Kevin Lane's Spill Your Guts

This is our 40th episode of Spill your guts and the final episode of season 2. We will be taking a few weeks to recharge our batteries and prepare season 3. Also, we’ll be catching up with folks and checking out some new movies at the amazing Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal this week and next week so we’ll be taking you with us. Thanks to my incredibly hard-working team for a fantastic season and to all of you for sitting down with us. Much more guts to be spilled in season 3 and once again, thank you for join...

One of the most iconic production companies in the history of horror, Hammer’s productions and various sequels and spin-offs of Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman and the mummy are not just beloved by generations of genre fans but have endured just as the Universal Studios monster films have and become a lauded part of cinema history.

And Hammer didn’t just do classic monsters! Some of their original films such as “The Devil Rides Out” and “Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter” showed that Hammer wasn’t afraid to step outside their formula.

Hammer also prov...

This is part 2 of our conversation with legendary indie filmmaker Larry Fessenden. If you haven’t heard part 1, you should probably check it out before you listen to this episode. It will give some of the themes and references more context.

In this episode, Larry delves into his filmography as well as why he has a strong attraction to the mythology of the Wendigo, why it’s important for filmmakers not to be afraid to ask big questions, making the classic monsters your own and the one and only Cookie Puss.

Larry...

There are many different indicators in a film that can tell you that you’re in the hands of filmmaker not just with skill and craft but vision and perhaps most importantly, the ability to present that vision thoughtfully and artfully with what they have available to them.

It’s why good films and good filmmaking aren’t all about budget. Sure, having more money to throw at a problem or more shooting days can be a big help but an adage heard and said by nearly every independent filmmaker is “necessity is the mother of invent...

Today we are sitting down with a filmmaker who is not only a Master of Horror himself but also created the brand and the TV series. A director of some of the genre’s best adaptations and mini-series, he is a true lover of the strange and uncanny and is one of the most beloved personalities in horror.

Our guest today is the one and only, Mick Garris.

Anyone with even a passing interest in horror knows Mick from his classic mini-series adaptations of frequent collaborator Stephen King’s “The Stand” and the fa...

Welcome to the final episode of Subspecies Week on Kevin Lane's Spill Your Guts!

After 25 years, Subspecies is back with “Subspecies 5: Blood Rise”.

A prequel to the events of the original series, the film brings us back in time to show how Radu Vladislas became the monster we know and love. I won’t ruin any of the films many surprises but I will say that it’s an incredible accomplishment for Ted Nicolaou and Full Moon. Anders Hove, Denice Duff and Kevin Spirtas are all back and seeing them step into the world of...

Welcome to Subspecies Week on Kevin Lane's Spill Your Guts!

A new episode every day until Thursday, June 1st exploring Ted Nicolaou's iconic saga with the creator and stars.

Our guest today is the not only the writer and director of the Subspecies series but also one of the genres greatest gonzo filmmakers. He has an extensive history in the genre beginning as the location sound recordist on Tobe Hooper’s seminal classic “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and an editor for longtime creative collaborator Charles Band on Empire and Full Moon classics like “Tourist Trap”, “Ghoulies”, “...

Welcome to Subspecies Week on Kevin Lane's Spill Your Guts!

A new episode every day until Thursday, June 1st exploring Ted Nicolaou's iconic saga with the creator and stars.

There’s a lot about “Subspecies” to admire from Nicolaou’s assured direction to the stunning location shooting in Romania and the rock-solid performances from Denice Duff and Kevin Spirtas as the heroes but the star of the show is unquestionably the series antagonist, Radu.

A centuries old vampire, Radu is grotesque and veil, usually gore dripping from his fanged maw while he speaks...

Welcome to Subspecies Week on Kevin Lane's Spill Your Guts!

A new episode every day until Thursday, June 1st exploring Ted Nicolaou's iconic saga with the creator and stars.

In a series packed with nightmare fuel vampires and their proteges and little demons birthed from severed fingers, our guest today brings the much-needed humanity to the series.

In this episode we’re sitting down with Kevin Spirtas. 

First appearing in “Bloodstone: Subspecies 2” and “Bloodlust: Subspecies 3” as Mel Thompson of the US Embassy, Kevin takes what could be an entirely r...

Welcome to Subspecies Week on Kevin Lane's Spill Your Guts!

A new episode every day until Thursday, June 1st exploring Ted Nicolaou's iconic saga with the creator and stars.

Our guest today is the heart and soul of the “Subspecies” series. The Beauty to the beast (though she’s got fangs!). With a villain as savage, endlessly quotable and tortured as Anders Hove’s Radu, it would seem a difficult task to create a heroine just as memorable but the character Michelle is exactly that.

