Episodes

243
Feb. 17, 2025

Ep 243: Meet Cute, Kill Cute

Have you ever been watching a romantic comedy and thought to yourself – you know what this film needs? A masked killer! That’s the thinking behind “Heart Eyes,” which takes the typical rom-com formula and adds a body count. Tune in to hear us break down all the brutal kills, all the laugh-out-loud moments, and whether this horror comedy was love at first fright or left us broken-hearted.
242
Feb. 10, 2025

Ep 242: “Companion” w/Our New Companion (w/HHT’s new Co-Producer, Paris Mantz)

Happy Horror Time has a new team member! And to formally introduce our new companion to the world, we invited her to discuss “Companion” with us. Tune in as we break down this sci-fi thriller with our new Co-Producer, Paris Mantz — from how it stands out from other robot/AI gone rogue films, to its relevance in today’s world, and how Sophie Thatcher is becoming the new Jenna Ortega.
241
Feb. 3, 2025

Ep 241: Interview w/Mary Beth McAndrews, Director of “Bystanders”

As Editor-in-Chief of Dread Central & Co-Host of the Scarred for Life podcast, Mary Beth McAndrews had already made a name for herself in horror before directing her first film — the new indie revenge thriller, “Bystanders” (currently available on VOD). Tune in to hear why this script had such personal meaning for her, how she approached handling both the sensitive material and the violence, and what’s next for her in horror.
240
Jan. 27, 2025

Ep 240: More Wolf, Man!

As one of the Universal Monsters, the Wolf Man has been portrayed in multiple films over the last 80 years. But none have starred the incredible Julia Garner! 💅 Tune in to hear us break down "Wolf Man" — from its pacing and visuals, to what we wished hadn’t been spoiled in trailers, and whether it reached the bar set by Director Leigh Whannell’s first Universal Monster flick, “The Invisible Man” (2020). You can also WATCH this episode (yep, we're now doing video) on our Happy Horror Time YouTub...
239
Jan. 20, 2025

Ep 239: Interview w/Brooke Bundy from “ANOES 3 & 4”

Horror fans learned what “ándale” meant after watching Brooke Bundy say it to her daughter, Kristen, as Elaine Parker in both “A Nightmare on Elm Street” 3 & 4. But, to be fair, they went over this in therapy! 😂 Tune in to hear all about appearing in these two Freddy sequels, what it was like working with both actresses who played Kristen, and hear more about “Catnip” — the 2025 horror movie Brooke is starring in with her daughter, Tiffany Helm.
238
Jan. 13, 2025

Ep 238: Interview w/Tiffany Helm from “F13 Pt V: A New Beginning”

As Violet, the punk rock teen with the streaked hair in “Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning,” Tiffany Helm literally dances her way to her demise. Tune in to hear all about making this “Jason-less” sequel, the original plan for Violet’s death and how she influenced the way it turned out, and Tiffany teases the upcoming horror movie she’s starring in with her real-life mother, Brooke Bundy.
237
Jan. 6, 2025

Ep 237: Stache-ula

The story of Dracula/Nosferatu is a tale as old as time, and its vampire villain has been interpreted in many different ways throughout 100+ years of existence. Tune in as we sink our teeth into 2024’s “Nosferatu” — from its dreary atmosphere and settings, to the varied performances of its cast, and most importantly, our thoughts on Count Orlok’s ‘70s pornstache.
236
Dec. 30, 2024

Ep 236: Interview w/Sean Clark — YouTuber, Podcaster, and Talent Agent

From hosting Horror’s Hallowed Grounds on YouTube, to co-hosting The Thing With Two Heads podcast, to representing some of the biggest names in horror through his company, Convention All Stars LLC, Sean Clark pretty much does it all when it comes to this genre. Tune in to hear all about his extensive collection of horror props and masks, some of the most exciting filming locations he’s visited for his YouTube channel, and how he got Jamie Lee Curtis to attend her one and only convention.
235
Dec. 23, 2024

Ep 235: There Goes That White Van Again!

