The Sunday Scaries

HAPPY HALLOWEEN CLAY-HEADS! We close out Spooky Month with a special Saturday release. Joe Gaasbeck returns to the pod to discuss the DCU’s latest entry with Rick & Trav, which just so happens to be a body horror flick. They cover westerly winds, Theranos shenanigans, our favorite henchman Cadillac Sal, and Gotham’s confusing multi-sport franchise system. Enjoy!

(00:01:35) - RE-introducing Joe Gaasbeck

(00:02:38) - Intro

(00:03:30) - Other Comic Book Movie Horror Films

(00:06:00) - Synopsis

(00:06:30) - DCU? Elseworlds? Does it matter??

(00:13:05) - Overall Thoughts

(00:23:55) - Production Notes

(00:39:56) - Box Office

(00:41:33) - Scare-O-Meter

(00:44:02) - Highlights

(00:48:55) - Awards

(01:36:40) - Scream Queen or King

(01:41:40) - Next Week

Another year, another Watch-Along! This time, we stick around Haddonfield a little later and go insane with Dr. Loomis as we follow the shenanigans of Michael Myers after midnight on that fateful fall evening! Included are instructions on how to sync up the episode with your movie at home, just make sure it's the 91min theatrical cut (not the TV cut). We may not know how many sickos will listen to this....but YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT DEATH IS!

Rick and Trav admit themselves to Haddonfield General Hospital as they return to the Halloween franchise with Rick Rosenthal's 1981 direct sequel.  As Dr. Loomis becomes increasingly unhinged, Michael Myers slows down his walking pace even further, and quite possibly the best Cannon Fodder death to date occurs, there is plenty to celebrate as the guys return to their annual Samhain tradition.

(00:01:20) - Clayface Talk

(00:02:52) - Horror Movie News

(00:04:53) - Intro

(00:09:55) - Synopsis

(00:10:15) - Overall Thoughts

(00:15:20) - Retcon, Reboots, Requels

(00:19:30) - Production Notes

(00:41:10) - Box Office

(00:42:40) - Scare-O-Meter

(00:45:15) - Highlights

(00:55:00) - Awards

(01:42:30) - Scream Queen / King

(01:44:36) - Next Week

Park your snowcat, turn on your two-way radio, and pour yourself a glass of bourbon (or Jack) on the rocks. 2026 Spooky Season continues with SMU Film Professor Dr. Rick Worland returning to the pod with Rick and Trav for an extended stay at the Overlook Hotel. So come press play with us, Dear Listener...forever and ever and ever and ever.....

(00:00:55) - Introducing Dr. Rick Worland

(00:04:05) - Show Intro

(00:04:25) - Synopsis

(00:06:15) - Dr. Worland’s 1980 theatrical experience of THE SHINING

(00:14:30) - Stephen King and the novel

(00:20:05) - Overall Thoughts

(00:30:40) - Kubrickian Aura

(00:33:24) - Development

(00:37:00) - Production Notes: Working with Kubrick

(00:40:05) - Production Notes: The Steadicam

(00:42:00) - Production Notes: The Cast

(00:45:31) - The Score

(00:48:48) - Cultural Footprint & Themes

(01:00:07) - Box Office

(01:00:45) - Production Quick Hits

(01:03:35) - Scare-O-Meter

(01:04:55) - Highlights

(01:12:15) - Awards

(01:42:53) - Scream Queen / King

(01:47:05) - Halloween II (1981) next week!

Happy Spooktober! Don't lose your head over this news, but Benny Townsend returns to the pod for his third (second and a half) appearance as he joins Rick and Trav in unraveling the mystery in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow.  Listen in to hear about the Jack the Ripper of New York, Christopher Walken impressions, and an abundance of conjecture on whether Christina Ricci was just a tad too young to play Johnny Depp's love interest.

There's a hole at the bottom of the lake...and that's where the podcasts come from. Jane Schoenbrun is having FUN with their third feature and fellow fanfic fan / Gillian Anderson hall-passer Sarah Shady is here to break down this queer meta commentary on the slasher. Rick and Trav bring their own expertise as well, such as on The Counting Crows, the golden age of gummy candy, and identifying what an orgasm is.

(00:00:00) - 2 Disclaimers!

(00:01:53) - Rick Drives 6 Hours to See CAMP MIASMA

(00:04:02) - Horror Movie News

(00:06:45) - Intro

(00:09:16) - Hello Again, Sarah Shady!

