Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie

Sam started this podcast to celebrate how bonkers made-for-TV movies could be back in the day, but this episode, about 1975's THE UFO INCIDENT, requires a different approach. In short, this movie is good. Starring two Academy Award-winners — James Earl Jones and Grandma Bev herself, Estelle Parsons — THE UFO INCIDENT tells the story of Betty and Barney Hill, real-life UFO abductees. And Sam is joi...

The only this better than a made-for-TV thriller with Karen Black is one where she plays dual roles. Sam is joined by actor Miguel Pinzon to talk though this "supernatural or not?" entry from 1977. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon ! Follow Sam Pancake on Twitter   Follow Miguel Pinzon on Twitter Visit the official website   Facebook / Twitter / Spotify / Google...

Patty Duke has a revered place in the annals of made-for-TV horror for the wonderfully bonkers CURSE OF THE BLACK WIDOW, but five years before she played the lead in SHE WAITS, a more traditional "woman in a house" chiller that also stars Dorothy McGuire and Beulah Bondi. How does it hold up? Actor Doug Plaut talks it out with Sam. Listen to MAM's previous Patty Duke outing . Help support Monday A...

What better place to spend Halloween than in a haunted house with Paul Lynde? Well, lots of places, really, but this Halloween, Sam is spending the holiday not only with Mr. Lynde but also with Drew Mackie and Glen Lakin, host of the sister podcast Gayest Episode Ever, which looks at LGBT-focused episodes of classic sitcoms, meaning this one-hour cavalcade sits exactly between their show and Sam's...

Barbara Eden stars in this 1974 ABC Movie of the Week, which puts a sci-fi twist on the "Help! There's something in my womb!"-subgenre of horror flick made in the style of Rosemary's Baby. To clump discuss this schlocky goodness, Sam is joined by founding SNL cast member Laraine Newman, who is a delight. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/...

The ABC Movie of the Week for the week of October 30, 1974, DEATH CRUISE delivers exactly what that title promises: death, several times over, happening specifically on a cruise ship. The film stars patron saint of this podcast, Kate Jackson, alongside Richard Long, Tom Bosley and Polly Bergen, and on hand to discuss it is actress Natalie Lander — a delight in her own right but also the granddaugh...

The only thing better than Robert Stack teaming up with Vera Miles is Sam Pancake teaming up with returning guest Stacey Yvonne to discuss 1974's THE STRANGE AND DEADLY OCCURRENCE, about a family moving into a new home to discover that someone — or something — would rather they hadn't. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovi...

What is the secret of Love House? And will intrepid investigating marrieds Kate Jackson and Robert Wagner uncover the mysteries in time? Sam is joined by Tymberlee Hill for this campy dive into old Hollywood. Originally airing in 1976, it also stars Sylvia Sidney, John Carradine, Bill Macy, Joan Blondell and more. Sam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Tymberlee on Instagram: https://www....

Have you ever thought the film Maximum Overdrive just had too many possessed vehicles? If so, 1974's KILLDOZER! may be the film for you. Clint Walker stars a construction foreman tasked with battling a bulldozer given malevolent sentience by an ancient meteorite. Sam is joined by returning guest Marc Anthony Samuel to talk about why this made-for-TV marvel got a cult following. Sam on Twitter: htt...

It's a rare case of a TV movie in the U.S. becoming a theatrical release in Japan: 1978's THE BERMUDA DEPTHS, which has Carl Weathers, Connie Sellecca, and Leigh McCloskey exploring sea monsters off the Bermuda coast. If that's not enough, there's also Rankin/Bass connection, and director Jim Fall joins Sam to talk it through. Sam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Jim on Twitter: https:/...

When we last left Sam and special guest Chris D'Arienzo, they were discussing the best movie ever about a rock band investigating mysterious goings-on at Magic Mountain. What edge-of-your-seat thrills await you in the shocking conclusion! Well, you have to listen to it to find out. We're not just going to tell you. Sam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Out official website: https://monda...

There's actually so much going on in this 1978 NBC telefilm about the rock band Kiss battling an evil inventor to save Magic Mountain that we are splitting into two parts, just because we couldn't imagine sparing you all a single second of this. To discuss this landmark motion picture, Sam brings in Chris D'Arienzo, the Tony-nominated writer of the musical Rock of Ages, who knows a thing or two ab...

Long before the Conjuring franchise took on the murder trial of Arne Johnson, NBC aired a TV movie inspired by those real-life events: 1983's THE DEMON MURDER CASE. And while some might expect a made-for-TV production to pale in comparison, this one boasts Kevin Bacon, Andy Griffith and Cloris Leachman and gives the big-screen counterpart a run for its money. The delightful Lucy Davis joins Sam to...

