Celluloid Fever Dreams

Winslow Leach is a young man who wants to create heavenly music, even if he has to descend to the depths of hell to do it.

Brian DePalma's (Scarface) Glam Rock reinterpretation of the Phantom of the Opera is a perfect encapsulation of 70s musical culture in all it's campy, stylized glory. In this episode we'll discuss the film, as well as the cultural influences that play into it's story. Despite being a box office, and critical failure Phantom of the Paradise has over the years developed a cult following and had a much bigger impact on the film and music industry than anyone could have imagined.

Host Wyndham Jennings will tell you about the struggles to get it released, and why this early DePalma work should be considered one of the most important films of the 70s before discussing some of the trends it helped predict.

Other films mentioned in this episode: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Suspiria, Carrie, The Black Dahlia, Smokey and the Bandit, Used Cars, Rocky

Continuing Season 3 after a hiatus with the John Cusack action comedy Grosse Pointe Blank. A film that dares to ask what's scarier, fighting for your life against international hitman trying to steal your contract or going to your high school reunion to face the girl you stood up at prom? Host Wyndham Jennings discusses whether John Cusack should be in action movies. Why didn't Minnie Driver become a bigger star? Is there anyone better suited to playing a lecherous Douchecanoe than Jeremy Piven? and Why don't films have soundtracks like this anymore? Discover the answers only on Celluloid Fever Dreams!

Other Films Mentioned: Mother, Jugs, and Speed. Phantom of the Paradise, Miami Blues, My Bodyguard, Ella Enchanted, and Doctor Detroit

A mix of Dirty Harry and Robocop with gratuitous nudity, over the top violence, criminal furries, and demonic gun running nuns? And it was written by the creator of Ben 10 and directed by one of the founding members of Slipknot? Why is this film not a cult classic already? This week Wyndham patrols the mean streets with Officer Downe, the LAPD's secret weapon in the war on crime. Thanks to dark science he's stronger, faster and tougher than anyone else on the force, and if he does get taken out? They'll just bring him back. He'll rest in peace when the streets are finally clean of crime.

Other films mentioned in the episode: Bubba Ho-Tep, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Big Fish, Boss Level, The Hunt, Must Love Dogs

We're back! (The podcast, not that horrible animated dinosaur film.) To kick off Season 3 host Wyndham Jennings dives into the 1998 Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon comedy Pleasantville. The story of 2 modern teens trapped in a 1950s sitcom who wind up changing it forever and learn something about themselves along the way. Learn a little history about toilets in television shows. Find out why Don Knotts is a perfect example of stunt casting. See how a fun film from the 90s would be a political and cultural lightning rod today. Celebrate the return of someone's favorite podcast from a lengthy hiatus and download Celluloid Fever Dreams today!

Other films mentioned in the episode: The Shakiest Gun in the West, Freeway, Seabiscuit, Mystery Men, Face Off, Sling Blade, Dumb and Dumber

Quick update on the podcast, and what's been going on for the past two months. It's a bit rambly, and chaotic but I'm getting divorced AND buying a house simultaneously so I'm a little frazzled. Until I can get in somewhere permanent I'm going to post these minisodes that will help me get back into podcasting again, and maybe cover some stuff that I can't touch on the regular episodes.

This week I lay out all 5 (6? 7?) different timelines that make up the Halloween(1979) franchise, and what movies you should watch in which order to see each one through. I also talk about other franchises and films that have played with alternate timelines, or Multiverse style settings. Spoiler: Gwyneth Paltrow has been in one that wasn't the MCU. So, listen to me butcher a famous quote and get this week's winning lottery numbers, for some alternate timeline out there not this one with Celluloid Fever Dreams!

It's a movie! It's a European capital! It's a psychological syndrome! Ethan Hawke(Gattaca) plays a bank robber who takes Noomi Rapace(Lamb) hostage in this 2018 heist comedy. Based on the actual events from 1973 the hostages eventually take the side of the robbers versus the police, which leads to the coining of the phrase Stockholm Syndrome to explain the psychology behind it. Host Wyndham Jennings will talk about the actual robbery, other cases of Stockholm syndrome, Steve McQueen's Mustang, and why films based on true stories should have a "Where Are They Now?" segment at the end.

