Immaculate and The First Omen have similar settings (convents) and though the goal of the antagonists is quite opposing, we can’t deny that both films are on the cutting edge of culture, commenting on the religious patriarchy controlling women’s bodies. Leave it to horror to always comment on culture and provide us with the perfect films to nourish our souls when we need it the most.  This episode may contain spoilers for -Immaculate 2024 -The First Omen 2024 -Repulsion 1965

Horror is definitely for weirdos, but is it really Weird (with a capital 'W')? In this episode we look at the simultaneous resurgence of the Weird genre and how this has influenced and flavoured New Horror. Plus, we'll look at how this perfect pairing has brought new themes and a new depth to horror that's fit for our times. *there are no spoilers in this episode

The 1692 Salem Witch Trials may seem like ancient history but Alice Markham-Cantor, a researcher, author and descendant of an accused witch, is here to set us straight on the recipe (or perfect storm) for a modern-day witch hunt. This is a very special close-to-Halloween episode where we learn about and celebrate one of the most iconic spooky archetypes: The Witch. Alice’s book is The Once and Future Witch Hunt: A Descendant’s Reckoning from Salem to the Present

Candy Corn isn't everyone's favourite Halloween candy and not everyone likes 4-hour long documentaries about the making of Rob Zombie films... BUT in this episode we'll address both problems all while discovering a perfect Halloween slasher that you shouldn't overlook and a director bringing the feels to the horror creator community. *This episode may contain spoilers for 31 (2019) Candy Corn (2019)

Why do '90s horror movies get such a bad rap? In this listicle episode, I'm joined by Tim and Patrick Callaghan of The Film Bros Championship Podcast who help me break this question wiiiide open! We each share our faves and our takes on how the decade fairs overall as a unique era for horror comedy and setting up for the new millenium! *Spoilers abound in this episode and include (but are not limited to): Misery (1990) The People Under the Stairs (1991) Bram Stoker's Dracula...

Are we living in a Bubblegum Dystopia? Learn more about this term and common subgenre that is more common than you think. Stephen Notham gives us a deeper look into just exactly what fears and new nightmares this type of dystopia unlocks. *This episode contains spoilers for Fahrenheit 451 (novel 1953 & film 2018) Zero Theorum (2013) They Live (1988)

I'm with actor David Hern who was involved in the spinoff series,Freddy’s Nightmares, among other horror finds like Summercamp Nightmare and Zombie Voodoo Scream Party. In our conversation, David gives his insight on being a working actor and some healthy, practical advice for anyone looking to get into the business.   You can find out more about David and his take on being an actor in his book, How Not to Make it in Hollywood

Hypnosis and the 'evil psychiatrist' is a horror movie trope of a storyline that goes ALL the way back to the very first horror film. So is this one of our deepest rooted fears? In this episode a real life hypnotist gives her take on several hypnosis horror movies that really gave real hypnotherapists a hard time in the middle of last century. We'll also look at how hypnosis is portrayed in modern horror and whether it's accurate or just a fun and powerful device to add to the idea of mind...

Has the Pope seen The Exorcist? Is the Vatican watching horror movies? Well, my guest, Matt Rogerson, has all the answers in the episode and more in his upcoming book, The Vatican Versus Horror Movies. While it may not be by the Pope, there are definitely horror movies being watched by a council of 'important' Vatican leaders all (allegedly) in the name of the safety of the community. You HAVE to hear this! AND! Spooky Susan joins this episode for a special review of The Wasp Woman (1959)...

In horror literature and film we see books do powerful things: open gateways, call forth otherworldly beings, maybe even bring back spirits from the dead! Books, especially those with supernatural powers of their own, are everywhere in horror. In this episode we'll look at a few familiar ones a little more closely to see if there are any other messages or knowledge these texts within a text or film are trying to tell us, especially for our world where so many books are being questioned as...

My guest, Ali Khamseh, is an expert in 1960s Hammer Horror in all its history, grit and modern influence. Ali is a BIG fan of Christopher Lee so we talk a lot about the "mania" of Christopher Lee, his work with Tim Burton, how he felt about being Dracula and even playing his doppelganger, Rasputin, after meeting his killers. Whuuuh?! This spooky season might have you searching back in time for more classic horror and this is a great place to start! *How to find and follow Ali and his...

The Babadook's epic journey from an Australian film with stifled success to the separation of the Babadook monster who becomes a major global gay icon is a modern tale of how technology spreads information and even how modern cult classics are born. What started as a Tumblr feud and a possible Netflix error is now part of queer horror lore. BUT WAIT - there's more! What does director Jennifer Kent think of all this? Did she purposefully drop these notes of queerness in the film and the...

Do you ever subject your houseguests to horror movies? I do - but only if they're already fans which is definitely my guest today - my friend, Doomsdave, who was visiting for a WHOLE WEEK - in my house - every day - watching horror with me! In today's episode, we discuss 6 movies and the experience of watching together - looking at reactions, cheering for deaths and kills together and then having a chat about all the fun on a podcast... We also somehow touch on creepy Christians, Satanic...

Plants may be the new pets, but what do we actually know about these crafty characters we bring innocently into our homes and gardens?  And how do horror stories about carnivorous and poisonous plants remind us that we are all technically their food in the end? What horror really being unlocked in plant horror or, more formally, the 'monstrous vegetal'? Let’s look at some Gothic stories and some modern movies that remind us that humanity’s control over the natural world is tenuous, and that...

We love horror movies because they give us ALL the feels, right? In one film, the whole spectrum of human emotion can be covered—from fear, repulsion, abjection, sorrow and even to humour. But how does this work and what are horror movies doing to us?! In this episode we look to the parasympathetic response, (AKA 'Rest and Digest') to find out exactly how horror is luring us in by trading fear for happy hormones. *This episode does not contain any spoilers

Summer camp slasher movies might be keeping you company these days as us indoor cats avoid the heat. And if you're sitting there in your sweaty tank, wondering why summer camps and camp killers are so popular in horror, this episode entertains a couple theories.  By way of Friday the 13th, The Burning and Sleepaway Camp (mostly) we look at the summer camp as a setting, a character itself and a metaphor for the liminality between adolescence and adulthood (#ahhhdulting!) *Spoilers of Friday...

I watched some great Camp horror over the break (that's Camp with a capital 'C', not the kind about teens being slashed in the woods—the kind about being slashed in the woods and then singing about it in hotpants, just to be clear). Camp horror and Cult Classic horror seem to go hand in hand at times but there IS a difference and we're going to get started with some experts like Susan Sontag to help us sort through it and talk about the films we love but some people really really...

Kimberley Pinzon joins me to discuss her book, Final Girl Redux: A Relaxed Exploration of Women’s Place in Horror. And, as happens when two horror nerds get together, we go into a lot of other ideas and films as well. Kimberly is especially wise in is how gender is portrayed in horror movies and she has new insights you may not have thought of before when it comes to final girls and the representation of all genders in horror films. So get ready to see even your favourite movies in a new...

Does your favourite horror movie pass the test? Maybe it does with you, but what if we're talking about representation and diversity in film (and we are!) Tests like the Bechdel, Mako Mari and the Sexy Lamp test aim to call out lack of representation of race, gender (happy pride!) and disabilities so that we're not left with superficial and flat characters. We want more from our horror, right? Join me to see who will pass or fail miserably [HINT: it's not who you think!] --- Send in a...

Pink Horror is a fierce and expanding subgenre - but what is it exactly? Horror for girls? Rage horror? Feminists on their $#!* again? Author Wendy Dalrymple is championing the genre with her work and support of the writers and film directors who are bringing women's issues to the forefront of horror and, even though you may not think so, it's something for everyone of every background and orientation to enjoy. Wendy gives us more than a peek at pink horror with a robust starter pack of...

Have you heard?! King Charles's 'blood ritual portrait' that has a striking resemblance to Dracula and Vigo the Carpathian in Ghostbusters 2?... ...The Met Gala missed the point of the dystopian short story theme they chose?Gross! ...Also, Stormy Daniels, among other things she's up to lately... is directing horror? Yikes! We gotta talk about this! In this episode we look at current events from this month (and this week!) that have surprising and even shocking horror...

Have you ever heard sparrows described as 'vicious' or 'hateful'? Have you ever thought they could be liminal creatures or soul carriers? Find out more about the dark reputation of this omnipresent and seemingly innocent and sweet little bird in this episode. We'll fly from The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to *spoilers of* Stephen King's The Dark Half to learn more and see sparrows in a whole new spooky way! --- Send in a voice message:...

Does horror make you want to snuggle or want your space? How about this: have you ever heard that horror could "scare us into submission to perform socially acceptable gender roles?" Ummmm, What?! Well, it's all true and wrapped up in a neat little (deceiving) bow called, 'snuggle theory'. And while it sounds super ick to our 2024 ears, we're going to step INTO IT on this episode and find out what it is and if it has any place now in our world or in our horror. --- Send in a...

Y'know those shirts? The ones you might call a 'baseball tee'? Well, they have a name - Raglan Shirts. And the history of the Raglan and Lord Raglan goes back A LOT farther than you think. On this episode I look at the history of the Raglan shirt and why it very often pops up in horror movies. Hint: there's a practical reason - not just a fashionable one. Together we'll complete the compiling of a list of Raglans all over horror movies and prove that it is the quintessential horror...