Horroretc Podcast

This week we're buzzing about The Fly in all its various depictions. From the original Playboy short story through to its operatic adaptation, this story of the peril of man's pursuit of scientific greatness has captured our imaginations. Beginning with the original film presentation in 1958 all the installments are covered including: Return of the Fly (1959), Curse of the Fly (1965), David Cronenberg's The Fly remake (1986) and of course The Fly 2 (1989). The Fly is one of those films that have so been so completely absorbed into pop culture it may have suffered as a result. A relatively simple premise still provided much to appreciate in the '58 classic (in vibrant colour) - an early role by the great Vincent Price, commentary on the consequences of challenging the boundaries of science and disturbing scenes that still have an impact today. The 1986 remake is arguably the greatest example of Cronenberg's genre output, an example held up as one of the best remakes ever made and offers wall to wall shocks by way of practical effects delivered with perfection. And these are just the two source adaptations. Join us for more on the rest of the franchise. Schlock corner keeps with the theme: excerpts from The Fly opera We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

In our second part of the David Cronenberg retrospective we witness a continuation of his unique and macabre exploration of horror inflicted upon the flesh and subsequent evolution into thought provoking drama. Along the way, the filmography got a little experimental with diversions into the surreal (Naked Lunch), the utterly depraved (Crash) and the unexpected (M Butterfly). One thing is certain - his recent works have demonstrated maturity as a director and storyteller, and impressive skill at crafting utterly engaging films. It's doubtful anyone could have predicted the same director who delivered Videodrome to the world would possess the subtlety and finesse on display in Spider, a compelling examination of a damaged mind. Another point worth noting is the consistently impressive performances we have been given by the likes of Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum, Jeremy Irons, Ralph Fiennes and now Viggo Mortenson in this latter phase of Cronenberg's filmography. All of whom demand the attentions of those who may waver with the subject matter. NOTE: spoilers are present for many of the titles covered but beware the major twist to Eastern Promises is revealed at the outset of that film's discussion. Dead Zone - 4:00 The Fly - (coming soon) Dead Ringers - 16:00 Naked Lunch - 26:32 M Butterfly - 28:38 Crash - 30:34 Existenz - 34:30 Spider - 43:28 A History of Violence - 55:16 Eastern Promises - 1:13:40 We needed a light schlock corner after that discussion : Magadheera Action Sequence We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

David Cronenberg. The name stirs memories of some of the most challenging films offered up in the horror genre, but to restrict his work to a specific category is impossible. He could be described as a master of the macabre but has long since exceeded that definition A self professed observer of the human condition, he has demonstrated consistent characteristics in his work namely the trauma to the human body exerted by outside sources. Sometimes these forces take the shape of technology, sometimes the power of the mind, but one thing is certain: when called for, Cronenberg can be one of the most unflinching director's working today. So we begin our retrospective of his work from the low budget horror grunge of the 70's through to his modern output of thought provoking drama this week. Cronenberg's filmography covers a very wide spectrum and the attachment of a viewer to his films may not always be consistent but he has proven himself to be one of Hollywood's true mavericks...and he's proudly Canadian too. Shivers - 13:19 Rabid - 26:50 The Brood - 46:53 Scanners - 57:44 Videodrome - 1:07:36 A fun schlock corner this week: Lego Street Shootout We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

"Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future. And now, for the first time, we are bringing to you, the full story of what happened on that fateful day..." Criswell's rambling intro which confuses past and future tense pretty much sums up what Plan 9 From Outer Space is all about. There are plenty of films out there known for their kitsch quality as a 'so bad they're good' movie but Plan 9 wears the title of worst of them all for a reason. Still, something must be said for the entertainment value it brings in it's own special way. Please join us for a fond revisit with Ed Wood Jr's crowning achievement of mediocrity as we deliver another audio commentary track. We explain in the intro that this episode is being posted out of scheduling necessity and we again thank all those who have contributed to the show for this recording being available to share. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Time to clear some of our recent watching off the table. Recently our film viewing has been diverse, opening the door to multiple From The Hip format shows but we have a plan to deliver a multiple episode subject beginning next week and we need to get our thoughts out on these titles right now: Machete (great grindhouse fun) Devil (Night's chronicle) The Ward (John Carpenter's world premier) The Last Exorcism (what happened there at the end?) Frozen (reprise) Peacock (x-dressing Cilian Murphy) Seed (Uwe Boll strike's again) Who Can Kill A Child? (the title says it all) Scott Pilgrim vs The World (Edgar Wright is back) The Town (Ben Afleck is legit?) So we have the recent theatrical releases, a great 70's exploitation piece that challenges the boundaries of the genre, a few revisits, a dash of random and Ben Affleck to lend some credibility to the proceedings (?!). Along the way we hit on Final Destination 5, the return of Wes Craven, once more the Poughkeepsie Tapes, Uwe Boll and a lot more. So things will get focused on a subject we've been dying to cover beginning next week (and yes, we actually do cough it up during the show). A quick schlock corner before we go: Night Chronciles Escalation. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

