The New World Pictures Podcast

Tarik Davis of The Amber Ruffin Show (Fridays on Peacock) and Brothers From Another Planet Podcast returns to discuss 1988's The Wrong Guys! We get into the fizziness of it all, from learning about the five comedian leads from cable, to how outdoors-y we all are, to pinpointing the exact moment when Ernie Hudson fired his agent, and how this film compares to AVENGERS ENDGAME! Also, Ryan makes a crucial possessive mistake (and forgets that Tim Van Patten was in ZONE TROOPERS), Marc professes his love (again) for a 1980's sitcom, and Tarik talks about snubbing Bill Murray while meeting the surviving GHOSTBUSTERS. Plus, you'll learn all about Nude Beer! Hail to the King (Tim Thomerson), baby! Watch Tarik on The Amber Ruffin Show on Peacock or listen to him on The Brothers From Another PLanet Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brothers-from-another-planet/id1517840182. Find Tarik on Twitter: @tarikrdavis.

Erica likes to point out, "all roads lead to THE THING" and WAVELENGTH is one of those roads. But WAVELENGTH is so much more. It's a little bit of E.T. seasoned with a dash of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS sitting on a bed of Tracy Chapman. It also features some of the finest performances of faceless government bureaucrats ever filmed.

Our celebration of FORBIDDEN WORLD continues with a conversation with makeup effects artist Mark Shostrom (EVIL DEAD II, PHANTASM II & III, NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 1-3) who got his start at New World Pictures, working at the Lumberyard for Allan Holzman's FORBIDDEN WORLD and Aaron Lipstadt's ANDROID! But Mark's work at New World didn't stop there! We'll talk about his work on RAW COURAGE, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, a brief stint on SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE and almost working on HEATHERS! Mark also tells stories about EVIL DEAD II, PHANTASM II, and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2 & 3! This is an episode you don't want to miss!

If you're going to celebrate Forbidden World July, what better movie to discuss than the one that inspired it all! That's right, it's time to discuss Allan Holzman's sci-fi classic, including topics like, how hot is Jesse Vint? Are those masks or cups? How important is a good steam? And who exactly was hooking up with who on this horny scientific space station? Plus, Marc reaffirms his love of a horror franchise, Erica delights in the potential for hyper-sleep, and Ryan reveals an alternate version of a classic Forbidden World behind-the-scenes story.

Forbidden World month starts off with a blaster beam bang as we talk to the film composer, Susan Justin, who also worked on music for several other New World Pictures films like FIRECRACKER, GRUNT! THE WRESTLING MOVIE and STRYKER! We discuss her musical beginnings and her collaborations with Craig Huxley that led to the unique sound that is the FORBIDDEN WORLD score and their subsequent collaboration, THE FINAL TERROR! Plus, Marc gets to nerd out about synthesizers, we bandy about several t-shirt ideas, and Susan discusses her near addition to one of the biggest rock bands of all time!

When a movie title combines two words together like "death" and "stalker" it's imperative to determine the proper pronunciation. Is it "Deaths Talker"? Or, is it "Death Stalker?". Also, how does one acquire the name "Deathstalker"? We dare to ask these tough questions while talking about boners more here than in any other NWPP episode. Ryan does a deep, deep dive into the history of Conan the Barbarian. Erica adds a vaudevillian flare to the episode with her mouth trumpet. Marc attempts but fails to dissect the intricacies of a sex scene between a male that has been temporarily turned into a female. And we introduce a brand new section titled "donger insights".As an added bonus, Ryan earns a special mention for watching every Deathstalker sequel and talking about them. You get four movies for the price of one. Grab your loin cloth, this episode gets loose.

