Horror Business

Greetings, and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about 1980’s Night Beast and 1990’s The Suckling.

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or koozie. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. Liam talks about watching Blood Machines on Shudder. Justin talks about watching the Epix miniseries War Of The Worlds and the Amazon Prime documentary The Hat Man, as well as the films Grave Encounters, Grave Encounters 2, and What Keeps Us Alive.

Up first is Night Beast. We begin by giving a general outline of the film. We give our very general opinions on the film, and then disagree on the nature of the performances of the film. Justin argues that it is a joyless affair whereas Liam argues that it was fun. We touch upon the weird phenomenon of aliens who’re smart enough to pilot a ship across the galaxy and little more than rabid animals when they land.

Liam talks about the gore in the movie feels tremendously out of place. We talk about how the movie is so bland and inoffensive that it becomes offensive.

We discuss the films filled attempt at adding an “exploitation” angle with it’s weirdly out-of-place rapist subplot. The films legendarily awkward sex scene is touched upon.

Up next is The Suckling. We begin by addressing the abject tastelessness of the film and how it might be a turn off for some people. Justin talks about the films somewhat mixed message on abortion, whereas Liam thinks it’s just a testament to the film’s general obnoxiousness.

We talk about the film's human villain being almost too annoying due to the actor's overacting, as well as another character’s tendency to say horrible uncomfortable shit about sex workers. We discuss the films subtle examination of how customers of sex workers often seek to demean those same sex workers to make themselves feel better.

Liam brings up the films choice to make the films only likable male character a black war veteran who has seemingly been unable to find any other work besides working in a brothel and how that may have been commentary on how vets are treated.

Justin talks about some of the more interesting set design choices, such as the cocoon that the creature surrounds the house with, as well as some of the other FX scenes he found particularly upsetting. We make an argument that the FX had no right to look as good as they do given the budget.

Thank you for listening! Thank you to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening and donating. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com and on Twitter), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz666, check out our Spotify account at Cinepunx, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on iTunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time…thanks!

Greetings, and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about 1986’s Dead End Drive in and Neon Maniacs.

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or coozy. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. Liam talks about watching Z and a few of the films from director Brian Trenchard-Smith. Justin talks about watching the films Skyquake, Radius, The Neon Dead, Nine Miles Down, and We’ve Forgotten More Than We’ll Ever Know.

Up first is Dead End Drive In. We begin with Liam explaining why he chose the film, why he enjoys it, and how he believes it should be a more widely known film. Justin talks about how the film feels almost like a dream, in that it had a subtle un-logic too it.

We discuss the film as a metaphor for both concentration camps and Palestine, and how the film has a very Australian look to it. We talk more about Trenchard-Smith’s filmography, and how impressive the film looks for being made so cheaply. We talk about the weird paradox of the film never being widely received in America, despite being quite good and coming out at a time when America was obsessed with Australian culture.

The film’s depiction of the phenomenon in Australia in which East Asians are singled out for a particularly venomous strain of racism and the history of racial violence in Australia. We touch upon the films use of the protagonist as a very effective audience surrogate and the paradox of despite the drive in being little more than an open prison, many of the people there are fine with it because the world outside of it is hopeless and uncertain.

Up next is Neon Maniacs. We give a brief summary of the film and talk about the weird ‘80s phenomenon of casting thirty-year old’s as high school students. We talk about the similar dreamy feel that our previous film had. The films constantly running out of money as both its biggest handicap and its largest source of strength is discussed, with Liam describing it as “barely existing” and “finished?”

We talk about how the movie would have never made it unless Lloyd Kaufman had rescued it. The disjointed and uneven look of the film is touched upon, as is the somewhat murky lighting of the film. We have a disagreement on whether or not the film is meant to look corny. The constant conflict amongst the crew members is cited as another source of the films lack of coherence.

We talk at length about the film’s lack of ending and how it feels like the filmmakers ran out of money for the fifth time, shrugged at one another, and called it a day. We talk about how despite the fact that the film is an absolute mess and the seams are showing a hundred percent it’s too charming to hate. The film’s similarity to Masters Of The Universe action figures is touched upon.

First and foremost, thank you for listening. Thank you to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening and donating. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com and on Twitter), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz66, check out our Spotify account at Cinepunx, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on ITunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time…thanks!

Greetings, and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. This week we’re talking about 1999’s House On Haunted Hill and 2001’s Thirteen Ghosts.