(00:11:11) - Synopsis

(00:12:15) - Where Trav Saw CAMP MIASMA

(00:13:53) - Overall Thoughts

(00:20:26) - Themes: Jane’s Trilogy of Self Discovery

(00:26:00) - Themes: Sexual Mentorship

(00:30:40) - Themes: Cultural Neuroticism

(00:35:23) - Spoiler Alert for SLEEPAWAY CAMP (1983)

(00:42:43) - Production Notes

(00:48:50) - Jane’s Love of Media

(00:53:42) - Casting

(00:57:43) - The Power of Gillian Anderson

(01:00:15) - Box Office

(01:01:01) - Scare-O-Meter

(01:03:25) - Highlights

(01:14:03) - Awards

(02:02:06) - Scream Queen / King / Royalty

(02:04:24) - Byeeeeee

Joel joins Rick and Trav for a second week in a row, this time to discuss Zach Cregger’s RESIDENT EVIL (2026). We are JAZZED about this fun 90min speed run, so naturally we talked about it for 2 hours. Favorite cereals, DoorDash horror stories, and the great LieMax debate - we cover it all. Enjoy!

(00:00:00) - Intro Song (“Serenity” from Resident Evil 4)

(00:00:40) - Random Banter

(00:03:30) - Horror Film News

(00:05:35) - Intro to Ep. 43

(00:06:50) - Synopsis

(00:07:03) - Overall Thoughts

(00:13:43) - Video Game Adaptations

(00:17:02) - The Cinema-Going Experience for RESIDENT EVIL

(00:25:44) - Themes

(00:29:22) - Production Notes

(00:37:27) - Casting

(00:42:52) - Test Screenings / RE Fandom

(00:46:41) - Box Office

(00:47:15) - What's Next for Cregger

*SPOILER TERRITORY FROM HERE ON OUT*

(00:51:25) - Scare-O-Meter

(00:56:06) - Highlights

(01:04:30) - Awards

(01:53:43) - Scream Queen or King

(01:58:20) - Next Week

In preparation for Zach Cregger's much-anticipated loop release of Resident Evil (2026), Rick and Trav are joined by former T-Virus survivor, Joel Myers, as they go back to Paul W.S. Anderson's original Resident Evil film.  Video games, metal riffs, illegal research, and vulgar auteurism - no stone is left unturned.

(00:00:40) - Random Banter

(00:02:00) - Intro to Joel

(00:03:30) - Horror News

(00:09:03) - Intro

(00:12:30) - Overall Thoughts

(00:23:45) - Vulgar Auteurism!

(00:31:00) - Looking towards Cregger’s Vision

(00:34:50) - Themes (?!!)

(00:38:38) - Production Notes

(00:45:00) - Casting

(00:53:20) - Box Office

(00:54:30) - Scare-O-Meter

(00:59:42) - Highlights

(01:53:55) - Awards

(01:58:12) - Scream King or Scream Queen

(01:59:17) - Her Name is Vasquez 🤦‍♂️

(02:02:00) - Next Week

Rick and Trav unwrap the gruesome lore of LEE CRONIN'S THE MUMMY (2026) and discuss how it fits into the Evil Dead franchise and world of Carmen San Diego more so than the Boris Karloff franchise.

(00:01:05) - Random Banter

(00:03:15) - PSA for Buffet Infinity

(00:05:12) - Intro

(00:08:55) - Synopsis

(00:09:10) - Overall Thoughts

(00:24:30) - Production Notes

(00:30:00) - Casting

(00:32:30) - Box Office

(00:34:14) - Scare-O-Meter

(00:36:05) - Highlights

(00:43:00) - Awards

(01:17:33) - Scream Queen or King

(01:19:25) - Next Week

With another Insidious movie coming out this weekend, Rick and Trav thought it best to Travel to where it all started: James Wan's INSIDIOUS (2011). In the Further, they discuss product placement, bodily fluids, and what type of suburban home a single income family on a high school teacher's salary could get you in a post-recession 2010 market.

(00:01:17) - Random Banter

(00:02:30) - Intro

(00:04:07) - Overall Thoughts

(00:09:10) - Similarities with POLTERGEIST (1982)

(00:15:20) - James Wan & Leigh Whannell

(00:23:57) - Casting

(00:28:50) - Box Office

(00:30:16) - Scare-o-Meter

(00:31:45) - Highlights

(00:36:29) - Awards

(01:22:20) - Scream Queen or King

(01:24:49) - Next Week