Podcasts about Dracula

1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker

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    Land Of The Creeps
    Land Of The Creeps Episode 463 : Top 5 Horror Movies From 2000

    Land Of The Creeps

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026


    Download Welcome to LOTC episode 463 and it is a new year which means the crew is tackling a new decade. This year the decade of 2000 will be covered and we begin with the year 2000. A new millennium and new group of movies. We are joined by the Unknown Caller during the show and we want to thank him for bringing the heat. We hope you enjoy us breaking down our top 5 horror movies from 2000. We also want to congratulate Bill Van Veghel for his 7 years of Podcasting with LOTC. Bill was not able to make the live show but you still get to hear from him as he gives his list. Sit back and grab those favorite snacks and beverages as you journey with us through the Land Of The Creeps.HELP KEEP HORROR ALIVE!!TOP 5 LIST'SDAVE1. SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE2. AUDITION3. GINGER SNAPS4. AMERICAN PSYCHO5. FINAL DESTINATIONUNKNOWN CALLER1. SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY2. CITIEN TOXIE : THE TOXIC AVENGER IV3. THE CELL4. BATTLE ROYALE5. FINAL DESTINATIONPEARL1. GINGER SNAPS2. FINAL DESTINATION3. WHAT LIES BENEATH4. DRACULA 20005. BLESS THE CHILD / BLAIR WITCH 2 : BOOK OF SHADOWSGREG1. GINGER SNAPS2. FREEZE ME3. SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE4. FINAL DESTINATION5. FAUST : LOVE OF THE DAMNEDBILL1. BATTLE ROYALE2. AUDITION3. FINAL DESTINATION4. CHERRY FALLS5. THE PERFECT STORMLOTC Links :Land Of The Creeps InstagramGregaMortisFacebookTwitterLand Of The Creeps Group PageLand Of The Creeps Fan PageJay Of  The Dead's New Horror Movie PodcastYoutubeInstagramEmailLetterboxdDr. ShockDVD Infatuation TwitterDVD Infatuation WebsiteFacebookHorror Movie PodcastJay Of The Dead's New Horror Movies PodcastYouTube ChannelLetterboxdDVD Infatuation PodcastThe Illustrated Fan PodcastBill Van Veghel LinkFacebookLetterboxdMusic,Movies,Sports & Stuff PodcastFacebook Music Movies Sports & StuffTwisted Temptress LinkLetterboxdLOTC Hotline Number1-804-569-56821-804-569-LOTCLOTC Intro is provided by Andy Ussery, Below are links to his social mediaEmail:FacebookTwitterOutro music provided by Greg Whitaker Below is Greg's Twitter accountTwitterFacebook

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
    Writing The Shadow: The Creative Wound, Publishing, And Money, With Joanna Penn

