We’re Celebrating 4/20 With a Look Back at CHRONIC HORROR
Josh Millican
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Those of you who have been down with Dread Central for years know all about Chronic Horror. Still, April 20th (4/20) seems like the perfect day to revisit our stoney web series with an eye towards the future–a red eye, that is!
Related Article: Ready for Some High Hell? Announcing Dread Central’s Latest Streaming Series: CHRONIC HORROR!
For the uninitiated:
Chronic Horror is a short-form interview series that crosses the streams of the worlds of horror filmmaking, horror fandom, and cannabis culture. Join our host Josh Millican, a cannabis and horror expert, and his guests.
Chronic Horror is my brainchild, but it couldn’t have been actualized without the efforts of Epic Pictures CEO Patrick Ewald, director Hanx Braxtan, and production supervisor Arielle Brachfeld. I was also lucky enough to rope in YouTube’s “Homicidal Homemaker” aka Kaci Hansen to serve as our Chef in Residence! She’d cook up (literally) some horror-themed munchies for me and my guests.
The idea behind Chronic Horror is pretty straightforward: Interview celebrities associated with the horror industry–and then get them high! Once cannabis has been consumed, all pre-planning goes out the window, so 90% of the show is always unscripted. After achieving an altered state, my guests were treated to delicious munchies and a horror movie. Good times inevitably followed.
The first episode of Chronic Horror was released in October 2019 and featured horror journalist, producer, programmer, and filmmaker Camilla Jackson! Camilla was a sport, agreeing to participate despite not being much of a cannabis smoker. See what happened when I got her high and we watched The Loved Ones together below.
Related Article: Trailer: Camilla Jackson’s THE CATERPILLAR Gives ALICE IN WONDERLAND a Terrifying Twist!
My guest for Episode 2 of Chronic Horror was Dylan Reynolds, the writer/director of 2018’s 4/20 Massacre (I know, perfect guest, right?). When it comes to cannabis, Dylan is a professional, so check out what happened when I got this heavyweight high before watching 2013’s Evil Dead reboot directed by Fede Alvarez! (Coincidentally, 4/20 Massacre is the very first film I reviewed for Dread Central!)
Related Article: 4/20 Massacre Review – Puff, Puff, Slash!
Episode 3 of Chronic Horror was a two-for-one, as I brought in cult filmmaker Richard Elfman and his beautiful wife Anastasia Elfman. Fans of cult films will know Richard best as the writer/director of Forbidden Zone (released in 1980); his most recent feature film is the madcap Aliens, Clowns & Geeks! Richard is also the founder of The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo and Danny Elfman’s big brother. Anastasia is a star in her own right; an elite burlesque performer and an up-and-coming scream queen. Anastasia and Richard are now collaborating on a new horror flick, Bloody Bridget! The couple is known for hosting elaborate dinner parties at their home in the Hollywood Hills. They’re like Gomez and Morticia Addams in real life! See what happened when I got them high before watching Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell!
Related Article: Video: Richard Elfman Releasing FORBIDDEN ZONE Director’s Cut!
For Episode 4 of Chronic Horror, I busted out of the “Scare Lair” for a field trip to SOTA, a premiere FX studio whose work has been featured in many famous horror movies. I brought Richard Trejo, Chronic Horror‘s sound engineer and a jovial stoner in his own right. We were hosted by SOTA co-owner Matt Falletta, who was patient enough to allow Richard and me to run amock among the props and beautiful monstrosities!
To celebrate our initial batch of Chronic Horror episodes, I organized a screening at Hollywood’s posh Arena Cinelounge. To give folks some extra bang for their buck, my Dread Central colleague Greg Burkhart put together a fun behind-the-scenes look at what it took to make the series. Check it out below!
I had a surprise in store for the capacity crowd who attended our Chronic Horror event in Hollywood in late 2019. After running the first 4 episodes (plus Greg Burkhart’s “Behind the Smokescreen” special feature) in succession, I took to the stage to reveal that the next episode of Chronic Horror was going to be filmed live–right then and there! It was a reunion, a celebration of what we had accomplished, and the beginning of Chronic Horror‘s next phase. It was a festive evening from start to finish and you can get a taste of what when down in the video below: Chronic Horror Episode 5!
Related Article: Congratulations Kaci Hansen! “The Homicidal Homemaker” Wins Silver Bolo Award on THE LAST DRIVE-IN
It was back to the “Scare Lair” for Chronic Horror Episode 6! My guest was the incomparable Sadie Katz, who horror fans may know best from Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort where she played Sally. Sadie claimed to be a legit stoner, so I didn’t go easy on her when it came time to consume. The Homicidal Homemaker honored Sadie’s legacy with some Wrong Turn-themed munchies that gave a shout-out to “Three Fingers”. I subjected Sadie to Terrifier, one of the most shocking and divisive horror films I’ve seen in years–and she freaked the fuck out! But Sadie was a sport and her episode of Chronic Horror is one of the most popular to date! Experience it for yourself below.
Episode 7 of Chronic Horror was one for the books. I roped in Harry Soul Man, the alter-ego persona of musician/comedian Kai Smythe, who didn’t break character for the entire show! If you don’t already know Hairy Soul Man, this guy is funny as hell. We got high, ate the Homicidal Homemaker’s “raw meat treats”, and settled in to watch David Cronenberg’s The Fly (originally released in 1986). The episode concludes with a live rendition of Hairy Soul Man’s hit single, “How Deep Can I Go”. Check out the mad hijinx for yourself below.
Related Article: True Story of Body Found at Cobb Estate, Recently Featured on CHRONIC HORROR
The last new episode of Chronic Horror was released on February 18th, 2020, and it was special for many reasons. It was another “Field Trip” and this time, Richard Trejo and I went to Cobb Estate, an area famous for supernatural aspirations. Richard and I consumed cannabis edibles before demonstrating the proper way to hot-box a car. Once outside, we were joined by filmmaker/paranormal investigator Jose Prendes who took us deep into the forest at night. Yes, just like the beginning of too many horror movies to list! Whether or not we came away with definitive proof of the paranormal is up for debate, but I can personally attest to the fact that I was high out of my mind! One of my favorite parts of Episode 8 is the Blair Witch parody we created. Check it out for yourself below!
So why haven’t there been any new episodes of Chronic Horror for over a year? I’m pretty sure it has something to do with a little old pandemic! No sooner had we started planning to shoot the next batch of episodes when the world went on lock-down. Sure, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but producing a show with a crew and live guests, one where we smoke, eat, and laugh together in close quarters, is still hard to pull off in the era of Covid-19.
Related: Contest: We’re Now Giving Away 3 Copies of THE MORTUARY COLLECTION on Blu-ray!
Will Chronic Horror be back once things get back to normal? That’s tough to say, especially when no one knows exactly what the “new normal” will look like. I hope so because I think the show was just hitting its stride, but nothing in this world is certain. Still, if you’re a fan of Chronic Horror you can follow the show on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram where news of a return will be announced.
Thanks for taking this trip down Memory Lane with me!
Are you a fan of Chronic Horror? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
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