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[This episode first ran on May 31, 2023.] Why do we like to be scared? What's the difference in fear between a haunted house attraction and ghost hunters in a “real” haunted house? What is fearmongering, and the evolving fears of society? And what's up with being afraid of clowns, aliens, Bigfoot, and even wide open spaces? Margee Kerr is a sociologist and author. She earned her PhD in 2009 from the University of Pittsburgh and currently teaches and conducts research on fear — specifically how and why people engage in 'scary' experiences like haunted attractions, horror movies, and paranormal investigations. She enjoys working as a consultant for attractions and museums and is the author of SCREAM: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear named as a must-read by The Washington Post. And author of Ouch! Why Pain Hurts and Why It Doesn't Have To. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Parade, Atlantic Monthly, and NPR's Science Friday. _______________________________________________________________ The Talking Strange Show with Aaron Sagers is a weekly paranormal pop culture show featuring celebrity and author interviews, as well as experts in all things strange and unexplained. Talking Strange is a creation of Aaron Sagers with production help from Michael Ahr. Host Aaron Sagers is a paranormal TV host and journalist who appears as host of 28 Days Haunted on Netflix, and on Paranormal Caught On Camera on Travel Channel, Discovery+, and MAX streaming service. If you like Talking Strange, please subscribe, leave a nice review, and share with your friends. The Talking Strange Paranormal Show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you check out spooky content. Connect with the show community on Facebook as well. Email us with episode ideas, guest suggestions, and spooky stories: Contact@TalkingStrange.com Follow Host Aaron Sagers: Twitter/X Blue Sky Instagram Facebook TikTok Patreon (For Q&As, livestreams, cocktail classes, and movie watches) Until Next Time: Be Kind. Stay Spooky. Keep It Weird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In which we skelebrate the screamson with some medicinal horror movies. Shout out to SCREAM: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear by Margee Kerr! Follow me on Letterboxd and watch 23 horror movies before Halloween with me! I'm so behind: https://linktr.ee/chadthebirdRecorded LIVE at Chicago's Historic Green Mill Lounge on October 28th 2023 courtesy of Jeppson's Malört: The Official Drink of the Apocalypse.Come find me in all your favorite places including my Discord! Featuring “Promises” by the Barrerracudas and a snippy of “The Wasteland” courtesy of Ross Bugden Twitter: Instagram For commissions/scores: bugdenross@gmail.com and “Science Fiction/Double Feature” by Richard O'Brien and Richard Hartley (1975) performed by me and YOUR Bill Larkin PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW and as aways: Teach CRT, go to Drag brunches, say “Gay”, “Period”, “Black Lives Matter” eat the rich and save me some sides.
What are the beginnings of Halloween, and how have they evolved over the millennia from Samhain to trick-or-treating for kids — to being associated with Michael Myers? And what makes John Carpenter's "The Shape" stalking the suburbs so scary from a folkloric and sociological perspective? Fear sociologist Dr. Margee Kerr and folklorist Dr. Lynne S. McNeill join Talking Strange host Aaron Sagers for a Spooky Season episode. About the Guests: Dr. Margee Kerr is a sociologist and author. She earned her PhD in 2009 from the University of Pittsburgh and currently teaches and conducts research on fear, specifically how and why people engage in 'scary' experiences l like haunted attractions, horror movies, and paranormal investigations. She enjoys working as a consultant for attractions and museums and is the author of SCREAM: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear named as a must read by the Washington Post. And author of Ouch! Why Pain Hurts and Why It Doesn't Have To. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Parade, Atlantic Monthly, and NPR's Science Friday, among other places. Dr. Lynne S. McNeill is a folklorist and Director of Graduate Studies in the English Department at Utah State University . Her research interests include legend, belief, fandom, and digital culture. She is the author of the popular textbook Folklore Rules (2013), and is the co-editor of Slender Man is Coming: Creepypasta and Contemporary Legends on the Internet (2018) and Legend Tripping: A Contemporary Legend Casebook (2018). _______________________________________________________________ Talking Strange Paranormal Podcast with Aaron Sagers is a weekly paranormal pop culture show featuring celebrity and author interviews, with a weekly "Small Talk" mini-sode with reader submitted letters and spooky tales. Sagers is a paranormal journalist and researcher who appears as host of 28 Days Haunted on Netflix, and on Paranormal Caught On Camera on Travel Channel/Discovery+, and Talking Strange is part of the Den of Geek Network. If you like Talking Strange, please subscribe, leave a nice review, and share with your friends. The Talking Strange Paranormal Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you check out spooky content. For more paranormal pop culture, head to Den of Geek, and follow @TalkStrangePod on Twitter. Email us with episode ideas, and guest suggestions, or for a chance to have your letter read on a future episode: TalkingStrange@DenOfGeek.com Follow Host Aaron Sagers: Twitter.com/aaronsagers Instagram.com/aaronsagers Facebook.com/AaronSagersPage tiktok.com/@aaronsagers Patreon.com/aaronsagers (For Q&As, livestreams, cocktail classes, and movie watches) Until Next Time: Be Kind. Stay Spooky. Keep It Weird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why do we like to be scared? What's the difference in fear between a haunted house attraction and ghost hunters in a “real” haunted house? What is fearmongering, and the evolving fears of society? And what's up with being afraid of clowns, aliens, Bigfoot, and even wide open spaces? Margee Kerr is a sociologist and author. She earned her PhD in 2009 from the University of Pittsburgh and currently teaches and conducts research on fear — specifically how and why people engage in 'scary' experiences like haunted attractions, horror movies, and paranormal investigations. She enjoys working as a consultant for attractions and museums and is the author of SCREAM: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear named as a must-read by The Washington Post. And author of Ouch! Why Pain Hurts and Why It Doesn't Have To. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Parade, Atlantic Monthly, and NPR's Science Friday. _______________________________________________________________ Talking Strange Paranormal Podcast with Aaron Sagers is a weekly paranormal pop culture show featuring celebrity and author interviews, with a weekly "Small Talk" mini-sode with reader submitted letters and spooky tales. Sagers is a paranormal journalist and researcher who appears as host of 28 Days Haunted on Netflix, and on Paranormal Caught On Camera on Travel Channel/Discovery+, and Talking Strange is part of the Den of Geek Network. If you like Talking Strange, please subscribe, leave a nice review, and share with your friends. The Talking Strange Paranormal Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you check out spooky content. For more paranormal pop culture, head to Den of Geek, and follow @TalkStrangePod on Twitter. Email us with episode ideas, and guest suggestions, or for a chance to have your letter read on a future episode: TalkingStrange@DenOfGeek.com Follow Host Aaron Sagers: Twitter.com/aaronsagers Instagram.com/aaronsagers Facebook.com/AaronSagersPage tiktok.com/@aaronsagers Patreon.com/aaronsagers (For Q&As, livestreams, cocktail classes, and movie watches) Until Next Time: Be Kind. Stay Spooky. Keep It Weird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Becca is 6-feet tall, bold and strong-willed. She's also easily startled and paralyzed by fear — even a children's haunted house can reduce her to tears. In this episode of How To!, we bring in sociologist Margee Kerr, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, to give us the lowdown on surviving scary situations. Can making fear more fun help Becca overcome her startle reflex in time for Halloween? Do you have a problem that needs solving? Have you found the advice on our podcast helpful? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on How To!. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Becca is 6-feet tall, bold and strong-willed. She's also easily startled and paralyzed by fear — even a children's haunted house can reduce her to tears. In this episode of How To!, we bring in sociologist Margee Kerr, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, to give us the lowdown on surviving scary situations. Can making fear more fun help Becca overcome her startle reflex in time for Halloween? Do you have a problem that needs solving? Have you found the advice on our podcast helpful? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on How To!. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Becca is 6-feet tall, bold and strong-willed. She's also easily startled and paralyzed by fear — even a children's haunted house can reduce her to tears. In this episode of How To!, we bring in sociologist Margee Kerr, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, to give us the lowdown on surviving scary situations. Can making fear more fun help Becca overcome her startle reflex in time for Halloween? Do you have a problem that needs solving? Have you found the advice on our podcast helpful? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on How To!. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Becca is 6-feet tall, bold and strong-willed. She's also easily startled and paralyzed by fear — even a children's haunted house can reduce her to tears. In this episode of How To!, we bring in sociologist Margee Kerr, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, to give us the lowdown on surviving scary situations. Can making fear more fun help Becca overcome her startle reflex in time for Halloween? Do you have a problem that needs solving? Have you found the advice on our podcast helpful? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on How To!. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What about chuckling at a joke you didn't think was funny or even understand? The list goes on and on when we're talking about situations when we laugh, but they don't have anything to do with something being funny. Why do we do it? Laughing in the awkward, negative sense often helps us deal with things that mostly stem from fear. Dr. Margee Kerr, a sociologist from the University of Pittsburgh who specializes in the study of fear and wrote a book called, "Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear," says that “we laugh at things like this because they violate our expectations.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Before her life as a financial journalist began, Felicity Hannah could more often be found wearing a top hat, leading tourists round the ghostly streets beneath Edinburgh. She loves sudden startles and that sense of creeping enjoyable fear in person, in books and on screen, but she wants to know why. Why are some humans wired to get a thrill out of fear? Why not all of us? Felicity talks to fear expert Dr Margee Kerr, sociologist and author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, about what happens in our bodies when we're frightened, and how, surprisingly, this can help us build relationships and personal resilience. She asks: what's the difference between the feelings we experience in a haunted house and genuine terror? Why do children love being chased? Is fear really contagious? Produced in Bristol for BBC Audio by Sarah Goodman.
