The Pod and the Pendulum

THE COLLECTOR

This week we make our first foray into the 2000s genre of "Torture Porn" with our look back at 2009's The Collector. Starting as a potential SAW prequel, this one combines the heist genre with Rube Goldberg inspired traps and torture devices for a bloody good time. We look at the film's conflicted anti-hero and silent but deadly villain, explore the history of the torture porn subgenre and look at where horror was when this made its debut. Plus, we ask what differentiates torture porn from its forbearer, the slasher movie? 

THE PURGE Television Series PLUS Series Rankings

This week we have TWO shows wrapped up in one. First, Mike and Rachel break down the two seasons of The Purge TV show, which ran on the USA Network in 2018 and 2019. The series offers a fascinating deeper view into Purge events, especially the standout second season which mostly shows the build up in between Purges, and serves as a great lead in for Election Year. After that, Mike, Nichole and Ari deliver the crews series rankings. Which entry will come out on top, and which ones will be left sputtering and purged? 

THE FOREVER PURGE

This week Mike and Devaughn wrap up their coverage of The Purge movies with the entry that asks, "What happens when purgers decide one night of murder is no longer enough?" We explore the socio-political themes that permeate the movie, as well as the very real world policies this one takes square aim at. Fear not, we're not here to lecture as we talk about the continued action / horror dynamics and exploitation roots of the last, for now, Purge films. 

SCREAM 6

This week we’ve assembled our own “core four” to breakdown Scream 6, the latest entry in the long running slasher series / meta-commentary on horror movies themselves. Mike is joined by co-hosting regulars Jessica Scott (We Who Walk Here) & Stephen Foxworthy (Disenfranchised pod). We also welcome on to the show Reyna Cervantes (lead gaming critic Bloody Disgusting). Reyna has the enviable task of tackling this trio of Ghostface killers as she’s the only one of the group high on this year’s entry. We take a wide look at this one (and Mike STILL feels he left stuff out) such as whether the New York setting influences the larger, faster, & ultimately gorier brutal set pieces the directing duo of Radio Silence helmed. We discuss Neve Campbell’s absence as Sidney Prescott & whether its time to let the legacy characters go once and for all. Mike talks about the importance of getting mental health right, because of course he does. Plus, we talk about the way this one teases at big reveals, and game changing action but ultimately plays it safe in the name of fan service. All this and more for this week’s show.

THE FIRST PURGE

After a week off we're back, and we're going back in time to see how our latest series started. Mike, Nichole, Rachel and Devaughn are joined by Mike Scott from the Action for Everyone podcast to talk THE FIRST PURGE. In a series that has tiptoed around its politics, this 2018 entry makes the subtext the text and lays out what we've known all along: The Purge was steeped in racism from the get go, and exists to kill of those in need of the social safety net. We hit the racial and class themes hard but also talk about what a fantastic action/horror hybrid this one is. 

THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR

This week we hit the midpoint in our PURGE journey, we look back at Election Year, a film that tries to warn about the dangers the marriage of evangelical Christianity, right wing ideology, and white supremacy represent under the guise of a giant, dumb action movie where a lot of people get shot and a lot of shit blows up real good. Mike, Ari and Nichole try to walk that fine line here and let me tell you, this might be the only podcast that presents evidence on just how poorly Frank Grillo's bodyguard character would do in say, the movie The Bodyguard. Nichole tells us why DC interns might make her purge short list. We debate the politics of the NFFA and whether Senator Roan is naïve in thinking she could change hearts and minds of her opponents. 

THE PURGE: ANARCHY

This week we're getting down to the street level when we look at The Purge: Anarchy. Mike and Jessica talk about how this film expands on the premise and the promise of the first movie while asking big picture questions about classism and what it would mean to be poor during a purge event. It's not all gloom and academia though as we talk about the B-movie roots and action / horror hijinks that goes down in this fun little thriller that gifted the world an all-timer performance from Frank Grillo. So once again, sharpen the machete, grab a few extra clips of ammo and put on your creepiest Halloween mask because its time to go purging. 

THE PURGE

This week we are sharpening our blades, loading up on shotgun shells and going hunting for the one percenters. We’re starting our dive into THE PURGE with the 2013 action / horror title of the same name. Frequent contributors Stephen and Ariel join Mike to talk about the rise of Blumhouse studios, and how The Purge became their second hit franchise after the Paranormal Activity movies. Were these movies secretly written by Nostradamus? What about the political climate we live in now mirrors the world we see in The Purge? What do we think about the choice to center the movie around one percenters rather than the real target of purge events? Also, what was the real life historical tradition that inspired the Purge movies? Plus, what would an actual purge event do to wreck the economy? All this, plus what crimes are your hosts guilty of, and what would be our weapon of choice if we took part in a purge ourselves.

PHANTASM RAVAGER

It's time to put another series to bed. This week we talk 2016's PHANTASM: RAVAGER, a movie that had a wild, near two decade gap from its previous installment. We dive into the winding travels it took to get this made: from its origins as a comic book, to a near reboot via New Line Cinema, to the almost webseries Reggie's Rales to its eventual debut at Fantastic Fest. Mike is joined by Rachel Reeves and Ari Powers Schaub to talk the Tall Man's final outing, why this feels more like a fan film than Phantasm film, some confusing timeline issues, whether folks continue to work with Don Coscarelli because he's a great guy or secretly gives of cult leader vibes and has a stack of boy scouts buried in his basement, and where we'd like to from here (hint: give the people "Flantasm" you cowards. 

PHANTASM IV: OBLIVION

This week we're joined by Andrew Fabry from the dead letter movie podcast to talk the 4th and what many thought would be the final entry in the Phantasm series with 1998's oblivion. Working with limited funds comparable to the first movie, Don Coscarelli was able to deliver something memorable for the fans by dipping into the past. We discuss how oblivion incorporates unseen footage from the original Phantasm to create something poignant despite its direct to video status. At the same time, we can’t help but notice the seams coming off this one a little bit. The backstory behind this one coming to life may be more interesting than the movie itself, and we detail the journey it took, from having an Academy Award winner nearly bringing his vision to the series, to silver orb-bikini clad women luring potential investors in to pitch meetings.