Horror Movie Survival Guide
Horror Movie Survival Guide is a weekly podcast where two long time chums (and unlikely gorehounds) watch and talk about horror films from a survival point of view. We ask the question - how can *we* end up as the final girl? Join Julia Marchese and Teri Gamble as we take a deep dive into everything from OG horror to newly released films (but preferably classics on VHS). We'll talk about obscure details that no one else notices, spin off into alternate casting universes, crush on some foxy, dodgy fellows (and creepy uncles), and arm ourselves with the knowledge necessary...
Weapons - “A Touch of Consumption”
Weapons - “A Touch of Consumption”
It’s Halloween Week and we are covering one of our most requested film suggestions for the occasion - Zac Cregger’s, WEAPONS (2025)! Aunt Gladys is in town for a visit and all the kids & families connected to her nephew’s classroom might not ever be the same.
We hope you enjoy this fresh episode!
Support the show
Viy - “I Won’t be Scared”
Viy - “I Won’t be Scared”
An Eastern European classic folktale is brought to magical life in VIY (1967). A young seminarian wrongs a witch and he’s eventually tasked with overseeing her wake. Can he handle being in the room with her as the veil to the other world opens for three wild and crazy nights?!
We hope you enjoy this adventurous tale as much as we did!
Support the show
Trick or Treats 🎃 - “No More Tricks!”
Trick or Treats 🎃 - “No More Tricks!”
We have another set on Halloween night TRICK OR TREATS (1982)! A movie editor is tasked with babysitting an aspiring magician as a killer runs loose in the city! Written and Directed by Gary Graver, one of Orson Welles final collaborators!
We hope you enjoy this Halloween Treat - No Tricks!
Support our Go Fund Me for our 500th Episode trip to Canada:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-celebrate-500-episodes-of-horror-movie-survival-guide
Support the show
The Clown Murders - “Funny, Isn’t It?”
The Clown Murders - “Funny, Isn’t It?”
A Halloween night prank goes horribly awry in THE CLOWN MURDERS (1976). A group of old college friends decide to play a trick on one of their buddy’s by kidnapping his wife from a party where they’re all dressed like clowns! A young John Candy is part of the clown crew in this hard hitting film!
We hope you enjoy this episode as we kick off our Halloween Month celebrations!
Support our Go Fund Me for our 500th Episode trip to Canada:
https...
The Running Man - “They Don’t Want Us to Win”
The Running Man - “They Don’t Want Us to Win”
We conclude our Stephen King Birthday celebration with THE RUNNING MAN (2025). A desperate man becomes a contestant in a deadly game show in order to get funds to support his family & get medical care for his ailing daughter. This dystopia set in 2025 hit a little too close to home!
We hope you enjoy this fresh episode!
Support our Go Fund Me for our 500th Episode trip to Canada:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-cele...
The Boogeyman - “I Told You it Was Real”
The Boogeyman - “I Told You it Was Real”
We continue our Stephen King Birthday Celebration with THE BOOGEYMAN (2023). A widower and his grieving family are preyed upon by an unknown entity. They are tested by the limits of their own love & trust for each other.
We hope you enjoy this week’s fresh conversation!
Support the show
In the Tall Grass - “Fate Conspired”
In the Tall Grass - “Fate Conspired”
We continue our Stephen King Birthday Month Celebration with IN THE TALL GRASS (2019). This one is a family affair based on a short shorty written by King & his son Joe Hill. A study on the dynamics of love, obsession and the cost of altruism.
We hope you enjoy this week’s episode - cut fresh from the field!
Support the show
The Long Walk - “You’re Men Now”
The Long Walk - “You’re Men Now”
It’s Stephen King's Birthday Month and we are kicking off our celebration with THE LONG WALK (2025). This adaptation goes hard & really leans into the brutality of this dystopian story. We watch these guys grow from strangers to friends and boys to men as they take this harrowing journey.
We hope you enjoy this conversation about one of Julia’s most beloved King novels!
