What Doesn't Kill Us

We've survived a cruel summer (so far), and are back to discuss what we've been watching while on break. Noel talks about films that examine fraught father-daughter relationships (10 Cloverfield Lane, Don't Breathe, Train to Busan & The Host), and Monica (coincidentally) does the opposite, discussing an underappreciated woman-directed masterpiece from last year, Evolution, which is all about bizarre mother-son bonds. She also recommends some of the shorts in the all-woman directed anthology XX. Unsurprisingly we talk about gender, family, the future of horror, and other "state of the world" topics in that What Doesn't Kill Us way. Please rate, review, comment, and/or subscribe here, on iTunes, SoundCloud, Twitch, or via email at tellusyourfears@yahoo.com. Lots more horror to come ...

Brady got the opportunity to speak with Alan Maxson about his career as a monster actor, his work on "The Raking," and his own extravagantly B-film "Christmas With Cookie"! Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com, check us out on iTunes, SoundCloud and YouTube for the visual version. Subscribe & comment everywhere! Alan Maxson and Christmas With Cookie Links: FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/christmaswithcookie Instagram: @ChristmasWithCookie Twitter: @XmasWithCookie IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5295412 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCatJw1PdqJnpDQZjqg6-cow Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpJetPov7kY Find Christmas With Cookie on Amazon: https://amzn.com/B01M5COTM0

Only one year late but worth the wait! We discuss The Witch, The Walking Dead, The Crucible, It's Alive, See No Evil, Wait Until Dark, Southbound, Scenic Route, American Mary, and more. Brady claims he will NOT discuss Batman vs. Superman . . . but guess what happens then! There's also a short dance break for your listening pleasure. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com, check us out on iTunes, SoundCloud, YouTube (for the visual version) and Facebook. Subscribe & comment everywhere!

We carefully discuss that most difficult of horror sub-genres, the rape-revenge film. We limit our discussion to the classics--I Spit On Your Grave, Last House on the Left, and the source for Last House, Bergman's Virgin Spring--as well as the newest variation, 2016's award-winning Elle. Noel has some questions about how rape works, and the womyn set him straight . . . Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com, check us out on iTunes, SoundCloud and YouTube for the visual version. Subscribe & comment everywhere!

WDKU gets highbrow with our first in a series of discussions of both classic and newer horror fiction. In this episode, listen to Monica express disappointment that Mina does what she's told! Chuckle as Krystal compares the novel with the Fast & Furious franchise! Hear Brady suggest 100,000 other vampire books, video games, comic books, movies, etc.! Harken as Noel complains bitterly about the inaccuracy of film & TV adaptations! And nod in agreement at our choice of Literary Horror Hottie of the Month! And so, so much more. Who knew a 120 year old novel would generate such passion? Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com, check us out on iTunes, SoundCloud and YouTube for the visual version. Subscribe & comment everywhere!

Join us on our first live review of "Christmas with Cookie".... A horrific and disorienting B-movie Christmas tale ..... So appropriate for Halloween. BUY THE MOVIE! amzn.com/B01M5COTM0 FaceBook: www.facebook.com/christmaswithcookie Instagram: @ChristmasWithCookie Twitter: @XmasWithCookie IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt5295412 YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCatJw1PdqJnpDQZjqg6-cow Official Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpJetPov7kY Don't forget to email What Doesn't Kill Us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com, check us out on iTunes, SoundCloud and YouTube for the visual version. Subscribe & comment everywhere!

Inspired by our review of The Taking of Deborah Logan, in this episode of Special Topics we take a look at representations of illness and disease in horror films, both literal and metaphorical. We discuss a wide range of films, from Outbreak to May to The Babadook to The Shining to Donnie Darko to The Grapes of Death (best title ever) to The Silence of the Lambs vs. Manhunter, as well as obscure TV shows like The X-Files and Hannibal. Throw in some painful personal stories and references to about 52 other films, and we get a typically scintillating WDKU discussion. Watch videos of our discussions on YouTube as What Doesn't Kill Us. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com. Check us out on iTunes, SoundCloud and YouTube for the visual version. Subscribe & comment everywhere!

It was inevitable--we had to tackle the 2015 art-house horror phenomenon that is Robert Eggert's 'New England Folktale' The Witch: "A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession." It went over well with 3 out of the 4 of us, but the naysayer's points are really ... trenchant! Comment, rate and email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com. You can also find us on YouTube as What Doesn't Kill Us, Facebook as Fight or Flight Network/What Doesn't Kill Us, and our blog (whatdoesntkilluspodcast.blogspot.com).

