Discover the Horror Podcast

One of the things we continue to preach on this podcast is learning about the people that are involved with the films we love. It helps you see more and understand more, about the person, as well as the final product they are involved with, whether they are an actor, makeup artist, or director.

Author Joe Maddrey's recent book, The Soul of Wes Craven, from Harker Press, does just this, digging deep into the man, and shows us fans a lot more behind this Master of Horror than we might not have known. To help dig into Craven and his work, we invited Mr. Maddrey on the show to talk about his book and this highly influential filmmaker.

Films mention in this episode:

Act of Vengeance (1974), Alone in the Dark (1982), Angel Heart (1987), The Believers (1987), Chiller (1985), Deadly Friend (1986), Death Wish (1974), Dreamscape (1984), Frankenstein Unbound (1990), Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991), Friday the 13th (1980), Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986), Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982), Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985), Ghost (1990), Hills Have Eyes (1977), Hills Have Eyes 2 (1984), The Horror Show (1989), I Spit on Your Grave (1978), Jacob’s Ladder (1990), Last House on the Left (1972), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Red (2005), Scream (1996), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), Shocker (1989), Swamp Thing (1982), The Thing (1982), Together (1971), War of the Worlds (1953), Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)

The Legend of Hell House (1973), Hausu (1977), The Abandoned (2006)

In older small towns, there is usually some old house on the outskirts of town, maybe someone lives there, maybe not. But it is one that young kids dare themselves to go up to. And if you do dare to enter this dwelling, you'll find creaking boards, dust covered items from furniture to knick-knacks, and a lot of cobwebs. And any noise, no matter how small it might, gets the mind racing.

There is nothing better for the Halloween season than sitting down with a nice Haunted House movie. Which is why we decided to tackle 3 of our favorite scary movies about demented dwellings, as well as ones that we feel that need more attention. Going back to the very beginning of cinema, with Georges Méliès' The House of the Devil (1896), it shows how important this sub-genre is, and why filmmakers continue to go back to it. When done correctly, can be highly effective, and damn scary. 

Films mentioned in this episode:

The Abandoned (2006), Aftermath (1994), Amityville Horror (1979), The Changeling (1980), The Chooper (1971), Color Out of Space (2019), The Conjuring (2013), Creepshow (1982), Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (1974), Dust Devil (1992), Dracula (1931), Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), The Evil (1978), Fletch (1985), Frankenstein (1931), Genesis (1998), The Ghost of Sierre de Cobre (1964), Hardware (1990), The Haunting (1963), Hausu aka House (1977), The House of Clocks (1989), The House of the Devil (1896), The House on Haunted Hill (1959), The House that Dripped Blood (1971), Ice from the Sun (1999), Infinity Pool (2023), The Innocents (1961), Jaws (1975), The Legend of Hel House (1973), The Old Dark House (1932), Paranormal Activity (2007), Pet Sematary (1989), Poltergeist (1982), Possessor (2020), Salem’s Lot (1979), Scrapbook (2000), The Shining (1980), Stir of Echoes (1999), Subconscious Cruelty (2000), Tennessee Gothic (2019), Terrified (2017), Twin of Evil (1972), The Uninvited (1944), The Watcher in the Woods (1980), The Woman in Black (1989)

Four decades on, and Fangoria is still one of the leading voices of horror culture.  But in it's heyday in the 1980s, it was the gold standard. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Fangoria was the most important part of horror culture at that time.  On this episode of Discover the Horror, we take a trip through Fango's history and discuss how it shaped out love of the genre, as well as speculating on how it shaped the genre as a whole.  

Movies mentioned in this episode:

Accion Mutante (1993), Bad Taste (1987), The Beyond (1981), Brain Dead (1992), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), The Fly (1986), Geek Maggot Bingo (1983), Godzilla (1954), I Drink Your Blood (1971), Intruder (1989), I Spit on Your Grave (1978), Motel Hell (1980), Puppet Master III (1991), Q (1982), Shriek of the Mutilated (1974), Star Wars (1977), Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Videodrome (1982), Zombie (1979)

The Vampire Doll (1970), Lake of Dracula (1971), and Evil of Dracula (1974).

In the annals of Japanese horror cinema, this vampire trilogy from director Michio Yamamoto seems to be close to escaping into obscurity. In fact, try finding much more than a passing mention of these films in any reference books. But thanks to Arrow Video, all three of these films are at least saved from fading away in the sunlight like any good vampire, in one fantastic box set! Because these seemed to be on the outskirts of the vampire genre, we thought it would be a great opportunity for us to take a closer look at them, and to see if they need more attention. Listen and find out!

