Caliber 9 From Outer Space

As we bemoan the state of the world today and endure the anxiety of this cryptofascist, post-truth reality, we risk losing sight of the real danger to us all: savage fish men! Today we go right back where it all started, Universal's seminal entry in this monster subgenre, Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), directed by Jack Arnold. We then skip lightly over its first sequel and focus on its under-rated third entry, The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).

Fair warning: we go into the plots of both films in some detail, including the endings, but these films are over 70 years old and the storylines don't have much in the way of twists in any case, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them.

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Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"Walk Into The Sea" by Johnny Marr

In the future... it pays to be more than human. And it also pays quite well to be more than machine. What can I tell you, the future is highly discriminatory. In this bonus episode, Ted joins Rob and Joe to make a bit of a mess of explaining the plot of Nemesis (1992), directed by Albert Pyun. Cyborgs, bullets, bottoms, and dusters with shades - it's the quintessence of dystopian trashy sci-fi action.

Given how challenged we were by the impenetrable plot, which is of secondary importance at best, anyway, we simply don't bother with Spoiler Territory this week. Meaning, we do talk about the whole plot, but honestly it doesn't really matter.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on [email protected]

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"Killer" by CHVRCHES

We're going back to the 1960's, this time to Swinging London and the Carnaby Street scene. It's not so much groovy, man, as smashing, luv! Justin Kerswell joins us to discuss a couple of near forgotten emanations of this peculiarly British reaction to the spirit of the age. We start off with Smashing Time (1967), directed by Desmond Davis and follow that up with Haunted House of Horror (1969), directed by Michael Armstrong.

We don't think you can really spoil Smashing Time, whose plot is somewhat surplus to requirements, but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Haunted House of Horror. If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 2:17:53 mark to avoid spoilers.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on [email protected]

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"Smash It Up" by The Damned

We're chock full of punk energy this week! RP Fox joins us as we check out Hard Core Logo (1996) directed by Bruce McDonald, and Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979) directed by Allan Arkush. A tragicomic road trip across western Canada with thrashing guitars, personal demons, toxic masculinity and lots of gobbing, followed by an absurdist slice of Greaseploitation from the house of Corman, but with added Ramones - which doesn't make much sense but is of course a wonderful thing regardless.

It's not really possible to spoil Rock 'n' Roll High School, but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Hard Core Logo. If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 1:34:07 mark to avoid spoilers.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on [email protected]

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"I Just Want to Have Something to Do" by The Ramones

We take a sharp U-turn into Utah for a very unique cult double feature this week. Jose and Mike from the Watch Skip + podcast drop in to check out Beaver Trilogy (2001), directed by Trent Harris and infamous "bad movie", Troll 2 (1990), directed by Claudio Fragasso. From a moving work of post-modern film art to a bizarre exercise in weird acting and incomprehensible plot, we have plenty to talk about this week. And we do! Because it's a podcast.

We don't think you can really spoil Troll 2 (surely any light we can shed on the plot is as welcome before or after you watch it), but we will call out Spoiler Territory for Beaver Trilogy - or at least, we will give away details revealed in the documentary about the film, Beaver Trilogy: Part IV (2015). If you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 1:31:12 mark to avoid learning things about the film's subject Groovin' Gary that you might prefer to learn after seeing the film.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on [email protected]

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp