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Latest episodes from Horror Homeroom Conversations

Environmental Anxiety: Talking Day of the Animals (1977) and Nature's Grave (2007)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 55:09


In this episode, we're exploring the intersection of environmental anxiety and horror cinema via the tangled roots of eco-horror. In Day of the Animals (1977), high altitude radiation stemming from the hole in the ozone layer triggers an animal uprising in the mountains and leaves a group of stranded hikers battling the elements and each other. In Nature's Grave (2007), a troubled couple descends upon a remote beach where their careless and, at times, cruel treatment of the natural world finally causes nature to push back. Both films serve as generative time capsules in understanding our current escalating climate crisis and leave us wondering what happens when the natural world refuses to stay silent. We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned.

The Man Downstairs: Talking Longlegs (2024)

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 50:44


On today's episode, it's Nicholas Cage unleashed to somewhat questionable results in Osgood Perkins' Longlegs.In the film, FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), a woman with possible clairvoyant abilities, is drawn into a series of murder-suicides spanning decades. A Lynchian crime procedural that leans into a fusion of supernatural and religious horror, Longlegs is a highly stylized descent intodarkness that has left audiences divided. We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned.

Smoking, Drinking and Ring Dings: Talking The Stepford Wives (1975)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 54:37


In this episode, plastic smiles and perfectly coiffed doppelgängers are a veneer of perfection obscuring suburban darkness in Bryan Forbes' The Stepford Wives (1975). Based on the novel by Ira Levin (1972), the film follows a woman named Joanna (Katherine Ross), who moves to a seemingly perfect suburban town only to discover that the women are being replaced with emotionless, submissive robots created by their husbands. Blending social commentary, satire and suspense, the film has been criticized for its “vision of feminism.” But given the current political landscape, does its themes deserve reconsideration? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers, so stay tuned.

Down the Rabbit Hole: Talking The Substance (2024)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2025 49:24


With multiple Academy Award nominations under its belt, Coralie Fargeat's The Substance (2024) is one of the most talked-about films of the year. Fusing body horror with a feminist twist, the film follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a Hollywood star celebrating her fiftieth birthday. When she is unexpectedly released from her contract by network executives who suddenly deem her too old to host her long-running aerobics show, Elisabeth turns to "The Substance," a secret serum that promises to rejuvenate her appearance by generating a younger version of herself, named Sue (Margaret Qualley).  But as the two grow to resent each other, it becomes clear that perfection comes with a cost. With awards buzz and an imminent second theatrical run, The Substance is connecting with audiences and critics alike. But is the hype earned? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers, so stay tuned.

A Living Death?: Talking Beetlejuice (1988)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2024 62:14


In today's episode, it's Tim Burton's fever dream masterpiece Beetlejuice—a horror-comedy classic with shades of surrealism that's as colorfully bizarre as its namesake character! The film follows Barbara and Adam Maitland, a recently deceased couple, intent on scaring off the new living occupants of their home, the Deetz family. When their best ghostly efforts prove futile, they decide to enlist the services of Betelgeuse, a freelance bio-exorcist more interested in causing havoc than in helping. With its long awaited sequel set to hit theaters September 6, we're taking a look back at Burton's first commercial success so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Are all creature features the same?: Talking The Great Alligator (1979) and Alligator (1980)

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2024 70:36


In today's episode, it's creature feature, B-movie summer horror with 1979's The Great Alligator and 1980s's Alligator. Despite their very different settings, both films lean into the carnage caused by their snappy, tail-spinning reptilian monsters while simultaneously suggesting that the true villains are more of the two legged variety. But do their eco-critical considerations resonate with today's audiences? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers, so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Gothic Decay: Talking House of Usher (1960)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2024 44:38


