On this special two-part installment of Gut Reactions, Eric will be talking about a true crime story that has captured interest like few others – leading to countless film interpretations including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Psycho, and Silence of the Lambs.

But he is not alone. He is joined by two hosts from Everything Trying to Kill You: Mary Kay McBrayer and Maegan Brooks. For this first episode, he will be laying the groundwork for the conversation by having a more general dialogue with Mary Kay and Maegan about the horror genre as a whole.

Mary Kay McBrayer is a belly-dancer, horror enthusiast, sideshow lover, prose writer, Christian, and literature professor from south of Atlanta. Mary Kay is also the creative nonfiction editor for Madcap Review, a semi-annual online journal of art and literature. She is currently working on her first full-length novel about America’s actual first female serial killer, but until then you can read her essays at The Santa Fe Writers Project Quarterly, Book Riot, and The Blueshift Journal.

Maegan Brook is a longtime lover of horror, true crime, and the strange. As well, she is an avid dancer, fast car enthusiast, thrill seeker, craft beer connoisseur, and self-proclaimed nerd. But by day, she is a behavior specialist in Atlanta, Georgia with a background in clinical psychology. Her research focuses on the function of human behavior, aka why people do the weird things they do. She's known to psychologically over analyze every movie ever made.

Grab some cheese, a craft beer, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and laugh along as Eric, Maegan, and Mary Kay have a killer discussion about horror.

Movies Referenced in the Episode:

• The Evil Dead: https://amzn.to/2HVPt3w
• Night of the Living Dead: https://amzn.to/2jzKATo
• Dawn of the Dead: https://amzn.to/2KF7Fk3
• Evil Dead: https://amzn.to/2KGrBD0
• Raw: https://amzn.to/2wfLQEx
• Cannibal Holocaust: https://amzn.to/2JWFRX0
• I Am Legend: https://amzn.to/2IgmD1w
• Silence of the Lambs: https://amzn.to/2rmkB5i
• The Shining: https://amzn.to/2jyMGmm
• Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers: https://amzn.to/2FM0p1K
• The Witch: https://amzn.to/2jwxiac
• The Devil's Candy: https://amzn.to/2jwNIzl
• Thoroughbreds: https://amzn.to/2Ihu8oQ
• The Mummy's Hand: https://amzn.to/2HYL7Jb

Perhaps no sub-genre has experienced as much rapid success nor suffered as much criticism and vitriol as the found footage sub-genre. Though many cite 1999’s The Blair Witch Project as the first introduction into this unique cinematic form of storytelling, it was actually Ruggero Deodato’s 1980 Italian film, Cannibal Holocaust, that first introduced this type of narrative. Cannibal Holocaust was so convincing to audiences that, after its release, it was seized by Italian courts and its director was quickly arrested and charged with obscenity and murder. It was not until the actors appeared in court, proving themselves to be very much alive, that Deodato was released.

Nearly four decades later, the found footage genre has exploded to unprecedented levels. However, modern, savvy, and somewhat fatigued audiences make the subgenre increasingly difficult to find success in.

On today’s episode, I’ll be talking about this divisive branch of horror filmmaking, and sharing my thoughts about what makes it work, what can prevent it from being effective, and what makes it a relevant form of storytelling today.

Movies Referenced in the Episode:

• 47 Meters Down: https://amzn.to/2KwYIc6
• The Blair Witch Project: https://amzn.to/2I2AHvg
• Cannibal Holocaust: https://amzn.to/2FBNdfQ
• Cloverfield: https://amzn.to/2Kt5cJb
• The Descent: https://amzn.to/2I3iPAB
• George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead: https://amzn.to/2KrWIC6
• The Mummy: https://amzn.to/2re1ZEB
• Paranormal Activity: https://amzn.to/2HJyEZv
• REC: https://amzn.to/2remaD5

On Sunday, April 15, we lost a legend with the passing of R. Lee Ermey.

He is most remembered for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, Full Metal Jacket.

For many horror fans like myself, he will also forever be remembered as Sheriff Hoyt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003). The TCM remake was one of my earliest introductions to the world of horror, and to this day, Ermey's Sheriff has remained one of my all-time favorite genre characters. 

His ability to scare, provoke laughter, and ultimately command any scene he's placed in was incredible. While I'm sad we will not be able to see any new performances from this talented man, I will always appreciate the opportunity to revisit each iconic role he has left behind.

Movies Referenced in the Episode:

• Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives: https://amzn.to/2HbqeKv
• Truth or Dare: https://amzn.to/2qDBvwW
• Salem's Lot: https://amzn.to/2qIbAmG
• Ed Wood: https://amzn.to/2vjML6a
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre: https://amzn.to/2JRWrYK
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning: https://amzn.to/2qFMKny

Happy Friday the 13th! Queue up your copy of Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, because Eric is about to be a total fan girl for the ENTIRE 85 minute run-time. The commentary may not be meaningful, insightful, or interesting in the slightest, but man, is it loving!

