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The Movie Crypt — TV & Film
The Movie Crypt

Filmmakers Adam Green (FROZEN, the HATCHET franchise), Joe Lynch (MAYHEM, EVERLY), and Arwen the Yorkie host this inspirational and educational program that offers a fully comprehensive look at the entertainment industry, the artistic process, and the enduring struggle of not giving up on your dreams. By candidly sharing their own trials and tribulations in Hollywood, Adam and Joe create an extremely honest and heartfelt dialogue with their guests. The hilarious, heartbreaking, and therapeutic “artist on artist” conversations focus on each guest’s individual journey and the various hurdles they have personally faced and conquered along the way. With guests ranging from Academy Award winners, entertainment icons, and A-list celebrities… to cinematographers, editors, studio executives, and countless other crucial positions not typically featured in the spotlight, an average episode of THE MOVIE CRYPT offers more insight for navigating the entertainment industry than an entire semester of film school. Hailed by Entertainment Weekly magazine as “one of the top 20 podcasts you should be listening to” [Issue #1345], a new episode of THE MOVIE CRYPT has been released every single Monday without fail since the day the podcast launched on May 6, 2013.

This is an independent podcast that only exists thanks to the support of listeners. To get the FULL version of every new episode without ads every Monday morning simply subscribe to our Patreon for just $1 a month! Our entire catalogue of episodes, access to our monthly LIVE events, and more are all available at: www.Patreon.com/TheMovieCrypt

Latest Episodes:

Ep 543: Dennis Paoli Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Screenwriter Dennis Paoli (RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, CASTLE FREAK, DAGON, BODY SNATCHERS) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss his incredible career. From fatefully meeting the great Stuart Gordon all the way back in High School and discovering just how much their artistic sensibilities overlapped… to his theater work as part of "The Human Race" satire group touring coffee houses in Chicago… to how performing "naked theater" wound up getting Stuart Gordon thrown in jail… to how producer Charles Band helped launch his, Stuart's, and so many other's careers… to how 1995's CASTLE FREAK was truly a "labor of lust"… to the method behind his madness in tackling adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft's work and how he separates the art from such a controversial and complicated artist… to his many years teaching Gothic literature… to working with our own Joe Lynch on their latest feature SUITABLE FLESH (now in theaters and on-demand!)… Dennis pulls the curtain back on his long screenwriting career.

Dr. Arwen provides "Hollywood Therapy" for an industry professional who's at his breaking point with having to "give them what they want," Joe has a wicked bad accident, and Adam goes behind the (smelly) scenes of this year's ArieScope Halloween short HALLOWEEN SOCKS.

Ep 542: Renee Egan Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Reality TV casting director Renee Egan (FBOY ISLAND, THE PROFIT, FARMER WANTS A WIFE, JOE MILLIONAIRE) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope Studio to discuss her career journey. From dropping out of college on medical leave and realizing it just wasn't for her… to writing her own stories about animals and her very own Jonas Brothers fan fiction (no, really!) and getting ghosted by Kevin Jonas… to briefly spending time on the wild side and working in the Las Vegas nightlife industry bartending, doing bottle service and dabbling in modeling… to making her way to Los Angeles with her eyes on "something in entertainment"… to the friend that convinced her to try being an assistant in reality TV casting and then finding that she loved the job… to almost immediately getting promoted to an Associate position and then moving her way up by claiming she had been a Producer and "faking it til she made it"… to explaining how reality shows are cast, why the characters are indeed real, and just how much producing goes into the storytelling… Renee provides a peek behind the curtain of one of the most popular genres of television.

Dr. Arwen provides "Hollywood Therapy" for a filmmaker who's family refuses to recognize his career choice as legitimate despite the progress he is making and who feels that his family's lack of support is holding him back, Renee shares her personal journey to developing better mental health, and Adam explains a huge problem that he has with a major decision that producers made on the most recent version of the television phenomenon that is MTV's JERSEY SHORE.

Ep 541: Danny Wu Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Documentary filmmaker Danny Wu (SQUARE ONE, AMERICAN: AN ODYSSEY TO 1947) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss his career journey. From an aspiring basketball player living in Canada… to the injury that shattered his original dream… to becoming a YouTube vlogger with a decent sized audience… to the injustice he was witnessing that inspired him to pick up a camera and make a documentary (SQUARE ONE) about one of the most controversial topics in popular culture (the original 1993 Michael Jackson molestation allegation)… to teaching himself how to make a documentary film by MAKING A DOCUMENTARY FILM… to the terrific reception that SQUARE ONE received worldwide… to tackling a whole different kind of injustice with his new documentary AMERICAN: AN ODYSSEY TO 1947… to how he was able to secure interviews with pivotal resources such as the various Orson Welles scholars who appeared in AMERICAN and some of the resources who appeared in SQUARE ONE that had never shared their stories publicly before… to learning how to navigate the film festival circuit the hardest way possible… to the crazy way that a film's trajectory can suddenly change by simply having the right person see and champion it… Danny's story is incredibly inspiring to hear and his two DIY films so far have been absolutely exceptional! Stop waiting for permission to make your movie and just DO IT!

