Assumptions

Daniel argues that many horror films deal blatantly with the existence of evil and often have strong religious themes. So why are they so popular amongst our secular culture? And why do most evangelical Christians avoid them like a curse of Satan? Does Kyle believe in ghosts anyways?

 
Links to Media Discussed:

The 1990 TV mini-series It (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099864/) and the original 1986 horror novel by Stephen King (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_(novel)).

The 1960 film Psycho (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054215/), directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

The poem that Kyle struggled to remember was "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade) by Lord Alfred Tennyson.

The character "Leatherface" from the 1974 film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072271/), directed by Tobe Hooper.

The film 2014 It Follows (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3235888/), directed by David Robert Mitchell.

The 2016 film The Witch (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4263482/), directed by Robert Eggert.

Kyle mentions Book of Thoth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Thoth), an ancient Egyptian text of magic spells.

The 1974 film The Exorcist (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070047/), directed by William Friedkin.

The 1984 film A Nightmare on Elm Street (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087800/), directed by Wes Craven (who graduated from the prestigious Evangelical school Wheaton College).

The TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118276/), which ran from 1997-2003 and was created by Joss Whedon.

We discuss the work of director Scott Derrikson (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0220600/), who directed the horror films The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Sinister (2012), and Deliver Us from Evil (2014), along with the recent Marvel film Doctor Strange (2016). He is a committed Christian (http://archives.relevantmagazine.com/culture/film/director-strange) and has frequently talked about why he thinks horror is the perfect genre for Christians (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/june-web-only/prayer-dark-mysticism-and-flannery-conversation-with-scott-.html). Daniel quoted from an interview with Christianity Today (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/augustweb-only/scottderrickson.html?start=1), which is behind a paywall. Here is the entire quote:

"In my opinion, the horror genre is a perfect genre for Christians to be involved with. I think the more compelling question is, Why do so many Christians find it odd that a Christian would be working in this genre? To me, this genre deals more overtly with the supernatural than any other genre, it tackles issues of good and evil more than any other genre, it distinguishes and articulates the essence of good and evil better than any other genre, and my feeling is that a lot of Christians are wary of this genre simply because it's unpleasant. The genre is not about making you feel good, it is about making you face your fears. And in my experience, that's something that a lot of Christians don't want to do.

To me, the horror genre is the genre of non-denial. It's about admitting that there is evil in the world, and recognizing that there is evil within us, and that we're not in control, and that the things that we are afraid of must be confronted in order for us to relinquish that fear. And I think that the horror genre serves a great purpose in bolstering our understanding of what is evil and therefore better defining what is good. And of course I'm talking about, really, the potential of the horror genre, because there are a lot of horror films that don't do these things. It is a genre that's full of exploitation, but the better films in the genre certainly accomplish, I think, very noble things."

The book The Secular Age (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Secular_Age) by McGill philosopher Charles Taylor.

The 1978 film Halloween (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077651/), directed by John Carpenter.

Daniel briefly references the biblical figure of Lazarus, whom Jesus raises from the dead in the Gospel of John, chapter 11.

The 2013 film Ida (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2718492/), directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.

Further Reading:

Vice.com published a piece last year called "Why Are So Many Films Christian Propaganda?" (http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/why-are-so-many-horror-films-christian-propaganda). The author's perspective is antagonistic to the Christian faith and he cautions readers to be cautious watching horror flicks lest by so doing they promote Christian beliefs.

Film critic Josh Larson of Filmspotting argues "a Christian defence of horror" in this short piece: http://t.co/WufBTSYgXS?ssr=true

Lauren Wilford has a long piece on how the director of The Witch is a master of his craft and why the movie works so well on its own, without the feminist and Satanist controversy.  http://brightwalldarkroom.com/issue-43/2017/1/9/witch-craft-why-robert-eggers-is-our-next-great-filmmaker

Credits:

Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads, who have a new album (Blurred Harmony) coming out on June 9th.

Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi

Photography by Jen Hall

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Kyle's favourite movie of all time is Jaws, which Daniel has never seen. We sit down to watch it and then ask: why does this movie speak so deeply to Kyle? We also talk about Daniel's favourite movie, Moonrise Kingdom and examine why these different stories mean so much to us and what they say about our worldviews.

On this episode, the following media is mentioned or discussed: 

The 1975 film Jaws (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/), directed by Stephen Spielberg. 

The 2012 film Moonrise Kingdom (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748122/), directed by Wes Anderson.

The 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/), directed by Frank Capra.  

The Dorothy Sayers detective novel The Nine Tailors (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nine_Tailors), which includes a climatic scene where the village, complete with animals, takes shelter from the rising flood in the village church, a Noah's Ark type imagery that is echoed in Moonrise Kingdom.

The 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265666/), also directed by Wes Anderson.

Daniel's favourite essay on Wes Anderson is by the Jewish author Michael Chabon. It appeared in the New York Review of Books and is titled "Wes Anderson's Worlds". Daniel loves this piece so much he would frame it if he could. (http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2013/01/31/wes-anderson-worlds/)

Daniel's favourite essay on Moonrise Kingdom is written by his friend Jeffrey Overstreet and is titled "Moonrise Kingdom and the Divine Symphony". Daniel remembers getting shivers down his spine while reading this piece aloud to his best friend as they drove home after watching Moonrise Kingdom for the first time. Daniel's interpretation of the film is still largely based off this piece. (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/goodletters/2012/07/moonrise-kingdom-and-the-divine-symphony/)

Daniel and Kyle's favourite film critic, Roger Ebert's wrote an essay on Jaws, which comes from his legendary "Great Movies" series. (http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-jaws-1975)

Assumptions is written and produced by Daniel Melvill Jones and Kyle Marshall.

This episode edited by Kyle Marshall.

Our soundtrack comes from The Parson Red Heads

Podcast artwork designed by Chris Taniguchi 

Photography by Jen Hall

Feedback or questions can be sent to [email protected], or by contacting us on Facebook or Twitter.

The book Stories We Tell by Mike Cosper investigates the subtle power of the stories told through movies and TV. Daniel and Kyle discuss the allure of storytelling in both of their lives and ask why, according to their differing creeds, does this desire exist? 

Media Discussed:

Stories We Tell by Mike Cosper

Like Someone in Love (film)

Boyhood (film)

The Raid (film)

Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling

The Shadow (radio drama)

Gunsmoke (radio and TV drama)

Welcome to Night Vale (podcast)

Groundhog Day (film)

Breaking Bad (TV series)

Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley (poem)

Credits:

Podcast artwork by Chris Taniguchi

Music by The Parson Red Heads

A Christian and an Atheist have a polite conversation. Kind of. Daniel and Kyle have competing world views and yet still remain close friends. Each try to understand each other’s viewpoints. Specifically they use media to uncover how each interprets their world.