Bravo for the B-side Podcast

A Norwegian film that has long been on our list, Trollhunter is a great movie with surprising special effects. The recent release of the English dubbed version made it possible to watch and review for the show. Troll lore is taken to a new height, and the lessons of simple story mixed with little-used folklore make for some great lessons. We even get into some local folklore, though it’s not about trolls. Trollhunter English dubbed version can be found on Tubi. The original Trollhunter can be found on Amazon Video.

How can you pass up something called Bunnyman Grindhouse Edition? We couldn’t. A re-release of Bunnyman, this indie horror has had a Grindhouse treatment. The original Bunnyman looked to be a fun ride, but the re-edit of it to make this version transitioned from fun to perplexing, then to distracting. The core story is still a fun backwoods killer romp, and there are some lessons we each point out. Not the least of which is if you have characters in a terrible situation, have them actually do something rather than sit in a car for hours doing nothing. Bunnyman Grindhouse Edition can be found on Amazon Video.

Folks! This is a wonderful, jam-packed episode. We have Eric Schumacher, Nathan Campbell, Bradford Trojan, Marty Ketola, Clif Campbell, and Geoff Notkin, all from Revenge of Zoe! This was such an amazing talk, with some truly wonderful and fantastic people. We laugh, we cry, we pray for Nathan as his connection warbles. Join us for this odyssey into creative brilliance, nerd-dom, and some solid lessons for creatives. Also make sure you check the links below to see what these giants of indie film are doing! Revenge of Zoe can be found on Tubi. Links to the gods: Eric SchumacherSeelie Studios: www.seeliestudios.comIMDB: http://www.imdb.me/ericschumacherFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Eric-Schumacher-54210757834/Twitter: https://twitter.com/EricSchumacherLinked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eschumacherfilm/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schumacher.eric/ Clif CampbellPondo Enterprises Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pondoenterprises/IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2529057/ Nathan CampbellIMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3979297/ Marty KetolaIMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2527757/Pondo Enterprises Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pondoenterprises/ Bradford TrojanIMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2617031/ Geoffrey NotkinDesert Owl Productions Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DesertOwlFilm/Meteorite Men: http://meteoritemen.comGeoff’s website: http://www.notkin.net

Revenge of Zoe is a micro-budget film from 2018 that is a must see. A self-proclaimed “Nerd Comedy” that pays tribute to the 80s nerd films, this movie takes us on a fun ride through the lives of two comic store owners, an alcohol and drug addled writer, and imaginary or hallucinatory friends as they navigate the ominous task of writing a sequel to a successful comic adaptation. This movie proves you don’t need big budgets to make a fun, relatable film. Great performances, not the last of which is from our good friend of the show, Eric Schumacher. It’s one of those movies that gets us into some tangental conversations, all attributed to the context of this fun film. Revenge of Zoe can be found on Tubi.

With Dani not fully recovered, Jim speaks with director/producer Michael Matteo Rossi, who’s film Chase we covered last week. Jim and Michael talk about the movie, the pandemic, the importance of using social media a platform for encouragement, and so much more. Listen to this fantastic talk with a truly wonderful man, and be sure to check the links below. Links to Michael’s presence and films: facebook.com/michaelmatteorossi instagram.com/michaelmatteorossi twitter.com/michaelmatteoro https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2751807/

Chase was brought to our attention by its director, Michael Matteo Rossi. We’re glad for it. Starring Damien Puckler, yes indeed, we follow a hit man who is torn between two lives. A low-budget indie film, Chase brings some excellent emotional struggle as well as great overall lessons on filmmaking. Rossi shot this in just 18 days, commendable if not amazing. Chase can be found on Amazon Video.

