Horror Joy – Details, episodes & analysis

Sometimes, the most terrifying monsters aren't lurking in the shadows, but in the very heart of our world. In this episode of Horror Joy, we delve into the eerie world of folk horror, where ancient myths and environmental fears intertwine.

We'll explore:

• The Appalachian Nightmare: How the exploitation of the Appalachian landscape has given rise to terrifying folklore and real-world consequences.
• The Blair Witch Project: The unsettling power of place and the psychological terror of the woods.
• Old Gods of Appalachia: The ancient evil lurking beneath the surface of the Kentucky hills.

Join us as we trek through these haunted landscapes and confront the monsters that dwell within.

Christian Nationalism 2

Old Gods of Appalachia

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Folk Horror – New Global Pathways edited by Dawn Keetley and Ruth Heholt

Coal Stories by Embedded Podcast

Frogman

The Last Broadcast

Cannibal Holocaust

Join us as we plunge into the shadowy world of Haddonfield, Illinois. In this special episode of Horror Joy, Jeff and Brian dissect John Carpenter's iconic 1978 slasher film, Halloween. We'll explore:

• The Shape's Morality: Is Michael Myers a terrifying villain or a moral compass?
• Beyond the Mask: Can we find a more subversive reading of this classic horror film?
• The Rules of the Slasher: How Halloween established the blueprint for countless horror films to follow.
• The Psychology of Fear: Unraveling the psychological underpinnings of the film's enduring terror.

So, lock the doors, grab your sharpest knitting needles, and join us as we explore one of horror’s most enduring masterpieces. But be careful, we can’t all be the final girl.       

Emmanuel Levinas

The Thing from Another World (1951)

You’re Next directed by Adam Wingard

Scream Franchise

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

Psyche as soul

This episode of Horror Joy marks our first-ever interview with a horror creator! Join Brian and Jeff as they delve into the mind of acclaimed author, Paul Tremblay, to dissect his chilling new novel, "Horror Movie."

Prepare to be enthralled as we discuss:

* Paul's personal experiences with both the joys and terrors of the horror genre.

* The profound impact the horror community has had on Paul's writing journey and career.

* The role of meta-horror and ambiguity in Paul's fiction, uncovering what sets his work apart.

* The power of horror to illuminate both societal issues and the psychology of those who consume these narratives.

So grab your cursed scripts and settle into your cozy cocoon as we navigate the rich, complex, and entertaining world of Horror Movie. Come for the horror; stay for the joy!

Paul Tremblay

John Darnielle YouTube

Hitchcock on suspense

Husker Du – Something I Learned Today

Husker Dü – Don’t Want to Know if You are Lonely

Mummenschanz

This episode of Horror Joy ventures into the unsettling realm of religious horror. Brian and Jeff explore the depths of this subgenre through a chilling double feature: A24's critically acclaimed 'Saint Maud' (2019) and the recently released Neon film, 'Immaculate' (2024).

Prepare to dissect some truly horrifying themes:

*We’ll analyze how both films explore the control exerted over the female body, through spectacle in 'Immaculate' and denial in 'Saint Maud'

*We’ll delve into the contrasting ways these films utilize both physical and supernatural elements to create dread

*We’ll explore the chilling impact of institutional control within a religious framework

*We’ll work to uncover the difficult intellectual and emotional joys found in both films

So, light a candle and prepare for a haunting exploration of faith, fear, and the films that blur the line between them.

St. Maud

Immaculate

Carolyn Dinshaw – Getting Medieval

S. Trimble – A Demon Girl’s Guide to Life

St. Teresa of Ávila

Lollards

Horror Joy – We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Pod

Arizona’s 1864 Abortion Law

Opus Dei

Julia Kristeva – Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection

Plato and Augustine on the body

William Blake

Rosemary’s Baby (Ira Levin)

Affective Piety

This week on Horror Joy, Brian and Jeff dive headfirst into the churning waters of Steven Spielberg's classic, Jaws. We'll explore what makes this film a titan of terror, from John Williams' unforgettable score to the lurking dread of a small island community. But Jaws isn't just about a giant shark. We'll also be dissecting the three major themes:

*An island paradise that becomes an isolated, exclusive community

*Performing masculinity and the environmental cost of unchecked ambition.

* The ecological nightmare of a displaced predator

So grab your floaties and prepare for a clumsy chase into the unknown. Come for the horror, stay for the joy.

