The off-kilter, libidinous, captivating actor James Spader doesn't get the attention he deserves and this episode is here to rectify that. I spoke with (new) Spader fan and horror journalist Amber T about the talented and unforgettable actor. Welcome to the fold, Amber. We spoke about Spader’s appeal, the sexuality he brings to his roles, why we think he hasn’t received a lot of critical attention, our favorite James Spader films, and more!

Show Notes:

Amber’s instagram

Amber’s bluesky

Amber T’s James Spader Letterboxd List

My James Spader Letterboxd List

Crash (1996)

Secretary (2002)

Pretty in Pink (1986)

Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)

Team-Mates (1978)

Spader in Team Mates

Endless Love (1981)

Tuff Turf (1985)

The New Kids (1985)

Supernova (2000)

A Killer in the Family (1983)

Starcrossed (1985)

Brat Pack

Bad Influence (1990)

John Hughes

Patrick Bateman

Less Than Zero (1987)

Wolf (1994)

The Whale (2022)

Dream Lover (1994)

Brendan Fraser

David Duchovny

Crash novel

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Babygirl (2024)

Bret Easton Ellis Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Jack’s Back (1988)

Curtain Call (1998)

The Music of Chance (1993)

Sex, Lies, and Videotape criterion article

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In May, I went to a screening of a documentary called GOODBYE HORSES: THE MANY LIVES OF Q LAZZARUS about the singer of the cult song "Goodbye Horses" which is most prominently featured in Jonathan Demme's film THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. The film is a portrait of the musician behind the song, Diane Luckey, her tumultuous life, and the frustrating reality of a music industry that didn't know what to do with an unconventional Black singer. This conversation is with the director of that film, Eva Aridjis Fuentes, and we spoke about how the film came to be, the obstacle-filled filming process, and the documentary as Diane Luckey's legacy.

Show Notes:

Eva Eridjis Fuentes’ website Q Lazzarus website

Eva’s instagram

Q Lazzarus LP Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus (Music from the Motion Picture)

Something Wild (1986)

Married to the Mob (1988)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Philadelphia (1993)

Q Lazzarus

Eva's film Children of the Street (2004)

Eva’s film La santa muerte (2007)

Eva’s film Chuy, El Hombre lobo (2014)

Searching for Sugar Man (2012)

Grey Gardens (1975)

Man on Wire (2008) The Beatles: Get Back (2021)

My Octopus Teacher (2020)

Koko: A Talking Gorilla (1978)

Dazed article about Q

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Film programmer Alison Lang and film writer Jess Sweetman came to talk with me about something they both feel really passionate about - their love of bad movies. This episode is a look at why film lovers relish watching movies that are overlooked, mocked, and discarded. We talked about being contrarians, what makes a bad movie entertaining, their niche favorites, and more!

Show Notes:

Jess’ Substack

Jess’ other Substack Intermission

Jess’ Kevin Smith Piece

Movies Men Ruined For Me Instagram

Alison’s Instagram

Alien vs Predator (2004)

John Waters

Doris Wishman

Claudio Fragasso

Cry-Baby (1990)

Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)

A Night to Dismember (1983)

Ed Wood

Blank Check Podcast

Twin Peaks: The Return

Troll 2 (1990)

Wings Hauser

Tommy Wiseau

Neil Breen

In the Cold of the Night (1990)

Santa Clause (1985)

Fritz the Cat (1972)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)

Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

Eyesore Cinema

Kate’s Addiction (1999)

Showgirls (1995)

Christopher Nolan

Megalopolis (2024)

The Brutalist (2024)

Brady Corbet

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Thirteen (2003)

Mysterious Skin (2004)

Funny Games (2007)

Ingmar Bergman

Stalked by My Doctor (2015)

Eric Roberts

Nothing But Trouble (1991)

Zombeavers (2014)

Tubi

Deep Water (2022)

This Is Me...Now (2024)

Roller Boogie (1979)

Linda Blair

A Talking Cat !?! (2013)

Nightmare Sisters (1988)

Christmas Bounty (2013)

Prey (1977)

Inseminoid (1981)

Death of a Cheerleader (1994)

Co-Ed Call Girl (1996)

Asunder (1999)

Ted Bundy (2002)

Sleepwalkers (1992)

Vampires (1998)

The Devil’s Advocate (1997)

Pieces (1982)

Pin (1988)

Zelluloid 42

Water Power (1977)

Chasing Chasing Amy (2023)

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It only felt right to dedicate another episode to David Lynch. In February, I put out an episode documenting a Lynch marathon that I co-organized, but that wasn't enough Lynch in my book, and so I approached two bonafide Lynch experts with the goal of having a more in-depth conversation about the filmmaker.

