The Bear Cave of Terror

The Bear Cave of Terror

by Steve Mowry
Film HistoryFilm Reviews
Season 1
CBB Presents the Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 50 - Drag Me to Hell
In this, the 50th(!) episode of the Bear Cave of Terror, we welcome back Casey Kelderman of the Screams from the Basement Podcast to talk about one of his absolute favorites, Drag Me to Hell from 2009, directed by Sam Raimi. As a Raimi fan, Casey talks with Steve about why Drag Me to Hell is a return to gonzo horror after the director's streak with the pre-MCU Spider-Man series, and how much DNA it shares with the Evil Dead series that made him famous. Car fights, goop, bugs, nasty dentures, ancient curses, puppet goats and late 2000s CGI combine to make a cartoonish, gross, and horrifying tale with Alison Lohman's seemingly innocent Christine, and featuring Scream King Justin Long as her confused boyfriend, as she tries to rid herself of a curse put on her by an old Roma woman she disrespects. Look out for a certain car, a Wile E. Coyote gag, and more slime than an 80s episode of You Can't Do That on Television! Additional Resources for this episode: Filmoblivion.com/2018/08/22/drag-me-to-hell-2009/ "Sam Raimi Teases..." by John Weiss, 3/9/23, SyFy Wire, Syfy.com "Sam Raimi explains why there hasn't been a sequel" by William Bibbiano, 7/11/19 BloodyDisgusting.com "Drag Me to Hell Star reacts..." by Inga Parkel, 6/20/24, The-Independent.com
S1 · E50
Jul 26, 2026
53:30
CBB Presents the Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 49 - Hot Spring Shark Attack
The Bear Cave of Terror welcomes Sam Lenz of the Screams from the Basement Podcast back to chat with Steve about favorite horror flicks, and this time, they're looking at the wild, schlocky, fun-as-hell homage to shark horror movies: Hot Springs Shark Attack aka Onsen Shark from 2024, directed by Morihito Inoue! This film has unexpected gags, special effects that run from practical to (bad) CGI, talking shark puppets, intricate models, blood splatter, and a mix of references to everything from the original Jaws, Jaws 2, the Meg, Sharknado, and more! The cast has fun, so whether you're rooting for the over-it Chief, the failing-upwards mayor, the shark-obsessed professor, or the mysterious and jacked, shark-punching Macho himself, there's a lot to enjoy in this Japanese import. Don't be shy about the subtitles, and give it a watch, and tell us what you think! Additional Resources for this film: "Hot Spring Shark Attack Review: Japanese Horror Comedy is a zany live-action cartoon" by Jonathan Dehaan, 7/8/25, nofspodcast.com "Hot Spring Shark Attack Review" by Christopher Cross, 7/10/25, asynchronousmedia.com "Hot Spring Shark Attack: Early look at indie Japanese Monster Movie" by Staff, SCIFI Japan Amateurkaijucontest.wixsite.com - for more information about the annual amateur kaiju monster movie championships
S1 · E49
Jul 19, 2026
49:32
CBB Presents the Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 48 - Poltergeist (1982)
In this week's episode, Craig Lantz pops by to talk with Steve about one of the main contributor to 80's kid's nightmares, 1982's Poltergeist! Directed by Tobe Hooper and produced/co-written by Steven Spielberg, this was one of the many excellent genre films to come out of 1982, terrifying legions of children and their parents who thought "how bad could a PG-rated horror movie be?" What is ostensibly a haunted house film became a cultural touchstone that birthed dozens of parodies, quotable lines, and influenced decades of horror films afterwards. Not without some controversy, and long-rumored to have given rise to an infamous Hollywood curse due to the tragic deaths of several stars, including young Heather O'Rourke who played Carol Anne, it nevertheless remains a long-time favorite for several generations of fans, spawning 2 direct sequels, a recent remake in the 2010s, and probably PSAs for kitchen hygiene (or really should have). So fire up your CRT TV, and tune it to static, because they're here to chat about Poltergeist!