Other films to check out: Shimmer Lake, Dog Day Afternoon, The Town, Trapped in Paradise, Queenpins, Have a Nice Day, Eat Your Bones, Bullit, Vanishing Point, Badlands

It's a Musical-Comedy Film, based on a Broadway Musical, based on the actual Chicken Ranch that inspired a song by ZZ Top! It's chickens all the way down! Combining the biggest Country star of the 80s with the biggest leading man of the 80s leads to one of the biggest musicals of the decade. Dolly Parton(Steel Magnolias) plays the madam of The Chicken Ranch, a brothel just outside of a small Texas town. Burt Reynolds(Stroker Ace) plays the sheriff who turns a blind eye to the goings on at the Ranch as long as they don't start trouble. Dom DeLuise(Twelve Chairs) plays the crusading reporter determined to save Texas from the sin of prostitution, despite no one wanting him to. Filled with songs, laughs, and some sexy times it's hard to believe one of the most successful films of the time has been all but forgotten today.

Wyndham Jennings takes a dive into the real history of the Chicken Ranch, the film's surprise connections to 2 horror classics, and why Reynolds and DeLuise were one of the best comedy duos of all time in the latest episode of Celluloid Fever Dreams

Other Films to Watch: 9 to 5, Hooper, Silent Movie, Dog Day Afternoon, Best Friends, Sharky's Machine, City Heat, Spaceballs

Sylvester Stallone (Demolition Man, Rocky) is an action star with a long list of successful films. So imagine everyone's surprise when he teamed up with John Landis (Blues Brothers, Coming to America) for a screwball comedy about a Prohibition Era gangster trying to go straight. Based on the French play by Claude Mangier, already made into a film back in 1967, Stallone must contend with rival gangsters, a rebellious daughter (Marisa Tomei in one of her earliest roles), and henchmen who would rather go to jail than do the dishes. Top loaded by a cast of great character actors, and a couple of genuine legends, this is an often overlooked piece of Stallone's filmography. Host Wyndham Jennings dives into the film's history, its influences, and the disaster that almost prevented it from being made before answering The Most Important Question of All! Is it entertaining?

Other films to watch: Clue, Stir Crazy, Raising Arizona, The Jerk, Death at a Funeral, Real Genius, Hot Fuzz, 1941

A Heavy Metal, Horror-Comedy from New Zealand that finds two teens having to stop a demon they accidentally summoned by playing the ultimate metal song from bringing about the end of the world. Lots of blood, gore, and killer music to enjoy. A film in the tradition of Bad Taste and Dead Alive that manages to balance several genres and still sneak in a bunch of Easter Eggs for metal fans. Join Wyndham Jennings as he tells the story of the film from contest entry through being renamed so Wal-Mart would sell the DVD.

Other films to enjoy alongside this one: Phantom of the Paradise, Black Sheep(Not the Chris Farley one.), Housebound, Trick or Treat, Dead Alive, Meet the Feebles, Repo The Genetic Opera

Murder! Genetic Monstrosities! Adultery! Chickens! No, seriously lots of chickens. More chickens per minute than any other giallo in history. Anna's husband has a strange hobby, murdering prostitutes in a roadside hotel. She doesn't notice because she's too busy trying to breed the world's first boneless chicken. Her cousin, and secretary, Gabrielle decides she wants Anna's chicken farm and conspires to kill her and frame Marco for it by dressing the corpse as a prostitute. From director Giulio Questi (Django Kill...If You Live Shoot!) comes one of the weirdest giallo films of all time. Surreal, dreamlike, and self indulgent in the way only films from this era can be it remains a beautiful, discordant experience, but is it entertaining? Host Wyndham Jennings explores the film, and the lasting influences of this genre of Italian cinema in another episode of Celluloid Fever Dreams!