Support the show
HMSG Interview "Scorch Marks" Filmmaker Brendan Haley ~ “Penda’s Fen”
HMSG Interview Scorch Marks Dir. Brendan Haley ~ “Penda’s Fen”
This week we have another fabulous guest, friend of the show, Brendan Haley, to discuss PENDA’S FEN (1974). Queer, subversive, art house horror! A film that is a spiritual companion to Brendan’s directorial feature debut, SCORCH MARKS! You can stream Scorch Marks on Dekkoo October 1st!
We hope you enjoy our conversation!
More About Our Guest!
Brendan Haley is a filmmaker, producer, actor, art director, and columnist known primarily for his array of work in bo...
HMSG Interview Ashley Ryan a.k.a. Pythian Priestess ~ “The Medium”
HMSG Interview Ashley Ryan a.k.a. Pythian Priestess ~ “The Medium”
This week we have a very special guest, friend of the show, Ashley Ryan a.k.a. Pythian Priestess to discuss the paranormal phenomena & possession in THE MEDIUM (2021). This found footage story follows a family in Thailand, that has been tasked with being a conduit for a god & what happens when that calling is not properly received... All the content warnings for this movie, it goes very hard! It's a supernatural, folk horror gore fest!
We hope you enjoy this very special epis...
Tenebre - “So Passes the Glory of Lesbos”
Tenebre - “So Passes the Glory of Lesbos”
Our final Giallo for 2026 is a certified Argento banger TENEBRE (1982). A meta look at the sub-genre, where the art and artist are blurred. A writer quickly becomes part of a real life murder-mystery narrative. His whole inner circle becomes implicated and ultimately the victims of foul play!
We hope you enjoy digging into this fresh episode!
Support the show
Phenomena a.k.a. Creepers - “Cadaveric Fauna”
Phenomena a.k.a. Creepers - “Cadaveric Fauna”
There's always room for Giallo! And we got plenty more for ya this week with PHENOMENA (1985) a.k.a. CREEPERS, directed by Dario Argento. Jennifer Connelly stars as a gifted girl who helps solve a string of murders with the help of thousands of her creepy crawly little friends! Bugs!
We hope you enjoy all the buzz this week!
Support the show
Sex of the Witch - “Like a Medieval Weapon”
Sex of the Witch - “Like a Medieval Weapon”
We continue our Giallo Days party with a messy family gathering on the eve of their patriarch’s passing in SEX OF THE WITCH (1973). Dark secrets are revealed as they tear each other apart jockeying for position inline for the family inheritance.
We hope you enjoy this fresh episode!
Support the show
The Crimes of the Black Cat - "Camera Won't Forget Anything"
The Crimes of the Black Cat - "Camera Won't Forget Anything"
We continue our Giallo-Days celebration with THE CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT (1972). A blind man leads his own personal investigation to find his lover's killer as the fashion house she worked for is targeted with a string of murders involving a black cat.
We hope you enjoy this fresh episode!
Support the show
HMSG The Possessed - “Her Memory Haunted Me”
The Possessed - “Her Memory Haunted Me”
It’s time to celebrate the Giallo-Days in July! We are kicking off the party with the black and white classic THE POSSESSED aka La Donna Del Lago (1965). A lonely novelist attempts to reconnect with his dream girl in a lakeside town. But it turns out to be the off season in more ways than one…
We hope you enjoy diving into this fresh episode!
Support the show
HMSG Interview Dina Silva - “Frankie, Maniac Woman!”
HMSG Interview Dina Ramona Silva - “Frankie, Maniac Woman!”
We have a special bonus interview this week with Dina Silva, filmmaker & star of FRANKIE, MANIAC WOMAN (2025)! We discuss the genesis of this passion project and her love of horror and maniacs!
Be forewarned there are lots of spoilers! So go watch the movie NOW AVAILABLE on Digital & VOD!
More about our guest!
