A large spooky mansion on an isolated, foggy island. A dramatic situation with allegations of embezzlement and murder. George Zucco. Lionel Atwill. All the ingredients that classic horror fans yearn for. A PRC production from 1945 features a fun, if not predictable story. Jim & Livio are your tour guides this episode to the ominous, and dangerous Fog Island. A good story, a good supporting cast led by Ian Keith - this is a PRC film that deserves the Borgo Pass treatment!
Aug 07, 2025•1 hr 54 min
Returning guest co-host David Ullman teams up with Jim to discuss one of the most critically-acclaimed films The Borgo Pass has ever covered- 1942's The Cat People.
Jul 23, 2025•1 hr 40 min
Vincent Price stars in this first film adaptation of the Richard Matheson novel I AM LEGEND. Returning guest host Tony Salvaggio (Castle of Horror podcast / Deserts of Mars) joins Jim Towns to discuss this watershed mid-60s film and how its impact continues to evolve.
Jul 09, 2025•1 hr 49 min
Regular co-host Chris Sahlin returns to help Jim solve the mystery of this radio-play thriller from 1942: Who Done It? stars Bud Abbott & Lou Costello, along with Borgo Pass favorites Patrick Knowles (The Wolf Man/Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man) and Louise Allbritton (Son of Dracula). Expertly directed by Erle C. Kenton (House of Frankenstein/House of Dracula), shot by Charles Van Enger (Phantom of the Opera) with music by Frank Skinner, this noir comedy rips along, and features some great ...
Jun 28, 2025•1 hr 21 min
Jim & Livio tackle one story across two movies - we cover the Tod Browning & Lon Chaney silent classic West of Zanzibar. We also touch on the 1932 remake, Kongo staring Walter Huston. Our main focus is on West of Zanzibar - a very modern and stylistic Tod Browning/Lon Chaney collaboration that also features Lionel Barrymore. While this isn't a supernatural style horror film, it's a dark thriller with many twists and turns. Enjoy the ride as the Borgo Pass travels West of Zanzibar!
Jun 12, 2025•1 hr 52 min
New guest-host Karie Bible, host of Hollywood Kitchen, pays a visit to the Borgo Pass podcast cave and lends her extensive knowledge to our analysis of 1936's THE DEVIL DOLL: a dark drag drama that mashes up revenge, voodoo and cross-dressing, starring Lionel Barrymore and directed by Tod Browning.
May 29, 2025•1 hr 31 min
Castle of Horror's Jason Henderson joins Jim Towns to discuss the original 1958 THE BLOB, starring a 27-year-old, up-and-coming Steve McQueen.
May 19, 2025•1 hr 51 min
This... is the Inner Sanctum! Join Jim & Livio as they again travel into the mind of a man going mad with the thought of having murdered someone. This 1944 Inner Sanctum movie stars Lon Chaney, Jr, Martin Kosleck, Douglass Dumbrille, and Milburn Stone. Jim & Livio break down the story, performances, and production history in this episode. Yes, even you without knowing... can commit murder!
May 01, 2025•1 hr 58 min
On today's episode, Jim & Livio sit down with Thomas Hamilton. Tom made the documentary "Boris Karloff: Man Behind The Monster", and is now in production on "Vincent Price: The Art of Living". Tom shares with us stories of how this came to be, we discuss Price throughout his career, as well as touching on several other people that intersected with his life. Tom has a Kickstarter campaign out now for this project - check out the details, and enjoy the episode!
Apr 24, 2025•1 hr 39 min
Writer, animator and top-tier Monster Kid Frank Dietz joins Jim Towns in the Borgo Pass podcast cave to discuss 1958's Attack of the 50 Foot Woman!
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 37 min
Join Jim & Livio as they once again travel to Paris and are witness to the crimes of the person known as 'Bluebeard'. Made in 1944 and directed by Edgar G. Ulmer (The Black Cat, 1934) and starring John Carradine. Carradine delivers one of his finest performances as the tortured, yet evil Gaston Morrell. The film also stars Jean Parker, Nils Asther, Ludwig Stossel, and Sonia Sorrell. What on the surface seems like a typical 1940's PRC quickie horror movie, it quickly turns to a fantastically ...
Apr 03, 2025•2 hr 9 min
Join Jim Towns and returning guest co-host David Ullman as they delve into the dark secrets of this 1941 neon-gothic sci-fi thriller from Columbia. Boris Karloff gives a really outstanding and sympathetic performance as a kindhearted scientist whose grief over his wife's death leads him to push the boundaries between the world of the living, and the world of the dead.
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 36 min
We deep dive into the town of Desert Rock, Arizona and discover the results of Professor Deemer's experiments that have resulted in giant rabbits, guinea pigs, and... a tarantula! This episode breaks down this well produced 1955 thriller, it's stars, as well as Livio's fear of spiders and Jim's fear of John Agar!
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 54 min
Jim & Livio take you to the village of Kleinschloss, where the villagers fear a vampire who is killing it's citizens - or is it really a vampire? We cover this 1933 Majestic Pictures film that stars Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Melvyn Douglas, and Dwight Frye. Though made from a 'poverty row' studio, this film uses several Universal players, the sets from Frankenstein and The Old Dark House, and has some great performances! Grab some apples, epsom salt, and your favorite furry bat and join us as...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 47 min
Celebrate the event of the year with your favorite horror hosts! On January 16, 2021 the Borgo Pass Horror Podcast began.. 4 years later, we're still going strong thanks to YOU, our audience! Jim and Livio have a conversation about the podcast, and preview the exciting new content and projects to come! Plus, hear from some of our guest hosts over the last 4 years!
