Episode 57 - Shock the Monkey

Welcome to the Jungle baby! We are back, to close out the year of 2014 by focusing on two films with similar themes and VERY similar antagonists. We start off by looking at 1986's Link, from Australian director Richard Franklin and starring a young Elisabeth Shue and Terence Stamp.  Our second film is 1988's Monkey Shines by the one and only George Romero, featuring perfomances by Jason Beghe and John Pankow.  Both of these films rely strongly on performances by simian actors.  Not since Lancelot Link have we seen apes and monkeys who can really bring characters to life with such pathos and, in some instances, genuine menace. These are both great little films ( no matter what you might've heard ) and we recommend them strongly.  Please let us know what you think of the films and of the show by writing to us at flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com or leave us a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 56 - Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

The topic of transformation is central to the movies in this episode of the podcast. We look at two of our favorites from our youth, starting with 1973's Sssssss, starring the one and only Strother Martin, and Dirk Benedict. This tells the story of a total stoner, who is working with snakes. Working a little TOO closely with them as a matter of fact.  We meet a king cobra that would rather we just walk away, and we have our vision obscured by terrible tempra-paint foliage. It is a fantastic little film, with a really top-notch cast and darkness aplenty.  We follow that up with 1982's The Beast Within.  This was a landmark film from our youth, so we view it squarely through rose-tinted glasses.  Starring Ronny Cox, Bibi Besch, and Paul Clemens, it is a tale of a small town in Mississippi where one family makes all the rules and ends up paying the price for their hubris. It has a cast of amazing character-actors and is MOSTLY excellent, though undeniably cheesy. Please let us know what you thought of the show by writing to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com, or by leaving a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 55 - Miss Jackson if you're Naschy

Episode 55 is totally focused on the Spanish film legend Paul Naschy. We chose three of his films, 1972's The Werewolf Vs The Vampire Woman,  1973's The Mummy's Revenge, and 1976's Inquisition to get a sampling of his work in genre films.  After talking at some length about those three, we turn our attention to a magnificent documentary about Mr. Naschy, 2010's The Man Who Saw Frankenstein Cry.  This is really an impressive look at the man and his lengthy career and accomplishments.  Hosted by Mick Garris it is filled with fans, friends and family who all lovingly tell  stories about a man who clearly loved genre films, and who succeeded in a difficult career and has left behind an extensive and beloved body of work. Please let us know what you think of Mr. Naschy and his films, and let us know if there are any other legendary individuals out there that we are missing out on. Send emails to flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com. You can also leave a message on the Facebook page.

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Episode 54 - Evel Cavenievel

Welcome back to the cave everyone for episode 54. Now, right up front I have to confess that we have both, at one time or another, been described as the personification of evil, but unfortunately never the personification of Evel. That title belongs to one man, and one man alone...the one...the only...Evel Knievel! This man, this legend was a hero to us both in our formative years and we can only imagine that, if you grew up in the seventies, he is significant to you as well. If not, prepare to be immersed in the glory that is Evel! First up we discuss 1971’s Evel Knievel, a biopic starring the golden-skinned George Hamilton. We can’t be sure how accurate the portrayal of Knievel’s life is in this flick, but it sure is fun to watch. See his meteoric rise from small town juvenile delinquent to daredevil superstar, all in ninety minutes! Following that, we talk about 1977’s Viva Knievel, starring the man himself! This movie has everything, insane stunts, philanthropy, Lauren Hutton, Leslie Nielsen and some of the most dangerous fashions you will ever witness. The collars alone are worth the price of admission. So, strap into your rocket bike, put on your red, white and blue helmet and hold on, this podcast is about to get EVEL!

