director from Long Island, NY, currently and joyfully employed at Glass Eye Pix (founded by horror auteur Larry Fessenden). He has been seen onscreen in Crumb Catcher (d. Chris Skotchdopple), Blackout (d. Larry Fessenden), and The Leech (d. Eric Pennycoff), as well as TV roles on Blue Bloods, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: Organized Crime. He is preparing for his directorial feature debut, PULL: A DARK COMEDY, currently in pre-production.

JON KITLEY has been running his website, Kitley's Krypt for 25 years. He's a columnist for HorrorHound magazine, a co-host on the Discover the Horror podcast, and attends multiple conventions and all-night horror movie marathons at the drive-in theaters! https://kitleyskrypt.com/

JONATHON LUCAS is a horror fiend from Australia whose love for the genre predates his brain’s ability to form memories. He contributed the essay for At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul for Hidden Horror.

ALAN TROMP is a golden age Monster Kid, who has published articles in Filmfax, Twilight Zone Magazine, and We Belong Dead publications in the UK. He was scriptwriter for the shot-on-video nightmare, The Soul Eaters.

CULLEN WADE is the author of S(p)lasher Flicks: The Swimming Pool in Horror Cinema, out in 2025 from McFarland Books. Follow him on letterboxd @tobe_whooper and Bluesky @cullenwade.bsky.social
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1957) d. Edward D. Wood, Jr. (USA)
THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH (1964) d. Del Tenney (USA)
THINGS (1989) d. Andrew Jordan (Canada)

Tonight, we celebrate that special kind of horror film that lurks in the shadows, often feeling put-upon and unappreciated. Some people call them "bad movies" and deride them with such titles as The Raspberry Awards, but we know that, really, they just had a rough upbringing and are merely misunderstood. These are the titles that we call... TURKEYS.

For over 20 years, Jon Kitley has hosted his annual Turkey Day Marathons the day after Thanksgiving. In honor of the occasion, we're going to celebrate three of the mightiest mishaps ever to grace movie screens large or small. Ed Wood's classic Plan 9 from Outer Space, Del Tenney's rock n' roll-beach party-monster movie mash-up The Horror of Party Beach, and the mind-melting Canadian indie Things!

Join AC and his brave & crazy panel of gobbler-loving goons (Aaron AuBuchon, John W. Bowen, Jason Coffman, Damien Glonek, Jon Kitley) as we celebrate this cinematic shipwrecks and ponder the appeal of celluloid offerings normally rejected by polite society. If you're up for the challenge, that is!

If you'd like to read more about Jon's Turkey Day Marathons, visit https://kitleyskrypt.com/category/turkey-day-marathon/

For a Letterboxd list of all the Turkey Day offerings to date, visit http://letterboxd.com/rabbitroom/list/kitleys-krypt-turkey-day
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AARON AUBUCHON is a film professor and writer, and also an editor, director, motion graphics artist and producer. He is also co-host of the Discover the Horror podcast. https://discoverthehorror.com/

JOHN W. BOWEN has been a columnist, reviewer and feature writer for Rue Morgue magazine since 1999, and has also written sporadically for more (*cough*) “civilized” publications, including the Kingston Whig-Standard, The Toronto Star and Kingston Life Magazine. Born in Dallas and raised in Kingston, Ontario, he is also a professional musician and recovering strip club DJ.

JASON COFFMAN is the Unrepentant Cinephile. Former contributor to Daily Grindhouse and Film Monthly (RIP). Director of Housesitters and occasional "recording artist." Proud owner of 35mm prints of Andy Milligan's Guru, the Mad Monk and Zalman King's Two Moon Junction. On Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/rabbitroom/

DAMIEN GLONEK is best known as the co-creator of Living Dead Dolls, which holds the record for the longest continuously running horror themed dolls. He is also co-host of the horror podcast, Discover the Horror. In Damien’s spare time, he collects horror movie posters, watches horror movies, reads about watching horror movies and talks about reading and watching horror movies to anyone that will listen.

