Neon Brainiacs (A Retro Horror Movie Podcast)

This year Halloween fell on a weekend, maniacs, so the Neon Brainiacs and Michael Myers are going trick or treating! We're rounding out our month-long celebration of the best holiday of the year with 1989's Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers. While we discuss the film's position in franchise rankings, we also unpack topics such as Michael's stick-and-poke tattoos, the origin of Stone Sour l...

Grab a costume, maniacs, because week 3 of our Halloween spectacular this month finds us discussing the 1981 Linda Blair vehicle Hell Night! While we ask a lot of questions about the plot of this movie, we also talk about topics such as spooky cassette tapes, A Christmas Carol starring Charles Bronson, and pull-chain toilets.

Week two of our Halloween spectacular is here, maniacs, and this week it's an actual Halloween movie! We're discussing the 1988 New York ghost film Lady In White. While we dig into the flick, we also discuss topics such as our feelings about candy corn, Scatman John and Mona from Who's The Boss.

We're kicking off our Halloween sweeps week with a doozy, maniacs! We get spooky with 1980's haunted house flick The Changeling starring George C. Scott. While we discuss how undesirable it is to live in a giant haunted mansion by yourself, we also talk about topics such as college rock cover bands, infamous Pittsburgh punks, and weird ways of saying what year it is.

This week's episode comes to you from deep within the woods, maniacs, because we're discussing Sam Raimi's infamous 1981 film The Evil Dead! We're joined by friends of the show Cody Brown of Studiohouse Designs and designer Jeff Sotace to unpack all the legendary stories from the making of this flick. While we break down the origins of Ash Williams, we also discuss topics such as pencil terror, th...

Grab your protective headgear this week, maniacs, because we're busting into the 1988 Frank Henenlotter film Brain Damage! While we discuss all the great special effects this movie has to offer, we also talk about topics such as Pepsi Blue, the source of some of the sounds found within the film, and various New York businesses of the 80s.

We're playing "ketchup" this week, maniacs, as we're joined by our buddy The Lo Fi Horror Guy to discuss the 1988 comedy Return Of The Killer Tomatoes! While we discuss this early role for megastar George Clooney, we also discuss topics such as toy stores of our youths, how the Muppet Babies helped get this film made, and the connection between this film's score and Soundgarden.

We're going on a fall break this week, maniacs, as we kick off year four by diving into the North Carolina slasher The Mutilator, aka Fall Break! While we try (and fail) to get this film's theme song out of our heads, we also discuss topics such as old school Natural Light can art, our personal stances on Monopoly, and replicating Benny Hill gags.

We're celebrating pretty hard this week, maniacs! We've hit our three year milestone and finally tackling our namesake, 1986's Neon Maniacs! While we lament the last three years and dissect this bizarre cult flick, we also discuss topics such as the badass Neon Maniacs trading cards we never got in real life, using answering machines for exposition, Floam, and Big Milk strikes again.

This week we're clearing the creek for some white water rafting as we discuss 1983's obscure woods slasher The Final Terror! This one features some early roles for famous actors like Adrian Zmed, Daryl Hannah and Joey Pantoliano. While we discuss these cool cameos, we also discuss topics such as our affinity for peaches, the many ways Gerald Ford could have perished, and emergency exits on buses.

Let's race, maniacs! We've heard your pleas and cries for us to cover this movie, so we're finally doing The Wraith from 1986! While we talk about this so-bad-it's-good-to-some-people cult flick, we also discuss topics such as twenty-somethings as high schoolers, Hoss's Steak and Seahouse, and Gregg's new hit song, "I Gotta Do The Thing!"

We're making collect calls straight to hell this week, maniacs, because we're discussing Robert Englund's directorial debut with 1988's 976-EVIL with Jesse from the Heartgod Media podcast! While we phone it in (in the best way possible), we also discuss topics such as crucial Thompson Twins merchandise, tabletop jukeboxes, and what the heck is in a deviled egg sandwich?

