Horroretc Podcast

Welcome all to another Horroretc audio commentary, this time for the 1968 George A. Romero classic Night of the Living Dead. So here's the situation. As a result of unexpected scheduling conflicts we found ourselves without an episode this week. Thus we present a previously recorded audio commentary track that was prepared for a Horroretc print of the film on DVD. This disc was created as a special thank you to many of those who have contributed to the podcast these last two years. So we have those folks to thank for this weeks show (its all explained in the opening 5 minutes). We do have an extended segment as well where a trio of David Cronenberg films are briefly discussed - this might be the start of something good. We go on about the industry, discuss the forthcoming Avatar, catch up with Ken and generally go on about forthcoming show topics. So we hope you can enjoy this commentary for what it is. Full disclaimers are thrown out for audio quality but its always fun to revisit the classic. To sinc up with a DVD to watch and listen, we suggest hitting play as the segment opens as the original track did not lead in. Thanks again to all of you who have helped make the podcast a success. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com

Its the end of the world as we know it...and we feel fine. Apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, distopian future, annihilation, destruction and despair - we've got it all for you this week. Inspired by recent experiences with The Road and 2012 (two products that could not be further apart), we discuss the destruction of the world but more importantly...humanity. The erosion of civilization and subsequent regression of humanity to its primal roots are where the true horror lies in such tales. Whether we undertake the gut-wrenching nihilism of Cormac McCarthy's The Road or the colourful cheeriness of Roland Emmerich's 2012, the examination of the depths to which humanity is capable of plunging while at the same time finding that flickering ember still burning inside that makes the species worthy, apocalyptic stories have enthralled us since biblical times. We hope you enjoy our recollection of several personal faves when it comes to the subject. A pretty random collection of subjects in our casual segment this week but we do throw out our upcoming slate of show topics and again welcome all feedback from listeners. We are not immune to the viral videos making their way across the internet but this one takes us back a few years: Muppets Bohemian Rhapsody We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

The Anthology Film. A construct of narrative, a storytelling device, a collage of short stories that inform an over-arcing motif. Ahhh, toss all that aside - we horror fans know anthologies as short but sweet fixes of excitement that run the whole spectrum of pace, mayhem and success. This form has been in use since the beginning of cinema but it seems best suited to the genre of horror in the ability to deliver lean and intense thrills without the burden of constructing motivations and developing incidental relationships, etc. The horror anthology, much like the literary short story can hit fast and hard leaving the viewer reeling as it dives into the next tale. This week we discuss the concept of compiling short films into feature presentations, debate the relative strength and weakness of the form and of course revel in many of our personal favorites from years past. The 90's and early 00's saw a decline in the horror anthology but with several recent installments making their way to shelves we may have hope for a resurgence. In an offbeat Schlock Corner we dip our toes into the timeless debate - Nicholas Cage, while discussing his forthcoming film Season of the Witch (watch the trailer along with us). Finally, we wrap things up with some chatter about forthcoming show topics, Stephen King and more. Thanks for listening. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Time to climb back into the wayback machine and spend the evening wallowing in nostalgia as we tackle the 1980's. Now, any attempt to recap a full decade of films in a single sitting is foolishness so we came up with a system to randomly select an individual year to look back at the films produced and revisit a time since past. The year in question? 1987. Ahhh the 80's. The decade marked by excess was reflected in horror films as well where the bleak outlook and uncompromising violence of the 70's was converted to over the top antagonists and campy concepts. This is the era of the sequel where franchises were born and flourished despite diminishing quality, however without this conceit we would not have received Raimi's Evil Dead 2. Finally, this was also the period when some of our favorite filmmakers were delivering great material: Stuart Gordon, David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, James Cameron, John Landis, Joe Dante, the list goes on. Please sit back and revisit the shadowy memories of yore with us as we travel back to...1987! Schlock Corner is a fun one also capturing the 80's: Total Recall - All The Deaths! We wrap up the show with thoughts on A Perfect Getaway (2009), the Sam Rockwell one man show Moon (2009), and several more pieces of audio feedback. Thanks for listening and participating (special thanks to Sandra and Chris for your generous contributions). We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Time once again for a patented From The Hip edition of the podcast. This week we focus on what we've watching lately on the big screen and some films coming soon that we are looking forward to. Full disclosure time...the content this week is pretty light on true horror but hey, that's why the Etc part is in the name. Films discussed include the brand spankin' new 3D version of A Christmas Carol (thank Anthony for that one), The Box, Capitalism A Love Story (thank Ted for that one), The Fourth Kind, The Wolfman, The Crazies, Daybreakers and Book of Eli. Spoiler Warning: A major element of The Fourth Kind is disclosed between 32:54 and 34:54 - exactly 2 minutes. It's not all non-horror though, initial thoughts on Suspiria leads the way to an invitation to all of you to be part of our forthcoming Italian Horror episode. We welcome feedback from all who have a devotion to the movement and filmmakers that made the subgenre so important. Favorites films or elements, why specific works are important to you or even complaints about the styles and characteristics of Italian Horror are welcome. Before things close out with a "rant", we enjoy some schlock corner goodness with The Dark Knight Meets Superman. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

