Fear Feasts: Food in Horror

About Fear Feasts: Food in Horror

A podcast that analyzes the horror genre - films and literature - through the use and symbolism of food. Join hosts Allie and Vanessa as they discuss the things that turn our stomachs in disgust, cause our stomachs to growl with hunger, and make our stomachs tighten in terror.

Publisher

Fear Feasts

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

6 Feb 2023

Latest episode

7 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

103 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Jul 2026

   Sleeping With The Enemy: Bluebeard

   What would you do if you were a young lady and were proposed to by the local lord who was hideous and had a ghastly beard? What would you do if your poverty compelled you to accept his offer and you moved with him to his magnificent castle in Brittany, complete with servants, jewels, delectable foods and much wine? What would you do if your husband gave you the keys to all the rooms in his castle but told you not to use one special key? Well, obviously you'd run like hell to the door and use the key to see what hubby's been hiding, right? What if the castle servants were told to bring you anything you wanted and you ordered a midnight feast of avocadoes and shrimp only to find that the discovery of his previous dead wives in the locked chamber killed your appetite....pardon the pun. We'll discuss these fascinating questions as we analyze the connection between food, horror and fairy tales in the Perrault classic Bluebeard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebeard), Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bloody_Chamber), and a few other tales of nasty husbands. We are joined by two very special guests: Jamieson Ridenhour and Hayley Heninger of the podcast Palimpsest (https://palimpsestproductions.com/our-shows/#palimpsest), so join us for this wild ride into the horrors of matrimony and cuisine!

2. 

   9 Jun 2026

   Pan's Labyrinth: Food, Fascism and Fairy Tales

   In this episode of Fear Feasts, Alessandra and Vanessa venture into the dark fairy-tale world of Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece, Pan's Labyrinth (2006). Set in Spain in 1944, against the backdrop of Franco's dictatorship, the film follows young Ophelia as she navigates a brutal world of political repression while simultaneously undertaking a series of mysterious supernatural tasks. Together, we explore how food operates throughout the film as a symbol of power, resistance, temptation, care and survival. From Captain Vidal's lavish banquets to the haunting table of the Pale Man, we examine the film's striking contrasts between abundance and deprivation, privilege and hunger. We discuss the symbolism of forbidden fruit, the unforgettable terror of the Pale Man's feast, Mercedes's acts of culinary resistance, and the ways food becomes entangled with family, memory, and political control. Along the way, we explore: • The historical context of post-Civil War Spain and Franco's regime • Guillermo del Toro's use of fairy tales to confront historical trauma • The symbolism of grapes, milk, mandrake root, rabbits, bread, and feasting • Family, motherhood, resistance, and rebellion • The parallels between Captain Vidal and the Pale Man • Food as nourishment, temptation, surveillance, and power • Why the true monsters of Pan's Labyrinth may not be supernatural at all We also revisit some of the film's most unforgettable scenes, including the Pale Man's banquet, Mercedes's kitchen knife moment, and Ophelia's final act of defiance. Join us as we explore one of the most layered, unsettling, and beautiful fantasy films ever made, where every meal carries meaning and every feast hides a darker truth. Warning: This episode contains major spoilers for Pan's Labyrinth. Fear Feasts is hosted by Dr Alessandra Pino and Vanessa Baca.

3. 

   10 Mar 2026

   We're Going To Need A Bigger Boat: The Little Mermaid

   What would you do if you fell in love with a prince on a boat who ate oysters and fell overboard? Since you're a mermaid, you'd save him and fall madly in love with him, right? What would you do if you sold your singing voice to the sea witch and her flesh-eating eels to become human? What would you do if your husband kidnapped a mermaid and kept trying to feed her fish and potatoes when all she wanted to eat was human flesh? We explore these fascinating questions as we analyze the connection between food, horror and fairy tales in Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale The Little Mermaid, along with two other modern fish-female films The Lure and She Creature. So please jump on into the water and join us! References: Ondine (2009), directed by Neil Jordan. The Lure (Córki dancingu) (2015), directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska. She Creature (2001), directed by Sebastian Gutierrez. Books Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me, Ultima. Berkeley: TQS Publications, 1972. Gabaldon, Diana. Outlander (Outlander Book 1). New York: Delacorte Press, 1991. Jarvie, Gordon (ed.). Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales. London: Penguin Books, 1992. Mother Earth, Father Sky: Native American Myth. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1991.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 54 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

84

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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