Boys and Ghouls

Halloween the 13th

The twelve previous Halloween episodes of the Boys and Ghouls podcast is the subject of this retrospective episode of the Boys and Ghouls podcast.

 

Listen in as Kat and Marshall review and remember their contributions to enriching the Halloween season.  Thrill, as the Boys and Ghouls duo expand a little on a lot of topics, give follow-ups, and recall what it took to get a quality Halloween episode in the can.

 

Not just remembering the topic of Halloween on old-time-radio, Kat and Marshall take their first look at Orson Wells’s chilling radio adaptation of “Dracula”.  Revisiting Halloween commercials, Kat and Marshall take a fresh look at the use of Dracula in these undead advertisements.  Since they originally covered “Saturday Night Live” Halloween sketches, a hard-to-find 1989 sketch has been unearthed, with James Woods as Dracula.  And, tuning back into the topic of Halloween episodes of prime time television, the Boys and Ghouls duo find a new pair of Halloween episodes to share, though neither feature any Draculas.

 

Join us on this trip through the twelve Halloweens that span the years that Boys and Ghouls has been out there for your enjoyment.  You don’t need to have listened to our twelve previous Halloween episode to enjoy this one… but it wouldn’t hurt.

Scaredy Cats

Cats in horror is the topic of this long awaited episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  Give it a listen, right meow, and curl up to Kat and Marshall’s discussion of the most memorable times a cat has brought its spooky energy to the screen.  

 

This exchange of facts about felines on film is delivered in nine categories.  These include; black cats, our favorite real-life cat, the best animated cat, our preferred TV cats, cats out for revenge, cats in anthology horror, and more.

 

Along the way, we discuss both Edgar Allan Poe with his writing of “The Black Cat” and Stephen King for his writing of several notable spooky cats.  Plus, you might learn a little something when Kat Presents, “Katherine’s Cat Fact Corner”.  You may never look at cats the same again!

 

So, check it out.  This episode (our 90th) is more fun than a piece of dangling string.  It’s more amusing than getting into an empty cardboard box.  It’s more informative than seeing well in low light.  And it’s scarier than getting your fur wet!  

Halloween Stuff

The business of Halloween is booming so Kat and Marshall are taking a look at the billion dollar holiday at the end of October.

 

Listen in, as we discuss the fact, figures, and frights that keep this season in the black… while dripping red!  We celebrate the store displays, the soda stacks, the Spirit Halloween Store and its recent movie.  Kat shares the first Halloween in The White House and tells about her own experiences of having a birthday so close to Halloween.

 

Then, pump up the volume as we recall the ultimate impulse purchase, the spooky sounds albums.  Turn any front porch or garage into a haunted house with these creepy cassettes!

 

Plus, we look at the haunting history of the Morris Costume Company.  Started by the original Dr. Evil of the spook show circuit, this family business levitated to the top of their field by doing what they loved, providing frights and fantasy to generations of customers.

American Movie and Coven

The documentary “American Movie” (1999) chronicles the struggles of a Wisconsin film maker to complete his black and white horror short-film, “Coven”.  For this episode of “Boys and Ghouls”, Kat and Marshall will look at both movies and bring you the story of Mark Borchardt; the midwestern man, doggedly determined to see his vision through to completion.

 

Through “American Movie” and “Coven” we get to know the other characters in Mark’s orbit; the grumpy, reluctant producer Uncle Bill and Mark’s woolly, steadfast friend, Mike Schank.  Together, with local talent and family members, they find a way to bring “Coven” to the big screen.

 

So, join us as we look at this often-funny and always inspiring story along with the un-compromised horror movie that resulted from it.

Halloween On TV

TV show Halloween episodes are the topic of this tuned-in episode of Boys and Ghouls.

 

Listen in, as Kat and Marshall visit a few fun reruns from the days of black and white classic television.  Then, we look at some more modern programs from the days when a network knew how to package and promote a whole October night with Halloween-themed episodes of their prime-time lineup.

 

Then, we switch over to the topic of horror icons as guest stars for a show’s Halloween episode.  We take a special look at the many tv show cameos of the ghoul of your dreams, Elvira.

 

Also, Marshall shares his experiences as a zombie-for-a-day, and Kat shares some Halloween treats from the local drug store.

 

It’s an episode you’d hate to miss!

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee

The giants of British horror, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, are the subject of the eighty-sixth episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  Starting with “The Curse of Frankenstein”, they were the cornerstone of Hammer horror.  Together and separately, they’ve given the horror genre decades of frightening films.

 

From among their many collaborations, we have selected four movies to focus on.  “The Curse of Frankenstein” (1957), “The Hound of the Baskervilles” (1959), “Horror Express” (1972), and their final film together, “House of the Long Shadows” (1983).

