Cinema Yūgen

Kamikaze Cinema: Making a Mockbuster in Six Days

When Anthony Frith signs on to make Mockbuster, he doesn’t just accept a job—he volunteers for a war. Six days, no safety net, a tiny budget and an impossible studio clock: this episode follows a filmmaker who bets everything on one chaotic, brilliant shot.
Through blown costumes, last-minute rewrites and actors pushed to the edge, the documentary becomes a survival story. From Herzog-taught confidence to the salvation of veteran hands and a editor’s magical cuts, the team fights to turn mayhem into movie magic.
Tense, funny and full of heart, this episode pulls you into the frantic rhythm of low-budget film-making and the stubborn dreamers who refuse to quit—because sometimes finishing a film is the greatest thing anyone can do.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://filmthreat.com/reviews/mockbusterthe-asylum-documentary-2026-review/
https://youtu.be/ppLs-qRgqdY
 

Single-Location Terror & a Shyamalan Twist — Behind Kat Crime

Step into a world where a quest for clicks becomes a descent into something far older and far darker. In this episode of Cinema Yugen, host Kent Hill sits down with writer-director Jerry Artukovich and star-producer Scott Hamm Duenas to unravel Kat Crime: Tales of the Occult — a taut, single-location horror about a true-crime YouTuber chasing relevance until a missing girl, a whispered secret, and a coven change everything.
Through vivid backstage stories about casting, tight-budget ingenuity, and the craft of building slow-burn dread, our guests reveal how razor-sharp writing and haunting performances turn curiosity into control — and deliver a Shyamalan-style payoff that will leave you leaning forward. Tune in for an intimate, suspenseful conversation about belief, obsession, and the price of seeking the story at any cost.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://youtu.be/Ze7UDbzS7Ys
https://filmthreat.com/reviews/kat-crime-tales-of-the-occult-horror-thriller-2026-review/
https://tubitv.com/movies/100053017/kat-crime-tales-of-the-occult
 

When Reservoir Dogs Met Resident Evil — The Story of Red Night at Skye's

G'day — Kent Hill drags listeners into the wild heart of indie cinema with Chris Grega, the gritty filmmaker behind Red Night at Skye's. From a decade-long grind and personal loss to a pandemic-forced pivot, Chris reveals how a small pawn-shop score explodes into a brutal siege, where alliances crumble, bullets tear through walls, and something far darker waits below.
They unpack the film’s wild genesis — a 16-day shoot, a trapdoor to a TARDIS-like basement lab, headline performances (including Bill Moseley), and the savage joy of mixing humor, dread, and unflinching violence. By episode’s end you’ll feel the pressure cooker of the movie itself and be left standing at the same haunting question mark that keeps the story dangerously alive.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://filmthreat.com/reviews/red-night-at-skyes-action-horror-2026-review/
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Night-Skyes-Chris-Grega/dp/B0DZ6DHMNC
https://tubitv.com/movies/100041703/red-night-at-skye-s
 

Murdercize: Neon Legwarmers, VHS Gore, and the Rise of 80s Exploitation

Step into a neon-soaked VHS dream where rival aerobics queens chase fame—and something far deadlier—through sweat, spandex, and synth. In this episode, cult filmmaker Paul Ragsdale pulls back the curtain on Murdercize, the outrageous slasher that wears its 80s obsessions as a badge of honor.
Ragsdale traces the film from dusty video-store inspirations and mafia-funded workout tapes to the challenge of writing a killer you can oddly root for. He names his influences, shares on-set stories, and explains how campy one-liners, killer needle drops, and raw passion turned a small idea into a midnight-movie revival.
Short, candid, and wildly entertaining, this interview is for anyone who loves boot-cut leotards, VHS nostalgia, and the glorious madness of indie exploitation—Murdercize is streaming on Tubi; consider this your fast-forwarded invitation.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/APFilms
https://filmthreat.com/reviews/murdercise-horror-comedy-2023-review/
https://youtu.be/XimU55yGJ6g
https://tubitv.com/en-au/movies/100009154/murdercise
 
