Eric from Bloody Good Horror joins Caitlin to cover 2004's Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed. We revisit monstrous menstruation as a trope and praise the movie for being a truly excellent sequel.

Tangents include: podcasting, snacks, PSLs, urban legends, easter eggs in horror movies, legs vs eyes count, werewolves vs regular dogs, soups, flaws that would save us in a horror movie, and animated movies.

Be sure to check out Eric's music HY-FY, especially his new album, dropping Friday, September 13th.

Soju from Straight Chilling Podcast joins Caitlin to cover 2002's Queen of the Damned, a movie about fame, loneliness, and desire. It's got soundtrack for the ages, and it hits some of our favorite vampire tropes. We also talk about Aaliyah and the tragic circsumtances surrounding her death.

Tangents are mostly vampire related, as we got a ton of great vampire questions from the audience. We also talk about card suits, good advice, body parts, and 2024 horror.

I had the honor of interviewing writer, director, producer, actress, and film festival organizer Heidi Honeycutt. Heidi discusses her new book I Spit On Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies, which is available for pre-order from Headpress Books.

We talk about the making of Heidi's book, including her inspiration, her impressive research, and her findings. We also talk about how she became a horror fan, feminism in horror in general, lost films, and our shared love of films and filmmaking. Heidi is so knowledgeable and passionate; I can't wait to get my hands on the book. Find her on instagram at @honeycuttheidi to stay updated about her projects. 

Colleen and Mary join Caitlin to cover the new release Barbarian. Go into the movie blind! You'll be glad you did. If you've seen it, you'll know that we had plenty to talk about. We have a great monstrous femme figure in the barbarian mama, we get some creepy monstrous motherhood moments, and we explore the different ways men and women approach danger. We also got into creepy basement stories, and how nothing is scarier than "when the scary thing gets scared." We really loved this movie! Hope you enjoy the episode.

Eli goes by many names: the loremaster, the campfire master, the mole king, and Mary's husband, among others. I was delighted to have him on to help me cover 2017's Pyewacket. Pyewacket is cool Canadian horror movie about the occult. We dig into themes of monstrous motherhood, grief, and the old "be careful what you wish for" adage. We also talk about the witchfinder general Matthew Hopkins, public bathrooms, popsicles, fast food, Eli's childhood in West Virginia, the mole kingdom, and the good old days of the IFC channel. Be sure to check out The Wicked Wild and Loremasters of the Absurd! 

Christian and Ian of It's Only a Podcast join Caitlin to cover the 2016 horror comedy Prevenge. Prevenge is a revenge-centered monstrous motherhood movie, and it hits its comedic beats exactly right. Alice Lowe really pulled off something special here. We also talk about upcoming releases for spooky season, vidja games, and air travel. And we even play Smash or Pass with some of our favorite final girls. Be sure to check out It's Only a Podcast! It's good stuff.

Vulnerable o'clock! I got to thinking about why I like body horror so much, and I wanted to share that with you all. I think it comes from my experiences as viewing my own body as horrific (or capable of horrors). That comes in the form of chronic illness (crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis), unusual body conditions (vaginismus and vulvodynia), and good old fashioned fatphobia. It's hard when others view your body as gross or monstrous, and even harder when you view your own body that way. We're all working through our stuff. I'm glad we have horror to help us through.

John from The Wicked Wild joins Caitlin to cover Prey, the newest installment in the Predator franchise. John is an expert on Predator, and he was able to walk me through some of the lore and easter eggs that I missed. And we both loved this one! It has cool themes around gender, siblings, and the dynamics of predators and prey (and prey that becomes a predator herself). Thanks for joining, John!

To quote my beloved American Horror Story: surprise, bitch! Here's an American Horror Story mini episode! Just talking into a mic about Ryan Murphy stuff - what could possibly be more fun, or more insane? Big thanks to Whitney and Elizabeth for sending in AHS questions! I give a rundown of my favorite seasons and characters, talk a little about Stories (the spin-off), and think about where I hope to see AHS go in the future. American Horror Story has a lot of good Plug It Up themes: monstrous motherhood, monstrous menstruation / coming of age, women battling horrors, and women who are themselves horrific. Feel free to send any AHS questions my way! BALENCIAGA!

Colleen joins Caitlin to cover what might be the ultimate Plug It Up movie: 2016's Raw. We bring sleepover energy to this one! We chat about many aspects of the monstrous feminine: monstrous menstruation, monstrous motherhood, monstrous sisterhood, forbidden appetite, and body horror (among various other things that make me love Raw). Ducournau is a favorite, and Raw is a top 10 movie of all time for me. Thanks again for the great questions! And come see me, Colleen, and Maddie at horror trivia in Richmond. 

