Explore every episode of the podcast The Horror Double Bill
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 1: La Cabina (1972) & El Bar (2017) | 18 May 2025 | 01:05:45 | |
Episode One: La Cabina (1974) and El Bar (2017) - claustrophobia and paranoia in Madrid Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 3: Frightmare (1974) & Possum (2018) | 01 Jun 2025 | 01:01:16 | |
The Horror Double Bill Episode Three: Frightmare (1974) & Possum (2018) British suburban gothic, moral outrage, and the horror of family values. Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 2: The Leopard Man (1943) & Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) | 25 May 2025 | 01:06:07 | |
The Horror Double Bill Episode 2: The Leopard Man (1943) & Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) Guilt, madness and the Italian Giallo Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 6: Night of the Eagle (1962) & The Devil Rides Out (1968) | 22 Jun 2025 | 01:09:23 | |
Episode Six: Night of the Eagle (1962) & The Devil Rides Out (1968). Must be the season of the witch...... Welcome to The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where we combine two films, and fall down several rabbit holes, to create something greater than the sum of its parts. First up is Night of the Eagle, from 1962, released in the US as Burn Witch Burn, in which professional rivalries on a college campus spill over into something far more primal and far more ancient. We follow that with my favourite hammer movie, The Devil Rides Out from 1968, which was released in the US as The Devil’s Bride, in which Christopher Lee, rather unusually representing the forces of good, battles for the soul of a young friend against the power of darkness. Along the way we will be discussing the rise of interest in the occult in the 1960s, changing attitudes in British censorship, the career and work of Richard Matheson, the life of notorious occultist and the ‘wickedest man in the world’ Alistair Crowley, and more. Sources: Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 5: The House With Laughing Windows (1976) & Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) | 15 Jun 2025 | 01:08:45 | |
Episode 5: The House with Laughing Windows (1976) and Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) : Rural Giallo, Postwar Italy, and the Haunted Landscape Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 4: And Soon The Darkness (1970) & The Hitcher (1986) | 08 Jun 2025 | 01:04:31 | |
Episode 4 – The Horror Double Bill: And Soon the Darkness (1970) & The Hitcher (1986) 📸 thehorrordoublebill Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 12: The Cat and The Canary (1939) & The Corruption of Chris Miller (1973) | 03 Aug 2025 | 01:12:22 | |
Welcome to episode 12 of the horror double bill the podcast where each week we combine 2 films to create something far greater than the sum of their parts. This week we are exploring the horrors of the old dark house, and the enduring influence of its many tropes on horror cinema. First up is The Cat and the Canary from 1939 — a horror comedy starring Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, George Zucco, and Gail Sondergaard. Then we head back to Spain for The Corruption of Chris Miller a twisted psychological thriller from 1973 starring Jean Seberg, Marisol, and Barry Stokes. Both films explore the familiar tropes of the quintessential Old Dark House movie — isolated settings, threatened heroines, power outages, and deranged killers. But while the first takes a lighter, meta commentary and comedic approach, the second leans into something far darker and psychosexual. Along the way we’ll be discussing the origins of the subgenre, the career of Juan Antonio Bardem, and also taking a closer look at the lives and careers of, Gale Sondergaard, Paulette Goddard, Marisol, and Jean Seberg, four actresses whose lives were shaped in very different ways by state surveillance, government oppression, and the systemic abuse of power. Socials IG: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com Artwork by Justin Parker: instagram: @jpkr_illustration Sources: Introduction & The Cat and the Canary Silentfilm.org, American Gothic six decades of classic horror cinema by Jonathon Rigby charliechaplin.com ladailymirror.com starsandletterblogspot.com https://broadcast41.uoregon.edu/biography/sondergaard-gale#:~:text=In%201951%2C%20she%20was%20subpoenaed,%2C%20un%2DAmerican%20woman.%E2%80%9D&text=1Gale%20Sondergaard%2C%20%E2%80%9CWe%20Speak,August%201951%2C%207%2D8. https://youtu.be/JXwHouiznKA?si=cArp5DMmtoETW2wT Sources: The Corruption of Chris Miller Interview with Juan Antonio Bardem on the Vinegar Syndrome Blu ray release of the film Euro Gothic Classics of Continental Cinema by Jonathan Rigby https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1980/09/05/the-jean-seberg-story/11049a35-bbdb-4aef-ab67-22d06a9e98e5/ https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/apr/22/mondaymediasection.filmnews https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/12/9004756/jane-seberg-movie-true-story-black-panthers-fbi#:~:text=In%20Seberg%2C%20Jean%E2%80%99s%20involvement%20with,profile%20celebrities%20for%20their%20support https://www.pikaramagazine.com/2018/11/pepa-flores-marisol/#:~:text=,no%20una%20familia%2C%20sino%20cuatro https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/cine/misterio-marisol-mujer-rebelo-pepa-flores-no-fantasia-infantil-franquismo_1_10976274.html#:~:text=Fue%20el%20comienzo%20de%20un,de%20donar%20al%20partido%20el https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/nov/02/guardianobituaries.filmnews#:~:text=But%20in%20the%201950s%2C%20a,folkloric%20costume%20films%20it%20sanctioned. Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 11: The Ghoul (2016) & Triangle (2009) | 27 Jul 2025 | 01:17:58 | |
