Spooky Bitch Gang

The Philippou Brothers' follow-up to the record smashing hit Talk to Me is here and it's grosser, weirder and... sadder? We investigate the powerful melancholy of Bring Her Back, which is both a terrifying gross-out horror movie and a nuanced, thoughtful exploration of grief. Also includes discussion of The Front Room (2024), Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973), and Stalked by My Amish Boyfriend (2024)Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Renowned for their low budget "mockbusters" and their absurd creature features, we take a look at the unusual place The Asylum occupies in the horror canon. What do these often bizarre, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, always unpredictable films say about art, commerce and the tastes of horror fans?Also includes discussions of Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025), Skincare (2024), The Children of the Dead aka Die Kinder der Toten (novel 1995, film 2019), Hillside Cannibals (2006), When a Killer Calls (2006), Invasion of the Pod People (2007), Paranormal Entity (2009), Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (2012), Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014), Clown (2019) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

We've got our finger on the pulse as we investigate two brand new movies - Final Destination: Bloodlines and Clown in a Cornfield. The sixth instalment in a belovedly camp splatter franchise and possible franchise-starter based on a novel make great fodder for a discussion of what actually makes a good horror movie. Through Final Destination: Bloodlines and Clown in a Cornfield, we get a strong picture of what horror is like in that space between mainstream and cult audiences.Also includes discussions of W.R. The Mysteries of the Organism (1971), The Rule of Jenny Pen (2025) and Rebecca (novel, 1938, film 1940).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

As thanks for being a part of the Spooky cult, we're exploring the horror and mystique around cults, sects and New Religious Movements. Charismatic leaders, blind devotion and Flavor-Aid feature as we unpack the mechanisms of indoctrination and wonder if it would ever work on us.Features discussions of Sinners (2025), Until Dawn (2025), Thirst (1979), Santa Sangre (1989), Suicide Club (2001), The Sacrament (2013), The Invitation (2015), The Void (2016) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Drop, the latest film from Christopher Landon (Paranormal Activity, Happy Death Day, Freaky), is a nail biter in the classic sense. We talk about this rollercoaster ride's tropes on motherhood and femininity, its big reaches, and its self-dating use of memes.Also includes discussions of Lovely, Dark & Deep (2024),The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales (1960), the 2025 Fantastic Film Festival program and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Nothing is certain but death, taxes and going to the doctor. We investigate the ways in which the medical system has carved out its own horrifying niche in the horror canon. Surgery, sickness and sinister doctors abound. Includes discussions of Afraid (2023), The Unholy Three (1925), Eyes without a Face (1960), The Curious Dr. Humpp (1969), Flatliners (1990), The Kingdom (1994), The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005), Excision (2012) and Grafted (2024).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of what might be the greatest Australian film of all time - Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock. Full of tantalising mystery and suggestions of dark, cosmic horror, what is the allure of this oblique dream of femininity and disappearance?We also discuss the novel and the stage adaptation.Also includes discussions of Dead Calm (1989) and Se7en (1995).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Our fungal friends seem purpose-built for horror, but our they have only a small filmography. We investigate the creepiest, gooiest appearances by mushrooms and mould in horror movies.Includes discussions of The Watchers (2024), Spider Baby (1967), The Vourdalak (2023), The Unknown Terror (1957), Matango (1963), Splinter (2008), Superdeep (2020), Gaia (2021) and The Spore (2021).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Oz Perkins' follow-up to last year's Longlegs is an ambitious, hilarious left turn into absurdity. We discuss this deceptively complex movie's Biblical allusions and its exploration of the inevitability of death.Also includes discussions of Heart Eyes (2025), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Notting Hill (1999) and The Barefoot Contessa (1954).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

You can't swing a crucifix in this town with hitting a Satanic cult, so we're taking a  look at this horror staple. Turns out Satan and his followers come in all shapes and sizes!Includes discussions of Presence (2025), Companion (2025), Faust (1926), Night of the Demon a.k.a Curse of the Demon (1957), If Footmen Tire You, What Will Horses Do? (1971), Hungry Wives (1972), The Devil's Rain (1975), Race with the Devil (1975), The Sentinel (1977) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

We're getting all nostalgic over what was an absolutely sick year for horror. Join us as we count down our individual top 10s of the best horror (and horror adjacent) movies of 2024.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu went from unauthorised Dracula adaptation to one of the sacred texts of horror. We look at the 100-year-old masterpiece and the remakes by Werner Herzog and Robert Eggers, investigating the context and themes of each one. Nosferatu's vision of vampirism is as eternal as war, plague, paranoia and death itself.Also includes discussions of Oddity (2024), Black Cab (2024) and Cure (1997).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

