This episode DEFINITELY is explicit. Karen and Blake discuss the myths and legends of the Basilisk (and the Cockatrice). The conversation includes ancient legends, medieval legends, alchemy, a whole lot of bird sex, A.I. and information hazards. Blake learns a bunch of new things about bird reproduction and Karen has to deal with the results. Links for show notes:Medieval references […]
(AKA – The Hairy Hands of Dartmoor, The Unseen Hands) The legend of the Hairy Hands is set in Postbridge, Dartmoor. The road is now known as the B3212. Since 1921, the road has been the locale of a legendary menace – a pair of powerful unseen hairy hands that occasionally drives people to their death. But where did this […]
We talk with Dr. Jeffrey Weinstock (Central Michigan University) about “Monster Theory” and his new volume which collects a panoply of essays on this interesting topic.
In this episode of MonsterTalk Radio, Blake and Karen have David Farnell of Fukuoka University on the show to talk about Frankenstein and the novel’s—and the monster’s—impact on pop culture, as well as how the definition of what a monster is and how monsters are perceived have evolved through literature. David has published numerous papers on monsters and monsters in literature.
When we think about monsters, the number one reaction most people will have is fear. Why is that and where does it come from? How do our brains process the concept of monsters, our gut reactions to them, and about where we stand with all of that? In this episode of MonsterTalk, Blake sits down with author, professor, and artist, Stephen Asma to delve into how monsters evolved with us as humans culturally, how our imaginations play a role in it, and how our minds wrap themselves around our beliefs—among many other things.
A look at the brief but influential “life” of the Grand Guignol theater, a Paris stage venue that specialized in gore and terror. We interview Professor Richard Hand, who has co-authored four volumes about this amazing little production company that for a brief while made much of true-crime and visceral nightmarish plots to present gore, horror and terror to Paris audiences. With less than 300 seats but with thousands of performances, the screams that came from its stage still echo through the world of theater to this very day.
We’re joined by the Spooky Science Sisters to talk about one of our favorite ghost stories, the psychic/omen/folklore/horror story that has haunted Karen and me since we were kids – the tale of Lord Dufferin and his encounter with the beyond. Lord Dufferin: Hans Conried as Wrong-Way Feldman (Gilligan’s Island) Links:The Signalman by Dickens – Radio Drama version (Suspense) Room […]
In this episode, Blake and Karen dive into the world of monstrous plants, with Peter D’Amato as their guide. Having grown them for over 40 years, Peter D’Amato is the authority on carnivorous plants. He also authored the book, The Savage Garden: Cultivating Carnivorous Plants, which has been reprinted over 25 times.
Was Elizabeth Bathory the most vicious serial killer of all time? We’re joined by historian Kayla of Historical AF to talk about the facts behind the brutal legend of the blood countess. [EXPLICIT WARNING] Links to stuff mentioned (or relevant to) this episode: The Historical AF podcast by Kyna Celtic chieftain sometimes credited with inspiring Dracula – Abhartach Books about […]
Blake and Karen speak with Toby Ball, author and host of the Strange Arrivals, a podcast that presents a historical UFO event within a social and scientific context. They deep dive not just on the UFO phenomenon, but also on ufology, aspects of which Blake has strong feelings about, as he ardently shows throughout this episode.
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