Scream Scene Podcast

The first realistic portrayal of a serial killer in horror comes from the Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur team in THE LEOPARD MAN (1943)! Featuring discussion of Cornell Woolrich, Jean Brooks, racism and colonialism, and of course the patriarchy, your deadicated hosts dive in and try to decipher just what this film is about. Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 32:44; Discussion 47:04; Ranking 1:27:49

Your deadicated hosts go for a stroll with Val Lewton's second feature, I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943) from director Jacques Tourneur. Featuring Haitian voodoo, incredible sound design, inspiration from Jane Eyre and more, we dive deep into our 100th ranked horror film on the list! Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 34:36; Discussion 44:46; Ranking 1:29:22

Beware LA MAIN DU DIABLE (1943, Tourneur)! The devil's hand creeps its way onto the show along with history about Vichy France, the French film industry during Nazi occupation, and so much more. Brought to you by Maurice Tourneur -- father of CAT PEOPLE director Jacques -- and a nationalized run-by-Germans French film industry. Is this film propaganda? Subversive? Is it even horror? Context settin...

For a special retrospective episode, we head to 1926 Japan for KURUTTA ICHIPEIJI from director Teinosuke Kinugasa. This episode on A PAGE OF MADNESS features snapshots of Japanese literary and cultural history, and possibly our most contentious discussion yet! Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 39:56; Discussion 51:24; Ranking 1:23:00

Before THE AVENGERS, before ALIEN VS PREDATOR, before any crossover cinematic universes... there was FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1943, Neill)! What happens when Lon Chaney Jr's Larry Talbot meets Bela Lugosi's Creature? Tune in to find out! Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 34:45; Discussion 43:21; Ranking 1:05:04

Bela Lugosi investigates gorilla glands and human spinal fluid in Monogram's 1943 horror THE APE MAN directed by William "One Shot" Beaudine. While not much to look at, it's a fun flick that had us wondering... Hey, why aren't you in the army? Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 11:18; Discussion 20:55; Ranking 27:47

What awaits your deadicated hosts in THE MYSTERIOUS DOCTOR (1943) from director Benjamin Stoloff and Warner Bros? Does this horror balance its grim premise with the studio's push for pro-American propaganda? And who is the titular doctor? Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 16:50; Discussion 26:31; Ranking 35:08

We head back to poverty row studio PRC for Sam Newfield's DEAD MEN WALK (1943) starring George Zucco, Dwight Frye, Nedrick Young, Mary Carlisle, and George Zucco! The strength of the vampire is that people will not believe in him... let's test this hypothesis! PRC is the bottom rung of the studio prestige ladder, yet DEAD MEN WALK shows a semblance of talent out of Sam Newfield... so why did Newfi...

It's the film that changed the horror genre, revived RKO, and launched Val Lewton into film history. Your deadicated hosts watch CAT PEOPLE (1942, Tourneur) and dive into the history of women and mental health, sexuality, RKO and CITIZEN KANE, and so much more. Will this classic take the number one spot on the list? Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 59:59; Discussion 1:12:14; Ranking 1:43:08

The beautiful, expressionist and noir-inspired film THE UNDYING MONSTER (1942, Brahm) strikes at the heart of Scream Scene's most dreaded question... is this horror or thriller? Starring James Ellison, Heather Angel, John Howard and Heather Thatcher; this is what happens when 20th Century Fox tries to bring together an old dark house, lycanthropy, and a THIN MAN rip-off. But your hosts are mesmeri...

From Monogram Pictures, it's BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT (1942), directed by Wallace Fox and starring Bela Lugosi, John Archer, Wanda McKay, Tom Neal, and Bela Lugosi! Twice the Bela, twice the... fun? Context Setting 00:00; Synopsis 11:52; Discussion 16:37; Ranking 35:54

Surprise! It's our first appeals episode! Your deadicated hosts received an appeal of FREAKS (1932, Browning), currently ranked at #27. Let's discuss whether FREAKS deserves to be higher or lower than DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE (1942, Fleming) -- and whether Ramones' discography should impact a film's ranking! The episodes discussed in this episode are Ep 18 (DER STUDENT VON PRAG 1926), Ep 29 (FREAKS),...

