Puppet Masters / Castle Freaks

Freeway / Freeway 2: Confessions of a Trickbaby (with Nathan Rabin)

Legendary pop culture critic Nathan Rabin is back this week to talk about an icon of 90's indie cinema, and it's oft-overlooked sequel! 1996's FREEWAY is a demented and gritty take on "Little Red Riding Hood" that transcends the sleaze of it's surroundings thanks to a witty script and a star-making turn from a young Reese Witherspoon. The sequel, CONFESSIONS OF A TRICKBABY, was a Full Moon pickup from 1997 starring Natasha Lyonne and Vincent Gallo, with whom Nathan has had some very interesting real-life encounters. 
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: Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-o-Rama 2

Crawlspace (with Movie Dumpster)

The boys of Movie Dumpster are back this week to talk about one of the most intense Empire thrillers: David Schmoeller's CRAWLSPACE! This creepy flick about a lunatic stalking residents of an apartment building stars Klaus Kinski, one of the most famously unpredictable and insane film stars of all time, and the behind-the-scenes stories from this film have become not only legendary, but hugely influential on the Full Moon universe. 
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: Freeway / Freeway 2: Confessions of a Trickbaby

Witchouse 2: Blood Coven / Witchouse 3: Demon Fire (with JR Bookwalter)

We're completing the WITCHOUSE trilogy on our show, and we're fortunate to be guided through these two underseen sequels by none other than director JR Bookwalter! The prolific horror writer and director takes us through the fascinating production of these two films, which bridge the gap between the end of the Romanian era of Full Moon and the beginning of their return to America. 
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: Crawlspace 

Hideous! (with Addison Binek)

It's time for another wild Kushner-Locke-era Charles Band film! Filmmaker Addison Binek (PSYCHO APE) joins us for HIDEOUS, a horror-comedy set in the world of high-end human oddity training. Featuring some distinctive tiny terrors and the PM/CF debut of the great Jaqueline Lovell! 
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: Witchouse 2: Blood Coven / Witchouse 3: Demon Fire

Shadowzone (with Chris Bahr)

People's worst nightmares start to manifest in a secret government bunker in SHADOWZONE! This fun thriller in the vein of John Carpenter's THE THING boasts some surprising star power, including industry legend James Hong and Oscar winner Louise Fletcher. We're joined by Chris Bahr as we discuss one of the very first Full Moon movies!
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: Hideous!

The Caller (with Alix Austin and Keir Siewert)

The filmmaking couple behind Switchblade Cinema, Alix Austin and Keir Siewert, join us for one of the absolute strangest Empire movies out there: THE CALLER, a sparse two-hander that feels like a filmed play! Starring Malcolm McDowell and Madolyn Smith, THE CALLER is twisty and ambitious swing for Band and company, but is it different enough to truly stand out? 
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: Shadowzone

Zone Troopers (with Podcasting After Dark)

Corey Stevenson and Zak Shaffer from the great Podcasting After Dark join the platoon this week for the Bilson and DeMeo-scripted pulp serial treat ZONE TROOPERS! The movie is a gleeful genre mashup (think E.T. meets the Howling Commandos and you're halfway there), featuring a cast full of holdovers from TRANCERS and a great, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. 
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 Caller 

Spellcaster (with Justin Martell and Seager Dixon)

Filmmakers and writers Justin Martell and Seager Dixon join us this week as we explore the campy magical horror film SPELLCASTER! The film was shot in 1986 and was banking on the  popularity of its star, New Wave rocker Adam Ant, but the film wasn't released until late 1992, and went largely unseen. Is it worth gazing into your crystal ball to find a copy?  
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: Zone Troopers

Cinderella / Fairy Tales (with Michael Gingold)

An offshoot of the mid-70s "porno chic" era, the "erotic musical comedy based on public domain stories" subgenre remains one of the weirdest fads in film history, and Charles Band was there on the ground floor. This week, we're talking about two of his earliest projects, the ribald erotic comedies CINDERELLA and FAIRY TALES! We're joined by writer, filmmaker, and exploitation film historian Michael Gingold to dig deep into some truly jaw-dropping motion pictures. 
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: Spellcaster

Breeders / Robot Holocaust / Mutant Hunt (with Jed Shepherd)

Filmmaker and writer Jed Shepherd (HOST) joins us this week for a trilogy of films from a true visionary: Tim Kincaid. The 80's shlockmeister attempted to graduate from pornography into mainstream filmmaking with a trio of Wizard Video releases that truly defy description and just have to be seen to be believed. Whether it's the sleazy alien thrills of BREEDERS, the insane fantasy of ROBOT HOLOCAUST, or the bizarre post-apocalyptic robot battling of MUTANT HUNT, these films are sure to drop some jaws. 
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: Cinderella / Fairy Tales