Dark Discussions Podcast and Website

[francoamerican]

www.darkdiscussions.com



Weekly podcast site that discusses horror films and fiction. New episodes, with Cemetary Dance's hospitality, will be posted within this thread. Thanks for listening and keep in contact.

[francoamerican]

http://www.darkdiscussions.com
[email protected]
twitter: DarkDiscussion1
itunes: Dark Discussions Podcast

Episode 021 - The State of Vampires Part 1



Though vampires have been part of the fabric of myths and folklore throughout the centuries of both cultures and countries, it wasn’t until a fifty year old Irish immigrant and theater manager out of England named Abraham Stoker published a pulp novel entitled Dracula that the creatures of the night developed into arguably the most important monster in horror and genre fiction ever. Bram Stoker’s creation brought about a sociopathic being of a sexual predatory nature that entered the nightmares of any who happened to read this very successful tale of the supernatural.

Beginning with Universal Pictures 1931 film Dracula starring acting legend Bela Lugosi, this iconic character lead the way for such other movie monster franchises as Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and our more modern nightmares of Freddy Krueger, Leatherface, and Michael Myers. Other production companies followed with their take. Hammer Studios beginning in the late 1950's brought Christopher Lee to the role and a run of both Dracula and vampire films filled with gothic, exploitation, and horror essentials made for an entertaining and chilling success of a film.

Yet with the cultural revolution of the motion picture, where such shocking cinema as Bonnie and Clyde, Midnight Cowboy, and the grindhouse films of New York’s 42nd Street came to fruition, the vampire, too, had an upheaval that brought the vampire into the modern world. Your hosts, Mike and Philip, discuss the beginnings of this monster, its turn from the gentleman fiend that Bela Lugosi portrayed to its various roles in such films as Near Dark, Martin, and ‘Salem’s Lot. Lock your doors, listeners, as Dark Discussions gives its view during this first part of a very blood letting dialogue between our hosts on the lurid nightmare known to many as simply nosferatu.

On a final note, you can download listener David's Sounds of Horror free download. Over 2 hours of horror sound effects for Halloween. Check it out!

[Ron K]

I just listened to the first episode and it was really fun. I will be adding it to my rotation - thanks.

[francoamerican]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback. Any topic suggestions or anything just email me at [email protected]

[francoamerican]

http://www.darkdiscussions.com
[email protected]
Twitter: DarkDiscussion1
itunes: Dark Discussions Podcast

Episode 022 - The Omen



Throughout millennia the devil has caused more fear in the hearts of humanity than any other being. The incarnate of evil and the ruler of hell, Satan has tempted the fate of man from the very beginning. When St. John the Divine wrote the Book of Revelations in which the end of the world was to come, he described that prior to the closing stages of the present, a man would come that would lead an apocalypse. And that man would be the antichrist, the son of Satan.

In the late 1960’s, specifically in the United States of America, a fear of demonic and satanic cults swept the nation. Churches and communities became paranoid with the changes to society and at points were taken with the belief that all was related to the devil himself and his power over humanity. Following the wave of hysteria, culture followed where authors and movie producers took note and began producing suspenseful horror fiction that went straight to the top of best seller lists and box office gross.

In the mid 1970’s 20th Century Fox released the Richard Donner directed film, The Omen, a story about a little boy from a wealthy political family that may be much more than what he actually seems to be. With Jerry Goldsmith’s Academy Award winning score, with Gregory Peck starring, surrounded by a great supporting cast, the movie was critically well received, triumphed at the box office, and has become a classic in the same breath with such films as The Godfather, Star Wars, and On the Water Front.

Dark Discussions’ hosts, Eric and Philip, converse about the film in detail and how it has resonated with both film historians as well as horror fans alike. With its fantastic screenplay, great acting, and fabulous score, every fan of film, never mind horror stories, should partake in the viewing of this spectacular movie.

On a final note, you can download listener David's Sounds of Horror free download. Over 2 hours of horror sound effects for Halloween. Check it out!

[Ron K]

This looks really good ... these satanic movies always scare me silly, lol.

[francoamerican]

This looks really good ... these satanic movies always scare me silly, lol.

Yeah, to be honest those were/are my favorite horror flicks ... and actually we discuss in episode 021 how the loss of the religious aspect in horror has been somewhat of a negative to the genre since that was one of the things that a lot of us folks were brought up on with things like rosemary's baby, exorcist, omen, dracula, and so forth.

