Not Now in Theaters: A Retro and Cult Film Podcast

A Better Tomorrow II is best-known for its epic, stylish, bonkers end shootout. Ranked by many as one of the best ever shot, it lives up to the hype as among the very best, very bloodiest, very chic Hong Kong action heyday endings ever crafted.

But the rest of the film is a chaotic mess.

A movie literally fought over by its director (John Woo) and producer (Tsui Hark), it's a mixed vision that feels bipolar.

The film is the story of an epic undercover cop operation with some of John Woo's trademark "...

John Boorman's Excalibur is still many film fans' go-to story of King Arthur. And it's a movie I love to stare at because it is simply gorgeous.

A dark fantasy epic, its visual brilliance and story of light, might, and right continue to captivate filmmakers and audiences.

Merlin is here and he's tricky; Morgana is here and she's witchy. Noble Arthur loves Guinevere, but she's twitchy (because of Lanceleot).

It's as uplifting as it is haunting. And loaded with practical effects, like handcrafted suits of armor, the film feels as everlasting as the s...

Nemesis is a low-budget 1990s cyberpunk action film that, if you missed in its day, you got to check out now.

With effects wizards from Terminator 2 and cult movie vets behind the camera, director Albert Pyun (Cyborg), cast, and crew stretched a limited budget into an action science-fiction film that's still finding fans today.

In this episode, I dive into the cult movie-making that gives Nemesis a stand-out place in the straight-to-video era of the 1990s.

If you like Sega Genesis games, books by William Gibson, or action films that are retro and aw...

American Yakuza is a straight-to-video film that may catch your eye because it stars the legendary Viggo Mortensen.

In this episode, I explain that, even though I didn't like this film, it may be a good watch for aspiring writers and creatives. As an imitation of a heroic bloodshed film, there are writing lessons to learn here.

When forklift driver and ex-con Nick Davis rescues Yakuza gangster Shuji Sawamoto from a mob hit, it marks the beginning of an unlikely friendship. As Nick grows close to Shuji and develops a new love interest, Yuko, he...

Is John Dies at the End a modern cult film?

Director Don Coscarelli pulled magic from modest budgets with Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep. And in adapting David Wong's cosmic horror comedy novel John Dies at the End, well, he pulls up a lot of goo here.

And whether you love all the stuff, the many many bags of stuff, that are in this movie or not is the real question here.

While the film has mixed reviews, critics and audiences agree this comedy/horror is anything but bor...

Prospect is a bit of a space western and a definite science-fiction thriller.

The film started as a crowdfunded short and, when it attracted attention, got expanded into a full-blown release.

Prepare to have your mind blown by the fact that this film has a $4 million dollar budget yet memorably pulls off what many call "lo-fi sci-fi" or "lived-in sci-fi."

And with strong performances from leads Sophie Thatcher and Pedro Pascal (yes, he is in this), this is a movie that many audiences have found but still not enough have gotten to know.<...

The Death of Stalin is Armando Ianucci's satire of the true paranoia of life under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

The controversial film has won plenty of fans in some regions but was panned and banned in Russia.

Everyone lives in fear of the Soviet leader's frequent executions -- including and especially those closest to him of the Central Committee. 

But soon that table turns: it's Stalin who falls ill and seems at death's doorstep.

With the window closing on the Soviet leader's rule, well, a gaggle of conniving Central Committee members s...

The film industry is full of unrealized promising projects that, for whatever reason, fail to launch.

In this episode of side reels, I'm discussing my top five films we never got to see that I wish got made.

With so-far unrealized projects from George Miller, John Carpenter, Catherine Bigelow/James Cameron, Guillermo Del Toro, and Christopher Nolan -- we've really missed out.

From superheroes to steam punk, I'm speculating on what we could have had.

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Why do Cult Film Fans Love the Horror Comedy blend of House?

House started out as a straight horror film but was molded into a comedy.

A bonkers movie that worries less about making sense and more about entertainment value, it pits one down-on-his-luck writer against the machinations of a straight-up evil house.

As main character Roger Cobb battles demon witches, littler witch things, garden tools out to kill him, and slips through portals, we laugh at all the mayhem.

Join me for this discussion of the...

Drive (1997) blends Hong Kong action inspired sequences with American "buddy" humor.

Drive (1997) wasn't a movie you could go see at the box office, unless you lived in Japan or The Philippines.

It debuted on HBO and went straight to video, and it is mostly forgotten.

But thanks to the internet, me and many others who missed it back in the 1990s have been told of its ways by those who saw it. And, well, Drive's ways are amazing.