JON KITLEY has been running his website, Kitley's Krypt for 25 years. He's a columnist for HorrorHound magazine, a co-host on the Discover the Horror podcast, and attends multiple conventions and all-night horror movie marathons at the drive-in theaters! https://kitleyskrypt.com/
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1939) d. Sidney Lanfield (USA)
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959) d. Terence Fisher (UK)

Though not the first fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes is arguably the best-known. Over 25,000 stage adaptations, films, television productions, and publications have featured the detective, and Guinness World Records lists him as the most portrayed human literary character in film and television history.

Tonight, we’ll be celebrating two film versions of Arthur Conan Doyle’s celebrated sleuth’s oft-adapted tale, The Hound of the Baskervilles. The first being the 1939 version from Twentieth Century Fox, featuring Basil Rathbone in his first of 14 film appearances as Holmes (not counting his additional radio and television appearances), as well as the 1959 Hammer Films production, starring the dynamic duo of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, their third pairing for the studio in as many years.

Join AC and his sterling panel of guests (Dave “M” Gray, Doug Long, Mike Mayo, Michael Weber) as they celebrate this double feature of the great detective going face-to-face, toe-to-paw, and nose-to-snout with the terror of the moors, The Hound of the Baskervilles!
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DAVE GRAY is just one alias for alien invasion advanced scout Yargnivad. This diabolical plan can be uncovered by decoding Raiders of the Podcast episodes (Raidersofthepodcast.blogspot.com or any podcast platform of your choice).

DOUG LONG teaches film-related classes at DePaul University and writes book reviews for film journals, including Film Quarterly and mise-en-scene.

MIKE MAYO has written several books about film and popular culture, among them VideoHound’s Horror Show and American Murder. He is also the author of the Jimmy Quinn historical suspense novels set in Prohibition-era New York.

MICHAEL WEBER is an actor, director and currently the Artistic Director of Porchlight Music Theatre. A Chicago native, his fascination with classic horror began with WGN's legendary Creature Features and The Son of Svengoolie. And avid fan of the Golden Age of Radio and he is author of the play, WAR of the WELLeS (about Orson Welles’ infamous radio broadcast.)
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

DEAD OF NIGHT (1945) d. Various (UK)

A landmark horror film, 1945’s Dead of Night was produced by Britain’s famed Ealing Studios and directed by a team of mostly younger upstarts including Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, and Robert Hamer, with veteran Alberto Cavalcanti and producer Michael Balcon marshaling their forces.

Widely regarded as one of the earliest and most influential horror anthology films, Dead of Night presents a quintet of eerie and imaginative stories linked by a chilling framing narrative: an architect arrives at a country house, only to realize he’s been there before—in a recurring dream. As he shares this realization, the guests recount a series of supernatural tales involving haunted mirrors, ghostly hearses, creepy ventriloquist dummies, and more.

Combining original stories and adaptations, Dead of Night blends psychological horror with dark humor, setting the blueprint for anthology series like The Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt, and Black Mirror. Its influence still echoes through horror cinema today.

Lock your doors, pour yourself a cup of tea, and enjoy some bite-sized nightmares as AC and his incredible panel of guests (Christianne Benedict, Cati Glidewell, John McDevitt, Lee Price, Alan Tromp) celebrate the 80th anniversary of Dead of Night!

BONUS: Here's the link to Lee's article referenced throughout: https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2025/05/15/dead-of-night-1945-50-clinical-observations/
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CHRISTIANNE BENEDICT is a cartoonist, film writer, malcontent, and Bloginatrix at https://krelllabs.blogspot.com

JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA!, a weekly horror gathering with film screenings at Sideshow Gelato, and Fetish Film Forum, a monthly screening series about fetish, kink, leather, and BDSM at the Leather Archives & Museum. John is fascinated by all genres of cinema and appreciates horror most of all for its willingness to explore what makes us uncomfortable and for the compassion it often extends to its characters and the viewer. 

CATI GLIDEWELL (aka The Blonde in Front) is a Chicago-based film critic, lifelong cinephile, film festival jury member, and a member of Chicago Indie Critics since 2020. You can find her on all social media platforms, as well as Post Mortem radio and Radio of Horror on YouTube.

