From his home in Ilium, N.Y., optometrist Billy Pilgrim (Michael Sacks) narrates how he came to be “unstuck in time.” Kidnapped by aliens and living in comfort with his assigned mate, B-movie starlet Montana Wildhack (Valerie Perrine), Billy experiences the events of his life in random order, flitting between his past as an American prisoner of war in World War II, to his humdrum middle-class life in the present-day, to his future as a zoo curiosity on the planet Tralfamadore.
 

Welcome to our first visit to the weird, wacky, and wonderful world of beloved humanist author Kurt Vonnegut. Although Slaughterhouse-Five (1972) is not a perfect movie, it still manages to capture the novel’s essence, which is a challenging task considering the difficulty of successfully adapting Vonnegut novels. Join us as we discuss the strengths and weaknesses, including its screenplay, cast, and the marvelous direction of George Roy Hill. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys becomes unstuck in time, traveling through the eyes of Billy Pilgrim and a lifetime of lunacy and love. 

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Ships are sinking. Neighboring islands are being attacked. What if underwater hydrogen bomb testing has awakened a fire-breathing monster from its centuries-long sleep? Enter Godzilla. Tokyo’s only hope is an ominous weapon called the Oxygen Destroyer. But will the talented young scientist who developed it allow such a dangerous weapon to be revealed to the world?

Six seasons in and we’ve finally reached the BIG GUY. Godzilla’s cultural influence is as mammoth as the monster itself, spanning eight decades and over thirty-five sequels, reboots, and re-imaginings. Join us as we discuss the reasons behind the movie’s genesis and why its concept seems forever enduring. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys goes… Wait. What’s that thunderous sound? Head for the hills! Godzilla has risen!

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In the 1930s, a psychotic drifter who’s after a mystery woman who covered his whole body in illustrations that foresee the future shows three of them (The Veldt, The Long Rain, and The Last Night of the World) to an enchanted traveler.

This is our first venture into the world of Ray Bradbury and our first science fiction anthology. Join us as we discuss the pros and cons of this film, including the screenplay, location, and the terrific cast (playing multiple roles!). Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys meets a mysterious hobo on the road… a tattooed stranger eager to share with us his secrets and perhaps divulge a few of our own.   

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An ancient Ring thought lost for centuries has been found, and through a strange twist of fate has been given to a small Hobbit named Frodo. When Gandalf discovers the Ring is in fact the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, Frodo must make an epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it. However, he does not go alone. He is joined by Gandalf, Legolas the elf, Gimli the Dwarf, Aragorn, Boromir, and his three Hobbit friends Merry, Pippin, and Samwise. Through mountains, snow, darkness, forests, rivers, and plains, facing evil and danger at every corner the Fellowship of the Ring must go. Their quest to destroy the One Ring is the only hope for the end of the Dark Lord’s reign.

We’re back! Welcome, 2024! And what better way to kick off the new year than with an expansion of our parameters? David and I have long thought we should include forages in the peripherals of our respected genres and from here on, we occasionally will. Horror will now also embrace thrillers and Sci-fi will also include fantasy, hence today’s lofty venture. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) was the beginning of an enormous undertaking by talented New Zealand director Peter Jackson. Join us as we discuss the plethora of ingredients that began the recipe of this enchanting series, including its Tolkien origins, its marvelous cast, and special effects. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys begins a new adventure that starts with their first full-fledged fantasy episode. Join us…

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It (2017) — Seven young outcasts in Derry, Maine, are about to face their worst nightmare — an ancient, shape-shifting evil that emerges from the sewer every 27 years to prey on the town’s children. Banding together over the course of one horrifying summer, the friends must overcome their own personal fears to battle the murderous, bloodthirsty clown known as Pennywise.

It: Chapter Two (2019) — Defeated by members of the Losers’ Club, the evil clown Pennywise returns 27 years later to terrorize the town of Derry, Maine, once again. Now adults, the childhood friends have long since gone their separate ways. But when people start disappearing, Mike Hanlon calls the others home for one final stand. Damaged by scars from the past, the united Losers must conquer their deepest fears to destroy the shape-shifting Pennywise — now more powerful than ever.

