Podcast
Faculty of Horror
Hosted by Andrea Subissati and Alexandra West · EN
Podcasting from the Horrored Halls of Academia
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 151. Weird Science: Re-Animator (1985)
2w ago01:02:22Tap to summarizeAndrea and Alex investigate the mysterious happenings in Stuart Gordon’s foray into the dark side of academia and science fiction in his first feature. Through the modernized adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s tales, they’ll uncover how class, opportunity, and gender factor into the film version. Get the “Fix Your Hearts or Die” Merch by Goblin Purwin this June at our TeePublic Store! All proceeds will go to Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction. Join our Patreon community! REQUIRED READING Re-Animator. Dir. Stuart Gordon, 1985. EXTRA CREDIT Herbert West—Reanimator by H. P. Lovecraft. Read parts 1-6 free online. Rue Morgue Library vol 11: The Weird World of H.P. Lovecraft. Re-Animating a Literary Icon. Ravenous Monster’s interview with Stuart Gordon. Monsters and Mad Scientists: A Cultural History of the Horror Movie. Andrew Tudor’s in-depth look at the impact of scientific advancements on the genre. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 150. Private Lives: Paranormal Activity (2007)
Apr 2201:03:12Tap to summarizeBehind the door of a seemingly normal American home lies something evil. Something that’s been waiting. No, it’s not a demon – it’s a heteronormative relationship with a total douchebag! Join Alex and Andrea for a dive into the murky waters of demonology, tech bros, and home security with Oren Peli’s feature film debut. Join our Patreon community! REQUIRED READING Paranormal Activity. Dir. Oren Peli, 2007. EXTRA CREDIT The Faculty of Horror: Episode 26. Mother Lover: Matriarchy in The Wicker Man (1973 & 2006) and Paranormal Activity 3 (2011).Horror’s New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse. In which Jason Blum break’s down PA’s long road to theatrical release. With Paranormal Activity, Paramount Sets New Marketing Model. An overview of the grassroots marketing campaign. Surveillance Tech is Changing Our Behaviour and Our Brains. How our rapidly evolving technology is taking over our domestic and public spaces. I Love My Husband (Who Hates Me). The Cut’s piece on the socially acceptable misogyny in heteronormative relationships. “Understanding Home Video” from Home Truths? Video Production and Domestic Life: Tracing the home video industry from America’s Funniest Home Videos to FailArmy. The right-wing roots of Silicon Valley: traces the roots of the techbro boom in the ’90s to the “free thinkers” of the modern manosphere. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 149. Bloodlust: The Last House on the Left (1972)
Mar 2400:56:30Tap to summarizeWes Craven’s first feature continues to draw audiences and critics to it. By examining the production, reception, and impact of The Last House on the Left, Andrea and Alex will investigate the legacy of the rape-revenge subgenre and our evolving understanding of it. *Apologies for the poor audio on this one, guys! We’ll catch that gremlin one day and we’ll skin him alive! Join our Patreon community! REQUIRED READING The Last House on the Left. Dir. Wes Craven, 1972. EXTRA CREDIT A Promising Young Woman and the End of the Girlboss Era. Ayesha A. Siddiqi’s in-depth analysis of the Emerald Fennell’s first feature. Screams and Nightmares: The Films of Wes Craven. A thorough look at Craven’s oeuvre with insights and anecdotes from the man himself. Celluloid Crime of the Century – the full 2003 doc is on YouTube, featuring interviews with Craven, Cunningham, and select castmembers. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 148. In Heaven: Eraserhead (1977)
Feb 2501:09:08Tap to summarizeThis month, we’ve summoned friend of the show (and verified Lynch stan) Stacie Ponder to join us as we wander aimlessly into the surrealist nightmare of David Lynch’s mind. Through an exploration of his first film Eraserhead, we’ll investigate one of cinema’s most enigmatic creatives and his myths of America. Check out Stacie’s podcast: Final Girl After Dark! Join our Patreon community! REQUIRED READING Eraserhead. Dir. David Lynch, 1977. EXTRA CREDIT Who Made That Built-In Eraser? An overview of an American partnership. The Theatre of the Absurd Martin Esslin’s critical essay that defined an undefinable movement. Premonition Following an Evil Deed (1995) on YouTube. A very unsettling 56-second film! LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 147. The Fackening: 2025 Year in Review
Jan 2701:11:53Tap to summarizeAnother year of mad fackery has come to end, so Andrea and Alex take a last look at 2025 to review our horror (and non-horror) faves of the year. Join our Patreon community! Alex’s picks:WeaponsBring Her BackThe Ugly StepsisterFinal Destination BloodlinesCompanionGood BoyThe Occupant of the RoomMangittatuarjuk: The Gnawer of Rocks Andrea’s picks: Bring Her Back Weapons Final Destination BloodlinesHeart EyesThe Ugly Stepsister Dangerous Animals Him LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 146. Slayride: Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Dec 2201:00:57Tap to summarizeAndrea and Alex interrogate the pearl clutching that went on during Silent Night, Deadly Night‘s initial theatrical run, what it means to cultivate festive cheer, and the importance of being nice and never naughty. Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design! Join us over on Patreon for more content! REQUIRED READING Silent Night, Deadly Night. Dir. Charles Sellier Jr, 1984. EXTRA CREDIT At the Movies: Silent Night, Deadly Night. Siskel and Ebert’s review. A Once Controversial Release, “Silent Night, Deadly Night” Gains Another Chance to Terrorize. Film at Lincoln Center’s piece on the history and importance of Silent Night, Deadly Night. Santa Claus: The Myth in America. A look at St. Nick’s bizarre (and frankly, kind of hilarious) origin story as a folk hero and a religious icon LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 145. In Memoriam: The Others (2001)
Nov 2600:59:44Tap to summarizeMind the fog and join Andrea and Alex as they explore the dark hallways of Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others. From geopolitics to religion and the weight of motherhood, not everything in the film is as it appears. Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design! REQUIRED READING The Others. Dir. Alejandro Amenábar, 2001. EXTRA CREDIT “Nicole Kidman made a horror movie about Tom Cruise and Scientology.” A video exploration of Kidman’s performance under the watchful eye of Scientology. Taken from Life: The Unsettling Art of Death Photography. The history and science of capturing images of the dearly departed.The Birth of Purgatory by Jacques Le Goff. How Catholicism decided it needed a third state between heaven and hell. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 144. Made for TV: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Oct 2700:50:54Tap to summarizeIt’s almost time kids, the clock is ticking! Andrea and Alex explore the strange world of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, uncovering tricks and treats in the history of holiday, Celtic rituals, and our evolving relationship with our TVs. Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design! REQUIRED READING Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Dir. Tommy Lee Wallace, 1982. EXTRA CREDIT Halloween III: Season Of The Witch – The Inside Story Of A Cult Classic. Director Tommy Lee Wallace on ditching Michael Myers to make Halloween’s best sequel, 40 years on. The Commercialization of the Calendar: American Holidays and the Culture of Consumption, 1870-1930, by Leigh Eric Schmidt. Irish San Francisco. An article detailing the Irish population metrics in California. Tricks of Festival: Children, Enculturation, and American Halloween by Cindy Dell Clark. Halloween’s Mutation: From Humble Holiday to Retail Monstrosity. NYT article on the rise and popularity of the holiday. Video, Science Fiction, and the Cinema of Surveillance. Thomas Doherty’s article exploring the place of television in film. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 143. Rage: Apt Pupil (1998) and We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Sep 2701:31:25Tap to summarizeIn this episode Andrea and Alex delve into the dark side of masculinity with the film adaptations of Apt Pupil and We Need to Talk About Kevin to explore the manosphere, motherhood, and the complexities of anger. Please note: this episode was recorded September 5, 2025. Class of 2025 Merch is now available. Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design! REQUIRED READING Apt Pupil. Dir. Bryan Singer, 1998.We Need to Talk About Kevin. Dir. Lynne Ramsay, 2011. EXTRA CREDIT Guns by Stephen King. King’s essay on gun culture and mass shooting in America. How American Racism Influenced Hitler. Alex Ross’ New Yorker piece on America’s dark relationship with the Nazis. The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood. Sharon Hays’ treatise on the profession and expectations of mothers. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
Transcribe →Episode 142. Teen Dreams: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Jul 2501:08:56Tap to summarizeBuckle up and keep your eyes on the road because we’re chatting about the teen slasher thriller I Know What You Did Last Summer. From morality and justice to small town trappings, we unearth a murky past that refuses to stay buried! More content over on our Patreon! REQUIRED READING I Know What You Did Last Summer. Dir. Jim Gillespie, 1997. EXTRA CREDIT Behavioral Risks during the Transition from High School to College. The NIH report on tendencies and actions during the last summer before adulthood. Generation Multiplex. Timothy Shary’s examination of youth culture at the movies. The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings. Jan Harold Brunvand’s seminal work on modern folklore. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”
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