It's that time of year when you watch movies that make you too afraid to sleep or shower or maybe just make you give clowns the stink eye when you see them. So, why on Earth would anyone intentionally watch a movie designed to scare your pants off? Well, let's talk about it. If you're interested in more info on why horror movies are so appealing, there are a ton of things out there, but might we recommend just a few easy to digest pieces: Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear by Margee Kerr Why Do Some People Love Horror Movies from SciShow Lessons from a terrified horror researcher by Mathias Clasen at TEDxAarhus "The Lure of Horror" by Christian Jarrett in The Psychologist, November 2011, Vol. 24
How Perceived Threat Shapes Countries (0:32)Guest: Michele Gelfand, Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Author of “Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World”What do you fear? Natural disasters? War? Where you live makes a big difference on how you answer that question. It also changes how your country is run and how strict the laws are there. Many politicians are masters of knowing what people perceive as a threat and then capitalizing on that. But is using fear in politics always a bad thing? The Discovery, Investigation, and Identification of the Colonial Vampire (17:24)Guest: Nicholas Bellantoni, Emeritus State Archaeologist with the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History and is Adjunct Associate Research Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of ConnecticutVampires today are cheesy Halloween costumes or heartthrobs in teen romance novels. But back in the 1800s, people in New England were genuinely afraid of vampires—so much so that they dug up the graves of their family members in order to protect themselves from the undead. When archaeologist Nicholas Bellantoni found one of these corpses in 1990, he went on to study it for 30 years and only just discovered who this colonial vampire was. What's in that Halloween Candy (36:14)Guest: Gene Ahlborn, Professor of Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Science, Brigham Young UniversityYour kids are probably going to stuff handfuls of candy and chocolate in their mouths tonight after trick or treating. Unless you eat it all first. We asked what questions you have about what's in that stuff. BYU Food Science professor Gene Ahlborn is here to answer what you've been wondering about artificial flavors and colors. Like to Be Scared? Here's Why (50:38)Guest: Carl Sederholm, PhD, Professor of Comparative Arts and Letters, Brigham Young University; Margee Kerr, PhD, Adjunct Professor of Sociology, University of Pittsburgh, Author of “Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear”; Rob Dunfield, Owner The Fear Factory in Salt Lake CityWhy do we like to be scared out of our wits by films and roller coasters and actors dressed in nightmarish costumes chasing us through dark hallways? We do we pay for this stuff?
Author Michele Gelfand,“Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World," on the politics of fear. Nicholas Bellantoni from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Connecticut on vampire DNA. Gene Ahlborn, BYU, on artificial coloring and flavoring in candy. Carl Sederholm fom BYU; Author Margee Kerr, “Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear”; and Rob Dunfield of The Fear Factory on why people liked to be scared.
