Podcast of the Dead

What other band in history has had as weird and batshit a history as Black Sabbath? Other than some of the groups from the Scandinavian Black Metal scene, very few. Trust us. We start a three-part series on the Lords of Darkness that invented metal and came from very humble beginnings. We talk about Ozzy's time in prison, Tony's hand accident, Anton LeVay's San Francisco parade, and of course, DRUGS. Hope you enjoy! Wheeeeeeeee

Ever wanted to impress that big tiddy goth in psych class? Well, here's a not as famous Edgar Allen Poe work to intrigue with. MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH is a chilling but excellent little tale about a selfish prince and a raucous party. This episode we discuss Poe's life, the allegories of color and time, American Romanticism, and...well kayfabe. Love you all! We're glad to be back.

George A. Romero's first foray into the deep dark recesses of the "zombie apocalypse" subgenre surprised audiences of all kinds in 1968. Night of the Living Dead is a testament to what you can do with a minimal budget and a completely unique idea: basically create a new type of movie entirely. Night of the Living Dead is a sleeper hit of the highest order. Nobody, not even Romero, was prepared for how big it would be and how it essentially change the landscape of the horror genre from that point on...

Yeah, we're finally doing it. What could even be typed in this description that you haven't already heard or known about one of the most iconic movies ever made? Jaws is a monolith in film history but rather easy to tackle from a purely informational standpoint. However, should we simply ignore how relevant it is to this very particular time in history? Guess again. Buckle up for an episode that might hit a little too close to home.

Here's the second and final part of our series on the Yeti! This episode we discuss some interesting theories including bears, neanderthals, and, well, aliens. Nothing is solved and we goof off even more, but hopefully you still find it informative! Enjoy!

There's oil in them there Yeti bones.We're trying something different this episode. We're talking about cryptids, because we want to. You can't stop us. But maybe you will be entertained an informed in the process. Learn about the history of Mt. Everest, a strange event involving actor Jimmy Stewart, and a bit about the mysterious Barun Valley. Also, this is part 1 of 2.

It's a hopelessly, horrible, overplayed and overused stereotype and on paper most people should hate it...but it's also enjoyable in the worst way possible. It's Leprechaun. While the year of 1993 would see the rise of such icons as Jurassic Park and Mrs. Doubtfire later in the year, it really started off with a bang when this was released. It began as a kid-friendly film inspired by a Lucky Charms commercial but became a multi-sequel black comedy b-horror franchise. It's exactly what you expect yet somehow it gets better and worse than that simultaneously. Just watch it and you'll see what we mean.

It's somehow simultaneously the worst and best movie we've ever covered on They're Bad. Tobe Hooper's intense failure of 1995, The Mangler is a one-of-a-kind film that must be seen to be believed. How to you have such a perfect cast and crew turn out something so...well, frankly, baffling? Your number one question by the end probably won't be, "why does Robert Englund still praise this film?" and more than likely will actually be, "why the hell was it shot in South Africa?"

CONTENT WARNING, TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL ASSAULT, RAPE (When we begin discussing the plot of the book and when we talk about changes to the story with the 1998 adaptation)"Seven days..."Americans and other English-speaking listeners might be fairly familiar with Gore Verbinsky's 2002 adaptation of the Koji Suzuki story Ring in his film The Ring, but how many of you knew that the story started life as a novel? And if maybe you're of the select few English-speakers that have read the original book from 1991, how many of you are also familiar with the very strongly cultural Japanese ghost stories that influenced it? We talk about all of this and much much more in this extra-long discussion about the first set of stories and adaptations set in the universe of Ring. Enjoy!

It's not exactly what one would call a masterpiece. In fact, it's kind of intentionally shitty and it succeeds in that. However, what The Blair Witch Project lacks in execution, it almost makes up for in style. Definitely the marketing was clever and the presentation was right, but with a plot so bare and the lack of any visible antagonist, how did it become such a sleeper hit? How did it become maybe the most successful found footage movie in history? Hopefully we answer some of those questions this week as we discuss the making of, the truth behind the lore, and just a little about the Bridgewater Triangle!

