A big question kicking around Hi4H headquarters since we released our first episode in May 2010 has been this: who will be the first person to be both a guest and a filmmaker of the month? We've talked about a lot of very talented and very still-alive filmmakers on the show… and have tried to lure many of them on as guests, coming awfully close a couple of times, but to no avail. Until now!

Those who listened to our most recent show - featuring Scott Weinberg talking the films of Neil Marshall - heard the revelation that our next guest will be none other than Neil himself!

If you are yet to listen to last month's show, a) hurry up, and b) here's a rundown of Neil's bonafides: he is an English filmmaker best known for horror films such as Dog Soldiers (2002), The Descent (2005), Doomsday (2008) and Centurion (2010), as well as his high-profile television work that has included Game of Thrones, Hannibal, Constantine, Black Sails and Westworld. And about 24 hours ago it was announced he’s directing the reboot of Hellboy with David Harbour in the lead role! (The timing of the Hellboy announcement with this announcement is complete coincidence, although we’re more than willing to pretend we were in on it the whole time and this was deliberately-timed synergy.)

Of course, all of that is far less important than his next role: that of Hell Is For Hyphenates guest host!

So which filmmaker will Neil be joining us to talk about?

None other than Joe Dante!

Dante is a beloved director for cinephiles who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. This was the era in which high-concept fantasy and self-aware comedy merged to push big budget Hollywood films into what would eventually be referred to as “geek” cinema, with directors such as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas helping to turn the niche into the mainstream.

Joe Dante was one of the key figures of this movement. From his beginnings directing episodes of the groundbreaking comedy series Police Squad!, to his early films such as Hollywood Boulevard (co-directed with Allan Arkush), Dante was quickly established as someone with a sincere love of genre films and a keen sense of humour.

With a career including Piranha, Twilight Zone: The Movie, The Howling, Gremlins, Innerspace, Explorers and The 'Burbs, he defined the movement of multiplex cinema that was exciting, fantastical, smart, and above all fun.

So what is it about Dante's films that specifically appeals to Neil? Join us on May 31 when we find out!