Horror Movie Franchises

The "Zombi" Franchise: Some Of The Best Looking Zombies In The Biz

Last week we talked about the Spanish "Blind Dead" zombie franchise. This time we're diving into the Italian franchise "Zombi".

This franchise is one of the most confusing due to it's differing titles. Back in the day some marketers, film studios, etc would title movies a sequel to a more popular film (in order to cash in on it's popularity). Also, to make it even more confusing, movies might be released under different names in each country. Thus is the case with this franchise. 

George A Romero's "Dawn Of The Dead" was released as just "Zombi" in Europe. Lucio Fulci's zombie movie was then released as "Zombi 2". Fulci has said himself that his movie is not a sequel to anything. Then the next movie (which Fulci had to bow out of due to health reasons) was released as "Zombi 3". 

In the US "Zombi 2" was released as just "Zombie". Then the next film is "Zombi 3". In the UK the films were released as "Zombi Flesh Eaters" and additional unrelated films were added. In Australia there were 8+ unrelated films in the franchise (including one of the "Blind Dead" movies we talked about last week). Way too confusing!

Fulci's zombies are different in that they arise from the voodoo traditions of Haiti and the Caribbean. The zombie look here is possibly some of the best in the business (thanks to makeup artist Giannetti De Rossi). The rise of the 400 year old Spanish conquistador (complete with worms in his eye socket) is a standout.  

Other famous scenes include: 1. The eye gouging scene (definitely cringe inducing); 2. the zombie vs shark fight (yes it's real shark).

While "Zombi 2" is a classic, "Zombi 3" is really, really boring. Feel free to skip that one. Too bad we'll never know what it would have looked like had Fulci been able to complete it himself. 

Photo Credit: Here

The "Blind Dead" Franchise: Zombies On Horseback!

In this episode we're reviewing a lesser known Spanish zombie franchise. It's the four moves of the "Blind Dead". They were all written and directed by Amando del Ossorio. Each was released under several different titles so it's a bit of a challenge to find them. 

None of the stories are related except that each follows a group of zombies (Templar Knights that were killed for their devil worship and human sacrifices) as they terrorize the neighborhood.

These are not your typical zombies. They're more like a zombie/vampire hybrid. They rise each night from their graves to kill people and drink their blood. They look more like skeletal mummies in dirty monk robes. They like to hit people with their swords. They also really, really like to ride zombie horses (which always travel is SLOW MOTION). It's a good thing they have those horses. The zombies themselves are so slow, they'd never sneak up on anyone otherwise. 

Photo Credit: Here

The "Warlock" Franchise: Has Anyone Else Seen These Movies?

In this week's episode of "Horror Movie Franchises", we delve into a lesser known franchise. "Warlock" has three movies total. They are considered horror/fantasy. If you're looking for scary movies, check elsewhere.

These movies are each standalone stories. Their only common denominator is each features a warlock. Julian Sands stars in the first two. He has an excellent screen presence and really sells his roles.  

My personal recommendation is to watch the first movie and skip the rest. It's not that the other two are bad. I've seen much worse. Their stories just dont interest me much that much. A few people say they like "Warlock 2" better than the first movie-- so your mileage may vary. 

There are no plans for a continuation of the franchise. If there were. they'd need to find a new warlock. Julian Sands tragically died while hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains in California in 2023. 

Photo Credit: Here

The "Mimic" Franchise: We're Gonna Need An Exterminator

Welcome to the 124th episode of Horror Movie Franchises, formerly known as Food and Frightening Film Fanatics, where we provide commentary, analysis and critiques of horror movies. 

In this episode, we explore the "Mimic" franchise. It consists of three films. The first was Guillermo del Toro's U.S. directorial debut. The other two movies went straight to home video. del Toro was not able to make the film he intended due to studio interference (from Miramax and the Weinsteins). He disowned the theatrical release and later created a director's cut that was closer to his vision. 

"Mimic" joins a long line of killer bug movies where insects threaten to dethrone humans from the top of the food chain. They include: "Them!", "Empire of the Ants", and "Kingdom of the Spiders" (just to name a few). 

Photo Credit: Here

 

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