BATTLE ROYALE (2000) d. Kinji Fukasaku (Japan) How did Battle Royale become one of the most influential survival horror films of all time? In this HORROR 101 panel, we dive into Kinji Fukasaku’s controversial cult classic—an ultra-violent dystopian thriller where 42 students are forced to kill or be killed. Based on Koushun Takami’s novel, Battle Royale blends brutal action with haunting emotion, earning its place as a defining work of J-horror and 2000s cinema. Join AC and his incredible panel of J-Horror enthusiasts (Michelle Kisner, Grant Kuchan, Tyler Pistorius) as we explore the film’s horror roots, its commentary on youth, government control, and media spectacle, and how it helped shape everything from The Hunger Games to Fortnite. ----------------------------------------- MICHELLE KISNER is a film critic, freelance writer, and physical media advocate. She has contributed to several websites to include The Cultural Gutter and The Movie Sleuth and is also a member of the Michigan Movie Critics Guild. GRANT KUCHAN is a writer of pulp, wellness coach, and a real swell guy. He plays in any Jug Bands that let him. One day he’ll finish another novel, which will probably be available on Amazon, as well as at most Darktower Comics locations across the greater Chicagoland Area. The horror movie that still gives him nightmares is Matango. He saw it when he was six, and still doesn’t eat mushrooms. TYLER PISTORIUS is an actor, screenwriter, and producer living in Chicago. His recent works include Death is Business and A Missed Connection, and is currently in development on a new project. ------------------------------------------ Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

1970 was a breakthrough year for vampire cinema — sexier, bloodier, and bolder than ever before. In this episode of HORROR 101, Dr. AC and his panel explore five iconic films that redefined the vampire mythos for a new era:

• COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE (USA) – A modern bloodsucker stalks the streets of Los Angeles.

• HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (USA) – Barnabas Collins goes full Gothic on the big screen.

• THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (UK) – Hammer Horror leans into eroticism with Ingrid Pitt as Carmilla.

• COUNT DRACULA (Spain) – Jess Franco directs Christopher Lee in a rarely faithful take on Bram Stoker’s novel.

• THE NUDE VAMPIRE (France) – Jean Rollin’s surreal art-horror vision blends sci-fi and sexuality.

🎙️ Featuring special guests: Chad Hawks, Barry Kaufman, Alan Tromp, and Bobby Zier.

If you're into classic horror, cult cinema, or just love a good vampire flick, this one’s for you. New episodes every Friday night!

REPULSION (1965) d. Roman Polanski (UK) Co-written and directed by Roman Polanski, Repulsion (1965) is a landmark psychological horror film that explores the mental disintegration of a young woman, Carole (expertly played by Catherine Deneuve), living alone in London. Polanski's first English-language feature—and the first in his iconic “Apartment Trilogy,” followed by Rosemary’s Baby and The Tenant—Repulsion dives deep into themes of isolation, sexual repression, and psychological trauma. When Carole’s sister leaves her alone for two weeks, paranoia and terrifying hallucinations take over her world. Polanski masterfully uses the apartment setting (designed by Seamus Flannery), Gil Taylor’s surreal camerawork, and Stephen Dalby’s eerie sound design to visualize Carole’s descent into madness. Cracking walls, grasping hands, and nightmarish shadows blur the line between reality and delusion, all set to Chico Hamilton’s moody jazz score. Join AC and his panel of horror enthusiasts (Dodd Alley, Matthew Amador, Thomas Puhr, and Elena Romea) as we analyze Repulsion’s lasting influence, its place in horror history, the complicated relationship between art and artist, and why it remains one of the 1960s' most disturbing and enduring works. --------------------------------------------- DODD ALLEY is an author (Gamers and Gorehounds: The Influence of Video Games on the Contemporary American Horror Film) and has a Masters in Film Studies from Ohio University, where he taught courses on Cult Cinema and Hollywood Reflexive films. MATTHEW AMADOR is an actor and owner of Matador Behavioral Health, where he utilizes narrative fiction as a means to process trauma and anxiety through psychotherapy.  www.MatadorChicago.com  THOMAS M. PUHR's writing has appeared in Bright Lights Film Journal and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among others. His book, Fate in Film: A Deterministic Approach to Cinema, is available from Wallflower Press. He is the co-host of Gut Punch, a new film podcast from Beneficial Shock! magazine. ELENA ROMEA is the creator behind SpanishFear.com and Horror Rises from Spain. A researcher in literature and cinema, she holds a Ph.D. in Spanish Studies with a dissertation about the filmmaker José Val del Omar. Her work explores themes of estrangement, horror, myth, and cultural conflict. ------------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

