The Pod and the Pendulum

Shelter In Place Q & A Part 2

This week Jerry and Mike finish off the second half of their listener mailbag with their first ever live stream.

MAXIMUM KING Table Reading

This week we have a very special bonus episode for our listeners. Given that we're all trapped in our homes with the shelter in place orders in full effect, we're missing socializing and seeing our friends lovely faces. We had the idea of doing Skype table reads of classic horror movies, but that idea was one-upped by Mike Vanderbilt and Nat Brehmer by settling on reading some of the great unmade horror movie scripts. For our first time out, Jerry brought MAXIMUM KING to the table. It the kinda ...

CRITTERS ATTACK

This week Jerry and Mike put another franchise to rest with their look back at 2019’s CRITTERS ATTACK. First we catch up with what’s been keeping us sane during week number three of being locked down and cooped up inside our homes. Critters Attacks has the distinction of being the first “R” rated entry in the franchise. While that makes for some impressive and gory visuals at times, we ask if it’s enough to overcome some uninspired performances and a tepid at best storyline. Plus your hosts deta...

Episode 51: SHELTER -IN -PLACE MAILBAG PART 1

We've got some bonus content for you, since we're all cooped up and if we don't start doing something to pass the time, it's going to turn into The Shining, Act Three very quickly around these parts. Mike & Jerry are here to answer your horror-movie themed questions, and thanks to your overwhelming response to our call out this is just the first half. Everything you wanted to know about horror movies but were afarid to ask? Well, not quite, but we've got some great questions lined up. What h...

Episode 50: MANDY Commentary

It’s the episode no one thought would ever happen. For our fiftieth show, Mike gives in to talk about the movie he swore on his mother’s future grave he would never talk about, the 2018 action-horror jam MANDY. While most of the horror community and Film Twitter have embraced this one with open arms, Mike has bashed this movie at every opportunity, likening it to the day his dad passed away in terms of the negative emotions it stirs up. Thankfully we have Jerry on hand to keep things on an even ...

Episode 49: CRITTERS 4

Crites in Space! Question for the listening audience: has adding "in space" to any long running movie franchise ever made that entry better? We're thinking a hard no on our end, because despite a baller cast that includes Angela Bassett and Brad Douriff, Critters 4 is a hot mess of a movie. Maybe it's the cheap set design, maybe it's the attempt to recreate Alien on a next-to-nothing budget, or maybe its the fact that the titular characters turn up for about 4 minutes in the first hour, but this...

Episode 48: CRITTERS 3

He’s won Oscars. He’s dated supermodels. He’s worked with Marty and Quentin and Cameron and Spielberg. But before he was a legend and an icon; before he was considered one of the top actors of his generation, Leonardo DiCaprio battled the Crites. This week the action moves out of Grover’s Bend and into the big city. Maybe we should say the action moves to one particular apartment building in the big city in the kid-friendly, horror comedy Critters 3. Jerry and Mike are joined once again by Nat B...

Episode 47: CRITTERS 2 THE MAIN COURSE

We want the Crites! Our coverage of the man-eating, space traveling furballs continues with 1988’s Critters 2: The Main Course. Jerry, Mike and their special guest talk about their love for this Mick Garris feature, as well as give an overview of Garris and why he’s such an important figure in modern horror. We have a lot of fun this one, and risk going off the rails a few times where we come up with our alternate history of the film as well as a number of fun facts that may or may not score you...

Episode 46: CRITTERS

Nat Brehmar joins the coveted three time cohost club this week to bring us his love and knowledge bombs for the sci-fi infused horror comedy of CRITTERS. While tiny monster movies are decidedly not Mike's jam (the man has only seen one Puppet Master for God's sake!) he found himself absolutely smitten during his first time watch of this 80s cult-classic. Meanwhile Jerry and Nat dive deep into why this little title about a small town overrun by furry alien hedgehogs with endless rows of teeth and...

Episode 45: POLTERGEIST (2015)

We wrap up our coverage of Poltergeist with a look back at the 2015 remake. You would be forgiven if you had already forgotten this movie's existence. Trust us, it's just kind of there. That doesn't stop us from having a lively discussion of the film, including Mike being far too inappropriate when discussing his irrational hatred for one of the characters in the movie. Plus, in our continued efforts to support Women in Horror Month, Mike chats with YA author Ivana Sanders about her upcoming deb...

