Fangoria writer and critic Richard Newby is our guest this week as we look back at the film Charles Band considers his true debut: 1976's grisly MANSION OF THE DOOMED! Starring old Hollywood icons Richard Basehart and Gloria Grahame and an appearance from a young Lance Henricksen, this tale of a mad doctor obsessed with saving his daughter's eyesight is a grim but effective shocker.  

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: Weedjies: Halloweed Night / The Gingerweed Man

We've got Full Moon / Empire royalty on the show this week! Iconic 80's scream queen Brinke Stevens joins us this week, alongside her friend and superfan Dr. Rhonda Baughman, to discuss Brinke's directorial debut, SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA 2! This 30-years-in-the-making sequel brings a new crop of ditzy college kids into the path of the Imp, and we have the inside scoop from Brinke and Rhonda! 

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: Mansion of the Doomed 

Legendary pop culture critic Nathan Rabin is back this week to talk about an icon of 90's indie cinema, and it's oft-overlooked sequel! 1996's FREEWAY is a demented and gritty take on "Little Red Riding Hood" that transcends the sleaze of it's surroundings thanks to a witty script and a star-making turn from a young Reese Witherspoon. The sequel, CONFESSIONS OF A TRICKBABY, was a Full Moon pickup from 1997 starring Natasha Lyonne and Vincent Gallo, with whom Nathan has had some very interesting real-life encounters. 

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: Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-o-Rama 2

The boys of Movie Dumpster are back this week to talk about one of the most intense Empire thrillers: David Schmoeller's CRAWLSPACE! This creepy flick about a lunatic stalking residents of an apartment building stars Klaus Kinski, one of the most famously unpredictable and insane film stars of all time, and the behind-the-scenes stories from this film have become not only legendary, but hugely influential on the Full Moon universe. 

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: Freeway / Freeway 2: Confessions of a Trickbaby

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