Caliber 9 From Outer Space

Bird season is OVER, butthorns!!! This week, we have lined up two films which tried to establish Gary Busey as the action movie hero du jour. Unfortunately, they kinda flopped, but we think they're more fun than leaping onto Danny Trejo from the top of a building. First up: Eye of the Tiger (1986), directed by Richard C. Sarafian, and then the wonder of Bulletproof (1988), directed by Steve Carver. We have a full house to discuss these movies, with not one, not two, but three guests: Bryce, Dr Ethan and Sammy all drop in to take part in the fun. Let's just say, plot is not really the reason to watch either of these films. so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks

And the final Chuck Norris Fact is: Death has now been sentenced to life with Chuck Norris. In this bonus episode, Rob and Joe pay tribute to one of action hero cinema’s true icons, Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris. Along with a brief discussion of his life and career, they also dive deep into one of his less celebrated films (even by Chuck Norris fans), the late-cycle Cannon Group production, The Hitman (1991), directed by Chuck’s brother, Aaron Norris. There’s no Spoiler Territory for this one. Why? Because it’s a Chuck Norris film. Deal with it, or he's gonna hit you with so many rights, you're gonna beg for a left. RIP Chuck. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Tomorrow Wendy" by Andy Prieboy

Have ya paid your dues, Jack? Yessir, the check is in the mail. It must be Conflict-in-Asian-Enclave Week this week, as Andy joins us in checking out a couple of well paired and much loved cult classics: Big Trouble in Little China (1986), directed by the great John Carpenter, and Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991), directed by Mark L. Lester. More bromance than romance but more than enough ass-kicking to satisfy anyone. Get ready to rumble! Fair warning: we go into the plots of both films in some detail, including the endings, but we feel like these movies are somewhat unspoilable, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "China Girl" by Iggy Pop

Swords. Magic. Monsters. Muscles. Boobs. Prepare to go full nerd this week (if you haven't already) as we dive headlong into a couple of sword-and-sandal epics - or is that club-and-ugg-boot? Ted Bennett drops in to check out 80's cable TV mainstay, The Beastmaster (1982), directed by Don Coscarelli. Following that, the pecs get even bigger in Ironmaster (1983), directed by Umberto Lenzi. We really don't think these films can be spoiled, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them, even though we go into detail on the plots of both. If you can call them plots. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "It's A Mystery" by Toyah

Another bumper episode, another double feature of lesser-loved James Bond movies. This week we check out a Connery and a Brosnan: Diamonds Are Forever (1971), directed by Guy Hamilton, and The World is Not Enough (1999), directed by Michael Apted. Sean Connery was getting a little tired of Bond at this point (to say the least), and Pierce Brosnan's Bond films seemed tired almost before they got started... but are these films as bad as their reputations suggest? Stick around for our Bond Tropewatch segment, where we rate each of these films against the checklist of standard Bond tropes to see which fares best! Fair warning: we go into the plots of both films in some detail, including the endings, but we feel like James Bond is somewhat unspoilable in general, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of these films. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "The World is Not Enough" by Straw

We love original horror poster art here at Caliber 9 From Outer Space, and this week we are honoured to host one of the true great artists of that idiom. Graham Humphreys is our guest this week, and we delve into a couple of 1960's horror gems. First up, under-seen Hammer horror-adventure-fantasy The Lost Continent (1968), directed by Michael Carreras and then we go full Lovecraft with Die, Monster, Die! (1965), directed by Daniel Haller. We really don't think these films can be spoiled, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them, even though we go into detail on the plots of both. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Lost Coastlines" by Okkervil River

Forgive us for posting a slightly ramshackle bonus episode, but we thought some of you might like to hear how this year's Joefest was going! Joefest is a private film festival we run every year in the depths of the British wintertime, when there's nothing better to do than sit inside and watch weird movies from the wilder side of cinema. In this episode, Al and Ali join us to quickly run over the films we've watched and what we thought of them. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Here's the full list of this year's feature films: Twisted Pair (2018), dir. Neil Breen The Outwaters (2022), dir. Robbie Banfitch Alucarda (1977), dir. Juan Lopez Moctezuma Champagne and Bullets (1993), dir. John De Hart Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), dir. John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, George Miller The Cassandra Crossing (1976), dir. George P. Cosmatos Flesh Feast (1970), dir. Brad F. Grinter Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself With Tea (1977), dir. Jindrich Polak Death Run (1987), dir. Michael J. Murphy Junk Head (2017) dir. Takahide Hori The Kindred (1987), dir. Stephen Carpenter & Jeffrey Obrow Angel Dust (1994), dir. Gakuryu Ishii Night of Death (1980), dir. Raphael Delpard Night Angel (1990), dir. Dominique Othenin-Girard Angel in the Night (1988), dir. Hernando Name Take a Hard Ride (1975). dir. Antonio Margheriti The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973), dir. Wojcech Has The Demon's Baby (1998), dir. Kant Leung Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Nightcall" by Kavinsky

