The Important Cinema Club

We discuss the slasher franchise CHILD'S PLAY and its lovable scamp of a protagonist, Chucky.

Send us stuff like zines, movie-related books, physical media or memorabilia c/o Justin Decloux, Unit 1010, 3230 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M4N 3P6, Canada.

Subscribe, Review and Rate Us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-…ub/id1067435576

Follow the Podcast: twitter.com/ImprtCinemaClub

Follow Will: twitter.com/WillSloanESQ

Follow Justin: bsky.app/profile/declouxj.bsky.social

Check out Justin's other podcasts, THE BAY STREET VIDEO PODCAST (@thebaystreetvideopodcast), THE VERY FINE COMIC BOOK PODCAST (www.theveryfinecomicbookpodcast.com) and NO SUCH THING AS A BAD MOVIE (@nosuchthingasabadmovie), as Will's MICHAEL AND US (@michael-and-us)

Imagine going through life as the world's greatest Jerry Lewis impersonator. That was life for the late, great Sammy Petrillo. Today, Sammy Petrillo is best known for starring in Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952), a legendary Martin & Lewis rip-off movie... but there's so much more to his story. On this special interview episode, Will talks to Dave Abramson, author of the new book YOUR TIME IS NOW: THE SAMMY PETRILLO STORY, about one of the strangest careers in showbiz history.

Buy YOUR TIME IS NOW: THE SAMMY PETRILLO STORY from Feral House - https://feralhouse.com/product/your-time-is-now/

NEW YORK: See Dave introduce BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA at Nitehawk Cinema Prospect Park, followed by an after party in Trees Lounge with a DJ set by Andy Maltz - https://nitehawkcinema.com/williamsburg/movies/bela-lugosi-meets-a-brooklyn-gorilla/

LOS ANGELES: See Dave introduce BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA at American Cinematheque Los Feliz 3, followed by a Q&A with Scott Alexander, Dave Abramson, Elsie Fisher, producer Jack Broder’s grandson David Kopple, and comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff, moderated by Dana Gould - https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/bela-lugosi-meets-a-brooklyn-gorilla-11-15-2026/

Imagine going through life as the world's greatest Jerry Lewis impersonator. That was life for the late, great Sammy Petrillo. Today, Sammy Petrillo is best known for starring in Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952), a legendary Martin & Lewis rip-off movie... but there's so much more to his story. On this special interview episode, Will talks to Dave Abramson, author of the new book YOUR TIME IS NOW: THE

Buy YOUR TIME IS NOW: THE SAMMY PETRILLO STORY from Feral House - https://feralhouse.com/product/your-time-is-now/

NEW YORK: See Dave introduce BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA at Nitehawk Cinema Prospect Park, followed by an after party in Trees Lounge with a DJ set by Andy Maltz - https://nitehawkcinema.com/williamsburg/movies/bela-lugosi-meets-a-brooklyn-gorilla/

LOS ANGELES: See Dave introduce BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA at American Cinematheque Los Feliz 3, followed by a Q&A with Scott Alexander, Dave Abramson, Elsie Fisher, producer Jack Broder’s grandson David Kopple, and comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff, moderated by Dana Gould - https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/bela-lugosi-meets-a-brooklyn-gorilla-11-15-2026/

You can listen to the full episode by becoming a subscriber on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theimportantcinemaclub/posts/patreon-446-what-172459074?pr=true

We discuss the work of Writer/Producer/Editor/Cinematographer/Producer J.R Bookwalter and take you through his career as a teenager directing THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, his foray through the trenches of no-budget LA filmmaking, and his newest film SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY.

JOIN THE PATREON FOR AN EXTRA EPISODE EVERY WEEK: www.patreon.com/theimportantcinemaclub

Send us stuff like zines, movie-related books, physical media or memorabilia c/o Justin Decloux, Unit 1010, 3230 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M4N 3P6, Canada.

Subscribe, Review and Rate Us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-…ub/id1067435576

Follow the Podcast: twitter.com/ImprtCinemaClub

Follow Will: twitter.com/WillSloanESQ

Follow Justin: bsky.app/profile/declouxj.bsky.social

Check out Justin's other podcasts, THE BAY STREET VIDEO PODCAST (@thebaystreetvideopodcast), THE VERY FINE COMIC BOOK PODCAST (www.theveryfinecomicbookpodcast.com) and NO SUCH THING AS A BAD MOVIE (@nosuchthingasabadmovie), as Will's MICHAEL AND US (@michael-and-us)

Justin forced Will to watch three TV Halloween Specials... and Will had no idea what was coming.

The first one is the the evill dummy episode of Family Matter,

The Second has Will "Scared ____less"

And the third animated asks WIll if he has "Annnnny quesssstions?"

A 16mm Hollywood dreamscape co-starring George Kuchar and released by Troma, SCREAMPLAY fell through the cracks when it was first released in 1984. Now, this psychotronic oddity is finding its audience in a new restoration from Muscle Distribution and Matchbox Cine. On this interview episode, Will talks to writer/director Rufus Butler Seder and Muscle Distribution founder Elizabeth Purchell.

SCREAMPLAY plays these cities and theatres throughout October 2026:

9/25 - 10/1 - New York - Anthology

10/6 + 10/8 - Portland - Hollywood Theatre

10/10 + 10/12 - Seattle - Northwest Film Forum

10/14 - Austin - Alamo Drafthouse

10/21 - Philadelphia - Lightbox Film Center

10/21 - Winnipeg - Winnipeg Cinematheque

10/22 - Chicago - Music Box

10/23 - Milwaukee - UWM Cinematheque

11/23 - Tampa - Sun-Ray CinemaBest

We went to TIFF 2026, some more than others, and we talk about our experiences.

JOIN THE PATREON FOR AN EXTRA EPISODE EVERY WEEK: www.patreon.com/theimportantcinemaclub

Send us stuff like zines, movie-related books, physical media or memorabilia c/o Justin Decloux, Unit 1010, 3230 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M4N 3P6, Canada.

Subscribe, Review and Rate Us on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-…ub/id1067435576

Follow the Podcast: twitter.com/ImprtCinemaClub

Follow Will: twitter.com/WillSloanESQ

Follow Justin: bsky.app/profile/declouxj.bsky.social

Check out Justin's other podcasts, THE BAY STREET VIDEO PODCAST (@thebaystreetvideopodcast), THE VERY FINE COMIC BOOK PODCAST (www.theveryfinecomicbookpodcast.com) and NO SUCH THING AS A BAD MOVIE (@nosuchthingasabadmovie), as Will's MICHAEL AND US (@michael-and-us)

Will grills Justin about his movie collection.

You can listen to the full episode by becoming a Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/theimportantcinemaclub/posts/444-why-do-you-170561890

Listen to this full episode by becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/theimportantcinemaclub/posts/444-why-do-you-170561890