Castle of Horror Podcast

Castle Talk: J Suzanne Frank, author of When Fire Loves Water Part 1: The Siren Mar 19, 2020

This episode weâre chatting with J. Suzanne Frank, author of the new book When Fire Loves Water Part 1 The Siren. The book comes out on Water Day, 3/22/20 -- and you can get the first three chapters free at jsuzannefrank.com.

J. Suzanne Frank is formerly a lot of things: among them, a journalist, a freelance writer, an editor, and a writing teacher. Her passion for history has taken her to Egypt, Greece, Israel and throughout Europe. But she's always returned to Texas, where generations of her family roots are. She's also always returned to the water. While she hasn't managed (yet) to become a mermaid, it was her #3 childhood goal. Visit her at jsuzannefrank.com.

Castle Talk: Katherine Hall Page, author of The Body in the Wake Mar 14, 2020

This episode weâre chatting with Katherine Hall Page, author of the new book The Body in the Wake, the 25th Faith Fairchild Mystery, from William Morrow/HarperCollins.

Invisible Man (2020) (Podcast Discussion/Review) Mar 09, 2020

Jurassic Park (1993) (Podcast Discussion) Mar 02, 2020

This week we wrap up our series on Dinosaurs with the 1993 Stephen Spielberg film Jurassic Park.

(Episode 292)

Castle Talk: Theresa Mercado on Programming Scream Screen and Her New Series Hell on Wheels Feb 25, 2020

This episode weâre chatting with Theresa Mercado, curator of the Scream Screen film series in Denver. Theyâre in the middle of their fifteenth run for four Fridays at the Sie FilmCenter with a new series, "Hell On Wheels", which began February 7 at 9:30pm at the Sie FilmCenter, featuring some of the best terror on two, four, and ten wheels! Psychomania! Crash! Sorcerer! Next up Feb 28 is Dead End Drive-In (1986) w/ director Brian Trenchard-Smith in person.

Previous series include: "Treasury of Terror: A Decade of Horror Anthologies", "The Psychosexual Films of David Cronenberg," "Journey Into a Damaged Brain," "The Horror Films of John Carpenter," "When Animals Attack!", "The Giallo Films of Dario Argento", "The Films of the New French Extremity", "The Non-Zom Films Of George A. Romero", "As Seen On TV!", "Beyond Elm Street: A Tribute To Wes Craven", "The Truth Is Out There!", "Welcome To The Funhouse: A Birthday Slash-ebration of Tobe Hooper", "Christmas In July", and "Petrified Woods". Scream Screen is a four-time "Best of Denver" winner! Including 2019's "Best Live Music With A Horror Movie."

We chat about the challenges of programming a theater series in the day of streaming.

The People That Time Forgot (Podcast Discussion) Feb 24, 2020

This week we continue our series on Dinosaurs with the 1977 film The People that Time Forgot.

Castle Talk: Daniel Kraus, Author of Bent Heavens Feb 21, 2020

This episode weâre chatting with Daniel Kraus, author of Bent Heavens, a new novel from Henry Holt/Macmillan Books. Bent Heavens tells a harrowing story about a pair of teens who capture an alien creature and begin to take out terrible revenge for one of the teens' father's abduction. It's a book that asks tough questions about grief, paranoia, and torture.

Hosted by Jason Henderson, author of Quest for the Nautilus, due in March from Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan.

The Land That Time Forgot (Podcast Discussion) Feb 17, 2020

This week we continue our series on Dinosaurs with the 1975 film The Land that Time Forgot. The film is based upon the 1918 novel The Land That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The screenplay was written by Michael Moorcock and James Cawthorn and directed by Kevin Connor. The cast included Doug McClure, John McEnery, Keith Barron, Susan Penhaligon, Anthony Ainley and Declan Mulholland.

(Episode 290)

The Valley of Gwangi: The Dinosaur Retrospective (Podcast Discussion) Feb 03, 2020

This week we kick off a new series on Dinosaurs with the 1969 film The Valley of Gwangi. The film is a 1969 American western fantasy film, produced by Charles H. Schneer and Ray Harryhausen, directed by Jim O'Connolly, written by William Bast,[1] and starring James Franciscus, Richard Carlson, and Gila Golan. Creature stop-motion effects were by Harryhausen, the last dinosaur-themed film that he animated. (Episode 289)

Castle Talk: Simon Cox, Director of Invasion Planet Earth (Podcast Interview) Feb 01, 2020

This episode weâre chatting with Simon Cox, the writer, Director and producer of Invasion Planet Earth, a new film about a doctor who leads a group of patients at the clinic where he works in their journey to escape a massive alien invasion. The film comes out February 4, 2020 (VOD & Digital HD On Leading Digital Platforms & DVD).

Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde (Podcast Discussion) Jan 27, 2020

This week we continue our Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde retrospective with 1971 film Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde by Director Roy Ward Baker.

(Episode 288)

Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (Podcast Discussion) Jan 20, 2020

This week we continue our Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde retrospective with 1971 film Dr. Jekyll y el Hombre Lobo (Dr. Jekyll and the Wolfman), also known as Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf, a 1971 Spanish horror film, the sixth in the series, about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy.

