Years of Fear: A History of Horror

There are few things more immediately associated with horror cinema than gruesome images of blood and gore. But it wasn't always like this. For the first 60 years of the film genre, there was very little gore to be found on screen at all. But this all changed in 1963 with a movie that painted the genre blood red forever, Blood Feast!  In this episode of Years of Fear, we are exploring the relationship of gore and horror going all the way back to the late 19th century in France, the movie that introduced the idea of gore to cinema, and the man who had only previously directed sleazy sexploitation films who changed horror forever.  If you want to get in touch with us, you can email the show at [email protected], or on Instagram at @Yearsoffear  

Its a familiar story for anyone who is fan of horror cinema: the story of a young director, with no film experience, no money, and no industry know-how, who wrangles up some friends, a camera, and some borrowed money from his community, and goes out and makes a cult classic film that catapults them to a successful career in the larger film world. But for every Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson or Tobe Hooper, there are the directors who went out and made a movie, but it ultimately led them no where. Well, sometimes those movies have a life that these filmmakers never could have imagined. In this episode, we explore the 1962 cult classic film Carnival of Souls, a gorgeously shot and eerie masterpiece, and the bright eyed director who had only previously made educational films. This movie went on to inspire everything from Night of the Living Dead, Eraserhead, and so much more, but not without first experiencing an unforseen rise to cult classic status.      If you want to get in touch with us, you can email the show at [email protected], or on Instagram at @Yearsoffear

In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho introduced the world to the future of my horror. But before the genre would embrace it, it would first confront it's very origins with a boom of Gothic Horror films that would make icons out of people like Vincent Price, Barbara Steele, and Christopher Lee. Perhaps no one would have a greater impact on this era of the macabre than Roger Corman, the b-movie king whose adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe's classic works changed horror forever. Perhaps nonemoreso than his 1961 classic The Pit and the Pendulum. This week on Years of Fear, we explore the legacy of Corman, Poe, Vincent Price, and the gothic horror films of the early 1960s.        If you want to get in touch with the show, you can reach us at [email protected]  

In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho ushered in the modern era of horror filmmaking. But in order for the film to make the impact that Hitch wanted, he was going to need to overcome several massive obstacles to fulfill his vision. Whether it was the censor board, struggles with the music editing, or the very way that films were screened at the time, it was all going to be an uphill battle. Join us for the conclusion to our two-part debut episode on Psycho.   Stick around to the end to hear the announcement for our 1961 episode, which will be released on 11/13/2025.   If you want to get in touch with the show, you can reach us at [email protected]

In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock released Psycho, a bold new sort of horror film that shocked audience's with it's sequences of murder and depravity, including a shower stabbing sequence that is firmly in the canon of iconic film moments. But where did this cinematic burst of bloodlust come from? In part 1 of our debut episode of Years of Fear, we explore the evolution of the first 60+ years of onscreen violence and death that lead up to Janet Leigh's iconic death sequence. We also explore the film's director, his early career, and the artistic dead end that made Psycho possible. Join us for the beginning of our journey of the first four years of 1960s Horror Cinema.    Correction: contrary to what we say at the end of the episode, you can reach us via email at [email protected]

From the creator of Toxic Schlock comes "Years of Fear: A History of Horror", a horror history podcast that explores the movies that shaped horror, the people that made them, and the culture that made them possible. Every episode explores the most important horror film of the year, beginning in 1960 with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. This preview clip of the show's debut episode, which premieres on 10/23/2025, sets the table for the beginning of the world's entry into a new world of fear.    Follow us on Instagram

We wrap up our final mini series with an exploration of the South Korean monster movie modern classic THE HOST! We explore the controversial events that inspired the film, and the cultural influences that director Bong Joon-Ho mirrored in the fim. We're then joined by friend of the show Jesse Akman to discuss Korean cinema, Bong Joon-Ho, and all things the HOST. Stick around after the episode to hear the final words from host Michael Kent as Toxic Schlock comes to a close and discusses future horror related projects. 

Our Monster Movie series enters the golden age of practical FX with an exploration of David Cronenberg's 1986 classic THE FLY! We covered Cronenberg's early career in our episode on THE BROOD during our Body Horror series, and now we follow it up with a deep dive into his incredible run of Scanners, Videodrome, and the Dead Zone, leading to his botched attempt at TOTAL RECALL, and the tragedy that made his work on The Fly possible. We're then joined by returning guest Sam Sutherland (155 Podcast) to discuss Cronenberg, Canadian horror, practical FX, and the many allegorical readings of the Fly!   Join our Patreon! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter , Facebook

Our Monster Movie series continues with a deep dive on the king of all monsters GODZILLA! We explore the slew of tragic historical events that led to the inception of the 1954 Kaiju classic GOJIRA, the early life of director Ishiro Honda, and the cultural impact left in the film's wake. We're then joined by Winston Ward of the fantastic magazine and podcast INFINITE WORLDS to discuss the history, evolution, and legacy of one of cinema's most iconic creations.        Join our Patreon! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter , Facebook

In a very special bonus Monster Movie episode, John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats) returns to the show to discuss 50s b-movies, the evolution and perception of Monster Movies, MST3K, and his film pick, the 1958 gem THE CRAWLING EYE. As we discuss in the intro, since this was a last minute addition to our Monster Movie series, this episode skips our usual historical/cultural background section and jumps straight to our deep dive into all things CRAWLING EYE!   Join our Patreon! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter , Facebook