Episode Eleven: The Ghoul (2016) & Triangle (2009) : Time loops, mobius strips and the nature of reality Welcome to episode 11 of The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we combine two films to create something far greater than the sum of their parts. This week are exploring two movies that play with our perceptions of reality, with the Ghoul from 2016, a low budget British psychological thriller that has its roots in the stand up comedy scene of the early 2000s, and Triangle from 2009, a surreal and nightmarish horror from British director Christopher Smith. Socials Instagram: thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com Artwork instagram: jpkr_illustration Little Shoppe of Horrors Magazine https://www.littleshoppeofhorrors.com/ Sources and References The Ghoul In The Loop - making of The Ghoul from the Arrow Films DVD release 2018 https://www.screendaily.com/actor-turned-director-gareth-tunley-talks-debut-the-ghoul/5090710.article#:~:text=constraints https://www.screendaily.com/actor-turned-director-gareth-tunley-talks-debut-the-ghoul/5090710.article#:~:text=Shot%20at%20the%20beginning%20of,to%20solve%20a%20murder%20case https://www.bfi.org.uk/interviews/ghoul-gareth-tunley-influences#:~:text=I%20acted%20in%20Ben%20Wheatley%E2%80%99s%C2%A0Down,so%20we%20swiftly%20scrapped%20that%C2%A0idea https://theartsdesk.com/film/it-was-appealing-make-thriller-about-mental-illness-gareth-tunley-and-alice-lowe-ghoul https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RSvhf6tB0w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd3QcqacLMg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7v_7OZ9O-U Triangle Triangle Special Edition blu ray release from Umbrella Entertainment - Director Commentary and making of documentary https://www.scifinow.co.uk/news/interview-christopher-smith/#:~:text=I%20had%20the%20idea%20back,ship%20and%20that%20person%20you https://www.comingsoon.net/horror/news/717070-interview-triangles-chris-smith#:~:text=Image https://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/triangle-christopher-smith-interview/#:~:text=Q,those%20kind%20of%20horror%20stories https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7HatPZaacc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjmNvYSZc2g&t=13s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRE-IoEOC0g&t=17s Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 10: We Are What We Are (2010) & Raw (2016) | 20 Jul 2025 | 01:14:02 | |
Welcome to episode 10 of The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we combine two films to create something far greater than the sum of their parts. This week we are exploring the horrors of cannibalism – a subject that was once regarded as one of the ultimate cinematic taboos but which has now become a strangely prevalent sub-genre , and one that is used as a metaphor for anything from class and social division to sexual awakening. First up we have our inaugural Mexican film of the series, with Jorge Michel Grau’s We Are What We Are from 2010. Set in an impoverished barrio of Mexico City, the film follows a family of cannibals adapting to a new way of life after the death of their patriarch And after that we head over to France for Raw from 2016, the feature debut from multi award winning director Julia Ducornau, which follows the cannibalistic awakenings of a young girl in her first week at University Both of this weeks films have much to say about the nature of humanity, family relationships, sexuality, transgression and metamorphosis, and along the journey we will also be falling down a few rabbit holes and discussing cannibalism in history, literature and cinema, so you may not want to be eating as you listen to this one. Socials IG: thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com Artwork by Justin Parker: IG: jpkr_illustration Katie of the Night YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KatieoftheNight References This was a very heavily researched episode and I ran out of room to list them all in the podcast description, so for a full list of references used please refer to the video notes on the YouTube video, which can be found here: https://youtu.be/TTTRxdf_ILE Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 9: They Look Like People (2015) & The Invitation (2015) | 13 Jul 2025 | 01:00:02 | |
