Welcome to Horror

It’s part 1 of our ‘New York’ series, and we take a slow boat to the Big Apple with “Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan”.

A film in which a group of students get ripped off when they hire a “cruise ship”; New York City is a seething cesspool of crime and toxic waste; and Kane Hodder gets to pre-emptively leather the bloke who eventually nicked his job.

“Jason Takes Manhattan” has our hockey-masked antihero bludgeneoning his way through yet another group of annoying teens; whilst also ticking off other touchstones of the “Friday…” franchise, such as an over-lit flashback and even a crazy harbinger. Despite this, the film somehow lacks something, maybe it’s the fact that we take far too long to get to NYC, or that, by this point, we’ve seen it all once too often. However, like most good slasher films, as a party movie with friends and/or your recreational substance of choice, it’s still a lot of daft fun.

Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us

Welcome To Horror Presents: “The Return of We Have Been Watching”.

Just in time for Halloween (or maybe just after, depending on the schedule) here’s a round up of all the spooky shit the WTH team have been shoving up their brains.

This episode we discuss “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (2024); “Tucker & Dale Vs Evil” (2010); Abattoir Fermé’s “Hotel Poseidon”(2021); “Apartment 7A” (2024); “The Descent” (2005); “Eat Locals” (2017); “Salem’s Lot” (2024); and the podcast series “The Department of Midnight” and “Baron Sodor’s Theatre of the Doomed” (thanks to Joe Watson for that one).

Along the way, Chris basically plans our schedule for the next 6 months, and we have the first (and probably last) Welcome To Horror Quiz! Been listening for a while? Pit your knowledge of the show against two of the hosts (who will be judged accordingly).

No need to prep for this ep, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing.

Join us!

It’s time to act like professional gravy tasters and take stock.

For over 200 episodes, Chris has been exposed to all manner of horrors by Lee and Adam, and it now feels like high time that the Padawan has achieved the rank of master, and is granted a place on the council (because we know how it plays out if we don’t).

A little look back over the span of Welcome To Horror up to the present; we hope this is a nice summary of Chris’s journey through horror.

No homework needed, although it may be a weird place to start your own journey with the podcast, but everyone’s welcome so join us.

It’s part 2 of our ‘Behind the scenes’ series, and we spend some time in the “Shadow of the Vampire”.

A film in which we learn that Count Orlok was a pioneer of ASMR videos; a ferret is no substitute for a fresh young cameraman; and Cary Elwes can do a pitch perfect impression of Jürgen Prochnow.

A wonderful blur of fact and fiction in which FW Murnau employs a real vampire to portray the lead in the silent classic “Nosferatu”, this is both a darkly comic slice of pseudo-history and a satire on the filmmaking process; with the driven director becoming an amoral monster, and his monster becoming a precious diva. An absolutely perfect cast bring this vision to life, with beautiful cinematography and loving recreations of the sublime original.

Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

Adam’s back in the Library with a bonus episode of extra gubbins left over from our recent episode on “Late Night With The Devil”

As always, we recommend you listen to our main episode (number 207) first, before diving into this swirling hypno-disc of fact.

We hope you enjoy this little transmission from the Welcome To Horror Fact Library.

We go back in time to remember a Halloween past, and become embroiled in a diabolical ratings war as we watch “Late Night With The Devil”.

A film in which we learn that Scoleciphobia and Hypnosis are a very potent mix for light entertainment; that a TV producer can invoke more terror than an actual demon; and that the owls are not what they seem.

Drawing from a number of real-life sources for its world-building; along with a pitch perfect recreation of 70s American TV, this film, certainly initially, could easily pass for a real piece of archive television. The writer/director team of brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes have assembled a cast and crew who absolutely bring their fantastic vision to life, with the linchpin being David Dastmalchian’s spot-on performance; his Jack Delroy has both the superficial charm and charisma of his on-screen persona, as well being a very real and genuine flawed human when the cameras are off. This film surely deserves to become a classic, its richness bears repeated viewing, and is already spawning multiple discussions over both its influences, and its own mythology.

Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

It’s a bit of a different ep this week as Chris and Adam discuss (in a hopefully mostly spoiler-free way) the brand new film from Mattioli Productions; “Guys At Parties Like It”, streaming now on Tubi and Apple TV.

“Guys At Parties Like It” focuses on a College Fraternity Party; where the men collectively revel in a crucible of pathetic hazing rituals and toxic masculinity, which results in one targeted woman literally fighting for her life. Events spiral out of control for everyone, with characters revealing either hidden reserves of fortitude or the basest of vile instincts.

This is a sometimes uncomfortable watch in terms of subject matter, with some realistically unpleasant characters who having you hotly anticipating their comeuppance.

Despite some story beats that may trip close to cliche, this independent feature is shot with a real cinematic polish and flair that belies its small budget, with some incredible gore effects that really add to the horror.

This film from directing team Colton David and Micah Coate, described as “a #metoo inspired horror” feels like a response or antidote to those 80s frat comedies that really don’t play in the modern climate.

A massive thank you to AJ Mattioli, owner of Mattioli Productions, for reaching out and giving us the chance to view this; check out their website www.mattioliproductions.com for more films and news.

Welcome To Horror Presents: “The Memoirs of We Have Been Watching”.

It’s been a little while - but here’s one of our regular instalments of “We Have Been Watching”, in which we discuss all our extracurricular viewing.

This ep covers “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”; Jonathan Glazer’s “Under the Skin”; Gareth Tunley’s “The Ghoul” (2016); a “Nightmare on Elm Street” double bill of Part 2 “Freddy’s Revenge” and Part 3 “Dream Warriors”; an Alfred Hitchcock triple bill of “Rope”; “The Birds” and “Rear Window”; “Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose”; The TV series of “Interview with the Vampire”; 2011 French horror “Livid” (aka “Livide”); and Tigon classic “The Sorcerers”.

No need to prep for this ep, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing.

Join us!

Here’s Adam with a bonus episode of all the factoids and thingamajigs we didn’t quite get to on our recent “Sightseers” episode.

We recommend you listen to our main episode (number 204) first, before diving into this cooling yet petrifying well of information.

Hope you enjoy this little transmission from the Welcome To Horror Fact Library.

It’s time for that summer break you deserve, as we turn our attention to Lady Jennifer’s Birthday choice - Ben Wheatley’s magnificent “Sightseers”.

A film which teaches you that G.B.H. stands for Great British Holiday; that dogs and knitting don’t mix; and that, at a push, faecal matter can be an interesting alternative to lipstick.

The minds of writers/stars Alice Lowe and Steve Oram blend perfectly with director Ben Wheatley’s cinematic (and sometimes brutal) vision in this pitch black comedy that pulls no punches; transposing the serial killer road movie over the mundanity of a pair of British misfits on a camping holiday. A film for anyone who knows that true horror is being trapped in a caravan, having a row, in the pouring rain.

Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.