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2026 94:08


    What if the most transformative thing you can do for your writing craft and author business is to face what you fear? How can you can find gold in your Shadow in the year ahead? In this episode, I share chapters from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words. In the intro, curated book boxes from Bridgerton's Julia Quinn; Google's agentic shopping, and powering Apple's Siri; ChatGPT Ads; and Claude CoWork. Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty [MoonShots with Tony Robbins]; and three trends for authors with me and Orna Ross [Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast]; plus, Bones of the Deep, Business for Authors, and Indie Author Lab. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn  Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. What is the Shadow? The ‘creative wound' and the Shadow in writing The Shadow in traditional publishing The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author The Shadow in work The Shadow in money You can find Writing the Shadow in all formats on all stores, as well as special edition, workbook and bundles at www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words The following chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn. Introduction. What is the Shadow? “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole.” —C.G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul We all have a Shadow side and it is the work of a lifetime to recognise what lies within and spin that base material into gold. Think of it as a seedling in a little pot that you're given when you're young. It's a bit misshapen and weird, not something you would display in your living room, so you place it in a dark corner of the basement. You don't look at it for years. You almost forget about it. Then one day you notice tendrils of something wild poking up through the floorboards. They're ugly and don't fit with your Scandi-minimalist interior design. You chop the tendrils away and pour weedkiller on what's left, trying to hide the fact that they were ever there. But the creeping stems keep coming. At some point, you know you have to go down there and face the wild thing your seedling has become. When you eventually pluck up enough courage to go down into the basement, you discover that the plant has wound its roots deep into the foundations of your home. Its vines weave in and out of the cracks in the walls, and it has beautiful flowers and strange fruit. It holds your world together. Perhaps you don't need to destroy the wild tendrils. Perhaps you can let them wind up into the light and allow their rich beauty to weave through your home. It will change the look you have so carefully cultivated, but maybe that's just what the place needs. The Shadow in psychology Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychologist and the founder of analytical psychology. He described the Shadow as an unconscious aspect of the human personality, those parts of us that don't match up to what is expected of us by family and society, or to our own ideals. The Shadow is not necessarily evil or illegal or immoral, although of course it can be. It's also not necessarily caused by trauma, abuse, or any other severely damaging event, although again, it can be. It depends on the individual. What is in your Shadow is based on your life and your experiences, as well as your culture and society, so it will be different for everyone. Psychologist Connie Zweig, in The Inner Work of Age, explains, “The Shadow is that part of us that lies beneath or behind the light of awareness. It contains our rejected, unacceptable traits and feelings. It contains our hidden gifts and talents that have remained unexpressed or unlived. As Jung put it, the essence of the Shadow is pure gold.” To further illustrate the concept, Robert Bly, in A Little Book on the Human Shadow,uses the following metaphor: “When we are young, we carry behind us an invisible bag, into which we stuff any feelings, thoughts, or behaviours that bring disapproval or loss of love—anger, tears, neediness, laziness. By the time we go to school, our bags are already a mile long. In high school, our peer groups pressure us to stuff the bags with even more—individuality, sexuality, spontaneity, different opinions. We spend our life until we're twenty deciding which parts of ourselves to put into the bag and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again.” As authors, we can use what's in the ‘bag' to enrich our writing — but only if we can access it. My intention with this book is to help you venture into your Shadow and bring some of what's hidden into the light and into your words. I'll reveal aspects of my Shadow in these pages but ultimately, this book is about you. Your Shadow is unique. There may be elements we share, but much will be different. Each chapter has questions for you to consider that may help you explore at least the edges of your Shadow, but it's not easy. As Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” But take heart, Creative. You don't need courage when things are easy. You need it when you know what you face will be difficult, but you do it anyway. We are authors. We know how to do hard things. We turn ideas into books. We manifest thoughts into ink on paper. We change lives with our writing. First, our own, then other people's. It's worth the effort to delve into Shadow, so I hope you will join me on the journey. The creative wound and the Shadow in writing “Whatever pain you can't get rid of, make it your creative offering.” —Susan Cain, Bittersweet  The more we long for something, the more extreme our desire, the more likely it is to have a Shadow side. For those of us who love books, the author life may well be a long-held dream and thus, it is filled with Shadow. Books have long been objects of desire, power, and authority. They hold a mythic status in our lives. We escaped into stories as children; we studied books at school and college; we read them now for escape and entertainment, education and inspiration. We collect beautiful books to put on our shelves. We go to them for solace and answers to the deepest questions of life. Writers are similarly held in high esteem. They shape culture, win literary prizes, give important speeches, and are quoted in the mainstream media. Their books are on the shelves in libraries and bookstores. Writers are revered, held up as rare, talented creatures made separate from us by their brilliance and insight. For bibliophile children, books were everything and to write one was a cherished dream. To become an author? Well, that would mean we might be someone special, someone worthy. Perhaps when you were young, you thought the dream of being a writer was possible — then you told someone about it. That's probably when you heard the first criticism of such a ridiculous idea, the first laughter, the first dismissal. So you abandoned the dream, pushed the idea of being a writer into the Shadow, and got on with your life. Or if it wasn't then, it came later, when you actually put pen to paper and someone — a parent, teacher, partner, or friend, perhaps even a literary agent or publisher, someone whose opinion you valued — told you it was worthless. Here are some things you might have heard: Writing is a hobby. Get a real job. You're not good enough. You don't have any writing talent. You don't have enough education. You don't know what you're doing. Your writing is derivative / unoriginal / boring / useless / doesn't make sense. The genre you write in is dead / worthless / unacceptable / morally wrong / frivolous / useless.  Who do you think you are? No one would want to read what you write. You can't even use proper grammar, so how could you write a whole book? You're wasting your time. You'll never make it as a writer. You shouldn't write those things (or even think about those things). Why don't you write something nice? Insert other derogatory comment here! Mark Pierce describes the effect of this experience in his book The Creative Wound, which “occurs when an event, or someone's actions or words, pierce you, causing a kind of rift in your soul. A comment—even offhand and unintentional—is enough to cause one.” He goes on to say that such words can inflict “damage to the core of who we are as creators. It is an attack on our artistic identity, resulting in us believing that whatever we make is somehow tainted or invalid, because shame has convinced us there is something intrinsically tainted or invalid about ourselves.” As adults, we might brush off such wounds, belittling them as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. We might even find ourselves saying the same words to other people. After all, it's easier to criticise than to create. But if you picture your younger self, bright eyed as you lose yourself in your favourite book, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of what you longed for before your dreams were dashed on the rocks of other people's reality. As Mark Pierce goes on to say, “A Creative Wound has the power to delay our pursuits—sometimes for years—and it can even derail our lives completely… Anything that makes us feel ashamed of ourselves or our work can render us incapable of the self-expression we yearn for.” This is certainly what happened to me, and it took decades to unwind. Your creative wounds will differ to mine but perhaps my experience will help you explore your own. To be clear, your Shadow may not reside in elements of horror as mine do, but hopefully you can use my example to consider where your creative wounds might lie. “You shouldn't write things like that.” It happened at secondary school around 1986 or 1987, so I would have been around eleven or twelve years old. English was one of my favourite subjects and the room we had our lessons in looked out onto a vibrant garden. I loved going to that class because it was all about books, and they were always my favourite things. One day, we were asked to write a story. I can't remember the specifics of what the teacher asked us to write, but I fictionalised a recurring nightmare. I stood in a dark room. On one side, my mum and my brother, Rod, were tied up next to a cauldron of boiling oil, ready to be thrown in. On the other side, my dad and my little sister, Lucy, were threatened with decapitation by men with machetes. I had to choose who would die. I always woke up, my heart pounding, before I had to choose. Looking back now, it clearly represented an internal conflict about having to pick sides between the two halves of my family. Not an unexpected issue from a child of divorce. Perhaps these days, I might have been sent to the school counsellor, but it was the eighties and I don't think we even had such a thing. Even so, the meaning of the story isn't the point. It was the reaction to it that left scars. “You shouldn't write things like that,” my teacher said, and I still remember her look of disappointment, even disgust. Certainly judgment. She said my writing was too dark. It wasn't a proper story. It wasn't appropriate for the class. As if horrible things never happened in stories — or in life. As if literature could not include dark tales. As if the only acceptable writing was the kind she approved of. We were taught The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie that year, which says a lot about the type of writing considered appropriate. Or perhaps the issue stemmed from the school motto, “So hateth she derknesse,” from Chaucer's The Legend of Good Women: “For fear of night, so she hates the darkness.” I had won a scholarship to a private girls' school, and their mission was to turn us all into proper young ladies. Horror was never on the curriculum. Perhaps if my teacher had encouraged me to write my darkness back then, my nightmares would have dissolved on the page. Perhaps if we had studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or H.P. Lovecraft stories, or Bram Stoker's Dracula, I could have embraced the darker side of literature earlier in my life. My need to push darker thoughts into my Shadow was compounded by my (wonderful) mum's best intentions. We were brought up on the principles of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and she tried to shield me and my brother from anything harmful or horrible. We weren't allowed to watch TV much, and even the British school drama Grange Hill was deemed inappropriate. So much of what I've achieved is because my mum instilled in me a “can do” attitude that anything is possible. I'm so grateful to her for that. (I love you, Mum!) But all that happy positivity, my desire to please her, to be a good girl, to make my teachers proud, and to be acceptable to society, meant that I pushed my darker thoughts into Shadow. They were inappropriate. They were taboo. They must be repressed, kept secret, and I must be outwardly happy and positive at all times. You cannot hold back the darkness “The night is dark and full of terrors.” —George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords It turned out that horror was on the curriculum, much of it in the form of educational films we watched during lessons. In English Literature, we watched Romeo drink poison and Juliet stab herself in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. In Religious Studies, we watched Jesus beaten, tortured, and crucified in The Greatest Story Ever Told, and learned of the variety of gruesome ways that Christian saints were martyred. In Classical Civilisation, we watched gladiators slaughter each other in Spartacus. In Sex Education at the peak of the AIDS crisis in the mid-'80s, we were told of the many ways we could get infected and die. In History, we studied the Holocaust with images of skeletal bodies thrown into mass graves, medical experiments on humans, and grainy videos of marching soldiers giving the Nazi salute. One of my first overseas school field trips was to the World War I battlegrounds of Flanders Fields in Belgium, where we studied the inhuman conditions of the trenches, walked through mass graves, and read war poetry by candlelight. As John McCrae wrote: We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Did the teachers not realise how deeply a sensitive teenager might feel the darkness of that place? Or have I always been unusual in that places of blood echo deep inside me? And the horrors kept coming. We lived in Bristol, England back then and I learned at school how the city had been part of the slave trade, its wealth built on the backs of people stolen from their homes, sold, and worked to death in the colonies. I had been at school for a year in Malawi, Africa and imagined the Black people I knew drowning, being beaten, and dying on those ships. In my teenage years, the news was filled with ethnic cleansing, mass rape, and massacres during the Balkan wars, and images of bodies hacked apart during the Rwandan genocide. Evil committed by humans against other humans was not a historical aberration. I'm lucky and I certainly acknowledge my privilege. Nothing terrible or horrifying has happened to me — but bad things certainly happen to others. I wasn't bullied or abused. I wasn't raped or beaten or tortured. But you don't have to go through things to be afraid of them, and for your imagination to conjure the possibility of them. My mum doesn't read my fiction now as it gives her nightmares (Sorry, Mum!). I know she worries that somehow she's responsible for my darkness, but I've had a safe and (mostly) happy life, for which I'm truly grateful. But the world is not an entirely safe and happy place, and for a sensitive child with a vivid imagination, the world is dark and scary. It can be brutal and violent, and bad things happen, even to good people. No parent can shield their child from the reality of the world. They can only help them do their best to live in it, develop resilience, and find ways to deal with whatever comes. Story has always been a way that humans have used to learn how to live and deal with difficult times. The best authors, the ones that readers adore and can't get enough of, write their darkness into story to channel their experience, and help others who fear the same. In an interview on writing the Shadow on The Creative Penn Podcast, Michaelbrent Collings shared how he incorporated a personally devastating experience into his writing:  “My wife and I lost a child years back, and that became the root of one of my most terrifying books, Apparition. It's not terrifying because it's the greatest book of all time, but just the concept that there's this thing out there… like a demon, and it consumes the blood and fear of the children, and then it withdraws and consumes the madness of the parents… I wrote that in large measure as a way of working through what I was experiencing.” I've learned much from Michaelbrent. I've read many of his (excellent) books and he's been on my podcast multiple times talking about his depression and mental health issues, as well as difficulties in his author career. Writing darkness is not in Michaelbrent's Shadow and only he can say what lies there for him. But from his example, and from that of other authors, I too learned how to write my Shadow into my books. Twenty-three years after that English lesson, in November 2009, I did NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and wrote five thousand words of what eventually became Stone of Fire, my first novel. In the initial chapter, I burned a nun alive on the ghats of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River. I had watched the bodies burn by night on pyres from a boat bobbing in the current a few years before, and the image was still crystal clear in my mind. The only way to deal with how it made me feel about death was to write about it — and since then, I've never stopped writing. Returning to the nightmare from my school days, I've never had to choose between the two halves of my family, but the threat of losing them remains a theme in my fiction. In my ARKANE thriller series, Morgan Sierra will do anything to save her sister and her niece. Their safety drives her to continue to fight against evil. Our deepest fears emerge in our writing, and that's the safest place for them. I wish I'd been taught how to turn my nightmares into words back at school, but at least now I've learned to write my Shadow onto the page. I wish the same for you. The Shadow in traditional publishing If becoming an author is your dream, then publishing a book is deeply entwined with that. But as Mark Pierce says in The Creative Wound, “We feel pain the most where it matters the most… Desire highlights whatever we consider to be truly significant.” There is a lot of desire around publishing for those of us who love books! It can give you: Validation that your writing is good enough Status and credibility Acceptance by an industry held in esteem  The potential of financial reward and critical acclaim Support from a team of professionals who know how to make fantastic books A sense of belonging to an elite community Pride in achieving a long-held goal, resulting in a confidence boost and self-esteem Although not guaranteed, traditional publishing can give you all these things and more, but as with everything, there is a potential Shadow side. Denying it risks the potential of being disillusioned, disappointed, and even damaged. But remember, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. Preparation can help you avoid potential issues and help you feel less alone if you encounter them. The myth of success… and the reality of experience There is a pervasive myth of success in the traditional publishing industry, perpetuated by media reporting on brand name and breakout authors, those few outliers whose experience is almost impossible to replicate. Because of such examples, many new traditionally published authors think that their first book will hit the top of the bestseller charts or win an award, as well as make them a million dollars — or at least a big chunk of cash. They will be able to leave their job, write in a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and swan around the world attending conferences, while writing more bestselling books. It will be a charmed life. But that is not the reality. Perhaps it never was. Even so, the life of a traditionally published author represents a mythic career with the truth hidden behind a veil of obscurity. In April 2023, The Bookseller in the UK reported that “more than half of authors (54%) responding to a survey on their experiences of publishing their debut book have said the process negatively affected their mental health. Though views were mixed, just 22%… described a positive experience overall… Among the majority who said they had a negative experience of debut publication, anxiety, stress, depression and ‘lowered' self-esteem were cited, with lack of support, guidance or clear and professional communication from their publisher among the factors that contributed.” Many authors who have negative experiences around publishing will push them into the Shadow with denial or self-blame, preferring to keep the dream alive. They won't talk about things in public as this may negatively affect their careers, but private discussions are often held in the corners of writing conferences or social media groups online. Some of the issues are as follows: Repeated rejection by agents and publishers may lead to the author thinking they are not good enough as a writer, which can lead to feeling unworthy as a person. If an author gets a deal, the amount of advance and the name and status of the publisher compared to others create a hierarchy that impacts self-esteem. A deal for a book may be much lower than an author might have been expecting, with low or no advance, and the resulting experience with the publisher beneath expectations. The launch process may be disappointing, and the book may appear without fanfare, with few sales and no bestseller chart position. In The Bookseller report, one author described her launch day as “a total wasteland… You have expectations about what publication day will be like, but in reality, nothing really happens.” The book may receive negative reviews by critics or readers or more publicly on social media, which can make an author feel attacked. The book might not sell as well as expected, and the author may feel like it's their fault. Commercial success can sometimes feel tied to self-worth and an author can't help but compare their sales to others, with resulting embarrassment or shame. The communication from the publisher may be less than expected. One author in The Bookseller report said, “I was shocked by the lack of clarity and shared information and the cynicism that underlies the superficial charm of this industry.” There is often more of a focus on debut authors in publishing houses, so those who have been writing and publishing in the midlist for years can feel ignored and undervalued. In The Bookseller report, 48 percent of authors reported “their publisher supported them for less than a year,” with one saying, “I got no support and felt like a commodity, like the team had moved on completely to the next book.” If an author is not successful enough, the next deal may be lower than the last, less effort is made with marketing, and they may be let go. In The Bookseller report, “six authors—debut and otherwise—cited being dropped by their publisher, some with no explanation.” Even if everything goes well and an author is considered successful by others, they may experience imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud when speaking at conferences or doing book signings. And the list goes on … All these things can lead to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment; loss of status in the eyes of peers; and a sense of failure if a publishing career is not successful enough. The author feels like it's their fault, like they weren't good enough — although, of course, the reality is that the conditions were not right at the time. A failure of a book is not a failure of the person, but it can certainly feel like it! When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Despite all the potential negatives of traditional publishing, if you know what could happen, you can mitigate them. You can prepare yourself for various scenarios and protect yourself from potential fall-out. It's clear from The Bookseller report that too many authors have unrealistic expectations of the industry. But publishers are businesses, not charities. It's not their job to make you feel good as an author. It's their job to sell books and pay you. The best thing they can do is to continue to be a viable business so they can keep putting books on the shelves and keep paying authors, staff, and company shareholders. When you license your creative work to a publisher, you're giving up control of your intellectual property in exchange for money and status. Bring your fears and issues out of the Shadow, acknowledge them, and deal with them early, so they do not get pushed down and re-emerge later in blame and bitterness. Educate yourself on the business of publishing. Be clear on what you want to achieve with any deal. Empower yourself as an author, take responsibility for your career, and you will have a much better experience. The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author Self-publishing, or being an independent (indie) author, can be a fantastic, pro-active choice for getting your book into the world. Holding your first book in your hand and saying “I made this” is pretty exciting, and even after more than forty books, I still get excited about seeing ideas in my head turn into a physical product in the world. Self-publishing can give an author: Creative control over what to write, editorial and cover design choices, when and how often to publish, and how to market Empowerment over your author career and the ability to make choices that impact success without asking for permission Ownership and control of intellectual property assets, resulting in increased opportunity around licensing and new markets Independence and the potential for recurring income for the long term Autonomy and flexibility around timelines, publishing options, and the ability to easily pivot into new genres and business models Validation based on positive reader reviews and money earned Personal growth and learning through the acquisition of new skills, resulting in a boost in confidence and self-esteem A sense of belonging to an active and vibrant community of indie authors around the world Being an indie author can give you all this and more, but once again, there is a Shadow side and preparation can help you navigate potential issues. The myth of success… and the reality of experience As with traditional publishing, the indie author world has perpetuated a myth of success in the example of the breakout indie author like E.L. James with Fifty Shades of Grey, Hugh Howey with Wool, or Andy Weir with The Martian. The emphasis on financial success is also fuelled online by authors who share screenshots showing six-figure months or seven-figure years, without sharing marketing costs and other outgoings, or the amount of time spent on the business. Yes, these can inspire some, but it can also make others feel inadequate and potentially lead to bad choices about how to publish and market based on comparison. The indie author world is full of just as much ego and a desire for status and money as traditional publishing. This is not a surprise! Most authors, regardless of publishing choices, are a mix of massive ego and chronic self-doubt. We are human, so the same issues will re-occur. A different publishing method doesn't cure all ills. Some of the issues are as follows: You learn everything you need to know about writing and editing, only to find that you need to learn a whole new set of skills in order to self-publish and market your book. This can take a lot of time and effort you did not expect, and things change all the time so you have to keep learning. Being in control of every aspect of the publishing process, from writing to cover design to marketing, can be overwhelming, leading to indecision, perfectionism, stress, and even burnout as you try to do all the things. You try to find people to help, but building your team is a challenge, and working with others has its own difficulties. People say negative things about self-publishing that may arouse feelings of embarrassment or shame. These might be little niggles, but they needle you, nonetheless. You wonder whether you made the right choice. You struggle with self-doubt and if you go to an event with traditional published authors, you compare yourself to them and feel like an imposter. Are you good enough to be an author if a traditional publisher hasn't chosen you? Is it just vanity to self-publish? Are your books unworthy? Even though you worked with a professional editor, you still get one-star reviews and you hate criticism from readers. You wonder whether you're wasting your time. You might be ripped off by an author services company who promise the world, only to leave you with a pile of printed books in your garage and no way to sell them. When you finally publish your book, it languishes at the bottom of the charts while other authors hit the top of the list over and over, raking in the cash while you are left out of pocket. You don't admit to over-spending on marketing as it makes you ashamed. You resist book marketing and make critical comments about writers who embrace it. You believe that quality rises to the top and if a book is good enough, people will buy it anyway. This can lead to disappointment and disillusionment when you launch your book and it doesn't sell many copies because nobody knows about it. You try to do what everyone advises, but you still can't make decent money as an author. You're jealous of other authors' success and put it down to them ‘selling out' or writing things you can't or ‘using AI' or ‘using a ghostwriter' or having a specific business model you consider impossible to replicate. And the list goes on… When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Being in control of your books and your author career is a double-edged sword. Traditionally published authors can criticise their publishers or agents or the marketing team or the bookstores or the media, but indie authors have to take responsibility for it all. Sure, we can blame ‘the algorithms' or social media platforms, or criticise other authors for having more experience or more money to invest in marketing, or attribute their success to writing in a more popular genre — but we also know there are always people who do well regardless of the challenges. Once more, we're back to acknowledging and integrating the Shadow side of our choices. We are flawed humans. There will always be good times and bad, and difficulties to offset the high points. This too shall pass, as the old saying goes. I know that being an indie author has plenty of Shadow. I've been doing this since 2008 and despite the hard times, I'm still here. I'm still writing. I'm still publishing. This life is not for everyone, but it's my choice. You must make yours. The Shadow in work You work hard. You make a living. Nothing wrong with that attitude, right? It's what we're taught from an early age and, like so much of life, it's not a problem until it goes to extremes. Not achieving what you want to? Work harder. Can't get ahead? Work harder. Not making a good enough living? Work harder. People who don't work hard are lazy. They don't deserve handouts or benefits. People who don't work hard aren't useful, so they are not valued members of our culture and community. But what about the old or the sick, the mentally ill, or those with disabilities? What about children? What about the unemployed? The under-employed? What about those who are — or will be — displaced by technology, those called “the useless class” by historian Yuval Noah Harari in his book Homo Deus? What if we become one of these in the future? Who am I if I cannot work? The Shadow side of my attitude to work became clear when I caught COVID in the summer of 2021. I was the sickest I'd ever been. I spent two weeks in bed unable to even think properly, and six weeks after that, I was barely able to work more than an hour a day before lying in the dark and waiting for my energy to return. I was limited in what I could do for another six months after that. At times, I wondered if I would ever get better. Jonathan kept urging me to be patient and rest. But I don't know how to rest. I know how to work and how to sleep. I can do ‘active rest,' which usually involves walking a long way or traveling somewhere interesting, but those require a stronger mind and body than I had during those months. It struck me that even if I recovered from the virus, I had glimpsed my future self. One day, I will be weak in body and mind. If I'm lucky, that will be many years away and hopefully for a short time before I die — but it will happen. I am an animal. I will die. My body and mind will pass on and I will be no more. Before then I will be weak. Before then, I will be useless. Before then, I will be a burden. I will not be able to work… But who am I if I cannot work? What is the point of me? I can't answer these questions right now, because although I recognise them as part of my Shadow, I've not progressed far enough to have dealt with them entirely. My months of COVID gave me some much-needed empathy for those who cannot work, even if they want to. We need to reframe what work is as a society, and value humans for different things, especially as technology changes what work even means. That starts with each of us. “Illness, affliction of body and soul, can be life-altering. It has the potential to reveal the most fundamental conflict of the human condition: the tension between our infinite, glorious dreams and desires and our limited, vulnerable, decaying physicality.” —Connie Zweig, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul The Shadow in money In the Greek myth, King Midas was a wealthy ruler who loved gold above all else. His palace was adorned with golden sculptures and furniture, and he took immense pleasure in his riches. Yet, despite his vast wealth, he yearned for more. After doing a favour for Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, Midas was granted a single wish. Intoxicated by greed, he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold — and it was so. At first, it was a lot of fun. Midas turned everything else in his palace to gold, even the trees and stones of his estate. After a morning of turning things to gold, he fancied a spot of lunch. But when he tried to eat, the food and drink turned to gold in his mouth. He became thirsty and hungry — and increasingly desperate. As he sat in despair on his golden throne, his beloved young daughter ran to comfort him. For a moment, he forgot his wish — and as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, she turned into a golden statue, frozen in precious metal. King Midas cried out to the gods to forgive him, to reverse the wish. He renounced his greed and gave away all his wealth, and his daughter was returned to life. The moral of the story: Wealth and greed are bad. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is described as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner.” He's wealthy but does not share, considering Christmas spending to be frivolous and giving to charity to be worthless. He's saved by a confrontation with his lonely future and becomes a generous man and benefactor of the poor. Wealth is good if you share it with others. The gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: 14-30, tells the parable of the bags of gold, in which a rich man goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with varying amounts of gold. On his return, the servants who multiplied the gold through their efforts and investments are rewarded, while the one who merely returned the gold with no interest is punished: “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Making money is good, making more money is even better. If you can't make any money, you don't deserve to have any. Within the same gospel, in Matthew 19:24, Jesus encounters a wealthy man and tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, which the man is unable to do. Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Wealth is bad. Give it all away and you'll go to heaven. With all these contradictory messages, no wonder we're so conflicted about money! How do you think and feel about money? While money is mostly tied to our work, it's far more than just a transactional object for most people. It's loaded with complex symbolism and judgment handed down by family, religion, and culture. You are likely to find elements of Shadow by examining your attitudes around money. Consider which of the following statements resonate with you or write your own. Money stresses me out. I don't want to talk about it or think about it. Some people hoard money, so there is inequality. Rich people are bad and we should take away their wealth and give it to the poor.  I can never make enough money to pay the bills, or to give my family what I want to provide. Money doesn't grow on trees.  It's wasteful to spend money as you might need it later, so I'm frugal and don't spend money unless absolutely necessary. It is better and more ethical to be poor than to be rich. I want more money. I read books and watch TV shows about rich people because I want to live like that. Sometimes I spend too much on things for a glimpse of what that might be like.  I buy lottery tickets and dream of winning all that money.  I'm jealous of people who have money. I want more of it and I resent those who have it. I'm no good with money. I don't like to look at my bank statement or credit card statement. I live off my overdraft and I'm in debt. I will never earn enough to get out of debt and start saving, so I don't think too much about it. I don't know enough about money. Talking about it makes me feel stupid, so I just ignore it. People like me aren't educated about money.  I need to make more money. If I can make lots of money, then people will look up to me. If I make lots of money, I will be secure, nothing can touch me, I will be safe.  I never want to be poor. I would be ashamed to be poor. I will never go on benefits. My net worth is my self worth. Money is good. We have the best standard of living in history because of the increase in wealth over time. Even the richest kings of the past didn't have what many middle-class people have today in terms of access to food, water, technology, healthcare, education, and more. The richest people give the most money to the poor through taxation and charity, as well as through building companies that employ people and invent new things. The very richest give away much of their fortunes. They provide far more benefit to the world than the poor.  I love money. Money loves me. Money comes easily and quickly to me. I attract money in multiple streams of income. It flows to me in so many ways. I spend money. I invest money. I give money. I'm happy and grateful for all that I receive. The Shadow around money for authors in particular Many writers and other creatives have issues around money and wealth. How often have you heard the following, and which do you agree with? You can't make money with your writing. You'll be a poor author in a garret, a starving artist.  You can't write ‘good quality' books and make money. If you make money writing, you're a hack, you're selling out. You are less worthy than someone who writes only for the Muse. Your books are commercial, not artistic. If you spend money on marketing, then your books are clearly not good enough to sell on their own. My agent / publisher / accountant / partner deals with the money side. I like to focus on the creative side of things. My money story Note: This is not financial or investment advice. Please talk to a professional about your situation. I've had money issues over the years — haven't we all! But I have been through a (long) process to bring money out of my Shadow and into the light. There will always be more to discover, but hopefully my money story will help you, or at least give you an opportunity to reflect. Like most people, I didn't grow up with a lot of money. My parents started out as teachers, but later my mum — who I lived with, along with my brother — became a change management consultant, moving to the USA and earning a lot more. I'm grateful that she moved into business because her example changed the way I saw money and provided some valuable lessons. (1) You can change your circumstances by learning more and then applying that to leverage opportunity into a new job or career Mum taught English at a school in Bristol when we moved back from Malawi, Africa, in the mid '80s but I remember how stressful it was for her, and how little money she made. She wanted a better future for us all, so she took a year out to do a master's degree in management. In the same way, when I wanted to change careers and leave consulting to become an author, I spent time and money learning about the writing craft and the business of publishing. I still invest a considerable chunk on continuous learning, as this industry changes all the time. (2) You might have to downsize in order to leap forward The year my mum did her degree, we lived in the attic of another family's house; we ate a lot of one-pot casserole and our treat was having a Yorkie bar on the walk back from the museum. We wore hand-me-down clothes, and I remember one day at school when another girl said I was wearing her dress. I denied it, of course, but there in back of the dress was her name tag. I still remember her name and I can still feel that flush of shame and embarrassment. I was determined to never feel like that again. But what I didn't realize at the time was that I was also learning the power of downsizing. Mum got her degree and then a new job in management in Bristol. She bought a house, and we settled for a few years. I had lots of different jobs as a teenager. My favourite was working in the delicatessen because we got a free lunch made from delicious produce. After I finished A-levels, I went to the University of Oxford, and my mum and brother moved to the USA for further opportunities. I've downsized multiple times over the years, taking a step back in order to take a step forward. The biggest was in 2010 when I decided to leave consulting. Jonathan and I sold our three-bedroom house and investments in Brisbane, Australia, and rented a one-bedroom flat in London, so we could be debt-free and live on less while I built up a new career. It was a decade before we bought another house. (3) Comparison can be deadly: there will always be people with more money than you Oxford was an education in many ways and relevant to this chapter is how much I didn't know about things people with money took for granted. I learned about formal hall and wine pairings, and how to make a perfect gin and tonic. I ate smoked salmon for the first time. I learned how to fit in with people who had a lot more money than I did, and I definitely wanted to have money of my own to play with. (4) Income is not wealth You can earn lots but have nothing to show for it after years of working. I learned this in my first few years of IT consulting after university. I earned a great salary and then went contracting, earning even more money at a daily rate. I had a wonderful time. I traveled, ate and drank and generally made merry, but I always had to go back to the day job when the money ran out. I couldn't work out how I could ever stop this cycle. Then I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, a book I still recommend, especially if you're from a family that values academic over financial education. I learned how to escape the rat race by building and/or accumulating assets that pay even when you're not working. It was a revelation! The ‘poor dad' in the book is a university professor. He knows so much about so many things, but he ends up poor as he did not educate himself about money. The ‘rich dad' has little formal education, but he knows about money and wealth because he learned about it, as we can do at any stage in our lives. (5) Not all investments suit every person, so find the right one for you Once I discovered the world of investing, I read all the books and did courses and in-person events. I joined communities and I up-skilled big time. Of course, I made mistakes and learned lots along the way. I tried property investing and renovated a couple of houses for rental (with more practical partners and skilled contractors). But while I could see that property investing might work for some people, I did not care enough about the details to make it work for me, and it was certainly not passive income. I tried other things. My first husband was a boat skipper and scuba diving instructor, so we started a charter. With the variable costs of fuel, the vagaries of New Zealand weather — and our divorce — it didn't last long! From all these experiments, I learned I wanted to run a business, but it needed to be online and not based on a physical location, physical premises, or other people. That was 2006, around the time that blogging started taking off and it became possible to make a living online. I could see the potential and a year later, the iPhone and the Amazon Kindle launched, which became the basis of my business as an author. (6) Boring, automatic saving and investing works best Between 2007 and 2011, I contracted in Australia, where they have compulsory superannuation contributions, meaning you have to save and invest a percentage of your salary or self-employed income. I'd never done that before, because I didn't understand it. I'd ploughed all my excess income into property or the business instead. But in Australia I didn't notice the money going out because it was automatic. I chose a particular fund and it auto-invested every month. The pot grew pretty fast since I didn't touch it, and years later, it's still growing. I discovered the power of compound interest and time in the market, both of which are super boring. This type of investing is not a get rich quick scheme. It's a slow process of automatically putting money into boring investments and doing that month in, month out, year in, year out, automatically for decades while you get on with your life. I still do this. I earn money as an author entrepreneur and I put a percentage of that into boring investments automatically every month. I also have a small amount which is for fun and higher risk investments, but mostly I'm a conservative, risk-averse investor planning ahead for the future. This is not financial advice, so I'm not giving any specifics. I have a list of recommended money books at www.TheCreativePenn.com/moneybooks if you want to learn more. Learning from the Shadow When I look back, my Shadow side around money eventually drove me to learn more and resulted in a better outcome (so far!). I was ashamed of being poor when I had to wear hand-me-down clothes at school. That drove a fear of not having any money, which partially explains my workaholism. I was embarrassed at Oxford because I didn't know how to behave in certain settings, and I wanted to be like the rich people I saw there. I spent too much money in my early years as a consultant because I wanted to experience a “rich” life and didn't understand saving and investing would lead to better things in the future. I invested too much in the wrong things because I didn't know myself well enough and I was trying to get rich quick so I could leave my job and ‘be happy.' But eventually, I discovered that I could grow my net worth with boring, long-term investments while doing a job I loved as an author entrepreneur. My only regret is that I didn't discover this earlier and put a percentage of my income into investments as soon as I started work. It took several decades to get started, but at least I did (eventually) start. My money story isn't over yet, and I keep learning new things, but hopefully my experience will help you reflect on your own and avoid the issue if it's still in Shadow. These chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn  The post Writing The Shadow: The Creative Wound, Publishing, And Money, With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

