Screams & Streams

Chad, Mike, & Sam
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What if you could get a front row seat on a journey through the best and worst horror movies of the past half-century, all rated on Rotten Tomatoes? Brace yourself for an eerie tour with your hosts, Chad Campbell, Mike Carron, and Sam Schreiner, as they dissect each film with a surgeon's precision and a fan's passion. Our story began on a mundane work day, when two colleagues, Chad and Mike, decided to start a podcast centered on their shared love for horror films. The search for a genre was a winding, convoluted exploration of possibilities, before we arrived at the chilling idea of horror films.Our journey didn’t stop there. We had to figure out where to begin, how to categorize each film, and the scale to use for our rating system. We landed on a year-by-year review of the best and the worst films, starting from 1970 - the dawn of modern horror. Our shows come packed with a variety of categories like First Impressions, Tropes Hall of Shame, One-liners, and more. We also rate each film on a watchability scale, advising if it's worth your precious time. Join us as we sometimes agree, and other times disagree with Rotten Tomatoes' ratings. So, fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a spooky ride! Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for links and information related to our episodes.

  1. 2H AGO

    Ep. 118: M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense" (1999)

    A whispered line changed movie history—but why does it still hit so hard? We dive back into The Sixth Sense and trace the artistry that keeps the fear alive: the red visual motif, breath in the cold, long takes that dare you to blink, and a score that hums beneath the skin instead of shouting cues. We talk about the scenes that branded themselves into our memories—the attic closet panic, the kitchen cupboards, the funeral reveal—and why the opening with Vincent Gray still shocks, even when you can recite the twist. What surprised us most on rewatch is how human the film feels. Haley Joel Osment’s quiet courage and Toni Collette’s raw worry build a story about belief and loneliness more than jump scares. That car confession, the weight of not being heard, and the way small gestures—statues in a church fort, a shopping cart joyride—add warmth to the chill. We also scrutinize what hasn’t aged perfectly, from camcorder crowds to an unlikely classroom blowup, and explain why those moments don’t dent the film’s control of tone. Along the way, we map the red breadcrumbs, unpack practical effects that outclass dated CGI, and compare this twist’s elegance to standouts like The Others and Shutter Island. There’s rich trivia too: the box office miracle, the near-cut of “I see dead people,” and how they made that breath real. We end where the film does—on empathy—agreeing that you can spoil a reveal, but you can’t spoil a story built on compassion. Hit play to relive the chills, catch new details, and tell us the moment that still gives you goosebumps. If you enjoyed this deep dive, follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review—what detail did you spot on your last rewatch? Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

    56 min

  2. FEB 14

    Ep. 117: Jan de Bont's "The Haunting" (1999)

    Fear should crawl under your skin, not shout in your face—so why does a grand, gorgeous mansion feel so empty of real suspense? We dive into The Haunting (1999) with clear eyes and full receipts, unpacking how a stacked cast, a massive budget, and bold production design still end up smothered by noisy CGI and thin character stakes. From the ethically suspect “sleep study” setup to the locked gates that trap our crew overnight, we examine every red flag and how each choice undercuts tension rather than building it. We talk pacing that sags between set pieces, performances that veer from muted to melodramatic, and scare design that mistakes volume for dread. The house looks incredible from the outside—moody, imposing, unforgettable—yet inside it feels like a theme park where geography bends to the next effect. Still, a few ideas linger: carved children’s faces that subtly shift their gaze, a single pillowcase “face” that hints at what practical horror could have achieved, and a sound mix whose bass rumbles briefly sell the illusion that the house has a heartbeat. Along the way, we compare what works in smarter haunted house stories—House on Haunted Hill, The Others, and Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House—and why those tales anchor ghosts to grief, rules, and restraint. We sprinkle in production notes and trivia, from the film’s surprising box office to Spielberg stepping away, and we close with blunt watchability scores. If you love dissecting why some scares age like fine fog and others like frothy absinthe, this one’s for you. Enjoy the breakdown? Follow us on Instagram at ScreamStream Pod, visit screamsandstreams.com for research links and our watchability scale, and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe. What haunted house film do you think gets it right? Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

    44 min

  3. FEB 7

    Ep. 116: William Malone's "House On Haunted Hill" (1999)

    A millionaire promises $1 million to anyone who survives a night in a shuttered asylum, and our panel dives headfirst into whether House on Haunted Hill (1999) deserves its 31% reputation—or a little redemption. We start with a crisp plot recap, then break down what the movie does well: fast pacing, early kills, and a few set pieces that still deliver a jolt. The fake-out elevator, the roller coaster gag, and a clever camera-only surgery scene get real points for ingenuity and tension, even if the film feels like a glossy haunted attraction built for jumpy thrills. From there we open the toolbox of tropes: storm-lashed nights, flickering lights, long drive-ins, and the immediate split-up mistake. We talk through “easy outs” the characters ignore—stay put, skip the basement, question random million-dollar invites—and why the script insists on chaos. Performances earn debate. Jeffrey Rush channels showman flair with a pencil mustache that nods to both John Waters and Vincent Price, while Famke Janssen adds magnetic bite to the cat-and-mouse marriage. Chris Kattan’s energy divides us, turning dramatic moments into sketch comedy for some and guilty charm for others. The weak spots are hard to miss. The jittery opening credits, overcooked rock cues, and a rubbery, amorphous final demon flatten suspense. Logic frays with blood vats that never dry, basement wanderings that never end, and an internet-haunting that invites only a handful of guests. We compare how other works handle similar material—Outlast, Amnesia, Until Dawn, and The Conjuring—and why tighter rules and sound design build better dread. Still, this remake is rarely boring, moves fast, and scratches that late-90s horror itch enough to land in our “watchable on TV or Tubi” zone. If you’re into campy haunted-house rides, stylish kills, and midnight-movie vibes, press play and argue along with us. Follow us on Instagram at ScreamStream Pod, visit screamsandstreams.com to suggest a film, and if you enjoyed the show, please rate, comment on, and subscribe so more horror fans can find us. Scare you later. Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

    47 min

  4. JAN 31

    Ep. 115: Peter Medak's "Species II" (1998)

    A Mars mission comes home with more than a headline, and a franchise sequel tries to turn sex into the scariest transmission vector imaginable. We dive into Species 2 with a clear lens and a stiff drink, tracing how a promising body-horror premise gets buried under wobbly effects, cliché military coverups, and a baffling appeal to “the human inside” a character the script treats like a test subject. We talk through the good (a few gnarly practical moments, a barn full of cocoons, an unexpectedly sharp death), the bad (cardboard rockets, digital goo, and a flag-waving finale), and the ridiculous (nipple tentacles, synchronized shoulder-jogs, and space suits that look sponsored). From containment failures to consent, we unpack the choices that could have made this story tighter: real quarantine protocols, coherent alien biology, and giving Eve agency beyond a lab cage and a last-minute plea. Along the way we stack it against Alien, Aliens, The Thing, and the first Species to highlight what great sci-fi horror gets right—procedural tension, practical texture, and rules that make monsters terrifying. Yes, we also savor the camp, because sometimes bad movies make for the best conversations. If you’re curious whether a 9% Rotten Tomatoes film can still entertain, we’ve got you. Hit play for first impressions, trope takedowns, favorite one-liners, gratuitous moments, and our watchability scores. Then tell us: is Species 2 campy fun or cinematic crime? Subscribe, share with a horror-loving friend, and drop your pick for the best alien horror that still holds up. Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

    1h 3m

  5. JAN 24

    Ep. 114: Hideo Nakata’s “Ringu” (1998)

    Seven days is plenty of time to argue about a classic. We throw open the case file on Hideo Nakata’s Ringu and ask the hard question: does that 98% score still fit, or did the remake sharpen the scares that the original merely hinted at? From the cursed videotape’s elegant simplicity to the gut-twist of the seven-day phone call, we unpack why this story endures: it punishes curiosity and forces a brutal choice—save yourself by copying the curse, or let it die with you. We walk through first impressions, then dive into the big craft swings. The original leans on silence, grief, and Kabuki-inspired movement to create unease, while the American remake trims the fat and amplifies the shocks. We compare the infamous TV crawl, the well sequence, and the tape imagery, and we’re honest about what doesn’t land in 2025: stretched pacing, “gamma vision” death shots, and a phone ring mixed to jolt more than chill. Still, several moments refuse to age—reflections in a dark screen, fingers slipping through wet hair, and that awful realization when a child has already watched the tape. Along the way we spotlight the tropes that built modern J-horror, the tech shifts that date VHS but not dread, and production gems like backward-filmed movement and a shoestring budget that birthed a global phenomenon. We close with watchability scores, clear guidance on where newcomers should start, and a balanced verdict on Ringu’s legacy: essential horror history with a moral sting that lingers, even if the remake delivers the tighter ride. Love deep-cut horror talk and smart comparisons? Follow, share with a friend who swears by the remake, and leave a quick review to help more horror fans find us. Scare you later. Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

    47 min

  6. JAN 17

    Ep. 113: Michael Haneke's "Funny Games" (1997)

    A polite knock. A request for eggs. And then the floor drops out. Our latest dives into Michael Haneke’s Funny Games (1997), a home-invasion thriller that refuses to play by genre rules. We unpack why this film still needles under the skin: the calculated pace, the suffocating silence broken by blasts of abrasive music, and the way two eerily courteous young men turn social niceties into weapons. We compare the Austrian original to the shot-for-shot American remake, outline what makes the original feel colder and more precise, and revisit the scenes that linger—especially that ten-minute single take after everything changes. We talk craft without flinching from discomfort. The acting carries a heavy load, with a mother’s resolve and a father’s helplessness flipping expectations of strength. We get into the moral engine of the film: fourth-wall glances that put the audience on trial and the notorious “rewind” that snatches away catharsis. Is it gimmick or thesis statement? We debate how the film confronts our appetite for violent payoff and whether the refusal to grant relief makes Funny Games uniquely unsettling among home-invasion stories like The Strangers and Eden Lake. There’s practical talk, too—what choices doomed the family, which tropes still work, and how sound design manipulates stress without a traditional score. We also share production notes, from Cannes walkouts to the brutal demands placed on the lead actor to capture exhaustion on camera. If you value tension over jump scares, moral provocation over tidy endings, and filmmaking that weaponizes silence, this one’s for you. Hit play, then tell us: did the “rewind” break the spell or make the horror unforgettable? Subscribe, share with a horror-loving friend, and leave a review to help others find the show. Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

