Faculty of Horror

By Andrea Subissati and Alexandra West

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Typical duration
54 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Faculty of Horror episodes

October 15 Episode 155. War Games: Dog Soldiers (2002)
Grab your gear and buckle up! This Halloween, Andrea and Alex head into the Scottish Highlands to unravel the mysteries lurking beneath Neil Marshall’s debut feature, Dog Soldiers (2002). From military history and covert operations to the cultural mythology of the werewolf, they dig into the film’s thematic underpinnings to uncover the dark histories that emerge with the full moon.

Class of 2026 merch is live, featuring original artwork by Mr. Revenge!

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REQUIRED READING
Dog Soldiers. Dir. Neil Marshall, 2002.

EXTRA CREDIT
A Lycanthrope Reader: Werewolves in Western Culture. An in-depth look at the emergence and popularity of werewolves in our collective imagination.
The Book of Werewolves. Sabine Baring-Gould’s seminal work on the mythology and lore of the creature.
The Wild Wolves of Yellowstone. Doug Smith’s lecture for National Geographic Live about reintroducing wolves into the national park.
The Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. A brief history of the Hotamétaneo’o warrior society.
Sex and Texts, Secrets and Lies: How the Charlotte Kirk Saga Blew Up Hollywood. Vanity Fair’s in-depth look at Kirk.

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53 min
September 17 Episode 154. Road Rage: Duel (1971) and Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Cars, trucks, and open roads are calling to Andrea and Alex with two vehicular-themed horror films. From masculine insecurities to technophobia, this episode attempts to unearth where we’re going on these trips and what is waiting for us.

Class of 2026 merch is live, featuring original artwork by Mr. Revenge!

Join our Patreon community!

REQUIRED READING
Duel. Dir. Steven Speilberg, 1971.
Maximum Overdrive. Dir. Stephen King, 1986.

EXTRA CREDIT
Richard Matheson’s Duel. The short story that was adapted to the teleplay.

The “Man in the Car” Paradox. A look at the relationship between admiring fancy vehicles and(/or?) their drivers.

How Subarus Became the Car for Lesbians. Pretty self-explanatory!

Fast Cars, Clean Bodies. Kristin Ross’ book on technology and how it reorders society.

Monsters in the Archives. Caroline Bicks’ new book that delves into the origins of some of King’s most popular works including Night Shift.

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1 hr 30 min
July 17 Episode 153. Open Wounds: In My Skin (2002)
Marina de Van’s debut feature shocked audiences and critics when it premiered. The film remained a cult classic for years in the New French Extremity movement slowly racking up fans and detractors. In 2025, Severin Films released an extensive two disc version with de Van’s film and a bunch of extras including this episode!
Join us as we dig into the gnarly underbelly of de Van’s meditation on the ownership of self and the extremes of self-preservation.

Thank you to Severin Films and be sure to check out the release!

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REQUIRED READING
In My Skin. Dir. Marina de Van, 2002.

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1 hr 6 min
June 23 Episode 152. Dangerous Minds: The Cell (2000)
Grab your zero gravity suit and lock in as Andrea and Alex delve into the sweeping mindscapes of Tarsem Singh’s striking debut feature. With its Silence of the Lambs influences to its stacked cast and extreme artistic influences, we discuss why this film remains so singular and explore the traces of DNA it carries from its predecessors.

Get the “Fix Your Hearts or Die” Merch by Goblin Purwin this June at our TeePublic Store!
All proceeds will go to Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction.

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REQUIRED READING
The Cell. Dir. Tarsem Singh, 2000.

EXTRA CREDIT
Hannibal Lecter: A Life. Brian Raftery’s new book about the infamous fictitious serial killer and his lineage.
The Disappointing History of Science in the Courtroom: Frye, Daubert, and the Ongoing Crisis of “Junk Science” in Criminal Trials by Jim Hilbert. From the Frye standard to Daubert, a history of legal “expertise.”
Grotesque, Sublime and Monstrous: Horror in Art. A brief look at the origins of extreme horror in art.

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1 hr 17 min
May 20 Episode 151. Weird Science: Re-Animator (1985)
Andrea and Alex investigate the mysterious happenings in Stuart Gordon’s foray into the dark side of academia and science fiction in his first feature. Through the modernized adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s tales, they’ll uncover how class, opportunity, and gender factor into the film version.

Get the “Fix Your Hearts or Die” Merch by Goblin Purwin this June at our TeePublic Store!
All proceeds will go to Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction.

Join our Patreon community!

REQUIRED READING
Re-Animator. Dir. Stuart Gordon, 1985.

EXTRA CREDIT
Herbert West—Reanimator by H. P. Lovecraft. Read parts 1-6 free online.

Rue Morgue Library vol 11: The Weird World of H.P. Lovecraft.

