Special Guest: Jeffrey Combs, Grant Major Guest Co-Hosts: Jeff Meyers, Chris Stachiw
We conclude #Shocktober2020 with a look at Peter Jackson's The Frighteners (1996). Made between Heavenly Creatures and The Lord of the Rings series, the film was a signal to Hollywood that Peter Jackson could play by the rules. It’s the story of Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox), a man with a gift that he can commune with the dead. He uses this to bilk the people of Fairwater out of money by haunting houses via his dead friends. Unfortunately for Frank and the rest of Fairwater there’s a serial killer who plagues the city in hopes of scoring a record number of kills.
Music:
"Escape from Motel Hell" - Brad Fiedel
"Clap for the Wolfman" - The Guess Who
"You're Eatin Out My Heart And Soul" - Kregg Nance
"Eating My Heart Out" - Mitchell Torok
"Timothy" - Buoys
Special Guest: Mitch Watson Guest Co-Hosts: Carol Borden, Father Malone
On this special episode of The Projection Booth we’re not talking about a movie for once but, instead, we're looking at Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated. It was the eleventh incarnation of the Scooby gang and it ran from 2010 to 2013 with a total of 52 episodes spread over 156 weeks. It was also one of the best and most self-referential animated series that I’ve ever seen.
Producer Mitch Watson shares some behind-the-scenes stories about the creation of the show and the challenges it faced.
Special Guest: James Gracey Guest Co-Hosts: Kat Ellinger, Heather Drain
#Shocktober2020 continues with a look at Neil Jordan's The Company of Wolves (1984). It's a melange of tales based on the writings of Angela Carter which intertwine and layer upon one another. At the heart is a re-telling of the Little Red Riding Hood tale but there's much more than that.
Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain join Mike to discuss the film and women's burgeoning sexuality. This episode features an interview with James Gracey, author of the Devil's Advocates book about The Company of Wolves.
Special Guest: Charles Haid Guest Co-Hosts: Samm Deighan, Tim Luz
On this special episode we’re looking at Clive Barker's Nightbreed (1990). It’s the story of Aaron Boone (Craig Scheffer) who dreams of a place called Midian, an underground world of monsters. His psychiatrist, Doctor Decker (David Cronenberg) also wants to go there but to destroy all the monster life.
Tim Luz and Samm Deighan join Mike to look at the various cuts of the film and its storied history. Actor Charles Haid talks about his role as Captain Eigerman (as well as his role in the pilot episode of Barney Miller.
Special Guests:
Dahlia Schweitzer,
Chris O'Neill,
Oliver Robins,
Mark Victor,
Gary Sherman,
Gil Kenan Guest Co-Hosts: Christine Makepeace, Vincenzo Natali
We kick off Shocktober 2020 with a look at Tobe Hooper's 1982 film Poltergeist. It's the story of a suburban family beset by supernatural forces.
Special Guest: Orçun Behram Guest Co-Hosts: David Rodgers, Mark Begley
On this special episode of The Projection Booth we're looking at the 2019 film from director Orçun Behram, The Antenna. The film stars Ihsan Önal as Mehnet, a overseer of an apartment building in Turkey. We begin the film on the day when a new satellite dish is being installed that is part of a new era for the country where the government can now broadcast directly to its citizens’ televisions. Let’s just say that this isn’t the utopia that was promised.
David Rodgers and Mark Begley join Mike to discuss the the film which will play in select theaters starting October 2, 2020 and on VOD starting October 20, 2020.
I was recently a guest on the Wake Up Heavy podcast where I got to talk to host Mark Begley about The Evil Dead. It always makes this Michigander proud to talk about this legendary film. Sam Raimi took the horror world by the neck and shook it until it begged for mercy. The Evil Dead caught the attention of Stephen King at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival and his pull-quote, "The most ferociously original horror film of 1982," placed it on every genre fan's must-watch list. Coverage from Fangoria, along with great notice from a string of festival appearances, helped solidify its notoriety.
Made on a shoe-string budget in the woods of Tennessee by a bunch of friends from Michigan, the movie was an exercise not only in scares and gore, but in moxie and gumption. Before the film was even begun the trio of Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Rob Tapert formed Renaissance Pictures and took the business side of low-budget films seriously. They produced an instant classic that has withstood the test of time and spawned a franchise that has lasted 35 years.
Ash, his sister Cheryl, his girlfriend Linda, and they're friends Scott and Shelly take a little vacation to a dilapidated backwoods cabin and accidentally summon demonic forces. By the end of the night only Ash survives. Or does he? The Evil Dead may be short on story but it's long on dread, gore, and inventive film-making.
Special Guest: Jeffrey Combs, Grant Major
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