Adam shares the story of how Danny initially came on his radar by doing something that he himself didn't have the confidence to do and Danny shares a personal story about the SQUARE ONE premiere that Adam and Joe had no idea was coming. (You're gonna love it!) This phenomenal conversation is THE MOVIE CRYPT at its best and most inspirational. Check out SQUARE ONE on Amazon Prime (free with ads) and AMERICAN: AN ODYSSEY TO 1947 - currently available for rental on VOD.

Ep 540: Bonnie Burton Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Author and games writer Bonnie Burton (Lucasfilm/StarWars.com, GEEK DIY, STAR WARS CRAFT BOOK, HUNT A KILLER GAMES, GIRLS AGAINST GIRLS) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope Studio to discuss her career journey. From growing up in Kansas and feeling "like an alien" out of place… to becoming a published author at age 7… to going to college in Boulder, Colorado (in the same graduating class as Trey Parker and Matt Stone of SOUTH PARK fame) with the goal of becoming a writer… to working at LucasFilm as the senior editor of StarWars.com… to how George Lucas predicted today's current a la carte streaming services way back in 2001… to her efforts to show some fan love for the infamous STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL… to bumping into celebrities at Skywalker Ranch and marrying R2D2 at San Diego Comic Con… to creating her various STAR WARS craft books and drawing books… to what it means to be "lazy sexual" … to the importance of Joe Bob Briggs… to the way that the community of horror fans holds each other up… to what it was like being a "Death Rocker" before it was cool to be "Goth"… to the importance of being willing to pivot in a career journey and TONS more, this fantastic extended length episode ends with a heartfelt pep talk from Bonnie that every aspiring artist needs to hear!

Also, Bonnie explains why you need to be willing to fail A LOT without giving up and Adam shares a story about working for a Hollywood heavyweight and the evil genius dog who made his life hell.

Ep 539: Mike Mendez & Alejandro Brugués Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Filmmakers Mike Mendez (TALES OF HALLOWEEN, BIG ASS SPIDER) and Alejandro Brugués (JUAN OF THE DEAD, NIGHTMARE CINEMA) return to the podcast to discuss the making of their new anthology film SATANIC HISPANICS. From the genesis of the idea for a horror anthology based in Hispanic heritage… to applying the lessons they learned from working on previous anthologies… to the tonal shifts between stories that make for a well rounded viewing experience and the amount of trust and creative control that needs to be given to the other filmmakers on the project… Mike and Alejandro go through the process of bringing their idea to the big screen. Also, Mike shares his joy in being recognized as the "corpse f**ker" from CHILLERAMA, Alejandro thinks Adam's rabbits look delicious, and Joe finds out how the production went on a project that he didn't land.

With double guests comes a double shot of"Hollywood Therapy!" Dr. Arwen advises a listener who is looking to properly obtain exhibition rights for their film club's programming and then leads the group through an extremely touching grief counseling session focused on enjoying life guilt-free after enduring a crushing loss. It's a roller coaster of a conversation as four friends share big laughs and deeply personal life experiences.

Ep 538: Jason McMaster Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Singer/songwriter Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, IGNITOR, WATCHTOWER, BROKEN TEETH) joins Adam and Arwen in the ArieScope Studio to share his hard rocking career journey. From forming his first band at 17… to the 40 years he's now spent playing in WATCHTOWER… to why religion is afraid of rock n roll… to what the true meaning is behind the slogan "keep Austin weird"… to the joys and success that can come from not having an agenda… to how quickly DANGEROUS TOYS found success and the very famous musician who warned "that may not be a good thing"… to why the name of the band was only supposed to be temporary… to what it was like making the jump from playing in clubs to playing in big arenas and having videos in regular rotation on MTV and radio… to why he never fell victim to the typical rock star party antics… to his extraordinarily positive attitude about being content just playing rock n roll… to his unique style of singing and his work teaching music to kids through School Of Rock… to his philosophy that true fans never grow out of the things they're fans of… Jason's message of "be who you are, love what you love, and do what makes you happy" is one that will lift up everyone in THE MOVIE CRYPT audience. Dr. Arwen provides "Hollywood Therapy" for a listener struggling with depression, Adam and Jason nerd out over their music collectibles, and Jason reveals how his early correspondence with James Hetfield wound up being included in METALLICA's incredibly comprehensive "Kill 'Em All" and "Ride the Lightning" box sets! NOTE: This extended length episode also includes Jason's appearance during YORKIETHON 5 from December 2020! (Patreon only.)

