Cf3: Cult Fans, Films & Finds

FANS: Vincente DiSanti discusses the state of Friday the 13th as a franchise and his Indiegogo campaign for fan film Never Hike in the Snow, the prequel to Never Hike Alone (2017). We hear details about the production and learn more about his directing career and what he loves about the series. SPOILER ALERT: In the week since we conducted this interview, the campaign has smashed its funding goal, but we encourage you to still contribute or purchase add-ons so you can own a part of this remarkable saga! This is a non-profit, so all proceeds will be used to make the planned sequels in the series. FILMS: Kevin Smith joins us in slaying our review of Friday the 13th (1980). We talk Pamela Voorhees, how creepy shirtless Steve is, give our thoughts on the final girl, and bring you more (Kevin) Bacon Bits with Dames Marvs! Vincente DiSanti tells us why this isn't his favorite entry in the series before rating the film for our patented Cultfilmometer. And... surprise! Ari Lehman pops up, albeit not from the water, t

FANS: André Gower, star of The Monster Squad (1987) talks about what drove him to create Wolfman’s Got Nards (2018), the documentary that serves as a love letter to the film, its fans, and its enduring legacy as a cult classic. We discuss his current tour of the film through the country’s Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, Blu-ray release, and his favorite moment in the film. He also breaks down the story behind the “Stephen King Rules” shirt in stunning detail. FILMS: The Monster Squad (1987) is broken down by the CF3 crew with a contributed score from Sean himself (André Gower). Talk of nards vs. nads, Michael Sembello, and the film’s homage ensues. Don’t be chickenshit—check this out! FINDS: Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman (2019), reviewing Shudder’s Creepshow revival, Sony & Disney mend spiderwebs, Jeff Goldblum rambles his way into Jurassic World 3 with Laura Dern & Sam Neill.

FANS: The sensational Dee Wallace, who has successfully pulled double-duty as scream queen and suburban mom in 200 Hollywood films over a 45-year-career, opens up about her delectable roles in 3 from Hell (2019) and Critters Attack! (2019). We couldn't help but to stroll down memory lane with her for a chat about Cujo (1983) and Critters (1986) as well. But the highlight of our chat was learning about her journey into personal healing--you don't want to miss this! FILMS: Joe Dante's The Howling (1981). We learn from Dee about how then-fiancee Christopher Stone was cast as her costar and what it was like to work with Dante. We marvel at the performances of Robert Picardo and Patrick Macnee, give thoughts on a controversial special effects shot, and draw the inevitable comparisons to the competing werewolf flick that year--An American Werewolf in London (1981). How do you take your burger?? FINDS: We bring you all the October Blu-ray news that's fit to record!

FANS: Walter Day, the father of esports and founder of Twin Galaxies, discusses his travels at age 70 and the ceremonies related to The Walter Day Collection, the trading card series he debuted in 2011, which has now reached over 3,000 cards and serves to document the history of gaming, its records and other facets of pop culture. We touch upon the importance of podcasting in chronicling history, the character Walter inspired in Wreck-It Ralph (2012), and we get Walter’s thoughts on several cult classic films inspired by video games. FILMS: “Possible Donkey Kong kill screen coming up!” We discuss our first documentary on CF3, the critically-acclaimed The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) with one of its featured participants, Walter Day. We discuss the film’s legacy and impact, narrative inaccuracies, and the classic hero vs. villain setup before seeing if we can help it set the high score on the Cultfilmometer. FINDS: NBC’s streaming service teases its Saved by the Bell revival, Womp Stomp Films lau

FANS: Shelley Pack & Josh Sutherland combined forces to write, produce and direct Chasing Molly (2019), a fish-out-of-water comedy that finds Pack on the run from a drug kingpin played by wrestling’s Kurt Angle. We chat with Shelley & Josh about the process of making a film, wrangling Angle and Felicia Day for supporting roles, and Shelley’s wardrobe decisions! FILMS: Find the nearest rock and listen in as we review Tremors (1990), our first Kevin Bacon flick on CF3. Best lines, Bacon bits, our favorite power couple The Gummers, and the film’s legacy are all unearthed. Shelley & Josh rejoin us in time to give their scores on the Cultfilmometer, and we help them decode their Bacon Numbers! FINDS: One of us watched the Durst/Travolta flick known as The Fanatic (2019), and you’ve gotta hear the verdict! Dames tells us if It Chapter 2 is worth our time and Jeff reveals new The Stand casting news. RIP Carol Linley + Scream Factory BD news.

