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#Noirvember 2020 kicks off with a look at John Farrow’s The Big Clock (1947). Based on the 1946 novel by Kenneth Fearing, it’s the story of George Stroud (Ray Milland) an editor at Crimeways magazine and employee of Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton). When a woman that both Stroud and Janoth have been sleeping with is murdered, Stroud is put on the case to find out who was last seen with the victim. And, of course, that last person looks a lot like him. Terry Frost and Tim Luz join Mike to discuss the film as well as it’s official… and unofficial remakes.

On this special episode of The Projection Booth we’re looking at David Cronenberg’s The Brood. It’s the story of the Carveth family and how the sins of the past visit the children of the next generation. Frank Carveth (Art Hindle) and his wife Nola (Samantha Eggar) have separated. She’s under the care of Dr. Hal Raglan (Oliver Reed). He’s the head of the Somafree clinic and has mastered the art of psychoplasmics where negative thoughts and feelings are manifested physically. This is the second part of a two-part conversation about Cronenberg’s early features. You can hear the first part via Mark’s podcast, Wake Up Heavy.

I couldn’t speak to Stephen Bissette about his monograph on The Brood without also asking him about his decades working in the comic book industry. He dishes a bit about his beginnings, his work on Swamp Thing, and more. Hear the rest of our interview on The Brood episode.

We conclude #Shocktober2020 with a look at Peter Jackson’s The Frighteners. Made between Heavenly Creatures and the Lord of the Rings series, the film was a signal to Hollywood that Peter Jackson could play by the rules. It’s the story of Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox), a man with a gift that he can commune with the dead. He uses this to bilk the people of Fairwater out of money by haunting houses via his dead friends. Unfortunately for Frank and the rest of Fairwater there’s a serial killer who plagues the city in hopes of scoring a record number of kills. Chris Stachiw and Jeff Meyers discuss the film with Mike while Production Designer Grant Major and co-star Jeffrey Combs talk about the making of the movie.

It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s fritters! Heather Drain and Ben Buckingham join Mike to talk about Kevin Connor’s 1980 horror/comedy starring Rory Calhoun and Nancy Parsons, Motel Hell. Connor discusses his work on the film as well as his earlier work while Frank Cotolo dishes about working with Wolfman Jack.

On this special episode of The Projection Booth we’re not talking about a movie for once but, instead, we’re looking at Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated. It was the eleventh incarnation of the Scooby gang and it ran from 2010 to 2013 with a total of 52 episodes spread over 156 weeks. It was also one of the best and most self-referential animated series that I’ve ever seen. Producer Mitch Watson shares some behind-the-scenes stories about the creation of the show and the challenges it faced. Father Malone (You’ve Never Seen) and Carol Borden (The Cultural Gutter) discuss the show with Mike.

#Shocktober2020 continues with a look at Neil Jordan’s The Company of Wolves. It’s a melange of tales based on the writings of Angela Carter which intertwine and layer upon one another. At the heart is a re-telling of the Little Red Riding Hood tale but there’s more… much more… than that. Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain join Mike to discuss the film and women’s burgeoning sexuality. This episode features an interview with James Gracey, author of the Devil’s Advocates book about The Company of Wolves.

On this special episode we’re looking at Clive Barker’s Nightbreed. It’s the story of Aaron Boone (Criag Sheffer). He dreams of a place called Midian, an underground world of monsters. His psychiatrist, Doctor Decker (David Cronenberg) also wants to go there but to destroy all the monster life. Tim Luz and Samm Deighan join Mike to look at the various cuts of the film and its storied history.

We kick off Shocktober 2020 with a look at Tobe Hooper’s 1982 film Poltergeist. It’s the story of a suburban family beset by supernatural forces. Vincenzo Natali and Christine Makepeace join Mike to discuss hauntings, the pedigree of the film, the sequels, and 2015 remake.

On this special episode of The Projection Booth we’re looking at the 2019 film from director Orçun Behram, The Antenna (2019). The film stars Ihsan Önal as Mehnet, a overseer of an apartment building in Turkey. We begin the film on the day when a new satellite dish is being installed that is part of a new era for the country where the government can now broadcast directly to its citizens’ televisions. Let’s just say that this isn’t the utopia that was promised. Mark Begley and David Rodgers join Mike to talk about this film which plays in select theaters starting October 2, 2020 and digital platforms starting October 20, 2020.