The Walter Paisley Movie House

Today I talk to two of the most prolific and busiest independent filmmakers working. Between them, Michael and Sophia have over 70 credits ranging from writing, directing, cinematography, acting, editing, and scoring. We are also joined by professional makeup artist, Julie Powers. We talk about how the pandemic affected the business and the things they did to continue working despite being locked...

Amelia and I continue our conversation getting into more detail about her work with animals and wildlife protection. We also talk more Night of the Demons, of course. Amelia tells me about the surreality of seeing her face tattooed on people, the nurturing nature of horror fandom, and what her character, Angela, has come to represent over the years. Find out more about Amelia's tireless work in he...

In part one of my interview with Amelia Kinkade, we talk about growing up a misfit in rural Texas and leaving to chase her dreams as a dancer. She tells me about her rise in stature after being featured in a Stray Cats video, hanging out with her aunt, Rue McClanahan, and how she was cast as Angela in the iconic Night of the Demons trilogy. She tells me how much of a role perseverance has played i...

Continuing my conversation with Stairway to Stardom archivist and public access tv enthusiast, Mitch Friedman. Mitch tells me about the audition process for the iconic NYC public access talent show, the status of some of the performers today, and why he loves a good bad lounge singer. We also talk about his work as an editor, writer, and musician. Bonus: He tells me about meeting members of one of...

Stairway to Stardom is a vital piece of media that made the rounds on the underground VHS scene in the late 80s and early 90s, and it would have been lost to the ages without today's guest. Mitch Friedman, along with his friend Doug Miller, tracked down the creator and host of the NYC public access oddity, Frank Masi. Masi gave them complete access to the handful of shows he still had, having lost...

Part 2 with Rich Brown continues with Suzanne Muldowney brandishing a sword. We talk more about Beyond Vaudeville, and the eccentric guests who appeared. Rich tells me about the wonderful Betty Aberlin, the weird Brother Theodore, the very funny Al Lewis, and the enigmatic Sammy Petrillo. He tells me about the guests who walked, and the ones who were enthusiastic about being there. We also talk th...

Rich Brown has been making his mark on pop culture since the mid-80's. Be it in his NYC-centric stage show, Beyond Vaudeville, to the award winning cable access version of that show which ran from 1985 to 1995, to the third iteration of it, which is known as Oddville MTV. Today we talk about his interest in the unusual, how Beyond Vaudeville began and how it grew to the underground cult status it...

Today, I continue my conversation with makeup F/X guru, Joe Castro. He picks up where we left off, telling me about using Herschell Gordon Lewis' blood recipe. We also talk about his first time at the Acker Mansion as a teen where he met Forrest J. and Brinke Stevens, who became a lifelong friend. Joe tells me about meeting and working with Karen Black, and being professional. He also teases some...

It's Halloween, but today we are talking Christmas with return guest Fred Olen Ray. His new book, Writing the Perfect Christmas TV Movie, draws on his years of experience making the Christmas for networks like Lifetime and the Hallmark Channel. We talk about why he wanted to write the book, the surprise he had at it being a top seller on Amazon, and some of the secrets to writing these films. It's...

Today, special F/X guru, Joe Castro drops into the Movie House to talk bloodying up legends of the industry. We talk about his youth in San Antonio, TX, the importance of having a good mentor, and the life-changing properties of Godzill vs. The Smog Monster. We completely geek out over Yor: The Hunter From the Future, and Herschell Gordon Lewis. Joe also tells me about the support he got from his...

In this episode, we pick up where we left off with Jack. We talk a little about Nightmare 2, and the intimidation of not only taking on a sequel to a blockbuster, but doing so on a very tight deadline. Jack reminds us of the importance of who the camera is on, and why watching someone react is better than watching someone talk. He also tells us about the mentorship of Martin Landau, trying to dire...

Jack Sholder edited and directed some of the most revered and influential cult movies of the 80s and 90s. He joins me to talk about the perfect cheese steak, musicianship, his year abroad in Edinburgh, discovering film, the art of cutting a trailer, and the trick to building suspense. We also discuss his many influences and the importance of allowing the audience to interpret the scene, and we gee...

Chris and I continue our conversation about life in early 90's NYC. He talks about his time hanging with the Manhattan weirdo elite, working with Tatum O'Neil, and the importance of music. Plus, life in the brig, why craft services matter, and why you can't wade through a marsh along the New Jersey Transit Line with a camera anymore. Find Chris here: Ghost Limb Films on Vimeo Ghost Limb Films on F...