Castle Talk: Richard Stanley on Directing "Color Out of Space" and our dialogue with Lovecraft Jan 16, 2020

This episode weâre chatting about THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE, a new science fiction horror film that marks the return to feature directing from Richard Stanley, who brought us such films as Dust Devil and his cult favorite debut Hardware. The film stars Nicolas Cage as a man whoâs moved his family to the New England countryside when a mysterious meteteorite lands on his farm, and soon he and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism as it infects their minds and bodies, transforming their quiet rural life into a technicolor nightmare.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) (Podcast Discussion) Jan 13, 2020

This week we kick off a Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde retrospective with the 1931 film Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde starring Frederic March.

Castle Talk: Connor Hoover on "Trapped in the 80s," a "Pick Your Own Quest" Interactive Book (Interview) Jan 09, 2020

In this interview: Trapped in the 80s is the brand new âPick Your Own Questâ book from Connor Hoover, whoâs released a whole slew of interactive books aimed at kids, including Escape from Minecraft and King Tutâs Adventure. This time you, the reader, take a wrong turn and find yourself stuck in the pre-digital, pre-Internet, pre-cell phone world of the 1980s.

Connor lives in Austin, Texas and has a video game machine with 410 retro video games including Ms. Pac-Man, Frogger, and Connorâs personal favorite Q*bert. You can find out more about Connor at www.connorhoover.com.

Star Wars Holiday Special (Podcast Discussion) Dec 21, 2019

This week we have a special holiday episode discussing the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special,which Lucasfilm has tried to bury from the beginning. What lessons can be learned from a show that makes one mystifying misstep after another? Hosted by Jason Henderson, writer of the upcoming Young Captain Nemo: Quest for the Nautilus, with attorney Julia Guzman of Guzman Immigration of Denver.

Hangout Episode: Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965) & The House That Screamed (1969) (Podcast Discussion) Dec 17, 2019

Hangout episodes are less-structured episodes that come during breaks between our main, structured episodes. In each one we choose two movies to discuss in free-wheeling conversations. This episode, Tony Salvaggio, tech director at Rooster Teeth, chose low-budget, surprisingly engaging SF movie Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965) and writer Jason Henderson chose the grimy, trashy, thrilling Spanish horror The House That Screamed (1969). Along the way we also touch on how picking on bad movies is less fun than enjoying hidden treasures, and what we think of the 1980 Golden Turkey Awards.

(Episode 284)

Castle Talk: Kathryn Leigh Scott & Steve Smith on Reviving Dark Shadows Audiobooks Dec 13, 2019

This episode weâre chatting about the new Dark Shadows Audiobooks of classic Dark Shadows novels from Paperback classics. Weâre talking to Kathryn Leigh Scott, a novelist, nonfiction writer, and of course actress who played Maggie on Dark Shadows and now reads the classic gothic Dark Shadows novels of the 60s. Then we talk to Steve Smith, publisher of the new Paperback Classics imprint of Oasis Audio, who is heading up the effort to bring lost classics like the Dark Shadows book series and vintage Flash Gordon adventures to audio.

Castle Talk: Tara Westwood Just May Be The Grudge in The Grudge (2020) Dec 11, 2019

This episode weâre chatting with Tara Westwood, who stars in Sonyâs new reboot of THE GRUDGE. The film will release in theaters on January 3rd and is a new take on the 2004 film of the same name which itself was based on the 2002 Japanese original Ju-on. The film-- which Westwood calls "a simulquel"-- is directed by Nicolas Pesce and produced by Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Taka Ichise.

SINT/SAINT: The 2019 Christmas Episode (Podcast Discussion) Dec 09, 2019

This week we bring our 2019 season to an end with the holiday-themed Dutch film Saint, about a murderous St. Nick raining terror on modern-day Amsterdam. (Episode 283)

Castle Talk: Adam Egypt Mortimer, director of Daniel Isnât Real Dec 03, 2019

This week weâre chatting with Adam Egypt Mortimer, director and co-writer of Daniel Isnât Real, which is about a Troubled college freshman Luke (Miles Robbins) suffers a violent family trauma and resurrects his childhood imaginary friend Daniel (Patrick Schwarzenegger) to help him cope. Charismatic and full of manic energy, Daniel helps Luke to achieve his dreams, before pushing him to the very edge of sanity and into a desperate struggle for control of his mind -- and his soul. The film also features Mary Stuart Masterson as Lukeâs mom, who suffers from mental illness and Sasha Lane as Lukeâs new artist girlfriend . Samuel Goldwyn Films will release the horror/thriller DANIEL ISNâT REAL in theaters, on digital and on demand December 6, 2019.

A Return to Salem's Lot: The Stephen King Retrospective (Podcast Discussion) Dec 02, 2019

This week we continue our Stephen King retrospective with a look at the 1987 film A Return to Salemâs Lot directed by Larry Cohen.

(Episode 282)

Castle Talk: "Beyond the Gate" Author Mary SanGiovanni Nov 29, 2019

This episode weâre chatting with Mary SanGiovanni about her new book Beyond the Gate from Kensington Books. Ms. SanGiovanni is the Bram Stoker-nominated author of the Kathy Ryan novels Beyond the Door and Inside the Asylum, and numerous other novels, novellas and short stories. BEYOND THE GATE stars her character occult security consultant Kathy Ryan, who has been called to look into the disappearance of scientists who have discovered a portal to another world, and the mysterious Dead City in the world on the other side.

Castle Talk: Nicole Tompkins, star of Antrum, The Deadliest Film Ever Made Nov 27, 2019

Actress Nicole Tompkins talks about her role in Antrum, a remarkable horror film that opens with a documentary telling us we're about to see a lost, cursed film from the 70s about a brother and sister who go into the woods to perform a ritual to rest the spirit of their beloved, recently dead dog.

