Stuff To Blow Your Mind

It’s Soviet work ethic versus the siren song of fun in 1975’s “Teens in the Universe,” a beautifully crafted and thoroughly weird space adventure. Join Rob and Joe for a Weirdhouse Cinema discussion of robots, space travel and more. (originally published 01/29/2021)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Rob and Joe discuss the recent discovery of a strange new deep-water predator and highlight some of the various weird, wild and downright gnarly hunters that haunt the deepest, darkest depths of Earth’s oceans. (part 2 of 4, originally published 3/25/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1979 Japanese folk-horror fantasy film “Demon Pond,” directed by Masahiro Shinoda and scored by electronic music pioneer Isao Tomita.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss Arizona’s Kartchner Caverns, a remarkable milestone in living cave preservation and seasonal home to thousands of bats.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the monstrous Kalisk from “Predator: Bad Lands.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Rob and Joe discuss Arizona’s Kartchner Caverns, a remarkable milestone in living cave preservation and seasonal home to thousands of bats.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes, it’s time to grease up Weirdhouse Cinema with a Shaw Brothers horror film from 1976. “The Oily Maniac” is a tale of sleaze, revenge and a rampaging black-magic oil monster. (originally published 01/22/2021)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Rob and Joe discuss the recent discovery of a strange new deep-water predator and highlight some of the various weird, wild and downright gnarly hunters that haunt the deepest, darkest depths of Earth’s oceans. (part 1 of 4, originally published 3/18/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe finally watch a little slice of b-movie perfection with 1985’s “Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf.” Directed by Philippe Mora, the film stars Sybil Danning, Christopher Lee, Annie McEnroe and Reb Brown. Draw blood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dig into a grab bag of crab-related science and culture topics… (part 4 of 4)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses the Spazierstock-Geige, currently on display at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dig into a grab bag of crab-related science and culture topics…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss Mexico’s first werewolf movie “La Loba” (AKA “The She-Wolf”) from 1965, starring Kitty de Hoyos as a female lycanthrope and co-starring Roberto Cañedo and José Elías Moreno. Draw blood! (originally published 3/28/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of Greco-Roman Mystery Cults. What exactly were the Mysteries and how did they factor into religious practices of the day? Find out… (part 4 of 4) (originally published 3/13/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1981 mining monster film “The Boogens,” directed by James L. Conway and starring Rebecca Balding and Fred McCarren.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dig into a grab bag of crab-related science and culture topics…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses Squirrel Girl from Marvel Comics…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dig into a grab bag of crab-related science and culture topics…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the award-winning 1972 Spanish short film “La cabina,” directed by Antonio Mercero, written by José Luis Garci and starring José Luis López Vázquez. (originally published 3/21/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of Greco-Roman Mystery Cults. What exactly were the Mysteries and how did they factor into religious practices of the day? Find out… (part 3 of 4) (originally published 3/6/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the groundbreaking 1956 science fiction film "Forbidden Planet," starring Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen and Robby the Robot. The film also features the first full-length electronic musical score, by Bebe and Louis Barron. (originally published 3/7/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of Greco-Roman Mystery Cults. What exactly were the Mysteries and how did they factor into religious practices of the day? Find out… (part 2 of 4) (originally published 3/4/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the monstrous villain from the 2024 film “Nosferatu,” directed by Robert Eggers. (originally published 2/26/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of Greco-Roman Mystery Cults. What exactly were the Mysteries and how did they factor into religious practices of the day? Find out… (part 1 of 4) (originally published 2/27/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1984 Saul and Elaine Bass short film "Quest," a visionary take on human mortality, written by Ray Bradbury. (originally published 3/14/2025) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe return once more to the Jovian moon of Io, to discuss more recent findings about its volcanism and geology, as well as a look at the mythology behind its name. (part 3 of 3) (originally published 2/13/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe return to the wild world of Taiwanese fantasy with 1988’s “Magic of Spell,” a direct sequel to “Child of Peach” from the previous year. It’s once again directed by Chung-Hsing Chao, stars Hsiao-Lao Lin and is totally bonkers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the possible effect that the Pokémon franchise has had on the natural sciences during its three decades of pop culture dominance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the monstrous crab from the “Love Death + Robots” episode “Bad Traveling.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1983 goth LGBTQ vampire horror film “The Hunger,” directed by Tony Scott and starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie and Susan Sarandon. (originally published 2/14/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe return once more to the Jovian moon of Io, to discuss more recent findings about its volcanism and geology, as well as a look at the mythology behind its name. (part 2 of 3) (originally published 2/11/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss 1958’s “I Married a Monster from Outer Space,” directed by Gene Fowler Jr. and starring Gloria Talbott and Tom Tryon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the psychedelic mushroom tied to hallucinations of little people and how it might have impacted Chinese myths and folktales of tiny men.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the luckdragon Falkor from Michael Ende’s 1979 novel “The Neverending Story” and its 1984 film adaptation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe continue their discussion from last episode with a focus on so-called pathological science as well as other examples of hypothetical catastrophes either tied to or revealed by human technology and scientific advancement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1962 Mexican monster movie “The Brainiac,” directed by Chano Urueta and starring Abel Salazar as the evil Baron Vitelius d'Estera. (originally published 2/3/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe return once more to the Jovian moon of Io, to discuss more recent findings about its volcanism and geology, as well as a look at the mythology behind its name. (part 1 of 3) (originally published 2/6/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss 1995’s “The Prophecy,” in which rebel angels vie for the soul of a war criminal in the Arizona desert. Written and directed by “Highlander” creator Gregory Widen, the movie stars Christopher Walken, Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen, Eric Stolz and Viggo Mortensen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the intriguing history of polywater: the hypothesized polymerized form of water that kicked off a cold-war controversy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the monstrous wolf Gmork from Michael Ende’s 1979 novel “The Neverending Story” and its 1984 film adaptation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the iconic 1931 Universal Pictures adaptation of “Dracula,” directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi in his most iconic performance. (originally published 1/31/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the origins of the humble dog biscuit or “scooby snack,” from discussions of dog bread in Ancient Rome to the Victorian origin of dog cake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So what exactly IS cotton candy and how does this curious confectionary concoction tie into other culinary traditions, including China’s Dragon’s beard candy? Find out in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (part 2 of 2) (originally published 2/4/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe venture down under for the 1982 supernatural thriller “Next of Kin,” starring Jacki Kerin, John Jarratt and a superb score by German electronic music pioneer Klaus Schulze. (originally published 3/25/2022)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So what exactly IS cotton candy and how does this curious confectionary concoction tie into other culinary traditions, including China’s Dragon’s beard candy? Find out in this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (originally published 1/30/2025) (part 1 of 2)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the xenomorph queen from the “Alien” universe…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the world of pretend play in childhood development and human consciousness. (part 5 of 5) (originally published 1/23/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1972 made-for-TV movie “Gargoyles,” starring Cornel Wilde, Jennifer Salt, Grayson Hall and Bernie Casey – with make-up effects by legendary Stan Winston. (originally published 2/28/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the world of pretend play in childhood development and human consciousness. (part 4 of 5) (originally published 1/21/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.