The Pod and the Pendulum

HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN

This week we're back with a true monster mashup as Frankenstein's Monster meets up with the Wolf Man and Dracula, along with a mad scientist and hunchback for good measure. By 1944 it was clear to Universal they had squeezed all thw juice out of their horror lineup as they could in solo adventures. What to do then but have them combine forces in some decidedly not-scary, but highly campy adventures? Mike, Brian, and Devaughn break down what should feel like an epic monster smash up, but plays out more like an anthology where each creature gets a moment to shine.  

FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN

Our first team up! This week finds two Universal icons getting together for one motion picture in the first of what will be a troubling trend for the back half of the Frankenstein movies as the creature takes a back seat in this Wolf Man sequel. Still, it's a fun affair as our two monsters play pretty nice together for a while before brawling as the castle blows up and floods around them. Brian, Mike and Steven team up to talk about what works in cinemas first attempt at a shared universe.

Please read Brian's Frankenstein’s columns including Faces of Frankenstein / The Universal Years on Manor Vellum 

 

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

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GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN

 

We’re back to finish our discussion on THEGHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN. Joining us this week is Andrew Fabry of the Dead Letters movie podcast. Universal once again pairs two of its iconic performers in one film. This time a returning Bela Lugosi as Ygor is joined by Lon Chaney Jr as the Monster. Would the man better known for turning into a wolf be able to fill Karloff’s boots? We have a fun discussion of what, to be honest, might be the nadir of the Frankenstein series. 

 

Please read Brian's Frankenstein’s columns including Faces of Frankenstein / The Universal Years on Manor Vellum 

 

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

If you have the means, consider becoming a patron today and support the show. Patreon members get exclusive full length episodes, audio fan commentaries, exclusive mini-sodes and more. Join today at patreon.com/podandthependulum.

SON OF FRANKENSTEIN

This week we're back for the last of Karloff's turns as the Monster in the Universal Frankenstein movies. Mike, Brian and Jessica are joined by returning guest Nat Brehmar (author of PUPPET MASTER COMPLETE: A FRANCHISE HISTORY) for a candid talk about this often overlooked gem. Karloff himself would be overshadowed by Bela Lugosi playing Ygor, the hunchback friend that gave the Hungarian superstar his first juicy role in years after falling on difficult times. We talk about the Monster's self-rejection, the difficulty of living up to the family legacy, the gorgeous visuals of Son, and of course, its lasting imprint and influence on Young Frankenstein decades later. We also talk character actor Lionel Atwill, who turns up for the first of five roles in the series, and his, let's say, colorful off screen life. 

 

Please check out Brian's writing on Frankenstein over on Manor Vellum including "Faces of Frankenstein: The Universal Years." 

 

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

If you have the means, consider becoming a patron today and support the show. Patreon members get exclusive full length episodes, audio fan commentaries, exclusive mini-sodes and more. Join today at patreon.com/podandthependulum.

THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (Part Two)

We’re back to finish our discussion on THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. We had a lot to talk about this week, including the abundance of religious iconography present in this film, along with the myriad of ways the Hays Code took a hatchet to this movie but a ton of cheeky humor and themes still slipped through. We discuss the first true villain, the absolutely delicious Doctor Pretorious (Doctor Pretorius?) and how he offers the gateway to the many queer themes and suggestions that are front and center here. We talk the lovely Elsa Lanchester and how she makes a meal out of her five minutes of screentime as the Bride remains one of the most iconic fixtures in horror history. It’s the second part of massive episode so make sure you go back and listen to part one. Mike is joined by cohosts Brian and Stephen along with special guest Ygraine from the What a Scream podcast, Ghouls Magazine, and the Moving Pictures Film club.

 

Please read Brian's Frankenstein’s columns including Faces of Frankenstein / The Universal Years on Manor Vellum 

 

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

 

If you have the means, consider becoming a patron today and support the show. Patreon members get exclusive full length episodes, audio fan commentaries, exclusive mini-sodes and more. Join today at patreon.com/podandthependulum. 

THE BRIDE OF FRAKENSTEIN (Part One)

This week we're back to discuss what some have called the greatest horror movie of all time, and what might be the birth of queer cinema: THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. In the years following Frankenstein's success, James Whale would go on to put his campy, humorous touch on horror classics The Old Dark House and The Invisible Man before returning to create his masterpiece. Meanwhile Boris Karloff elevated from a struggling bit player to receiving top-of-the-bill status in a string of successes. Of course, no discussion would be complete without discussing the immeasurable impact Elsa Lanchester made with mere minutes of screen time as the titular Bride. With her lightning bolt updo, and a hiss inspired by protective swans, Lanchester delivered one of the most memorable monsters i Universal cannon. The sequel adds humor to the gothic horror, and goes bigger in every way: there's a larger body count, a larger cast, more elaborate sets, and even more fantastical special effects. We're joined by guest Ygraine (What a Scream Podcast) for the first half of our two-parter on Bride. 

Please read Brian's "Faces of Frankenstein: The Innovation and Influence of James Whale's Frankenstein" or more information on this seminal film.  

 

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

If you have the means, consider becoming a patron today and support the show. Patreon members get exclusive full length episodes, audio fan commentaries, exclusive mini-sodes and more. Join today at patreon.com/podandthependulum.

