Half Price Horror

When Robert Eggers released his debut feature, 'The VVitch', everyone wanted to know what he was going to do for his next movie. And when it turned out to be a surreal black-and-white two-hander with an opaque and deliberately confusing storyline, a double unreliable narrator, and plenty of homoerotic subtext? They couldn't stop talking about it! And now neither can I.

'#Horror' might have the world's worst SEO, but is it worth tracking down through the sea of movies, books, TV shows and radio plays also tagged as "#horror"? Well, before you go to the effort, why don't you listen for a spell to this episode and find out if you want to spend the time and energy on it. Because for better or worse, I already did.

Maverick indie director Frank Henenlotter burst onto the scene in 1982 with a horror movie that felt like a punk rock anthem, a grimy love letter to the seedy underbelly of New York as seen through the lens of two dysfunctional brothers and their blood-soaked quest for revenge. And if that doesn't sound awesome to you yet, listen to this episode and you'll see what makes it great!

Stephen King directed exactly one movie in his life, and I'm genuinely not sure whether 1986's Maximum Overdrive proves that he should never direct another or that he should direct all of them. Join Half Price Horror for a discussion of exercise in 80s excess with the biggest, loudest, AC/DCiest flick of the decade, 'Maximum Overdrive'!

Horror mainstay Emily Hagins has been making scary movies since middle school--and here's the proof! Join HPH for a deep dive into a zombie movie written, directed, and shot on video by a twelve year old girl, and all the interesting discussions that brings along with it!

They say that if at first you don't succeed, try try again... so why not go back to Stephen King's short story "Trucks" a decade after it was adapted as a feature film and turn it into a made-for-TV movie starring Timothy Busfield? Well, it turns out there may be reasons, and we're going to get into each and every one of them!

As with most series, the 'It's Alive' trilogy inevitably got a reboot somewhere in the Oughts. Is this movie a quick and cheap attempt to cash in on a recognizable name, or does it have something interesting to offer despite being a remake from a remake-happy era? And do the screenwriters know what babies actually are and what they do? Well, there's only one way to find out!

It's an adaptation of HP Lovecraft, directed by the great Stuart Gordon and starring Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, and Ken Foree! All coming out just a year after Gordon's hit film 'Re-Animator', and yet somehow it doesn't even get half the love of that cult classic. Come listen to an episode on it and let's see if we can't change all that.

Larry Cohen returns to the 'It's Alive' franchise one final time with this over-the-top celebration of everything wonderful about his maverick, high-concept style. Do you want to hear about a courtroom scene with stop-motion mutant babies? Do you want to hear about this film's influences on 'The Lost World'? Well strap in, because we've got a wild ride for you!

If there's one thing that feels like it should guarantee comedy gold, it's taking the satirical series "The Office" and combining it with a gruesome and gory horror premise. So why did 'Severance', a movie that asks the question, "What if the cast of 'The Office' wandered into 'Wrong Turn'?", fall so flat? Well, listen to the episode and find out!

More and more mutant babies are being born every day, and the government has decided to kill them in the delivery room rather than see them survive. Is it a metaphor for the generational clash that defined the 60s? Is it a commentary on the complicated fears surrounding parenting? Is it another Larry Cohen exploitation flick that we're about to do a deep dive into? The answer to all of it is "yes"!

Every once in a while, a new voice in cinema comes along to remind us that there's no such thing as a stale trope. Sure, we've all seen vampire movies... but have you seen a black-and-white Iranian feminist vampire romance with notes of Sergio Leone? Come along with HPH and explore this fascinating twist on a traditional tale!

"There's only one thing wrong with the Davis baby... It's Alive." One of the best slogans of the 70s heralds the introduction to maverick guerrilla director Larry Cohen and his iconic creations, the mutant babies with a telepathic ability to sense hatred and a vicious anger at anyone who would try to harm them. Let's dig into the whole weird, wonderful, shlocky, social-commentary heavy thing!

Some people call it the beginning of Romero's second zombie trilogy. Me, I think it's the perfect capper to the cycle of films he began all the way back in 1968 with 'Night of the Living Dead'. And maybe after you listen to this episode on the biggest-budget, most star-studded of all of the 'Dead' films, you'll agree!

We've stepped outside of the continuity of the 'Elm Street' films, but that doesn't mean there's no Freddy. And it certainly doesn't mean there's no danger. That's right, it's time for a deep dive into the trippy world of metafiction as the cast of the original 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' is menaced by the dream demon they created... perhaps... in 1994's 'Wes Craven's New Nightmare'!

So what happens when your visionary star director dips, your Oscar-winning screenwriter goes to jail, and a bunch of angry nerds have notes on how to make your sequel more like a video game? You get 'Silent Hill: Revelation', that's what! Come on over and hear about the beleaguered production, its many expositional speeches and dodgy accents, and the five minutes in the middle that make it all worthwhile.

We come here today to remember a man who was always generous with his laughter, who gave unstintingly of his time and attention to the vulnerable youths not just of Springwood but to the neighboring towns and cities. A father, a craftsman, and a survivor. It's time at last to put Freddy into the ground... and if he won't stay down, this episode will talk about the reasons why.

