The Bear Cave of Terror

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

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 [http://screenrant.com] The-Numbers.com [http://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 [http://Fangoria.com] "The Silence of the Cast" by Marc Shapiro w/Ian Spelling, Fangoria 170 March 1998, pp 38-41 HelloSidney.com [http://HelloSidney.com]

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 [http://movie-locations.com] "In the Know" Suspiria Trivia by David Kalat 8/20/08 TCM.com [http://TCM.com] "Dario Argento's Three Mothers Trilogy: An Introduction" by PekoeBlaze, 2/23/23 pekoeblaze.wordpress.com [http://pekoeblaze.wordpress.com]

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 [http://Dreadcentral.com] Zombeaver Puppet, youtprops.com [http://youtprops.com] "It's the Zombie Beaver Puppets that Steal the Show in Zombeavers" by Rob Staeger, 3/18/15 The Village Voice

CBB Presents The Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 40 - The Howling (1981)

Werewolves are loose in the Bear Cave yet again, with guest host Craig Lantz bringing the other big werewolf film of 1981, Joe Dante's The Howling, to chat about. Often playing second-favorite to An American Werewolf in London, The Howling nevertheless was released first, and contains some gruesome (and plentiful) werewolf creature transformations, and is filled with references, homages, and even actor cameos from legacy horror and monster movies, while playing with - and redefining - rules for werewolves and shapeshifters for the modern era. Some creature designs and transformations may be more successful than others, but the story of a TV reporter (played by Dee Wallace) suffering from PTSD due to a botched sting operation to catch a serial killer, sent to recover in a country village called "The Colony", only to find herself surrounded by pointy-eared and murderous shapeshifters, is a pretty gripping one. Supported by a couple of other journalists discovering that the serial killer may have been more than human, the nest of werewolves reveal themselves before a fiery final confrontation. The dual nature of mankind, wild practical effects and gore, and some grisly attacks make The Howling a wild ride. Even a goofy WereYorkie can't bring this move down! Additional Resources: In Search of Darkness: AJourney into Iconic 80s Horror (2019), directed by David A. Weiner, produced by CreativeVC "Channel Your Inner Werewolf..." by Maggie Boccella, 1/29/26 Fangoria.com [http://Fangoria.com] "The Howling" by Bob Martin and Jim Wynorski, Fangoria 9, Nov 1980, pp 9-13