Episodes
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For our last serial killer episode, we are covering the 2023 crime thriller ‘Red Rooms’ directed by Pascal Plante. π₯π»
This episode is extra special because it includes snippets from an interview with the director himself. <3 We discuss the fascinating shift in focus from murderers to their admirers in this film, and attempt to unpick the psychology of female serial killer groupies and their parasocial relationships. We also express appreciation for this film’s impactful use of sound and responsibly restrained depiction of violence against girls.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, subscribe to our Substack and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Discussions of paedophilia and grooming, the dark web, violence against women and girls, sexual violence, murder and exploitative internet sub cultures -
Continuing our serial killer theme, we are covering the 2010 action thriller ‘I Saw the Devil’ directed by Kim Jee-woon. πππΉ
In this episode we discuss this thriller’s relentless violence and its thematic purpose, debate whether the main character's driving motivation is narcissism or grief, and talk about Western exoticism of so-called ‘Asia Extreme’ films.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, subscribe to our Substack and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, brief mention of child murder and decapitation, discussions of sexual assault -
Episodes manquant?
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Ciao a tutti βΛβ½ we're back with szn 5! Our first theme is serial killers, starting off with the 1982 Italian horror mystery, 'Tenebrae', directed by Dario Argento. π‘π
In this episode, we summarise the origins of 'giallo' in Italian cinema, unravel the many layers of Argento's meta-commentary through the film's eroticised violence, voyeurism and plot twists, and identify some potential crises of sexuality and gender.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Murder, violence, death and discussions of symbolic rape in a psychoanalytic context -
Hi gay! π³οΈπFor this extra long Pride Special, we are covering the gory gay thriller ‘Love Lies Bleeding’, directed by Rose Glass. ποΈβοΈππͺπ³ππ₯π«π¬
We discuss love and addiction, giantess kinks and bodybuilding as a form of drag. We also praise this film’s refreshing disregard for queer respectability politics with its messy central couple. Get pumped!
This episode is π¦Ήextraπ¦Ή special because we are joined by our first ever guest, Reem @pacificreem :) Based in Paris, their work focuses on the long history of what might be called moral-panic entertainment, from exploitation films to video games. They are also one half of Gross Encounters - a workshop, festival and film screening club that engages with the politics of monstrosity and alienhood by honouring low-brow, low-budget and low-resolution horror and sci-fi productions, their fandoms and their scholars. Check it out here: @_gross_encounters_ or www.grossencounters.com.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Mila, Louisa, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Murder, violence, death, addiction (specifically, steroid misuse), mentions of symbolic sexual violence and domestic abuse -
Our last dream horror film of the month is the 2021 crime mystery ‘Malignant’, directed by James Wan.
πΉ
π§₯
This film is nothing like what you’d expect. We delight at the action-movie sequences, and marvel at the camp. We also debate this movie’s bonkers biology, and manage to identify every single monstrous-feminine trope in all the seemingly shallow tomfoolery.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Mila, Louisa, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, mentions of birth deformities and rape -
Continuing our dreams in horror theme, we are covering the 2021 horror mystery ‘Last Night in Soho’, directed by Edgar Wright. π©π€ππ§₯πͺπ΅π₯
In this episode we discuss how we had some trouble pinning down the message of this film, and we didn’t quite take to the female revenge storyline (shocking for us, I know). We also unpick the uneven characterisation and uneasy racial dynamics in this film.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Mila, Louisa, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, discussions of non-consensual sex work/sexual exploitation, mental illness and suicide -
This month we’re tackling dreams in horror. Our first film is the seminal 1984 horror ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’, directed by Wes Craven. π€ποΈπ©Έπ΅ππ
In this episode we talk about how this film set the bar for the dream horror canon. We also debate the Freudian and monstrous-feminine readings of this film, and ponder how modern audiences might receive this film differently. Finally, we discuss how iconic slasher killers have become folkloric figures in popular culture.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Mila, Louisa, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, discussions of sexual assault, paedophilia, child abuse and castration -
Our last children in horror episode is the 2001 horror mystery ‘The Devil's Backbone’, directed by Guillermo del Toro. πΉππ¦΄
In this episode we talk about how the characters function as allegories for the many different political allegiances within the Spanish Civil War. We also delve into horror as a political tool, and how ghosts frequently symbolise the repressed trauma of a collective. Finally, we discuss how this film problematizes how we view innocence, and shows how men are denied empathy in wartimes.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Tyia, Louisa and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death (specifically, death of a child), discussions of war (specifically, the Spanish Civil War) and fascism. -
Continuing our children in horror theme, we’re tackling the 1999 psychological thriller ‘The Sixth Sense’, directed by M. Night Shyamalan. ππ πβπ6οΈβ£
In this episode we debate the different depictions of motherhood and fatherhood, address why this film works so well as a ghost story, and discuss how ‘The Sixth Sense’ makes a poignant commentary on familial communication and grief.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Tyia, Louisa and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death (specifically, the death of children), discussions of self harm, domestic abuse, gun violence and fabricated induced illness -
This month our theme is children in horror, and we’re kicking off with the 1984 horror classic ‘Children of the Corn’ directed by Fritz Kiersch. π¦π»π½βοΈπ§πΌπ½βοΈ
In this episode we discuss how the presence of children affects the genre, and what children symbolise in horror. We also identify the folk horror elements of this film, and discuss how it operates as a commentary on religious fanaticism in America.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Tyia, Louisa and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Discussions of murder, violence, death (specifically, the death of children) and a brief description of domestic abuse -
Our last folk horror film of the month is the 2022 psychodrama ‘Enys Men’, directed by Mark Jenkin. πΏβοΈπ€π»π¦π
For us, this film raises the central question: what do you want from horror? I.e., do you like style (vibes) or substance (plot)? Is style without substance just monotonous? We debate this film’s effectiveness, and then go into the potential political and socioeconomic readings of the film, and discuss how it may be using nature and folk horror traditions to comment on industrialism and trade unionism in Thatcherite Britain.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Mila, Louisa, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Death and climate anxiety -
Continuing with our folk horror theme, our next movie of the month is the 2019 film ‘Impetigore’, directed by Joko Anwar. ππ€°π½ββπ²πΊ
In this episode we discuss the many thrilling slasher tropes in this film, talk about how ‘Impetigore’ plays with the folk horror subgenre conventions, and finally, we locate this film’s true horror: the wrath of ‘boy moms’.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Mila, Louisa, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, intergenerational trauma, rape, femicide and infanticide -
This month, we’re exploring the ‘happenings’ of folk horror, and we’re kicking off this theme with the 1973 horror musical ‘The Wicker Man’, directed by Robin Hardy. πΎπ°πππ
In this episode, we give an overview of the global folk horror canon and discuss its tropes. We then focus on British folk horror films, and ask ourselves in what ways do its classist, religious and colonialist undertones work as a nation-making form of media. We debate the central question: who is the butt of the joke in folk horror – is it the insular pagan community or the ignorant and judgemental outsider? Finally, we give an honourable mention to the bizarre 2006 remake with Nicolas Cage (“NOT THE BEEZ!” π).
