Shows
Make Your Own Damn PodcastRIP 20232023 is officially history. Hear Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum spit on its grave.2024-01-042h 17
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Children (2008 British Horror Movie)Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum discuss the underrated 2008 horror movie THE CHILDREN. Have you seen this? What did you think?2023-12-211h 02
Make Your Own Damn PodcastSleepaway Camp II: Unhappy PodcastersOn today's episode, Jeff and Lucas discuss SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS. Jeff is unhappy that Lucas made him watch it. Lucas is unhappy that Jeff doesn't like slasher movies. Plus, connectivity issues, the evolution of the slasher film, and 90s crime thrillers. 2023-09-2856 min
Make Your Own Damn PodcastDeath of a Vlogger (2019 Found Footage Horror)This week, Jeff and Lucas discuss 2019's DEATH OF A VLOGGER. What's this hidden gem all about? Like a lot of underrated films, it's both of and ahead of its time. Our hosts dig into the nitty gritty details of this found footage creepshow. 2023-09-211h 13
Make Your Own Damn PodcastSaw 4D: Psyched by the Multiverse of MadnessJeff watched THE BEAR and rewatched all the SAW movies. Lucas watched PSYCHED BY THE 4D WITCH and DR. STRANGE AND THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. They're both probably done with the MCU for the time being, but they're here for a Hasbro cinematic universe, only if it involves Ouija boards and Furby. Head to our Patreon for early access to weekly episodes: Patreon2023-09-141h 00
Make Your Own Damn PodcastKiller Con 2023 Recap Jeff and Lucas recap the shenanigans of Killer Con Weekend! Big shoutout to the new wave of extreme horror and splatterpunk. 2023-09-071h 30
Make Your Own Damn PodcastSharksploitation with Susan SnyderSharks have been a staple of cinema since Jaws frightened a generation of swimmers way back in the summer of 1975, but few know just the extent of their involvement like author, poet, and marine biologist Susan Snyder. Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum brought her on the show to discuss the depth and breadth of this subgenre and why it matters. 2023-08-141h 37
Make Your Own Damn PodcastMad GodMad God is a nightmare captured on celluloid. From the mind of special FX artist Phil Tippet, the film follows an unnamed "assassin" as they descend into hell and encounter all sorts of hideous monstrosities. A passion project in every sense, Mad God is the ideal entry point for genre fans curious about true arthouse cinema.2023-07-171h 46
Make Your Own Damn PodcastToxic Crusaders: The MovieTroma movies are objectively not for children, but that didn't stop a children's cartoon based on The Toxic Avenger from airing in the early 1990s. Essentially, a series of 30-minute toy commercials, the show was part of a wave of R-rated franchises rebranding themselves to sell toys to kids. The result is... not great. We dove into the movie version, which is a handful of episodes mashed together to form one narrative. Interestingly, television royalty Chuck Lorre wrote the pilot!2023-06-221h 14
Make Your Own Damn PodcastIn Defense of A Serbian FilmIn 2010, first-time director Srđan Spasojević unleashed his debut feature onto the world. A Serbian Film has been accused of going too far and has even inspired some to call for the filmmaker's arrest, but just how extreme is it? And more importantly, is it any good? Jeff and Lucas give you the lowdown on this notorious slice of extreme DIY cinema.2023-06-082h 25
Make Your Own Damn PodcastRichard Laymon Inspired Movies Acclaimed author Judith Sonnet joins us to discuss movies that feel like Richard Laymon novels. 2023-06-011h 05
Make Your Own Damn PodcastColor Me Blood Red (1965 H.G. Lewis Cult Classic)Color Me Blood Red is the third film in cult director H.G. Lewis' "Blood Trilogy," which began with Blood Feast and continued with 2,000 Maniacs. How does it measure up to the others in the series? In Lewis' oeuvre, overall? Jeff and Lucas examine this well-loved cult classic. We all know blood doesn't look like it does in these movies, and guess what? So did Lewis! It's an aesthetic. How much was he influenced by EC Comics? And in a callback to our Bloodsucking Freaks episode, we finally discuss the history of the Grand Guignol.2023-05-191h 28
Make Your Own Damn PodcastBrian Paulin's Septic with Special Guest Judith Sonnet To horror fans who think "they don't make em like they used to," we point to the DIY, shot-on-digital gore flick Septic. Made over the course of five years and featuring some truly impressive special effects, Septic is 82 minutes of gratuitous violence and nasty sex. Because she pointed this flick out to us, we had splatterpunk and extreme horror author Judith Sonnet jump on board to discuss this little-seen slice of punk rock cinema. Plus, gay undertones in Die Hard, comic recommendations, melt movies, and the SOV horror scene. 2023-05-051h 25
Make Your Own Damn PodcastDasha Nekrasova and The Scary of Sixty-First The Scary of Sixty-First: Lucas loves it, but Jeff has some strong opinions about its writer/director Dasha Nekrasova. The 92nd episode of Make Your Own Damn Podcast discusses separating art from the artist, Rosemary's Baby and Repulsion, Eyes Wide Shut, anime girls, conspiracies, and the current push to make the Republican Party appeal to young voters. Weirdly enough, all of that is relevant to this strange slice of modern trash cinema. 2023-04-201h 37
Make Your Own Damn PodcastCitizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger, Part 4 (2000 Superhero Splatter Comedy Film)After Terror Firmer, it seems Lloyd and company aimed to up the ante in the offensive content department with Citizen Toxie. If so, this begs the question: did they succeed? And is there a point? We wrestle with this in our latest episode.2023-04-061h 44
