Welcome to Horror

Take your place at table, as we partake of Mark Mylod’s “The Menu”. A fine film dining experience in which it’s impossible to fill up on bread; a nasty word in the right ear ensures the meat is correctly hung to mature naturally; and the finger buffet is literally that. As a dark satire, “The Menu” has multiple targets to chew over; the arts and the intentions of those who produce, patronise, parasite off them; the pretensions of Nouvelle cuisine (aka “Poncey Cooking”); the near cult-like status and power that chefs enjoy and abuse; the exploitation and mistreatment those in the service industry can expect (particularly when the customer is rich); the dangers of hero worship and celebration of excess to prove your status and wealth; the list goes on. This means you have the extraordinary scenario where you will feel empathy towards almost every character at various points as the film plays out (with the exception of the 3 business bros, who, like all their sickening kind, can go fuck themselves, and get everything they deserve). Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

There’s more temporal shenanigans as we go all the way back to the 1920s, by going all the way back to 2005 for the HP Lovecraft Historical Society’s film adaptation of “The Call of Cthulhu”. A film that to describe it would bring screaming madness to the mind and blacken to opacity the very soul of man (see what we did there?). The HPLHS’s decision to make “The Call of Cthulhu” as if it were adapted at the time the story was published was a real stroke of genius, and the fact they pulled it off is remarkable. Keeping the story in its original period absolutely sells it more than a modern-day setting, some of Lovecraft’s more melodramatic dialogue sits easier as inter-titles than in actor’s mouths, and the stop-motion Cthulhu is a magnificent take on the creature. The incredible attention to period detail, and the in-camera effects achieved through model shots and other methods of the time really bring a sense of scale. It also means that the film has not dated, by way of it never being of its time in the first place. Possibly the truest adaptation of any of Lovecraft’s work. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

We’re heading back to 2009 (or is it 1983?) for Ti West’s “The House of the Devil”. A film which gives us the do’s and don’t’s of babysitting: DO bring a friend along to ensure the employers aren’t weirdos, DON’T then ignore that friend who has spotted every red flag in the situation; DO order pizza that the employers have generously left money for, DON’T then stick on your walkman really loud so you couldn’t hear the doorbell, dance on the furniture, generally run amok and break things; DO accept $400 for a night’s work, DON’T accept $400 for a night’s work from Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov who are both, clearly, scary as all fuck. Before the success of his “X” trilogy brought Ti West’s brand of horror to the attention of a much wider audience, he was already acclaimed in genre circles for a series of outstanding films, of which “The House of the Devil” is a fantastic example. Not only does the film evoke its 1983 setting through a period-truthful aesthetic (not the absurd nostalgia of everyone in neon headbands and ET T-shirts, solving Rubiks Cubes) it also achieves it through the visual language and filmmaking techniques as well. With a superb central performance from Jocelin Donahue, who looks like she could have stepped straight out of the original “Black Christmas”, and a slow burn tension that ratchets up to a manic and visceral last 15 minutes, “The House of the Devil” is both an echo of the past, and a thoroughly modern take on it as well. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

It’s time to dig out the silver and dial 911 as we tackle 2014’s “WolfCop”. A film which is potentially unique for featuring a dick-first werewolf transformation; proves that drinking on the job isn’t necessarily an issue in certain circumstances; and teaches us that 200 years of small town admin really makes you cranky. The title says it all, it’s the concept, the pitch and the advertising. “WolfCop” begins slowly, but once the lycanthropy kicks in, the film becomes a pure comic-book dream - the silliness combined with genuinely visceral practical effects make this a treat for horror lovers looking for a good party film. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

Welcome To Horror Presents: “The Day of We Have Been Watching”. News flash, it’s time for a summary of the various visual adventures the team have experienced in between episodes. We discuss Shudder’s “The Haunted Season: The Occupant of the Room” (2025): the remake of “Suspiria” (2018); new Disney+/FX series “The Beauty” (2026); 2009’s “Zombieland”; R.L. Stine’s “Pumpkinhead” (2025); Folk Horror Play For Today “Robin Redbreast” (1970); and Ben Wheatley’s psychedelic sci fi noir “BULK” (2026). No prep for this ep, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!

We’re back like a vertebrae and ready to tell you all about our day at the 2026 Horror-on-sea Film Festival. Always a joy to attend this ever-brilliant event, this year we opted for the second Saturday (23rd of January), and we hit a brilliant seam of great new horror. Features covered are “Borley Rectory: The Awakening”; “All You Need Is Blood” and “Horror-on-sea: 13 Bloody Years”. Short films covered: “Mirror, Mirror: Matryoshka”; “Medieval Maze”; “Knell”; “Kindness”; “Antebody”; “Fox and The Hen”; “Say Bye Bye To Blood Sausage” and “She-Bear”. No prep needed for this episode, as these are all brand new we will try to stay spoiler free, so just tune in and join us.

Following our Muppet version of the film, and in the spirit of not doing too much work over Crimbo, we’re looking at “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. A film in which Ted goes on a less than excellent adventure; Withnail keeps Tom Waits on a remarkably protein-rich diet; and Hannibal Lecter clearly cannot be arsed having just won an Oscar. Unleashed with much fanfare in 1992, director Francis Ford Coppola wanted to bring to the screen a definitive version of Stoker’s novel (except for all the extra bits he bunged in for good measure). This ambition weirdly highlights some of the pitfalls of a faithful adaptation, with a number of characters usually dispensed with or amalgamated in other versions left to clutter up the narrative. It features what is a genuinely stellar cast both for now and then, but with some actors not necessarily suited to their roles. However, it’s still Coppola, so it still remains a well-made, beautifully shot gothic romance; which certainly equals the novel for pace and drama, and even adds some iconic imagery to the old myth which is still appearing over 30 years after the film’s release.

Welcome To Horror Presents: “The Muppet’s Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. It’s Christmas, and the Welcome To Horror team have decided to celebrate by honouring one of the finest Christmas movies of all time, The Muppet Christmas Carol, but with a horror twist. Our premise is to take “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and recast it with the Muppets! We’re keeping Gary Oldman as our token human, but the rest of the cast are up for grabs! Join Lee, Chris, Adam and Lady Jennifer for our jolly Christmas Party of Gothic Horror and Muppet Mania.

Well Ho Ho Ho (to quote Santa when he was counting your three mums), it’s Christmas! Weirdly enough for a LoG-worshipping podcast, we’ve never actually got round to “The League of Gentlemen’s Christmas Special” (also known as “You’ll Never Leave”). Which is a tad strange as this was the time when the League truly revealed and revelled in their love of horror; with references galore in an anthology structure honouring the greats of Amicus; and three twisted tales that looked forward to where the Gents were heading in their subsequent careers, whilst also being worthy of inclusion in a “serious” horror anthology. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

Welcome To Horror Presents: “The Power of We Have Been Watching”. Yes! Get it here. If by “it” you mean a rundown of all the stuff the Welcome To Horror team have been sticking in their faces in between episodes. We discuss Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” (2025); Korean horror “The Wailing” (2016); true crime/folk horror documentary “The Last Sacrifice” (2024); “From Dusk Til Dawn” (1996); “Heretic” (2024); 70s anthology series “Orson Welles’ Great Mysteries”; “The Substance” (2024); David Lean’s “Blithe Spirit” (1945); and Brontë Schiltz’s Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies lecture on “Televisual Gothic”. There should be no need to prep for this ep, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!

It’s time to visit the misspent youth of the team, hurtling back to 1998 for Jake West’s “Razor Blade Smile”. A film that shows that a coffin can make a lovely centrepiece gun rack in any bedroom; highlights that vampires are the only ones not showing off their fangs at a Goth club; and bravely needle drops “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” like “The Hunger” just didn’t happen. Razor Blade Smile made something of a splash when it came out - a flashy/trashy horror with camp laughs, nudity, gore and an icon in the form of Eileen Daly’s rubber cat-suited vampire assassin, it felt utterly different to anything else emerging from the doldrums of the British film industry. Made on a shoestring budget, but never aiming for anything less than spectacle; time hasn’t necessarily been too kind to it visually, although ironically it’s the (then) state of the art computer generated imagery that has dated the worst. More importantly; it’s shoot-outs and fetish wear aesthetic predates both The Matrix and Underworld franchises. Whilst some minor roles may feature less than stellar acting, the main cast are giving their all, with Daly cementing her place as a British scream queen, and a genuinely brilliant turn from Christopher Adamson as the villain. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

