Faculty of Horror

Behind the door of a seemingly normal American home lies something evil. Something that’s been waiting. No, it’s not a demon – it’s a heteronormative relationship with a total douchebag!  Join Alex and Andrea for a dive into the murky waters of demonology, tech bros, and home security with Oren Peli’s feature film debut.    Join our Patreon community!   REQUIRED READING Paranormal Activity. Dir. Oren Peli, 2007.    EXTRA CREDIT The Faculty of Horror: Episode 26. Mother Lover: Matriarchy in The Wicker Man (1973 & 2006) and Paranormal Activity 3 (2011).Horror’s New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse. In which Jason Blum break’s down PA’s long road to theatrical release.  With Paranormal Activity, Paramount Sets New Marketing Model. An overview of the grassroots marketing campaign. Surveillance Tech is Changing Our Behaviour and Our Brains. How our rapidly evolving technology is taking over our domestic and public spaces.  I Love My Husband (Who Hates Me). The Cut’s piece on the socially acceptable misogyny in heteronormative relationships.    “Understanding Home Video” from Home Truths? Video Production and Domestic Life: Tracing the home video industry from America’s Funniest Home Videos to FailArmy.   The right-wing roots of Silicon Valley: traces the roots of the techbro boom in the ’90s to the “free thinkers” of the modern manosphere.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Wes Craven’s first feature continues to draw audiences and critics to it. By examining the production, reception, and impact of The Last House on the Left, Andrea and Alex will investigate the legacy of the rape-revenge subgenre and our evolving understanding of it.  *Apologies for the poor audio on this one, guys! We’ll catch that gremlin one day and we’ll skin him alive! Join our Patreon community!   REQUIRED READING The Last House on the Left. Dir. Wes Craven, 1972.    EXTRA CREDIT A Promising Young Woman and the End of the Girlboss Era. Ayesha A. Siddiqi’s in-depth analysis of the Emerald Fennell’s first feature.  Screams and Nightmares: The Films of Wes Craven. A thorough look at Craven’s oeuvre with insights and anecdotes from the man himself. Celluloid Crime of the Century – the full 2003 doc is on YouTube, featuring interviews with Craven, Cunningham, and select castmembers.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

This month, we’ve summoned friend of the show (and verified Lynch stan) Stacie Ponder to join us as we wander aimlessly into the surrealist nightmare of David Lynch’s mind. Through an exploration of his first film Eraserhead, we’ll investigate one of cinema’s most enigmatic creatives and his myths of America.  Check out Stacie’s podcast: Final Girl After Dark!  Join our Patreon community!   REQUIRED READING Eraserhead. Dir. David Lynch, 1977.    EXTRA CREDIT Who Made That Built-In Eraser? An overview of an American partnership.   The Theatre of the Absurd Martin Esslin’s critical essay that defined an undefinable movement.  Premonition Following an Evil Deed (1995) on YouTube. A very unsettling 56-second film!   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Another year of mad fackery has come to end, so Andrea and Alex take a last look at 2025 to review our horror (and non-horror) faves of the year.  Join our Patreon community!   Alex’s picks:WeaponsBring Her BackThe Ugly StepsisterFinal Destination BloodlinesCompanionGood BoyThe Occupant of the RoomMangittatuarjuk: The Gnawer of Rocks   Andrea’s picks: Bring Her Back Weapons Final Destination BloodlinesHeart EyesThe Ugly Stepsister Dangerous Animals Him   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Andrea and Alex interrogate the pearl clutching that went on during Silent Night, Deadly Night‘s initial theatrical run, what it means to cultivate festive cheer, and the importance of being nice and never naughty.  Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!    Join us over on Patreon for more content!   REQUIRED READING Silent Night, Deadly Night. Dir. Charles Sellier Jr, 1984.   EXTRA CREDIT At the Movies: Silent Night, Deadly Night. Siskel and Ebert’s review.    A Once Controversial Release, “Silent Night, Deadly Night” Gains Another Chance to Terrorize. Film at Lincoln Center’s piece on the history and importance of Silent Night, Deadly Night.    Santa Claus: The Myth in America. A look at St. Nick’s bizarre (and frankly, kind of hilarious) origin story as a folk hero and a religious icon LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Mind the fog and join Andrea and Alex as they explore the dark hallways of Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others. From geopolitics to religion and the weight of motherhood, not everything in the film is as it appears.  Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!    REQUIRED READING The Others. Dir. Alejandro Amenábar, 2001.   EXTRA CREDIT “Nicole Kidman made a horror movie about Tom Cruise and Scientology.” A video exploration of Kidman’s performance under the watchful eye of Scientology. Taken from Life: The Unsettling Art of Death Photography. The history and science of capturing images of the dearly departed.The Birth of Purgatory by Jacques Le Goff. How Catholicism decided it needed a third state between heaven and hell.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

It’s almost time kids, the clock is ticking! Andrea and Alex explore the strange world of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, uncovering tricks and treats in the history of holiday, Celtic rituals, and our evolving relationship with our TVs.  Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!    REQUIRED READING Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Dir. Tommy Lee Wallace, 1982.   EXTRA CREDIT Halloween III: Season Of The Witch – The Inside Story Of A Cult Classic. Director Tommy Lee Wallace on ditching Michael Myers to make Halloween’s best sequel, 40 years on.   The Commercialization of the Calendar: American Holidays and the Culture of Consumption, 1870-1930, by Leigh Eric Schmidt.   Irish San Francisco. An article detailing the Irish population metrics in California.   Tricks of Festival: Children, Enculturation, and American Halloween by Cindy Dell Clark.   Halloween’s Mutation: From Humble Holiday to Retail Monstrosity. NYT article on the rise and popularity of the holiday.    Video, Science Fiction, and the Cinema of Surveillance. Thomas Doherty’s article exploring the place of television in film.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

