Severance
00:39:40
About
It’s the next film in our Countycide season, and today we go down to the woods for a big surprise, with 2006’s “Severance”, from director Christopher Smith. A film in which the arrival of a gang of brutal, sadistic murderers relieves the true horror of an office team-building weekend; Lord Percy steps in something rather nasty; and Danny Dyer provides niche observational humour for all the ‘shroom heads in the audience. Another under appreciated film from the man who brought us high-seas time twister “Triangle”, “Severance”, despite its once ubiquity in secondhand shop DVD racks, seems to have also fallen out of sight, which is a real shame. It has a strong cast portraying believable, genuinely funny, characters (whether the character knows it or not) evoking perfectly that mismatch of work colleagues thrown together outside of office hours. With a genuinely nasty streak and scenes of gore and murder that would be much more gruelling in a straight narrative, and a lovely playful mixing of perspectives; this film should be rightly remembered and embraced by more fans of the fusion of comedy and horror. Watch (or re-watch) to avoid spoilers and join us.
Transcript
Show full transcript
LeeGood evening and welcome to Horror. I'm Lee.
ChrisI'm Chris.
AdamI'm Adam.
LeeAnd we are here this evening, as promised, as always, to discuss the second part of our countryside.
AdamCountryside.
LeeYes. Or as Lady Jennifer pointed out at the very first five minutes of this film, what should have been called Kick-Ass Blondes, because this film also starts with two blondes really giving it some heavy stick. We are covering 2006 film Severance.
Leethere will be a lot of swearing, there will be a lot of spoilers. I, I am going to go out on a limb and say, if you haven't seen this film, stop now, crack it down, watch it and return.
LeeBecause I am very confident that we all love this movie and we are not alone.
LeeBut not enough people have seen it, so it's one that there's a chance you've not seen, I know Chris, you, it took a while for you to track it down.
ChrisAbsolutely, yeah. I had not heard anything about it. So you mentioned it, it did not stand out to me as, you know, something that I absolutely needed to check out.
ChrisAnd it turns out I should have done.
LeeYes.
LeeSo, on that, let's dive right into it.
LeeSo, on your first viewing, Chris, I, just to give you a bit of background, I heard about this from a Canadian podcast, the the godfather of horror podcast, The Horror Etcetera Podcast.
Leedid, an episode on British, fucking Nora.
AdamHorror comedy.
LeeI'm not even drinking.
AdamThis is sobriety for you.
LeeBritish horror comedy, and they covered The Cottage and this, and Shawn of the Dead and a film called Botched, which they were less fans of.
Adam
ChrisOh, okay.
LeeSo I tracked it down, watched it in the week, had to have Adam over on Saturday night to rewatch it.
ChrisYeah.
LeeAnd I think I'll, don't think I've been back to it again since.
LeeBut, Chris, what was your?
ChrisYeah, well, that's what's funny, I, as I was watching it, I was thinking, this is definitely something I would be happy to watch again.
ChrisAnd I don't always think that, you know, sometimes it's like, this is an amazing film, but I just don't feel like I want to rush back to it.
ChrisSaying that, there's a bit of a a double take here.
ChrisSo, I just want to start off with my little bit of alliteration, I definitely don't dislike Danny Dyer.
LeeHnh.
ChrisI don't know why it's not like him, like clearly there's something about him that seems to he's had some negative press as far as I gather, but I have completely missed all of that.
ChrisThe only two things I can think of ever seeing him in is Human Traffic and this.
LeeAmazing in both.
ChrisYeah, right, so he absolutely, it's hard to think of a better actor for these two roles.
ChrisBut like, I, yeah.
ChrisI did not expect this to be anywhere near as funny as it was making me just laugh so much with so like, just overall the dialogue and the characters played together so well.
ChrisEspecially, I did not realize Captain Darling,
LeeOh, right.
AdamOh, Luke Perso.
LeeYeah.
ChrisSo Tim McKinlay.
AdamIt's.
ChrisI always said.
AdamMcInerney.
AdamI always said McInerney, but I think it's McEwen.
LeeMcEwen, right.
ChrisMcEwen.
LeeTim McEwen, that sounds like three people.
AdamYeah.
ChrisYeah.
ChrisBut like, so when I saw him, but, you know, you've seen him on the on the coach.
AdamIt's a Nicola.
LeeYeah.
ChrisAnd you're like, okay, he's interesting, this is, they've clearly captured exactly how one of these coach trips plays out.
ChrisAnd I, I saw him leading it and I was like, is that going to be good, and it just absolutely it was just so entertaining.
Chrisyeah, but just some of the quotes cracked me up.
ChrisBut on the whole, the dialogue is amazing.
ChrisBut it's just things like, I found the pie.
ChrisAnd it's just the way they're all like.
LeeYeah.
ChrisWhat.
ChrisHe just like, yeah, these are, these are real characters.
Chris
AdamI cooked, I cooked it for the full hour.
ChrisYeah.
AdamOh yeah, because every pie takes an hour.
ChrisIt's so good.
Chrisand I'm not, you know, I don't tend to like sexist things.
ChrisBut when Danny Dyer delivers it, English birds ain't complicated, you buy them a Bacardi Breezer and they ride you like Seabiscuit.
ChrisAnd it's just, he just delivers those sort of lines.
ChrisIt's.
ChrisIt's just him.
ChrisAnd you think, I could so imagine him delivering that when he's just out with his mates.
ChrisIn a casual kind of way.
AdamI believe that's the secret of Danny Dyer in his successful roles is when Danny Dyer is playing Danny Dyer.
LeeHe is, he's one of those.
LeeIf you put him in the right thing, he's perfect.
