Latest / Petty and Unbothered / #34 - Brains, Blood & Bad Blood: Romero vs. Argento
Transcript
- Robin Axline: Welcome back everyone. This is Petty and Unbothered. I'm Robin, and my lovely co-host is here with me, Laura. And we usually ask each other every episode what's the pettiest thing we came across this week. So I guess we'll start with you, Laura. Do you have anything to throw out there today? Tita Lors: No. man, what's the pettiest thing I came across this week? I think How did I why did I not think about this? I we ask this every week. Yeah, Robin Axline: No, no rays. We can we can chop this out. Tita Lors: yeah, yeah. What even happened this week? Noth I surprisingly nothing. I think. Yeah, Robin Axline: Wow, wild yeah. Tita Lors: me, if anything, I'm the pettiest thing I came across this week. Robin Axline: I yay. I find that hard to believe, but Tita Lors: Yeah, I like I think listening when I'm editing our recordings and things, I'm like, God I I think about it from the lens of if your clients hear this, what will they think about you? Robin Axline: no. Tita Lors: I know and I'm like, ooh but I think maybe the pettiest thing I've come across this week is me, 'cause I I say sometimes pretty wild things. And I'm like, would I actually do those would Robin Axline: Ha ha ha Tita Lors: I actually do those things? Sometimes yeah, sometimes no. Like I don't really go to extremes or anything to do stuff. But But yeah. And also like I read somewhere, I forgot what it was. It was like somebody was like this thing of like when people hurt you, you know, you can go and you can have like a really big response or you can have a very quiet, subtle, petty response. And excuse me, and it like lets people know, hey, I'm not gonna keep taking this. And I and I think That yeah, I'm gonna stick to to me because there's just all the things it's it's no longer these big reactions or big responses to people whenever I'm feeling hurt or some type of way about something that's some perceived harm or hurt that somebody has done. It's just a smaller Noted, we'll see how that turns out in the future for you. Robin Axline: Huh for you. is it kind of like adjacent to the let them theory or Mel Robbins or whatever? Tita Lors: Maybe, but it's more like Robin Axline: Mm. Tita Lors: maybe it's closer to like I have a few friends who are also in their forties and everyone's like or they're all adjusting into their forties and it's like it's fuck it forties, man. Like whatever. Robin Axline: Mm. Tita Lors: I who cares? You're gonna do what you're gonna do and Robin Axline: Yeah. Hmm. No, I do like that. And I think just having that inner feeling, I think people kind of sense it and they realize they can't fuck with you as much or fudge with you. So Tita Lors: Yeah. Hopefully. I don't know. We'll see. Robin Axline: Well y you y you know, what are it's like you're two days in or no, four days in. Whatever. So you still have some time. Time to find out. Yeah, Tita Lors: Yes, four days. Yeah. What fucking forties is gonna feel like. Robin Axline: yeah. my gosh. I also saw since go ahead. Since you had brought up like how it was like divorce summer or whatever. Tita Lors: Yeah. Robin Axline: I saw that I saw that again this past week and I was all like, yeah. I'm still still feeling that vibe. I think it's like in the ether. It's a good one. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It's not. I mean, yeah. But Tita Lors: Yeah. We're still there. It's not fall yet, at least not right now. wait, it's the twenty-first. Do you remember the twentieth night of September? Robin Axline: first day of September. The song is so long. shout out to Demi Adjiweebay, who raised so much money for charity doing those September videos and they just get better and better as the years went on and then he finally retired it like a year or so ago. But if you got some time and some change. Look it up on YouTube, it's amazing. It's good. Tita Lors: I'm gonna look it up. Robin Axline: Yeah, hard hard recommend. yeah. Mm. Darn it. I found out today is National Pepper Jack Cheese Day, which is kinda cool. Yeah. Tita Lors: Interesting. Robin Axline: So all you Pepper Tease heads get out there somebody's Yeah. Tita Lors: And have you some pepper check cheese. Robin Axline: man. Tita Lors: funny. Robin Axline: but yeah, and my petty situations aren't coming up for me as well. But I will bring one up that isn't quite petty because I thought it was more like funny and I sent you a picture, but it's our sticker on a pole and somebody put googly eyes on me. Tita Lors: I love it so much Robin Axline: On my picture. Tita Lors: though. It's so cool. Robin Axline: I know. I was like, what is that's insane? Like these people are just walking around with the perfect size googly eyes. Tita Lors: No, for real. Like what did you you saw it and then you came back? But you couldn't put it on both of us? What the hell? Robin Axline: Yeah, that is so funny. But something I didn't tell you about it is that it inspired me to order some googly eyes. So now I have Tita Lors: Ew, you could have just got googly eyes from me. I have them. Robin Axline: Aw man. I'll just show you. It's like a whole set. It's like multi different colors, sizes. It's nuts. No no. No. Not that crazy. Tita Lors: Yeah. Some of the ones that my big has, it's like colorful lash there's or there's eyelid is colored and then there's lashes. Mm-hmm. Robin Axline: Cool. Dang, that's a neat that's neat. Yeah, mine aren't that detailed. Tita Lors: I know. It's cool. It's weird, especially 'cause they're not exactly putting them on in the right position. So so it's like upside down. Robin Axline: s it looks Tita Lors: Yeah. Robin Axline: that's great. That's great. Yeah, but it it kind of inspired me. I was like, maybe I'll just go around and put googly eyes on people too. I don't know. Tita Lors: Yeah. Robin Axline: I just think that was so random though. And and actually gave me a good laugh. So totally. yeah, and then I guess one of the things that I love is start seeing I'm already starting to see like Halloween decorations pop up on people's like stoops. and like no way. I don't know how cute that is right now. Tita Lors: Ha ha ha. Robin Axline: He Tita Lors: It's like go to Costco. Costco is Christmas already. Like Costco Robin Axline: that's right. I saw a Grinch tree there. I do like seeing holiday decorations, but not Christmas right now. That's what I was gonna say. but the Halloween of it all, like the bodegas and flower stands and fruit stands are already selling like these gnarly looking pumpkins and actually when I was up at the retreat the Amish farms were selling these really cool looking pumpkins. that we actually