Cinema Shock

HEAVY METAL: Comics, Chaos, and O’Bannon’s Strange Contribution | The Unsung Legacy of Dan O’Bannon

Dan O’Bannon’s fingerprints are all over genre cinema—from ALIEN to RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, from Jodorowsky’s doomed DUNE to even an early hand in STAR WARS. But one of his more unexpected contributions came in the form of animation.
In this episode, we’re diving into 1981’s HEAVY METAL, an animated anthology film based on the cult comic magazine of the same name. Known for its R-rated mix of science fiction, fantasy, and eroticism, the film features multiple segments—two of which were written by O’Bannon.
We explore how HEAVY METAL came together, the bizarre production process that shaped it, its troubled path to home video, and the legacy it left behind—not just for animation, but for pop culture at large. And of course, we break down O’Bannon’s contributions and how they fit into the larger mosaic of his career.
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Coming Up:
BLUE THUNDER (1983)
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
Up next: Tobe Hooper: The Cannon Years
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
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DEAD & BURIED: Small Town Zombies and a Credit Controversy | The Unsung Legacy of Dan O’Bannon

After the release of ALIEN, Dan O’Bannon should have been on top of the world. But thanks to a high-profile dispute over the film’s writing credits, his career didn’t soar the way you might expect.
Fortunately, O’Bannon’s ALIEN co-writer Ronald Shusett had another project in the works—a slow-burn horror film about a small New England town with a zombie problem. He invited O’Bannon to co-write the script, and the result was DEAD & BURIED (1981), a cult horror oddity directed by Gary Sherman.
In this episode, we unravel the conflicting accounts of O’Bannon’s contributions to the film (including O’Bannon’s own denial of involvement), explore how DEAD & BURIED came together behind the scenes, and highlight the early work of future genre icons like Robert Englund and makeup effects legend Stan Winston.
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Coming Up:
HEAVY METAL (1981)
BLUE THUNDER (1983)
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
Up next: Tobe Hooper: The Cannon Years
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, blogs and more: http://cinemashock.net
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ALIEN Pt 2: Ridley Scott, Giger’s Beast, and the Legacy of O’Bannon’s Vision | The Unsung Legacy of Dan O’Bannon

In Part 1, we traced ALIEN’s path from a scrappy concept between Dan O’Bannon and John Carpenter to a greenlighted studio film backed by 20th Century Fox and producer Walter Hill. Now, with Ridley Scott on board as director, the story really kicks into gear.
In this episode, we break down the production of ALIEN—from its nightmarish design process with H.R. Giger to the casting of Sigourney Weaver and the creation of some of the most iconic visuals in sci-fi history. We also examine how the film’s success shaped the future of the genre—and how, despite writing one of the most legendary scripts in sci-fi history, Dan O’Bannon remained overlooked by the industry he helped shape.
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Coming Up:
DEAD & BURIED (1981)
HEAVY METAL (1981)
BLUE THUNDER (1983)
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
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ALIEN Pt 1: Dan O’Bannon, Roger Corman, and the Origins of a Sci-Fi Nightmare | The Unsung Legacy of Dan O’Bannon

As we continue exploring the career of Dan O’Bannon, we now arrive at the film that forever tied his name to sci-fi horror: Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, ALIEN.
Despite the film’s massive success, O’Bannon didn’t become a Hollywood power player. In fact, his journey through the ALIEN production reflects the same pattern that followed him throughout his career—critically essential, but constantly undervalued.
In this episode, we trace the earliest origins of ALIEN: from an idea born during the making of DARK STAR, to a rejected Roger Corman project, and finally to a greenlit big-budget feature at 20th Century Fox. It’s the story of how Dan O’Bannon helped create one of the most influential sci-fi horror films of all time… and still got left behind.
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Coming Up:
DEAD & BURIED (1981)
HEAVY METAL (1981)
BLUE THUNDER (1983)
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
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DARK STAR: Dan O’Bannon, John Carpenter, and the Student Film That Launched a Career | The Unsung Legacy of Dan O’Bannon

In our new series, we’re exploring the career of writer, director, and genre trailblazer Dan O’Bannon.
His name might not be as widely known as some of his collaborators, but O’Bannon left an enormous mark on genre cinema—as the screenwriter of ALIEN, the director of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, and the uncredited brain behind some of sci-fi’s most iconic ideas.
To begin our journey, we’re heading back to where it all started: USC film school, where O’Bannon met another promising student named John Carpenter. United by their shared love of science fiction and monster movies, the two collaborated on a low-budget student film that would go on to become a cult classic.
That film was DARK STAR. In this episode, we trace the origins of their friendship, the making of the movie, and how this quirky sci-fi comedy set the stage for O’Bannon’s groundbreaking (and often underappreciated) career.
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Coming Up:
ALIEN (1979)
DEAD & BURIED (1981)
HEAVY METAL (1981)
BLUE THUNDER (1983)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
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POLTERGEIST: Hooper vs. Spielberg & The Directing Debate

