Scream Scene Podcast

It's the film that changed the horror genre, revived RKO, and launched Val Lewton into film history.

Your deadicated hosts watch CAT PEOPLE (1942, Tourneur) and dive into the history of women and mental health, sexuality, RKO and CITIZEN KANE, and so much more. Will this classic take the number one spot on the list?

Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 59:59; Discussion 1:12:14; Ranking 1:43:08

The beautiful, expressionist and noir-inspired film THE UNDYING MONSTER (1942, Brahm) strikes at the heart of Scream Scene's most dreaded question... is this horror or thriller?

Starring James Ellison, Heather Angel, John Howard and Heather Thatcher; this is what happens when 20th Century Fox tries to bring together an old dark house, lycanthropy, and a THIN MAN rip-off. But your hosts are mesmerized by the film's scoring by grandfather of film music David Raksin.

Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 25:23; Discussion 32:17; Ranking 55:29

From Monogram Pictures, it's BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT (1942), directed by Wallace Fox and starring Bela Lugosi, John Archer, Wanda McKay, Tom Neal, and Bela Lugosi! Twice the Bela, twice the... fun?

Context Setting 00:00; Synopsis 11:52; Discussion 16:37; Ranking 35:54

Surprise! It's our first appeals episode! Your deadicated hosts received an appeal of FREAKS (1932, Browning), currently ranked at #27.

Let's discuss whether FREAKS deserves to be higher or lower than DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE (1942, Fleming) -- and whether Ramones' discography should impact a film's ranking!

The episodes discussed in this episode are Ep 18 (DER STUDENT VON PRAG 1926), Ep 29 (FREAKS), and Ep 87 (JEKYLL & HYDE). To see the full list of films ranked, visit screamscenepodcast.tumblr.com

The mummy Kharis returns in THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1942) from Universal Pictures, directed by Harold Young and starring Lon Chaney Jr and Turban Bey. What happens when Kharis comes knocking in small town America? Take a listen to find out!

Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 21:45; Discussion 38:07; Ranking 49:03

From Universal Pictures comes an unknown horror titled NIGHT MONSTER (1942)! Directed by Ford Beebe and starring Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Ralph Morgan, Irene Hervey, and more. It's an Old Dark House filled with frogs, mysticism, and... wait it's good?!

A man gets revenge on the three doctors who ruined his life... meanwhile Dr Harper heads to a Gothic mansion to diagnose a hysterical woman... meanwhile a terrifying creature roams the swamps, strangling victims and leaving mysterious pools of blood...

Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 17:56; Discussion 44:17; Ranking 1:16:24

Your deadicated hosts reveal the origins of 20th Century Fox with DR RENAULT’S SECRET (1942) directed by Harry Lachman and starring our boy George Zucco with excellent acting from J Carrol Naish and Mike Mazurki. And surprise professional wrestling!

Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 27:07; Discussion 33:52; Ranking 52:17

From the Producers Releasing Corporation comes the Wolf Man ripoff film THE MAD MONSTER (Newfield 1942). The poverty row film stars George Zucco, Glenn Strange, Johnny Downs, & Anne Nagel. But how many more of these vengeful mad scientist plots can your deadicated hosts take?

Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 19:38; Discussion 36:32; Ranking 47:19.

Bela, brides, and botox!

Your deadicated hosts take on another of Bela Lugosi's Monogram Nine with THE CORPSE VANISHES (Fox 1942). Noted as one of his more bizarre Monogram films, your hosts decide just where this botox-inventing horror flick ranks.

Context Setting 00:00; Synopsis 11:09; Discussion 36:48; Ranking 48:04

The fourth installment of Universal's Frankenstein franchise storms in with THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942), directed by Erle C Kenton with Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr, Cedric Hardwick, Lionel Atwill and Evelyn Ankers.

It's... fine. It offers more questions than answers, but even a competent film is... fine.

Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 35:59; Discussion 1:04:59; Ranking 1:23:54