 

Along the way, we also explore the long friendship of Cushing and Lee; from their implausible showbiz-anecdote first meeting, to their well-documented last.

 

So, give a listen to this tribute to these titians of terror, Peter Wilton Cushing and Christopher Frank Carandini Lee.

Silver Bullet

Stephen King’s tale of a small town with a big werewolf problem is the topic of this episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  First conceived as a calendar, it grew into a sparse novel titled, “Cycle of the Werewolf”.  This grew and transformed into the 1985 feature film, “Silver Bullet”.

 

Listen in as Kat and Marshall detail the origin of this video store favorite, from its early collaborators to its role in establishing North Carolina as a long-time center of film and television production.  Join us as we reflect on how much Gary Busey brought to the screen as the sometimes-responsible Uncle Red.  And remember the shining light that was young Cory Haim, as the wheelchair-bound boy who survives a werewolf attack then has to get some serious help before the next full moon.

 

Also, Kat proves that no detail is too small as she examines a summertime Maine tradition, briefly mentioned in the book.  And Marshall shares the tale of his own encounter with the larger-than-life Gary Busey.

Halloween Hosts

 

Have a friend over for a Halloween movie night and make an event out of it.  That’s what the “Boys and Ghouls” hosts did for each other in this October episode.  

 

Listen in as they recount how they tried to provide the other with a memorable, at-home, movie watching experience.  The Halloween decorations were up, snacks had been selected, and the evening’s entertainment had been carefully programed.

 

Let Kat and Marshall tell you what they’ve discovered about being a good guest as well as host during the spookiest of seasons.  Learn what it’s like to be the only one on the guest list for a post-pandemic social event.  Get to know Kat and Marshall’s different styles when it comes to chilling the drinks and chilling the blood with Halloween themes.  

 

Also, the duo recaps how they spent Halloween 2020 and discuss the state of pop-up Halloween stores. 

We Watched Horror Noire

The documentary “Horror Noire” has become the touchstone for the Boys and Ghouls podcast’s exploration into the participation of black actors and filmmakers in the last century of scary movies.

 

Give a listen to our longest episode ever (by ten minutes) as we share what we’ve learned about; the trope of the frightened black side-kick in the horror-comedies of yesteryear, how actor Duane Jones helped “Night of the Living Dead” flip the script on the zombie tradition, how Jones went on to become a sophisticated post-Blacula vampire in “Ganja and Hess”, the influence of “The Exorcist” on the blaxploitation era, all about the original “Candyman” movie, and where things have gone since the success of “Get Out”.

 

We hope you enjoy it.

Halloweenies 2020

Halloween in the age of quarantine is the topic of this grounded episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  

 

 

Listen in, as Kat and Marshall discuss tricks to socially-distant treat distribution as well as at-home alternatives to going door to door.  For help, they consult the century-old source to Halloween festivities, The Bogie Book.  Written in the days following the Spanish Flu and the Great War, it’s full of gay decorating ideas and fortune telling games to amuse anyone preoccupied with matrimony.

 

 

Learn what the Boys and Ghouls duo does when they want to make their home feel, and smell, like a spooky sanctuary for all of October.  Plus, as the weather turns crisp, they urge you to take a walk where everyone stays six feet away… under ground!  A cemetery trip to visit a local notable in your area is a good substitute for the canceled Octoberfest you won’t be attending.

 

 

And, in a month with FIVE Saturday mornings, October 2020 will be an opportune month to enjoy some Saturday morning cartoons.  Tune in, as we suggest some frightening favorites from yesteryear.  Then, we offer free advice on spicing up a Halloween movie night.  From popcorn preparation and presentation, to a look at what streaming gems can liven up a double-feature on Halloween or any of October’s 31 nights.

 

 

Stay safe and have a Happy Halloween.

Three Part Threes

The Exorcist III, Howling III, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors are discussed in this episode of “Boys and Ghouls” as three great examples of great part threes in the horror genre.  

 

Often in a franchise, the later installments can lack the quality of its predecessors.  But, a good third effort can spur a franchise forward with ever broader appeal, like Dream Warriors did.  Or, it can stand on its own as a unique twist on the genre, like Howling III: The Marsupials.  Or, like The Exorcist III, it can carry on the tone of terror from the original without getting too broad, too meta or leaning too hard on a need to make everything bigger.

 

So, listen in, as Kat and Marshall discuss the ups and downs of these three part threes and the movies that led to them.  Also, hear how, when there’s no where to go, they explore the horror history of their own neighborhood as well as a couple of (less-than-spooky) cemeteries.

 

Please enjoy this heaping triple-helping of horror in what is, so far, the longest “Boys and Ghouls” episode ever.

Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors, the plant-based horror comedy musical and its path from a Roger Corman quickie to a Broadway hit, is the subject of this episode of Boys and Ghouls.

 

Listen in as Kat and Marshall take a stroll through the 1960 version, the stage musical that it inspired, and the spectacular 1986 movie musical helmed by director and puppeteer extraordinaire, Frank Oz.

 

So, if you’d like to hear an entertaining and informative podcast with a running time that’s longer than the original movie (it was only 71 minutes), then look no further!

 

Also, Marshall discusses what he found in the graveyard.

Snow Business

Snow, that dangerous collection of flakes, is the topic of this chilling episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.

 

First come flurries of terror as we discuss vampires in snowy Alaska with, “30 Days of Night” (2007).  Then, as the packable stuff falls, we look into the killer mutant snowman flick, “Jack Frost” (1997).  Then, dress warm as we head out in search of the Peter Cushing high altitude classic, “The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas” (1957).  Finally, finish with the Finnish Christmas horror, “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale” (2010).

 

Also, learn exactly what mystery concoction Marshall blended and imbibed on Turkey Day.

 

So, listen in but be careful, this episode may chill you… to the bone! 

 

☃️💀☃️

Halloweenies Four

Celebrate Halloween with the Boys and Ghouls duo as they get into three totally terrifying topics.

 

First is the 1985 made-for-TV movie, “Midnight Hour”.  What it lacks in cohesion, it makes up for with earnest joy for a super spooky Halloween night.

 

Then, listen in to some classic episodes of Old Time Radio.  From the chills of the Inner Sanctum to the merry pranks of Fibber McGee and Molly, we discover what spooked listeners in the golden age of radio.

 

Then pour yourself a bowl as we chow down on those spooky cereals; Frankenberry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula.  We’ll examine the enriched history of the presweetened cereal with with its monstrous mascots.

 

So, listen in and enjoy this autumnal episode, brought to you by a real pair of HALLOWEENIES. 🎃

Hello, Boys and Ghouls

Answering listener questions is the focus of this informative episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  Plus, continuing the topic of communication, we take a look at telephones and their use in horror.  So, listen in as we touch on such phone-heavy films as “976-EVIL”, “Dial M For Murder”, “Murder by Phone” (aka “Bells”) as well as “Sorry, Wrong Number” and the chilling 1940’s radio play that it was based on.

 

Then, discover what Kat and Marshall have to say when asked a variety of listener-submitted questions from, “If you could spend one day with a horror icon who would you pick to be your best friend for a day?” to “What are your top three favorite original-series Twilight Zone episodes?” to “How did you two meet?”

 

So, take the phone off the hook and please join us for our longest episode EVER (an unprecedented nearly two hours).

Legacy of Dracula

Dracula movies through the years, inspired and encouraged by the original novel and the 1931 movie, is the topic of this long awaited episode of Boys and Ghouls.

 

 

Listen in as Kat and Marshall focus in on a few of those Dracula films.  Including; Horror of Dracula (1958) the first of the Hammer Dracula franchise, Dracula (1979) the under appreciated effort with Frank Langella as the Count, Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and Blacula (1971) where Dracula’s curse injects classic horror into the blaxploitation genre.

 

So, dig this second part of our two-part examination of the classic movie monster... DRACULA.  🧛‍♂️ 

Dracula

Dracula, from the Bram Stoker novel of 1897 to the 1931 Universal film (and its Spanish counterpart), is the subject of this bloody 75th episode of Boys and Ghouls.  

 

Listen in as Kat and Marshall explore the long road that Dracula took, from an epistolary novel to a hit of the London stage, to an early talkie that proved to depression-era Hollywood that horror was worth investing in.

 

This will be the first part of a two-part Dracula exploration, going up to when, with Bela Lugosi as the secret ingredient, the icon of Dracula was cemented.  The next episode will be The Legacy of Dracula and take in the many ways Dracula has appeared on screen and all over our culture.

 

Enjoy!

Night of the Living Dead

George Romero and a small group of aspiring filmmakers spent their summer making a horror movie about flesh-eating ghouls and the ordinary people trying to fend them off.  That movie became “Night of the Living Dead” and it created a new kind of horror genre and a new kind of movie monster… THE ZOMBIE.

 

Listen in as the Boys and Ghouls duo discuss how this landmark movie came to be.  You’ll GASP as we discuss what a low budget movie this was.  You’ll THRILL as we examine the casting of an African American in the lead of a horror movie in racially tumultuous 1967.  And SHUDDER as we let you know just what it was the zombies were really eating.

 

Enjoy!

