Explore every episode of the podcast HORROR 101 with Dr. AC

WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? (1976) d. Narciso Ibáñez Serrador (Spain) 

Narciso Ibáñez Serrador's taboo-smashing classic, Who Can Kill a Child (1976), is a movie that packs a lethal punch both in terms of onscreen mayhem and intellectual philosophizing. 

When a couple of English tourists (Lewis Fiander, Prunella Ransome) arrive on an isolated Spanish island, they begin to discover the mutilated corpses of adults and eventually realize the shocking truth: These innocent-looking youngsters have massacred their elders, exploiting the grownups' reluctance to defend themselves against the children.

Like his terrifying La Residencia (aka The House that Screamed) from 1969, Serrador mines a rich vein of audience manipulation by making his antagonists the "untouchable" fresh-faced youth, while the film (loosely based on Juan Jose Plans' novel, El juego de los niños) also pays homage to such obvious influences as Village of the Damned, Night of the Living Dead, and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, with the island village's tykes standing in for the avian threats.

With sparse dialogue, oft-blinding outdoor daylight settings courtesy of Goya-award winning cinematographer José Luis Alcaine, dread-filled atmosphere, and its downbeat/upbeat ending, Who Can Kill A Child is an unusual, provocative and extremely well made picture that provides a welcome change of pace from well-worn genre conventions.

Join AC and his fabulous panel of guests (Ashley Lamers, John McDevitt, Mackenzie Parker, Elena Romea) as we celebrate a half-century of this groundbreaking masterpiece of Spanish horror from one of the true masters of the genre, delivering biting social commentary on gender roles, political inequity, and tyranny against one's fellow humans while elegantly delivering a sinister and spellbinding thriller that will stick with you for days!
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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. 

JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA! 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.

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. 

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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THE BEYOND (1981) d. Lucio Fulci (Italy)
THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (1981) d. Lucio Fulci (Italy)

Italian director Lucio Fulci's 1981 pairing of The Beyond and The House by the Cemetery represents perhaps the most beloved period of his career, especially by horror fans. Paradoxically, these films are also why his wider cinematic career is often overlooked. By this point, Fulci was already a veteran filmmaker who had worked across comedy, westerns, crime films, gialli and historical dramas. But these days, The Beyond and The House by the Cemetery—alongside Zombie and City of the Living Dead—have become almost a shorthand for what "a Fulci film" is.

The Beyond follows a young New Yorker (played by Catriona McColl), who inherits a Louisiana hotel unknowingly built over one of the seven gates of Hell. As she attempts to renovate and reopen the building, increasingly inexplicable deaths and supernatural phenomena signal that the gateway is opening again. Those who love The Beyond love it precisely because it seems to operate according to nightmare logic rather than a conventional narrative: the plot is merely an excuse for Fulci and screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti to construct a succession of visceral images such as rotting corpses, carnivorous spiders, blind ghosts, exploding head shots, and an unforgettable vision of the afterlife. Its atmosphere of Southern Gothic decay, combined with Sergio Salvati's photography and Fabio Frizzi's hypnotic score, give it a dreamlike quality that immediately distinguishes it from straightforward splatter.

The House by the Cemetery feels inspired by other popular haunted house movies of the era like The Shining and The Amityville Horror, but Fulci makes the material distinctly his own through his fascination with irrationality, narrative threads that go seemingly nowhere, and sudden eruptions of brutality. When the Boyle family moves into an isolated New England house, their young son Bob becomes convinced that something terrible is living within. The combination of eerie atmosphere, disjointed storytelling, and outrageous violence have earned many fans over the ensuing years.

Together, these two films represent a particular moment in Fulci's career when he became indelibly linked with extreme horror. Their gore and visual imagination made him a hero to genre fans, while their surrealism, dread-filled atmosphere, and strange visual poetry made it clear he was more than a mere purveyor of exploitation fodder. Join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Sarah Binion, Jon Kitley, Bryan Martinez, Jimmy Seiersen) as we celebrate 45 years of The Beyond and The House By The Cemetery, the double-barreled blessing and curse of Lucio Fulci, The Italian Godfather of Gore… and yet so much more.
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SARAH BINION is a self-taught horror fan who has turned the simple question "What's your favorite horror movie?" into a personal mission to uncover hidden gems and overlooked masterpieces in the genre.

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/

BRYAN MARTINEZ is the creator of The Giallo Room and is also the writer and director of the short films Gelato Giallo and My Friend Lisa (check em out on YouTube). He has had a passionate love affair with Giallo since he first watched a Spanish-dubbed version of All the Colors of the Dark at the tender age of 8.

JIMMY SEIERSEN from Sweden has written essays for the HORROR 101 and HIDDEN HORROR books, been a short film programmer for Lund Fantastic Film Festival (2010–2022), and creates short films that eventually make their way to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmySeiersen
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POSSESSION (1981) d. Andrzej Zulawski (France/West Germany)

Tonight, we dive deep into the abyss of challenging cinema with Andrzej Zulawski's Possession (1981). Deliberately abrasive and queasy, the idiosyncratic Polish director's best known film assails its audience from the opening scenes and never lets up for a second, leaving the viewer exhausted, exasperated, and exhilarated.

Returning home from a vaguely defined covert mission, Mark (played by the late great Sam Neill) is alarmed to find that the relationship with his wife Anna (Isabelle Adjani) has disintegrated into complete hostility and disgust. He soon discovers that she has taken up with several lovers, one of which might not be entirely… human. (F/x wizard Carlo Rambaldi designed the memorable creature effects.)

A technically astounding film, with Bruno Nyutten's cinematography swirling about the locations and characters with orgiastic glee while Andrej Korzynski's electronic score buzzes and pops. Neill and Adjani unleash extraordinary high-wire performances that rival anything these fine artists have done before or since (Adjani would win Best Actress Awards from both Cannes and the Cesars, and after witnessing her wrenching, utterly selfless showstopping aria of suffering in the train tunnel, who could deny her?) and they are surrounded by a marvelous ensemble of quirky and compelling players that toy with each other and the audience.

Brutally trimmed by 50 minutes (!) with entire sequences reshuffled, the original U.S. and UK releases were as notorious a bit of butchery as they come – the already challenging movie (later labeled as a Video Nasty by the British Board of Film Censors) floundered and disappeared. Thankfully, it has since reappeared on home video in its complete form, and we hope tonight's conversation continues to boost and brighten its signal, attracting further rediscovery by fans worldwide.

Join AC and his bravura panel of guests (Nile Arena, Emily Barney, Dominic Conti, Sophie Gordon, Thomas Puhr) as we celebrate 45 years of POSSESSION!
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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.

EMILY BARNEY studies Czech language and is obsessed with Czech and Slovak movies. She's appeared on The Projection Booth Podcast's Czechtember series, and blogs at emily-barney.com. She's also a lifelong horror and cult movie fan, the weirder the better.

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.)

SOPHIE GORDON is a film programmer, filmmaker, and musician based in Chicago. She currently programs international feature films at the Chicago International Film Festival, specializing in Latin American and LGBTQ+ cinema. As a filmmaker, she crafts queer genre films, and as a musician performs under the name Fina. 

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.
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CARRIE (1976) d. Brian De Palma (USA)
THE RAGE: CARRIE 2 (1999) d. Katt Shea (USA)
CARRIE (2002) d. David Carson (USA)
CARRIE (2013) d. Kimberly Peirce (USA)

Based on Stephen King's first published novel, 1976's Carrie holds the distinction for being the first filmed adaptation of one of his works. A truly landmark American horror movie that combines supernatural terror with a powerful story about adolescence, cruelty, repression, and revenge, the film stars Sissy Spacek as the titular and telekinetic Carrie White, a shy, awkward high-school student bullied by her classmates and controlled by her extremely religious mother, Margaret White, indelibly played by Piper Laurie.

Brian De Palma's direction is central to the film's impact, using slow motion, split screens, dramatic camera movements, and unsettling visual compositions to build suspense and emphasize Carrie's psychological experience. And screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen perfectly translates the spirit of King's novel without being slavishly faithful to the plot and narrative incident.

Spacek makes Carrie both frightening and deeply sympathetic, and Piper Laurie's operatic turn as the zealot matriarch became instantly iconic, with both actresses nominated for Oscars that year, a true rarity for the time. And they are surrounded by numerous young performers at the beginning of their soon-to-be illustrious careers, including Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, William Katt, Betty Buckley, and a certain young upstart named John Travolta.

Ultimately, Carrie stands as one of the great achievements of 1970s horror, a relatively small production that has earned a lasting place in cinema history. Beyond its justifiably famous prom sequence and supernatural leanings, King's rich portrait of loneliness, peer pressure, and the desperate longing to be accepted resonates as strongly with viewers today as it did 50 years ago. What makes Carrie so rewarding to revisit, time and again, is watching De Palma and his creative team turn teenage anxiety into a true cinematic nightmare classic.

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JENN ADAMS is a writer and podcaster from Nashville, TN. She co-hosts The Loser's Club: A Stephen King Podcast, The Lady Killers: A Feminine Rage Podcast, Murder Made Fiction, and The Girls on The Boys. She is a contributor and columnist for Bloody Disgusting, Rue Morgue and Dread Central and creator of the Strong Female Antagonist blog.

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.

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.
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THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES (1966) d. John Gilling (UK)
THE REPTILE (1966) d. John Gilling (UK)
ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. (1966) d. Don Chaffey (UK)
THE WITCHES (1966) d. Cyril Frankel (UK)

For nearly a decade, Hammer had built its reputation on sumptuous Gothic horror, with mysterious castles, suspicious villagers, and iconic monsters, usually with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing topping the bill. But by 1966, Hammer was looking outward, experimenting with new monsters, new settings, and even entirely new genres.

With The Plague of the Zombies, starring André Morell, Diane Clare, Jacqueline Pearce, and John Carson, director John Gilling gives us a nightmare rooted in rural Cornwall, where the dead are being turned into obedient, shambling workers. The famous graveyard sequence remains one of Hammer's most striking set pieces, while also setting itself apart from other zombie films in a number of ways, making one wish Hammer had gone back to the well for more.

Gilling also directed The Reptile (on the same sets, in fact), another distinctly different kind of Hammer horror. With Noel Willman, Jennifer Daniel, Ray Barrett, Jacqueline Pearce, and Michael Ripper, the film sees a remote village plagued by mysterious deaths, with another exotic and ancient curse at play. Jacqueline Pearce is exquisite as the young shapeshifting maiden at the center of the story, with veteran Roy Ashton delivering one of his most iconic monster makeup designs.

One Million Years B.C. represented perhaps the biggest departure the studio, with Hammer taking its taste for spectacle to an entirely different level. Directed by Don Chaffey, and featuring John Richardson and Raquel Welch as loincloth-wearing star-crossed members of different prehistoric tribes, with stop-motion maestro Ray Harryhausen returning to his roots to deliver some of the most authentic and anatomically correct dinosaurs ever seen on screen. The result was a box office smash, with Welch's iconic pin-up poster art becoming an indelible piece of pop culture history.

Finally, The Witches, directed by Cyril Frankel, explores psychological and supernatural horror through a more contemporary lens. In her final big screen role, Joan Fontaine plays a former missionary who becomes entangled in increasingly sinister events after moving to a quiet English village. While the film never reaches the heights of Hammer's more celebrated efforts, it is laudable for continuing to take risks and break ground for future occult-themed efforts such as The Devil Rides Out.

Join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Stan Hyde, Barry Kaufman, Alan Tromp) as we step back 60 years to delight in the monstrous, magical, murderous, and Mesozoic world of Hammer!

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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.

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.

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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CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH (1986) d. Richard W. Haines / Lloyd Kaufman (USA)
CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH PART II: SUBHUMANOID MELTDOWN (1991) d. Eric Louzil (USA)
CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH PART III: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE SUBHUMANOID (1994) d. Eric Louzil (USA)
RETURN OF CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH (2013) d. Lloyd Kaufman (USA)
RETURN TO RETURN OF CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH (2017) d. Lloyd Kaufman (USA)
POULTRYGEIST: NIGHT OF THE CHICKEN DEAD (2006) d. Lloyd Kaufman (USA)

Few independent film companies have cultivated a cinematic identity as unmistakable—or as gloriously unhinged—as Troma Entertainment. Founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, the New York-based outfit built its reputation by giving audiences the movies Hollywood wouldn't touch: outrageous, irreverent, low-budget spectacles that mixed horror, comedy, sex, punk attitude and social satire.

Released in 1986, Class of Nuke 'Em High is one of the best examples of the Troma formula. Directed by Richard W. Haines and Lloyd Kaufman, the film transforms the familiar high-school horror movie into a radioactive free-for-all, with Tromaville High sitting dangerously close to a nuclear power plant. Students mutate, the honor society goes spectacularly bad, and the school becomes ground zero for a gleefully tasteless collision of sci-fi, splatter and teenage rebellion.

In between the Nuke 'Em sequels and reboots, we got Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead, Lloyd Kaufman's magnificently deranged 2006 splatter musical. Set in an American fast-food restaurant built atop an ancient burial ground, Poultrygeist unleashes chicken zombies upon unsuspecting diners while skewering corporate fast food, consumer culture and American excess.

