This week on This Movie Deserves Better, Col revisits House on Haunted Hill (1999) — the loud, gothic, late-90s Dark Castle remake that critics dismissed but horror fans never quite let go.

Directed by William Malone and starring Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Ali Larter, and Peter Gallagher, the film follows a group of strangers invited to survive the night in a notorious haunted asylum with $1 million on the line.

In this episode we dig into:

-Dark Castle’s rise and why this film set the template

-The asylum’s incredible set design and practical effects

-The blood vat, Saturation Chamber, and CGI Darkness chaos

-Where the film stumbles — and why it still deserves better

-Plus our usual deeply unserious awards

This isn’t about pretending the film is perfect — it’s about recognising a haunted house movie that committed fully to the ride.

Follow the show: @tmdbpodcast

Got a movie that deserves better? Drop us a message or leave a comment.

In this episode of This Movie Deserves Better, Col revisits Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 to unpack what really went wrong — and why the film deserves a serious reappraisal.

We dig into the troubled production history, studio interference, and how director Joe Berlinger originally intended the sequel to be a meta-horror film about fandom, obsession, and media manipulation — not another found-footage retread. We also talk about the film’s chaotic tone, early-2000s nu-metal energy, interrogation structure, and the moments where it almost becomes something genuinely unsettling.

This isn’t a claim that Blair Witch 2 is a secret masterpiece — but it is a case study in how bold ideas get crushed by expectations, marketing, and panic.

If you’re a fan of horror movies, misunderstood sequels, or films that were ahead of their time, this episode is for you.

Follow the podcast on socials: @tmdbpodcast

Got a movie you think deserves better? Drop a comment or send a message Enjoying the show? Leave a review and help more people find the pod

This week on This Movie Deserves Better, we’re revisiting the overlooked 1980 slasher New Year's Evil — a cult horror oddity built around one killer idea: murders timed to midnight across every U.S. time zone.

Set during a live New Year’s Eve telethon, New Year’s Evil mixes punk energy, sleazy ’80s vibes, and a genuinely clever slasher premise that deserved far more attention than it got.

In this episode, we cover:

The infamous time-zone murder gimmick

What went wrong with critics and audiences

Where the film stumbles — and where it shines

Why this forgotten slasher deserves a second screening

If you’re into cult horror, 80s slashers, New Year’s Eve horror movies, or underrated genre films, this episode is for you.

Follow the show, rate and review, and share with a fellow horror fan.

New episodes every other Friday.