FANS: Zach Thompson of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return and The Gauntlet joins us to talk about pro wrestling fandom and his work as a wrestling commentator and ringside interviewer for the Chicago-based Freelance Wrestling and Resistance Wrestling circuits. We also talk about his favorite cult films and how they have weathered painful remakes. Thanks a lot, Tim Burton! FILMS: It's Rowdy Roddy Piper in John Carpenter's memorable They Live (1988)! The gang earnestly discusses the messages decoded by the Hoffman Lenses and what messages we might see in 2019. Also covered: Piper as the face vs. the heel, Frank and Nada's epic street brawl, the film's basic score, and our favorite one-liners (not all of them are about bubblegum either). FINDS: We discuss what we've been watching lately: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Boys, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Peanut Butter Falcon, The Banana Splits Movie, The Dead Don't Die, and more!

FANS: Dean Cameron joins us to talk about directing Matt Walsh in Little Victories, rooming w/Eric Stoltz and others, auditioning in the 80s, landing in Straight Outta Compton, and his riotous return to the mountain for a role on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia in the episode titled "The Gang Hits the Slopes." FILMS: Class is in session in our first ever double feature, with Carl Reiner's Summer School (1987) and 90s ski comedy Ski School, both starring Dean. Hear how many times he watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to prep for his role in Summer School & which fashion trends from the 90s we all wish to make a comeback! What does Dean think of these movies decades later? You'll need to listen! FINDS: Disney's streaming service pricing, a Breaking Bad movie, The Mandalorian trailer, Star Wars IX teaser speculation.

FANS: Dreams come true as Thom Mathews (Friday the 13th series, Return of the Living Dead) joins us to discuss his acting hiatus, ROTLD, Tommy Jarvis and the Friday the 13th fan films, the role he almost landed in an Oliver Stone film, and new projects like Killer Therapy. FILMS: We review Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives with Tommy Jarvis himself! Thom tells behind-the-scene stories, and we geek out over favorite lines, best kills, the film's legacy and are treated to a special drop-in from the film's Jason--CJ Graham! Thom and CJ add their scores to the CF3 crew's tally for a shocking score on the Cultfilmometer. FINDS: We eulogize Peter Fonda, go nuts over the Kevin Smith MOTU news, and try to muster up some excitement over Snake Eyes and Elvis.

FANS: The Cryptkeeper (John Kassir) leads us into an exciting episode in which we interview Kevin Smith--our Kevin Smith--about his MST3K Motivation memes and discuss 5 of each of his favorite movies from the horror and sci-fi genres. Chiodo Brothers fans represent! FILMS: Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995) is covered in great detail--from the ensemble cast that includes Billy Zane, Jada Pinkett and Thomas Haden Church--to the mythology at the heart of the plot. John Kassir pops in to relay a story from filming that he boasts would make Hitchcock proud. FINDS: Dames is still talking about The Peanut Butter Falcon. Home Alone reboot, Marvel's Zombies fan trailer, RIP Toni Morrison, Alec Baldwin Comedy Central Roast, and the heroic Danny Trejo.

FANS & FILMS: We've combined our first two segments for this 25th episode spectacular covering every angle of Stanley Kubrick's masterful The Shining (1980). We've also procured exclusive commentary and celebrity reviews of The Shining from Corin Nemec (Stephen King's The Stand), Andy Dick (NewsRadio), Robert Wuhl (Arli$$), Sean Whalen (Twister), Ming Chen (AMC's Comic Book Men), Mark Bernardin (Castle Rock, Fatman Beyond), Paul Walter Hauser (BlackKklansman), Johnny Pemberton (Superstore, Ant-Man), Michael Ray Bower (Salute Your Shorts), Kevin McDonald (The Kids in the Hall), and Rob Franzese aka Real Life Peter Griffin. Then our listeners weigh in with scores of their own. How does this mind-bending film rate on the Cultfilmometer once a whopping 21 scores are factored in? Don't be a dull boy--just listen! FINDS: King's The Stand reboot update, a Kickstarter for a King-themed cocktail book, Event Horizon & Resident Evil streaming TV reboots.

