Bonus Episode: Halloween II (with Carmelita Valdez McKoy)

Special Guest Carmelita Valdez McKoy joins us for more of the night He came home… HALLOWEEN II (1981) begins immediately after the first film’s ending, producing a film that is both similar to, and quite different from, Carpenter’s classic. Find Carmelita: https://letterboxd.com/carmelitasays/ https://x.com/CarmelitaSays https://bsky.app/profile/carmelitasays.bsky.social

We are joined by special guest Anthony C. Ferrante, director of all six SHARKNADO movies, to discuss his films that go beyond the classic shark movie and take the action to a whole other level.

We end our Jaws series with two films from the ‘90s that launched the animal attack genre into the 21st Century.    First, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube and Jon Voight go up the Amazon to find a giant snake in ANACONDA (1997) and then Samuel L. Jackson, Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows and LL Cool J encounter genetically enhanced super-sharks in DEEP BLUE SEA (1999).

This week has two films that take using footage from other films to a whole other level. First up is CROCODILE (1980) a Thai film about one men’s quest for revenge on the crocodile that killed their families. Directed by Sampote Sands. Then we lose our minds over CROCODILE FURY (1988) a Hong Kong film about a witch and her army of jiāngshī (also known as Chinese hopping vampires) joining forces with the master of the seas and his man-eating shape-shifting crocodiles to rule the world.

Ryan from The New World Pictures Podcast joins us for two Italian sharksploitation films that push the boundary of copyright laws. THE LAST SHARK a.k.a. GREAT WHITE (1981) starring James Franciscus and Vic Morrow and directed by Enzo G. Castellari spurred a lawsuit from Universal Pictures for its similarities to Jaws. CRUEL JAWS (1995) the infamous Bruno Mattei film that uses footage from many other shark movies, including multiple Jaws films and The Last Shark. To check out The New World Pictures Podcast: https://newworldpicturespodcast.com

Man’s best friend bites the hand that feeds him this week as we discuss two films where dogs are the threat. WHITE DOG (1982) about a disturbing attack dog, stars Kristy McNichol and Paul Winfield. Directed by Samuel Fuller with a Screenplay By Fuller and Curtis Hanson. CUJO (1983) finds a woman put to a deadly test when a rabid dog attacks her family. Dee Wallace stars in this film based on the Stephen King novel.

If you think animals only attack in the country, you’re dead wrong.  Erin Dawn (Manic Movie Monday Podcast ) follows us into the city sewer for ALLIGATOR (1980) starring Robert Forster and Robin Riker in this film about a mutant man-eater. Alligator was directed by Lewis Teague and written by John Sayles. Manic Movie Monday Podcast Instagram - Manic Movie Monday Podcast

This week we look at two animal attack movies that try to incorporate Native American culture into the story: Corporate greed creates a mutated bear with a taste for blood in PROPHECY (1979) starring Robert Foxworth, Talia Shire & Armand Assante and directed by John Frankenheimer. Then it’s time to wake up and smell the ammonia as we face vampire bats in NIGHTWING (1979) starring Nick Mancuso, David Warner & Kathryn Harrold and directed by Arthur Hiller.

It’s time for terror to go small with genetically altered PIRANHA (1978) directed by Joe Dante, screenplay by John Sayles, and executive produced by Roger Corman. Jen Howell of the Every Rom Com podcast joins us to discuss the horror comedy classic. https://www.everyromcom.com/ https://www.instagram.com/everyromcom/ https://bsky.app/profile/everyromcom.bsky.social

We leave the sea and head for the hills as animal danger evolves to attack on land. It’s a William Girdler double feature as we discuss GRIZZLY (1976) starring Andrew Prine, Richard Jaekal, and Christopher George as a park ranger battling a murderous bear.  We then tackle ozone problems in THE DAY OF THE ANIMALS (1977) when every animal over 5,000 feet elevation goes on a violent rampage, starring Leslie Nielsen as an ad exec who proves that the most dangerous animal of all is man himself.