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Welcome to Kicking the Seat!

Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).

The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar NoéRachel BrosnahanAmy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.

Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.

Ep163: VAMPYRES in Love

Happy Halloween! To celebrate the summit of Scary Season, I'm joined once again by Aaron Christensen of Horror 101 with Dr. A.C.! Today, we're talking Vampyres, both the 1974 horror classic and its anemic 2015 remake. What went so wrong with a writer/director whose heart was obviously in the right place? Do "re-imaginings" hurt the films they're based on, or help them in some odd way? And are the Vampyres movies really vampire movies?

All these topics, and more, are up for grabs on this devilishly delicious installment, which also includes an update on Aaron's 2016 "Scare-a-Thon" (there's still time to donate and help the Greater Chicago Food Depository!) and some insight into the making of Shout! Factory TV's reality pilot, Horror Hunters--starring Aaron and Adam Rockoff!

You're sure to be drained by Episode 163, but also imbued with an insatiable hunger for more!

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Ep164: The Mysterious Ways of John Fallon

Ep162: What the Blazes?!