The Monstrous Feminine

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. 👦🏻🌽✝️👧🏼🌽✝️ 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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. 🗿☎️🚤📻🔦📘 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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. 🏚🤰🏽​​🌲👺 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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. 🌾🐰💐🌈🃏 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!” 🐝). 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! ✨ 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. 🍭👄📚🐙 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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 film to discuss is the 2019 film ‘Ma’, directed by Tate Taylor. 🍻🤘🏿🏓😈 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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. 📍🔍 💇‍♀️🗞 Cool Girl ~gender neutral~ /ku:l/ /ɡəːl/ 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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. 🎤🎀👁 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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. 🚪🍼 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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. 🎥🪓 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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 ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?’, directed by Robert Aldrich. 🎀🎤 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ 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

Our last episode featuring horrible men in horror is the 2023 psychological horror ‘Clock’, directed by Alexis Jacknow. 🕰️👶🧸 We discuss how this film accurately captures the valid psychological and physical fears of pregnancy as well as the overwhelming familial, cultural and societal pressures to bear children - grounded by the main character's Jewish heritage. We also explore how Jacknow refreshingly uses female medical procedures as a mechanism for horror. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, discussions of misogyny, anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, abortion, vaginal medical procedures and suicide

Perhaps the most on-brand film for our ‘horrible men in horror’ theme is the 2022 British folk horror film ‘Men’ directed by Alex Garland.🌲🍎 We think this film deserves more attention. In this episode, we dissect how biblical imagery is used, discuss the horrific birthing body horror and debate whether it works as a feminist 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, discussions of misogyny, domestic violence, emotional abuse, birthing trauma, religious oppression and suicide

We’re back and better than ever! Our theme this month is horrible men in horror, and of course we couldn’t do this film without talking about the 2000 classic ‘American Psycho’, directed by Mary Harron. 👔🪓 In this episode, we talk about how different demographics have interpreted this film over the years: incels and finance bros have idolised Bateman, women have recognised it as a campy satire of masculinity, queer people have read Bateman as a closeted gay man. We also discuss gender, sexuality, consumerism, capitalism, liberalism and the ‘Batemanization’ of American politics. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, discussions of toxic masculinity, misogyny, race-motivated homicide, psychopathy, narcissism and sexual assault

HAPPY PRIDE QUEERS! 🏳️‍🌈For this Pride Special, we revisit a film we covered in our very first episode: the 2009 cult classic ‘Jennifer’s Body’, directed by Karyn Kusama. 💅💋 💄 In this episode we debate the differences between desire and envy in young female friendships, investigate the queer subtext and female gaze of the film, and uncover its true villain: CHIP. 😠 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, discussions of sexism, misogyny, underage sexual harassment, sexual assault, femicide and r*pe

For our last mermaid episode of the month, we’re talking about the 2022 American psychological thriller ‘Nanny’, directed by Nikyatu Jusu. 🕷️🧜‍♀️ We discuss African deities as agents of chaos, the sense-making function of legends, and how the Mami Wata informs this film's gender, race and class commentary. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, war, discussions of anti-Black racism, classism, xenophobia and mentions of a child drowning

Continuing with our mermaid theme, we’re talking about the 2017 Swiss fantasy drama ‘Blue My Mind’, directed by Lisa Brühlmann. 🐟🧜‍♀️🌊 We discuss how this film effectively uses body horror and fantasy to portray adolescence, and is particularly anxiety-inducing because of the seemingly unavoidable sexualisation and predation that all young teen girls experience. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, mentions of body dysmorphia, eating disorders and self-mutilation (specifically, female genital mutilation and self-harm), discussions of sexual assault (specifically, gang r*pe), underage female sexualisation/predation, the exploitative nature of the porn industry, paedophilia and mentions of suicide

This month we’re talking about mermaids! 🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️ Our first ep is the 2015 Polish musical horror film, ‘The Lure’, directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska. 🌊🎤👯‍♀️ We delve into its camp musical elements, discuss how the exploration of womanhood lends itself to trans-coded readings, and debate Barbara Creed’s queer reading of 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, discussions of transphobia, body dysmorphia, societal tensions around gender affirming surgery and mentions of underage teen sexualisation

Our last eco-horror ep of the month is the 2012 American mockumentary horror ‘The Bay’, directed by Barry Levinson. ⚠️🐓 We talk about how this film hits different post-pandemic, the risk of exploitation in documentaries and governmental mismanagement of water systems. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* violence, death, climate anxiety, water contamination and pandemic anxiety

Continuing our eco-horror theme, we’re talking about the 2006 monster film, ‘The Host’, directed by Bong Joon-ho. ⚠️🐟 In this episode we discuss the influence of American neo-liberal economic policies on Korea, unpack Bong's tactical focus on the nuclear family, and delve into how oppressive systems breed nihilistic compliance. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* violence, murder, death, death of a child, pandemic anxiety and climate anxiety

“You guys made me ink!” In honour of Earth Day, we’re talking about eco-horror! 🌎 Our first episode of the month is on the 1977 Italian-American sci-fi film ‘Tentacles’, directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis. 🐙 In this episode, we describe the referential nature of low-budget 70s Italian horror, lament the blatant giant squid erasure in this film, and, despite our best efforts, descend into brief mentions of tentacle porn and the vaguely Freudian vaginal imagery of octopus beaks. 🤦🏽‍♀️ 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, climate anxiety, discussions of tentacle porn, infanticide and drowning

