The Rad Revival House

Rad Revival House
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Weekly

Presenting a cult film podcast unlike any other! The Rad Revival House unearths cool, forgotten cinema for the young, and cinematically curious. Join your host, "The Professor" Cesare Augusto, as he introduces underrated, forgotten, and obscure movies to influence current moviegoing audiences to rediscover these forgotten gems, AND to help ignite the passion of newer generations of filmmakers in hopes of returning the cinema to vintage glory of decades past! The Rad Revival House premieres a new episode every Wednesday. Theme song by George Davison. Artwork by Liza Manansala

  1. SEASON 2, EPISODE 20, SLEEPING BEAUTY - The Gothic Animated Disney Animated Masterpiece!

    May 17

    SEASON 2, EPISODE 20, SLEEPING BEAUTY - The Gothic Animated Disney Animated Masterpiece!

    Presenting a special two-fer of firsts at the Rad Revival House! We’re reviewing our first ANIMATED feature, as well as our first DISNEY film, with 1959’s SLEEPING BEAUTY! Aurora, a beautiful young princess, finds herself cursed by an alluring but evil fairy named Maleficent, who, after being slighted by the girl’s royal parents, hexes Aurora to prick her finger and fall into a deep sleep by her 16th birthday. Looking to offset the curse, three good magical fairies ally with a handsome young princess to break Maleficent’s deadly presence and save Aurora from certain doom. Making her first appearance as an RRH Special Guest Lecturer is Addyson Young, Programing Specialist at Bethlehem, PA’s own ArtsQuest, who provides strong insight into SLEEPING BEAUTY. Both Augusto and host Professor Cesare Augusto delves into SLEEPING BEAUTY’s charming soundtrack, elegantly drawn animation, and of course, the mesmerizingly frightening presence of chief antagonist Maleficent. Is Maleficent the scariest, most terrifying villain in all of Disney animation? Both Addyson and Cesare unanimously agree!

    50 min
  2. SEASON 3, EPISODE 22, HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL: TV's Knight in Western Armor!

    May 11

    SEASON 3, EPISODE 22, HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL: TV's Knight in Western Armor!

    The Rad Revival House returns to television with a look at 4 great episodes of the Western hit show, HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL! Our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, deep-dives in his favorite TV Western of all time. He reveals what makes this show so interesting, and how he first discovered it from, all things, STAND BY ME, his favorite film of all time, where the picture’s 4 young protagonists sing the show’s theme song on their way to see the dead body of Ray Brower!  HAVE GUN-WILL TRAVEL the show is unique purely from its main protagonist, the gentleman soldier of fortune Paladin (played by, as coined by great crime writer George Pelecanos: “proto-badass” Richard Boone). Cesare explores what makes Paladin so cool: as a frontier mercenary, Paladin is motivated by two things, money, and justice. While Paladin does enjoy the finer things in life (including living in relative luxury in a swanky San Francisco hotel), our hero is also driven by a strong personal code of honor, a sense of righteousness he uses to dispense justice to ordinary folks in the West who need it the most. The show is greatly bolstered by star Richard Boone’s tough-guy demeanor, sharp sense of fashion, and intense, brooding acting skill! As part of his deep dive, Cesare reviews 4 of his favorite episodes of HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL that he feels deserves to be analyzed and be viewed by serious aspiring Western writers: THE MANHUNTER NO VISITORS FIRST, CATCH A TIGER GENESIS

    43 min
  3. SEASON 3, EPISODE 21, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR - The Gross Yet Compelling 80s Italo- Trash Masterpiece!

    May 4

    SEASON 3, EPISODE 21, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR - The Gross Yet Compelling 80s Italo- Trash Masterpiece!

    The Rad Revival House explores the gruesome sub-genre of Italian Sci-Fi Exploitation cinema with the bonkers 1984 picture, RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR!Appearing for the first time on our show as Special Guest Lecturer is Sam Panico of the cool AF cult film website B&S About Movies. Along with our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, Sam offers his enthusiastic insight about RATS and its bizarre take on the post-apocalyptic sub-genre of Science Fiction. After a nuclear war devastates the world, the human race has been split into two: the surface world, and the subterranean world. Making their way through the barren surface world is a diverse gang of misfit bikers, scavengers grabbing everything they can get to survive and enjoying themselves, too. They stumble upon a deserted research facility that is grotesquely infested with hordes upon hordes of disgusting, diseased-filled rats! One by one, the bikers are killed by the genetically-enhanced vermin, until a small few are left to fight for their survival. Cesare and Sam discuss the nasty yet surprisingly compelling production within RATS, how director Bruno Mattei was able to masterfully create a grim atmosphere despite a low budget, and how the picture’s special effects are effectively performed WITHOUT the use of slick special effects. RATS, as Sam said, is a strong example of how filmmakers can excel at being weird and being memorable, without having otherwise prolifically artistic visions in mind!

    1h 10m
  4. SEASON 3, EPISODE 20, YI YI - The Taiwanese Epic of Normal Life

    Apr 26

    SEASON 3, EPISODE 20, YI YI - The Taiwanese Epic of Normal Life

    The Rad Revival House ventures back to Asia with a look at the quiet, poignant character study YI YI, directed by Taiwanese film icon Edward Yang. Returning to the RRH is Special Guest Lecturer Sam Levy, co-host of the YouTube-based podcast “Informed Nostalgia.” Labeled by our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, as the go-to American guy for great Asian cinema, Sam originally recommended YI YI to us as essential viewing, and rightfully so!  YI YI explores the lives of a seemingly-ordinary family in Taipei: a workaholic father, a melancholic teenaged daughter, and a precocious schoolaged boy. But the film is anything but ordinary. The themes of remorse, regret, lost loves, the beginning of life, and life’s end with death are deeply explored in this picture. YI YI alternately explores the perspectives of the characters, shifting from one’s feelings towards their situations to another, shifting sometimes agonizingly slowly, but with great, delicate care, a cinematic signature of the director, Edward Yang. Cesare and Sam analyze the film’s quiet approach, how its somewhat sluggish pace may turn off mainstream viewers, but with enough patience from the audience, the film will win over many thanks to its very relatable worldly themes, despite taking place in Taiwan. Plus, our reviewers also embrace the film’s capture of an Asian family and how its more serious and realistic turn could help defeat standard cinematic cultural stereotypes of “Martial Arts” and allow for a greater, reflective look at regular Asians!

    48 min
  5. SEASON 3, EPISODE 19: THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD - Ray Harryhausen's Fantastic Voyage!

    Apr 19

    SEASON 3, EPISODE 19: THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD - Ray Harryhausen's Fantastic Voyage!

    The Rad Revival House returns to the wonderful, fantastical whimsey of classic special effects titan Ray Harryhausen with THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD! Recurring Special Guest Lecturer Philip Duke II of the great movie review podcast Making Tarantino lends a welcoming hand in reviewing this wacky piece of 1970s fantasy cinema. Two-fisted sea captain Sinbad (Towering vintage star John Phillip Law) is recruited in restoring the rightful monarch of an ancient kingdom from the sinister advances of evil Prince Kouhra (Tom Baker). Along the way, Sinbad and his crew encounter beautiful mystery woman Margiana (the stunning Caroline Munro), wicked flying creatures, and gigantic monsters looking to devour our heroes for dinner! Both our host Professor Cesare and Phil analyze Harryhausen’s special effects techniques with almost dewy-eyed nostalgia. Harryhausen was a true maestro of Stop Action Motion, where objects (often made of clay) are physically manipulated in tiny increments between individually photographed frames. Our reviewers observe how, despite the older-looking feel of Stop Action Motion, this type of special effects offers a vivid charming personality to the visuals, giving a colorful, almost surreal onscreen vibe. They also describe the fascinating use of miniatures, the action of the fight scenes between the human actors and the Stop Action Motion creatures, and the film’s swashbuckling theme, all of which are elements that are sorely missed during these more flashy, CGI-obsessed modern times!

    1h 18m
  6. SEASON 3, EPISODE 18, THE DANIEL ROEBUCK DOUBLE FEATURE: THE HAIL MARY & DUDES - Celebrating Independent Cinema With Star & Filmmaker Daniel Roebuck!

    Apr 13

    SEASON 3, EPISODE 18, THE DANIEL ROEBUCK DOUBLE FEATURE: THE HAIL MARY & DUDES - Celebrating Independent Cinema With Star & Filmmaker Daniel Roebuck!

    A Rad Revival House EXCLUSIVE! We are thrilled to have a Bonafide film star, screenwriter, filmmaker, and actual subject of our reviews as a Special Guest Lecturer, Mr. Daniel Roebuck, this week! Together with our host, Professor Cesare Augusto, Danny has graciously agreed to analyze and review two of his films: his most recent directorial effort, 2026’s THE HAIL MARY, and 1987’s DUDES. First on deck is THE HAIL MARY, Danny’s newest and most endearing directorial film to date. He plays Jake Bauer, a conflicted, down-on-his-luck everyman based out of Bethlehem, PA (where Danny himself is a native), who finds himself working as a handyman in a local Catholic school. Spurned on by a feisty young nun (the hilarious Marsha Dietlein) for his lack of faith in God and in himself, Jake becomes the unwilling coach of the school’s football team. Driven by his newfound responsibility towards the school’s nuns and the spirit of his young trainees, Jake soon rediscovers his self-worth and confidence as he works to coach the team in winning not just in football, but in life itself. And in DUDES, Danny and Cesare re-explore this quirky modern day Western directed by cult favorite Penelope Spheeris (THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION; WAYNE’S WORLD). Young New York City punks Grant (Jon Cryer), Biscuit (Daniel Roebuck) and Milo (Flea of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers!) yearn for a life beyond their Big Apple surroundings). The three buddies head west to California, seemingly into greener pastures when they encounter a gang of murderous bikers, led by brutal thug Missoula (a scary Lee Ving, lead singer of the infamous hard-core punk band Fear). After the bikers savagely murder Milo, Grant and Biscuit desire revenge, but lack the means of their vengeance. Enlisting the aid of tough lady gunslinger Jessie (Catherine Mary Stewart of NIGHT OF THE COMET!), our heroes shed their old punk ways as they seek to avenge their fallen buddy! In our discussion, Danny recollects on his decades-long career, and how he used his native Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania to film his newest projects, including THE HAIL MARY. He shares with our class of listeners how to take their time when doing their own projects, how to concentrate fully on creating deep, interesting characters, and how to pool their resources when making a homegrown film, despite a low budget. We at the Rad Revival House thank our new friend to the show, Mr. Daniel Roebuck, on being an amazing Special Guest Lecturer! You come back, Danny, y’hear!!

    1h 16m
  7. SEASON 3, EPISODE 17, NIGHT OF THE LEPUS - A Rabbit Rampage For Easter!

    Apr 6

    SEASON 3, EPISODE 17, NIGHT OF THE LEPUS - A Rabbit Rampage For Easter!

    Happy Easter from The Rad Revival House! To commemorate such a joyous occasion, we will tackle the awesomely bad 1970s camp horror classic, NIGHT OF THE LEPUS! Our beloved host, Professor Cesare Augusto, tackles this review solo for a change. Here, he provides a testament to the schlocky, so-bad-it’s-good trash masterpiece NIGHT OF THE LEPUS, which he first discovered on TNT’s “Monster-Vision” horror campaign from the 1990s. Determined to rid his ranch of a growing rabbit pestilence, Arizona farmer Cole Hillman (Rory Calhoun) enlists the aid of local scientist Roy Bennett (Stuart Whitman), Roy’s wife Gerry (Janet Leigh), and college researcher Elgin Clark (DeForest Kelley) to reduce this cute but cuddly invasion. Bennett seeks a more humane approach to curbing the rabbit pestilence through serums rather than poisons (which some of the other ranchers would readily use). However, a mixup during the research instead causes the experimental bunnies to grow in massive size! Soon, the rabbit population mutates, causing the once cute critters to enlarge to the size of wolves as they begin rampaging all over the Arizona desert and devouring everything from livestock to human beings in their path! NIGHT OF THE LEPUS suffers from a very obvious low budget, where the film crew is forced to use miniature sets and stunt performers dressed in bunny costumes during the film’s so-called “human mauling” scenes. But as a fan of these “nature run amok” B-pictures, Professor Cesare defends the film’s crude style, stating the production utilized everything they can to make the giant rabbits actually look menacing and destructive. Cesare also credits the film for being so boldly cheesy and goofy that it actually gives the movie its ludicrous charm. NIGHT OF THE LEPUS does not pretend to be high-art; on the contrary, the film’s cast and crew plays it entirely straight for the sake of storytelling, that they fully embrace its cheesy premise to create pure entertainment. We at the RRH recommend would-be filmmakers with designs towards campy shlock fun to watch NIGHT OF THE LEPUS as homework on how to successfully make gold out of trash, and make a truly killing as a result!

    34 min
  8. SEASON 3, EPISODE 15, THE RED SHOES - LOVE AND HEARTBREAK AT THE BALLET

    Mar 29

    SEASON 3, EPISODE 15, THE RED SHOES - LOVE AND HEARTBREAK AT THE BALLET

    Not since BLACK SWAN has there been such a visually-intense picture about ballerinas than 1948’s THE RED SHOES, this week on The Rad Revival House! Appearing for the first time on our show are the unbeatable team of Nicole and Tessa from the excellent Doom Generation Podcast. They join our host Professor Cesare on exploring the musical majestic beauty of THE RED SHOES, directed by the powerhouse British team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (BLACK NARCISSUS).  Beautiful young Victoria Page (the stunning Moira Shearer) dreams of becoming a top ballerina. When word that the prima ballerina of Europe’s most renowned ballet company has left the business, Vickie jumps at the chance. While training, she meets young composer Julian (Marius Goring), who has been hired to compose the music for a new ballet based on the classic fairy tale “The Red Shoes.” Overseeing the show is the company’s head proprietor Boris Lemontov (brooding European actor Anton Walbrook), who wants to make Vickie their greatest ballet, along with her heart as well. When Vickie and Julian fall in love, Lemontov seeks to sabotage their romance while making her the greatest ballerina in the world. Professor Cesare and the Doom Generation ladies are awestruck at nearly everything about THE RED SHOES: its use of bright, gorgeous colors, the classic grand production value, and the performances by its cast. Our analysts agree that Powell and Pressburger created a true celebration of music, color schemes, and melodrama, rolled into one epic picture, about the ballet, no less!

    1h 7m
See All (102)

About

Presenting a cult film podcast unlike any other! The Rad Revival House unearths cool, forgotten cinema for the young, and cinematically curious. Join your host, "The Professor" Cesare Augusto, as he introduces underrated, forgotten, and obscure movies to influence current moviegoing audiences to rediscover these forgotten gems, AND to help ignite the passion of newer generations of filmmakers in hopes of returning the cinema to vintage glory of decades past! The Rad Revival House premieres a new episode every Wednesday. Theme song by George Davison. Artwork by Liza Manansala

Information

  • Creator
    Rad Revival House
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Rad Revival House
  • Show Website
    The Rad Revival House

You Might Also Like