Faculty of Horror

Tackling all things horror with a slash of analysis and research, horror journalists and occasional academics Andrea Subissati and Alexandra West are your hosts for brain plumping discussions on all things that go bump in the night.<br /> <br /> Produced independently in Toronto, Ontario The Faculty of Horror is your best source for classic and contemporary horror film discussions that will haunt the libraries of your mind!

Episode 142. Teen Dreams: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

Buckle up and keep your eyes on the road because we’re chatting about the teen slasher thriller I Know What You Did Last Summer. From morality and justice to small town trappings, we unearth a murky past that refuses to stay buried! More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING I Know What You Did […]

07-25
01:08:56

Episode 141. Blood Relations: The Hills Have Eyes (1977 & 2006)

Pack your car and mind the detours because we’re kicking off summer with an episode on The Hills Have Eyes. From familial tensions to political warfare in the original and the remake, there’s a whole host of darkness to be found under the summer sun.  More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING The […]

06-25
54:28

Episode 140. Pump It Up: The Substance (2024) Live from Salem Horror Fest

Join Andrea and Alex live from Salem Horror Fest for feats of strength (!) and a discussion of the horrors of beauty standards, the weight of celebrity culture, and the algorithms that are out to get us.  More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING The Substance. Dir. Coralie Fargeat, 2024.    EXTRA CREDIT […]

05-21
01:05:18

Episode 139. Labour Pains: The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)

Spring has sprung so it’s time to get into the greenhouse! In this episode, Alex and Andrea investigate the differences between mother and caretaker, the privilege of home upkeep, and why yuppies love windchimes.  More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING The Hand that Rocks the Cradle. Dir. Curtis Hanson, 1992.    EXTRA […]

04-30
01:09:14

Episode 138. School of Thought: Detention (2019)

Log on to this episode where we go deep with the film adaptation of the cult video game Detention. From totalitarianism in Taiwan and beyond, the ghosts of our past often have dire warnings about our present and future that we should heed.  More content over on our Patreon!   Catch us LIVE at Salem Horror […]

03-26
01:00:38

Episode 137. One of Us: Freaks (1932)

Join us as we delve into the lineage and legacy of Tod Browning’s pre-code horror classic. From the morality police to representation of disability to community building through murder, we discuss why Freaks remains a unique and unrepeatable entry in the horror canon. More content over on our Patreon!   REQUIRED READING Freaks. Dir. Tod Browning, 1932.    […]

02-25
01:02:44

Episode 136. Curse of Fack: 2024 Year in Review

Andrea and Alex run down their favourite horror films from 2024, share what they’re looking forward to this year and go head-to-head in trivia for Fack supremacy.  Join our Patreon community!   LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

01-28
01:48:56

Episode 135. Family Matters: The Brood (1979)

Join us as we breakdown the isolated families of David Cronenberg’s The Brood. From family structures to the legalese of it all, we investigate why and how we cling to each other.  Last chance for our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.   REQUIRED READING The Brood. Dir. David Cronenberg, 1979.    EXTRA CREDIT Cronenberg […]

12-28
01:04:48

Fack Flash! Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU

Christmas came early for the profs this year, with an advance screening to Robert Eggers’ hotly anticipated adaptation of Nosferatu! We recorded our immediate reaction at the cinema for our Patreon, but we wanted to spread the good cheer for the film’s wide release. Hear our raw reactions – but beware spoilers if you don’t […]

12-24
23:07

Episode 134. Material World: They Live (1988)

In this episode Andrea and Alex deep-dive into John Carpenter’s cult-classic exploring the ways that materialism, Marxism, and maximalism have driven us to the edge of consumption.  Check out our Class of 2024 merch! Artwork by the incredible Candice Purwin.   REQUIRED READING They Live. Dir. John Carpenter, 1988.   EXTRA CREDIT “Eight O’Clock in the Morning.” […]

11-26
01:14:22

Episode 133. Missionary Position: The Conjuring (2013)

James Wan’s blockbuster horror offering The Conjuring thrilled audiences and created a cinematic universe but for Andrea and Alex it left an icky feeling that has nothing to do with demonic possession. By investigating the politics, means and ideology behind the film, they’ll uncover the true villains behind this narrative.  Check out our Class of 2024 […]

