This year’s Elevenses film club Spooktober special goes deep into the first horror film ever to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture: The Exorcist (1973). Elysia, David, and John bring their range of experiences – from lifelong aficionado to first-time watcher – into a discussion delving into the special collaboration between book author / screenwriter William Blatty and director William Friedkin, and how this movie helped to define their already exceptional careers. Along the way, they discuss the franchise as a whole, the alleged “curse” behind the production, behind-the-scenes stories, and what’s coming next in The Exorcist universe.

The Exorcist franchise:

• The original trilogy: The Exorcist (1973), Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), Exorcist III (1990)
• William Blatty’s Trilogy of Faith books: The Exorcist (1971), The Ninth Configuration (1978) [1980 film adaptation], Legion (1983, adapted into Exorcist III)
• The dueling prequels: Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) vs. Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)
• Alternative sequels: The Exorcist TV series: (2016-2017, 2 seasons, 10 eps ea.) vs. The Exorcist: Believer (2023)
• The Mike Flanagan “reboot” (partial sequel to Exorcist III): The Exorcist: Martyrs (2027) [trailer]

Other key links discussed:

• SNL parody: The Exorcist 2 (feat. Richard Pryor)
• Documentaries about the original film: The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist (1998) and Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist (2019)
• The Exorcist II documentary: Boorman and the Devil (2026) [trailer]

Contact Us

Questions or comments? Send emails to: lorehounds@thelorehounds.com

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Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

David is joined by Nathan Ledbetter, a graduate student in East Asian Studies at Princeton University, and new Lorehounds Community Co-Host, to begin a three part series ahead of Godzilla Minus Zero.

This first installment explores the history and context of Godzilla, from the 1954 original and the nuclear anxieties that shaped it to the legacy that followed, before turning to the morphology of the monster’s body and what its physical design communicates. The conversation is completely spoiler free for Godzilla Minus Zero and for any other movies discussed, so it is safe listening whether or not you have seen the films.

In Part 2, David and Nathan will take a full spoiler discussion of the 1954 film, with some commentary on the 1956 version, and compare it with the 2023 film Godzilla Minus One. Part 3 will be a regular movie review of Godzilla Minus Zero once the film is in wide release.

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* Podcast

• Godzilla in 1954: Japan’s Nuclear Nightmare and Sci-Fi Legacy

Lorehounds Blog Post

• The Semiotics of Godzilla: How to Read a Monster’s Body

Nathan Ledbetter’s Academic Page

• https://princeton.academia.edu/NathanLedbetter

Contact Us

Questions or comments? Send emails to: lorehounds@thelorehounds.com

Or, send us a voicemail! You can use the voicemail tool on our website, thelorehounds.com/contact OR record a note on your smartphone and email it to us at the same address.

Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates

https://linktr.ee/thelorehounds

Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

Lorehounds Host David and Lorehounds Community Co-host Stewart (Doove71) are joined by special guest Marilyn R. Pukkila for the first publicly available Eagle Eyes episode, a deep dive into the 2026 film Pressure. The conversation covers the film’s remarkable portrait of the 72 hours before D-Day, centered on Scottish meteorologist Group Captain James Stagg’s pivotal and contested weather forecast to Supreme Allied Commander Eisenhower, exploring how the production distills a vast, complex military operation into an intimate and claustrophobic character piece. The trio bring their combined perspectives to the film’s historical accuracy, its origins as a 2014 stage play, the transatlantic tensions mirrored at every level of command, and the quietly essential role of Kay Summersby in navigating the enormous egos in the room.

Further Reading

The General’s Women by Susan Wittig Albert

https://susanalbert.com/the-generals-women/

Contact Us

Questions or comments? Send emails to: eagleeyes@thelorehounds.com

Or, send us a voicemail! You can use the voicemail tool on our website, thelorehounds.com/contact OR record a note on your smartphone and email it to us at the same address.

Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates

https://linktr.ee/thelorehounds

Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.