A horror podcast. I'm Todd, joined by the lovely,
the talented, the beautiful, as always. It's
my wife, Becca. Hi. Hello. And we're going to
watch every horror movie together. So, of course,
we had to go out and see Gay It Follows this
past weekend. Of course, that's Leviticus from
2026, directed by Adrian. Is it Kia? Kia. Directed
by Adrian Chiarella. It's funny because when
we saw the trailer for this a little while ago,
the trailer very much felt like, oh, I guess
this is like It Follows, but it's about like
gay conversion therapy. And watching the movie,
it's like, yeah, that's it's literally It Follows.
Like it's kind of crazy how similar it is. Not
that that's a bad thing. No, we love It Follows.
We all love It Follows. And I do think I think
the movie has like its own voice. It definitely
does. It really has its own thing to say and
everything. And the way the monsters presented
is different than in It Follows. A little bit.
A little bit. Yeah. But it's a different concept.
Well, we'll just say so. The I don't think this
is worth treating like a spoiler. But the movie
is about like it's it's these these two characters.
We got Joe Bird, who isn't talk to me. Did you
recognize him? I think I didn't catch on until
later, but yeah. Well, I think there was also
someone in the theater behind us that was very
loudly like, it's the kid from Talk to Me. I
didn't hear that. Must have been blocked out
by the farter. Let's not get ahead of ourselves,
all right? We'll get to all that. The farter
is not a spoiler. But it's also got Stacey Clawson,
who I don't think I've... I can remember seeing
in anything, but they're basically the two male
leads in this movie that's in like this kind
of industrial small town. And these guys maybe
are very quickly discovering a little forbidden
romance between the two of them. The movie kind
of opens right away with that stuff, which was
nice that we like got right into it. And of course,
in a small town like this, it's maybe not super
accepted by the community. So the story revolves
around bringing in the church to try and quote
unquote cure this. You know, that's where the
like conversion therapy comes in. And maybe they
kind of bite off more than they can chew by summoning
an evil. It follows entity, which like this is
the part that I don't think is worth treating
as a spoiler. It's meant to be like it looks
like the person that you desire the most, but
no one else can see it. So it's really it is.
It follows, except instead of it being like a
random person, it's a very specific person that
you're seeing. Yeah. I just think it's funny
because I did read a little bit of an interview
with the director. I was just curious. He had
a lot of interesting things to say about the
production of this and the idea and everything.
But I did notice he didn't mention it follows
once. And it's kind of like clubbing. Like we
know that was an inspiration. It did feel very
inspired, which is not. There's nothing wrong
with that. No. Because yeah, in this house, I
love the high concept monsters. I think that's
what I'm settling on as like my term for that.
Because I've said that before that I love the
monster movies where there are like weird rules
around the monster. I really feel like It Follows
kind of kicked off this new era of monster movie.
I don't want to call it like elevated monster
movies. No, it's high concept monsters. And it's
funny because he did. He had something to say
in that interview that I thought was very interesting
because I'd never thought of it this way. You
got all these people online who complain about
how like every horror movie now is about like
grief or trauma or some other idea. Like, oh,
I want the old days when it was just about monsters
and that's it. I mean, those were also grief
and trauma. Well. That was what the director
said, is that like maybe part of growing up is
realizing they always represented something.
It's just when you're a kid, you didn't understand
that. Exactly. It's like it's it's very interesting
to me because I run into a lot like people who
complain about movies not being the same now.
They're not as scary. They're not as simple.
And it's like you are going by your childhood
memories of horror. And I think a lot of big
horror fans, that's how you start. You watch
something when you're too young, you get scarred
by it. But then you love that so much that you
keep chasing it. And we have to realize, you
know, you grow up at a certain point and you're
just looking at the world in a different way.
Yeah, your frontal lobe develops and now you
have all this context. Well, I don't know if
they all have the frontal lobe. But it's like,
yeah, that's kind of something that he mentioned.
Maybe they've always been about grief and trauma.
And of course, Leviticus. This is the part of
the Bible that's like, thou shalt not lie with
a man like a woman, whatever the fuck it is.
Yeah. Who cares? I do want to say, which is a
mistranslation. That translation didn't come
until not to get into Bible history here. It
really is talking about pedophiles, which really
puts a lot of things into perspective, doesn't
it? We're not having that conversation. I mean,
look, we're not. Yeah, we're not going to go
deep into the Bible or anything now. It is interesting
that, yeah, a lot of that kind of stuff also
is written later. It's almost like culturally
people came up with different ideas of stuff
they don't like and just added it like, yeah,
don't do this either. Yeah. When we got into
the theater, I was a little worried that maybe
people were getting the wrong idea of this. Yeah.
