Once Upon A VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy Podcast

Moments from Beetlejuice (1988).

Listen to our episode: linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

#beetlejuice

Thank you!!!

Catherine O'Hara brought layers of characterisation to the role of Delia Deetz with her brilliant comedic instincts.

Listen to our episode about Beetlejuice (1988): linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

#beetlejuice

spontaneous human combustion, Sammy Davis Jr, a sweet love story, the camp of Miss Argentina, the Cathouse rock club, Alec Baldwin’s chinos, ghost photography, the many careers and gay supernatural talents of Otho, and a truly memorable lipsync extravaganza await.

An outsider’s found family, nods to B-movie horror, Michael Keaton’s bonkers energy, some delightfully absurd special effects, the Usborne Book of Ghosts, queer film lighting, Winona Ryder as goth icon Lydia Deetz…

“Paranormal? Is that what they’re calling your kind these days?”
In honour of the late, great Catherine O’Hara and her brilliant turn as Delia Deetz, we’re finally covering a Tim Burton film - and it’s a goofy, ghoulish game changer that will rattle your funny bones.

Beetlejuice VHS cover

New episode: Beetlejuice (1988)

Listen: linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Moving into this ghost train right away!

You can send your audio recording to onceuponavhs AT gmail DOT com, or just leave us a voice note on Instagram!

Please note that we may make some edits to audio submissions for the sake of time or clarity. We look forward to hearing from you!

1. Nostalgia Nook: what are the memories or feelings Labyrinth conjures up for you?
2. Nightmare Nail: what are the frightening moments that most affected you?
3. Treasures: what are the best bits?
4. Just tell us what Labyrinth means to you!

If you’d like to take part, please make an audio recording (with the best quality audio you are able to) briefly introducing yourself and answering at least one of the three following questions:

So we’re looking to do the same with mini-contributions to this new special episode about Labyrinth - submissions deadline is 31st May.

Two of our best and most popular episodes - The Dark Crystal and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - are built around clips from listeners and friends of the pod sharing their thoughts. We love being able to react to these and incorporate them into our discussion.

After seeing the gorgeous 4k remaster in the cinema this year, we knew we needed to give it another go, reworking elements from our previous conversation into a new standalone episode - Labyrinth: Special Edition.

We already covered Labyrinth in our first season, but to be honest we don’t think we did the film justice by squashing it into a double bill with The Princess and the Goblin. The pacing and sound quality of that old episode is a little crunchy too!

Labyrinth 40th anniversary poster

We want to hear from YOU about Labyrinth (1986)!

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this classic, we want to do a special episode with mini-contributions from listeners and friends of the pod.

#labyrinth

Moments from FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992).

We didn’t mention this bit in the episode but one of the cut lyrics was about pollution making Hexxus feeling “a special kind of horny”

Toxic love - Tim Curry's terrifying turn as Hexxus, the spirit of destruction in FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

Listen to our episode: linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Cher in Burlesque

Hexxus said “Welcome to Burlesque”

Steve Irwin, a Walkman, romance, a Sheena Easton performance debacle, the influence of The Little Mermaid, the power of collective action and some wild deleted lyrics await.

Exactly how much of the Batty Rap do we feature? Listen and find out!

Robin Williams improvising for 14 hours, Kath and Kim, a cyborg artist's antenna, Magi Lune serving so hard she crystallizes, a goanna voiced by Tone Loc, climate anxiety…

We're going down under to dance with some fairies who conspicuously lack Australian accents in this gorgeously green animated eco-fable.

Tim Curry as a malevolent spirit singing about acid rain pouring down like egg chow mein, Crocodile Dundee, changing sociocultural perceptions of enviromentalism…

Ferngully VHS cover

New epieode - FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

Listen: linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

“We have too long forgotten the magic powers of nature. The time has come to call on them again."

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

Screenshot from Picnic at Hanging Rock

New for Clamshell Club Patreon supporters, our Valentine's Day offering - thoughts on Peter Weir's mesmerising mystery, a glowing highlight of the Australian New Wave based on the book by Joan Lindsay. What we see and what we seem are but a dream, a dream within a dream...

Patreon.com/onceuponavhs

Moments from Small Soldiers (1998).

Listen to our episode: linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Go Gorgonites!

Listen to our episode about Small Soldiers (1998): linktr.ee/onceuponavhs

Thank you so much for this write-up, @earworthy.bsky.social 😁