What’s in a title? Naming the documentary special feature pieces I create is one of my favorite steps in the process, and over the years I have found myself including references to music, books, and other movies I love, finding fun ways to relate them to the interviewee and film at hand. When I went to review the list of Reverend Entertainment interviews, I see I have been doing this from the start, but it wasn’t anything I really thought about as I was moving from project to project. My brain swims in film and music references, so it just happened. Occasionally I was instructed to simply call a piece something like, “__(actor name)___ on ___(film title)___,” but most of the time I have had the opportunity to come up with a title, and have never had any pushback from the various studios and distributors on what I came up with, no matter how out there my idea might have been.
Sometimes there has been a theme, as was the case on Shout’s NATURAL BORN KILLERS 4k set where I referenced The Doors in most all interview titles, which was the result of Oliver Stone having made THE DOORS, a film that kept coming up in my converastions with the folks involved with NBK. Also, I am a lifelong Doors fan, which made the connection natural. In other instances, a movie or book title just popped into my head when considering what to call a piece, so in that scenario it is more about words being familiar and fitting well in the moment. The following is a list of a few examples of what I am talking about. Some are obvious, others super obscure, but for better or worse, all made sense to me at the time. I hope you enjoy a glimpse into my process!
“Anarchy From the UK” (production designer Catherine Hardwicke on TANK GIRL) is a reference to a Sex Pistols album Anarchy In the UK, and to the counterculture British comic book icon Tank Girl.
“Brave New Worlds” (editor Hank Corwin on JFK) is a reference to the 1932 Aldous Huxley book Brave New World, and to how Hank refers to the evolution of his work with Oliver Stone at this time of JFK.
“Carnival of Blood” (actor Largo Woodruff on THE FUNHOUSE) is a reference to the Christopher Speeth arthouse movie MALATESTA’S CARNIVAL OF BLOOD, and to the carnival that plays central to THE FUNHOUSE.
“Cemetery Dance” (workout coordinator Cynthia Garris on LINNEA QUIGLEY’S HORROR WORKOUT) is a reference to the Stephen King-related publishing company Cemetery Dance, and how Linnea’s character in the movie cuts a rug with zombies.
“Chucky Be Demented” (John Waters on SEED OF CHUCKY) is a reference to Waters’ 2000 film CECIL B. DEMENTED, which I love. In a fun twist, a few years later I ended up working on a release of CECIL for Umbrella and had the chance to finally talk to John about what I think is one of his best efforts.
“Chucky the Great and Terrible” (producer David Kirschner on CHILD’S PLAY) is a reference to a line in THE WIZARD OF OZ (“Oz the great and powerful!”), and to L. Frank Baum’s series of Oz books that David has spent his life collecting. His library is incredible, and includes first editions of all the Baum books.
“Dance in the Dark” (actor Wayne Doba on THE FUNHOUSE) is a reference to the 2000 Bjork movie DANCER IN THE DARK, to Doba being a dancer, and to his character’s sneaking around dark corridors in THE FUNHOUSE.
“Deth Proof” (Howard Berger on TRANCERS) is a reference to Tarantino’s film DEATH PROOF, and to the TRANCERS character Jack Deth.
“Die, My Darling” (Paris Hilton on HOUSE OF WAX) is named after a Misfits song, a 1965 Silvio Narizzano film, and to Paris’ iconic death sequence in HOUSE OF WAX that the marketing team capitalized on when the movie was coming out (image at the top of this article).
“Do the Chucky Stomp” (actor Alex Vincent on CULT OF CHUCKY) is both a reference to the Jerry Lee Lewis song “Ubangi Stomp” which was also covered by The Trashmen and Alice Cooper, and a reference to how Alex’s character of Andy decimates Chucky in CULT OF CHUCKY with his boot.
“Everybody in the Pool” (actress Robin Riker on ALLIGATOR) is a reference to a lyric on actor Chris Burke’s 1994 album Singer with the Band, and also refers to a scene in ALLIGATOR that takes place in a pool.
“From Burbank It Came” (the band White Sister on KILLER PARTY) is a reference to the 1957 Dan Milner film FROM HELL IT CAME, and to the city of Burbank – where White Sister was from.
“From the Echo Lake Lagoon” (director Jon Hess on ALLIGATOR II) refers to CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, and to a lagoon in LA’s Echo Park where some of ALLIGATOR II was filmed, and where a gator went missing, never to be recovered.
“Garbage Days are Here Again: (SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT PART 2 location featurette) is a reference to lyrics from Led Zeppelin’s 1973 song “Dancing Days” and to the iconic, “garbage day!” line in SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT PART 2.