Merry Christmas! Double Feature! Andy Muschietti’s It (2017) & It: Chapter Two (2019) recently broke all-time records for horror movie attendance in the 21st century, causing a surge in the genre that has grown ever since. What is it (ha-ha) about this classic 1986 novel that still resonates with readers and fans alike? Join us as we discuss the pros and cons of both films, including reference to the original Tim Curry miniseries of the 1990s, and our deep-seated fear of CLOWNS! Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys goes into the sewers, in pursuit of an ancient evil that resurfaces every 27 years to feed on fear. 

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After an attempt to reignite the passion in their marriage goes awry, Jessie (Carla Gugino) is left handcuffed to a bed in a secluded house with her husband, Gerald (Bruce Greenwood), dead. Not only must she break free, but she must avoid being killed by a wild dog and who knows what else. Then she begins hallucinating something far more menacing shares the room with her at night. But is she hallucinating?

Welcome to the second entry in our holiday Stephen King (21st century) extravaganza. Gerald’s Game (2017) is directed by one of our favorite modern directors, Mike Flanagan. Join us as we discuss the difficulty in translating this (mostly internal) novel to a vastly entertaining film, including its superb direction, talented cast, and nail-biting scares. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys attempts to reconcile the past with the present, only to discover that our former demons may have been replaced with new, all-too-real ones. 

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After a powerful storm damages their Maine home, David Drayton (Thomas Jane) and his young son head into town to gather food and supplies. Soon, a thick fog rolls in and engulfs the town, trapping the Draytons and others in the grocery store. Terror mounts as deadly creatures reveal themselves outside, but that’s nothing compared to the monsters within, where a zealot (Marcia Gay Harden) calls for a sacrifice.

Happy Holidays! This year we’re hosting a triple threat of Stephen King once again, only this time we’re going more modern and covering three from the 21st century. We begin with The Mist (2007). Based on the classic novella from 1980, Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption & The Green Mile), no stranger to the master-of-horror, delivers a power punch to the gut on many levels with this one. Join us as we discuss the terrific cast, special effects, and jaw-dropping ending (his own). Listen as Johnny Has the Keys battles Lovecraftian monsters from another dimension only to discover that, as is often, the worst monsters are us. 

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A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world’s major cities and all of humanity awaits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have “come in peace.” U.S. President James Dale (Jack Nicholson) receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler (Pierce Brosnan) that the Martians’ mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.

Welcome to part 2 of a mini-Tim Burton marathon and to our very first Listener/Viewer Request Episode (thanks Tim Funk)! It is apparent that Tim Burton was inspired by many things as a child… from fairy tales to gothic horror and even Batman, but who would have ever considered Mars Attacks collectible trading cards of the 1960s to be the basis for a big-budget sci-fi extravaganza? Join us as we discuss this zany, incredibly talent-stuffed feature film that ventures beyond hilarity and into the absolute absurd. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys and the rest of the world observe Martians under the pretense of peace invade our planet and annihilate everything that crosses their path. 

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In 1799, young constable Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is sent from New York City to a small town called Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of murders. There, Crane discovers that three of the killings were of the most notable men in town. The town council says that the murders are the work of the legendary headless horseman, the ghost of a Hessian soldier who was beheaded in battle. With help from a young sidekick and the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel (Christina Ricci), Crane’s investigation leads him to answers bordering both logic and the supernatural.

Happy Halloween! We couldn’t think of a better film to celebrate the haunted holiday than Tim Burton’s masterful Sleepy Hollow (1999). Join us as we discuss this work steeped in history and influence, from the original Washington Irving short story, through Burton’s love of gothic horror and Hammer film studios. Listen, as Johnny Has Keys gallops furiously through the dark and foggy woods, seeking to escape a headless demon in pursuit!

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Westworld is a futuristic theme park where paying guests can pretend to be gunslingers in an artificial Wild West populated by androids. After paying a sizable entrance fee, Blane (James Brolin) and Martin (Richard Benjamin) are determined to unwind by hitting the saloons, and brothels, and shooting their guns. But when the system goes haywire and Blane is killed in a duel with a robotic gunslinger (Yul Brynner), Martin’s escapist fantasy suddenly takes on a grim reality.

Westworld (1973) may not be scary by today’s standards, but to a young, impressionable child of 1973–take it from me–Yul Brynner was absolutely terrifying. Join us for some rip-roaring nostalgic fun as we dive into our second Michael Crichton offering of the year, discussing the recurring motif in his work as well as its seminal influence today. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys travels to yet another amusement park, one where things also run amuck on a smaller but no less dangerous scale. 

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