    Classic Ghost Stories
    The Skeleton Count or The Vampire Mistress by Elizabeth Grey

    Classic Ghost Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 68:47


    Let's go Gothick. Get your pitchfork. Get your burning brand. We're off to the castle to see the count. The Skeleton Count; or, The Vampire Mistress In the shadowed corridors of a remote castle, Count Rodolph has made a bargain that no mortal should contemplate. The price of eternal life is high, and the methods by which it is secured are terrible beyond imagining. When the corpse of the beautiful Bertha is carried from her grave to his study, something moves beneath the burial shroud. Eyes that had closed in death open once more, fixed upon the Count with a gaze both empty and aware. She will be his companion through the centuries—but what hungers might stir in one recalled from the tomb? What thoughts take root in a mind that has crossed the threshold between this world and the next? The villagers whisper of strange lights in the tower. A child is found pale and trembling in the night. And in the castle, two beings who should not exist learn what it means to be neither living nor dead. First published in 1828 in the English periodical The Casket, this early vampire tale predates both Carmilla and Dracula, exploring the dark territory between necromancy and vampirism. The story has been attributed to Elizabeth Caroline Grey, though both the authorship and original publication remain subjects of scholarly dispute. If the attribution holds, it represents the first vampire story written and published by a woman. Don't forget the radio station https://www.gravenheim.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Trick or Treat Radio
    TorTR #703 - Flexing Pecs and Cashing Checks

    Trick or Treat Radio

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 167:18


    Send us a textA group of friends join a game show in which contestants, allowed to flee anywhere in the world, are pursued by "podcasters" hired to kill them with their brand of off-beat humor. On Episode 703 of Trick or Treat Radio our feature film discussion is The Running Man (2025) from director Edgar Wright! We also revisit MZ's hatred of Stephen Spielberg, our coming attractions segment has us reacting to the trailers for the films; Undertone, and The Dreadful, and we get a horrifying glimpse into our very near socio-political future. So grab as many costume changes as you can fit in your bag, bury all your new dollars in your backyard, and strap on for the world's most dangerous podcast!Stuff we talk about: Remembering Heather O'Rourke, Poltergeist, She Was Here, you can learn from Spielberg without becoming Spielberg, Disclosure Day, Duel, Sugarland Express, E.T., Brian Paulin, Amistad, Treejumpers, Catch Me If You Can, Bela Tarr, The Fatal Hour, Return of the Living Dead II, In Dreams, Virus, Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter, Rats, Vampire Boulevard, Asylum, Butcher House, Ghost Hunters, Army of the Dead, The Book of Eli, Intruders, Ari Aster, Robert Zemeckis, Hostel, Chad Lowe, The Others, Mario Van Peebles, Cape Fear, The Accident, George “Funky” Brown, Andrea Martin, Black Christmas, Cannibal Girls, Richard Franklin, Pet Sematary 2, The Devil's Daughter, Jaws 2, Dube dube doo he did Jaws 2, Billy the Kid vs. Dracula, The Old Dark House, The Bride of Frankenstein, London After Midnight, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Beau is Afraid, Joaquim the African Dream, RIP T.K. Carter, The Thing, Punky Brewster, RIP Marcus Gilbert, Grateful Dead, RIP Bob Weir, Barry Sobel, The Milwaukee Dream, Slick, Pontypool, Stanley Kubrick, The Dreadful, Onibaba, Undertone, A24, Orson Swells, Katy O'Brian, The Running Man, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Yaphet Kotto, Edgar Wright, Last Night in Soho, sidekick prepper, Baby Driver, Ant-Man, The Cornetto Trilogy, Katy O'Brian, Martin Herlihy, Please Don't Destroy, William H. Macy, FreeVee, Stephen King, Richard Bachman, Shock Treatment, The Long Walk, Michael Cera, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Sinners, Series 7: The Contenders, Dust Bunny, Mockingbird Lane, American Gods, Hannibal, Bryan Fuller, David Dastmalchian, Late Night With the Devil, Flay or Filet, BMX Bandits, Controlling the Orswellian Narrative, Edgar Played it Wright, Even Satan Has a Podcast.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trickortreatradioJoin our Discord Community: discord.trickortreatradio.comSend Email/Voicemail: mailto:podcast@trickortreatradio.comVisit our website: http://trickortreatradio.comStart your own podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=386Use our Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2CTdZzKFB Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/trickortreatradioTwitter: http://twitter.com/TrickTreatRadioFacebook: http://facebook.com/TrickOrTreatRadioYouTube: http://youtube.com/TrickOrTreatRadioInstagram: http://instagram.com/TrickorTreatRadioSupport the show

    As the Actress said to the Critic
    Why can theatre be so terrifying?

    As the Actress said to the Critic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 31:54


    It may not be Halloween, but there definitely seems to be a spooky season on UK stages – with Paranormal Activity making things go bump in the night, A Ghost in Your Ear sending chills down the spine and 2:22 A Ghost Story back on the open road (all before Dracula has begun performances in the West End!). With that in mind, Sarah and Alex put on their bravest faces and discuss why fear works so well on stage. Plus, in a complete tangent, why they're both thrilled to bits about Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey teaming up with Marianne Elliott and Tom Scutt for Sunday in the Park with George. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    EnCrypted: The Classic Horror Podcast
    "The Living Stone" by E. R. Punshon

    EnCrypted: The Classic Horror Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 31:10


    A professor of comparative religion is drawn to investigate a remote part of Cornwall following a spate of disappearances.This original recording is an audio presentation by Jasper L'Estrange for EnCrypted Horror. “THE LIVING STONE” by E. R. Punshon, 1939.

    Camp Gagnon
    How Dracula Terrorized The Ottoman Empire

    Camp Gagnon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 37:49


    Today we dive deep into the chilling history of Vlad the Impaler—from years as a child prisoner and his connection to the Dracula legend to his horrifying rise to power, his infamous torture methods, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death. Welcome to HISTORY CAMP!

    Horror Hangout | Two Bearded Film Fans Watch The 50 Best Horror Movies Ever!
    Horror Hangout #419 : Dracula - A Love Tale (w/ Ashley B Red)

    Horror Hangout | Two Bearded Film Fans Watch The 50 Best Horror Movies Ever!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 129:53


    He's waited centuries.Dracula (developed with the working title Dracula: A Love Tale) is a 2025 English-language French Gothic romantic fantasy film, written and directed by Luc Besson, based on the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. It stars Caleb Landry Jones as the eponymous character, alongside Christoph Waltz and Zoë Bleu.When a 15th-century prince denounces God after the loss of his wife he inherits an eternal curse: he becomes Dracula. Condemned to wander the centuries, he defies fate and death, guided by a single hope - to be reunited with his lost love.00:00 Intro 12:45 Horror News 25:20 What We've Been Watching39:34 Film Review1:53:55 Drac Or Not Drac Quiz2:03:44 Film Rating2:08:05 Outrowww.horrorhangout.co.ukPodcast - https://fanlink.tv/horrorhangoutPatreon - http://www.patreon.com/horrorhangoutFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/horrorhangoutpodcastX - http:/x.com/horror_hangout_TikTok - http://www.tiktok.com/@horrorhangoutpodcastInstagram - http://www.instagram.com/horrorhangoutpodcastBen - https://x.com/ben_errington​​​Andy - https://www.instagram.com/andyctwrites/Ashley - https://www.instagram.com/ashleybredmusicofficial/Audio credit - Taj Eastonhttp://tajeaston.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thehorrorhangout. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Ghost Story Guys
    Dracula's Coffee Table | Talk Spooky to Me

    The Ghost Story Guys

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 50:30


    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ad-free episodes, early release, and bonus shows⁠ Dracula is real and we have found his coffee table! Okay, not really, but it's still weird as hell and we had to talk about it. Also on this dive into the mailbag we talk about haunted courthouses, Mothman in "Fallout 76", and a whole lot more! Our musical guest on this episode is Faustbot, with the track "A.I. is For Assholes", off his new album, "Rant" Links: The Coffee Table [imgur] "Brethren", by LM Conkling [Perseid Prophecies] Full shownotes @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GhostStoryGuys.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Count Kreepyhead's Saturday morning monster mash

    We have survived 2025 and now we roll into 2026 with fresh yet crusty eyes ready to talk about all the nerdy things that excite us at the moment. Stranger things, super powers, Dracula, Helen Keller, Transformers, Ninja Turtles, Battle beasts, Zombies! Get ready everyone, we were talkative. 

    Let‘s Read Spider-Man Podcast
    1998 The Sensational Spider-Man 29 30 31 Unlimited 20 : Rhino Lilith Black Cat Felica Hardy Arcade

    Let‘s Read Spider-Man Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 25:56


    Episode 372.  James B and Eddie play a game.  Also they debate sentimental books vs action packed books, whether Arcade is still a cool villain and whether Dracula belongs in Spider-Man. Sponsored by: Flow Like Water, the motivational book by Hydroman Theme Music by Jeff Kenniston.  This Episode Edited by James B using Audacity and Cleanfeed.  Summaries written by James B and Eddie and Sarah Mclachlan.  Most Sound effects and music generously provided royalty free by www.fesliyanstudios.com and https://www.zapsplat.com/  Check out all the episodes on letsreadspiderman.podbean.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our live meetup and Discord Channel here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_mW6htjJUHOzlViEvPQqR-k68tClMGAi85Bi_xrlV7w/edit

    The New Scene
    Episode 316: Jordan Olds of Blood Vulture / Two Minutes To Late Night

    The New Scene

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 93:58


    Keith sits down with Jordan Olds to discuss growing up in Denver, discovering the local scene, how a record store clerk turned Jordan onto "real" hardcore, moving to New York City to attend college and Jordan's early pursuits in film and stand up comedy that led to the creation of Two Minutes To Late Night. We also discuss the history of Two Minutes to Late Night, their cover songs that became popular during the pandemic, some backlash Jordan received from passionate Ink & Dagger fans for his cover of "The Road To Hell", Jordan's new band Blood Vulture, the making of their debut LP "Die Close" which was inspired by Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and other vampire media, their recent tour with Gwar and more. Intro - 0:00 - 3:13 Jordan Olds Interview - 3:14 - 1:33:58

    Magazines and Monsters
    The Bronze Age of Horror Comics! Tomb of Dracula 49/50, 1976 w/Scott West and Al Sedano!

