Bravo for the B-side Podcast

Hokum brings us into the world of the supernatural in rural Ireland. With a healthy budget and solid cast the technical aspects are spot on. What we really focus on in this episode is the writing and storytelling techniques through the lens. It was a fun horror to watch, and one of the very few that actually hit on our creepiness meter. Adam Scott is brilliant as a complete asshole who follows his own version of a Hero’s Journey. Strong performances by tertiary characters that leave an indelible impression on the viewer raise the level substantially. We also focus on the lack of backstory of the big bad. It was not needed, we did not get it, and the movie is all the better for it. Too many horror films, especially supernatural-based ones, bore us with details that make no difference whatsoever in the course of the film. In fact it can detract from it, which we discuss. Support the Podcast Visit our website

Wrymrood: Apocalypse is the sequel to Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, which we covered some time back. Another indie film with fantastic lessons. We talk about the technical aspects that are fantastic, though we focus on the writing. Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is a great example of how you can ramp up a horror movie with some fun. Performances are excellent, particularly those that lean heavily into the campiness of their character. With a bit broader room for sets because of a larger budget, the film keeps true to its Indie origins. A few great sets, lots of outdoor locations, you can see where even with extra cash it was spent wisely. We don’t get lost in extravagance, instead we are treated to a very real-feeling practical world. And, a great helping of gore. Support the Podcast Visit our website

It’s called a new interpretation of Vampire films. While that is very misleading, The Transfiguration is a fantastic film in viewing and lessons. It does involve the topic of vampires, but it is a deep exploration of a troubled young man. The lessons are high-end. The technical aspects are spot-on at each level. The performances were great, but there is little dialogue. The true mastery is the writing and direction, where we see how to effectively bring a low-dialogue story to an audience. Also, we discuss our upcoming guesting on Talking Pondo, with our friends Cliff and Marty. This will air on 8/31. When you’re done here give them a listen. Support the Podcast Visit our website

This podcast is about lessons, and Scream of the Blind Dead has a whole bunch of them. From beginning to end it is chock full of lessons on what not to do. When we were searching for the next movie for the show we stumbled on this and it looked like an earnest effort from the trailer, so we threw it on. What we did not know was that this film was under forty minutes. So effectively, a short feature or short film. The one positive note on this is that someone wanted to make it, and they did. Beyond that it lacks structure, story, clarity. No dialogue. Modeled after characters created by Amando de Ossorio, a prominent figure in the 1970’s Spanish horror boom, it does not bring nostalgia as much as it brings in laborious counting of how not to make a film. Support the Podcast Visit our website

Dinner in America was suggested by our friends Clif and Marty of Pondo Enterprises. Took a while to finally get to it, but it was worth the wait. The technical lessons are very simple and short; it did it all right. Where we break things down beings with the characters. A fantastic example of bringing depth to what should be simple characters. Often in Indie films and even B-movies, simple characters are taken for granted. Dinner in America gives us some deep looks, all through a comedic lens, and these two primary characters connect with the viewer all through the film. The pacing is steady. Where the film shines is the excellent writing and acting coming together. The plot is simple but takes us on a grand journey. Very similar to films like Gentlemen Broncos, Napoleon Dynamite, Local Hero, where you feel like you are right there as these characters grow. It also goes without saying that this is probably one of the best films depicting the punk rock lifestyle and attitude without overdoing it. Support the Podcast Visit our website