Matinee Heroes

SUPERBAD With high school graduation just around the corner, best friends Seth and Evan have one last chance to impress the girls they like. Their plan is simple: get alcohol for a party and finally become popular. But a fake ID, two unpredictable cops, and a night of increasingly bad decisions turn their big opportunity into total chaos, testing their friendship along the way. Craig and Elisabeth talk about teen dating, Muppet mania, Craig’s full panel with McLovin himself Christopher Mintze-Plasse and the movie “Superbad” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 1:00 Craig and Elisabeth talk about Elisabeth’s new job! 10:58 Craig and Elisabeth discuss “Superbad.” 38:53 Recasting 47:47  Double Feature 54:21 Final Thoughts 56:56 Craig’s exclusive interview with Christopher Mintz-Plasse recorded live at Tampa Bay Comic Convention. 1:20:20 A preview of next week’s episode “The Terminal.” Next week we celebrate Craig’s impending vacation with “The Terminal.”

Before Thanos became the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s resident universe-threatening problem, Jim Starlin was drawing Hulk stories on a homemade desk while stationed in the Philippines. Recorded live at San Francisco Comic Con in Oakland in June 2018, this conversation traces the psychology class that inspired Thanos, the surprise of seeing Josh Brolin bring him to life, and the storytelling tricks behind The Infinity Gauntlet. Jim also explains how a grease-stained paper bag changed a Captain Marvel story, why he rescued Adam Warlock from a box of old comics, and what made The Death of Captain Marvel so personal. A villain born in a classroom — After coming home from military service, Jim took a psychology class that introduced him to Eros and Thanatos. Those ideas grew into Thanos and his brother Eros, with the Mad Titan driven by an endless hunger for something that never satisfies him. Thanos gets the Hollywood treatment — Jim expected a deep-voiced animated character, not Josh Brolin walking around in motion-capture equipment with a tennis ball marking Thanos’s height. Brolin won him over, although Jim still has a complaint about the movie version’s pupils. Captain Marvel’s final chapter — Marvel wanted Captain Marvel killed off, but Jim rejected a conventional heroic death. His own father’s death from cancer helped inspire a more personal story that editor Jim Shooter supported despite resistance from other editors. “I think there’s three Thanoses. Basically, there’s mine, which is the best.” — Jim Starlin Want more exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the people who bring your favorite characters to life? Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcasting platform for more behind-the-scenes stories and exclusive interviews.

THE LOST BOYS When a single mother and her two sons move to the seaside town of Santa Carla, they discover a deadly secret. As the older brother falls in with a mysterious gang, his younger brother learns the terrifying truth: the town is crawling with vampires. With help from two self-proclaimed vampire hunters, the brothers must save their family before they become the newest members of the undead. Craig and Elisabeth talk 80s vampires, oily saxophonists, billionaire actresses and the movie “The Lost Boys” on this week’s Matinee Villains. Show Notes 1:23 Craig and Elisabeth talk about Halloween and Día de los Muertos. 5:15 Craig and Elisabeth discuss “The Lost Boys.” 43:03 Recasting 1:05:27 Double Feature 1:09:19 Final Thoughts 1:15:05 A preview of next week’s episode “Superbad.” Next week, Craig showcases McLovin himself, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and the movie “Superbad.”

NOSFERATU Real estate agent Thomas Hutter travels to Transylvania to meet the mysterious Count Orlok, unaware of the darkness awaiting him. Meanwhile, his young wife Ellen is haunted by disturbing visions and an overwhelming sense of dread. As an ancient evil begins to stir, their lives become entangled in a terrifying nightmare of obsession, fear, and the supernatural. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Blake Casselman talk about types of vampires, adapting classics, uncomfortable films and the movie “Nosferatu” on this week’s Matinee Villains! Show Notes 0:57 Craig, Elisabeth and guest Blake Casselman talk about types of vampires. 7:11 Craig, Elisabeth and Blake discuss “Nosferatu.” 32:54 Recasting 1:16:18 Double Feature 1:23:34 Final Thoughts 1:30:35 A preview of next week’s episode “The Lost Boys.” Next week, we finish Matinee Villains month with an 80’s favorite “The Lost Boys.”

LADY IN WHITE Nine-year-old Frankie lives in a small town haunted by a serial child killer. When a Halloween prank leaves him locked inside his school, Frankie witnesses the ghostly reenactment of the killer’s first murder. Guided by the victim’s restless spirit, Frankie sets out to expose a murderer who may be closer than he thinks. Craig, Elisabeth and Alan talk about children’s horror, ghosts, tonal mishmashes and the movie “Lady in White” on this week’s Matinee Villains! Show Notes 0:51 Craig, Elisabeth and Alan talk about their experiences with ghosts. 8:52 Craig, Elisabeth and Alan discuss “Lady in White.” 48:54 Recasting 1:06:52 Double Feature 1:10:25 Final Thoughts 1:13:52 A preview of next week’s episode “Nosferatu.” Next week, we continue Matinee Villains month with modern remake of the classic vampire tale “Nosferatu.”