Films mentioned in this episode:

Blacula (1972), Cannibal Holocaust (1980), Count Yorga, Vampire (1970), Dracula 72 AD (1972), El Topo (1970), Evil of Dracula (1974), Frankenstein (1931), Frankenstein vs Baragon (1965), Horror of Dracula (1957), Ju-On (2002), King Kong vs Godzilla (1963), Lake of Dracula (1971), Lust for a Vampire (1971), Ring (1998), Seeding of a Ghost (1983), Son of Frankenstein (1939), Throne of Blood (1957), The Vampire Doll (1970), Vampyros Lesbos (1971)

Re-Animator (1985), From Beyond (1986), and Dagon (2001)

Bringing the works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft to the screen is not an easy task. Much of the horror Lovecraft talked about wasn't described or explained too much, leaving it up to the reader. But when director Stuart Gordon, producer Brian Yuzna, and writer Dennis Paoli got together to adapt Lovecraft's 1922 story "Herbert West - Re-Animator" for a movie, they changed cinema forever. Not only did they show us more than Lovecraft would ever dream of, they created a perfect blend of outrageous horror, gore, and bizarre imagery that would immediately put them in the horror history books.

The following year, they took another short story, From Beyond, first published in 1934, and showed even more strange, bizarre, and gooey things we'd seen before, going beyond then what the short story told us.

Then 15 years later, these three deranged creators returned to Lovecraft to take us to a fishing village filled with very unusual citizens, in 2001's Dagon.

While Gordon's filmography might not be filled with classic after classic, when he hit a home run, usually he was working with Yuzna and Paoli.

Films mentioned in this episode:

Black Gloves (2017), Color Out of Space (2019), Dagon (2001), Dust Devil (1992), From Beyond (1986), Halloween (1978), Hardware (1990), Lord of Tears (2013), Re-Animator (1985), Shrews Nest (2014), To Let (2006), Witching and Bitching (2013)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978).

We've decided to take on a little twist here, doing an on-going series that we're calling Twice Told Tales. This is where we are going to compare two films, an original and its remake. This is not to say which one is better, but to highlight the positives of both, what we feel works, and the differences between them.

For our first episode in this series, we're going to tackle the first two versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. We're not discussing about the 2 later day versions for any reasons specifically, but wanted to concentrate on the two that are more well know, and obviously because they were the first two versions. With both of these titles recently being released on 4K, you might find yourself wanting to upgrade. Careful, there are spoilers here, but I'm sure any fan of any merit already knows of what we'll speak about. Enjoy!

Movies mentioned in this episode:

Alien (1979), Black Christmas (1974), The Birds (1963), The Body Snatchers (1993), The Brood (1979), Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995), Dead Zone (1983), Don’t Look Now (1973), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), (1931), (1941), The Golem (1914), (1920), (1936), The Fly (1986), Henry & June (1990), Invaders from Mars (1953), The Invasion (2007), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), The Lost Boys (1987), The Mummy (1932), (1959), (1999), (2017), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), (1943), (1962), (1988), (1998), Psycho (1960), (1998), Song at Midnight (1937), Suspiria (1977), The Thing (1982), The Thing from Another World (1951), Shock Waves (1977), The Stuff (1985)

Mother's Day (1980), Madman (1981), Pieces (1982), and Evil Dead Trap (1988)

When you’re talking about horror films with most non-horror fans, they usually are thinking about the slashers which they seem to encapsule all of that genre. But when us fans start to dig into that sub-genre, that’s when the questions arise, parameters seemed like they have to set, even though plenty of the films go out of their way to beyond said parameters. As if any were meant to stay between the lines!

Then you start to delve into when the sub-genre started, which can then start another round of questions and discussions.

To help get those arguments . . . we mean discussions started, in this episode we’re going to cover 4 different slasher films, granted, of varying types, but we feel still fits into the category of slasher films. And to help with this, we’ve invited Aaron Crowell, Managing Editor of HorrorHound Magazine back to join in the conversation.

Movies mentioned in this episode:

Amsterdamned (1988), Angel Guts: High School Coed (1978), The Bad Seed (1956), Beyond the Darkness (1979), Black Christmas (1974), Blood Song (1982), Candyman (1992), Don’t Go in the House (1979), Don’t Go to Sleep (1982), Evil Dead Trap (1988), Evil Dead Trap 2 (1992), The Exorcist (1973), Final Exam (1981), Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks (1974), Friday the 13th (1980), Frightmare (1974), The Girl in Room 2A (1974), The Girl Next Door (2007), Halloween (1978), Hatchet (2006), House on Sorority Row (1982), The Incubus (1982), It Follows (1914), Killer Party (1986), Lady Frankenstein (1971), The Leopard Man (1943), Living Doll (1990), The Lost (2006), Madman (1981), Maniac (1980), Mother’s Day (1980), Mother’s Day (2010), My Bloody Valentine (1981), Offspring (2009), Paranormal Activity (2007), Peeping Tom (1960), Pieces (1982), Psycho (1960), Rape Man (2008)The Rift (1990), Satan’s Blood (1978), Scream (1996), Slaughter High (1986), The Slayer (1982), Sleepaway Camp (1983), Slugs (1988), Sting of Death (1965), Supersonic Man (1979), Superstition (1982), Terrifier (2016), Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Thanksgiving (2023), The Thing (1982), Thirteen Women (1932), Tourist Trap (1979), The Woman (2011), You’re Next (2011)

