Horroretc Podcast

Time again to open the door and welcome in the feedback. Long overdue and oft promised, we finally sat down to respond to many of the questions and comments that all of you have sent our way. The best part of our feedback episodes is the opportunity it gives us to really spread out over a wide range of discussion topics. A sampling of the subject matter ahead includes thoughts on rooting for the bad guy, the value of docu-fiction paranormal investigator TV shows, how best to tackle the order of the Star Wars franchise, some new horror videogame recommendations, Hammer Horror, Vincent Price, The Thing (2011), The Incredible Shrinking Man, Lucky McKee, Shirley Jackson, Tombs of the Blind Dead, shark horror, video nasties and of course... censorship. These topics and many more made for a fun and diverse show that again showcases the importance and value of participating in the podcast. Thanks again to all for joining us and please keep the voicemails coming. As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Once more we return to the zompocalypse world of The Walking Dead. We have devoted an episode to season one of the AMC adaptation previously but this time it's a wall to wall exploration of the storyline that has unfolded since 2003 from issue 1 of the comic book to present. Special guest host Mindy sits in to discuss the timeline, plot twists, underlying themes and jaw-dropping shock moments of the series and share thoughts on how the television version has lived up thus far to the original concept. There are spoilers! The intention here was to have a conversion re-living the story of The Walking Dead to date to share with those who have followed the comic series, however the speculations and reveals of what lies ahead of the TV series cannot be confirmed as spoilers thanks to the twists the writers have taken so far. So fair warning to those who have only experienced the show, but we do feel the plot twists are as likely to not happen as being spoiled. A compare and contrast of the comic to show is done but focused primarily on the characters of the story and how they differ, as well as the intriguing new characters introduced. It's an open floor discussion of TWD that we hope infects you with our passion for this great series. Huge thanks to Mindy for making this show happen. As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

So there we were, reminiscing about some favorite B&W classics when we decided to throw on a DVD and do an impromptu commentary. The Bride of Frankenstein is such a widely beloved installment in the Universal canon that we felt it would be an ideal choice to serve as the backdrop to a discussion on the films that have stood the test of time and remain effective and inspiring today. Classic B&W films may have a specific fan appeal but in the course of the running time we consider what elements of the filmmaking/storytelling work and why, the limitations of technology that increase the viewers appreciation of the accomplishments achieved, the foundations laid down upon which the entire genre has evolved, and much more. In the end however it largely became a declaration of our love for The Bride of Frankenstein (and yes, we do realize it was made in 1935, not 1932). In an effort to balance out all the praise, we devoted schlock corner this week to a segment of the greatest unintentional movie scenes - a collection of crap to help us distinguish between that which may suffer from the passage of time and that which was dud on arrival. As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRPRETC.COM

No incantations, rituals or sacrifices were required for us to conjure up some evil this week as we revisit the subject of devilish horror. In the long ago past we had an episode called Battles with the Devil however the subgenre continues unabated so we took up the fight once again. The genesis of our topic came from a recent viewing of Rosemary's Baby which led the way to checking out new installments in the possession / exorcism / demonic presence realm as well some re-watches of a few tried and true classics. We open the floor on considering why the subject has such a widespread appeal and effect, question why we are drawn to the material and ponder the power of malevolent forces as the skies open up and hail begins to fall as we start recording! Titles discussed include The Dunwich Horror, Horror Hotel, The Possession of Emma Evans, The Possession of David O'Reilly, Incubus, The Seventh Victim, 11-11-11, To the Devil a Daughter, The Gathering and of course Rosemary's Baby. Unfortunately several of our picks fell short of instant classic quality but Polanski's phenomenal exploration of psychological horror made the whole exercise worthwhile. So clear the floor, draw up some glyphs and light the candles... it's time for another Battle with the Devil! Note: Spoilers for The Possession of Emma Evans (41:28-43:55) and The Possession of David O'Reilly (50:34-52:53) As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Join us as we raise a glass in admiration of a central element in almost all horror genre storytelling and beyond... the villain! From the debonair and oily to the gleeful mustache twirler all the way to the raving madman - villains come in all shapes and sizes and maybe more importantly, the entire spectrum of motivation. This week we step away from movie title specific discussion to examine what components comprise the effective villain. From the perspective of the creator (screenwriter, author, etc), what are the considerations that go into shaping the character and how they will interplay with a protagonist. Where does the line stand with respect to empathy in a villain, how many faults or weaknesses should they possess, how will they respond to adversity in their nefarious scheming, and what fate (if any) should befall them for their heinous actions? These and many more questions are tackled in the show which turned out to be a fun look at the element we all love to hate - the villain! Oh, and of course we run through some all time greatest lists just for fun. The second feature of this week's show is a lengthy chat about the recently released sequel to the controversial 2009 cult film Human Centipede. In HC2 Full sequence we bear witness to true shocksploitation and we struggle to make sense of it all. Fair warning - the content is pretty extreme. Note: heavy Human Centipede 2 spoilers from 1:24:38 to 1:27:30 As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

