Morally Offensive

Morally Offensive
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Film History
  • Updated Biweekly

Morally Offensive is a weekly film podcast about the movies the Catholic Church tried to warn you about. We revisit films “Condemned” by the Legion of Decency, unpacking the outrage, the censorship, and the cultural shifts behind them. 

  1. 4d ago

    The First Omen (2024) Part 2: The Anti-Christ and the Catholics Who Love Him (ft. Tif Robinette) | Filthy Habits

    Co-Hosts Dr. Jess and Bill are joined again by Tif Robinette for part two of their series on The First Omen (2024), focusing on the film’s third act, religious horror themes, and connections to the larger Omen franchise. They get into the film’s cinematography, the obvious influence of Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession, and the way director Arkasha Stevenson blends psychological horror, Catholic horror, and themes of bodily autonomy, pregnancy, and church control. The conversation also turns toward modern politics, the Antichrist as a political figure, and why certain strains of reactionary Catholicism seem less concerned with morality than with defeating secular culture at any cost. We also spend time on the film’s treatment of abortion and reproductive control, including one of the movie’s stranger details: why exactly does a priest have an abortion doctor on speed dial? Along the way, we get into The Omen timeline, laicized priests, Donald Trump tear-gassing Catholic nuns, and whether The Omen franchise is perhaps less Catholic and more Protestant in its worldview, given its suspicion of the Vatican and obsession with biblical apocalypse and end-times prophecy. If you’re interested in horror movies, Catholic horror, The Omen franchise, religious conspiracy films, or the political themes behind modern horror cinema, this episode is for you. Support the show: FILTHY HABITS T-SHIRTS AND MERCH ARE IN! Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ SUPPORT THE SHOW JUST BECAUSE Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod Follow Tif Robinette at: https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodjunkyard/

    51 min

  2. May 26

    The First Omen (2024) Part 1: The Anti-Christ Goes to the Disco (ft. Tif Robinette) | Filthy Habits

    Bill and Jess are joined by horror author and screenwriter Tif Robinette for the first of a two part discussion on The First Omen. What starts as a conversation about the newest entry in the Omen franchise turns into a much larger discussion about Italy in the 1970s, institutional power, the antichrist, apocalypse, conspirituality, and what this films does to differentiate itself, while still being part of an iconic horror franchise. The episode covers the Years of Lead and the atmosphere of political violence hanging over the period the film is trying to recreate, along with discussions of mother and baby homes, bodily autonomy, and the way the film approaches pregnancy and body horror.  Bill spends part of the episode derailing the conversation into a rant about Italy’s beat nightclub era, the cultural shift into Disco (and later on Italo Disco) while going through the needle drops in the film, which cover very different eras of Italian nightlife. The episode also looks at the movie’s visual style, its use of Catholic imagery, and why it feels closer to European horror filmmaking than most modern studio horror releases. Part one focuses on a Catholic review from our favourite "Morally Offensive" critic John Mulderig from OSV News (the latest incarnation of the USCCB film rankings), why we can't help making fun of John's insistence on calling the young women in the film "tarts", and the the historical and cultural backdrop surrounding the film. The upcoming second episode will move further into the franchise, production history, and the larger themes running through the series. Support the show: FILTHY HABITS T-SHIRTS AND MERCH ARE IN! Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ SUPPORT THE SHOW JUST BECAUSE Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod Follow Tif Robinette at: https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodjunkyard/

    1h 28m

  3. May 18

    Killer Nun (1979): So Offensive That One of Us Walked Out After 10 Minutes | Filthy Habits

    Bill and Stephanie are joined once again by returning guest Christopher Hoppe, previously heard on the show’s Stigmata episode, to discuss the notorious 1979 nunsploitation film Killer Nun starring Anita Ekberg and Joe Dallesandro. Inspired by a real, true crime case, the film follows Sister Gertrude, a morphine dependent nun whose grip on reality steadily collapses inside a convent hospital. The episode covers the strange intersection of Catholic imagery, Italian exploitation cinema, psychological horror, and late 1970s grindhouse filmmaking, along with Anita Ekberg’s career after La Dolce Vita and the larger wave of controversial religious horror films coming out of Italy at the time. Stephanie, however, barely made it through the movie. About ten minutes in, the dentures scene had her exiting the screening room, leaving Bill and Christopher to continue through the film’s murders, hallucinations, casual hookups, elder abuse, ludicrous nude scenes, and drug abuse. We're also discussing cult cinema, giallo films, actors in political exile,  nunsploitation, Catholicism, and one of the more notorious entries in 1970s Italian horror. Support the show: FILTHY HABITS T-SHIRTS AND MERCH ARE IN! Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ SUPPORT THE SHOW JUST BECAUSE Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod Follow Christopher Hoppe at: https://www.tiktok.com/@onsetlocationnyc

    1h 20m

  4. May 4

    Benedetta (2021) Part 2: Burning Charismatics & Blasphemous Sex Toys (ft. Veronica Novotny, Leave Laugh Love) | Filthy Habits