In today's episode, Vincent Price helms House of Usher, a dark tale of decay inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's 1839 short story "The Fall of the House of Usher.” Released in 1960 as the first in the Corman-Poe cycle of films, the film follows Phillip as he visits the Usher mansion in the hopes of convincing his runaway fiance, Madeline, to return to him. But his efforts are continually thwarted by Madeline's brother, Roderick, who warns Phillip that marriage to Madeline will result in total, personal destruction. Merging elements of the gothic sensibility that marked Poe's illustrative career with a specific brand of 1960s film affect, House of Usher is a surprisingly overlooked film in the gothic horror canon. But should it be? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned! Recommended Reading: Avelar, Mário. "The Colors of Melancholy in Roger Corman's House of Usher." The Edgar Allan Poe Review 11.1 (2010): 174-181. Hendershot, Cyndy. "Domesticity and Horror in House of Usher and Village of the Damned." Quarterly Review of Film & Video 17.3 (2000): 221-227. Reyes, Xavier Aldana. "Gothic Horror Film, 1960—Present." The Gothic World. Routledge, 2013. 388-398. St. Armand, Barton Levi. "Poe's Landscape of the Soul: Association Theory and" The Fall of the House of Usher"." Modern Language Studies (1977): 32-41. Thompson, James. "Alternative Treasures: The Fall of the House of Usher and The Terror within Roger Corman's Poe Cycle." Journal of Asia-Pacific Pop Culture 6.1 (2021): 168-190. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Born Bad?: Talking A Nightmare on Elm Street 1 & 3

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2024 52:55


In today's episode, “one, two, Freddy's coming for you” in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Chuck  Russell's A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987). In the original 1984 release, a group of teens attempt to outsmart Freddy Krueger, a supernatural killer who stalks them in their dreams. In the 1987 sequel, a band of institutionalized teens attempt to defeat Krueger and save the life of an innocent by intentionally entering Dreamland together to dire consequences. Aided by one of the most famous monsters in horror film canon, the films are considered essential viewing for fans of the slasher film, but is there more to this franchise than gore and Freddy's razor sharp wit? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned. Recommended Reading Christensen, Kyle. "The Final Girl versus Wes Craven's" A Nightmare on Elm Street": Proposing a Stronger Model of Feminism in Slasher Horror Cinema." Studies in Popular Culture 34.1 (2011): 23-47. Gill, Pat. "The monstrous years: Teens, slasher films, and the family." Journal of Film and Video 54.4 (2002): 16-30. Heba, Gary. "Everyday Nightmares: The Rhetoric of Social Horror in the Nightmare on Elm Street Series." Journal of Popular Film and Television 23.3 (1995): 106-115. Kendrick, James. "Razors in the Dreamscape: Revisiting" A Nightmare on Elm Street" and the Slasher Film." Film Criticism 33.3 (2009): 17-33. Nowell, Richard. Blood money: A history of the first teen slasher film cycle. Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2010. Podoshen, Jeffrey Steven. "Home is Where the Horror Is: Wes Craven's Last House on the Left and A Nightmare on Elm Street." Quarterly Review of Film and Video 35.7 (2018): 722-729. Shimabukuro, Karra. "The Bogeyman of Your Nightmares: Freddy Krueger's Folkloric Roots." Studies in Popular Culture 36.2 (2014): 45-65. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Christmas Horror: Talking Better Watch Out (2016) and It's a Wonderful Knife (2023)

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023 58:30


In today's episode, festive cheer gets a bloody makeover in Chris Peckover's Better Watch Out (2016) and Tyler MacIntyre's It's a Wonderful Knife (2023). A subgenre of horror that turns beloved seasonal traditions into nightmarish fodder, Christmas horror is rife with malevolent Santas, homicidal elves, and many, many angry snowmen. But what happens when the source of the horror in these films takes a much more human form?  We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Sloths Gone Wild: Talking Slotherhouse (2023)

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2023 42:14


In today's episode, it's an old school horror-comedy romp with Matthew Goodhue's Slotherhouse (2023). The plot revolves around Alpha, a homicidal three-toed sloth who is abducted from her home in the Panamanian jungle by poachers. Upon killing Oliver, one of the poachers, she is taken in by Emily who believes Alpha just might be her ticket to the sorority house presidency. But when Alpha discovers Emily looking chummy with Oliver in an Instagram post, she unleashes her fury on the unsuspecting sorority house. With some fans and critics lambasting the film as the dumbest story ever committed to film and others declaring it the best horror film of the year, Slotherhouse is, to put it mildly, divisive. We're breaking it all down with spoilers, so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

The Devil Inside: Talking The Exorcist (1973)