FANS: We salute Lloyd Kaufman and Troma Entertainment this week with writer/director Andrew J. Chambers whose After School Lunch Special (2019) is inspired by Troma films and features Lloyd himself as a tapeworm named Mitch! FILMS: We review Troma's flagship film, The Toxic Avenger (1984), while talking USA Up All Night, Melvin and bullies, the un-PC nature of Toxie, the cartoon series, Marisa Tomei. We ponder what happened to Michael Herz. FINDS: Andy Dick HIMSELF delivers us a cult find about his upcoming Troma project. The Barn 2 adds Lloyd Kaufman! Designated Survivor dies for Dames.

FANS: Rebecca Markus (TV Tangents) joins us to interview Robbie Rist (The Brady Bunch, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), who opens up about "Cousin Oliver Syndrome," recounts why he wasn't on HGTV's recent Brady Bunch House renovation special, discusses his voiceover career and reveals his proudest work. Our most in-depth 'Fans' segment to date. FILMS: Robbie Rist voiced Michaelangelo in our film of the week, 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The film's tone, success, and product placements are all touched upon along with that anticlimactic ending. What will Robbie, Rebecca and the CF3 gang rate TMNT on the Cultfilmometer?? FINDS: Rutger Hauer, Friday the 13th fan films, Halloween sequels, Fred Durst directs John Travolta, and a shout out to Mary at Frog of La Mancha!

FANS: We caught up with puppeteer Steve Whitmire, who worked on virtually every major Henson production from 1978-2016 and succeeded the late Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog beginning in 1990. We talked Kermit, the original The Dark Crystal, and the upcoming Netflix prequel series. Also at OCon, we briefly chatted about the convention circuit with Gigi Edgley (Farscape). FILMS: The CF3 gang is wowed by the artistry on display in The Dark Crystal (1982) and break down why the film might not have done as well at the box office as it could have. And because we're not stupid, we obtain a score from Steve Whitmire and promptly offer it up to the Cultfilmometer. You'll want to hear what Steve rates the film itself vs. how he rates the film on the amount of physical pain it caused him! FINDS: We make corrections, talk about Marvel things that are already outdated (thanks to that stupid SDCC last weekend), Jetsons on Blu, and Sean William Scott anchors a horror film.

FANS: Long live Flash! We bring you the complete Sam J. Jones panel from OCon 2019, moderated by CF3. Hear who Sam would cast as Flash in the reboot, why he couldn't stand to watch the film for 30 years, how Seth McFarlane & Ted brought it back into his life, and hear his response to the smack talk of Comic Book Men's Ming (Chen)! FILMS: Ah-ahh! One of three members of the CF3 crew was sober for this review of Flash Gordon (1980), so grab your favorite beverage and listen to us talk about voice dubbing, Hawkmen rocket cycles, brain worms, Arboria, the women, wearing your own branded tee shirt, Bond villains, the cheesy FX and much, much more! PLUS: Sam J. Jones offers up his score for our Cultfilmometer! FINDS: We recap OCon adventures and shoutout several listeners and friends of the podcast. Plus: Tommy Wiseau's new sci-fi cartoon, Gremlins animated prequel, Arrow Video news & speculation on The Walking Dead's conclusion.

FANS: Second City alum and Frederick Julius mastermind Matt Geiler (aka The Dancing Pumpkin Man) and Ghostbusters enthusiast Brian Phillips join the CF3 podcast crew for this special podcast panel recorded LIVE from OCon 2019 on Saturday, June 29! FILMS: The man behind Winston Zeddemore--Mr. Ernie Hudson--gives a special introduction for CF3 and our OCon panel attendees then tells a funny story about the ECTO-1. The gang proceeds to discuss their first exposure to the film, the iconic theme song, refrigerator horrors, and favorite lines. We recruit the audience to help us pinpoint where the ECTO-1 ranks in movie car history, and we achieve a true CF3 milestone when we force an unsuspecting Matt Geiler to sing an entry from Tobin's Spirit Guide. What a ride! FINDS: As this was a special live podcast, there are no finds this week, but we wish to thank Gregg Markus for providing us equipment to record throughout OCon 2019 and for creating the fun outro track to this week's episode. Huzzah!

FANS: Space Ghost himself, George Lowe, regales us with tales of interviewing Adam West & Donny Osmond for Space Ghost Coast 2 Coast, working in the wild days of FM radio, and having Jackie Collins as a matchmaker. FILMS: In our review of Dan Aykroyd's lone directorial effort, Nothing but Trouble (1991), we ride the condiment train down Old Coke Road with Unky George Lowe and his pals in Digital Underground--Tupac Shakur included. Listen and see why George made this his personal pick for our cult film of the week. FINDS: Peter Griffin (Family Guy) leads us into our finds, which include Peele's Twilight Zone in black & white, a couple of deaths, and Dark Crystal & Ghostbusters casting news. Recorded all in the same room--freakin' sweet.

FANS: Actor Michael Ray Bower discusses playing Donkeylips on Salute Your Shorts, Roy Gublik on Friends and working with luminaries such as James Cameron, Martin Sheen and Rod Steiger. You won't want to miss his audition stories or when he recounts his first run-in with David Duchovny on The X-Files set! FILMS: TAKE THE LEG! Michael joins the review panel to talk about Ivan Reitman's Evolution (2001), which he starred in as Danny. We talk Head & Shoulders, Aykroyd, and box office disappointment. Then Michael details a cut scene involving slavery?!? FINDS: CF3 will moderate the Peter Macon (The Orville) panel at O Comic Con this month, more info on the Doctor Sleep trailer, and here comes Iron Sky: The Coming Race.

FANS: Colton Dunn (Superstore) leads us into the show and passes the baton to avid filmgoer and blogger Kyle Hickman. We talk 2019 films destined to become cult classics, TV binging and most anticipated movies of 2019's second half. FILMS: Don't expect a sub-zero (or plain zero) score on the Cultfilmometer for The Running Man (1987) because this one delivers on many fronts. In this laughter-filled review, we cover a lot of ground but probably not as much as Jim Brown's Fireball. FINDS: Kevin McDonald (The Kids in the Hall) brags about Putney Swope, CF3 is moderating Sam "Flash Gordon" Jones' panel at O Comic Con, Banana Splits get even scarier than it was before & Doctor Sleep has a trailer!

FANS: We say goodbye to Karen Kaske, a fellow fan who left us too soon. Ming Chen (A Shared Universe PodcaStudio) fields questions about the taping of AMC's Comic Book Men, working with Kevin Smith, college sports fandom & his favorite cult films, which include Made and two Christian Slater flicks. FILMS: We review and discuss 1994's Clerks, which launched the career of Kevin Smith. Ming tells us how his love of this film led to a career working with Kev on View Askew websites, SmodCo podcasts and eventually Comic Book Men. We all try not to be #37! FINDS: DC Universe pulls the plug on Swamp Thing. We hassle Steve Fodor of Too Much Scrolling about Aladdin (2019).

FANS: Marc Bernardin introduces us and gives Dames a pep talk. Gamers Michelle Ireland & Matt Miller of Team Mayh3m discuss how they met, their Twin Galaxies & Guinness World Record-setting conquests, gamer culture & favorite cult films. FILMS: Spoiler! Super Mario Bros. (1993) circles the drain rather quickly, but we have a lot of fun with Matt & Michelle laying into this turdburger. What will the Cultfilmometer have to say (or sing)? FINDS: Voice acting legend Maurice LaMarche (Pinky & the Brain) talks up Flesh Gordon, which hits Blu-ray soon; special features for Silent Hill announced & Designated Survivor returns in a new home.