You’ve probably been told to avoid creepy men in vans since you were a kid. And these warnings were especially prevalent in the ‘70s, when “The Man in the White Van” takes place. Tune in to hear us break down this thriller — from the scenes that were most effective, to how awful those parents were, and the loose end we wish had been tied up in the finale.
234
Dec. 16, 2024

Ep 234: Chillax, It’s Just Y2K!

Y2K was one of those memorable events for people in our age group (under 30, of course 🤣). But what if it really had triggered an apocalyptic takeover by our CD-ROMs and dial-up modems? That’s what “Y2K” explores in a very comedic yet gory fashion. Tune in to hear us break down all the nostalgia, all the over-the-top silliness, and the one death that actually made us a little emotional. 😢
Dec. 13, 2024

F13 Ep: HHT, Party of 3 (joined by our Producer, Jacob Randall)

We couldn’t let a Friday the 13th go by without releasing a special episode, could we? And this time the gang’s all here, as we’re joined by Happy Horror Time’s Producer and the 3rd member of our team — Jacob Randall — to discuss “Friday the 13th Part 3.” Tune in as we break down every kill, our conflicting thoughts on the final girl, the scenes that make this film stand out, and whether it was worth it or not to bring 3D into this sequel.
233
Dec. 9, 2024

Ep 233: Interview w/Chris Nash, Writer/Director of “In a Violent Nature”

With its grisly kills and unique approach, “In a Violent Nature” quickly became one of the most talked about horror films of 2024. Tune in to hear what inspired Writer/Director, Chris Nash, to tell the story from the POV of the killer, his initial plan for that lake kill and other scenes that changed from script to screen, and Chris even provides a quick update on the upcoming sequel.
232
Dec. 2, 2024

Ep 232: Interview w/Thommy Hutson & Mike Perez, Director/Co-Writer/Producer & Executive Producer of “Doc of Chucky”

Released on Shudder last month, “Doc of Chucky” takes an extensive look at the Child’s Play film franchise, featuring interviews with cast and crew members from all 7 movies. Tune in to hear from Director/Co-Writer/Producer, Thommy Hutson, and Executive Producer, Mike Perez, about what goes into a project of this magnitude, their thoughts on some of the more surprising details revealed in this doc, and the star that just never showed up for their interview.
231
Nov. 25, 2024

Ep 231: Drive Us Outta Here

It’s a storyline we know all too well — a couple on their way home takes a shortcut that leads them to trouble. But “Drive Back” adds a supernatural element to that all-too-familiar plot. Tune in to hear us break down all the twists and turns of this new VOD release, whether it accelerated our heart rates or took us on a road to nowhere, and the one-liner that fueled our laughter.
230
Nov. 18, 2024

Ep 230: 2 Girls, 1 Grant

Two sweet little missionary girls knock on Hugh Grant’s door to tell him more about the Church of Latter Day Saints… what could go wrong? Well, a lot, and it all starts with BLUEBERRY PIE! Tune in to hear us break down “Heretic” — from the impressive performances of its core cast, to where it had us hooked (and where it lost us), and our thoughts on that butterfly of an ending. 🦋
229
Nov. 11, 2024

Ep 229: Interview w/Joe Bandelli & Duane Cooper, Writer/Director/Producer & Star of “Another Cabin in the Woods Movie”

As horror lovers, we’re quite familiar with the cliches surrounding a cabin in the woods film… and the new horror comedy, “Another Cabin in the Woods Movie,” pokes fun at all those familiar tropes. Tune in to hear from Writer/Director/Producer, Joe Bandelli, and Star, Duane Cooper, as we discuss what went into making this film, all the funny commentary and SFX added in post, and of course we had to ask Joe (who Produced all “Hell House LLC” films) for an update on the upcoming “Hell House LLC: L...
228
Nov. 4, 2024

Ep 228: Interview w/Dave McRae & Bruce Dale, Co-Writers/Directors/Producers of “It’s Me, Billy” & “It’s Me, Billy Chapter 2”

A few years ago, Dave McRae and Bruce Dale released “It’s Me, Billy” — an impressive fan film which serves as an unofficial sequel to “Black Christmas” (1974). And just last month, they released “It’s Me, Billy Chapter 2,” bringing back the character of Jess Bradford while featuring original “Black Christmas” star, Lynne Griffin. Tune in to hear all about making both fan films, how Olivia Hussey was initially set to star in “Chapter 2” and why she had to leave the project, and what’s next for th...
227
Oct. 28, 2024

Ep 227: Stop Smiling at Us!

