PhantasmaCast

This week, we're unearthing the dark side of Aussie cinema. We tackle the terrifying Alison's Birthday (1981), a film fueled by the era's satanic panic anxieties. Then, get ready for the masterful slow-burn of Next of Kin (1982), a stunning blend of Giallo suspense and classic haunted house tropes where a nursing home hides deadly secrets.

This week, we're watching Andrzej Zulawski's Possession (1981) and William Friedkin's Bug (2006), two movies that test the limits of love and madness. These films take the 'will they/won't they' trope to new heights by asking not whether our two leads will finally hook up, but rather: Will these two people kill each other by the time the credits roll?

This week, we're plunging headfirst into the glorious trash bin of '80s independent horror with a double dose of cinematic absurdity: Troma's cult classic The Toxic Avenger (1984) and the wild, cannibalistic horror comedy Blood Diner (1987).

Get ready for a double feature that will really mess with your head! This week, we're watching two films that are so good at challenging reality: Christopher Nolan's 2010 masterpiece Inception and Brandon Cronenberg's shocking 2020 body-swap thriller Possessor. We're talking dream heists and visceral sci-fi/horror—you won't want to miss it!

This week, we're twisting and shouting our way back to the Eisenhower years to explore how two iconic greaser musicals—Grease and Cry-Baby—tackle the "Teen Problem" head-on. Get ready for a rock 'n' rolling look into a world of leather jackets, fast cars, and teenage rebellion.

This week, we attempt to unravel the knot of love and infidelity with two films that couldn't be more different in their approach: Ingmar Bergman's playful classic, Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) and Mike Nichols' modern, biting drama, Closer (2004). We'll see how these two wildly different takes on intimacy and humiliation reveal the uncomfortable truths about what it means to love someone deeply - and to completely mess it up.

This week, we're watching two mockumentaries that offer unsparing takes on Americana: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) and Best in Show (2000). Discover how these films cleverly expose the dark (and often hilarious) truths behind the competitive subcultures of beauty pageants and dog shows, revealing broader insights into the quirks and aspirations that define us.

This week, we’re watching Sergio Martino’s Torso (1973) and Dario Argento’s Tenebrae (1982), two standouts of the Italian Giallo, and how they laid the bloody groundwork for the slashers and erotic thrillers of the 80s and 90s.

This week, we re-examine two Brian De Palma classics: the sexy slasher Dressed to Kill (1980) and the gripping Blow Out (1981). We'll uncover how De Palma masterfully draws from Giallo's dark heart and stylistic flair to craft dazzling displays of danger, dripping with suspense and oh so much style.#BrianDePalma #DressedToKill #BlowOut #Giallo #FilmAnalysis #MoviePodcast #HorrorMovies #ThrillerFilm #Cinephile #80sMovies #CultClassics #FilmMaking #Suspense #PodcastLife #NeoNoir