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or koozie. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. Liam talks about rewatching the original House On Haunted Hill. Justin talks about watching Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels, Into The Night, and the Shudder exclusive film Z.

Up first is House On Haunted Hill.  We talk about our initial experiences with the film, and how it kind of got swept under the rug due to being released the same year as several other huge blockbusters. We briefly talk about the history of Dark Castle Films.

We touch upon the idea of the film having several aspects of early 2000s horror films that eventually became beat to death and cliched but is still effective. We talk about some of the strengths and weaknesses of the film, including the more bizarre imagery, the operating theatre scene, and some of the camera techniques, along with Chris Kattan and the lack of relatable characters.

Liam talks about the films failure to honor the original films spirit of pure campiness. We talk at length about the films CGI-heavy climax and the unearned appearance of Kattan’s ghosts at the end. The heavy influence of Jacob’s Ladder is discussed, and Justin has a dramatic realization that the aliens in Fire In The Sky were steampunk.

We talk about the mid-90s obsession with a dirty and old aesthetic when it came to making things scary. We continue to disagree about the dusty CGI in the climax. We conclude by agreeing that the movie overall is a fun watch despite its flaws.

Up next is Thirteen Ghosts. We open up by giving a general summary of the film. We begin by giving a general summary of the film, and Justin posits that despite being a weak film overall the film actually has some interesting mythos behind it, although Justin admits the ridiculousness of ghosts being afraid of Latin for some reason.

The films lack of distinction due to the house being made of glass is touched upon, as is the weak plot device of there being goggles that allow the viewer to see the ghosts. We talk about how much of the energy of the production of the film seems to have gone into the design of the ghosts, and how the editing of the film is distracting in how fast it is.

We touch upon how the remake fails to translate the theatrical gimmick of the original film. Justin argues that if Matthew Lillard’s character was transplanted to House On Haunted Hill it would make way more sense for the ending of a ghost saving the survivors.

Liam defends the presence of Rah Digga in the film, and we hate on the little kid in the film. Liam laments the fact that the film had such a low bar to hit in being a remake, but it instead decided to “extreme” the film up and we conclude that the film is largely “unfun”.

Thank you to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening and donating. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com and on Twitter), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz666, check out our Spotify account at Cinepunx, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on iTunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time…thanks!

Greetings, and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about 1988’s Edge Of The Axe and 1990’s Deadly Manor.

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or coozy. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. Liam talks about watching the film Whirlpool and the Netflix show The Last Kids On Earth. Justin talks about seeing the films Verotika, Butt Boy, and Endangered Species.

Up first is Edge Of The Axe. We begin by discussing how Justin is not a fan of slashers overall. We talk about the intensity of the film’s kills, not in how extravagant they are but more in how intense they were.

The film’s attempts at a red herring are touched upon, and we talk about the traditional device of the red herring and how American slashers differ from European slashers in that typically the identity of the killer is already known as opposed to “whodunnit” style movie.

The films obvious non-English speaker having written the script quality is talked about. We talk about how the film, despite clearly being done for a paycheck doesn’t look like it and has a dedicated feel to it that a lot of slashers don’t have. We go on a tirade involving hardcore.

Up next is Deadly Manor. We begin by arguing about whether or not the movie is actually good, and Liam argues that the movie is meant to be taken in jest.

We briefly discuss how the house used in the movie is burned down and filmed but that footage is never used. We discuss the films development around the casting of the actress who plays the killer. We talk about the lack of any endearing characters and how the film ends with the rare phenomenon of the killer being caught.

The cultural phenomenon of “biker merauders” as movie villains is briefly touched upon. The excessive conversation in the film is touched upon. Liam talks about how on the special features the sex scene was apparently an ordeal due to the male actor not wanting to be seen naked by the rest of crew.

We conclude by talking about how the film definitely feels less “passionate” than the directors prior work, how there are no gripping and compelling aspects of the film, and how the cinematography feels flat and lifeless due to the film being shot on in one location.

First and foremost, thank you for listening. Thank you to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening and donating. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com and on Twitter), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz66, check out our Spotify account at Cinepunx, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on ITunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time…thanks!

Greetings, and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about 2002’s 28 Days Later and 2007’s 28 Weeks Later

We want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or coozy. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. We discuss Shudder’s new series Cursed Films, and how revealing the episode on Poltergeist was. Liam talks about seeing the film Underwater and Justin talks about seeing the films Vivarium and M.O.M. (Mothers Of Monsters) the review of which by Cinepunx’s own Annamarie Benson can be read here.

