The Spooky Scholars Podcast

Are we (already) letting AI replace us? In this episode, I explore the growing cultural shift toward AI companionship, AI relationships, and emotional automation. Artificial intelligence is increasingly over-stepping into our world and now, even into roles once reserved for real human intimacy and connection.But this episode isn’t just about digital horror or even AI ethics or even the future of technology.It’s about language and how we’re using computer and robot terminology to describe human emotions and behavior: We “process” grief. We “download” information. We “optimize” relationships. We talk about burnout as "a system crash" and treat heartbreak like "corrupted data" to "file away" as a lesson for the future.  In the end I’m really wondering: as automation expands beyond labor and into love, what does that mean for human connection, empathy, and identity?Are we building machines to act more human, or are we training ourselves to feel less?*This episode contains MAJOR spoilers for:Companion (2025)M3GAN 2.0 (2025)💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholars

Let's explore liminality, trauma, and coming-of-age horror through the lens of my newest project as part of Darkest Margins, curated and edited by our guest, Matt Rogerson.We get into more of what to expect from a much-needed contribution to horror scholarship and a little of what Matt went through to bring this project to the horror community. We'll then talk about Matt's own contribution to the project where he analyzes adolescence and generational representation to uncover why horror treats youth more honestly than mainstream teen films (ahem, John Hughes, your homophobia is showing!).*May contain spoilers for"Don't Torture a Duckling (1972)Demonia (1990)Darkest Margins: 24 Essays on Liminality and Liminal Spaces in the Horror Genre*Curated and Edited by Matt Rogerson, with a Foreword by Dr Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, DARKEST MARGINS is a collection of twenty four essays from leading and up-and-coming genre writers exploring expressions of liminality and liminal spaces in the horror genre, across cinema, literature, television, art and video games. Taking in the anthropological, psychological and architectural liminality, and accompanied by four stunning pieces of original artwork, the assembled academic and engaging essays undertake what has not been done on this scale before: to explore, map, analyze and discuss those rites of passage, states of ambiguity or disorientation and physical waypoints in a wide variety of works across more than a century of horror media.Get a copy: https://www.thebrokenbinding.co.uk/product-page/darkest-margins-24-essays-on-liminality-and-liminal-spaces-in-the-horror-genreFollow Matt @bavalamp and @1428publishing 💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholars

Joined in this episode by author, friend, and returning guest, Kimberly Pinzon, to critically examine how sexual assault is portrayed in horror films and why these depictions are so often shaped by male directors. She's got some stuff to say!We specifically look at rape revenge horror and question who has the authority to tell these stories and whether “artistic freedom” is being used to justify gendered harm on screen.We explore how horror cinema repeatedly centers female suffering, the power dynamics behind these creative choices, and more reasons why representation behind the camera matters. Our hope is that this conversation furthers the the case for more women directors in horror and greater accountability in how trauma is depicted in film.Content note: discussion of violent sexual assault and gender-based harm.*This episode contains spoilers for:Last House on the Left (1974, 2009)I Spit on Your Grave (2010)Promising Young Woman (2020)Deliverance (1972)Revenge (2017)Follow Kimberly Pinzon @modernmonstress (IG and TikTok)Check out Final Girl Redux and other books on Goodreads.💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholars

They’re calling 2026 the year we go back to analog. And in this first episode of Season 6, I’m joined by authors Wendy Dalrymple and Grace Reynolds, the editors behind a new anthology of nostalgia horror that digs into our first precious memories of the genre we all love. We explore how modern horror has embraced nostalgia through shows like Stranger Things, the rise of horror remakes, and our collective obsession with reboots, and retro media. Plus we learn more about the global experiences of growing up with horror that maybe wasn't all Halloween and Blockbuster through Wendy and Grace's new anthology project, Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane.This conversation unpacks the emotional pull of nostalgia, how and why horror is the perfect genre to examine who we used to be.So if the past has been calling lately, this episode might explain why.Grab your copy!Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and InsaneMore from Wendy > wendydalrymple.comWendy on Instagram @wendydalrymplewritesGrace on Instagram @gravereynolds💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholars

A nightmare team collab episode that unpacks modern masculinity in lad/bro holiday horror, all by random selection with Horror Roulette Pod. During the month of Movember we watched a film that examines how traditional ideas of masculinity are challenged, and sometimes reinforced, when men seek escape, connection, and meaning. This episode is a mash up of scholarly analysis with random fun and a new podcast friendship.Join Spooky Scholars host, Ashe Woodward and guests Nellie and Anthony from Horror Roulette pod for a very special 1-hour episode to last you the rest of the year!!This episode contains MAJOR spoilers for:The Ritual (2017)Hereditary (2018)Companion (2025)💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoy the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!

Mometu is carving out a rare space in the (FREE) streaming world: a platform that refuses to let algorithms decide what audiences see. In this episode, president of Mometu, Bryan Louzil, joins me to discuss the philosophy behind hand-picking films, the challenges of curation in an automated landscape, and why horror and horror lovers especially benefit from a human touch.Plus, learn more about how Mometu is also hands on in the indie film space, supporting new filmmakers and literally funding the future of film on their platform. For listeners curious about the future of streaming (especially with this week's Netflix-Warner Bros. fiasco!). This one will give you hope that there are still some film companies that actually like films!💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoy the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!

To celebrate our 100th episode, we’re diving straight into my newest writing project: an exploration of the Flatliners universe and how its gothic architecture, liminal spaces, and resurrection imagery mirror the film’s trauma narrative and each character’s desperate push toward restoration and rebirth.And because it’s episode 100, we’re turning that lens on ourselves too. We look at our own restoration arc: where the show started, how it’s evolved, and where Spooky Scholars is heading in 2026 as we dig even deeper into horror analysis, film theory, and the dark academia vibes you’ve all been a part of creating with us. *This episode may contain spoilers for:Flatliners (2022)Flatliners (2017)💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoying the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!Wanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

In this episode, I chat with one of my co-authors from our upcoming publication, Darkest Margins: 24 Essays on Liminality and Liminal Spaces in Horror, which is set to be one of the most extensive horror essay anthologies on liminality EVER published! Jessica and I discuss our contributions to the work and the omnipresence of liminality and the fear of liminal spaces in horror. We discuss her essay, "Dementia in Dimensions: Trapped between the Horrors of Cognitive Disease and Death" which looks at the unsettling crossroads where horror, aging, and identity meet, focusing on how dementia and decline are portrayed through women’s bodies on film.Our conversation explores the liminal body in The Visit, Relic, and The Taking of Deborah Logan, looking at how these movies use dementia, memory loss, and family caretaking to create deeply human and deeply terrifying stories. We also break down the recent return of hagsploitation films, the cultural fears wrapped around older women in horror, and why aging itself becomes a liminal space that filmmakers keep returning to.The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)The Visit (2015)Relic (2020)💀Find Jessica on Instagram @jayjayrose7💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoying the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!Wanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

Steve Sxaks’s novel, Invasion of the Punk Rockers, Who Drink Blood! taps into and explores how counter-culture is a key part of horror history. His horror narratives about punk rock vampires, get to the heart of punk and goth culture and what it means to be part of a group and part of the system. As a former soldier, Steve has a unique take on what it means to be part of a group, a clique, and what it really means to wear a ‘uniform’.We talk influences like Troma Entertainment, horror comics, other nerdy ideas and more in this one, all getting to the main point that horror has been built on punk rock, counter-culture ideals and it’s gotta stay that way. *This episode may contain spoilers for:Hellboy: The Crooked Man (2024)The Long Walk (2025)💀Find Steve at letsgoguy.com and @stevesxaksGet your copy of Invasion of the Punk Rockers, Who Drink Blood!: An Ashwood Story💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoy the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!Wanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

