In honor of Halloween in just a few days - and spurred by our recent NIGHTMARE ON ELMSTREET 2 watch - this week on a halloween-themed bonus episode of THE BIG 4-0 we take a look at the technical final FRIDAY THE 13th film in the original series/timeline, 2002's JASON X, where they actually do the joke and send Jason into space; as well as the following year's FREDDY VS JASON, in which the titular horror icons finally face-off in the long-gestating/clamored-for-by-fans showdown. We also revisit our NIGHTMARE 2 discussion after watching the 2012 documentary SCREAM QUEEN from NIGHTMARE 2 star Mark Patton, and we touch on a bevy of other Halloween-adjacent films including: A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3, SCREAM, SCARY MOVIE, and PREDATOR and PREDATOR 2. We'll be back in 1985 next week, wishing a Happy BIG 4-0 to DEATH WISH 3 and TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA.
This week, just in time for Halloween, we're blowing out 40 BIG ones for A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST. 2: FREDDY'S REVENGE and RE-ANIMATOR. Our buddy Steve, who helped us ring in the original NIGHTMARE's BIG 4-0 last year, joins us again to eat Robert Englund's cake... Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we might be back next week with a bonus episode for Halloween... You'll have to wait and see. Or should we say, "Ghoul hack to bait and screeeeeam"?? No? OK.
This week Ron and Peter fire in a bonus episode with a Craig R. Baxley double feature: 1990's Dolph Lundgren-staring I COME IN PEACE and 1991's badass action opus STONE COLD, which tried to turn former football wunderkind Brian Bosworth into a 1990's action hero; but quintessential '80s/'90s bad guys Lance Henriksen and William Forsythe - and Baxley's action, which does for the 1990's what COMMANDO did for the '80s - easily steal the film from "The Boz". Please remember to Rate, Like, Subscribe, and go in pieces, assholes! We'll be back next week with a Happy BIG 4-0 AND a Happy Halloween with A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2 and RE-ANIMATOR.
It's the return of THE BIG 4-0! We're actually celebrating these birthdays a week early, but it's been three weeks and we missed you guys! So, get ready to blow out 40 big ones for Fred Ward in the would-be Blue Collar Bond or Urban Indiana Jones wannabe franchise-starter, REMO WILLIAMS: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS...; and Corey Haim and Gary Busey in Stephen King's SILVER BULLET. Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe; and so as not to be away so long again, we'll be back next week with a special bonus episode (here's a hint: Craig R. Baxley).
It's an action extravaganza this week on THE BIG 4-0 as Ron and Peter wish an explosive happy 40th birthday to two movies with enough tossed grenades, wasted ammo, and cars exploding on contact for the entire decade - with two of the decades biggest action stars, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chuck Norris - in the '80s action-flick prototypes COMMANDO and INVASION USA. We also throw some birthday cake at Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges in JAGGED EDGE. Please remember to Rate Like, and Subscribe; and we'll be back in two weeks with a Happy BIG 4-0 for REMO WILLIAMS: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS... (spoiler: that's also where his adventure ended) and another Stephen King adaptation, this one staring Gary Busy and Corey Haim, SILVER BULLET!
After last week's break, THE BIG 4-0 returns to wish a happy belated birthday to John Candy's (first) bid to carve out a career as the slapsticky dad in the bumbling vacation comedy SUMMER RENTAL. We also wish an early happy BIG 4-0 to Martin Scorsese's one-night-tapped-in-SoHo surrealist dramady, AFTER HOURS. And, of course, this week's birthday boy is none other than The Koff (as we like to call him) in the omnipresent video-store-shelf slice of 1980s action cheese, AMERICAN NINJA. Ron and Peter also touch on a bevy of other films, including recent releases SINNERS, WEAPONS, NOBDY 2, HAPPY GILMORE 2, and THE NAKED GUN (reboot/legacy sequel), as well as a handful of older films including COUPLES RETREAT, REVENGE, and THE CHASE. Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we'll be back in two weeks with a banger BIG 4-0 birthday line-up: COMMANDO, INVASION USA, and JAGGED EDGE! Happy Labor Day, everybody!
This week on THE BIG 4-0, Ron and Peter bid farewell to a childhood hero of Peter's, Hulk Hogan, as summer of 2025 continues to take a 1980's icon from us on a weekly bases. We also try to figure out if YEAR OF THE DRAGON is funnier than TEEN WOLF and BETTER OFF DEAD, and Ron's daughter Summer pops in halfway through our TEEN WOLF review. Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we may have a week off coming up for the Labor Day holiday - we'll see - but we'll be back next time with a belated happy BIG 4-0 to SUMMER RENTAL, as well as blowing out 40 candles for JAGGED EDGE and AMERICAN NINJA!