Bill Ackerman is a film writer and the host of the fantastic ⁠Supporting Characters⁠ podcast as well as a special podcast dedicated to Blue Velvet called ⁠From the Neighborhood⁠. He's undoubtedly one of the best film podcasters full stop end of story. Courtenay Stallings is a film historian, the editor of the Twin Peaks themed Blue Rose Magazine and is also the author of Laura's Ghost: Women Speak about Twin Peaks. Her dedication to spotlighting Lynch and her access to Lynch's world is astounding. We discuss Lynch’s persona, his career throughout the years, the importance of Laura Palmer, the life changing powers of Blue Velvet, and a lot more.

Show Notes:Bill Ackerman's Podcast Supporting Characters

From the Neighboorhood – Blue Velvet Podcast

Supporting Characters Instagram

Courteney Stallings Instagram

Laura’s Ghost: Women Speak About Twin Peaks

Blue Rose Magazine

David Lynch’s Unrealized Projects

Festival of Disruption

Room to Dream

Mark Frost

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Brian De Palma

Kimmy Robertson

Sabrina Sutherland

The Shrouds (2024)

Hotel Room (1993)

Lumiere and Company – David Lynch

Video Watchdog

Inland Empire (2006)

David Lynch Keeps His Head – David Foster Wallace

The Sixth Sense (1999)

The Straight Story (1999)

Atom Egoyan

Duran Duran: Unstaged

Angelo Badalamenti

The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer

Peggy Reavey

The Alphabet (1969)

The Grandmother (1970)

Six Men Getting Sick (1967)

Dino De Laurentiis Dune (1984)

David Lynch & Mel Brooks

Alejandro Jodorowsky

Werner Herzog

Body Heat (1981)

Blood Simple (1984)

Crispin Glover

Blue Velvet (1986)

Wild At Heart (1990)

Eraserhead (1977)

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

Cult Movies: v.3

Cut! Horror Movies on Horror Movies

Lost Highway (1997)

The Elephant Man (1980)

Twin Peaks

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In mid May, film collective Zelluloid 42 and US film label Vinegar Syndrome organized a mini festival called Vinegar Syndrome Weekender showcasing a selection of outrageous, nonsensical, incredibly entertaining B movies and celebrating celluloid film. I went there with my B movie loving friend Jess and this episode is a documentation of our time there. You'll hear our bewildered reactions to the films we saw, a Q&A with Vinegar Syndrome co-founder Joe Rubin and chief archivist Oscar Becher (apologies for the audio, recording it was a spur of the moment decision), and a short interview with Zelluloid 42 programmers Audrey and Tarek.

Did we leave the cinema forever changed after this weekend? Maybe so! And we've got Zelluloid 42 and Vinegar Syndrome to thank for it! If you live in Berlin and love transgressive, psychotronic cinema, Zelluloid 42's monthly film series Pleasure Dome at Filmrauschpalast is the place to be!

Show Notes:

Zelluloid 42

Vinegar Syndrome

Creepshow

Tales from the Crypt

Susan Tyrell

Jim Jarmusch

Tommy Wiseau

Konstantin Stanislavski

Actors on Actors

Pledge Night

Demon Wind

The Kids in the Hall

Battlefield Earth

Night Train to Terror

Megalopolis

Marathon Man

The Omen

The Ghost Dance

Dracula Sucks

Prisoner of Paradise

The Lamp

Angel

Strangers with Candy

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Madeleine Sims-Fewer & Dusty Mancinelli are a Toronto-based filmmaking duo who premiered their second feature HONEY BUNCH, an unconventional thriller set in a 70s medical clinic, at the Berlinale earlier this year. They're an exciting, genre-defying voice in contemporary cinema and it was great to get them on the podcast. We spoke about what it's like working as a duo, making the anti-revenge film VIOLATION, accessibility in film, and much more.

Show Notes:

Madeleine & Dusty’s website

Slap Happy (2017)

Woman in Stall (2018)

Chubby (2019)

Violation (2020)

Honey Bunch (2025)

Her Friend Adam (2016)

Great dm interview with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

Describe Video

Heavenly Creatures (1994)

Don’t Look Now (1973)

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004)

Possession (1981)

Phantom Thread (2017)

Babygirl (2024)

Brussels International Film Festival

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“People would leave me saying, ‘She’s a nice girl. What is this big thing about? She’s a nice girl.’ And the thing is, of course, I wasn’t a nice girl. And when they found this out, they hated me all the more.”—Elaine May, 2006

Elaine May is a game-changing director, writer, and actress that not enough people know about. Thankfully, I was able to talk to a May expert, writer Carrie Courogen, who wrote an Elaine May biography called 'Miss May Does Not Exist: The Life and Work of Elaine May, Hollywood's Hidden Genius.' We spoke about her significance to cinema and comedy, her fascinating career, her elusiveness, and more!

