Chewing the Scenery Horror Movie Podcast

Episode 94 is about a movie that exists in the blind spot of many horror movie fans: “Street Trash” (1987). Before getting into this one, your hosts talk about what they’ve been watching. Aside from some apes, most of what Will has been into recently could all just be called “Pardon my Murder”. You know, because all those folks in England and Scotland are so polite, but somehow have murders anyway...

Episode 93 covers that one movie that had stuff in common with that other movie that came out just about a month earlier. That’s right! Stir of Echoes! Now, some people may think that a renegade bunch of film makers saw “The Sixth Sense”, got inspired to steal the idea, grabbed Kevin Bacon and got it all done in a month. Those people are called “idiots”. Not only was it in production at that same...

Episode 92 is about that rare phenomenon when a very good movie gets re-made decades later and the result is a rather different but also very good movie. We are talking about, of course, “The Fly”. The original (1958) and the re-make (1986) are both discussed. Your hosts first talk about the late, great George Romero and one of his lesser-known movies. Richard talks about a documentary about a dan...

Episode 91 May surprise you a bit. Your hosts talk about “Forbidden Planet” (1956) and all the incredible efforts that went into making a standout science fiction movie that was way ahead of it’s time. “Wait, what? You JUST admitted the featured movie is science fiction, NOT horror!” you say. Well, your hosts possess that same grasp of the obvious. There will first be a discussion of “Horror/Not H...

Before discussing “Ouija: Origin of Evil” (2016), Episode 90 gives you a nice rundown of 90’s horror movies your hosts enjoyed. It was a scant decade in the horror genre, but there’s enough there to impress even a skeptical horror movie fan. Sure, they had to import a fair amount from Japan, but that’s life in the Horror Business. “But what have our fair hosts watched lately?” you might ask. Well,...

Episode 89 completes our scenic tour of the 1980’s horror movies. We hope you enjoy the lovely yet damaged cathedral , but warn you not to get stuck inside. There are strange things afoot as well as writing problems galore in “The Church” (1989). Before heading into "The Church", your hosts discuss a few depressing European films Jolyon has indulged in while off the leash. Jolyon also recounts one...

Episode 88 is not the literary feast you might expect from one Bram Stoker. It’s more of a pickled worm feast with dancing and kilts and monobrows. Well, that’s just the party scene, but “The Lair of the White Worm” deviates from the source material in many good ways. In fact, considering that this movie is largely considered obscure, your hosts would like to let all who would listen that it’s qui...

Episode 87 leaves you thinking: “It was bound to happen”. The hosts took a chance on that one movie with the poster/video box art that always seemed to promise more than it would deliver. “Dolls” (1987) is that movie. Richard never trusted it, Will and Jolyon barely remembered it, and the filmmakers seem to have made it to fulfill some obligation. None of this is to say the episode isn’t a fun lis...

Episode 86 is about “From Beyond”(1986), which follows an assistant mad scientist and some other folks back into the lab where all kinds of bad stuff happened to the main mad scientist. Several people who were in or helped make “Re-Animator”(1985) were also in or helped make "From Beyond”, making it feel like an ideal companion piece. Before getting into all that, your hosts talk about things like...

You know that thing when you turn a corner at a convention and see the booth display of a favorite artist? This happened to Richard at Phoenix Comicon and that artist was Derek Riggs! “Hmmm, that’s the guy who did all the best Iron Maiden album covers” you might be thinking. Yes, and not only that, Derek actually created Eddie, the monster from said covers. He was originally called “Electric Matth...

Episode 85 introduces you to Herbert West. Yes, that Herbert West, the one from Lovecraft’s story. Your hosts talk about “Re-Animator” (1985) and have a good time doing so! First, they talk about the events since last recording session, which include Will’s horrific bus trip from Denver to New Mexico and back. Richard took a flight to Arizona to sell stuff at Phoenix Comicon and luckily avoided th...

What happens when Richard goes to Phoenix Comicon to sell artwork and toys? He meets a guy who turns out to be the guy who wrote, directed and edited “The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?” (2015). If you remember, Will and Richard both watched the doc and loved it! There is much crazy cool stuff that almost happened, but eventually did not. This includes Nicolas Cage playing Superman and...

Episode 84 continues the march through the 80’s with a leisurely cruise down Elm Street. Even though Will has been on a real Cronenberg kick lately, he took the time to revisit Freddy and his gang of unsuspecting teens. Before really getting into it, your hosts ponder whether the stuff on the cover really needs to have anything to do with the actual story. That seems to be a “no”. That goes for bo...

