Cult Film School

Adrian and Al lose their minds as they veer off the beaten path in their mutual admiration for Dan Aykroyd's singular and eccentric comedy Nothing But Trouble (1991). While the film is universally maligned, the brothers' unrepentant love in their memories of the film is tested with the rewatch. Have oddities like Bobo and L'il Debbull aged well for them? Is the film still cinema magic, or have the...

Adrian and Al are back to reminisce over Fortress (1985), the Ozploitation thriller about kidnappers in Halloween masks and a class of outback schoolchildren, a film with enough violence they certainly shouldn't have seen it as young as they did. But what will Adrian and Al think now of these children and their showdown with their captors? How will they now see that screen violence and, more impor...

Adrian and his brother Al revisit Wes Craven's  Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), the horror-comedy where the only thing more mysterious than the creatures of the night is a film confused about what it wants to be. Adrian and Al consider whether the film's tone and high points of character comedy and horror set pieces have aged well, or if instead the film should be buried with a stake through its heart...

Adrian and his brother Al revisit Mel Brooks's Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), recalling the characters, set pieces, and quotable lines that made them fall in love with it years ago, but does it still hold that same hypnotic power? Under the circumstances, a rewatch would be normal, perfectly normal.   Chapters: 0:00:12 - Welcome to After-School SpeciAL 0:00:40 - Intro: Take Two 0:01:24 - Reme...

Welcome to After-School SpeciAL, a spin-off series where Adrian and his brother Al revisit the films of their VHS-watching youth. Together, they rewatch, re-evaluate, and often re-appreciate these nostalgic favourites, ultimately deciding whether each one deserves a "Rewind" (worth the rewatch) or a "Fast Forward" (leave it in the past).   Chapters: 0:00:12 - Welcome to After-School SpeciAL   Conn...

Adrian and Dion are joined by Scott Glover, a friend of the show (and "Cult Film School's Personal Deviant in Residence"), to discuss two of his favourite 1990's Erotic Thrillers: Sliver (1993) and  The Crush (1993). They go back to revisit the high point of the Erotic Thriller genre in the wake of Fatal Attraction (1987) and Basic Instinct (1992), discussing how these later films played with thos...

Adrian and Dion return to take a dip in the film world of Andy Sidaris with the first two entries in the "Triple B" (Bullets, Bombs, and Babes) series: Malibu Express (1985) and Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987). Filled to the brim with the aforementioned "bullets, bombs, and babes" and playing in the genre film sandboxes of detective mystery and action adventure films, Adrian and Dion see in the films...

Adrian & Dion are back with a return to more films by Italian genre film maestros Bruno Mattei and Claudio Fragasso. This time, the focus is on some of their exciting film collaborations with Rats: Night of Terror (1984) and Night Killer (1990). While these collaborations span the gamut from productive working relationship to one which dissolved their partnership and friendship, Adrian & Dion hope...

Adrian & Dion return to revel in the musical joys and excesses of  Saturday Night Fever (1977) and the sweaty disco-hangover sequel Staying Alive (1983). It was musical drama that defined a generation… and Staying Alive . Whether disco-era polyester and dance floors or aerobics-era baby oil and headbands, there is only one thing for sure: Travolta sweats.   Chapters: 0:00:12 - Welcome to Cult Film...

In this Extra Credit episode, Adrian and Dion return to Captain America (1990), but now with the newly released Director's Cut available from Yippee Ki-Yay Mother Video. They have high hopes for this fabled Director's Cut, but does it get a "Captain America thumbs up" seal of approval?   Chapters: 0:00:12 - Welcome to Cult Film School 0:04:35 - A Recap of the Captain America (1990) Theatrical Cut...

Adrian and Dion are back, and in this episode they decide to visit Derry, Maine again and again and again. They return to three adaptations of Stephen King's novel It (1986): The It (1990) telefilm, and the feature films It (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2019). Nostalgia and clownsploitation are part of the field trip, but what else will they discover along the way? They were promised floating, but a...

In this "Extra Credit" episode of Cult Film School, Adrian and Dion give a brief update on the new Cult Film School Syllabus and episode release schedule beginning with the new semester. Get ready for a new semester of cult film appreciation and awesomeness!   Chapters: 0:00:12 - Welcome to Cult Film School 0:01:28 - New Semester Release Schedule: The New Cult Film School Syllabus    Connect with...

Adrian and Dion are back with an "Extra Credit" episode on Superman (2025). Adrian just saw it on opening weekend and wanted to tell Dion all about it. As a Superman superfan, how does Adrian see this newest iteration of the superhero? Does the film stand up to Adrian's high Superman standards, and what questions will Dion have about the film and Adrian's take?   Chapters: 0:00:12 - Welcome to Cul...

