The HD Movie Podcast

Episode 157: MERRY PODMAS 2024 #5 - The Fifth Cord

Episode 157 of THE HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell pick at the Christmas Day leftovers and start into the wine, having made sure Santa's buried in a place no one will ever find him. They'll also take a look at a movie of any year, any genre and any quality.
The final episode of 2024 is also the final offering of this year's Merry Podmas miniseries and your hosts have unwrapped a post-Xmas treat in the form of Luigi Bazzoni's 1971 giallo THE FIFTH CORD! Franco Nero stars as a boozy journo trying to unravel a series of murders which seem to be connected to a New Year's Eve party he attended.
Yes, it's taken giallo fans Hayley and Darren 157 episodes to finally cover a film from this subgenre and it was none which (inexplicably) neither of them had seen before. There's discussion of giallo tropes and how The Fifth Cord either sticks to or subverts them, Darren gets to talk about Daria Nicolodi (even though she's not in this movie) and there's Franco Nero fandom to mention. Your hosts also round off with a brief summary of their podcast year.
An auld acquaintance we won't forget is Mitch Bain! If you're one of the folks who has forgotten, Mitch writes and performs the music you hear on the podcast. He's 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Huge thanks to you all for listening! Have a very Happy New Year and we'll be back in 2025!

Episode 156: MERRY PODMAS 2024 #4 - Hot Frosty

Episode 156 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell have made sure the podcast will have enough spare batteries to run through the Xmas period and, as they're here, they'll be talking about a movie from any year, from any genre and of any quality.
Before Santa arrives, there's time for a Merry Podmas offering and this week your hosts head to the very festive town of Hope Springs where Lacey Chabert is about to get a yuletide surprise in Netflix's HOT FROSTY! Lacey plays Kathy, a kind-hearted widow who's about to be visited by a buff snowman who's magically come to life.
It's the time of year to discuss the merits of PG-rated lust, some terrifying medical notes in a jolly font, more than a couple of references to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a choreographed dance sequence which threatens to stir up some bad memories and much, much more! Did it get Hayley and Darren into the Christmas spirit?
Dashing through the snow on a one horse open sleigh is our musical maestro Mitch Bain! Actually, he probably isn't, but 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
To all of you listening out there, have a wonderful Christmas!

Episode 155: MERRY PODMAS 2024 #3 - Bad Santa

*** WARNING: This episode contains subjects which some listeners may find distressing ***
Episode 155 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell have sneaked out of their respective office Christmas parties to bring you another chat about a film of any year, any genre and any quality.
Once more, we bid you a Merry Podmas but how merry is this one going to be? This week's topic of discussion in Terry Zwigoff's BAD SANTA, starring Billy Bob Thornton as a store St. Nick who's out to rob the place, when he's not chugging vodka straight from the bottle or having sex in the changing rooms. It's comedy of the super dark variety.
Your hosts try to get to grips with one of the least Christmassy movies ever, one which also uses a certain offensive word with abandon, flirts with racism and homophobia and features a female lead that doesn't appear to have a name. There's clearly a talented cast involved and a commitment to the material but is it all a bit too nihilistic, even for Hayley and Darren? They chew the fat about it.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but Mitch Bain is so delightful... he writes and performs our musical interludes 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
You'll also find out what the three B's are...

Episode 154: MERRY PODMAS 2024 #2 - A Grandpa For Christmas

Episode 154 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell have decided to talk about world politics this week - nah, just kidding, they're here once again to look at films of any year, any genre and any quality.
For the second time this year we wish you a Merry Podmas and after last week's killer Santa mayhem it's time to look at a movie with no focus on Santa whatsoever - it's the 2007 Hallmark festive offering A GRANDPA FOR CHRISTMAS! Ernest Borgnine stars as Bert, a retired actor/song and dance man who finds himself looking after his granddaughter while his estranged daughter recuperates in hospital.
Your hosts look at how this one differs from the modern Hallmark template and take time out to appreciate a cast that's chock full of proven US TV talent. Is the kid annoying? Does Bert get to reconcile with his daughter? What's going on with the promo posters for this film? All these questions and more will not be answered on the next episode of Soap but will be answered on this very episode of The HD Movie Podcast!
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but Mitch Bain is so delightful... he writes and performs our musical interludes 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Get ready for some Hallmark-level trauma...

Episode 153: MERRY PODMAS 2024 #1 - Silent Night, Deadly Night

Episode 153 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! It's a podcast about movies of any year, any genre and any quality discussed by (H)ayley Alice Roberts and (D)arren Gaskell. We don't do clever titles.
It's time once again to bid you a Merry Podmas as your hosts bring you a short run of festive fare, beginning with the thoroughly Christmassy SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT, featuring a serial killer dressed up as Santa, punishing those on his naughty list.
This movie stirred up a lot of controversy on its release, so Hayley and Darren get into the moral dilemmas of using the image of a beloved holiday figure as a murderer but also take a look at the interesting psychological angles the story includes, making it somewhat different than the usual slasher fare even if it still throws in a bit of sleaze from time to time.
There's also discussion of some genuinely well-mounted suspense sequences, some kid v Claus violence, an utterly crap police for, one of the most unintentionally hilarious accidental slayings ever and an early appearance of scream queen Linnea Quigley. Is this one to get our hosts into the festive spirit? Well, maybe not...
After all this time, do we need to tell you who writes and performs our music? We'll do it anyway! It's Mitch Bain 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
"He couldn't hear it."