Or should we say MU-TH-UR issues? Jason (from Dads from the Crypt) joins Caitlin to cover a sci fi horror classic: 1979's Alien. Alien is a movie with a ton of cool themes; the ones we pull for Plug It Up are sex and motherhood (with bonus horrific pregnancy/birth). We also get into the development of the script, the awesome practical effects, and the killer cast. Did you know Sigourney Weaver refused to shave her pubes for the underwear shot? I didn't know that when we recorded, but found out after. I'm always learning new things about Alien! Go Sigourney! Be sure to check out Dads from the Crypt.

Mary joins Caitlin to cover 2003's Gothika. Gothica (stylized as Gothika for the movie) is a real word! New vocab - you love to see it. We dig into themes of revenge, supernatural vs logic, and good ol' ego. We also talk at length about Reese's Cups, our friends Nick and Darren, and our love of John Carroll Lynch. Thanks for the questions! These were some of the best yet. Be sure to check out Mary's show Binge This, and rate Plug It Up on your podcatcher of choice!

Due to a scheduling snafu, the regularly scheduled episode had to be moved, so instead you get some good old fashioned talking-into-the-void from yours truly. I go over some trailers (Don't Worry Darling, The Munsters, The Menu, Smile, Pearl, and Barbarian), some recent releases (Nope, Torn Hearts, Watcher, Hellbender, and They/Them), and some horror TV (the Chucky series, as well as American Horror Story and Stories). I also chat about life and give some podcast recommendations. Hopefully this isn't weird? I'll be back with regular episodes next week.

A solo episode with mini reviews on Immaculate and The First Omen, two similar movies that came out right around the same time. I talk about why the conversation around bod[il]y [autonomy] horror is particularly relevant right now, given the rollbacks to access to reproductive healthcare. Credit to Victor for the subtitle idea!

Tangents and questions include: 2024 horror, television, books recs, podcast production, my friend Sarah, my grandfather, dream podcast guests, B horror movies, farts, Dead Girl, and what makes me love horror.

Joe Charnews of the Small Town Failing Podcast joins Caitlin to cover 2011's Silent House. Elizabeth Olsen brings her A-game in this real-time, long-take production, and we are impressed. The subject matter is heavy, but we love the twist and the way it all came together. In addition to the thematically relevant topics, like repressed memories and the controversies therein, we chat about the holidays, the Satanic Panic, our quarantine hobbies, lesbian footwear, and our favorite foods. Be sure to check out Small Town Failing wherever you get your podcasts!

Stephanie and Rachael join Caitlin to cover Lights Out, the 2016 feature based on a short of the same name. Lights Out has a monstrous femme figure in Diana, and it has notes of monstrous motherhood in Sophie. We talk about the plays on light and dark, the outstanding practical effects, and the truly effective scares. Also, we stan Bret, a himbo goth boyfriend for the horror recordbooks. We chat about Stephanie and Rachael's kickball and volleyball teams, reminisce about RVA Horror Club, and answer some great questions. Thanks for submitting them! Also don't forget to grab some Plug It Up merch!

Colleen and Mary join Caitlin to cover Ari Aster's 2019 masterpiece Midsommar. We talk about the significance of mirrors, the insidiousness of the cult, the complex relationships and trauma, the dizzying disorientation, the attestupa, the blood eagle... We really do our best to cover it all. We also chat about the upcoming A24-themed party Colleen is throwing. Who would you dress as? Huge thanks to Mary and Colleen for joining to talk about one of my favorite movies, and a special shoutout to Maddie, who I know really wanted to be here for this one. Don't worry, Maddie. I mentioned your name no less than 20 times probably.

Calling all coroners! Jaime and Tami join Caitlin to cover The Autopsy of Jane Doe, an atmospheric horror hit from 2016. We look at themes of witchcraft, father-son bonds, and REVENGE! We are big fans of this one, and we do our best to dissect (HEY-O) it. We also talk about the obstetric history of chainsaws, how we want to be handled after we die, our favorite sibling memories, and our celebrity nemeses. Be sure to check out Texas ChainPaw Massacre, as well as The Wicked Wild.

