The Monster Professor

Pinckney Benedict and I debate Leatherface vs. The Shape, as well as their films, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) vs. Halloween (1978). We end up analyzing, contrasting, and praising more than fighting, but we make progress nonetheless. The YouTube version has full video, including scenes from the films and Pinckney in his monstrous form, which is … Continue reading Leatherface vs. The Shape, with Pinckney Benedict

There is one tradition of including or rendering monsters in tales, but there is a second tradition of directly analyzing and studying monsters. In this episode, I lay out what I consider to be the four distinct schools of studying and analyzing monsters, from ancient times to modern academia. The Monster Professor: a show in … Continue reading The Four Schools of Monster Studies

From Jason in a hockey mask to a recent Ghostbuster, with plenty of weirdness in between, I discuss retro-horror movie influences that are so obscure some of the films' own directors might not even be fully aware of them. Here is the list of movies discussed: The Monster Professor: a show in which we discuss … Continue reading Obscure Horror Movie Influences

The many-headed monster of Classical mythology holds a secret that is revealed in the fuller story of Herakles, and it might still be relevant today. The Monster Professor: a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, theater, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, editor, professor, and … Continue reading The Riddle of the Hydra

From prehistory and ancient myth to modern-day reports of real encounters, shapeshifters and ghosts surround us, so I dig into them with John Kachuba, author of several ghosthunting guides as well as the recent book Shapeshifters: A History (University of Chicago Press). Find more on John Kachuba here: http://johnkachuba.com The Monster Professor: a show in … Continue reading Shapeshifters and Ghost Investigations with John Kachuba

As a last-minute Halloween treat, I discuss the utter brilliance of the original 1978 film Halloween.

It's time again to discuss (or more accurately, ramble on about) awesome horror and Halloween films I've (re)watched recently. Spoiler warning in full effect for the following: Joe Bob's Last Drive-In ShowTourist TrapBlack ChristmasElijah Wood projects: Mandy, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, The Greasy Strangler, I Don't Feel at Home in this World … Continue reading Halloween Watch 2021

Were serial killers lurking in the shadows of Classical mythology? To find out, we dig into Theseus' gantlet of villains, the sphynx, Medea, and more, with Classics professor Debbie Felton, author of Monsters and Monarchs: Serial Killers in Classical Myth and History. Debbie Felton's site: https://www.umass.edu/classics/member/debbie-felton The Monster Professor: a show in which we discuss … Continue reading Serial Killers in Greek Myth with Debbie Felton

Are Ring-wraiths inspired by Dracula, perhaps even Tolkien’s version of vampires? We go through the details to find out. The Monster Professor: a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, theater, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, editor, professor, and monster expert. joshwoodsauthor.com

Special guest Kevin Sorbo joins me to discuss his iconic role as the greatest monster slayer ever, Hercules. We explore the classic hero vs. anti-hero, and the value of hero vs. monster stories in the modern era, as well as Sorbo's own personal battles and current projects focused on battling darkness with light. Links for … Continue reading Hercules the Monster Slayer with Kevin Sorbo

This episode is the audio of the live Monster Professor/guest author event at the Florida SouthWestern State College Research Expo on April 13, 2021. The full video is on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/6vDj3van8pg In this event, Josh Woods share his ideas about Horror Structure as one of two storytelling archetypes, reads a short story from his … Continue reading Live Event at FSW

Emily Zarka, zombie expert and host of Monstrum (PBS, Storied channel), takes us through the history of zombies, how they've changed and fascinated us through films and games, the spiritual traditions that protect their secrets, and even how they help us prep for emergency situations. Zarka's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZarkaEmily Zarka's website: https://www.emilyelizabethzarka.com/ Monstrum on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_lsQEz7yLOpq278N-4I72cTXlRE1kVUN … Continue reading Zombies with PBS Monstrum Host Emily Zarka