With explosive fight scenes featuring Mark Dacascos (Brotherhood...

How does Bone Tomahawk blend the western and horror genres together?

S. Craig Zahler's Bone Tomahawk is, like a throwback cult classic, a low-budget film that has carved out a large fanbase.

A "rescue western," the movie puts four men on a journey to rescue abducted townsfolk from a Native American tribe of otherworldly cannibals.

And although the movie is notorious for one graphic death scene, there's much more than simple exploitation here. There's a clever screenplay and a film about courage in the face of hardship.<...

Why was Dark Star so important to science-fiction films to come?

Dark Star began as a student film project by then-USC Students John Carpenter (Halloween) and Dan O'Bannon (Return of the Living Dead). But what started out as an amazing student film was, over the course of a few years, expanded into a full theatrical release.

And while Dark Star didn't fare too well at the box office, it gained cult status on the 1980s home video circuit. It jump-started Carpenter and O'Bannon's careers and influenced, or even helped...

The ending to The Mist shocked audiences.

The Mist has a notoriously difficult ending. Still, there are audiences who love it, including its original author, Stephen King.

But I couldn't stand it, and I wanted to discuss why.

Join me for this latest episode of Side Reels where I break down two reasons I loved the movie but couldn't sync with its ending.

The Mist. Directed by Frank Darabont. Screenplay by Frank Darabont, adapted from The Mist by Stephen King. Starring Thomas Jane, Marcia...

How was Hard Boiled crazy on and off the screen?

John Woo's Hard Boiled is considered by many to be one of the best action films of all time and possibly the director's biggest spectacle.

Starring two of Hong Kong Cinema's most celebrated male leads, Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung, the movie continues Woo's exploration of the themes of "heroic bloodshed."

And there's plenty of Woo's trademark "gun-fu" here to enjoy.

Join me for a discussion of how Woo's improvised approach to the film pays...

Why do Horror Fans continue to love Night of the Creeps?

Night of the Creeps performed poorly at the box office but has endured as a classic piece of 1980s horror.

A genre mashup that includes all the things horror and science fiction, Fred Dekker created an unorthodox B movie in the mold of his favorites and came out with something fans hold dear.

With practical effects from, among others, the founders of the KNB EFX Group, the cheesy and silly and disgusting fun is a th...

Sid and Nancy shows love can be as addicting as drugs.

British cult film Sid and Nancy is a Criterion collected work and a notable cult film of the 1980s. 

As a member of infamous British punk rock pioneers The Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious has the stardom many young men would crave. But when he becomes involved with new girlfriend Nancy Spungen, the couples' appetite for drugs spins them out of control.

Join me for this discussion of the 1986 rock biopic before that was a real thing and done i...

What movies and TV shows did Brandon Lee appear in before his final role in The Crow?

Brandon Lee was more than a martial artist and actor with an ultra-famous father. I'm convinced he was a performer on the way to serious Hollywood stardom.

But while you may know his breakout role in The Crow, what were his previous film and television appearances like?

This episode takes a look at Legacy of Rage, Laser Mission, Showdown in Little Tokyo, and Rapid Fire, Lee's first four film roles, as well...

What makes Battle Beyond the Stars a throwback, knock-off science-fiction film worth a nostalgia watch?

After Star Wars reeled in the dollars at the late 1970s box office, imitators around the film industry were everywhere.

Battle Beyond the Stars is Roger Corman's way of making a space adventure on a budget, hoping to capitalize on the wave.

But the moviemakers turned to Akira Kurosawa just as much as George Lucas, as this film is like Seven Samurai in space (or its American remake, The Magnificent Seven).

What makes Walter Hill's The Long Riders a sweeping but violent historical biographical western?

The Long Riders just about broke even at the box office (according to star Stacey Keach), and it doesn't seem the film that gets a lot of play nowadays.

But this biographical western about the James-Younger gang, to this day, is well-reviewed by fans and critics alike.

The movie is probably most remembered as the "brothers" film, because it cast four real-life sets of brothers to play the gang.

But there's...

What makes Katherine Bigelow's Near Dark a vampire film that doesn't play by the usual rules?

Near Dark is a vampire film that didn't catch too much audience attention at release but quietly found its way to cult horror movie status.

A bit of a Neo-western, the movie is about a small-town Oklahoma kid named Caleb who falls in love with a girl named Mae who ends up being a vampire. And when she bites him, she pulls him into the world of the night and hiding from the...

Why do horror fans keep discovering the VHS-era thrills of Maniac Cop?

William Lustig's Maniac Cop is best-known for the appearances of horror icons Tom Atkins (Halloween III: Season of the Witch) and Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead) as well as cult film actor Robert Z'Dar (Samurai Cop).