"And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor, shall be lifted... nevermore!" Edgar Allen Poe died penniless at the tender age of 40 but the wealth of genre literature that he left as his legacy remains timeless. He is credited as being the father of contemporary horror and the murder mystery. His dark stories of madness and obsession have been immortalized on screen and in the souls of horror fans everywhere. It's a double celebration on the Horror Etc podcast this week, as we welcome in Halloween, and ring in our FOURTH ANNIVERSARY broadcasting online. Can it truly have taken four years to finally get around to covering the literary master of horror? This is classic horror, and classic Horror Etc. We hope you enjoy our dissertation on the literary works and film adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe, interspersed with some of Tony's recordings of the classic stories. Keeping up with what has become another HE tradition we discuss our take on the latest Paranormal Activity, the third installment in this perennial blockbuster franchise. Several random topics keep the show rolling including a discussion of the 70's rarity Act of Vengeance (1974), catching up with The Walking Dead (comic), the anime Batman film Gotham Knight, and a video nasty for good measure Absurd (1981). Finally we have a few thank you's... some listener feedback... and a very special toast courtesy of Horror Etc listener. Happy Halloween from your friends at the Horror Etc podcast - now in its FIFTH year! As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Get your thumbs ready and come with us to the next level this week as we re-spawn with a topic long requested - horror videogames! We have long wanted to cover this subject which is at once a long established genre in gaming and yet is a relative newcomer in a historical context, dating back to the early 80's. As we have openly admitted this was a subject to call in an expert and that is exactly what happened. In response to our callout, HE listener Aaron stepped up to the plate and proved to be a terrific co-host with a huge knowledge of all things survival horror. Things get rolling with some general discussion topics such as demographics of gamers, the media talking points of the age-old influence of violent games debate vs. biological predisposition and the "dangers" of addiction to gaming, the regulation system and so-on before turning to game titles. Now, with the huge quantity of horrific games that have been made it would be impossible to be exhaustive but with that said there is discussion of dozens of game titles from the iconic, most effective and memorable to just straight up personal favorites. The show covers a pretty wide range of videogame specific elements such as character and setting designs, mood, music and sound effects, lighting, camera angles / movement, open world vs. "on-rail", pros and cons of online multiplayer, and much more all the way to movie adaptations. Thanks again to Aaron for making this episode possible and to all those who responded to our callout this week. As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

It's Finch in a pinch on the program this week as Ted, Tony and Doug explore the work of one of the most talented and exciting film-makers working in cinema today. David Fincher's films have sought to intrigue, from the dark and deadly (Seven, Zodiac), the benign (Social Network), to the fantastical and just plain odd (Benjamin Button, Fight Club). Your hosts have not tried to disguise their admiration in the past, and this week our conversation makes for an engaging - if different - sort of Director Spotlight... then again, we're dealing with engaging - if different - sort of director. "Can you hear me, Major Tom"? William Shatner's NEW STUDIO ALBUM has hit, and Ted and Tony snatched up their copies. Doug is almost in stitches at the outset as we struggle to describe the dizzying range of responses to the experience. We hope you'll enjoy our trek through the Shat's most recent effort. Finally, the prequel (or is it a remake?) of The Thing opened in theatres this week, and we were there. The verdict? Well, that would just be too easy, wouldn't it? We do dedicate a lengthy segment to our thoughts and reactions however (spoiler notices are provided). As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

