CF3: Cult Fans, Films & Finds

This is it: the final episode of CF3 that we will posting as a podcast to our old RSS feed. You know the drill - we are creating full video talk shows on YouTube now for Project-Nerd and have given up the audio only podcast game. We are continuing to recruit incredible guests and interview them for fully-produced videos with images, graphics and fancy overlays. Wave of the future type stuff! To keep hearing us, subscribe at youtube.com/project-nerd and looks us up project-nerd.com Brian Trenchard-Smith directed BMX Bandits (1983), the debut feature of Nicole Kidman and one hell of an Australian adventure caper that's fun for the whole family. Brian is amazing and wrote an autobiography that you can buy on Amazon (Adventures in the B Movie Trade). We leave no wheel un-turned in this epic episode.

IMPORTANT: CF3 has transitioned to a video talk series on YouTube. This episode with scream queen and all-around sweetheart Kelli Maroney reviewing Chopping Mall (1986) is best experienced via video due to the high number of visual cues used in its production. Please subscribe to see and hear this episode in its native format @ youtube.com/project-nerd

NOTE: This is the second to last episode that will appear on this RSS feed. We have transitioned over to video on YouTube, and this episode (which features Mel Johnson, Jr. aka "Benny the Traitorous Mutant Cab Driver" and a video game review of the NES tie-in title by The Game Beaters, the latter of which is EXCLUSIVE to the YouTube episode) is a highly visual episode that does not entirely translate as an audio podcast. Going forward, you should subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/project-nerd to see & hear our future content. Our forthcoming episode in March (Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead w/Keith Coogan) will be the final one posted to this feed.

NOTE: CF3 is now a "video-first" show broadcasting on YouTube. Visual cues from the show do not translate well to podcasts. Please subscribe at youtube.com/c/CF3TV FANS: Ernie Trinidad and Michael Kallio are the producer and director of Howard the Doc, Or: How I Learned to Start Quacking and Love the Bomb (2021), the forthcoming documentary about legendary box office bomb Howard the Duck (1986). We chat with them about the origin of the documentary, the bizarre nature of Howard the Duck, and their experiences landing interviews with Lea Thompson, Phil Tippett, and more. FILMS: We review Howard the Duck (1986) with an assist from Ernie and Michael in the Total Recast and Cult Filmometer segments. We also debut Rev It Up w/Jeff, Playboy Watch and MAD About the Movies mini-segments on video for the first time.

Where the heck has CF3 been the past 5 months??? Other than taking some much needed time off for R&R, changing jobs, dealing with the effects of COVID-19 on life as we know it (ordering lots of Door Dash), we've been working behind the scenes to transition CF3 into a YouTube talk show/web series. Now you'll be able to see our smiling faces and watch our wild assortment of celebrity and industry guests on sparkling video (with a retro twist). This is why we've redesigned our logo and branding, put ourselves up on IMDb, and started learning the daunting task of video editing. And we REALLY need you to join us in this new endeavor. Learn more by listening to this brief episode and, by all means, help us out by subscribing to our page now: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5h-3Z5PntqUwjmdP4hOSAQ

FANS: Melissa Jo Murphy (Horrid, Incest Death Squad trilogy) talks about her favorite cult films, her entry into acting in Wisconsin, hanging out with Troma's Lloyd Kaufman while making IDS, and transitioning to working behind the camera. Laughter ensues. FILMS: It's the first musical reviewed on CF3! Melissa nails her Audrey impersonation en route to this breakdown of Frank Oz's Little Shop of Horrors (1986), which has us discussing all the songs, singing many of them, pondering which cameo player stole the show, and recasting the movie without stepping on the toes of the already-in-development reboot. Dames shares a fascinating fact about Orin Scrivello's dentistry tools. Finally, we discover a new sound effect for all future Dopplegasms! FINDS: HBO Max launches with a gaudy price point and the promise of a Justice League recut/do-over from Snyder, RIP Richard Herd, Together Apart reunites the cast and crew of Splash, Dane says you should watch Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet, and GoT alums Momoa & Dinklage co-star in a horror flick!

FANS & FILMS: We've assembled 9 friends for a breakdown of Police Academy (1984), complete with a discussion of the films of 1984 and a character-by-character breakdown of this incredible ensemble. The epic cast is not exempt from our sprawling Total Recast endeavors. You'll hear Skeeter Slater debut on CF3 with the most bad-ass Michael Winslow impersonation ever recorded. You'll hear Steve Fodor (Too Much Scrolling) walk around his house! You'll find out how Jon Cohorn (Modern Horrors) earned the middle name "Comedy Sucks." Matt Miller (Team Mayh3m) joins us from the Blue Oyster. Will Nexii's back hurts. Shitty Kevin Smith starts the FTP movement. There's no doubt it--this truly IS an episode of CF3 Podcast. There, we said it. FINDS: Future guest Melissa Jo Murphy joins us and learns that Dames is a Scooby Doo fan. Jamie Lee Curtis directs, Snowpiercer spawns a TV series, the sequel to Mad Max: Fury Road evolves, and we pay tribute to Fred Willard and Ken Osmond.

FANS: He was Robbie Freeling in Poltergeist (1982) and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) and few cult films get bigger than this! Yes, the great Oliver Robins joins us to discuss his biggest fears--cue lots of bees, trees and clown talk--the alleged Poltergeist "curse," and working with Sonny Bono in Airplane II: The Sequel (1982). Then we get the exciting scoop about the new horror/black comedy that Oliver wrote, directed and stars in: Celebrity Crush (2019). It hits VOD this month, and you won't want to miss it! FILMS: We get so deep into Poltergeist (1982) that we almost cross over to the other side. This review is NOT clean. Or is it? And will Oliver use his film school background to assign it an unbiased rating on the Cult Filmometer, or will he let his "Freeling feelings" take hold? Is this episode a blessing or a curse? Listen and decide. FINDS: Development news, Hamilton on Disney+, Together Apart with Josh Gad goes Back to the Future, the new docuseries Prop Culture is right up our alley, and we lost Jerry Stiller, Little Richard and Roy Horn. Oh, what a week it's been!

