HORROR 101 with Dr. AC

GAMERA: THE GIANT MONSTER (1965) d. Noriaki Yuasa (Japan) GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE (1995) d. Shusuke Kaneko (Japan) Japan's second-most iconic kaiju (aka the Other Big G), Gamera evolved from a destructive force to a heroic protector of humanity. The early Showa era films (1965-1980) established Gamera, a giant, turtle-like creature, as a friendly figure for youngsters while also showcasing him battling various monstrous threats. Often lighthearted and less serious than their Godzilla counterparts, Gamera's reputation as the "friend to all children" made him a beloved character around the world. In 1995, the franchise was rebooted with the Heisei trilogy, comprised of Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995), Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996), and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999), which gave the series a darker, more mature tone. This trilogy redefined Gamera as an ancient, powerful protector of Earth, tackling complex themes alongside epic monster battles and state-of-the-art special effects. Throughout the Gamera series, several memorable monsters have appeared as adversaries to the titular turtle kaiju, including Gyaos, Barugon, Viras, Guiron, Zigra, Jiger, Legion, and Iris. These foes, each with unique abilities and characteristics, ensured that every onscreen battle was a breath-taking, earth-shaking, cityscape-breaking smackdown, while maintaining the franchise's unique blend of adventure, fantasy, and spectacle. Join AC and his awesome panel of G-guests (Joyce Boss, Dave M Gray, Stan Hyde, Mark Matzke) as they celebrate 60 years of the twenty-ton terrapin, GAMERA!! -------------------------------------------- JOYCE MIHARA BOSS teaches world literature and cinema, myth, and Japanese popular culture at Wartburg College. Her academic publications and presentations have focused on various topics related to Godzilla, yōkai, global fandom, and Japanese religion and folklore. 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. STAN HYDE teaches, examines, and consults on international film programs for students (International Baccaluareate's Film Course), as well as writing about model making, film history, and some fiction. He is winner of the Mangled Sky-Scraper Award for helping bring G-FEST, the annual Godzilla Convention in Chicago to life since 1995, and is a 2021 Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association Hall of Fame recipient for his work with science fiction conventions, clubs, and fanzines. MARK MATZKE is the narrative voice of numerous Small Town Monsters documentaries such as "Sasquatch Unearthed." He's featured on STM's YouTube series "UFOs Revisited," and has written for Stephen Bissette's upcoming "Cryptid Cinema 2," Nostalgia Digest and G-FAN. ------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

AC joins his Streaming and Screaming co-hosts Chad the Bird and Lucy Ba'al as they count down their favorite fright flicks of 2024! Let us know YOUR favorite picks from 2024 in the comments! Looking forward to another year of Sharing the Scare! Titles mentioned in this episode: Longlegs, Suitable Flesh, Exhuma, Broadcast Signal Intrusion, The Demon Disorder, Infested, Oddity, Terrifier 3, Immaculate, Nosferatu, Satanic Hispanics, The Substance, Smile 2, The Coffee Table, Crumb Catcher, The First Omen, In a Violent Nature, Cuckoo, Baghead, Abigail, Azrael, Daddy's Head, Strange Darling, Mads, Trap, Mr. Crockett, Frankie Freako, Sator, Alien: Romulus, Prey, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, The Devil's Bath, Godzilla X Kong, Humane, I Saw the TV Glow, Late Night with the Devil, Things Will Be Different, MaXXXine, Never Let Go, Night Swim, V/H/S/Beyond, Starve Acre, The Vourdalak, Stopmotion, and many more! Join ussssssss!!! -------------------------------------- All things Chad the Bird @ChadTheBird https://linktr.ee/ChadtheBird All things Lucy Ba'al @lucybaal2299 https://linktr.ee/lucy_baal ----------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

