The Monsters That Made Us

It’s time to head back to kingdom of Akkad to witness the birth of a legend! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they discuss young Mathayus in his first straight-to-DVD adventure which takes him deep into the Underworld to retrieve the Sword of Damocles, fight Randy Couture, and become the new Scorpion King. They get into the new cast, the (better) original title, the (mostly) excellent use of low-budget special effects, and why The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior is, ultimately, a goofy good time. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

“The Invisible Dan’ and “Monster Mike” leave the desert sands of Egypt and head deep into ancient China to wrap up Stephen Sommers’ Mummy trilogy with 2008’s Tomb of the Dragon Emperor! Join them as they discuss the personnel changes among the cast and crew, as well as the addition of some Honk Kong action legends, and why this third installment still manages to be entertaining despite its flaws. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

Long before the Dark Universe, Universal had plans to build a massive franchise around the world’s most famous monster hunter, but unfortunately, it never got past the first installment. Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they discuss Van Helsing as a perfect concept to unite a shared monster universe, and how Stephen Sommers’ over-the-top, more-is-more approach may have ultimately doomed it from the start. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

In this episode, “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” go WAY BACK to about 3,000 B.C. to witness the rise of the legendary Scorpion King! Join them as they discuss the first Universal Monster spin-off, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s debut as a leading man, the terrific practical effects, the horror roots of director Chuck Russell and co-star Kelly Hu, and why, despite leaving the monsters behind, The Scorpion King still succeeds as a pulpy, throwback, Conan the Barbarian rip-off by playing to everyone’s strengths and not taking itself too seriously. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

Nearly a decade after the events of The Mummy, Imhotep is back, Rick and Evy have a kid, and they’re all searching for the secret resting place of the fabled Scorpion King! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they travel back to Egypt, then to London, then back to Egypt to discuss all the twists and turns and Stephen Sommers action crammed into 2001’s The Mummy Returns! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

It’s time for more mummy action as “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” discuss one of the biggest films of 1999! Join them as they dive into the 10+ years of The Mummy‘s development, including the various concepts from some well-known horror icons, plus some alternate casting choices, the genius blend of traditional practical effects with state-of-the-art digital effects, the similarities and differences between this film and its 1932 counterpart, and how The Mummy reinforces the idea that the Universal Monsters can truly be made to suit any genre. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

“The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” have returned from the grave to talk more Universal Monsters! Join them as they sink their teeth into 1979’s Dracula, starring Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier and Donald Pleasance! They revisit the original play, which served as the basis for this film, much like Tod Browning’s original film, and discuss how the two films compare, plus Frank Langella’s unique approach to the title role, Donald Pleasance’s scene-stealing techniques, the incredible practical effects, the wasted Renfield, the influences this film may have had on a certain other Dracula film, and so much more! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

In the season 1 finale, we’re heading back to the Sunshine State for one last Gill-man adventure! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they discuss the new Gill-man suit (and his clothes!), why so much of the underwater footage looks familiar, and why, despite a script that’s padded with a lot of science talk, philosophical nature vs nurture stuff, too many doctors, and a superfluous love triangle (or square?), the Gill-man still makes The Creature Walks Among Us a worthwhile adventure. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Gill-Man mayhem to bring you Abbott and Costello’s final monster movie! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they dive back into the the world of horror comedy for the iconic comedy team’s encounter with the mummy! They talk about Marie Windsor’s electrifying performance, the multitude of Batman connections in the cast, the incredible dance troupes showcased in this one, and why, unfortunately, none of it really makes up for all the stale jokes and that horrible mummy suit. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

Remember to pack plenty of sunscreen because “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” are heading down to the Ocean Harbor Oceanarium in sunny Florida to check out their latest attraction: the Gill-Man! Join them as they discuss more similarities to King Kong and Jaws, shooting entirely in Florida, the changes to the Gill-Man suit, the new Gill-Man actor, why Helen Dobson ranks among the best of the Universal Monsters heroines, and a certain Hollywood icon who made their first film appearance in Revenge of the Creature! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

