The Losers' Club: A Stephen King Podcast The Stacks: What We're Reading in September and the Latest in Horror Fiction
Sep 19, 2025
Dive into the creepy world of horror and literature, exploring Stephen King's collaboration with Maurice Sendak on Hansel and Gretel. Discover fresh horror releases like The Troop and All Hallows, while the hosts discuss the evolution of ghost hunting. They dissect classic sequels, and Mike shares his thoughts on the Halloween franchise. Randall's review of Coffin Moon and Ashley’s insights on dark campus fiction keep the conversation lively. Plus, they chat about intriguing films like Demonlover and upcoming HBO series, Task.
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Childhood Horror As A Lasting Gateway
- Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark acted as a raw, non-neutered gateway into horror for many listeners.
- Hosts argue early exposure to genuinely disturbing children's horror shaped lifelong taste and fear thresholds.
Talismanic Childhood Keepsakes
- Rockin' Randall kept a Dick Tracy movie tie-in magazine as a talisman-like object from childhood.
- The hosts compare such artifacts to Stephen King books that people carry and grow into.
Mainstreaming Can Shrink Horror's Edge
- Modern horror's mainstream financial success stretches franchises but can dilute originality.
- Mike worries popularization makes studios favor sequels over inventive, risk-taking films.