Basement Girls Horror Podcast
By Steph Grossman and Bianca Pérez
Basement Girls Horror PodcastDec 30, 2022
13. THE SANTA CLAUSE as Body Horror | With Peter Counter
Never put on a dead man's clothes!
Author and culture critic Peter Counter joins Steph Grossman and Bianca Pérez in the basement to discuss how THE SANTA CLAUSE (1994), starring Tim Allen, is actually a movie about body horror, possession, and the sublime. It's basically a yuletide HEREDITARY (in fact, we're pretty sure Santa Claus knows Paiman...).
SHOW NOTES
Peter Counter | peterbcounter.com
Be Scared of Everything by Peter Counter | https://bookshop.org/a/4492/9781988784564
How to Restore a Timeline: On Violence and Memory by Peter Counter | https://bookshop.org/a/4492/9781487011994
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
Gemini Gospel | Bianca Pérez's debut poetry chapbook, published by Host Publications hostpublications.com/products/gemini-gospel. Can't buy right now? Shelve it on Goodreads!
"Likeness" | Steph Grossman's latest horror-tinged short story, published in Joyland Magazine. Free to read. Bitly link: bit.ly/mirrorstory
Basement Girls Podcast Store on Bookshop.org | bookshop.org/shop/basementgirls
12. Ray Bradbury's THE HALLOWEEN TREE Book and Movie Review | With Geek's Guide to the Galaxy Podcast Host David Barr Kirtley
With Bianca Pérez out for her Hallowedding (!), WIRED's Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast host David Barr Kirtley joins Steph Grossman in the basement to discuss the '90s animated Halloween classic, The Halloween Tree (1993), as well as Ray Bradbury’s 1972 novella of the same name that inspired it.
SHOW NOTES
Geek's Guide to the Galaxy Podcast | geeksguideshow.com & wired.com/author/geeks-guide-to-the-galaxy
David Barr Kirtley | davidbarrkirtley.com
Save Me Plz and Other Stories by David Barr Kirtley | amazon.com/Save-Me-Plz-Other-Stories/dp/B09S65RZF5
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
Gemini Gospel | Bianca Pérez's debut poetry chapbook, published by Host Publications hostpublications.com/products/gemini-gospel. Can't buy right now? Shelve it on Goodreads!
"Likeness" | Steph Grossman's latest horror-tinged short story, published in Joyland Magazine. Free to read. Bitly link: bit.ly/mirrorstory
Basement Girls Podcast Store on Bookshop.org | bookshop.org/shop/basementgirls
11. Summer Camp Horror: FRIDAY THE 13TH
It ain't fall 'til September 23rd y'all.
Hold onto sweet, scary summer for one more day by joining your resident basement girls in their discussion about the summer camp horror film that started it all: the original Friday the 13th. Topics include a brief history of summer camp, the "whodunnit" aspect of the film, cozy horror, feminist subtext, final girls, motherhood, and how the famous "ch ch ch ah ah ah" sound is actually a remix of "kill kill kill ma ma ma" (really! That's what it says!). P. S. Steph deeply hates Neddy. They also answer questions and comments from a few listeners who also happen to be authors: William Jensen, Brendan Deneen, and Amy Gentry.
SHOW NOTES
"Summer Camp Has Always Been About Escaping Modern Life" by Livia Gershon | daily.jstor.org/history-summer-camp
"Camp Cool, Not School Cool" episode of the Binchtopia Podcast | audacy.com/podcast/binchtopia-42372/episodes/camp-cool-not-school-cool-9a207
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
Gemini Gospel | Bianca Pérez's debut poetry chapbook, published by Host Publications hostpublications.com/products/gemini-gospel. Can't buy right now? Shelve it on Goodreads!
"Likeness" | Steph Grossman's latest horror-tinged short story, published in Joyland Magazine. Free to read. Bitly link: bit.ly/mirrorstory
Basement Girls Podcast Store on Bookshop.org | bookshop.org/shop/basementgirls
10. Found Footage Horror, Part 2: Modern Found Footage
Screenlife = Screamlife.
In this second installment of their found footage series, Steph Grossman and Bianca Pérez discuss how recent innovations in the genre tap into our internet addictions and round-the-clock "screenlife" to create uniquely contemporary horror stories. Screamlife found footage films discussed include: Megan is Missing (2011), Unfriended (2015), Unfriended: Dark Web (2018), Searching (2018), Host (2020), and *sigh* Dashcam (2022). Also discussed: modern found footage in the form of online urban legends (Slenderman), Youtube videos (Marble Hornets and The Backrooms), and iconic found footage-y posts found on Twitter ("Dear David") and Reddit ("Pen Pal").
SHOW NOTES
Gemini Gospel | Bianca Pérez's debut poetry chapbook, published by Host Publications hostpublications.com/products/gemini-gospel. Can't buy right now? Shelve it on Goodreads!