Make Your Own Damn PodcastCastle Freak (Stuart Gordon's 1995 Gothic Horror Film)In Stuart Gordon's catalog of H.P. Lovecraft adaptations, Castle Freak doesn't get the love and attention that others (most notably Re-Animator, From Beyond) do. Does that mean it isn't any good? Join us as they explore this mid-90s, straight-to-VHS splatter film, produced and distributed by independent pioneers Full Moon Features. Plus, we discuss the 2020 remake, Gordon's legacy as a creator, and reading H.P. Lovecraft before it was cool (and later became very uncool). It's probably got our most tangents per a single episode, but there was a lot to unpack. And we had fun doing it.2023-03-231h 38
Make Your Own Damn PodcastEverything Everywhere All at OncePreviously a Patreon-exclusive, here's Jeff and Lucas talking about the Academy Award-winning EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE.2023-03-161h 02
Make Your Own Damn PodcastDave Made a MazeJeff and Lucas sit down to talk about one of the most creative movies in recent years. Dave Made a Maze examines creativity itself while crafting something truly unique. Plus, it's got a wrestler in it, so Lucas gets to do a fun sidebar on Lucha Underground. We're switching to a biweekly recording schedule for the foreseeable future, but we still plan to post weekly content of some kind. Check us out on Patreon.2023-03-021h 13
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Most Controversial SubgenreLast House on the Left, I Spit on Your Grave, House on the Edge of the Park, Promising Young Woman... what do all these films have in common? They're all part of the r*pe/revenge subgenre. Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum discuss these films in detail, as well as list some of their favorites.2023-02-271h 09
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Most Controversial SubgenreLast House on the Left, I Spit on Your Grave, House on the Edge of the Park, Promising Young Woman... what do all these films have in common? They're all part of the r*pe/revenge subgenre. Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum discuss these films in detail, as well as list some of their favorites.2023-02-231h 09
Make Your Own Damn PodcastUnpacking War Movies and A24 with Kevin DoniheIn this previously Patreon-exclusive, Lucas and Jeff sit down with Kevin L. Donihe (author of Night of the Assholes) to discuss war movies and A24 fandom.2023-02-1648 min
Make Your Own Damn PodcastUnspeakable (2000 Underground Horror Movie)Troma has long been known for making films designed to provoke their audience, but have they ever taken things too far? Has the studio that gave us Bloodsucking Freaks and Terror Firmer ever outdone itself? We're not sure, but 2000's Unspeakable certainly comes close to crossing those boundaries. A low-budget, transgressive affair, Unspeakable follows a grieving father as he stalks the streets looking for victims in hopes that spilling the blood of the city's marginalized will reunite him with his dead daughter...who he also happens to lust after. Unspeakable is a mean film without a doubt, but is it any goo2023-02-091h 21
Make Your Own Damn PodcastAmityville WTF? Why are there so many Amitville movies? Who is making them? How deep does Amitville Rabbit Hole (release date TBD) go? It's technically the horror franchise with the most sequels, but very few made in the past twenty years are canonical. Whatever that means. Join Jeff and Lucas on this strange, haunted journey to discover WTF is going on with the Amityville franchise. 2023-02-031h 07
Make Your Own Damn PodcastGhostwatch: The TV Special That Traumatized an Entire NationIn 1992, the BBC aired a Halloween special starring its own anchors and featuring an excursion into a purportedly haunted house. The results led to Ghostwatch being one of the most controversial made-for-TV movies ever made. Jeff and Lucas unpack the movie itself and its notorious reputation.2023-01-261h 32
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Deadly Spawn (1983 Monster Movie)Shot on a budget of only $25,000, The Deadly Spawn is an iconic 80s monster movie. As much as Jeff loathes 80s slashers, he loves 80s monster movies. Lucas likes both, big surprise. They dive into the making of this movie and highlight their favorite moments. 2023-01-191h 16
Make Your Own Damn PodcastGraduation Day (1981 Slasher Movie) This week on Make Your Own Damn Podcast, Lucas tortures Jeff with another slasher movie. This time it's the well-loved (but not by Jeff) 1981 hidden gem Graduation Day. Distributed by Troma Entertainment, this cult classic features Christopher George (Fulci's Zombi 2 and City of the Living Dead), Linea Quigley (Return of the Living Dead, Night of the Demons), and Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White! 2023-01-121h 17Make Your Own Damn PodcastOur Top Tens of 2022Jeff and Lucas come back swinging with their top ten movies of the previous year. A lot of the entries may surprise you, but not as much as a plethora of internet issues surprised us this week. The gods did not want us to do a listicle, it seems, but we did it. We won. If you love the show, consider supporting us on the Patreon. 2023-01-061h 35
Make Your Own Damn PodcastKrampus (2015 Christmas Horror Comedy)Director Mike Dougherty followed up his Halloween masterpiece Trick 'r Treat with Krampus an old school monster movie set on Christmas. Jeff and Lucas rundown the film's plot, the production, and Christmas movies in general in this extra special Christmas spooktacular episode of Make Your Own Damn Podcast.2022-12-221h 18
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Children (1980 American Horror Movie)This week on Make Your Own Damn Podcast, Jeff and Lucas look at Troma's other killer kids movie. This one's got atomic hugs, body-melting, and a score by Friday the 13th's Harry Manfredini!2022-12-151h 09
Make Your Own Damn PodcastCannibals II: The FlesheatersJeff and Lucas discuss the much-maligned cannibal subgenre, as well as movies containing cannibalism either through explicit depictions or inference. Cannibal Ferox, Blood Diner, Motel Hell, Silence of the Lambs, The Green Inferno, and Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea all get mentions. Ruggero Deodato is still the king. We like Joe D'Amato too. Umberto Lenzi, not so much.2022-12-081h 47