LeeBecause he's timing and he's delivery.
LeeAnd you were saying about the, you know, not wanting to just, you know, sort of go through all the hilarious lines.
LeeBut his line when he's mushroomed out of his tits and he goes, to that bloke, you turn around with that big wide eye.
LeeI literally laughed until I thought I was going to poo.
AdamI, I and I don't, I don't wish to name and shame anyone on the podcast.
AdamSo I'll be as abstract as I can in my next statement.
AdamBut I recall the main thing that Lee, when Lee said he'd seen it, because weirdly enough,
AdamSarah, my sister, for listeners, is a massive Danny Dyer fan.
LeeSarah.
ChrisOh, okay.
AdamAnd she's a massive Danny Dyer fan, she thinks he's great, I think she went, she went to a book signing where apparently he did his catchphrase, which if you remember from Danny Dyer's deadliest men was, I'm shitting myself.
LeeOh.
AdamSo, but, yeah, he,
AdamI remember you, sort of like, so she, I saw it a few times, like, where she had it as well.
AdamBut, yeah, I remember the specific reason when we got round there was Lee and was particularly talking to Dean, his brother.
AdamAbout a piece of what I'm going to describe as somewhat niche observational comedy in this.
LeeYeah.
AdamInvolving experiences in altered states, so let's just say that.
LeeYeah.
LeeIt, yeah, not to confess to anything on the show, but that, like, that bit when he's going,
LeeI think I, I feel damp, I think I might have pissed myself, can you check?
LeeLike, it, just, like, it just rang so true as the kind of thing that you hear people saying.
ChrisYeah.
AdamOn mushrooms.
LeeOn mushrooms.
LeeIt's, yeah, it's that very, oh, and he just, he plays it.
LeeSo well.
LeeLike, he's just.
AdamEveryone fucking does.
LeeOh, yeah, absolutely.
ChrisYeah.
AdamThe cast I know and the cast I don't are all fucking good.
ChrisYeah.
AdamAnd the, the fact that all the characters are characters and are all humorous.
AdamThere's not a straight person, some of them know they're being funny and some of them don't know they're being funny.
AdamBut everyone has a comic feel to them.
LeeYeah.
ChrisYeah.
AdamYou know, there's, there's not like.
AdamNo one in it is the the nearest, I don't know, it's not, like, the nearest.
ChrisI think I think it can be kind of be epitomized by how when the bear trap is is chopping off his leg, it's still, still they're funny in it.
LeeYeah.
AdamThe gore is horrible.
LeeBut, but they just do.
LeeI mean.
ChrisThe fact that they can't hold it open.
AdamIt's.
ChrisYeah.
LeeYeah, the fact they can't hold it open is so realistic.
LeeAndy Nyman is and again, another one of the scenes that I particularly liked where they it it felt like a lesser film had show it and they didn't, was him on the diving board.
LeeYeah, but you keep seeing him and you're waiting for him to fall and you don't see it, you just see the next scene where he's soaking wet and covered in leaves.
AdamYeah.
LeeAnd it almost makes it funnier, because if you'd seen it, you know exactly what's coming, the fact that you don't see it somehow is more powerful.
AdamI tell you what, I forgot, the other thing I forget is when you watch it, this this film is so well fucking shot and you know, there's a lot of.
AdamThat sounds really basic, but there's a lot of thought in it.
LeeYes.
ChrisYeah, more than you might think.
AdamIt's interesting, you don't, it's also interesting, you don't lose track of a film that has horror elements to, well, three fictionalized flashbacks.
ChrisYeah.
AdamSo, you know, when they're telling the story of what the lodge used to be.
ChrisThat that was, yeah, all in different styles.
AdamYes.
AdamAnd someone on hallucinating on mushrooms, and a cheese dream, but you never lose track of.
AdamIt's never confusing even though it should be.
LeeYeah.
ChrisOn paper it definitely should be.
AdamYou can follow, you can follow those.
AdamYou you you follow those turns and it never sort of detracts.
LeeYeah.
ChrisAnd and even within all those moments, like the overall, the overarching story arc is ridiculously, but ridiculously terrible as well.
ChrisBecause it's it's got a serious element to it all.
ChrisAnd it's like I almost, I got to the point where it was, you know, you could tell it's got that.
ChrisEven from the start, because it's like, well, this is clearly a morality situation.
ChrisIf they were working for an arms manufacturer.
LeeYeah.
AdamI wonder if it was made now that would have been a different thing in some way or another.
AdamBecause I think because I think for a start, you can have a company that has their hands in a lot of different things.
AdamAnd there's still an argument of culpability if the umbrella corporation, if you're, if the thing that owns your company also owns a company that sells weapons or.
LeeYeah.
LeeThen you can't really, so you can't differentiate between what you're doing scientifically and how it's being applied into an into an unpleasant use.
AdamYeah.
AdamBut I think nowadays I think they'd make it somewhat less because watching, it's, it's weird because it's not that old a film.
AdamBut I just don't think it would be, it's like you say, there's.
AdamThey all work for the fucking weapons company.
ChrisThat's kind of funny.
ChrisLike, because that is weird though, so I mean, 2006 is literally quite a few years ago.
ChrisBut it is of a modern, modern.
AdamBig mess.
ChrisYeah.
LeeYeah.
LeeIt's funny though, Jennifer said the same thing about the the scene with
LeeNeil McInnerny.
AdamTim McInnerny.
AdamYeah.
ChrisYeah.
Lee
LeeYeah, the scene with him where he's talking to that woman and it keeps getting more and more sort of complicated because he's trying to correct himself.
ChrisYes, yeah.
