Dark Natter

We're delighted to be joined by cyberpunk writer extraordinaire Nik Whittaker (just look at the beautiful covers of his books... immense author envy!!) to discuss Clive Barker's dark fantasy horror flop, Nightbreed (based on his 1988 novel Cabal).  Find out why this bonkers movie has amassed a cult following, learn about David Cronenberg's acting career, and encounter a mask that&ap...

For Dark Natter's 50th anniversary (thankfully in episodes, not years) we thought we'd attempt an unprecedented four-person discussion about a never-before-touched subject: professional wrestling, and specifically the incredible career and storytelling of legendary grappler The Undertaker!!  Liam and Jon are joined by the Brothers Of Destruction, Haydn Kilyan and podcast debutant Jack Ki...

Join us and guest Rob Yates, long-time pal of Jon Richter and walking horror library, to discuss one of the greatest movies of all time: Jaws.  Will the first film's brilliance secure it a place in our illustrious Hall Of Pain, or will the abject crapness of the sequels prove too much to overcome??  Join us for fun, fins and fishfood... we're gonna need a bigger podcast. Trying this new...

After a couple of glowing recommendations, including from today's guest Mr James, host of the Right In The Schoolies Podcast and fellow dark fiction enthusiast, Jon embarked on a quest to get hold of this elusive movie...  When he finally did, he found that its reputation and mysterious aura were thoroughly deserved, and that its ending was even darker than he expected.  Tune in to find out w...

Liam's back to pitch a classic British TV series, which started as a vehicle for Roald Dahl's sinister short stories... but are these tales twisted enough to secure a place in the Hall Of Pain? Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feature: use this link to send us a message! If it's nice (or horrible but funny) we'll read it out on the show!

In this episode, Jon is joined by science fiction author, comic genius and movie encyclopaedia Matt Adcock, author of the brilliant novel Complete Darkness!  Matt is pitching Hardware, a brilliant and underrated gem which Jon hadn't even heard of before Matt's recommendation... but will its robotic techno-horror be enough to secure it a place in the Hall Of Pain? Trying this new fangled...

Listen to an extract from Jon's latest book, psychological techno-thriller The Warden... if it's up your (dark) alley, head to www.jon-richter.com for more information, or to Amazon to get your claws on a copy at https://amzn.to/3pClPqF Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feature: use this link to send us a message! If it's nice (or horrible but funny) we'll read it out on the show!

Long-time friend of the show (and even longer-time friend of Jon and Liam!) Haydn Kilyan is back to explore another subject close to his black, shrivelled heart: the disturbing, sinister fiction of Disney Studios!  Join us for a whistle-stop tour of the darkest depths of Disney's output over the years, including Pleasure Island, the pink elephant parade and the brutal murder of a harmless fir...

In this episode Jon is joined for the first time ever by an EXISTING resident of the Hall Of Pain, namely fantastic dark fiction writer Mark Tilbury!  Tune in for a wide-ranging chat encompassing writing, the ills of capitalism, the paranormal, and the brilliant occult fiction of S.E. England. Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feature: use this link to send us a message! If it's nice (or horrib...

Originally scripted as a western (!?), that's about the only genre that isn't encompassed in John Carpenter's bonkers action adventure/martial arts/horror/comedy masterpiece - so when the lightning's crashing and the thunder's rolling and the rain's comin' down in sheets thick as lead, you just listen to the old Porkchop Express and do what Jack Burton always say...

Jon is honoured to be joined by ace horror writer Brian O'Gorman, whose works include the fantastically creepy (in every sense) Dawn Of The Spiders, to talk about George A. Romero and his Living Dead movies.  Zombies are such a staple of modern culture that it's incredible to remember a time before they existed in their current shambling, flesh-munching form, so the impact and influence...

It's a video gaming double-header as we probe the darkness lurking inside Playdead's brilliant pair of eerie puzzle platformers, Limbo and Inside... but listeners beware, Liam is in a FOUL mood. Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feature: use this link to send us a message! If it's nice (or horrible but funny) we'll read it out on the show!

In this episode Jon welcomes bestselling cyberpunk writer (and jolly nice chap) Matthew A Goodwin to the show, where they'll be delving into the disturbing mind of none other than Doctor Hannibal Lecter (or is it Lecktor?)...  Tune in to see if the psychotic psychiatrist can help them catch Buffalo Bill (if they even remember to mention him) and, more importantly, whether he earns a place in...