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie (1989 Superhero Comedy) First, The Toxic Avenger saved Tromaville from a corrupt mayor and gym-rat bullies. Then, he took Tokyo, Godzilla-style. Now, he squares up against the Devil Himself in The Toxic Avenger III: The Last Temptation of Toxie. A self-fulfilling prophecy for Troma, it chronicles Toxie's selling out to Apocalypse Inc and subsequent redemption. It's an intriguing note in the company's history, but is it any good? Well, you'll have to listen and find out. If you want to support the show, check us out on Patreon. 2022-11-241h 08
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThankskilling 3: NOT the Worst Movie Ever A meta labor of love sequel to a DIY, no-budget slasher, THANKSKILLING 3 has the dubious honor of being called the worst movie of all time by armchair movie critics, but is it? The short answer is no, and you might be a poser if you think it is. If you're not a poser, and you'd like to support our show, stop by our Patreon for bonus episodes and other goodies: Make Your Own Damn Podcast is creating podcasts | Patreon 2022-11-171h 23
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Wedding Party: Brian DePalma's Student Film Starring Robert DeNiroSomehow Troma Entertainment has the distribution rights to the 1940s-style wedding farce Brian DePalma made in graduate school. And Robert DeNiro's in it! We have... very little else.2022-11-1146 min
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe End of the WorldToday, Jeff and Lucas discuss the much-maligned disaster movie genre. Like most much-maligned genres, we love it, and argue that it's a lot deeper and more interesting than its detractors would have you believe. 2022-11-031h 21
Make Your Own Damn PodcastKiller Condom (1996 Cult Horror Movie)A landmark film in the history of queer genre cinema, Killer Condom is a notorious entry from distributor Troma Entertainment's mid-90s revival. We've got a protagonist with a foot-long dong, prophylactics with sharp teeth designed by H.R. Geiger, mad scientists, and the grimy streets of pre-Guiliani New York. In other words, everything! Killer Condom is the rubber that rubs you out.2022-10-271h 14
Make Your Own Damn PodcastCannibal Holocaust: Ruggero Deodato's Splatter Epic Unquestionably the most controversial film ever made, Cannibal Holocaust was unleashed upon audiences in 1980. It's been talked about at-length, but Jeff Burk has uncovered some even more shocking behind-the-scenes information regarding this landmark film. And despite all its baggage, Cannibal Holocaust remains infuriatingly good. Support the podcast by buying our merch: Home | Make Your Own Damn Podcast (bigcartel.com) 2022-10-202h 36
Make Your Own Damn PodcastPLAGA ZOMBIE (1997 Argentine Horror Film)PLAGA ZOMBIE is an independent horror movie short on resources but long on guts. Originally released in 1997, it launched a Latin American splatter franchise that's still going strong today. Jeff and Lucas take a deep dive into its goriest scenes.2022-10-141h 00
Make Your Own Damn PodcastGimmicks Galore! The Art of William CastleKnown primarily for schlocky hits like House on Haunted Hill and 13 Ghosts, William Castle was the horror genre's equivalent to a carnival barker. His movies came with unique theater experiences that still resonate to this day.2022-10-0650 min
Make Your Own Damn PodcastSplatter University (1982 American Slasher Movie)An 80s slasher movie with a Troma twist, Splatter University tells the age-old tale of an escaped mental patient stalking co-eds. Plus, the abortion conversation, dick stabbings, boob stabbings, and slasher movies where no character is safe.2022-09-291h 06
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Nine Inch Nails Broken MovieWe're not sure there's ever been a music video project like NIN's Broken Movie. A faux snuff film intercut with videos for every song off the Broken EP but "Last" and the two secret tracks, it was one of the most sought out pieces of media of the modern era. It was leaked to bootleg sites in the mid-2000s (purportedly by Trent Reznor himself), it's never had an official release. We discuss it in depth in this trip down memory lane for two 90s kids who are now approaching middle age. If you like the show, consider buying...2022-09-221h 30
Make Your Own Damn PodcastNazi Boner Pills aka 2011's The TaintIn the late aughts, Virginia filmmakers Drew Bolduc Dan Nelson set out to film the post-apocalyptic splatter movie The Taint. An exploration of misogyny, violence, and sexual violence with some highly impressive Troma-esque gore, The Taint is the sort of B horror flick that would play well at a party. This episode was NOT sponsored by BlueChew.2022-09-1547 min
Make Your Own Damn Podcast20 Years of Eli RothPossibly the most polarizing figure in horror filmmaking, Eli Roth splattered onto the scene twenty years ago with CABIN FEVER. Jeff is a mega-fan, and in this week's episode, he argues for Roth's validity as a creator and personality. 2022-09-082h 08
Make Your Own Damn PodcastGirls School Screamers (1985 Supernatural Slasher Movie) This week, Jeff and Lucas look at a slasher movie that also mines the haunted house and possession subgenres for its tropes. Girls School Screamers is basically a trope-fest, shot in Philadelphia in the 1980s by John P. Finnegan and distributed by Troma (who also reshot parts of the film). Lucas is much kinder to this one than Jeff is, but they both agree: the music by John Hodian is excellent. 2022-09-0156 min
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Town That Dreaded Sundown: A True American Horror StoryIn 1976, genre giants Samuel Z. Arkoff and Charles B. Pierce unleased the crime thriller THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN, a film that inspired a meta sequel/remake by the makers of American Horror Story, local controversy, and nightmares for co-host Lucas Mangum. We dive deep into this effective slice of regional filmmaking.2022-08-251h 59
