As 2020 rolls on we continue to bring new voices onto the
show! This time Troy and I sit down with the amazing Samm Deighan to talk about
the joys of Spanish horror. Miss Deighan is an associate editor of Diabolique
Magazine and co-host of the Daughters of Darkness Podcast. She is also the
editor of Lost Girls: The Phantasmagorical Cinema of Jean Rollin and her book
on Fritz Lang’s M (1931) is a must read for those interested in movie serial
killers. We are very lucky to have her on the show!
While the main subject of this episode is the brilliant and
underseen A BELL FROM HELL (1973) there is no way to be a guest on the
Naschycast without talking a (long) while about the hirsute icon of the genre –
Paul Naschy! That means that at some point chest hair is brought up and
hairpieces are discussed. It cannot be avoided.
Samm comes with a list of her favorite Naschy films and
manages to gives us a fresh perspective on a couple of them. The repressed
Spanish society is a major topic with the country’s rigid genre roles playing into
the ways that these stories are told. A BELL FORM HELL is especially
interesting when examining the skewed power dynamics of the story with the
wheelchair bound aunt exerting her control over the only male in the family. Also,
we dig into the often bizarre 1970’s film attitude toward rape as a plot point
or harmless joke with the women sometimes seeming to long for the act or even
encourage it. Repressive cultures shape psyches into twisted forms! The genre’s
common scenes of animal cruelty get into the mix with Samm’s take on modern sensibilities
bringing some unexpected laughs to Troy and I.
But nothing can prepare you for
the out-of-left-field discussion of Yeti nipples! You’ll just have to listen to
understand. Plus, Troy and Samm briefly talk about their mutual love for the severely
neglected folk horror film EYES OF FIRE (1983) and their wonder that it has yet
to appear on any form of digital media. What is up with that?
If you have any comments or questions the show can be reached
at naschycast@gmail.com or over on
the podcast’s FaceBook page. Thank you for listening!