    Magazines and Monsters

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 89:07


    Hey there all you cosmic surfers! Scott West is here along with our buddy Al Sedano, to help me handle this action packed episode! First, Scott and I dive into the first issue and explore a sanitarium…? Plus we see some of literary fiction's most popular heroes face off against the Lord of Vampires! Then, Al joins us as it's the purity of the Silver Surfer vs the evil of Dracula! As usual, if you'd like to leave any feedback for the show, you can do so through email at Magazinesandmonsters@gmail.com or to me on Twitter @Billyd_licious or on the show's FB page (just search Magazines and Monsters). You can find Scott on Twitter @ScottMWest69, or at his Substack “He Tampered in God's Domain,” or by searching for his books on Amazon (Strange Stories for Weird People and Ghosts on the Highway)! You can find Al on social media @adamthanospod and definitely check out his podcast feed Resurrections; an Adam Warlock and Thanos podcast, where you'll find a ton of cosmic content along with That Giffen Show, spotlighting the works of Keith Giffen!Thanks for listening!

    Vampire Videos
    132. Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story (2025) with Rob Taylor

    Vampire Videos

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 69:15


    [14x2] It's the season of Dracula, as we turn our attention to a less common prospect—a direct sequel to Bram Stoker's story by author Joe Hill, where Professor Van Helsing (Titus Welliver) is now living in early-20th-century California with his wife Mina and two sons... it's Abraham's Boys from director Natasha Kermani... And making a welcome return to the show is co-host of the Beyond the Scream podcast, Rob Taylor... Hosts: Hugh McStay & Dan Owen Guest: Rob Taylor Editor: Hugh McStay "If you don't stop talking, I'm gonna smother you to death with your own pillow. Then you won't have anything to worry about."—Max Van Helsing Help Us Grow the Show! If you enjoy what we do, please take a moment to: Subscribe and leave a positive review! Your feedback and ratings are vital for bringing you more great episodes. Want more? Support us directly! Make a donation on Ko-fi or unlock special perks by joining our Bite Club! Follow our social media ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. We're part of the ⁠Film Stories⁠⁠ podcast network. Credits: Opening music: ⁠Nela Ruiz⁠ Episode artwork: Dan Owen⁠ Podcast artwork: ⁠Keshav⁠ Sound FX: Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    A Meal of Thorns
    A Meal of Thorns 41- THE BEETLE with Marisa Mercurio

    A Meal of Thorns

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 66:39


    If you read Dracula and thought: “I like the ancient shapeshifting nemesis and the homoerotic subtext, but I don’t like how subtle the sexual and national anxieties are,” you’re in luck! Editor, reviewer, and scholar Marisa Mercurio is here to talk about not-so-subtle horrors in Richard Marsh’s 1897 novel The Beetle. Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at the Ancillary Review of Books. Please consider supporting ARB’s Patreon! Guest: Marisa Mercurio Title: The Beetle by Richard Marsh Host:Jake Casella Brookins Music byGiselle Gabrielle Garcia Artwork byRob Patterson Opening poem by Bhartṛhari, translated by John Brough Chopin's "Minute Waltz" performed by Alfred Cortot Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique" performed by the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Artur Rodzinski References: Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca & Don't Look Now Alex Woodroe's The Night Ship Tenebrous Press Bram Stoker's Dracula Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, Ann Radcliffe, Charles Dickens, George Eliot E.R. Eddison's Zimianvian trilogy Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes Kate Beaton’s “The Horror Of The New Woman” H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis The Fly films (Kurt Neumann 1958; David Cronenberg 1986) Phase IV directed by Saul Bass Robert Repino's Mort(e) The Nest by Gregory A. Douglas, and the “Valancourt Paperbacks from Hell” Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey The Female Detective by Andrew Forrester Wilkie Collins The However Improbable podcast Marisa’s bluesky

    Scaredycast
    A Dracula Theme Park?!

    Scaredycast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2026 43:02


    In this episode of Scaredycast we answer YOUR listener questions… including the very important one: Is Paul Bunyan actually an American kaiju?

    Trivia With Budds
    11 Trivia Questions on Biggest Kickstarters

    Trivia With Budds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2026 8:15


    For Patreon subscriber Mo Martinez!  LOVE TRIVIA WITH BUDDS? CHECK OUT THE MNEMONIC MEMORY PODCAST!  "Knowledge is rooted in memory—listen to The Mnemonic Memory Podcast today." http://www.themnemonictreepodcast.com/ Fact of the Day: Dracula Daily is a newsletter which runs from May 3rd to November 7th each year, sending chapters of Bram Stoker's Dracula to its subscribers on the day they are meant to take place. Triple Connections: Street, Kangaroo, Neighborhood THE FIRST TRIVIA QUESTION STARTS AT 02:18 SUPPORT THE SHOW MONTHLY, LISTEN AD-FREE FOR JUST $1 A MONTH: www.Patreon.com/TriviaWithBudds INSTANT DOWNLOAD DIGITAL TRIVIA GAMES ON ETSY, GRAB ONE NOW!  GET A CUSTOM EPISODE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES:  Email ryanbudds@gmail.com Theme song by www.soundcloud.com/Frawsty Bed Music:  "EDM Detection Mode" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://TriviaWithBudds.com http://Facebook.com/TriviaWithBudds http://Instagram.com/ryanbudds Book a party, corporate event, or fundraiser anytime by emailing ryanbudds@gmail.com or use the contact form here: https://www.triviawithbudds.com/contact SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MY AMAZING PATREON SUBSCRIBERS INCLUDING:   Mollie Dominic Vernon Heagy Brian Clough Sarah Nassar Nathalie Avelar Becky and Joe Heiman Natasha raina Waqas Ali leslie gerhardt Skilletbrew Bringeka Brooks Martin Yves Bouyssounouse Sam Diane White Youngblood Sarah Lemons Trophy Husband Trivia Rye Josloff Lynnette Keel Nathan Stenstrom Lillian Campbell Jerry Loven Ansley Bennett Gee Jamie Greig Jeremy Yoder Adam Jacoby rondell Adam Suzan Chelsea Walker Tiffany Poplin Bill Bavar Sarah Dan  Katelyn Turner Keiva Brannigan Keith Martin Sue First Steve Hoeker Jessica Allen Michael Anthony White Lauren Glassman Brian Williams Henry Wagner Brett Livaudais Linda Elswick Carter A. Fourqurean KC Khoury Tonya Charles  Justly Maya Brandon Lavin Kathy McHale Chuck Nealen Courtney French Nikki Long Mark Zarate Laura Palmer  JT Dean Bratton Kristy Erin Burgess Chris Arneson Trenton Sullivan Jen and Nic Michele Lindemann Ben Stitzel Michael Redman Timothy Heavner Jeff Foust Richard Lefdal Myles Bagby Jenna Leatherman Albert Thomas Kimberly Brown Tracy Oldaker Sara Zimmerman Madeleine Garvey Jenni Yetter JohnB Patrick Leahy Dillon Enderby James Brown Christy Shipley Alexander Calder Ricky Carney Paul McLaughlin Casey OConnor Willy Powell Robert Casey Rich Hyjack Matthew Frost Brian Salyer Greg Bristow Megan Donnelly Jim Fields Mo Martinez Luke Mckay Simon Time Feana Nevel

    Scooby Panel
    Scooby-Doo! and The Reluctant Werewolf

    Scooby Panel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2026 75:04


    Send us a textScooby Panel #127 - Scooby-Doo! and The Reluctant Werewolf is a classic Scooby-Doo movie that many fans love. It features car races, Shaggy as a werewolf and monsters like Dracula. Join us as we discuss the movie. #ScoobyDoo #movie  #podcast

    Story Mode
    Hypecast - 1.9.2026

    Story Mode

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2026 88:54


    Topics Include: Avengers Doomsday, The Odyssey, Digger, Madden, Dracula, The Death Of Robin Hood, They Will Kill You, Whistle, Apex, The Sheep Detectives, and the continued WB merger.

    NEOZAZ
    Hammer Horrors – Scars of Dracula

    NEOZAZ

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2026 79:00


    A momentous film this time - the first Hammer Dracula of the 1970's and the last to be set pre-20th Century. But, what do we make of it? Have a listen and find out!

    dracula scars hammer dracula hammer horrors
    Re: Dracula
    FWD: Dracula: 2004

    Re: Dracula

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2026 23:39


    A found-footage extravaganza, Dracula: 2004 dares to ask what happens when you combine vampires and dial-up internet. Join Jonathan as he survives the work trip from hell; gossip with Mina and Lucy over Lucy's three suitors; and meet the eccentric Van Helsing and her vampire-hunting armoury. This is a new millennium, a new age of technology, and a version of Dracula that you have never experienced before. Dracula: 2004 is a modernised version of Dracula set in the year (you guessed it) 2004, exploring key themes of friendship, faith and inner light. Find the show on all podcast platforms! In this episode, Jonathan Harker, solicitor, arrives in Romania, listens to a voicemail from Mina, records his travel log, and meets his employer's new client: Count Dracula.Content warnings: Imprisonment, wild animal attack Transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14XmVMYjOt9KL01DOa2CXoN6a5jbB7pD58w46FrfLfJk/edit?tab=t.0  Find us online:Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/redracula⁠Merch: ⁠https://store.dftba.com/collections/re-dracula⁠Website: ⁠www.ReDracula.live⁠Tumblr: ⁠https://www.tumblr.com/re-dracula⁠Bloody Disgusting Website: ⁠www.Bloody-Disgusting.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Grave Plot Podcast
    Episode 255 – Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025)/Silent Night, Deadly Night 2

    The Grave Plot Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2026 205:31


    The holidays may be over, but The Grave Plot boys are still rockin’ around the Christmas tree! We're back with one last stocking-stuffer of an episode, packed to the brim with Horror Business and just enough yuletide rot to make your tinsel curl. This week's news sack includes a truly unsettling Real World Horror story about orcas apparently deciding that boats are chew toys, a massive Dracula-themed mega-park rising from the dead outside Bucharest, Netflix sinking its fangs into a true-crime classic, Kumail Nanjiani stepping behind the camera for a new genre project, and Full Moon unleashing a whole crypt full of gloriously unhinged new productions. We also unwrap news on the grindhouse sequel Shiver Me Timbers 2, because nothing says “seasonal cheer” like cartoon icons on a chainsaw-fueled rampage. Oh and what’s that? That shiny box hidden behind the tree? Well it’s two festive film reviews! We take on the infamous cult classic Silent Night, Deadly Night 2, followed by a look at the brand-new Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025)—because if you're going to keep the spirit of Christmas alive, you might as well do it with murder. So pour some spiked eggnog, kick back in your ugly sweater, and join us for one last holiday hangover with The Grave Plot Podcast. The tree may be coming down… but the horror never does.  

