Episode 116: ARACHNOPHOBIA (1990)

Grab your fava beans and your garrote piano wire as NostalgiaCast takes a deep-dive into Martin Scorsese's CAPE FEAR and Jonathan Demme's THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, two killer thrillers from two American masters not typically known for their horror chops. Jason of The Slashers and Binge Movies podcasts joins us to discuss the terror, torture, uncompromising head games, and oppressive existential dread that defines not just these two box office behemoths but also the current state of film criticism today. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes frank discussions of violence and sexual abuse as associated with the horror genre.

This... episode... is for YOU! Grab your scissors and your faux American accents as NostalgiaCast continues its "Bucket List" season of '90s favorites with a hypnotic look back at DEAD AGAIN, starring Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, and Robin Williams. Listen as Jonny and Darin recount their history with Branagh as actor, filmmaker, and connoisseur of Shakespeare, and how his attempt at a bombastic Grand Guignol neo-noir murder-mystery with a supernatural bent will either bore you or leave you mute with fear. 

Grab your bug spray and your makeshift flamethrowers as NostalgiaCast braves Frank Marshall's ARACHNOPHOBIA for the latest '90s Bucket List episode, starring Jeff Daniels, John Goodman, and the late, great Julian Sands. Listen as Jonny and Darin discuss the movie's creepy-crawly Spielberg-ian touches, its perfect balance of comedy and scares, and lament how modern moviegoers try to "outsmart" the films they watch instead of engaging with the magic of them. Let's rock 'n' roll! 

NostalgiaCast has the conch as Jonny and Darin continue their "Bucket List" season of '90s favorites with a look at LORD OF THE FLIES, directed by Harry Hook and starring child actors Balthazar Getty and James Badge Dale. Buddy and pal Jason Payne joins our hosts to discuss the origins and writing of the book by William Golding, its controversies among literary circles, and how Hook modernized the story by Americanizing the characters, acting styles, and dialogue. 

A movie so nice, they made it twice! NostalgiaCast continues its "Bucket List" season of '90s favorites with a big ol' goopy deep dive into Joseph James Dante Jr.'s GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH, perhaps the most subversive studio picture ever unleashed on the film-going public. Avoid bright lights, water, and eating after midnight as Jonny and Darin discuss the arbitrary rules, delightfully disgusting practical FX, and nonstop parade of in-jokes that make up the greatest meta-sequel of all time. Check it out one time, won't you?

Get your a$$ to Mars as NostalgiaCast returns from a long hiatus to discuss Paul Verhoeven's subversive sci-fi action classic TOTAL RECALL, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone. Jonny and Darin kick off a "Bucket List" season of '90s favorites with a look back at the mind-bending plot twists, groundbreaking FX, and questionable acting choices that define Schwarzenegger's first major blockbuster of the decade.

Light the lamp, not the rat! Light the lamp, not the rat! For a special Christmas episode of NostalgiaCast, Jonny and Darin are joined by author/artist Ruth Harris Craddock for a spirited discussion of THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL, directed by Brian Henson and starring Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, and Sir Michael Caine as arguably the big-screen's definitive Ebenezer Scrooge. They chat about the movie as a faithful adaptation of Dickens's classic story (with Muppets!) and how Caine's decision to play Scrooge as "utterly dramatic" adds to its sincerity and fun. God bless us, every one! 

It's showtime! In NostalgiaCast's annual Halloween special, Jonny and Darin visit the afterlife for a spirited discussion of Tim Burton's BEETLEJUICE, starring Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Winona Ryder. They talk about the legacy of the film, how it slots in with Burton's other idiosyncratic work, and the elements—production design-wise and problematic character-wise—that either do or do not stand the test of time. Let's turn on the juice and see what shakes loose!

Yo, Adrian, we did it! NostalgiaCast closes out its '70s season by stepping into the ring with ROCKY, directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, and Burt Young. The gloves are off as Jonny and Darin spar over the movie's aspirational qualities, its acting and filmmaking choices, and how it became the heavyweight champion of underdog sports dramas by encompassing both Stallone's rise to the top and the indomitable human spirit.

Punch! Punch! NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza continues with a kaiju-and-fun-filled discussion of GODZILLA VS. MEGALON, the man-in-monster-suit melee that Leonard Maltin famously called "A hoho from Toho." Dan and Angela of the Dissect That Film podcast join Jonny and Darin to gasp and guffaw at all the insane/inane choices and unapologetically repurposed footage that make up this 13th(!) adventure in the Big-G's long-running franchise.