In this episode Andrea and Alex delve into the dark side of masculinity with the film adaptations of Apt Pupil and We Need to Talk About Kevin to explore the manosphere, motherhood, and the complexities of anger. Please note: this episode was recorded September 5, 2025. Class of 2025 Merch is now available. Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!    REQUIRED READING Apt Pupil. Dir. Bryan Singer, 1998.We Need to Talk About Kevin. Dir. Lynne Ramsay, 2011.   EXTRA CREDIT Guns by Stephen King. King’s essay on gun culture and mass shooting in America. How American Racism Influenced Hitler. Alex Ross’ New Yorker piece on America’s dark relationship with the Nazis. The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood. Sharon Hays’ treatise on the profession and expectations of mothers.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Buckle up and keep your eyes on the road because we’re chatting about the teen slasher thriller I Know What You Did Last Summer. From morality and justice to small town trappings, we unearth a murky past that refuses to stay buried! More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING I Know What You Did Last Summer. Dir. Jim Gillespie, 1997.    EXTRA CREDIT Behavioral Risks during the Transition from High School to College. The NIH report on tendencies and actions during the last summer before adulthood.   Generation Multiplex. Timothy Shary’s examination of youth culture at the movies. The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings. Jan Harold Brunvand’s seminal work on modern folklore.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Pack your car and mind the detours because we’re kicking off summer with an episode on The Hills Have Eyes. From familial tensions to political warfare in the original and the remake, there’s a whole host of darkness to be found under the summer sun.  More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING The Hills Have Eyes. Dir. Wes Craven, 1977. The Hills Have Eyes. Dir. Alexandre Aja, 2006.    EXTRA CREDIT Sawney Bean – Scotland’s Most Famous Cannibal. An overview of the Scottish legend.   Fairy Tales for the Apocalypse. Christopher Sharrett’s interview with Wes Craven.   Through the Eyes of America: Wes Craven’s “The Hills Have Eyes.” Matt Carlin via Mubi.com.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Join Andrea and Alex live from Salem Horror Fest for feats of strength (!) and a discussion of the horrors of beauty standards, the weight of celebrity culture, and the algorithms that are out to get us.  More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING The Substance. Dir. Coralie Fargeat, 2024.    EXTRA CREDIT Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism. Sarah Wynn-Williams account of her time at Facebook.    On Women. Susan Sontag’s essays on women and their physical relationships to the world.   Fran Lebowitz on Race and Racism. From the 1997 edition of Vanity Fair where Lebowitz discusses nepo babies.   How Ozempic shaming illuminates complexities of treating weight problems from the Harvard Gazette.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Spring has sprung so it’s time to get into the greenhouse! In this episode, Alex and Andrea investigate the differences between mother and caretaker, the privilege of home upkeep, and why yuppies love windchimes.  More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING The Hand that Rocks the Cradle. Dir. Curtis Hanson, 1992.    EXTRA CREDIT The Unnatural History of the Nanny. The NYT’s 1973 exploration of the importance of the role in modern culture.    The Lifesaving, Horrifying History of Wet Nurses. A look at another key and intimate household role.    Querying ‘Karen’: The rise of the angry white woman. Before she was a haircut meme, she was a person.   Review: Third Wave Feminisms. Is “capitalist feminism” a thing?   Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers. Jude Doyle’s non-fiction treatise that examines the othering of female power.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Log on to this episode where we go deep with the film adaptation of the cult video game Detention. From totalitarianism in Taiwan and beyond, the ghosts of our past often have dire warnings about our present and future that we should heed.  More content over on our Patreon!   Catch us LIVE at Salem Horror Fest!   REQUIRED READING Detention. Dir. John Hsu, 2019.    EXTRA CREDIT Does Historical Accuracy in Games Really Matter? The pros and cons of infusing entertainment with fact.    Piecing together the past: The Notion of Recovery in Fiction and Film from Taiwan by Steven L. Riep. Observations on recovery narratives and how the white terror has been commemorated but remains poorly understood.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Join us as we delve into the lineage and legacy of Tod Browning’s pre-code horror classic. From the morality police to representation of disability to community building through murder, we discuss why Freaks remains a unique and unrepeatable entry in the horror canon. More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING Freaks. Dir. Tod Browning, 1932.    EXTRA CREDIT Spurs. Tod Robbins short story on which Freaks is based.    What’s so Scary about Disability? Laura Elliott’s piece on the legacy of fearing some bodies.    Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space. Amanda Leduc’s exploration of how society has stigmatized disabilities for centuries.    Code of the Freaks. A 2020 documentary covering portrayals of disability in film.   A Brief Timeline of the History of Disabilities: The Shameful Treatment of People with Disabilities. An overview covering how perceptions of disabilities have shifted over human history.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Andrea and Alex run down their favourite horror films from 2024, share what they’re looking forward to this year and go head-to-head in trivia for Fack supremacy.  Join our Patreon community!   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Join us as we breakdown the isolated families of David Cronenberg’s The Brood. From family structures to the legalese of it all, we investigate why and how we cling to each other.  Last chance for our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.   REQUIRED READING The Brood. Dir. David Cronenberg, 1979.    EXTRA CREDIT Cronenberg on Cronenberg. A collection of interviews with the man himself on the making and meaning of his films.    The Evolution of Pregnancy Portraits From Tudor England to Beyonce. A history of the pregnant body as spectacle.    The Brood: Separation Trials. A Criterion retrospective by Carrie Rickey.   Self-Labeling And Women’s Mental Health: Postpartum Illness And The Reconstruction Of Motherhood – a look at the history of puerperal insanity.   Oliver Reed and Orson Welles on Merv Griffin. From Andrea’s secret stash of bookmarked videos.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Christmas came early for the profs this year, with an advance screening to Robert Eggers’ hotly anticipated adaptation of Nosferatu! We recorded our immediate reaction at the cinema for our Patreon, but we wanted to spread the good cheer for the film’s wide release.Hear our raw reactions – but beware spoilers if you don’t want details!Join our Patreon community for more content and exclusive perks! (Membership makes a great gift, just sayin’) Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

