Wake Up Heavy

A not-so-quickie episode with more movie recs, a much longer discussion with Cleo in which we talk about some possible kindertrauma she may have suffered because of me, and some cool German synth pop tunes throughout. Check it out why don'tcha!

Just a quickie episode to share some movie recs, have a little chat with my daughter about some of the films I've forced her to watch, hear my wife get the bejeezus scared out of her, and let people know what's going on at WUH headquarters during these strange (count how many times I say that in the episode!) times.

For this episode I am once again joined by Mike White from The Projection Booth Podcast [http://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/].

In 1983 Sam Raimi and Co. took the horror world by the neck and shook it until it begged for mercy. The Evil Dead caught the attention of Stephen King at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival and his pull-quote, "The most ferociously original horror film of 1982," placed it on every genre fan's must-watch list.

The Evil Dead may be short on story but it's long on dread, gore, and inventive film-making. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the original, like me, or a lover of the "better in every way" requel, like my guest, or even if you prefer Army of Darkness for some reason, you'll find something to like in this episode. Heck, I even like the 2013 reboot!

For more information please visit the show notes:
https://www.wakeupheavy.com/2020/04/s4e2-join-us-evil-dead-1981.html

The Tenant was directed by Roman Polanski, who also stars as Trelkovsky a mild-mannered file clerk looking for a new apartment in Paris during a housing shortage. He finds a not-quite-vacant room in an American-owned building, but the last tenant, Simon Choule, is clinging to life after throwing herself out of the apartment's window. When the apartment becomes available Trelkovsky moves in and his life becomes a nightmare of paranoia and delusion.

For more please visit the show notes: https://www.wakeupheavy.com/2020/03/s4e1-i-am-not-simone-choule-tenant-1976.html

It's the 30th anniversary of my semester in London, and recently I've been thinking a lot about my time there. For a budding cinephile the repertory cinemas were a revelation to me, and I formed many of my fondest movie going memories during this time.
In this episode I run through the films I saw, and some I didn't, and those marvelous movie houses: the Scala, Electric, Phoenix, Riverside, and Everyman cinemas.
For more info: https://www.wakeupheavy.com/2020/02/wuh-london-semester-1990.html

A brief look back at Wake Up Heavy's first full calendar year on the ol' podcast trail. A hazy look forward, plus some of my favorite "first time watches" from the year.

I mentioned Peter Ivers in the episode, and instead of making you chase down the articles I read they are all linked in the show notes, as are all the Watch Lists mentioned:

https://www.wakeupheavy.com/2020/01/wuh-twenty-nineteen.html

No mere Santa Slasher here, Christmas Evil is a psychological study of one lonely man's mental breakdown. Harry Stadling is obsessed with Christmas and Santa Claus and the lack of belief in his fellow man is weighing heavy on his mind. As hypocrisy, consumerism, and apathy meet him on every side Harry slides further into his delusions until he snaps.

For more info please visit: https://www.wakeupheavy.com/2019/12/wuh-christmas-evil-1980.html

One of a BAJILLION campground Slashers from the early ‘80s The Burning is probably most famous for ONE scene that features some stellar Savini wet works. What stands out for me is the great cast: Jason Alexander (with HAIR), Fisher Stevens, Brian Backer, and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her Holly Hunter. It’s also one of the few Summer Camp films that shows the counselors and kids actually doing Summer Camp stuff!

For more info on this and the other episodes in this series please check out: https://www.wakeupheavy.com/2019/10/why-do-i-hate-slashers.html

WDIRT V3E1: EYES OF FIRE (1983)

Here's another instance of my stupidity: I saw the very intriguing video box image for EYES OF FIRE probably 50 million times back in my teens and never took a chance on renting it. Dumb, Mark, just plain dumb! This is one fascinating oddity that has never really gotten its chance to shine. The film didn't get very positive reviews when it came out, died at the box office, and wasn't given a VHS release until 1987. At that point it gained a cult following, but once again got buried in obscurity. If you like THE WITCH you should definitely check this one out! [Starts at 00:01]

WDIRT V3E2: XTRO (1982)

WUH came back from hiatus with a new WDIRT episode on Harry Bromley Davenport's nutso early-80s ALIEN rip-off that's actually so much more than that. Filled with too many WTF moments to count, and some of the most inspired and gloopy SFX from the era, XTRO would have damaged my brain as a kid. Now that I'm older I can soak in this odd-ball treasure with wild abandon. [Starts at 32:47]

WDIRT V3E3: ALONE IN THE DARK (1982)

The last WDIRT in Volume 3 is on Jack Sholder's quirky slasher-home-invasion hybrid ALONE IN THE DARK. It's got Martin Landau as a pyromaniac ex-preacher, Jack Palance as a paranoid POW, Erlind van Lidth as a hulking child-molester, and the mysterious hockey-mask-wearing killer known as The Bleeder. Donald Pleasence rounds out the cast as the equally nutty psychiatrist Dr. Leo Bain. [Starts at 1:01:47]

When is a WDIRT entry not really a WDIRT entry? When you realize half-way through the movie that you HAVE seen it before. That was the case when I finally tracked down Visiting Hours a few years back. Thinking I would remember having seen a horror movie with William Shatner in it I watched it in hopes of discovering a new old favorite. But then I started getting the strangest feeling of déjà vu, and finally realized I HAD watched this at some point back in the VHS days of my youth.

For more info: https://www.wakeupheavy.com/2019/12/wdirt-v4e1-visiting-hours-1982.html