Most people use the terms “horror movie” and “scary movie” interchangeably. But that raises a question: Does a horror film really have to be scary? And are some scares better or more valuable than others? On this week’s episode of Film Club, critics A.A. Dowd and Katie Rife discuss these questions, as well as the horror genre’s regular tactics for getting under an audience’s skin. They then confess which movies frighten them the most.
Because The A.V. Club office is closed for the time being, and everyone on staff is social distancing, we’ve recorded episode remotely. Listen to the podcast above, subscribe on iTunes, and give us a five-star rating to help other listeners find us. And while you’re there, check out The A.V. Club’s other podcast, Push The The Envelope.