FILM RANKINGS UPDATED AFTER EVERY EPISODE!!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today’s film is 825 Forest Road, a psychological horror trip where the vibes are bad, the furniture’s worse, and someone thought owning a life-sized mannequin named Martha was totally normal behavior. Tense, claustrophobic, and full of dread, it’s the kind of movie where every hallway feels like it’s judging you. Childhood trauma, bad vibes, and one extremely haunted town (like, the whole town) come together for a family reunion no one asked for. Come for the existential unease, stay for the pet mannequin who somehow has more emotional stability than anyone else in the house.

Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/a.darkish.cinema.podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Film Rankings:

⁠⁠⁠134 - 825 Forest Road (2025)

Email us:

adarkishcinemapodcast@gmail.com

Find our store on Facebook and Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/ashanddreamsokc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashanddreamsokc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

NOTE: When recording this episode, we failed to mention the end date for the secret word discount at the store. It is July 20, 2025.

Episode Segments:

1. Welcome
2. Outside The Podcast Discussion
3. Breaking News
4. What Is This Film About? - Synopsis and Themes & Insights (Curated by Sunni)
5. Vital Statistics
6. Things That Happen In The Film
7. Inspirations (Curated by James)
8. Trivia
9. Critical Reception (Including our rankings)
10. Final Thoughts

11. 
    

Music:

Exit The Premises, Loping Stings, As I Figure

By Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Breaking News Intro

By: Luis Humanoide (Via pixabay)

Today’s episode is Chapter Five of our Atomic Monsters and Mutations Deep Dive, charting the emergence of giant monsters as a defining feature of atomic-era horror and science fiction. With films like Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, Rodan, and The Deadly Mantis, the genre shifted toward spectacle while still engaging with serious themes: nuclear testing, Cold War tensions, and the fragility of civilization. These weren’t just creatures, they were the embodiment of annihilation: massive, relentless, and often unstoppable. The films of this era turned mutation into metaphor and destruction into narrative structure, often carrying a sense of tragic inevitability. In this chapter, we explore how the giant monster became an international cinematic language for expressing postwar dread and scientific unease.

FILMS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters! (1956), Rodan (1956), 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957), The Deadly Mantis (1957), The Giant Claw (1957), The Giant Behemoth (1959)

Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/a.darkish.cinema.podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email us:

adarkishcinemapodcast@gmail.com

Find our store on Facebook and Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/ashanddreamsokc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashanddreamsokc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music:

Waltz Primordial, Galactic Rap, Exit The Premises

By Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

FILM RANKINGS UPDATED AFTER EVERY EPISODE!!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today’s film is Hellbender (2021), a coming-of-age folk horror film where adolescence, witchcraft, and killer drone shots collide in the forest... because growing up is hard... especially when your family tree is rooted in blood rituals. Made by the insanely talented Adams Family (not the finger-snapping goth family from that sitcom, no, we are talking about THE powerhouse indie horror family), this is DIY filmmaking at its finest: they wrote it, shot it, scored it, acted in it, and probably summoned something in the process. It’s got forest spells, mother-daughter bonding, screaming into the void, and a soundtrack that slaps harder than puberty. If the characters from The Craft were homeschooled on a mountain and raised by filmmakers who are way too talented to be this nice, it might look a lot like this.

Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/a.darkish.cinema.podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Film Rankings:

⁠⁠133 - Film Rankings After Hellbender (2021)

Email us:

adarkishcinemapodcast@gmail.com

Find our store on Facebook and Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/ashanddreamsokc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashanddreamsokc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

NOTE: When recording this episode, we failed to mention the end date for the secret word discount at the store. It is July 20, 2025.

Episode Segments:

1. Welcome
2. Outside The Podcast Discussion
3. Breaking News
4. What Is This Film About? - Synopsis and Themes & Insights (Curated by Sunni)
5. Vital Statistics
6. Things That Happen In The Film
7. Inspirations (Curated by James)
8. Trivia
9. Critical Reception (Including our rankings)
10. Final Thoughts

11. 
    

Music:

Exit The Premises, Loping Stings, OctoBlues

By Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Breaking News Intro

By: Luis Humanoide (Via pixabay)

Chapter Four of our Atomic Monsters and Mutations Deep Dive marks the true arrival of the atomic age on screen, as monsters finally emerged from the metaphorical fallout. With these films, cinema gave form to nuclear fear with monsters born not from myth or madness, but from mankind’s own scientific hubris. These films didn’t just entertain; they externalized collective trauma, capturing the dread of an era grappling with weapons of unthinkable power. In this chapter, we explore how these iconic creatures signaled a shift in horror and science fiction—where destruction was no longer supernatural, but self-inflicted.

