Earlier this year, I had the great fortune of meeting two knowledgeable and well versed Iowa-based podcasters who are also Holiday Horror experts! The duo -- Jay and Jeff -- curate the Horror for the Holidays podcast and invited me on for an episode to discuss one of my favorite, lesser known Yuletide terrors - Deathdorm, better known as The Dorm that Dripped Blood or the less impressive, Pranks.
Although the film tends to skirt under the Holiday Horror radar due to its muted seasonal sensibilities, it's still an incredibly effective "golden age" American slasher. I covered the film closely in A Scary Little Christmas (Chapter 2), interviewing the film's wickedly talented special makeup effects artist Matthew Mungle at length. For the uninitiated, Mungle has been nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Makeup, eventually winning (as part of a three-person team) in 1992 for his work on Bram Stoker's Dracula. Incredibly, he also received 26 Emmy nominations, winning 6.
What content might I had to leave on the cutting room floor when writing about Deathdorm in chapter 2? Sadly, though I did get in contact with one of the film's co-creators, Jeff Obrow, due to timing and scheduling constraints, we were not able to conduct a proper interview. I also succeeded in contacting the film's co-writer and co-producer Stacey Giachino, who has since left the film industry and lives a new life in the Pacific Northwest as a respiratory specialist. She was not overly keen to discuss her time in the industry despite a few initial conversations, so that interview also never materialized.
Why is Deathdorm so highly recommended and endorsed not only by myself, but also the duo behind Horror for the Holidays? Check out Episode 30 and soak it all in, it's a great episode:
Horror for the Holidays Episode 30 (Youtube)
Horror for the Holidays Episode 30 (Spotify)
Be sure to like, comment, share, and subscribe to Horror for the Holidays and follow them on Instagram or more great content, including a guest episode with our longstanding friend Mike "I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday" Lombardo!