LeeAnd she's like, yeah, that that's having a conversation now, but you didn't think of that as having a conversation in 2006.
LeeLike it's what, and even on the bus at the very beginning, where the the woman suddenly says, you do realize that what you've made is a, you know, a training video for the SS or whatever, like you.
AdamKill you, I think.
LeeYeah.
LeeBut it is, it's that felt like it was self-aware of itself back then.
ChrisYeah.
AdamYeah.
AdamIt hasn't a, and but also it's that weird thing which highlights that odd juxtaposition of corporate culture versus a weapons manufacturer.
AdamYou know, where it's like, well, I don't want to cause offense, and I didn't want to do, you know, I don't want to look like.
ChrisYeah.
AdamI've sexually harassed someone or, you know, or whatever like that.
AdamBut we are selling things that kill people.
ChrisYou sell.
AdamYou know.
AdamAnd it's sort of.
AdamYeah, but yeah, it's, but like I say, and weirdly enough, I think the thing, the weird thing is with it.
AdamIs it is actually, it's fucking brutal.
ChrisRight, so.
ChrisThis, this was going to be my, this was going to be my negative, right?
ChrisAnd I was trying to figure out, is it one, just my mood, I'm not wasn't quite ready for it, I don't know what it was, right?
ChrisBut I almost think they did too good a job of it being too funny and too entertaining that I just wanted more of that.
ChrisAnd when it turned, it was like, oh, I sort of want a bit more funny.
ChrisBut, but I absolutely did did get into it.
ChrisAnd then all the way through to the end, when it starts to get very entertaining again, especially the very last word, I was like, yeah, no, you've done me.
ChrisPerfect, perfect ending.
LeeIt is, it is very much a, as you say, like, we've said it before, a film of sections.
ChrisYeah.
LeeYeah, where literally, when I rewatched it this time, for the first, from when they're on the bus.
LeeUntil he finds the tooth in the thing, I literally giggled the whole way through nonstop.
LeeI was still laughing at previous jokes when the next scene was happening.
ChrisYeah.
LeeAnd you just laugh and laugh and then all of a sudden, as you say, the bear trap stuff starts happening.
LeeYou go, oh fuck yeah, now this is getting really brutal, really over the top.
ChrisWhen they see the coach, it's like, yeah, this is, this is going bad.
LeeAnd the guy of his guts, his guts dragged out into the walk.
ChrisBut the but the right, but all of that is after the first scene where the very first scene is the flashback.
ChrisTo the sort of roughly the end.
AdamOr flash forward, I suppose.
ChrisYeah, yeah, yeah.
Chrisand but yeah, and so you almost completely forget that, really.
ChrisIt's like.
AdamYeah.
ChrisIt's mad.
LeeIt's brilliantly constructed, it's excellently paced, it's got, like, it's got everything, and it is, it's one of those films I'm disappointed in myself for not watching more frequently because no matter what you're in the mood for, this has fucking got it in an abundance and really well done.
LeeIt's, as you said, Adam, it's so beautifully shot.
LeeLike all the scenery and stuff is all amazing.
LeeThe comedy is exceptional.
LeeThe gore.
AdamBut also the the sinisterness is in there right from the start.
AdamBecause there's bits like where you've obviously had that, the fucking ridiculous scene where he's tripping and having a piss.
LeeOh.
AdamYeah.
AdamAnd then he turns around to finish his piss and no one sees it, but it slowly uncovers a dead body.
LeeOh.
AdamLike just the slowly uncovers like some someone's face buried under the dirt.
LeeAnd you're like, oh yeah, that's horrific, I'd forgotten all about that.
LeeThat's really horrific.
AdamIt's but just it's so, it's, yeah, it's, it's a testament to it.
AdamBecause I think because there are bits of it that are, you know, are near torture porn.
ChrisSo that's yeah, that was it.
AdamIn terms of fear.
AdamIn terms of characters in fear.
AdamBecause I think like particularly, like Andy Nyman and Jill, Clodie Blakeley.
Adamboth their deaths, I mean that's fucking horrible.
ChrisYeah.
AdamBecause it because it's again, they're not, they're characters you've come to like or come to sort of, or you understand, if nothing else.
AdamAnd then you sort of, yeah.
LeeAndy Nyman is such a, like he's such a lovable character.
LeeAs you say, despite the fact he works for that company, you can see how he doesn't even have that part of his brain switched on, he just does his job, he doesn't think about it, and he's very focused on it, he's very single-minded.
LeeAnd, oh, and he's just.
AdamWell, he's, he's a typical sort of like, you know, not quite management but, yeah, been with the been with the company for years, like.
AdamAnd just.
ChrisGets on with his job.
LeeIt's just.
ChrisYeah.
LeeHe's just very efficient at his job.
AdamAnd his job is being a pain in the arse.
LeeChh.
LeeHe just excels at it.
LeeAs you say, everybody does, and I think that's again, that's another one of the things I love about it.
LeeIs the fact that, I know we say it quite frequently, but there's no weak links in this.
ChrisYeah.
LeeLike, of the main characters, everyone, as you said, Adam, even those who you don't recognize so much.
LeeYou know, hold their own people who you see day in and day out in TV and in movies and just.
LeeYeah, just absolutely sell it 100%.
AdamIt's like even the fact that like Harris is likable.
Lee
AdamEven though in other films he would be much more, you know.
AdamYou understand him, yes, he does want Tim McInnerny's job.
ChrisYeah.
AdamYou know, but he probably is more competent than Tim McInnerny.
AdamYou know what I mean, it's not, it's not hard to be better.
ChrisAlmost anyone.
AdamBecause he's a fucking idiot.
LeeHe's just a shitting idiot.
LeeThat's how they are.
LeeLike, nobody does anything of noxious or, you know, that you'd be like, oh, yeah, what a prick move, like the majority of people just are, they just live for a position, but they're doing it in a realistic and believable fashion.
AdamI said.
Lee
AdamYeah.
LeeAnd especially on one of these kind of team-building weekend exercise things where you, you know, you know you are being judged, but it's supposed to be a relaxed atmosphere, but nobody's relaxed because you all know.
LeeApart from obviously Danny Dyer, who's just like, it's a weekend abroad, I'm going to get out my fucking nut and have sex with some prostitutes.
LeeAnd he's quite happy with that.
LeeHe's, he's not trying to get up the ladder, so he doesn't give a shit.
AdamBut that, but that's the thing, is it's it's that proper thing of it's a workplace thing.
AdamIn as much as sometimes when you're at work, you do meet people who become friends.
AdamYou might hang around with them outside of work or whatever like that.
AdamBut in the main, you're with a group of people that you would not.
AdamYou don't have much in common with other than you all work there.
ChrisAside from working, yeah.
AdamAnd so when you go away on this, as you say, like, supposed holiday.
AdamIt's still fucking work.
ChrisYeah.
ChrisIt is a bit of an.
AdamAnd it's still sort of, there's still the hierarchy there.
AdamAnd there's still.
LeeAnd it takes us back to that that same scene, the Danny Dyer bit with that guy, when he's, you know, obviously tripping pretty hard, and he says, I know we're mates and everything, but if you look at my cock one more time, I'm going to proper fucking kick your ass.
LeeLaughs.
LeeLike it's, it's that like proximity thing of people who you work with, who you wouldn't.
AdamYou wouldn't kick.
LeeLaughs.
LeeOh, I just love it.
LeeI've got to say actually, I know that obviously we're selling this and 100% recommending it, but I can't think of a better recommend right now than to, bring up the quote that Jennifer sent.
LeeNow, Lady Jennifer, frequent guest on the show.
AdamContributor.
LeeYes.
AdamTeam member.
LeeYes.
AdamShe's like the Jeremy Dyson of Welcome to Horror.
LeeYeah.
LeeWho doesn't swear and generally will only watch films once, and then once she's seen them, she doesn't have to return.
LeeSo we watched this and while the closing, the closing titles were still coming up.
LeeShe sent to the group, Danny Fucking Dyer, I forgot he even did anything good, loved rewatching this film.
ChrisYeah.
AdamYeah.
ChrisYeah, that does sum it up pretty good.
AdamThe weird thing is as well, is because I had to, so I had to track it down.
AdamThat's the weird thing, I get the impression this was something we were talking about like on the WhatsApp.
AdamIs I get the impression that this is something that's fallen between the cracks of streaming and physical media.
AdamIn that this was, Danny Dyer did a lot of films that did that sold a lot of DVDs.
AdamAnd then ended up in cash converters or charity shops and things like that.
AdamSo it's.
ChrisIs it is it like the people that own the licenses to this just haven't answered some of their emails and like streamers trying to get it and it's like, you know.
AdamThen who knows, there could be some mad rights issue in it, I don't.
AdamNothing I could see online, it was just, I think.
ChrisBut sure, it would surely be fine, you know, you'd just thought it would be valuable to have on there.
LeeI don't know who's in it who wouldn't want it to be out there.
LeeLike, anything in it that you'd look back on and go, oh shit, yeah, no, that was a bit.
ChrisOh no, I don't think I'd love to know what it was.
AdamAbility, you know what I mean, I don't know if that would even be a thing they would have any say in.
Adamin terms of the film.
AdamI think it, but like I say, I think it was just one of those things that when people like.
AdamThis sounds terrible, but like, everyday people still bought DVDs.
Lee
AdamEveryday people now stream everything.
AdamNo one bothers buying DVDs, it's a dying me.
AdamI do.
AdamBut, you know, I'm twisted and obsessed and.
LeeMe too.
AdamYou know.
AdamIt's, so, I'm still buying the bloody things.
AdamBecause I like having.
LeeYeah, the extras.
AdamYeah, I want the extras, I like having the thing, I like having a little thing that says, look, I've seen that.
LeeThat's good.
AdamAnd.
AdamSo, but it's weird, when so I had got this, I think I got it like secondhand off of Music Magpie or something like that.
AdamAnd it came through and the cover is just bright red with the characters in like black and white sort of monochrome over the top of that red.
LeeYeah.
AdamIs that not just the same cover that was like The Football Factory, Rise of the Foot Soldier?
AdamThere was a lot of DVDs that looked like that that all were very much cash converter classics.
LeeYeah.
AdamAnd, and Danny Dyer's in a lot of them.
AdamI think I don't know whether it's like, but also when I when I was looking at the DVD, it was really clear as well that it all come from Shaun of the Dead as well.
LeeYeah.
AdamLike the the artwork of the Shaun of the Dead, it was the same, you know, and everything.
AdamSo I think.
LeeI think they tried to tie into that UK-based horror comedy thing, yeah, and maybe just looked at, as you say, Shaun of the Dead and gone, let's make something that looks a little bit similarish.
AdamIt's, it's so, it's so the cover identifies it to people.
AdamIt's like, you haven't got a trailer in front of you, but it's that, it's that, oh, well that looks a bit like Shaun of the Dead, I'll buy that.
LeeYou know.
LeeIt's like we said before with the, was it when we covered Near Dark.
LeeAnd we were saying, oh yeah, when Twilight came out, they did a new release of Near Dark and made it look a bit Twilight.
LeeAnd I was like.
AdamIt was just May's face in close up, quite sparkly, sort of yeah.
LeeThat's going to fuck everybody up who sees this and thinks that looks a bit like it and it's another vampire movie and then watches it.
LeeBut hopefully, it does the job.
LeeBut unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have worked for this because nobody talks about this film anywhere near as much as they should.
LeeIt's an absolute.
LeeLike.
LeeLike we've said, it's literally got everything.
LeeIt's fantastically made.
LeeIt's brilliant.
LeeIt it just, yeah, it it just isn't as well recognized as it should be.
AdamIt's, it's weird as well because it's that.
AdamLike The Cottage.
ChrisYeah.
AdamLike on our previous episode, like you pointed out, Lee, you've got that thing of you've got like Andy Nyman representing the.
AdamAnd Danny Dyer representing comedy at that point.
AdamAnd Tim McInnerny in there as like representing the previous generation.
AdamMuch like when we had Stephen O'Donnell and Reece Shearsmith in The Cottage.
AdamAnd they all sort of come about at this same sort of time.
AdamAnd I think even something like, I definitely would include Dog Soldiers in British Horror Comedy.
LeeYes.
LeeYeah, 100%.
AdamYou know, I think there was like the 2000s, like that that sort of had a really good fucking hit of these things.
AdamAnd rightly or wrongly, I think they've all sort of gone a bit by the wayside.
AdamIt's, I mean like Dog Soldiers.
AdamThere's now started getting a a much more higher profile, but then that's because it's like the 25th anniversary or something like that.
AdamSo it's like.
LeeCritically.
AdamOr 20th, sorry, I don't I didn't want to worry you that much.
AdamBut it's yeah, it's like 20th anniversary, I think.
LeeWe're old.
LeeBut.
AdamYeah, I think it's, yeah, I think it was last year.
AdamI think it's 2023.
LeeDog Soldiers would have been a perfect, if we'd done this as a triple bill rather than a, you know, a a two-episode monthly thing.
LeeYeah, Dog Soldiers I think would have been the perfect accompaniment to this.
ChrisYeah.
Lee
LeeYeah, because it's got that same perfect balance, like super gore, good high production values.
LeeReally funny and then you think back of it as.
LeeOh that was funny and horrific, and then when you watch it back, you go, yeah, no, both of those are ramped up to 10.
LeeAnd it's in perfect.
LeeHave you not seen Dog Soldiers, Chris?
ChrisNo.
AdamWe cover.
ChrisWe covered it, yeah.
LeeWe did, yeah, yeah.
ChrisYeah.
LeeThank fuck for that.
ChrisBut but I'm no, but I could totally understand.
ChrisBecause I'm trying to think back to the scenes in it and it's like.
ChrisYeah, no, it's it's become murky.
ChrisI bet if I did watch it again, like this, I'm sure this will have exactly the same thing, I'll remember it as being funny and dark, but it's like watching it again, I'll be blown away just how good it is.
AdamIt's all the Landis and Carpenter fans all suddenly got old enough to make films.
LeeChh.
AdamI think that's what happened.
AdamAnd you get, so you get this stuff that is, it's, because it's in that same sort of thing with American Werewolf.
AdamOf having genuine horror and genuinely funny comedy.
ChrisLike I still can't get my head around American Werewolf being funny.
AdamOn purpose, you know.
ChrisBecause in my head it it was always that terrifying film that I'm almost never going to be old enough to watch.
ChrisBut I'd heard about it for so long.
ChrisIt's like it's so weird when I found out it was funny.
AdamI think most people knew it from the video, the making of Michael Jackson's Thriller.
ChrisYeah, well, yeah.
AdamThat's what they knew of, you know, the bit with, there's a disturbance in Piccadilly Circus with some sort of mad dog.
AdamDavid, all right.
AdamAnd that was the clip they showed to say why John Landis got the kick.
LeeBut it absolutely is, like American Werewolf launched all of these films.
LeeLike being able to perfectly blend that came came from that.
LeeFrom that one film, I think really.
LeeI mean, there was a lot of horror comedies before, but they were mainly, correct me if I'm wrong, Adam, but I feel that before that, a lot of it was comedy based on the monsters or whatever.
AdamYeah.
LeeWhereas, yeah, American Werewolf was a perfect blend of the two.
LeeAnd then all of these films, and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's plagiarism or whatever.
LeeBut like, it's created my favorite genre, if I'm honest, yeah, is the horror comedy where both are, both are equal and fantastically done.
AdamYeah.
LeeYeah, and it's been done so fucking well over the last few decades.
AdamNow, the interesting thing is, and I don't know, did you guys realize, you know who the director of this is?
Lee-
AdamIt's, so it's.
AdamChristopher Smith, who also directed Triangle.
LeeOh.
AdamWhich we obviously fucking love.
LeeHoly shit.
LeeHow did I not know that.
AdamBut also is another film that has sort of doesn't seem to get its due, it's starting to get it, you know, like I said with Dog Soldiers, it's starting to get its due now.
AdamEven though that's like 20 years ago.
LeeCritically.
AdamOr 20th, sorry, I don't I didn't want to worry you that much.
AdamBut it's yeah, it's like 20th anniversary.
AdamI think.
LeeWe're old.
LeeBut.
AdamYeah, I think it's, yeah, I think it was last year.
AdamI think it's 2023.
LeeDog Soldiers would have been a perfect, if we'd done this as a triple bill rather than a, you know, a a two-episode monthly thing.
LeeYeah, Dog Soldiers I think would have been the perfect accompaniment to this.
Lee
LeeYeah, because it's got that same perfect balance, like super gore, good high production values.
LeeReally funny and then you think back of it as.
LeeOh that was funny and horrific, and then when you watch it back, you go, yeah, no, both of those are ramped up to 10.
LeeAnd it's in perfect.
LeeHave you not seen Dog Soldiers, Chris?
ChrisNo.
AdamWe covered.
ChrisWe covered it, yeah.
LeeWe did, yeah, yeah.
ChrisYeah.
LeeThank fuck for that.
ChrisBut but I'm no, but I could totally understand.
ChrisBecause I'm trying to think back to the scenes in it and it's like.
ChrisYeah, no, it's it's become murky.
ChrisI bet if I did watch it again, like this, I'm sure this will have exactly the same thing, I'll remember it as being funny and dark, but it's like watching it again, I'll be blown away just how good it is.
AdamIt's all the Landis and Carpenter fans all suddenly got old enough to make films.
LeeChh.
AdamI think that's what happened.
AdamAnd you get, so you get this stuff that is, it's, because it's in that same sort of thing with American Werewolf.
AdamOf having genuine horror and genuinely funny comedy.
ChrisLike I still can't get my head around American Werewolf being funny.
AdamOn purpose, you know.
ChrisBecause in my head it it was always that terrifying film that I'm almost never going to be old enough to watch.
ChrisBut I'd heard about it for so long.
ChrisIt's like it's so weird when I found out it was funny.
AdamI think most people knew it from the video, the making of Michael Jackson's Thriller.
ChrisYeah, well, yeah.
AdamThat's what they knew of, you know, the bit with, there's a disturbance in Piccadilly Circus with some sort of mad dog.
AdamDavid, all right.
AdamAnd that was the clip they showed to say why John Landis got the kick.
LeeBut it absolutely is, like American Werewolf launched all of these films.
LeeLike being able to perfectly blend that came came from that.
LeeFrom that one film, I think really.
LeeI mean, there was a lot of horror comedies before, but they were mainly, correct me if I'm wrong, Adam, but I feel that before that, a lot of it was comedy based on the monsters or whatever.
AdamYeah.
LeeWhereas, yeah, American Werewolf was a perfect blend of the two.
LeeAnd then all of these films, and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's plagiarism or whatever.
LeeBut like, it's created my favorite genre, if I'm honest, yeah, is the horror comedy where both are, both are equal and fantastically done.
AdamYeah.
LeeYeah, and it's been done so fucking well over the last few decades.
AdamNow, the interesting thing is, and I don't know, did you guys realize, you know who the director of this is?
Lee-
AdamIt's, so it's Christopher Smith, who also directed Triangle.
LeeOh.
AdamWhich we obviously fucking love.
LeeHoly shit.
LeeHow did I not know that.
AdamBut also is another film that has sort of doesn't seem to get its due, it's starting to get it, you know, like I said with Dog Soldiers, it's starting to get its due now.
AdamEven though that's like 20 years ago.
LeeCritically.
AdamOr 20th, sorry, I don't I didn't want to worry you that much.
AdamBut it's yeah, it's like 20th anniversary.
AdamI think.
LeeWe're old.
LeeBut.
AdamYeah, I think it's, yeah, I think it was last year.
AdamI think it's 2023.
LeeDog Soldiers would have been a perfect, if we'd done this as a triple bill rather than a, you know, a a two-episode monthly thing.
LeeYeah, Dog Soldiers I think would have been the perfect accompaniment to this.
Lee
LeeYeah, because it's got that same perfect balance, like super gore, good high production values.
LeeReally funny and then you think back of it as.
LeeOh that was funny and horrific, and then when you watch it back, you go, yeah, no, both of those are ramped up to 10.
LeeAnd it's in perfect.
LeeHave you not seen Dog Soldiers, Chris?
ChrisNo.
AdamWe covered.
ChrisWe covered it, yeah.
LeeWe did, yeah, yeah.
ChrisYeah.
LeeThank fuck for that.
ChrisBut but I'm no, but I could totally understand.
ChrisBecause I'm trying to think back to the scenes in it and it's like.
ChrisYeah, no, it's it's become murky.
ChrisI bet if I did watch it again, like this, I'm sure this will have exactly the same thing, I'll remember it as being funny and dark, but it's like watching it again, I'll be blown away just how good it is.
AdamIt's all the Landis and Carpenter fans all suddenly got old enough to make films.
LeeChh.
AdamI think that's what happened.
AdamAnd you get, so you get this stuff that is, it's, because it's in that same sort of thing with American Werewolf.
AdamOf having genuine horror and genuinely funny comedy.
ChrisLike I still can't get my head around American Werewolf being funny.
AdamOn purpose, you know.
ChrisBecause in my head it it was always that terrifying film that I'm almost never going to be old enough to watch.
ChrisBut I'd heard about it for so long.
ChrisIt's like it's so weird when I found out it was funny.
AdamI think most people knew it from the video, the making of Michael Jackson's Thriller.
ChrisYeah, well, yeah.
AdamThat's what they knew of, you know, the bit with, there's a disturbance in Piccadilly Circus with some sort of mad dog.
AdamDavid, all right.
AdamAnd that was the clip they showed to say why John Landis got the kick.
LeeBut it absolutely is, like American Werewolf launched all of these films.
LeeLike being able to perfectly blend that came came from that.
LeeFrom that one film, I think really.
LeeI mean, there was a lot of horror comedies before, but they were mainly, correct me if I'm wrong, Adam, but I feel that before that, a lot of it was comedy based on the monsters or whatever.
AdamYeah.
LeeWhereas, yeah, American Werewolf was a perfect blend of the two.
LeeAnd then all of these films, and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's plagiarism or whatever.
LeeBut like, it's created my favorite genre, if I'm honest, yeah, is the horror comedy where both are, both are equal and fantastically done.
AdamYeah.
LeeYeah, and it's been done so fucking well over the last few decades.
AdamNow, the interesting thing is, and I don't know, did you guys realize, you know who the director of this is?
Lee-
AdamIt's, so it's.
AdamChristopher Smith, who also directed Triangle.
LeeOh.
AdamWhich we obviously fucking love.
LeeHoly shit.
LeeHow did I not know that.
AdamBut also is another film that has sort of doesn't seem to get its due, it's starting to get it, you know, like I said with Dog Soldiers, it's starting to get its due now.
AdamEven though that's like 20 years ago.
LeeCritically.
AdamOr 20th, sorry, I don't I didn't want to worry you that much.
AdamBut it's yeah, it's like 20th anniversary.
AdamI think.
LeeWe're old.
LeeBut.
AdamYeah, I think it's, yeah, I think it was last year.
AdamI think it's 2023.
LeeDog Soldiers would have been a perfect, if we'd done this as a triple bill rather than a, you know, a a two-episode monthly thing.
LeeYeah, Dog Soldiers I think would have been the perfect accompaniment to this.
Lee
LeeYeah, because it's got that same perfect balance, like super gore, good high production values.
LeeReally funny and then you think back of it as.
LeeOh that was funny and horrific, and then when you watch it back, you go, yeah, no, both of those are ramped up to 10.
LeeAnd it's in perfect.
LeeHave you not seen Dog Soldiers, Chris?
ChrisNo.
AdamWe covered.
ChrisWe covered it, yeah.
LeeWe did, yeah, yeah.
ChrisYeah.
LeeThank fuck for that.
ChrisBut but I'm no, but I could totally understand.
ChrisBecause I'm trying to think back to the scenes in it and it's like.
ChrisYeah, no, it's it's become murky.
ChrisI bet if I did watch it again, like this, I'm sure this will have exactly the same thing, I'll remember it as being funny and dark, but it's like watching it again, I'll be blown away just how good it is.
AdamIt's all the Landis and Carpenter fans all suddenly got old enough to make films.
LeeChh.
AdamI think that's what happened.
AdamAnd you get, so you get this stuff that is, it's, because it's in that same sort of thing with American Werewolf.
AdamOf having genuine horror and genuinely funny comedy.
ChrisLike I still can't get my head around American Werewolf being funny.
AdamOn purpose, you know.
ChrisBecause in my head it it was always that terrifying film that I'm almost never going to be old enough to watch.
ChrisBut I'd heard about it for so long.
ChrisIt's like it's so weird when I found out it was funny.
AdamI think most people knew it from the video, the making of Michael Jackson's Thriller.
ChrisYeah, well, yeah.
AdamThat's what they knew of, you know, the bit with, there's a disturbance in Piccadilly Circus with some sort of mad dog.
AdamDavid, all right.
AdamAnd that was the clip they showed to say why John Landis got the kick.
LeeBut it absolutely is, like American Werewolf launched all of these films.
LeeLike being able to perfectly blend that came came from that.
LeeFrom that one film, I think really.
LeeI mean, there was a lot of horror comedies before, but they were mainly, correct me if I'm wrong, Adam, but I feel that before that, a lot of it was comedy based on the monsters or whatever.
AdamYeah.
LeeWhereas, yeah, American Werewolf was a perfect blend of the two.
LeeAnd then all of these films, and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's plagiarism or whatever.
LeeBut like, it's created my favorite genre, if I'm honest, yeah, is the horror comedy where both are, both are equal and fantastically done.
AdamYeah.
LeeYeah, and it's been done so fucking well over the last few decades.
AdamNow, the interesting thing is, and I don't know, did you guys realize, you know who the director of this is?
Lee-
AdamIt's, so it's.
AdamChristopher Smith, who also directed Triangle.
LeeOh.
AdamWhich we obviously fucking love.
LeeHoly shit.
LeeHow did I not know that.
AdamBut also is another film that has sort of doesn't seem to get its due, it's starting to get it, you know, like I said with Dog Soldiers, it's starting to get its due now.
AdamEven though that's like 20 years ago.
LeeCritically.
AdamOr 20th, sorry, I don't I didn't want to worry you that much.
AdamBut it's yeah, it's like 20th anniversary.
AdamI think.
LeeWe're old.
LeeBut.
AdamYeah, I think it's, yeah, I think it was last year.
AdamI think it's 2023.
LeeDog Soldiers would have been a perfect, if we'd done this as a triple bill rather than a, you know, a a two-episode monthly thing.
LeeYeah, Dog Soldiers I think would have been the perfect accompaniment to this.
Lee
LeeYeah, because it's got that same perfect balance, like super gore, good high production values.
LeeReally funny and then you think back of it as.
LeeOh that was funny and horrific, and then when you watch it back, you go, yeah, no, both of those are ramped up to 10.
LeeAnd it's in perfect.
LeeHave you not seen Dog Soldiers, Chris?
ChrisNo.
AdamWe covered.
ChrisWe covered it, yeah.
LeeWe did, yeah, yeah.
ChrisYeah.
LeeThank fuck for that.
ChrisBut but I'm no, but I could totally understand.
ChrisBecause I'm trying to think back to the scenes in it and it's like.
ChrisYeah, no, it's it's become murky.
ChrisI bet if I did watch it again, like this, I'm sure this will have exactly the same thing, I'll remember it as being funny and dark, but it's like watching it again, I'll be blown away just how good it is.
AdamIt's all the Landis and Carpenter fans all suddenly got old enough to make films.
LeeChh.
AdamI think that's what happened.