LES DIABOLIQUES (1955) d. Henri-Georges Clouzout (France) Slip into the dark and suspenseful world of "The French Hitchcock," Henri-Georges Clouzot (The Wages of Fear), and his extraordinary nonpareil of suspense, 1955's Les Diaboliques, where nothing is as it seems and every twist keeps you on the edge of your seat. Set in and around a remote boarding school, a frail wife (Vera Clouzout) and her romantic rival (Simone Signoret) plot to murder her cruel, abusive husband (Paul Meurisse). But when things do not go as planned, the two women are thrust into a terrifying psychological nightmare where nothing is what it seems. From its chilling atmosphere to the unforgettable performances, we'll explore every haunting detail that makes Les Diaboliques one of the most daring and suspenseful features ever made, ripe for rediscovery by a new generation on this, its 70th anniversary! Packed with secrets and surprises, AC and his marvelous panel of guests (Don Bapst, Mark Easteadt, Melissa Hannon, Doug Long, and Cullen Wade) break down this cinematic masterpiece's groundbreaking narrative, exploring how it revolutionized psychological thrillers and inspired countless filmmakers, including The Master himself. ---------------------------------------- DON BAPST is an American-Canadian novelist, filmmaker, and playwright whose titles include The Hanged Man, Recalculating Euphoria, and Doppelgänger. He's currently developing a horror film set in the Yukon. https://donbapst.com/ MARK EASTEADT is a movie-lovin', trivia-spoutin', music-sharin', pop culture nerd that loves talking about all of the above. He also hosts the horror movie Meetup, Charlottesville Horror Film Fanatics https://www.meetup.com/charlottesville-horror-film-fanatics MELISSA HANNON is a horror fanatic, Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and the founder/EIC of http://horrorgeeklife.com, packed with the latest news about all things scary and spooky. DOUG LONG is a theatre director, writer, and on the faculty at DePaul University, where his classes include "The Films of Alfred Hitchcock." He has written book reviews for several film journals, including Film Quarterly and Film & History. 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!

HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (1980) d. Barbara Peeters (& others) (USA) Dive into the wild world of Humanoids from the Deep as we unravel the untold stories of producer Roger Corman and director Barbara Peeters! From shocking controversies to behind-the-scenes secrets (including the infamous last-minute changes that sparked much outrage). Starring B-movie stalwarts Doug McClure (The Land That Time Forgot), Vic Morrow (The Last Shark, Twilight Zone: The Movie), and Ann Turkel and featuring early efforts from future Hollywood heavyweights James Horner (Titanic) and Rob Bottin (Robocop) (musical score and makeup, respectively), this thrilling panel discussion takes you deep into the making of this 1980 horror class-sick that pushed boundaries and left a lasting mark on exploitation cinema! Noyo, a small coastal California town, is terrorized by a series of brutal attacks on its residents. These attacks are revealed to be the work of mutated, amphibious creatures—humanoid monsters created as a result of genetic experimentation. As the creatures hunt and kill, they also target the women of the town, leading to a violent clash between the humans and the mutated beings in a desperate fight for survival. Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (John W. Bowen, Damien Glonek, Vanessa Morgan, Jen Olson, and Ryan Olson) as they celebrate this 45-year-old MONSTERPIECE. ------------------------ JOHN W. BOWEN has been a columnist, reviewer and feature writer for Rue Morgue magazine since 1999, and has also written sporadically for more (...cough...) "civilized" publications, including the Kingston Whig-Standard, The Toronto Star and Kingston Life Magazine. Born in Dallas and raised in Kingston, Ontario, he is also a professional musician and recovering strip club DJ. DAMIEN GLONEK is best known as the co-creator of Living Dead Dolls, which holds the record for the longest continuously running horror themed dolls. He is also co-host of the horror podcast, Discover the Horror. In Damien's spare time, he collects horror movie posters, watches horror movies, reads about watching horror movies and talks about reading and watching horror movies to anyone that will listen. VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several horror novels and film guides (When Animals Attack, Strange blood, Evil Seeds) – available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN. She's also the creator of Traveling Cats, the first travel blog for cat lovers – https://traveling-cats.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! RYAN OLSON (aka S. Ravenlord of The Cold Beyond music group) is the owner of Deadspeak Design and Night World Records, as well as a member of the Synapse Films street team and a regular on the Synapse Films podcast. His work has been featured in Liquid Cheese, Horrorhound, & Evilspeak Magazines. ---------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

