Movie Meltdown

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack - Episode 32 This week we delve into some of the soundtracks we've collected on vinyl. Some are from our personal collections and some we've acquired recently - specifically for this episode. And quite a few of them are rare or unusual... or just plain weird. So come along with the Meltdown Gang as we go through our stack of records and share with you some very interesting tracks. And as we continually address the punctuation and grammar in songwriting, we also bring up... cranking the handle on your Victrola, Marcus Brody, born half human... and half Sputnik, his earlier weirder phase, Bill Murray, he's ordering a drink... hopefully for me, hey look coke!, heart-breakingly honest, besmitten is totally a word, Dirty Dancing, Robert Downey Jr., the country version of Zappa does Zappa, I don't consort with those of the robot race, there's three she's in a row, I love you... not too much, nobody is going to take me seriously... because I'm junior, Sex Bomb Boogie, they both have

Movie Meltdown - Episode 330 This week we are joined by our special guest co-host Dan Rybicky, a filmmaker and professor in Cinema Art and Science at Columbia College Chicago. Dan is also the co-director of the documentary "Almost There", an unflinching look at the aging years of outsider artist Peter Anton. Dan and his co-director Aaron Wickenden enter Peter's dilapidated house to take a look at his accumulating collection of art. But before they know it they find themselves not only knee deep in an over-whelming 8-year process of shooting footage, but they also inadvertently become part of Peter's life. Which becomes even more troubling when they are forced to deal with the harsh realities of Peter's past and current existence. It's a fascinating film, and we talk with Dan about not just the film itself, but also filmmaking as a whole, and how things have changed as both a director and teacher in the new digital age. Plus we delve into some grand questions about the future and some scary realizations about

Movie Meltdown - Episode 329 This week we welcome back epyon5 to discuss The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Not only do we talk about the film itself, but also personal memories of our experiences as well as the impact the movie had on society and the lives of it's devoted fanbase. And as we remember that when you're a teenager EVERYTHING is the end of the world, we also mention... The Vogue, Richard O'Brien: time traveler, Hammer horror, hangin' out with people in their underbritches... and yelling obscenities, it had one screen, Sci Fi, being theatrical, being progressive, Tim Curry, Star Wars, a presentation in English class, a virgin spelling bee, The Ziegfeld Theater, subtle nuances, at 3 o'clock in the morning they will not serve you mashed potatoes, schlocky horror, Pi, getting turned into a shoe store, GG Allin, a scathing review, 4711, Jim Steinman, Barry Bostwick, comic book effects, Funko Pop!, The Full Monty, Oakley Court, it makes my heart hurt, Jim Sharman, the amazing Kool-Aid machine, Legend, Geor

Movie Meltdown - Episode 328 This week we are coming to you "live" from Wizard World: Louisville, where we recap our fun activities, a few celebrity sightings and discuss several movies we've seen lately. Plus we sit down with artist epyon5, who has explored artistic styles from the Renaissance old masters to stencils and pop culture imagery. So we discuss what led him down the twisted path of painting and how movies and pop culture have always crept into his work. And as we realize that we fall completely outside the Venn Diagram of "normal", we also discuss... Bruce Campbell, John Barrowman, Swamp Thing, rebooting the variety show, it's like an earthquake at a junkyard, Marc Singer, Dean from Supernatural, laying out a good fight scene, Final Girl, blind boxes, goggles, Sugar Gliders, an epic battle scene between barbarians and gargoyles, best Ash contest, squished pennies, Transformers, that's no way to make a living, Loki, Marvel super heroes in bad made-for-TV-movie, I live in the basement, stunt butt,

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack! - Episode 31 This week we talk with John Schneider and Tom Wopat, not about their beloved TV series, but about their interest and careers in music. And along the way, we build a soundtrack that is quite different then what you might expect if you were just a fan of their television show. And as we get our first mail-order guitar, we also discuss... the double feature on Saturday, Broadway musicals, Romeo and Juliet meet Natural Born Killers, Atlanta, Ronnie Milsap, to have a foot in each of those boats, in '77 I drove to New York, Brigadoon, Wisconsin, Welcome Back, Kotter, reuniting with his family, Drift Away, Gordon MacRae, Louisiana, great scotch and popcorn, Bernadette Peters, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, we're equals on stage, Merv Griffin, an alternate universe pair of Dukes, Smokey and the Bandit, Dinah Shore, car shows, Mackinac Island, Brando's no singer, The Great Santini, I invite my friends in and we make movies, Mike Douglas, bottle of red, Steve Earle, ate

Movie Meltdown - Episode 327 This week we hangout with comedian and movie fan Ian Douglas Terry, as we talk about working as a stand-up comic today versus years ago, translating comedy to film, inappropriate kids movies and then we round things out as we discuss this week's Sofa Theater feature: Forgetting Sarah Marshall. And as we contemplate teaching chimps to fly planes, we also mention... Mad Max: Fury Road, acting wrestlers, Captain Ron, escaping from your hometown, The Dark Crystal, Jason Segel, Malcolm X and 311, hawkmen, How I Met your Mother, Russell Brand, Fast and Furious, I'm just all about references, Return of the Jedi, cell phones killing people, Judd Apatow, Xanadu, that always never works, The Muppets, Paul Rudd, dragging your microphone cord out into the audience, George Miller, Cash for Cats, Slap Shot, terrifying vulture people, Kristen Bell, Ready to Rumble, the punk bank approach, Dracula, Mila Kunis, The Rock, Denver, Neil Patrick Harris, that's the way I wish every woman would look at

Movie Meltdown - Episode 326 "Live" from the backyard, we light a fire and tell scary ghost stories about this week's Sofa Theater feature: Hollows Grove. So roast some marshmallows and join in on the spooky fun! And while we glue our mouths shut with peanut butter kisses, we eventually discuss... Crimson Peak, Lance Henriksen, The Babadook, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, the horror of Anchorman 2, Protected by Pinkertons, how Napoleon Dynamite would go up the stairs at school, The Sound and the Fury, pulling a tooth out, the memory or the dead nurses, being a lumberjack, very Tennessee Williams, hey... wanna come to my trunk and see my Slayer shirts, I make the guy from No Country for Old Men look like a pussy, sentient beings, The Host, one of the orphans started getting stabby, evil dead Bob Ross, Guillermo del Toro, The Office, just floating through space in a CVS, evil children, Mannix, defending the honor of Mary Jane, new metal butt rock, I totally would have looked at that dude's Slayer shirt collection

Movie Meltdown - Episode 325 We are coming to you "live" from this year's Meltdown Macabre Halloween celebration! There the gang settles in to decorate pumpkins, drink fancy seasonal beverages and discuss creepy movies. Plus we sit down and talk with MacLeod Andrews, the star and co-producer of They Look Like People - an independent film about friendship... and nightmares. So come join the party... And as we cautiously anthropomorphize some inanimate objects, we also discuss... John Carpenter, Perry Blackshear, like an Ikea catalog times a thousand, peculiar melancholy, cannibal movies, we've gotta have a script at that point, The Serpent and the Rainbow, can we just look at those chairs a little while longer, Danny Trejo, Hollows Grove, mom's story checked out, Alex Karpovsky, how can I make this scene better... how can I make this movie better, subjective reality, Kathryn Bigelow, sleazy ghost hunters, rocks with little bits of personality, by accident it became one of the most personal films he's made to

Movie Meltdown - Episode 324 This week our inaugural Meltdown Night at the Movies series crosses over with our annual Halloween-themed episodes to create a fun gathering of the Meltdown Gang - as we hang out, eat popcorn and watch The Screaming Skull.  And as we discuss the bonuses of having a lady skull, we also mention... Transylvania, Tusk, Green Inferno, it's just what happens here, Ghost Adventures, going to the drive-in, The Exocist, over-explaining things, Mama Dracula, Meatballs, Poenari Castle, the priest has got my back, Dementia 13, he screaming is horrible... it will haunt your dreams, a really country bucolic sort of place, your limpy scruffy-looking dorm mate,building a haunted house, slipping on a leaf, gullwing = money, Buckets of Blood, memories of Doug Jones, Oculus, plastic fangs, the P.T. Barnum of the movie screen, The Fall of the House of Usher, hey baby skulls are actually super cute, Witch, I've been touching 700 year-old bones for the last six hours... and now it's time to take a brea

Movie Meltdown - Episode 323  This week we talk with Michael Gross about acting, the dynamic of Family Ties and his years working on the Tremors series of movies. And as we find the best place to make a mistake, we also discuss... anthropology, sleepovers, eight performances a week, the most complex character of the piece, building a bastion, Shakespeare at that moment... that afternoon... came alive to me, holding onto your moral values, Edmund Gwenn, Tim and Eric, white yak hair, True Detective, a very practical man, Mary Gross, a preteen fan base, Our Father, they seemed to play well with others, Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, fighting in World War 2, pretending to be a Doctor, a nice pile of money, Hamlet, always being prepared, Paul Rudd, orange goo, Dustin Hoffman, 11 year-olds declaring love, giant ants, try to follow good material wherever it takes you, Carbon Dating, they bleed through on the screen, St. Elsewhere, asexual appeal, Cool as Ice, making fun of Melvin, regional theater, John Belushi, her most