Halloweenies Three

Halloween is almost here and Boys and Ghouls’ third “Halloweenies” episode has arrived for your amusement!  Taking on three Halloween topics, the warm and engaging duo explore, “Halloween III: Season of the Witch”, Halloween-time television commercials, and Halloween sketches from “Saturday Night Live”.

 

So, listen in.  From the catchy tune of “Silver Shamrock” to the haunted castle of Chicken McNuggets, to the Halloween night motivational speaker that lives in a van down by the river, you’ll be sold on this season where the barrier between the world of the living and the land of the dead is at its most insubstantial.

 

So, enjoy our look at the “Halloween” movie that tries a middle-aged man instead of a teenage girl as its hero.  Take a break with our examination of sometimes-spooky sales pitches.  And party on with sketch comedy that saves the weird stuff for after midnight.

 

HAPPY HALLOWE’EN!

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

Recorded in beautiful Burbank, The Boys and Ghouls duo take a long look at 1986’s “Beetlejuice” and try to figure out how this odd, supernatural, visual feast of a macabre comedy ever came together.

 

Listen in, as we map Tim Burton’s road to directing this improbably iconic film and examine how it all got started… with a dark screenplay by a pair of writing partners who went crazy on the post-Ghostbusters concept of, “What if the ghosts were haunted by humans?”

 

Add in calypso music, the public’s first real look at the Tim Burton style, improvisational actors, a young Winona Ryder, and stop-motion special effects and the result was a hit with audiences; and such a hit with children that a Beetlejuice cartoon was produced ASAP.

 

Join us, please, as we unravel the appeal and inspirations that surround this movie where the recently deceased take on the overbearing living with a little help from the ghost with the most, Beetlejuice.

The Purge Films

The Purge films are the topic of this alarming episode of Boys and Ghouls.  

 

 

From the first Purge film to the film “The First Purge”, we cover this series of what-if scenarios that ask and answer, “What would happen if crime was legal for one night a year?”

 

 

From the all-in-one-house home invasion thriller of 2013’s “The Purge” to it’s action packed sequels that take it out into the streets of America and all the way to the White House, this popular series changes with each film and isn’t shy about making social commentary along the way.

 

 

Also, Marshall and Kat marvel at themselves in the pages of a comic book.

Behind the Screams #11: Mark Ramsey (INSIDE JAWS)

 

Hello, Boys and Ghouls. Kat here. Welcome to Episode 11 of our Behind the Screams series, where we explore the world of fear, shock and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre.

If you’re listening to this episode the day it drops, it’s Friday the 13th. Spooky. And today we’re going to be talking about a heavy hitter, but it’s not Jason. Today we’re talking about JAWS. I was lucky enough to snag an interview with Mark Ramsey, host and creator of Wondery’s INSIDE JAWS podcast, which is a deep dive into the making of the film and the man behind it - Steven Spielberg. Enjoy...

What's in the Box

VHS box covers for horror movies were excellent at getting people to take them home and watch them.  But, for the young Boys and Ghouls duo, they were often sources of morbid mystery that, until they were old enough to rent these potentially terrifying titles, would just entice them and cause them to wonder, WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

 

 

Join Kat and Marshall as they share those video store memories, telling which boxes caught their eye and stirred their imaginations at what possibly could be happening on the VHS tape within.  Together, they finally visit the toilet dwelling terrors, “Ghoulies”.  And discover what was peaking out of the basket from the covers of “Basket Case”.

 

 

Kat goes into a history of artistic representations of movies, first the poster and then the home video packaging, and Marshall solves his thirty year mystery of what really goes on in 1989’s “Relentless”.  And they both discover what’s behind the solitary close-up of a ventriloquist dummy on the box for “Magic” (1978).

 

 

These titles and more, that called to them from the shelves of the video store (mostly in its heyday of the 1980s) are unearthed and examined in this exhuming episode of Boys and Ghouls.

J L C

Jamie Lee Curtis is the subject of this episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  Specifically, three of the movies that helped cement her as a scream queen.  Bookended by the first two “Halloween” films, we take a look at “The Fog”.  By the creative team behind “Halloween”, it’s her only paranormal horror film.  Then, it’s back to slashers with “Prom Night” and then the slasher-on-a-train triumph, “Terror Train”.

 

For the “Boys and Ghouls” duo’s perspective on the “Halloween” films, give a listen to our classic episode, “It’s Halloween” for part one, and “Trading Terrors” for part two (in which Marshall watches it for the first time, to Kat’s delight).

 

Also, Kat tells Marshall about her night out to a back-alley screening of a surprise horror film on 16mm. 

Can't Get Enough Of The Stuff

The Stuff, the greatest killer-desert movie of 1985, is the topic of this tasty episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.

