We have another horror author on the pod today! Please welcome Kathleen Palm, author of The Nowhere Series (amongst other short stories and fiction), as we chat about an essential gateway horror for us both, Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist (1982). Kathy takes us on a journey to the drive-in and we discuss all things ghost hunting, clowns, trees, screaming skulls and special effects. But at the center of this story is family, so we also discuss our awesome horror-loving dads and sharing horror with our family and friends!

If you watch before you listen, please note that Poltergeist (1982) contains heavy strobe lights.

00:00-19:00- Intro / How Kathy Got Into Horror / How We First Saw Poltergeist / Our Own Paranormal Investigations

19:00-36:00- Brief Synopsis / Domestic Horror Elements

36:00-50:00- Paranormal Investigation Elements / Special Effects

50:00-01:07:00- Ending(s) / Sequels & Remakes / Score / Reception

01:07:00-01:19:30- Showing Your Kids Poltergeist / Double Feature Ideas / Outro

Please note, timestamps are estimates.

References:

* Granger House Museum (where Chloe went ghost hunting)

* Horror Writers Association- Chicagoland Chapter (where we met!)

* The Little Girl Lost S3E26 (1962)- Twilight Zone episode

* Poltergeist- S1E2 (2020)- Cursed Films episode

* Scariest Places on Earth (paranormal reality show from the early 2000’s in which Zelda Rubinstein does the voiceover)

* Snopes on Poltergeist using real skeletons

Find Us:

* Follow Kathy on her website and buy The Nowhere Series.

* Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

* Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network.

The sound and music used in this episode is from Poltergeist (1982) trailer, film and soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith, used for educational purposes.

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to get new reviews and special features, please subscribe to my Substack. Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

Today I welcome freelance journalist, coworker, friend, and fellow librarian, Anna, to talk about their favorite horror movie from growing up, An American Werewolf in London (1981). In discussing this werewolf/zombie/ghost sad horror romantic comedy, Anna & I discuss the infamous dream sequences, our love of practical effects, the “rules” of being a werewolf, 70s fashion, and having empathy for the monster. You won’t catch us “hill-walking” in the Yorkshire moors at night, especially not during a full moon, but maybe catch us doing the Thriller dance in a cemetery.

And listeners from across the pond: please forgive our terrible British accents. We love you!

00:00-17:16- Intro / How Anna Got Into Horror / How They First Saw An American Werewolf in London / Our Opinions on Werewolf Movies

17:16-53:00- Brief Synopsis / Dreams / Werewolf Rules / The Brits v. Americans / Genre Hybridity

53:00-01:14:00- Effects & Thriller Music Video / Double Feature Ideas / Outro

Please note, timestamps are estimates.

References:

* Horror Queers Podcast- An American Werewolf in London episode (mentioned by Anna)

* How “American Werewolf in London” Transformed Horror Comedy- Joshua Rothkopf, August 19th 2016, Rolling Stone

* In Black & White by Jan Mark (kids book mentioned by Chloe)

* Jenny Agutter Interview with David Childs (1981)

* John Landis reveals his original plan for An American Werewolf in London sequel- Gary Collison, December 3rd 2017, Flickering Myth

* Michael Jackson’s The Making of Thriller

* Rick Baker’s Makeup Behind-the-Scenes clip

* “Thriller” Music Video- Michael Jackson

Find Us:

Follow Anna’s Letterboxd and Bluesky.

Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network.

The sound and music used in this episode is from An American Werewolf in London (1981) trailer and film, used for educational purposes. I could’ve added SO many clips— each line is classic and hilarious— but it’s better to watch the movie and experience for yourself!

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to get new reviews and special features, please subscribe to my Substack. Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

Today I welcome Tom Brown– librarian, cinephile, photographer, and friend– to talk about his favorite and a new favorite of mine, Pulse or Kairo (2001) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Tom and I talk about Pulse chronologically scene-by-scene in this episode, probably because almost every shot is gorgeous and “unheimlich.” We also discuss our experience with J-horror, why ghosts are scary (and why Kurosawa thinks ghosts are scary), Harue’s gorgeous apartment, amazing sound design, and how death is eternal loneliness. Tom knows SO much about film production and the production of this movie in particular so you know this is a good one. Happy listening! :)

Please note that suicide is a major plot point of this film so we do discuss suicide throughout. In a less serious production note, Kevin the Cat makes an appearance and meows around 25-30 min and at around the hour mark. Apologies!

