Podcasts
Taking a Bite Out of the Controversial ‘Hard Candy’ [Horror Queers Podcast]
I Fucking Hate Goldfrapp.
After spending our month-long theme on toxic masculinity with difficult watches like Funny Games (listen) and Deadgirl (listen), as well as an easier watch in Murder By Numbers (listen), we’re wrapping up the month with a look at David Slade‘s controversial 2005 film Hard Candy.
Hard Candy sees precocious teenager Hayley (Elliot Page) go to a coffee shop to meet Jeff (Patrick Wilson), a photographer she met on the internet. Jeff thinks he is in for a real treat, but after a bit of flirtation Hayley drugs him and straps him to a chair, revealing that she knows Jeff preys on teenage girls. She has a plan to wring a confession from him, but Jeff doesn’t plan to do down without a fight.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and RSS.
Episode 257: Hard Candy (2005)
We’re wrapping up our look at Toxic Masculinity with David Slade’s feature directorial debut, Hard Candy (2005).
This secret rape/revenge film features powerhouse performances from Elliot Page and Patrick Wilson and plenty of uncomfortable moments.
Plus: comparisons to Promising Young Woman (and Saw X?!), a frank discussion of pedophilia, plenty of strategic framing, and the prequel we want to see.
Cross out Hard Candy!
Coming up on Wednesday: We’re taking a reprieve from toxic masculinity and wrapping up November with our first foray into the world of cryptids with a look at Mark Pellington’s The Mothman Prophecies.
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for nearly 275 hours of Patreon content including this month’s SIX new episodes on Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor, birth/rebirth, The Fall of the House of Usher, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Thanksgiving, plus an audio commentary celebrating the 35th anniversary of Child’s Play (1988).
Game Loop.
Trace and I inadvertently bookended our April discussions of John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London (listen) and Ciarán Foy’s Eli (listen) with Jude Law films. At the start of the month, we tackled Matt Damon’s Italian grifter in The Talented Mr. Ripley (listen) and now we’re closing out April with David Cronenberg‘s eXistenZ (1999).
The unofficial sequel to Videodrome (listen) and precursor to Crimes of the Future, eXistenZ takes place in the world of virtual reality and simulation. Game goddess Allegra Gellar (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is forced to go on the run with PR nerd Ted Pikul (Jude Law) through the Canadian backwoods when ‘Realist’ terrorists declare open season on her life.
Featuring no shortage of strange encounters and oddball characters, including Willem Dafoe‘s queer-coded Gas and Canadian film royalty like Don McKellar and Sarah Polley, Allegra and Ted must travel between the real world and the game world, all the while keeping track of who is friendly…and who is foe.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and RSS.
Episode 279: eXistenZ (1999) feat Vannah Taylor
Lube up your industry standard bio-port because we’re playing David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ (1999) with someone friendly: Vannah Taylor!
David Cronenberg’s meditation on the dangers of gaming and simulation is the middle entry of an unofficial trilogy. It’s also a film that gets real confusing, real fast, so good luck figuring out if we’re still in the game!
Plus: criticisms of a “bland” game world, praise for Jennifer Jason Leigh, Canadian royalty, comparisons to Serenity, disgusting gristle guns, and Pikul getting his back blown out (several times!)
Cross out eXistenZ!
Coming up on Wednesday: We’re continuing our celebration of 1999 films with a look at Stephen Sommers’ bisexual awakening, action adventure film, The Mummy (1999).
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for over 306 hours of Patreon content including this month’s new episodes on Hannibal S01E04, Late Night with the Devil, The First Omen, Femme, Abigail and a brand new audio commentary on the original The Omen (1976).
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