Movie Meltdown - Episode 322 This week we sit down and talk with the one and only...Yaphet Kotto. He has a fascinating place in history and a interesting role in the heyday of the New York acting scene, celebrity culture and the ever-changing Hollywood industry. Not to mention the overwhelming number of projects he's worked on over the years - it's quite a resume. So with all that to draw from, we attempt to get at least a brief synopsis of... The Strange and Amazing Life of Yaphet Kotto. And as we address the fine art of being "a strange guy", we also discuss... being a horseman, royal family ties, messing with the history, a ghost would appear, Homicide, a series of events... in a church basement, Ossie Davis, I don't have an agent, Kananga, Martin Breast, I read that I'm doing a television show, Panamanian, Harry Dean Stanton, he went to the rabbi, impersonating Marlon Brando, copying these older guys, the belly of the beast, James Earl Jones, having chemistry, Barry Levinson comes driving up, the strength

Movie Meltdown - Episode 321 This week we hit the road for a couple of different conventions including our coverage of ScareFest. So join us as we discuss how to fully coordinate your cosplay outfit, random quoting of The Young Ones, recapping of our fun purchases and we may just break into our impromptu performance of The Life and Times of Cobra Commander Jr. Plus we check in with Kelley from Night of the Living Podcast to see what he's been up to lately.  And as we address the evil conviction of sticking your finger in your eyeball, we also talk about... wearing a hoodie, Turbo Kid, Assassin's Creed, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, jumping fast zombies disco listening, 100% stereotypes, slutty and adorable, Doug Marcaida, Crimson Peak, Mewes Juice, footwear and eye-wear, Burt Reynolds... and a dog, Two Broke Girls, it's easier to stab people then it is to make knives, Scream Queens, Steve Jobs, The Jersey Devil, Big Bang Theory, scrawny white guys, Wormwood, do ants go to discos?, green alien butt, old cr

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack - Episode 30  This week we return to VinylFest to not only talk with random patrons of the event, but more importantly, we sit down to talk with an amazing singer and songwriter - Maddie Driscoll. We discuss not only Maddie's early interest in music but also how it crossed over into her love of movies. Plus she discusses some of her favorite soundtracks as she gives us her Killer Five.  And as we work through some of the deep-rooted grade school angst that may or may not manifest itself in homicidal ways, we also discuss... bitchin' radio, American Idol, Taylor Swift, CG Barbie, sexy sax, a terrible memory, men threatening each other, odd sounding... #1 on iTunes, Good Boy, detecting sarcasm, beware of beanie babies bearing bad news, dead wrestlers, infected by our passions, Blues Clues, electro and pop infused, Napoleon Dynamite, the Zither, the audio decibel that only dogs can hear, creating a robot dog, a lint covered sucker, a dying medium, my butterfly skirt, the Teenage M

Movie Meltdown - Episode 320 This week we are coming to you "live" from Fandomfest as we talk with director, producer, screenwriter, and special effects creator Robert Kurtzman. Then we sit down and discuss growing up in the industry with actor and martial artist Ernie Reyes, Jr. Plus of course we'll check in with certain members of the Meltdown gang along the way as well.  And as we witness a Duck Hunt pro, we also mention... Jurassic World, Let Us Prey, The Funhouse Massacre, Scream TV series, Kevin Nash, It Follows, I DVR'd it, fake Doctor Eugene from The Walking Dead, a ghetto police station, a twelve week make-up course, working for Michael Bay, gladiators in Crocs, Charlie Band, taking advantage of digital effects, epic sets, 80's movies with monster effects, rom com tax write-offs, B.D. Wong, the head gag, Trainwreck, gasoline goes bad, playing the frat guys, Quentin Tarantino, Brigitte Nielsen, it was just the most amazing movie-making experience I ever had, yeah... Indiana Jones is looking for you, T

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack - Episode 29 This week we are coming to you from VinylFest where on this the 50th anniversary of the hugely successful album Whipped Cream & Other Delights, we sit down and talk with Dolores Erickson. Delores is the woman featured on the cover of the album that eventually became a pop culture phenomena - as well as being one of the most recognizable (and often parodied) photographs in the world. And along the way, we also celebrate the amazing career of Herb Alpert as we build a soundtrack from his abundance of songs featured in movies over the years. Plus this week's co-host Yoko also works in some of her favorite soundtrack picks as well. And as we try to figure out if it's legal in this state to make love to the camera, we also discuss... Eileen Ford, a class at Warner Brothers, cats sitting on your turntable, being introduced to Elvis Presley, lectures on swearing, I was just standing in my brassiere, choosing one girl from every high school, Stella Stevens, I won a con