Judith Butler - Gender as Performance

Jen Corrigan – Three Men on a Boat

Surveillance – Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault

Sigmund Freud – The Uncanny

Christopher Neff - The Jaws Effect

Nicole Neff – The Belly of the Beast: The Uncanny Shark

*In this episode we introduce the idea of Horror Joy and discuss how we have found joy in horror as professors.

*We take a trip down childhood chills with a discussion of our shared love for Goosebumps, Stephen King, and how nostalgia and joy mix.

*Jeff recounts his introduction to horror through old black and white movies and his recent viewing of Willow Creek, while Brian describes a late blooming interest in horror movies and his love for It Follows.

*The episode finishes with a brief discussion of The Blair Witch Project, exploring how our geographical backgrounds shape our reactions to horror.

*If you want to jump into our analysis, head over to episode 2 where we discuss Jaws. Otherwise, come for the horror. Stay for the joy.

Willow Creek

It Follows

The Blair Witch Project

Donna Haraway: Staying with the Trouble

Horror Joy is a podcast by two university professors who take a deep dive into the world of horror. Join us as we seek to find joy, even in horror.

A Nostalgic Nightmare: Exploring the Comfort of Horror

This week on Horror Joy, we're taking a trip down memory lane. For many of us, our love affair with horror began at a young age, fueled by Goosebumps books, Are You Afraid of the Dark, and the iconic horror paperbacks found on the revolving racks at local grocery stores.

Nostalgia and Horror: A Twisted Embrace

Nostalgia, with its roots in homesickness, offers a sense of comfort and belonging. But horror, while evoking strong emotions, can also be deeply comforting. It disrupts our sense of security, only to draw us back in, promising a strange warmth.

Our Nostalgic Journey:

• Tom Deady's The Rack: We chat with Tom about his love for Salem's Lot and the process of curating his anthology of horror stories.
• Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories: A discussion on the power of simple illustrations, the performative nature of storytelling, and how horror prepares us for adulthood.

Join us as we spin the rack of horror and revisit the nostalgic thrills that first captivated us. Let's stick together, because you never know what horrors await!

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

Geoffrey Chaucer

Gwendolyn Kiste

The Life of Chuck (in If It Bleeds) by Stephen King

The Life of Chuck directed by Mike Flanagan

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Tom Deady

The Rack

This episode of Horror Joy delves into the chilling world of The Babadook, a film that has been interpreted as both a study in grief and a queer icon.

Joining us is S. Trimble, an Assistant Professor of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Toronto, to explore these shadowy perspectives.

We'll discuss:

• Grief and the Monstrous: The film's exploration of grief and how it manifests as a monstrous figure.
• The Babadook's Queer Identity: The reinterpretation of The Babadook as a queer character challenging societal norms.
• Queer Feelings and Horror: How queerness can reveal emotions often overlooked in traditional horror.
• Challenging Family Dynamics: The way The Babadook subverts the traditional family unit..

Join us as we descend into the basement of The Babadook to explore its queer undertones and the ways in which horror can challenge our understanding of identity and normalcy.

Carol Clover/Gender Distress

Sleepaway Camp

Serial Mom

The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter

Dinner on Monster Island by Tanya De Rosario

Michael McDowell

Heidegger on Anxiety and Fear

In this episode Brian and Jeff celebrate queer horror. We explore how horror has become a space for queer expression, challenging societal norms and offering a unique perspective on both classic and contemporary horror.

Our guest, Eric LaRocca, a popular and prolific author of queer horror, will join us to discuss:

• The Monster Within: How horror reflects our deepest fears and anxieties about identity and belonging.
• Queer Liberation through Horror: How the horror genre provides a space for queer individuals to challenge societal norms and express their identities.
• The "New Queer Horror": Exploring the emergence of queer horror as a genre and its impact on our understanding of monstrosity and normalcy.

Join us as we traverse this transgressive landscape and discover the queer joy and horror that lies within.

Poppy Z. Brite/Billy Martin

Red X by David Demchuck

Gretchen Felker-Martin

Alison Rumfitt

Haley Piper

Clive Barker

Something is Killing the Children

Sleepaway Camp

Darren Elliott Smith and John Edgar Browning

The Dumb House by John Burnside

The Pillow Man Martin McDonough

Dennis Cooper

It Came From the Closet edited by Joe Vallese