As we bemoan the state of the world today and endure the anxiety of this cryptofascist, post-truth reality, we risk losing sight of the real danger to us all: savage fish men! Today we go right back where it all started, Universal's seminal entry in this monster subgenre, Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), directed by Jack Arnold. We then skip lightly over its first sequel and focus on its under-rated third entry, The Creature Walks Among Us (1956). Fair warning: we go into the plots of both films in some detail, including the endings, but these films are over 70 years old and the storylines don't have much in the way of twists in any case, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Walk Into The Sea" by Johnny Marr

In the future... it pays to be more than human. And it also pays quite well to be more than machine. What can I tell you, the future is highly discriminatory. In this bonus episode, Ted joins Rob and Joe to make a bit of a mess of explaining the plot of Nemesis (1992), directed by Albert Pyun. Cyborgs, bullets, bottoms, and dusters with shades - it's the quintessence of dystopian trashy sci-fi action. Given how challenged we were by the impenetrable plot, which is of secondary importance at best, anyway, we simply don't bother with Spoiler Territory this week. Meaning, we do talk about the whole plot, but honestly it doesn't really matter. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Killer" by CHVRCHES

We're going back to the 1960's, this time to Swinging London and the Carnaby Street scene. It's not so much groovy, man, as smashing, luv! Justin Kerswell joins us to discuss a couple of near forgotten emanations of this peculiarly British reaction to the spirit of the age. We start off with Smashing Time (1967), directed by Desmond Davis and follow that up with Haunted House of Horror (1969), directed by Michael Armstrong. We don't think you can really spoil Smashing Time, whose plot is somewhat surplus to requirements, but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Haunted House of Horror. If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 2:17:53 mark to avoid spoilers. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Smash It Up" by The Damned

We're chock full of punk energy this week! RP Fox joins us as we check out Hard Core Logo (1996) directed by Bruce McDonald, and Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979) directed by Allan Arkush. A tragicomic road trip across western Canada with thrashing guitars, personal demons, toxic masculinity and lots of gobbing, followed by an absurdist slice of Greaseploitation from the house of Corman, but with added Ramones - which doesn't make much sense but is of course a wonderful thing regardless. It's not really possible to spoil Rock 'n' Roll High School, but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Hard Core Logo. If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 1:34:07 mark to avoid spoilers. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" by The Ramones

We take a sharp U-turn into Utah for a very unique cult double feature this week. Jose and Mike from the Watch Skip + podcast drop in to check out Beaver Trilogy (2001), directed by Trent Harris and infamous "bad movie", Troll 2 (1990), directed by Claudio Fragasso. From a moving work of post-modern film art to a bizarre exercise in weird acting and incomprehensible plot, we have plenty to talk about this week. And we do! Because it's a podcast. We don't think you can really spoil Troll 2 (surely any light we can shed on the plot is as welcome before or after you watch it), but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Beaver Trilogy - or at least, we will give away details revealed in the documentary about the film, Beaver Trilogy: Part IV (2015). If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 1:31:12 mark to avoid learning things about the film's subject Groovin' Gary that you might prefer to learn after seeing the film. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

We revisit the dream of the freakadelic 60's this week with a couple of films which both celebrate and mourn the spirit of the age. Mark Evans of Sonic Coins + Icons joins us to discuss Easy Rider (1969), directed by Dennis Hopper and The Trip (1967), directed by Roger Corman. Bikes, weed, LSD, hippies and rednecks abound. Tune in, turn on, and drop out. We don't think you can really spoil The Trip, which is literally too tripped out to bother with a storyline, but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Easy Rider. If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 1:21:16 mark to avoid spoilers. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp Our closing music this week comes courtesy of Sonic Coins + Icons and their track "Beneath the Veil" (M. Evans) © 2025. Their new album Sohar is available at all the usual places: iTunes, Spotify, etc Mark's great music can also be explored via the following links: https://scicons.co.uk/ https://soniccoinsicons.bandcamp.com Threads Instagram Facebook Soundcloud

It's time for us to go back to Friday the 13th for another mismatched double feature program from the franchise. Al joins us once again, this time on a trip from the sublime to the ridiculous as we start with Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986), directed by Tom McLaughlin. This was generally considered a return to form for the franchise and has since been lauded as an exercise in metahorror quite ahead of its time. The flip side, of course, is our B movie, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989), directed by Rob Hedden - a film which often vies for the title of worst in the series. We may have something to say about that. Or maybe not. But you'd hope so, as this is supposed to be a podcast about movies. Let's just say, plot is not really the reason to watch either of these films. so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "The Crystal Lake" by Grandaddy