Put together, the films demonstrate that Troma's secret weapon was never simply blood, guts or shock value. Class of Nuke 'Em High and Poultrygeist turn exploitation cinema into a playground for satire, DIY filmmaking, and sheer creative lunacy. Forty years after Tromaville High first glowed green, Troma is still proving that sometimes the best way to make movies is to consult the rulebook... and then blow it the cluck up.

Join AC and his Troma-loving panel of guests (Zack Beins, Dave "M" Gray, Jonathon Lucas) as we celebrate 40 years of NUKE 'EM HIGH and 20 years of POULTRYGEIST! 
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ZACK BEINS is a filmmaker from Denver, CO.  He has made several films and music videos including The Misled Romance of Cannibal Girl and Incest Boy, and Atom the Amazing Zombie Killer. Zack has a lifelong passion for cinema and cult films. His love of celluloid brought him to Tromaville where he worked on Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006) and volunteered at the TromaDance Film Festival, and now hosts the Talkin' Troma podcast with the Loudspeaker network!

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.

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.
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SCREAM (1996) d. Wes Craven (USA)
SCREAM 2 (1997) d. Wes Craven (USA)
SCREAM 3 (2000) d. Wes Craven (USA)
SCRE4M (2011) d. Wes Craven (USA)
SCREAM (2022) d. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin/Tyler Gillett (USA)
SCREAM VI (2023) d. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin/Tyler Gillet (USA)
SCREAM 7 (2026) d. Kevin Williamson (USA)

By the mid-1990s, the slasher cycle that had produced Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street had become increasingly formulaic, with audiences being fed a stream of quote/unquote "psychological thrillers." True horror was, in many respects, considered "dead."

Kevin Williamson's ingenious screenplay understood exactly why audiences had become tired of slashers—and then made that familiarity part of the entertainment. Its characters know the rules of horror movies, discuss them openly, and understand the clichés that traditionally govern who lives and who dies, balancing sharp humor, suspense, mystery, and brutal violence. The result was both a celebration of the slasher tradition and a clever reinvention of it.

The commercial and critical success of Scream, as directed by Wes Craven, also helped breathe new life into the genre, inspiring a wave of imitators, including beloved fan favorites I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, and countless other late-1990s and early-2000s slashers.

A major part of Scream's lasting success can also be attributed to its unforgettable central characters, particularly Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox), and Deputy Dewey Riley (David Arquette).. Audiences came to regard them as old friends, and their enduring popularity yielded a horror franchise with a genuine emotional legacy.

Today, Craven's achievement appears even more significant than it did 30 years ago. Just as A Nightmare on Elm Street kept the slasher alive in 1984 when the genre was beginning to run out of steam, Scream gave horror another desperately needed shot in the arm in 1996. Craven and Williamson didn't merely revive horror – they carved a path which allowed the genre to evolve, and that is something to scream about.

Join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Anna Ceragioli, Alex DiVincenzo, Daniel Millhouse, Jordy Sirkin, Ciara Wylie) as we celebrate three decades of SCREAM!!
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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.

ALEX DIVINCENZO is a Massachusetts-based independent filmmaker, journalist, and content creator. He runs the website Broke Horror Fan, through which he produces a line of modern genre films on VHS. He can be found spending too much time on social media @brokehorrorfan

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.

JORDY SIRKIN 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

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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TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (1972) d. Amando de Ossorio (Spain/Portugal)
RETURN OF THE BLIND DEAD (1973) d. Amando de Ossorio (Spain)
THE GHOST GALLEON (1974) d. Amando de Ossorio (Spain)
NIGHT OF THE SEAGULLS (1975) d. Amando de Ossorio (Spain)

Writer/director Amando de Ossorio's Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972) represented a landmark achievement that introduced an entirely new monster into the genre, the haunting Knights Templar (based on the legitimate historical figures who fought in the Crusades and were later put to death for their efforts), complete with shabby robes, skeletal faces, grizzled facial hair, shiny swords, and a quenchless thirst for human blood. In fact, the early scenes of this zombie flick (yes, we'll call them zombies for now) are so overwhelming in their thick gloomy atmosphere that viewers cannot help but admire the sheer confidence and audacity executed in bringing them to the screen.

Ossorio provides a brief introductory setup of three romantically entwined companions on a train ride through the Spanish countryside, then embarks on a breathtaking twenty-minute, nearly dialogue-free episode that must be experienced to be believed. During this astounding sequence, Anton Garcia Abril's jangling, chanting, percussive musical score and lively environmental soundtrack combine with Ossorio's eerie visuals to create an intoxicating dream-like aura.

In addition to Ossorio's prolific career, which features titles such as Demon Witch Child, The Loreley's Grasp, The Sea Serpent, and Night of the Sorcerers, the success of The Blind Dead spawned three more loosely connected entries in the series over the next three years: Return of the Blind Dead, The Ghost Galleon, and Night of the Seagulls. Together, they form an unforgettable quartet of thrills and chills, staking out an undeniable place in Spanish horror history.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Darren Callahan, Damien Glonek, Ryan Olson, Jimmy Seiersen, Alan Tromp) as we celebrate a half-century of THE BLIND DEAD!
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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.

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. 

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.

JIMMY SEIERSEN from Sweden has written essays for the HORROR 101 and HIDDEN HORROR books, been a short film programmer for Lund Fantastic Film Festival (2010–2022), and creates short films that eventually make their way to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmySeiersen

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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THE FLY (1986) d. David Cronenberg (USA/Canada)
THE FLY II (1989) d. Chris Walas (USA/Canada)

After years of building a reputation as a fiercely intelligent filmmaker that deftly combined gooey special effects, challenging technical concepts, and emotional narrative heft, Canadian David Cronenberg finally hit the jackpot in this updating and reimagining of the 1958 classic, The Fly.

Rather than the simple swapping of heads and hands, brainy inventor Seth Brundle (played to perfection by Jeff Goldblum) sees his transporter pods inadvertently become gene splicers when a wayward fly enters the equation. Watching the slow and horrifying evolution as the insect's characteristics make themselves known is where Cronenberg's customary gross-outs excel, courtesy of Chris Walas' Oscar-winning effects.

But it is Goldblum's brilliant muti-layered characterization (often beneath pounds of makeup) of a man at war with his own body that sticks in the memory and gives the film its heart. Geena Davis gives an equally strong performance as a reporter who is first attracted to the project as a story idea, but ends up falling in love with the doomed scientist, while John Getz turns in a terrific sleazy portrait as Davis' boss (and ex-lover).

Howard Shore's musical score is one of his best, and he is joined by numerous other Cronenberg collaborators, such as editor Ronald Sanders, cinematographer Mark Irwin, costume designer Denise Cronenberg, and production designer Carol Spier.

Join AC and his buzz-worthy panel of guests (Dan Caffrey, Jon Kitley, Eli LaChance, J. Luis Rivera, Chris Scales) as we celebrate 40 years of David Cronenberg's THE FLY!! 
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DAN CAFFREY is a Brooklyn-based playwright, screenwriter, podcaster, and lifelong horror fan. Caffrey currently co-hosts The Losers' Club: A Stephen King Podcast and Halloweenies: A Horror Franchise Podcast, both on Bloody Disgusting's podcast network, Bloody FM. He received his MFA In Playwriting from UT Austin and has also written as a cultural critic for The A.V. Club, Consequence, Pitchfork, Vox, and elsewhere. His favorite horror movie is Halloween. His favorite movie-movie is also Halloween. (https://www.dancaffreywrites.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/

ELI LACHANCE is a horror writer, chemist, and paleontology enthusiast. He is currently starting his last year in UMSL's MFA in creative writing program. He resides in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife, dog, and two cats, one of which may be the living dead. Some of his writing can be found in Medium Chill and on Channel-31.com. When he's not writing, he loves walking with his dog, bird watching, and hunting fossils. https://channel-31.com/

J. LUIS RIVERA is a Mexican filmmaker and cinephile whose love for movies began early in his life with Cronenberg's The Fly as a kid. Director of several horror short films, he is currently developing his first feature-length film.

CHRIS SCALES is a lifelong horror fan, aspiring horror screenwriter, and horror panelist. 
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RODAN (1956) d. Ishiro Honda (Japan)
MOTHRA (1961) d. Ishiro Honda (Japan)

Rodan (1956) and Mothra (1961) stand among the most trendsetting films in the history of Japanese cinema, introducing two iconic monsters whose legacies have endured for decades. Produced by Toho, both films expanded upon the success of Godzilla (1954), demonstrating that giant monsters could represent far more than simple destructive forces. Each creature possessed its own distinct identity, symbolism, and mythology, helping create a growing kaiju universe, a rich collection of memorable characters rather a single monster.

Released 70 years ago, Rodan introduced audiences to a colossal prehistoric pteranodon awakened by humanity's intrusion into the natural world. Directed by Ishirō Honda, the first color kaiju film combined suspense, science fiction, and large-scale destruction with groundbreaking special effects created by Eiji Tsuburaya. Rodan's immense speed, sonic booms, and devastating aerial attacks were different from the Tokyo-stomping Godzilla, presenting a threat unlike anything audiences had previously witnessed. The film also carried environmental and anti-industrial themes, condemning humanity's reckless exploitation of the Earth.

Five years later, Mothra introduced a remarkably different kind of kaiju. Based on the serialized novel published earlier in 1961 and inspired by fantasy, folklore, and spirituality, Mothra emerged as a benevolent guardian rather than a destructive beast. Directed once again by Honda, the story followed the kidnapping of the tiny Shobijin fairies and Mothra's determined journey to rescue them. Unlike previous giant monsters, Mothra symbolized hope, compassion, and the protection of nature.

Together, Rodan and Mothra introduced two enduring monsters whose contrasting personalities enriched Toho's expanding cinematic universe. Their successful debut films established them as beloved icons whose continued appearances alongside Godzilla helped shape the evolving mythology of kaiju cinema for generations around the world. Join AC and his kaiju-sized panel of guests (Martin Arlt, Beth Bredlau, Joyce Mihara Boss, Grant Kuchan, Stan Hyde) as we celebrate 70 years of RODAN and 65 years of MOTHRA!!
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MARTIN ARLT is the publisher of Mad Scientist magazine and is a geneticist at the University of Michigan. Decades of lab work have not given him super-powers or turned him into a mutant monster.

BETH BREDLAU is the founder of Godzilla Weekend, a film and art festival in Bloomington, Indiana. Additionally, she speaks at conferences and conventions about Godzilla like G-FEST, is earning her Ph.D (with a focus on Godzilla), and recently published new information on Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956).

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.

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.

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

THE BAD SEED (1956) d. Mervyn LeRoy (USA) 

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of The Bad Seed (1956)! Widely regarded as one of the greatest psychological thrillers ever made, this classic horror film introduced audiences to Rhoda Penmark—cinema's original "killer kid" and one of the genre's most unforgettable villains.

Join us as we revisit this groundbreaking classic, its remarkable performances by Nancy Kelly and Patty McCormack, director Mervyn LeRoy's masterful filmmaking, and the film's lasting influence on horror. Seventy years later, The Bad Seed remains as chilling, provocative, and unforgettable as ever. If you love classic horror, psychological thrillers, vintage Hollywood, and deep-dive film discussions, this episode is for you.

Join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Matthew Amador, Sarah Binion, William Novotny Lawrence, John Kenneth Muir, Joseph Wycoff) as we celebrate 70 years of THE BAD SEED!
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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 

SARAH BINION is a self-taught horror fan who has turned the simple question "What's your favorite horror movie?" into a personal mission to uncover hidden gems and overlooked masterpieces in the genre.

WILLIAM NOVOTNY LAWRENCE is an Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Indiana University and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Popular Culture. He is the co-editor of the anthologies Blaxploitation Cinema, Beyond Blaxploitation, and the recent Oxford Handbook of Black Horror Film, offering an expansive scholarly examination of Blackness within the horror genre, exploring its global dimensions and cultural significance.

JOHN KENNETH MUIR is the creator of the award winning-web series, Abnormal Fixation, which returns for its second season in 2026, and award-winning audio drama Enter The House Between. He is also the author of Horror Films of the 1970s (2002), and Eaten Alive at a Chainsaw Massacre: The Films of Tobe Hooper (2001).

JOSEPH WYCOFF is a veteran Chicago actor now based in New Zealand, with onscreen credits ranging from "Ash vs Evil Dead" to the Power Rangers to Josh Ruben's Heart Eyes (2025).
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

GRIZZLY (1976) d. William Girdler (USA)
SQUIRM (1976) d. Jeff Lieberman (USA)
THE FOOD OF THE GODS (1976) d. Bert I. Gordon (USA)

In the wake of Steven Spielberg's Jaws from 1975, drive-ins and hardtop theaters alike were suddenly overrun by creatures with a taste for human flesh. Intrepid and imaginative independent filmmakers proved that almost any member of the animal kingdom could be transformed into a successful box-office menace. Three standout entries from 1976—Grizzly, Squirm, and The Food of the Gods—perfectly capture the exuberant creativity and unapologetic pulp appeal of the Nature Strikes Back Eco-horror boom.