"There's more than one way to lose your heart"It's the long-forgotten slasher classic that people talk about less and less every year, but it can be argued that it's a classic up there with anything comparable of the era. My Bloody Valentine is a labor of love, if you'll pardon the pun, and it's a shame that it was so heavily censored upon it's released. It might have become an all-time classic otherwise if it had been released in its full form initially. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day while you hear us talk about this very Canadian horror movie from the middle era of the slasher boom!

"This inhuman place creates human monsters"It's perhaps one of Stephen King's most famous and lauded works, and for good reason. The Shining's expert pacing and excellently crafted atmosphere as well as the pointed internal dialogue of the characters craft a stunning tale of horror that has endured for several decades. Then, Stanley Kubrick came through in 1980 to release the incredibly popular and equally masterful movie adaptation, however King himself never quite took to it. Join us and our special guest, Erin Devany, in this massive episode as we explore the troubled history of this book as well as the adaptations of it and themes presented in all versions.

It has plenty of kitsch but what it lacks in taste it makes up for in fun and execution. The premise is simple and it does exactly what it says on the tin, but Killer Klowns From Outer Space is a passion project of the Chiodos brothers and it shows. If you want a truly entertaining and goofy B horror film, there's not much better of a place to start. We honestly couldn't get through this episode without having a little fun with it so hopefully you enjoy the season finale of season 1! Thank you!

CONTENT WARNING: THIS FILM CONTAINS SCENES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS BEFORE LISTENING.Maybe we're reading a bit too much into this one, and if we did, it wouldn't be the worst thing we've ever done honestly. If this were just another slasher though, this wouldn't be as nearly as long of an episode as it turned out to be. Silent Night, Deadly Night manages to somehow come off as understanding and empathetic to those with PTSD in an era where the disorder was just beginning to be understood. I mean, how often in an 80's slasher film do you feel true empathy for the killer? Not very. In this episode we discuss the history of Christmas, the history of PTSD, and a kid that punches Santa dead in the face. Enjoy!

This movie is awful. It's pretty much that simple. None of us like it really in any way but we do have an interesting discussion about what constitutes a cult film and what makes a good cult film more importantly. Gary Busey, you're wrong for this one.

It contains almost all of the seemingly standardized criteria for a classic B-movie: low budget, convoluted plot, and ALIENS. However, Phantasm in retrospect seems to be a cut above the regular 70's B-movie schlock. There's something about the very dreamy atmosphere and the imposing and domineering presence of the aptly named "Tall Man" that sets this film apart from others that have similar qualities. We know it has a cult following but do many of you know the story of how it was made? It's an interesting tale. Gather around as we talk about weekend filming, on-the-fly script writing, and premonition dreams. Enjoy!

In this absolutely massive Halloween special we close out the month with an extensive analysis of the entirety of everything relating to Frankenstein, the masterpiece novel first published (anonymously) by Mary Shelley in 1818. This episode really covers all of the bases: the 1931 Universal adaption, Young Frankenstein (1974), and even Mary Shelley's Frankenhole, the little-known Adult Swim show from 2010. If ever you wanted to know about and analyze every aspect of the property, this is the episode to listen to.

"Happy happy Halloween, Halloween, Halloween..."It's the black sheep of the Halloween franchise. A story very much contained to one world and one world only and fans of the franchise are sometimes polarized on it. When Halloween III: Season of the Witch was released in 1982, people weren't sure what to make of it. It had a weird Stonehenge plot with an even weirder subplot about androids. It was just all around confusing when everyone was expecting another film featuring the infamous Michael Myers. It's now considered by many to be the best in the franchise and has hit a cult-classic status among dedicated viewers. What do you think of it? Is it your favorite or is it hot garbage? We tend to like it. Gather around as we discuss druids, Stonehenge, and the danger of fads on our first ever scripted episode!