Because we were saying, yeah, we had the farter
behind you. I don't think that had anything to
do with this. No, no, no. You definitely farted.
loudly more than once during the movie uh look
i got crones i could fucking sometimes you just
gotta let her rip it was just funny but we also
had uh some people sitting next to us that i
mean as soon as i saw them i was like i don't
know if they know what they're about to watch
and they didn't they were yeah they were like
older and immediately in the beginning every
time that the boys were kissing they were like
like just loudly making noises and i was like
brother you got a long movie ahead of you i hope
you're ready to watch more boys kiss because
i don't think this is the last they did kind
of it felt like they got used to it eventually
i didn't really hear much after that i'm like
i'm so curious what their takeaway was i wish
there'd be a way to ask them without being a
weirdo yeah because they seemed kind of into
it by the end oh yeah it seemed like they enjoyed
it which is good yeah i feel like there were
some times where bad things happened to the lead
boys and they sounded kind of like upset about
it they seem to be empathetically involved in
the movie it did make me wonder because the the
way the story is told even though there's like
a very clear subtext to me Um, that was one of
the things that director said was he kind of
made it this way deliberately, like to make it
so that the themes are very broad. So there's
no like clear one way to interpret the movie.
And I feel like kind of conflicted about that.
Okay. Well, that's interesting you say that.
Cause I did read that there was an opening scene
where they explained the Leviticus Bible verse,
like they talked about it and ultimately they
decided to cut it. which i think was kind of
a good decision but it seems unnecessary yeah
i guess the reason i'm conflicted is because
to me like a lot of the themes a lot of the ideas
which are very strong like to me that was actually
the strongest part of the movie um like that
and the lead characters who had a fantastic relationship
yeah those actors like they really carried the
movie and i read that um they did a lot of like
improvisational stuff oh that's around that which
That works because, yeah, it felt super natural.
It did. No, actually, very natural. Yes. I guess
the issue, though, is there is another interpretation
that is kind of like, well, if you do gay shit,
you're going to get attacked by a demon. And
I think there are some people who that might
be their takeaway that it might like reaffirm
their own beliefs. You know, I think you'd have
to really be lacking in media literacy to walk
away with that point of view. You say that like
it's not already happening. Yeah, I think you're
a little too optimistic about the average moviegoer.
Look, I've seen the Internet. I don't need to
go there. Yeah, I guess it really just comes
down to how much empathy you have for the main
characters, because it is kind of hard to hold
on to that idea by the end without a little bit
of empathy, because it did kind of start to feel
like, hey, maybe these people deserve to be happy.
Maybe they don't. deserved to be going through
this yeah and it's the fact that it was like
inflicted by the community on them not because
they specifically did anything wrong but because
they were kissing before and it was fine i know
there's no problem until their parents got in
their business yeah church yeah we'll we'll talk
about that more later i feel like we're starting
to go a little too far but i'll say overall i
enjoyed this a lot i did too as a high concept
monster movie it's uh I actually feel like that
might be the weakest part because it is kind
of like, yeah, this has been done before. I think
it still manages to have some pretty good scares.
It had a jump scare that made you angry. Yes.
At one point, I was so confused because I looked
at you because you jumped hard as shit and you
just looked pissed. Well, I was pissed because
you didn't scare me because of the content in.
the movie you scared me because it was loud noise
like you activated like my ptsd and that pissed
me off that jump scare got you so hard that when
the scene transitioned to daylight you jumped
again i know i was like i was triggered yeah
that part of it it's not like it's bad it's just
not the standout the standout really to me is
the themes and the characters and i think that
it's worth showing up just for that part yeah
The fact that it's also a monster movie, just
a bonus. It's great. So you think you'd recommend
it? Oh, yeah. I definitely would recommend it.
I think it was great. Recommend it to anyone
who likes high concept monster movies. Definitely.
Look, it's fucking Pride Month. Get out there
and support these movies. I feel like this movie
is another like almost cornerstone in queer film
right now because I feel like I saw the TV glow.
is like that same kind of thing like witnessing
it just to witness and be immersed in a queer
experience in horror and i think this did a really
good job of having care with the queer experience
but also making a really good horror movie totally
so as far as the content warning though it's
really it's the themes that deliver the biggest
content warning i think Aside from like that
one jump scare that really fucked you up. It's
not like a jump scare heavy movie. The violence
isn't like grotesque or especially gory. It's
more that it feels like abuse. Yeah. You know
what I mean? So it's like it's heavier in that
kind of way. Yeah, it's definitely a heavy metaphor
for gay conversion therapy, which if that's something
that you've experienced. First of all, I'm very
sorry. That's extremely fucked up. If you're
maybe not ready to watch a movie about this,
that is the whole movie is very heavy on that.
