The Fly (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), and Curse of the Fly (1965)

Among the many films in which deviant mad scientists pay the price for meddling with forces beyond human understanding, The Fly stands apart. Released in 1958, it presents a scientist whose intentions are genuinely noble: someone striving to create something that could benefit humanity. Unfortunately, an unforeseen accident turns his dream into a nightmare, and tragedy soon follows. While the film ultimately becomes a monster story, it offers far more than a typical 1950s creature feature.

And, of course, when a film succeeds at the box office, sequels are inevitable. In this case, two followed, even if the third took six years to arrive. Across all three films, the Delambre family's experiments—and mistakes—continue, once again exacting a terrible toll in life, sanity, and suffering.

Fans often disagree about which entry is the strongest, which is underrated, and which falls short, so we decided to take a deep dive into the entire trilogy. Along the way, we may give you a few new things to think about the next time you watch these films. And if you hear any buzzing while listening to the show, I'm sure it's nothing.

Films mentioned in this episode:

The Black Cat (1989), The Black Room (1935), Blood Feast (1963), The Blues Brothers (1980), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Curse of the Fly (1965), The Death Dealers aka Psychomania (1973), Demonia (1990), The Devil's Honey (1986), The Exorcist (1973), The Face of Fu Manchu (1965), The Fly (1958), The Fly (1986), Frankenstein (1931), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Kiss of the Vampire (1963), Mark of the Vampire (1935), Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Psycho (1960), Rasputin the Mad Monk (1966), Return of the Fly (1959), Space Master X-7 (1958), Touch of Death (1988), To the Devil a Daughter (1976), The Vampire (1957), Witchcraft (1964)

The Shiver of the Vampire (1972), Lips of Blood (1975), and The Living Dead Girl (1982)

The films created by director Jean Rollin are unlike anything else in the history of cinema. If you make your way into his incredible filmic world, you will be entranced by its beauty, cinematic landscapes, and unique horrors. And the more you venture down this path, the more you'll start to pick up on repeating themes and motifs. Like Rollin, liminality, memory and nostalgia, families, surrealism and expressionism, might become your obsessions- they were certainly his.

If it is carefully constructed plots, realistic storylines, and deeply developed characters that you are searching for, then Rollin probably isn't for you. But if you want the unique, the obsessive, the utterly gorgeous? Then you must dive into Rollin's work if you've never stepped into that sea. And if you've been here before? Well, then there is no time like the present to walk slowly through the surf, exploring the past and finding landmarks jutting up just past the beach like forlorn teeth in a skull being beaten by the waves of memory.

Films mentioned in this episode:

Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010), Un chien andalou (1929), Demoniacs (1974), Fascination (1979), The Grapes of Death (1978), Lips of Blood (1975), The Living Dead Girl (1982), Mandy (2018), The Night of the Hunted (1980), The Nude Vampire (1970), The Rape of the Vampire (1968), Requiem for a Vampire (1972), The Shiver of the Vampires (1971), Zombie Lake (1981)

Suspiria (1977), Inferno (1980), and Mother of Tears (2007)

There are very few horror fans out there who don't know the work of Dario Argento, especially the giallo films he's most famous for. While he only occasionally ventured into supernatural horror, whenever he did, he approached it with the same unmistakable style that defines all of his work. After helping define the giallo genre with Deep Red, Argento shifted gears and gave us Suspiria, a film that presented violence through a blinding explosion of color and an intense soundtrack that pounds through the speakers. It looked unlike anything audiences had really seen before.

Three years later, Argento continued the saga of the dreaded Three Mothers with Inferno, expanding the mythology surrounding these wicked witches even further. Then, after a 27-year wait, he completed the trilogy with Mother of Tears. Say what you will about any or all of these films, but they are all unmistakably Dario Argento.

In this episode, we're taking a look at all three entries in the Three Mothers trilogy, exploring both the mythology behind the Three Mothers and the unique qualities that set each film apart. We all have our favorite of the trilogy, but hopefully you'll come away with a new appreciation for moments or ideas you may have overlooked in previous viewings. So join us for our little study group as we dive into the worlds of Mater Suspiriorum, Mater Tenebrarum, and Mater Lachrymarum. But a word of caution… they don't like people knowing about them, so be warned.

Films mentioned in this episode:

The Beyond (1981), The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), The Black Cat (1989), Cannibal Ferox (1981), The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971), The Church (1989), Deep Red (1975), Demons 2 (1986), The Exorcist (1973), Eyes Without a Face (1960), The Five Days (1973), Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), Häxan (1922), The House by the Cemetery (1981), Inferno (1980), Mother of Tears (2007), Night of the Eagle aka Burn Witch Burn (1962), Opera (1987), Phantom of the Paradise (1974), Suspiria (1977), Tenebrae (1982)