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE In modern-day San Francisco, a mysterious vampire shares the extraordinary story of his 200-year existence with a young reporter. His journey through the centuries is filled with love, betrayal, and an endless struggle with his dark nature. As he recounts his past, he reveals the loneliness and torment of living forever while the world around him changes. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Annie Bulloch talk about depressed vampires, 1990s queer culture, vampiric werewolves and the movie “Interview with the Vampire” on this week’s Matinee Villains! Show Notes 0:51 Craig, Elisabeth and Annie Bulloch talk Jackalopes and cryptids. 8:52 Craig, Elisabeth and Annie discuss “Interview with the Vampire.” 48:54 Recasting 1:06:52 Double Feature 1:10:25 Final Thoughts 1:13:52 A preview of next week’s episode “Lady in White” Next week, we continue Matinee Villains month with an odd and disorienting small-town ghost story in “Lady in White.”

Dylan McDermott has built a career by refusing to stay in one place for very long. From leading-man roles to complicated villains, television dramas to comedy, he has continued to find new ways to challenge both himself and the way audiences see him. Recorded live at FanX Salt Lake, Dylan joins me to talk about the people and experiences that helped shape that career. He shares what it was like being a young actor opposite Clint Eastwood in In the Line of Fire, watching Sally Field work on Steel Magnolias, and why working with producers like Ryan Murphy has given him the freedom to keep reinventing himself. And for the first few minutes, we also get a visit from his rescue dog, Otis. Learning from legends — Dylan looks back on working with Clint Eastwood, Sally Field, Richard Attenborough, Jodie Foster and others, and the lessons he picked up by simply watching how great people work. The importance of reinvention — From The Practice to American Horror Story, Law & Order: Organized Crime and FBI: Most Wanted, Dylan explains why an actor can’t stay comfortable for too long and why changing audience expectations has become an important part of his career. Finding freedom in the work — Dylan talks about bombing at the Comedy Cellar, embracing failure, improvising more as he got older, and reaching the point where acting became less about proving himself and more about enjoying the moment. “I think when I was a young actor I was trying to prove to you that I was a good actor, and now I don’t care about that. I only like it for me now.” – Dylan McDermott Want more exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the people who bring your favorite characters to life? Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcasting platform for more behind-the-scenes stories and exclusive interviews.

SEXY BEAST Retired safecracker Gal Dove is enjoying a peaceful new life in Spain with the wife he adores. His paradise is shattered when the volatile Don Logan arrives with an offer Gal desperately wants to refuse. Don is determined to drag him back to London for one last big score—whether Gal likes it or not. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Derek McCaw talk about sociopaths, saying “I love you”, British tanning and the movie “Sexy Beast” on this week’s Matinee Villains! Show Notes 1:02 Craig, Elisabeth and Derek McCaw talk recent convention happenings 10:23 Craig, Elisabeth and Derek discuss “Sexy Beast.” 44:31 Recasting 1:01:55 Double Feature 1:03:47 Final Thoughts 1:07:58 A preview of next week’s episode “Interview with the Vampire.” Next week, we continue Matinee Villains month with blood sucking mega stars in “Interview with the Vampire.”

To celebrate Matinee Heroes reaching 500 episodes, we’re revisiting another milestone from the show’s history. This special Encore Presentation brings back Episode 375: Field of Dreams, originally released on April 6, 2024. Craig Price and Alan Cerny look back at the 1989 classic about baseball, faith, family, and following a dream even when no one else understands it. Along the way, they discuss getting through dark times, the enduring magic of baseball, and just how sweet James Earl Jones really was. As Matinee Heroes’ 375th episode, Field of Dreams marked the final major milestone on the road to 500 and makes a fitting Encore Presentation as we celebrate how far the show has come. FIELD OF DREAMS Alan and Craig discuss the faith around baseball, getting through dark times, how sweet James Earl Jones really is and the movie “Field of Dreams” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

To celebrate Matinee Heroes reaching 500 episodes, we’re revisiting another milestone from the show’s history. This special Encore Presentation brings back Episode 250: They Live, originally released on October 23, 2021. Craig Price and Alan Cerny are joined by Derek McCaw of Fanboy Planet to look back at John Carpenter’s 1988 cult classic, a sharp blend of science fiction, action, horror, and social satire. Originally released as part of Matinee Villains month, the episode also marked Matinee Heroes’ 250th episode, making They Live the perfect halfway-point milestone to revisit on the road to 500. THEY LIVE A wanderer without meaning in his life, discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is. both the media and the government are comprised of subliminal messages meant to keep the population subdued, and that most of the social elite are skull-faced aliens bent on world domination. With this shocking discovery, Nada fights to free humanity from the mind-controlling aliens. Craig, Alan and guest Derek McCaw (@fanboyplanet on twitter) discuss how the world is stacked against you, FanX and Fantastic Fest, our 250th episode and the movie “They Live” on this week’s Matinee Villains!!