The Movie Crypt

Producer Oren Koules (SAW 1-10, TWO AND A HALF MEN, DEAD SILENCE, RUN RONNIE RUN, SET IT OFF) joins Adam and Joe to discuss his career journey and the making of his new feature TRUST (in theaters now). From setting up at least half a dozen projects at studios only to have them never get made… to trying his hand at being a studio executive himself… to surrounding himself with talented professionals and learning how to produce on the job… to just how close SAW came to either never being released or being released directly to home video… to the incredible story of the testing scores that changed SAW’s fate… to his experience shepherding the franchise for over 20 years now… to how his obligations to TWO AND A HALF MEN and making annual SAW films left him with a long stretch of time when he didn’t have time to work on anything else… to the casting and producing of TRUST… to how he picks the projects he produces… to his thoughts on horror/comedies, why slasher films aren’t his thing, and why he disagrees with SAW being labeled “torture porn”… this conversation is Producing 101 for anyone looking to become a producer but not being sure what steps to take.

Special BONUS mini-episode! Filmmaker and actor Macon Blair (GREEN ROOM, OPPENHEIMER, I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE, MURDER PARTY) joins Adam and Joe to discuss his new film THE TOXIC AVENGER (in theaters today)! Recorded during the second day of YORKIETHON IX, in this conversation Macon discusses how he got involved in the Legendary-produced remake of Troma’s seminal cinematic masterpiece… working with the great Peter Dinklage… the long road to its UN-RATED release into theaters and much more! It’s a short blast of Toxic goodness to get you hyped to see THE TOXIC AVENGER, out in theaters RIGHT NOW!!! GO SEE IT AND SUPPORT INDIE HORROR!

Actress and filmmaker Sarah Nicklin (THE BLACK MASS, POPEYE THE SLAYER MAN, SPLATTER DISCO, EXHUMED) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope studio to discuss her career journey. From how her young fandom for HOME IMPROVEMENT’s Jonathan Taylor Thomas lead her to want to become an actress… to watching John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN and William Friedkin’s THE EXORCIST as her first ever horror movies… to going to college at Emerson in Boston and launching her career in New England through whatever auditions she could find out about… to her discipline in always trying to better her craft despite having over 100 films and TV shows under her belt at this point in her career… to how she decompresses after finishing each role and more, Sarah’s path is a perfect example of how never giving up can lead to continuing to work, work, work! Also, Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for a listener looking for life hacks to improve their imperfect process. See Sarah in V/H/S HALLOWEEN coming this October!

Actor/Filmmaker Peter Cilella (RESOLUTION, THE ENDLESS) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope studio to discuss his career journey and the making of his feature directorial debut DESCENDENT (in theaters now as well as SVOD). From his struggles doing various jobs while getting his acting career off the ground… to writing and directing his own short films… to how working with Rustic Films (Benson/Moorhead & Lawson’s production company) “set him up for success” with making his first feature DESCENDENT… to the writing of his deeply personal script during the pandemic… to how the project briefly got derailed for a full year and almost never happened… to how he created instant chemistry between his leads (Ross Marquand and Sarah Bolger)… to working with the Russells on the film’s alien FX and much more! Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for a patient looking to understand how to best support the films and the filmmakers who’s work he enjoys and the boys reveal the final total raised in YORKIETHON IX!

In THE MOVIE CRYPT’s annual Yorkiethon round up Adam recaps the weekend long charity benefit and replays the full interviews with director Chuck Russell (WITCHBOARD, THE MASK, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3) and actress Kate Siegel (HUSH, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, LIFE OF CHUCK). Yorkiethon IX was the most successful Yorkiethon yet with over 50 guests and $42,000.00 raised for Save A Yorkie Rescue! That’s A LOT of dogs who will be saved! Thank you to everyone who watched the 3-day LIVE marathon, thank you to everyone who donated, and thank you to Bloody-Disgusting for sponsoring this year’s event and being such terrific partners with us!

