Faculty Of Horror

Horror can be horrifying, but it can also be hilarious. Whether it’s mad science or vampires living together, the comedy in these films heightens the absurd as well as our notions of “typical” behavior. At its best, comedy and horror function as a subversion of our day to day lives and expectations enlightening us to […]

What constitutes a film? What constitutes a podcast episode description? Andrea and Alex ask these questions (okay, maybe not that last one) and more in this month’s episode. By plundering the depths of filmic conventions, audience expectations and interpersonal contracts, Michael Haneke’s Funny Games asks the hard questions for which there are many answers. REQUIRED […]

  In this episode, Alex and Andrea look through an illicit peephole into the world of the mad and macabre.  Both Peeping Tom and Psycho caused sensations when they were released in the same year, causing Western audiences to question the nature of evil, our proximity to one another and how many women we can watch die on screen. […]

Andrea and Alex reach for the heavens and find the furthest reaches of hell with two films about space exploration and the darkness therein. Event Horizon and Sunshine explore the different reasons humankind would dare try to conquer space and the horrors that might await us there. REQUIRED READING Event Horizon. Dir Paul W.S. Anderson, […]

The past few years have seen the figure of the witch become a cultural touchstone for progressives and conservatives alike. From the resurgence of astrology, tarot, and natural healing methods to feminist rallying cry, the witch has never been more inclusive or divisive. Through analysis of two recent films, Andrea and Alex examine the witch’s […]

John Carpenter’s terrifying cult classic stands the test of time in many regards – from the practical effects, to the performances to the storytelling, there’s little about the film that doesn’t work. Andrea and Alex tackle the film and its stances on leadership, paranoia, the notion of discovery, and more over a bottle of Jim […]

Come for the bloopers, stay for our favourite films of 2017, the A’s to your burning Q’s and the friendship challenge rematch! EXTRA CREDIT Salem Horror Fest! Thank you for having us!  NPR’s Code Switch – a great episode on Black identity in horror and in Jordan Peele’s Get Out. The Get Out Syllabus – From […]

In our first-ever live episode recorded at Salem Horror Fest in Salem, Massachusetts, Andrea and Alex delve into the dark and depraved world of Patrick Bateman and Bret Easton Ellis to discover what is real and what can be bought with a platinum American Express credit card. From the rise of the yuppie to contemporary parallels, American […]

Winter is upon us again and what better way to embrace the cold than an exploration of Tomas Alfredson’s beloved contemporary genre classic, Let the Right One In? Alex and Andrea discuss the ties that bind and why blood is thicker than knitwear. REQUIRED READING Let the Right One In. Dir. Tomas Alfredson, 2008. EXTRA […]

Ghosts, possession, autonomous sculptures and that’s just scratching the surface of Tim Burton’s genre-bending cult classic, Beetlejuice. In this episode, Andrea and Alex manage to avoid saying his name three times while diving into the aesthetics, capitalist virtues and bureaucracy of the afterlife that surrounds everyone’s favourite bio-exorcist. REQUIRED READING Beetlejuice. Dir. Tim Burton, 1988. EXTRA […]

Alex and Andrea go back to the zombie’s origins with George A. Romero’s original Dead trilogy. From their social roots in Haiti to their ties to the New Hollywood movement, these films make delicious brain food. REQUIRED READING Night of the Living Dead. Dir. George A. Romero, 1968. Dawn of the Dead. Dir. George A. Romero, […]

Andrea and Alex tackle the mysterious and ever changing narrative landscape of Vincenzo Natali’s Canadian cult film, Cube (1997). From workers rights to torture porn to prime numbers, they try to solve it all before they succumb to the film’s traps and trappings. Tickets for our first-ever live show in Salem, MA are available now: […]

Andrea and Alex head to a land down under, exploring a landscape which seems familiar but can change drastically when you head down the wrong back country road. From familial ties to an unforgiving Outback, Australia can provide a terrifying backdrop for the darkest of human psyches. Tickets for our first-ever live show in Salem, MA […]

Andrea and Alex deep dive into humanity’s literal fear of wolves, metaphorical fear of the beast within and the differences between British and French werewolves. Hint: it’s not just the accent. Tickets for our first-ever live show in Salem, MA are available now: buy them here! Don’t forget to enter our contest to win an […]

Takashi Miike created one of the most infamous, beloved and decisive films when he made Audition: a story of people looking for love in all the wrong places that has influenced a generation of filmmakers and terrified audiences all over the world. Andrea and Alex take a deep dive into the international and seemingly universal […]

Andrea and Alex combine their powers and enter all the cheat codes to analyze two of the most iconic survival horror games that were re-imagined as movies. With a look at how narratives transition across mediums and the rise in popularity of video game and nerd culture, their two-player co-op campaign attempts to unlock the mysteries of both […]

The discussion of rape and sexual violence has never been in our cultural conversation as much as it is now. In this episode, Andrea and Alex look at an exploitation classic and a contemporary award-winner to parse out how rape is depicted and how revenge is achieved, if at all. REQUIRED READING I Spit On […]

Andrea and Alex take a deep dive into Neil Marshall’s 2005 contemporary horror classic, examining the intersections of intimacy, adventure, trust and truth. Who will survive, what will be left of them and which ending will they go with? REQUIRED READING The Descent. Dir. Neil Marshall, 2005. EXTRA CREDIT Cave Ecosystems: Bones and Baskets – A […]

What were our favourite movies of 2016? What are your FAQs? And most importantly – is Alex or Andrea the better friend?? EXTRA CREDIT In Praise of Paul Feig’s Beautiful Male Idiot – Sam Adams article on Paul Feig’s cinematic trope. Emily Shoichet, Tattoo Artist – Follow the amazing artist and friend of the Faculty through […]

‘Tis the season to be scary! Andrea and Alex unpack all the rules that come with Gizmo and the Mogwai and what they mean to small-town America at Christmastime. Don’t get your values wet or feed them after midnight! REQUIRED READING Gremlins. Dir. Joe Dante, 1984. Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Dir Joe Dante, 1990. […]