Our name is The TV/Movie Rewind Podcast. As a grim evening falls once again in the thick woods of historic olde New England, two men—Matt & Todd—are joined by a new arrival in town: Katherine, for part two of their discussion on the gothic horror classic Dark Shadows (1966–1971).

That’s right—we came back. There’s just too much to say.

This time, we dig into some of our favorite characters, motivations, scenes, flubs, and how the show continues to serve as a source of creative inspiration. We’re joined in our dive today by long-time Dark Shadows fan Katherine Gonzales.

Among other talents, Katherine is a content creator who shares her love for DS and Dark Shadows-inspired music on YouTube, along with her own experiences with the paranormal. She’s a veteran of many DS conventions, with an encyclopedic knowledge of the show and a genuine enthusiasm that made exploring Collinwood one more time with her an absolute joy.

You can find Katherine's DS-inspired creations on:

YouTube: like DS deep dives Here, and today's outtro:

This week we have an extra treat at the end featuring Discount Artificial Sweetener's song: 'Styrofoam Tombstones', fans should really like this one, Matt & I think its great.

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.

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Today on the TV/Movie Rewind Podcast, Matt & Todd get reanimated and rearmed with Universal Soldier—Roland Emmerich’s 1992 sci-fi action flick that boldly blends high-octane combat with Frankenstein, war crimes, and plenty of roundhouse kicks.

Starring:

• Jean-Claude Van Damme as “LUC, SAD!” Luc Deveraux, a memory-wiped near-automaton as confused about what he is as he is about who he is.

• Dolph Lundgren as “ANDREW, MAD!” Sgt. Andrew Scott, a completely unhinged maniac with a necklace made of ears and probably loves Casualties of War for all the wrong reasons.

• Ally Walker as Veronica Roberts, a journalist just trying to do her job and not get murdered by government cyborgs.

• Whit Bissell Award winners Jerry Orbach (as Dr. Gregor) and Robert Trebor (as the motel owner), plus genre favorites Ed O’Ross and Leon Rippy.

This is great early-90s action:

• Government conspiracies

• Secret military programs

• And a plot that could be described as RoboCop meets First Blood with a dash of Short Circuit if Johnny 5 had been developed by Cyberdyne Systems.

• Van Damme kicks people. Lundgren screams about betrayal. There’s a diner fight, a farm showdown, and a final battle that ends with a hay baler and some light existential horror.

Despite 5 sequels, this one is often forgotten in the larger pool of muscley-action films. For one, Van Damme’s box-office draw was waning, and it could be said that this kind of action film a dying genre in 1992, especially with Die Hard a few years earlier establishing a new action archetype.

Lastly, at least in America alone, 1992 would be dominated by other classics such as:

Disney’s Aladdin, Academy Award Winning Unforgiven, Basic Instinct, Reservoir Dogs, A Few Good Men, Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Batman Returns, and The Bodyguard, to name a few.

This one had an up-hill battle for your memory, so we’re giving it another look. You should too!

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Today on the TV/Movie Rewind Podcast, Matt & Todd ride out with The Seven Magnificent Gladiators—Bruno Mattei’s 1983 sword-and-sandals spectacle courtesy of Cannon Films.

If you're Matt and Todd, you had us at either "Bruno Mattei" or "Cannon Films." But both?? We’ll chip in for the 4K restoration ourselves.

If you're not familiar with that glorious pairing, it’s hard to explain just how much these movies mean to us. They're not trying to win awards—they're trying to inject pure entertainment into your bloodstream, like they've got a vendetta against subtlety and the solution involves kilotons of TNT strapped to a Chevy Caprice.

What you're watching is the source code of entertainment. Just go along for the ride, and you will have a good time.

The Seven Magnificent Gladiators is wild, it’s fun, it’s dubbed... and it’s working on a budget. An inspired remix of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (by way of The Magnificent Seven), this version asks: “What if we did that in ancient Rome… on a Cannon budget… using actors who were already wearing swords-and-sandals for another production?”

Starring (and our choice as their Magnificent Seven counterpart):

• Lou Ferrigno as "Han"—yes, Han. That’s what the "H" on his belt stands for. Definitely not Hercules, who Lou was coincidentally played at the same time. (Yul Brynner)
• Sybil Danning as Julia the most mercenary of the group (Brad Dexter).
• Brad Harris as Scipio, Han’s right Han-d (Steve McQueen).
• Emilio Messina as Goliath the gentle giant (Charles Bronson).
• Giovanni Cianfriglia as Festo (We'll go with Robert Vaughn I guess?).
• Sal Borgese as Glafiro (I swear he throws a knife or something in this, so he'll be James Coburn).
• Rubert Mura as Vendrix (Horst Buchholz).
• Carla Ferrigno as Pandora.
• Yahudi Efroni, earning our coveted 'Whit Bissell' Award as The Emperor.
• Dan Vadis as Nicerote—the most fashion-forward warlord this side of Humungous or Raven Shaddock.

