Fright School

Welcome back to Fright School! We kick off the episode with impressions of Gloria Swanson and James Mason. Let us know if we should do a whole episode like that! Joshua watched SUNSET BOULEVARD, hence the Miss Swanson attempt. Arrrrr! Joe offers to buy him a lamé turban. We are excited to be past the 150 mark on episodes! Thank you, Dear Listener! Joshua recounts his Melissa Etheridge experience from last week. Joe talks up BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR. We remain thoroughly bewildered by CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA and cautiously optimistic about CLARICE. We are dedicating every Monday in March to Stephen King! To start this special series we are discussing 1984's CHILDREN OF THE CORN. We chat about murderous moppets, religious fanaticism, the connections to LORD OF THE FLIES in King's work, the Folk Horror Genre, and why kids are so damn scary! Also, what does the Iranian Revolution of 1979 have to do with CHILDREN OF THE CORN? We're lost in the maize with this one... FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Ins

Welcome to another episode of Fright School! This week we wrap up our Black Horror History Month deep dive (Fright School: Black Studies?) by welcoming back Zakiya and T.J.! We get right down to business by reviewing our notes on BLACULA, on of T.J.'s favorite horror films. We chat about what is Black Horror and the intersections of the Black and Queer experience of police violence. In our second half we do try to detangle some BAD HAIR a HULU original (not part of INTO THE DARK as Joshua WRONGLY claims). Zakiya gets personal with her hair journey. We discuss assimilation, internalized colonialism, the Cult of Whiteness, and why we should maybe start smoking again... FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original trailer BAD HAIR (2020) ‘Bad Hair’ Review: That Weave Is Killer by Teo Bugbee [Bad Hair Fails the Very Audience It Seeks to Reflect By Angelica Jade Bastién] (https://www.vulture.com/article/bad-hair-review-hulu-movies-fails-its-audience.html) How Natural Black

Welcome back to Fright School! We're catching up on another week in the pandemic! Joe did trivia for Guam! Joshua and Joe checked out CLARICE and chat about the state of the SILENCE OF THE LAMBS property. Joshua also had a chance to see POSSESSOR. VOTE now for the FANGORIA CHAINSAW AWARDS 2021! We wonder about the veracity of Tim Burton's WEDNESDAY series. This week we discuss Kasi Lemmons' EVE'S BAYOU! We're continuing our celebration of Black History Month (and also Women in Horror month!) with this gorgeous and mystical meditation on memory and the Southern Gothic. We discuss the fears of women, the intersections of religious and spiritual practices, and the multiplicities of minority groups. FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original Theatrical trailer EVE'S BAYOU (1997) Haunting Magic: On "Eve's Bayou," 20 Years Later by Seongyong Cho 20 Years Later, Eve’s Bayou Is Still a Stunning Portrait of Black American Life By Angelica Jade Bastién Terror & Horror: Eve's Bayo

Welcome back to Fright School! We dedicate the first part of the episode to Joe and his recent appearance on THE WEAKEST LINK! We are continuing our celebration of Black Horror History Month! HORROR NOIRE (on SHUDDER!) is our guide to some of the essential and influential films that have shaped Black Horror. Today we're discussing GANJA & HESS a film that was almost lost to the ages if not for The Museum of Modern Art. We chat about Catholicism's preoccupation with blood drinking and cannibalism, the vampirism as addiction metaphor, the practicality of monogamy and heterosexuality in immortals, the incredibly weird and arresting soundtrack, and we introduce the concept of the Enduring Woman. FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original Theatrical trailer GANJA & HESS (1973) GANJA & HESS: The Edge Of Extinction By PHIL NOBILE JR. DameStruck: Ganja & Hess (1973) Ganja and Hess: Vampires, sex, and addictions by Manthia Diawara and Phyllis Klotman HORROR NOIRE GUIDE: 13 ESS

Welcome back to Fright School! We share our favorite rainy day songs after we sound checked with some Carpenters' tunes. We chat season 13 of RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE now that Joe is caught up. We choose our top Queens we want to see go all the way. We are very excited about PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN. We are celebrating Black Horror History Month! With HORROR NOIRE (on SHUDDER!) as our guide, we are viewing some of the essential and influential films that have shaped Black Horror. We're kicking things off with arguably the most famous Blaxploitation Horror film BLACULA! We analyze Prince Mamuwalde/Blacula's dual role as the hero and villain of the film, vampirism as allegory for enslavement, toxic masculinity, the casual homophobia and misogyny of horror, and identity politics at play in the film. FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original Theatrical trailer BLACULA (1972) “Blacula”: A Commentary on Vampirism, Slavery and Black Male Identity by kinkedsista 'Blacula' Bites, but Nev

