Horrorspiria

In their first director retrospective, May and Clinton look at Bong Joon-ho's entire filmography. Arguably the best genre filmmaker currently working, they discuss each of his films from Barking Dogs Never Bite to the Oscar-winning Parasite and how the director has influenced genre cinema globally since his 2000 debut. The episode is currently streaming on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,...

In the first analytical episode of season 2, May and Clinton look at American films that are set in foreign lands or have foreign protagonists. The transnationalist influence of global cinema is the guiding force behind the expansion of horror and science fiction as a legitimate genre worldwide. American films are considered the country's most valuable export, and in analyzing these tendencies, wh...

In the second episode of season 2, May and Clinton discuss their top 10 favorite American horror films. Look out for our American perspective of foreign culture episode up very soon! The episode is currently streaming on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Breaker, PocketCasts, and RadioPublic.

In the season 2 premiere of Horrorspiria, May and Clinton discuss their top 10 favorite foreign horror films. From Asia to Latin America to Canada, we cover our personal favorite films to begin our new season. The episode is currently streaming on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Breaker, PocketCasts, and RadioPublic.

In the season finale of Horrorspiria, May and Clinton discuss the monstrous feminine through 3 different films. The monstrous feminine is a theory first proposed by Barbara Creed which analyzed the role of abject women and monsters through lore and film. What do these gendered monsters convey through the works they're included in? In this episode, May and Clinton discuss these aspects as well as T...

May and Clinton discuss theme of nationalism through 3 different horror films, exploring how the metaphors are relayed through script, setting, dialogue, and, plot. Starting with Red State in America, they look at the lens of nationalism through South Korea and Iran as well. How do different filmmakers explore xenophobia with horror tropes and what messages can we take away from these films? It is...

In our fourth bonus pod, May discusses her favorite film, Donnie Darko. The 2001 film is directed by Richard Kelley. It is an original story written when he was 23. She discusses why it is her favorite film as a special memorial episode to pod-cat, Darko. The episode is currently streaming on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Breaker, PocketCasts, and RadioPublic.

May and Clinton discuss film distribution within the horror and international markets through Altered Innocence, a niche distribution company specializing in subversive queer films. With special input from renowned film producer, Lisa Thrasher, and information from Altered Innocence's CEO, Frank Jaffe, the current state of film distribution is established and discussed in depth. In this episode, M...

May and Clinton discuss the Korean horror wave, touching on its initial history and focusing on three of its most well-known exports. Starting from the very first Korean film screened in America in 2003, the wave was less hyped than its sister cinema from Japan. However, there exists a specific nuance centered around the Korean concept of han that distinguishes Korean horror from other pan-Asian e...

May and Clinton discuss the horror cinema output of Latin America in the first part of a multi-part mini-series. There are 21 Spanish-speaking countries in the world and 19 of those 21 reside in what is largely considered Latin America. All of the countries, regardless of location, share an intrinsic colonial link to Spain. In this mini-series, we examine the general film industry of each country...

In our first bonus pod together, May and Clinton discuss their immediate reactions to Knife + Heart. The 2018 French film is directed by Yann Gonzalez with a score done by M83. It takes place in 1979 Paris where a serial killer is targeting gay porno actors. The episode is broken down into 2 parts for those who don't want spoilers! 

May and special guest, Gabi, discuss the Final Girl trope, a term coined by horror theorist Carol Clover in 1992. The trope involves the final female character in a film left to her own devices to confront the (usually male) killer, especially against the backdrop of her own trauma. Both of them chose two different films to examine in closer detail about how the Final Girl manifests and the codes...

In our second bonus pod, Clinton discusses one of his favorite horror films, The Last Circus. The 2010 film is directed and written by Álex de la Iglesia. It concerns the dealings of a circus in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. He discusses why it is one of his favorite films as well as the implications of its success and influence.

May and Clinton discuss giallos, an Italian horror movement from the 60s and 70s. It is a thriller-horror genre that includes a myriad of elements from many genres including crime fiction, horror, erotica, and psychological thrillers. While the movement was short-lived, it had a second life in America with the advent of home video entertainment. Since then, the giallo's stylistic trademarks have b...

In our first bonus pod, May discusses her favorite horror film, A Tale of Two Sisters. The 2003 film is directed by Kim Jee-woon. It is an adaptation of the Joseon Dynasty folktale, Janghwa Hongryeon jeon. She discusses why it is her favorite film as well as the implications of its success and influence.

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 femini...

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...