The Rants Macabre

Ep 166: Scream, Queen! Jun 29, 2020

Closing out PRIDE month we talk about current events and the documentary 'Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street' (2019). Star Mark Patton tells the story of the making NOES2, and its impact on his life. The 4 track EP of horror music for horror fans is at https://darrenty.bandcamp.com/ Check out Joshua Tonks' reviews and follow (www.instagram.com/joshuatonks) and www.gaylydreadful.com for "Your one stop shop for all things gay and dreadful."

Ep 165: 90s Teen Horror Part 2 Jun 01, 2020

We're going back to the days of our youth, with Part 2 of our 90s Teen Horror. We further explore the teensploitation of the MTV-WB era. We explore Jamie Blanks' star-packed Urban Legend (1998), and the Miramax produced, Kevin Williamson penned, directed by Robert Rodriguez, Breakfast Club vs Alien invasion movie, THE FACULTY (1998). If you want to dive even deeper into 90s horror, check out Alexandra West (@ScareAlex) and her book The 1990s Teen Horror Cycle: Final Girls and a New Hollywood Formula. She's also cohost of The Faculty of Horror podcast. Don't forget to check in at the website, therantsmacabre.com for random show extras and episode searches.

Ep 164: 90s Teen Horror Part 1 May 18, 2020

Mindy and Darren look back at their formative years in Part 1 of 90s Teen Horror. They examine the WB and the wave that brought us star-driven horror movies with Sarah Michelle Gellar and the Dawson's Creek gang. In this episode we discuss the 1998 ADWEEK article, THE BOOM TUBE, and I Know What you Did Last Summer. If you want to dive even deeper into 90s horror, check out Alexandra West (@ScareAlex) and her book The 1990s Teen Horror Cycle: Final Girls and a New Hollywood Formula. She's also cohost of The Faculty of Horror.

Ep 163: Baba Yaga May 11, 2020

Our fascination with witches takes us to the original tale of the Baba Yaga. Many things to many people, the legend of Baba Yaga has found a home throughout pop culture and classical music. Mindy guides us through Pictures at an Exhibition 9A; Baba Yaga by Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881). References: Identifying Impressions of Baba Yaga: Navigating the Uses of Attachment and Wonder on Soviet and American Television by Megan Armknecht, Jill Terry Rudy, Sibelan Forrester. + Who’s Afraid of Baba Yaga? A Reading of Ageing From the Gender Perspective by MARIJA GEIGER ZEMAN and ZDENKO ZEMAN

Ep 162: We're Back! May 04, 2020

We're back for some news, updates and to share a curating challenge. On Facebook, Marknado Lehew asked what 5 movies would you recommend to a horror newbie to get them hooked on the genre. We've risen to the challenge to talk horror indoctrination. Next week we'll be back with a full episode on Baba Yaga. Plus, Darren's new EP is up at our website, therantsmacabre.com

Ep 161: Curse of the Werewolves Part 2 Sep 15, 2019

We return to our deep dive into lycanthrope lore and popular culture in this Part 2 of Curse of the Werewolves. Darren and Mindy dig in to some historical accounts of monsters, murderers, and medical anomalies. In our coverage, we review two modern werewolf classics, Neil Marshall's DOG SOLDIERS, and Joe Dante's THE HOWLING. Our music is back up for sale at BandCamp https://darrenty.bandcamp.com/album/apophenia - Check out our song "When I" where Mindy sings lead!

Ep 160: Curse of the Werewolves Part 1 Aug 26, 2019

In Part 1 of our series on werewolves, we explore the history of werewolf lore and it's grand entrance into popular culture with the Universal classic, The Wolf Man (1941). We have a new home on BandCamp here https://darrenty.bandcamp.com/album/apophenia with more music to come. And you can access our additional library at https://www.patreon.com/rantsmacabre

Ep 159: Ancient Aliens Jul 29, 2019

Before we wrap up our summer break, we're checking in with a fun chat about... Ancient Aliens and Bob Lazar. Joining us is Jaxon, Mindy's husband (and baby Syd in the background) and Ancient Aliens fan. We talk about the documentary Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers (2018), and compare notes with the ancient astronaut theorist.

Ep 158: Black Horror Part 2 May 31, 2019

For our part 2 of our series on Black Horror we rejoin our conversation with Kristina Leath-Malin. We discuss black and French Horror, as well as Kristina's MFG short film "One For The Road", her Stephen King Dollar Baby with 90% Female cast and crew. You can find Kristina's documentary project My Final Girl: Black Women in American Horror at https://myfinalgirl.com/ You can find Kristina’s video work and podcast here: https://vimeo.com/plzwatch And her writing on film here: http://KLMBrooklyn.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/klmbrooklyn

Ep 157: Black Horror-Part 1 Apr 22, 2019

For Part 1 of our long-awaited conversation on Black Horror we are joined by Kristina Leath-Malin. As an academic, filmmaker and feminist horror scholar, Kristina's MA on French Horror and the "New Wave Extremity" culminated with her thesis-turned-published book Objectification repackaged: The Women of 21st Century French Horror. Her current work at https://myfinalgirl.com/ and documentary project My Final Girl: Black Women in American Horror includes a web/podcast series, video work, and an internet database dedicated to exploring the positioning and representation of Black Women in American Horror Films. Together we discuss the documentary Horror Noire (on SHUDDER), and look at a cross section of seminal films in black horror. You can find Kristina’s video work and podcast here: https://vimeo.com/plzwatchAnd her writing on film here: http://KLMBrooklyn.com

Ep 156: The Black Death Mar 31, 2019

Welcoming spring with a touch of death. *OK, seriously, we'll be back for two episodes this April to talk Black Horror, and we'll be joined by a special guest. See you all soon!

Ep 155: Lunch Hour Reviews Ted Bundy Tapes Mar 01, 2019

We take to the mics to chat and catch up. Talking future show planning and doing some nerding out over Jordan Peele's projects.

Bonus Episode: GET OUT from Patreon Feb 25, 2019

Hey listeners! While we prep for coming episodes and take some time to breathe, we're sharing this exclusive Patreon episode. We're excited for Jordan Peele's 'US' coming out March 21 and thought it would be fun to offer up this installment about Peele's directorial debut 'GET OUT'. And a HUGE thank you to our Patreon patrons who made this episode possible. You're the best! We've got some things in the works, so you'll get an update episode before February is out.

Ep 154: Bird Box and A Quiet Place Jan 21, 2019

Happy New Year! One at a time we're engaging the senses in analyzing Netflix's new Bird Box and A Quiet Place. We compare Sandra Bullock's see-no-evil, blind apocalypse with John Krasinski's hear-no-evil silent nightmare world.

Ep 153: The Haunting of Hill House-Part 2 Dec 23, 2018

We return to finish Mike Flanagan's Netflix & Amblin Entertainment-produced The Haunting of Hill House. We finish out talking about Christmas music and traditions.

Ep 152: The Haunting of Hill House-Part 1 Dec 18, 2018

This week we take our first steps into The Haunting of Hill House. Before celebrating Mike Flanagan's Netflix miniseries we make a stop at the first feature film adaptation of Shirley Jackson's classic, 1963's The Haunting. (We agreed that Robert Wise could have used some ghosts in his haunting movie.)

Ep 151: Sean M. Thompson and Session 9 Oct 29, 2018

Happy Halloween! We welcome back podcaster (Miskatonic Musings!) and author of Farmington Correctional, Sean M. Thompson. We talk about his books, mental illness, sleepwalking, and dive into Brad Anderson's low budget gem, Session 9. Here is Sean's Amazon page where you can find a lot of his work.

