Void Signal
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Void Signal
Serena M.
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In this episode of Void Signal, Brian Prime sits down with horror enthusiast and Dark Force Fest panel host Serena M for a deep dive into the films that disturb, challenge, and stay with us. From art-house psychological terror to extreme cinema and modern “elevated” horror, they explore how the genre has evolved, why it resonates so strongly with alternative culture, and which recent films are pushing boundaries in the most interesting ways. It’s a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about fear, meaning, community, and the strange comfort of dark stories. If you love horror beyond the surface level, this episode is for you.
Void Signal intro courtesy of Processor. Visit https://processor2.bandcamp.com for more Processor.
Void Signal intro remix by Mortal Realm. Visit https://mortalrealm.bandcamp.com/ for more Mortal Realm.
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Hello again and welcome to Void Signal — I’m your host, Brian Prime. Today’s guest is Serena M, a horror scholar and enthusiast you may recognize from Dark Force Fest, where she hosted the panel Goths Love Horror. After seeing how deeply and intelligently she approaches the genre, I knew I wanted to bring her on for a longer conversation. We talk about what makes horror powerful, how the genre has evolved in recent years, the films that challenge us most, and why dark stories can still bring people together. If you like your horror thoughtful, subversive, and a little unsettling — this one’s for you.
Void Signal's Intro is courtesy of Processor, special remix for this episode by Mortal Realm. You can check out more music by both in the episode description or search Processor and Mortal Realm on any streaming platform.
Void Signal is ad free, powered by people and produced for the enjoyment of humans like yourself. If you've gotten a smile or some moments of entertainment, please consider visiting VoidSignal.net or Patreon.com/VoidSignal to help support the continued development of the Void Signal project. It helps a lot and is deeply appreciated. Thanks so much for your time.
Here's the chat with Serena, if you are going to Dark Force this year, please say hello to me! I hope to see you there. Until next time, stay safe, stay loud.
Cheers.
2025-11-12 16-16-12
===
Brian Prime: [00:00:00] Okay. All right. ~Uh, we're rolling. ~I'll just do a short little introduction for you and explain why you're here. And, ~um, ~yeah. ~Uh, are you good? Do you need a second or anything, or~
Serena M: No, I'm good.
Brian Prime: ~Okay.~
~Uh, ~welcome to Void Signal. I am your husband Brian Prime. ~I am, ~my guest is, ~uh, ~Serena. ~And ~if you were at Dark Force Fest, ~uh, ~this past year, ~uh, ~you might have caught her panel on. ~Uh, ~goths love horror, ~uh, ~which I was, ~uh, ~honored to be included on, ~uh, ~and had, ~uh, ~a wonderful time participating in. I wanted to have you on the show just because I've interacted with you a little bit and after hearing you speak, ~uh, ~during your panel at Dark Force Fest, you are certainly a person who.
Knows a lot about horror films, ~uh, ~which is a thing that I also love. And, ~uh, ~you struck me as somebody who had things to say about it, which it seems that you do. ~Um, ~so yeah, thank you so much for coming on, making this work and, ~uh, ~yeah, I appreciate it.
Serena M: Thank you so much [00:01:00] for having me. It was a pleasure to have you on my panel as well.
I think ~we, we did a, ~we did great work together.
Brian Prime: Yeah, agree. ~Um, ~I was happy with ~how it, ~how it turned out and ~I was, ~I wanted to be especially mindful of, ~uh, not, ~not saying too much or interjecting too much because ~I, you know, was, uh, uh, ~you had such insightful and thoughtful things to say. So, ~uh, ~it was a very pleasant, ~uh, ~give and take.
~Um. But, uh, so that said, uh, ~can you tell me a little bit about what brought you to want to do the panel and where this love of horror was born from?
Serena M: ~Um, well, ~we'll start where the love of horror was born from, because that kind of leads directly into, ~uh, ~the panel itself. ~Um, I don't, ~I've always been drawn toward films that are intelligent.
That are different, that offer something more than just your average popcorn fare? Not that I don't enjoy some of those because I absolutely do. ~Um, but I've, I've kind of been into film from like a very young age, and ~I wanna say that my gateway to horror was actually David Lynch. I saw Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive at way too young of an age, [00:02:00] but I was.
I didn't get the opportunity to have much of a childhood personally. ~We're not gonna go there. Um, ~but my David Lynch was my gateway into horror and horror adjacent films. When I saw Blue Velvet for the first time, I was like, oh, this is what a film is supposed to be. And that kind of led me on a deeper path, ~if you will, ~toward seeking out not just horror, but things that are horrifying without necessarily fitting genre tropes, ~uh, genre tropes actually ~like slashers and be horror, things like that.
I actually came to relatively later in my horror journey, ~um. ~I think because Chucky scared me as a child so bad, if I'm being honest. ~Uh, ~of course now I find him hilarious. ~Um, ~but yeah, no, I distinctly remember ~being, um, a. ~Being in, ~uh, ~a row home of someone that ~my, ~my mother was on a date with. And because she was a single parent, it was just me and her.
And, ~uh, ~the guy had a [00:03:00] Chucky doll on display and it's absolutely terrifying me. ~It was. ~I was four, of course. ~Sure. ~But ~so, so ~my gateway to my love of her again going back ~was, ~was David Lynch ~and that. ~That eventually evolved into me finding, ~uh, ~pure Palo Pasolini solo or the one 20 Days of Sodom, and inevitably led to Pascal's Martyrs, ~of course, ~and ~of ~that whole ~genre, uh, ~sub genre ~rather ~of new French extremity, which tends to be a favorite.
