Notes from the Last Drive-In: S4E5 – ‘Slaughterhouse’ and ‘Tenebrae’
Haunted MTL’s Notes from the Last Drive-In continues this week with S4E5, featuring Slaughterhouse (1987) and Tenebrae (1982). Does the show maintain the moment from last week’s brilliant Nosferatu double feature, a series highlight, or do we see another crack in the foundations this season?
How well does Shudder‘s premiere movie hosting program do this week, and does the “junk food” night theme work, or is the loose stitching of films that best not be paired? Let’s find out together, shall we?
Slaughterhouse (1987)
Rich Roessler’s 1987 film Slaughterhouse is considered a slasher comedy. The movie follows an old man named Lester Bacon (Don Barrett) and his son Buddy Bacon (Joe B. Barton), who go on a killing spree when their dilapidated hog farm is being foreclosed upon in the interest of a more modern facility. Soon, community members, such as a group of local teens like Liz Borden (Sherry Leigh), meet gruesome fates as the local sheriff Fred Borden (Willliam Houke) investigates the deaths.
Rick Roessler wrote and produced the film with cinematography by Richard Benda and edited by Sergio Uribe, made for a budget of $110,000. The film has achieved a puzzling cult following, mainly on the back of actor Joe B. Barton, who proved to be the most exciting thing associated with the film.
This is a rough one. We’ve not been to such terrible movie depths since back during the infamous double feature of Sledgehammer and Things. Slaughterhouse, in many ways, can be seen as the poster child of the downfall of slashers, coming well after the genre had more or less declined in 1984.
The film is nonsensical; most of the kills are one-note, and the only character who amounts to much grunts like a pig for the movie’s duration. The film offers no shock, no sense of dread, and every beat is predictable. This is honestly one of the most paint-by-numbers slasher films I’ve seen. It doesn’t even have a solid musical identity, nor any real impressive shots. Even the kills feel lacking to a great degree.
There are a few gems in the pile of pig droppings, though. A loony sequence of the snorting killer joy-riding in the police cruiser is pretty fun, and a couple of the kills are worth adding to a reel, involving a grinder and another with a powerful blow to the abdomen. Beyond that, though, there isn’t much to love about it. Most of the charisma comes from actor Joe B. Barton as Buddy, and all he does is wield an improbably-large looking cleaver, grunt like a pig, and kill a few folks.
The film doesn’t even use the slaughterhouse setting and humans as meat substitutes to its advantage. So much of the movie creates motivation for the killers tied to the slaughterhouse industry, and it doesn’t add much to the proceedings. I think a more insane director with supreme bad taste could have done a hell of a lot more with this one. There is a decent slasher buried deep in this one, but the director must trim the fat.
Joe-Bobservations on Slaughterhouse
The highlight of the evening was a toss-up between Joe Bob’s torturing of resident vegan Darcy the Mail Girl with meat factoids or Joe Bob’s tepid praise over the film. There was a lot of hot dog history with some digressions into the nature of the hog slaughter process, which worked to give Joe Bob and Darcy some fun little argumentative bits. Darcy does have a point that the filming of the slaughter of the pigs (even if people ate them) seemed unnecessary. After all, critics could say the same thing about Cannibal Holocaust.
More subtle were some of the dunks Joe Bob had over the quality of the film. The film wasn’t great, and it was apparent to our host, but he delivered the relevant factoids we Mutants crave. The stories surrounding actor Joe B. Barton doing press tours as Buddy Bacon were hilarious, including an apparent meeting with President Ronald Reagan. How the hell?
The first half of the night closed out with Darcy in protest, dressed as a pig and singing the praises of the animals, as they are pretty adorable. She also presented Joe Bob with a package from Buddy himself with props from the movie, which was pretty sweet.
Final Thoughts on Slaughterhouse
I could not get into this one. It wasn’t a film that was so unpleasant that it put me off, but instead, I felt little to engage with during the run time. Virtually no characters worth caring about with some predictable kills and overly set-up plot result in perhaps one of the worst films shown in The Last Drive-In. Occasionally we need these movies, though, and there is some stuff worth celebrating within it, but as a whole, this probably would have made for a film better paired with something like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. It would have helped the movie go down better, especially given the evening’s follow-up, Tenebrae.