Films discussed: Satan's Sadists (1969), Brain of Blood (1970), Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971)

From the mid-60's until the late 70's director Al Adamson and producer Sam Sherman made some of the most memorable low-budget horror and exploitation pictures to slide across American drive-in and grindhouse screens.  Together they made films that not only exemplified genre, they also often transcend and blended genres, creating something that has stuck in the filmgoing collective consciousness for over half a century.  And when Severin Films released The Al Adamson Masterpiece Collection boxed set in 2020, whole new generations were introduced to Al and Sam's work, and those of us who were already familiar learned a thing or two (or twenty) and got to see them look better than they have since they sat on a double bill in a 70s sleaze palace.   All hail Al and Sam! 

Movies mention in this episode:

Black Shampoo (1976), Blood and Flesh: The Real Life and Ghastly Death of Al Adamson (2019), Blood of Ghastly Horror (1967), Brain of Blood (1971), Brides of Blood (1968), The Crawling Hand (1963), The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1962), Dracula vs Frankenstein (1971), Easy Rider (1969), Five Bloody Graves (1969), Frankenstein’s Bloody Terror (1968), Hell’s Bloody Devils (1970), Kingdom of the Spiders (1977), Laserblast (1978), The Mighty Gorga (1969), The Mummy and the Curse of the Jackals (1969), Mutant (1984), The Navy vs The Night Monster (1966), Night of the Blood Monster (1970), The Phantom of the Hollywood (1974), The Sadists (1963), Satan’s Cheerleaders (1977), Satan’s Sadist (1969), Shock (1946), Star Wars (1977), The Thrill Killers (1964), Trick or Treats (1982), The Wasp Woman (1959), The Witchmaker (1969), Without Warning (1980), The Wolf Man (1941)

In the realm of low budget filmmakers, Al Adamson, along with his partner, producer Sam Sherman, are gods among men. They created a wide variety of pictures, in just about every sub-genre out there, and made with more love than money. But they were entertaining, and always memorable. Perhaps their most memorable (and successful) film was 1971's Dracula vs. Frankenstein, in no small part thanks to the casting of a young, unknown actor in the iconic role of Dracula.  Raphael Engel, rechristened Zandor Vorkov was a whole new kind of creature of the night-longhaired, goateed, and able to shoot fire out of his ring, this was a brand-new Dracula for a brand-new age.  Zandor's Dracula stalked across the screen of virtually every grindhouse and drive-in screen in America in the early 70s and then across every television screen in America for a couple of decades after that.  While his Dracula was being elevated to pop culture celebrity, Zandor himself left the movie business and fell out of the public eye for decades.  Go to a convention, and bring up Al Adamson, and someone would eventually say "I wonder what ever happened to Zandor Vorkov?" 

Like any good vampire, he was just lying in the shadows, waiting to emerge anew!

And on this very special episode, we have asked Raphael to join us to and talk a little about himself, his time working with Adamson and Sherman, and his fascinating take on the horror fandom that he's only recently learned existed, but has embraced warmly.

You can check out Zandor's website by going to https://zandorvorkov.com or hitting him up on Facebook by clicking HERE.

And if you love Al Adamson and Sam Sherman, check out the next episode we're going to do, where we dig into three of our favorite films from them! 

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), The Golem (1920), and Waxworks (1924).

In the very beginning of cinema, it was the German filmmakers who took cinema to the next level, even when it was still in its infancy. Creating strange angles, weird landscapes and buildings, and bizarre stories, these filmmakers gave audiences something completely new and different. It made such an impact, that it would inspire future filmmakers for generations to come.

While being silent, these films still created such haunting images, wild characters, and fantastical designs of the sets, that can still make an impact to today's modern audiences. When Discovering the Horror, it is always important to know how we got to where we are, and the German expressionist horror films of that era is a great place to start. If you want to scoff at silent cinema, then you are depriving yourself of some truly great pieces of art, and of history.

Films mentioned in this episode:

The Arrival of a Train (1896), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Casablanca (1942), The Cat and the Canary (1927), The Devil and Daniel Webster, Dr. Caligari (1989), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Golem (1915), The Golem (1967), The Golem (2018), The Golem; How He Came into the World (1920), The Golem and the Dancer (1917), The Great Train Robbery (1903), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), It! (1967), Ivan the Terrible (1944), The Man Who Laughs (1928), The Mummy (1932), Nosferatu (1922), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Unknown (1927), Waxworks (1924)