Prime Double Feature: Terror Beneath the Sea (1966) and Mark of the Witch (1970) (Podcast Review) Nov 25, 2019

For our two-hundred-and-eighty-first movie review episode we have a special experiment. With regular castmates Drew and Julia out for the Thanksgiving holiday, Tony and Jason relive their days in Austin with a gabfest about a double feature of two films each selected by the other from their recommendations from Amazon Prime's algorithm. Tony's selection was the 1966 monster-sf-bondian spy mashup Terror Beneath the Sea starring Sonny Chiba, and Jason's is the 1970 groovy-coeds-summoning-witches movie Mark of the Witch. (Episode 281)

Prime Double Feature: Terror Beneath the Sea (1966) and Mark of the Witch (1970) (Podcast Review) Nov 25, 2019

For our two-hundred-and-eighty-first movie review episode we have a special experiment. With regular castmates Drew and Julia out for the Thanksgiving holiday, Tony and Jason relive their days in Austin with a gabfest about a double feature of two films each selected by the other from their recommendations from Amazon Prime's algorithm. Tony's selection was the 1966 monster-sf-bondian spy mashup Terror Beneath the Sea starring Sonny Chiba, and Jason's is the 1970 groovy-coeds-summoning-witches movie Mark of the Witch. (Episode 281)

Castle Talk: David Moody on Chokehold, Publishing and Zombies Nov 23, 2019

Castle Talk: Cory Doctorow on Disney's Carousel of Progress Nov 22, 2019

This week weâre chatting with Cory Doctorow about a topic that just fascinated Doctorowâenough that he wrote the amazing novella The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrowâand fascinated host Jason Henderson: the Walt Disney World attraction Walt Disneyâs Carousel of Progress. We talk about futurism, the optimism of the past, and whether forgotten midcentury fears are a match for modern fears of climate collapse.

Salem's Lot (2004): The Stephen King Retrospective Nov 18, 2019

This week we continue our Stephen King retrospective with a look at the 2004 miniseries Salemâs Lot starring Rob Lowe, Andre Braugher and Rutger Hauer.

Castle Talk: Leanna Renee Hieber on A Sanctuary of Spirits Nov 16, 2019

This week weâre chatting with Leanna Renee Hieber whose new book A Sanctuary of Spirits comes from Kensington/ Rebel Base Books. An enthusiastic public speaker about the history of the Gothic novel, she loves nothing more than a good ghost story and a finely tailored corset, wandering graveyards and adventuring around New York City. Find Leanna at Twitter @leannarenee and Facebook.com/lrhieber. More information as well as free reads, author resources, links to her art and Etsy store and more can be found at leannareneehieber.com.

Castle Talk: Roger Corman on Making Movies and New Series "Cult-Tastic" Nov 16, 2019

This week weâre chatting with Roger Corman, because Friday November 15 premieres a new series from Shout Factory TV Cult-tastic: Tales From The Trenches with Roger and Julie Corman. Heralded as âthe Pope of Pop Cinema,â Roger and Julie Corman pull back the curtain on the Cormans' lifetime of innovative genre filmmaking in this never-before-seen docu-series. The Cormans open up about their iconic pool of collaborators such as James Cameron, Joe Dante, Penelope Spheeris, Pam Grier and more, as well as their notoriously bare-bones production philosophy that created some of filmâs most memorable special FX sequences in science-fiction, fantasy and other cult favorites.

Doctor Sleep: The Stephen King Retrospective (Podcast Review) Nov 11, 2019

This week we continue our Stephen King retrospective with DOCTOR SLEEP, directed by Mike Flanagan and starring Ewan MacGregor as Danny Torrance, the boy who escaped the Overlook Hotel at the end of The Shining.

Castle Talk: Frank Sabatella, Director of The Shed (Interview) Nov 07, 2019

Tonight weâre chatting with Frank Sabatella, writer and director of THE SHED. The Shed is a new movie in which bullied young man Stan (Warren) and his best friend Dommer (Kostro) discover a murderous vampire living in Stanâs shed. Seeing the bloodshed and destruction the monster is capable of, Stan knows he has to find a way to destroy it - but Dommer has a much more sinister plan in mind. Itâs directed by Frank Sabatella and stars Jay Jay Warren (âBoschâ), Cody Kostro (âCity on a Hillâ), Sofia Happonen (Woman of a Certain Age), Frank Whaley (Pulp Fiction), Siobhan Fallon Hogan (Men in Black) and Timothy Bottoms (The Last Picture Show).

THE SHED comes to theaters and VOD and Digital HD on Nov. 15, 2019.

The Shining (1997 Miniseries): The Stephen King Retrospective (Podcast Review) Nov 04, 2019

This week we return to the world of Stephen King with the 1997 miniseries written by King based on his own novel, The Shining directed by Mick Garris and starring Steven Weber and Rebcca De Mornay.

Halloween Discussion: Tales of Halloween Oct 28, 2019

This week have a Halloween episode with the anthology film Tales of Halloween, a 2015 American horror comedy film anthology consisting of ten mildly interlocking segments, each revolving around the Halloween. It was directed by Neil Marshall, Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn, Lucky McKee, Andrew Kasch, Paul Solet, John Skipp, Adam Gierasch, Jace Anderson, Mike Mendez, Ryan Schifrin, and Dave Parker.