Joe Bob Briggs gave the film 2 1/2 out of 4 stars. I feel like he was maybe overly generous here. I would give Slaughterhouse 1 1/2 out of 5 Cthulhus. It could have been meatier.
(1.5 / 5)
Best Line: “Buddy’s a good boy, but he has what you might call basic hygiene problems.” – Lester Bacon
Tenebrae (1982)
How do you follow up on one of the most generic slasher films ever made? With one of the most Giallo and the Gialli in Dario Argento’s Tenebrae (1982). The film, written and directed by Dario Argento, features editor Franco Fraticelli and cinematographer Lucian Tovoli, frequent collaborators with Dario Argento. The film also features a soundtrack with three of the members of Goblin, Claudio Simonetti, Fabio Pignatelli, and Massimo Morante.
The film follows an author, Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa), who goes to Rome to promote his latest novel with his literary agent Bullmer (John Saxon), and assistant Anne (Daria Ncolodi). He is also followed by an ex-lover, Jane (Veronica Lario). Upon his arrival, a woman is murdered, and soon bodies pile up, all seemingly reflecting the author’s work. Who is the killer, and what is their connection to Neal?
While not the best of Argento’s output, it’s a quality film. It returns to a more classical form of the Giallo for Argento after the supernatural diversions of Suspiria (1977) and Inferno (1980). The film is also quite bitter in many ways, seemingly reacting to Argento’s feelings about critics toward his work and comments about women’s treatment in his movies. Of course, he would be cagey regarding these ideas in typical Argento fashion over the years. As with most of his work, the film operates heavily on dream logic and strange thematic elements that at times seem purposeful and at other times thrown in.
The story itself is fine, though the revelation and fake out feel arbitrary because the film needed some extra twist with the reasoning being fast and loose to wring out a little more mystery. The core idea of an author trying to figure out murders based on his writing is novel enough, at least for the time, but has been done more compellingly elsewhere.
The characters are primarily broad caricatures with strange Argento flourishes except for one or two. Anthony Franciosa is fantastic and makes the film work as well as it does, lending this Italian feature a little credibility. John Saxon is John Saxon, which is entirely appropriate. Saxon plays one or two types of characters – smarmy jerk and stern father – but plays them very well. He fills the smarmy jerk role here, but his presence is always welcome. Giuliano Gemma as Detective Giermani is good, but he’s a distant third in presence behind Franciosa and Saxon.
However, the women do not get as much to sink their teeth into here. Daria Nicolodi is a fine actress but primarily relegated to the role of assistant and hysterical screamer with little agency. Then again, Dario Argento’s treatment of Nicolodi is not surprising. Veronica Lario looks pretty and dies well. Eva Robin’s (her chosen name), the transgender actress who plays the girl on the beach in an erotically charged scene, is a refreshingly modern casting choice, looking just suitable for the role of the sexual beach siren who humiliates an essential character in their youth.
The aesthetics of the film are notable. Where Argento’s films may falter in writing, plot, and characterization as a whole (there are exceptions), his depiction of mood, his inventive framing, and his close relationship with the best Italian prog-rockers of the 1970s, Goblin, means you’re going to have a good time no matter how indecipherable his movies can get. The film has some beautiful shots and staging. One scene depicting an amputation splatters a stark white environment with arcs and slashes of bright red blood, an early kinetic and gorgeous moment. One scene in public space among the fascistic brutalist architecture of Mussolini’s Rome evokes Alfred Hitchcock with tight alternating edits and dramatic angles, bringing tension to crowded daylight.
Of course, the theme tune is among the best of the Argento and Goblin collaborations.
While the film falls apart structurally and logically, it is never dull and presents genuine moments of shock and surprise. It hits all the crucial hallmarks of Giallo and can be wildly inventive, sometimes to its detriment. A two-and-a-half-minute tracking shot up, over, and down the side of a house to the film’s theme song is one of the more puzzling examples of excess.
