Pro-wrestling really had a chokehold on our imaginations in the ‘90s. Whether our brains were being bodyslammed by WWF (WWE) or beat down by WCW, we loved every choreographed minute of the glammy, absurd high drama. Perhaps the most ‘90s of all wrestling shows of that time was the punk rock DIY version, Incredibly Strange Wrestling, which got its start in San Francisco in 1995 and then toured the world. Imagine an even more unhinged take on pro-wrestling mixed with the spirit (and sometimes masks) of Luche Libre and in-your-face Jackass-style antics. Add a few punk bands and a lot of tortillas flying around the audience, and you have some incredibly strange wrestling. Joining Audra and Raymond is the author, podcast host, and former Incredibly Strange wrestler, Bob Calhoun, who worked under the moniker Count Dante. Bob regales us with tales of the phenomenon, plus discusses some of the best moments of ‘90s wrestling in general. We even read some listener mail on the topic.

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And check out Bob’s podcast, Old Movies For Young Stoners!

Audra and Raymond are back from an unintentional sabbatical to discuss Neo Noir films from the 1990s. Not to be confused with “Erotic Thrillers,” Neo Noirs echo the first wave of Film Noir in both content and style. Certain American crime thrillers of the ‘40s and ‘50s were dubbed Film Noir by French critics for their similarities: dark subject matter (usually crime mixed with fateful romance), anti-heroes with confused morals, and stylistic use of shadows and low-key lighting. These were often B-movies and almost certainly featured a Femme Fatale to lure the hero down a dark moral alley. Her appeal and danger stemmed from her empowerment.

Neo Noir films are intentionally made in this model, dating 1960s to nowsville. In the period of 1989 to early 2001, Neo Noirs surged, paying homage to the classics yet everything was more extreme: explicit sex and violence, and new moral dilemmas with a heightened focus on urban decay and consumerism. Join us as we discuss Michael Man’s HEAT (1995), the Wachowskis’ BOUND (1996), and Curtis Hanson’s L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (1997).

Note: we recorded this a couple of months ago. Since then, Audra’s wrist has healed and she’s had time to fall down the James Ellroy rabbit hole.

Calling all Mall Rats, Mall Goths, Mall Punks, and Mallternatives! Malls fulfilled our dreams and socials scenes for generations, but they are quickly turning from a safe haven for teenagers to abandoned monuments to late stage capitalism. Born of the suburbs, malls had their last great era in the 1990s. Audra and Raymond talk mall movies, mall history, and read some very provocative listener mail on the topic.

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Were the ‘90s the Suburbs Decade? Raymond and Audra discuss the explosion of the suburbs and its hand in creating the Church Youth Group, Youth Pastors, and even Christian Rock. Raymond’s personal experiences (and listener input), help flesh out this very ‘90s phenomenon. Audra finally gets to ask the burning question, “What’s up with the whole Christian haunted house thing?!”

PS: King of the Hill episode “Reborn to be Wild” (S8.E2) is heavily referenced.

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It's end times fun times here at Retrophilia as we discuss how anxieties for Y2K expressed themselves in 90's cinema via apocalypse-themed movies. It was a decade full of 'em, but we'll focus on two movies that share several themes in common: IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1994) and THE NINTH GATE (1999).

If television was your babysitter, this episode is for you! Audra & Raymond discuss sweet sweet cable TV, why it was invented and how we spent our childhoods (and beyond) parked in front of it. From Nickelodeon to MTV to Skinemax, Retrophilia unscrambles shows like "The Adventures of Pete & Pete," VH1's "Behind the Music," "USA Up All Night," and many more. Plus, listener memories!

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Retrophilia is back, baby! Audra and Raymond are thrilled to return to the ‘90s after a year-long sabbatical living in the present day. They dive right back in with the year the music changed. 1994 was the peak year of crossover madness. Find out how Alternative, Modern, and College Rock went blazing into the mainstream, and how Green Day, NIN, Pearl Jam, Beck, and Ween (?!) became household names (and how flannels ended up in your Sears catalog).    

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Just like music and film, comedy went through a transformation in the 1990s. Perhaps in reaction to the glut of mediocre and shallow comedians of the '80s, comedy shows like MR. SHOW, KIDS IN THE HALL, and SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST upended expectations with their alternative brand of social commentary and changed the way we think about comedy today.