For this episode we are joined by Denice...

The Masters of Horror. These are the genre filmmakers whose work have made generations of filmgoers not only fall in love with horror but have left a permanent imprint on movie history and popular culture. One need only look at small selection of the greatest hits of these filmmakers to see their undeniable impact.

Of course, the title of “Master of Horror” can be open to interpretation but the official title came from when horror-hero filmmaker and genre ambassador Mick Garris began bringing together a group of the genres most iconic filmmakers for dinners at vario...

Many of our listeners are likely to be familiar with the Italian masters of horror Mario Bava, Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci. These three filmmakers reign supreme on not just their home turf but around the world with iconic films such as Bava’s “Black Sunday”, “Black Sabbath” and “A Bay of Blood”. Argento’s “Deep Red”, “Suspiria” and “Inferno”. And Fulci’s “Zombie”, “City of the Living Dead” and “The Beyond”. All classic genre films that have endured and remain as taught, shocking and inspired as well as inspiring for generations of audiences and filmmakers. 

But what exactly is a “giallo” film? What...

This episode is the second part of our in-depth discussion with director Anthony DiBlasi. If you haven’t heard the first part, we recommend you do. This isn’t a sequel, it’s a continuation. Like “Stephen King’s It Chapter 2” or “Kill Bill Volume 2” or “Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 2”… Twilight is awesome.

Oh, and another bit of business, we have a very special event happening next week. We will have a new episode every day of that week in celebration of a beloved horror franchise that is finally returning leading up to an exclusive group talk with the dir...

Remakes and reimagining’s get a bad rap. Though there have been many lousy ones (people still puzzle over Gus Van Sant’s shot-for-shot “Psycho” remake) there’s also many that are now classics.  

John Carpenter’s "The Thing", David Cronenberg’s "The Fly", Philip Kaufman’s "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", Gore Verbinski’s "The Ring, William Malone’s "House on Haunted Hill" and Zack Snyder’s "Dawn of the Dead". All inspired takes on classic films.

What makes these examples work whereas others (here’s looking at you Elm street remake) feel like ti...

This episode is a bonus from our interview with Chris Alexander. This section was removed for length and because we wanted to keep the main episode focused on Chris' work and career but its a fun look at the most overlooked and underrated film of the past year and we even brought Chris back to add some further thoughts and keep it up to date. So though it didn't fit with the interview proper, we thought fans of SYG would still want to check it out. We hope you enjoy it!

The horror genre has had many great ambassadors.  Acclaimed writers, actors and filmmakers who wear their horror badge with great pride. Folks such as Ray Bradbury, Forrest Ackerman of Famous Monsters of Filmland and Job Bob Briggs to name a few. These are talents who have not just worked in the genre but used their place at the podium to consistently champion it.

Any horror fan is of course well aware of Fangoria magazine. The beloved publication has graced newsstands with its often-gory covers and all your favourite monsters since 1979. For many fans of what ou...

On television, genre anthology shows have a special place in the hearts of horror fans. Of course, there’s the timeless and enduring “The Twilight Zone” and later the beloved HBO series “Tales from the Crypt”. Along the way you have some solid entries such as “Tales from the Darkside” and “Masters of Horror” but in 2011 Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story” became a smash hit and anthology horror was back in business.

However, in 2016, it was a Canadian series that truly raised the bar for anthology genre television.

Equal parts classic 80’s gore fest, Ag...

In 2006, a new horror icon was born. Fatigued by the endless defanged remakes and sequels of the time, lifelong horror fanatic Adam Green set out to create a new unstoppable killer very much in the mold of beloved slasher superstars Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger and most of all, Jason Voorhees.

In fact, his film would not only feature such genre royalty as Robert Englund and Tony Todd but Jason himself, Kane Hodder as the films deformed giant, Victor Crowley.

Green’s film, set in the New Orleans swamps where an ill-fated tour...

Imagine your favourite horror movie if instead of yelling at your screen “Don’t go in there!” or “Don’t drop the knife!”, you could actually have the choice to run out of the house or chop the killers head off while he’s lying on the ground pretending to be dead. Horror movies offer a lot in terms of an experience but one thing they don’t offer is choice. For that, we look to genre gaming.

The birth of survival horror in gaming broke out with the success of Capcom’s iconic “Resident Evil” in 1996. This w...

Many horror fans have been known to describe one of their favourite movies as “underrated”. Typically, it describes a movie that took time to find an audience, was well received by audience and/or critics but didn’t find financial success or were under-seen because of a bungled release by the studio or distributor.