Castle Talk: Alice Waddington, director of Paradise Hills Oct 21, 2019

PARADISE HILLS is Spanish fashion creative and photographer Alice Waddingtonâs feature debut, in which Emma Roberts plays a girl who wakes up on an isolated island in a facility run by the sinister Duchess played by Milla Jovovich, to whom high-class families send their daughters to become perfect versions of themselves. Director Alice Waddington chats about the film. Samuel Goldwyn Films will release the fantasy/sci-fi/thriller PARADISE HILLS in theaters October 25, 2019 and on digital and on demand November 1, 2019.

The Wraith starring Charlie Sheen Oct 14, 2019

This week have a request from regular podmate Tony Salvaggio: weâre discussing the 1986 independently made American revenge action-fantasy film The Wraith. The movie stars Charlie Sheen in the story of a young man who comes back from the dead as a supernatural out to finish off the the drag racing gang that murdered him. Does God make cars? Apparently, because this guy comes back with a souped up Dodge with special powers.

Castle Talk: Drew Edwards on Halloween Man and Comics, School Shootings, And Grappling with Political Controversy Oct 08, 2019

Drew Edwards is writer of the long running underground comic series Halloween Man and winner of the 2018 BEST OF AUSTIN AWARD from the Austin Chronicle. He's launching a new arc of the ongoing Halloween Man series starting this month with Issue #18, a set of stand-alones called Halloween Man: Ugly America. The arc is a satirical look that calls to mind the famed Swamp Thing series American Gothic, in which Halloween Man brushes up against angry citizens out to summon demons and an issue on school shootings. Meanwhile, Edwards will be kicking off a year of celebrating Halloween Man's 20th Anniversary with a "Halloween Man: Road to 20 Years Kickoff Party" in Austin at Flamingo Cantina, evening October 19, benefiting Girls Rock Austin and Out Youth.

Dan Curtis' Dracula: The Sexy Vampire Retrospective Oct 07, 2019

Dracula is a 1973 British television film adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula written by Richard Matheson and directed by Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis, with Jack Palance in the title role. It was the second collaboration for Curtis and Palance after the 1968 TV film The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Castle Talk: Andy Martin, author of With Child: Lee Child and the Readers of Jack Reacher Oct 01, 2019

Andy Martin is the author of Reacher Said Nothing: Lee Child and the Making of Make Me. He writes for The Independent and The New York Times and teaches at the University of Cambridge. His nonfiction book on surfing, Walking on Water, is a cult classic. His new book is With Child: Lee Child and the Readers of Jack Reacher.

Santo vs. The Vampire Women Sep 30, 2019

Santo vs. las Mujeres Vampiro (also known as Samson vs. the Vampire Women) is a 1962 horror film starring the wrestling superhero Santo. A lot of you may know it because it was also a 1995 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It was brought to the US by one K Gordon Murray, who was responsible for a lot of kids matinee material in the 60s.

COOL BONUS: This week we're joined by Jen and Dawn of the amazing Women in Caskets Podcast!

And Then There Were None (1945) Sep 23, 2019

This week we have a standalone episode inspired by our recent discussion of Friday the 13th, the 1945 film AND THEN THERE WERE NONE based on the play and novel by Agatha Christie.

Castle Talk: Bridget Nelson of RiffTrax on The Teen Agers Series Sep 18, 2019

Bridget Jones Nelson is a writer and comedian known for her work on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and for the past several years as half of the RiffTrax audio commentary team Bridget & Mary Jo, where she and comedian Mary Jo Pehl riff on features, industrial shorts, often with an eye on the social lives and mores of the United States in the mid-century. Her new short is VACATION DAYS, a 1947 entry into a series about and called TEEN-AGERS.

IT Chapter 2: The Stephen King Retrospective Sep 16, 2019

This week we return to the Stephen King Retrospective: weâre talking about IT Chapter 2 directed by Andy Muschietti. We talk about the meaning of it all, compare this version with the 1990 Tim Curry vehicle, and more. Let us know what you think on our Facebook page!

Castle Talk: PJ Hoover, Author of The Hidden Code Sep 11, 2019

PJ Hoover is the prolific writer of the new book from CBAY, The Hidden Code. Eleven years ago, Hannah Hawkins' parents disappeared while traveling abroad. Presumed dead, Hannah and her uncle are shocked when a letter from her mom arrives right after Hannah's sixteenth birthday. By piecing together cryptic hints from the note and other clues left behind, Hannah realizes her parents disappeared while trying to find the mysterious Code of Enoch, an artifact they believed could hold the key to curing diseaseâor creating it. Hannah's parents had been determined to destroy the Code, no matter the cost. Now with the help of her uncle, her best friend, and another cute but not entirely trustworthy guy, Hannah sets out to discover what happened to her parents and if the Code of Enoch is real.

Castle Talk: Patrick Greene, author of GRIM HARVEST Sep 11, 2019

Patrick C. Greene is a lifelong horror fan who lives in the mountains of western North Carolina. He launched his Ember Hollow series with Red Harvest and is currently working on the third novel in the series. He is also the author of the novels Progeny and The Crimson Calling, as well as numerous short stories featured in collections and anthologies.

GRIM HARVEST from Kensington Books is the gripping second installment of Greeneâs Haunted Hollow Chronicles, continuing a year from where the first book left off. Faced with a monster desperate for revenge and out for blood, this town might just realize the killer is one of them.

Set in a fictional town loosely based on Asheville, NC, this chilling return to a town cursed by a dark and twisted evil will have you scrambling for the lights.

