In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we are caught in a mood of anticipation. We anticipate visits from family, a festive meal, and presents to be opened. We also look forward to the celebration of the incarnation of a god in human flesh, whose death brings about one of the greatest ghost stories ever told. Rephrased, the story of Christmas is already a kind of horror narrative.

Join us for a chilling exploration of the darker side of Christmas. In this episode of Horror Joy, we'll delve into the unsettling underbelly of holiday cheer.

We'll discuss:

• Algernon Blackwood's "The Kit-Bag": A disturbing tale of anticipation and dread.
• Black Christmas: This iconic slasher film reimagines the holiday season as a time of terror.
• The Horror of Consumerism: How the holiday season can become a source of stress and anxiety.
• Loneliness at the Holidays: How the holiday season increases the chances for loneliness, and how the slasher magnifies this loneliness.

So, grab your eggnog and prepare for a frighteningly festive journey. Remember, even Santa Claus has a dark side.

Second wave feminism

Julia Kristeva Abject

Split directed by M. Night Shyamalan

Michael Cisco

Body, Telephone, Voice: Black Christmas (1974) and Monstrous Cinema by Morten Feldtfos Thompsen

Foucault and surveillance

Psycho directed by Hitchcock

Rosemary’s Baby (1968) Directed by Roman Polanski

The Holdovers directed by Alexander Payne

The Call of the Eco-Weird in Fiction, Film, and Games edited by Brian Hisao Onishi and Nathan M. Bell

As an anticipation of our episode out on Monday (12/16), Brian reads "The Kit-Bag" by Algernon Blackwood.

"The Kit-Bag," originally published in 1908 by Pall Mall Magazine, tells the story of Johnson, a young man preparing to go on a Christmas vacation after helping to successfully defend a particularly gruesome murder case.

Alone in his apartment, Johnson begins to experience strange noises and visions. Is it his drunk lodger bringing in the mail? Is it another tenant of the building? Or is it a sinister figure invading his home via his borrowed suitcase (the titular kit-bag). Like an perverse telling of Santa Claus, listen to "The Kit-Bag" find out what's haunting Johnson and whether or not he ever makes it to his promised vacation.

Episode Timeline

**2:12-40:42 – StokerVerse and Bram Stoker’s Dracula with Chris McAuley

**40:42-58:26 – Salem’s Lot

**58:27-end – Midnight Mass  

From the gothic castles of Transylvania to the sleepy towns of Maine, vampires have captivated our imaginations for centuries. In this episode of Horror Joy, we'll explore the evolution of the vampire mythos, from Bram Stoker's iconic Dracula to modern interpretations like Salem's Lot and Midnight Mass.

We'll discuss:

• The Vampire's Enduring Appeal: Why this ancient creature continues to fascinate us.
• Dracula's Dark Legacy: The cultural impact of Stoker's masterpiece and its influence on subsequent vampire stories.
• Small-Town Horror: How Salem's Lot reimagines the vampire myth for a suburban American setting.
• Faith, Fear, and the Undead: The religious undertones of Midnight Mass and its exploration of community and belief.

Join us as we explore the creaking coffins of vampiric narratives. Make sure to bring along your best silver and your favorite stake. But keep an eye on the horizon, lest we let the sun go down before we’re done.

StokerVerse

Jacques Lacan

Virtue Ethics

Dracula and colonialism

The Dark Tower Series  

It

Stephen King

Bram Stoker

Dracula

Midnight Mass

In this episode of Horror Joy, we're venturing into the cold, dark depths of space to explore Ridley Scott's iconic sci-fi horror masterpiece, Alien.

We'll delve into the film's terrifying themes, including:

• The Alien as the Ultimate Other: How the alien creature embodies our fears of the unknown and the uncanny.
• Body Horror and the Violation of the Human Form: The film's disturbing exploration of birth, death, and the body.
• Corporate Greed and Existential Threat: The role of capitalism and technology in creating the conditions for the alien's emergence.
• The Heroine's Journey: Ripley's evolution from a resourceful crew member to a hardened warrior.

So, buckle up and prepare for a terrifying journey. Just remember, in space, no one can hear you scream.

Elaine Graham Post/Human

Raymond Williams

Frederick Jameson

Julia Kristeva, Abjection

Horror in Space: Critical Essays on a Film Subgenre by edited by Michele Brittany

Sometimes, the most terrifying monsters aren't lurking in the shadows, but in the very heart of our world. In this episode of Horror Joy, we delve into the eerie world of folk horror, where ancient myths and environmental fears intertwine.

We'll explore:

• The Appalachian Nightmare: How the exploitation of the Appalachian landscape has given rise to terrifying folklore and real-world consequences.
• The Blair Witch Project: The unsettling power of place and the psychological terror of the woods.
• Old Gods of Appalachia: The ancient evil lurking beneath the surface of the Kentucky hills.

Join us as we trek through these haunted landscapes and confront the monsters that dwell within.