Films like “John Carpenter’s “The Thing”, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2”, “The Exorcist 3”, “The Frighteners” and “TrickRTreat”. All examples of films that didn’t perform when they were first released but found a following over time. Primarily for the simple reason that they are all damn good movie...

Under the umbrella of horror, you find many different sub-genres that make up this diverse film genre. From monster movies to slasher films, from the supernatural to giallo, horror has many faces.

In 1999, we saw the emergence of a sub-genre that wasn’t exactly new but certainly had never made such a splash. When three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary, audiences had no idea what they were in store for. As the iconic poster ominously revealed, their footage was found.

“The Blair Witch Projec...

FRIDAY, MARCH 10th Kevin Lane's Spill Your Guts (@spillyourguts_podcast) and the Rick or Treat Horrorcast (@rickortreatpod)have collaborated for the first annual DEAD CARPET HORROR AWARDS! Recognizing remarkable contributions to horror cinema that other award ceremonies choose to ignore. All the glitz and glamour but with chainsaws!
Original music by Mike Hadden
Trophy art designed by Ricky Mestre (@rickymestre)

We’ve all heard the stories of an actor who caught their big break walking the dog town the street and catching the eye of a big shot casting director. Or happened to be the kid of a prominent mom or dad. Or booked a major role on their first audition because of plain old fashion good luck and being in the right place at the right time. My guest today is NOT one of those actors. He achieved his success through a tireless work ethic and sheer talent.

Our guest today is Randy Wayne.

Odd as it may seem today, there was a time when sequels were considered inferior rip-offs by studios and critics alike. A desperate ploy at milking the success of likely superior original film. Rarely was a sequel directed by the film’s original director (of course there are many notable exceptions such as Evil Dead 2, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Dawn of the Dead) with the filmmakers having concern that there wasn’t artistic value in returning to the well or that the studio execs would see them as one and done type creatives.

And yet, that...

Few mediums can capture the abstract and often contradictory nature of “dream logic” the way film can. Particularly genre film. Anyone familiar with the works of David Lynch knows that well. And to define the dream logic, perhaps Lynch summed it up best when he said “Cinema can say abstract things. It can say things that are difficult to say with words. And sometimes, if I’m lucky, ideas come for those types of things in the middle of the story – things that are difficult to say with words.”

Occasionally, a filmmaker comes along who takes all the...

This episode is special not only as we celebrate Christmas, a time of year rife with Ghosts and the jingle of Krampus’ bells, but also because this marks the end of Season One of Spill Your Guts. 

We hope you have enjoyed getting to know some of the most talented artists working in horror and look forward to seeing you all again in Season Two. We’ll be back a little later in January bringing your more conversations with the titans of terror. Until then, we thank you for listening.

Now...

Of all genres of film, few genres match horror for giving strong roles to women for as long the horror genre has. Elsa Lanchester, Bette Davis, Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Dee Wallace and Neve Campbell… all examples of actors who portrayed women of strength and power. In a genre that so many associate with women in peril, these women reminded audiences that not only could a woman survive the night, she could do so with depth and ferocity. 

Our guest today is one such actor. Though she has worked in a wid...

Matthew Therrien: Meet The Creative Mind Behind Some of Horror's Most Iconic Movie Artwork 

There are few things in popular culture more iconic than the movie poster. Movie posters have become more than just a way to advertise the titular film, but a form of art all their own. Think of some of your favorite horror movie posters and chances are some of them aren’t even for your favorite films. Whether it’s Stephen Frankfurt’s chilling poster for Rosemary’s Baby or Drew Struzan’s classic for John Carpenter’s The Thing, the posters f...

The Man, The Myth, The Legend: Charles Band Is The Celebrated King of B Horror Movies

In the world of horror, there are a handful of great showmen whose influence has had such an impact on the world of genre film that they changed the way horror films were made. These are people whose innovation, creativity, business acumen and courage have given of us some of the most influential and iconic genre movies of all time. People who see every obstacle as just another opportunity to show that they will not take “no” for an a...

Vampire Radu Vladislas Talks Horror, Character and The 2023 Release of Subspecies: Bloodrise

Every generation has their monsters and while the 70’s and 80’s saw the monsters moving away from the gothic castles of Transylvania to the suburbs, there is one monster from the 90’s that reigns supreme in the mold of the classic vampires going all the way back to Max Schreck’s iconic performance as Orlok in F.W. Murnau’s masterwork Nosferatu.

Produced in 1991 by genre royalty Charles Band’s Full Moon Entertainment and directed by Full Moon veteran...

