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

December 28, 2024 Episode 135. Family Matters: The Brood (1979)
Join us as we breakdown the isolated families of David Cronenberg’s The Brood. From family structures to the legalese of it all, we investigate why and how we cling to each other.
Last chance for our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.

REQUIRED READING
The Brood. Dir. David Cronenberg, 1979.

EXTRA CREDIT
Cronenberg on Cronenberg. A collection of interviews with the man himself on the making and meaning of his films.

The Evolution of Pregnancy Portraits From Tudor England to Beyonce. A history of the pregnant body as spectacle.

The Brood: Separation Trials. A Criterion retrospective by Carrie Rickey.

Self-Labeling And Women’s Mental Health: Postpartum Illness And The Reconstruction Of Motherhood – a look at the history of puerperal insanity.

Oliver Reed and Orson Welles on Merv Griffin. From Andrea’s secret stash of bookmarked videos.

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1 hr 5 min
December 24, 2024 Fack Flash! Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU
Christmas came early for the profs this year, with an advance screening to Robert Eggers’ hotly anticipated adaptation of Nosferatu! We recorded our immediate reaction at the cinema for our Patreon, but we wanted to spread the good cheer for the film’s wide release.

Hear our raw reactions – but beware spoilers if you don’t want details!

Join our Patreon community for more content and exclusive perks!
(Membership makes a great gift, just sayin’)

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24 min
November 26, 2024 Episode 134. Material World: They Live (1988)
In this episode Andrea and Alex deep-dive into John Carpenter’s cult-classic exploring the ways that materialism, Marxism, and maximalism have driven us to the edge of consumption.
Check out our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.

REQUIRED READING
They Live. Dir. John Carpenter, 1988.

EXTRA CREDIT
“Eight O’Clock in the Morning.” Ray Nelson’s short story that inspired They Live.

The Politics of Gender Presentation – Why what we buy to wear matters.

The Films of John Carpenter. John Kenneth Muir’s examination of Carpenter’s filmography.

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1 hr 15 min
October 30, 2024 Episode 133. Missionary Position: The Conjuring (2013)
James Wan’s blockbuster horror offering The Conjuring thrilled audiences and created a cinematic universe but for Andrea and Alex it left an icky feeling that has nothing to do with demonic possession. By investigating the politics, means and ideology behind the film, they’ll uncover the true villains behind this narrative.
Check out our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.

REQUIRED READING
The Conjuring. Dir. James Wan, 2013.

EXTRA CREDIT
War Over ‘The Conjuring’: The Disturbing Claims Behind a Billion-Dollar Franchise. Hollywood Reporter’s Investigation into the claims made about the real-life Warrens.

Scared Sacred: Idolatry, Religion and Worship in the Horror Film. The essay collection featuring Alex’s chapter on The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2.

Screenwriters Chad and Carey Hayes, interviewed by The Christian Broadcasting Network.

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1 hr 5 min
September 19, 2024 Episode 132. Mother May I?: Suspiria (2018) with Stacie Ponder
For this very special back-to-school episode, Andrea and Alex are joined by the one and only Stacie Ponder to dig into the depths of Luca Guadagnino’s remake of Dario Argento’s classic. From the dance of politics to the dance of sexuality, there’s more under the floorboards of the Markos Dance Academy than meets the eye.
For more Stacie, check out her blog Final Girl, her column Devil’s in the Details in Rue Morgue, and her Twin Peaks recap podcast series with Mike Muncer, The Detective and the Log Lady.

Check out our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.

REQUIRED READING
Suspiria. Dir. Luca Guadagnino, 2018.

EXTRA CREDIT
40 Years of German Autumn. An overview of the left-wing terrorist attacks that rocked the nation.
Gaylords of Darkness podcast – ep 82
Hannah Arendt’s challenge to Adolf Eichmann. The banality of evil, in context.

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1 hr 41 min
July 30, 2024 Episode 131. Clever Girl: Island of Lost Souls (1932) and Jurassic Park (1993)
Pack your bags and leave your conception of the social fabric that binds us behind because we’re going to two private islands in this episode! From the darkness of Dr. Moreau’s experiments to John Hammond’s capitalist enterprise, these journeys into the human desire for control rarely end well for anyone involved.

REQUIRED READING
Island of Lost Souls. Dir. Erle C. Kenton, 1932.
Jurassic Park. Dir Steven Spielberg, 1993.

EXTRA CREDIT
The Man Who Hated Moms: Looking Back on Philip Wylie’s “Generation of Vipers” – Island of Lost Souls‘ co-writer has some serious mommy issues.

Dinosaurs as a Cultural Phenomenon – Why have dinosaurs gained such a hold on the public’s imagination?

Of Fossils and Androids: (Re)Producing Sexual Identity in “Jurassic Park” and “Blade Runner” – An essay on how sexual identity anxiety is explored in sci-fi.

The Devil in Our DNA: A Brief History of Eugenics in Science Fiction Films. David A. Kirby’s deep dive into how one of the darkest chapters in modern science was utilized on the big screen.

Kathleen Burke Wins Nationwide Contest! The Road to Panther Woman in Island of Lost Souls. An overview of promotional materials for the Panther Woman contest.

Marx for Cats. The history of cats big and small as viewed through a Marxist lens.

The story of amusement parks is the story of America. A look at how the history of amusement/theme parks reflects America.

Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers. Jude Doyle’s excellent book about female power and monstrosity.

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1 hr 28 min
June 25, 2024 Episode 130. Nature Calls: Eden Lake (2008) and Backcountry (2014)
Pack your bags and your partner because this episode leaves the comforts of civilized society far behind. In this episode we unpack the need for serenity, the heritage of toxic masculinity, and why a bear might actually make a great boyfriend.
REQUIRED READING
Eden Lake. Dir. James Watkins, 2008.
Backcountry. Dir. Adam MacDonald, 2014.

EXTRA CREDIT
Overall Crime Down 44% Since 1995. The Guardian article that pushes back against conservative narratives.

Gangs and Children. A study on the impetus for youth to join gangs and why.

The Gated Community Mentality. Rich Benjamin’s piece on the groupthink that emerges from the gated community lifestyle.

Imagining Nature and Erasing Class and Race – Carleton Watkins, John Muir, and the Construction of Wilderness. Even nature is a socially constructed concept!

David Mech’s website – the author of incel bible The Wolf: Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species addresses the widespread misuse of the term “Alpha.”

From the “Cosmo Quiz” to Quizilla to Buzzfeed… what’s next?. The Smithsonian Magazine looks back at the history of quizzes.

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1 hr 30 min
May 29, 2024 Episode 129. Bad Trip: Angel Heart (1987) and Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
Whether you’re ascending or descending, spiritual journeys through the afterlife are never easy. In this episode, Andrea and Alex tackle two films that share some overlapping tendencies but deviate in unexpected ways.

REQUIRED READING
Angel Heart. Dir. Alan Parker, 1987.
Jacob’s Ladder. Dir Adrian Lyne, 1990.

EXTRA CREDIT
Satanic Feminism: Per Faxneld’s book about the evolution of Lucifer as liberator.

The Book of Lilith. An investigation into the persecution and villainization of Adam’s first wife.

Temptresses. An overview of some of the most iconic evil women and why they are feared.

Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg – borrow it for free!

The Milgram Obedience Experiment.

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1 hr 38 min
April 29, 2024 Episode 128. The Feral Feminine: Cat People (1942)
Coming to you live from Salem Horror Fest, Andrea and Alex prowl the darkest corners of RKO’s cult classic Cat People. From the themes of immigration and assimilation to the parallels of sex and power, we uncover how Jacques Tourneur and Val Lewton’s dark vision of 1940s America remains a prescient warning.

REQUIRED READING
Cat People. Dir. Jacques Tourneur, 1942.

EXTRA CREDIT
What history tells us about assimilation of immigrants. The paper published by Stanford University that explains the trends that followed immigration booms in the US in the first half of the 20th century.

On Female Rage: Does the Wallpaper Look Yellow to Anyone Else? The Harvard Crimson’s examination of a new age of feminine anger that is forever grappling with the past.

When God Was a Woman. Merlin Stone’s 1976 exploration of pre-Christian religions where women led.

The uproar over the New Yorker short story “Cat Person,” explained. Male hysteria at women writing fiction about their feelings.

Gore-Geous: Personal Essays on Beauty and Horror. Alex’s new book includes more thoughts on Cat People.

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58 min
March 23, 2024 Episode 127. In Plain Sight: Manhunter (1986)
In this episode, Andrea and Alex investigate how multiple characters are perceived and perceive Michael Mann’s entry into the Hannibal Lec(k)tor cinematic universe. From cops to killers and the humanity in between, these cuts go deep.

REQUIRED READING
Manhunter. Dir. Michael Mann, 1986.

EXTRA CREDIT
How Thomas Harris defined a genre and created fiction’s most likeable villain. An overview of the Hannibal Lecter saga and what made it unique.

The Tabloid that Launched America’s Obsession with True Crime. Joe Pompeo’s look back at the lasting impact of the Daily News.

Eating Blake, or an Essay on Taste: The Case of Thomas Harris’s “Red Dragon”. An examination of the use of high art in a mass market paperback.

Hollywood, Home Movies, and Common Sense: Amateur Film as Aesthetic Dissemination and Social Control, 1950-1962. How technology shaped suburban America’s leisure time.

How 70 years of cop shows taught us to valorize the police by Constance Grady. A history of depictions of law enforcement, from bumbling buffoons to modern day menace.

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1 hr 42 min