Dina Romona Silva is an American actor, writer, musician and filmmaker of Mexican origin. She was born in Salinas, California.
Silva moved to Los Ang...
HMSG Interview Whit Flint! “Eraserhead”
HMSG Interview Whit Flint! “Eraserhead”
This week we finally chat about one of our favorite films, David Lynch’s debut feature, ERASERHEAD (1977). We brought along all of our sweet baby faces to discuss, including friend of the show and multi-hyphenate Whit Flint to get into all the gory details!
We hope you enjoy this freshly served episode!
Pardon some of our sound elements this episode! We had some technical challenges this week with our audio in some spots! Sierra is on vacation!
More about our Guest! <...
976-Evil - “Not on the Couch” HMSG 9th Anniversary!
976-Evil - “Not on the Couch”
We are celebrating 9 Years of Horror Movie Survival Guide on 7/6 with the perfect film…976-EVIL (1988). ☎️ A phone hotline promises good fortunes to those who call...but the price may be more than the callers bargain for! This dark horror comedy is directed by Robert Englund & full of his quippy touches and bold 80’s gore!
We hope you enjoy dialing into this fresh episode! Thank you for being on this journey with us for nearly a decade!
Support the show
Cryptz - “Raw & Stringy”
Cryptz - “Raw & Stringy”
This week we are spending some time underneath the Full Moon with CRYPTZ (2002). Our very own Julia Marchese got her Hollywood start on the set of this Full Moon Features production about a coven of vampires that use a strip club as their cover! Tune in for all the BTS and gory details!
We hope you enjoy biting into this fresh episode!
Support the show
Queen of the Damned - “Live & Undead”
Queen of the Damned - “Live & Undead”
Calling all gothy vamps because this week we are finally discussing QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (2002). The cinematic Vampire Lestat adaptation from the turn of the century that is nothing like Anne Rice's novel source material. But what this version lacks in substance, it does it's best to make up for in style! We agree with Anne Rice, that it's definitely it's own thing!
Standout performances from Stuart Townsend as Lestat and Aaliyah as Akasha in her final on-screen role make this one for the books.
Ha...
Mother of Flies - “The Vicious Cure”
Mother of Flies - “The Vicious Cure”
So excited to chat about another witchy entry from the Adams Filmmaking Family - MOTHER OF FLIES (2025). A young woman connects with a healer as a last ditch resort for fixing what ails her with an assist from her dad. We go on a journey with them where nothing is as it seems!
Be sure to check out our episodes from our Audio Archive on their other films!
The Deeper You Dig H6LLB6ND6R - Interview with the Adams Family!We hope you enjoy...
The Addiction - “Being & Nothingness”
The Addiction - “Being & Nothingness”
Lili Taylor plays a lonely vampire in the midst of getting her PhD in Philosophy who gets mentored by Christopher Walken in THE ADDICTION (1995). A meditation on the sadness and grief of the human condition - we are left with lots more questions than conclusions in this one!
We hope you enjoy biting into this fresh episode!
Support the show
Queens of the Dead - “Working for Tips”
Queens of the Dead - “Working for Tips”
Happy Pride Month! 🌈 We have a wonderful Queer Horror selection this week to celebrate - QUEENS OF THE DEAD (2025). Directed by Tina Romero, daughter of the Maestro himself. She puts her own delightful twist on the genre that her dad built. All the guts and gore that you would expect from a Romero - plus a generous helping of glitter and glam!
We hope you enjoy chomping into this fresh treat!
Support the show
Rockula - “Are You the DJ?”
Rockula - “Are You the DJ?”
Are you ready to Rock? We do that and more this week as we discuss ROCKULA (1990). We meet a lovelorn vampire who has chased his beloved for hundreds of years as his fleeting window of opportunity opens one more time. Will he finally seal the deal and live eternally with his true love?
We hope you enjoy our conversation about this beloved horror musical!
Support the show
Once Bitten - “I’m Not Wearing a Costume!”