Werewolf expert Michael Chemers returns to take us on his real-life werewolf hunt in Germany. We also reach back to the proto-origins of werewolves and follow werewolf hunts and trials through the ages—including American werewolves in recent years. Chemers is Professor of Dramatic Literature and Theater Arts at the University of California Santa Cruz, and … Continue reading Werewolf Hunting with Michael Chemers

Asa Mittman invites us into the world of Monster Studies as an official academic field in universities, and he reveals Medieval maps of monsters to show us the darker social consequences of such ideas, both then and now. Asa Mittman is the author of Maps and Monsters in Medieval England, a prolific co-author and co-editor, … Continue reading Monster Studies Medieval and Today with Asa Mittman

Dana Gioia brings us into the powerful darkness of his opera libretto Nosferatu, and along the way guides us through the place of monstrous and gothic stories within the literary tradition, and even touches on the truth of evil itself. Gioia is an internationally acclaimed poet, writer, and editor, as well as former California Poet … Continue reading Nosferatu with Dana Gioia

Matt Davids from DiceGeeks.com returns to discuss two man-eating monsters that have captured imaginations both modern and ancient, under the surface and in the maze of the mind. DiceGeeks.com Podcast and Website: https://www.dicegeeks.com/ Matt Davids's Drive Thru RPG books: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?artist=Matt%20Davids And his Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Davids/e/B077SBKV9Y?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1605022261&sr=8-1 The Monster Professor: a show in which we discuss and … Continue reading Sharks and Minotaurs with Matt Davids

As an informal Halloween treat, I share some excellent new shows and movies to watch for Halloween, along with some retro gems that might be new to you (as they were to me), and even some unofficial Screen Monster Awards to recent series and films for Best Zombie, Best Water Creature, Best Invisible Person, and … Continue reading Halloween Viewing 2020

I speak with Inklings scholar Amy Trogan and poet Brandi George as we explore the perilous realm where fairies and demons cross paths, especially as they exist in traditional folklore, in the works of C.S. Lewis, in the creative writing process, even in real personal experience. More about Brandi George: https://www.brandigeorgepoetry.com/ More about Amy Trogan: … Continue reading Fairies and Demons with Amy Trogan and Brandi George

The universe as monster: author and editor Simon Strantzas joins the show to discuss cosmic horror in literature, the weird vs. the strange, the exploratory philosophy of horror, and more. Find out more about him and his projects through these links: Simon Strantzas's website: http://strantzas.com Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Simon-Strantzas/e/B004K34LSU?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1599753250&sr=8-1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thinkinghorror/ Also check out the journal Thinking … Continue reading Cosmic Horror with Simon Strantzas

Real sea monsters staring up at you from the deep, sinkholes suddenly opening under your bed and swallowing you whole, invisible clouds of death seeping from volcanoes and killing whole villages… we explore all these natural horrors and more with Dr. Joseph Van Gaalen, expert in geology and oceanography. The Monster Professor: a show in … Continue reading Monstrous Nature: Ocean and Earth with Joe Van Gaalen

Richard Thomas is the award-winning author of seven books and over 150 published stories, and he has edited four anthologies and numerous magazines. He also teaches creative writing and contemporary dark fiction. In this episode, we discuss the new era of dark, weird, and horrific stories on both the page and screen, advice on how … Continue reading Monsters in the Contemporary Dark with Richard Thomas

Michael Chemers, author of The Monster in Theatre History: This Thing of Darkness and a true monster professor in his own right, reveals how vital monsters are to the stage and audiences, and how vital stage-monsters have been to our monstrous imagination to this day. We hit them all: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, constructs, freak-shows—and I … Continue reading Monsters in Theatre with Michael Chemers

YouTube sensation Steve Ramsey of the channel Woodworking for Mere Mortals just so happens to be a massive horror buff and monster enthusiast. We discuss his horror and Halloween projects (including his infamous Ouija board video), his lifelong journey of finding joy in the dark side, his favorite monsters, and the horror films that make … Continue reading Horror in Woodcraft with Steve Ramsey