Welcome to the concluding episode of Fright School's The Purge Series! We try to keep it short, but you know how we are... Joe has been catching up on the exciting shows of 2015 like THE MAGICIANS! Joshua's Netflix is filling up with Scandinavian crime procedurals and he is here for it. THE VALHALLA MURDERS is the latest to grab his attention. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS remains one of our favorite films so we are super excited for the new CBS All Access series CLARICE coming in February. We wrap up our first ever franchise episode series with THE PURGE ANARCHY and THE FIRST PURGE. We discuss the dangerous interpersonal dynamics in the world of The Purge, the economic implications, racial politics, and exactly what each of us think we would do when The Purge inevitably becomes public policy... FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original Theatrical trailer THE PURGE: ANARCHY (2014) Original Theatrical trailer THE FIRST PURGE (2018) Why A Real-Life 'Purge' Would Be Terrible F

This is not a test. This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of yet another episode of Fright School's The Purge Series! We start things off by chatting about BAM BOX (this is NOT a sponsored post unfortunately...). Joshua is heading back to school full time so he's cancelling all of the things that bring him joy. Joe is doing his own interior decorating. We get caught up on Drag Race. We're casting our vote for THE PURGE ELECTION YEAR! We discuss murder tourism, White women and White Supremacy, state and religion's place in the ratification of violence, and The Capitol Riot. This is a heavy-on-politics episode and we stress that things are changing every day, so we'll continue to address this contentious time as best we can. Stay safe and sane, Dear Listener! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original Theatrical trailer THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR (2016) ‘The Purge: Election Year’ Provides a Depressingly Familiar Portrait of Race in America By Se

This is not a test. This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of another episode of Fright School! What a week it has been! We lay out the next few episodes dedicated to THE PURGE series. Drag Race: Original Recipe is back for the 100th season and we're in full support of the Drag Industrial Complex. Where's their stimulus package?! Joshua got a Nintendo Switch which he basically only plays NES games on. Super Mario Bros for the win! Sidescroller4Lyfe. Joe chases Pokémon! We binge on THE PURGE and chat about the history of carnivals and Saturnalia, dystopian fiction, the military and scapegoating, and the psychology of The Purge. Does a village in Peru hold the secrets to therapeutic violence? Listen and find out! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original Theatrical trailer THE PURGE (2013) The Purge – A Film Analysis by Surit Dasgupta Fighting on Christmas: brawling as self-governance in rural Peru by Edwar E. Escalante and Raymond J. March

HAPPY NEW FEAR! Welcome back from Winter break! We get caught up on our respective holiday escapades and successfully avoid talking about the new strain of Coronavirus. Joshua's thoughts on Rudolph have struck a chord with some of our listeners! What other holiday classic can he piss all over? Find out when YULE school returns... at some point way in the future. We tear into the practically universally adored HAPPIEST SEASON and chat about the very tense days after the release of WONDER WOMAN 1984. Joe is reading a book: Shit, Actually The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema by Lindy West! We wanted to ring in the new year with a new movie so we're chatting about Blumhouse's FREAKY! It's a ransom letter of adoration to some of the very best of horror and comedy cinema. We chat about homages in the film, inventive kills, and body swap film tropes. Want to see our floppy anteater pics? Anyone? ANYONE?! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original Theatrical t

Welcome to our first (and maybe last) ever episode of YULE School! This week the table gets flipped as Joe takes Joshua on a traumatic journey with RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER! The boys chat about their family traditions and plans for the holidays. Joshua is very triggered by Rudolph. We try to figure out exactly what Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer is trying to tell us about bullying and fitting in. Please consider donating as the goal is almost met! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER (1964) EXTRA CREDIT: WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVAILABLE! Fright School Recommended Texts: The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror by David J. Skal Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film by Carol J. Clover Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror by Robin R Means Coleman Projected Fears by Kendall R. Phillips The Horror Genre: From Beelzebub to Blair Witch by Paul Wells Support FRIGHT SCHOOL by donating to their Ti

