Podcasts
[Horror Queers Podcast] A Homo-Repressed Bully in ‘Final Destination’
Knocking on Death’s Door.
The Horror Queers have spent the last several weeks checking out international queer horror in places such as Canada (Cronenberg classic, The Brood, in honor of its 40th anniversary), Germany (Otto; or Up With Dead People and its queer pornographic qualities) and France (Knife + Heart and its switchblade dildo-wielding serial killer), but it’s time to come back to the States!
This week, Joe and I are starting our five-week marathon of popular horror franchises with the hit 2000 pseudo-slasher Final Destination! Joining us is Terry Mesnard, the founder of the queer horror website Gayly Dreadful! For those of you who don’t know, Final Destination tells the tale of a group of high school teenagers (and one of their teachers) who get off a plane right before takeoff after one of them has a premonition of the plane exploding. Lo and behold, the plane does explode, and Death begins taking the lives of those who were meant to die on the plane.
What’s so queer about Final Destination? That’s an excellent question! Not only is the franchise creator (and co-screenwriter) an openly gay man, but Joe has a sneaking suspicion about the sexual orientation of Kerr Smith‘s douchebag bully Carter (cue the “you guys are reaching” comments).
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Libsyn, Google Play, and RSS.
Episode 24 – Final Destination (2000)
Our Summer of Franchises begins by knocking on Death’s door with the 2000 pseudo-slasher Final Destination! Joined by Gayly Dreadful‘s Terry Mesnard, the boys look at the film that boasts a queer screenwriter (Jeffrey Reddick) and several gruesome Rube Goldberg-y deaths (and one surprise bus attack).
Join them as they debate the ridiculousness of the name “Clear Rivers,” the fact that the FBI agents are the worst and why straight guys like to poop together (seriously, why is this movie so poop-obsessed?).
Is a queer screenwriter not queer enough for you? Never fear! Joe has you covered with his theory about Carter’s repressed homosexuality. Plus, his secret dislike for Jaws comes out!
Weekly Game: the boys try to come up with their own convoluted deaths!
Cross out Final Destination!
Coming up Wednesday: Just in time for this week’s release of the Child’s Play remake, we celebrate the 15th anniversary of Don Mancini’s controversial camptastic sequel Seed of Chucky by discussing the genderqueer politics of Glen/Glenda and trying to figure out just how such a bizarre little film got made.
– Joe & Trace
P.S. Be sure to check out all of our online articles right here.
P.P.S. As an added bonus, if you subscribe to our Patreon you can listen to a full-length bonus episode on the new Octavia Spencer/Blumhouse film Ma and, coming up next week: we discuss the first three episodes of AMC’s Joe Hill adaptation NOS4A2!
Podcasts
Behind the Practical Magic of ‘Pinocchio Unstrung’ [Halloweenies Podcast]
Here at Halloweenies, we love practical effects—there’s a reason why one of our categories is called “Great Graphics.” Well, consider this a full-length “Great Graphics” episode, where we talk to the effects team behind the titular puppet of Pinocchio Unstrung, in theaters this Friday. As the latest installment in the Twisted Childhood Universe, Pinocchio ups the franchise’s game by featuring a villain that’s entirely practical, created with a stunning mix of animatronics and, of course, puppetry.
So, take a seat at the workbench for a spirited interview between Halloweenie co-host Dan Caffrey and MASTERS FX President and Founder (and special effects legend in his own right) Todd Masters, Pinnochio Lead artist and Designer Kiana Larson, and Lead Animatronics Joshua Raymond. Learn how they pulled off such a dazzling and terrifying puppet, where they think the effects industry is headed, the movies that made them want to be FX artists, a few tidbits of Nightmare On Elm Street history, and more.
Pinocchio himself might even pop by for an appearance.
Stream the episode below and get tickets now for Pinocchio Unstrung. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Evil Dead, Chucky, Alien, and Universal Monsters. This year? Hellraiser AND The Omen.
You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for hilariously irreverent commentaries (e.g. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Gremlins, Child’s Play) and one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals (e.g. Saw, 28 Days Later, Manhunter, Near Dark). Each month promises something new and unexpected from the wildest corners of the genre.
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