Episodes
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Happy Holidays! On this final episode of 2023 I'm joined by Aubrey Curtis and frequent guest John Ferrer to talk about one of our favorite films of the year, Wes Anderson's Asteroid City.
We touch on Anderson’s oft-misunderstood ouvre and continuing influence, navigate the film’s labyrinthine meta-commentary on the creative process, marvel at the ridiculously stacked cast, enjoy alien-themed hoedowns, and much more!
Sunday Nov 12, 2023
Sunday Nov 12, 2023
(Note: this is a “rerun” of a previous episode. For some reason a few podcast platforms won’t display the first couple episodes so I am re-uploading them again for newer listeners.)
Our movie this week is the 1995 made-for-television film Visitors of the Night. Directed by Jorge Montesi, it stars Markie Post and Candace Cameron. Joining me to discuss this shockingly-not-a-Lifetime-movie offering is the ever-delightful Mandee from the podcast Fake Movies.
Sunday Nov 12, 2023
RERUN: I’m Cookin’ - Communion (1989) w/Erik Thybony
Sunday Nov 12, 2023
Sunday Nov 12, 2023
(Note: this is a “rerun” of a previous episode. For some reason a few podcast platforms won’t display the first couple episodes so I am re-uploading them again for newer listeners.)
Welcome to Saucer Cinema, the podcast about UFOs, aliens, and otherworldly phenomena in film, tv, and other media.
For this inaugural episode I am joined by Erik Thybony of the podcast Illogical Contraption: Nights After Dark to discuss the 1989 film adaptation of Whitley Strieber’s alien abduction classic Communion, directed by Philippe Mora and starring Christopher Walken.
We go into the allegedly true story behind the book and movie, speculate about the interior design tastes of extraterrestrials, and marvel at Christopher Walken’s performance which, like Strieber’s alien visitors, has to be seen to be believed.
Enjoy!
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Death Pancakes - Without Warning (1980) w/Bryan White
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Happy Halloween! For this episode I am joined by Bryan White from the podcast Bring Me The Axe to talk about the 1980 sci-fi slasher flick Without Warning. We discuss the film's claim to fame as a precursor to 1987's Predator, the veritable rogues gallery of crusty character actors playing demented coots (Jack Palance, Martin Landau, Cameron Mitchell), b-movie gore, flying death pancakes and much, much more!
Sunday Sep 17, 2023
Drain Man - Super Mario Bros. (1993) w/John Ferrer
Sunday Sep 17, 2023
Sunday Sep 17, 2023
It’s another super-sized episode this week! Veteran guest John Ferrer returns to talk about inter-dimensional high jinks, sentient fungi, dinosaur people and more in 1993’s video game adaptation Super Mario Bros.
We also delve into the film’s unusual development and chaotic production as well a strange and somewhat tenuous connection to UFO lore (hey, we have to justify covering this one somehow!!)
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
The Kattanaissance - Nope (2022) w/Eleanor Russell
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
We're back with a nice, long meaty episode! Eleanor Russell returns to talk about a film that embodies the Saucer Cinema ethos more than any other in recent memory: Jordan Peele's 2022 sci-fi/horror/satire Nope. We go into the film's examination of spectacle, showbiz history, and exploitation, its creative take on UFO mythology and iconography, and much, much more!
Sunday Mar 26, 2023
Bat Boy’s Sweet Face - UFOria (1985) w/Jody Beth LaFosse
Sunday Mar 26, 2023
Sunday Mar 26, 2023
For this episode I'm joined by writer Jody Beth LaFosse to talk about John Binder's charming 1985 comedy UFOria, starring Cindy Williams, Fred Ward, and Harry Dean Stanton.
We discuss the film's struggle to find a proper release, its subsequent rediscovery and championing by critics, the stacked all-star country western soundtrack that contributed to the film being unavailable on home video, the allure of the desert for filmmakers and would-be prophets alike, the American fusion of entertainment and religion, and more!
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Piece of Space Cake - Alien Intruder (1993) w/John Ferrer
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Monday Feb 27, 2023
Season 2 of Saucer Cinema begins now! Veteran guest John Ferrer returns to talk about the 1993 straight-to-video sci-fi thriller Alien Intruder, directed by Ricardo Jacques Gale and starring Billy Dee Willams and Tracy Scoggins.
Virtual reality, laser jail, alien trickster babes, lunkheaded space cons, a surprising connection to a beloved 90's CBS family drama...there's lots to unpack here!
We also take a deep dive into the wild filmography of PM Entertainment Group, the production company behind the film.