Four weird writers don disguises to discuss monsters, robots, and the supernatural in their own works, as well as the strange new possibilities for storytelling in social media, virtual reality, and beyond. See the full video, masks-and-all, on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/z4IxJcUF1Ns (and please subscribe). Pinckney Benedict is a Full Professor of creative writing and virtual-reality … Continue reading Masked Monster Professor with Pinckney Benedict, Sarah Jilek, and Mandi Jourdan

Monsters and martial arts? What about self-defense against zombies, vampires, and werewolves? What about the real-life human monsters that make martial arts necessary, and which martial art is your best bet? We get answers to these and more by talking with martial arts expert Jeff Westfall, black-belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Ajarn in Muay Thai, black-belt … Continue reading Monsters and the Martial Arts with Jeff Westfall

Viruses and similar epidemics have infected our horror stories for generations, so let's discuss some of the most fascinating examples and try to figure out what drives our fear of monstrous plagues. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. … Continue reading Monstrous Plagues

I talk with Michael Drout about Grendel, dragons, Balrogs, and more such monsters of both Middle-earths. Michael Drout is one of the world's leading scholars on Tolkien and Beowulf; author and editor of numerous books, collections, and journals; lecturer on language and liberal arts; expert in Anglo-Saxon; and Professor of English and Director of the … Continue reading Grendel and Middle-earth Monsters with Michael Drout

I talk with author Valerie Nieman about her gritty supernatural novel To the Bones as well as local folklore, Appalachian monsters, the art of mixing the supernatural with the literary, and more. Find out more about her and her books at www.valnieman.com Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore … Continue reading Appalachian Folklore Monsters with Valerie Nieman

I talk with the Tolkien Professor, Corey Olsen, about monsters in The Lord of the Rings and other works by J.R.R. Tolkien. We get into Ring-wraiths, orcs, monstrous transformation, the morality of monster slaying, and the Tolkien Professor's favorite monster of all time. Olsen's podcasts and online lectures on Tolkien reached such widespread success and … Continue reading Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings Monsters with Corey Olsen

In this episode I explore the disturbing image of the Doppelganger in literature as part of an ongoing attempt to figure out what it means and why, apparently, I have some kind of obsession with it. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, … Continue reading Doppelgangers

I talk slasher films with novelist and slasher-genre expert Fred Venturini, author of The Escape of Light and The Heart Does Not Grow Back. Find out more about him at https://fredventurini.com/ Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast … Continue reading Slashers with Fred Venturini

I talk with the prolific novelist Laura Benedict, author of mysteries, thrillers, and gothics (most recently the novel The Stranger Inside) about such topics as ghosts in literature, the supernatural in storytelling, gothic influences, and sewing body parts together. Find out more about her at https://www.laurabenedict.com/ Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which … Continue reading Literary Ghosts and Gothics with Laura Benedict

I talk with Matt Davids, who is the game-master behind Dicegeeks.com as well as an Amazon best-selling author of RPG supplements. We discuss storytelling with monsters, the creative process of narrative, and the strange new paths of self-publishing. Find out more about him at https://www.dicegeeks.com Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we … Continue reading RPG Monsters with Matt Davids

Dr. Tom Shippey is widely recognized as one of the world's leading scholars in his field. He has published more than 100 articles, mostly in the fields of Old and Middle English language and literature, and he has a long-standing interest in modern fantasy and science fiction. He is a regular reviewer for The Wall … Continue reading Monster Taxonomy with Tom Shippey

I talk with Kermit Moore, who is not only a real-life crime-fighter and doughty opponent of evil–a modern paladin, if you will–but has also been rendered as three different fictional characters in various publications. We discuss the confrontation with true evil and how to deal with it, as well as the nature of intuition, premonition, … Continue reading Confronting Real Evil with Kermit Moore

I talk with the award-winning creators of the tabletop roleplaying games Mouse Guard, Torchbearer, and Burning Wheel (among others) about their unique approach to game design, the art bringing stories to life at the table, the role of monsters in quests and adventures, and the monstrous nature of humanity itself. Luke Crane is also Head … Continue reading Tabletop Monsters with RPG Designers Luke Crane and Thor Olavsrud

