PODCAST

What Monster

Steven Gregor

Slasher movies, mostly whatmonster.substack.com

tv & film film history

All Episodes

37:47

Horrorigins: Ewan Cant

What Monster ·

2025/06/02

Steven Gregor chats with Ewan Cant, a lifelong slasher fan, about his passion for restoring and preserving obscure regional American slasher movies. Ewan's career began at Arrow Video, where he worked on re-releases of horror classics like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 (1986) and HELLRAISER (1987). He now works at Vinegar Syndrome as an acquisitions specialist, focusing on deep cuts like BLOOD TRACKS (1985), ICED (1989), and TERROR AT TENKILLER (1987).During the chat, Ewan shares his early

26:16

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

What Monster ·

2025/05/01

Friday the 13th Part 2 isn’t just a top-tier slasher—it might also sneak in some surprising literary chops. I know, right? Who’d have guessed! This episode of What Monster takes a deep dive into the film and its 1988 novelisation, drawing unexpected lines between Jason Voorhees and H. P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider. I also explore how the movie borrows from—and helped shape—other horror classics like Bay of Blood (1971), Halloween (1978), and The Prowler (1981).Listen on Substack, YouTube, Spotify,

89:51

Justin Kerswell

What Monster ·

2025/03/26

A conversation with author, broadcaster and slasher movie expert Justin Kerswell.For more on Justin, visit:* Hysteria Lives! slasher movie review website* The Hysteria Continues slasher movie podcast on Patreon and YouTube This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stevengregor.substack.com

01:48

Trailer, Season 2

What Monster ·

2025/01/07

Slasher movie fans rejoice! The What Monster Podcast is back! G’day and welcome to What Monster. I’m Steven Gregor, your host. And each episode I take a nerd-tastic deep dive into one slasher movie classic. For this, the second season of the podcast, I’m returning to my horror-gins—the 1980s—and nerdsplaining ten bonafide heyday slasher movie favourites. On the watchlist: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 MY BLOODY VALENTINE PROM NIGHT FINAL EXAM GRADUATION DAY THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD THE BURNING HELL

17:03

PSYCHO QUEERS

What Monster ·

2024/12/11

Part 2: American Psycho (2000)

07:33

SLASHER MOVIE TROPES

What Monster ·

2024/12/02

Part 2: The Harbinger of Doom

07:27

AMERICAN GIALLO

What Monster ·

2024/11/22

Part 1: The Rules of Giallo

03:25

Slasher semiotics, Part 1 — Warning signs that you...

What Monster ·

2024/11/05

Warning signs that you might be in a horror movie… It’s a dark, stormy night. Thunder, lightning, and torrential rain. The electricity is out. The landline — remember those? — well, it’s been cut. And, of course — the car won’t start. These are all telltale signs — sorry, but you’re in a horror movie. Question is, are you the first to un-alive — or are you the final girl? The last man standing? The survivor? Navigating a horror movie — and recognising the signs — can be tricky. What Monster is here

09:17

Criminal Law (1989)

What Monster ·

2024/11/01

CRIMINAL LAW is part legal drama, part serial killer thriller. It’s high-sounding, operatic, it’s moralistic. And, yeah—at times, a little silly. The premise is simple enough, a defence attorney with a conflict of conscience works to entrap his guilty, murderous client. There’s a moral complexity to the killer’s motive—prescient, really—as important today as it was in the 1980s or as it has ever been. Themes that resonate with me, they’re all here: complicated, dysfunctional familial bonds;

09:53

In Defence of Halloween II

What Monster ·

2024/10/26

"John Carpenter’s original HALLOWEEN movie is elegant, sophisticated in its simplicity. A classic. One of the most important American movies ever made, no doubt. But now we’re watching HALLOWEEN II and the rules are different. The stakes have been raised. As Randy in SCREAM 2 explains, sequels are all about the: 'Carnage candy. Your core audience just expects it.' And, I do love me some carnage-flavoured Halloween candy. Let’s go!" This week, Steven discusses Rick Rosenthal’s much-maligned 1981

08:10

Horror Movies and Empathy

What Monster ·

2024/10/20

"Having empathy for the victims in horror movies is easy to understand. But, as a rationalisation for watching horror movies, is it too simplistic? What about empathy for the monster?" This week, Steven discusses horror movies and empathy—for the victims and the villains. Movies mentioned: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Carrie (1976) Chain Reactions (2024) Friday the 13th (1980) Halloween (1978) Peeping Tom (1960) Prom Night (1980) Psycho (1960) Scream (1996) The Prowler (1981) The Silence of the

16:21

Scream if you love slashers

What Monster ·

2024/10/10

"Kevin Williamson is a slasher movie magpie—lifting scenarios, and even dialogue, from other movies. It’s what I love most about his writing style. Well, that and—he sure knows how to write an iconic chase scene." This week, Steven discusses the O.G. SCREAM, directed by Wes Craven. Also in this episode, he talks about the very first time he went to the movies. And, he falls into a Kevin Williamson rabbit hole—it’s his happy place—spotting some moments in Williamson's movies that are directly lifted

18:31

The Substance (2024)

What Monster ·

2024/10/04

Review: The Substance (2024). Plus: Slasher movies saved me. And: A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss, Feeding the Monster by Anna Bogutskaya

14:34

Strange Darling: Help! I'm a spoilerphobe!

What Monster ·

2024/09/26

Review: Strange Darling (2024). Plus: Help! I'm a spoilerphobe! And: Mike Flanagan, Stephen King

31:42

Intruder (1989)

What Monster ·

2024/09/01

Nerdsplaining INTRUDER (1989)

33:44

The Funhouse (1981)

What Monster ·

2024/08/05

Nerdsplaining THE FUNHOUSE (1981)

32:28

The Final Terror (1983)

What Monster ·

2024/07/15

Nerdsplaining THE FINAL TERROR (1983)

41:31

The Initiation (1984)

What Monster ·

2024/07/01

Nerdsplaining THE INITIATION (1984)

35:59

The Prowler (1981)

What Monster ·

2024/06/17

Nerdsplaining THE PROWLER (1981)

42:43

Madman (1981)

What Monster ·

2024/06/10

Nerdsplaining MADMAN (1981)

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