Episode Nine: The Look Like People (2015) & The Invitation (2015). Urban paranoia, independent cinema and the horrors of friendship Welcome to episode 9 of the Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we put two films together to create something far greater than the sum of its parts. This week we are unwrapping the horrors of friendship, with two films from 2015 that ask the questions, what do you do when people you once thought you knew are no longer the people you remember, and how long should you stick around to find out exactly who they have become? First up is They Look Like People, the debut from director Perry Blackshear, a film which explores the bonds of male friendship and the impacts of male insecurity as two friends reunite in New York for the first time since college. Then we head over to the west coast for another reunion, this time in LA, with The Invitation from director by Karyn Kusama, a study of paranoia and the impact of grief, depicting a group of old friends meeting for a dinner party where everything rapidly falls apart. Both of this week’s films are shining examples of American Independent Cinema, and draw, to a greater or lesser degree, from the notion of replacement horror – the idea that someone close to you has been substituted by someone or something else, creating a heightened sense of paranoia and raising questions as to whether perceptions are reality or indeed reliable. Instagram: thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrodoublebill@gmail.com Sources used for this weeks episode: Replacement Horror: Invasion of the Body Snatchers: A Tribute edited by Kevin McCarthy and Ed Gorman Don Siegel Director by Stuart M Kaminsky They Look Like People: interviews with the cast and crew on the 2022 Yellow Veil Pictures Blu Ray release as well as the director and cast commentaries https://www.scifinow.co.uk/interviews/they-look-like-people-is-a-horror-that-spans-genres/ https://screenanarchy.com/2015/01/slamdance-2015-review-they-look-like-people-the-nightmare-of-self.html#:~:text=The%20other%20marvel%20to%20take,which%20also%20intelligently%20explore%20the https://screenanarchy.com/2022/04/perry-blackshears-psychological-horror-debut-they-look-like-people-gets-a-blu-ray-release-from-yello.html#:~:text=,Audience%20Award%2C%20Nashville%20Film%20Festival The Invitation: interviews and commentaries with the writers, cast and crew on the blu ray release from Second Sight films Karyn Kusama at the Directors Guild of America: https://youtu.be/_n-a7f1UBNc?si=s8h8wweCBmiC-5Vl Karyn Kusama at Frightday: https://youtu.be/7TDAUxznVhM?si=ba5PpGqGBk-jce_9 An interview with Logan Marshall Green: https://dailydead.com/exclusive-interview-with-the-invitations-logan-marshall-green/#:~:text=Logan%20Marshall,view%20the%20audience%20sits%20in Filmmaker Magazine https://filmmakermagazine.com/97782-framing-is-its-own-dark-art-karyn-kusama-on-the-invitation/#:~:text=Kusama%3A%20Phil%20Hay%20and%20Matt,horrifying%20element%20of%20the%20story Go Into The Story: https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/go-into-the-story-interview-matt-manfredi-and-phil-hay-f5925c5923a https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/interview-written-karyn-kusama-and-phil-hay-the-invitation-c2690e24e97a The Guardian:https://support.theguardian.com/uk/guardian-ad-lite?returnAddress=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffilm%2F2016%2Fapr%2F05%2Fthe-invitation-film-review-karyn-kusama-suspense Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 8: Isle of the Dead (1945) & Martin (1977) | 06 Jul 2025 | 01:19:38 | |
Episode Eight: Isle of the Dead (1945) & Martin (1977) : There's no such thing as a vampire. Welcome to episode 8 of The Horror Double Bill – the podcast where we put two films together to create something greater than the sum its parts. This week we are unpacking 2 rather unusual takes on vampire mythology. First up is Isle of the Dead from 1945, produced by Val Lewton, who we discussed back ion episode two, and starring the legendary Boris Karloff. Then we jump forward 32 years to 1977 and Martin from director George A Romero’s, which marks the first time that Romero would work with special effects wizard Tom Savini. This is a character study of a young man who believes himself to be a vampire, or then again maybe he doesn’t, and was one of the director’s favourites of all his films. Contact and socials IG: the horrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com References used for this episode: Boris Karloff & Isle of the Dead: Karloff.com Val Lewton The Reality of Terror by Joel E Siegel Universal Horror by Tom Weaver, Micheal Brunas and John Brunas Dreams of Darkness by Jp Telotte Icons of Grief, Val Lewton’s Home Front Pictures by Alexander Nemerov American Gothic: Six Decades of Classic Horror Cinema by Jonathan Rigby George A Romero & Martin George A Romero Interviews, edited by Tony Williams George A Romero on Screen by Chris Wade The American Nightmare (documentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5v03a_zCSM&t=3928s Various special features and commentaries on the Blu Ray release of the film from Second Sight films and the Immortal Edition DVD release from Arrow Video Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 7: Village of the Damned (1960) & Who Can Kill a Child (1976) | 29 Jun 2025 | 01:08:38 | |
Episode Seven: Village of the Damned (1960) & Who Can Kill a Child (1976). There's something very wrong with the children.... Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 16: Livid (2011) & Suspiria (1977) | 31 Aug 2025 | 01:11:44 | |
