Horror Movie Franchises

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: We Have A New Name-- It's "Horror Movie Franchises"

Welcome to the newly renamed podcast - Horror Movie Franchises! This fresh identity aligns perfectly with our core mission: To provide commentary, analysis and critiques of horror franchises. 

While some older episodes may retain our former title, Food and Frightening Film Fanatics, we're excited to embark on this new chapter.

Join us as we explore the depths of horror movies, sharing insights and thoughts on various franchises (from the most famous to some you've probably never heard of). We encourage listeners to share their views and engage with us in the comments section. Thanks for your continued support, and stay tuned for thrilling content ahead!

The "Trancers" Franchise And Popular Squid Dishes

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

In this episode we're covering a lesser known franchise called "Trancers". It's a low budget sci-fi series about a grizzled retired cop who travels through time-- by jumping into his ancestor's bodies. He's in search of trancers (they're kinda like zombies who do their master's bidding). 

There are six movies total. The first was theatrically released. The rest were direct to video. Tim Thomerson stars as Jack Deth. He's in all the entries except the last one. Helen Hunt is his girlfriend/wife Lena. She's in 1-2 and makes a cameo in 3. 

If you're looking for some 80s nostalgia, check out the first movie. Then if you like that, try the third as well. Forget about the rest (unless you're a hard core fan). 

I must say I was a bit disappointed by the series. All the main actors are good (and have been in tons of other movies/TV shows). I can even look past the low budget. But without a good plot, there's nowhere to go. If they had just made the story more interesting I could have been all in. I do know some people really like this show. If so, more power to them. It's just not for me. 

And in honor of my favorite Jack catchphrase "Dry hair's for squids" we'll talk about some popular squid dishes.

Photo Credit: Here

The “Feast” Franchise And The Guardian Feast App

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

This week we delve into the “Feast” franchise, a lesser-known series of horror comedies that are sure to leave a lasting impression. Winning Project Greenlight's third season, the first movie was backed by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. This franchise is a family affair with John Gulager as director, his father as Bartender, John’s wife as Harley Mom/ Biker Queen and his brother Tom as Greg. 

In the first movie, a group of strangers find themselves trapped in a Nevada desert bar, facing off against bloodthirsty monsters. The narrative continues with “Feast 2: Sloppy Seconds” (2008) and “Feast 3: The Happy Finish” (2009). If you like B movies with tons of gory practical effects, this might be the franchise for you. 

For the recipe we have an app that guaranteed to give you new ideas. It's the "Guardian Feast App" from Guardian Media. You can sort by cuisine (Italian, Mexican, Indian etc) or you can look for meat free, gluten free or dairy free options. The app is extremely customizable. Check it out on the iphone app store or Google Play. 

Photo Credit: Here

The "Carrie" Franchise And A Bloody Carrie Cocktail

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

In this episode we'll delve into the "Carrie" franchise. The 1976 movie is most famous for two scenes: The shower scene and the prom scene. Odds are even if you havent seen the movie, you know about them.

The movie garnered two Oscar nominations-- Best Actress for Sissy Spacek as Carrie and Best Supporting Actress for Piper Laurie as Margaret (Carrie's mother).

There are 3 other movies in the franchise:

• The Rage: Carrie 2- 1999
• Carrie- 2002- MADE FOR TV MOVIE
• Carrier- 2013

These are really the same basic story. I would say stick with the first movie. It's a classic. If you'd like to see more, check out 2002's Carrie. It is the closest of the four movies to Stephen King's novel. Incidentally, "Carrie" was the first novel King published...and the rest is history. 

And for the recipe this week, we have a twist on the Bloody Mary cocktail. It's the Bloody Carrie. Not for the faint of heart, it has hot sauce and wasaba paste. Guaranteed to drop kick your taste buds. Check out Barbot for more details.

Photo Credit: Here

 

Longest Franchises In Horror History

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

This week we're doing something slightly different. We're covering the longest running franchises in horror history. Sure everyone knows about "Halloween", "Friday The 13th" and "Children of the Corn" but there actually a # of horror franchises with MANY MORE entries. And, if you're like me, there are several here that you've never heard of.  

