Screams & Streams

Dare to say his name five times in the mirror? Bernard Rose's 1992 horror classic Candyman continues to haunt our nightmares with its perfect blend of urban legend, racial commentary, and genuine terror. We journey through the decaying hallways of Chicago's notorious Cabrini-Green housing project alongside Virginia Madsen's Helen, a graduate student whose research into urban legends...

When criminal psychologist Bill Chrushank loses his arm in a devastating car crash, a groundbreaking transplant procedure gives him a second chance. There's just one catch - his new arm once belonged to a vicious serial killer. As Bill begins to recover, the appendage seems to develop a will of its own, acting with increasing violence against his family and others. What starts as a medical mi...

Take two aspirin and prepare for a lethal dose of 90s medical horror as we dissect "Dr. Giggles," the 1992 cult slasher that transforms everyday medical tools into weapons of destruction. Larry Drake delivers a maniacal performance as the titular villain whose high-pitched laugh and cringe-worthy puns accompany each of his uniquely gruesome kills. With an impressive body count of 17 vict...

Peter Jackson's outrageously gory 1992 splatter comedy "Dead Alive" surprised us all with its impressive 89% Rotten Tomatoes score. While we initially struggled through the slow-paced first twenty minutes, the film quickly transforms into a wild, blood-soaked roller coaster that had us simultaneously laughing and gagging. "Dead Alive" follows timid Lionel, whose controllin...

The killer doll that launched a franchise continues to haunt our collective nightmares. Child's Play (1988) introduced us to Chucky, a seemingly innocent "Good Guy" doll harboring the soul of serial killer Charles Lee Ray. When young Andy Barclay receives the doll as a birthday present, his excitement quickly turns to terror as Chucky reveals his true nature. Director Tom Holland ma...

A white-faced puppet with blade hands, a tiny strongman with oversized fists, and a doll that vomits killer leeches—welcome to the bizarre world of "Puppet Master." This 1989 cult classic might have only scored 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, but somehow spawned an empire of 14 sequels, comic books, and even a video game. The film draws us into the mysterious Bodega Bay Inn where a group of psyc...

From the depths of 90s horror cinema comes "Critters 3" – a film so critically panned it earned a 0% Rotten Tomatoes score, yet somehow launched the career of one of Hollywood's most celebrated actors. Before becoming a global superstar and Oscar winner, Leonardo DiCaprio made his film debut battling furry alien monsters in this bizarre creature feature. These ravenous alien furball...

A vampire with impossibly long fingers, three American students in Romania, and finger-demons that moonwalk across the screen - welcome to the bizarre world of "Subspecies" (1991), a film that somehow earned an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes despite being what we collectively agreed was a spectacular failure. Diving deep into this peculiar vampire tale, we unpack the story of Radu, a droo...

Are classic horror films always as thrilling as we remember? In our latest episode, we explore the nature of fear, character dynamics, and the lore surrounding werewolves through the lens of Joe Dante's "The Howling." This 1981 film attempts to carve out a place in the horror genre with the franchise it spawned but leaves us grappling with issues of pacing, development, and the migh...

Get ready to uncover the shocking realities behind Sleepaway Camp, the 1983 horror film that has left its mark on the genre. In this exciting episode, we dive into the film’s unexpected twists that will keep you guessing. Angela Baker, portrayed as “the quiet one,” joins a summer camp with a dark secret that unravels amidst gripping suspense.  As we discuss the film, we dissect its clever social c...

What happens when a drifter faces off against a monster in a Maine textile mill, and the result is a film with a notorious 0% Rotten Tomatoes rating? "Graveyard Shift" is full of absurdity, and we are here to dissect every gruesome and laughable moment. We kick things off with a Rat’s Tail Cocktail—a quirky concoction that might just make the movie more palatable—and tackle the infamous...

Ever watched a film that made you question your deepest fears? We certainly did as we revisited the 1990 horror-comedy gem "Arachnophobia." With the film's unexpected suspense and a gin cocktail in hand, we'll unravel how a seemingly innocent spider invasion could amplify our own fears of the eight-legged creatures. We share our first encounters with this classic, from the nerv...