Our daughter Lily sits in for Dani, who is out sick, to talk about Space Captain: Captain of Space. This sci-fi comedy is a wonderful salute to the throwback serials of the 1930’s, like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. It doesn’t stop there, the connections and spoofs span decades of sci-fi schlock movies as well. Starting out as a multi-media play, and later turned into a feature, this movie is fun for everyone. Solid performances, loads of puns and one-liners, it excels in lessons of making the most of a micro-budget. Scenery, costumes, effects, they are all wonderful. This was a delightful watch with fun lessons. Space Captain: Captain of Space can be found on Amazon Video.

One of Jim’s all-time favorites, Lost in Translation. Filmmaker Sophia Coppola blows the lid off of traditional filmmaking with this brilliant movie. Beautifully shot and paced this movie brings attention to lessons of tone, characters, and the art of drawing in the audience to share in the emotional state of the story, and the power and art of editing. Another must see film that is coming up on 20 years old. Lost in Translation can be found on Amazon Video and iTunes.

We all know it, and we finally made it down the list to Chopping Mall. This standard 80’s horror film has some mixed lessons, to-do’s and not-to-do’s. We have rampant Casio music, character naming issues, but it’s all forgiven for exploding heads and some wicked remote control robots that just tear it up. Also, this is one of the finest accidental documentaries on mall life in the 80’s. Yeah, that’s right. Chopping Mall can be found on Amazon Video.

This movie is ridiculous in a fantastic way. Zombeavers gives us an old-fashioned animals gone wild situation mixed with our favorite genre; Zombies. There is no mistaking that this is a campy film, riddled with bad puns, obnoxious characters, stuffed beaver zombies, and it does it all gloriously. Another technically sound film, Zombeavers brings it and delivers with fun. Excellent lessons on effects budget placement, and leaning in to the goofiness of the story for maximum results and enjoyment. Zombeavers can be found on Hulu.

Another Cult Classic, the 1978 Piranha. It can be fun under the right circumstances, but the lessons from this film are based on its failure to follow them. Characters need to be interesting. The A, B, C stories need to line up. Dialogue has to serve a purpose, even on a rudimentary level. Piranha has none of this, so you can see firsthand what a movie that lacks all of the basics looks like. Still, it’s a good background film or a time burner. Surprising, with names like Joe Dante and Roger Corman, not everything can be a winner. Piranha can be found on Tubi.

Another random find, and a fun/funny one at that. Save Yourselves is a great indie film that places a ‘modern’ couple, who spend their time buried in their phones and laptops, in an end-of-world scenario. An indictment of modern social media lifestyle and screen dependency, this humorous survival against aliens story has the most fantastic lessons of character development we have seen in some time. Save Yourselves can be found on Hulu.

We talk with Alisdair Cook, who wrote the book that one of the main characters from Redwood Massacre: Annihilation wrote. Sounds strange, but it’s wonderful. This is a fantastic example of taking something from a film and giving it its own life. We talk about writing the book and some juicy bits of upcoming projects in the Redwood Massacre universe. Alisdair’s book, Redwood Massacre: The Untold Story, can be found on Amazon. And while you’re at it, check our episodes on Redwood Massacre, Redwood Massacre: Annihilation, our interviews with David Ryan Keith, Liam Matheson, and watch/buy these damn good films.

It was fun then, and it’s still fun now. The 1988 Killer Klowns from Outer Space is a cult classic. For good reason. This horror-comedy brings clowns to the screen in a hilariously unique fashion. Pure B-movie fun this movie has some fantastic lessons on bringing the ridiculous to life. You won’t find Oscar performances here, or an award winning story, but you will find some of the best practical effects from 1988. And, Little Klown. Little Klown don’t f$%! around. Killer Klowns from Outer Space can be found on Amazon Video.