Other Films to check out: Django Kill...If You Live Shoot!, Arcana, The Girl Who Knew Too Much, A Bay of Blood, All The Colors of The Dark, The Psychic, Eye in the Labyrinth, A Lizard in Woman's Skin

Caleb Cotton gets more than he bargained for when a little bite on the neck gives him a fatal allergy to the sun. Forced to join an undead band of criminals as they leave a trail of crashed vehicles, burned out buildings, and broken bodies across the American Southwest, Caleb struggles to retain his humanity. Told he must kill within one week or the group will end his newfound immortality themselves, he must decide between an eternity of hedonistic carnage or a mortal life. The night, comes at a price in Katheryn Bigelow's Western Horror, Near Dark.

Join Wyndham Jennings for a look at the film, its stars, and the evolution of vampires in film in this week's Celluloid Fever Dreams.

Other films to check out: Curse of the Undead, Ganja and Hess, Martin, Pale Rider, The Valley of Gwangi, John Carpenter's Vampires, From Dusk til Dawn, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Dead Man, Silent Tongue

After the death of Josef Stalin the members of his committee plot and scheme to hold on to their positions, win the heart of the Soviet people, and most importantly survive the transition of power. This dark, satirical comedy from Armando Iannucci (Veep, In the Loop) draws some of it's most absurd elements from the historical record. Join Wyndham Jennings on a stroll through the Cold War era and a hysterical look at how power corrupts in this week's episode of Celluloid Fever Dreams. Do it, or be sent to Siberia!

Other Films Mentioned: Near Dark, Fargo, Jabberwocky, Black Widow, Mindhorn, Reign of Fire,

A satire of pop culture at the turn of the 21st century Josie and the Pussycats flopped hard at the theaters upon it's release. (But the soundtrack went gold!) Host Wyndham Jennings walks you through the surprising origins of the title characters, the impact they had on pop culture, and the troubled development of the film. He then attempts to figure out how a great cast, witty script, and pitch perfect soundtrack failed to blow up at the box office, and why it's started surging back as a cult classic in the last few years. So join Celluloid Fever Dreams for a stroll to the time of TRL, Boy Bands, and Grrrl Power with Josie and The Pussycats, and remember: DuJour means Happiness.

Other films mentioned: The House of Yes, Van Wilder, He Got Game, Galaxy Quest, Splinter, She's All That

Office Space meets Battle Royale in this James Gunn(Slither) and Greg McClean(Wolf Creek) action/horror. The employees of Belko industries find themselves locked inside their office building while a voice over the P.A. informs them they must kill 2 employees in the next two hours or the company will detonate the bombs implanted in their skulls and kill 4 employees. as the day goes on and the demands for more deaths continue the whole building devolves into a free-for-all with everyone determined to be the final one standing. Why is this happening? Who is behind it? Will they really let anyone survive with the knowledge of what happened? Join host Wyndham Jennings for another dive into the world of underappreciated film as he breaks down the highs and lows of The Belko Experiment

Films mentioned in the episode: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Mayhem, Exam, The Specials, Be Kind Rewind

Another dollar movie find 2014's The Dead Lands follows Hongi, the last survivor of his tribe, as he chases Wirepa, the warrior who lead the massacre across the titular place. The lands are said to be haunted by a demon warrior who devours everyone who enters. Can Wirepa escape both Hongi and The Warrior? Can Hongi convince The Warrior to join him? What terrible secret does The Warrior carry with him?

A story of pre-colonial Maori told entirely in Te Reo, The Dead Lands is a fantasy film that shows how honor, family, and glory shape three different warriors lives. Host Wyndham Jennings discusses this brutal, and complex, coming of age story about revenge, glory, and the price of both. 

We're back! This week it's the unromantic comedy Eagle Vs Shark. The first feature film from Taika Waititi, follows Lily, a introvert who's life has hit a dead end and Jared, an absurdly overconfident loser as they fall in love. A darkly comic tale with a warm heart that takes a look at being in love when it's not really a good time to be in love and they're probably not someone you should be in love with anyway. 

Seconds is about Arthur Hamilton, a man who is given a second chance at life by The Company. Reborn through surgery, and outfitted with a new name, occupation, and purpose as Tony Wilson. But is it what Arthur really wants? Was his old life really that bad? Is there a way for him to go back? Rock Hudson, and Salome Jens star in this sci-fi thriller about identity, desires, and the truth of self. Directed by John Frankenheimer, and considered the last part of his Paranoia Trilogy, Seconds is a surreal, paranoid trip into modern society. Join host Wyndham Jennings as he dives into the film's history, surprising connections to McCarthyism, and tries to unravel why it failed with critics and audiences upon it's initial release.

