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Welcome to Horror

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Welcome to Horror is a fortnightly show in which Lee and Adam introduce horror novice Chris to all the delights the genre has to offer. So whether your a seasoned horror fan or someone with a passing interest looking for an entertaining new look on the topic why not join us on our journey. We have such sights to show you.....
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Ep 231 Bubba Ho-Tep

Ep 231 Bubba Ho-Tep

2025-09-1435:40

This week, we’re discussing Don Coscarelli’s “Bubba Ho-Tep”, and usually at this point, we would write a few amusing sentences about the film. But nothing we can come up with beats this premise: Elvis Presley didn’t die and is now stuck in an Old People’s Home in Texas. He teams up with a fellow resident (a black man who claims to be a post-assassination JFK) to fight a soul-sucking Mummy in Cowboy boots. Seen and loved by many at the time of release, now 23 years later, “Bubba Ho-Tep” seems, sadly, overlooked. Despite its horror royalty combination of “Phantasm” creator Coscarelli behind the camera, and a magnificent portrayal of a bitter and forgotten Elvis/delusional Elvis impersonator by Bruce Campbell (in possibly his best role outside of “The Evil Dead”’s Ash), it just doesn’t seem to get mentioned much anymore. Which is a shame; Campbell’s marvellous double act with the impeccable Ossie Davis as JFK give this mondo idea some real humour and heart. Despite the madcap premise, the film is also a reflection on the regrets, sadness and indignities of old age, with Elvis mourning his lost potential, and his body’s decline (in a scatalogically graphic narration). Like its protagonists, this film shouldn’t be forgotten as it ages, but allowed its time to shine forever. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Ep 230 Popcorn

Ep 230 Popcorn

2025-08-3135:39

Get yourself a costume and slap on your face - we’re off to the cinema for 1991’s “Popcorn”. A film in which we learn that reggae bands cannot be stopped by a power cut; your favourite Martian now owns a movie memorabilia shop; and, as always, if Dee Wallace is your mum, shit’s gonna get weird. Made at that curious cusp of 2 decades, this should be standard 80s slasher fare, but it’s knowing references to horror film lore and elevated tone actually predict the direction the genre would take through the 90s. A fractious production with director and lead actor swapped out a few weeks into shooting, this could have been a real mess - the fact it’s as entertaining and coherent as it is is a testament to all involved. With a likeable cast exhibiting genuine camaraderie and some fine spoofing in the films within the film, this is a neglected little treat for the curious. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Ep 229 Happy Ending

Ep 229 Happy Ending

2025-08-0233:57

We present a spoiler free look at director Jennifer Wolfe’s debut feature “Happy Ending”. A couple losing the spark in their relationship seek advice from friends who recommend a trip to a massage parlour with “extras”. An already uneasy and awkward visit for the pair is reflected in the back rooms of the parlour, where the workers are troubled by their situation and the obsessive attentions of a dangerous former customer. Events spiral into an eruption of chaos and violence, drawing everyone into the maelstrom. Whilst that may sound like pure thriller fare, what sets “Happy Ending” apart is that it’s also extremely funny; our two main leads are engaging and realistic, their comfortable but strained partnership brings the laughs as they navigate their way through the tribulations of their relationship, and, latterly, attempt to get out of the deadly situation alive. A big thank you to Jennifer Wolfe for reaching out to us (on recommendation from previous guest, “Bampire” director Zoë Wassman) and giving us the opportunity to view this excellent comedy/thriller. “Happy Ending” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Plex and Fandango ar Home, and we urge you to seek it out!
Welcome To Horror Presents: “The We Have Been Watching Master Plan”. It’s one of our semi-regular rundowns of all the visuals we’ve been spaffing into our eye globes, betwixt our regularly scheduled programming. We discuss “The Devil’s Rejects” (2005); “Sinners” (2025); “Dellamorte Dellamore” (aka “Cemetery Man” 1994); “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” (2016); “The Monkey” (2025); BFI Southbank’s screening of Sophie Sleigh-Johnson’s “Code Damp: Experimenta Mixtape” and some honourable mentions. There should be no need to prep for this ep, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!
Settle in your best (and only) coffin, grab a drink or twelve and join us for “The Comedy of Terrors”. In film in which we hear possibly the only use of the phrase “Toss Pot” outside of the UK; Orangey displays why he was considered one of the finest cactors of his generation; and Osgood Fielding III gives the best scream this side of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. Sadly, this is the last time that Vincent Price and Peter Lorre demonstrated their magnificent comedy double act as part of this amazing ensemble with Joyce Jameson, Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone, all of whom totally embrace the grotesque insanity of their characters and the tale itself. “The Comedy of Terrors” is a real refinement of the dark vein of humour the various cast members had begun exploring with Roger Corman in the Poe adaptations “Tales of Terror” and “The Raven”, but this time, it’s the legendary Jacques Tourneur behind the camera, with an original script from the pen of the great Richard Matheson, both of whom mould this original gem of Gothic Black Comedy. Sadly, “The Comedy of Terrors” failed to perform at the box office, and with Lorre’s death only a few months after release, it closed a chapter on what could have been a far more interesting direction for producers AIP. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Ep 226 The Mummy