Enjoy this special bonus episode and be sure to continue the discussion with us online on Facebook and Instagram.

Music is an integral part of any horror film. For decades, horror soundtracks have made audiences hair stand on end. Whether alerting us to a dangerous killer, filling us with a sense of excitement and adventure, or simply scaring the pants off of us, there are few things as potent as an effective score. On this episode, I want to talk about the pieces of music that few people talk about, but that everyone should. I hope you’ll enjoy this brief discussion about underrated horror soundtracks.

Films/TV shows mentioned on the episode:

Happy Death Day: https://amzn.to/2IJJSxl

Rope: https://amzn.to/2qo5uaV

Secret Window: https://amzn.to/2ILzSDF

Salem's Lot: https://amzn.to/2IGvWV2

Hungry Wives AKA Season of the Witch: https://amzn.to/2qlqLTo

The Omega Man: https://amzn.to/2EzIuuF

Jaws 2: https://amzn.to/2ECbWjU

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood: https://amzn.to/2Hp6CDi

Planet Terror: https://amzn.to/2IJn9la

Evil Dead: https://amzn.to/2ECF5LE

It's our longest podcast episode yet! On episode #006, Eric is joined by special guests James Hamrick and Gabriel Green, hosts of the Franchise Fatigue Podcast!!!!

On this beast of an episode, we talk Scream, we talk Friday the 13th, we talk movies that deserve sequels (like Wes Craven’s underrated gem, Shocker), we beat each other to death arguing about Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child – and SO MUCH MORE. This episode is WHACK in all the best ways.

Listen to the episode and DON'T forget to leave a 5-star review on iTunes and JOIN US (Evil Dead voice) in the Gut Reactions Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2023090867946016/?fref=nf

You can find out more about Franchise Fatigue and their previous podcast, Underrated, on underratedpodcast.com.

There are many Masters of Horror... but only one is KING.

On episode #005 of Gut Reactions, Eric discusses legendary horror author, Stephen King. Joining him for this discussion is Marbeth Skwarczynski, literature teacher and... Eric's mom! Together they explore the themes, tropes, and storytelling techniques that make a Stephen King movie a Stephen King movie.

Films/TV shows mentioned on the episode:

The Thing: http://amzn.to/2FNDwjx

Dawn of the Dead: http://bit.ly/2G9mqfq

Night of the Living Dead: http://amzn.to/2HMAwAn

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: http://amzn.to/2prZlKp

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: http://amzn.to/2pq3O17

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: http://bit.ly/2ptvAc2

Channel Zero: Butcher's Block: http://amzn.to/2FQxe2s

Being Elmo: http://amzn.to/2FWvrVQ

Carrie/The Rage: Carrie 2: http://amzn.to/2ptwpBE

Criminal Minds: http://amzn.to/2u0clMZ

The Shining (1980): http://amzn.to/2HPJywF

The Shining (1997): http://amzn.to/2DF9fh3

It (1990): http://amzn.to/2HKjUJJ

It (2017): http://amzn.to/2prZ9eU

The Mist: http://amzn.to/2uaEQb1

Misery: http://amzn.to/2u0e0Cd

Under the Dome: http://amzn.to/2pqtkn3

The Green Mile: http://amzn.to/2G7mVGN

The Shawshank Redemption: http://amzn.to/2GLk7wW

Gone with the Wind: http://amzn.to/2ICAJaJ

Creepshow: http://amzn.to/2G45hDX

Tales from the Crypt: http://amzn.to/2FK22lw

Creepshow 2: http://amzn.to/2pmkkPJ

Books mentioned on the episode:

Andersen's Fairy Tales: http://amzn.to/2GLEU3B

Perrault's Fairy Tales: http://amzn.to/2HPDG6n

Grimm's Fairy Tales: http://amzn.to/2FWzfq7

Holy Bible: http://amzn.to/2DFW6V3

It: http://amzn.to/2GJ5kCL

Carrie: http://amzn.to/2FW2E3E

Christine: http://amzn.to/2FYkhzF

The Shining: http://amzn.to/2pr0H87

Salem's Lot: http://amzn.to/2ppXE0O

The Mist: http://amzn.to/2tZavfq

Misery: http://amzn.to/2G6hPuh

Under the Dome: http://amzn.to/2IAiti2

Green Mile: http://amzn.to/2GJ5Z7g

Shawshank Redemption: http://amzn.to/2GaCCwT

One Hundred Years of Solitude: http://amzn.to/2HQhHwu

Creepshow: http://amzn.to/2u1NaJT

Stephen King interviews mentioned on the episode:

Master of the Macabre – Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9oVp6f5kxg

Master of the Macabre – Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cbM7c_sIKc

Master of the Macabre – Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI6cnBo5wJI

Stephen King on Twilight, 50 Shades of Grey, Lovecraft, & More: http://bit.ly/2FYY1pi