 

From it’s top-tier actors to its practical special effects,  Kat and Marshall make a meal out of this fantastic piece of mid-80’s cheese. 

 

Served up with great aplomb by its writer-director Larry Cohen, The Stuff has a lot of plates spinning, as it attempts different types of horror along with satire, a buddy movie, and an action movie.  Along the way it makes points about what we consume, how its sold to us, and how we sell it to ourselves.  Plus, Danny Aiello is attacked by a Stuff-spewing Doberman Pinscher.

 

Also, listen in as Marshall details his trip to a celebrity estate sale (no one died) and shares what he bought with Kat.

Behind the Screams #10: HAUNTERS: THE ART OF THE SCARE director Jon Schnitzer

 

Hello, Boys and Ghouls. Kat here. Welcome to Episode 10 of our Behind the Screams series. Episode 10! I can’t believe this is the 10th one, and I hope you are enjoying listening to these interviews as much as I enjoy putting them together.

I always introduce this series by saying that, in “Behind the Screams,” we explore the world of fear, shock, and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre. I can say without questions that the guest for this episode fits that bill better than anyone I’ve interviewed so far. I was lucky enough to sit down with Jon Schnitzer, director of the fantastic documentary HAUNTERS: THE ART OF THE SCARE. Enjoy...

Greetings From Los Angeles

L.A. in horror movies is the subject explored in this episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  A lot of horror movies may film in Los Angeles, but not too many really use the city.  So, L.A. transplants Kat and Marshall take a look at a few that do; along with an overview of Los Angeles history and what about this city contributes to notions of dread and the macabre.

 

Listen in when we discuss horror-behind-the-scenes as we look at movies about murder in the dream factory.  From “Body Double” to Wes Craven’s “New Nightmare” and “Scream 3” to one of Boris Karloff’s last movies, “Targets” to the more recent, “Starry Eyes”, we evaluate how the movie industry portrays its self and what horrors they capture within their own business of show business .

 

Then, we explore the terrors of downtown Los Angeles with the 2012 version of “Maniac” and Marshall recalls a fond favorite in the made-for-HBO horror/noir Lovecraft-themed mystery, “Cast a Deadly Spell”.

 

So, give this episode a listen.  You don’t have to love L.A. to enjoy it, but it helps.

Behind the Screams #9: Chase Williamson (THE GUEST, JOHN DIES AT THE END)

 

Hello, Boys and Ghouls. It’s Episode 9 of our Behind the Screams series! In this series, we are exploring the world of fear, shock and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre. Today on the show: Chase Williamson. Chase is an incredible actor. You’ve seen him in lots of stuff: John Dies at the End, The Guest, Rocket Jump’s Video Game High School, Lace Crater, Beyond the Gates, the list goes on. What’s great about Chase is that he is a lifelong horror fan with a huge respect for the genre, so there’s a real passion behind his stories, and his insights, that is just really fun to hear. Enjoy...

The Return of Trading Terrors

The ‘Burbs (1989) and Brianscan (1994) are exchanged between the Boys and Ghouls duo in this episode of good cheer and mayhem.

 

Listen in as Kat has Marshall watch, for his very first time, her beloved 90’s tech-horror romp, “Brainscan”.  Then stay tuned as Marshall has Kat finally watch one of his favorite flicks, Joe Dante’s tale of home-grown homicide, “The Burbs”.

 

From Edward Furlong’s virtual reality murders to Tom Hanks’ growing suspicion of his strange neighbors, we all learned a little something about these movie and about our cohosts for admiring them.

 

So give yourself the gift of a quality podcast and listen to your heart’s content.

Ginger Snaps

“Ginger Snaps” is the lycanthropic subject of this month’s episode.  A Canadian werewolf film, made at the close of the 1990s, it follows two macabre sisters as the curse of womanhood, and then the case of the werewolf, comes between them.

 

 

This movie has been a favorite of Marshall’s for years though Kat, who can relate to elements of it in ways that Marshall is not equipped to do, had never seen it before. 

 

 

Also, Kat and Marshall recap their Halloween-time activities and Marshall shares with Kat his hometown seasonal favorite ginger snap cookie.  Join in their dismay that this brand is able to be sold in any state except California!

 

 

So, give a listen, it’s a howl.

Halloweenies 2

Halloween episodes are a favorite at the “Boys and Ghouls” podcast.  For this year’s effort, we are repeating the Halloweenies format of last year.  So, in “Halloweenies 2” we will be covering a trio of spooky topics.

 

The first segment will cover the cult (or, at least, well regarded and low budget) direct-to-VHS faux-bootleg horror movie, “The WNUF Halloween Special”.  Listen as we marvel at how this 2013 indie-horror manages to be a diamond-perfect time capsule of 1987 late-night television.

 

Then, we take a trip to the happiest place on Earth, and explore the cob-webbed rooms of their long-standing dark ride, The Haunted Mansion.  Try to be brave, as we dig up the haunted history and fun facts of the house where crypt doors creak

and the tombstones quake.

 

Then, we crack the books and find, in the pages, a love letter to Halloween.  Written after feeling dissatisfied with “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”, Ray Bradbury weaves a tale of Halloween night that felt like a classic as soon as it was published.  Along with it’s 1992 accompanying cartoon, the Boys and Ghouls duo discuss and discover what makes Ray Bradbury’s autumn nostalgia so impressive.

 

Also, we’ve been getting gifts from friends and fans, and Marshall presents them on-mic to a flabbergasted Kat.

 

Happy Halloween!

Introducing "Inside The Exorcist"

Kat asked Marshall if he wanted to post a trailer that promotes the new podcast, “Inside The Exorcist”.  Marshall asked if he could do a 70’s horror-trailer voice for the trailer’s introduction and Kat told him that would be fine.

 

And so, listen in as Boys and Ghouls presents a taste of what you can expect from the newly released podcast, “Inside The Exorcist”.  As a follow up to “Inside Psycho”, this series will dedicate its self to presenting everything you’d want to know about the influential and frightening classic that is “The Exorcist”.

Behind the Screams #8: ‘SLASHED! the Musical’ Director Chelsea Stardust

 

Hello, Boys and Ghouls. Kat here. Welcome to Episode 8 of our Behind the Screams series, where we explore the world of fear, shock and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre. Today on the show: director and producer Chelsea Stardust! Chelsea is smart, talented and has had a horror education that most of us would kill for...Recently, she took on the challenge of directing for the stage, which we talk about in this interview. ‘SLASHED! The Musical,’ a killer comedy musical love-letter to the classic 80’s Summer Camp Slasher Genre, premiered earlier this year at the Hollywood Fringe festival to rave reviews, and Kat talked to Chelsea in-depth about what it was like bringing it to life. Stay tuned at the end of this episode to hear a track from the show! Finally, a quick note: this interview has been banked for several weeks, so you’ll hear Chelsea talk about two huge influences for her, George Romero and Tobe Hooper, both of whom had not passed away at the time of this recording, otherwise, we would certainly have talked about it.

Find Chelsea on imdb here

Check out Chelsea’s website here

Check out Chelsea’s short films here

Slashed! The Musical on Bandcamp: https://slashedthemusical.bandcamp.com/releases

 

Let's Go to the Maul

Shopping malls are the topic of this episode of "Boys and Ghouls"

 

Listen in, as we discuss the Monroeville Mall of George Romero's 1978 zombie classic, "Dawn of the Dead".  Then, stay tuned as we head over to the Sherman Oaks Galleria, used in the killer-robot 80's flick, "Chopping Mall"; where shopping costs you an arm and a leg.

 

If you have a sweet tooth, we have a special treat for you. If your purchases in the next half hour amount to five dollars or more, we'll give you a bag of hard candy free! For the kiddies, or enjoy yourself. So hurry and do your shopping!

 

Also in this episode, Kat and Marshall marvel over meeting a fan at a Halloween con.

 

Horrible Hoaxes

Hoaxes are the topic of this podcast episode that really really happened.  Join the Boys and Ghouls duo as they explore two horrific hoaxes.  

 

First, they take a look at the Orson Welles “War of the Worlds” 1938 broadcast, as well as the H.G. Wells (no relation) Martian invasion novel that inspired it.  Also, they discuss the made-for-tv movie “The Night That Panicked America” (1975) that dramatized the events of the night that people all over America thought that Martians were coming due to innovative radio-play storytelling and convincing foley.

 

Then, it’s over to England where, on Halloween night of 1992, the BBC ghost story “Ghostwatch” was presented as such a convincing piece of tv-journalism (it helped that real and recognizable tv presenters were playing themselves) that people of the great nation felt betrayed… after feeling very very frightened because its use of the mockumentary medium was some very effective spookery.

 

So, join Kat and Marshall, for this totally real podcast about some horrific events that people thought were really real.

 

Behind the Screams #7: Talking 'Psycho' with Blumhouse.com's Rob Galluzzo

 

Hello, Boys and Ghouls, and welcome to Episode 7 of our Behind the Screams series, where we’re exploring the world of fear, shock and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre. Today on the show: Rob Galluzzo, Senior editor of Blumhouse.com and cohost of Blumhouse’s Shockwaves podcast. Rob also directed and produced the documentary The Psycho Legacy, the definitive retrospective documentary on the Psycho franchise - Rob and I had a great time talking about that and all sorts of other spooky things...Enjoy...

