Gobbledygeek

Listen to Gobbledygeek and live forever. This week, in a stealth continuation of this year's Gobbledyween, Paul and Arlo head on down to New Orleans for Neil Jordan's 1994 adaptation of Anne Rice's classic Interview with the Vampire. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Antonio Banderas are the most beautiful men anyone could have cast as immortals in the mid-'90s, and they're joined by a prepubescent Kirsten Dunst to form a truly tragic coven. The boys discuss the evil joyfulness of Cruise's Lestat, why the role of Louis de Pointe du Lac does not play to Pitt's strengths, how amazing it is that the film's overt homoeroticism made it to the screen, and much more. Plus, yoghurt.

NEXT: we'll be back in two weeks to discuss season 2 of Reservation Dogs.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:53 - Intro / Go Go Yoghurt!

00:10:08 - Interview with the Vampire (1994)

02:06:08 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• Terror Track: Music, Sound and Horror Cinema (Janet K. Halfyard's essay "Music of the Night: Scoring the Vampire in Contemporary Film" appears in this collection)

MUSIC

• "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)" by Concrete Blonde, Bloodletting (1990)
• "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet (1968)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

We all get lost, every now and then. Most of us don't get quite as lost as the three film students at the center of The Blair Witch Project, a massive hit in 1999 whose reputation among the average moviegoer has also taken a massive hit. If you ask Arlo, though, it's one of the greatest horror films ever made–and he tells Paul exactly why, as they celebrate the second and final week of this year's abbreviated Gobbledyween. The boys discuss the incredibly convincing performances, why the characters being so annoying makes the movie so believable, how the found footage genre has expanded in the years since, and just how easy it is to get lost in America.

NEXT: why are you standing in the corner, Paul?

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro

00:02:34 - The Blair Witch Project

01:39:11 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• My House Walk-Through

• The Backrooms (Found Footage)

• The Scooby-Doo Project

MUSIC

• "Gilligan's Island" by Television's Greatest Hits Band, Television's Greatest Hits: Classic TV Theme Songs (2021)
• "Out of the Woods" by Taylor Swift, 1989 (2014)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

Leaves are on the ground, blood is on the screen–it's time for a (very late) Gobbledyween! Gobbledygeek's annual horror-thon returns for an abbreviated run, kicking things off with Mike Flanagan's 2021 Netflix miniseries Midnight Mass. What at first seems like a riff on 'Salem's Lot–a vampire ingratiates himself into a tiny coastal community–becomes a soaring exploration of addiction, faith, and death. Joining Paul and Arlo to discuss the series is original Gobbler Joseph Lewis. Together, the Three Heathens rave about the central performances from Hamish Linklater, Zach Gilford, and Kate Siegel; dissect the show's "bad miracle" vibe and how it relates to their own spiritual journey; and poke a little good-natured fun at the many, many monologues.

NEXT: we've got one more in store for you, as Paul and Arlo pop a tape into their camcorders for 1999's The Blair Witch Project.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:50 - Intro / Guest / Banter

00:23:13 - Midnight Mass

02:27:36 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• "The Netflix Series That Should Make Religious People Uncomfortable" by Matthew J. Cressler, The Atlantic
• "The Deeply Personal Horror of "Midnight Mass" – Guest Essay by Filmmaker Mike Flanagan" by Mike Flanagan, Bloody Disgusting
• "An Ex-Catholic's Take on Mike Flanagan's Supernatural Miniseries" by Gus, thomaslowery.medium.com

• Joseph William Lewis - YouTube - Letterboxd

MUSIC

• "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" by Neil Diamond, Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show (1969)
• "Nearer My God to Thee" by The Newton Brothers, Midnight Mass (Soundtrack) (2021)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

For his third film, Jordan Peele looks to the skies–and what he finds doesn't want to be seen. This week, Paul and Arlo say yup to Nope, Peele's celebration and evisceration of spectacle. The boys discuss the widening of Peele's horizons in the summer blockbuster mode; how the film reveres Spielberg while offering a pointed rebuttal to Jaws; Daniel Kaluuya's quiet intensity; and why first-time viewing Arlo is always the dumbest Arlo. Plus, a tribute to cinematic titan Jean-Luc Godard.