She's serving, your honour. 🕶️ This is our last doll horror episode of the month, and we’re talking about the sassy, c*nty sci-fi ‘M3GAN’, directed by Gerard Johnstone. 💅🔩 In this episode, we talk about the difficult balance between professional success and motherhood, debate the camp and serious elements of this film, and attempt to pinpoint exactly where AI and parenting can overlap if technology has such negative effects on impressionable young minds. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, discussions of adoption trauma and being orphaned

Hello, Good Guys™️! This is our second doll horror episode, and we’re talking about the iconic 1988 film ‘Child’s Play’, directed by Tom Holland. 🧑🏻‍🦰🚫🔋🩸 We discuss how this film toys with childhood innocence and perspective, its rather weak reliance on a serial killer origin story, and hail Chucky as a non-binary icon (you’ll have to listen in full to hear our justification for that one). 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death and mention of a child death

“My name is Talky Tina and I love you!” 💟 This is the first episode of our doll horror theme, and we’re talking about 'Living Doll' (1963) from the American television anthology series ‘The Twilight Zone’, directed by Richard C. Sarafian. 🎀🏠👨‍👩‍👧 We delve into the uncanny valley in relation to dolls, discuss the lost art of quality horror storytelling and analyse the fragility of the nuclear family structure in patriarchal suburban 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder and death

For our last romantic horror episode we are talking about the 2013 zom-rom-com ‘Warm Bodies’, directed by Jonathan Levine. 🧟‍♂️💘 First we read out your own dating horror stories. Then we discuss whether love can survive a zombie apocalypse, how apocalyptic conditions might drastically change our standards for a romantic partner, and how, much like Shaun of the Dead, this film depicts alienation during the capitalist age. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death and necrophilia

CASTING CALL: one horror fan 🥵! We’re continuing our Valentine’s theme and talking about the 1999 thriller ‘Audition’, directed by Takashi Miike. 💉👁️💉 In this episode, we delve into the objectification of women, discuss the delicate performance of gender, analyse the chasm between men and women’s emotional experiences and how, in this film, the phenomenon of physical pain somehow bridges this gap. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, discussions of misogyny, objectification, torture, body mutilation, rape, sexual violence, childhood abuse and paedophilia

Hi love birds! 🕊️This is the first episode of our Valentine’s Specials, and we’re talking about the 1999 adventure film ‘The Mummy’, directed by Stephen Sommers. 🛕🐫🏺🦂 We start by examining why exactly this is known as the Official Bisexual Awakening Movie™️ (hint: it’s the sexy cast). We then delve into how Imhotep sets the bar for side pieces everywhere. Finally, we discuss how this movie functions as a nostalgia watch, as well as its negative portrayal of Arabic people as stereotypical stock characters. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, near-strangulation by hanging, mention of suicide, discussions of the fetishisation of Egyptian women and racism

Our final episode on claustrophobic horror is the 2019 survival film ‘47 Meters Down: Uncaged’, directed by Neil Marshall. 🤿🏊‍♀️🦈 We discuss the nepo-baby casting, debate the biological accuracy of blind great whites that, for whatever reason, choose to live in confined cave systems voluntarily, and the central sisterly strife that was so severe, only multiple shark attacks could resolve it. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, drowning, shark attacks and mild bullying

Bonjour! 👩‍🎨 We’re continuing our claustrophobia theme with the 2014 American horror film ‘As Above, So Below’, directed by John Erick Dowdle. 💀💀💀 Join us as we enter the nine circles of hell and discuss wonderful things such as death, sin, satan, cavernous wombs, vlogging, eternal judgement and the sanctity of artefacts. <3 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, and brief mention of anti-semitism and parental abuse

Time to descend...this month we’re covering claustrophobia in horror! Our first film is the 2005 British adventure horror film ‘The Descent’, directed by Neil Marshall. 🕳🩸☠️ We discuss female friendships versus female competition, monstrous motherhood and the maddening effects of 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, child death, discussions of anti-Asian racism and stereotypes, and mental illness

For our last cannibalism horror episode, we’re talking about the coming-of-age road movie ‘Bones and All’ (2022), directed by Luca Guadagnino. 🦴😋 We discuss this film as a realistic depiction of the rural Midwest. We also explain how cannibalism can act as a metaphor for both queerness and addiction. Finally, we divulge our various reactions to and interpretations of Sully’s complicated (and creepy) character. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, discussions of homophobia, drug addiction, sexual assault and sex trafficking

Good evening, Clarice. This month we’re continuing our cannibalism horror theme with the 1991 masterpiece ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ directed by Jonathan Demme. 🍽️🦋🐑 We talk about Hannibal as a delicious, sassy and possibly asexual villain. We also discuss the famous tucking scene and go into depth about the transphobic elements of this film as well as the intense questions it raises about womanhood 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, transphobia, violence against trans women and sexual assault

Bon Appétit. This month we’re covering cannibalism in horror and kicking it off with ‘The Hills Have Eyes’, directed by Wes Craven. 🌕👶🏻🐺 We discuss the divide between metropolitan/rural populations and how this interacts with classism, sexism and racism. We also go into why this film fails in its intention to construct a sympathetic view of the rural working class, and how, in actual fact, it achieves the exact opposite effect. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, mention of slavery, discussions of classism, indigenous American genocide, rape and sexual assault, incest, misogyny and ableism

