It's Decorative Halloween Episode Season, Motherfuckers!
Last year, your hosts recorded a long two-part episode about horror films for spooky season. This year, we're looking to keep the tradition going -- there were a bunch of very worthy candidates we didn't get to last year, and lots of points that came up afterwards, including in the comment section on this very site. So, once again, it is your turn to give us homework!
Some of these are new entrants this year, some of these are also-rans from last year's poll. Feel free to comment with other movies/media you think we should look at! We'll pick something like three or four, probably around a theme, auteur, or time period (last year, it was the 70s) -- but the plan is to announce the specific films on here early, so you can all comment and watch along!
Comments (90)
Not sure where else to put this but there’s a new film, “Fatherland,” about Thomas Mann in Germany in 1949 coming out today. Was this already on Adrian and Moira’s radar? Interested in hearing their movie review for this as a follow-up episode to their WWII episodes. 🎞️
Cat People (1982) version
OKAY, HEAR ME OUT: i know this is not on the list, but in honor of the restoration of "the devils," plus the catholic church, gender, and horny nuns of it all, i think y'all should cover THAT for movie night
Literally saw that yesterday in the theater and it was a wild experience!
Not on the list but It Follows, Creep 1 or 2, Jennifer's Body, or The House That Jack Built.
1% for Stepfather?! It’s a scandal. The Village Voice had a review titled “Ward Wields a Cleaver.”
I know it wouldn't help you focus your episode but where is the option for "I haven't seen and don't want to personally watch any of these because I am very afraid and uncomfortable"
Scream is inspired by a series of rape-murders that happened in my old college town in the 90s (before I got there). I don't think the movie has much in common with the actual crimes, but I'd still be very interested in a Scream analysis
Before, you asked about maligned women I had been thinking about the mother in the documentary Meeting the Friedmans.
Shivers/The Brood. The Company of Wolves/Valerie and her Week of Wonders.
Voted It because I need a Stephen King dissection from you all
Omg- we NEED a review from you folks about Obsession, released this year... and all the discourse surrounding it!
Where are all my Lair of the White Wyrm enjoyer friends at?
Also consider "They Live".
Did you already do "Carrie"? Because I would love your take on thst one.
They did! It's one of the movies they covered in last year's horror-movie episodes. Look for "The Powers of Horror (Film)" parts 1 and 2 on the episode list.
Either Lair or the later Cat People, but the latter mostly because I want to hear you guys discuss exactly how hot Nastassja Kinsky is. Is it possible to rate her hotness on the Fahrenheit scale, or do we need to move to Celsius? Also, as a bonus, Ed Begley Jr. getting his arm pulled off. How great is that?
I’m guessing if last year you did the 70s you included Wicker Man, but if not, I’d definitely enjoy you doing it this year.
I misread the title of the post at first and I kind of hoped you were doing an episode about the gendered history of Halloween decorations.
The Vanishing (not the remake)
Lost Boys! We need to up this podcasts gay subtext. Also the Musical just came out like a few months ago so it’s topical.
omg I could NOT sleep after seeing Cat's eye for a year I was afraid of that little troll-thing.
and the how to stop smoking thing, is kinda crazy
Here are a few other ideas: Two lyrical depictions of motherhood and its interaction with the healthcare system: "Rosemary's Baby" (1968) and "The Omen" (1976) "The Stepford Wives" (1975 or 2004). Apparently there are some people in the world who think the Stepford method is actually a positive vision for women? "The Red Turtle" (2016) but only if you share my view that it's a horror movie
A Shame Ginger Snaps isn't on there. I went for Near Dark, not nearly enough people have seen it.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma - it’s new but full of material.
Voting for the it movies so you can dive into the coke fueled id of Stephen king!
I would love to hear Moira and Adrian’s takes on Possession (Sam Neill, Isabelle Adjani 1981), The Hunger (Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie 1983), and/or Vampire’s Kiss (Nicolas Cage, Maria Conchita Alonso 1988). Especially if they bring in Andrea Subassati and Andrea West from The Faculty of Horror podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/faculty-of-horror/id591499834)
POSSESSION!!!! RIP Sam Neill.
I want to wish moira a happy intl lesbian day from a fellow lesbian & to also add jennifer’s body into the mix of movie choices in light of the holiday
The Vanishing, if we only get one!
1942 Cat People for LYFE!!
I was suuuper traumatized by A Watcher in the Woods as a kid, but not by Lost Boys funnily enough. I love Alex Steed’s description of the Lost Boys’ looks on You Are Good as 80s vampires as envisioned by Andrew Lloyd Weber😂
The Vanishing is scary as shit but in a unique way.
Joining the fellow commenters also suggesting you look at Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma 🙂
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
it’s never going to win, but THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS WOULD BE fucking EPIC!!!
I was so scared by that movie as a kid
A vote for Only Lovers Left Alive.
Also voted for Cat People because I found it be a creepy, scary film.
Cat people🐈
Cat People!! Would love to hear y’all talk about the 1942 one
I would love it if you guys did Obsession! So many interesting themes around gender and sexual politics.