We tackle our first found-footage horror film, and, well . . . not everyone's convinced. We analyze Adam Robitel's 2014 The Taking of Deborah Logan: "An elderly woman battling Alzheimer's disease agrees to let a film crew document her condition, but what they discover is something far more sinister going on." The relationship between disease & horror, narrative & structure, improv & scripting are examined and argued over. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com. Please comment, rate & subscribe. You can find us on YouTube as well. Music by Ken Kawamura again!

On this episode of WWBW we talk about The Changeling, MirrorMask, The Experiment, Lo, The Devil's Carnival, Audrey Rose, Chloe, Experimenter, and more. We compare Jennifer Carpenter to Marsha Mason, Peter Sarsgaard to Ewan McGregor, and because this was recorded before his tragic passing, Monica waxes rhapsodic over up-and-comer Anton Yelchin. Watch us on YouTube and email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com. Sweet jams by Ken Kawamura.

In this episode we tackle Pascal Laughier's notoriously brutal entry into the New French Extremity movement from 2008, Martyrs: "A young woman's quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend on a terrifying journey into a living hell." Not everyone was so impressed! Our conversation gets more than a little crazed. Which might match the film quite well . . . Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com. Ken Kawamura provided the music.

Monica binge watches Fuller House, and suddenly everything good about her childhood goes up in flames . . . More music by Mr. Kawamura.

On this episode, four of us recommend 2 films each (with one DO NOT WATCH warning)--and of course, because it's us, we mention about 45 other films throughout. Recommendations include Bug, Inside, Scream Blacula Scream, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Occulus, Pet Sematary, What We Do in the Shadows---and a discussion on the book and film adaptations of Let the Right One In. We'll keep the DO NOT WATCH warning a surprise, but we (except for Monica) apologize in advance to Paz de la Huerta. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com. Music by Kenneth Kawamura.

A frankenstein mask? A plastic deformed baby? The paintings on Night Gallery? TV ads for Suspiria? The dinner scene in Alien? Styrofoam tombstones in the backyard? All of this and more! Music by Ken Kawamura. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com! Now!

In this episode we take the plunge into extreme Korean thrillers with Jee-woon Kim's incredibly violent I Saw the Devil from 2010: "A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases." Music by Ken Kawamura. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com!

On this episode we find out what doesn't scare Krystal (sharks, serial killers), what does (demons, Bette Davis), and why she'll never watch Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire starring Gabourey Sidibe. But really, who would? Music by Ken Kawamura. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com . . . please!

A short discussion on the ups and downs of Carpenter's career, the best and worst of Rob Zombie, and the pleasures of patient watching. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

Should What Doesn't Kill Us discuss comics and superheroes, or would all hell break loose? We give it a try here, looking at the intersection of horror, comics, film and TV. Big Bonus: Brady tells us all about his favorite gay superheroes! Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

On this episode of WWBW we talk about The Brood, The Watcher in the Woods, The Duke of Burgundy and Opera . . . but also chat about Cronenberg and Crash and James Spader, Disney and horror, Argento and Giallo, and other fascinating things . . . like how Brady defeated a killer crow in Seattle! Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

In this episode, tensions are high when discussing Guillermo Del Toro's latest Gothic romance from last year, Crimson Peak: "In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds - and remembers." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

Former steampunk goth Kenda still loves horror, but will not allow any stupid people with Ouija boards who might accidentally open a door to another dimension into her house. An avid swimmer, she has an irrational fear of . . . water! Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

What explains the ongoing popularity of zombies? Robert Kirkman's genius? The national debt? Racism? 9/11? Or is it just Brady's crush on Norman Reedus? Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

Welcome to our first episode of What We've Been Watching, some recommendations (and warnings) on a variety of horror films from different eras. This episode we discuss A Christmas Horror Story, Black Christmas, Black Xmas, Rare Exports, Wyrmwood, Behind the Mask, Dead and Buried, Excision, The Final Girls, Black Sunday, Night Terrors, Sole Survivor, Memories of Murder, Frankenhooker, Would You Rather, Stung, Space Mutiny . . . and many more. We also look deeply into the filmography of that most iconic of actors . . . Reb Brown! Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

Join What Doesn't Kill Us as we delve deep into Brady's engagement with horror films, books and video games, and whether or not they contribute to his night terrors--or is it just the grade-Z horror schlock he watches way too much of? Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

Join What Doesn't Kill Us as we delve into Monica's Southern Gothic childhood, which includes a scary old house with a spooky stone basement, a creepy cult of owl worshippers, popcorn-mad Gremlins, and--scariest of all--demons that steal your cable! Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

An unusual formalist analysis of the classic, focusing on its self-referential and abstract elements, as well as the cool art all through it (bone furniture, performance art, etc.). Comparisons made with Hooper's other films, and stuff from the art world, including work by Marina Abramovic, Chris Burden, Damien Hirst, Alexander McQueen, Leigh Bowery, Gordon Matta-Clark and Bruce Nauman. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

