General Witchfinders: The British Horror Podcast

In this special live episode of General Witchfinders, recorded on stage at ActOne Cinema in Acton on 30 October, we bring you the live podcast panel following our sell-out screening of Hammer’s gender-bending 1971 horror classic, Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde.Directed by Roy Ward Baker and starring Ralph Bates alongside Martine Beswick, this Hammer Film Productions spin on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde remains one of the studio’s most inventive offerings.Joining us on stage for the post-screening Q&A is director and producer Sam Clemens (@samjtclemens), son of the film’s legendary screenwriter, Brian Clemens. We dive into the film’s production, his father’s body of work, and the creative choices that make this entry in the Hammer canon stand out.Brian Clemens was a titan of British film and television. Beyond writing Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, he served as the script editor, associate producer, and primary writer on The Avengers, wrote and directed Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter, and penned screenplays ranging from Highlander II: The Quickening to the atmospheric classic The Watcher in the Woods. His legacy includes co-creating Bugs, writing for Hammer’s House of Horror, Tales of Mystery and Suspense, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, as well as creating Thriller – a series that paved the way for modern anthology storytelling like Inside No. 9.Stick around after the end credits for a special track share. Our resident sound engineer for the night, Richie Adam, and his group The Whitley Lake Band (@thewhitleylakeband) have just released their new single, Ghosts of Whitley Lake. Be sure to add the song to your music app and follow the band on Spotify or Apple Music.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the third episode of the General Witchfinders Book Club – a spin-off from our regular British horror podcast, run in partnership with Teasel & Skylark, an independent bookshop in Dorchester. To accompany our real-life, face-to-face book club meet-ups, host Ross Cleaver invites a special guest co-host onto the show every two months to discuss our latest reading choice. On this episode, Ross welcomes Brontë Schiltz. Brontë is a journalist, writer, and PhD candidate researching Televisual Gothic at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research and writing explore gothic literature, horror film, and the uncanny, with contributions to collections including Comma Press’s Monster Capital and The Book of Manchester. Together, they discuss Will Maclean’s 2020 debut novel, The Apparition Phase. The Apparition PhaseTwins Tim and Abi have always been different from their peers, spending their evenings in the attic of their parents’ suburban house, poring over reports of the unexplained. Obsessed with photographs of ghostly apparitions, they decide to fake their own and use it to frighten a girl at school.What was supposed to be a harmless prank sets in motion a terrifying chain of events that neither of them could have predicted. Set in the 1970s, Will Maclean’s debut is a chilling, atmospheric tale of disturbed teenagers, malevolent spirits, and the haunting power of belief. How to Get InvolvedWe want to build a community around these books, both locally in Dorset and remotely with our podcast listeners and zine readers.Join us in Dorchester: Ross leads the in-person discussions at the King’s Arms Hotel. Spaces are limited, so sign up at the Teasel & Skylark shop. Local club members get 10% off the featured books, plus 10% off all other books and gifts in-store (excluding original artwork). These discounts are only available in person at the shop.Join us from elsewhere: If you are not local, read along at home and send your thoughts or audio voicemails to [email protected]. Support Independent BookshopsIf you are close enough to Dorchester, please order your copy through Teasel & Skylark and pop in to collect it. If you cannot get to West Dorset, please find your local indie store via Bookshop.org. Links & ResourcesBook Club Info: General Witchfinders Book ClubOur Partner Bookshop: Teasel & SkylarkBuy The Apparition Phase online: Bookshop.orgBuy The General Witchfinders Zine: Ko-fi ShopFind Indie Shops Nationwide: Bookshop.orgSupport the Show: General Witchfinders Patreon Featured Guest Links (Brontë Schiltz)Website: Brontë Schiltz Official SiteLinktree: Brontë Schiltz LinksInstagram: @bronte.schiltzBooks: Monster Capital | The Book of Manchester | Comma Press HomepageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we conclude our deep dive into screen adaptations of Nigel Kneale’s legendary sci-fi creation, Professor Bernard Quatermass. We take a look at the 1979 Euston Films/Thames Television serial The Quatermass Conclusion (also known as Quatermass IV or Quatermass), starring Oscar-winner John Mills as the titular professor.Plus, stick around after the end credits for an exclusive clip preview from Room 5064 and B7 Media’s full-cast audio adaptation of Ramsey Campbell’s iconic folk horror novel, The Hungry Moon – starring Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Louise Jameson, Mina Anwar, and Jemma Moore.In This Episode:The End of Quatermass: How Nigel Kneale brought his flagship character full circle after