It’s not an interview, it’s a great discussion between four cinephiles. Join us as we talk with two fantastic women, Julia Marchese and Teri Gamble. Co-hosts of The Horror Movie Survival Guide, actors, movie lovers, and Julia directed the incredible documentary Out of Print. What makes all of this writing, directing, producing, filmmaking in general, is the love of film by people. In this episode, we have just that. Check out Julia’s stuff here:linktr.ee/juliacmarchese Check out Teri’s stuff here:linktr.ee/HorrorMovieSurvivalGuide linktr.ee/TheTeriGamble

We found this excellent gem from 2010 and had to talk about it. Uncle Brian, written and directed by Nick McAnulty, is a gritty look at real life with a cornucopia of messed up people. The writing, direction, and acting have magnificent lessons for all. This is the kind of film Hollywood would not have the balls to do, but Nick did. Uncle Brian can be found on Amazon Video.

We visit Mystery Alaska, one of only two films by television producer and writer David E. Kelley. Set with an A-film budget, Mystery Alaska fell sharply into B-movie treatment, and fell even lower. This fun, feel good film has a lot of lessons on fast pacing, quick dialog, and building characters without mounds of unnecessary backstory. Mystery Alaska can be found on Amazon Video, iTunes, and DVD.

This was a great find. Scare Me, released in October of 2020, directed and written by Josh Ruben, was a delightful watch. The movie itself hits on so many things about writing, story crafting, and collaboration it is its own bundle of lessons. This indie film is a fantastic example of small cast, single location, and some old-school techniques for delivering an entertaining story with full-fledged characters. This is a must see for all creatives, this is another master-class of filmmaking and writing. Scare Me can be found on Shudder and iTunes for rent or purchase. Make sure you purchase it.

When we first covered Redwood Massacre: Annihilation it was a pre-release screener. We could only do a light surface analysis, but now we do a full dive into this excellent horror film. Written and directed by David Ryan Keith, we jump ten years after the first film and pick up on Burlap’s reign of terror. Starring Danielle Harris, Damien Puckler, Gary Casper, Tevy Poe, and Jon Campling, this fun flick gives us great examples of direction, cinematography, acting, and the best damn killer of all time; Burlap. Redwood Massacre: Annihilation can be found on iTunes, Wal Mart, Amazon Video.

We end the year covering the works of an amazing B-movie director and producer. The works of William Castle are overshadowed only by his outrageous PR stunts. Castle set the bar for marketing B horror films, had a rivalry with Alfred Hitchcock, adored Vincent Price, and was a prolific movie maker. Join us as we talk about this amazing man, his fantastic films, and how his life and his body of work are a masterclass for any creative. William Castle’s movies can be found on iTunes, Tubi, Amazon Video, and in stores.

What better way to celebrate the holiday than a Christmas Slasher film? All Through the House is a wonderful little Santa-slasher that gives us some great, bloody fun. It also suffers from an irrelevant storyline that nearly takes the fun out of watching, which we get into with some detail. All Through the House can be found on Amazon Video.

Gentlemen Broncos is a marvelous, heavily underrated film by Jared Hess that we’ve mentioned several times on previous episodes. Now we finally give it the dissection it deserves. This incredible soft-spoken film has so many terrific lessons on filmmaking, character development, story, and the all important soundtrack selection. This is a must-see movie, and one you should own. Gentlemen Broncos can be found on iTunes and Prime Video.

It’s not a great movie, but it is an important one. We dissect Dolemite, a Rudy Ray Moore film that has earnest heart and a fixed place in history. This 1975 film has inspired many filmmakers and is an important historic voice on Black cinema. Join us in the wayback machine to visit 1975’s indie film about a streetwise pimp. You can find Dolemite on Amazon Video.