    Meeple Nation Board Game Podcast
    MN 602 January Turn One

    Meeple Nation Board Game Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2026 65:58


    Episode 602: January 2026 Turn One   Episode release date is January 7, 2026   Show Notes   Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast Web Page Links to Episodes SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast Bios Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com Patreon Instagram @meeplenation Facebook Meeple Nation Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air X Meeple Nation Discord Meeple Nation Sponsorship Game Toppers  SaltCON Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty) Nathan Living Forest: Duel Douglas Lairs and Lost Chambers Underworld Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game Clank! Catacombs w/ Expansions Andy Click A Tree New Game Radar Nathan GI Joe: Operation Cobra GI Joe: Heroscape Azure Threshold Douglas Lands of Evershade Stonesaga Dinogenics: New Arrivals Harakiri: Blades of Honor (Re-release) Long Dark Sea Horror on the Orient Express Odalin: Dungeons of Doom Cthulhu: Death May Die Forbidden Reaches DCeased Into the Godsgrave Andy Agent Avenue 7 Wonders Duel Pantheon INK Five Three Five DC Forever Flash Point: Fire Rescue Railroad Tiles Bomb Busters Line-It Flowers Flash Point: Fire Rescue New Frontiers Barrage Lorenzo il Magnifico Flaming Pyramids Fractured Sky Twinkle Twinkle Tacta 6 Nimmt (Take 5) Dracula vs Van Helsing Star Wars Villainous: Cold Tactics Legions (Abyss) Rest in Peace Mr Jack Parks (Second Edition) Booty Dice Dice Theme Park Secret Identity  The Fox Experiment Explorers of Navoria Ready Set Bet Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons Kites Mind Up! Exhibition: 20th Century FlipToons Challengers!

    Uncut Gems Podcast
    Mike Nichols Marathon 13 - Wolf (teaser)

    Uncut Gems Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2026 15:48


    In this show, we are extending our ongoing Mike Nichols Marathon as our journey through his filmography takes us deeper into the 1990's where we finally take on the 1994 Wolf. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about this movie's positioning among other classical horror archetypes explored by other filmmakers (such as Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Kenneth Branagh's Frankenstein, or Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear), whether this big budget production could be considered a comeback for the aging Nichols and how it reunited him with Elaine May. We also discuss the many readings one could apply to this film, ranging from commenting on the AIDS epidemic and corporate politics to discussions about masculinity and the director's own life trajectory, and we also explore the friction between the film's ambition and its own ability to deliver on character and theme development. Finally, we chuckle at Jack Nicholson's sharpened senses and find out that Jakub might not be able to pronounce the title of the movie correctly at all. Tune in and enjoy!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our patreon at patreon.com/uncutgemspod (3$/month)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and support us by gaining access to ALL of our exclusive podcasts, such as bonus tie-ins, themed retrospectives and director marathons!Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Head over to our website to find out more! (uncutgemspodcast.com)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@UncutGemsPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and IG (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@UncutGemsPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy us a coffee over at Ko-Fi.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (ko-fi.com/uncutgemspod)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (patreon.com/uncutgemspod)

    Max, Mike; Movies
    Episode 364 – Renfield (2023)

    Max, Mike; Movies

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 62:42


    Welcome to “Cooking with Max, Mike; Movies,” and another in our culinary series “I Vant to Vatch Your Feelm!” You know, when preparing your favorite invertebrate dish, many people overlook the humble termite. Now, most of your haute cuisine recipes tend to focus on the more exotic insects, like the sago grub or the bamboo worm but we at this podcast think that the termite is a taste treat whose time has come. High in oil, they're great for frying, with a delicately nutty taste. This batch we have here have been fed exclusively on Indian Snakewood, which gives them a marvelously complex flavor palate, and have spent their days bathing in a mild soy sauce/rice wine mixture. Today we'll be frying them up in sesame oil for a tasty treat that can't be beat! Ohohohoho, pardon my little quip. This dish should pair well with today's movie, “Renfield”, whose protagonist prefers his arthropods and arachnids tartare, which is a perfectly acceptable way to enjoy them, other than the fact that they may tend to crawl off the plate, but to each their own! Yes, Mr. Renfield, played by Nicholas Holt, enjoys his six-legged friends as snacks, while his “master” Dracula, played by Nicholas Cage, prefers to spend his days munching on scenery. Enjoy, and bon appetit! Poll question: what part, if any, of standard vampire lore strikes you as particularly silly/odd/dumb. Exemption: Stephanie Meyers' sparkle ponies.

    Ink to Film
    Last Looks 2025

    Ink to Film

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2026 104:28


    To cap off their 9th season, in episode 368 James and Luke list their best (and worst) reads, then name the best (and worst) adaptations of the year. It was an exciting year highlighted by their first ever live recording featuring the incredible Martha Wells who joined the show to talk Murderbot at WorldCon in Seattle. The podcast didn't stop at just sci-fi, though, making a deep dive into Dracula, exploring a legendary anime, dissecting a trio of Stephen King movies, laughing with a Shakespeare retelling for the ages, and lamenting a fantasy series cancelled before its time. Topics also include: The Wheel of Time, Nosferatu, Mickey 17, Conclave, The Ring, The Iron Giant, and so much more. Thank you to everyone who made this year a great one for Ink to Film! Categories Intro - 00:00:27 Podcast Stats - 00:02:21 Biggest Surprise - 00:13:42 Worst Read - 00:25:30 Best Read - 00:35:38 Worst Watch - 00:50:53 Best Watch (A.K.A. Best Adaptation) - 01:02:47 Looking Ahead - 01:20:53 Pickup any of the novels they've covered at the Ink to Film Bookshop! https://bookshop.org/shop/inktofilm Support Ink to Film on Patreon for bonus content, merch, and the ability to vote on upcoming projects! www.patreon.com/inktofilm Ink to Film's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky (@inktofilm) Home Base: inktofilm.com Luke Elliott Website: www.lukeelliottauthor.com Social Media: https://www.lukeelliottauthor.com/social Writing: https://www.lukeelliottauthor.com/pub... James Bailey Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jamebail.bsky.social IG: https://www.instagram.com/jamebail/

    Gold Derby
    From 'Sinners' and 'Dracula' to 'One Battle After Another' and 'Train Dreams' we pick the best in movies from 2025

    Gold Derby

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2026 47:32


    Gold Derby editors share their Top 10 films of 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The History of Video Games
    1983 - Food Fight

    The History of Video Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2025 76:24


    Grab a pie and get ready! This week Ben and Wes participate in a massive Food Fight, curtesy of GCC and Atari. They also review Zoo Keeper by Taito, Mega Zone by Konami, and Dracula by Imagic in today's episode!Website -https://historyofvideogamespodcast.comYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/@historyofvideogamespodcast1994Twitter - https://twitter.com/HistoryofVideo1Email - historyvgpodcast@gmail.comHosts - Ben & WesMusic - Arranged and recorded by Ben

    Matinee Manatees
    Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

    Matinee Manatees

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2025 285:07


    Matinee Manatees is taking a stand: if they can play carols during October, we can watch spooky movies in December! We go back to the Halloween season well with Francis Ford Coppola's "Bram Stoker's Dracula" from 1992, the movie that dares to ask: just how horny can a person get before the rest of us need to cut their head off? Turns out: very. Float along with the manatees through OCEANS OF TIME as they ask the important questions, like: do vampires just really like empires in decline? What season did the Simpsons really jump the shark? And, of course, could Dracula run a successful mayoral campaign in the contemporary US? They also talk about the movie. You know, a little.

    Binge-Watchers Podcast
    Johnny Spoiler on Beastmaster 2: Sword & Sorcery Invades 90s L.A. Cult Movie Review.

    Binge-Watchers Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 21:18


    It's the Year of the Horse, the Fire Horse, and somehow Johnny Spoiler—a confirmed Water Pig according to the Chinese zodiac—is here to guide you safely through one of the weirdest cult fantasy sequels of the 1990s:Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991).This week on the podcast, Johnny Spoiler revisits the movie that turned sword-and-sorcery into a full-on Los Angeles crime comedy, where Marc Singer's Dar rides through Hollywood in a convertible, an overworked detective just wants to close his cases, and an evil brother is chasing an atomic bomb across dimensions. Yes—this is real. And yes—it somehow works.We break down why Beastmaster 2 became a cable-TV classic (so overplayed on TBS it earned the nickname “The Beastmaster Station”), why it's the only truly fun Beastmaster movie, and how its mix of fantasy, comedy, and 90s culture makes it endlessly rewatchable.Along the way, Johnny Spoiler digs into:Why the “time portal” is actually a parallel universeThe return of Kodo & Podo (ferret continuity corner)Why the animals get sidelined in favor of dimension-hopping brother dramaWings Hauser delivering elite B-movie villain greatnessJames Avery (Uncle Phil!) as the exhausted L.A. cop archetypeSara Douglas (Superman II, Conan the Destroyer) in full dark-fantasy modeKari Wuhrer, Sliders, Hellraiser, and peak 90s genre energyWe also hit Home Video Headlines, where Johnny Spoiler rants about the current state of movies, TikTok trailers, Project Hail Mary hype, Dracula with Christoph Waltz, and why modern cinema feels like it needs a shot of rocket fuel to stay relevant.You'll also get:Favorite bits and cable-era nostalgiaWhy Beastmaster 2 works as family-friendly fantasy funFan questions about reviewing mainstream vs cult moviesStaff picks from Tubi, The Office Season 5, TED, and a renewed interest in Balls of Fury Green lightning. Sword-and-sorcery on Sunset Boulevard. Johnny Spoiler doing what he does best—making sense of movies that absolutely should not exist.Binge now.ProveX https://tr.ee/ProveXJohnnyMeatzy https://tr.ee/GetMeatzyJohnny

    WDR ZeitZeichen
    Die "Blutgräfin": Serienmörderin und Vorbild für Dracula?

    WDR ZeitZeichen

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 14:48


    Sie soll hundertfach gemordet haben, um schön zu bleiben. Beweise gibt es nicht., trotzdem wird am 29.12.1610 Erzsébet Báthorys Schloss gestürmt, um ihr den Prozess zu machen. Von Marko Rösseler.

    ESO Network – The ESO Network
    To a new world of gods & monsters  | Earth Station Boo

    ESO Network – The ESO Network

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 72:48


    This week on Earth Station Boo, we travel back to the golden age of horror with a celebration of the Classic Universal Monsters. These legendary films helped shape the horror genre and continue to influence it today. We revisit the gothic dread of Dracula, the tragic horror of Frankenstein, the chilling howls of The Wolf Man, and the […] The post To a new world of gods & monsters  | Earth Station Boo appeared first on The ESO Network.

    The Voice of Dog
    “The Whole Moon” by K.C. Shaw (read by the Author)

    The Voice of Dog

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 24:04 Transcription Available


    A raccoon and a skunk try to summon the moon, but the results aren't what they want…but maybe they're what they both need. Today's story is “The Whole Moon” by K.C. Shaw, who lives in Atlanta with her lucky black cats, Dracula and Belladonna. You can find more of her stories on her Patreon, or in the collection Catfish and Other Stories.Read by the Author.thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google PodcastsIf you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.https://thevoice.dog/episode/the-whole-moon-by-k-c-shaw

    5 Star Tossers
    Technofeudalism and Enshittification: Paying Rent to our App Lords

    5 Star Tossers

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2025 86:51


    We discuss two very sad yet important contemporary ideas about how enormous companies like Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon rule over us today. The first is Technofeudalism, a word coined by Yanis Varifoukas, which argues that capitalism has been replaced by a landscape of digital fiefdoms. The second is Enshittification, a word coined by Cory Doctorow, which explains why the apps we can never get enough of (Instagram, X, Amazon, and Facebook) continue to deteriorate while their parent companies make more and more money. Sagi insists throughout that whether or not we have transitioned from capitalism to a digital fiefdom, a Protestant ideology, one of labor and manifest destiny, continues to function and serve the hearts of all our beloved CEOs. Jack offers us an important history of the creation of Silicon Valley, tying a certain entrepreneurial optimism to a strange conflation of academia and the industrial military complex.Andy reads technofeudalism as a kind of vampiric disease, where everyone is either becoming their own Dracula, holed up in their castle, or the rats and peons that will soon be devoured.Jake gives as many examples as he can from Doctorow's book Enshittification, which he highly recommends.