For our 100th episode, we explore an area of New World Pictures history that we've never discussed: when other companies had to release their movies because they were broke! Such is the case with 1989's WARLOCK, despite the presence of director Steve Miner, who had made some of New World's biggest hits, and Executive producer Arnold Kopelson, who had just won an Academy Award! Joining us in the discussion is Lindsay Wilkins from the Schlock and Awe podcast so we could properly discuss Mary Woronov's greatness, Julian Sands' charming but limited powers, and Richard E. Grant's accent! Plus, we crunch the numbers on being a Mennonite, reveal what it's like partying in your 40's, and discuss the power of putting pennies in your mouth!

After the resounding success of our first Convince Me episode (where Ryan and Erica failed to convince Marc that The Silence of the Lambs is a good movie because that movie blows) we decided to do another episode. This time, Erica selects 1982's Blade Runner. Erica has always been vocal about her detest of Blade Runner and she doesn't hold back. In the process, we determine that Tyrell is a Scientologist and Erica tells a story about wearing an eye patch as a child. It's an emotional journey that ends with an important question that Erica must answer - would she rather watch Blade Runner or Steaming?

Doug from the Good Times Great Movies Podcast joins us to talk about 1981's THE PIT! That's a pretty old film, considering we're just a bunch of super youngs that are hip as hell, but we were nevertheless charmed by this movie, even if it's about a creepy kid who's only friends are his teddy bear and these small creatures who live at the bottom of a pit he found in the woods! We dig into all the important subjects, like, how old is the Dad? Does anyone in this town know how to properly root during a football game? And did people change their clothes before dinner in the 1970's? Listen to learn the answers as well as the parameters of the Canadian tax shelter movies! It'll be fun and cool! Trust us, we're hella young!

Our new Bonus Episode series Nearly New World continues with the sequel to the 1984 New World classic, which might have been released by New World for reasons we'll explain in the episode. First we'll also discuss a few things we've been watching lately, including ALIEN PRIVATE EYE, ANACONDA, and Tootsie the Musical! Then it's on to THE FINAL SACRIFICE, where we discuss the new powers of He Who Walks Behind the Rows, including corn vision, voodoo magic, and replacing your jelly beans with his! Will shitty dad John and the son he is being forced to spend time with be able to stop Zebedaikah in time? Listen to find out!

With a title like SMOKEY BITES THE DUST, you would think the elevator pitch for the movie would go something like, "The sheriff of a small town will stop at nothing to catch a high school rebel that kidnaps his daughter" Or, "When his car is stolen, Dick Miller sets off to catch the perpetrator by helicopter in a game of air-to-ground cat and mouse." Or, "Time is running out as a local moonshiner looks to strike it rich by selling his prized recipe before law enforcement catches up with him" Or, "A pre-teen girl wrestles with the challenges of growing up while living in a small town full of corruption and danger" Fortunately, if you took all those elevator pitches and replaced "Or" with "And", you would have most of the plot for Smokey Bites the Dust. Buckle up.

Did you know one of us hates SILENCE OF THE LAMBS? It's true! And that's either surprising or completely normal, depending on your perspective. That lead to us creating a new Bonus Episode series called "Convince Me!" Listen as some of us do our best to convince the other that Jonathan Demme's SILENCE OF THE LAMBS isn't a piece of shit. It's harder than you might think! Whether you agree or disagree, remember to fill our social media timelines with your opinions! You might as well, you're already on your phone!

58 movies into our journey, and some of us are starting to question whether watching EVERY New World Pictures movie was a good idea. However, the Board won't budge so we continue with 1985's TRANSYLVANIA 6-500 starring the ever-delightful Jeff Goldblum and Ed Begley, Jr. leading an incredible cast of comedic actors! (Also, Michael Richards.) We dive into this wacky film, and, along the way, we learn an inordinate amount about Marc's 10th grade Drama class, Erica unveils her Carol Kane impression and then gets outraged at a cast member's assessment of the film, and we all learn about Blue Nun wine. It's good, eh?

