Episode 191: Presence (2024)

This week Josh and Drusilla discuss a George Romero deep cut but possibly his best film, Martin (1977). From wiki: “Martin (also known internationally as Wampyr) is a 1977[2] American horror film written and directed by George A. Romero, starring John Amplas. The film follows a troubled young man who believes himself to be a vampire.[3] Shot in 1976, Martin was Romero's fifth feature film following his previous film, The Crazies (1973). Romero said that Martin was the favorite of all his films.[4][5] The film is also the first collaboration between George Romero and special effects artist Tom Savini. While a prosecution for obscenity did not result, the film was seized and confiscated in the UK under Section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 during the video nasty panic.”Also discussed: Goke: Body Snatcher from Hell, Larry Cohen’s career and Special Effects, which services are available through 911, L’eggs brand pantyhose, Pirahna, and more. NEXT WEEK: Passion of the Christ (2006)... for the holidays!Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

Drusilla and Josh discuss Chris Nash’s In a Violent Nature. From wiki: “In a Violent Nature is a 2024 Canadian slasher film written and directed by Chris Nash, and starring Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, and Lauren-Marie Taylor. Described as an "ambient slasher",[4][5] it follows a mute killer who is accidentally resurrected from his grave in the Ontario wilderness by a group of teenagers, whom he then begins stalking and murdering. The events depicted are largely observed from the killer's perspective.”Also discussed: Thanksgiving, Hero Quest, Wake Up Dead Man (2025), Emma (2020), Alamo doing some AI shit, The Parallax View (1974), Microfilm, Birth (2004),  and more.  NEXT WEEK: Martin (1977)Microfilm Linktree:https://linktr.ee/microfilmmusic?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=df4ca08d-8e48-4376-8ea4-a09cbdb89658Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

This week Josh and Drusilla watch the 1940’s banger by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Day of Wrath. From wiki: “Day of Wrath (Danish: Vredens dag) is a 1943 Danish drama film directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer and starring Lisbeth Movin, Thorkild Roose and Preben Lerdorff Rye. It is an adaptation of the 1909 play Anne Pedersdotter by Hans Wiers-Jenssen, based on a 16th century Norwegian case. The film tells the story of a young woman who is forced into a marriage with an elderly pastor after her late mother was accused of witchcraft. She falls in love with the pastor's son and also comes under suspicion of witchcraft.”Also discussed: food poisoning, Shrill, Seeds, the work of Andy Milligan, Mindhunter, The Perfect Neighbor, and more. NEXT WEEK: In a Violent Nature (2024)Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

Josh and Drusilla discuss a colossal achievement of sci-fi horror, Alien (1979). From, wiki: “Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O'Bannon, based on a story by O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. It follows a commercial starship crew who investigate a derelict space vessel and are hunted by a deadly extraterrestrial creature. The film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. It was produced by Gordon Carroll, David Giler, and Walter Hill through their company Brandywine Productions and was distributed by 20th Century-Fox. Giler and Hill revised and made additions to the script; Shusett was the executive producer. The alien creatures and environments were designed by the Swiss artist H. R. Giger, while the concept artists Ron Cobb and Chris Foss designed the other sets.”Also discussed: awards season including Train Dreams, Hamnet, Sentimental Value, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Bugonia, Gilmore Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Running Man, Primate, and more.  NEXT WEEK: Day of Wrath (1943) Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

Josh and Drusilla are joined by Salem Horror Fest’s Steve Kleinedler for 1978’s The Legacy. From wiki: “The Legacy is a 1978 horror film directed by Richard Marquand, in his directorial debut, and starring Katharine Ross, Sam Elliott, Roger Daltrey, John Standing, and Margaret Tyzack. It follows an American couple who are summoned to a British mansion while visiting England for a work obligation, where they stumble upon its family's curse.”Also discussed: Salem Horror Fest, Tenderness of the Wolves, The Exterminating Angel, Fruits of Paradise, Daisies, Wolf Hole, Wicked: Part One, A Woman Under the Influence, John Cassavettes, The Ox-bow Incident, and more. NEXT WEEK: Alien (1979)Salem Horror Fest Submissions:https://filmfreeway.com/salemhorrorfestSteve Kleinedlerhttps://bsky.app/profile/skleinedler.bsky.socialhttps://letterboxd.com/stevekl/Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

