Category Archives: horror

Robert Stark talks to Director Richard Wolstencroft about The New Twin Peaks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark, co-host Pilleater, J.G. Michael, and Count Isidor Fosco are joined with filmmaker Richard Wolstencroft live from the Black Lodge to talk about the new Twin Peaks series and how it compares to the original.

Topics:

Intro: The Northern Lights – Falling (feat. Lucy Black)
The Black Lodge and it’s theological and occult symbolism
The 80’s quality of the original Twin Peaks, the 50’s nostalgia theme, and David Lynch’s interest in fusing genres
Lynch’s emphasis on visual aesthetics in his films
How Twin Peaks was inspired by the Film Noire Laura (1944)
How the new series makes references to other Lynch films such as Blue Velvet
Contrasting the portrayal of the town Twin Peaks in the new series to the original; Richard’s visit to the town of North Bend, Washington where the show is filmed
Lynch’s portrayal of small towns; the idealism of small towns vs. the critique that there is a dark underbelly to small town America
Demonic possession vs. symbolism of the monster within
Cooper’s Doppelgänger, Agent Cooper becoming Dougie Jones who has lost his memory, and whether he will come back
The theme of powerful entities trying too tap into the Black Lodge and how that will become the main narrative
The theme of “Sex Magic”
The film Mulholland Drive and how it was originally intended to be a sequel to Twin Peaks about Audrey Horne
Lynch’s political views and his interest in Transcendental Meditation
How Twin Peaks touches on a variety of themes including culture, politics, the subconscious, sex, psychology, philosophy, mythology, and religion
Kyle MacLachlan and David Lynch as FBI Agents
The prediction that Cooper will return to Twin Peaks and end up in the White Lodge at the end
The role of the side characters in the new series such as Dr. Jacoby, Ben Horne, and Shelly

Click Here to download!
Check Out Robert Stark’s Paintings!




Robert Stark talks to Jay Dyer about Esoteric Twin Peaks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and co-host Pilleater talk to Jay Dyer about the Esoteric Symbolism behind David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and the new series on Showtime. Jay writes film reviews at Jay’s Analysis and is the author of Jay Dyer’s Esoteric Hollywood

Topics:

Intro Song: The Northern Lights – Falling (feat. Lucy Black)
‎Jay’s article An Esoteric Guide to Twin Peaks
The New Twin Peaks series and how it compares to the original
The prequel film Fire Walk With Me (1992) which reveals the murder mystery aspect of the plot
Twin Peaks’ transition from a Soap Opera parody to a Dark Comedy and then a Surreal Horror
David Lynch’s success in giving clues and keeping the audience in mystery and suspense
Film Noire, the 1950’s theme, and David Lynch’s interest in fusing eras and genres
Themes of dreams and the subconscious
Surrealist influences and David Lynch’s documentary Surrealist Cinema
The role of organized crime in the series
Themes of Conspiracy Theories and the Deep State
Co-creator Mark Frost’s book The Secret History of Twin Peaks
Themes of Occultism
References to Tibetan Buddhism and Native America Mythology
Super Natural Themes; The evil and benign spirits and Killer Bob’s possession of people’s bodies to commit murder
The Black Lodge, the White Lodge, and Glastonbury Grove which is the portal
The aesthetics and symbolism of the “Red Room” and whether it is the Black Lodge or a portal between the worlds
Cooper’s evil version(doppelgänger); Cooper’s escape from the Black Lodge in the new series
How the series is more about Agent Dale Cooper’s journey to the Black Loge then the murder mystery of Laura Palmer
Jay’s expectations for the new series


Click Here to download!
This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings!




Robert Stark interviews Publisher Josh Dale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and co-host Pilleater talk to publisher Josh Dale. Josh Dale runs Thirty West Publishing House and has a BA in English from Temple University.