In this episode Andrea and Alex deep-dive into John Carpenter’s cult-classic exploring the ways that materialism, Marxism, and maximalism have driven us to the edge of consumption.  Check out our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.   REQUIRED READING They Live. Dir. John Carpenter, 1988.   EXTRA CREDIT “Eight O’Clock in the Morning.” Ray Nelson’s short story that inspired They Live.    The Politics of Gender Presentation – Why what we buy to wear matters.   The Films of John Carpenter. John Kenneth Muir’s examination of Carpenter’s filmography.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

James Wan’s blockbuster horror offering The Conjuring thrilled audiences and created a cinematic universe but for Andrea and Alex it left an icky feeling that has nothing to do with demonic possession. By investigating the politics, means and ideology behind the film, they’ll uncover the true villains behind this narrative.  Check out our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.   REQUIRED READING The Conjuring. Dir. James Wan, 2013.    EXTRA CREDIT War Over ‘The Conjuring’: The Disturbing Claims Behind a Billion-Dollar Franchise. Hollywood Reporter’s Investigation into the claims made about the real-life Warrens.   Scared Sacred: Idolatry, Religion and Worship in the Horror Film. The essay collection featuring Alex’s chapter on The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2.    Screenwriters Chad and Carey Hayes, interviewed by The Christian Broadcasting Network.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

For this very special back-to-school episode, Andrea and Alex are joined by the one and only Stacie Ponder to dig into the depths of Luca Guadagnino’s remake of Dario Argento’s classic. From the dance of politics to the dance of sexuality, there’s more under the floorboards of the Markos Dance Academy than meets the eye. For more Stacie, check out her blog Final Girl, her column Devil’s in the Details in Rue Morgue, and her Twin Peaks recap podcast series with Mike Muncer, The Detective and the Log Lady.   Check out our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.   REQUIRED READING Suspiria. Dir. Luca Guadagnino, 2018.    EXTRA CREDIT 40 Years of German Autumn. An overview of the left-wing terrorist attacks that rocked the nation. Gaylords of Darkness podcast – ep 82 Hannah Arendt’s challenge to Adolf Eichmann. The banality of evil, in context.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Pack your bags and leave your conception of the social fabric that binds us behind because we’re going to two private islands in this episode! From the darkness of Dr. Moreau’s experiments to John Hammond’s capitalist enterprise, these journeys into the human desire for control rarely end well for anyone involved.    REQUIRED READING Island of Lost Souls. Dir. Erle C. Kenton, 1932. Jurassic Park. Dir Steven Spielberg, 1993.    EXTRA CREDIT The Man Who Hated Moms: Looking Back on Philip Wylie’s “Generation of Vipers” – Island of Lost Souls‘ co-writer has some serious mommy issues.   Dinosaurs as a Cultural Phenomenon – Why have dinosaurs gained such a hold on the public’s imagination?   Of Fossils and Androids: (Re)Producing Sexual Identity in “Jurassic Park” and “Blade Runner” – An essay on how sexual identity anxiety is explored in sci-fi.    The Devil in Our DNA:  A Brief History of Eugenics  in Science Fiction Films. David A. Kirby’s deep dive into how one of the darkest chapters in modern science was utilized on the big screen.    Kathleen Burke Wins Nationwide Contest! The Road to Panther Woman in Island of Lost Souls. An overview of promotional materials for the Panther Woman contest.   Marx for Cats. The history of cats big and small as viewed through a Marxist lens.   The story of amusement parks is the story of America. A look at how the history of amusement/theme parks reflects America.    Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers. Jude Doyle’s excellent book about female power and monstrosity.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Pack your bags and your partner because this episode leaves the comforts of civilized society far behind. In this episode we unpack the need for serenity, the heritage of toxic masculinity, and why a bear might actually make a great boyfriend.  REQUIRED READING Eden Lake. Dir. James Watkins, 2008.  Backcountry. Dir. Adam MacDonald, 2014.    EXTRA CREDIT Overall Crime Down 44% Since 1995. The Guardian article that pushes back against conservative narratives.    Gangs and Children. A study on the impetus for youth to join gangs and why.   The Gated Community Mentality. Rich Benjamin’s piece on the groupthink that emerges from the gated community lifestyle.   Imagining Nature and Erasing Class and Race – Carleton Watkins, John Muir, and the Construction of Wilderness. Even nature is a socially constructed concept!   David Mech’s website – the author of incel bible The Wolf: Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species addresses the widespread misuse of the term “Alpha.”   From the “Cosmo Quiz” to Quizilla to Buzzfeed… what’s next?. The Smithsonian Magazine looks back at the history of quizzes.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Whether you’re ascending or descending, spiritual journeys through the afterlife are never easy. In this episode, Andrea and Alex tackle two films that share some overlapping tendencies but deviate in unexpected ways.    REQUIRED READING Angel Heart. Dir. Alan Parker, 1987. Jacob’s Ladder. Dir Adrian Lyne, 1990.    EXTRA CREDIT Satanic Feminism: Per Faxneld’s book about the evolution of Lucifer as liberator.   The Book of Lilith. An investigation into the persecution and villainization of Adam’s first wife.    Temptresses. An overview of some of the most iconic evil women and why they are feared.    Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg – borrow it for free!   The Milgram Obedience Experiment.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Coming to you live from Salem Horror Fest, Andrea and Alex prowl the darkest corners of RKO’s cult classic Cat People. From the themes of immigration and assimilation to the parallels of sex and power, we uncover how Jacques Tourneur and Val Lewton’s dark vision of 1940s America remains a prescient warning.    REQUIRED READING Cat People. Dir. Jacques Tourneur, 1942.    EXTRA CREDIT What history tells us about assimilation of immigrants. The paper published by Stanford University that explains the trends that followed immigration booms in the US in the first half of the 20th century.    On Female Rage: Does the Wallpaper Look Yellow to Anyone Else? The Harvard Crimson’s examination of a new age of feminine anger that is forever grappling with the past.    When God Was a Woman. Merlin Stone’s 1976 exploration of pre-Christian religions where women led.    The uproar over the New Yorker short story “Cat Person,” explained. Male hysteria at women writing fiction about their feelings.   Gore-Geous: Personal Essays on Beauty and Horror. Alex’s new book includes more thoughts on Cat People.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

