HORROR 101 with Dr. AC

PEEPING TOM (1960) d. Michael Powell (UK) A provocative psychological thriller and a daring exploration of voyeurism, Michael Powell's PEEPING TOM tells the story of Mark Lewis, a withdrawn cameraman filled with deep pain and dark secrets. Powell's brilliant examination of the human urge to look—but not be seen looking—turns Mark's camera into both weapon and mirror. Peeping Tom is a film about wa...

MANIAC (1980) d. William Lustig (USA) Celebrating 45 years of William Lustig's Maniac (1980) — a cult horror classic that's part slasher, part psychological descent, and all Joe Spinell. Wildly controversial and undeniably influential, Maniac (1980) is one of the most unsettling slasher films of the early 1980s. Directed by William Lustig and starring Joe Spinell—who also co-wrote the screenplay—M...

BATTLE ROYALE (2000) d. Kinji Fukasaku (Japan) How did Battle Royale become one of the most influential survival horror films of all time? In this HORROR 101 panel, we dive into Kinji Fukasaku's controversial cult classic—an ultra-violent dystopian thriller where 42 students are forced to kill or be killed. Based on Koushun Takami's novel, Battle Royale blends brutal action with haunting emotion,...

1970 was a breakthrough year for vampire cinema — sexier, bloodier, and bolder than ever before. In this episode of HORROR 101 , Dr. AC and his panel explore five iconic films that redefined the vampire mythos for a new era: COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE (USA) – A modern bloodsucker stalks the streets of Los Angeles. HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (USA) – Barnabas Collins goes full Gothic on the big screen. THE VAM...

REPULSION (1965) d. Roman Polanski (UK) Co-written and directed by Roman Polanski, Repulsion (1965) is a landmark psychological horror film that explores the mental disintegration of a young woman, Carole (expertly played by Catherine Deneuve), living alone in London. Polanski's first English-language feature—and the first in his iconic "Apartment Trilogy," followed by Rosemary's Baby and The Tena...

PHENOMENA (1985) d. Dario Argento (Italy)   Perhaps the only "insect detective" movie out there on the shelves, featuring a very young Jennifer Connelly (released one year before Labyrinth) as the daughter of a famous American movie star sent away to study at an exclusive Swiss girl's academy, whose students just happen to be falling victim to a homicidal killer. But as this is an Argento movie, t...

MOTEL HELL (1980) d. Kevin Connor (USA) "It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent's Fritters." So runs the tagline for 1980's Motel Hell, an endearing oddball combo of black humor and horror, featuring veteran character actor Rory Calhoun as Vincent, the proprietor of the Motel Hello, where the O on the neon sign keeps going on the blink. Vincent and his equally wacky sister Ida (a pr...

DEAD OF NIGHT (1945) d. Various (UK) A landmark horror film, 1945's Dead of Night was produced by Britain's famed Ealing Studios and directed by a team of mostly younger upstarts including Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, and Robert Hamer, with veteran Alberto Cavalcanti and producer Michael Balcon marshaling their forces. Widely regarded as one of the earliest and most influential horror antholog...

HOUSE OF USHER (1960) d. Roger Corman (USA) PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961) d. Roger Corman (USA) Journey into the heart of gothic horror with House of Usher, Roger Corman's moody and mesmerizing film version of Edgar Allan Poe's short story. Released in 1960, Usher marks the beginning of Corman's AIPoe series, his celebrated octet of Poe-inspired works, and it's an atmospheric triumph of mood and sty...

SHIVERS (1975) is a wonderfully squirmy milestone in body horror — and David Cronenberg's sleazy, slimy debut. A high-rise residence is thrown into chaos when a strange parasite begins turning tenants into uninhibited, sex-crazed versions of themselves. Part science fiction, part sleazy exploitation, Shivers introduced many of the themes that Cronenberg would return to again and again throughout h...

THE SHINING (1980) d. Stanley Kubrick (USA) THE SHINING (1997) d. Mick Garris (USA) DOCTOR SLEEP (2019) d. Mike Flanagan (USA) The Shining (1980) remains one of the most iconic and unsettling horror films ever made. Based on Stephen King's novel but wildly reimagined through writer/director Stanley Kubrick's unique vision, this "masterpiece of modern horror" tells the story of Jack Torrance, an as...

CUJO (1983) d. Lewis Teague (USA) THE DEAD ZONE (1983) d. David Cronenberg (USA) CHRISTINE (1983) d. John Carpenter (USA) Four decades ago, in the latter half of 1983, three films based on the works of a rising horror star hit theaters. Having already attracted such established veterans Stanley Kubrick and George A. Romero, as well as rising stars like Brian De Palma and Tobe Hooper, to helm the b...

SE7EN (1995) d. David Fincher (USA) "This isn't going to have a happy ending." In a decade saturated with onscreen serial killers, David Fincher's 1995 thriller Se7en redefined the genre and left an indelible mark on modern cinema. Its bleak atmosphere, high-toned philosophy, and haunting narrative dared to confront viewers with uncomfortable truths about justice, morality, and human nature. The s...

