Episode 32: Grief & Death in Horror 

This episode was recorded on June 20, 2024 and posted on August 10, 2024. 

Content Warning: Light vulgarity.

Introduction

• Welcome to No Bodies Episode 32
• Introductions to your Ghosts Hosts with the Most - Lonely of Lonely Horror Club and Projectile Varmint aka Suzie
• Introductions to our guests Hanna & Matt of Horror Hour with the Hanna’s
• Today’s Topic: Grief & Death in Horror

Defining the Topic

• The relationships between processing death and horror as a coping mechanism

The Coroner’s Report

• Why do you think horror is used as a coping mechanism for grief, death, and loss? What horror films or stories do the best job of capturing the reality of grief?

Film Discussion

• Denial
  • Don’t Look Now (1973)
  • Lake Mungo (2008)
• Anger
  • The Uninvited (2009)
  • The Night House (2020)
• Bargaining
  • We Are Still Here (2015)
  • Talk to Me (2023)
• Depression
  • The Dark and the Wicked (2020)
  • Stopmotion (2023)
• Acceptance
  • Starfish (2018)
  • They Live in the Grey (2022)

Worst & Best Representations of Grief & Death in Horror

Spoilers ahead!

Worst

• Smile (2022) - Hannah & Matt
• Umma (2022) - Lonely
• Lullaby (2022) - Suzie

Best

• The Descent (2005) & The Invitation (2015) - Suzie
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) - Matt
• The Babadook (2014) - Hannah
• Midsommar (2019) & The Lovely Bones (2009) - Lonely

Suzie’s Deep Cuts

Includes films with under 5k ratings on IMDB. 

• Still/Born (2017)
• Prevenge (2017)
• The Theta Girl (2017)

Closing Thoughts

• What do you wish horror captured better about grief? Are there any films we didn’t talk about tonight that you want to highlight?

Thank you to our guests!

• Follow Hannah & Matt’s show Horror Hour with the Hanna’s, whenever you get your podcasts.
• Hannah & Matt’s on Instagram at @horrorhourwiththehannas.

Keep Up with Your Hosts

• Check out our instagram antics and drop a follow @nobodieshorrorpodcast. 
• Take part in our new audience engagement challenge - The Coroner’s Report! Comment, share, or interact with any Coroner’s Report post on our socials to be featured in an upcoming episode. 
• Projectile Varmint - keep up with Suzie's film musings on Instagram @projectile__varmint
• Lonely - read more from Lonely and keep up with her filmstagram chaos @lonelyhorrorclub on Instagram and www.lonelyhorrorclub.com.

Original No Bodies Theme music by Jacob Pini. Need music? Find Jacob on Instagram at @jacob.pini for rates and tell him No Bodies sent you! 

Leave us a message at (617) 431-4322‬ and we just might answer you on the show!

Sources

Breton, R. (2021, July 23). The Decade of Grief Horror: Reflecting on shared themes in the horror movies of the 2010s. Bloody Disgusting! https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3675480/decade-grief-horror-reflecting-shared-themes-horror-movies-2010s/ 

Centers, P. R. (2022, May 17). The five stages of grief. Peaks Recovery Centers.https://peaksrecovery.com/blog/mental-health-blogs/the-five-stages-of-grief/?psafe_param=1&utm_source=nvdgads&utm_medium=dyn_search_cpc_m&utm_campaign=a_h_dyn&utm_content=ment_dynu_1&utm_term=_&adid=508612001706&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADpCOFKD2Fyws4ro6pGnT3LT1mAIy&gclid=CjwKCAjw9cCyBhBzEiwAJTUWNe7-zoaOfa_Ge88YrWERaapahnJM2kZpV1RQVOvszEhjCHJUtJBIMRoC3bIQAvD_BwE 

How horror helps us confront and understand grief and loss. (2023, October 2). Literary  Hub. https://lithub.com/how-horror-helps-us-confront-and-understand-grief-and-loss/ 

Orbey, E. (2016, November 22). Mourning through horror movies. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/mourning-through-horror-movies 

Schager, N. (2023, July 30). ‘Talk to Me’ proves why grief inspires the best horror films. The Daily Beast. https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/talk-to-me-proves-why-grief-inspires-the-best-horror-films 

Shorter, M. (2020, December 31). Scary Emotions: The 10 most potent horror movies about grief, mourning, and loss. Bloody Disgusting! https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3645938/scary-emotions-10-potent-horror-movies-grief-mourning-loss/ 

Talkhouse. (2017, June 21). Death, grief and why horror films Truly matter. https://www.talkhouse.com/death-grief-value-horror-films/