In this episode, Andrea and Alex investigate how multiple characters are perceived and perceive Michael Mann’s entry into the Hannibal Lec(k)tor cinematic universe. From cops to killers and the humanity in between, these cuts go deep.    REQUIRED READING Manhunter. Dir. Michael Mann, 1986.    EXTRA CREDIT How Thomas Harris defined a genre and created fiction’s most likeable villain. An overview of the Hannibal Lecter saga and what made it unique.    The Tabloid that Launched America’s Obsession with True Crime. Joe Pompeo’s look back at the lasting impact of the Daily News.    Eating Blake, or an Essay on Taste: The Case of Thomas Harris’s “Red Dragon”. An examination of the use of high art in a mass market paperback.    Hollywood, Home Movies, and Common Sense: Amateur Film as Aesthetic Dissemination and Social Control, 1950-1962. How technology shaped suburban America’s leisure time.    How 70 years of cop shows taught us to valorize the police by Constance Grady. A history of depictions of law enforcement, from bumbling buffoons to modern day menace.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

We’re packing our bags to hop onto our broomsticks for our annual trip to SALEM HORROR FEST 2024 – and you’re invited!Listen in for important info, dates, and highlights!   Buy your tickets here! LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  From the depths of Warner Bros archives, Ken Russell’s infamous film The Devils has been resurrected (ish) once more! Andrea and Alex take this opportunity to dive into the politics, contractions, and naughtiness present within one of the most controversial cult films ever made.    REQUIRED READING The Devils. Dir. Ken Russell, 1971.    EXTRA CREDIT Ars Erotica. Excerpt from Mario Vargas Llosa book on the influence of spectacle on the West.    Society of the Spectacle. Guy Debord’s treatise on performance and coercion.    Sex Education in the 1970s. A rundown of the controversial sex education film Growing Up.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  It’s time to look back before we scream forward! Join Andrea and Alex for horror and non-horror faves and a game that will decide their fate for 2024.    Alex’s Horror/Horror Adjacent Faves   1. Red Rooms (dir. Pascal Plante) 2. Godzilla Minus One (dir. Takashi Yamazaki) 3. Talk to Me (dir. Danny and Michael Phillippou) 4. The Curse (TV, created by Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie) 5. Poor Things (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos) 6. Fall of the House of Usher (TV, created by Mike Flanagan) 7. Beau is Afraid (dir. Ari Aster)    Andrea’s Horror/Horror Adjacent Faves   1. Talk to Me (dir. Danny and Michael Phillippou)2. Poor Things (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)3. Huesera: The Bone Woman (dir. Michelle Garza Cervera)4. Godzilla Minus One (dir. Takashi Yamazaki)5. The Blackening (dir. Tim Story)6. The Last of Us (TV, created by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin)7. Red Rooms (dir. Pascal Plante)8. Fall of the House of Usher (TV, created by Mike Flanagan)     Alex’s Non-Horror Faves   Stories I Might Regret Telling You by Martha Wainwright Monster: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer The Cure live in June  May/December (dir. Todd Haynes) Past Lives (dir. Celine Song)   Andrea’s Non-Horror Faves   Inscryption (PC) Slay the Spire (PC) Vanderpump Rules (TV) Tetris (dir. Jon S. Baird) If Books Could Kill podcast   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  Andrea and Alex delve into the murky depths of Nicolas Roeg’s classic to uncover the film’s themes of mysticism, misogyny and the ethics of mourning.    Class of 2023 merch Artwork by @thelastjohnyontheleft    REQUIRED READING Don’t Look Now. Dir. Nicolas Roeg, 1973.   EXTRA CREDIT Daphne du Maurier’s short story. The Year of Magical Thinking. Joan Didion’s memoir of the year following her husband’s death. Mysticism as a Female Path. Mary Sharratt’s look and the intertwining history of mysticism and women. Take Some Pills for Your Hysteria, Lady. A history of men putting women on pills.   Devil’s Advocates: Don’t Look Now by Jessica Gildersleeve – accessible thru JStor via your local library perhaps?   The Social Regulation of Grief by Martha R. Fowlkes. Some emotional attachments are socially undervalued.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

