Happy Horror Time

As the sweet and innocent Judy in “Night of the Demons,” Cathy Podewell had to ward off sex-crazed boys AND demon after demon on Halloween night… all while donning a cute little Alice in Wonderland costume. Tune in to hear all about making this 80s cult classic, how Cathy felt being a final girl, and what it was like returning to the horror genre after over 30 years in 2021’s “Reunion From Hell.”

The sheer kookiness of the horror comedies we discuss this week made them the perfect pair to review together. “Cocaine Bear” shied away from the over-the-top violence we were expecting, but one action sequence had us… tweaking. “We Have a Ghost” felt very Disney-ish, but we couldn’t get past one major distraction — David Harbour’s hair. At approx. 9:00 — "Cocaine Bear" review At approx. 31:00 — "...

She may be best known for portraying Lauren Fenmore for 40 years on “The Young and the Restless,” but Tracey E. Bregman will always be remembered by horror fans for playing homicidal student, Ann, in “Happy Birthday to Me.” Tune in to hear all about making this 80s slasher flick, what led to the filmmakers changing her character's fate, and the effect that big reveal had on her.

From preventing the apocalypse to preventing drugs from getting stuck up your friend’s butt, the films we discuss this week are all about sacrifice. “Knock at the Cabin” gave us a former wrestler, a former “Harry Potter” star, and an impossible choice, while “Swallowed” had eye candy galore, but made us squirm even more.

“M3GAN” has already taken 2023 by storm, so we were delighted to chat with the star who played Tess — one of M3GAN’s creators and probably the only voice of reason in the film. Tune in to hear all about Jen Van Epps’ experience making this robo-slasher flick, how M3GAN “came to life” in various scenes, and all of our thoughts on what we’d like to see in the sequel.

As Lucy in this horror comedy sequel, Marsha Dietlein embodied all the qualities needed to survive an 80s horror movie — she was resourceful, level-headed, and boy did she know her way around a shotgun! Tune in to hear all about making “Return of the Living Dead Part II,” what it was like shooting a zombie in half, and which co-stars were most like their characters in real life.

This week the two horror flicks we discuss couldn’t be more different in terms of tone, speed, and toys on the ceiling. “Sick” is a fast-paced slasher film set during the pandemic with action and chase scenes aplenty, while “Skinamarink” very slowly weaves in some of the most nightmarish visuals we barely could see.

As one of the hunks of horror, Russell Todd brought smoldering good looks and memorable performances to slasher films like “Friday the 13th Part 2” and “Chopping Mall.” Tune in to hear all about his experience making both of these 80s flicks, how an Oscar winner helped him land his first job at Universal Studios, and what it was like being killed hanging upside down in not one, but TWO different h...

The titular character in “M3GAN” is a stylish robot that uses AI to pair with humans (and to cut a b*tch’s throat if she has to). Tune in as we dedicate the entire episode to discussing this amusing horror flick — from M3GAN’s best lines, to the film’s overarching message, and of course that dance everyone’s been talking about since the trailer debuted!

We were shocked (and impressed) when we found out that Tubi was releasing a sequel to their “Terror Train” remake just TWO MONTHS LATER! But was “Terror Train 2” on track with the original or did it lose steam? Tune in to find out, along with our thoughts on “Nanny” — a psychological thriller with a message… and a mermaid.

Steven LaMorte not only succeeded in turning a famous holiday tale into a Hallmark-style slasher, but he brought his indie horror film into theaters nationwide! Tune in to hear all about making “The Mean One,” transforming David Howard Thornton (Art the Clown in the “Terrifier” movies) into another iconic villain, and his thoughts on where he would/could take a sequel.

Celebrate Christmas with Happy Horror Time as we chat with Glen Morgan about his extensive career in writing, directing, and producing horror films. Tune in to hear all about his entries in the “Final Destination” series, working with tons of rats (and of course, Crispin Glover) in “Willard,” and everything from consulting original Director, Bob Clark, to battling the Weinsteins when filming the “...

“Hell House LLC” Producer and Writer/Director of "Unknown Dimension," Joe Bandelli, returns to help us break down the holiday action/horror flick, “Violent Night.” Tune in to hear us discuss every character, every brutal battle, Santa’s “magic sack,” and the most controversial topic of all — whether “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie.

We were lucky enough to chat with the only two stars who appeared in both “Terrifier” films. She played tortured survivor/madwoman, Victoria Heyes, while he portrayed its viciously whimsical villain — Art the Clown. Tune in to hear all about filming both of these wildly popular indie slasher films, what goes into some of its sadistic kill scenes, and thoughts on what’s in store for their character...

From deconstructing food to deconstructing life, the films we discuss this week sure had a lot to sink our teeth into. “The Menu” had its own unique flavor, with characters we loved to hate and an ending that had us craving s’more. And “Something in the Dirt” taught us that if you don’t know what you’re talking about, just keep talking and soon something will make sense.

When we first heard about this holiday slasher starring 3 “A Nightmare on Elm Street” alums, we were as giddy as kids on Christmas morning! 🤗🎄 Tune in to hear how Writer/Director, Hayden Newman, got horror icon, Lisa Wilcox, involved in this upcoming sequel, what it was like reuniting with Danny Hassel and working with Mark Patton, and even some stories about playing fan favorite, Alice, in the...

Boy did we have a lot to say about the two films we discuss this week, as the plots ranged from controversial to convoluted. “Soft & Quiet” hit us like a loud bang, exposing those ugly personality traits we so often ignore that can lead to horrifying actions. Then there was “The Friendship Game,” which no one actually won and could have benefitted from instructions.

To kick off the holiday (horror) season, we were fortunate enough to chat with the Writer/Director and star of the 2021 seasonal vampire flick that we raved about back in Ep 80. Tune in to hear all about the making of “Red Snow,” why Sean wrote the lead role for Dennice, and how its smart mix of horror and comedy has made it one of our favorite holiday horror films.

A sequel to a found footage anthology series and a remake of an 80s slasher — that’s what we have in store for you this week. “V/H/S/99” had highs and lows among its 5 gritty shorts, from a twisted Double Dare-type game to a twisted Shakespearean accent. And Tubi impressed us by not going off the rails with its “Terror Train” remake — it even had a twist at the end that we were all aboard with. 🚂

It’s another Halloween, another podcast anniversary (2 years today), and another “Halloween” film is out! We spend the entire hour discussing “Halloween Ends” — breaking down everything from Laurie, to Corey, to the story that had people going nuts on social media. Did we enjoy the new direction? Was it a fitting end to the franchise? And most importantly, did evil finally die tonight??? Tune in t...

The original “Paranormal Activity” not only introduced moviegoers to Micah Sloat, but made sure they’d never forget the pronunciation of his name after those blood-curdling “MEE-CAH” screams in its finale. Tune in to hear all about Micah’s experience making the film that launched this iconic franchise, how shooting its sequel compared to the original, and if anything paranormal lies in his future.

You can’t think of “Paranormal Activity” without Katie Featherston coming to mind. As the star of the original movie (and having appeared in 4 of its sequels), she’s become the face of the franchise. Tune in to hear all about auditioning for and shooting the first film, how Steven Spielberg was responsible for her character’s survival, and whether she’d ever return to the series that made her famo...

This week’s movie selections will either have you grinning from ear to ear or ready to raise hell! Puns, anyone? “Smile” knows exactly how to creep people out, whether it’s with disturbing facial expressions or loud jump scares. And Hulu’s new “Hellraiser” brings some freshness to the iconic horror series, but also stays true to its torturous roots.

Not only did Lezlie Deane battle Freddy Krueger and live to tell the tale in “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare,” but she was directed by the man who brought this villain to life in “976-EVIL.” Tune in to hear all about making both of these horror films, her creepy crawly spider-filled death scene in “976-EVIL,” and what working with Robert Englund was like (both in front of and behind the camera...

Just when you thought you had seen it all in horror… two films come along that blow every trope out of the water. “Barbarian” offers surprise after surprise, along with one of the creepiest breastfeeding scenes ever. “Pearl” is filled with insanity, from an intimate encounter with a scarecrow to Mia Goth’s unforgettably unhinged performance.