Once Upon A VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy

"Sometimes we need to believe in a little magic. Especially when there's so much pain."

We're back with the winner of our listeners' choice poll!

This odd, bittersweet little film directed by Nick Castle (the OG Michael Myers) has dreamy vibes and unflinching teen lit sensibilities, but also poses questions about the misrepresentation of autism onscreen.

The Peter Pan of it all, strawberry daquiris, YA groundbreakers Margaret Mahy and Judy Blume, a carnival at school, Doctor Nurse Ratched, a problematically-named dog, The Coupe de Villes, paper aeroplanes and E.T...

A preview of our Buffy the Vampire Slayer Halloween Specials Halloween Special on Patreon, discussing Season 2 episode Halloween. To hear the whole thing where we also cover Season 4's Fear Itself and Season 6's All the Way, check out our Patreon: https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs

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Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller, The Chronicles of Narnia, Fraggle Rock and Merlin)

Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars...

Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the Lucy Westenra fan club! To discuss Francis Ford Coppola's sumptuous and spectacular take on Dracula starring Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder and Anthony Hopkins, we have called upon the forces of darkness in the form of cabaret singer, musician, artist and star of stage and screen Joe Black!

As part of this Halloween special, we also touch on the variations on the character as portrayed by Max Shreck, Bela Lugosi, Frank Langella, Bill Skarsgard and Cynthia Erivo. After all, Dracula has crossed oceans of time to find you...

Long before the hit TV show, Neil Jordan's opulent adaptation of the bestselling novel by Anne Rice gave the world a big gay gothic vampire blockbuster with Hollywood superstars Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, not to mention the electrifying breakthrough performance of Kirsten Dunst.

Our pal Claire Biddles - music, film and arts writer, Overinvested podcaster and Lestat superfan - joins us to break down this very peculiar pop culture phenomenon, with plenty of discussion about all the various iterations of The Vampire Chronicles.

Bisexual maximalist divas, unfilmable head transplants, complex relationships with...

"Beware the moon, lads."

We're serving up an all-time classic comedy horror banger for Halloween with returning guest Rob Berg!

Rick Baker's groundbreaking special effects makeup, sex and regret, werewolf mythology, David Naughton's nudity, an unlikely journey around London's geography, Griffin Dunne's family connections, surprise Muppets, taking Jenny Agutter out for a pub lunch, queer and Jewish readings of this movie and The Wolf Man from Universal Studios await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and...

"If I want your opinion I'll beat it out of you!"

We're slinking into October with the Queen of Halloween herself, Elvira! From Vegas showgirl to horror hostess with the mostess, we discuss the big screen debut of this bonafide gay icon in a loving tribute to the brilliant Cassandra Peterson.

Nipple tassels, Knott's Berry Farm, a monster casserole, corny jokes, Bob's big himbo energy, a poodle with an attitude, Edie McClurg sitting on a man's face and edrazeeba await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes...

"Be sure and tell 'em Large Marge sent ya!"

Joined by our super-talented friend, illustrator and comics artist Jules Scheele, we chart the rise, fall and comeback of Pee-wee Herman - the pop culture phenomenon and alter ego of Paul Reubens - focusing in on this wild road trip movie which was also Tim Burton's feature debut.

Getting goofy with the Groundlings, Saturday Night Live disappointment, Frankenweenie, fruit salad marriage, THAT stop motion jump scare, the utopian chaos of Pee-wee's Playhouse, going in and out of the closet, mythologised Americana, E.G. Daily's...

"It's plot exposition, it has to go somewhere."

Hey, a movie! Jim Henson's feature directorial debut, following up The Muppet Show and The Muppet Movie with a madcap jewel heist comedy set in London. Jonathan North of the Joncast Media multiverse of podcasts joins us for a fun chat about this old favourite and the legendary love affair between Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.

The rat bellhops of the Happiness Hotel, screen icon Diana Rigg, an unsettling father of identical twins, bicycle puppetry, Busby Berkeley style synchronized swimming, and Gonzo's feelings towards...

