Tag Archives: podcast

Podcast: The Eduardo Sanchez interview

25 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by in The Blair Witch Franchise

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

18 YEARS AGO The Blair Witch Project was screened for the first time before a cinema audience.

Yep, you read that right. 

This classic film has grown up and reached adulthood.

The audience in question would be attendees of the 1999 Sundance Film Festival and Artisan Entertainment would pick up distribution rights and a nationwide release would follow in July of the same year.

The result would see the a new wave of found footage Horror that is still trying to be replicated to this day, such was The Blair Witch Projects success.

Many have tried to emulate it but none have ever captured the hearts and imaginations of its audience.

Now that this film has reached a level of maturity in its 18 year history, the Surgeons of Horror team had looked back to see if it still stands true today, which you can check out our thoughts here.

But nothing could be finer than hearing what one half of the creative mind behind The Blair Witch Project, Eduardo Sanchez has to say on this much-loved film.

Thankfully the Surgeons team got that opportunity when Sanchez glacially stopped by albeit via a Skype phone call to discuss everything from the process of making the movie, its impact at the time, plus some of his other projects both old and new.

Heck, we even got to talking about life in the film world under a Trump Presidency.

It’s deep and a privilege to have spent that time with Eduardo.

Check out the podcast interview below.

Podcast: The Exorcist (1973)

29 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by in The Exorcist

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

The-Exorcist.jpg
OFTEN VOTED best Horror film on some fan bases, The Exorcist has become a fixed entry in the genre and yet it’s makers and stars would taut the movie as a theological thriller, not a horror as it is perceived.

So why is it classified as such?

It’s certainly a film that resonates after viewing and stands firm today in part due to its strong direction and performances to match.

Along with it comes a crew that were dedicated to capturing a believable scenario, in the days when CGI wasn’t around as a device.

Hard to imagine these days, when it has become so intrinsic to the art form.

There are images that have inspired.

There are lines that are all too readily quoted by those swain by the material.

There were talks of a curse that had fallen upon those involved in the making.

And there have been numerous conversations on the lengths that director, William Friedkin would push his performers in order to achieve the results he desired.

All of which have kept The Exorcist in the limelight.

So how does it fair under closer scrutiny?

Check out The Surgeons of Horror podcast below as we take it under the knife and dissect the movie.

– Paul Farrell

Podcast: The Halloween franchise: The Return of Laurie Strode

21 Monday Nov 2016

Posted by in Halloween franchise, John Carpenter

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

h20   resurrection

OUR PENULTIMATE PODCAST in the Halloween franchise discussions combines both Halloween H20: 20 Years Later and Halloween: Resurrection.

The former picks up the story 20 years after Michael’s killing spree in Haddonfield, 1978.
Laurie is now the head mistress of Hillcrest Academy, a boarding school where her son, John resides.

We learn that she faked her own death in a car accident, a knowing nod to comments made in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

However, despite the original story treatment involving mention of Laurie’s daughter, Jamie, the writers removed any mention of her in the final treatment, thus rendering parts 4, 5, and 6 as obsolete and not part of the official canon.

A move that would scorn the wrath of certain hardcore fans of the franchise. Apparently this was to allow more room for Laurie’s character to breathe on screen.

The majority of the movie takes place in said school as Myers goes in search of his blood-kind, killing off a couple of teenagers along the way.

Resurrection became something of a mess, which not only sore the demise of a much-loved character, but arguably saw the destruction of the franchise too.

Looking at the film at its lack of success, one can’t but feel inclined to look a the director, Rick Rosenthal, whose film credits seem a little lacklustre, but is he solely to blame?

Another musician would step into the fray for Resurrection to try and draw some interest from the youth, Busta Rhymes and and an unforgettable cast alongside him, Bianca Kajilich, Sean Patrick Thomas (Save The Last Dance, Cruel Intentions, and Dracula 2000), Thomas Ian Nicholas (Kevin Myers in American Pie, and child star in Rookie of the Year) and notably Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck in the new Battlestar Gallactica, Longmire, and Occulus)

So, what do the Surgeons make of the these instalments to the franchise?
Click on the podcast below to find out.

Podcast: Halloween: The Jamie Lloyd movies

14 Monday Nov 2016

Posted by in Halloween franchise

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

THERE’S A SLIGHT change in this week’s surgery podcast as not one, but three movies go under the knife.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, and Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers.

The reason for combining these three movies from the Halloween franchise together is due to the shift in focus for the movies.

The bold attempt to turn the franchise away from the Michael Myers storyline and launch it into an anthology series would prove to be way ahead of its time.

