Discover the Horror Podcast

Jon Kitley, Damien Glonek, Aaron AuBuchon
  • 5.0 (25)
  • Film History
  • Updated Biweekly

Our goal is to give you reasons to explore horror you've never seen and give you new ways to see horror you've loved for years.

  1. Sep 3

    Episode 130: Twice Told Tales - Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

    Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973 & 2010) We know we've covered our share of made-for-TV movies, especially from the 70s, but this time out we're looking at a staple from the 70s that was later remade in 2010, with none other than Guillermo del Toro producing. The story is about an old house that has something living in the sealed up fireplace. And when you're warned not to open it, maybe you should listen. For those that grew up in the '70s, the original was one that gave that generation a lot of nightmares. Even if you didn't see it upon the original airing, it was one that was sought out by horror fans because of its reputation. Then over 35 years later, since del Toro was one of those kids affected by it, he wanted to do his version. While these two versions are similar in some ways, they area also very different. How effective is the original, and then compared to the updated remake? Tune in to find out! Movies mentioned in this episode: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973), Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2010), The Fly (1986), Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), The Lord of the Rings (2001-03), Ju-On: The Grudge (2002), Nekromantik (1988), The Night Stalker (1972), Planet of the Apes (1968), Psychic Killer (1975), The Thing (1982), True Grit (1969)

    Episode 130: Twice Told Tales - Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

  2. Aug 18

    Episode 129 - Horror Through the Decades: 1920s

    We know this isn't the first time we've preached the wonders of silent films, but there are so many amazing movies from that era. As the horror historians that we all are, it's always fascinating to look back at where it all began. Fans often point to the 1930s and the Universal Studios classics as "the beginning," but horror was already there long before then—even if no one was necessarily calling these movies horror films yet. In this episode, we're going to dig into the 1910s and 1920s to look not only at the films being made, but also at what was happening in the world around them and how those events may have influenced and changed what audiences were seeing on screen. Even if silent films aren't necessarily your favorites, maybe hearing some of this horror history will make you want to give them another try. Who knows? Maybe this time around you'll see something different—or, at the very least, learn a little more about the genre we all love. Movies Mentioned in this Episode: Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), The Cat and the Canary (1927), Un chien andalou (1929), Dante's Inferno (1911), Dracula (1931), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1908), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), Frankenstein (1931), The Golem (1920), Häxan (1922), House of the Devil (1896), The Hunchback of the Morgue (1973), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), Frankenstein (1910), King Kong (1933), Life Without a Soul (1915), London After Midnight (1927), The Man Who Laughs (1928), The Mummy (1932), Nosferatu (1922), The Penalty (1920), The Phantom Carriage (1921), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), The Student of Prague (1926), A Trip to the Moon (1902), The Unholy Three (1925 & 1930), The Unknown (1927), West of Zanzibar (1928)

    Episode 129 - Horror Through the Decades: 1920s

  3. Aug 5

    Episode 128 - Cryptids (From the Last Decade)

    The Hallow (2015), The Ritual (2017), and Antlers (2021) Cryptids occupy a couple of different categories in modern life. One of them is fun, if a bit kitschy and silly: think concrete bigfoot statues sitting in whimsical gardens or funny little Mothman plaques hanging on the wall. But another is truly terrifying, buried down deep below the surface of our culture and our geography, a place where most people refuse to even touch the soil, much less dig. On this episode, we are going to dig deeply into those terrifying cryptid myths and uncover some wonderful horror films. Because in the last decade or so, a handful of filmmakers have chosen to put spade to soil and go deeply into that taboo territory and yielded some wonderfully horrific results. Films mentioned in this episode: Antlers (2021), The Blair Witch Project (1999), Bugonia (2025), Cocaine Bear (2023), District 9 (2009), Frankenstein (2025), The Hallow (2015), Hellraiser (2022), The Irishman (2019), The Mothman Prophecies (2002), The Nun (2018), The Omen (1976), The Ritual (2017), Scars of Dracula (1970), Shaun of the Dead (2004), The Signal (2007), Southbound (2015), Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Weapons (2025), Whistle (2025)

    Episode 128 - Cryptids (From the Last Decade)