It’s Cannon. It’s Mattei. It’s awesome.

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edited 7/26/25: Apologies for the original audio, the hisses and my illness :(

Our name, is the TV/Movie Rewind Podcast.

As night falls on Matt & Todd, they find themselves drawn into the gothic madness of Dark Shadows. Dark Shadows is a show born from the literal dream of Dan Curtis in 1966, fleshed out by writer Art Wallace, and brought to moody life by directors Lela Swift, John Sedwick, and Henry Kaplan.

Set designer Sy Thomasoff, composer Robert Cobert, and writers Sam Hall and Ron Sproat helped build what would, by 1968, become a cultural phenomenon—an unlikely soap that reshaped supernatural storytelling for generations, airing on June 27, 1966 on ABC until April 2, 1971.

For horror fans today, Dark Shadows is a cornerstone. It carved a path for everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel to True Blood and Anne Rice, maybe this.

What begins as a tale of mysterious genetics and brooding intrigue spirals quickly into the story of a tortured vampire thrust into increasingly deranged predicaments.

We're talking soap opera insanity: At one point remorseful vampire astral-projects through time to defeat the mute ghost of a warlock… but instead helps him (with help from another warlock…) fight a phoenix that said warlock (the future-ghost one) accidentally created… this runs afoul of the plans of the witch (who created the vampire). That’s before fancy-knifed assassins, magic severed hands, a werewolf curse, yet another even more powerful warlock show up, and 400 more episodes before the narrative ends abruptly.

It’s homage. It’s theft. It’s divine melodrama. And it’s also… 1,225 episodes. Not every one is a masterpiece. Pacing? Glacial. Takes? Singular. Flubs? Frequent. Stone walls? Rattling. Bats? Unapologetically rubber. No blood, the violence is rather tame, but if you can get ‘into it’ there is so much fun to be had here.

As essential to genre history as Dracula, Star Wars, or Star Trek, Dark Shadows is a wild, shadowy ride. This is best enjoyed with someone who's ready to lean into the madness.

Dark Shadows stars (for the most part):

Alexandra Moltke (Isles) as Victoria Winters

Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins

David Selby as Quentin Collins

Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard

Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard

Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins

Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Collins-Stoddard

David Henesy as David Collins

Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans

John Karlen as Willy Loomis

Thayer David as … we’ll go with “Stokes”

Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman

Joel Crothers as poor, poor Joe Haskell

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.

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Deep Blue Sea is a 1999 sci-fi monster movie directed by Renny Harlin, starring Saffron Burrows, Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, and Samuel L. Jackson.

This film may have been the first American big-budget shark movie to hit theaters since Jaws: The Revenge. Deep Blue Sea however decided to splice science-fiction into something that as much resembles Alien, or Thing from Another World.

The science is vague enough to hold together with confident lines that try real hard... and OK some of the plot could be tighter.

This is a 1950s B-movie plot, no doubt, but we think they do an admirable job of giving you enough MovieScience™ to work with, some very entertaining characters, great scenes and plenty of blood as a reward for going along.

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Today, Matt and Todd tackle the fourth entry in the original Planet of the Apes saga: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), directed by J. Lee Thompson. Starring:

• Roddy McDowall as Caesar

• Don Murray as Breck

• Ricardo Montalbán as Armando

• Natalie Trundy as Lisa

• Hari Rhodes as MacDonald

• Severn Darden as Kolp

The first film said it all—right? The second one blew it all up—done and done. The third swept away anyone left from the second—this has to be the end...

Except it’s not.

Conquest brings the action roaring back (see Beneath), but with a chaotic crescendo that might just be the most memorable ending of the entire series.

Seriously.

You might think it has nowhere left to go.

What more is there to explore in this ape-human dynamic? This film knows that you already know the stakes. What you get here is a raw, streamlined rebellion tale with serious sci-fi edge and a cathartic payoff.

It’s arguably the most approachable film in the franchise. Accessible even if you haven’t seen the others... though you really should.

We hope you enjoy the uprising as much as we did.

Matt reviews and ranks more movies including newer ones at ⁠Letterboxd⁠

You can find out what he's following on Bluesky @MovieMattSirois.bsky.social

Check out favorites of what we follow, at: ⁠⁠⁠Once Upon a Geek⁠⁠⁠⁠ and  ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Fade Out Podcast⁠⁠ As Marcus he reviews all sorts of films but unlike here, they often they range from bad, worse, or terrible at the ⁠⁠⁠⁠MovieAsylum of the Weird, Bad and Wonderful⁠.

Today, Matt and Todd take aim at a film that needs no introduction... but we're giving it one anyway.

The Wild Bunch (1969) is a brutal, operatic action-western from the legendary Sam Peckinpah, featuring a powerhouse cast led by William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Jaime Sánchez, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, and Robert Ryan.

