03.13.2025 GENRE ODDITIES!!! With THE MONSTER PARTY GANG!

Mar 13

Written By Stephanie Morgan

**NO TOM JONES, SOME THINGS** **ARE** **UNUSUAL!**

**JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE,** and **MATT WEINHOLD,** take a lesson from the recently featured film, **INCUBUS**, and delve deeper into the fun-filled world of off-beat horror, sci-fi, and fantasy films. So join us, won't you, as we uncover... **GENRE ODDITIES!**
So what is a **GENRE ODDITY?** Well although there may be some crossover with the **CULT FILM** category, **GENRE ODDITIES** push the weirdness a bit further! Whether it's an unusual theme, a troubled production history, or the complete disregard for a mainstream audience, a **GENRE ODDITY** can often lead you to the question, "How the hell did this movie ever get made?!"
If you're intrigued by things like avant-garde animation, handicapped horror, frustrating patience experiments, shelved superhero epics, pretentious horror comedies, A-List auteurs, B-movie bombs, Star Search narrators, post-apocalyptic sitcom dogs, and more... this is the episode you've been waiting for.
**OH, AND FOR THIS EPISODE, WE'RE SANS GUESTS, IN AN ATTEMPT TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL OUR "FRIENDSHIP ODDITIES."**

KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:

Defining "Genre Oddities": The hosts begin the episode by establishing the theme, discussing their individual interpretations of what makes a sci-fi, horror, or fantasy film an "oddity". They explore films that are off the beaten path, experimental, or have strange stories behind their creation.
The Surprising Horror Career of Ed McMahon: The discussion of the film Dementia leads to a lengthy tangent about its narrator, Ed McMahon. The hosts discuss his serious narration style for the film, his dramatic role in the thriller The Incident, and his ubiquity on television during his career, comparing him to a modern-day Ryan Seacrest.
Animation for Adults: The episode highlights several animated features that are distinctly not for children. The hosts discuss the 1973 film Fantastic Planet, a French/Czechoslovakian production about humans being treated as pests by giant blue aliens, and the 1987 film Gandahar, which was animated in North Korea and features fascism, nudity, and killer robots.
Films with Bizarre Production Histories: Several films are noted for their strange and troubled productions. The hosts talk about Bloodbath, a horror film that was salvaged from an unreleasable Yugoslavian spy movie , and The Creeping Terror, a notoriously bad film where the soundtrack was lost and the original monster costume was stolen by a makeup artist who didn't get paid.
Filmmakers with Unique Visions: The hosts spotlight several directors and writers known for their surreal and unconventional work. They cover the films of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, including Being John Malkovich and Adaptation , the dream-like psychological dramas of Robert Altman, like Three Women , and David Lynch's nightmarish debut feature, Eraserhead

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:19: Show introduction + Host introductions: Matt Weinhold, Shawn Sheridan, Larry Stroth, and James Gonis.
00:01:51: The topic is revealed to be "Genre Oddities".
00:04:04: Discussion begins on the 1955 experimental film Dementia, also known as Daughter of Horror.
00:05:25: The hosts discuss the narration added to the film by Ed McMahon.
00:06:44: The conversation shifts to a long tangent about Ed McMahon's career, including his role on Star Search and his performance in the movie The Incident.
00:12:30: Discussion begins on the 1973 animated science-fiction film Fantastic Planet.
00:17:55: Discussion begins on the 1966 film Bloodbath, also known as Track of the Vampire, and its bizarre production history involving Roger Corman repurposing a Yugoslavian spy movie.
00:20:38: Discussion begins on the 1975 vampire movie Defula, which was performed entirely in American Sign Language.
00:28:57: Discussion begins on the 1980 psychological horror film The Ninth Configuration, written and directed by William Peter Blatty.
00:32:34: Discussion begins on the 1987 animated film Gandahar, directed by René Laloux and animated in North Korea.
00:36:55: The hosts spotlight the unique films written by screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, including Being John Malkovich and Adaptation.
00:40:36: Discussion begins on the unreleased 1994 English-German production of The Fantastic Four, produced by Roger Corman.
00:48:22: Discussion begins on Robert Altman's 1977 psychological drama Three Women, starring Shelley Duvall and Sissy Spacek.
00:52:47: Discussion begins on David Lynch's 1977 debut feature film, Eraserhead.
01:01:20: Discussion begins on the 2021 Icelandic folk horror film, Lamb.
01:03:29: Discussion begins on the 2022 Canadian experimental horror film, Skinamarink.
01:10:56: Discussion begins on the 2021 stop-motion animated film Mad God, a 30-year project by effects artist Phil Tippett.
01:17:11: Discussion begins on George Lucas's first feature film, THX 1138.
01:21:37: Discussion begins on the 1962 Toho sci-fi film Gorath, notable for featuring a giant walrus monster named Maguma.
01:28:00: Discussion begins on what is called "the worst horror sci-fi film ever made," 1964's The Creeping Terror.
02:08:27: The hosts begin a "lightning round" of final recommendations.

RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED:

Film

Dementia (1955): Also known as Daughter of Horror, this is a strange, black-and-white experimental horror film with no dialogue. It was based on a dream the director had and follows a woman wandering through Los Angeles at night. A later version was re-edited to include narration by Ed McMahon.
Equinox: Mentioned as another film that producer Jack H. Harris took and expanded upon, similar to his treatment of Dementia.
The Incident: A tense thriller starring Bo Bridges, Martin Sheen, and Ed McMahon. The plot involves two hoods terrorizing passengers on a subway car.
Fantastic Planet (1973): A French animated science-fiction film where humans are treated like rodents by large, blue aliens on another planet. It's noted for its stylized, "funky" animation, which was done in Czechoslovakia.
Blood Bath (1966): A horror film also released under the titles Track of the Vampire, Portrait in Terror, and Operation Titian. It has a similar moody, black-and-white vibe to Dementia and was cobbled together by Roger Corman from a Yugoslavian spy movie he deemed unreleasable.
Incubus: A film shot entirely in the language of Esperanto, which the hosts previously dedicated an entire episode to.
Deafula (1975): A vampire movie done entirely in American Sign Language, and the first feature film ever made in ASL. The vampire has a strange papier-mâché nose and beard.
The Ninth Configuration (1980): Also known as Twinkle Twinkle Killer Cane, this is a psychological horror-comedy written and directed by William Peter Blatty. It stars Stacy Keach as a psychiatrist in a remote castle asylum for war veterans.
Gandahar (1987): The final animated feature from director René Laloux (Fantastic Planet). To save on costs, the animation was done in North Korea. The plot involves time travel, killer robots, and a topless, blue-skinned alien society attacked by an evil force.
Being John Malkovich (1999): The first prominent script from screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. The title is literal, as the characters find a portal that allows them to crawl into the head of actor John Malkovich.
Adaptation (2002): Another Charlie Kaufman film where Nicolas Cage plays twin screenwriters adapting a novel about orchids.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: A Charlie Kaufman film described as a beautiful love story involving the erasing of memories.
Synecdoche, New York (2008): A film Kaufman also directed, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as a theater director who tries to turn a part of Manhattan into his own living stage.
The Fantastic Four (1994): A low-budget English-German production produced by Roger Corman that was never officially released. There are conflicting stories about whether the film was ever intended for release or was only made so the producer could retain the film rights.
Doomed: The Untold Story of Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four: A documentary about the fascinating and conflicting stories behind the making of the 1994 film.
Three Women (1977): A bizarre psychological mystery from director Robert Altman, starring Shelley Duvall and Sissy Spacek. The plot, which came from a dream Altman had, involves two women whose personalities begin to merge.
Eraserhead (1977): David Lynch's dark, nightmarish, and disturbing debut feature film, which began as a project at the American Film Institute. It is described as one of the most famous and disturbing student-made films ever.
Lamb (2021): A folk horror film from Iceland about a childless couple on a rural farm who discover something unusual about a lamb born to one of their sheep.
Skinamarink (2022): A Canadian experimental "analog horror" film about two children who wake up to find their father missing and the windows and doors of their house disappearing. One host argues it's a promising idea stretched out for too long, calling its 100-minute runtime a "long fucking 100 minutes".
Mad God (2021): A bizarre and disturbing stop-motion animated feature film that was a passion project for effects master Phil Tippett for over 30 years. The film has no real dialogue and follows an assassin-like figure descending into a hellish, ruined landscape.
THX 1138: George Lucas's first feature film, which was developed from a student short he made at USC. It's a 70s sci-fi film about a controlled, underground society run by androids, starring Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasence. The film bombed at the box office.
Gorath (1962): An obscure Toho sci-fi film about a star on a collision course with Earth. It is best remembered for the last-minute appearance of a giant walrus monster named Maguma, which was allegedly added at the request of the American distributor.
The Creeping Terror (1964): Described by a host as "the worst horror sci-fi film ever made". The film's production was plagued with problems: the soundtrack was lost and replaced with narration, and the original monster costume was stolen, forcing the crew to make a new one that looked like a "sleeping bag" in an afternoon.