LEE PRICE has dedicated his career to celebrating our history and culture (including horror films!) through freelance writing and 25 years with the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. He is a guest blogger at “Wonders in the Dark.”

ALAN TROMP is a golden age Monster Kid, who has published articles in Filmfax, Twilight Zone Magazine, and We Belong Dead publications in the UK. He was scriptwriter for the shot-on-video nightmare, The Soul Eaters.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994) d. Neil Jordan (USA)

Anne Rice's celebrated novel, originally published in 1976, took nearly two decades to make it to the big screen. When it finally arrived, amidst a wave of controversy over its casting of Tom Cruise in the pivotal role of Lestat, INTERVIEW fared well with critics and boosted the profiles of co-stars Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, and 11-year-old Kirsten Dunst as the eternally young and brutal killer Claudia.

Tonight, join AC and his celebrated panel of vampire aficionados (Jess Ader, Chad Hawks, Ian Simmons, Bobby Zier) as we return to the land of Louis and his cohorts to honor the 30th anniversary of this remarkable feature.
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JESS ADER is a fellow appreciator of movies and deep synth soundtracks. Former radio-TV-film student making money elsewhere but never giving up the love of all “moving” forms of media and art. He likes peanut butter. 

CHAD “The CryptKicker” HAWKS is a Producer, author, and full-time fanged freak. He grew up a fanatic of monsters, the macabre, and the Halloween holiday, all of which he adores to this day.

IAN SIMMONS runs the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, where he posts movie reviews, interviews, and critics round tables. He is also a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, and feels conflicted about referring to himself in the third person. https://kickseat.com/

BOBBY ZIER has a passion for Dracula and runs a TikTok and YouTube channel called Lugosi Theatre. He recently received his second “Monster Kid of the Year” Rondo Award for his efforts in keeping classic horror alive and well.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984) d. Wes Craven (USA) 

Horror Hall-of Famer Wes Craven created this hugely successful fright flick, which spawned multiple sequels, launched New Line Cinema, and introduced the moniker of “Freddy Krueger” into pop culture consciousness.

Heather Langenkamp plays a teenager plagued by dreams of a horribly scarred figure wearing a distinctive red-striped sweater, battered fedora, and a glove with knives attached to the fingers. Robert Englund, in the role he would forever be identified with, creates an original and frightening villain in Freddy, an executed child-murdering psychopath who has found the means to keep up his gruesome work by entering his prospective victim’s dreams. 

Join AC and his razor-sharp panel of guests (Dino Clark, Kate Hansen, Mackenzie Parker, Adam Rockoff) as they celebrate 40 years of Freddy!
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DINO CLARK has been a horror fan since I was wee lad, after my parents bought our first VCR in the mid-80s. Born and raised in Chicago, love attending horror cons & chatting about my fave horror films with fellow fans! Human Resources for most of my career, which can be a mini-horror movie at times.

KATE HANSEN is a music teacher with a penchant for horror. She has been published in magazines like Ultra Violent and Horrorhound. She likes dogs, enjoys the smell of campfires, collects VHS, is afraid of heights, and has only ever received two speeding tickets. 

MACKENZIE PARKER is a filmmaker living in Los Angeles. He studied at Northern Illinois University and the Moscow Art Theater. He has worked on TV shows such as Sons of Anarchy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is currently working as a staff editor for Digital Alliance. 

ADAM ROCKOFF is the screenwriter of Wicked Lake, a film so depraved it caused Ron Jeremy to storm out of the theater in anger. However, his 2010 adaptation of the classic exploitation film, I Spit on Your Grave, received nearly unanimous praise from horror critics. His first book, Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978-1986, a critical examination of the slasher genre, was made into a documentary which premiered on STARZ, and his follow-up, The Horror of It All traces the highs and lows of the genre through the lens of his own obsessive fandom. When not getting his hands bloody, Adam runs the television production company, FlashRock Films.
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A BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959) d. Roger Corman (1959)
THE WASP WOMAN (1959) d. Roger Corman (1959) 

The year before he became the American rival to Hammer Studios in the Gothic Horror department with The Fall of the House of Usher (1960), Roger Corman was the reigning "King of the B's" at the drive-ins across the USA, delivering thrills and chills to teenagers young and old.