A patch of ground where the dead won't stay buried. A loving husband who gets sucked into a supernatural nightmare. Revenants who rise from their grave filled with a murderous hatred for the living. And yet, it's somehow not 'Pet Sematary'! It's not even an Italian knock-off - this is 'Zeder', an overlooked gem from 1983 that combines conspiracy thriller and zombie flick to create something strange and new and inventive. Join me for a deep dive into its mysteries!

The 80s are ending, the Satanic Panic is fading fast as we transition from Reagan to Bush... but you know what people are still freaking out about? Teen pregnancy! So naturally it's time for Freddy to menace a teen mom as we dig into the last of the "dream powers" trilogy of 'Nightmare' movies, 'A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child'. Come on and join in!

Time to take a detour into British Gothic horror, as we examine one of the few non-anthology films to come from Amicus and find out exactly what happens when the screaming starts!

With 'Dream Warriors' seemingly providing an infallible formula for the success of the franchise, New Line was quick to capitalize on their hit by rushing a new installment into theaters. But a shortened schedule and a writer's strike made this film into its own production nightmare--did they wake up to heaps of money and critical praise? Listen to this episode and find out!

Time to take a look at an 80s cult classic that's not to be confused with 'The Pit' or 'The Keep' - this one's about the kids who dig a hole all the way to Hell while looking for geodes in the backyard and unleash horrors beyond imagining. Join us for an exploration of childhood terrors, model rocketry, and stark body horror all wrapped up in a family-friendly package!

Time for a bit of a hawt take, as we take a look at the single most popular installment of the 'Nightmare' franchise and suggest that maybe, just maybe, taking the single bleakest script Wes Craven ever wrote and crashing it straight into Chuck Russell's "spooky carnival ride" aesthetic - then adding a helping of sexual assault - might have produced something that's a little bit of a trainwreck. Agree? Disagree? Listen to the podcast and find out where we're getting it from!

"I'm changing specialties, Doctor Grant." It's a small sentence, but it's got a big impact as Mary Mason goes from rising-star medical student to illegal mob doctor, professional torturer, and "extreme body modifier" for a niche community of body mod enthusiasts in this extremely unconventional crime/horror movie. Are you ready to find out all the things people can do to themselves and each other? Then let's dive in!

Who'd have thunk that a 90s video game would lead to one of the best Southern Gothics ever committed to film? Join us for every convoluted plot twist, every decaying building, every collision of past and present as we dig into 2006's 'Silent Hill'!

We've dug deep into Jason, we've analyzed Michael to death, but there's one horror icon of the 80s we haven't even dreamed about tackling until now... Robert Englund's classic slasher, Fred Krueger. So let's take a look at the 1984 original and all the ways it tackles very 80s fears about neglectful parenting, recovered memories, and liberal judges in its skillful blending of dreams and reality.

They say silence kills, but what do you do when talking can be just as lethal? Take a risk and listen to me speak in English about the 2008 ferociously independent, utterly brilliant low-budget indie horror movie 'Pontypool'! It's a film words really can't suffice to describe, but I'll try. Try. Try. Try.

Somewhere between 'Day of the Dead' and 'Land of the Dead' lies an odd, sometimes forgotten oddity - a remake of the original 'Night' authorized and produced by George A Romero, but directed by his friend and collaborator Tom Savini. What does it have to say? Honestly quite a lot, so let's dive into it together!

It's Halloween weekend, and y'all know what that means: Elvira! This year, we join Elvira as she skewers the 1980... ish... creature feature 'Monstroid', aka 'Monster' aka 'It Came From the Lake' aka 'The Toxic Horror'. And with that many titles, you know you're dealing with a great movie!

Start spreading the news, because just like Jason Voorhees, Ghostface is heading to the City That Never Sleeps! Join us for every gory detail... literally and figuratively... as the Scream franchise officially enters the Core Four installment with 'Scream VI'!

Spooky Season just wouldn't be spooky without a little dip into found footage, and they don't come much better than 2007's Spanish classic, 'Rec'! So come ride along with our crew of first responders and our TV journalists as they stumble into a nightmare of claustrophobia, paranoia, and the most ferocious gaggle of zombies this side of '28 Days Later' as we take a deep dive into a modern classic!

It's time to conclude our look at the 'Evil Dead' franchise and continue our trip through Spooky Season at the same time, as we dive into the high-profile and big-ticket sequel to Sam Raimi's classic helmed by writer/director Lee Cronin. But between the weird pro-life messaging, the antiquated worship of the nuclear family, and some problematic behavior from the lone trans character, let's just say that it's also time to give a little side-eye to the latest 'Evil Dead'. Join us!

Spooky Season's starting, and the movies don't come much bigger than this - literally or figuratively. Almost seventy years ago, the atomic monster known as Godzilla first came to Japan's shores... and while he's visited some thirty times since then, there's nothing quite like the original. Let's dive in and talk nuclear paranoia, post-war pacifism, and everything else that makes up the 1954 classic 'Godzilla'!