Brian Prime: Yeah. And, ~uh, that, ~that is quite the journey to take, but then it's, ~uh, ~what led you to like suddenly decide like, I want to do a panel about this.
Serena M: So, ~uh, ~one of the administrators for Dark Force Fest had posted on Facebook in their group. ~Um, ~what kind of panels would you like to see? So I ~thought, you know, actively ~thought, what would I.
Want to attend if I were at a Go Industrial convention. ~Mm-hmm. ~And I thought to myself, I would wanna hear people talk about horror movies, [00:04:00] like at a convention like at a Monster Mania or Chiller Creature Feature Weekend. I thought that would be cool if somebody brought that to our Little, now Big Goth Industrial Festival.
Mm-hmm. And so that was my suggestion. And I just so happened to have friends that commented. Below my suggestion that, well, you know, you should probably host it because you'd be better, you'd probably be the right person to do this. And I thought to myself, yeah, I suppose I could. ~Yeah. ~And so I did, ~yeah, it was, um, it was very, uh, I'm gonna give a little shout out to Sammy McClellan SAR for the suggestion.~
'cause if she hadn't have written that under my post, I would've never done it. So thanks, Sammy.
Brian Prime: Yeah, thanks, Sammy. ~Uh, ~because ~I, ~I do agree. I actually, ~um, and it's funny that you say that because I recall like ~not long after you had, ~um, ~asked if I would be on it, ~uh, as well. ~I remember commenting to you other people who were going of like, oh man, ~if I were, even ~if I were not on this panel, I'd want to go see this panel because I know.
~You know, ~I [00:05:00] love horror films as well, and I really like, ~uh, ~the sort of discourse around them and the sort of interesting conversation topics that they can bring up. ~Um, ~because it's such a subversive genre and our chosen music scene is also a. Bit of a subversive genre, right? Like it's dealing with themes ~and, ~and ideas that maybe are not the norm.
~Um, so it seems like a happy marriage to me of those two ideas. ~Agreed. You know, ~uh, ~goths do love horror movies generally, right? Like most of them do. ~Um, yeah, pretty much. Yeah. ~So, ~uh, ~it makes, makes a lot of sense. ~Um, ~and I'm glad you ended up doing it. Because, ~uh, ~thank you. I heard other people afterward talking about like, oh, that was so fun.
I had such a good time. And, you know, ~that's, ~that's the goal for any of this, right? Is like, ~you know, ~making people have a good time.
Serena M: Exactly, exactly. I was actually, ~I was, I was ~shocked ~when, ~when I was setting up in the room and, you know, pacing back and forth, ~um, ~I was concerned. I was like, oh, I'm probably not even gonna use the whole hour.
We'll just get a small handful of people and we [00:06:00] had a full room and went. Slightly over time, which I felt bad about the next panel for, but we were having such a great time. ~Um, ~it was hard to stop. Honestly, it's, I could have gone for another hour,
Brian Prime: perhaps
Serena M: two.
Brian Prime: Yeah, totally. I had the same feeling, setting up for my panel was like, oh my gosh, people are here already.
People are ready for this thing. And you know, ~it's, ~it's gratifying to provide some entertainment and some company to people for a time, ~uh, ~especially at a place I feel like Dark Force West, where you do have the people who come alone. And they don't know anybody, and they attend a rando panel and sit next to someone who's nice enough to say hello or, you know, strike up a conversation when it's over and be like, oh, this and that.
Oh, you know, ~um, ~bringing people together ~is, ~is I think the. Part that is what's special about it. ~Um, ~and I do think that horror films can definitely bring people together. 'cause I mean, the moment I see somebody in like a cool shirt for a [00:07:00] horror, ~you know, ~film or something like, oh shit, that person is rad.
~I.~
Serena M: Oh, ~hell yeah. ~Hell yeah. Horror is very communal and ~it's, it's, and when, ~when you know, ~you, ~you know, and then you're in. ~Mm-hmm. ~And whenever ~you, like, I, ~I spot people ~with, ~with cool shirts sometimes, ~and then ~it always turns into a 15 minute random conversation about cool horror shit. ~So, you know, I, I love that.~
I love ~those, ~those random moments with strangers that ~kind of ~reinforce that, ~you know, there's, ~there's good in the universe. And strangely enough, horror does that.
Brian Prime: Yeah, strangely enough. ~Um, so, uh, ~that's a good part to kind of transition into, ~um, ~films. 'cause I do want to kind of pick your brain about, ~uh, ~the reason you're here.
~Um,~
Serena M: okay.
Brian Prime: So, ~uh, ~in regards to. ~Uh, ~horror that has come out over the last couple of years. Where do you see, ~um, ~the horror films place in our current sort of cultural moment versus maybe where it used to be? And do you think that has shifted?
Serena M: ~I do, honestly, I do. Um, ~I [00:08:00] think we started seeing that shift with ~a ~24 Ari Astor and the more that social media became involved in promotion, ~uh, ~horror movies tend to be ripe for viral marketing.
And so, you know, the more people share, the more people wanna see it, the more people show up ~and, you know. ~Horror films with small budgets and big ideas, ~uh, ~that cost very little to make. And suddenly our box office smashes, ~um, ~we saw this kind of starting with Jason Blum and Blumhouse films. Then evolve with ~a ~24 as the quote unquote elevated horror, if you will.
And now ~we're starting to see more. I feel ~we're starting to see more experimentation. ~Um, ~things like together, ~um, ~something like barbarian and weapons that, ~you know, have like still big ideas, but now they ~have bigger budgets and better casts. ~Um, so I see, ~I do see horror getting more Hollywood, but so long as it keeps its sensibilities.