Remember those classic horror films that kept us glued to our seats as kids? Chad revisits those nostalgic jump scares in our latest episode of "Screams & Streams," where we take a deep, fun-filled dive into the 1981 slasher flick, "Friday the 13th Part 2." Join us as we unravel the chilling return of Jason Voorhees to Camp Crystal Lake and share our mixed bag of reactions—...

What do you get when you mix childhood fears with a dash of Reese's Pieces and a splash of nostalgia? On "Screams & Streams," we're cracking open the 1982 classic "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" and getting into why it terrified Sam, and why it's still a classic to this day. We kick things off by reminiscing about how E.T. had us hiding behind our popcorn, debat...

Ever wondered what kind of chaos mutant cockroaches can unleash on a small town? Join us as we revisit the 1975 horror film "Bug," where an earthquake gives rise to a fiery insect invasion that left a lasting impression on some and terrified others to their core. We explore everything from the movie's dated visuals and slow pace to Mike's childhood trauma and intense fear of co...

What happens when nostalgia meets horror in the vibrant and fear-inducing era of the 1980s? Join us as we embark on a spirited journey through the decade's chilling cinematic landscape. We kick things off with a "sinister sip" of Long Island Iced Tea, a fitting tribute to an era that embraced both eclecticism and excess. From the technological terrors of "Maximum Overdrive&quot...

Picture this: a quadriplegic man, a helper monkey, and a wild ride of unintended comedy and horror. How does a movie intended to terrify end up being a source of laughs? That's the burning question we're tackling this week on Screams & Streams as Sam, Mike, and Chad reminisce about George A. Romero's 1988 film "Monkey Shines." From bizarre tropes like "perfect lif...

What happens when a movie's chaos leaves us questioning its very essence? Join us on Screams & Streams as we tackle the enigma that is "Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers." This 1989 horror flick, directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard, somehow managed to capture the Halloween franchise's feel without delivering the scares or a coherent storyline. With a Rotten Tomatoe...

What happens when the iconic Jason Voorhees leaves the eerie woods of Crystal Lake and hits the bustling streets of New York City? Join us on Screams & Streams as we uncover the wild ride that is "Friday the 13th, Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan." With only an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this film is bewilderingly beloved and reviled. Chad kicks things off with a plot summary that r...

What happens when a young man escapes a sanitarium only to be thrust back into the vortex of his traumatic circus upbringing? Welcome to "Screams and Streams," where Mike, Chad, and Sam unravel the eerie tapestry of Alejandro Jodorowsky's "Santa Sangre." We confront the film's confusing yet intriguing narrative, its whirlwind of bizarre characters, and its hauntingly...

What happens when a seemingly innocent holiday icon becomes the stuff of nightmares? Join Chad, Sam, and Mike as they unravel the controversy and chaos of "Silent Night, Deadly Night," the 1984 horror film that shocked audiences and outraged parents. With a Rotten Tomatoes rating of just 46%, this film stirred up quite the storm upon its release. We explore the disturbing themes, overly...

Can a film be both a sequel and a remake? The puzzling phenomenon that is "Evil Dead 2" by Sam Raimi keeps horror fans guessing, and we're here to hilariously unravel it all. Discover why Ash Williams, played by the legendary Bruce Campbell, finds himself back at that cursed cabin, complete with dancing skeletons and a sinister sip—our "Deadite" cocktail, which mixes whisk...

What happens when a super-intelligent golden retriever teams up with a boy to escape a mutated creature? We journey through the peculiar world of John Hess's 1988 horror film "Watchers," a movie that's as quirky as its low Rotten Tomatoes rating suggests. From the moment we shared a "sinister sip" of our cocktail, "The Golden Retriever," the conversation was...

What if a pair of sunglasses could reveal the sinister truth behind society’s façade? Join us on "Screams & Streams" as Chad, Sam, and Mike dig into the secrets of John Carpenter's cult classic, "They Live." With a Colonial Cosmo cocktail in hand, we dive into the captivating mix of action and social commentary that makes this film a standout. From iconic one-liners to...

What happens when a gooey alien lifeform lands in a small town, and the local football star, bad boy, and cheerleader must band together to stop it? Join us on Screams & Streams as we navigate the chaotic world of Chuck Russell's 1988 horror classic, "The Blob." We've got quirky humor, over-the-top special effects, and a whole lot of unexpected twists waiting for you. As we...