Episode 33: Horror in the Cubicle - Workplace Horror

This episode was recorded on July 30, 2024 and posted on August 24, 2024.

Editor’s Note: Lonely found out she had double pneumonia (that did not go away for an entire month) and could barely breathe while recording this! Please go easier on her. 

Content Warning: Light vulgarity. 

Introduction

• Welcome to No Bodies Episode 33
• Introductions to your Ghosts Hosts with the Most - Lonely of Lonely Horror Club and Projectile Varmint aka Suzie
• Introductions to our guest - Andrew, Suzie’s real life boss!
• Today’s Topic: Workplace Horror

Discussion on the “Workplace Horror” Subgenre

• What is the “workplace horror” trope? Why is this a prevalent horror subgenre?
• Toxic work culture and going postal
• Crazy colleagues or coworkers from your hosts

This Week’s Coroner’s Report

• Have you ever had any strange or creepy experiences with colleagues at work? Why do you think a subgenre of horror about the workplace exists?

Film Discussion

• Cubicle Horror
  • Office Killer (1998)
  • Severance (2006)
  • The Conference (2023)
  • The Voices (2014)
  • The Belko Experiment (2016)
  • Mayhem (2017)
  • Pollen (2023)
• Occupational Hazards
  • PontyPool (2008)
  • Last Shift (2014)

Worst & Best Representations of Workplace Horror

Spoilers ahead!

Worst

• Last Shift (2014) - Andrew
• Severance (2006) - Lonely 
• The Abandon Office (2016) & The Voices (2014) - Suzie

Best

• Office Killer (1998) - Andrew
• Pollen (2023) & The Belko Experiment (2016) - Lonely
• Severance (2022) & PontyPool (2008) - Suzie

Suzie’s Deep Cuts

Includes films with under 5k ratings on IMDB. 

• Nightworld: Door to Hell (2017)
• Slaxx (2020)
• The Power (2021)
• Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever (2023)

Closing Thoughts

• If you were to propose a workplace or cubicle horror film that does not involve any horror comedy or slasher elements, what storyline would you come up with?

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

Gordon, A., & Gordon, A. (2024, July 27). The legacy of ‘Going Postal.’ VICE. https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5pabb/the-legacy-of-going-postal 

Koller, A. (2024, May 29). U.S. workers are less satisfied with nearly every aspect of their jobs than they were a year ago, survey finds. CNBC. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/29/us-workers-are-less-satisfied-with-nearly-every-aspect-of-their-jobs-survey-finds.html#:~:text=American%20workers%20are%20more%20satisfied,Satisfaction%20survey%20released%20this%20month. 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2021). Workplace stress. U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://www.osha.gov/workplace-stress