Film editor Glenn Garland (THE DEVIL’S REJECTS, HALLOWEEN 2007, IT: WELCOME TO DERRY, POKER FACE) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope studio to discuss his career journey. From growing up with parents who didn’t understand why he would possibly want to work in the entertainment industry… to finding personal peace and joy in the edit suite as opposed to enduring the chaos of being on-set… to why as an editor it can be easier to separate yourself from the overall production process and just focus on the story being told… to starting out working as a dialogue editor for the late Roger Corman on ultra low budget films (even though he didn’t know anything about cutting dialogue)… to why he has enduring affection for THE FANTASTIC FOUR (1994)… to making the transition from cutting on film to cutting digitally… to how he first wound up working with Rob Zombie on THE DEVIL’S REJECTS and the incredible working relationship they’ve had ever since… to stories from working on RZ’s HALLOWEEN (2007) and HALLOWEEN II (2009)… this is a fantastic conversation that brings you beyond the set and into the dark room where it all comes together.

Filmmaker James DeMonaco (THE PURGE franchise, THIS IS THE NIGHT) joins Adam and Joe to discuss his career journey and the making of his new feature THE HOME (in theaters now). From growing up in Staten Island with no viable connections to the film industry… to teaching himself how to write scripts armed with only a copy of Syd Field’s book SCREENPLAY… to briefly attending NYU film school where he made a friend with a means to securing some financing… to making his first independent film RED which lead to a student Academy Award… to how his script for JACK (co-written with Gary Nadeau) lead to an industry bidding war… to working with cinematic icon Francis Ford Coppola and the brilliant Robin Williams on the project… to writing films like THE NEGOTIATOR, the remake of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 and SKINWALKERS before getting the opportunity to direct his screenplay for LITTLE NEW YORK… to creating the worldwide blockbuster franchise THE PURGE and why he and his producing partner Sébastien K. Lemercier have continued to shaped the franchise through five (soon to be SIX) films… to how visiting family members in elder care facilities lead to the idea for THE HOME… to the casting of SNL alum Pete Davidson and the great John Glover in leading roles of the film… to what it was like shooting a film with a cast of elderly people during the tail end of COVID…to learning that every writer needs a “Mad Hungarian” and tons of other anecdotes he’s learned throughout his career… this honest conversation about the path of becoming a filmmaker is one that every artist can benefit from.

Visionary director Joseph Kahn (DETENTION, BODIED, TORQUE) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope studio to discuss his incredible career journey and the making of his new film ICK (in theaters now). From learning how to speak the language of cinema in the 80’s thanks to Spielberg films and MTV… to how a fake company name and a briefcase led to him becoming one of the greatest music video directors in history working with artists like TAYLOR SWIFT, KORN, MUSE, BRITNEY SPEARS, PUBLIC ENEMY, ROB ZOMBIE, and more… to the trials of making his first feature TORQUE and his creative redemption with DETENTION and BODIED… to how he’s broken down filmmaking into “science” and “language” and his theory of “5th Dimensional edits”… to the making of his new movie ICK and why it’s all still “a struggle”, whether its a Taylor Swift video or his latest feature film… this amazing, no f’s given conversation with one of the signature visual voices in pop-culture has been a long time coming! Don’t miss a minute of YORKIETHON 9 happening THIS coming weekend (July 25th - 27th)! THE MOVIE CRYPT’s 9th annual live marathon to benefit Save A Yorkie Rescue can be watched FREE on www.ariescope.com or www.bloody-disgusting.com!

Filmmakers Aaron B Koontz (SCARE PACKAGE, THE PALE DOOR) and Luke Boyce (REVEALER) join Adam and Joe to discuss their experience show running SyFy’s new series REVIVAL (also available on Peacock). From what it was like adapting Tim Seeley’s epic graphic novel for the small screen… to what it was like shooting Canada for America… to balancing horror, comedy and topical elements that have become almost prophetic these days… to giving the zombie sub-genre a fresh coat of decayed paint… to getting real time reactions to the show while they’re still finishing the last few episodes of the season… this is an amazing conversation that takes you behind the television curtain. Also, Arwen celebrates a huge accomplishment with her Silent Auction for this year’s YORKIETHON (July 25th - 27th) and the group discusses the state of the Seeley comic everyone wants to adapt, HACK/SLASH.

