In Episode 26: Feline Fury, Jen and Nilo are joined by cat/horror experts Morgan Woolsey and Ben Raphael Sher to discuss what happens when good cats go bad! (Spoiler: they don’t. All Cats Are Beautiful.) We share an irl story of a family (supposedly) terrorized by a housecat before spending the majority of the episode digging into a range of cat ho…

We know it’s been a while, crocodile. But we’re back with a vengeance in an episode nearly as massive as “the chief of beasts” himself! In Episode 25 Jen and Nilo share stories about unfortunate human encounters with crocs, and celebrate various entries in the crocsploitation subgenre: Rogue, Black Water, Dark Age, Lake Placid, Crocodile, Killer Cr…

Known variously as vampires, witch’s steeds, and sexual perverts, across myriad cultures and throughout human history the hyena has haunted our collective imagination. In the words of Peter Hathaway Capstick, “From the first, faraway woooo-uppp of the pack gathering to the sniggering chitter of the kill, the hyena is telling you something you don’t…

In Episode 23, Jen and Nilo swap stories of unfortunate arachnid encounters before discussing the invading spider armies of Arachnophobia (1990) and Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) and the far more disturbing spider sex of Latvian art-horror curiosity Spider (1992). SOURCES: BJ Colangelo, “Kingdom of the Spiders (1977),” When Animals Attack: The 70 B…

In episode 22, Jen and Nilo share stories of a variety of avian attacks, from magpies mobbing cyclists to starlings crashing planes to the terrifying exploits of the living velociraptor known as the cassowary. Then they discuss some of the best animal horror movies ever put to celluloid – The Birds and The Lighthouse – and possibly the worst film e…

In episode 21, Jen & Nilo share stories about a recent mountain lion attack and the Zanesville Massacre, before hashing out their reactions to the Netflix limited series Tiger King. For more information about how you can contribute to organizing around the issues raised in this conversation check out: Panthera, an org that advocates for big cats an…

In episode 20, Jen & Nilo are joined by two special guests, Ash & Jon of Horror Vanguard podcast, to dig into the 1984 Ozploitation classic, Razorback. Then they discuss the 1973 oddity Pigs, before sharing some true stories of pig and boar attacks. To hear more from Jon and Ash about spooky movies and even spookier theory, check out Horror Vanguar…

In episode 19, Jen & Nilo share true stories of harrowing encounters with the world's largest land predator in Canada, Alaska, Norway, and Russia. They also discuss two animal horror films: Unnatural and Wild Beasts. In the latter, a variety of animals get high on PCP and rampage through an unnamed German city; listen to learn more about a tiger te…

In a special Halloween episode, Nilo & Jen discuss vampire bats. They trade bat attack stories, and discuss three films that have viciously maligned our comrades of the sky: Chosen Survivors (1974), Nightwing (1979), and Bats (1999). Sources: “Blood Buddies,” Radiolab (2010) https://www.livescience.com/463-spate-vampire-bat-attacks.html https://www…

In Episode 17, Nilo & Jen are joined by CSU Fullerton Professor Chelsea Julian Reynolds to discuss predatory porpoises! Dolphins may seem cute, playful, and even magical… and they are. But sometimes they can be a little *too* interested in people, if you know what we mean. Either way, tune in to learn more about what happens when dolphins go bad, b…

In episode 16, Jen and Nilo swap stories of black bear attacks in Alaska, India, and elsewhere around the world, and discuss the most realistic animal attack ever to appear on screen, from the 2015 survival horror film Backcountry. Along the way, they also explain how to differentiate between brown and black bears, and share some tips for how to su…

In episode 15, Nilo and Jen are joined by author Gordon Grice to discuss African lion attacks. They swap stories that span more than a century and several countries, including the “man-eaters of Tsavo,” and then debate the merits of two films based on those notorious attacks: Bwana Devil (1953) and The Ghost and the Darkness (1996). Along the way, …

In episode 14, Jen and Nilo are joined by New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis to discuss bunnies on film, from The Rules of the Game to Night of the Lepus to Us, along with a few true stories of rabbit attacks.By Jen & Nilo

