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Episode 44: Gothic Mexican Horrors

May 31, 2023

El Vampiro (1957), The Black Pit of Dr. M (1959), and The Curse of the Crying Woman (1963). Any horror fan worth their weight in blood knows their fair share about the classic monster films from Universal from the 30s and 40s before they died a slow death. But do you know that in the late 50s and early 60s, there was a bunch of classical looking horror films made in Mexico? Looking a lot like their Universal brethren, these Mexican films cranked up the atmosphere (and the fog machines) to 11, using some of the traditional monsters, as well as developing some from their own heritage.

Mexican horror films from this era don’t seem to get the credit and notoriety that they should. We’re hoping to help change that by covering 3 that we think are pretty damn good. So, buckle up, get your pen and notepad ready and get ready to start down a very foggy path into a highly underrated sub-genre.

Films mentioned in this episode:

Episode 43 – Bootlegs and Tape Trading

May 17, 2023

Back in ancient times, before Netflix and Amazon Prime, before Hulu and YouTube, even before DVDs and Blu-rays, if films weren’t available to you from either your local video stores, or if you wanted to see an uncut print of a movie, or even one that wasn’t released on VHS, the place you could find them would be in fuzzy gray market of the bootlegs.

These types of vendors were a staple to a lot of the early movie conventions, where fans could find titles that never even knew were out there. Some of us are old enough to remember being able to finally see the uncut full letterboxed version of Lucio Fulci’s The Beyond, after years of suffering though only being able to see the heavily edited Seven Doors of Death.

As your collection grew, you would usually start trading with others, increasing your collection even more, as well as helping to spread the love and passion of these amazing films. This is what we’re discussing in this episode, so sit back and either reminisce with us, or learn about the good old days, when we were happy for a 5th generation grainy print of Anthropophagus that had the infamous fetus scene!

Films mentioned in this episode:

Episode 42: Universal Frankensteins

May 3, 2023

Frankenstein (1931), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), and The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942).

Time to go back to the source! The films that started a mythology, created the stereotypes, and taught us everything we were going to need to know about the mad genius that created a “monster” and the innocent, child-like creature that would eventually be known by his creator’s own name. In this episode, we look back at the first four Universal Frankenstein films, before the monster-ramas, when the main point was the creature and his maker. While there is a lot of material to cover in only one episode, we cover as much as we can, trying to show you just how important, entertaining and well-made these films are after close to a century.

Films mentioned during this episode:

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), The Invisible Man (1933), Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Vampire Bat (1933), Young Frankenstein (1974)

Episode 41: Made for TV Horrors 2

April 19, 2023

Devil Dog: Hound of Hell (1978), Vampire (1979), & Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981). Back in Episode 11, we covered 3 Made-for-TV films that we felt were must see! And now we’re back again to go over another 3 titles that we think are well worth your time and attention. During the late ’70s and early ’80s was still a time of great films that were made to premiere on your television at home, decades before streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime were available. Thankfully, these three are available in a variety of formats, but you may have to do a little searching first. But that’s okay…the hunt is part of the fun!

So sit back, hit play, and listen to us ramble on about some really good films, with incredible casts, and some damn entertaining monsters!

Here are the titles mentioned in this episode:

The Amazing Dobermans (1976), Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), Bride of Re-Animator (1990), The Cat Creature (1973), Creepshow (1982), Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981), The Devil’s Daughter (1973), Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell (1978), The Devil’s Rain (1975), Duel (1971), The Entity (1980), The Evil (1978), Evilspeak (1982), The Exorcist (1973), Gargoyles (1972), Killer Bees (1974), Maniac (1980), Night Tide (1961), Nightwing (1979), Old Dark House (1932), The Omen (1976), Prison (1987), Queen of Blood (1966), Ruby (1977), Salem’s Lot (1979), Satan’s School for Girls (1973), The Sender (1982), The Time Machine (1960), Trapped (1973), Trilogy of Terror (1975), Vampire (1979), Who Slew Auntie Roo (1972)

Episode 40: Generations of Horror with Special Guest S.A. Bradley

April 6, 2023

Depending on when you not only grew up but grew up with the horror genre could define what films you like, and what you don’t like. But then there are other fans that open up the borders and search outside their comfort zone. In this episode, we discuss those ideas with our special guest, S.A. Bradley, author of Screaming for Pleasure: How Horror Makes You Happy and Healthy, as well as the host for the podcast Hellbent for Horror.

This isn’t an episode about specific films, though plenty are mentioned and discussed in great detail, but also on how they are received by the current audiences, as well as the older, and sometimes younger audiences, and what the differences are.

These are the films mentioned in this episode:

3 on a Meathook, Anthropophagus (1981), Babadook (2014), Barbarian (2022), Bunny Lake is Missing (1965), Burial Ground (1981), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Cannibal Ferox (1981), Cocaine Bear (2023), The Cursed (2021), Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dark Shadows (1966-71), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Dracula (1931), Deranged (1974), Devil Dog: Hound of Hell (1978), The Exorcist (1973), The Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), Frankenstein (1931), Friday the 13^th: Part III (1982), From Beyond (1986), The Godfather (1972), The Godfather II (1974), The Green Slime (1968), Halloween (1978), The Haunting (1963), Hellraiser (2022), Hereditary (2018), Jaws (1975), Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Maniac (1980), Midsomer (2019), Night of the Living Dead (1968), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Nosferatu (1922), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Psycho (1960), The Omen (1976), Onibaba (1964), Ringu (1998), The Ritual (2017), Rocky (1976), Rocky II (1979), Scream 6 (2023), Skinamarink (2022), Sleep Tight (2011), Snuff (1975), Taxi Driver (1976), Tenebrae (1982), Terrified (2017), Terrifier (2016), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), The Thing (1982), The Thing from Another World (1951), Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972)

Episode 39 – William Girdler!

March 22, 2023

3 on a Meathook (1972), Grizzly (1976), & Day of the Animals (1977). Director William Girdler is a name that some horror fans might know some of his work, but probably don’t know a lot about the man himself, or maybe don’t realize how many great films he produced in a very short time, before his untimely death. 9 movies in only 6 years, and one of them being the most successful independent film for the time, which held that record until John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978). In this episode we cover one of his earlier films, as well as two of his most popular ones, or ones that might be more familiar with your average fan. But we invite you to listen up and even rewatch them and see if you don’t agree with us that William Girdler was much more than a low budget independent filmmaker, but one that consistently turned-out entertaining pictures.

Got any ideas for a future show? Any comments about this show, or any of our others? Please let us know! Leave your comments here, or send us an email at podcast@discoverthehorror.com, or on either our Facebook page or Instagram page!

Titles mentioned in this episode:

3 on a Meathook (1972), Abby (1974), The Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1975), Airplane (1980), Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), Asylum of Satan (1972), Day of the Animals (1977), Evils of the Night (1985), The Exorcist (1973), Gator (1976), Grizzly (1976), Jaws (1975), Halloween (1978), Laserblast (1979), Last Shark (1981), Mako: Jaws of Death (1976), The Manitou (1978), Orca (1977), Q: The Winged Serpent (1982), Roar (1981), Swiss Family Robinson (1960), Tentacles (1977), A Thing with Two Heads (1972), Tintorera: Killer Shark (1977), A Touch of Satan (1971), Wild Beasts (1984), Zebra Killer (1974)

Episode 38 – Italian Horror with Troy Howarth

March 8, 2023

There are plenty of ways to help you on your way to discovering more about the films you love, as well as ones you might not know too much about. There’s always books on different filmmakers, or sort of the audio form of that, the audio commentaries that are usually found on most of our favorite films. The more insight you have, the more you will know, and maybe even enjoy it more. One of those that is helping fans learn just that is Troy Howarth. He’s written over a dozen books on a variety of subjects, usually in the Italian film genre, covering directors like Argento, Bava, Fulci, and more recently, Umberto Lenzi. He’s also published a 3-volume set on the giallo film. Plus, he has done a ton of different commentaries, giving fans even more info!

Films mentioned in this episode:

Episode 37 – Universal’s Dracula Films

February 22, 2023

Dracula (1931), Dracula’s Daughter (1936), & Son of Dracula (1943). This is the series of films that really created and started what is now known as the Universal Classic Monster films. Dracula came out in Feb. in 1931 and did such business, the studio followed suit with another film. And another. And another.

But are these classics remembered just because of nostalgia, or are they really well-made films that are still effective today and rightly deserve the monster of “classic”? In this episode, we delve into the first three Dracula films and take a closer look at these titles to see if they hold up to us, and even more so, maybe getting you, the listener, interested enough to revisit them along with us!

Films mentioned in this episode:

Episode 36 – Talking Movies with Jesse Nelson

February 8, 2023

Obviously, anybody listening to this podcast is a huge fan of horror movies. There is no better time to be a movie fan because of all the incredible releases that keep coming out, not just here in the states, but around the world. From movies that we grew up loving, to the more obscure and unseen titles, it is a never-ending journey to discover or re-discover these titles. And one of the men responsible for helping us fans is Jesse Nelson from Diabolik DVD, as well as Exhumed Films, and more recently Cauldron Films.

So, sit down and listen to some great stories, and maybe even learn some etiquette when it comes to collecting, customer service, and what fans should expect from shops like Diabolik DVD, and the other boutique labels, and realize the hard work they are all doing to bring us fans some great viewing experiences.

Films mentioned during this episode:

Episode 35 – The Devil

January 25, 2023

The Evil (1978), Angel Heart (1987), and Mr. Frost (1990).

From the very first horror film, Georges Méliès’ The House of the Devil from 1896, the Devil started his film career and has been going strong ever since! Appearing in a variety of roles, from bit parts to main characters, from comedies to dramas, from the campy to straight up terrifying, Satan has made his appearance numerus times over the last century. But it is his appearance in the horror genre, of course, where we are focusing.

In this episode, we discuss three different titles, with three very difference actors, playing different characterizations of Satan, but all of them entertaining and well worth seeking out. Or at least we think so.

Films mentioned in this episode: