This week our hosts watch 2015's Crimson Peak, Guillermo Del Toro's love letter to the gothic romance genre. Despite not being what audiences may have originally thought was a scare-a-minute ghost story, the film instead focuses on the emotional toll of loneliness, forbidden romances, and secrets that can never quite stay buried. Also some pretty brutal deaths... usually involving trauma to the face.
Special guest Alexandra explains what it means to be a fan of the gothic romance, why Haunting of Hill House was a bit of a disappointment, and why we should all be appreciating the genius of author Nancy Holder.
In this episode
Midnight Murderama
Welcome to the eighth circle of podcast hell. This is Midnight Murderama, the weekly podcast where I, Jamie, resident undead expert, and my two friends, JT and Russell, take a deep, lonely dive into the dark recesses of Hollywood.
Join us as we meticulously research, argue over, and finally rate and review the most horrific and terrifying films ever made — with the ultimate goal to hilariously examine exactly what it is about ourselves that makes us love the horror movies that define us, and to determine which of these legendaries films deserve a place in the pantheon of horror, blasted onto the twisted face of Mount Murdermore.
Hosts
Episode 58 / Jul 27th 2021
I Saw the Devil
The devil went down to South Korea, and it was looking for some vengeance to deal… This week our hosts watch I Saw the Devil where they get to answer the question: “What is the most unpleasant act inflicted upon someone in this film?”. And there are a lot of acts to choose from. This …
Episode 57 / Jul 21st 2021
Save the Green Planet!
This week our hosts watch Save the Green Planet!, and you know if there’s an exclamation point in the title it’s going to be good! One of the lesser-known South Korean horror films to come out of the early 2000’s, this film nonetheless hops genres from goofy comedy, to tense horror, to cop drama to… …
Episode 56 / Jul 14th 2021
A Tale of Two Sisters
It was the best of sisters. It was the worst of sisters. This week our hosts watch A Tale of Two Sisters, the film that teaches us if you’re not nice to family members then everyone you love will be crushed by a wardrobe. This continues the investigation into South Korean horror, this time highlighting …
Episode 55 / Jul 7th 2021
The Wailing
Thar she blows! This week our hosts watch The Wailing, the film that makes you question whether to trust old men living alone in the woods. This kicks off the podcast’s exploration of Korean horror films, starting with one of the best of them: a supernatural crime drama centered around repression and religious identity found …
Episode 54 / Jun 29th 2021
Tusk
The walrus is flawlrus! This week our hosts watch Tusk, Kevin Smith‘s sea-themed body horror comedy. This wraps up the close look at body horror, as the episode tries to unpack the age old question: where is the line between walrus and man? Check out the full episode details
Episode 53 / Jun 23rd 2021
The Brood
“They’re the children of her rage”. This week our hosts watch The Brood, David Cronenberg’s ode to the joys of parenting. Always the master of body horror, Cronenberg teaches us how it would feel to spawn murderous creatures… and also kind of tries to work out some issues in his real-life divorce. Let’s just say …
Episode 52 / Jun 16th 2021
The Thing
“You! Doing that Thing you do!” This week our hosts watch The Thing, the gross monster movie of all gross monster movies. This continues the examination of body horror, as John Carpenter shows us all of the horrible ways a body can be melted and twisted by a shape shifting alien. It also gives Kurt …
Episode 51 / Jun 8th 2021
Rosemary's Baby
It’s a boy! This week our hosts watch Rosemary’s Baby, Roman Polanski’s 1968 cautionary tale against having Satan’s baby. This episode kicks off an examination into body horror, looking at one of the first entries into the genre as poor Rosemary grapples with losing control of her body to every other person around her. That …
Episode 50 / Jun 2nd 2021
It
Float on! This week our hosts watch It, the big-screen adaptation of one of Stephen King‘s most well-known stories. This wraps up the look into Stephen King by discussing one of the more recent – and certainly most successful – of his adaptations. How does this compare to the 1991 TV miniseries? Can this version …
Episode 49 / May 25th 2021
Silver Bullet
This week our hosts watch Silver Bullet, where Corey Haim battles a werewolf using the only weapon he’s got: Gary Busey. This continues the look at Stephen King adaptations, this time featuring a screenplay written by the master himself. It was also released at the “tail end” of the 1980’s obsession with werewolves. Big thanks …
Episode 48 / May 18th 2021
Children of the Corn
Outlander! We have your episode! This week our hosts watch Children of the Corn, the 1984 film that made parents afraid of their children again. This continues the look into the adapted works of Stephen King, at a time when adding his name to a film made it virtually unstoppable. It also touches on the …
Episode 47 / May 11th 2021
Carrie
They’re all going to laugh at you! This week our hosts watch Carrie, the film that introduced the world to Stephen King while also exposing just how truly dangerous prom can be. This episode kicks off a series exploring the adapted works of Stephen King. It debuts many of the staples we’d come to know …
Episode 46 / May 4th 2021
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Some Hosts Watch A Film Apart Then Talk About It… this week our hosts watch A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, the 2014 romantic, western, vampire film you didn’t know you needed. This episode also features special guest stars Jaleh and Jess from The Hart Chicks Present podcast, where they’re getting ready to kick …
Episode 45 / Apr 27th 2021
Interview with the Vampire
This week our hosts watch 1994’s Interview with the Vampire, the film directly responsible for making vampires sexy again (you’re welcome, Twilight!). This film harkens back to the early 90’s horror renaissance, where films were artfully directed, given glorious budgets, and chocked full of stars (not unlike another sexy vampire film, Bram Stoker’s Dracula). Whether …
Episode 44 / Apr 20th 2021
Crimson Peak
This week our hosts watch 2015’s Crimson Peak, Guillermo Del Toro‘s love letter to the gothic romance genre. Despite not being what audiences may have originally thought was a scare-a-minute ghost story, the film instead focuses on the emotional toll of loneliness, forbidden romances, and secrets that can never quite stay buried. Also some pretty …
Episode 43 / Apr 13th 2021
Return of the Living Dead III
What is love? Baby, don’t hurt me. This week our hosts dive into Romantic Horror with a look at 1993’s Return of the Living Dead III, Brian Yuzna‘s stab at Romeo and Juliet if zombies were the Montagues and the military were the Capulets. It also features a stunning performance by Melinda Clarke, who would …
Episode 42 / Apr 6th 2021
The Void
This week our hosts watch “The Void“, the 2016 love letter to practical effects, John Carpenter, and the action creature films of the 1980s. The final chapter in the “Cosmic Horror” block of episodes, The Void shows us that Lovecraftian themes are still intriguing filmmakers, even today. But instead of existential dread like with The …
Episode 41 / Mar 30th 2021
The Endless
Our hosts watch The Endless, the low-budget film from Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead that taught us the repetitive feeling we got in quarantine may just be an Old God messing with us. This film shows a more modern interpretation of how filmmakers are tackling Cosmic Horror, creating a slower, more meditative approach to unpacking …
Episode 40 / Mar 23rd 2021
Jacob's Ladder
Continuing their dive into Cosmic Horror, this week our hosts watched Jacob’s Ladder. Decades ahead of its time, this film pioneered the “mind-blowing ending” that would later be done to death in the late 90s / early 00s. While it left many critics scratching their heads at the time, its disturbing and imagery and ambiguity …
Episode 39 / Mar 16th 2021
In the Mouth of Madness
Do you read Sutter Cane? This week our hosts watched In the Mouth of Madness, the 1994 film that answers the question: “What if Twilight fans turned their focus to Stephen King?”. This kicks off a section on Cosmic Horror, diving into the the films that explore sanity, the universe, and all the fun tentacle …