Adam returns to the Welcome To Horror Fact Library for a bonus episode of extra material left over from our recent episode on “The Blood On Satan’s Claw”. As always, we recommend you listen to our main episode (number 234) first, before plowing into this fiendish field of facts. We hope you enjoy this little transmission from the Welcome To Horror Fact Library.

The team have unearthed something terrible under the cabbages in the Welcome To Horror allotment, so it’s time for “Blood On Satan’s Claw”. A film in which Mr Kipling leads exceedingly angry mobs; The Master gets in trouble for playing with his snake in the woods; and Simon Williams receives the worst kind of handjob. Part of the Unholy Trinity of Folk Horror, “Blood on Satan’s Claw” is the only one that features the genuinely supernatural. Originally conceived as a kind of anthology, those roots still show, but the decision to make it one tale was the correct one. Combining some of the most picturesque and beautiful imagery with some of the cruelest and horrific events to befall a seemingly innocent community; this is no mere Hammer knock-off. A marvellous script and a cast all bringing their best make for a disturbing glimpse of festering corruption, with our only hope being the intervention of harsh authoritarian powers seemingly as nasty and uncaring as the evil they confront. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

It’s weird sequel time, and there’s few that come weirder than “House II: The Second Story”. A film in which we learn that portals are a common problem in old houses (a bit like dry rot, but with more murder); that old cowboys don’t die (they just get rat-arsed in the basement); and that Bill Maher is an oily heap of shit. Whilst an anthology film franchise should endeavour to make each entry as different to what has gone before as possible; it is still is a hell of a whiplash to view this after the first “House” film. Certain things remain - the humour, marvellous practical effects, and a guest star role for someone from “Cheers”, but the differences are far greater. Whilst the first film is definitely a horror, this falls much more into the category of family adventure; and could be an entry level horror film for kids, with nothing too scary, a set of goofy, likeable characters and amusing puppets. This family-friendly spookiness was possibly influenced by the huge success a few years earlier of the likes of “Ghostbusters”, “Gremlins” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. After this, the franchise went into more obvious horror territory, but, unfortunately, never quite achieved the inventive potential displayed in the first two entries. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

We’re sticking with the work of Don Coscarelli, and going back to the classic that made his name; “Phantasm”. A film in which Angus Scrimm shows that, despite being older, he can still shoot his balls round corners; we learn how to make some of the most dangerous improvised explosives outside of the Anarchist’s Cookbook; and we meet a Jawa with a porn-moustache. Coscarelli’s third feature film, made independently over 2 years with a cast and crew of mostly friends and family, would go on to be a staple of the horror section in video shops for the next decade, with its striking poster image (entirely unrelated to anything in the actual film) burned into the minds of a generation. Unlike a lot of its VHS counterparts; “Phantasm” is an utterly unique beast; a horror/sci fi hybrid with surreal set pieces and a mythology that obfuscates the more it reveals; coupled to a domestic coming-of-age story of two orphaned brothers (and their singing Ice Cream Man buddy). It would follow the route of successful 80s horrors in spawning a franchise, but this too would be unlike any others, with (mostly) the same cast returning each time, the story being picked up pretty much from where the last film left off, and lore explorations that again only deepen the mystery. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

This week, we’re discussing Don Coscarelli’s “Bubba Ho-Tep”, and usually at this point, we would write a few amusing sentences about the film. But nothing we can come up with beats this premise: Elvis Presley didn’t die and is now stuck in an Old People’s Home in Texas. He teams up with a fellow resident (a black man who claims to be a post-assassination JFK) to fight a soul-sucking Mummy in Cowboy boots. Seen and loved by many at the time of release, now 23 years later, “Bubba Ho-Tep” seems, sadly, overlooked. Despite its horror royalty combination of “Phantasm” creator Coscarelli behind the camera, and a magnificent portrayal of a bitter and forgotten Elvis/delusional Elvis impersonator by Bruce Campbell (in possibly his best role outside of “The Evil Dead”’s Ash), it just doesn’t seem to get mentioned much anymore. Which is a shame; Campbell’s marvellous double act with the impeccable Ossie Davis as JFK give this mondo idea some real humour and heart. Despite the madcap premise, the film is also a reflection on the regrets, sadness and indignities of old age, with Elvis mourning his lost potential, and his body’s decline (in a scatalogically graphic narration). Like its protagonists, this film shouldn’t be forgotten as it ages, but allowed its time to shine forever. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

Get yourself a costume and slap on your face - we’re off to the cinema for 1991’s “Popcorn”. A film in which we learn that reggae bands cannot be stopped by a power cut; your favourite Martian now owns a movie memorabilia shop; and, as always, if Dee Wallace is your mum, shit’s gonna get weird. Made at that curious cusp of 2 decades, this should be standard 80s slasher fare, but it’s knowing references to horror film lore and elevated tone actually predict the direction the genre would take through the 90s. A fractious production with director and lead actor swapped out a few weeks into shooting, this could have been a real mess - the fact it’s as entertaining and coherent as it is is a testament to all involved. With a likeable cast exhibiting genuine camaraderie and some fine spoofing in the films within the film, this is a neglected little treat for the curious. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.

We present a spoiler free look at director Jennifer Wolfe’s debut feature “Happy Ending”. A couple losing the spark in their relationship seek advice from friends who recommend a trip to a massage parlour with “extras”. An already uneasy and awkward visit for the pair is reflected in the back rooms of the parlour, where the workers are troubled by their situation and the obsessive attentions of a dangerous former customer. Events spiral into an eruption of chaos and violence, drawing everyone into the maelstrom. Whilst that may sound like pure thriller fare, what sets “Happy Ending” apart is that it’s also extremely funny; our two main leads are engaging and realistic, their comfortable but strained partnership brings the laughs as they navigate their way through the tribulations of their relationship, and, latterly, attempt to get out of the deadly situation alive. A big thank you to Jennifer Wolfe for reaching out to us (on recommendation from previous guest, “Bampire” director Zoë Wassman) and giving us the opportunity to view this excellent comedy/thriller. “Happy Ending” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Plex and Fandango ar Home, and we urge you to seek it out!

Welcome To Horror Presents: “The We Have Been Watching Master Plan”. It’s one of our semi-regular rundowns of all the visuals we’ve been spaffing into our eye globes, betwixt our regularly scheduled programming. We discuss “The Devil’s Rejects” (2005); “Sinners” (2025); “Dellamorte Dellamore” (aka “Cemetery Man” 1994); “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” (2016); “The Monkey” (2025); BFI Southbank’s screening of Sophie Sleigh-Johnson’s “Code Damp: Experimenta Mixtape” and some honourable mentions. There should be no need to prep for this ep, but listeners beware, as here be (possible) spoilers and (definite) swearing. Join us!

Settle in your best (and only) coffin, grab a drink or twelve and join us for “The Comedy of Terrors”. In film in which we hear possibly the only use of the phrase “Toss Pot” outside of the UK; Orangey displays why he was considered one of the finest cactors of his generation; and Osgood Fielding III gives the best scream this side of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. Sadly, this is the last time that Vincent Price and Peter Lorre demonstrated their magnificent comedy double act as part of this amazing ensemble with Joyce Jameson, Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone, all of whom totally embrace the grotesque insanity of their characters and the tale itself. “The Comedy of Terrors” is a real refinement of the dark vein of humour the various cast members had begun exploring with Roger Corman in the Poe adaptations “Tales of Terror” and “The Raven”, but this time, it’s the legendary Jacques Tourneur behind the camera, with an original script from the pen of the great Richard Matheson, both of whom mould this original gem of Gothic Black Comedy. Sadly, “The Comedy of Terrors” failed to perform at the box office, and with Lorre’s death only a few months after release, it closed a chapter on what could have been a far more interesting direction for producers AIP. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.