Welcome to Horror

Welcome To Horror Presents: “The Adventures of We Have Been Watching”. Once again it’s time for the team to spurt forth with their brain translators to inform you of their extra curricular eye feasting. Items explored include “Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me”; Rod Serling’s “The Night Gallery”; Glenn Danzig’s “Death Rider in the House of Vampires”; Cecelia Condit’s creepily surreal short “Possibly in Michigan”; 2018 British Horror Comedy “Book of Monsters”; and Shudder’s “The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time”. No prep needed, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!

In the second half of our Not For Everyone Podcast recommendations, we’re watching another Stephen King adaptation - 2003’s “Dreamcatcher”. A film in which Morgan Freeman’s eyebrows are designed to stop pigeons nesting; Damian Lewis auditions to play the Joker as Hugh Laurie; and Jason Lee just needs to leave those fucking toothpicks where they are! For a film about killer worms that burrow into your arse; “Dreamcatcher” has a remarkably glossy and expensive look, with a cast of big names. Written by King whilst high on painkillers, the story has a lot of similarities with his classic “It”, even down to its fictional location. Somehow though, the film manages to either take itself too seriously or not seriously enough, and may have been improved for amping up the (toilet) humour of the premise. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

As a follow up to our Christmas Crossover with our Kurt Army Cousins, The Not For Everyone Podcast, we decided to take a look at two of the Stephen King adaptations that were mentioned, but unseen by us. First up is George A Romero’s “The Dark Half”; a film in which we learn that pure, undiluted evil must be dressed like Tom Waits; that Henry (Portrait of a Serial Killer) has even less idea of the law when on the other side of a police badge; and that Eleanor Lance escaped from Hill House to become pipe smoker of the year (1993). A faithful adaptation of King’s take on his own outing as the author Richard Bachman, this is a superior slice of 90s horror, reuniting King with Romero, with a superb cast backed up by incredible practical and visual effects that still hold up today. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us

Welcome to Horror bring you another filmmaker interview! Lee sits down with James Hood, writer and director of “Caretaker”, the haunting and enigmatic film that won Best Short Film at this year’s Romford Horror Film Festival. Massive thanks to James for his time, and for giving us the opportunity to view “caretaker”, the episode also comes with a brief spoiler free review from the team as well, and we urge you to seek this film out now! Find James at Instagram: james_w_hood Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/ffeD

Welcome To Horror Episode 192 is a round up of our visit to this year’s Romford Horror Film Festival. We had an excellent time on our first visit to the festival. We got to see two amazing features - “The Pocket Film of Superstitions” and “How To Kill Monsters”, (which went on to win several awards at the festival, including best director and best actress). We give spoiler-free reviews of these features, as well as the shorts “Collection Only” and “Kin”, and talk about the festival as a whole, and some of the lovely people we met there; such as author, actor and podcaster Lauren Jane Barnett, director Tony Mardon and actor Ross Sambridge. This episode is (hopefully) spoiler free, but with (likely) swearing. Join us!

The BAMPIRE Interview Bit of a change this episode; Lee and Adam chat with filmmakers Zoe Wassman and Malachite Saaquya about their movie “Bampire”, which they are in the process of crowdfunding. Bampire is a 90s-set horror comedy, introducing a brand new element to vampire lore - vampires who morph into deer! Combining live action with practical effects and animation - it’s described as “Evil Dead 2” meets “Roger Rabbit”. It has a cast including genre stalwart Diane Franklin, “The Room”’s Greg Sestero and the legendary “Lloyd Kaufman”; animation from Josh Stifter; visual effects by the award winning Trysta Kelley; and Taylor Morden in the director’s chair. Having completed filming, the guys are now looking to raise the funds required for post production. As you will hear, Zoe and Malakhai’s passion and love for this project is infectious, they really want to get this out there, and from what we’ve seen of the amazing footage they have, so do we!Have a listen, and go to bampiremovie.com which will take you straight to their Indiegogo page, there you’ll see a teaser and find out exactly what you can do to help this movie get out there, and pick up some lovely merch too! Support independent film.

Welcome To Horror Presents: “We Have Been Watching And The Monster From Hell”. It’s time, faithful listeners, for the WTH team to have another one of our fireside chats about our inter-schedule viewing, and this time we’re joined by special guest; Lady Jennifer (her motivation: it’s half term and she was bored). This episode we discuss 70s anthology series “Thriller”, 1959’s “Horrors of the Black Museum”, Channel Four’s “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared”, Hammer’s “Scars of Dracula” and “Taste the Blood of Dracula”, 2014’s “It Follows”, 2023’s Ghost Story for Christmas “Lot No. 249” and the brilliant series “Wellington Paranormal” which now has a podcast. No prep needed, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!