We get to talk to director Sylas Dall and star Mary Madaline Roe of They Reach. Another fantastic and fun interview. We get into some great talk about filmmaking, the artistry behind giving the audience a visual feel, and how Mary Madaline handled her first go on a banana-seat bike. Two great people involved in a great film. Join us for some fun, and for a look into a very passionate project. They Reach can be found on iTunes, Fandango, Vudu, Google Play, Amazon Video

They Reach is a fantastic first feature by Sylas Dall. A retro horror in the vein of E.T., Goonies, Monster Squad, this movie hits all the marks. With fantastic young stars, superb direction, and a wonderfully fun and creepy story, this is another movie that has lessons on doing everything right. They Reach can be found on iTunes, Fandango, Vudu, Google Play, Amazon Video

We finally get to Cockneys vs Zombies, a wonderfully fun film by Matthias Hoene. Aside from all of the fun of joining some East Enders dealing with a zombie outbreak, there are some spectacular lessons to glean from this movie. It’s a fast-paced ride of laughs and a masterclass all at the same time. Cockneys vs Zombies can be found on Amazon Video and iTunes.

Story is everything, and Invasion Planet Earth is deeply lacking in that department. From a misleading logline to a rambling, almost indecipherable plot, this ambitious indie film falls flat on so many levels. But, with every failure comes lessons, and there are quite a few lessons to be had here. Not everything was terrible, but when story execution fails, nothing else can save a movie. Invasion Planet Earth can be found on Amazon Video.

Set in the Afghanistan versus Russia war in the early 80’s, The Beast is a fast-moving film about a Russian tank on the run from Afghan rebels. Starring Jason Patric, it delivers some compelling food for thought as well as some fast-paced storytelling. We talk about how the story itself can be the main character, and some nearly forgotten choices in writing. The Beast can be found on Amazon Video.

We’ve talked to Ryan Kruger, and now we do a spoiler-free dissection of his amazing film Fried Barry. This thing has been killing it at festivals around the world, and for good reason. Not scheduled for public release until January 2021, we talk about the technical brilliance that Ryan has brought and why you need to see this movie. This is a future Criterion Collection nominee. Fried Barry is showing at festivals around the world. Also check out FriedBarry.com for information.

We are graced with returning guest Tucky Williams as we talk about Dagger Kiss: Enchanted Forest, her latest venture to make it to Amazon. Even though she was sick and chose to go through with the interview, Tucky brings her grace and poise in top form. We talk again about making films, the struggles indie filmmakers run into, and some overall fun. You can find Dagger Kiss: Enchanted Forest on Amazon Video.

Join us as we cover Dagger Kiss: Enchanted Forest, the film conclusion to the Dagger Kiss series by Tucky Williams. A clever combination of fantasy and modern settings, this film takes us on a very human journey of the heart. It proves that even with a very limited budget a production can deliver some surprising emotion and layered story. You can find Dagger Kiss: Enchanted Forest on Amazon Video.

BURLAP LIVES! A masterful sequel, Redwood Massacre: Annihilation brings back Burlap, the best slasher-killer to hit the scene in a good long while. We go about this episode differently, we don’t dissect the entire film so that you can enjoy all of the moments unspoiled. We do dive deep into the technical mastery that David Ryan Keith brings to all of his work. We love this sequel and hope you will listen and watch or buy the movie. Redwood Massacre: Annihilation will be out October 20, 2020 and will be showing at FrightFest October 21-25.

We have David Ryan Keith returning to the show to talk to us about the upcoming Redwood Massacre: Annihilation, which hits VOD/DVD on October 20. It is our best talk yet. David confirmed that the killer in the film was named after the nickname that Jim gave him during our rundown of the first Redwood Massacre. Join us as we celebrate the christening of Burlap, and some fantastic tales of post production woes. Redwood Massacre: Annihilation will be out October 20, 2020 at Wal Mart and other outlets.

For the first time we have some disagreement on the merits of a film. Manborg is an ambitious effort that has a lot of plusses, but for Jim there are some heavy minuses. Dubbed a “green screen” movie, where the backgrounds and sets are entirely green screen, this micro-budget film is worth a look so you can judge for yourselves. Manborg can be found on Amazon Video.

A delightful find, Muse is a horror thriller that has a lot going for it. We talk about the straightforward story, writing, beautifully composed shots, excellent use of lighting, and more. There are a lot of fantastic examples in this movie to take away for everyone. Well worth watching. Muse can be found on Tubi.

