This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by legendary VFX artist, Howard Berger (of KNB Effects), and entertainment journalist, Marshall Julius to talk about their new book, Making Monsters! Then, we get specific and dig into Joe Dante's 1981 werewolf flick, The Howling.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Marshall Julius is a writer, broadcaster, quizmaster and professional Geek who wrote the Vintage Geek ultimate quiz book for geeks!
Howard Berger is a special make-up effects creator & co-founder of KNB EFX. He has worked on over 400 film and television projects. He won an Academy Award for best makeup for his work on the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and an Emmy for his work on The Walking Dead.
Marshall and Howard's new collaborative book, MAKING MONSTERS: INSIDE STORIES FROM THE CREATORS OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST ICONIC CREATURES, is available now!
References:
Day of the Jackal (New series on Peacock)
Dredge (Video game for Nintendo Switch)
Peacemaker season 2 (HBO)
This episode, Kalid and Joe travel the final frontier! Joined by speculative fiction/horror writer, Katherine Silva, the crew chat about the Borg from Star Trek, specifically digging into the season 2 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Q Who,” and the 1996 film, First Contact directed by Jonathan Frakes.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Katherine Silva is horror writer, three-time Maine Literary Award finalist for speculative fiction, and editor-in-chief of Strange Wilds Press. Her latest book, Where the Soul Goes, is available now!
References:
The History of Star Trek's Borg, Explained - CBR
Ghost of Yōtei (video game)
Picture (short film)
SurrealEstate season 3 (SyFy)
Haunted Hotel (Netflix)
Alien: Earth (Hulu)
No, I’m Not Human (video game)
This episode, Kalid and Joe double dip into 2 screen-themed monster flicks! We look at the 2022 internet-meme horror, Grimcutty, and the 2020 film, Come Play, about a lonely monster named Larry.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
References:
Interview: “Grimcutty” Writer/Director John William Ross Discusses the Making and Meaning of His New Hulu Horror Movie - Laughing Place
Larry (short film)
Come Play - Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
Misunderstood Monsters - Sarah Ferber
Come Play: From Short to Feature - YouTube
Come Play: Creating a Family Horror with Jacom Chase - SciFi Now
Monster Molding for Come Play - Befores and Afters
"Come Play" review by an actually autistic person
The English Teacher season 2 (Hulu)
The Sandman season 2 (Netflix)
Revival season 1 (SyFy/Peacock)
Yola - My Way (EP)
This episode, Kalid and Joe get folkloric! We’re joined by writer, podcaster, and all around creative force, Wi-Moto Nyoka, to talk about her upcoming short film (titled, Affordable Housing), while also geeking out about the 2020 French-language supernatural slasher, Kandisha, inspired by Moroccan folklore. Kandisha is directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Wi-Moto Nyoka is an AfroMexicana horror & sci-fi writer. She is an Ignyte Award Winner for her podcast Black Women Are Scary and the founder of Dusky Projects, producing genre projects for young adult and adult audiences. Her next published work, "And Then I Wake Up", can be found in Latin American Shared Stories from Flame Tree Publishing, available this spooky season. Check out Dusky Projects on Patreon for the exclusive film that goes with it!
References:
Kandisha Review - Paste Magazine
Aisha Qandicha - Wikipedia
Under the Hoof of the Merciless Kandisha - The Austin Chronicle
“Kandisha” Interview with co-directors and co-writers Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury - FlimCraziest
‘Kandisha’: A Feminist Slasher? - Dread Central (from Wi-Moto Nyoka)
Death Match (Shudder)
The Thicket (Tubi)
This episode, Kalid and Joe spare no expense in digging deep into the world of dinosaurs through the lens of Steven Spielberg with the original Jurassic Park!
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Grant Leitbrouck is a fellow geek and graphic designer who has been a longtime friend of the podcast and friend of ours as well.
Wife of the podcast and real-life scientist, Nicole Praska, is our recurring ‘ghost host’ who always brings a new perspective to our topics. She currently co-hosts the semi-regular Star Trek podcast, Deep Space Love!
References:
The Genetic Reality of a Jurassic World - Biomedical Odyssey, Johns Hopkins University
Jurassic Park’s Unlikely Symbiosis With Real-World Science - Smithsonian Magazine
Sci-fi and Jurassic Park have driven research, scientists say - The Guardian
Jack Horner - Wikipedia
Kaos (on Netflix)
Spiritfarer (Nintendo Switch)
This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by director and writer, Shal Ngo, to talk about his recent horror film, Control Freak, currently on Hulu!
