The Monstrous Feminine

Perhaps the most on-brand film for our ‘horrible men in horror’ theme is the 2022 British folk horror film ‘Men’, directed by Alex Garland.🌲🍎 We think this film deserves more attention. In this episode, we dissect how biblical imagery is used, discuss the monstrous birthing scene and debate whether it works as a feminist film. The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’...

We’re back and better than ever! Our theme this month is horrible men in horror, and of course we couldn’t do this film without talking about the 2000 classic ‘American Psycho’, directed by Mary Harron. 👔🪓 In this episode, we discuss how different demographics have interpreted this film over the years: incels and finance bros have idolised Bateman, most women have recognised it as a campy satire...

HAPPY PRIDE QUEERS! 🏳️‍🌈 For this Pride Special, we revisit a film we covered in our very first episode: the 2009 cult classic ‘Jennifer’s Body’, directed by Karyn Kusama. 💅💋 💄 In this episode, we debate the differences between desire and envy in young female friendships, investigate the queer subtext and female gaze of the film, and uncover its true villain: CHIP. 😠 The Coven: Louisa, Mila T...

For our last mermaid episode of the month, we’re talking about the 2022 American psychological thriller ‘Nanny’, directed by Nikyatu Jusu. 🕷️🧜‍♀️ We discuss African deities as agents of chaos, the sense-making function of legends, and how the Mami Wata informs this film's gender, race and class commentary. The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pi...

Continuing with our mermaid theme, we’re talking about the 2017 Swiss fantasy drama ‘Blue My Mind’, directed by Lisa Brühlmann. 🐟🧜‍♀️🌊 We discuss how this film effectively uses body horror and fantasy to portray adolescence, and is particularly anxiety-inducing because of the seemingly unavoidable sexualisation and predation that all young teen girls experience. The Coven: Louisa, Mila Tyia and...

This month we’re talking about mermaids! 🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️ Our first film is the 2015 Polish musical horror, ‘The Lure’, directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska. 🌊🎤👯‍♀️ We delve into its camp musical elements, discuss how the exploration of womanhood lends itself to trans-coded readings, and debate Barbara Creed’s queer reading of this film. The Coven: Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Musi...

Our last eco-horror episode is the 2012 American mockumentary horror ‘The Bay’, directed by Barry Levinson. ⚠️🐓 We talk about how this film hits different post pandemic, the risk of exploitation in documentaries and governmental mismanagement of water systems. The Coven: Louisa, Mila Tyia and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* violence, death, climate...

Continuing our eco-horror theme, we’re talking about the 2006 monster film, ‘The Host’, directed by Bong Joon-ho. ⚠️🐟 In this episode, we discuss the influence of American neoliberal economic policies on Korea, unpack Bong's tactical focus on the nuclear family, and delve into how oppressive systems breed nihilistic compliance. The Coven: Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music...

“You guys made me ink!” In honour of Earth Day, we’re talking about eco-horror! 🌎 Our first episode of the month is on the 1977 Italian-American sci-fi film ‘Tentacles’, directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis. 🐙 In this episode, we describe the referential nature of low-budget 70s Italian horror, lament the blatant giant squid erasure in this film, and, despite our best efforts, descend into brief ment...

She's serving, your honour. 🕶️ This is our last dolls in horror episode of the month, and we’re talking about the sassy sci-fi ‘M3GAN’, directed by Gerard Johnstone. 💅🔩 In this episode, we talk about the difficult balance between professional success and motherhood, debate the camp and serious elements of this film, and attempt to pinpoint exactly where AI and parenting can overlap if technology...

Hello, Good Guys™️! This is our second dolls in horror episode, and we’re covering the iconic 1988 film ‘Child’s Play’, directed by Tom Holland. 🧑🏻‍🦰🚫🔋🩸 We discuss how this film toys with childhood innocence and perspective, its rather weak reliance on a serial killer origin story, and hail Chucky as a non-binary icon (you’ll have to listen in full to hear our justification for that one). Th...

“My name is Talky Tina and I love you!” 💟 This is the first episode of our dolls in horror theme, and we’re talking about 'Living Doll' (1963) from the American television anthology series ‘The Twilight Zone’, directed by Richard C. Sarafian. 🎀🏠👨‍👩‍👧 We delve into the uncanny valley in relation to dolls, discuss the lost art of quality horror storytelling and analyse the fragility of the nuc...