This dark comedy adventure follows Ivan Dragomilof and Sonya Winter as they travel across Europe, avoiding assassins and trying to prevent the outbreak of WWI. Starring Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg, and Telly Savalas. One of many films made in the 60s that revisited Edwardian times, how does it hold up today? Host Wyndham Jennings will give his answer as well as talk about the novel that inspired the film. He'll also dive into the idea of the ethical assassin, and how no one in this film could be called the good guy.

Other films mentioned in the episode: The Man Who Haunted Himself, The Curse of the Werewolf, The Great Muppet Caper, Kelly's Heroes, Dr Phibes Rises Again, Clueless

This week we talk about the based on a true story, kinda, but not film Kumiko the Treasure Hunter. Rinko Kikuchi anchors this film based on a Japanese office worker who flies to America in search of a lost treasure she's convinced she knows the location of. Simultaneously tragic and uplifting, with a dark humor this is a movie that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Host Wyndham Jennings talks about the movie, the homages it makes to Fargo(1996) and the sad story that inspired it, along with the unfortunate misunderstanding that spun it into an urban legend.

This week we travel back to the 80s for a pair of Horror-Comedies made by the team behind Friday the 13th. House sees writer Roger Cobb dealing with metaphorical, and literal, ghosts from his experiences in the Vietnam War while trying to solve the mystery behind his son's disappearance. Then we head across the street for House II, which has a young man inheriting his Great-Great Grandpa's house complete with Mayan warriors, puppy-caterpillar hybrids, pterodactyls, and his zombified Great-Great Grandpa! Can he retrieve a mystic crystal skull and get justice for his murdered parents? Who knows?

Join host Wyndham Jennings as he talks about the making of the films, the way they reflect America's changing look at the after effects of war on soldiers, and the mystery of Bill Maher's success on a new episode of Celluloid Fever Dreams!

Films mentioned in this episode: Carrie, Toy Story, Problem Child, Prisoners of the Lost Universe, Gung Ho, But I'm a Cheerleader

We're back with the 80s classic The Secret of NIMH. The first feature from Don Bluth Studios(An American Tail, All Dogs Go To Heaven) it's the story of Mrs Brisby, a field mouse who must move her home before the farmer's tractor destroys it with the spring plowing. Her quest to save her family will lead her into uncovering her dead husband's secret past, and straight into the escaped lab rats from the mysterious NIMH. Full of dark beauty, betrayal, magic, murder, and sword fights it's hard to believe this got a G rating. Host Wyndham Jennings breaks down the story behind the film, the obstacles Bluth and company faced in getting it made and the continuing impact the film has on animation and pop culture today. So sit back and rediscover this almost forgotten masterpiece that dared to challenge Disney's monopoly on animated features, The Secret of NIMH.

It's taken a while but we finally dive into the John Waters filmography with his first studio film, Polyester(1981). Starring Divine as Francine Fishpaw, a poor housewife who's life is in a downward spiral, and 50s heartthrob Tab Hunter as Todd Tomorrow, the man who sweeps her off her feet. This is Water's first attempt at an almost mainstream film. Discover the film's influences, the effects it had on Hunter's career, and more in this episode of Celluloid Fever Dreams

Films mentioned in the episode: Lust in the Dust, The Scent of Mystery, Grease 2, The Cockettes, Written on the Wind, and The Tingler

Imagine a fighting tournament of the world's most dangerous monsters. Wolfman versus Zombie! Frankenstein's Monster versus Dracula's Daughter! Cyclops versus...Wait, Cyclops?!?! Who invited him? This isn't Krull! Anyway, quit imagining it and check out Monster Brawl, this week's film. With tongue firmly in cheek this independent, Canadian, Horror/Comedy is a blend of Mortal Kombat and the WWE. But it must still face the Ultimate Question! Was it Entertaining?