Let us know what you thought by sending email to flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com or by posting a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 53 - She Is A Belle

Hey friends! Do you like scantily clad women? How about freakish body modification? Maybe your thing is half-human/half-animal suburban beasties or even lycanthropic allegories referring  to the menstrual cycle. If any of this sounds like your cup of tea, then we have the show for you! Step right up and try some Flickers From the Cave. Episode 53 starts off with 2000's Ginger Snaps, a cool twisty tale of teenage werewolves that would make Michael Landon soil his little house! Starring Katharine Isabelle, this is a bloody good thrill ride with tons of juicy practical effects. Next up is 2012's American Mary, also starring Ms. Isabelle. This one is directed by the up and coming Soska sisters and, although considerably less fun than our first feature, it will have you squirming in your seat. Sit back, strap in and hold on!
Let us know what you thought of the show by writing to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by leaving a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 52 - Van Damme It!

Welcome one and all to episode 52 of Flickers From The Cave. This show has everything you could ever want, action, violence, comedy and even Dennis Rodman! We have jumped into the wayback machine and found ourselves in a time when Jean-Claude Van Damme ruled the world of cinema, the late 90s! First up, we look at 1998's “Knock Off” starring JCVD and Deuce Bigalow himself, Rob Schneider. Directed by Hong Kong legend Tsui Hark this thing has the energy of an ADD sufferer mainlining Red Bull and a plot that is utterly impossible to follow. But, no matter, the manic pace and insane action make up for any lack of cohesion in terms of plot. Next up is 1997's “Double Team”, another Tsui Hark joint but this time co-starring master thespian Rodman! The only “actor” with the ability to make JCVD's enunciation seem flawless. With a much tighter narrative and some really interesting ideas, “Double Team” is by all measurable standards the superior film, but both are totally entertaining action blasts. Pop some corn and a beer or twelve and get ready to say WTF! Let us know what you thought of the show by sending mail to flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com or by posting a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 51 - Flickers from Boggy Cave

Sasquatch. Skunk Ape. Bipedal Hominid. Although known by many names, we are of course, talking about the one, the only, Bigfoot. Episode 51 finds us deep in the dark forest of our childhood subconscious. Having grown up in the seventies during what was a sort of Bigfoot renaissance, we both took in films, magazines and television containing any reference to this legendary creature. During this period of heightened interest, film makers eagerly cranked out numerous low budget flicks to capitalize on the big, hairy, zeitgeist of the day. First up, we discuss the seminal "Legend of Boggy Creek", a movie that moved Marty in a very particular way as a kid. Next we have "Creature From Black Lake". Even though it is a low budget effort, the cast is stacked with great character actors including Jack Elam and Dub Taylor. Well-directed and better than it has any right to be, it is a solid slice of seventies drive in fun. Then we dig into 1977's "Sasquatch-The Legend of Bigfoot", a flick that really wants to be an effective pseudo documentary like Boggy Creek, but it just can't muster the same visceral energy of the earlier film. Lastly, we take a look at Bob(cat) Goldthwaite's awesome "Willow Creek" from 2013. Part faux documentary and part found footage film, this thing delivers on all fronts. Fantastic performances, great direction and writing from Bobcat and a slam bang finale, this movie will not disappoint!  Please let us know what you thought of the show ( and if you believe in Bigfoots )  by sending email to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by posting a message on the Facebook page.

Episode 50 - The Cave That Time Forgot

You know, any way you look at it, fifty is a landmark number. Whether it's your 50th birthday or your 50th tequila shot, if you've made it this far, why stop now?! Well, in spite of many obstacles, we have finally made it to our 50th episode, and since fifty is a goal that we have strived for, we felt that it was only appropriate that we do a couple of movies that were of some significance to us. First up is the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs tale "The Land That Time Forgot" starring the great Doug McClure. This is a movie that was very formative to both of us as kids and we were delighted to see how well it held up. We follow this up with the direct sequel "The People That Time Forgot", also based on the writings of Mr. Burroughs and starring the son of The Duke himself, Patrick "Sinbad" Wayne. Although still enjoyable if for no other reason than nostalgia, it is by far the lesser of the two flicks. Crawl into the cave, pull up a rock and join us as we explore a couple of movies that molded us into the warped individuals we are today. Let us know what you thought of the show by writing to us at flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com, or you can just throw a message up on our Facebook page.

