The Movie Crypt

PUBLIC VERSION. Screenwriter Ian McDonald (WOMAN OF THE HOUR) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope studio to discuss his career journey and the making of his new feature (WOMAN OF THE HOUR is currently in theaters and available on Netflix). From growing up in Maine as an introvert far removed from the entertainment industry… to going to college for film but pivoting to theater and attending grad school for playwriting… to writing and producing his first feature film SOME FREAKS (2016) independently… to the 8 year journey he has been on with his screenplay for WOMAN OF THE HOUR and the vast amount of research he did on the crimes of real-life serial killer Rodney Alcala… to the extra level of consideration he put into writing a story that’s based on true events and his decision to tell the story in a non-linear fashion… to actress Anna Kendrick stepping into the director’s chair in the 11th hour of pre-production and the terrific creative working relationship they forged making the film… to having to sit out the film’s Toronto premiere due to the WGA strike and why he finds joy in mentoring young aspiring writers… Ian’s career is no “overnight success” which is precisely why it’s so inspiring to hear! Also, Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for an artist suffering from disenchantment, “Victor Crowley” slaughters ABC’s THE GOLDBERGS, and the guys get real about aging.  Watch Adam’s 26th annual ArieScope Halloween short film THE PET SITTER - streaming FREE on ArieScope.com or the ArieScope YouTube channel!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Michael Felker (THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope Studio to discuss his career journey and his directorial debut. From the films of 1999 that injected him with the filmmaking bug… to his experience at FSU and his first few assistant jobs working within the industry… to turning his gig as a “tape logger” for huge studio productions into his own version of film school… to the Production Assistant experience that changed his entire outlook on filmmaking… to his work as an editor on V/H/S VIRAL and his extensive working relationship editing films for friends of THE MOVIE CRYPT Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead (Episode 209) like THE ENDLESS, SYNCHRONIC, and SOMETHING IN THE DIRT… to the process of writing and developing his time traveling mind bender THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT (in theaters now and available On-Demand soon)… and the massive wrench that got thrown into his production at the very start of photography and the extremely creative way that he pivoted to overcome the obstacle… Michael’s story is as technically fascinating as it is inspiring. Also, Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for a filmmaker who’s project suddenly fell apart, the group discusses some of their unexpectedly pivotal moments at the cinema, and Michael shares why diligent pre-production and keeping the scope of a film within your available resources is so important to the success of an indie film.

PUBLIC VERSION. Actress Lauren LaVera (TERRIFIER 2 & 3) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss her career journey and the making of TERRIFIER 3 which opens in US theaters this weekend! From growing up loving Lucille Ball and watching horror films with her family… to the movie that (ironically) made her afraid of clowns… to feeling like a bullied nerd in high school due to her intense focus on her grades… to becoming an optician selling high-end glasses before a family member’s death made her reassess her safe choice of a career and fully go after acting… to why horror conventions played such a pivotal role in making fans aware of the TERRIFIER series and “Art the Clown”… to still suffering from “imposter syndrome” at appearances… to how her 20 years practicing martial arts helped prepare her not only physically but mentally for her role as “Sienna” in the TERRIFIER series… to what a huge difference having a decent budget made on the production process for TERRIFIER 3 and the grossest gore effect that she had to personally be involved with… to the many previous “final girl” characters that she draws inspiration from… to working with Mike Flanagan on his new film LIFE OF CHUCK and the fight she got into with her hotel room shower at Silver Scream Con last month… there’s a good reason why Lauren is currently the reigning champ of scream queens! Also, Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for a filmmaker considering abandoning his dream, Joe and Lauren debate who sweats more on set, and Lauren gives some of the best advice for not giving up that you’ll hear this year. 

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Allan Arkush (ROCK ’N’ ROLL HIGH SCHOOL, DEATHSPORT, CADDYSHACK II, GET CRAZY, HEROES, ALLY MCBEAL, MOONLIGHTING, DAWSON’S CREEK) joins Adam and Joe in the ArieScope studio to discuss his long and incredible career. From his humble beginnings working for the great Roger Corman and the lifelong friendship he formed with Joe Dante (GREMLINS)… to screening movies with the Jerry Garcia… to having a projectionist literally close the curtains in the middle of his test screening for 1978’s DEATHSPORT… to his first major studio directing gig working with the legendary Andy Kaufman on 1981’s HEARTBEEPS… to how his early years working at the Fillmore East lead to his 1983 film GET CRAZY… to making the move into directing television and music videos… to the difficult time he had making CADDYSHACK II… to his prolific success directing episodes of FAME, ST. ELSEWHERE, MOONLIGHTING, ALLY MCBEAL, HEROES, NASHVILLE, and more… Allan candidly shares some of his most amazing stories, triumphs, and struggles over the course of this riveting 2 hour conversation.  Also, the group does their best to provide “Hollywood Therapy” for a filmmaker struggling with self doubt, Adam passes on “Donna” several times, and Allan attends a Christmas party to remember at Mick Jagger’s house!