Ep 226 The Mummy

2025-06-2234:55

Grab your bandages and have a good sarcophagus - we’re watching Universal’s original 1932 version of “The Mummy”. A film in which Zita Johann attempts to break the record for the number of 6’s you can put on your forehead; Edward Van Sloan returns as Van Helsing… er… plays the entirely new character of Dr Muller; and Jack Pierce bakes Boris Karloff for 8 hours at Gas Mark 5. Having hit gold with their adaptations of Dracula and Frankenstein, Universal decided to add another monster to their roster, and turned to Egypt for inspiration. Returning star Karloff cements his reputation with his baleful portrayal of Imhotep/Ardath Bey, searching for his lost love from beyond the grave. He is ably matched by Zita Johann’s portrayal of Helen and, later, the long dead Anck-es-en-Amon. Makeup maestro Jack P Pierce once again makes a memorable monster, in both his forms. Although this in many ways retreads the story beats of Dracula, it still has its own iconic moments, and it may also surprise new viewers that the shambling figure in bandages they may expect is almost entirely absent. Whilst there are aspects and attitudes of the film that may not sit well with modern sensibilities; it is product of nearly a century ago, and should be taken as such. And as a key film of Universal’s original horror run, it really deserves to be seen. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid 93 year old spoilers and join us.
It’s Poe Time! Join us as we venture out into the daylight and visit “The Tomb of Ligeia”. A film in which Captain Peacock serves the tea, whilst Slartibartfast and Doctor Who’s Nero have dinner; meanwhile Vincent Price auditions as frontman of The Byrds, and attempts to convince us that he could hurt a cat. The last of the Roger Corman / Edgar Allan Poe films finally sees the series move out of the studio for some beautiful location shooting in the English Countryside. A wonderfully distressed and melancholy Price is matched by two excellent performances from Elizabeth Shepherd as both feisty and romantic Rowena, and the foreboding, electrifying will of Ligeia. With support by an excellent cast of familiar British character actors, the film still ties in with the others in the series, with woozy dream (and dream-like) sequences, and the inevitable conflagration of the main setting. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Ep 224 Broken Veil

Ep 224 Broken Veil

2025-05-2538:26

This episode we’re discussing the bang-up-to-date podcast “Broken Veil” from Joel Morris and Will Maclean. Two intrepid podcasters gathering weird stories from friends, find the tales begin to coalesce in the liminal spaces of Essex…. To tell you more would be to ruin this utterly original and intricately written show. With an excellently selected cast and a definite hint of Nigel Kneale to proceedings, it should suffice to say that if you’ve ever spent too long disappearing down esoteric internet rabbit holes, or whiled away sunny days with your nose stuck in The Fortean Times, this show is for you. SERIOUSLY - THIS SHOW IS A DEFINITE RECOMMENDATION FROM ALL OF US, SO PLEASE LISTEN (OR RE-LISTEN) TO THE 6 EPISODES IN FULL BEFORE YOU JOIN US FOR OUR SPOILER HEAVY CHAT.
We’re sticking with under-appreciated Hammer films this episode, and another from 1966 - “The Plague of the Zombies”. A film in which André Morell is such a badass, he stabs a man who is already on fire; the local constabulary are so obliging that they don’t just turn a blind eye to grave robbing: they also help fill in the hole; and Servalan is feeling really rather tired. This was originally released as a double bill with “Dracula: Prince of Darkness”, and while the Count brought the box office clout, “The Plague of the Zombies” is definitely the more exciting and interesting film. Hammer’s only foray into zombie territory wisely transplants the myth’s Haitian origins to Cornwall, thus bringing in an element of British colonialism, which is then married to a comment on capitalist exploitation of the workers, making for a remarkably modern subtext. But the gothic visceral chills are there too, both supernatural and all too horribly human, with a standout dream sequence that really gives these zombies some evocative menace, that may have played into George A Romero’s take on the monsters a mere two years later. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Well sod me sideways; it’s a cheeky bonus episode from Welcome To Horror! Adam and Lee spend time in the kitchen with the magisterial Mr Vincent Price, and take a look at his 1971 Thames TV series “Cooking Price-Wise”. A truly delightful show in which VP demonstrates his culinary prowess, knowledge and love of good food, with a series of delicious treats you can make at home. There’s no spoilers for a cookery show, so you can dive right in, but it’s a definite recommendation for fans of the great man. Stick your apron on, clasp a wooden spoon and join us!
Ep 222 The Witches

