Christmas Special:

Gremlins (1994)

d. Joe Dante

Starring:Zach GalliganPhoebe CatesHoyt Axton

Home Alone (1990)

d. Chris Columbus

Starring:Macaulay CulkinJoe PesciDaniel SternCatherine O'Hara

In our Yuletide Christmas Double Feature, Steve & Ryan examine the consequences of neglectful pet ownership & find out child endangerment isn't as hilarious when it happens to the super wealthy. Steve tells us about growing up on Chicago's North Shore and doing menial labor for the 1%, and Ryan shows what an ungrateful brat he is about his privileged childhood.

In Gremlins a boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town, while in Home Alone an 8-year old troublemaker must protect his home from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation.

Things discussed in the show:

Christmas, Hanukkah & elder gods

Caligula (Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole)

Facets & The Music Box in Chicago

Keye Luke

Autistic people and service animals

Cuba Gooding Jr. - Radio

Powder

Three Dog Night - "Joy to the World"

"Mother's Little Helpers"

Corey Feldman and his weird Angels and the Vice article about his birthday party

Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch & Dollywood

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steven Segeal

Judge Reinhold

Beverly Hills Cop

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Gremlin lore

Krampus - Michael Dougherty - Trick 'r Treat

Gizmo as a Highlander

Inglorious Bastards - Quentin Tarantino

Kid Koala - Your Mom's Favorite DJ - Gizmo Song

Futurama - Nibbler

Critters, Ghoulies, Troll, Hobgoblin, Munchies

The Burbs, Small Soldiers, Explorers, Innerspace

Tales from the Crypt

John Hughes

Peaky Blinders

Richest Chicago suburbs: Kenilworth, Winnetka

The Adventures of Pete and Pete - Michael Stipe, Iggy Pop, Hunter S. Thompson, David Johanson, Steve Buscemi, Janeane Garofalo

Home Alone as a horror film

David Icke and lizard People

Chicago Magazine's oral history of Home Alone

Tom Cruise's stunt guy

SCTV - John Candy

Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, Curly Sue

Camp Candy

Bobby's World - Howie Mandell

Mrs. Doubtfire, Adventures in Babysitting

Angels with Filthy Souls

The Good Son

Winning with traps in Predator and Willow

M and Raiders of the Lost Ark

Dexter

Rob Zombie's Halloween

Beaches

Party Monster, Richie Rich, Getting Even with Dad, Will and Grace

Big Bang Theory minus the laugh track

The Pizza Underground

Adam Green - Moldy Peaches - The Wrong Ferarri, A Screwball Tragedy

Out There - Humerto Ramos

Ving Rhames

R2-D2 & C-3PO

Next week: Star Wars: The Force Awakens