That creepy-a$$ smile is back in a sequel to the supernatural flick that made an ear-to-ear grin something to fear. Tune in to hear us break down “Smile 2” — from how it connected and compared to the original film, to our thoughts on what was reality vs. a hallucination, and of course, that flashy ending and where we think the franchise could go from here.
226
Oct. 21, 2024

Ep 226: The More Gore, The Merrier

The “Terrifier” franchise has done wonders for indie horror, proving that an unrated flick starring a sadistic clown can be successful in theaters. Tune in to hear us break down “Terrifier 3” — from the inventive kills the series has become known for, to how they handled the return of the “final siblings” (Sienna & Jonathan), and whether we liked it more or less than the previous installments. Kickstarter campaign for "Ripped to Shreds" graphic novel (mentioned during this episode): https://www...
225
Oct. 14, 2024

Ep 225: Interview w/Nick Castle from “Halloween” (1978)

Many have donned the Michael Myers mask throughout the “Halloween” franchise, but only one was the original Shape — Nick Castle. Tune in to hear all about playing this iconic villain in John Carpenter’s 1978 classic, the story behind his return to the franchise in Blumhouse’s trilogy, and we even chat a bit about some of his writing and directing credits — “Escape from New York,” “The Last Starfighter” and “Tag: The Assassination Game.”
224
Oct. 7, 2024

Ep 224: Interview w/Jodi Lyn O’Keefe from “Halloween H20,” “Devil in the Flesh 2,” and more

As Sarah in “Halloween H20,” not only did Jodi Lyn O’Keefe get to work with Jamie Lee Curtis in her first return to the series, but she faced Michael Myers in one of the most brutal and memorable scenes of the franchise. Tune in to hear all about making this 20th anniversary sequel, all the ins and outs of filming her iconic demise, and stick around as we touch on some of her other films — from horror flicks like “Devil in the Flesh 2” to the teen rom-com, “She’s All That.”
223
Sept. 30, 2024

Ep 223: More Demi, Please!

“The Substance” explores how far an aging Hollywood star will go to create a younger, hotter version of herself… and how fabulous a full length yellow coat can be. Tune in to hear us break down this body horror flick — from Demi Moore’s fearless performance, to our interpretation of the film’s more obscure scenes, and of course, those batsh*t crazy final 20 minutes. 😲
222
Sept. 23, 2024

Ep 222: Interview w/Parker Brennon & Nancy Loomis, Writer/Director & Star of “Hauntology”

“Hauntology” marks the feature film debut of Writer/Director, Parker Brennon, who cast Nancy Loomis in her first film in over 40 years. Tune in to hear all about making this queer horror anthology, how Nancy got involved, Parker’s approach to writing these diverse characters, and of course Matt asks Nancy several questions about playing Annie in John Carpenter’s “Halloween.” “Hauntology” is now available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
221
Sept. 16, 2024

Ep 221: Till Deetz Do They Part (w/Bix Emert-Hutner, Matt’s nephew)

Matt’s 10-year-old nephew, Bix Emert-Hutner, is a major horror fan like his uncle, so we invited him on the show to revisit a spooky sequel 36 years in the making. Tune in as we break down “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” — from the new characters and plot points we loved, to the ones that may have been overkill. And if you find yourself smiling from ear to ear at Bix’s touching and impressive comments, you weren’t the only one. 😍 If you’d like to check out Bix’s Roblox horror videos and subscribe to ...