The mummy Kharis returns in THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1942) from Universal Pictures, directed by Harold Young and starring Lon Chaney Jr and Turban Bey. What happens when Kharis comes knocking in small town America? Take a listen to find out! Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 21:45; Discussion 38:07; Ranking 49:03

From Universal Pictures comes an unknown horror titled NIGHT MONSTER (1942)! Directed by Ford Beebe and starring Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Ralph Morgan, Irene Hervey, and more. It's an Old Dark House filled with frogs, mysticism, and... wait it's good?! A man gets revenge on the three doctors who ruined his life... meanwhile Dr Harper heads to a Gothic mansion to diagnose a hysterical woman... m...

Your deadicated hosts reveal the origins of 20th Century Fox with DR RENAULT’S SECRET (1942) directed by Harry Lachman and starring our boy George Zucco with excellent acting from J Carrol Naish and Mike Mazurki. And surprise professional wrestling! Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 27:07; Discussion 33:52; Ranking 52:17

From the Producers Releasing Corporation comes the Wolf Man ripoff film THE MAD MONSTER (Newfield 1942). The poverty row film stars George Zucco, Glenn Strange, Johnny Downs, & Anne Nagel. But how many more of these vengeful mad scientist plots can your deadicated hosts take? Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 19:38; Discussion 36:32; Ranking 47:19.

Bela, brides, and botox! Your deadicated hosts take on another of Bela Lugosi's Monogram Nine with THE CORPSE VANISHES (Fox 1942). Noted as one of his more bizarre Monogram films, your hosts decide just where this botox-inventing horror flick ranks. Context Setting 00:00; Synopsis 11:09; Discussion 36:48; Ranking 48:04

The fourth installment of Universal's Frankenstein franchise storms in with THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942), directed by Erle C Kenton with Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr, Cedric Hardwick, Lionel Atwill and Evelyn Ankers. It's... fine. It offers more questions than answers, but even a competent film is... fine. Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 35:59; Discussion 1:04:59; Ranking 1:23:54

Your deadicated hosts review THE MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET (1942, Lewis), the last starring role for Lionel Atwill... but why would would this be the last time he'd star in a film? And what does Market Street have to do with a Polynesian island? Featuring Una Merkel, Claire Dodd, Nat Pendleton, Richard Davies, and a whack of other characters in this over-stuffed film, including John Eldredge, No...

The Universal horror film that solidified werewolf myths and movies to come. It's 1941's THE WOLF MAN directed by George Waggner, written by Curt Siodmak, starring Lon Chaney Jr, Claude Rains, Ralph Bellamy, & Bela Lugosi. We review how the werewolf myth has developed and was solidified by THE WOLF MAN, the history and cultural context around Rromani people, the Nazi allegories in the film crafted...

Entering the ring is MGM's 1941 remake of DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE, directed by Victor Fleming and starring Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, and Lana Turner! The film challenges number one horror film on the list, 1931's DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE starring Fredric March... When you come at the king, you best not miss! Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 51:44; Discussion 1:10:33; Ranking 1:40:12

It's yet another "inspired by Edgar Allen Poe" feature for your deadicated hosts... it's Universal Pictures' 1941 THE BLACK CAT (dir Rogell), with no relation to the 1934 horror of the same name. Starring Basil Rathbone, Broderick Crawford, Hugh Herbert, and a very small role for Bela Lugosi, just where on the spectrum from comedy to horror does this film land? Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 29:2...

See the INVISIBLE GHOST (1941) with your deadicated hosts! Directed by Joseph H Lewis, the sole screenwriting credit of actress Helen Martin, it's the first of Bela Lugosi's Monogram Nine... but how will it fare when ranked? Is it old-fashioned or homage? Is the story nonsense or genre convention? Are the events psychological or supernatural? We try to sort it all out in this week’s episode! Conte...

Your deadicated hosts travel back to 1934 Mexico to review DOS MONJES, directed by horror-heavyweight Juan Bustillo Oro. And, while there is analysis of the horror genre, there's also in-depth discussion on... Catholicism?! Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 13:05; Discussion 30:27; Ranking 56:56

It's a surprise double feature from Scream Scene for Halloween! If that wasn't enough to entice you, your hosts cover MAN-MADE MONSTER (Waggner, 1941) featuring Lon Chaney Jr's horror film debut! George Waggner writes and directs this Universal Studios' horror starring returning icon Lionel Atwill. We had a trick earlier today with HORROR ISLAND, but here's a real treat! Context Setting 00:00; Syn...