The Pod and the Pendulum: A Horror Movie Podcast

This week we visit the murder capitol of the world and talk 80's vampire classic THE LOST BOYS. From queer readings on the relationship between David & Michael, to what it was like growing up as a latch key kid in the eighties, the power of MTV to make or break taste during this time  to the influence of this film being felt on pulp culture phenomenons like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight, we cover it all.

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The end of the year brings our time discussing Halloween to a close. This week we talk the Blumhouse smash hit from 2018 which saw Laurie and Michael square of again for the second time...again. Casting aside all other sequel and reboots, David Gordon Green's film serves as a true sequel to John Carpenter's masterpiece. Does it work? Mike is joined by Veronica Maitland and Brian Keiper to discuss why this soft reboot/sequel feels like a true followup to the 1978 classic.

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After last week's show where Jerry & Mike came down pretty hard on Rob Zombie's original vision for Halloween, you're going to be stunned to hear the love fest the two of us, along with returning guest Justin Beahm have for Halloween II. This feels nothing like a Halloween movie, and it is all the better for it. From Michael being unmasked for the majority of the film, to a crazy and out of control Laurie, to Loomis being a fame seeking ego maniac, this is not the franchise we recognize, but hot damn it works for us.

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Is Rob Zombie's Halloween the most controversial, most divisive movie we've covered to date? We think so. Whatever side of the fence fans come down on, there's no middle ground for most people on this radically different interpretation of Michael Myers. Jerry and Mike break down the state of horror in the early 2000s which led to a reboot rather continuation of the Halloween franchise. We look at the nature vs. nurture debate when it comes to Zombie giving Michael a detailed backstory as well as examining how these kind of, sort of familiar characters feel out of place in this new, white trash version of Haddonfield. Strap in listeners, we have a long one to get through this week. That said, whether you love or hate this movie, it remains a fascinating one to break down, due to Zombie swinging for the fences with his take.

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As we round the homestretch for the Halloween series, we hit what most fans would call the low point of the franchise. Laurie Strode killed off in act one. Tyra Banks gyrating over a latte. Michael Myers taking orders from Busta Rhymes. Kung Fu. "Trick or Treat Motherfucker." Reality television and the early days of live streaming. Thankfully-no Nickelback. Soundbites: what they are and are not. Luckily we have Ryan Larson (Ghastly Grinning & the Keep Screaming pod) to bring a ray of positivity to the proceedings. 

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After Samhain cults spearheaded by men in black didn't work out for The Shape, it was time to go back to the basics. Twenty years after John Carpenter's vision terrified movie goers, Michael Myers was stalking his sister on the big screen again. While this film remains a favorite for many of the series' fans, and its success ensured it would continue, Mike and Jerry argue that it doesn't feel so much like a Halloween movie as it does a Scream knock off with Myers smooshed in. What does our guest Stephanie Crawford (@scrawfish) think? Give us a listen and find out.

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It's about to get weird in Haddonfield. This week Jerry and I break down "Halloween 6: The One with the cult and Michael being a baby daddy". If you're down on this oft-maligned film, we're here to tell you it warrants another look. Here to join is is ANYA STANLEY (Dread Central, Fangoria) who has championed this film for years, and DANIEL FARRANDS, writer of H6.

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This week we are joined by Birth.Movies.Death and Horror Movie A Day scribe Brian Collins to break down Halloween 5. This maligned sequel gets a reevaluation by our crew, and we are here to say that Tina was a far better character than fans have given credit for over the years. Yeah, the mask stinks, and yeah making Jaime a mute while having a stuttering kid translate for her was a bad decision and yeah Loomis is completely batshit crazy in this one but...you know what, never mind we are going to quit while ahead.

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Ten years after the night He came home, The Shape...comes home again. This time he's after his orphaned niece Jaime, in a stellar performance from Danielle Harris. The nostalgia factor is high on this one, and after the box office failure of Halloween III, producer Mustafa Akkad was determined to keep the franchise going by giving fans what they wanted: Michael Myers. Also returning was Dr. Loomis, is a performance from Donald Pleasance that grows more unhinged as the movie progresses. Plus, while Halloween 4 is a great slasher movie, Jerry asks, is it a great sequel to the original Halloween. Mike and Jerry are joined by Justin Beahm (The Justin Beahm Radio Hour, Shout Factory) to discuss all this and more.

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Happy Halloween listeners! As a treat for everyone, one half of your hosts, Mike, joins his daughter Ada to talk about her favorite movie to watch during the Halloween season, Shaun of the Dead. While we can't promise we are the most insightful duo ever, Mike and his 9 year old do their best to keep it entertaining. If you're sitting down on the sofa this Halloween with a giant bowl of candy and this zombie comedy favorite, go ahead, cue up this commentary track and listen alongside the movie.

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