THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951) d. Christian Nyby (USA)
THE THING (1982) d. John Carpenter (USA)
THE THING (2011) d. Matthijs van Heijningen (USA)

Tonight we're discussing Howard Hawks' The Thing from Another World (1951) and John Carpenter's The Thing (1982), two science-fiction horror films that, despite sharing a source in John W. Campbell Jr.'s novella Who Goes There?, reflect very different eras in filmmaking and cultural anxiety and both represent landmark moments in genre cinema.

The 1951 The Thing from Another World, directed by Christian Nyby with producer Howard Hawks leaning heavily over his shoulder, is emblematic of Cold War science fiction. Its screenplay by Charles Lederer and an uncredited Ben Hecht, significantly adapts Campbell's story, transforming it into a brisk, dialogue-driven ensemble piece. The alien is a humanoid, plant-based creature (played by future Gunsmoke star James Arness) that represents the fear of external invasion and ideological contamination prevalent in early-1950s America.

John Carpenter's The Thing (1982), by contrast, reflects a far bleaker worldview. Screenwriter Bill Lancaster returns more faithfully to Campbell's original concept of a shape-shifting alien menace, emphasizing uncertainty and mistrust. Carpenter's film centers on paranoia rather than invasion, with the alien's ability to perfectly imitate its victims turning the threat inward, eroding trust among the characters. The groundbreaking practical effects by Rob Bottin redefined onscreen monster movies, pushing the boundaries of what mainstream audiences could imagine or endure.

Unlike its predecessor, which was immediately hailed as an artistic and commercial success, The Thing was initially reviled by critics and commercially unsuccessful. Thankfully, it has since been reappraised as a masterpiece in the 40+ years since its release.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Fraser Coffeen, Chris Hainsworth, Katie McClean Hainsworth, Kevin Matthews, Ryan Olson) as we explore the genre's evolution from externalized fears to psychological and existential dread and everything in between!
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FRASER COFFEEN is the co-host of Creepy History, a podcast dedicated to all the creepy stuff you wish they taught you in High School. He's been published in Horror Homeroom magazine and How to Analyze and Review Comics

CHRIS HAINSWORTH (he/him/his) is an actor/writer/director represented by Big Mouth Talent Chicago. He is a DeathScribe winner 2009 for the audio drama "Remembrance" and author of The Fourth Wall, part of Motel 666 (2015).

KATIE MCLEAN HAINSWORTH is a Chicago-based performer/writer, whom you can regularly find on both the DARK NEXUS and FAWX & STALLION podcasts. She's happily guested on HORROR 101 a few times as well as on Roll For Impact's THE STRANGER.

KEVIN MATTHEWS posts a movie review daily on the For It Is Man's Number blog, and is one quarter of the Raiders of the Podcast team who have been putting out weekly episodes for over six years. https://linktr.ee/raidersofthepodcast

RYAN OLSON (aka S. Ravenlord of The Cold Beyond music group) is the owner of Deadspeak Design and Night World Records, as well as a member of the Synapse Films street team and a regular on the Synapse Films podcast. His work has been featured in Liquid Cheese, Horrorhound, & Evilspeak Magazines.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS (1976) d. Pupi Avati (Italy)

On tonight's episode, we're talking about Pupi Avati's The House with Laughing Windows (1976), one of the most quietly unsettling films in the history of Italian horror, a slow-burn nightmare that lingers long after its final moments.

Set in the foggy, insular villages of rural Emilia-Romagna, the film follows Stefano, a young restorer hired to repair a disturbing fresco depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. As Stefano settles into the community, he begins to sense that the artwork—and the people surrounding it—are tied to something deeply wrong.

Rather than relying on gore or shocks, Avati builds dread through atmosphere, implication, and an almost suffocating sense of isolation. Sunlit landscapes feel hostile, friendly neighbors seem slightly off, and every unanswered question pulls Stefano further into danger. The film's sound design, muted performances, and methodical pacing create a creeping unease that feels both grounded and nightmarish.

Often compared to the work of Dario Argento yet strikingly different in tone, The House with Laughing Windows stands apart for its realism and restraint. It's a film about curiosity, artistic obsession, and the terror of uncovering truths that were meant to stay buried. Widely regarded as Avati's masterpiece, it remains a haunting example of how subtle horror can be far more devastating than spectacle.

Join AC and his incredible panel of giallo-loving folk (Steve Archacki, Jorge Didaco, Bryan Martinez, Lin Morris, Nathaniel Thompson) as we celebrate 50 years of THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS!
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STEVE ARCHACKI is a connoisseur and collector of all things EuroTrash (especially Italian/Spanish gothic and giallo films and anything Hammer Horror). He also identifies as an avid vinyl soundtrack collector, lapsing metalhead, direct mail marketing guru, and to this day, still harbors perpetual crushes on Rosalba Neri and Dagmar Lassander.

JORGE DIDACO is a Brazil-based teacher on theatre, performance, and film. He contributed the essays for The Innocents for Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies and In a Glass Cage for Hidden Horror.

BRYAN MARTINEZ likes gialli.

LIN MORRIS is a writer who makes his living doing something else entirely. His novels Spot the Not and The Marriage Wars are both available on Amazon. The first movie he recalls seeing is Two on a Guillotine at the Super 99 Drive-In at much too young an age, and he's been a horror fan ever since. Despite the strenuous efforts of his parents, he remains stubbornly left handed.

NATHANIEL THOMPSON has recorded 300 audio commentaries and written five books, most recently The FrightFest Guide to Vampire Movies. You can see him in shows like Eli Roth's History of Horror and Horror's Greatest, and read him yammering about all kinds of movies at mondo-digital.com.
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!

We're breaking down the best horror movies of 2025, from mainstream hits to indie standouts—and arguing about which ones actually deserve the title.

AC joins his Streaming and Screaming co-hosts Chad the Bird ‪‪@ChadTheBird‬ and Lucy Ba'al ‪‪@lucybaal2299‬ as they count down their favorite fright flicks of 2025!

Movies mentioned in this episode:

00:00 Episode Intro
03:40 Final Destinations: Bloodlines
07:55 The Ugly Stepsister
10:26 The Monkey
14:19 28 Years Later
23:38 El Conde
24:34 Bring Her Back
27:54 The Long Walk
33:22 Weapons
37:28 Good Boy
38:49 Sinners
44:57 The Rule of Jenny Pen
47:14 V/H/S/Halloween (part 1)
48:50 Clown in a Cornfield
50:11 V/H/S/Halloween (part 2)
54:06 Companion
54:21 Heart Eyes
55:02 Chad's Honorable Mentions
56:10 Together
57:30 AC's Honorable Mentions
1:00:16 Lucy's Honorable Mentions
1:03:20 Toxic Avenger remake
1:05:09 Deathstalker
1:05:35 Hell of a Summer
1:07:12 Frankenstein (GdT)
1:08:12 Jurassic World: Rebirth
1:08:59 Creep 2 / Creep Tapes / Ash vs. Evil Dead
1:10:05 The Mortuary Collection
1:10:42 That Came Out This Year?
1:14:58 AC's Netflix Catch-up
1:17:11 Final Thoughts

Join ussssssss!!! Let us know YOUR favorite picks from 2025! Looking forward to another year of Sharing the Scare!
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All things Chad the Bird @ChadTheBird https://linktr.ee/ChadtheBird
All things Lucy Ba'al @lucybaal2299 https://linktr.ee/lucy_baal
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Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!