Likeness | Steph Grossman's latest horror-tinged short story, published in Joyland Magazine. Free to read. Bitly link: bit.ly/mirrorstory
Basement Girls Podcast Store on Bookshop.org | bookshop.org/shop/basementgirls
9. SPENCER Movie Review | With Adam D. Jameson
Is she eating the g*dd*mn pearls?!
Author and film critic Adam D. Jameson joins Steph Grossman and Bianca Pérez to discuss the horror and gothic elements of Pablo Larraín's princess Diana movie SPENCER (2021), written by Steven Knight, and starring Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Sean Harris, and Sally Hawkins.
Show Notes:
Adam D. Jameson's website: https://adjameson.wordpress.com/
Buy I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing: Star Wars and the Triumph of Geek Culture by Adam D. Jameson: https://bit.ly/LackofFaithBG
Buy Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies by Adam D. Jameson and Andrew DeGraff: https://bit.ly/cinemapsBG
8. Found Footage Horror, Part 1: The History of the Genre
My cam shake brings all the fans to the yard.
Steph Grossman and Bianca Pérez present the history of found footage, a beloved sub-genre of horror, starting with its literary origins, and then discussing the earliest and most iconic FF horror films: David Holzman’s Diary (1967), Cannibal Holocaust (1980), The McPherson Tape (1989), The Blair Witch Project (1999), The Last Broadcast (1998), and Paranormal Activity (2007).
7. The Two Suspirias: Review of Dario Argento's Italian Horror Film SUSPIRIA (1977) and Luca Guadagnino's SUSPIRIA remake (2018) | With Bryce Jeter
Dance until you die/get pretzeled.
Literature scholar Bryce Jeter joins Steph Grossman and Bianca Perez to discuss the similarities and differences between Dario Argento’s original Suspiria (1977), and Luca Guadagnino’s remake of it (2018), written by David Kajganich, and starring Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton (who goes above and beyond—as always—playing not one but two witches, and also an 82-year-old man).
6. My Favorite Horror: Interview with Alex Amick, Editor of the Western Horror Film THE WIND
Alex Amick, editor of the feature film The Wind, joins us to discuss breaking into the movie industry via film editing, what it was like on the set of The Wind (hint: it involved creepy night horses…), and her favorite horror, The Witch.
The Wind (which we reviewed in Episode 1) is a western horror film set on the American frontier, where a woman is left to deal with the darkness of the prairie—and her own mind.
Show Notes:
Watch The Wind on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/watch/81034728
Alex Amick's portfolio: https://www.alexandraamick.com
5. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN Book and Movie Review
We really, really need to talk about Kevin.
Steph Grossman and Bianca Perez discuss the differences between Lionel Shriver’s 2003 novel WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN and the 2011 film adaptation of it directed by Lynne Ramsay, and starring Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller, and kids who look exactly like Ezra Miller.
SHOW NOTES:
Check out the Basement Girls Soundtrack playlist on Spotify, which features songs from WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, and other deep, dark music: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1OrzgiZQR2VrVXt0Ljfl5S
4. Whatnot Minisode: Phoebe Fucking Bridgers
Being punishers for Punisher.
In this first-ever Whatnot Minisode (45 mins instead of the usual 90 mins, lol) Steph Grossman and Bianca Perez take a break from discussing horror films and instead “fangirl” over Grammy-nominated musician, Phoebe Bridgers, and her haunting horror/true crime inspired music.
Show Notes
Check out the Basement Girls Soundtrack playlist on Spotify, which features a bunch of Phoebe Bridgers songs and other deep, dark music: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1OrzgiZQR2VrVXt0Ljfl5S
3. A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT Movie Review
Learning to skateboard in Bad City (if you’re a vampire).
Steph Grossman and Bianca Perez discuss genre-bending Iranian vampire film A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (2014), written and directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, and starring Sheila Vand and Arash Marandi.
Show Notes
Check out the Basement Girls Soundtrack playlist on Spotify, which features songs from A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, and other deep, dark music: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1OrzgiZQR2VrVXt0Ljfl5S
2. CHILD'S PLAY Movie Review: "Facing our Chucky fears"
Facing our Chucky fears.
Bianca’s big brother, Hector Perez (the creator of our snazzy intro music) joins us to discuss the original CHILD'S PLAY film (1988), directed by Tom Holland, written by Don Mancini, and starring the mom from 7th Heaven.
1. THE WIND Movie Review: "There's something about prairie"
There's something about prairie.
Steph Grossman and Bianca Perez discuss the movie THE WIND (2018), a horror western directed by Emma Tammi, written by Teresa Sutherland, and starring Caitlin Gerard.
Intro to Basement Girls Horror (and Whatnot) Podcast
In this "first" episode, meet your resident Basement Girls, writers Bianca Perez and Steph Grossman, as they talk about why they love horror films, dark literature, basements, and hot Cheetos.