[francoamerican]

http://www.darkdiscussions.com
[email protected]
twitter: DarkDiscussion1
itunes: Dark Discussions Podcast

Episode 023 - The State of Vampires Part 2



As the 1990’s begin, the tale of nosferatu, the vampire, follows many different approaches that quite differ from the historical monster known to be the spawn of hell and an enemy of Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church. With Anne Rice’s 1973 novel Interview With the Vampire produced for the big screen, vampires, though still quite violent and horrific, start to take on a new face. Romantic themes permeate the back story as death and loss follow every move of the creatures of the night. Vampires as central characters become the focus of such films.

As protagonists and antiheroes, the vampire becomes an individual that film audiences are more able to feel for but as a result the horror element begins to fade from the mythos. Stories such as Underworld and Blade make the monster almost appear as if they are superheroes. Action and stylized violence brings a rebirth to a tired genre but also makes fans of the traditional monster wish for the bygone days.

While such series as the Twilight Saga bring in a new audience of fans, those searching for the vampire as a monster are offered such films as 30 Days of Night, Stakeland and Let the Right One In bringing hope to the devotee of traditional vampires. Other takes include a scientific approach such as Daybreakers, a gothic return to the Hammer days with Lesbian Vampire Killers, the Korean film Thirst filled with Catholicism essentials, and a coming of age horror tale The Hamiltons.

Dark Discussions continues with their second part of their vampire retrospective. Philip and Mike talk about how the vampire has changed these past few years and what it means to cinema and the history of the monster. From Dusk Till Dawn to 2011’s Fright Night, though the vampire may have changed, their taste for human blood has not. Come listen, faithful listeners, as we all wait for the sun to rise.

[francoamerican]

http://www.darkdiscussions.com
itunes: Dark Disussions Podcast

Episode 027 - Halloween Special Top Ten



Horror film fans, welcome to a special edition of Dark Discussions. Horror, horror, and more horror. We drop the science fiction, the techno-thrillers, and the fantasy films for a straight out take on the films that make Samhain and Halloween the time of year we all love. But what makes a great horror film? What keeps us up at night? And most importantly what makes us shift in our seats while we watch a good horror tale at a cinema or on a television?

Who hasn’t done top ten lists? Until now, Dark Discussions has not. Now that we are at the midyear point of our existence and you, listeners, know us through your iPods and computers, we figured it was time to list the films that make us get that little knot of dread in our stomachs when we watch them. Eric, Philip, and Mike present each their top ten lists of horror. You won’t find any films on our lists for historical importance. No Nosferatu, no Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Simply horror and only horror.

For a hint of what we have for you, we each put together our own top ten mostly based on production value, rewatchability, and impact on our fear level. Mike has two directors with two films each represented. Philip has one director with two films on his list, but a different director than the two Mike has listed. And only one film is represented on all three lists. Philip gives his in alphabetical order while Eric and Mike are much more confident in their rankings.

Dark Discussions would like to salute you, faithful listeners, for letting us discuss with you the things which scare us these past six months. So to all of you, a very hardy thank you.

[francoamerican]

www.darkdiscussions.com

Episode 028 - Christopher Smith Focus: 2009's Triangle



Dark Discussions continues their four episode focus on Christopher Smith and his films.

In 2009, genre favorite, Christopher Smith, directs and screen writes his latest feature film, Triangle, a story that appears to be many things at once before turning itself into a tremendous opus and arguably one of the top horror films in over a decade. Fangoria magazine even trumps that and states it to be one of the top 300 greatest horror films of all time. Your hosts at Dark Discussions not only agree but also give their own praise upon a fantastic film by a fantastic film maker. The film stars genre favorite Melissa George in arguably the best performance of her career. Not only has she cemented herself as a modern day scream queen but with Triangle she shows she is an overlooked actress both in performance and beauty.

On a beautiful sunny day not far from the stunning beaches of Miami, she, her boyfriend, and a group of their friends head out on an all day Saturday sailing cruise. The tranquil setting is suddenly interrupted by ominous storm clouds and a mysterious distress call from an unknown person. What seems to be a standard chronicle about a ghost ship suddenly veers into a story that may be anything from mental instability to the manifestation of hell on the high seas. With its atmospheric setting, its slow uncomfortable burn, and one of the most iconic visuals ever in horror film, Triangle is a movie that any true horror fan must see.