"What's your favorite scary movie?"In the 90's we had a bit of a slasher hangover after the onslaught of franchises and seemingly endless entries and sequels to those franchises bombarded us in the 80's. So when we rounded the corner in the following decade we needed a hangover cure, so to speak. Something that would refresh us and make us believe that horror wasn't just a set of unrelenting gore fests one after the other. We needed something smarter. Scream was that hangover cure. When it was released it was so fresh, so intelligent, and so legitimately scary that we couldn't help but love it. Not only was it a good scary movie but it was a commentary on all of those old franchises we had become so fatigued by in the 80's. Gather around as we discuss a classic which came out long after many of the best classics were already established, but joined their ranks without dispute anyway...

It's probably the best fusion of science fiction and horror ever put to film. It completely redefined what a movie set in space should or could be. Without it, the landscape of movies today might be considerably different. Alien in 1979 boldly went where no other movie had dared venture up to that point. If not for the sheer terror it inflicted then it could also be praised simply for it's art design, music, or commentary separately alone. Join us as we begin October with one of the best movies ever made.

"The night HE came home!"It's only one of the most important and most influential films on the slasher sub-genre as well as an important stop-gap between the gritty one-off slashers of the early 70's and the mayhem-filled sequel fest that was the 80's: Halloween. How does it hold up in modern times though? Hard to say exactly but we discuss our personal opinions on it. What is the importance of sex here? What are some themes? Are there any themes at all or is it just a movie that some dude made? Probably the latter. Gather around for what is to be our last foray into the classic heavy-hitter slashers.

Silent Hill is considered by many to be the most influential entry on modern survival horror games. It's intense atmosphere, stylistic camera angles, and mysterious plot all come together to make it a masterpiece, even 20 years later. Are there problems with it in retrospect? Of course. Nothing and no one is perfect, but nothing here is so detrimental that it ruins the whole thing, and that is really saying something after two decades. This episode we discuss grief, occultism, and just a bit about pooping yourself in our first episode to cover a video game. Enjoy!

In 1966 in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, some weird shit started happening. A series, or "flap", of UFO sightings, paranormal activity, general weirdness, and most famously, sightings of a giant winged humanoid dubbed "The Mothman" all occurred within a two year span. All of this culminated in the collapse of the Silver Bridge, resulting in the deaths of 46 people. For this whole two year period, parapsycholgist and Fortean author John Keel was present. The resulting book that stemmed from his experiences and acounts there was The Mothman Prophcies, his 1975 paranormal classic. This movie is supposed to be a modern take and adaption of this time period but, is unfortunately not nearly as interesting. We talk a ton about the paranormal in this episode. Enjoy!

It's perhaps the most Texas horror film ever made. 12 years after the debut of the chilling original, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 takes the franchise in a different direction, and we're totally here for it. It adds comedy, new characters, and enough Texas porn to make you wanna drink a Shiner while square dancing. Tobe Hooper was smart not to make the same film twice, and despite what critics think about it, this sequel is a nice change. This episode we discuss the development of the Leatherface character, the oddity of highly specific small businesses, and a lot about Texas Geography. Enjoy!

CONTENT WARNING: THIS FILM CONTAINS GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION.Perfect Blue is an incredibly deep and introspective film in a different vein than many of the movies that we talk about. It provides commentary and thought on parts of our psyche that we may not even realize are there: fanaticism, self-image, and performative presentation. It's a great movie really but it's hard to dissect initially (at least for us). This has proven to be one of our most difficult episodes but we cover as much ground as we can in an hour and a half! Enjoy!

"Hi! I'm Chucky! Wanna play?"One of the last great slasher franchises of the 80's comes to life in 1988 with Don Mancini's Child's Play. This is the movie that started your fear of dolls and makes you question reality with several key scenes of quiet uncertainty. There's some intagible quality about this movie that really makes it unsettling in a real sense. Maybe it's that sort of seeing-something-in-the-corner-of-your-eye type thing. This episode we discuss an RC controlled puppet, voodoo, and flying backwards in slow motion after being shot multiple times. Have fun!