Up first is 28 Days Later. We begin by talking about our initial experience with the film when it was first released, and the hype around the film as “the scariest film since The Exorcist.” We talk about how the film kicked off the modern “zombie” craze and how it made Danny Boyle “a thing”, the fact that the film was one of the first films that was shot on digital video, and the soundtrack contribution of post rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor. We discuss the fact that despite the film undoubtedly horrific in nature it remains a hopeful and optimistic film. Justin talks about how the films affected him so much it shaped his views on direct action and animal liberation.

The intensity of the performance in the opening scene is touched upon. Some of the more intense and emotional moments of the film are discussed, and Justin talks about how it is the elements of sadness and tragedy that stick with him more than the actual horror. Christopher Eccleston’s character and his cynical, nihilistic nature as the true villain are discussed. The concept of how simple it is in the film to become an “other” as opposed to having to die in the classic Romero films is discussed, as is the somewhat more unsettling idea of these things just wanting to kill you as opposed to the desire to eat you in the Romero films.

The simplicity of the film as a thought experiment of what would happen if inhibitions were removed from society and the social contract no longer applied. Some of the filming techniques and how it makes the infected seem slightly inhuman are discussed, as is the technique used to make the ending seem surreal and dreamlike. We talk about some of the few things we dislike about the film and how the movie was made for relatively little and made a ton of money. The length to which Boyle stretched the budget and how effective he was in getting shots of an abandoned downtown London.

The film’s character development and how effective it is in getting us to care about these characters is touched upon. John Murphy’s “In The House In A Heartbeat” and how iconic the song has become is touched upon. We return to the concept that the film ultimately is about hope and the widening of a narrow worldview.

The idea that the film is uniquely English in that England is the only place this specific film could work is touched upon; we talk about the comic book series by Boom! Studios, and we conclude by discussing the idea of how the Rage epidemic was initially ignored by people in metropolitan areas and how it relates to the tendency of Western society to ignore serious social problems until they boil over i.e. our current situation with COVID-19.

Up next is 28 Weeks Later. We start by odd it is that it took five years to make a sequel to a film that was as wildly successful as the first one. We talk about how effective the opening sequence is and how it sets an unrealistic level of expectations for the rest of the film.

We talk about our first experiences with the film, and the phenomenon of people somehow knowing what they would do in a hypothetical horrific situation. We talk about how it unfortunately undoes what the first film does. We discuss how the film seems to want to adhere to rules of more traditional “zombie” films as opposed to blazing its own path like the first film did.

Liam talks about how the film declines so rapidly in quality he’s only watched it ones since first seeing it. Some of the more unreasonable aspects of the film are touched upon i.e. Robert Carlyle’s character somehow having total security clearance, the U.S. military making the irrational decision to put everyone in one giant undefended room, etc.

The filmmaker’s decision to use several high-profile actors and how that is a weakness is discussed. The films nihilistic and cynical tone is criticized, as is the choice to make the infected strangely superhuman. The lack of emotional weight and tension is touched upon, and we talk about how unlike the first film in which bad things happen even though people by and large reasonable decisions the second film consistently makes unreasonable decisions.

The film’s rewriting of the rules that the first film establishes for dramatic effect is discussed as is the influence of Land Of The Dead on it. We talk at length about the film’s unnecessary cruelty and meanness and how it stands in stark contrast to the first film. The lack of care from the filmmakers towards the film making sense is touched upon. We conclude by unfortunately realizing we didn’t really enjoy the film.

First and foremost, thank you for listening. Thank you to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening and donating. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com and on Twitter), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz66, check out our Spotify account at Cinepunx, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on ITunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time…thanks!

Greetings, and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about South Korean horror films: 2003’s A Tale Of Two Sisters and 2017’s The Mimic. We are advising anyone who hasn’t seen the films to watch them before proceeding, and both films are available on the Shudder streaming service.

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or coozy. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. We discuss Shudder’s new series Cursed Films, and Justin talks about seeing the films Housewife and Swallow.

Up first is A Tale Of Two Sisters. We begin by giving our backgrounds in Asian horror films and what we’re familiar with, and Justin talks about how it’s a subgenre he’s not quite familiar with beyond the basics. Liam discusses how terrified of J-horror he is and how affected he was by Ju-On. We then move on to discuss how the film marks the shift away from Japan to South Korea as the epicenter of Asian horror. The distinctive visual style of East Asian horror films as they relate to East Asian concepts of ghosts is touched upon.

