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| Featured Product | Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine
by Chaosium
Create. Explore. Play.
Basic Roleplaying (BRP) is a system of core rules for tabletop roleplaying. Whether you’re a seasoned roleplaying veteran or new to the hobby, Basic Roleplaying has everything you need for years of entertainment.
Available royalty-free for personal and commercial use under the ORC license. |
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Hottest BRP (Basic Roleplaying)
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Episode 229: Mind Control
This episode is our discussion of the presentation of mind control in RPGs. Genre fiction is full of unnatural magic, weird drugs, and sinister devices that twist the human mind according to the wielder’s desires. Villains may plant compulsions in the heads of protagonists, twist their perceptions, or alter their memories. And, of course, this is reflected... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 232: Cthulhu
This episode is the latest in our ongoing exploration of the deities of the Cthulhu Mythos. Previous entries include Dagon, Shub-Niggurath, Yog-Sothoth, Nyarlathotep, Hastur, Azathoth, Nodens, Ubbo-Sathla and Mordiggian, Ithaqua, and Daoloth and Eihort.
We have discussed Cthulhu as a pop-culture icon and Lovecraft’s original story, “The Call of Cthulhu”,... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Creating Stories at the Table – With Gaz Bowerbank
This episode is a lively discussion of what it means to create stories at the gaming table. Just talking about RPGs in terms of stories is likely to start an argument, and this episode is no exception. What do people mean when they talk about stories in the context of an RPG? Is an RPG scenario constructed anything like a story?... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath part 4
The big news this episode is that Matt is well enough to record with us again! His experiences with necrotising fasciitis over the past few months have been nothing short of terrifying. Matt shares some of the less gruesome details, along with insights about what it’s like to be in a coma. All surprisingly relevant to our main topic. This is the fourth part... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath part 5
This is the conclusion of our multi-episode exploration of Lovecraft’s novel, The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. In our earlier episodes (part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4), we looked at the story’s origins and followed Randolph Carter’s increasingly odd adventures in search of his dream city. Now, we’re journeying into Kadath itself, accompanying Carter... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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The Night House
This episode is our discussion of the 2020 horror film, The Night House. As ever, we offer a quick overview of the film’s background before picking it apart, looking for gaming inspiration. This is an unusual and creepy film and it offers plenty to spark our imaginations.
Runtime: 55 min
Previous episodes include discussions of 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu rules, stories by H.P.Lovecraft,... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Media Catch-up – Books
This episode is the latest in our regular discussions of the media we’ve been consuming. Once again, we’re cracking open some books and letting their words run rampant across our minds.
Runtime: 60 min
Previous episodes include discussions of 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu rules, stories by H.P.Lovecraft, Gencon, interviews with game designers and much more.
For further... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Loot
This episode is a broad discussion of the role of finances in RPGs. Whether it’s ensuring your investigator has the funds to go globetrotting or deciding what kinds of treasures to include in your scenarios, we delve into it here. As usual, the main focus is on Call of Cthulhu, but we explore how other RPGs handle loot and finances as well.
Runtime: 60 min
Previous episodes include... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Morality in RPGs
This episode is our exploration of the role of morality in RPGs. From the weirdness of D&D‘s alignment system to the more challenging approach of games like Dogs in the Vineyard, RPGs have always explored questions of morality. But should games try to enforce moral codes through mechanics? When they do, does it work better to use a carrot or a stick? And what... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Morality in the Cthulhu Mythos
We’re continuing last episode’s discussion of morality. This time, we’re looking at the role of morality in the Cthulhu Mythos. Do the entities of the Mythos follow any kind of morality we can comprehend? How do we best use antagonists who exist outside our concepts of good and evil? And do they always have to be antagonists anyway?
Runtime: 60 min
Previous episodes... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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244: 30 Coins
This episode, we’re taking a look at Álex de la Iglesia‘s bizarre and wonderful TV programme, 30 Coins (originally released as 30 monedas). As well as being an all-round entertaining piece of television, 30 Coins is also rich inspiration for Call of Cthulhu, Kult, and any number of other games. We offer a quick overview of the programme, a few key highlights, and some thoughts about... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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245: Media Catch-up - Films
This episode, we’re returning to our media catch-up format to talk about films we’ve watched recently. Two of us decided to head back to the ’90s, although only one of these selections could be called a classic. Paul opted for a more recent release, and do be warned that his segment is especially spoiler-heavy.
