Monstrous Flesh

In this last episode of the year we discuss our cinematic highs and lows of 2025, as well as looking back at our achievements this year and a preview of what we have in mind for 2026... Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous new year!

Did you know that before the tinsel and the Coca-Cola truck, Christmas in Britain was a time for... terror? In the penultimate episode of the year (wink wink), Meg and Clelia gathered around the fire to discuss the great British tradition of Ghost Stories for Christmas. Long before the Victorian era, the winter solstice was seen as a thin place—where the veil between the living and the dead was at...

We are joined by a very special guest: Payton McCarthy-Simas , author of That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism, and the American Witch Film, to dive deep into Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem (2012) — a hypnotic, polarising, and deeply uncanny entry in modern witch cinema. Payton brings their expertise on American witch narratives to unpack the film’s hallucinatory imagery, its lineage in Puritan panic,...

In this last episode of the Revenge season, we discuss two cult classics bound by grief, love, and the intoxicating lure of vengeance. Join us as we explore how The Crow ( Proyas, 1994) and Mandy (Cosmatos, 2018) blur the line between mourning and madness, tenderness and brutality. *** Editing and theme music by Adam Hynes @adamnarrows Follow the hosts of Monstrous Flesh on social media @monstrous...

In our penultimate episode, we are discussing The Brood (1979) and Pyewacket (2017), two films that explore the dark, terrifying side of the mother-daughter relationship and how emotional trauma can literally manifest in monstrous ways. We'll be delving into the concept of psychosomatic horror, where unresolved anger and deep-seated familial resentment give birth to something truly terrifying, whe...

In this episode, we are discussing Carrie (1976) and Sissy (2022), two films that examine the terrifying intersection of bullying , social isolation , and the ultimate, explosive backlash from a teen pushed to her limits. We're exploring how both films tap into the profound fear of the outcast, showing the devastating consequences of relentless torment and how a desire for acceptance can curdl...

In this episode, we are discussing Ms. 45 (Ferrara, 1981) and Revenge (Fargeat, 2017), two films that take the "rape-revenge" subgenre and turn it on its head. We're looking at how these films transform a victim into a vigilante, reclaiming their agency and power through brutal, unapologetic acts of violence. We explore the catharsis and controversy of this trope, and question what i...

In this episode, we are discussing Hard Candy and Gone Girl , two films that show how the quiet, intellectual girl-next-door can become the most terrifying avenging angel. We'll be looking at how female intelligence and cunning can be weaponised in a hyper-masculine world to expose and ultimately destroy the men who seek to exploit them. We'll also explore how these films flip the script on who is...

In this episode, we are discussing Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) and Morgiana (1972), two films that show how the poisonous brew of sibling rivalry, jealousy, and psychological manipulation can turn a house into a cage and a family into a battlefield. We'll be looking at how revenge is not always an external force but can fester from within, leading to a slow, methodical unraveling of the...

In this episode, we are discussing Lady Vengeance (2005) and Ballerina (2023), two films that show the immense power of female rage and the methodical, brutal lengths our heroines go to in order to seek retribution. We'll be looking at the difference between the collective and personal nature of revenge, how trauma fuels the desire for justice, and how these films challenge the traditional portray...

Welcome to Season 3, "Revenge”, exploring the many and varied motivations for Women to seek revenge in horror. This season, we’ll be looking at how revenge manifests, the different forms it takes, and importantly, we’ll be questioning why there’s been a tendency to gender this concept. In this episode, we are discussing Play Misty for Me (1971) and Fatal Attraction (1987), two films that helped de...

" The killer is a maniac . But his mind works in a semi-logical pattern. which has a reasonable meaning for him."  We're joined by Matt Rogerson, author of 'The Vatican Versus Horror Movies' (McFarland, 2024), and the upcoming Fulci’s Inferno (2025), to discuss their unique insights into the intersections of the world of horror cinema and faith. We discuss Matt's work and influences, and dissect L...

The Daylight Horror series comes to a chilling conclusion! 😱 In our final episode, we dive into the twisted depths of Funny Games and Eden Lake . Prepare for psychological torture, teenage terror, and a whole lot of uncomfortable truths about classism and violence. ☀️🔪 #podcast #horror #daylighthorror #funnygames #edenlake #podcastlife #horrorpodcast" *** Find out more about Monstrous Flesh...

We're breaking down the chilling double bill of The Wicker Man (both the 1973 AND 2006 version!) and Midsommar . Get ready for pagan rituals, twisted cults, and a whole lot of uncomfortable sunshine. ☀️💀 *** Find out more about Monstrous Flesh, our reading list for episodes and upcoming events via our website monstrousflesh.co.uk Follow Clelia (@monstrous_flesh) and Meg (@monstrous_meg) on In...

This week, we discuss the iconic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - a blood-soaked odyssey into the maddening heat of rural Texas. We dissect the film's enduring legacy, from its groundbreaking violence to its exploration of family, fate, and the American psyche. We then turn our attention to Carlota Pereda's groundbreaking debut Piggy, delving into themes of bullying, body image, and the mons...

Welcome to this Monstrous Flesh podcast mini-series, where we turn our attention to a fascinating subgenre - Daylight Horror. This week we're talking about Steven Spielberg's 1975 cult classic Jaws and Jordan Peele's UFO extravaganza Nope, from 2022. Why do these two films make a great double bill, you ask? ... Let's talk! *** Find out more about Monstrous Flesh, our reading list f...

"I believe the ladies have explained everything. Now it's up to you, whether to be a goat or a witch. If you choose to be a goat, cut the ribbon. But, if you choose to be a witch, keep your ribbon intact. Then you'll join this witch camp." In this episode, we delve into Rungano Nyoni’s poignant and powerful film, "I Am Not a Witch" (2017). This unique piece of cinema bl...

'Where did the sweet little lady I knew disappear?' 'I gobbled her up' This week we are discussing Bulbbul from 2020, a hauntingly beautiful horror film that redefines the genre with its rich storytelling and potent symbolism. Set against the backdrop of 19th century Bengal, "Bulbbul" is a tale of love, betrayal, and the supernatural, but most importantly, it’s a powerful...

OK, here's your motivation. You're lost, you're angry in the woods, and no one is here to help you. There's a fucking witch and she keeps leaving shit outside your door. There's no one here to help you! She left little trinkets, you fucking took one of them, she ran after us. There's no one here to help you! We walked for 15 hours today, we ended up in the same place! There...

Men are such cocksuckers aren't they? You don't have to answer that. It's true. They're scared. Their dicks get limp when confronted by a woman of obvious power and what do they do about it? Call them witches, burn them, torture them, until every woman is afraid. Afraid of herself... afraid of men... and all for what? Fear of losing their hard-on This week, we're casting our sp...

"Suzy Banyon decided to perfect her ballet studies in the most famous school of dance in Europe. She chose the celebrated academy of Freiburg. One day, at nine in the morning, she left Kennedy airport, New York, and arrived in Germany at 10:40 p.m. local time..." This week, Clelia and Meg delve into the eerie world of Suspiria, examining both Dario Argento's 1977 classic and Luca Gua...

Wouldst thou like the taste of butter? A pretty dress? Wouldst thou like to live deliciously? Join your host Meg and Clelia for an in depth discussion of Robert Eggers 2015 breakout film The VVitch. From the haunting ambiance of 17th century New England to the complex portrayal of a family's descent into despair and darkness, there's no stone left unturned. Light your candles and join us,...

Every country in the world has witches. And there is a leader, a high witch of each country. And the ruler of all the witches is The Most Evil Woman in creation… The Grand High Witch… Herself. In this episode we dive into the wicked world of "The Witches" (1990). We are joined by Emily Smith, PhD student at the University of Nottingham, specialising in the representation of Witches in th...

Now is the time. This is the hour. Ours is the magic. Ours is the power. Now is the time. This is the hour. Ours is the magic. Ours is the power... In this inaugural episode, we explore covens, female friendships and rivalry, as we delve into the mystical world of "The Craft" (1996). Join us as we explore the blurred lines between light and dark magic, question who the true protagonist o...

Never waste your pain... Hosts Clelia & Meg are joined by Eli Lewy, co-director of the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival , to discuss Saint Maud (Rose Glass, 2020), ahead of the start of the 9th Edition of the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival at City Kino Wedding & Online, February 7-11, 2024. Find out more about this year's program and how to attend here Final Girls YouTube Channel:  ⁠...