HORROR 101 w/ DR. AC - THE BEST (AND WORST) SLASHERS OF 1981!! (Part 2 of 2) | Ep 176

A few months back, we took a deep dive into the slashers of 1981, and now we're back to finish the job! If our first installment focused on future classics and franchise cornerstones, this week's episode explores the stranger, sleazier, and more offbeat corners of the slasher boom. Some films stick close to the formula. FINAL EXAM delivers stripped-down campus suspense, GRADUATION DAY pairs revenge with an unmistakably early-'80s soundtrack, NIGHT SCHOOL mixes police procedural thrills with a memorable killer, and EYES OF A STRANGER blends voyeurism and vigilante justice while featuring an impressive early performance from Jennifer Jason Leigh. Others push the boundaries. Wes Craven's DEADLY BLESSING fuses religious paranoia and psychological horror, while STRANGE BEHAVIOR combines mad science, teenage romance, and small-town conspiracy into a cult favorite. Then there are the true oddballs: BLOODY BIRTHDAY, BLOODY MOON, DON'T GO IN THE WOODS (ALONE), and the gleefully self-aware STUDENT BODIES, each embracing excess, exploitation, or outright parody in wildly different ways. Join AC and his blood-loving panel of guests (me included) as we celebrate—and occasionally eviscerate—ten more slices of 1981 horror, spotlighting the overlooked gems, cult favorites, ambitious experiments, and gloriously excessive carnage that made this such a banner year for slasher fans!

HORROR 101 with DR. AC - FRAILTY (2001) at 25: The Family That Slays Together Stays Together | Ep 173

FRAILTY (2001) d. Bill Paxton (USA)

For those who only know beloved actor Bill Paxton from his outrageous comic supporting turns or solid leading man roles, watching him bring Brent Hanley’s high concept story to exquisitely shaded light is a bit of a revelation. 

A mysterious young man, Fenton Meiks (played by Matthew McConaughey) walks into a Texas FBI building and reveals to Agent Doyle (played by Powers Boothe) that he knows the identity of a local serial killer known as “God’s Hand.”  Fenton tells of his father (played by Paxton himself), a loving man of deep faith who awakens his sons one night with the news that he has had a vision: God has called on them to serve as slayers of demons. Of course, upon hearing that these demons are “disguised” as human beings, Fenton understandably begins to question his father’s sanity.

Hanley’s powerful screenplay was inspired by both Catholic school teachings and a love of Stephen King. A modern take on the Old Testament stories of fealty and faith, Paxton and his creative team endow such banal objects as a pair of gloves, a lead pipe, and an axe named “Otis” with mythical status, as well as an abiding uncertainty and mistrust of what we see around us and/or how events are interpreted. Is this a tale of religious enlightenment or mental psychosis? You’ll have to ride along with Fenton and Agent Doyle to find the answers… which only end up leading to more questions.

In the quarter-century since its release, Frailty has lost none of its power, delivering psychological tension and shocks without gratuitous splatter and gore, anchored by incredible performances, Bill Butler’s gorgeous cinematography, and Arnold Glassman’s sharp editing. Paxton’s feature debut is subtle and ambiguous, giving its audience the freedom to arrive at their own terrifying conclusions. 

Join AC and his fanatical, er, fantastic panel of guests (Cati Glidewell, Jay Kay, Gert Verbeeck, and yours truly) as we celebrate 25 years of FRAILTY!!

HORROR WITH DR. AC: THE BEST (AND WORST) SLASHERS OF 1981!! (Part 1 of 2) | Ep 163

The early 1980s were a golden age for horror, and by 1981, the slasher subgenre had already exploded into a full-blown phenomenon, with producers and filmmakers eager to capitalize on the success of HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13TH.

While horror sequels weren’t a new concept, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 introduced Jason Voorhees as a full-fledged killer, creating a genre icon before our eyes, and HALLOWEEN II picked up immediately where the 1978 original left off, both pushing their respective series toward more explicit violence and expanding their internal mythologies, with impressive box office results.

But there were also plenty of one-offs, from out in the wilderness (THE BURNING, JUST BEFORE DAWN) to civilization (NIGHTMARE, THE PROWLER), from exotic settings (THE FUNHOUSE, HELL NIGHT) including the Great White North (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, MY BLOODY VALENTINE). 

Join this incredible panel of gorehound guests as we head back 45 years to a time of body counts, masked killers, outrageous offings, eerie atmosphere, endlessly quotable dialogue, and filmmakers throwing it all at the screen to see what would stick. THE SLASHERS OF 1981!! 

The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #16: "The 2016 Christmas Special!"

Join Moronic Mark and yours truly as we talk over another clusterfuck of Christmas crap! Happy Holidays!






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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #15: "The Devil Master (1977)"

Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we talk over THE DEVIL MASTER (aka THE DEMON LOVER). This movie has it all: Blood, boobs, sacrifices, a karate dojo, a Sasquatch/demon hybrid, lots of mundane talking, Leatherface with a perm, donuts, a rubber band, a curvy man in a dress, loud talking, LOUD NOISES, Paul from Cheers, Frank Zappa’s dimwitted clone, people with incredibly annoying voices and much, much more!




What IMDb says it's about: A group of teenagers hanging around a cemetery get involved with a satanic priest who calls up a demon from hell. (Ok...sure.)






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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #14: "The 2015 Christmas Craptacular!"

Join the Midnight Confessions Crew as we talk over a clusterfuck of Christmas crap! Happy Holidays! 






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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #13: "Hands of Steel (1986) aka Atomic Cyborg"

Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and I as we talk over HANDS OF STEEL aka ATOMIC CYBORG. This movie has it all: Cyborg assassins, sweaty truck drivers, John “Motherfuckin” Saxon, Dr. Butcher M.D., Garfield, shitty graphics, Hillbilly Jim, arm wraslin’, acid rain and tubes…lots and lots of tubes. Where do they go? What does it all mean? Why? WHY?

What IMDb says it's about: A cyborg is programmed to kill a scientist who holds the fate of mankind in his hands. He fails and hides in a diner in a desert run by a woman who likes him. The people who sent him are after him and so is the local arm wrestling champ. (Well shit. Is that what it was about?)






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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #12: "Heavy Metal Massacre (1989)"

Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and I as we talk over HEAVY METAL MASSACRE (1989). This might be the holy grail of bad movies, folks—and I’m using the word “movie” lightly. If long shots of people doing nothing, scenes of nothing and someone playing with camcorder effects for an hour and twenty plus minutes is something you’re into, well this “movie” is for you. Remember that movie THE NEVERENDING STORY? Remember 'the nothing'? This “movie” is the nothing and there ain’t no furry flying dragon gonna’ save your ass from it. You have been warned!

What IMDb says it's about: A killer goes on a killing spree at a heavy metal club. (No…it’s about nothing.)






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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #11: "Aenigma (1987)"

Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and I as we talk over Lucio Fulci’s AENIGMA. This movie has it all: A birdlady in a coma, Gerard Depardieu in drag, a female soul-patch, oily sex, Ronnie James Dio as a cleaning lady, Boston college students without a hint of accent to be found, Tom Cruise, Snoopy, Yoda and snails….SNAILS….SsSNnNnAaAIiILlLSsSsS!!!

What IMDb says it's about: The spirit of a comatose teenage girl possesses the body of a newcomer to her girls boarding school to enact bloody revenge against the elitist, lingerie-clad coeds responsible for her condition. (blah, blah, blah did we mention lingerie-clad coeds?)





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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #10: "Back to School Special"

Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we talk over a classic After School Special entitled What Are Friends For? accompanied by two "educational" short films. It’s funny how some things designed to educate young minds can scar you for life and these films will do just that. Want to see a young girl with down syndrome learn about her period? Want to see a girl high on acid murder a hot dog? Want to see pre-teen girls have a voodoo ritual in a bathroom? Of course you do, you sick freex!

What IMDb says it's about: Two 12-year-old girls going through a divorce make a pact never to divorce their friendship. (A pact using demonic forces...they forgot to mention that)




Hey, did you know we have a podcast? Because of course we do. Be sure to check out the Midnight Confessions Podcast...

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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #9: It's Alive! (1968)

Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we talk over IT'S ALIVE! This is not the more famous Larry Cohen movie about a monster baby. No, this one features less monster babies and more sexy Grandma’s with irritable bowel syndrome. It also has a murderous pig man, a rubber suited monster that doubles as a racist stereotype of WW2 Japanese people, a flashback that goes on forever…and ever….and ever….and ever….and ever….and ever…


What IMDb says it's about: In this sci-fi film a loony farmer finds a prehistoric monster hiding in a cavern on his land. To feed his newest critter, the farmer kidnaps three people. The three desperately try to escape and finally, one of them succeeds….one of them succeeds at telling the longest flashback in the history of film as well.




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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #8: The Psychotronic Man (1979)

Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we talk over THE PSYCHO-TRONIC MAN. This movie has it all: A sleepy barber, aliens....maybe(?), loud music, loud sideburns, driving, 35 MPH chase scenes, all the parts of Chicago that no one has any interest in, a vomit inducing sex scene--did we mention it has driving? Well it's got dancing too. It also has a fat cop that won't stop eating because that funny...right? RIGHT?!