Halloween lll: Season of the Witch may have its core fans but ultimately it would fall foul of dumping its much-loved villain.

The people spoke and the producers listened.
Bringing Myers back was the easiest part in resurrecting the franchise.

The tricky part was to encourage its writers John Carpenter and Debra Hill back into production. A task that would be too great as no amount of persuasion could encourage them to do so.

Not only that but their lead protagonist, Laurie Strode aka Jamie Lee Curtis turned down the chance to return, citing other commitments.

Laurie would be written out (at this stage), killed in a car crash.
So what is an antagonist without its protagonist to hunt down and kill?

The writers would have to come up with something fast if the game of cat and mouse was to mount to anything on screen.

The answer was to bring in another Myers relative to continue the bloodline in the form of Laurie Strode’s daughter, Jamie Lloyd played in the next two installments by 8 year old, Danielle Harris.

The only trouble was that being a kid, Jamie Lloyd was no match for Myers.

So another nemesis would be brought back from the ashes, Dr Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasance once again taking on the role) to outwit Michael.
The series owes a lot to Pleasance’s gravitas on screen – a legend in his time.

Throw in a cult and Paul Rudd and you have a mixture of twisted storylines to keep the beating heart of the Halloween franchise going.

But what do the Surgeons of Horror make of this round of movies in the franchise.

Does it take too many twists and turns on its journey?

Listen to the podcast to catch our thoughts and opinions.

Escape From New York (1981)

04 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by in John Carpenter

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

escape-from-new-york
THIS DYSOPTIAN VIEW of a troubled America, where crime rate has risen to 400% is the setting of our sixth instalment of the John Carpenter Early Years discussions on Surgeons of Horror.

It would mark a massive turning point in Carpenter’s career where he would stride onto iconic movies such as The Thing, They Live, and Big Trouble in Little China.

It would also prove fruitful for its lead star, Kurt Russell taking on Snake Plissken, a character that has stamped itself into film legend, such is the power of his presence on screen.

It’s setting of the President of the USA (Donald Pleasance) being jettisoned onto Manhattan Island after Air Force One is hijacked, the island in question has been transformed into a giant prison, (Think Alcatraz but on a much larger scale) tips this adventure into an adrenaline-fuelled ride. Even more so, with Plissken’s life is on the line. If he doesn’t retrieve the President in time, the toxins in his system will be released, killing him in the process.

So many things went right for Carpenter in the making of this movie. The ensemble cast all look there having a breeze and produce some memorable characters,

And the film crew, most of whom had been working alongside Carpenter since Assault On Precinct 13 / Halloween have certainly found there stride at this point.

All of which made our podcasts discussions on Escape From New York, such a fun one to take part in.

Check out what we had to say below.

Stranger In Our House aka Summer of Fear (1978)

31 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in Wes Craven

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Summer-Of-Fear
STRANGER IN OUR HOUSE WOULD BE Wes Craven’s third film as director and his first outing into the television arena.

This would allow Craven to be exposed to a more professional crew and access to equipment that he hadn’t had the privilege to use before such as a dolly.
It would also be the first time that he shot anything on 35mm.

Craven would use this valuable experience to his advantage, soaking up as much knowledge that he could muster.

Part of that experience would be to work with more known actors, among them was Linda Blair, who had just come out of rehab.

Blair was struggling on the social scene and despite still working in the movie industry, Stranger In Our House would be the last TV movie that she would be involved with.

Blair’s performance in this movie wouldn’t exactly turn heads but she definitely holds her own as Rachel Bryant, an All-American-Girl with a love of riding horses and is dating the local stud, Brad.

Her wholesome life is turned upside down however, when her long lost cousin, Julia comes to stay with them after her parents were tragically killed in an automobile accident.

But Julia (played by Lee Purcell in a noteworthy performance) is not all she appears to be.
Over time, Julia turns the tables into her favour and appears to have all the men waiting on her hand and foot.

Who is this Julia really?

What spell does she hold over the men of the town?

Is witchcraft be involved?

Sure this film is a TV movie and certainly has that feel about it when viewing. The make up and visual effects border on B-Movie style, but some of that lends to its appeal.

It certainly isn’t one of Craven’s finest entries to is resume but it’s certainly watchable and the 35% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is a slightly tougher mark than this film probably deserves.

Check out the surgeons of horror podcast below for more thoughts and views.

https://player.whooshkaa.com/player/episode/id/98475?visual=true

Also available in iTunes.

– Paul Farrell