CadaverCast: A Father-Son Monster Movie Podcast
Alistair and Jeff Burnham
"Welcome to Frankenstein's Monkey Farm!" - Al Burnham
CadaverCast Cover Art (Photo Credit: Angel Onofre - Instagram 'angelonofre')
I'm not really a horror fan, so when CadaverCast was recommended to me, I almost skipped it. But after being a faithful listener for three years, I'm so glad I gave it a chance! Listeners are invited to join 'CadaverDad' Jeff Burnham and his son Alistair in delightful reviews and funny conversations about getting 'cinematically spooked'. This charming podcast features almost 100 episodes, each with an average run-time of about thirty minutes. The audience is welcome to listen in on silly, spooky, and insightful criticisms as father and son discuss both modern and classic horror films.
Alistair and Slimer (Photo Credit: Jeff Burnham)
When the podcast first started off, Al was four years old, but you wouldn't know it by listening to him. From the very beginning, Al spoke with intelligence and empathy, and his passion for spooky things was clear. CadaverDad (an instructor at DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts) helped to guide and mediate the conversation, while encouraging Alistair to think critically about media. CadaverCast often takes requests to cover certain movies, but not all of those movies are appropriate for Alistair to watch while he’s so young. (There’s a big difference between Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the 1931 version of Dracula.) When they get requests to cover the more intense horror movies, Al produces his own segment called ‘Who the Al is…?’, where, based only on the cover art/trailer, he creates movie plots on the fly about his take on what the horror movie might be about. Sometimes, he’s surprisingly accurate!
CadaverCast Episode 80 Cover Art (Photo Credit: Jeff Burnham)
Each episode follows the same basic format, with father and son introducing the movie first and giving a basic summary of the plot. There are a few recurring review questions/themes that are usually discussed, such as ‘Beastly Best’ and ‘Get Spooked’. Al advises what parts of the movie might be too scary for younger children, and CadaverDad Jeff fills parents in about content warnings within the movie that are not suitable for children. One thing I particularly appreciate is the way Jeff teaches his son to recognize harmful tropes, especially ones that target minorities. For example, in one episode, Alistair notes that a doctor, who is a woman, is never referred to by her title, just her first name. His dad takes the opportunity to have an honest discussion with his son about why this is a problem, especially since another male character is repeatedly referred to by his title.
Al and Jeff Burnham in action! (Photo Credit: Jeff Burnham)
Listeners of CadaverCast get the wonderful opportunity to witness how the podcast and conversations grow and become more in-depth as Al himself grows up. In the earlier episodes, when prompted to talk about that episode’s chosen movie, Al would often jump right to the end of whatever movie they were discussing. CadaverDad took it in stride (albeit with amused exasperation) and helped walk Al through the review questions. Now seven years old, Alistair is a pro at analyzing and critiquing the media he and his dad discuss on the podcast. (He even takes his own notes before they record.) He still jumps to the ending of the plot sometimes, but I am constantly impressed by Al’s ability to examine media and communicate his thoughts. Especially when he is able to articulate a difference of opinion and establish his own boundaries.
CadaverKid Al and CadaverDad Jeff (Photo Credit: Jeff Burnham)
Every good podcast has a social media presence, and CadaverCast is no different! I will provide the links below, and I strongly encourage people to check out their facebook fan group, the “CadaverCast Critters and Creeps Club”. You can find cool articles on horror movie news, spooky memes, and updates on the Burnham family endeavors, including some awesome pictures drawn by Alistair himself!
‘Attack of the Killer Tomatoes' by Alistair Burnham, 2016 (Photo Credit: Jeff Burnham)
Over all, CadaverCast is a charming little podcast that is enjoyable even for those who are not hardcore horror fans. It's easy to listen to and lighthearted, even if the topic is horror. This more than deserves a rating of 4/5 Hot Mics. And major props to CadaverDad Jeff (and CadaverMom Amber) for raising such a well-spoken, empathetic child.
Images posted with the creator's permission. Podcast icon by Jejen Juliansyah Nur Agung at the Noun Project.