Castle Talk: Spooky Spectacle Director Brandy Herr Sep 11, 2019

Brandy Herr is the co-owner of Spooky Spectacle, a convention featuring horror, paranormal, sci-fi, cosplay, fantasy, etc. Spooky Spectacle 2019 will be held September 14 and 15 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. This event will feature Ken Sagoes from A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 & 4, the Giant Green Goblin Head from Stephen King's Maximum Overdrive (making its first ever Texas appearance!), as well as a Pet Sematary reunion with Dale Midkiff and Miko Hughes.

Castle Talk: Rob Zombie, Director of 3 From Hell Sep 10, 2019

3 From Hell is the long-awaited followup to the crime film The Devilâs Rejects, itself a sequel to the nightmarishly bloody and phosphorescent House of 1000 Corpses. 3 From Hell follows the remaining members of the Firefly family as they run from the law and try to make sense of their future. The film debuts on September 16 in select theaters from Fathom Events, and comes to DVD and Blu-Ray on October 15. We talk about media commentary in 3 From Hell and the value of a director's vision.

Hosted by Jason Henderson, editor of this Summer's Castle of Horror Anthology: Volume 1 and author of the upcoming Young Captain Nemo: Quest for the Nautilus.

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002) Sep 09, 2019

This week we have a special edition of our Godzilla series in honor of this weekâs Death Battle episode, for which our own Tony Salvaggio is on the writing team; weâre talking about the 2002 film GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA, part of the Godzilla Millennium series from Toho.

Friday the 13th (1980) Sep 02, 2019

This week we have a special look at the 1980 movie Friday the 13th directed Sean S Cunningham. Along the way we try to discern how the movie might have appeared in 1980, and similarities and differences between this and its next of kin, the original Halloween.

Castle Talk: Satanic Panic writer Grady Hendrix Aug 28, 2019

Grady Hendrix is a popular horror author of such books as My Best Friendâs Exorcism and the amazing nonfiction look at vintage horror, Paperbacks from Hell. Heâs the writer of the new movie SATANIC PANIC starring Hayley Griffith (âThe Loudest Voiceâ, âThe Mysteries of Lauraâ), Ruby Modine (âShamelessâ, Happy Death Day franchise) and Rebecca Romijn (X-Men franchise, âStar Trek: Discoveryâ), directed by up-and-coming director Chelsea Stardust (âInto The Darkâ, Seeing Green). In SATANIC PANIC, pizza delivery girl Sam finds herself in an upscale neighborhood where a group of classic Satanists decide she will make the perfect sacrifice. The film comes out September 6.

Burnt Offerings: The Summer Rental from Hell Aug 26, 2019

This week we have a special look at the 1976 haunted house movie Burnt Offerings from director Dan Curtis, starring Oliver Reed, Karen Black and Bette Davis. This movie about a family renting a house that begins to work a dark influence on them was an inspiration for The Shining and The Amityville Horror.

AnimeFest LIVE Panel: The Ring versus the Grudge (Sadako vs. Kayako) Aug 19, 2019

At this year's AnimeFest in Dallas, the Castle of Horror team discusses The Ring versus The Grudge (AKA Sadako vs. Kayako) before a live audience. The Ring vs. The Grudge is a 2016 Japanese supernatural horror film directed by KÅji Shiraishi. It is a crossover of the Ju-on and the Ring series. Hosted by Drew Edwards, creator of the comic Halloween Man; on the panel are author and professor David Bowles; educator and musician Jamie Bahr, Executive Director of Girls Rock Austin; and professional comic book historian Kevin Garcia.

Castle Talk: Robert Patrick, star of Tone-Deaf Aug 16, 2019

Jason talks to Robert Patrick about his role in TONE-DEAF and advice for young actors. TONE-DEAF is written and directed by Richard Bates, Jr. (Trash Fire, Suburban Gothic), and stars Robert Patrick ("Scorpion," Terminator 2: Judgment Day) and Amanda Crew ("Silicon Valley," The Age of Adaline), about a young woman who rents an ornate country house to get away for the weekend only to discover that the eccentric widower Harvey is less eccentric than he is angry and homicidal. Running through the whole thing is a very sharp wit and a lot of 4th-wall monologuing from Robert Patrick as Harvey, a man losing a grip on his sanity and eager to share his many thoughts about whatâs wrong with young people today.

Hosted by Jason Henderson, editor of this Summerâs Castle of Horror Anthology Volume 1, available now.

Brides of Dracula (1960) Aug 12, 2019

This week as the weather grows colder we turn to gothic horror with the 1960 film Brides of Dracula directed by Terence Fisher-- one of the most important gothic horror films of all time.

Special Bonus: Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Aug 07, 2019

For a special episode, writer Jason Henderson (http://jasonhenderson.com) and immigration attorney Julia Guzman (http://abogadadenver.com) are joined by UT Rio Grande Valley professor David Bowles (https://davidbowles.us/) to discuss Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, with a special view towards the film's problematic presentation of race, gender-- especially the film's presentation of Sharon Tate-- and the politics of the 60s.

Hosted by Jason Henderson, author of Young Captain Nemo and editor of this summer's Castle of Horror Anthology, available now.

Godzilla versus Mechagodzilla: The Godzilla Retrospective Aug 05, 2019

This week wrap up our retrospective on Godzilla (for now) with the old-school Godzilla movie Godzilla versus Mechagodzilla (1974).