Make Your Own Damn PodcastLollilove: Jenna Fischer's Pet Project Co-Starring James Gunn Co-written and directed by Jenna Fischer (THE OFFICE), LOLLILOVE is a mockumentary with an emphasis on mocking! When two shallow celebrities land on a self-serving idea for helping the homeless, they embark on an odyssey of rejection, relationship strain, and getting in over their heads. LOLLILOVE is a movie that launched multiple careers, and it's funny as hell to boot! It's a prime example of "making your own damn movie" and criminally underseen, considering its place in Hollywood history. Leave it to Troma to make seeing this hidden gem possible. 2022-08-181h 29
Make Your Own Damn PodcastGenre of Excess: The History, Influence, and Future of Body HorrorAccording to Wikipedia, "body horror" is "is a subgenre of horror that intentionally showcases grotesque or psychologically disturbing violations of the human body." The most famous purveyor of such films is the legendary Canadian director David Cronenberg, but he is one of many creators to work in this subgenre that traces its roots back to Gothic literature and remains more popular than ever. Plus, the difference between body horror and gore films, the prophetic narrative of VIDEODROME, Alex Jones is going down, and 5 body horror films you haven't seen.2022-08-111h 53
Make Your Own Damn PodcastFear Comes in Waves: 2009's TRIANGLEFrom IMDB, "Five friends set sail and their yacht is overturned by a strange and sudden storm. A mysterious ship arrives to rescue them, and what happens next cannot be explained." Vague? It's because you can't talk about 2009's TRIANGLE without spoiling it. Oops.2022-08-0450 min
Make Your Own Damn Podcast64 - THE TOXIC AVENGER, PART II: TOXIE TAKES TOKYO! On the heels of the controversial TROMA'S WAR, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz returned to what brought em to the dance with THE TOXIC AVENGER, PART II. The film follows the titular monster hero of superhuman size and strength from the streets of Tromaville to the shores of Tokyo, where he arrives Godzilla style! Accidentally shot as a four-hour film, then split into two (with the later TOXIC AVENGER, PART III: THE LAST TEMPTATION OF TOXIE), the second entry of this ooey, gooey franchise struggles to live up to the triumphs of the original, but there are reasons for...2022-07-281h 30
Make Your Own Damn PodcastDETENTION: Music Video Maven Joseph Kahn's Meta-Slasher Masterpiece There has never been a movie like Joseph Kahn's DETENTION. Like an Adderall-fueled dubstep remix of a 90s slasher, things get meta quickly, but that's only the beginning! There's a time-traveling alien bear, a slasher named Cinderhella, subverted stereotypes, and no respect for genre tropes. We at MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PODCAST love it and think you will too! 2022-07-141h 47
Make Your Own Damn PodcastMAKE YOUR OWN DAMN AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL: STORY OF A JUNKIE (1987 Exploitation Film)In this controversial film, punk filmmaker Lech Kowalski gives us an up-close and personal look at the life of a junkie in 1980s New York. Awash in pre-Guliani grime and featuring scenes of authentic heroin use, STORY OF A JUNKIE is quintessential exploitation cinema. It's an ugly and uncomfortable watch, absent of story or commentary. Instead, Kowalski opted to frankly document these scenes without judgment or additional context. Our take: smoke weed, trip hard, but avoid the hard stuff like the plague.2022-07-071h 01
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Importance and Legacy of Anchor Bay Entertainment Anchor Bay Entertainment can date its origins back to two home video distributors: Video Treasures, formed in 1985, and Starmaker Entertainment, founded in 1988. The companies competed with each other for years, until they were sold to the Handleman Company, and formed a new corporate umbrella: Anchor Bay Entertainment, on May 2, 1995. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Anchor Bay specialized in the release of horror films, particularly cult films and slasher movies from the 1970s and 1980s, exposing the likes of Lucio Fulci, the EVIL DEAD films, and DAY OF THE DEAD to an entire generation of genre fans through...2022-07-011h 48
Make Your Own Damn PodcastA Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell (1990 Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy)One of Troma's most publicized titles, even decades after its release, A NYMPHOID BARBARIAN IN DINOSAUR HELL takes viewers in a post-nuclear fallout version of Tromaville, where all manner of mutants run rampant. Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum take a deep dive into the cult hit, the low-budget production, and when it became the subject of clickbait outrage in 2010.2022-06-231h 22
Make Your Own Damn PodcastA Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell (1990 Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy)One of Troma's most publicized titles, even decades after its release, A NYMPHOID BARBARIAN IN DINOSAUR HELL takes viewers in a post-nuclear fallout version of Tromaville, where all manner of mutants run rampant. Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum take a deep dive into the cult hit, the low-budget production, and when it became the subject of clickbait outrage in 2010.2022-06-231h 22
Make Your Own Damn PodcastExtreme Horror Cinema is Back with THE SADNESSTHE SADNESS is quintessential splatter horror. Inspired by the controversial CROSSED comics, this Taiwanese rage-zombie flick serves as a stark contrast to elevated horror and monster-as-metaphor movies that dominate the box office and streaming platforms. When the populace of their city goes mad with sexually violent urges, a young couple traverses the carnage, hoping to find each other, but who is immune, and can they stay safe? Now streaming on Shudder and rife with Covid-era paranoia, THE SADNESS has drawn comparisons to the likes of A SERBIAN FILM and CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST for its extreme content. 2022-06-161h 28
