Mass Hypnosis Podcast
Direct download: Mass_Hypnosis_1_VHS_Memories.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:20am PDT

ScareLa is less than a month away! That means not only is Halloween starting early, but so is Horrible Imaginings because we will have a film block at the convention! It is so exciting for us to be part of this amazing convention, and what better way to celebrate than with a friendly horror-loving conversation […]

The post #159: Every Day is Halloween at ScareLA! appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_159_ScareLA.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:29pm PDT

The Last Pinoy Action King Australia | Documentary | 2016 | 97 minutes | Andrew Leavold, Daniel Palisa This is a documentary about Filipino action star Rudy "Daboy" Fernandez. Yes, this probably has less to do with the horror genre than we tend to show, but it has everything to do with the wild world […]

The post Cult Film History! The Last Pinoy Action King! (US Premiere!) appeared first on .

Category:general -- posted at: 11:08pm PDT

Hail to the King: 60 Years of Destruction USA | Documentary | 2015 | 60 minutes | Kyle Yount HAIL TO THE KING: 60 YEARS OF DESTRUCTION is an independent crowd-funded documentary that celebrates the sixty-year legacy of the world's greatest monster, Godzilla. In July of 2014, Kyle Yount, die-hard Godzilla fan and the host […]

The post Hail to the King: 60 Years of Destruction! appeared first on .

Category:general -- posted at: 10:42pm PDT

Alena Sweden | 2015 | 83 minutes | Daniel di Grado Sponsored by our good friends, the TGGeeks, Horrible Imaginings is proud to bring back the LGBT film block! The headlining feature for this block will be the dark high school thriller from Sweden: Alena! Alena’s life is far from simple. When she arrives at […]

The post LGBT Block Feature Film: Alena appeared first on .

Category:general -- posted at: 10:16pm PDT

TAG Rioru Onigokko Japan | 2015 | 85 minutes | Sion Sono It is that time of year again, and we are expanding to five days–our most extensive festival yet! How do we kick off such a momentous lucky-7th year? By being the first place in California to screen this wild gem from director Sion […]

The post Opening Night Film: TAG! (California Premiere) appeared first on .

Category:general -- posted at: 9:39pm PDT

It is that time of year again, and we are expanding to five days–our most extensive festival yet! How do we kick off such a momentous lucky-7th year? By being the first place in California to screen this wild gem from director Sion Sono (Suicide Club, Coldfish)–TAG! From Variety: “Equal parts flash-trash exploitation gorefest and […]

The post Tag (California Premiere) appeared first on .

Category:2016 Films and Showtimes -- posted at: 10:08am PDT

Sometimes things just happen that take you somewhere you didn't expect to go, but there you are and it is freaking awesome. Everything about what happened Sunday feels like some kind of divine providence. I finished the novel "The Complex" by notable horror author Brian Keene at 2:00 AM, found out a couple of hours […]

The post #158: Kasey Lansdale’s Life Is A Musical (flying monkeys need not apply) appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_158_Kasey_Lansdale.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:26pm PDT

Last week, Horrible Imaginings presented a week of screenings of the new documentary Elstree 1976 at the Digital Gym Cinema here in San Diego, California. During the Saturday night screening, director Jon Spira graciously agreed to talk to the theater after the screening for a Q&A via Skype. What this meant for him was setting […]

The post #157: Documenting Lives–A Conversation with Elstree 1976 Director Jon Spira appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_157_Elstree_1976.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:24am PDT

Index Zero is a new dark science fiction film from Italy, and a debut feature from director Lorenzo Sportiello. As with any good genre story, Sportiello uses high-concept cinema to explore some very real problems facing Europe today--namely the refugee and immigration problems that challenge many European countries. The film also boasts an impressive world-building […]

The post #156: Explore the Italian Dark SciFi Film INDEX ZERO with Director Lorenzo Sportiello (SPOILER FREE) appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_156_Index_Zero.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:39pm PDT

Wow, another podcast episode more focused on classic film than horror! Horror can be peripherally involved, though, as the main thrust of our conversation is censorship and The Production Code that became the means for censorship in Hollywood for over three decades. I was graciously invited to join Cinema Junkie Beth Accomando at The La […]

The post #155: Censoring Hollywood: How the Motion Picture Production Code Changed Filmmaking appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_155_Production_Code.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:13pm PDT

Once again, it is that time of the year where we focus on classic film in honor of the TCM Classic Film Festival, which has been hitting Hollywood, California in a big way every Spring since 2010. (Incidentally, I'm proud to say that our own Horrible Imaginings Film Festival shares its birth year with TCM […]

The post #154: Exploring the Hidden Gems of the TCM Classic Film Festival with Will McKinley appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_154_TCMFF_2016.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:17am PDT

Due to popular demand, filmmakers who would like to submit to the 2016 Shudder Labs programs will now have until April 15th. Shudder, the horror streaming video service backed by AMC Networks, recently launched Shudder Labs, an intimate and immersive workshop for aspiring genre filmmakers. Shudder Labs is a one-of-a-kind retreat that will bolster and […]

The post Horror Streaming Video Service SHUDDER Announces MASTERS-IN-RESIDENCE Shudder Labs and Extends Submission Deadline for Genre Filmmaker Program appeared first on .

