Video Store Podcast

• Underrated Halloween Specials

  Welcome back to the Video Store Podcast and welcome to Spooky Month! We’re halfway to Halloween, and I’ve picked four underrated Halloween specials to help you celebrate the season.Halloween is Grinch Night! (1977)This lesser-known Grinch special adds a bit of spooky, Seussian fun to the Halloween season. Young Euchariah Who gets lost on a trip to the “euphemism” during a wind storm and has an encounter with the Grinch. You shouldn’t go out on a night like this—instead, stay in with Halloween is Grinch Night!Doug Season 4 Episode 4 “Doug’s Halloween Adventure” (1993)This Halloween special is one that I’ve tried to watch every year since the 90s. Doug and Skeeter are spending Halloween at Funky Town, hoping, though not without trepidation, to ride Bloodstone Manor, the new horror ride. However, by the time they make it to the front of the line, the park is closed. Not disuaded, school Roger pushes them to sneak on anyway. Can they escape? Watch “Doug’s Halloween Adventure” and find out. Gargoyles Season 2 Episode 7 “Eye of the Beholder” (1995)This Halloween episode of Gargoyles has been shown as a Halloween special in the years since its original airing. Elisa and Goliath are tracking a werewolf-type creature…or should we say werefox? Can they rescue Fox from the effects of The Eye of Odin necklace? You’ll have to watch and find out. The Halloween Tree (1993)This Emmy-winning Halloween special is adapted from Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name. The Halloween Tree focuses on the adventures of 5 kids on Halloween night who must learn the value of friendship and the true spirit of the Halloween season. With Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Moundshroud and narration by Ray Bradbury himself, The Halloween Tree is NOT to be missed. Thanks for joining us for another trip to the Video Store Podcast. Have a safe and happy Halloween season! Thanks for reading Video Store Podcast! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com

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• Unleashing Evil

  Hello, friends! Welcome back to the Video Store Podcast. After a short break (you’ll find out why in this episode), the store has reopened just in time for Halloween! On this episode of the podcast I’m recommending four films in which characters accidentally open portals, unleash evil spirits into this world, and spend the majority of the film trying to send it back before… gulp… you know.Evil Dead 2 (1987)Ash Williams is one unlucky fellow as, once again, he finds himself in a remote cabin accidentally opening a portal to Hell after playing recorded passages read from the Necronomicon — aka “the Book of the Dead.” You don’t need to have seen the first film to watch this one. Grab a bucket of popcorn and your chainsaw and check this one out.The Gate (1987)Glen, his best friend Terry, and Glen’s older sister Al accidentally open a gate to Hell in their own backyard and must use what resources they have to put them back. For being PG13, The Gate has some pretty horrifying (and amazing) special effects. This is the film that turned me on to The Killer Dwarves and made me fear geodes. Night of the Demons (1988)A group of teens are invited to attend a Halloween party at an abandoned funeral parlor (rumored to be haunted) and perform a seance. What could possibly go wrong? If you said “nothing” you haven’t been paying attention! One by one most of the teens become possessed, killed, or killed and then possessed. These demons like to mix things up! A great horror flick with a great 80s vibe. Witchboard (1986)If you’ve learned anything from this podcast so far I hope it’s to not go around trying to open portals to other worlds. In Witchboard, Linda begins dabbling with an Ouija Board and if you think that leads to good things, you have learned nothing. It’s up to Linda’s current boyfriend and ex-boyfriend to team up and drive the evil out of her. I won’t tell you if they are successful but I will tell you this film has at least two sequels. Thanks for stopping by our video store. Enjoy the new hot dog roller and cocktail Ms. Pac-Man machine we added by the front door. Grab a few horror films while you’re here and don’t forget to rewind them before you return them. Thanks for coming in! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com

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• Break Time!