Join us for a conversation with the talented Jon Mann, a filmmaker from New Brunswick, Canada. We're so honoured to discuss his gripping adaptation of Stephen King's short story, "Popsy," and his journey in the Dollar Baby Program that has been pivotal for so many new filmmakers.We discuss the thrilling challenges of bringing King’s chilling narratives to life. Plus, hear more about how Mann's adaptation is being screened at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles this month out of hundreds in the program. We’ll also discuss the state of the Canadian horror film scene, the perfect deep woods backdrops in our own backyard, and explore the surprising depths of Scooby-Doo.Plus, Ashe shares her experience at the It: Welcome to Derry premiere in the small Ontario town where it was filmed. This episode is very Canadian and very Stephen King. It might not be a combination you’ve considered before but let’s dive into this homegrown horror episode.  *This episode contains spoilers for:"Popsy" by Stephen King (1993)💀Find Jon on Instagram @jonnymann💀Follow US on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoy the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!Wanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

A conversation with emerging indie horror director, George Miranda, where we scrutinize the indie horror film industry and highlight the important role that horror creatives play.We'll explore his unwavering passion for the iconic A Nightmare on Elm Street and how it has influenced his unique vision and specific projects. We also get his candid thoughts on the limitations of traditional filmmaking tools (spoiler: tripods don't make the cut!) and where he sees horror moving in the near future. Let's talk the future of film and the vital role indie filmmakers play. If you're an indie film lover or director yourself, you'll definitely want to listen in!*This episode may contain spoilers for:Barbarian (2022)A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)💀George Miranda on Instagram @lawless_jm💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoy the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!Wanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

Chatting with horror film director Chris Kelly about his newest project, Bishop's Day, and his inspiration from over 250 slashers.He's here to share the formulaic secrets behind crafting iconic horror villains that we, the horror community, are ready to gobble up!Discover his latest project, Bishop's Day, that takes a gruesome twist on the average barbershop and learn why Sweeney Todd need not apply.This episode may contain spoilers for:Sweeney Todd (2007)The Haunting (1963)Targets (1968)💀Find Chris and Bishop's Day @bishopsday on IG💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoy the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!Wanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

Every Halloween we willingly put ourselves at the mercy of Haunted Funhouses and their antics. But ever wondered what really goes into building a terrifying and thrilling haunted funhouse that sends thousands running and screaming ... and then coming back for more?In this episode, we chat with Marty, the visionary owner & mad mastermind behind Long Island’s Haunted Firehouse.With Halloween just around the corner, join us to learn from Marty about the creativity, dedication, and passion involved in crafting terrifyingly successful experiences for Halloween lovers for more than 20 years.And don't forget to support local events and experience the frightful fun yourself!*This episode may contain spoilers for :The Twilight Zone "To Serve Man" Season 3 Episode 24Haunt (2019)longislangfirehouse.org💀Follow US on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsWanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

Former chemist turned hypnotist, Amethysta Herrick, joins us to discuss Clive Barker’s Hellraiser. We explore how in its 'puzzle', the film may hold some answers to our questions about society’s categorical systems of gender, identity, pain, and pleasure.Together we examine how conformity is its own form of horror, and how queerness, hypnosis, and self-liberation challenge the boundaries of what we’re told we should be.*This episode may contain spoilers for :Hellraiser (1987)Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)💀Find Amethysta at purplepawclan.com💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsWanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

We’re back and jumping right into the scandalous worlds of storytelling and journalism with former CNN International journalist, Chris Riker.Join us as we dissect the gripping themes of the Australian sci-fi horror, Monolith (2022) and the allegory that calls out and rips open the dire state of today’s media landscape. Learn more from Chris on how horror, creativity, and ethics interweave in both journalism and his own writing. And with Riker's experience at the forefront of free speech and the art of character-driven narratives, this conversation could not speak to our current moment more. Ready to explore the moral challenges journalists face and a haunting vision of our future media landscape?Well, welcome back to Season 5!*This episode may contain spoilers for:Monolith (2022)💀Find Chris at chrisrikerauthor.com💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsWanna share private thoughts? Eww, but ok. Get in touch via email at  ✉️ thespooks@spookyscholars.com

In this episode we explore Alice of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as part of the final girl ancesty. We take into account Lewis Carroll's questionable legacy and what that means for how Alice was presented, constructed and how we conceive of this legacy after all Alice has influenced today. We'll touch on how Alice's character and Carroll's themes reverberate through the horror genre, lighting the path for modern slasher and iconic franchises like The Matrix and Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Stranger Things.Connecting the dots to ancient myths with Inanna, and literary giants like Dante and Gulliver's Travels, we're going into the underworld of storytelling and the history of horror on this one. *This episode may contain spoilers for:Alice in Wonderland (1951) DisneyAlice in Wonderland (2010) Tim BurtonAlice Through the Looking Glass (2016)Alice in Terrorland (2023)The Matrix (1999)Stranger Things (2016-2025)The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020)💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoy the show? How 'bout a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review?

Have you ever noticed the power the piano holds in horror films? From its haunting minor or off-key melodies that evoke anxiety and fear to its imposing presence symbolizing intimidation in the Gothic, the piano serves as a captivating character in itself. In this 88th episode (no coincidence!) we look more closely at how this seemingly elegant instrument becomes a sinister force of anxiety and fear in the world of horror, 'playing' on our anxieties of performance, class, and ableism.*This episode contains spoilers for: The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)House (1977) - https://archive.org/details/house_202104Interview with the Vampire (1994)Audition (1999)💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoying the show? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review to help us reach more of the horror community!

Iranian-American sci-fi author Reza Rajebi (pen. Daiko Hazhir) joins us to explore the thin, often terrifying line between imagined monsters and real-world horrors. Get a mini lesson in Iranian culture, an overview of the brutal realities of the U.S.-Iran conflict, and also a reminder of the internal conflict Iran now faces with itself. We also discuss the historical role of repression, exile, the next regime, the resilience of youth, and the role of storytelling and art in surviving and resisting oppressive power. Reza shares deeply personal reflections on watching the conflict between his two home countries and how that tension inspires him to write and read to find the answers we all need for humanity to evolve toward peace. The Exorcist (1973)💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsThank you in advance for your stellar, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review!

We’re meeting the moment that is 2025, where the fight against power seems to be playing out both in the streets and on our screens. Together we'll dissect the subgenre, of "Eat-the-Rich" horror that oozes out much more when there's unrest among the common people, and more tax breaks for the already-wealthy. Let's talk about standout horror stories that call out billionaire greed, the link between wealth and corruption, and how the working class often steps in as the unlikely hero. And of course, we’re looking back to history and our long-standing tradition of mocking the egos of the rich and powerful because, let’s be honest, grotesque upper-class antics have actually been satire gold since Ancient Greece. So, if you’re guilty of rooting for the downfall of characters from White Lotus, Succession, The Menu, or Bodies Bodies Bodies check out this episode for more on how we got here, where the genre might be going, and why it matters right now. Society (1989)Satanic Panic (2019)The Menu (2022)Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022)Fresh (2022)💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholarsEnjoy the show? Trade ya for a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!

Mind-bending and culture-crossing things are happening in Indigenous horror and sci-fi literature and film today and we need to know more!If you've never explored this creepy corner of our genre before, let's get started with acclaimed author Drew Hayden Taylor.In this special Canada Day episode, we attempt to unravel the intertwining themes of culture, monsters, and storytelling through the lens of native literature.Drew helps us navigate how these tales of terror and monsters reflect the realities of colonialism and appropriation, shaping narratives that challenge conventions. Join our discussion on how Indigenous authors continue to move past trauma into a new era of narrative that pushes the boundaries of future possibilities while honouring the rich history of Indigenous pasts.*No spoilers in this episodeDrew Hayden Taylor's Books we mention:The Night Wanderer (2007)Take Us to Your Chief (2016)Me Tomorrow: Indigenous Views on the Future (2021)Anthology:Zegaajimo: Indigenous Horror Fiction ed. Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm and Nathan Adler (2024)💀💀Follow us on Instagram @spooky.scholars💀Join the ongoing conversation and LIVE salon each month at spookyscholars.com🖤Full show notes at patreon.com/spookyscholars