Who better to join Caitlin to cover 2020's The Stylist than Elizabeth, an actual stylist? We really love this one. Jill Sixx knocks it out of the park, and Najarra Townsend gives an arresting performance. We look at themes of isolation and identity, and explore one of the creepiest movies we've had in the last few years. We also look at the history of scalping, and we get some great questions. Keep those coming! Send all your questions to plugituppod@gmail.com.

Zach and Charlie join Caitlin to cover Tragedy Girls, a horror comedy from 2017. It's got fun cameos, campy kills, and horror homages galore! We had a great time talking about it. We also got into prom talk and conspiracy corner. We needed a good laugh coming off of the awful news about Roe v Wade being overturned. Please consider donating to your local abortion fund. Keep fighting, and take care of yourselves. 

Accomplished actor Galen Howard joins Caitlin to talk about 1977's Rabid. Rabid is a Cronenberg movie, so you know body horror is on the table. We look at how mosquitoes inspired the creature design, how uniquely the zombie mechanics come together, and how our protagonist navigates her monstrous transformation with respect to gender. Rabid is a great movie, and we had a lot of fun talking about it. Be sure to check out our new single "Potato Man Loves Ketchup Man," coming soon to a radio near you. Find Galen Howard on instagram @galenhoward, and check him out in movies, on TV, and in music videos!

Caitlin is joined by two Jovian Warriors to cover 2018's Mandy: bestie Charlie and brother Zach. Mandy is a movie about a man with a singular focus: REVENGE. We explore said revenge, as well as stylized hyper-violence, "righetous masculinity," and more. Brush up on your French as we attempt to pronouce words we don't know (we are, how  you say... idiots), and join us as we answer questions from the audience. We had a lot of fun!

"Misogyny is bad, mmkay?" - Mr. Garrison, I mean Alex Garland. Mary joins Caitlin to talk about A24's new horror movie Men. While it has notes of everything we tend to like (commentary on misogyny, original sin allegories, cool body horror, and folklore), this one felt a little ham-fisted, and a bit 101. Still a cool effort, and certainly lots to dig into. Count how many times we say "I don't know." It's a lot. Be sure to check out Whitney's review at bloodygoodhorror.com, and keep an eye out for Mary's new show Binge This!

Zach and Charlie join Caitlin to cover Late Night with the Devil, one of 2024's most anticipated horror movies. We all loved the movie, which is a bottle piece told in real time. We dig a little deeper into Bohemian Grove ("the grove" mentioned in the movie), the AI controversy, the effects, the acting, and the film's overall themes.

Tangents are many, and include: abortion Big Gulps, talk shows, museum disasters, Last Podcast on the Left (and lots of Henry Zebrowski), Triple D, eating organs, cryptids, overhyped movies, dream podcast guests, tiktok, horror at the Oscars, villains, pet names, and tattoos. 

Mary returns to help Caitlin cover a controversial movie: 2008's Dead Girl. Some have pushed it away, considering it misogynist and repulsive, but both Mary and I think there's solid feminist messaging in this one, even if some scenes are hard to watch. We look at toxic masculinity, the ways class and sexism connect, and the illusion of "the nice guy." We also talk about the figure who originated the idea of creating a captive sex zombie: Jeffrey Dahmer. Creeps all around! Go, Dead Girl, go! Zombie chomp an incel. 

Dynamic duo Matt and Michael join Caitlin to talk about another dinner party gone awry. This time, we're looking at 2015's The Invitation. We look at themes of grief, cults, and social contracts regarding politeness. We shared stories about times we felt uncomfortable breaking the "politeness contract," including Michael's experience in a haunted forest, and Matt and Caitlin's [subjectively] near-death experience on a mountain in Chile. 

Bob, Randy, and Justin from Straight Chilling join Caitlin to cover The Omen (1976). We dig into themes of religion and monstrous motherhood, explore some of the "cursed" aspects of the production, and chat about various iconic scenes from this touchstone movie. We also somehow get to talking about Willem Dafoe and his renowned lower half... such is the nature of the show. Be sure to check out Straight Chilling! Big thanks for joining, fellas. 

Rachel, Ariel, and Matilda of the Zombie Grrlz Podcast Network join Caitlin to analyze Hatching, a new Finnish horror movie from director Hanna Bergholm. All of us really loved Hatching, and we enjoying chatting about its themes of troubled girlhood, monstrous motherhood, body horror, perfectionism, and feminine anger. We also take a look at the sometimes disturbing world of mommy bloggers and family influencers. Be sure to catch Hatching wherever you rent or buy your movies, and check out the Zombie Grrlz' interview with Hanna Bergholm on their More Deadly series.