Ep 150: Apocalypticism! Sep 30, 2018

To celebrate our 150th episode we're celebrating the end of the world! We talk Apocalypticism, the study of doomsdays across different cultures and theologies. Having some fun with the idea, we focus on three end of the world comedies, Edgar Wright's The World's End, Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg's This is the End, with The Happening in between. For M. Night Shyamalan's Mark Wahlberg-helmed disaster we recorded our audio commentary and edited it down to the best parts for your listening pleasure.

Ep 149: Clip Show! Aug 30, 2018

After three years of podcasting we've amassed quite a collection of sketches and bonus content. So while we approach our 150th episode, we're having a look back and doing our very first Clip Show! https://www.patreon.com/rantsmacabre

Ep 148: The Staircase Aug 01, 2018

We take a look at the Netflix true-crime docuseries "The Staircase". Leaving spoilers for the second half of this episode, we take a deep dive into Kathleen Peterson's mysterious death and the court case surrounding Michael Peterson. Exploring the docuseries and beyond, we offer some armchair sleuthing as well as other sources for the listener to explore the case.

Ep 147: Torture Porn! Jun 29, 2018

Long overdue, we take on Torture Porn and analyze it's place in modern culture. Comparing notes and how they've aged, we talk James Wan and Leigh Whannell's SAW (2004), and Eli Roth's Hostel (2005).

Ep 146: The Sounds of Horror-Part Two May 31, 2018

We're back talking about music in our favorite (and classic) horror movies. We analyze a few classics and talk about their production. Mindy talks theory, influences and how Bernard Herrmann is the Bach of movie composers. Check out Werewolves in Siberia here: https://werewolvesinsiberia.bandcamp.com/

Ep 145: The Sounds of Horror-Part One Apr 30, 2018

In our first part of our Sounds of Horror series we're talking about movie music. John Carpenter is back to score Halloween, and records and CDs are outselling music downloads, so it's a great time to talk about movie scores. We talk about some favorite director/musician combinations and the origins of putting music to film.

Ep 144: Save Horror Madness Mar 17, 2018

We assemble our Save Horror Madness brackets for our annual contest with Women in Caskets, Miskatonic Musings, and Tab & Jacob of Test Pattern. We tried to mix horror favorites with good sense, and some coin flipping. Have a look--have a listen--vote yourself on Twitter and Facebook and wish us luck! Get your brackets at https://www.savehorror.com/madness

Ep 143: Alien Friends or UF-Foes Feb 26, 2018

With our eyes on the sky we explore the field of UFOs—talking old and new declassified material and phenomena. To close out, we talk two classic alien abduction movies: Communion (1989) and Fire in the Sky (1993). And the history of probings!

Ep 142: Cop Shock! Jan 22, 2018

When evil meets the law, we bring you stories of police and the darkness. Starting with Scott Derrickson's exorcist cop thriller, Deliver Us From Evil (2014), the 80s classic Maniac Cop (1988), and the wildly under-appreciated Fallen (1998) with Denzel Washington.

Ep 141: The Horror of Remakes Jan 15, 2018

Joined by our good friend and fellow horror fan, Tony (@flirtaciousboi), we cover a provocative cross section of mid-2000s horror remakes. Starting with Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), then Jaume Collet-Serra's House of Wax (2005), and finish out with Alexandre Aja's extreme take on The Hills Have Eyes (2006).

Ep 140: Better Watch Out Dec 18, 2017

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! Checking in with a new Christmas classic, we cover this year's Better Watch Out. Directed by (honorary Australian) Chris Peckover and written by Peckover and Zack Kahn. Starring Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, with supporting cast Patrick Warburton & Virginia Madsen. Here's a link to the Home Alone clips... with blood.

Ep 139: M Night Shyamalan & The Twilight Zone Dec 04, 2017

Covering a classic (The Sixth Sense) and a resurgent peak (Split), we talk M.Night Shyamalan films and compare a few episodes of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone that might deserve some of that credit. #Shyamalaned!

Ep 138: Play Gerald's Game with Miskatonic Musings Oct 23, 2017

Sean and Charles from Miskatonic Musings join us for a round of Gerald's Game(2017). Mike Flanagan (HUSH, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Oculus, etc.) directed the hell out of Stephen King's claustrophobic tale of bondage gone wrong starring Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, and Carel Struycken. Check the boys out at @MiskatonicPod and their iTunes Page, and hub. Sean has writing you can find at his webpage and on Amazon here.

Ep 137: Haunted Houses Part 2-The Shining Oct 09, 2017

In our visit through Haunted Houses, we arrive at The Overlook Hotel, the site of Stephen King's The Shining. Adapted by Diane Johnson and Stanley Kubrick, the 1980 film starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall is a different animal entirely. We talk shared brilliance and wild differences.

Ep 136: Haunted Houses Part 1 Sep 30, 2017

When a home is so much more, we explore the theme of Haunted Houses in this Part 1 with Stuart Rosenberg's THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979) and the 2006 animated MONSTER HOUSE.

Ep 135: Rants Macabre's Top 25 Aug 28, 2017

It's finally here! We put our heads together, debated and negotiated to arrive at our official Top 25 Horror Movies. Also joining us people of the New York Horror Meetup to share their favorites and best of the genre. Do check us out at https://www.meetup.com/nychorror/

Ep 134: Buffy The Vampire Slayer! Jul 31, 2017

Mindy guides Darren down the rabbit hole of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. We get some insight into Mindy's 90s fashion icon, Sarah Michelle Gellar. And Joss Whedon Joss Whedon Joss Whedon.

Ep 133: X-Files Favorites Jul 24, 2017

It's about time we covered The X-Files. We show some appreciation to the great writers and directors behind classic episodes and talk our favorites FIREWALKER, WAR of the COPROPHAGES, KADDISH, and DETOUR. WARNING: There's an audio issue for the first half, but it's back to normal at the 39 minute mark.

Ep 132: LHR The Conjuring 2 Jul 17, 2017

We're back from our deep dive into J Horror (thanks again, Charles!) for a review of The Conjuring 2. We've got mixed feelings about James Wan's (of Saw, Insidious, and Furious 7 fame) return to the adventures of Ed & Lorraine Warren. This time they investigate the famous Enfield Haunting.

Ep 131: J-Horror Part 3 Jul 10, 2017

Mindy & Darren invite special guest Charles from Miskatonic Musings to share his kaiju knowledge for the last installment of their J-Horror series. The trio talk Godzilla (1954), The X from Outer Space (1967), & Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995).

Ep 130: J Horror Part 2 Jul 03, 2017

The two modern pillars of J-Horror are here, Ringu (1998) and Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)! We talk Shinto, Buddhism, monsters, spirits, and 'ghosts in machines'!

Ep 129: J Horror Part 1 Jun 26, 2017

This first installment of our J HORROR series takes us to some weird places. We start with Japanese cultural aesthetics, and by the end are talking about Cyberpunk Dadaist music styles. All the while, we discuss 1977's House, and Shin'ya Tsukamoto's Tetsuo, the Iron Man (1989). Join us at Patreon for this months exclusive episode on GET OUT.

Ep 128: LHR Man Vs Beyond the Gates Jun 19, 2017

Welcoming Mindy back from her work trip we catch up and talk about what we've been watching. Mindy finished The Leftovers (Darren's finally hooked), started Riverdale, and hated Man Vs. Darren watched Beyond the Gates, and [in doing research for the Patreon episode on Jordan Peele's Get Out] went back to 1975's The Stepford Wives.

