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The second film in our look at 80s horror anthologies has a tragedy at its heart. In 1983's "Twilight Zone: The Movie," directors Joe Dante, John Landis, and George Miller serve up four different stories, written by John Landis, George Clayton Johnson, and Richard and Melissa Matheson. The wrap-around story stars Dan Aykroyd. In the prologue, he and Albert Brooks are on a road trip trying to keep themselves awake and entertained. Narrated by Burgess Meredith, the first story, "Time Out," tells the story of Bill Connor (Vic Morrow), a bigot who, after offending everyone around him in a bar, finds himself persecuted in Nazi-occupied France in WWII, a black man in 1950s Alabama, and a Vietcon in the Vietnam war. Unfortunately, this segment became infamous after an on-set accident claimed three lives. The second story, "Kick the Can," stars Scatman Crothers as Mr. Bloom, a new resident of a retirement home who brings the joy and confusion of childhood back to his fellow residents. The third story, "It's a Good Life" follows young teacher Helen Foley (Kathleen Quinlan) who gets lost on a road trip and ends up backing into a little boy named Anthony. She volunteers to take him home where she meets his family, including Uncle Walt (Kevin McCarthy) and Ethel (Nancy Cartwright), but finds it more difficult to leave afterwards. The fourth story is a remake of one of the most famous or the original Twilight Zone episodes, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet!" This time starring John Lithgow as the terrified passenger, along with Donna Dixon and Carol Serling (wife of Rod Serling), someone is back on the wing of the plane! But this segment ends with another appearance from Aykroyd's character as well. Plus, the trio reveal which two Star Trek films are included in their next pairing!

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We're focusing on horror anthologies for this pairing, with two notable examples from the 1980s! First up, the only collaboration between horror masters Stephen King and George Romero resulted in one of the best horror anthologies ever made. In 1982's "Creepshow," with Romero directing a screenplay written by King, the film begins with its wrap-around storyline featuring Tom Adkins and Iva Jean Saraceni as parents of young Joe King (Stephen's son) who is caught reading a "Creepshow" comic book, which his father does not approve of! Then begins five different stories: "Father's Day" starring Ed Harris and Viveca Lindfors about an intolerant father who wants his birthday cake, "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill" starring Stephen King himself about a dim-witted farmer and a mysterious meteor that crashes on his property, "Something to Tide You Over" starring Leslie Nielson and Ted Danson about a cuckolded husband's revenge, "The Crate" starring Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau about a professor who uses an otherworldly find to solve his marital problems, and "They're Creeping Up On You" starring E.G. Marshall about a germaphobe tormented by an infestation he can't control! Also starring Fritz Weaver, Gaylen Ross, Don Keefer, and featuring a cameo from Tom Savini!

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The second film in our pairing examining the work of director William Friedkin takes place on the other coast from our first. In 1985's "To Live and Die in L.A.," Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) loses his long-time partner Jimmy Hart (Michael Greene) after he is killed trying to track down notorious counterfeiter Eric Masters (Willem Dafoe). Chance and his second partner John Vukovich (John Pankow) continue the investigation, moving in on Masters who, while long been suspected of making counterfeit currency for years, has never actually been tied directly to any "funny money." Chance becomes obsessed with catching Masters, dragging himself and his new partner into several situations that cross the line of legality in order to create convincing undercover identities that will allow them to close the case. Also starring John Turturro, Darlanne Fluegel, and Robert Downey Sr. The film also features Friedkin's attempt to one-up the chase scene from "The French Connection," although some doubt he succeeded. Plus, the trio reveal which two horror anthologies they've chosen for the next pairing!

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This pairing focuses on renowned Hollywood director William Friedkin who passed away in August of 2023. Best known as the director of "The Exorcist," he directed over 40 projects in his life, including the two films discussed here. First up, in 1971, with only two projects to his credit, he was given the task of leading the cinematic adaptation of the book of the same name: "The French Connection." Starring Gene Hackman as narcotics detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle and Roy Scheider as his partner Buddy "Cloudy" Russo, the film relates the detectives stumbling on a massive heroin deal coming to the United States from France. Heroin dealer Alain Charnier (Fernando Ray) is attempting to smuggle a huge amount of the drug into New York, and it's only through the determination and sheer stubborness of Doyle and Russo that the shipment is discovered. The duo attempts to seize the drugs and arrest the smugglers, but run into several issues in the process. Also starring Tony Lo Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi, Bill Hickman, and Ann Rebbot. The film also features one of the most notorious chase scenes in cinematic history!

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