FILMS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953), THEM! (1954), Gojira (1954)

Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/a.darkish.cinema.podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email us:

adarkishcinemapodcast@gmail.com

Find our store on Facebook and Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/ashanddreamsokc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashanddreamsokc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music:

Waltz Primordial, Galactic Rap, Exit The Premises

By Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

FILM RANKINGS UPDATED AFTER EVERY EPISODE!!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today’s film is Strait-Jacket (1964), where Joan Crawford swings axes, radiates vengeance like it’s a fine perfume, and chews scenery like it owes her money. It’s a William Castle special: part murder mystery, part melodrama, and part unhinged theatrical showcase for one woman’s descent into either madness or impeccable dramatic timing. There are decapitations, gaslighting, and more awkward family energy than Thanksgiving dinner with a secret. It’s like Mommy Dearest took a detour through a haunted meat locker.

Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/a.darkish.cinema.podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Film Rankings:

⁠132 - Film Rankings After Strait-Jacket (1962)

Email us:

adarkishcinemapodcast@gmail.com

Find our store on Facebook and Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/ashanddreamsokc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashanddreamsokc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Segments:

1. Welcome
2. Outside The Podcast Discussion
3. Breaking News
4. What Is This Film About? - Synopsis and Themes & Insights (Curated by Sunni)
5. Vital Statistics
6. Things That Happen In The Film
7. Inspirations (Curated by James)
8. Trivia
9. Critical Reception (Including our rankings)
10. Final Thoughts

11. 
    

Music:

Exit The Premises, Loping Stings, Southern Gothic

By Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Breaking News Intro

By: Luis Humanoide (Via pixabay)

FILM RANKINGS UPDATED AFTER EVERY EPISODE!!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today’s film is Cockneys vs. Zombies (2012), the cinematic equivalent of someone yelling “Oi, you!” at the undead and then headbutting them with love. It’s a blood-soaked East End brawl featuring foul-mouthed millennials, a zombie siege on a retirement home, and the most heroic use of a walker since orthopedic devices were invented. Guns? Check. Bickering siblings? Check. An old man outrunning zombies on a mobility scooter? You bet. It’s heartfelt, hilarious, and just barely restrained in its chaos. It's like Snatch and Dawn of the Dead had a baby during a pub fight and raised it on gravy and swear words.

Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/a.darkish.cinema.podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Film Rankings:

131 - Film Rankings After Cockneys Vs. Zombies (2012)

Email us:

adarkishcinemapodcast@gmail.com

Find our store on Facebook and Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/ashanddreamsokc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashanddreamsokc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Segments:

1. Welcome
2. Outside The Podcast Discussion
3. Breaking News
4. What Is This Film About? - Synopsis and Themes & Insights (Curated by Sunni)
5. Vital Statistics
6. Things That Happen In The Film
7. Inspirations (Curated by James)
8. Trivia
9. Critical Reception (Including our rankings)
10. Final Thoughts

11. 
    

Music:

Exit The Premises, Loping Stings, Hustle

By Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Breaking News Intro

By: Luis Humanoide (Via pixabay)

Chapter Three of our Atomic Monsters and Mutations Deep Dive explores the threshold between global war and global paranoia—the uneasy years between 1945 and 1953, when horror began to shift from gothic castles and madmen to laboratories, testing sites, and Cold War nerves. With the bomb freshly dropped and the world suddenly aware of its own capacity for extinction, cinema entered a transitional phase, one haunted by fallout. Before the atomic age could unleash its giant bugs and radioactive beasts, it had to confront the dread of what science had already done—and what it might do next.

FILMS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

Rocketship X-M (1950), The Man from Planet X (1951), The Thing from Another World (1951), Invasion U.S.A. (1952), Donovan’s Brain (1953), The Magnetic Monster (1953)

Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/a.darkish.cinema.podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email us:

adarkishcinemapodcast@gmail.com

Find our store on Facebook and Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/ashanddreamsokc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashanddreamsokc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music:

Waltz Primordial, Galactic Rap, Exit The Premises

By Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

FILM RANKINGS UPDATED AFTER EVERY EPISODE!!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today’s film is State of Emergency (2011), a zombie-adjacent outbreak movie where the real infection might be terminal awkwardness. It’s got government conspiracies, suspiciously clean survivors, and just enough monsters to remind you that trust falls are a terrible apocalypse strategy. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if the apocalypse was actually relegated to just one county in Alabama and took place entirely inside a barn and an empty tobacco warehouse, this one’s for you.

Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/a.darkish.cinema.podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Film Rankings:

130 - Film Rankings After State Of Emergency (2011)

Email us:

adarkishcinemapodcast@gmail.com

Find our store on Facebook and Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/ashanddreamsokc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashanddreamsokc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Segments:

1. Welcome
2. Outside The Podcast Discussion
3. Breaking News
4. What Is This Film About? - Synopsis and Themes & Insights (Curated by Sunni)
5. Vital Statistics
6. Things That Happen In The Film
7. Inspirations (Curated by James)
8. Trivia
9. Critical Reception (Including our rankings)
10. Final Thoughts

11. 
    

Music:

Exit The Premises, Loping Stings, Late Night Radio

By Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Breaking News Intro

By: Luis Humanoide (Via pixabay)