Other films mentioned in the episode: Pumpkinhead, Repo Men, Black Christmas, Porky's, A Bug's Life, Blast From the Past

Mini-sode about the only Christmas film worth watching this year! (Besides Love Actually, and A Christmas Story) Rare Exports follows a father and son trying to survive in rural Lapland, Finland when an American company digs up the original Santa Claus. Unlike the jolly, old, elf we all grew up with this horned being and his army of dwarves round up bad children and devour them. Can Pietari and his dad rescue the children and stop Santa before he becomes a threat to the whole world? Host Wyndham Jennings discusses the film, the two shorts that inspired the story and the legend it's based on in an episode Yule love!

Wyndham takes a look at the dark comedy Corporate Animals this week. Starring Demi Moore, Karan Soni, and Jessica Williams, it's about a group of co-workers on a team building exercise that get trapped in a cave in. Secrets are revealed, relationships are destroyed, and not everyone makes it out alive. Does the film live up to the promise of it's trailer? Is this another cringe humor masterpiece from Sam Bain(Peep Show)? Most importantly of all, Is It Entertaining? 

Films mentioned:Deadpool, Booksmart, Cedar Rapids, Cooties, Gremlins 2

This week is an Academy award winning film, Birdman, and no it's not about the Hanna Barbera/Adult Swim character. Michael Keaton plays an actor trying to regain respect and relevance by staging a Broadway play. But he's haunted by the superhero role that brought him to the heights of fame over twenty years ago, and overwhelmed by the stress of rehearsals, previews, combative co-stars, a failing relationship, and a daughter struggling with life fresh out of rehab. Can he pull it off, or will a vengeful critic destroy the play on opening night? Wyndham Jennings soars into the production of the film, pointing out the weird parallels between the cast and their characters, and what the camerawork adds to the film's story.   Along the way he'll also discuss Magical Realism and One Shot films.

Other films mentioned in the episode: Johnny Dangerously, Tank Girl,  Don Verdean, The Death of Stalin, Mindhorn, Dinner for Schmucks

We're back!(Is an awful movie. Don't torture your kids with it.) But also CFD is back with Season Two and it's kicking off with my favorite film of all time, The Blues Brothers. I'll dive into the origin of the band, the troubles the production faced, and the absolute legends they managed to talk into appearing in the film. This is one of the greatest comedies of all time, and a must watch in my opinion. So join me for a brand new season and let me explain why letting the Illinois Nazi's drive Ford Pintos is one of the best jokes in cinema.

Oh, and check out The Witchery Podcast for a more in depth look at John Landis and the accident on the set of The Twilight Zone.

It's a Clint Eastwood Western...musical? 1850 California sees a mining camp of 400 men spring up around a gold strike. Ben Rumson(Lee Marvin) and Pardner(Clint Eastwood) work a claim together. Things take a turn when a passing Mormon sells his least favorite wife to Ben who is convinced every man in the camp wants her. Pardner reveals his feelings for Ben's wife Elizabeth(Jean Seberg) and so the three of them decide to live together in marriage. Based, loosely, on the 1951 musical of the same name.

Join host Wyndham Jennings as he dives into the production of the film and the problems they faced in bringing it to the screen. A meddling producer, a skyrocketing budget, fights, strikes, bad weather and more are covered in this episode along with a special look at the FBI's attempts to destroy the career and life of Jean Seberg. So sit down and learn about another film that deserves a second chance with Celluloid Fever Dreams.

Films mentioned in the episode: Camelot, The Dirty Dozen, Breathless, The Creature Walks, The Wild Bunch, The Blues Brothers

A parody/homage to grindhouse films of the 70s, Voodoo Apocalypse features everything you need! A cop seeking revenge for his partner's death! Kung Fu! Voodoo! Lucha Libre! The Mafia! A rock song that turns people into zombies! And did we mention the whole thing was shot in Spain? But don't worry, it's all in English... except for the Kung Fu master, and the part set in Mexico... and the Italian-American family of one of the cops. So it's 80% in English but 100% in insanity. Another Dollar Bin Movie Find, but was it worth the money? Join Wyndham Jennings for another dive to the bottom of film culture for a forgotten film as he tries to answer the Most Important Question of All: Was it Entertaining?

Be sure to check out all the other films mentioned in this episode as well: Sugar Hill(1974), Casa de Mi Padre(2012), Sukiyaki Western Django(2007), Black Dynamite(2009), and Paint Your Wagon(1969)

How did a cartoon that only lasted 17 episodes in 1967 become one of the biggest films of 1997? Did it have anything to do with Brendan Fraser running around in nothing more than a loincloth? Is this a lost classic, or just a film best forgotten? Join Wyndham Jennings for a look at the absurd, campy, and ridiculous George of the Jungle and discover the impact the film had on pop culture, as well as some theories on why it became a sleeper hit. As always we'll then pose the Ultimate Question, Is it entertaining?

Skirting dangerously close to serious film podcasting again with Inhuman Kiss(2019). Set in Thailand in the 1940s, young Sai finds herself in a love triangle with two of her childhood friends, while trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. On top of that, she's been cursed to transform every night into a Krasue, roaming the village to feast on the local livestock and terrorize her neighbors. A horror/romance that balances multiple storylines, both paranormal and universal, Inhuman Kiss was Thailand's official submission for consideration to the Academy Awards, but is it entertaining? Host Wyndham Jennings talks about the film, its folklore inspirations, and more in this week's episode of Celluloid Fever dreams!

Continuing the Horror theme with this zombie/body horror film from 2008. Two couples trapped in a gas station in the middle of nowhere must survive the night against a fungus that takes over your body and consumes you from the inside while controlling you to infect others. It's a tense, creepy roller coaster of a film that squeezes everything out of it's premise, setting, and budget. Join host Wyndham Jennings as he dissects this under appreciated indie horror and answers The Most Important Question in Film! Is it entertaining?

Comedy legend Eddie Murphy and Horror Legend Wes Craven team up for this 1995 vampire film! So why didn't it do better at the box office?Murphy, in his only villainous role, plays Maximillian a Caribbean vampire who comes to New York in search of a bride to stop his death at the next full moon. Angela Bassett plays the NYPD detective investigating the murders Maximillian commits, and may be the one he's searching for. Host Wyndham Jennings takes a look at the film, its production, the stars involved, and the lasting impact this film had on the careers of Murphy and Craven. So find a seat and join him on another dive into an under appreciated film on Celluloid Fever Dreams.

What do Angela Bassett, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Billy Zane have in common? Tiny, fur covered, voracious aliens trying to devour them. This week we're talking about Critters, the franchise that launched some of Hollywood's biggest stars, writers, and directors. Seen by many as a Gremlins(1984) ripoff, host Wyndham Jennings traces the links between these films, E.T., an unproduced Spielberg script, and an actual UFO case in Kentucky. They say a franchise is out of ideas when it goes into space, but what about a franchise that starts there instead? We go through all 4 films and try to answer The Most Important Question of All, Is it entertaining?

The age old tale of a man who gets murdered in a formerly Communist nation, only to wake up with another murdered man's brain grafted onto his! Now they must work together to solve their murders before the medical miracle that saved them fails, and they die for good. Oh, and the wife of one of them gets murdered as well, and goes on a rampage after having her brain put into a robot body. Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead) wrote, directed, and starred in this Syfy channel film, an homage, and send up of the B-movies that make up the bulk of his career. Wyndham Jennings dives into the film and tries to answer The Most Important Question To Ask: Is it Entertaining?

Have you ever woke up and thought:

A. I need a film that makes me think I'm on drugs.

B. I need a film to watch while tripping on something.

C. I need more naked William Hurt in my life.

Congratulations! Have we got a film for you! Altered States tells the story of Eddie Jessup, who searches for the origin of humanity and consciousness through a combination of hallucinogens and sensory deprivation. Things start to spiral out of control when his hallucinations begin to change him physically and leak into the real world, threatening those he loves, and himself. This week host Wyndham Jennings breaks down this body horror/surrealist nightmare of a film while discussing the real world inspirations behind the story, and the behind the scenes drama that threatened to derail it's production. 

Blazing Saddles is often cited as a film that couldn't get made today, but truthfully it almost didn't get made then. Wyndham Jennings takes a dive into one of the funniest movies ever made, detailing the inspiration behind the film, the obstacles it overcame, and the records it set. He also discusses what other films he's watched between episodes, and teases his first guest appearance on another podcast, Men Talking Movies. 

Men Talking Movies: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nPQEgoVg0L8w7VFFEGXHu?si=57496dfc295f4138

Taking a look at the not-a-werewolf film Wolfen this week. Following the death of a prominent real estate developer and his wife a New York City cop and a criminal psychiatrist discover a pack of wolves preying on the city. With near human levels of intelligence, and senses far sharper than ours, what chance do our heroes stand against these pack hunters?

Join host Wyndham Jennings as he talks about the film, the book it's based on, the dystopian landscape of 70s New York City, and more. Does the film's ecological sentiment's still hold up? Are the wolves an effective monster? Did anyone really think that ending through before they shot it? How is there a 4 hour cut of this film?

So join Wyndham on another dive into cinema history as he makes the case for why this film deserves a second chance, or not, before answering "The Most Important Question Of All!" Was it entertaining?

Steve Martin is Dr. Hfuhruhur (It's pronounced just like it's spelled.) a world famous brain surgeon and inventor of the Screw Top Zip Lock brain surgery. After accidently hitting a woman, played by Kathleen Turner, and saving her life with his radical surgical techniques, Dr. Hfuhruhur falls in love with her. Married life doesn't agree with him, as she's a femme fatale with a string of dead husbands and he's next. Enter Ann Uumellmahaye, who's a perfect match for the Doctor, but with one small setback. She's a brain in a jar. What will he do? On the one hand is a wife with the perfect body and on the other is a jar containing the perfect mind. Can Dr. Hfuhruhur figure out a way to have both?

Besides the film this episode host Wyndham Jennings discusses upcoming films he wants to see, other movies he watched this week, and delves into the history of the Brain in A Jar Trope and the real life events that inspired it. So come in, sit down, and let him convince you to try this film out. You never know, the film you haven't heard of, may become your new favorite.

This week is all about one of my all-time favorite films, The Family Fang. I talk about performance art, Jackass, YouTube, Jay-Z and more related to this dark comedy about a dysfunctional family of artists and the fallout from the parent's disappearance. Are they dead? Is this just a new "piece"? That mystery, and the relationship between siblings Child A(Nicole Kidman) and Child B(Jason Bateman) form the heart of this film. Join Wyndham Jennings for another look at an underappreciated film and find out the answer to the Ultimate Question: Is It Entertaining?

The last film in our Dollar Bin movie series! (There was one more but the disc was scratched.) The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is our first Terry Gilliam film, and I can't believe it took this long to talk about him. Coming off the failure to finish his Don Quixote adaptation Terry Gilliam spins a modern fairy tale about an immortal storyteller who has three days to get out of a deal with the Devil, or lose his daughter forever. The arrival of a dark stranger could be the advantage he needs, or the final nail that damns them all forever. Host Wyndham Jennings talks about the inspirations behind the film, the troubled production, and the unbelievable idea to recast Heath Ledger's final role with THREE separate actors. Then we answer the Most Important Question of All... Was It Entertaining?

So join us for another walk through the weird, wild, wacky, wonderful world of overlooked and underappreciated movies with Celluloid Fever Dreams

Continuing Dollar Movie Finds with this British Crime caper starring Sam Rockwell. A London lawyer hires two American criminals to help pull a job for a British gangster. When it doesn't go as planned she enlists them to get revenge on the man instead by stealing a priceless gem from under his nose. Join host Wyndham Jennings on a walk through the ups, downs, and double crosses of this film. He dives into the cast, production, and more, discussing what works, and what doesn't in this off kilter gangster pic. Does it work as a comedy? Does it work as a crime film? Is there a reason to have four members of your criminal gang when one of them possesses all the necessary skills? Does anyone really understand Cockney Rhyming Slang? All this and more is answered in this episode.

Continuing the Dollar Movie Finds with Rehearsal For Murder(1982), an early television movie role for Jeff Goldblum, about a playwright who gathers people together for a readthrough of his latest work. They soon discover his real motivation is trying to discover which one of them killed his fiancé last year.