In this episode Andrea and Alex delve into some truly long-term relationships and their lasting implications. From ageless vampires to hipster gentrification, sometimes loving someone “forever and ever” isn’t as fun as it seems.    Class of 2023 merch Artwork by @thelastjohnyontheleft    REQUIRED READING The Hunger. Dir. Tony Scott, 1983.  Only Lovers Left Alive. Dir. Jim Jarmusch, 2013.    EXTRA CREDIT Not All Fangs are Phallic. James Craig Holte’s investigation of the female vampire film.    Why hipsters could be seen as modern-day colonisers. The article by Melissa Tandiwe Myambo on the political and cultural effects of gentrification.    Rising costs and gentrification force locals out of Detroit’s downtown and Midtown. Detroit Metro Time’s piece on seniors being forced out of their subsidized housing due to market inflation.    Contemporary myths on boredom. An emergent field of study about when people feel out of sync with the present.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

We all float down here… or we’ll lose our minds trying to make sense of Andy Muschietti’s blockbuster horror films based on Stephen King’s classic novel. In this episode, Andrea and Alex investigate the depths of Derry’s sewer system, summer holidays and sexual awakenings.   Class of 2023 merch Artwork by @thelastjohnyontheleft    REQUIRED READING It Chapter 1 and It Chapter 2. Dir.  Andy Muschietti, 2017 and 2019.   EXTRA CREDIT Danse Macabre. Stephen King’s treatise on horror.    Why do Students Get Summers Off? A history of getting to play hooky in the summer.    The American Small Town in the Age of the US Empire. The dream and reality of the American small town.    Return of the Repressed. Robin Wood’s iconic essay about the American horror film.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

What kind of person could you live with? Barbet Shroeder’s paranoid erotic thriller seeks to answer that question and more as it delves into queer fear, sexual conservatism, property rights and female intimacy.    Class of 2023 merch Artwork by @thelastjohnyontheleft    If you’re Toronto, catch Alex’s lecture on Brexit in the modern British horror film on October 17 at the Revue Cinema – get your tickets here.    REQUIRED READING Single White Female. Dir. Barbet Schroeder, 1992.    EXTRA CREDIT You Must Remember This. Katrina Longworth’s in-depth look at Hollywood, including the last two seasons on the Erotic ’80s and ’90s   The Rise and Fall of the Erotic Thriller. An overview of the complicated sub-genre.    ‘Single White Female’ at Thirty: The Legacy of the Women Stalkers of the 1990s – Lesbianophobia in SWF.   A Room Of One’s Own. Virginia Woolfe’s treatise on women and access to private spaces.    Revolting Doubles: Radical Narcissism and the Trope of the Lesbian Double by Olu Jenzen    Queersighted: The Gay Best Friend Criterion Collections video discussion of the problematic trope   Barbet Schroeder’s quite a character.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

From economic disruptors to controlling techbro exes, the unseeable has been used as a metaphor in a variety of ways. In this episode, Andrea and Alex look back at H.G. Wells’ original text, James Whale’s Universal classic and how #MeToo created a new kind of monster.    Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING The Invisible Man. Dir. James Whale, 1933. The Invisible Man. Dir. Leigh Whannell, 2020.    EXTRA CREDIT The Invisible Man. H.G. Wells’ Victorian classic.    Simulacra and Simulation. Baudrillard continues to be worried about copies.    Evolution of Horror: Sleeping with the Enemy and Fear. Alex joins friend of the pod Mike Muncer to talk about home invasion and visibility.    The Dark Universe Cast Photo. Universal Studios’ lost cinematic universe (and the article that photoshopped out one of the key players).    “The Invisible Man” and the Invisible Hand: H. G. Wells’s Critique of Capitalism. Paul A. Cantor dissects the anti-capitalist sentiment of Wells’ story.   WomenWriteAboutComics.com – Kate Tanski dissects the male gaze in Sue Storm’s long overdue solo debut.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Dust off the telepods and put your swatters away – it’s time for our thoughts about a short story, an iconic original film, and an even better remake to mingle molecules in an all-new episode.   Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING The Fly. Dir. Kurt Neumann, 1958.  The Fly. Dir. David Cronenberg, 1986.    EXTRA CREDIT “The Fly” By George Langelann. The original short story that appeared in Playboy in 1957. From Pathos to Tragedy: Two Versions of The Fly. Mary Ferguson Pharr’s essay about the different interpretations of the two films. The Beetle and the Fly. David Cronenberg’s essay about aging, Kafka and his version of The Fly.   On translating Kafka’s “The Matamorphosis.” Susan Bernofsky’s afterword to her 2014 translation of Kafka’s story.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

