Screaming Queenz

Ep 74 - Mandy Review

Jonathans Butler and Larkin had the pleasure of seeing the cult-classic-in-the-making, Mandy. Starring Nicolas Cage, this insane fever dream of a film concerns hippy cults, murder, a lot of vodka, oh and a demonic biker gang! But does it live up to the hype? And just what IS a Cheddar Goblin? Find out in our review. There are spoilers along the way, but if you want to find out if it's any good or not, just listen to the first 10 minutes and we'll let you know without giving too much away!

Ep 73 - Paranormal Activity 3

In the first of our look at our favourite sequels, we're taking on Paranormal Activity 3. Considered by fans to be the strongest of the series, PA3 is often lumped in with the 'fad' of found footage horror. But giving the series a strong mythology and offering up likeable characters and actual story development, I consider it to be solid, scary horror. And if you have seen Hereditary you might recognise many elements of PA3 - only the found footage trope means the film works harder to deliver its story and is less reliant on exposition dumps. We talk through the reality of found footage horror in today's smartphone-obsessed cinemas and wonder - would it work now? And should it really have been written off as a fad?

Spoilers ahoy - let us know what you think of this ep by tweeting me @jonnylarkin.

Ep 72 - Jeepers Creepers, Part 2

In Part 2 of our look at Victor Salva and the Jeepers Creepers films, we take on the infamous homoerotic sequel Jeepers Creepers 2. Low on characterization but high on male flesh, the school bus horror has become something of a cult, the perfect no-brainer "it's on TV so I'll watch it" fright flick. Beyond the film, we delve deeper into the darkness of Salva's past, looking at his conviction, his victim, and his ongoing film career despite the crimes he was found guilty of. Who does the blame lie with beyond Salva? Those who continue to fund his films and further his career? And where do you stand on the debate of whether or not we should still watch and enjoy his films?

Sit back and listen to our discussion with an open mind - as per usual our gallows humour is present, and there are spoilers galore for Jeepers Creepers 2...

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Ep 71 - Jeepers Creepers, Part 1

Or, How Do You Salva Problem Like Victor?

Screaming Queenz takes a look at 2001 horror Jeepers Creepers - a classic stalk-n-slash road movie that spins out of control into a creature feature. On the surface it's all good creepy fun, but scratch the surface of the Jeepers Creepers movies and the horror beneath is very real. Director and writer Victor Salva's past is a disturbing one - and the debate is continuously thrown about on social media to this day. Can you, and should you, separate the art from the artist? In Part 1 we look at the first Jeepers Creepers movie and touch on Victor Salva's conviction. 

It's heavy - but expect our usual gallows humour and spoilers aplenty for the film!

Episode 70 - The Voices

In a change of pace for Screaming Queenz, Stephen Moore chooses Ryan Reynolds' quirky 2014 movie 'The Voices'. This surreal black comedy sees Reynolds spiral into murder and mayhem as he tries to find a girlfriend... with grisly results. Oh and he's accompanied by a talking cat and dog... No, really! I've dubbed it Dahmer Dolittle, and whilst I'm not sure it's a horror film Stephen reckons I'm wrong - do you?? Listen and tell us - don't forget we love your feedback so tweet me at @jonnylarkin, Stephen at @hste99 and Jon Butler at @cthulu502

Screaming Queenz are now joining forces with @britpodscene - an online collective of independent entertainment podcasts. Give them a listen!

Episode 69 - Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals

For our 69^th episode we had to do something dirty. And they don’t come much grubbier than Joe D’Amato and his sex and cannibalism outings. ‘Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals’ would give the woke generation an aneurysm with its mix of misogyny, non-PC depictions of the mentally ill and downright shocking amounts of pubic hair – so obviously the Screaming Queenz had a field day! We also somehow managed to reference bestiality and Nicola Roberts in the same breath, whilst exploring whether the film is actually a forward-thinking indictment of the world's press. This episode is not for the eagerly offended. It also comes with snippets of the quite frankly INCREDIBLE dialogue and the euro-sleaze-tastic soundtrack!

Check your moral compass at the door and enjoy!

Episode 68 - The Thing (Or Miss Thing)

Jonathan Butler hosts an episode looking at his favourite horror movie 'The Thing'. John Carpenter's classic 80s sci fi horror stars Kurt Russell and an all-male cast as they take on a shape-shifting monstrosity in the wilds of Antarctica. But can the rest of the Screaming Queenz find anything queer about this film? Well, seeing as 5 gallons of KY jelly were used in the making of the film, not to mention a tenuous link to Madonna and an ending that could signal a Brokeback Mountain style romance, consider our straws well and truly clutched at. Aside from that this incredible bleak horror deserves all the love and we give it some, with Ennio Morricone's amazing soundtrack throbbing just beneath the surface.

Screaming Queenz have now joined up, Thing-style, with Brit Pod Scene, a fabulous online network of independent British podcasts. Be sure to check them out via Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/britpodscene

Ep 67 - Malabimba The Malicious Whore

Brace yourselves for the utter filth of Euro-sleaze demonic possession classic, 'Malabimba, The Malicious Whore'. Imagine The Exorcist meets Emanuelle and you're half way to grasping the dirty delights of this cult movie, where a teenage girl is possessed by a nymphomaniac spirit and proceeds to wreak sexual havoc amongst her repressed aristocratic family. Incest, fisting and some very inappropriate behaviour with a garden gnome ensues - and that's before poor Grandma gets an eyeful of bush. No, really. Hear our take on this trash masturpiece but beware - this episode really isn't for the easily offended or anyone without a sense of humour!

Episode 66 - Hereditary Review

Hereditary has wowed the critics but divided cinema audiences. Toni Colette shines in this bleak but beautiful look at a grieving family torn apart by the skeletons in its closet - or should that be attic? But is it any good? Is Hereditary the latest outing for 'intelligent horror' or simply just The Exorcist's New Clothes? And why on earth did Stephen and I think of RuPaul's Drag Race throughout the movie's 2 hour running time? Find out in our spoilerific review episode.

Episode 65 - Carrie

Tampons and corsages at the ready! We're taking Carrie to the prom! Our latest foray in Stephen King territory is his first - and arguably best - film adaptation, 1976's Carrie. This bona fide horror classic has gone down in history as one of THE fright flicks, but beyond that it's a powerful moving story about bullying. Why does Carrie speak particularly to a queer audience? Which other classic movie did Sissy Spacek almost end up in at the same time and just how does a gym teacher have such flawless hair and makeup? These and other vital questions answered in our latest podcast looking at horror with a queer eye.

Spoilers ahoy... and blood. LOTS. OF BLOOD.