Re-Animating a Literary Icon. Ravenous Monster’s interview with Stuart Gordon.

Monsters and Mad Scientists: A Cultural History of the Horror Movie. Andrew Tudor’s in-depth look at the impact of scientific advancements on the genre.

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1 hr 3 min
April 22 Episode 150. Private Lives: Paranormal Activity (2007)
Behind the door of a seemingly normal American home lies something evil. Something that’s been waiting. No, it’s not a demon – it’s a heteronormative relationship with a total douchebag!
Join Alex and Andrea for a dive into the murky waters of demonology, tech bros, and home security with Oren Peli’s feature film debut.

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REQUIRED READING
Paranormal Activity. Dir. Oren Peli, 2007.

EXTRA CREDIT
The Faculty of Horror: Episode 26. Mother Lover: Matriarchy in The Wicker Man (1973 & 2006) and Paranormal Activity 3 (2011).

Horror’s New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse. In which Jason Blum break’s down PA’s long road to theatrical release.

With Paranormal Activity, Paramount Sets New Marketing Model. An overview of the grassroots marketing campaign.

Surveillance Tech is Changing Our Behaviour and Our Brains. How our rapidly evolving technology is taking over our domestic and public spaces.

I Love My Husband (Who Hates Me). The Cut’s piece on the socially acceptable misogyny in heteronormative relationships.

“Understanding Home Video” from Home Truths? Video Production and Domestic Life: Tracing the home video industry from America’s Funniest Home Videos to FailArmy.

The right-wing roots of Silicon Valley: traces the roots of the techbro boom in the ’90s to the “free thinkers” of the modern manosphere.

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1 hr 4 min
March 24 Episode 149. Bloodlust: The Last House on the Left (1972)
Wes Craven’s first feature continues to draw audiences and critics to it. By examining the production, reception, and impact of The Last House on the Left, Andrea and Alex will investigate the legacy of the rape-revenge subgenre and our evolving understanding of it.
*Apologies for the poor audio on this one, guys! We’ll catch that gremlin one day and we’ll skin him alive!
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REQUIRED READING
The Last House on the Left. Dir. Wes Craven, 1972.

EXTRA CREDIT
A Promising Young Woman and the End of the Girlboss Era. Ayesha A. Siddiqi’s in-depth analysis of the Emerald Fennell’s first feature.

Screams and Nightmares: The Films of Wes Craven. A thorough look at Craven’s oeuvre with insights and anecdotes from the man himself.

Celluloid Crime of the Century – the full 2003 doc is on YouTube, featuring interviews with Craven, Cunningham, and select castmembers.

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57 min
February 25 Episode 148. In Heaven: Eraserhead (1977)
This month, we’ve summoned friend of the show (and verified Lynch stan) Stacie Ponder to join us as we wander aimlessly into the surrealist nightmare of David Lynch’s mind. Through an exploration of his first film Eraserhead, we’ll investigate one of cinema’s most enigmatic creatives and his myths of America.
Check out Stacie’s podcast: Final Girl After Dark!
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REQUIRED READING
Eraserhead. Dir. David Lynch, 1977.

EXTRA CREDIT
Who Made That Built-In Eraser? An overview of an American partnership.

The Theatre of the Absurd Martin Esslin’s critical essay that defined an undefinable movement.
Premonition Following an Evil Deed (1995) on YouTube. A very unsettling 56-second film!

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1 hr 10 min
January 27 Episode 147. The Fackening: 2025 Year in Review
Another year of mad fackery has come to end, so Andrea and Alex take a last look at 2025 to review our horror (and non-horror) faves of the year.
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Alex’s picks:
Weapons
Bring Her Back
The Ugly Stepsister
Final Destination Bloodlines
Companion
Good Boy
The Occupant of the Room
Mangittatuarjuk: The Gnawer of Rocks

Andrea’s picks:
Bring Her Back
Weapons
Final Destination Bloodlines
Heart Eyes
The Ugly Stepsister
Dangerous Animals
Him

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1 hr 12 min
December 22, 2025 Episode 146. Slayride: Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Andrea and Alex interrogate the pearl clutching that went on during Silent Night, Deadly Night‘s initial theatrical run, what it means to cultivate festive cheer, and the importance of being nice and never naughty.
Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!

Join us over on Patreon for more content!

REQUIRED READING
Silent Night, Deadly Night. Dir. Charles Sellier Jr, 1984.

EXTRA CREDIT
At the Movies: Silent Night, Deadly Night. Siskel and Ebert’s review.

A Once Controversial Release, “Silent Night, Deadly Night” Gains Another Chance to Terrorize. Film at Lincoln Center’s piece on the history and importance of Silent Night, Deadly Night.

Santa Claus: The Myth in America. A look at St. Nick’s bizarre (and frankly, kind of hilarious) origin story as a folk hero and a religious icon

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1 hr 1 min