L-l-l-late b-b-b-bonus episode. Sorry for the delay but we hope it will be worth it as we talk about STEEL AND LACE, a movie that could have and should have been made by New World Pictures but wasn't. We get into the most important parts of this sci-fi thriller including the intricacies of property management and whether Gaily Morton, the film's lead, is a robot, droid, or cyborg. We also debate whether Gilly is, in fact, the lead.In addition to STEEL AND LACE, we review 2022's TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE where the vote is split down the middle. Ryan and Erica talk about AMBULANCE and Marc shares a little about SLAUGHTERHOUSE ROCK. Somewhere in the middle, Erica and Marc lose trust in Ryan and Erica reveals her hidden talent for stenography. This episode covers a lot of ground. Probably too much. Hope you enjoy.

We are joined by Lauren Flans (Wild 'n Out, Another Period) of the Coming Out With Lauren & Nicole podcast to discuss her favorite musical, Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, but will the film adaptation hold up? The 1977 Academy Award-winning film brought along Broadway director Harold Prince and a couple original cast members, as well as the star power of Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Rigg, but was it enough? We'll discuss all of it, including what changed from stage to screen, why Madame Armfeldt rules, Marc's first experience seeing STAR WARS, what carom billiards even is, how Ryan is 1 degree away from Lesley-Anne Down, and why you should never trust a little girl with your personal secrets! Plus, who is Team Liz or Team Diana? Also, isn't it rich? Are we a pair?

We talk with Michell Galin, Producer of CREEPSHOW 2, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, PET CEMETERY, THE STAND and so much more. We discuss his early days in a band and how his long-term vision to not be on the road his whole life led him to a career that had him on the road even more. We talk about his long partnership with Stephen King, his friendship with George Romero, and his recent work on the CREEPSHOW series. Marc also makes an uncomfortable attempt to talk about his love of the movie, THINNER.

You might think a movie titled AVALANCHE would be about an avalanche and you'd be right except there's more than just snow coming full force to a luxurious mountain resort. This movie is an AVALANCHE of hard-partying, harder-loving, and rock-hard action sports. David Shelby (ROCK HUDSON) knows the way to win back his ex-wife's heart (MIA FARROW) is to invite her to spend the weekend with his mother. Who can blame him? His mom knows how to party. Plus he's brought in the hottest professional skiers, unusually aggressive snowmobilers, and Olympic figure skating hopefuls (?) to make the weekend perfect. What could go wrong?

For the second year in a row, we are throwing Roger Corman a birthday bash to celebrate his 96th year around the sun. This year we decided to make it a surprise birthday party. Not only is it a surprise for Roger (who we're sure is delighted by this episode), but also a surprise for us. You see we picked two movies that Roger Corman directed for us to discuss. Except, Erica and Ryan didn't tell Marc which movie they watched and Marc didn't tell Erica and Ryan which movie he watched. Which movies did we select? Have a listen and find out!Happy birthday, Roger!

Part 2 of Allan Holzman's wild career retrospective at New World Pictures covers just about everything: starting with his work on BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS and then going through the "Roger Corman school of filmmaking" by working on SMOKEY BITES THE DUST and FIRECRACKER, to directing FORBIDDEN WORLD and OUT OF CONTROL, and even working on CRITTERS 2 and his Emmy-winning documentary SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST. Allan is as open about the highs and lows as any guest we've ever had, making this episode a mandatory listen for anyone who loves movies! Don't forget, Allan's book, "Celluloid Wars: The Making of Battle Beyond the Stars" is available NOW!

It had to happen! We discuss one of New World's most successful and popular films, one that helped forge the careers of many incredible artists and, perhaps - PERHAPS - took its cues from another successful film that helped forge the careers of many incredible artists! Okay, let's make that THREE films! We dive into the film's incredible cast of characters, it's epic, and perhaps confusing, ending battle, and the difficulties of telling a planet about your evil plans a week in advance! Along the way, Marc admits he doesn't understand swinging, Ryan tries something new that completely backfires, and Erica sings as many songs as she can in an Australian accent. You don't want to miss this episode! It's one of the Great Ones!