00:00-14:30- Intro / How Tom Got Into Movies & Horror / How We First Got Into J-Horror & Pulse

14:30-39:00- Brief Synopsis / Themes of Ghosts, Tech & Loneliness

39:00-01:01:00- Score & Sound Design / Special Effects / The End

01:01:00-01:19:00- The American Remake / Video Game Playalikes / Double Feature Ideas / Outro

Please note, timestamps are estimates.

References:

* Arrow Video Release of Pulse (mentioned by Tom; Kurosawa interview)

* Chris’ Guide to Understanding Japanese Horror (6/12/2011)

* Emerging Cinema Master- Kiyoshi Kurosawa on DVDTalk

* J-Horror- Guide to the Unknown podcast episode (4/29/2020) (they also recently did an episode on the American remake of Pulse)

* Lost Decades (Wikipedia)

* The Psychosocial Dread at the Heart of Japanese Horror by Michael Atkinson (10/29/2024)

* Whistle and I’ll Come to You movie (mentioned by Chloe re: sound design)

Books mentioned:

* Asian Horror by Andy Richards (mentioned by Chloe)

* White Noise by Don DeLillo (the first book Tom & I read together and it shares some similarities with the end of Pulse, actually!)

Follow Tom on Letterboxd and Instagram.

Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network.

The sound used in this episode is from the Pulse (2001) trailer and film, used for educational purposes.

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to meet a ghost and get new reviews and special features, please subscribe to my Substack. Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

I am starstruck because today I welcome Ashley Casseday (The Losers Club: A Stephen King Podcast, Keep It Weird podcast) to talk about the classic film The Shining (1980). From her work on Loser’s Club, Ashley is (in my opinion) a Stephen King scholar and we reference his other work as much as we talk about the film, so tune in if you love the King of Horror! We also discuss how The Shining is a haunted house movie, differences between the book and movie, our own paranormal investigations, and our hope for the next generation of horror fans. Even though Stephen King doesn’t like this movie, we love it!

00:00-21:00- Intro / How Ashley Got Into Horror & Stephen King / How We First Saw (& Read) The Shining

21:00-33:00- Brief Synopsis / Is It a Good Adaptation?

33:00-01:09:00- The Hotel / The Iconic Imagery / Characters (mostly Dick & Danny)

01:09:00-01:28:00- Score / Double Feature Ideas / Outro

Please note, timestamps are estimates.

References:

* Director’s Club: Mike Flanagan podcast (Chloe was on this pod talking about Doctor Sleep)

* Gen(d)erations: Wendy Carlos’ Life and Work Show the Beauty (and Trauma) of Being Openly Trans on Them Magazine by Samantha Reidel (10/10/2019)

* The Institute- Loser’s Club podcast (mentioned by Ashley)

* Making of the Shining documentary directed by Vivian Kubrick (mentioned by Chloe)

* Room 237 (documentary Ashley mentioned)

* Stephen King on Letterman talking about The Shining film (8/18/1980)

* Timberline Lodge- Overlook Hotel from The Shining article on Oregon Live

Books mentioned:

* The Bloomsbury Guide to Stanley Kubrick (mentioned by Chloe)

* Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (sequel to The Shining)

* The Institute by Stephen King (another entry in the “shine” canon)

* The Shining by Stephen King

* Why We Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature (mentioned by Chloe)

Follow Ashley on Instagram.

Listen to The Losers Club: A Stephen King Podcast and Keep It Weird (listen or watch).

Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network.

The sound used in this episode is from The Shining (1980) and an 1980’s Stephen King interview on the David Letterman show (linked above) used for educational purposes.