Episode 44: POLTERGEIST 3

This week's show includes a fun look back at Poltergeist 3, the bastard step-child of the series, where Carol Ann is kicked to the curb by her parents and sent to live with her aunt and uncle. Discussion includes speculation on how much cocaine people consumed in the 80s, whether or not your liver would up and quit if you took a shot every time someone says "Carol Ann" (don't believe us? Listen to the post-credits), Jerry living in Breaking Bad country, whether or not some of the special effects...

Episode 43: POLTERGEIST 2 plus a chat with the Spinsters of Horror

This week we take a deep dive into Poltergeist 2, a film that's responsible for a lot of childhood terror for Brian. Plus, to celebrate Women in Horror month, Mike has a chat with Kelly and Jess of Spinsters of Horror fame.

Episode 42: POLTERGEIST

We're Heeeeeeereeeee with a new franchise to cover. this week we kick off with the classic 1982 film that has traumatized kids for generations- Poltergeist. Brian, Mike, Jerry and Veronica ask why this film still resonates for kids and adults generations later, how it points a finger at the hippie/boomer generation and why it remains a great gateway to horror for many. And yes, we tackle the whole "Who really directed the movie?" question but that's not the main focus.

Episode 41: THE LOST BOYS-THE THIRST

Episode 40: THE LOST BOYS: THE TRIBE

This week, we watch The Tribe, so that you don't have to. Imagine a vape bar and Axe body spray in movie form and you have a pretty good idea of what you're in store for. The direct-to-video Lost Boys sequel focuses on a group of surfing vampires, despite feature a total of zero surfing scenes or even insert shots in the movie. Good times.

Episode 39: THE LOST BOYS

This week we visit the murder capitol of the world and talk 80's vampire classic THE LOST BOYS. From queer readings on the relationship between David & Michael, to what it was like growing up as a latch key kid in the eighties, the power of MTV to make or break taste during this time to the influence of this film being felt on pulp culture phenomenons like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight, we cover it all.

Episode 38: HALLOWEEN (2018)

The end of the year brings our time discussing Halloween to a close. This week we talk the Blumhouse smash hit from 2018 which saw Laurie and Michael square of again for the second time...again. Casting aside all other sequel and reboots, David Gordon Green's film serves as a true sequel to John Carpenter's masterpiece. Does it work? Mike is joined by Veronica Maitland and Brian Keiper to discuss why this soft reboot/sequel feels like a true followup to the 1978 classic. As we wrap up Halloween,...

Episode 37: HALLOWEEN II (2009)

After last week's show where Jerry & Mike came down pretty hard on Rob Zombie's original vision for Halloween, you're going to be stunned to hear the love fest the two of us, along with returning guest Justin Beahm have for Halloween II. This feels nothing like a Halloween movie, and it is all the better for it. From Michael being unmasked for the majority of the film, to a crazy and out of control Laurie, to Loomis being a fame seeking ego maniac, this is not the franchise we recognize, but...

EPISODE 36: HALLOWEEN (2007)

Is Rob Zombie's Halloween the most controversial, most divisive movie we've covered to date? We think so. Whatever side of the fence fans come down on, there's no middle ground for most people on this radically different interpretation of Michael Myers. Jerry and Mike break down the state of horror in the early 2000s which led to a reboot rather continuation of the Halloween franchise. We look at the nature vs. nurture debate when it comes to Zombie giving Michael a detailed backstory as well as...

Episode 35: HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION

As we round the homestretch for the Halloween series, we hit what most fans would call the low point of the franchise. Laurie Strode killed off in act one. Tyra Banks gyrating over a latte. Michael Myers taking orders from Busta Rhymes. Kung Fu. "Trick or Treat Motherfucker." Reality television and the early days of live streaming. Thankfully-no Nickelback. Soundbites: what they are and are not. Luckily we have Ryan Larson (Ghastly Grinning & the Keep Screaming pod) to bring a ray of positiv...

Episode 34: HALLOWEEN:H20 (with Stephanie Crawford)

After Samhain cults spearheaded by men in black didn't work out for The Shape, it was time to go back to the basics. Twenty years after John Carpenter's vision terrified movie goers, Michael Myers was stalking his sister on the big screen again. While this film remains a favorite for many of the series' fans, and its success ensured it would continue, Mike and Jerry argue that it doesn't feel so much like a Halloween movie as it does a Scream knock off with Myers smooshed in. What does our guest...