Elizabeth joins Caitlin to cover the brutal world of ballet in 2010's Black Swan. Black Swan hits a ton of monstrous feminine beats: monstrous menstruation, monstrous motherhood, treacherous friendships between women, body horror in women, and women who are themeslves horrific. We also look at themes of mental illenss, perfectionism, and doppelgangers (which are, for the record, scary). Black Swan is an incredible movie, and the behind-the-scenes trivia makes it all the more impressive.

Christina and Colleen join Caitlin to cover the original slasher - 1960's Psycho. It was groundbreaking for its time, and it has become a cultural touchstone for film fans everywhere. We touch on themes of monstrous motherhood, chance, and mental illness, and we dig in to various symbols and motifs. We also talk about Hitchcock himself. What a strange dude. Not as strange as Ed Gein, who partially inspired the story of Psycho. We talk about him, too. Be sure to check out Christina's books, store, and workshops! And most importantly, help us answer this question: *is* a boy's best friend his mother?

Mary and Maddie join Caitlin to talk about Ti West's new movie X. Did you know that "psychobiddy" is a whole subgenre of horror? I didn't! It refers to horror movies where a formerly glamorous woman ages into a violent monster; it's sometimes referred to as "hagsploitation." We look at themes of aging, desire, and not having lived the life you wish you had. Also alligators. We get into theater etiquette and the year in horror so far. 

Maddie returns to help Caitlin cover 2022's Fresh. We dig into the movie itself and joke about its need for larger-bodied characters (as Lizzo famously said, "No, I'm not a snack at all; look, baby, I'm a whole damn meal"). We both really loved this one. It's looking like a leader for top horror movies of 2022, and we couldn't be happier to have ol' Seb Stan on the weirdo train. Speaking of weirdos, we reveal our alarming amount of cannibal knowledge, thanks in no small part to Last Podcast on the Left. Bon appetit! 

Maddie and Charlie join Caitlin for an extra special episode. We tackle the X Files' spin on monstrous motherhood in "Terms of Endearment." That's episode 7 of season 6, if you'd like to watch before listening. We examine the monstrous feminine beats of this particular episode, and we do a deep dive on the X Files as a whole: favorite episodes, skips, FMKs, and how Gillian Anderson plays "dignified but horny" in all her roles. (That's a compliment; we deeply appreciate her craft.) We'll be back to movies next week, but we hope you enjoy this special episode!

Caitlin is joined by fellow podcaster Natalie Katona to talk about 2018's The Wind. We dig in to monstrous motherhood and the brutality of the frontier. We also do a deep dive on prairie madness, which is as harrowing as it sounds. Natalie shares about her podcast To All the Men I've Tolerated Before, which you can find on any podcast platform, as well as her show on Fireside by the same name. Give her a follow, and check out The Wind!

Maddie and Colleen join Caitlin to cover Love Lies Bleeding, the A24 movie "by and for the world's dyke perverts." Naturally, we loved it. We talk about themes of: obsession, rage, catharsis, gender, and loving things that are bad for you; we also discuss magical realism, body horror, and the importance of media literacy in stories like these. Oh, and our theater experience was memorable.

The review starts around the 30:00 mark. Tangents throughout include: Chappell Roan, trailers, 2024 horror, AI, cryptids, hair, teeth, villains, tattoos, taxes, fandoms, Uber, pet names, charcuterie boards, and more.

Codename Thor joins Caitlin to talk about 2012's Byzantium, which is the first vampire movie we've covered on the show. It's a beautiful movie, and we had a great time dissecting its themes of mothers and daughters, carrying the past, and sex work. I quiz Thor on his vampire knowledge, and we somehow land on X-Men for a while. Be sure to check out Thor's Hour of Thunder, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Matt from Chile and Richmond buddy Michael join Caitlin to talk about 2011's You're Next.You're Next is a fan favorite, and it's the first movie we're covering with a bonafide final girl! We laughed a ton on this episode, and we really enjoyed the movie. Who's your favorite character: Erin or Drake?

What a special episode! Dr. Natalie Feinblatt joined me to cover the new psychological horror movie A Banquet, and I had the pleasure of interviewing the film's director, Ruth Paxton. Natlaie and I talked about themes of eating disorders and general mentall illness, monstrous motherhood, and body horror, and Ruth gave some really beautiful insights into the film. This is a new-new one, and we do get into spoilers, so heads up! I feel very close to the movie and can't recommend it enough. Special thanks to Ruth Paxton for joining!