Ep 537: Lewis Teague Sep 18, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Lewis Teague (CUJO, ALLIGATOR, CAT'S EYE, THE JEWEL OF THE NILE) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen in the ArieScope studio to discuss his 60 year career so far! From the Sam Fuller war film that inspired his curiosity in filmmaking… to starting an underground Cinema on the Sunset strip in the 60's… to working in various capacities on films like George Roy Hill's HAWAII (1966) and the seminal documentary WOODSTOCK (1970)… to working with the legendary Roger Corman… to how he brought realism to genre films like ALLIGATOR (1980) and working on back to back Stephen King adaptations with CUJO (1983) and CAT'S EYE (1985)… to getting the call from Michael Douglas to join the big leagues and direct 1985's THE JEWEL OF THE NILE (the ROMANCING THE STONE sequel)… and how a fateful lunch with a certain PSYCHO star changed his entire outlook on the filmmaking business. At 85 years old, Lewis has tons of incredible stories about his Hollywood journey!

Ep 536: Laura Moss Sep 11, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Laura Moss (BIRTH/REBIRTH) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss their career journey. From starting out after college as a general production assistant where they naturally found themselves gravitating towards the art department and eventually becoming a production designer… to working on shorts, television, and theater for well over a decade in positions such as editor, gaffer, special FX makeup, production manager, sound mixer, script supervisor, and more before making the jump into the writer/director chair with their first feature film BIRTH/REBIRTH (currently in select theaters and coming soon to Shudder)… to Laura's decision to shoot the film with anamorphic lenses and why the creative aesthetic was worth the strain that it added to the production's already limited time schedule… the importance of grounding a science based fantasy story with just enough logic to be believable as opposed to adding so much explanation and rationalization that a story's mechanics wind up challenging the audience's suspension of disbelief… to the clinical preparation that filmmakers now implement when approaching sexually explicit scenes and how such efforts are helping actors feel less exposed and vulnerable… to facing the reality that independent films are rarely afforded the luxury of shooting on a schedule that is creatively conducive and instead have to shoot on whatever schedule your limited budget can afford… to what it was like directing a pig and the fun of working with animals… to the stress that shooting "wide and tight" puts on your boom operator and the frightening but triumphant moment of world premiering BIRTH/REBIRTH at the Sundance Film Festival… Laura's experience is a terrific overview of the modern indie filmmaking process!

Ep 535: Stewart Thorndike Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Filmmaker Stewart Thorndike (BAD THINGS, LYLE) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss the making of her new feature BAD THINGS (available on Shudder). From discovering her passion for the cinematic arts while traveling the country as a child… to the David Cronenberg film that changed the way she saw genre movies… to performing in front of the camera in the late Stanley Kubrick's EYES WIDE SHUT… to the trials and tribulations of writing and bringing her new film BAD THINGS to life… to directing the indie ensemble in an abandoned hotel in snowy Ithaca, NY… to how her production survived the craziest and most frustrating COVID-19 setback that we've heard about filming during the pandemic yet… to BAD THINGS' world premiere at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival (where Joe's new film SUITABLE FLESH also premiered this year) and the process that it took to finally be able to think of herself as an "artist"… Stewart's journey over the last 3 years has been a tumultuous one that many will be able to relate to and draw inspiration from!

Also, the group reflects on the stress of film festival premieres, Joe's kitchen sink vomits up a demon, and the boys prepare for their appearance together at Silver Scream Con in Danvers, MA this coming weekend (9/8 - 9/10)!

Ep 534: Sam Lipman-Stern Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

PUBLIC VERSION. Documentary filmmaker Sam Lipman-Stern (TELEMARKETERS, Vice, Rolling Stone) joins Adam, Joe, and Arwen to discuss his unique career journey and the making of his new doc-series TELEMARKETERS (currently streaming on MAX). From dropping out of High School in 9th grade and going to work full time as a telemarketer when he was just 14 years old… to being gifted a SONY handi-cam that would ultimately set him on his career path… to beginning to develop his storytelling voice during the pre-Youtube era of posting short videos on-line (remember eBaum's World??)… to interning at Vice and becoming part of their video team as the magazine began evolving into a journalistic powerhouse… to his work as a video producer for Rolling Stone Magazine… to producing, directing, and shooting documentaries and interviews for PBS, MTV, Esquire, Adidas, Apple, The NBA, The New York Times, and more… to teaming up with the Safdie Brothers (UNCUT GEMS) and Rough House Pictures (Danny McBride, Jody Hill, and David Gordon Green's company) and turning the countless hours of footage from his telemarketing job into the incredibly compelling docu-series TELEMARKETERS… Sam's journey is one of the most unique and fascinating stories you'll hear this year!

The guys also geek out over early digital video cameras, Sam tells some of his favorite stories from his time as a telemarketer, Adam discovers his balls at age 25, and Joe shares more details about his upcoming screening of MAYHEM (2017) at the Landmark Nuart Theater in Los Angeles on September 1st!

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