Category:general -- posted at: 2:23pm PDT

Since the provocative promotional images first hit the internet, the new film Nina Forever has been garnering attention from the festival circuit and genre fans alike. Love, loss, grief, and the inability to move on are emotional extremes that most of us have had to deal with, and Nina Forever explores those extremes in the […]

The post #153: Love, Loss, and Grief with “Nina Forever” Directors The Blaine Brothers (No Spoilers) appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_153_Nina_Forever.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:06pm PDT

In 1973, African American director Bill Gunn was tasked with making the next Blacula. Instead, he gifted the world with the strangest rumination on identity, addiction, and religion that we are just beginning to appreciate. Starring Duane Jones, who gave a revolutionary performance in George A. Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, and the magnetic […]

The post #152: Not Just A Black Vampire Movie–Graveyard Shift Sisters Joins Me to Talk Ganja and Hess appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_152_Ganja_and_Hess.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:47pm PDT

Pablo Absento showed her atmospheric horror short film Shi at the 2015 Horrible Imaginings Film Festival, as well as film festivals all over the world, and that got the notice of none other than Fangoria. Now, all of you can watch this film and see what all the buzz is about in 8 terrifying minutes […]

The post #151: Director Pablo Absento and her “Shi” appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_151_Pablo_Absento.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:09pm PDT

Horrible Imaginings is bringing one trippy anthology film to San Diego's Digital Gym Cinema in February! It's called Southbound, and it tells the connected stories of some truly unfortunate people who find themselves in the loneliest parts of the American roadscape. There are genuine feelings of mystery, dread, and weirdness throughout this film. I really enjoyed it and decided I wanted to talk about it on the podcast. I decided to ask my good friend, actor Graham Skipper (Almost Human, The Mind's Eye, Re-Animator: The Musical), to join me on Skype for a gush session.

Full disclosure: Graham is friends with the creative team behind Southbound, but I trust his ability to remain free from bias. Besides, this is all in good fun between people who love horror film and want to share that love with all of you!

To learn more about our Southbound screenings, head over to our Events Calendar! Here are the dates:

Friday, Feb 12th: 10:00PM
Saturday, Feb 13th: 8:45PM (with filmmaker Q&A!)
Wednesday, Feb 17th: 9PM

NOW LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE:

The post #150: Graham Skipper Joins Me To Talk Southbound, An Anthology Horror appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_150_Southbound.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:02am PDT

It has been a bit of a hiatus since our last episode while I take care of some health problems, but hopefully I can attack 2016 with regained vigor and enthusiasm. This will be the final episode of 2015, and what better way to endcap the year on a film festival podcast than with a conversation all about independent film production? Joining me for this conversation are Ben Steiner and Dan Dixon of the UK-based Fume Films, whose short film THE STOMACH took home an Horrible Imaginings trophy back in 2014.

Now, while we talk about independent filmmaking in some general terms that should interest anyone who wants to hear about the process, it will help if listeners have seen some of Fume Films' output in order to give this episode some more context. These are excellent and creatively original short films well worth your time. THE STOMACH is the film that took home our trophy for best Paranormal short film. You can watch it on iTunes for just a couple of bucks! Click the poster for a direct link to that download:

You can also see THE FLEA for free here:

The Flea from FUME FILMS on Vimeo.

We also discuss some of the poster work in the podcast. Here are some of the other posters to give that discussion some context:

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE:

The post #149: I Talk Indie Film Production with UK-Based Fume Films appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_149_Fume_Films.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:45pm PDT

John Skipp and Andrew Kasch, the directing duo behind the THIS MEANS WAR segment of the new Halloween celebration anthology called TALES OF HALLOWEEN, joined us for a fantastic and hilarious Q&A following our screening. It was after 1am by the time this Q&A happened, but there was no shortage of energy or thoughtfulness. And now all you in the internet world can enjoy it, too!

In this episode, we talk:
1. Capturing the unique characters behind home haunts
2. Different types of horror fans
3. The popularity of anthology horror and horror in the short form
4. The challenges and benefits of a huge collaboration like Tales of Halloween
5. How the duo started working together
6. The future of ClownTown
And More!

As of this posting, there are five more San Diego showtimes of Tales of Halloween with the short film Yummy Meat: A Halloween Carol! If you are in town get your butt to the Digital Gym Cinema to watch this with a crowd on the big screen and have some fun celebrating our favorite holiday! Here are the showtimes:
10/26 8:30 PM

10/27 5:15 PM

10/28 5:15 PM

10/28 9:15 PM

10/29 5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
See more at: http://www.hifilmfest.com/events

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE:

The post #148: Tales of Halloween Q&A with John Skipp and Andrew Kasch appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_148_Tales_of_Halloween.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:12pm PDT

Amazingly, it has been one month since my episode reflecting on Horrible Imaginings Film Festival. I have several episodes awaiting post production, but it's the Halloween Season and this one needed to move to the front of the line! I was invited to a live panel Halloween event at the San Diego Public Library on Saturday to discuss horror in both literature and film! It was like a live version of my podcast, so of course I had to record it for as many of you to enjoy as possible! Thank you to Anthony Trevino for the invitation! Joining me on stage to offer their horror insights were:

David Agranoff, author of Amazing Punk Stories. Follow him on Twitter at @DAgranoffAuthor
Scott Sigler, author of the Infected Trilogy. Follow him on Twitter at @scottsigler
Bryan Killian, author of Welcome to Necropolis. Follow him on Twitter at @bkillian13
Ryan C. Thomas, author of The Summer I Died. Follow him on Twitter at @ryancthomas
Robert Essig, author of In Black. Follow him on Twitter at @Robert_Essig

We talk about our favorite authors and stories before going into our experiences with horror in film. This is a pretty great discussion with lots of people who have had their lives changed by scary stories. Truly, a celebration of Halloween!

