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Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on October 28, 2011 at 11:39am

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Episode 027 - Halloween Special Top Ten
  

Horror film fans, welcome to a special edition of Dark Discussions. Horror, horror, and more horror. We drop the science fiction, the techno-thrillers, and the fantasy films for a straight out take on the films that make Samhain and Halloween the time of year we all love. But what makes a great horror film? What keeps us up at night? And most importantly what makes us shift in our seats while we watch a good horror tale at a cinema or on a television?

Who hasn’t done top ten lists? Until now, Dark Discussions has not. Now that we are at the midyear point of our existence and you, listeners, know us through your iPods and computers, we figured it was time to list the films that make us get that little knot of dread in our stomachs when we watch them. Eric, Philip, and Mike present each their top ten lists of horror. You won’t find any films on our lists for historical importance. No Nosferatu, no Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Simply horror and only horror.

For a hint of what we have for you, we each put together our own top ten mostly based on production value, rewatchability, and impact on our fear level. Mike has two directors with two films each represented. Philip has one director with two films on his list, but a different director than the two Mike has listed. And only one film is represented on all three lists. Philip gives his in alphabetical order while Eric and Mike are much more confident in their rankings.

Dark Discussions would like to salute you, faithful listeners, for letting us discuss with you the things which scare us these past six months. So to all of you, a very hardy thank you.

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on October 25, 2011 at 3:53pm

New episodes of Dark Discussions podcast and website at http://www.darkdiscussions.com

episode 025:  Robert Englund's Inkubus
episode 026 - Rock and Shock 2011

 

2011's Rock and Shock horror convention, October 14th-16th, was once again an absolute success during the month of Halloween.  Fans were able to meet some of their favorite horror actors, actresses, and novelists and then mingle with such movie monster icons as Jason Voorhees, ChromeSkull, and Freddy Krueger. In attendance were genre favorites Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Camille Keaton, Ian McCulloch, Robert Englund, Monique Dupree, Sarah French, and Joe Knetter just to name a few.

Dark Discussions, as press agents, were able to interview a number of folks including some of the cast and crew of the film Inkubus, Robert Englund’s new monster flick which world premiered with Mr. Englund in attendance (Episode 025 of Dark Discussions focuses exclusively on the film).

With this second part of the convention coverage, Gordon and Philip were able to interview some of the more famous folks in attendance including such talents as Bill Moseley of  the Devil’s Rejects and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2, Camille Keaton of I Spit On Your Grave and What Have You Done to Solange?, Joe Knetter author and screenwriter, and Ian McCulloch of Zombi and Zombie Holocaust but also a number of up and comers including the cast and crew of the new and exciting independent production entitled Serena and the Ratts.

Dark Discussions would like to thank Rock and Shock for their hospitality. As in prior years, Rock and Shock was a complete success and based off what the attendees said, they can't wait for next year.

 

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on October 18, 2011 at 10:13am

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Episode 023 - The
State of Vampires Part 2



As
the 1990’s begin, the tale of nosferatu, the vampire, follows many different
approaches that quite differ from the historical monster known to be the spawn
of hell and an enemy of Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church. With Anne
Rice’s 1973 novel Interview With the Vampire produced for the big screen,
vampires, though still quite violent and horrific, start to take on a new face.
Romantic themes permeate the back story as death and loss follow every move of
the creatures of the night. Vampires as central characters become the focus of
such films.

As protagonists and antiheroes, the vampire becomes an
individual that film audiences are more able to feel for but as a result the
horror element begins to fade from the mythos. Stories such as Underworld and
Blade make the monster almost appear as if they are superheroes. Action and
stylized violence brings a rebirth to a tired genre but also makes fans of the
traditional monster wish for the bygone days.

While such series as the
Twilight Saga bring in a new audience of fans, those searching for the vampire
as a monster are offered such films as 30 Days of Night, Stakeland and Let the
Right One In bringing hope to the devotee of traditional vampires. Other takes
include a scientific approach such as Daybreakers, a gothic return to the Hammer
days with Lesbian Vampire Killers, the Korean film Thirst filled with
Catholicism essentials, and a coming of age horror tale The Hamiltons.


Dark Discussions continues with their second part of their vampire
retrospective. Philip and Mike talk about how the vampire has changed these past
few years and what it means to cinema and the history of the monster. From Dusk
Till Dawn to 2011’s Fright Night, though the vampire may have changed, their
taste for human blood has not. Come listen, faithful listeners, as we all wait
for the sun to rise.

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on October 11, 2011 at 4:32pm

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Episode 022 - The Omen



Throughout millennia the devil has caused more fear in the hearts of humanity than any other being. The incarnate of evil and the ruler of hell, Satan has tempted the fate of man from the very beginning. When St. John the Divine wrote the Book of Revelations in which the end of the world was to come, he described that prior to the closing stages of the present, a man would come that would lead an apocalypse. And that man would be the antichrist, the son of Satan.

In the late 1960’s, specifically in the United States of America, a fear of demonic and satanic cults swept the nation. Churches and communities became paranoid with the changes to society and at points were taken with the belief that all was related to the devil himself and his power over humanity. Following the wave of hysteria, culture followed where authors and movie producers took note and began producing suspenseful horror fiction that went straight to the top of best seller lists and box office gross.

In the mid 1970’s 20th Century Fox released the Richard Donner directed film, The Omen, a story about a little boy from a wealthy political family that may be much more than what he actually seems to be. With Jerry Goldsmith’s Academy Award winning score, with Gregory Peck starring, surrounded by a great supporting cast, the movie was critically well received, triumphed at the box office, and has become a classic in the same breath with such films as The Godfather, Star Wars, and On the Water Front.

Dark Discussions’ hosts, Eric and Philip, converse about the film in detail and how it has resonated with both film historians as well as horror fans alike. With its fantastic screenplay, great acting, and fabulous score, every fan of film, never mind horror stories, should partake in the viewing of this spectacular movie.

On a final note, you can download listener David's Sounds of Horror free download. Over 2 hours of horror sound effects for Halloween. Check it out!           

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on October 5, 2011 at 10:00am

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Episode 021 - The
State of Vampires Part 1



Though
vampires have been part of the fabric of myths and folklore throughout the
centuries of both cultures and countries, it wasn’t until a fifty year old Irish
immigrant and theater manager out of England named Abraham Stoker published a
pulp novel entitled Dracula that the creatures of the night developed into
arguably the most important monster in horror and genre fiction ever. Bram
Stoker’s creation brought about a sociopathic being of a sexual predatory nature
that entered the nightmares of any who happened to read this very successful
tale of the supernatural.

Beginning with Universal Pictures 1931 film
Dracula starring acting legend Bela Lugosi, this iconic character lead the way
for such other movie monster franchises as Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and our
more modern nightmares of Freddy Krueger, Leatherface, and Michael Myers. Other
production companies followed with their take. Hammer Studios beginning in the
late 1950's brought Christopher Lee to the role and a run of both Dracula and
vampire films filled with gothic, exploitation, and horror essentials made for
an entertaining and chilling success of a film.

Yet with the cultural
revolution of the motion picture, where such shocking cinema as Bonnie and
Clyde, Midnight Cowboy, and the grindhouse films of New York’s 42nd Street came
to fruition, the vampire, too, had an upheaval that brought the vampire into the
modern world. Your hosts, Mike and Philip, discuss the beginnings of this
monster, its turn from the gentleman fiend that Bela Lugosi portrayed to its
various roles in such films as Near Dark, Martin, and ‘Salem’s Lot. Lock your
doors, listeners, as Dark Discussions gives its view during this first part of a
very blood letting dialogue between our hosts on the lurid nightmare known to
many as simply nosferatu.

On a final note, you can download listener
David's Sounds of Horror free download. Over 2 hours of horror sound effects for
Halloween. Check it out!

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on September 28, 2011 at 11:56am

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Episode 020 - 2011
Horror Realm Convention (2 part episode)



Two
files, one episode. No kidding, you read that correctly. Dark Discussions
presents to you a two part episode of 2011’s Horror Realm Convention,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s great horror symposium. Now in existence for three
years, Horror Realm revels in the fact that it resides in the city of the living
dead. That’s right, George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead as well as Dawn
of the Dead not only take place in the suburbs of the city, but George A. Romero
and the majority of the cast and crew are all natives to Pittsburgh and its
surrounding areas. Though the Pittsburgh Pirates have been a member of the
living dead for many years, just like the Steelers, zombies are alive and well.


Dark Discussions presents to our listeners interviews and more
interviews. Mike drives the four to six hours, scavenging for gas, food, and
water while avoiding the zombie apocalypse to get to downtown Pittsburgh. With a
host of horror names like Jack Ketchum, Bill Moseley, Ken Foree, Tiffany Shepis,
Kim Paffenroth, Linnea Quigley, among others, Horror Realm offered multiple
venders, authors, and film producers for the fans to meet and talk with.


Rather than go into details of who Mike spoke with, just head to this
episodes podcast page to find the links. To learn more, listen to the two part
podcast if you dare.

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on September 23, 2011 at 5:49am

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Episode 019 - John Carpenter Retrospective Part 2

Many critics overlook the latter part of John Carpenter’s career forgetting that he had a string of fantastic films that would have been crowning achievements for any other director. With such classic films as Halloween, The Fog, Escape From New York, and The Thing in his filmography already, each film that followed would be unfairly compared to them. Yet in all honesty, there were more than just hidden gems among the end product. Many have been well received and enjoyed by audience and critics alike.
In 1983 two living legends came together. John Carpenter makes the film adaption of Stephen King’s Christine. At the time the film was considered one of the best adaptations of the author’s work. A year later he follows with the Academy Award nominated science fiction film Starman starring Jeff Bridges in an award nominated performance.
But the true Carpenter fan would be rewarded soon after as John Carpenter returned to the horror genre with four of the most chilling horror films of their time. In 1987 he directs, writes, and composes for the film Prince of Darkness, the first of his films that would pay homage to H.P. Lovecraft but also to the religious horror films of the 1970’s. In 1988 he thrills audiences with the alien invasion film They Live, possibly one of the most overlooked gems of Mr. Carpenter’s career. Then in 1995 he returns with the crowning achievement In the Mouth of Madness, a frightful piece of Lovecraftian terror where an insurance invesitagator is in search of a missing horror author only to land up in a nightmare filled with insanity and madness. His final film from this period is the science fiction horror film The Ghosts of Mars, a film highly regarded by Roger Ebert and considered a throwback to great drive-in cinema.
Dark Discussions goes through this latter part of Mr. Carpenter’s career. Philip and Gordon’s ponderings segue into the possibility of John Carpenter’s involvement with a film version of the graphic novel Darkchylde, his work in the television show Masters of Horror, a discussion of the British horror author John Wyndham and his books The Day of the Triffids and Midwich Cuckoos, a mention of another British horror author Simon Clark and his stories, and how John Carpenter’s Vampires gets a cameo in Clint Eastwood’s film Mystic River. Once again, listeners, enter if you dare.

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on September 13, 2011 at 11:43am

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Episode 018 - The Extreme Films of Gaspar Noé



Are they horror films? Are they art house films? Or are they exploitation films? The topic has been debated since the earliest of Gaspar Noé’s films was released back in 1998. No matter what they are called they have shocked both reviewers and audiences alike and caused more discussion than films with budgets a hundred times larger.

Gaspar Noé, a French film maker that has been associated with the New French Extremity wave of horror, received immediate praise back in 1998 by his countrymen’s film critics with his debut movie I Stand Alone, a gritty and dark film about the bowels of French society. By taking a mirror to French culture, Noé’s film was immediately compared to such 1970’s American films as Taxi Driver and Hardcore.

Following the critical praise of I Stand Alone, Noé came back with a film in 2002 entitled Irreversible which caused an uproar at Cannes. With its graphic depiction of violence, its visual staging for shock, and its terrifying representation of human nature, the film put critics in a quandary on whether to recognize its brilliance or be blinded by its severity.

Having become a darling of critics yet trying his hardest not to be, Noé released his latest film in 2009 entitled Enter The Void, a dark and gritty film about expatriates living within the underground club and drug scene of Tokyo, Japan. Part supernatural thriller, part human drama, and part pulp fiction, the void may be actually more than death but an escape from the infinite sadness of the human spirit.

Philip takes the mic yet again and brings you the down and dirty of Gaspar Noé and his three films to date. Whether a fan or a detractor, everyone must admit that his three films have brought strong reactions to anyone having the fortitude to view them.

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on September 7, 2011 at 11:21am

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Episode 017 released - Christopher Smith Focus: 2006's Severance



In 2006, Christopher Smith, the British director/screenwriter who came bursting onto the horror scene with the Franka Potente starring film Creep, comes back with his second feature length film, Severance. On a team building trip out in the wilderness of Eastern Europe, a group of defense company employees land up in a nightmare where what should have been at worst a boring digression turns into a terrifying excursion into hell.

Christopher Smith brings to the horror fan a dark comedy that seems to get its humor from the ridiculous tripe of organizational behavior while bringing the dread of the most chilling slasher films. As our group of protagonists bumble around on a trip that the majority of them prefer not to have attended, a dark secret about their employer comes to the forefront where the not too distant past may have finally caught up to the present.

Dark Discussions, in its ongoing retrospective of Christopher Smith and his films, present an in-depth look into Severance. Philip and Eric discuss the nature of what makes a great horror comedy. Almost like a chameleon, Mr. Smith has shown his talent from being able to move from one horror subgenre to another without missing a step. Severance is the slasher version of Shaun of the Dead and equals it in both gore and dark humor.

Comment by Philip of New Hampshire on August 31, 2011 at 7:56pm

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Episode 016 - Rise of the Planet of the Apes



Rise of the Planet of the Apes has turned out to be a huge summer blockbuster and Dark Discussions gives their take on the film. Philip and Mike believe it to be the best genre film of the summer. With his performance playing the chimpanzee Caesar, Andy Serkis may have revolutionized the definition of modern day acting. Minute for minute, the role has more screen time than any other character. Andy Serkis’s presentation of a part that is entirely computer generated amazingly brings realism to the role. Through its modern spin of the franchise, a remarkable twist ending, and its multiple homages to the original series, the film shows that Hollywood can still make a summer film that is more than buttered popcorn.

Following up on Episodes 006 and 007, the Frank Darabont Retrospectives, Philip and Mike discuss their opinions on Frank Darabont’s abrupt exit from his television series, The Walking Dead. With his strong connection and friendship to the cast and the elite screenwriting he brought to the show now gone, fans are wondering what happened and what went wrong. Whether the show will be as successful going forward is anyone’s guess, but either way the Frank Darabont signature upon the show will most certainly be missed.

Lastly, the new Lone Ranger film by Walt Disney Productions starring Johnny Depp and his reteaming with Gore Verbinski who was set to helm the film is unexpectedly shut down due to financial issues. Taking note of Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its much smaller budget, our hosts consider how a supernatural and horror-themed screenplay of an updated version of the Lone Ranger is a missed opportunity as the reported cost for the film would have been over two times that of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Once again, our hosts welcome you to yet another addition of their dark discussion.

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