Clever Ghouls

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Costumes do a lot of the heavy lifting in our favorite movies (especially when they’re so good that you don’t even think about them when you’re watching)! Blair breaks down how costumes do a lot of the talking (and a metric shit ton of character development) without ever saying a word in this episode, and how you can identify things about your favorite characters that are never explicitly said.

References:

• Cosplay Costumes Market by End User (Allied Market Research)
• How Will You Celebrate Halloween This Year (Statista)

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!

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In this minisode led by Maegan, tune in to learn about the history of Science Fiction, how it reflects our shared cultural fears and aims to help us cope with societal anxieties; why it firmly deserves a seat at the horror table because of it, and some of the historical context behind some of our favorite and most classic Sci-Fi tales. 

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!

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In this minisode, Melissa professes her love for none other than the humble dung beetle. While famous for rolling around balls of poop, did you know these little navigators can also use the night sky to orient themselves? Listen to Melissa review the 2013 Dacke, etc al journal article that proved these little insects are savvy astronomers. Seriously, the beetles wear hats in this one. It's adorable. 

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!

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On this episode, the Clever Ghouls discuss Stephen Sommers’ 1999 film, The Mummy, starring the unparalleled Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, and John Hannah.  The movie focuses on a cast of historians, treasure hunters, and a badass librarian as they seek the mythical City of Hamunaptra, all for different reasons. Of course, you can’t disturb an ancient Egyptian tomb without a good mummy, and when the team does finally find the prizes they’re after, all hell breaks loose. 

Some content warnings for this episode: Gun violence, violence against women, insects (unfairly villainized though they are), mutilation, and pervasive undertones of sexual assault.  For more information, check out doesthedogdie.com.

Note: At one point, Melissa refers to Israeli actor, Oded Fehr, when she really meant to reference Iranian actor, Omid Djalili. She’s really, really embarrassed over it, hopes you all will forgive her, and will do better!

Related minisodes for even more content:

• Stellar Scarabs: How Beetles Use the Milky Way to Navigate | Minisode w/ Melissa

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!

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In honor of Friday the 13th, enjoy another minisode and join Maegan (who has as cold and is a little stuffy, she promises she's not yelling at you!) as she walks you through the psychology of why we like being scared, what neurophysiological responses our body goes through, why this was evolutionarily important, and some of the theories as to why horror is such a popular medium for exploring our fears.

Maegan has an advanced degree in Behavioral Psychology and is an ex-Behavioral Therapist. She now works as a data scientist and behavior researcher who specializes in analyzing behavioral data, AI, and machine learning.

Reference: https://www.statista.com/statistics/188658/movie-genres-in-north-america-by-box-office-revenue-since-1995/

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!

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Maegan, resident bisexual of the Clever Ghouls, takes some time to talk about the (limited and frequently poorly done) representation of bisexuality in media, but horror films especially, how it frequently manifests into biphobia, and how Jennifer's Body got this representation right.

• Tackling Biphobia: https://galop.org.uk/resource/tackling-biphobia/
• Bisexuality FAQs: https://www.hrc.org/resources/bisexual-faq
• Mental Health & Biphobia resources: https://biresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Mental_Health_Biphobia_Brochure.pdf
• How to Support Bisexual Youth - An introductory educational resource that covers topics and best practices for supporting the bisexual youth in your life: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/how-to-support-bisexual-youth/

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!

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On this episode, the Clever Ghouls discuss Jennifer's Body, the 2009 horror-comedy film written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama. The film most notably stars Megan Fox as a demonically possessed, bisexual cheerleader on a quest for revenge and Amanda Seyfriend, her nerdy, bookish best friend. The film is a unique take on a feminist tale that did NOT get what it deserved from the box office. Join us as we take a closer look at this film and chat things like sexuality and the sexualization of women in horror films, the complexity of young female relationships, navigating the nuances of being an adolescent queer, and why this movie still resonates so loudly in 2022. 

A note about the movie and therefore the subject matter of our discussions: This movie is rated R by the MPAA for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use. Some content warnings to be aware of are: self-harm, rape and sexual assault, violence against women, mental hospitals (including a solitary confinement scene), and child death.

Related minisodes for even more content: 

• I'm NOT Confused: Bisexuality & Biphobia in Horror | Minisode w/ Maegan

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!

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Welcome to our first official movie discussion episode! Join us as we take a deeper dive into The Nightmare Before Christmas than you ever thought possible. Directed by Henry Selick and written by Tim Burton, Caroline Thompson, and Michael McDowell, this Disney cult classic has wormed its way into the heart of many a millennial. It is a stop-motion masterpiece centering on Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, and his search for something beyond the confines of his own fantastical realm. When he stumbles upon Christmastown, it seems he’s finally found what he’s looking for, but could a skeleton ever truly appreciate what makes Christmas so magical? Grab yourself some frog's breath and join us as we discuss this film's themes of cultural appropriate, feminism, racial impacts, and how the music shaped this movie.

A note about the movie and some subject matter warnings: though a kids’ movie, there are some motifs that audiences may find disturbing. These include dead animals (though not graphic, and, arguably, Zero the ghost dog is the cutest character), abusive relationships, and gaslighting.  

References:
https://songexploder.net/danny-elfman

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!

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Meet the Ghoulies of Clever Ghouls! 

Which Clever Ghoul cries when she gets too happy? Who can’t stop talking about bugs and Lord of the Rings? Which Ghoulie is the bro-iest and looks like they could kill you? Who uses their Karen powers for good and serves as the group mom?

Tune into this minisode to get to know us and our voices, get acquainted with what Clever Ghouls is all about, what movies we are most looking forward to discussing with you, and where we all fall on the Cinnamon Roll/Could Kill You alignment chart.

The Clever Ghouls podcast, hosted by Maegan and Blair, is a show dedicated to watching, analyzing, and discussing the movies that make us think about them long after we’ve left the theater or turned off the TV. We bring quick wit and unique perspectives from backgrounds like art history, cinematography, psychology, analysis, public education, mysticism, mythos, and more to create a curated, inclusive conversation around the spooky movies we love. Tune in on your favorite podcast hosting platform to listen along, join the conversation, and chime in with your own observations!

Our intro and outro music was created for us by Josh Marshall. For more episodes and other spooky content, find us on your favorite social media platform through our handle: @CleverGhouls. Don’t forget to subscribe and share, and if you really like our content, please leave us a review. Or we’ll haunt you forever. Thanks for listening!