I don't necessarily see that as a [00:09:00] bad thing. Because ~it's, ~it's still keeping outside of your generalized tropes that we see in seventies horror films, eighties horror films, nineties horror films where you have ~like ~the teen genre of horror. And then of course, the early two thousands were marred by remakes of classic horror films, ~of course.~
And then, you know, overseas it was different. That started to bleed over into American culture with horror. So I see that, that where we are is Hollywood is evolving with that, but also ~they, um, ~even indie studios seem to be willing to take bigger and better risks. And I like to see that.
Brian Prime: Yeah, agree. ~Um, and you, uh, yeah, just real quick, ~talking about major impact on.
Small budgets. ~Uh, ~this past weekend I ended up rewatching the original paranormal activity ~and, um. You know, just, uh, ~speaking of a film that punches well above its weight for its budget. Oh, yeah. ~Um, just ~and still has scenes and moments in it [00:10:00] that are chilling and really well executed, and I
Serena M: mm-hmm.
Brian Prime: I do agree.
~I do have. ~I do agree with you overall too. I do think that ~it, it occupies a more, a bigger space, I guess, of like ~horror films are probably reaching the biggest audience they ever have, ~and. ~You know, the thing that makes them special now I feel is still mostly the same thing that has always made them special, right?
Like the ones that stand out are the ones that really sort of address something in the human psyche or subconscious that just is a little rattling or a little jarring, or, you know, was written or produced or directed or whatever. So well that it just leaves this. Legacy. ~Um, ~so yeah, I do agree with that and I feel like we're lucky to, you know, at this time, like there's been so many good horror films, ~um, ~ever since the rise of, ~you know, the ~A 24.
~Um. Uh, ~at least for me, like that's been like my flavor a lot. And ~the, ~I like horror in new flavors, like the id. ~Mm-hmm. Um, ~the social anxiety [00:11:00] horror, ~um, oh~
Serena M: yes.
Brian Prime: ~Is, uh, ~Bo is Afraid is probably one of the hardest films I've ever watched in my life. And
Serena M: Oh my God. ~Can I, can I, ~can I interrupt you just ~very, very, ~very slightly?
Absolutely. Of course. Thank you. That is the only film I have ever seen that gave me a panic attack so bad. I had to pause it for about 20 minutes before I could finish it, and it was the end of course, that final scene. It's just everything ~that pen ultimate ~building up to it, realizing it was all spoilers being, ~um.~
That's all I'll say. It was just like, Ooh, that hit me in the mom. Trauma so hard. Yeah. Like too hard.
Brian Prime: Yes.
Serena M: That being said, I thought it was excellent.
Brian Prime: Yes. ~I, ~it's a brilliant movie. I've never seen anything ~in my, ~like it, and ~it just is have, I will, ~it is an experience, but of the two times I have watched it, ~I have to, ~as soon as the credits roll, I have to immediately go to sleep.
~Like I just am.~
Serena M: Right
Brian Prime: ~on. So stressed from it, like mm-hmm. The, and it was, ~I had to also appreciate, you know, as this unpleasant sort of experience is happening to me of, I also had to appreciate [00:12:00] that, like, the thing that's happening in this movie right now, which is a phone is ringing and it says it's his mom and he's not gonna, he doesn't answer.
And it's like, and then it goes to voicemail. And I realized that like. This is a fairly tame scenario playing out, but my anxiety was through the roof and I just felt so on the edge of my seat and apprehensive of like, this movie is affecting me deeply because I have that fear of like, ah, he didn't answer and now there's a voicemail, so it's gonna be worse and
Serena M: Right.
Brian Prime: ~Ah. ~Just the way it preyed on my. Vulnerabilities and my anxieties surrounding that. It was just a wild experience compared to the average horror experience, I guess.
Serena M: Absolutely. And I think that's also a testament to Ari Astor's masterful direction because the way that the shots are framed and cut and spliced ~and, ~and color graded, all contribute to that mounting sense of tension and [00:13:00] dread over something.
So innocuous is letting a phone call go to voicemail. ~Um, and so, so. ~Kudos to Ari Astor for the, ~um, ~anxiety and panic. ~Yeah, much appreciated.~
Brian Prime: Yeah.
Serena M: Thanks
Brian Prime: so much.
Serena M: Totally.
Brian Prime: ~Uh, ~but yeah, I do agree with you. ~Uh, I, ~I am a big fan ~of, ~of Ari Astor for that reason of like showing me things that. Or unsettling or, you know, make me uncomfortable.
And I was remarking agree 'cause I just re-watched midsummer not that long ago. ~Um, ~and Oh, yeah. ~Uh, ~because we're coming right outta spooky season, so. ~Mm-hmm. I, ~I do appreciate too, the way he uses. ~Um, ~people and movement. So like, there's a lot of, in a lot of his films that'll be like, there's a person just standing perfectly still somewhere and ~mm-hmm.~
You know, just the manner in which they are sort of. There but not, or they are part of the scenery almost in their absence of movement or the way figures will move across a shot or [00:14:00] over a space. ~Like there's just something about it that feels so strange, so alien. Yeah. ~So threatening.
Serena M: Agreed. ~Agreed. And ~And it's all done in like perfect daylight too.
Yeah. ~Which is fascinating.~
Brian Prime: Yeah. And I like that Midsummer plays a lot with, ~um. Like ~gender roles and ~gender, you know, ~ideas concerning that. ~Because I mean, you know, we,~
Serena M: well, in the theatrical version, ~not the director's gut.~
Brian Prime: Okay. ~I don't know that~
Serena M: I've seen
Brian Prime: the director's gut.
Serena M: I don't recommend it because, oh, there's, yeah.
