HORROR 101 with Dr. AC

THE MUMMY (1932) d. Karl Freund (USA) THE MUMMY (1959) d. Terence Fisher (UK) THE MUMMY (1999) d. Stephen Sommers (USA) One of the most enduring classic horror archetypes, The Mummy has appeared on film almost since the inception of cinema, with numerous silent efforts preceding Universal's landmark production in 1932 starring Boris Karloff. Since then, there have been a surprising number of sequels, reboots, updates, and variations on the classic Egyptian monster and its accompanying curse. Tonight, in the spirit of unwrapping strange gifts and disturbing family heirlooms, we tackle three of the best-known versions of the sand-swept tale, including Hammer's 1959 color remake starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and 1999's action/adventure spin with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Join AC and his intrepid panel of guests (Doug Long, Mike Mayo, Gavin Schmitt, Michael Weber) as they dive deep into the mysteries of THE MUMMY! ----------------------------------------- DOUG LONG teaches film-related classes at DePaul University and writes book reviews for film journals, including Film Quarterly and mise-en-scene. MIKE MAYO has written several books about film and popular culture, among them VideoHound's Horror Show and American Murder. He is also the author of the Jimmy Quinn historical suspense novels set in Prohibition-era New York. GAVIN SCHMITT is Wisconsin's criminal historian and the author of several books. He's also a degenerate cinephile and has written on film topics, particularly cinematographer Karl Freund. He's been half naked with Norman Reedus, shared breakfast with Tiffany Shepis, and helped David Arquette find cocaine in Chicago. MICHAEL WEBER is an actor, director, and currently the Artistic Director of Porchlight Music Theatre. A Chicago native, his fascination with classic horror began with WGN's legendary Creature Features and The Son of Svengoolie. He is an avid fan of the Golden Age of Radio and the author of the play, WAR of the WELLeS (about Orson Welles' infamous radio broadcast.) ---------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

NIGHT OF THE DEMONS (1988) d. Kevin Tenney (USA) DEAD HEAT (1988) d. Mark Goldblatt (USA) Tonight's episode is entitled "The Class of 1988," even if "class" may not be the first word that springs to mind when describing these two horror/comedy titles. Both enjoyed limited theatrical releases, but by and large, home video was where most fans encountered them for the first time. DEAD HEAT, starring Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo, tells the story of a cop who goes down in the line of duty and then comes back up, thanks to a miracle machine invented by horror veteran Vincent Price. NIGHT OF THE DEMONS, on the other hand, stars scream queens Linnea Quigley and Amelia Kincaide in a Halloween romp where a séance in an abandoned funeral parlor opens the door to the supernatural, with all manner of splattery nonsense to follow. Tonight's panel is comprised of cast and crew members of Wisconsin's own award-winning independent feature, DEAD WEIGHT (2012): Matty Field, Lee Marohn, Jess Ader, Joe B., and writer/director John Pata. (You can see his most recent effort, BLACK MOLD, on Tubi right now!) Join in the fun as the boys discuss the secrets of comedy editing and missing lipstick tubes! We invite you to join the conversation below in the comments. As always, Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

AT MIDNIGHT I'LL TAKE YOUR SOUL (1964) d. Jose Mojica Marins (Brazil) THIS NIGHT I'LL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (1967) d. Jose Mojica Marins (Brazil) EMBODIMENT OF EVIL (2008) d. Jose Mojica Marins (Brazil) In 1964, Brazil's democratically elected government was forcefully overthrown, with the new authoritarian regime enacting new laws that stifled freedom of speech and increased censorship of all media. Somehow, this was also the year that At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul, featuring Brazil's first horror icon, Coffin Joe (played by director/co-writer Jose Mojica Marins), was hurled like a celluloid pipe-bomb into the midst of so much conservatism and religious piety. A curious blend of the traditional and the groundbreaking, Coffin Joe (aka Zé do Caixão) became a national sensation, appearing in a half dozen films, including two official sequels, This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse (1967) and Embodiment of Evil (2008), though he and his creator still remain largely unknown to modern horror fans. Join AC and his sterling panel of guests (Rigo Garay, Jon Kitley, Alan Tromp, Cullen Wade, and Jonathon Lucas, beaming in from Australia) as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of this magnificently transgressive and daring slice of horror cinema! ---------------------- RIGO GARAY is a writer/actor/director from Long Island, NY, currently and joyfully employed at Glass Eye Pix (founded by horror auteur Larry Fessenden). He has been seen onscreen in Crumb Catcher (d. Chris Skotchdopple), Blackout (d. Larry Fessenden), and The Leech (d. Eric Pennycoff), as well as TV roles on Blue Bloods, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: Organized Crime. He is preparing for his directorial feature debut, PULL: A DARK COMEDY, currently in pre-production. 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/ JONATHON LUCAS is a horror fiend from Australia whose love for the genre predates his brain's ability to form memories. He contributed the essay for At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul for Hidden Horror. 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. 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!

PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1957) d. Edward D. Wood, Jr. (USA) THE HORROR OF PARTY BEACH (1964) d. Del Tenney (USA) THINGS (1989) d. Andrew Jordan (Canada) Tonight, we celebrate that special kind of horror film that lurks in the shadows, often feeling put-upon and unappreciated. Some people call them "bad movies" and deride them with such titles as The Raspberry Awards, but we know that, really, they just had a rough upbringing and are merely misunderstood. These are the titles that we call... TURKEYS. For over 20 years, Jon Kitley has hosted his annual Turkey Day Marathons the day after Thanksgiving. In honor of the occasion, we're going to celebrate three of the mightiest mishaps ever to grace movie screens large or small. Ed Wood's classic Plan 9 from Outer Space, Del Tenney's rock n' roll-beach party-monster movie mash-up The Horror of Party Beach, and the mind-melting Canadian indie Things! Join AC and his brave & crazy panel of gobbler-loving goons (Aaron AuBuchon, John W. Bowen, Jason Coffman, Damien Glonek, Jon Kitley) as we celebrate this cinematic shipwrecks and ponder the appeal of celluloid offerings normally rejected by polite society. If you're up for the challenge, that is! If you'd like to read more about Jon's Turkey Day Marathons, visit https://kitleyskrypt.com/category/turkey-day-marathon/ For a Letterboxd list of all the Turkey Day offerings to date, visit http://letterboxd.com/rabbitroom/list/kitleys-krypt-turkey-day --------------------------------------------------------- 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/ 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. 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/ 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. 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 importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1939) d. Sidney Lanfield (USA) THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959) d. Terence Fisher (UK) Though not the first fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes is arguably the best-known. Over 25,000 stage adaptations, films, television productions, and publications have featured the detective, and Guinness World Records lists him as the most portrayed human literary character in film and television history. Tonight, we'll be celebrating two film versions of Arthur Conan Doyle's celebrated sleuth's oft-adapted tale, The Hound of the Baskervilles. The first being the 1939 version from Twentieth Century Fox, featuring Basil Rathbone in his first of 14 film appearances as Holmes (not counting his additional radio and television appearances), as well as the 1959 Hammer Films production, starring the dynamic duo of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, their third pairing for the studio in as many years. Join AC and his sterling panel of guests (Dave "M" Gray, Doug Long, Mike Mayo, Michael Weber) as they celebrate this double feature of the great detective going face-to-face, toe-to-paw, and nose-to-snout with the terror of the moors, The Hound of the Baskervilles! ------------------------------------------------ DAVE GRAY is just one alias for alien invasion advanced scout Yargnivad. This diabolical plan can be uncovered by decoding Raiders of the Podcast episodes (Raidersofthepodcast.blogspot.com or any podcast platform of your choice). DOUG LONG teaches film-related classes at DePaul University and writes book reviews for film journals, including Film Quarterly and mise-en-scene. MIKE MAYO has written several books about film and popular culture, among them VideoHound's Horror Show and American Murder. He is also the author of the Jimmy Quinn historical suspense novels set in Prohibition-era New York. MICHAEL WEBER is an actor, director and currently the Artistic Director of Porchlight Music Theatre. A Chicago native, his fascination with classic horror began with WGN's legendary Creature Features and The Son of Svengoolie. And avid fan of the Golden Age of Radio and he is author of the play, WAR of the WELLeS (about Orson Welles' infamous radio broadcast.) -------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994) d. Neil Jordan (USA)

Anne Rice's celebrated novel, originally published in 1976, took nearly two decades to make it to the big screen. When it finally arrived, amidst a wave of controversy over its casting of Tom Cruise in the pivotal role of Lestat, INTERVIEW fared well with critics and boosted the profiles of co-stars Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, and 11-year-old Kirsten Dunst as the eternally young and brutal killer Claudia. Tonight, join AC and his celebrated panel of vampire aficionados (Jess Ader, Chad Hawks, Ian Simmons, Bobby Zier) as we return to the land of Louis and his cohorts to honor the 30th anniversary of this remarkable feature. --------------------------------------- JESS ADER is a fellow appreciator of movies and deep synth soundtracks. Former radio-TV-film student making money elsewhere but never giving up the love of all "moving" forms of media and art. He likes peanut butter. CHAD "The CryptKicker" HAWKS is a Producer, author, and full-time fanged freak. He grew up a fanatic of monsters, the macabre, and the Halloween holiday, all of which he adores to this day. 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/ BOBBY ZIER has a passion for Dracula and runs a TikTok and YouTube channel called Lugosi Theatre. 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 importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984) d. Wes Craven (USA) Horror Hall-of Famer Wes Craven created this hugely successful fright flick, which spawned multiple sequels, launched New Line Cinema, and introduced the moniker of "Freddy Krueger" into pop culture consciousness. Heather Langenkamp plays a teenager plagued by dreams of a horribly scarred figure wearing a distinctive red-striped sweater, battered fedora, and a glove with knives attached to the fingers. Robert Englund, in the role he would forever be identified with, creates an original and frightening villain in Freddy, an executed child-murdering psychopath who has found the means to keep up his gruesome work by entering his prospective victim's dreams. Join AC and his razor-sharp panel of guests (Dino Clark, Kate Hansen, Mackenzie Parker, Adam Rockoff) as they celebrate 40 years of Freddy! ---------------------------------- DINO CLARK has been a horror fan since I was wee lad, after my parents bought our first VCR in the mid-80s. Born and raised in Chicago, love attending horror cons & chatting about my fave horror films with fellow fans! Human Resources for most of my career, which can be a mini-horror movie at times. 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. 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. ADAM ROCKOFF is the screenwriter of Wicked Lake, a film so depraved it caused Ron Jeremy to storm out of the theater in anger. However, his 2010 adaptation of the classic exploitation film, I Spit on Your Grave, received nearly unanimous praise from horror critics. His first book, Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978-1986, a critical examination of the slasher genre, was made into a documentary which premiered on STARZ, and his follow-up, The Horror of It All traces the highs and lows of the genre through the lens of his own obsessive fandom. When not getting his hands bloody, Adam runs the television production company, FlashRock Films. ------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

A BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959) d. Roger Corman (1959) THE WASP WOMAN (1959) d. Roger Corman (1959) The year before he became the American rival to Hammer Studios in the Gothic Horror department with The Fall of the House of Usher (1960), Roger Corman was the reigning "King of the B's" at the drive-ins across the USA, delivering thrills and chills to teenagers young and old. Tonight, we celebrate two prime slices of black-and-white low-budget fare that still manage to deliver the goods: A Bucket of Blood (starring "That Guy" Dick Miller) and The Wasp Woman (with Susan Cabot), both from 1959! Join AC and his dazzling guest panelists (Lin Morris, Nile Arena) as they celebrate these two cult classics on their 65th anniversaries! ----------------------------------------- NILE ARENA has created cinema collectives, worked the film festival circuit, and lent his voice to podcasts dedicated to the silver screen. His literary/weird fiction journal, Success Stories, is available now at some of the places books are sold. LIN MORRIS is a writer who makes his living doing something else entirely. The first movie he recalls seeing is Two on a Guillotine at the Super 99 Drive-In at much too young an age, and he's been a horror fan ever since. Despite the strenuous efforts of his parents, he remains stubbornly left handed. -------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE (aka THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE) (1974)d. Jorge Grau (Spain/Italy)

A hidden gem overshadowed by the myriad flesh-eating flicks that followed in its wake, director Jorge Grau took his given assignment of creating a spiritual sequel to George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead and conjured a minor classic all its own. Blending social commentary (environmentalism) with shocking moments of jaw-dropping gore, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (or whatever title you happen to discover it under) remains a worthy entry in the undead canon. Join AC and his incredible panel of horror enthusiasts (Dodd Alley, Matthew Amador, Christianne Benedict, Darren Callahan) as they celebrate a half-century of Spanish gut-munching! -------------------------------------------- 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 CHRISTIANNE BENEDICT is a cartoonist, film writer, malcontent, and Bloginatrix at https://krelllabs.blogspot.com DARREN CALLAHAN is an award-winning writer, director, and composer who has written drama, fiction, and non-fiction for many major outlets, mostly focused on the horror genre. He has also released nearly 100 records, from pop to noise to ambient to film soundtracks. His website is darrencallahan.com and his IMDB is http://www.imdb.me/darrencallahan. ---------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!

HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) d. William Castle (USA) THE TINGLER (1959) d. William Castle (USA) Words like "Emergo" and "Percepto" may not be common knowledge for younger horror aficionados, but for classic horror fans, they instantly bring a smile to our faces as we remember the first time we heard the names of producer/director William Castle and actor Vincent Price. Both approached their work with a boundless sense of gusto and enthusiasm, and the results were astonishing and have endured for over six decades. Join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Robin Graves, Dan Kiggins, Grant Kuchan, Anna Maurya, and Larry Sternshein) as we honor this amazing and historic double feature that brought the Crown Prince of Horror and the Baron of Ballyhoo together for a brief shining moment that changed the face of horror history forever. ---------------------------------- ROBIN GRAVES (har har) is the puppeteer behind Lucy Ba'al, a demonic puppet who recommends lesser-seen horror and cult films through his TikTok show The Laaaaaaast Video Store on Earth. DAN KIGGINS has worked on a number of independent features, shorts, TV shows, and innumerable commercials over the past 15 years as a Jack of all trades. A self-proclaimed cinephile, he has a vast collection of film ephemera including over 3000 movies. 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. 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. LARRY STERNSHEIN is a lifelong movie fan in Colorado and host of the movie memories podcast "Reel Early." Not only does he love talking about horror and action cinema, but is also a big pro wrestling fan. ----------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most importantly, Keep Sharing the Scare!