To contribute to my Danny’s Apollo sweater fund, please subscribe to my Substack. Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

My guest, Patrick Ripoll, hosts several podcasts on the Now Playing Network (96 Greers, Tracks of the Damned, Wizard Jail) talks to me about his favorite horror movie and a movie dear to my heart: Carnival of Souls (1962). Patrick knows SO much about film history, especially about this film, so this episode is great for behind-the-scenes talk. We also chat about MST3K, not being allowed to see PG-13 movies until we were 13, low budget filmmaking and educational films, method acting, and more!

Carnival of Souls (1962) is very easy to find online, so please give it a watch before listening. We spoil this movie and other movies with a similar twist (movies more than 20 years old). We also briefly mention depression including suicidal ideation, anxiety, and trauma.

00:00-19:00- Intro / How Patrick Got Into Horror / How We First Saw Carnival of Souls

19:00-36:00- Brief Synopsis / The History of Carnival of Souls

36:00-01:07:00- Performances / Themes of Gender, Mental Health and Alienation

01:07:00-01:22:00 The Hitch Hiker / Double Feature Ideas / Outro

Please note, timestamps are estimates.

References:

* An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce (the short story Carnival of Souls was based on)

* Dance Little Children (1961)- one of Herk Harvey’s educational film on STI’s

* Interview with Carnival of Souls’ Director Herk Harvey

* The Hitch Hiker Radio Play- Suspense, Episode 11

* The Hitchhiker S1E16 (1960)- Twilight Zone Episode

* The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act- Isaac Butler (book mentioned by Chloe)

* Too Many Cooks & Great Choice (unsettling shorts mentioned by Patrick)

* Watch Carnival of Souls (1962)

Find Us:

* Follow Patrick’s podcasts (96 Greers, Tracks of the Damned, Wizard Jail)

* Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

* Not Playing Network

The sound bites used in this episode are from the trailer and clips from Carnival of Souls (1962) and audio from Dance Little Children (1961) is used for educational purposes.

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For exclusive episodes, subscribe at a paying level to my Substack. If you enjoy my work, this is the best way to financially support me! Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

Happy New Year! I asked my previous podcast guests from episodes released this year to talk about their favorite horror movies– either new or new to them– of 2025. So much love for Sinners and Weapons! Thank you for listening, rating and for supporting this podcast. I hope you enjoy this episode and I hope you all have a safe and happy 2026. Stick around ‘til the end to hear our new theme!

In this episode, we talk to:

* Author TT Madden (Ep. 11- Tales from the Hood)

* Gabe Powers from Genre Grinder (Ep. 10- Zombi 2)

* Matt Epp (Ep. 3- Suspiria 2018)

* Jim Laszkowski from Director’s Club (Ep. 9- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

* Paige Sechrest (Ep. 7- Us)

* Chad Evans (Ep. 8- Halloween III: Season of the Witch)

* Betsy Tomszak from Books with Betsy (Ep. 5- The Evil Dead)

* Bree Tighe (Ep. 2- Rose Red)

* Luther Moss (Ep. 1- Bram Stoker’s Dracula)

* Actor Ben Tracy (Ep. 4- Red Eye)

* Jenni Schofield (Ep. 3- Suspiria 2018)

Thank you to every single guest who appeared or recorded with me on Not Scared this year.

We mention the films (in no particular order):

* Sinners (2025)

* Bring Her Back (2025)

* Night of the Eagle (1962)

* It Ends (2025)

* Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)

* Nosferatu (2024)

* Harvest Brood (2025)

* Felidae (1994)

* 28 Years Later (2025)

* Hex (1980)

* Best Wishes to All (2022)

* A Hyena in the Safe (1960)

* Weapons (2025)

And we also briefly mention the new movie Father Mother Sister Brother (info about IFF Boston screening here)

Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network.

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For exclusive episodes, subscribe at a paying level to my Substack. If you enjoy my work, this is the best way to financially support me! Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

Baby’s first anime (on the podcast, that is)! This time, I’m welcoming Julia Cristales— library coworker, friend, and fellow bookstagrammer (Reading Rapscallion)— to talk about their favorite Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000). I’m so happy that Julia chose this movie because it truly is one of the most beautiful films that we’ve discussed on this podcast. If you haven’t seen it, check it out! We chat about anime hotties, genre hybridity, the Hammer Horror influence, how shitty it would be to live forever, and how gorgeous 2010’s Tumblr can be. We only mention Twilight twice.

Please note, the audio is not up to my standards— I edited it the best that I could and Julia sounds great and that’s what matters! Thank you Julia for bearing with me and we’ll have to have you back for another episode with better audio. But moreover, thank you for showing me this amazing film!

00:00-16:00 Intro / Haunted House Attractions / How Julia Got Into Horror / How We First Saw Vampire Hunter D / Discussions on Anime and Manga

16:00-29:00- Brief Synopsis / Aesthetics

29:00-45:00- Characters / Settings / Directing Animation

45:00-1:01:00- Double Feature Ideas / Themes of Immortality and Forbidden Love / Outro

Please note, timestamps are estimates.

References:

Ghosted by Roz Hernandez (podcast mentioned by Chloe)

Weird Illinois (weird state series mentioned by Julia)

“The Western Eastern: Decoding Hybridity and CyberZen Goth(ic) in Vampire Hunter D (1985)” by John Edgar Stein in their book Draculas, Vampires and Other Undead Forms (2009) (mentioned by Chloe)

Find Us:

Follow Julia’s Instagram.

Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network.

The sound used in this episode is from the trailer and clips from Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000) used for educational purposes.

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For exclusive episodes, subscribe at a paying level to my Substack. If you enjoy my work, this is the best way to financially support me! Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

This is one of my favorite episodes because I get to talk to my cousin Isabel Waryan about a movie that we saw as kids that has now become a cozy horror cult classic in both of our households, The Watcher in the Woods (1980). With scare techniques also used in The Exorcist, The Shining and The Evil Dead, can you believe that this is a Disney movie? We express our appreciation for actually-scary kids horror, Betty Davis, and shag haircuts. This is very much a childhood lore episode so if we need something comforting, put this on. And if you’ve never seen this movie, what are you waiting for? It’s perfect for long dark nights where you need something eerie and not-terrifying.

00:00-11:30- Intro / How Isabel Got Into Horror / Discussion of Horror for Kids / How We Saw The Watcher in the Woods

11:30-20:00- Brief Synopsis / Differences Between Movie and Book / Scary Moments

20:00- Acting / Music / Characters

42:00- The Watcher / Alternative Endings / Themes of Mothers and Isolation

57:00-1:03:00- Double Feature Ideas / Outro

Please note: timestamps are estimates.

We forgot to mention that there’s also a remake of this movie from 2017 starring Anjelica Huston made for the Lifetime Channel. To me, it doesn’t have the same type of movie magic, but it exists.

References:

Evolution of Horror Podcast (our mutual fave!)

The Watcher in the Woods by Florence Engel Randall

The Watcher in the Woods is Smart Gateway Horror- Certified Forgotten article written by your’s truly (support their podcast too!)

Find Us:

Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network.

The music used in this episode is from the trailer and clips from The Watcher in the Woods (1980) used for educational purposes.

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For exclusive episodes, subscribe at a paying level to my Substack. If you enjoy my work, this is the best way to financially support me! Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

Today I welcome sci-fi and horror author (and fellow librarian) TT Madden to discuss about one of their favorites, Rusty Cundieff’s classic anthology horror Tales from the Hood (1995). TT writes a lot of short stories, so we begin our discussion by talking about short narratives and anthology horror. Then we go chronologically (for once!) to discuss the 5 tales in order, including the mortuary wrap-around. So thankful that we finally got a Blu-Ray of this movie and so thankful I got to chat with TT, finally! If you enjoy this episode, please consider buying their books!

TW: discussions of violence and racism (throughout), domestic abuse (Boys Do Get Bruised) and lynching (Hard Core Convert)

If you watch before you listen, please note these content warnings especially the section Hard Core Convert which has archival footage of images from lynchings and heavy strobe lights.

