Horrorspiria

May and Clinton discuss vampires through the lens of international films. Ever since its introduction in gothic folklore, the vampire has been a symbol for human despair and existential dread. Certain ambiguities link the vampire with other creatures of abjection like the monster or the madman, though beauty tends to be what distinguishes the vampire from its comrade. Highlighting themes of feminism juxtaposed with consumption, the vampire has become a global icon in cinema to symbolize the deepest anxieties of the human trauma. In this episode, May and Clinton discuss these aspects as well as Nosferatu the Vampyre, Ganja & Hess, Daughters of Darkness, Let the Right One In, Thirst, and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.

May and Clinton discuss the first major horror movement: German Expressionism. German Expressionism arose as a response to the savagery and inhumanity experienced during World War I. As the German public reeled from the Allies' draconian terms of surrender, the movement was a barometer for measuring an era's cultural anxieties. In this episode, May and Clinton discuss these aspects as well as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, and Metropolis.