Days of future past - in the total utopia of 2026, we can now look back and laugh fondly at the dystopic cyberpunk visions of the 1990's... OR CAN WE??? Nick Langdon drops in this week to check out a pair of high-tech / low life visions from the mid-90s, when William Gibson's words weighed heavy on the sci-fi genre. We start with Strange Days (1995) directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and follow it up with Johnny Mnemonic (1995) directed by Robert Longo. Download, plug your SQUID in, and tune out... It's not really possible to spoil Johnny Mnemonic, but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Strange Days (although it's possible Rob does heavily hint who the killer is early on). If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 1:31:37 mark to avoid spoilers. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Wires" by Athlete

Classic film noir meets sleazy Italian exploitation this week as Sakana and Dr Ethan drop by to check out The Glass Key (1942), directed by Stuart Heisler, and the magnificently named Strip Nude For Your Killer (1975), directed by Andrea Bianchi. We dive deep into the lives and travails of The Glass Key's wonderful cast (including Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake and Brian Donlevy) and the its striking similarities with Coen brothers' later masterpiece, Miller's Crossing. Then, stay tuned for Ethan, Joe and especially Rob trying hard not to embarrass themselves expressing their... appreciation for Edwige Fenech in Bianchi's lurid giallo. This time, we manage to have a deep discussion without spoiling the plots of either film, so we won't be calling out Spoiler Territory this week. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Stripped" by Depeche Mode

Happy New Year, folks! The party's heating up at our place: Luigi Pistilli is still looking a little moody, but Steve James is benchpressing Geoffrey Keen (much to his chagrin), Henry Silva and Lance Henriksen are grinning evilly at each other, and Andrea Bianchi is getting a bit gropey (I think Charles Bronson has noticed and he's about to do something violent). So we figured we'd duck out of the festivities long enough to count down our Top 5 first-time watches of 2025 for you. Just a quick episode before we head back and launch into Auld Lang Syne. See you later this week for the first episode of Season 3!!! Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

Peace on Earth. Can it be??? No, apparently not. Angst and dread continue to reign supreme as we enter the death throes of 2025, so let's just embrace it and have a very happy Crisis-mas! We've stuffed the stocking fit to bursting in this year's special Christmas episode. We welcome back Sammy from the Gentlemen's Guide to Midnite Cinema, and habitual Caliber 9'er, Bryce Hamilton (who never says no to a good bit of stuffing). Together, we'll be delving into a triple feature of sort-of-Christmas movies, starting with Wake in Fright (1971) directed by Ted Kotcheff, taking a detour into classic film noir with Lady in the Lake (1946), directed by Robert Montgomery and accelerating finally up into a Hong Kong action cinema frenzy with City On Fire (1987), directed by Ringo Lam. We will be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for all these films. So if you haven't seen them before you listen, you can nevertheless avoid spoilers for Wake in Fright by skipping ahead to the 1:34:50 mark, for Lady in the Lake by skipping ahead to the 2:27:48 mark and for City On Fire by skipping ahead to 3:30:16. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "The Slow Descent into Alcoholism" by The New P*rn*graphers

It's absolute chaos here this week, as Ted Bennett stands in for Joe and we welcome Heather Drain back to talk about some truly insane 1980's cult comedies. First up, little-known John Cusack and Tim Robbins vehicle, Tapeheads (1988), directed by Bill Fishman and then, hold on to your coffee cups and look out for holes in the wall, because we collectively lose our shit while discussing Jackie Kong's Night Patrol (1984).... and that may or may not be because the film is any good. Let's just say, plot is not really the reason to watch either of these films, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them. Obviously, you can always expect a little blue language on our show, but fair warning: we get a little... how you say?... ribald, on this one. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "Baby Doll" by Devo

Although James Bond is one of the most beloved film franchises in cinema history, quite a lot of the films remain rather unloved. So we're going to give those ones a closer look, starting this week with the two films that, according to Letterboxd, are the least watched entries in the official EON canon. Nick Langdon pops in and checks out For Your Eyes Only (1981), directed by John Glen, and also Glen's fourth directorial effort in the franchise, The Living Daylights (1987). We don't think it's really possible to spoil any of the James Bond films - surely, they've all seeped fully into the pop culture consciousness by now - so we won't be calling out Spoiler Territory for either film this week. Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp "For Your Eyes Only" by Blondie