This is the episode that gives our series its name.
In the early 1980s, Tobe Hooper was given the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to direct a big-budget horror film for Universal Pictures—written and produced by none other than Steven Spielberg, who was at the peak of his powers.
That film was POLTERGEIST, and it would become the most commercially successful movie of Hooper’s career. But it also became his most controversial. Ever since its release, questions have swirled about who actually directed the film—Hooper or Spielberg? The speculation has been so persistent that it’s often overshadowed the movie itself… and cast a long shadow over Hooper’s career going forward.
In this episode, we explore how POLTERGEIST came to be, the origins of the authorship controversy, and the impact it had on Hooper’s legacy. And yes—we weigh in on what we think really happened on set.
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Coming Up:
THE FUNHOUSE (1981)
POLTERGEIST (1982)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
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THE FUNHOUSE: Tobe Hooper, Carnivals & The Slasher Craze

After the success of SALEM’S LOT, Tobe Hooper finally had the Hollywood credibility he’d been chasing—but the road to his next project was still full of potholes.
That next project was THE FUNHOUSE (1981), a twisted little slasher made under Universal Pictures. Though it was Hooper’s first studio-backed film intended for theatrical release, the budget was modest and the expectations were clear: cash in on the booming slasher craze.
In this episode, we take a look at Hooper’s post-SALEM’S LOT career, the development of THE FUNHOUSE, and how the film fits into both the slasher wave of the early ’80s and Hooper’s evolving (and often unpredictable) directorial style.
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Coming Up:
POLTERGEIST (1982)
Up Next: Dan O'Bannon: Hollywood's Secret Weapon
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
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SALEM’S LOT: Stephen King, Tobe Hooper & The TV Nightmare

After the disappointing reception of EATEN ALIVE, Tobe Hooper's career seemed to be floundering. But fate—and Stephen King—had other plans.
As Warner Bros. began developing a film adaptation of King’s bestselling vampire novel Salem’s Lot, a savvy producer screened THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE while searching for a director. The moment he saw it, he knew Hooper was the right man for the job.
In this episode, we trace the rocky road between EATEN ALIVE and SALEM’S LOT, and how the project shifted from theatrical feature to network television miniseries. We dive into the creative decisions that shaped the adaptation, the challenges of bringing graphic horror to CBS, and how Hooper helped deliver one of the scariest things to ever air on TV.
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Coming Up:
THE FUNHOUSE (1981)
POLTERGEIST (1982)
Up Next: Dan O'Bannon: Hollywood's Secret Weapon
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
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EATEN ALIVE: Tobe Hooper, Killer Crocs & A Career Derailed

After the breakout success of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, Tobe Hooper and co-writer Kim Henkel landed a major three-picture deal with Universal. But before they could cash in on that opportunity, Hooper had to fulfill a prior obligation—one that would derail his momentum almost immediately.
That obligation? A commitment to exploitation producer Mardi Rustam to direct a low-budget killer crocodile movie called EATEN ALIVE.
In this episode, we dig into the troubled production of Hooper’s grimy sophomore effort, from its artificial soundstage swamp to its over-the-top performances and chaotic behind-the-scenes energy. We explore how the film reflects Hooper’s obsessions while failing to recapture the impact of CHAIN SAW, and how this bizarre detour complicated his transition into mainstream Hollywood
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Coming Up:
SALEM'S LOT (1979)
THE FUNHOUSE (1981)
POLTERGEIST (1982)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, blogs and more: http://cinemashock.net
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THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE: Tobe Hooper, Leatherface & The Birth of the Slasher

In 1974, a little indie horror film from Texas shocked the world—and launched the career of Tobe Hooper.
With THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, Hooper introduced audiences to one of horror’s most iconic villains, Leatherface, and helped lay the groundwork for what would become the slasher genre. But while the film became a touchstone of American horror, Hooper’s career afterward was marked by frustration, interference, and missed opportunities.
In this first episode of our series The Tragedy of Tobe Hooper, we trace the chaotic, low-budget production of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, the real-life influences that shaped its gritty realism, and how it went from regional curiosity to international sensation—and one of the most influential horror films of all time.
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Coming Up:
EATEN ALIVE (1976)
SALEM'S LOT (1979)
THE FUNHOUSE (1981)
POLTERGEIST (1982)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, blogs and more: http://cinemashock.net
Follow us:
twitter.com/cinema_shock
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