HITCHENS ON HORROR: Recent Episodes
josh62horrormovies
Horror movie aficionado and author Josh Hitchens presents a podcast hosting some of the greatest scary movies ever made. 62 HORROR MOVIES consists of 31 episodes, each a double feature of frightening films for Halloween. 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR consists of 12 episodes. each focusing on Christmas-themed horror cinema. More to come.
For a post-Halloween treat, tonight we're watching THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, a movie that premiered on ABC at 9:00pm on November 1, 1985. Little known today, this is my favorite Halloween movie ever made, featuring a group of teenager's who unleash a witch's curse that causes all the demons of hell and the dead to walk the earth. Scary, funny, and featuring a full-on "Thriller" ripoff musical number, this is the perfect watch if you're not ready for Halloween to be over.
Join me on this actual Friday the 13th as we watch and do a deep dive into the seventh movie in the franchise: THE NEW BLOOD. Conceived as a movie that would win an Academy Award, it eventually became "Jason vs. Carrie" as the Crystal Lake killer meets his match in telekinetic Tina.
We continue our deep dive into the bloody goings on at Camp Crystal Lake with Part VI: JASON LIVES. Again featuring the character of Tommy Jarvis, who accidentally causes Jason Voorhees to be reanimated as an undead killer. With self-referential humor at least a decade ahead of its time, this movie is a hugely underrated slasher film.
Jason Voorhees is dead, but five years later Tommy Jarvis is still traumatized. Staying at a halfway house for troubled teens, he begins to have visions of Jason, and people start getting killed. With the most nudity and highest body count so far, this is one of the most controversial films of the franchise.
We continue our deep dive into the bloody goings on at Camp Crystal Lake with Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, considered by many fans to be the greatest movie of the franchise. Joseph Zito directs, makeup artist Tom Savini returns, and Corey Feldman is introduced as Tommy Jarvis. Grab your popcorn and watch along with me.
We continue our deep dive into the FRIDAY THE 13TH series with PART III, originally released in theaters in 3D. This movie picks up one day after the events of Part 2 - technically on Saturday the 14th - and introduces Jason Voorhees to his iconic hockey mask for the first time.
The summer of slashing continues as we resume our deep dive into the first eight Friday the 13th movies. We pick up this week with Friday the 13th Part 2, which introduces Jason Voorhees to the teenage counselors of Camp Crystal Lake and the body count continues!
It's a summer of slashing as Season 3 of Hitchens on Horror begins. We're doing a deep dive into the classic eight movies of the Friday the 13th franchise of the 1980's, starting with the film that began it all. Let's watch the movies together as we journey through the history of eight terrifying nights at Camp Crystal Lake, also known as Camp Blood.
Merry Christmas, everyone! 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR concludes with my favorite Christmas horror movie of all time: GREMLINS. I do a tremendously deep dive into the trivia about the making of this film and celebrate everyone involved in it, and also talk about how horror movies uniquely unite us as well as what the future holds for the HITCHENS ON HORROR podcast.
Christmas Eve is upon us, and that means it's time for a Krampus double feature on 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR. First up is the terrific KRAMPUS written and directed by Michael Dougherty and featuring a stellar cast. Our second movie is A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY, also released in 2015, featuring zombie elves and an epic battle between Santa Claus and Krampus!
It is Christmas Eve Eve and our next installment of 12 NIGHT OF TERROR is RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE. Made in Finland and taking full advantage of the area's beautiful winter landscape and scary mythology, this is a unique Killer Santa film, both terrifying and deeply funny. You won't know why this movie is called RARE EXPORTS until the end, but the final payoff is huge.
Night 9 of our 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR is about 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, released in 2007 and one of the most unique vampire movies of the 21st century so far. In a small town in Alaska, residents prepare to leave before the sun sets for the final time. For the humans who remain, the vampires are ready for a month of slaughter. This is a perfect horror film for a snowbound winter's night.
We continue our 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR with a direct to VHS gem of the 1990's - JACK FROST. This tale of a serial killer reincarnated as a murderous snowman is one of the great Christmas movies of the decade, as well as a hilarious, extremely low budget camp classic featuring terrific character actors and wonderfully creative holiday murders. Frosty as a killer. It's so much fun.
