Fright School

Welcome back to Fright School! Joshua and Joe recap their ill fated trip to see Jinkx Monsoon and BenDelaCreme. Joshua spent his birthday with Libbie Higgins and Trailer Trash Tammy. Joe decides what is and what isn't comedy. This week we attend THE VIGIL. With echoes of THE EXORCIST, this film tackles an ultra Orthodox Jewish community, grief and how it haunts us, and demons that want to scare us into Heaven. Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer THE VIGIL (2019) The Demonology and Faith of ‘The Vigil’ By Meagan Navarro With 'THE VIGIL,' Keith Thomas Wanted To Make A Truly Jewish Horror Movie By Alyse Wax Extra Credit: Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they told people they would watch. We can't wait for the RENEGADE FILM FESTIVAL! Follow all of their social media for updates! We hope to see you there! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagra

Welcome back to Fright School! Joshua chokes on his adrenochrome. Joe saw HOUSE OF GUCCI and has some thoughts. We continue our Maddy Morphosis chat and the changing world of Queerness. This week we continue our holiday season with more Jewish horror in THE GOLEM (2018). This spin on the classic Jewish folk tale has Kabbalistic magic, a golem in the form of a child, and leaves us discussing feminism in 1673. Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer THE GOLEM (2019) The Golem of Prague: Man or Monster? by Jayden Lewis Extra Credit: Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they told people they would watch. We can't wait for the RENEGADE FILM FESTIVAL! Follow all of their social media for updates! We hope to see you there! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree EXTRA CREDIT: WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVAILABLE! WE KNOW PODCASTING! There w

Welcome back to Fright School! We are feeling refreshed after our November break (though a bit rusty...) and ready to dive into the Ghoultide! Joshua talks about the Melissa Etheridge Cruise. Joe went to Las Vegas. We start the conversation about Rupaul's Drag Race season 14 and the internet drama surrounding a cisgender male, heterosexual cast member. This year's holiday horror episodes are dedicated to Jewish horror! We are starting with THE GOLEM (1920)! Joe just loves a film he has to read! We discuss charges of antisemetism, the gender politics, and the function of art in the analysis of the film. Recommended Reading/Viewing: View Full Film on YouTube THE GOLEM (1920) Narratives of transgression, from Jewish folktales to German cinema: Paul Wegener's Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (The Golem: How He Came into the World, 1920) by Cathy Gelbin Extra Credit: Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list"

Welcome back to Fright School! Joshua is dealing with the After Halloween Blues. Every year brings the funk, but the bright side is we're one week closer to NEXT Halloween! Showtime's DEXTER reboot is out and it's good to see America's favorite serial killer again! Joe has been watching DANCING WITH THE STARS, HOME ECONOMICS, and he breaks down the reboot of THE WONDER YEARS. Are you watching? This week, we're chatting about HALLOWEEN KILLS. We discuss the film and possible critiques of the Trump era politics at play. We are taking the next few weeks off, but stay tuned for a special TDay episode and we're gearing up for SCARY CRYPTMAS 2021! We'll be spreading the Holiday Fear very soon... Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer HALLOWEEN KILLS (2021) The Grim, Gory Halloween Kills Muddles Its Political Message By Chelsea Steine Extra Credit: Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" an

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from Fright School! We're celebrating our Five Year Anniversary! We catch up on American Horror Story: Double Feature. Listen to us go down a rabbit hole of alien conspiracy theory. We watched PUMPKINHEAD! Joe is most disturbed that the creature doesn't look anything like a pumpkin. We discuss themes of grief, vengeance, transformative and restorative justice. Fright School: overthinking horror since 2016! Here's to another 5 years! Eerie Earfuls Vol. I: Haunted Sounds of Halloween Night on BANDCAMP Just in time for Halloween, Lonely Spectre Productions brings you a retro-inspired Halloween sounds album that innovates the platform. Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer PUMPKINHEAD (1988) Extra Credit: Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they told people they would watch. We can't wait for the RENEGADE FILM FESTIVAL! Follow all of