Once Bitten - “I’m Not Wearing a Costume!”
It’s another great week for another teen vampire to fall in love in ONCE BITTEN (1985). A young Jim Carrey stars in this 80’s horror comedy as the target of an ancient vampire’s affection! It’s hard to say no when that vamp is the legendary beauty Lauren Hutton with Cleavon Little as her Renfield!
We hope you enjoy chomping into this fresh vampy episode!
Support the show
My Best Friend is a Vampire - “This Blood’s for You!”
My Best Friend is a Vampire - “This Blood’s for You!”
We have another delightful 80’s teen horror flick this week - MY BEST FRIEND IS A VAMPIRE (1987). Directed by Jimmy Huston (Final Exam) and starring Robert Sean Leonard (Dead Poets Society). A lovesick high schooler gets turned into a vampire, which throws a wrench into his dating life!
This is a fun one! We even get a cameo from Kathy Bates early in her career.
We hope you enjoy biting into this fresh episode!
Support the show
My Mom's a Werewolf - "Wolverine Chic"
My Mom's a Werewolf - "Wolverine Chic"
We are howling with laughter this week as we celebrate Mother's Day by discussing the 80's horror comedy MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF (1989). An under-appreciated house-wife ends up in the arms of a werewolf and must depend on her daughter to save her! This is a fun one filled with amazing character actors chewing the scenery!
We hope you enjoy this fresh episode - especially all the mothers out there!
Support the show
M - “I Can’t Escape from Myself”
M - “I Can’t Escape from Myself”
We discuss an early cinematic masterpiece from Fritz Lang this week - M (1931). Peter Lorre plays a serial killer who inspires multiple factions of the underworld of his city to conspire to capture him and apply their own brand of justice.
The themes and story feel extremely timely - even though this film is nearly 100 years old!
We hope you enjoy this fresh conversation about this classic film!
Support the show
Idle Hands - “You’re Kinky!”
Idle Hands - “You’re Kinky!”
Happy 4/20! We are celebrating one of our favorite herbs this week with a classic stoner horror comedy - IDLE HANDS (1999). Can an ancient prophecy be stopped by a modern priestess and a crew of bumbling fools as it’s about to be fulfilled? We sure do hope so!
This film is stacked with a very 90’s cast! Devon Sawa, Seth Green, Jessica Alba, Vivica A. Fox and more!
We hope you enjoy this freshly chopped episode!
Support the show
Flatliners - "The Last Great Frontier"
Flatliners - "The Last Great Frontier"
A group of renegade medical students lets curiosity get the better of them in Joel Schumacher's 90's Thriller FLATLINERS (1990). Featuring an all star cast lead by Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon and Julia Roberts.
One of their cohort (Sutherland) is obsessed with death & is curious about what's on the other side of life. They take turns Flatlining to get a glimpse at the afterlife!
We hope this fresh episode keeps you revived and feeling alive!
Support the show
HMSG Interview Lauren Cupp - “Longlegs”
HMSG Interview Lauren Cupp - “Longlegs”
This week we cover another Osgood Perkins flick with one of our friends Lauren Cupp! We discuss one of her favorite films of the last two years - LONGLEGS (2024). This kinds feels like a crime since Lauren is known as a SAW franchise superfan. Never fear when we cover the sequels she'll be back!
More about our Guest! Lauren is a performer, personality, and jack of all trades in the SoCal horror community. She can be found in a myriad of places, most recently onstage in Sa...
Burying the Ex - "Twinkies Don't Expire"
Burying the Ex - "Twinkies Don't Expire"
We are back with another Joe Dante flick this week - BURYING THE EX (2014). Evelyn (Ashley Greene) and Max (Anton Yelchin) are opposites that eventually don't attract. Unfortunately, their love has been sealed by a magic pact from a Satanic genie that is intent on keeping them together forever & beyond. This horror rom-com is full of hijinks and some bitter sweet moments featuring the late Anton Yelchin.