"Nothing thicker than a knife's blade separates melancholy from happiness."

Queer temporality, gender expression and sexual fluidity - we are nourished by Sally Potter's beautiful reworking of the "unfilmable" 1928 novel by Virginia Woolf, starring Tilda Swinton as the title character who experiences an extended life as both a man and a woman.

A Bronski Beat angel, gorgeous production design and costumes, Billy Zane on a horse, precocious library-lending, colour-shifting eyes, that maze sequence and trans icon Quentin Crisp, the true Queen of England, await.

We share our thoughts on the...

"What ya looking at? Never seen a guy who slept with a fish before?"

Ahoy! We're joined by Christian Garcia from That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema podcast to discuss Ron Howard's smash hit mermaid romcom that launched Tom Hanks into superstardom and gave us an unforgettable underwater performance from Daryl Hannah.

The symbolic power of mermaids, queer-coded secrets, consumerist satire, a koi-inspired tail, 80s comedy yelling, a scary sea hag deleted scene and the Touchstone Pictures of it all await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes...

"I just wanted to eat."

We're going off-menu and off-piste for this little slice of late 90s Cosmopolitan culture NYC romcom ridiculousness. It's less Sex and the City and more Crabs in the Kitchen as Sarah Michelle Gellar gets some culinary help from a magic crustacean.

Emotionally-imbued food, public orgasms, special effect failures, Betty Buckley and our dream restaurant pairings of dishes with SMG projects await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some...

"Animals, assemble!"

Loosely adapted from the Tchaikovsky ballet Swan Lake, this animated feature from ex-Disney director Richard Rich spawned a surprising legacy. Our friend Sophie B of audio fiction team Monstrous Productions joins us for an enchanting chat, with a special contribution from Cullen of Not My Fantasy podcast explaining the significance of this film for homeschoolers.

Princesses on parade, raiding the fanfiction archive, the queer resonance of a transformation sequence, Queen Uberta's lewks, too many talking animal companions, Rothbart's book of Swan Spells, a prince named Derek, hag faces, an Odette AI...

"There can be only one."

We had a gay old time with Russell Mulcahy's big, bold, beautiful and SILLY film about immortals fighting a fateful battle over centuries, from 16th century Scotland to 1980s New York City.

Christopher Lambert's accent, Clancy Brown's command of camp, Sean Connery's everything, ridiculous scene transitions, the stunning landscapes of our home country, that memorable Queen score and Michael's book about the incredible life of Freddie Mercury await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into...

"TV Time - remember, you're soaking in it."

We got more than we bargained for in revisiting this odd allegorical fable about a couple of 90s teens stuck in a 50s sitcom, introducing self-discovery, sexuality and colour to the residents of the greyscale television world.

Reese Witherspoon discovering the joy of reading, Tobey Maguire being a little creep, that Fiona Apple cover of Across the Universe, that iconic bathtub scene, and discussion of the well-intentioned but rough central metaphor for bigotry and discrimination await.

We share our thoughts on the...

"Oh my God, he's in love with a... dummy!"

Kicking off our new Romantasy season, it's time for the diva dummy herself: Mannequin!

The scat stylings of Liverpool's answer to Cleopatra Kim Cattrall, the glorious gayness of Meshach Taylor's turn as Hollywood Montrose, the dawn of market research, department store delirium, Brat Pack credentials, a pink Cadillac, hang glider ridiculousness, an extended fancy dress montage and a massive organ await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments...

"Dance, magic dance!"

To celebrate the 40 year anniversary of Labyrinth, here's our epic new standalone episode revisiting this truly iconic 80s dark fantasy musical masterpiece from Muppet maestro Jim Henson, starring Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and conjure up personal memories of the film and its impact.

Responding to guest contributions from listeners and friends of the pod as well as snippets of our previous review back on the first...