PHENOMENA (1985) d. Dario Argento (Italy)  Perhaps the only “insect detective” movie out there on the shelves, featuring a very young Jennifer Connelly (released one year before Labyrinth) as the daughter of a famous American movie star sent away to study at an exclusive Swiss girl’s academy, whose students just happen to be falling victim to a homicidal killer. But as this is an Argento movie, things are hardly what they seem. Those familiar with Donald Pleasance primarily for his increasingly loony portrayals of Dr. Loomis in the Halloween series should check out his fine, subdued work here as a wheelchair-bound entomologist with a wavering Scottish accent, while Deep Red’s Daria Nicolodi adds another winning portrayal to her CV as the troubled Frau Bruckner. The strong opening half hour is followed by a middle section riddled with kinetic fits and starts, with a bizarre, gory ending that has “kitchen sink” writ large upon it. (All eyes on the monkey.) Argento elects for a song score comprised of myriad recording artists (including Bill Wyman, Motorhead, and Goblin), and while much of it works, it occasionally calls attention to itself rather than complementing the onscreen action (particularly with Iron Maiden’s offerings).  Potentially a bit much for the uninitiated, but those accustomed to Argento’s lack of narrative logic and flair for the unexpected will enjoy the ride. In honor of the film's 40th anniversary, we have a full house (of horrors): Jon Kitley (Kitley's Krypt, Discover the Horror), Bryan Martinez (The Giallo Room), Adam Rockoff (Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, The Horror of It All), and Lawrence P. Raffel and Carl Lyon (Monsters at Play, FEARNet) sharing reminiscences about bootleg tape trading, early internet message boards and usernames, and, of course, their first encounters with PHENOMENA and how their feelings have changed (or not) over the years. Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

MOTEL HELL (1980) d. Kevin Connor (USA) “It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s Fritters.” So runs the tagline for 1980’s Motel Hell, an endearing oddball combo of black humor and horror, featuring veteran character actor Rory Calhoun as Vincent, the proprietor of the Motel Hello, where the O on the neon sign keeps going on the blink. Vincent and his equally wacky sister Ida (a pre-Porky’s Nancy Parsons) make their living by ensnaring unsuspecting motorists to fill up the skins of their famous Farmer Smith sausages. For his first American feature, Kevin Connor took a break from directing Amicus’ fantasy epics (such as The Land that Time Forgot, At The Earth’s Core, and Warlords of Atlantis) to helm the madness provided by the sibling screenwriting/producing team of Robert and Steven-Charles Jaffee, and does a smashing job balancing the chainsaws and chuckles. Calhoun and Parsons are terrific in their respective roles, and the spirited set-up and multitude of off-the-wall vignettes have earned Motel Hell a lasting cult reputation, distinguishing it from the glut of slashers emerging around the same time. Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Jessalyn Abbott, S.A. Bradley, Eric Fritzius, Jen Olson, John Pata) as we head on down to the farm and celebrate 45 years of Motel Hell! -------------------------------------------------------- JESSALYN ABBOTT is a writer, producer and editor. She produced and edited LIKE ME which premiered at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival and was nominated for a grand jury award. Her most recent effort, PuLL: A Dark Comedy, is currently in pre-production. S.A. BRADLEY hosts the “Hellbent for Horror” podcast, is the author of “Screaming for Pleasure: How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy,” and lectured at Webster University and The College of Idaho. His show, “My Horror Manifesto,” played in NYC. ERIC FRITZIUS writes things, acts in others and records mouth noises sold in the form of audiobooks. You can find his stuff at MisterHerman.com JENNIFER OLSON is a lifelong horror fan and mother of three monster kids. She is a former member of The Flint Horror Con, and currently part of the Synapse Films street team! JOHN PATA lives in Wisconsin. He’s made some horror films, he’s hosted some horror stuff, and he’s read some horror books. ------------------------------------------------ Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