We present a spoiler free look at “The Group”, the debut feature of director William Higo. A group meeting for (mostly) recovering addicts is suddenly hijacked by an unknown man, who conducts his own brutal group therapy session, down the barrel of a gun. Secrets are exposed, truths confronted and loyalties are torn and formed as the situation reaches boiling point. A taut thriller set in one location, this film is so much more assuredly cinematic than those restrictions may suggest, and it succeeds in being a tense and intriguing ride. The small cast work wonders with a smart and unflinching script, holding the viewer in their seat for the film’s duration. A big thank you to Will Higo for reaching out to us (via longtime friend of the show Tony Wash) and allowing us to view this excellent thriller. Having wowed at festivals, “The Group” is available in the US, and coming soon in the UK, and we urge you to seek it out! For our US listeners The Group is available on: Indemand Dish Directv Vudu https://www.vudu.com/content/browse/details/The-Group/2716039 Hoopla https://www.hoopladigital.com/movie/the-group-jennifer-aries/16479645 Microsoft link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/the-group/8d6kgwxxkw2f?activetab=pivot%3aoverviewtab Apple link, which should open the app: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-group/umc.cmc.2fopy9nvq50zdk3drpyfze72c

It’s the next film in our Countycide season, and today we go down to the woods for a big surprise, with 2006’s “Severance”, from director Christopher Smith. A film in which the arrival of a gang of brutal, sadistic murderers relieves the true horror of an office team-building weekend; Lord Percy steps in something rather nasty; and Danny Dyer provides niche observational humour for all the ‘shroom heads in the audience. Another under appreciated film from the man who brought us high-seas time twister “Triangle”, “Severance”, despite its once ubiquity in secondhand shop DVD racks, seems to have also fallen out of sight, which is a real shame. It has a strong cast portraying believable, genuinely funny, characters (whether the character knows it or not) evoking perfectly that mismatch of work colleagues thrown together outside of office hours. With a genuinely nasty streak and scenes of gore and murder that would be much more gruelling in a straight narrative, and a lovely playful mixing of perspectives; this film should be rightly remembered and embraced by more fans of the fusion of comedy and horror. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

It’s the new year, so it’s time get some fresh air and take a rejuvenating break in our Countrycide season. First up is 2008’s “The Cottage”, a film in which Pinhead has joined the local neighbourhood watch; Gollum proves to be related to a large number of the inhabitants of Royston Vasey; and Spudgun is a pain in the arse who fucks up everything he touches. The surprise follow up to director Paul Andrew Williams’ gritty debut “London To Brighton”, “The Cottage” came out during that brief flowering of British comedy horror that followed in the wake of “Shaun of the Dead”, and, like a lot of films from that period, appears to have been unjustly forgotten. It starts up as hilarious crime caper with a small group of well realised and brilliantly portrayed characters, only to perform a mid-point rug pull as that story suddenly crashes headlong into a slasher film. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

And we’re back like a vertebrae! Two worlds collide and we present “Welcome To Everyone: We Three Kings”. The Not For Everyone and Welcome To Horror podcasts have teamed up again for what the cool kids are definitely still calling the most ambitious crossover event in history. It’s Christmas; so we bring you “We Three Kings”- where we each choose our top 3 Stephen King adaptations. Between double-thinking each other’s lists and a few participants wilfully ignoring the assignment, this is a truly eclectic selection of the King on screen. A Christmas present from the people who brought you the unique podcast idea of squabbling man children talking about films. Enjoy.

And so we conclude our festive season of ‘Silent Nights’ by going back even further, for the magnificent “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”. A film in which we witness possibly the worst interior design for a psychiatric hospital; the best (and only correct) response to petty local bureaucracy and we all empathise with a man who sleeps for 23 years and still wakes up knackered. If the point of German Expressionism was to emphasise and represent the internal emotional state over a depiction of actual reality - “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” is an absolute blueprint of how to do it. A triumph of ingenuity and flair over budgetary restrictions, “… Caligari” creates its own complete world that immerses the audience. However, this is not mere style over substance, with a convoluted plot featuring many a twist, making for a film that feels fresher and more modern than a lot of what would come after it. A perennial influence to this day, from Tim Burton to Rob Zombie and the Laika animation studio, this unique film may have its homages and imitators; but the original is never diminished, retaining its power over a century later. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid 103 year-old spoilers and join us.

It’s nearly Christmas; so we’re bringing you some ‘Silent Nights’ - first up is 1922’s beautifully sinister “Nosferatu - A Symphony of Horror”. A film in which we learn the very worst way to cut a slice of bread; that nothing looks more confused than a striped hyena in a German forest; and that when your manager finishes every sentence with an insane cackle, it’s probably time to check out your other employment options. This silent occult masterpiece still manages to feel more modern and pacy than a lot of the talkies that followed over the next few decades, and it’s imagery remains burned into the collective unconscious. The first feature-length adaptation of “Dracula”, it offers enough variation from its source material to become a story in its own right - with the spectre of plague and contagion married to the concept of the vampire in a way that chills in the light of our own recent history. It’s Count Orlok is far removed from the suave romantic figure screen Dracula would become; instead being a near folkloric creature from the other side of the forest, and all the more disturbing for it. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid 101 year-old spoilers and join us.