We look at Nothing But Trouble, LA Confidential, and... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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246: Dealing With Downtime
This episode, we discuss how we handle downtime in Call of Cthulhu and other RPGs. In any campaign, there will always be those quiet moments between the main adventures when time moves differently. Maybe the heroes are on a long voyage or convalescing to restore their bodies and minds. They might simply be getting on with everyday life while awaiting the next call to action.... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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247: Is Horror Dangerous
This episode, we’re trying to work out why so many people are afraid of horror. No, hang on, let’s clarify that. Horror is supposed to scare you, but does that mean you should be afraid of it as a genre? Is there something dangerous about horror? Can it cause psychological or even physical harm? Does it lead to moral corruption or erode the fabric of society? And won’t... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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248: Censor
Following on from last episode’s discussion of moral panics over horror, we thought we’d look at a film that explores similar ideas. Censor is a 2021 British horror film, written and directed by Prano Bailey-Bond. It is set against the backdrop of the video nasties furore of the 1980s, following film censor Enid as she struggles to differentiate between imaginary horrors and real ones.... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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249: Mythos Deities – Tsathoggua, Atlach-Nacha and Abhoth
This episode is our latest exploration of the deities of the Cthulhu Mythos. We have devoted previous episodes to Dagon, Shub-Niggurath, Yog-Sothoth, Nyarlathotep, Hastur, Azathoth, Nodens, Ubbo-Sathla and Mordiggian, Ithaqua, Cthulhu, Daoloth and Eihort, Gla’aki and Y’golonac. Once again, we are returning to the creations of Clark Ashton... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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250: Making Call of Cthulhu Weird
Given that this is our 250th episode, we thought we’d tackle a big topic. While Call of Cthulhu is primarily known as a horror RPG, the Mythos is so much more than simple scares. Its mixture of science fiction, fantasy and horror reflects its origins in weird fiction. But what does that actually mean? And, more importantly, how can we make our games weirder?... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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251: Gothic Horror
This episode is our attempt to understand what exactly Gothic horror is. We’ve often mentioned how Lovecraft’s early work was rooted in the Gothic, but we’ve never really explained what that means. Gothic horror is one of those genres that you know when you see it, but actually defining it can be tricky.
Happily, Matt has a degree in English, and part of his studies involved... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
Pay What You Want
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252: Kill, Baby...Kill!
Building on last episode’s exploration of Gothic horror, we thought we’d follow up with a look at a film that typifies the genre. There are a great many films ostensibly linked to the Gothic, but far fewer that really embody both the tropes and the aesthetic. And, when you narrow things down in those terms, one director stands out: Mario Bava.
Kill, Baby… Kill! may not... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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253: Media Catch-Up - TV
Once again, we are perched open mouthed before the small screen, gobbling down televisual delights and regurgitating opinions. This is the latest in our ongoing series of media reviews, sharing our thoughts on the TV programmes we’ve been watching lately. There’s more horror than usual in our selections, making this episode dangerously on-topic.
Runtime: 60 min
Previous... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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254: Fat Face
This episode is our discussion of Michael Shea’s Mythos tale, “Fat Face”. Originally published as a chapbook in 1987, this nasty little novelette has since been collected in countless anthologies. It’s probably sitting in one of those Mythos books on your shelf right now, waiting patiently for you.
As well as being a great story in its own right, “Fat Face” is the inspiration... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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255: Listener Suggestions
Late last year, we used Discord and Twitter to ask our listeners what kinds of things they’d like to hear us discuss. The response was overwhelming and we now have a massive list of possible topics. Although these suggestions were exceptional, there are a good number we’d struggle to turn into complete episodes. Rather than ignore these, we’ve decided to go through the... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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256: Mythos Deities: Cyäegha and Byatis
This episode is our latest exploration of the deities of the Cthulhu Mythos. We have devoted previous episodes to Dagon, Shub-Niggurath, Yog-Sothoth, Nyarlathotep, Hastur, Azathoth, Nodens, Ubbo-Sathla and Mordiggian, Ithaqua, Cthulhu, Daoloth and Eihort, Gla’aki, Y’golonac, and Tsathoggua, Atlach-Nacha and Abhoth.
Rather than focusing on the creations... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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257: Strange NPCs: Edgar Cayce
This episode looks into the life of Edgar Cayce, the Sleeping Prophet. While Cayce’s work grew in fame following his death, becoming a cornerstone of the New Age movement, his origins were more humble. That’s not to say they weren’t filled with strange events. We delve into his life, belief and legacy, looking for elements we might include in our games.
