The HD Movie Podcast

Episode 181: A VERY MERRY PODMAS... - Jack Frost (1997) and Jack Frost (1998)

*** WARNING: This episode contains a brief discussion of a scene of sexual violence ***
Episode 181 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Deck the halls with boughs of holly because Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are in festive mood and ready to talk about Xmas movies of any year, any genre and any quality.
We haven't been able to do a run of Christmas content this time around so we're bringing you two movies for this Yuletide episode, both released in consecutive years and both with exactly the same title. First up, it's 1997's comedy horror JACK FROST, then it's 1998's family friendly JACK FROST! Both of them have snowmen coming to life but the titular character goes about their business in very different ways depending on the film.
Your hosts discover that the two movies have a little more in common than you would think, particularly in their uncanny renditions of a walking, talking snowman and some weird plot developments. There's also vastly differing approaches to the special effects involved in both titles and the odd subversion of tropes in otherwise predictable surroundings. One of our snowmen also has more than a look of a Hollywood superstar and you'll never get it out of your head once you know. Does this holiday double bill end up being "ho ho ho" or "no no no"?
If Santa is checking a list for who's naughty or nice, then someone definitely on the "nice" list is Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the music featured in this podcast. You can find Mitch on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
A very Merry Christmas to all of our listeners!

Episode 180: Our Favourite Scary Movie Characters

Episode 180 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are in Halloween mode and ready to talk about movies of any year, any genre and any quality...
...except there's a bit of a change for this episode. It's a bumper Halloween Special in which your hosts list fifteen of their favourite scary movie characters down the ages - actually, sixteen to be precise as one of our stop offs features a dynamic duo. We start off way back in the 1920s and end with a soon to be genre icon from 2025! There's also discussion as to why these characters are such landmarks in filmic fear. Other than that, we don't want to give away too much.
One of our favourite non-scary folks is, of course, Mitch Bain. He's a top writer and performer of great tunes, including those for this very podcast, and you can find Mitch on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
Happy Halloween, lovely listeners!

Episode 179: Summer Of Screams #7 - I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer

Episode 179 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell don't always know what you did last summer but they know that last summer they covered films of any genre, any year and any quality. Mostly shark ones.
The Summer Of Screams miniseries comes to a close as your hosts round off the coverage of a certain franchise with I'LL ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER! None of the original cast returned for this 2006 entry, which follows a new group of characters in a new location. There's also a new accident which triggers the ensuing, bloody mayhem, so is there a new killer? Well...
Hayley and Darren didn't like this on first watch and were wondering about including this title at all in Summer Of Screams, so did their late inclusion of this one result in an improved opinion of the film? Not really but the discussion was pretty lively.
There's talk of a troubled production which makes various attempts to invoke the spirit of the original and doesn't succeed much of the time. Also, there's a technical term for the ropey picture quality, a two word summary of the film and growing annoyance on Hayley's part at the performances, dialogue and *that* decision about the identity of the killer.
You want some killer tunes? Look no further than Mitch Bain. You all know it by now - he writes and performs the music you hear on the podcast and you can find him on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
"Can a movie really be this bad?"

Episode 178: Summer Of Screams #6 - The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

*** WARNING: This episode contains occasional graphic descriptions of certain incidents which take place in The Hills Have Eyes ***
Episode 178 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! When Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell aren't spying on unsuspecting families in the desert*, they're here to cover movies of any year, any genre and any quality.
This week, your hosts cover THE HILLS HAVE EYES but it's not the 1977 one, it's the 2006 remake which was produced rather than directed by Wes Craven. They also talk about the 1977 movie but most of the focus is on the 2006 version. They also talk about both of the sequels and risk a whole load of confusion. 
There's discussions about the similarities and differences between the two films, including a discussion of how each film handles its portrayal of some fairly shocking violence. Hayley and Darren also chat about the remake's unsympathetic attitude to certain characters, even if they're played by well known actors, plus a quick look at the R-rated and unrated versions of the movie and a digression into new (at the time) French extreme cinema and what the best Alexandre Aja double bill might be (Hayley's suggestion is much better than Darren's more doom-laden choice).
Mitch Bain is a true original and there's no need to remake him at all. He writes and performs the music you hear on the podcast and you can find him on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
*Hayley and Darren do NOT spy on unsuspecting families in the desert

Episode 177: Summer Of Screams #5 - I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)

Episode 177 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell, as usual, are here to cover movies of any year, any genre and any quality - and that includes legacy sequels.
The Summer Of Screams continues as your hosts head to the cinema to experience the brand spanking new requel that is I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER! It's a new group of teens, a new (and rather dumb) accident but that old feeling of someone wanting the raise the spectre of Ben Willis, while OG characters Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.) show up to dispense survival advice.
Hayley and Darren talk about some surprisingly engaging new characters, a number of big swings taken by the plot, various lapses in logic, appearances from franchise favourites (including one very divisive sequence involving someone dearly departed) and that killer of a killer reveal. They also talk about whether or not a film can genuinely please both the fans of the original and a modern audience weaned on a very different type of horror.
Why would you reboot Mitch Bain? You wouldn't, you monsters! Mitch writes and performs the music you hear on our podcast and you can find him on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
"How could you frame her?"

Episode 176: Summer Of Screams #4 - I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

Episode 176 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are not only here to cover movies of any year, any genre and any quality but they also know what you did two summers ago.
Yes, we're back in the "I Know What You Did Last Summer" universe as Ben Willis is back to terrorise the survivors of the first movie and a whole new batch of potential victims in I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER! This sequel hit the screen the year after its predecessor and your hosts wonder just how much of a rush job it may have been.
That, of course, isn't all. Hayley and Darren discuss whether the sequel manages to capture the atmosphere of the original without either Jim Gillespie or Kevin Williamson, they find much to appreciate in the disdainful manner of Jeffrey Combs and nothing to appreciate in an embarrassing, uncredited supporting role by a very well known performer.
Elsewhere, there's a shout out to the Ray transport subplot, an inexplicably programmed karaoke machine, how Brandy's characters hits different this time round and get ready for a terrible pun which pretends to be an amazing twist. Plus, there's the tale of a Freddie Prinze Jr. drinking game.
A true original is Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the music you hear on this our podcast. You can find him on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch". Accept no ripoffs.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
What's the capital of Brazil?

Episode 175: Summer Of Screams #3 - Summer Of Fear

Episode 175 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell aren't here to scare horses, they're here to look at movies of any year, any genre and any quality.
Our Summer Of Screams miniseries continues with SUMMER OF FEAR! Also known as Stranger In Our House, this 1978 US TV movie was directed by none other than Wes Craven and starred none other than Linda Blair! Also, it was based on a novel by Lois Duncan who, as you should know by now, also wrote the source material on which I Know What You Did Last Summer was based.
Your hosts talk dodgy driving, a dodgy photo and even dodgier male characters in a movie that manages to be effective while still sticking to TV network standards. There's also a genuinely disturbing variation on Does The Dog Die?, an early appearance for the current President of the Screen Actors Guild (don't panic, she doesn't kill a dog), a run through some other Wes Craven TV fare and a whole lot more besides. 
When it comes to the music of Mitch Bain, it isn't a Summer Of Fear, it's a Summer Of Love. Mitch writes and performs the music you hear on this our podcast and you can find him on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
"These guys are just all knobheads..."

Episode 174: Summer Of Screams #2 - I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Episode 174 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Does anyone know what Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell did last summer? Why, they were covering movies of any year, any genre and any quality of course!
The second of our Summer Of Screams miniseries sees us jumping forward a couple of decades from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as we take an extended look at 1997's I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER! This Kevin Williamson-written slasher about a hook-wielding killer followed in the wake of his success as the scribe of Scream and anyone expecting a similar dose of meta mayhem was in for a surprise.
Your hosts discuss the movie's emphasis on characterisation and suspense over gore and, in particular, Sarah Michelle Gellar's fan favourite performance. There's also talk of those arguably unfair comparisons to Scream plus a look at the source novel, the banger of a soundtrack, alternative titles, some lost trailer media and Hayley's very own Mandela effect concerning this film. Also, does IKWYDLS really lend itself to a franchise? Hayley and Darren are all over that too! 
One thing we are hooked on is the music of Mitch Bain. As you all must know by now, he writes and performs the music you hear on this very podcast. You can find him on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
Summer Of Fear...

Episode 173: Summer Of Screams #1 - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Episode 173 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! The podcast which you are about to hear is an account of Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell, who seek out films of any year, any genre and any quality. They could not have expected nor would they have wished to see as much of the mad and macabre as they saw for this episode. The events of that day were to lead to them watching a film about one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Yes, we're back with a new miniseries and this year it's not Summer Of Sharks, it's Summer Of Screams! The weather's hot and the horror's hotter as your hosts take a look at summer-set slashings, beginning with an acknowledged classic from director Tobe Hooper. But is the love for this movie justified? It's time for a deep dive...
Hayley and Darren discuss their first viewings of the film and the difference between watching this at home and seeing it in the cinema. There's also talk of the film's many censorship problems in the UK, some extreme filming conditions, the striking production and sound design, some down and dirty violence and plenty of challenging psychological terror.
There's also talk of meeting Gunnar Hansen in real life, how Tobe Hooper originally envisaged this movie with a "PG" rating (!) and the sequels it spawned. Yes, McConaughey and Zellweger, we mean you! There's also *that* final act to dig into.
You want more classics? How about the music of Mitch Bain. He creates soundtracks for movies and this very podcast! You can find him on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
Saturn in retrograde...

Episode 172: Seduction And Psychos #6 - Basic Instinct

Episode 172 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Detective Nick Curran couldn't locate the podcast about movies of any year, any genre and any quality that's hosted by Hayley Alice Robertson and Darren Haskell so someone had to point out that it's actually hosted by Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell.
Our erotic thriller miniseries opened with Michael Douglas in Fatal Attraction and it closes with Michael Douglas in BASIC INSTINCT! He's a cop on the trail of a novelist who's suspected of murdering her lover. Said novelist is, of course, played by Sharon Stone and the movie's directed by Paul Verhoeven, who's no stranger to a controversy or two.
Your hosts revisit this one after a while away from it and there are some surprises in store for them on this latest watch. They talk about a clutch of fine performances, an expensive screenplay with a bunch of decidedly ropey plot twists and, yes, Hayley and Darren get into the whys and wherefores of *that* interrogation sequence. There's also discussion of the censorship issues the film had with the MPAA in the US in its quest to get an R rating, the original, short lived idea to embrace the NC-17 and much more besides.
One guy who's way better at his job than the police department in Basic Instinct is Mitch Bain. His fine tunes are featured on the podcast and you can find him on Instagram if you look for "evertheoptimitch".
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Facebook, X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on social media too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram, @darrengaskell.bsky.social on Bluesky and darren_gaskell on Threads
What, no DNA?