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 57:53


In today's episode, we are finally tackling the film Roger Ebert called “a raw and painful experience” that “transcends the genre of terror, horror, and the supernatural.” We are, of course, talking about William Friedkin's The Exorcist (1973). Based on William Peter Blatty's novel of the same name, the film is an acknowledged classic trafficking in body horror and demonic possession, scenes of which have morphed into head turning, pea-soup laced pop culture shorthand. But is there more to this story than meets the eye? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned. References/Mentioned in this Episode Clover, Carol J. Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film-Up. Princeton University Press, 2015. Collative Learning. The even darker underbelly of THE EXORCIST - film analysis. YouTube, 24 January 2017. Ebert, Roger. “The Exorcist.” RogerEbert.com, 23 December 1973. Happy Haunts Library, YouTube, 2023. Heffernan, Ryan. “The 9 Most Hilarious 'The Exorcist' Parodies in Movies and TV Shows.” Collider, 9 October 2023. Schuetz, Janice. "“The exorcist”: Images of good and evil." Western Journal of Communication (includes Communication Reports) 39.2 (1975): 92-101. Williams, Marlena. Night Mother: A Personal and Cultural History of The Exorcist. Mad Creek Books, 2023. Faces of Fear: Encounters with the Creators of Modern Horror. Berkley Trade, 1985, pp. 36-49. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

A Hand to Hold: Talking Talk to Me (2023)

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2023 46:08


In today's episode, Australian horror takes center stage courtesy of Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou's Talk to Me (2023). In the film, Mia, who is grappling with the imminent second anniversary of her mother's death, attends a party with Jade, her best friend, and Riley, Jade's brother. There, they are given the opportunity to commune with the spirit world via an embalmed hand. Predictably, things do not go according to plan. With unrelenting hype and a domestic box office gross outpacing other A24 releases, the film is a potent hybrid of gore and dread but is it the best horror film of the year so far? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Always Check Your Candy: Talking Trick 'r Treat

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2023 46:20


In today's episode, we're kicking off the spooky season with Michael Dougherty's Trick 'r Treat (2007). Told in an anthology format with non-linear storytelling, the film is a virtual shoutout to Halloween lore making it a cult classic among horror fans. But does it deserve its reputation? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned! Mentioned in this episode: Keetley, Dawn. “Trick or Treating in Halloween Movies.” Horror Homeroom, 7 October 2016.  McIntosh, Matthew A. “Samhain: The Celtic Inspiration for Modern Halloween.” Brewminate: A Bold Blend of News and Ideas, 30 October 2020. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Flesh and Blood: Talking Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2023 48:41


In today's episode, it's part two of our deep dive into shark horror with Renny Harlin's Deep Blue Sea (1999). Blending science fiction with horror, the film follows a crew of researchers as they try to replicate in sharks the brain cells of people with Alzheimer's Disease. Predictably, the experiment does not end well. Known for its divisive heroine, campy reinterpretation of animal attack tropes, and some truly epic CGI sharks, Deep Blue Sea is the rare shark horror film that resists demonizing the sharks. But is that a good thing? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers, so stay tuned!  Mentioned in this episode: Sign the petition to have release its footage of the original ending to Deep Blue Sea Our podcast on Crawl (2019) Tugan, Nuray Hilal. “Neoconservativism in the Science-Fiction Cinema: The Representation of Neoconservativism in Deep Blue Sea (1999).” International Journal of Eurasia Social Sciences / Uluslararasi Avrasya Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, vol. 9, no. 31, 2018. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Blood in the Water: Talking Shark Night (2011) & The Shallows (2016)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2023 55:25