Ep 127: Patreon-Night of the Living Dead Jun 12, 2017

This episode is brought to you by our Patreon supporters, as it was our first exclusive Patreon episode! We dive deep into Night of the Living Dead, both the 1968 George Romero original and underrated Tom Savini helmed remake.

Ep 126: The Children and Clown Jun 05, 2017

Mindy fights through walking pneumonia to bring you this grab bag of movies and documentaries. This week we review Dig Two Graves (2014), the new HBO documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest, the Eli Roth produced, Clown, and 2008's The Children. Join us at Patreon.com/rantsmacabre for exclusive episodes, sketches, original music, and more!

Ep 125: Anthology Horror Vol.1 May 29, 2017

We watched a whole bunch of anthology films! Brinding you Creepshow (1982) Trilogy of Terror (1975), and Twice-Told Tales (1963). For an actor spotlight, Mindy talks about the legend Karen Black.

Bonus Episode: Rants Sequitur! May 25, 2017

To celebrate our newest Patreon episode (where Darren watched Mindy's beloved St. Elmo's Fire for the first time), we're bringing you this bonus episode where Mindy watched Star Wars: A New Hope for the first time. Ever. As an adult. Join us on Patreon for access to all exclusive content like this, and fully produced Rants Macabre episodes, commentaries, a Behind-the-Scenes documentary, an installment of The Science of Fear, etc. etc.

Ep 124: Evil Bong 5 is Terrible May 21, 2017

After losing the Save Horror Madness competition, the Women in Caskets decided our punishment should be Charles Band's Evil Bong: High 5. This steaming heap was AT LEAST as hard to sit through as last year's Dick Shark episode so I hope our edited commentary is as funny. Check out the Women In Caskets' Patreon Page here.

Ep 123: Séances & Spiritualism Part 2 May 15, 2017

Back to the world of spirit mediums, psychics, mentalists and ectoplasm! We talk about the rise of Spiritualist culture and debunkers Harry Houdini & The Amazing Randi and the movie they inspired Rodrigo Cortés' Red Lights.

Ep 122: Séances & Spiritualism Part 1 May 08, 2017

In part 1 of our exploration of Spiritualism and the practice of séances we talk origins. Then we look at two classics, the Donald Sutherland-Julie Christie in Venice, Don't Look Now (1973) and The Changeling (1980) starring George C. Scott. These tales of loss serve as a high bar in the genre thanks to great concepts and performances.

Ep 121: LHR We Are The Flesh & The Leftovers May 01, 2017

It was a casual Friday recording to chat about Emiliano Rocha Minter's shocking We Are The Flesh (on Shudder now), and Mindy is newly obsessed with HBO's The Leftovers. (Darren is gunshy about Damon Lindelof projects.) We talk show prep and fill you in plans for upcoming episodes.

Ep 120: Scaring Children Apr 24, 2017

We turn our attention to the movies that frightened us as children: The Witches (1990), Return to Oz (1985), and Something This Way Comes (1983). Our conversation asks whether this modern wave of gentler kids' movies is actually doing any favors to the children of today... because we came OK. Didn't we?

Ep 119: The Windmill, Yoga Hosers and a Song! Apr 17, 2017

FREE SONG! This week we talk the new IT trailer and the production trouble behind it, and bad movies. FREE SONG! Darren saw The Windmill (2016), and Mindy watched Kevin Smith's Yoga Hosers (2016) and for some reason Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave FROM 2005! Also Darren wrote and recorded a song that plays at the end of the episode.

Ep 118: The Exorcist Apr 10, 2017

In part two of our Possession & Exorcist series we talk the Church's history and dive into 1973's The Exorcist. William Friedkin's classic gets a closer look and Mindy debates it's status as one of the most frightening films ever made. Undoubtedly one of the greatest casts in horror history, starring Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn and Jason Miller.

Ep 117: The Possession Apr 03, 2017

In the first of our 2-Part series on Possessions and Exorcisms we examine some history, and the 2012 film The Possession. The Ole Bornedal film stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick, Natasha Calis, and Matisyahu as their Rabbi exorcist.

Ep 116: LHR Train to Busan! Mar 27, 2017

We catch up with American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson, then hop on Sang-ho Yeon's Train to Busan! Last year's Korean zombie thriller is now on Netflix. Also, Mindy explains what Darren is missing out on this season on The Walking Dead.

Ep 115: Comedy Horror Mar 20, 2017

We dive deep into the 80s for our grim laughs this week. Catching up with Haunted Honeymoon (1986), Once Bitten (1985), and Joe Dante's The Burbs (1989). Meanwhile a number of horror-themed comedy clips have been curated for your pleasure.

Ep 114: LHR Prevenge & Save Horror Madness Mar 13, 2017

This week we took to the midtown outdoors to record our review of Alice Lowe's directorial debut Prevenge. The horror comedy will be theaters in NY & LA, and will be coming to SHUDDER on March 24th. Darren talks about his trip, and we cover our brackets for Save Horror's March Madness. Fill out your own and share with us!

Ep 113: The Music of Demon Knight & Fright Night Mar 06, 2017

Mindy's invited her old friend Brian Carr, and her husband & past guest Jaxon Dillon-Fish to join her for a conversation on classic 80s & 90s horror soundtracks. Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995) and her childhood favorite Tom Holland's vampire classic, Fright Night (1985).

Ep 112: Rezort, A Cure for Wellness, and more... Feb 27, 2017

This week Darren's been watching a lot of films...we catch up and talk Rezort, A Cure for Wellness, and many more. Some good, but most bad, on this week's Lunch Hour Review.

Ep 111: Herschell Gordon Lewis Feb 20, 2017

Darren and Mindy bring in "Little Sister" director and Herschell Gordon Lewis expert/fanatic, Zach Clark to talk all things HGL. We discuss the Godfather of Gore's most popular films, focusing on 1963's "Blood Feast", 1964's "Two Thousand Maniacs!", 1965's "Color Me Blood Red", and ending with the 1970 great "The Wizard of Gore"!

Ep 110: Rings & Beware the Slenderman Feb 13, 2017

Darren snuck into the office to record this week's Lunch Hour Review! We had so much to cover it was worth the risk. Darren reviews the new RINGS while Mindy [finally] watched David Robert Mitchell's It Follows. We compare notes, and discuss whether it holds up to the fanfare. She wasn't wild about The Wailing, but we were fascinated by the new HBO documentary Beware the Slenderman.

Ep 109: New French Extremity Feb 06, 2017

From the Women in Caskets podcast, Jen & Dawn join us to talk about 2 Films of the New French Extremity with Alexandra West (who wrote the book!). We discuss perhaps the most challenging modern genre of horror, and explore mixed feelings about the breakout High Tension (2003), and 2008's Martyrs. #WiHM Check out Alex West's writing, and her book FILMS OF THE NEW FRENCH EXTREMITY, and her show with Andrea Subissati The Faculty of Horror. The Women in Caskets are now on Patreon so join them there for exclusive monthly content.

Ep 108: SLIMED! Jan 30, 2017

Sneaking up behind you comes SLIME! We bring you tales of goo, sludge, and ooze come to terrorize mankind. Starting with Larry Cohen's The Stuff, The Green Slime (1968) by Kinji Fukasaku, Steve McQueen's 1958 The Blob, and the 1988 Blob remake directed by Chuck Russell.