~I don't actually, ~I think the theatrical cut is the cut of the film that one should watch. Because like you're saying, you like ~the, the, the, ~the play on the gender roles ~and, ~and the characters. And we are ~following, um, or ~following Florence Pew's character throughout ~and, ~and she's our beacon. ~She's our, ~she's our sympathy.
~And ~in the director's Cut. That's not entirely the case. ~Mm-hmm. ~And it kind of detracts, I think, from where you start to where you end up with Christian. ~Okay. And I, ~I really did not like that at all. So I'm kind of glad ~that it, ~that most of that was cut out. Honestly.
Brian Prime: Okay.
Serena M: Yeah,
Brian Prime: ~I am, ~[00:15:00] I am too curious now, so I will have to watch it, ~uh, because, uh, ~
Serena M: ~because yeah, it's, ~it's a very different film.
Brian Prime: Okay.
Serena M: It's a very different film. ~Okay. ~And it's so interesting that ~just, ~just a few cuts. Can alter a story ~in, ~in such a meaningful way.
Brian Prime: Mm-hmm.
Serena M: ~Um, but yeah, I was, uh, ~I was not pleased ~with, ~with the director's club at all because ~of the, ~it creates more sympathy for Christiane, which is what I feel is the antithesis to the point of the film overall.
Brian Prime: ~I, uh, I'm not sure if I agree because I just Okay, fine. I feel like, and, you know, all due respect and everything, but ~I feel like ~what, to me, ~what makes it interesting, what makes it shine is the idea of like. ~You know, um, ~he sucks. He's kind of a dick. Right? But does he deserve to have these things done to him?
Does he deserve to be ~what we, ~what is basically sexually assaulted, right? Like he's drugged to end, right? ~Um, ~induced into doing this thing. ~Um, ~does he deserve to have that done to him? Does he then deserve to have, ~you know, ~his ultimate fate? And I feel like the film is a challenge so that when credits are rolling.[00:16:00]
It is put to you, the viewer of, do you feel bad? ~Do you, you know, ~do you feel happy for this character? Or do you feel, ~uh, ~sad for these people who, ~these other people, ~these other characters who are victims? ~Um. ~You know, and I feel like that, at least for me, that's where the movie shined was that like, we're gonna do these things to this character and, ~you know, uh, ~you're, ~uh, ~complicit.
Like you're watching it happen and how do you feel about it? ~Like, ~do you feel redeemed? ~You know, ~is there resolution here? And ~I, ~that's what I like about it. So I wouldn't want that to be played with too much, I guess.
Serena M: ~Mm-hmm. Yeah. No, I, I actually thinking about it more because I haven't seen the film in, in quite some time.~
Mm-hmm. ~Um. Yeah, no, the, that ambigu ~the ambiguity of emotion of do you feel bad, ~um, ~do you feel that this was justified? I think ~that, that, ~that plays on Florence P'S face at the end of the film. ~Mm-hmm. The, the, the, the, ~the. Wide range ~of, ~of variable emotion that she's having. ~Um, ~at the end where she looks like she's crying and she's inherently sad, but then that smile just very, [00:17:00] very slowly creeps.
And what does that mean for her? Does she feel justified or is she just now part of a cult? ~Um. ~You know? Yeah, I like that.
Brian Prime: Yeah. And ~very ~felt very much like a, ~um, uh, I, ~I felt nudged, I guess, of like, when the credits roll, you're gonna say, good for her. And I want to, right. Like, because I'm like, oh, she's happy.
~Uh, ~and you know, I felt so bad for her through most of it, but, you know, at the expense of people who are not. Bad people overall just may be dishonest people. And is that enough to merit? Their fates. ~Um, ~I like anything that kind of ~challenges, um, ~challenges me in that way. You mentioned Martyrs, which I have not seen, but in a similar vein of feeling challenged.
~Um, oh, ~what is that fucking movie? Funny games? ~Um, oh yes. I, that was, ~which version do
Serena M: you like better?
Brian Prime: ~Uh, the, ~I've seen each one once and that wasn't enough. ~Um, but, um. I did sort of fair. ~I liked ~the, ~the American version. ~Um, but I, I did~
Serena M: too.
Brian Prime: I man, to have a film just like [00:18:00] challenge you, like hold up, we're gonna pause and I'm going to check if you want to go on.
~Like, I was not. ~It caught me off guard and after, ~uh, I, I can't, ~I can't say that I want to revisit it too many times, but sort of like Bo is afraid. ~It's, ~it's quite an experience to have a film do this.
Serena M: Oh yeah, ~absolutely. ~Absolutely. I personally, I liked ~and it's, it's in fairness, it's, and, um, ~forgive me if I'm mispronouncing his last name, but it's a Michael Hanukkah's.
~Uh, ~he's basically just remaking the same film he did in Germany, shot for shot to peel to a wider audience. However, I think the actors. In the more American version, really elevated the material because they were just so good and so believable. I was convinced of the terror in Naomi LA's Face, the resignation, and Tim Roth when he realized he could do nothing.
~Um, and that playful Ws gets. ~Complete abject cruelty in [00:19:00] the looks you get from Michael Pitt and Brady Corbett. ~Um, and I, it, it had more of an impact for me. Um, I, ~I loved it and I could watch it often to be honest, because ~that's just, ~that's just the kind of pattern of. What I find interesting, I find the psychopathology of man's inhumanity to man.
Fascinating. So I love films that challenge you in that respect. And I don't necessarily ~fe ~feel challenged by it. It's very strangely ~cathart ~entertaining for me. ~Um, ~in. The weirdest and craziest of ways. My spouse would just call me an edge Lord. ~Um, ~and he's probably not wrong. ~I'm, ~I'm not gonna lie. ~Um, but I just, and ~to insert humor in it and actually make you laugh, and then you feel disgusted for laughing.
