Chuck Russell, the legendary director behind The Mask, The Blob, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, joins us in the Crypt to talk about the wild ride of his illustrious Hollywood career – from nearly directing Child’s Play and almost turning The Mask into a horror film, to working with Jim Carrey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Frank Darabont – and to promote his newest film Witchboard.

Chuck opens up about UFO encounters, the paranormal, near-death experiences, and the forces that might be influencing Hollywood from behind the curtain. He breaks down practical effects, dream research, faith, simulation theory, and what it really means to create from both sides of the veil.

He also discusses his early years breaking into the industry, performing stunts, and writing screenplays in 1980s Hollywood. Chuck shares his views on the “Horror Ghetto,” why he declined Child’s Play, and how he feels about the later Nightmare on Elm Street sequels.

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Witchboard:

https://witchboardmovie2025.com

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:31 - Nightmare On Elm Street Pt. 3: Dream Warriors, Dreamscape, Frank Darabont, Hell Night, and The Blob

00:11:46 - Starting Out In Hollywood, Putting Yourself Into Screenplays, Working Stunts with Arnold Schwarzenegger

00:21:16 - Hollywood Is Changing, Movie Theaters, The Mask Was Originally A Horror Film, Working With Jim Carrey, and Chuck's Back Up Actors if Jim Said No to the Role, A Sequel to The Mask?

00:40:45 - Putting New Actors on the Map (Patricia Arquette and Cameron Diaz), How Chuck Feels About Nightmare on Elm St. Sequels, The "Horror Ghetto," Why He Declined the Offer To Direct Child's Play

00:49:12 - Bless The Child, Writing Good And Evil, Pure Despair, Mistrust for Authority

00:56:25 - Eraser with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Working With CIA Advisors, Does The Government Control Hollywood? Working With Dream Researchers for Dreamscape

01:02:21 - Secret Societies, Chuck's Real Sightings of UFOs, Is There Alien Life In The Universe? The Moon Landing

01:16:23 - God, The Paranormal, Near Death Experiences, Lucid Dreaming, The Simulation Theory, AI, We're Living In A Sci-Fi Movie

01:27:10 - Embracing The New, Chuck's Early Usage of CGI

01:32:34 - Chuck's Return to Horror with Witchboard, Filming in New Orleans, Pendulum Boards vs. Ouija Boards, Hypocrisy of the Catholic Church

01:41:11 - How Chuck's Catholic Upbringing Inspired Elements Within Witchboard, Hallucinogenics, Working with Animals

01:48:21 - Reimagining Older Films, The Cast of Witchboard, Drugs as a Metaphor for Magic

01:55:47 - Practical Effects In Witchboard, Watching Coolest Scenes from Witchboard and Bless The Child

02:09:46 - Chuck Would Never Recommend Becoming an Actor

02:20:46 - Working With Legendary DP's, Working in Thailand and India with a Tribe of Elephants, Directing a Non-English Script, Blocking Action Scenes

02:32:57 - Outro

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