The wine has been served. The table is set. Let's enjoy a succulent serving of... man! We have been long overdue for a themed subject episode at what better topic than mankind�¢??s oldest taboo - cannibalism. As things get underway we have a brief backgrounder on the history of cannibalism and debate the question of how and why it generates such revulsion in our psyche's. Some notable cases including the infamous Donner party tragedy are discussed before getting into a heaping platter of gut-munching films. With such a plentiful subgenre to choose from we used the multiple cannibal films found on the video nasties list as a guidepost to follow which naturally made the show relatively focused on the Italian output from 1972 through 1981. Titles specifically covered that have not been discussed on the podcast in the past include Eaten Alive/Deathtrap (1980), The Man From Deep River (1972), The Mountain of the Cannibal God (1978), Devil Hunter/El Cannibal (1980), Cannibal Apocalypse (1980), Cannibal Terror (1981), as well as diversions into the Hannibal franchise, Alive, Ravenous, TCM, Wrong Turn, and many more (hell, even a little Soylent Green just for fun)... Bon Appetite! Schlock Corner features a fun clip capturing reactions to Cannibal Holocaust - now that's a party game. An extended final segment allowed for a bit of catching up with recent watches such as The Presence, Dexter season 6 and Dream House, Anthony caught up with The Ward and Trick R Treat, and we both had another theatre in a theatre show to share. Huge thanks to Dave, Gary, Jeremy and Greg for helping this week in various ways. As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

It's always nice to sit back and have a good old-fashioned chat about our favorite genre with a fellow fan of all things dark and schlocky. It helps when that person is as devout a collector and writer on the subject of horror films as Kingston based fanboy and (part-time) actor Barry Yuen. Barry has been collecting horror films, posters, lobby cards and just about everything else for decades and shares his insights and passions on a wide array of films. So please join Tony and Barry in the main segment of the show as they riff on their lover of horror and Barry provides some excellent (and occasionally obscure) recommendations and makes an inspiring pitch on the importance - and artistry - of Italian horror films, notably Mario Bava and Dario Argento. Later, Ted continues his mammoth undertaking of watching, and discussing, all films on the Video Nasties list. This week we hear about New York Ripper (1982) and Driller Killer (1979) en route to hunting down a copy of Starcrash !? (Note: a recording snafu caused less than ideal audio quality in the second segment). As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Time for another foray into the strange and terrifying world of horror literature as we reconvene the Horroretc Book Club. It has become an annual tradition now and we are incredibly pleased with another great listener turnout as we explore a wealth of recommendations for horror in the written form. A small sampling of the authors discussed include Chuck Palahniuk, Brian Keene, Dan Simmons, James Herbert, Jack Ketchum, Bernard Taylor, Charlie Houston and Ramsey Campbell. We have titles that range from gothic ghost stories to killer rats to city stomping monsters. We have everything from Faust to the story of William Castle - hell, we even have horror poetry. More discussion of the era of the E-Reader (now slightly more informed), a question about slasher horror novels, Hammer history, a study of cursed films and so much more. So turn down the lights, stoke the fire and find that comfortable chair... the mood is right to talk literary terror. Oh, and before we shut things down there is an off the beaten path selection for those of you who were along for the ride with A Game of Thrones - Ted covers the sequel novel A Clash of Kings. As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324