In this episode we look at the origins of the original “Good Guy.” From his place in the history of toys to his ties to masculinity to the anxiety around 1980s family structures, we go deep with Chucky to find out what makes him kill.    Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING Child’s Play. Dir. Tom Holland, 1988.    EXTRA CREDIT The History of Creepy Dolls. An examination of how dolls became part of our nightmares.   Technology’s Covert Socialization of Children: High-Tech Toys. How “high-tech” toys create a false sense of safety.    Hasbro’s My Buddy Doll. A history of the doll that inspired Chucky.   “Midnight Scenes and Orgies”: Public Narratives of Voodoo in New Orleans and Nineteenth-Century Discourses of White Supremacy.    The Child and Adult Trauma in American Horror of the 1980s. Freud’s uncanny child in the era of consumerism.   The Place of Play: Toys and Digital Cultures. A look at toys as “generation-shapers.”    Hasbro Brazil’s ad for Baby Alive, encouraging parents to examine their gender biases.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

We’re back on our old stomping grounds of Salem Horror Fest to plow the fertile fields of themes and metaphors to unearth why the British folk horror classic, The Blood on Satan’s Claw, left us feeling so icky. From teens and occultism to PSAs and power, we dig deep.    Tickets for Alex’s Brexit lecture on Tues May 2 are available now!    Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING The Blood on Satan’s Claw. Dir Piers Haggard, 1971.    EXTRA CREDIT Folk Horror Hours Dreadful And Things Strange. Paul Scovell’s essential text for British folk horror.    Satanic Tourism: Adolescent Dabblers and Identity Work. Pseudo-Satanism as harmless teen fun!   The Seventeenth Century on Film: Patriarchy, Magistracy, and Witchcraft in British Horror Films. Here’s to King James III!   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

In this episode we look at what happens when an American experiment crash lands in the British countryside. By looking at the state of England after two World Wars, a crisis of masculinity and humanity’s shaky grasp on scientific responsibility, Andrea and Alex uncover what is truly driving innovation and our need to win.    Salem Horror Fest Info   Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING The Quatermass Xperiment. Dir. Val Guest, 1955.    EXTRA CREDIT Hammer and Beyond by Peter Hutchings. An in-depth examination of the studio and its impact.    Seeing is Believing by Peter Biskind. A definitive text for American films in the 1950s.    The Imagination of Disaster. Susan Sontag’s essay about the role of science-fiction in the midst of the Cold War.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Mind the roads this time of year because we’re covering Rob Reiner’s iconic film that delves into the murky territories brought to light when your saviour is also your #1 fan. We cover romance novels, toxic fandom, addiction, and more so buckle up! And make sure you know where the Dom Pérignon is kept.    Fack’s Instagram: @facultyofhorror Salem Horror Fest Info The Cat Came Back lecture   Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING Misery. Dir. Rob Reiner, 1990.    EXTRA CREDIT On Writing by Stephen King   Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman   High and Low Culture by Abigail Williams   Your Legs Must be Singing Grand Opera by Douglas Keesley    “What’s Toxic Fandom and What Creates It?” By Rachael Lefler   “Where have all the Artist-Addicts gone?” A New York Times article about the white male writer as tortured artist trope   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

We cast one last glance at a year with a lot of horror highs. Featuring our best of 2022, things we can’t live without, our top 10 horror movies of all time, and, of course, some bloopers.    Become a Patron!   EXTRA CREDIT Alex’s Best of 2022 1. Nope  2. Barbarian  3. Prey 4. Orphan: First Kill 5. Men 6. Slash/Back 7. Fresh 8. Scream 9. What We Do in the Shadows S4   Andrea’s Best of 2022 1. Hellbender 2. The Innocents 3. Watcher 4. Men 5. Scream 6. The Harbinger 7. WNUF 2 8. Resurrection 9. Smile 10. Mad God   What Alex Can’t Live Without: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Nike Internationalists  Dark Roast Coffee A weighted blanket A hair straightener (the GHD model mentioned)   What Andrea Can’t Live Without: Vaseline Croc’s Brooklyn platform sandal Lululemon leggings Wireless headphones & Audible Tiger Balm   Alex’s Greatest Horror Movies of All Time: 1. The Shining (1980) 2. Alien (1979) 3. The Exorcist (1973) 4. Get Out (2017) 5. The Stepford Wives (1975) 6. Audition (1999) 7. The Witch (2015) 8. American Psycho (2000) 9. Suspiria (2018) 10. Scream (1996)   Andrea’s Greatest Horror Movies of All Time:1. The Shining (1980)2. The Devils (1971)3. Night of the Living Dead (1968)4. The Innocents (1961) 5. Night of the Hunter (1955)6. The Witch (2015)7. The Wicker Man (1973)8. Get Out (2017)9. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)10. Spoorloos (1988)   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

We’re live from Toronto to celebrate our 10th anniversary! This episode revisits the films of our first-ever episode to explore whether our opinions on two horror classics have changed. We dig into the evolution of slashers and the conservative monsters that came to life during a wave of social change while we try to find the sherry.    Thank you to everyone who came out and contributed to the $2500 we were able to donate to Sistering Toronto. Learn more about the organization and their work at sistering.org.   Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING Black Christmas. Dir Bob Clark, 1974.  Halloween. Dir John Carpenter, 1978.   EXTRA CREDIT Monsters and Mad Scientists: A Cultural History of the Horror Movie. Andrew Tudor’s examination of expert characters within the genre and how their usefulness has changed.    “Recurrent Monsters: Why Freddy, Michael, and Jason Keep Coming Back.” Paul Budra’s essay from the collection Part Two: Reflections on the Sequel that examines slasher monsters and their staying power.    “A History of Co-Ed Ivy League Schools.” An overview of the co-ed movement in the most prestigious American schools.    The Gift of Fear: Gavin de Becker’s self-help book on how the power of intuition can predict interpersonal violence.  “Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher film” (1987). Carol Clover’s journal article that set the foundation for her 1992 book, Men, Women and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession. Alice Bolin’s essay collection on the true crime phenomenon of beautiful dead girls. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Lock your doors and check your windows because some uninvited guests are on their way. In this episode, Andrea and Alex explore the origins and hyperbole around the home invasion sub-genre and why there may be more to fear than those trying to break in.    Become a Patron!   Class of 2022 Merch is here! Get our limited edition design with art by Laura Hokstad on whatever TeePublic can print it on.   Toronto Live Show! Come see us at The Garrison in Toronto on December 7 to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Tickets are PWYC with all proceeds going to Sistering. REQUIRED READING Ils/Them. Dir. David Moreau and Xavier Palud, 2006.  The Strangers. Dir. Bryan Bertino, 2008.    EXTRA CREDIT The Lonely Villa, dir. D.W. Griffith (1909). The first home invasion horror film?   Hoodies Strike Fear in British Cinema – Jane Graham’s piece for The Guardian on the rise of Hoodie Horror.   Simulacra and Simulation – Jean Beaudrillard’s treatise on how the real is transformed into media.    We Fear Each Other When Guns Themselves are the Real Danger – A reevaluation of what we have to fear when it comes to home invasion and why.    History of Home Invasion movies – Remember when people actually posted content on Tumblr? T.L. Bodine does. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Andrea and Alex cross the pond to revisit Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic film that brought the zombie genre back to (un)life. From virology to bodily autonomy to Brexit, there’s a lot to chew on.    Become a Patron!   Class of 2022 Merch is here! Get our limited edition design with art by Laura Hokstad on whatever TeePublic can print it on.   Toronto Live Show! Come see us at The Garrison in Toronto on December 7 to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Tickets are PWYC with all proceeds going to Sistering. REQUIRED READING 28 Days Later. Dir. Danny Boyle, 2002.    EXTRA CREDIT Varieties of Zombieism: Approaching Comparative Political Economy through “28 Days Later” and “Wild Zero”. Derek Hall’s examination of the metaphorical allusions in relation to the economy.    Britain: Rough month or road to ruin? This episode of CBC’s daily podcast Front Burner covers the on-going strife in the UK from Brexit to now.    Fast Zombie/Slow Zombie: Food Writing, Horror Movies, and Agribusiness Apocalypse by Michael Newbury. How the food economy is reflected in the modern zombie’s increased appetite.   Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic. The CDC’s decidedly playful attempt to teach the importance of emergency preparedness through a zombie narrative. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Andrea and Alex evoke the spectre of Death in their analysis of James Wong’s turn of the century ode to vibes. From risk society to the abject, Final Destination has a plan for everyone.    Become a Patron!   Class of 2022 Merch is here! Get our limited edition design with art by Laura Hokstad on whatever TeePublic can print it on.   Toronto Live Show! Come see us at The Garrison in Toronto on December 7 to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Tickets are PWYC with all proceeds going to Sistering. REQUIRED READING Final Destination. Dir. James Wong, 2000.    EXTRA CREDIT An Experiment with Time. J.W. Dunne’s exploration of pre-cognitivism and serialism as it relates to our experience of time.    The Society of the Spectacle. Guy Debord’s Marxist analysis of how representation of events has become a unifying human experience to our detriment.    Santa Muerte. An article on the controversial Mexican saint of the disenfranchised.   Risk Society. A summary of Anthony Giddens’ fourth chapter of Modernity and Self Identity (1991).   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