THE MUMMY'S HAND (1940) d. Christy Cabanne (USA) THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1942) d. Harold Young (USA) THE MUMMY'S GHOST (1944) d. Reginald Le Borg (USA) THE MUMMY'S CURSE (1942) d. Leslie Goodwins (USA) Tonight we unwrap the 1940s Universal Mummy films! Leaving behind the melancholy tone of the 1932 Boris Karloff original, we were introduced to a new mummy, Kharis, a shambling and bandaged silent avenger...

WOLF CREEK (2005) d. Greg McLean (Australia) WOLF CREEK 2 (2013) d. Greg McLean (Australia) WOLF CREEK (2016-17) d. Tony Tilse/Greg McLean (Australia) HOSTEL (2005) d. Eli Roth (USA) HOSTEL: PART II (2007) d. Eli Roth (USA) HOSTEL: PART III (2011) d. Scott Spiegel (USA) Tonight, we'll be discussing two films that helped change the face of horror when they hit screens in late 2005, both from young...

THE BODY SNATCHER (1945) d. Robert Wise (USA) ISLE OF THE DEAD (1945) d. Mark Robson (USA) Producer Val Lewton, the master of atmospheric horror, collaborated with legendary actor Boris Karloff on two memorable films: The Body Snatcher (1945) and Isle of the Dead (1945). Both films showcase Lewton's signature blend of psychological tension and poetic visuals, while allowing Karloff to deliver some...

THE STEPFORD WIVES (1975) d. Bryan Forbes (USA) REVENGE OF THE STEPFORD WIVES (1980) d. Robert Fuest (USA) THE STEPFORD CHILDREN (1987) d. Alan J. Levi (USA) THE STEPFORD HUSBANDS (1996) d. Fred Walton (USA) THE STEPFORD WIVES (2004) d. Frank Oz (USA) Sexy and funny, inflammatory and spooky, director Bryan Forbes and screenwriter William Goldman's adaptation of Ira Levin's bestseller The Stepford...

DEEP RED (aka PROFONDO ROSSO) (1975) d. Dario Argento (Italy)  🔪 Join us for a deep dive into Dario Argento's haunting giallo masterpiece! 🎬 Tonight, we dissect one of the most iconic films of Italian horror cinema. Deep Red isn't just a slasher—it's a symphony of style, blood, and mystery. With brutal kills, dreamlike visuals, and an unforgettable score by Goblin, Argento blends murder and art...

THE DESCENT (2005) d. Neil Marshall (UK) THE DESCENT PART 2 (2009) d. Jon Harris (UK) After a tragic accident, six friends reunite for a caving expedition, only to see their adventure go horribly wrong when a collapse traps them deep underground. Then, to make matters much, much worse, they find themselves pursued by bloodthirsty subterranean creatures. The Descent, written and directed by Neil Ma...

PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965) d. Mario Bava (Italy/Spain) A forgotten classic that blends the cosmic terror of space exploration with the eerie atmosphere of a Gothic haunted house, Mario Bava's groundbreaking 1965 sci-fi/horror film Planet of the Vampires presents a visually striking and deeply unsettling narrative whose influence reverberates throughout the genre, notably 1979's smash Alien. Set...

GINGER SNAPS (2000) d. John Fawcett (Canada) GINGER SNAPS 2: UNLEASHED (2004) d. Brett Sullivan (Canada) GINGER SNAPS BACK: THE BEGINNING (2004) d. Grant Harvey (Canada) Ginger Snaps, directed by John Fawcett and written by Karen Walton, is a unique and unforgettable Canadian werewolf feature that blends horror, coming-of-age themes, and dark humor, with a focus on the terrifying experience of tra...

MISERY (1990) d. Rob Reiner (USA) Rob Reiner's 1990 psychological thriller Misery, based on Stephen King's bestselling novel, remains a masterclass in tension and suspense. Tonight, our panel of horror enthusiasts celebrates the unforgettable performances (James Caan, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, Frances Sternhagen, and Richard Farnsworth), the film's themes of obsession and captivity, and screenwr...

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) d. Jim Sharman (UK/USA) Join us for a special in-depth panel discussion celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, from its original 1973 stage production to its transformation into midnight movie cult sensation. Come for the magic, stay for the madness! Screenwriter Richard O'Brien and director Jim Sharman shocked audiences w...

FINAL DESTINATION (2000) d. James Wong (USA) FINAL DESTINATION 2 (2003) d. David R. Ellis (USA) FINAL DESTINATION 3 (2006) d. James Wong (USA) THE FINAL DESTINATION (2009) d. David R. Ellis (USA) FINAL DESTINATION 5 (2011) d. Steven Quale (USA) Created by Jeffrey Reddick, the Final Destination franchise introduced a unique concept: Death as an unstoppable force that relentlessly hunts down survivo...

WHO WANTS TO TALK SLASHER MOVIES??? Titles Discussed: Friday the 13th, To All a Good Night, Terror on Tour, Don't Answer the Phone, Don't Go in the House, Prom Night, Terror Train, He Knows You're Alone, Mother's Day, Funeral Home, Christmas Evil, New Year's Evil The 1980s were a pivotal year for horror films, and the decade kicked off with some of the most influential entries in the genre! Join o...