Episode 49 - Unkempt Kave Kooch

Welcome brave warriors, it's time to draw your broadswords and strap on your Birkenstocks as episode 49 of FFTC strides majestically on to the savage wasteland known as the internet! In this edition we delve into the corpulent genre of the Sword and Sandal epic. With dozens, nay, hundreds of films of this ilk available to us, we settled on 1983's Conquest by the ever nap-inducing Lucio Fulci. Lucio made some astounding films in his prolific career and this is most definitely not one of them. A ponderous romp through the smoke strewn corners of his back yard, this film includes dismal dialogue, a meandering storyline and, through some sort of witchery, he even managed to make copious nudity bland and uninteresting. Our second feature however, 1982's Sorceress directed by the mighty Jack Hill and produced by low budget wizard Roger "Gandalf" Corman is an ambitious low budget effort. This film too features ample T&A and side-splitting fight choreography but it does actually have a story to tell and is as plucky as it's two twin blonde leads! Lots of nice and cheesy old school FX from John Carl Buechler top off a fine party night camp fest. Huzzah!
Let us know what you thought by writing to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or leave us a message on the Facebook page.

Episode 48 - Good Cars and UFOs

On this episode we turn to one of the most iron-clad character actors out there, Mr. Harry Dean Stanton!  After Daniel posted an amazing Youtube video of HDS relating his personal philosophy, we decided to dig through his lengthy career and find some obscure jewels to bring to everyone's attention. We start off with 1979's Wise Blood, directed by Jhon Huston ( deliberately misspelled ) and based on a novel by Flannery O'Connor. This is an incredible film with a strong lead performance by Brad Dourif. It tells the story or Hazel Motes who is dealing with an ongoing crisis of faith and his attempts to spread his message in a quirky southern city. This one sticks with you after it finishes and offers much fuel for conversation.  We follow that up with 1985's UFOria which stars Fred Ward and TV's Shirley, Cindy Williams.  Harry Dean Stanton plays Brother Bud, a huckster faith-healer who is lining his pockets while promising salvation to his flock.  Set in the American west, in an equally quirky town, this is a sweet, good-natured love story with earnest characters and it will certainly leave you smiling. Please let us know what you thought of these movies and of the podcast by sending email to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by leaving us a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 47 - Pink Socks Messiah

Welcome everyone to episode 47 of the Flickers From the Cave podcast. I hope you’re ready to polish up your third eye, because this time we’re featuring a couple of films that deal with elements of a mind bending nature. First up, we have 1982’s The Sender, a solid little thriller from Roger Christian, the man who would later unleash the dreaded Battlefield Earth on our unsuspecting planet. The Sender features some familiar faces in a very straight forward examination of the downside of possessing telekinetic powers. Speaking of possessing, our next feature is 1981’s uber-surreal Possession, starring Sam Neill and Isabelle Adjani. This is truly a horse of a different color, if it is in fact a horse at all! Filled with big ideas, manic energy and nearly crazed performances, it features a cast of truly bizarre characters. Possession is a film guaranteed to leave you thinking and hopefully talking. If so, talk to us! You can reach us at flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com and you can find us on Facebook.

Episode 46 - The Reich Stuff

Well folks, here we are at episode 46 of Flickers and we're knee deep in the brown stuff. Yep, you got it, shit. Oh and nazis too! We have two landmark, or maybe skid mark, examples of filmaking to throw at you this time. First up, 1968's They Saved Hitler's Brain, a hodge podge patch job of a movie that we thought was maybe the worst thing we had ever seen, however, we stand corrected. Our second feature out-craps any thing you ever seen! 1978's Son Of Hitler couldn't be shittier if the film stock was made of Ex-Lax. With the casting of Peter Cushing and Bud Cort you'd think there would have to be some redeeming quality, right? WRONG! This thing will leave a shit-streak on your soul! Get the Charmin and join us deep inside the cinematic crapper, if you dare!Let us know what you thought of the show by writing to us at flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by posting a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 45 - 12 Years a Cave