She Saved The World. A Lot.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie, the tv show, and the character, are explored in this five by five episode of "Boys and Ghouls".

 

Listen in as we trace this story of the typical horror victim becoming the horror hero; from its start as an ambitious screenplay and its transformation into a tv phenomenon.

 

Along the way, Kat tells what an influence both the lively movie and the darker television show was on her as both girl and woman.  Then, she marvels at the idea that Marshall, a MAN, had watched the show, as it aired, along with his buds.

 

Also, Kat explains to Marshall about the witchy Walpurgisnacht party she attended and Marshall shows off the rockin' horror bootleg he bought.

 

Enjoy!

The Shining

The Shining, the book the movie and the mini-series, is explored in this episode of "Boys and Ghouls".

 

Listen in as we trace the inspirations of Stephen King to pen this story of  horror between family members, alone with each other, in an isolated mountain luxury-hotel.  We follow its themes and devices as they are transformed when Stanley Kubrick uses the story to create a juggernaut of a horror movie.

 

This episode was a long time in the making, so huge that we pushed it's release from the dead of winter, all the way to the dead of spring.  Kubrick also took a very long time to make his version of The Shining because, like the Boys and Ghouls podcast, Kubrick was also a perfectionist and a visionary.

 

Enjoy listening!

 

 

 

Trading Terrors

Hosts Kat and Marshall have exchanged favorites, requiring both of them to watch a horror movie that they have never seen before, but that the other host loves.

 

First, Marshall reveals that he had never seen one of Kat’s seasonal favorites, 1981’s “Halloween II”.  Along with Kat, who has watched it untold times since childhood, they explore this slasher-sequel and take a look at what happens when, just a few years later, you do a follow-up to a game-changer.  

 

Then, Kat reports back what happened when she watched Marshall’s long-time Vincent Price favorite, 1963’s “A Comedy of Terrors”.  Listen and find out what happened.  (Spoiler: she thought it was kinda funny, it’s a comedy).  With Marshall, they discuss how hilarity can ensue when you get a bunch of masters of horror in the same movie together.

 

So, join us please, as we tit-for-tat and quid pro quo with a couple of horror gems that are so good that one of the hosts loves it and, up until now, the other host had never seen it ever.

Behind the Screams #6 with Clarke Wolfe, host of Collider Nightmares

 

Hello, Boys and Ghouls, and welcome to Episode 6 of our “Behind the Screams” series, where we’re exploring the world of fear, shock and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre. Hello, Boys and Ghouls. Today on the show: Clarke Wolfe, a woman who’s been blazing a trail in horror for years now! She’s an actor, a writer, a critic, a host, in fact there’s not much she doesn’t do, and it’s always so much fun hearing her talk about the genre. Right now, she’s the host of Collider Nightmares, which we talk about a bit more in the interview. Enjoy...

Love Obsessions

Romantic obsessions in horror movies (or, suspense-thrillers) is the topic of this captivating episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  Listen in, as Kat and Marshall have a heart-to-heart about a few of the best movies to show what can happen when one person in the couple isn’t at a place in their own life to enter into a committed relationship, and the other is a genuinely crazy person with more knives than sense.

 

Together, they explore their feelings about the very creepy “The Collector”, featuring a young Terrance Stamp, and “Play Misty For Me”, Clint Eastwood’s directorial debut.

 

Going further, the duo takes a look at the consequences of 80’s infidelity in “Fatal Attraction”,  and the lovesick Gen X psychos of “The Crush” and “Fear”.  Then, finally, they explore being clingy in the the early age of the internet, with “Swimfan”.

 

If you have a heart beating in your chest (or, one in a jar on your desk) you’ll swoon for this desirable episode of wooing and wounding.

 

XOXOXOXO

Behind the Screams #5 with Rodo Sayagues (‘Evil Dead,’ ‘Don’t Breathe’)

 

Hello, Boys and Ghouls, and welcome to Episode 5 of our “Behind the Screams” series, where we’re exploring the world of fear, shock and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre. We are so excited to bring you this interview with Rodo Sayagues, one of the creative minds behind Evil Dead (2013) and Don’t Breathe, two of the biggest horror movies of the last few years. Enjoy...

Naughty Or Nice

Krampus, the Christmas goat-demon of alpine folklore, meets gremlins, the airplane sabotaging imps, in this holiday episode of Boys and Ghouls.