DEAD OF NIGHT (1945) d. Various (UK) A landmark horror film, 1945’s Dead of Night was produced by Britain’s famed Ealing Studios and directed by a team of mostly younger upstarts including Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, and Robert Hamer, with veteran Alberto Cavalcanti and producer Michael Balcon marshaling their forces. Widely regarded as one of the earliest and most influential horror anthology films, Dead of Night presents a quintet of eerie and imaginative stories linked by a chilling framing narrative: an architect arrives at a country house, only to realize he’s been there before—in a recurring dream. As he shares this realization, the guests recount a series of supernatural tales involving haunted mirrors, ghostly hearses, creepy ventriloquist dummies, and more. Combining original stories and adaptations, Dead of Night blends psychological horror with dark humor, setting the blueprint for anthology series like The Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt, and Black Mirror. Its influence still echoes through horror cinema today. Lock your doors, pour yourself a cup of tea, and enjoy some bite-sized nightmares as AC and his incredible panel of guests (Christianne Benedict, Cati Glidewell, John McDevitt, Lee Price, Alan Tromp) celebrate the 80th anniversary of Dead of Night! BONUS: Here's the link to Lee's article referenced throughout: https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2025/05/15/dead-of-night-1945-50-clinical-observations/ --------------------------------------------- CHRISTIANNE BENEDICT is a cartoonist, film writer, malcontent, and Bloginatrix at https://krelllabs.blogspot.com JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA!, a weekly horror gathering with film screenings at Sideshow Gelato, and Fetish Film Forum, a monthly screening series about fetish, kink, leather, and BDSM at the Leather Archives & Museum. John is fascinated by all genres of cinema and appreciates horror most of all for its willingness to explore what makes us uncomfortable and for the compassion it often extends to its characters and the viewer.  CATI GLIDEWELL (aka The Blonde in Front) is a Chicago-based film critic, lifelong cinephile, film festival jury member, and a member of Chicago Indie Critics since 2020. You can find her on all social media platforms, as well as Post Mortem radio and Radio of Horror on YouTube. LEE PRICE has dedicated his career to celebrating our history and culture (including horror films!) through freelance writing and 25 years with the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. He is a guest blogger at “Wonders in the Dark.” ALAN TROMP is a golden age Monster Kid, who has published articles in Filmfax, Twilight Zone Magazine, and We Belong Dead publications in the UK. He was scriptwriter for the shot-on-video nightmare, The Soul Eaters. --------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

HOUSE OF USHER (1960) d. Roger Corman (USA) PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961) d. Roger Corman (USA) Journey into the heart of gothic horror with House of Usher, Roger Corman’s moody and mesmerizing film version of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story. Released in 1960, Usher marks the beginning of Corman’s AIPoe series, his celebrated octet of Poe-inspired works, and it’s an atmospheric triumph of mood and style. Leading the cast is the legendary Vincent Price, in one of his most memorable roles, the fragile and haunted Roderick Usher—a man convinced that his family line is cursed and must come to an end. Price is joined by Mark Damon and Myrna Fahey, all making a meal of Richard Matheson's swirling dialogue. Belying the film’s moderate budget, Corman and cinematographer Floyd Crosby’s rich dramatic lighting lend a grand, visual presence. Daniel Haller’s stylized Usher sets become a living extension of the family’s doom, while Les Baxter’s moody musical cues evoke a decaying grandeur. Join AC and his legendary panel of guests (Jorge Didaco, Dave M. Gray, David Del Valle) as we celebrate 65 years of HOUSE OF USHER! ------------------------------------------------------ JORGE DIDACO is a Brazil-based teacher on theatre, performance, and film. He contributed the essays for The Innocents for Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies and In a Glass Cage for Hidden Horror. DAVE “M” GRAY is currently a test subject in a subterranean mad science lab and allowed to send proofs of life to Raiders of the Podcast (raidersofthepodcast.blogspot.com or anywhere you podcast) and Twitch (twitch.tv/sh4ggyr4nd) weekly. DAVID DEL VALLE is a renowned film historian, journalist, and commentator specializing in horror, science fiction, and cult cinema. He has contributed to publications like Fangoria and Cinefantastique, and produced Vincent Price's only interview focused on his horror career. Del Valle's books include Lost Horizons Beneath the Hollywood Sign and Six Reels Under. ----------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