In November of 2009 two podcasters disappeared in a Starbucks near Kingston, Ontario ...A day later their audio was found. The found footage fright flick is examined this week on the show with special attention paid to the recent installment Paranormal Activity. Our lengthy discussion of this film includes some substantial spoilers (warnings are thrown out) so please be prepared. While covering about a dozen more notable entries we breakdown the strengths and weaknesses of the verite format and try to identify what really can make the found footage concept immersive and effective. Films discussed include Blair Witch Project, Man Bites Dog, Cannibal Holocaust (again), Cloverfield, Diary of the Dead, Rec/Quarantine, The Last Broadcast, The Poughkeepsie Tapes and more. Schlock Corner features a humorous clip covering the very topical Paranormal Saw. Rounding out the show are brief recaps of The Stepfather remake and Where The Wild Things Are as well as an update regarding the Forum. Thanks for listening. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Friends... welcome to the Carpathians - we are anxiously expecting you. In just a few moments time, the coach will leave for Bukovina - a place on it is reserved for you. At the Borgo Pass, our carriage will wait for you, and will bring you to us - may you enjoy your stay, in our frightful company. Your friend... D After a considerable absence from literature and the screen in his true form, Dracula now returns to the pages of literature in an official sequel to Bram Stokerâ??s classic novel, co-written by a descendent of the Irish author himself. Join us on this week's program, as we welcome Dacre Stoker and Dracula expert Ian Holt, co-authors of the top-selling Dracula: The Un-Dead, as we discuss all things Dracula and vampire. Tony indulges in his appreciation for the Dracula character, and Ted shares with us his sentiments regarding the current state of affairs of vampires on the screen and in literature... and our two learned guests remind us of how it all began - in the pages of the second most successful book of all time (the first being the Holy Bible). Finally, courtesy of Penguin Books, we have a signed copy of the book to give away to a lucky listener. (Link to find out more about Dracula The Un-Dead) So... sink your teeth into this very special episode of The Horror Etc Podcast - but be warned... it may very well drive you batty! We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

HE comes home one more time... As with all good things, the Horroretc Halloween retrospective comes to an end with our third installment. In a franchise rife with questionable directions some of the most head scratching decisions lie ahead. We kick things off with a confused recollection of Halloween 666: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) including a theatrical vs. (infamous) producer's cut version comparison. The franchise returns to form with Jamie Lee Curtis' reprisal of Laurie Strode in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), followed by a star turn from Busta Rhymes in Halloween: Resurrection (2002). No discussion of the Halloween series would be complete without a discourse on the Rob Zombie contributions, Halloween (2007) and H2 (2009). It may not be a bash session but we do point out the failings of these films in comparison to the original source material and as modern horror movies. We pay homage to Donald Pleasence's contributions by sharing the Producer's Cut shock ending to Halloween 6 in Schlock Corner. The Halloween series may have its ups and downs but there is one fact that cannot be disputed: the original vision of the The Shape as concocted by John Carpenter in 1978 remains one of the most effective horror icons to stalk the screen. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