It’s fun and a lot of people have not seen it, and they need to. Ahhhhh! Zombies is a horror comedy that delivers a magnificent take on zombie films. We talk about quite a few great lessons to take away from this film. We also talk again about pushing through this tough time to unleash your creative force. Ahhhh! Zombies can be found on Amazon Video.

We’ve waited long enough. We are finally covering Clerks, the cornerstone film by Kevin Smith that launched the View Askew universe, and a 26 year career in filmmaking that is still going. We talk about this wonderful movie, break down some excellent moments, and go over some important lessons that can be learned from this pillar of indie film. How it was shot, camera work, dialogue, all things that can serve as an example or inspiration for filmmakers at all levels. Clerks can be found just about anywhere, but we suggest buying your own copy to cherish and collect.

We tackle Blood Hunters in this episode. A low-budget horror that unfortunately falls short on horror, story, plot, and sensibility. We dissect this mess of missed opportunities and dive into some important lessons. Story, plot lines, character development, and the outdated use of jump-scares and why filmmakers need to stop using them are a few things we touch on. We were hoping for a good and fun horror. We were given a boring, disjointed, annoyingly sloppy mess. Blood Hunters can be found on Amazon Video.

We talk with South African director/writer Ryan Kruger. Known for his kick-ass music videos over the past ten years, Ryan talks a little with us about Fried Barry, his first feature film. Currently making its rounds at festivals, and preliminary release date of January 2021, Fried Barry looks like the indie/b-movie we need. Ryan gives some fantastic career advice, shares some fantastic stories, and shares news on the Fried Barry action figure! See the trailer for Fried Barry below. Check film festivals for Fried Barry screenings.

It’s our first coverage of an The Asylum Films movie for the podcast. Dead 7 is a post-apocalyptic zombie western, filled with aging Boy Band members. Written by Nick Carter, we see why The Asylum has done so well with their B-movie formula all of these years. Filled with plot holes and bewildering location cuts, it’s actually not as bad in those areas as some A-List movies out there. We talk about the Asylum formula, b-movies, and why a director might want to pick up a project like this from a b-movie studio. Dead 7 can be found on Amazon Video.

This love letter to Schlock Sci-Fi is a treat for everyone. Attack of the Moon Zombies is a throwback salute to those sci-fi films of the 50’s that launched the genre. It excels as a throwback homage movie as well as a satirical take on schlock. With our daughter returning to guest host we dissect this delightful movie and run through some lessons that make filmmaking fun, and the importance of egg cartons in science fiction. Attack of the Moon Zombies can be found on Amazon Video.

This movie from New Zealand saw a very limited release in the U.S. Guns Akimbo is a wild, fun, and loud ride. The plot is ridiculous which makes it all the more fun. Daniel Radcliffe shows us once again that is made for wild, crazy, outrageous roles, and that he can nail them like no one else. With a massive amount of lessons for filmmakers, Guns Akimbo is a delight for the viewer and for those looking for inspiration for technical excellence. Guns Akimbo can be found on Amazon Video. Go get it!

This Australian film never saw a release in the US, but it should have. Danger Close tells the story of the Battle of Long Tan in Viet Nam. A true story with excellent portrayals, it is not to be missed. We talk about the technical aspects, which are superior, and the importance of the need for stories that have that human spark in them. We stray from movie lessons and get into some deep philosophical topics. You should see this movie, and more importantly you should listen to this episode and do some deep self-searching. Danger Close can be found on Amazon Video.

We are so lucky to have Liam Matheson returning to speak with us, and he is joined by Steven Worsley, both starring in Attack of the Herbals. It was another great chat as we talked about the movie, voice acting, filmmaking, and go-to genres for comfort films. Don’t miss this fun chat, and at the end learn how sweet Liam was in speaking to our daughter after the interview. Attack of the Herbals is free on Clear Focus Movies’ channel:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5K0mtF-pq0&t=1s Find Steven’s works at the following: https://www.audible.co.uk/search/ref=a_pd_Crime-_c2_1_narr?searchNarrator=Steve+Worsley http://www.menwithcoconuts.com/ Https://www.Facebook.com/menwithcoconuts Also check out The Redwood Massacre on Amazon Prime, because the sequel is on the way!