~Um. Yeah. Just I, ~I like that very much. It appeals to me greatly.
Brian Prime: ~Yeah. ~Agree. ~I do like mm-hmm. ~Because again, it comes back to being challenged and
Serena M: Right.
Brian Prime: ~I ~it is a hundred percent okay. If you tap out, ~like I, you know,~
Serena M: oh yeah.
Brian Prime: There [00:20:00] are films that I've sat down to watch and get. You know, 20, 30 minutes into it and something occurs that I just, ~uh, ~ooh, I can't do this.
~Like, and~
Serena M: mm-hmm.
Brian Prime: I gotta tap out. ~Um, ~everybody kind of has their limits and pressure points, I guess.
Serena M: Yes. ~Oh, can I tell you what mine was?~
Brian Prime: Yes, please.
Serena M: Okay. ~Um, ~I don't really tap out on much. I've watched irreversible multiple times. I used to use it as a lit mis test for new friends. ~Um, ~I've seen a Serbian film all the way through.
~Uh, ~that is not a recommendation by any means. ~Um, ~but the one film I tried watching and I tapped out on it, this is gonna sound a little odd. Tigers are not afraid.
Brian Prime: Oh
Serena M: ~my. Have you seen that?~
Brian Prime: No, I have not, but ~I, ~it is on my list of like, I was planning to watch this.
Serena M: It is, ~um, ~it's very good, don't get me wrong.
~Um, ~it's on shutter and I think the child abuse just got ~like, ~because ~it's, ~it's psychological and its [00:21:00] abandonment was just, it was too overwhelming for me. I couldn't handle that. I tapped out three years ago and never went back.
Brian Prime: Mm-hmm.
Serena M: I would love to revisit it, but I think, ~oh, ~there's another one. ~Uh, ~playground 2016 Polish.
Brian Prime: Not familiar at all.
Serena M: ~Okay. Um. ~It is based on the James Bulger murder case. ~Um, ~so everybody, ~uh, ~Wikipedia ~of ~that, ~uh, ~I'm not gonna give it away, ~but. The what you're going through the entire film, ~you're watching the story of ~these, these, ~these different groups of children, ~um, ~and just kind of how terrible their lives are and they all interact at school and, you know, ~there's, ~there's a level of kids being kids kind of cruelty ~and then.~
Escalates to the worst possible place. And the final shot is the penultimate climax of the film. And even though ~it was of, ~it was very tastefully done, it was a very long shot, ~um, ~that ~it ~wasn't [00:22:00] exploitative at all, but you could hear everything that was happening and that was unbearable for me. ~That is what, and ~I applaud the director, ~uh, ~for making that film, ~um, ~because he did such a great job with it.
It's a really, really good film. It's very interesting. ~Um, ~but I could never revisit it ever. I didn't quite tap out, but ~I. ~I had a blanket over my head and my ears covered. I'll say that.
Brian Prime: Yeah,
Serena M: I guess that's tapping out. ~Yeah.~
Brian Prime: Yeah, that's okay. ~I, uh, yeah, ~I don't recall the name, but there was ~a, um. I believe it was a, not maybe ~a Malaysian film or Southeast Asian film of some kind horror film about, ~um, ~demonic possession of a young girl.
~And they're just there. ~I was into it. I was like, this is really good. This is really cool. But then, ~uh, you know, ~hits a particular scene with like some dog danger. That ~I just was, was a little, ~was way too much for me, and I just had to immediately like, oh, we're gonna stop and I can't finish this. ~I just, you know, and ~everybody has ~like, ~their different limits ~and, and everything ~and sometimes it's fine.
Right? Yeah. Like toxic [00:23:00] avenger, like Absolutely. Ah, the dog is shot with a shotgun and it slides across the floor and it's ridiculous. Right? Like, okay. Yeah, I can, yeah. I can overlook that, but like something that looks a little too real or looks a little too lifelike. Ooh. Yeah. Gotta stop. ~Um, ~and you know, we mentioned funny games and that was one that, Ooh, that was very quite lifelike and ~uh, ~yeah.
Serena M: Did you see the Innocence 2021? ~Uh, ~Norwegian?
Brian Prime: No.
Serena M: Or Swedish? I think it's Norwegian. Yeah. So ~it's, ~it's a great concept. It takes place ~in like, um, in like a block, ~like an apartment block. ~Mm-hmm. You know, um, I forget what they call them, uh, in Europe. ~And it's basically just about all of these children, ~um, ~that are kind of like the equivalent of what we would consider a latchkey kid, but they're, ~you know, ~a little bit younger.
Brian Prime: Mm-hmm.
Serena M: ~Probably than what they. ~A latchkey kid should be, ~um, ~and they start to develop like psychic powers. Like they can start moving things or start setting things on fire. And some of them are very playful with it. And then [00:24:00] it becomes, some of them are using it to be cruel against one another and there is a cat scene.
~Um. And ~I had almost completely forgotten about that scene until it came up on Reddit recently up in a thread, somebody was talking about what horror movie could you not finish? And a few people had said that one. And I was, I remember thinking, oh, I, I had that on a 48 hour window and I watched it twice 'cause it was really good.
But I forgot, I had forgotten about the cat scene. Yeah, I think I blocked it out. But yeah, sure. That was a. Very, very lifelike and very uncomfortable. I don't, I think I looked away from the screen.
Brian Prime: Yeah.