Jan 16, 2025•44 min
Welcome Borgo Pass travelers to a special episode! Jim & Livio sit down with Bill Fleck, author of the Rondo nominated "Chaney's Baby" to discuss his latest book "Chaney's Audition" and the ever polarizing life and career of Lon Chaney, Jr. We discuss everything from his lesser seen roles to The Wolf Man and Of Mice and Men. Even a man who is pure in heart...
Jan 09, 2025•1 hr 52 min
"In a half hour the moon will rise and I'll turn into a wolf" "You and 20 million other guys" It's the conclusion of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein! Here Jim & Livio take you on your first journey across the Borgo Pass in 2025... we will wrap up the film, and continue our discussion of it's enduring legacy! Whether you're celebrating the New Year, or recovering from last night - kick back and enjoy the conclusion of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein!...
Dec 31, 2024•1 hr 29 min
"McDougal!!!" Merry Christmas to all of the travelers of the Borgo Pass Horror Podcast. Santa's gift for us all is arguably the most popular classic horror film - Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. This is truly a cornerstone of the classic horror fanbase, and deservedly so. Made in 1948, we see Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Lon Chaney, Jr.'s The Wolf Man, and Glenn Strange's Frankenstein Monster for one last time. Join Jim & Livio this Christmas for the first half of this film, it's legacy, ...
Dec 25, 2024•1 hr 29 min
Borgo Pass Horror Podcast co-founder Scott Kelley returns to help Jim delve into the twisted, pre-Code world of MAD LOVE, starring Peter Lorre, Colin Clive and Frances Drake!
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 31 min
Returning co-host Kat Hearons joins Jim to discuss the 1942 Monogram thriller Bowery at Midnight, staring Bela Lugosi.
Nov 21, 2024•1 hr 29 min
Jim Towns and returning guest co-host Tony Salvaggio take a trek into the California desert, where atomic testing has given birth to an army of humongous and vicious ants, in 1954's THEM!
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 55 min
Five strangers gather in a spooky house filled with secrets during a terrible storm, and meanwhile two podcasters gather in different time zones to discuss it- join Borgo Pass host Jim Towns and Ian Bates of The Monster Archives podcast as they discuss James Whale's Frankenstein follow-up: 1932's THE OLD DARK HOUSE, starring Boris Karloff, Ernest Thesiger, Melvyn Douglas, Gloria Stuart, Lilian Bond, Raymond Massey and Charles Laughton.
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 26 min
It's Bela Lugosi's birthday! And to celebrate, Livio invites author and film historian Greg Mank back to the show to talk about RKO Pictures 1945 film The Body Snatcher. Livio and Greg will take up the next 2.5 hours of your day to talk about this iconic Val Lewton film, it's stars, the production, comparisons between Val Lewton's horror films and Universals - and much, much more! Don't fear being burked or worry about no one keeping watch over your loved ones grave - Livio & Greg are keepin...
Oct 21, 2024•2 hr 22 min
For your consideration: this radically underrated 1940 Paramount film featuring Basil Rathbone (Son of Frankenstein, Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes), Ellen Drew (The Monster and the Girl) and Ralph Morgan (Night Monster) in a twisted tale of a psychiatric merry widower and the old doctor out to stop him. ALSO for your consideration, a freewheeling, late night conversation about the film by two published authors: regular host Jim Towns and returning guest host Jason Henderson (Castle of Horror podca...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 47 min
Horror artist and writer Audrey Rose aka @madmonsterlady joins Jim Towns to discuss 1933's The Ghoul !
Aug 14, 2024•1 hr 29 min
Watch the skies!! And while you do, pop in some headphones and listen to Jim & Livio discuss Howard Hawk's 1951 classic "The Thing From Another World". A team of scientists and military officers discover a crashed frozen UFO in Alaska - and it's survivor. We tackle the impact of this film, the production, the nuances in the filmmaking, James Arness, and much more!
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 42 min
Come aboard the SS Altair: it's all smooth sailing, except for the fact that its Captain is a homicidal maniac! Jim Towns and returning guest host David Ullman get to the bottom of this Val Lewton-produced RKO thriller from 1943, starring Richard Dix, Russell Wade, Edith Barrett and the great Skelton Knaggs!
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 41 min
Jim & Livio know NOTHING about insurance, and neither do the customers of Dr. Orloff. The Human Monster is a 1939 British horror film starring Bela Lugosi (originally titled the Dark Eyes Of London). One of Lugosi's more popular 'poverty row' films, he plays a dual role of Dr. Orloff and the meek and blind Professor Dearborn. Jim & Livio discuss Lugosi's almost-wartime trip across the pond, the production, the 'H' code the film received from censors, and much more!
Jun 28, 2024•1 hr 35 min
Author and educator David Bowles joins Jim Towns to discuss this Val Lewton-produced masterpiece of suspense and horror: 1945's Isle of the Dead, starring Boris Karloff!
May 14, 2024•1 hr 47 min
A Creature movie where the original incarnation of the Gill-Man appears for around 2 minutes! Jim & Livio tackle the third and final film of the Creature From The Black Lagoon series. In this film, a group of scientists (and their marital drama) do their best to change the Gill-Man into human form. Although this isn't the most action-packed movie, it is an underrated film that deserves a closer look. Come back to the Everglades one last time with us!
May 03, 2024•1 hr 48 min