Welcome to episode 16 of the horror double bill the podcast where each week we pair 2 movies to create something far greater than the sum of their parts This week we are exploring the terrors of ballet school with two European horror films that are connected through more than just the depiction of dance. First up we Head to France and 2011 for Livide from the directing duo of Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, starring Chloe Colloud, Marie-Claude Pietragalla, Chloe Marcq, and Felix Moati Then we head across to Italy – or should that be Germany – and 1977 for Suspiria from Dario Argento, starring Jessican Harper, Stefania Cassini, Alida Valli and Joan Bennet Both films can be said to be the horror movie as fairy tale, and if we are honest neither is going to appeal to viewers who prefer naturalistic and realistic narratives. Livid moves the directors of 2007’s Inside away from the extreme violence of their debut and into the realms of fantasy, while Suspiria is a full-blown assault on the senses that was inspired by Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to name just one of its very diverse influences. Along the way we will be discussing the careers of Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, Baroque approaches to lighting design, the creative and relationship drama behind Suspiria, fairy tale approaches to horror and much more References: Livid https://archive.ph/20121211050709/http://asberman.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/from-the-vault-livide-interview-with-julien-maury/ https://collider.com/alexandre-bustillo-julien-maury-livid-hellraiser-remake-interview/ https://medium.com/keeping-it-spooky/french-frights-livide-6936d081a623 https://monstrousindustry.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/interview-with-livid-directors-alexandre-bustillo-and-julien-maury/#:~:text=AB%2BJM%3A%20For%20both%2C%20our%20relationship,on%20our%20first%202%20movies https://newhorror.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/from-the-vault-livide-interview-with-julien-maury/#:~:text=you%20are%20again%20taking%20a,for%20the%20look%20of%20Livide https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/153462/ https://www.ghoulsmagazine.com/articles/interview-director-julien-maury-talks-kandisha?utm_source=chatgpt.com Films of the New French Extremity by Alexandra West. Suspiria Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento by Maitland McDonagh Fear The Autobiography of Dario Argento Dario Argento: The Man, The Myths and The Magic by Alan Jones Spaghetti Nightmares edited by Luca M Palmerini and Geatano Mistretta. Dario Argento An Eye for Horror Directed by Leon Ferguson Dario Argento Panico directed by Simone Scaffidi. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Bennett https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alida_Valli https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_De_Quincey Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 15: Sleep Tight (2011) & Them (2006) | 24 Aug 2025 | 01:18:01 | |
Episode 15: Sleep Tight (2011) & Them (2006): There's no place like home..... Welcome to episode 15 of The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we pair two films to create something greater than the sum of their parts. This week we are exploring the horrors that lurk in the home, with two movies that depict our safest spaces as places of threat, terror and murder. First up with have Jaume Ballaguero’s Spanish psychological thriller Sleep Tight from 2011, a highly disturbing character study of a malignant building custodian and the lengths to which he will go to achieve true happiness. Then we head over to Romania for Them from directing duo David Moureau and Xavier Palud, a French co-production from 2006 that pre-dates The Strangers in its depiction of a young couple terrorised by a home invasion. Both films are nightmarish slices of Euro horror that crank up the tension and dismantle the notion of home being a sanctuary, exploiting the helplessness of their central characters. And despite being made 15 to 20 years ago, both also feed into modern anxieties about isolation, class, power imbalance and the fragility of what we call society. They also quite literally present very different perspectives – one through the lens of the perpetrator and the other through the eyes of the victims. Along the way we’ll be discussing the origins of home invasion horror, silent movie director Lois Weber, the career of director Jaume Ballageuro, new French extremity cinema and much much more. References: Sleep Tight Spanish Horror Film by Antonio Lazzaro Reboll The Spanish Fantastic by Shelagh Rowan Legg. https://diariodevenusville.com/festival-de-sitges-2011-mientras-duermes-rueda-jaume-balaguero-luis-tosar/ https://diariodevenusville.com/festival-de-sitges-2011-mientras-duermes-entrevista-jaume-balaguero/ https://diariodevenusville.com/festival-de-sitges-2011-mientras-duermes-entrevista-luis-tosar/ https://diariodevenusville.com/festival-de-sitges-2011-mientras-duermes-entrevista-marta-etura/ https://www.moviemuser.co.uk/2013/02/28/luis-tosar-interview-chatting-with-the-star-of-sleep-tight/ https://www.milanacine.es/alberto-marini-10-anos-mientras-duermes/ https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/1184755/0/jaume-balaguero/mientras-duermes/sitges-2011/ Them Behind the Scenes of Them: available on the blu ray special edition form Umbrella Entertainment. Films of the New French Extremity by Alexandra West https://www.ecranlarge.com/films/interview/901002-david-moreau-xavier-palud-ils https://www.ecranlarge.com/films/interview/901003-olivia-bonamy-michael-cohen-ils https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980s%E2%80%931990s_Romanian_orphans_phenomenon?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Underground?utm_source=chatgpt.com Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 14: Messiah of Evil (1973) & The Fog (1980) | 16 Aug 2025 | 01:17:03 | |