Becca is 6-feet tall, bold and strong-willed. She’s also easily startled and paralyzed by fear — even a children’s haunted house can reduce her to tears. In this episode of How To!, we bring in sociologist Margee Kerr, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, to give us the lowdown on surviving scary situations. Can making fear more fun help Becca overcome her startle reflex in time for Halloween? Do you have a problem that needs solving? Have you found the advice on our podcast helpful? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Becca is 6-feet tall, bold and strong-willed. She’s also easily startled and paralyzed by fear — even a children’s haunted house can reduce her to tears. In this episode of How To!, we bring in sociologist Margee Kerr, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, to give us the lowdown on surviving scary situations. Can making fear more fun help Becca overcome her startle reflex in time for Halloween? Do you have a problem that needs solving? Have you found the advice on our podcast helpful? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the September 9, 2019 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor-in-chief Peter Sciretta is joined by /Film managing editor Jacob Hall, weekend editor Brad Oman, senior writer Ben Pearson and writer Hoai-Tran Bui to discuss what they've been up to at the Water Cooler. Opening Banter: Peter is back, Chris is still gone in Toronto. And Jacob is prepping for Fantastic Fest. At The Water Cooler: What we've been Doing:Peter traveled to Orlando Florida, avoided Hurricane Dorian, but almost died in the humidity. He experienced Halloween Horror Nights in Florida for the first time. Watch the video on Ordinary Adventures. He also visited Hollywood Studios to experience Toy Story Land for the first time, and take a trip to the other version of Galaxy's Edge. Jacob got a second tattoo and celebrated his fourth wedding anniversary. Brad went to both Chicago shows for How Did This Get Made live. Hoai-Tran forgot to say that she went to The Color Factory. What we've been Reading:Jacob started reading Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear by Margee Kerr. What we've been Watching:Ben and Jacob saw It Chapter Two. Ben watched The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Peter has been watching The Endless Adventure on YouTube. Jacob watched Bigfoot County, and Pumpkinhead. Brad watched The Adventures of Pinocchio. Hoai-Tran watched Hustlers, Climax, the first two episodes of The Leftovers, and did a double feature of Spirited Away and Millennium Actress at the Metrograph. What we've been Eating:Peter ate at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen, and Orlando's version of Antojitos in Universal Citywalk. He also continued his Orlando tradition of ubering to Unos for Pizza Skins. Brad tried Creepy Cocoa Crisp M&M's, KFC Mac & Cheese Famous Bowl What we've been Playing:Brad has been messing with the new HyperReal Darth Vader figure from Hasbro All the other stuff you need to know: You can find more about all the stories we mentioned on today's show at slashfilm.com, and linked inside the show notes. /Film Daily is published every weekday, bringing you the most exciting news from the world of movies and television as well as deeper dives into the great features from slashfilm.com. You can subscribe to /Film Daily on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the popular podcast apps (RSS). Send your feedback, questions, comments and concerns to us at peter@slashfilm.com. Please leave your name and general geographic location in case we mention the e-mail on the air. Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes, tell your friends and spread the word! Thanks to Sam Hume for our logo.
Jenny Slate is afraid of ghosts. Host Daniel Zomparelli talks to the writer, actress and comedian (Park and Recreation, Venom) about growing up in a haunted house and the problem with unfinished business. Fear expert Margee Kerr, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, weighs in on why one woman's fright is another's definition of fun.
This week on Haunt Weekly, we have a very special guest as we sit down with Dr. Margee Kerr: The Sociologist Who Studies Fear. Dr. Kerr has been everywhere. Perhaps best known for her segment on Full Frontal with Samantatha Bee, she's also been in Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post and SyFyWire and so much more. She has so many credentials that it makes you wonder what she's doing here with us. But, spend an hour with us she did and we talked about about her, what she does, who she works with and, most importantly, the basics of fear and what haunted attractions can do to make the most of it. Oh, and of course to plug her excellent book, Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear. To call this a wonderful interview is an understatement. So while I say this every week: This is definitely an episode you do NOT want to miss!
What are you afraid of? Fear is one of the most complex human emotions. Why do people seek out frightening adventures (like ghost tours) for fun? What happens to our brains when we get scared? Do these “adventures” have a mental health benefit? Join us as we chat with sociologist and haunted attraction consultant, Margee Kerr, about her book, “Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear.”
At Stupid Human Suits, we know that death isn't the ONLY thing to be afraid of, not when there are spiders, heights, sharks, some place called the "suicide forest"... This week, Carol and Sean are joined by Margee Kerr, a sociologist who studies -- and embraces -- FEAR. Listen to the episode and then pick up her book, "SCREAM: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear."
