Faculty of Horror

Episode 146. Slayride: Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

Andrea and Alex interrogate the pearl clutching that went on during Silent Night, Deadly Night‘s initial theatrical run, what it means to cultivate festive cheer, and the importance of being nice and never naughty.  Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!    Join us over on Patreon for more content!   REQUIRED READING Silent Night, Deadly Night. Dir. Charles Sellier Jr, 1984.   EXTRA CREDIT At the Movies: Silent Night, Deadly Night. Siskel and Ebert’s review.    A Once Controversial Release, “Silent Night, Deadly Night” Gains Another Chance to Terrorize. Film at Lincoln Center’s piece on the history and importance of Silent Night, Deadly Night.    Santa Claus: The Myth in America. A look at St. Nick’s bizarre (and frankly, kind of hilarious) origin story as a folk hero and a religious icon LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Episode 145. In Memoriam: The Others (2001)

Mind the fog and join Andrea and Alex as they explore the dark hallways of Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others. From geopolitics to religion and the weight of motherhood, not everything in the film is as it appears.  Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!    REQUIRED READING The Others. Dir. Alejandro Amenábar, 2001.   EXTRA CREDIT “Nicole Kidman made a horror movie about Tom Cruise and Scientology.” A video exploration of Kidman’s performance under the watchful eye of Scientology. Taken from Life: The Unsettling Art of Death Photography. The history and science of capturing images of the dearly departed.The Birth of Purgatory by Jacques Le Goff. How Catholicism decided it needed a third state between heaven and hell. LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Episode 144. Made for TV: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

It’s almost time kids, the clock is ticking! Andrea and Alex explore the strange world of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, uncovering tricks and treats in the history of holiday, Celtic rituals, and our evolving relationship with our TVs.  Class of 2025 Merch is now available! Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!    REQUIRED READING Halloween III: Season of the Witch. Dir. Tommy Lee Wallace, 1982.   EXTRA CREDIT Halloween III: Season Of The Witch – The Inside Story Of A Cult Classic. Director Tommy Lee Wallace on ditching Michael Myers to make Halloween’s best sequel, 40 years on.   The Commercialization of the Calendar: American Holidays and the Culture of Consumption, 1870-1930, by Leigh Eric Schmidt.   Irish San Francisco. An article detailing the Irish population metrics in California.   Tricks of Festival: Children, Enculturation, and American Halloween by Cindy Dell Clark.   Halloween’s Mutation: From Humble Holiday to Retail Monstrosity. NYT article on the rise and popularity of the holiday.    Video, Science Fiction, and the Cinema of Surveillance. Thomas Doherty’s article exploring the place of television in film.    LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Episode 143. Rage: Apt Pupil (1998) and We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

In this episode Andrea and Alex delve into the dark side of masculinity with the film adaptations of Apt Pupil and We Need to Talk About Kevin to explore the manosphere, motherhood, and the complexities of anger. Please note: this episode was recorded September 5, 2025. Class of 2025 Merch is now available. Thanks to Caleb Milatovic and Rachelle Walker for the incredible design!    REQUIRED READING Apt Pupil. Dir. Bryan Singer, 1998.We Need to Talk About Kevin. Dir. Lynne Ramsay, 2011.   EXTRA CREDIT Guns by Stephen King. King’s essay on gun culture and mass shooting in America. How American Racism Influenced Hitler. Alex Ross’ New Yorker piece on America’s dark relationship with the Nazis. The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood. Sharon Hays’ treatise on the profession and expectations of mothers.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

Episode 142. Teen Dreams: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Buckle up and keep your eyes on the road because we’re chatting about the teen slasher thriller I Know What You Did Last Summer. From morality and justice to small town trappings, we unearth a murky past that refuses to stay buried! More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING I Know What You Did Last Summer. Dir. Jim Gillespie, 1997.    EXTRA CREDIT Behavioral Risks during the Transition from High School to College. The NIH report on tendencies and actions during the last summer before adulthood.   Generation Multiplex. Timothy Shary’s examination of youth culture at the movies. The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings. Jan Harold Brunvand’s seminal work on modern folklore.   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”