Allan Holzman returns to discuss his three phases of working with at New World Pictures! We start with his beginnings at New World editing CANDY STRIPE NURSES and CRAZY MAMA before moving on and then returning to edit BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS! Allan tells some world stories about the haunted halls of AFI, a drunk Sam Peckinpah, the secret John Milius cameo in CRAZY MAMA, why Jonathan Demme wanted to fire him, and why Roger Corman keeps a junky couch outside his office. You don't want to miss this episode! Also, please pick up Allan's book Celluloid Wars for all his behind the scenes stories about BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS!

Finally, a movie about brothers! Ryan attempts to get Marc to rally behind 1989's CURFEW, which follows brothers Ray and Bob Perkins on their quest for revenge on everyone that put them in jail (or anyone poorly constructing a fence), but to do so they'll have to defeat HALLOWEEN's Lindsey Wallace herself, Kyle Richards! Will Peter Brady (Christopher Knight) be any help? Which character is Megan? Does Ryan have facial age blindness? And does Erica remember the movie PIECES OF APRIL? This episode has answers to all those questions AND the most pressing issue of all: who cooked that giant meal, and who was it for? You'll have to listen to find out (BEWARE: SPOILERS)!

In preparation for the 33rd anniversary of HEATHERS, we talk with Patrick Labyorteaux about his role as Ram and his experience working on the film. He talks about what it was like being on the set, the uncomfortable nature of nude scenes, and how to stay in character when your skin is burning. No joke. In addition to HEATHERS, we discuss his role in BLAZING SADDLES, his time on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRARIE, and working with Mark Harmon on SUMMER SCHOOL. We even talk a bit about Brad Pitt. This episode has something for everyone!

We bring on our good friend and New World super fan Justin Grams to discuss 1988's DEAD HEAT, which he first showed to Ryan back in their college days and has quoted to him in texts ever since. But does it still hold up for Justin? We'll dig in to that and the Joe Piscopo of it all, while also talking about what we would do for our death days and how nice Treat Williams looks in make-up. You don't want to miss this discussion of a New World Pictures classic, which was released just as the company was falling apart.

We talk with Allan Holzman about writing, directing, and editing GRUNT! THE WRESTLING MOVIE. We also talk a bit about OUT OF CONTROL, FORBIDDEN WORLD, and Roger Corman almost getting into a fistfight.

How many times have you wondered, "why hasn't someone made a mocumentary about professional wrestling?" Wonder no more. Someone has. That someone was New World Pictures or, more specifically, Allan Holzman. Grunt! The Wrestling Movie follows a documentary crew as they try to uncover what happened to "Mad Dog" Joe DeCurso after a horrible beheading of his opponent in the ring. Is Joe DeCurso alive? Will his headless challenger seek a rematch? Can Exotic Adrian Street rebuild after his studio was destroyed during a heated interview? And, where does Wally George fit into any of this? This movie dares to show you the real underbelly of Professional Wrestling. It also has a lot of wrestling in it so if you're into watching wrestling, this is your jam.

Dirk Marshall (VH US Podcast) joins us to discuss the 1986 Canadian film THE GREAT LAND OF SMALL! We do our best to make sense of this weird and underseen kindertrauma, one that has disturbed Dirk since seeing it as a child in his father's video store! From its New York tree-climbing moms, to a mystical land that is remarkably easy to get to, and a father obsessed with magic gold dust that does... something, we cover all of its child logic and attempts at whimsy! Just remember to wish and make it real! After all, life is like a dream in the Great Land of Small!

We continue our conversation with Tony Randel (HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2, TICKS, AMYTIVYLLE 1992) and Peter Atkins (HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2, HELLRAISER 3, WISHMASTER) about the Hellraiser sequels, Tick,s and whatever happened to the original Hellraiser 3 script.