Joe-Bobservations on Tenebrae
Dario Argento is always a bit of a weird one when it comes to The Last Drive-In. The director is undoubtedly one of the most influential directors of horror in Italy and the genre worldwide, but his works tend to be hit or miss for our host. There was some of that ambivalence on display during the episode as, again, we are presented with stunning moments, but the film itself was rather loosely strung together.
However, what is always refreshing is when the ball is in Darcy’s court, and her knowledge of Italian horror is always welcome, especially when Joe Bob appears bewildered by it all.
As for insights into the film, I feel my favorites were the background of Anthony Franciosa, the lead, who was compelling and problematic. I also appreciate the reveal that John Saxon has no memory of making this film. Of course, the revelation of transgender actress Eva Robin’s and the nature of the sexy beach scene was also quite fun.
Perhaps the best moments of the show are when Joe Bob’s frustrations come to the surface and, as a result of this, his sheer annoyance with the tracking shot was quite hilarious.
Final Thoughts on Tenebrae
While Tenebrae is undoubtedly not the highlight of Dario Argento’s career, the film is one of the purest expressions of his aesthetics and logic. The structure may be a bit flimsy, but my god, does it look good. Tenebrae is an impressive house of cards, supported by a base of three or four strong performers, great music, cinematography, and some Italian Giallo weirdness.
Joe Bob gave the film 4 out of 4 stars. I think that is to be expected; as much as he grouses about some of Dario Argento’s impulses, Joe Bob has a level of respect for the guy, and the films are generally quite excellent. While Tenebrae is quite remarkable, I also do not feel it is worth a perfect score on my scale. I have some issues with it, but I’ll still watch the hell out of it. I’d give Tenebrae 4 out of 5 Cthulhus.
(4 / 5)
Best Line: “I’ve been charged, I’ve tried building a plot the same way you have. I’ve tried to figure it out; but, I just have this hunch that something is missing, a tiny piece of the jigsaw. Somebody who should be dead is alive, or somebody who should be alive is already dead.” – Peter Neal
Haunted MTL Drive-In Totals
As always, we have the official drive-in totals from the groovy ghoulies over at Shudder.
And we have our totals for the evening.
- 62 vertical miles of elevated horror
- 76 hot dogs
- 5 German Hot Dog Fathers
- 350 Pounds
- 6 Dumb Teens
- Hot Dog Map Fu
- Celebrity Chef Name Drop Fu
- Pig Boy Joy Ride Fu
- Pork Pun Fu
- Letter Opening Fu
- Pig Disco Dancing
- Tiajuana Sluicing
- Thigh Stabbing
- Tower Tumbling
- Dissociating
- Gratuitous Airport
- Gratuitous Dancing
- Gratuitous Latin
- Beach Gangbang
- Surprise Lumberto Bava
- Street Trash Defense Force
- Darcy Cosplay (Pig and Jane)
Episode Score for the Last Drive-In: S4E5 – Slaughterhouse and Tenebrae
I was pleased with how well last week went regarding the night’s theme. It certainly helped that both films were excellent, but the night felt far more cohesive overall than this season. The pairing made a lot more sense, and the movies worked together for something more significant. It was Nosferatu (1922) and the 1979 remake, but it worked.
Unfortunately, we are taking a step back this week. The stated theme was a junk food night, but unlike a hot dog, the connective tissue was absent between the films. I suppose the idea is that Giallo might be like the 1970s and 1980s junk food of Italian cinema, but it felt like a stretch, especially given how good Tenebrae is compared to Slaughterhouse.
I have been dinging the show pretty hard this season for what I feel is a mismatch in the juxtaposition of the films. That hasn’t been an issue before because it was expected, and the show hadn’t quite stated so explicitly what they were going for in episodes during previous seasons. It was more fun to interpret. Now that the show says, “this is [insert night here],” the pairing seems looser and less exciting.