"You must suffer me to go my own dark way."A book?! Yes, we do cover ALL things horror-related, and that includes literature. This time we're talking about Robert Louis Stevenson's gothic horror triumph, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the tale of an ambitious chemist who let his intrusive thoughts run rampant as an alternate personality (aided by drugs). We discuss the duality of man, Jack the Ripper, and an in-home nurse named Cummy (yes, you read that right). Gather around as we get pretentious and scholarly!

"Don't think it. Don't say it."After an overwhelming request to cover this garbage fire we have finally caved to demands and presented our listeners with what is honestly just a visceral beatdown of what has become a meme long forgotten. We apologize in advance for subjecting you to this film in any way, shape, or form.

"The man of your dreams is back!"Literally agreed on by many critics as "the gayest horror movie ever" and certainly a now classic gay cult film, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge is much deeper than the average slasher sequel would have you believe. More tinged by the story that happened behind the scenes rather than the plot itself, Freddy's Revenge is a curious glance into the pre-AIDS crisis era of the mid 80's that shows us that even gay media can sometimes shine through in tough times. This episode we talk about 80's homophobia, gay squashing media, and the importance of sweaty teens.

"MEAT!"We finish our three-part series on the fantastic Clive Barker with Nightbreed, an interesting synthesis of horror and fantasy. More akin to Labyrinth and Dark Crystal than Hellraiser, Nightbreed shows us how far Barker's world-building can really go in a film setting. It's dense. Very dense. Lots of lore to cover. But more than just the story elements the movie represents an allegory for persecution of disadvantaged groups. We talk about police militarization, the Stonewall riots, and just a little bit about a sexy porcupine in the final installment of the Barker Bonanza.

"Be my victim"The adaptation of Clive Barker's short story The Forbidden might be the best adaptation of his work ever put to film. With Jordan Peele's remake looming on the horizon we look at the 1992 film that changed several things from the original story but all for the better. We talk about the Toxteth Riots, the history of Cabrini-Green, and urban legends. Truly a deep dive into a fantastic film.

"We'll tear your soul apart"The first in our series of Clive Barker focused content is the most recognizable one: Hellraiser! It introduced the world to Barker's excellent world-building abilities. We talk about bondage, the dangers of obsession, the horrors of capitalism, and the suppression of gay media. This one is very deep.

Jordan Peele's first film says much more about the black experience in America than any horror film or even any other type of film may ever say. It's truly a masterpiece. There's some deep discussion this episode. As white people we try our best to deep dive here while still being sensitive and tactful. We talk about the black experience, hypnosis, and the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments. This might be our most serious but interesting episode yet.

"Whatever you do, don't fall asleep"It more or less signified the downturn and phasing out of the slasher genre in a sense. Probably because nothing that came after it quite matched the quality and brilliance that Wes Craven brought forth with Nightmare. This is the most we've ever talked about one movie and we have so much to say. We talk about dreams, good and bad sequels, and Freddie Frugal, the new mascot for Dollar Tree. Gather around as we appreciate the crowning jewel of the slasher genre!

You might know the Misfits and the incredibly cheesy thing they have going on but did you know there's other bands like them? Did you know the Misfits created a whole subgenre essentially? Did you ever want to learn a very brief and fragmented history of the Misfits at the same time? This is the episode to do it with. Learn the art of the Woah with Horror Punk 101.Also make sure to listen to the Spotify playlist that accompanies this episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Rs2PVNx7Jo5muDuxg0Umk?fbclid=IwAR3aT7YlRaG7IxVHuJn5tuZ2hsxPHGpW8p9ORyOLdI85lXfZzzcPJcZ8xmQ&si=ZUHOWs4TgWSFFUzEqIVg

It's the first ever Kaiju film about the biggest baddest boy around: Godzilla.1954's Gojira is much more intelligent and socially conscience than every other monster film of the same era. It not only frightens and entertains but makes a statement while doing it. It's got an equal amount of solid performances mixed with the best special effects the 50's had to offer. Join us as we discuss post-war Japan, nuclear war, and Alka-Seltzer tablets! Enjoy!