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Shal Ngo is a writer, director, editor and animator. His work spans commercials, documentaries, and narrative films. Find more about Shal's work on his website here!
References:
A conversation with Cinematographer Scott Siracusano on horror-feature film Control Freak - Cooke Optics
Control Freak’s Sanshi Monster, Explained: What Did The Folklore Ghost Symbolize? - DMT
Weapons (2025)
Strange Darling (2024)
Talk to Me (2022)
Secret Sunshine (2007)
This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by science-fiction writer, Adam Marek to "release the kraken!" Or, rather, discuss the 1981 Greek fantasy flick, Clash of the Titans and all the classic Ray Harryhausen creatures that come with it!
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Adam Marek is a teacher and speculative fiction writer, focusing on the intersection between the futuristic and fantastical. His most recent short story collection, The Universe Delivers the Enemy You Need, is currently out now from Comma Press.
References:
How Accurate Were the Myths in ‘Clash of the Titans’? - Film School Rejects
Tyler, the Creator - DON'T TAP THE CLASS
Freaky Tales (2024)
Superman (2025)
The Antidote by Karen Russell
This episode, Kalid and Joe dig into a Hayao Miyazaki classic, one of his earliest films: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind from 1984, based on the manga of the same name.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
References:
Ohmu - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind wiki
Mermaid Saga (manga series) by Rumiko Takahashi
A Knight's War (currently on Prime)
This episode, Kalid and Joe dig into the 2022 cosmic cryptozoological horror flick, The Mothman Prophecies, from director Mark Pellington!
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
References:
How real is 'The Mothman Prophecies'? - Entertainment Weekly
Couples See Man-Sized Bird...Creature...Something - Point Pleasant Register
‘The Mothman Prophecies’ – Cosmic Cryptozoology Horror Movie Is Still Thrilling 20 Years Later - Bloody Disgusting
Foundation season 2 on Apple+
Humble as the Sun by Bob Villian (album)
The Hollows by Daniel Church (book)
Morning View re-release by Incubus
Without Kalid, Joe takes on solo hosting duties and is joined by author, translator and speaker Xueting C. Ni to talk Chinese genre fiction and the myths, legends and creatures behind the 1987 film, A Chinese Ghost Story (directed by Ching Siu-tung) and its subsequent sequels and remakes, including the more recent The Enchanting Phantom.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Xueting C. Ni is a writer, speaker and translator with a focus on promoting and discussing Chinese culture. She has has written for a myriad of publications and has written non-fiction books on Chinese Myths as well as collected and translated collections of Chinese science fiction & horror stories. Find links to her work on her website here!
References:
Sinopticon: A Celebration of Chinese Science Fiction
From Kuan Yin to Chairman Mao: an Essential Guide to Chinese Deities
Sinophagia: A Celebration of Chinese Horror
Bound (1996 film)
The Sleepless by Nuzo Onoh
Kill My Sins (Chinese drama series)
This episode, Kalid and Joe hop into the world of magic, illusions and Clive Barker! We're chatting about the 1995 horror flick, Lord of Illusions!
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
References:
This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by actor and writer Dominic Burgess to follow up our 2022 conversation on Gremlins , with new conversation on Gremlins 2: The New Batch!
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Dominic Burgess is an actor, writer, cat-lover and fan of all kinds of awesome geeky things. He's been featured in numerous projects such as SyFy's The Magicians, Star Trek: Picard, The Good Place, Feud: Bette & Joan, Dr. Death, Our Flag Means Death, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and Palm Royale. You can follow Dominic on Instagram @domincburgess1.
References:
Gremlins 2: Looking back at the gloriously meta sequel - SciFi Now
Rebel Scum Con (Dallas)
MindsEye (video game)
Andre 3000 - 7 Piano Sketches
Dark Winds (AMC)
Andor Season 2
Lego - Shire Hobbit Set
This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by audiobook narrator, voice actor and author Shiromi Arserio to dig into Jim Henson’s 1986 classic, Labyrinth.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Shiromi Arserio is an award-winning audiobook narrator, voice actor and author. At this point, she has narrated nearly 300 audiobooks. She is particularly known as an 'accent chameleon' in her work. She has just written her first novel, a fantasy story titled The Order of Grimm with a sequel on the way. Follow Shiromi on Instagram @Shiromi.arserio and be sure to visit her website to stay up to date on all her works
References:
The Afterparty (Apple TV +)
Sestia: The Five Queendoms, Book 3 (audiobook narrated by Shiromi Arserio)
This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by our very own artist & fellow geek, Jim Tandberg, to dive into the seminal 80s anime classic, Akira.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Jim Tandberg is a local Twin Cities artist, resident artist for this podcast, and a geek at heart. He counts himself as a member of countless fandoms, but often gravitates towards comics, manga, anime, model building and Dungeons & Dragons. You can see his latest art pieces here. Follow Jim on Instagram @Jimstagram2.