Photo Credit: Here

The "Bad Seed" Franchise and Cooking With Seeds

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

This week we're talking about "The Bad Seed". There's the original 1956 movie, 2 made for TV movies (one from 1985 and one from 2018) and a sequel to the 2018 movie. 

The original movie was nominated for 4 Oscars (for Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, Eileen Heckart and Best Cinematography). Eileen won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Hortense. Nancy Kelly won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Christine in the play. 

The 1956 movie is considered a classic. I highly recommend it. It's the best portrayal by a child actor I've ever seen. Check out the 2018 version as well. McKenna Grace does an excellent job as Emma. It's just impossible to do a better job than Patty McCormack did as Rhoda. 

And it should come as no surprise that my recipe this week involves seeds. Check out how they can be a great addition to salads, proteins, breads, baked goods, etc

Photo Credit: Here

The "Nosferatu" Franchise And Several Nosferatu Inspired Drinks

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

This week we're discussing the "Nosferatu" franchise. It's a bit confusing because first time viewers are like "Isn't this Dracula?". And the answer is sorta.

This vampire is a rat like creature who never blinks. He has long spindly fingers and two big teeth in the front of his mouth. He is the harbinger of death and bringer of the plague. This is not your sexy Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Jack Palance, Gary Oldman vampire. And this vampire is definitely not sparkly. Women are NOT lining up to be seduced by him. 

The creators of the 1922 movie used the Dracula story but changed all the names and locations. It didnt work though. Bram Stoker's widow sued for copyright infringement. This bankrupted the studio and all copies of the film were supposed to be destroyed. Luckily for us, some survived. "Nosferatu" is now considered one of the best silent movies of all times. This movie shaped much of what we think of as vampire folklore (such as sunlight killing them). 

There are four "Nosferatu" films (the 1922 original, the 1979 version with Klaus Kinski, a shot by shot remake in 2023, and the last year's Robert Egger's movie). There are also a number of other versions of the original with different scores. 

And in honor of this vampire, we have several Nosferatu inspired drinks. They include bourbon, vodka and gin cocktails. There's even an IPA called "Nosferatu". 

Photo Credit: Here

ADDENDUM: New Entries To Previously Covered Franchises

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

This week I'm doing something slightly different. This is an ADDENDUM episode. I'm covering new entries to previously reviewed franchises. With so many new horror movies coming out each year, it's a challenge to keep up. In just the last year we had five new entries to existing horror franchises-- "Alien", "Creep", "Terrifier", "Omen", and "VHS". 

 

CORRECTION: The "Cube" remake is from Japan. For some reason I incorrectly said China. 

 

Photo Credit: Here

The "Rosemary's Baby" Franchise And Cooking With The Herb Rosemary

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

Welcome to the 115th episode of Food and Frightening Film Fanatics. This week we're reviewing the "Rosemary's Baby" franchise. Most people only know about the first film but there are actually four total. The original is some 50 years old but is still considered one of the best horror movies of all time. 

We discuss the roles of iconic actors, the influence of esteemed author Ira Levin, the controversies surrounding director Roman Polanski, and the curse of "Rosemary's Baby". Also check out the movie trivia. Did you know a future cult leader makes a 2 second appear in the first film? 

And it should come as no surprise that I went with the herb rosemary this week. It enhances the flavor of a number of dishes. Check out some of them at Masterclass.com here   It's also used in aromatherapy, in soaps and shampoos and as a traditional medicine. 

Photo Credit: Here

The "Species" Franchise And Seven Species Salad

NOTE: This podcast was rebranded on 5/29/25 as "Horror Movie Franchises". 

This week we explore the lesser-known "Species" franchise. It should not be confused with the "Subspecies" franchise (which we reviewed last week). "Species" is a sci-fi series about alien/human hybrids while "Subspecies" is about vampires. 

The "Species" franchise consists of four movies. My advise is just watch the first movie unless you're a die hard fan. This was Natasha Henstridge's first film role. She does a great job. There is also a surprisingly star studded cast including: Sir Ben Kingsley, Marg Helgenberger, Forest Whitaker, Michael Mardsen and Alfred Molina.

It is often hard to come up with a recipe tie-in for the franchise I'm reviewing. It was especially difficult this time around. The only thing I could find was Seven Species Salad. See details here at Kosher.com

Photo Credit: Here