William Girdler's Grizzly distilled the Jaws formula into a lean, backwoods thriller, replacing the great white with an enormous, man-eating bear stalking campers in a national park. Made on a modest budget but packed with confidence, suspense, and fantastic production value, Girdler demonstrated that resourcefulness and sharp pacing could outweigh huge Hollywood razzle dazzle, and his able cast of Christopher George, Andrew Prine, and Richard Jaeckel helped cement Grizzly as one of the most successful independent horror films of the decade and a benchmark for the animals-attack cycle.

If Grizzly was all Ursa Major muscle, Jeff Lieberman's Squirm was all wriggling annelid Ick Factor. After a freak storm sends electrically charged earthworms to the surface, an ordinary Georgia town finds itself under siege by thousands of ravenous invertebrates. Lieberman and his players approach the outrageous premise with a straight face and an inventive visual style, creating a film that is simultaneously unsettling, funny, and delightfully bizarre.

Mr. BIG himself, Bert I. Gordon was already celebrated as the master of gigantism when he returned to familiar territory with The Food of the Gods, very loosely adapting H. G. Wells into a gleefully chaotic tale of mysterious goop bubbling up from the earth, creating giant rats, wasps, chickens, and other oversized terrors. Tom Burman's ambitious creature effects combined with cringe-worthy footage of real-life animals in jeopardy embody the anything-goes energy that made '70s genre cinema so fascinating.

Join AC and his beastly panel of guests (Joyce Boss, Damien Glonek, Tracy Mercer, Vanessa Morgan, Steven Peros) as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the YEAR OF THE ANIMALS!
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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.

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.

TRACY MERCER is an Emmy-nominated TV/Film executive-turned-producer who worked on Ang Lee's Hulk, Aeon Flux, Punisher, and Invictus, before transitioning to producing CBS' hit series Madam Secretary, Five Flights Up, Worldbreaker, and the upcoming horror film, The Autopsy of Albert Kemper. Mercer was a contributor to #1 Amazon best-sellers, Giant Beast Cinema and Cinema Bizarro, and co-hosted the long running comedy podcast, My Favorite Shtty Movie.

VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several movie reference guides (When Animals Attack, Strange blood, Evil Seeds & Meow!), all available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN. She's also the creator of the websites https://cat-movies.com and https://traveling-cats.com.

STEVEN PEROS is the editor and contributor to Giant Beast Cinema and Cinema Bizarro (both reaching #1 on Amazon). Steven is best known for writing Peter Bogdanovich's The Cat's Meow, starring Kirsten Dunst. He is VP of Creative Affairs for Cineverse, home of the Terrifier series.

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

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (1996) d. Robert Rodriguez (USA)
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 2: TEXAS BLOOD MONEY (1999) d. Scott Spiegel (USA)
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 3: THE HANGMAN'S DAUGHTER (2000) d. P.J. Pesce (USA)
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: THE SERIES (2014-2016) d. Robert Rodriguez (USA)

Thirty years ago, From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) kicked open the saloon doors, ordered a round of tequila, and then revealed that everyone in the bar was about to be eaten by vampires.

Of course, From Dusk Till Dawn is much more than its famous twist. It's a perfect snapshot of '90s independent filmmaking, bringing together Rodriguez's kinetic, resourceful direction, Tarantino's Fonzie cool dialogue, KNB's outrageous practical effects, and an ensemble cast led by George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Salma Hayek, and cameos from Michael Parks, John Hawkes, Tom Savini, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, and the Hammer himself, Fred Williamson.

Add in one of cinema's most iconic nightclub sequences, gallons of gore, and tons of morphing monster mayhem, it's no wonder the film has become a perennial cult favorite. Three decades later, From Dusk Till Dawn still feels a bit like an adolescent filmmaker's wild dare. Messy, excessive, funny, shocking, and endlessly quotable, it reminds us that horror can be scary, hilarious, and completely unpredictable.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Eric Anderson, Carol Esteban, Eric Fritzius, Anish Jethmalani, Larry Sternshein) as we celebrate 30 years of one of horror's boldest, bloodiest, and most delightfully batshit cult classics!
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ERIC ANDERSON was not allowed to watch horror movies as a kid and he is now making up for lost time with a vengeance. He works in a large urban public library and spends as much time outdoors as possible.

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

CAROL ESTEBAN is far too busy golfing, watching movies, and being awesome to be bothered with mini-bios.

ANISH JETHMALANI is Chicago Actor who has been on stages and screens for 30 years. You may recognize him from the horror flick Girl on the Third Floor with CM Punk. He is passionate Cinephile who contributed an essay on The Omen for the original HORROR 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies. You can find him on letterboxed at https://letterboxd.com/ajet/

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!

BLOODY BIRTHDAY (1981) d. Ed Hunt (USA)
BLOODY MOON (1981) d. Jess Franco (Spain/Germany)
DEADLY BLESSING (1981) d. Wes Craven (USA)
DON'T GO IN THE WOODS (1981) d. James Bryan (USA)
EYES OF A STRANGER (1981) d. Ken Wiederhorn (USA)
FINAL EXAM (1981) d. Jimmy Huston (USA)
GRADUATION DAY (1981) d. Herb Freed (USA)
NIGHT SCHOOL (1981) d. Ken Hughes (USA)
STRANGE BEHAVIOR (1981) d. Michael Laughlin (New Zealand)
STUDENT BODIES (1981) d. Mickey Rose (USA)

A few months back, we took a deep dive into the slashers of 1981, and now we're back to finish the job! If our first installment focused on future classics and franchise cornerstones, this week's episode explores the stranger, sleazier, and more offbeat corners of the slasher boom.

Some films stick close to the formula. Final Exam delivers stripped-down campus suspense, Graduation Day pairs revenge with an unmistakably early-'80s soundtrack, Night School mixes police procedural thrills with a memorable killer, and Eyes of a Stranger blends voyeurism and vigilante justice while featuring an impressive early performance from Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Others push the boundaries. Wes Craven's Deadly Blessing fuses religious paranoia and psychological horror, while Strange Behavior combines mad science, teenage romance, and small-town conspiracy into a cult favorite.

Then there are the true oddballs: Bloody Birthday, Bloody Moon, Don't Go in the Woods, and the gleefully self-aware Student Bodies, each embracing excess, exploitation, or outright parody in wildly different ways. Join AC and his blood-loving panel of guests (Fraser Coffeen, Lauren Cupp, Art Ettinger, Kolleen Carney Hoepfner, Freddie Young) as we celebrate—and occasionally eviscerate—ten more slices of 1981 horror, spotlighting the overlooked gems, cult favorites, ambitious experiments, and gloriously excessive carnage that made this such a banner year for slasher fans!  
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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.

LAUREN CUPP is a performer and personality in the Southern California horror community. Having recently performed in (and survived) the LA run of Saw the Musical, she can now be found performing comedy at Pop Culture Hell, cosplaying at horror conventions, or catching a film at her local AMC.

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.

KOLLEEN CARNEY HOEPFNER is a freelance writer, copyeditor, and Southern California convention booth gal for venues such as Fangoria. She is the host of For Unlawful Cinematic Knowledge, a film podcast celebrating the underloved and overlooked. 

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 soon, 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!

KILL, BABY... KILL! (1966) d. Mario Bava (Italy)
A BAY OF BLOOD (1971) d. Mario Bava (Italy)

Equal parts conjurer of Gothic nightmares, pioneer of modern cinematic violence, and astonishing visual stylist, Italian filmmaker and horror legend Mario Bava'has delivered so many genre high water marks that it's difficult to keep track. From the black-and-white splendor of Black Sunday to the hypnotic colored gels of Black Sabbath to establishing the hallmarks of the giallo, Bava was constantly innovating and imagining new ways to dazzle and disturb audiences.

Kill, Baby... Kill! represents perhaps the pinnacle of Bava's Gothic imagination. Set in a cursed village haunted by the ghost of a young girl, the film transforms familiar supernatural motifs into a hypnotic fever dream through its masterful use of color, lighting, and camera movement. Rather than relying on overt shocks, Bava creates an atmosphere of mounting dread, where mirrors, staircases, and abandoned rooms become spaces of uncanny terror.

If Kill, Baby... Kill! perfected Bava's supernatural Gothic style, A Bay of Blood brought to fruition the contemporary, murder-centred approach he had already explored in The Girl Who Knew Too Much and Blood and Black Lace. Dispensing with mystery in favor of an escalating cycle of betrayal and carnage, the film follows a web of greed-driven killers competing for ownership of a secluded bay. Its graphic violence, cynical worldview, and inventive murder set-pieces anticipated the American slasher boom by more than a decade, with several set-pieces famously echoed in Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981).

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Troy Howarth, Katie of the Night, Jon Kitley, Nicola McCafferty) as we celebrate this dazzling double feature of Mario Bava, The Maestro of the Macabre!
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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.

KATIE OF THE NIGHT is six years into film exploration. Leaning into the sentiment of the occasional 'this girl doesn't know shit' comment, she makes YouTube videos of her thoughts on the various vintage Euro horror films she watches.

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/ 

NICOLA MCCAFFERTY is the Director of Programming at the soon-to-be reopened 400 theater in Rogers Park and the After Dark Programmer for the Chicago International Film Festival. She holds a PhD in Screen Cultures from Northwestern University, and her research looks at screen representations of nonhuman women (think: mannequins, dolls, robots, and aliens) in order to deconstruct the overlapping categories of whiteness, humanity, and femininity. Her article "I'm (Not) Your Doll: Hybridity, Femininity, and the Nonhuman in FKA twigs's M3LL155X," is forthcoming in Screen in Winter 2026, and she has also written about Frankenstein movies for Dread Central. You can find enamel pins, stickers, patches, and prints designed by Nicola and inspired by horror and cult films at vvitchroom.etsy.com. 
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF (1961) d. Terence Fisher (UK)
SCREAM OF FEAR (aka Taste of Fear) (1961) d. Seth Holt (UK)
THE TERROR OF THE TONGS (1961) d. Anthony Bushell (UK)
THE SHADOW OF THE CAT (1961) d. John Gilling (UK)

While Hammer Films is most often remembered for its Gothic reimaginings of Dracula, Frankenstein, and other classic monsters, the year 1961 showcased an adventurousness and willingness to experiment with different styles of horror and suspense. Our four films up for discussion demonstrate Hammer's evolving state in the early 1960s to impressive effect.

The Curse of the Werewolf proved to be the studio's only lycanthropic effort. With Hammer all-star Terence Fisher in the director's chair, and starring a young Oliver Reed in his first leading role, producer Anthony Hinds' screenplay (his first using his pseudonym of John Elder) follows a young man cursed by the circumstances of his birth, who transforms into a murderous man-beast.

Scream of Fear is a stylish psychological thriller about a wheelchair-bound woman (played by Susan Strasberg) who returns to her family estate and repeatedly encounters what appears to be her father's corpse. Directed by Seth Holt with a sharp script by Jimmy Sangster, the film's success helped launch a cycle of black and white psychological thrillers that included Maniac, Paranoiac, and Nightmare.

The Terror of the Tongs sees Hammer blending exploitation and horror elements into a pulpy screen adventure set in 1910 Hong Kong. Anthony Bushell directs another Sangster screenplay that follows a British sea captain seeking revenge against a secret society responsible for the murder of his daughter. 

The Shadow of the Cat, directed by John Gilling and written by George Baxt, offers one of Hammer's most unusual premises: After witnessing its owner's murder, a cat appears to haunt and terrorize the guilty family members responsible.

While Hammer's Gothic classics remain iconic, these four features highlight a company exploring psychological suspense, tragic monster tales, historical adventure, and even feline revenge during its creative peak. If you're willing to look beyond Dracula's cape and Frankenstein's laboratory, join hands with AC and our fabulous panel of guests (David del Valle, Max Deering, Troy Howarth, Lin Morris, Nathaniel Thompson) as we step back 65 years into the deep, dark, daring, and delightful world of Hammer! 
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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.

MAX DEERING is a student of genre cinema that wears many hats. From a Producer and Editor of several podcasts including Action For Everyone and The Box Office Podcast, to being a freelance writer for Fangoria, Neon Splatter, and more. You can find his work via Muckrack (https://muckrack.com/maxwell-deering).

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.

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.

NATHANIEL THOMPSON has recorded 300 audio commentaries and written five books, most recently The FrightFest Guide to Vampire Movies. You can see him in shows like Eli Roth's History of Horror and Horror's Greatest, and read him yammering about all kinds of movies at mondo-digital.com.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

FRAILTY (2001) d. Bill Paxton (USA)

For those who only know beloved actor Bill Paxton from his outrageous comic supporting turns or solid leading man roles, watching him bring Brent Hanley's high concept story to exquisitely shaded light is a bit of a revelation.

A mysterious young man, Fenton Meiks (played by Matthew McConaughey) walks into a Texas FBI building and reveals to Agent Doyle (played by Powers Boothe) that he knows the identity of a local serial killer known as "God's Hand." Fenton tells of his father (played by Paxton himself), a loving man of deep faith who awakens his sons one night with the news that he has had a vision: God has called on them to serve as slayers of demons. Of course, upon hearing that these demons are "disguised" as human beings, Fenton understandably begins to question his father's sanity.

Hanley's powerful screenplay was inspired by both Catholic school teachings and a love of Stephen King. A modern take on the Old Testament stories of fealty and faith, Paxton and his creative team endow such banal objects as a pair of gloves, a lead pipe, and an axe named "Otis" with mythical status, as well as an abiding uncertainty and mistrust of what we see around us and/or how events are interpreted. Is this a tale of religious enlightenment or mental psychosis? You'll have to ride along with Fenton and Agent Doyle to find the answers… which only end up leading to more questions.

In the quarter-century since its release, Frailty has lost none of its power, delivering psychological tension and shocks without gratuitous splatter and gore, anchored by incredible performances, Bill Butler's gorgeous cinematography, and Arnold Glassman's sharp editing. Paxton's feature debut is subtle and ambiguous, giving its audience the freedom to arrive at their own terrifying conclusions.

Join AC and his fanatical, er, fantastic panel of guests (Cati Glidewell, Jay Kay, Gert Verbeeck, Freddie Young) as we celebrate 25 years of FRAILTY!!
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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.

JAY KAY is the creator of the 7-time Rondo-nominated horror podcast, Horror Happens, where he has conducted hundreds upon hundreds of interviews with genre celebrities. A staff writer with HorrorHound Magazine, he is also a budding filmmaker, with numerous credits to his name, including No Good Deed, Within the Frame, and Swing 46: The Last Swinging Supper Club. https://astrangemaninflpro.wixsite.com/jkolucki

GERT VERBEECK is a filmmaker, writer and musician from Brussels, Belgium. His independent production floor Amoeba Pictures offers non-exclusive creative contributions to local projects and international co-productions. He likes his literature, motion pictures and musical experiences diverse, nuanced, and intense.

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 soon, 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 TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 (1986) d. Tobe Hooper (USA)
LEATHERFACE: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III (1990) d. Jeff Burr (USA)
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION (1995) d. Kim Henkel (USA)
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2003) d. Marcus Nispel (USA)
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING (2006) d. Jonathan Liebesman (USA)
TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D (2013) d. John Lussenhop (USA)
LEATHERFACE (2017) d. Alexandre Bustillo/Julien Maury (USA)
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2022) d. David Blue Garcia (USA)

Tonight, we're firing up our collective McCullochs and taking a trip through one of the most bizarre and tangled family trees in horror history: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre franchise.

As fans know, Tobe Hooper's classic 1974 film eventually yielded an entire franchise—one filled with sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots, retcons, and enough continuity headaches to make both the Sawyer AND the Hewitt families scramble for their handy almanacs.

Over the next 20 years, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990), and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995) each took the series in wildly different directions. Then came the Platinum Dunes era with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006), introducing the franchise to a new generation, and kicking off the remake spree of the early 2000s.

As if things weren't complicated enough, the timeline was rebooted again in 2013 with Texas Chainsaw 3D, which ignored the other films and positioned itself as a direct follow-up to the 1974 original. That was followed by Leatherface (2017), an origin story exploring the character's early years, and finally Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022), another legacy sequel that revisited the events (and characters) of the original movie while carving out its own slice of history and social commentary.

Now, let's be honest—not every TCM entry is a masterpiece. Some are beloved, some are controversial, and some have inspired horror fans to endlessly argue over where they fit into the timeline. But that's part of the fun. Every film, regardless of its reputation, is an attempt to expand the mythology of one of cinema's most iconic creations.

So fill your BBQ plate and join AC and his buzz-worthy panel of guests (Dan Caffrey, Chelsea David, Jonathon Lucas, Ryan Olson, Tim Palace) as we explore the sequels, prequels, remakes, and reboots that transformed a single low-budget masterpiece into the genre's most enduring, frustrating, and fascinating franchises!
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DAN CAFFREY is a Brooklyn-based playwright, screenwriter, podcaster, and lifelong horror fan Caffrey currently co-hosts The Losers' Club: A Stephen King Podcast and Halloweenies: A Horror Franchise Podcast, both on Bloody Disgusting's podcast network, Bloody FM. He received his MFA In Playwriting from UT Austin and has also written as a cultural critic for The A.V. Club, Consequence, Pitchfork, Vox, and elsewhere. His favorite horror movie is Halloween. His favorite movie-movie is also Halloween. (https://www.dancaffreywrites.com/)

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. 

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.

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.

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!

THE CRAFT (1996) d. Andrew Fleming (USA)
THE CRAFT: LEGACY (2020) d. Zoe Lister-Jones (USA)

Directed by Andrew Fleming and written by Peter Filardi, The Craft follows four teenage girls, Sarah (Robin Tunney), Rochelle (Rachel True), Bonnie (Neve Campbell), and Nancy (Fairuza Balk) who form a coven and discover that their growing magical abilities come with consequences. While the film delivers memorable scares and thrills, its enduring appeal comes from its exploration of friendship, alienation, power, and the desire to belong.

Long before social media popularized modern witch aesthetics, The Craft introduced many young viewers to imagery and themes associated with contemporary paganism and occult traditions. Its fashion—dark clothing, chokers, platform shoes, and gothic-inspired looks—helped define a generation of alternative style and continues to influence fashion trends today.

At a time when many horror movies focused on female characters primarily as victims, The Craft gave its protagonists agency, ambition, and complexity. The story's examination of how power can corrupt remains one of its most compelling elements, adding depth beyond the typical teen horror formula.

While also a commercial success at the time of its release, The Craft has gone on to achieve true cult-classic status, celebrated for its memorable performances, quotable dialogue, and distinctive atmosphere. Its influence is strongly felt in popular culture with books, TV shows, and movies about witches, female friendships, and supernatural empowerment thriving today, ensuring that its legacy remains as powerful as ever.

Join AC and his all-powerful panel of guests (Dino Clark, Anna Maurya, Jennifer Olson, Jordy Sirken) as we celebrate 30 years of THE CRAFT!!
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DINO CLARK has been a horror fan since he was a wee lad, after his parents bought their first VCR in the mid-80s. Born and raised in Chicago, he loves attending horror cons & chatting about his fave horror films with fellow fans! He has been in Human Resources for most of his career, which can be a mini-horror movie at times.

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.

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!

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

THE OMEN (1976) d. Richard Donner (USA)
DAMIEN: OMEN II (1978) d. Don Taylor (USA)
THE FINAL CONFLICT (1981) d. Graham Baker (USA)
OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING (1991) d. Jorge Montesi/Dominique Othenin-Girard (USA)
THE OMEN (2006) d. John Moore (USA)
THE FIRST OMEN (2024) d. Arkasha Stevenson (USA)

The success of William Friedkin's The Exorcist in 1973 sparked any number of cheapie imitations, spawning an entire subgenre of occult and possession-themed features. What sets The Omen apart from these is screenwriter David Seltzer and director Richard Donner's thoughtful adherence to a rigid universe of logic and plausibility; all of the bizarre tragedies surrounding the Thorns could be justified as pure coincidence and/or freak accidents, without any supernatural leanings.

This grounding in reality, further anchored by Peck's stolid presence, turned what could have been a schlocky exercise in exploitation into a prestige picture that demanded attention and (occasionally grudging) respect.

In addition to the spectacular set-pieces orchestrated by effects wiz John Richardson, the film is extremely well-shot by British all-star Gilbert Taylor (who would lens Star Wars the following year) and populated by a fantastic ensemble that includes Patrick Troughton as a tormented priest, Leo McKern as a crusty archaeologist, David Warner as a cynical photojournalist, and Billie Whitelaw as our nefarious nanny Ms. Baylock. Even critics who disliked the film could not argue its merits, with Jerry Goldsmith's haunting choral-tinged score receiving the most praise (and an Academy Award).

Spawning two theatrical sequels, a made-for-TV sequel, a 2006 remake, a 2016 television series, and a 2024 prequel, the influence of The Omen has been felt for 50 years and belongs on every horror fan's Anti-Christmas wish list.

Join AC and his devilish panel of guests (Jenn Adams, Chris Hainsworth, Katie McLean Hainsworth, Dwan L. Hearn, Kevin Matthews) as we celebrate a half-century of THE OMEN!! 
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JENN ADAMS is a writer and podcaster from Nashville, TN. She co-hosts The Loser's Club: A Stephen King Podcast, The Lady Killers: A Feminine Rage Podcast, Murder Made Fiction, and The Girls on The Boys. She is a contributor and columnist for Bloody Disgusting, Rue Morgue and Dread Central and creator of the Strong Female Antagonist blog.

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.

DWAN L. HEARN, more affectionately known as "The Moon", is an author [The Copperwheat Collection, 2023], co-host of "The Sako and the Moon Horror Podcast," and host of "The Moon = Wrestling Podcast", film-maker with Hallowed Hills Entertainment, and a two-time award-winning screenwriter. 

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!

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956) d. Don Siegel (USA)
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978) d. Philip Kaufman (USA)
BODY SNATCHERS (1993) d. Abel Ferrara (USA)
THE INVASION (2007) d. Oliver Hirschbiegel (USA)

The theme of an alien entity occupying or replacing the bodies of those nearest and dearest to us had been utilized in horror cinema throughout the years. But it is producer Walter Wanger's 1956 production of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, directed by Don Siegel, and starring Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, which has come to exemplify the concept. The legacy of the 1956 original endured through countless theatrical reissues and television viewings, establishing itself as one of the high-water marks of '50s sci-fi cinema.

However, director Philip Kaufman's worthy 1978 update proved to be reverential to its predecessor whilst striking its own quirky, innovative, and more graphic chords, with surprising scenes of PG-rated violence and nudity.

Two other official adaptations followed, 1993's Body Snatchers and 2007's The Invasion, both of which suffered the indignities of studio interference and failed to land with viewers or critics. The legacy of the Body Snatchers remains alive and well, reflecting back our worst fears, as well as exploring the eternal struggle of being human.

It's no wonder that scholars and critics have found Finney's story and its four official film adaptations perfect subjects for social commentary. From Communist red scares to self-preoccupied "Me Generations" to militarized mindsets, the shoe continues to fit each and every generation.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Dodd Alley, Christianne Benedict, Neil Calderone, Mike Mayo, John Kenneth Muir) as we celebrate 70 years of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS!
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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.

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

NEIL CALDERONE is the founder of The Chicago Cinema Society, a 35mm print collector, film programmer, musician, science educator and former chemist.

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/

JOHN KENNETH MUIR is the creator of the award winning-web series, Abnormal Fixation, which returns for its second season in 2026, and award-winning audio drama Enter The House Between. He is also the author of Horror Films of the 1970s (2002), and Eaten Alive at a Chainsaw Massacre: The Films of Tobe Hooper (2001).
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

DUEL (1971) d. Steven Spielberg (USA)

Adapted by Richard Matheson from his original short story, Duel follows traveling salesman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) as a routine drive through the California desert turns into a relentless pursuit by a mysterious tanker truck and its unseen driver.

Director Steven Spielberg and his expert team exploit that simple premise with remarkable precision. Every stretch of empty highway, every glance in the rearview mirror, becomes charged with dread. The truck itself emerges as one of the great monsters of 1970s cinema: a growling, smoke-belching machine with no clear motive beyond intimidation and destruction.

As a historical artifact, what makes Duel so fascinating is how completely Spielberg understood visual storytelling from the beginning. The dialogue is sparse, character details are minimal, and exposition is kept to a bare minimum. Meanwhile, suspense is built almost entirely through editing, camera placement, and sound design. Spielberg turns gas stations, roadside diners, school buses, and open desert landscapes into arenas of psychological warfare.

Viewed today, Duel is both a self-contained masterpiece and a blueprint for Spielberg's future. Its themes of ordinary people confronting overwhelming forces, its meticulous suspense mechanics, and its instinct for audience identification echoes throughout films like Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and beyond.

Join AC and his hard-driving panel of guests (Christianne Benedict, Jay Kay, Michael Klug, Cullen Wade) as we celebrate 55 years of DUEL!!

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

JAY KAY is the creator of the 7-time Rondo-nominated horror podcast, Horror Happens, where he has conducted hundreds upon hundreds of interviews with genre celebrities. A staff writer with HorrorHound Magazine, he is also a budding filmmaker, with numerous credits to his name, including No Good Deed, Within the Frame, and Swing 46: The Last Swinging Supper Club. https://astrangemaninflpro.wixsite.com/jkolucki

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/

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!

HOMICIDAL (1961) d. William Castle (USA)
MR. SARDONICUS (1961) d. William Castle (USA)

Few filmmakers in American horror are remembered as vividly—or as superficially—as William Castle. Mention his name and most movie fans immediately think of outrageous theatrical gimmicks: skeletons flying over audiences, theater seats rigged with buzzing devices, or insurance policies handed out in the lobby. But the enduring popularity of those gimmicks has also has had the unfortunate effect of overshadowing the films themselves.

This becomes especially evident when discussing 1961's Homicidal and Mr. Sardonicus. Both films demonstrate a director refining his approach while still embracing his flair for audience participation. Homicidal, Castle's audacious answer to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, combines lurid storytelling with genuinely unsettling atmosphere, prompting an onscreen "Fright Break" just before the climax, while Mr. Sardonicus delivers a stylish Gothic morality tale wrapped inside one of Castle's most famous interactive gimmicks, The Punishment Poll.

Castle understood pacing, audience psychology, and the uniquely communal thrill of watching horror with a crowd. The gimmicks may have brought audiences into the theater, but it is the movies themselves that have kept us entertained for generations.

Join us AC and his Castle Freaks (Jessica Dwyer, Matt Harding, Dan Kiggins, John Pata) as we celebrate 65 years of HOMICIDAL and MR. SARDONICUS!!

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JESSICA DWYER was raised on a diet of Dark Shadows, Doctor Who, and a lot of things she saw way too young.  She's been writing for nearly a quarter of a century about the world of entertainment and her own fiction (and that sound you heard was her bones turning to dust.) She works for the JoBlo Network, HorrorHound Magazine, and is a producer on a number of projects.

MATT HARDING is the special events coordinator and regional warrior for Severin Films. He has been an English/Literature teacher for middle school for 22 years. He also is a huge collector of William Castle memorabilia.

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.

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!

THE HOWLING (1981) d. Joe Dante (USA)
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) d. John Landis (UK/USA)

In the spring and summer of 1981, werewolf cinema underwent a radical transformation—not through one film, but two. Released just months apart, The Howling and An American Werewolf in London didn't just revive a fading subgenre—they redefined what cinematic horror could look and feel like.

Directed by Joe Dante and co-written by John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless, The Howling blends satire, psychological horror, and media critique. Its cast includes Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, and Dennis Dugan, who ground the film's increasingly surreal descent into lupine terror. The groundbreaking transformation sequences were brought to life by effects artist Rob Bottin, whose work pushed the limits of prosthetics and animatronics, delivering visceral, tactile horror that audiences had never seen before.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, John Landis wrote and directed An American Werewolf in London, a film that boldly fused outright comedy with genuine dread. Starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, and Jenny Agutter, the film follows two young Americans whose backpacking trip turns nightmarish after a brutal attack on the moors. The iconic, and agonizing, on-screen transformation—was crafted by legendary makeup artist Rick Baker. His revolutionary efforts earned the very first official Academy Award for Best Makeup, legitimizing special effects artistry as a cornerstone of cinematic achievement.

Together, these films reshaped horror in profound ways. They elevated practical effects to an art form, influenced generations of filmmakers, and proved that horror could evoke both screams and belly laughs. Whether through Dante's subversive Hollywood satire or Landis's genre-blending bravado, The Howling and An American Werewolf in London remain towering achievements—twin pillars of lycanthrope cinema whose combined legacy still howls through the genre today.

Join AC and his monstrous panel of guests (Craig J. Clark, Julia Marchese, Vanessa Morgan, Chris Scales, Jill Van Voorst) as we celebrate THE WEREWOLVES OF 1981!! 
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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) 

JULIA MARCHESE is a podcaster (Horror Movie Survival Guide, The Losers' Club, JodoWOWsky), filmmaker, actor, film programmer, writer and cinephile living in Hollywood; California. https://linktr.ee/juliacmarchese

VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several movie reference guides (When Animals Attack, Strange blood, Evil Seeds & Meow!), all available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN. She's also the creator of the websites https://cat-movies.com and https://traveling-cats.com.

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

JILL VAN VOORST has been a horror lover since childhood! From showing scary films at her sleepovers as a kid, to running LIX (with her husband Gregg)-a large booth vending horror hoodies, tanks, tees and clothing for all at the best horror cons- you're likely to see Jill adorning or doing something scary at almost any time. http://www.lixonline.com She is also a chocolatier and brings her scary style to the world of chocolate. https://delixcious.com/
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006) d. Guillermo del Toro (Mexico/Spain)

Revisiting Guillermo del Toro's metaphorical masterpiece combining dark real-world horror (Franco's civil war-torn Spain) with children's fantasy, it's a little surprising to realize that this, his last Spanish-language movie, was released two decades ago.

For me personally, whether directing (Cronos, The Devil's Backbone) or producing (The Orphanage, Biutiful, Julia's Eyes), everyone's favorite Mexican-born monster kid delivers his best work in his native language. As diverting and visually imaginative as his Hollywood popcorn efforts like Pacific Rim and the Hellboy movies are, the heart, depth, and intellect of his more "personal" films resonate on a completely different level.

Interweaving fantasy and reality, visual poetry with graphic violence, Pan's Labyrinth is an incredible cinematic experience, with astonishing production/set design, Guillermo Navarro's cinematography, and breathtaking makeup designs, each earning Oscars in their respective fields. The film also was nominated for Javier Navarrete's exquisite musical score, del Toro's brilliant screenplay, and Best Foreign Film.

Within the incredible ensemble, special notice goes out to Maribel Verdu as the duplicitous housemaid Mercedes, Sergi Lopez's military and all too human monster, and Ivana Baquero as Ofelia, whose guileless central performance anchors the picture.

A unequivocal must-see, the film continues to reward after countless viewings through various lenses, like every classic fairy tale. Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Michelle Kisner, Tyler Pistorius, Lee Price, Elena Romea, Maura Sarazen) as we celebrate 20 years of PAN'S LABYRINTH!!
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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. 

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.

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."

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.

MAURA SARAZEN has been watching horror movies since she was a child. Her earliest memory is watching The Exorcist while in a playpen. She enjoys long walks in a fog-filled forest, her favorite eye color is black sclera, and she truly believes turning into a werewolf would fix her back problems.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE HITCHER (1986) d. Robert Harmon (USA)

While driving from Chicago to San Diego, Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) picks up a hitchhiker (Rutger Hauer) who introduces himself as John Ryder. Little does Halsey realize that this simple act of kindness will change the course of his road trip, and his life, forever.

The Hitcher failed spectacularly during its 1986 release, as a confused fan base and critics rallied against it. Throughout the early to mid-'80s, films like Halloween, Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street dominated the horror genre, spawning sequels and imitators by the score.

The Hitcher, by contrast, was different, very different. Unlike the typical slasher, where killers always had reasons behind their murderous deeds, no matter how contrived, Ryder has no apparent motivation for his actions. He targets Halsey for no other cause than Halsey's attempt to do a good deed, and Hauer, an actor at the absolute height of his powers, masterfully imbues his monster with an extraordinary humanity without explanation or apologies.

The isolated desert setting provides a strong atmosphere of horror as well. John Seale's cinematography provides many astonishing glimpses of the morbidly beautiful, barren landscape, with the scorching heat-haze effect evoking the aesthetics of a malevolent, possibly supernatural entity. Mark Isham's haunting electronic synth score accents the proceedings with a sense of melancholy not often found in this type of material.

40 years later, The Hitcher remains a true experiment in horror. Cloaked in screenwriter Eric Red's spare, minimalist dialogue and characterization, it is a genre film that dares to constantly surprise and challenge its target audience. The blend of action, drama, horror, and the outright refusal to tidy things up make this a surprisingly intelligent and subversive piece of cinema. One that will inevitably come to mind the next time you find yourself driving alone late at night, looking ahead to see if there is a shadowy figure looming on the horizon.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Jess Ader, Max Deering, Grant Kuchan, John McDevitt) as we celebrate 40 years of THE HITCHER!!
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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.

MAX DEERING is a student of genre cinema that wears many hats. From a Producer and Editor of several podcasts including Action For Everyone and The Box Office Podcast, to being a freelance writer for Fangoria, Neon Splatter, and more. You can find his work via Muckrack (https://muckrack.com/maxwell-deering).

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.

JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA! 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!

*Introduction edited from John Archer's essay in Hidden Horror: A Celebration of 101 Underrated and Overlooked Fright Flicks (2007)

WHO WANTS TO TALK SLASHERS??

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981) d. Steve Miner (USA)
HALLOWEEN II (1981) d. Rick Rosenthal (USA)
THE BURNING (1981) d. Tony Maylam (USA)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME (1981) d. J. Lee Thompson (Canada)
MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981) d. George Mihalka (Canada)
THE FUNHOUSE (1981) d. Tobe Hooper (USA)
HELL NIGHT (1981) d. Tom DeSimone (USA)
THE PROWLER (1981) d. Joseph Zito (USA)
NIGHTMARE (1981) d. Romano Scavolini (USA)
JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981) d. Jeff Lieberman (USA)

The early 1980s were a golden age for horror, and by 1981, the slasher subgenre had already exploded into a full-blown phenomenon, with producers and filmmakers eager to capitalize on the success of Halloween and Friday the 13th.

While horror sequels weren't a new concept, Friday the 13th Part 2 introduced Jason Voorhees as a full-fledged killer, creating a genre icon before our eyes, and Halloween II picked up immediately where the 1978 original left off, both pushing their respective series toward more explicit violence and expanding their internal mythologies, with impressive box office results.

But there were also plenty of one-offs, from out in the wilderness (The Burning, Just Before Dawn) to civilization (Nightmare, The Prowler), from exotic settings (The Funhouse, Hell Night) including the Great White North (Happy Birthday to Me, My Bloody Valentine).

Join AC and his incredible panel of gorehound guests (Fraser Coffeen, Art Ettinger, Kolleen Carney Hoepfner, Adam Rockoff, Freddie Young) as we head back 45 years to a time of body counts, masked killers, outrageous offings, eerie atmosphere, endlessly quotable dialogue, and filmmakers throwing it all at the screen to see what would stick. THE SLASHERS OF 1981!!
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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.

KOLLEEN CARNEY HOEPFNER is a freelance writer, copyeditor, and Southern California convention booth gal for venues such as Fangoria. She is the author of two poetry collections and recently completed her first novel.

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, which began in the horror aisles of his childhood video store and continued with a steady diet of cable trash. When he's 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 (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 soon, 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!

FROM BEYOND (1986) d. Stuart Gordon (USA)
DAGON (2001) d. Stuart Gordon (Spain)

After the cult success of Re-Animator, Stuart Gordon expanded his visceral, darkly comic take on H. P. Lovecraft with From Beyond (1986) and Dagon (2001). Working with writer Dennis Paoli, Gordon transforms cosmic dread into something immediate, tactile, and perversely entertaining.

From Beyond reunites Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton in a story of scientific obsession and bodily mutation, featuring surreal practical effects—mutating flesh, overactive pineal glands, and interdimensional horrors.

With Dagon, Gordon trades lab horror for a decaying coastal nightmare. Set in a rain-soaked Spanish village, the film follows outsiders confronting an ancient sea cult, with grotesque makeup effects emphasizing rot, mutation, and dread.

Together, these films showcase Gordon's unique ability to make Lovecraft's abstract horror physical, grotesque, and wildly entertaining.

Join AC and his fantastic panel of guests (Nile Arena, Derek Bohtelo, Gordon Briggs, Craig J. Clark, Graham Skipper) as we celebrate the OTHER Gordon/Lovecraft adaptations, FROM BEYOND and DAGON!

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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.

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.

GORDON BRIGGS is a devout cinephile, who also teaches Fine Arts courses at University of the Rio Grande. In addition to teaching, he publishes two film columns for his local papers. If you follow him on social media, he will give you two film reviews a day, every day. In his free time, Gordon enjoys cosplayjng super villains.

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)

GRAHAM SKIPPER is a filmmaker and actor, best known for playing Herbert West in Stuart Gordon's stage production Re-Animator the Musical, as well as his roles in Almost Human, The Leech, Beyond The Gates, and Man Finds Tape. He has also directed the films Sequence Break and The Lonely Man with the Ghost Machine. Graham lives in Austin, TX.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

SESSION 9 (2001) d. Brad Anderson (USA)

Tonight we're talking about 2001's Session 9, director/co-writer Brad Anderson's exceedingly tense tale of a five-man asbestos removal team tackling cleanup duty at an inactive mental asylum. When lawyer-in-training Steven Gevedon (who co-wrote the intelligent script) discovers a collection of audio recordings of patient sessions, a haunting dual storyline develops between the events on the abandoned reel-to-reel tapes and the blue-collar crew's increasing stress with the job and with each other. In addition, the not-quite-dead building has a few secrets hidden within its dark corners.

Part character study, part haunted house tale, Anderson and his team adroitly foster an increasingly claustrophobic mood with clues and red herrings thicker than the dust from the moldering ceilings. Skillfully diverting our attentions with cinematic sleight-of-hand, Anderson plays his audience like a maestro, delivering one surprising payoff after another. The location shooting (within the abandoned confines of Danvers State Hospital) offers a palpable dread along with the mildew and grime of years of neglect.

One of the first features shot on High-Def 24p video, Session 9 is a wonder of economical independent filmmaking, floating its haunting sound design over oodles of B-roll to marvelously atmospheric effect. The fact that it works as well as it does is a testament to the players, with Scottish actor Peter Mullan a simmering kettle of repressed anger as the stressed-out crew boss, ably matched by David Caruso, who does the macho-aggressive stare about as well as anyone. Josh Lucas, Brendan Sexton III, Paul Guilfoyle, and Larry Fessenden round out the small and able ensemble.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Jenn Adams, John W. Bowen, Cati Glidewell, Carl Lyon, Jordy Sirken) as we look back at Session 9, a rock-solid psychological chiller that continues to surprise and spook 25 years later.
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JENN ADAMS is a writer and podcaster from Nashville, TN. She co-hosts The Loser's Club: A Stephen King Podcast, The Lady Killers: A Feminine Rage Podcast, Murder Made Fiction, and The Girls on The Boys. She is a contributor and columnist for Bloody Disgusting, Rue Morgue and Dread Central and creator of the Strong Female Antagonist blog.

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.

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.

CARL LYON is a veteran of Monsters at Play and FEARNET, and will occasionally slip his shackles and terrorize the villagers with his ramblings. He also likes LEGO.

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
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MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE (1986) d. Stephen King (USA)
NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986) d. Fred Dekker (USA)
CHOPPING MALL (1986) d. Jim Wynorski (USA)
TERRORVISION (1986) d. Ted Nicolau (USA)
KILLER PARTY (1986) d. William Fruet (Canada)

If you love horror with a little extra cheese on top, 1986 might be one of the most glorious years the genre ever produced. Tonight, we're digging into five low-budget cult favorites that prove horror and comedy have always made a deliciously messy combination.

MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE When Stephen King stepped behind the camera, he unleashed a full-throttle apocalypse where machines turn homicidal. Killer trucks, AC/DC, and pure chaos—this is '80s excess at its loudest and wildest.

NIGHT OF THE CREEPS Fred Dekker blends aliens, zombies, and slashers into one wildly entertaining cult classic. It's funny, gooey, and endlessly quotable—just remember to "thrill me."

CHOPPING MALL Jim Wynorski turns a suburban mall into a neon death trap as killer security robots go haywire. Laser blasts, big hair, and after-hours carnage make this a perfect slice of '80s horror cheese.

TERRORVISION Ted Nicolau delivers a goo-soaked blast of Charles Band/Empire weirdness as a suburban TV dish invites an alien nightmare into the living room. Loud, gross, and gloriously ridiculous, it's peak midnight-movie insanity.

KILLER PARTY Canuxploitation veteran William Fruet starts with college pranks before swerving into supernatural slasher territory. The tonal whiplash is half the fun in this strange and scrappy '80s oddity.

So jump in the time machine with our awesome panel of 1980s enthusiasts (Anish Jethmalani, Tim Palace, Dave James Parker, Larry Sternshein) and head back 40 years to a time when practical effects ruled, VHS boxes promised outrageous thrills, and filmmakers weren't afraid to mix genuine scares with a wink and a grin. 
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ANISH JETHMALANI is Chicago Actor who has been on stages and screens for 30 years. You may recognize him from the horror flick Girl on the Third Floor with CM Punk. He is passionate Cinephile who contributed an essay on The Omen for the original HORROR 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies. You can find him on letterboxed at https://letterboxd.com/ajet/

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.

DAVE JAMES PARKER is a YouTube film reviewer, collector, and former indie actor who has been running the Mr. Parka YouTube channel and podcast ‪‪@mrparka‬ for over 15 years. In recent years he has started a deep dive into 1980s horror films where he often collaborates with horror journalist, podcasters, and authors to discuss an assorted mix of genre films. He has made appearances in notable indie horrors Headless and Applecart.

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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FRANKENSTEIN (1931) d. James Whale (USA)
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935) d. James Whale (USA)
SON OF FRANKENSTEIN (1939) d. Rowland V. Lee (USA)
THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) d. Erle C. Kenton (USA)

The legacy of Frankenstein is one of the most influential in the history of horror. Released by Universal Pictures in 1931 and directed by James Whale, the film helped define what audiences now recognize as the classic Hollywood monster movie. Drawing from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's novel and filtered through several stage productions, the film transformed into a powerful visual and emotional experience that changed cinema forever.

Perhaps the most enduring contribution of the film is Jack Pierce's iconic design of the Monster, as portrayed by Boris Karloff. With its flat head, neck bolts, heavy eyelids, and clumsy, ungainly, childlike physicality, Karloff's portrayal became the definitive image of Frankenstein's creature in popular culture. Although Shelley's novel describes the creature differently, Whale's cinematic interpretation became so recognizable that it influenced countless films, television shows, cartoons, and Halloween imagery throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

The film also established many visual conventions for horror filmmaking. Whale's use of German Expressionist–inspired lighting, dramatic shadows, and gothic laboratory sets created an atmosphere of dread and wonder. The famous laboratory sequence where Dr. Frankenstein brings the creature to life emerged as one of the most celebrated scenes in cinema history and helped popularize the "mad scientist" trope.

Beyond aesthetics, Frankenstein and its dark twin Dracula, released earlier that year, contributed to the rise of Universal's Classic Monsters, paving the way for films like The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man, and sequels such as Bride, Son and Ghost of Frankenstein. These latter films collectively becoming one of the earliest recognizable horror franchises in Hollywood.

Ultimately, it is the film's emotional depth that helps distinguish it from being a simple monster tale. Karloff's sympathetic, evocative performance connected with moviegoers worldwide, as did the eternal themes of loneliness, rejection, and humanity. Whale's nimble blend of horror and tragedy ensures that Frankenstein will endure not only as a landmark horror film but as a culturally significant work that continues to influence filmmakers, scholars, and audiences today.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Aaron AuBuchon, Anna Ceragioli, Jon Kitley, Michael Weber, Bobby Zier) as we celebrate 95 years of FRANKENSTEIN!!! 
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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.

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.

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/

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.) 

BOBBY ZIER has a passion for Dracula and runs a TikTok, Instagram, 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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THE INNOCENTS (1961) d. Jack Clayton (UK)

Tonight, we're disussing The Innocents, the spellbinding 1961 screen version of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw. Producer/director Jack Clayton and cinematographer Freddie Francis conjure a haunting onscreen atmosphere with an eye for hypnotic, symbolic imagery, where the sunlit scenes are frequently more chilling than those set at night.

Truman Capote and William Archibald's screenplay also introduces layers of sexual frustration, repression, and hysteria which, while eliminating none of the original story's ambiguity, supply an intriguing psychological angle that modern viewers will appreciate.

As prim governess Miss Giddens, assigned to a country estate to care for two orphaned children, Deborah Kerr is undeniably the film's anchor, engine and rudder. The six-time Oscar nominee's brilliant performance walks the tightrope between strength and fear, conviction and doubt.

Pamela Franklin is terrific as the angelic Flora in her screen debut, displaying hints of the preternatural maturity that would show up again and again throughout her career. And, as young master Miles, Martin Stephens manages to top his captivating turn from the previous year's Village of the Damned, delivering a magnificently layered turn that flickers between childlike precociousness and a sinister, almost sexually predatory quality.

One of the finest ghost stories ever committed to celluloid, The Innocents is often compared to Robert Wise's The Haunting (1963), another stellar example of prolonged tension tempered with minimal special effects and deep, troubling, emotionally mature subject matter. The two films also share a common theme of lead female protagonists utterly undone by their reactions to the mysteries around them, where we are never quite sure if what they see (and we, through their eyes) is reality or fiction.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Kait Astrella, Mark Easteadt, Nicola McCafferty, Tyler Pistorius, Michael Orlando Yaccarino) as we celebrate 65 years of THE INNOCENTS!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

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

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. 

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.

MICHAEL ORLANDO YACCARINO's critical writings and interviews have championed world fringe cinema for more than three decades. He is an award-winning biographer and author on unconventional historical figures and the occult. https://www.dorianavilla.com/ 
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DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS (1971) d. Harry Kumel (Belgium/France)
VAMPYROS LESBOS (1971) d. Jesus Franco (Spain)
THE VELVET VAMPIRE (1971) d. Stephanie Rothman (USA)
TWINS OF EVIL (1971) d. John Hough (UK)
LUST FOR A VAMPIRE (1971) d. Jimmy Sangster (UK)
THE SHIVER OF THE VAMPIRE (1971) d. Jean Rollin (France)
THE WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMAN d. Leon Klimovsky (Spain)

1971 was a remarkable year for the female vampire — seductive, dangerous, liberated… and deeply entangled in the contradictions of exploitation cinema. Tonight, we're exploring a remarkable cycle of films from that year, on both sides of the Atlantic, that transformed these immortal bloodsuckers into figures of erotic power and cultural tension.

From the icy aristocratic seduction of Delphine Seyrig's Countess Báthory in Daughters of Darkness to the psychedelic sensuality of Jesús Franco's Vampyros Lesbos, 1971 delivered a striking wave of female vampire films across Europe and the United States. Spain's horror boom added drive-in gothic thrills with Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman, while Jean Rollin's Shiver of the Vampires offered a surreal, dreamlike blend of eroticism and avant-garde imagery.

In America, Stephanie Rothman's The Velvet Vampire reframed the female predator through the lens of sexual liberation and feminist critique. Meanwhile, Hammer Studios continued its scandalous Karnstein cycle with Lust for a Vampire and Twins of Evil, balancing gothic tradition with the era's rising appetite for sensuality and transgression.

Seen together, these films reveal a fascinating paradox: the female vampire as both symbol of emergent female sexual agency and carefully lit object of the male gaze. In 1971, horror vampire cinema didn't just bare its fangs — it bared everything, and we breathlessly drank our fill.

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Steve Archacki, Emily Barney, David Del Valle, Barry Kaufman, Nicola McCafferty) for an especially epic episode, as we unravel the threads of empowerment and exploitation!
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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.

EMILY BARNEY studies Czech language and is obsessed with Czech and Slovak movies. She's appeared on The Projection Booth Podcast's Czechtember series, and blogs at emily-barney.com. She's also a lifelong horror and cult movie fan, the weirder the better.

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.

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.

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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LET'S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH (1971) d. John D. Hancock (USA)

Tonight we're talking about director John Hancock's brilliant low-budget psychological chiller, Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971), which combines elements of ghosts, vampires, and zombies, yet manages to find its own uniquely eerie voice.

Shot independently in and around Connecticut, over the course of 25 chilly Autumn days on a budget of only $250,000, Jessica ultimately brought in $20 million during its theatrical release after being acquired by Paramount. It was later discovered by many more viewers (including this one) over the years via television screenings and VHS rentals, building a small but dedicated fan base along the way. 

Following her release from a sanitarium, emotionally sensitive Jessica (played by Zohra Lampert) leaves NYC with her classical musician husband Duncan and their like-minded hippie friend Woody to find peace and quiet working a New England apple orchard. But when they encounter a strange, beautiful squatter residing in the farmhouse, Jessica's unstable world begins to crumble. And, like our heroine, we are never quite sure what is reality or nightmare, madness or sanity….

While the original script was envisioned as a parody of scary movies, Hancock approached the material with a serious bent, allowing us to enter Jessica's fragile mind through effective use of self-doubting voice-over as well as an ongoing chorus of entreating, berating, and haunting inner voices. The evocative score by Orville Stoeber (aided immeasurably by Walter Sear's electronic synthesizer) remains one of the best of the early '70s, augmenting Hancock's haunting unsettling atmosphere.

An underrated gem deserving of multiple viewings, Jessica insinuates on a deeper level than mere shocks and jump scares, creating a spell that lingers without flashy effects or gore, boasting a wealth of subtle, memorable sequences and surprises around every corner.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Jess Ader, Darren Callahan, John McDevitt, Vanessa Morgan, Michael Orlando Yaccarino) as we celebrate 55 years of LET'S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH! 
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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.

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.

 JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA! 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.

VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several movie reference guides (When Animals Attack, Strange blood, Evil Seeds & Meow!), all available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN. She's also the creator of the websites https://cat-movies.com and https://traveling-cats.com.

MICHAEL ORLANDO YACCARINO's critical writings and interviews have championed world fringe cinema for more than three decades. He is an award-winning biographer and author on unconventional historical figures and the occult. https://www.dorianavilla.com/ 
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THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) d. Jonathan Demme (USA)
MANHUNTER (1986) d. Michael Mann (USA)
HANNIBAL (2001) d. Ridley Scott (USA)
RED DRAGON (2002) d. Brett Ratner (USA)
HANNIBAL RISING (2007) d. Peter Webber (USA)

This week, we're talking about 1991's The Silence of the Lambs, that rare beast that's both mainstream Oscar-winning success as well as a first-rate horror film. A masterful blend of psychological terror and physical violence, screenwriter Ted Tally's dynamite script (adapted from Thomas Harris' bestselling novel) examines ambitious young FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) and her efforts to track down the serial killer Buffalo Bill – a nickname he's earned by skinning his victims.

Assisting her, with his own cagey motives, is imprisoned serial murderer Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), dubbed "Hannibal the Cannibal" for the unsavory habit of consuming his victims.

Director Jonathan Demme handles the action with a sure touch, mixing character, complex plotting, and locations that have a feeling of absolute authenticity. Repeat viewings reveal what a careful craftsman he is, and even the most superficial glance reveals how much pop culture's fascination with serial killers and crime scene pathology has been derived from the film's popularity.

Thanks to Hopkins' exquisitely modulated performance, walking a tightrope between sneering intellectual superiority and barely restrained animal urges, Lecter arrived as one the of the screen's most electrifying fiends. (So memorable is he that it's easy to overlook Ted Levine's carefully shaded performance as Buffalo Bill, which is a feat unto itself.) Despite his limited screen time, Hopkins won the Best Actor Oscar, with Foster capturing Best Actress, Demme Best Director, and Tally Best Adapted Screenplay.

Unsurprisingly, the film's success revived interest in 1986's Manhunter, which had actually served as the cinematic introduction of Lecter, with Brian Cox memorable in the role. Two future installments featuring Hopkins followed, Hannibal, 2001's direct sequel to Silence of the Lambs, and 2002's Red Dragon, the same source material that had inspired Manhunter, as well as a 2007 prequel, Hannibal Rising, and Bryan Fuller's network television series Hannibal, which ran for three seasons.

Clearly our fascination with the chilling world of Hannibal Lecter has yet to run its course, so let's dig in! Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Anna Ceragioli, Mark Easteadt, Mike Mayo, Frank Merle, Mackenze Parker) as we celebrate 35 years of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS!
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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.

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 

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/

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. He recently directed Namaka, a dark fantasy starring Jamie Kennedy and David Howard Thornton, streaming now!

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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DRACULA (1931) d. Tod Browning (USA)
DRACULA (Spanish version) (1931) d. George Melford (USA)
DRACULA'S DAUGHTER (1936) d. Lambert Hillyer (USA)
SON OF DRACULA (1943) d. Robert Siodmak (USA)

Released on Feb 14, 1931, Dracula from Universal Studios stands as perhaps the most influential horror film ever made. Directed by Tod Browning with cinematography by Karl Freund, the film was adapted from the wildly successful Broadway stage version of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel.

At the center is Bela Lugosi, whose performance as Count Dracula became definitive almost overnight. Lugosi's thick Hungarian accent, hypnotic stare, and aristocratic poise transformed the vampire from a folkloric monster into a seductive, charismatic figure. His portrayal established many of the traits now inseparable from the character: formal dress, slow, deliberate speech, and an uncanny mix of menace and allure. Though Lugosi would struggle, unsuccessfully, to escape the shadow of the role, his Dracula remains one of cinema's most iconic performances.

The supporting cast includes Helen Chandler as Mina, David Manners as Jonathan Harker, Dwight Frye as the insect-gobbling Renfield, and Edward Van Sloan as Professor Van Helsing, whose calm rationality helped define the "monster hunter" archetype that would become a staple of horror storytelling.

Dracula's massive commercial success—especially during the depths of the Great Depression--played a pivotal role in launching Universal Pictures' legendary Monsters series, proving horror could be both profitable and prestigious. The studio followed with Frankenstein later the same year, then The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), and many others, indelibly shaping popular culture for generations to come. Dracula didn't just introduce an immortal character—it helped give birth to American horror cinema as we know it.

Join AC and his bloodthirsty panel of guests (Jessica Dwyer, Kate Hansen, Tom Mula, Michael Weber, Bobby Zier) as we celebrate 95 years of DRACULA!!
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JESSICA DWYER was raised on a diet of Dark Shadows, Doctor Who, and a lot of things she saw way too young.  She's been writing for nearly a quarter of a century about the world of entertainment and her own fiction (and that sound you heard was her bones turning to dust.) She works for the JoBlo Network, HorrorHound Magazine, and is a producer on a number of projects.

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. 

TOM MULA is a Chicago actor, director, and playwright, and author of the bestselling book and play, "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol."

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.) 

BOBBY ZIER has a passion for Dracula and runs a TikTok, Instagram, 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 of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960) d. Roger Corman (USA)
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986) d. Frank Oz (USA)

Tonight we're talking about Little Shop of Horrors—a title that refers to two very different movies yet equally beloved cult classics that share a carnivorous plant, a down-on-his-luck florist, and a surprisingly dark sense of humor.

Producer/director Roger Corman's The Little Shop of Horrors is an infamously low-budget black comedy shot in just a couple of days on leftover sets. Seymour (Jonathan Haze) is a put-upon loser with a hypochondriac mother and an overbearing boss, living in a community surrounded by wacky characters ranging from the sadistic to snooty. His chatty botanical creation—Audrey Junior—is born with a taste for blood, a thirst that grows as rapidly as it does. While the film barely made a ripple on its release in 1960, over time it gained a cult status through late-night TV and repertory screenings, helped along by its oddball tone and an early cameo from future superstar and Corman regular Jack Nicholson.

Said scrappy little no-budget movie eventually caught the attention of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, and their eventual off-Broadway musical in 1982 fused doo-wop, Motown, and musical theater with horror comedy and social satire. Reframed as a Faustian bargain with memorable tunes and cartoonish characters, the show was a surprise hit, and producer David Geffen immediately began conceiving of a way to offer filmgoers something even grander via Hollywood's ever-evolving technology.

The final product, released in 1986 and directed by Muppet Master Frank Oz, delivered a glossy, effects-heavy, star-studded crowd-pleasing spectacle that managed to honor its humble origins even as it created an entirely new generation of fans.

Join AC and his incredible band of botanical buddies (Dave M Gray, Jay Kay, Anna Maurya, Mary Manchester) as we celebrate both versions of Little Shop, the theadbare no-budget joke and the blockbuster musical hit. From the tiniest seeds of inspiration, mighty and monstrous things are growing down at Mushnik's!
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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.

JAY KAY is the creator of the 7-time Rondo-nominated horror podcast, Horror Happens, where he has conducted hundreds upon hundreds of interviews with genre celebrities. He is also a staff writer with HorrorHound Magazine. He is also a budding filmmaker, with numerous credits to his name, including No Good Deed, Within the Frame, and Swing 46: The Last Swinging Supper Club. https://astrangemaninflpro.wixsite.com/jkolucki 

MARY MANCHESTER lives and works in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Lover of dogs, raised by nerds, fan of horror, drag, photography, Oxford commas, and '80s music. 

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

THE EVIL DEAD (1981) d. Sam Raimi (USA)
EVIL DEAD II (1987). d. Sam Raimi (USA)
ARMY OF DARKNESS (1992) d. Sam Raimi (USA)
EVIL DEAD (2013) d. Fede Alvarez (USA)
EVIL DEAD RISE (2023) d. Lee Cronin (USA)

Sam Raimi's Evil Dead franchise is a cornerstone of independent horror cinema, redefining what low-budget filmmaking could achieve. Beginning with The Evil Dead (1981), Raimi combined raw ingenuity, kinetic camerawork, and extreme gore to create a relentlessly inventive horror film that left a lasting impact on the genre.

Shot on a shoestring budget with collaborators including star Bruce Campbell, the film's manic energy and iconic "unseen force" camera movements distinguished it from the slower horror of the late 1970s. The franchise's legacy is equally shaped by its bold tonal evolution.

While the original film plays as a brutal, nightmarish experience, Evil Dead II (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992) fused splatter horror with slapstick comedy, transforming Ash Williams into a chainsaw-wielding, wisecracking antihero and helping define the modern horror-comedy. From comics and video games to the Ash vs. Evil Dead TV series to reboots like Evil Dead (2013) and Evil Dead Rise (2023), the series continues to evolve.

Join AC and his awesome panel of horror enthusiasts (Krisy Jett, Anna Maurya, Daniel Millhouse, Ryan Olson, Jennifer Olson, Joseph Wycoff) as we celebrate 45 years of THE EVIL DEAD!! 
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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). 

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.

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.

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.

JOSEPH WYCOFF is a veteran Chicago actor now based in New Zealand, with onscreen credits ranging from "Ash vs Evil Dead" to the Power Rangers to Josh Ruben's Heart Eyes (2025).
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951) d. Christian Nyby (USA)
THE THING (1982) d. John Carpenter (USA)
THE THING (2011) d. Matthijs van Heijningen (USA)

Tonight we're discussing Howard Hawks' The Thing from Another World (1951) and John Carpenter's The Thing (1982), two science-fiction horror films that, despite sharing a source in John W. Campbell Jr.'s novella Who Goes There?, reflect very different eras in filmmaking and cultural anxiety and both represent landmark moments in genre cinema.

The 1951 The Thing from Another World, directed by Christian Nyby with producer Howard Hawks leaning heavily over his shoulder, is emblematic of Cold War science fiction. Its screenplay by Charles Lederer and an uncredited Ben Hecht, significantly adapts Campbell's story, transforming it into a brisk, dialogue-driven ensemble piece. The alien is a humanoid, plant-based creature (played by future Gunsmoke star James Arness) that represents the fear of external invasion and ideological contamination prevalent in early-1950s America.

John Carpenter's The Thing (1982), by contrast, reflects a far bleaker worldview. Screenwriter Bill Lancaster returns more faithfully to Campbell's original concept of a shape-shifting alien menace, emphasizing uncertainty and mistrust. Carpenter's film centers on paranoia rather than invasion, with the alien's ability to perfectly imitate its victims turning the threat inward, eroding trust among the characters. The groundbreaking practical effects by Rob Bottin redefined onscreen monster movies, pushing the boundaries of what mainstream audiences could imagine or endure.

Unlike its predecessor, which was immediately hailed as an artistic and commercial success, The Thing was initially reviled by critics and commercially unsuccessful. Thankfully, it has since been reappraised as a masterpiece in the 40+ years since its release.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Fraser Coffeen, Chris Hainsworth, Katie McClean Hainsworth, Kevin Matthews, Ryan Olson) as we explore the genre's evolution from externalized fears to psychological and existential dread and everything in between! 
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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

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.

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

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!

THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS (1976) d. Pupi Avati (Italy)

On tonight's episode, we're talking about Pupi Avati's The House with Laughing Windows (1976), one of the most quietly unsettling films in the history of Italian horror, a slow-burn nightmare that lingers long after its final moments.

Set in the foggy, insular villages of rural Emilia-Romagna, the film follows Stefano, a young restorer hired to repair a disturbing fresco depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. As Stefano settles into the community, he begins to sense that the artwork—and the people surrounding it—are tied to something deeply wrong.

Rather than relying on gore or shocks, Avati builds dread through atmosphere, implication, and an almost suffocating sense of isolation. Sunlit landscapes feel hostile, friendly neighbors seem slightly off, and every unanswered question pulls Stefano further into danger. The film's sound design, muted performances, and methodical pacing create a creeping unease that feels both grounded and nightmarish.

Often compared to the work of Dario Argento yet strikingly different in tone, The House with Laughing Windows stands apart for its realism and restraint. It's a film about curiosity, artistic obsession, and the terror of uncovering truths that were meant to stay buried. Widely regarded as Avati's masterpiece, it remains a haunting example of how subtle horror can be far more devastating than spectacle.

Join AC and his incredible panel of giallo-loving folk (Steve Archacki, Jorge Didaco, Bryan Martinez, Lin Morris, Nathaniel Thompson) as we celebrate 50 years of THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS!
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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.

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.

BRYAN MARTINEZ is the creator of The Giallo Room and is also the writer and director of the short films Gelato Giallo and My Friend Lisa (check em out on YouTube). He has had a passionate love affair with Giallo since he first watched a Spanish dubbed version of All the Colors of the Dark at the tender age of 8.

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.

NATHANIEL THOMPSON has recorded 300 audio commentaries and written five books, most recently The FrightFest Guide to Vampire Movies. You can see him in shows like Eli Roth's History of Horror and Horror's Greatest, and read him yammering about all kinds of movies at mondo-digital.com.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

We're breaking down the best horror movies of 2025, from mainstream hits to indie standouts—and arguing about which ones actually deserve the title.

AC joins his Streaming and Screaming co-hosts Chad the Bird ‪‪@ChadTheBird‬  and Lucy Ba'al ‪‪@lucybaal2299‬ as they count down their favorite fright flicks of 2025!

Movies mentioned in this episode:

00:00 Episode Intro
03:40 Final Destinations: Bloodlines
07:55 The Ugly Stepsister
10:26 The Monkey
14:19 28 Years Later
23:38 El Conde
24:34 Bring Her Back
27:54 The Long Walk
33:22 Weapons
37:28 Good Boy
38:49 Sinners
44:57 The Rule of Jenny Pen
47:14 V/H/S/Halloween (part 1)
48:50 Clown in a Cornfield
50:11 V/H/S/Halloween (part 2)
54:06 Companion
54:21 Heart Eyes
55:02 Chad's Honorable Mentions
56:10 Together 
57:30 AC's Honorable Mentions
1:00:16 Lucy's Honorable Mentions
1:03:20 Toxic Avenger remake
1:05:09 Deathstalker
1:05:35 Hell of a Summer
1:07:12 Frankenstein (GdT)
1:08:12 Jurassic World: Rebirth
1:08:59 Creep 2 / Creep Tapes / Ash vs. Evil Dead
1:10:05 The Mortuary Collection
1:10:42 That Came Out This Year?
1:14:58 AC's Netflix Catch-up
1:17:11 Final Thoughts

Join ussssssss!!! Let us know YOUR favorite picks from 2025! Looking forward to another year of Sharing the Scare! 
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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!

EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1960) d. Georges Franju (France)

In this episode, we're talking about a yet another haunting horror landmark from 1960, Georges Franju's Eyes Without a Face (Les Yeux sans visage). Adapted from the 1959 novel by Jean Redon, Franju and his vaunted team of collaborators transform the pulp thriller material into something strangely lyrical and tragic, resulting in a bona-fide art-horror classic.

Pierre Brasseur stars as Dr. Génessier, a respected surgeon whose obsession with repairing his daughter's disfigurement leads him beyond ethical boundaries. Edith Scob delivers an unforgettable performance as Christiane, her features obscured by a blank mask throughout most of the picture, while Alida Valli (who Euro-horror fans will recognize from Suspiria) shines as Louise, the doctor's devoted and complicit assistant.

Franju, a cofounder of the Cinémathèque Française, avoids a sensationalistic approach, favoring instead calm, clinical imagery that heightens the unsettling subject matter. The ingenious screenplay proved to be a successfully collective affair, with Redon, Claude Sautet, Pierre Gascar, and Vertigo screenwriters Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac offering psychological anguish and moral ambiguity over conventional shocks.

The film's visual elegance owes much to legendary cinematographer Eugen Schüfftan, while Maurice Jarre's score, alternately eerie and ironic, adds to disquieting tone.

Join AC and friends (Christianne Benedict, Lin Morris, Elena Romea, Chris Wylie) as we celebrate 65 years of scalpels, scars, and scares, EYES WITHOUT A FACE!
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CHRISTIANNE BENEDICT is a cartoonist, film writer, malcontent, and Bloginatrix at https://krelllabs.blogspot.com

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.

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.

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!

MAD LOVE (1935) d. Karl Freund (USA)

Based on Maurice Renard's 1920 French serialized novel The Hands of Orlac, in which the hands of a murderer are transplanted onto an injured concert pianist, Mad Love is remembered above all for Peter Lorre's stunning performance as Dr. Gogol, a brilliant surgeon driven mad by obsessive love.

Lorre, fresh from his success in Fritz Lang's M (1931), delivers one of the genre's's most unsettling portrayals of pathological fixation. He is incredibly well-supported by Frances Drake as Yvonne Orlac, star of the Grand Guignol, and Dr. Frankenstein himself Colin Clive, as her tormented husband Stephen Orlac.

The film was directed by Karl Freund (The Mummy, 1932, a central figure in the development of horror cinema. Having begun his career as a renowned cinematographer, Freund brought with him the visual sensibility of German Expressionism, shaped by his earlier work on films such as Metropolis, Der Golem, and The Last Laugh.

Aiding Freund in the visual look of Mad Love was none other than Gregg Toland, whose highly controlled and deeply shadowed lighting and camera compositions anticipate the technical mastery he would display in Citizen Kane.

Further heightening the film's atmosphere is the eerie, restrained score by Dmitri Tiomkin, another legend in the making with credits for everyone from Capra to Hitchcock to Hawks, and everything from sci-fi, westerns, war films, and comedies to his Oscar-winning name.

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Nile Arena, Gavin Schmitt, Michael Weber, Bobby Zier) as we celebrate 90 years of Mad Love, an enduring horror classic and an early example of what would eventually come to be known as body horror!
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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.

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.) 

BOBBY ZIER has a passion for Dracula and runs a TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube channel called Lugosi Theatre. He recently received the "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 of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE DAY OF THE BEAST (El Dia de la Bestia) (1995) d. Alex de la Iglesia (Spain)

Tonight we're discussing Alex de la Iglesia's cult classic The Day of the Beast (1995) (El Día de la Bestia), one of the most chaotic, hilarious, and subversive horror films of the 1990s!

Blending satanic panic, apocalyptic prophecy, heavy metal, and pitch-black comedy, The Day of the Beast follows a priest who believes the Antichrist will be born on Christmas Eve—and decides the only way to stop it is to commit as much evil as possible, with hilariously mixed results.

In this episode, we explore:

--How Day of the Beast mixes horror and comedy without losing its bite
--Alex de la Iglesia's distinctive visual style and anarchic tone
--The film's critique of religion, media, and 1990s Spanish society
--Why this film remains a cult favorite nearly 30 years later

Join AC and his irreverent panel of guests (Aaron AuBuchon, S.A. Bradley, Jennifer Olson, Elena Romea) as we celebrate 30 years of this loud, messy, provocative, and unforgettable slice of Spanish Horror!
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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.

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!

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!

HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES (2003) d. Rob Zombie (USA)
THE DEVIL'S REJECTS (2005) d. Rob Zombie (USA)
3 FROM HELL (2019) d. Rob Zombie (USA)

Rob Zombie's Firefly Trilogy is one of the most controversial and influential horror sagas of the 2000s. In this episode, we discuss House of 1000 Corpses (2003), The Devil's Rejects (2005), and 3 From Hell (2019) to explore the evolution of the Firefly Family, Rob Zombie's filmmaking style, and the trilogy's lasting impact on modern horror.

From the grindhouse chaos of House of 1000 Corpses to the brutal outlaw horror of The Devil's Rejects, and the divisive return of the Fireflies in 3 From Hell, our round table of Zombie enthusiasts breaks down themes, characters, violence, controversy, and cult appeal across all three films. We debate whether The Devil's Rejects or House of 1000 Corpses is considered Rob Zombie's best movie, how the Firefly Family became horror icons, and whether 3 From Hell works as a true conclusion to the trilogy.

If you're a fan of Rob Zombie movies, cult horror, exploitation cinema, or dark character-driven horror, join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Adam Ayala, Barry Under Your Bed, Chelsea David, Creepy Suzie, and Amy Pearson) as we celebrate the legacy of the Firefly Family!

🩸 Films Discussed:
House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
The Devil's Rejects (2005)
3 From Hell (2019)

🎬 Topics Covered:
The Firefly Family explained Rob Zombie's horror style and influences
Why The Devil's Rejects is a cult classic
Themes of violence, nihilism, and antiheroes
The legacy of the Firefly Trilogy in horror cinema
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ADAM AYALA is a sleaze horror historian and lifelong collector. At The Video Park, he had the solid Euro-horror recommends, and at the record store he told you he didn't need your origin story. But before all that his mama never made him put a Beta tape back no matter what was on the cover.

BARRY UNDER YOUR BED is the from the monster world but now lives among Humans. He has hosted shows all over SoCal, from variety to drag to burlesque, and is often known for his big mouth. But, you love him anyway! Find him online at www.barryunderyourbed.com

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. 

CREEPIE SUZIE has interviewed some of your favorite horror heroes and degenerates, and reviewed some brutal, nasty bangers straight from the underground. She's also that marketing girl over at Unearthed Films.

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

JACOB'S LADDER (1990) d. Adrian Lyne (USA)

Tonight we're talking about Jacob's Ladder (1990), Adrian Lyne's psychological horror classic and one of the most memorable genre films of the 1990s. Often cited for its disturbing imagery and emotional depth, the film blends Vietnam War trauma, surreal horror, and existential mystery into an unforgettable analysis of the human psyche and experience.

The story follows Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins), a Vietnam veteran plagued by hallucinations, intrusive memories, and shifting realities. As he searches for answers—possible government experiments, the truth about his past, and the meaning behind his visions—Jacob's world becomes a haunting maze of grief, paranoia, and revelation. With standout performances from Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, and Danny Aiello, the film delivers both terror and unexpected tenderness.

Join AC and his incredible (and incredibly brainy) panel of guests (Emily Barney, Ben Beard, Dominic Conti, Julia Marchese) as we explore:
• Jacob's Ladder explained — themes, symbols, and interpretations
• How the film portrays trauma, memory, and the Vietnam War
• Its impact on psychological horror and films/media inspired by it
• The practical effects and unsettling visuals that shaped its legacy
• Why the ending still fuels debate and theory videos today

Whether you're here for analysis, horror history, or a deeper look at one of the genre's most influential films, this conversation explores why JACOB'S LADDER continues to resonate 35 years after its release.

Here's a link to Ben's book (although if you can buy it through ANY other means than Amazon - i.e. BUY LOCAL, you will have my deepest respect and gratitude. Bezos doesn't need any more of your money.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F1PGN7JH/...
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EMILY BARNEY studies Czech language and is obsessed with Czech and Slovak movies. She's appeared on The Projection Booth Podcast's Czechtember series, and blogs at emily-barney.com. She's also a lifelong horror and cult movie fan, the weirder the better.

BEN BEARD is the author of three books on the movies, including The South Never Plays Itself, The Bad Class, and most recently Four Horses, Seven Seals: Jacob's Ladder, The Sandman, Violator, and the World of 1990. He lives in Chicago with his family.

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.)

JULIA MARCHESE is a podcaster (Horror Movie Survival Guide, The Losers' Club, JodoWOWsky), filmmaker, actor, film programmer, writer and cinephile living in Hollywood; California. https://linktr.ee/juliacmarchese
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE REFLECTING SKIN (1990) – d. Philip Ridley (UK)
BABY BLOOD (1990) – d. Alain Robak (France)
SINGAPORE SLING (1990) – d. Nikos Nikolaidis (Greece)

If you love art-house horror, extreme cinema, and deep-dive film analysis, this episode is for you! We're celebrating three groundbreaking 1990 classics that pushed horror into stranger, darker territory: Baby Blood, The Reflecting Skin, and Singapore Sling. As the genre emerged from the excess of the '80s, these international auteurs delivered bold, transgressive, and uncomfortably beautiful visions that still unsettle 35 years later.

Baby Blood — A French body-horror cult gem featuring Emmanuelle Escourrou in a ferocious performance as a woman bound to a parasitic entity. A gleefully grotesque blend of splatter, cosmic dread, and anarchic dark comedy.

The Reflecting Skin — A haunting fever dream of corrupted Americana starring Viggo Mortensen. With painterly visuals, hypnotic pacing, and gothic melancholy, it remains one of the most striking and emotionally devastating horror films of its era.

Singapore Sling — A taboo-breaking, noir-infused art film steeped in fetishism, pitch-black humor, and avant-garde excess. Decades later, its sadomasochistic spiral still shocks—and still fascinates. 

Join AC and his adventurous panel of guests—Emily Barney, S.A. Bradley, and Vanessa Morgan—as we discuss why these films endure, how they continue to challenge audiences, and what they reveal about the ever-evolving language of horror.
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ABOUT OUR GUESTS
EMILY BARNEY studies Czech language and is obsessed with Czech and Slovak cinema. She's appeared on The Projection Booth Podcast's Czechtember series and blogs at emily-barney.com. A lifelong horror and cult movie fan—the weirder, the better.

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

VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several movie reference guides, including When Animals Attack, Strange Blood, Evil Seeds, and Meow! Find them on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN She also runs cat-movies.com and traveling-cats.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and—most of all—Keep Sharing the Scare!

SANTO Y BLUE DEMON CONTRA LOS MONSTRUOS (1970) d. Gilberto Martínez Solares (Mexico)

This gloriously chaotic mash-up brings together two of Mexico's most iconic masked wrestlers—El Santo and Blue Demon—for a monster-filled showdown that blends classic horror, sci-fi pulp, and lucha libre action.

From vampires and werewolves to mummies, Frankenstein's creature, and even a cyclops, this movie packs an entire monster universe into its brisk runtime. Add in mad scientists, rubber-suit mayhem, and drop-kicks as the solution to literally everything, and you've got one of the most delightfully bonkers films of the lucha boom.

But the film is more than campy fun. Santo and Blue Demon were folk heroes, bridging comic books, wrestling arenas, and the silver screen to create a cultural phenomenon that defined an era of Mexican popular cinema. Their adventures captured a unique mix of moral clarity, earnest charm, and pure imagination that continues to resonate with fans around the world. Today, Santo y Blue Demon Contra los Monstruos stands as a beloved cult classic—a perfect example of low-budget creativity, genre-blending audacity, and the joyful spirit of fantastic filmmaking.

Join AC and his Turkey-loving panel of guests (Raul Benitez, Jorge Didaco, Robin Graves, Dave M Gray, Jon Kitley) as we revisit this monster mash, celebrate its legacy, and explore why it remains such an unforgettable piece of lucha libre horror.

And here's a link to the Kickstarter that Raul mentions in the show! 
https://www.luchadoresvseverything.com/
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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. 

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.

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.

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.

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!

CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (1980) d. Ruggero Deodato (Italy)

Despite its reputation as one of the most controversial exploitation features ever made, Italian director Ruggero Deodato's 1980 film - Cannibal Holocaust - occupies an unexpectedly important place in cinema history. Its blend of documentary aesthetics, media-critique, and staged "found footage," anticipated techniques that would later become mainstream, showing up in everything from reality television to modern horror franchises.

The film's enduring notoriety continues to spark debate about ethics in filmmaking, censorship, and the responsibility of artists when representing violence and other cultures—discussions around extreme cinema that are as rich and heated today as they were 45 years ago. Far from being mere "trash," it endures as a provocative case-study in how shock, style, and social commentary can collide in ways that challenge audiences and the industry alike.

Join AC and his gutsy panel of guests (Art Ettinger, Rigo Garay, Michelle Kisner, Anny Maurya, Tim Palace) as we celebrate 45 years of Cannibal Holocaust!
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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.

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.

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.

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. 

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!

BRIDES OF DRACULA (1960) d. Terence Fisher (UK)
THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL (1960) d. Terence Fisher (UK)
NEVER TAKE SWEETS FROM A STRANGER (1960) d. Cyril Frankel (UK)
HELL IS A CITY (1960) d. Val Guest (UK)

Celebrated for its distinctive brand of horror and suspense, Hammer Films has left an indelible mark on British cinema and influencing filmmakers around the world. The year 1960 was especially significant for Hammer, as it was a time when the studio was solidifying its identity as a horror juggernaut, but also experimenting with genres, and pushing the boundaries of storytelling, atmosphere, and visual style.

Tonight, we'll focus on four films from that year: Brides of Dracula, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, Never Take Sweets from a Stranger, and Hell is a City. Each representing a different facet of Hammer's evolving approach, from Gothic horror and psychological thrillers to socially conscious drama and gritty crime narratives. 

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Troy Howarth, Stan Hyde, Barry Kaufman, Lin Morris, Freddie Young) as we look back at HAMMER IN 1960!!
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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.

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.

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.

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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