In today's episode, we are diving into the depths of cinematic terror with Jaume Collet-Serra's The Shallows (2016) and David R. Ellis's Shark Night (2011). In The Shallows, a young woman on a pilgrimage to her late mother's favorite surf haunt finds herself stranded on a rock as she faces off against a relentless great white shark. In Shark Night, a group of unsuspecting friends gather for a little lakeside R&R, only to find themselves being stalked by an assortment of toothy terrors. While both films ostensibly fall under the subgenre of ‘shark horror,' their differing approaches have us considering the utility of the ‘shark as monster' trope. Do these films offer up waters chummed with spine-tingling suspense and jaws-dropping scares? We're finding out in today's spoiler filled episode, so stay tuned! CITED IN EPISODE  BERGER, JOHN. "WHY LOOK AT ANIMALS?." LITERATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT; LEMNAGER, S., SHEWRY, T. EDS (1980): 32-42. CLASEN, MATHIAS. EVOLUTIONARY STUDY OF HORROR LITERATURE FUCHS, MICHAEL. LOOKING THROUGH THE BEASTS EYES?: THE DIALECTICS OF SEEING THE MONSTER AND BEING SEEN BY THE MONSTER IN SHARK HORROR MOVIES LATTANZIO, RYAN. JOHN CARPENTER HAS NO IDEA WHAT THE TERM 'ELEVATED HORROR' MEANS RELATED REVIEWS AND ESSAYS OF INTEREST HORROR REWATCH: DEEP BLUE SEA (1999) JAWS, THE SLASHER, AND THE ENCOUNTER AT THE HEART OF HORROR JERSEY SHORE SHARK ATTACK (2012) REVIEW MAKO: THE JAWS OF DEATH (1976) REVIEW SHARKANSAS WOMEN'S PRISON MASSACRE GETS IT SOOO RIGHT SHARK HORROR, PART 1: NATURALISTIC HORROR SHARK HORROR, PART 2: THE SHARK IN THE HUMAN WORLD THE BLACK DEMON: SHARK HORROR MEETS FOLK HORROR UP FROM THE DEPTHS (1979) FILM REVIEW --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Platformed Dread: Talking Influencer (2023)

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2023 48:32


In today's episode, it's a disturbing journey into the misleading world of social media courtesy of Kurtis David Harder's Influencer (2023). The story follows social media influencer Madison (Emily Tennant), who is in Thailand for what was supposed to be a romantic getaway with her boyfriend, Ryan (Rory J. Saper). But her lonely and mundane reality is shown to be completely at odds with the exciting, friend-filled adventures she portrays online. When a chance meeting with local CW (Cassandra Naud) offers Madison an opportunity to turn her lies into truth, she embarks on a dark journey where image is definitely not everything. Equal parts eviscerating indictment of influencer culture and cautionary tale about the importance of skepticism, Influencer is a film specifically of its time. But is that a good thing? We're breaking it all down today with spoilers, so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

A Disaster of a Movie: Talking Godzilla (1998)

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2023 46:21


On today's episode, we're diving into the magnificent world of creature features with 1998's Godzilla. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film takes the famous monster's story and puts a decidedly American spin on it to questionable results. We're talking about historical revisionism and what makes a really bad horror film on today's episode so stay tuned! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Where are all the bodies?: Talking Barbarian (2022)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2023 63:19


In today's episode, we're diving into Zach Creggar's Barbarian (2022). Told in a three act structure, Barbarian vacillates between realism and absurdism in what is arguably one of the most unique horror films to drop in recent years. Following three characters and their relationship to a house located in the Detroit neighborhood of Brightmoor, the film plays with genre hybridity while also offering a powerful indictment of the power of cultural norms to mask what lurks beneath the surface. We're breaking it all down today with spoilers so stay tuned! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

A Return to Nihilism: Talking Smile (2022)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2023 55:41


In today's episode, we're diving into Smile (2022), a film that has almost single-handedly reinvigorated debate over the importance of trigger warnings.  Written and directed by Parker Finns, the film follows Rose (Sosie Bacon), a doctor who cares for patients at a psychiatric facility while navigating her own mental health journey. Following the death by suicide of a patient in her care, Rose begins to suspect that she is the new target of a demonic entity who won't be happy until she's dead. With its nod to the uncanny and gruesome death scenes, Smile is a horror movie explicitly about trauma but is it also about something more? We're breaking it all down today, so stay tuned.  Please be aware that this episode contains spoilers and a discussion on suicide. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

Before Norman Bates: Talking the Spiral Staircase (1946)

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2023 55:40


In today's episode, it is early horror with an unexpected feminist twist in 1946's The Spiral Staircase, directed by Robert Siodmak. Set in 1906, the film follows Helen (Dorothy McGuire), a woman with traumatic mutism, who cares for Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore), the difficult and bedridden lady of the manor. When a serial killer begins killing off women with so-called afflictions, Helen is warned that she may be next. Adapted from Ethel Lina White's novel Some Must Watch (1933), the film takes up themes such as disability and masculinity while simultaneously challenging the notion that the modern slasher film began with Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). We're breaking it all down today with spoilers, so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/horror-homeroom/support

But She's a Star!: Talking Pearl (2022)

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2023 46:21


In today's episode, it's an old-Hollywood tinged journey into repression and murder via Ti West's Pearl, the sequel to his massively successful X. Set against the final days of World War 1, the film follows Pearl (Mia Goth), a young woman who feels trapped by her mundane farm life and who yearns to take her place alongside the Big Screen stars she idolizes. But when those dreams get dashed, the film segues into unadulterated horror territory. With its sympathetic look at madness and its homage to the Golden Age of film, Pearl is a character study that all but ensures that you will never look at a scarecrow the same way again. We're going to spoil the hell out of this film, so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horror-homeroom/support

A Divisive Slasher: Talking Sick (2022)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2023 45:34


In today's episode, the Horror Homeroom crew dives into John Hyam's SICK (2022). Situated in the early days of the pandemic, the film follows friends Parker and Miri as they quarantine at a remote lake house owned by Parker's parents. They are joined unexpectedly by DJ, Parker's friend with benefits, who is eager to make their relationship exclusive. But their idyllic reprieve is soon interrupted when an unexpected threat starts stalking them. We're going to spoil the hell out of it today so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horror-homeroom/support

Time to Start Running: Talking Cirque Berzerk (2020)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2023 27:21


In this condensed episode, Dawn and Liz are chatting about 2020's CIRQUE BERZERK by Jessica Guess. Part of the 'Rewind or Die' series, the story takes place 30 years after a group of kids went on a killing spree at a local carnival; a massacre that left a dozen people dead. Decades after the tragedy, a group of students, including best friends Sam and Rochelle, decide to visit the theme park for one last hurrah. But sometimes, the past refuses to stay dead. We're going to spoil the hell out of this book, so stay tuned! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horror-homeroom/support

Rewriting the Slasher: Talking They/Them (2022)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2022 59:58


In this episode, we're deep diving into John Logan's highly polarizing They/Them (2022). A slasher film that takes place at a conversion camp, the film drew early criticism on social media with many wondering if there aren't some topics that should be off limits. But what does that mean for a genre like horror that is predicated on exploring taboo and violating social norms? We're spoiling the hell out of this movie, so stay tuned! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horror-homeroom/support

The Taboo of Aging: Talking "X" (2022)

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2022 62:48


In this episode, horror and pornography become not so strange bedfellows in Ti West's "X". A love letter to 1970s low budget filmmaking, the movie blends humor, heart and lots of boobs to create a shockingly effective meditation on the complexities of aging. We're going to spoil the hell out of this film today so stay tuned. Join us at Horror Homeroom for more in-depth horror analysis! Follow us on social media: Facebook Twitter Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horror-homeroom/support

The Other Bad Seed: Talking Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2021 40:10


On today's episode it's creepy kids meets arthouse violence with 1976's Alice, Sweet Alice. Arguably more Giallo than classic slasher, this film merges religious iconography with straight up taboo to reflect a specifically 1970s horror sensibility. But despite a rabid cult fanbase, this movie never quite ascended to the heights of other well known slashers of the era but why? We're breaking it all down on today's episode so stay tuned. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horror-homeroom/support

Suburban Nightmare: Talking The Stepfather (1987)

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2021 41:40


In this episode, we are heading back to 1987 with Joseph Ruben's The Stepfather. Inspired by the horrific murders committed by John List, this movie doesn't just deconstruct the myth of the nuclear family, it detonates it...and sets it to a slamming 80s soundtrack. We're talking conservative values run amuck on this episode, so stay tuned! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horror-homeroom/support

stepfathers john list joseph ruben suburban nightmare
Meet Frendo: Talking CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD (2020)

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2020 32:40


How much do we love Adam Cesare's CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD (2020)? So much that we braved Zoom just to bring you this episode! From its in the moment politics to its creative deployment of slasher tropes, Dawn and Liz are explaining why this novel deserves its buzz on this episode so stay tuned! SPOILERS ABOUND IN THIS EPISODE SO TAKE HEED. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/horror-homeroom/support

The Kids Are Not Alright: Talking The Prodigy and Eli

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2020 45:58


Killer kids take center stage in this episode in which we break down The Prodigy and Eli. Both dropping in 2019, these films center children and evil in ways that both reflect and challenge conventional depictions of childhood monstrosity. So stay tuned!