BLOOD FEAST (1963) d. H.G. Lewis (USA) TWO THOUSAND MANIACS (1964) d. H.G. Lewis (USA) COLOR ME BLOOD RED (1965) d. H.G. Lewis (USA) Herschell Gordon Lewis' "Blood Trilogy" — Blood Feast (1963), Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964), and Color Me Blood Red (1965) — revolutionized the horror genre by introducing explicit gore and shocking violence, laying the foundation for the splatter film subgenre. With their graphic depictions of mutilation and taboo subjects, these films were groundbreaking in their raw and unrestrained approach. Dubbed "The Godfather of Gore," Lewis' work not only influenced future exploitation/slasher films and filmmakers, but also shaped the blood 'n' guts themes that became key elements of modern horror cinema. Tonight, AC and his splatter-loving panel (Anna Maurya, Nicola McCafferty, Ernie Rockelman, Chris Wylie) honor this low-budget master of the macabre, and the notorious trio of films that launched a million buckets of Karo syrup! ----------------------------------------------------- ANNA MAURYA is a film fan stuck in Ohio. They have been a guest on Raiders of the Podcast, a contributor to Hidden Horror, and they generally dislike writing about themselves in the third person. NICOLA MCCAFFERTY is a PhD candidate in the department of Radio, Television, and Film at Northwestern University whose current research focuses on how screen representations of nonhuman women (think mannequins, cyborgs, and humanoid aliens) help us gain insights into the categories of both humanity and femininity. Outside of grad school, Nicola has a few stray bylines at Dread Central and runs an Etsy store ( https://www.etsy.com/shop/vvitchroom/?etsrc=sdt%29 ) where she sells enamel pins, stickers, and prints inspired by horror and cult films from the 1960s to today. ERNIE ROCKELMAN is an educator and writer who began covering genre cinema for HorrorHound magazine in 2019. His piece, "Black Horror," earned him the Rondo Hatton Award for "Article of the Year" in 2021. Ernie's writing can also be found in Fangoria and Monster-Mania Magazine. CHRIS WYLIE runs the monthly Deep Cuts Horror Trivia Nights in Chicago (with his equally charming wife). --------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

ONIBABA (1964) d. Kaneto Shindo (Japan) KWAIDAN (1964) d. Masaki Kobayashi (Japan) Tonight, we discuss the 1964 Japanese horror classics Onibaba and Kwaidan, exploring their reflections of post-war Japanese society, folklore, and complex themes of fear and morality. Set in feudal Japan, Onibaba sees two women surviving by killing samurai and selling their armor. Blending psychological terror, supernatural elements, and an ominous, demonic mask, writer/director Kaneto Shindo (Kuroneko) uses stark black-and-white cinematography to examine the horrifying consequences of betrayal, lust, and murder. In Kwaidan, director Masaki Kobayashi (Hara-Kiri) presents four traditional ghost stories based on Lafcadio Hearn's writings. Using visually striking and atmospheric cinematography, this epic Japanese anthology horror film delivers eerie tales of the uncanny, featuring vengeful spirits, mythical creatures, and haunting folklore. Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Christianne Benedict, Jon Kitley, John McDevitt, Jen Olson, Lee Price) as they analyze how these two films combine historical context and haunting imagery to create timeless works of horror that continue to resonate with audiences today. ---------------------------------------- CHRISTIANNE BENEDICT is a cartoonist, film writer, malcontent, and Bloginatrix at https://krelllabs.blogspot.com JON KITLEY has been running his website, Kitley's Krypt for 25 years. He's a columnist for HorrorHound magazine, a co-host on the Discover the Horror podcast, and attends multiple conventions and all-night horror movie marathons at the drive-in theaters! https://kitleyskrypt.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. 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! LEE PRICE is dedicated to preserving and celebrating our history, culture, and monster movies through his work with the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts and freelance writing. Occasional guest blogger at "Wonders in the Dark." https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/ ------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974) d. Tobe Hooper (USA) In 1973, Tobe Hooper and a group of young actors and technicians ventured out in to the Texas wilderness to shoot a low-budget horror film that would go on to become one of the greatest landmark cinematic achievements in history. THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE was a smash hit upon its release the following year and has not lost any of its ability to shock and terrify and influence other filmmakers over the ensuing five decades. In the studio with AC to chat about this watershed motion picture are a trio of celebrated authors and podcasters: S. A. Bradley, author of Screaming for Pleasure and creator of the Hellbent for Horror podcast, Jon Kitley of Kitley's Krypt and HorrorHound Magazine, and freelance writer Aaron AuBuchon, who co-hosts (along with Mr. Kitley) the Discover the Horror podcast. Please join us as we explore the project's troubled genesis, its even more storied release, and its lasting power on the eve of Dark Sky Films' breathtaking UHD 4K double disc release for home video, complete with four commentary tracks, three documentaries, interviews with the cast and crew, and a conversation between Hooper and kindred spirit William Friedkin (The Exorcist). --------------------