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE:

The post #147: Halloween Super Special with SoCal Horror Authors! appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_147_Halloween_SDPL.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:35pm PDT

Another year has come and gone, leaving us with the best Horrible Imaginings Film Festival yet! Our new venue at The Museum of Photographic Arts was a hit, the films were top notch, the audience was incredible, and the feedback has been overwhelming. Join me in a reflection of the event, along with Cinema Junkie Beth Accomando and film festival regular attendee Joshua Sutton as we discuss highlights and think about the future!

See the full list of awards recipients here!

Listen to the episode HERE:

The post #146: The 6th Annual Horrible Imaginings Film Festival Wrap-Up and Reflection appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_146_2015_HIFFSD_WrapUp.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:15pm PDT

Horrible Imaginings Film Festival 2015 has come to an end, but people around the world can re-live one of our best moments in this podcast! We got Mexican filmmakers Gigi Saul Guerrero, Aaron Soto, and Mauricio Chernovetzky to join me on the stage to talk about the unique place that horror and fear have in […]

The post #145: Mexican Horror Panel at Horrible Imaginings with Gigi Saul Guerrero, Aaron Soto, and Mauricio Chernovetzky appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_ep_145_Mexican_Horror_Panel.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:24pm PDT

Three French Canadian directors behind the latest indie hit TURBO KID--Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell, and François Simard--join us for a last-second podcast conversation about their retro post-apocalyptic baby. I'm rushing this one through, because I am hoping this will get people in San Diego to the Digital Gym Cinema to see it either tonight (9/5 […]

The post #144: TURBO KID’s Trio of Directors Talk Retro Action Mayhem! appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_144_Turbo_Kid.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:11pm PDT

I often say I like to use this podcast to discuss horror in art, history, literature, film, and beyond. Film tends to hog the limelight there, but today I get to talk art. Specifically, dance and performance art. Russian-born Anna Yanushkevich has been performing her curious acts in San Diego for at least as long […]

The post #143 Merging the Horrific with the Beautiful: A Conversation with Performance Artist Anna Yanushkevich appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_143_Anna_Yanushkevich.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:26am PDT

In his book "On Writing," Stephen King compares his writing process to a type of archaeology, where he digs the story out of the Earth's clay, piece by piece, rather than meticulously planning it from the start. I have always thought that method is where he is sometimes led astray as a writer. Imagine putting […]

The post #142 Rape Culture-Revenge: FELT Director and Star Discuss Their Unconventional Thriller appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_ep_142_Felt_Interview.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:57pm PDT

It's time for another Storytime Edition! That's right! One of my audiobook-style readings of various types of public domain stories. For today’s Storytime, I’ve chosen William Hope Hodgson’s “The Voice in the Night.” William Hope Hodgson was a British writer with a penchant for the macabre. He spent a lot of his young life on […]

The post #141: Storytime Edition’s The Voice in the Night by William Hope Hodgson appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_ep_141_The_Voice_in_the_Night.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:25pm PDT

You are in luck, especially if you were not able to make our Funky Bollywood discussion at San Diego's own Digital Gym Cinema last night, because I decided to make a podcast of the episode. And what a great idea, too, because it turned out to be one of the best and most enthusiastic Q&A's […]

The post #140: Funky Bollywood: The Wild World of 1970s Indian Action Cinema with Todd Stadtman appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_140_Funky_Bollywood.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:46pm PDT

With the recent tragic news that we wouldn't be getting a Silent Hills, I have had the game Silent Hill 2 on my mind. It is one of the few video games that has really left its mark on me. My co-host Angela, on the other hand, is a big video game nerd so I […]

The post #139 Silent Hill 2 Super Special Tribute appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_139_Silent_Hill_2_Analysis.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:20pm PDT

How excited are we? Turner Classic Movies is collaborating with Ball State University to offer an online course on film noir! It is free to everyone! Subscribers and non-subscribers alike! Internationally! To coincide with their INSANE "Summer of Darkness" programming (I mean, just LOOK at this)! Ok, I know I am rambling here because I […]

The post #138: Into the Darkness! Preparing for TCM’s Investigating Film Noir Class! appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_138_Before_Into_the_Darkness.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:32pm PDT

Hello everyone! Angela and I got the chance to see Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World last night on the exact one year anniversary of Giger's death. Let it be known that we were quite affected by the film. Listen to our reaction--and we do avoid anything that could be called spoilers, even though this is […]

The post #137: Dark Star: HR Giger’s World appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_137_Dark_Star_HR_Gigers_World.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:01pm PDT

Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't seen Hellraiser or read "The Hellbound Heart." We are looking in depth at the Hellraiser mythos in this episode, and that necessitates citing specific plot points. That said, these stories are strong enough to endure knowing what happens in some parts--they wouldn't be "spoiled" anyway! My newest co-host (yes, […]

The post #136: Such Sights! A Look Back at Hellraiser appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_136_Hellraiser_Tribute.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:47pm PDT

As a horror event organizer myself, it's nice to talk to other people who do some of the same crazy things I do. It's like joining brothers and sister in combat in a weird sort of way. It is a combat that we love and dedicate ourselves to, but it can seem like combat nonetheless. […]

The post #135: The Importance of Horror Events with Crypticon Seattle! appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_Ep_135_Crypticon.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:42pm PDT

Hiroshi Katagiri is a special effects artist who has worked in Hollywood for the last quarter century. His resume includes "Jurassic Park III," "War of the Worlds," and "The Hunger Games." As with many artists, though, Katagiri has the passion and drive to apply his artistic abilities to his own creative projects. After creating a […]

The post #134: Bringing Terror Back with Gehenna’s Hiroshi Katagiri appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_134_Gehenna.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:53pm PDT

Hello everyone! This is my final podcast from the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival from Hollywood. It has been an incredible experience at my third year of TCM Film Fest, not the least because of the wonderful people I've had the privilege of meeting and befriending along the way! You can hear me talk to […]

The post #133: TCM’s Noralil Fores On Bringing Classic Film Into the 21st Century appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_133_Noralil_from_TCM_on_Social_Media.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:20pm PDT

In keeping up with the pre-code films exploration, I decided to sit down with Danny Reid at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival in Hollywood California. Danny runs Pre-Code.com, a website "Celebrating Pre-Code Hollywood Cinema," a wild time in film history before the boot of censorship came down on the studios. We talk about what […]

The post #132: Naughty 30s with Pre-Code.com’s Danny Reid at TCM Classic Film Festival appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_ep_132_precodedotcom.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:52pm PDT

I am feeling a little like Clint Eastwood in the Good, the Bad, and The Ugly after Eli Wallach has dragged him through the desert, only, instead of being sleep and food deprived from that ordeal I feel exhausted from the sheer rapture that was the 2015 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival. Just as with […]

The post #131: TCM Classic Film Festival 2015 Wrap Up! appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_131_TCM_Classic_Film_Fest_2015.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:47am PDT

The Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival has inspired us to take a look at classic films, so it was providential that two websites decided to host a blogathon about a historic era of film history. The websites in question are Shadows and Satin, as well as Pre-code.com, and the era of film history is […]

The post #130: Pre-Code Blogathon! Race Representation In Film, Historically and Today appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_130_PreCode_and_Race_Representation.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:15am PDT

Good evening listeners! In this episode I discuss the underrated 1940 gem Dr. Cyclops, directed by the man who gave us King Kong! It is passed 1:00 am on the day before I leave for TCM Film Festival. Earlier tonight, I played Dr. Cyclops to a crowd of people at my Schlockfest at the San […]

The post #129: TCM Film Fest Pre-Game: Schlockfest and 1940s Dr. Cyclops! appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_129_Dr_Cyclops.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:21am PDT

Find out why the words, "Let's make a lesbian vampire movie" led to something totally unexpected. Find out why I desperately want my next car to be a Russian Volga! It's all in this episode of the Horrible Imaginings Podcast!  Mauricio Chernovetzky, co-director of Styria aka Angels of Darkness, joins me to talk about his […]

The post #128: Mauricio Chernovetzky ReExamines the Vampire Myth appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_ep_128_Mauricio_Styria.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:35pm PDT

Happy Holidays, everyone! As a holiday present to all of you, I decided to bust out another Storytime Edition of the Horrible Imaginings Podcast. And what says "merry" better than manic visions of an invisible and highly-evolved starman sent to enslave our will and replace the human race? Well, this is a horror podcast, after […]

The post #127: Storytime Edition: Guy de Maupassant’s THE HORLA appeared first on .

Direct download: hip_ep_127_La_Horla.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:16am PDT

Scroll all the way down to play the episode! There was a time where the most famous Filipino film export was (and still may be) a 2'9" James Bond-spoof action star by the name of Weng Weng. His films were international hits for the Philippines in the late 70s/early 80s, when their film industry was […]

The post #126: Searching for a 2’9″ James Bond (And It Gets Emotional) appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_126_Andrew_Leavolds_Search_for_Weng_Weng.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:55pm PDT

Hello friends and neighbors all over the world! This is the launching of the newly-rebranded Horrible Imaginings Podcast! We are continuing the episode numbers from where we left off with Monster Island Resort Podcast, so all those episodes are still available online. The great content will be the same, just the name is different. I […]

The post Horrible Imaginings Podcast Episode #125: Sinbad The Fifth Voyage with Director Shahin Sean Solimon appeared first on .

Direct download: HIP_Ep_125_Sinbad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:31pm PDT

  Monster Island Resort Podcast Unites with Horrible Imaginings for The Horrible Podcast! It had to happen eventually! Monster Island Resort had to become part of the all-consuming Horrible Imaginings Film Festival juggernaut! And so it shall be. My friends, we are rebranding! The 124th episode of your favorite online radio show that goes bump […]

The post #124 Monster Island Resort Archive and Re-Branding! appeared first on .