Season's Grievings, Fright School! We're here with another Holiday Horror episode! First we try to share good news and stay on a happy note, but Joe can't help infect us with Covid talk. We had a blast on Geekscape's 15 Hour Live Stream for Big Brothers Big Sisters. You can catch our live segments on Geekscape's YouTube or Facebook! Joshua is in crisis because he doesn't have an actual favorite holiday film that's not horror related. We try to unpack the overstuffed stocking that is the latest incarnation of BLACK CHRISTMAS. We discuss film making in the era of WOKENESS, the patriarchy and its paranoias, the very real fears of women, and gaslighting friends and other survivors of trauma. It's fun if you make it a song! Speaking of songs, the fellas share their favorite holiday albums to wrap up the episode. We'll be back Christmas Day with a special episode... Please consider donating as the goal is almost met! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Official Trailer for BLACK

Scary Creepmas, Fright Schoolers! 'Tis the season to be ghoulish and we are kicking off our Scary Xmas 2020 series! First, the world remains an awful place fast approaching the plot of a Stephen King novel (soon to be a CBS All Access Miniseries!) and we just want you all to stay happy and healthy. We were both wowed by the latest incarnation of Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL starring Jefferson Mays as... well... everybody. It's a fantastic one man show that echoes Dickens' own performance of his classis warning to miserly, miserable, mean old bastards. I'm sure you can think of a few of those ruining your life, Dear Listener. Check it out and help support regional theatres in your community! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: First Look! "A Christmas Carol" Unlike Any Other) A CHRISTMAS CAROL Official Site for tickets and information EXTRA CREDIT: WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVAILABLE! Fright School Recommended Texts: The Monster Show: A Cultural History of H

Welcome back to Fright School! We are discussing another Indigenous Horror film with our friend Zakiya! First we chat about everyone's Thanksgiving/Indigenous Solidarity/ Anti-Colonial dinners. We debate cranberry sauce. Joe really wants to discuss The Crown. Speaking of colonialism and horror, we unpack BLOOD QUANTUM. There is so much to.... chew on. Joshua and Zakiya give a quick history lesson to contextualize the film. We talk about blood quantum laws, Colonialism in horror, The Walking Dead, mothers, and how the Earth is "sick of our shit." Literally. FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original theatrical trailer BLOOD QUANTUM (2019) The rise of Indigenous horror: How a fiction genre is confronting a monstrous reality by Alicia Elliott Incident at Restigouche directed by Alanis Obomsawin Quebec whites and Indians square off over salmon stream August 3, 1981 By David Milne The Red Nation Podcast Halloween Special EXTRA CREDIT: WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVA

Welcome back to Fright School! We start off by getting instantly off track with discussing THE CROWN. It's Gillian Anderson as Maggie Thatcher! It's illegal NOT to watch it. The holidays are coming very soon, so we thought we would take a few episodes and look at some films created by the Indigenous Horror community. First up is THE SMUDGING. We start off with a brief history of the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 to give some context for the film's setting at a Native American Cultural Center haunted by some kind of ghostly, evil presence. Hope you brought your sage grenades! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original theatrical trailer THE SMUDGING (2016) ORIGIN OF THE STORY with writer/director/star Mike J. Marin Information on Smudging from Pow Wow Power The rise of Indigenous horror: How a fiction genre is confronting a monstrous reality by Alicia Elliott EXTRA CREDIT: WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVAILABLE! Fright School Recommended Texts: The Monster Show:

Welcome back to Fright School! This week we share our LIVE episode from October 30th during the HORROR MOVIE NIGHT SCARES FOR CARES CHARITY LIVESTREAM! We were joined by our Final Gurl Ashley and practicing Eclectic Wiccan and High Priestess Tamanava to discuss witchcraft in film! Joe and Joshua do a quick intro to discuss the controversy brewing (Lol...) around THE WITCHES and advocates for people with limb differences. FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original theatrical trailer THE WITCHES (2020) Original theatrical trailer THE CRAFT: LEGACY (2019) Witch Movies Aren’t Just About Horror. They’re About the Fear of Female Power EXTRA CREDIT: Tamanava's Broomsticks on FACEBOOK and ETSY WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVAILABLE! Fright School Recommended Texts: The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror by David J. Skal Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film by Carol J. Clover Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror by Robin R Means Colem

