Podcasts
Sam Raimi’s ‘The Evil Dead’ Delivers the Rare Final Boy [Halloweenies Podcast]
A week ago, the Halloweenies ventured into the woods of Tennessee for a much-needed cabin trip after their year in Woodsboro. On the agenda was what you might expect: a little R&R, some good cooking, maybe even a bonfire. All of that went out the window when they found a reel-to-reel player, four microphones, and an idea.
“Let’s cover The Evil Dead franchise.”
Indeed they are, and they’ve gone back to where it all began: the 1981 original. For those who tuned in, you’ll recall that the gang charted all the backwoods shenanigans that churned out the midnight masterpiece we know and love today. Now, they’re ready to finish it all off, and they’ve come prepared — shovel and axe and sass.
In the second of two episodes dedicated to Sam Raimi‘s splatterhouse classic, the gang ditches the history books to discuss the movie’s sounds, souls, and special effects. Together, they talk at great lengths about the rare final boy Bruce Campbell, praise the ensemble cast (particularly Ellen Sandweiss), and pass the crown to SFX maestro Tom Sullivan.
It’s a groovy kickoff to an even groovier season, one that will march through the entire franchise in anticipation of Lee Cronin‘s forthcoming sequel Evil Dead Rise. Stream both episodes below and stay tuned next month when your Halloweenies lend a hand (or a chainsaw) to one another as they cover 1987’s The Evil Dead 2.
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, and Scream. Or you can subscribe to catch forthcoming episodes via iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS.
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.
On the DL.
After spending June on explicitly queer texts like Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn (listen) and William Castle’s Homicidal (listen), it’s only appropriate that Horror Queers celebrate the American holiday with a blockbuster film with a not-so-secret gay connection.
In Independence Day, an unlikely group of people come together when the human race faces extinction from a threatening alien race. After spaceships destroy every major city, pilot Steven Hiller (Will Smith) must team up with secret tech genius David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum), as well as the US President (Bill Pullman), to execute a daring plan to save the planet from annihilation.
Along for the ride are the two saviors’ romantic partners – WH Communications Director Constance (Margaret Colin) and stripper Jasmine (Vivica A. Fox) – plus eccentric scientist Dr. Okun (Brent Spiner), who is at the center of the film’s most horrific set piece.
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, Amazon Music, and RSS.
Episode 393: Independence Day (1996)
Today, we celebrate our Independence Day…courtesy of gay German director Roland Emmerich.
As the summer blockbuster celebrates its 30th anniversary, we’re looking back on an alien disaster film that scared young Trace (thanks to that alien autopsy scene) and turned Will Smith into a star.
Plus: the death that upsets the most; bemoaning Vivica A. Fox’s career; pondering what could have been with the casting; why Smith’s bravado and the film’s patriotism doesn’t always work for Joe; and plenty of riffing on the atrocious sequel.
Cross out Independence Day!
Coming Up Next: We’re retreating to the country for some questionable therapy courtesy of Joe Dante’s 1981 classic, The Howling!
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for over 503 hours of Patreon content including this month’s new episodes on Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Forbidden Fruits, Saccharine, Evil Dead Burn, an audio commentary on the utterly ridiculous sequel Howling II: Your Sister Is A Werewolf (1985), and the conclusion of our Requel Tier coverage of AMC’s The Vampire Lestat.