Welcome all, to episode 45 of Flickers! This may well be the most politically charged episode we've ever done as we delve into the subject of racial tension in the south during the sixties and seventies. First up, we check out 1962's The Intruder, a superior effort from the legend himself, Roger Corman. This first-rate potboiler stars none other than William Shatner, in what may be his greatest film performance. With a cast rounded out by excellent character actors and some surprisingly solid local talent, this one will make you think and may just make your blood boil! Then there is 1974's Klansman, with Lee Marvin and Richard Burton. With it's own ensemble of familiar faces and solid performances, Klansman's director Terence Young chose to go with a decidedly more exploitation-style presentation of similar material. As seedy and distasteful as it is in parts, it is overall a hell of a romp in the best grindhouse tradition. You may never again get to see O.J. Simpson as a rage driven avenging angel and Big Dick Burton kung-fu fighting in the same sizzling one hundred minutes of celluloid! Gird your loins and come along with us for a trip down a nightmarish version of memory lane.  Let us know what you thought of the movies and the podcast by writing to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by posting a message on the Facebook page.

Episode 44 - Who Goes There

Hey friend can you spare some head, er, heads? Well anyway, on episode 44 of Flickers we're talking about parasites. No, this one isn't about congress, these parasites come from outer space! Pull up a chair and sit right down and dig into 1987's “The Hidden”, directed by Jack Sholder and starring Agent Cooper himself, Mr. Kyle MacLachlan. A top notch sci-fi action thriller, it will rock your world. And then there is 1991's “The Borrower” directed by John McNaughton of “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” fame. There is no evidence on view what so ever of the promise of great things to come, that was Henry, with this limp effort. .Although a brief synopsis of the plots of these two films might read as virtual twins, they are worlds apart in quality. Join us for the in depth discussion and many low brow jokes you have come to expect from FFTC!
Let us know what you thought of the show by sending email to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by posting a message on our Facebook page. 

Episode 43 - Like Bunches of Bananas

This time we decided to lighten the tone a bit and focus on two films that depict the END OF CIVILIZATION ON PLANET EARTH!  The post-apocalyptic genre is one of our favorites, and it has produced some standout examples, including Omega Man, Planet of the Apes, Road Warrior and countless others.  We start off by looking at 1977's Damnation Alley, loosely based on a novella by the great Roger Zelazny, which has a band of survivors making a desperate trek across the ruined center of a post-world-war-three America.  They make the trip inside the actual star of the film, the Landmaster, a true engineering marvel and something which still impresses today, decades after it's creation.  Starring George Peppard and Jan-Michael Vincent, with a top-notch supporting cast, this film delivers the goods, along with giant scorpions and killer cockroaches!  Next we travel to Italy, for the 1983 epic from Sergio Martino 2019: After the Fall of New York. In this lazy remake of the incredible Escape from New York,  we have a ruined America, split into two factions, the Euraks and the Federation.  The radioactive fallout from a global nuclear war has rendered every female infertile. The federation's "Genetic Robot" determines there's a lone fertile woman in the ruins of New York, bastion of the Euraks,  so they send in the hero Parsifal and two sidekicks to retrieve her for a rocket ride to Alpha Centauri to continue the human race...this movie is bad, really bad. Is it so bad that you should avoid it, or is it so bad that you should watch it instantly...?  Tune in and hear what we thought of both of these beauties.

