We begin tracing the history of the infamous H Certificate issued by the British Board of Film Censors - H for Horrific! In this opening chapter, we look at the birth of movie censorship and uncover the often surprising things that caused controversy in the the early days of film!

In this episode we look at a sequel to one of my favourite nonfiction volumes of recent years. Yes, Scarred For Life Volume Two - Television in the 1980s is here!

In this podcast we take a look at an old favourite tome - an anthology of horror tales for children assembled by the legendary Ramsey Campbell himself, and featuring tales from masters of the macabre such as Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson and Brian Lumley! Kid's stuff it ain't!

In this rare radio appearance, we learn why you should never take medical advice from Bela Lugosi! A classic tale guaranteed to keep you in... Suspense!

The first phase of our history of Universal horror draws to close with the great Horror Hiatus of the 1930s - the strange period of cinema history where Hollywood stopped making horror movies! We examine the causes behind it all, untangle the history of horror censorship, and investigate the alleged ban on horror films in the UK in 1930s!

In this chapter we look at the last movies of the first Universal horror cycle. Firstly The Raven, another Poe inspired movie pairing Karloff and Lugosi, then proto science-fiction horror in The Invisible Ray, and finally meet Dracula's Daughter!

In this chapter we have real life reanimation experiments in Life Returns, unravel the Mystery of Edwin Drood, and meet the Werewolf of London and the Bride of Frankenstein!

The mid 1930s brings madness and mysteries galore! Universal explore the Secret of the Blue Room and The Secret of the Chateau, and introduce us to The Invisible Man and The Man Who Reclaimed His Head! Plus Karloff and Lugosi team up for the first time in another Poe adaption The Black Cat!

This year saw Universal release three new fright flicks - searching for a third horror hit to join their blockbusters Dracula and Frankenstein. Murders in the Rue Morgue had Bela Lugosi bringing Poe's classic tale to the screen. In The Old Dark director James Whale brought us a blackly comic gothic tale. While The Mummy saw the birth of a new movie monster and another ionic role for Boris Karloff!

In this chapter we look at the great flowering of Universal Horror in 1931, the year that saw the release of firstly Dracula starring Bela Lugosi and then Frankenstein starring Boris Karloff. We also discuss the little seen but rather excellent Spanish language version of Dracula too!