Lightning Round Films

Forbidden Zone (1980): A surreal musical comedy based on the stage performances of The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, featuring music by Danny Elfman. It stars Hervé Villechaize as a king of another dimension and Susan Tyrrell as his jealous queen.
Liquid Sky (1982): A strange film about tiny aliens who land on a Manhattan rooftop to drain endorphins from drug-addicted, androgynous fashion models while they have sex.
Night Tide (1961): A moody, atmospheric film starring Dennis Hopper as a man who falls for a mysterious woman performing as a mermaid at a carnival.
Lord of the Rings (1978): The animated film by Ralph Bakshi, noted for its use of rotoscoping, where live-action footage was filmed and then animated over.
Mutant Aliens (2001): A "sick and twisted" animated film from creator Bill Plympton about an astronaut who survives in space by having sex with aliens.
Vivarium (2019): A film starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots as a couple who get trapped in a bizarre suburban housing development where every house is identical. They are observed by aliens and forced to raise an offspring.
The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967): Roman Polanski's horror-comedy film that was later adapted into a successful German stage musical called Dance of the Vampires by songwriter Jim Steinman.
Rubber (2010): A French independent horror-comedy about a tire named Robert that comes to life and uses psychokinetic powers to kill people and make animals explode. The film is described as "pretentious meta bullshit" for including scenes of an audience watching the movie's events unfold.
A Boy and His Dog (1975): Based on a novella by Harlan Ellison, this post-apocalyptic film stars Don Johnson and is about a man and his telepathic dog surviving in a wasteland.
Right Hand of the Devil (1963): A low-budget thriller directed by and starring Aram Katcher, a hairdresser who always wanted to make a movie. The hosts provided audio commentary for its Blu-ray release.

Television

Star Search: Host Matt Weinhold mentions that he was a contestant on the show for two rounds. It is also noted as one of the many programs hosted by Ed McMahon.
The Tonight Show: The hosts discuss how Ed McMahon and Johnny Carson were known to drink during breaks from taping the show.
American Idol: Mentioned as one of the shows hosted by Ryan Seacrest, who is compared to Ed McMahon in terms of his television ubiquity.
Collectors Call: A friend of the hosts, Wally Wingert, appeared on this show, where he showcased a passport that once belonged to Ed McMahon.
The Z Channel: A host speculates that this was the cable channel where he first saw the animated film Fantastic Planet.
Petticoat Junction: Actress Lori Saunders, who appeared in the film Bloodbath, is identified as being from this show.
The Simpsons: Referenced when a host mishears the name of actor Ed Flanders and asks if they mean Ned Flanders from the show.
The Flying Nun: Actor Alejandro Rey, who is in the film The Ninth Configuration, is identified as being from this series.
Wonder Woman: Mentioned as a classic superhero TV show that existed before the 1994 film version of The Fantastic Four was made.
The Incredible Hulk: Also referenced as a superhero TV show that was on the air before the creation of the 1994 Fantastic Four film.
Creature Features: A host recalls watching the films THX 1138 and The Creeping Terror for the first time on this show when he was a kid.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K): A host mentions having watched the notoriously bad film The Creeping Terror on an episode of this show.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The writer Sterling Silliphant, whose brother worked on The Creeping Terror, is credited with working on Alfred Hitchcock projects.
Perry Mason: Also mentioned as a show that Sterling Silliphant worked on.
Naked City: Noted as a show that Sterling Silliphant co-created.
Route 66: Also mentioned as a show co-created by Sterling Silliphant.
The Brady Bunch: The dog that played Blood in the film A Boy and His Dog was the same dog that played Tiger on this sitcom.
I Dream of Genie: Aram Katcher, the director of Right Hand of the Devil, had a small part on an episode and was reportedly so difficult to work with that he tried to yell "cut" during a scene.

Print & Other Media

Psychotronic Video: A magazine (and later encyclopedia) that is referenced for its review of the sign-language vampire film, Defula.
Hollywood Con Man by Lois (Savage) Wiseman: It is mentioned that the wife of Vic Savage, the director of The Creeping Terror, wrote a tell-all novel about her life with him, using aliases.
A Boy and His Dog (Novella): The 1975 film of the same name is based on this novella by Harlan Ellison. The hosts note that Ellison disliked the film's famous final line, which was not in the original story.
"Too Drunk to Fuck": A song by the punk band The Dead Kennedys that is mentioned for containing the lyric, "You ball like the baby in Eraserhead".
Dance of the Vampires: A successful German stage musical with songs by Jim Steinman, based on the Roman Polanski film The Fearless Vampire Killers. It incorporated previously released hits like "Total Eclipse of the Heart".
Unproduced Batman Musical: A project from the early 2000s for a Broadway musical that was to be directed by Tim Burton with songs by Jim Steinman. The song demos are said to be available on YouTube, including one titled, "Where Does He Get All Those Wonderful Toys?".
"We Are Space Pilots": A song that the astronauts in the film Gorath randomly break into while flying a helicopter. It's described as a rousing, morale-boosting song chanted in Japanese.
Dragon's Lair: A host mentions that Phil Tippett's "go motion" animation technique was used for the dragon in this video game.