PUBLIC VERSION. Academy Award winning editor Bob Murawski (ARMY OF DARKNESS, SPIDER-MAN 2, THE FIRST OMEN, HURT LOCKER) joins Adam and Joe to discuss his career journey. From his beginnings in Michigan and the connection that led to him working with Sam Raimi for decades… to how he was able to sneak in a shot from a Lucio Fulci film into one of the most famous superhero movies ever made… to transitioning from film to video editing on ARMY OF DARKNESS… to his crazy stories working with John Woo on HARD TARGET… to editing and completing Orson Welles’ final film… to starting Grindhouse Releasing with the late Sage Stallone… to the nightmare of sorting through 1000’s of hours of footage for HURT LOCKER (which he edited with his wife Chris) and what it was like winning an Oscar….this super-sized episode is filled with geek-tastic anecdotes and plenty of industry advice from a true hero of cinema!  Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for an artist looking for advice on how to stay on track creatively and Bob even gives Joe some notes on SUITABLE FLESH!  Interested in Bob’s Grindhouse Releasing? Check out the official website and ALL of the amazing titles they have to offer at: www.grindhousereleasing.com

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Greg Jardin (IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss his career journey and the making of his debut feature film. From the films that inspired him to become a filmmaker and his FSU film school experience… to how his thesis film lead to him getting representation in Hollywood and what those first few years in LA were actually like for him… to how he had the tenacity to keep moving forward making short form content and promos for almost 10 years while the various feature projects he was excited about stalled out or disappeared… to how he wrote and put together his team for IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE and how he pulled off such an ambitious and confidently directed/edited film with limited time and resources… to the various artistic and technical choices he made that kept such a complicated body swapping story so easy and fun for the audience to follow… to the film’s triumphant Sundance debut that garnered a HUGE Netflix sale heard ‘round the industry… Greg’s incredible story is one that we know you’ll find massively inspiring and IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE (available on Netflix October 4th) will undoubtedly blow you away!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Adam MacDonald (BACKCOUNTRY, PYEWACKET, SLASHER) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss the making of his new feature OUT COME THE WOLVES (in theaters now). From the genesis of the “third wheel” concept and the collaborative development that became the OUT COME THE WOLVES screenplay… to the importance of having three dimensional characters in order to make the thrills actually matter… to how the film’s sound design was crafted and how he used selective focus to create tension and dread… to what it was like meeting the film’s wolves for the first time… to how bringing crew members that he worked with on the TV series SLASHER helped him pull off the film on a mere 16 day shoot… to how he became the voice of “John Carver” in Eli Roth’s THANKSGIVING… Adam takes us deep into the woods and deep behind the scenes of his new survival thriller. Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for a listener who feels like he is watching his kids grow up too fast and the two Adams geek out hard about their experiences working with wolves.

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Austin Peters (SKINCARE - in theaters now) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope Studio to discuss his career journey. From growing up with parents working in the industry and finding his own love for filmmaking… to making low budget music videos for friends’ bands… to where the concept for SKINCARE came from and how the project was put together… to working with an all-star cast (Elizabeth Banks, Nathan Fillion, Lewis Pullman, and more) in his debut feature film… to the challenges of shooting “Hollywood for Hollywood”… to the art of the perfect needle drop and the importance of pre-production… Austin’s debut brings a thrilling and satirical edge to manufactured beauty and the wellness industry in the City of Angels!

Filmmaker Damian Mc Carthy (ODDITY, CAVEAT) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss his career journey and the making of his new feature ODDITY. From the films that scared him and inspired him to become a storyteller of his own… to writing and directing his own short films for the last 2 decades… to how he put together his terrific first feature film (CAVEAT) which had the unfortunate timing of being released right at the height of the global pandemic… to how he buckled down and wrote three new scripts while the rest of the world was shut down and learning how to bake bread or binging TV shows… to how he crafted his screenplay for ODDITY to contain so many genuine scares in a single location setting… to how storyboarding helped him achieve such evocative frames of fear on a tight timeline… to the design of the film’s signature “screaming statue”… to what it was like directing one actor playing two roles… to ODDITY’s triumphant win of the “Midnighter Award” at South By South West… to the film’s theatrical release (it’s in theaters now!)… Damian has crafted a ghastly chiller that hits all the right notes! Also, Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for a writer trying to get their screenplays in front of the right people.

PUBLIC VERSION. Writer, musician, comedian Allie Goertz (MAD MAGAZINE, EVERYTHING’S COMING UP SIMPSONS PODCAST) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope Studio to discuss her career journey and the making of her new album of NINE INCH NAILS covers “Peeled Back” (now available). From singing an original song on “Chat Roulette” about comedians she liked and finding that song suddenly being acknowledged by many of those same comedians… to how she met her co-host and started the EVERYTHING’S COMING UP SIMPSONS PODCAST… to how previous MOVIE CRYPT guest Thomas Lennon (RENO 911) helped push her be considered for the job of editor of MAD MAGAZINE… to how she discovered her love for NINE INCH NAILS and the two year process she went through bringing her album of NIN covers “Peeled Back” to life… to co-directing the music videos that accompany her album… Allie has had one of the most unique career stories we’ve heard yet!  Also - Dr. Arwen provides “Hollywood Therapy” for a writer dealing with a case of the self-doubts, the boys debate their favorite Disney movies, and Allie shares some of her new music!