Filmmaker, actress, comedian, and talk show host Aisha Tyler (CRIMINAL MINDS, ARCHER, WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?, AXIS) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope Studio to discuss her career journey. From her start as a stand-up comedian and talk show host… to why certain comedians have been able to survive cancel culture… to the joy of working on WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? and her love and respect for the incredibly talented cast she gets to work with… to how she shot her debut feature AXIS in just 7 days (!) and the big creative swings she took with the project… to the moment she started creating her own path, saying “yes” to new experiences, and pursuing the creative outlets that SHE wanted to pursue… to her desire as an artist to explore human nature and the choices we make no matter what the genre… to her work directing music videos for bands like CLUTCH and SILVERSUN PICKUPS… to the upcoming world premiere of her new film I HOPE WE CAN STILL BE FRIENDS at Ireland’s prestigious Galway Film Fleadh… Aisha is truly a Jack of all trades and this is one of the most enjoyable conversations you’ll hear all year! Also, Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for an author struggling with a proposition from a loved one and the boys announce what this year’s LIVE script reading will be for YORKIETHON IX! Don’t miss a single minute of THE MOVIE CRYPT’s annual live benefit for Save A Yorkie Rescue featuring 3 days of celebrity guest, live film commentaries, music, comedy, Arwen’s Silent Auction and more July 25th - 27th. YORKIETHON IX is FREE to watch and enjoy on www.ariescope.com!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaking collective Dirty Shot Clean (director Max Tzannes, writer David San Miguel and DP/Editor Jacob Souza) join Adam and Joe to discuss their career journey together and the making of their new hilarious/horrific genre bending film FOUND FOOTAGE: THE MAKING OF THE PATTERSON PROJECT (out now in theaters and on VOD). From how the team first met and came together making short form content… to the making of their first found footage project (ET TU) and why that film is actually coming out AFTER their second film (THE PATTERSON PROJECT)… to bringing Radio Silence (SCREAM 2022, READY OR NOT) on board to help shepard the film… to how they fill in each other’s blind spots when making a film together… to how the legendary Bigfoot wound up rearing its head into the story… to working with “Chainsaw” himself and former Movie Crypt guest Dean Cameron (who also produces)… to the art of embracing the chaos and more, FOUND FOOTAGE is both a subversive comment on indie filmmaking and a hilariously scary rollercoaster to boot! Don’t miss YORKIETHON IX streaming LIVE and FREE on www.ariescope.com July 25th-27th! For more information keep listening to THE MOVIE CRYPT.