Hell, The Cannibal Man (1972), one of the films shown in the mid-evening trailers, would have been a better pairing with Slaughterhouse. What’s going on?
Slaughterhouse was mainly terrible but could have been salvaged had it not been paired with a film that completely obliterated its quality. The evening’s theme completely fell flat as well. I feel like I can only give this episode of The Last Drive-In 3 1/2 out of 5 Cthulhus.
(3.5 / 5)
With that, we are done until next time. Please join us again next week for another review and recap. What did you think, though? Why not share your thoughts in the comments about the show and the two films shown. Did you have a favorite?
Please join us on Twitter next Friday as we live-tweet with the rest of the Mutant Fam during The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs.
Want more meaty fun? (Sponsored link)
Instead of watching Slaughterhouse paired with Tenebrae, consider pairing it with The Cannibal Man. Our sponsored link to Amazon can help you snag a blu-ray copy, and you’ll be helping out the site.
Doctor Who
The Modern Phoenix – Revisiting the first Regeneration in Doctor Who
In 1966 Television history changed forever as the Doctor changed from William Hartnell to Patrick Troughton. But how that came about, and the response is a very different story
Regeneration is one of the most distinctive elements of Doctor Who. For a series that has lasted for over sixty years, there’s been remarkably little change within “Doctor Who.” Yes, the cast changes routinely, and some seasons have an arc, but the bare bones of the series – a Time traveler travelling through time and space with human companion(s) exploring new worlds and helping people – remain as consistent in 1963-1964 as they are in 2024. A story like “The Daleks” or “The Aztecs” still covers the same ground that “The Giggle” or “Rosa” did sixty years later.
One of the few, and the most significant, exception to this, however, is regeneration. The idea that the Doctor can change his form when injured, or aged, was a significant shift in the series, and one that has become central to its longevity. I’d say only one other major change comes close to being as significant is the introduction of the Time Lords in 1969’s “The War Games.” However even that did not provide as much of an impact as regeneration.
Since the initial regeneration scene at the end of “The Tenth Planet” episode 4, we as fans have become used to it. Doctor Who fans go through the cycle when we hear of a new regeneration. First we are uncertain, accepting them, and then preparing for the time they too will regenerate. Regeneration is normal now – but what was it like for people back in 1966?
This article explores the multiple factors in Doctor Who that lead to the first Regeneration, or Renewal as it was initially known. In particular we will look at how audiences and texts of the time attempted to explain and understand the change.
Underling issues in 1965
The 1965-1966 season of Doctor Who was already a time of significant change. Verity Lambert, the original producer, left early in the third season. Most of the original cast of companions left throughout the second season. William Hartnell was now the longest running, and the most significant person involved in the making of Doctor Who. As a result, he had a certain ownership of the character of the Doctor, and the series itself.
According to a range of sources, William Hartnell had favourite people who could help manage his moods. Maureen O’Brien (Vicki) described her role as “laughing (Hartnell) out of his five or six tempers a day.” When William Hartnell had conflict with others, both William Russell (Ian) and Peter Purves (Steven Taylor) would mediate. According to Producers, Hartnell would be frustrated about the length of the script, and need to rehearse. According to castmates, Hartnell would be insisting on maintaining consistency in the series, such as by ensuring the TARDIS controls maintained the same use over all episodes.
During the third season, however, Hartnell began to slowly lose his supports throughout the cast. William Russell had already left the series in 1965 by choice. Other cast who shared Hartnell’s frustrations found their contracts not renewed. When Maureen O’Brien had her contract ended while she was on holiday. Peter Purves also had his contract not continued. Both actors had voices objections about the development of their characters, but were shocked to find this resulted in leaving the series. The abrupt nature of these exits further exacerbated conflict Hartnell felt towards the production crew.
This conflict came to a boil with 1966’s “The Celestial Toymaker.”
The Regeneration That Never Was
In “The Celestial Toymaker” the evil Toymaker forces the Doctor to play his games. Out of frustration for breaking rules, the Toymaker makes the Doctor invisible for most of the story. Producer John Wiles planned for the Doctor to be permanently changed in this process, with William Hartnell not returning. Only the objection of the Head of Serials, Gerald Savory, at the time prevented this plan from coming. John Wiles, and his script editor, Donald Tosh, finding the working relationship with Hartnell irreconcilable, resigned. They were replaced by Innes Lloyd and Gerry Pedler respectively.
Hartnell’s health was deteriorating also at the time, though it was not known. He had undiagnosed arteriosclerosis, a condition which restricted blood flow to the brain. This resulted in Hartnell experiencing difficulty remembering long passages and irritability from these memory gaps.
Hartnell disclosed some of these pressures in an interview to the Daily Mail on April 26, 1966. In this interview, Hartnell expressed feelings of irritation with people. Discussing the production team, Hartnell explained he knew his role and did not want their interruptions and alterations. The Producer at the time, John Wiles, was not aware of Hartnell’s illness. Subsequently, Wiles had seen Hartnell’s memory lapses and moods as an act, further antagonizing their relationship.
Despite these issues, Hartnell states in the interview the BBC would continue the series as long as Hartnell remained. Hartnell however wanted to have more time off, and more space to recover. Noticeably around 1966, Hartnell’s Doctor is frequently missing in episodes. Health issues and holidays meant Hartnell had a reduced role in most stories from “The Massacre” onwards.
Alongside these internal stressors, reviews externally began to criticize the program. The Daily Worker in 1966 described the series as “showing signs of age” and that “Youngsters are getting tired of it”
With Peter Purves leaving in June 1966, Anneke Wills as Polly and Michael Craze as Ben became the new companions. However, Hartnell did not establish a good relationship with his new co-stars. Interviews with the two actors reported Hartnell appearing very isolated and alone. Wills reported Hartnell would lose his temper quickly over ridiculous things, leaving her and the other cast very tense. She added the remaining cast supported each other apart from Hartnell. Reportedly, Hartnell complained about Wills sitting in his chair, and Wills responded by having her own chair available for all. By June 1966, the increased conflict in the production office and health concerns lead to discussions of replacing Hartnell. However, this time Producer Innes Lloyd had approval to look for a new Doctor. By 16th of July, Hartnell had told his wife that he had decided to leave the series.
But the way he was to change was still to be determined.
Introducing Regeneration
The term “Regeneration” itself did not occur at this time in the series. Two regenerations later in “Planet of the Spiders” this process was officially named as regeneration. Initially, in production discussions, the action was described as “Renewal.”
It is not exactly clear who first developed the idea of how the Doctor was to change form. However, it is most likely to have come from discussions between Innes Lloyd and Script Editor Gerry Davis. Production notes at the time focus mostly on the character of the new Doctor, with little about the change itself. What the Production team did envisage was a change which occurred every 900 years or so, feeling:
As if he has had the LSD drug and instead of experiencing the kicks, he has the hell and dank horror
Initial Interpretations of the First Regeneration
The Doctor Who Annual 1968 is a fascinating snap shot into how the change initially by the public of 1967. Annuals were produced around the middle of the year, to give to children at Christmas time. In the sixties, annuals were one of the few examples of Doctor Who media available. There were no books, very few novelizations, and definitely no audio plays. If you wanted further adventures with the Doctor, or to read about Doctor Who the series, the annual was almost your only option.
For the 1968 Annual, we have a few first ever events. It is the first time the Annuals would feature television companions alongside the Doctor, with Ben and Polly appearing. And of course, this is the first annual which featured Patrick Troughton’s Doctor as main character.
Reading through it, it seems the authors did watch Troughton’s first story “Power of the Daleks” but no further. Popular companion Jamie (Introduced in Troughton’s second story), does not appear. Troughton’s costume from his first story, features in all images, despite the costume not being used again.
Also in the annual, there is an article entitled “Phoenix in the TARDIS.” This article compares the mythological creature of the Phoenix from Arabic folklore, with the new Doctor as “Our Modern Phoenix.” The article describes the change as follows:
At the end of nine hundred years, a strange psychological storm rejuvenated his form, changing his character in many ways
The article describes the new Doctor as more “with it” and “switched on” to the 20th century. The Doctor is less likely to confide in companions, and more likely to be a man of action. Surprisingly, this article is the first time regeneration is used in Doctor Who, with the conclusion pondering “What lies ahead for the regenerated Doctor.”
What’s interesting about this article is how the act of regeneration isn’t seen as an event that will reoccur. Instead, this is an event that needs almost a millennia to actually come about. Troughton planned to leave the role longer than three years, but he also doubted the series would last this long. Troughton was interviewed later he admitted he thought the change to Hartnell would lead to a cancellation within a year. Even when Troughton did leave after three years, changing the Doctor again was only considered as an alternative to cancellation when suitable alternative series could not be found.
Audience reactions, gathered by the BBC were not positive to the change. Audience feedback during his first story reviewed Troughton as being miscast as the Doctor. The media, while initially curious about the change, became increasingly critical of Troughton during the first season. The Daily Worker on Janaury 25th 1967 reported that while Hartnell would bring dignity to the party in stories, Troughton’s clownish person only amplifies the nonsense. The radio times meanwhile interviewed a member of the public, decrying Troughton as turning the Doctor into “Coco the Clown”
Meanwhile, the ongoing Doctor Who comic strip in “Tv Comic” adapted to the change of incarnation but not mentioning it. The Doctor had been William Hartnell, and now was Patrick Troughton. He still travelled with the same companions of his Grandchidren John and Gillian, who did not seem to care that their Doctor was different, though no longer referred to him as “Grandfather” anymore.
Long Term Acceptance of Regeneration
Troughton’s Doctor was eventually accepted as his first season moved away from historical stories, and towards images of the future. The Cybermen’s return in “The Moonbase” in particular had some critics changing their appraisal of this new era. At the same time, cast changes, with Frazer Hines, joining the cast, added to reasons audiences enjoyed the series more.
However, that does not mean regeneration was accepted as normal. After three years, Troughton announced his departure from the program. With six full years completed, the BBC discussed completing the series, and replacing with something new, with an idea of being influenced by the new series “Star Trek” being discussed.
What saved “Doctor Who” at the point was lack of suitable options, with only Doctor who able to start relatively simpler and be adaptable to what the channel needed. However, budgets did need to be cut, leading to the Third Doctor’s era being largely earthbound for the first three years. This necessity of reduced exploration lead to a series with a larger regular cast, going beyond the Doctor and his companions, and including regular allies in UNIT, and a regular enemy in the Master. This regularity meant that when the Doctor faced his third regeneration, the first to be described as a regeneration, the threat of cancellation with actor departure was no longer considered.
Instead with “Planet of the Spiders” we have the first regeneration where the process was paid attention to. The idea of regeneration coming about when a body faces significant damage or trauma is first referenced in this story. The idea of being reborn rather than rejuvenated is expressly stated in this story.
Final Thoughts
Looking back at the production notes for Hartnell’s final story, it’s surprising how little information or consideration went into it. Even now, we’re not entirely sure who exactly came up with the idea of regeneration. Likely no single person can ever claim credit to the full idea. John Wiles original idea of the Doctor being transformed by the Celestial Toymaker undoubtedly had an influence by raising the idea of changing the Doctor but keeping the series, even though the change only occurred after he had resigned.
When looking at the past, it’s important to remember that while regeneration for the modern series is just a process of adapting to a cast change, in 1966, regeneration was a risk taken by a series trying to survive. The producers wanted little attention to be focused on the change, and instead to move on quickly with a new actor, and hence very little description or detail went into the change.
And that, in part, is why for Doctor Who regeneration was so successful, and determined the longevity of the series to this day. If William Hartnell had been replaced by the Celestial Toymaker, with the process being a consequence of running afoul of an evil God like character, such a precise process would have been difficult to repeat for later cast changes without being obviously repetitive. By keeping the idea of regeneration in Doctor Who vague it allowed mythology to develop around it as needed either by a production crew, or as needed for a story.