Make Your Own Damn PodcastLeatherface versus Debbie Rochon in HELLBLOCK 13 On the eve of her execution, serial killer Tara (Debbie Rochon) passes the time by telling The Executioner (Gunnar Hansen, Leatherface in the original TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE) a trilogy of horror stories, but that's not all she has planned for the night! HELLBLOCK 13 is Troma Entertainment's foray into the anthology format. Jeff and Lucas discuss the film and their favorite horror anthologies. 2022-06-091h 20
Make Your Own Damn PodcastFound Footage, Analog Horror, ARGs, and Suspension of DisbeliefIn the summer of 1999, horror fans were treated to the now seminal THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. Not even a decade later, the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY franchise launched and consequently generated a resurgence of films using the found footage technique. While these are the two most notable examples, a plethora of other movies--not solely horror--have employed found footage to tell their stories. The technique has a rich history, stretching beyond the medium of film and all the way back to epistolary novels such as DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN. Plus, PETSCOP, THE SUN HAS VANISHED, and GEMINI HOME ENTERTAINMENT are prime examples of...2022-06-022h 03
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Most Tasteless True Crime Documentary Ever Made Lauded by the hosts of LAST PODCAST ON THE LEFT as the trashiest true crime documentary ever made, BAZAAR BIZARRE chronicles the life and crimes of serial killer Bob Berdella. Released by Troma Entertainment in 2004, it features interviews with those involved in the case intercut with gory reenactments, musical numbers, and rage-fueled narration by crime writer James Ellroy. There has never been a movie like BAZAAR BIZARRE. It's tasteless, even for Troma, and we at MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PODCAST love it. 2022-05-261h 08
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Strange Saga of I DRINK YOUR BLOOD (1971 Exploitation Horror Film)I DRINK YOUR BLOOD is quintessential exploitation horror. It was made specifically to compete with the graphic violence on display in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, it was sold as a double feature with I EAT YOUR SKIN, a film made almost a decade earlier and never distributed, and writer/director David E. Durston went on from it to make hardcore gay pornography before leaving filmmaking for three decades. When a group of LSD-addled, devil-worshipping hippies terrorize the residents of a small town, a young boy exacts horrific revenge by feeding them meat pies injected with rabies. It...2022-05-191h 34
Make Your Own Damn PodcastBeware! Children at Play (1989 Horror Film)From Troma's website: Childhood used to be about jumping rope and playing hopscotch…but in one little backwoods town it’s now about slitting throats and eating flesh! While visiting Tromaville, the DeWolfe family discover a terrifying secret. God-fearing parents panic as their children mysteriously disappear. Little do they know that only thing worse than their children disappearing would be them coming back! Lured into a cannibalistic cult, doe-eyed innocents are transformed into mindless killing machines. Parents and children face off in the most stomach-churning finale of mutilated flesh to bloody the screen!2022-05-121h 11
Make Your Own Damn PodcastWhy Do We Love This Sick Sh*t?Cannibalism, torture, rape, war crimes, and necrophilia. These are common themes found in underground cinema and extreme horror. Is it possible for art to go too far? What is the appeal of this vile content to seemingly well-adjusted fans? Authors Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum attempt to unpack these questions and more as they examine some of the most extreme films ever made. This episode is one of self-reflection where they ask themselves why such material appeals to them. Plus, what are the political underpinnings of these films? Which films are more concerned with personal horrors? And what movie...2022-05-061h 22
Make Your Own Damn PodcastWhy Do We Love This Sick Sh*t?Cannibalism, torture, rape, war crimes, and necrophilia. These are common themes found in underground cinema and extreme horror. Is it possible for art to go too far? What is the appeal of this vile content to seemingly well-adjusted fans? Authors Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum attempt to unpack these questions and more as they examine some of the most extreme films ever made. This episode is one of self-reflection where they ask themselves why such material appeals to them. Plus, what are the political underpinnings of these films? Which films are more concerned with personal horrors? And what movie...2022-05-051h 22
Make Your Own Damn PodcastHollywood Kills! The Meta Brilliance of Rufus B. Seder's SCREAMPLAYThe Troma Team is proud to present SCREAMPLAY, the story of aspiring screenwriter Edgar Allen (Rufus B. Seder) as he arrives in Hollywood carrying his most valuable possessions: a battered suitcase and a typewriter. Edgar Allen’s best attribute is his wild imagination. He imagines scenes so vividly for the murder mystery he is writing that they seem to come to life…and they do! As mysterious murders pile up, and Edgar Allen must confront aging actresses, rock stars, and the police in the bleak setting of broken dreams in Hollywood. As the line between reality and imagination becomes more...2022-04-281h 05
Make Your Own Damn PodcastTUSK: Kevin Smith's Criminally Underrated Body Horror MovieOn the 259th episode of SModcast, indie legend turned Hollywood darling turned cinematic outlaw Kevin Smith and longtime collaborator Scott Mosier read a bizarre want ad in which a homeowner was offering free lodging, so long as the tenant was willing to wear a Walrus costume. This led to an in-depth discussion about a hypothetical horror film inspired in equal parts by Stuart Gordon, David Cronenberg, and THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE. By the time of its premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, TUSK was no longer a hypothetical. The film has gone on to become Smith's most controversial to...2022-04-212h 01