Serena M: Both times I watched it, ~if I recall.~
Brian Prime: Yeah. ~Um, well, uh, I don't wanna dwell too long on like, the things that make us tap out.~
~Um, ~what is something, ~uh, ~is there a film or two that you've seen? Recently that you just feel like is, ~uh, ~'cause you watch a lot and so, ~uh, ~and I do, ~you know, you, ~I trust your expertise and judgment on this, ~so, uh, ~is there a film or two that you've seen recently ~ish ~that gets you excited, that makes you say, ah, hey, stop.
What [00:25:00] the fuck you're doing? This is what you need to sit down and put in your eyeballs?
Serena M: Yeah. ~Um, ~not for the faint of heart, but I think bring her back is the film of the year. Hmm, that I don't think there's anything that's gonna beat that for me. From first frame to final credit, I was completely enraptured by the story.
~Um. ~I wanted to know more about the lore behind it. I was completely invested in these two kids in front of me, and Sally Hawkins was just so incredibly menacing, but. ~Also playful about it, and ~ultimately though, you can't condone anything that she's done and you vilify her for it. ~You, ~you also kind of understand ~it's, it's, ~it's a very, very heavy film about grief.
Trauma and loss, but it's just done so well. These Philippo brothers, they [00:26:00] get me every time. I love talk To me. I think Talk to me is one of the best horror films of this century. ~Um, uh, thus far, of course would agree. We're still kind of, ~
Brian Prime: ~uh,~
Serena M: it
Brian Prime: is excellent ~and~
Serena M: yeah, it's,
Brian Prime: ~yeah. And something about the. Uh, just real quick about talk, talk to me.~
Something about the violence in that movie is so visceral and a sudden and unsettling. ~Yes. And just, it,~
Serena M: it reminded me of Green Room ~in that way. ~
Brian Prime: ~Yes, exactly. Yeah. ~A lot like Green
Serena M: Room, it's ~like ~a punch to your gut. ~You know, but it's very quick.~
Brian Prime: Yes. ~And it's,~
Serena M: it comes outta nowhere. ~Yeah. ~And it just hits you really, really hard Right.
In the stomach. ~Yeah.~
Brian Prime: Yeah. ~Agree.~
Serena M: Especially the Riley scene.
Brian Prime: Yes.
Serena M: Yeah.
Brian Prime: Agree. ~Uh, agree.~
Serena M: Mm-hmm.
Brian Prime: ~Um, ~anything else that's been I your ballpark?
Serena M: Yes. I really loved weapons. ~Um, I liked it. I, ~I wouldn't say they're. Weapons and Barbarian are two different films that have a similar flare to them, I'll say. But I really loved the narrative structure of weapons and it went to a place that I didn't expect.
And it's, it takes a lot to surprise me. And that film very much surprised me. ~Um, ~[00:27:00] I had such a blast with it too. It was so much fun. ~Um, ~because I'm a parent. ~Um, ~with a child relatively the same age as Alex, I'm not gonna lie, I got a little panicky when we got to his story because, oh my God, like to be, I can just, I can viscerally feel the, the.
The powerlessness that he felt, and I could only imagine how his parents were feeling, especially his dad, who he had like a great relationship with, it seemed, you know, to be paralyzed in his own body and not be able to protect his child. ~Um, yeah. ~That got me. And I was not expecting that. But of course the ending was just a great ball of fun for me thought.
Yeah. ~Um, ~I really, really enjoyed weapons a lot. ~It's, ~it's very much up there.
Brian Prime: Yes.
Serena M: ~Um, ~I also wanna give a shout out to the remake of the Toxic Avenger. ~With Peter Dinkle.~
Brian Prime: I have
Serena M: not [00:28:00] seen that
Brian Prime: ~yet. ~I was so excited for it. And then somewhere along the way, I just forgot it ever came out ~and just haven't watched it.~
Serena M: ~I have been wa, ~I have been waiting for this film since it premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2023, and I'm like, when's it coming out? When's it getting a distributor? Why don't I have this movie in front of me right now? And then finally. There it was. ~Uh, I, I did, ~I went and saw it twice. I did have to travel a little bit to get there, but it was worth it because, ~um, and ~it fits into the narrative of the film.
A certain portion of ticket sales were being donated for, ~um, ~health, medical debt relief. ~Um, and like I said, that plays into the film. ~In addition to just being a love letter to the original, it is actually a legitimately good film. I think it's funny. ~It's, ~it's goofy, it's silly. It's over the top. But there, there's a lot ~of, ~of weird, fun layers in there, and a decent story, a story ~that, ~that probably somebody could relate to, you know?
~Um, and the, the, the practical effects were awesome. Um. ~Kevin Bacon just [00:29:00] chewed the scenery perfectly. ~Um, ~Taylor Page ~who, um, ~she's kind of like a rising star. I first saw her in Zola. ~I don't know if you ever saw that. ~Not a horror film. ~Um, ~but she was fantastic in that and it was nice to see her again. ~And she was a great, um.~
She was a great, ~like ~right hand ~man ~to ~the, ~what was going on in the story, so to speak. ~Um, ~I had a ball with it. I love Macon Blair. I love him in Jeremy, Sonia films, and I love him as a director and writer, and I can't wait to see what he does next. I think you did a great job.
Brian Prime: Okay. I will definitely watch it then.
~Uh, 'cause I was, I was excited for it and, uh, just, yeah, I don't know, just one of those movies that just kind of falls off your radar a little and you kind of forget. I, I don't know. Um, okay. Uh, ~so will we see you at Dark Force next year?
Serena M: ~That is the plan. Okay. Uh, ~that is the plan I have not seen, ~and admittedly I've been very busy with work, but I have not seen, um, ~the call to apply for panels yet.
