24. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

24. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

Writer and critic Rachel Bellwoar joins me on the podcast to discuss the glam-rock campy classic of our dreams, Brian De Palma’s The Phantom of the Paradise (1974). I’m so excited to talk about our first horror musical on this pod, so Rachel and I fully take advantage of our mutual love of musicals to go kinda long about our favorites (13:00-18:00). But mostly we chat about Phantom, specifically the loveable awkwardness of Winslow and Phoenix, mask horror, surveillance and homages in De Palma movies, and of course, BEEF. Be sure to check out Rachel’s writing on Comicon [https://comicon.com/author/rbellwoar/] and The Physical Media Advocate [https://www.patreon.com/collection/750394?view=expanded], and follow her on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ziggystarlog.bsky.social]! FYI- she writes about books too! Find “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/notscaredpodcast?utm_source=qr] or email me at chloesnotscared@gmail.com [chloesnotscared@gmail.com]. Subscribe to Substack [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/podcast] for exclusive bonus episodes. 00:00-22:00- Intro / Rachel’s Horror History / How We First Saw The Phantom of the Paradise / Our Experience with Musicals and De Palma 22:00-39:00- Brief Synopsis / Songs / Characters / Direction 39:00-50:30-Faust & the Music Industry / Beef 50:30-01:04:00- Imagery / The Ending 01:04:00-01:22:30- Double Feature Ideas / Outro Please note, timestamps are estimates. References: * Rachel on Director’s Club [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-236-jack-clayton-feat-rachel-bellwoar/id414288912?i=1000704312007] (Jack Clayton episode) * Phantom of the Paradise Shout Factory BluRay [https://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Paradise-Collectors-Blu-ray-Williams/dp/B00JHH1YQG] (interview mentioned by Chloe) * Popcorn Disabilities [https://bookshop.org/p/books/popcorn-disabilities-the-highs-and-lows-of-disabled-representation-in-the-movies-kristen-lopez/8ed35d6c33f59fc0] by Kristen Lopez (book mentioned by Rachel) * Uncanny Valley Girls [https://bookshop.org/p/books/uncanny-valley-girls-essays-on-horror-survival-and-love-zefyr-lisowski/e6d31e1d82d47f7d?ean=9780063413993] by Zefyr Lisowski (book mentioned by Chloe) * Both of us wish we’d had time to properly research queer readings before the discussion, so if you’re craving that, here’s an episode of our beloved and often-mentioned Horror Queers podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/phantom-of-the-paradise-1974-feat-bj-colangelo/id1449041559?i=1000455459475] talking about The Phantom of the Paradise! Find Us: * Follow Rachel’s writing on Comicon [https://comicon.com/author/rbellwoar/], The Physical Media Advocate [https://www.patreon.com/collection/750394?view=expanded] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/ziggystarlog.bsky.social]. * Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/chlobot/]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chloesnotscared/]. * Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network [https://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/]. The clips used in this episode is from The Phantom of the Paradise (1974) trailer and film, used for educational purposes. Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-scared-a-horror-movie-podcast/id1832623186], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3VichqN4PZEhjwTfY2srtw?si=c25fdac31a594c86], or wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to get new reviews and special features, please subscribe to my Substack [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/podcast]. Thank you for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

23. Ginger Snaps (2000)

The Meg Loves Movies [https://megmechelke.substack.com/] x Chloe’s Not Scared [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/] crossover that you’ve all been waiting for! Playwright, theater educator and dramaturg Meg Mechelke joins me on the pod to discuss the Y2K cult classic Ginger Snaps (2000). We howl about the sadness of werewolves, the cynical women canon, our upbringing in a cold almost-Canadian climate, funny yet competent moms, and taking angst seriously. If you’re not following Meg, what are you doing with your life? Give them a follow [https://megmechelke.substack.com/]! Meg brings a much-needed critical look at the horror genre with a fun, conversational tone. Please note that dog death (at 18:00) and suicide (at 21:00) are major plot points so we do briefly discuss these topics. Find “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/notscaredpodcast?utm_source=qr] or email me at chloesnotscared@gmail.com [chloesnotscared@gmail.com]. Subscribe to Substack [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/podcast] for exclusive bonus episodes. 00:00-12:00- Intro / Meg’s Horror History / Our Experience with Werewolf Movies / How We First Saw Ginger Snaps 12:00-37:00- Brief Synopsis / Setting / Characters / Themes 37:00-53:00- The Werewolf / Legacy 53:00-1:10:00 - Sequels (mostly Ginger Snaps 2) / Double Feature Ideas / Outro Please note, timestamps are estimates. References: * Creating the Beast: Behind the Bloody Making of Ginger Snaps [https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=gRTSXCyH4sa6h3iM&v=UC_Okw1Yql8&feature=youtu.be] Featurette * Faculty of Horror [https://www.facultyofhorror.com/]podcast * Horror Queers [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/horror-queers/id1449041559] podcast * The Nottingham Horror Collective [https://thenottinghamhorrorcollective.co.uk/] (Meg is/will be published here!) Find Us: * Follow Meg on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/meg_anne00] and Meg Loves Movies [https://megmechelke.substack.com/]. * Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/chlobot/]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chloesnotscared/]. * Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network [https://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/]. The clips used in this episode is from Ginger Snaps (2000) trailer and film, used for educational purposes. Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-scared-a-horror-movie-podcast/id1832623186], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3VichqN4PZEhjwTfY2srtw?si=c25fdac31a594c86], or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

22. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Returning [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/p/11-tales-from-the-hood-1995] guest and prolific author [https://ttmaddenwrites.carrd.co/] TT Madden comes back to the pod to discuss a fun classic Bride of Frankenstein (1935), our oldest movie to date and our first sequel (possibly the first horror sequel)! We discuss how new horror reflects the moment, the Hays code, Pretorius’ crypt picnic, how this holds up as a sequel and a queer film to modern audiences, swans, and of course The Monsters Mate…? We go pretty chronologically in this one and it’s a pretty short film, so please watch before listening! And if you’d like to stay updated on all the great sci-fi horror books that TT Madden writes, be sure to follow them (links below). Let me know if you want a bonus episode of true scary stories!! Find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/notscaredpodcast?utm_source=qr] or email me at chloesnotscared@gmail.com [chloesnotscared@gmail.com]. 00:00-13:00- Intro / T’s Horror History / How We First Saw Bride of Frankenstein & Universal Monster Movies 13:00- 31:00- Brief Synopsis / Horror Sequel Tropes / Hays Code 31:00-1:04:00- Pretorius / Blind Man Scene / The Bride 1:04:00-1:21:00 - Remakes, Sequels & Double Features / Legacy / Outro Please note, timestamps are estimates. References: * All things by TT Madden [https://ttmaddenwrites.carrd.co/] * Crossness Pumping Station [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOVwJeP_uug] (mentioned by Chloe, apparently where they filmed the new Frankenstein according to a bloke on the train?!) * Evolution of Horror podcast- Man Made Monsters Ep. 4 on [https://www.evolutionofhorror.com/man-made-monsters-4]Bride of Frankenstein [https://www.evolutionofhorror.com/man-made-monsters-4] (mentioned by Chloe) * “We Don’t Belong Dead! A Definitive Reclamation of James Whale’s Bride of Frankenstein [https://www.gaylydreadful.com/blog/we-dont-belong-dead-a-definitive-reclamation-of-james-whales-bride-of-frankenstein]” Jason Lake on Gayly Dreadful * Poor Things [https://bookshop.org/p/books/poor-things-a-novel-alasdair-gray/807eef3a62a4ad55?ean=9780063374683&next=t] by Alasdair Gray (mentioned by Chloe) * The Lady from the Black Lagoon [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-lady-from-the-black-lagoon-mallory-o-meara/ce01c5551b96299c?ean=9781335010131&next=t&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%7Bcampaignname%7D&utm_content=6443417794&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16235479093&gbraid=0AAAAACfld43iUwkXDqXMdK-ndUFI0CIXZ&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrZTRBhDSARIsAHidYfehsmzGLbI_7lbNeM0K2IJMtv_dyyuIWo7uF5rwLZLA6Crt1kVyOm8aAhgHEALw_wcB] by Mallory O’Meara (mentioned by TT) * Thou Shalt Not [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thou_Shalt_Not_-_Whitey_Schafer_-_1940.jpg] picture (mentioned by TT) * The Mummy Bumper Sticker [https://superyaki.com/products/honk-for-mummy-bumper-sticker] (mentioned by TT) Find Us: * Visit TT Madden’s website. [https://ttmaddenwrites.carrd.co/] * Follow TT on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ttmaddenwrites/?igsh=MTQ3bzVxeTA2MXdjNQ%3D%3D#] and Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/TTMaddenwrites]. * Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/chlobot/]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chloesnotscared/]. * Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network [https://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/]. The music and clips used in this episode are from Bride of Frankenstein (1935) trailer and film, used for educational purposes. Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-scared-a-horror-movie-podcast/id1832623186], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3VichqN4PZEhjwTfY2srtw?si=c25fdac31a594c86], or wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to get new reviews and special features, please subscribe to my Substack [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/podcast]. Thank you for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