Christian Nationalism 2

Old Gods of Appalachia

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Folk Horror – New Global Pathways edited by Dawn Keetley and Ruth Heholt

Coal Stories by Embedded Podcast

Frogman

The Last Broadcast

Cannibal Holocaust

Join us as we plunge into the shadowy world of Haddonfield, Illinois. In this special episode of Horror Joy, Jeff and Brian dissect John Carpenter's iconic 1978 slasher film, Halloween. We'll explore:

• The Shape's Morality: Is Michael Myers a terrifying villain or a moral compass?
• Beyond the Mask: Can we find a more subversive reading of this classic horror film?
• The Rules of the Slasher: How Halloween established the blueprint for countless horror films to follow.
• The Psychology of Fear: Unraveling the psychological underpinnings of the film's enduring terror.

So, lock the doors, grab your sharpest knitting needles, and join us as we explore one of horror’s most enduring masterpieces. But be careful, we can’t all be the final girl.       

Emmanuel Levinas

The Thing from Another World (1951)

You’re Next directed by Adam Wingard

Scream Franchise

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

Psyche as soul

A Nostalgic Nightmare: Exploring the Comfort of Horror

This week on Horror Joy, we're taking a trip down memory lane. For many of us, our love affair with horror began at a young age, fueled by Goosebumps books, Are You Afraid of the Dark, and the iconic horror paperbacks found on the revolving racks at local grocery stores.

Nostalgia and Horror: A Twisted Embrace

Nostalgia, with its roots in homesickness, offers a sense of comfort and belonging. But horror, while evoking strong emotions, can also be deeply comforting. It disrupts our sense of security, only to draw us back in, promising a strange warmth.

Our Nostalgic Journey:

• Tom Deady's The Rack: We chat with Tom about his love for Salem's Lot and the process of curating his anthology of horror stories.
• Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories: A discussion on the power of simple illustrations, the performative nature of storytelling, and how horror prepares us for adulthood.

Join us as we spin the rack of horror and revisit the nostalgic thrills that first captivated us. Let's stick together, because you never know what horrors await!

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

Geoffrey Chaucer

Gwendolyn Kiste

The Life of Chuck (in If It Bleeds) by Stephen King

The Life of Chuck directed by Mike Flanagan

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Tom Deady

The Rack

This episode of Horror Joy delves into the chilling world of The Babadook, a film that has been interpreted as both a study in grief and a queer icon.

Joining us is S. Trimble, an Assistant Professor of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Toronto, to explore these shadowy perspectives.

We'll discuss:

• Grief and the Monstrous: The film's exploration of grief and how it manifests as a monstrous figure.
• The Babadook's Queer Identity: The reinterpretation of The Babadook as a queer character challenging societal norms.
• Queer Feelings and Horror: How queerness can reveal emotions often overlooked in traditional horror.
• Challenging Family Dynamics: The way The Babadook subverts the traditional family unit..

Join us as we descend into the basement of The Babadook to explore its queer undertones and the ways in which horror can challenge our understanding of identity and normalcy.

Carol Clover/Gender Distress

Sleepaway Camp

Serial Mom

The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter

Dinner on Monster Island by Tanya De Rosario

Michael McDowell

Heidegger on Anxiety and Fear

In this episode Brian and Jeff celebrate queer horror. We explore how horror has become a space for queer expression, challenging societal norms and offering a unique perspective on both classic and contemporary horror.

Our guest, Eric LaRocca, a popular and prolific author of queer horror, will join us to discuss:

• The Monster Within: How horror reflects our deepest fears and anxieties about identity and belonging.
• Queer Liberation through Horror: How the horror genre provides a space for queer individuals to challenge societal norms and express their identities.
• The "New Queer Horror": Exploring the emergence of queer horror as a genre and its impact on our understanding of monstrosity and normalcy.

Join us as we traverse this transgressive landscape and discover the queer joy and horror that lies within.

Poppy Z. Brite/Billy Martin

Red X by David Demchuck

Gretchen Felker-Martin

Alison Rumfitt

Haley Piper

Clive Barker

Something is Killing the Children

Sleepaway Camp

Darren Elliott Smith and John Edgar Browning

The Dumb House by John Burnside

The Pillow Man Martin McDonough

Dennis Cooper

It Came From the Closet edited by Joe Vallese

This week on Horror Joy, we're delving deeper into the chilling connection between Christian nationalism and horror. Following our exploration of Victorian roots with Lukas Kwong, we're turning our attention to the modern-day manifestations of this dangerous ideology.

Joining us is Bradley Onishi, author and co-host of the popular political podcast Straight White American Jesus, to provide invaluable insights into contemporary Christian nationalism.

We'll dissect the horrors unfolding around us:

• Understanding Christian Nationalism Today: A comprehensive look at the current state of Christian nationalism and its impact on society.
• The Power of Community: Exploring the joy and empowerment found in building strong communities.
• Weaponizing Faith: How Civil War, The Mist, and "Senator, Senator" depict the dangerous weaponization of Christianity by Christian nationalists.
• Corruption and Control: Examining the themes of power corruption and the manipulation of institutions by these extremist groups.

While the terror is a little too close for comfort this week, we find joy in the empowering activity of community. Just try to avoid those dastardly abominations.

Civil War

The Mist (film)

The Mist (Novella)

Senator, Senator in Epitaphs from the Abyss

SCG Hobby, Altoona, PA

Christian Nationalism

Straight White American Jesus

Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism—and What Comes Next by Bradley Onishi