Ep 107: Crazyhead & The Purge 3 Jan 23, 2017

A first for us, we recorded this episode in Mindy's car! Darren talks Crazyhead, the British comedy-horror series created by Howard Overman, and Mindy and Jaxon report on The Purge: Election Year. We're always working on content (Next week we're getting into Slime), so stay tuned, subscribe on iTunes, or you could join us on Patreon for even more content.

Ep 106: Penny Dreadful & Under the Shadow Jan 16, 2017

Mindy is quickly consuming Penny Dreadful so we dive back into John Logan's tales of God's & Monters. Darren found a new love in Under the Shadow, the Iranian horror film in the style of The Babadook. Babak Anvari's haunted wartime story and Penny Dreadful are both on Netflix Streaming now.

Ep 105: Because You Were Home Jan 09, 2017

In our second installment of Home Invasion Horror we take aim at those without motive. From the hyper-verbal Michael Pitt in Funny Games (2007) to the faceless children in Them (2006), and The Strangers (2008) grand plan. Three intense movies and some home invasion advice for your listening pleasure.

Ep 104: The Old Year, New Year Jan 02, 2017

We start the New Year with a recap of the awful-for-the-world, but good-for-independent-horror films 2016. Our Top Fives, favorite show moments of the year, the news that we're now on letterboxd.com! Also in this episode is a sort of preview to our Home Invasion 2 episode, a horror retooling of Baby It's Cold Outside.

Ep 103: Christmas Fruitcake Dec 23, 2016

Throwing together a collection of easily accessible Christmas Horror films: Jack Frost (1996), A Krampus Christmas (2016), and the new-to-Netflix A Christmas Horror Story (2015). And to spice up the nog, we've also got some alternate Christmas lore.

Ep 102: The Autopsy of Jane Doe Dec 19, 2016

We're back to open up The Autopsy of Jane Doe! André Øvredal, the man behind Troll Hunter (2010) in his masterful American debut! Starring Emile Hirsch, Brian Cox and Olwen Kelly, this haunting story-by way of an investigation is one to check out on December 21st when it hits theaters. Plus we have a sit down interview with Øvredal and Emile Hirsch, and moments from the movie's debut at Lincoln Center!

Ep 101: I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House Dec 12, 2016

For our latest Lunch Hour Review Mindy suffered through The Last Exorcism Part II (2013) and for some reason the newest installment in the Paranormal Activity series, The Ghost Dimension, but turned it around with her dive into the Glory Daze (2016), a documentary about Michael Alig and the NYC party monsters. Darren thoroughly enjoyed Oz Perkins's atmospheric poem of a film, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016).

The Tragic Tale of Dick Shark Dec 10, 2016

After losing the Save Horror Halloween Showdown tournament to 'Spooky' Sean Thompson, we were tasked to review an awful movie. Dick Shark is that movie. Don't ever watch it- it's barely a movie, and definitely not a horror film (Dammit, Sean!). Here we have the best jokes and comments we made while watching the movie, cut together.

Ep 100: Meta-Horror Dec 05, 2016

For our massive 100th episode we explored Meta-Horror with Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994), Scream (1996), and Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard’s Cabin in the Woods (2012). (Including material from our live Tweet with fans for New Nightmare.) We also shed a little light on perhaps the first Meta-Horror movie, Rolfe Kanefsky’s There’s Nothing Out There (1991). “Not in my Movie”: The 90s Slasher Cycle and Grrrl Power by Alexandra West Horror Film and Psycho Analysis; Freud’s Worst Nightmare by Jonathan Crane Watch Copycat, the story of Rolfe Konefsky's There's Nothing Out There.

Ep 99: The Eyes of My Mother Nov 27, 2016

We review Nicolas Pesce's impressive feature film debut The Eyes of My Mother. A beautiful career start, you might be reminded of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014). Check it out when it hits theaters and VOD on December 2!

Ep 98: The Nitehawk Cinema’s Shorts Festival Nov 21, 2016

We review our outing to The Nitehawk Shorts Festival and a chat with Sam Zimmerman about Shudder's role in selecting the films for the fest. We go over our favorite horror shorts, name-checking directors with focus on the strong outing by women filmmakers. Check out http://nitehawkshortsfestival.com/2016/ & https://www.shudder.com/

Ep 97: AHS Asylum Part 2 Nov 14, 2016

Back into Brad Falchuk & Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story Asylum! We breakdown the episodes and follow the narratives of Nazi mad scientists, demon-possessed nuns, alien abductees, and the legend of Bloodyface.

Ep 96: AHS Asylum Nov 07, 2016

Returning to the scene of the crime, we're back to talk about American Horror Story. This time we follow Ryan Murphy into Briarcliff Manor to explore America's history with bedlam, demons, and mad scientists.

Ep 95: GDT Presents The Orphanage, Mama & Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Oct 31, 2016

Moving between Halloween, and Día de los Muertos we feature a few films produced by Guillermo del Toro. Stories centered around the perspective of the children in The Orphanage, Mama & Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.

Ep 94: LHR The Walking Dead & The Awakening Oct 28, 2016

First we talk 2011's The Awakening from Nick Murphy, the story of a paranormal investigator in 1921 England starring Rebecca Hall and Dominic West. Then we go full spoilers on the Season 7 Premiere of The Walking Dead. We explore our feelings and discuss the brutality of Negan. Also Mindy ran into an old friend who's comedy group Above Average have made a few funny Halloween videos. Check 'em out here https://youtu.be/t-sEv-I5aW4 & here https://youtu.be/k2mMHI9RcjE

Ep 93: Día de los Muertos & Mexico Barbaro Oct 23, 2016

For another Latin themed Día de los Muertos episode we bring you the anthology México Bárbaro. 8 different short films by 8 different Mexican filmmakers. Some good, some awful, but we make the most of them.

Ep 92: Little Sister Oct 21, 2016

As a Halloween month bonus we review the new film Little Sister by Zach Clark bring you an interview with Clark and producer Joe Swanberg. A drama set among 'That' Halloween loving family in suburban North Carolina. Featuring an all star cast with Addison Timlin, Ally Sheedy, Barbara Crampton, and Keith Poulson. Little Sister is available now on VOD, iTunes and Amazon Video.

Ep 91: Guillermo del Toro Oct 17, 2016

Diving deep into the worlds imagined by Guillermo del Toro, Darren & Mindy explore The Devil's Backbone (2001), Pan's Labyrinth (2006) and Crimson Peak (2015). His contributions to horror-fantasy serve as the high bar for the genre. Ghosts, fairies and haunted mansions... this is our first entry into the season's Día de Muertos.

Ep 90: Pumpkin Pie 'Stump Speeches' Oct 14, 2016

In this bonus episode Mindy & Darren compare their heroes and villains for Save Horror's Halloween Showdown event. Also Clay McLeod Chapman joins Darren for a talk about the live Pumpkin Pie Show 'Stump Speeches.' If you're in the NY area, you need to get to the Horse Trade Theater to see this show! The show runs October 20th, 2016 - November 5th, 2016. Get your tickets here.

Ep 89: LHR American Horror Story Roanoke Oct 10, 2016

Contest time! Find us on social media @RantsMacabre on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or email us and recommend your favorite off-the-beaten-path horror movie. If it's one we haven't seen we'll add your name to a raffle for one of our Merch Packs! Good Luck! We also discuss the promising new season of American Horror Story: Roanoke.

Ep 88: The Greasy Strangler Oct 07, 2016

We dive in with The Greasy Strangler! Jim Hosking co-wrote and directed this bizarre new film from Elija Wood's Spectrevision. In theaters and available to download Friday, October 7!