Shhh. Is someone coming? Okay, we'll make this quick. There are a lot of scary things going on in the world. Naturally you're fearful. But sometimes fear has a sister emotion: suspicion. A nagging worry about what's really going on. You know, the stuff they aren't telling you. Don't share this, but we have evidence that both our fear response and our tendency to believe conspiracy theories are evolutionarily adaptive. A sociologist who studies fear tells us why we're addicted to its thrill when we control the situation, and how the media exploit our fear of losing control to keep us on edge. Plus, we examine some alien “cover-ups” and discover why it's not just the tinfoil hat crowd that falls for outrageous plots. It's Skeptic Check …. but you didn't hear it from us! Guests: Margee Kerr – Sociologist who studies fear, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear Rob Brotherton – Psychologist, adjunct assistant professor at Barnard College, and author of Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
ENCORE Shhh. Is someone coming? Okay, we’ll make this quick. There are a lot of scary things going on in the world. Naturally you’re fearful. But sometimes fear has a sister emotion: suspicion. A nagging worry about what’s really going on. You know, the stuff they aren’t telling you. Don’t share this, but we have evidence that both our fear response and our tendency to believe conspiracy theories are evolutionarily adaptive. A sociologist who studies fear tells us why we’re addicted to its thrill when we control the situation, and how the media exploit our fear of losing control to keep us on edge. Plus, we examine some alien “cover-ups” and discover why it’s not just the tinfoil hat crowd that falls for outrageous plots. It’s Skeptic Check …. but you didn’t hear it from us! Guests: Margee Kerr – Sociologist who studies fear, author of Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear Rob Brotherton – Psychologist, adjunct assistant professor at Barnard College, and author of Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories
This week we're talking about fear: how it works, what it does to our bodies and brains, and why we sometimes seek it out. We'll spend the hour with Margee Kerr – a sociologist, fear researcher, and diehard haunted house fan – talking about her new book "Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear".
School of Psych | Insightful interviews and stories about psychology, culture, and relationships.
For Margee Kerr, PhD, dangling from the ledge of a 1,000 ft. tall tower with nothing but a harness, a carabiner, and an odd set of safety instructions is just another day in the life. Whether it’s hanging out in haunted prisons, trekking the globe to find the world’s tallest and fastest rollercoasters, or contemplating life and death in Japan’s Suicide Forest, Margee investigates the effects of fear on our minds, bodies, and brains. Find out why one Washington Post reporter called Margee’s book Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear “the creepiest book I read this year”.Margee isn’t content just studying the science and psychology of fear, she wants to experience it herself. And on today’s episode, she shares some of her adventures and experiences and what she learned along the way about what scares us and why.Listen to find out about:-How roller coasters, thrill rides, and haunted houses create effective physical thrills and jolts by shaking up your body and your brain.-What makes a place "haunted" and why are old prisons, hospitals, and institutions so creepy?-Is infrasound giving you the chills without you knowing about it?-Can a thrilling experience help us overcome worry and anxious rumination?-What’s the scariest experience of them all?Find out on today’s episode of the School of Psych! For more frightfully good times, subscribe to the podcast and check us out over at SchoolofPsych.com
Aaron talks to his good friend Margee Kerr about the sociology of fear and children; horror movies, development of fears and being a good parent. Check out Margee’s new book, “Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear” anywhere books are sold or www.MargeeKerr.com ALSO check out www.Scarehouse.com for one of the top ten haunted houses in America
In our latest Please Explain, we confront our worst nightmares! The gripping fear when you're walking through a haunted house is not the same as the gut-wrenching fear that your life might be in danger. Nor is it the same as the fear of being rejected by a potential mate or the fear of jumping out of a plane. And our reactions to those chilling moments can range from screams, to adrenaline rushes, to even laughter. Margee Kerr is a sociologist at the University of Pittsburgh, and she also moonlights at a popular haunted house, where she gets an inside look into what fear does to us and why we're so attracted to it. In her new book, Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, she explains the science of fear, unraveling the various dimensions of its grasp on us and our society.
This week, Liberty and Rebecca discuss Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear, The Heart Goes Last, more new releases, and a few spooky favorites.