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Mila, Louisa, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, discussions of colonial violence and human sacrifice -
WELCOME TO SZN 4. To show our love, we’re kicking off the year with a one-off Valentine’s Special, and our patreon pledges have selected the 2016 thriller ‘The Handmaiden’, directed by Park Chan-wook. ππππ
In this episode, we discuss the cinematic gaze as a tool to explore queerness, subvert patriarchal and colonial violence, and break down the thin boundary between voyeurism and exploitation. On the other hand, we also go into the issues behind categorising cinematic depictions of desire as quintessentially ‘female’ or ‘male’, and also discuss the limitations of the camera as a mostly male invention.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Mila, Louisa, Tyia and Zeba
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, discussions of colonial violence, sexual abuse and castration -
Our final femcel case study to discuss is the 2019 film ‘Ma’, directed by Tate Taylor. π»π€πΏππ
The general takeaway from this movie is: don’t think too hard about it. Are there plot holes? Yes. Are there bizarre character and plot inconsistencies? Absolutely. Does race add a strange dimension to the film? Definitely. However: do you have a good time watching? Without a doubt. We recommend ‘Ma’ if only for the meme potential.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Tyia
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, fabricated induced illness, under-age drinking, discussions of sexual assault and sexual predation of minors -
Continuing our exploration of femcels movies, we’re tackling one of Tyia’s favourite films, ‘Gone Girl’, directed by David Fincher. ππ πβοΈπ
Cool Girl ~gender neutral~
/ku:l/ /Ι‘ΙΛl/
noun
1. The unrealistically chill persona you adopt during the early days of a relationship in order to seem more desirable to your new partner.
‘In my youth, I definitely played the cool girl.’
verb
1. To suppress your emotional needs and compromise your integrity for the sake of remaining attractive to your new partner.
‘I will no longer cool girl in my relationships.’
In this episode we unpick this iconic term and what it means for love and relationships.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Tyia
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, femicide, domestic abuse, discussions of misogyny, rape and false rape accusations -
Our final theme of Szn 3 is femcel horror and we’re kicking off with the 1997 anime ‘Perfect Blue’, directed by Satoshi Kon. π€ππ
In this episode we explain the history and origin of the term ‘femcel’, discuss the dangers of internet stan culture and delve into the exploitative nature of the music and television industries.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Tyia
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, discussions of stalking, misogyny, rape, sexual exploitation and mental illness -
The final movie for our hagsploitation theme is the 2022 horror drama ‘Barbarian’, directed by Zach Cregger. πͺπΌ
We dissect the evolution of the hag in horror into something monstrous, discuss women's necessary hyper-vigilance around supposed “nice guys” and debate whether the use of the hag figure in horror is inherently misogynistic.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, discussions of incest, sexual assault, misogyny and ageism -
The next movie for our hagsploitation theme is the 2022 slasher ‘X’, directed by Ti West. π₯πͺ
In this episode, we interrogate ageist attitudes towards sex, and discuss how ‘the hag’ character suggests a de-feminisation of postmenopausal women. We then debate whether this film perpetuates ageist stereotypes even as it attempts to bring awareness to them.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, brief mention of symbolic rape, discussions of pornography, exploitation, ageism and misogyny -
Our new theme for the month is hagsploitation horror, and the first film we are going to tackle is the iconic 1962 psychological horror ‘What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?’, directed by Robert Aldrich. ππ€
We provide an overview of hasploitation, and discuss how Crawford and Davis serve in this film. We also delve into the relationship between sexism and ageism, as well as how this is linked to female competition, fertility, innocence, transphobia and much more.
You can find us on most platforms @themonstrousfemininepodcast, and on Twitter, @themonfempod. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’, and pledge to us on Patreon! β¨
The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia
Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro
*CONTENT WARNING*
Violence, murder, death, mention of sexual assault and abortion, discussions of ageism and misogyny - Montre plus
