The Horror Double Bill
Welcome to The Horror Double Bill, the podcast where each week we pair classic and modern horror films to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Inspired by the legendary BBC2 horror double bills of the 1970s and 1980s, each week we discuss two films that share twisted themes, unsettling atmospheres, or strange connections
From the shadowy corridors of black and white classics to the paranoia-fueled chaos of the 21st-century, we take a deep dive into what makes these films memorable and the social context in which they were made. Expect discussions on film history, censorship, director profiles, folklore, and cultural anxieties.
Subscribe for unexpected pairings, and a celebration of horror as a feeling not just a genre.
New episodes every Sunday.
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The Horror Double Bill
Episode 16: Livid (2011) & Suspiria (1977)
Welcome to episode 16 of the horror double bill the podcast where each week we pair 2 movies to create something far greater than the sum of their parts
This week we are exploring the terrors of ballet school with two European horror films that are connected through more than just the depiction of dance.
First up we Head to France and 2011 for Livide from the directing duo of Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, starring Chloe Colloud, Marie-Claude Pietragalla, Chloe Marcq, and Felix Moati
Then we head across to Italy – or should that be Germany – and 1977 for Suspiria from Dario Argento, starring Jessican Harper, Stefania Cassini, Alida Valli and Joan Bennet
Both films can be said to be the horror movie as fairy tale, and if we are honest neither is going to appeal to viewers who prefer naturalistic and realistic narratives. Livid moves the directors of 2007’s Inside away from the extreme violence of their debut and into the realms of fantasy, while Suspiria is a full-blown assault on the senses that was inspired by Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to name just one of its very diverse influences.
Along the way we will be discussing the careers of Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, Baroque approaches to lighting design, the creative and relationship drama behind Suspiria, fairy tale approaches to horror and much more
References:
Livid
https://archive.ph/20121211050709/http://asberman.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/from-the-vault-livide-interview-with-julien-maury/
https://collider.com/alexandre-bustillo-julien-maury-livid-hellraiser-remake-interview/
https://medium.com/keeping-it-spooky/french-frights-livide-6936d081a623
https://monstrousindustry.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/interview-with-livid-directors-alexandre-bustillo-and-julien-maury/#:~:text=AB%2BJM%3A%20For%20both%2C%20our%20relationship,on%20our%20first%202%20movies
https://newhorror.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/from-the-vault-livide-interview-with-julien-maury/#:~:text=you%20are%20again%20taking%20a,for%20the%20look%20of%20Livide
https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/153462/
https://www.ghoulsmagazine.com/articles/interview-director-julien-maury-talks-kandisha?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Films of the New French Extremity by Alexandra West.
Suspiria
Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento by Maitland McDonagh
Fear The Autobiography of Dario Argento
Dario Argento: The Man, The Myths and The Magic by Alan Jones
Spaghetti Nightmares edited by Luca M Palmerini and Geatano Mistretta.
Dario Argento An Eye for Horror Directed by Leon Ferguson
Dario Argento Panico directed by Simone Scaffidi.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Bennett
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alida_Valli
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_De_Quincey
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artwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com)