Dark Discussions Podcast

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. Is this the year for theatrical released horror or what? The new film, Happy Death Day, not only follows in the footsteps of Annabelle Creation, It, Split, and Get Out with great reviews, but it topped the box office its first week as well. Costing only $5M USD, it already has grossed over $36M USD. And again like its predecessors, it is loved by both critic and audiences alike. Theresa Gelbman wakes up in the dorm room of Carter Davis, someone she would not ever be caught dead with. After escaping that circumstance, her day goes as normal until she is murdered while walking down a dark sidewalk heading to a frat party. But she wakes up and finds herself once more in Carter Davis’s dorm room. Now besides the fact that she had been murdered, she now is stuck in a time loop. Ultimately, she decides to try to find out who her murderer is hoping to break out of the loop. Directed by prolific screenwriter Christopher Landon, this follow up to his films, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones and Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, has turned out to be a breakout not only for him but actress newcomer Jessica Rothe. Dark Discussions takes a look at this new film and determines whether it lives up to the hype. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. When Blade Runner hit theaters back in 1982, it was the definition of polarizing. Poorly received by movie audiences and disliked by a large percentage of critics, the film floundered at the box office. Strange, one could say, since it starred Harrison Ford and was directed by Ridley Scott. Plus cyberpunk was in vogue. The film did get re-evaluated years later and has been released in numerous and very different cuts since. Now in 2017, a follow up film entitled Blade Runner 2049 has been released. Unlike the original, it was an immediate critical success. But besides diehard fans, little interest has been shown, with many saying it was too long and in some ways too pretentious. Not surprisingly it too has failed at the box office. Dark Discussions takes a look at this two film franchise. With their interesting take on what it is to be “human” and their incredible visuals, both movies are indeed important films in science fiction history. Whether they are great movies depends on the viewer, but either way, both are films that will continue to have much buzz around them for sometime. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. Back in the 1980’s, director Joel Schumacher was at the top of his game. With St. Elmo’s Fire and The Lost Boys, he had not only become a Hollywood talent, but he was able to bring movies to cinemas that identified with young people. Whether moviegoers knew it, they began to flock to his films. The arrival of 1990 his latest film, Flatliners, continued the trend. With its cast of bratpack or hip actors, the film was a hit. Starring Keifer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, and Julia Roberts, the film immediately attracted the attention of critics and audiences alike. A group of med students, led by the charismatic Nelson Wright, head to the basement of their university to try to find if the afterlife actually exists. One by one, the five begin to perform self induced deaths, or flatlining, before being revived after a few minutes. To there shock, indeed they see what is across the beyond. But unfortunately for each, something came back with them. The movie was a big success and continued the run of the three main leads and the director. Now in 2017, a remake has been released directed by Niels Arden Oplev (behind The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) and starring Ellen Page and Nina Dobrev. Dark Discussions takes a look at the original cult classic, its legacy, and the new adaption. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. When Darren Aronofsky released the film Pi, not many people saw it until after his adaption of Hubert Selby’s novel Requiem for a Dream. Folks went back and checked this curious art house horror film and many were left trying to decipher it. His new film, mother!, starring Jennifer Lawrence somewhat returns to that 19 year old film with its shocking scenes and figurative set pieces. A young woman lives alone with her husband, a poet and writer, in a remote manor home. Generally peaceful and tranquil, her husband is a bit stressed as he tries to fight through writer’s block. One day, unexpectedly, a man knocks on the front door. He is a big fan of the poet. Having no where to go, the poet invites him to live with them to the shock of the young woman. A few days later there is another knock on the door leading to the end of the life the young woman had struggled for so long to create. The movie has been getting tremendously varied opinions. Some, like the famous critic Rex Reed, says it is the worst film of the twenty-first century. Others say the film has a lot to say about the world we live in. Unfortunately with its larger budget and the hugely negative reaction from audiences, the movie has been a hiccup in the careers of both the director and his leading lady. Dark Discussions takes a peek at this controversial film and gives their thoughts. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. With his first novel, Carrie, back in the early 1970’s, Stephen King was on his way to be the most successful horror writer of his generation. By the mid-1980’s, he became not just a best selling author, but also an icon. In 1986, his epic length coming-of-age novel It became an immediate best seller. In 1990, a TV mini-series was made giving life to what seemed to be an impossibly hard story to adapt to screen. Now in 2017, a new adaption focusing on the half of the book was released in September. When a little boy disappears from the town of Derry, Maine, his older brother is convinced that he is still alive. As more people go missing, he and his group of friends, while fighting their own personal demons, are confronted by an ancient evil that has been terrorizing the town since its inception. The movie had a rocky pre-production, with various screenwriters, actors, and directors leaving the production, but when the producers settled everything down and director Andy Muschietti took the helm, the movie remarkably turned out to not only be a fan favorite, but a critical darling. Dark Discussions takes a look at this somewhat surprising box office hit that has turned out to be one of the most successful horror films of all time. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. The Conjuring and what has turned into a franchise has been quite successful. With its throwback supernatural horror scares seen in such films as The Changeling and The Entity, younger horror fans are able to see frightening movies that have the feel of these “forgotten classics.” The latest film of the franchise is Annabelle: Creation, the prequel to the highly successful but mixed reviewed Annabelle. A doll maker and his wife lose their young daughter, Annabelle, in a tragic car accident. Many years later they invite a nun and the orphans under her care to live with them after the orphanage was closed. As all adjust to their new surroundings, various odd things happen. Is the house haunted? Directed by Dave Sandberg, the Swedish director who helmed the highly successful Light’s Out, this prequel to Annabelle has received critical acclaim. With a cast of young actresses between 10 and 21 years old, high praise of the acting has been widespread. The budget was fairly tiny at about $15M USD, yet the movie has gone on to make almost $300M USD world wide. A huge success, your co-hosts take a look at the film while all together in person in the town of Lisbon, Connecticut. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

The Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews podcast - Presented by Dark Discussions Podcast Welcome to the newest edition of Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews – a podcast that reviews and critiques films released by boutique labels that have taken old and sometimes forgotten midnight movies and re-releases them in special editions where the quality of the picture is fully remastered, usually from onetime lost or privately owned negatives or prints. This month I review four films and one television show. The movies include the 1979 video nasty by Joe D'Amato, Beyond the Darkness (Severin); the 2014 Asylum film starring Sara Malakul Lane, Jailbait; Vinegar Syndrome's release of 1979's Australian psychological thriller, Snapshot; and the 2017 film, Bag Boy Lover Boy, by Severin. Lastly, the 13 episode Sentai Films blu-ray release of the 2014 anime Brynhildr In The Darkness is reviewed. We would love your emails. Send them to darkdiscussions@aol.com and visit us at www.darkdiscussions.com As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. The novella, The Hellbound Heart, published in 1986 in a horror collection, went on to become a sensation for the author, Clive Barker, who became well known with his original take on the “horror tale”. Shortly after, the story was made into a movie. Fortunately for the author, he was tasked to not only write the screenplay but became the director. Renamed Hellraiser as a film, removing any connotation of it being a romance movie, the film became an immediate cult classic. Frank, a hedonistic petty criminal, purchases the Lemarchand Configuration, a supposedly cursed but magical box that can release unexplained pleasures to its owner. Something horribly goes wrong leaving him stuck as prisoner to a group of outer beings named the Cenobites. Frank’s brother Larry and Larry’s wife, Julia, move into the family home where Julia discovers a horrible secret up in the attic that may lead to a fate possibly worse than the one her brother-in-law obtained. With the cinematic version released, the Cenobites have become classic movie monsters, specifically the iconic portrayal of Pinhead by actor Doug Bradley. Hellraiser went on to have multiple sequels and talk of a remake have been reported for years. Dark Discussions, on its milestone 300th episode, takes a look at this classic movie on its 30th anniversary. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. July 31st of this year (2017) was the 30th anniversary of one of the 1980’s most beloved cult horror films: The Lost Boys. Crazy to think this film is that old. Many of us grew up on it, rewatching it over and over and wearing out our VCR tapes. And as co-host Kristi says, “Who didn’t own that film’s soundtrack?” And even if you didn’t, you knew the songs. Single mother Lucy uproots herself and her two teenage boys, Michael and Sam, from Arizona to her father’s home in the fictional city of Santa Carla, CA. Though with a famous amusement park and with fantastic day and nightlife, the city is also the murder capital of the USA. But unbeknown to our protagonists, there is a deeper and darker secret to the city. One of the very first modern takes on the vampire, the film has a fantastic cast. Though it includes many newer stars of the time, it also is “who’s who” of the 1980’s. Keifer Sutherland’s portrayal of the brooding leader of a biker gang turned him into a star. Directed by Joel Schumacher at the top of his game, the film still lives on fondly all these year’s later. Dark Discussions takes a look at this cult classic. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome to You Know Nothing Jon Snow: A Game of Thrones Podcast. A weekly discussion of each episode of Game of Thrones. Find us at www.darkdiscussions.com (our sister podcast) and send all emails and get on the show to darkdiscussions@aol.com As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (text email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome to You Know Nothing Jon Snow: A Game of Thrones Podcast. A weekly discussion of each episode of Game of Thrones. Find us at www.darkdiscussions.com (our sister podcast) and send all emails and get on the show to darkdiscussions@aol.com As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (text email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. Action flicks are back in vogue. From the Bourne films to John Wick, these kinetic films have a bit of a throwback to the 1980’s but are in many ways different. Some such as John Wick have the feel of an exploitation film, and not surprisingly, the new film Atomic Blonde is a bit like it, especially since the co-director of John Wick is the director of Atomic Blonde. At the end of the Cold War, spy intrigue comes to the divided city of Berlin. Just weeks before the Berlin Wall’s demise, a MI-6 agent escapes from the East with a list of every Soviet secret agent in the world. After his assassination, a rogue Soviet spy has the list. MI-6 agent, Lorraine Broughton, is sent to Berlin to retrieve the list before it gets into the wrong hands. The movie is based off the graphic novel, The Coldest City, and directed by stunt coordinator David Leitch. Charlize Theron produces this starring vehicle for her. Having come off Prometheus and Mad Max Fury Road, she has re-invented herself as an action star to go along with her many dramatic roles. Dark Discussions Podcast takes a look at this well received genre movie. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome to You Know Nothing Jon Snow: A Game of Thrones Podcast. A weekly discussion of each episode of Game of Thrones. Find us at www.darkdiscussions.com (our sister podcast) and send all emails and get on the show to darkdiscussions@aol.com As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (text email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome the newest episode of Dark Discussions, your place for the discussion of horror film, fiction, and all that’s fantastic. George A. Romero is an icon. He changed horror movies and films more so than most. From turning the so called ghoul into an iconic monster to his unintentional popularizing of midnight movie, his mark on film, never mind horror, is unquestioned. Unfortunately his passing came on July 16th, 2017 at the age of 77. His legacy includes the very first modern day zombie film entitled Night of the Living Dead, the first of a loose trilogy of zombie films that he made. Between the others, Dawn of the Dead, has become another classic horror film. But his work included other midnight movies that have become cult classics such as Creepshow, Martin, The Crazies, and Land of the Dead. Dark Discussions pays tribute to one of the most important filmmakers in the last 50 years. Because of him, zombie films have become a staple in horror movies. Some say it has surpassed vampires. We take a look at his career, what we felt about some of his films, and salute him. Yet even so, his legacy will live on for generations. As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (written email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM

Welcome to You Know Nothing Jon Snow: A Game of Thrones Podcast. This week we discuss season 7, episode 5, Eastwatch. Find us at www.darkdiscussions.com (our sister podcast) and send all emails and get on the show to darkdiscussions@aol.com As always we welcome your comments: darkdiscussions@aol.com (text email or attached mp3 files) WWW.DARKDISCUSSIONS.COM