Podcasts
The Queer Safe Space of Midian in Clive Barker’s ‘Nightbreed’ [Horror Queers Podcast]
Boone, Button-Face & Barker.
After five weeks of discussing hilarious camp with Drop Dead Gorgeous, Nurse 3D, Female Trouble, Flesh for Frankenstein, and Sleepaway Camp, we went back to some more serious horror with a look at John Carpenter’s Someone’s Watching Me! last week. Now, we’re discussing the troubled production and queer allegory at the center of Clive Barker‘s Nightbreed (1990)!
In the film, Aaron Boone (Craig Sheffer) is haunted by terrifying nightmares of a city of monsters. He goes to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Decker (David Cronenberg), for help. But what Boone doesn’t know is that Decker is really a serial killer. Decker frames Boone to take the fall for his murders, and Boone is killed by the police. But Boone is brought back to life by the monsters of his dreams, the Nightbreed, who in turn join Boone in his quest to stop Decker from killing again.
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, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS.
Episode 190: Nightbreed (1990)
After years of requests we’re finally heading to Midian to hang with Boone and Button-Face in Clive Barker’s Nightbreed (1990)! Joining us for the conversation is super-fan Leigh Monson (see previous episode on Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II).
In this episode, which premiered at last year’s Frightgown Film Festival, we discuss the film’s arduous production and incredibly troubled post-production before going all-in on the queer allegory with the monsters of Midian (aka the “Nightbreed”).
Plus, why is Boone so boring? Just how many different cuts are there (and which version is the best one to watch)? Do we like Lori’s musical number? Oh, and David. Fucking. Cronenberg.
Cross out Nightbreed!
Coming up on Wednesday: We’re checking out Michele Soavi’s 1987 slasher film Stage Fright, which sports a sassy gay character!
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for more than 195 hours of additional content! This month, we’re discussing Netflix’s Resident Evil series, Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator film Prey, Peacock’s queer slasher They/Them and A24’s queer murder mystery Bodies Bodies Bodies. Oh, and we’ve got an audio commentary on Paul W.S. Anderson’s Event Horizon just in time for its 25th anniversary!
It’s always a cruel summer, but 2026 is about to get crueler.
To blow off steam, the Losers hit the road to visit all the towns in Stephen King’s Dominion. Derry, Castle Rock, Ludlow, Boulder, the list goes on. They’ve got miles to drive and so many (scary) sights to see. At the end of the day, though, they have to ask themselves: Which one’s the best? And, more importantly, what does “best” mean in this context?
Stream the episode below. PayDays and Nozz-a-La, optional. For further adventures, join the Club over long days and pleasant nights via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. You can also unlock hundreds of hours of content in The Barrens (Patreon).