This week we're talking some squad goals, maniacs, because we're talking about the legendary kindertrauma film The Monster Squad from 1987! And make sure to tune in after the episode because we've also got a bonus interview with the movie's star, Andre Gower! While we discuss the film, we also talk subjects such as cool treehouse hangouts, Burger King (again), and the underrated acting prowess of...

Blow out those candles, maniacs, because we're celebrating Ben's birthday by talking about the 1981 killer kid flick Bloody Birthday! While we talk about how uncomfortable birthday wishes make us, we also discuss topics such as pickle sandwiches, what "get a Coke and talk about it" really means, and Mighty Mouse flatware.

Vicious Vacations is coming to a close this week, maniacs, and we're headed to Camp Rolling Hills! We're rounding out our theme with Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers. While we continue the saga of Angela, we also discuss topics such as the return of Big Milk, slasher satire, and our thoughts on The Boss.

Week 3 of Vicious Vacations is upon us, so let's take a trip to the Bates Motel as we discuss Psycho II! As we track Norman Bates' return to the infamous lodge, we also discuss topics such as meatloaf sandwiches, Kid Motel, and Robert Loggia's world-class orange juice schilling.

Week two of Vicious Vacations Part 2 is upon us, and we're headed to a cabin in the woods with some special guests! Joining us to talk Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn are Adam and Rob from Stoopid Movies. While we collectively fawn over this Sam Raimi masterpiece, we also discuss topics such as the first time we saw the film, outlined power tools, and the late great Danny Hicks.

Due to current public health concerns, we can't physically go on vacation, but we can take some Vicious Vacations! One of our favorite themes is back with a vengeance this summer, maniacs, and we're kicking it off with a doozy: Friday The 13th Part 2! While we nestle into camp five years after its closure, we also discuss topics such as working in fast food, Tiger Electronics, and the return of th...

We're headed to New York City this week, maniacs, and we're not going alone. This week we're joined by co-host of the Kill By Kill podcast, Patrick Hamilton, to talk about 1981's Wolfen! While we debate this movie's reputation as a werewolf film, we also discuss topics such as Albert Finney's butt, shadowed dong, and the Gregory Hines/Tom Noonan buddy comedy we never got.

It's time to "wax" nostalgic, maniacs, because this week we're talking the 1988 flick Waxwork! We're joined by horror journalist Breanna Whipple to dissect all the exhibits of this film. While we break it down, we also discuss topics such as citrus and dairy (and why they don't mix), Grease 2, and falling asleep at a Denny's.

When the light turns green, maniacs, the trap is clean! This week we're joined by returning guest Chelsea from the Dead Meat podcast to talk another Linnea Quigley joint, 1989's Witchtrap! While we dissect the plot of this wacky film, we also discuss topics such as haunted bed and breakfasts, the deliciousness of okra, and this film's continuous similarities to Ghostbusters.

Another edition of our spin-off show ACTION MOVIE SUNDAY is here, and this month we're talking about the 1988 Arnold Schwarzenegger & Jim Belushi buddy cop film Red Heat! We talk about the perfect coffee-to-cream ratio, Pittsburgh-born Russian baddies, and rattle off our favorite one-liners from the movie.

This episode will make your heads explode, maniacs! We're wrapping up the Body Horror trilogy with another round of David Cronenberg and 1981's Scanners. We're joined by our musician friends Zach from Griphook and Dawson from Porcupine to help parse this one out. While we talk about the film, we also discuss topics such as food court etiquette, Dr. Ruth, and Canadian record stores' overflow of Fra...

See you in Pittsburgh, maniacs! Week two of our Body Horror trilogy continues with a little fruit from the David Cronenberg tree, 1983's Videodrome! We're joined by Ashleigh and Maggie from the very awesome Rock Candy podcast to discuss this feat of bizarre cinema. While we all try to wrap our heads around all the weirdness in the film, we also discuss topics such as AIM screen names, Arby's on th...

Welcome to bonus time, maniacs! This week we're counting down our top 5 lists for the man of your dreams, Freddy Krueger and the Nightmare On Elm Street franchise. After we chat about our lists, we play another rousing game of Stump The Brainiac!