The Scariest Thing Isn't the Monster

Send us Fan MailWhat if the thing that scares us most isn't lurking in the shadows?Filmmaker Shal Ngo joins Corey and Kendall for a conversation that starts with horror movies and ends somewhere much deeper. They explore why fear can be healing, how horror creates space for empathy, and why understanding the monster might tell us more about ourselves than the monster ever could.Shal discusses making Control Freak, balancing practical effects with psychological dread, and building stories around anxiety, identity, and the pressure to hold everything together. The conversation wanders through The Shining, The Thing, Midsommar, horror conventions, childhood fears, and the strange comfort of sharing scary stories with strangers.Along the way, they ask a bigger question: in a world that often feels overwhelming, can horror help us find our humanity instead of losing it?Plus, Shal reveals his favorite final person in horror, shares an incredible hidden detail about The Thing that many fans have never noticed, and previews the terrifying ideas already taking shape for his next films.Guest BioShal Ngo is a writer and filmmaker whose work blends psychological storytelling, striking visual style, and deeply human themes. His horror feature Control Freak explores anxiety, identity, and body horror through the story of a woman whose seemingly perfect life begins to unravel. His work pushes genre storytelling into emotionally rich territory, proving that the best horror lingers long after the credits roll.Thank you for listening to Horror Heals. Share the show with someone who loves horror and someone who needs a little healing.If you want to support our guests, check the show notes for links to their work, conventions, and fundraising pages.You can also listen to our sister podcast Family Twist, a show about DNA surprises, identity, and the families we find along the way.Horror Heals is produced by How the Cow Ate the Cabbage LLC.Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse it is.