  4. Jul 22

    Episode 127 - Shock Theater

    Believe it or not, there was a time when instant access to hundreds of horror movies didn't exist. Scary thought, huh? Before the late 1950s, unless you caught a movie in the theater, you probably weren't going to see it again, especially when it came to the classic monster films like Dracula and Frankenstein. But in October 1957, Universal released 52 of its horror films to television in what became known as the Shock Theater package. To help promote the broadcasts, television stations were encouraged to create "horror hosts" to introduce the films. Simply put, it exploded, and helped give birth to the Monster Kid generation. Then, the following year, Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine debuted, and there was really no turning back. Now you could watch these monsters in the safety of your own home. It was a far cry from today's world, where you can hop on a computer or streaming service and have thousands of horror titles at your fingertips. But this was the beginning of modern horror fandom: getting your weekly fix of classic monsters on television, reading Famous Monsters, building Aurora monster model kits... life was pretty great. In this episode, we discuss the importance of this moment in horror history and why it was such a game changer for horror fans. Films mentioned in this episode: Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), The Addams Family (1964-66), The Black Cat (1934), Blood of Dracula (1957), The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dark Shadows (1966-71), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985), Dracula (1931), The Exorcist (1973), Frankenstein (1931), The Gorgon (1964), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), The Invisible Man (1933), I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957), I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957), Jaws (1975), The Jungle Captive (1945), King Kong (1933), The Last Warning (1938), The Mummy (1932), The Munsters (1964-66), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Return of Dracula (1958), Rosemary's Baby (1968), Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Son of Kong (1933), The Spy Ring (1938), Star Wars (1977), Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Them (1954), The Wolf Man (1941)

    Episode 127 - Shock Theater

  5. Jul 8

    Episode 126: Twice Told Tales - The Toolbox Murders

    The Toolbox Murders (1978) and Toolbox Murders (2004) In this Twice Told Tales episode, we examine a film and its "remake," though few pairs could be more different. Some would argue that the 2004 film is a remake in name only. Even so, in addition to the name, the two share enough connections, both on screen and behind the scenes, to make for an interesting comparison. On one side is an unflinching exploitation film; on the other, a more modern story infused with supernatural elements—or is it? Both films are unmistakably products of their respective eras, reflecting the cultural anxieties, filmmaking styles, and audience expectations of their time. What they choose to show us, and what they feel compelled to say, reveals as much about the decades that produced them as the stories themselves. The most obvious connection between the two is their inventive use of tools as murder weapons. Whether those kills are clever, outrageous, or simply exploitative is for you to decide. The same goes for whether the 2004 film deserves to be called a true remake or is merely a title borrowed for recognition. But if both films succeed on their own terms as entertaining horror, perhaps that distinction matters less than we think. Films mentioned in this episode: The Blob (1958), Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Five Nights at Freddys (2023), The Fly (1958), The Fly (1986), Frankenstein (1931), Frankenstein (2025), Freddy vs Jason (2003), Friday the 13th (1980), The Funhouse (1981), Goodnight Mommy (2014), Goodnight Mommy (2020), The Grudge (2004), Halloween Kills (2021), Hostel (2005), Inside (2007), Ju-on: The Grudge (2002), Let Me In (2010), Let the Right One In (2008), Maniac (1980), Mother of Tears (2007), Mrs. 45 (1981), Nosferatu (1922), Nosferatu (1979), Poltergeist (1982), Psycho (1960), Psycho (1998), Quarantine (2008), [REC] (2007), The Ring (2002), Ringu (1998), The Thing (1982), The Thing from Another World (1951), Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2004), The Toolbox Murders (1978), Toolbox Murders (2004), Toolbox Murders 2: Coffin Baby (2013)