Tonight, we celebrate two prime slices of black-and-white low-budget fare that still manage to deliver the goods: A Bucket of Blood (starring "That Guy" Dick Miller) and The Wasp Woman (with Susan Cabot), both from 1959! Join AC and his dazzling guest panelists (Lin Morris, Nile Arena) as they celebrate these two cult classics on their 65th anniversaries!
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NILE ARENA has created cinema collectives, worked the film festival circuit, and lent his voice to podcasts dedicated to the silver screen. His literary/weird fiction journal, Success Stories, is available now at some of the places books are sold.

LIN MORRIS is a writer who makes his living doing something else entirely. The first movie he recalls seeing is Two on a Guillotine at the Super 99 Drive-In at much too young an age, and he’s been a horror fan ever since. Despite the strenuous efforts of his parents, he remains stubbornly left handed.
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LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE (aka THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE) (1974)d. Jorge Grau (Spain/Italy)

A hidden gem overshadowed by the myriad flesh-eating flicks that followed in its wake, director Jorge Grau took his given assignment of creating a spiritual sequel to George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead and conjured a minor classic all its own. Blending social commentary (environmentalism) with shocking moments of jaw-dropping gore, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (or whatever title you happen to discover it under) remains a worthy entry in the undead canon.

Join AC and his incredible panel of horror enthusiasts (Dodd Alley, Matthew Amador, Christianne Benedict, Darren Callahan) as they celebrate a half-century of Spanish gut-munching!
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DODD ALLEY is an author (Gamers and Gorehounds: The Influence of Video Games on the Contemporary American Horror Film) and has a Masters in Film Studies from Ohio University, where he taught courses on Cult Cinema and Hollywood Reflexive films.

MATTHEW AMADOR is an actor and owner of Matador Behavioral Health, where he utilizes narrative fiction as a means to process trauma and anxiety through psychotherapy.  www.MatadorChicago.com 

CHRISTIANNE BENEDICT is a cartoonist, film writer, malcontent, and Bloginatrix at https://krelllabs.blogspot.com

DARREN CALLAHAN is an award-winning writer, director, and composer who has written drama, fiction, and non-fiction for many major outlets, mostly focused on the horror genre. He has also released nearly 100 records, from pop to noise to ambient to film soundtracks.  His website is darrencallahan.com and his IMDB is http://www.imdb.me/darrencallahan. 
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HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) d. William Castle (USA)
THE TINGLER (1959) d. William Castle (USA) 

Words like "Emergo" and "Percepto" may not be common knowledge for younger horror aficionados, but for classic horror fans, they instantly bring a smile to our faces as we remember the first time we heard the names of producer/director William Castle and actor Vincent Price. Both approached their work with a boundless sense of gusto and enthusiasm, and the results were astonishing and have endured for over six decades.

Join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Robin Graves, Dan Kiggins, Grant Kuchan, Anna Maurya, and Larry Sternshein) as we honor this amazing and historic double feature that brought the Crown Prince of Horror and the Baron of Ballyhoo together for a brief shining moment that changed the face of horror history forever.
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ROBIN GRAVES (har har) is the puppeteer behind Lucy Ba’al, a demonic puppet who recommends lesser-seen horror and cult films through his TikTok show The Laaaaaaast Video Store on Earth.

DAN KIGGINS has worked on a number of independent features, shorts, TV shows, and innumerable commercials over the past 15 years as a Jack of all trades. A self-proclaimed cinephile, he has a vast collection of film ephemera including over 3000 movies.

GRANT KUCHAN is a writer of pulp, wellness coach, and a real swell guy.  He plays in any Jug Bands that let him.  One day he’ll finish another novel, which will probably be available on Amazon, as well as at most Darktower Comics locations across the greater Chicagoland Area.  The horror movie that still gives him nightmares is Matango.  He saw it when he was six, and still doesn’t eat mushrooms.