An early film by David Ryan Keith and Liam Matheson, Attack of the Herbals is a horror comedy that delivers on many levels. Very low budget but fun and technically proficient, this movie sets a standard for indie film excellence. With our daughter as a special guest we tackle this film’s humor, great direction, and so much more. An undervalued gem, this movie should be cult status. Attack of the Herbals is free on Clear Focus Movies’ channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5K0mtF-pq0&t=1s

We have the honor of speaking Barney Burman, Oscar Winner for Best Cinematic Makeup for Star Trek in 2009, writer/director/producer of Wild Boar, and make-up effects master for decades’ worth of television and movies. Barney shares not only his experiences in filmmaking, but also how his self-doubt held him back until he finally overcame it. Some great inspiration and movie making lessons from a true legend of Hollywood.

In this episode we embrace Wild Boar. Given to us as a screener prior to its release, this film by Oscar Winner Barney Burman, legendary make-up effects master, is a fast and fun ride in horror. Needless to say the makeup is top notch, but there is no disappointment in blood and gore. We talk about this particular kind of setting, which we call Grit Horror, the excellent editing, and excellent sound. Also discussed is the importance of sound equipment over camera, and how fun these kinds of horror films are. Check Festival sites for Wild Boar showings.

Join us for a fantastic talk with Tucky Williams. Actor/Director/Writer/Producer, creator and star of Girl/Girl Scene, victorious online troll fighter, gay rights advocate, and probably the nicest, sweetest person you’ll ever meet. We talk filmmaking, the fight against trolls and Amazon, and how the word lesbian is still associated with sexual fantasies and porn, rather than just a descriptor of a person’s sexual preference. We loved this chat with her, and we’re sure you will too. You can watch Girl/Girl Scene the Movie and the series on Amazon Video. Tucky’s Website and Film Resume:www.luckytucky.com About the controversy with trolls:www.girlgirlscene.com/controversy

We start Pride Month talking about this great 80’s homage movie, Girl/Girl Scene, spawned from a successful web series of the same name. Following a group of friends we take a nostalgic run through what made 80’s friend films so great, including a very 80’s VCR look. Because the characters are lesbians this movie took a huge hit from bigoted trolls, but writer/director Tucky Williams did not stand for it. We talk about not just this fun movie but also how bigots got it knocked off of Amazon, and how Tucky fought and won to get it back on. This is an important episode for all filmmakers. You can watch Girl/Girl Scene the Movie and the series on Amazon Video.

We were fortunate to be able to speak to David Ryan Keith, writer/director of The Redwood Massacre, and Liam Matheson, actor/producer. These two movie-making fiends were full of delightful conversation and some fantastic tips for filmmakers that hit right on the nose. Join us for this wonderful, and blissfully long, conversation. It’s going to be the most fun you’ve had all week! The Redwood Massacre can be found on Amazon Video.https://smile.amazon.com/Redwood-Massacre-Lisa-Cameron/dp/B011487O9G/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+redwood+massacre&qid=1589903359&sr=8-1 Attach of the Herbals can be found on Tubi and YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5K0mtF-pq0 The Dark Within can be found on Amazon Video.https://smile.amazon.com/Dark-Within-Paul-Flannery/dp/B07S6DHJR6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+dark+within&qid=1589903334&sr=8-1 Ghosts of Darkness can be found on Amazon Video.https://smile.amazon.com/Ghosts-Darkness-Paul-Flannery/dp/B01N9KG5HP/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=ghosts+of+darkness&qid=1589903277&sr=8-2