Imported Horror

Some dolls have spirits. Others have secrets. This week, the crew dives into a twisty Vietnamese take on Thai folklore. Also, we break down the international announcements from Netflix's "Geeked Week" and get excited about watching "Prey" in the Comanche language.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 1.67. Quality: 3. Enjoyment: 2.67

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Netflix Takes Global Rights to Taiwanese Horror Blockbuster 'Incantation' (Exclusive)," by Karen Chu for The Hollywood Reporter

"Prey Will Give Viewers The Option To Watch The Film In The Comanche Language," by BJ Colangelo in /Film

"Thailand's Intriguing Luk Thep Doll Culture," by Kenneth Bachor for Time Magazine

"Big in Thailand: Fake Kids," by Audrey Wilson for The Atlantic

You might think you've got a great memory. How could you know for sure? This week, the crew goes on a neo-giallo throwback to the "video nasty" era for a trippy look at self-censorship and tech scapegoats. Also, why is "Dashcam" so much more polarizing than "Crimes of the Future?"

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2.67 Quality: 4.33. Enjoyment: 4.33

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Breaking Down All 72 Video Nasties!" by Meagan Navarro for Bloody Disgusting

"'We're so scared of ourselves': How a moral panic over video nasties swept the nation," by Nick Hasted for The Independent

"Director Prano Bailey-Bond on 'Censor'" on IMDbPro

"Neo-Giallo: A Beginner's Guide," by Isaac Feldberg for Paste Magazine

Retro video games are a pixelated gold mine for horror ... and for disappointing movies that don't understand them. This week, the crew unpacks a Nightmare On Elm Street-esque dream horror movie masquerading as a video game tribute. Also - two classic genres reemerge with gusto in new releases this week and there's a confession about walking out of a David Cronenberg picture. Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2. Quality: 2. Enjoyment: 2.67

Mini zombies! Stop motion sex! The Occult! Penguins! The end is nigh!

You've heard the rumors. You've seen the social media posts and you've scrolled past it on Shudder. You gots to know. Is "The Sadness" as depraved and transgressive as the legends say? Yes. Very much yes. This week, the crew unpacks the ultra-violent zombie flick and looks forward to Spanish giallo (amarillo?) flicks hitting Shudder for Pride Month.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 4. Quality: 4.33. Enjoyment: 4.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Shudder June 2022 Schedule Announced," on Vital Thrills

"Flashback: Bob Saget Tells Possibly the Filthiest Joke in History," by Kory Grow in Rolling Stone

"Fantasia 2021 Interview: 'The Sadness' Writer/Director Rob Jabbaz," by Kelly McNeely for iHorror

"Taiwan-made zombie movie creeps into theaters Friday," by Keoni Everington for the Taiwan News

"Rob Jabbaz Brings THE SADNESS To The Zombie Apocalypse," by Dolores Quintana for Fangoria

Dementia is horrifying. So is Cronenbergian body horror. What happens if you mash them together? This week, the crew heads down under for a creative metaphoric horror film. Also: The real Iron Man is coming to Shudder next week, it's still not clear when (or if) Hatching will hit Hulu, and the crew gets psyched to watch The Sadness next week.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 3.33. Quality: 4.67. Enjoyment: 3.33

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Interview: Natalie Erika James Discusses The Inspirations Behind 'Relic', One Of The Year's Best Horror Films," by Jeff Ewing for Forbes

"'Relic' Director Natalie Erika James Talks Personal, Gothic, and Asian Horror Influences on Debut Film [Interview]," by Meagan Navarro for Bloody Disgusting

"horror_chronicles" on TikTok

Gremlins aren't just cuddly, aquaphobic Christmas monsters - they're also winged monsters that bedeviled allied aircraft in WW2. This week, the crew heads to the South Pacific for a pulpy, girl-power-bottle-action-creature feature mashup that breaks all the laws of physics. Also, just how depraved is "The Sadness?" Is it ultra-violent smut? Maybe. We discuss the new Taiwanese release on Shudder.

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2. Quality: 3.5. Enjoyment: 4

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"'Shadow in the Cloud' Filmmaker Roseanne Liang Sets the Record Straight on Her Film's Writing Credits," by Brian Davids for The Hollywood Reporter

"Shadow in the Cloud's Gremlins, Explained," by Kevin Shirka for CBR

"Director Roseanne Liang Spoke With Actual WW2 Pilots For Her Gremlin Thriller 'Shadow In The Cloud'" by Josh Weiss for Forbes

"Big Deal -- My Dad Was A Ball Turret Gunner In World War II," by Iris Ruth Pastor for HuffPost

Is math scary? What about ancient, demonic math? This week, the crew digs deep into "The Cellar," a calculating gateway horror that adds up to an agreeable film. Also, they discuss a pair of Finnish films streaming this weekend with "The Twin" and "Hatching."

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2. Quality: 3. Enjoyment: 3.67

Media mentioned in this episode:

"The Ten Steps," the short film version, on YouTube

"The Cellar Was Originally Envisioned As A 'Full-Blown Monster Mash-Up' With No Adults [Spoiler Interview]" by Jack Giroux in SlashFilm

"Interview: Elisha Cuthbert on returning to horror in The Cellar," by Kyle Milner in Scare Magazine

Some older horror movies are classics. Others ... not so much. This week, we endure awful dubbing and jarring editing in a clumsy Italian tribute to the works of H.P. Lovecraft. We'll give one of Lucio Fulci's better works a shot later - maybe "The Beyond" - but in the meantime, we also argue about Shudder's recent Irish original, "The Cellar."

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 1. Quality: 1.7. Enjoyment: 1.3

There are classic horror movies, and there are classic horror movies. "Black Sunday" is the latter. Even after 62 years, its gothic chills and trend-setting cinematography still chill and thrill. Also, we highlight inbound Shudder drops "See For Me" and "Subspecies."

Motion Picture Terror Scale: 3 (Marcus & Grady) / 2 (Melissa). Quality: 5 (Marcus) / 4 (Melissa & Grady). Enjoyment: 5 / 4 / 3

Articles mentione in this episode:

"Black Sunday," by Scott Tobias for the AV Club