Such a Nightmare: Conversations about Horror

It's our 100th episode!!!! Hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca celebrate a podcast and friendship while discussing the 2024 Horror Movie: A Novel by Paul Tremblay.  Episode Highlights: We appreciated the opportunity--for our 100th episode--to return to a favorite writer: Paul Tremblay! We frame our conversation through the lens that we are Tremblay fans; he's written some of our favorite horror...

In this episode of the Such a Nightmare podcast, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca explore the magic and horror of Vegas as they discuss the 1995 horror comedy film Leprechaun 3. Episode Highlights: We frame our discussion of the film by considering how it serves as the third installment in the franchise. We appreciate how the film provides some wacky fun and weird kills that complements the...

In this episode of the Such a Nightmare podcast, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca discuss the 2023 horror film Late Night with the Devil. Episode Highlights: We begin by addressing the monster in the room: the film's use of AI and the subsequent backlash this film faced as a result. Ultimately though, we argue that it is unfair that most folks only want to talk about the AI issue, because th...

In this episode of the Such a Nightmare podcast, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca discuss the 1994 horror comedy film Leprechaun 2. Episode Highlights: We explore how the sequel compares with the original 1993 film and argue that, particularly in terms of cinematography, Leprechaun 2 feels richer and more vibrant. As evidence, we turn to the cold opening scene and its use of cinematography t...

In this episode of the Such a Nightmare podcast, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca discuss the awesomeness that is Misery. Although we focus primarily on the 1990 film staring Kathy Bates and James Caan, we cannot help but also talk about Stephen King's original novel and Toni shares their experience seeing William Goldman's theatrical stage adaptation. Episode Highlights: We explore the inte...

In this spooktacular Eerie Extra, Such a Nightmare co-host Katherine Troyer speaks with horror authors and creators Steve DeWinter and Renee Miller.  We explore the horrific power and potential of immersive storytelling (which is a really awesome way of presenting and engaging with the horror genre). Steve and Renee discuss how their work The Babysitter plays with different sources of horror throu...

In this episode of the Such a Nightmare podcast, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca search for their pot of gold as they discuss the 1993 horror comedy film Leprechaun. Episode Highlights: We talk about the awesomeness that is Warwick Davis and how his performance encourages us to laugh with him rather than at him. We explore whether the film can be read as a traditional affirmative horror mov...

In this episode of the Such a Nightmare podcast, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca put a coin in the pinball machine to discuss 2021's Willy's Wonderland. Episode Highlights: We talk about how Nicholas Cage is the reason for the season and, hands down, the best part of this film. We explore the film's brilliant practical effects with the puppets/animatronics. Katherine shares how the film bui...

In this episode of the Such a Nightmare podcast, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca return--for a final time (at least for now!)--to Camp Crystal Lake as they discuss the 2009 horror slasher film Friday the 13th. Episode Highlights: We examine the film's (potentially) strange juxtaposition between a wholesome family reunion narrative and shots of lots (and lots) of boobs; Katherine shares how...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca work the graveyard shift as they discuss the 2023 horror film Five Nights at Freddy's.  Episode Highlights: Toni shares what it was like playing the game on band trips as a kid and how this shaped their anticipation and hopes for this film. We talk about the challenges this film faced and--in our opinions--did not overcome as the movie tries...

In this spooktacular Eerie Extra, Such a Nightmare co-host Katherine Troyer speaks with horror author and editor David-Jack Fletcher.   We discuss the significance of normalizing LGBTQIA+ identities within the horror genre. This leads to an even bigger discussion of how queer horror can both offer a space for connection and push us beyond our comfort zones. David-Jack shares the vision behind Slas...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca hop a rocket to outer space...where, of course, Jason is waiting...as they discuss the 2001 horror slasher film Jason X. Episode Highlights: We talk about how this film is part of a slew of films in the late 90s/early 00s that sought to shock their respective franchises back to life with a journey to space. We think about how this film, despi...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca venture into their first non-fiction book as they discuss the 2023 collection of essays Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer. Episode Highlights: We talk about the word "monstrous" and what it means to us. We express how called out--and seen--we felt at various points in this book, particularly as fellow aca-fans wrestling with our own...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca descend to the underworld (kind of) as they discuss the 1993 horror slasher film Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday. Episode Highlights: If we thought it took a while for Jason to make it to Manhattan, we were shocked by how long it took for him to actually go to hell! Katherine maintains that this is perhaps one of the best uses of a cold...