It’s the second film of our “In Space, No One Can Hear You Jump The Shark” double bill, and for those of you who thought “Jason X” was bad; we present “Leprechaun 4: In Space”. A film in which Lieutenant Gruber turns from Davros into a giant spider (no doubt preventing him from fitting into his little tank); Heidi from “Tool Time” literally makes a man’s penis explode; and Warwick Davis finally gets his own Lightsaber. The fourth entry into the “Leprechaun” franchise jets off into outer space but, ironically, mostly fails to land. With an uneven tone, and not all cast and crew apparently in on the joke; this veers from mild amusement to mild bemusement. With primitive CGI disowned by the director, and some surprisingly good make up, this is a movie that will only improve depending on your level of inebriation, and the good company you view it with. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

In space, no one can hear you jump the shark. We turn our attention to a couple of horror franchises that looked to stars for (questionable?) inspiration. First off is 2002’s “Jason X” - a film in which we learn that you’d better enjoy the current season of Ice Hockey as it’s getting banned next year; that those newfangled magnetic nipples are not all they’re cracked up to be; and that David Cronenberg likes them soft. The tenth instalment in the Friday the 13th series sees a complete departure in location, but retains the essential core of a group of extremely stupid and annoying people getting killed in elaborate ways. Whilst this film divided fans, with many considering it the worst of the series, it does at least seem to have been made with a view to rejuvenating a flagging premise, with a tongue-in-cheek attitude, and an awareness of just how ridiculous it all is. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

Welcome To Horror Presents: “The Horror of We Have Been Watching”. Yes, gentle listener, it’s the usual round up of extracurricular viewing by the WTH team. This time around we talk about “Ex Machina”; “The Haunted Mansion” (2023); “Messiah of Evil”; “Children of the Stones”; “Talk to Me”; “Psychoville”; new series “The Fall of the House of Usher” and the book launch for “The Astral Geographic” by Andy Sharp of English Heretic. No prep needed, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!

Go suck a fuck, it’s our episode on “Donnie Darko” (spoilers AND swearing). A film in which we learn the incorrect place to store a Lifeline exercise card; that there’s nothing more beautiful than Drew Barrymore’s cellar door; and that it’s not just Patrick Swayze’s dancing that’s dirty. This brilliantly cast, Halloween-set fantasy stalled at the US box office, did much better when released in the UK a year later; then DVD and word of mouth cemented it as a modern classic. Audiences may have been left scratching their heads, but most came away with a love of this intelligent and complex film, and that felt like a magnificent fuck you to a film industry convinced cinema goers need a steady diet of lowest common denominator crap. A subsequent “Director’s Cut” made the mechanics of the film’s take on time travel much more explicit, whilst also adding some unnecessary padding, but this film transcends its hard sci-fi premise, and can be viewed in the logic of dream or fantasy, always making narrative and emotional sense to the attentive viewer. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

In space, no one can hear Lee complain, but we’re back on Earth, so get ready to hear our discussion on Ridley Scott’s “Alien”. A film in which John Hurt rehearses his guest appearance in “Spaceballs”; Tom Skerritt gives a masterclass in poor management (we’ve all worked for a useless prick); and Ian Holm performs cinema’s first self-bukkake. A fantastic, darkly epic film that perfectly straddles science fiction and horror, perhaps its greatest achievement is the thoroughly believable world (or worlds) it builds, allowing both its cast and the viewer to immerse themselves completely. Our discussion touches upon the sequels, which, whilst gradually conforming to the franchise fatigue of diminishing returns, having such a rich starting mythology to build upon, all throw up some real points of interest (particularly those films that continue Ripley’s story). Our conversation also encompasses the film’s creative origins in Alejandro Jodorowsky’s (tragically) aborted attempt to bring “Dune” to the silver screen. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

Welcome To Horror Presents: “We Have Been Watching Must Be Destroyed”. It’s another of our regular round ups of what the team having been shoving into their brain-faces. This time we discuss “Last Night In Soho”;“The Quatermass Experiment at 70”, The “Fear Street” trilogy; “The Babadook”; “47 Ronin”; “On The Silver Globe”; and “Final Destination”. With shout outs to Joe Watson, Nicholas Tomnay, Leadbelt Art and Doomshire Tapes. No prep needed, bur listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!

Last episode we watched “The Red Shoes”, considered by many to be the masterpiece of directors Powell and Pressburger, by contrast we now turn to the film that practically ended Michael Powell’s career, as we discuss 1960’s “Peeping Tom”. A film in which we learn that a surprise lizard is an excellent substitute for a child’s alarm clock; that even a policeman involved in a serious investigation can become a slave to hot jazz rhythms; and that sometimes cold blooded murder is the only way to stop someone dancing around like a tit. A British counterpart to Hitchcock’s “Psycho” from the same year, “Peeping Tom” was released to near universal condemnation, for both its serial killer plot and portrayal of the seedy underbelly of ‘respectable’ England. It gradually experienced a renaissance; becoming an acknowledged early prototype of the slasher film, as well as taking its rightful place alongside the other jewels in Michael Powell’s crown. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.