bought a couple for the retreat already and I was like, I hope they last until Halloween. There's like one with like warts on it and Tita Lors: Yeah. how cool. Robin Axline: there's a really cool one that's like flat called a dragon fire. It's really neat anywho. no. Hmm. Yeah, yeah. Who's to say? Who's to say? Like this is kind of like a weird, not embarrassing, but just like funny is I got a pumpkin pie kind of pumpkin to get and it was like the biggest one I've ever seen because I usually get those little ones to make pie and stuff. But this one was like thit, like big. And it was like cool looking too, because I had a handle that was like this. And I ended up keeping it until like past New Year's. I was like, this is too cool to cut into, and then I just kept keeping it. I finally had to let it go. Yeah. I was like, I don't even think I want to cook with it now. it's just like a particular kind of pumpkin that's used in like pumpkin pie and stuff. Tita Lors: okay. I was like, wait a second, I'm not getting part of this story. Of like, why is a pumpkin Robin Axline: yeah. but yes. Tita Lors: pie this tall? I'm like, wait, I think I missed something. Robin Axline: my god. It's like those nachos that are served in a can, like a tin can, and they're like this high of nachos, and then you lift the can and it's like this crazy stack. That's like what the pumpkin pie would be. Tita Lors: So it was a cylind cylindrical pumpkin pie? I was like, how do you make- Robin Axline: I'm just making that up if I did have a pumpkin pie like that. You get a Pringles can and then just shove the pie in there. Tita Lors: Yeah, you just shove that in there. And then you bake it. Robin Axline: Man, now I'm kind of inspired. Tita Lors: so confused. Okay. There was a pumpkin that you wanted to make a pumpkin pie with, but it was so Robin Axline: No, I'm just like whew Yes. Tita Lors: cute you didn't want to cut into it. Boom! And you kept it. Robin Axline: Bingo That's the story. I couldn't let it go. It was too cute. So Tita Lors: I don't blame you. The girls make so we don't carve into the pumpkins because, you know, they're really young and crazy with the knives and stuff, so I don't want them to cut themselves. so we paint them instead. And sometimes they're Robin Axline: Mm. Tita Lors: just so cute that I also leave them out until a very, Robin Axline: No. Tita Lors: very long time. Robin Axline: gosh. And then what happens? Then they are rotten? Tita Lors: Because it eventually it gets really cold, right? So it's outside and it's freezing. So it's like it's fine ish. Yeah, Robin Axline: I see, I see. That makes sense. Tita Lors: one time I get it out, probably maybe definitely way too much longer than I should. Robin Axline: Yeah, yeah. It's always like funny too when you see like post Halloween pumpkins out on the people's stoops and they don't do anything about it and they just go like deflate. Tita Lors: Yeah yeah. Robin Axline: my gosh. I've just I've just send you something really funny right now. Tita Lors: Okay. On my phone or Robin Axline: No on this chat. Tita Lors: okay. Robin Axline: Yeah. Tita Lors: no. She sent me a video of nachos in a tin can. That's so funny. Robin Axline: It's like the most epic fail looking. Tita Lors: It is. Like y it's not that Robin Axline: It doesn't stay. They just plop out on the plate, dear listeners. No, it's like and the can is like almost like the size of like a coffee can or something. It's big. Yeah. So maybe we'll put that in the show notes. Tita Lors: Ha. Robin Axline: If you guys want to see something unhinged. Tita Lors: Copy the link. Right now. Robin Axline: god. Okay, enough of that. I just had to it was like f top of mind. Tita Lors: Have you okay, so we have HBO and on HBO there's something called Kitchen Chaos and I watch it with the girls, it's really funny. And you know how they are doing it's really or it was really popular to do the the tsunami cakes where it's like y you have to get a specific kind of glaze and you kind of pour it into like this cell cellophane thing and then you lift it off and like it it hold on. Yeah. Robin Axline: What I don't know about this one. Tita Lors: Well, that the tsunami cake fails are hilarious. So Robin Axline: geez I bet. Listeners, is this like weird food content fun for you or or no? Thumbs up or thumbs Tita Lors: Or no. Should we stop? Robin Axline: down. Okay. Yay. What is that how it's supposed to look? Tita Lors: Mm. because there's also Robin Axline: Okay. Tita Lors: so the way that moms are doing it are A commercial Robin Axline: I've seen him. I forgot I had my ad blocker. It blocked it. Whoa. What in the world? Yeah. now I have to see the well looks like Nickelodeon slime. Tita Lors: Yeah. Robin Axline: Sprinkles. no. that was actually worked. And you successfully made one of these? Tita Lors: I've never successfully made one of these. But it's super pretty, right? Okay, now Robin Axline: Okay. yeah. Tita Lors: ready? Let's do. Robin Axline: I was like hold on. Okay. god that solo cup, why? That daughter's like I'm not impressed. my god. Tita Lors: So man, bummer because they don't show the rest of it. She peed. Robin Axline: Yeah. Tita Lors: She was laughing so hard she peed. Robin Axline: my gosh. Tita Lors: It's so funny. yeah. So tsunami cake veils are really funny. Robin Axline: Yeah. Wow, this is like a whole new world for me. Tita Lors: Okay. how did we get here? Robin Axline: Ha. Our new show Weird Food Tita Lors: Our new show, how did we get here? I feel Robin Axline: yeah Tita Lors: like I ask that in every episode. Robin Axline: Every episode my gosh. that was such a fun right. Well I'm gonna have to look that up later. Tita Lors: Yes, yes, yes, yes. Okay, but do you have a story for me? Robin Axline: Very important. so I yes, I absolutely do. I'm gonna kick it off with some spooky music too. Kick it off. Yeah. Why am I playing this, do you ask? because it is time for me to get a little bit spooky because we're talking Halloween here and I've always loved horror movies. Like genuinely love them as a kid even and I well God. Tita Lors: Same. Yeah, but people won't watch them with me. Seriously. I had to like Robin Axline: what is wrong with people? Tita Lors: s my cousin wanted to watch like rom com movies, but like Twilight. I guess that's not a rom-com, but she wanted to watch Twilight and I was like, But we Robin Axline: huh. Tita Lors: we would trade off. So I would go watch those movies with her and then she would have to watch like the exorcism of Emily Rose or some sh Robin Axline: man, I think I went to the movies to see that one for some reason. That is funny. I couldn't tell you what happened, Tita Lors: I did