Premiering on ABC in 1971, this film features the best line-up of four actresses this side of The Golden Girls: Helen Hayes, Myrna Loy, Mildred Natwick and Sylvia Sidney. Joining Sam to discuss DO NOT FOLD — which may or may not be considered a horror movie, depending on what kind of girl you are — is playwright and performer Justin Elizabeth Sayre. Also indicative of what kind of girl you are? Wh...

In case you've ever wondered how Carrie would play out as envisioned by Joan Rivers, 1973's THE GIRL MOST LIKELY TO more or less does that. Wendi McClendon-Covey joins Sam to discuss a pre-Grease Stockard Channing's turn as Miriam Knight, who's not the prettiest girl on campus… yet. Sam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Wendi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wendimclendonco Out official w...

Sam pays tribute to the patron saint of made-for-TV movies, Cloris Leachman, who died on January 27 and left behind not only great roles on the theatrical films and beloved sitcoms but also more TV movies than you might expect. Rest in peace, rest in power! Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam on Twitter: https://twi...

Sam Pancake's gripping exploration of the non-theatrical Stepford Wives movies concludes with a very Lifetime original movie-style take starring Donna Mills and Michael Ontkean. And the very funny Greta Titleman is on hand to discuss whether the gender-flipped plot justifies this 1996 film's existence. Also listen to the other two installments in Sam's Stepford miniseries REVENGE OF THE STEPFORD W...

Sam's survey of the Stepford sequels continues with 1987's THE STEPFORD CHILDREN, which stars Barbara Eden as the latest unknowing wife to fall into the clutches of Stepford, Connecticut. And he's joined in this outing by Tim Murdock, cheerful horror gay and co-host of the Happy Horror Time, a podcast that puts the gay gaze on all things horror, Subscribe to Happy Horror Time: https://podcasts.app...

We're back — if not for a full-sized serving of Monday Afternoon Movie, then at least for a mini-season to kick off the new year. Sam Pancake is diving into the Stepford sequels, the TV-only continuations of the 1972 theatrical release The Stepford Wives. And here to discuss the first one — 1980's REVENGE OF THE STEPFORD WIVES, starring Sharon Gless — is Naomi Ekperigin, making her triumphant retu...

Sam brings 2020 to a close with a decidedly less scary selection: 1977's IT HAPPENED ONE CHRISTMAS, which had Marlo Thomas playing the lead in a gender-flipped remake of It's a Wonderful Life, centered on Mary Bailey as the one who needs to be shown what a difference she makes in the lives of her loved ones. Actress and comedian Sarah Thyre joins Sam in making merry and talking TV movies. Help sup...

What's scarier than an undead scarecrow avenging murder? Well, the Deep South, for one. This 1981 gem gets celebrated, analyzed and otherwise trampled by the unstoppable team of Sam Pancake and Drew Droege. And yes, they do imitate the accents. Also have a listen to Drew's previous Monday Afternoon Movie episode, in which he discusses a movie that has Patty Duke turning into a giant spider: https:...

Celebrate Halloween two days late not with the TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker but the 1972 TV movie that first introduced Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak. It influenced generations of subsequent paranormal-themed TV shows, but does it hold up today? Not so much, says special guest Dave Holmes, who objects to this take on vampire horror being so decidedly unsexy and overstuffed with middle-age...

Monday Afternoon Movie hits its 50-episode milestone with the thrilling conclusion to the THIS HOUSE POSSESSED episode. Will Sam make it to the end of the episode alive? Will special guest Karen Kilgariff let slip which horrific crime is, in fact, her favorite murder? Whose voice is saying "Previously on Monday Afternoon Movie"? Some or also maybe none of these pressing questions will be answered!...

Afternooners, have we got a whopper for you. Not only do you get to hear a frank and incisive discussion of the 1981 made-for-TV horror movie THIS HOUSE POSSESSED but also Sam's comrade in commentary for this season finale is My Favorite Murder co-host Karen Kilgariff. They. Go. Into it. They actually went so into it that we decided to break up this episode into two parts, because doctors said one...

This 1975 thriller capitalizes on the decade's rampant Bermuda Triangle craze and then amps it all up with some supernatural horror. Will Kim Novak make it out alive? Why do all of her outfits look so cute? Do you think she signed onto this because she's literally the only woman in the entire movie? Sam is joined Writer Carey O'Donnell to find out if there truly will be a morning after. Help suppo...