Episode 83 brings you "the Hunger” (1983), directed by Tony Scott. Before getting into the film, your hosts talk about what else they’ve been watching. Jolyon watched 1984’s “New Tales of the Flying Fox”. You know, the one with the famous quote, “What, fertilizer? It is a cocktail of excrement.” Will has been into season 2 of a British show, set in old (olde?) times, then we learn that a ninth cen...

Episode 82 continues the year-by-year march through the 80’s with David Cronenberg’s “Videodrome”. Was this actually from ’83 as some sources say or ’82 as other sources say? "Who’s counting?” we say! Ah, 1982, back when a young James Woods already looked 40. Those kind of looks make it easy to be both funny and sleazy. You know what else is funny? Jolyon’s DVD copy of “Videodrome” that is package...

Episode 81 starts a year-by-year march through the decade of the 1980’s with David Cronenberg’s “Scanners”. Before getting into the 1981 classic, your hosts discuss some recent tweets we received from filmmaker Christian Stella, who had additional info on “The Battery” (2012). We also discuss why Adam Driver hasn’t yet played Joey Ramone in a Ramones biopic. Let’s face the inevitable, shall we, Ad...

Episode 80 takes you to the far away land of England. Or Spain. Or Italy…. maybe all of the aforementioned combined. No matter, your hosts have a few things to discuss first. First, can your low-budget movie run solely on pizza? And then, what about Telly Savalas and his penchant for lollipops? He seems to have them a lot, even when playing The Devil. But at least he’s not mad about apples! Will h...

Episode 79 is about a 2012 independent zombie film called “The Battery”. This film was written and directed by Jeremy Gardner, who also stars as Ben. Shudder subscribers will already have access to this, but Amazon has it as a rental as well. Richard and Will both loved it! As you get into the episode, you’ll notice the absence of Jolyon’s dulcet tones. That’s right, he’s off drawing Gumby and Tal...

Episode 78 takes a weekend trip to explore all the complicated issues surrounding race relations in modern society. Well, at least as far as your can get in a horror movie where the kind liberal characters are the monsters. “Get Out”(2017) has a super tight script that doesn’t lose your interest for a minute or waste your time on the same old tropes delivered in the same old ways. Speaking of colo...

Episode 77 is a wake-up call to anyone who has managed to miss this amazing Korean horror movie, "Train to Busan”(2016). You’ve missed your stop. Get the next train going back and jump right into this one! Your hosts will assure you that if you (like we) had thought we’d reached “peak zombie”, we were all wrong. Just when it seemed there was little else of interest coming from this sub-genre, this...

Episode 76 takes you back to 1986, but only after you’ve spent some time in 1959. Don’t worry, in “Night of the Creeps”, it will all make sense in the end! This is a movie from the mid-80’s with an axe murderer, parasites from outer space and some reanimated corpses. Will asks “What could go wrong?”. Make no mistake, reanimated corpses are a little boring to him, having just recently watched the c...

Episode 75 marks the triumphant return of King Kong! Where’s he been and what’s he been up to? We may never know, but none of that matters! Kong is in his element, with home court advantage and finally gives fans the “big get-even” with those pesky flying machines! Before getting into that, Jolyon and Richard talk a bit about what they’ve seen since last time, including what previews they flung ou...

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Episode 74 is "Irish Horror Part 2”. That means your hosts got down to talking about the actual movies they watched. Mostly. Jolyon has been to Ireland and can tell you it’s a magical place. He can also tell you there’s a fountain/statue there they call “The Floozie in the Jacuzzi”. Do they love burritos in Ireland? Richard has heard they do. And who doesn’t love fried chi...

We decided that episode 73 should be "Irish Horror Part 1". Aye, because the lads got to spinning’ yarns and you know how that goes. One hour in and the featured movies had yet to be discussed! Is this episode still worth a listen? Was Saint Patrick Irish? Actually, no. But this episode is still fun, informative and filled with entertainment. Richard is back from Emerald City Comicon and relativel...

Episode 72 wraps up Women in Horror Month with your hosts talking about women authors in horror. Before that gets underway, there are some other compelling discussions. These include contemplation of what a German Expressionist Kaiju film would look like. Hint: “The Cabinet of Gamera”is what that would look like. Is Batman autistic? That certainly would explain a lot! What if Rocky sold his should...