Now a creature feature classic, Ron Underwood's Tremors franchise was undoubtedly strongest in the first and second movies, before it faded into self-parody. Surprisingly well crafted, what makes it still such an enjoyable watch that it holds up to viewings even decades later?

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Re-Appreciating Tremors

Featuring TIM MOENS of the Belgium-based instrumental rock band Astodan, we talked about how their music was inspired by funerary traditions around the world. In their newest album BATHALA, they took inspiration from Filipino folklore, pre-colonial tradition, and burial practices. Listen to their single "Likha" at the 19:16 mark. Check out more of their music and buy the album over at their Bandcamp: https://astodan.bandcamp.com/

Astodan, Post-Rock Inspired by Pinoy Folklore

A surprisingly fresh and contemporary take on the HG Wells classic sci-fi novel, Elisabeth Moss (from the Handmaid's Tale) stars as the embattled Cecilia Kass. After staging his own suicide, a crazed scientist uses his experimental tech to become invisible to stalk and terrorize Ceccilia, his ex-girlfriend. When the police refuse to believe her story, trying to prove that she's being stalked by an unseen being, she decides to fight and take back her life from the gaslighting and bullying entity. This Blumhouse Pictures horror and sci-fi project might surprise many with its combo of pulp suspense and commentary on domestic abuse taken to a sci-fi extreme. What's our take on it? How did Moss do in this genre outing? And what's the future of this shared world of Universal Pictures classic monsters that should've been in a franchise bunch with The Mummy? Despite the current CoVid19 pandemic, we all hope you can see this movie while still keeping safe and practicing apt precautions.

Never Get Into a Relationship with 'The Invisible Man'

The 2004 remake starring Sarah Michele Gellar was a pretty tone-deaf outing. Does the new movie starring Andrea Riseborough and John Cho, prove otherwise in the diminishing returns? Can the ancient spirits of rage become more than clockwork scares? Will the iconic ghost growl make our skin crawl again? How does anyone escape the curse of eternal anger? And "Why even do it?" is the main question lingering in our minds. Join with us as we process the American sequel and remake of the J-horror cult hit The Grudge.

Should You Fear the Angry Ghosts of 'The Grudge'?

The beautiful Grace is about to get married to the man of her dreams. Alex, her fiance, also happens to come from the filthy rich Ledomas family who made their fortune through a wave of highly successful casual tabletop games. On the night after their wedding, Grace must play a game, an old Ledomas family tradition, to cement her marriage to her new hubby. Absolute chaos and bloody comedy ensue when it turns out that Grace must literally survive her new in-laws, because they'll hunt and kill her to avert a curse that honors the Ledomas pact with a demon. Joined by GRIMCAST's Antonette, we talk about what makes "Ready or Not" such an epic horror comedy adventure and instant modern classic, a bloody good time that holds up even after multiple screenings. How does one beat the mighty devil worshippers? What is the secret of the Ledomas fortune? And how good a scream queen is Samara Weaving? Sit back, relax, and kill the lights. Now, let's talk.

Ready or Not: A Most Dangerous Game

Happy 2020, folks! What were some of our favorite breakthrough rock and metal music from the past decade? We look back on what made us excited, what got our fists pumping, and gave us the goosebumps in a special music retrospective episode that includes Ghost BC, Deafheaven, and more.

The Unbearable Heaviness of 2019

Satanists generally get a bad rap in movies and pop culture. In the American documentary “Hail, Satan?”, director Penny Lane also shows them picking up rubbish on the streets, donating tampons to charity, and fighting for equal rights to practice and express the religion that they chose and love. In this episode we discuss the story and depiction of Florida’s Church of Satan as told in the documentary, mostly through the eyes of co-founder and spokesperson, Harvard-grad Lucien Greaves, as they lobby, argue, and annoy their way to a real separation of church and state, with the major mission being to have a bronze statue of Baphomet government of Arkansas erected beside a monument to the Ten Commandments outside the Arkansas state capitol.

