Episode Summary:

From shadowy German expressionists to blood-soaked slashers, horror films have terrified, thrilled, and (sometimes) accidentally made us laugh for over a century. But where did the genre come from? What do our collective fears say about us? And how did we get from Nosferatu to Saw without losing our popcorn?

In this episode, we pull back the curtain—and maybe the shower curtain—on the long, dark hallway that is the history of horror movies. You’ll meet the monsters that haunted early silent films, the moral panics that shaped mid-century horror, and the masked killers who slashed their way through the ’70s and ’80s. We’ll also explore how horror reflects the anxieties of its time—war, disease, nuclear fears, social upheaval—and why it keeps evolving.

Oh, and yes—we’ll talk about The Exorcist. Because how could we not?

Whether you love jump scares, slow burns, or just want to know who to blame for the found footage craze, this episode digs deep into the shadows of cinema history.

Further Reading & Viewing:

• Men, Women, and Chain Saws by Carol J. Clover

• Danse Macabre by Stephen King

• Nightmare Movies by Kim Newman

• Documentary: Horror Noire (Shudder)

Listener Tip:

Keep the lights on. Just in case.

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