Direct download: ReBrand_Announcement.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:34pm PDT

No, Jane Clark won’t be talking smack about some ladies she knows, but rather about her new horror comedy CRAZY BITCHES, a tongue-in-cheek slasher film about a killer who targets objects of vanity. Writer-Director Jane Clark hops over to Monster Island Resort to talk about writing and directing the film, her experiences as an indie

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Direct download: mir_ep123_Crazy_Bitches_Director_Jane_Clark.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:20pm PDT

Ah, Storytime Edition, it’s been too long! I took a trip to Dublin last month, where I saw some relevant Bram Stoker sites: I have been in the mood for bringing some of his work to the Monster Island Resort. What could be better than the creep short story DRACULA’S GUEST? I am happy to

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Direct download: MIR_ep122_Storytime_Draculas_Guest.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 3:59pm PDT

Hello everyone–I have more Godzilla for you! Kyle Yount of Kaijucast fame joins to to talk Godzilla. He is preparing to embark on a trip to Japan in order to begin production on a documentary called HAIL TO THE KING: 60 YEARS OF DESTRUCTION, which he plans to complete in time for Big G’s birthday

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Direct download: MIR_ep121_Kaijucast_Documentary.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 7:43pm PDT

Today is all about the espionage thriller! I am joined by Terry Hayes, who has a long career that includes the titles of journalist and screenwriter and can now include novelist. His debut novel “I Am Pilgrim” is making some serious waves in the publishing world right now, and for good reason. The same skill

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Direct download: MIR_ep120_Terry_Hayes_Interview.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:09pm PDT

Yes, it’s a very different kind of review on Monster Island Resort, as I discuss the new rock circus to hit Los Angeles featuring rock band The Shakers. It’s called SHAPESHIFTER, and it is only playing a couple of days left at Way 2 Much Entertainment! Listen to my take on this unique melding of

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Direct download: MIR_ep119_Shapeshifter.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 2:19pm PDT

If you haven’t seen the documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune, then (after you listen to this) get out there and find it immediately! The tale of how the avant garde director Alejandro Jodorowsky went about trying to make the sci fi epic that never happened is so wild it is almost as entertaining as the film that

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Direct download: MIR_ep118_Jodorowskys_Dune.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:07pm PDT

Godzilla week continues! KPBS Arts & Culture Reporter and noted Cinema Junkie Beth Accomando got together a bunch of Godzilla fans to react to the new Godzilla 2014 film, as well as to ruminate on the legacy of the King of the Monsters! This is the full version of her radio piece that aired on

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Direct download: MIR_ep117_Cinema_Junkie_Godzilla.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 4:37pm PDT

The highly anticipated new American Godzilla movie from Legendary Pictures and director Gareth Edwards is finally about to debut in theaters. I got to see it last night, and many people have been asking me for my thoughts. I decided to make this the obvious podcast episode. This will be part reaction and review and

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Direct download: MIR_ep116_Godzilla2014Review.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:29pm PDT

 It’s time to talk classic film! I just spent four wild and dizzying days rushing from brilliant film to brilliant film at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood! It is truly the best experience for any film fanatic. Turner Classic Movies is a television cable network that shows classic films commercial free, and that

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Direct download: mir_ep115_TCMFF.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 4:35pm PDT

The new Blumhouse Productions film “Oculus” opens this weekend, and I had the chance to spend a few minutes talking to writer/director Mike Flanagan, producer Trevor Macy, and Blumhouse Productions founder Jason Blum about their scary new baby. We get to talking about their philosophies behind the scares in “Oculus,” Flanagan’s experiences making this film

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Direct download: MIR_ep114_Oculus.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 3:58am PDT

The legendary Richard Elfman joins us to talk FORBIDDEN ZONE 2! We discuss the history of the project, starting Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo with his brother Danny Elfman, get the inside scoop on some of the craziness of the sequel, who will be involved, the benefits of crowd sourcing and more! DO. NOT.

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Direct download: MIR_ep113_Richard_Elfman_Forbidden_Zone2.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 3:25pm PDT

On March 23rd, 2014, Dave Brockie was found dead in his home in Richmond, Virginia. Brockie is better known to the world as the frontman, or front-alien overlord, Oderus Urungus of GWAR. Out of the people who even know who GWAR is, there are probably thousands who can’t stand them for every one person who loves

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Direct download: MIR_ep112_Remembering_Oderus.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 6:35pm PDT

This month, the agents of The Mysterious Order of the Skeleton Suit (MOSS) have decided to swap places on their respective programs. Mostly it offers each other a chance to review or discuss something new, but I decided to give Todd Stadtman from Die! Danger! Die! Die! Kill! (4DK) the challenge of reflecting on and

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Direct download: mir_ep111_DieDangerDieDieKill_Philosophy.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:32am PDT

Wales’s first horror film festival, the Abertoir Horror Festival, has been going strong for eight years! Monster Island Resort foreign correspondent Beth Accomando of CINEMA JUNKIE fame decided to make the trip across the pond to join our friends Jess and Aled of MOVIEDROME DVD to see what all the fuss was about. Turns out

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Direct download: mir_ep110_Abertoir_Film_Festival.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 8:31pm PDT

