Puppet Masters / Castle Freaks

We're completing the WITCHOUSE trilogy on our show, and we're fortunate to be guided through these two underseen sequels by none other than director JR Bookwalter! The prolific horror writer and director takes us through the fascinating production of these two films, which bridge the gap between the end of the Romanian era of Full Moon and the beginning of their return to America. 

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Crawlspace 

It's time for another wild Kushner-Locke-era Charles Band film! Filmmaker Addison Binek (PSYCHO APE) joins us for HIDEOUS, a horror-comedy set in the world of high-end human oddity training. Featuring some distinctive tiny terrors and the PM/CF debut of the great Jaqueline Lovell! 

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Witchouse 2: Blood Coven / Witchouse 3: Demon Fire

People's worst nightmares start to manifest in a secret government bunker in SHADOWZONE! This fun thriller in the vein of John Carpenter's THE THING boasts some surprising star power, including industry legend James Hong and Oscar winner Louise Fletcher. We're joined by Chris Bahr as we discuss one of the very first Full Moon movies!

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Hideous!

The filmmaking couple behind Switchblade Cinema, Alix Austin and Keir Siewert, join us for one of the absolute strangest Empire movies out there: THE CALLER, a sparse two-hander that feels like a filmed play! Starring Malcolm McDowell and Madolyn Smith, THE CALLER is twisty and ambitious swing for Band and company, but is it different enough to truly stand out? 

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Shadowzone

Corey Stevenson and Zak Shaffer from the great Podcasting After Dark join the platoon this week for the Bilson and DeMeo-scripted pulp serial treat ZONE TROOPERS! The movie is a gleeful genre mashup (think E.T. meets the Howling Commandos and you're halfway there), featuring a cast full of holdovers from TRANCERS and a great, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. 

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: The Caller 

Filmmakers and writers Justin Martell and Seager Dixon join us this week as we explore the campy magical horror film SPELLCASTER! The film was shot in 1986 and was banking on the  popularity of its star, New Wave rocker Adam Ant, but the film wasn't released until late 1992, and went largely unseen. Is it worth gazing into your crystal ball to find a copy?  

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Zone Troopers

An offshoot of the mid-70s "porno chic" era, the "erotic musical comedy based on public domain stories" subgenre remains one of the weirdest fads in film history, and Charles Band was there on the ground floor. This week, we're talking about two of his earliest projects, the ribald erotic comedies CINDERELLA and FAIRY TALES! We're joined by writer, filmmaker, and exploitation film historian Michael Gingold to dig deep into some truly jaw-dropping motion pictures. 

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Spellcaster

Filmmaker and writer Jed Shepherd (HOST) joins us this week for a trilogy of films from a true visionary: Tim Kincaid. The 80's shlockmeister attempted to graduate from pornography into mainstream filmmaking with a trio of Wizard Video releases that truly defy description and just have to be seen to be believed. Whether it's the sleazy alien thrills of BREEDERS, the insane fantasy of ROBOT HOLOCAUST, or the bizarre post-apocalyptic robot battling of MUTANT HUNT, these films are sure to drop some jaws. 

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Cinderella / Fairy Tales 

Though it's largely forgotten today, PARASITE was a crucial launching point for a lot of very important careers, not the least of which was Charles Band himself. Band teamed up with some future visionaries (SFX artist Stan Winston, star Demi Moore) to attempt to revitalize the 3D movement, and for a few years they nearly succeeded! We're thrilled to be joined by Fangoria editor-in-chief Phil Nobile, Jr. to dig into this slimy, oddly post-apocalyptic thriller. 

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Breeders / Robot Holocaust / Mutant Hunt 

It's time for the next chapter of our SUBSPECIES retrospective! Michelle and Radu's journey continues with BLOODLUST: SUBSPECIES III, shot at the same time as the acclaimed second film. Then, we're looking at VAMPIRE JOURNALS, the series spin-off that may just be the best-looking Full Moon movie, period. Michael Varrati is back on the show to help us sort through Ted Nicolaou's Romanian vampire saga. 

Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 

Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 

Logo by Doug McCambridge 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 

YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 

Next week's episode: Parasite