For our last romantic horror episode, we are talking about the 2013 zom-rom-com ‘Warm Bodies’, directed by Jonathan Levine. 🧟‍♂️💘 First we read out your own dating horror stories. Then we discuss whether love can survive a zombie apocalypse, how apocalyptic conditions might drastically change our standards for a romantic partner, and how, much like 'Shaun of the Dead', this film depicts alienati...

CASTING CALL: one horror fan 🥵! We’re continuing our Valentine’s theme with the 1999 thriller ‘Audition’, directed by Takashi Miike. 💉👁️💉 In this episode, we delve into the objectification of women, discuss the delicate performance of gender, analyse the chasm between men and women’s emotional experiences and how, in this film, the phenomenon of physical pain somehow bridges this gap. *CONTENT...

Hi, love birds! 🕊️This is the first episode of our Valentine’s Specials, and we’re talking about the 1999 adventure film ‘The Mummy’, directed by Stephen Sommers. 🛕🐫🏺🦂 We start by examining exactly why this is known as the Official Bisexual Awakening Movie™️ (hint: it’s the hot cast). We then delve into how Imhotep sets the bar for side pieces everywhere. Finally, we discuss how this movie fun...

Our final episode on claustrophobic horror is the 2019 survival film ‘47 Meters Down: Uncaged’, directed by Neil Marshall. 🤿🏊‍♀️🦈 We discuss the nepo-baby casting, debate the biological accuracy of blind great whites that, for whatever reason, choose to live in confined cave systems voluntarily, and the central sisterly strife that was so severe, only multiple shark attacks could resolve it. Th...

Bonjour! 👩‍🎨 We’re continuing our claustrophobia theme with the 2014 American horror film ‘As Above, So Below’, directed by John Erick Dowdle. 💀💀💀 Join us as we enter the nine circles of hell and discuss wonderful things such as death, sin, satan, cavernous wombs, vlogging, eternal judgement and the sanctity of artefacts. The Coven: Mila and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebast...

Time to descend... This month we’re covering claustrophobia in horror! Our first film is the 2005 British adventure horror film ‘The Descent’, directed by Neil Marshall. 🕳🩸☠️ We discuss female friendships versus female competition, monstrous motherhood and the maddening effects of grief. The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARN...

For our last cannibalism episode, we’re talking about the coming-of-age road movie ‘Bones and All’ (2022), directed by Luca Guadagnino. 🦴😋 We discuss this film as a realistic depiction of the rural Midwest. We also explain how cannibalism can act as a metaphor for both queerness and addiction. Finally, we divulge our various reactions to and interpretations of Sully’s complicated (and creepy) ch...

Good evening, Clarice. We’re continuing our cannibalism theme with the 1991 masterpiece ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, directed by Jonathan Demme. 🍽️🦋🐑 We talk about Hannibal as a delicious, sassy and possibly asexual villain. We also discuss the famous tucking scene and go into depth about the transphobic elements of this film as well as the questions it raises about womanhood and gender. The Cove...

Bon Appétit. This month we’re covering cannibalism in horror and kicking it off with ‘The Hills Have Eyes’, directed by Wes Craven. 🌕👶🏻🐺 We discuss the divide between metropolitan/rural populations and how this interacts with classism, sexism and racism. We also go into why this film fails in its intention to construct a sympathetic view of the rural working class, and how, in actual fact, it...

Hello, my lunar lovelies. This is our last film of the month covering werewolves and we’re talking about the dark fantasy horror ‘Good Manners’, directed by Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra. 🌕👶🏻🐺 We explore the class and race dynamics within the central queer relationship, the body horror of pregnancy and motherhood as sacrifice. The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week...

Spooky month is continuing with werewolves, and we’re covering one of our favourite films: the angsty teen horror, ‘Ginger Snaps’ (2000), directed by John Fawcett. 🩸🐺💉 In this episode, we discuss how this film defies the stereotypically masculine lore of the werewolf, the body horror of puberty and the complexities of sisterly bonds. The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of th...

Happy October - this month we’re talking about werewolves. To kick it all off, we cover the 1981 classic ‘An American Werewolf in London’, directed by John Landis. We discuss werewolf lore, lament the loss of cool prosthetics and gory special effects to CGI, and wonder about the film's British/American cultural chasms. The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by:...

For our last episode on horror games, we’re talking about Halina Reijn’s dark comedy ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’. 🌧 🗡📱🩸😵 We read this film as a comedic satire of Gen Z and performative "woke" culture, discuss misogynistic left-leaning men and delve into the gay drama between Amandla Stenberg and Lena Wilson after that NY Times review. The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme and ‘Witch of the We...