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Toxic Avenger - Episode 50We made it to 50 episodes and thought it all too appropriate to cover Troma's most famous movie, a movie as old as us and soon to be remade. We're talking, of course, about 1984's THE TOXIC AVENGER. With ripping limbs, head-crushing, and deep-frying of hands, this movie is a gory classic. It's also got a wicked sense of humor, social commentary that still resonates today, and a runtime that other superhero movies can learn from. We discuss our personal histories with the film, some behind the scenes stories, the upcoming remake, and how well THE TOXIC AVENGER might play...2022-04-141h 56
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Importance and Legacy of Something Weird VideoSomething Weird Video was founded in 1990 by Mike Vraney. Based out of Seattle, it takes its name from the movie Something Weird, which was directed by “Godfather of Gore” Herschel Gordon Lewis. In addition to distributing the works of Lewis, they’ve also distributed films by Doris Wishman (a prolific female director of sexploitation films) and Ed Wood (specifically, The Violent Years and Jailbait), as well as movies starring famed pinup model Bettie Page. Something Weird Video specializes in exploitation B to Z movies. That Basket Case may have the highest production values of their distributed titles says s...2022-03-311h 17Make Your Own Damn PodcastSuicide: A 2001 German Horror Film Distributed by the Troma Team What do those final moments look like when someone chooses to end their life? What's the difference between a death film and a snuff film? This German horror movie from 2001 dares to ask these questions--and answer them. Plus, the value of extreme horror movies, the impact of losing a loved one, and the crassness of marketing. 2022-03-241h 32
Make Your Own Damn PodcastEyes of Fire (1983 Folk Horror Movie)Due to the success of The Witch and Midsommar, folk horror has become a trendy subgenre in the past decade, but it has its roots in films made as early as the 1950s. While The Wicker Man (1973) is the most famous example, there are numerous, lesser-known entries as well. One such film is 1983's Eyes of Fire. Boasting some impressive visual effects and cinematography, it shares a plot similar to The Witch but was largely forgotten until recently. It's DIY horror cinema to its core, with all the baggage that brings.2022-03-171h 18Make Your Own Damn PodcastFrostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo, An Evil Dead Homage Straight Outta TromavilleIn 1987, a group of Michigan filmmakers took to the wilderness to make a monster movie about something evil in the woods. No, we're not talking about Evil Dead 2; we're talking about the little-seen, DIY, slapstick creature feature Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo. Plus, indie horror comics, dubious origin stories, and the Michigan indie film scene.2022-03-101h 28Make Your Own Damn PodcastMainstream ExploitationExploitation and grindhouse cinema are not dead! They have only changed skins. On the 45th episode of MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PODCAST, authors Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum examine how exploitation subgenres of the 1970s have influenced the mainstream blockbusters of today.2022-03-031h 28
Make Your Own Damn PodcastMainstream ExploitationExploitation and grindhouse cinema are not dead! They have only changed skins. On the 45th episode of MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PODCAST, authors Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum examine how exploitation subgenres of the 1970s have influenced the mainstream blockbusters of today.2022-03-031h 28
Make Your Own Damn PodcastSizzle Beach, USA: The Movie Kevin Costner Doesn't Want You to See!Following the tradition of other A-list stars getting their start with Troma, Kevin Costner appears in this borderline softcore, beach party movie from way back in 1981. Jeff does not like this movie. He wants to fight it. He wants to fight Lucas for making him watch it. Kevin Costner once sued to get the rights to this movie. Why? You'll need to listen to find out.2022-02-2455 min
Make Your Own Damn PodcastFlesh for FrankensteinPaul Morrissey's FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN is a film that works on multiple levels: it's both a horror movie and a comedy, a gorefest and imbued with erotica, a marriage of New York arthouse and Italian sleaze. A new favorite for the show, it stars Udo Kier and bears only a few degrees of separation from Andy Warhol, E.T.: THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL, former president Donald Trump, Madonna, and Korn. It's a wild movie and historically significant to boot.2022-02-171h 46Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Dario Argento Special Dario Argento, master of Italian horror, once had a film distributed by Troma Entertainment. It's 1996's The Stendhal Syndrome. Starring daughter Asia Argento as a police detective tracking a serial rapist, it explores themes of trauma in a nuanced, compelling way. Plot twist: The Stendhal Syndrome is now a Full Moon Feature. Go figure. 2022-02-141h 50Make Your Own Damn PodcastSgt. Kabukiman, NYPD (1990 Cult Superhero Movie)There has never been a film like Sgt. Kabukiman, NYPD. An attempt by Lloyd Kaufman and company to enter the mainstream with a crossover hit, Sgt. Kabukiman is a film that has a hard time deciding what it wants to be. Co-host Jeff Burk is not a fan. Lucas is much more forgiving. 2022-01-201h 25
Make Your Own Damn PodcastStreet Trash (1987 Cult Horror Movie)There are few films with such an impact on mainstream cinema than 1987's Street Trash. It's our most requested movie and often mistook for a Troma movie (much to Lloyd Kaufman's chagrin). Its director has been the steadicam operator on such everything from prestigious films as Titanic and Terminator 2 to genre classics like Jason Takes Manhattan. His filmography is only the beginning. Street Trash is a problematic but special and undeniably entertaining piece of cinematic history.2022-01-141h 27