Love Hurts: Talking My Bloody Valentine (1981 and 2009)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2020 51:27


On today's episode love hurt as we look at the Canadian slasher My Bloody Valentine (1981), as well as its 2009 3D American remake. Quintessential slashers, these films demonstrate that although the tropes remain the same, there is a generational divide in how they are deployed. We're celebrating Valentine's Day the way it was intended on this episode with blood, gore, and a perfectly placed body in a dryer so stay tuned!

Wedding Woes: Talking Ready or Not (2019)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2020 39:21


One of the standout horror films of 2019, READY OR NOT was an unexpected hit with both fans and critics. Directed by the duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, this foray into generational lore and unrestrained privilege offers up an intriguing blend of campy gore and pointed black humor that feels particularly relevant in Trump's America. We’re talking satire, devil iconography and the importance of a killer costume in this episode, so stay tuned!

Polarizing Politics: Talking Black Christmas (2019)

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2019 54:01


What happens when feminists dislike a feminist anthem horror film? We're finding out today in our discussion on Black Christmas, the latest adaptation of the 1974 slasher that has grown to be a cult favorite. Directed by Sophia Takal, whose impassioned defense of the film’s PG-13 rating on Twitter launched debate over whether a horror film needs to be rated R to be enjoyable, the film draws explicitly on the #MeToo era. But is it effective? We’re talking political horror, Joe Bob Briggs and the importance of audience spectatorship on this episode, so stay tuned!

Indie Darlings: Talking Sweetheart (2019) and Spiral (2019)

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2019 40:57


On today’s episode we’re handling with scare two film festival darlings: Kurtis David Harder’s Spiral and J.D. Dillard’s Sweetheart. Genre hybrids with political messages very much in the cultural zeitgeist, both films are currently garnering buzz on social media. But do they deserve the accolades? We’re talking movie monsters, Republicans and representation in this episode, so stay tuned!

Scaredy Cats: Talking What Terrifies Us

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2019 56:45


In this special episode of Horror Homeroom Conversations, we're talking about what movies have scared the hell out of us over the years. From irascible aliens to malevolent ghosts to religious zealots, we're breaking down our biggest fears and talking about why it is that we are so drawn to horror.

Schlock & Shock: Talking the Creepshow Franchise

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2019 65:04


Greetings thrill shriekers! In this episode of Horror Homeroom Conversations, we're adding some shlock to our shock by reconsidering the Creepshow franchise. Beloved and reviled in equal measure for its decidedly campy love letter to EC horror comics of the 1950s, Creepshow is arguably still the standard for cinematic anthology horror. But does it deserve its accolades? We’re debating the franchise’s legacy and why the films still make our hearts go flopsy when we contemplate your sweet autopsy. So stay tuned!

Weaponized Women: Talking The Curse of La Llorona (2019)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2019 43:01


On today's episode we're talking The Curse of La Llorona (2019), Michael Chaves' ode to the popular Mexican folk story in which a ghostly woman in white stalks and kills young children. Does this horror film introduce some much needed LatinX representation into American horror film or does its potential go unmet? And how does the film's positioning of a white woman as the heroine impact audience spectatorship? We’re a divided Horror Homeroom crew on this episode, so stay tuned!

Jaw Crushing Horror: Talking Crawl (2019)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2019 47:32


In today's episode, we’re wading into Alexandre Aja’s Crawl. Now, we all know that Jaws made a generation afraid to go into the ocean, but does this film’s ode to bloodthirsty alligators offer up a similar heart-pounding experience? And why are we so afraid of what lurks within the water? We’re giving some gator love on this episode, so stay tuned!

Unapologetic Disability: Talking Freaks (1932)

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2019 47:27


In this episode, we're talking about Tod Browning's 1932 landmark film, Freaks, and it's still controversial today depictions of disability.

School's Out Summer Special: Queer Horror & Our Top 10 LGBTQ+ films

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2019 62:11


In part two of our School's Out series for June, we're looking at how queerness has been represented in horror films and discussing why these depictions matter. We're also giving our list of top 10 non-horror LGBTQ+ films.

School's Out Summer Special: But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) and Psycho Beach Party (2000)

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2019 61:24


In part one of our School's Out series for June, we're pairing one horror film with one non-horror film in order to show the fluidity of the genre. In this episode, we're celebrating Pride 2019 by breaking down all the components that make But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) and Psycho Beach Party (2000) so darn irresistible.