Dark Discussions brings their view to this horror cinema masterpiece. Discussing the background of the plot, Eric and Philip thrash out the intricate detail Christopher Smith put into the screenwriting and how he was able to tie everything together within an ambiguous story that leaves the viewer guessing at every turn. As the backdrop, the Bermuda Triangle and its mythos penetrate every scene from the opening placard until the bitter end. Listeners, get ready for a podcast about a film that every horror fan must see. Even after the credits have rolled all who’ve experienced this motion picture will be left with conjecture and maybe even nightmares.

[francoamerican]

www.darkdiscussions.com

Episode 029 - The State Of Vampires Part Three



As the modern vampire haunts cinemas, video games, and graphic novels, the best selling author Charlaine Harris creates within the written page a mind reading woman named Sookie Stackhouse who lives in an alternate yet present day world where vampires, werewolves and witches roam through a land unhidden and unafraid of humans and their superstition. True Blood, HBO’s riveting television series, created by producer Alan Ball takes Charlaine Harris’s stories to the small screen. With its elements of extreme exploitation and violence but having the traits of soap opera and romance, the series has reinvented vampires and the classic monsters once more. Paying homage to 1970’s blood and boobs drive-in fair and the violent yet romantic novels of Anne Rice, True Blood has been so successful that the production of a fifth season has begun. Dark Discussions discusses the success of the show and how it has taken television by storm.

But what about less familiar vampire films? Your hosts, Mike and Philip, cite some films and programs that any vampire fan should know about. Mike mentions the Nicholas Cage film Vampire Kiss, the short lived television show Kindred the Embrace, Mario Bava’s classic film Black Sunday, and the Hammer Film Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter. Philip speaks enthusiastically about the movies Vampyres, Daughters of Darkness, and The Blood Spattered Bride, three of the most influential drive in horror vampire films of all time. Also discussed are the two Ingrid Pitt Hammer Films, Countess Dracula and the Vampire Lovers, possibly two of the best takes on the vampire.

But what of other media? Two of the better vampire novels Vampyrrhic by Simon Clark and The Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon are discussed. Anime has been a staple of the vampire. Such shows as Dance of the Vampire Bund, Blood+, Vampire Hunter D, and Trinity Blood have large audiences. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel brought producer Joss Whedon to stardom. The CW's The Vampire Diaries has been a huge hit. The Vertigo/DC Comics graphic novel Preacher was highly influential and a throwback to the old horror comics of bygone years. Some new vampire films have become available such as the Japanese film Blood starring Aya Sugimoto and the German film We Are the Night. And two upcoming additions to the vampire film are soon to hit the big screen, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s Dark Shadows and Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D. Dark Discussions brings to light all these topics and more. Take out your rosary beads and pray that you can finish listening before the night falls.

[francoamerican]

www.darkdiscussions.com

Episode 030 - Jonathan Maberry and Gord Rollo (Anthocon 2011)



For horror fiction fans, Jonathan Maberry and Gord Rollo are two of the most popular horror writers to bring frights and chills to readers throughout the world. Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times best selling author and has won such prestigious awards as the Bram Stoker Award for best first novel. His career includes ten horror and techno-thriller novels including books about zombies, werewolves, both pre and post apocalyptic worlds, and bio genetic monsters. He has contributed to numerous horror and genre anthologies plus is a comic book freelance author.

Gord Rollo has four published novels including Jigsaw Man, Valley of the Scarecrow, Strange Magic, and Crimson. From a modern day Frankenstein to deals with the devil, his novels have become favorites of readers who love horror based in real world settings as well as those focusing within the supernatural. His short fiction has been part of some of the more popular horror anthologies.

Dark Discussions was able to interview both authors at the Portsmouth, NH (U.S.A.) 2011’s Anthocon speculative writers and artists convention focusing on such genres as horror, fantasy, science fiction, techno-thrillers, thrillers, and mysteries. Both Jonathan Maberry and Gord Rollo read for attendees and were able to answer questions for fans and readers alike. Each were kind enough to take some time with cohost Philip. Some highlights include Jonathan Maberry taking us through a funny story between himself, Charlaine Harris (author of True Blood) and Jeff Lindsay (author of Dexter). Also while interviewing Gord Rollo we have an appearance by Brian Keene. But both Jonathan Maberry and Gord Rollo let the listeners know more about their work, their writing, and all that goes bump in the night.