How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more. It's episode 271...and I want ya to "think" and stop bein' a smart aleck. Can ya try that for me? Mulholland Drive (2001) tells the story of Betty, an aspiring actress new to the Hollywood scene who tries to help amnesiac Rita rediscover her identity following a mysterious car crash. Someone appears to be chasing Rita, and mobsters and movie directors might be involved too--what's really going on? Layers of reality unravel in classic Lynch-ian fashion as identities and dreams are deconstructed with tragic results. The first episode of July's David Lynch season gives us the chance to talk about a genuine cinematic masterpiece, the joy of David Lynch's work on-screen and his real life persona, cows by the side of the road, DVD insert red herrings and, of course, dreams of snail penises. All of which leads to one question: How would you survive? Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: I'd rather be known as a great actress than a movie star. But, you know, sometimes people end up being both. Next week it's bonus pod time, with this month's Patreon pick: Fresh (2022).

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more. It's episode 270...and If she were any quieter, she'd be dead! Sleepaway Camp (1983) follows the teenage Angela on her first trip away to Camp Arawak, several years after losing her father and brother in a terrible speedboat accident. Soon after their arrival, strange and fatal events being to befall the workers and guests of Camp Arawak. Are these mere accidents, or is Angela hiding a sinister secret? We talk about one of the most surprising--and as it turns out, interesting--endings in the history of horror movies, the complex gender politics of what appears to be a by-the-numbers slasher, and spend a surprising amount of time discussing The Sopranos, Napoleon and Bartleby, the Scrivener. All of which leads to one question: How would you survive? Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: it certainly will be a nice little surprise when Richard comes home to find a little girl in the house.

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more. It's episode 269...and Allow me to tell you a little bit about my wormhole. I was born in a sandwich hat, and I wolf many cabbages. M3gan (2022) tells the story of Gemma, a roboticist at a toy manufacturing company. Gemma becomes guardian to her niece, Cady, following the deaths of Cady's parents. Early in the guardianship she introduces Cady to M3gan, an experimental android toy that could be any child's best friend - but let's be honest, it's probably not going to end well. We discuss ethics in AI; Asimovian ideals; legal precedents for toy manufacturers getting it wrong; and Chris wonders how his foot would fare against several inches of titanium. All of which leads to one question: How would you survive? Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: That's what spontaneous response is. It's a curated word salad plucked from a sea of data to sound deliberate. Next time on the How to Survive podcast, it's Sleepaway Camp (1983) - or head to Patreon.com/howtosurvivepod for next week's bonus: Saloum (2021).

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more. It's episode 268...and Life is fleeting. Life is short, too short. So you gotta use every moment. Fall (2022) tells the story of Becky, a climbing hobbyist who has descended into a deep depression following the death of her partner one year earlier--no prizes for guessing what happened to him. Becky's friend Hunter knows there's only one thing that can break Becky out of her funk, and that's coercing her into climbing a rickety 2000ft radio tower in the middle of the desert with no support and without telling anyone their plans. What could possibly go wrong? We discuss an absolutely textbook 'My First Horror' film, a classic tale of bad friends behaving badly, an update on the recent misadventures of YouTubers, and the dignity of stuffing a shoe into your friends abdomen in the name of survival. Plus, an update on our Vertical Limit episode--would Joe still free climb a crane for £1million? All of which leads to one question: How would you survive? Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: Don't you wanna punch fear in the dick? Next month on the How to Survive podcast, it's 'Monkeys Running The Zoo' season, in which our lovely patrons choose the films we cover. Keep your eyes peeled!

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more. It's episode 267...and kill a few people, they call you a murderer. Kill a million and you're a conqueror. Cliffhanger (1993) follows a team of mountain rescue rangers, led by the inexplicably muscly and capable Gabe, as they become mixed up in a group of thieves' plot to steal $100m from a US Treasury flight. With suitcases of money scattered across the Colorado Rockies, it's a race against time for Gabe to stop the nefarious Qualen and rescue his mountain climbing buddies. We discuss a post-Die Hard 90s schlock masterpiece, ask how well it communicates the terror of high places, break down some slightly surprising gender politics and do a deep dive into the question of whether or not Stallone can actually act at all. All of which leads to one question: How would you survive? Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: Your friend just had the costliest funeral ever. Next time, 'Fear of Heights' season continues with Fall (2022).

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more. It's episode 266...and I've never seen anything so disgusting in all my life. Scanners (1981) introduces us to Cameron Vale, a down-on-his-luck vagrant who unintentionally causes a seizure in a woman using the power of his mind. Captured by the mysterious ConSec, Cameron is brought into the murky world of Scanners, people with unusual telepathic and telekinetic abilities, only to find himself under threat from the nefarious Revok, a man unafraid to use his abilities to produce head-splattering results. We discuss a somewhat disappointing Cronenberg entry, unflattering comparisons to Marvel films and Neil Breen, ponder the best tactics for capturing mind-control warriors and ask ourselves whether the best way to introduce yourself to someone is to essentially torture them from the get-go. All of which leads to one question: How would you survive? Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: We're gonna do this the Scanner way. I'm gonna suck your brain dry! Next time, strap yourselves in for 'Fear of Heights' season, opening with campy 90s action classic Cliffhanger (1993).