Topics:

Josh’s background including being an associate editor and contributor to Temple’s Hyphen Literary Magazine and experience with a vanity publisher on Instagram
Temple University in Philadelphia; Science Fiction writer Samuel R. Delany
The process of setting up Thirty West Publishing
The overall themes and criteria of Thirty West
Josh’s interest in work that is introspective and inspired by the inner workings of the mind
The designs of Thirty West’s books
Authors published including Thom Young
Josh’s collection of poetry Duality Lies Beneath
The themes of the poems ranging from random imagination, observations, critiques of society, and personal idiosyncrasies
The book cover from a train station in Philadelphia
Josh’s influence from the Transcendentalist writers including Ralph Waldo Emerson
Josh’s near death experience from a car crash and how that impacted his outlook on life
Involvement in spoken word poetry readings


Click Here to download!
This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings!




Robert Stark and Richard Wolstencroft discuss The Film Dark City

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark, co-host Pilleater, and Count Isidor Fosco, talk to filmmaker Richard Wolstencroft about the film Dark City(1998) directed by Alex Proyas.

Topics:

Australian director Alex Proyas, his background in Punk, and his style
Proyas’s films The Crow, Gods of Egypt, and Knowing
Proyas rebelling against the conformity of Hollywood Cinema
Comparisons to the Matrix which came out a year later and the theme of a meta reality
The setting of the City in a Space Ship disconnected from earth, the theme of parallel universes, and comparisons to the Truman Show
The role of “the Others” in the film; the metaphor for powerful people who manipulate reality from behind the scenes
How the others switch peoples memories and give them false memories; comparisons to Ghost in a Shell
The Gothic and Neo Noire Genres
The aesthetics of the film; Decopunk, Metropolis, Edward Hopper, and other influences
The irony of dystopian films is that they often succeed in creating utopian aesthetics
The films success in building upon the sense of mystery
The theme of man becoming a “God Like” figure restructuring society as a utopia
Plato’s allegory of the Cave and the Ship of Theseus
The symbolism of Shell Beach
The directors cut vs. the theatrical cut

Click Here to download!
This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings!




Robert Stark interviews Filmmaker and Author Pablo D’Stair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and co-host Pilleater talk to author and filmmaker Pablo D’Stair. He is the author of sixty books of fiction, twenty-four plays/screenplays, five collections of poetry, and numerous essays and dialogues. A former contributor of cinema critique/commentary for the UK film site BRWC: Battle Royale With Cheese and of fiction, interview, and essay for the Montage: Cultural Paradigm (Sri Lanka), he is also the writer/director of six (very underground) films and the co-founder of the art-house press KUBOA . More information can be found at pdstair.wordpress.com and pdstairfilms.wordpress.com. Check out his films on Vimeo.

Topics:

Pablo’s work as an associate producer on the film The Canyons directed by Paul Schrader and written by Bret Easton Ellis
Early influences including Robert Bresson who was also an influence on Schrader
Pablo’s first film A Public Ransom about an author who stumbles across a crayon-scribbled missing child poster with a scrawled telephone number
Pablo’s film Mississippy Missippi Tu-Polo which is about a young indie author who is no longer young and “indie”
The band Left By Snakes who have done music for Pablo’s films, and he has also worked on their music videos
Pablo’s film Science Fiction about Five unknown, unread, and well-past-their-prime science fiction authors grappling with obscurity, infinity, and obsolescence
Pablo’s recent film Mr Pickpocket about two young boys drawing a comic about their dad being a Pickpocket
Pablo’s cinematography style; long shots and techniques to make films look grittier and older
Pablo’s films are about implications and invoking feelings rather then plot driven
Comparing being a writer to being a filmmaker
The Alt-Lit Genre
The Art for the book covers which are designed by both Pablo and his friend artist Goodloe Byron
KUBOA Press and Pablo’s criteria for selecting writers
Pablo’s writing process and style, linear writing and writing from the perspective of one person’s perspective
Pablo’s latest novel LUCY JINX  which is an intimate epic, spanning eight years in the life (and innermost mind) of the titular poet as she navigates cities, jobs, ambitions, and friendships
Pablo’s book Dustjacket Flowers about a man loitering in the public library and the theme of perceiving reality
Pablo’s book Regard; the theme of life rendered in minute by minute physical description with only as much as psychological insight
Pablo’s set of novellas The Unburied Man and The People Who Use Room Five; Life Cycle Horror
Pablo’s Noire novel man standing behind which is being adapted into a film


Click Here to download!
This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings!