too. Or no, what was it? Robin Axline: but yeah. Tita Lors: Yeah, no, I had her watch the what are they? A lot of them ended up coming out, like the based on a true story situations with the Warners. Robin Axline: Yeah, like kinda like that well, I guess like kinda like that conjuring kind of stuff. Tita Lors: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kinda like that. So I had her watch a few of those movies in as a trade off for that and Fifty Shades. Robin Axline: Yeah, that one is truly scary. Tita Lors: Wait, the fifty shades? Robin Axline: Fifty shades of grey? Tita Lors: Yeah. Are you saying that's scary? Robin Axline: Yes. Ha ha There's scary parts in there. I mean, it is a fan fiction based on Twilight, so Tita Lors: It is, yeah. Robin Axline: man, well it's definitely not a rom com Tita Lors: It's not. I think I got my genres confused. Robin Axline: No just I'm just playing. gosh. And then also I feel like we kind of like Tita Lors: okay. We both huh. Robin Axline: came up during like this renaissance of like scream, I know what you did last summer. Like all those Yeah, what are you waiting for? Tita Lors: Mm-hmm. yeah. What are you waiting for? Huh? What are you waiting for Robin Axline: Mm-hmm. I it's like s like drilled into my mind the sequel with Brandy where they go to the resort and then she gets stuck in the tanning bed and like they put like zip zip ties on Tita Lors: No. Robin Axline: the tanning bed and she's like Tita Lors: Yeah, I've never been in a tanning bed and I never will be. I don't. Yeah, nor should you probably ever be. Because also Robin Axline: Nor should you pro Yeah. Tita Lors: in one of the what's the my god, what is the name of that movie? Final Fan not Final Fantasy. Final Final Destination, yeah. Robin Axline: Destination. yeah. Tita Lors: In one of them there's also a tanning bed scene. And I'm like, Robin Axline: Forgot about that. Tita Lors: It's we're good. It's cool. I don't wanna die like that. Robin Axline: Yeah, I remember that one where those two chicks are at the place and then yeah, her like drinks fills or something happens. Iconic. Tita Lors: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. gosh. 'Cause they're so good at being like, Yeah, they're gonna die exactly how you think they're gonna die, but not it doesn't happen the way you think it's gonna happen. It's yeah. Robin Axline: Mm-hmm. Yeah, exactly. Anyways, I think we were lucky to kind of like come up during like this interesting time of like those teen horror ones that were just like big larger than life kind of. but so I always liked that and also I don't know if this is Tied into it. It could be. I don't know. My parents sometimes are like, this is is this what got you into horror or something? But it was like when I was a tween or kind of like young teen, I got cast in a play. it was kind of like a experimental, immersive stage production of Night of the Living Dead. And shouts out to Rainbow Artist Workshops who put it on. And my character was the daughter, Karen, in the story, who turns into a zombie spoiler alert. Tita Lors: I feel like if you haven't seen it Yeah, Robin Axline: You had a lot of chances. Tita Lors: it's it's been a it's been a few decades. Robin Axline: Yeah. But it was really cool, like the production was in a kind of like square-shaped room and then the audience was like sitting all around. So it's like a theater in the round and in between the seats were windows, so you felt like you were in the house. So like when people were like boarding up the house, they're like right next to the audience, like boarding up, and then the zombies would like come through the side. it was real it was really cool. Tita Lors: my gosh, how fun. Robin Axline: it made a big impression on me, I think, too. But one of the cool things I thought as a kid was like I had like a blood pouch on my arm and then it was covered by like liquid latex like skin. And so when the zombie bit me, he like kinda ripped it like My skin was stretching and the blood was all and Tita Lors: Yeah. Robin Axline: it was pretty neat, I will say. Tita Lors: Yeah. man. That just reminded me of like this one time I went with my boyfriend at the time. to this immersive like Halloween experience where you give permission for the the the cast members to touch you. So people Robin Axline: Mm. Tita Lors: were getting kidnapped. I got Robin Axline: No way. Tita Lors: bit by someone. I was Robin Axline: Whoa. Tita Lors: like this is weird but so much fun. It wasn't like it wasn't the ones where they were like trying to terrify you and s like scare the crap Robin Axline: I don't like that, yeah. Tita Lors: out of you and like potentially abuse you. also but it Robin Axline: Mm-hmm. Tita Lors: was it was one where like they were telling the story and you got put into the story. Yeah, Robin Axline: Well Tita Lors: it was so cool. and they like they bit me and how they did it is like they just wiped their teeth and like two marks Robin Axline: Hmm. Tita Lors: on me so that they didn't actually bite me. It was so funny. Yeah. I Robin Axline: Yeah, I was like, Ew. That's really cool, like really creative way to do it, instead of just the regular. Tita Lors: was Yeah, I would love to do that. I w I would also love to do one of like the actual scary ones. Like not the ones where you give them permission to beat you up, but like where they're actually trying to scare you and you have to like walk through. And and they do Robin Axline: Yeah. You know about like those Christian haunted houses that Tita Lors: No. Christians put on Robin Axline: my god. Tita Lors: haunted houses. I know about the one where it's like if you can get through the whole thing, you win like something thousands of dollars. Cause yeah, they Robin Axline: What it's really scary. Tita Lors: it's really scary. Yeah. like the people have gotten pretty messed up in there. It's like terrifying. Yeah, I don't yeah. Robin Axline: Messed up. Ooh. Tita Lors: I don't know that anybody's got to the end of it because it's that terrifying. Robin Axline: Gosh. Yeah, I don't think I want to do well, thousands of Tita Lors: Yep. I Robin Axline: dollars. I don't know. Hmm. Tita Lors: Is it enough to get me out of debt? Robin Axline: Yeah, right? Is it gonna pay for my school? that's funny. yeah, but the Christian ones, if you ever want to go down a rabbit hole, it's ridiculous. Like they it's almost like a scared straight kind of thing. Like they'll have somebody that was like died of drugs with like a bunch of needles in and like it's really weird. I'll have to send you a link maybe. You want to see something bizarre. Tita Lors: Yeah. Like Queen Mary was I used to live right next to it so