Episode 14: Messiah of Evil (1973) & The Fog (1980): "Oh I do like to be beside the seaside....." Welcome To episode 14 of the horror double bill the podcast where each week we pair two movies to create something far greater than the sum of their parts This week we are exploring coastal horrors and the terrors that lurk in the liminal space between the land and the sea. First up we have Messiah of Evil from 1973 a surreal almost Lovecraftian indie horror from the writers of American Graffiti Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and, somewhat bizarrely, Howard the Duck. Then we jump forward to 1980 for the fog, John carpenter's follow up to Halloween, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Adrienne Barbeau and Janet Leigh Both of this week’s movies depict terrors from the past returning to menace supposedly idyllic seaside California towns, but behind the scenes both have their roots in the rise of American independent cinema in the 1970s and also share some very interesting and rather troubled post production stories. Along the way we'll also be exploring the nature of coastal horror, including just a few of my favourites of the genre, the death of the Hollywood studio system, the rise of independent film making in the 1960s and 1970s, and much more. William Hope Hodgson Readings The Derelict - https://youtu.be/x44h5oeVoM0?si=V4mLlwl2DIfcWH6k The Voice in the Night: https://youtu.be/ASIfPcyTAH0?si=VNJDiwQoJfa5Lb0s References - Introduction The Birds by Daphne DuMaurier Cornish Tales of Terror ed. R. Chetwynd Haynes https://nmmc.co.uk/2023/07/maritime-superstitions/ https://www.sailingeurope.com/blog/sailors-superstitions References - Messiah of Evil "Nightmare USA - the untold story of exploitation independents" by Stephen Thrower The mini documentary "Remembering Messiah of Evil" form the Code Red DVD Release of the movie https://creepycatalog.com/messiah-of-evil-movie/#:~:text=released%20the%20movie%20under%20the,%E2%80%9D https://www.dreadcentral.com/editorials/336575/messiah-of-evil-a-criminally-overlooked-piece-of-1970s-strangeness/ References - The Fog Extras from the Studio Canal Blu-ray restoration release including the documentary "Retribution - Uncovering John Carpenter's The Fog" and the audio commentary from John Carpenter and writer producer Deborah Hill. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1980/01/28/people-start-running Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 13: Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943) & An American Werewolf in London (1981) | 10 Aug 2025 | 01:26:08 | |
Welcome to episode 13 of The Horror Double Bill. This week we are exploring the horrors of lycanthropy and the legend of the werewolf, a creature that has been used for centuries as a metaphor for themes including sexual repression, puberty, male violence, insanity and the beats within. An we are starting off this week with the first horror movie that I ever saw, Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman from 1943 starring Lon Chaney Jnr, Bela Lugosi, illona Massey and Lionel Atwill. Then we are jumping forward to 1981 with An American Werewolf in London from starring David Naughton, Jenny Agutter and Griffin Dunne. As well as showcasing their titular monsters, both films were, in their own ways, incredibly groundbreaking. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf man is arguably the very first movie to suggest a concept that is all too familiar today – if not a little overused which is the idea of a cinematic universe. Meanwhile An American Werewolf In London showcases incredible practical effects work that, along with The Howling released in the same year, set the benchmark for horror transformations for years to come. Both movies also have a very personal significance for me that we will discuss as the episode continues Along the way we will be discussing the possible origins of the werewolf myth, historical examples of lycathropy, the somewhat renegade approach to children’s publishing in the 1970s, the life of actor Lon Chaney Junior and much more. References used: The Beaver Book of Horror by Daniel Farson Memoirs of a Wolfman by Paul Naschy Universal Horrors, The Studios Classic Films 1931 to 1946 by Tom Weaver, Michral Bruans and John Brunas, Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman The original Shooting Script from the Universal Film Scripts Series edited by Philip J Reilly American Gothic, 6 decades of classic horror cinema by Jonathan Rigby lonchaney.com silent-ology.wordpress.com classicmonsters.com Beware the Moon - available on the arrow video special edition Blu-ray release of An American Werewolf in London https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/aug/30/john-landis-american-werewold-london#:~:text=far%20as%20filming%20went%20,to%20shoot%20in%20Piccadilly%20Circus https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/how-we-made-an-american-werewolf-in-london-john-landis#:~:text=I%20wanted%20a%20weird%2C%20eerie,%E2%80%9CWhat%20the%20hell%20was%20that%3F%E2%80%9D https://morbidlybeautiful.com/horror-history-american-werewolf-in-london/#:~:text=Many%20consider%20John%20Landis%E2%80%99s%20film,its%20niche%20in%20horror%20history https://filmschoolrejects.com/26-things-we-learned-from-the-an-american-werewolf-in-london-commentary-451071358fcb/#:~:text=apparently%20left%20people%20clueless%20as,to%20how%20they%C2%A0operate Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 17: Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971) & Symptoms (1974) | 07 Sep 2025 | 01:05:23 | |
