Caliber 9 From Outer Space

It's the end of the world as we know it and we feel... well, you can't complain, can you?Author and publisher AM Belsey joins us today to discuss a couple of films about the end of the world... or ARE they??? We check out Danny Boyle's Sunshine (2007), and follow it up with cult New Zealand curio, The Quiet Earth (1985), directed by Geoff Murphy. Sexy scientists, solar edging and a New Zealand with marginally less people than it usually has - this is a week for heady sci-fi concepts indeed.

We will be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for both films, so if you haven't seen them before you listen, you can nevertheless avoid spoilers for Sunshine by skipping ahead to the 1:38:24 mark, and for The Quiet Earth by skipping ahead to 2:28:51.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"Staring at the Sun" by TV On The Radio

We said James Bond would return... and he did! We continue our series checking out the lesser loved entries from the 007 franchise. This week, it's time to discuss George Lazenby's sole outing as the famous spy, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), directed by Peter Hunt, and follow it up with one of the most maligned films in the series, Octopussy (1983), directed by John Glen. We discuss the many curious choices that were made surrounding the first non-Connery Bond film (including Lazenby's choice to throw it all away) and make a case for the very specific energy that Roger Moore brings to the role in what is undeniably a very silly Bond film.

Stick around for our Bond Tropewatch segment, where we rate each of these films against the checklist of standard Bond tropes to see which fares best!

Fair warning: we go into the plots of both films in some detail, including the endings, but we feel like James Bond is somewhat unspoilable in general, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of these films.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" by The Propellerheads

Two very different genre exercises today: one an essential masterpiece of its idiom, the other a true exploitation cash-in of a much more polished and successful film. Rich Fox is with us to discuss Tenebrae (1982), directed by Dario Argento and Tentacles (1977), directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis. From the sublime to the ridiculous, perhaps, but both films are fascinating in their own way.

Tentacles is hard to spoil (especially if you've seen Jaws before), so no Spoiler Territory for that one. We do, however, call out Spoiler Territory for Tenebrae so if you want to skip ahead from that point, you can rejoin the conversation at the 1:52:31 mark to avoid spoilers.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"Flashing" by Claudio Simonetti, Fabio Pignatelli and Massimo Morante

Wings Hauser brings out the lunatic in us, so this week we have a suitably chaotic episode to cover a Wings double feature where the sleaze and violence are dialled right up - without skimping on the quality of film-making. Heather Drain and Ted Bennett join us this week to review Vice Squad (1982), directed by Gary Sherman and The Wind (1986), directed by Nico Mastorakis. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll almost certainly make that wincing face... and that's just from listening to our discussion.

Neither film is particularly spoilable, so we won't be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for either of them.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"Jeanny" by Falco

Sakana drops in this week to discuss a couple of early films directed by American exploitation legend, Jack Hill. First up: Pit Stop (1969), a film marketed as a demolition derby thrill ride which nevertheless contains surprising character depth and drama. Then we follow it up with cult favourite, Spider Baby (1967) which, despite its weirdo horror comedy approach, has some emotional depth of its own.

We will be announcing a Spoiler Territory section for both films, so if you haven't seen them before you listen, you can nevertheless avoid spoilers for Pit Stop by skipping ahead to the 1:27:17 mark, and for Spider Baby by skipping ahead to 2:18:58.

Want to get in touch? You can reach us on caliber9fromouterspace@gmail.com

Theme music: "The Cold Light of Day" by HKM. Check out HKM on #SoundCloud or Bandcamp

"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" by The Smiths