The podcast which you are about to hear is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of five youths, in particular Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother Franklin. It is all the more tragic in that they were young. But, had they lived very, very long lives, they could not have expected nor would they have wished to see as much of the mad and macabre as they were to see that day. For them an idyllic summer afternoon drive became a nightmare. The events of that day were to lead to the discovery of one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Texas Chainsaw Massacre has been a film often requested by listeners to be given it's due attention. Rather than present an episode breaking down the TCM series, we offer a commentary to the '74 original where the salient points of the franchise could be discussed along the way. The original TCM has been pointed to as Tobe Hooper's crowning achievement as a director and as one of the most iconic and influential films in the horror genre. All this with a shoestring budget of $140K. TCM has surely been one of the most analyzed horror films in history with themes of anti-authority (misleading 'true story' opening narrative), sexual oppression and the destabilizing of the family ideal. However, as the critics have recognized TCM may also be the most purely horrifying horror movie ever made. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

At long last Horroretc gives Lance a chance. A Lance Henriksen retrospective has been on our short list of topics we most wanted to do and has become one of our most requested subjects over the years. Following on the heels of our interview with the man last week we present an overview of the career of one of the genre's most iconic actors. With a credit list approaching 200 spanning four decades, how can we do justice to the filmography in a single episode? Well we break down the filmography into some identifiable phases stopping along the way to discuss the well recognized roles as well as some titles we sought out for first time viewings to give a relatively balanced cross section. Interspersed throughout the show we offer commentary from Lance himself who happens to be a great storyteller. For only the third time we dedicate an episode of the show to an individual performer, one who has had a significant impact on us as genre fans. We hope you enjoy. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

In the second installment of our coverage of Festival of Fear and Fan Expo 2010, we offer up a star studded roster. Well maybe not studded but we do deliver highlights of William Shatner's appearance and proudly present an interview with the man himself - Lance Henriksen. It was all around another great outing to the Expo and we hope you enjoy some of the highlights we have to share. Lloyd Kaufman makes a return appearance on the show and was definitely on his game. We catch up with Doug to discuss a few film screenings (including Adam 'Hatchet' Green's new movie Frozen). The highlight of the weekend was sitting down (quite literally on the floor) with Lance. He turned out to be a warm and genuine dude. Makes us want to talk about some of his filmography (hint, hint). 0:00 - 4:06 Intro from the floor 4:07 - 23:41 Highlights of William Shatner 23:42 - 26:53 Lloyd Kaufman 26:54 - 30:07 Fort Fright 30:08 - 52:08 Interview with Lance Henriksen 52:09 - 1:10:00 Catching up with Doug 1:10:01 - 1:26:22 End of the Expo recap We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Welcome to our third annual trip to the Toronto Fan Expo and Festival of Fear. As we have done in the past Horroretc takes you on a tour of the sights and sounds of Canada's largest convention of horror, sci-fi, comics, anime and gaming. This year proved to be the best outing we've had and there is a lot to share over the course of two episodes. This week we deliver a travelogue of Day 1 including: Intro on the train 0:00 - 18:43 Voicemails 18:44 - 25:01 Interview from the show floor highlighting obscure horror titles 25:02 - 32:34 Mid-day recap 32:35 - 41:33 Horroretc meetup 41:34 - 1:02:31 End of Day 1 recap 1:02:32 - 1:10:00 David Cronenberg 1:10:01 - 1:27:54 We hope you enjoy the discussions and share in our appreciation of David Cronenberg who was the headliner for the Festival of Fear. Having the opportunity to hear from this iconic director first hand confirms our respect is well placed. And yes...your hosts did in fact get some bitchin' tats to celebrate the outing. More coverage to come in part 2 with a very special guest to look forward to. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