FRANKENSTEIN (1931) Part Two

The Monster is loose! We’re back with the second half of Universal’s FRANKENSTEIN. This week we talk about the masterful innovations director James Whale brought to the screen. We discuss how Frankenstein is an example of a horror movie with no true villain, and how Boris Karlof gives one of the most sympathetic performances in genre history. We talk about the tropes this movie started ( the hunchback side kick in Dwight Frye’s Fritz, the rampaging villagers armed with torches and pitchforks) and movies core themes such as parental abandonment, and the dangers of progress without accepting responsibility can have dangerous outcomes. We touch on the queer and darkly humorous aspects of the movie and talk about the shocking aspects such as the murder of young kids. It’s one of our best discussions to date, and if you haven’t already, make sure you go back to listen to the first half of our episode with Mike, Brian, Devaughn and guest Garrett McDowell. 

 

Please read Brian's "Faces of Frankenstein: The Innovation and Influence of James Whale's Frankenstein" or more information on this seminal film.  

 

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

 

If you have the means, consider becoming a patron today and support the show. Patreon members get exclusive full length episodes, audio fan commentaries, exclusive mini-sodes and more. Join today at patreon.com/podandthependulum.

FRANKENSTEIN (1931) Part One

This week we embark on a new cinematic journey and for the first time we travel back to one of the foundations of horror as we begin our exploration of the Frankenstein franchise. Adapted from the classic novel by Mary Shelley, James Whale created one of the true masterpieces of early horror cinema. Alongside Dracula, Frankenstein demonstrated that genre films could not only be artistic masterpieces but proved such box office successes that they could keep studios afloat. For the first of our two episodes on the original Frankenstein movie Mike is joined by Brian Keiper and Devaughn Taylor in the co-host chairs along with special guest Garrett McDowell who is Devaughn’s cohost on the Spector Cinema pod. On this episode we talk about our personal histories with the Universal Monsters and relationship with Frankenstein and why Frankenstein called to us during our formative journeys as budding horror fans. After that Brian and Mike discuss the long and laborious road Frankenstein took to the silver screen. From a twenty-one-year-old nepo-baby, Carl Laemmelle Jr, getting handed the keys to Universal and making monster movies when no one else believed in them to an unknown journeyman named Boris becoming one of the first icons of horror, it’s a fascinating trip to the screen. Join us for part two in a  few days as DeVaughn and Garrett return to discuss their thoughts on the film as a whole.

 

Please read Brian's "Faces of Frankenstein: The Innovation and Influence of James Whale's Frankenstein" or more information on this seminal film.  

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

If you have the means, consider becoming a patron today and support the show. Patreon members get exclusive full length episodes, audio fan commentaries, exclusive mini-sodes and more. Join today at patreon.com/podandthependulum.

2023’S TOP HORROR MOVIES

Before we get dragged kicking and screaming into 2024, Mike, Brian, Nichole and Rachel take a look back at what has been a solid year yet again or horror. From the creation of "meme horror" we loved in M3GAN and Talk To Me, to a continuation of "Fuck 'dem Kids" nastiness in Where Evil Lurks, Evil Dead Rise and others to classic monsters getting reimagined and reborn in Godzilla Minus One it was a strong year all around. We each give our top ten picks, and want to hear from you-what did you love about horror in 2023 and what are you looking forward to in the coming year? 

 

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

If you have the means, consider becoming a patron today and support the show. Patreon members get exclusive full length episodes, audio fan commentaries, exclusive mini-sodes and more. Join today at patreon.com/podandthependulum.

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

Happy holidays everyone. For our second annual non-horror Christmas movie deep dive, we're covering the greatest adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic. What do you get when you cross a miserly, penny hoarding, vindictive Scrooge with the loveable Muppets? You get the absolute holiday classic The Muppet Christmas Carol.  Featuring Michael Caine in the starring role, it was the first Muppet motion picture after the tragic passing of Jim Henson in 1990. By playing Dickens' material mostly straight, Brian Henson manages to capture the ghostly, and often downright scary elements of the story, and hammering home the timeless message of charity, goodwill and community. Featuring a secret weapon in the form of music from a rejuvenated Paul Williams, the picture bangs out incredible songs such as "It Feels Like Christmas" "Marley and Marley" and "Thankful Heart." The Muppets themselves, from Kermit as the put upon Bob Cratchit, Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig, and Gonzo the Great as our author and narrator Charles Dickens are perfectly utilized as well.  

Mike and Stephen are joined by first time guest Rachel Schwebach  (@indysmutpeddler) to discuss the above, our own love for Henson's creations, the sadness Christmas can sometimes bring, whether or not Michael Caine was tripping balls the whole time he was filming and interacting with the Muppets like they were real and as a special bonus you can hear about Mike's real life beefs with Kerry Von Erich and Fugazi's Ian Macaye. 

Hey, if you enjoyed Rachel on this episode, you should check out her shibari and BDSM photography by becoming a patron of hers here: https://www.patreon.com/rachelschwebach

 

If you like what you’re listening to make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast feeds. 

 

Please take a moment to rate and review us on the Apple Podcast app, or rate us on the Spotify app. Reviews and five star ratings help new listeners find us every day, and we greatly appreciate the feedback and support. 

 

Check out our website for easy access to our full catalog of shows, with hundreds of hours of free content. You can search the catalog, leave a review and even leave us feedback all from the site. Go to www.podandthependulum.com to check it out. 

If you have the means, consider becoming a patron today and support the show. Patreon members get exclusive full length episodes, audio fan commentaries, exclusive mini-sodes and more. Join today at patreon.com/podandthependulum.