 

Blood, Grit & Grindhouse: Behind Return to Death Park

Step into the blood-soaked world of Ken Ace Brewer, an indie horror lifer who taught himself the rules so he could gleefully break them. From Super 8 shorts made with backyard friends to a sprawling cult saga that fuses grindhouse energy with modern gore, this episode traces the crazed, creative path that birthed Return to Death Park and the hit film Death Bitch.
Listen as Brewer and host Kent Hill swap stories about influences (Carpenter and Lustig), guerrilla film-making tactics, fan-powered distribution at conventions, and the boots-on-the-ground economy of micro-budget horror. You’ll hear how a series of short films stitched together became a franchise, why pacing matters more than polish, and the surprising business smarts behind making movies that sell out theaters.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://lividmedia.org/
https://filmthreat.com/reviews/return-to-death-park-slasher-horror-2025-review/
https://youtu.be/fD-6-xI5uoA
 

When Dreams Speak: Richard Green on Lynch, Loss, and the Log Lady

Step into a midnight conversation that moves like a roller coaster — equal parts memory, myth, and revelation. Richard Green escorts listeners through four decades of encounters with David Lynch, the surprises buried in documentary archives, and the tender, strange work of preserving a life in film: I Know Catherine the Log Lady.
From candid backstage stories and a Kickstarter that nearly didn't happen, to a tearful promise whispered into a studio, this episode unfolds as a human story about artistry, grief, and the things we leave behind. Lean in: when Green speaks, you don't just hear an interview — you enter a dream.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://filmthreat.com/reviews/i-know-catherine-the-log-lady/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0338270/
https://iknowcatherine.com/
 

Speeder Rides Again: The Megaforce Resurrection

In this episode, a childhood dream becomes a full-throttle odyssey: Bob "Speeder" Lindenmayer returns to Cinema Yugen to tell the story of making Making Megaforce — a decade-plus pursuit to rescue lost Hollywood machines, recover fading legends, and stage one last, reckless ride into the desert. From festival triumphs to late-night campfire confessions, the conversation hums with the roar of rebuilt engines and the quiet ache of devotion.
Through anecdotes about barroom tequila, improvised effects in a garage, and a tearful, cinematic final run alongside Barry Bostwick, the episode unfolds like a road movie in podcast form: equal parts obsession, friendship, and redemption. Tune in to feel the rumble, savor the nostalgia re-imagined, and discover why some heroes never fade — they ride forever.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://www.makingmegaforce.com/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36041622/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000960/?ref_=tt_cst_t_1
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3413509/
https://filmthreat.com/reviews/making-megaforce/
 
 
 
 

Mike Ferguson Unleashed — Stunts, Grit, and the Making of Last Hit

Step into a behind-the-scenes, adrenaline-fueled conversation with Mike Ferguson, the indomitable force of independent cinema. Forged in fight gyms and set under unforgiving lights, Ferguson talks grit, camaraderie, and the guerrilla spirit that turned Last Hit from a lightning-fast shoot into a pulse-pounding heist spectacle.
Through rapid-fire anecdotes and authentic backstage moments—body slams, boxers flown in on favors, and Elizabeth Taylor’s mansion turned into a battleground—this episode reveals how a tribe of scrappy filmmakers turned passion into punch-packed storytelling. Hear how viral audiences, DIY distribution, and sheer stubborn heart are reshaping the industry.
Whether you’re an indie filmmaker, action fan, or just hungry for a raw, unfiltered look at making movies on the edge, this episode is a full-throttle ride with a man who truly does what Mike Ferguson does. Crank it up and join the revolution.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8279086/
https://www.instagram.com/mikeferguson71/
https://www.facebook.com/mikeferguson666/
https://www.youtube.com/@MIKEFERGUSON
https://filmthreat.com/reviews/last-hit-action-thriller-2026-review/