AARON AUBUCHON is a film professor and writer, and also an editor, director, motion graphics artist and producer. He is also co-host of the Discover the Horror podcast. https://discoverthehorror.com/ S.A. BRADLEY hosts the "Hellbent for Horror" podcast https://hellbentforhorror.com/, 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. JON KITLEY has been running his website, Kitley's Krypt for 25 years. He's a columnist for HorrorHound magazine, a co-host on the Discover the Horror podcast, and attends multiple conventions and all-night horror movie marathons at the drive-in theaters!https://kitleyskrypt.com/ -------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

CALVAIRE (aka THE ORDEAL) (2004) d. Fabrice du Welz (Belgium) After his car breaks down en route to the next holiday gig, low-rent crooner Marc Stevens (Laurent Lucas) stumbles into a backwards backwoods community devoid of women. Taking shelter at a nearby inn, he soon finds himself captive in a nightmarish scenario that manages to surprise and unnerve without resorting to eviscerations. This genre offering from Belgium, which arrived on the cusp of the new "French Extreme" movement of the early 2000s, presents a few novel twists on the well-worn "travelers off the beaten path" trope. Kudos to director Fabrice du Welz, who co-wrote the script with Romain Protait, for his skillful evocation of dread-filled atmospherics, as well as one of the strangest dance sequences ever to pass through a camera lens. Also featuring Jackie Berroyer, Eurobabe Brigette Lahaie, and Phillipe Nahon (High Tension). Join AC and his marvelous panel of guests (Dominic Conti, John McDevitt, Cati Glidewell, Ashley Lamers) as they reflect back on 20 years of holiday counterprogramming with Calvaire!! ----------------------------------------- DOMINIC CONTI is a Chicago-based writer and actor. His first novel, Your Book Club, is now available. (Orders can be placed at [email protected], or you can just say hi.) 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. ASHLEY LAMERS is a professional counselor, animal advocate, coffee enthusiast, straight edge vegan feminist, and horror lover with a "do no harm, take no shit" sensibility. She has two cats, a business, and many opinions. 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. -------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!!