All aboard! In this episode, “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” cruise deep into the Amazon in search of a creature which may bridge the evolutionary gap between man and fish! Join them as they discuss the Gill-man’s painstaking design process, the narrative similarities to King Kong, the breathtaking underwater photography, and why Creature from the Black Lagoon is unquestionably one of the all-time great monster movies. Check out the original Gill-man test suit here! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

There’s a two-faced killer on the loose, and Abbott and Costello are hot on his trail! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they discuss the iconic comedy duo’s third monster encounter, the return of Boris Karloff, more Batman connections, and how Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde succeeds as a horror comedy by being a horror film first and a comedy second. Check out Carl Laemmle’s 1913 silent Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde here! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

Good evening, fright fans! Abbott & Costello are back, and they’ve dialed up the slapstick for their meeting with the Invisible Man! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they break down Universal’s second monster flick with the iconic comedy duo. They discuss some of the fun cameos, Universal’s new go-to director for Abbott & Costello films, and maybe the best invisible effects to date, plus the gags they love, the many they don’t, and the pacing issues caused by trying to squeeze so many of them into an uneven story that, unfortunately, doesn’t support them as well as it could. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

We’ve got scares and laughs in equal measure as the world’s greatest comedy duo come face-to-face Count Dracula, the Wolf Man, and the Frankenstein Monster! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they discuss Universal’s corporate restructuring, the challenges of working with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, the return of Bela Lugosi in the role that made him a horror icon, and why Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is quite possibly the greatest horror comedy ever made! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

Well, folks, Universal Studios horror has come to an end. For now, anyway. Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they discuss Universal’s decision to stop producing the horror films that had propped them up in their infancy, as well as the myriad problems with She-Wolf of London, the cast connections to some other CageClub Network shows, and why the once-effective Val Lewton-style unseen horror approach may have been too little too late for the struggling studio. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

It’s an undead man’s party as Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s monster descend on the Visarian home of Dr. Franz Edelmann! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” for another monster rally where they talk about the Wolf Man vs. Dracula movie that almost was, why House of Dracula might be better than House of Frankenstein, and bid farewell to Erle C. Kenton, Jack Pierce, Lionel Atwill, and a few others. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

The mummy’s on the loose, and he’s dancing with the devil! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” for the thrilling conclusion of the Kharis saga with 1944’s The Mummy’s Curse! They discuss the rumors about whether or not Lon Chaney actually performed inside the mummy wrappings, the series’ overall consistency, why that works in its favor (and why the continuity doesn’t), and perhaps the single greatest sequence ever constructed for a mummy movie since the original! Mrs. Olson Folgers Compilation from the 1960s Mrs. Olson Folgers Commercial From the Early ’70s Mrs. Olson Promotes the Folgers Automatic Drip Coffee in 1982 If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

Be sure to stock up on silver bullets and wooden stakes before joining “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” on a journey across Europe, searching for the notes of Henry Frankenstein with Dracula, the Wolf Man and the Frankenstein monster! They discuss the project House of Frankenstein almost was, the absolutely star-studded cast it would’ve had, the discovery and subsequent success of Glenn Strange as a horror icon, the messy, nonsensical script and how that doesn’t matter, and how House of Frankenstein should’ve been an Avengers-level event of its time. If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

Grab those tana leaves because we’re heading back to Mapleton, Massachusetts, which is once again under siege by the evil mummy, Kharis! Join “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” as they discuss the strange continuity across the Mummy films, heroic dogs, the new neighborhood watch, the evolution of Jack Pierce’s mummy makeup, and why The Mummy’s Ghost might be a good introduction for someone who has never seen a Mummy film! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

Look out! A lunatic with the power of invisibility is on the loose, but “The Invisible Dan” and “Monster Mike” are hot on his trail! Join them as they discuss Jon Hall’s return to the franchise, John Carradine’s underrated performance as Dr. Drury, John P. Fulton’s ever-improving special effects, a screenplay that seems curiously underdeveloped, and whether or not the use of broad comedy undercuts the horror in The Invisible Man’s Revenge! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!