This week on THE BIG 4-0, Ron and Peter tackle three movies Peter has never seen before and bid Ozzy Osbourne adieu. Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe; and we'll be back next week with another Michael J. Fox cultural touchstone (at least if you were a kid in 1985), TEEN WOLF, as well as the second John Cusack rom-com of the year, BETTER OFF DEAD, and Mickey Rourke in Michael Cimino's hardboiled YEAR OF THE DRAGON.
This week on THE BIG 4-0, Ron and Peter celebrate 40 years since Pee-Wee Herman went on his BIG ADVENTURE to retrieve his beloved stolen bicycle, vampire Chris Sarandon has to deal with his nosey teenage neighbor in FRIGHT NIGHT, and Anthony Michael Hall and some other guy create smokin' Kelly LeBrock using WEIRD SCIENCE. Oh, and Peter has yet another new opening theme for you all to enjoy! He's like Prince with the musical ideas just pouring out him... Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and you'd be a REAL GENIUS to VOLUNTEER to come back next week for the RETURN OF your favorite podcast (and THE LIVING DEAD).
This week, the Griswolds celebrate another BIG 4-0 and a Disney flop turns 40 as well. We also wish an unfortunate RIP to the excellent Michael Madsen. We're built for birthdays, not funerals... Please remember to rate, like, and subscribe; AND please enjoy our angelic new opening theme!
This week, Ron and peter are celebrating triplet "The" BIG 4-0's. Which one is our favorite of "The" three. Find out now! Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we'll be back next week traveling once again down the Holiday Rooooaaad and we have another young boy with a powerful sword fighting another skeleton-faced bad guy.
Welcome to the THUNDERDOME, 4-0 Heads! This week we celebrate the BIG 4-0's of MAD MAX Cage Match, THE BIG CHILL Goes West, and yet another kids-on-bikes adventure fantasy; Joe Dante's THE EXPLORERS. Rate, Like, Subscribe; and next week, we're dinking some COCA-COLA, missing ONE RED SHOE, and learning a LEGEND...
This week on THE BIG 4-0, Ron and Peter welcome two-timer Steve back to the podcast, as we try to get BACK TO THE FUTURE, give the DEAD their DAY, and set ST. ELMO on FIRE. Please Rate, Like, and Subscribe; and we'll be back next week to EXPLORE BIG 4-0 parties in THUNDERDOME and SILVERADO. You'd be MAD to miss it... MAX.
*nailed it*
This week we celebrate 40 years of Clint not failing to exceed expectations, Schwarzenegger being duped into a cameo the studio tried to stretch into a third Conan movie without actually calling it that, and one Mathilda May. Please Remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we'll be back next week to celebrate the Big 4-0's of the Dead, St. Elmo, and traveling back in time.. to the future.
Happy BIG 4-0 to three scarcely-mentioned 1985 films. Do they deserve more love 40 years later? Find out now! Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we'll be back next week to wish a happy 40th to PALE RIDER, RED SONJA, and LIFEFORCE.
HEY YOU GUYS!!! What up, BIG 4-0 Heads?! This week, 40 years later, is PERFECT perfect? Is THE STUFF the stuff? Do THE GOONIES... goon? Find out now! Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we'll be back next week with three more 1985 films celebrating their BIG 4-0's!
#teamspringsteen.
Happy Memorial Day weekend everybody, and Happy BIG 4-0 to three films that make up a curious holiday weekend/summer-kick-off slate. It was a different time for the official kick-off of the summer movie season 40 years ago. Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and, HEY, YOU GUYS!!!; we'll see you next week!
To win a BIG 4-0 you gotta become the BIG 4-0. But do we get to win this time? Find out as we celebrate 40 years of RAMBO II, RAPPIN', and BREWSTER'S MILLIONS. Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we'll be back next week to wish a shaken and stirred BIG 4-0 to A VIEW TO A KILL, FLETCH, and BRAZIL. Join us for the celebration with a Bloody Mary, a steak sandwich... and a steak sandwich.
Say a happy BIG 4-0 with Ron and Peter to Chuck Norris' first truly good movie(?), Johnny Depp's first theatrical staring role in another tropical sex farce, and the only movie in history (citation needed) with the balls to ask, "What if gymnastics AND karate??". Please Rate, Like, and Subscribe, and we'll be back next week with three more big 1985 releases celebrating their BIG 4-0!
Happy BIG-40 to Burt Reynolds kicking-off his middling bid to become a Bronson/Norris-level 80s action star and pulling double duty as director in the Elmore Leonard adapted potboiler STICK, and Bruce Springsteen's former girlfriend (who knew?!) Joyce Hyser in the gender-swap teen comedy granddaddy JUST ONE OF THE GUYS. Please remember to Rate, Like, and Subscribe; and we'll be back next week with another three-fer: CODE OF SCILENCE, PRIVATE RESORT, and GYMKATA!