The elite are literally a different breed in Brian Yuzna’s cult classic film about the perils of popularity and privilege. In this episode, Andrea and Alex dive into the mystique that surrounds the wealthy and explore why they need the rest of us to survive.    Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING Society. Dir. Brian Yuzna, 1989.    EXTRA CREDIT Generation Multiplex. Timothy Shary’s fascinating book about the language of film and its influence on teen culture.    Fran Lebowitz on Race and Racism. The iconic writer on inherited privilege.    Baby Scoop Era. The period before abortion was legalized which saw a rise in adoptions.     Orgies: A Brief History of Hanky-Panky. A look back at group sex through the centuries.    Sociology of the elite. A faddish field, but experiencing a revival now due to growing social inequality.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  Using two popular examples, Andrea and Alex look at the collision between the horror and superhero genres. From conservative leanings to taboo-breaking stories, we explore two films that deviate from the norm (and occasionally, their own source material) to embark in two very different directions.    Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING Blade. Dir. Stephen Norrington, 1998.  Constantine. Dir. Francis Lawrence, 2005.    EXTRA CREDIT How Blade created the Marvel Cinematic Universe. How Blade saved Marvel and set it up for cinematic takeover.   Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes. Adilifu Nama’s cultural history of the Black superhero genre.    Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present. Robin R Means Coleman’s groundbreaking book examining Black characters and creators in the horror genre.    Blade and the Power of Liminal Privilege. A retrospective look at how the film’s themes endure in the BLM era. The Black Hero: A Cultural Impossibility. Kathryn Feeney’s breakdown of the Black superhero mirage.    The Devil You Know. Ken Chen’s piece for the The New Inquiry on Hellblazer and John Constantine’s true origins.    How 9/11 Changed Cinema. A look at how a tragic event upended the politics of popular films.    Flying While Black: Two Creators on Inventing (and Reinventing) Black Superheroes. Eve L. Ewing and Evan Narcisse weigh in on the importance of representation in the superhero genre.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  Time to take a break from the ol’ Ludwig Van and join us at the Korova Milkbar for a trip into the near dystopian future of A Clockwork Orange. From our Pavlovian responses, to patient care and British Literature, we’ll slooshy what Kubrick’s film has to offer.    Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING A Clockwork Orange. Dir. Stanley Kubrick, 1971.   EXTRA CREDIT The Angry Young Men Movement. An overview of the literary movement that shocked a nation in the late 1950s.    Commedia Dell’Arte: An Actor’s Handbook. An in-depth look at the Italian theatre practice and all the characters within it, including the Alex reminiscent Il Capitano.    Stanley Strangelove. The seminal pearl-clutcher by Pauline Kael for the New Yorker in 1972.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  Time to walk the halls of the terrifying Hill House with Andrea and Alex as they explore what it means to be haunted, gender dynamics in times of duress and why it’s hard to remake a classic.    Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING The Haunting. Dir. Robert Wise, 1963.    EXTRA CREDIT Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life. Ruth Franklin’s wonderful biography that explores Jackson’s life through her work.    Rue Morgue #170 – September 2016. Featuring a cover story and roundtable interview on Shirley Jackson’s life and influence.   The Haunting and the Power of Suggestion. An article by Pam Keesey in Monsterzine #6.   Haunting Experiences: Ghosts in Contemporary Folklore. An in-depth look at why our past continues to return to us through ghosts and the supernatural.   American Nightmares: The Haunted House Formula in American Popular Fiction. Dale Bailey’s examination of how the haunted house narrative has served and subverted the American Dream.  House Mothers and Haunted Daughters: Shirley Jackson and Female Gothic by Roberta Rubenstein. Ghostly Matters: Haunting and the Sociological Imagination by Avery Gordon. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  In this episode, Andrea and Alex explore two different yet eerily similar films that came out of Japan in 2001. The conversation covers where history, humanity and community end, exploring what is left in its wake and the new limitations of imagining the future.   CW: Suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones: 1-800-273-8255.  Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING Pulse. Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2001. Suicide Club. Dir. Sion Sono, 2001.   EXTRA CREDIT Haunted by Leo Braudy. A wide ranging examination of horror and its tropes.   Apocalyptic Dead by Kirsten Moana Thompson. A deep dive into films at the turn of the 21st century and our fear of the future.   Too Lonely to Die Alone: Internet Suicide Pacts and Existential Suffering in Japan. Chikako Ozawa-de Silva looks at the troubling phenomenon in Japan in the early 2000s.   The plight of Japan’s modern hermits. Hikikomori, discussed.   What You’re Feeling Isn’t a Vibe Shift. It’s Permanent Change. Elamin Abdelmahmoud’s piece for Buzzfeed on our shifting reality.   The End of History by Francis Fukuyama. The much cited piece about humanity’s (possible) end of ideology. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  Whether you call them Hagsploitation, Psycho-Biddy or just plain Elder Horror, growing old is a scary prospect and horror has mined those depths to great effect. Andrea and Alex dive into the murky waters of gender and aging, the burden of care and whether the cycle can be broken.   Become a Patron!   REQUIRED READING Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Dir. Robert Aldrich, 1962. Relic. Dir. Natalie Erika James, 2020.   EXTRA CREDIT Grande Dame Guignol Cinema: a History of Hag Horror from Baby Jane to Mother, by Peter Shelley (1962).|You Must Remember This, Episode 91. Karina Longworth’s deep-dive into the production and reception history of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? A Framework for Understanding Old-Age Vulnerabilities. A paper that lays out the multiple challenges facing families and an aging population.The Costly, Painful, Lonely Burden of Care. From the New York Times: a look at the cost of invisible care.The Double Standard of Aging, by Susan Sontag. “Aging means a humiliating process of gradual sexual disqualification.”“Must the Players Keep Young?”: Early Hollywood’s Cult of Youth by Heather Addison. The origin story of Hollywood’s obsession with youth.“Facing the horror – becoming an old maid,” from the book A Table for One: a Critical Reading of Singlehood, Gender and Time, by Kinneret Lahad.Bitch media: Aging as the ultimate cinematic horror by Alana Prochuk.The Alzheimer’s Society: an informative resource – consider donating! LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

  It’s that time of year where we look back at our horror and non-horror faves from the last year and have a bit of fun while we’re at it.   Become a Patron! EXTRA CREDIT Alex’s Best of Horror  Dexter: New Blood Titane  Censor Caveat  Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched Yellowjackets Midnight Mass Malignant  The Humans   Andrea’s Best of Horror Saint Maud Psycho Goreman Candyman Last Night in Soho The Feast (Gwledd) The Vigil Caveat The Sadness Midnight Mass   Alex’s Non-Horror Faves Wandavision Jagged Mare of Easttown Succession S3 Real Housewives (Beverly Hills S11, Salt Lake City S2, Ultimate Girls Trip) The Weakerthans Olivia Munn Explores ASMR | W Magazine We Hate Movies/ Maintenance Phase, Celery Juice episode Trixie and Katya  Pig   Andrea’s Non-Horror Faves Voyage of the Rock Aliens A Column of Fire/World Without End by Ken Follet Mythos by Stephen Fry Who is Daniel Johns? Twitch LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”