Tonight on 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR we're examining MISERY, the excellent film adaptation of one of Stephen King's best and most personal novels, directed by Rob Reiner and featuring incredible performances from James Caan and Kathy Bates, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in her unforgettable portrayal of Annie Wilkes, the ultimate number one fan.
Next up on 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR is the 1989 French film 3615 CODE PERE NOEL, also known as DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS, GAME OVER, HIDE AND FREAK, and DEADLY GAMES. The inspiration for the 1990 Christmas classic HOME ALONE, this film was not released in the United States until 2018, when it was immediately hailed as a Christmas horror masterpiece.
12 NIGHTS OF TERROR continues with one of the most controversial horror movies ever made: SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT, pulled from theaters after only ten days. It's regarded as the quintessential Killer Santa Claus film, with brutal and creative murders. However, I think this movie is still misunderstood and underappreciated nearly forty years after its original release.
Tonight on 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR we explore Stanley Kubrick's iconic 1980 film adaptation of Stephen King's novel THE SHINING. It is an undeniable horror classic, and also one of the best Christmas horror movies ever made. Anyone who has been isolated by a blizzard or intense snowstorm should watch this classic masterwork, brilliantly performed by everyone involved.
Our 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR continues with what John Waters called "the greatest Christmas movie ever made," CHRISTMAS EVIL. The only film ever written and directed by Lewis Jackson, this movie combines perhaps the most complex and human portrayal of a Killer Santa Claus ever combined with beautiful holiday imagery. CHRISTMAS EVIL is an underrated classic.
12 NIGHTS OF TERROR continues with two versions of the 1954 EC Comics iconic tale of Christmas horror, "And All Through the House." The 1972 TALES FROM THE CRYPT film starring Joan Collins was made first, followed by a 1989 remake episode for the TALES FROM THE CRYPT television series on HBO. Is this the origin of the Killer Santa Claus and the Horror Host?
We begin our journey through 12 NIGHTS OF TERROR with one of the greatest horror movies ever made: BLACK CHRISTMAS. Underappreciated at the time of its release, this Canadian film about an unseen killer stalking a sorority house during the holidays has influenced countless films since and spawned two remakes, but none of them have equaled its eerie power.
Tonight is HALLOWEEN NIGHT on 62 HORROR MOVIES. We close with my two favorite Halloween movies ever made: TRICK 'R TREAT from 2007 and THE MIDNIGHT HOUR from 1985. Happy Halloween, my friends!
Tonight is Haunted Asylum night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is the excellent remake of HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL from 1999, followed by SESSION 9, filmed on location at the Danvers State Mental Institution in 2004.
Tonight is Found Footage Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is THE LAST BROADCAST where horror strikes a film crew hunting for the Jersey Devil in 1998, followed by iconic film THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT from 1999.
Tonight is Smells Like Children Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is the massively popular Disney cult classic HOCUS POCUS from 1993, followed by the hilarious and so-bad-it's-great SATAN'S LITTLE HELPER from 2004.
Tonight is Halloween TV Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up I'll discuss THE SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR episodes (the good ones), followed by ROSEANNE's iconic Halloween episodes (the good ones).
Tonight is the Night of 1988 on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up on our '88 double feature is ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK starring the immortal Cassandra Peterson, followed by the underrated cult classic WAXWORK.
Tonight is Scary Storytime Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is CREEPSHOW from 1982, with five tales written by Stephen King and directed by George A. Romero. Second is SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK from 2019, based on the unforgettable trilogy of books by Alvin Schwartz.
Tonight is Dumb Teenagers on Halloween Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is the underrated HELL NIGHT from 1981 starring Linda Blair, followed by the 1988 Halloween cult classic NIGHT OF THE DEMONS.
Tonight is Childhood Nightmares Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up we have the Disney horror film THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS from 1980, followed by a celebration of ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK from the 1990s.
Tonight is Slasher Summer Camp Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES, a podcast where I host a creepy double feature every night in October. First up is FRIDAY THE 13TH from 1980, followed by SLEEPAWAY CAMP from 1983.