Welcome back to Fright School! It's Halloween Week 2021! Joshua is feeling way more in touch with Spooky Season after a venture to Knott's Scary Farm. Joe took in CHUCKY on SyFy. Joshua tells a story about THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. This week we are kind of wrapping up our Folk Horror series with the Director's Cut of MIDSOMMAR! We're revisiting this lovely Swedish commune to reevaluate our initial review and talk about the film in context with THE WICKER MAN and other Folk Horror films. Skål! Eerie Earfuls Vol. I: Haunted Sounds of Halloween Night on BANDCAMP Just in time for Halloween, Lonely Spectre Productions brings you a retro-inspired Halloween sounds album that innovates the platform. Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer MIDSOMMAR The Director's Cut (2019) Extra Credit: Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they told people they would wat

Welcome back to Fright School! It has been a busy week for Joshua! The 25th Anniversary screening of SCREAM was almost marred by a VERY amorous couple. SyFy debuted its new CHUCKY series. Halloween Kills slashed its way onto Peacock and into theaters. Joe did some things, too. With just a few weeks left in October and our Folk Horror exploration, we wacthed APOSTLE on Netflix! Clearly inspired by THE WICKER MAN, this story is all about a Doubting Thomas looking for his kidnapped sister on Cult Island! What could possibly go wrong?! We discuss the intimacy of violence, colonization stories, the imprisonment and subjugation of the Divine Feminine, and the environmental warnings of the film. Eerie Earfuls Vol. I: Haunted Sounds of Halloween Night on BANDCAMP Just in time for Halloween, Lonely Spectre Productions brings you a retro-inspired Halloween sounds album that innovates the platform. Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer APOSTLE (2018) “Cthulhu Doesn’t Hate You”: A Critical Analys

Welcome back to Fright School! We're still celebrating Spooky Season and starting to watch our favorite Halloween movies and shows! Joe has been watching SQUID GAMES. Joshua checked out THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2. We chat about foreign films and what might get lost in translation. Maybe we're all way smarter and cooler than Hollywood gives us credit for? This week we are continuing our Folk Horror explorations with the original THE WICKER MAN! This is another film that is considered part of the "Unholy Trinity" of Folk Horror that helped define the genre. We discuss the particular cultural anxieties of Christian men, the echoes of pagan faiths in Catholocism, interpreting the film from different social positions, and wonder if we can all agree that Howie is a dick. Grab your lute, since we're in an accidental musical, and join us 'round the sacrificial pyre! Summer is icumen in! Loudly sing Cuckoo! Eerie Earfuls Vol. I: Haunted Sounds of Halloween Night on BANDCAMP Just in time for Halloween, Lonely Spectre Prod

Welcome back to Fright School! Happy Spooky Season, Dear Listener! We're so excited for all the Halloween content coming in. Joe has been catching up on DANCING WITH THE STARS and Joshua is feeling a little called out by ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING. We are kicking off our Halloween 2021 series! This year we are dedicating October to Folk Horror! Finding its inspiration in folklore, Folk Horror embraces themes of isolation, rural landscapes, religious zealotry, the power of nature, and the very real horror hidden in the depths of humanity. This week we're watching one of the Folk Horror "Unholy Trinity" of foundation films: THE BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW! This cult classic answers the question "Do YOU know where your children are?!" by way of a Satanic orgy. We discuss Rural Paganism, the cultural anxiety and response to child murderer Mary Bell and the Manson Family, and the confusing messages of the film. Gather ye leeches, liquor, and plough! Dark things are underfoot... literally. Recommended Reading/Viewin

Welcome back to Fright School! This week we are celebrating a week of surprises from Elvira, Mistress of the Dark! She released her long awaited autobiography YOURS CRUELLY, ELVIRA and it has been quite a read. We chat about the woman behind Elvira, Cassandra Peterson and the big reveal in her book that she has been in a relationship with another woman for almost 20 years! Welcome to the family, ghoul! Joshua stayed up way past his bedtime to join in on the Twitter watch party (@frightschool if you're nasty) for Elvira's 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special, Special now available on Shudder! In honor of the Elvira of it all, we watched one of her favorite horror films this week HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL! We're kicking of Spooky Season with Vincent Price as an eccentric millionaire who is hosting one hell of a party! We chat about the twists and turns, the catty diologue, and the particular anxieties money can cause us. Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959)

Welcome to another episode of Fright School! This week we catch up on exercise, the IATSE story, and American Horror Story: Red Tide. We debate taking the black pill. Today we went to the movies AT HOME with James Wan's latest offering MALIGNANT. We know something terrible is going to happen the second Madison shows up pregnant. We discuss the film's Giallo like vibes, melting setpieces, the bizarre twist we saw coming, and the action sequences. Tell us, Dear Listener, what kind of lollipop is your favorite for visits to the morgue? Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer MALIGNANT (2021) In James Wan’s ‘Malignant,’ the end sort of justifies its means BY MICHAEL ORDOÑA IATSE Preparing Its Members For Possible Strike Or Lockout By David Robb Extra Credit: Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they told people they would watch. We can't wait for the R

