Once Upon A VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy
On a queer and neverending quest through the fantasy films of the 80s & 90s, and all the memories and feelings they conjure up. From animated adventures and sword and sorcery epics to magical romcoms and fairytale horror, we will journey through the big blockbusters and cult classics.
https://linktr.ee/onceuponavhs
Join our Clamshell Club on Patreon to support the show and gain access to exclusive Once Upon A VHS bonus episodes updated monthly:
- Boxset - reviewing 80s and 90s fantasy TV (including Jim Henson's The Storyteller)
- Rewind - looking back at fantasy films from before 1980 (including Star Wars)
- Fast Forward - our thoughts on fantasy movies from 2000 onwards (including The Lord of the Rings)
https://patreon.com/onceuponavhs
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- Update frequency
- every 8 days
- Average duration
- 81 minutes
- Episodes
- 43
- Years Active
- 2024 - 2025
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995)
Uh-oh, we're in trouble! In addition to tackling the movie, we backflip into a potted history of the TV phenomenon and its Super Sentai tokusatsu origins.
Extensive discussion of Kimberley the Pink Po…
Willow (1988)
We're back and Warwick Davis has a trick up his sleeve!
Tonka toys, the Ebert and Siskel dragon, the Lord of the Rings of it all, George Lucas being Alexandra Burke's elephant in the room, the joy of …
Santa's Sack - Season Finale Christmas Special and Mailbag
A bawdy, bewitching and bewildering end-of-season festive celebration - adults only! Join us as we look back, answer listener questions and empty out Santa's Sack full of 80s and 90s fantasy Christma…
BONUS: Wicked (2024)
Fellow Ozians! By "Popular" demand, here's an epic bonus episode - our unedited discussion of this year's fantasy blockbuster movie, going song-by-song through Wicked, Part One. Spoiler warning - see…
Anastasia (1997)
Join us once upon a December on an animated journey to the past, historically accurate or otherwise.
A potted history of the Romanovs, Don Bluth's Dragon's Lair, Disney pettiness, Russia's greatest lo…
Jumanji (1995) with Daniel Lammin (Ink & Paint)
Daniel Lammin, theatremaker, film critic and host of Ink & Paint podcast, joins us to roll the dice on this wild and intense blockbuster about a brutal boardgame, anchored by Robin Williams.
Plants wi…
Practical Magic (1998) with Kim Morrison (Little Red Horror)
Kim Morrison, writer and creator of Little Red Horror, joins us for a spell to discuss this witchy wonder.
Midnight margaritas, floating petals, being born under a diva sign, inappropriate whipped cre…
Conan the Barbarian (1982) with Joshua Conkel (Bloodhaus)
Joshua Conkel, writer, filmmaker and one of the hosts of arthouse horror movie podcast Bloodhaus, joins us to discuss this brutal and often beautiful banger.
The riddle of steel, James Earl Jones in a…
Alice in Wonderland - Through the Looking Glass (1985) with Doom Generation
Nicole and Tessa, the hilarious hosts of Doom Generation podcast, join us through the looking glass for a chaotic whirl around the second part of an all-star TV movie musical extravanganza.
Carol Chan…
Time Bandits (1981) with Simon Eilbeck (Hot Mess)
Simon Eilbeck, Hot Mess DJ and queer dance party king, joins us to discuss this bizarre and boisterous beast of a film with one of the wildest endings we've ever seen.
Evil washing lines, jaunty Georg…
The Wizard of Oz (1982 anime) with Down the Yellow Brick Pod
Tara and EmKay, hosts of Down the Yellow Brick Pod, join us to discuss this proto-Ghibli anime adaptation of the beloved story.
Aileen Quinn's Playbill shenanigans, surreal sound effects, Godzilla, a …
Nightbreed (1990) with James Dewar (The Great British Bake Off)
James Dewar, star of The Great British Bake Off, joins us to discuss the director's cut of Clive Barker's misunderstood monster melange, Nightbreed.
Stop-motion animation, queer allegory, big demon s…
The Princess Bride (1987) with Not My Fantasy
We're back for Season 2 with some special guests! Cullen and Hannah from Not My Fantasy podcast join us to discuss this much beloved movie.
Mixtapes for Fred Savage, the Blorpo alien empire, storytell…
Lucky Bag - Season Finale and Mailbag
It's our end-of-season celebration! Join us as we look back, answer listener questions and rip open a Lucky Bag of 80s and 90s fantasy mini-topics including Starla and the Jewel Riders, The Pirates o…
The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990) and Mio in the Land of Faraway (1987)
We return to Fantasia for The NeverEnding Story 2: Electric Boogaloo before a beard-flight to The Land of Faraway based on Astrid Lindgren's Mio min Mio.
Prepare for Christopher Lee's Sasha Fierce cla…
Labyrinth (1986) and The Princess and the Goblin (1991)
Dance, magic dance! There is a spark inside us! Our goblin double bill brings us Henson hot takes, magic phone cards, a rotten Hoggle, the twelve tapdancing toes of the Goblin Queen, the best and wor…
A Gnome Named Gnorm aka Upworld (1990) and Stan Winston Movie Magic Special
Episode 7 is a hot mess express with a lot of love for Stan Winston, special makeup effects artist and creature creator extraordinaire, but less so for his second feature as director, a bizarre buddy…
Legend (1985) and Faeries (1981)
Well, excuuuuuuse me princess - our sixth episode is our wildest wander yet! With a tip of the hat to Brian Froud and Alan Lee's Faeries book and TV special, we find ourselves in the ridiculously gli…
The Last Unicorn (1982)
Episode 5, how she sparkles, The Last Unicorn! Melancholy mythical creatures, surprising celebrity superfans, internalised unicorniphobia and more misguided impersonations.
We share our thoughts on th…
Hook (1991)
Bangarang! Spielberg's sequel to Peter Pan is our episode four focus. Maggie Smith's old age makeup, floating Carrie Fisher, moppet dirges and OG gay pirates. Rufio-no-they-didn't!
We share our thoug…