Caitlin is joined by Joe to talk about the Cronenberg classic The Brood. We dig into themes of monstrous motherhood, intergenerational trauma, and good old fashioned body horror. We've got mothers birthing all kinds of monsters here, and it makes for great conversation. Be sure to check out mine and Joe's project (Films at First Sight), as well as the one he's working on with Jody (No Film Left Behind).

horror, horror movies, feminism, periods, menstruation, monstrous menstruation, plug it up, monstrous motherhood, monstrous feminine, feminine rage, rage, oliver reed, the brood, david cronenberg, samantha eggar, art hindle, body horror, somafree, psychoplasmics, parthenogenesis, films at first sight, no film left behind

Elizabeth and Tracy join Caitlin to talk about the 2014 found footage banger The Taking of Deborah Logan. In this movie, a woman watches her mother get taken by illness, age, and the supernatural. It's a great meditation on aging, the complex relationships between some mothers and daughters, and old secrets coming to light. It's beautifully done, and did I mention that they talk about Richmond a lot? That's important to me. We also round out our series on PMS. Be sure to find Elizabeth and Tracy on social media.

Caitlin is joined by new guest Whitney to cover the Netflix original horror movie Cam. Cam is a unique and impressive movie, and we both loved it. We touch on themes of black mirror esque technology and stigma around sex work, and I share my deep fear of doppelgangers. Whitney shares about her experiences in gaming, and we talk about her diagnosis of PMDD. Thanks for being here, Whitney!

One evening in 2006, Mary's dad brought home a copy of a horror DVD that happened to look really cool. That DVD turned out to be Jack O'Latnern, and it became a Halloween staple for Mary, who in turn turned me and our horror buddies on to the cult classic. We hadthe privilege of chatting and laughing with the star of the film, Dave R. Watkins, to chat about the movie itself, and about his experience as a creator. He was a delight, and the movie is a lot of fun! Thanks for joining us, Dave!

Jaime and Tami, the founders of Texas ChainPaw Massacre, join Caitlin to talk about 2009's Orphan. It's a wild story that feels unbelievable, but it was based on true events! This one includes a big twist, so consider watching the movie beforehand if you'd like to avoid spoilers. Be sure to visit texaschainpawmassacre.com, and consider adopting an animal that has a horror movie lookalike! (Or any animal!)

horror, horror movies, feminism, periods, menstruation, monstrous menstruation, plug it up, monstrous motherhood, monstrous feminine, the orphan, orphan movie, jaume collet sara, david leslie johson, vera farmiga, peter sarsgaard, isabelle fuhrman, cch pounder, jimmy bennett, aryana engineer, margo martindale, texas chainpaw massacre

Calling all shrews, crazy bitches, and inconvenient women! Maddie, Mary, and Caitlin gathered to talk about David Fincher's Gone Girl. Feminist media discourse gave us terms like manic pixie dream girls and pick-me girls, and Gone Girl gave us "the cool girl." We do a deep dive on "the cool girl," themes, scenes, and quotes, and we generally have a great time with a great movie.

Zach joins Caitlin to antagonize her, and to cover Abigail, a new release from the folks a Radio Silence Productions. It's a great horror comedy with an ensemble cast, lots of blood, and fun vampire lore. We also recount our somewhat eventful theater experience.

Tangents include: trailers, 2024 horror releases, cartoon outfits, bugs, rings, taste buds, breakfast foods, and a slew of Would You Rather questions.

Show regular Mary and new guest Dave join Caitlin to talk about an all-time favorite - 2005's The Descent. Dave is an experienced outdoorsman, and he brings a lot to this episode, especially because Mary and I are scared of everything. We love our brave cave Dave. We all agree that Juno is THE WORST, and we marvel at how well this subterranean movie was made. Join us as we look at the trreachery of monstrous female friendships. Be sure to check out @wickedwildweare on instagram.

Caitlin is joined by Chase and Elizabeth to talk about a darling of the horror community, 2014's It Follows. This episode has a rousing debate, because I find the main character a bit of a pick-me, and Chase holds me to task and challenges my assumptions about the movie. Elizabeth proposes some great questions about the movie's logistics and what we would do in this scenario. We can all agree on one thing: the soundtrack slaps. Disasterpiece did right by this movie.

Mary returns to talk with Caitlin about Stephen King's Dolores Claiborne. God damn, do we love Kathy Bates! She's the best, and we think more people should know about this great movie. Be sure to stick around for the awesome bumper Mary made for the show, and also consider checking out (and donating to) RAINN.org.