Episode 152: The Forsaken

Episode 152 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a podcast in which Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell talk movies of any year, any genre and any quality.
Our vampire movie miniseries draws to a close with J. S. Cardone's 2001 film THE FORSAKEN! Mr. Cardone made The Slayer, a spooky 80s flick which Darren liked and which got into bother with the BBFC (that's not just why Darren liked it). Later he provided the screenplays for the remakes of Prom Night and The Stepfather, which were not nearly as good.
Your hosts talk about the film's view of its female characters in an era in which Buffy was flying high. There's also an interesting choice of head vampire to get their teeth into, some sporadically nasty violence, a couple of tenuous links to Crime Scene Investigation, a spoken word rendition of a Metallica song and some problematic usage of a particular word. The film was inspired by Near Dark, so Hayley and Darren are more than ready to compare last week's vamp movie with this week's.
For the final time this year, you get the chance to hear our spooky Halloween theme, which is written and performed by Mitch Bain. 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
"Things explode for no reason..."

Episode 151: Near Dark

Episode 151 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Get ready for another discussion between Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell about a movie of any year, any genre and any quality.
Our vampire movie miniseries continues with a film that was once thought lost - it's Kathryn Bigelow's NEAR DARK! We're still in 1987 for a film which was released a few months after The Lost Boys and more or less disappeared in its wake. It's now ripe for rediscovery and Darren explains why he's such a big fan of it.
On the other hand, it's a first watch for Hayley after she managed to track down a copy. Did she enjoy it nearly as much as her co-host? There's also chat about distribution issues, misleading tag lines, some James Cameron-inspired casting, the film's status as a bonafide work of art and so much more besides, including a sidebar on Twilight (yes, it's kind of connected to Near Dark). Do you really think your hosts are fans of that one?
Our spooky Halloween theme gets another welcome airing. It's written and performed by Mitch Bain, but you already knew that. 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Sparkly vampires can f*** off.

Episode 150: Mandela Effect: The Final Chapter

The HD Movie Podcast hits 150 episodes! As usual, Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are here but this week they're not looking at a specific movie of any year, any genre and any quality.
A hundred and fifty episodes! How did we get here? We're not quite sure, but we did. Hayley and Darren would like to express their sincere thanks to everyone who's checked out the podcast, whether it's one episode or the whole bloody lot of them! Love to you all.
For this landmark episode, your hosts return to the well of movie-related misrememberings in MANDELA EFFECT: THE FINAL CHAPTER! Get ready for an hour of weird and wacky stuff, including an actor who is a bonafide Mandela Effect generator, song lyrics that aren't (but then are, but then aren't) and much, much more besides, including a trip back to the world of Sinbad genie movie Shazam which unveils a big twist that may hold the key to the entire mystery!
Our theme music is still in place for the 150th episode and it is, of course, written and performed by Mitch Bain. 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Kazaam! Shazam! Shazzan!

Episode 149: The Lost Boys

Episode 149 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell choose a movie of any year, any genre and any quality - as long as the genre is "vampires" this week!
After starting their vampire miniseries in the 1930s, it's time for fast forward five decades into the primo vamp territory of 1987. How could we not cover THE LOST BOYS? There's no need to answer that question because this week's film is THE LOST BOYS as director Joel Schumacher attempts to put the stench of his previous flick St. Elmo's Fire far behind him.
Your hosts step into a world of video shops, fashions the world forgot and a fanged menace terrorising a California coastal town. There's two Coreys, classic rules to beat the bloodsuckers, glittery blood, an out of place Reform School Girls poster, an iconic soundtrack, audience-pleasing action and much, much more! But does Hayley and Darren's nostalgia for it reveal a movie that isn't quite as good as they remembered? All will be revealed... 
Spooky movies deserve spooky music, which comes courtesy of our amazing Halloween theme, written and performed by Mitch Bain. 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
I STILL BELIEVE!

Episode 148: Dracula (1931)

Episode 148 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell pick out a movie from any year, of any genre and of any quality, then talk about it!
The podcast is back (at least for a few weeks) after its post-Summer Of Sharks break, just in time for Spooky Season! As horror movie fans and reviewers, your hosts don't need an excuse to kick off Halloween early and this year HDMP HQ is focused on vampires with four very different examples of the subgenre to get your fangs into.
First up, we're going all the way back to 1931 for a classic Universal chiller as the unforgettable Bela Lugosi starts in DRACULA! This might seem a bit creaky in this day and age but your hosts found plenty to enjoy in terms of impressive set design, a number of genuinely atmospheric moments and, of course, an iconic performance from Lugosi (who almost didn't get the part - that's also covered here).
Hayley and Darren also chat about the movie's approach to the original Bram Stoker source material, its seminal Drac v Van Helsing face-off, some niftily appropriated footage, the film's issues with censorship and much, much more, including one of the most theatrical (and inaccurate) attempts at a Cockney accent from the character of Martin.
You don't get the Summer Of Sharks theme this time out but it's that time of year at which we can roll out our awesome Halloween tune, which is written and performed by Mitch Bain. 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 X and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on X, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on X, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Gaw bloimey, Guvnaar!