In this spooktacular terrifying Eerie Extra,  Such a Nightmare co-host Katherine Troyer speaks with horror scholar, writer, and editor Jolie Toomajan. We discuss her research into several less-appreciated women who wrote for Weird Tales, and what she has been learning in her recent scholarship. Together we explore the complicated relationships we have with a genre that is both transgressive and co...

In this spooktacular episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca don their mouse ears as they discuss the truly horrific and absolutely fantastic 2023 novel Maeve Fly by author C.J. Leede.  We highly recommend you read the book before listening to this episode! Episode Highlights: We explore how this novel serves as a love story to LA, and the ways that Leede manages to both rip off our rose-t...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca head to the big apple as they discuss the 1989 horror slasher film Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. Episode Highlights: This was our first time seeing the film, so we talk about our surprise at how long it takes Jason to make it to Manhattan and how this decision impacts not only our expectations as viewers but the larger nar...

In this Eerie Extra, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca review the 2023 horror film Scream VI. (Because, let's face it, as long as they make Scream films, we'll be watching Scream films.)   We discuss our thoughts on the latest film (to date) in the franchise and how we think that the sixth installment fits into, contributes to, and occasionally takes away from the larger Scream narrative. We...

In this delightfully terrifying Eerie Extra,  Such a Nightmare co-host Katherine Troyer speaks with cosmic horror writer Mark N. Drake. We discuss Mark's Darkisle series and how he created this particular world, what it takes to build a memorable and unique horror setting, and the power--and challenge--of blending genres such as cosmic horror, noir, and gumshoe detective. While we discuss Mark's 2...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca talk the post-modern and incredibly "meta" 2006 horror-comedy film Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.  Episode Highlights: We discuss the film's commentary on the slasher genre and, in particular, how this movie's final girl character (Taylor Gentry) becomes a stand-in for the sometimes uncomfortable position of being a fan and schol...

In this very haunting Eerie Extra, co-host Katherine Troyer talks with horror writer Carson Winter. We discuss Carson's 2023 novella "Soft Targets" (through Tenebrous Press), the power and potential of weird horror, and what we would want to taste if we could taste any intangible thing. This interview is relatively spoiler free, so you should be able to enjoy it before or after reading "Soft Targe...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca grab their camping gear and head to the woods (metaphorically of course...Katherine is very allergic to nature) as they discuss the 1988 horror slasher film Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. Episode Highlights: We celebrate the arrival of Kane Hodder as Jason even as we question why the film is called "THE New Blood." We explore the fi...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca discuss writer and director Zach Cregger's unexpected (and unexpectedly funny) 2022 horror film Barbarian.  Episode Highlights: We talk about some of the behind-the-scenes decisions that had a profound impact on the final version of the film (including the original casting choice for Justin Long's character). Drawing deep from that one art ap...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca return to Crystal Lake yet again as they discuss the 1986 horror slasher film Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. Episode Highlights: We talk about this film's unexpected (but rather delightful) comedy and the ways that the humor is used not only to make bit characters more memorable but as a way for the film to situate itself as a meta-hor...

In this delightful Eerie Extra, co-hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca talk with actor, educator, and theatre administrator Heather Kelley. We had the opportunity to speak with Heather about her current (and super cool) research on the narratives of ghosts--and ghostly encounters--at three real-world theatres here in the United States: the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas; Le Petit Theatre in Ne...