The movie looks like a brainless Friday the 13th clone but is written with smarts by the famous Larry Cohen. The berserker cop on a killing spree will satisfy genre fans, but it spins up a hard-boiled detective and a conspiratorial backstory. 

Join m...

Could Dredd 2012 Overcome the Poor Reputation of Judge Dredd 1995?

Judge Dredd is a well-known comic book character from the anthology series 2000 AD.  The series has run from the late 1970s to current, drawing close to its 50-year-anniversary.

Yet when it comes to his time at the big screen, the cynical tough guy hasn't found the same success.

Judge Dredd 1995 was a box-office underperformer and a critical failure.

But could the venerable Alex Garland (28 Years Later) and Karl Urban (The Boys) put together an adaptation that pleased f...

Can a filmmaker produce high-quality action on a shoestring budget?

Versus is a zombie action horror film that goes heavy on substance -- combining gun-fu, martial arts, sword fighting, zombies, Yakuza gangsters -- but light on funds -- starting out with a budget in just the tens of thousands of dollars.

An exhilarating action spectacle, the film did little in any box office yet spread around the world in the early days of DVD releases, becoming a cult hit.

Ryuhei Kitamura's (Godzilla: Final Wars) debut feature film, the movie is called...

Why Did Critics Hate on The Hitcher and Yet Fans Love It 40 Years Later?

Moma told The Hitcher's main character Jim Halsey never to pick up a hitchhiker, and when he picks one up, he immediately learns why. His mysterious passenger, John Ryder, goes on to stalk him across the West Texas Desert, leaving a trail of destruction and death.

Inspired by The Doors' song "Riders on the Storm," The Hitcher infamously got zero stars from Roger Ebert and no love from his buddy Gene Siskel.

But wouldn't you know...

How Did Thief Craft Such Realistic Heist Scenes?

Thief is a neo-noir heist action thriller film that, yes, fits into all those categories neatly.

The film directorial debut of Michael Mann (Collateral), the movie didn't make a whole lot of money but has some fans in high places. It's landed in the Criterion collection, and still holds an impressive critical and audience score on review sites like Rotten Tomatoes.

Thief established Mann's ability to create atmospheric nighttime danger, and it has one tantalizing score from the legendary Tangerine Dream.

...

Is Walter Hill's The Driver the source of inspiration for getaway driver movies and games to come?

Drive, Baby Driver, or most things with a getaway wheelman -- those films and TV shows likely owe something of their makeup to Walter Hill's The Driver 1978.

A sleek, minimalist, neo-noir crime thriller, The Driver never reveals his name and may, in fact, say fewer lines of dialogue than Mad Max (I haven't counted).

Still, this all-business operator is perhaps the best in the business behind the wheel.

While this movie did...

Does Atomic Blonde Have the Recipe to Mix Incredible Action with an Intriguing Spy Thriller?

"Jane Wick" to some, Atomic Blonde is the vision of John Wick co-creator David Leitch.

It's a Cold War tale of spy vs. spy vs. spy vs. more in the days leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Released in 2017, the film made a reported $100 million in the worldwide box office, outpacing its $30 million budget (and whatever was spent on marketing).

I missed the film on release and have always been eager...

How did Showdown in Little Tokyo get shoved from theaters but find fans on the shelves of video stores?

Well now, where was this gem of a movie back in my video store days?

With a limited theatrical release and negative reviews, Showdown in Little Tokyo got shuttered to the back of the movie dumpster bin (or that's my theory, at least).

But given time, word of mouth, and now, of course, the internet, this buddy cop actioner has caught on as a minor cult film.

Released in 1991, it...

Why is Knightriders called George A. Romero's Most Personal Film?

George A. Romero is forever known as the "godfather of the zombie movie," but Knightriders is a complete departure from his horror films.

A personal film that serves as an allegory for Romero's troubles with the film industry, Knightriders tells the story of a band of outsiders who joust by motorbike, performing for crowds.

But the cracks in their leader, King Billy's, utopian dream are widening.

With the group splintering, can Billy keep them together?

Join me...

Did Babe: Pig in the City go too far, or did audiences miss the message?

A kid's movie for parents who think chainsaws are a toy -- ok, not quite -- Babe: Pig in the City confused audiences.

After the feel-good vibes of the original, kids and parents were ready for a sequel.

But what they got was shocking.

Profoundly darker than the original feel-good 7-time Oscar Nominee, Babe: Pig in the City didn't make back its budget, hitting close to $70 million of that $90 million spent to make it.<...