ANNA MAURYA is a film fan stuck in Ohio. They have been a guest on Raiders of the Podcast, a contributor to Hidden Horror, and they generally dislike writing about themselves in the third person.

LARRY STERNSHEIN is a lifelong movie fan in Colorado and host of the movie memories podcast "Reel Early." Not only does he love talking about horror and action cinema, but is also a big pro wrestling fan.
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PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (2007/09) d. Oren Peli (USA)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 (2010) d. Tod Williams (USA)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 (2011) d. Henry Joost/Ariel Schulman (USA)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 (2012) d. Henry Joost/Ariel Schulman (USA)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES (2014) d. Christopher Landon (USA)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION (2015) d. Gregory Plotkin (USA)

Paramount’s plucking of this microbudget feature from obscurity and its nimble (some might say omnipresent) word-of-mouth marketing scheme will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest Cinderella stories in horror history. Shot for a paltry $11,000, writer/editor/producer/director Oren Peli’s first-person account of a young couple plagued by inexplicable happenings in their new suburban home works surprisingly well under its own limitations, or perhaps because of them.

Like its stylistic and spiritual companion piece, 1999’s The Blair Witch Project (itself another stunning, out-of-nowhere indie success story), PA's strengths lie in its ability to tap into primal, everyday fears: a new building’s unexplained creaks and groans, a partner’s emotional swings, etc. Other recent features have utilized the now-familiar camcorder POV “found footage” convention, some of them admirably, but what sets Peli’s feature apart is its simplicity and courage to allow mundane objects/events, like Blair Witch’s stone piles and stickmen, to take on heightened significance.

It’s a deceptively simple high-wire act that works better than it has any right to, and while not a perfect (or even a “great”) film, it contains more genuinely creepy and unsettling onscreen moments than all of Hollywood’s big budget remakes of the last three decades put together.

Join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Amy Pearson, Frank Merle, Brett Neveu, Anna Maurya, Chelsea David) as we celebrate the one that truly, for better or worse, kicked off the found footage barrage of the 21st Century, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY!
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CHELSEA DAVID is an actor, budding mental health professional, and spicy food eater, deeply obsessed with all things horror. A Louisiana native and former Chicagoan of a decade, she can be found bouncing around the country at any given moment. You’ll hear her laugh before you see her. 

ANNA MAURYA is a film fan stuck in Ohio. They have been a guest on Raiders of the Podcast, a contributor to Hidden Horror, and they generally dislike writing about themselves in the third person.

FRANK MERLE is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker originally from Chicago, IL. He has written and directed several award-winning and critically-acclaimed films, including The Employer (2013), starring Malcolm McDowell and Billy Zane, and From Jennifer (2017), starring Derek Mears and Tony Todd. Next up is Namaka, a dark fantasy starring Jamie Kennedy and David Howard Thornton.

BRETT NEVEU is a professor at Northwestern University where he teaches writing for the screen and stage. His film/TV screenplays include Eric LaRue (dir. Michael Shannon) and Night’s End (dir. Jennifer Reeder) with Shudder/AMC. Past theatre productions include Revolution with A Red Orchid Theatre, Verböten with House Theatre and Red Bud with The Royal Court Theatre. Brett is also a recipient of a Steinberg/ATCA New Play Citation, The Marquee Award from Chicago Dramatists, The Ofner Prize for New Work and the Emerging Artist Award from The League of Chicago Theatres.

AMY PEARSON is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Durham University. In addition to being a whopping great horror enthusiast, she's also a power lifter, photographic model, and aerialist.
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AUDITION (1999) d. Takashi Miike (Japan/S. Korea)

After seven years of mourning and encouraged by his teenage son to find a new wife, widower Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) seeks the advice of a colleague within the film company for which they both work. Together, they hit upon the perfect plan: Staging an audition for actresses, ostensibly for a new feature project, but in reality hoping to find the new ideal woman to share Aoyama’s life. While interviewing a series of candidates, the lonely widower becomes enchanted by Asami (Eihi Shiina), a quiet, young woman, who is immediately responsive to his charms. The two seem to instantly fall for each other, but things take a very dark and twisted turn (or three) as we discover Asami isn't all she seems to be....