We brought on writer and editor Ed Illades to talk about 1986's Black Moon Rising, directed by our pal Harley Cokeliss from a script originally written by John Carpenter! We discuss what sets this film apart from other action films, why Lee Ving is so good at finding Tommy Lee Jones, and why Linda Hamilton is just so damn good in everything she does! Other topics include: how one gets fired from NASA, the best cure for a concussion, and why it's important for a car thief to dress like a schoolteacher.

If this was an episode of Diff'rent Strokes or Family Ties, we'd call this "a very special episode". We talk with Tony Randel (HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2, TICKS, AMYTIVYLLE 1992) and Peter Atkins (HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2, HELLRAISER 3, WISHMASTER) about the origins of New World Pictures and the origins of the HELLRAISER franchise. This is the first of a two-part series. In this episode, we talk about the sci-fi era of New World Pictures, the transition from Roger Corman to the new regime, and the roster of films they produced in the 1980s. Best of all, our inner dork personalities managed to not vomit with nerves during the interview. That's a win.

We start off 2022 with a bang! Several bangs! And a question: is CRIMES OF PASSION "fun?"

It's the holidays, so it's the time to rank the SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT franchise! 5 films, with 1 film essentially being 2!

In this episode, we talk about a holiday classic. While this movie doesn't have anything to do with the holidays, it explores all the traditions of the holidays. Traditions like getting wasted on carnival moonshine and going to a strip club complete with marionettes and, of course, letting your 1-year-old child wander the land on his own. But, most of all, this film dares to ask the most common of holiday questions, "what is freedom?"

It's a very special episode of The New World Pictures Podcast. We look back and reflect on the highs and the lows of 2021. Ryan is forced to make a difficult decision. Erica struggles to say "blu-ray". Marc makes a shocking confession. And your hosts come face to face with the sad reality that they cannot make good sports analogies.

We discuss 1976's Cannonball! and ask all the important questions, such as: how tight were those pants?

Vinegar Syndrome's Black Friday sale is right around the corner and we share our recommendations on what to buy. Erica debuts her Christopher Walken impression and we announce our soon to be made Only Fans production.

1, 2, 3, 4! We invited author and Ramones of the Day co-host Phillip Mottaz to join us to discuss 1979's ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL! We dive deep into this New World classic, and take you behind the scenes for the New World scripting process, the Ramones of it all, and you'll finally learn what U.S. Penal Code 844 is all about! Plus, for the first time, someone wins the episode! Who will it be? Listen to find out! Then buy Phillip's book, The Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air, in bookstores everywhere!

Special effects artist turned writer and director Gary Jones has a new exploitation movie out called ESCAPE FROM DEATH BLOCK 13 starring Charles Bronson! Well, Robert Bronzi, but close enough! We talk to him about his new movie, plus his long career which started in Michigan working alongside Sam Raimi on EVIL DEAD II and ARMY OF DARKNESS and led to working on John Woo's HARD TARGET as well as some Hallmark Christmas movies! We have a great conversation about low-budget filmmaking, practical vs. visual effects, and a possible MOSQUITO sequel? Listen to find out!

Jessica Young from The Rants and Raves Podcast joins us to discuss 1987's Flowers in the Attic, written and directed by Jeffrey Bloom, and adapted from the V.C. Andrews' novel of the same title. None of us were prepared for the many life lessons the film would teach us. For instance, did you know that kids need food to survive? And that you shouldn't store your arsenic in your pantry? We sure didn't! And who knew that ballet gives you super strength? Not us! Join us as we talk about the film's original ending, Wes Craven's script, and how incredible Louise Fletcher is as the grandmother. We hope you enjoy it, JOHN!

We have truly invited hell into our lives because we watched every HELLRAISER movie and now we're ranking them! Did you know there are 10 Hellraiser movies? Not all of us did! Will you agree with our rankings? Are you a bad boy? No matter what your answer, you don't want to have #badboyregrets and miss this episode!

We invited our first guest, Justin Grams, to celebrate our TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY by talking about HELLRAISER. A lot has been said about this movie but that didn't stop us from saying a whole lot more. For example, is Frank hot or not? How hard is it to open the box? Was blood the only fluid extracted from Julia's victims? Turns out, there is still a lot to discuss.