Movie Meltdown - Episode 319 This week we're back huddled up on the floor with Doug Jones for a full discussion about the 1998 film, Meet Joe Black. And while we talk about Doug's alter ego of Pencilhead, we also discuss... Death takes a Holiday, Interview with a Vampire, Marcia Gay Harden, the peanut butter scene, real couples playing on-screen couples, foreboding and threatening, Tank Girl, and it was innocent... and gorgeous, Brad Pitt's abs, Hellboy 1 and 2, we're all dressed up and there's fireworks going on, everything was just lavish and luxurious, veined me up, oh now I take my clothes off, an element of the fantastical, the musical score, let's go to the indoor pool, the coffee date I love having, they let us be a smart audience, doubling for Gary Oldman, that's the way that I want to go one day, 12 Monkeys, they just make this eye contact, childlike and painfully awkward, Anthony Hopkins, relinquish fear, Mystery Men, a movie like this does make us question our mortality, Thelma & Louise, made m

Movie Meltdown - Episode 318 So are we on the RED carpet with Doug Jones? No, that's not how we roll. Here at Movie Meltdown, we'd much rather set up camp on the floor and just share some stories. So that's what we do... this week we settle in for an intimate and relaxed hang out session with Doug Jones as we discuss some of the amazing projects he's worked on over the years as well as what he's been up to lately.  And as we figure out the logistics for our group photo/cuddling assemblage, we also mention... Crimson Peak, Ant-Man, Pan's Labyrinth, Slender Man, a good Summer flick, listening to your earpiece, Guillermo del Toro, eat some popcorn, Hocus Pocus, Joan Rivers, Mia Wasikowska, The Ultimate Legacy, The Operator, the Fantastic Four is like The Wicker Man of the super hero movies... the Nick Cage Wicker Man, The Shining, The Strain, Missi Pyle, being a hot zombie, Tom Hiddleston, Z Nation, speaking Spanish, creepy Victorian haunted house movie, did you know that before the movie?, Jessica Chastain, Rob

Movie Meltdown - Episode 317 This week we return to the bastion to hang out and watch the 2009 film "Forget Me Not" directed by Tyler Oliver. And while we argue the pros and cons of slutty skirts vs. slutty pants, we also bring up... Sinister, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Insidious, The Last Days on Mars, Bella Thorn is eternal, wearing matching underpants, starring on cereal boxes, I do everything wrong, abandoned hospitals, a fish in your car, he looks like a drunk baby, having a half-brother named Pablo, Harper's Island, demons and what-nots getting in your body, stolen from The Twilight Zone, the Scream TV series, are you a ghost?, the physical or metaphysical tangent, by myself... in the dark... at night, the new 007, sci-fi and art house at the same time, the dreaded moleststach, Jacob's Ladder, all shady things happen in attics, The Chronicles of Riddick, I'm gonna punt that kid across the room, Casino Royale, Liev Schreiber, goin' to the mountains, with the Manson video rejects, Forged in Fire, a box of

Movie Meltdown - Episode 316 "Sink or Swim" - All in. To fail or succeed entirely by one's own efforts.  This week we go to Sink or Swim Art Gallery to talk with our friend Ryan who has gone all in... with his artistic endeavors , as he opens a new art gallery filled with terrific artwork and movie references. We discuss Ryan's early interests in both art and film, and just how one leads to the other.   And while we make up our own story, we also discuss... Gremlins, De Chirico, Inside Out, What We Do in the Shadows, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Sponge Bob from Piccaso, sharing other weird ideas, the boys who fell down the toilet, being an art kid, coconuts and cinnamon toast, Joe Bob Briggs, confident filmmakers, a less macho Jimmy Fallon, when it all adds up to being weird, Beauty Is Embarrassing, sitting in front of the advertising box, Captain USA and Handy, the NPR "thing", silly surreal, Grant Wood, a cult of originality, Siskel and Ebert, there's a solidarity to growing up that level of geek, subs

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack - Episode 28 This week we host a Killer Soundtrack episode from amidst the jubilant grounds of this year's Forecastle Festival. As we wander around the musical celebration, we continually meet up with our semi-regular co-hosts. So together we discuss the event and along the way build an impressive and wide-ranging soundtrack. And while we recount our evening spent with Sam Smith, we also mention... Unicron, Ben Affleck, being out of control, at the bourbon slushie tent, to this day one of the most tragic character deaths, anyone who sponsors a soccer game, Romania, on-stage having fun, Joel Schumacher, old person face, robot smoke comes out of their mouths and they fall down dead, facing your cell phone the wrong way, striving for crass commercialization, we're waiting to hear the destruction reports out of Switzerland any day now, better in a bar, cthulhu-level horror, south to drop off moron, everyone looks good, because they feel good, Reservoir Dogs, your boss was afraid to