Runtime:... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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259: Son of Listener Suggestions
Late last year, we used Discord and Twitter to ask our listeners what kinds of things they’d like to hear us discuss. The response was overwhelming and we now have a massive list of possible topics. Although these suggestions were exceptional, there are a good number we’d struggle to turn into complete episodes. Rather than ignore these, we’ve decided to go through... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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260: Victorian Spiritualism pt 1
This is the first of our two-part look at the origins and evolution of Spiritualism in the gaslight era. We look at how Spiritualism grew out of Mesmerism, how it became a religion, some of the strange phenomena that mediums produced at the behest of the spirits. This will continue in the next episode, when we examine some of the key figures of the Victorian Spiritualism... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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261: Victorian Spiritualism pt 2
This is the conclusion of our two-part look at the origins and evolution of Spiritualism in the gaslight era. In the first part, we examined the origins of Spiritualism. This time, we explore how Spiritualism became so popular in Victorian Britain, as well as some of the key figures of Victorian Spiritualism and the strange techniques they used to fake séances.
These... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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262: Time Travel in Call of Cthulhu pt 1
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias are ten years old! Well, not the Good Friends ourselves, obviously. One look at our grizzled countenances should disabuse you of that. If you tried to total up our lived years, you’d quickly run out of fingers. And toes. And any other protuberances you may have. But the podcast itself will have been around for ten years as... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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263: Time Travel in Call of Cthulhu (part 2)
As we mentioned last episode, we ran out of time to discuss time. This means we’ve gone back to the discussion, delving into psychic time travel as well as different varieties of time loops. We also spend a bit of time (it’s really hard not to make jokes here) talking about the way time travel has been presented in Mythos fiction and the Call of Cthulhu... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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264: Hounds of Tindalos
Following on from our time travel episodes, we thought we should find an example of how these tropes have been used in the Cthulhu Mythos. Happily, Frank Belknap Long’s seminal story, “The Hounds of Tindalos”, is about as good an example as we could ask for. As well as showing us a very genre-appropriate method for exploring time, it introduces one of the weirdest and... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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265: Seances
As a belated coda to our discussions of Victorian Spiritualism, we thought we’d go through some contemporary accounts of Victorian séances, looking for inspiration. Our earlier discussions glossed over the details of what actually happens in a séance and how they differ from what we see in popular media. The truth turns out to be far weirder than any fiction.
Our goal, as ever, is... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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267: Books
This episode is the latest in our ongoing series about the media we’ve been consuming recently and how they might influence our gaming lives. As ever, the selection is eclectic, taking in rats, horses, and a magical tattoo in which a horse might conceivably eat a rat for breakfast.
Runtime: 60 min
Previous episodes include discussions of 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu rules, stories by... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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269: Mythos Deities: Yig & Ghatanothoa
This episode is our latest exploration of the deities of the Cthulhu Mythos. We have devoted previous episodes to Dagon, Shub-Niggurath, Yog-Sothoth, Nyarlathotep, Hastur, Azathoth, Nodens, Ubbo-Sathla and Mordiggian, Ithaqua, Cthulhu, Daoloth and Eihort, Gla’aki, Y’golonac, Tsathoggua, Atlach-Nacha and Abhoth, and Cyäegha and Byatis.
We’re... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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270: Glorious
Following last episode’s discussion of Ghatanothoa (and Yig, but let’s not worry about him for now), we’re talking about one of his rare appearances in media. Glorious presents an unusual and creative take on the Cthulhu Mythos. So unusual, in fact, that Matt spends much of this episode protesting its crimes against canon. It also takes place almost entirely in a rest stop... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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271: The Shadow Over Innsmouth Part 1
This is the first instalment of a multi-episode exploration of HP Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. It is a dive so deep it goes all the way down to Y’ha-nthlei.
While “The Call of Cthulhu” gets all the name recognition, it’s fair to say that “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” is Lovecraft’s most influential story. It has... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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272: The Shadow Over Innsmouth Part 2
This is the second part of our multi-episode exploration of HP Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. Last time, we explored the origins of the story and then joined Robert Olmstead for a quick tour of Newburyport.
Now, moving into chapter 2 of the story, we catch Joe Sargent’s bus from Newburyport, travel across the bleak seaside... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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273: The Shadow Over Innsmouth Part 3
This is the third part of our multi-episode exploration of HP Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. Last time, we jumped on Joe Sargent’s bus, made the journey to Innsmouth, and bought some cheese crackers.
