Such a Nightmare: Conversations about Horror

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca discuss the 1960 Hitchcock film Psycho.  Episode Highlights: We talk about how this film provides the origins for many different horror tropes and elements (such as the highway horror sub-genre), even if we are reluctant to call Psycho itself a horror film. We explore how, despite being literally black-and-white, the film is filled with all s...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca continue exploring the franchise as they discuss the 1997 horror film Scream 2.  Episode Highlights: We talk about the ways that this film cleverly asks us to consider "What happens next?" after a slasher film ends. In particular, we look at how the film develops the character of Cotton Weary and the importance of Sidney building a community...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca discuss the 2021 horror novel My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones. Episode Highlights: We talk about the character of Jade as the broken and beautiful Final Girl that we do not deserve, but that we so desperately need. Toni praises the use of the extra-credit essays between chapters, and Katherine admits that they were brilliant ad...

In this Eerie Extra, Such a Nightmare co-hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca review the 2022 horror film Scream. We discuss the ways that this film seeks to bridge the gap between the spirit of the original 1996 film and the shift horror has taken in the last decade (or so). We gush about what we enjoyed, talk through what we had hoped to see, and explore our feelings about this film's ghostfac...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Toni Tresca begin their foray into the Scream franchise as they discuss the 1996 horror film Scream.  Episode Highlights: Essentially, we talk about the perfection of this film (Katherine gives it a 150 out of 100). We explore how Scream exists as a great horror film in its own right even as it offers important commentary and perspective on the genre. We...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca conclude their investigation into the Nightmare franchise as they discuss the 2010 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street.  Episode Highlights: We explore the ways that this film contrasts, and even actively pushes against, the original 1984 film. Looking at the 2010 film's take on a more realistic horror, a more serious Freddy, and a less...

In this spooktacular Christmas episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 1993 stop-motion film The Nightmare Before Christmas.  Episode Highlights: We explore the beauty that is this film as well as work through the problematic, even racist elements of the movie. We talk about how much Foucault would have loved the panopticon promise of a jolly figure that sees you when you ar...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 2021 novel The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix. Episode Highlights: We talk about how Hendrix complicates (in all the best ways) the concept of the final girl as the novel explores what it means to experience and survive trauma. Examining not only the book's narrative but also key elements of form (such as the ephemer...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca find out what happens when Elm Street takes you straight to Camp Crystal Lake with their discussion of the 2003 horror-comedy film Freddy vs. Jason.  Episode Highlights: We talk about how this film tried--sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing--to meet the needs of two very disparate fan bases. We explored the ways that the film depict...

In this special spooktacular Halloween episode hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 2021 horror film Halloween Kills. (Of course!) Episode Highlights: Once again the co-hosts find themselves on opposite sides: Katherine continuing to root for the Halloween films and Anthony growing increasingly sad by the franchise. We explore the film's intriguing narrative focus on the dangerous...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 1975 cult classic horror-musical film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Episode Highlights: We talk about the fact that while Anthony will have seen some version of Rocky (staged, shadow cast, film, or other adaptation) at least nine times just in 2021, this was Katherine's first time watching the film. We explore the transgressi...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 2014 horror film The Babadook.  Episode Highlights: We talk about the fact that while this is a masterful film, it is a film we really do not enjoy watching and may very well never watch again. We explore the uncomfortably intimate moments between mother and son, look at the concept of being a voyeur (get it...look at voyeuring...

In this Eerie Extra, Such a Nightmare co-hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca review the 2021 film Candyman. We discuss the visual appeal of this film and talk about the incredible work done by director Nia DaCosta. And, although we have some concerns about the 2021 film's pacing, we explore how this film addresses (and corrects) many of the problems we believe exist in the 1992 film. We high...

In this Eerie Extra, Such a Nightmare co-hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca review the 2021 Netflix trilogy Fear Street, which includes Part One: 1994, Part Two: 1978, and Part Three: 1666. We discuss the films--both individually and as a collective unit--through our examination of how the characters, narratives, and cinematic decisions support and occasionally contradict one another across...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca linger a little longer on Elm Street with their discussion of the 1994 horror-comedy film Wes Craven's New Nightmare.  Episode Highlights: We talk about how this film explores the idea that perhaps the most terrifying nightmares of all are those found in the real world (particularly in that surreal landscape that is Hollywood). We argue th...

In this very exciting Eerie Extra, co-host Katherine Troyer talks with horror author Mike Thorn. Our conversation includes discussions of what scares us in real life, the relationship between writing horror fiction and horror criticism, and the value of horror as a genre. MIKE THORN is a prolific and thoughtful horror writer. His June 2021 Darkest Hours: Expanded Edition powerfully combines short...

In this very exciting Spooktacular Episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca visit nerdvana as they talk with horror author Paul Tremblay. Our conversation ranges from the silly (we learn one verified uninteresting fact) to the profound as we ask Paul, as an author currently shaping the genre, what he feels lies at the heart of horror.   Paul Tremblay is the author of several fantastic bo...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 2009 horror-comedy film Jennifer's Body.  Episode Highlights: Starting with a look at how this film is now a cult classic (and the ways that it has been claimed by the LGBTQIA+ community), we explore how criticism on this film and its filmmakers focuses nearly exclusively on whether it is good/bad, feminist/not feminist. But we...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca continue their exploration of A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise with their discussion of the 1991 horror-comedy film Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare.  Episode Highlights: While we still maintain that a bad Nightmare film is still better than a lot of horror out there, we also think that this film misses out on a lot of opportunities a...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.  Episode Highlights: We explore our appreciation of this film as an example of what Robin Wood calls "hideous domesticity." In particular, we look at the ways that the film casts the Sawyer family as monsters while also creating a narrative ambivalence towards this family paying...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 1989 horror-comedy film A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child.  Episode Highlights: We argue that while this is our least favorite Nightmare film to date, a "bad" Nightmare is still leagues above a lot of other horror. We deconstruct the death scenes of Greta and Mark and share where we wished the film had gone a step fu...

In this spooktacular 50th episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss not one but two hungry plants as they compare the 1960 black-and-white horror film The Little Shop of Horrors and the 1986 horror-musical film Little Shop of Horrors. Episode Highlights: We think about how these two films explore the themes of consumerism and consumption. And, looking at the wider Horror Shop 'ver...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 1989 horror-comedy film Heathers.  Episode Highlights: We explore how this film uses the ridiculousness of high school for both comedic and horrific effect. We also talk about how the film uses both form and content to subvert traditions and break away from conformity, ensuring that "the only Heather-shaped box is a coffin." A...

In this Eerie Extra, Such a Nightmare co-hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca review the 2021 film The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. We discuss how this film compares to the 2013 and 2016 installments in the franchise and the ways that this newest film reinforces the affirmative stance of the Conjure-verse while also attempting to introduce new elements into the series. This podcast epi...

In this episode, hosts Katherine Troyer and Anthony Tresca discuss the 1988 horror-comedy film A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.  Episode Highlights: We explore how this film fits into the larger narrative of the franchise, and we argue that although Nightmare 4 continues the narrative of the previous movie, it doesn't carryover the disaffirmative nature of the prior films. We also ta...