What Makes The Hobbit 1977 a Gateway Film for Fantasy?

The greatest adventure -- or so the song in the movie claims.

This animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit was directed by the famous duo of Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr.

Released as a TV movie, it was broadcast by NBC in 1977, dividing critics but winning over some within the fanbase.

While you would think this adaptation would vanish in time or be overshadowed by the Peter Jackson live action versions of the 2010s, I'll argue...

Why do audiences rave about the overlooked gem Southern Comfort?

Walter Hill directed two cult classics with The Warriors and Streets of Fire, but some argue Southern Comfort is his underseen best and belongs in the same category.

An action thriller (that seems like horror), the 1981 movie evaporated from theaters worldwide, yet has found some small corners of appreciation over time.

It's the story of a small group of national guardsmen who get lost in the swamp and find themselves hunted by local Cajuns. Some audience's "spiritual cousin" to Predator, it...

Why do horror fans still love The Blob 1988?

A standout work of 1980s body horror, The Blob 1988 updated the campy 1958 classic with a twist of the hard stuff.

Not winning too many fans at release, almost like its titular character, The Blob's fanbase has grown with time, with many now considering it one of the strongest practical effects movies just before the dawn of CGI.

Directed by Chuck Russell and written by Russell and his pal, some writer/director named Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile), the film gives...

Why is Hard Times worth a watch today?

Filmmaker Walter Hill's (The Warriors) directorial debut, Hard Times is an old-school action movie about bareknuckle boxing in the depression era.

But with its light-hearted tone and breezy script, there's nothing to be sad about here.

When the mysterious drifter Chaney (Charles Bronson) rolls into town, grifter Speed (James Coburn) realizes he has the perfect fighter to take down Chick Gandil (Michael McGuire), the overlord of the New Orleans fight scene.

Join me for this discussion of what makes this 50-year-old...

How did Scanners Hack Into the Criterion Collection?

David Cronenberg's Scanners is infamous for a scene where a psychic's head explodes.

But it's not all mindless destruction here.

This science-fiction horror, that I would argue is a thriller, holds plenty of conspiracy and a mystery to solve.

A film that helped put Canadian moviemakers on the map, the practical effects and eerie vibes keep the film fresh and help it find new audiences -- like me.

Join me for this discussion of what makes Michael Ironside and...

How Does S. Craig Zahler's filmmaking stand apart?

S. Craig Zahler's (Bone Tomahawk) Dragged Across Concrete is aptly named. This 159-minute neo-noir crime thriller is a slow burner that explodes into violence at a pin drop.

Join me for this episode discussing the film's gift for dialogue, its complicated characters, and unflinching attitude toward controversy.

Written and directed by S. Craig Zahler. Starring Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, Tory Kittles, Michael Jai White, Jennifer Carpenter, Laurie Holden, Fred Melamed, Thomas Kretschmann, and Don Johnson.

...

Hi Listeners,

This episode is a quick update to let you know the show is taking a break for the holidays but coming back in December, as well as what content will be coming down the line.

Thank you for listening,

Will

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And to read more of Will's writing or check out more podcast episodes, you can visit him at: willturntale.com

Why is John Carpenter's Vampires Such a Mixed Bag?

John Carpenter's Vampires ditches all the goth and drama of the genre for a pulpy, no-nonsense, slay-some-bloodsuckers affair.

And while the horror western essentially broke even at the domestic box office, it made money overseas and was a reportedly $40 million hit on video.

But critics were mixed, and the film has some uncomfortable baggage. 

Join me for this discussion of the film's strengths and weaknesses, why it divides the Carpenter fanbase, and its lasting legacy.

Directed by John C...

How is Bullet in the Head like John Woo's Apocalypse Now?

John Woo's Bullet in the Head didn't do well in Hong Kong theaters and flies under the radar compared to his action films of the same period A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, or Hard Boiled.

Yet many consider it his underseen masterpiece.

By far his "most personal film," John Woo wrote, directed, produced, edited, and (mostly) financed it himself.

But the film's unflinching depiction of Hong Kong riots and war-ravaged Vietnam, navigated by three childhood friends, makes for...

Why do horror fans keep coming back to Prince of Darkness?

Prince of Darkness  sounds like the biopic of Ozzy Osbourne that wasn't.

It's actually a John Carpenter film, the second of his so-called "apocalypse trilogy," where a liquid version of satan tries to escape from its containment cylinder.

And spoiler alert -- like an old-school Starburst commercial, the juice is loose. Or gets loose, you might say.

Can a priest and a team of researchers find a way to stop the evil?

J...