NEXT: more spectacle, as Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman reunite in Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:56 - Intro / RIP Jean-Luc Godard

00:06:47 - Nope

02:11:52 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• "'Nope' Explores the Horrors of Exploiting Animals for Spectacle" by Molly Kusilka, Collider

• "Jordan Peele's Nope, explained" by Alissa Wilkinson, Vox

• "Inside the Eerie UFO Design for Jordan Peele's 'Nope'" by Emma Stefansky, Thrillist

• "This Influential Anime Inspired The Final Alien Design In Nope" by Erin Brady, SlashFilm

• "NOPE'S SCIENCE CONSULTANT REVEALS THE NAME AND INSPIRATION FOR THE MOVIE'S ALIEN" by Melissa T. Miller, Nerdist

• "Nope VFX Supervisor Guillaume Rocheron on Creating That Spectacular Alien Creature" by Daron James, Motion Picture Association

MUSIC

• "Old Town Road (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus)" by Lil Nas X, 7 (2019)
• "Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley (1958)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

Sing, sing a song; sing of oblivion, it's 36 issues long! For this month's first (?) Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are harmonizing about Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici's 2018-22 Image series Oblivion Song. It's an alien invasion saga that questions the very concepts of "alien" and "invasion," regarding its human and Kuthaal characters with equal levels of empathy and complexity. The boys discuss how Kirkman overcomes The Walking Dead's biggest flaws, De Felici's otherworldly artwork, Annalisa Leoni's eerily beautiful colors, and so much more. Plus, Arlo made a return trip to Austin, TX.

NEXT: Nope? Yup.

BREAKDOWN

00:01:00 - Intro / Arlo's Austin Adventures

00:27:17 - Oblivion Song

02:00:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• "Robert Kirkman on Survivor's Guilt in 'Oblivion Song'" by Jed W. Keith, FreakSugar

MUSIC

• "Fungal Jungle (Remix)" by Psilovibin' (2019)
• "Bungle in the Jungle" by Jethro Tull, War Child (1974)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

No, this isn't a dream (or even a nightmare): The Sandman, the iconic Vertigo comic book series created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, and Mike Dringenberg, has finally been adapted for television. Paul, Arlo, and The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple are all huge fans of the comics, and they use their familiarity with the Dreaming to dive deep into the first season of the Netflix TV show. The gang discusses the show's mostly spot-on casting, whether it captures Morpheus as well as Roderick Burgess did, how the filmmakers modernize some of the books' more outdated elements, and so very much more. Plus, a mini-review of Prey, the new Predator film directed by Dan Trachtenberg and starring Amber Midthunder.

NEXT: sing a song of oblivion with Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici's Oblivion Song on a new Four-Color Flashback.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro / Guest

00:02:31 - Prey mini-review

00:26:28 - The Sandman, Season 1

02:35:00 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• The Sandman Four-Color Flashback Series

• 177, "The Sandman: Vol. I - Preludes & Nocturnes (feat. Eric Sipple)"

• 182, "The Sandman: Vol. II - The Doll's House (feat. Eric Sipple)"

• 188, "The Sandman: Vol. III - Dream Country (feat. Greg Sahadachny)"

• 189, "The Sandman: Vol. IV - Season of Mists (feat. K. Dale Koontz & Ensley F. Guffey)"

• 193, "The Sandman: Vol. V - A Game of You (feat. K. Dale Koontz & Ensley F. Guffey)"

• 196, "The Sandman: Vol. VI - Fables & Reflections"

• 201, "The Sandman: Vol. VII - Brief Lives (feat. Eric Sipple)"

• 202, "The Sandman: Vol. VIII - Worlds' End (feat. Ensley Guffey)"

• 209, "The Sandman: Vol. IX - The Kindly Ones"

• 211, "The Sandman: Vol. X - The Wake (feat. Eric Sipple, Greg Sahadachny, and K. Dale Koontz & Ensley F. Guffey)"

• 268, "The Sandman: Overture (feat. Eric Sipple)"

• "Vortexes, Killers and Fallen Angels: Meet The Sandman's Unusual Cast" by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, dc.com

• "The Sandman's 'The Sound of Her Wings' is Why Adaptations Exist" by Michael Walsh, Nerdist

• "Jessamy's Failure To Help Dream Prevents A Major Sandman Change" by Matt Morrison, ScreenRant

• "The Sandman's Dream Doesn't Show Much Emotion — That's What His Friends Are For" by Zosha Millman, Polygon

• "How The Sandman's One Change to John Dee Elevates the Original Story" by Taylor Piscitello, CBR