FANS: Anthony "Right Boot" De Longis talks about his experiences portraying thug Ketcham in Road House, including his terrible audition, working with the late Patrick Swayze, and driving that sweet monster truck. Find out how you can hang out with Anthony at his ranch! FILMS: Be nice. We "roundhouse" kick Road House (1989) directly into our Cult Filmometer with two special guest reviewers, Ryan Osbahr (Pony Creek) and Dan Olsen (Sack of Lions)--two musicians who have certainly played their share of road house gigs. The things people will do to get a JC Penney in their town will blow your mind. Watch out for polar bears and bring your college transcripts for this one! FINDS: The Goonies cast and crew reunite on Zoom, Parks & Recreation returns for one night only, The Walking Dead, RIP Irrfan Khan, and Universal Studios takes on the chin from AMC and Regal in a move that might ultimately backfire on the theater industry.

FANS: Anthony De Longis (Road House, MOTU, The Sword & the Sorcerer) is an actor, weapons expert, fight choreographer, voiceover artist and so much more with a decades long career in the business, having trained Harrison Ford to use Indy's bullwhip, dueled with Lundrgren's He-Man in Masters of the Universe, and gone toe-to-bladed toe with Patrick Swayze's Dalton in Road House. He talks a lot about weaponry, fight choreography and his time on set as Blade and Skeletor's double in the 1987 Cannon Films He-Man movie. NOTE: This is Week 1 of a back-to-back De Longis doubleheader! FILMS: Kevin Smith (nope, not that Kevin Smith) joins us for a review of Masters of the Universe (1987) that finds us all obviously upset to this to day by the direction the filmmakers took when adapting our childhood favorite. It all makes for a great time with our TOTAL RECAST segment! How does Anthony De Longis--Blade himself--think the film holds up all these years later? And what do we all think of Meg Foster? BONUS: Hear Anthony tell us about reading for parts in the new Netflix MOTU shows! FINDS: Our tribute to the life of Brian Dennehy has some of us wondering if he died in 1995 or just now in 2020. Jeff offers a glimmer of hope with actual news of upcoming projects in development (hint: The Mandalorian Season 2).

FANS: Lisa Wilcox (A Nightmare On Elm Street 4 & 5) tells us about her early days onstage that led to UCLA and her eventual casting as leading lady Alice Johnson in parts 4 and 5 of the popular A Nightmare On Elm Street franchise opposite Robert Englund. We also hear fun stories about convention life, the jewelry business she ran with Elm Street co-star Tuesday Knight, and learn some exciting news about upcoming work, including a film with Michael Madsen! FILMS: After spending nearly an hour with Lisa Wilcox rapping about Elm Street 4 and 5, we recruit Kevin Smith to help us close out our official reviews of The Dream Master (1988) and The Dream Child (1989), including recasting Alice's dad, our favorite lines from both movies (many of which include Freddy calling someone a bitch), and quite a bit of disagreement over which of these is the superior movie. FINDS: Although Coronavirus has its foot on the throat of the entertainment industry, we still manage to discuss their efforts to go online to entertain from home (SNL at Home, That Thing You Do! live cast commentary reunion, etc.), to drool over the new announcement of an exhaustive and definitive Bruce Lee box from Criterion, and to threaten to shame Kevin!

FANS: Musician and YouTube gamer Dan Bobek (The Game Beaters, Bobobot) talks about a new musical concept album based on the singularity. He also tells us about his time studying in France under legendary Nirvana record producer Steve Albini before the conversation shifts to his YouTube channel The Game Beaters and talk of classic NES games! FILMS: We head to New Angeles (got that, Dames?) for a review of Double Dragon (1994), mainly to see if it's any better than Super Mario Bros (1993). Can the script and special FX escape the crossfire? Then find out NES which games we all would have liked to have seen adapted into a film back in the heyday of the platform. FINDS: We really try to power through with news in a world that has suddenly hit the pause button on most everything. New reboots that include The Others and Doogie Howser, M.D. plus several notable deaths to cover (from both COVID-19 and other causes).

FANS: Film blogger and podcaster Kyle Hickman joins us to demonstrate the model employed by his new podcast, Munsons At the Movies, which assesses the career of randomly-chosen actor each episode by grading them on a number of interesting criteria. For this demo, we are discussing the career of none other than Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th series, Hatchet)! FILMS: We don't do anything halfway on CF3, which is why we go all in on Over the Top (1987) and discuss the plot holes, trucker hats, Valvoline guzzling, stilted performances and the incredible music of Kenny Loggins. I've always wanted to be a milkshake! FINDS: Things to stream while in quarantine, COVID-19 claims lives of notable actors and musicians, and RAD comes to Blu-ray and 4K because we made it happen! Right?

FANS & FILMS: Dames removes his shirt and things just get out of hand from there when your 3 hosts are under the influence and joined by eight gentlemen to discuss the masterpiece (of shit) that is Commando (1985). Arnie, bad accents, one-liners, explosions, Rae Dawn Chong, Freddie Mercury, Joel Silver's alleged coke habit, Dames' affection for children, James Horner getting "horny" on the soundtrack, 80s malls, rocket launchers and TOTAL RECAST are all part of this ridiculous episode. Guests are first timers Warren Hicks & Mark Rigby of Munsons At the Movies along with podcast regulars Kevin Smith, Jon Cohorn, Matt Miller, Robert Yaniz, Jr., Will Nexii and Steve Fodor, who elected not to watch the movie! FINDS: Skeeter Slater listened to every episode of CF3 and wrote us an email about it. We read and react to that email to close out this wild ride!