I think last year it was sometime between November and February, where ~mm-hmm. We're. ~They started accepting applications, but I absolutely plan to put my application in and I look forward to getting accepted again. And I have a lot of ideas [00:30:00] for what I wanna do and what I wanna talk about.
Brian Prime: Nice. ~Um, I, ~I hope you do, ~uh, ~and, ~uh, you know, ~I will, ~uh, ~see you there.
~Uh, ~I will be there as well. ~Uh,~
Serena M: absolutely.
Brian Prime: I have, ~uh, ~not been announced yet, but, ~um. Okay, ~I'll be doing Void Signal live again. ~Uh, ~so if you can ~Oh, good. ~Make it to come play trivia with us. ~Um, ~that would be wonderful. ~Um, I had a ~
Serena M: ~blast last time, so ~I'll be there.
Brian Prime: Wonderful. Yeah. Thank you. ~I'm, I'm, yeah. ~I'm so glad.
~And, uh, yeah, of course. ~If you do end up doing the panel, I'm, ~you know, ~at your disposal, you're my first call. Okay. Yep. ~I, ~I accept. ~Uh, ~so I will happily ~Awesome. Uh, ~anytime. ~Um, ~okay, great. ~So ~I. Did want to, ~um, ~before I hit you with the last question of the show, I did want to kind of put you on the spot a little bit ~and just Okay.~
~Um, ~you're a smart person with a lot of personality and character. You were able to carry a panel talking about a thing you're clearly passionate about and clearly knowledgeable about. ~Um, ~what plans do you have to sort of. Use this outlet. I mean, have you considered a podcast of your own or a blog ~or a what's, ~what's gonna come
Serena M: ~with this?~
~I, ~I have considered a blog. ~Um, ~I have [00:31:00] considered a podcast. ~Um, ~right now ~I'm in a. ~I'm in a very ~busy, ~busy place with work, ~um, ~and that I'm hoping kind of eases up so that I have a bit more leisure time and a bit more time to think and process ideas and
Brian Prime: mm-hmm.
Serena M: And maybe start to work toward putting something together.
~Um, ~I'm not really an influencer type. I'm not really gonna be a be on hard talk or Insta Heart, but I could definitely, ~I could, I could ~see myself going down the podcast route. For sure.
Brian Prime: Okay. ~Alright, ~
Serena M: ~cool. Yeah,~
Brian Prime: I
Serena M: would ~to ~be determined.
Brian Prime: Okay. Alright. I'll accept. ~Uh, but I wouldn't thank you. I, but I would encourage it.~
~Um, ~I do think that it is, ~thank you very much. Something that, uh, that you would be good at and, uh, you know. Thank~
Serena M: you.
Brian Prime: My pleasure. I want to go ahead and hit you with the last question of the show. ~I don't wanna keep you too long. Um, ~so what is something that, ~uh, ~you have been enjoying recently? And your answer can be anything.
A book, a movie, a TV show, your dog, just what's something that you're jazzed about?
Serena M: Oh, you know what I, oh, I'm glad you asked that. It's not horror related at all, but I listened to, ~um, ~behind the Bastards podcast. Mm-hmm. [00:32:00] And the, it could happen here weekly ~and. ~I think it was last week they had a series.
~It's a three part, I think it's three part, it might be four. Um, I, I listened to three. ~It's a series on, ~um, ~the Strange History of Lethal Injection, and it's hosted by, ~um, ~two, ~uh, ~investigative journalists. And authors from Texas that they'll routinely come on and they'll do ~like, uh, ~an investigative piece over ~like ~a series of episodes.
And I really found it fascinating that they went back as far as like ~from, you know, um. ~From public executions all the way up to, ~um, ~lethal injection and what the state of lethal injections are today, and just how inhumane it is, ~uh, ~which is something I kind of knew existed, but never really dived into because it's one of those things that, well, that'll just, ~you know, ~completely fuck your day up.
~Uh, but I. ~From an investigative journalist perspective, I really enjoyed listening to their research on it and [00:33:00] listening to the different, ~um, ~people that, ~that they, ~they had on to talk about it. Like ~they, ~there was ~a, ~a guy that was a victim of a hate crime after nine 11. And he was shot and his assailant was jailed.
~Uh, ~he had committed other multiple murders ~in, ~in Texas that were hate crimes. ~Um, and ~this gentleman survived, ~uh, and he, he ~lost his eye, ~um, ~and ended up going through quite a bit of medical trauma and debt, but ended up going on ~like ~a pilgrimage to Mecca, where ~as part of that ~he forgave. The man that attacked him.
~And then ~when he came home, he actively worked to try to, ~um, ~stay his execution and ~hope he ~hoped ~to, ~to get him off of death row ~being ~as he was the one that was assailed the victim here and he doesn't wanna see this man die. And of course it was Texas and that didn't happen. ~But, um. He, ~he said that he was one of the last people ~to, ~to meet with the person who attacked him ~and.~
~The, ~the person who attacked [00:34:00] him said, I love you, brother, to him. And that was just like, woo woo. Here I am sitting at my desk doing administrative stuff and now shedding a tear. ~Um, ~but they did a really great job on that, so it could happen here. Robert Evans Cool Zone Media. It's good stuff.
Brian Prime: Okay. ~Uh, noted.~
I will check it out. ~Uh, ~similar in tone to that, ~uh, a thing, uh, ~a recommendation ~I'll, ~I'll make to you based on that. ~Um, oh, please. Uh, ~if you've never heard, ~uh, ~Dan Carlin's hardcore history, ~um. It's, um, ~I have not, it is a, I'm not a big podcast person, but it is one that I have listened to a lot. ~Uh, ~he has these long, long series about, ~you know, uh, ~the eastern front in the war, and one about World War I, which is profound ~as shit ~to listen to.
