The Projection Booth

Mike welcomes filmmaker Eugenio Mira to discuss his 2004 darkly comic thriller The Birthday. Starring Corey Feldman, the film unfolds at an eerie party in a mysterious hotel, revealing a strange world where horror, surrealism, and cult menace meet. Mira dives into the film’s influences, its unique stylistic choices, and how it developed its cult status. This conversation offers an intriguing look...

Mike welcomes Bill Burke, former TCM executive and founder of The Optimism Institute, for a deep dive into cinema’s power to inspire and uplift. Drawing from Burke’s mission to champion optimism and celebrate humanity, the discussion explores his views on the role of movies in encouraging positivity and resilience. Burke shares his thoughts on TCM’s influence on film lovers and how the Institute f...

Mike talks with creature and makeup effects artist Steve Newburn to explore his transformative work on Sasquatch Sunset (2024). Known for turning actors like Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough into life-like cryptids, Newburn shares insights into the prosthetic design and the challenges of outdoor filming in rugged settings. Newburn’s craftsmanship, honed over 30 years, takes center stage as he disc...

Mike sits down with Mark Edlitz to dive into Movies Go Fourth, Edlitz’s latest exploration of film history that focuses on fourth installments in beloved movie franchises. Together, they explore the unique quirks, challenges, and unexpected triumphs of fourth films, from reinventions to revivals. Alongside a conversation about the power of nostalgia and innovation in filmmaking, this episode promi...

On this special episode, we’re diving into the curious 1953 fantasy The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. Produced by Stanley Kramer, directed by Roy Rowland, and uniquely penned by Dr. Seuss, the film stars Hans Conreid as Dr. Terwilliker, a sinister piano teacher who’s devised the “Terwilliker Method” for the obedient fingers of child pianists. Tommy Rettig plays Bartholomew Collins, an imaginative boy de...

Mike welcomes Samm Deighan and Andrew Nette, co-editors of Revolution in 35mm: Political Violence and Resistance in Cinema from the Arthouse to the Grindhouse, 1960–1990, from PM Press.  The book explores revolutionary cinema across the globe. They discuss the themes and politics of the films covered in the book, highlighting how cinema has been used to challenge authority, incite change, and refl...

We to kick off Noirvember 2024 with a delve into Pitfall (1948), a classic film noir directed by André De Toth, starring Dick Powell as an insurance man caught in a web of deception and danger. When Powell's character falls for Lizabeth Scott’s femme fatale, his seemingly mundane life spirals into chaos, bringing betrayal, blackmail, and murder. Ian Brownell and Philip Marinello join Mike to explo...

Set against the sun-drenched landscapes of Baja California, this film explores a cursed tale where the desert heat and shadows of folklore merge into an atmospheric terror. Mike speaks with writer/director Jeff Daniel Phillips about his latest feature film on this special episode. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5513239/support . Become a...

In this episode of The Projection Booth, Mike interviews Tim Hautekiet, the director behind Me, Myself & the Void (2024). Hautekiet shares insights into crafting this surreal, introspective journey that follows a stand-up comedian as he confronts himself in a mysterious "void." Exploring themes of self-discovery, friendship, and vulnerability, Mike and Hautekiet discuss the film's influences,...

In this exciting crossover episode, Mike is joined by Chris Stachiw of The Kulturecast, Father Malone of Midnight Viewing, and filmmaker Antonio Llapur for a lively discussion of Venom: The Last Dance (2024). While Chris and Mike found a lot to admire, Father Malone and Antonio weren’t as enthusiastic, leading to a spirited exchange on what works and what misses in this unique entry in the Venom f...

In this episode Mike talks with Barry Keating, the co-screenwriter of Invoking Yell (2024), the latest horror from Chilean director Patricio Valladares. Set in the isolated landscapes of Southern Chile, this atmospheric found-footage film follows a group of young women trying to record a black metal demo amidst strange, paranormal occurrences in the forest. What starts as a raw music venture quick...

The Spirit of Halloweentown (2024) celebrates the unique Halloween festival of St. Helens, Oregon—a town that annually transforms itself in tribute to Disney’s cult-classic film Halloweentown, which was filmed there in 1998. Directed by Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb, known for their nostalgic lens in Jasper Mall, the film dives into the lives of the locals who are the heart of this Hallowee...

