Prom Night, starry Jamie Curtis, is a movie that is often overshadowed by her more memorable turn in Halloween. While it might not be a classic, like Halloween, it is a film well-worth your time. A fun, low-budget slasher film, it is also has a nice whodunit, and a time-capsule of the late 1970s with its disco dancing and music.

I begin the episode by discussing my own prom. It wasn’t memorable like all the proms I saw in the movies, but my friends and I did eventually manage to have some fun. Could our prom have used more disco? Probably, but all proms could use more disco. After discussing the prom, I move onto the film itself. Talking about how it got made, who made it, the actors, music, reception and much more.

Prom Night is interesting as a bridge between the Halloween era and the more graphic slashers that followed. Its kills are relatively low-key compared to what came after, but its focus on teenage drama, secrets, and revenge foreshadowed many later films. Why should you watch it? Curtis’s performance, its place in slasher history, and its splendid mix of disco, high school nonsense, and a masked killer that makes it feel very much of its time.

Heavy Metal Music and Horror Films are a potent combination, so I am always surprised that heavy crossover isn’t as a common as one could expect. Still a few movies have done it in different ways. On the newest episode of the Retroist Podcast, I want to talk about a movie that integrates it fully and completely, Trick or Treat. This movie didn’t do great when it was first released back in 1986, but it has since gone on to have a cult status.

I begin the episode by discussing seeing this movie with my friends. They had wholeheartedly embraced metal music, while I was more of a tourist at this point. So there most movie chats about it went mostly over my head. Still, I did find the movie enjoyable and even more so when it was available on VHS. It is my time of horror, a little weird, creepy, but the violence is toned-down. I then discuss the film itself. Talking about how it got made, who made it, the actors, music, cameos and much more.

Trick or Treat is one of those movies that feels like it could only have been made when it was made. It takes all the fears parents had about heavy metal music, mixes them with teenage alienation, and turns it into a great horror story. The music and the fan culture of metal is as the center of the story, which was rare at the time. It is campy, but it has a surprising amount of heart, which is why it still stands out today.

1999 was a great year for movies. Almost too great. It didn’t help that I found myself so busy with work that my focus on film couldn’t be what it used to be. So while I am a big fan of “The Iron Giant,” I was also one of those people who didn’t go to see it in the theater and contributed to its “flop” status. That summer was stacked with films like “The Sixth Sense” and “The Blair Witch Project,” and it was easy for something quieter and more thoughtful to get lost. While that is bad, the good news is that I was also one of the people who took to it on home video and picked it up on DVD as soon as it was available. I can still remember watching it for the first time at home and being floored by how much heart it had.

I start the episode talking about my experiences with the film before moving onto the film itself. I discuss the people who made the film, its source material, other adaptations, the people who lent their voices to the film, its reception, music, and much more. It’s worth noting that the director, Brad Bird, would later go on to make “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille,” which shows just how much talent was already on display in this debut. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. had no idea how to market the film at the time, which didn’t help its chances at the box office.

The Iron Giant has become a cult hit and is well loved, but it’s not enough. A surprising number of people have never seen the film, and I think that’s a shame. It’s a thoughtful film, filled with wonder and spectacle, that will capture the imagination of kids and adults alike. Its story of fear, empathy, and the power of choice feels even more relevant today. So if you haven’t seen it, prepare to fall in love with a giant robot.