Scream Scene Podcast

The deadicated hosts cover the film that ruined two men’s careers… 1932’s MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE, starring Bela Lugosi, directed by Robert Florey. What happened behind the scenes to make this transgressive horror film so disjointed? Context setting 00:00; plot summary 32:31; discussion 50:03; ranking 1:11:45

Meet Tod Browning's cast of FREAKS from 1932! Our deadicated hosts learn the production history of this unique film, share details about a few of the performers, and discuss how FREAKS fits within a unique horror subgenre. Context setting 00:00; plot summary 25:55; discussion 41:27; ranking 1:01:35

The deadicated hosts rely on their prescription glasses to see just what Frank R. Strayer's 1932 indie horror The Monster Walks is about... family lineage? An ape on the loose? Who knows? Starring Mischa Auer, with Willie Best. Context setting 00:00; plot summary 17:01; discussion 25:30; ranking 40:33

The deadicated hosts uncover the mystery around Rouben Mamoulian's 1931 pre-Code horror film Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde starring Fredric March! Context setting 00:00; plot summary 29:27; discussion 40:56; ranking 1:13:34

The deadicated hosts take on James Whale's 1931 classic Frankenstein! Starring Colin Clive and Boris Karloff. From Mary Shelley's life and the novel's origins, to the film's unique production history, there's all that and more in this terror-filled episode! Mary Shelley and novel background 00:00; film background 33:34; plot summary 51:25; discussion 1:03:30; ranking 1:42:38

This week, the deadicated hosts watch Drácula from 1931, directed by George Melford! We explain just what this Spanish version of Browning's classic film is, how it came to be, and about the stars Carlos Villarías and Lupita Tovar. Context setting 00:00; summary 13:39; discussion 17:07; ranking 42:54

Tod Browning's 1931 Dracula starring Bela Lugosi, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, and Helen Chandler wows the deadicated hosts as this film defines the American horror genre. Context setting 00:00; summary 40:34; discussion 47:05; ranking 1:21:33

Our deadicated hosts face their first sound picture... Roland West's remake of The Bat... The Bat Whispers (1930)! Starring Chester Morris and Una Merkel, with the history of sound in film, the Great Depression, and more! Context setting 00:00; summary 28:32; discussion 31:30; ranking 52:54

The deadicated hosts travel to France for Jean Epstein's 1928 La Chute de la maison Usher (The Fall of the House of Usher), where we disappoint our film profs in our description of French Impressionism. We also talk about Edgar Allen Poe! Context 00:00; summary 28:41; discussion 33:47; ranking 57:45

The deadicated hosts test even their resolve with Henrik Galeen's 1928 "German expressionist horror" film Alraune, starring Brigitte Helm and Paul Wegener. Context setting 00:00; summary 15:43; discussion 26:37; ranking 36:58

Lon Chaney returns with director Tod Browning and upcoming actress Joan Crawford in 1927's The Unknown! Our deadicated hosts discuss the film's title, the history of American circuses, and whether the film fits in the horror genre. 00:00 context setting; 20:26 summary; 27:23 discussion; 39:40 ranking

It's the film that inspired Universal's horror franchise... Paul Leni's The Cat and The Canary from 1927! Our deadicated hosts talk Leni's boundary-pushing and inventive direction and cinematography, as well as US horror tropes and dental hygiene. Context setting 00:00; summary 15:49; discussion 31:30; ranking 51:30

Our deadicated hosts return to Germany to review our first remake... Der Student von Prag (1926), directed by Henrik Galeen and starring Conrad Veidt and Werner Krauss. We discuss how the remake, German Expressionism, and even Veidt's acting have evolved since our last viewings! Context setting 00:00; summary 22:14; discussion 46:10; ranking 1:02:38

From director Rex Ingram, our deadicated hosts review The Magician (1926), starring Alice Terry, Paul Wegener, and Ivan Petrovich. Based off W. Somerset Maugham's novel inspired by the infamous Aleister Crowley. Context setting 00:00; summary 20:48; discussion 30:48; ranking 53:53

We tackle Roland West's follow up to The Monster... The Bat (1926)! This comedy-horror (thriller?) is based off the 1920 Broadway hit by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood. What are the differences between a horror and thriller? Does comedy affect whether The Bat is a horror film? Our deadicated hosts discuss this and more in this episode. Context setting 00:00; summary 21:53; discussion 30:5...

The deadicated hosts watch the earliest surviving werewolf movie, Wolf Blood: A Tale of the Forest (1925) directed by and starring George Chesebro. Blood transfusions, loup-garou folklore, and Canadian logging operations abound! Context setting 00:00; summary 14:33; discussion 22:42; ranking 37:50

In our longest episode yet, our deadicated hosts cover all things Phantom of the Opera! From the 1925 film's many releases, to the Opera House itself, there's plenty to hear in this review of the 1925/1929 Phantom of the Opera, directed by Rupert Julian & co, starring Lon Chaney. Context setting 00:00; intermission 44:12; summary 46:10; discussion 1:01:21; ranking 1:29:19

Our deadicated hosts return to the US to review Roland West's 1925 horror-comedy The Monster, with the Scream Scene debut of Lon Chaney! Slapstick, the origins of MGM, and Lon Chaney abounds in this Rocky Horror Monster Show of an episode. Context setting 00:00; summary 26:38; discussion 37:17; ranking 47:24.

Our deadicated hosts return to director Robert Wiene with his 1924 film Orlacs Hände with Conrad Veidt, Alexandra Sorina, and Fritz Kortner. What has Wiene and Veidt been up to since Caligari? What is the history of organ transplants? Find out this and more in our twelfth episode! Context setting 00:00; post intermission 21:57; summary 28:52; discussion 52:23; ranking 1:01:19

Our deadicated hosts Ben and Sarah discuss just where Benjamin Christensen's 1922 documentary horror film Häxan / Witchcraft Through The Ages fits on the list... and should they have included it in the first place? Context setting 00:11; Film summary and discussion 23:28

Our deadicated hosts tackle FW Murnau's 1922 film Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens; our first vampire film! We cover a lot, from the folkloric origins of vampires to the film's copyright issues as an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Context setting 00:00; film summary 42:14; discussion 59:24; ranking 1:22:11

Legend dictates that the last soul to die on New Year's Eve must drive the Phantom Carriage for the next year. Our deadicated hosts Ben and Sarah review Körkarlen (1921, Sjöström), also known as The Phantom Carriage. Also known as Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness! Opening context 0:00; trigger warning 21:50; summary 22:08; discussion 36:33; ranking 57:30.

We're back with Paul Wegener, and his 1920 film Der Golem, Wie Er In Die Welt Kam! Is this a horror movie? Is it even German expressionist? Listen to hear what our deadicated hosts Ben and Sarah have to say about The Golem, How He Came Into The World.

Deadicated hosts Ben and Sarah tackle the German follow up to Dr Caligari... Genuine, Die Tragödie Eines Seltsamen Hauses, directed by Robert Wiene from 1920. We cover the differences between the original and the US release (retitled Genuine, A Tale of a Vampire), and (attempt) to decipher the long history of fearing women's sexuality. Oh my!

It's our third Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde episode, this time featuring John Barrymore in his 1920 performance, directed by John Robertson. Our deadicated hosts Ben and Sarah learn about the Barrymore acting dynasty and more, in the sixth episode of Scream Scene.