This week, George and his special guest discuss “What We Do in the Shadows”, the brilliant horror comedy that inspired an equally brilliant series.
We sink our fangs into this beloved horror comedy about a documentary crew who follows four eccentric vampire roommates with supernatural powers, and we discuss why our guest calls this the “Best Horror Movie Ever Made”.
ABOUT THIS WEEK’S EPISODE:
Episode 58: “What We Do in the Shadows” with Glen Matthews (1 hour, 18 minutes)
This week in the horror house, we’re joined by a fangtastic guest from Toronto, Glen Matthews! We talk to Glen about his passion for horror, all the way from its start as his original sin (lying to his mom so he could watch Child’s Play at a friends house) to his own work on the unique vampire story Teething, a short film recently nominated for best short film by the Director’s Guild of Canada.
His taste for vampires lies with both Let the Right One In and his pick for the best horror movie ever made: Taika Waititi’s 2014 hit mockumentary, What We Do in the Shadows. He recounts his experience seeing it for the first time in a black box theater as it made the festival rounds, and seeing audiences react so strongly to it.
We discuss the comparisons to Christopher Guest and the unique mockumentary style, plus what Taika does to differentiate himself in the space. As the plot of the movie reveals itself, we read into the meta-commentary of the various generations of vampires stories and their distinct eras — then determine our favorites.
We also call out Taika’s attention to detail and obvious affection for the vampire tropes, including references galore, as well as his ability to create incredible visual wordplay.
And while his performance in the movie is stellar, we also pay tribute to the rest of the cast, who are equally strong, including Jemaine Clement and Rhys Darby. They created lived in characters that feel realistic, despite the fantastical elements at play.
As the chat wraps up, we touch on the spinoffs and potential sequels before hammering home why What We Do in the Shadows is the best horror movie ever made. Listen to these children of the night, what music we make!
Before diving into the episode, be sure to watch What We Do in the Shadows for free on Hoopla or Kanopy, or rent for under $3 from Google Play, YouTube, or Vudu (among others).
ABOUT THE SHOW:
BEST LITTLE HORROR HOUSE IN PHILLY IS a weekly cast where host George Heftler and his special guest discuss the best horror movie ever made…according to his guest, at least! It’s a safe place for horror fans to talk about the movies they’re passionate about — a place to talk about venerated entries already in the canon, modern-day classics, and everything in between.
Be sure to tune in to Morbidly Beautiful every Thursday to catch a new episode of the show.
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