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! We wanted to drop a special bonus episode to celebrate! We had the pleasure of chatting with SEAN KELLER co-writer of Hulu and Blumhouse's ALL THAT WE DESTROY (directed by the fabulous CHELSEA STARDUST!). He is also the composer and creator of SLASHED! The Musical. We chat with Sean about his Halloween and horror history, making movies, and writing music. He gives us the behind-the-scenes making of his latest album REVENGE OF THE KILLER SOUNDS OF HALLOWEEN out on BANDCAMP NOW! Stay tuned after the episode for one of our favorite tunes from the record! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree EXTRA CREDIT: FRIGHT SCHOOL 31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN 2020 CLICKABLE CALENDAR WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVAILABLE! Fright School Recommended Texts: The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror by David J. Skal Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film by Carol J. Clover Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror by Robin R Means Coleman Projected Fears by Kendall R. Phill

Praise Satan! It's another episode of FRIGHT SCHOOL! We briefly catch up on the week's viewing. Joshua took in the new adaptation of THE WITCHES and Joe introduced his Special Man Friend to THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW! We wrap up our Halloween 2020 series on Satan and his followers with WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS a campy, twisty delight. Joshua schools Joe (very superficially) on the Satanic Panic phenomenon of the 80s and 90s. Again, we're reminded of the fact that humans are bad enough, we don't really need any help from The Devil or His minions... We'll be going LIVE again on OCTOBER 30th at 6pmEST/9pmPST for the HMNtv Charity Live Stream for Scares That Care! We'll be chatting about THE WITCHES, THE CRAFT: LEGACY, and other cinematic witches! ‼️ CONTEST ALERT ‼️ Since we can’t all be together under the Full Moon on Halloween, we are going to have a Costume Contest on Instagram and Facebook! Check our LINKTREEfor our FRIGHT SCHOOL HALLOWEEN CONTEST POSTER file. Then choose a poster from one of our 31 DAYS

Welcome back to another physically distanced episode of Fright School! We are absolutely bedeviled to welcome back the delightful Chelsea Stardust for a deep dive into her film SATANIC PANIC! First we catch up on what everyone has been watching. Chelsea sells Joe on The Great British Bakeoff. Joshua caught Shudder's latest release, The Mortuary Collection. Joe watched Wes Craven's (RIP forever nightmare maker) Vampire In Brooklyn for the first time. Chelsea has been taking in The Haunting Of Bly Manor and a variety of exciting films on the festival circuit that we can't wait to see. We unpack Chelsea's SATANIC PANIC. We discuss class relations, women and power, fascism, QAnon, social politics, and pizza. Living deliciously never looked so good. FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree Recommended Reading: Original theatrical trailer SATANIC PANIC (2019) ‘Satanic Panic’ Review: A Pizza Party for the Prince of Darkness by Teo Bugbee Our first interview with Chelsea Stardust Chatting NEAR DARK with

Welcome back to another devilish episode of Fright School! First off, huge thank you to everyone who has bought our new merch. We know you have many priorites to spend your money on and we appreciate you sending a few bucks our way! We're continuing our study of The Devil with HORNS, but first we catch up. We both watched VAMPIRE VS THE BRONX on Netflix. It gave The Goonies meets The Lost Boys vibes. Definitely recommend! Joshua checked out Hulu's BOOKS OF BLOOD. Sad Face Emoji. MEH. Joshua is also midway through THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR and is thoroughly enjoying its 80's Victorian gothic realness. Joe checked out Adam Sandler's lates offering HUBIE HALLOWEEN. Finally, we discuss HORNS and Satan as antihero. We get a bit philosophical debating good and evil, god and the devil, and their roles in Humankind's behavior. Do we need either of their help? We also debate the value of knowing what everyone is truly thinking. Joe makes a confession about Joshua. This episode brought to you by BLASPHEMY! FOLLOW

Episode Notes We're back with another episode of Fright School! We catch up on the week with Joe watching THE BABYSITTER: KILLER QUEEN as part of his VOLUNTARY horror viewing every night in October! Joshua has been on a rewatch of AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL after viewing a Sarah Paulson wig video. Joshua is also visiting THE SUNKEN PLACE with Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes' online lecture series exploring the history of Black Horror. We compare childhood Halloween movies with Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown. We're also super excited for October to bring us THE CRAFT: LEGACY and THE WITCHES! Finally we kick off our Halloween 2020 series dedicated to the Dark Lord himself! The Devil. The Morningstar. Satan. Father Lucifer. (That last one might just be a Tori Amos tune...) Whatever you know him as, there are miles of film reel dedicated to his works. We start our series with 1976's THE OMEN. We lay out three ways to analyze and contextualize the film: pure Biblical allegory as a warning for the End Times, a