#Shocktober2024 wraps up with a double dose of horror and weird science, diving into The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant, a pick from Patreon donor James Brummel. No, it’s not the two-headed flick with Rosie Greer or the one from Japan—this is Bruce Dern’s wild ride as a mad scientist, melding the body of a manchild with the head of a deranged killer in the ultimate “transplant gone wrong.” Tim and...

Mike, Dr. Nicholas Schlegel, and Heather Drain bring the eerie vibe of Shocktober 2024 to new heights with a Patreon request from Kyler Fey: Bell from Hell. This sinister 1973 gem by Claudio Guerín, written by Santiago Moncada, follows John (Renaud Verley), fresh from the asylum after a stay orchestrated by his aunt, Marta (Viveca Lindfors), and her three daughters. Now he’s back—and his intention...

Get ready for a wild deep dive into the world of cult cinema preservation! Mike sits down with Jackson Cooper to uncover the incredible work of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA). From rescuing the rarest of grindhouse gems to giving life to lost horror, sci-fi, and action films, AGFA is on a mission to save the strange and spectacular corners of film history. Together, they explore how this n...

Our #Shocktober coverage heats up with a Patreon pick from Ellis Kish: Turkey Shoot. This 1982 cult classic from writer-director Brian Trenchard-Smith throws us into a dystopian nightmare set in the “futuristic” year of 1995. Steve Railsback and Olivia Hussey star as prisoners caught in a ruthless government’s clutches, where torture is just the beginning—the real terror lies in the deadly “Turkey...

Shocktober continues with a Patreon request as we discuss the 2022 horror film Rucker which follows Leif Rucker, a seemingly ordinary long-haul trucker who has been serially killing women resembling his ex-wife for 30 years. The narrative takes a turn when Maggie, a young filmmaker making a documentary about truckers, becomes privy to Rucker's deadly secret and chooses to document his crimes. Fath...

Our coverage of the Fantastic Fest continues with a look at Heads or Fails via a discussion with film making brothers Harpo and Lenny Guit alongside composer Simon Hanes. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5513239/support . Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth 

Our coverage of the Fantastic Fest continues with Mike talking to Justin Hardy, son of director Robin Hardy, the filmmaker behind The Wicker Man. Justin discusses the film that ruined his family and the documentary he and his brother made about it. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5513239/support . Become a supporter of The Projection Booth...

Our coverage of Fantastic Fest continues with Mike talking with writer/director Toby Jones, star AJ Thompson, and producer Ben Hansen -- three of the talents behind AJ Goes to the Dog Park (2024).  It's a delightful story of local politics. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5513239/support . Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http...

Also known as Legend of Doom House, Malpertuis is a gothic horror film starring Matthew Carriere as Jan, a sailor back at his home port where he visits the estate known as Malpertuis where he encounters a group of colorful kooks including the formidable Cassavius played by Orson Welles.  Jessica Shires and Matthew Asprey Gear join Mike to discuss the film while director Harry Kumel talks about the...

On this cross-over episode with The Kulturecast, Mike joins Chris to discuss the latest work from auteur Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), a jukebox musical continuation of the Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) story where he's joined by Harley "Lee" Quinzel in a courtroom drama. That run-on sentence pretty well sums it up. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast...

Heather Drain and Jedidiah Ayres join Mike to take a gritty plunge into Monte Hellman's Cockfighter (1974), a controversial and fascinating portrait of obsession and redemption. Warren Oates stars as Frank Mansfield, a man so consumed by his quest to win the cockfighting championship that he’s taken a vow of silence until he claims victory. Set in the underbelly of the American South, this viscera...

Mike speaks with fellow-Detroiter Alan Bernstein about his feature documentary, When We Went Mad, a look at the usual gang of idiots behind the irreverent publication, Mad Magazine. A film more than a decade in the making, Bernstein wonderfully captures the importance and influence of Mad from inception to demise.   Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projectio...

As part of our coverage of Fantastic Fest, Mike spoke with writer/director Danny Villanueva Jr. about his first full-length feature narrative, What Happened to Dorothy Bell? It's a creepy found footage movie about a young person investigating their own past and their complicated relationship with their grandmother, Dorothy Bell. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/...