Ep 87: Roger Corman's Poe Cycle Part 2 Oct 03, 2016

In the second part of our Roger Corman's Poe Cycle series we focus on the movies Pit and the Pendulum, The Premature Burial, The Raven, Tales of Terror, and Masque of the Red Death. We talk Vincent Price, the works of Richard Matheson, and Corman's high art background making for a great team.

Ep 86: Roger Corman's Poe Cycle Sep 26, 2016

The first of our Two-Part series on Roger Corman's Poe Cycle. In part one we discuss Edgar Allan Poe and Corman as artists and influencers, and the film company AIP who produced the series. We wrap up talking about the first movie in the cycle, House of Usher (1960). As most of the films in the series hold up well so we loved watching and reviewing Vincent Price work.

Ep 85: LHR Dead Set Sep 19, 2016

New on Netflix Streaming is Dead Set, from Charlie Brooker, the creator of BBC's Black Mirror. Originally created and shown for BBC's channel 4, Dead Set pushed the limits of horror on English television. We talk about the miniseries and its homages to the zombie genre, and in doing so also share our Top 5 Zombies Kills.

Ep 84: AHS Coven Sep 12, 2016

On to the mess that is American Horror Story: Coven. Ryan Murphy's messy blend of traditional New Orleans history with skewed witchcraft lore, and voodoo will only get one episode for our running retrospective.

Ep 83: Killer Pilots with Spooky Sean Sep 05, 2016

In this conversation with Sean "Spooky Sean" Thompson, the co-host of the Miskatonic Musings podcast, we talk about his new Chap Book, 'Too Late,' and some favorite firsts of 90s television. A handful of seminal horror pilot episodes, we talk X Files, Millenium, and Tales from the Crypt. Check out Sean's blog, where you can find stories and links to his work.

Ep 82: Small Town Horror Aug 29, 2016

Exploring the dynamics of alienation and community paranoia we discuss Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, and three small town films. Starting with Needful Things (1993), then the French-Belgium Calvaire (2004), and wrapping up with The Wicker Man (1973). The intro clip is a real segment edited from a Carpentersville, IL town council meeting. Check out our Patreon Page & give a listen to Dave & Si Do a Podcast.

Ep 81: LHS Lights Out & Pride & Prejudice & Zombies! Aug 22, 2016

Doing some catching-up we talk about some of the movies we've seen recently (Lights Out (2016), Ghostbusters, Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (2016), and Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015). Darren updates about his role recording and editing for The Pumpkin Pie Show. And we have received our merch! Plans are moving along to sell buttons, stickers, and magnets. Stay tuned on social media.

Ep 80: AHS Freak Show Part 2 Aug 15, 2016

We're back to wrap up our series on Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story season 4, Freak Show. This time we delve into the Mütter Museum of medical curiosities, and the incredible personal stories of the actors and their roles. We could use some help, so check us out on Patreon!

Ep 79: Road Kill Aug 08, 2016

Horror on the Highways! We talk three tales of the road: Wrong Turn (2003), Scenic Route (2013), and the Peter Fonda RV classic, Race with the Devil (1975). https://www.patreon.com/rantsmacabre

Ep 78: AHS Freakshow Part 1 Aug 01, 2016

Returning to the Ryan Murphy roadshow of horror we arrive at season 4, Freakshow. We cover the series cast and their real-life counterparts, including many of the original cast of Freaks (1932). We study Todd Browning's cult classic film as the inspiration for this season of oddities.

Ep 77: Dead Seas Jul 25, 2016

We cruise through three tales of the sea: Ghost Ship (2002), Triangle (2009), and The Reeds (2010). Also exploring the legend of ghost ship The Mary Celeste. Check out our Patreon page https://www.patreon.com/rantsmacabre We could use your support, and in exchange you get even more of us!

Ep 76: Lunch Hour Reviews Penny Dreadful & Preacher Jul 18, 2016

We take a break from American Horror Story to update on John Logan’s lush genre-packed Penny Dreadful (now on Netflix Streaming), AMC's Preacher, and Hannibal Season 3 (now on Amazon Prime). Also, we are now on Patreon! Find us at https://www.patreon.com/rantsmacabre and join us for exclusive episodes, Watch-Alongs, fan-curated episodes and bonus content we haven't even thought of yet! Also we thank our fans, those around the world and especially a committed group in Kansas! Thank you, all those in the Witchita area!

Ep 75: AHS Hotel-Part 2 Jul 11, 2016

We return to American Horror Story to wrap up our coverage of Season 5: Hotel. We talk about the season's highs and lows, and the rise of Elizabeth Taylor.

Ep 74: Nosferatu & The Lost Boys Jul 04, 2016

A Lesson in Horror: Nosferatu & The Lost Boys with Lori Learnard. Mindy's mom joins us to talk about her years teaching high school and the horror section of her Film Appreciation class. We compare & contrast vampire lore and kid's relationship with what scares them.

Ep 73: AHS HOTEL-Part 1 Jun 27, 2016

For the next few Lunch Hour Reviews we're going to be revisiting the American Horror Story franchise. Starting with Ryan Murphy's most ambitious season yet, Hotel. Starring Lady Gaga, Evan Peters, Denis O'Hare, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson, Cheyenne Jackson, Chloë Sevigny, and the incomprehensible Wes Bentley.

Ep 72: Home Invasion Horror Jun 20, 2016

When your home isn't safe, what do you have left? We discuss the boundary-intruding films that force their way in: Wait Until Dark (1967), Inside (2007) and You're Next (2011). We also hear a personal home invasion story from a friend. Come for the terror, stay for the mouth synths, and sleepy nunchuck practice.

Ep 71: Lunch Hour Reviews Outcast Jun 12, 2016

We loved Outcast, the new Cinemax show from Robert Kirkman, directed by one of our favorite directors Adam Wingard. Based on his new comic series Kirkman tells the story of Kyle Barns (played by Patrick Fugit from Wristcutters, a Love Story is the kid from Almost Famous, Saved!) a man haunted by demonic possessions his entire life. We also talk possessions and the history of exorcisms!

Ep 70: Clay McLeod Chapman! Jun 06, 2016

While Mindy is in Las Vegas, Darren invited a guest host... the hardest working man in show business, Clay McLeod Chapman. We talk comics (Harrow County, LOW, The Wake, Wytches) and Clay's announcement that he'll be writing for the next volume of American Vampire! Also he is writing the remake of Let's Scare Jessica to Death. So much fun, so much news!

Ep 69: Lunch Hour Reviews Woman in Black & Preacher May 29, 2016

Fully exhausted by recent events Darren & Mindy move through the Hammer film Woman in Black (2012), Fear the Walking Dead, and the AMC's Preacher. Also Darren would advise that you skip Helions, and The Final Girl. Not "The Final Girls" -that is a great movie we've already covered, and Women In Caskets recently dug into on their 32nd episode.

Ep 68: Horror on the Radio May 23, 2016

"Horror, on line 2. You're on." Mindy & Darren take to the airwaves to bring you horror! It turns out some genre favorites revolve around the radio dial. Pontypool (2008), The Booth (2005), Welcome to Nightvale podcast, and John Carpenter's The Fog. And also, welcome W-DIX's own D-Bag & the Minge.

Ep 67: Lunch Hour Reviews Goodnight Mommy May 16, 2016

We watched and compared notes for the fantastic Austrian film Goodnight Mommy (2014), and then the thriller documentary Welcome to Leith (2015)! Lastly Darren watched Ava's Possessions (2015)... and disappointed.