More of the night Horror Etc came home (sorry, can't help it). Continuing our retrospective of the Halloween franchise we cover the immediate sequel Halloween 2 (1981), the failed anthology experiment of Halloween 3: Season of the Witch (1982), the Return of Michael Myers in Halloween 4 (1988) and the jumbled mess of Halloween 5 The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989). Through the course of these films we discuss the evolution of the Loomis character from a stalwart defender against the evil of The Shape to the brink of utter madness. Musical scores, shifting cinematography, character motivations and many more elements play into a truly eclectic film franchise where the central figure of Michael Myers was arguably lost in translation. The presentation of our retrospective purposefully avoided trivia bits and production anecdotes in favour of general interpretations and impressions of the films themselves and as such... Spoiler Warning: throughout our conversation the assumption is that the listener has seen the films in question. No attempts are made to suppress story elements and major plot points are discussed freely. Please be warned in advance. A brief Schlock Corner caps of this week's Halloween talk (thank you Natalie), and we catch up with Anthony to hear about his UK odyssey. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Welcome to a bonus edition of the podcast. This episode was an unplanned and fairly off the cuff number of segments chatting about horror with fellow fans of the genre. Frequent co-host Doug sits in to discuss the success of Zombieland both in box office returns and as a modern zombie comedy. We also end up reminiscing about some classic films, notably Ghostbusters 1 and 2 which Ted recently rewatched. Finally, we give a pretty strong endorsement for the long delayed Trick 'r Treat (2009). Calling in with a feature length Aussie film review is Stephen from JAFMP Podcast. He covers the tantalizing unseen Dennis Hopper film called Mad Dog Morgan (1976). Thanks for the segment Stephen. The feature segment is a fantastic conversation with Rachel of the Zombie Grrlz Podcast. We get into the phenomona that is Twilight and attempt to uncover the source of its power. Keeping a theme, Buffy and True Blood are discussed as well as further Zombieland and Trick 'r Treat love. Rachel was very fun to talk with and we heartily recommend checking out her podcast for more. Stay tuned for a musical tribute to close out the show. Enjoy. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Halloween 1978, the night HE (Horror Etc) came home! Kicking off our Halloween retrospective we have another in our now ongoing series of feature length audio commentaries with the original John Carpenter classic. What more can be said that hasn't been covered ad naseum in documentaries, interviews, trivia and other commentaries so our approach to Halloween is to spend a relaxed evening rewatching a favorite of many horror fans. The Shape, Samuel Loomis and Laurie Strode all have become iconic characters upon which an entire franchise of films were based however it's important to remember they all sprung from this unassuming mini-budget indie film from a relatively unknown filmmaker. In the spirit in which it was intended, we request you join us as we revisit Halloween as fans of the film and the genre to reminisce about what makes it so special and ultimately influential to generations of filmmakers and horror fans to follow. Consider this to be the first instalment of our Halloween retrospective as we will move beyond 1978 and explore the franchise that was to come. Buckle your seatbelts, it might be a bumpy ride. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Let's take a trip through the murky mists of time as the Horroretc Podcast explores time travel this week. Another installment of the Etc component of the show finds your hosts grappling with the complexities of theoretical physics and a few fun movies along the way. We try to break down the main theorums currently held regarding the possibilities of time travel becoming a reality, cover the major paradoxes that seem to throw a wrench into things and finally run through a short list of some of our favorite stories that rely on the concept of time travel. Things start out a little heavy but stick with us as we get to talking Terminator, Timecrimes, Primer, Back to the Future, 12 Monkeys, Planet of the Apes, Groundhog Day...ah hell, a couple dozen more too. We have a fairly unusual Shlock Corner this week but it does pave the way for an extended breakdown of the new Nightmare on Elm Street trailer. In the same vein as the main topic of this week's show we give a brief breakdown of the Highlander franchise as Ted keeps a close watch on the forthcoming remake. Special thanks to Jamie and Nick for their generous contributions to the podcast! We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Time to put our thinking caps on and do some number crunching as we apply real world science to the horror genre. We're happy to present a unique episode this week talking about the notion of looking at horror scenarios through an impartial scientific lens to determine the fate of humanity. Our first guest is professor Robert Smith? (yes, the question mark is supposed to be there) who has made headlines recently with his mathematical analysis of a zombie apocalypse. The conversation was fun and informative, giving us a projected outcome of the zombie plague based on the scientific models used today. Follow the link to read the paper: When Zombies Attack. We are also joined this week by a listener of the show Mark who has constructed a working population model calculating the progression of an infiltration of Ridley Scott's Alien into the human populace. This paper was also a fascinating study incorporating all the life cycle phases of the Alien. In an extended final segment, we revisit Ghostwatch (1991) and touch on Whiteout (2009) but the focus is on the always contentious issue of language. We open up the floor once again to swearing on the podcast and ask for your input. Oh and what the heck, why not another Aussie film pick? This week we take a look at Fortress from 1986. Special thanks to our guests for getting the hamsters in our skulls back on the wheel. We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Welcome to another edition of our patented From The Hip shows. This week is truly as random as things get as we recap some of our recent watches including: Alone in the Dark from 1982 - an underseen gem with Donald Pleasence playing the anti-Loomis. Donnie Darko (2001) - yes you've seen it but have you really seen it? This one is to be continued. We checked out The Final Destination in 3D - nothing new but it delivers what you're looking for from an FD film. Below (2002) - U571 meets Poltergeist. Ghostwatch (1992) - BBC fake-out "live" ghost hunt. Pontypool (2008) - calling this one a different take on zombies could not be more true, Canadian horror gets some love....and still more movie talk. We banter about topics such as Paranormal Activity (after 2 years, might we actually see this thing?), Disney eats up Marvel, Youtube movie rentals, Mike Judge, the ongoing censorship debate and so on. Special thanks to those who sent in feedback clips, we have some great listener interaction again. Hope you enjoy this sickness-laden installment, we'll be back with focused content soon (if Ted survives that is). We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM

Another year, another trip to the Festival of Fear horror convention. As we have done before, we dedicate this week's episode to the sights and sounds of a major genre convention from the perspective of your brave hosts. We were lucky to run into a number of fellow listeners during the weekend and have thoughts on some of the happenings we didn't get to last year. We cover Q&A panels with Bruce Campbell, Roger Corman and Max Brooks as well as a few screenings (notable recommendation was I Sell The Dead). The format of the show is a series of segments spanning the entire weekend which we hope delivers a small idea of what we experienced as well as what the uninitiated may expect if considering attending a mega-event such as this. We spend time once again doing celebrity-talk, discuss the frustrations of media climbing over one another to get to the celebs, cover some new features on the market floor and share dinner in a round table discussion at our impromptu podcast meet-up. We had a lot of fun and hope that in lieu of a regular episode this week you have some fun too sharing in the exploits. Oh, and movie talk includes Anthony finally catching Drag Me To Hell, H2, Inglorious Basterds and Ted talks about season 1 of True Blood! We always welcome your comments: horroretc@gmail.com WWW.HORRORETC.COM