• "How the conscientious casting of women in "The Sandman" defies the gender-swapping trope" by Melanie McFarland, Salon

MUSIC

• "In Sleep" by Lissie, When I'm Alone: The Piano Retrospective (2019)
• "Cotton Candy Land" by Elvis Presley, It Happened At the World's Fair (Original Soundtrack) (1963)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

From Tupelo to Memphis, from Hollywood to Vegas, Elvis Presley conquered America–and now, telling his story, an Australian filmmaker has conquered the biopic. The operatic, maximalist, subtlety-eschewing Baz Luhrmann returns to the screen with Elvis, delivering the glitzy, excessive tribute this mythical/kitsch-ical icon deserves. Paul and Arlo share their personal connections to Elvis, rave about Austin Butler's transformation into the King, discuss how the film's portrayal of Elvis' racial and sexual impact stack up to the real deal, and behold Tom Hanks' embodiment of Satan. Here comes Sandy Claws!

NEXT: when the last streaming podcast deletes, our job will be finished. Eric Sipple joins us to discuss Netflix's adaptation of The Sandman.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:21 - Intro

00:03:08 - Our histories with The King

00:29:48 - Elvis

01:54:05 - Outro / Next

LINKS

• "Rumors of Elvis Racism in the '50s Still Cloud Presley's Musical Legacy" by Alan Hanson, Elvis History Blog

MUSIC

• "Hound Dog" by Big Mama Thornton, Hound Dog: The Peacock Recordings (1992)
• "Steamroller Blues" by Elvis Presley, Walk a Mile in My Shoes (1995)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

For another freestyle, Paul and Arlo are getting weird. As in "Weird Al" Yankovic, whom Arlo recently saw with their good buddy Kenn Edwards. Arlo recounts the concert moment he'd been waiting for all his life, then Paul discusses the joys and frustrations of the first-ever virtual Slayage conference. Plus, brief ruminations on Nope, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Rehearsal; and we remember our friend Chelsea Hawk.

NEXT: TBD.

LINKS

• GoFundMe: For Jared, Chelsea and Xion

MUSIC

• "We Would Be Building" by John Fahey, Days Have Gone By, Vol. 6 (1967)
• "Lame Claim to Fame" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, Mandatory Fun (2014)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

Listener, we would have words with thee! As the Odinson and the Mighty Thor swing their hammers onto the big screen in Thor: Love and Thunder, Paul and Arlo revisit some of the film's influences for this month's Four-Color Flashback. The boys dig deep into the early part of Jason Aaron's run on the golden-haired Avenger, with Thor: God of Thunder #1-25 and Thor (2014) #1-8. Topics of discussion include the dynamite art of Esad Ribić and Russell Dauterman, Thor's crisis of faith, why Jane Foster wielding Mjolnir makes for such a great reinvention of the character, and more.

NEXT: anything is possible.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:32 - Intro / Banter

00:04:55 - Main Topic

00:11:54 - INTERLUDE: Giving Arlo $#!&

00:14:01 - Back to the Main Topic!

01:55:21 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• "Divine Hammer" by The Breeders, Last Splash (1993)
• "Sweet Jane" by Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Sessions (1988)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
• • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

Paul and Arlo are going slightly mad. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the MCU's latest trip through the titular multiverse, fracturing and reshaping reality to meet the franchise's corporate needs. If that sounds a little unenthused, well, what can we say? The boys didn't love this one. Paul, ever the optimist, discusses why the MCU's depiction of sorcery continues to be one of its greatest assets. Arlo, ever the cynic, expresses appreciation of Sam Raimi's trademark flourishes before lamenting that they're all recycled riffs. Along the way, they discuss the film's odd function as a WandaVision sequel, whether punching star-shaped holes in the universe is good goofy or bad goofy, those weird fucking kids, and more.

NEXT: more madness.

BREAKDOWN

00:00:34 - Awkward Intro

00:03:33 - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Spoiler-free)

00:21:15 - SPOILERS!!!

01:50:40 - Outro / Next

MUSIC

• "I'm Going Slightly Mad" by Queen, Innuendo (1991)
• "X-Men Theme" by Florian Haack, X-Men Theme (Single) (2018)

GOBBLEDYCARES

• Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
• Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
• Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
• The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
• Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
  • US (877) 565-8860
  • Canada (877) 330-6366
• National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
• Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/
• Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
• Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
• Register to vote: https://vote.gov/