Episode 17: Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971) & Symptoms (1974). Fall into madness. Welcome to episode 17 of The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we pair two films to create something greater than the sum of their parts. This week we are exploring the horrors of autumn, with a double bill of movies that use the tuning of the seasons as metaphors for the increasingly fragmented psyches of their protagonists. First up we have Lets Scare Jessica to Death from 1971, then we follow this with Symptoms from 1974 Both movies use the beauty of their respective autumnal landscapes as a serene backdrops for their increasingly nightmarish scenarios. The crisp leaves muted colours and early morning mists of Connecticut in the US and Hillingdon in Great Britain gradually morphing from a place of sanctuary, escape and tranquillity one of slow stultifying death and decay. Released at the start of the 1970s, and with an emphasis on alternative and creative lifestyles, both also can be said to represent the demise of the love generation, as the hope and optimism of flower power gave way to Vietnam, civil unrest and the winter of discontent. Sources: House of Psychotic Women by Kier La Janisse https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/death-of-the-60s-dream-1969/ https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/did-the-sixties-dream-die-in-1969?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altamont_Free_Concert https://sfist.com/2017/03/02/what_was_the_summer_of_love_an_expl/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_of_Love Hancock on Hancock by John Hancock Imprint blu ray special edition of lets Scare Jessica to Death (special features) https://screenanarchy.com/2006/10/interview-with-director-john-hancock.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Scare_Jessica_to_Death BFI blu ray special edition of Symptoms (special features) English Gothic by Jonathan Rigby Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 18: The Uninvited (1944) & The Changeling (1980) | 14 Sep 2025 | 01:02:31 | |
Episode 18: The Uninvited (1944) & The Changeling (1980) Welcome to episode 18 of The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we pair two films to create something greater than the sum of their parts. This week we are exploring the horrors of the haunted house which strangely enough is very different to the trope of the old dark house that we discussed back in episode 12. First up we have The Uninvited from 1944, directed by Lewis Allen and starring Ray Milland, Gail Russell, Ruth Hussey, and Donald Crisp then we jump forward in time to 1980 with the changeling directed by Peter Medak, and starring George C Scott Trish Vandeveer and Melvin Douglas Along the way we will be discussing Hollywood’s rather strange early reluctance to depict ghosts in the horror genre, The career of Ray Milland, the tragedy of GAIL Russell, the somewhat dubious true story behind the movie The changeling, the career and controversies surrounding George C Scott and much more. Sources & References The Uninvited (1944) Extras and commentary on the Criterion Collection Blu Ray release of the film and an interview with Lewis Allen that was included in the Criterion Collection accompanying booklet Danse Macabre by Stephen King https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2934-the-uninvited-spirits-by-starlight https://ladailymirror.com/2007/07/05/gail-russell/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernatural_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Uninvited_(1944_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Russell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Milland The Changeling (1980) Extras and the directors commentary on the second sight pictures blu ray release of the film https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/denver-house-inspired-horror-film https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Scott https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvyn_Douglas https://montecristomagazine.com/arts/horror-classic-changeling#gsc.tab=0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Changeling_(film) Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 23: Southern Comfort (1981) & The Descent (2005) | 25 Oct 2025 | 01:12:48 | |
Welcome to episode 23 of the Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we combine two movies to create something far greater than the sum of their parts This week we are exploring the great outdoors with two films that fall into the sub genre of backwoods horror, though to be fair the second one is more backwoods adjacent First up we wade through the swamps of Louisiana with Southern Comfort from 1981 and director Walter Hill, starring Keith Carradine, Powers Booth, Fred Ward, and Peter Coyote. Then we travel to 2005 and the Appalachian Mountains with The Descent from director Neil Marshall, starring Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Akex Reid and Myanna Buring. Along the way we’ll be discussing the origins of the back woods horror sub-genre, exploring some of the classic and if we’re honest not so classic entries, discussing the career of Walter Hill, debating whether Southern Comfort is an allegory for the Vietnam war and much much more. Sources & References Introduction and both movies The Rural Gothic in American