Whether it’s the endless terrors waiting around every corner in Raccoon City in the beloved Resident Evil franchise, or the fog shrouded streets of the nerve frying Silent Hill series, horror in video gaming has become one of the most popular and effective ways to scare audiences. You’re not just watching and waiting to see the grizzly fates of the characters, you’re controlling it.

And as technology has allowed gaming to become more sophisticated and immersive, it has created a relatively new stage for performers. Using technology like motion capture, characters in games are no...

Today on Kevin Lane's Spill Your Guts, we’re talking to one of the great chameleon actors working today. 

You’ve probably heard that term before when it comes to actors like Daniel Day-Lewis, John Turturro, Sam Rockwell and maybe the most versatile of performers in show business, Gary Oldman. The chameleon actor has the uncanny ability to play both leading man or supporting actor with the same degree of immersive skill. They are usually very different in every role, because whereas some actors are hired to bring their persona to the work (think Jack...

Ted Raimi is a badass. 

We all know it. If you’re a horror fan, chances are you know and love him. For decades now, he has been one of the go to actors in the genre. He’s one of those actors who shows up in a movie and you hear a collective outcry from the audience of something like “awesome!” or “I love that guy!”

Often in supporting roles - and often scene stealing supporting roles! - Ted has become an audience favorite for his roles in films like Spider-Man 1 and 2, the classic C...

Captivating, Challenging and Always Entertaining, Dee Wallace Is The Grand Dame of Horror

There’s an old adage that says never meet your heroes. We’d like to make an amendment to that phrase and change it to never meet your heroes unless they work in the horror genre. Host Kevin Lane has had the great privilege to have friendships with most of his heroes in the world of horror cinema, and to work with many of these friends. And though he cherishes all of those friends and colleagues, there is no one who has...

Welcome to the Spill Your Guts Halloween Special!

The Man Behind The Masks: Doug Jones Talks About What It's Like To Truly Embody A Monster

Frankenstein’s monster, the wolfman, Nosferatu (or Count Orlok to be precise) and the Phantom of the Opera. All iconic monsters of early cinema played by equally iconic actors such as Max Schreck, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Lon Chaney Jr. These performances have stood the test of time not only for their inspired makeup and design but because the actors portraying them found the heart in the monster. Wh...

Host Kevin Lane sits down with Neil Marshall, writer/director of The Decent and Dog Soldiers, in anticipation of his new movie The Lair, in wide release October 28, 2022.

When asked, SYG host Kevin Lane is often at a loss to name his pick for the scariest movie of all time. It's impossible to answer. However, he will tell you which movie affected him the most of any genre film he's seen in the last 20 years; it's the The Descent. And it's on his short list of what he believes is a film that has it all...

A Chilling On Screen Presence In The Lost, Cabin Fever 2, Red White & Blue, and The Devil's Carnival Belies This Thoughtful, Creative Actor

In 2006, Kevin was invited by his friends at Anchor Bay Entertainment to attend the Toronto premiere of prolific genre writer Jack Ketchum’s new film “The Lost”. Directed by Chris Sivertson, the film is loosely based on the Pied Piper of Tucson murders. The films antagonist is an eccentric and sociopathic young man named Ray Pye. It’s a challenging character to play as the whole film rests on his shoulders and the audience has to s...

It’s not easy being a leading man in a genre that is primarily known for Scream Queens and masked maniacs. But Thom Mathews is truly one of the great leading men of horror.

As Freddy in the beloved zombie classic Return of the Living Dead (Joey in its sequel) and Friday the 13th series hero Tommy Jarvis in franchise favorite Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, Thom has managed the difficult balance of being both heroic and vulnerable in films that are often thought to be populated by stock characters.

Thom an...

Horror writer Soren Narnia is a bit of a mystery. Not just because as an author and podcaster he keeps his personal life completely tucked away, but also because there’s an enigmatic quality to him as a horror writer and voice over performer that makes him so incredibly compelling to listen to.

In fact, Soren’s beloved podcast Knifepoint Horror was the reason Kevin Lane fell in love with the podcast medium to begin with. On Knifepoint, Soren writes and performs all his stories told by a single voice from a first person perspective. There’s a st...

Steven Kostanski is one of the most exciting directors currently working in the genre. He’s one of those guys whose love and respect for genre films is absolutely infectious. He began his career like a lot of young filmmakers - rounding up his friends, grabbing a camera, a few gallons of fake blood and just shooting. But horror wasn't his first passion. He tells Kevin Lane that as a kid he was scared just going into the horror section of his local video store. His love of the movies really began with fantasy films, which you can still se...