Robert Stark interviews New Retro Wave Artist Absolute Valentine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and co-host Pilleater talk to French New Retro Wave Artist Absolute Valentine(Bandcamp Site). He is also a manager for Lazerdiscs Records. Check out his SoundCloudYouTube, and Facebook Page.

Topics:

Intro Song: Bad News from the Police Heartbreaker album
Music background, learning piano as a kid, playing guitar in a metal band, and early electronic work
Influences ranging from Bach, Kavinsky, and Vangelis; similarities between Synthwave and Classical Music
The New Retro Wave genre
Producing music for Lazerdiscs Records and Drive Radio
The Darkwave genre
The Police Heartbreaker album
The Sunset Love album
The American Nightmare album inspired by Horror Films
The album cover designs, Cyperbunk influence, and the color pallet
Anime, Akira, and Ghost in a Shell
The Film Drive
John Carpenter’s Film Soundtracks
Daft Punk and 90’s French House Music
French 80’s music; Space Disco
The upcoming New Retro Wave horror film The Summoner which Absolute Valentine will do a track for
The Roland TR-7, other Synths, and the process of layering Synths
The importance of the intro and outro in Synth Music
The moniker Absolute Valentine
Upcoming Albums, Tracks, and live performances
Outro: She’s a Dancer from the Sunset Love Album


Click Here to download!
This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings!




Robert Stark interviews Jay Dyer about Esoteric Hollywood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and co-host Pilleater talk to Jay Dyer. He reviews films at his blog Jay’s Analysis and is the author of Esoteric Hollywood.

Topics:

The entertainment complex and deciphering propaganda
The power of cinematography and aesthetics in film
How computer generated special effects have impacted the quality of cinema
The concept of the Hollywood establishment and speculations about which filmmakers and films are anti-establishment
Why Jay focuses on the symbolism of the films rather then trying to analyse the director’s motive
Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut
David Lynch’s Dune, Eraserhead, Inland Empire, and Lost Highway
Surrealism, Neo-noir, and the David Lynch aesthetic
Jay’s review of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and Mark Frost’s book The Secret History of Twin Peaks
The Ancient Greek concept of time  being a never ending repeat
The Folk Horror Genre; The Devil Rides Out
Blade Runner
Dark City
Enter the Void
The Dark Crystal
The film Labyrinth, the Jungian achetype of the Labyrinth as the subconscious, and the Labyrinth in Ancient Mythology
The Labyrinth theme in The Shining and Hellbound: Hellraiser II
The symbolism of basements as the subconscious in the films House II and The Hole
The Esoteric Meaning of Time Bandits and the significance of the abyss
Robert Stark’s show about Alicia Silverstone and The Film The Babysitter
Natalie Portman in Léon: The Professional
John Carpenter’s They Live! and Big Trouble in Little China
Jay’s upcoming TV Show with Jay Weidner, which will be aired online at www.Gaia.com


Click Here to download!
This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings!




Robert Brenner returns to talk about his Time Square Tours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and co-host Pilleater talk to Robert Brenner. Robert Brenner is a writer, critic, satirist, futurist, urbanist, and porkatarian. His work has appeared in the Huffington Post, New York Magazine, Salon, the Barnes & Noble Review, Medium, Different Truths, Antiserious, and Theory In Action. He is a graduate of the Writers’ Institute at CUNY.

Topics:

Robert Brenner’s upcoming Gritty Old Times Square Tour on Sunday March 19th hosted by Untapped Cities
Midnight Cowboy locales including the defunct Hotel Claridge
Taxi Driver locales including the Lyric theatre, and the notorious now defunct Terminal Bar
Pilleater’s recent observations from Time Square
How to walk like a New Yorker
The Hotel Carter, the “dirtiest hotel in America,” which is currently under renovation, and the seedy Elk Hotel which recently closed
The Knickerbocker and the New Yorker Hotel
The closure of Bond 45
The Time Square Police Station
The Time Square Subway Station(not included in the tour)
Martin Hodas, the King of the Peep Shows
Chelly Wilson, who pioneered Homosexual S&M Porn in Time Square’s Grind House Theatres
East Harlem, the last remnants of gritty old New York where Robert Brenner is researching a future tour
Josh Allan Friedman’s Tales of Times Square, published by Feral House Books
NYC That Never Was: Alternate Plans for Times Square from 1984-MAS Competition
The 1982 Horror Film Basket Case set in Time Square
Robert Brenner’s review of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet
Robert Brenner’s Tour from the Empire State Building to Penn Station for the The Municipal Art Society
The Historic Tenderloin District, which predated Time Square and is now Korea Town
Robert Brenner’s Midtown Cheap Ethnic Eats Tour every saturday for Local Expeditions
Custom and conceptual Tours
Robert Brenner’s article Will Robots Take Our Jobs?
Sex Robots and Virtual Sex
Movie Review: Japanese Musicals, the Beyond Godzilla series about Japanese Science Fiction, and the manga Akira


Click Here to download!
This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings!




 

Robert Stark interviews Adam Parfrey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark, co-host Pilleater, and J.G. Michael talks to Adam Parfrey. He is the publisher of Feral House books.

Topics

Opening Song: Adam Parfrey – Rubber Room (Porter Wagoner Cover)
The history behind Feral House books.
Apocalypse Culture
Taboo ideas, shock value, avant-garde art
Jim Goad’s Answer Me!
Joseph P Farrell
Anton LaVey and The Church of Satan
You Will Die and You Can’t Win
American Hardcore
Hipster Hitler
It’s A Man’s World
Killer Fiction, The Gates of Janus, Charles Manson
Ed Wood: Nightmare of Ecstasy
David Cole’s Republican Party Animal
Sin-A-Rama,
Technological Slavery
The Weird World of Eerie Publications
Pacific Ocean Park, Mid-Century Googie architecture
Ye-Ye Girls
Peter Sotos’ Pure Filth Pure Filth about pornographer Jamie Gillis
Experiences with Censorship
Occultism; The book Secret Agent 666 about Aleister Crowley
Adam Parfrey’s play “The Wickedest Man in the World” about Gilles de Rais
Tales of Times Square by Josh Alan Friedman
Citizen Keane by Adam Parfrey
Adam Parfrey’s father actor Woodrow Parfrey; Dirty Harry
Art, and the aesthetics of Feral House’s books
Why Feral House publishes exclusively Non-Fiction


Click Here to download!
Check out Robert Stark’s Paintings!




Robert Stark interviews Musician En Esch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark, Pilleater and J.G Michaels interview EN ESCH. En Esch was an original member of the pioneering industrial band, KMFDM. He is also in his own band, Slick Idiot, and toured with Pigface. En Esch’s recently released a new album, Trash Chic.

Topics:

En Esch’s interest in music and beginnings in KMFDM, Slick Idiot
En Esch’s early influences, Goth and Queer culture, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft
The politics of East and West Germany
“Xcess” in True Love, and “Ooh La La” in Hellraiser 3
The politically imagery used in KMFDM (the art of Aidan Hughes), Laibach, Dunkelwerk, Hanzel und Gretyl
Atari Teenage Riot, left-wing vs. right-wing imagery and sound, May Day
The Columbine Massacre, the controversy behind KMFDM’s song, “Waste,” YouTube comments about KMFDM’s association with school shootings
En Esch’s new album, Trash Chic
KMFDM’s influence over Rammstein
Modern Industrial musics vs. old style Industrial (Die Krupps)
How En Esch makes music, Nightcore vs. Vaporwave
Five letter codes, Covers, the funky infulence in En Esch’s music
En Esch’s advocation for animal rights, his vegetarian lifestyle
The origin behind Slick Idiot
The music market, downloading and streaming
The Raymond Watts / En Esch / Günter Schulz / Mona Mur KMFDM
Peter Murphy, Humor behind En Esch’s music
Introversion/Social Anxiety, and music as an outlet to express one’s self
Backing singers
En Esch’s future activities


Click Here to download!
Check out Robert Stark’s Paintings!