Hello, my lunar lovelies. This is our last film of the month covering werewolves and we’re talking about the dark fantasy horror ‘Good Manners’, directed by Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra. 🌕👶🏻🐺 In this episode we discuss the class and race dynamics within the central queer relationship, the body horror of pregnancy and motherhood as sacrifice. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, mention of slavery, discussions of class exploitation, racial exploitation, death during pregnancy and child death

Spooky month is continuing with werewolves, and we’re covering one of our favourite films: the angsty teen flick, ‘Ginger Snaps’ (2000), directed by John Fawcett. 🩸🐺💉 In this episode we discuss how this film defies the stereotypically masculine lore of the werewolf, the body horror of puberty and the complexities of sisterly bonds. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, sexism, misogyny, discussions of sexual harassment, young girls' sexual exploitation and (statutory) rape

Happy October - this month we’re talking about werewolves. To kick it all off, we cover the 1981 comedy ‘An American Werewolf in London’, directed by John Landis. We discuss werewolf lore, lament the loss of cool prosthetics and gory special effects to CGI, and wonder at the film's British/American cultural chasms. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa and Mila Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, suicide, mentions of a miscarriage and discussions of misogyny (lad banter)

Hey hot girls! 💋 For our last episode of the month on horror games, we’re talking about Halina Reijn’s dark comedy ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’. 🌧 🗡📱🩸😵 We read this film as a comedic satire of GenZ and performative ‘woke’ culture, discuss misogynistic left-leaning men and delve into the gay drama between Amandla Stenberg and Lena Wilson after that NY Times review. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, death, violence, gun violence, discussions of gaslighting, women’s sexual exploitation in film and discussions of drug addiction

Continuing with our horror games theme, we are covering the 2021 drama `We're All Going to the World's Fair’, directed by Jane Schoenbrun. 💻🧸🔫 We talk about the disturbing loneliness and predation within early internet cultures, the various trans-coded readings of this film and why this movie acts as a good warning to GenZ. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, grooming, paedophilia, discussions of mental illnesses, mentions of school shootings and gun violence

I WANT TO PLAY A GAME. This month is all about horror games, and we’re kicking it off with the iconic 2004 film ‘Saw’ directed by James Wan. 🌀📼🦶🏻 We discuss games of choice, analyse how the Saw franchise spawned an era of gratuitous violence in horror, talk about the uneven distribution of punishment throughout the franchise and debate whether Saw has a punitive moral message. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, limb amputation, mentions of rape, drug addiction, infanticide and postnatal depression

HOWDY! Our last horror western of the month is Jordan Peele’s genre-bending 2022 film, ‘NOPE’. 🏇🏿🎐 We discuss space as the new frontier for the western, the importance of documentation for Black Americans and how capitalism turns life experiences into commodified spectacles. Also Keke Palmer playing an eccentric lesbian >>> 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, Black American slavery, anti-Black racism/discrimination, workers’ and Black exploitation, mentions of claustrophobia, decapitation, mass shootings, animal cruelty and police brutality

RIDE 'EM COWBOY. Our second horror western of the month is the 2019 film ‘Bacurau’, directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles 🚰🔫🩸 We discuss the global western, racial and class politics in Brazil and the importance of community within 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, indigenous genocide, racism, police brutality and child death

YEEHAW. We’re doing horror westerns this month and kicking off season 3 with the 2018 femme-centric Western ‘The Wind’, directed by Emma Tammi 🌬️🤰🏻⚰️ We summarise key themes of the genre, explore madness and sexism in relation to the Wild West, and pinpoint the truest horror of them all: being alone with a man in the middle of fucking nowhere. 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! ✨ The Coven: Zeba, Louisa, Mila and Tyia Theme and ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, indigenous genocide, still birth, miscarriage, sexism, gun violence and mental illness

Here it is: an extra main episode for Pride month! We watched the new Netflix vampire show 'First Kill', created by Victoria Schwab. 💉❤️ We chat about nostalgia for teen vampire media and the place for lesbian romance in YA fiction. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, lesbian discrimination, discussions of misandry and a brief mention of paedophilia

Our next (queer) vampire film of Pride month is the 2008 Swedish romance-horror 'Let the Right One In', directed by Tomas Alfredson. 🩸🚪🧛‍♂️ We discuss the differences between the book and film, gender in relation to the supernatural and question the disturbing ambiguities of age 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’. For bonus content, support us on Patreon! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, sexual abuse, paedophilia, genital mutilation (castration), discussion of transphobia and discussion of HIV AIDS paranoia

We’re continuing our (queer) vampire theme with the 2002 rocker-horror 'Queen of the Damned', directed by Michael Rymer. 🩸🎸🎤🩸 In this episode we talk about vampirism as a metaphor for closeted queerness, Anne Rice as the mutha-fuckin BLUEPRINT for emo vampires and the vampire Queen Akasha as a mon-fem mother figure. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, discussions of grooming, sexual abuse and paedophilia (in relation to Aaliyah and R Kelly)

Happy Pride, homos! This month we’re covering the gayest horror film of them all: vampires! And we’re kicking it off with the 1971 erotic horror ‘Daughters of Darkness’, directed by Harry Kümel. 🩸💄👄 In this episode we discuss the graphic violence against women in this film, talk about the relationship between vampirism and female sexuality, and try to pinpoint what exactly we mean by ‘the female gaze’. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, graphic domestic abuse, mentions of sexual coercion, discussions of biphobia and spousal rape