00:00-10:00- Intro / How TT Got Into Horror / How We First Saw Tales from the Hood

10:00-19:00- Brief Synopsis / Discussions on Short Form Storytelling

19:00-39:00- Welcome to My Mortuary (Wrap-Around) / Rouge Cop Revelation / Boys Do Get Bruised

39:00-50:00- KKK Comeuppance

50:00-1:05:00- Hard Core Convert / Themes of Systemic Racism / Performances

1:05:00-1:17:00- Watchalikes / Where to Buy TT’s Books / Outro

Please note: timestamps are estimates.

References:

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (documentary mentioned by TT, can be streamed on Shudder)

Horror Noire anthology tv show (mentioned by TT)

‘Tales from the Hood’ Director Rusty Cundieff: Why It Took 20 Years to Make a Sequel to His Black Horror Anthology, by Eric Kohn, Indie Wire, July 13, 2018

Twenty-Five Years Later and Still Haunted in the ‘Hood’- Pod of Madness

Books mentioned:

Dark Paths: A Queer Horror Romance Collection by TT Madden

The Neon Revelation by TT Madden

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror edited by Jordan Peele (mentioned by Chloe)

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen (mentioned by Chloe)

Visit TT Madden’s website, and follow them on Instagram and Patreon.

Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Find other great film podcasts on the Now Playing Network.

Listen to Guide to the Unknown podcast!

The music used in this episode is from the soundtrack and clips from Tales from the Hood (1995) used for educational purposes.

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For exclusive episodes, subscribe at a paying level to my Substack. If you enjoy my work, this is the best way to financially support me! Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe

My guest, Gabe Powers of Genre Grinder podcast (also on my new network, the Now Playing Network) and I discuss the Italian classic Zombi 2 (1979), which goes by many names including Zombie and Zombie Flesh Eaters. As you’ll hear, Gabe’s specialty is Italian horror including directors Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento (as well as zombie classics), so we discuss a lot of the Italian horrors coming out around this time and George A. Romero’s zombie films in America, to which Zombi 2 is an unofficial sequel. We also cover booby scuba, dusty zombies, and combing the used DVD section for obscure horror gems. This is a truly one-of-a-kind episode for all you Italian horror lovers out there, so get your Letterboxd ready because you’re gonna add a ton of movies to your watchlist!

Gabe is the host of the Genre Grinder podcast, my next-door neighbor on my new network (the Now Playing Network). Each month, Gabe delves in the depths of all sorts of subgenres.

00:00-22:00- Intro + New Theme Music / How Gabe Got Into Horror / The History of Zombi 2

22:00-54:30- Brief Synopsis / Lucio Fulci’s Direction / The Zombies / Music

54:30-1:22:00- Other Zombie Movies / Italian Horror Cinema History

1:22:00-1:35:00- Double Feature Ideas / Book Recs / Outro + Gabe’s Zombi 2 Theme

Please note: timestamps are estimates.

References:

Exclusive Memoir: “Zombie”’s Ian McCulloch Remembers Co-Star Richard Johnson, June 26th 2015, Fangoria

Fulci for Fake (documentary that Gabe mentions)

House of Horrors website

Book list:

Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci by Stephen Thrower (mentioned by Gabe for further Fulci lore)

The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema From Fodder to Oscar by Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris (mentioned by Chloe)

Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento by Maitland McDonagh (mentioned by Gabe)

Eaten Alive!: Italian Cannibal and Zombie Movies by Jay Slater (mentioned by Gabe)

Profondo Argento: The Man, The Myths and the Magic by Alan Jones (mentioned by Gabe)

Roberto Curti’s books on the Italian Gothic (mentioned by Gabe for further research on Italian horror)

Genre Grinder

Wizard Jail, a Visionaries Rewatch Podcast (Gabe’s other podcast)

Genre Grinder Cares (merch with profits donated to charity, currently donating to the Minnesotan org Gender/Justice)

Follow Gabe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd and Instagram.

Check out more film pods on the Now Playing Network

The music used in this episode is from the soundtrack and trailer for Zombi 2 (1979) used for educational purposes.

Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For exclusive episodes, subscribe at a paying level to my Substack. If you enjoy my work, this is the best way to financially support me! Thank you for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe