Once Upon A VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy

"I just wanted to eat."

We're going off-menu and off-piste for this little slice of late 90s Cosmopolitan culture NYC romcom ridiculousness. It's less Sex and the City and more Crabs in the Kitchen as Sarah Michelle Gellar gets some culinary help from a magic crustacean.

Emotionally-imbued food, public orgasms, special effect failures, Betty Buckley and our dream restaurant pairings of dishes with SMG projects await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

Poppadoms or bread? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:

Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Animals, assemble!"

Loosely adapted from the Tchaikovsky ballet Swan Lake, this animated feature from ex-Disney director Richard Rich spawned a surprising legacy. Our friend Sophie B of audio fiction team Monstrous Productions joins us for an enchanting chat, with a special contribution from Cullen of Not My Fantasy podcast explaining the significance of this film for homeschoolers.

Princesses on parade, raiding the fanfiction archive, the queer resonance of a transformation sequence, Queen Uberta's lewks, too many talking animal companions, Rothbart's book of Swan Spells, a prince named Derek, hag faces, an Odette AI chatbot and branded strawberry CBD lipgloss await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

What else is there? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:

Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"There can be only one."

We had a gay old time with Russell Mulcahy's big, bold, beautiful and SILLY film about immortals fighting a fateful battle over centuries, from 16th century Scotland to 1980s New York City.

Christopher Lambert's accent, Clancy Brown's command of camp, Sean Connery's everything, ridiculous scene transitions, the stunning landscapes of our home country, that memorable Queen score and Michael's book about the incredible life of Freddie Mercury await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

Who wants to live forever? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:

Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"TV Time - remember, you're soaking in it."

We got more than we bargained for in revisiting this odd allegorical fable about a couple of 90s teens stuck in a 50s sitcom, introducing self-discovery, sexuality and colour to the residents of the greyscale television world.

Reese Witherspoon discovering the joy of reading, Tobey Maguire being a little creep, that Fiona Apple cover of Across the Universe, that iconic bathtub scene, and discussion of the well-intentioned but rough central metaphor for bigotry and discrimination await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

What's the deal with Don Knotts? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:

Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Oh my God, he's in love with a... dummy!"

Kicking off our new Romantasy season, it's time for the diva dummy herself: Mannequin!

The scat stylings of Liverpool's answer to Cleopatra Kim Cattrall, the glorious gayness of Meshach Taylor's turn as Hollywood Montrose, the dawn of market research, department store delirium, Brat Pack credentials, a pink Cadillac, hang glider ridiculousness, an extended fancy dress montage and a massive organ await.

We share our thoughts on the movie and its themes, some behind the scenes gossip, delve into the nightmarish moments and dream up some ridiculous merch.

Is anything going to stop us now? Listen and find out!

Art by Ashleigh Jane Cosgrove. Music by Karl Casey at White Bat Audio.

https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:

Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)

https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.