In this Bonus "Extra Credit" episode of Cult Film School, Adrian and Dion have an end of semester announcement. Listen as they think their way through a relatively simple and straightforward update.   Chapters: 0:00:12 - Welcome to Cult Film School, I guess? 0:00:31 - Announcement: Adrian's "take" 0:01:26 - Announcement: Dion's "take"   Connect with Adrian & Dion: Letterboxd ~ CultFilmSchool Insta...

In this episode of Cult Film School, Adrian and Dion expose themselves to some iconic cult world cinema: Indonesian Cult Classics Mystics in Bali (1981) and Lady Terminator (1989). Black magic, witchcraft, supernatural insanity, and consistently baffling English language dubbing (and other narrative and editing choices!) are a feast for the senses. Can they make sense of this wtf bounty? If only t...

This Christmas season, Adrian and Dion return to the Winter Wonderland of Christmas trauma with the Black Christmas remakes: Black Christmas (2006) and Black Christmas (2019). Bob Clark's 1974 film is a horror classic, so what could go wrong when these films remake it? Grab your eggnog, and get ready for plenty of Christmas decorations and confusing choices (cannibalism? message movie?). Adrian an...

In this episode of Cult Film School, Adrian and Dion circle back to the 1980s with alien invasions that burst into song: Musical Aliens! They look to the "everything-and-the-kitchen-sink" genre parody Voyage of the Rock Aliens (1984) and the bubblegum brightness of the SoCal musical alien sex comedy Earth Girls Are Easy (1988). They'll discuss the excesses and oddities in both films, the music, th...

In this episode of Cult Film School, Adrian and Dion overstay their welcome in Fairvale to soak in the ambience of the three Psycho sequels: Richard Franklin's Psycho II (1983), Anthony Perkin's Psycho III (1986), & Mick Garris's Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990). They discuss the different attempts at returning to the 1960 film, and the different ways the sequels remake and reimagine it. They also...

In this episode of Cult Film School, hosts Adrian and Dion reminisce on their relationships with film critic Robin Wood, and talk about his work on the horror film, culminating in the influential The American Nightmare film program (and book) in 1979. On its 45th anniversary, they discuss Robin Wood's contributions to the critical study of horror through two films he championed: Alfred Hitchcock's...

In this episode of Cult Film School, hosts Adrian and Dion dissect David Gordon Green's Halloween trilogy. They discuss the successes and shortcomings of Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022). The conversation spans the trilogy's themes, character arcs, and narrative choices, while also comparing the recent films to previous entries in the iconic Halloween franchise.  ...

In this episode of Cult Film School, hosts Adrian and Dion take listeners "on a strange journey" through two unique films: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and its lesser-known follow-up, Shock Treatment (1981). They dive deep into the cultural impact, themes, and the differences between the original cult classic and its sequel that never quite captured the same magic.   Chapters: 00:15 Welcom...

In this episode of Cult Film School, Adrian and Dion dive deep into the cinematic underworld of E.T. ripoffs with a focus on Mac and Me (1988) and Nukie (1987), two infamous examples that scraped the bottom of the bargain bin. From laughable special effects to questionable plot decisions, join them as they dissect these cult classics and explore what makes them so enduringly bad.   Chapters: 00:14...

On today's episode of Cult Film School hosts Adrian & Dion kick off a new semester with none other than the King of Teen Movies himself, John Hughes. Taking a deep dive into Pretty in Pink (1986) and Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), get ready for the start of a great semester ahead. So grab your book bag, sharpen your pencils, and don't be late to class!    Chapters: 02:27 John Hughes and Teen Movie...

In this Extra Credit episode of Cult Film School, hosts Adrian and Dion take a break from their summer hiatus to discuss the films they've watched. Expect a mix of humour, horror, and deep dives into cult cinema as they cover: The Redeemer: Son of Satan!, Ninja Terminator, MaXXXine, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Phenomena, Twisters, Arcadian and two standout films they spoil for each other: Longlegs an...

Get a behind-the-scenes sneak peek on the next season of Cult Film School as hosts Adrian and Dion bid you farewell for summer vacation.    Connect with Adrian & Dion: Instagram ~ @cultfilmschool   Threads ~ @cultfilmschool Facebook  ~ Follow Us! Letterboxd ~ CultFilmSchool Send an Email ~ cultfilmschoolpodcast@gmail.com   Don't forget to leave a rating and review!