One of the titles that launched the international J-horror wave of the early 21st century, Audition exploded onto the festival circuit to a chorus of awards and praise, catapulting director Takashi Miike into the consciousness of cinephiles around the world and paving the way for future off-kilter offerings as Ichi the Killer, Visitor Q, and The Happiness of the Katakuris.

Playing with temporal constructs and toying with audience genre expectations (it’s a slow burn… but, hey, what’s that bag doing there?) and concluding with one of the most agonizing climaxes in recent memory. (The phrase “Kiri kiri kiri kiri” will haunt your nightmares for weeks.)

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (John Reskusich, Michelle Kisner, Raul Benitez, Cati Glidewell aka The Blonde in Front, Dominic Conti) as they discuss Miike's exploration of pain, trauma, relationships, and how the film predicted the rise of Tinder!
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RAUL BENITEZ is a film programmer in Chicago for over 15 years. Raul currently is the Senior Programmer at the Midwest Film Festival, and the After Dark programmer at the Chicago International Film Festival. Raul also programs at Comfort Station Logan Square, Full Spectrum Features, and the Nightingale Cinema. 

DOMINIC CONTI is a Chicago-based writer and actor. His first novel, Your Book Club, is now available. (Orders can be placed at dcontimail@gmail.com, or you can just say hi.)

CATI GLIDEWELL (aka The Blonde in Front) is a Chicago-based film critic, lifelong cinephile, film festival jury member, and a member of Chicago Indie Critics since 2020. You can find her on all social media platforms, as well as Post mortem radio and Radio of horror on YouTube.

MICHELLE KISNER is a film critic, freelance writer, and physical media advocate. She has contributed to several websites to include The Cultural Gutter and The Movie Sleuth and is also a member of the Michigan Movie Critics Guild. 

JOHN RESKUSICH, a lifelong lover of movies and comic books, dwells in St. Louis, Missouri.
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PONTYPOOL (2008) d. Bruce McDonald (Canada)

Pontypool, celebrating its 15th anniversary, is a fiercely intelligent variation on the “zombie/infected hordes” theme, indelibly anchored by film/TV veteran Stephen McHattie’s charismatic central performance. Exiled to the wastelands of rural Ontario, former shock jock radio personality Grant Mazzy finds himself caught up in increasingly bizarre circumstances as reports pour in of a deadly, murderous virus sweeping the surrounding area.

Director Bruce McDonald cultivates an increasingly claustrophobic atmosphere within the radio station’s confines, further heightened by the on-air team’s frantic attempts to provide listeners with information (little of which is known or forthcoming). Pontypool is smart and sharp, cruel and clever, dire and dark and full of surprises.

Lisa Houle does well as Sydney, our harried program director, as does Georgina Reilly as Laurel-Ann, the comely, ex-military tech director, but it’s McHattie’s dulcet, whiskey-honed voice tearing into screenwriter Tony Burgess’ dialogue (adapted from his novel, Pontypool Changes Everything) with undisguised relish that you’ll remember as the credits roll.

AC is joined by another fantastic group of horror fans: Mike Mayo, Steve Griffes, Chris Scales, and Anna McKibben. 
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CHRIS SCALES is a lifelong horror fan who contributes movie reviews to various horror sites, runs fan panels at various conventions, and is an aspiring horror screenwriter.

ANNA MAURYA is a film fan stuck in Ohio. They have been a guest on Raiders of the Podcast, a contributor to Hidden Horror, and they generally dislike writing about themselves in the third person.

STEVE GRIFFES is the Director of Outreach and Events at University of Michigan Library and is a lifelong horror fan. He spends his spare time nerding out over punk and indie rock, barrel-aged beer, veggie food, and boosting horror content created by LGBT people. He wrote the Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural essay for Hidden Horror.