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Traveling Laymon Show (unaired pilot)In early 2020, Lucas and Jeff recorded a pilot episode for a Richard Laymon podcast. The show never developed and the episode has been locked into the vaults until now. Enjoy the discussion exploring Richard Laymon's THE WOODS ARE DARK. If you enjoy it, let us know! Maybe one day we'll do more. 2022-01-061h 07Make Your Own Damn PodcastVegas in Space with Bobby LugosiSideshow and drag performer Bobby Lugosi crashes the show to talk about the queer cult classic VEGAS IN SPACE. A low-budget effort made over the course of eight years, VEGAS IN SPACE follows soldiers who must pose as women to search for missing gems on the all-female planet of Clitoris. The film was written by the late notable drag performer Doris Fish and released by the notorious Troma Entertainment. It hasn't been seen by nearly enough people, and that's a shame. Plus, genre fans critique ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and GONE WITH THE WIND, imagination and effort can transcend...2021-12-311h 44
Make Your Own Damn PodcastMake Your Own Damn Christmas Spooktacular with Christmas EvilIt's warm in Texas and cold in Oregon, but Lucas and Jeff are determined to align themselves in holiday cheer to talk about 1980's Christmas Evil, a film praised by the likes of Joe Bob Briggs and John Waters. It's an early slasher, still glistening with 70s grime, and it follows the Taxi Driver-like descent into murder of a lowly toy factory worker. As a boy, Harry saw Mommy fucking Santa Claus and it made an impression. As a grownup, fed-up with corporate greed and naughty children, he takes up the mantle of Old Saint Nick and prepares to...2021-12-201h 36Make Your Own Damn PodcastNot My F*cked Up - Under the Knife (2018)Female beauty standards! Bad surgery! Travelogue footage! Jeff and Lucas break down TromaNow original Under the Knife, directed by Josh Hoffman. Plus, medical horror tropes, Train to Busan, and hardcore punk band Fucked Up. 2021-12-141h 11Make Your Own Damn PodcastSurf Nazis Revisited with Scout TafoyaJeff and Lucas break their moratorium on guests to chop it up with semi-professional critic and filmmaker Scout Tafoya about everything from reexamining universally loathed movies, Rob Zombie, the dystopia of Disney/Marvel, Jodorowsky's legacy, Troma giving chances to filmmakers who wouldn't otherwise get noticed, and a whole lot more. Check out Scout on Vimeo or Patreon. 2021-12-062h 14Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Mangum Show Flashback: Anguish (1987)This week, Jeff and Lucas couldn't record, so we dug way back in the archives and found an old episode of a previous podcast where they discussed 1987's trailblazing but criminally underseen meta-horror film, Anguish. Directed by Bigas Luna, Anguish follows a serial killer who collects the eyes of his victims for his mother (played by Zelda Rubenstein of Poltergeist fame). Then, at about the 21-minute-mark, things shift in a BIG way. Caution: here there be spoilers.2021-11-301h 16Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Mangum Show Flashback: Anguish (1987)This week, Jeff and Lucas couldn't record, so we dug way back in the archives and found an old episode of a previous podcast where they discussed 1987's trailblazing but criminally underseen meta-horror film, Anguish. Directed by Bigas Luna, Anguish follows a serial killer who collects the eyes of his victims for his mother (played by Zelda Rubenstein of Poltergeist fame). Then, at about the 21-minute-mark, things shift in a BIG way. Caution: here there be spoilers.2021-11-291h 16Make Your Own Damn PodcastRadiation March (Lloyd Kaufman-directed short film)If you've ever owned a Troma movie on DVD or Blu Ray, chances are you saw this early-80s oddity. A minute-long public service announcement about the dangers of climate change (then called global warming), it features dancing children clad in sunglasses and leotards and an ominous message. It's a work near and dear to Troma president Lloyd Kaufman, and we try to determine why.2021-11-2138 minMake Your Own Damn PodcastDecampitated (1998 horror comedy slasher film)This week on Make Your Own Damn Podcast, Jeff and Lucas examine the late 90s slasher parody Decampitated, trans representation in Troma movies, and the meta horror subgenre.2021-11-151h 09Make Your Own Damn PodcastCombat Shock (1986 exploitation war drama)Co-hosts Jeff and Lucas take on Troma's most nihilistic movie yet! With PTSD, cheesy 80s villains, family annihilation, and sets so grimy you can smell em through the screen, Combat Shock is a complicated, flawed, but ultimately interesting and worthy entry in Troma's catalogue. Plus, if you go far enough to the left, you get your gun rights back; Lucas gets candid about raising kids when you're mentally ill; and the important distinction between a horror movie and a horrific movie. 2021-11-081h 52Make Your Own Damn PodcastReturn to Return to Make Your Own Damn PodcastJeff and Lucas finish their deep-dive on the Class of Nuke Em High franchise in this their 30th episode. Return to Return to Nuke Em High Volume 2 is Lloyd Kaufman and the Troma Team at their irreverent, frenetic best. Plus, getting screened at MOMA beats getting escorted at gunpoint from Cannes, meta is hard to pull off but great when done right, Lloyd Kaufman as Buffalo Bill cannot be unseen, and premium content on Troma Now.2021-11-022h 13Make Your Own Damn PodcastReturn to Nuke 'em High, Volume 1 (2013 cult horror comedy) This week, Jeff and Lucas take on the slickest (so far) of the Lloyd Kaufman films: Return to Nuke 'em High, Volume 1. "Torture porn" is a term that rolls off the tongue and Lucas is spacey. Plus, organic is bullshit, Uncle Lloyd's in a bad mood, armored wheelchairs, the MPAA still sucks, economic blacklisting of independent artists, Dave Made a Maze and other great works of art that fall through the cracks without the machine behind it, people really hate dead dogs but NY Times loves Troma, splitting movies in two, and the genius of Carlton Mellick