We talk about the emotionally crushing nature of the film, and how it blends numerous upsetting strains of tone to makea genuinely albeit horrific to behold film. We dissect how the appeal of the film comes from how absolutely over the top every element of the film is and how if it wasn’t quite so crazy it wouldn’t be that appealing. We discuss how the film utilizes many of the elements American horror cinema has taken and overdone but instead uses them to great effect.

We once again talk about how the film takes elements from “psychological” horror films in which oftentimes the supernatural elements are simply in a character’s head and then adds actual real supernatural elements to it, making it that much more horrifying. We discuss the extremely upsetting twist in the movie and how gut wrenching and heartbreaking the depiction of the event revealed in the twist is. We talk about how the film wants you to feel things and cares about your feelings but makes you very very upset.

The fact that in addition to the main character experiencing some extremely psychological there is an actual ghost haunting her is touched upon. Some of the more visually frightening aspects of the film are touched upon. We conclude by talking about how even though the film is very upsetting and sad, it’s undoubtedly a film that needs to be seen because of how beautiful and moving it is in the end.

Up next is The Mimic. We talk about how the film differs from our first feature in that it is far slyer and more stylistic in upsetting the viewer. We discuss how the central premise of the film, while terrifying, was ultimately one of the less upsetting things of the film.

The karmatic aspect a lot of Korean films have towards spousal infidelity is touched upon. We give a brief summary of the film. Some of the more insidious aspects of the film are discussed i.e. how the genuine innocence of a child is used as the ultimate lure for victims of the titular creature are touched upon. We talk about the effectiveness of the final scene and how genuinely emotionally shattering it is.

We discuss at length the idea of how the girl in the film, despite being a manifestation of the creature, is still a child who is legitimately afraid of her father and the creature itself. The “familiar harshness” of the film is touched upon, as is the paradoxically unorthodox approach the film takes to reveal some of that harshness.

We talk about the acting of the film and how real some of the emotional reactions the characters depict feel, the relentless pacing of the film, and how early on the movie establishes a bleak and utterly depressing tone. We discuss how the movie is a rare example of a character who feels a crushing sense of guilt over something that happened and is justified in doing so because they deserve to feel as guilty as they do.

Thank you for listening. Thank you to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening and donating. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com and on Twitter), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz66, check out our Spotify account at Cinepunx, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on ITunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time…thanks!

Greetings, and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about two films involving Satanic Cults: 1968’s The Devil Rides Out and 2011’s Drive Angry. And, as a bonus, we’re joined by the wonderful  Scott Poole, author of Monsters In America and Wasteland: The Great War And The Origins Of Modern Horror.

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or coozy. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. Scott talks about reading Kim Newman’s Anno Dracula and revisiting the films of Yorgos Lanthimos, Liam talks about seeing The Invisible Manand White Force, and Justin talks about re-watching Terrified on Shudder, starting the television series The Plot Against America, and diving into the work of artist Junji Ito.

Up first is The Devil Rides Out. We open up by giving a brief summary of the film, and a background of the novel series that work is based on. Justin talks about how the film initially felt like it was assuming the viewer had a background knowledge of the series and how they turned him off at first but then it was something that appealed to him eventually. Some of the more interesting aspects of the films production are touched upon, as is the vague mysterious background of Christopher Lee’s character.

The restrictions placed upon the film by production codes not allowing nudity are discussed. The somewhat dated nature of the film is discussed, as is Terence Fisher’s work with Hammer Films.

The juxtaposition of the film as being set in the 1920’s but very clearly being made in the 1960s is discussed, and we briefly talk about how the film was one of the first to feature the actual Devil as a villain.

The theme of the a rightfully distrusted aristocracy is touched upon. Richard Matheson’s distinctly American stamp upon a film that is supposed to be very British is examined. Charles Gray’s performance as a contrast to Christopher Lee’s is discussed. Justin talks about the quaintness of the orgy scene not for its lack of nudity but more so for how at this point in time summoning merely the Devil or Satan is kind of passé. The heavy-handed Christian theology and morality is touched upon.

Up next is Drive Angry. We give a brief outline of the film. We discuss the absurdity that is the concept of a bureaucracy in Hell. Nic Cage as an “out of control proletariat” is discussed.

The like-ability of much of the cast is discussed, as is the idea of the Devil as “not that bad of a guy” who actually despises much of what is done in his name, something in line with the moral code of the Church of Satan.