We share our top five favorite horror franchises with mixed results. Some of our picks garner universal praise. Other picks are relegated to endless chastising. It's a real mixed bag that includes a surprise or two. Well, at least they were surprises to us.

To start off the spooky season, we bring you 1988's GHOST TOWN! Directed by Richard McCarthy (well, Richard Governor as far as the DGA is concerned), this film stars Catherine Hickland as a woman who abandons her wedding and is kidnapped by old-timey ghosts and Franc Luz as a semi-law-abiding deputy who tries to save her. And trust us, you've never met ghosts like this! Seriously, they often don't make sense, but that didn't stop us from enjoying this horror western, which also taught us an unique German curse word, what to do after your car spontaneously combusts, and that perhaps this whole film was an Old West version of THE GAME!

We talk with writer Janis Hirsch about her incredible comedy writing career, starting with working for the National Lampoon, then completely rewriting Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and moving on to It's the Garry Shandling Show, Murphy Brown, Square Pegs, and more! Learn about how what a sweetheart John Belushi was, why people stranded on a desert island look so good, how late-night rewrites work on television shows created by Anne Beatts, and why Cyndi Lauper didn't want her vocals used on New World Pictures's Girls Just Want to Have Fun!

This episode asks an important question: "are high-waisted undies still a thing?" We also talk about SLUGS, the 1988 horror film from director Juan Piquer Simón, based on the novel by Shaun Hutson, that sees the town of Ashton tormented by irradiated slugs out to kill! Well, eat, but it's essentially the same thing! But does the town deserve it? After all, they don't treat their drunks very well, and the entire city is split in two! Restaurants, that is! It's time to root for your local, middle-aged bureaucrats as they set out to save the town (and a crappy Halloween party) from SLUGS!

We start a new band with director, writer, producer Joel Soisson and talk about his new movie MY BEST WORST ADVENTURE. But there is so much more. Joel talks about his early days on HAMBONE and HILLIE, the genesis of THE PROPHECY, and how BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE almost wasn't released. It's a fascinating interview and our new band, LATE STAGE HELLRAISERS, is going to be huge. Also, apologies for some questionable audio. We're still learning this whole podcasting thing.

Imagine a world where alien creatures own humans like pets and everyone speaks French. Also, nothing else in this world makes any sense. There are sex orgies. Alien food comes in the form of floating air pockets. Meditation takes the form of an acid trip. Aliens use vacuum cleaners and bowling balls as military equipment. We could go on and on but suffice it say, this is truly a FANTASTIC planet.

We talk with director, writer, and producer, Harley Cokeliss, about his work on two New World Pictures films - BATTLETRUCK and BLACK MOON RISING. We also talk with him about his work on EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, what it was like to work with Burt Reynolds on MALONE, and his journey to find the lost print of his horror film, DREAM DEMON. Unfortunately, we forgot to pitch STEAMIN' while talking with Harley. Another missed opportunity.

In this episode, we discuss 1985's Making Contact aka Joey, from director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) which follows a little boy who makes friends with an alien. No, sorry, a doll. A ventriloquist's doll. Because his house is haunted. No, sorry, that's the house nearby, which is owned by the Bates family. Okay, the film is a sum of its parts (which are many), and is filled with more 80's nostalgia that you'll know what to do with. Listen as we take you through this 1980's hybrid, even if we weren't entirely sure of what it all meant.

We're going THROUGH THE FIRE to enjoy a KILLER'S DELIGHT! And while we're here, let's Feast some DOUBLE DRAGON while we're at this MORTUARY! Also, will Marc ever watch BLACK WIDOW? Is Clu Gulager a real name or a nickname? Is Alfred Molina actually Gabriel Byrne? Or are they both Bill Paxton? And can you tell Scott Wolf from Scott Baio? Listen to find out!