We wrap up our Size Matters season by bursting open a bag full of listener questions, reflections on the movies we've covered and three brand-spanking-new mini-reviews of The Elm-Chanted Forest (1986), The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) and The Return of the King (1980) as well as our thoughts on mystical British comedy-drama TV series Small Prophets (2026). Lots of delicious little snacks to share!

Thematic resonance, homunculi, Monster In My Pocket, the origins of our rating system, Australasian kids' TV, Serendipity the Pink Dragon/Dinosaur, some favourite non-fantasy films, the Ernest series, the fairies from Sleeping Beauty, remake potential a...

"Masters of illusion never reveal their secrets."

The scandalous story of the Cottingley Fairies hoax that captivated Britain in the early 20th century is magically transformed into a prestige fantasy drama - one of two major motion pictures adapting these events. We chat with the delightful actor and memorabilia collector Michael Valvo about this hidden gem.

Skydancers, spiritualism, Harvey Keitel as Harry Houdini with a noticeable prosthetic nose, Radical Faeries, Doctor Who connections, high end production design, grief and growing up await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and...

"The girl was right. The little people, they're f***ing dolls!"

We're thrilled to be joined by pop legend Bright Light Bright Light to discuss a favourite cult classic midnight movie directed by Stuart Gordon - the whimsical horror comedy dark fairytale Dolls!

That iconic poster image, Charles Band going from Empire Pictures to Full Moon Features, a BOYTOY belt, filming back-to-back with the absolutely wild From Beyond, Hilary's soup recipe, the evil toys of Barbarella, gruesome gore, Madonna cosplay, being a hairdresser having to cut mouldy dollies' hair on It's A Small...

"Whizzpop, whizzbang, feel the bubbles go down!"

Our friend, clinical psychologist and mental health researcher Dr Liam Casey joins us to discuss this animated Roald Dahl adaptation, originally made for UK TV by Cosgrove Hall productions.

A song about farting, The Delicious Miss (Sophie) Dahl, World Book Day, the 2016 Spielberg film being dragged through the mud, Mrs. Slocombe's you-know-what, grandpa feelings, making Frobscottle with a Berocca, Liam's library of dreams, the Kate Bush Fruitopia commercials, retro British children's TV including Rainbow and The Dreamstone, a terrifying monstrous giant rising from the sea, I D...

"No, no, no Bigfoot here, Sergeant. I was just joking."

Joining us on the trail of a very special sasquatch is a connoisseur of cult movies, Antonio Palacios from The Cultworthy Cinema Podcast and Back 2 The Balcony. It's time for a family comedy that became a real VHS staple - initially known in the UK as "Bigfoot and the Hendersons"!

Rick Baker providing stunning makeup effects and having beef with Spielberg, a surprising connection to The Monkees, cryptid chat including Sam the Sandown Clown, and a wood-panelled station wagon await.

...

"Only you can choose your fate."

In the second part of our double bill of peculiar Pinocchio movies, we revisit one of Callum's childhood favourites - Filmation's ill-fated cartoon pseudo-sequel which provoked the wrath of Disney - fitting for a film that flits between saccharine sweetness and a dark carnival of deeply disturbing imagery.

Surreal animation, an absolutely wild voice cast including James Earl Jones, Rickie Lee Jones, Ed Asner, Tom Bosley, Don Knotts and Scott Grimes, the respective puppet provenance of Twinkle and Puppetino, glittering green grog at the Neon Cabaret, the...

"Miracles are made in the heart, papa."

It's time for our double bill of peculiar Pinocchio movies - first up is this lavish live action international co-production with memorably uncanny puppet practical effects provided by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

We also dive deep into our relationship with Carlo Collodi's story and its legacy including the Disney adaptation(s), Guillermo del Toro's stunning stopmotion passion project, the Spielberg-Kubrick collaboration AI: Artificial Intelligence and the excellent, book-faithful 2019 film from Matteo Garrone.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas, a nightmarish donkey transformation on a rollercoaster, opera...

"After the rain goes, there are rainbows - I'll find my rainbow soon."

