Cinema Oblivia

Episode 34: Race With The Devil

Warren Oates and Peter Fonda just wanted to hop in their RV and take their wives on a ski trip. But a group of murderous Texan satanists had other ideas in Race With The Devil, the nearly forgotten horror/car chase hybrid flick!
Certified Texan Anthony Abatte joins me to talk about this (literal) cult classic, and if Texas really has bands of roving satanists who hunt down tourists in RVs.
He said no, but I'm still not sure.

Episode 33: The Visitor

*cue Visitor theme music*
Joe Odber returns to Cinema Oblivia to delve once again into ancient aliens, albeit in a slightly roundabout way.
The Visitor is a film made by madmen that makes no sense. It's kind of brilliant. It's kind of stupid. It's all kinds of indescribable. John Huston is in it though! And Shelley Winters! What the hell!
We try to parse it out as much as possible. I think we failed though.
*cue Visitor theme music again and again and again*
 

Episode 32: Manhunter

Making a return appearance on Cinema Oblivia, Brian Ashcraft joins me to talk about Michael Mann's masterpiece (a Mannterpiece, if you will), Manhunter.
It's the least known Hannibal Lector film, but it's probably the best, thanks to amazing performances, stunning direction and cinematography, amazing music, and truly, a showstopping career-making performance by Chris Elliot.
Okay, he has one line in one scene, but still.

Episode 31: Trick or Treat (1986)

Nothing says Halloween like...a Satanic Panic movie starring Skippy from Family Ties and featuring cameos by Gene Simmons and Ozzy?!?
Trick or Treat is an odd little slasher that's more charming than scary, and a great time capsule of the early 80s. Matt Kucick dug this one out of obscurity and he's here to talk about it and this film's shocking connection to Flogging Molly?!?!

Episode 30: Action Jackson

HELLO, I'M MR. EDD.
Goddamn I love Action Jackson. And Rich Nelson from the podcast Don't You Want Me also loves Action Jackson, so we spend a lot of time talking about how great this movie is. We also go into it's rapid production, muted reception, and the damn shame that a sequel never got made.

Episode 29: Urgh! A Music War, and Copyright Woes

Urgh! A Music War is a 1982 concert film featuring performances by some of the biggest and most influential bands of the era, including The Police, The Go Gos, Oingo Boingo, Joan Jett, and Gary Numan.
It also nearly got me banned for life from YouTube.
Nextlander's Alex Navarro joins me to talk about both of these things!

Episode 28: Chariots Of The Gods (with The Juptier Effect)

In 1970, a German documentary called Chariots of the Gods came out. It proposed the entirely unscientific idea that ancient aliens helped create humankind's greatest achievements. It was nominated for an Oscar, made millions of dollars, and completely ruined The History Channel.
Mandela Effect chronicler Joe Odber and I talk about this train-wreck a flick, its shocking racist origins, and the damaging effect it continues to have on society.
We also talk about The Jupiter Effect, a film in which George Kennedy tries to warn us about Jupiter.
Or something.

Episode 27: Runaway

It's the other Michael Crichton movie about robots running amok. Yes, after Westworld (but before Jurassic Park) Crichton wrote and directed this tale for the big screen, where Tom Selleck fights an evil Gene Simmons (is there any other kind?) and his legion of killer acid-spitting spiderbots.
Diamond Feit joins me to discuss this lesser, but still wildly entertaining, Crichton effort, a charming look at a possible future world we sadly never got.

Episode 26: Running Scared (2006)

No, NOT the Billy Crystal/Gregory Hines buddy cop comedy (although that's also a good movie)!
Instead, Madeleine Koestner from the Unnamed Film Festival and I are talking about the forgotten Paul Walker vehicle by Wayne Kramer (not the one in the MC5).
A huge bomb when it came out, this movie has gone on to be a cult classic, and rightfully so, it's an absolutely bonkers flick. Listen and find out how bonkers it is!
Content Warning: Running Scared is a film that references child abuse, and we talk about those scenes in detail.

Episode 25: Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon

SHO
NUFF!
That's all that needs to be said about this stone cold CLASSIC starring the one and only Taimak and the late great Vanity, but somehow T.L. Foster and I manage to talk for nearly 90 minutes about how great this movie is. Because it's really great.
Yeah, it's not that obscure or forgotten but I've had a shitty few months, humor me.