This week we’re finishing off our voodoo theme with season 3 of the 2013 show 'American Horror Story', 'Coven'. 💀🧙‍♀️ In this episode we discuss Angela Bassett in all her glory, debate whether witchcraft borrows from Voodooism, and scrutinise the representation and treatment of Black characters in this series. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, sexual violence (rape/gang rape), anti-Black racism, slavery, beastiality, incest and paedophilia

This week we’re continuing our voodoo theme with the 1997 drama ‘Eve’s Bayou’, directed by Kasi Lemmons. 🩺🥼💔😵 In this episode we discuss indie filmmaking, loss of innocence and intergenerational trauma in relation to slavery. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, death, sexual violence, grooming, rape, paedophilia, incest, slavery and infanticide

This month is all about voodoo! We’re starting with the 1988 film ‘The Serpent and the Rainbow’, directed by Wes Craven. 🐍🌈 In this episode we discuss the weirdly kinky torture scene, the colonial male gaze and the exoticism of voodoo/Haiti. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, death, graphic violence, torture and political unrest

Wrapping up our horror ha-ha theme, we’re talking about the 2011 horror comedy film ‘Attack the Block’, directed by Joe Cornish. 🐺🔫🎒🇬🇧 We admire John Boyega, discuss the intersection between class and race politics in Britain, and debate the use of aliens as a metaphor for police violence. Enjoy! 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, death, youth gang violence (specifically knife crime), discussions of violence against women and discussions of anti-Black racism and prejudice

Continuing with our horror ha-ha theme this month, we’re moving on to the 2011 meta-horror comedy ‘Cabin in the Woods’, directed by Drew Goddard. 🌲🏚️🧟🥼 We discuss horror as an expression of society’s repressed desires, debate whether or not modern horror films still use stereotypical tropes of the genre, and talk about the place of the male gaze in a film intending to satirise voyeurism. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, brief mention of the KKK and a statement addressing the allegations against Joss Whedon about on-set abuse

For this month’s theme we’re talking about what puts the ha-ha in horror. The first film we’re covering is Edgar Wright’s popular British zombie comedy from 2004, ‘Shaun of the Dead'. 🧟‍♂️🍺 We go over the film's potential class commentary, potential Freudian interpretations and potential queerness. Basically, 'Shaun of the Dead' is RIFE with deeper meaning, if you want it to be. Go listen. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence and death

Hola - our final creature feature of the month is Guillermo del Toro’s 2006 masterpiece, ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’.👞🍇🖐️👀🖐️🧚🩸 In this episode, we discuss what makes a good monster, the role of imagination and escapism, the sacrificial demands of motherhood and the subconscious presence of various mythologies in horror 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’. For bonus episodes, become a Patron! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Mentions of: murder, graphic, violence, death, warfare and torture

Hello jello! Our second creature feature film of the month is the 1988 sci-fi horror film ‘The Blob’, directed by Chuck Russell. 🌠🧫🧯👨🏿‍🚀🧊 In this episode, we discuss the differences between the original and the remake, debate the physics of the blob and its vulvic appearance, and admire older horrors’ ruthless ability to kill off main characters like it's no biggie. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, acid burns, mentions of the Cold War, r*pe and drug-facilitated sexual assault

Hi there, monsters. This month we will be talking about creature features, starting with the classic Japanese sci-fi horror film, 'Godzilla' (1954).🔥 🦖 In this episode, we discuss how the Western remakes dilute the original film’s poignant political message, and how the 1954 'Godzilla' navigates the ethics of warfare and the implementation of scientific discoveries, which have devastating consequences. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, war (nuclear warfare - specifically the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki), anti-Asian racism, and Japanese colonialism

Happy Valentine's Day, lovers!💋 To celebrate we’re talking about the 2016 cult horror-comedy, ‘The Love Witch’, directed by Anna Biller. 💟🗡️🩸 We muse over just how DOWN BAD Elaine is, discuss the film’s portrayal of compulsory heterosexuality, and debate the limits of self-objectification as a means for empowerment. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder and discussions of misogyny

For our last Bollywood horror episode of the month, we’re tackling the 2020 Hindi-language horror 2018 film ‘Bulbbul’, directed by Anvita Dutt Guptan. 🌕🔴🦶🏽 First we discuss the folklore surrounding the churail – a Southeast Asian witch – and Anita Dutt’s tragic/feminist twist on the legend. We then go into the potential aestheticisation of violence against women and ableist plot device. Finally, we praise this film’s expert encapsulation of the ‘nice guy’ trope. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder, discussions of colonialism in India, discussions of misogyny, graphic rape description, discussions of ableism and graphic domestic violence description

This month we’re continuing our exploration of Bollywood horror, and talking about the Hindi-language horror 2018 film ‘Tumbbad’, directed by Anand Gandhi and Rahi Anil Barve. 👛👺 First of all, we talk about the STRONG monstrous womb vibes in this film, and what this means metaphorically. Next, we explain how this morality tale is being used to comment on greed in both colonial and post-colonial India. Finally, we talk about how a system which relies on the privatisation of land fosters a culture of misogyny. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder, mentions of rape, discussions of colonialism in India and discussions of misogyny