“Head of the Class” (actress Sherry Willis-Burch on KILLER PARTY) references the 80s sitcom of the same name, and to Sherry’s character in KILLER PARTY getting “decapitated” (actually a prank).
“Hell Raiser” (fx maestro Gary J Tunnicliffe on HALLOWEEN RESURRECTION) is a reference to the HELLRAISER films that Gary did effects on and directed an entry of.
“Hey Sam, Nice Shot” (Kristy Swanson on DEADLY FRIEND) is a reference to the Filter song “Hey Man Nice Shot,” and to the epic scene in DEADLY FRIEND where Kristy’s character (Sam) explodes the head of Anne Ramsey’s character with a basketball.
“It Walks Among Us” (writer John Sayles on ALLIGATOR) is both a reference to the Misfits album Walk Among Us, and the CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON film THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US.
“It’s Got a Death Curse” (Tony Gardner on CURSE OF CHUCKY) is a reference to a line from Crazy Ralph in FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980).
“Jason Takes the Underground” (Billy Blanks on TC 2000) is a reference to JASON TAKES MANHATTAN, the name of Billy’s character in TC 2000 (Jason Storm), and to how rich people live underground in the film.
“Kicking Against the Pricks” (John Waters on CECIL B. DEMENTED) is the title of a Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album, and a reference to the Hollywood system CECIL B. DEMENTED stands against.
“Lake of Fire” (James Houghton on SUPERSTITION) refers to a Johnny Cash song, and to the lake in the movie.
“Land of the Zed” (actor Don Scribner on SLAVE GIRLS FROM BEYOND INFINITY) is a reference to the George A. Romero film LAND OF THE DEAD, and to Don’s character in SLAVE GIRLS.
“Long Live the New Flesh” (Gordon J Smith on LONG KISS GOODNIGHT) is a VIDEODROME nod, and reference to a story Gordon tells in the interview about how he revolutionized making realistic bodies for movies.
“Lord of the Things” (WETA’s Richard Taylor on KRAMPUS) is both a reference to the Tolkien Lord of the Rings books, and to the resulting films that birthed WETA.
“Magic Moments” (actor Danny Woodburn on DEATH TO SMOOCHY) is a reference to the 1960 song “This Magic Moment” by The Drifters, and to a comment Danny makes in the interview about how magical it was to appear in the movie.
“Master of Puppets” (James Wan on DEAD SILENCE) is a reference to the Metallica album of the same name, and to Wan’s love of puppets in his films.
“More Screamer than Human” (Migues Tejada-Flores on SCREAMERS) is a reference to the Rob Zombie song “More Human than Human.”
“My Thing” (director JS Cardone on SHADOWZONE) is a reference to the Babes in Toyland song “He’s My Thing,” and to Cardone’s comment during the interview that he takes great pride in SHADOWZONE, which he calls, “my thing…”
“Of Ice and Men” (cinematographer Alar Kivilio on A SIMPLE PLAN) is a reference to the John Steinbeck book, and the winter weather in A SIMPLE PLAN.
“On Dawn’s Highway Bleeding” (editor Hank Corwin on NATURAL BORN KILLERS) is another Doors reference (from a Morrison poem featured on the posthumous album An American Prayer), and to the chaos happening during the film’s production.
“One Good Scare” (producer Trevor Macy on HUSH) is a reference to a line in John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN.
“Pull the Strings!” (Puppeteer Chris Endicott on PUPPET MASTER III) refers to a Bela Lugosi line in Ed Wood’s GLEN OR GLENDA, and to Chris being a puppeteer.
“Ride the Frightening” (Don Mancini on CHILD’S PLAY 3) is a reference to the Metallica album Ride the Lightning (who were referring to Stephen King’s The Stand), and to the carnival rides in CHILD’S PLAY 3.
“Savage Waters” (editors Bob Murawski and Arthur Coburn on THE GIFT) is a reference to the weirdo 1979 Paul Kiener movie SAVAGE WATER, and to the swamp in THE GIFT.
“School’s Out” (actress Beth Grant on CHILD’S PLAY 2) is both a reference to the Alice Cooper song, and the character Beth plays in CHILD’S PLAY 2 (a teacher).
“Shock Me” (actor Peter Berg on SHOCKER) is a reference to an Ace Frehley song on his self-titled 1978 KISS solo album.
“Slay Bells Ring” (SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT documentary) is a reference to lyrics from the song “Winter Wonderland,” and to the carnage in SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT.
“Stone Bold” (cinematographer Robert Richardson on JFK) is a reference to wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin, and to how Bob calls Oliver Stone bold in his choices.