FULL VERSION. Filmmaker Doug Roos (BAKEMONO) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope studio to discuss his international career journey and shooting his latest film in Japan. From seeing ALIENS at age 6 and falling in love with genre cinema… to his fascination with making his own monsters and starting out with nothing but clear plastic bags and a flashlight… to making his first short film at 12 years old and why 1993’s CARNOSAUR was such an inspiration to him… to making films in China before relocating to Japan where he has been living for the last 7 years… to being told “it’s too expensive to shoot a movie in Japan” and accepting the statement as a challenge… to learning about the dark side of Tokyo from actor friends and conceiving the idea for BAKEMONO… to how he made the incredible creature effects himself on an extremely limited budget and why he chose to tell the story of BAKEMONO in a “non-linear” structure… to why he waited to crowd fund the film until he already had footage to show the world… to the hurdles of promoting his film through his own efforts and positive word of mouth alone, Doug is an inspiration for anyone out there who is tired of waiting for permission and ready to make their own movie happen. Pick up your own Blu-Ray copy of BAKEMONO here: https://www.allpracticalfx.com/ OR get the fully loaded version (special features, more nudity, more gore) here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/new-monster-film-bakemono-no-cgi-horror-movie#/ Don’t miss YORKIETHON IX - The Movie Crypt’s 9th annual LIVE charity event for Save A Yorkie Rescue - happening July 25th - 27th! With non-stop special guests, live film commentaries, a live script reading, “Arwen’s Silent Auction,” and more YORKIETHON is always the podcast event of the year! Watch FREE on ArieScope.com all weekend long!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Sean Byrne (THE LOVED ONES, THE DEVIL’S CANDY) joins Adam and Joe to discuss his career journey and the making of his latest feature DANGEROUS ANIMALS - in theaters now! From his fateful decision to walk away from becoming a lawyer and pursue filmmaking instead… to why he is attracted to stories about humans hunting other humans… to what made him respond to Nick Lepard’s script for DANGEROUS ANIMALS and why it was important to him to not demonize sharks… to why solid preparation and collaboration is the key to making the best film possible… to how he put the incredible cast together for DANGEROUS ANIMALS and how physically difficult making the film was on all involved… to the choice to shoot most of the film on the open ocean and the close call his team had with a real shark during filming… to how he has been able to score such incredible needle drops for each of his films so far… to why making a horror film requires an understanding of how to execute genres far beyond just horror… to where he drew the line on THE DEVIL’S CANDY before the film actually risked becoming TOO dark… to great advice on how to set character’s voices apart in a screenplay and why it’s been 10 years since his last feature, Sean is one of our favorite filmmakers working today and this conversation is just fantastic! Mark your calendars for YORKIETHON IX coming July 25th - 27th! Stay tuned to ArieScope.com and patreon.com/TheMovieCrypt for more details!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Austin Snell (THEY CALL HER DEATH) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope studio to discuss his micro-budget western throwback - now available on Shudder. From the scene in TEMPLE OF DOOM that changed his life… to balancing a day job with making films… to how movies like EVIL DEAD and EL MARIACHI influenced his drive to make a “no-fi flick”… to the role that the pandemic played in pushing him to round up his friends and family and shoot his love letter to Leone, Corbucci, and Fulci on 16mm for a meager budget of $40,000… to his decision to not just write and direct but also produce, DP, edit, and score THEY CALL HER DEATH… to the impression that the film has made at festivals and during its roadshow release across the country… to the art of a good snap zoom… Austin’s story will inspire you to grab a camera, gather up some friends and start shooting immediately!  Don’t miss YORKIETHON IX happening LIVE July 25th - 27th! Stay tuned to ArieScope.com and patreon.com/TheMovieCrypt for more details over the coming weeks!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (CAPTAIN MARVEL, HALF NELSON, SUGAR, IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY, BILLIONS, MASTERS OF THE AIR) join Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss their career journey and the making of their latest film FREAKY TALES. From their fateful meeting during college in NY to the realization that they worked best as a team… to completing film school only to find themselves working as production assistants nowhere near the actual action on set… to the making of HALF NELSON and how the film opened Hollywood’s doors for them… to their experiences directing various television series and the billion dollar success of 2019’s CAPTAIN MARVEL… to the making of FREAKY TALES (available in a special edition “Late Night” release from Lionsgate this week!) and the careful choices they made on everything from the story’s Oakland location, the time period, the fractured timeline, the music, and the detailed set design… to how they cast the amazing (and incredibly in demand) Pedro Pascal and secured a needle drop from the almighty METALLICA for their modestly budgeted film.. to the truth about the “imposter syndrome” almost every director faces and their thoughts on FREAKY TALES theatrical release…Anna and Ryan are two of the busiest and most exciting filmmakers working today! Don’t miss THE MOVIE CRYPT’s 9th annual YORKIETHON coming up July 25th - 27th! A full weekend of LIVE conversations with celebrity guests, live music, live comedy, live film commentaries, a live script reading, Arwen’s Silent Auction, and SO MUCH MORE - all to benefit our friends at Save A Yorkie Rescue and help save dogs that have been abandoned or abused. For more details visit www.Patreon.com/TheMovieCrypt or www.ArieScope.com!

