Andrea and Alex return for their annual year in review episode. From their favourite films of 2018 to FAQs and bloopers, few stones are left unturned… and those are probably haunted anyway.
EXTRA CREDIT
Alex’s Favourite Films of 2018:
Suspiria
Pyewacket
Annihilation
Assassination Nation
Cam
Andrea’s Favourite Films of 2018:
Suspiria
Hereditary
Assassination Nation
Tigers are Not Afraid
Summer of ’84
Alex’s Horror-Adjacent Film Faves:
Border
Sorry to Bother You
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
Books mentions:
Be sure to check out the Faculty of Horror Reading List!
Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror by W. Scott Poole
Different Seasons by Stephen King
The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum
The Troop by Nick Cutter
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Other sources mentioned:
TIFF Long Take podcast
Gaylords of Darkness podcast
In Conversation with Paul Schrader – An interview from New York Magazine’s Vulture about the state of the film industry and how players like Netflix and Hulu are mining our algorithms.
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I haven’t seen Cam yet, but I’d love to hear your take on Perfect Blue.
Thank goodness for this episode. I was hiding under the covers on another gray (grey?) Ohio day in the divided states of America needing motivation for my hour commute – this did the trick!
I would love to hear you talk about Perfect Blue! I’d love to hear your take on anime horror.
Did I hear Perfect Blue? Is it right?
Please, it would be a blast listening to you talk about it!
Great to hear you say my name three times on the blooper reel – you weren’t looking in a mirror at the time, were you? ‘Cos frankly I’m too old and too tired.
Cheers,
Amy B
It’s been over two decades since I’ve read it, but I’d recommend Martin Tropp’s book Images of Fear as a companion read for W. Scott Poole’s Wasteland.
Subtitled “How Horror Stories Helped Shape Modern Culture (1818-1918)”, Tropp’s book covers a century of societal context and artistic endeavors that, at least so for in my partial reading of it, Poole’s Wasteland too breezily disregards.
My husband and I watched the remake of Suspiria a few nights ago, and we have not been able to talk about anything else since. I personally went in ready to be underwhelmed and was ultimately met with a gripping masterpiece. It is of no surprise that this director was basically working up to this his entire career—-the layering of the themes, characters and its setting—everything was there. It was an hypnotic and beautifully grotesque film, none of which I ever felt to be gratuitous, wasteful or laborious to watch. The direction felt refreshing and thoughtful, appreciating the complex roles women have upheld throughout history and folklore.
Love Kon Satoshi’s films, so a coverage of Perfect Blue would be great.
A Cam/Perfect Blue episode sounds cool and I would definitely be interested in.
You all mentioned in a previous episode not being too worked up over “MANDY.” Wow am I with you – could barely get through 20 minutes. I’m like “Okay -what is up with Nicholas Cage’s hair – that can’t be real.” Then he’s like what? a lumberjack? Then on the helicopter am I supposed to get insight into the character that he smokes but turns down the offer of what appears to be alcohol? Is this telling me anything about the character? Then he is at home in some “sportsball” shirt looking like an older man who woke up in his teenage son’s wardrobe. Couldn’t get past that!
Another show recommendation: a show on both “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” and “They Live.”
It’s so interesting as an artist listening to people talk about the journalism/critique side of the discussion.