The Old West is dying, and Pike Bishop (Holden), a hardened outlaw, rallies his gang for one last big score: robbing a railway gold shipment. When the plan goes south, they're relentlessly pursued by former comrade-turned-bounty hunter Deke Thornton (Ryan). What follows is a violent, visceral masterpiece that grapples with fading codes of honor among men with a bent understanding of it.

If you’ve never seen this film, it earns our highest and easiest recommendation. Whether you’re a long-time fan of “horse operas” or just discovering the grit and grandeur of classic Westerns, The Wild Bunch is essential viewing. We think it would appeal to any action fan of all ages.

Matt reviews and ranks more movies including newer ones at ⁠Letterboxd⁠

You can find out what he's following on Bluesky @MovieMattSirois.bsky.social

Check out favorites of what we follow, at: ⁠⁠⁠Once Upon a Geek⁠⁠⁠⁠ and  ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Fade Out Podcast⁠⁠ As Marcus he reviews all sorts of films but unlike here, they often they range from bad, worse, or terrible at the ⁠⁠⁠⁠MovieAsylum of the Weird, Bad and Wonderful⁠.

Gene Hackman's incredible life included time as United States Marine, an avid Cyclist, designing award-winning homes, restoring homes, and even in SCCA racing competitions.

He also had a legendary 5-decade acting career on stage and screen accumulating 2 Oscars (5 nominations), 2 BAFTA, 4 Golden Globe and a SAG awards along the way.

He's a star with an asteroid named after him. (wikipedia)

Today our northern collaborator Logan share's his thoughts with us on some of our favorite films starring or featuring the man himself.

Rest in Peace Mr. and Ms. Hackman.

Matt reviews and ranks more movies including newer ones at ⁠Letterboxd⁠

You can find out what he's following on Bluesky @MovieMattSirois.bsky.social

Check out favorites of what we follow, at: ⁠⁠⁠Once Upon a Geek⁠⁠⁠⁠ and  ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Fade Out Podcast⁠⁠ As Marcus he reviews all sorts of films but unlike here, they often they range from bad, worse, or terrible at the ⁠⁠⁠⁠MovieAsylum of the Weird, Bad and Wonderful⁠.

Matt and Todd saddle up once more for another ride with Emilio Estevez as Billy "The Kid" and his posse:

Lou Diamond Phillips as Chavez y Chavez and Kiefer Sutherland as Josiah "Doc" Scurlock, in Young Guns II, the 1990 sequel to the 1988 classic.

Directed by Geoff Murphy.

Does this follow-up stand the test of time? Let's find out.

Matt has spent over three decades dismissing it, while Todd mostly overlooked it. Now, they set aside old frustrations for a fresh viewing.

Plagued by production challenges and lukewarm reviews upon release, Young Guns II was written off by many. But was that judgment too harsh? Could there be a genuinely great Western hidden beneath the criticism?

Matt reviews and ranks more movies including newer ones at ⁠Letterboxd⁠

You can find out what he's following on Bluesky @MovieMattSirois.bsky.social

Check out favorites of what we follow, at: ⁠⁠⁠Once Upon a Geek⁠⁠⁠⁠ and  ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Fade Out Podcast⁠⁠ As Marcus he reviews all sorts of films but unlike here, they often they range from bad, worse, or terrible at the ⁠⁠⁠⁠MovieAsylum of the Weird, Bad and Wonderful⁠.

Today, Matt and Todd take on the 1997 disaster epic Volcano, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, Keith David, and Don Cheadle; directed by Mick Jackson. Volcano is a classic '90s disaster flick, packed with dialogue that'll have you rolling your eyes; though they'll come right back around to some great effects and pure chaos.

Rotten Tomatoes almost has it right, with an average score of 5.10/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Volcano's prodigious pyrotechnics and Tommy Lee Jones' crotchety sneers at lava aren't quite enough to save this routine disaster film."

Well, in this episode, Matt and I challenge that take with our own firmly grounded "Nuh-uh!" Okay, maybe not entirely. But our main takeaway? Volcano's prodigious pyrotechnics and Tommy Lee Jones' crotchety sneers ARE just enough to save this routine disaster film.

So there!

Volcano is a throwback spectacle. Volcano is completely 90s with cringeworthy dialogue, some truly gruesome moments that could stick with you, and enough chaotic fun to make that spare popcorn disappear. Tommy Lee Jones in peak '90s anger mode, plus a scale block getting torn up, blown up, melted, burned—pure chaos. You’ll learn nothing, but you'll have a blast watching it go down.

Matt reviews and ranks more movies including newer ones at ⁠Letterboxd⁠

You can find out what he's following on Bluesky @MovieMattSirois.bsky.social

Check out favorites of what we follow, at: ⁠⁠⁠Once Upon a Geek⁠⁠⁠⁠ and  ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Fade Out Podcast⁠⁠ As Marcus he reviews all sorts of films but unlike here, they often they range from bad, worse, or terrible at the ⁠⁠⁠⁠MovieAsylum of the Weird, Bad and Wonderful⁠.