Regeneration was created for Doctor Who to respond to an actor’s decaying health, and intense conflict within a production team. But it continues by allowing a constant refresh and re-invigoration of the series, while keeping its base format the same.
With Season Two of Ann Rice’s Mayfair Witches coming out sometime later this year, I thought it was time for me to check it out. Though I’ve never been a big Ann Rice fan, I thought for sure that a story about witchcraft would be something different. Perhaps it would be less dull, less dramatic, and a bit more fun.
It was not
Just the facts
Released in January of 2023 on AMC, Mayfair Witches is based on the Ann Rice series, Lives of the Mayfair Witches. It follows the tale of Rowan Fielding. Adopted as a baby, Rowan discovers that she’s the heir to a powerful witch family. She’s eventually lured to New Orleans, where she learns more about her forgotten family and the secrets that she’s already a part of.
What Mayfair Witches got right
The first thing that I noticed about the show is the key necklace that several characters wear and carry throughout the show. I appreciated that. For those who don’t know, a key is one of the symbols of a deity known as Hekate. This is a goddess many witches hold a lot of fondness for, as She is considered the goddess of witches, among other things. So I liked seeing her represented.
I also liked that so much of this first season was set in New Orleans. There are many places in America that are strong in witch history and lore, but few are as well known for it as New Orleans. So they got that much right, at least.
What Mayfair Witches got wrong
Unfortunately, that was about all there was to enjoy about Mayfair Witches. I honestly struggled to get through it, if I’m being totally honest.
First, as I’ve mentioned before, witchcraft is not something that must be passed down from parent to child. While your ancestry can play a role in your magic, if you want it to, it’s not the only or even the most important factor. I am the first witch in my family, and I do just fine.
My second complaint is also a complaint about the show in general. Mayfair Witches is not a joyful show. It’s not a funny show. It is a show that takes itself very seriously as it talks about very serious things without a spark of levity or joy anywhere to be seen. Even the party scene in the first episode, The Witching Hour, seems more ominous than fun. No one seems like they’re having a good time. Rather, they all seem like they’re trying very hard to look like they’re having a good time.
This is a problem I have with Rice’s work in general, but it’s especially insulting when we’re talking about witchcraft. Witchcraft is joyful. It’s warm. It’s fiery and passionate. Sometimes it’s serious ritual work, but it’s also laughing when your tarot cards roast you. It’s getting together with friends over the sabbats and sharing good food. It’s making a tea with a spell whispered into it. It’s protecting and providing for yourself and those you love.
There was none of that in Mayfair Witches. There is no joy, or warmth, or giving oneself space and tools for healing. There is no happiness here. And that’s just not witchcraft to me.
Nor, frankly, is it entertaining television.
Finally, I have one last bone to pick with this show. It’s made clear during this season that Rowan has no choice about being a witch. But that’s the opposite of the whole point of witchcraft.
Being a witch is a choice like I said in my Supernatural review. You are not, cannot be a witch unless you decide that you are. No bloodline or initiation is more important to your craft than saying publicly or privately that you are a witch.
In the end, I can’t in good faith recommend Mayfair Witches to you. It’s dull, it takes itself too seriously, and it’s a rather grim depiction of magic in general. If you enjoyed it, I’m happy for you. But as for me, I’ll give it a pass. There are far more interesting stories being told.
(1.5 / 5)
Featuring Shannon LeGro and author Aaron Deese, Dogman Territory: Werewolves in The Land Between the Lakes follows the pair in search of what many believe to be a real-world monster. Small Town Monsters investigates one of the darkest urban legends in North American history.
Well, even though this screener is late by…(checks watch) a few months, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have anything to say about it. That is to say, I DO have something to say about this new edition about dogman cryptids by STM.
So, welcome to another episode of ‘Brannyk talks about Small Town Monsters’! We’ve explored the Joisey Devil, aliens giving boo boos to cows, totally Bigfoot, a big ol’ stinky doggo, your tea-spilling ghost-witch, an alien Bigfoot with a hankering for a good peanut butter sandwich, Cowboy Werewolves, ‘The STM Which Will Not Be Named‘, and Native skinwalking creeps. We have a new screener from Small Town Monsters.
