Recommended in this episodePoems* Zombies* The Corpse Less Taken* Extraterrestrials* Mermaidpoems by Jamie GowerMovies/TVLockwood and Co. (2023) Spooky, some menace and jump scares; stream on Netflix.One Lane Bridge (2020) Spooky, some jump scares, grown-up discussions of grown-up problems; stream on Acorn, AMC+.Wednesday (2022) Spooky, some jump scares and violence, including a pretty upsetting attack on Thing. Mostly surprsingly sweet, though. Stream on Netflix.BooksDracula Daily Like it says on the newsletter, “Get the classic novel Dracula, emailed to you in real time as it happens.” Also bound in a beautiful annotated print edition.Peeps (Scott Westerfeld) Vampirism as a sexually-transmitted parasitic infection. Spooky, sometimes scary—especially in the alternate chapters, which chronicle the queasy life-cycles of real-life parasites. The book is on back-order, but is available on Libby.In a Class By ItselfThe Bat Woman (1968) Oh, migosh, this is amazing. About as scary as the Adam West Batman, although there is a fish-man who might be scary if you’re under 11 years old. Stream on Tubi, rent on Amazon Prime Video. Also, the New York Times did a wonderful article about the movie and its star, Maura Monti.What next?We had a great time doing The Four Weeks of Halloween, and are wondering: should we do more? Not Halloween-specific, obviously (at least not until 2024!). But maybe we pop up for specific holidays, or on a regular monthly or quarterly cadence? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!And as always, we’d be ever so grateful if you could recommend us to a friend. We’ve even arranged wee gifties for you if someone uses your signup link. So we hope you might be able to help.Either way, and always, you’re the bee’s knees in our book. We hope you have a fun, safe, and delightfully spooky Halloween.
Recommended in this episode:PoemDear Dr. Frankenstein by Jericho Brown. From his book The New Testament, published by Copper Canyon PressMovies/TVYoung Frankenstein (1974) Spooky? Possibly? Maybe?; stream on Max, buy the DVD to hear Mel Brooks’ commentary (prepare to have your heart broken when he reacts to seeing his departed friend Madeline Kahn on screen again)Werewolf by Night (1999) Legit scary, especially in the first half, but ultimately surprisingly sweet; stream on DisneyThe Wild, Wild, West (1965-1969) Occasionally spooky, although the spooky element almost always turns out to be a ruse by the villain (like the steam-powered Kraken tentacle that was destroying shipping in the San Francisco Bay—seriously, that was an episode)also mentioned:Eureka (2006-2012) Not even spooky, sometimes tense, mostly amiable rompsBooksHench by Natalie Zina Walschots (at times scary, due to examples of the real consequences of super-hero level violence; also on Libby)MusicWhat’s He Building in There? by Tom Waits (spooky, in a fun way; listen on most music streaming services)And we recommend searching for Halloween on any music streaming service—there’s a lot of stuff!also mentioned:Skullcrusher Mountain by Jonathon Coulton (spooky, also in a fun way; we’d recommend anything by Mr. Coulton)PodcastsLimetown (spooky, some scary descriptions of violence; available via most podcast players—also a TV series on Peacock, and a prequel novel)also mentioned:Welcome to Night Vale (spooky, maybe a little scary?; available via most podcast players—and is the nucleus of an entire spooky media mini-empire)
Recommended in this episodePoemThe Haunted Palace by Edgar Allan PoeMovies/TVInto the Woods (2014) Spooky at worst; stream on Disney, rent on most servicesMidsummer Night’s Dream (1999) Not even really spooky; rent on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, VuduBooksThe Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare and Beyond blog (be sure to search for “Halloween“)His Face All Red by Emily Carrol (spooky; also on Libby)Shakespeare for Squirrels by Christopher Moore (spooky, with swearing and discussion of “sexy times”; also on Libby)PodcastsStrange Studies of Strange Stories (discussion of spooky, the scary, and sometimes horrifying stories and novels from the first half of the twentieth century and earlier)Old Gods of Appalachia (spooky, sometimes scary, occasionally briefly horrifying)also mentioned:Camp Monsters (spooky, sometimes really scary)