Ep 222 The Witches

2025-04-2747:12

It’s Hammer Time, and we’re looking at some of the more under-appreciated output from The Studio That Dripped Blood”; first up it’s 1966’s “The Witches” (aka “The Devil’s Own”). A film in which a headmaster cosplaying as a priest is seen as a harmless quirk; the local butcher puts paid to the adage “laugh and the whole world laughs with you.”; and your choice of drinks is gin, gin or more gin. A box office failure; “The Witches” was not considered a worthy part of Hammer’s horror output, languishing for decades as a mere footnote to both the story of Hammer Films, and the career of star Joan Fontaine. Thankfully, that reputation has shifted with time, as later generations have rediscovered it. The story is a blueprint for folk horror, whilst predating those movies that would come to define the genre and Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale’s subtlety witty script means this feels a lot more fresh and modern than some of the more melodramatic gothic horrors the studio produced, with a set of strong female characters driving the narrative. Whilst some may find the heavily choreographed climatic ceremony comical, if the movie has drawn you in, these sequences can actually be eerily mesmerising. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Welcome To Horror Presents: “The We Have Been Watching Invasion of Earth”. It’s time for our semi-regular round up of all the entertainments we’ve been sticking into our brains for the past few weeks (and no laughing at the word “semi” please, we’re all grown ups). This time round there’s quite an international flavour as we discuss Soviet masterpiece “Viy” (1967); 2 movies from South Korea in modern classic “Train to Busan” (2016) and the “Tucker & Dale…” reimagining “Handsome Guys” (2024); fantastic Norwegian comedy “Troll Hunter” (2010); and the breathtaking 1922 Danish/Swedish silent documentary “Häxan” (and it’s William Burroughs narrated 1968 version, “Witchcraft Through the Ages”). We also cover hit podcast “Broken Veil” (2025), 1982’s “The Slumber Party Massacre”; “Hellboy: The Crooked Man” and “The Book of the Witch” (both 2024). Plus there are honourable mentions for “Battle Beyond the Stars”; and the anthology shows “Tales of Unease” and “Armchair Thriller”. There should be no need to prep for this ep, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!
We’re back in the deep dark woods for 2010 horror comedy “Tucker & Dale Vs Evil”. A film in which we learn the pitfalls of a “fixer-upper” for the first-time buyer; observe the dangers of mixing chainsaws with bees; and you can actively hate the clueless teens (even more so than usual). Based on a simple but hilarious premise; “Tucker & Dale…” manages to sustain it for pretty much the whole of its runtime, with a necessary swing into more familiar horror territory for the last act. The heart of the film lays with its (wonderfully portrayed) titular characters; a refreshingly sweet, honest and hilarious double act, who you cannot help but love and root for as they blunder through an increasingly ludicrous series of coincidences and misunderstandings. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Ep 219 Longlegs

Ep 219 Longlegs

2025-03-1458:27

It’s time to dig out your 70s glam hits and make weird proclamations in your best falsetto as we try on Osgood Perkin’s “Longlegs”. A film in which T.Rex are finally released from the tyranny of “Billy Elliot”; the devil is in the details (usually the corner) and nothing says happy Birthday like a shrieking man putting his balls into your head. Riffing on the 90s idea of the serial killer film - a police procedural dressed up as a horror film - Longlegs takes a horror film and dresses it up a a police procedural, to incredible effect. With a tantalising mythology of its own, which seems to be akin to that in Perkin’s earlier “The Blackcoat’s Daughter”, plus a cast all bringing their A game, this moody and chilling thriller rightly did excellent work at the box office. This success also came through an extremely well-designed promo campaign, and word of mouth that reached far beyond the horror community, meaning this deliberately weird and uncomfortable film is practically mainstream, without any apparent concession to get there. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
EP 218 The Descent

EP 218 The Descent

2025-02-2601:04:01

It’s time to get deep, as we are joined by previous guest Dani, for Neil Marshall’s “The Descent”. A film in which we learn how to give a lemon an orgasm; that spelunking is not an orthodox method of grief counselling; and that there’s always one fucker who won’t stay with the group, even if you tell them to! Marshall’s superb follow up to his debut “Dog Soldiers”, whilst often mentioned by fans and in lists of lesser-known films to see, really deserves to take its place as an acknowledged classic of the genre. The building claustrophobic dread, vicious injuries and the gradual disintegration of the team’s relationship make for a stunning first half, with the emergence of the monsters almost a relief from these all too real horrors. The cast are simply outstanding; and this still, remarkably, remains an outlier as an almost exclusively female-led horror film, 20 years later. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Ep 217 Hausu

