Cinema Shock

HOUSE [aka HAUSU] (1977) | Cinema Shock #100

For the 100th (!!) episode of Cinema Shock, we sat down to discuss one of the most insane cult films ever made, Nobuhiko Ôbayashi 1977 spook-a-blast haunted house flick HOUSE!
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the story behind the production of HOUSE, how it all came to be in an uncertain time during Japan's film history, and the career of director Nobuhiko Ôbayashi. 
Thank you to all of our loyal listeners for supporting us for 100 episodes! If you enjoyed this episode, send it to anyone you think may enjoy it, and be excellent to each other!
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

NOSFERATU (1922)

Welcome to the CINEMA SHOCK HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!
A few weeks ago, we were invited by our friends at GUTPUNCH asked us to co-host a live screening of NOSFERATU for the first ever Cinema Shock live event!
While we were able to discuss a lot of the film's backstory at that screening, the history of NOSFERATU is so rich that we felt it deserved a true, Cinema Shock-style deep dive.
So in this, our Halloween gift to you, we're going to discuss the full story behind the creation of one of the most influential horror films of all time, F.W. Murnau's NOSFERATU!
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

HAIRSPRAY (2007) | John Waters, Epilogue

While our look at the collaborations between John Waters and Divine may be over, we felt that the story of Waters' journey from the underground to the mainstream wasn't complete without a discussion of the Broadway show inspired by one of his films and subsequent musical that followed.
So instead of discussing a John Waters film proper, we're instead going to take a look at the story behind the 2007 musical remake of HAIRSPRAY and the Broadway sensation that inspired it in the final episode of our series John Waters: Divine Trash.
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

HAIRSPRAY (1988) | John Waters, Part 6

After unsuccessfully trying to get a PINK FLAMINGOS sequel off of the ground, John Waters revisited an idea that he'd been batting around since the late 1970s, about a teenage girl growing up in early 1960s Baltimore.
That film, HAIRSPRAY, would prove to be John Waters' unintentional ticket to mainstream recognition. By far his most popular and successful film to date, HAIRSPRAY would launch its director — and star, Divine — to whole new levels of fame, fame that, sadly, Divine would not live to see.
In this episode, we take one of our signature deep dives into the development, production and release of HAIRSPRAY and the lives of those who made it in the penultimate episodd in our series John Waters: Divine Filth. 

POLYESTER (1981) | John Waters, Part 5

On the heels of DESPERATE LIVING — and its disappointing box office — John Waters knew that he needed a hit, and that he needed his leading lady back.
Once again teaming with Divine, Waters set out to make a film that was a little more palatable to mass audiences, one that wouldn't rely on shock value to get its laughs. The resulting film was POLYESTER, released in 1981. Co-starring 50s silver screen heartthrob Tab Hunter, the film would also utilize the infamous "Odorama" scratch-n-sniff card gimmick during its initial release.
In this episode, we'll discuss just how Waters went from the subversive, abrasive DESPERATE LIVING to the Douglas Sirk-esque melodrama of POLYESTER, how he got Tab Hunter (and Debbie Harry!) involved, and how the film was received by audiences at the time. 
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

DESPERATE LIVING (1977) | John Waters, Part 4

After FEMALE TROUBLE, Divine — John Waters' muse — found his off-screen career beginning to flourish. When it was time for Waters to make his follow up to that film, that meant that Divine was unavailable, due to prior commitments. So for the first time in his career, Waters set out to make a film without his regular leading lady in the lead role.
The resulting film, DESPERATE LIVING, is Waters' most ambitious from this time period and is considered the final act in his so called Trash Trilogy. Unfortunately, possibly due to its lack of Divine, the film doesn't seem to garner the same amount of love as many of Waters' other early films, and was a box office disappointment, even by underground movie standards.
In this episode, we'll discuss in detail how DESPERATE LIVING came to be, the (many) trials and tribulations that its cast and crew endured during film, how cult icon Liz Renay became involved, and what critics and audiences of the time thought of it. Plus, we'll discuss our own thoughts on the film, its legacy, and its relation to Waters' career as we continue our deep dive into Waters' early films.
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net
 

FEMALE TROUBLE (1974) | John Waters, Part 3

"Without all of you, my career could never have gotten this far. Ha ha ha ha ha! It was you that I burn for, and it is you that I will die for. Please remember, I love every fucking one of you!"
After PINK FLAMINGOS' runaway success on the Midnight Movie circuit, it was time for John Waters to create his follow-up. He reconvened with his regular crew of Dreamlanders and created FEMALE TROUBLE, a trash epic that portrays the life and times of Dawn Davenport (played by Divine in a quintessential performance), tracking her progression from teenage brat to juvenile delinquency and, ultimately, mass murder.
In this episode, we tell the full story of how FEMALE TROUBLE came to be, from its inception, all the way through its tumultuous filming, release, and all of the controversy that came along with it.
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net
 

PINK FLAMINGOS (1972) | John Waters, Part 2

"The filthiest people alive? Well, you think you know someone filthier? Watch as Divine proves that not only is she the filthiest person in the world, she's also the filthiest actress in the world! What you are about to see is THE REAL THING!"
While John Waters MULTIPLE MANIACS was mildly successful during its small theatrical run, it was with his next collaboration with Divine that the duo would forever become a part of the pop culture fabric.
That film was PINK FLAMINGOS, which almost inexplicably became a phenomenon when it was released as a midnight movie in New York's Elgin Theater in 1974. It would go on to become one of the most successful independent films of its time, and was a key piece of the Midnight Movie phenomenon of the mid-to-late 1970s.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the production of this cult classic film, tracing it from conception through release, while discussing its legacy nearly a half century after it debuted.
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

MULTIPLE MANIACS (1970) | John Waters, Part 1

"One must remember that there is such a thing as good bad taste and bad bad taste." — John Waters
In our new series, John Waters: Divine Filth, we'll be exploring the stories behind Waters' early films, specifically the films made during the years when he collaborated with his muse, the legendary drag performer Divine.
During the nearly two decades that they made films together, Waters' films moved from the fringes, with underground short films like HAG IN A BLACK LEATHER JACKET and EAT YOUR MAKEUP, to the multiplexes, with their mainstream breakthrough HAIRSPRAY.
In this episode, we'll tell the story of Waters' early years growing up in Baltimore, how he began making films with likeminded misfits (his regular troupe of cast and crew, The Dreamlanders), and through the production of his first narrative feature of note, MULTIPLE MANIACS.
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

THE STEPFATHER (1987)

Spin the wheel, pick a movie, it's time for another Cinema Shock Roulette episode! This time, the randomly-chosen film is a 1987 thriller starring a pre-stardom Terry O'Quinn and directed by genre workman Joseph Ruben: THE STEPFATHER!
In this episode, we'll not only trace the production of the film itself, but we'll also recount the story of the real life crimes that inspired it, in addition to exploring its legacy as a Reagan-era social satire.
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, and Todd A. Davis.
For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net