When starting this show, I never really thought I could get a peek into the world of classic filmmakers like Edgar G. Ulmer, but what better peek than to sit down over coffee with none other than Ulmer’s daughter Arianne? What a treat! The world of film from the 20′s, 30′s, 40′s, and 50′s seems

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Direct download: MIR_ep109_Arianne_Ulmer_Cipes.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 10:20am PDT

Many of you know films like the Universal classic The Black Cat, starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, as well as the striking film noir Detour, but how much do you know about the man behind the camera? A new biography has just been completed about Edgar G. Ulmer, and I had the opportunity to

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Direct download: MIR_ep108_Noah_Isenberg_Edgar_Ulmer.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:47am PDT

SPOILERS ABOUND! I’ve been asked to share my thoughts about the FX horror show American Horror Story: Coven, so here you go! I do go into plot details, so watch the show first! Let me know what you think–let’s discuss! Listen to the Episode here:
Direct download: MIR_ep107_American_Horror_Story_Coven_Eps_1_and_2.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 2:56pm PDT

The full conversation I had with Cinema Junkie Beth Accomando from KPBS about films that are so bad that they are absolutely irresistible. These types of film number among my favorites, and not in an ironic or joking way, either. Hear us talk about some of the reasons why we find films like Plan 9

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Direct download: MIR_ep106_Cinema_Junkie_and_So_Bad_Its_Good.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:21am PDT

NO SPOILERS in this–I promise! But I do talk spend some time talking Curse of Chucky, what I liked about it, and how it relates to the other Child’s Play/Chucky movies. Really, I just have a blast blabbing about everyone’s favorite murderous slasher doll! This episode is part of the @ThatJaime Horrorfest put on by

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Direct download: MIR_Ep105_Curse_of_Chucky_HorrorFest.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 7:51pm PDT

Hello everyone! I’m back! In this episode, I talk horror on the paneled page with comics creator Rachel Pandich of RachelPandich.com! She has created the comic Aspire, as well has written comics for the Womanthology series. Most recently, she is the driving force behind a horror comics anthology called SKIN CRAWLING COMICS. It is almost

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Direct download: MIR_Ep104_Skin_Crawling_Comics.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:34am PDT

The Kaijucast’s Kyle Yount invited me to participate in a panel all about Japanese Giant Monsters at Crypticon Seattle last month! Kyle and Jeff Dean of Kaijucast, Aron Tarbuck from The Dreaming Comics and Games in Seattle, and I had a great time talking about our favorite kaiju, and what we think makes them significant.

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Direct download: MIR_Ep103_Kaiju_Control_Group_Crypticon.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:33pm PDT

I have a great ooey gooey episode for you today! I recently caught a screening of a Canadian microbudget body horror film called Thanatomorphose at my friend Paul’s great Ocean Beach film festival The Frequency Film Festival. This is a film that shows what super independent horror can achieve without the creative hindrances of producers and

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Direct download: MIR_Ep102_Thanatomorphose.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:50am PDT

Hello fellow monster lovers! It’s been a long time, but I’m BACK! Boy has this month been crazy! Find out why with this episode! FILM FILM FILM! I discuss our new FILM GEEKS series in San Diego. We kicked it off with AMERICAN MARY this past weekend. Check out the Q&A with the Twisted Twins

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Direct download: MIR_ep101_Film_Geeks.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:55pm PDT

It’s my 100th episode! What better way to celebrate than with a combination of scifi-horror and real science! Europe’s CERN Laboratory (short for the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, which I did NOT attempt to butcher in this episode), which houses the monumental Large Hadron Collider (LHC) recently pulled double duty as the location for

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Direct download: mir_ep100_LHC_DECAY.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 6:59pm PDT

Quick bonus for you, kids! Have you heard the theme song for The Green Slime? It’s one of the most fun movie theme songs of all time. Here is a link to the original: Well, my good friend Ramie Tateishi recorded his own lounge version of that classic tune! You may remember Ramie from my

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Direct download: GreenSlimelounge.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 2:28pm PDT

Many of you have heard (probably hundreds of times today) that Roger Ebert has passed away today. The sadness that came with this news caught me so off guard that I just had to talk about it. After all, I probably spent most of the time I talked about Ebert by complaining about his reviews.

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Direct download: MIR_ep98_Why_Roger_Eberts_Death_Saddens_Me.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 6:16pm PDT

Bonus content! Many of you know I took part in a panel on horror for the San Diego Latino Film Fest last week, but many of you weren’t able to be there! Well fret not–I have it recorded! Listen to Aaron Soto, Rue Morgue‘s Rodrigo Gudiño, Cinema Junkie Beth Accomando, and myself talk about the state of

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Direct download: MIR_ep97_SDLFF_Horror_Panel.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:41am PDT

This weekend, I had the chance to discuss horror on a panel during the San Diego Latino Film Festival with the creator of Rue Morgue Magazine, Rodrigo Gudiño. It was a perfect opportunity to talk to Rodrigo and engage his philosophy background, as well as his experience making the magazine, and how it ties to

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Direct download: MIR_ep96_Rodrigo_Gudino__Philosophy_of_Horror.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:14pm PDT