Episode 33: HALLOWEEN 6: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS (w/ guests Anya Stanley and Daniel Farrands)

It's about to get weird in Haddonfield. This week Jerry and I break down "Halloween 6: The One with the cult and Michael being a baby daddy". If you're down on this oft-maligned film, we're here to tell you it warrants another look. Here to join is is ANYA STANLEY (Dread Central, Fangoria) who has championed this film for years, and DANIEL FARRANDS, writer of H6.

Episode 32: HALLOWEEN 5: THE REVENGE OF MICHAEL MYERS (with guest Brian Collins)

This week we are joined by Birth.Movies.Death and Horror Movie A Day scribe Brian Collins to break down Halloween 5. This maligned sequel gets a reevaluation by our crew, and we are here to say that Tina was a far better character than fans have given credit for over the years. Yeah, the mask stinks, and yeah making Jaime a mute while having a stuttering kid translate for her was a bad decision and yeah Loomis is completely batshit crazy in this one but...you know what, never mind we are going t...

Episode 31: HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS (with Justin Beahm)

Ten years after the night He came home, The Shape...comes home again. This time he's after his orphaned niece Jaime, in a stellar performance from Danielle Harris. The nostalgia factor is high on this one, and after the box office failure of Halloween III, producer Mustafa Akkad was determined to keep the franchise going by giving fans what they wanted: Michael Myers. Also returning was Dr. Loomis, is a performance from Donald Pleasance that grows more unhinged as the movie progresses. Plus, whi...

Bonus Episode: SHAUN OF THE DEAD fan commentary

Happy Halloween listeners! As a treat for everyone, one half of your hosts, Mike, joins his daughter Ada to talk about her favorite movie to watch during the Halloween season, Shaun of the Dead. While we can't promise we are the most insightful duo ever, Mike and his 9 year old do their best to keep it entertaining. If you're sitting down on the sofa this Halloween with a giant bowl of candy and this zombie comedy favorite, go ahead, cue up this commentary track and listen alongside the movie.

Episode 30: HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH

This week we are joined by filmmaker IZZY LEE (Re-Home, My Monster, Rites of Vengeance) to talk about the cult classic Halloween III. Yes, it's the one without Michael Myers, but unlike A New Beginning, the Tommy Lee Wallace film has gathered both fan and critical appreciation over the decades. We talk with Izzy about why this movie works, what makes Tom Atkins so great, and why representation and different voices in art matter. As a bonus feature, the episode kicks off with Jerry's daughter Dah...

Episode 29: HALLOWEEN II (1981)

This week we are back to talk about the as-good-as-you-could-possibly-hope-for Halloween 2. While it doesn't hit the same heights as Carpenter's classic, it's still a prety damn fine slasher film that reunites the gang behind the movie. Jerry and Mike are joined by Ghastly Grinning's Brian Keiper to talk about what the follow up gets right, how it falls prey to the slasher tropes that emerged in the wake of Halloween's success and why the sister angle hampered the series for so many years that f...

Episode 28: John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN

What better way to dive into the spooky season than by tacking the series that is synonymous with it. This week Jerry and Mike are joined by Nat Brehmer (Dread Central, Bloody Disgusting, Diabolique, and more) to tackle one of the masterworks of not only horror cinema, but one of the truly greatest films of all time. With so many words already spilled on Halloween, we hope you enjoy our different approach, which focuses on Dr. Loomis, his relationship with The shape, and just why he was so damn ...

Episode 27: THE BLAIR WITCH (2016)

We wrap up our coverage of the Blair Witch franchise with a look back at the Simon Barrett / Adam Wingard sequel to TBWP. Imagine the 1999 film subsisting on a steady diet of creatine and pixie stix and you have a good feel for what this roller coaster of a movie offers the viewer. We're joined by Spooky Sarah from Geeks Who Eat and the returning Jacob Davison from The Deadtime Stories podcast Follow The Pod and Pendulum on Twitter! If you love what you're hearing, please subscribe to the show a...

Episode 26: BOOK OF SHADOWS: BLAIR WITCH 2

This is one of the rare movies that made your host Mike angry upon seeing in theaters in 2000. Our poor guest host Jinx (Scream Addicts podcast, Dread Central) is walking straight into a hornet's nest with this one.