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The Nostalgia Test Podcast

The Nostalgia Test Podcast

By: Dan Dissinger & Manny Coelho
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 Put your pop-culture past to the ultimate test--THE NOSTALGIA TEST! with 🎙longtime friends Dan, Manny, & Billy 🙋‍♂️🤦‍♂️🙆‍♂️Copyright 2020 All rights reserved. Art Politics & Government
Episodes
  • 170.🎅 Miracle on 34th Street (1947) w/ Dave Kucich

    170.🎅 Miracle on 34th Street (1947) w/ Dave Kucich
    Dec 23 2025

    Dan, Manny, & Billy invite longtime friend Dave Kucich back on the pod to put the 1947 Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST!

    “The plot [of Miracle on 34th Street], is basically there’s a guy who's nice to everyone [and] everyone is just very weirded out by that. Like he is just a nice dude, he knows how to speak Dutch, he's nice to the kids, he's helping people out, he's anti-capitalism. He's all these things, and everyone's like, f*** this guy.” -Dan

    Happy Holidays! This episode is so much fun. It’s a classic Nostalgia Test Podcast tangent episode full of Christmas hot takes, deep dives into favorite scenes and odd 1940s behavior, and the guys finally crack the case on whether Santa is real or not. And it wouldn’t be an episode of The Nostalgia Test Podcast without that Long Island ball busting you’ve come to love on the pod. Plus, you’re going to want to hear all the Santa Claus conspiracies, Christmas traditions, calling out creepy guys, and all while their other longtime friend Steve Herrera is driving to Taco Bell.

    So finish your letter to Santa, grab some beer and cookies, and invite your favorite elves over to party because hanging with The Nostalgia Test is going to be your new Christmas tradition.

    Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, and topics for our next Nostalgia Test!

    Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode!

    Approximate Rundown

    00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

    00:47 Nostalgia Test Begins

    01:58 Miracle on 34th Street Overview

    03:53 First Impressions and Reactions

    05:37 Discussion on Christmas Movies

    09:24 Social Commentary in the Film

    11:45 Santa Claus and Commercialism

    17:38 Plot and Character Analysis

    32:42 Debating the New vs. Old Santa Movie

    32:52 Iconic Scenes and Religious Symbolism

    35:09 Oscar Wins and Acting Styles

    41:50 Smoking Habits in Classic Films

    44:03 Santa's Niceness and Society's Reaction

    46:44 Violent Night and Other Santa Movies

    48:48 The Dark Side of Santa

    51:56 Nostalgia Test: Miracle on 34th Street

    01:01:04 Wrapping Up and Viewer Comments

    Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link.

    LET'S GET NOSTALGIC!

    Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook

    The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic.

    The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • 169. Nostalgia 101: Making ZombieCon Vol. 1 w/ Erin Áine & Kyle Valle