Welcome to another Fright School Field Trip! This week we are checking out Nia DaCosta's CANDYMAN! Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer CANDYMAN (2021) “Be My Victim”: Nia DaCosta’s ‘Candyman’ and The Insidious History of Racism In the United States Candyman Wrings Terror Out of the Horror of Gentrification by LEONARD PIERCE Extra Credit: Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they told people they would watch. We can't wait for the RENEGADE FILM FESTIVAL! Follow all of their social media for updates! We hope to see you there! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree EXTRA CREDIT: WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVAILABLE! WE KNOW PODCASTING! There would be no Fright School without the incomparable assistance of one Matt Kelly. Now you can benefit from his and co-founder of WE KNOW PODCASTING Chris Fafalios' 25+ years of combined experie

Welcome back to Fright School! This week Joshua is in Ohio with his baby brother Cody! Thankfully, Joshua can cook so he was allowed to stay. Satan knows he's annoying as fuck. Joe binged THE WHITE LOTUS and we discuss the gays in residence. We discuss FAST AND FURIOUS in SPACE! Joshua did a rewatch of AHS FREAK SHOW and binged the deliciously weird BRAND NEW CHERRY FLAVOR. This week we discuss Cody's pick 28 WEEKS LATER. We chat about the very topical issue of dealing with a pandemic that won't go away, American interventionism, the ALIEN/ALIENS relationship between 28 DAYS and 28 WEEKS LATER, and references to THE SHINING. Recommended Reading/Viewing: Official Theatrical Trailer 28 WEEKS LATER (2007) Plague View: 28 Weeks Later by Jack Campion 28 WEEKS LATER IS ABOUT HOW WE LIVE WITH WAR CRIMES by Dany Roth Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they told people th

Welcome back to Fright School! We're back with part two of our chat with the Jersey Ghouls, Jacki and Marissa! This time we're diving into Netflix's FEAR STREET trilogy. We have lots of thoughts. We chat about the Queer relationship at the core of the series, teenage drama, comparing the books and the films, and other YA horror. Recommended Reading/Viewing: We LOVE the Jersey Ghouls and so should YOU! They interviewed JASON GOES TO HELL director Adam Marcus in their latest episode. Listen HERE Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they told people they would watch. We can't wait for the RENEGADE FILM FESTIVAL! Follow all of their social media for updates! We hope to see you there! FOLLOW US! Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkTree EXTRA CREDIT: WE HAVE ALL NEW TEES AND MERCH AVAILABLE! WE KNOW PODCASTING! There would be no Fright School without the incomparable assis

Welcome back to Fright School! This week we are joined by the Jersey Ghouls, Marissa and Jacki! We hear all about Jacki's latest podcast adventure THE LIST WE MISSED! Marissa breaks down what it's like working through film submissions as producer of the RENEGADE FILM FESTIVAL! We are excited to attend the festival! We take a deep dive in part one of our conversation with the work of RL Stine and his Fear Street Series. The FEAR STREET series on Netflix is screwing up Jacki's five year plan as an avid collector of the books. We chat about why we love (or hate!) Fear Street. We discuss the double edged sword of writing diverse characters and getting it "right." Recommended Reading/Viewing: We LOVE the Jersey Ghouls and so should YOU! They interviewed JASON GOES TO HELL director Adam Marcus in their latest episode. Listen HERE Check out THE LIST WE MISSED "Have you seen this movie? Nope, but we'll put it on the list!" Besties AJ & Jacki will finally get to "the list" and watch all of the movies that they tol

Welcome back to Fright School! We start this week's episode by shairng our mutual love of YOLA! Her latest record, STAND FOR MYSELF, is out NOW! Joshua joined another FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP live event. We discuss the boogeyman becoming a man with an AR-15. SPOILER ALERT for this week's episode! We checked out Ilana Glazer's latest project FALSE POSITIVE on HULU! A24 is synonymous with weird and cerebral and this film delivers (cough-cough) on both counts. We discuss comedian led horror, internalizing biological imperatives, the horrors of pregnancy, the real life Dr. Hindle, and mommy brain. Is it just gaslighting for pregnant people? Recommended Reading/Viewing: Original trailer FALSE POSITIVE (2021) Ilana Glazer gives birth to a nightmare in the pregnancy horror movie False Positive ByKatie Rife Joe clack-clack-clack-clacked his way onto THWORP! A Podcast for Big Fans! We popped up on EVERY MONTH MADNESS to discuss Queer Coded Cartoon characters! Episode 2 is HERE! Episode 1 HERE! FOLLOW US! Fac

