Dismembering Horror

Our 200th episode is here! We've explored so many nooks and crannies of the genre, and now, in celebration of this milestone, we're taking a look back at the past hundred episodes to pick out our top nine films. Join us as we revisit some of our favorites, and see which ones have stayed with us long after the credits rolled.

"Speak No Evil" takes the well-worn trope of doing something foolish to prove oneself and turns it on its head, delving deeper into the horror of societal expectations. We were both along for the ride into the forest, countryside, and rock quarry, navigating the dangers of polite society and psychopaths alike. With our tongues firmly intact, we dismember the nuances of modern niceties explored in this thrilling film. "Speak No Evil" earned a double "rent" from both of us.

Speak No Evil (2022)

Directed by Christian Tafdrup

Written by Christian and Mads Tafdrup

Where we watched: Shudder

RecommenDEADtions: All That Jazz / The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari

Don't be fooled, like his father before him, the younger Cronenberg knows what he's doing: and delivers with “Infinity Pool.” While keeping the family tradition of body-centric horror, Brandon adds his own cerebral touch that titillates in all the right Cronenberg-y ways. Ryan and Tim both agree that this film deserves a "buy" for a plethora of reasons, including Mia Goth’s incredible, unhinged performance. This film is so good, it'll get under your skin and make you want to peel back the layers with multiple repeat viewings.

Infinity Pool (2023)

Written and Directed by Brandon Cronenberg

Where we watched: Theaters

RecommenDEADtions: Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex Drugs and Rock & Roll Generations Saved Hollywood (book) / Fire of Love

This week on Dismembering Horror, we delve into the pre-and-post-apocalyptic depths of darkness with Tim's pick for "the bleakest movie" he's ever seen. Get ready for the shock and awe of "Threads," a British classic that rocked the country with its pseudo-documentary style and heart-stopping realism. We were joined by Bob Mielke, the writer of the "Threads" book, and Rachel Kempf, co-founder of its publishing company. It was an honor to have them on the show for an even more in-depth dissection. With a rare quadruple "buy," it's time to join the fun (but don't say we didn't warn you, this one's not for the weak-hearted) and get ready for a blast of horror (pun intended).

Threads (1984)

Directed by Mick Jackson

Written by Barry Hines

Where we watched: Shudder

RecommenDEADtions: Martyrs / Ace Venture: When Nature Calls / Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery / The Damned, Carol for Another Christmas, My Nuclear Life (podcast), and Super Critical Podcast (podcast), The Girls of Atomic City (book)

Check out Bob’s THREADS book and other offerings from DieDieBooks here: https://diediebooks.com/

“Dinky dinky do,” if we do say so ourselves! What an interesting experience “Skinamarink” was. Stark, eerie, unsettling, challenging for some, this Canadian film has been causing quite a stir with audiences, both good and bad. Eleven people walked out of Tim’s theater, sparking a conversation worth its own dismembering. The path to loving this movie may well be in the viewer's ability to tap into their childhood fears and feelings. Ryan had no problem getting there, while Tim could never quite find that zone, earning a “buy” and a “stream” respectively.

Skinamarink (2023)

Written and Directed by Kyle Edward Ball

Where we watched: AMC Burbank 16

RecommenDEADtions: Coming Home / White Lotus

Ahh, the late great glory of 90’s indie film…what’s that you say? This film was made two years ago? But it encapsulates that late 90’s vibe so well! “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” is a moody spiral down into finding oneself in the burgeoning age of creepy-pasta internet—relentlessly eerie and artfully depicted by a filmmaker as they too were finding themselves. Ryan and Tim found this one ripe for exploration with little to criticize, rating it a “buy” and “rent” respectively.

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021)

Written and Directed by Jane Schoenbrun

Where we watched: HBO Max

RecommenDEADtions: Fatal Pulse / The Video Archive Podcast with Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avery

If you thought getting a lump of coal in your stocking was bad, just you wait! This holiday season we decided to deepen our understanding of the true roots of Christmas: Paganism. Well, or at least some very German lore. With a standout cast, and tremendous set and creature design, the guys felt that despite some lulls, “Krampus” was a nice gift for the holidays and garnered a double “rent.” Just remember, the spirit is all about giving—and if you doubt that spirit, Krampus will come and take it all away.

Krampus (2015)

Directed by Michael Dougherty

Written by Todd Casey, Michael Dougherty, and Zach Shields

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: Elvira’s Haunted Hills / Raising Arizona

It’s “Midsommar” meets “Ratatouille!” Get ready for some fine dining with the subject of this week’s episode, “The Menu.” Touching on all sorts of interconnected themes, prompting us to dismember all that comes with working in the service industry, and getting excited about the horror-centric premise at the heart of it all, this frenzied, food-centric feast of a film gave us plenty to chew on. The burger off this menu was cooked just to our liking, with Ryan dishing out a “rent” and Tim going all out with a “buy.”

The Menu (2022)

Directed by Mark Mylod

Written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy

Where we watched: Theaters

RecommenDEADtions: Freaked / The Green Knight

It's Thanksgiving with everybody's favorite twin Floridians, Todd and Terry! With a relatively small list of Thanksgiving themed/set horror films, we decided to carve up a very special turkey of a 1980's slasher this year... "Blood Rage!" Thanks to solid kills, a unique setting, and even more unique portrayals of how humans act, this could-be-holiday-classic came with enough sides to earn a "stream" from Tim and an enthusiastic "rent" from Ryan.

Blood Rage (1987)

Directed by John Grissmer

Written by Bruce Rubin

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: House on Haunted Hill (1999) / Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

She drowned in a lake, but died in a dry lake bed months before. If that isn’t eerie enough, then the fact that time is relative and a flat circle will really bake your noodle. "Lake Mungo" explores the doom of a prescient haunting, and the trauma of losing a loved one, all through the medium of captured images. Docu-style horror really did the heavy lifting on this one. Influential as it may be, Tim and Ryan were ultimately underwhelmed with this one giving it a double “stream.” Freaky, provocative, but a bit sloggy, there were good aspects aplenty to dismember.

Lake Mungo (2008)

Written and Directed by Joel Anderson

Where we watched: Blu-ray

RecommenDEADtions: Reflections of Evil / Barbarian