    Weekly Spooky
    6 Scary New Year Tales of Devils, Vampires, Zombies & Paranormal Evil!

    Weekly Spooky

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2025 162:08 Transcription Available


    Ring in the new year with a New Year's Eve horror stories marathon built for maximum dread: devil bargains, vampires in the dark, zombie chaos, and a paranormal case file that turns the end of the year into a blood-soaked countdown. If you're searching for scary New Year stories, NYE horror, or a horror anthology podcast to binge, this is your midnight companion—six twisted tales that get meaner as the clock runs out.Inside this New Year's Eve compilation (in airing order):• Even the Devil Tells the Truth Sometimes — by Dan WilderA killer with a Faustian bargain stalks Times Square on New Year's Eve… but the “gift” he was promised comes with a brutal twist.• Satan's Shotgun — by Dani Wilder An undead avenger rises once a year to slaughter a monstrous “zodiac” gang—until the final confrontation reveals what this nightmare really is.• A Few Cold Ones — by David O'HanlonA rowdy Brew Year's Eve festival turns into a hostage nightmare inside a legendary hotel—where the “party” ends in blood, fire, and revenge.• Stakes n' Shoguns — by Dan WilderA late-night movie screening becomes a war zone when Dracula wakes beneath the theater… and the only “holy water” available is absolutely unhinged.• Alien Zombie Punks from Upstate New York — by Dan Wilder — Punk rock New Year's revelry detonates into alien meteors, zombies, and a strangely hilarious afterlife problem.• New Year's Evil: A Paranormal Thriller from the Case Files of Caroline Quinn — by Mike Ashkewe New Year's Eve 2012 turns apocalyptic as Caroline Quinn faces Rots, a corrupted psychic thread, and the rise of Ya-Su.Lock the doors, turn the lights down, and hit play—because on New Year's Eve, the countdown isn't to midnight. It's to whatever's waiting in the dark.

    Serial Killing : A Podcast
    The True Story of Vlad III Dracula

    Serial Killing : A Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 53:58


    With the newest rendition of the Dracula saga, "Dracula: A Love Tale" coming to the States for release in February, I thought we should refresh our memories about Vlad or finally learn all about him. Enjoy!Elissa Kerrill Serial Killing : A Podcast   serialkillinginstagram@gmail.com2ND PODCAST!Serial Killing: Murder in the News:https://open.spotify.com/show/4vDIa6CgT4hYMAuxQetRA4MAIN PODCAST!Serial Killing: A Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/10rYT5z4qY1CTFrQLIlKST?si=XIpNxD5fQFK1HPHSUKulDg*Want to Support?*Spotify Subscription: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/serial-killing/subscribeBuy me a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/serialkillingPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/serial_killingInstagram: https://instagram.com/serial_killing/Facebook Group:https://m.facebook.com/groups/562690815762105/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvFMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/konstantin-garbuzyuk/kitchen-bounceLicense code: 3QQMLMOJJKWS0M6M

    The War Report w/ Gastor Almonte - N - Shalewa Sharpe

    In today's episode, Gastor and Shalewa talk about ending poverty, Dracula themed park and punchin Jake Paul in the face. PATREON LAUNCH!For all those that have asked how they can help support the pod - it's finally here! Thanks again to all the Troops and Correspondents who rock with us. Check it out - we'll have some exclusive content and fun perks, plus it really does help!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/WarReportPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Many Thanks to our Patreon Troops & Correspondents for helping us bring this show to life. Shouts to the Correspondents!Tanya WeimanFontayne WoodsMark OrellanaB. EmmerichCharlene BankAskewCharlatan the FraudCynthia PongKen MogulSayDatAgain SayDatAgainLaKai DillStephanie GayleUncleJoe StylenoshCato from StonoJennifer PedersenMarcusSarah PiardAna MathambaInstagram:@WarReportPod@SilkyJumbo@GastorAlmonteTwitter:@SilkyJumbo@GastorAlmonteTheme music "Guns Go Cold" provided by Kno of Knomercyproductions Twitter: @Kno Instagram: @KnoMercyProductions

    Trick or Treat Radio
    TorTR #700 - Keeper of the Crooked Keys

    Trick or Treat Radio

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 155:54


    Send us a textA romantic anniversary trip to a secluded cabin turns sinister when a dark presence reveals itself, forcing old friends to confront their podcast's haunting past. On Episode 700 of Trick or Treat Radio we eschew the normal pomp and circumstance of a milestone show for our normal format and continue on with December Double Feature Cram Jam. This week we discuss films from two of our favorite directs; Keeper from Osgood Perkins, and Eddington from Ari Aster! We also get inducted into the 700 Club, react to trailers for the films; Amityvillenado and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and are faced with the ghosts of 2020 all over again. So grab your jar of honey, post an angry rant online, and strap on for the world's most dangerous podcast!Stuff we talk about: Fickle horror fans, Hellraiser, dinner scene, smoking without burning your mouth, Trish Stratus, scenes in horror that drive you nuts, gimmick as a personality, the 700 Club, fitness sponsors, snikts and krakadooms, roman chairs and russian fingers, gathering of the Juggalos, fluff it up, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, James Mason, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Scars of Dracula, Christopher Lee, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, The Bone Snatcher, Death Machine, Pulse 3, Solomon Kane, Hazmat, Evil Remains, Estella Warren, Corey Haim, The Lost Boys, Dario Argento's Trauma, King Kong, John Northpole, Mega Huge Pictures, Amityvillenado, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Nia DeCosta, Danny Boyle, gratuitous gratuity, Bee Gees, Barry Gibb - the handsome one, Keeper, Osgood Perkins, the 700 Club, nefarious, Tatiana Maslany, breaking the cycle of patriarchy, Ready or Not, folk horror, body horror, Guillermo del Toro, subtle satisfaction, films flipping the script, Joaquin Phoenix, Deirdre O'Connell, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler, Ari Aster, Midsommar, Hereditary, Beau is Afraid, Eddington, Christopher Nolan, Odyssey, WWE vs AEW, Ben Affleck, James Gunn's DCU vs Zack Snyder's DCEU, Honey Ripple head cream, and Before and Aster.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trickortreatradioJoin our Discord Community: discord.trickortreatradio.comSend Email/Voicemail: mailto:podcast@trickortreatradio.comVisit our website: http://trickortreatradio.comStart your own podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=386Use our Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2CTdZzKFB Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/trickortreatradioTwitter: http://twitter.com/TrickTreatRadioFacebook: http://facebook.com/TrickOrTreatRadioYouTube: http://youtube.com/TrickOrTreatRadioInstagram: http://instagram.com/TrickorTreatRadioSupport the show

    The Monsters That Made Us
    Dracula (1958)

    The Monsters That Made Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 101:07


    It's time to dust off the ol' crucifix because “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” are diving into the film that made Christopher Lee a household name, and may also have established Dracula as a sexy/sad character, rather than just a bloodthirsty monster. That's right, they're talking about 1958's Dracula (aka Horror of Dracula)! Join them as they discuss Hammer's journey bringing Dracula to the big screen, including whittling the source material down to its bare essentials, the challenges of including so much sex and violence, and the interesting connection Hammer shared with Universal Pictures from inception all the way to the film's release. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

    The House Of Hammer
    Hammer Bites: Troy Howarth

    The House Of Hammer

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 34:23


    As a Patreon subscriber, just one of the many benefits you can enjoy is our ongoing "Homage To Hammer" series where we have a natter with like minded Hammer fans about their love of the studio.This particular episode is from November 2025 when author & commentator Troy Howarth sat down for a chat after his appearance on the Dracula, Prince Of Darkness round table.This is only available for a limited time before it goes back behind the big doors of The House Of Hammer so to subscribe, simply go to patreon.com/househammerpod

    Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast
    GGACP Classic: Christmas 2017 with Mario Cantone

    Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2025 80:29


    GGACP celebrates Christmas Day by revisiting this fan favorite extravaganza from 2017 as holiday fixture Mario Cantone drops by the studio to chime in on everything from the infamous Bette Davis-Joan Crawford feud to the not-so-special effects of “Mighty Joe Young” to the strange predilections of Frosty the Snowman. Also, Dracula plays heavy metal, Carol Kane plays Gilbert's wife, Mario learns the Perfecto Telles story (!) and the co-hosts rank the best (and worst) adaptations of “A Christmas Carol.” PLUS: Dueling Dylans! “The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas”! The genius of Alan Menken! In praise of Leonard Maltin! And the (triumphant) return of Carol Channing and Herve' Villechaize! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Marvel by the Month
    #296: MBTM Uncanny X-Mas 2025!

    Marvel by the Month

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2025 171:20


    We know that this episode literally drops on Christmas Day, but please treat yourself or someone you love to the newly released second edition of Alonso's timeless holiday movie guide, Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas!We are still on hiatus until the new year, returning sometime in January. Between now and then, treat yourself to some extended versions of your favorite episodes on our Patreon! Issues Covered in this Episode (all © Marvel Comics):"Merry Christmas, X-Men – The Sentinels Have Returned!" - X-Men #98, written by Chris Claremont, art by Dave Cockrum with Sam Grainger, letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Janice Cohen, edited by Marv Wolfman, ©1976 Marvel Comics"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" - Tomb of Dracula #54, written by Marv Wolfman, art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, letters by John Costanza, colors by Michele Wolfman, edited by Marv Wolfman, ©1976 Marvel Comics"Jingle Bombs!" - Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #7, written by Steve Englehart, art by George Tuska and Billy Graham, letters by John Costanza, colors by David Hunt, edited by Roy Thomas, ©1972 Marvel Comics "Marvel by the Month v. 1.0 (Holiday Remix)" theme written and performed by Robb Milne. All incidental music by Robb Milne."Oh Holy Night" by Halford, from the album Halford III: Winter Songs, ℗ 2009 Rob Halford Music Limited.Visit us on the internet (and buy some stuff) at marvelbythemonth.com, follow us on Bluesky at @marvelbythemonth.com and Instagram (for now) at @marvelbythemonth, and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth.Much of our historical context information comes from Wikipedia. Please join us in supporting them at wikimediafoundation.org. And many thanks to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, an invaluable resource for release dates and issue information. (RIP Mike.)

    The Monster Rally Podcast
    From the Crypt - House of Dracula (1945)

    The Monster Rally Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2025 66:08


    As a holiday treat, we delve into the depths of the Monster Rally Crypt to present to you another lost classic episode of the Monster Rally Podcast, this time 1945's House of Dracula. This features the second & final time we talk about American Dracula, played by Poughkeepsie's favorite son, John Carradine. You can find the Monstie Men on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Buy some merch on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TeePublic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or the ⁠⁠Geekscape Dashery Store⁠⁠. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠all of their links here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Geekscape Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Trivia With Budds
    11 Trivia Questions on Severance, Cat Facts, Dungeon Crawler Carl and more!