Please 🙏 re-animater 🙏 🙏
The original Vanishing (NOT the American remake) is absolutely terrifying, but not in a supernatural way. In a very real way.
80s cat people incest analysis please I’m begging / do both versions??? Comparative film analysis and adaptation discussions are so fun!
I'd be so interested to hear the pods take on "It". I read it a long time ago but I've always had a tough relationship with the usual discourse around the ending. I don't want to spoil anything, but I often see the ending get discussed in an inflammatory, one dimensional way. My memory of reading it was that I found it tender, moving, and justified by the plot but I seem to be in the severe minority. I'm totally prepared to be wrong but I'd enjoy some thoughtful commentary on it.
Off topic but happy Bostein is out of Bard! Moira must be happy and of course I vote nightmare on elm street-👻
Cat People 1942, please. I still have apartment envy for Irena's magnificent flat (much of it repurposed sets from The Magnificent Ambersons, IIRC). Single woman artist in Manhattan affords huge, fancy flat? That's the bigger mystery than her fabled feline family.
Would love to hear you cover Night of the Comet (1984).
Near Dark is a genuinely good movie. A terrifying coda to your road trip movie theme.
Torn between Lost Boys and Scream!
Exactly!
On a somewhat tangential point, I would love to hear you all discuss Lynch's work. For example, FBI director's oogling of Agent Tammy in The Return feels self aware and self critical but also there is never humanization or three dimensional version given of her, which feels complicated, but also in a way that feels more honest and not pandering to liberal tastes. Her flatness is in keeping with how flat she seems to her male coworkers, who see her great ass and her forever professional demeanor (and god tier pouting). She is plainly objectified and plainly good at her job.
it's gotta be the Lost Boys for the mullets, right?
Cat's Eye and Cat People (1982 because I never saw the original). It's a theme! Everyone loves themes.
Can you watch+discuss a B-movie, please?? like: - Curse of the Queerwolf (1988) (I know, I suggested this one already last year) - Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1972)
Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, please
The Changeling, 1980, with George C Scott 🙏
ginger snaps ginger snaps ginger snaps (chanting)
It's a travesty this is not on the list
My favorite podcast knows about "It's Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers." This is potentially life-changing. Colin Nissan, your work will live forever.
A Contemporary film I’d be interested in your thoughts on would be “the substance” though you may already have done this and it’s slipped my mind! I’m usually desperately waiting for the next episode after every one but after being away I got to listen to three in a row on my train from London today which was delightful! Though I am now back to desperately waiting 😅
Throwing Videodrome and The Thing in the mix for an 80s episode!
Seconding these choices, and would love an 80s theme this year!
I think you all would have an amazing time and a metatextual field day watching Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, esp with a trans guest!
Oh God seconding this. That movie was fabulous and would LOVE to hear Adrian and Moira discuss!
Choose one?!!!
Not suggesting for the episode, but just a general movie recommendations that I think this crowd would love! - the Ready Or Not franchise (RON 1 & 2) - the Ti West horror franchise: X, Pearl, and Maxxxine
I don't watch horror movies unless they star Karoline Leavitt.
i'm throwing my vote in with cat people, but these are all really solid choices shout out to "scream," the movie that got me into horror movies
I vote a non horror year because I can't do horror! lol :) ya'll have fun! :D
Well, stay tuned, because we're gonna have a read-along later in the fall! And it won't be horror... it'll be weirder!
I know it's a long shot but I would never say no to a typically bonkers Ken Russell outing in Lair of the White Worm.
Night of the Hunter plz plz plz!
Oh, my, yes! One of the greatest movies ever. My sister's favorite film. A road movie on a river; a charming, terrifying, singing, nomadic, murderous preacher; a fable; a psychological study; a Depression tale; it has tent revivals, a Model T, Lillian Gish, orphans, and the weird, haunting "Pretty Fly" song. It looks like no other 1955 film, either. Truly great movie.
The people demand “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge” with special guests Sarah Marshall and Alex Steed
I was thinking about asking Sarah in case "It" makes the cut!
I have never heard anyone ever mention Reanimator and always thought I was somehow the only human being who ever sat through that awful movie!! IBWTR making me feel seen once again
One of the hosts happens to be a huge H.P. Lovecraft ... well, not fan exactly, but reader
Lost Boys Lost Boys Lost Boys!!
For the sax guy alone
Re Cat People, both versions are great, but it would be remiss to ignore the David Bowie/Grace Jones/Natasia Kinski trifecta because I mean come on.
Did you just change your name to Cat P or is that a mighty coincidence? 😂
Voting for 1942 Cat People every year until it works!
Seconding the ‘42 edition!
I've been waiting for this, I watched Devil's Advocate for the first time a few months back and figured I'd love to hear your takes on it
OMG I remember seeing that one in the theater and once Pacino launches into his big speech, I turned to my friend and said "should we be huffing glue for this?"
Hell no to watching along. I like my sleep free from nightmares 😂
I, too, am a non-horror person! But I still love hearing Moira and Adrian talk about them, somehow!