The time has come to test the mettle of man, as Ash Williams tries to fight evil without his chainsaw, his sidekicks, or even his trusty Delta 88 Classic in the series finale of 'Ash Vs Evil Dead'! JOIN US... as we break down the last five episodes and see how the last season of the cult series sticks the landing and goes out with a bang as the "Summer of Sam" concludes!

The long Summer of Sam is winding to a close... but we can't leave without looking at where the man is today, and that means examining Raimi's latest directorial effort for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But is it horror? Well, it's got people possessing corpses, mouths sealing up into blank flesh, and the souls of the damned, so that qualifies it in my unholy book! Let's dive into the Multiverse of Madness!

It's time to enter the final season of Ashley Joanna Williams' adventures fighting the Evil Dead, and that means secret kids, magical kids, ancient knightly orders, and a ghostly return for everyone's favorite Six Million Dollar Dad! That's right, we are going in hot for the first half of Season Three of 'Ash Vs Evil Dead'... JOIN US!

Sometimes going outside the Hollywood system results in something as brilliant as it is unconventional, a touching meditation on aging and regret featuring two of our finest character actors. Sometimes it results in a goddamn weird movie about an aging Elvis and JFK taking on a killer mummy stalking their retirement home. And very rarely, it's both. So let's talk about Don Coscarelli, Bruce Campbell, and 2002's 'Bubba Ho-Tep'!

Time to steer our "Summer of Sam" into another little detour, as we examine the first major success of Raimi-influenced director Edgar Wright and his good friends Simon Pegg and Nicholas Frost, the 2004 horror comedy 'Shaun of the Dead'. Let's get a little red on us, kill the Queen, and stagger down to the Winchester for one of the most beloved movies in the zom-rom-com genre! How's that for a slice of fried gold?

With a first-season finale like that, you had to know the evil wasn't over, right? Join me... excuse me, JOIN US... as we dive into Season Two and help Ash tackle his past, banish the Necronomicon, and meet his new nemesis, the demon Baal, as 'Ash Vs Evil Dead' (and the Summer of Sam) continue!

It's your host's birthday again, and he's selected another birthday-themed horror flick to examine! But while 'Happy Birthday to Me' was a lost cult gem, 'Happy Death Day' is full of messy problems and plot holes. But that's worth looking into too, so let's do a deep dive into this 2017 release that was written in 2007 and all the things that make it what it is. For better and much, much worse.

We last left Ashley J Williams and his friends Pablo and Kelly heading back to the cabin in the woods, determined to bury the Necronomicon and end its reign of terror over the world... but as you can imagine with the season half over, there's a lot of complications to their simple plan. Join Half Price Horror in digging deep, albeit maybe not under a cursed cabin, as we tackle the back half of 'Ash Vs Evil Dead' Season One!

If we're tackling the films of Sam Raimi for our "Summer of Sam", it's hard to resist taking a little detour Down Under to look at the early work of New Zealand moviemaker Peter Jackson and see how he was inspired by Raimi. And when it comes to Raimi-inspired horror-comedies, it's hard to find a more famous or inventive one than the 1992 cult classic 'Braindead'! So let's jump in, dig deep, and kick ass FOR THE LORD as we examine Peter Jackson's bizarre little gem.

Half Price Horror goes small-screen for the first time, as we take a look at the first half of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell's television sequel to 'Army of Darkness'! It's time to see how Ash has gotten along in the years since his first encounter with the Necronomicon, meet his new allies and enemies, and take that long winding trip that will eventually lead us back to the cabin in the woods!

Are you ready for an electrifying six and a half minute long explainer on the foreclosure process? Are you hyped for a deep dive into cultural misogyny and the grinding misery the patriarchy inflicts on working women? Are you jazzed for a discussion of the ingrained racism in the portrayal of the Romani people? Do you, too, want to overthink the hell out of this movie? Then COME ON DOWN! as our "Summer of Sam" continues with 'Drag Me to Hell'!

It's still a cabin in the woods... and it's still a book of dark magic... but everything else is different. Join us as we go through David, Eric, Mia, Olivia and Natalie's journey into evil, and find out what works and what doesn't about the Evil Dead Remix!

Time to put the focus squarely on Bruce Campbell for an episode, as we look at a 2021 horror-comedy that wanted to be a worthy successor to 'Evil Dead II' and was willing to hire The Chin himself to do it. But did this movie about the nightmare of retail consumerism hit its mark? You'll have to listen and see!

Here we go, folks! Sound the trumpets, raise the drawbridge, and drop the Oldsmobile, because Half Price Horror is celebrating its 100TH EPISODE in style with Sam Raimi's hilarious conclusion to the original Evil Dead trilogy, 'Army of Darkness'! Enjoy this celebration of Bruce Campbell's defining role and every one-liner that comes with it as the "Summer of Sam" continues!

Some of you might already know about this Sam Raimi-funded indie horror flick made by low-budget producer J.R. Bookwalter. But if that's all you know, you're in for a deep dive into trucker hats, religious cultists, finger swallowing, and all the best and silliest gore that a hundred thousand bucks and a Super 8 camera can shoot as the "Summer of Sam" continues!