Grave Discussions

Episode 81 - Spill Yer Beans

Robert Eggers captivated some and lost others with his debut film "The VVitch," igniting conversations about the state of ambiguous, fever pitch-style horror. His sophomore project, "The Lighthouse," puts many of the same elements on the pedestal and challenges convention with a black-and-white nightmare helmed bravely by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. The film has been critically hailed as a masterpiece, but how does it stack up to Barnabas and Samael's standards? In this episode, the deadly duo spill their beans on "The Lighthouse" and try not to get lost at sea.

Episode 80 - The Shape of Halloween

Much like Michael Myers's murderous intent, this special episode has been a long time coming: an in-death dissection of the original "Halloween"! John Carpenter's 1978 masterpiece ingrained realistic horror into the suburbs of contemporary America and changed the landscape of the genre and fanbase forever; Barnabas and Samael examine how this tonal shift came to pass and also how the film set about influencing other Halloween-themed horror movies of the future. After all, "It's Halloween; everyone's entitled to one good scare"!

Episode 79 - Grave Choices

Halloween quickly approaches, and there's no better time to turn on some classic terrifying tales. In this episode, Barnabas and Samael highlight several horrific horror films from their 31 Graves of Halloween lists that any fan should have on their October watchlist! Whether you're looking for the Blue Skeleton in new Halloween-themed favorite "The Houses October Built" or hunting an ancient evil in "Bram Stoker's Dracula," these picks are sure to get you in the haunting holiday "spirit"! Slay until the end for some honorable mentions and consider turning the lights on before you slumber...

Episode 78 - A Scary Good Time

To kick off the month of October, this special episode features guest interviewee Luke Castle. As president of the Royal Starr Arts Institute, his organization hosts monthly filmmaker mixers in Royal Oak, Michigan that will be debuting in a new location this month, and with an exciting theme: a Halloween party! Barnabas and Samael ask Luke about this special event, the film festival, his own experiences with the horror genre, and much more. So whether you're a Michigan-based filmmaker, horror fan, or just want to know more about the world of film, this interview has everything you could fiendishly desire.
For more information about the event and the organization, please visit the following pages:
https://www.facebook.com/events/454038671868264/
https://www.royalstarr.org/

Episode 77 - Tigers Never Forget

Being hailed as a modern fairy tale masterpiece and reminiscent of Guillermo Del Toro's earlier works concerning the Spanish Civil War, Issa López's "Tigers Are Not Afraid" thrusts children into the unsettlingly realistic streets of cartel-controlled Mexico. When their parents are killed by these gang members, a rag-tag orphan group must conquer their collective fears and escape the ghosts that haunt them. In this episode, Barnabas and Samael examine the newly-released film and determine whether or not it lives up to the hype!

Episode 76 - It’s Back

Andy Muschietti's "It" remains the highest-grossing horror film of all time* and affirmed Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise as a genre icon, so returning to Derry in "It Chapter 2" was inevitable. The Loser's Club returns to fight the evil clown and now they're all grown up, portrayed by an all-star cast that drives a blockbuster fright flick. In this episode, Barnabas and Samael review the sequel to the hit 2017 film and deliberate whether or not it was worth the hype; we all float down here, but how high can Muschietti's conclusion to this epic tale rise?
* Not adjusted for inflation. Show starts @ 4:00.

Episode 75 - You Played a Good Game Boy

Booooyyy! Don Coscarelli's "Phantasm" franchise has simultaneously been one of the lowest-performing and most beloved horror franchises since its inception in 1979. As a whole, it's flown under the radar of Grave Discussions hosts Barnabas and Samael until recently, when the haunting hosts saw all five films for the first time and immediately fell in love. In this episode, the duo assesses how the "Phantasm" franchise took a road trip to their hearts and became one of their personal favorites - the floating, killer spheres probably had something to do with it!
Show begins @ 4:43.

Episode 74 - It’s All in the Family

Hide and Seek has never been so life-threatening - or exhilarating! On this episode of Grave Discussions, Barnabas and Samael debut a shorter and more focused show format and review Fox Searchlight's "Ready or Not," which places Samara Weaving in an extremely dangerous version of the classic childhood game. Dense with evil elites, humor, and gallons upon gallons of blood, the terrible twosome explore whether the new horror-comedy finds its way or should be hidden forever.

Episode 73 - The Book Reads You

The "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" books captivated and terrified children in the 80s and 90s by introducing shocking imagery and impactful writing - it also helped shape a new generation of horror fans! Now the 2019 film will try to do the same. In this episode, Barnabas and Samael offer their exclusive review and discuss how the film foregoes standard anthology structure and still attempts to introduce various stories from the book series. Other horror anthologies are featured too with "Trilogy of Terror" in the Cult Corner and Hulu's "The Field Guide to Evil" on the Chopping Block!

Episode 72 - Devil in the Details

A villain as old as time and perhaps the greatest perceived evil in all of cinema, the devil has likely been portrayed more than any other figure. In horror, those portrayals have been simultaneously criticized and praised by watchful eyes, and while many feel similar, some introduce Satan in incredibly unique ways. In this episode, Barnabas and the devilish Samael examine those portrayals, highlighting "The Devil's Advocate" in the Cult Corner and Shudder original "I Trapped the Devil" on the Chopping Block!