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Knowledge-ology - Hangar 18 (1980) w/Jen Albright
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Saucer Cinema’s Special Robert Vaughn Correspondent Jen Albright (of the podcast Have You Seen This?) returns once again to discuss the lethargic 1980 UFO cover-up thriller Hangar 18, directed by James L. Conway and starring Darren McGavin, Robert Vaughn, and Gary Collins.
We touch upon the UFO lore that (loosely) inspired the movie, contemplate Darren McGavin’s eyebrows, explore alternate endings, appreciate alien font design and creepy robot voices, vibe with unexpectedly gnarly gore scenes, and more!
(Note: somehow the Megadeth classic “Hangar 18” and its memorable video did not come up in conversation, which I consider a grave oversight on my part. I apologize and promise to do better in the future.)
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Freak 4 Frakes - Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction? (1995) w/Bitter Karella and Woosl
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Saucer Cinema veteran (and recent Hugo Award nominee) Bitter Karella and newbie guest Woosl join me to dissect the infamous 1995 Fox TV special Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction?, directed by Tom McGough and hosted by everybody's favorite Number One, Jonathan Frakes.
We talk about the special’s dubious origins, media hoaxes and credulity, hugging celebrities, Klingon/goth kid encounters, unexpected trading card crossovers, Poppin' Fresh the Pilsbury Doughboy, and more!
Friday Jun 24, 2022
Aliens To Some, Demons To Others - Signs (2002) w/Parker Bowman
Friday Jun 24, 2022
Friday Jun 24, 2022
Put on your tinfoil hats and swing away! Parker Bowman of the long-running podcast Junk Food Dinner joins me to talk about M. Night Shyamalan’s 2002 blockbuster Signs starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix.
We discuss the fascinating-if-checkered career trajectories of the movie’s director and controversial star, the power of quiet and minimalism in building suspense, aliens as metaphorical (and possibly literal) demons, downloading pre-release bootlegs in the early days of internet file sharing, and much, much more!
Thursday Jun 02, 2022
Contact High - Liquid Sky (1982) w/André Callot
Thursday Jun 02, 2022
Thursday Jun 02, 2022
Sex! Drugs! Fashion! Alienation! More drugs! Tiny UFOS! This week's movie is the cult classic Liquid Sky from 1982, starring Anne Carlisle and directed by Slava Tsukerman. Joining me to talk about the film is André Callot, a professor of Film and Digital Media Arts at the University of New Mexico.
Friday Feb 11, 2022
Taco Circus - Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988) w/J.W. Friedman
Friday Feb 11, 2022
Friday Feb 11, 2022
This week I am joined by J.W. Friedman of the podcast I Don't Even Own A Television to talk about the Chiodo Brothers' cult classic 1988 sci-fi horror-comedy Killer Klowns From Outer Space.
We discuss childhood fears, B-Movie ingenuity, the persistence of clown-related horror, Ancient Clown Astronauts, Juggalo journalists, the Nickelodeon-to-delinquent pipeline, and much, much more!
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
ABBA-ducted - Fire In The Sky (1993) w/Erik Thybony
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
Erik Thybony of the podcast Illogical Contraption: Nights After Dark returns to discuss the 1993 alien abduction drama Fire in the Sky, directed by Robert Lieberman.
We compare and contrast the film's harrowing depiction of Travis Walton's purported 1975 UFO abduction with Walton's own account of the incident, catch up with recent controversies, contemplate being healed by Swedish pop gods, and discover President Joe Biden's sinister secret.
Plus: Erik recounts his tour of the alleged Walton abduction site in the mountains of Arizona.
Friday Jan 21, 2022
Death By Cola - The Tommyknockers (1993) w/Mandee of Fake Movies Podcast
Friday Jan 21, 2022
Friday Jan 21, 2022
Saucer Cinema ushers in the new year with a look at the 1993 TV miniseries adaption of Stephen King's The Tommyknockers, directed by John Power and starring Jimmy Smits and Marg Helgenberger.
Mandee from Fake Movies Podcast returns to talk about magic typewriters, lipstick laser guns, deadly dolls, killer soda machines and other (literal) plot devices in this not-so-subtle sci-fi addiction allegory.
Wednesday Dec 22, 2021
My Least Favorite Martian - The Christmas Martian (1971) w/John Ferrer
Wednesday Dec 22, 2021
Wednesday Dec 22, 2021
Captain Christmas himself, John Ferrer returns to the pod to discuss a truly uh, "unique" piece of children's entertainment: 1971's The Christmas Martian, directed by Bernard Gosselin.
To quote a writer known for Christmas cheer:
"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age."
Happy Holidays!
Monday Dec 13, 2021
Hot Takes - The Arrival (1996) w/Grimm
Monday Dec 13, 2021
Monday Dec 13, 2021
For this episode I am joined by Grimm to chat about the underrated 1996 thriller The Arrival, directed by David Twohy and starring Charlie Sheen.
