At The Devils Ball

Happy Holli-Slays kicks off with the oddball french language killer-santa film DEADLY GAMES. The guys discuss the excellent performances, tonal shifts, and have thoughts about capitalism. So grab your elderly grand-dads and come play hide-and-seek with us!

This week, the guys wrap up THE SAW IS FAMILY talking Thanksgiving movies and the generally unpopular fourth installment of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series. We discuss impressionistic performance choices, awkward plot points, and how this film is essentially what would happen if John Waters made a Texas Chainsaw film, all while trying to answer the age-old question: is this film really as bad as it’s reputation suggests? Hint: Yeah, kinda, but also not really. Happy Thanksgiving from At The Devil’s Ball!

We like liver, and onions, and pain, pain, pain this week when we continue THE SAW IS FAMILY month with the third installment of the TCM franchise. We discuss the pros and cons of this hastily made troubled production, talking story padding, out-of-place characters and Viggo Mortensen.

This week, the guys and special guest Scott Davis get depressing as we discuss election results and the passing of Tony Todd before cheering up and discussing the darkly funny Texas Chainsaw Massacre part two. Topics include the films sense of humor, 80's commercialism, Dennis Hopper, and if Stretch is a "final girl."

This week, we begin our coverage of the early installments of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series, beginning with Tober Hooper's original. We talk the intensity of the original film, the line between conventional storytelling and reality, and if the film should be compared with PSYCHO. The Saw is Family!

For this year's annual Halloween special, the guys discuss a All Hallow's Eve tradition: the watching of The Paul Lynde Halloween Special! Along with special guests Jenn Rich-Hartle, Mary Steadman and Leigh of the "Actual Leigh" podcast, we talk puns, witches, and KISS...all the staples of 70's variety show nonsense. Please enjoy and, of course, Happy Halloween!

The last of our Halloween month entries, we discuss the 2009 update of the NIGHT OF THE DEMONS franchise, with topics including problematic stars, halloween parties, and how the film feels weirdly wholesome about being edgy. No costume, No Candy!

Halloween month continues with the visually striking LADY IN WHITE, a combination of A Christmas Story and James Whale Universal films (and a little Giallo), and a Coming-of-Age film. We talk visual motifs, memoir tropes, and gush over quiet american decency. It's a lovely film, go check it out and give us a listen!

Halloween celebrations continue with the 2006 animated film MONSTER HOUSE, a strange combination of uplifting coming-of-age tropes and vaguely mean-spirited cynicism. We discuss the perfect pacing, heartwarming humor and general social ills, all while enjoying this offbeat little film.

We begin our Halloween season offerings with an offbeat choice: Don Coscarelli's early coming-of-age comedy KENNY & COMPANY, featuring cast and crew from horror cult classic PHANTASM. We discuss child safety, mortality, and, of course, Halloween shenanigans.