playnext.fm

Cinema Psychos Movie Reviews · Brian Cottington

Top 5 INSANE Stalker Horror Movies

·52 min·5 clips
John gives a blunt TED Talk warning: never stick your dick in crazy, inspired by 'Fatal Attraction'.
Hosts Brian Cottington and John Wolscroft define the stalker horror subgenre and debate which films qualify. They record this episode from the Eerie Horror Fest at the Warner Theater. The hosts acknowledge the subject matter can be triggering due to its proximity to real-life experiences. They cite 1960's *Psycho* and *Peeping Tom* as foundational films that shifted horror from distant monsters to realistic threats. Brian argues a true stalker film must feature no masks, a non-random connection between stalker and victim, and a core element of obsession. He disqualifies slashers like *Halloween* because masked killers become "dehumanized" monsters rather than relatable, broken people. John includes *The Terminator* as a stalker film, while Brian rejects it as a non-human entity. The hosts highlight *Fatal Attraction* for subverting the typical male-stalks-female dynamic. They discuss the 1990s as a peak era for films like *Single White Female*, *The Hand That Rocks the Cradle*, and *The Crush*. Brian praises *One Hour Photo*, calling Robin Williams's against-type performance chilling because his character builds an obsessive fantasy around a family. They debate whether *Misery* qualifies, with Brian arguing Annie Wilkes's pre-existing obsession with Paul Sheldon meets his criteria. A surprising claim is that Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese initially swapped directing duties for *Hook* and *Cape Fear*. John considers the remake of *Cape Fear* superior due to its cinematography and Robert De Niro's improvisation, like putting his fingers in Juliette Lewis's mouth. The hosts find humor in the dark comedy of *The Cable Guy*, noting its unique approach to making stalking funny before a sinister turn. A memorable moment is John's recurring "TED Talk" advice: "Don't stick your dick in crazy." They humorously critique *The Fanatic*, starring John Travolta, for its blatant product placement of the band Limp Bizkit. The hosts invite listener disagreement on their film classifications, encouraging comments on social media and Discord. The tone is a casual, opinionated debate between two knowledgeable film enthusiasts. Their style is conversational and humorous, filled with personal anecdotes and tangential banter. This episode would appeal to horror fans who enjoy genre analysis and debates about film categorization. Listeners seeking a serious, academic dissection of horror tropes might find the informal style and digressions less engaging.

As heard by us

A criteria-first horror debate that keeps testing which movies really count as stalker films.

This episode takes a criteria-first approach to horror, with Brian and John arguing over what should count as a stalker film. They set out a few clear rules - no masks, no random targeting, and some real connection or obsession - then test those ideas against titles like Misery,…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

If you like horror debates that start with rules and end in chaos, press play.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on
Apple PodcastsSpotify
Play clips from this episodeMore from Cinema Psychos Movie Reviews