Episode 233 - Charcoal Barkett

It's been a LONG time since our last episode, but we are returning with something VERY special. Steve Barkett is a one-of-a-kind filmmaker who we had never heard of but who left us with two really great examples of low-budget sci-fi magic. We start with his first directing effort, 1982's "The Aftermath". In the film, Barkett is part of the crew of a spaceship that returns to Earth to find it has gone through an apocalyptic event and the world is run by gangs of vicious thugs. With special effects from some of the best in the business, it rises above it's many restrictions and tells a fun story with a ton of heart. We follow that with Barkett's second and final directing job "Empire of the Dark" from 1990. The story here is much more complicated, with evil cults, magical portals, alternate dimensions and various additional bits and pieces. This is another fun story with a few standout moments, and once again packed with a ton of heart. You can tell with both of these movies that Barkett and his team really cared about what they were doing and gave their all. It's hard to fault that sort of filmmaking and we strongly encourage you to watch both!Send us your thoughts on the show and recommendations for future episodes to [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also reach us on Facebook, Instagram, Letterboxd. YouTube.