21. The Descent (2005)

Another returning guest Bree Tighe joins me to discuss her favorite horror movie and a movie she showed me a decade ago, The Descent (2005). We discuss going spelunking while hungover and jetlagged (couldn’t be us), our experience with caves (very little), if we like Juno (yeah, we do) and the UK ending (aka the only ending worth watching). Plus some tangents about behind the scenes, watching library DVD’s, and a crawler’s family tree. Also, we recorded a bunch of scary stories –including one about a haunted clothes hanger– and then it all deleted mysteriously so, let me know if you want a bonus episode telling our true scary stories!! Find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/notscaredpodcast?utm_source=qr] or email me at chloesnotscared@gmail.com [chloesnotscared@gmail.com]. 00:00-14:00- Intro / Bree’s Horror History / How We First Saw The Descent 14:00- 42:00- Brief Synopsis / Nature is Scary / Characters including Crawlers 42:00-55:00- Behind the Scenes / Fight Scenes / Ending 55:00-01:18:00- Sequels / Double Features / Outro Please note, timestamps are estimates. References: * Beneath the Scenes Featurette [https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=IHjV3VaHhbaIzSKO&v=gqx5snAahzA&feature=youtu.be] (Bree mentioned) * Cinephilia Beyond [https://cinephiliabeyond.org/descent/]- “Neil Marshall’s The Descent at 20” * Final Scene [https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=qPI6VyF1EEhe7hdL&v=62Pl3xaxttQ&feature=youtu.be] (the UK version) * House of Ashes [https://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/1281590/] game (Bree mentioned) * Into the maelstrom [https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-descent-2006]- Roger Ebert Review- August 3, 2006 (Chloe mentioned) * The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-girl-who-loved-tom-gordon-stephen-king/6c55185ae26a7e17?ean=9781501157516&next=t] by Stephen King (Chloe mentioned) * Bree & I also talked about Rose Red last year (listen here [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/p/2-rose-red-2002]) Find Us: * Find Bree watching horror movies at my house. * Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/chlobot/]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chloesnotscared/]. * Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network [https://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/]. The clips used in this episode is from The Descent (2005) trailer and film, used for educational purposes. Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-scared-a-horror-movie-podcast/id1832623186], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3VichqN4PZEhjwTfY2srtw?si=c25fdac31a594c86], or wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to get new reviews and special features, please subscribe to my Substack [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/podcast]. Thank you for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

20. The Birds (1963)

Good evening. I have a returning [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/p/3-suspiria-2018] guest here, my friend and fellow film enthusiast Matt Epp, to talk about the iconic Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds (1963). We discuss our favorite Hitch films, the ahead-of-its-time special effects, how Tippi is a legend and deserved better, the virality of Risselty Rosselty, the uselessness of Mitch, and a Bodega Bay birthday trip. Plus, a discussion of new movies coming out at the time of recording, how trailers nowadays show all the scares, and sneaking horror films onto the “big” home screen when our respective partners are asleep. This is one of my favorite movies so you know it’s gonna be a great episode! 00:00-28:00- Intro / IFF Boston Recap / Matt’s Horror (and Hitch) History / How We First Saw The Birds 28:00-54:00- Brief Synopsis / Script / Characters (mostly Melanie, Lydia, & Annie) 54:00-01:07:00- Building Tension / Special Effects 01:07:00-01:25:00- Short Story / Sequels / Double Feature Ideas / Score / Outro Please note, timestamps are estimates. References: * Alfred Hitchcock: The Complete Films [https://www.amazon.com/Alfred-Hitchcock-Complete-Paul-Duncan/dp/3836566842] ed. by Paul Duncan (mentioned by Chloe) * All About the Birds [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf4pUr5FOrE] documentary (in part on YouTube) * Daphne DuMaurier’s The Birds [https://mrnsmith.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/the-birds-by-daphne-du-maurier.pdf] (short story) * Dial P for Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dial-p-for-podcast-1-the-pleasure-garden-the-lodger/id414288912?i=1000747440957] on Director’s Club (Patrick Ripoll [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/p/14-carnival-of-souls-1962]’s podcast) * Evolution of Horror episode [https://www.evolutionofhorror.com/nature-pt-19] from Nature Bites Back series (Roar & Grizzly Man) * Horror Queers Podcast (episode about [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-birds-1963/id1449041559?i=1000727157512]The Birds [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-birds-1963/id1449041559?i=1000727157512]) * Joe Dante/ John Carpenter in a documentary [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13887458/]about The Birds (mentioned by Matt, on his DVD) * Read Chloe’s piece in 5 Years [https://5years.beehiiv.com/p/chloe]about The Birds * Sequel to The Birds [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birds_II:_Land%27s_End] and The Birdemic Trilogy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdemic:_Shock_and_Terror] * Trailer [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxR7dlavwg]for The Birds (1963) * Trautonium [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trautonium] (early synthesizer used in The Birds) Matt and I talked about Hooptober back in 2025 (listen here [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/p/mini-ep-hooptober-2025]) and we also talked about Suspiria with the wonderful Jenni Schofield last summer (listen here [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/p/3-suspiria-2018]). Find Us: * Follow Matt on Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/iammattepp/]and visit Independent Film Festival Boston [https://iffboston.org/]. * Follow Chloe’s Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/chlobot/]and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chloesnotscared/]. * Find other great film pods on the Now Playing Network [https://www.nowplayingnetwork.net/]. The sound and clips used in this episode is from The Birds (1963) trailer and film, used for educational purposes. Listen to “Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast” on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-scared-a-horror-movie-podcast/id1832623186], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3VichqN4PZEhjwTfY2srtw?si=c25fdac31a594c86], or wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to get new reviews and special features, please subscribe to my Substack [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/podcast]. Thank you for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe [https://chloesnotscared.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]