It's hard out here for a biddy! We're taking a look at movies featuring older woman going psycho. Known also as hagsploitation, these movies may have a problematic view of women, but in hindsight do they reveal something empowering?Includes discussions of Strange Darling (2024), Witches (2024), Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), Strait-Jacket (1964), Fanatic a.k.a. Die, Die My Darling! (1965), Flesh Feast (1970), What's the Matter with Helen (1971), Serial Mom (1994) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

A24's latest contribution to the horror genre is the dialogue-heavy, slightly bonkers Heretic. We discuss the Hugh Grant-starring film's unique takes on religion, pop culture and gender. Also includes discussions of Fear the Spotlight (video game, 2024), MadS (2024) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

CONTENT WARNING: Contains references to childhood sexual assaultThe scarecrow seems to be a horror icon on the surface, but this oddball's repertoire is inconsistent and relatively small. We take a look at scarecrows in a selection of horror movies and wonder why the spooky straw man seems to lack a clear identity. Includes discussions of Smile 2 (2024), The Hollow Watcher (1961), Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981), The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight (novel, 1994, TV episode, 1996), Kakashi (2001), Hallowed Ground (2007), Husk (2011) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

How did this gross, cartoonish body horror movie ending up being one of the year's major film events? We discuss all the silliness and viscera of The Substance, unpacking its satirical intent and feminist themes. Does its stylisation get in the way of its characters? Does its message get lost in melt movie goo?Plus Two Spooks & a Lie featuring Australian horror gun Enzo Tedeschi.Also includes discussions of Don't Look Now (1973), The Stuff (1985), Coherence (2013) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Take a trip back in time to the heyday of the iconic British production company Hammer Film Productions. Between the mid-50s and the early 70s, Hammer left an indelible mark on horror, with hits that were sexy, lurid, gothic and campy. We take a look at the lasting impact and sometimes questionable politics of a small selection of Hammer Horror films. Includes discussions of David Cronenberg's novel Consumed, Blow Out (1981), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), Taste of Fear (1961), The Gorgon (1964), The Devil Rides Out (1968), The Vampire Lovers (1970), Hands of the Ripper (1971) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Subtitle haters and subtitle lovers are at odds over the new James McAvoy vehicle Speak No Evil, a remake of a film that in some circles is already a minor classic. We unpack the pitch black satire of both, very different versions of Speak No Evil. Also includes discussions of Something in the Water (2024) and Strange Darling (2024).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

In this episode, we take a look at movies that explore all the ins and outs of bearing a child. Turns out the beginnings of life might be not-so-secretly horrifying. What commentary can horror movies offer on pregnancy, abortion and motherhood itself?Includes discussions of In a Violent Nature (2024), Blink Twice (2024), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), The Suckling (1990), Inside (2007), Prevenge (2016), Baby Ruby (2022), Birth/Rebirth (2023), The Deliverance (2024) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Everyone is talking about the latest instalment in the Alien franchise. How does the classic Alien formula of popcorn action plus compelling characters fare in this new iteration? Is Alien: Romulus a return to form or a sad attempt at recapturing the magic? Also includes discussions of The Coffee Table (2024), Woman in the Dunes (1964) and Kidnapping in the Grand Canyon (2023).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Once again, we're taking a look at the rich tapestry of movies that is white people getting stuck places. Going from microgenre to macrogenre, it feels like these movie are unavoidable and this time we've got some bangers. Where did they get stuck and where will they get stuck next?Includes discussions of Trap (2024), The Coffee Table (2024), Lord of the Flies (1963), Lady in a Cage (1964), P2 (2007), 12 Feet Deep (2017), Oxygen (2021), Holy Shit! (2022) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

With the most impressive viral marketing campaign since Skinamarink, Osgood Perkins' Longlegs was a sensation long before anyone even knew Nicolas Cage was involved. We discuss the good and the bad of this fascinating and ambitious film and wonder if it ever had a chance of living up to the hype.Also includes discussions of Twisters (2024), Messiah of Evil (1973) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

He's big, he's hairy and he lives in the woods. No it's not another Russell Crowe movie; it's Bigfoot, Sasquatch, the yeti, yowie, and more. We discuss some of the hairy forest-dweller's onscreen appearances, and what we've learned about Bigfoot's (and similar monsters') place in the pop culture canon.Includes discussions of A Quiet Place: Day One (2024), The Abominable Snowman (1957), The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972), Abominable (2006), Willow Creek (2013), There's Something in the Pilliga (2014), Exists (2014) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Was anyone asking for another exorcism-based horror movie starring Russell Crowe? Well, we got one anyway! This time it's a bit meta with a personal connection to a certain venerated classic. We take a look at Crowe's latest foray into the horror genre and wonder if the exorcism sub-genre is all dried up. Plus some Sydney Film Festival highlights and the return of 2 Spooks and a Lie!Includes discussions of Hunting Daze (2024), Under Paris (2024), The Substance (2024) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