FANS: Writer/producer Frank Farel (Spookies, Street Trash) discusses his early film influences and his trip to Pittsburgh to earn a walk-on cameo in George Romero's Dawn of the Dead. We then discuss the conception and writing/filming processes for Twisted Souls, the film that was eventually taken from him and his partners and mangled into what we now know today as Spookies. We discuss its ultimate legacy and Frank's plan for a sequel. FILMS: With Jon Cohorn of Modern Horrors alongside us, we review the monster-filled mess that is Spookies (1986). We name our favorite creatures, favorite lines and recast the film with some actors we'd love to have seen in the film. Frank Farel contributes a controversial score to the Cult Filmometer, leaving the remaining four to decide how to best approach our own ratings. FINDS: Fargo finds an interesting new lead for its next season, Blumhouse will tackle a new Universal monster on the heels of its successful The Invisible Man treatment, and we talk about some new Blu-rays that we look forward to in April while stuck at home!

FANS & FILMS: In addition to your 3 hosts, we've assembled a dream team of 8 more participants to get sloppy drunk and stuff their faces with Taco Bell while reviewing the suddenly prescient Sly Stallone actioner Demolition Man (1993). Our team includes Shitty Kevin Smith (MST3K Motivation), Jon Cohorn (Modern Horrors), Robert Yaniz, Jr. (Crooked Table Podcast), Steve Fodor (Too Much Scrolling), Kyle Hickman (Munsons at the Movies), Matt Miller (Team Mayhem), Emily Marvin (daughter of Dames Marvs) and Will Nexii (your mom's house). We cover everything from the Pizza Hut controversy to that hand towel Huxley gives Spartan before...well, you know. Listen and be well! FINDS: Nothing to see here, as this is an extra episode for the week. Now go find yourself a manual for how to use the three seashells.

FANS: Michael Ray Bower makes his long-awaited return to CF3, and we catch up with him about life in quarantine during the Coronavirus pandemic. We talk about his cooking videos on YouTube, his new bachelor pad that he dubs "The Bower Box," and hear about his anticipated acting comeback! FILMS: Dude, where's my film of the week? It's right here and it's stoner comedy Dude, Where's My Car? (2000). Michael tells us about wearing the expensive AF bubble wrap suits, reading for one of the lead roles and being loathed by Kristy Swanson. Andy Dick pops in to reminisce about being the freak in the cage. Hear Michael recast HIMSELF in our Total Recast segment. And then? And then? Well, you'll just have to listen to find out. FINDS: Coronavirus colors everything we discuss here, including things to binge while you're stuck at home! Plus: Charles Band will be delivering the film Corona Zombies to the viewing public very soon.

FANS: Actor-turned-filmmaker Tim Bartell (Society, Dirty Beautiful) guides us through his journey in film, as we discuss his Wisconsin origins (and Wisconsin cult film history), his break into acting in films like Meatballs 2, and his transition to writer/director, now working on a feature with Kirstie Alley attached to star. FILMS: It's shunting season! With the help of stars Tim Bartell (Blanchard) and Devin DeVasquez (Clarissa), we guide you through the grotesque and fascinating Society (1989). We discuss with them the casting process, the parallels to Best Picture winner Parasite (2019), and the film's relevance today. We also get firsthand testimony on the infamous shunting orgy, play Total Recast, and rate this movie for the Cult Filmometer! FINDS: Coronavirus, aka COVID-19, dominates the news cycle, as we discuss canceled events like SXSW and various sports, delayed film productions, and mourn the loss of each of our planned European vacations. We close it down with an update on Corey Feldman's documentary and a few words on the late Max von Sydow.

FANS: Devin DeVasquez (Can't Buy Me Love, Society) tells us how she was discovered by Playboy, won $100k on Star Search, and wound up acting in a slew of late 80s cult classics. Then in a surreal moment in CF3 history, she tells us how she believes her pint-sized Chihuahua Yorkie came into her life as a posthumous gift from late great ex-boyfriend Prince. Yes, that Prince. You don't want to miss this. FILMS: Like a football game in which "everyone punts," we keep passing the egg to one another and to stars Devin DeVasquez & Lar Park Lincoln during our exhaustive and hilarious review of House II: The Second Story (1987). We share our favorite Gramps moments and recast the film before asking Devin and Lar to help us rate this one for the Cult Filmometer! FINDS: Genesis reunion, Coronavirus affects the entertainment industry, Matt Reeves show us the new Batmobile, Corey Feldman will name his abusers, Overboard from Severin, RIP James Lipton.

FANS: Jackey Neyman Jones is an artist, actor and author who will forever be tied to one of the worst films of all-time... Manos: the Hands of Fate (1966). Jackey played young Debbie and her father, the late Tom Neyman, played The Master. She delivers production details, recounts the film's premiere, and shares how she rediscovered it via MST3K. She also discusses the props and costumes she recreates for sale, her acclaimed Manos autobiography, and upcoming film projects, including the long-awaited Manos sequel! FILMS: While The Master is away, we set about dissecting the atrocity known as Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966). We are perplexed by the editing, nauseated by the music, share our favorite lines, ask Jackey to rate the movie with us for the Cult Filmometer, and recast all the roles in our now famous Total Recast! segment. Also: lots of Torgo talk! FINDS: Indiana Jones 5 names its director, The Rock as Black Adam, Chris Evans and The Little Shop of Horrors remake, cult Blu-ray news, and much more!