III's Zombies...2021-10-252h 01Make Your Own Damn PodcastClass of Nuke 'Em High 3 and Our Favorite Horror FranchisesClass of Nuke 'Em High 2 is a fun, over-the-top slice of 90s cinema. Can the same be said for Class of Nuke 'Em High 3: The Good, the Bad, and the Subhumanoid? Plus, Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum talk all about horror franchises, the place of the Nuke 'Em High films in that canon, our favorite series, Halloween Kills, Final Destination and Saw, the campy brilliance of David R. Ellis, 15 Minutes of Shame, and Man, Fuck This House by indie horror author extraordinaire Brian Asman.2021-10-191h 41Make Your Own Damn PodcastClass of Nuke 'Em High 3 and Our Favorite Horror FranchisesClass of Nuke 'Em High 2 is a fun, over-the-top slice of 90s cinema. Can the same be said for Class of Nuke 'Em High 3: The Good, the Bad, and the Subhumanoid? Plus, Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum talk all about horror franchises, the place of the Nuke 'Em High films in that canon, our favorite series, Halloween Kills, Final Destination and Saw, the campy brilliance of David R. Ellis, 15 Minutes of Shame, and Man, Fuck This House by indie horror author extraordinaire Brian Asman. 2021-10-181h 41Make Your Own Damn PodcastClass of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown (1991 cult horror comedy)Jeff was wrong about Class of Nuke 'Em High 2. It might be the most underrated movie we've covered to date. Brick Bronsky rules! Lisa Gaye rules! Don't mess with squirrels!2021-10-121h 45Make Your Own Damn PodcastIgor and the Lunatics (1985 exploitation horror film)Hippies! Table saw bisection! Obnoxious laughter! IGOR AND THE LUNATICS has all this and more, but is it any good? Find out as Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum dive into this little-seen bit of exploitation. Plus, I DRINK YOUR BLOOD and EASY RIDER are brilliant, we need to Twitter, and Zack Beins rules. Shoutout Rayne Havok. Shoutout Young Stepdad. 2021-10-041h 30Make Your Own Damn PodcastIgor and the LunaticsHippies! Table saw bisection! Obnoxious laughter! IGOR AND THE LUNATICS has all this and more, but is it any good? Find out as Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum dive into this little-seen bit of exploitation. Plus, I DRINK YOUR BLOOD and EASY RIDER are brilliant, we need to Twitter, and Zack Beins rules. Shoutout Rayne Havok. Shoutout Young Stepdad. 2021-10-041h 30Make Your Own Damn PodcastDef by TemptationLucas and Jeff take a look at the seminal DEF BY TEMPTATION, a historically significant and compelling work of NY low-budget cinema. It stars Samuel L. Jackson in an early role and cinematography from Ernest R. Dickerson (DEMON KNIGHT & THE WIRE). 2021-09-281h 56Make Your Own Damn PodcastAll the Love You Cannes (2002 documentary comedy film)Jeff and Lucas take a gander at Lloyd Kaufman's documentary ALL THE LOVE YOU CANNES and pivot to discuss their own experiences with industrial trade shows in the world of independent art. 2021-09-132h 02Make Your Own Damn PodcastBloodsucking FreaksMade in 1976 by people mostly associated with the porn industry, BLOODSUCKING FREAKS is quite possibly the most notorious Troma movie ever, but is it any good? Listen as Jeff and Lucas deep-dive, dissect, and analyze this cult classic.2021-08-302h 23Make Your Own Damn PodcastSqueeze Play!This week Jeff and Lucas look at the first of Lloyd Kaufman and company's sex comedies, the softball and sexy-time flick SQUEEZE PLAY! Plus, the many waves of feminism and the history of wet t-shirt contests!2021-08-161h 42
Make Your Own Damn PodcastThe Lucio Fulci SpecialIn 2001, five years after Italian director Lucio Fulci passed into the great beyond, Troma Entertainment picked up the distribution rights for the Godfather of Gore's low-budget dystopian sci-fi flick The New Gladiators (or Warriors of 2072). Jeff and Lucas deep-dive into this hidden gem, as well as announce the release of Lucas Mangum's newest book: The Final Gate. Co-written with Splatterpunk Award winner Wesley Southard, it's the ultimate prose tribute to the late horror maestro. You can preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0972JN4B42021-08-022h 18Make Your Own Damn PodcastMake Your Own Damn Podcast: Tromeo & Juliet"All the body-piercing, kinky sex, and car crashes that Shakespeare wanted but never had! Join Tromeo (Will Keenan), Juliet (Jane Jensen), and Lemmy of Motorhead as they travel through Manhattan’s underground in search of climactic love, violence, and the American Way. Tromeo and Juliet is thrust forward with hyper-kinetic performances and a cutting-edge soundtrack."
Jeff Burk and Lucas Mangum do a deep dive on the James Gunn and Lloyd Kaufman collaboration Tromeo & Juliet, a punk rock love story filled to the brim with Gen-X nihilism. Plus, when it comes to mealworms and maggots, what's in a na...2021-05-031h 40Make Your Own Damn PodcastCannibal! The MusicalLong before becoming household names with the creation of South Park, a couple of film students named Trey Parker and Matt Stone got together with their friends and classmates to make a movie about Alfred Packer, the first person convicted of cannibalism in the United States. The result was Cannibal! The Musical, an irreverent yet quaint film full of songs and flesh-eating. The last stop on their search for a distributor was the infamous Troma Entertainment and the rest is history. Hosts Lucas Mangum and Jeff Burk talk about everything from the making of the film, the film itself...2021-04-261h 25
Make Your Own Damn PodcastMake Your Own Damn Podcast: IntroductionWelcome to the first episode of MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PODCAST, a show where we look back at the wonderful, whacky films produced and distributed by Troma Entertainment. In the introduction, co-hosts Lucas Mangum and Jeff Burk talk about how they became Troma fans, discuss filmmaker and co-founder Lloyd Kaufman, and rundown the list of famous filmmakers and actors who have worked with Troma in the past. If you like this show, check out Jeff's books and Lucas' books.2021-04-1942 min