Why settle for a Director's commentary when you can listen to Trav and Rick provide their own shot-by-shot commentary as they watch John Carpenter's iconic Halloween (1978).  We'll tell you when to press play on the movie so that you can listen to our audio as you watch along with us.

We are terrifingly honored to have scary movie expert, SMU film professor, and published author Dr. Rick Worland on the pod with us to cover John Carpenter's genre-defining slasher of all slashers - HALLOWEEN (1978).

You can find Dr. Worland's recently revised book THE HORROR FILM: AN INTRODUCTION here.

(00:00) - Introducing Dr. Worland

(06:03) - Horror Movie News

(08:43) - Defining what makes a Horror Film

(15:40) - Overall Thoughts

(20:07) - PSYCHO's Influence on HALLOWEEN

(25:00) - Development (BLACK CHRISTMAS, Debra Hill, etc.)

(34:35) - Making Of (The Music, The Mask, & The Money)

(47:20) - Dr. Worland's Thematic Analysis 

(58:05) - Awards

(01:45:47) - Outro / Coming Soon

Travis is joined by aspiring podcast co-hosts Weslie and Margot (his daughters) as they cover their favorite Halloween film to watch together, The Nightmare Before Christmas.  Our highest scare-o-meter rating to date, continual requests for more apple slices, and one of the co-hosts angrily storms out halfway through the pod...you'll have to tune in to find out who it is!

The boys answer the call to Scott Derrickson's follow-up to his 2022 surprise hit in this year's BLACK PHONE 2 as they cover 80's tropes, 8mm film, and the power of the ole "I'll pray for you!!!"

Our spooky special episode covering Michael Dougherty's Halloween fixture, Trick 'r Treat.  Jenna Pumpkin joins us to dive into the history of Halloween, Rick and Jenna cover the fraught release of the film and why that contributed to its cult status, and Benny Townsend joins us again as we cover our scary movie awards.  Go see Trick 'r Treat, back in theaters for only two nights this week (Tuesday, 10/14, and Thursday, 10/16)!

• This one's for the dogs!  Rick and Trav throw a bone to indie horror films as they cover Ben Leonberg's debut film, GOOD BOY (2025).  Plenty of reminiscing about their own goods boys, who both recently passed, with coverage of the film starting at 33:10.

Rick & Trav have historically done their best to avoid death and taxes. But in this episode what we can't avoid is our guest - old friend Joseph Ryan Gaasbeck AKA Juggy AKA Captain Clutch AKA Trav's former roommate AKA my former college rugby teammate, who joins us during the Awards portion of the show. Together we discuss the structural integrity of space needle buildings and rank all the kill scenes in this booming success of a legacy sequel.

Calling all Himbos, Himothée Chalamets, & Himzel Washingtons!  Rick & Trav tackle HIM (2025), a rare combo of their two favorite pastimes: football and horror. The boys get into the best fake pro football teams, why the Green Bay Packers are cursed, and troubleshoot how to rid Trav's daughters of their continued nightmares of the scariest mascot of all: Gritty.

Rick and Trav band together to walk down one of their surprise horror hits of the year, Francis Lawrence's The Long Walk (2025).  A film that may be the best analogy for this podcast, Travis ensures they keep the pace, Rick brings the soul, and amidst the struggles of watching, recording, and editing a podcast in under 48 hours, their bond of brotherhood is only made stronger. While the laughs are few and deaths are graphic, they still step through kids getting shot mid bowel movement, JoJo Rabbit, favorite Stephen King adaptations, and questionable shoe decisions.

The end of the Warrens, The Conjuring Franchise, and our Franchise series, Rick and Trav come out of retirement to cover Michael Chaves' last chapter for Ed and Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring: Last Rites.  More haunted hospital visits, some scary mirrors, Father Gordon praise, and chickens running amok at birthday parties; we cover it all.