Tonight is Stephen King Night. First up is SALEM'S LOT, a terrifying TV minseries directed by Tobe Hooper and released in 1979, followed by THE SHINING, a chilling cinema classic directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1980.
Tonight is After You're Dead Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is Don Coscarelli's nightmare classic PHANTASM from 1979 (in which I also discuss all five films in the PHANTASM series), followed by NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, the incredible remake directed by horror icon Tom Savini in 1990.
Our double feature this evening on 62 HORROR MOVIES consists of two classic films that take place on the same deadly night: HALLOWEEN (1978) and HALLOWEEN II (1981). I also give a brief overview of all the movies in the HALLOWEEN franchise in the second half of this episode.
Tonight is Frightful Fairy Tales night. First up is the legendary SUSPIRIA, directed by Dario Argento and released in 1977, followed by THE COMPANY OF WOLVES written by Angela Carter and directed by Neil Jordan in 1984.
Tonight is Scary 70's night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up on our late-night double feature is THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW released in 1975. Second up is CARRIE, adapted from the novel by Stephen King in 1976.
Tonight is celebrating Tobe Hooper Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up in this evening's deliciously dark double feature is THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE from 1974, followed by POLTERGEIST released in 1982.
It is Satanic Panic Night Part 2! First up is THE DEVILS from 1971, banned all over the world, followed by the Oscar-winning horror classic THE EXORCIST from 1973. Two equally disturbing visions of demonic possession.
Tonight is Satanic Panic Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES, a podcast where I host a creepy double feature every night in October. First up tonight is ROSEMARY'S BABY from 1968, followed by HEREDITARY from 2018.
Tonight is Spooky Stop Motion Night. First up is MAD MONSTER PARTY from 1966, made by Rankin-Bass of RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER fame. And then, of course, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS from 1993, conceived by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick.
Tonight is Comedians Get Creepy night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN starring Don Knotts, followed by ERNEST SCARED STUPID starring Jim Varney.
Tonight is Nostalgia Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is the iconic classic IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN from 1966, followed by the equally wonderful GARFIELD'S HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE from 1985.
Tonight is Amicus Anthology night. Begin by entering DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS and then try to escape THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, both movies starring horror icons Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
Tonight, I'm going to talk about the two best haunted house movies ever made: THE HAUNTING (1963) and THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1973), adapted from two great novels by Shirley Jackson and Richard Matheson.
Tonight is Alfred Hitchcock Night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is PSYCHO from 1960, followed by THE BIRDS from 1963. I love both of these movies a lot, and it was a challenge not to talk for hours about them.
Tonight is William Castle night. First up is HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, starring Vincent Price. Second is the equally fun 13 GHOSTS from 1960, which features Margaret Hamilton as a housekeeper who may also be a witch.
Tonight we'll see two small towns overtaken by an otherworldly force on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is the sci-fi horror classic THE BLOB from 1958, followed by John Carpenter's spooky ghost tale THE FOG from 1980.
Tonight is Dark Disney night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW from 1949 and then A DISNEY HALLOWEEN (also known as DISNEY'S HALLOWEEN TREAT) from 1983.
It's a dark and stormy night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. Enter THE OLD DARK HOUSE directed by James Whale and starring (?) Boris Karloff in 1932, followed by its brilliantly funny parody HAUNTED HONEYMOON in 1985.
This is classic Vampire night on 62 HORROR MOVIES. First up is DRACULA (1931) starring Bela Lugosi, followed by Hammer Studios 1970 film THE VAMPIRE LOVERS, adapted from CARMILLA by Joseph Sheridan LeFanu.
Tonight on 62 HORROR MOVIES it is the night of the witch! First up is the silent film HAXAN released in 1922, which I think still might be the greatest horror movie ever made, followed by THE WITCH from 2015.
We begin our Halloween journey of 62 HORROR MOVIES with a vampire double feature: F.W. Murnau's silent classic NOSFERATU of 1922, followed by Werner Herzog's haunting 1979 remake NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE.