Once Upon A VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy

"Whizzpop, whizzbang, feel the bubbles go down!"

Our friend, clinical psychologist and mental health researcher Dr Liam Casey joins us to discuss this animated Roald Dahl adaptation, originally made for UK TV by Cosgrove Hall productions.

A song about farting, The Delicious Miss (Sophie) Dahl, World Book Day, the 2016 Spielberg film being dragged through the mud, Mrs. Slocombe's you-know-what, grandpa feelings, making Frobscottle with a Berocca, Liam's library of dreams, the Kate Bush Fruitopia commercials, retro British children's TV including Rainbow and The Dreamstone, a terrifying monstrous giant rising from the sea, I Don't Know How To Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar, and the concept of replacing Queen Elizabeth II with Kylie Minogue await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

What do human beans from Sweden taste like? Sweden sour!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"No, no, no Bigfoot here, Sergeant. I was just joking."

Joining us on the trail of a very special sasquatch is a connoisseur of cult movies, Antonio Palacios from The Cultworthy Cinema Podcast and Back 2 The Balcony. It's time for a family comedy that became a real VHS staple - initially known in the UK as "Bigfoot and the Hendersons"!

Rick Baker providing stunning makeup effects and having beef with Spielberg, a surprising connection to The Monkees, cryptid chat including Sam the Sandown Clown, and a wood-panelled station wagon await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

Is this our most "dad stuff" episode so far? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Only you can choose your fate."

In the second part of our double bill of peculiar Pinocchio movies, we revisit one of Callum's childhood favourites - Filmation's ill-fated cartoon pseudo-sequel which provoked the wrath of Disney - fitting for a film that flits between saccharine sweetness and a dark carnival of deeply disturbing imagery.

Surreal animation, an absolutely wild voice cast including James Earl Jones, Rickie Lee Jones, Ed Asner, Tom Bosley, Don Knotts and Scott Grimes, the respective puppet provenance of Twinkle and Puppetino, glittering green grog at the Neon Cabaret, the Blue Fairy aka Fairy Godmother giving us a zooted musical number then skedaddling, the cosmic horror of a great big eldritch villain, L'Oreal putting the kibosh on the spinoff TV series nobody wanted, a raccoon with a breastplate and a problematic monkey await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

What do we make of Gee Whillickers and Grumblebee? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Miracles are made in the heart, papa."

It's time for our double bill of peculiar Pinocchio movies - first up is this lavish live action international co-production with memorably uncanny puppet practical effects provided by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

We also dive deep into our relationship with Carlo Collodi's story and its legacy including the Disney adaptation(s), Guillermo del Toro's stunning stopmotion passion project, the Spielberg-Kubrick collaboration AI: Artificial Intelligence and the excellent, book-faithful 2019 film from Matteo Garrone.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas, a nightmarish donkey transformation on a rollercoaster, opera pastiche, the fairytale charm of Prague, Bebe Neuwirth serving puss, a sea monster with human eyes and teeth, Sacro Bosco, a truly hideous CGI cricket and Dawn French's cream cakes await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

Which rock star provides Pinocchio's singing voice? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"After the rain goes, there are rainbows - I'll find my rainbow soon."

We return to the Don Bluth oeuvre with a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale adaptation starring Jodi Benson, hot on the heels of The Little Mermaid and the Disney renaissance at large.

An amphibious Charo's cuchi-cuchi, Bluth's preoccupation with both death and sparkles, Barry Manilow, fairy headgear, Thumbling stories, Carol Channing chatting to Betty White on the phone, the Danny Kaye movie musical, dark undercurrents and some distinctive vocal stylings await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

What does Andersen's penpal have to do with any of this? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.