Ep 66: Psycho May 09, 2016

On behalf of Norman Bates, we wish you a Happy Mother's Day! We spend some time at the Bates Motel loving and analyzing Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 horror classic, Psycho.

Ep 65: Docu-Horror! May 02, 2016

When fact is stranger than fiction, and fear is something we all have in common, we bring you Documentary Horror. Covering a number of styles, we analyze Cropsey, The Galapagos Affair, and The Nightmare. With a few honorable mentions: Brother's Keeper, and Jesus Camp.

Ep 64: Lunch Hour Reviews Circle, Hush & 3 Seconds Apr 25, 2016

We took our mics and recorder out for some fresh air. Recording outdoors to talk the sci-fi horror Circle, then Mike Flanagan's new Netflix film, Hush, and we have an interview with Alex J Mann, the writer/director of the Snapchat movie 3 Seconds. Also we cover the details of @SaveHorror's March Madness challenge between some podcasting colleagues. Check out Miskatonic Musings + The Girls in the Back Row + Women in Caskets. Check out 3 Seconds here.

Ep 63: The Flys Apr 18, 2016

We compare and contrast two classic sci-fi horror film adaptations: The Fly from 1958, starring Vincent Price, and David Cronenberg's 1986 film with Jeff Goldblum.

Ep 62: Green Room Apr 14, 2016

Jeremy Saulnier's hardcore punk survival story Green Room is an impressive work. Honest and brutal, with perfectly plotted cinematography, the scares and shocking moments are concussively impactful. Green Room is out Friday, April 15th in New York, and LA and nationwide April 29th.

Ep 61: Lunch Hour Reviews Ice Cream Man Apr 11, 2016

Mindy received her copy of Ice Cream Man so we watched it. Yup, it's the bizarre collaboration between Clint Howard and a prolific porn director. We cover The Walking Dead Season 6 finale, do some catching up, and talk music. Apophenia is out now on the FANGORIA MUSICK site, on iTunes.

Ep 60: The Horrors of Roman Polanski Apr 04, 2016

Joining us for this deep cut into the works of Roman Polanski is Keith from SaveHorror.com. Co-hosting while Mindy is away, he shares some favorite correlations between Repulsion (1965), and the classic Rosemary's Baby (1968). We follow the arc of the two classic horror icons, Carol & Rosemary through the psychological trials they're put through. Darren's Fangoria Musick label album Apophenia is out now. On iTunes and on the Fangoria Musick site for 3 bucks! Support the show!

Ep 59: The Invitation Mar 28, 2016

For this Lunch Hour Review we cover Karyn Kusama's suspense-driven ensemble piece The Invitation. In theaters April 8th, starring Logan Marshall-Green, Tammy Blanchard, John Carroll Lynch, and Jay Larson. The comedian and podcaster (cohost of The Crab Feast) was nice enough to do a phone interview with Darren to talk about his experience making the movie, and future projects (pssst, he's gonna be on Twin Peaks). http://www.jaylarsoncomedy.com/ - http://www.thecrabfeast.com/ Saturday, May 21st Jay is in Nashville at Zanies Comedy Club with Nate Bargatze, Rory Scovel, and Nick Thune.

Ep 58: The Grand Guignol Mar 21, 2016

We go back to the turn of the century to explore the bloody theatrics of the original Grand Guignol. With research, original scripts, a performance, and movies set in the theatre, we show some love to the beginnings of 'Live Horror.' Throughout the discussion we cover Blood Fiend AKA Theatre of Dead (1967), Bloodsucking Freaks (1976), and The Theatre Bizarre (2011).

Ep 57: Irish Horror Mar 14, 2016

Inspired by St. Patrick's Day we did some homework and found a great cross section of Irish Horror. We give some history on Brahm Stoker, and explore tales of sea monsters with Grabbers, feral kids stalking the Citadel, ghosts haunting The Canal, and ancient vampires From The Dark.

Ep 56: Lunch Hour Reviews Leprechaun: Origins Mar 07, 2016

We talk about Leprechaun: Origins... but because it's so bad, we also act out a short sketch that explains how it might have come into existence (pssst, Mindy plays Vince McMahon). Directed Zach Lipovsky, this mess isn't really worth watching, but we make the most of it with some actual Irish Leprechaun lore.

Ep 55: The Thing Feb 29, 2016

We take it to the unforgiving arctic to find out who is not who they say they are. Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell, Jr., The Thing From Another World by Howard Hawks, and John Carpenter's The Thing. We compare the social climate during each of these incarnations and explore the commonalities, and differences.

Ep 54: Lunch Hour Reviews Dark Was The Night Feb 22, 2016

It's a week of catching up and comparing notes on Dark Was the Night (2014). Directed by Jack Heller, and starring the formidable Kevin Durand. We wrap up talking The Twilight Zone, X-Files, and The Walking Dead season 6 mid-season opener.

Ep 53: I Love the 90s! Feb 15, 2016

For this bloody, romantic affair we've picked three 90s classics- FEAR, Single/White/Female, and Misery. Join us for an exploration of love and obsession in the decade of grunge, vinyl and Marky Mark.

Ep 52: The Witch! Feb 08, 2016

The Witch (2016) A New England Folktale... Written & Directed by Robert Eggers. Wide release February 19th with an early showing Feb 16th at BAM Rose Cinemas in Brooklyn as part of their Witches' Brew film series. Seriously, we loved it, and you should check it out as soon as you can!

Ep 51: Lunch Hour Reviews The Gift Feb 01, 2016

Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, and Joel Edgerton team up to give us 2015's The Gift. In this Lunch Hour Review we unwrap the fantastic psychological thriller written, and directed by Edgerton. Check us out on iTunes, Stitcher (internet radio), and give us a review! Drop us a line therantsmacabre@gmail.com and check out http://www.therantsmacabre.com for more content.

Ep 50: Miskatonic Musings Strike Back Jan 25, 2016

Our 50th episode! We celebrated with some friends and shared some laughs at HORROR COMEDIES. Mindy's dad, Mark Learnard is back, and Sean and Charles of the Miskatonic Musings podcast join us for a conversation on the early horror comedy Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein... and the [far] superior Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks.

Ep 49: Clay McLeod Chapman of The Pumpkin Pie Show! Jan 18, 2016

We bring you Clay McLeod Chapman! Writer and performer of The Pumpkin Pie Show (on the FANGORIA podcast network), screenwriter of 2015's festival favorite, The Boy, writer of Self Storage, and middle grade's book series, the Tribe Trilogy. We talk comic books, podcasting and movies (he's done it all!). Follow @claymcleod on Twitter and download The Pumpkin Pie Show - https://t.co/Hy2T2rPROU

Ep 48: Lunch Hour Reviews Bone Tomahawk & Children of the Corn Jan 11, 2016

We talk about two movies: the oldie but goody, 1984's Children of the Corn, based on the Stephen King short story, and 2015's Bone Tomahawk by S. Craig Zahler. Check them out! Children of the Corn is on Netflix now and holds up (mostly). Totally worth a watch. Bone Tomahawk (on iTunes & Amazon Video) is a western with horror elements starring the indomitable Kurt Russell.

Ep 47: Scandi-Horror Jan 04, 2016

It's a New Year, and a great new episode! Like the viking ancestors of the region, for this episode we explore some epic Scandinavian Horror. 1922's Häxan, Dead Snow 1&2, Trollhunter (2010), Frostbite (2006), and the brilliant Swedish Let The Right One In (2008). #ScandiHorror

Ep 46: Lunch Hour Year in Review Dec 28, 2015

For our last podcast of 2015, we talk about our favorite horror films of the year. Through this Lunch Hour Year-in-Review we also review our favorite discoveries this year. Thank you for joining us! Stay with us, we've got some great plans for 2016.