PUBLIC VERSION. Writer and Director Marcus Dunstan (FEAST, FEAST 2, SAW IV, SAW V, SAW VI, SAW 3D, THE COLLECTOR, THE COLLECTION, THE NEIGHBOR, SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK) makes his triumphant return to THE MOVIE CRYPT to discuss the making of his latest film #AMFAD: ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DEAD (in theaters and available on VOD now). From rolling with the changes that Hollywood has undergone over the last decade and surviving through the pandemic and strikes… to how he got involved with #AMFAD… to how he pulled off the film on such extremely tight resources (the initial production schedule was just 12 days!)… to how he found a way to solve some of the craziest hurdles he faced… to the film’s world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival… to BREAKING NEWS about the status of a new COLLECTOR film which Marcus received just minutes before this recording… to a discussion about which films each of the guys would remake if given the chance (and who they would cast)… to why leaning on fellow filmmakers for support and encouragement is such a pivotal part of staying sane in the business… to everyone’s favorite X-FILES episode and SO much more… this extremely uplifting conversation is just what you need to hear this week and the perfect example why Marcus is one of our favorite people in the known universe.

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay (SO VAM, T-BLOCKERS, SATRANIC PANIC) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss her career journey so far. From the films and TV series that inspired her cinematic expression… to directing a Stephen King dollar baby when she was just 14… to her evolution from shorts to features… to making her first features during the pandemic and the challenges of working with limited resources…  to the making of her latest feature- the forthcoming CARNAGE FOR CHRISTMAS (which she collaborated on with fellow filmmaker and previous MOVIE CRYPT guest Vera Drew of THE PEOPLE’S JOKER fame)… to how her filmmaking helped her through her own personal transition period… at just 19 years old Alice has already made an impressive collection of films and she’s just getting warmed up!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker/actor Ward Roberts (THE NICE GUYS, DUST-UP, WESTWORLD, CHILLERAMA, LITTLE BIG TOP) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope Studio to share his career journey. From growing up in “the carnival capitol of the United States”… to making the decision to leave Indiana and chase his Hollywood dreams… to working on both sides of the screen as both an actor in film & TV and a director (DUST-UP and the Sid Haig-starring LITTLE BIG TOP)… to his memorable turn as the expletive-spewing, ocular-cavity humping older brother in Joe’s CHILLERAMA segment (“Zom-B-Movie”) where he met future collaborators Bear McCreary & Richard Riehle… to the trials of being an actor in Los Angeles… to the 4 years that it took to make his new feature (the iPhone-filmed INVADERS FROM PROXIMA-B which is now available on VOD)… to directing his daughter in a scene-stealing turn… and why he continues to work with long time collaborators like fellow filmmaker Travis Betz (JOSHUA) and casting director Annie Roberts… Ward is one of the family to us. 

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Philippe Mora (THE BEAST WITHIN, MAD DOG MORGAN, HOWLING II: …YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF, HOWLING III, COMMUNION) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope studio to discuss his long and incredible career. Born in France and raised in Australia, Mora’s artistic journey has been so remarkable that you need to hear it to believe it! From being the godson of legendary mime performer Marcel Marceau (also known as “Bip the Clown”)… to becoming roommates with a VERY famous rock star who would wind up helping to finance his first feature film… to hiring an actual crazy person to play a crazy person in his debut feature TROUBLE IN MOLOPOLIS (1969)… to how “steak tartare” helped get him his first American directing gig… to the very famous sci-fi costumes that mistakenly showed up on the set of HOWLING II and wound up being used in the film… Mora’s story is one of the most fascinating, hilarious, and inspiring that we’ve heard in over 11 years of this weekly podcast so far. You’re going to absolutely LOVE this conversation!

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Ariel Vida (TRIM SEASON, VIDE NOIR) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope Studio to discuss her career journey. From seeing Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy as a 10 year old child and realizing she wanted to become a filmmaker… to starting out as a Production Designer right out of school and designing more productions than she can count from commercials, short films, music videos, and feature films like THE ENDLESS, SOMETHING IN THE DIRT, SYNCHRONIC, and V/H/S/85… to stepping into the director’s chair on various shorts and music videos before helming her feature film VIDE NOIR and TRIM SEASON (out now!)… to the challenges of being an in-demand working Production Designer while trying to focus on her own films… to picking the perfect location for TRIM SEASON and the challenges she faced on the shoot… to what it was like to have her own film recently playing opposite a LORD OF THE RINGS screening… Ariel’s path has been as unique as the stories she is telling.