Happy New Year! This month we’re diving into Bollywood horror, and to kick off 2022, we’re covering the 1992 Indian Hindi-Telugu supernatural horror, ‘Raat’, directed by Ram Gopal Varma. 🐈💀 Firstly, we go through some tropes of Bollywood horror films, and the genre’s place on the world stage in the 90s. We then move on to talk about the monstrous feminine and its relation to possession in this film. Finally, we debate the porous boundaries between medical diagnoses and the supernatural. 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! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, mentions of domestic abuse and discussion of mental illness

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! To wrap up the holiday season, we talk about the 2015 horror anthology 'A Christmas Horror Story', directed by Steve Hoban, Grant Harvey and Brett Sullivan. ✝️🐐👯🎅🏻🎄 🧟​​ In this episode we discuss the four story segments in turn, and delve into Catholicism, Krampus lore, Freud, and, most insightfully, zombie elves. 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, child abuse and abortion

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! To continue with the festivities, this episode we talk about the 2015 horror comedy, 'Krampus', directed by Michael Dougherty. 🐐🎅🏻🔮 We had a hard time categorising this film within the comedy genre: is it a critical satire that mocks to make a point or just bad slapstick? We also went into the strange folklore that relied on shoehorning in a Nazi Germany subplot, which felt inappropriate and incongruent. Finally, we discussed the issue of fat phobia in American comedy. 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, murder, death, discussions of Nazi Germany and anti-semitism, and discussions of fatphobia

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! This month we’re doing a few festive films for the holiday season. To kick things off, we’re covering the 1984 film, 'Gremlins', directed by Joe Dante. 🎄🕛 🥪🐲💦🐲🐲🐲 We (Louisa) make a big reach and discuss this film as a possible parody of anti-communist rhetoric in Cold War America. No, I will not elaborate. Go listen if you want to know what I mean. 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Murder, violence, death, discussions of anti-Asian racism and discussions of anti-Semitism

Next up for our doppelgängers theme is the 2019 film ‘Metamorphosis’, directed by Kim Hong-Sun. ✝️ There’s a lot to unpack here. Firstly, we talk about the strange absence of Korean cultural signifiers in this film, and unpick some inconsistencies in the narrative. We then move on to discuss how this film uses doubles to explore the crisis of the family, and to what effect. Finally, we praise the film’s fascinating use of possession lore with the doppelgängers theme to create something genuinely disturbing and relatively unique. 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder, sexual abuse, mentions of incest/paedophilia and religious fanaticism

Next up for our doppelgängers theme is Jordan Peele’s 2019 film, ‘Us’. ✂️🐇🤝 We ask a lot of questions. Firstly, is Peele making a comment on charity in America with the ‘Hands Across America’ reference? Secondly, in what ways do wealth and class affect the Black American experience? Finally, how does this film work as an abolitionist narrative? 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder, anti-Black racism, classism, neglect and mental illness

NEW MONTH NEW THEME, and this time it’s doppelängers. To kick off one of our favourite horror themes, we're talking about the 2010 film 'Black Swan', directed by Darren Aronofsky. 🩰🖤🦢 I won’t lie to you, a lot of this episode is thirsting, but that’s only fitting for the Mila/Natalie sex scene that threw a whole generation into gay panic. But never fear, there are some critical analyses of body horror as well as sexual exploitation in the dance industry. We also talk about the male gaze and wonder if Aronofsky accurately depicts female competition. 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder, body mutilation, suicide, sexual abuse/exploitation and mental illness

BE MY VICTIM! This is our last episode of the month tackling lore in horror and we’ve chosen the much anticipated 'Candyman' sequel, directed by Nia DaCosta. 🍬🐝 We have a lot of questions. How does this sequel engage with the original film’s lore? Are some of the reviews being unfair? Is it possible for Black artists to exploit Black pain for white audiences? And finally, should this have just been a remake rather than a sequel? Find out here! 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder, paedophilia, body mutilation, discussions of extreme anti-Black racism and suicide

This week we are continuing our analysis of lore in horror! 📚 Last week we talked about 'The Babadook', so we had to talk about his boyfriend Pennywise in the 2017 'It' movie, directed by Andrés Muschietti. 🤡🎈 We start by confessing our love for Pennywise as a comedic agent of chaos. We then debated whether or not there is a place for children in horror - does including them cross a line, or does their presence mean the film is able to access a deep primal fear for adult audiences? Finally, we delved into the depiction of sexual abuse in this film, and discussed the excessive predation all young girls experience generally. 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder, paedophilia, sexual abuse, mentions of racism and sexual harassment

Welcome back to the podcast where horrible humans talk about horror. We are now releasing weekly episodes under a monthly theme, and our theme for October is...HORROR LORE! 📚 Of course we have to start with Jennifer Kent's 2014 film ‘The Babadook’. 🎩🏳️‍🌈 First we tackle the great debate: ‘Is the Babadook gay?’. We then move on to discuss how this film works as an excellent metaphor for motherhood, depression and grief, and what lore means for children versus adults. Finally, we ponder why we love camp/queer-coded villains so much. 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. Engage with our content across all platforms to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Support us on Patreon for bonus content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Mila, Louisa and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Violence, death, murder, discussions of homophobia