SHIVERS (1975) is a wonderfully squirmy milestone in body horror — and David Cronenberg’s sleazy, slimy debut. A high-rise residence is thrown into chaos when a strange parasite begins turning tenants into uninhibited, sex-crazed versions of themselves. Part science fiction, part sleazy exploitation, Shivers introduced many of the themes that Cronenberg would return to again and again throughout his half-century behind the camera: disease, transformation, sexuality, technology, ethics, identity, and isolation. Not bad for a government-funded Canadian horror flick that can also be described as: “sex slugs take over the world.” Produced by Ivan Reitman (Stripes, Ghostbusters, Kindergarten Cop), Shivers also features a perfectly off-kilter pair of performances from horror legends Barbara Steele and Lynn Lowry, alongside gloriously gooey practical effects by makeup maestro Joe Blasco. The film caused a media firestorm in Canada when word got out that taxpayer dollars had helped fund such a graphic and subversive movie — but that controversy only boosted its cult status and ticket sales. In the 50 years since its release, Shivers has been reappraised as a bold, brainy, and deeply weird classic of horror cinema — a film that helped define Cronenberg’s voice and changed the genre forever.  Join AC and his awesome panel of guests ( Emily Barney, Jason Coffman, Kate Hansen, John McDevitt, Cullen Wade) as we revisit Shivers, dissect its legacy, and celebrate one of the most bizarre and brilliant debuts in horror history. --------------------------------- EMILY BARNEY is a Chicagoan studying Czech language. She has an obsession for Czech and Slovak movies, which she blogs about at emily-barney.com. She's also a lifelong horror movie fan, the weirder the better. JASON COFFMAN is the Unrepentant Cinephile. Former contributor to Daily Grindhouse and Film Monthly (RIP). Director of Housesitters and occasional "recording artist." Proud owner of 35mm prints of Andy Milligan's Guru, the Mad Monk and Zalman King's Two Moon Junction. On Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/rabbitroom/ KATE HANSEN is a music teacher with a penchant for horror. She has been published in magazines like Ultra Violent and Horrorhound. She likes dogs, enjoys the smell of campfires, collects VHS, is afraid of heights, and has only ever received two speeding tickets.  JOHN MCDEVITT is a lifelong cinephile who programs two recurring film events in Chicago: SUPER-HORROR-RAMA!, a weekly horror gathering with film screenings at Sideshow Gelato, and Fetish Film Forum, a monthly screening series about fetish, kink, leather, and BDSM at the Leather Archives & Museum. John is fascinated by all genres of cinema and appreciates horror most of all for its willingness to explore what makes us uncomfortable and for the compassion it often extends to its characters and the viewer. CULLEN WADE is the author of S(p)lasher Flicks: The Swimming Pool in Horror Cinema, out in 2025 from McFarland Books. Follow him on letterboxd @tobe_whooper and Bluesky @cullenwade.bsky.social -------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE SHINING (1980) d. Stanley Kubrick (USA) THE SHINING (1997) d. Mick Garris (USA) DOCTOR SLEEP (2019) d. Mike Flanagan (USA) The Shining (1980) remains one of the most iconic and unsettling horror films ever made. Based on Stephen King’s novel but wildly reimagined through writer/director Stanley Kubrick’s unique vision, this “masterpiece of modern horror” tells the story of Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic who takes a job as the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel. As the unforgiving Colorado winter traps him, his wife Wendy and their son Danny inside, supernatural forces send them spiraling into madness and unforgettable terror. 45 years later, The Shining continues to inspire filmmakers, critics, and horror fans alike, sparking endless analysis and debate, challenging us to look deeper with every viewing. Its eerie imagery, narrative ambiguity and dreamlike atmosphere have cemented its place as a lasting part of horror cinema history. Join AC and his outstanding panel of guests (Kait Astrella, Ana Marie Cox, Daniel Ekholm, Anish Jethmalani, Bobby Zier) as we celebrate the film’s groundbreaking cinematography, uncanny sound design, and timeless performances by Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and little Danny Lloyd, as well as the deeper symbolism and hidden meanings that have surrounded The Shining for decades. --------------------------------------- ANA MARIE COX is a writer and podcaster. She co-hosts the sci-fi podcast Space the Nation and the work and life podcast Past Due. Her work appears in The New Republic and elsewhere. She lives in Austin and deeply trusts horror and sci-fi to tell the truth. KAIT ASTRELLA is a librarian, archivist, and indie book publicist working in New York City. Find her posting about printed books and strange fiction on Instagram @kastrella2 DANIEL EKHOLM has written about film in several Swedish magazines, including Moviezine, which is the leading film magazine in Sweden. He also contributed the essay on The Blob (d. Chuck Russell, 1988) for Hidden Horror. Daniel would like to write his own book about horror films one day, but since fair use does not exist in Sweden, he started writing a children's book that he plans to finish at some point. ANISH JETHMALANI is Chicago Actor who has been on stages and screens for 30 years. You may recognize him from the horror flick Girl on the Third Floor with CM Punk. He is passionate Cinephile who contributed an essay on The Omen for the original HORROR 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies. You can find him on letterboxed at https://letterboxd.com/ajet/ BOBBY ZIER has a passion for Dracula and runs a TikTok/IG and YouTube channel called Lugosi Theatre. ‪@LugosiTheatre‬  He recently received his second “Monster Kid of the Year” Rondo Award for his efforts in keeping classic horror alive and well. ---------------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