This film also features a cameo from someone very special - our own Julia Marchese!
We hope...
The 'Burbs - "Neighbors from Hell"
The 'Burbs - "Neighbors from Hell"
It's our Podcast Producer Sierra's Birthday this week! We are celebrating by covering one of her Horror Comedy picks - THE 'BURBS (1989). Director, Joe Dante, helms this production with an all-star cast lead by Tom Hanks, Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern & Corey Feldman. This was a fun revisit to check out as the new TV series rolls out this year on Peacock.
We hope you enjoy this fresh episode!
Support the show
HMSG Interview Daniel Kraus about his New Book! PARTIALLY DEVOURED!
HMSG Interview Author Daniel Kraus - “Partially Devoured”
We have a special bonus episode coming at ya! A fresh conversation with author Daniel Kraus about his new book PARTIALLY DEVOURED. The book takes a frame by frame look at one of our favorite films - George A. Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)!
We hope you grab a copy of Daniel’s new book & enjoy this conversation about how it all came together!
More About Our Guest!
Daniel Kraus is a New York Times bestsel...
The New Kids - "You Hot Dog"
The New Kids - "You Hot Dog"
It’s Julia’s Birthday week and we are celebrating by discussing one of her favorite James Spader films THE NEW KIDS (1985). Spader leads a pack of town bullies to terrorize the new kids in town!
Have you seen this 80’s horror cult classic?
We hope you enjoy hearing all about the legend of DUTRA this week! And wish Julia a very Happy Birthday!
Support the show
HMSG Interview Director/Producer Chelsea Stardust - "Donnie Darko"
HMSG Interview Chelsea Stardust - "Donnie Darko"
This week we cover the cult classic DONNIE DARKO (2001) with one of our best friends, Director/Producer Chelsea Stardust! A film that both Chelsea & Julia have seen an obsessive amount of times and Teri has only seen twice!
We also discuss Chelsea’s incredible career and her new Horror Anthology GRIND (2026) that is premiering at the SXSW film festival this week - that we all played a part in!
We hope you enjoy this fun & fresh episode!
More About Our Guest:
...Didn't Die - NEW FILM! See it in Theaters March 6th!
Didn't Die - In Theaters March 6th!
A podcaster tries to make sense of the world as they approach their 100th episode while the zombie apocalypse takes hold in DIDN'T DIE (2026). We have never related more to a film! A fresh riff on one of our favorite classic genres.
We hope you enjoy this mini-episode and check out the film this weekend in theaters!
More about the the film:
The Sundance Midnight feature film Didn’t Die, directed by Meera Menon, has been heralded by Variety as an...
Battle Royale - “I don't know what any of this means!”
Battle Royale - “I don't know what any of this means!”
This week we enter the ring with a perfect & timely dystopian thriller - BATTLE ROYALE (2000). As the economy craters and teen morale crumbles in this world - as high school class is offered up as entertainment for the masses. The teens must fight to the death till there is one student left standing to be crowned the winner.
We hope you enjoy this freshly made episode!
Support the show
Sinners - “Free for a Few Hours”
Sinners - “Free for a Few Hours”
It’s TIME! This week we finally discuss our favorite film from 2025, Ryan Coogler’s SINNERS! A cinematic triumph with double Michael B. Jordan and a truckload of accolades behind it.
A vampire film containing layers of drama, deep thoughts and a dance number for the ages! Yes, please!
We hope you enjoy biting into this fresh episode as much as we enjoyed making it!
Support the show
Bitch Ass - “Are You Willing to Play?”
Bitch Ass - “Are You Willing to Play?”
It’s 666 Night and young group of gang recruits are about to play deadly games that could result in deadly prizes with BITCH ASS (2022). A boy obsessed with games grows up to become a masked vigilante with a diabolical house of horrors! Featuring one of Tony Todd's last performances onscreen as he tees up the film playing a late night horror TV host!
We hope you enjoy playing with us this week!
Support the show