Welcome back to the Monstrous Feminine Podcast! This month our theme is found footage! 🎥 📺 We ask a lot of questions. Firstly, how has found footage evolved over the years with different technology? What is it about the sub-genre that people find so frightening? Are found footage protagonists always dislikable because they just won’t stop filming? What’s next for this genre? Listen now to join these conversations! To prepare go find this footage: 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999 dir. Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick) 📹⛺🌲, 'Paranormal Activity' (2007 dir. Oren Peli) 👻🚪🏠 and 'Afflicted' (2014 dir. Derek Lee, Clif Prowse) 🧠🩸🚑. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Please support us on Patreon for extended episodes! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* The Blair Witch Project (09:34-28:28) - violence, death, murder, sexism and gaslighting Paranormal Activity (28:28-44:41) - violence, death, murder, suicide, sexism and rape Afflicted (44:41-1:06:49) - violence, death, murder, sexism, paedophilia and suicide

Welcome back coven! It’s hot girl summer, which means we gotta talk about summer horror! ☀️ 😎 In this episode, we focus on the brand new summer 2021 release on Netflix: the 'Fear Street Trilogy', directed by Leigh Janiak. 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 ✩🦴 We talk about the queer representation and portrayal of female relationships, the gendered treatment and stigmatisation of magic throughout history, and the metaphoric exploration of different oppressive systems in America across these 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Please support us on Patreon for extended episodes! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Intro (1:22-13:15) - violence, death, murder, abuse, racism and slavery Fear Street Part One: 1994 (13:15-41:34) - violence, death, murder, sexism and rape Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (41:34-1:03:02) - violence, death, murder and sexism Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (1:03:02-1:34:47) - violence, death, murder, sexism, homophobia, paedophilia, racism and self harm

IT’S SHARK WEEK BABY! To celebrate this cherished holiday, we discuss the epitome of great cinema: shark horror! 🦈 I won’t lie to you, this episode is chaos. First we regale you with some shark facts because we are first and foremost, academics. Next, we establish why shark movies get a sexism pass from us. We then examine shark horror in relation to castration anxiety and crises of masculinity. We ask a key question here - what is it about boats and water that make men a lil fruity? Finally, we talk about the prominent male gaze in shark movies. Go treat yourself and watch 'Jaws' (1975 dir. Steven Spielberg)⛵🦈 and 'Deep Blue Sea' (1999 dir. Renny Harlin) 🧠💉. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Please support us on Patreon for extended episodes and more! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* Shark facts (03:15-03:30): dolphin rape (🐬😧) Jaws (11:28-37:45): violence, death, sexism, war and discussions of racist anti-Asian symbolism Deep Blue Sea (37:45-51:55): violence, death, sexism and mention of Alzheimer's disease

Welcome to Season 2 of The Monstrous Feminine! To celebrate Pride month, we look at depictions of queerness in horror! 🏳️‍🌈 We cover a lot of ground in this episode. To start it off, we theorise why horror is appealing to queer audiences, and descend into ✨discourse✨ about pink-washing. We then move on to discuss why there is so much doppel-banging in queer horror. We also explore why telekinesis is a useful metaphor for repressing queerness. Finally, we scrutinise the links between religion, queerness and horror. Check it out! Get ready and go watch 'The Hunger' (1983 dir. Tony Scott) 🧑🏻‍🎤🩸⚰️, 'Thelma' (2017 dir. Joachim Trier) 🧠🙇🏼‍♀️🙏🏻, and 'Saint Maud' (2020 dir. Rose Glass) 👩🏻‍⚕️✝️🔥. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Please support us on Patreon for more content! ✨ The Coven: Tyia, Louisa, Mila and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING* The Hunger (0:24:35-0:43:36): violence, death, paedophilia, (child) murder, grooming, incest, HIV AIDs epidemic and homophobia Thelma (0:43:36-1:08:11): violence, death, homophobia, religious trauma, sexual coercion, drugging, gaslighting and (infant) murder Saint Maud (1:08:11-1:42:19): violence, death, homophobia, religious trauma/fanaticism, rape, murder, self harm and suicide

We’re finally here - welcome to the season finale of The Monstrous Feminine! In this episode we reminisce about our first year as a coven, and discuss one of our foundational themes: the witch! 🧹 But we have a lot of questions. First of all, how do aesthetics affect depictions of magic and horror? What is the relationship between body horror and witchcraft? Why do witches in films always seem to centre their spells around men? And finally, why are we seeing such a boom in ‘girlboss’ horror films, and please God, can someone tell us how to stop it?! To prepare for the last episode of Season 1 go watch the iconic 'Suspiria' (1977 dir. Dario Argento) 🚦🧙‍♀️, 'Suspiria' (2018 dir. Luca Guadagnino) 🩰🦴 and 'The Craft: Legacy' (2020 dir. Zoe Lister-Jones) 🔮💩. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. ✨ Thank you for supporting us and our podcast baby! We look forward to seeing you next time for Season 2! 😈 The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: discussions of suicide, abuse, sexual assault, racism, violence, murder and Jewish genocide*

Welcome back to The Monstrous Feminine - the podcast where horrible humans talk about horror. For this episode, we delve into the most classic horror subgenre: ZOMBIES! 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ We start by spilling some piping hot tea about new-wave feminism that some of y’all might not be ready to hear. 🐸☕️ We then move on to discuss how the zombie genre works as a mode of capitalist critique. Finally, we debate the politics of immunity when race is involved. Check it out! Prepare your brainz by watching 'Sugar Hill' (1974 dir. Paul Maslansky) 🍰☠️, 'Train to Busan' (2016 dir. Yeon Sang-ho) 🚅😭 and 'Blood Quantum' (2019 dir. Jeff Barnaby) 🩸⚔️. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: discussions of anti-Black racism, suicide, abuse, sexual assault, rape, violence, murder and indigenous genocide*

