Boys and Ghouls

Stephen King’s tale of a small town with a big werewolf problem is the topic of this episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  First conceived as a calendar, it grew into a sparse novel titled, “Cycle of the Werewolf”.  This grew and transformed into the 1985 feature film, “Silver Bullet”.

Listen in as Kat and Marshall detail the origin of this video store favorite, from its early collaborators to its role in establishing North Carolina as a long-time center of film and television production.  Join us as we reflect on how much Gary Busey brought to the screen as the sometimes-responsible Uncle Red.  And remember the shining light that was young Cory Haim, as the wheelchair-bound boy who survives a werewolf attack then has to get some serious help before the next full moon.

Also, Kat proves that no detail is too small as she examines a summertime Maine tradition, briefly mentioned in the book.  And Marshall shares the tale of his own encounter with the larger-than-life Gary Busey.

Have a friend over for a Halloween movie night and make an event out of it.  That’s what the “Boys and Ghouls” hosts did for each other in this October episode.  

Listen in as they recount how they tried to provide the other with a memorable, at-home, movie watching experience.  The Halloween decorations were up, snacks had been selected, and the evening’s entertainment had been carefully programed.

Let Kat and Marshall tell you what they’ve discovered about being a good guest as well as host during the spookiest of seasons.  Learn what it’s like to be the only one on the guest list for a post-pandemic social event.  Get to know Kat and Marshall’s different styles when it comes to chilling the drinks and chilling the blood with Halloween themes.  

Also, the duo recaps how they spent Halloween 2020 and discuss the state of pop-up Halloween stores. 

The documentary “Horror Noire” has become the touchstone for the Boys and Ghouls podcast’s exploration into the participation of black actors and filmmakers in the last century of scary movies.

Give a listen to our longest episode ever (by ten minutes) as we share what we’ve learned about; the trope of the frightened black side-kick in the horror-comedies of yesteryear, how actor Duane Jones helped “Night of the Living Dead” flip the script on the zombie tradition, how Jones went on to become a sophisticated post-Blacula vampire in “Ganja and Hess”, the influence of “The Exorcist” on the blaxploitation era, all about the original “Candyman” movie, and where things have gone since the success of “Get Out”.

We hope you enjoy it.

Halloween in the age of quarantine is the topic of this grounded episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  

Listen in, as Kat and Marshall discuss tricks to socially-distant treat distribution as well as at-home alternatives to going door to door.  For help, they consult the century-old source to Halloween festivities, The Bogie Book.  Written in the days following the Spanish Flu and the Great War, it’s full of gay decorating ideas and fortune telling games to amuse anyone preoccupied with matrimony.

Learn what the Boys and Ghouls duo does when they want to make their home feel, and smell, like a spooky sanctuary for all of October.  Plus, as the weather turns crisp, they urge you to take a walk where everyone stays six feet away… under ground!  A cemetery trip to visit a local notable in your area is a good substitute for the canceled Octoberfest you won’t be attending.

And, in a month with FIVE Saturday mornings, October 2020 will be an opportune month to enjoy some Saturday morning cartoons.  Tune in, as we suggest some frightening favorites from yesteryear.  Then, we offer free advice on spicing up a Halloween movie night.  From popcorn preparation and presentation, to a look at what streaming gems can liven up a double-feature on Halloween or any of October’s 31 nights.

Stay safe and have a Happy Halloween.

The Exorcist III, Howling III, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors are discussed in this episode of “Boys and Ghouls” as three great examples of great part threes in the horror genre.  

Often in a franchise, the later installments can lack the quality of its predecessors.  But, a good third effort can spur a franchise forward with ever broader appeal, like Dream Warriors did.  Or, it can stand on its own as a unique twist on the genre, like Howling III: The Marsupials.  Or, like The Exorcist III, it can carry on the tone of terror from the original without getting too broad, too meta or leaning too hard on a need to make everything bigger.

So, listen in, as Kat and Marshall discuss the ups and downs of these three part threes and the movies that led to them.  Also, hear how, when there’s no where to go, they explore the horror history of their own neighborhood as well as a couple of (less-than-spooky) cemeteries.

Please enjoy this heaping triple-helping of horror in what is, so far, the longest “Boys and Ghouls” episode ever.

Little Shop of Horrors, the plant-based horror comedy musical and its path from a Roger Corman quickie to a Broadway hit, is the subject of this episode of Boys and Ghouls.

Listen in as Kat and Marshall take a stroll through the 1960 version, the stage musical that it inspired, and the spectacular 1986 movie musical helmed by director and puppeteer extraordinaire, Frank Oz.

So, if you’d like to hear an entertaining and informative podcast with a running time that’s longer than the original movie (it was only 71 minutes), then look no further!

Also, Marshall discusses what he found in the graveyard.

Snow, that dangerous collection of flakes, is the topic of this chilling episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.

First come flurries of terror as we discuss vampires in snowy Alaska with, “30 Days of Night” (2007).  Then, as the packable stuff falls, we look into the killer mutant snowman flick, “Jack Frost” (1997).  Then, dress warm as we head out in search of the Peter Cushing high altitude classic, “The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas” (1957).  Finally, finish with the Finnish Christmas horror, “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale” (2010).

Also, learn exactly what mystery concoction Marshall blended and imbibed on Turkey Day.

So, listen in but be careful, this episode may chill you… to the bone! 

☃️💀☃️

Celebrate Halloween with the Boys and Ghouls duo as they get into three totally terrifying topics.

First is the 1985 made-for-TV movie, “Midnight Hour”.  What it lacks in cohesion, it makes up for with earnest joy for a super spooky Halloween night.

Then, listen in to some classic episodes of Old Time Radio.  From the chills of the Inner Sanctum to the merry pranks of Fibber McGee and Molly, we discover what spooked listeners in the golden age of radio.

Then pour yourself a bowl as we chow down on those spooky cereals; Frankenberry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula.  We’ll examine the enriched history of the presweetened cereal with with its monstrous mascots.

So, listen in and enjoy this autumnal episode, brought to you by a real pair of HALLOWEENIES. 🎃

Answering listener questions is the focus of this informative episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  Plus, continuing the topic of communication, we take a look at telephones and their use in horror.  So, listen in as we touch on such phone-heavy films as “976-EVIL”, “Dial M For Murder”, “Murder by Phone” (aka “Bells”) as well as “Sorry, Wrong Number” and the chilling 1940’s radio play that it was based on.

Then, discover what Kat and Marshall have to say when asked a variety of listener-submitted questions from, “If you could spend one day with a horror icon who would you pick to be your best friend for a day?” to “What are your top three favorite original-series Twilight Zone episodes?” to “How did you two meet?”

So, take the phone off the hook and please join us for our longest episode EVER (an unprecedented nearly two hours).

Dracula movies through the years, inspired and encouraged by the original novel and the 1931 movie, is the topic of this long awaited episode of Boys and Ghouls.

Listen in as Kat and Marshall focus in on a few of those Dracula films.  Including; Horror of Dracula (1958) the first of the Hammer Dracula franchise, Dracula (1979) the under appreciated effort with Frank Langella as the Count, Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and Blacula (1971) where Dracula’s curse injects classic horror into the blaxploitation genre.

So, dig this second part of our two-part examination of the classic movie monster... DRACULA.  🧛‍♂️