Episodes

This week Mike is joined by guest Alex Pagliuca to talk about what went wrong with 2018's THE PREDATOR. From behind the scenes controversies including extensive reshoots, to the questionable casting of a sex offender (and then hiding that info from the cast) this one seemed doomed from the start, despite writer / director Shane Black coming off a bit of a hit streak. We're here to break it all down, from the dodgy CGI to the unfortunate depiction of autism. Plus, what would have been different i...

After the disappointing reception of the Alien vs Predator movies (a concept so simple, only a Hollywood studio could screw it up) it was time to take the Predator back to the basics. The result is a fairly fun B-monster movie that mirrors a lot of the beats of 1987's Predator, while moving the action off planet. Mike, Stephen, and Brian are on hand to talk about what goes right while also scratching our heads over whoever thought "Adrian Brody, action star" could be a real thing.

Proving he is not too old for this shit (and we're not above mixing up our movie puns) Mike is back this week with guest Alex Pagliuca to talk about how the Predator fares in a different kind of jungle: the asphalt jungle. Turns out this oft-neglected sequel has more going on for it than expected at first blush. While it doesn't reach the action/horror/sci-fi heights of the original, it still features a stellar cast and practical effects while giving us the first tease of an eventual showdown wi...

This week, we ain't got time to bleed.... because we're too busy breaking down one of the most iconic action/sci-fi/horror movies of all time, PREDATOR. Starring the one and only charisma machine Arnold Schwarzeneggar, who himself is surrounded by the manliest of men in Carl Weathers, Jesse The Body Ventura, Bill Duke (among others) this remains a just as vital nearly 4 decades later. Mike, Stephen & Devaughn are on hand to talk how this came to life, why the Predator remains so iconic, why it l...

Mike and Brian take one last look back at the summer of George, and deliver our crew's rankings of the six Romero films alongside the two remakes.

The Title says it all! This week we're celebrating our 300th episode with a supersized countdown of the best horror movies of the century so far. It's an all hands on deck episode and as a bonus, we welcome back former cost Lindsay Traves as a special guest! In order to come up with such a momentous list, not only did we all weigh in, but a special thanks goes out to Joe Lipsett, Sarah Stubbs, Kinnell, Richard Newby, Kat Hughes, Alex Pagicula, Mae Shultz, Rocco Thompson, Jay Krieger, Tori Poten...

The Title says it all! This week we're celebrating our 300th episode with a supersized countdown of the best horror movies of the century so far. It's an all hands on deck episode and as a bonus, we welcome back former cost Lindsay Traves as a special guest! In order to come up with such a momentous list, not only did we all weigh in, but a special thanks goes out to Joe Lipsett, Sarah Stubbs, Kinnell, Richard Newby, Kat Hughes, Alex Pagicula, Mae Shultz, Rocco Thompson, Jay Krieger, Tori Poten...

This week we tackle one of the best remembered remakes of the 2000s with the directing debut of a young Zac Snyder as he teams up with writer James Gunn for the remake of Dawn of the Dead. Mike Ariel and Devaughn break down what makes this one so fondly remembered as it manages to update the George A Romero classic but puts its own style and signature on this new movie with an emphasis on action over horror at times. Along with 28 Days Later it sparked the Great “should Zombies run?” debate. Sta...

This week Mike and Ariel are joined by Tucker (Disenfranchised podcast) to talk about the often maligned official remake of NOTLD, penned by Romero himself, with special effects guru Tom Savini stepping into the director's chair. Stacked with a cast of horror royalty, and building on more than two decades of modern horror (which the original film helped kickstart), this one deserves the critical reappraisal it has received since its underwhelming release. We talk the updated themes, what worked...

The Summer of George hits the dog days of august with a dog of a movie. Romero's last film ever, and the final film in the original Living Dead canon lacks the creative spark of his original trilogy, and is marred even further by shoddy effects, stock characters, and wooden performances. While there's not much to recommend here, Mike, Devaughn and Stephen do their best to keep it entertaining.

This week Mike, Stephen & Devaughn go back to the beginning with George A Romero's Diary of the Dead. A reboot of sorts of the Living Dead series, Diary finds Romero dabbling in the found footage with mixed results. Clunk performances, unlikable characters and a reliance on CGI mar a solid social commentary on the emerging online media, which is a message that still resonates today.