Popular Culture Backwoods Horror and Terror in The Wilderness by Bernice M Murphy The Palgrave Handbook of Contemporary Gothic Volume 1 edited by Clive Bloom Southern Comfort interviews, commentaries and documentaries that can be found on the Vinegar Syndrome special edition blu-ray release of the film Men, Women and Chainsaws by Carol J Clover https://thequietus.com/culture/film/film-southern-comfort-walter-hill-40-anniversary/ https://brightlightsfilm.com/human-frailty-swallowed-whole-on-walter-hills-southern-comfort-1981/ https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/56697 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Hill https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/56697 The Descent The Making of The Descent by Janine Pipe and Neil Marshall https://youtu.be/gqx5snAahzA?si=6-3pqO6_B8313zFn https://www.dreadcentral.com/interviews/3370/marshall-neil-the-descent/ https://theasc.com/articles/the-descent-creepy-crawlers https://www.horrorthriller.com/Movies/Directors/N_Marshall/Centu_rion_Inter_view.html Contemporary British Horror Cinema Industry, Genre and Society by Johnny Walker https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Marshall https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-time/all-voters/neil-marshall
Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 22: Witchfinder General (1968) & The Sacrament (2013) | 18 Oct 2025 | 01:17:41 | |
Welcome to episode 22 of the Horror Double Bill the podcast where each week we combine two movies to create something for a greater than the sum of their parts This week we are exploring religious fanaticism, the dangers of group think, cult mentalities, and discussing our first folk horror of the series, as well as our first pseudo-documentary. First up we have Matthew Hopkins Witchfinder General from 1968 and director Michael Reeves starring Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, Hillary Dwyer and Rupert Davies. Then we travel forward in time to 2013 and the sacrament from right a director Ti West starring AJ Bowen Joe Swanberg Jean Jones and Amy Seimetz. Along the way will be discussing the all too brief career of Michael Reeves, the real witch finder Matthew Hopkins, Vincent Price, Ti West, the rise and fall of media company Vice, and much more Mods and Shockers Book https://webelongdead.co.uk/product-category/books/ Witchfinder General https://youtu.be/ZsXo5oY1m7g?si=pN7OZndjltvClmXS https://youtu.be/7tWNBXl1pVM?si=EuWldCAJ0yspJQM- Witchfinder General by Ian Cooper British Film Makers – Michael Reeves by Benjamin Halligan Beasts in the Cellar - The Exploitation Film Career of Tony Tensor by John Hamilton Folk Horror on Film edited by Louis Bayman and KJ Donnelly https://flexiblehead.blog/2011/10/07/witchfinder-general/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Hopkins https://medium.com/@Witches7Hunt/first-witch-who-was-elizabeth-clarke-fbcba944b7b9 The Sacrament Interviews with AJ Bowen, Amy Seimetz and Gene Jones that appear as special features of the Second Sight Blu Ray release https://youtu.be/IpHIXtzzSlQ?si=mhqTSLol0n1gCyt8 https://youtu.be/VamKMnRAHB4?si=QmMPc02Vraz3jMmT https://youtu.be/okOXHN2COBY?si=0HrUy-dbGPcWgGYi https://youtu.be/rCErUAOiCBE?si=n9vj5yfBV026pj4d https://youtu.be/fmr0PtkncWY?si=TlNCvyfO1FhoeuaV https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2024/mar/25/the-rise-and-fall-of-vice-media-podcast https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_Media
Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 21: Cat People (1942) & The Company of Wolves (1984) | 12 Oct 2025 | 01:24:26 | |
Episode 21: Cat People (1942) & The Company of Wolves (1984) Welcome to episode 21 of The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we pair two films to create something far greater than the sum of their parts. This week – after a very short break - we are back with the shapeshifters with two films that use metamorphosis as metaphor for sexuality, albeit with very different interpretations. First up we have Cat People from 1943 and legendary producer Val Lewon. Directed by Jacques Tourneur it stars Simone Simon, Tom Cowway, Kent Smith and Jane Randolph. Then we follow this with The Company of Wolves from 1984, directed by Neil Jordan and staring Angela Lansbury, Sarah Patterson, David Warner and – in a blink and you’ll miss it cameo, the late great Terrence Stamp. Along the way, we will be discussing the history of RKO Studios, director Jacques Tourneur, actor Simone Simon, author Angela Carter and much much more. Sources RKO Pictures: https://www.britannica.com/art/history-of-film/Post-World-War-I-American-cinema https://www.britannica.com/money/RKO-Radio-Pictures-Inc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_Booking_Offices_of_America https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fkt267nd72c https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RKO_Pictures Cat People https://youtu.be/rYLQTFUN7yI?si=LEACT0CJNyBvtoaD Cat People by Kim Newman (BFI classics) Val Lewton the reality of terror by Joel E Siegel Jacques Tourneur The Cinema of Nightfall by Chris Fujiwara The Company of Wolves The Company of Wolves by James Gracie (Devils Advocates) https://youtu.be/7GMb_VPoLr4?si=K52Do2OwxvB48Ndm https://youtu.be/uzro7hXvp4c?si=TCk44HyEB2rBlPQr Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 20: Seconds (1966) & The Substance (2024) | 28 Sep 2025 | 01:16:16 | |