    47 min

  7. JAN 10

    Ep. 112: Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez’s "The Blair Witch Project" (1999)

    A map lost, a legend found, and a final image that still sets nerves on edge. We crack open The Blair Witch Project with a mix of reverence and skepticism, exploring why a film with no score, almost no gore, and a monster you never see became a horror milestone. Julie joins Chad, Mike, and Sam to share first-watch memories, theater lore about audiences who thought it was real, and the marketing sleight of hand that turned rumor into rocket fuel long before social media. We dig into the nuts and bolts of the scares: the weaponized ambiguity, the way darkness and sound design conspire to make the trees feel alive, and how the infamous basement corner communicates more terror in a second than most films manage in an act. Our panel also challenges the film’s weak spots—the breathless narration, the endless shouting, and a third-act sprint that trades tension for noise. We ask whether found footage is inherently a one-and-done experience, compare Blair Witch with Paranormal Activity, The Ritual, and other entries in the subgenre, and debate how modern tech would change the stakes unless you grant the witch a signal-jamming mood. Behind the scenes, we surface production choices that shaped its realism: guided improvisation via daily notes, deliberate sleep and food deprivation to fray nerves, and town interviews that blur documentary and performance. Those decisions gave the movie its raw texture—real annoyance, real disorientation, and a geography that feels discovered rather than staged. Love it or roll your eyes at the map-in-the-creek moment, Blair Witch remains essential horror literacy, a reminder that what you don’t see can haunt the hardest. If this breakdown hits your horror sweet spot, follow the show, share the episode with a friend who swears the corner shot still gets them, and leave a quick review so other genre fans can find us. Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

    1h 9m

  8. JAN 3

    Ep. 111: Anthony Waller's "An American Werewolf in Paris" (1997)

    The howling you hear isn’t from the monster—it’s from fans watching a beloved classic get saddled with a clumsy sequel. We dive into An American Werewolf in Paris and sort the few effective frights from an avalanche of awkward humor, rubbery CGI, and logic that faceplants off the Eiffel Tower. We set the scene with a spoiler warning and a tart “Sinister Sip,” then get honest about why a meager 7 percent score feels fair: the chemistry is flat, the jokes miss, and the tone wanders between frat gags and faux-goth moodiness. We compare what made the London original sing—sharp timing, grounded performances, and practical effects that respected the shadows—against Paris’s bright lights and louder is better approach. That contrast becomes a lesson in horror-comedy craft: reveal less to scare more, let the music accent the mood instead of drowning it, and trust character choices to build tension rather than forcing chaos with car pileups and nightclub gross-outs. Still, we call out the sequences that almost redeem it: a strobe-lit attack that hides the seams, a flickering flashlight stalk through tunnels, and a few practical blood beats that feel tactile, if brief. Along the way, we share production notes and trivia: early CGI experiments that haven’t aged well, lion-inspired creature design, a scrapped werewolf-baby ending, and Julie Delpy’s candid reason for signing on. We also untangle head-scratchers like Eiffel Tower physics, non-silver bullets, and accent roulette. By the time we score watchability, the verdict is unanimous and blunt. If you’re revisiting werewolves, start with An American Werewolf in London or even Silver Bullet. If you’re here for the trainwreck, we’ve mapped the wreckage so you don’t have to. If you enjoyed this breakdown, follow the show, share it with a horror-loving friend, and leave a quick review. Your support helps more listeners find smart, funny genre talk without the fluff. Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

    48 min
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About

What if you could get a front row seat on a journey through the best and worst horror movies of the past half-century, all rated on Rotten Tomatoes? Brace yourself for an eerie tour with your hosts, Chad Campbell, Mike Carron, and Sam Schreiner, as they dissect each film with a surgeon's precision and a fan's passion. Our story began on a mundane work day, when two colleagues, Chad and Mike, decided to start a podcast centered on their shared love for horror films. The search for a genre was a winding, convoluted exploration of possibilities, before we arrived at the chilling idea of horror films.Our journey didn’t stop there. We had to figure out where to begin, how to categorize each film, and the scale to use for our rating system. We landed on a year-by-year review of the best and the worst films, starting from 1970 - the dawn of modern horror. Our shows come packed with a variety of categories like First Impressions, Tropes Hall of Shame, One-liners, and more. We also rate each film on a watchability scale, advising if it's worth your precious time. Join us as we sometimes agree, and other times disagree with Rotten Tomatoes' ratings. So, fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a spooky ride! Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for links and information related to our episodes.

Information

  • Creator
    Chad, Mike, & Sam
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    121
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Screams & Streams
  • Show Website
    Screams & Streams