Welcome back to Fright School! We're winding up our summer school series! Joshua checked out A QUIET PLACE II. The boys get into a heavy discussion about gender after Alok Vaid-Menon's podcast appearance on MAN ENOUGH went viral. This week we dive back into the PURGE universe with THE FOREVER PURGE. Is there a socio-political issue NOT found blood splattered and vivisectioned in this "orgy of violence"? We discuss assimilation and colonization, White supremacy, American idealization, magical Natives, and the Purge as opportunity for labor class revolution(?!). The Forever Purge asks "what happens if the Purge never stops?" We're sure Jason Blum is ecstatic it doesn't look like it ever will... Recommended Reading/Viewing: Original theatrical trailer THE FOREVER PURGE (2021) ‘The Forever Purge’ Review: Is America Finally Catching Up to the ‘Purge’ Movies? By Owen Gleiberman The Forever Purge Finally Gives Up on America By Bilge Ebiri 'Are you ready to heal?': Nonbinary activist Alok Vaid-Menon deconstruc

Welcome back for another episode of Summer Fright School! This week we welcome Adam into the Wes Craven Memorial Book Mobile to discuss WRONG TURN 2003 AND 2021! First we get caught up on all things RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE ALL STARS SEASON 6. We are finding ourselves afflicted with a new illness: Chronic Drag Race Fatigue. Joshua joined in on the #SpiralWatchParty on Twitter this week to celebrate the BluRay release of the latest in the SAW franchise. We're looking forward to discussing FEAR STREET and the work of RL Stine VERY SOON! This week we take a few WRONG TURNS! We're presenting a compare/contrast discussion looking at gender, race, class, and, of course, queerness in the original WRONG TURN and the lastest... remake? reboot? reimagining? Whatever! Gather your hiking gear (and explain what that means to Joshua), we're going really far off the trail... Recommended Reading/Viewing: Original trailer WRONG TURN (2003) Original trailer WRONG TURN (2021) Wrong Turn (2003): The Representation of Gender and C

Welcome back for another episode of Vacation Fright School! We're celebrating Pride here in San Diego! Joshua starts to talk about his Pride plans, but gets sidetracked talking about Rebel's Refinery Skull lip balm. Thankfully, we have the Goth Industrial Complex to make sure Joshua never has to use any product that isn't black and goth as fuck. We catch up on the week's viewing with AMERICAN HORROR STORIES and THE MISFITS. Joshua is reading Grady Hendrix's THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP. Joe got a subscription to FANGORIA and we chat about the latest edition's CANDYMAN articles. MORBID ANATOMY is going to be hosting an online lecture for Thomas Harris' THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS with true crime essayist Harold Schechter. This week we get in to some tough topics with JEEPERS CREEPERS (2001). This film really encapsulates the Art of Monstrous Men conversation we have had several times on the show. We examine the Queer coding of both Darry and The Creeper, the very real monster that is director Victor Salva, and th

Welcome to another episode of Vacation Fright school! We kick off by getting a little Insider Story: Podcasting. Joshua gets really confused about Jon Lovett and Jon Lovitz. Both of our beaus celebrated birthdays this past week! Joe bought The Samsquanch a cameo from JACKIE BEAT! She was perfectly hilarious! We HIGHLY (and gayly) recommend you buy a cameo from her! Use the website link NOT THE APP! We can't wait to take Jimmykins to his first drag show at Gossip Grill starring who else? JACKIE BEAT! You'd think she sent us a check, but no! We just LOVE her and you should, too! Joshua checked out VICIOUS FUN on Shudder. Joe has been enjoying LOKI on Disney+. This week we continue our summer of vacation horror with THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remake from 2003! We discuss the Platinum Dunes production company and how they kicked off a remake-a-palooza! Joshua recounts his love for the original THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (Listen to our first season episode HERE!. We chat about terrorism, the post 9/11 world, t