#468 Goethe's PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974, dir. Brian Di Palma)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #468 We wrap up Spooktagon 2025 with Brian di Palma's weird, minor masterpiece, PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974) (not to be confused with the Kiss made-for-TV-movie, PHANTOM OF THE PARK, which has nothing to do with anything). It's a good movie. It's a good episode. It's got everything: The devil, rock operas, pills, and Looney Toons BS. It's great. Give it a listen. We also rap about (1956), Robert Altman's NASHVILLE (1975), and, of course, THE VENTURE BROS (2003 - 2023). What a run. Join the cause at Follow the us on on Bluesky at and , on Instagram and on Tiktok . You...
info_outline
#467 Stoker's NOSFERATU (1979, dir. Werner Herzog)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #467 Cruz and James return to Germany (and to vampires) with the 1979 remake/reimagining NOSFERATU! It's a good one! It's a great one, even! And no audio errors this time! It stars Klaus Kinski, Bruno Ganz, and Isabelle Adjani! We also talk about HBO's TASK (2025), the Kazakh films STEPPENWOLF (2024) and (2007), and (2001). LINKS: Join the cause at Follow the us on on Bluesky at and , on Instagram and on Tiktok . You can watch Cruz and show favorite Alexis Simpson on You Tube in Thanks to our artists and . The theme music is "Eine Kleine Sheissemusik" by Drew...
info_outline
#466 Crowley's THE CRAFT (1996, dir. Andrew Fleming)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #465 Welcome to the Spooktagon? We still doing this? Alright. THE SPOOKTAGON! BOO! On today's episode we talk the witchy horror flick THE CRAFT (1996). We also talk about the season finale of HBO's PEACEMAKER, Season 2, James Whale's FRANKENSTEIN (1934), and GUNDAM: WAR IN THE POCKET. Cruz, meanwhile, just talks abouts his back problems. Take care of your backs, kids! LINKS: Join the cause at Follow the us on on Bluesky at and , on Instagram and on Tiktok . You can watch Cruz and show favorite Alexis Simpson on You Tube in Thanks to our artists and . The theme...
info_outline
#465 Steinback's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1981, dir. Jack Clayton)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #465 Today we enter into the SPOOKTAGON, the very real and very important series we do every year, in which we pretend that we don't do horror movies all the time. Anyways, today we tackle the long-lost Disney flick SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1981). We also talk about HBO's TASK (2025) and PEACEMAKER, Season 2 (2025), SUPER SONS (2025), the latest season of SLOW HORSES (2025) on Apple TV or Apple+ or whatever they're calling it, as well as the good Paul Anderson's ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025). ALSO: As I said in the introduction, we had a lot of issues with the audio...
info_outline
#464 Wolfe's PUNISHMENT PARK (1971, dir. Peter Watkins)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #464 On today's episode we talk about the pseudo-documentary/alternate history thriller/discursive essay/grad-student lecture PUNISHMENT PARK (1971). It's a rough, weird movie that really feels like a prompt to get us to talk about our favorite dirtbag president, Richard Milhouse Nixon. We also talk about James Gunn's SUPERMAN (2025), Akira Kurosawa's SEVEN SAMURAI (1954), THUNDERBOLTS* (2025), the Courtney Barnett documentary (2022), and the Jackie Chan flick (1986). LINKS: Join the cause at . Follow the us on on Bluesky at kislingconnection and cruzflores, on Instagram...
info_outline
#463 Kojima's THE SNOW WOMAN (1968, dir. Tokuzo Tanaka)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #463 For this, our four-hundreth-third episode, we tackle the 1968 supernatural tale, THE SNOW WOMAN, directed by Tokuzo Tanaka. It's a good one. Quick, short, and to the point-- unlike us! We also talk about LA STRADA (1954), SUMO DO, SUMO DON'T (1991), MATEWAN (19878), Mishima's PATRIOTISM (1968), Spike Lee's HIGHEST 2 LOWEST (2025), Marvel's FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (2025), and THE VELVET UNDERGROUND (2021). LINKS: Join the cause at . Follow the us on on Bluesky at kislingconnection and cruzflores, on Instagram and on Tiktok . You can watch Cruz and show favorite...