Greetings loved ones. Welcome back to The Monstrous Feminine - the podcast where horrible humans talk about horror. This episode is our Valentine’s Day special so we’re going to be talking all about love and romance in horror. 💋 We were equal parts amused and horrified by our selections this week. To begin with, does Mila need therapy for suggesting we watch ‘Possession’? Can bad wigs be responsible for a film’s failure? Why don’t cis male filmmakers know how to write a “nice guy” character? Find out here! To get ready, go watch 'Possession' (1981 dir. Andrzej Żuławski)🦑❤️, 'Vampire in Brooklyn' (1995 dir. Wes Craven) 🧛🏾‍♂️👮🏾‍♀️ and 'Spring' (2014 dir. Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead) 🧬🌷. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: discussions of miscarriage, suicide, abuse, sexual assault, rape, violence and murder*

Welcome back to 'The Monstrous Feminine’ - the podcast where horrible humans talk about horror. In this episode, we explore how virginity and female sexuality are manifested through the subgenre of body horror. Do your homework and watch 'Teeth' (2007 dir. Mitchell Lichtenstein) 🦈🌮, 'It Follows' (2014 dir. David Robert Mitchell) 💦💀 and 'Raw' (2016 dir. Julia Ducournau) 🍖❤️. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: discussions of cannibalism, sexual assault, rape, suicide, violence and murder*

Happy Holidays! Welcome back to 'The Monstrous Feminine’ - the podcast where horrible humans talk about horror. In this Holiday special, we tackle some films set around Christmastime! 🎄🎁 We have a lot of thoughts. Firstly, is it scarier when the killer’s backstory remains unknown to the audience? Are we too harsh on films directed by women? And finally, what happens to horror when children become the villains? To prepare yourself, go watch the original ‘Black Christmas’ (1974 dir. Bob Clark) 👁️☎️, the 2019 ‘Black Christmas’ remake (dir. Sophia Takal) ☃️🏹 and ‘The Lodge’ (2019 dir. Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala) ❄️✝️. If you can, please consider donating to this charity this holiday season: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/resilient-indigenous-youth-mental-health-campaign/donate/ 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: discussions of gaslighting, sexual assault, rape, suicide, violence, murder, abuse and paedophilia*

Welcome back to 'The Monstrous Feminine’ - the podcast where horrible humans talk about horror. In this episode the coven delves into the teen horror —and boy, does it get messy. 💋 As we reflect on this subgenre, we find ourselves pondering: are the depictions of teenage girls ever realistic in these movies? Is the horror genre just an excuse to explore young queer fantasies? Has anyone else noticed that the “not like other girls” girl is…exactly like other girls? Find out in this episode! Stay in the loop and go watch ‘Battle Royale’ (2000 dir. Kinji Fukasaku) ⚔️👑👩🏻‍🏫, ‘Memento Mori’ (1999 dir. Kim Tae-yong, Min Kyu-dong) 👻📖👯 and ‘The Craft’ (1996 dir. Andrew Fleming) ✏️🔮🐍. (P.S. Someone tell Rachel True to come on the pod and do a tarot reading with us!) 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: discussions of suicide, violence, murder, explicit homophobia and racism, sexual assault, rape and paedophilia*

Welcome to the Halloween special of ‘The Monstrous Feminine’! 🧙🏾‍♀️ To celebrate the spookiest day of the year, we have broken down the classic horror trope: Scream Queens 👑. We have a lot of questions about these horror divas. Where did this trope come from? How does it change when it’s applied to a man? Can a character who is deaf and nonverbal classify as a Scream Queen? Check out this episode to hear what we have to say! Before you listen, go watch the iconic ‘Halloween’ (1978 dir. John Carpenter) 🎃, the queer af film, ‘Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge’ (1986 dir. Jack Sholder) 💅🏼 and the newer release, ‘Hush’ (2016 dir. Mike Flanagan) 🤫. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: mentions of violence, homophobia, murder, sexual assault, rape and paedophilia*

Hello my little lamb 🐑. Welcome back to ‘The Monstrous Feminine’ - the podcast where horrible humans talk about horror. This week, we’re delving into Tyia’s personal favourite brand of horror: cult horror. 😈 The coven has a lot of questions. To begin with, what defines a cult? Next, is period blood the secret ingredient to any successful love potion? Finally, how does a matriarchal cult compare to a patriarchal one? Find out in this episode! To get clued up, go watch Ari Aster’s 2019 masterpiece ‘Midsommar’☀️💐 and the newest cult horror added to the mix by Małgorzata Szumowska, ‘The Other Lamb’ 🐏 🧶. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: mentions of violence, suicide, murder, sexual assault, gaslighting, abuse, grooming, paedophilia, drugging and rape.*