    169. Nostalgia 101: Making ZombieCon Vol. 1 w/ Erin Áine & Kyle Valle
    Dec 16 2025
    Dan, Manny, & Billy welcome Erin Áine & Kyle Valle to talk all about the indie filmmaking journey behind their movie ZombieCon Vol. “Sometimes people are a**holes, [and] then they turn into zombies.” -Dan This is the second part of the ZombieCon Vol.1 two-parter, and it’s a Nostalgia 101 for the books. Erin Áine & Kyle Valle answer all the guys’ questions about the making of ZombieCon, some of the insane moments in the film, and they even let them behind the curtain of some of the reasons for their creative choices. They also answer questions that Dan collected from Instagram and TikTok, and they even let us in on some production secrets and upcoming projects. If you’re an aspiring filmmaker or just someone that loves a good indie-horror zombie flick, this episode is just for you, we promise. Oh! And Billy gets super nerdy with Erin and Kyle about their favorite anime. So, put your holiday spirit on hold, grab a cold beverage and a snack, and why not put on your best cosplay outfit because this episode it all sorts of Nostalgia Test Nerdiness. And if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the horror nerds in your life, order a copy of ZombieCon Vol.1 and some really awesome merch on their website. A group of cosplaying friends trigger a zombie apocalypse and are forced to traverse a zombie-infested Los Angeles to save their loved one. Trailer: https://youtu.be/5J_wBWru-t8 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ZombieCONVol1 Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, and topics for our next Nostalgia Test! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Welcome to Nostalgia 101 00:03 Meet the ZombieCon Team 00:15 Back to School Vibes 00:24 Longtime Friends Reunite 00:45 From Film School to Filmmaking 00:59 ZombieCon: The Journey Begins 01:37 Behind the Scenes of ZombieCon 02:43 The Making of ZombieCon 04:01 Challenges in Filmmaking 07:30 Cosplay and Con Culture 10:17 Filming in a Small Apartment 13:38 Practical Effects and Budgeting 15:18 Funding the Film 17:25 Post-Production Hurdles 23:32 Character Development and Story Elements 40:11 Future Volumes and Plans 41:20 Discussing the Zombie Aspect 41:38 Technical Issues and Podcasting Woes 42:08 Love for Zombie Movies 42:39 Character Development and Team Building 43:45 Humor and Campiness in the Film 44:47 Behind the Scenes and Cameos 45:39 Fast vs. Slow Zombies 47:44 Favorite Zombie Movies 49:20 Music in the Film 51:12 Survival Choices in Horror Films 53:03 Anime and Other Interests 01:03:02 Underrated Zombie and Horror Films 01:05:45 Current and Future Projects 01:12:48 Promoting ZombieCon and Final Thoughts Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • 168. Nostalgia Test Now! ZombieCon Vol.1

    168. Nostalgia Test Now! ZombieCon Vol.1
    Dec 9 2025
    Dan, Manny, & Billy put the 2024 American Horror/Comedy/Action film ZombieCon Vol.1 to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST (NOW)! “I'd be like, ‘Yo mom, there's f***ing zombies.’” -Manny In a world where ridiculously predictable legacy sequels, horrible reboots, and half-assed IP superhero movies are suffocating the movie watching experience, indie movies are fighting the good fight to save cinema! ZombieCon Vol.1 is a fun-filled horror/comedy/action film that will become your next favorite midnight cult classic for every Halloween cosplay party. The boys dive into it and give it the ball-busting Nostalgia Test treatment. They celebrate this movie the only way 3 dudes from Long Island know how: TO ROAST THE HELL OUT OF IT! The talk about learning what cosplay cons are all about, the importance of character deaths in horror movies, the hilarious Pop-Punk soundtrack during kill scenes, and the fun of an indie Zombie movie. This is part 1 of a 2-parter on ZombieCon, so make sure to follow the podcast to hear the interview with the director Kyle Valle & writer/actor Erin Áine on December 16th. So, get your best friends over to the house, dress up like your favorite characters, and turn the ball busting up to level ten! A group of cosplaying friends trigger a zombie apocalypse and are forced to traverse a zombie-infested Los Angeles to save their loved one. Trailer: https://youtu.be/5J_wBWru-t8 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ZombieCONVol1 Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, and topics for our next Nostalgia Test! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Introduction to Nostalgia Test Podcast 00:19 Meet the Hosts and Their Banter 01:59 Discussing the Movie: Zombie Con Volume One 03:22 Cosplay and Character Dynamics 06:43 Zombie Apocalypse Begins 10:01 Surviving the Zombie Attack 12:31 Analyzing the Characters and Plot 14:08 The Role of Cosplay in the Movie 17:30 Final Thoughts and Reflections 35:59 Parking Lot Scene Critique 36:25 Tunnel Chase and Map Loss 36:48 Weapon Bag and Zombie Strategy 37:21 Compton Zombie Scenario 37:38 Cage Scene and Predictable Jump scares 38:22 Sound Mix Issues and Troll Comments 38:59 Melons and Javier's Sacrifice 39:41 Zombie Transformation and Backstory Cuts 41:18 Voiceovers and Homeless Dude 41:48 Horror Movie Sacrifices and Character Arcs 44:29 Zombie Apocalypse and Pop Culture References 53:05 Indie Film Production and Nostalgia 01:01:48 Final Thoughts and Sequel Speculations Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
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    1 hr and 14 mins
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