This month we’re tackling “found footage” horror films and shaking it up right out of the gate by first discussing this year’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, directed by Jane Schoenbrun. We cover the evolution of found footage, internet storytelling culture and how the kind of low-key horror in this form opens up exploration.
Episode 03.10: Near Dark
We wrap up our discussion of 80s horror by going deep into one of the decade’s most idiosyncratic offerings: Kathryn Bigelow’s solo directorial debut from 1987, Near Dark. Let’s talk incredible vibes, the ongoing evolution of the vampire, and Bill f-ing Paxton.
Episode 03.10M: 80s Horror
This month is all about horror films from the 80s. We each talk about a film we find interesting from the era: Jen brings The Hunger and Jessi discusses Inferno—both of which, coincidentally, are part of the current 80s Horror collection streaming on the Criterion Channel.
Episode 03.09: Favorite Horror
Happy Halloween! This month we each brought a film that was influential in our love of horror film. Since our picks were secrets to the other one before recording, we’ll keep the bit going and let you discover what films we chose to discuss for yourself.
Episode 03.09M: The Tingler
Happy October! This month we’re doing something slightly different and discussing some of our favorite horror movies that we’ve never talked about on the podcast before. To get warmed up, we chat about the Vincent Price classic The Tingler and what we all get out of watching scary movies in the first place.
Episode 03.08: What’s the Matter with Helen?
We continue our discussion of the Hag Horror genre with one of its underappreciated gems: What’s the Matter with Helen? Come for Debbie Reynolds dancing, stay for Shelley Winters losing her mind.
Episode 03.08M: Strait-Jacket
It’s time for Hagsploitation. We discuss why we unironically love this genre of psychological horror featuring grand dame actresses, starting with Joan Crawford in Strait-Jacket. Find the right axe to match your pearls and join in.
Episode 03.07: The Innocents
A classic of psychological horror, 1961’s The Innocents is a delicious mix of all the things we love to talk about: ghosts, sexual deviancy, women losing their minds, etc. We also cover the roots of the story from Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw as well as how everyone loved to get all Freudian in the 50s.
Episode 03.07M: Eye of the Cat
Who wouldn’t like to chat about elaborate murder plots, sexual deviancy and cats? We gear up for our discussion of this month’s full-length episode on The Innocents with a mini episode on 1969’s Eye of the Cat.
Episode 03.06: A Dark Song
This month we’re covering films with the theme of a loss of a child, and A Dark Song ratchets this theme to a whole new level of transformation. We discuss its complex characterizations, evolving emotions and transcendent turns.