Recommended in this episode:PoemsVintage Halloween Greeting Cards by variousMovies/TVVan Helsing (2004) Spooky, some scary; rent or stream on Apple+, AMC, Prime Video, YouTube and othersCrazy Head (2005) Spooky leaning to scary; stream on NetflixGood Omens (2019-2023) Spooky, some scary; stream on Prime VideoBooksGood Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (spooky at most; also on Libby)Monster, She Wrote by Lisa Kröger & Melanie R. Anderson (non-fiction about a range of works; also on Libby)The Weird edited by Anne and Jeff VanderMeer (spooky, some genuinely scary, one to two horrifying; also on Libby)PodcastsRandom Number Generator Horror Podcast No. Nine (plot synopses of the spooky, the scary, and the horrifying)Also mentionedToo Scary, Didn’t Watch (plot synopses of the spooky, the scary, and the horrifying)Wikipedia (another great resource for plot synopses before you commit)*If you recognize what line from what movie I paraphrased for that last line in the intro, let us know in the comments, would you? See you there…
Recommended in this episodePoemThe Adventures of Isabel by Ogden NashMoviesIt’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)Spooky, barelyCoco (2017)Spooky, at mostBooksMommy? by Maurice SendakSpooky, some scary (mostly the price—it can be hard to find)Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice SendakSpookyTerry Jones Fairy Tales by Terry JonesOccasionally SpookyGamesGrim Fandango Spooky, grown-up themesPodcastsScary Stories for Creepy KidsSpookyMusic“Frankenstein” by The Edgar Winter GroupSpotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music “Fury of Godzilla” from Godzilla, the King of All Monsters by Akira IfukubeSpotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music “Main Title” from Godzilla, the King of All Monsters by Akira IfukubeSpotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music “The Murder” from Psycho by Bernard Herrmann Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music
Recommended in this episodePoemSelections from Mother Goose (The Original Volland Edition)MoviesPractical Magic (1998)Spooky, some scary (abuse)Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)Spooky at mostSpirited Away (2001)Spooky, some scaryPenny Dreadful (2014-2016)Scary, some horrifyingBooksPractical Magic by Alice HoffmanSpooky, some scary (abuse)Wee Free Men by Terry PratchettSpookyWhich Witch? by Eva IbbotsonSpookyThe Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Volume 1: Charmed Life/The Lives of Christopher Chant, by Diana Wynn JonesSpookyWitches! The Absolutely True Tale of Diasaster in Salem by Rosalyn SchanzerScary (actual history)ComicsArchie Horror, an imprint of Archie ComicsSpooky to Scary, with touches of HorrifyingArchie vs. Predator II by Alex De Campi & Robert Hack, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Jack MorelliSpooky to Scary, with touches of HorrifyingPodcastsThe Lovecraft Investigations: The Case of Charles Dexter WardScaryIn Our Time: The Salem Witch TrialsScary (actual history)ErrataIn this podcast, Jamie mistakenly refers to the Archie in Archie vs. Predator II as a “robotic” Archie. It is in fact a Predator modified to look like Archie. We regret the error. We regret it so, so much.
Recommended in this episode:We introduced a rating system for the fright level of our recommendations:Spooky (Maybe some jump scares, but it’s more about the mood.)Scary (Real frights, but nothing too graphic or disturbing.)Horrifying (Blood, monsters, madness. You are warned.)PoemHaunted Houses by Carl SandbergMoviesHousebound (2014)Mostly spooky, some scary stuffBeetlejuice (1998)Mostly spooky, some scary images/characters played for laughsBooksThe Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (also available as a graphic novel)SpookyAmphigorey by Edward GoreySpookyComicsThe Me You Love in the Dark by Skottie Young & Jorge CoronaScary, with touches of HorrifyingLocke and Key by Joe Hill & Gabriel RodriguezNo rating from us—we haven’t read it yetPodcastsToo Scary, Didn’t WatchSpooky to Horrifying—but told second-hand to someone who doesn’t like scary stuff.Also mentionedWikipedia is your friend, often with full synopses you can check out if you want to know what a book or movie has got planned for you.
Recommended in this episode:PoemTheme in Yellow by Carl SandbergMoviesVan Helsing (2004)The Brothers Grimm (2005)BooksA Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny (also on Kindle)also mentioned:The Weird edited by Anne and Jeff VanderMeerStories to Keep you Alive Despite Vampires by Ben Acker (also on Kindle)ComicsThe Dark Horse Book of Horror edited by Dark Horse Comics (available on Hoopla Digital)PodcastsCamp Monsters podcastAlso mentioned:Dracula (1931) The Mummy (1932)Aliens (1986)Bullit (1968)Only The End of the World Again by Neil Gaiman (available in the collection Shadows Over Innsmouth edited by Stephen Jones, and as a graphic novel from Dark Horse or Hoopla Digital)