Castle Talk: Dale Beran, It Came From Something Awful, Trolls and Trump Aug 01, 2019

DALE BERAN's new book IT CAME FROM SOMETHING AWFUL, How a Toxic Troll Army Accidentally Memed Donald Trump Into Office (All Points Books/Macmillan) is here and it explores the toxicity of the online culture that bred the alt-right and wonder what could have gone differently. We chat about the origins of online trolls and why it's difficult for everyone else to understand the culture.

Hosted by Jason Henderson, author of Young Captain Nemo from Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Childrenâs Books.

Return of Godzilla (1984): The Godzilla Retrospective Jul 29, 2019

This week we look at The Return of Godzilla, also known as Godzilla 1984 or, in the US, as Godzilla 1985, complete with a serious, at times poetic performance from Raymond Burr reprising his role from the original 1956 American release of 1954's Godzilla. Also, a few words on Once Upon a Time in America and The Haunting of Sharon Tate.

Godzilla vs. Gigan: The Godzilla Retrospective Jul 16, 2019

This week in the Godzilla Retrospective, Godzilla meets the strange, visor-wearing, buzz-saw bellied cyborg monster Gigan! Plus, cockroach aliens.

Godzilla versus Megalon: The Godzilla Retrospective Jul 08, 2019

This week we continue our retrospective on Godzilla with 1973 movie Godzilla versus Megalon. It's a controversial film for its use of stock footage and the clear "backdoor pilot" introduction of giant robot Jet Jaguar, but we have a lot of fun discussing it.

Monster Zero: The Godzilla Retrospective Jul 01, 2019

We continue our Godzilla retrospective with Monster Zero, in which Godzilla is hauled to another planet to face King Ghidorah, the three-headed monster introduced in the previous film.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters: The Godzilla Retrospective (Re-Post 06-28-19)) Jun 28, 2019

We kick off a new summer retrospective on Godzilla movies with Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)-- discussing what people get wrong about Godzilla and why we love these movies. (Encore Re-post 06-28-19)

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster: The Godzilla Retrospective Jun 24, 2019

This week we continue our retrospective on Godzilla with 1964 movie Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster. We discuss how absolutely bonkers the 60s Godzilla movies were. Join us!

Castle Talk: Ashleigh Morghan of Head Count Jun 08, 2019

Head Count is a horror film from Elle Callahan that premiered at last yearâs Los Angeles Film Festival, where the pic won a special jury prize for actor Ashleigh Morghan. It hits theaters and digital on June 14 and we're lucky enough to talk to Ashleigh, who talks about how she approaches her craft. Hosted by host Jason Henderson, editor of this Summer's Castle of Horror Anthology featuring fiction from David Bowles, Dark Shadows' Lara Parker, Kevin J Anderson, Leanna Renee Hieber and more.

Castle Talk: Aminah Mae Safi on her sweet "Gay Rory+Paris" book Tell Me How You Really Feel Jun 07, 2019

Aminah Mae Safi is the author of the new novel Tell Me How You Really Feel, which comes out this month and which Bustle already called "the queer hate-to-love story you've been needing in your life." Tell Me How you Really Feel is her second novel after 2018's Not the Girls You're Looking For. Safi was the winner of the We Need Diverse Books short story contest, and that story appears in the anthology Fresh Ink. We talk about writing gay romances for teens, the importance of representation and process.

Castle Talk: The Cleaning Lady co-writer Alexis Kendra & Exec Producer Jim Nelson Jun 05, 2019

Boy, is The Cleaning Lady disturbing-- the story of a lovesick woman who befriends her badly-scarred cleaning lady, only to become the object of her new friend's dangerous obsessions. Jason chats with Alexis Kendra, who co-writes and stars, and Jim Nelson, Executive Producer, on playing obsession and the slow burn.

Evil of Dracula: The Bloodthirsty Trilogy May 22, 2019

We wrap up our discussion of the Bloodthirsty Trilogy with the amazing 1974 film Evil of Dracula, a perfect mesh of Britain's Hammer and Japanese folklore.

Plus: Be sure and pre-order The Castle of Horror Anthology, Volume 1, coming in July!

Lake of Dracula; Avengers: Endgame May 08, 2019

We continue our series of 1970s vampire horror with Lake of Dracula (1971) and then spend a special segment on a spoiler-filled discussion of Avengers: Endgame.

Also: don't forget to order the Castle of Horror Anthology today!

The Vampire Doll: The Bloodthirsty Trilogy Apr 29, 2019

We kick off a brand-new retrospective on the Bloodthirsty Trilogy, a tryptic of supernatural horror films from Japanese director Michio Yamamoto. This week: The Vampire Doll, about a girl who goes looking for her missing brother at a spooky mansion haunted by a murderous vampire ghost.

The Green Slime Apr 22, 2019

We discuss the 1968 science fiction film The Green Slime directed by Kinji Fukasaku, which was shot in Japan with a Japanese director and film crew, but with the non-Japanese starring cast of Robert Horton, Richard Jaeckel and Luciana Paluzzi. After destroying a huge asteroid that was on a rapid collision course with Earth, a group of astronauts discover they have accidentally returned to their space station with an alien slime creature that feeds on radiation and can reproduce rapidly from its own blood.

Castle Talk: Master of Dark Shadows Director David Gregory Apr 20, 2019

David Gregory has made documentaries about a slew of films and filmmakers, most notably 2014âs terrific LOST SOULS, which detailed director Richard Stanley's travails on his big screen adaptation of The Island of Dr. Moreau. Now his subject is Dark Shadows, which starred Canadian actor Jonathan Frid as vampire Barnabas Collins and inspired the 2012 film of the same name. The film features interviews with cast members like Lara Parker, John Karlen and David Selby, famous fans like Whoopi Goldberg, partners of producer Dan Curtis like Barbara Steele, and is narrated by Deadwoodâs Ian McShane.

Castle Talk: Charles Rutledge on the novella "Dracula's Revenge" Apr 17, 2019

Charles Rutledge is the author of Dracula's Revenge: A Jennifer Grail/Carter Decamp Novella that mashes up hard-case-style crime with gothic horror. Rutledge is the coauthor of three books in the Griffin and Price Crime/Horror series, Blind Shadows, Congregations of the Dead, and A Hell Within, all written with James A. Moore. We talk about the rebirth of novellas and gothic, and how to keep writing consistently.

Castle Talk: Mike McPadden on Teen Movie Hell Apr 11, 2019

Mike McBeardo McPadden is the author of TEEN MOVIE HELL: A Crucible of Coming-of-Age Comedies from Animal House to Zapped!, an extensive look at the pre-internet era of teen comedies. We talk about why there's no longer such a thing as a teen sex comedy, and why some people think Ferris Bueller is the worst.

Castle Talk: The Haunting of Sharon Tate Actors Jonathan Bennett & Lydia Hearst Apr 04, 2019

The Haunting of Sharon Tate directed by Daniel Farrands is a new movie that tells a fictionalized story of the final days of actress Sharon Tate and her friends, including celebrity stylist Jay Sebring and coffee heiress Abigail Folger. Jason chats with Jonathan Bennett and Lydia Hearst, who play famous stylist Jay Sebring and coffee heiress Abigail Folger.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Captain Nemo Retrospective Apr 01, 2019

This week we wrap up our retrospective of movies featuring Jules Verneâs immortal creation Captain Nemo with the 2003 steampunk literary mashup The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

The Amazing (AKA The Return of) Captain Nemo: The Captain Nemo Retrospective Mar 26, 2019

We continue looking at famous Nemos with the 1978 Irwin Allen SF adventure The Amazing Captain Nemo AKA The Return of Captain Nemo, starring Jose Ferrer and Burgess Meredith.

Captain Nemo & The Underwater City: The Captain Nemo Retrospective Mar 18, 2019

We discuss the UK 1969 film Captain Nemo and the Underwater City, starring Robert Ryan and Chuck Connors.

Castle Talk: Travis Stevens, Dir. of Girl on the Third Floor Mar 08, 2019

Travis Stevens talks about his writing and directing debut, GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR, which premieres in March at South by Southwest.

Castle Talk: Eyal Kless, Author of The Lost Puzzler Mar 05, 2019

Eyal Kless is a classical violinist who currently teaches violin in the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University, and performs with the Israel Haydn String Quartet, which he founded. He calls in from a visit to Stuttgart to discuss his new post-apocalyptic book The Lost Puzzler, a rich vision about the search for a boy who can unlock any puzzle.

Mysterious Island (1961): The Captain Nemo Retrospective Mar 04, 2019

In anticipation of the release of Young Captain Nemo by Jason Henderson, we kick off a new retrospective on movies featuring Jules Verne's immortal Captain Nemo with the 1961 film Mysterious Island, featuring the amazing special effects of Ray Harryhausen.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II: The Hellraiser Retrospective Feb 26, 2019

This week we continue our HELLRAISER series, with the 1988 film HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II, produced by Clive Barker and directed by Tony Randel.

THE GOOD SON: The Evil Child Retrospective Feb 11, 2019

We continue our 2019 retrospective on evil children with the 1993 film THE GOOD SON, about a child very like the one seen in THE BAD SEEDâin this case Henry played by Macaulay Culkin.

CASTLE TALK: Kelly Meding, author of Stray Moon Feb 08, 2019

Kelly Medingâs STRAY MOON from Harper Voyager is a follow-up to her book Stray Magic which about one Shiloh Harrison and her team of Paranormal Marshals who are once again put between upholding the law and doing what is right. Werewolves are going missing and itâs up to Shiloh to help. We talk about dark fantasy, paranormal, and Meding's writing process.

CASTLE TALK: Daniel Farrands Shows Us The Horror Of The 1970s Nuclear Family in The Amityville Murders Feb 06, 2019

Daniel Farrands chats about his new film THE AMITYVILLE MURDERS, which tells the story of Ronald "Butch" DeFeo, who one sleepy day in 1974 murdered his entire family in Amityville, Long Island. We talk about the pluses and minuses of life in that analog era and the horrors that can hide in a house. Farrands also shares news on his other priod piece, the upcoming THE HAUNTING OF SHARON TATE.

CASTLE TALK: Darren Lynn Bousman on Scary St. Agatha Feb 06, 2019

St. Agatha is a brand-new psychological horror film (but don't worry, it gets intense and sometimes gory) about a young con woman (Sabrina Kern) in the 1950s who, finding herself broke and pregnant, joins a convent only to find herself trapped by an evil Mother Superior (Carolyn Hennessy.) It's an amazingly powerful performance from both, and we chat with director Darren Lynn Bousman on bringing this dark, pulse-pounding tale to life.

The Bad Seed (1956): The Evil Child Retrospective Jan 28, 2019

We kick off our 2019 retrospective on evil children with The Bad Seed, about Rhoda, a pig-tailed, murderous child psychopath.

THE RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE: The Bela Lugosi Retrospective Jan 21, 2019

This week we wrap up our retrospective dedicated to the films of Bela Lugosi, this time with Lugosiâs performance as a character that David Skal called âDracula in all but name,â vampire Armand Tesla in the 1943 Columbia picture THE RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE.

The Raven (1935): The Bela Lugosi Retrospective Dec 17, 2018

The Raven is a 1935 American horror film starring Boris Karloff and Béla Lugosi. The picture revolves around Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, featuring Lugosi as a Poe-obsessed mad surgeon with a torture chamber in his basement and Karloff as a fugitive murderer desperately on the run from the police.

The Black Cat (1934): The Bela Lugosi Retrospective Dec 10, 2018

Our Lugosi series takes a turn towards a movie that teams Universal's Dracula against "Frankenstein," Boris Karloff. But it's so much more-- this lean film tells the story of two men facing off in a strange castle, where memories of wartime atrocities lay over a human chess game between them.

Castle Talk: Mari Mancusi, author of "The Camelot Code" Dec 05, 2018

Mari Mancusi's The Camelot Code: The Once and Future Geek is a fast-paced middle grade adventure from Disney Hyperion, in which an adolescent King Arthur comes to the 21st Century and decides he doesn't go back. We chat about how the book came to be, the long process of publishing, and how to make the sometimes-adult Arthurian legends work in a family adventure.

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932): The Bela Lugosi Retrospective Dec 03, 2018

This week we continue our retrospective dedicated to the films of Bela Lugosi, this time with Lugosiâs mysterious performance in the 1932 Universal film Murders in the Rue Morgue. Murders in the Rue Morgue is a 1932 American pre-Code horror film, very loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue". Bela Lugosi, one year after his performance as Dracula, portrays a lunatic scientist who abducts women and injects them with blood from his ill-tempered caged ape. Although not a hit at the time, the film is generally well-regarded by critics and is considered a cult classic.

Castle Talk: Anthony Rotolo on TV Terror, the Golden Age of TV Horror Nov 28, 2018

Tonight weâre chatting with Anthony Rotolo, the creator of the TV Terror Podcast. TV TERROR is the show devoted to horror, thriller, and suspense programming from the movie-for-the-week golden age and beyond.

Castle Talk: Leanna Renee Hieber, author of "The Spectral City" Nov 27, 2018

Leanna Renee Hieber is back to discuss her new book THE SPECTRAL CITY, from Kensington's new Science Fiction / Fantasy imprint Rebel Base Books. It's the beginning of a new series featuring a group of young lady psychics and mediums, and their ghostly best friends, as The Ghost Precinct solves weird and unsettling crime in 1899 New York City. We discuss ghosts, history and where to write in New York.

Castle Talk: James Hornor Jacobs on The Sea Dreams it is the Sky Nov 16, 2018

Bram Stoker Award-nominated author James Hornor Jacobs is the author of THE SEA DREAMS IT IS THE SKY. The story features a strong female lead, a powerful LGBTQ protagonist, a horrifyingly gripping plot, and a culturally-sensitive perspective as John worked directly with South American readers to shed light on aspects of distinct South American cultures and history. We talk about Jacob's process in creating this gripping story.

Castle Talk: Zack Akers, Skip Bronkie and Cote Smith, authors of Limetown: The Prequel Nov 15, 2018

In 2015, Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie launched the Limetown podcast, about an NPR-style reporter investigating the mass disappearance at a corporate town in Tennessee. On the iTunes homepage, the podcast went to the #1 US slotâtopping This American Life and Serial. With its cult following, Season two is now here, along with a TV adaptation with Facebook Watch in production, with Jessica Biel confirmed to produce and star.

Now Simon & Schuster has released LIMETOWN: The Prequel, by Cote Smith, Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie. The book is goes back in time to tell the stories of both Liaâs adolescence and her Uncle Emileâsâand how his strange psychological condition entangled their family in mysterious and dangerous research. This exhilarating, completely original prequel takes readers back to the beginning and opens a whole new dimension of the Limetown universe. The LIMETOWN prequel is an addictive entry point for a new audience, and an explosive new layer of the story for existing fans of the podcast. We chat about the creation of this and every version of Limetown.

Dracula (1931): The Bela Lugosi Retrospective Nov 12, 2018

This week we kick off a retrospective dedicated to the films of Bela Lugosi, beginning with Lugosiâs iconic star turn in the 1931 Dracula.

Castle Talk: Duncan Skiles, Director of The Clovehitch Killer Nov 11, 2018

We chat with Duncan Skiles, director of THE CLOVEHITCH KILLER, which opens in theaters and VOD on November 16. The film tells the story of a boy from an apparently happy family who suspects his dad (Dylan McDermott) might be Clovehitch, an infamous serial killer that was never caught.

Castle Talk: Chris von Hoffman, dir. of "Monster Party" Oct 31, 2018

In Monster Party, which comes out on November 2, three young thieves plan to rob a dinner party at a fancy Malibu mansion, only to discover that the dinner guests are all serial killers with no intention of letting them leave. Jason chats with writer/director Chris von Hoffmann.

War of the Worlds (1953) Oct 29, 2018

We discuss George Pal's War of the Worlds, a technicolor wonder even today and the first movie adaptation of HG Wells' immortal story.

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