Episodes
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Sordid Cinema Podcast #561: The People Under The Stairs Still Hides Horror Fun
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
The People Under The Stairs Podcast Review
After our discussion of Scream 2, we couldn’t help returning to director Wes Craven’s library. This week the Sordid Cinema Podcast is taking a look at one of the odder entries in the horror master’s oeuvre, 1991’s The People Under the Stairs. A mashup of different genres that spans everything from genuine chills to slapstick comedy, this heist/home invasion film might inspire some conflicted thoughts, but there’s still plenty of entertainment to be had, as well as craft to be admired.
Joining Rick and Patrick is returning guest Sean Colletti, co-host of Goomba Stomp’s very own TV podcast The Mid-Season Replacements. We plunge into the intriguing premise, the fantastic performances, and all the tonal shifts that make this movie such an interesting watch. Along the way there are debates over the suitability and state of horror for children, plenty of mentions of a certain black leather outfit, and where this fits into Craven’s pantheon. For all this and more, have a listen!
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Sordid Cinema Podcast #560: Unbreakable
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Sunday Nov 15, 2020
Hot off the heels of The Sixth Sense, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan decided to follow up his smash psychological horror hit with something fans weren’t quite expecting: a grounded look at the comic book superhero myth. This week The Sordid Cinema Podcast takes a look at that low-key masterpiece, Unbreakable. Rick and Patrick are joined by superfan Aisha Newton (her cat is named Elijah, after Samuel L. Jackson’s diabolical villain) to discuss what makes this film so special these many years later, especially in the context of the flood of Marvel and DC blockbusters that have released since. Those who have yet to see this 2000 film will definitely see a different approach than what they may be used to. So how does Shyamalan’s patient, precise style hold up today? Is there an audience for this type of superhero film going forward? And just what exactly is Rick’s ‘kitchen theory’? For all this and more, have a listen!
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
Sordid Cinema Podcast #559: Is Scream 2 The Best In The Series?
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
Scream 2 Podcast Review
‘Sequels suck! By definition alone, sequels are inferior films!’
So, says Scream’s resident movie geek Randy Meeks, but is he right?
Since the original Scream was so groundbreaking with its pop-culture references and discussions of horror movie formulas, director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson seemed bound to fail when they released Scream 2 just a year later, in 1997. But to the surprise of movie audiences everywhere, Scream 2 features more suspense, more scares, more false alarms, and more red herrings than one can count. And while the sequel may have lacked the original’s element of surprise, one could easily make a strong argument that Scream 2 is as scary and smart as the original, if not more.
And that’s just what we try to do this week…
In this episode of the Sordid Cinema podcast, Tilt Magazine’s Caitlin Marceau joins Ricky D and Patrick Murphy to discuss why Scream 2 is a better movie than its predecessor and how it at times, expertly ratchets up the suspense to unbearable levels. All this and more!