info_outline
#462 Charrière's FEMALE PRISONER #701: SCORPION (1972, dir. Shunya Ito)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #462 We are kinda of back, just in time for the holidays. We talk about the (in)famous Japanese "pinky violence" film, FEMALE PRISONER #701: SCORPION (1972), directed by Shunya Ito. This is the first entry in the "Sasori" series, which is fantastic if you're into the idea of 1970's Japanese women-in-prison films. We also talk about CRUMB (1994), BLACK TIGHT KILLERS (1966), YOKOHAMA BJ BLUES (1981), and COOLIE (2025). Great stuff. A great little episode. Come and get it. LINKS: Join the cause at . Follow the us on on Bluesky at kislingconnection and cruzflores, on Instagram and...
info_outline
#461 Carver's STAND BY ME (1986, dir. Rob Reiner)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #461-- We dive back into the world of Stephen King with the stone-cold summer classic STAND BY ME (1986, dir. Rob Reiner). All the stars are here. You got the Joker's younger brother. You got the slightly less tragic Corey. You got Wesley Crusher, everyone's least favorite Star Trek character. You got the Sliders guy. Nothing but heroes in this pantheon. OTHER LINKS: Join the cause at . Follow the us on on Bluesky at kislingconnection and cruzflores, on Instagram and on Tiktok . You can watch Cruz and show favorite Alexis Simpson on You Tube in "They Live Together." Thanks...
info_outline
#460 Beckett's HANA-BI (1998)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #460-- We continue to valiantly plow through our backlog with the indie yakuza/heist/hangout film, HANA-BI (1998), written, directed, and staring Takeshi Kitano (AKA Beat Takeshi). It's a short one. Give it a listen! TIME STAMPS: 3:20-- First mention of TAKESHI'S CASTLE 5:55-- We talk about PRINCESS MONONOKE (1998) and its score. 23:00-- Lem is mentioned. You know Lem. 24:30-- OUTRAGE and OUTRAGE 2 are mentioned. 31:30-- James talks classic JDM. 33:00-- BROTHER (2000) is mentioned. 43:30-- HANNAH is mentioned. 37:05-- Cruz recommends PSYCHONUATS 2. 30:04-- James recommends CLOUD...
info_outline
#459 Bradbury's THE RUNNING MAN (1987)
A Quality Interruption
EPISODE #459-- Overcoming the grad school blues, we finally have a new (old) episode for you. This week we tackle the classic/hoary Schwarzenegger sci-fi thriller, THE RUNNING MAN (1987, dir. Paul Michael Glaser). We also talk about a lot of other stuff. Star Wars and the like. You know how it is. TIME STAMPS: 1:15-- We talk about "clankers" as a concept 4:45-- "Tenet" and the "Tenet Rap" by Travis Scott is mentioned. 9:23-- Richard Bachman mentioned. 11:40-- Rollerball Versus Robocop 17:25-- We literally mention 1984 18:29-- 1970's conspiracy theories 26:30-- More Paul Verhoven chat (this...
info_outlineEPISODE #467
Cruz and James return to Germany (and to vampires) with the 1979 remake/reimagining NOSFERATU! It's a good one! It's a great one, even! And no audio errors this time! It stars Klaus Kinski, Bruno Ganz, and Isabelle Adjani!
We also talk about HBO's TASK (2025), the Kazakh films STEPPENWOLF (2024) and MONGOL (2007), and THE OTHERS (2001).
LINKS:
Join the cause at Patreon.com/Quality. Follow the us on on Bluesky at kislingconnection and cruzflores, on Instagram @kislingwhatsit, and on Tiktok @kislingkino. You can watch Cruz and show favorite Alexis Simpson on You Tube in They Live Together. Thanks to our artists Julius Tanag and Sef Joosten. The theme music is "Eine Kleine Sheissemusik" by Drew Alexander. Also, I've got a newsletter, so maybe go check that one out, too.
Listen to DRACULA: A RADIO PLAY on Apple Podcasts, at dracularadio.podbean.com, and at the Long Beach Playhouse at https://lbplayhouse.org/show/dracula
And, as always, Support your local unions! UAW, SAG-AFTRA, and WGA strong and please leave us a review on iTunes or whatever podcatcher you listened to us on!