Now, in chapter 3 of the story, we finally meet Zadok Allen for one hell of an episode of Drunk History. Sure, this... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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274: The Shadow Over Innsmouth Part 4
This is the fourth part of our multi-episode exploration of HP Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. Last time, we had a long, drunken chat with Zadok Allen, down by the docks. Now, we’re almost ready to catch the last bus out of town.
This time, we reach the action-packed part of the story. Lovecraft isn’t known for his action... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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275: The Shadow Over Innsmouth Part 5
This is the fifth part of our multi-episode exploration of HP Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. Last time, we followed Robert Olmstead’s increasingly frantic departure from the town of Innsmouth.
Runtime: 60 min
Previous episodes include discussions of 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu rules, stories by H.P.Lovecraft, Gencon, interviews... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 59 – Secrets and Conflict at the Gaming Table
We’re back, and we’re watching each other from the corners of our eyes. Paul is hiding something behind his back, Matt keeps glancing at the door, and I’m trying to look nonchalant. It’s only a matter of time until one of us tips his hand. All of this is a needlessly wordy way of saying that we’re talking about secrets conflict at... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 65 – The Good Friends get stuck into Karl Edward Wagner’s Sticks
We’re back and we’re looking at another classic horror short story. This time it’s Karl Edward Wagner’s Sticks, a nasty little tale that is both of the Cthulhu Mythos and about it. The story draws from a number of real people and events, blending them with fiction to create a delirious nightmare. The imagery... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 66 – The Good Friends horrify themselves
We’re back, and we’re mulling over a topic suggested to us by good friend of the Good Friends, Tore Nielsen: what is the appeal of horror? Our discussion veers all over the place, like a teenage camper trying to escape an axe-wielding maniac. We take in films, television, books and games in our attempt to try to work out what appeals to us about... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 67 – The Good Friends find god(s)
We’re back, and we’re doing another top three countdown. This is a spiritual follow-up to episode 62’s look at our favourite Lovecraftian monsters, only this time we’ve set our sights a bit higher. We each champion our three favourite Mythos deities, giving some background on each, followed by some unusual ways to use them in your Call of... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 68 – The Good Friends go Barker mad
We’re back, and we’re looking at the two Clive Barker feature films that aren’t Hellraiser. We have nothing against Pinhead and his cruel crew of sadomasochistic sybarites (just trying to say that is a torture that would no doubt arouse them), but Nightbreed and Lord of Illusions deserve some unwholesome love too.... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 69 – The Good Friends reveal their true colours
This time it’s the turn of The Colour Out of Space, an unsettling tale that Lovecraft considered the closest he came to capturing the essence of cosmic horror. It revolves around an alien entity that crashes in from deep space to suck the life out of an unsuspecting community, leaving the residents as shambling, empty husks.... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 70 – The Good Friends reveal more of their true colours
We’re back, and we’re wrapping up our discussion of H P Lovecraft’s eerie mix of the Gothic and the cosmic, The Colour Out of Space. This time we’re looking at various adaptations, as well as deciding what we would steal for our games (the answer is almost everything — we’re shameless).
The Good Friends of Jackson... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 71 – The Good Friends bemoan the modern world
We’re back, and we’re chasing you young whipper-snappers off our lawns. Things just ain’t what they used to be, with all these mobile telephonic doodads skulking in people’s pockets, cheap flights to all corners of the world, and eldritch secrets only a mouse click away. How is a Keeper supposed to make players feel powerless and fragile... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 72 – The Good Friends hand out some props
We discuss the different functions of handouts and props, including building atmosphere, providing at-table references and hiding information in plain sight. To avoid being too abstract, we flesh these out with examples of handouts and props that have impressed us, and things we have made with our very own appendages. Matt gives us a few tips for... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 73 – What's New in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition
We’re back, and we’re taking a whistle-stop tour through what’s new in Call of Cthulhu7th edition. While we’ve done episodes on some of the new mechanics before, and Paul has recorded a series of videos summarising the 7th edition quick-start rules, we realised that we’d never actually given an overview of what has changed.... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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Episode 74 – The Good Friends lose themselves in INLAND EMPIRE
We’re back, and we’re taking a look at David Lynch‘s 2006 film, INLAND EMPIRE. This is a strange, strange film, even by Lynch’s standards, and unravelling it almost proved too much for the three of us. Happily we were able to draft in some extra help, in the eldritch form of Call of Cthulhu line editor and fellow... [click here for more] |
Paul Fricker |
FREE
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