Josh Arnold grew up in St. Louis, and was introduced to horror movies the way most of us were, TV. We talk about our favorite horror movies, the moments that traumatized us when we were kids, and the nauseating appeal of The Human Centipede. We also talk Tobe Hooper, William Castle, the ups and downs of fan conventions, and why it's tough to see Gregory Peck lose. Find out more about Josh here: Jo...

Through the late 80s-early 90s, Chris Frieri made micro-budget movies using his friends and local bands to star. Two of them, The Orbitrons  and I Was a Teenage Mummy, made the rounds in the world of bootlegs, eventually earning mentions in the cult movie bible, Psychotronic Magazine. He's now working on restoring the films, as well as others he's made, and making them available digitally. We talk...

Frank is back for part 2! We talk about the first time he met Gilbert Gottfried, and about how Gilbert met Frank for the first time, every time. Frank talks about how their podcast came to be and why, and why he was such a research hound for each guest. He tells me about some of his favorite moments from the show, a few of his favorite guests, the surreal moment that is noshing in Barbara Feldon's...

Today, we move slightly away from our usual conversation with a cult movie superstar to talk to a cult movie semi-star, comedy writer, podcaster, and all around encyclopedia of character actors and obscure Hollywood trivia, Frank Santopadre. In part one, we talk about growing up in Queens, the joys of digging through comic book bins, Ralph Manza's recognizable mug, opening for Brother Theodore, an...

Beverly tells us more about the movies of Jack Hill, in part two of our interview, then we jump back to her earlier career. From Old Yeller to The Loretta Young Show, we talk about all of the people she has worked with, and when she started to realize how really significant many of them are. She tells us about her the many animal charities she supports, as well as what she's up to today. Plus: Tro...

Beverly Washburn started acting in 1950 at the age of 6, and has not slowed down since. In part one, we talk about her youth, the challenges of being a child actor, and getting her start with the help of fabled stuntman and actor, Jock Mahoney. She tells me about Superman and the Mole-Men, working with the likes of Cecille B. DeMille, George Stevens, and Frank Capra, and her long friendship with t...

At the age of six, Jackey made her feature film debut in what has been widely considered the worst film ever made, Manos, the Hands of Fate. Long thought to bw lost media until it was unearthed by the crew at Mystery Science Theater 3000, the movie has now become part of pop culture history. There are stage adaptations, including the brilliant puppet version, Manos, the Hands of Felt, references i...

It's part two of Greg MacDougall, F/X guru and all around awesome person. (Sorry it's late. I finally got Covid, after artfully dodging it for two years, and it knocked me out for a few days.) In this episode we talk about the eternal struggle of creative control vs. financial stability, the joys of craft services, blowing things up, the creep factor of the Smiley mask, the almost no-The Creep fac...

Today is part one of my conversation with F/X artist, Greg MacDougall. He's worked on everything from the cult classic, August Underground to The Spongebob Squarepants Movie. We talk about growing up on late night horror movies, latex body parts, and why traumatizing movies are so intriguing. He tells me about the life of a freelance F/X artists, big budget vs. small budget, and why it's fun to bu...

Today is part two of my interview with Something Weird Video's, Lisa Petrucci. We talk more about her late husband, Mike Vraney, the sad, and too soon loss of him, holding the business together, and the future of Something Weird Video. We also talk about the resurgence of Physical media, and the disposable nature of streaming media. Oh yeah, Bat Pussy comes up, too. I also fuck up the name of our...

Today's guest, Lisa Petrucci, was a young artist with eclectic taste is movies and pop culture. She eventually found her soulmate in Mike Vraney, the founder of Something Weird Video. She has since taken the role of CEO of the company, following Mike's untimely death. We talk about her youth in Massachusetts, the joys of being traumatized at the drive-in, hanging out at Hasbro as a kid, the origin...

My conversation with Sky Elobar continues. We talk about living in NYC and LA, how public masturbation (No, not him.) led to him meeting his wife, convention life, and, of course, The Greasy Strangler. Also, the highs and lows of the jobbing actor, Michael St. Michael being banned from Australia, and his favorite restaurants in Indianapolis. Find Sky here: IMDB Twitter Instagram (Follow Sky here t...