“HAIL, SATAN?” AND SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL

Director Mike Flanagan has taken on the task of wrestling the meandering and epic beast that is King’s novel, the sequel to The Shining, and adapting it into a full-length feature. Has Dan Torrance finally found his place in the world with his ability to shine? And WTF is this "steam" and why do the psychic vampires of the True Knot need to eat it? Kill the lights, and let's talk about all things that shine and the woman in Room 237. Be warned: SPOILERS AHEAD

Psychopomps and Psychic Vampires in Doctor Sleep

Now that the controversy around Todd Phillips' JOKER has cooled a bit, we discuss the backlash and the allegations that have surrounded the movie. Does its treatment of mental illness and violence warrant claims of irresponsible glorification? Is Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Arthur Fleck really that damn good? Should art and entertainment take responsibility for the monstrous acts that they allegedly spawn? Kill the lights and let's talk.

Joker and the Feral Violence of Comedians

Crawl is a 2019 American disaster survival horror film (and also creature feature?) directed by Alejandre Aja starring Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper as a father-daughter pair who get trapped in their home during a category 5 hurricane. They then proceed to be hunted by a shitload of hungry hungry gators. Produced by Sam Raimi, Is Crawl a camp classic in the making or is it doomed to suffer a Sharknado-esque fate? Kill the lights and let's talk.

Crawl: A How-To-Survive Guide to Gators... and Movies Like This One

IT Chapter 2 is a 2019 American supernatural horror film directed by Andy Muschietti and based on the 1986 novel by Stephen King. Starring Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, and with Bill Skarsgård returning as Pennywise the Clown (not as IT lol). The film picks up 27 years later with the losers club all grown up and still living with the effects of their terrifying encounter with Pennywise so many years ago. Does the IT Chapter two offer a solid sequel or is it a 3-hour prime example of a sophomore slump? Kill the lights and let's talk.

IT Chapter 2 and How to End an Evil Clown Rampage

Lords of Chaos is a film directed by Jonas Åkerlund based on the 1998 book entitled Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground by Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind. The film and book chronicle the beginnings of the Norwegian black metal scene, its rise, and eventually, when it all started to go a bit too far. In the film, it is told from the perspective of Euronymous (Rory Culkin), a founding member of the band Mayhem. Is Lords of Chaos required reading and watching for those seeking to discover the true roots of black metal or is it more fiction than fact? Kill the lights and let's talk.

Lords of Chaos: Truth or Myth

Based on and inspired by true events, Clarita is a 2019 exorcism film directed by Derick Cabrido. Set in 1950s Manila, Clarita Villanueva (played by Jodi Sta. Maria) is a young woman claiming to be tormented by demons. After being arrested on charges of vagrancy, those assigned to her case begin dying off mysteriously and she is then referred to a pair of exorcist priests (Ricky Davao and Arron Villaflor) to rid her of her demons. Is Clarita a worthy installment to the world of Philippine horror cinema or is it just another exorcism film that blew its load too fast, destined to disappear into the ether of the many other exorcism films that came before it? Kill the lights and let's talk.

Clarita: Desperately Seeking Satan

One Cut of the Dead is a Japanese zombie comedy film directed by Shinichiro Ueda. Made in 2017, the film follows a hack horror director tasked to shoot a low-budget zombie flick and broadcast it live for a local cable channel in Tokyo. While the film holds a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is it just some run-of-the-mill novelty indie film with a ridiculous premise or is it actually solid (like Yamashita-level) gold?

One Cut of the Dead and Comedy in J-Horror

Kill the Lights celebrates the 25th anniversary of the cult classic The Crow. Released in 1994, it was directed by Alex Proyas and based on the comic book series of the same name by James O'Barr. The Crow was also the tragic final film of Brandon Lee. How does The Crow fare 25 years later? Does the movie still hold up after all these years and would it have really catapulted Brandon Lee out of his father's shadow and into stardom?

The Crow 25th Anniversary

Hosted by horror author and movie critic Karl De Mesa and music critic and metal musician Joey Dizon, “Kill the Lights” is a podcast about all things horrific, extreme, taboo, fringe, dangerous, and savagely beautiful in music, movies, literature, and the other arts in the Philippines and the world. We talk about the dark side of popular and unpopular entertainment so you freaks can come out into the light, or marinate in a collective convo of our dark delights. Kill the lights. And let’s talk.

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Kill the Lights PH

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