10-30
01:04:28

Episode 132. Mother May I?: Suspiria (2018) with Stacie Ponder

For this very special back-to-school episode, Andrea and Alex are joined by the one and only Stacie Ponder to dig into the depths of Luca Guadagnino’s remake of Dario Argento’s classic. From the dance of politics to the dance of sexuality, there’s more under the floorboards of the Markos Dance Academy than meets the eye. […]

09-19
01:40:49

Episode 131. Clever Girl: Island of Lost Souls (1932) and Jurassic Park (1993)

Pack your bags and leave your conception of the social fabric that binds us behind because we’re going to two private islands in this episode! From the darkness of Dr. Moreau’s experiments to John Hammond’s capitalist enterprise, these journeys into the human desire for control rarely end well for anyone involved.    REQUIRED READING Island […]

07-30
01:27:45

Episode 130. Nature Calls: Eden Lake (2008) and Backcountry (2014)

Pack your bags and your partner because this episode leaves the comforts of civilized society far behind. In this episode we unpack the need for serenity, the heritage of toxic masculinity, and why a bear might actually make a great boyfriend.  REQUIRED READING Eden Lake. Dir. James Watkins, 2008.  Backcountry. Dir. Adam MacDonald, 2014.    […]

06-25
01:29:57

Episode 129. Bad Trip: Angel Heart (1987) and Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

Whether you’re ascending or descending, spiritual journeys through the afterlife are never easy. In this episode, Andrea and Alex tackle two films that share some overlapping tendencies but deviate in unexpected ways.    REQUIRED READING Angel Heart. Dir. Alan Parker, 1987. Jacob’s Ladder. Dir Adrian Lyne, 1990.    EXTRA CREDIT Satanic Feminism: Per Faxneld’s book about […]

05-29
01:37:14

Episode 128. The Feral Feminine: Cat People (1942)

Coming to you live from Salem Horror Fest, Andrea and Alex prowl the darkest corners of RKO’s cult classic Cat People. From the themes of immigration and assimilation to the parallels of sex and power, we uncover how Jacques Tourneur and Val Lewton’s dark vision of 1940s America remains a prescient warning.    REQUIRED READING Cat People. […]

04-29
57:11

Episode 127. In Plain Sight: Manhunter (1986)

In this episode, Andrea and Alex investigate how multiple characters are perceived and perceive Michael Mann’s entry into the Hannibal Lec(k)tor cinematic universe. From cops to killers and the humanity in between, these cuts go deep.    REQUIRED READING Manhunter. Dir. Michael Mann, 1986.    EXTRA CREDIT How Thomas Harris defined a genre and created […]

03-23
01:41:22

See you at SALEM HORROR FEST 2024!

We’re packing our bags to hop onto our broomsticks for our annual trip to SALEM HORROR FEST 2024 – and you’re invited!Listen in for important info, dates, and highlights!   Buy your tickets here! LISTEN Right click or option-click here and choose “Save Target As”

03-18
17:37

Episode 126. Bad Habits: The Devils (1971)

From the depths of Warner Bros archives, Ken Russell’s infamous film The Devils has been resurrected (ish) once more! Andrea and Alex take this opportunity to dive into the politics, contractions, and naughtiness present within one of the most controversial cult films ever made.    REQUIRED READING The Devils. Dir. Ken Russell, 1971.    […]

02-29
01:38:27

Episode 125. Fack XI: 2023 Year in Review

It’s time to look back before we scream forward! Join Andrea and Alex for horror and non-horror faves and a game that will decide their fate for 2024.    Alex’s Horror/Horror Adjacent Faves   1. Red Rooms (dir. Pascal Plante) 2. Godzilla Minus One (dir. Takashi Yamazaki) 3. Talk to Me (dir. Danny and […]

01-26
01:52:04

David MacPherson

what was your outro music in this episode?

03-31 Reply

Claire Cantwell

Okay, as someone who loves 'Boxing Helena,' I have to recommend Girls, Guts, & Giallo's episode on it. They do the smartest analysis of that film I've ever heard.

09-13 Reply

Claire Cantwell

I'm surprised that no one brought up Sarah being coded as queer. There are a lot of ways her character is othered, but to me, that was what stuck out immediately.

05-31 Reply

Dan Thorum

Dante has a lot to say in this episode.

09-11 Reply

Kain Kenny

wow. Just finding this now and episode 1 was 2012 😳

08-09 Reply

05-28

11-04

10-13

07-31

07-03

Recommend Channels