    Episode 126: Twice Told Tales - The Toolbox Murders

  6. Jun 24

    Episode 125: Modern Supernatural Horror Films

    Rigor Mortis (2013), When Evil Lurks (2023), and Vicious (2025) Pretty much from the very beginning of horror cinema—or cinema in general—supernatural horror has been part of the storytelling tradition. Granted, many of those early films were adaptations of famous works of literature dealing with ghosts, vampires, and other unworldly creatures, but more than a century later, the supernatural remains a huge gateway for creative filmmakers to walk through in order to create something interesting, and sometimes something genuinely new. Many modern supernatural horror films deal with grief and how we cope with it. Some might call it cathartic, while in other films, it's just downright mean! In the three movies we discuss in this episode, you'll get a taste of all of that—and more. A couple of these films hit especially hard and will leave an impact on you days after the credits roll. You'll either be running to tell your closest friends that they absolutely need to watch them, or you won't say a word for fear that someone might ask, "Is everything okay at home?" But we think that films that can hit that hard deserve to be applauded. So, if you're game, take that next step- and hit play. Movies mentioned in this episode: The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015), The Boxer's Omen (1983), A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), The Dark and the Wicked (2020), Dream Home (2010), Errementari (2017), Exhuma (2024), The Exorcist (1973), Friday the 13th (1980), Ghostbusters (1984), The Golem (1915-1920), The Grudge (2002), Halloween (1978), Häxan (1922), Hellraiser (1987), Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), Hereditary (2018), Hostel (2005), House of the Devil (1897), Last House on the Left (1972), Killer Party (1986), Maniac (1980), Midsommar (2019), Mockingbird (2016), The Monster (2016), Mr. Vampire (1985), My Bloody Valentine (1981), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Nosferatu (1922), The Prowler (1981), Psycho (1960), Rigor Mortis (2013), Scream 7 (2026), The Strangers (2008), The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018), Terrified (2017), Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), The Uninvited (1944), Vicious (2025), When Evil Lurks (2023)

  7. Jun 10

    Episode 124 - The Fly Trilogy

    The Fly (1958), Return of the Fly (1959), and Curse of the Fly (1965) Among the many films in which deviant mad scientists pay the price for meddling with forces beyond human understanding, The Fly stands apart. Released in 1958, it presents a scientist whose intentions are genuinely noble: someone striving to create something that could benefit humanity. Unfortunately, an unforeseen accident turns his dream into a nightmare, and tragedy soon follows. While the film ultimately becomes a monster story, it offers far more than a typical 1950s creature feature. And, of course, when a film succeeds at the box office, sequels are inevitable. In this case, two followed, even if the third took six years to arrive. Across all three films, the Delambre family's experiments—and mistakes—continue, once again exacting a terrible toll in life, sanity, and suffering. Fans often disagree about which entry is the strongest, which is underrated, and which falls short, so we decided to take a deep dive into the entire trilogy. Along the way, we may give you a few new things to think about the next time you watch these films. And if you hear any buzzing while listening to the show, I'm sure it's nothing. Films mentioned in this episode: The Black Cat (1989), The Black Room (1935), Blood Feast (1963), The Blues Brothers (1980), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Curse of the Fly (1965), The Death Dealers aka Psychomania (1973), Demonia (1990), The Devil's Honey (1986), The Exorcist (1973), The Face of Fu Manchu (1965), The Fly (1958), The Fly (1986), Frankenstein (1931), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Kiss of the Vampire (1963), Mark of the Vampire (1935), Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Psycho (1960), Rasputin the Mad Monk (1966), Return of the Fly (1959), Space Master X-7 (1958), Touch of Death (1988), To the Devil a Daughter (1976), The Vampire (1957), Witchcraft (1964)

    Episode 124 - The Fly Trilogy

  8. May 27

    Episode 123 - Jean Rollin

    The Shiver of the Vampire (1972), Lips of Blood (1975), and The Living Dead Girl (1982) The films created by director Jean Rollin are unlike anything else in the history of cinema.  If you make your way into his incredible filmic world, you will be entranced by its beauty, cinematic landscapes, and unique horrors. And the more you venture down this path, the more you'll start to pick up on repeating themes and motifs. Like Rollin, liminality, memory and nostalgia, families, surrealism and expressionism, might become your obsessions- they were certainly his.   If it is carefully constructed plots, realistic storylines, and deeply developed characters that you are searching for, then Rollin probably isn't for you. But if you want the unique, the obsessive, the utterly gorgeous? Then you must dive into Rollin's work if you've never stepped into that sea. And if you've been here before? Well, then there is no time like the present to walk slowly through the surf, exploring the past and finding landmarks jutting up just past the beach like forlorn teeth in a skull being beaten by the waves of memory.  Films mentioned in this episode: Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010), Un chien andalou (1929), Demoniacs (1974), Fascination (1979), The Grapes of Death (1978), Lips of Blood (1975), The Living Dead Girl (1982), Mandy (2018), The Night of the Hunted (1980), The Nude Vampire (1970), The Rape of the Vampire (1968), Requiem for a Vampire (1972), The Shiver of the Vampires (1971), Zombie Lake (1981)

    Episode 123 - Jean Rollin
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About

Our goal is to give you reasons to explore horror you've never seen and give you new ways to see horror you've loved for years.

Information

  • Creator
    Jon Kitley, Damien Glonek, Aaron AuBuchon
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Discover the Horror Podcast

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