This episode is stacked, from an interview with an icon to a found footage double feature of “Frogman” and “Late Night With the Devil”.
Before diving into our featured films, we begin the episode with an interview with none other than horror historian and legend of film and television, famed horror host Joe Bob Briggs.
The team at Morbidly Beautiful has been covering some of the incredible content from this year’s Unnamed Footage Festival. One of the fest’s most talked-about films is a little found-footage oddity called Frogman.
The Loveland Frogman may not be as widely known as other cryptids, but the creature is popular enough to have been named the city mascot of his hometown. A documentary about it would be interesting, but a fictional movie would not be the worst idea. Especially if it is found footage.
Frogman goes the route of The Blair Witch Project. It is set in the woods and involves a trio of friends, with one of them on an obsessive hunt to find the truth. It is also slow, meandering, and lacks any layered characters. In other words, it is a found footage movie.
The question becomes, does it have enough to overcome these faults?
For much of the time, the answer is a hard no. But when Frogman is at its best, it is proof of just how awesome the genre can be. It may not be enough to make it all worth watching, but not many movies have a frog creature wielding a magic wand.
Another film that really has people talking is already one of the best-reviewed horror films of 2024: Late Night With the Devil.
Of course, what critics think and what audiences feel can be two drastically different things. So, what did two guys who just watch movies think?
For starters, it has something that is rarely seen in these types of films; there is actual character development. We discuss how Late Night with the Devil manages to remain grounded despite the outrageous premise.
We also talk about one of the creepiest performances we have seen this year.
Every week AIPT Movie Editor Nathaniel Muir and his cinema partner in crime Blake Heath discuss indie and genre movies you have have never heard of, the ones you cannot hear enough about, and the ones you never want to hear about again.
It is almost impossible to quantify what Roger Corman has done for horror. He pretty much invented B horror, launched the careers of some of the most talented directors of all time, and is behind some of the most iconic genre films of all time. His influence can be seen in the video box art that older fans pine about and in podcasts like our own. He is a true icon.
Typecasting is an interesting part of Hollywood. Some like scream queens and rom-com hunks lean into it. Others try to break out of the box others try to put them in. Think all of the comedic actors who have tried their hands at serious roles or child actors who appeared in more risque fare. It is always a shame to see an actor who obviously has a range of talents regulated to the same types of roles.
But what if an actor typecasts themselves?
Faceless After Dark stars Terrifer’s Jenna Kanell as an actor whose breakout role was in a movie about a killer clown. The synopsis is a little misleading (when she is held hostage by a fan dressed as said clown, she must do whatever she can to survive) as it is more of a revenge story than the logline implies. And that is just the first confusing thing.
The lead character is completely unlikable, the direction is headache inducing, and motivations are nonsensical. Are we supposed to root for Bowie Davidson (Kanell)? Why does she hate her fans so much? Is jealousy truly the root of all evil. Faceless After Dark has something to say, and it touches on real issues like toxic fandom and gender, but it is all done in a way that is confusing and just plain insulting. This movie was absolutely directed towards Terrifer fans and they are not going to like what it has to say.
Bruceploitation Month ends with the most famous Bruce Lee imitator of all. He was also the person who brought an end to the genre. Initially, Jackie Chan was supposed to continue in the footsteps of Dragon Lee, Bruce Li, Bruce Lea, and so many others. He did not want that and proceeded to carve out his own name. But not before he gave us 1976’s New Fist of Fury.
Xenophobia, confounding death scenes, a complete downer of an ending and, of course, a completely random Bruce Lee reference are all part of the film. It is a chance to see Jackie Chan very early in his career and has a powerful story to boot. At least, it seems powerful. Since the subtitles do not translate everything, we are left to assume that much of what is happening is very poignant and meaningful. The final shot certainly left us feeling something; too bad none of it was good.
Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.
Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.
Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com
Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror.
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