Hello everyone! With the San Diego Latino Film Festival (SDLFF) in full swing, and yours truly participating in a panel on horror cinema at that event, I’ve decided to focus a number of podcast episodes on the relatively obscure exploitation and horror films to come out of Mexico, and what better way to kick off

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Direct download: MIR_ep95_History_of_Mexican_Cinema_with_Aaron_Soto.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 3:49pm PDT

Sometimes terrifying things come in small packages! For this week’s Women in Horror Month episode, I have decided to let Emily Intravia, the mastermind behind the Deadly Doll’s House of Horror Nonsense, take over the topic of conversation for the day. Over at her excellent horror blog, she is focusing on Vertically-challenged villains. So today,

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Direct download: MIR_ep94_Emily_Intravia.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:17pm PDT

It is February, which brings with it Women in Horror Recognition Month! I am going to do a few episodes during the month of February to honor this growing tradition. To kick things off, I’d decided to go back before the advent of film to the world of literature. One of the pioneers of the

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Direct download: MIR_ep93_WiHM_Ann_Radcliffe.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 2:09pm PDT

Once again, Famous Monsters of Filmland and Fangoria scribe Justin Beahm joins me to discuss today’s focus monster–The Gillman from the legendary Creature from the Black Lagoon films from Universal Studios. The Gillman is one of my favorite movie monsters for a number of reasons, and Justin joins me to look at those reasons a

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Direct download: MIR_ep92_The_Gillman.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:55pm PDT

Happy Holidays, Monster Island Resorters! This Christmas it’s all Halloween, the shape, Michael Myers! I am joined by Monster Island Resort alumnus Justin Beahm, who writes for Fangoria and Famous Monsters of Filmland, and is heavily immersed in all things Halloween mythos. We talk new blu-ray releases, the theatrical re-release of the original film, the power of

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Direct download: MIR_ep91_Halloween_for_Christmas_with_Justin_Beahm.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:43pm PDT

Hello Listeners! On today’s episode, I discuss the real horror of what happened in Connecticut from my teacher’s perspective. Then, I have a great conversation about the adventures of creating independent film from the perspective of a producer. Zach Green from Fatal Pictures joins me. His production company produced a great short film called Familiar, which

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Direct download: MIR_ep90_Fatal_Pictures.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:55am PDT

I know most of you have wanted a naughtier episode, and I’m giving you some of the goods tonight! Burlesque dancer extraordinaire Tristan Risk joins me to talk about her views on burlesque, the relationship between sex, violence, and horror, what really scares her, her experience in The Twisted Twins’s new horror film American Mary,

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Direct download: MIR_ep89_TristanRisk.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 4:07pm PDT

Hello Horror fans! In this episode, I am joined by my friend Sarah from the Gorepress Gorecast over in the UK! We just shoot the excrement about our favorite gore films, censorship, what we love about splatter, and more! This is a very conversational episode, and I had a blast doing it! You can subscribe

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Direct download: MIR_ep88_Gore_with_Sarah.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:55pm PDT

Why did it take me so long to make an episode? A personal note. Thanks for listening! Listen to the Episode here:
Direct download: MIR_ep87_Return_of_MIR.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 8:47pm PDT

A conversation from around the globe! Michal Kosakowski is a film director based in Germany whose documentary Zero Killed is racking up awards on the film festival circuit. This unique collection of short films and interviews attempts to explore a very taboo and dark topic–the murder fantasies of regular people from all walks of life.

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Direct download: MIR_ep86_Zero_Killed.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:43pm PDT

A storytime to get us into the Halloween spirit! What could bring life to the holiday more than the Headless Horseman? Why waste more words? On to the story! Listen to the Episode here:
Direct download: MIR_ep85_Storytime_Sleepy_Hollow.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:25pm PDT

Hello everyone. Once again, I am podcasting to fight breast cancer! Joining me is Dread Central‘s eminent horror journalist Sean Decker, who has dedicated much of his time, energy, and money to supporting The Busted Foundation in their mission to aid people who are going through the trials of breast cancer. He does this by

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Direct download: MIR_ep84_Busted_Foundation_2.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:43am PDT

Today is horror master Stephen King’s 65th birthday! In celebration, Picking Up the Ghost author Tone Milazzo and Saint Mort Show host Matt Kelly join me in a candid and altogether fun discussion of the prolific author. This episode is a must listen for any Stephen King fan and anyone who wanted to learn more

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Direct download: MIR_ep83_Stephen_King_Bday.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 11:05am PDT

Usually, I prefer to discuss monsters of a more fantastic vein—Godzilla, werewolves, vampires, and the like. Today, however, I have decided to center the conversation on monsters of a decidedly more realistic sort—serial killers. Lots of serial killers populate books, film, and television, and have attracted large audiences by doing so. I find the celebrity

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Direct download: MIR_ep82_MaeCatt_Serial_Killers.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 3:20pm PDT

The audio hiatus is over! For you iTunes subscribers, I put vidcast diaries of my UK trip on the direct website monsterislandresort.org. I hope you enjoy them. For this episode, my housemate Beth Accomando of Cinema Junkie and I talk about our trip in general and, more specifically, Film 4 FrightFest in London! The films

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Direct download: MIR_ep81_FrightFest.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 3:27am PDT

Hello Monster Fans! The discussion about practical vs. cgi effects was a requested topic, and I’m glad to have two great artists join me to discuss it. First of all, I have Tyler Ham of HamFX, who has been a digital effects artist on such giants as Iron Man, The Pirates of the Carribean films,

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Direct download: MIR_ep80_Practical_vs_cgi.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:46pm PDT

Hello everyone, Time for another Storytime edition! This will be the first part of three. Three Ghost Stories, that is. The first of Charles Dickens’s famous triptych of ghost stories is The Signal Man. Monster Island Resort Storytime is especially suited to ghost stories like this one. I hope you are in a dark room,

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Direct download: MIR_ep79_The_Signal_man.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:34pm PDT

Breast cancer is a monster I never expected to discuss on this show, but I am extremely happy with this episode and quite optimistic about it. It is dedicated to Jessica Rehn, who is currently taking on her own cancer with a strength and vitality I didn’t know any one person could possess. Unbelievably, her

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Direct download: MIR_ep78_Bowling_for_Boobies.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 5:57pm PDT

San Diego Comic-Con International (SDCC) nearly spent my lifeforce. After Viscera Film Festival immediately preceding it and two of my own film nights (Batman: The Movie and Dead Alive, respectively) immediately following it, I can’t believe there is a breath left in my body! I barely made it out with this episode alive, so I

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Direct download: MIR_ep77_SDCC2012.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:40pm PDT

Once again, I have attended the Viscera Film Festival in Los Angeles. This is the first event I ever covered as Monster Island Resort back in July of 2010, and I’m happy to say it has grown considerably since then. Congratulations to Shannon, Heidi, and Stacy for their accomplishment! This year’s line-up: Among Friends by

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Direct download: MIR_ep76_Viscera_2012.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 9:00am PDT

  It’s my two-year anniversary episode! I talk about fairy tales and their effects on horror with the brilliant filmmaker (and my dear friend) Karen Lam! Check out her work over at karenlamfilms.com! Her short films Doll Parts and The Stolen are definitely influenced by fairy tales. She has a lot to say about storytelling, mythology, horror,

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Direct download: MIR_ep75_Fairy_Tales_Karen_Lam.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 2:16pm PDT

Hello Monster Fans, I have another terrifying classic horror tale for you–this one from the author Ambrose Bierce! Also, though I do mention this in the episode, I will also here give my congratulations to the team behind Take This Lollipop for winning the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment! Click on the link

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Direct download: MIR_ep74_The_Damned_Thing.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:17pm PDT

As some of you may know, the second year anniversary of the Monster Island Resort Podcast is looming on the horizon. Despite such a momentous occasion, I must confess I expected it to pass by with relatively little notice until my two-year anniversary gets posted on July 1st. Leave it to one of my fellow pop

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Direct download: MonsterIslandGreeting.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 12:30pm PDT

Hello everyone! Happy (God)Father’s Day! June 15th was the birthday of the Godfather of Gore himself–Hershall Gordon Lewis! I have always enjoyed myself a good HG Lewis picture, as have many horror fans. He is credited with creating the gore or splatter film–films that, at best, appeal to our morbid curiosities like celluloid Grand Guignols.

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Direct download: MIR_ep73_HG_Lewis.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:29pm PDT

Hello everyone! Continuing my new mission to discuss one monster every month, I invite Professor Ramie Tateishi to discuss King Ghidorah–probably one of the most popular of the Japanese dai kaiju, or giant monsters.   Sensei Tateishi teaches classes on Japanese film, including a college course on Gojira! We have a blast discussing one of

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Direct download: MIR_ep72_Ghidorah.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 3:05pm PDT

Greetings Monsters, With this episode, Carol Borden from The Cultural Gutter returns to the resort to help me pay tribute to the incredible Japanese director and writer Shindo Kaneto by discussing his considerable legacy and impact. Kaneto not only helped shape the filmscape, but he also supplied the horror genre with two successful films that

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Direct download: MIR_ep57_Shindo_Kaneto_Tribute.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 1:21pm PDT

Hello everybody, A few weeks ago, I saw a 9-minute short that I found very interesting. It starred Bill Oberst, Jr. and took a bit of a risk with it’s talky brand of storytelling. It paid off, though, because it’s a pretty intriguing short. The short is called ASSASSINS, and it was directed by Mike

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Direct download: MIR_Ep56_Bonomo_Assassins.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 7:38pm PDT

Hello everyone! I’m very happy to say that my last episode on werewolves with The Cultural Gutter’s own Carol Borden was one of my most heavily downloaded episodes to date! Big thanks to The Mysterious Order of the Skeleton Suit for putting that assignment in my charge! Many people have written me asking about the

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Direct download: MIRS13_Werewolves.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 7:02pm PDT

GOOD GOD IT’S THE MYSTERIOUS ORDER OF THE SKELETON SUIT (MOSS)! Fellow Mysterious Order Agent Carol Borden from The Cultural Gutter joins me to discuss our favorite hairy beast in honor of Hairy Beasts month! What is that hairy beast you may wonder? Listen inside to find out! We have a really excellent conversation all about

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Direct download: MIR_Ep55_Hairy_Beasts.mp3
Category:Podcast -- posted at: 2:56pm PDT