  This is just a short little message. We are taking a break after over a year of putting out shows. Time to do some more watching and get our recommendations ready for more episodes. We are also interested in bringing more people into the Video Store, so if you have some podcast experience and can follow along with our format, we would love to hear from you. Send us a message or comment below and we can get a discussion going. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com

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• New Jersey Movies

  On this week’s episode of The Video Store Podcast, I’m recommending four movies. They’re all from the 1980s and 1990s and all have some connection to my home state of New Jersey, even if it’s a loose one. These aren’t big studio classics. They’re weirder, smaller, and have built and kept loyal followings for decades.The Toxic Avenger (1984) Made by Troma Entertainment, this is probably their most well known film. It’s low budget, violent, and absurd. It was shot mostly in New Jersey, including many areas near where I grew up. The studio itself was co-founded by Lloyd Kaufman, who grew up in NYC but often filmed across the Hudson for budget reasons. The Toxic Avenger became Troma’s mascot and eventually got cartoon spin-offs, comics, and a stage musical.The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)This one is hard to explain in a sentence. Peter Weller plays a neurosurgeon who’s also a rock star and physicist. It’s sci-fi with a cast that includes Jeff Goldblum, Ellen Barkin, and John Lithgow. The film didn’t do well when it came out but has built a steady fanbase over time. While it wasn’t filmed in New Jersey, it is rife with Garden State references.Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) This is a fictional band movie that takes itself seriously. It was shot in various New Jersey shore towns. The soundtrack, especially the song “On the Dark Side,” ended up doing better than the film. Led by Michael Paré plays Eddie, the film has a solid cast, but its the music that helped it build an audience. Most of that happened because it became available pretty quickly on HBOClerks (1994)Kevin Smith’s first film. Shot in black and white for under $30,000. He filmed it at the Quick Stop convenience store in Leonardo, New Jersey, where he worked at the time. This movie launched his career and started what would be known as the View Askewniverse. It’s mostly just two guys talking about things that interest them in intense and funny ways, but it worked. These films offer more than just entertainment. They provide a look back at different moments when movies could be made with local flavor and for these ones, a personal vision. That connection to place and the willingness to work within its constraints created films that continue to matter because they show how stories are shaped by where they come from just as much as who tells them.Thanks for reading Video Store Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com

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• Comic Book Movies Before They Were Cool

  Welcome, all True Believers, to another episode of the Video Store Podcast. This week, I’ve got four films showcasing the superhero genre, long before the big superhero boom of the late 90s/early 00s that’s still going strong today. Put on your mask, your spandex, and join me on the couch for a movie marathon that’s, well, super!Batman: The Movie (1966)First up is Batman: The Movie from 1966. A spinoff of the popular TV show, this theatrical film is one for the ages. Still fun and funny, Batman: The Movie is a film that the whole family can sit down and enjoy, whether they’ve seen any of the Adam West/Burt Ward TV series. Make a bowl of popcorn and sit down with your partner in crime-fighting to enjoy Batman: The Movie. Dick Tracy (1990)One of the more underrated films of this era is 1990’s Dick Tracy, directed by and starring Warren Beatty. This is a noir detective story in yellow. Filmed like a living comic book with a score by Danny Elfman, songs by Stephen Sondheim and Madonna, Dick Tracy is a film not to be missed. Put on your yellow trenchcoat, and I’ll join you on the couch for a comic book classic that too few people have seen. I’m on my way! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)Order a pizza and settle in for a fun action comedy that’s sure to please everyone. 1990’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brings the comic by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird to life with puppetry and costuming by Jim Henson’s creature shop, a great soundtrack, and fantastic stunt and action sequences. You’ll love every second of being a turtle with this film. The Phantom (1996)Charming pulpy goodness awaits you when you push play on The Phantom from 1996. Starring Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, Treat Williams, and Patrick McGoohan, this is another underrated classic of comic book film lore not to be missed. Join the very first superhero to wear spandex and slam evil with The Phantom. Thanks for reading Video Store Podcast! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com

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