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more.

It's episode 265...and the television screen is the retina of the mind's eye.

Videodrome (1983) tells the story of slimy TV executive Max Renn, who specialises in digging up obscure softcore pornography and bloody violence to broadcast to the feverish masses on his cable TV station. But, when Max comes into contact with the extreme and nightmarish violence of Videodrome, things begin to unravel, leading to hallucinations, BDSM-infused re-enactments and the transference of violent media into violent reality.

We discuss chest wound gun holsters, a prescient depiction of the anxieties and effects of violent media, dig into the most thematically-packed 90 minute movies we've ever seen, unpick a gory special effects masterclass and ponder whether, if you want to stop someone investigating something, whether it's a good idea to give them loads of information to help them do just that.

All of which leads to one question: How would you survive?

Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: Death to Videodrome. Long live the new flesh!

Next time, it's exploding heads o'clock as David Cronenberg Season continues with Scanners (1981).

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more.

It's episode 264...and it's your coffin, my love. Enjoy it. Most of us never get to know what it feels like.

Interview With The Vampire (1994) spins a century-spanning yarn of epic proportions, following the listless slave plantation owner Louis de Pointe du Lac, as he is bitten and transformed into an immortal creature by vampire Lestat de Lioncourt. Much like a new parent, an apparently endless future of night feeds causes Louis to have an existential crisis lasting decades as he stands and morosely observes various comings and goings across New Orleans, Paris and San Francisco, eventually relating this to a journalist in the modern day for our pleasure(?).

It's a bloody diet of ham and mince as Brad Pitt sulks, Tom Cruise camps it up and a 10-year old Kirsten Dunst steals the show, in what is an unusual and somewhat misguided and often boring Vampiric fable pondering the meaning of life. We discuss blatant homoeroticism, outline the unique qualities of the vampire interviewees, question the reasoning of an exclusively rat-based diet and ponder whether we've already passed the best time in our lives to be made eternal beings. What other dark gifts might we find? There's only one way to find out.

All of which leads to one question: How would you survive?

Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: I was mortal until you gave me your immortal kiss.

Next time, it's the start of David Cronenberg Season with Videodrome (1983).

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more. It's episode 263...and it's actually a pretty cool place… if you're a Martian! The Lost Boys (1987) puts us into the youth culture hotbed of 1980s Santa Clara, the supposed 'murder capital' of the United States. To the newly arrived Michael and Sam Emerson the summer presents opportunities of new beginnings, new friends and new hobbies which, for Michael at least, means things like riding motorbikes, hanging from bridges, floating uncontrollably and drinking blood from an ornate ceremonial glass. If that all sounds like a classic case of vampirism then you're not alone, and Sam enlists the help of local vampire hunters Edgar and Alan Frog to kill the lead vampire and cure his brother. All good, normal stuff. We oil ourselves up and strut our stuff, saxophones in hand, to break down a beloved vampire cult classic; namecheck Coreys Feldman and Haim, Jack Bauer and Gob Bluth; question why vampires would live in California; and consider what kind of local knowledge a Grandfather should be passing on. Plus, we try to get to the bottom of Chris' hatred of 'cool' 80s cult movies. All of which leads to one question: How would you survive? Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: You'd better get yourself a garlic T-shirt, buddy, or it's your funeral. Next time, vampire season continues apace with Interview With The Vampire (1994). Get in touch! [email protected]

How to Survive is now on Patreon! Support us at Patreon.com/HowtoSurvivePod to get every episode one week early, plus monthly bonus episodes and more. It's episode 262...and All you people are so scared of me. Most days I'd take that as a compliment. But it ain't me you gotta worry about now. Pitch Black (2000) tells the story of a group of spaceship crash survivors. Among them, the fearsome criminal maniac, Riddick. They promptly realise that the planet is inhabited by creatures that attack in the darkness. And unfortunately the planet is about to experience its first triple-eclipse in two decades. But luckily Riddick can see in the dark.... (honestly it's not as bad as it sounds...) Join us as we outline the value of being nice and of ignoring compasses; query the evolutionary direction of an alien race; and stress the importance of not flying through meteorites after a meteorite-related crash. All of which leads to one question: How would you survive? Whatever happens, one thing's for sure: You're 79 kilos of gutless white meat, and that's why you can't think of a better plan. Next time, vampire season gets underway with The Lost Boys (1987) Get in touch! [email protected]