Among the topics discussed: the timeliness of the film’s commentary on climate change, its relationship to another Twohy-associated project (1995’s Waterworld), just how surprisingly well the visual effects hold up, the strange resemblance of the film’s aliens to a certain deceased politician, and more!
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Nature Is Metal - Lifeforce (1985) w/Jen Albright & Bitter Karella Part Two
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
The space vampire mayhem continues with Part Two of our episode on Lifeforce (1985) featuring Jen Albright of Have You Seen This? and Bitter Karella
Masochistic nurses, melting starship captains, cannibal sharks-there's something for everyone here!
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Friday Nov 05, 2021
In this special two-part (belated) Halloween event episode, Jen Albright of Have You Seen This? and Bitter Karella return to rap about Tobe Hooper's wild 1985 sci-fi/horror epic Lifeforce.
We examine the film's depiction of British mores and sexual repression, delve into the fascinating career of British polymath Colin Wilson (author of the film's 1976 source novel, The Space Vampires), talk British comedy and horror cinema, and dissect the British media's penchant for transphobia. All in all, a lot of talk about and making fun of the British in this episode!
Plus: space tiddies.
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Some A**hole From Outer Space - I Come In Peace (1990) w/John Ferrer
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Christmas comes early this year as I am joined by John Ferrer, curator of the annual festival of bizarre Yuletide entertainment McArathon, to discuss 1990's I Come In Peace (aka Dark Angel), directed by Craig R. Baxley and starring Dolph Lundgren and Brian Benben.
We talk about the use of compact discs as alien death weapons, yuppie drug gangs, jittery scientists, cop movie clichés, the oh-so-brief moment when Brian Benben was at the heart of the zeitgeist, and much more!
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Stretching the Goop - Venom (2018) w/Eleanor Russell
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Friday Oct 01, 2021
In today's episode Eleanor Russell joins me to talk about Ruben Fleischer's 2018 comic book adaptation Venom. We discuss Tom Hardy's indelible performance as the titular extraterrestrial antihero, why Eddie Brock is a neurodivergent icon, the symbiote as a metaphor for ADHD, cooling off in lobster tanks, getting in touch with our goopy shadow selves, and our favorite parts of Seal's 90s classic "Kiss From A Rose".
Note/disclaimer: the audio quality of this episode is a bit uneven due to some technical issues on my end. Blame the chaotic symbiote energy from the movie 🤪
Friday Sep 10, 2021
Saucer Interruptus - Starship Invasions (1977) w/Jen Albright
Friday Sep 10, 2021
Friday Sep 10, 2021
Jen Albright of Have You Seen This? returns to talk about the 1977 Canadian sci-fi flick Starship Invasions, directed by Ed Hunt and starring Christopher Lee and Robert Vaughn.
We explore the film's fascinating blend of (allegedly) real-life UFO lore and B-movie silliness, the strange use of suicide as a plot device, alien food pills, gender roles, the general awesomeness of Sir Christopher Lee, and more!
PLUS: an "explosive" surprise cameo
Friday Aug 06, 2021
Tubi or Not Tubi - Voyage of the Rock Aliens (1984) w/Chaki
Friday Aug 06, 2021
Friday Aug 06, 2021
Guitar spaceships! Extraterrestrial new wave bands! Teenage rockabilly gangs! Escaped madmen! Sea monsters! Awkwardly shoehorned Jermaine Jackson videos! The 1984 sci-fi rock n’ roll musical Voyage of the Rock Aliens has it all, and joining me to chat about it for this special bonus episode is LA-based funk wizard Chaki.
Along the way we delve into the film’s fun-but-uneven soundtrack, dish out spicy takes on celebrities, and explain how the 80s were all about Devo and phone booths.
RIP Dusty Hill of ZZ Top
Monday Aug 02, 2021
Hybrid Moments - Intruders (1992) w/Chris Corry
Monday Aug 02, 2021
Monday Aug 02, 2021
This week fellow UFO lifer and musician Chris Corry of Vintage UFOs joins me to talk about the 1992 television miniseries Intruders, based on the book of the same name by Budd Hopkins.
We discuss how Intruders influenced subsequent portrayals of alien abductions, cast a hypothetical Netflix-era remake, look into the alleged properties of alien implants, and more!
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
Mmmonolith - 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) w/Mark Slutsky
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
This week I open the pod bay doors for writer and filmmaker Mark Slutsky to discuss Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. We talk about the film’s enduring influence, the surprising role played by food and eating in it, humanoid versus non-humanoid aliens, and more!