THE EXORCIST (1973) d. William Friedkin (USA) EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977) d. John Boorman (USA) EXORCIST III (1990) d. William Peter Blatty (USA) EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING (2004) d. Renny Harlin (USA) DOMINION: THE PREQUEL TO THE EXORCIST (2005) d. Paul Schrader (USA) (originally broadcast Aug 2023) It's amazing to believe that THE EXORCIST has been in our lives for a half century, because for many fans, it's hard to imagine the horror landscape without it. Its release in the final days of December 1973 triggered a seismic shift in popular culture and the world has literally never been the same. William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel had already become a sensation in the publishing world, and so a film version seemed inevitable, although it's unlikely that anyone imagined so much of the sensational and explicit material from the printed page would end up on the big screen. Setting aside the sensational special effects, the idea of of a 12-year-old girl spewing shocking curse words and pea soup in equal measure in a Hollywood picture is still incredible to conceive, even in the adventurous, risk-taking environment of the early '70s. And yet, it happened, and in the process became the highest grossing film of its time and garnered 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, honors which no horror film had ever before achieved. (It deservedly won for Best Screenplay and Sound.) Tonight, we'll be discussing the Exorcist legacy, its sequels, prequels, rip-offs, and lasting impact on pop culture, and asking the question: Is it still "the scariest movie ever made"?Joining AC in the studio is another fantastic guest panel, all shining stars in the Chicago Theatre firmament: Michelle Courvais, Chris Hainsworth, Katie McLean Hainsworth, Mandy Walsh, and Christopher M. Walsh. --------------------------------------------- MICHELLE COURVAIS is a health coach, empowerment self-defense instructor, student of herbalism (code for WITCH) and sometimes a Chicago actor. CHRIS HAINSWORTH (he/him/his) is an actor/writer/director represented by Big Mouth Talent Chicago. He is a DeathScribe winner 2009 for the audio drama "Remembrance" and author of The Fourth Wall, part of Motel 666 (2015). KATIE MCLEAN HAINSWORTH is a Chicago-based performer/writer, whom you can regularly find on both the DARK NEXUS and FAWX & STALLION podcasts. She's happily guested on HORROR 101 a few times as well as on Roll For Impact's THE STRANGER. MANDY WALSH is a Chicago area actor and can be seen onstage this winter in The Factory Theater's production of Kitty James and Destiny's Trail to Oregon. CHRISTOPHER M. WALSH is a Chicago-based actor and playwright. His most recent play, Miss Holmes Returns, was just published by Dramatic Publishing. (https://linktr.ee/christophermwalsh) -------------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) d. Bob Clark (Canada) SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT (1984) d. Charles Sellier (USA) It's time to celebrate the Happy HorrorDays with two Christmas classics, both of which are celebrating milestone anniversaries! Director Bob Clark's effective (and underrated) holiday thriller BLACK CHRISTMAS pre-dates the slasher film craze and its influence is felt in Halloween, When a Stranger Calls, and countless others. The simple set-up involves a college sorority house and an (unseen) homicidal killer, heightened by some of the most chilling and unsettling obscene phone calls ever recorded. Utilizing extensive handheld camerawork, this is also among the first usage of the "heavy-breathing killer's point-of-view" shots that would become a staple of the slasher oeuvre. Meanwhile, 1984's notorious ad campaign for SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT, with its iconic poster art showing Santa descending a chimney with an axe in hand, became the stuff of legend, prompting outraged parents to picket theaters and write scathing letters to distributor Tri-Star until the movie was yanked from cinemas. But what of the feature itself? It's actually pretty solid by slasher standards, with director Charles Sellier and screenwriter Michael Hickey providing plenty of gore, gratuitous nudity, and several nifty plot twists. Grab your sleds and join AC and his dazzling panel of enthusiasts (Tim Palace, Mackenzie Parker, Chris Scales, Ian Simmons, and Ciara Wylie) as they honor the chills of the season! -------------------------------------------- TIM PALACE was born and raised on horror from an early age in Chicago, IL. A lifelong devotee to the genre and the preservation of physical media, 2024 should be the year he hits the 10,000 mark for titles in his collection. MACKENZIE PARKER is a filmmaker living in Los Angeles. He studied at Northern Illinois University and the Moscow Art Theater. He has worked on TV shows such as Sons of Anarchy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is currently working as a staff editor for Digital Alliance. CHRIS SCALES is a lifelong horror fan, aspiring horror screenwriter, and horror panelist. IAN SIMMONS runs the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel, where he posts movie reviews, interviews, and critics round tables. He is also a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, and feels conflicted about referring to himself in the third person. https://kickseat.com/ CIARA WYLIE is a lifelong horror fan and co-creator of Deep Cuts Horror Trivia in Chicago, IL. In her free time she can be found screaming into the uncaring void about Final Destination 3. --------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!!