Well-Adjusted Horror

This week the boys discuss the possibility of life in outer space, the wonders of Dee Wallace's filmography,  the lack of adult supervision that kids enjoyed in the 80s, and why carpet on the toilet is always a bad idea. Also, don't give Levi a radio telescope, because he will unilaterally call the aliens. 

Less than a week after the U.S. Capitol was stormed, the boys discuss irrational beliefs, the terror of the wilderness, the power of words, the ickyness of Puritans, and, oh yeah, Robert Eggers' The Witch

We can't wait to see 2020 end. But before it goes, we take a long look at Stephen King's first and only directorial effort, Maximum Overdrive. Easter eggs abound in the casting, as well as in the lore surrounding the drug-fueled production. In a movie filled with memorable deaths, we each pick a favorite. Finally, we discussed what each of us learned during 2020. Pop a bottle of champagne with us. And thanks for listening.

It's the end of the year and the boys have nothing but questions. Is A Christmas Carol a proper horror story? Was George C. Scott capable of portraying joy? Which three actors would portray our Xmas ghosts? Are people capable of genuine spiritual transformation?  

What do you get when you combine a lunatic hiding in the attic of a sorority house with mean girls and drinking? 1974's Black Christmas, that's what. The boys lament that it took them so long to recognize this as the mother of all slasher films and consider how different it is from later entries in the genre.

This one has it all: John Saxon as the archetypal police detective, Margot Kidder before she was Lois Lane, a sorority house mom with a drinking problem, and the first-ever instance of the killer calling from inside the house.

The boys look at one of their very favorite seasonal disasters, 1984's Silent Night, Deadly Night. This one has it all: holiday murder sprees, horrible nuns, a demented grandfather, and a toy store with a selection to (literally) die for.

Levi bemoans the loss of innocence when belief in Santa wanes. Johnathon wants more Linnea Quiqley. 

Also, Xmas is quite literally the darkest time of the year from our recording latitude. Science!

When he wasn't single-handedly creating the zombie genre, George Romero made his mark on just about every other corner of the horror filmverse. This week, the boys look at Season of the Witch and Martin. 

The first is a film ostensibly about a 70s housewife finding liberation through witchcraft and mariticide; the second is one of the most original and disturbing takes on vampirism you'll ever see.

Also discussed: do a person's political leanings / ideology affect their reaction to horror stories? 

Hat tip to Caleb for the title.

This week the boys take on the zombies of old, with a look at George Romero's 1978 classic Dawn of the Dead.

Levi wonders whether COVID fatigue is similar to zombie fatigue. In both cases, how long can the human spirit endure? Johnathon has kind words about the 2004 remake, despite its use of fast zombies. 

And both wax nostalgic for the lost era of shopping malls.

It's election day in the United States, but Levi and Johnathon do their best to focus on supernatural monsters rather than literal ones. Is An American Werewolf in London the pinnacle of werewolf movies? What about the other pretenders to the throne? 

This week the boys discuss John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness, a sci-fi / horror crossover that's too often overlooked among the director's more famous work. From there they jump right into the big questions. Which is scarier, theoretical physics or Alice Cooper? Will theaters ever recover after the COVID shutdowns? And who takes vacations in Oklahoma?