Cinema Shock

The Cinema Shock Christmas Spectacular is here, and we’re unwrapping the film that changed horror forever: BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974). While the world settles in for wholesome holiday classics, we’re exploring the dark, influential "proto-slasher" that walked so Halloween could run. Gary, Justin, and Todd dig into the urban legends that inspired the script, the terrifying vocal techniques used to create "Billy," and the haunting real-l...

We conclude our deep dive into INLAND EMPIRE. We analyze Laura Dern’s powerhouse performance, the themes of identity and transcendence, and the chaotic beauty revealed in the film's stunning 4K restoration.

🎧 Want even more? CinemaShock+ subscribers get access to an extended version of this episode, featuring bonus discussion and exclusive segments. Learn more at cinemashock.net/plus.

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Dive into the unsettling world of INLAND EMPIRE. We explore David Lynch's radical shift to the MiniDV camera, the spontaneous, unscripted production, and the beginning of Laura Dern's journey through Hollywood’s darkest corners.

🎧 Want even more? CinemaShock+ subscribers get access to an extended version of this episode, featuring bonus discussion and exclusive segments. Learn more at cinemashock.net/plus.

CINEMA ...

We pick up our deep dive into MULHOLLAND DRIVE with the film’s surreal final stretch. In this episode, we explore its production, reception, and legacy — and trace how Lynch turned a dead pilot into a dreamlike masterpiece.

🎧 Want even more? CinemaShock+ subscribers get access to an extended version of this episode, featuring bonus discussion and exclusive segments. Learn more at cinemashock.net/plus.

CI...

In the first part of our two-part deep dive into MULHOLLAND DRIVE, we explore how a failed ABC pilot became David Lynch’s most celebrated film. From network rejection to Cannes redemption, we unpack the winding road that led to one of the greatest movies of the 21st century.

🎧 Want even more? CinemaShock+ subscribers get access to an extended version of this episode, featuring bonus discussion and exclusive se...

We continue our story with the making of THE STRAIGHT STORY — from its minimalist, rural production to the film’s warm reception and lasting emotional power.

In this episode, we explore the unique challenges of filming a story with no frills, no flashbacks, and no spectacle — just the quiet weight of a man, a lawnmower, and the open road. We’ll talk about Richard Farnsworth’s final performance, the Oscar...

We begin our deep dive into THE STRAIGHT STORY, David Lynch’s most surprising film — a quiet, heartfelt road movie based on the true story of Alvin Straight.

In this episode, we look at the real-life journey that inspired the film, the creative vision of editor-turned-screenwriter Mary Sweeney, and how Lynch, of all people, became the unlikely director of a G-rated Disney film. We’ll also explore how the...

Our journey through the making of LOST HIGHWAY continues.

With cameras finally rolling, David Lynch and his collaborators pushed deeper into the surreal and the subconscious — crafting a film defined by haunting sound design, elliptical editing, and an atmosphere of pure dread. But the road ahead wasn’t easy.

In this episode, we follow the production through its rocky release and trace how ...

We continue David Lynch: Between Two Worlds with a journey into the nightmarish echo chamber of LOST HIGHWAY — a film that fractures time, identity, and genre into something both terrifying and seductive.

Released in 1997, LOST HIGHWAY marked a turning point for Lynch: a return to darker, more experimental storytelling after TWIN PEAKS and FIRE WALK WITH ME alienated mainstream audiences. With a pulsing ...

In the conclusion of our two-part deep dive into TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME, we trace the turbulent production, Cannes premiere, and long road to reevaluation that has led some to now call it David Lynch’s greatest work.

This episode covers the shoot itself — from on-set tension and cut scenes to the mysterious ‘Missing Pieces’ — as well as the hostile reception the film received upon release and how ...

We’re kicking off our new series, David Lynch: Between Two Worlds, where we explore the dream logic, fractured identities, and spiritual mysteries of Lynch’s later career — beginning with his polarizing Twin Peaks prequel, FIRE WALK WITH ME.

In this first of our two-part deep dive, we explore how Lynch returned to Twin Peaks after its cancellation — and how his original vision for a Twin Peaks movie evol...

Originally released in 2023, we’re re-publishing this episode to celebrate the 50th anniversary of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW — the longest-running continuous theatrical release of all time and one of the most iconic cult films in cinema history.

What began as a fringe stage production in a tiny experimental theater space in London evolved into a global phenomenon — complete with costumes, callbacks, and midnight screenings that...

“Memories are meant to fade. They're designed that way for a reason.”

In the second half of our STRANGE DAYS deep dive, we pick up with the music—both on screen and behind the scenes—that gives the film its pulse. We explore how a soundtrack packed with industrial rock helps build the film’s atmosphere, and how composer Graeme Revell stepped in at the eleventh hour to pull it all together.

Then we dig into the film’s release, its d...

“This is your life. Right here. Right now.”

Before it became one of the most underrated sci-fi films of the 1990s, STRANGE DAYS was just a few scribbles in a notebook. In Part 1 of our deep dive, we trace the film’s journey from James Cameron’s original 1985 concept through its years in development and the real-world chaos that helped inspire Kathryn Bigelow’s vision of a crumbling millennium.

We explore how Cameron and Bigelow col...

They did it again! The boys saw Fantastic Four this weekend and they're giving their Spoiler Free thoughts! (There will be spoilers at the end, but we'll give you a heads up).  Do you like us reviewing new films? Let us know!  We can do this more often if the demand is there.

Want to support the show? Subscribers of CinemaShock+ can enjoy an extended version of this episode, which includes bonus segments and additional c...

In the second half of our deep dive into Mamoru Oshii’s GHOST IN THE SHELL, we pick up with the film’s release and the surprising reception that followed. Despite high expectations, GHOST IN THE SHELL underperformed at the box office, but quickly found a second life on home video, where it became a breakout hit in the West and helped bring anime into the cultural mainstream.

We share our own thoughts on the film, from its unforgett...

For the next film in our Virtual Insanity series, we’re headed to the land of the rising sun to uncover the story behind one of the most iconic animes ever made: Mamoru Oshii’s GHOST IN THE SHELL.

In this episode, we trace the origins of the cyberpunk classic, starting with Masamune Shirow’s original manga and following the career of visionary director Mamoru Oshii up through his groundbreaking work on GHOST IN THE SHELL. We dig in...

We finally did it. The gang got together, including some of YOU, the subscribers, and we saw James Gunn's SUPERMAN! Join us as Justin, Todd and Gary break down their thoughts on this new movie and where we think the DCEU can go from here.  If you like us reviewing new films? Let us know! We're here for you! We can do this more often if the demand is there.

Want to support the show? Subscribers of CinemaShock+ can enjoy an e...

"You could sit at home, and do like absolutely nothing, and your name goes through like 17 computers a day. 1984? Yeah right, man. That's a typo. Orwell is here now. He's livin' large. We have no names, man. No names. We are nameless!"

HACKERS hit theaters in 1995—and mostly flatlined. But before it became a cult phenomenon, it was a risky production that blended cutting-edge visual effects, rave culture aesthetics, and a sincere b...