Following the recent episodes covering Berserk and Preacher, Liam and Jon thought they'd go for a hat-trick of depraved, disgusting works by trawling through the blood, guts and poo-infested subterranean depths of The Binding Of Isaac!  This is a video game that features a sobbing child fighting the demons in his own mind by firing his tears at them; the fact that Jon has sunk over 200 hours...

In today's episode, Jon welcomes book influencer, terrifying superfan and all-round ace human, Donna Morfett!  In true Annie Wilkes style, Donna is pitching the books of the brilliant Mark Tilbury for a place in the hallowed halls of the Hall Of Pain, although she assures us this isn't purely because she wants to lock Mark in an inescapable dungeon forever... Trying this new fangled Fan...

In this week's episode, Liam and Jon plumb previously un-sunk-to depths of depravity as they accompany Preacher on his quest to confront God himself!!  Avoid if you're easily offended, as Jesse Custer's misadventures are soaked in the darkest of dark humour... Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feature: use this link to send us a message! If it's nice (or horrible but funny) we&#3...

In this episode, Jon discusses the wealth of brilliant children's dark fiction that's lurking out there (both nostalgic favourites and some more contemporary stuff) with special guest and extremely talented author of Peter Green and the Unliving Academy, Angelina Allsop! Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feature: use this link to send us a message! If it's nice (or horrible but funny)...

Jon and Liam's love of the Dark Souls games has led them to explore some of the franchise's biggest influences... thus they embarked down the blood-smeared, corpse-strewn path towards Berserk.  Having gorged themselves on the 1997 anime as well as more recent offerings and a bit of the iconic manga, the boys are now fully-fledged fans of Guts, Griffith and their band of mercenary miscrea...

In this episode, Jon welcomes the immensely talented, genre-hopping, award-winning writer Isobel Blackthorn to talk about her own dark fiction, as well as her love of the celebrated and sadly-missed author Iain Banks.  Fans of his incredible work, from the harrowing Wasp Factory to his universe-spanning Culture novels, should find plenty to gorge themselves upon! Trying this new fangled Fan Mail f...

Jon and Liam rekindle their love affair with From Software's 'Souls' games, this time celebrating Bluepoint's inspired remake of the game that started it all, Demon's Souls.  Join the lads for a light-hearted romp through crumbling castles, mouldy mineshafts and stinking swamps... just do yourself a favour and DON'T TRUST PATCHES. Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feat...

In our first show of 2021, Jon is joined by awesome and intimidatingly cool cyberpunk author Anna Mocikat to discuss the anime masterpiece Ghost In The Shell, as well as its sequel (but not so much the rubbish live action version...) as well as Anna's own brilliant novels.  The discussion will lead us deep into the perils of AI and human augmentation, the nature of consciousness, and encompas...

Liam's back for this year's festive, err, festivities, joining Jon for a special episode about one of our favourite Christmas movies: Gremlins!!  Tune in to hear us discuss this comedy horror classic and its utterly mad sequel, as well as revealing Liam's favourite Christmas tune.  Ho ho ho!! Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feature: use this link to send us a message! If it's n...

With Liam's stint in vampire rehab showing no sign of ending, Jon has roped in another guest for this show!  Dark Natter is honoured to welcome returning visitor Ryan Hamann for another in-depth dissection, this time about Naughty Dog's wildly successful, heart-wrenchingly moving and brutally violent PlayStation exclusive fungal zombie franchise, The Last Of Us.  But can the controversia...

Liam's taking a well-earned break to recover from his addiction to human blood, so in this episode Jon is joined by unreasonably talented fellow dark fiction writer Jacob Steven Mohr to talk about John Carpenter's iconic, gore-splattered masterpiece The Thing! Trying this new fangled Fan Mail feature: use this link to send us a message! If it's nice (or horrible but funny) we'll...

A year on from the show's 2019 Halloween extravaganza, where Jon and Liam sat through all eleven movies featuring the hulking, invincible slasher Michael Myers, they thought this time they'd go one better! So, to celebrate Friday 13th, the disturbing duo have ploughed through all TWELVE of the Jason movies, and are ready to share their findings with you... expect laughs, surprises, gore,...