You’ve clicked on the right podcast. This week, ‘The Monstrous Feminine’ is discussing a new subgenre of horror: desktop horror. Born from media horror and found-footage horror, these films take place on the computer screen via webcam and social media. 🖥 ⌨️ The witches have a lot of questions about this new horror category. For example, how accurate are the depictions of cyberbullying? Does the representation of women change in this particular genre? Finally, is it really possible for ghosts to travel through wifi? Find out here! To prepare yourself, go watch ‘Unfriended’ (2014 dir. Levan Gabriadze) 💻 💬, ‘Unfriended: Dark Web’ (2018 dir. Stephen Susco) 👨🏻‍💻🌐 and ‘Host’ (2020 dir. Rob Savage) 🕯📶. 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 to be our next ‘Witch of the Week’. Keep watching this space for more upcoming spook! ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Theme Music and Transitions by: Ruud Bemelmans ‘Witch of the Week’ Music by: Sebastian Pizzaro *CONTENT WARNING: mentions of violence, suicide, cyberbullying, cyberstalking and sexual assault*

Welcome back to ‘The Monstrous Feminine’ - the podcast where horrible humans talk about horror. 👄 In this episode, we tackle the last of Barbara Creed’s female horror tropes: the monstrous womb. We want to know why the canon of womb-related horror is so white; why the image of a fertile woman is so limited; and why men are so concerned with regulating our bodies. We also descend into a full-blown argument about one of the films mentioned, so stay til the end for some tea. ☕️ To get clued up, go watch dirtbag Polanski’s 1968 horror classic ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ 😈👶🏻 and Christian Volckman’s 2019 film ‘The Room’ 🤞🏻🏚. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Soundcloud and Spotify @themonstrousfemininepodcast & Twitter @themonfempod, and keep watching this space for more upcoming witchcraft! ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Music by: Ruud Bemelmans *CONTENT WARNING: strong language and discussions of miscarriages, paedophilia, gaslighting, abuse, abortion, rape and other sexual violence*

In the latest episode of ‘The Monstrous Feminine’, the witches take a little break from the teachings of Barbara Creed to school us all on the history of Black representation in horror. ✊🏽 ✊🏾 ✊🏿 Black horror, or ‘Horror Noire’ as dubbed by Dr Robin R. Means Coleman, has evolved tremendously over the last century. But the journey has not been easy. From being portrayed as irredeemable monsters, to becoming the sacrificial sidekick or the sympathetic killer, it is only more recently that Black characters have been able to flip the switch entirely and play heroic protagonists (who actually survive). But we still have a lot of questions. What social factors led to the creation of Blaxploitation horror films like ‘Blacula’? 🧛🏾‍♂️ Was Black representation set back with ‘Candyman’? 🐝 And finally, do we need a sequel to ‘Get Out’ where Rose is actually held accountable for her actions? ☕️ So sit back and enjoy this hour and a half long special. Remember to watch 'Blacula' (1972 dir. William Crain), ‘Candyman’ (1992 dir. Bernard Rose) and ‘Get Out’ (2017 dir. Jordan Peele) beforehand so that these femme fatales don’t spoil it for you. 😈 Be sure to follow us on Instagram @themonstrousfemininepodcast & Twitter @themonfempod, and keep watching this space for more upcoming spooky fun! ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Music by: Ruud Bemelmans *CONTENT WARNING: strong language and discussions of suicide as well as racial and sexual violence*

If you thought corona would stop us, you were sorely mistaken. ‘The Monstrous Feminine’ podcast is back (over Zoom) and better than ever! 😈 As May is the month for celebrating mothers, in Episode 2, the coven decided to explore the theme of ‘monstrous motherhood’. Continuing with our countdown of Barbara Creed’s female horror tropes, we discussed her two classifications of malicious mums: the archaic mother and the castrating mother. …and boy, do we have a LOT of questions. How does the mother come to symbolise the point of origin and death? Why does society fear ‘artificial' reproduction? Is the stereotype of an overbearing mother just an excuse to pardon the mama’s boy for his perverse obsessions? Find out here! Before you listen, go watch the legendary ‘Alien’ franchise (dir. Ridley Scott) 👽, ‘Annihilation’ (2018 dir. Alex Garland) 🧬 and ‘Psycho’ (1960 dir. Alfred Hitchcock) 🔪, as these hell-dames are about to give away some massive spoilers! Be sure to follow us on Instagram @themonstrousfemininepodcast & Twitter @themonfempod, and keep watching this space for more upcoming spooky fun! ✨ The Coven: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Zeba Music by: Ruud Bemelmans *CONTENT WARNING: strong language and minor mentions of suicide and sexual violence*

Congratulations — you’ve stumbled across our coven. 🧙‍♀️ Welcome. In this pilot episode, we discuss what exactly makes the women we see in horror films so ‘monstrous’. Are the women actually the victims? If they are, how do they become the monsters? Can they ever be both? We answer these questions using three tropes explored in the 1993 text of the same title by feminist film critic, Barbara Creed: the witch, the possessed woman, and the female vampire. To help us out, we interviewed a special guest: K/XI, director and creator of the independent horror film company @badwolffilms. 🐺 So go watch ‘Carrie’ (1976 dir. Brian De Palma), ‘Jennifer’s Body’ (2009 dir. Karyn Kusama) and ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’ (2014 dir. Ana Lily Amirpour), as these witchy bitches are about to give away all the spoilers. 😈 Hosts: Louisa, Mila, Tyia and Mina Music by: Ruud Bemelmans Editors: Marina Ashioti and Zeba Arora Be sure to follow us on Instagram @themonstrousfemininepodcast & Twitter @themonfempod, and keep watching this space for more upcoming spooky fun! ✨ *CONTENT WARNING: strong language and minor mentions of suicide and sexual violence*