Welcome to episode 20 of The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we pair two films to create something far greater than the sum of their parts. This week we are exploring the horrors of ageing and identity with two movies that take the viewer on a disorienting journey into the price of reinvention and rejuvenation First up we have Seconds from 1966 and director John Frankenheimer, featuring a career best performance from former matinee idol Rock Hudson alongside Salome Jen and Will Geer. Then we bring ourselves bang up to date – nearly - with the Substance from 2024 and director Coralie Fargeat, featuring a career best performance from Demi Moore alongside Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid. References Seconds Seconds by Jez Conolly and Emma Westwood The directors commentary on the Masters of Cinema blu ray release https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/22848? https://theasc.com/magazine/nov97/seconds/pg1.htm https://theasc.com/articles/aces-of-the-camera-james-wong-howe-asc? https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/08/a-second-life-for-em-seconds-em-the-1966-cult-classic-that-made-audiences-sick/278930/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frankenheimer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Hudson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seconds_(1966_film) https://youtu.be/FV2LuK8wVsg?si=z-IZcYN5eF6ZB0h4 https://youtu.be/UjT-db11ZwM?si=W9L12SzTFjBuSDrZ The Substance https://www.hammertonail.com/interviews/coralie-fargeat/ https://www.screendaily.com/features/coralie-fargeat-on-making-the-substance-her-own-way-everything-had-to-be-in-excess/5199519.article https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/coralie-fargeat-feminist-body-horror-the-substance-1235048769/ https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/sep/14/we-can-be-violent-to-ourselves-brutal-demi-moore-on-body-image-reinvention-and-her-most-shocking-role-yet https://www.cbsnews.com/news/demi-moore-on-the-substance-and-resisting-a-toxic-beauty-culture/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Substance https://youtu.be/8H64HNvXrqU?si=tJyXTPL6niEzfnZM https://youtu.be/UMicrbtjFKU?si=vAM0EnUtOI-qMsSR https://youtu.be/BKcMm5RG2M4?si=fn0a134K_Vz5lCBi https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/the-substance-shot-list-coralie-fargeat-awards-insider https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a62297701/the-substance-coralie-fargeat-interview/ Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||
| Episode 19: Colossus The Forbin Project (1970) & Upgrade (2018) | 20 Sep 2025 | 01:05:56 | |
This week we are exploring the horrors of Artificial intelligence and tech noir with two films from very different eras but similar fears and concerns. First up is Colossus: The Forbin Project from 1970, directed by Joseph Sargent and starring Eric Braden, Susan Clark, Gordon Pinsett, and William Schallert. Then we jump forward nearly half a century to 2018 with Upgrade, written and directed by Leigh Whannell, and featuring Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, and Benedict Hardy. Both of these films imagine worlds where technology outpaces human intelligence and in which something designed as a helpful tool quickly mutates into something far more sinister. Between them, the two address themes including autonomy, privacy, the arrogance of sciences, and the fallibility and future of our species. References used: https://www.wired.com/2017/03/ridley-scott-video/ https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/jean-luc-godards-dystopian-sci-fi-classic-alphaville-turns-50 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terminal_Man_(film) https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/2024-10-09-the-terminator-at-40-james-camerons-dark-vision-is-more-relevant-than-ever Colossus The Forbin Project https://catalog.afi.com/Film/23505-THE-FORBIN-PROJECT?cxt=filmography https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Braeden https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/colossus-the-forbin-projects-eric-braeden-retrospective-interview The directors commentary on the blu ray release of the movie from Spirit Entertainment https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus:_The_Forbin_Project https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Whitlock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_(novel) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._F._Jones Upgrade An interview with Leigh Whannell titled "Man.Machine.More" that appears on the Second Sight blu ray release https://www.avclub.com/saw-creators-leigh-whannell-and-james-wan-1798222299 https://www.starburstmagazine.com/features/leigh-whannell-upgrade/ https://thenerdstemplar.com/2018/05/29/interview-leigh-whannell-upgrade/ https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/01/leigh-wannell-upgrade-interview/ https://punchdrunkcritics.com/2018/06/interview-upgrade-director-leig/ https://rue-morgue.com/exclusive-upgrade-interview-pt-1-leigh-whannell-and-logan-marshall-green-on-practical-effects-and-who-almost-directed/ https://dailydead.com/sxsw-2018-interview-leigh-whannell-logan-marshall-green-and-betty-gabriel-talk-upgrade/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEqZipI7eyc Instagram: @thehorrordoublebill email: thehorrordoublebill@gmail.com youtube: @thehorrordoublebill artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com) | |||