Episode 65 - Flickers from the Backroads

Yeehaw! We are heading back into the woods this time, for some demon-whiskey and fast driving.  We focus on two movies from the 70's that have moonshine-making at their core. The first is 1976's Dixie Dynamite, with a great cast including Christopher George, R.G. Armstrong and show-favorite Warren Oates.  The titular "Dixie" is played by the stunning Jane Anne Johnstone in her only known role.  She and her sister patsy wear fabulous outfits and blow up the bad guys in this entertaining revenge story. Highly recommended and available for free if you know where to look. We follow this up with 1975's Moonrunners.  Written and directed by Gy Waldron, who would later adapt the story and characters into the immensely popular TV series, The Dukes of Hazzard.  Taking a more serious approach to very similar material, Moonrunners is a compelling and surprisingly thoughtful movie, especially when you consider the television program it would later spawn. We thought this one was streaming as well, but can't find it now. Sorry for the misinformation.  We recommend both of these and think you could do a lot worse on a lazy summer afternoon than to sit, with a jar of moonshine and go to a distant place and time, where car tires squeal on dirt roads and the girls all wear gingham.  Let us know what you thought of the show by sending email to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or leave us a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 64 - Fulci's Follies

We couldn't keep ourselves away from legendary Italian director Lucio Fulci. A favorite of ours ( for some reason ), the man has made some very influential films throughout his career. We talk about two of them on this show. Both films are part of his "Gates to Hell" trilogy, which started with 1980's City of the Living Dead ( also known as "The Gates of Hell" ).  We start the show with what many believe to be his masterpiece, 1981's The Beyond.  Telling the tale of a mysterious hotel in swampy Louisiana, it boggles the mind. A mix of brilliance and a parade of WTF moments, we found ourselves asking "WHY?" again and again. We follow that up with the final chapter in the trilogy, also from 1981, The House By The Cemetery.  It also features a mysterious building, with something sinister going on in the basement.  Claiming to be inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, there are few of his trademark elements in the movie. It is not quite as full of the WTF moments, but it is also more mundane than The Beyond.  We hash it out and spend some time at the end of the show talking about what we are going to cover next. Please send us your thoughts and suggestions via email to flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or leave us a message on our Facebook page.

Episode 63 - When You Wish Upon Z'Dar

Welcome back to the cave everyone for episode 63! This one is a bit of a sad occasion unfortunately, as we are remembering the late Robert Z'Dar. You may not know the name but you'll never forget the face. First up we look at 1987s The Night Stalker. A totally boiler plate tale of a crazed killer murdering prostitutes, it features Charles Napier playing the most unlikable screen detective icon since Mitchell. Next we look at William Lustig's Maniac Cop. Written by Larry Cohen and jam-packed with genre stalwarts,  this 1988 flick does everything right. Making the most of a low bedget and sporting style to spare, Maniac Cop will not disappoint. Rest in peace Mr. Z'Dar,  you may be gone but you will not be forgotten.

Episode 62 - Rich, Chocolatey, Evil-Teens

SEE! outcast, misunderstood and bullied teens summon the power of pure EVIL to reap sweet revenge on their tormentors.
SEE! the unbelievable range of expressions Clint Howard can achieve with his incredibly elastic face.
SEE! way more teenage boys in the shower than you ever wanted to ( I guess that last one is up to personal preference, to each their own).
Welcome back to Flickers everyone. In this edition we dig into a couple of tasty low budget nuggets from 1981. First up, we discuss Fear No Evil. Truly an ambitious effort, which results in a reach-exceeding-grasp situation. We still found ourselves rooting for this thing like the little engine that could. Director Frank LaLoggia manages to create some truly arresting visuals despite a plot that wanders more than a tribe of hunter-gatherers. Coming in next, we delve into Evilspeak, a flick that is a textbook example of how to take a tiny budget and stretch it into something that, while not perfect, is totally satisfying. With a star turn by Clint Howard and a cast packed with "hey, it's that guy!' character actors, not to mention a healthy dose of juicy, practical, gore effects, you will not be disappointed.  As ever, please post comments on our Facebook page or email us at flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com.

