Welcome back to The Rotten Horror Picture Show Podcast, where this week Clay and Amanda set sail for one of the strangest, most influential horror films of the 1930s: Island of Lost Souls, the classic adaptation of H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau. Starring Charles Laughton as the delightfully unsettling Doctor Moreau, the film tells the story of a remote tropical outpost where science has gone horribly, horribly wrong. Human-animal hybrids roam the jungle, strange laws govern the land, and civilization is hanging by the thinnest of threads. Clay and Amanda dig into the film's legacy, its pre-Code weirdness, and why it remains one of the most fascinating monster movies ever made.

Now, before we go any further, I need to address something that's been bothering me. Is it really an island?

Everyone keeps calling it an island. The title says it's an island. The characters say it's an island. But has anyone actually checked? What if it's a peninsula? Has anyone gotten out there with proper surveying equipment? Because if there's even a narrow strip of land connecting it to a larger landmass, then the whole thing falls apart. We'd have to call it Peninsula of Lost Souls, and frankly, that doesn't have the same ring to it.

Think about it. People arrive by boat. That proves nothing. Plenty of people arrive at peninsulas by boat. The Florida Keys get boats all the time. Nobody's calling Miami an island.

Meanwhile, Clay and Amanda are discussing horrifying beast-men, forbidden science, and Charles Laughton chewing scenery like it owes him money, while I'm stuck wondering about coastal geography. Is there a map? Have we seen satellite imagery? I know satellites didn't exist in 1932, but surely someone has checked by now.

Anyway, whether it's an island, a peninsula, or some third category of landform science hasn't discovered yet, Island of Lost Souls remains a horror classic. Join Clay and Amanda as they explore one of cinema's earliest and strangest nightmares.

And if anyone has a topographical survey of Moreau's property, please send it immediately.

And don't forget to head over to patreon.com/thepenskyfile to check out this month's extra-special patreon episode recorded at the Stanley Hotel!

This week on The Rotten Horror Picture Show Podcast, Clay and Amanda are giving listeners a special sample of their Patreon sequel coverage with a deep dive into the gloriously chaotic Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Directed by Joe Dante, this sequel takes everything from the original Gremlins and cranks it to absolute cartoon insanity—mutant gremlins, fourth-wall breaks, satire of corporate America, and enough anarchic energy to short-circuit an entire skyscraper. Clay and Amanda unpack why Gremlins 2 has gone from misunderstood oddity to beloved cult comedy, and how Dante basically used a studio sequel to make fun of studio sequels.

Now, personally? I’ve always felt the Gremlins films could stand to be a little more topical. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a tiny green monster hijacking a cable access show as much as the next person, but where are the gremlins discussing modern infrastructure concerns? Where’s the scene where a gremlin spreads misinformation online? Why hasn’t there been a thoughtful subplot about housing costs? You’re telling me these creatures can genetically splice themselves into bat-gremlins and electricity-gremlins, but none of them has started an inflammatory podcast?

Honestly, the closest Gremlins 2 gets is making fun of media saturation and corporate culture, which, credit where it’s due, was pretty ahead of its time. But I’m just saying: if you’re gonna unleash chaos monsters onto society, maybe let them tackle gig economy burnout or algorithm-driven outrage while they’re at it. Imagine a gremlin testifying before Congress. That’s cinema.

Still, Clay and Amanda make a compelling case that Gremlins 2 works precisely because it’s so unhinged. It’s satire wrapped in slapstick wrapped in creature effects slime, and somehow it all holds together.

So tune in, enjoy the madness, and remember: somewhere out there, there’s probably already a cryptocurrency gremlin.

And be sure to head over to Patreon.com/thepenskyfile to follow Clay and Amanda as they dive into horror franchise sequels, and don't miss out on the special Patreon-only episode recorded at the Stanley Hotel in June!

This week on The Rotten Horror Picture Show Podcast, Clay and Amanda take on Death Becomes Her (1992)—the glossy, macabre comedy from Robert Zemeckis that turns vanity, immortality, and Hollywood rivalry into a deliciously twisted spectacle. Starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis, the film follows two women who discover a magical potion promising eternal youth… with some *very* visible side effects. Clay and Amanda break down the film’s ahead-of-its-time visual effects, its biting satire of beauty culture, and why it’s become such a beloved cult favorite over the years.

Now, I’ll be honest—I don’t really see what all the fuss is about. People losing their minds over staying young forever, spending fortunes on creams, potions, treatments… for what? I’ve been using cans of Krylon spray paint as makeup for *years*, and I look fantastic. Smooth, even coverage. Quick application. A nice, industrial sheen that really catches the light. You ever try “Glossy Almond”? Life-changing.

Sure, sometimes it flakes a little. And yes, once in a while I accidentally match my face to a patio chair. But overall? I’m holding up just fine. No need for some mysterious glowing elixir when I’ve got a perfectly good hardware store solution right in my garage.

So while Clay and Amanda are marveling at eternal youth, crumbling bodies, and necks twisting in ways they absolutely shouldn’t, I’ll be sitting here thinking, “You know, a quick touch-up coat would solve a lot of these problems.” Hole in your side? Spray it. Cracked skin? Spray it. Confidence issues? Definitely spray it.

Anyway, tune in for a lively discussion of Death Becomes Her. And remember: beauty is only skin deep… but a second coat never hurts.

And be sure to head over to Patreon.com/thepenskyfile to follow Clay and Amanda as they dive into horror franchise sequels, and don't miss out on the special Patreon-only episode recorded at the Stanley Hotel in June!