Ep 45: Lunch Hour Reviews Krampus Dec 23, 2015

For this bonus episode we took a trip to our local theater to check out Mike Dougherty's new holiday horror, Krampus!

Ep 44: The Horrors of Christmas Dec 21, 2015

Merry Christmas all, and to all a bloody night! For our Christmas episode we cover sorority psychos, Crazy Santas, and Finnish Krampus fallout. Black Christmas from 1974 starts us off, then Silent Night, Deadly Night (1980), and Rare Exports from 2010. All great installments for a chilly holiday night at home.

Ep 43: The Walking Dead Experience & Season 6 Dec 14, 2015

We went on the interactive theater adventure, and lived to talk about it. The Walking Dead Experience: Chapter 1 was at the Meadowlands and we've got a review. Check it out when it comes to your city! Next we follow up with a recap of the first half of season Six of TWD recap (warning, spoilers inside).

Ep 42: Lunch Hour Reviews Monster Squad & Blacula Dec 08, 2015

Monster Squad! A cornerstone of my childhood, and Mindy finally watched it. We talk about the 1987 classic, and compare notes on the 1972 Blaxploitation cult hit, Blacula!

Ep 41: White Noise & EVP Nov 30, 2015

In 1996 Mindy's former residence in Queens was the setting of a brutal murder. Seriously, the case was never solved and even recently posters offering a reward for information were posted in the neighborhood. She recently moved, but wanting to use the last minute opportunity we wanted to try and engage. We did our research and took our audio gear to the basement of her building. EVP, or Electronic Voice Phenomena is the means of recording voices, or signals beyond what our senses can interpret. The movies 'White Noise & White Noise 2: The Light' explore the medium as a premise. In-between our recordings we review the two films and compare them with our own experience.

Ep 40: Lunch Hour Reviews American Horror Story & The Final Girls Nov 23, 2015

This week we check in with each other with recommendations spanning horror comic books, TV, and a movie. Darren had a lot of fun with Todd Strauss-Schulson's slasher homage, horror comedy, The Final Girls, while Mindy loves this season of American Horror Story: Hotel so far, and Darren wraps up with some of Scott Snyder's horror comics, Severed and The Wake. Then we finish up with talk of newer turns in the The Walking Dead graphic novels.

Ep 39: The Alien Saga-PART TWO Nov 16, 2015

Last episode we were joined by Dawn & Jen from Women in Caskets (@womenincaskets) to discuss the original Alien, and James Cameron's sequel Aliens. In this episode everyone's back to continue the conversation on the studio mess that grew into Alien 3, but due to some technical problems we don't have the Women in Caskets for Alien: Resurrection that'll be just Mindy and I. With a lot of behind the scenes interviews, and 'making of' pieces we try to make sense of these late installments in the Alien Saga.

Ep 38: The Alien Saga-PART 0NE Nov 09, 2015

Joining us for PART ONE of our Alien series are the Women in Caskets (@womenincaskets), Dawn and Jen. We're big fans of their Austin-based podcast and their unique perspective on the horror genre. Together we dissect, analyze, and love all over the Alien series founded by Ridley Scott, Dan O'Bannon and Sigourney Weaver. Covering Alien, and Aliens we talk legacy, xenomorphs, and the indomitable Ellen Ripley. With plenty of behind-the-scenes details, we nerd out over these sci-fi horror cornerstones.

Ep 37: The Hallow Nov 04, 2015

We interviewed writer/director Corin Hardy and discussed his movie The Hallow! Suffice to say, we dug it. A lot. SYNOPSIS: After an Environmental Surveyor moves his family to a remote millhouse in Ireland, he finds an ancient evil in the woods. Despite warnings from the locals they stay, then have fight to survive. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and it's in theaters on November 6th, then VOD and iTunes.

Ep 36: Lunch Hour Reviews Monsters 1&2 Nov 02, 2015

Monsters by Gareth Edwards, and Monsters: Dark Continent by Tom Green are two very different films that share a common universe. One, unassuming and naturalistic, and the other a broad-reaching war story. We weigh in on these striking alien tales. Check them out on Netflix Streaming now and check in with us @RantsMacabre on Twitter and Facebook.

Ep 35: Manson Family Vacation Oct 26, 2015

On this episode we review the new film 'Manson Family Vacation' and interview the filmmaker J. Davis, and the stars Jay Duplass (The Puffy Chair, Baghead), and Linas Phillips (Bass Ackwards). It's a story about two brothers touring Charles Manson murder sites. One is a devoted family man. One is devoted to The Family. We loved the road trip movie about brothers who never really understood each other trying to bond over the impossible. Check out Manson Family Vacation on VOD, iTunes, Amazon, and on Netflix October 27th!

Ep 34: Halloween Horror Oct 19, 2015

When you’re into scary movies and the macabre, every day is kind of like Halloween. Instead of keeping to the standards, we opted to cover some alternative Halloween favorites. We go through Michael Dougherty's Trick r Treat, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Pumpkinhead, and the Worst Witch.

Ep 33: Fear the Walking Dead Oct 12, 2015

With very few spoilers we recap the first half-season of Fear the Walking Dead. Created by Dave Erickson, Robert Kirkman, it stars Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis and Rubén Blades. Between us we had some mixed feelings about the West Coast spin-off to The Walking Dead. Ultimately we're rooting for the show to succeed, but there's plenty of room to improve.

Ep 32: SciFi Horror! Oct 05, 2015

This week we geek out over science fiction flavored horror films! Appreciating the Vincenzo Natali films, we start with The Cube series, and move on to Splice. Then we continue with the theme of Mad Scientists and dissect the Re-Animator series. This is a deep cut!

Ep 31: Lunch Hour Reviews The Town That Dreaded Sundown Sep 28, 2015

This week we review the original The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976), and its meta sequel by the same name from 2014. Covering the real 1946 Texarkana Moonlight Murders these movies serve as a pair so we compare and contrast the movies and the real life events they're based on.

Ep 30: Horrors in Space Sep 21, 2015

Science Fiction Horrors by way of outer space! We nerd out over tales of fear that span the Universe. Including Event Horizon, Apollo 18, Europa Report, and Danny Boyle's Sunshine. (Don't worry, in the future we will dedicate an entire episode to Alien. So keep an eye out for that.)

Ep 29: Lunch Hour Reviews Contracted: Phase 2 Sep 14, 2015

It's been a rough week. We liked Eric England's CONTRACTED so we jumped at the opportunity to see its sequel. Despite going in with good intentions Contracted: Phase 2 stunk. Then we cover Inner Demons, and Evidence. All pretty bad, so we're working extra hard on our next episode on Horror in Space.

Ep 28: Monsters of Hammer PART 2 Sep 07, 2015

In our last episode Mindy and I covered the history of Hammer Film Productions and their evolution from B-movie studio to champions of cult horror. We followed Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee’s beginning’s in their groundbreaking roles as Victor Frankenstein & his creature, and Van Helsing & Dracula. In part two of the monsters of Hammer two we’ll be rounding out with 1958’s The Revenge of Frankenstein, 1959’s The Mummy, 1960’s The Brides of Dracula, and finally Oliver Reed’s Curse of the Werewolf from 1961. Intercut will be moments from a conversation with Mindy’s dad, Mark Learnard—who was a guest on our Universal Monsters installment (which was episode 2), and in our Real Life Horror episode spoke about his background as a probation officer dealing with sex offenders and the darker elements of society.

