The Hellstrom Chronicle (1971) with Brantley and George

Chris is joined by Brantley from Horror Drafts and George from The Best Little Horror House in Philly to discuss the 1971 Oscar-winning, apocalyptic horror, pseudo-nature documentary The Hellstrom Chronicle (1971). They discuss the ethics of documentary filmmaking, how the Academy often gets things wrong when it comes to documentary features, and the current state of docs as an art form. Is The Hellstrom Chronicle really even a documentary? Is it an outright comedy or a subversive commentary on the power of rhetoric and the dangers of following charismatic personalities? Which bug is the grossest? One thing's for sure, this episode is "throbbing with obese sexuality" and you won't want to miss it!

Follow Brantley and George:

• Bluesky: Brantley
• Instagram: Brantley // Contenders Doc // George
• Letterboxd: Brantley // George

Follow Dead Formats: Bluesky // Instagram // Letterboxd // Discord

Supplemental Material:

• Contenders (2026) Trailer
• Hairy Man Road's review of Capturing Bigfoot
• Roger Ebert's review of The Hellstrom Chronicle
• Our Drawings (2023)
• Dootle Dots S1E1