References:
Documentary The Encampments
Free Geek Twin Cities Is Reducing Waste and Bringing Tech to Communities in Need - Twin Cities Geek
The Order of the Grimm by Shiromi Arserio
This episode, Kalid and Joe dive into Scott Derrickson's 2025 film, The Gorge, now streaming on Apple TV+ !
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
References:
PAID IN MEMORIES from Jessie Reyaz
The Sea Beast (2022) on Netflix
This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by regular guest host, Nicole Praska, as well as comedian/actor, Andy Assaf, who played Cravensworth's Monster on the final season of What We Do in the Shadows! We all chat about Andy's role in the series as well as all the macabre and monster-y fun the show has brought us over the years.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guests:
Andy Assaf is an improviser, sketch comedian, actor and filmmaker from Montreal. He’s performed with The Montreal Improv Theatre and Second City and tours with his improv duo, Frank Mythic. Most recently, he was on the final season of What We Do in the Shadows as Cravensworth’s Monster. Find him on Instagram @sweetandysour.
Wife of the podcast and real-life scientist, Nicole Praska, is our recurring ‘ghost host’ who always brings a new perspective to our topics. She currently co-hosts the semi-regular Star Trek podcast, Deep Space Love!
References:
Paradise (Hulu)
David Tennant Does a Podcast with...
A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay, narrated by Georgia Tennant & Kyle Soller
Common Side Effects
This episode, Kalid and Joe take a trip back to 1985 to dive into Tobe Hooper’s 1985 cult-classic, Lifeforce!
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
References:
Mo (on Netflix)
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Deep Space Love podcast
This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by editor, movie-buff and friend of the podcast, Erik Kollasch, to chat about James Gunn’s 2006 directorial debut, Slither!
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
Featured Guest:
Erik Kollasch is an editor and cinephile based out of Los Angeles, CA. He is currently working on editing the feature-length documentary about the Sri Lankan born musician/artist, Jay Princce, called “Where I'm From,” You can follow Erik on Instagram @ekollasch.
References:
'Slither': Meet the CG Parasites - AWN
Practical-ly Perfect: Celebrating Todd Masters’ Ambitious Special Effects in SLITHER (2006) - Daily Dead
Ink & Pixel: Slither - JoBlo
This episode, Kalid and Joe are celebrating the life of visionary filmmaker, David Lynch! We specifically dig into his debut film, Eraserhead, and its deformed infant creature affectionately known as Spike.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!
References:
Eraserhead: 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About David Lynch's Surreal Masterpiece - Screnrant
More Than David’s Daughter: An Interview with Jennifer Lynch - Vice
I See Myself: Eraserhead - Criterion (excerpt from Chris Rodley’s book Lynch on Lynch)
Nemahsis (Palestinian/Canadian singer/songwriter)
A Cheetah Hunting in Slow Motion - Chloe George
PTSD Radio By Masaaki Nakayama
Kalid and Joe are back after a bit of a break! We're coming back hot and finally taking the time to do a deep dive into the creature that started it all for us. Joined by comedian & historian, Dawn Brodey, the crew chat about Frankenstein's Monster! Specfically, we talk about Mary Shelley's novel, the 1931 Universal film, Frankenstein, directed by James Whale, and the 1994 adaptation, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, from Kenneth Branagh.
*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music here, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work here!
*Shoutout to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!
*Thank you to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth & Joe Mischo!
Support us on Patreon!
Featured Guests:
Dawn Brodey is a writer, historian and comedian. She previously worked as an expert on Mary Shelley at the Bakken Museum in Minneapolis. Now, she lives in Los Angles, where she writes for TV, does stand-up comedy, improvises for Universal Studios, and hosts the HILF (History I'd Like to F*ck) podcast
References:
Making Up Universal's Frankenstein - Monsters of Makeup
Branagh: Playing It Big and Wide in 'Frankenstein'
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson
Mirror Life discussion on Science Friday
Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons by George Pendle
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