In episode 13, Jen & Nilo share stories of venomous snake attacks from around the world, including a harrowing listener story from Steve Rankin, executive producer of Naked and Afraid. They round off these real-life tales with a discussion of the cinematic serpents of Snake Island and the Hong Kong/Philippines coproduction, The Evil Snake Girl. ---…

In episode 12, Nilo and Jen cover a range of wolf tales spanning history and the globe, from contemporary Korea and Alaska to the 18th century exploits of the Beast of Gévaudan. They also touch on the recent story of the runner who strangled a cougar to fend off an attack, before reviewing the big bad wolves of The Grey, Frozen, and Brotherhood of …

In episode 11, Jen & Nilo talk tigers! They cover a number of attacks in India, including the story of the notorious Champawat tigress, and then Jen does a deep dive into a mystical tale of feline vengeance against a poacher from Siberia. They finish up by reviewing an array of movies about middle-aged white men using tigers to behave badly – Roar,…

In episode 10, Jen flies solo to share some wild turkey attack stories and dig into the vaguely Thanksgiving-themed Blood Freak. Sources: This American Life, “Poultry Slam 2011” https://nypost.com/2017/08/25/wild-turkeys-from-hell-are-terrorizing-this-town/ https://medium.com/the-mission/taking-time-to-be-thankful-surviving-a-wild-turkey-attack-34d…

In this Halloween mini-episode, Nilo and Jen stir up a melange of tales of rats attacking humans and discuss the cinematic rodents of Willard, Of Unknown Origin, and Deadly Eyes. Do you have an animal attack story? We want to hear from you! Email us at whenanimalsattackpod@gmail.com, or you can find us at instagram.com/whenanimalsattackpodcast, twi…

In episode 8, Nilo and Jen shed light on the hidden menace plaguing our streets – raccoons! They trade stories about the masked marauders with creepy tiny hands, recommend outdoor excursions for self care in these trying times, and discuss the merits of the little-known Troma gem, Coons: Night of the Bandits of the Night. Do you have an animal atta…

In the seventh episode of When Animals Attack, Jen and Nilo swap dog attack stories from the US & the UK, including the tragic case of Diane Whipple, bite into breed discrimination & the use of dogs as tools of the state, reflect on 35 years of Cujo barking at a car, and compare the hellhounds of Devil Dog and Rottweiler. Do you have an animal atta…

In episode 6, Jen and Nilo swap stories of unusual and unlikely shark attacks, consider the politics of “I Survived” and the magic of dolphins, and do a deep dive into the supersized shark movie The Meg with special guests Jason and Harrison. Do you have an animal attack story? We want to hear from you! Email us at whenanimalsattackpod@gmail.com, o…

In episode 5, Jen & Nilo trade stories of predatory pumas, share tips for how to coexist with cougars, explain why LA loves its lions, and discuss the meager merits of Day of the Animals and The Pumaman. Have you or someone you know experienced or witnessed an animal attack? We want the deets! Send your stories to whenanimalsattackpod@gmail.com. Fo…

In the fourth episode of When Animals Attack! Jen & Nilo discuss killer bees, hornets from hell, a harrowing firsthand account of surviving a yellowjack swarm, and why wasps are better than WASPs. Have you or someone you know experienced or witnessed an animal attack? We want the deets! Send your stories to whenanimalsattackpod@gmail.com. Follow us…

In episode 3, Nilo & Jen share stories of alligator attacks in The Sunshine State, imagine showdowns between dinosaurs and supercrocs, and wax ecstatic about gators on film and the homoerotics of 80s cinema. Have you or someone you know experienced or witnessed an animal attack? We want the deets! Send your stories to whenanimalsattackpod@gmail.com…

In episode 2 of When Animals Attack!, Nilo and Jen discuss great white sharks, the “Jaws effect,” and the other white meat. Have you or someone you know experienced or witnessed an animal attack? We want the deets! Send your stories to whenanimalsattackpod@gmail.com. References: Aylah Svetey, “How Jaws Killed Sharks,” University of Melbourne’s Scie…