his groundbreaking BBC serials (The Quatermass Experiment, Quatermass II, Quatermass and the Pit) and iconic Hammer Films adaptations.Remastering the Score: News on Buried Treasure Records' upcoming remaster of the Quatermass Conclusion soundtrack composed by Nic Rowley and Marc Wilkinson – featuring music clips in this episode.Folk Horror Audio Preview: An exclusive clip from Episode 1 of The Hungry Moon, featuring a sinister local folk song and a trip to the dark depths beneath the Peak District village of Moonwell.LinksListen to all our Quatermass coverage: General Witchfinder Quatermass ArchiveGrab a copy of our print zine: General Witchfinder Official ShopFollow Buried Treasure Records on Bandcamp: buriedtreasure.bandcamp.comFeatured Audio Drama: The Hungry MoonSet in 1984 in the Peak District, Ramsey Campbell's Lovecraftian tale of religious superstition pits ancient evil against nuclear dread.Starring: Peter Davison (Doctor Who), Colin Baker (Doctor Who), Louise Jameson (Doctor Who, EastEnders), Mina Anwar (The Sarah Jane Adventures), and Jemma Moore (Host).Run time: 250 minutes (Includes exclusive 90-minute interview with Ramsey Campbell).Get The Hungry Moon audio drama:Buy on Room 5064 PayHipBuy on AudioteriaSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last time, the files of General Witchfinders Department X revealed how psychic powers and parapsychology grew to be one of the leading frights of 70s horror culture. Now, we look closer at one of the key texts from the 60s counter-culture milieu that drove the psychic boom: Pauwels and Bergier’s ‘The Morning of the Magicians’.Join James and Ross as they take a white-knuckle ride through a book that’s a who’s who of the occult: Charles Fort, H. P. Lovecraft, Arthur Machen and the Golden Dawn, generous amounts of alchemy, ancient aliens – and Nazis!This version of the episode includes background music. If you prefer a voice-only experience without music, listen to the alternative version here.So turn on, tune in and freak out to the second part of the Department X triptych…Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the second episode of the General Witchfinders Book Club – a spin-off from our regular British horror podcast, run in partnership with Teasel & Skylark, an independent bookshop in Dorchester. To accompany our real-life, face-to-face book club meet-ups, host Ross Cleaver invites a special guest co-host onto the show every two months to discuss our latest reading choice. On this episode, Ross welcomes Dylan Rees. Dylan is an Emmy-winning producer and line producer across British television and independent film. Alongside his screen production work, Rees writes about the history of cult television and the "Wilderness Years" of Doctor Who, including Downtime: The Lost Years of Doctor Who and Doctor Who Myths and Legends: The Reeltime Pictures Story. He is also the host of The Too Hot For TV Podcast, which explores the extended universes of your favourite film and TV franchises. Together, they discuss J.B. Priestley’s 1927 novel, Benighted (also known as The Old Dark House). BenightedPhilip and Margaret Waverton and their friend Roger Penderel are driving through the mountains of Wales when a torrential downpour washes away the road and forces them to seek shelter for the night. They take refuge in an ancient, crumbling mansion inhabited by the strange and sinister Femm family and their brutish servant Morgan. Determined to make the best of the circumstances, the benighted travellers drink, talk, and play games to pass the time while the storm rages outside. But as the night progresses and tensions rise, dangerous and unexpected secrets emerge. On the house's top floor are two locked doors; behind one of them lies the mysterious, unseen Sir Roderick Femm, and behind the other lurks an unspeakable terror. Which is more deadly: the apocalyptic storm outside the house or the unknown horrors that await within? And will any of them survive the night? b How to Get InvolvedWe want to build a community around these books, both locally in Dorset and remotely with our podcast listeners and zine readers.Join us in Dorchester: Ross leads the in-person discussions at the King’s Arms Hotel. Spaces are limited, so sign up at the Teasel & Skylark shop. Local club members get 10% off the featured books, plus 10% off all other books and gifts in-store (excluding original artwork). These discounts are only available in person at the shop.Join us from elsewhere: If you are not local, read along at home and send your thoughts or audio voicemails to [email protected]. Support Independent BookshopsIf you are close enough to Dorchester, please order your copy through Teasel & Skylark and pop in to collect it. If you cannot get to West Dorset, please find your local indie store via Bookshop.org. Links & ResourcesBook Club Info: General Witchfinders Book ClubOur Partner Bookshop: Teasel & SkylarkFind Indie Shops Nationwide: Bookshop.orgSupport the Show: General Witchfinders PatreonSocial Media: Instagram | Bluesky. Featured Guest Links (Dylan Rees):Linktree: Dylan Rees Links including podcast links (do go check these out)One of Ross's guest appearances on Too Hot For TV talking about TerminatorBooks: Downtime – The Lost Years of Doctor Who | Doctor Who Myths and Legends: The Reeltime Pictures StorySupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.