In honor of Halloween, we at The Fight or Flight Network are suggesting one horror movie for each day of October. Each week we discuss 7 or 8 movies, and each of us brings a theme for our choices. This week: Twist endings, witches' hexes, and made-for-TV chillers. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com Oct. 23: Sleepaway Camp (Robert Hiltzik, 1983) Oct. 24: Drag Me To Hell (Sam Raimi, 2009) Oct. 25: Dance of the Dead (Tobe Hooper, 2005) [Masters of Horror Season 1, Episode 3] Oct. 26: Shrooms (Paddy Breathnach, 2007) Oct. 27: Salem’s Lot (Tobe Hooper, 1979) Oct. 28: Haute tension [High Tension] (Alexandre Aja, 2003) Oct. 29: Duel (Steven Spielberg, 1971) Oct. 30: The Conjuring (James Wan, 2013) And one not-so-honorable mention: Oct. 31: Witching and Bitching (Alex de la Iglesia, 2013)

Welcome back to Fight or Flight Network’s 31 Days of Horror. Week 3 provides a bevy of thrills--lotsa gore from the Hatchet trilogy, psychological freak-outs in films about cults, and unusual vampires from elegant, more meditative films. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com Oct. 15: Byzantium (Neil Jordan, 2012) Oct. 16: Hatchet (Adam Green, 2006) Oct. 17: Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin, 2011) Oct. 18: Hatchet II (Adam Green, 2010) Oct. 19: The Brotherhood of Satan (Bernard McEveety, 1971) Oct. 20: Cronos (Guillermo del Toro, 1993) Oct. 21: Safe (Todd Haynes, 1995) Oct. 22: Hatchet III (BJ McDonnell, 2013)

Welcome back! We have another week's worth of frightful films for October sure to please the avid horror enthusiast. We look at films about noir antiheroes trapped in their own personal hells, modern retellings of classic tales, and the clash between rationalism and irrationality when crossing cultural borders. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com Oct 8: The Last Wave (Peter Weir, 1977) Oct 9: Don't Look Now (Nicolas Roeg, 1973) Oct 10: Angel Heart (Alan Parker, 1987) Oct 11: Hellraiser: Inferno (Scott Derrickson, 2000) Oct 12: Hard Candy (David Slade, 2005) Oct 13: The Sisterhood of Night (Caryn Waechter, 2014) Oct 14: The Moth Diaries (Mary Harron, 2011)

In honor of Halloween, we at The Fight or Flight Network are suggesting one horror movie for each day of October. The first week of films are about 70s deranged families and 80s unlikely heroes, as well as an expermental Count Dracula remix. Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com Oct 1: Death Line (a/k/a Raw Meat) (Gary Sherman, 1972) Oct 2: A Reflection Of Fear (William A. Fraker, 1972) Oct 3: You'll Like My Mother (Lamont Johnson, 1972) Oct 4: Night of the Comet (Thom Eberhardt, 1984) Oct 5: The Monster Squad (Fred Dekker, 1987) Oct 6: Ghostbusters (Ivan Reitman, 1984) Oct 7: Cuadecuc, Vampir (Pere Portabella, 1970)

In this episode, we discuss Alex van Warmerdam's elliptical Borgman from 2013: "A vagrant enters the lives of an arrogant upper-class family, turning their lives into a psychological nightmare in the process." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

This episode we discuss Adam Wingard's 2011 brutal and possibly comic You're Next: "When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of the victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

In this episode we discuss Peter Bogdonovich's 1968 "Targets," starring Boris Karloff in one of his final roles: "An elderly horror-film star, while making a personal appearance at a drive-in theatre, confronts a psychotic Viet Nam War veteran who's turned into a mass-murdering sniper." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

In this episode we talk about Jeff Baena's 2014 hipster zombie romance, Life After Beth: "A young man's recently deceased girlfriend mysteriously returns from the dead, but he slowly realizes she is not the way he remembered her." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

In this episode we do our best with Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzanin 2013 modern giallo film, The Strange Color of Your Bodies Tears: "Following the disappearance of his wife, a man finds himself on a dark and twisted trail of discovery through the labyrinthine halls of his apartment building." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

This episode we try to appreciate Dennis Iliadis' 2013 sci-fi thriller, +1: "Three college friends hit the biggest party of the year, where a mysterious phenomenon disrupts the night, quickly descending into a chaos that challenges their friendships -- and whether they can stay alive." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

This episode we discuss Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer's 2014 indie horror hit, Starry Eyes: "A hopeful young starlet uncovers the ominous origins of the Hollywood elite and enters into a deadly agreement in exchange for fame and fortune." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com

This episode we discuss Australian director Jennifer Kent's 2014 critical darling, The Babadook: "A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her." Email us at tellusyourfears@gmail.com