The interesting idea of how Nic Cage isn’t actually against anyone who has any real supernatural abilities is touched upon. Cage’s career as being an actor who is strongest when he is acting opposite of a strong female lead is discussed. The weird touch of a “buddy adventure” film that the movie has is touched upon. Nic Cage’s legacy as an actor is discussed.

First and foremost, thanks to Scott for joining us and talking about these movies. His books can be purchased here and he can be followed on Twitter at @monstersamerica. Thank you to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening and donating. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected].  We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook, check out our Spotify account at Cinepunx, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on ITunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time…thanks!

Greetings and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about 1986’s House and 1988’s House II.

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or coozy. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. Liam talks about seeing Alucarda, and then discusses the conclusion of HBO’s The Outsider. Justin talks about the Netflix series I Am Not Okay With This, and the films The Invisible Man and VFW.

Up first is House. We start by talking about our earliest experiences with this film; Liam talks about how the film early on seemed like little more than a fun adventure movie only to realize later on that the film is quite scary.

We discuss how a lot of people conflate the two films and confuse the second for the first, the difference being that the first one is actually quite scary whereas the second is rather silly. The idea of the film being just a little too much for being an introductory film into the genre for kids is discussed. Justin talks about seeing the film on HBO as a child and believing that the one monster in the film was “Bloody Mary”.

Some of the scarier moments in the film are discussed, especially the effects of the film and how legitimately nightmarish some of the imagery is. The film as a parable for how Vietnam vets were treated, and for PTSD in general, is discussed. The film’s uneven ending and resolution is touched upon, in that early on the film alludes to the house itself being some kind of malevolent entity until it’s revealed that the entire plot was an orchestration of a singular character and we spend some time on how the film has something of a weak ending overall. The film transitioning from a “funny but effective horror movie to an entirely horror adventure film” is touched upon.

The film’s somewhat tasteless depiction of the Vietnam War is briefly discussed, and we again talk about how the film could be seen as a metaphor for how soldiers are treated when they return from war: everyone loves the troops until they come home and it’s time to actually hear what they have to say. We conclude by discussing George Wendt’s performance.

Up next is House II. The production of the film is touched upon, as is the drop in quality from the first film and its inclusion in the La Casa series.

We give a brief outline of the plot of the film and how, unlike the first film, it establishes a “big bad” character early on (but then fails to really include the character until the end of the film).

Royal Dano’s character, and how he’s the most “human” character in the film, is touched upon. Some of the creatures, including the fabled Dogerpillar, are discussed.

John Ratzenberger’s character, and how he might actually be the most interesting character, and how it’s Liam’s favorite part of the film is discussed.

We conclude that, while the film isn’t nearly as good as the first one it’s still an extremely fun film.

Thanks to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening and donating. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected].  We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz666, check out our Spotify account (at Cinepunx), and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on iTunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time… thanks!

Greetings and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about two films involving missionary killers: 1975’s PROFONDO ROSSO and 1987’s STAGEFRIGHT, and we’re joined by very special guest Dean Kapsalis, writer and director of our favorite film of the year THE SWERVE.

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or coozy. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful for that support. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. Dean talks about seeing the films Gretel & Hansel, Underwater, Wounds, and The Lodge. Liam talks about rewatching The Fog, and Justin talks about seeing Horse Girl and After Midnight

Up first is Profondo Rosso. Dean opens up the conversation by talking about his background with this movie, calling it both the masterpiece of Argento’s filmography and the greatest giallo of all time.

We briefly discuss Argento’s pre-Suspiria filmography. Dean talks about how, as a director, he believes that first scenes are everything. Comparisons to an earlier Italian film (Blow-Up) are made. Justin talks about how this movie is the archetypical giallo film, and how absolutely violent and brutal the kills were.

The vague supernatural touches of the film are discussed, as is the films actually successful red herring. Liam talks about how this film is Argento's “transition” away from giallo and into more supernatural films. The gender issues of the film are touched upon, as are Argento’s impact upon the genre in that he set out to make “the giallo that ends all giallos”.

The political history of Italy is discussed to give context for some of the nationalistic imagery in the film.

Up next is Stagefright. We begin by talking about the various connections the filmmakers of this film had with various other films in the Italian horror realm.

Dean explains why he chose the film, and Justin goes on a tangent about why he’s afraid of owls. Some of the more stylized and creative kills of the movie are dissected, as is the films tendency to “break the rules” of slasher films.