Episode 61 - Flickers and the Cave Man

Are you getting too old for this shit? Is your fishing boat sitting in your driveway just waiting for you to finally retire from the force? Are you paired up with some loose cannon oddball hotshot young punk who takes too many unnecessary risks? Friend, have I got the solution for you! Plug in the wireless device of your choice and give a listen to episode 61 of the Flickers From the Cave podcast! In this edition we take a look at two prime examples of the buddy cop movie, well, sort of. Our first offering is 1991's Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, starring Don Johnson in fine form and Mickey Rourke apparently trying to remember how to act. Although not really a buddy cop flick, our heroes are low level criminals fighting big corporate corruption, it manages to feature pretty much every cliche associated with buddy cop movies. Moving on, we take a look at Tango & Cash from 1989, starring power house duo Sly Stallone and Kurt Russell. With a cast rounded out with an impressive array of character actors, from Clint Howard and Michael J. Pollard to Brion James and Robert Z'dar, this movie had everything it needed to be the definitive buddy cop movie. Everything that is except a script that made any sense what so ever! Faults be damned, these are both way more entertaining than they have any right to be, considering how utterly devoid of common sense they are. If you want to watch a really good buddy cop picture, go get Lethal Weapon or 48 Hrs. If you want to see characters named after cigarettes and an epic super truck versus monster truck battle, turn off your brain and settle in with these two. As ever, please post comments on our Facebook page or email us at flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com.

Episode 60 - Kinji: Off the Leash

Welcome one and all, back to the cave for episode sixty! We have a really interesting examination of some of the films of acclaimed Japanese auteur Kinji Fukasaku. Beginning in the early sixties Fukasaku embarked on a career that would go on to span four decades and see him try his hand in nearly every genre. First up for us is 1968's The Green Slime. This is a gloriously action packed chunk of cinematic cheese, and I mean that in the best possible way. Lantern-jawed heroes, smoking hot ladies in shiny mini-dresses, awesome miniature work and a theme song for the ages, this has something for everyone. Then we move on to 1978's Message From Space. Clearly an effort to capitalize on the success of Star Wars, Fukasaku and his crew threw elements from everything that was hot in the late seventies into the slow-cooker and came up with pretty much a hot mess! Not without some charms, and absolutely worth a look, this disco, Star Wars, Dukes of Hazzard smash up will either delight or confound you. Lastly, we look at 2000's Battle Royale. I think it's safe to say that if Mr. Fukasaku ever created something that could truly be called a masterpeice, this is it. The progenitor of what has pretty much become a genre unto itself, the "teens fighting for survival in a post apocalyptic world" genre that has seen films like Maze Runner, Hunger Games and many others, Fukasaku's take on this concept still seems sharper and fresher than all of the copycats that have followed it's wake. Strap on your ear buds and hunker down with us for some in-depth discussion of a film maker that should be on any film-fans radar. As ever, please post comments on our Facebook page or email us at flickersfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com.

Episode 59 - Pyun-tang

Welcome one and all to episode 59 of Flickers. On this episode we are looking at three films from prolific genre director Albert Pyun. Right out of the gate we dig into Pyun's debut effort, The Sword and The Sorcerer. An insanely ambitious project to start your career with/ It is done with such youthful exuberance and ingenuity it became an almost instant cult classic. Next up, we look at one of his collaborations with JCVD, 1989s Cyborg. A straightforward post-apocalyptic pot-boiler, it delivers enough foot-face-way action to keep you interested. Finally we check out Pyun's much maligned Captain America from 1990. Filled with cheese in the best possible way, it harkens back to the classic serials of the 30s and 40s much as Raiders of the Lost Ark did. Don't believe what you read on IMDB, check it out for yourself and you'll be happy you did. As ever contact us on Facebook or at flickerfrom@gmail.com or flickersfrom@yahoo.com and thanks for coming back to the cave!

Episode 58 - The Spy Who Spoofed Me

Welcome back to the cave everyone! On this episode we slink into the world of spies and super villains. First up, we look at 1966's Kiss The Girls and Make Them Die starring Mannix himself, Mike “Touch” Connors. Featuring some amazingly bizarre 60's fashions and a solid supporting cast, including Terry-Thomas, this is a solid Bond rip off with something for everyone! Then we move on to 1968's Danger: Diabolik directed by Italian maestro Mario Bava and starring stalwart ex-patriot John Phillip Law! With spectacular production values and slam bang action, this is a sure fire crowd pleaser! If not, you need to find a new crowd. Sit back, plug in and get ready for some sixties era espionage action. Remember, leave us a review on Itunes, and thanks again for coming back to the cave. Send us email at flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com or just post a message on Facebook.

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.