“Storm of the Centuries” (producer Todd Casey on KRAMPUS) is a nod to the Stephen King miniseries STORM OF THE CENTURY that I love, and to the storm that plays central to KRAMPUS.
“Strange Days in Santa Flan” (Catherine Hardwicke on FREAKED) is named after a Doors album (Strange Days), and the fictional town of Santa Flan where FREAKED is set.
“Tales From the Script” (Stef Hutchinson on the HALLOWEEN comics, included with HALLOWEEN RESURRECTION) is a nod to the EC Tales From the Crypt comics, film, and TV series that followed, as well as to Stef’s having written the HALLOWEEN comics.
“That Crazy Witchcraft” (James Roberson on SUPERSTITION) is a reference to a Frank Sinatra tune, and to the witchcraft in the movie.
“The Butcher and the Blade” (actor Sean Patrick Thomas on HALLOWEEN RESURRECTION) is both a reference to a wrestling tag team, and to Sean’s character in HALLOWEEN RESURRECTION being a chef.
“The Constant Reader” (actor Samantha Sloyan on HUSH) is the term Stephen King uses to refer to his fans, and plays on Samantha’s character in HUSH reading the works of her neighbor, played by Kate Siegel.
“The Damnation Game” (Howard Berger on LORD OF ILLUSIONS) is a reference to Clive Barker’s first novel of the same name. Barker also wrote and directed LORD OF ILLUSIONS.
“The Danse Macabre” (Mike Flanagan on HUSH) is also a Stephen King nod, this time to his 1981 non-fiction book Danse Macabre, and also refers to the “dance” Kate Siegel’s character and the intruder do throughout the film.
“The Doll is Family” (Daniel Pearl on THE BOY) is a nod to TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2’s tagline. Daniel shot TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE.
“The Freekmaker” (Tony Gardner on FREAKED) references both the 1974 Jack Cardiff film THE FREAKMAKER, and how “freak” is spelled in the Alex Winter movie as “freek.”
“The Rat Trainer’s Notebook” (home video footage of the animal trainers on WILLARD working with all the rats) is a reference to an 1896 manual WILLARD star Crispin Glover purchased the rights to and repurposed as an art book called Studies in the Art of Rat Catching.
“The Scream of the Butterfly” (producer Clayton Townsend on NBK) is a lyric from the Doors song “When the Music’s Over.”
“The Telltale Son” (writer Stacey Menear on THE BOY) is an Edgar A. Poe nod, and refers to a character in THE BOY that lives behind the walls (similar to the heart in “The Telltale Heart” by Poe).
“There’s A Fog Bank Out There” (William Kronick on KING KONG 1976) is a reference to a line Buck Flower delivers in John Carpenter’s THE FOG, and to the way the island in KING KONG hides behind a shroud of fog.
“Thrill of the Hunt” (Liz Kaitan on SLAVE GIRLS) is a reference to a weekly segment on a podcast called Cracktastic Plastic, and to how Liz’s character in the film goes from the hunted to the hunter.
“Twist of Jill” (actor Danielle Bisutti on CURSE OF CHUCKY) is a reference to the Danzig song “Twist of Cain,” and the big twist with Danielle’s character (Jill) in CULT OF CHUCKY.
“Under Pressure” (Alex Vincent on CHILD’S PLAY 2) is a reference to the Queen song of the same name, and to the stressful position Alex was in as the lead of CHILD’S PLAY 2 at such a young age, something he talks about in the interview.
“Unholy Diver” (makeup man Gordon J Smith on KILLER PARTY) is a reference to the 1983 Dio album Holy Diver (note: I am not really a Dio fan, but the title popped into my head when editing this piece), and to how the lunatic in KILLER PARTY dons a scuba suit.
“Unholy Mountain” (Richard Sawyer on CHILD’S PLAY 3) is a reference to a beautiful 1926 film called THE HOLY MOUNTAIN, and to the roller coaster mountain at the heart of CHILD’S PLAY 3’s climax.
“War Games” (actress Perrey Reeves on CHILD’S PLAY 3) is a reference to the 1983 movie of the same name, and to the military stuff that Perrey’s character is part of in CHILD’S PLAY 3.
“Wild in the Streets” (director Lewis Teague on ALLIGATOR) is a reference to the 1982 album of the same name from The Circle Jerks, and to ALLIGATOR’s titular beast stomping around the streets eating people in the movie.
“Wilderness of Pain” (cinematographer Robert Richardson on NBK) is a reference to a lyric in the Doors song “The End,” to an injury Bob had while shooting, and to NBK’s general production chaos.