What IMDb says it's about: A man discovers that he has psycho-tronic powers--the ability to will people to die. He begins exercising that power....and he drives a lot.




Hey, did you know we have a podcast? Because of course we do. Be sure to check out the Midnight Confessions Podcast...

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Moronic Mark's Satan's Screener on YouTube
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Reverend Phantom's blog:
http://www.reverendphantom.com

The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #7: Escape From Galaxy 3 (1981)

Welcome to episode No. 7 of Midnight Confessions Movie Show. Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and I as we talk over the sci-fi abortion known as, ESCAPE FROM GALAXY 3 (aka STARCRASH 2).

This movie has it all: stupid costumes, christmas lights, things that go pe-too pe-too, things that go wheeeeerrrrr, things that explode, things that fly by the screen really fast so you can’t see how much of a cheap effect it is, awkward sex, a race war apparently, people that really need to wear pants, a song where a woman that bellows “I love yooooooooooo” and much much more.

IMDb says this film is about:
The crew of a space ship confronts an evil (and fabulous) galactic ruler out to rule the universe.




Hey, did you know we have a podcast? Because of course we do. Be sure to check out the Midnight Confessions Podcast...

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Reverend Phantom's blog:
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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #6: Night Fright (1967)

Welcome to episode No. 6 of Midnight Confessions Movie Show. Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we talk over one of the worst movies of all time, NIGHT FRIGHT. [Not to be confused with FRIGHT NIGHT, that really good vampire flick from the 80's]. This movie has it all: hair helmets, parking, driving, middle-aged teenagers, a framed cock, three-point turns, waiting, more driving, more parking, a bald-headed gorilla doing the Humpty Hump, people with orange skin, people with red skin, white people trying to dance, French Stewart, more driving, more waiting, even more waiting and well...that’s about it.


IMDb says this film is about:
A government space experiment into the effects of cosmic rays on animal life goes horribly wrong, creating a mutant monster that terrorizes a rural community [...by doing the Humpty Dance].




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The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #5: Scream Bloody Murder (1973)

Welcome to episode No. 5 of Midnight Confessions Movie Show, where the MC Crew are talking over SCREAM BLOODY MURDER (1973). A movie where the 70's decor is scarier than the movie's killer. This movie has it all: tractor homicide, a dog neutering gone wrong, a manchild with a hook hand, mother issues, acid freakouts, the Tall Man from PHANTASM with glasses, a kung fu Grandma, drunken sailors, shitty paintings, an avocado green bedspread, daytime television torture, an Artist Supply store, angry food spitting, aggressive urban candy salesman, oral phone sex and much, much more.

The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #4: Death Machines (1976)

It was reviewed on the podcast last year, but Reverend Phantom and Moronic Mark now do a bit of riff commentary on 1976's DEATH MACHINES. As for the lack of subtitles for Dragonlady's dialogue - well, I'm sure the boys are very sorry about that. Enjoy the show!

The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #3: Memorial Valley Massacre (1989)

Welcome to episode No. 3 of the Midnight Confessions Movie Show. Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we watch 1989's MEMORIAL VALLEY MASSACRE. If you were ever curious about what happened to the Feral Kid from MAD MAX 2--well here is your answer. Sad really.

IMDb says the movie is about this: Campers on a holiday are terrorized by an axe-wielding maniac. (Yeah that's about covers it)

The Midnight Confessions Movie Show #2: Action U.S.A. (1989)

Welcome to episode No. 2 of the Midnight Confessions Movie Show. Join Rev. Phantom, Moronic Mark and myself as we endure this 80's cheese fest--er, we mean classic. Who knew Freddie Mercury was such a bad ass?

Midnight Confessions Movie Show #1: For Y'ur Height Only (1981)

Here's the first episode of the Midnight Confessions Movie Show. The Rev, Moronic Mark and I pretty much do "commentary" for the very fun FOR Y'UR HEIGHT ONLY. We had a blast watching this and recording our first impressions of the film. Hope you have a blast as well!

[Satan's Screener] Child Bride (1938)

 

My buddy, Moronic Mark [of Midnight Confessions Podcast fame], has returned after a long hiatus to continue his journey of watching some of the worst films ever to save his soul. Unfortunately, his return is for a film that almost broke Mark - 1938's controversial CHILD BRIDE. Watch as Mark deals with watching this infamous movie in his own quirky way. You're a braver man than I, Mark.