M.  Night Shyamalan's breakthrough feature is twenty-five years old this year. Does the rapturous acclaim it received at release still hold up today, or has its maverick director run out of goodwill? We talk about its quirks, its lasting influence, and what makes it a great horror movie. Also includes discussions of The Witch's Mirror a.k.a El espejo de la bruja (1960) and Unfrosted (2024).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

These movies might not be technically horror, but they definitely scratch the same part of our brain that wants thrills, chills and mayhem. Disaster movies pit humanity against some of its harshest challenges. What is revealed when everything is stripped away from the human spirit?Includes discussions of Tarot (2024), Sleep Has Her House (2017), Deluge (1933), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Submersion of Japan a.k.a. Japan Sinks (1973), The Last Wave (1977), The Quiet Earth (1985), Melancholia (2011), Sharknado (2013) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is one of the most recognisable cult films of all time and beloved by many. We take a closer look at the themes, story, and possible problems with the radical queer musical. How does something this groundbreaking and beloved hold up and what can it offer us in the 21st Century?Also includes discussions of Slay (2024), Infested (2023), Yannick (2024) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

We can't live without technology, but is that a good thing? The most rapidly changing  facet of our existence offers fertile ground for exploring all kinds of horrifying things. We're entering the virtual world and talking about how TV, computers, robots and more define and complicate our existence. Includes discussions of The Stepford Wives (1975), The Demon Seed (1977), Videodrome (1984), Chopping Mall (1986), The Lawnmower Man (1992), Brainscan (1994) and more. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Nearly fifty years on, The First Omen gives us a prequel to horror classic The Omen and it may surprise you to know it's really good! Turning the familiar story into an alarming feminist tale, the film grapples with some massive themes. We talk about its unique and referential take on the genre.Also includes discussions of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), Love Lies Bleeding (2024) and You'll Never Find Me (2024).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

In this episode, the gang takes a look behind the veil of reality into thought-provoking, madness-inducing cosmic horror. How does the vast possibility of the universe put our puny little lives into focus? What happens when humans transcend their place in space and time? How come everything is still misogynistic?Includes discussions of Inside (2023), Margeaux (2022), Starship Troopers (1997), Altered States (1980), From Beyond (1986), In the Mouth of Madness (1994), Event Horizon (1997), The Call of Cthulhu (2005), Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010), Spring (2014) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

The latest film from Blumhouse is a romp through childhood anxieties and family drama. Is this new wave of PG-horror a cynical cash grab or an important development in the horror landscape? We break down Jeff Wadlow's Imaginary through its odd story beats, excellent creature design and often bizarre visuals.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Sometimes the scariest creature is out there in the wild or living right in your house! In this episode, we're looking at some of the killer animals in the horror canon and how they relate to our experiences as humans. Includes discussions of Karen (2021), Baghead (2023), Night Swim (2024), The Beast (2023), The Birds (1963), Sssssss (1973), Grizzly (1976), Long Weekend (1978), Cujo (1983), Razorback (1984), Monkey Shines (1988), Piranha 3D (2010) and more. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

That's right, another year has passed and we've all grown older, wiser and sexier. We celebrate the year that was by counting down our top 10 spooky movies of 2023.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

In our final episode for 2023, we unpack some of the horror movies set on and inspired by our favourite holidays. There are plenty of Christmas creeps, as well as bloody valentines, an April fool or two and more.Includes discussions of Leave the World Behind (2023), Poor Things (2023), Godzilla Minus One (2023), Black Christmas (1974), My Bloody Valentine (1981), April Fools' Day (1986), Blood Rage (1987), Dial Code Santa Claus aka Deadly Games (1989), Rare Exports (2010), Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022), It's a Wonderful Knife (2023) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Eli Roth's long-gestating film is here and it might be his best work. We discuss this potential franchise-starter and its place in the slasher canon.Also includes discussions of When Evil Lurks (2023) and T-Blockers (2023).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Holy moly, these nuns are naughty. We're talking nunsploitation, the genre that explores the lives (and the sex lives) of nuns. Join us on a journey through cloisters and convents as we unpack what's so compelling about these brides of God.Static Vision and SBG co-present The Devils, Sunday November 19. Buy tickets here.Includes discussions of There's Nothing Out There (1991), There's Something Wrong with the Children (2023), The Devils (1971), The Nun and the Devil (1973), School of the Holy Beast (1974), Killer Nun (1979), Dark Waters (1993), St. Agatha (2018), Sister Death (2023) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Happy Halloween Spookies! On this ep, we're each counting down our top 10 horror movies of all time.Also includes discussions of Things Heard & Seen (2021) and The Burning Hell (1974).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