when they would do like the scary like the s haunted stuff at Queen Mary, like they would have themed rooms and sometimes they would have like graphic pick themes like that or even like you know, Knott's Berry Farm, Six Flags and all of their like scarefe scream fest and haunted poor nights or whatever. So definitely doing those all the time. Robin Axline: Awesome. I always wanted to go to that. Mm. Okay. Whoa, that's trippy. I haven't I have another rec, I'll tell you off air, that's related to that, a documentary on that topic. Yeah, it's good. so yes, side tangent. Yup. Tita Lors: Ooh. Okay. Yeah. Side to edge it. Hold on, side to edge it. I went in with one of my cousins one time. We got halfway through and she's like, No no no no no no, I don't wanna do this anymore. And I was like, We're halfway through. We're going forward. Cause if you go backwards, you're just gonna experience the same amount of fear. Robin Axline: Same. Tita Lors: So let's get through it. Yeah, but I had to like push her. Robin Axline: Yeah. my gosh. Aww, poor little thing. Tita Lors: She wasn't. She was like late teens, early twenties. Robin Axline: Okay. Tita Lors: No. Robin Axline: my gosh. That was so funny. Reminds me of like, I don't remember what show it was. I don't know if it like Ellen or one of those where they went into a haunted house, like a celebrity and then Tita Lors: Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they would scare them on purpose. Robin Axline: yeah, and on her sh the talk show itself they'd have people jump out of things. god. Tita Lors: Yeah, yeah, yeah. my goodness. That my god, we're gonna go on so many tangents. I swear I'm gonna let you finish your story. But Robin Axline: It's okay. Tita Lors: I'm like Kanye Westingy right now. Robin Axline: Yeah. Tita Lors: So my neighborhood where I did like high school or whatever, one of my co another cousin came to visit and one of the neighbors had a small little haunted house in their garage that they had created. And so we were gonna go in together but they wouldn't let us and they like a real frickin' butcher knife pass my face into like the f wooden framing and they're like, No no no And I was like, Well, that's the end of that for me. I will no longer be entering this home. But my cousin was already in and I heard her scream and somebody go, Robin Axline: my god. What happened? Did she kick him in the crotch or something? Tita Lors: She slapped somebody. Yeah, they scared the crap out of her. I don't know what they I think they like tried to grab her or something so she slapped them and ran out. Robin Axline: Wow. Tita Lors: And I was like, What happened? Yeah, and I was like, Robin Axline: Dang. Tita Lors: Well, I guess we won't be going back there. Robin Axline: Wow, that's intense. Tita Lors: Mm, yeah. And probably somebody I went to high school with too that was like trying to be scary. I was like, nah, get away from me Robin Axline: Sounds like a lot of effort that to make such a thing, but whatever. Ugh. Tita Lors: Mhm. I mean good for them, but that was dangerous. Okay, okay, okay. You love horror movies, we both love horror movies. Let's continue. Yes. Robin Axline: Yeah. We like Haunted House talk. apparently. yes. So what I was gonna say is the director of Night of the Living Dead, George Romero, I feel like he's kind of been a part of my life for a long time now because of my Tita Lors: Ha ha. Robin Axline: experience with the play. And then after that, like me watching the movie, like getting all like into it kind of. and then there's another director that I'm gonna be talking about today. is Dario Argento. He is a totally different kind of horror director and somebody that I got pretty like deep into his library as well. And he's a Italian film director who did like did you ever see Susperia? It's like in a it seventies I wanna say. He also did one called Phenomena, but it's more eighties, like Tenebrae. He just like really, really good stuff. and then there was like that Sespuria remake that happened with the code of Johnson quite a few years back that was kind of like, Okay, not the same. I I it's one of those movies that's almost like a one of one, like why did they have to remake it? But I digress. but so the other kind of formative thing for me is when I was living in Manhattan around like 2003, 2004, I found out about this kind of like cool secret screening place that's like behind some curtains and it's like a long hallway. And then it it's just like a screen and then just some like wooden folding chairs or something. Tita Lors: Ha ha Robin Axline: and it was like in the East Village area and there I saw the film Two Evil Eyes and it was actually directed by Argento and Romero. Tita Lors: wow, both of them together. Robin Axline: Yeah, and it's like a take on Edgar Allan Poe's writing. Anyways, so talking about two different directors that kind of made Tita Lors: Mm. And they created a movie together. Robin Axline: they made a movie together. but besides that I wanted to start looking into how they both made their own versions of the same movie. And so Romero came out with Dawn of the Dead. And they were friends and they collaborated and they both had a hand in making the movie, but it wasn't exactly like a feud, but it was almost like you make your movie, I'm gonna make this movie, but it's like the same. so it's like different versions. And so the Dawn of the Dead was Romero's idea, basically, but he had told Argento about it and he needed funding and distribution. So he kind of helped on that side of it, bringing it to Europe and Italy in particular. So this is kind of an interesting to think about that. And then also I just wanted I'd be remiss to not mention the 2004 Dawn of the Dead. I thought that was actually a really good one. And One of my favorite actor directors, Sell Sarah Folly, was in it. And so besides me just wanting to watch it, that was like kind of a draw for me. But Maybe, yeah. So the the other thing I was gonna mention, which I'll get into in a little bit, but the Italian version is called Zombie, like Z-O-M-B-I. It's not called Knight of the or Dawn of the Dead. Yeah, but a little background on Romero is so he had already made Knight of the Living Dead, which actually helped redefine the modern zombie movie. Before that it was more like voodoo. style zombies and like more supernatural and they were like reanimated trying to eat living people but his vision of it was like I'd say like a political kind of undercurrent to what a zombie was like a zombie wasn't just a zombie it was a social commentary and the Originally The Living Dead is in Black and White, 1968. And it came out during a period of like lots of racial