AdamAnd you get, so you get this stuff that is, it's, because it's in that same sort of thing with American Werewolf.
AdamOf having genuine horror and genuinely funny comedy.
ChrisLike I still can't get my head around American Werewolf being funny.
AdamOn purpose, you know.
ChrisBecause in my head it it was always that terrifying film that I'm almost never going to be old enough to watch.
ChrisBut I'd heard about it for so long.
ChrisIt's like it's so weird when I found out it was funny.
AdamI think most people knew it from the video, the making of Michael Jackson's Thriller.
ChrisYeah, well, yeah.
AdamThat's what they knew of, you know, the bit with, there's a disturbance in Piccadilly Circus with some sort of mad dog.
AdamDavid, all right.
AdamAnd that was the clip they showed to say why John Landis got the kick.
LeeBut it absolutely is, like American Werewolf launched all of these films.
LeeLike being able to perfectly blend that came came from that.
LeeFrom that one film, I think really.
LeeI mean, there was a lot of horror comedies before, but they were mainly, correct me if I'm wrong, Adam, but I feel that before that, a lot of it was comedy based on the monsters or whatever.
AdamYeah.
LeeWhereas, yeah, American Werewolf was a perfect blend of the two.
LeeAnd then all of these films, and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's plagiarism or whatever.
LeeBut like, it's created my favorite genre, if I'm honest, yeah, is the horror comedy where both are, both are equal and fantastically done.
AdamYeah.
LeeYeah, and it's been done so fucking well over the last few decades.
AdamNow, the interesting thing is, and I don't know, did you guys realize, you know who the director of this is?
Lee-
AdamIt's, so it's.
AdamChristopher Smith, who also directed Triangle.
LeeOh.
AdamWhich we obviously fucking love.
LeeHoly shit.
LeeHow did I not know that.
AdamBut also is another film that has sort of doesn't seem to get its due, it's starting to get it, you know, like I said with Dog Soldiers, it's starting to get its due now.
AdamEven though that's like 20 years ago.
LeeCritically.
AdamOr 20th, sorry, I don't I didn't want to worry you that much.
AdamBut it's yeah, it's like 20th anniversary.
AdamI think.
LeeWe're old.
LeeBut.
AdamYeah, I think it's, yeah, I think it was last year.
AdamI think it's 2023.
LeeDog Soldiers would have been a perfect, if we'd done this as a triple bill rather than a, you know, a a two-episode monthly thing.
LeeYeah, Dog Soldiers I think would have been the perfect accompaniment to this.
Lee
LeeYeah, because it's got that same perfect balance, like super gore, good high production values.
LeeReally funny and then you think back of it as.
LeeOh that was funny and horrific, and then when you watch it back, you go, yeah, no, both of those are ramped up to 10.
LeeAnd it's in perfect.
LeeHave you not seen Dog Soldiers, Chris?
ChrisNo.
AdamWe covered.
ChrisWe covered it, yeah.
LeeWe did, yeah, yeah.
ChrisYeah.
LeeThank fuck for that.
ChrisBut but I'm no, but I could totally understand.
ChrisBecause I'm trying to think back to the scenes in it and it's like.
ChrisYeah, no, it's it's become murky.
ChrisI bet if I did watch it again, like this, I'm sure this will have exactly the same thing, I'll remember it as being funny and dark, but it's like watching it again, I'll be blown away just how good it is.
AdamIt's all the Landis and Carpenter fans all suddenly got old enough to make films.
LeeChh.
AdamI think that's what happened.
AdamAnd you get, so you get this stuff that is, it's, because it's in that same sort of thing with American Werewolf.
AdamOf having genuine horror and genuinely funny comedy.
ChrisLike I still can't get my head around American Werewolf being funny.
AdamOn purpose, you know.
ChrisBecause in my head it it was always that terrifying film that I'm almost never going to be old enough to watch.
ChrisBut I'd heard about it for so long.
ChrisIt's like it's so weird when I found out it was funny.
AdamI think most people knew it from the video, the making of Michael Jackson's Thriller.
ChrisYeah, well, yeah.
AdamThat's what they knew of, you know, the bit with, there's a disturbance in Piccadilly Circus with some sort of mad dog.
AdamDavid, all right.
AdamAnd that was the clip they showed to say why John Landis got the kick.
LeeBut it absolutely is, like American Werewolf launched all of these films.
LeeLike being able to perfectly blend that came came from that.
LeeFrom that one film, I think really.
LeeI mean, there was a lot of horror comedies before, but they were mainly, correct me if I'm wrong, Adam, but I feel that before that, a lot of it was comedy based on the monsters or whatever.
AdamYeah.
LeeWhereas, yeah, American Werewolf was a perfect blend of the two.
LeeAnd then all of these films, and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's plagiarism or whatever.
LeeBut like, it's created my favorite genre, if I'm honest, yeah, is the horror comedy where both are, both are equal and fantastically done.
AdamYeah.
LeeYeah, and it's been done so fucking well over the last few decades.
AdamNow, the interesting thing is, and I don't know, did you guys realize, you know who the director of this is?
Lee-
AdamIt's, so it's.
AdamChristopher Smith, who also directed Triangle.
LeeOh.
AdamWhich we obviously fucking love.
LeeHoly shit.
LeeHow did I not know that.
AdamBut also is another film that has sort of doesn't seem to get its due, it's starting to get it, you know, like I said with Dog Soldiers, it's starting to get its due now.
AdamEven though that's like 20 years ago.
LeeCritically.
AdamOr 20th, sorry, I don't I didn't want to worry you that much.
AdamBut it's yeah, it's like 20th anniversary.
AdamI think.
LeeWe're old.
LeeBut.