That is really the big horror angle. And those
elements of the story just really feel like,
yeah, we are seeing the real emotional effect
and societal effect of gay conversion therapy
in like this horrific way. Yeah. And I guess
if you also if you. groan every time you see
boys kissing be aware there's a lot of boys kissing
yeah well even more so you can't even handle
kissing then you're not oh yeah yeah we started
getting kind of close to heated rivalry there
this is heated bible -ry that's so dumb uh that's
gonna be the title of that fucking episode All
right. But why don't we let's get in the spoilers
so we can really talk about it. OK. If I had
to name like one big complaint about this movie,
it was the way that it handles exposition. I
feel like it's the exposition of necessary evil
because we have to have a way to explain the
rules and everything. But it did feel a little
ham fisted and it kind of it took me out of the
environment. in the movie okay because the world
they create is so interesting it feels so like
lived in and when they step outside of it it
really does feel like i could feel the writers
being like well we have to we have to figure
out a way to tell these kids what's going on
yeah because remember it follows it was like
the way they handled it there is they have the
character in the beginning who kind of who kind
of starts the spread of the it follows right
So he's able to like tell you, all right, these
are the rules. See you later. So this time it's
that like random opening scene at the pool with
the girl who gets killed by this thing. It was
kind of effective because in the moment I had
no idea what was going on because it seems like
she's talking to nobody before being brutally
murdered. But it's later on when they like, it's
like very suddenly they're like trying to figure
out like. They hear like a story about, oh, this
girl in this other town was dealing with this
thing and oh, her girlfriend's still alive. So
they're able to be like, all right, that's an
hour away. Let's go. And it's just like this
very quick, like hop over there, talk to her,
get the rules, come back, continue the movie.
I wish there was a better way to do that. I guess
so. I guess I really, that didn't bother me as
much. It's not a big deal. It just felt like
very obvious. But the rules that we get are so
we have this weird ass priest who goes around
doing these kind of gay exorcisms. And what it
actually does is it seems to attach a demon or
some kind of demonic entity onto these poor fucking
children. Yeah. And then, yeah, the idea is anytime
you're alone, you see the person that you desire
the most. And if you give in to that desire,
it beats the living shit out of you. It's a pretty
terrifying idea. It's obvious how it plays into,
you know, gay conversion therapy and how like
like there is a line in the movie where they
say like they want us to be afraid. Yeah. And
yeah, it's the idea of how that can make you
feel completely isolated and afraid all the time.
And that's by design. I wrote that down, too,
that they want us to be scared of each other.
And I thought that that came through really strong.
That's the fucked up thing about it. I can't
even imagine if I was outside in the garden and
I just see you like, hey, hey, how's it going?
Come here. Give me a kiss. And then as soon as
I do that, you just fucking strangle me. Yeah,
it's terrifying. It's yeah, it's very terrifying.
It made me wonder because the thing was super
fucking aggressive. Is it meant to like instantly
kill you as soon as you give in? I don't know.
I didn't really think about that. But I think
it's supposed to be like. beating the desire
out of you beating the gay out of you yeah i
don't like that it's scary i think like the most
effective one was um when he was home by himself
was named name yeah it's so fucking awkward yeah
when name is home by himself they're they're
at a certain point it started to be like brother
like i know this i know you love this dude but
you gotta you can't be naive you know this is
the monster Oh, well, I do think they they have
the character in a peculiar situation. Like he's
new to town. He doesn't have any friends. And
his one friend that he really loves, like he
really loves. I know that's kind of adds to the
vulnerability of his character. I'm being an
armchair movie watcher. Don't mean to do that.
And it's it does a great job of showing how like.
The more you're around this person, the more
it's able to like learn their mannerisms and
all this shit. So he's saying like very personal
stuff to get to him. That's what makes it so
scary when he reaches through the fucking screen
door, like scrapes his arm up. That was crazy.
That was cool. I could feel it coming, but that
was still. Yeah. So I'm saying the whole time
you're like, brother, it's the monster. Anyway.
Yeah. That's I mean, that's. important to the
movie and it's funny because i almost feel like
it doesn't do enough with that weird trust that
comes from it i guess it's just not important
to the themes but like it does feel like it would
set up a lot of situations where they're not
trusting each other they're afraid of each other
it seems like their love for each other is so
fucking pure yeah it's almost like they don't
they just want to be close and be together I
think it was interesting how they made a character
that was like morally gray because the way that
he like told on the guy. Yeah. Yeah. I mean,
he did kind of kick the whole thing off without
realizing it. Yeah. But that's what was extra
fucked up was when you find out the parents kind
of knew what they were signing up for. Like,
remember that he starts trying to explain what's
going on to his mom. By the way, a lot of shitty
adults in this movie. So many shitty adults.
