Imported Horror

One monster is attracted to sin. Another wants to steal your baby while a third lives in your body, leaving you lifeless when it emerges from your mouth. Plus, a pair of brothers who really love feet get a fitting punishment from a creepy king who may serve burgers on the side. This week, the gang explores an ambitious anthology of global folk horror; some chapters work better than others but the collection is worth discussing. Also, surely you've seen at least one of the foreign horror movies dropping on streaming services this week.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: Yes! At least one chapter is a 1 and another is a 5, but the film as a whole is hard to gauge. Quality: 3. Enjoyment: 4 (Marcus) / 3 (Melissa & Grady)

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Interview: Producer Ant Timpson Talks the Horror Anthology THE FIELD GUIDE TO EVIL," by Jay Kay for Dread Central

"Field Guide to Evil Filmmakers Detail the Process of Making a Horror Anthology," by Hunt for CineLinx

Good news: Evil demons aren't the only ones that possess people. Sometimes, benevolent spirits do, too. Bad news: It can be really difficult to tell the difference. This week, the crew heads to rural Thailand for a haunting mockumentary on shamanism and the spirits that surround us. Also, creepy eco-horror and a campy slasher sequel headline new international streaming releases this week.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 5 (Marcus) / 4 (Grady). Quality: 5/4. Enjoyment: 5/4.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"'The Medium' director says film is 'new type of horror'" by Song Seung-hyun in the Korea Herald

"'The Wailing' director Na Hong-Jin on producing Thai horror 'The Medium'" by Jean Noh in Screen Daily

"Storytellers and Storytelling in Northeast Thailand" by Prasong Saihong in Storytelling, Self, Society

"Thailand's fusion of religious beliefs: Buddhism, Animism and Brahmanism," by Ann Carter in Thaiger

"Sticky rice in the blood" by Saowanee Alexander in Critical Asian Studies

There are witch movies and there are witch movies. This one is very much the latter - a funny, graphic and jiggly dark comedy mocking the idiocy of tired gender stereotypes. Also, there are only three new foreign horror streaming releases this week but they all look fantastic.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 3 (Marcus & Melissa) / 2 (Grady). Quality: 5 Enjoyment: 5

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Alex de la Iglesia • Director" by Alfonso Rivera in Cineuropa

Werewolf movies are measured by their transformation scenes. Nobody did it better than "An American Werewolf in London." Even after 40 years (!), its groundbreaking makeup and prosthetics still hold up. Also, the crew tackles a long list of foreign horror hitting Shudder this week.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2. Quality: 5. Enjoyment: 5.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"'An American Werewolf in London' and Its Iconic Transformation [It Came From the '80s]," by Meagan Navarro in Bloody Disgusting

"10 Things You Didn't Know About An American Werewolf in London," by Christopher Fiduccia in Screen Rant

"An American Werewolf in London at 40: John Landis's crafty creative peak," by Guy Lodge in The Guardian

"Translators, experts weigh in on 'Squid Game' subtitle debate," by Victoria Namkung in NBC News

As the kids say, haters gonna hate and slayers gonna slay. Few take that as literally as the fed up troll hunting vigilante in this week's film. The crew explores the nuances and blood splatter of "The Columnist." Plus, there are several dangerously bodacious international horror flicks dropping this week.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 1 (Melissa) / 2 (Marcus & Grady). Quality: 4. Enjoyment: 4

Mysterious ashen bodies are climbing out of a legendary volcano in Iceland. Why do they look exactly like people? What does it all mean? Turns out, they could be horrifying reminders of the past or odes to overwrought writing. The team is really divided on this one. Also, the writer behind "The Ritual" has a new Netflix horror dropping this week.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 1 (Marcus) / 4 (Melissa) / 3 Grady. Quality: 1 / 4 / 3 Enjoyment: 1 / 3 / 3

Forget about boldly going anywhere - you're about to have a close encounter in your own apartment with a shaggy, neon killing machine from outer space. This week, the crew heads to South London for an under-the-radar sci-fi horror that deserves a ton more recognition. Meanwhile, instead of saving earth, Captain Kirk is busy watching all the faces melt in the craziest cult movie to ever drop on Shudder.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 3. Quality: 5. Enjoyment: 5.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"How Attack the Block became a monster hit at SXSW," by Clark Collis for EW

"Joe Cornish interview: Attack The Block, monster design and British sci-fi on a budget," by Michael Leader for Den of Geek

"The Devil's Rain: One of the Strangest Horror Movies Of All Time," by Jim Knipfel for Den of Geek

Did Rod Serling's ghost possess a Mexican film crew for one last shot at chilling throwbacks? Or is his legacy so powerful that he inspires vintage horror decades after his death? You decide. Also, the Spooky Season is officially underway as the team discusses the four promising international streaming drops of autumn.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2 (Marcus) / 4 (Melissa) / 1 (Grady). Quality: 5. Enjoyment: 5

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"MEXICO'S GHOSTS HAUNT THE CHARACTERS OF ISAAC EZBAN'S THE SIMILARS," by Aimee Murillo for OC Weekly

"Interview with THE SIMILARS Director Isaac Ezban," by Carlos Prime in Quiet Earth

"25 Best 'Twilight Zone' Episodes," by David Fear, Sean T. Collins and Angie Martoccio in Rolling Stone

"Mexico's 1968 Massacre: What Really Happened?" on All Things Considered

"50 Years After a Student Massacre, Mexico Reflects on Democracy," by Elisabeth Malkin in The New York Times

There's a killer elevator murdering people! Sounds exciting, right? Sad news: It's underwhelming compared to Dick Maas' later films. Amsterdamned and Prey/Uncaged were confidently ridiculous but, unfortunately, The Lift felt unsure of itself and unfinished.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 1. Quality: 1 (Marcus & Grady) / 2 (Melissa). Enjoyment: 1 (Marcus & Melissa) / 2 (Grady)

Usually, zombies require a suspension of disbelief. The "get bitten, go feral" routine typically requires a few tropes and shrugs. Not these zombies - at least, not as far as anybody knows. Not yet. Nobody's seen them. They're all hunkered down in a radio station, broadcasting to a quiet little town suddenly full of jabbering cannibals. Turn up the volume with us this week for a remarkably weird radio horror movie that would make H.G. Wells proud.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 3 (Marcus) / 4 (Melissa & Grady) Quality: 3 / 5 / 4 Enjoyment: 4 / 5 / 5