MIKE MAYO has written several books about film and popular culture, among them VideoHound’s Horror Show and American Murder. He is also the author of the Jimmy Quinn historical suspense novels set in Prohibition-era New York. 
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SAW (2004) d. James Wan (USA)
SAW II (2005) d. Darren Lynn Bousman (USA)
SAW III (2006) d. Darren Lynn Bousman (USA)
SAW IV (2007) d. Darren Lynn Bousman (USA)
SAW V (2008) d. David Hackl (USA)
SAW VI (2009) d. Kevin Greutert (USA)
SAW 3D (2010) d. Kevin Greutert (USA)
JIGSAW (2017) d. Michael Spierig / Peter Spierig (USA)
SPIRAL (2021) d. Darren Lynn Bousman (USA)
SAW X (2023) d. Kevin Greutert (USA)

Before there was “The Saw Franchise,” there was just SAW, a relatively low-budget thriller from a pair of Australian horror kids who wanted to make a good impression. The movie, shot in a mere 18 days, exploded at the box office in October 2004 to become one of the most profitable horror features of all time, much to the surprise of its participants and creators. The rest, as they say, is history.

While it is great fun to detail the multitude of quibbles and logistical flaws that show up throughout, there’s no denying that SAW sparked the imagination of a hungry horror landscape littered with J-horror remakes and Scream pretenders. 

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Jason Coffman, Katie McLean Hainsworth, Nicola McCafferty, Daniel Millhouse) as we celebrate the highs and lows of this epic franchise! 
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JASON COFFMAN is the Unrepentant Cinephile. Former contributor to Daily Grindhouse and Film Monthly (RIP). Director of Housesitters and occasional "recording artist." Proud owner of 35mm prints of Andy Milligan's Guru, the Mad Monk and Zalman King's Two Moon Junction. On Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/rabbitroom/

KATIE MCLEAN HAINSWORTH is a Chicago-based performer/writer, whom you can regularly find on both the DARK NEXUS and FAWX & STALLION podcasts. She’s happily guested on HORROR 101 a few times as well as on Roll For Impact’s THE STRANGER.

NICOLA MCCAFFERTY is a PhD candidate in the department of Radio, Television, and Film at Northwestern University whose current research focuses on how screen representations of nonhuman women (think mannequins, cyborgs, and humanoid aliens) help us gain insights into the categories of both humanity and femininity. Outside of grad school, Nicola has a few stray bylines at Dread Central and runs an Etsy store (http://vvitchroom.etsy.com/), where she sells enamel pins, stickers, and prints inspired by horror and cult films from the 1960s to today 

DANIEL MILLHOUSE joyfully returns to review films with Dr. AC and friends! As an Assistant Professor at the College of DuPage, he cherishes his Theatre, TV/Film, and Motion Capture acting experiences. He is one mischievous, charming, goofball.
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LEFT BANK (aka LINKEROEVER) (2008) d. Pieter Van Hees (Belgium)
CUB (aka WELP) (2014) d. Jonas Govaerts (Belgium)

Tonight’s double feature takes us across the ocean to Belgium, a land renowned for lace, beer, chocolate, waffles, and a small but notable number of horror titles, including two films we’re going to be discussing tonight: Pieter Van Hees’ Left Bank from 2008 and Jonas Govaerts’ Cub (aka Welp) from 2014.

In Left Bank, Olympic-caliber track runner Marie is sidelined due to a case of severe anemia, causing her to spiral into a deep depression until she begins a fiery affair with champion archer Bobby. Upon moving in with her new paramour, she gradually becomes aware of his apartment building’s mysterious and sinister past, as well as being increasingly haunted by surreal nightmare visions.

Cub sees a group of scouts heading off for an outing in the Ardenen mountains (Wallonia, the southeast section of Belgium, along the French border). As with any assembly of lads, there are alliances and enemies, but young Sam is the clear outcast of the bunch. To exacerbate matters, Sam catches sight of what he believes to be campfire legend “Kai,” a feral lycanthrope-like youth residing in the woods, preying upon interlopers. Is Kai real, or is Sam’s overactive imagination leading to madness? More importantly, who’s setting all the intricate (and lethal) booby-traps in the woods?

