Cyborgs, Vampires, and Lost 80s Madness: Why You Need to Watch The Vindicator (1986) Right Now
So… you stumbled across this post. Welcome! You're probably wondering what The Vindicator is, why people are talking about Witchcraft 7 of all things, and what any of this has to do with submarines, vampires, and Paul Zaza.
You’re in the right place. This week’s episode of the Binge-Watchers Podcast is a full-throttle throwback to 80s and 90s genre madness, and this blog? It’s your cheat sheet to the cinematic chaos we just unboxed.
🎬 The Vindicator: Robocop's Frankenstein Cousin?
Before RoboCop marched onto screens in 1987, there was The Vindicator—a 1986 sci-fi horror flick that got buried under bigger-budget releases but brought some wild energy to the “man becomes machine” trope.
Originally titled The Frankenstein Factor, this Canadian cult classic features:
David McIlwraith as Carl, the tragic cyborg hero
Pam Grier being effortlessly iconic (as usual)
A creepy robotic suit by none other than Stan Winston Studios (yes, the same team behind Predator and Aliens)
A pulse-pounding synth soundtrack by Paul Zaza (My Bloody Valentine, Prom Night)
Let’s be honest: The Vindicator should be in the hall of fame for underseen 80s sci-fi. The suit alone—with its exposed human eyes and brain—is scarier than The Terminator. Yeah, we said it.
🧛♀️ Witchcraft 7: The Vampire Soap Opera You Didn’t Know You Needed
We also went deep VHS dive on Witchcraft 7: Judgement Hour, part of the longest-running (and possibly horniest) direct-to-video horror franchise ever made.
This one’s got:
A demon-hunting witch-boy
Day-walking vampires
Erotic dream sequences under mood lighting
A lackey named “Costanza” (yep, like Seinfeld, but no one addresses it)
Is it trash? Kind of. Is it awesome? Definitely. There's a giant man-bat fight at the end, and frankly, that’s all the movie math we need.
📰 Hollywood Headlines You Might’ve Missed
From our Home Video Headlines segment:
Lily James + Chris Hemsworth team up for Subversion, an Amazon MGM thriller pitched as “Die Hard on a Submarine.” Yes, we’re in.
Hulu’s adapting Stay Tuned into a series with Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells. The 90s meta-TV movie is getting a second life!
Andrea Savage is creating a new multi-cam sitcom for Fox called Perf. Are sitcoms making a comeback?
We’ll believe it when we see a laugh track.
🔥 Spoiler Picks & Fan Love
We gave The Vindicator a solid “Binge Now” rating. It’s criminally underrated, and the craftsmanship behind the effects and score alone are worth your time.
Also, shout-out to John Ireland (Creative Director at Red Circle Media) for this legendary fan comment:
“If this episode doesn’t break the algorithm, I’ll eat my Corn Kid hat.”
Corn Kid hat. Subscribed. We’re humbled.
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode:
🎙️ Binge-Watchers Podcast: Summer Slash Vindicator
Your guide to forgotten horror, sci-fi gems, and the wildest direct-to-video sequels you've never heard of.
And don’t miss the next episode: The Shout (1978) and Puppet Master 7—yeah, we’re doing it.
📺 Subscribe on YouTube:
For more reactions, first-time watches, and classic horror breakdowns, hit us up on YouTube.
#80sMovies #SciFiHorror #CyborgCinema #VampireFlicks #MovieTok #RetroHorror #BingeWorthy #JohnnySpoiler #CultClassics
