Episodes
Wednesday Sep 29, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #594: Nosferatu the Vampyre
Wednesday Sep 29, 2021
Wednesday Sep 29, 2021
Nosferatu the Vampyre Review
This week, we take a look back at Nosferatu – no, not that one! Werner Herzog’s 1979 stab at the Dracula mythos, Nosferatu the Vampyre, complete with the great and terrible Klaus Kinski as the titular ghoul, is the one we’re taking a look at this time, inspired by recent news that Robert Eggers will be making a run at the same material for his next feature. Discussed: mass rat murder, the weirdnesses of the German/English dual release, and the eternal appeal of this character.
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Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #591: M. Night Shyamalan’s Old
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
Tuesday Aug 10, 2021
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Old, the latest thriller from the endlessly inventive — if not always successful — director M. Night Shyamalan, has critics divided. Some argue the film features an intriguing concept, but its execution is extremely flawed. Others call it an entertaining thought exercise from one of Hollywood’s most invigorating filmmakers that is never, not fun. Love him or hate him, as cinephiles, we can at least admire how Shyamalan has adjusted to the ebb and flow of his career by self-financing when the money isn’t there. Old is in every respect, an M. Night film— written, directed, funded, and produced by the man himself— and that folks, is enough reason to spend 60 minutes discussing the movie, even if some of us absolutely hate it.
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #590: Anthony Perkins Gets Away With Murder Psycho III
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
Thursday Aug 05, 2021
Psycho III Review
Reviving Norman Bates for the decade of slasher movies was a no-brainer, but Psycho II dove too deep into irrelevant lore and forgot about the fun. Thankfully, director and star Anthony Perkins righted the wrongs of Norman’s past with the wickedly entertaining Psycho III, an overlooked gem lost in a sea of sequel apathy. Artful filmmaking, economical storytelling, a talented cast, and a wonderful lead performance don’t care that movies with the number three in the title aren’t supposed to be good. Psycho III might not live up to the legendary reputation of Hitchcock’s masterpiece, but it’s a genuinely fascinating look at an iconic character from the man who knew him best. It’s also a solid slasher flick with a dark sense of humor .
This week, Rick, Simon, and Patrick don’t make the same mistake 80s audiences did — we spend a night at the Bates Motel, soaking in all the weirdness. Topics up for discussion include brilliant callbacks, creative transitions, the burden of predecessors, bloody ice cubes, and very well-placed lamps. Sure, there’s one scene most of us would change (exposition dump), but so much more we’d keep preserved like a stuffed bird. For all this and more, have a listen!
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Friday Jul 30, 2021
Friday Jul 30, 2021
A Quiet Place: Part II Review
New movie! Remember new movies? Those still come out on occasion. Simon decided it was time to treat the Sordid Cinema audience to something a little more contemporary than usual, so it’s time to dissect John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place: Part II, which swaps out Office Jim in favor of a very haunted Cillian Murphy. We take this as an opportunity to look at the Quiet Place Cinematic Universe and ponder its future as one of the few major movie series (soon to have its own spinoff!) to not be based on pre-existing intellectual property. Also discussed: the influence of video games, the blessing of short runtimes, and the enduring appeal of family stories set in apocalyptic hellscapes.
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Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #588: Sleepaway Camp Serves A Helping Of Summer Slaughter
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Sleepaway Camp Review
This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast, Ricky D, Patrick Murphy, and Simon Howell travel back to 1983 and review Richard Hiltzik’s deeply gay-coded Sleepaway Camp. The crew discusses the many different interpretations of the film and breaks down the very famous theory citing two killers, not one. Meanwhile, Ricky explains why Ricky is one of his all-time favourite characters in a slasher film. Of course, we couldn’t review the seminal 80s classic without addressing the controversial, shocking, and some would say brilliant twist ending. All this and more!
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Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #586: Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning Review
When is a direct-to-video beat-’em-up also a brutally dark meditation on mortality, identity, and the cyclical nature of violence? When it’s John Hyams’ Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning! This hyperviolent action-horror-sci-fi hybrid divides us: is it a schlocky Z-grade knockoff or a compelling concoction all its own? The always-welcome JCVD and Dolph Lundgren are along for the ride as we hash it out.
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Monday Apr 19, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast #576: Ravenous is Hungry for Man Meat
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Ravenous (1999) Review
In one of our most spirited episodes in recent memory, the gang unites with guest Mike Worby to sing the praises of Antonia Bird’s gonzo 1999 cannibal shocker Ravenous. Is it a horror movie, a western, a cannibalism drama, a homoerotic fable, a survival story, a historical epic, a black comedy, or a satire? The answer is yes. Also: lots of talk about Michael Nyman and Damon Albarn’s oddball score, the brilliant cast, Robert Carlyle’s demonic antics, and how to sell your friends on this one-of-a-kind movie.
Saturday Apr 17, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast Rewind: The Guest is a Stylish and Entertaining Thriller
Saturday Apr 17, 2021
Saturday Apr 17, 2021
The Guest Review
Way back in 2014, we sat down to discuss The Guest, a pretty crafty genre pastiche written by Simon Barrett and directed by Adam Wingard of You’re Next fame. The film follows a soldier who introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence leaving everyone questioning who he really is. Joining us for this review was Sound On Sight’s then managing editor, Deepayan Sengupta.
Sunday Mar 21, 2021
Sunday Mar 21, 2021
Alex Proyas’ Dark City Review
While The Matrix grabbed more attention the following year from sci-fi fans and moviegoing audiences, 1998’s Dark City still holds up as a fantastically imagined search for what it means to be human in a neo-noir city set on a spaceship hurtling through the cosmos. Alex Proyas’ story of a man without a memory, who is trapped in a waking nightmare perpetrated by Nosferatu-looking aliens who swap memories in and out of citizens as if they were positioning pieces of an unsolvable jigsaw puzzle, moves at a breakneck pace while still managing an intoxicating atmosphere. This week Rick, Simon, and Patrick dive deep into the psyche of this great work of imagination, and while they may not resurface with all the answers, the journey is still a great one.
Join us as we break down John Murdoch’s path from a wanted serial killer to mankind’s redeemer, marvel at the impressive production design, muse on Jennifer Connelly’s nightclub singer character (or lack thereof), and try to parse out that ending. And just why does Christopher Nolan’s name keep coming up? For all this and more, have a listen!
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Saturday Mar 13, 2021
Sordid Cinema Podcast: 'Slaxx' is Comfortable, Loose-Fitting Horror Satire
Saturday Mar 13, 2021
Saturday Mar 13, 2021
Slaxx Movie Review
This week on the Sordid Cinema Podcast, we review Elza Kephart‘s Slaxx, a playful horror-comedy about possessed jeans that come to life and go on a killing spree at a chic retail store the night before their big release! It sounds silly and it is, but Slaxx is also a sharp satire of consumerism, corporate wokeness, and colonial capitalism. If you’re looking for a fun, witty, satirical new b-movie with plenty of gore; look no further. SLAXX is comfortable, loose-fitting horror satire.
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