And because there wasn't a whole lot to say about that film you get a bonus movie this week, Dead and Buried(1981). Everyone who passes through a small Maine town are brutally murdered by the locals. The local sheriff is baffled by the amount of violent deaths in such a small community and slowly uncovers a conspiracy involving black magic, and his own unwitting ties to it. Featuring early special effects work by Stan Winston(Jurassic Park, Aliens, Terminator) and a script by Dan O'Bannon(Alien, Return of the Living Dead, Total Recall) it's an overlooked horror classic.

Continuing our Dollar Movie Finds, this week Wyndham talks about the Australian Crime Comedy, Kill Me Three Times. Starring Simon Pegg as a hitman who discovers he's not the only one trying to kill his target the film tells the story from three different perspectives, revealing new details and twists every time. Alice Braga, and Teresa Palmer co-star in a tale of murder, insurance fraud, infidelity, and crooked police in small town Australia. We dive into the film, dissect whether Pegg can play a good villain, talk about the inspiration behind it, and more in this week's episode, so join us for another walkabout into the underappreciated side of cinema as we answer the most important question... Is It Entertaining?

Continuing the Dollar Movie Finds with Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2010). An adaptation of the Italian comic book series sees Brandon Routh as the titular paranormal investigator, retired since the death of his fiancé, being drawn back into New Orleans supernatural side to investigate the murder by werewolf of an antiquities dealer. A mix of noir, horror, and comedy with vampires, zombie support groups, and demon summoning artifacts that could end the world. Join Wyndham Jennings as he dives into the history of the character, the lore of the setting, and more before answering The Most Important Question... Was it Entertaining?

After the dark story of last week's film (High Rise) we need something light and fluffy, a palate cleanser if you will. Do we find it in this coming-of-age story set in small town Virginia circa 1982? Maybe? When Jim(Rainn Wilson) retires from the Air Force and moves to a small town he throws the entire family into chaos. Jeanne(Patricia Arquette) must become the breadwinner after years of being at home, and daughter Aurelie(Kira Mclean) finds that fitting in is made impossible because of a botched permanent leaving her looking like "a poodle that licked a light socket."

A funny story with a great cast that takes me back to my own childhood in 80s Virginia, stop on by and let Wyndham Jennings tell you all about Permanent as he holds it up to the ultimate question: Is it entertaining?

Continuing our Dollar Tree Movie Find series with High Rise (2016). A Tom Hiddleston film about the residents of a new apartment building in 70s Britain that descend into madness, violence, and class war after a prolonged power, and water, outage. Directed by Ben Wheatley (Kill List) and adapted from the J.G Ballard novel by Amy Jump (A Field in England) it is a brutal, bleak, and shocking film that's not afraid to make you uncomfortable or make the protagonist likeable. Join Wyndham Jennings as he discusses the highs, and lows, of this dystopian film and whether it's worth the dollar he paid for it.

Warning: The film contains a scene of sexual assault, and several scenes of animals being killed, so this movie is not for everyone.

Kicking off our Dollar Movie series with this Blu-Ray. Didn't know Dollar Tree sold movies? Neither did I until I saw a bin full of them and fished through to find several for the podcast. God Bless America stars Joel Murray and Tara Lynne Barr as Frank and Roxy, a pair of spree killers out to cleanse America of those who make other people's lives miserable. An over-the-top satire written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait as a Christmas present for his wife, does it live up to expectations? Wyndham Jennings lays it all out once again, bringing you the the good, and the bad in this social skewering comedy from 2011.

The 1986 musical film is a strange one. An adaptation of an Off-Broadway musical, based on a Roger Corman film from 1960 about a nerdy florist and his talking, killer plant. Throw in a cast of 80s stars, a Motown legend, and the man behind Miss Piggy AND Yoda, and you get one of the cheeriest, brightest stories of poverty, greed, murder, and alien invasion set to film. You'll die...of laughter. So join Wyndham Jennings on a journey from b-movie to Off Broadway to cult classic with Celluloid Fever Dreams and Little Shop of Horrors