Puppet Masters / Castle Freaks

Episode 134: Catacombs (with Doug McCambridge)

Doug McCambridge is back on the show for what may be our hardest-to-find movie yet: 1988's CATACOMBS! David Schmoeller's demonic horror film had the misfortune of being completed around the time Empire Films shuttered. It spent years in limbo before eventually being released as CURSE IV: THE ULTIMATE SACRIFIC, an unrelated sequel to an obscure 1987 Wil Wheaton movie. We dig into the movie's fascinating history, and are sure to set aside plenty of time to rant about the ineptitudes of Daily Motion. 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Dead and Rotting

Episode 133: BONUS: An Interview with Debbie Rochon

This week we're thrilled to be joined by underground horror icon Debbie Rochon! Debbie has been in dozens of classic B-movies from Troma, Full Moon and everyone in between. We talk to Debbie about her experience coming up in the industry, recognizing the talent of a young James Gunn in TROMEO & JULIET, and of course all about her experience working with Full Moon. She's every bit as awesome as you'd hope, and we're psyched to have gotten to chat with her! 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Catacombs

Episode 132: Pulse Pounders (with Rachel Reeves)

We're digging way into the archives this week for one of Empire's semi-lost treasures: the anthology film PULSE POUNDERS! Shot in 1987, the film was intended to be a package of three short films, two of which would mark the first returns to previous Empire favorites; sadly, when the company went under, the unfinished 35MM print was destroyed, and the film was thought lost until 2011, when VHS prints of two of the segments (TRANCERS: CITY OF ANGELS and THE EVIL CLERGYMAN) were discovered and re-released in an admittedly rough form. We're joined by the great Rachel Reeves of the HALLOWEENIES and LOSER'S CLUB podcasts! 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Catacombs

Episode 131: Talisman (with Meredith Borders)

It's time for another mid-90's David DeCoteau joint, with 100% more POWER RANGERS and about the same amount of hot boys in their underwear. We're talking about 1998's TALISMAN, DeCoteau's low-budget riff on SUSPIRIA, and we're chatting all about it with the amazing Meredith Borders, writer and editor from FANGORIA! 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Pulse Pounders

Episode 130: The Resonator: Miskatonic U (with Topher Hansson)

We're stepping back into the world of Lovecraft for THE RESONATOR! This streaming-series-turned-epic-length-film brings back characters from FROM BEYOND and RE-ANIMATOR to offer a new spin on those classic stories with just a touch of RIVERDALE-style teen cool. We're joined by writer and critic Topher Hansson for THE RESONATOR: MISKATONIC U, BEYOND THE RESONATOR, and CURSE OF THE RE-ANIMATOR! 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Talisman

Episode 129: Evil Bong 2: King Bong / Evil Bong 3D: Wrath of Bong (with Corinne Halbert)

Time to pull a Band-Aid. After putting it off for a whopping 126 episodes, we're finally taking a step back into the Bongiverse for EVIL BONG 2 and 3! Have we softened any on Charles Band's juvenile stoner comedy or are we in for another bad trip? We'll find out, alongside our awesome special guest: artist, writer and cool person Corinne Halbert!  
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: The Resonator: Miskatonic U

Episode 128: Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (with Gena Radcliffe)

Fuel up your post-apocalyptic funny car and get ready to worship the power crystals, because we're going back to 1983 for the 3D thrills of METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED-SYN! Starring friend of the show Jeffrey Byron, Richard Moll, and a young Kelly Preston, METALSTORM has become a low-key fan favorite from the pre-Empire days, and we're gearing up to talk about it with one of our very favorite podcasters, writers, critics and all-around cool human beings: Gena Radcliffe, co-host of the incredible Kill By Kill podcast! 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Evil Bong 2: King Bong / Evil Bong 3D: The Wrath of Bong 

Episode 127: BONUS: An Interview with Jason Paul Collum

We have special treat today: an exclusive interview with filmmaker, author, and queer horror pioneer Jason Paul Collum! Jason joins us to talk about his long and storied career both within and without the Full Moon stable, and shares some insights into the making of a low-budget horror film. 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn

Episode 126: Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm / Vampire Resurrection / Subspecies V: Blood Rise (with Denice Duff)

At long last, we're closing the book (for now) on Full Moon's most prestigious series: SUBSPECIES! And we couldn't have asked for a better guest to close it out: series star and one of our favorite people, the great Denice Duff! Denice joins us to talk about the oft-maligned 1998 entry SUBSPECIES 4: BLOODSTORM, which was the last film in the series until the vamps made a triumphant surprise return (to theaters, no less!) with 2023's SUPSPECIES V: BLOOD RISE! And as a bonus, Denice walks us through her directorial debut, 2003's VAMPIRE RESURRECTION! It's more vamps than you can shake a stake at, and we couldn't be more hyped to have Denice on board to talk about it. 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn

Episode 125: Crash! (with Edward Douglas)

Charles Band makes his unofficial directorial debut with this bizarre spin on the car-crash craze of the 70s, the directly-titled 1976 flick CRASH! Critic and author Edward Douglas joins us for this very Band-ified take on the classic auto chaos genre, as an injured woman learns she can psychically control a killer car and uses this talent to seek revenge. 
Hosted by Jarrod Hornbeck and Steve Guntli 
Theme song by Kyle Hornbeck 
Logo by Doug McCambridge 
Email: puppetmasterscastlefreaks@gmail.com
Instagram/Threads: @puppetmasters_castlefreaks 
YouTube: @PuppetMastersCastleFreaks 
Next week's episode: Vampire Resurrection/Subspecies 4/Subspecies 5