S1 · E48
Jul 12, 2026
1:08:49
CBB Presents the Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 47 - Backrooms (2026)
For a first on the Bear Cave of Terror, we're featuring a film that is still in theaters (at the time of recording), but has already become a favorite of huge numbers of horror fans, including this week's guest host, comic creator and artist, Mayday Trippe! Mayday joins Steve to talk about the smash hit, Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons and based on both his series of YouTube short films on the KanePixels channel, and the ever-expanding creepypasta phenomenon of the same name. As Mayday and Steve get lost in the complex and maze-like liminal environment as the dread builds, they also dive into the many layers of the story of two main characters created for the film, Clark and Mary, and their separate and colliding experiences deep in the Backrooms - who is the real monster? How does time work in the film? Does anyone ever really get out? The attention to detail and visual clues scattered through the movie from a 20 y.o. director, who now has the distinction of helming one of the most successful and highest grossing independent movies of 2026 so far, shows that the concept has real life outside of YouTube and collaborative video games, and has been able to reach a much wider audience who have found their way to a new favorite horror! Additional resources for this episode: https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Backrooms-(2026) "Backrooms director Kane Parsons: What to know..." by Lexi Carson, 6/4/26 Hollywoodreporter.com Be sure to check out Youtube.com/@kanepixels for the original short films
S1 · E47
Jul 6, 2026
1:03:18
CBB Presents the Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 46 - Shin Kamen Rider Prologue (1992)
Bioengineered psychic grasshopper-human hybrids? Dubiously convenient love interests? Astral-projecting bug-eyed Buddha babies? This can only mean one thing - 1992's Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue! Derek B. Gayle of the Glitterjaw network joins Steve in the Bear Cave again for this bizarre departure from the Kamen Rider franchise, a straight-to-video horror feature where the famously grasshopper-like appearance of the Kamen Rider heroes is taken to the literal extreme. Like a werewolf film, the protagonist is at the mercy of his transformation into a hideous and deadly mutant creature, and must find a way to keep his humanity, while an evil organization, and the CIA, pursue his power. Derek and Steve talk about the history of the Kamen Rider concept, the disgusting transformations, the absolutely unhinged unborn baby creature that derails the final act, and the untapped potential love of the hero's nerdy jock best friend. Also: how about that squelch noise every time Kamen Rider walks? shudder Additional Resources for this episode: Kamen Rider Wiki - https://kamenrider.fandom.com/wiki/Shin_Kamen_Rider:_Prologue "The Other Shin Kamen Rider: The Prologue to the Story that never was" by Buster Corp, Oct 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=909PTFgblnc
S1 · E46
Jun 28, 2026
1:00:07
CBB Presents the Bear Cave of Terror - Ep 45 - Scream 4 (2011)
Explicit
The Scream saga continues with Scream 4 (aka "SCRE4M") from 2011, once again directed by Wes Craven (his last time directing an installment in the Scream franchise), and written by Kevin Williamson...or is it? Returning Scream superfan Ben Raifsnider of the Little Dead Aliens podcast breaks down this entry with Steve, and why it continues to exemplify his favorite franchise. Taking place, and releasing, over a decade after the last film, Sydney returns to Woodsboro and where it all started, and the murders start up again, but this time with the endgame being more of a remake of the original killings, rather than a new pattern. Also containing one of the most meta opening segments, and the sharing of new "rules" of horror films, this new group of attractive new victims, er, actors, and the original returning big three, we look at whether it sticks true to the formula, and how successfully it does that. Bigger kills, behind-the-scenes script woes, Allison Brie being excited about teen massacres, and more! Additional Resources for this episode: Your Favorite Scary Move: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror by Ashley Cullins (2025) published by Penguin Random House
S1 · E45
Jun 21, 2026
1:01:58
CBB Presents The Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 44 - Scream 3 (2000)
After bringing the first sequel into the Bear Cave of Terror last week, Ben Raifsnider of the Little Dead Aliens podcast is back to talk about the next installment in one of his favorite horror series, the Scream franchise: 2000's Scream 3, again directed by Wes Craven! Originally intended to bring the saga back to Woodsboro per Kevin Williamson's original script idea, things changed drastically between new screenwriters and the tragedy of Columbine High School in 1999. Instead, the "final installment" (at least until the next film) of the Scream trilogy decided to take the gang to Hollywood, setting the new string of murders onto the soundstage of the meta Stab 3 movie, which of course brings Gale, Dewey, and final girl Sydney right into the middle of the mystery of the new Ghostface killer. This time, they're slashing their way through a new group of late-90s hot, young actors. Along with the returning cast (including one whose character didn't make it out alive from the last film), some possible supernatural influence, including getting between places almost instantaneously despite L.A. traffic, and of course, Parker Posey, the third Scream keeps the viewer on their toes to the end. Ben and Steve also talk about the script changes and fake-outs, THAT hilarious cameo, questionable studio choices, and more! Resources for this episode: Your Favorite Scary Movie, Ashley Cullins, 2025, Penguin Random House
S1 · E44
Jun 8, 2026
51:46
CBB Presents The Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 43 - Scream 2 (1997)
One of the modern slasher horror franchises that is still making sequels today is the storied Scream series, and on this episode, we welcome back Scream super-fan and frequent guest, Ben Raifsnider of the Little Dead Aliens podcast to share his love of the first sequel to the surprise 90s hit, 1997's Scream 2, directed again by Wes Craven and also written by Kevin Williamson! This quickly greenlit and filmed sequel, released one year after the original sliced its way through cinemas and into the hearts of slasher fans everywhere, further establishes the world and rules of the Scream franchise and its meta film-within-a-film, Stab! Will Sydney and Randy's college years be less exciting than high school? The high bodycount and bloody mystery of who is killing co-eds is a sign that they'll probably be a bit messier. More returning cast members, and the addition of hot young actors of the late 90s make this a fun sequel that hits many high notes, with some great scenes, some fun trickery with multiple scripts to keep the early internet sleuths guessing, and solidifies the series as a big ticket draw for the studio! Additional Resources for this episode: "Scream creator confirms longterm theory" by Cathal Gunning, 6/12/25 screenrant.com The-Numbers.com Film Review: Help! He's Back! Run! Shriek! Tempt Fate!" by Janet Maslin, 12/12/97 New York Times "Cassandra's Curse" Unheeded Warnings in Scream 2 and Black Christmas" by Jessica Scott 3/2/23 Fangoria.com "The Silence of the Cast" by Marc Shapiro w/Ian Spelling, Fangoria 170 March 1998, pp 38-41 HelloSidney.com
S1 · E43
Jun 1, 2026
52:05
CBB Presents The Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 42 - Suspiria (1977)
This week in the Bear Cave of Terror, Jay Yospa graces us with his presence and brings with him one of his and Steve's favorite horror movies, 1977's Suspiria, directed by Dario Argento. An expressionist, explosive, and twisted tale of a young American dancer who begins attending a dance academy in Munich, Germany, and discovers a host of deadly secrets involving witchcraft, violent murders, and rooms filled with...razor wire? Considered one of Argento's best films, with gorgeous cinematography, settings, and a blistering score by his band Goblin, the Giallo-adjacent first of the Three Mothers trilogy is arguably the best entry. So turn down the lights, turn up the volume (but not too loud!), and listen to the latest episode of the Bear Cave of Terror! Additional Resources for this episode: "Movie Locations: Suspiria" - movie-locations.com "In the Know" Suspiria Trivia by David Kalat 8/20/08 TCM.com "Dario Argento's Three Mothers Trilogy: An Introduction" by PekoeBlaze, 2/23/23 pekoeblaze.wordpress.com
S1 · E42
May 24, 2026
46:22
CBB Presents The Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 41 - Zombeavers (2014)
In this episode of BCoT, Rob Staeger finds himself back to talk about a much-celebrated, oft-cited, classic example of the golden age of cinema...or he normally would, if he actually wasn't here to talk about the schlocky, silly, and thoroughly fun and enjoyable 2014 B-movie flick, Zombeavers, directed by Jordan Rubin! Filled with practical effects (like beaver puppets made from tshirt-stuffed beaver pelts, and radio controlled swimming critters), satirical dialogue, and plenty of callbacks and homages to other cabin-in-the-woods horror like Evil Dead, this feature plays on all the cliches and still manages to subvert expectations by treating the goofy and over-the-top premise with the seriousness of a straight zombie survival thriller. Grab your severed foot, throw a dog in the water as a distraction, and remember: beavers can chew through wood barricades! Additional Sources for this episode: "Zombeavers Director: This isn't Sharknado..." by Aaron Couch, 2/20/14 The Hollywood Reporter "Zombeavers is so much better than it sounds" by Tyler Doupe, 1/01/22 Dreadcentral.com Zombeaver Puppet, youtprops.com "It's the Zombie Beaver Puppets that Steal the Show in Zombeavers" by Rob Staeger, 3/18/15 The Village Voice
S1 · E41
May 18, 2026
40:43
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