Ep 27: Monsters of Hammer PART 1 Aug 31, 2015

This week we cover the HAMMER wave of horror movies that reinvigorated the classic monsters. The Curse of Frankenstein, and Horror of Dracula breathed new life into a waning studio, and inspired a new generation of filmmakers. In PART 1, we go into some studio history, and dig on Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee as they join Terence Fisher in remaking classics.

Ep 26: Lunch Hour Reviews The Guest, Wytches & Voices Aug 24, 2015

This Lunch Hour Reviews episode we investigate Marjane Satrapi's Voices, Wyrmwood, Dark Summer, and Mindy's macabre walking tour of London. Thanks, The Ghost Bus Tours! Mindy fawns over her new obsession: Adam Wingard's The Guest. Also Scott Snyder's collected graphic novel Wytches is brilliant.

Ep 25: Found Footage Horror Aug 17, 2015

Covering the field of Found Footage Horror we tackle the idea of stories lost and found. With a cross section of the sub-genre we go POV with ghosts to bigfoot with The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, Troll Hunter, Willow Creek, and The Sacrament.

Lunch Hour Reviews From the Dark Aug 10, 2015

We review the terrific Irish Vampire movie From the Dark by Conor McMahon. Find us on twitter.com/rantsmacabre and Facebook (facebook.com/rantsmacabre).

Ep 23: Stephen King & His Villains Aug 03, 2015

For this return to the master of horror, we're joined by Spooky Sean (@SpookySeanT) from Miskatonic Musings. Mindy and Sean compare notes on their favorite Stephen King stories, with an emphasis on his greatest villains. Check out Sean's writing and podcasting at spookysean.com and miskatonicmusings.com -they're on iTunes and Stitcher!

Ep 22: Summer Camp Horror Jul 20, 2015

To celebrate summer, we cover the best of Summer Camp Horror movies! Also, the worst, because they're mostly bad. We stalk through Sleepaway Camp (1&2), Madman, Friday the 13th (1&2), and The Burning. Happy Summer!

Ep 21: Horror Video Games Part 2 Jul 06, 2015

In the second part of our Horror Video Games series Pete, Jaxon, Mindy, and Darren talk about Summer Camp, Alien: Isolation, The Last of Us, State of Decay, The Evil Within and the panic-inducing Don't Shit Your Pants.

Ep 20: Horror Video Games Part 1 Jun 29, 2015

In this part one of our Video Games Series Mindy and I are joined by Jaxon Dillon-Fish, and Pete Dali, two lifelong gamers and video game obsessives. We compare notes and talk about Maniac Mansion, Bad Mojo, The 7th Guest, Slender Man, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, The Walking Dead Telltale Series, Dead Rising, Dead Island, and DayZ.

Ep 19: Lunch Hour Reviews Zombeavers Jun 22, 2015

Mindy loves Zombeavers (more than WolfCop-WHAT?!) in this Lunch Hour Reviews segment, while Darren tries to see the good.

Ep 18: The Horrors of New York Jun 15, 2015

The Rants Macabre vs Big Apple! In this episode we cover Dark Water, Cloverfield, C.H.U.D., Clive Barker's short story and movie Midnight Meat Train, and Mulberry Street. From rats and monsters, to tunnels and haunted islands we love everything about NY on film.

Ep 17: The Call of Dunedin Jun 08, 2015

For this short installment I'm reading a scary short story, The Call of Dunedin. Inspired by a real town in northern Florida [and ocean beasts]. Mindy and I will be back with new full production episodes next Monday.

Ep 16: Lunch Hour Reviews Nightbreed Jun 01, 2015

Mindy & Darren chat through the mess that is Clive Barker's Nightbreed: The Director's Cut. It's not all bad...

Ep 15: Lunch Hour Reviews WolfCop May 25, 2015

On this Lunch Hour Reviews episode Mindy & Darren nerd out and love all over WolfCop. Well done Lowell Dean! Find it now on Netflix Streaming.

Ep 14: Destination: Horror May 18, 2015

Destination: Horror... or Murder Takes a Vacation. It's that time of year again, travel season. Darren & Mindy talk about vacation horror movies where protagonists voluntarily leave their comfort zone for the chance at adventure. And of course for our enjoyment, everything must go wrong. We talk Turistas, The Ruins, Hostel 1&2, Wolf Creek 1&2, and The Seventh Moon.

Ep 13: Lunch Hour Reviews A Girl Walks Home Alone May 10, 2015

We dive into Ana Lily Amirpour's beloved Iranian vampire movie "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" and Mindy loves loves loves The Jinx.

Ep 12: Miskatonic Musings May 04, 2015

Charles & Sean from Miskatonic Musings join us for our funniest episode yet. We share Top 5 lists and recent views. @MiskatonicPod are a great, really fun podcast. Check them out on Twitter, Facebook, iTunes (http://tinyurl.com/pdy7uq8), and Stitcher.

Ep 11: Lunch Hour Reviews iZombie Apr 27, 2015

Mindy & Darren chat about iZombie, Pontypool, The Houses October Built, and Starry Eyes. We make the call for more short film shows like the classic Tales From the Crypt. Darren reviews the short story "We Now Pause for Station Identification."

Ep 10: Save Horror Round Table Apr 20, 2015

Keith & April from www.savehorror.com join us for a round table discussion on Top 5 favorite horror movies. We talk about their reviews, their love for horror, and their recent March Madness #SHMadness brackets for best horror movie. Check them out!

Ep 09: Spanish Horror Apr 13, 2015

This week we show some love to some of our favorite Spanish filmmakers. Grab your atlas and join us for a trip around the latin world.

Ep 08: The Walking Dead Season 5 Apr 06, 2015

NO SPOILERS! Mindy and I recap this last great season of the Walking Dead. We give some context and insight to how we got here, and where things are going.

Ep 07: Lunch Hour March Madness Mar 30, 2015

Mindy and I work through our March Madness brackets for savehorror.com('s) horror movie showdown. Tough decisions are made as we whittle down the list of Good vs Great. #SHMadness

Ep 06: Indie Horror Mar 23, 2015

On this episode we focus on the new guard, horror’s indie filmmakers. But we're not just gonna focus on hipster horror [or mumblegore], for context we also discuss the greats of Indie Horror; John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, West Craven, and Sam Raimi.

Ep 05-Lunch Hour Reviews Mar 16, 2015

In this week's Lunch Hour Reviews we go over the vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, Honeymoon, ABCs of Death 2, Black Mirror and some others in-between.

Ep 04-Zombies! Mar 08, 2015

We go deep with Zombies. From George Romero to The Walking Dead; through movies, video games, comics, and books we get into the nitty-gritty of our favorite genre. Plus an all-new Lunch Hour Reviews!

Ep 03-Serial Killers Feb 23, 2015

We dig in to genre movies based on real Serial Killers. We end with Mindy's dad talking about his experience working one of society's darkest jobs.

Ep 02-Universal Monsters Feb 08, 2015

In this episode we pay homage to the pillars of fear, the freaks of film, the Universal Monsters from the silver screen. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, and The Creature From the Black Lagoon.

Ep 01-Stephen King & The Babadook Feb 08, 2015

On this first episode we’ll discuss the prolific Stephen King. His writing, and his work translated to the big and small screens. In our Lunch Hour Reviews segment we discuss The Babadook

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