Let us know what you thought of the show by sending email to flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com.  You can also leave us a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 42 - And Through the Woods

This episode, Mike and Marty took the podcast out into the woods, for a fun camping trip and then things started to go horribly wrong.  We look at two films which follow in the footsteps of many previous films but perhaps most obviously, John Boorman's 1972 classic Deliverance.  The first we look at is Rituals from 1977.  Starring Hal Holbrook and a small group of very talented actors, and featuring a really top notch script, this was a truly delightful surprise.  It is a grueling experience as the viewer follows a group of doctors who are on an expedition to "The Cauldron" and run into something in the woods that clearly wants them to leave.  We follow that up with 1981's Just Before Dawn, directed by Jeff Lieberman who gave us the only "killer earthworm" film we've ever seen, Squirm.  Chris Lemmon and Gregg Henry are the leaders of a group of young people who intend to explore a remote forest area, despite the ominous warnings of both the creepy locals and the resident park ranger, played by the wonderful George Kennedy. There is much disco-dancing and crazy disregard for the dangers that surround the foolhardy campers, as well as the requisite drunken-coot and inbred hill-family, but still the movie falls totally flat.  Listen in to the conversation and see if you want to give either of these a shot, maybe you could watch them on your next camping trip.
Let us know what you thought of the show by sending emails to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by posting a message to our Facebook page.

Episode 41 - Soft as an Easy Chair

The cave has filled with thoughts of love this episode.  We look at two movies where love is in the title AND makes up the core element of the plots. First up is 1969's The Psycho Lover, written and directed by Robert Vincent O'Neill who would later write Vice Squad ( which we covered in episode 22 ).  It is the story of a psychiatrist, who is helping the police with a series of brutal rape/murders, and how he comes up with a nefarious scheme to get himself out of an unhappy marriage.  Really good dialogue and some far-out technology elevate this one above many others of it's ilk.  We follow that up with 1973's Love Me Deadly which stars the one and only Lyle Waggoner.  If you're a fan of this podcast, when you hear the word necrophilia, you might think of Nekromantik, but THIS little beauty covered the same territory 15 years earlier!  A very strange mishmash of Harlequin Romance and Satanic Cultism, this is neither fish nor fowl.  Is it worth your 90 minutes though? Listen in and see if you feel like giving it a shot. Please write to us and let us know what you thought of the show and send along your own suggestions for strange little films that you think more people should see.  You can reach us at flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by leaving a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 40 - Domo Deodato

Well well well, we have finally reached a personal landmark for Flickers From the Cave, our 40^th episode! We appreciate those of you who have hung with us through this journey and welcome all newcomers. As any regular listeners will be aware, we have a serious soft spot for Italian genre cinema, so it seems only fitting that we celebrate this auspicious occasion with a double hit from director extraordinaire Ruggero Deodato. The man who had the cinematic temerity to unleash Cannibal Holocaust on an unsuspecting public has a long list of accomplishments under his belt and the films on this episode are two of his best. First up is 1980's House On The Edge Of The Park, a vicious home invasion film and, secondly, 1985's Cut And Run, a rollicking action adventure opus with generous dollops of patented Deodato flavor to make it a flick to be reckoned with. We hope you guys enjoy this episode and please feel free to contact us at flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com, leave a message on our Facebook page or write a review on Itunes. Thanks again for coming along with us on this ride and stay tuned for more!

Episode 39 - Best Served Cold

The Rape-Revenge genre is one of the most used of all the various themes in exploitation films.  We chose two from the early 80s to look at for this episode. Starting off with 1981's Ms. 45, directed by Abel Ferrara, which tells the tale of Thana, a young mute woman in New York City, working as a seamstress who suffers two brutal sexual assaults on the same day.  She then sets out to take revenge on multiple random men she encounters over the next week or two. It is a gritty and grimy story, as is common for Ferrara's films, with solid performances and a morally challenging storyline.  We follow that up with 1984's Savage Streets, which stars the sensational Linda Blair as Brenda, leader of a group of teenage "ne'er do wells".  After a run-in with the "Scars", a gang of tough guys led by a very impressive Robert Dryer as Jake,  the Scars decide to seek payback with a truly horrific rape of Brenda's younger, deaf-mute, sister played by screamqueen  Linnea Quiqley. It then falls on Brenda to get revenge for that attack, which she does to a sensational, 80's rock score.  We chose these two films without realizing that both featured victims who were mute. Despite this and many other similarities, they could not be more disparate. Please let us know what you thought of the show by writing to us at flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or by posting a message on our Facebook page.