Show Notes:

Miss May Does Not Exist – Carrie Courogen

Carrie Courogen’s Website

Carrie Courogen’s Instagram

Nichols & May -Teenagers in a Car

Nichols & May – Examine Doctors

The Waverly Gallery

Lenny Bruce

A New Leaf

New Hollywood

Roberta Findlay

The Heartbreak Kid (Full Movie on YouTube)

Mikey and Nicky

The Birdcage

Ishtar

Ghostbusters

Back to the Future

Neil Simon

Elaine May’s New Film?

Todd Solondz

John Waters

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Recorded a week and a half after David Lynch's death, this episode is a mishmash of interviews with Cinema of the Dam'd programmers Jen Bronson and Matt Cornell and clips of what we showed during our 15 hour twitch marathon. We spoke about our Lynch faves, what he means to us, and where our head was at after watching so much of his work at once (it was pretty divine). Lynch's death hit hard and this won't be the last time I feature him on Somebody's Watching.

Show Notes:

Cinema of the Dam'd

Jennifer's Bronson's Instagram

Cinema of the Dam'd's Instagram

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

The Straight Story (1999)

Blue Velvet (1986)

Blue Velvet edited for television

Twin Peaks (1990-1991, 2017)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Lost Highway (1997)

Eraserhead (1977)

Inland Empire (2006)

Hotel Room (1993)

Crash (1996)

Pink Flamingos (1972)

Swingers (1996)

John Waters

David Wants to Fly (2010)

Angelo Badalamenti on Laura Palmer's theme

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Caryn Coleman is the founder of New York-based film initiative The Future of Film is Female which amplifies the work of women and non-binary filmmakers early in their career, offering short film grants. Caryn's initiative has been exponentially growing and I wanted to ask her how she made it all happen! We talk about how Caryn came to curating, her Future of Film is Female highlights, and the knots and bolts of indie distribution.

Instagram @futureoffilmisfemale

Future of Film is Female

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Top Gun (1986)

The House of Monsters Chicago

Devil’s Nightmare (1971)

The Baby (1973) (YouTube)

BFI

Nitehawk Cinema

Eleanor Wilson

Kate Dolan

You’re Not My Mother (2021)

Oddity (2024)

Speak No Evil (2024)

Nice Shoes Post Production

Heard City Post Production

Mosquito Lady (2024) (YouTube)

I Could Just Die, And That Would Be All Right (2023)

All Over Me (1997) (YouTube)

Not A Pretty Picture (1976)

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Girlfight (2000)

Fancy Dance (2023)

High-Rise (2015)

Free Fire (2016)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (YouTube)

Messaging the Monstrous Women Make Horror @MoMA

Vidiots

Alison Peirse

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

The Graduates Announcement in IndieWire

The Graduates (2024)

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

Nightbitch (2024)

Booger (2023)

Hollywood 90028 (1973)

Black Conflux (2019)

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (2023)

Our Father, the Devil (2021)

Timestalker (2024)

Mirror, Mirror (1990) (YouTube)

Little Women (1994)

One Timers film series at Metograph

Wanda (1970) (YouTube)

There's a plethora of "eat the rich" films these days, films that relish in showing the wealthy suffer without, god forbid, rocking the status quo. My guest today is Tosha R. Taylor is quite skeptical of the trend. Tosha R. Taylor is a writer, former academic, and regularly publishes and presents on horror, extremity, and queerness.

We talk about the history of class in cinema, the invisibility of class issues in the majority of films, hillbilly horror, and Tosha picks some of her favorite class-conscious horror films.

Show Notes:

Tosha R. Taylor's twitter

Tosha R. Taylor on academia.edu

Lumiere Brothers – Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory (1895)

Battleship Potemkin (available on YouTube) (1925)

Man With A Movie Camera (available on YouTube) (1929)

Bicycle Thieves (available on YouTube) (1948)

American Hollow (available on YouTube) (1999)

Harlan County USA (available on YouTube) (1978)

Blood on the Mountain (available on YouTube) (2016)

Saltburn (2023)

Triangle of Sadness (2022)

The White Lotus (2021-2025)

The Menu (2022)

The Hunger Games (2012)

Parasite (2019)

The Wicker Man (1973)

Calvaire (2004)

Eden Lake (2008)

Wake in Fright (1971)

Attack the Block (2011)

Funny Games US (2007)

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

His House (2020)

Take Shelter (2011)

Wrong Turn (2003)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Figures

Dardenne Brothers

Maysles Brothers

Ken Loach

Bong Joon-ho

Kimberly Crenshaw on Intersectionality

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