Serena M: Oh God,
Brian Prime: I love
Serena M: that shit.
Brian Prime: Yeah, it's really good. And covers a lot of ~the. ~The dirty, you know, it's hardcore history. ~So it's like the dirty, yeah. ~This is how ugly it was. This is how terrible it was. And he, you know, when he mentioned inhumanity to man, that's a thing that he covers a lot. ~Um, ~and there's an episode I would [00:35:00] recommend to you called Painful Infotainment, and it's one where he sort of examines the history of public execution and ~what sort of role, ~what it would look like now, right?
Like if. If we, and, you know, challenges people of like, would you go to this thing and talks at length about how in France, like public executions were all the rage. Like people would, ~you know, ~stake out good spots and rent hotel rooms so they could see and you know, ~um, ~all sorts of debauchery and inhumanity and grossness that sort of goes along with that.
~Um. ~It's really riveting stuff to listen to. And he is also got a great voice. He's got kind of a heat ledger joker, sort of a vibe to him at times. ~Um, ~
Serena M: ~cool. ~Yeah, I found it. It's behind a paywall, but I'll go through archive.org now.
Brian Prime: Yes, by all means. ~Um, but seems like in your wheelhouse maybe. ~
Serena M: ~Yeah. No, definitely.~
Thank you very much for the recommendation. I found it immediately.
Brian Prime: Yeah. Excellent. Wonderful. ~Um, ~cool. Well, I always answer the question myself. ~Um, ~the thing I've been enjoying recently, ~um, ~actually rewatching the paranormal Activity movies, ~um, ~they [00:36:00] get. Not great in some of the sequels. ~Yeah. Um, some of '~
Serena M: em,
Brian Prime: ~um, ~I found myself ~like, sort of, ~by the time the credits rolled on, ~like ~the third or fourth film ~or whichever one it was, ~I was ~like, uh, I'm ~tired of watching affluent white people get haunted ~and, um, right.~
One of the little spinoffs, ~uh, ~paranormal activity, the marked ones, ~um, ~follows. ~Yes. Um, you know, ~a couple of Hispanic kids living in an apartment in la. How was
Serena M: that?
Brian Prime: It is excellent. ~Like it is? No shit. ~Yes. ~Like it was. Like, ~aside from the first film, ~like ~I was like, man, I'm finally having fun with this movie series again because ~like ~the characters are funny ~and enjoy ~and likable and the scares are sudden.
And, ~um, ~it's ~good, like ~really good. And I feel like ~it got, ~it probably gets shit on because it's, ~you know, ~sort of a spin offy kind of a movie from a big franchise. ~Right. ~But. It is a hidden gem of a movie ~as they do. Yeah, ~it ~is, ~was really endearing. ~Uh, so ~I had a lot of fun watching it and ~you know, ~it's nice to just sort of take a chance on something and like, ah, this was way better than I expected it to be.
Serena M: Yeah. ~Well thank you for letting me know. ~I will definitely check it out. ~Yeah. ~I still love the first one.
Brian Prime: [00:37:00] Yes,
Serena M: ~the, the Ouija board on fire. ~Was just chilling to me.
Brian Prime: Yes.
Serena M: ~I still, ~I can see it.
Brian Prime: Yeah.
Serena M: And still gotta chill up my spine.
Brian Prime: Yeah. ~And the, uh, yeah, ~the being dragged down the hallway just like wow.
Weirded me out.
Serena M: Oh hell no.
Brian Prime: ~Yeah. Yeah. Really effective. Yeah. Uh, but yeah. Mm-hmm. Do recommend. Um, ~okay. Well that is it. Thank you so much for taking the time to come have a chat with me and making this work. ~Um, ~
Serena M: ~thank you for having me. ~This was a lot of fun.
Brian Prime: Yeah, it was a pleasure. ~Um, ~I would be, ~uh, ~more than happy to do it again sometime.
~Uh, ~if you would want to just do a periodic, let's get together and talk about horror or whatever. ~Um, yeah, ~I'll be down for that.
Serena M: We could ~even ~do theme stuff ~or like~
Brian Prime: pick a, ~a~
Serena M: movie ~and dissect it. That would be awesome.~
Brian Prime: I would be down. ~Um, ~I had my, yeah, movie, movie club podcast for like a minute. ~Um, ~but I would definitely love to revisit that and do that.
~Um. ~I think you'd be a good choice to do that with, so, yeah, for sure. Okay, well I will be in touch with you about that and ~um, ~yeah, I'll let you know when this goes out. It'll probably be about a month or so. ~Um, ~okay. ~Sounds, ~I've got episodes ahead of you and everything, ~but, um, oh, ~I will need a. If you don't mind.
If you do mm-hmm. We can figure out an alternative, but a photo of you for [00:38:00] the cover would be nice. ~Um, but if you, okay. ~But if you don't want to do that, just let me know and we'll figure something else out.
Serena M: ~Yeah, I could do that. ~Okay. Well, when do you need it by?
Brian Prime: ~Um, ~not immediately. ~Like you've got weeks, so, ~okay.
Yeah.
Serena M: Okay. That sounds good. Yeah, ~I'll, ~I'll find something for you. ~Okay. ~Actually, yeah, ~I've got a, ~I've got a good one. It's an old one, but it's a good one. I'll send it over.
Brian Prime: ~Wonderful. Cool. All right. All right. Well, ~enjoy the rest of your evening. Thank you so much for your time.
Serena M: ~Thank you. You too. Take it easy, Brian.~
I'll talk to you later.
Brian Prime: All right. ~Bye.~
Serena M: Bye.