It is spooky season and our first Hallowe’en month guest is X and Pearl writer-director and cinema devotee Ti West, who joins hosts Gemma and Slim to talk about four films that influenced his moviemaking career: Bad Taste, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Two-Lane Blacktop, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. We also attempt to squeeze Ti for details on MaXXXine, and he tells us some Pearl tales, including how that final shot came about.

Plus: being a Hollywood outsider; the movies that give us permission to be filmmakers; our demands for a Pearl-trilogy theme park; Ti’s defence of Spielberg’s West Side Story; rubbing shoulders with Peter Jackson; the best moment in cinema ever (involving Indiana Jones); the greatest tagline in cinema ever; why Gemma is obsessed with maggots; and what made Slim cry this week.

Credits: This episode was recorded in Auckland, Los Angeles and Pennsylvania, and edited by Slim. Facts by Jack. Booker: Brian Formo. Transcript by Sophie Shin. Art by Samm. Theme: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker.

The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Andrea’s movies that got us into movies list; Wesley’s The Basics of Cinema Starter Pack; Gemma’s Maggots in Movies list and Holli’s “nothing happens” yeah but the vibes.

Reviews of Raiders of the Lost Ark by Naughty aka Juli Norwood, Ciara, Josh Larsen; Janica’s Two-Lane Blacktop review. Cinemonster’s Hoop-tober challenge.