FANS: Lar Park Lincoln (Friday the 13th Part VII, House II) discusses her break into acting and transition into becoming "America's Audition Coach," with success stories including McKenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Afterlife). She delights in being told of our childhood crushes on her, takes us through the process of creating an audition tape, and fills us in on her role in the upcoming Friday the 13th-inspired film 13: Fanboy. FILMS: With the assistance of Lar (the telekinetic wunderkind Tina Shepherd herself), we crash the party at Camp Crystal Lake and break down Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988). We debut a new feature called "Total Recast," share our favorite lines, and ask why the hell Tina's father was never given a proper burial. This is a lively discussion you should not miss! FINDS: Taika Waititi adapts Auteur for Showtime, Billie Eilish gets weird, Harrison Ford heeds The Call of the Wild, Sonic smashes the box office, and more people died. Oh noes!

FANS: Fantasy writers Ken Mader & Julie Kimbrell Ishaya join us to discuss their new novel Afterlife: The Arcadia Chronicles - Book One, the first in a 4-part saga adapted from Mader's 2005 short film Passing Darkness. We discuss the story, their take on collaborative writing, turning a short film into a written epic, the influence of H.P. Lovecraft and Frank Herbert on their work, and how you can get your copy of Afterlife now! FILMS: Things get "spicy" when Frank Herbert fan Will Nexxii and Modern Horrors writer/David Lynch loyalist Jon Cohorn join us for a lively discussion of the 1984 David Lynch film adaptation of Herbert's seminal Dune. We highlight the array of wonderful performances, the scope and its production design while also discussing its shortcomings in the script and editing departments. Will fills us in on the details the theatrical cut missed, and Brad Dourif dazzles us with those eyebrows. We anticipate the 2020 Denis Villeneuve take on the novel and send 7 scores up to the patented Cult Filmometer! FINDS: Parasite wins Oscar gold and we love it, Rick Moranis will make his return to acting in a major way, Locke & Key is back, and Harrison Ford will return to play Indy a 5th time.

FANS: Actress and L.A. clown scene staple Helene Udy is our bloody valentine this week, as we talk about her roles in early Canadian genre films, meeting and working with Jim Carrey on the set of his first film Rubberface, her stint as Myra on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, the weird and wild world of clowns and cabarets, upcoming indie horror projects, and much more! FILMS: Helene Udy was Sylvia in our film our of the week: My Bloody Valentine (1981), and boy does she love this movie! We reminisce without her about her penchant for screaming, Moosehead Lager, the practical locations of Nova Scotia, the Gordon Lightfoot-esque 'Ballad of Harry Warden,' the surprisingly unpredictable answer to the whodunit mystery, the lack of a sequel, and the sheer Canadian branding that exudes from this wonderful early slasher. FINDS: RIP Kirk Douglas and talk of The Final Countdown (1980), Goliath Season 4 news, Brandon Cronenberg's new body horror film with Sean Bean, Chris Rock & Samuel L. Jackson in Spiral (2020), the new entry in the Saw series + JLo's butt.

FANS: Actress Kristine DeBell joins us to talk about casting, the sheer lunacy of the 70s and 80s, SAG, working with the likes of Jackie Chan & Richard Gere, and roles in films like Robert Zemeckis' I Wanna Hold Your Hand and numerous titles from David DeCoteau. And, of course, we discuss her role as A.L. in Meatballs! FILMS: Our favorite C.I.T., A.L. (too many acronyms?), sits in with us for our review of the summer camp classic Meatballs (1979) that launched the film careers of Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman with suprisingly box office-smashing results. We talk Spazz, steamed weenies, summer camp stories and wacky soundtracks before sending this up the flagpole for review on the Cult Filmometer. FINDS: Pasasite in black and white, thoughts on the pilot for Star Trek: Picard, new Disney+ series for Willow and The Mighty Ducks in development, 911 spinoff with Rob Lowe debuts, The Karate Kid Musical and more!

FANS & FILMS: Rise and shine, campers--it's GROUNDHOG DAY! Steve Fodor of Too Much Scrolling joins us for our star-packed 50th episode celebration covering the timeless Harold Ramis cult classic. You'll hear commentary and Cult Filmometer scores from Ken Hudson Campbell aka Groundhog Day's "Man in Hallway"--YUSS!! Plus Kevin McDonald (Kids in the Hall), Jewel Staite (Serenity), Jack Bennett (Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary), Dean Cameron (Summer School), Eddie Deezen (Grease), Scott Schwartz (A Christmas Story), Shelly Pack & Josh Sutherland (Chasing Molly), and Bruce Crawford (Omaha Film Event) all weigh in with their ratings, favorite quotes and praise for Bill Murray. We get philosophical on this one, y'all! FINDS: We did them on last Friday's episode so we didn't have to do them today. Sheesh! What more do you want? We did them on last Friday's episode so we didn't have to do them today. Sheesh! What more do you want? We did them on last Friday's episode so we didn't have to do them today. Sheesh! What more do you want?  We did them on last Friday's episode so we didn't have to do them today. Sheesh! What more do you...and so on ;)

FANS: "Would you like to play a game?" We're up for it! In our first ever edition of Name That Cult Classic, the guys take turns reading the synopses for 80s and 90s movies while the rest of the gang attempt to identify the movie being described. Who's good at the game? Who's bad at it? And who is just plain ugly?? Play along and see if you can defeat the CF3 brain trust! FILMS: We take on a cyber-ripoff from budget director Albert Pyun. It's Nemesis (1992) and boy, does it have a lot of gunplay, a hard-to-follow plot, and all the ADR you can shake a stick at! We bring you exclusively procured memories from Alex Rain himself--Olivier Gruner--and the great Thom Mathews. How do both of them rate this film 28 years later? And does the CF3 crew agree? And if all that doesn't lure you in, perhaps Thomas Jane's buttcheeks will! FINDS: A new Oscar front-runner (or two), James Bond meets Freddie Mercury, Eminem's new record, and Ozzy's health issues.