AC is joined once again in the studio by good friends and local Brussels dwellers, filmmaker Gert Verbeeck (ATP, Sharksploitation) and author/editor Vanessa Morgan (When Animals Attack, Evil Seeds) to chat about their countrymen’s noble efforts.
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VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several horror novels and film guides (When Animals Attack, Strange blood, Evil Seeds) – available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN. She's also the creator of Traveling Cats, the first travel blog for cat lovers – https://traveling-cats.com. 

GERT VERBEECK is a filmmaker, musician and writer from Brussels, Belgium. He likes his books, movies and music diverse, nuanced and intense. This reflects his look on life as well, with a little sense of humor added. 
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HOUSE OF USHER (1960) d. Roger Corman (USA)
PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961) d. Roger Corman (USA)

Journey into the heart of gothic horror with House of Usher, Roger Corman’s moody and mesmerizing film version of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story. Released in 1960, Usher marks the beginning of Corman’s AIPoe series, his celebrated octet of Poe-inspired works, and it’s an atmospheric triumph of mood and style.

Leading the cast is the legendary Vincent Price, in one of his most memorable roles, the fragile and haunted Roderick Usher—a man convinced that his family line is cursed and must come to an end. Price is joined by Mark Damon and Myrna Fahey, all making a meal of Richard Matheson's swirling dialogue.

Belying the film’s moderate budget, Corman and cinematographer Floyd Crosby’s rich dramatic lighting lend a grand, visual presence. Daniel Haller’s stylized Usher sets become a living extension of the family’s doom, while Les Baxter’s moody musical cues evoke a decaying grandeur.

Join AC and his legendary panel of guests (Jorge Didaco, Dave M. Gray, David Del Valle) as we celebrate 65 years of HOUSE OF USHER!
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JORGE DIDACO is a Brazil-based teacher on theatre, performance, and film. He contributed the essays for The Innocents for Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies and In a Glass Cage for Hidden Horror.

DAVE “M” GRAY is currently a test subject in a subterranean mad science lab and allowed to send proofs of life to Raiders of the Podcast (raidersofthepodcast.blogspot.com or anywhere you podcast) and Twitch (twitch.tv/sh4ggyr4nd) weekly.

DAVID DEL VALLE is a renowned film historian, journalist, and commentator specializing in horror, science fiction, and cult cinema. He has contributed to publications like Fangoria and Cinefantastique, and produced Vincent Price's only interview focused on his horror career. Del Valle's books include Lost Horizons Beneath the Hollywood Sign and Six Reels Under.
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SHATTER DEAD (1994) d. Scooter McCrae (USA)

When the Angel of Death impregnates a mortal woman, people stop being able to die. As the living human population dwindles, the line begins to blur as to which is considered the dominant race and who are the monstrous aberrations.

Tonight’s selection, SHATTER DEAD, is a shining example of why “Shot-on-Video” horror films are, as author S.A. Bradley puts it, "the punk rock of horror," where lack of funds simply means more room for unlimited creativity and imagination, breaking ground and breaking rules.

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Aaron AuBuchon, S.A. Bradley, Derrick Carey, John McDevitt) as we honor writer/director Scooter McCrae’s astonishing DIY effort on its 30th anniversary of release. Hopefully it opens a Pandora’s Box into the world of SOV horror for YOU!!
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AARON AUBUCHON is a film professor and writer, and also an editor, director, motion graphics artist and producer. He is also co-host of the Discover the Horror podcast. https://discoverthehorror.com/

S.A. BRADLEY hosts the “Hellbent for Horror” podcast, is the author of “Screaming for Pleasure: How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy,” and lectured at Webster University and The College of Idaho. His show, “My Horror Manifesto,” played in NYC.

DERRICK CAREY has worked in front of and behind the camera for almost 20 years, as a director, producer, editor, sound man, colorist, and actor. He is also the driving force behind the Astro Radio Z podcast. https://linktr.ee/AstroRadioZ

JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA!, a weekly horror gathering with film screenings at Sideshow Gelato, and Fetish Film Forum, a monthly screening series about fetish, kink, leather, and BDSM at the Leather Archives & Museum. John is fascinated by all genres of cinema and appreciates horror most of all for its willingness to explore what makes us uncomfortable and for the compassion it often extends to its characters and the viewer.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!