Bongiorno! In this episode, the gang dip their toes into the muddy waters of vintage Italian horror. Is Giallo a flash-in-the-pan, a relic of the past, or a key component of the genre we know and love?Includes discussions of Saw X (2023), Elevator Game (2023), Blood and Black Lace (1964), The Laughing Woman a.k.a The Frightened Woman (1969), Bay of Blood (1971), Don't Torture a Duckling (1972), Deep Red (1975), Tenebre (1982), Stage Fright (1987) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

In this episode we're talking about the ultra-dumb, maybe-camp sequel to everyone's favourite giant shark movie The Meg. Is it leaning into the silliness, or too serious for its own good? Only one thing is sure - we know nothing.Also includes discussions of Pearl (2021), Talk to Me (2023) and Dracula: The Voyage of the Demeter (aka The Last Voyage of the Demeter) (2023).Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

We're discussing ghosts, wraith, spirits, spectres and phantoms. One of the cornerstones of horror, how did ghosts end up symbolising so much about the human psyche?Includes discussions of The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra (2022), Nightsiren (2022), Insidious: The Red Door (2023), The Innocents (1961), Carnival of Souls (1962), The Haunting (1963), The Stone Tape (1972), The Entity (1982), Ghostwatch (1992), The Innkeepers (2011), The Woman in Black (2012) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.

We're getting the hang of this all-nighter stuff now, but still this one nearly broke us! We stayed up all night watching the seven movies in the OG Chucky/Child's Play franchise just for you. We do it because we love you.

We're tackling three very different but complementary horror movies in this Neapolitan special: The Boogeyman (2023), Infinity Pool (2023) and Huesera: The Bone Woman (2023). 

The truth is out there, and we aim to find it! In this episode we're talking about extraterrestrials (a.k.a aliens) and how they contextualise and disrupt our place in the world. Includes discussions of Evil Dead Rise (2023), The Thing from Another World (1951), Lifeforce (1985), Signs (2002), Dark Skies (2013), Under the Skin (2013), Honeymoon (2014), Area 51 (2015), Vivarium (2019) and more.

Scream is now a horror institution, but how does the new instalment stack up? We discuss Scream VI in all its meta glory and wonder where the franchise can possibly go from here.

On this episode, the gang discusses the spellbinding real life and fictional tales of witches. From historical fact to teenage TV witches, who are these powerful women and where do they fit in society?Includes discussions of Toxic Shark (2017), On the Line (2022), Pearl (2022), Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022), Häxan (1922) Day of Wrath (1943), Black Sunday (1961), Viy (1967), Suspiria (1977), The Craft (1996), The Witch (2015), Hellbender (2021) and more. 

Roses are red, M3GAN is fierce, this is an episode you don't want to miss! We're discussing everyone's favourite robot babe M3GAN and hoping we can slay as hard as her.

2022 was a weird year, huh? To ring in the new year, we're each counting down our top 10 horror movies of 2022. Join us to look back and maybe find some new faves.

Turns out our bodies are irresistible to aliens! In this episode we unpack the slimy and sexy world of parasites and other nefarious body snatchers.Includes discussions of The Last Broadcast (1998), Violent Night (2022), I Blame Society (2020), Invaders from Mars (1953), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958), Shivers (1975), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), The Thing (1982), The Faculty (1998) and more.

CONTENT WARNING: The episode contains discussion of sexual assault.This episode brought to you by the letter B! We're talking about Zach Cregger's crazy little movie Barbarian, as well as Luca Guadagnino's Bones and All. Big spoiler warning!!! Do not listen if you don't want Barbarian and Bones and All spoilers.

Simple, scary and sharp, the slasher might be the foundation of horror as we know it today. We're talking creepy, slow-moving killers from Michael Myers to Jason to some of the more obscure knife-wielding maniacs from film history. Includes discussions of Smile (2022), Nest of the Cuckoo Birds (1965), Halloween Ends (2022), Alice, Sweet Alice [aka Communion] (1976), Halloween (1979), Maniac (1980), The Slumber Party Massacre (1982), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), Intruder (1989), Scream (1996), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1976) and more. 

Beloved by Quentin Tarantino among others, Australian cult classic Patrick is an overlooked supernatural horror pioneer. Its slyly deranged narrative is a fascinating, feminist tale of omnipotent male malice.