We return to the Don Bluth oeuvre with a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale adaptation starring Jodi Benson, hot on the heels of The Little Mermaid and the Disney renaissance at large.

An amphibious Charo's cuchi-cuchi, Bluth's preoccupation with both death and sparkles, Barry Manilow, fairy headgear, Thumbling stories, Carol Channing chatting to Betty White on the phone, the Danny Kaye movie musical, dark undercurrents and some distinctive vocal stylings await.

We share our thoughts on the movie...

We want to hear from YOU about Labyrinth (1986)!

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this classic, we want to do something special this summer.

We already covered Labyrinth in our first season, but to be honest we don’t think we did the film justice by squashing it into a double bill with The Princess and the Goblin. The pacing and sound quality of that old episode is a little crunchy too!

After seeing the gorgeous 4k remaster in the cinema this year, we knew we needed to give it an...

"To understand, one has only to listen."

We've called upon Conrad and Dan of the brilliant Movie Oubliette podcast to help us tackle this Christmassy classic, throwing outlandish comedy, B-movie horror and Spielbergian schmaltz into a blender and making a real mess of the kitchen.

The origins of Amblin, Joe Dante's Looney Tunes leanings, the commodification of nostalgia, Zach Galligan getting his thunder stolen by a puppet, Scottish post-rock band Mogwai, cookies representing the nuclear family, Phoebe Cates' delivery of THAT monologue, a reported Furby lawsuit, shocking scenes in the YMCA pool, the...

"You mean, we don't have to fight with each other?"

Our friend and resident Pokémon professor Duncan Lindsay pops by to chat all things Pocket Monsters with us - the franchise in general, the video games, the trading card game, the anime TV series and the many, many movies - focusing in on this hugely commercially successful theatrical release in which Mewtwo Strikes Back.

Pondering why gays love Pokémon, existential crises, an iconic pop soundtrack album, Pikachu's expressive voice, Team Rocket's dubious disguises, Mewtwo giving us Frankenstein's Monster and Cher, Dragonite fl...

"Help each other, draw upon one another, and always remember the power that binds you."

We're joined by comedian, writer, broadcaster, Faithful and all-round icon Tranna Wintour to discuss the totally tubular TMNT phenomenon - from comics to cartoons to tons of toys - focusing in on the Turtles' 1990 big screen debut. Fun fact - in the UK we originally knew them as "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles"!

April O'Neil's yellow raincoat, soft masculinity, the grounding effect of pop culture references, Krang, Henson family dynamics, kung fu, Tranna's frozen pizza tips, malfunctioning animatronic faces...

"Paranormal? Is that what they're calling your kind these days?"

In honour of the late, great Catherine O'Hara and her brilliant turn as Delia Deetz, we're finally covering a Tim Burton film - and it's a goofy, ghoulish game changer that will rattle your funny bones.

An outsider's found family, nods to B-movie horror, Michael Keaton's bonkers energy, some delightfully absurd special effects, the Usborne Book of Ghosts, queer film lighting, Winona Ryder as goth icon Lydia Deetz, spontaneous human combustion, Sammy Davis Jr, a sweet love story, the camp of Miss Argentina...

"We have too long forgotten the magic powers of nature. The time has come to call on them again."

We're going down under to dance with some fairies who conspicuously lack Australian accents in this gorgeously green animated eco-fable.

Tim Curry as a malevolent spirit singing about acid rain pouring down like egg chow mein, Crocodile Dundee, changing sociocultural perceptions of enviromentalism, Robin Williams improvising for 14 hours, Kath and Kim, a cyborg artist's antenna, Magi Lune serving so hard she crystallizes, a goanna voiced by Tone Loc, climate anxiety, Steve Irwin, a Walkman...

"Don't call it violence, call it action. Kids love action! It sells!"

Bustin' out of the box, we're prepared to defeat the Commando Elite in this sanded down but still bitingly satirical romp about AI toy warfare. Life in plastic? It's fantastic.