What is this, another From the Hip episode? The summer schedule contines to wreak havoc on your hosts ability to coordinate a more focused show so we're going random one more time. The truth behind why the long threatened Argento show hasn't happened yet is revealed though, and it isn't a matter of scheduling. This week we fired up the BBQ, sat out on the deck and discussed the summer fluff piece Piranha 3D. Boobs and blood were promised so did it deliver? Does a fish crap in the lake (hmmm, not really sure about how all that works). We also finally get around to talking about American Psycho (2000), the fratboy cult fave Boondock Saints (1999), the compelling downfall of Troy Duffy documented in Overnight (2003), a sword/gun and scorcery film Soloman Kane (2009), and a new documentary for the horror fan Nightmares in Red, White and Blue (2009). Bullitt, Deathproof, Dexter and some more random BS round things out. We had a bit of a technical glitch and our 15 minute schlock corner was lost so we have just cut in Christian Bale's tantrum from a year ago for your listening pleasure (3:45). Finally, an apology. As we sat by an outdoor pool while recording we didn't notice the hum of the motor which did end up picking up. Hopefully the feedback isn't too distracting. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Welcome to another milestone celebration as we once again invite the listeners to interact with us and share the floor. We received a tremendous response to our request for voicemail feedback which comprises half of the episode this week. We also have a variety of subjects to kick around in this somewhat From The Hip installment - Some random movie watches, video games, The Expendables (!), and the need for having a horror fan litmus test. Microsoft's new ad featuring Zombie 2's Zombie v Shark scene has now been brought to the masses. How now do we test our fellow genre fan's knowledge base? What test do you employ? Many thanks again to all who contributed feedback (Domingo, Jason, and Sean for going above and beyond), and for helping us reach this milestone. Our recording session during a work day is the explanation if things sound a little rushed at times. More horror coming, this time we mean it. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

It's a directors spotlight for...Christopher Nolan? Hmmmm, and here I thought we promised some horror talk this week. Well, at least we do get to talk about some pretty awesome titles and pay some tribute to a filmmaker who has truly proven his ability to deliver on so many levels. The output covered is encapsulated in a single decade (sorry 1998's Following) and demonstrates the bright outlook we should all have as movie buffs for what yet may lie ahead. Memento (2000) is simply a must see! Thoroughly engaging and best of all - passes the test of rewatchability with flying colours. Insomnia (2002), Batman Begins (2005), The Prestige (2006), The Dark Knight (2008) and this years stunning Inception...quite an impressive list. We hope you enjoy our thoughts on these films and hopefully get inspired to hunt down those you may have missed (watch Memento!). Now with Nolan, we must be aware of spoilers. We're test running our new spoiler strategy by listing the timeframes to skip here: Memento - 21:21 to 24:31 The Prestige - 1:10:14 to 1:15:00 Inception - 1:42:14 to 1:51:14 Following up on our labeling of the Inception dream suitcase as a classic McGuffin, we look to Alfred Hitchcock to explain the meaning of the word in Schlock Corner. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

A state of the podcast show? Doesn't that usually involve an extended bitch session complaining about various things and the potential announcement of a show's retirement? Don't be alarmed friends, this week we are talking about...podcasting in general. Our experience doing it, the motivations that lead some to take on the hobby, the potential pitfalls to avoid and something of a brief tutorial for those who might be interested in trying it out themselves. We know this will not be a subject of specific interest to a number of listeners but there has always been a flow of correspondence asking about our take on this whole thing and requesting suggestions and recommendations to get started. So we are pulling the curtain wide open and chatting about what has motivated us to keep this up for 3 years now. Now this is not to say we don't have at least a few additional things to cover. Splice is finally covered and is a good example of how a well worn idea can be made fresh again, Don't Look Up (2009)...not so much. We also make amends for overlooking several unrealized horror movies that succumbed to development hell and revisit Seinfeld in Schlock Corner (link). Thanks to all for your patience and understanding this week, we've got some horror goodness coming your way next! Podcasting equipment guide and tips The 'Fair Use' definition in Title 17 of the US Code We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Hi and hello all. We have decided in light of the various coordination difficulties and loaded schedules that a brief summer break episode was long overdue. So this weeks "show" is a short greeting, a brief summary of some forthcoming subjects and a revisit with Predators thanks to a special guest who dropped by for another night of debauchery. ...and for record, the trailer switcheroo with the multiple target sights was great! So please tune in for more Horroretc next week but for now...get some sun, raise a glass of spirits and turn up the music - it's summertime. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com Voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM

The scariest movie ever made? It's a subjective statement but one that echoes throughout horror genre fandom. It's truly so much more though and an impressive example of what heights our genre can attain. We offer up a long requested installment of the Horroretc feature film audio commentary series tackling the iconic classic. One catch though...it's the version you've never seen. Clearly there has been much debate over the changes made in this unique director's cut but it also happens to be the most readily available version on the market. Trivia, alternate casting, curses, production stories, horrified audiences, traumatized actors, ridiculous financial success and finally remarkable critical accolades...few films have this much to say about them. We hope you enjoy our thoughts on The Exorcist in this longform format and take the opportunity to revisit it yourself. The power of Christ compels you! We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com / voicemail (206) 337-5324 WWW.HORRORETC.COM