and political tension in the US. There'd been like Vietnam and a lot of that sort of thing. So there's this the basically the film is like a group of people trapped in a farmhouse trying to survive zombies. And then what's interesting about it, and he even said in later interviews, is the main character, Ben. Who's African American? That was like a really unusual thing at that time to have like him be the hero, or an African American be the hero of a story like that. And he says that he didn't do it on purpose that way. He actually was just the best person for the part. Because the original role was supposed to be kind of like a white trucker kind of person. But they like kind of rewrote it for him, which was cool. And so he his character was like the strongest person in the whole group of like these terrified white people, it's only like person of color, really. And so like Tita Lors: Mm-hmm. Which sounds about right. Robin Axline: spoiler alert again, he actually Ben actually survives in the story, which is cool, but then once he makes it out of the house, like a group of white men, like a posse, come like shooting the zombies and they think he's a zombie and they shoot him. And that's like the end of the story. It yeah, who knows actually, but so it's kind of like his commentary was like if the zombies aren't killing you, then humans can actually be the bigger threat. Like the zombies aren't even like the worst kind of thing. Ugh. And so then his Tita Lors: Mm. Yeah. Yeah. And how like Robin Axline: yeah, go ahead. Tita Lors: I feel like that's the commentary of all post apocalyptic stories is like the scariest thing isn't the thing that happened that you're supposed to be afraid of. The scariest thing are the other humans who survived Robin Axline: Mm. Tita Lors: the scary thing. That's like Robin Axline: That is isn't that funny? Tita Lors: yeah, yeah. But I talk Robin Axline: It's true. Tita Lors: to a lot of people and I think even my mom used to say this or someone, maybe my aunt, like, Why are you afraid of ghosts? Like, they're not real and even if they are they're not Robin Axline: Hmm. Not wrong. Not wrong about that. Really makes you think. Tita Lors: Not wrong at all. Yeah. Robin Axline: Yikes. so yeah, to like go along with the little kind of political almost like satire at times that Romero had this sense of humor about. The next movie, Don of the Dead, he puts zombies in a shopping mall. And it's like they're surrounded by consumer goods and they're repeating the behaviors they had when they were alive. So like Yeah, so it's like all about consumerism. And again, the social lens at the time, there was a lot of like white people fleeing from urban areas and like the growing socio economic inequalities and also the 70s really marked the rise of the shopping mall. Right. So his ideas were like very broad as Tita Lors: Were we all hung out? Like Robin Axline: far as like that kind of thing. And he was interested in like the aggression and violence like in civilization and showing it. through this this way of telling the story. And I think that in itself, like sh I think that's why it works with the zombies really well, because they're not like smart per se. They're like slow zombies. and they don't have individual personalities anymore. And but then they just keep going, like they don't stop. And the only thing that gets really scary is when there's like a bunch of them at once. Then it's like, shoot. Like I don't know. It's interesting because if you think about it, like one zombie isn't really that scary. But then when it's like all of them Tita Lors: Scary. Especially when they're the slow zombies. Yeah. 'Cause Robin Axline: Yeah, exactly. Tita Lors: who started doing the fast zombies? 'Cause that's when it started getting real scary. Robin Axline: Yeah. Like isn't kind of I know it was before but Walking Dead, right? Aren't they kind of faster? Tita Lors: What no, there's one before Walking Dead. like twenty-eight days later or whatever. Was that the first? Robin Axline: Mmm, yes, yes, yes. I think it's gotta be because I do remember that, like running zombies. Tita Lors: Yeah. Night of the Living Dead apparently was the first modern fast zombie. Robin Axline: Hmm. Hmm. Well that's interesting. 'Cause I don't feel like they were that fast, but Tita Lors: Yeah. And then later hold on. But there w there okay. Robin Axline: Running zombies first Tita Lors: So Robin Axline: appeared in the yes, go ahead. Tita Lors: yeah, yeah, no god, Knight of the Living Dead, but they're like different than the later, like running zombies. So Knight of the Living Dead they were fast, but twenty eight days later they ran. Robin Axline: Yeah, yeah. And Return of the Living Dead, they were fast running ones that could talk, apparently. Tita Lors: What? Robin Axline: I have seen that. yeah. Tita Lors: Yeah, I have seen that too. Yeah. Robin Axline: Resident Evil, fast moving, yeah. Tita Lors: Uh-huh. And and animals too. Robin Axline: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. This this this person's like twenty eight days later did not invent it. Tita Lors: Okay. So sorry. Robin Axline: Okay then, right? but yeah, so then also it was another one of those things where he wants to point out that humans actually are making things worse. So it's like with him he's kind of asking everybody like what the fuck is wrong with us as humans. Tita Lors: Ha ha ha. Robin Axline: Which is like pretty true. and then I was gonna say a little bit about Dario Argento. his type of horror is like almost the opposite. Like his stuff is like way more interested in like atmosphere and vibes. Like his stuff when I think about the movies, they're like the colors and the framing of the shots are like very visual and the music is like usually pretty intense. And you're not really thinking about social metaphors or anything like that. It's more just like a action heavy, like fast cuts and the music is really cool usually. Tita Lors: Ha ha. Robin Axline: basically collaborated with the band Goblin for most of his stuff actually. So like when you see the opening credits it's like and Goblin. It's like a prog rock kind of band. They use like synthesizers, guitars, it's just like all kinds of stuff. And so the music in my opinion is like actually more part of the movie. It's more like at the forefront than just Tita Lors: Mm-hmm. Robin Axline: an afterthought. and the I'd say back to Romero, his contrast is so interesting because he uses ironic stock library music in Done of the Dead to show like kind of consumers shopping mall vibes, like really but like Tita Lors: Like do Robin Axline: Yeah, like really strange, like it it makes it almost like funny