    In Part II, Bill and Stephanie get into the plot of Benedetta, and break down the story, the performances, and why this film stirred up so much controversy around Catholic mysticism, sainthood, visions, and miracles. They are once again joined by co-host of the Leave, Laugh, Love Podcast, Veronica Novotny, who once contemplated convent life. In this episode, the three address Benedetta’s ecstatic visions, the plague backdrop of the film, they address THAT Virgin Mary statue, and ask whether or not the Pear of Anguish was actually a commonly used torture device during the witch trial and heretic burning era of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation.  There’s also a closer look at Paul Verhoeven and his career, including Basic Instinct, Showgirls, RoboCop, and Flesh and Blood, and his surprsing side gig as a Jesus expert. Check out the Leave, Laugh, Love podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leave-laugh-love/id1755663974 Support the show: FILTHY HABITS T-SHIRTS AND MERCH ARE IN! Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ SUPPORT THE SHOW JUST BECAUSE Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 10m

  5. Apr 24

    Benedetta (2021) Part I: Vocation, Rejection, & Speaking in Tongues (ft. Veronica Novotny, Leave Laugh Love) | Filthy Habits

    Bill and Stephanie are joined by Veronica (Leave, Laugh, Love) to talk about Benedetta—starting with her own experience discerning religious life, and the moment that path ended when she was denied entry to a convent because she’s a lesbian. From there, the conversation moves through fundamentalist Catholic spaces and the charismatic movement, touching on ideas like vocation, discernment, religious orders, and what it actually means to be “called” in a system with hard boundaries. We also get into the reaction to Benedetta, including a harsh condemnation from Tradition, Family, Property and a more favorable take that approaches the film on its own terms. Along the way, we set the stage for Part II with some context on director Paul Verhoeven—known for films like Basic Instinct, Showgirls, and RoboCop—and why a movie about Catholic mysticism, sainthood, and alleged miracles was always going to land exactly where it did: somewhere between serious religious drama and total controversy. Check out the Leave, Laugh, Love podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leave-laugh-love/id1755663974 Support the show: FILTHY HABITS T-SHIRTS AND MERCH ARE IN! Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ SUPPORT THE SHOW JUST BECAUSE Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 31m

  6. Apr 18

    The Little Hours (2017) — Part 2: Nuns Gone Wild! | Filthy Habits

    This week on Morally Offensive, Bill, Jess, and special guest Syd King dive into The Little Hours—a medieval comedy where the nuns are anything but devout. Set in a 14th-century convent, the film follows a group of wildly unrestrained sisters who drink, swear, and terrorize the local help…until a fugitive posing as a deaf-mute handyman shows up and turns everything sideways. What starts as a chaotic character study quickly spirals into a mix of lust, power plays, religious hypocrisy, and naked dancing in the woods. Along the way, the crew unpacks how the film pulls from The Decameron, why its anachronistic dialogue actually works, and how it gleefully pokes at the idea of holiness without completely dismissing it. Tangents include youth pastors telling us we'd go to hell if we died in a car crash, that time Jess' classmates terrorized and vandalized Holy Hill Basilica, TMI Catholic confessions about your sex life, campus ministers on the run from the law, and Syd's proximity to Ryan Gosling on Saturday Night Live. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Follow Syd King on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syd.the.king/ Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 12m

  7. Apr 13

    The Little Hours (2017) — Part 1: "It is trash, pure trash!" | Filthy Habits

    This week, Bill and Jess are joined by comedian, actor, and writer Syd King to talk The Little Hours—a movie where nuns drink too much, swear constantly, and ignore basically every rule they’re supposed to follow. Loosely based on The Decameron, it’s equal parts historical weirdness and modern comedy. We get into the Catholic angle, the controversy (or lack of it), and why this kind of story keeps coming back.  In episode one, find out why Bill Donahue called the movie "Pure Trash", why a fringe Catholic Cult protested the movie (with bagpipes!), discover the existence of a creepy Catholic nun doll museum in northern Michigan, Jess finds out about "The Shack", and Bill reviews the hot dog menu from The Gay Bar in Gay, Michigan. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Follow Syd King on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syd.the.king/ Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 21m

  8. Apr 5

    Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) – Part 2: Rock Me, Sexy Jesus | Filthy Habits

    In Part 2 of Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), we get into what happens when Jesus stops being a mere prophet, and is named "king" by his followers. Bill, Kevin and guest Orion Couling talk fame, ego, pressure, and why nobody in this movie seems to have a handle on what’s a-happenin' (including Jesus). Diversions include: stealing from David Brubeck, why the Apostles have a Hobbit problem, what you would buy with your 30 pieces of silver, and St. Peter actor Paul Thomas' storied adult film career post-JC Superstar. This is another episode in our Filthy Habits series, which will return to focus on Nunsploitation next week, with an episode on The Little Hours. Support the show: Merch: https://morallyoffensive.bigcartel.com/ Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/morallyoffensive Check Out "Shadow Carriers" Podcast with Orion Couling: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shadow-carriers/id1533170469 Follow Orion on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nawlins_crawlins/ Website and Contact info: https://www.morallyoffensive.com Follow and watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MorallyOffensivepod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morallyoffensivepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morallyoffensivepod Threads: https://www.threads.net/@morallyoffensivepod

    1h 30m
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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Morally Offensive is a weekly film podcast about the movies the Catholic Church tried to warn you about. We revisit films “Condemned” by the Legion of Decency, unpacking the outrage, the censorship, and the cultural shifts behind them. 

Information

  • Creator
    Morally Offensive
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Morally Offensive

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