Mike and Brian are joined again by guest Sarah J Miles to talk George Romero's return to the subgenre he created after a two decade absence with 2005's Land of the Dead. Working with a larger budget and a recognizable cast, Romero increased the scale and scope of his vision with another timely parable of a corrupt world where the walking dead aren't the worst thing humanity had to overcome.

In this episode of The Pod and the Pendulum, host Mike Snoonian and Brian Kieper welcome film blogger Sarah Miles on to delve into the 1985 horror classic Day of the Dead. They explore the film's production challenges, Romero's directorial choices, and Tom Savini's finest work in creating the best looking zombies ever on screen. We discuss the film's lackluster initial reception, and the reappraisal it's earned over the years as a thoughtful critique on the Reagan years, military expansion, and ...

When there's no more room in Hell, it's tome to podcast. The Summer of George continues as Mike is joined by Brian and Nichole to talk about what many consider the greatest zombie movie of all time, George Romero's Dawn of the Dead. We explore its significance in the zombie genre and its cultural commentary on consumerism and societal issues, along with the long road to getting it made. We also talk about why there are so many dan versions of this movie and analyze the portrayal of disability, g...

We proclaim this The Summer of George (Romero)! Your favorite horror podcast crew are barricading themselves in the basement in order to break down all six films in Romero's Living Dead series, as well as the 1990 NOTLD remake, and 2004 Dawn remake (which we're sure will be a very chill affair, with no one getting mad about it online). Mike, Brian, & Stephen are on hand to talk about what is widely considered the birth of both the modern horror movie, and the zombie subgenre itself. While we fo...

Mike and Devaughn give our crew's rankings for all six Final Destination Movies along with the opening set pieces.

After almost fifteen years away, Final Destination is back with it's most successful entry to date: Bloodlines! Far be it from us to turn down those sweet, sweet clicks as we tiptoe through the minefields of death and try to keep that pesky Rube Goldberg machine from going off and decapitating us with a handful of Q-tips. If we're not careful will Death will come for this podcast, and wipe out all our previous episodes one by one? That's the risk we are willing to take for our listeners. Mike, D...

Mike, Ari and Devaughn find their last wish is granted with a shockingly solid entry to close out the Wishmaster franchise. With solid performances all around and frank discussions on sex and romance, the mental wear and tear of caretaking for a disabled loved one, and a Djinn that finally says, "Maybe I shouldn't be such a dick if I want to actually get my plan to come to fruition" all three of us enjoyed this one. No existential crisis this week dear listener. If you like what you’re listenin...

Note to the listeners: Due to some computer snafus onMike’s end, the first five minutes of this episode are lost. We join this one as it is already in progress. This week, Mike and Ariel are on hand to talk Wishmaster 3Beyond the Gates of Hell. While we were warned we might experience something on par with the lows of the worst Wrong Turn franchise, this one is, just sort of there. It’s not the worst thing we’ve ever watched, but it isn’t all thatmemorable either. What is memorable is the mid-e...

This week Mike and Devaughn are joined by guest Matt Konopka ( Killer Horror Critic ) for a boys night on the town. Along with our fun-loving, wish-granting Djinn, we're hitting our two favorite hotspots the casino, and jail! Join us for a spirited discussion on how this straight to video sequel might be responsible for the downfall of American democracy, why the Djinn should just follow every good grandma's plan of "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar," and how Mike discovered that g...

This week we're making dreams come true with 1997's throwback creature feature WISHMASTER. Featuring a who's who of horror both in front and behind the camera, the birth of the Djinn makes for a fun romp in the vein of not only 80s splatter horror, but also the classic Universal Monsters of yore. With FX from KNB and appearances from Robert Englund, Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Reggie Bannister, Ted Raimi, the voice of Angus Scrimm along with an executive production credit by Wes Craven, this is a Dr...

In this bonus episode, Ariel interviews author Payton McCarty-Simas about their upcoming book, That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism, and the American Witch Film. The two of them discuss how witch films follow the cycles of feminism and other political movements in the US, why history matters in horror, and why Heather in The Blair Witch Project did nothing wrong. Preorder "That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism, and the American Witch Film" here .Follow Payton on Instagram @paytplace .Add The Devon...

Let's do what all shows love to do: rank things! Mike, Ari, and Devaughn have counted the votes and we're here to put the Wrong Turn series in proper order.

Mike and Devaughn are joined by returning guest Kat Hughes to talk about the way better than it has any right to be reimagining of Wrong Turn. Mike would also recommend you check out Mathew Modine's other masterpiece, Vision Quest, the only movie about high school wrestling you need to see.