Borgo Pass Horror Podcast

Borgo Pass Horror Podcast

Hosts Livio Merino from Kansas City and Jim Towns from Los Angeles humbly bring to you thorough, exciting, and fun reviews of all your vintage horror movie favorites. Our #1 focus, besides having a total blast talking about horror, is researching and delivering to the listeners little known and obscure facts about their favorite movies. The hosts have a special fondness for the Universal Studio films from the 1920's to the 1950's. This podcast is extremely interactive with the listeners thru social media, and are always open to movie suggestions and feedback!

Episodes

September 17, 2025 88 mins

Ian Bates returns to the Pass to join Jim in a deep dive into celebrated actress Carole Lombard's only horror film: Supernatural!

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A chapter closes, as the the Borgo Pass Horror Podcast reviews the last of the true Universal Monsters films still on the shelf: 1940's The Invisible Woman starring Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore, John Howard and Charles "Charlie" Ruggles.

Joining Jim on this episode is first-time co-host Bill Fleck: classic horror writer and blogger, and author of the books "Chaney's Baby" and "Chaney's Audit...

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Get to know Borgo Pass Horror Podcast's #1 co-host, Livio Merino!

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August 21, 2025 106 mins

Recurring co-host Chris Sahlin introduces Jim Towns to one of his favorite gothic thrillers of the 40s: RKO's 1946 film The Spiral Staircase, featuring a great performance by Ethel Barrymore and a supporting role by none other than the Bride of Frankenstein herself, Elsa Lanchester!

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August 7, 2025 114 mins

A large spooky mansion on an isolated, foggy island. A dramatic situation with allegations of embezzlement and murder. George Zucco. Lionel Atwill. All the ingredients that classic horror fans yearn for. A PRC production from 1945 features a fun, if not predictable story. Jim & Livio are your tour guides this episode to the ominous, and dangerous Fog Island. A good story, a good supporting cast led by Ian Keith - this is a PRC ...

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July 23, 2025 100 mins

Returning guest co-host David Ullman teams up with Jim to discuss one of the most critically-acclaimed films The Borgo Pass has ever covered- 1942's The Cat People.

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July 9, 2025 108 mins

Vincent Price stars in this first film adaptation of the Richard Matheson novel I AM LEGEND. Returning guest host Tony Salvaggio (Castle of Horror podcast / Deserts of Mars) joins Jim Towns to discuss this watershed mid-60s film and how its impact continues to evolve.

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June 28, 2025 81 mins

Regular co-host Chris Sahlin returns to help Jim solve the mystery of this radio-play thriller from 1942: Who Done It? stars Bud Abbott & Lou Costello, along with Borgo Pass favorites Patrick Knowles (The Wolf Man/Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man) and Louise Allbritton (Son of Dracula). Expertly directed by Erle C. Kenton (House of Frankenstein/House of Dracula), shot by Charles Van Enger (Phantom of the Opera) with music by Fra...

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June 12, 2025 112 mins

Jim & Livio tackle one story across two movies - we cover the Tod Browning & Lon Chaney silent classic West of Zanzibar. We also touch on the 1932 remake, Kongo staring Walter Huston. Our main focus is on West of Zanzibar - a very modern and stylistic Tod Browning/Lon Chaney collaboration that also features Lionel Barrymore. While this isn't a supernatural style horror film, it's a dark thriller with many twists a...

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May 29, 2025 90 mins

New guest-host Karie Bible, host of Hollywood Kitchen, pays a visit to the Borgo Pass podcast cave and lends her extensive knowledge to our analysis of 1936's THE DEVIL DOLL: a dark drag drama that mashes up revenge, voodoo and cross-dressing, starring Lionel Barrymore and directed by Tod Browning.

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May 18, 2025 111 mins

Castle of Horror's Jason Henderson joins Jim Towns to discuss the original 1958 THE BLOB, starring a 27-year-old, up-and-coming Steve McQueen.

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May 1, 2025 118 mins

This... is the Inner Sanctum! Join Jim & Livio as they again travel into the mind of a man going mad with the thought of having murdered someone. This 1944 Inner Sanctum movie stars Lon Chaney, Jr, Martin Kosleck, Douglass Dumbrille, and Milburn Stone. Jim & Livio break down the story, performances, and production history in this episode. Yes, even you without knowing... can commit murder!

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On today's episode, Jim & Livio sit down with Thomas Hamilton. Tom made the documentary "Boris Karloff: Man Behind The Monster", and is now in production on "Vincent Price: The Art of Living". Tom shares with us stories of how this came to be, we discuss Price throughout his career, as well as touching on several other people that intersected with his life. Tom has a Kickstarter campaign out now for thi...

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April 17, 2025 97 mins

Writer, animator and top-tier Monster Kid Frank Dietz joins Jim Towns in the Borgo Pass podcast cave to discuss 1958's Attack of the 50 Foot Woman!

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April 3, 2025 129 mins

Join Jim & Livio as they once again travel to Paris and are witness to the crimes of the person known as 'Bluebeard'. Made in 1944 and directed by Edgar G. Ulmer (The Black Cat, 1934) and starring John Carradine. Carradine delivers one of his finest performances as the tortured, yet evil Gaston Morrell. The film also stars Jean Parker, Nils Asther, Ludwig Stossel, and Sonia Sorrell. What on the surface seems like a ty...

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March 12, 2025 95 mins

Join Jim Towns and returning guest co-host David Ullman as they delve into the dark secrets of this 1941 neon-gothic sci-fi thriller from Columbia. Boris Karloff gives a really outstanding and sympathetic performance as a kindhearted scientist whose grief over his wife's death leads him to push the boundaries between the world of the living, and the world of the dead.

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February 28, 2025 114 mins

We deep dive into the town of Desert Rock, Arizona and discover the results of Professor Deemer's experiments that have resulted in giant rabbits, guinea pigs, and... a tarantula! This episode breaks down this well produced 1955 thriller, it's stars, as well as Livio's fear of spiders and Jim's fear of John Agar!

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January 30, 2025 106 mins

Jim & Livio take you to the village of Kleinschloss, where the villagers fear a vampire who is killing it's citizens - or is it really a vampire? We cover this 1933 Majestic Pictures film that stars Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Melvyn Douglas, and Dwight Frye. Though made from a 'poverty row' studio, this film uses several Universal players, the sets from Frankenstein and The Old Dark House, and has some great perfor...

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January 15, 2025 43 mins

Celebrate the event of the year with your favorite horror hosts! On January 16, 2021 the Borgo Pass Horror Podcast began.. 4 years later, we're still going strong thanks to YOU, our audience! Jim and Livio have a conversation about the podcast, and preview the exciting new content and projects to come! Plus, hear from some of our guest hosts over the last 4 years!

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January 9, 2025 111 mins

Welcome Borgo Pass travelers to a special episode! Jim & Livio sit down with Bill Fleck, author of the Rondo nominated "Chaney's Baby" to discuss his latest book "Chaney's Audition" and the ever polarizing life and career of Lon Chaney, Jr. We discuss everything from his lesser seen roles to The Wolf Man and Of Mice and Men. Even a man who is pure in heart...

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