Verbal Diorama

• The Evil Dead (1981)

  Before 20-year-old Sam Raimi could make The Evil Dead, he had to convince investors that three friends from Michigan could pull off a horror masterpiece. Enter "Within the Woods," a short film that became the ultimate pitch; screened across Detroit until enough people bought in. The result? An initial $85,000 and a one-way ticket to a freezing, abandoned cabin in Tennessee with no heat, no plumbing, and 12 weeks of pure filmmaking chaos.Bruce Campbell's on-screen suffering was real—those bruises, cuts, and exhausted reactions weren't acting. The crew ended up living in the dilapidated cabin, inventing techniques and visual effects out of creativity and desperation. It was the epitome of low budget, inexperienced but passionate filmmaking.The Evil Dead could have easily disappeared into low budget horror movie obscurity, though. They struggled to find domestic distribution until Stephen King saw it at Cannes and called it "the most ferociously original film of the year." That single endorsement transformed everything.When it was released in the UK, it became the best selling VHS of the year in 1983. It was subsequently banned as the "number one video nasty" in the UK, and called too extreme for mainstream distribution. Thanks, Mary Whitehouse.The Evil Dead rewrote the rules. It proved indie horror could be artful, that gore could be kinetic poetry, and that a cabin in the woods could become the most terrifying place on Earth. It showed a generation of filmmakers that you don't need studio money to make something revolutionary; you just need vision, determination, and friends willing to suffer for the cause.I would love to hear your thoughts on The Evil Dead (1981) !Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.CONTACT.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.comSUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon | Send a Tip ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMAVerbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique StudioPatrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny,

  --------  

  47:06

  --------

  47:06
• Hocus Pocus

  Hocus Pocus represents something special in cinema: proof that a film's legacy isn't written on opening weekend. It's a testament to how the right movie can find its audience, even if it takes decades to get there, to become one of the most beloved family Halloween classics of all time.Virgins! Get ready to light the black flame candle, and summon the iconic Sanderson Sisters, played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, who brought the sistahhhs to life with their unforgettable chemistry. It would lead to Hocus Pocus' eventual resurgence, with the Sanderson sisters as queer icons, and huge influences on the drag community. What started as a simple bedtime story evolved after years stuck in development hell. It would be The Divine Miss M herself who essentially got the movie greenlit, and Midler fully committed to the bit.But after a disappointing July 1993 release, VHS and DVD releases started to make it profitable and Hocus Pocus become a Halloween staple, as well as a cult classic.You could say it ran amok, Amok amok amok!I would love to hear your thoughts on Hocus Pocus !Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.CONTACT.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.comSUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon | Send a Tip ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMAVerbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique StudioPatrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and Conner.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacyOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  --------  

  48:21

  --------

  48:21
• Wes Craven's New Nightmare

  Before Scream made meta-horror mainstream, Wes Craven created something truly unique: a horror film where the actors played themselves, filmed in the real New Line Cinema offices, exploring what happens when fictional evil breaks into reality.Freddy Krueger had officially died in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare in 1991, and from 1984 his character had evolved from terrifying villain to quipping and comedic, and New Line Cinema had already started merchandising the character. Realizing that maybe they had killed Freddy too soon, New Line wanted a way to resurrect him without actually resurrecting him. There was always something deeply unnerving about putting Krueger on a pedestal, and no-one thought it more than his original creator, Wes Craven… Wes Craven's New Nightmare cleverly blurs the line between fiction and reality, creating a unique meta-narrative, starring original final girl Heather Langenkamp as herself, focusing on her journey from horror star to mother and how that reflects the personal impact of the franchise on her fictional life. Craven specifically wanted to focus on how horror movies affect children, showcasing the blurred boundaries between protection and temptation. Despite its initial box office struggles, New Nightmare has gained a cult following, mostly in the wake of Wes Craven's next project, Scream, which took what New Nightmare had attempted and refined it. Wes Craven said that Scream was a movie for people who watch horror movies, and New Nightmare was a movie for people who make horror movies. Scream is credited for refreshing the slasher, but we all know New Nightmare is Wes Craven’s real life meta masterpiece.I would love to hear your thoughts on Wes Craven's New Nightmare !Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.CONTACT.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.comSUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon | Send a Tip ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMAVerbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique StudioPatrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy,...

  --------  

  44:57

  --------

  44:57
• Candyman (1992)

  How did a British ghost story set in a Liverpool council estate became America's most haunting urban legend?In 1992, director Bernard Rose transformed Clive Barker's British ghost story, The Forbidden, into one of horror's most intelligent and thought-provoking slashers. But the inspiration ran deeper than fiction. The tragic 1987 murder of Ruthie Mae McCoy, who called 911 claiming someone was breaking into her Chicago apartment through her bathroom mirror, is a chilling real life inspiration to one of cinema's most enduring, and gothically romantic horror icons.Candyman is not just a horror movie; it’s a reflection of societal fears, racial injustice, and the haunting legacy of violence against black people in America, specifically black men. The film, set in the Cabrini Green housing project, serves as a backdrop for a story that’s both supernatural and tragically real. Tony Todd's portrayal of Candyman is chilling yet tragic, highlighting the character's backstory as a victim of racial injustice rather than just a typical horror villain. Helen Lyle, a white woman who becomes entangled in the Candyman myth, exposes the privilege and naivety that often accompany the quest for truth. The contrast between her character and the realities faced by the residents of Cabrini Green is not just a plot device; it’s a commentary on who gets to tell stories and which voices are heard.I dare you to say his name five times... Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman.... I would love to hear your thoughts on Candyman (1992) !Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.CONTACT.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.comSUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon | Send a Tip ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMAVerbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique StudioPatrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and ConnerThis podcast uses the following third-party services for...

  --------  

  48:25

  --------

  48:25
• The Devil's Advocate (1997)

  What happens when you mix Keanu Reeves, a scenery-chewing Al Pacino, and a Faustian bargain?Andrew Neiderman's novel was originally going to be adapted in the early 90s, directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Brad Pitt, but casting Satan proved difficult and so the project was halted.Speak of the devil, the O.J. Simpson trial gave new life to this story, and everyone became interested in courtroom drama and corrupt lawyers. The movie was resurrected, with Keanu Reeves choosing it over Speed 2, and the production desperate to entice Al Pacino to play the devil. Maybe they made a deal with the devil? In a bizarre twist worthy of the film itself, a copyright violation lawsuit forced the studio to digitally amend key scenes, proving that even fictional devils face real-world consequences.Inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost, Dante's Inferno, and the Faust legend woven into late 90s Manhattan, The Devil's Advocate remains a fascinating time capsule of '90s excess while asking timeless questions about the price of success and the susceptibility of human ambition and greed. Have a listen to The Midnight Myth's excellent episode on The Devil's Advocate hereI would love to hear your thoughts on The Devil's Advocate (1997) !Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.CONTACT.... Twitter @verbaldiorama Instagram @verbaldiorama Facebook @verbaldiorama Letterboxd @verbaldiorama Email verbaldiorama [at] gmail [dot] com Website verbaldiorama.comSUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review Join the Patreon | Send a Tip ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMAVerbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique StudioPatrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and ConnerThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacyOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  --------  

  41:47

  --------

  41:47

Plus de podcasts Télévision et cinéma

Podcasts tendance de Télévision et cinéma

À propos de Verbal Diorama