With brand new episodes of THE MOVIE CRYPT dropping every single Monday we know that not everyone can always listen to every single episode. So in case you missed it at the start of this week's new episode (Ep 625), here's the first announcement for our 9th annual YORKIETHON to benefit Save A Yorkie Rescue! Save the dates (July 25th - 27th) and stay tuned for more information coming soon including where to watch the free LIVE marathon, the unveiling of this year's official poster, links for donations and "Arwen's Silent Auction," guest hints, what never produced movie we'll be doing a live script reading of this year, and MORE! Let's save them all in YORKIETHON 9!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou (TALK TO ME, RACKARACKA) join Adam and Joe to discuss their career journey and the making of their latest feature BRING HER BACK - in theaters now! From their early days filming backyard wrestling matches in Australia when they were just 11 years old… to their wildly successful “RackaRacka” Youtube channel which put them on the map… to the horror films they grew up drawing inspiration from and the hurdles they faced getting their directorial feature TALK TO ME off the ground… to the lessons they learned in working with a full crew for the first time… to the runaway success of TALK TO ME which grossed over 90 million worldwide and became A24’s highest grossing film… to their brief attachment to STREET FIGHTER and their decision to prioritize making their own original material… to the making of BRING HER BACK and why working with a cat may have been their biggest on set challenge yet, the Philippou twins are two of the most energetic and exciting voices working today! Also, Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for a filmmaker with post-production questions and YORKIETHON IX officially gets its dates!

Filmmaker Julia Max (THE SURRENDER) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss the making of her debut feature film. From catching the entertainment bug at a young age growing up in a family of industry professionals… to how growing up around film sets prepared her with invaluable insight on how movies are actually made… to setting her sights on acting before pivoting behind the camera as a writer/director… to making the leap from short films to features and finding the inspiration for THE SURRENDER (available on Shudder this weekend 5/23!) through her own painful loss of a family member… to how she scored the perfect location and absolutely mesmerizing cast for her trauma/horror film… to how she carefully orchestrated how and when to incorporate camera movement over the course of the film…  to collaborating with every artist involved in the post-production process and remaining open minded to create the best version of her story… to must-hear advice on why pivoting on your career aspirations can ultimately open a whole new world of personal fulfillment and success… Julia’s journey is one that every aspiring artist can draw inspiration from. Also, “Thundanuts” joins the ArieScope family and the group discusses working with actors who are performing vulnerable nude scenes.

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Daniel DelPurgatorio (MARSHMALLOW, TALES FROM THE BLACK FREIGHTER) joins Adam and Joe to discuss his career journey and the making of his debut feature film. From how stealing one of his Dad’s VHS tapes informed his love for genre cinema… to a chance meeting at Warner Brothers that led to co-directing the WATCHMEN animated film TALES FROM THE BLACK FREIGHTER… to how his experience in animation and visual effects informed his craft in creating a wholly unique horror film like MARSHMALLOW… to the trials of shooting a low budget horror film at night with a cast that was mostly made up of kids (quick answer: NOT EASY!)… to how he built chemistry amongst his young cast… to how they came up with the grassroots marketing campaign used to great effect at festivals… to winning “Best Film” and “Best Director” at Panic Fest 2025 and more! (Warning: There are spoilers near the end…you’ve been warned!)

Filmmaker Eli Craig (CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD, TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL, LITTLE EVIL) joins Adam and Joe to discuss his career journey. From growing up in a Hollywood family and wanting to get as far away from Los Angeles and the film industry as possible… to his adventures climbing mountains and shoveling snow… to making the brief decision to try out life as an actor and the advice Clint Eastwood gave him on set… to going to USC grad school and creating his own film festival to showcase his short film… to the uphill battle he faced getting his 2010 horror/comedy TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL made and why there has yet to be a sequel to the beloved film… to the reality check every filmmaker faces coming off of a run of glowing film festival responses and into the world of “mainstream” critics and distributors who simply can’t afford a proper marketing strategy… to how Adam Cesare’s “Clown in a Cornfield” novel first came onto his radar and how the looming WGA strike almost derailed the project… to how shooting the film in Canada afforded him the luxury of casting exactly who he wanted to cast and elevate stars like Katie Douglas to #1in the cast… Eli is a fellow cinematic traveler who’s story is sure to inspire you! CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD opens in theaters this weekend (May 9th)! Also, Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for an indie filmmaker looking to avoid the dangers of “Hollywood Accounting” and losing creative control of his project, THE MOVIE CRYPT turns 12, and Arwen turns 14!