Dark Discussions Podcast

A weekly podcast discussing the weekly Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon

Sometimes a movie comes along that refuses to sit neatly in any one box, and COBWEB (2023) is exactly that kid at the genre lunch table — the one stirring their mashed potatoes while whispering, “I’m totally a horror film… probably.” Is it supernatural? Is it psychological? Is it just your imagination tapping politely on the wall at 3 a.m.? No one seems to know, and your co‑hosts certainly don’t pretend to. They’re just along for the ride, clutching their popcorn and questioning their life choices.Rotten Tomatoes offers a synopsis that is equal parts spooky and “should we call someone?”: eight‑year‑old Peter keeps hearing a mysterious tap, tap from inside his bedroom wall, which his parents insist is nothing but his imagination. Naturally, as Peter’s fear grows, he begins to suspect that Mom and Dad — played by Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr — might be hiding a terrible secret. And honestly, for a child, what’s more terrifying than realizing your parents might be the real monsters? Forget ghosts; try explaining that at show‑and‑tell.Directed by Samuel Bodin and written by Chris Thomas Devlin (yes, the same mind behind Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022), the film stars Lizzy Caplan, Cleopatra Coleman, Antony Starr, and young Woody Norman. Critics were split, audiences were slightly kinder, and the box office… well, the box office politely declined, with the movie earning under $8M on a $10M budget. But financial success isn’t everything — sometimes a film is just weird enough, creepy enough, and ambiguous enough to earn a cult following. Your co‑hosts dive into this odd little cinematic riddle and share their thoughts, tapping gently on the walls of the plot to see what answers fall out.

Robert Duvall’s passing marks the end of an era for American cinema. Few actors have carved out a career as rich or as enduring: seven Academy Award nominations, a filmography that spans generations, and a legacy built on performances that helped define some of the greatest films ever made. His body of work stands as a testament to a performer who brought quiet intensity and emotional precision to every role, no matter the scale.While Duvall was not often associated with genre filmmaking, one early entry in his career remains a fascinating outlier: George Lucas’s debut feature, the 1971 stark and enigmatic THX 1138. The film, adapted from Lucas’s student project, unfolds in a sterile 25th‑century dystopia where citizens are known only by alphanumeric codes. Its premise, as summarized by IMDb, follows “a man, THX 1138, and a woman, LUH 3417, [who] rebel against their rigidly controlled society,” setting the stage for a haunting exploration of identity and autonomy.In this minimalist, oppressive world, Duvall delivers a performance that is both fragile and riveting, portraying a man slowly unraveling under the weight of enforced conformity. Joined by Donald Pleasence and guided by a script co‑written by Lucas and sound‑design pioneer Walter Murch, Duvall anchors the film with a quiet desperation that lingers long after the credits roll. As fans and critics reflect on his extraordinary career, revisiting THX 1138 offers a striking reminder of the depth and versatility that made Robert Duvall one of cinema’s most enduring talents.

A weekly podcast discussing each episode of the Netflix television live action series ONE PIECE.

A brand new podcast on the Dark Discussions News Network talking about each episode weekly on the television series MONARCH: A LEGACY OF MONSTERS streaming on Apple+.

Few horror novels have embedded themselves in the public imagination quite like Stephen King’s The Shining. A bestseller upon release and still one of King’s most recognizable works, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood came calling. What no one expected, however, was that the notoriously meticulous Stanley Kubrick would take the reins—and bring Jack Nicholson along for the ride. The result is a film that has since carved out its place in cinema history as one of the genre’s towering achievements.IMDB distills the premise succinctly: “A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter, where a sinister presence influences the father into violence. At the same time, his psychic son sees horrifying forebodings from both the past and the future.” It’s a simple setup, but Kubrick’s execution transformed it into a labyrinth of dread, symbolism, and psychological unraveling that continues to inspire analysis decades later.That enduring fascination was on full display recently when The Shining was pitted against fourteen other contenders in a listener poll on the Dark Discussions Podcast Facebook group. The film emerged victorious, earning the spotlight for the show’s milestone 700th episode. In celebration, the hosts revisit Kubrick’s icy masterpiece—its legacy, its mysteries, and its place not just in horror, but in the broader canon of American filmmaking.