Ep 160 - THE BAD SEED (1956) — The Original Evil Child/Killer Kid Classic turns 70!

THE BAD SEED (1956) d. Mervyn LeRoy (USA)  Celebrating the 70th anniversary of The Bad Seed (1956)! Widely regarded as one of the greatest psychological thrillers ever made, this classic horror film introduced audiences to Rhoda Penmark—cinema's original "killer kid" and one of the genre's most unforgettable villains. Join us as we revisit this groundbreaking classic, its remarkable performances by Nancy Kelly and Patty McCormack, director Mervyn LeRoy's masterful filmmaking, and the film's lasting influence on horror. Seventy years later, The Bad Seed remains as chilling, provocative, and unforgettable as ever. If you love classic horror, psychological thrillers, vintage Hollywood, and deep-dive film discussions, this episode is for you. Join AC and his amazing panel of guests (Matthew Amador, Sarah Binion, William Novotny Lawrence, John Kenneth Muir, Joseph Wycoff) as we celebrate 70 years of THE BAD SEED! ------------------------------- MATTHEW AMADOR is an actor and owner of Matador Behavioral Health, where he utilizes narrative fiction as a means to process trauma and anxiety through psychotherapy.  www.MatadorChicago.com  SARAH BINION is a self-taught horror fan who has turned the simple question "What's your favorite horror movie?" into a personal mission to uncover hidden gems and overlooked masterpieces in the genre. WILLIAM NOVOTNY LAWRENCE is an Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Indiana University and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Popular Culture. He is the co-editor of the anthologies Blaxploitation Cinema, Beyond Blaxploitation, and the recent Oxford Handbook of Black Horror Film, offering an expansive scholarly examination of Blackness within the horror genre, exploring its global dimensions and cultural significance. JOHN KENNETH MUIR is the creator of the award winning-web series, Abnormal Fixation, which returns for its second season in 2026, and award-winning audio drama Enter The House Between. He is also the author of Horror Films of the 1970s (2002), and Eaten Alive at a Chainsaw Massacre: The Films of Tobe Hooper (2001). JOSEPH WYCOFF is a veteran Chicago actor now based in New Zealand, with onscreen credits ranging from "Ash vs Evil Dead" to the Power Rangers to Josh Ruben's Heart Eyes (2025). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!