In this one-year anniversary episode, I speak with Monster Professor VIP and most frequent guest, Pinckney Benedict, this time more broadly about storytelling, podcasting, and his favorite monsters. Pinckney Benedict hails from West Virginia and earned degrees from Princeton and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He has published a novel, DOGS OF GOD, and three books … Continue reading Monsters and Storytelling with Pinckney Benedict

John Michael Greer is a widely read author and blogger whose work focuses on the overlaps between ecology, spirituality, and the future of industrial society. He has published 24 books (and counting) on spirituality, the paranormal, and the occult, including MONSTERS: AN INVESTIGATOR'S GUIDE and THE NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE OCCULT, which are not to … Continue reading Real Magic and the Occult with John Michael Greer

Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated special effects make-up artist Edward French is known for his work on TV (Westworld, House, etc.), in movies (Star Trek VI, Terminator 2, etc.), in commercials (the Spectrum ad monster campaign, etc.), but he also has a simultaneous audiobook/narration career in which he gives voice to horror, fantasy, and science-fiction literature (by … Continue reading Monster FX Makeup for the Screen with Edward French

Fantasy and science-fiction indie filmmaker Ron Newcomb shares his insights on how you can get your own indie project off the ground—films, shows, comic books, you name it—and some of the new media platforms he's helping to pioneer. We discuss the wide and passionate appeal of otherworldly storytelling and why monsters are necessary for it. … Continue reading Indie Monsters in Fantasy and SF with Ron Newcomb

Alluring and mysterious in both mythic poems and historical records, they will sing to you of secrets and storms, and you will listen at your own peril. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, … Continue reading Sirens and Mermaids

Joseph Nigg is perhaps the world's leading expert on fabulous beasts, and he is a personal inspiration of mine. His books include The Phoenix: An Unnatural Biography of a Mythical Beast (University of Chicago Press), Sea Monsters: A Voyage Around the World's Most Beguiling Map (University of Chicago Press), The Book of Fabulous Beasts (Oxford … Continue reading Fabulous Beasts with Joseph Nigg

I get to talk with a television horror hero of mine, Mac Kelly, host of Wolfman Mac's Chiller Drive-In! We talk monsters, retro spook shows, haunted houses, and more. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh … Continue reading Wolfman Mac’s Chiller Drive-In with Wolfman Mac Kelly

It’s time to dedicate an episode to the storytelling phenomenon that is still going strong after 200 years. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, editor, professor, and monster expert: joshwoodsauthor.com

From the Temple of Solomon to the dunes of Arrakis lurk fabulous and monstrous worms. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, editor, professor, and monster expert: joshwoodsauthor.com

Strangling vines, bewitching forests, bloodthirsty houseplants–they’re mean and green, and they are bad. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, editor, professor, and monster expert: joshwoodsauthor.com

In this episode I respond to the common request to clarify how I define “monster,” and I explain how that relates to my theory about the fundamental story-telling structure of Horror. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast … Continue reading Monster Definition and Horror Theory

It's finally time to discuss just some of monsters that J.R.R. Tolkien created and showcased in The Lord of the Rings, these two being among the most relevant monsters to appear in the 20th Century. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, … Continue reading Ring-wraiths and Barrow-wights

Just because it’s not there doesn’t mean it’s not there. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, editor, professor, and monster expert: joshwoodsauthor.com

In this episode, David Schauer picks my brain on the Gothic—particularly the Southern Gothic—for a fascinating graduate-level project of his. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, editor, professor, and monster expert: joshwoodsauthor.com

In this episode, we explore the equipment and strategies you'd need to face of against vampires, witches, ghosts, changelings, demons, and more. Subscribe to The Monster Professor, a show in which we discuss and explore monsters in literature, myth, film, games, folklore, culture, and beyond. Podcast host: Josh Woods, author, editor, professor, and monster expert: … Continue reading How Do You Kill It?