This week Josh and Drusilla make a special announcement and then talk about Christmas for entirely too long considering its early November. The movie of the week is Presence (2025). From wiki: “Presence is a 2024 American supernatural thriller drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by David Koepp. It stars Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland, and Julia Fox.Presence premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2024. It was released in U.S. theaters by Neon on January 24, 2025. The film has grossed $11.1 million on a $2 million production budget, and received positive reviews from critics.Also discussed: In a Lonely Place (1950) and film noir like Mildred Pierce, On Dangerous Ground, Nightmare Alley, Gilda, Lead Her to Heaven, Deep Red, Opera, ranking Argento, and more. NEXT WEEK: The Legacy (1978)Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

Happy Halloween! This is the final week of Josh and Drusilla’s deep dive of Universal Horror and they saved the best for last. Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). From wiki: “Frankenstein is a 1931 American pre-Code science fiction gothic horror film directed by James Whale, produced by Carl Laemmle Jr., and adapted from the 1927 play Frankenstein: An Adventure in the Macabre by Peggy Webling, which in turn was based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The Webling play was adapted by John L. Balderston, while the screenplay was written by Garrett Fort and Francis Edward Faragoh, with uncredited contributions from Robert Florey and John Russell.”Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American Gothic science fiction horror film, and the first sequel to Universal Pictures' 1931 film Frankenstein. As with the first film, Bride of Frankenstein was directed by James Whale starring Boris Karloff as the Monster and Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein.[3] The sequel features Elsa Lanchester in the dual role of Mary Shelley and the bride. Also discussed: The Chair Company, Bugonia, Yorgos Lanthimos, Death and the Maiden, Jessie Plemons, Halloween Kills, Slayyyter, and more.  NEXT WEEK: Presence (2024)  Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

Double Edgar Allan Poe! The Universal Classics deep dive continues with two very loose Poe adaptations: The Black Cat (1934) and The Raven (1935) both starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. From wiki: “The Black Cat is a 1934 American pre-Code horror film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and starring Boris Karloff and Béla Lugosi. It was Universal Pictures' biggest box office hit of the year, and was the first of eight films (six of which were produced by Universal) to feature both Karloff and Lugosi. In 1941, Lugosi appeared in a comedy horror mystery film with the same title, which was also named after and ostensibly "suggested by" Edgar Allan Poe's 1843 short story.”The Raven is a 1935 American horror film directed by Louis Friedlander (who started to be credited as Lew Landers the following year) and starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Billed as having been "suggested by" Edgar Allan Poe's 1845 poem of the same title, excerpts of which are quoted at a few points in the film, it was adapted from an original screenplay by David Boehm. Lugosi stars as a neurosurgeon obsessed with Poe who has a torture chamber in his basement, and Karloff plays an escaped murderer on the run from the police who Lugosi manipulates into doing his dirty work.Also discussed: ™, gay Halloween, Bubble Bath (1980), Frankenstein (2025), deaf crocodile, Soviet fantasy films, Knives Out,  NEXT WEEK: Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

This week Josh and Drusilla discuss the baby of the Universal Monsters, Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). From wiki: “Creature from the Black Lagoon is a 1954 American black-and-white 3D monster horror film produced by William Alland and directed by Jack Arnold, from a screenplay by Harry Essex and Arthur Ross and a story by Maurice Zimm. It stars Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, Nestor Paiva, and Whit Bissell. The film's plot follows a group of scientists who encounter a piscine amphibious humanoid in the waters of the Amazon; the Creature, also known as the Gill-man, was played by Ben Chapman on land and by Ricou Browning underwater. Produced and distributed by Universal-International, Creature from the Black Lagoon premiered in Detroit on February 12, 1954, and was released on a regional basis, opening on various dates.”Also discussed: non-alcoholic spirits, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and the Muppets, Matango (1963), Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell, Kill Bill, Monster Squad, and more,  NEXT WEEK: Double Feature: The Black Cat (1934) and The Raven (1935)  Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/‪@sisterhyde.bsky.socialJoshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/  

The deep dive of class Universal Horror Movies continues with a deep cut, The Old Dark House (1932). From wiki: “The Old Dark House is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy horror film directed by James Whale. Based on the 1927 novel Benighted by J.B. Priestley, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Gloria Stuart, Charles Laughton, Lilian Bond, Ernest Thesiger, Raymond Massey and Eva Moore.[5][6] Set in interwar Wales, the film follows five travellers who seek shelter from a violent storm in the decaying country house of the eccentric Femm family.”Also discussed: feeling good and self-improvement, Jacob’s Ladder, The Exorcist II: The Heretic, The People Under the Stairs and other Wes Craven deep cuts, and more. NEXT WEEK: The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/‪@sisterhyde.bsky.socialJoshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/