Plot of Dogman Territory: Werewolves in The Land Between the Lakes
We follow Aaron Deese on his quest to find out the mystery of the massacre that happened at the Land Between the Lakes, a recreational area bordering on Kentucky and Tennessee.
With Shannon LeGro by his side, the two investigate the strange encounters locals have reported. Gathering modern day and older accounts of super stinky dogmen, Deese ventures deeper into the lore and history of the site to see is there’s any truth to the massacre accounted there or if they’re all just campfire stories…
Thoughts on Werewolves in The Land Between the Lakes:
Nope. The “massacre” accounts are completely bogus third-rate creepy pasta stories. The one guy that they found from the internet won’t even be interviewed on camera and has…lacking testimony, and I say that generously.
Thankfully, Deese gets right to it and even he himself seems disappointed by what he discovers. And he just kind of blows past it, not really spending much time on the whole “massacre”. It’s a smart move and I appreciated it because instead of draaaaawing it out, he chose instead to focus on what matters – the locals and the history.
And, as always, with Breedlove at the helm, the historical facts of this recreation area are highlighted, such as the area being designated a recreation area by President Kennedy and the Tennessee Valley Authority exercising imminent domain. By this action, approximately 800 families were displaced from their land, causing protests and outrage by some of the families. Shining a light on a history that most don’t realize or possibly have forgotten.
And one last thought: this sewer-juice-smelling dogman is a massive dick. He, like, tries to kill you and then teleports out just for shits and giggles. Massive douche.
Brainroll Juice:
I’m not sure exactly why cryptid investigator Martin Grove became such a turning point for me in the documentary, but boy, he sure did. Martin is an absolute delight and I will bare-knuckle fight anyone who disagrees (I’m not saying that I’d win, keep that in mind, just that I would).
He’s just so genuine and curious that, even though I’m still a skeptic, I’d 100% go looking for a super smelly, translucent alien/demon dogman with him. You can tell that Martin Groves has no doubt in what he does and tries his very best to figure out the mystery behind the dogman between the Lakes. Often at his own expense and safety.
It was the Texas dogman STM that talked about people being depressed after they’ve had a cryptid experience, often finding themselves isolated from friends and family who just…don’t understand. They feel like people think they’re crazy and that they’re alone in their experiences and feelings. Many times becoming withdrawn and, well, traumatized.
Martin talks like he’s seeking proof just so people who had dogmen experiences don’t have to feel alone or crazy. That people can take comfort that what they saw is real and true. He’s standing up to that stanky-ass dogman and risking his own health by going into the creepy woods at night and searching for what he believes in.
And it doesn’t matter if you or I believe in a garbage-sludge, asshole dogman because what Martin is doing is beautiful. It’s the American dream. Believing in yourself and fighting for those who can’t.
And THAT is what Small Town Monsters is all about.
Bottomline:
If you’re here for the people and less for the dogmen, this is a great snapshot of the history and people of the region. Also, when is Martin Groves going to get his own paranormal show?
(3.5 / 5)
And now a word from Small Town Monsters
Dogman Territory: Werewolves in The Land Between the Lakes
Now Streaming Exclusively on Prime Video
Available on Blu/DVD from Small Town Monsters
Massilon, OH– Venture deep into the Land Between the Lakes as Small Town Monsters investigates one of the darkest urban legends in North American history. Featuring Shannon LeGro and author Aaron Deese, Dogman Territory: Werewolves in The Land Between the Lakes includes interviews with witnesses, researchers and long-time locals of the Tennessee and Kentucky borders, all in search of what many believe to be a real-world monster. Dogman Territory: Werewolves in The Land Between the Lakes is now available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. A Blu-ray (SRP $19.99) and DVD (SRP ($14.99) will be available exclusively from the Small Town Monsters shop.
Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w3T8ZFUhck