But I guess it kind of makes sense because when,
remember when he's trying to keep her from leaving
the house? Yeah. And she's just like completely
dismissing him. Maybe that's the idea that she
knows. Yeah. She knows this creature's there
and she's just like, yeah, you're going to have
to fucking deal with it. Yeah. It's fucked up.
It's ice cold. But that's what plays into like
the whole setting is really effectively done.
I have no idea where this took place because
I am a stupid American. It's Australia? Yeah.
I thought it was in, like, England. No, I think
it was Australia. I don't know shit about the
rest of the world. It's a really good setting,
though, because, yeah, it just feels so bleak
and depressing. And I read, yeah, the director
said that was a big part of the whole concept
of the movie. It's meant to be this, like, old,
dying, industrial town. And it's meant to really
evoke the idea that... It's systemic. Yeah. Well,
that's the funny thing is my takeaway was like,
yeah, this is what capitalism looks like. And
you're not allowed to love each other and get
close because that gets in the way of profits,
baby. Yeah. Because it's a town full of people
that just work and do nothing else, basically.
And go to church. Yes. That's it. And that's
the thing is like, I think what he was trying
to evoke there was this idea that maybe this
is all. man -made maybe we are creating these
rules for ourselves for no reason i think that's
what made the ending so much more special not
to jump ahead yeah but the way that they're just
like laying on each other and like the sun is
shining on them and then it was just such a good
ending it was like the way that they beat it
was just being themselves and i think that that's
a wonderful message i guess it's it's up for
interpretation whether they beat it or not It
is a very hopeful ending. And I'm happy that
it ended that way instead of just being like,
and they both died. Because they can't be together
anymore. The end. No, it's the idea that even
in the face of all this, they're like, well,
fuck it. We're not going to let this run our
lives. Because it can't get them if they're together.
Right? They have to be alone. I guess they have
to be within eyesight of each other 24 hours
a day. Yeah. They don't feel afraid. Even though.
for the rest of their life they are going to
have to be looking over their shoulders yeah
well that's a reality too exactly maybe that
is part of the idea and that that trauma is something
you can't just get away from but it doesn't mean
you stop living your life yeah it's good i like
it yeah i liked it too uh this marks the end
of pride month is this going to be released during
parliament no no okay because july is pride month
anyway because my birthday so I guess we can
mention this is I think this is getting released
first week of July. We should have a calendar
up if anyone's interested. But this is Becca's
birthday month, which means we're watching Forbidden
Fruits for your birthday episode. We're also
reuploading The Hamiltons on the YouTube since
that's your favorite movie. Everyone keeps telling
me it's my favorite movie. Okay. It's the movie
that I heard about the most when we first started
dating. And for spoiler -free speedrun, it's
going to be all Becca's birthday picks. We got
to talk about that, too, because you're going
to pick out the game, whatever you want to do.
Oh, yeah. We'll figure it out. Listen, whatever
game you want to play, I'm in. Okay. It's your
birthday. Okay. But I don't got anything else
for this one. Me either. I don't think so. So,
you can go to ghostbeast .com for all our links.
You can also search for Ghost Beast Pod. You
can follow Lux Fatale. Check out Becca's artwork,
including the stuff she designed for our merch,
if you want to support us. Special thanks to
the FUs for providing all our music. You can
check him out at thef -use .com. And you can
follow Ghost Beast on Letterboxd, where we rank
everything we cover. Got a good spot. Okay. Right
next to another hot concept monster movie. I
put it above Cuckoo and below No One Will Save
You. I think that's a good spot. Yeah. Sounds
good. Puts it number 59 on our list. You can
also contact us at podcast at ghostbeast .com.
Let's hear some recommendations for Becca. For
me? Yes. She loves classic movies. She loves
gay movies. How would you describe your movie
taste? Oh, I don't know. It's kind of all over
the place. Uh -huh. I really like... I like strong
female leads. I really like vintage horror a
lot, but you kind of miss out some of the...
I don't know how to explain it. I just... I like
witchy stuff a lot. You love your colorful aesthetics?
Yes. Something like Suspiria. Yeah, I love stuff
like that. That's why we're watching Forbidden
Fruits, even though... I've heard a lot of people
don't like it. Oh. We're going to find out. Okay,
we'll see. Sometimes people are wrong. That happens
a lot, it turns out. Bye.