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Published by Johnny Restall
A Film Podcast discussing Thrillers from Political Paranoia to Film Noir to Giallo and Horror - and everything in between... Your host is Johnny Restall, a cult movie enthusiast and writer/podcaster with a particular passion for Thrillers and Horror. Expect in-depth analysis, expert guests, and friendly, thoughtful and informative discussion. Please consider leaving a rating or review if you enjoy the show. More of Johnny Restall's work can be found at https://linktr.ee/JohnnyRestall. Thank you for listening!
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From the feed
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Join host Johnny Restall and horror writer Andrew Lyall as they pass each other the runes and invoke Jacques Tourneur's classic NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1957), starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, and Niall MacGinnis. How does it compare to 'Casting the Runes,' the M.R. James short story the film is based on? Should we see the demon onscreen or not? Are the filmmakers' claims to have consulted a 'real-life witch' believable? Listen and find out all this and more! If you'd like to find more of Andreww's work, you can find him on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@GrumpyAndrewsHorrorHouse
Join host Johnny Restall and writer/critic Mario Dhingsa as they venture into the water to celebrate 50 years of Steven Spielberg's classic JAWS (1975). Expect treacherous mayors, salty seadogs, and lots of stealthy shark attacks as we analyse the story, style, and legacy of arguably the first true Summer Blockbuster. If you'd like to follow Mario on social media, you can find him here: https://x.com/MarioDhingsa
Join host Johnny Restall and writer and critic Gem Seddon as they explore the terrors of Rob Reiner's masterful 1990 MISERY, starring Kathy Bates and James Caan, adapted from Stephen King's 1987 novel. How faithful is it to the book? Who owns a creative work - the author or the fans? And has anyone ever won an OSCAR by chopping people's feet off? Find out by listening! If you'd like to follow Gem Seddon, you can find her on BlueSky @gemseddon.bsky.social, and you can find her Highway To Horror website here: https://highwaytohorror.com/
Join host Johnny Restall and film critic and podcaster Tim Coleman as they examine Michael Mann's MANHUNTER (1986) starring William Petersen, Tom Noonan and Brian Cox. How does the film compare to the later, more famous adaptations of Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lector novels? How does it fit in with the rest of Mann's filmography? And just who is really hunting who...? If you'd like to find more of Tim's work, you can follow him on Bluesky at @fatscoleman.bsky.social or by searching 'The Top 100' podcast wherever you're listening to this from!
Join host Johnny Restall and author and podcaster Steve Hunt as they debate the merits of CAPE FEAR (1962), starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum, and CAPE FEAR (1991), starring Nick Nolte and Robert De Niro. Is the original a B-movie? Is Martin Scorsese's remake a success or an overcooked hamburger? Who is the more convincing Max Cady? Have a listen and see whether you agree or disagree... If you'd like to find out more about Steve's writing and his own podcast, please visit his website: https://www.stevehuntboxing.com/ . You can follow him on Bluesky at @mrstevehunt.bsky.social.
Join host Johnny Restall and critic Rowan Lee as they delve into the endless mysteries of Peter Weir's PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (1975), strarring Rachel Roberts, Helen Morse, and Dominic Guard. Pack your parasol and be sure to keep your upper lip stiff as we explore colonial clashes of cultures, the film's relationship to Joan Lindsay's novel, and just what might have happened on Valentine's Day, 1900... If you'd like to read more of Rowan's work, you can find her blog at https://theharvestmaidsrevenge.com/
Host Johnny Restall is joined by the author James Stoorie to discuss Henri-Georges Clouzot's classic psychological horror LES DIABOLIQUES (1955) starring Simone Signoret, Vera Clouzot and Paul Meurisse, in which bath time is absolute...Murder! It'd be devilish to say more, so you'll just have to start listening, if you dare... You can find James on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jamesstoorie/ and you can find his books at https://www.lulu.com/search?contributor=James+Stoorie
The Thriller Cabinet returns for a second series as host Johnny Restall is joined by writer Jez Conolly to analyse John Frankenheimer's utterly unnerving paranoid sci-fi thriller SECONDS (1966), starring Rock Hudson and John Randolph. Expect unsettling camerawork, body horror, and a trip to the dark side of wish fulfillment... Jez Conolly can be found on Substack at https://conolly.substack.com/ and on BlueSky @jezconolly.bsky.social.
This month, host Johnny Restall is joined by author and horror enthusiast Andrew Lyall to unravel Richard Donner's classic horror thriller THE OMEN (1976), starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner, and Billie Whitelaw. Check your body for unusual numerical birthmarks and join us as we explore a brilliantly-told tale of Satanic plots, grisly 'accidents' and maybe the end of the world... If you'd like to see more of Andrew, you can find his Youtube channel here and you can buy his book of short stories here .
Host Johnny Restall is joined by author and critic Mario Dhingsa to explore Fred Zinnemann's meticulous assassination thriller THE DAY OF THE JACKAL (1973), starring Edward Fox, Michael Lonsdale, and Delphine Seyrig. How well does the film stand up today - is it still 'the ultimate analogue thriller'? How does it compare with Frederick Forsyth's original doorstop-sized novel? How does its blend of fact and fiction stay so taut? And how many cravats can one Jackal need ? Find out by listening... You can find Mario on X at @mariodhingsa and you can buy his books on Amazon here.
"Got a smoke?" This month, host Johnny Restall is joined by writer and podcaster Steve Hunt to discuss John Carpenter's cult classic action thriller ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976), starring Austin Stoker and Darwin Joston. Armed only with their wits and their expert film knowledge, Johnny and Steve tackle a ruthless gang of questions attacking Carpenter's thrifty but highly impressive second feature. Join them and find out if they survive! If you'd like to hear more of Steve Hunt, you can find his excellent Boxing Movie Podcast here: https://boxingmoviepodcast.alitu.com/1?order=newest .
This month, host Johnny Restall is joined by film critic Matt Glasby to discuss Alan Parker's genre-shifting cult mystery ANGEL HEART (1987), starring Mickey Rourke, Lisa Bonet, Robert De Niro and Charlotte Rampling. Join us as we explore its noir-inflected journey to the centre of the soul and explore its unique atmosphere and beguiling mixture of detective story and horror... If you're hungry for a little more, you can also find Johnny's article exploring the multiple identities of ANGEL HEART for the Film Cred website here
This month, host Johnny Restall is joined by writer, critic and speaker Rebecca McCallum to discuss the mysteries of Francis Ford Coppola's masterful 1974 thriller The Conversation, starring Gene Hackman and John Cazale. As the world of surveillance expert Harry Caul begins to crumble, everything is deliberately thrown into doubt. Can the viewer trust the protagonist? Can we trust the filmmaker? Can we even trust our own perceptions? Join us as we explore a paranoid classic that only seems to grow more pertinent with time... If you'd like to hear more about Rebecca McCallum's Hitchcock podcast, you can find it here: https://linktr.ee/talkinghitchcockpodcast
This month, Johnny Restall is joined by writer and critic Nate Roscoe, who picks three favourite OVERLOOKED GIALLO FILMS. Join us as we try to define gialli by celebrating three slightly neglected films that both conform to and push against the conventions of the genre. We discuss THE FLOWER IN HIS MOUTH (1975), FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON (1975) and I KNOW WHO KILLED ME (2007) - black hat, trenchcoat, and murder weapon of choice not necessarily required... If you'd like to find more of Nate Roscoe's work, his website can be found here: https://trashtotarkovsky.com/
This month, host Johnny Restall is joined by writer and podcaster Tim Coleman to discuss Michael Mann's epic 1995 crime drama HEAT, starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Expect spoilers as they analyse this simple but slippery beast of a film. Is it the ultimate cops-and-robbers thriller or a bombastic, tragic melodrama? Is it secretly a Western? Is it a criticism or a celebration of machismo? Is there a secret brotherhood of mulleted villainy between Waingro and Nate? Find out by listening... If you'd like to hear more from Tim Coleman, you can find episodes of his Moving Picture Film Club podcast here: https://movingpicturesfilmclub.com/
This month, host Johnny Restall is joined by the author and cinema enthusiast James Stoorie to discuss Unswinging British Thrillers of the 1960s. Together, they explore this beautifully drab sub-genre of suburban gothic, where kitchen sink meets crime and the grooviest parties are always happening somewhere else. Movies discussed include SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON (1964), BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING (1965) and OUR MOTHER'S HOUSE (1967) and be warned - there will be spoilers, along with tepid cups of tea and loneliness... If you'd like to find out more about James Stoorie's writing, you can buy his books here: https://www.lulu.com/search?contributor=James+Stoorie&page=1&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00
Film critic Johnny Restall discusses Joel and Ethan Coen's Oscar-winning dark comedy thriller FARGO (1996), starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare. Is it truth or is it fiction? Is it tale of good vs. evil or just a slapstick story about idiotic crooks? Is it a Scandinoir or a Columbo? Find out (sort of) by listening...
This month on The Thriller Cabinet, film critic Johnny Restall celebrates the 75th anniversary of one of the finest noirs of them all: Abraham Polonsky's subversive and scathing FORCE OF EVIL, starring John Garfield, Thomas Gomez and Beatrice Pearson. Expect corruption, politics and tragedy as he explores the film's fiercely moving excoriation of success, integrity, brotherly love and the capitalist dream...
For the festive season, writer and critic Johnny Restall examines Bob Clark's classic Canadian psychological slasher thriller Black Christmas (1974), starring Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder and John Saxon. Expect discussion of the film's pioneering style, its pleasingly complex themes and characterisation, and the ways it both sets up and subverts genre tropes. If this episode doesn't make your skin crawl, it's on too tight!
This month, Johnny Restall grapples with Robert Wise's classic film noir THE SET-UP, starring Robert Ryan and Audrey Totter. Take your seat at the ringside for an in-depth exploration of the film's background and its bruisingly relevant themes of exploitation, honour, and cold hard greed...
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Observed September 14, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
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