"They don't come back the same"Pet Sematary is in a rare category of late 80's and early 90's Stephen King adaptions that is actually pretty good. It's spooky and riveting and scary all in measured amounts. Is there still a bit of the hokey-ness there? Of course, but it's a tolerable and enjoyable amount in our opinion. Join us as we talk about Native American burial grounds, the stages of grief, and The Ramones in this very eerie episode.

They can't all be winners. In the first installment of our new sub-series "They're Bad" we talk about a real boring piece of trash: The Monster. Is it the lighting? The story? The lackluster way that most of the movie is just two people sitting in a car? It's a little bit of all of that. Join us on a new journey into shitty territory as we rightfully tear this thing apart.

It's the reason why Troma Entertainment is referred to as "The House that Toxie Built" It's the ultimate cult classic and a beacon of hope for every independent filmmaker to strive for. It's The Toxic Avenger. Few films weave a mixture of comedy, horror, violence, and social commentary quite as deftly as this film does and probably none will again. It's one of a kind. Stand to attention as we talk about one of the greatest midnight specials ever to grace a basement projector screen.

It's the film that defined the word "macabre". Saying you were scared of it as a kid might be a massive understatement. It's Tobe Hooper's horror triumph The Texas Chainsaw Massacre It's simply one of the most horrifying things ever put to film. We talk about the importance of Sally as one of the earliest final girls, Ed Gein, and why Houston sucks. Gather around as we explore one of the ultimate must-sees!

You remember how you felt the first time you watched "The Haunted Mask"? You were terrified by the ideas that the story presented but you also thought, "damn that was good". A lot of horror shows came out for kids in the 80's and 90's. We're not sure why but we're not complaining either. These were the stories that started us down the path. We'll talk about Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark, The Real Ghostbusters, and many more!

He's one of the Japanese masters of horror, Mr. Junji Ito. He has created such masterworks as Tomie and Uzumaki. Never heard of him? Well, think of this as a primer course. A way to dip your toe in. We talk about some seriously weird stuff in this one, but such is the nature of the beast. Hope you like fish farts.

It's only one of the most important slasher films ever and spawned one of the longest running horror franchises of all time. It's the first Friday. Pre-Jason, pre-hockey mask, pre-space. The original. If you don't know what it is, what are you waiting for? Its impact on horror can't be understated. To say that it is an essential horror film might not be saying enough. Join us as we dive into the one that started it all.

"It is time to keep your appointment with the wicker man"This week we discuss a film once descirbed as "The Citizen Kane of horror films" The Wicker Man from 1973. It is not only a spectacular tale of horror but also an intelligent story of faith and tempatation. We discuss Paganism, real wicker men, being out of your element, and how May Poles are just penises (peni?). Gather around as we deep dive into one of the greatest films of the 1970's.

"It doesn't think. It doesn't feel. It doesn't give up"It Follows is a shining example of modern horror brilliance and rather than talk about the history and making of, as we would with other films, we really get into a deep analysis on this one. What is the role of sex in horror? In film? In life? How do we as individuals deal with the crossing from childhood to adulthood? Why do all of the men in this movie suck? All questions will be asked here. Thanks for joining us in what is to be our most psychological episode yet.

This week we're discussing perhaps the most important horror film ever made: Nosferatu. We cover Bram Stoker's masterwork, Dracula, the history of vampire stories, the Expressionist art movement, and Shadow of the Vampire. A lot of research went into this episode but it was all worth it. This one has our best content so far in it so we hope you enjoy!

This week we're discussing one of the greatest slasher films ever: Black Christmas from 1974. Directed by Bob Clark (A Christmas Story, Porky's), this subtle and psychologically destructive film is a true work of horror art. We discuss the remake as well and content warning: we do discuss rape.

In our very first episode we talk about John Carpenter's masterpiece from 1982, The Thing, which is an adaption of a novella published in 1938 titled "Who Goes There?" We delve into the workings of the story, special effects, music and analyze the critical response at the time.