Strict movie censorship in America kicked off in 1934- but what horrors were they able to get away with before then?

By Mira Gutoff

From old gods that demand human sacrifices to haunted villages with even more haunted villagers, it's time to examine horror movies based around folklore- the folk horror revival. This episode contains religious debate, fairy tales, and the archetypal female coming of age story. Ambiant music is by Kevin Macleod. Audio clips used were from Rocky Ho…

What makes a horror movie bad- so bad it's good, or so bad it's unwatchable? In this episode, we'll be taking a look at when and how horror doesn't work. Recommended Media: Films (Good): The Most Dangerous Game The Thing Alien Midsommar Rebecca The Haunting The Babadook Get Out Films (Bad): High School Confidential Santa Clause Conquers the Martian…

In part B of the Frankenstein series, we'll talk about how film and literary adaptations have portrayed the infamous Monster- often as seen through the eyes of his Bride. Ambiant music is by cinematicwaves. Audio clips used were from Rocky Horror Studio Cast, The Bride of Frankenstein, the trailer for The Bride, and Frankenstein and the Monster fro…

It's time to finally talk about Frankenstein! In part A, we'll look at how the Doctor has shifted throughout adaptations, and how each version has revealed a new aspect of what it means to play god. Error correction: I repeatedly call Sting's character Carl Frankenstein. It's Charles Frankenstein. I don't know why I made that mistake, but it's too …

Ravenloft is perhaps the most famous and influential gothic roleplaying game, but it's not the only one out there! Join us and discover the strange and unusual world of gothic horror tabletop rpgs. Recommended Media: Roleplaying Games: Ravenloft Vampire: The Dark Ages Bluebeard’s Bride A Ghastly Affair Krevborna: A Gothic Blood Opera White Box Goth…

This episode dives into a mixture of Americana, horror, science fiction and history to tell the tales of the Weird West. Recommended Media: Books: Track of the Cat Dracula Films: High Plains Drifter Ravenous TV: Wild Wild West Music: savingcountrymusic.com's annual Halloween playlist American Murder Song Comics: Pretty Deadly House of Penance Rolep…

It's time to tell some fairy tales- one of the most frightening fairy tales of all. In this episode, we'll look at the story of Bluebeard, lingering questions around it, and its influence on everything from great literature to opera to horror movies. A patreon sponsored episode! Recommended Media Books: Tales and Stories from the Past with Morals b…

If you know all the classic monsters by sight but don't know where to start with their movies, look no further! In this guide to Universal's 1930s horror movies, we'll look at the foundational films of the genre and see which ones hold up...and think about just what we want out of them. Recommended Media Books: The Monster Show by David J. Skal Dan…

What happens when R. L. Stine- or possibly his ghost writer- tries his hand at historical fiction? We'll be looking at the Fear Street Sagas, the place where teens in the nineties went for over the top gothic horror. Recommended Media Film: The House of Seven Gables (1940) Books: Betrayal: The Betrayal; The Secret; The Burning (collection) by R. L.…

Let's look at the granddaughter of the gothic heroine: the survivor of slasher horror movies. The term Final Girl was coined in the book Men, Women and Chainsaws, but it has come a long way since then. Our very first Patreon-sponsored episode! Recommended Media Books: Men, Women and Chainsaws by Carol J. Clover Dracula by Bram Stoker Films: Hallowe…

Just in time for Halloween, we'll be looking at the classic 1960s horror movies based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, starring Vincent Price, and directed by Roger Corman. Recommended Media: Books: The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe Films: House of Usher The Pit and the Pendulum The Raven Tales of Terror The Haunted Palace Masque of t…

It's time for a big topic: gothic romance novels! I'll be tackling the history of books with women running from houses on their covers, from the 1790s to the 1970s. We'll talk about love and horror, cliche and innovation, feminism and conservatism, and all the other contradictions of the genre. Recommended Media Books: Northanger Abbey by Jane Aust…

This week, we'll take a look at the legacy of the book Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal. With two very successful adaptations- the film Kind Hearts and Coronets and the musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder- this tale of a disowned son murdering his way through the family tree brings up questions of class, ethnicity, morality a…

Some movies are hardboiled crime stories, some are gothic horror, and some are a little of both. In this episode, I look at film noir bearing the hallmarks of the gothic- especially those with gothic heroines! For a story of showing a gaslighter the film Gaslight, look here: https://np.reddit.com/r/relationships/comments/35qlo3/update_my_22f_boyfri…

Let's dive into a strange world beyond fantasy, horror or science fiction: the world of the weird. I'll be talking about Angela Carter, Joyce Carol Oates, Tanith Lee, Gemma Files, Kelly Link, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Seanan Mcguire and Jo Walton, as we look at authors who break genre boundaries and bring new monsters to life. Recommended Media: Books: S…

H. P. Lovecraft was one of the most influential horror and science fiction writers of all time, with a legacy still felt across movies, books, roleplaying games and more. But all his talent was matched by his personal bigotry. In this episode, we're going to talk about how fans and critics can respond to Lovecraft. Recommended Media Books: At the M…

What are the best, worst, and strangest Dracula adaptations out there? And what is the original book about, anyway? From horror movies to romances to art films, Dracula's on-screen afterlife charts a bizarre course as everyone from Francis Ford Coppola to Andy Warhol took a shot at him. Intro and outro music is the song Battered by Station 61, off …

Want to enter a world of lacy nightgowns and bloodthirsty vampires but don't know where to start? Here's your entry point. These cult horror movies from the late 1950s through the early 1970s changed the face of onscreen horror forever, from the level of gore and sex to the star power of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Learn where to start with …