- Horror Movie - Horror Homeroom

book cover showing a doll with a missing nose

Posted on November 18, 2022

The Bloodcurdling Book Club: Talking Elizabeth Engstrom’s WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US

Podcast

Elizabeth Engstrom’s WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US has been called everything from dark and soul crushing to a “paperback from hell” but we call it one of the finest literary explorations of trauma in recent memory. In this episode, we discuss what makes a monster, how trauma gets replicated, and what it means when monstrosity cloaks itself as maternal indifference. On this podcast we talk blood, guts, and spoilers so listener discretion is advised.

You can order Engstrom’s novel from Valancourt’s Paperbacks from Hell site.

Listen now!

a group of young people stand in defiance of people trying to oppress them

Posted on August 12, 2022

Rewriting the Slasher: Talking They/Them (2022)

Podcast

In this episode, we’re deep diving into John Logan’s highly polarizing They/Them (2022). A slasher film that takes place at a conversion camp, the film drew early criticism on social media with many wondering if there aren’t some topics that should be off limits. But what does that mean for a genre like horror that is predicated on exploring taboo and violating social norms? We’re spoiling the hell out of this movie, so stay tuned!

Look for this episode on your favorite podcast platform or listen via the link below.

Links to references in this podcast:

Liz & Gwen – Our podcast on But I’m a Cheerleader
Noël Carroll – The Nature of Horror
Robin Wood – The American Horror Film
Logan Ashley Kisner – A Timeline of Transgender Horror
Gary M. Kramer – Conversion camp horror flick “They/Them” is a crafty, killer good time
Brian Tallerico – They/Them Review

elderly woman stands in a blood soaked nightgown with a pitchfork. She is looking at a wall.

Posted on June 8, 2022

The Monstrosity of Aging: Talking “X” (2022)

Elizabeth Erwin

In this episode, horror and pornography become not so strange bedfellows in Ti West’s “X”. A love letter to 1970s low budget filmmaking, the movie blends humor, heart and lots of boobs to create a shockingly effective meditation on the complexities of aging. We’re going to spoil the hell out of this film today so stay tuned.

And if you enjoyed this episode, you may also want to check out these resources that dive into the specter of aging in horror films!

Recommended Reading: Read more

book cover superimposed over image of woods

Posted on September 10, 2021

The Bloodcurdling Book Club: The Woods are Always Watching

Elizabeth Erwin

This week’s hair raising read is 2021’s THE WOODS ARE ALWAYS WATCHING by Stephanie Perkins. The novel’s setup is deceptively simple. College bound best friends Josie and Neena embark on a last hurrah camping trip only to find themselves terrorized by two killers. But while this IS a story of survival, it is also a poignant look at the emotional complexities of friendship and what it means to fight for others just as hard as you fight for yourself. On this podcast, we talk blood, guts, and spoilers so listener discretion is advised.

And if you’re interested in exploring the woods as a setting of horror further, check out the recommended resources below!

Recommended Reading: Read more

Posted on June 14, 2021

The Bloodcurdling Book Club: Reading Summerville

Elizabeth Erwin

This week’s hair-raising read is 2013’s SUMMERVILLE by D.T. Neal. The story follows three friends who are planning to dive for some expensive brandy bottles they believe are sitting at the bottom of a South Carolina River. When the group encounters a hitchhiker to whom they decide to offer a ride, a series of events are put into motion that leaves no one unscathed. Part southern gothic and part ecohorror, this novella takes some big swings but do they pay off? Listen to the latest episode of The Bloodcurdling Book Club to find out!