in a way. So that's kind of cool. I opened with a song from Goblin at the beginning of the episode. So you kind of get a vibe of like that kind of kind of interesting, weird. Tita Lors: huh. Robin Axline: But basically their relationship between the two two directors started because Argento was such a fan of Knight of the Living Dead. And like I mentioned, he helped to get this financed. And so they decided that Romero would make the English version and then he would make the non-speaking, non-English speaking European version. So at first he was kind of like, why is he stealing my movie? I think. So there's a little bit of that, because he's like, I'll help you, but I want to do the Italian version. Yeah, so But then they kind of I think called kind of a truce and they're just like, yeah, I mean, I guess that's what we're we're gonna do. Tita Lors: Yeah. Robin Axline: So it wasn't like a huge argument, but it was because they respected each other as directors, I think, but it was still like a little bit of tension there, from what I understand. And so the I've seen both movies. Romero's version is like way longer and it's like more social satire, character you get more into the characters and then the European version's like really like fast and it's a short movie. Yeah, you're just like, okay, I'm in for the ride. and Tita Lors: Just drops you in there. Robin Axline: it's not like that funny. It's more like action. Like the footage is kind of crazy. but it's some of it's the same footage too, which is funny. It's just his cut is gnarly. Yeah. I just feel like, yeah, the the faster one is like, get me out of here, like you feel like when you're watching it. and then the other one is like, This is crazy, but also like how ridiculous is the world kind of thing. Like, I don't know. Tita Lors: Mm-hmm. We're gonna have to do a double feature. Robin Axline: 100%. Well, here's the next part. This is Tita Lors: Woohoo. Robin Axline: where it gets pretty petty and unbothered, in my opinion, is hit so the Dawn of the Dead Italian version wasn't released as that. It was released as zombie, like I said. And so People were like looking at that and they're like, zombie, what a popular thing to do. So this other director, Lucio Fulci, who's made some great stuff in his respect, his stuff is different from the other two because it's like gore. Like, a lot more blood and guts and things. And so he jumped on that train and did zombie too. Tita Lors: wait, that's like a Robin Axline: Yeah. Tita Lors: sequel to the original zombie? Robin Axline: Yeah, but the this is the weird part is has nothing to do with Tita Lors: What the heck? Why would you do that? Robin Axline: I think he's just like, Whoa, zombie is so hot right now in Italy, I'm gonna make my version, but Tita Lors: You d you could have literally called it anything else. Robin Axline: That I know and it's spelled the same way too, which is like hilarious to me. And Tita Lors: My gosh. Robin Axline: his version is like funny, like the zombies like get in a shark fight shark fight at one point. it's like really wild, yeah. And it's not so it's not a direct sequel at all. There's like an island in it and it brings back like the kind of voodoo element of the original zombies. And like there's this one scene, it's like an eyeball and it gets like as I kinda remember, it gets like f pulled out of the socket kind of thing, and it's like all gnarly and so it's like zombies fighting sharks, eyeballs getting pulled out, like Ugh, and so you the basically after that there was a whole wave of Italian zombie movies that all capitalized on the zombie name, or a lot of them did, had like weird versions of that spelling. which is so trippy to me. So it's like this weird domino effect that happened. And I kind of wanted to play some music from Zombie 2 because I do like that music as well. Mm. Tita Lors: It's such an interesting contrast between like what you first played and this one. Robin Axline: Yeah. So yeah, it's pretty it's way different. It's not as like expressive and kind of like chaotic as the other one for Tita Lors: Yeah. Like the other one I get a very like I know it was a seventies thing, but it's a very like song of the times or I I get like eighties vibes of it. Like people should be in their tracksuits and whatever dancing. Robin Axline: Yeah, yeah. I could totally see that. Tita Lors: right? And then this one, like, it definitely has a more el like somber element of like it's a little scarier. Robin Axline: Hmm, yeah, no. Tita Lors: kinda like sets the tone for it to be scary. Robin Axline: That's a really good take on that, yeah. so that artist was Fabio Futizi, and he was a frequent collaborator with Fulci. So it's funny how these people have like their muses or vice versa, it sounds like. But yeah, so I'm I'm not mad at any of those. Like having an eyeball pulled out from the back of your head is a sick visual. it's just Tita Lors: Yeah, I can see it in my head. I can see it right now. Robin Axline: gosh. but yeah, I I love it. It's just his one was like way more visceral. We could so that's why I was saying, wait, we could do a triple feature on that one. Tita Lors: We got Robin Axline: So like social satire, Romero, nightmare imagery, music, Argento, and then a zombie fighting a shark is the other one. That's what I'm thinking. Tita Lors: So weird. Robin Axline: But there was a bit of like a a music fight too because Goblin, the progrog band, Argento really was like adamant in like making that almost like a character of the movie. And so they had like a little bit of like a that's not the vibe that I wanted for the movie. And like I was saying, the other one is kind of ridiculous music. And so Tita Lors: Mm-hmm. Robin Axline: when I looked into it more, it said Romero's version. Came from the DeWolf Music Library, a huge source of stock music for film and television. And there's more than 60 library cues associated with the film, and a compilation of that library music wasn't released until 2004. And the main song in there was called The Gonk. Which Tita Lors: The gonk? Robin Axline: the gonk, a little polka-ish piece that plays over the end credits while the zombies are wandering around the mall. And like I sign me up. It's pure like cheese. They they play it during the movie too, but I was gonna play a little snippet of it just 'cause it's so funny. The music is going and the zombies are like swallow walking. Tita Lors: I have like the picture and imagery in my head. Robin Axline: Anywho now you get the vibe of like how funny of an idea. so yeah you have like this goofy song juxtaposed over zombies like ripping people apart and like knocking things down stuff. and then I