Ep 217 Hausu

2025-02-0937:20

It’s time to unleash some absolute mania, as we experience the multiple derangements of Nobuhiko Ôbayashi’s “Hausu” (aka “House”). A film in which we learn the best way to store a watermelon; the worst way to store futons; and that your legs can live to fight another day, even if the rest of you has been devoured. Like a food-colouring fuelled half remembrance of 60s pop group films fused to the most avant-guard of haunted house movies, with disturbing imagery drawn from the director’s young daughter, and nothing but torment and despair for our likeable young protagonists, “Hausu” should not work. However, Ôbayashi’s vision, style and flair make this a joyous dive headlong into a reality that the word surreal barely does justice to. It’s relentless energy and charm make for a real gem, that balances humour with the macabre - the switch halfway through from teen summer break to crazed nightmare barely dents its propulsive fun, meaning that the viewer comes away with a giddy contact high of absurdist joy. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
With the magnificent Horror-on-Sea film festival just gone, we look back on the day we attended (Saturday 18th) and the delights we saw there. As well as the usual amazing atmosphere, we experienced 2 features on our flying visit - “Hell Hole” from directors Toby Poser and John Adams, and the world premiere of anthology sequel “Video Shop Tales of Terror 2: Lust and Revenge”! Full disclosure, Lee and Adam both appear in VSTOT2 (in very blink and you’ll miss ‘em supporting roles), so their view of the film maybe somewhat skewed. We managed to get them out of their star dressing rooms and away from their adoring fans just long enough to also get some insights into the time they spent on set. We also discuss the short films “The Camping Dead” and “Open Your Eyes”. We will aim to remain spoiler free as these are fresh new films, but also suggest you check out all of these works as/when you get the opportunity. No prep needed for this ep - just join us!
Welcome To Horror Presents: “The Casebook of We Have Been Watching”. To kick off the new year, it’s time for another round up of the team’s recent eye-musings. This episode we pay close attention to Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu” (which, at time of recording, Adam and Chris had seen) and the BBC’s latest Ghost Story for Christmas: “Woman of Stone (which, at time of recording, Adam and Lee had seen). We also touch upon Disney’s “The Black Cauldron” (1985); Shudder’s “To Fire You Come At Last” and “Black Cab” (both 2024); “Dr Terrible’s House of Horrible” (2001); the first episode of “Squid Game” series 2; “The Faculty” (1998); “Boys From County Hell” (2020) and animated anthology series “Red Iron Road”. No need to prep for this ep, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!
Ep 214 Ghostbusters II

Ep 214 Ghostbusters II

2024-12-2938:51

Christmas has been and gone, it’s roast dinner farts lingering like slush on the street as we pitch towards New Year’s Eve, and our extended festive holiday in New York draws to an end with “Ghostbusters II”. A film in which Nancy Spungen predicts the end of days; Bill Murray seeks psychiatric help from his own brother; and, once more, New York is portrayed as a festering hotbed of aggression, with a toxic sludge running beneath its streets. Much like the subject of our previous episode - “Ghostbusters II” came too late to ride the seismic wave of popularity the original generated. Unlike “Gremlins 2”, however, it doesn’t particularly offer anything new, with many noting the similar story beats to the first film. Oddly for a tale about negative emotions feeding supernatural events, it’s also softer and less cynical in its outlook, presumably part of efforts to aim it more for the kids who had unexpectedly embraced the original. For those of us young enough, it still holds an affectionate place in our hearts as we finally got more “proper” Ghostbusters, but, as far as the studio was concerned, this failed to catch the lightning a second time, and any further talk of sequels were shelved for nearly thirty years. Whist not a patch on the original, but with interesting moments, good gags, exemplary effects and great additions to an already perfect cast, “Ghostbusters II” doesn’t deserve the poor reputation it’s had over the years. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Ep 213 Gremlins 2

Ep 213 Gremlins 2

2024-12-1539:36

It’s part 3 of our ‘New York’ marathon and we’re in up in the skyscrapers for “Gremlins 2: The New Batch”. A film in which John Glover portrays a thinly veiled Donald Trump in a far more sympathetic light than would be possible these days; Hulk Hogan is revealed to be younger than any of our hosts; and Christopher Lee has already got rabies. The belated sequel to Joe Dante’s original failed to ignite the box office, and seems to have a annoyed many fans of that first film, possibly for the crime of trying to be a bit different, but we find it impossible to not get swept up in the glorious glee with which the titular monsters, and their director, wreak havoc with this movie. Unfettered from the control of his producers, Dante ramps up everything to the point of absurdity, channeling his love of Looney Tunes (including a specially produced Bugs and Daffy intro from the mighty Chuck Jones) with satirical swipes at Corporate culture, the diminishing returns of sequels, and postmodern references to the first film. Packed with cameos and references, this is a non-stop assault, which manages to be both utterly daft and really smart all at once. Watch (re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
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