The concept of the film existing as a critique of the film industry is discussed.

The believability of the nature of the killer is touched upon, as is the soundtrack and how it fits the time period perfectly.

The killer’s habits of posing his victims after killing them and how that makes him even more realistic is touched upon, as are some of the more surreal moments of the film.

Thank you to Dean for coming on to talk with us. You can follow him on Twitter at @dean_kapsalis and @theswervemovie. Also, thanks to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected].  We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz66, check out our Cinepunx Spotify account, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on iTunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time… thanks!

Greetings and welcome back to Horror Business. We have one awesome episode in store for you guys. In this episode we’re talking about two films involving missionary killers: 1976’s GOD TOLD ME TO and 2001’s FRAILTY

First and foremost, we want to give a shoutout to our sponsors over at Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations, the premiere screen-printing company of the Lehigh Valley. Chris Reject and his merry band of miscreants are ready to work with you to bring to life your vision of a t-shirt for your business, band, project, or whatever else it is you need represented by a shirt, sweater, pin, or coozy. Head on over to www.xlvacx.com to check them out. Also, thank you to our Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to us and we are eternally grateful. Thanks!

We start by briefly discussing what we’ve done lately involving horror. Liam talks about seeing the films Knifes And Skin, The Terror, and the trailer for Spirals: The Book Of Saw. Justin talks about the HBO series The Outsider and seeing the films The Turning and Gretel & Hansel.

 

      Up first is God Told Me To. We open up by talking about the work of Larry Cohen. We discuss his filming style, his attitude towards film itself, his impact on the genre, his depiction of New York City, and his overall legacy. We touch upon Cohen’s depiction of Catholic guilt in the film despite his own Jewish faith and then go on a fun tangent on religion and guilt.

We talk about some of our favorite scenes in the film, including the scene in which the main character confronts his biological mother on the issue of his conception and she has an emotional breakdown.

We go off on another tangent on how the film draws from the concept of “ancient astronaut theory” and how such concepts are inherently racist. We tie it back into the film by examining how the film suggests that divinity and extraterrestrials might not be entirely different but how Cohen never actually says, for certain, that religion was inspired by aliens.

We then touch upon the depiction of a murderer talking about his crime in the film and how realistic it is in contrary to some other depictions of them in film in that it is so mundane it becomes unsettling. The somewhat problematic scene in the film where the main character attacks and murders a room full of black men is talked about.

Up next is Frailty. We begin by briefly talking about the terror of Powers Booth. We give a brief summary of the film, sing the praises of Bill Paxton, and talk about some of the performances of the film.

We talk about how the narrative of the film is framed. The films big reveal and how it’s so intricately layered is touched upon, as is the films overall melancholy nature. The way the film stays deliberately vague on as to whether or not Bill Paxton’s visions are real or not until the end is discussed.

We talk about how the film could be seen as analogy for abuse or neglect, in that a child is forced to step up and take responsibility when a parent is clearly not well. The performances of the child actors in relation to Bill Paxton’s are discussed. We talk about our personal histories with the film, lament on the death of Paxton, and the phenomenon of the McConaughnaissance.

The lack of a happy ending and how that opens up a terrifying concept is touched upon. The movie’s lack of a definite adherence to the Judeo-Christian God is discussed, as is the commentary on the nature of God and the Devil.

Thank you to everyone and anyone who donated on Patreon, checked this episode out, or shared a tweet/shared a post on FB/gave us love by recommending us to someone. We love you forever for listening. Any questions, comments, suggestions for movies and guests, or if you yourself want to join us for a movie viewing or even an episode, can be sent to [email protected].  We would love to hear from you! Thanks always to Justin Miller, Jacob Roberts, and Doug Tilley for their technical contributions and fliers, Mike Smaczylo for the shirts and fliers (you can check more of his work out at here), and also thanks to Josh Alvarez for the theme song, Chris, Brad, Alexis, and LVAC for the support and buttons (check them out at www.xlvacx.com), and a HUGE thank you to anyone who retweeted us or shared something on Facebook that we posted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @thehorrorbiz666, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thehorrorbiz666, check out our Spotify account at Cinepunx, and remember to rate, review, and subscribe to us on iTunes. In fact, if you write us a review, email us with your mailing address and we’ll send you some free pins and stickers!  Check out www.cinepunx.com for more info on some of our other podcasts, some ultra stylish Cinepunx related merchandise, and how you can donate to our Patreon! Until next time… thanks!