Joe Dante giving us Susan Sontag camp sensibility, the Everything Is Terrible Jerry Maguire video pyramid, transmascs loving shark movies, Action Man vs G.I. Joe, corporate synergy, Aladdin's nipples, Martika's Kitchen, the Toy Story of it all, Spinal Tap turning it up to 11 as assorted Gorgonites, the Frankenstein throwback of...

"Now you will see a film made for children... perhaps."

An experimental little solo episode from Callum, exploring this Czech surrealist stop motion dark fantasy from Jan Švankmajer.

It's an extra weird one, but that's what happens when you talk to yourself...

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

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We're off on a fruity adventure with stop-motion animated insects in yet another dark delight discarded by Disney, an adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel helmed by Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas.

The Stinky Cheese Man, a very c***y spider, Tim Burton drama, suprisingly sobering themes, Revolting Recipes, the power of Pete Postlethwaite, a mechanical shark, Andy Partridge from XTC vs Randy Newman, a fabric rhino puppet in a tank, Joanna Lumley, the New York City set looking like a pop-up book, Microsoap and Callum's Miriam Margolyes story await.

...

A real horror show aimed at a younger audience, this very 80s Canadian kindertrauma classic opens a portal to Hell in the backyard - and demons both fun-size and massive are coming to disrupt the pizza party with disturbing visions of death! We're not "f***ing off"!

The Satanic Panic, supernatural experiences, Stephen Dorff in his debut, swear words, spectacular stopmotion animation and special effects, and the Stranger Things of it all await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments...

"Will you turn that bloody racket down?"

Time for some Girl Power! Who said anything about Space Ghettos? We celebrate the British pop phenomenon with a great big episode about their smash hit turned cult classic feature film Spiceworld and the Lynchian video for their single Viva Forever in which two children are spirited away by Aardman animated tin-toy fairies resembling Scary, Sporty, Ginger, Baby and Posh Spice.

Our renditions of notable ad libs, Michael's pitch for a biopic centred on Geri Halliwell, the presence of literal aliens, Spice Force 5, Trap Door, the...

We're crashing into our new season with an action-packed adaptation of Mary Norton's classic children's books.

Comparisons with the 1992 and 2011 TV versions and Studio Ghibli's 2010 anime The Secret World of Arrietty, the Trocadero Centre, post-war allegory, the incredible filmography of visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang, ice cream made of mashed potato, Penelope Wilton delivering an impassioned speech in Bob & Rose, product placement, a hat on a hat, Celia Imrie's enormous Chappell Roan wig, an officious Ruby Wax, a cheese-eating dog, John Goodman getting tied up by a ceiling fan, Smack the Pony, Jane Norman carrier bags...

It's time for a Christmas VHS classic - the first instalment of the BBC's adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

Thank you so much to all our guest contributors on this special episode: Richard, Daniel, Cullen, Sophie, Paul, Rob, and Daniel Boxyteeopatra.

We share our thoughts on the series and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

Which weapons would Father Christmas hand out to us? Listen and find out!

Art by...

It's time to wrap up the Season of the Witch by opening a magic bag full of listener questions, updates and also-rans.

Ursula K. Leguin's Carrier Bag Theory, Tilly from Tots TV, the population of Iceland, Bette Davis, Halloweentown, Poison for the Fairies, Hilary Duff, Grotbags and Wizadora await.

Want to find out our favourite fantasy novels? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

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I've heard it said that podcasts come into our lives for a reason...

SPOILER ALERT! This epic bonus episode features our extended and detailed discussion of the new movie Wicked: For Good, scene by scene.

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

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It's time for one of the most infamous entries in the 80s dark fantasy canon - Disney's boldly ambitious animated epic, The Black Cauldron. Joining our discussion of the film's merits and shortcomings is actor, writer and horror icon James Swanton.

Three wayward witches, an oracular pig, green mist, Welsh mythology, Elmer Bernstein's ondes martenot-heavy score, and one bonechilling villain in the Horned King await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.