Dissecting Horror

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect two Father's Day favorites: The Empire Strikes Back and The Shining. This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television and literature with Kelsey Zukowski and Steven Aguilera. We hope you find it in your cold, black, withered hearts to join our Society of Grotesquery and Loathing and keep our podcast suffering onward:...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the many incarnations of The Ring franchise, both American and Japanese. This dissection will be spoiler-free. “A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it,” according to The Internet Movie Database. The average citizen is almost certainly aware of this American...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we take the wayback machine to our very first podcast together, before Dissecting Horror was even born, reviewing the film, Triangle, among other scary topics. This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television and literature with Kelsey Zukowski and Steven Aguilera. We hope you find it in your cold, black, withered hearts to join our...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this Valentine's Day Special, we divulge our hottest Horror crushes of all time. I imagine this podcast possibly ruffling some feathers. Such forthright objectifications of people might even feel borderline inappropriate. But I hope those listening will at least appreciate us exposing our individual desires to the world, and that it’s okay for each of us to have our ow...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this spoiler-free episode, we’ll review V/H/S Halloween now streaming on Shudder. "A collection of Halloween-themed videotapes unleashes a series of twisted, blood-soaked tales, turning trick-or-treat into a struggle for survival,” according to The Internet Movie Database. This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television and literature with...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this spoiler-free episode, we’ll review Season 1 & 2 of Wednesday on Netflix starring Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman and directed by Tim Burton. "The series Wednesday follows the Addams Family daughter as she attends Nevermore Academy, a school for supernatural outcasts, where she attempts to master her emerging psychic abilities. Armed with her si...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this spoiler-free episode, we’ll review Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu , starring Bill Skarsgård, Lily Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe and Nicholas Hoult. “A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake,” according to The Internet Movie Database.  This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this festive Christmas special, we’ll review Gremlins, now celebrating its 40th anniversary. This dissection will be spoiler-free. “A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town,” according to the Internet Movie Database. This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatom...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the 1993 film, Hocus Pocus, comparing and contrasting it with its 2022 sequel, Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+. This dissection will be spoiler-free. Hocus Pocus: “A teenage boy named Max and his little sister move to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century,” according to The...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the subgenre of Found Footage, along with its broader subgenre of "Reality Horror." This dissection will be spoiler-free. “Found footage is a cinematic technique in which all or a substantial part of the work is presented as if it were film or video recordings recorded by characters in the story, and later "found" and presented t...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the film, Abigail, now streaming on Peacock. This dissection will be mostly spoiler-free. “While holding the 12-year-old daughter of a powerful underworld figure captive, a group of kidnappers discovers she’s actually a bloodthirsty vampire,“ according to Peacock. This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television and liter...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the film, Stopmotion, now streaming on Shudder. This dissection will be spoiler-free. “A talented stop-motion animator becomes consumed by the grotesque world of her horrifying creations—with deadly results,” according to Rotten Tomatoes. This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television and literature with Kelsey Zukowski...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this spoiler-free episode we dissect the 1994 film, Interview with the Vampire starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst. Directed by Neil Jordan. “The selfishly evil vampire Lestat seduces Louis into a life of immortality, where he is troubled by the need to kill to maintain his own life. He confesses his 200-year erotic and bloody adventure to an unbelieving journa...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this spoiler-free episode we dissect Interview with the Vampire , a novel by Anne Rice. “This is the story of Louis, as told in his own words, of his journey through mortal and immortal life. Louis recounts how he became a vampire at the hands of the radiant and sinister Lestat and how he became indoctrinated, unwillingly, into the vampire way of life,” according to the aut...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this exciting double feature, we have each selected one episode from a favorite series to introduce to the other. Steven chose The X-Files: Bad Blood with guest stars Patrick Renna and Luke Wilson while Kelsey chose Doctor Who: The God Complex with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. The X-Files, Season 5, Episode 12: Bad Blood “Scully and Mulder each recount their version of even...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the 2004 Stephen Sommers film, Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale. “The famed monster hunter [Van Helsing] is sent to Transylvania to stop Count Dracula, who is using Dr. Frankenstein's research and a werewolf for nefarious purposes,” according to IMDB. This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the horror novel NOS4A2 by Joe Hill along with the TV series starring Zachary Quinto and audiobook narrated by Kate Mulgrew. “NOS4A2 is a horror novel about a woman trying to save her son from a vicious, supernatural killer,” according to Wikipedia.  This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television and literature with Kel...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the 2011 film, The Innkeepers , written and directed by Ti West and starring Sara Paxton and Pat Healy. “During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the hotel's haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for a stay” according to The Internet Movie Database. This is Dissecting...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this Halloween special we dissect the 2007 movie, Trick 'r Treat written and directed by Michael Doherty and staring Brian Cox, Anna Paquin and Dylan Baker. “Five interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: an everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this podcast we dissect "The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster," now playing on Shudder. "Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life.” - The Internet Movie Database. The Frankenstein Monster Project Trailer: https://youtu...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this podcast we dissect the 1983 David Cronenberg film, "The Dead Zone" starring Christopher Walken and compare it against the 1979 Stephen King novel and 2003 television series. In this classic supernatural thriller, “A man awakens from a coma to discover he has a psychic ability." This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television...

Hello, horrorphiles. A remake of the 2008 classic French horror film of the same name, Martyrs 2015 was produced by Blumhouse pictures. Jason Blum himself said of the film, "Making the remake destroyed the original in every way and the remake never should have existed." "With help from a friend (Bailey Noble), a tormented woman (Troian Bellisario) tracks down the family that impriso...

Hello, Horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the 2008 French Extremity classic,  Martyrs. Directed by Pascal Laugier and staring Mylène Jampanoï and Morjiana Alaoui. “Lucie is plagued by reoccurring nightmares of when she was abducted and tortured in an abandoned slaughterhouse. Determined to overcome her trauma, she enlists fellow abuse survivor, Anna to help her enact revenge. Finding their...

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the 1999 film, The Haunting directed by Jan de Bont and based on the Shirley Jackson novel, The Haunting of Hill House. Starring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson and Lily Taylor. "A study in fear escalates into a heart-stopping nightmare for a professor and three subjects trapped in a mysterious mansion." This is Dissecting H...

Hello, horrorphiles. Here we dissect the classic 1963 film, The Haunting directed by Robert Wise and based on the Shirley Jackson novel, The Haunting of Hill House. Starring Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson and Russ Tamblyn. “Dr. Markway leads a small group of ghost hunters to a supposedly haunted mansion to conduct experiments to prove the existence of the paranormal. The group consist...