FANS & FILMS: George Pilgrim has done hard time, was at the center of a billion dollar love triangle involving media mogul Sumner Redstone and Sydney Holland, and played the original A.J. Chamberlain on soap's Guiding Light. So it only makes sense that we spoke to George (almost) exclusively about his role as teenage punk Billy in the recently revived cult classic Tammy & The T-Rex (1994), which features Paul Walker and Denise Richards in their first feature films roles. George details the testicular standoff in the context of 90s homophobia, Buck Flower's onset stroke, Denise Richards' giant "Mac Daddy" cell phone, and just genuinely loves this movie. Sean Whalen then pops in to help George and the CF3 crew score this film for the Cult Filmometer. This interview must be heard to be believed! FINDS: Oscar nominations drop, Shameless goes to 11, D.J. Qualls shares his story, and Ozark season 3 release date revealed.

FANS: The world's greatest actor-dentist George Hardy joins CF3 to discuss the experience of working on Troll 2 and its rediscovery as a cult classic years later. We cover the documentary Best Worst Movie, his recent work in Texas Cotton (now on Amazon Prime) and get him to open up about his friendship with Greg Sestero, star of The Room, author of The Disaster Artist, and his co-star in their upcoming horror film Cyst (2020). FILMS: We venture down to Nilbog for the so bad it's great "horror" comedy Troll 2 (1990)! We ask George, who played Michael Waits in the film, about the shoot and prompt him to "DO THE LINE!" Favorite scenes, characters, the bizarre music, corn on the cob, and our patented Cult Filmometer scores are all part of this delectable review. Go green! FINDS: Golden Globes wrap-up, Mallrats 2 is back, more thoughts on The Witcher, HBO is retrying with Westeros, and an Escape from L.A. Collector's Edition Blu-ray.

FANS: Rick Sloane--writer, producer and director of 80s and 90s cult classics--joins CF3 this week to discuss the films that influenced him, casting Mary Woronov in Blood Theater, meeting Roger Corman, and so much more. FILMS: The double feature returns! With Rick Sloane still in the house, we uncover the truth about Hobgoblins (1988). How did it wind up on MST3K? What's the deal with that rake scene? Did Rick almost die while making it? And what would each of us fantasize about if we were blindsided by a pack of vicious hobgoblins? Then comes our arresting review of Vice Academy. Charlie Sheen set visits, Linnea Quigley's agent, the sordid history of USA Up All Night, and the Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray release are all covered. It's better than a knee to the nuts! FINDS: You're on your own this week. Next time, you won't be so lucky!

FANS: Actor Bill Allen (RAD, Streamers, Breaking Bad) joins us to discuss working with Robert Altman, the valuable advice he received from Rod Steiger, playing Farm Aid in 1993 with Lou Diamond Phillips, and how his friendship with Brandon Lee will be remembered as part of an upcoming documentary on the late great actor. FILMS: Bill joins us for the entirety of our review of RAD (1986), in which he played protagonist and BMX wunderkind Cru Jones. Did he do his own stunts? What does he think of Lori Laughlin making headlines these days? Product placements, favorite lines, the Helltrack revival, and references in pop culture are all part of the obstacle course in this week's Films segment! FINDS: Our thoughts on Star Wars IX and The Mandalorian are divulged, Witcher arrives on Netflix, and the passing of some pop culture figures are met with interesting reactions.

FANS: Merry Christmas! The CF3 co-hosts are starting to get our drink on while discussing our favorite guests and episodes from Year One in the podcast biz. We smash the alarm clock and tell you what to expect for our epic 50th episode in January and more. FILMS: Yipee-ki-yay! We're getting pretty drunk now, and it shows! Join us for our in-depth review of Die Hard (1988). Is it a Christmas movie? Was the Karl vs. Carl moment necessary? Why would McClane rather be in Philadelphia? While everyone is donning now their gay apparel, John wears a wifebeater. But in the history of wifebeaters on film, where does this rank? Why didn't this movie have a script? Who's YOUR white knight? Download this bad boy NOW! FINDS: Kev Smith is here! 3/4 of us don't care about Top Gun: Maverick. Netflix greenlights a second new He-Man animated series, RIP to Danny Aiello and Caroll Spinney, the critics take issue with Rise of Skywalker, and more.

FANS: Actor Scott Schwartz tells us about going toe-to-toe with comedic heavyweights Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason in his film debut in The Toy (1982). We also hear about Scott's amazing time volunteering as crew for WWF in the mid-80s, working with the likes of Roddy Piper, Andre the Giant and Big John Studd, and how he later worked to produce a celebrity autograph trading card series with Donruss. FILMS: Oh Fudge! We take aim at A Christmas Story (1983) and chat with Scott "Flick" Schwartz about his tongue on the pole, thoughts on the recent TV musical, his residuals from the TBS marathons, and some of the film's most impactful scenes. You'll want to shoot yer out eye if you miss this discussion. FINDS: CF3 alum Andy Dick is in hot water, the Screen Actors Guild nominees are announced, and the gang at CF3 talks about our favorite Christmas movies.

FANS: Ira Heiden (A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors) is back to talk about his passion project: a documentary about the late actor Brandon Lee, which he is working on with Bill Allen (RAD), Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba), Bill Mumy (Lost in Space), and Robby Krieger of The Doors, just to drop a few names! FILMS: Brandon's father Bruce is the subject of our cult film of the week, as we offer up Enter the Dragon (1973) to the Cult Filmometer! This segment was recorded at A Shared Universe PodcaStudio in New Jersey with Ming Chen of AMC's Comic Book Men and gamer Matt Miller in tow. Mike Moh, who portrayed Bruce in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood pops in to tell his favorite moments and quotes from the film, and Ira rejoins us in time to give his thoughts and rating. FINDS: Thoughts on The Irishman, Netflix brings us The Movies That Made Us, you can help rescue a deteriorating Abbott & Costello film, Sandler threatens to make another stinker, and the National Board of Review delivers its top 10 films.

FANS: We chat with actor Ira Heiden (A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark) about getting into horror films, auditioning for Elm Street and what it was like to work with Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira. He entertains with his favorite Steve Martin story from filming Father of the Bride and talks about developing relationships in Hollywood while starring in ABC's Alias and the direct-to-video Zapped!Again! FILMS: Ira joins us for our review of A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) in which he played Will. We ask him about working with Robert Englund, using a wheelchair, what he thought of his death scene, and prod him for stories from behind the scenes. We discuss what we'd be in our dreams, what our favorite manifestation of Freddy was in this installment, and spend some time talking about Dokken. Yes, Dokken! FINDS: Star Wars Episode IX runtime, a Freddy Krueger fan film, the Mandalorian, the Mr. Boogedy Challenge, and Tom Hanks is still wonderful.

FANS: By Grabthar's Hammer, what an episode we've got for you! After Kevin McDonald introduces the CF3 crew in the style of his announcer character from Galaxy Quest, we are joined by Jack Bennett, director of Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary (2019), which screens in theaters across the country for one night only 11/26 through Fathom Events. Jack talks about his vision for the film, dazzles us with tales of meeting the Quest cast & crew, honors the late Alan Rickman and genuinely geeks out with us. SEE THIS MOVIE! FILMS: We review Galaxy Quest (1999), complete with commentary and Cult Filmometer scores from Jack Bennett, Kevin McDonald and Jeremy Howard, who played Brandon's friend Kyle in the film's climax and denouement. How does the film stack up when compared to Evolution (2001), another sci-fi comedy from Dreamworks from the same era? Who was our favorite Quest crew member? Was Tim Allen the right choice? All your questions will be answered. FINDS: Fittingly, we have updates about Paramount's upcoming Star Trek films. Plus, Sonic's expensive new look, When a Stranger Calls on Blu-ray, and a Chinatown prequel from Netflix.

FANS: Emily Marvin, daughter of our own Dames Marvs, joins the podcast to talk about graduate writing programs, getting published, her favorite cult and horror films, Stephen King's mansion, and how much of a jerk her dad is. FILMS: We're throwing our comet party a month early by reviewing Night of the Comet (1984) with Emily, plus we get a drop-in from Reggie herself--Catherine Mary Stewart! We argue over the soundtrack and discuss the impact of NOTC on the films and TV shows that followed. Of course, we also throw down our favorite lines. Ypu'll want to hear what Catherine Mary Stewart rates this on our patented Cultfilometer! FINDS: Disney+ (or is it DisneyPlus?) gets the majority of our attention this week--and why wouldn't it? We also find time to talk about People's Sexiest Man Alive and soap operas.

FANS: We are joined by Eddie Deezen, who has had a decades long acting career portraying nerds beginning with Eugene in Grease (1978) and moving along to films directed by Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis & John Badham. Plus--Laserblast (1978)! Eddie talks about hanging out with Tom Hanks at Dodgers games, meeting members of The Beatles, and more! FILMS: War Games (1983) invades CF3, and we talk with Eddie about playing the first computer geek in movie history. The film's dated technology makes some of us nostalgic while others find it nauseating, but we all agree that Ally Sheedy is great. Will the film's impact be enough to overcome its pacing and achieve the high score on the Cultfilmometer? FINDS: Another week brings more Netflix madness, Doctor Sleep arrives, casting news for The Batman and more!

FANS: Seth & Adrienne Breedlove of Smalltown Monsters, whose 5-year history documenting rural folklore and mysterious legends, join us to discuss Momo: The Missouri Monster (2019), their latest entry in the series, explaining for us how and why it departs from their traditional documentary approach. We find out if they are believers in Mothman, the Boggy Creek monster, UFOs and the other mysterious cryptids covered in their films. We discuss bucket list projects and the great Lyle Blackburn. FILMS: Seth & Adrienne help us review the cryptic The Mothman Prophecies (2002), starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney and Debra Messing. We discuss the true events that inspired this film and their coverage in the Smalltown Monsters documentary The Mothman of Point Pleasant (2017). We get into the film's impact on Seth, ponder decisions that were made to separate this film from the actual events in Point Pleasant, WV, compare it with John Keel's book, share our love for the film score, recite our favorite lines, and submit our scores to the mighty Cultfilmometer. FINDS: The Friends cast reunites for a new project, Keifer Sutherland recounts a gruesome The Lost Boys deleted scene, Netflix contemplates playback speeds and Judd Apatow is NOT having it, and a Supernatural star gets arrested for being a drunk.

FANS: Film historian and Bernard Herrmann documentary producer Bruce Crawford discusses Herrmann's influence on his career. We then discuss Bruce's incredible 27-year run of producing special screenings of classic films with the stars on-hand in Omaha, Nebraska. The latest is Caddyshack (1980) and will feature Q&A and meet n' greet with star Cindy Morgan on November 8th. We prod Bruce for past highlights, bucket list stars and more. Hear about the event that was attended by George Lucas himself! FILMS: For Halloween, we take on a great one with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). We engage Bruce Crawford in a detailed discussion about cinema's most imitated score and discuss his screening of Psycho with Janet Leigh. We dissect the shower scene and try to convince Dames that the film's denouement gets a tad lazy. FINDS: Star Wars Episode IX, 911 spinoff, indie boutique label enters the 4K fray, a Friday the 13th fan film based on the 8-bit game, and Doctor Sleep arrives at Alamo!

FANS: Recorded live from A Shared Universe PodcaStudio in Eatontown, NJ, CF3 is joined by two Jersey boys and veterans of the show--Ming Chen of AMC's Comic Book Men and video game world record holder Matt Miller. We chat about Ming & Mike Zapcic's studio, Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash and the Reboot Roadshow, Ming's adventures in Omaha, Cobra Kai, and MOTU vs. G.I. Joe. FILMS: Try not to wax off during our expansive segment on The Karate Kid (1984), the classic tale of good vs. evil. Or is it evil vs. evil? We get into that. Ming informs us that he and Kevin Smith almost recreated the Karate Kid date night. We leave no stone unturned, no radio unsmashed, no bicycle uncrashed, and no bottle unchopped when we offer this flick up to the Cultfilmometer! FINDS: Your CF3 trio is joined by "our" Kevin Smith to discuss November's biggest cult film Blu-ray/DVD releases provided by Bruce Holecheck's Cinema Arcana blog. We talk Castlevania, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Flowers in the Attic, MST3K and more.

FANS: Vincente DiSanti discusses the state of Friday the 13th as a franchise and his Indiegogo campaign for fan film Never Hike in the Snow, the prequel to Never Hike Alone (2017). We hear details about the production and learn more about his directing career and what he loves about the series. SPOILER ALERT: In the week since we conducted this interview, the campaign has smashed its funding goal, but we encourage you to still contribute or purchase add-ons so you can own a part of this remarkable saga! This is a non-profit, so all proceeds will be used to make the planned sequels in the series. FILMS: Kevin Smith joins us in slaying our review of Friday the 13th (1980). We talk Pamela Voorhees, how creepy shirtless Steve is, give our thoughts on the final girl, and bring you more (Kevin) Bacon Bits with Dames Marvs! Vincente DiSanti tells us why this isn't his favorite entry in the series before rating the film for our patented Cultfilmometer. And... surprise! Ari Lehman pops up, albeit not from the water, to tell us a story from filming his scene as the first ever incarnation of Jason Voorhees. FINDS: Rebecca Markus discusses her new book The Needlemaker's Baby with us. Dames reveals that Hallmark has 20 new Xmas movies, which prompts us to rattle off the 4 plots that they all recycle. Dames and Rebecca talk about why they are still watching The Walking Dead for some reason.

FANS: André Gower, star of The Monster Squad (1987) talks about what drove him to create Wolfman’s Got Nards (2018), the documentary that serves as a love letter to the film, its fans, and its enduring legacy as a cult classic. We discuss his current tour of the film through the country’s Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, Blu-ray release, and his favorite moment in the film. He also breaks down the story behind the “Stephen King Rules” shirt in stunning detail. FILMS: The Monster Squad (1987) is broken down by the CF3 crew with a contributed score from Sean himself (André Gower). Talk of nards vs. nads, Michael Sembello, and the film’s homage ensues. Don’t be chickenshit—check this out! FINDS: Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman (2019), reviewing Shudder’s Creepshow revival, Sony & Disney mend spiderwebs, Jeff Goldblum rambles his way into Jurassic World 3 with Laura Dern & Sam Neill.

FANS: The sensational Dee Wallace, who has successfully pulled double-duty as scream queen and suburban mom in 200 Hollywood films over a 45-year-career, opens up about her delectable roles in 3 from Hell (2019) and Critters Attack! (2019). We couldn't help but to stroll down memory lane with her for a chat about Cujo (1983) and Critters (1986) as well. But the highlight of our chat was learning about her journey into personal healing--you don't want to miss this! FILMS: Joe Dante's The Howling (1981). We learn from Dee about how then-fiancee Christopher Stone was cast as her costar and what it was like to work with Dante. We marvel at the performances of Robert Picardo and Patrick Macnee, give thoughts on a controversial special effects shot, and draw the inevitable comparisons to the competing werewolf flick that year--An American Werewolf in London (1981). How do you take your burger?? FINDS: We bring you all the October Blu-ray news that's fit to record!

FANS: Walter Day, the father of esports and founder of Twin Galaxies, discusses his travels at age 70 and the ceremonies related to The Walter Day Collection, the trading card series he debuted in 2011, which has now reached over 3,000 cards and serves to document the history of gaming, its records and other facets of pop culture. We touch upon the importance of podcasting in chronicling history, the character Walter inspired in Wreck-It Ralph (2012), and we get Walter’s thoughts on several cult classic films inspired by video games. FILMS: “Possible Donkey Kong kill screen coming up!” We discuss our first documentary on CF3, the critically-acclaimed The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) with one of its featured participants, Walter Day. We discuss the film’s legacy and impact, narrative inaccuracies, and the classic hero vs. villain setup before seeing if we can help it set the high score on the Cultfilmometer. FINDS: NBC’s streaming service teases its Saved by the Bell revival, Womp Stomp Films launches their crowdfunding campaign for Never Hike in the Snow—the Friday the 13th fan film sequel, and more!

FANS: Shelley Pack & Josh Sutherland combined forces to write, produce and direct Chasing Molly (2019), a fish-out-of-water comedy that finds Pack on the run from a drug kingpin played by wrestling’s Kurt Angle. We chat with Shelley & Josh about the process of making a film, wrangling Angle and Felicia Day for supporting roles, and Shelley’s wardrobe decisions! FILMS: Find the nearest rock and listen in as we review Tremors (1990), our first Kevin Bacon flick on CF3. Best lines, Bacon bits, our favorite power couple The Gummers, and the film’s legacy are all unearthed. Shelley & Josh rejoin us in time to give their scores on the Cultfilmometer, and we help them decode their Bacon Numbers! FINDS: One of us watched the Durst/Travolta flick known as The Fanatic (2019), and you’ve gotta hear the verdict! Dames tells us if It Chapter 2 is worth our time and Jeff reveals new The Stand casting news. RIP Carol Linley + Scream Factory BD news.

FANS: Zach Thompson of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return and The Gauntlet joins us to talk about pro wrestling fandom and his work as a wrestling commentator and ringside interviewer for the Chicago-based Freelance Wrestling and Resistance Wrestling circuits. We also talk about his favorite cult films and how they have weathered painful remakes. Thanks a lot, Tim Burton! FILMS: It's Rowdy Roddy Piper in John Carpenter's memorable They Live (1988)! The gang earnestly discusses the messages decoded by the Hoffman Lenses and what messages we might see in 2019. Also covered: Piper as the face vs. the heel, Frank and Nada's epic street brawl, the film's basic score, and our favorite one-liners (not all of them are about bubblegum either). FINDS: We discuss what we've been watching lately: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Boys, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Peanut Butter Falcon, The Banana Splits Movie, The Dead Don't Die, and more!

FANS: Dean Cameron joins us to talk about directing Matt Walsh in Little Victories, rooming w/Eric Stoltz and others, auditioning in the 80s, landing in Straight Outta Compton, and his riotous return to the mountain for a role on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia in the episode titled "The Gang Hits the Slopes." FILMS: Class is in session in our first ever double feature, with Carl Reiner's Summer School (1987) and 90s ski comedy Ski School, both starring Dean. Hear how many times he watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to prep for his role in Summer School & which fashion trends from the 90s we all wish to make a comeback! What does Dean think of these movies decades later? You'll need to listen! FINDS: Disney's streaming service pricing, a Breaking Bad movie, The Mandalorian trailer, Star Wars IX teaser speculation.

FANS: Dreams come true as Thom Mathews (Friday the 13th series, Return of the Living Dead) joins us to discuss his acting hiatus, ROTLD, Tommy Jarvis and the Friday the 13th fan films, the role he almost landed in an Oliver Stone film, and new projects like Killer Therapy. FILMS: We review Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives with Tommy Jarvis himself! Thom tells behind-the-scene stories, and we geek out over favorite lines, best kills, the film's legacy and are treated to a special drop-in from the film's Jason--CJ Graham! Thom and CJ add their scores to the CF3 crew's tally for a shocking score on the Cultfilmometer. FINDS: We eulogize Peter Fonda, go nuts over the Kevin Smith MOTU news, and try to muster up some excitement over Snake Eyes and Elvis.

FANS: The Cryptkeeper (John Kassir) leads us into an exciting episode in which we interview Kevin Smith--our Kevin Smith--about his MST3K Motivation memes and discuss 5 of each of his favorite movies from the horror and sci-fi genres. Chiodo Brothers fans represent! FILMS: Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995) is covered in great detail--from the ensemble cast that includes Billy Zane, Jada Pinkett and Thomas Haden Church--to the mythology at the heart of the plot. John Kassir pops in to relay a story from filming that he boasts would make Hitchcock proud. FINDS: Dames is still talking about The Peanut Butter Falcon. Home Alone reboot, Marvel's Zombies fan trailer, RIP Toni Morrison, Alec Baldwin Comedy Central Roast, and the heroic Danny Trejo.

FANS & FILMS: We've combined our first two segments for this 25th episode spectacular covering every angle of Stanley Kubrick's masterful The Shining (1980). We've also procured exclusive commentary and celebrity reviews of The Shining from Corin Nemec (Stephen King's The Stand), Andy Dick (NewsRadio), Robert Wuhl (Arli$$), Sean Whalen (Twister), Ming Chen (AMC's Comic Book Men), Mark Bernardin (Castle Rock, Fatman Beyond), Paul Walter Hauser (BlackKklansman), Johnny Pemberton (Superstore, Ant-Man), Michael Ray Bower (Salute Your Shorts), Kevin McDonald (The Kids in the Hall), and Rob Franzese aka Real Life Peter Griffin. Then our listeners weigh in with scores of their own. How does this mind-bending film rate on the Cultfilmometer once a whopping 21 scores are factored in? Don't be a dull boy--just listen! FINDS: King's The Stand reboot update, a Kickstarter for a King-themed cocktail book, Event Horizon & Resident Evil streaming TV reboots.

FANS: We salute Lloyd Kaufman and Troma Entertainment this week with writer/director Andrew J. Chambers whose After School Lunch Special (2019) is inspired by Troma films and features Lloyd himself as a tapeworm named Mitch! FILMS: We review Troma's flagship film, The Toxic Avenger (1984), while talking USA Up All Night, Melvin and bullies, the un-PC nature of Toxie, the cartoon series, Marisa Tomei. We ponder what happened to Michael Herz. FINDS: Andy Dick HIMSELF delivers us a cult find about his upcoming Troma project. The Barn 2 adds Lloyd Kaufman! Designated Survivor dies for Dames.