was gonna play one more like snippet of a zombie from goblin here. Tita Lors: It's like one of those seventies, eighties action series shows. Robin Axline: Yeah. Yeah, so do you get the get the picture? It was like pretty pretty different, like like more synth than Tita Lors: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's all a different vibe. Robin Axline: yeah, and yeah, well another time we could do a double feature of the two Susperias, except the newer one is like way too long in my opinion. It could be chopped way down, but the in my opinion like the goblin music in that original one is like super part of the show too. So But and the other thing I kind of wanted to mention, just like a side personal thing, is my godfather, who I called Uncle Drew, who actually has transcended his wife, lives in a part of Italy where they do a lot of film festivals. And at one point I was telling her how much I liked Italian horror. And she's Tita Lors: Ha ha ha. Robin Axline: like, you should definitely come visit Trento. she lives and we'll go to a film festival. And so I think about it all the time. And then now like that this topic came up in my head, I looked up when the next one is in her town and it's the twenty fourth of April to the second of May twenty twenty seven. Tita Lors: So what you're saying is Robin Axline: So so spaghetti pizza Mm. Yeah. I that's what I'm saying. Yeah. So I just been putting it off and now I'm like, all right, still want to do it, so maybe it's time. so yeah, there's that. And I also Tita Lors: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think it's time. Robin Axline: just wanted to go back to the two year old eyes of it all, because that was kind of another like headbutting thing where Romero wanted to adapt Edgar Allan Poe with more like a contemporary or like futuristic approach and then Romero wanted to do like a whole different side of it. And so they just had this big like headbutting thing and they were collaborating again, but then they were still coming at the horror in like way different directions. And so I think they just kind of like they ended up with a good piece, but I think they kind of sludged through that one just to like get it done because they both had like very different ideas. So both of their hundred percent. They're just like really strong personalities. And so basically they kind of made like two different movies instead of like making one together. So it's another like fine you make your version, I'll make mine. So it's a really funny phenomenon that they had between each other. Tita Lors: Yeah. We it sounds like they really respected each other's ideas, Robin Axline: Mm-hmm. Tita Lors: and but they just were coming at it from a different perspective. We don't have ghost people, we just have city life and children. So these are the background Robin Axline: Yes, yes. Tita Lors: sounds you're hearing. Robin Axline: I know, sorry about that, folks. It's like a motorcycle gang or something outside. Tita Lors: I know, it's so it's so funny because when you were talking about the zombies it sounded like this deep guttural growling. And I was like, We don't have zombies. We're fine. No one's coming after us. Robin Axline: Mm. Fine, don't worry. another thing I needed to mention is the makeup artist Tom Savini is a freaking genius. And he actually was in the movie too, but he does like all those zombie he I feel like he was like one of the originators of like how a zombie would look. And he's like really good at liquid latex and things like that. So if you ever want to look up like a cool, cool makeup. look him up, Tom Savini. And I feel like his makeup is kind of why the movie still works, because it looked so good. I mean, as far as how the zombies he wanted him to look particularly. I was gonna ask you a question, but I it seems like a little more personal. I wrote, if you only had to watch one version of Dawn of the Dead for the rest of your life, which one are you choosing? And I'm like, wha who does that apply to? Mm, mm-hmm mm. Snaps. Yeah. Tita Lors: I would probably you Yeah, I know. I would probably watch the cheesier one. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Cause at least it'd be some laughter and I wouldn't be scared the whole time. Robin Axline: Fair. Yeah, that's a good point. Yeah, that one is not that scary in my opinion, but it's still good. and my next one was like, if the two directors had never agreed to make separate versions, but then the Italian director had released his version anyway, would you consider that stealing somebody's movie? Yeah, but if he if they didn't agree and he made it anyways. Tita Lors: Yeah, I would say that's kind of petty. Like Robin Axline: Ha ha ha Tita Lors: that's not nice. I definitely think there would be a lot more drama around it of like okay, but that was my idea. So Robin Axline: Mm. Tita Lors: Right, I don't think they Robin Axline: Totally. Tita Lors: would have been able to stay friends if they didn't agree that like same vibe of the movie but we're coming at it from different perspectives and that's okay. Versus Robin Axline: Mm-hmm. Tita Lors: like, nah man, those that's rights and everything, that's me. You owe me money. Robin Axline: Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. and then also like years later, another version of Romero's cut got released, like a director's extended cut. and it's definitely worth a watch. It has like a little more footage and character development. and another like thing it got me thinking, I was like, what movie of a director's cut do I like or prefer over other movies? And like the only thing that came to mind recently is the new Killville cut. I wanna watch it. Tita Lors: Ugh I love the entire Kill Bill series. They're so Robin Axline: me too. That's awesome. Tita Lors: good. Like the one and only time that I had what is that? Something for Alice. Robin Axline: Decision paralysis? Tita Lors: No no not decision paralysis. It's it's the thing w my god, what is it called? It's the thing where like you wake up but your body won't move and a lot of people in that state have like they see things. Robin Axline: Hmm. Tita Lors: anyways, so the one and only time that that's ever happened to me, I the whole kill bill the whole kill bill, move your big toe. Yeah, that's what I was saying the entire time so that I wouldn't freak out and I wouldn't get scared and so that my body would just move 'cause I couldn't scream, I couldn't do anything. I Robin Axline: Mm my gosh. Tita Lors: could barely breathe and it was like This really terrifying experience 'cause you're o you're also seeing things that you know are not there. You're experiencing Robin Axline: Mm. Tita Lors: things. It's like really scary. I wish I could Robin Axline: My gosh. Tita Lors: remember what it's called. But but yes. And it was basically like move your big toe. sleep paralysis, I think. Robin Axline: It's nice you had that reference. I yeah, maybe it's that, I don't know. Tita Lors: Yes, sleep paralysis. Robin Axline: Whoa, that's scary. Speaking of scary. Wow. How did you get out of that or just Tita Lors: it was like a slowly like move your big toe and then once I actually could move my big toe, it was just I wanted to scream, but it was more just like a deep breath and like I shot up immediately and I like, Okay, I'm fine. I'm fine. Everything's fine. Like Robin Axline: my god, how freaky. Tita Lors: I had to really comfort myself. I was in high school at the time. So you can't exactly like crawl into your parents' bed anymore. Robin Axline: No. I mean you could. But Ugh, that's great. Tita Lors: but yeah, it was a lot of like just trying to convince my muscles to move. But yeah, we'll talk more about like what sleep paralysis is later, but mm-hmm. All right. Robin Axline: Yeah, that's wild. yes, so just to wrap it up here, I definitely wanted to say like Thank you for listening. Thanks for letting me geek out you, Laura, and the audience at large. It's something that I just had to like get out for Halloween. It just top of mind is a little bit petty and a little bit of a story of friendship. So we got and we got a couple great movies. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. 'Cause it could have gone way south, especially with like two big personalities. Totally. Yeah, yeah, for real's good good friendship story. but I was gonna go jump into glimmers. If you have one, I can start. I was gonna say my glimmer is honestly that there's multiple ways to experience the same piece of art. And so on this topic, the two directors had different approaches to horror. one was interested in society and humor, and the other one was like atmosphere and music. And instead of this goes along with what we were just saying, instead of one of them having to win, we got both. And Yeah. And then indirectly after that there was this whole like wild Italian zombie universe after that. Tita Lors: Ha. Robin Axline: And I think that's pretty fucking cool. So I just wanna say that Besides that, my other glimmer is that I'm convinced that I need to go to Italy now and stop saying someday, period. So that's my glimpse. Tita Lors: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yes. You absolutely do. Robin Axline: And so do you have one? Tita Lors: Mine. I do. So my glimmer is that I have been waiting for September for quite some time because there are movies that are coming out that I have been excited for. One Robin Axline: Nice. Tita Lors: of them was practical magic too, and the other one was Forgotten Island. And I cried, I cried, I cried for both of them. I Robin Axline: Hmm. Tita Lors: the that like Yeah, I've I've I said I wanted to have either two girls or three girls because I want Sally and Jilly or I want the charmed ones. So it's one of those two. Yes, exactly. Right. Robin Axline: Crew and Tita Lors: I've wanted 'cause that sisterhood, I experienced it to some degree, but I never experienced it in that way. And at the but in the second one And also with the whole like, as I said earlier, of coming back into my openness, it was such a good reminder of like, okay, yeah, you know, practical magic, it's not about wands or spells or whatever. It is a practice of like they're practical practices that you can use in your everyday life. It is a way of living. and that magic isn't just about like I did a spell and something happened. It's that consistency that you put into something and something magical can come out of your intention. And it such a powerful movie. Robin Axline: Yes. Tita Lors: And then Forgotten Island, it I s I told you that I think that it was going to become one of my new favorite movies. Absolutely it did not disappoint. It exceeded my expectations. It was so good. I was crying. Ryan asked me about it later and I almost cried because I was trying to explain what like it meant to me to see this movie. It wasn't like nods to Filipino culture. It was a movie that was Filipino. It had like Filipino actors, it had the Galog language, Robin Axline: Mm. Yeah. Tita Lors: it had like Robin Axline: Small. Great. Tita Lors: be Filipino American and experience your Filipino culture and it's totally normal to go to the theaters and see this there and it was so beautiful and I loved it. I I am so happy culturally to see this and yeah, like it's just been a really, really good week of movies. Robin Axline: Mmm. So very cool. It's awesome. Yeah. I I wanted to see that one too. the actor comedian I like, Eugene Cordero, has been posting about it and I'm like, I definitely gotta see it. but that makes me really happy that it was good it promised. Yeah. And of course practical magic too I haven't seen yet, so I gotta gotta peep that. Tita Lors: So good. Literally was not prepared to cry as often as I did. Robin Axline: Ugh. Like, man, that sounds great. And I love what you said about the intentions and it kind of goes along with what you're saying about your birthday and stuff, having those kinds Tita Lors: Yeah. Robin Axline: of things to set for yourself. So it's great. Good glimmy. Good glimmy. now, dear audience, we want to hear from you. What is a movie you think deserves more attention? what's a horror movie that you love that nobody seems to talk about? Or what's a movie where you think the director's cup completely changed the experience? If you've got one. what else gonna say? what is the pettiest thing you've ever seen happen between two creative people? be a good one too. So you guys have a lot of homework. Sharpen your pencils. Right. Tita Lors: Yeah. You do. Sorry. Not sorry. Robin Axline: And send us your recommendations because clearly we need more horror movies to obsess over. Tita Lors: Obviously. Obviously. Let's let's do that. Robin Axline: Yeah. so yeah, with that being said, it looks like that's all we've got for you today. And unless there's anything else you want to add. No. All right. Well, if you enjoyed hanging out with us, please, please, please, please, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, etc. etc. So you don't miss our next episode. So until next time. Stay petty. Bye. Happy Halloween. Trip or treat. Tita Lors: Mm-hmm. Robin Axline: Welcome back everyone. This is Petty and Unbothered, where we ask each other what's the pettiest thing we came across this week. Tita Lors: Do you wanna that again? Robin Axline: Yes. I'm just adjusting my document here. Okay. Okay.