CUJO (1983) d. Lewis Teague (USA) THE DEAD ZONE (1983) d. David Cronenberg (USA) CHRISTINE (1983) d. John Carpenter (USA) Four decades ago, in the latter half of 1983, three films based on the works of a rising horror star hit theaters. Having already attracted such established veterans Stanley Kubrick and George A. Romero, as well as rising stars like Brian De Palma and Tobe Hooper, to helm the big-screen adaptations of his novels, STEPHEN KING was quickly becoming a pop culture icon, such that having his name attached to a project (almost) insured box office success. Tonight, AC sits down with authors Darren Callahan and Dan Caffrey to discuss three classic titles: CUJO (d. Lewis Teague), CHRISTINE (d. John Carpenter), and THE DEAD ZONE (d. David Cronenberg). DARREN CALLAHAN: A fan of horror ever since he saw the groundskeeper's head chopped off in Coppola's Dementia 13, Callahan has written drama for the BBC and SyFy, had a few gothic plays produced, inked many killer screenplays, composed a few scary film scores, and is currently producing the shoegaze band The Loud Bangs.  He lives in LA... of course. http://darrencallahan.com/  DAN CAFFREY: Brooklyn-based playwright, screenwriter, podcaster, and lifelong horror fan Caffrey currently co-hosts The Losers' Club: A Stephen King Podcast and Halloweenies: A Horror Franchise Podcast, both on Bloody Disgusting's podcast network, Bloody FM. He received his MFA In Playwriting from UT Austin and has also written as a cultural critic for The A.V. Club, Consequence, Pitchfork, Vox, and elsewhere. His favorite horror movie is Halloween. His favorite movie-movie is also Halloween. https://www.dancaffreywrites.com/  Please let us know YOUR favorite Stephen King adaptation in the comments, as well as your thoughts on the three titles discussed herein. We love hearing from you! Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!