It's Back to Business on the Horror Etc podcast this week as your hosts return to the studio following their excursion to, and epic covering of Fan Expo 2011! Over the past couple of weeks we have hit the cinema, catching-up with the final slew of summer horror releases... "Never mind the water, get out of the cinema!" - Sharks in a lake? Yup - Shark Night 3D is so bad, it's ----- nah, it's not remotely good, just plain bad. Tony got mooned while watching Apollo 18 and shares his thoughts on the newest, creative variation on the "found footage" format. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark? Hell yeah - you should be afraid! Guillermo Del Toro presents an excellent re-imagining of the 1970's TV flick and Tony and Ted both sing its praises. Kevin Smith's Red State is currently making the rounds with and without Kevin Smith in tow. In a feature length segment we get into thoughts on Kevin Smith the filmmaker, how we rate his attempt to flex outside his comfort zone and just what worked and didn't work from our perspectives. All this with a couple non-horror picks tossed in for fun. Finally, Ted gets a little nasty... Video Nasty that is, as the ongoing retrospective of that bleak period in UK horror fans' lives is explored. This week's titles are Ms. 45 (not an official nasty) and Axe (Lisa/Lisa). It's nice to be back home... and talking some horror! Shark Night 3D 6:38 - 21:21 Apollo 18 21:21 - 27:51 Donâ??t be Afraid of the Dark 27:51 - 46:02 The Debt 46:02 - 48:55 13 Assassins 48:55 - 58:42 Red State 58:42 - 1:30:34 Ms. 45 1:32:13 - 1:41:15 Axe (Lisa/Lisa) 1:41:15 - 1:49:40 Note: Spoilers for Red State 1:23:05 - 1:28:48 As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Oh and just one more thing... An important part of the Festival of Fear event is the opportunity to check out first run screenings of original, independent genre films. In a post FanEx discussion, we caught up with Doug to chat about a pretty wide variety of titles with some brief commentary of each. In addition to big screen showings of Near Dark and Nightmare on Elm Street 3 (with applicable celebrities in attendance), we discuss: Dead Cert (vampires & gangsters), The Collapsed (indie post-apocalypse), Devils Night (Danielle Harris), The Victim (Danielle Harris again), Cut/Print (serial killer faux doc) and Art/Crime (documentary on lightning rod effects artist Remy Couture). All these films as well as general reactions to additional panels including (almost) Doug Bradley, Elvira, the minds behind Monster Brawl, an interesting chat about Video Nasties, more perspectives on the panels already shared and some DVD acquisitions brought home. This will do it for Festival of Fear '11 (promise). We hope you take away some interesting film titles to keep an eye out for in the near future. As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

It's an unprecedented third chapter of Fan Expo coverage this year as we wrap up a jam packed weekend and present more highlights from the show floor and the Festival guests. Shaking off the effects of the previous night's debauchery we spent most of our last day taking in panels with the headline names of the show. Things kick off with a shortened session with Malcolm McDowell who was funny and engaging but notably unwilling to discuss A Clockwork Orange. The big name for the Festival of Fear was guest of honour Robert Englund who had some great anecdotes to share. Word of warning: the audio for this panel was by far the worst quality of all our segments - we went ahead with sharing it for those intrepid sorts who are up for it. It was a repeat appearance by the one and only William Shatner who was not the same Bill we had last year. Our reactions are summed up in the show but needless to say, he has a lot of things available to buy. Last but definitely not least we sat down with friend of the show Luis of Suspect Video to chat about some obscure DVD picks and general reactions to the show. It was full weekend and a satisfying convention experience once again. We hope our coverage of the event and sharing of some of the guest commentaries has been enjoyable as well. Where is the discussion of movie screenings that was promised? Stay tuned for a mid-week bonus episode. Listener Guide: Malcolm McDowell 7:13 - 35:28 Robert Englund 39:51 - 1:07:46 William Shatner 1:12:00 - 1:39:24 As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

It's getting creepy and kooky on the podcast this week, as the boys' Festival of Fear / Fan Expo 2011 coverage continues. In this installment, Ted and Tony make their way into the thick of this unrivalled (in Canada anyway) genre event catching panels with important names in horror, mulling about in the chaos that is the exhibition and dealer floor... and a chance encounter with an old friend on the streets of Toronto that's guaranteed to knock your socks off! Scream horror icon Danielle Harris (Halloween 4 & 5, Stake Land) is all grown-up and hosted an entertaining panel. John Astin was the original Gomez on the television classic The Addams Family, but did you know that he is also a Poe historian? Into his 80's Mr. Astin is as charming and entertaining as ever as you'll hear in snippets from his appearance this weekend. Lance Henriksen was back at the expo, and went one-on-one with Rue Morgue writer Last Chance Lance in a retrospective trivia session on the venerable star's extensive career... and although it's not the best Lance Henriksen session that T&T attended this weekend, some highlights are presented for you here! Finally, Horror Etc has produced something very special as a way to thank contributors to the program. We're pretty certain it's a unique item that both celebrates the program and will serve as something that will entertain our listeners in new ways. You'll get to hear a little about it in this program. The little girl who beat Michael Myers (and grew-up to tell the tale).... a television legend (who's "feeling much better now" - obscure Night Court reference, sorry!)... Lance Henriksen proving there's only enough room in Toronto for one Lance... and THE TALE OF TALES!! Unrivalled coverage of the 2011 Fan Expo. Just wait to see what we've got on tap for the third installment next week! As always we welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM