Fifty years ago, a film was released that literally changed the world. Jaws transformed the way people think about going into the water and revolutionized how studios make movies, effectively creating what we now call the "summer blockbuster." Its influence is still felt five decades later, by both fans and filmmakers alike.

And there’s a reason for that: Jaws is just that good.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the film and explore the impact it’s had on us (especially a couple of us who were profoundly shaped by it) as well as on the movie industry at large. People often talk about the idea of a “perfect movie,” one that couldn’t be improved. And while Jaws faced plenty of production problems (like the famously uncooperative mechanical shark), the creative solutions to those problems ended up making the film even stronger.

Films mentioned in this episode:

10 (1979), 47 Meters Down (2017), Barracuda (1978), The Beast (1996), Creature (1998), Cruel Jaws (1995), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Dawn of the Dead (2004), The Deep (1977), Deep Blood (1989), Deep Blue Sea (1999), Devilfish (1984), Duel (1971), The Exorcist (1973), Feast (2005), Frankenstein (1931), Friday the 13th (1980), The Giant Claw (1957), Grizzly (1976), Humanoids from the Deep (1980), The Island (1980), Jaws (1975), Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws 3-D (1983), Jaws: The Revenge (1987), The Last Shark aka Great White (1981), Mako: Jaws of Death (1976), The Meg (2018), Open Waters (2003), Orca (1977), Piranha (1978), The Shallows (2016), Sharknado (2013), Star Wars (1977), Tentacles (1977), Tintorera: Killer Shark (1977)

The Blob (1958) & The Blob (1988)

Continuing our theme of taking a deep dive into an original film and its remake, this time we're looking at a pair with exactly 30 years between them: The Blob, from 1958, and its 1988 remake. A lot had changed in those three decades, especially on the technical side, with advancements in special makeup effects definitely upping the ante on what we see on screen. But the remake also retains much of the same small-town feel and trappings of the original. With these two entries, it’s interesting to see the similarities just as much as how the remake plays out as its own creature; sometimes winking at the original, but ultimately leaving its own gelatinous footprint.

For those out there that love to hate on remakes, here's yet another pair that break the mold and had given us two entertaining entries. Sit back and enjoy!

Films mentioned in this episode:

4-D Man (1959), Beware! The Blob (1972), The Beyond (1981), The Blob (1958), The Blob (1988), The Brood (1979), Dark Star (1974), Daughter of Horror (1955), Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Dinosaurus! (1960), Equinox (1970), Eraserhead (1977), Eyes of Laura Mars (1978), The Fly (1986), Forbidden Planet (1956), Fright Night 2 (1988), Funeral Home (1980), Giant Gilla Monster (1959), Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow (1959), The Horror at Party Beach (1964), I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957), I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957), Jaws (1975), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Master of Horror (1965), Nightbreed (1990), Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), Return of the Living Dead (1985), Robocop (1987), Rock Rock Rock! (1956), Scanners (1981), Schlock (1973), Scream (1996), Them (1955), The Thing (1982), Videodrome (1983)

There have been many horror writers that have been important to the genre, but few have had the outsized impact of the one and only Chas. Balun. Whether it was his work in Fangoria, Gorezone, or his own magazine Deep Red, even if you didn’t see his name at the head of the article, you knew it was him within a few sentences, by either by the tone of the writing, or maybe the films he was covering. Chas’ style was humorous and more than a little confrontational, but he was always waving the flag in support of movies that he felt were important and hadn’t received enough attention. Sure, they tended to be on the gory side, but for Chas. it wasn't just about the gore.

Not entirely, anyway.

While the three of us knew his work and the impact it had on us personally, for this very special episode, we felt we needed to talk with other folks who were just as impacted by him, and also knew him personally. In the second half of the show, you'll hear from John Szpunar, author of Xeroxferox: The Wild World of the Horror Film Fanzine and Blood Sucking Freak: The Life and Films of the Incredible Joel M. Reed; Art Ettinger, editor at Ultra Violent magazine; and finally Shawn Lewis, creator of Rotten Cotten and Eibon Press. They all share their own stories of Chas, and we all discuss the profound the impact Chas. had on us and on the horror genre in general. Don’t miss this one!

Films mentioned in this episode:

Abomination (1988), Bad Taste (1987), The Beyond (1981), Beyond the Darkness (1979), Blood Sucking Freaks (1976), Blue Velvet (1986), Braindead (1992), Bug (1975), Cannibal Holocaust (1980), City of the Walking Dead (1980), Dellamorte Dellamore (1994), The Exorcist (1973), Friday the 13th (1980), Guinea Pig 2: The Flower of Flesh and Blood (1985), Hell of the Living Dead (1980), Last House on Dead End Street (1973), Last House on the Left (1972), Mad Ron’s Prevues from Hell (1987), The Nest (1987), Night of the Demon (1980), The Omen (1976), Pieces (1982), Splatterfest Exhumed (2024), Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972), Zoltan: Hound of Dracula (1977), Zombie (1979)