 

Listen in as Kat and Marshall discuss the origins of these mythical monsters who, at least in the movies, come around at Christmas.  Krampus acts as the bad-cop to St. Nicholas’ good-cop and delivers punishments to the naughty while St. Nick provides presents to the nice.  Gremlins, meanwhile, cause mayhem wherever they go; particularly to machines.  And in the 1983 film, “Gremlins”, they deliver all of their destruction to a small town on Christmas Eve.  Then, in 2015’s “Krampus”, a family that has lost the Christmas spirit must defend themselves against the shadow-side of Santa and his many malicious helpers.

 

So, take a seat by the fire as we explore the merchandising of both of these fearful beasts, as well as how Krampus has found its way to America and how “Gremlins” began as a straightforward horror film but turned into a ratings-pushing family friendly fare.

 

Yule love it!

Oh, Cannibal

Cannibals are the topic of this, the latest ever Boys and Ghouls episode.  So listen in, as Kat and Marshall sink their teeth into this staple of the horror genre.  For an appetizer big enough to share, Kat presents a history of cannibalism; from ancient tribes to the snowbound American settlers.  And she lets you know what can happen when you have more brains than what’s good for you.

 

The main course is a look at the most infamous cannibal movie, “Cannibal Holocaust”.  It’s a movie about people eating people that can leave you without much appetite.  We also serve up a portion of 1999’s “Ravenous” and 1996’s “Cannibal!  The Musical”.

 

For desert, we have the “Tales From the Crypt” episode, What’s Cookin’ as well as “Eating Raoul” and the 2015 cannibal comedy, “Gravy”.

 

Also, Kat and Marshall discuss making some ink in an actual hold-it-in-your-hands magazine.

 

Bon appetit.

 

Behind the Screams #4 Writer and Director of 'The Fiancé,' Mark Allen Michaels

 

Hello, Boys and Ghouls! It’s the 4th episode in our “Behind the Screams” interview series, where we’re exploring the world of fear, shock and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre. For this episode, I talked to Mark Allen Michaels, writer/director of the new film The Fiancé, which hits VOD and DVD November 15th. It’s an action/horror film with a little bit of Sasquatch thrown in there for good measure and stars badass blonde bombshell Carrie Keagan. Take a listen as Mark and I discuss all things horror and what it was like getting his movie made!

Behind the Screams #3 with Ian Shorr, writer of 'Splinter' (Bonus Episode)

Hello, Boys and Ghouls. Kat here, with another installment of our “Behind the Screams” series. I’m so excited to bring you this interview with writer Ian Shorr. Ian writes screenplays and writes for TV, and we sat down and talked a lot about his journey to becoming a professional writer and what he loves about horror (and there may be an absolutely delightful anecdote about Bill Paxton in there) so kick back, relax, and enjoy this super-fun discussion with Ian Schorr. Beware the Moon!

Halloweenies

Spice up your Halloween with this episode of “Boys and Ghouls”.  In their fifth Halloween episode, Marshall and Kat marvel at a grab bag of seasonal treats.

After sharing their third on-air Twinkie (pumpkin cheesecake) they take a look at the rapidly-becoming-a-classic movie “Trick ‘r Treat” and all the Halloween it could cram into four interweaving tales of terror.  Then, they get into the collected Halloween episodes of “Roseanne” and see why these stories of struggling domestic-spookery are getting attention again.  

Then, Kat shares her new love, vintage Halloween decorations.  And Marshall tells of how he replaced trick or treating with The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror.

Happy Halloween!

Behind the Screams #2 with 'I Was a Teenage Wereskunk' Director Neal McLaughlin (Bonus Episode)

Hello, Boys and Ghouls. It’s the second episode of our new series, “Behind the Screams!” Listen in to Kat’s chat with Neal McLaughlin, writer and director of the feature film ‘I Was a Teenage Wereskunk’ (which Marshall and Kat had a cameo in!)...enjoy…

A Lot of 'Salem's Lot

‘Salem’s Lot has gone from being Stephen King’s second published novel, to an influential 1979 mini-series, to a second mini-series in 2004 that expanded on the townsfolk and the darkness of the doomed Maine town of ‘Salem’s Lot.

Join Kat and Marshall as they take a bite out of this story of vampires in a small town and follow its effect on the next couple decades of vampire movies.  Stay tuned as the Boys and Ghouls duo compares characters from the original novel to their mini-series counterparts and judge each of the works on how well they manage to evoke the feeling of autumn.

Also, listen in as they recap their day spent at the Scare LA convention and as they try a limited-run Ghostbusters tie-in snack cake.

Behind the Screams #1 with CREEP LA's Daniel Montgomery (Bonus Episode)

Hello, Boys and Ghouls...Welcome to our new series, “Behind the Screams,” where we’ll explore the world of fear, shock, and horror by talking to tastemakers in the genre. Our first interview is with Daniel Montgomery, one of the Artistic Directors of the immersive haunt CREEP Los Angeles. Listen...If you dare...