Sex, Guns, Gore & cameos: Our Top 10 Favorite Exploitation Horror Films (Bonus Episode)

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2019 36:08


Given its traditional focus on extreme violence and gratuitous sexuality, exploitation horror isn't for everyone. Our lists run the gamut from soul-crushing nihilism to campy silliness and to everything in between!

Eat 'Em All: Talking the Piranha Franchise

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2019 64:36


Think Jaws is the scariest reason to stay out of the water? Well, think again! In today’s episode, we’re deep diving into the Piranha franchise. A glorious mixture of exploitation and, at times, shockingly relevant social critique, Piranha is often dismissed as an uninspired parody but does it deserve that label? We’re breaking it all down on today’s episode so stay tuned!

Senior Scares: Our Top 10 Favorite "Old" Characters in Horror (Bonus Episode)

Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2019 28:08


Spinsters, witches, and hags, oh my! In many films, aging is a transgressive state but what does it mean to be "old" in horror and why are these characters more often than not female? In today's bonus episode, we're celebrating May being Older Americans Month by counting down our top ten favorite elderly characters in horror!

Retro Dread: Talking The Final Girls (2015) and Summer of 84 (2018)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2019 46:39


It's a totally bitchin' two for one on this episode of Horror Homeroom Conversations in which we head back to the 1980s with Todd Strauss-Schulson’s The Final Girls (2015) and François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell’s Summer of 84 (2018). Criminally underrated, both films deploy depictions of nostalgia in order to reflect and then disrupt audience expectation of Reagan's America. In doing so, each film reveals a surprising depth that challenges horror film conventions.

retro dread final girls criminally simard summer of 84 todd strauss schulson yoann karl whissell
Eco-Horror: Our Top 10 Movies (Bonus Episode)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2019 25:16


In honor of Earth Day, Gwen and Liz are counting down their top 10 picks for the best of the best in eco-horror. We're covering B-movie creature features, low budget "trash" films, harrowing contagion movies, and so much more!

Erasing Empathy: Talking Pet Sematary (2019)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2019 48:01


The Horror Homeroom crew rarely agrees completely on a film but in this case, we're unanimous in our criticism of the latest adaptation of Stephen King's 'Pet Sematary.' From its privileging of male grief via the systematic erasure of adult female characters to its deeply misguided use of the Wendigo, this film had us wondering if perhaps dead is better when it comes to horror remakes.

1970s Horror: Our Top 10 Movies (Bonus Episode)

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2019 18:16


1970s horror was a wild ride of gritty realism, nudity, questionable production quality, and original storytelling. It was also the era in which former A list stars popped up with alarming frequency. In this bonus episode, we're ranking our top 10 favorite films from the decade.

Doppelgängers of Death: Talking Us (2019)

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2019 45:11


Jordan Peele’s Us has inspired a multitude of think pieces dissecting everything from its ridiculously good soundtrack to its striking visuals to its very open to interpretation plot. While few would argue its status as an interesting film, does that make it a good horror movie? We’re a divided crew on this episode of Horror Homeroom Conversations!

1990s Horror: Our Top 10 Movies (Bonus Episode)

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2019 18:35


On this bonus episode of Horror Homeroom Conversations, we’re journeying back to the time of Bill Clinton, grunge and Barney the dinosaur. An admittedly divisive era in American horror film, the 1990s gave us a number of unforgettable films whose cultural impact is still being felt. Whether you consider the decade the boring counterpart to the 1980s or whether you dig the referential humor that marked the period, there is something for everyone on today’s episode so stay tuned!

Breaking & Entering: Talking The People Under the Stairs (1991) & Don't Breathe (2016)

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2019 51:43


In this episode of Horror Homeroom Conversations, we’re delving into the connective tissue that links Wes Craven’s 1991 The People Under the Stairs with Fede Álvarez’s 2016 Don’t Breathe. While both films feature protagonists breaking into homes only to discover unexpected horrors, do they send similar messages? And how do the urban environments depicted in the films factor into that messaging? We’re breaking it all down on today’s episode so stay tuned!

1980s Horror: Our Top 10 Movies (Bonus Episode)

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2019 20:16


In this bonus episode, we've challenged ourselves to do the impossible: we're ranking our top 10 horror movies from the 80s!

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