What's scarier than a zombie trying to kill you? A zombie teaming up with possessed dolls to kill you! In the Mexican zombie flick The Curse of the Doll People (Muñecos infernales), foolish adventurers steal a voodoo idol and face a fate is worse than death--unless the courageous Karina (Elvira Quintana) can stop a sinister voodoo master, his zombie assistant, and his horde of murderous dolls. Andy, John, and Producer Brad head to Mexico to investigate the many questions this film raises, such as whether dolls invested with the spirits of their own victims count as zombies.

Show Notes:

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay

Marilyn Monroe visits Xavier Loyá in Mexico.

Mexican Film Bulletin listing Alfredo Salazar's Frankenstein, el vampiro y compañía

Trailer for The Bat Woman (1968)

MPAA article on Gaz Alazraki's Father of the Bride

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

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This week, our bold Zombie Strains investigators chart a course for rural England, where the sinister Dr. Blood (Keiron Moore) is harvesting the still-beating hearts of his victims to empower his insane medical "research." Join John, Andy, and Producer Brad as they brave the dangers of the Cornish Tin Mines, meet scream-queen legend Hazel Court, face their most gnarly zombie yet... and unravel the mystery Doctor Blood's Coffin.

Show Notes:

Still of blood donor poster seen in Doctor Blood's Coffin.

The Zombie Encyclopedia by Peter Dengle

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay

Hazel Court, 82, Screaming Horror-Film Star, Dies - The New York Times

Review of Hazel Court's autobiography, Horror Queen.

Blog post on the matte paintings of Hammer films.

Bio for famed matte painter Lew Bowie.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

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Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

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Everybody's talking about Weapons, an unsettling 2025 horror film about a community in shock after a classroom of grade-school children vanishes overnight. Always on the hunt for modern films with connections to their favorite horror genre, John and Andy take a road trip to American suburbia to investigate for themselves. Don't tell Producer Brad that they recorded this without him. Please note that this is a spoiler-heavy discussion of Weapons.

Our first color zombie films is also a throwback to the 1930s! Newlyweds John and Linda (John McKay and Linda Ormond) inherit an old plantation outside of New Orleans, only to discover that their bitter cousin Monica (Monica Davis) has angry, zombie-related plans for them. Will Monica's voodoo magic spell a gruesome end to their honeymoon bliss? John, Andy, and Producer Brad venture into the swamps to find out--and to learn why this is the first zombie movie to be set in New Orleans.

Show Notes:

Movie poster

AFI Catalog entry for The Dead One.

Barry Mahon paid death notice in the New York Times.

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay

Santa's Christmas Elf Named Calvin directed by Barry Mahon

The Wonderful Land of Oz directed by Barry Mahon

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

Additional music by Elarasound.

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Additional voice work by Russell Bentley.

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We've been dreading their appearance ever since we started watching 1950s zombie films, and they're finally here: teenagers! That's right, 1959's Teenage Zombies is not only our first zombie film starring teenagers, but it's also a clear forerunner of the modern teenage-slasher flick. Can this crew of plucky '50s teens foil a foreign plot to turn the entire population of the U.S. into mindless, docile zombies? And more importantly, can Teenage Zombies make Plan 9 from Outer Space look like a masterpiece of cinema? Andy, John, and Producer Brad descent into a terrifying world of poodle skirts, malt shakes, and zombie gorillas in Teenage Zombies.

Show Notes:

Teenage Zombies Movie Poster

Jerry Warren's Mystery Science Theater 3000 riffed movies.

Brianne Murphy obituary

American Society of Cinematographer profile on Brianne Murphy.

Chuck Nile's obituary.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

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Plan 9 is often called the worst movie ever made. But could there be a zombie gem buried beneath the hilariously bad sets, abysmal acting, and tortured script? John, Andy, and Producer Brad venture into this legendary fiasco and come face to face with a sexy vampire, a gigantic Swedish wrestler, Bela Lugosi’s last performance, arrogant space aliens, and of course the infamous Plan 9 itself.

Show Notes:

Plan 9 From Outer Space Movie Poster

Movie Posters by Tom Jung, here and here.

New York Times 1993 article on Plan 9 From Outer Space.

Variety obituary for actor Paul Marco.

Los Angeles Times obituary for the Amazing Criswell.

Hollywood Reporter obituary for Maila Nurmi.

Tor Johnson Halloween mask.

Plan 9 From Outer Space filming locations.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

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The Zombie Strains crew have hit the motherlode of zombie firsts! Invisible Invaders brings together all kinds of famous and familiar zombie tropes in one film: a zombie-created apocalypse, heroes taking refuge in a science bunker, convincing zombie make-up, and a truly compelling tough moral choice.

The story follows a sequence that will be familiar to any fan of modern zombie movies, as a small group of survivors hunkers down in a shelter to figure out how to stop a global zombie menace (that was instigated by invaders from space). Tensions run high, and one of our party snaps under the pressure. Join John, Andy, and Brad as they push the Zombie Strains lab equipment to its limit as they break down all the zombie firsts in this movie.

Show Notes:

Invisible Invaders movie poster

National Geographic article on the American "uranium gold rush."

MIT Press Article on Uranium Rush, a game encouraging families to prospect for uranium.

History of Detectron, the company that made the geiger counter seen in Invisible Invaders.

List of movies with underground bunkers.

Hear Emmy-winning writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach discuss renting caves for tv shows on the Sword and the Sorcerer episode of Multiplex Overthruster.

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

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Jonathan Drake suffers under an ancient curse! His cruel colonial forbears massacred a South American tribe, and the immortal zombie survivors will not rest until Jonathan is dead. And by dead, we mean injected with an ancient poison, decapitated, and his head shrunken in the lab of the scenery-chewing villain Dr. Emil Zurich (Henry Daniell). Will Jonathan, his daughter Allison, and Lt. Rowan stop the zombies before the curse strikes again? Join John, Andy, and Brad as they encounter two unique zombies, surprisingly gruesome special effects, and more semi-competent police work in The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake.

Show Notes:

Movie Poster

AFI Catalog entry for The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake

Eduard Franz obituary

Theme music composed by Neil Dube.

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