    Trivia With Budds

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2025 8:10


    Happy Birthday Amanda, from Corey!  LOVE TRIVIA WITH BUDDS? CHECK OUT THE MNEMONIC MEMORY PODCAST!  "Knowledge is rooted in memory—listen to The Mnemonic Memory Podcast today." http://www.themnemonictreepodcast.com/ Fact of the Day: Ballet pointe shoes take several days to make by hand with a multi-step process but only have a usable life of ten to twenty hours for students, less for professionals, even down to a single performance. Triple Connections: Darth Vader, Dracula, Little Red Riding Hood THE FIRST TRIVIA QUESTION STARTS AT 01:31 SUPPORT THE SHOW MONTHLY, LISTEN AD-FREE FOR JUST $1 A MONTH: www.Patreon.com/TriviaWithBudds INSTANT DOWNLOAD DIGITAL TRIVIA GAMES ON ETSY, GRAB ONE NOW!  GET A CUSTOM EPISODE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES:  Email ryanbudds@gmail.com Theme song by www.soundcloud.com/Frawsty Bed Music:  "EDM Detection Mode" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://TriviaWithBudds.com http://Facebook.com/TriviaWithBudds http://Instagram.com/ryanbudds Book a party, corporate event, or fundraiser anytime by emailing ryanbudds@gmail.com or use the contact form here: https://www.triviawithbudds.com/contact SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MY AMAZING PATREON SUBSCRIBERS INCLUDING:   Mollie Dominic Vernon Heagy Brian Clough Sarah Nassar Nathalie Avelar Becky and Joe Heiman Natasha raina Waqas Ali leslie gerhardt Skilletbrew Bringeka Brooks Martin Yves Bouyssounouse Sam Diane White Youngblood Sarah Lemons Trophy Husband Trivia Rye Josloff Lynnette Keel Nathan Stenstrom Lillian Campbell Jerry Loven Ansley Bennett Gee Jamie Greig Jeremy Yoder Adam Jacoby rondell Adam Suzan Chelsea Walker Tiffany Poplin Bill Bavar Sarah Dan  Katelyn Turner Keiva Brannigan Keith Martin Sue First Steve Hoeker Jessica Allen Michael Anthony White Lauren Glassman Brian Williams Henry Wagner Brett Livaudais Linda Elswick Carter A. Fourqurean KC Khoury Tonya Charles  Justly Maya Brandon Lavin Kathy McHale Chuck Nealen Courtney French Nikki Long Mark Zarate Laura Palmer  JT Dean Bratton Kristy Erin Burgess Chris Arneson Trenton Sullivan Jen and Nic Michele Lindemann Ben Stitzel Michael Redman Timothy Heavner Jeff Foust Richard Lefdal Myles Bagby Jenna Leatherman Albert Thomas Kimberly Brown Tracy Oldaker Sara Zimmerman Madeleine Garvey Jenni Yetter JohnB Patrick Leahy Dillon Enderby James Brown Christy Shipley Alexander Calder Ricky Carney Paul McLaughlin Casey OConnor Willy Powell Robert Casey Rich Hyjack Matthew Frost Brian Salyer Greg Bristow Megan Donnelly Jim Fields Mo Martinez Luke Mckay Simon Time Feana Nevel

    Project Geekology
    Van Helsing (2004)

    Project Geekology

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2025 51:54 Transcription Available


    Send us a textStake, silver, and a whole lot of spectacle; this week we dive headfirst into Van Helsing (2004), the loud, lavish monster mash that tried to launch a new Universal era and left us with glorious chaos. We unpack why this movie still feels like a relic from a braver time in blockbuster filmmaking: a place where studios gambled on pulpy ideas, action never took a breath, and Dracula could fund Frankenstein's science to bring his bat-babies to life without irony getting in the way.We talk through the craft that often gets overlooked: the striking black-and-white prologue, clever camera choreography, map paintings that nod to classic Hollywood, and creature work that swings from impressive werewolf transformations to delightfully rubbery CGI. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale anchor the adventure while the supporting cast leans hard into operatic camp, especially a Dracula who turns melodrama into a contact sport. At the center of the noise sits Frankenstein's monster, rendered as both eloquent and thunder-forged, the closest thing the film has to a soul.From there, we zoom out. Universal's long quest to revive its monster pantheon, theme park crossovers, and why Van Helsing tried to do in one film what today's studios stretch across phases. We compare it to Underworld, Reign of Fire, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, drawing a line between bold swings that win hearts and calculated “universes” that lose them. Along the way, expect laughs about Faramir in a bumbling turn, Jekyll and Hyde's Andre the Giant homage, and a final set piece that's equal parts juicy and joyous.If you crave throwback adventure with teeth, this one's a wild ride worth revisiting. Hit play, then tell us: camp classic or beautiful mess? Subscribe, share with a fellow monster fan, and drop a review to keep the geeky goodness flowing.Twitter handles:Project Geekology: https://twitter.com/pgeekologyAnthony's Twitter: https://twitter.com/odysseyswowDakota's Twitter: https://twitter.com/geekritique_dakInstagram:https://instagram.com/projectgeekology?igshid=1v0sits7ipq9yYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@projectgeekologyGeekritique (Dakota):https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwciIqOoHwIx_uXtYTSEbASupport the show

    The John Batchelor Show
    S8 Ep224: SMOGS, DRACULAS, AND THE SHOP'S RESIDENT GHOST Colleague Oliver Darkshire. Oliver categorizes customers, such as "Smogs" seeking treasures and "Draculas" obsessed with specific themes. He discusses book runners, discovering

    The John Batchelor Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2025 17:14


    SMOGS, DRACULAS, AND THE SHOP'S RESIDENT GHOST Colleague Oliver Darkshire. Oliver categorizes customers, such as "Smogs" seeking treasures and "Draculas" obsessed with specific themes. He discusses book runners, discovering moldy copies of Edwin Drood, and surviving government apprenticeship inspections. Additionally, he recounts shadowing thieves and the shop's ghost, a former owner killed by a tram. NUMBER 3 1890

    The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network
    The Day Boris Karloff Walked Into the Commissary and Changed Hollywood (Ep. 82)

    The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2025 54:59


    Jim and Eric kick off this week's show with a very on-brand travel mishap from Jim's latest Hallmark-fueled road trip, then pivot back to the stuff you came for - Universal news, theme park weirdness, and one surprisingly deep dive into how Frankenstein's Monster became the pop culture template we all still recognize today. Along the way: Epic Universe breadcrumbs, a Vegas horror venue that might be scarier for its empty queue than its monsters, and why Boris Karloff's dentures deserve their own credit line. NEWS • Universal's proposed UK theme park clears another hurdle, with the project advancing in the approvals process and still targeting a 2031 opening • Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas adds a holiday horror overlay, but reports suggest the venue can feel eerily empty even during a supposedly busy week • A new “Galactic Expo” mural lands inside the Men in Black Alien Attack gift shop, packed with sci-fi Easter eggs • A new Men in Black film is reportedly in development - and Jim has thoughts on what that could mean for the long-running attraction • Universal's latest “Whatever Makes You Happy” merch drop leans hard into 1980s nostalgia, mashing up brands that make Eric do a double-take FEATURE • Why Universal rushed Frankenstein (1931) into production after Dracula hit big - and how it helped the studio dig out of debt • The behind-the-scenes moment when director James Whale spots Boris Karloff in the commissary and decides his face has “startling possibilities” • The unglamorous reality of monster-making: punishing makeup sessions, 65 pounds of costume, and the physical toll that followed Karloff for years • The lost-but-legendary Technicolor Frankenstein footage from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty that fans have been hunting for decades HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Eric Hersey - IG: @erichersey | X: @erichersey FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR Be Our Guest Vacations - plan your next adventure with a platinum-level, earmarked travel agency offering concierge service for Universal Orlando, Universal Hollywood, Disney parks, cruises, and more. Get started at beourguestvacations.com. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Ninjas Are Butterflies
    173 - Moon Reactor, Dracula's Missing Boy & the CIA's Control Grid

    Ninjas Are Butterflies

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2025 104:39


    Is there a new space race to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon? This week on Ninjas Are Butterflies, we dig into reports claiming just that, as well as a disturbing missing child case near Dracula's castle, and claims of a CIA-backed digital network designed to monitor and control more than we're told. Episode 173 connects Cold War energy, modern surveillance, and old-world darkness—because of course it does. We break down why the Moon suddenly needs nuclear power, and who's racing to get there first. The eerie disappearance near Romania's most infamous landmark, and allegations of a hidden digital control grid—and how deep it might go. Like and follow if you want this show to survive the algorithm. Thanks to our sponsor BetterHelp. Visit https://betterhelp.com/NINJAS for 10% off your first month #sponsored Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat with Promo Code NINJAS at https://on.auraframes.com/NINJAS #ad Live Better Longer with BUBS Naturals. For A limited time get 20% Off your entire order with code NINJAS at Bubsnaturals.com #sponsored Get MORE Exclusive Ninjas Are Butterflies Content by joining our Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/NinjasAreButterflies NEW EPISODES EVERY FRIDAY @ 6AM EST! Ninja Merch: https://www.sundaycoolswag.com/ Start Your Custom Apparel Order Here: https://bit.ly/NinjasYT-SundayCool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Hard Factor
    Billion Dollar “Dracula Land” and Billions Spent on OF | 12.17.25

    Hard Factor

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 48:50


    Episode 1858 - brought to you by our incredible sponsors: Lucy - Level up your nicotine routine with Lucy. Go to Lucy.co/HARDFACTOR and use promo code (HARDFACTOR) to get 20% off your first order. Lucy has a 30-day refund policy if you change your mind RIDGE - Take advantage of Ridge's Biggest Sale of the Year and GET UP TO 47% Off by going to ⁠https://www.Ridge.com/HARDFACTOR⁠ #Ridgepod DaftKings - Download the DraftKings Casino app, sign up with code HARDFACTOR, and spin your favorite slots! The Crown is Yours - Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred GAMBLER Timestamps: (00:00:00) - Storie teases (00:01:00) - Gift the gift of Hard Factor Patreon  (00:02:15) - The apology step (00:08:10) - What happened in 1858 (00:10:00) - The countries that spent the most money on OF in 2025  (00:23:20) - Christmas decoration neighborhood war (00:29:50) - Woman sues the IRS to get her pets as dependents  (00:37:30) - Bill Hader punked psycho Nick Reiner at the party hours before he allegedly murdered his parents (00:39:40) - Billion-dollar “DraculaLand” being planned for Romania Thank you for listening!! Go to Patreon.com/hardfactor to join our community, get access to bonus pods, discord chat and much more - but Most Importantly: HADFD!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network
    The Dracula Gamble That Built Universal's Monster Empire (Ep. 81)

    The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2025 55:11


    From queue changes to construction walls to nighttime lagoon testing, the parks offer plenty to parse this week. The guys then pivot from the Epic Universe lagoon to Universal's classic monsters, using the buzz around Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein to explore how the 1931 film lurched into existence. Expect lost projects, studio pivots, and a Monster role Bela Lugosi famously refused. NEWS • VelociCoaster ends its single rider line, likely due to party sorting and load-efficiency issues. • Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly shopping DC theme park rights to Universal, raising big questions for Marvel, Six Flags, and international parks. • Removal of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit sparks speculation, though new construction-wall posters suggest general theming rather than a specific IP. • Nighttime testing at the Epic Universe lagoon shows projection effects featuring a bird-or-dragon silhouette. • Universal Studios Hollywood opens sales for FanFest Nights and a late-night New Year's Eve event, prompting questions about noise control before Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift debuts. FEATURE • Guillermo del Toro's long-gestating Frankenstein began as a Universal concept more than a decade ago. • Jim walks through how Universal's early monster era took shape under financial pressure following the 1929 crash. • The studio acquired stage rights to Frankenstein after Dracula's success, initially planning it for Bela Lugosi, who rejected the role. • The episode ends as Universal begins hunting for a new star, eventually leading James Whale to discover Boris Karloff in the studio lunchroom. HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR This episode is sponsored by Be Our Guest Vacations, a platinum-level earmarked travel agency offering concierge planning for Universal, Disney, cruises, and more. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices